enchanted • draco malfoy

Year 2: Malfoy, The Heir of Slytherin?

Felicity's POV

"It's strange, isn't it?" Hermione asked as we walked up the stairs to Transfiguration the next morning. "What's strange?" Harry questioned. "You hear this voice, a voice only you can hear, then Mrs. Norris turns up petrified. It's just... strange." "Do you think I should've told them? Dumbledore, and the others, I mean," Harry asked thoughtfully. "Are you mad?" Ron said incredulously. "No, Harry," I sighed, "Even in the wizarding world, hearing voices isn't a good sign."

~*~

"Can I have your attention, please?" Professor McGonagall asked, standing up from behind her desk. We all turned to look at her. "Today, we will be transforming animals into water goblets. Like so," she said, pulling out her wand and turning to a bird casually perched on her desk.

"1, 2, 3. Vera Verto," she chanted. The bird shimmered before shrinking into a goblet. I raised an eyebrow, impressed. "Now, it's your turn. Who would like to go first?" McGonagall asked, walking down the aisle, expectation written across her face.

"Ah, Mr. Weasley. 1, 2, 3, Vera Verto," she commanded. Ron gulped and turned to Scabbers, who was sleeping on his books. He cleared his throat loudly before lifting up his wand. "Vera Verto," he said. Poor Scabbers began transforming, but it didn't completely work, leaving behind a furry, squeaking goblet with a tail.

The class laughed as Ron picked up his failure. "That wand needs replacing, Mr. Weasley," McGonagall said sternly. Hermione slowly raised her hand. "Um, Professor McGonagall? I was wondering if you could tell us about the Chamber of Secrets," she said. The class instantly quieted down and we all turned to McGonagall expectantly. She looked around the classroom before sighing.

"Very 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, however, did not," McGonagall said, pacing across the front of the room.

"Bet I can guess who that is," Ron whispered to Harry in front of me and Hermione. McGonagall continued, "Salazar Slytherin wished to be more selective about the students admitted to Hogwarts. He believed magical learning should be kept within only magical families, also known as purebloods. Unable to sway the others, he decided to leave the school.

"Now, according to legend, Salazar Slytherin had built a hidden chamber in this castle, known as the Chamber of Secrets. But shortly before departing, he sealed it. Until the time when his own true heir returned to the school. The heir alone would be able to open the Chamber and unleash the horror within, and purge the school of all those who, in Salazar Slytherin's view, were unable to study magic."

"Muggleborns," Hermione guessed. McGonagall nodded and said, "Naturally, the school has been searched many times over, but no such chamber has been found." "Professor," I asked curiously, "What exactly does legend say lies in the Chamber?" She sighed. "The Chamber is said to hold something only the Heir of Slytherin can control. It is said to be the home of a monster."

***

"Do you guys think it's true?" Ron asked, frightened, after class, "Do you think there really is a Chamber of Secrets?" I nodded. "Yes, couldn't you tell?" I asked, "McGonagall is worried." "All the teachers are," Hermione added. "But if there really is a Chamber of Secrets, and it has been opened, then that means-" Harry started. "- that the Heir of Slytherin has returned to Hogwarts," Hermione finished, "But the question is: Who is it?"

"Let's think," Ron said sarcastically, "Who do we know who thinks all Muggleborns are scum?" "You're talking about Malfoy," Hermione stated doubtfully. "Of course!" Ron said, nearly shouting, "You heard him: 'You'll be next, Mudbloods!'"

"I heard him," Hermione said irritably, "But, Malfoy, the Heir of Slytherin?" Harry looked thoughtful. "Maybe Ron's right, Hermione," he said. "That's a first," I muttered. "I mean, look at his family. The whole lot of them have been in Slytherin for centuries," Harry continued, ignoring me.

"Crabbe and Goyle must know," Ron said excitedly, "Maybe we can trick them into telling us if Malfoy's the heir!" I scoffed. "Even they're not that dense," I said, shaking my head. "But," Hermione piped up, "there might be another way. Mind you, it would be difficult. Not to mention, we'd be breaking about fifty school rules. And it'll be dangerous. Very dangerous."

I grinned. "Tell us more."

Hermione led us to the library and ignored our questions about her plan. She grabbed a book called 'Most Potent Potions' off a shelf and led us to the corner furthest away from any students. "Here it is," she said proudly, "The Polyjuice Potion." My jaw dropped a little. I take it back, this is a stupid plan. 

"Hermione, you can't be serious! Do you know how many consequences there would be if we messed this up? Some adult wizards have difficulty performing this!" I whispered. She ignored me and read from the book.

"'Properly brewed, the Polyjuice Potion allows the drinker to transform himself temporarily into the physical form of another,'" she read. "You mean," Ron asked in shock, "if we drink that stuff, we'd turn into Crabbe and Goyle?"

"Yes, but if you mess it up, the results would be catastrophic," I replied. "Wicked," Ron said, grinning, "That'd mean Malfoy would tell us anything!" "Yes," Hermione said, reading over the text, "but it's tricky. I've never seen a more complicated potion."

"Well," Harry said, sounding unsure, "How long will it take to make?" Hermione grimaced. "Well, uh... a month," she finally said. "A month?" Harry asked incredulously, "But, Hermione, if Malfoy is the Heir of Slytherin, he could attack half the Muggleborns in the school by then!"

"I know," Hermione said, frowning, "but it's the only plan we've got."