Always Together

24. The Mysterious Heir

Hiya! I felt like updating today! So what's new ...? Oh, I know! I had a hundred in English! Isn't that fabulous? No, it really isn't. That test was for first-graders.

On other news, I am starting a new story, which will be a mystery-slash-teen-fiction. I got inspired after passing my eyes through Sara Shepard's books. Who thinks I should really work on it and publish it?

Dedication to @JessikaPolley!

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Chapter 24 | the mysterious heir

For a few days, the school could talk of little else but the attack on Mrs Norris. When Filch wasn't guarding the scene of the crime, he was skulking redeyed through the corridors, lunging out at unsuspecting students and trying to put them in detention for things like 'breathing loudly' and 'looking happy'.

The attack had an effect on Hermione and Caitlyn. Caitlyn was almost sure she had helped Petrifying Mrs Norris, and she regretted it. As for Hermione, it was quite usual for her to spend a lot of time reading, but she was now doing almost nothing else. Nor could Harry, Ron and Caitlyn get much response from her when they asked what she was up to, and not until the following Wednesday did they find out.

Harry had been held back in Potions, where Snape had made him stay behind to scrape tubeworms off the desks. After a hurried lunch, he went upstairs to meet Ron and Caitlyn in the library, and saw Justin Finch-Fletchley, a Hufflepuff boy, coming toward him. Harry had just opened his mouth to say hello when Justin caught sight of him, turned abruptly, and sped off in the opposite direction.

Harry found Ron and Caitlyn at the back of the library, measuring his History of Magic homework. Professor Binns had asked for a threefoot-long composition on The Medieval Assembly of European Wizards.

"I don't believe it, I'm still eight inches short!" said Ron furiously, letting go of his parchment, which sprang back into a roll. "And Hermione's done four feet seven inches and her writing's tiny. Even Caitlyn here wrote one more inch than what Binns asked."

"Where is Hermione anyway?" asked Harry, grabbing the tape measure and unrolling his own homework.

"Somewhere over there," said Caitlyn, pointing along the shelves. "Looking for another book."

"I think she's trying to read the whole library before Christmas," laughed Ron. Caitlyn chuckled too.

Harry told them about Justin Finch-Fletchley running away from him.

"Dunno why you care. I thought he was a bit of an idiot," said Ron, scribbling away, making his writing as large as possible. "All that junk about Lockhart being so great -"

Hermione emerged from between the bookshelves. She looked irritable and at last seemed ready to talk to them.

"All the copies of Hogwarts, A History have been taken out," she said, sitting down next to Harry and Ron. "And there's a two-week waiting list. I wish I hadn't left my copy at home, but I couldn't fit it in my trunk with all the Lockhart books."

"Why do you want it?" said Harry.

"The same reason everyone else wants it," said Hermione, "to read up on the legend of the Chamber of Secrets."

"What's that?" said Harry quickly.

"That's just it. I can't remember," said Hermione, biting her lip. "And I can't find the story anywhere else -"

"Hermione, let me read your composition," said Ron desperately, checking his watch.

"No, I won't," said Hermione, suddenly severe. "You've had ten days to finish it -"