The Twin and Harry Potter

The Writing on the Wall

"What's going on here? What's going on?"

Argus Filch comes pushing through the students. Attracted by the crowd and Draco's yelling, no doubt. Vanessa feels almost a twinge of pity for the caretaker at the sight he's about to see.

Sure enough when his eyes land on Mrs. Norris he falls back, clutching his face in horror. The poor man. The only creature who seems to even care for him, hanging, frozen, dead. She imagines she'd react the same if she found precious Nox in a similar position.

"My cat! My cat! What's happened to Mrs. Norris?" He shrieks. The pain in his voice as evident as the horror and anger on his face. She sees the moment his eyes land on Harry, who looks just as dumbstruck as the rest of the students at the scene before them.

"You!" Filch screeches. "You! You've murdered my cat! You've killed her! I'll kill you! I'll -"

"Argus!" Dumbledore's thundering voice silences the hall. He walks up flanked by many of the teacher. He moves past Harry and his friends and removes Mrs. Norris from the torch bracket she's attached to. All of the students watch the scene unfold before them.

"Come with me, Argus," he says to Filch, his voice calmer. "You, too, Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, and Miss Granger."

"My office is nearest, Headmaster," Lockhart steps forward far too eagerly. "Just upstairs - please feel free -"

"Thank you, Gilderoy," Dumbledore nods. Vanessa and Draco move with the crowd to make way for them to move. All the students silent as they watch. Professors McGonagall and Snape follow along with Lockhart joining, again far too eagerly. No doubt excited to be mixing himself up right in the middle of all of this. Material for a new book, no doubt.

As they depart the rest of the teachers move into action. They spread out, making the students leave.

"Go along, children!" Professor Sprout starts shooing them away. "Off to your houses, nothing to see here! Prefects, Head Boys and Girls, please gather your house!" The crowd of students slowly separate and everyone starts heading to their houses. The Slytherin Head girl is giving orders to the older students while the Head Boy takes charge of the younger ones.

A chatter flows over all of the students as they depart. A lot of assumptions and speculation on what occured is already flowing amongst them. Harry's name, of course, is the primary topic.

"Draco," Vanessa starts. They have fallen behind the rest of the Slytherins. He glances at her, urging her to continue. "What's the Chamber of Secrets?" She always feels so foolish asking him anything about the wizarding world that she isn't aware of. He has never made her feel bad for not knowing, but it usually ends in a tirade about the "despicable Muggles" that raised her.

She wishes there was a book, Magical World 101, something that summarizes everything magical for those not raised in the environment. It would save her from a lot of foolish questions. Hmm, maybe she should write one. Future muggleborn students would thank her.

"Ah," He nods. "They say it's a myth, a legend, that has no proof of existence. They're wrong of course. Salazar Slytherin didn't want anyone but pure bloods at Hogwarts." He smirks a bit, no doubt proud at his blood heritage. "He created the Chamber of Secrets to house a creature. Afterwards, he sealed it, in hopes that his true heir would open the Chamber so that the school can be cleansed of those who don't belong."

"You seem to be so confident that it is not a myth" She looks at him, stopping in place. She recalls the excitement in his eyes when standing before Harry. How the rush of joy flowed over him as he shouted those words. "Are you the one who hurt that cat and wrote that on the wall?" He looks at her in shock.