The red and gold Snake.

Chapter 16: The chamber of secrets

With summer creeping over the grounds of Hogwarts, the next week seemed to be surreal. Theo's Dad hadn't answered yet, and all their brainstorming about who the heir of Slytherin could be, had led to nothing.

The whole castle was tensed up, not a single person laughing or smiling. With the attack on a pureblood, even the Slytherins had gone into paranoia mood. They were escorted from and to their classes and all the restriction they were getting, seemed to be paying off. There hadn't been any attacks anymore, but well, they hadn't been really living anymore either. The rare times you heard laughter, it sounded shrill through the hallways, as if it was forced out. The students spent their time in the library or in their common room, all extra-curricular subjects being cancelled, quidditch included.

The only one who didn't seem to be influenced by the whole ordeal, was Lockhart. The Slytherins and Gryffindors were sitting in the DADA classroom, more grim than usual, when Lockhart came barging in the classroom, a big smile on his face.

"Oh, come on, class!" Lockhart said cheerfully. "Why all the long faces? Didn't you get the note that the culprit has been put in Azkaban?"

"Says who?" Dean Thomas asked annoyed, not being in the mood to fake any respect for their professor.

"Says me." Lockhart boasted. "The ministry wouldn't have taken Hagrid if they weren't 100% sure he was guilty."

"Rubbish." To everyone's surprise it was Malfoy who spoke. "It isn't the first time this school has tried to hide a disaster."

"It's definitely not the first time someone innocent has been taken down in that process." Theo added.

"Young men, I have to say that I know a bit more about Hagrid's arrest than you lot."

"Sure, you would." Weasley scoffed.

"What do you mean with that, Mr. Weasley?" Lockhart spoke harshly.

"That it isn't the first time you pretend to know what you're doing but actually are totally useless." Daphne snapped, surprising all her classmates but most of all herself. She was known as the Ice Queen of Slytherin for a reason.

"Miss Greengrass, I expected more of you!" Lockhart spoke coldly. "Detention for a week."

"For what? Speaking the truth?" Malfoy came in defence of the Slytherin girl. "You utterly useless prat, if you were any good of a DADA teacher you would have found the heir of Slytherin by now and killed the monster."

"Detention for you too, Mr. Malfoy." The Professor said coldly. "Anyone else who wants to say something?" He looked around the class, thinking that he might have shut them up by now, his question was the wrong one to ask though.

"You know, for once those Slytherins actually make sense." Dean Thomas said, glaring at Lockhart. "How is it that you have vanquished so many monsters but can't even stop one that doesn't leave the bloody castle?"

"Simple." Finnegan sneered. "He's a total crook. Come on, he couldn't even block Snape back at the duelling club."

"You two have a detention too!" Lockhart almost yelled, losing his temper. "Now silence everyone! Turn to chapter 10 and read until class is over."

"Forget it. No way I'm gonna read these crappy books for a moment longer." Malfoy stood up. "If Dumbledore for a chance would have hired a decent teacher, my best mate wouldn't be petrified now, and we shouldn't have had to listen to your bullshit all year long."

What happened next actually surprised all students. Malfoy stood up and packed his stuff, giving Lockhart a last sneer, he walked out of the class. It didn't take long for Daphne to stand up and take her stuff too.