Public Issues (Demma Book 2)

Against Discrimination

Dateline: October 31st, 1992

"What's going on here? Go on, make way,"

Attracted no doubt by Malfoy's shout, Argus Filch came shouldering his way through the crowd. Then he saw Mrs Norris and fell back, clutching his face in horror.

"Mrs Norris?" he said, eyes popping at Harry and Hermione. "You! You've murdered my cat!"

"No. No," said Harry, looking scared.

"I'll kill ya," said Filch, grabbing the two by their robes. "I'll kill ya!"

"Argus!"

Dumbledore had arrived on the scene, followed by several other teachers. In seconds, he had swept past Harry and Hermione and detached Mrs Norris from the torch bracket.

"Everyone will proceed to their dormitories immediately," he said as the students left the hall and pointed at Harry and Hermione. "Everyone except you two."

To their horror, Lockhart arrived on the scene, but Dumbledore spoke up, "She's not dead, Argus. She has been Petrified."

"Ah, thought so. So unlucky I wasn't there," said Lockhart, staring at the cat. "I know exactly the counter curse that could have spared her."

"Oh, of course, he did," Hermione whispered to Harry darkly.

"But how she's been Petrified, I cannot say," Dumbledore said softly.

"Ask them. It's them who's done it." shrieked Filch. "You saw what he wrote on the wall."

"It's not true, sir, I swear," said Hermione. "We've never touched Mrs Norris."

"Rubbish!" snarled Filch.

"If I might, Headmaster," said Snape from the shadows, and their sense of foreboding increased; they were sure nothing Snape had to say was going to do them any good.

"Perhaps Potter and Granger were simply at the wrong place at the wrong time," he said, a slight sneer curling his mouth as though he doubted it. "However, the circumstances are suspicious. I, for one, don't recall seeing Potter and Granger at dinner."

They launched into an exclamation about the deathday party until Snape came back with his quivering sneer, "But why not join the feast afterwards? Why go up to that corridor?"

"Because -- because --" Harry said, his and Hermione's hearts thumping very fast; something told them it would sound very far-fetched if they told them they'd been led there by bodiless voices no one, but he could hear.

"Because we were tired and wanted to go to bed," she said.

"Without any supper?" said Snape, a triumphant smile coming across his gaunt face. "I didn't think ghosts provided food fit for living people at their parties."

"We weren't hungry," said Harry as Snape looked back at Dumbledore.

"Innocent until proven guilty, Severus," he said firmly.

Snape looked furious. So did Filch.

"My cat has been Petrified!" he shrieked, his eyes popping. "I want to see some punishment!"

"We will able to cure her, Argus," said Dumbledore patiently. "As I understand it, Madame Sprout has a very healthy growth of Mandrake. When matured, a potion will be made, which will revive Mrs Norris." he then rounded on Harry and Hermione. "And in the meantime, I strongly recommend caution to all."

It's nearly midnight on Halloween, and the two students were journeying up to the common room until Hermione spoke up, "It's a bit strange, isn't it?"

"Strange?" asked Harry.

"We hear this voice, a voice only you and I hear, and then Mrs Norris turns up Petrified. It's just strange."

"Do you think we should've told them, Dumbledore and the others, I mean?"

"No. Even in the Wizarding World, hearing voices isn't a good sign."

Dateline: November 4th, 1992

After trouble in Snape's potion class for Harry and Hermione to scrape tubeworms off the desks and a hurried lunch, they headed over to the Transfiguration classroom where Professor McGonagall was there, teaching.

"Could I have your attention, please? Right. Now, today, we will be transforming animals into water goblets." she said, her wand pointing at a feathered bird. "Like so. Vera Verto."

A steam of smoke emits from her wand, and the bird was nothing more than a clear crystalized goblet. Other students were amazed by the transformation, but teachers had to let their students handle their problems of doing it independently.

"Now it's your turn? Who would like to go first?" she said, approaching Harry. "Ah! Mr Potter, you try."

He picked up his wand, and all of a sudden, a bird landed right on his and Hermione's desk, surprising the two of them. Trying not to take too long, he said, "Vera Verto." and the same puff of smoke was emitted onto the bird, turning into the same crystal goblet at the front.

"Excellent, Potter! Five points to Gryffindor!" said McGonagall, paying her attention to Hermione's raised hand. "Yes, Ms Granger?"

"Professor, I was wondering if you could tell us about the Chamber of Secrets," said Hermione as Malfoy's eyes were in a surprising mood.

"Very well," said McGonagall, now seeing a few other students were interested in the talk. "Well, you all know, of course, that Hogwarts was founded over a thousand years ago by the four greatest witches and wizards of the age: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin. Now three of the founders coexisted quite harmoniously. One did not."

"Three guesses who," whispered Harry to Hermione.

"Salazar Slytherin wished to be more selective about the students admitted to Hogwarts." McGonagall continued. "He believed magical learning should be kept within all-magic families. In other words, pure-bloods. Unable to sway the others, he decided to leave the school. Now, according to legend, Slytherin had built a chamber in this castle, known as the Chamber of Secrets. Well, shortly before departing, he sealed it until that time when his own true Heir returned to the school. The Heir alone would be able to open the Chamber and unleash the horror within, and by so doing, purge the school of all those who, in Slytherin's view, were unworthy to study magic. Well, naturally, the school has been searched many times. No such Chamber has been found."

"Professor, what exactly does legend tell us lies within the Chamber?" Hermione asked.

"Well, the Chamber is said to be home to something that only the Heir of Slytherin can control," she responded, walking back to her desk. "It is said to be the home of a monster."

After Transfiguration class, Harry and Hermione were walking to their next class when Slytherin students complained that they were Slytherin's Heir just because of what happened four days ago.

"Do you think it's true? Do you really think there's a Chamber of Secrets?" asked Harry.

"Yes," said Hermione. "Couldn't you tell? McGonagall's worried. All the teachers are."

"But if there really is a Chamber of Secrets, and it really has been opened, then that means,"

"The Heir of Slytherin has returned to Hogwarts. The question is, who is it?"

"Who do we know who thinks all Muggle-borns are scum?"

"If you're talking about Malfoy, The Heir of Slytherin?"

"Well, look at his family; the whole lot of them had been in Slytherin for centuries. Crabbe and Goyle must know. We could trick them into telling, but they're not that thick to fall for that."

"There might be another way. But, mind you, it would be difficult, not to mention we'd be breaking fifty school rules, and it'll be dangerous, very dangerous."