meant to be (2)

30

Sunday morning, I found myself sitting on the floor of Moaning Myrtles bathroom behind a huge cauldron along with Hermione, brewing the Polyjuice Potion while Ron was acting very much like Moaning Myrtle.

"Stop touching everything!" I told Ron who was in a very bad mood.

"Why do I even have to be here?" he asked grumpily.

"Because we-" Hermione started but was cut off as someone opened the door. The three of us exchanged looks of horror.

"It's me" said Harry's familiar voice. I breathed out in relief.

"You scared us, dummy." I said as Harry came into view. "How's your arm?"

"Fine" said Harry, while observing the cauldron.

"Wed've come to meet you, but we decided to get started on the Polyjuice Potion" Ron explained. "We've decided this is the safest place to make the potion without anyone knowing."

Harry started to tell us about Colin, but Hermione interrupted him.

"We already know, we heard Professor McGonagall telling Professor Flitwick this morning. Thats why we decided we'd better get going-"

"The sooner we get a confession out of Malfoy, the better" snarled Ron. "Do you know what I think? He was in such a foul temper after the Quidditch match, he took it out on Colin."

"There's something else." said Harry, watching me tearing bundles of knotgrass and throwing them into the potion. "Dobby came to visit me in the middle of the night."

"What!?" I exclaimed.

Ron and Hermione looked up, amazed.

"He said he bewitched the wall at the train station and the Bludger. He also admitted that the Chamber of Secrets had been opened before" Harry added.

"The Chamber of Secrets has been opened before?" repeated Hermione.

"This settles it" said Ron in a triumphant voice. "Lucius Malfoy must've opened the Chamber when he was at school here and now he's told dear old Draco how to do it. It's obvious. Wish Dobby'd told you what kind of monster's in there, though. I want to know how come nobody's noticed it sneaking round the school!"

"Maybe it can make itself invisible" said Hermione, prodding leeches to the bottom of the cauldron. "Or maybe it can disguise itself - pretend to be a suit of armour or something.
I've read about Chameleon Ghouls...!"

"You read too much, Hermione!" said Ron shaking his head

"Dobby stopped us getting on the train and broke your am..." I said, pouring dead lacewings on top of the leeches while looking at Harry "You know what, Harry? If he doesn't stop trying to save your life he's going to kill you!"

🤍

The news that Colin had been attacked and was now lying as though dead in the hospital wing had spread through the entire school by Monday morning.

The air was suddenly thick with rumours and suspicion. The first-years were now moving around the castle in tight-knit groups, as though scared they would be attacked if they ventured forth alone.

Ginny, who sat next to Colin in Charms, was distraught, but I felt that Fred and George were going the wrong way about cheering her up.

They were taking it in turns to cover themselves with fur or boils and jump out at her from behind statues. They only stopped when Percy, apoplectic with rage, told them he was going to write to Mrs Weasley and tell her Ginny was having nightmares.

Meanwhile, hidden from the teachers, a roaring trade in talismans, amulets and other protective devices was sweeping the school.

Neville bought a large, evil-smelling green onion, a pointed purple crystal and a rotting newt-tail before the Gryffindor boys, Hermione and I pointed out that he was in no danger as he was a pure-blood, and therefore unlikely to be attacked.

"They went for Filch first" Neville said, his round
face fearful "and everyone knows I'm almost a Squib!"

~~~

A/N

I can't believe I'm halfway through the second book of the meant to be series😭

Also, sorry for the short chapter