What If? Year 1

Chapter 37

It had been two months since our first group visit to the library. We still have not found anything and had only gone through half of the books in there. Today, Gryffindor and Hufflepuff had a quidditch match. I was excited to see both my brother and Cedric play, so I went to bed early. 
"Hey, Goldie," Hermione whispers, softly shaking me awake, "I'm going to swing by the library before the game, wanna come?" 
"I'll meet you there," I mumble, getting up. She nods and leaves. I get up and put on some jeans and Cedric's Hufflepuff jacket. Then I grab my Gryffindor scarf. 
"Where are you goin, Golds," Ara asks, looking at me for her bed as I tie my shoes. 
"I'm meeting Mione at the library, maybe getting a bit of food before I go. I'll see you at the game?" Ara nods and rolls back over. I start my way to way to the Great Hall. I grab some toast and eat it quickly. Snape walks over to me. 
"You're up early, Miss Potter," she sneers. I nod and smile.
"Thought I'd visit the library before the game." He glares down at me. 
"Why would you need to visit the library this early? Who gave you homework that is so necessary to finish now. I can't imagine you'd be going to the library for any other reason." 
"To be honest with you sir," I say, "I'm.. kind of a nerd, and I thought I'd see if I could read some advance things.. just to learn and be ahead." Snape chuckles. 
"Well, to be honest with you, Miss Potter. I haven't seen someone as good in Potions since Penny Haywood. I'm sure you know that I do not like Gryffindors very much, but you have a gift." 
"Thank you, Professor.. that means a lot. I love Potions, and I honestly wish that I could attempt some more complex mixtures. I don't think I'm allowed to though." My face is burning, confused of how I was so willing to tell Snape all of this. Snape was smiling at me now, and lays a hand on my shoulder. 
"Perhaps, we could figure something out." He pats my shoulder and walks away. 
That was very odd. I've never seen him so happy.  I smile, honestly happy to see him enthusiastic about something. I keep walking to the library, but I see someone standing just at the corner. It was Hermione. 
"Hey, Mione!" No response came. 
"Hermione? Are you alright?" Still nothing. I get to her and realize something in horror. 
"For Merlin's sake!" I swear, looking at Hermione's face. Glazed over eyes meet mine and I shout in anger. She was holding a mirror up to her face. 
"Bloody hell, not Mione!" I run off to find a teacher. I turn into the Transfiguration classroom. 
"Professor McGonagall!" I say, out of breath, "Oh, Merlin. Hermione..." Tears suddenly come to my eyes and McGonagall runs to my side. 
"What is it, Potter?" she ask, hand on my shoulder, "is Miss Granger okay?" 
"She.. she's been petrified. I was supposed to meet her at the library and she.. bloody hell. She's been petrified." McGonagall nods slowly and rubs my back. 
"Can you take me to her?" she asks. I nod. We walk together back to the library and Madam Pomfrey was already there. 
"Miss Potter, please go back to your common room," McGonagall orders, "I will come get you in a while." I walk back to the common room. Everyone else was gone to the game. 

"I can't believe she just canceled quidditch!" Oliver shouts, throwing open the portrait, "those stupid attacks have been happening all year!" 
"Oliver, the game will be rescheduled," Katie Bell scolds him, "They are probably just trying keep everyone contained." Oliver storms off. I rush over to Fred and George. 
"Where's Harry?" I ask. 
"McGonagall said that there was something she had to so him and Ron." I sigh. 
"Do you know something?" 
"Hermione's been petrified," I tell them, "They're going to be so upset when they get back." 
"Who found her?" 
"I did." 
"Oh bloody hell." 
"Yeah, we were going to meet at the library." I go up to the dorm and sit in my bed. I try to rack my head about what might have happened. Sudden rage racks through me and I punch my pillow. I pull out a some parchement and start to write a letter to my parents. 

Dear Mum and Dad,
I am scared. Hermione's been petrified. I need to figure out what is doing it. All I know that it is the monster of the Chamber of Secrets. I have not gotten any letters from you in months also. I presume that you're on a mission for the Ministry, but I'm starting to worry. I still need you to answer my question. Please answer soon. 
Love, 
Goldie

Ara opens the door and looks at me.
"Do you know why the quidditch game was canceled?" 
"Did they not tell you?" 
"No." 
"Mione's been petrified." Ara sighs. 
"I'm so frustrated," I tell her, "I just want to figure out what this is thing is! Or at least where the Chamber is." She nods. Ginny and Heather open the door and their eyes land on me. 
"Professor McGonagall wants to talk to you," Heather tells me. I nod and get up. I walk down to the common room and McGonagall was standing in the middle of the students. 
"Miss Potter, will you follow me?" she asks, parting the students for me. I follow her to her office. 
"You aren't in trouble," she begins, "You just seemed very upset about find Miss Granger and as your head of house I felt obliged to check on you." I stare at my hands. 
"I'm fine," I tell her, "I was just kind of overwhelmed, I guess." McGonagall looks at me. 
"I don't mean to pry, but I feel like there is something else." I take a deep breath. 
"I haven't heard from my parents since break, and that's not like them. I've been writing to them every week, and I haven't gotten a response. I thought that maybe they got called on a mission for the Ministry or something, but even my sister hasn't replied. Is there even a chance that my letters have been.. intercepted?" 
"With all that is happening, my dear, that is totally possible." I nod, sadly.
"Is there anything else?" 
"I do have a question.. I was looking through a stack of paper in the library trying to find some answers for a History of Magic and I came across a name that seemed familiar to me, but I couldn't put my finger on who it was." 
"Who was it?" 
"Thomas Riddle." McGonagall nods and frowns. 
"He was a student from about fifty years ago, he was at Hogwarts a few years under me," McGonagall recounts, "he was a very smart young man, but he turned to be.. well, evil. Tom Riddle later changed his name to.. ummm, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named." A shiver goes down my spine and I look up to her. 
"I forgot that he went to Hogwarts," I whisper, "no wonder I knew that name." Something hits me. 
"Professor, isn't it true that the last time the Chamber opened was about fifty years ago?" 
"I'm not sure where you heard that, but yes that is true. Tom Riddle was actually the one who that figured out who opened the chamber." 
"Oh, I thought maybe.. oh, never mind." 
"Now that I've told you this, you will not go out trying to figure out what is happening. It's a very dangerous time, someone died the last time, and I can't imagine it being you. So please be careful, and stay with your friends." I nod. 
"Thank you, Professor."