The Shadows Cast

Chapter 8

Screaming.

Cassandra dropped her books as she ran into the bathroom to find Ginny staring at the wall.  She looked at what was making the girl scream.  A gasp escaped her throat.  It was the wall, painted in blood.

The chamber of secrets has been opened.

"Merlin's sake!" Ginny gasped.  "That scared the crap out of me."

"What on earth?" Cassandra sputtered.  "Surely this isn't real blood.  Is it?"

"What a terrible prank." Ginny frowned.

"We should report this to Dumbledore," Cassandra said as she pulled the younger Gryffindor out of the bathroom.  To her surprised, there was a small crowd standing outside the bathroom.  Probably had been drawn by the scream, but wasn't certain if they should enter.

"What's wrong?" Rapunzel managed to squeeze through the students in order to get to her friends.

"The wall.  Someone wrote a message on it with blood," Cassandra answered bluntly.

"Blood!" Rapunzel looked horrified at the thought.  "Why and who would do that?"

"It was probably a prank.  One that sucks, but means nothing," Cassandra replied.

"Are we sure it's blood?"

"Well, it certainly looks like it," Ginny said.

The group of students muttered, some entering to see the bloody message.  Cassandra called after them.  "Don't touch it so the authorities can handle it properly."

"What's going on over here? Aren't you all supposed to be heading to classes?"

The three turned to owner of the voice.  Ginny grinned upon seeing who it was.  "Percy!  Perfect timing!  We have a situation in the bathroom."

Her older brother raised a brow.  "Do I want to know?"

"Someone wrote a cryptic message on the wall, and if that was enough for them, they decided to write it in blood.  Frankly, it's rather disturbing," Cassandra explained.

"In blood? Show me." Percy's voice grew serious.  He followed as the three girls showed him into the bathroom.  Then he ordered the other students that were spectating to return to their classes, which they all reluctantly obeyed.  Except for the three trying to explain the situation.

"So who found this?" Percy inquired as she studied the wall.

"I did," Ginny said.  "I was really drowsy and I honestly don't really remember what happened all this morning.  But when I saw the wall, I screamed, and, well, I'm awake now."

"Is it blood?" Rapunzel asked.

"Yes. That is definitely blood.  Who's blood is the bigger picture.  The Ministry will handle it and we'll get to the bottom of this," Percy promised.

"What's the chamber of secrets?" Cassandra rubbed her chin thoughtfully.

"Well," Percy began as he traced his finger on the wall, looking for something that he might have missed.  "It was a rumor that there were secret chambers hidden in Hogwarts.  Hence being names the Chamber secrets.  Had something to do with Riddle, but it was only stories.  If the chamber of secrets was real, Fred and George would have found it through all their crazy high jinx."