Amelia Potter and the Chamber of Secrets PART 1

185

of their fellow students seemed glad that they were being shepherded from class to class by teachers, but Harry found it very irk- some.

One person, however, seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the atmosphere of terror and suspicion. Draco Malfoy was strutting around the school as though he had just been appointed Head Boy. Harry didn't realise what he was so pleased about until the Potions lesson about a fortnight after Dumbledore and Hagrid had left, when, sitting right behind Malfoy, Harry overheard him gloating to Crabbe and Goyle.

'I always thought Father might be the one who got rid of Dumbledore,' he said, not troubling to keep his voice down. 'I told you he thinks Dumbledore's the worst Headmaster the school's ever had. Maybe we'll get a decent Headmaster now. Someone who won't want the Chamber of Secrets closed. McGonagall won't last long, she's only filling in ...'

Snape swept past Harry, making no comment about Hermione's empty seat and cauldron.

'Sir,' said Malfoy loudly. 'Sir, why don't you apply for the Headmaster's job?'

'Now, now, Malfoy,' said Snape, though he couldn't suppress a thin-lipped smile. 'Professor Dumbledore has only been suspended by the governors. I dare say he'll be back with us soon enough.'

'Yeah, right,' said Malfoy, smirking. 'I expect you'd have Father's vote, sir, if you wanted to apply for the job. I'll tell Father you're the best teacher here, sir ...'

Snape smirked as he swept off around the dungeon, fortunately not spotting Seamus Finnigan, who was pretending to vomit into his cauldron.

'I'm quite surprised the Mudbloods haven't all packed their bags by now,' Malfoy went on. 'Bet you five Galleons the next one dies. Pity it wasn't Granger ...'

The bell rang at that moment, which was lucky; at Malfoy's last words, Ron had leapt off his stool so had Amelia, and in the scramble to collect bags and books, their attempts to reach Malfoy went unnoticed.

'Let me at him,' Ron growled, as Harry and Dean hung onto his arms. 'I don't care, I don't need my wand, I'm going to kill him with my bare hands –'

'Neville, set me done right now, or I swear to god I'm going to do something I'll regret!' Amelia shouted as she struggled to get out of Neville's grip, who was holding her half a foot off the ground in a bear hug.

'And have you go to jail for murder? Over my dead body!'

'Be careful what you wish for!'

'Hurry up, I've got to take you all to Herbology,' barked Snape over the class's heads, and off they went, crocodile fashion, with