After Our Eyes Met

Chapter Thirty

"It's a bit strange, isn't it?" Hermione said, walking up one of the many moving stairwells.

"Strange?"

"You both hear this voice, a voice only you two can hear, and then Mrs. Norris turns up Petrified. It's just...strange." Hermione says.

"Do you think I should have told them, Dumbledore and the others, I mean?" Harry asked.

"Are you mad?" Ron questions.

"No, Harry. Even in the wizard of world, hearing voices isn't a good sign." Hermione turns to keep walking towards the common room.

"She's right, you know." A man in a painting told the three who were left on the steps.

"Of course she is." Hollyn said. She continued to walk up the stairs where Hermione was waiting for them.

- - -

"Could I have you're attention, please? Right. Now, today, we will be transforming animals into water goblets. Like so. One, two, three." McGonagall tapped her wand on her bird three times. "Vero Verto."

The bird transformed into a glass goblet. Everyone in the room gasped at how clear it was.

"Now it's your turn. Who would like to go first?" She asked the class. "Ah, Mr. Weasley. "One, two, three. Vera Verto." She repeated.

"Ahem." Ron cleared his throat. He tapped his wand three times and repeated the spell. Just like McGonagall's bird, the rat turned into a goblet. Unlike McGonagall's it had a tale and fur covered every inch of what was supposed to be glass.

Everyone laughed as the goblet started the squeak like a rat.

"That wand needs replacing, Mr. Weasley." McGonagall said and started to walk back to her desk.

"I'm going to ask." Hermione whispered to Hollyn. All night they had debated on wether or not to ask someone about the Chamber of Secrets. Hollyn didn't think it was a good idea but Hermione still raised her hand.

"Yes, Miss Granger?"

"Professor, I was wondering if you could tell us about the Chamber of Secrets." Everyone waited to hear what the professor had to say.

"Very well." McGonagall seemed to think it was better to tell them. "Well, you all know, of course, that Hogwarts was founded over a thousand years ago by the four greatest witches and wizards of the age: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw and Salazar Slytherin. Now, three of the founders coexisted quite harmoniously. One did not."

"Three guesses who." Ron said to Harry quietly.

"Salazar Slytherin wished to be more selective about the students admitted to Hogwarts. He believed magical learning should be kept within all-magic families. In other words, pure-bloods. Unable to sway the others, he decided to leave the school. Now, according to legend, Slytherin had built a hidden chamber in this castle known as the Chamber of Secrets. Well, shortly before departing, he sealed it, until that time when his own true Heir returned to the school. The Sheri alone would be able to open the Chamber and unleash the horror within, and by so doing, purge the school of all those who,  in Slytherin's view, we're unworthy to study magic."

"Muggle-borns." Hermione said.

The professor nodded. "Well, naturally, the school has been searched many times. No such chamber has been found."

"Professor?" Hermione said again. "What exactly does legend tell us lies within the Chamber?"

"The Chamber is said to be home to something that only the Heir of Slytherin can control. It is said to be the home...of a monster."

- - -

As they were leaving class Ron turned to his friends. "Do you think it's true? Do you think there really is a Chamber of Secrets?"

"Yes. Couldn't you tell? McGonagall's worried. All the teachers are." Hermione said.

"But if there really is a Chamber of Secrets, and it really has been opened, then that means..."

"The Heir of Slytherin has returned to Hogwarts. The question is...who is it?"

"Let's think." Ron said. "Who do we know who thinks all Muggle-bones are scum?" Ron said pointedly.

"If you're talking about Malfoy—"

"Of course! You heard him. "You'll be next, Mudbloods." Ron repeated what the blonde had said the night before.

"I heard him. But Malfoy, the Heir of Slytherin?" Hermione said.

"Maybe Ron's right, Hermione."

"Really? That's be a first." Hollyn muttered.

"Hey." Ron said.

"I mean, look at his family. The whole lot of them have been in Slytherin for centuries. Crabbe and Goyle must know. Maybe we could trick them into telling." Ron suggested.

"Even they aren't that thick, but there might be another way. Mind you, it would be difficult, not to mention we'd be breaking about 50 school rules. And it'll be dangerous. Very dangerous."