The War Hammer of Hogwarts - Harry Potter

Into the Chamber of Secrets

McGonagall: The heir of Slytherin... left another message.  Right underneath the first one.  "Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever".

Professor Flitwick burst into tears.

Hooch: Who is it?  Which student?

McGonagall: Ginny Weasley.

I felt Ron slide silently down onto the wardrobe floor beside us.

McGonagall: We shall have to send all the students home tomorrow.  This is the end of Hogwarts. Dumbledore always said-

The staff room door banged open again.  For one wild moment, I was sure it would be Dumbledore.  But it was Lockhart, and he was beaming.

Lockhart: So sorry, I dozed off.  What have I missed?

He didn't seem to notice that the other teachers were looking at him with something remarkably like hatred.  Snape stepped forward.

Snape: Just the man.  The very man.  A girl has been snatched by the monster, Lockhart.  Taken into the Chamber of Secrets itself.  Your moment has come at last.

Despite the horrifying situation, I fought the urge to laugh.  Lockhart blanched.

Sprout: That's right, Gilderoy.  Weren't you saying just last night that you've known all along where the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets is?

Lockhart: I... well, I...

Flitwick: Yes, didn't you tell me you were sure you knew what was inside it?

Lockhart: D-did I?  I don't recall...

Snape: I certainly remember you saying you were sorry you hadn't had a crack at the monster before Hagrid was arrested.  Didn't you say that the whole affair had been bungled, and that you should have been given free rein from the first?

Lockhart stared around at his stony faced colleagues.

Lockhart: I... I really never... you may have misunderstood-

McGonagall: We'll leave it to you, then, Gilderoy.  Tonight will be an excellent time to do it.  We'll make sure everyone's out of your way.  You'll be able to tackle the monster all by yourself.  A free rein at last.

Lockhart gazed desperately around him, but nobody came to the rescue.  He didn't look remotely handsome any more.  His lip was trembling, and in the absence of his usually toothy grin he looked weak chinned and weedy.

Lockhart: V-very well.  I'll... I'll be in my office, getting... getting ready.

And he left the room.

McGonagall: Right.  That's got him out from under our feet.  The Heads of Houses should go and inform their students what has happened.  Tell them the Hogwarts Express will take them home first thing tomorrow.  Will the rest of you please make sure no students have been left outside their dormitories?

The teachers rose, and left one by one.  Soon, all that was left was Professor McGonagall.  She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

McGonagall: Alright, you three, come out.

Harry and Ron looked nervous, but I stepped out of the wardrobe.  They quickly followed.

McGonagall: YN.  Were you able to learn anything from the book?

YN: Yes, Professor-

McGonagall: When we are in private, you may call me Minerva.  I am your godmother right now, not your professor.

YN: Alright.  We've learned that the monster is a Basilisk, and that it's using the plumbing to get around the school.  The reason nobody is dead is that by some miracle, no one has seen the monster directly, always through a reflection or some other source.  But we think the entrance to the chamber is in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.