The American Pure-Blood: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets [Book 2]

Chapter VI: Sympathy for Terence Higgs and the Deathday Party

Someone's POV

                    Detention took long for the boys each of them doing their own punishments. Zach and Harry had it worst than Ron, cleaning the trophy case wasn't that difficult unlike cleaning the potions classroom and the students storage. But Harry's punishment with Lockhart, was grueling.  The minutes snailed by. Harry let Lockhart's voice wash over him, occasionally saying, "Mmm" and "Right" and "Yeah." Now and then he caught a phrase like, "Fame's a fickle friend, Harry," or "Celebrity is as celebrity does, remember that." The candles burned lower and lower, making the light dance over the many moving faces of Lockhart watching him. Harry moved his aching hand over what felt like the thousandth envelope, writing out Veronica Smethley's address. It must be nearly time to leave , Harry thought miserably, please let it be nearly time... And then he heard something - something quite apart from the spitting of the dying candles and Lockhart's prattle about his fans. It was a voice, a voice to chill the bone marrow, a voice of breathtaking, ice-cold venom.
                                                         "Come... come to me... Let me rip you... Let me tear you... Let me kill you..." Harry gave a huge jump and a large lilac blot appeared on Veronica Smethley's street.
                                                        "What?" he said loudly.
                                                        "I know!" said Lockhart. "Six solid months at the top of the best-seller list! Broke all records!"
                                                         "No," said Harry frantically. "That voice!"
                                                         "Sorry?" said Lockhart, looking puzzled. "What voice?"
                                                         "That - that voice that said - didn't you hear it?" Lockhart was looking at Harry in high astonishment.
                                                        "What are you talking about, Harry? Perhaps you're getting a little drowsy? Great Scott - look at the time! We've been here nearly four hours! I'd never have believed it - the time's flown, hasn't it?" Harry didn't answer. He was straining his ears to hear the voice again, but there was no sound now except for Lockhart telling him he mustn't expect a treat like this every time he got detention. Feeling dazed, Harry left. It was so late that the Gryffindor common room was almost empty. Harry went straight up to the dormitory. Ron wasn't back yet, though Zach was lying on the couch staring at the wall he looked really tired. Harry pulled on his pajamas, went downstairs, and waited. Half an hour later, Ron arrived, nursing his right arm and bringing a strong smell of polish into the darkened room.
                                                      "My muscles have all seized up," he groaned, sinking on his bed. "Fourteen times he made me buff up that Quidditch cup before he was satisfied. And then I had another slug attack all over a Special Award for Services to the School. Took ages to get the slime off... How was it with Lockhart?" Keeping his voice low, Hermione soon arrived. 
                                                        "And Lockhart said he couldn't hear it?" said Ron. Harry could see him frowning in the moonlight.
                                                       "D'you think he was lying? But I don't get it - even someone invisible would've had to open the door."
                                                       "I know," said Harry, lying back in his four-poster and staring at the canopy above him. "I don't get it either."
                                                        

Zach's POV

                    The next day, which was Sunday, I woke up around 10 am and lazily got up and took a shower. After that I got dressed and headed to the great hall, Hocus following behind me. My arms were sore from all the cleaning and my secret training with Pucey. Once I was in the Great hall I headed to sit with Gaby at the Slytherin's table since it was half empty. The few Slytherin students still there were some older females who began giggling like teenage girls when I made my way to the table but then got mad when I sat with Gaby. Also having breakfast was Terence Higgs, the Slytherin's ex Seeker replaced by Malfoy. He looked bummed which gave me the courage to go to him and talk. He saw me approaching and his face showed disgust. People around not only from the Slytherin table but from other houses stared in anticipation to see what would happen. Even the Professors present stopped and stared.
                                                                     "What are you doing here? This table is for students from Slytherin house not for Gryffindor." He said with a scowl.
                                                                     "First of all, I was just eating breakfast with my friend Gabrielle Rodriguez. and Second of all, I came to try and cheer you up. About the whole Malfoy taking your Seeker spot on the Quidditch team. If it's any good I--" I was talking but I got interrupted by him.
                                                                     "I don't want you sympathy Richardson. Even if Malfoy bought his way to my Seeker Position." Terence Higgs spat at me "and Don't you try and make me reveal the team's techniques because I won't. I'm not dumb enough to fall for your Tricks. Now leave!" He said angrily. I held up my Hand in defense and then walked away of the Great Hall after breakfast, I walked past Kieran.