The Chamber Of Secrets (A Harry Potter Rewrite)

A MINOR BREAKTHROUGH

"What are you doing out here?"

Ria looked up, startled, and saw Hermione standing over her.

"Harry back from the infirmary?", she asked, choosing to let the question slide.

Hermione frowned, then nodded. "We were in Martyl's washroom making the potion when he joined us. None of us have seen you since morning so I came to look."

Ria sighed. "I needed to think."

"About what?", Hermione questioned.

"Everything that's going on. There are too many loose ends and mysteries and unanswered questions. None of it is making sense. It's frustrating."

"Heard about Collin?"

"Saw it.", Ria said. "I was woken by a nightmare. My instincts led me to the infirmary. Saw Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall bring him in."

"Heard the conversation too?", Hermione asked. Ria nodded.

"What do you think Dumbledore meant?"

Ria stared at the horizon of the Black Lake for a while thinking over Dumbledore's statement. "The Chamber of Secrets has been opened again. The question isn't who. The question is how."

"It means the chamber has been opened before and he was present at Hogwarts when that happened. As for the rest of his comment - it could either mean that something had been done the last time to make sure the chamber could never be opened again. This would imply Dumbledore already knows where the chamber is and how to close it; if not for good, at least for a while. But that doesn't really add up. Because as much as Dumbledore loves to test us, I don't believe he'd put the lives of so many people in danger if he could do something about it."

"So then - what else could he have meant."

Ria looked over to Hermione. "The only other thing that statement could mean, is that he knows exactly who is opening the chamber. He just can't figure out how that person is managing to pull it off."

Hermione stared at Ria, shocked. "But - if he already knows who is doing this, why isn't he doing something about it?"

Ria shrugged. "That's what I can't figure out either."

"So, you are saying somebody is going around the castle Petrifying people and he isn't doing anything about it?"

Ria shook her head. "Like I said, he wouldn't do that. There is something that's stopping him from doing anything; some information without which he can't put a stop to this. Maybe he knows the culprit but doesn't know where they are or how they're accessing the Castle."

"So - you're saying this isn't someone from inside the castle doing it? It could be any of the Slytherins -"

"Like Draco Malfoy?", Ria said looking exasperated. "C'mon Hermione, do you really think any student is capable of outwitting Dumbledore? Let alone a first year?"

"He might have help from his father -", Hermione defended but she sounded doubtful.

"Herms, you know as well as I do that this isn't Malfoy. But just for the sake of complete confirmation, and to pacify those two idiots, go ahead with your plan. But I won't join in. You're capable enough to pull that through on your own. Meanwhile, I'll keep looking for clues. There's too much we're missing right now. We don't even have half of the picture."

"Okay.", Hermione sighed. "Also, Dobby visited Harry agan last night. Still scared out of his mind about him being here. He was the one who fixed the Bludger to keeping going after Harry. Apparantly he thought he'd be sent home of he were hurt enough. He knows about the Chamber of Secrets. Didn't say it directly. From what Harry said he couldn't. Said he'd say something and then go start hurting himself because he had to punish himself for disobeying his master."