Professor McGonagall stood in front of the students in the Gryffindor Common Room, reading from a parchment she held in her hand.
"'All students will return to their house Common Rooms by six o'clock in the evening. You will be escorted to each lesson by a teacher. No exceptions.'" she read before rolling up the parchment. "I should tell you all this. Unless the culprit behind these attacks is caught, it is likely that the school will be closed."
McGonagall then exited the Common Room as the students began to talk amongst themselves.
"Haven't any of the teachers noticed that the Slytherins are all safe?" Neville spoke among the crowd. "Isn't it obvious all this stuff's coming from Slytherin? The Heir of Slytherin. The monster of Slytherin. Why don't they just chuck all the Slytherins out?"
"They can't close Hogwarts. Where would we all go?" Seamus said.
"I don't care what anyone says. As long as Dumbledore's here, Hogwarts will be here," Dean Thomas said.
Harry then turned to me and Ron.
"We've got to talk to Hagrid. I can't believe it's him, but if he did set the monster loose last time, even by accident, he'll know how to get inside the Chamber of Secrets. And that's a start," Harry said.
"But you heard McGonagall. We're not allowed to leave the tower. Except for class," Ron said.
"I think it's time I get my Dad's old cloak out again," Harry said. "Y/N, you're coming, right?"
I looked at Harry for a moment.
"Anything to make sure whatever is doing this is gone for good," I said, and Harry nodded.
Later, in the dormitories, while everyone is asleep, Harry dug out his cloak from one of the drawers. Harry then put it over the three of us, and we all made our way out of the Common Room, heading towards Hagrid's hut.
Once we got to the hut, Harry knocked. Hagrid opened the door with his crossbow in hand, pointing it at us.
"Who's there?" Hagrid asked as Harry removed the cloak from us.
Hagrid lowered the crossbow. Once inside, Harry points to the crossbow.
"What's that for?" he asked.
"Nothing, nothing. I've been expecting... Doesn't matter. Sit down. I'll make tea," Hagrid said, and he started to do so.
Hagrid seemed nervous as he spilled the water.
"Are you okay? Hagrid? Did you hear about Hermione?" Harry asked, and I looked down and took a deep breath when I heard her name.
"Oh, yeah. I heard, alright," Hagrid said.
"Look, we have to ask you something. Do you know who's opened the Chamber of Secrets?" Harry asked.
Hagrid stopped what he was doing and started to say something. Suddenly, there was a loud knock on the door. We all threw the cloak on and moved to the back of the room, near Hagrid's fireplace. We watched Hagrid grab his crossbow and pointed it at the door.
"C- come in," Hagrid said.
The door opened as Dumbledore and a man I recognized as Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic, walked in.
"Good evening, Hagrid," Dumbledore said.
"That's Dad's boss! Cornelius Fudge. The Minister of Magic!" Ron whispered to us.
Harry elbowed Ron to shut him up.
"Bad business, Hagrid. Very bad business. Had to come. Four attacks on Muggle-borns. Things've gone far enough. Ministry's got to act," Fudge said.
"I never! You know I never! Professor Dumbledore, sir..." Hagrid said.
"I want it understood, Cornelius, that Hagrid has my full confidence," Dumbledore said.
"Look, Albus, Hagrid's record's against him. I've got to take him," Fudge said.
"Take me? Where? Not Azkaban prison," Hagrid said.
"For a short stretch only. Not a punishment, Hagrid. More a precaution. If someone else is caught, you'll be released with a full apology," Fudge said.
Suddenly, there is another knock on the door. As Dumbledore opened it, Lucius Malfoy, Draco's father, is revealed.
"Already here, Fudge? Good, good..." Lucius said.
"What are you doing here? Get out of my house!" Hagrid said at the sight of Lucius Malfoy.
"My dear man, please believe me, I have no pleasure at all in being inside your... You call this a house? I simply called at the school and was told the Headmaster was here," Lucius said.
"And what exactly did you want with me, Lucius?" Dumbledore asked.
"Dreadful thing, Dumbledore, but the governors feel it's time for you to step aside. This is an Order of Suspension," Lucius said as he held up a piece of paper. "You'll find all twelve signatures on it. I'm afraid we feel you're losing your touch. What with all these attacks, there'll be no Muggle-borns left at Hogwarts. And we all know what an awful loss that would be,"
Lucius handed the parchment to Fudge. Every word and the whole situation made my skin crawl. I wanted nothing more than to just curse Fudge and Lucius Malfoy right there. But I didn't, knowing I couldn't. But then, Fudge said something that surprised me a bit.
"Now, see here, Lucius. Dumbledore suspended? No, no... Last thing we want right now... If Dumbledore can't stop these attacks... I mean, who can?" Fudge said.
"That remains to be seen, but as all twelve governors have voted-" Lucius said.
"And how many did you have to threaten before they agreed?" Hagrid shouted.
"I would advise you not to shout at the Azkaban guards like that," Lucius said.
"You can't take Dumbledore! Take him away and the Muggle-borns won't stand a chance! There'll be killings next!" Hagrid shouted.
"Calm yourself, Hagrid. If the governors want my removal, Lucius, I shall, of course, step aside. However, you will find that I will only truly have left this school when none here are loyal to me. You will also find that help will always be given to those who ask for it," Dumbledore said as his eyes drifted straight to us.
We all looked at each other, seeming to think the same thing. Dumbledore definitely knew we were there. And that last statement was definitely meant for us. Or one of us, at least.
"Admirable sentiments," Lucius said, and Dumbledore's eyes went back to him. "We shall all miss your highly individual way of running things, Albus, and only hope your successor will manage to prevent any more, um, killings."
They all started to leave, save for Hagrid and Fudge. Fudge stood at the doorway, waiting for Hagrid.
"If anyone wanted to find some... stuff, all they'd have to do is follow the spiders. That'd lead 'em right. That's all I'm saying," Hagrid said, clearly to us, before following Fudge out the door.
As the door is shut, Fang scratched and howled at the door as Harry pulled the cloak from us.
"Hagrid's right. With Dumbledore gone, there'll be an attack a day," Ron said.
"Look..." Harry said as Ron and I turned to see spiders crawling through a crack in the window, moving much like they did when we had found Mrs. Norris.
Harry then grabbed Hagrid's lantern.
"Come on," Harry said as we stepped out of Hagrid's hut, walking toward the Forbidden Forest.
"What are you doing?" Ron asked.
"You heard Hagrid. Follow the spiders," Harry said.
YOU ARE READING
The Chamber of Secrets (Book 2) (Hermione x Male Reader)
FanfictionLast year, Y/N L/N started attending Hogwarts. While there, he made new friends, new discoveries, and even helped to keep the dark wizard, Lord Voldemort, from getting his hands on the Sorcerer's Stone. Now what about his second year? Will he have a...
