Where Your Loyalties Lie

Chapter Fourteen: Rescued

Harry's POV

Ron and I had just discovered that the monster was a basilisk. We might have also figured out where the entrance to the chamber was. While we waited in the staff room, we heard McGonagall's voice tell all the students to go to their common rooms and all the teachers to the staff room.

We decided to hide in the wardrobe to see what happened before sharing our info. After all the teachers had filtered into the room, McGonagall delivered the news. "It has happened. Not one, but two students have been taken by the monster into the chamber." Professor Sprout covered her mouth and Flitwick squealed. Snape tightened his grip on the back of a chair.

"Who is it?" He asked.

"Ginny Weasley and Katie Brown," McGonagall shared reluctantly.

"No! It can't be Katie. She's in Slytherin! We have to save her-I mean them!"

"I'm afraid no one knows where the entrance is."

"But Minerva, I just got my daughter back. I can't lose her again. I can't!" He pleaded while sinking to the floor.

"So sorry dozed off. What'd I miss?" Lockhart had come bursting in at this point, oblivious to the hatred in his colleagues' eyes."

Snape looked up. "Gilderoy. You've always said you know where the chamber is. You must kill the monster! Please, I beg you." I had never seen Snape break down like this. I just assumed he didn't have a heart since he's so cruel to everyone. Well, mostly me.

Lockhart left and McGonagall instructed everyone to tell the students that the train will take them home in the morning. The teachers all left one by one, Snape being the last one out.

Draco's POV

I stood on a chair to see over the crowd. Katie wasn't here. She'll come in with Snape, I thought. Snape however, came in alone. Now I was ready to panic. "Your attention please," Professor Snape began as the room's noise level simmered. "Two students have been taken into the chamber by the monster." Murmurs spread throughout the crowd like wildfire. "Pack up your belongings tonight. The train shall be here in the morning."

"Who, sir?" A prefect asked.

Snape gulped. "Ginny Weasley and K-Katie. Katie B-Brown." He hurriedly swept out of the room, as if he was about to break down.

As the crowd thinned, I slowly sank down to lie on the couch. I closed my eyes and forced myself to calm down. When I opened them, I saw Crabbe and Goyle gawking at me and Maddie staring at her hands in her lap. The expression on her face told me she was worried. This was all my fault. When I voiced this to the group, Crabbe said, "No it's not."

"Yes it is," I argued as I sat up. "If I hadn't said that thing about Granger, Katie would have been in History of Magic with us instead of roaming the school like she was when she was attacked. If I-"

"Stop blaming yourself. It is nobody's fault," Maddie cut me off.

I stood up and walked to the entrance of the common room. I had to know if they were trying to save her. Without bothering to knock, I entered Professor Snape's office. "Excuse me sir, but I want to know if there is anything being done to save Katie."

"Professor Lockhart is going into the chamber to battle the monster. He claims to know where the entrance is," he said with his voice full of sorrow.

"Lockhart is a fraud! He hasn't taught us anything all year! He can't even perform a simple defense spell! Is there anything else being done?"

"I'm afraid not, but I'm trying to find any information I can that would help save her. Now if you would Mr. Malfoy, please return to the common room and allow me to work."