The Mysterious Heir

Chapter 14, Book 2, "The Chamber"

(TW: mentions of abuse, people being in pain)

"All of those times we were in the bathroom, and she was just three toilets away," says Ron bitterly at breakfast the next day, "and we could've asked her, and now..."

It has been hard enough trying to look for spiders. Escaping their teachers long enough to sneak into a girls' bathroom, the girls' bathroom, moreover, right next to the scene of the first attack, is going to be almost impossible.

But something happens in their first lesson, Transfiguration, that drives the Chamber of Secrets out of their minds for the first time in weeks. Ten minutes into the class, Professor McGonagall tells them that their exams will start on the first of June, one week from today.

"Exams?" howls Seamus Finnigan. "We're still getting exams?"

There is a loud bang behind Harry as Neville Longbottom's wand slipped, vanishing one of the legs on his desk. Professor McGonagall restores it with a wave of her own wand, and turns, frowning, to Seamus.

"The whole point of keeping the school open at this time is for you to receive your education," she says sternly. "The exams will therefore take place as usual, and I trust you are all studying hard."

Studying Hard! It never occurred to Harry that there will be exams with the castle in this state. There is a great deal of mutinous muttering around the room, which makes Professor McGonagall scowl even more darkly.

"Professor Dumbledore's instructions were to keep the school running as normally as possible," she says. "And that, I hardly need to point out, means finding out how much you have learned this year."

Harry looks down at the pair of white rabbits he is supposed to be turning into slippers. What has he learned so far this year? He can't seem to think of anything that will be useful in an exam.

Ron looks as though he's just been told he has to go and live in the Forbidden Forest.

"Can you imagine me taking exams with this?" he asks Harry, holding up his wand, which has just started whistling loudly.

Three days before their first exam, Professor McGonagall makes another announcement at breakfast.

"I have good news," she says, and the Great Hall, instead of falling silent, erupts.

"Dumbledore's coming back!" several people yell joyfully.

"You've caught the Heir of Slytherin!" squeals a girl at the Ravenclaw table.

"Quidditch matches are back on!" roars Wood excitedly.

When the hubbub subsides, Professor McGonagall says, "Professor Sprout has informed me that the Mandrakes are ready for cutting at last. Tonight, we will be able to revive those people who have been Petrified. I need hardly remind you all that one of them may well be able to tell us who, or what, attacked them. I am hopeful that this dreadful year will end without catching the culprit."

There is an explosion of cheering. Harry looks over at the Slytherin table and isn't at all surprised to see that Malfoy hasn't joined in, but is delighted to see Polaris subtly smiling. Harry, however, is happier than he's been in days.

"It won't matter that we never asked Myrtle, then!" Harry says cheerfully. "Hermione'll probably have all the answers when they wake her up!"