Star-Crossed

Chapter Forty: The History and Mystery of Hogwarts

Two days later, we were in Transfiguration Class. Things had been tense as of late. Rumours continued to circle about Harry and I. More specifically, people had been drawing their own conclusions about what had happened in the corridor, involving me. Even more specifically about the almost sorting I'd had first year. Almost being sorted into Slytherin.

Mcgonagall called for everyone's attention as we were chatting, "Could I have your attention, please? Right. Now. Today, we will be transforming animals into water goblets." beside me Malfoy huffed and rolled his eyes, "Like so." Mcgonagall continued on, paying no mind to the ridiculous boy's attitude.

She began to tap the bird on her desk with her wand, chanting, "One, two, three, Vera verto." She gestured to the bird as it perfectly twisted and curled until it created a glass goblet, "Now it's your turn. Who would like to go first?"

She stepped off of her podium and crossed through the class until she stopped next to Ron and Harry, "Ah, yes. Mr Weasley. One, two, three, Vera verto."

Ron gulped, staring at Scabbers as the rat sniffed around nervously on his desk. The Weasley pursed his lips, brandishing his taped wand and inhaled deeply.

"Ahem," He cleared his throat and began, tapping the tip of his wand onto his rat three times, "Vera verto," He said as clearly as he could, obviously having learned from his mistake in the past.

But a sharp spark from the end of his wand caused Scabbers to shift into a sort of furry, squealing goblet instead of the perfect glass one that had come from the demonstration. A tail stuck out of the back end of the goblet as it shook around, almost as though it was alive. Which technically speaking, it was.

Some of our class laughed, including my brother. However, Harry was good natured about it, patting Ron on the back as he sulked. But beside me, Malfoy was all but kind. Pointing and guffawing at the unfortunate mistake.

I glared at him out of the corner of my eyes and clicked my tongue. The blonde boy only rolled his eyes, turning back to the front as he crossed his arms over his chest. How rude.

Mcgonagall sighed and clucked disapprovingly, "That wand needs replacing, Mr Weasley." Then she turned to my row of desks, seeing Hermione's hand raised, "Yes, Miss Granger?"

"Professor, I was wondering if you could tell us about the Chamber of Secrets?" She asked pointedly, her eyes wide and hopeful.

But Mcgonagall looked slightly disturbed by the question, almost unsure if she should reply as she glanced nervously around the room. It seemed like she was hoping the rest of us would be uncaring or not curious about the subject, but when she discovered that wasn't the case, she sighed and reluctantly began to speak.

"Very well," She nodded slowly, "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...but one...did not."

Ron snickered, leaning between us and whispered, "Three guesses who."

Mcgonagall heard him, and stared sternly at his desk for a second until he straightened back up and she continued, "Salazar Slytherin wished to be more selective about the students admitted into Hogwarts. He believed that Magical learning should be kept within all-magic families. In other words, the pure-blood Houses." I scowled, glancing toward Malfoy, but the expression on his face was unreadable, completely blank.

"Unable to sway the others, he decided to leave the school," Mcgonagall nodded, her lips pressed in a thin line, "But, according to legend, Slytherin had built a hidden chamber in the castle. Known as the Chamber of Secrets, and shortly before departing, he sealed it shut, only to be opened at the time when his own true heir returned to the school, and unleashed the horrors within. And by doing so, would purge the school of all those, in his view, were unworthy to study magic."

Hermione spoke up meekly, "Muggle borns."

Professor Mcgonagall pointed her wand in my friend's direction as though she was affirming the suggestion, "Naturally, the school has been searched many times, no such chamber has been discovered." She spun on her heel and walked back to her desk.

I pursed my lips, feeling an uncertain feeling wash over me, something about her story aligned rather terribly close with the dreams recurring in my head at night. I had millions of questions circling about in my head.

"Professor," before I could think better of it, my hand was up, "what exactly does legend tell us lies inside the chamber?"

"Hmm, well, the Chamber is said to be home to something that only the Heir of Slytherin can control." She replied, "It is rumoured to be the home...of a monster."

Dread curled deep in my chest as I digested her words. Horrified, I stared at my desk, thinking about the voice in the walls that only Harry and I could hear, the unexplainable feelings I got as it moved and those dreams. Those dreams that plagued me all summer and even into this year, getting worse and worse and more difficult to suppress.

Ron was staring intently at Malfoy, his mouth gaped open slightly. The platinum haired boy only smirked at him back, his face smug.

After class ended, the four of us were walking together in the hall, headed toward the Great Hall for lunch. Ron seemed completely on edge.

"Do you think it's true?" He rambled, "Do you really think there's a Chamber of Secrets?"

Hermione nodded, her face grave, "Yes, couldn't you tell? Mcgonagall's worried, all the teachers are."

We hushed our voices as we noticed the group of Slytherins were trailing behind us. All chatting amongst themselves.

"But if there really is a Chamber, and it really has been opened-" Harry connected the dots.

"The Heir of Slytherin has returned to Hogwarts, the question is, who is it?" I concluded, tersely.

Ron scoffed as the group of boys walked past us, all snickering and snorting as Malfoy shot the group of us a challenging stare.

"Let's think, shall we," Ron almost seemed to roll his eyes as his voice dripped with sarcasm, "Who do we know who's entire family thinks all muggle-borns are scum?"

"If you're talking about the Malfoys-" Hermione groaned, but Ron cut her off sharply.

"Oh come on, you heard his sister, 'You'll be next, Mudbloods?" He pointed out, "She practically gave herself away!"

I pursed my lips, "We all heard her, Ron. But come on, Cressida I could believe, but Malfoy? Heir of Slytherin. He didn't look too keen when she snapped at Mione like that. However much of an arse he is."

Harry flashed me a look, "Well, maybe Ron's onto something. Malfoy might not be in on it, but his sister definitely is. I mean, look at their family. The whole lot of them have been in Slytherin for centuries."

"And let's not forget the rumour they've spread about you, Natie." Ron reminded me and I grimaced, "The sorting last year, you were almost put in Slytherin."

"So?" I scoffed, "That automatically makes me a suspect?"

"No," Harry denied immediately, "It just makes you the perfect scapegoat for Cressida's scheme. Why else would they have everyone talking about it? To take the heat off of themselves."

"Whatever it is, their friends would know." Hermione waved both of the boys off.

I nodded, "Maybe we could trick them into telling?"

Hermione shook her head, "Alexander and Nicholas Carrow are too smart, and while Theodore Nott is rather thick, he's always with Blaise Zabini and Mattheo Riddle. Pansy Parkinson won't even look at us, whatsoever. And Lorenzo Berkshire is a recluse, he sticks to himself, I doubt he'd know much."

"What about Crabbe and Goyle?" I suggested, "They're dumb as a pile of bricks, I'd bet they'll fall for anything that involves a good snack."

Hermione only shook her head, "No way, even their not that thick. But...there might be another way, mind you, it'd be extremely difficult. Not to mention we'll be breaking about fifty school rules. And it'll be dangerous, very dangerous."

A smirk crossed the faces of the three of us as we digested the warnings of her plan. But each went in one ear and out the other. All we heard was that we finally would be getting some answers and begin solving this mystery.