The Brave at Heart

Chapter 7: The Chamber of Secrets

"Harry, Harry, Harry." This was Draco's new favorite way of saying Harry's name. It was one of the few good things to come out of Lockhart coming to the school. Draco was trying desperately to keep the mood light-hearted. Ron smirked a little, Hermione just rolled her eyes, and Harry fell onto the sofa tiredly. None of them had slept much the night before. Draco was utterly petrified with fear because of what had been written on the wall. So, he had to make jokes, it seemed the only way to make this all better.

The night before had been horrific, to say that least. After the entire school saw them standing in front of that sign, Dumbledore had no choice but to talk to them about it. They had taken Mrs. Norris with them and the professors examined the cat in Lockhart's office. "It was definitely a curse that killed her–probably the Transmorgrifian Torture–I've seen it used many times, so unlucky that I wasn't there, I know the very countercurse that would have saved her..." Lockhart had said. Draco wondered briefly to himself how many points he would lose by calling Lockhart a moron. (Although, Snape would probably be more than willing to give Gryffindor points if that were the case.)

Professors McGonagall, Dumbledore, and Snape ignored him and spoke quietly among themselves. Harry looked nervous beside Draco. He knew Harry and Ron weren't supposed to get into trouble anymore, but he could hardly see why they would be blamed for something they clearly could not have done. What seemed like an eternity later, Dumbledore finally interrupted Lockhart to tell Filch that his cat wasn't actually dead. "She has been Petrified," Dumbledore explained.

"Ah! I thought so!" said Lockhart.

"But how," continued Dumbledore, "I cannot say..."

Filch looked to Harry immediately. "Ask him!"

The rest of the night was spent trying to come to a decision on whether or not Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Draco had petrified the stupid cat. Finally, Snape interjected, "Potter and his friends may have simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time." Harry had looked startled that Snape had said this.

"My cat has been Petrified," shrieked Filch. "I want to see some punishment!"

"We will be able to cure her, Argus," Dumbledore stated with patience. "Professor Sprout recently managed to procure some Mandrakes. As soon as they have reached their full size, I will have a potion made that will revive Mrs. Norris."

"I'll make it," Lockhart interjected. "I must have done it a hundred times. I could whip up a Mandrake Restorative Draught in my sleep–"

"Excuse me," Snape interrupted with annoyance. "But I believe I am the Potions master at this school."

There was a very awkward pause after this. Eventually, Dumbledore told Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Draco that they could go.

Now, they were sitting in the Gryffindor Common Room, hiding from the numerous other Hogwarts students who had asked them what had happened, if they had killed Mrs. Norris, and what the Chamber of Secrets was.

Truth be told, Draco was worried about what this would mean. His father had talked about the Chamber of Secrets before, but never in detail. He knew enough to know to be weary though. Really, he just didn't want to think about it. If he didn't think about it, he wouldn't worry. "You may be the thickest person who has ever lived," Draco continued to Harry. "How do you not know what a Squib is?"

"I was raised by Muggles, Draco," Harry returned pointedly.

"You've known about the Wizarding World for a year now! Granger," Draco glanced at Hermione, "what's a Squib?"

Draco half expected her to throw her hand into the air like she was in class. She sighed. "A Squib is someone who comes from a magical family, but does not have magic themselves."