The Gryffindor Royal - Year Two

Chapter Seven

(Y/N) ran off to the kitchens, where Filch stood waiting for her. "You'll be sweeping the kitchen and polishing the pots and pans, got it? I'll be in the trophy room if you need me," with that, Filch shuffled off.

"This is going to be much easier than I thought!" (Y/N) whispered to herself. She swept the floor amidst the company of the cheerful house-elves, who she'd never realised stayed in the kitchens of Hogwarts, then left the kitchen about a half hour after Filch had left. (Y/N) felt like she was entering a light sleep; she had a vague idea of what was happening around her, but she couldn't control it. She saw herself going into the bathroom that girls preferred not to use — Moaning Myrtle lived in there — and saying something that didn't sound like English. A soft, soothing voice whispered in her ear that everything was completely fine and she was doing a noble thing.

After that, everything went black. (Y/N) heard whispers of killing and ripping, but she couldn't get out of this weird dream-like state. All was black, yet she wasn't asleep. There was a loud yowl that sounded like it could be a cat, and there was lots of water gushing at her ankles, but (Y/N) couldn't be sure where it was coming from. She clutched her diary nearer to her as a hissing sound engulfed her.

When she could finally open her eyes, (Y/N) saw Harry, Ron and Hermione standing in front of a wall. There were the words: The chamber of secrets has been opened, enemies of the heir ... beware. "-it's written in blood." (Y/N) heard Hermione say. No one seemed to notice her walking up next to them. "Oh no," Harry said, noticing something on the torch next to the wall. Filch's cat was hanging from it, seeming lifeless. (Y/N) gulped. Was that the cat that had been yowling earlier? "What's going on?" she asked Ron.

"Jeez, (Y/N), don't scare me like that!" Ron said. "Look at that writing on the wall, and Filch's cat. Wonder what happened, right?" (Y/N) surveyed the scene again. They were near Moaning Myrtle's bathroom — almost right outside — and the cat... what was going on? "Yeah, I wonder indeed..." (Y/N) muttered, walking closer to the cat.

Harry was just about to reach out and touch the cat when the sound of footsteps drew his attention away. All the students had been going back to their dorms and stopped dead in their tracks when they saw Harry and Mrs Norris. Colin tried to take a picture, but Percy pushed the camera down, knowing exactly what was about to happen. "Enemies of the heir beware," Malfoy said loudly, so everyone could hear, then turning to Hermione. "You'll be next, Mudbloods." (Y/N) began to see red, but luckily for Malfoy, Ron managed to control his sister and his own temper.

"What's going on here?" a voice snarled, and Harry's breath hitched. Filch was pushing his at through the crowd. "Get out me way, make way," he said, face full of annoyance. But his face suddenly hardened as he saw Harry. "Potter," Filch said softly. "What're you..." his eyes trailed toward Mrs Norris, face suddenly full of fear and shock. "Mrs Norris?" he said, unable to believe his eyes. "You've murdered my cat," Filch said simply, eyes never leaving Harry's face. "I'll kill you. I'll kill you!" Filch made a grab at the front of Harry's robes and pulled him toward himself. Harry looked horrified as he tried to defend himself.

"Argus?" said a voice from the back of the crowd. Dumbledore emerged as the students parted for him. McGonagall, Snape and some other teachers followed him. Dumbledore saw the message left on the wall, and froze. "Everyone will proceed to their dormitories immediately." he said, and everyone turned around. "Except..." Dumbledore trailed off, as everyone turned back around. "You four." He was pointing at Harry, Ron, Hermione and (Y/N). (Y/N) didn't like the smug look on Malfoy's face when he heard that Dumbledore was holding them back.

Lockhart went closer to Mrs Norris to examine the cat, while Dumbledore soothed Filch with the fact that Mrs Norris wasn't dead, and was Petrified instead. "Ah, thought so!" Lockhart said cheerfully, drawing everyone's attention to himself. "So unlucky I wasn't there. I know exactly the counter-curse that could've spared her." Dumbledore clearly didn't believe Lockhart, and payed him no attention. "But how she's been Petrified I cannot say." He stole a glance at (Y/N), whose socks, shoes and robes were sodden. Her arm was hugging the area around her stomach, clutching the diary more tightly than ever.