Harry, Kat, and the Chambers of Secrets ➩ Book 2 [Harry Potter] | #Wattys2016

[CHAPTER 10] Revelations

Matrix

Everything else this day passed by in a blur. The next day came soon enough, and I saw Ginny Weasley, Hermione, and Kataleen giggling and whispering as they walked into the Great Hall. When Kataleen saw me she grinned, running over to me. One thing about her: she'd put her male friends on top of her friend priority list.

"Mate!" she smiled, clapping a hand on my back. "Seen Irwin?"

"Not since yesterday," I replied, shaking my head. It was actually mysterious. I have known Irwin since first year when we were the only ones without partners for Transfiguration, and only now had he seemed elusive. "In fact, I think he skipped breakfast altogether."

"Right," Kataleen said thoughtfully, laying a red handbag on the empty seat beside mine and plopping there. Hermione and Ginny sat in front of us absentmindedly, while Harry and Ron came up.

"Matrix, I can't believe Snape," Ron said through a mouthful of bacon. With a glare from Hermione he swallowed it, before adding, "Imagine, letting me serve my detention on a twenty-page essay on the purpose and harms of Sleeping Draughts, Draughts of the Living Dead, Polyjuice Potions, Colour Changing Potions, Love Potions, and Love Potion Antidotes! Barking mad, that brutal prick."

"Mad," I blurted, then turned to Harry. "And you, mate? Have to endure that detention?"

He shook his head. "Lockhart told me how he overhead me having detention, and wanted to lighten things for me by letting me help him do errands."

"Yeah, probably stuffing his inflated arse with his holier-than-thou autographs," Kataleen muttered, pouring milk in her cereal.

I burst out laughing, and they all looked at me like I was mad. And that meant Ron's chicken dripping out of his mouth and Hermione dropping her fork. "What?" I shrugged, making Kataleen giggle at me as my laugh faded to a smile.

I'll be honest, I have a tiny crush on her. But it's so small it'd only be noticeable as a friendship. I ignore the crush most of the time. But who wouldn't have a crush, considering she's very friendly, approachable, and is, admittedly, very pretty? But don't tell her! If she heard she'd flick her wand and I'd end up in the Hospital Wing.

Suddenly I saw an owl coming for us. "Ron, it's Errol!"

Ron jumped up. He was about to stand on the table, despite Hermione, Kat, and Ginny's yells, when suddenly Errol bumped into another first year, who hugged it affectionately. The first year was almost a twin of Ginny, though she's quite a distance from us.

"Good, Adele caught her," Ginny said.

"Good old Adele," Kataleen grinned, making Ginny high-five her.

Then the girl they called Adele cradled Errol, removed a red envelope from his talons, and grinningly set it down by Ron. "Go on, coz. Open it. Addressed to you, you see."

Ron was about to do so, when I widened my eyes. "Whoa."

"Hey, look, everybody!" Seamus yelled, leaning forward. "Weasley's got a howler!"

"Go on, Ron. I ignored one from my Gram once," Neville said encouragingly. Suddenly he looked like he realised something, looking away. "It was horrible."