𝐁𝐎𝐑𝐍 𝐓𝐎 𝐃𝐈𝐄 | 𝓔𝓵𝓲𝔃𝓪𝓫𝓮𝓽𝓱 𝓟𝓸𝓽𝓽𝓮𝓻

022~𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓶𝓫𝓮𝓻 𝓸𝓯 𝓢𝓮𝓬𝓻𝓮𝓽𝓼 𝓪𝓷𝓭... 𝓡𝓲𝓭𝓭𝓵𝓮?

As Elizabeth stepped into the corridor, the ominous voice pierced her ears once more.

'Blood... blood... blood.
Let me tear them apart... Let me kill them.
Kill... kill... kill.'

A familiar ache throbbed in her head, blurring her vision.

~~~

Suddenly, Harry emerged from around a corner. "Harry..." she whispered, her legs giving out as she stumbled into his arms. Looking up at him, she barely managed to ask, "Do you hear it too?" Harry gave a slight nod. "I heard it in Lockhart's office..."

The echoing voice cut him off.

'Kill... kill... kill.'

Elizabeth cried out in agony, her brother tightening his hold on her. "It's moving!" he exclaimed, tension radiating from his body. "We have to follow it!" Elizabeth could only manage a weak nod before pushing away from him. "Let's go." Hand in hand, they took off in a sprint down the corridor.

Harry skidded to a halt, looking down to see a wet patch on the floor before he tugged his sister to the right. They stopped short at the sight of countless spiders scurrying for cover through a broken window. 

"That's weird..." Harry muttered. "I've never seen spiders act like that." Their attention was drawn to a puddle of water, where what looked like bloody writing seemed to stare back at them. 

Following the trail, they found a chilling message scrawled across the wall in blood. Elizabeth's voice trembled as she read the words aloud. "The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the Heir, beware."

A gasp tore from Elizabeth's throat as her eyes landed on Mrs. Norris. The cat was frozen in terror, tied to a torch on the wall. Harry followed her gaze, mirroring her shock.

"It's Filch's cat... it's Mrs. Norris." The sound of approaching footsteps signaled the arrival of others. Percy led the way, a procession of Gryffindor students in his wake. Soon the corridor swarmed with people, all eyes fixed on the grisly scene before them.

"Enemies of the Heir, beware," Malfoy sneered, his gaze flicking over the Gryffindor students. "You'll be next, Mudbloods." Elizabeth's scowled as she shot him a furious glance.

"What's all this commotion?" Filch's voice cut through the crowd, growing louder as he pushed his way to the front. "Move aside, move aside! Potters... what have you...?" His gaze landed on his petrified cat and his voice cracked. 

"Mrs. Norris?" His eyes narrowed, focusing on Harry. "You've killed my cat. I'll kill you!" Harry protested, but Filch just bared his teeth in a feral smile. "I'll kill you!" He lunged at Harry, fingers closing around his shirtfront.

"Argus?" Dumbledore's calm voice echoed down the corridor, freezing Filch in place. The students parted as Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape made their way to the scene. Dumbledore's eyes settled on the bloodied message. 

"Everyone is to proceed to their dormitories immediately." The crowd began to disperse, students hurrying to obey. The twins turned to follow, but Elizabeth suddenly stopped rubbing her temples. "Ellie, what's wrong?" Harry crouched beside her, alarm etched into his features.

'Kill... kill... kill.'

Then the pain began to ebb. "I'm okay, Harry," she murmured, pushing herself upright. Her gaze met Dumbledore's - a mix of sympathy, tension, and confusion. 

"They've killed my cat!" Filch's voice cracked. 

"She's not dead, Argus," Dumbledore soothed. "She's been petrified." Lockhart stepped forward, a self-important smile plastered on his face. "I knew it. Such bad luck I wasn't here. I know the exact countercurse that could've prevented this."