Neville Longbottom and the Chamber of Secrets

Chapter 17: The Chamber of Secrets

Neville wasn't positive, but it sounded different, "Ginny, do you speak Par . . . snake talk, too?"

She didn't answer, but stepped aside and he saw that the sink was moving. It lowered into the floor and revealed a round hole that was large enough for an adult to fit through. He was gaping at the hole, and Ginny was inviting him to go down it.

"You first, if you don't mind." He eyed her suspiciously. "You're acting strange, and I'm not sure I trust that you will follow."

Ginny walked out of the bathroom which caught Neville off guard but, before he thought to follow, she came back in with the blanket from the corridor and tossed it into the corner. She then walked to the opening, sat down on the edge and dropped into the pipe without hesitation. Neville stepped closer and looked down, not seeing anything except darkness. He lowered himself to sit on the edge, took a deep breath and slid off into the tube-like hole.

It was a slimy trip down and down, deeper beneath the Castle than even the Dungeons it seemed. The tube curved back and forth, then eventually leveled off and he came skidding out of the tube into a cave area. Ginny was standing there with her Wand alight.

"Follow me," she said, and turned to walk away from him.

He stood up and followed, their feet crunching on the skulls and bones of small creatures. He could also see the skeletons of larger creatures near the cave walls. They went through a tunnel that bent around and widened into another cave area.

There were still animal bones all over, but in the center of this area was a giant snake skin, translucent and brittle-looking. Ginny was unperturbed by it, but Neville was compelled to stay as far from it as possible. He could feel the larger bones through the soles of his slippers.

They continued into a tunnel at the opposite side of the cave which eventually turned right, then left. It turned right again and opened into a third cave area. Across from this tunnel there was a relatively flat section of cave wall with two entwined snakes carved into it. The emeralds set in place of their eyes twinkled in the light of Ginny's Wand.

Without hesitating, she walked up to the wall and spoke in that strange voice again, "Open."

The carved snakes began moving on the wall, and Neville became aware of how scared he was feeling. His need to keep up with Ginny and his curiosity had blunted the feeling, but he was most definitely terrified. There was no question that this was the Chamber of Secrets, and they got here through Myrtle's bathroom which meant that the Monster was likely nearby.

"Wait, Ginny," he could hear the shaking in his own voice, "I know where we are, and we need to be careful. We need to go back for help."

"No!" she barked, making Neville jump. "He wants to meet you. He has to meet you to keep anyone else from getting hurt." Her voice still sounded bland and he noticed for the first time that she was clutching that mysterious book in one of her hands.

The snakes had somehow opened a doorway into the cave wall which was pitch black inside. Ginny walked through and was engulfed by the darkness as she stepped inside. Feeling like there was no other option, Neville gritted his teeth, clenched his fists and followed.

* * *

As soon as he was through and his eyes adjusted, it was not as dark as it had seemed from the other side of the doorway. A dim greenish light was glowing from some unknown source. He was looking down a long, tall corridor lined on both sides by pillars that stretched up past the reach of the green light. Each pillar was carved to have giant snakes wrapped around them.

Ginny was already halfway down the corridor, her light footsteps echoing everywhere. When she reached the other end, she suddenly collapsed and the book skittered out of her hand.