History

XXV. FOLLOW THE SPIDERS

chapter twenty-five; the chamber of secrets

1993

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Summer was creeping over the grounds around the castle, sky and lake alike turned periwinkle blue and flowers large as cabbages burst into bloom in the greenhouses. But with no Hagrid visible from the castle windows, striding the grounds with Fang at his heels, the scene didn't look right to Anna. No better, in fact, than the inside of the castle, where things were so horribly wrong. Harry, Zoe and Ron had tried to visit Hermione, but visitors were now barred from the hospital wing.

"We're taking no more chances," Madam Pomfrey told them severely through a crack in the infirmary door. "No, I'm sorry, there's every chance the attacker might come back to finish these people off. . . ."

With Dumbledore gone, fear had spread as never before, so that the sun warming the castle walls outside seemed to stop at the mullioned windows. There was barely a face to be seen in the school that didn't look worried and tense, and any laughter that rang through the corridors sounded shrill and unnatural and was quickly stifled.

They were hampered, of course, by the fact that they weren't allowed to wander off on their own but had to move around the castle in a pack with the other Gryffindors. Most of their fellow students seemed glad that they were being shepherded from class to class by teachers, but Zoe found it very irksome.

One person, however, seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the atmosphere of terror and suspicion. Draco Malfoy was strutting around the school as though he had just been appointed Head Boy.

Zoe didn't realise what he was so pleased about until the Potions lesson about two weeks after Dumbledore and Hagrid had left, when, sitting right behind Malfoy, Zoe overheard him gloating to Crabbe and Goyle.

"I always thought Father might be the one who got rid of Dumbledore," he said, not troubling to keep his voice down. "I told you he thinks Dumbledore's the worst headmaster the school's ever had. Maybe we'll get a decent headmaster now. Someone who won't want the Chamber of Secrets closed. McGonagall won't last long, she's only filling in. . . ."

Snape swept past Zoe, making no comment about Hermione's empty seat and cauldron.

"Sir," said Malfoy loudly. "Sir, why don't you apply for the headmaster's job?"

"Now, now, Malfoy," said Snape, though he couldn't suppress a thin-lipped smile. "Professor Dumbledore has only been suspended by the governors. I daresay he'll be back with us soon enough."

"Yeah, right," said Malfoy, smirking. "I expect you'd have Father's vote, sir, if you wanted to apply for the job, I'll tell Father you're the best teacher here, sir. . . ."

Snape smirked as he swept off around the dungeon, fortunately not spotting Seamus Finnigan, who was pretending to vomit into his cauldron. Zoe put her hand over her mouth to stop herself from laughing.

"I'm quite surprised the Mudbloods haven't all packed their bags by now," Malfoy went on.

"Bet you five Galleons the next one dies. Pity it wasn't Granger. Maybe it will be Wilson. . . ." The bell rang at that moment, which was lucky; at Malfoy's last words, Harry and Ron had leapt off their stool, and in the scramble to collect bags and books, his attempts to reach Malfoy went unnoticed.

"Let me at him," Ron growled as Seamus and Dean hung onto his arms. "I don't care, I don't need my wand, I'm going to kill him with my bare hands. . . ."

"Just forget it," Zoe said, seeing the murderous look on Harry's face as she grabbed his arm to stop him from attacking Malfoy. Ever since Hermione got petrified, Zoe had hardly spoken.