Amelia Potter and the Chamber of Secrets PART 1

139

Slytherin himself Serpent-tongue.'

There was some heavy murmuring at this, and Ernie went on,

'Remember what was written on the wall? Enemies of the Heir Beware. Potter had some sort of run-in with Filch. Next thing we know, Filch's cat's attacked. That first-year, Creevey, was annoying Potter at the Quidditch match, taking pictures of him while he was lying in the mud. Next thing we know, Creevey's been attacked.'

'He always seems so nice, though,' said Hannah uncertainly, 'and, well, he's the one who made You Know Who disappear. He can't be all bad, can he?'

'He isn't.' Amelia had suddnely poped up behind the gruop stattling them. The boy who was sitting near them chukled. Harry gussed she must have been inviable. Anther boy with read hair and frckles walked up behind her Sharptooh flying near him.

'How do you know?' Ernie asked. Amelia rolled her eyes.

'Because I am friends with him. It's disappointing to see all of you judging someone without even giving them a chance to be known and without any evidence to support your claims. How would you feel if someone treated you the same way? You are Hufflepuff, and Hufflepuff means to be kind, loyal, and accepting. So, start acting like it!'

The Hufflepuff lowered their heads.

Harry smiled happiness seeming to find him for the first time that day. He never understood the meaning of the quote Surround yourself with people who fight for you in rooms you aren't in, till today.

'Hay Cedric,' The red-haired boy waved. The boy who Harry guessed to be Cedric blushed and waved back over his book. 'Want to come sit with us?'

'Depends,' said Cedric lowering his book. 'Sharptooth isn't going to bite me again is he?'

Amelia shook her head well Sharpptooh nodded. She sent him a glare telling him to stop. Cedric chuckled picking up his book and walked off with Amelia and the boy.

Ernie lowered his voice mysteriously, the Hufflepuffs bent closer, and Harry edged nearer so that he could catch Ernie's words.

'No one knows how he survived that attack by You Know Who. I mean to say, he was only a baby when it happened. He should have been blasted into smithereens. Only a really powerful Dark Wizard could have survived a curse like that.' He dropped his voice until it was barely more than a whisper, and said, 'That's probably why You Know Who wanted to kill him in the first place. Didn't want another Dark Lord competing with him. I won- der what other powers Potter's been hiding?'

Harry couldn't take any more. Clearing his throat loudly, he stepped out from behind the bookshelves. If he hadn't been feel- ing so angry, he would have found the sight that greeted him funny: every one of the Hufflepuffs looked as though they had been Petrified by the sight of him, and the colour was draining out of Ernie's face.

'Hello,' said Harry. 'I'm looking for Justin Finch-Fletchley.'

The Hufflepuffs' worst fears had clearly been confirmed. They all looked fearfully at Ernie.

'What do you want with him?' said Ernie, in a quavering voice.

'I wanted to tell him what really happened with that snake at the Duelling Club,' said Harry.Ernie bit his white lips and then, taking a deep breath, said, 'We were all there. We saw what happened.'

'Then you noticed that, after I spoke to it, the snake backed off?' said Harry.

'All I saw,' said Ernie stubbornly, though he was trembling as he spoke, 'was you speaking Parseltongue and chasing the snake towards Justin.'