Percy Jackson and the Heir of Slytherin [Book 2]

22) Detective Work

"I always knew Salazar Slytherin was a twisted old loony," Ron told us as we shouldered our way through the crowd of students. "But I never knew he started off all of this pure-blood stuff. I wouldn't be in his house if you paid me. Honestly, if the Sorting Hat had tried to put me in Slytherin, I'd've got the train straight back home..."

I rolled my eyes. I had explained to Ron many times that it didn't work that way anymore. Slytherin doesn't just have pure-bloods. The hat does the sorting now, not the teachers. Take Snape for example. And Silena. They're both half-bloods, but they're Slytherin.

I also glanced at Harry. He'd told me about what the Sorting Hat had told him. He'd been mad about something Snape had said, and ended up ranting to me about everything. The Sorting Hat had wanted to put Harry into Slytherin.

While we were being pulled through the crowd, Colin Creevey went past us.

"Hiya, Harry!"

"Hullo, Colin," Harry said.

"Harry — Harry — a boy in my class has been saying you're—"

Colin was lost in the crowd before we could hear the rest of what he had to say. I wondered what they had been saying about Harry.

"See you, Harry!" Colin managed to squeak as he was whisked away.

"What's a boy in his class saying about you?" Hermione questioned.

"That I'm Slytherin's heir, I expect," Harry said. That made sense. The whole Justin thing I'd heard of earlier.

"People here'll believe anything," Ron said, disgust lacing his voice.

We climbed the next staircase.

"D'you really think there's a Chamber of Secrets?" Ron asked Hermione.

"I don't know," Hermione said, frowning. "Dumbledore couldn't cure Mrs. Norris, and that makes me think that whatever attacked her might not be — well — human. He's even got the demis on guard. Speaking of guard, when is your night, Percy?"

"Tonight," I replied, not paying much attention as we walked into the corridor where the whole Chamber mess had started.

We stopped and looked around. Not much had changed. The cat was gone, and so was the water, but the words remained imprinted on the wall, and a chair had been placed in front of the words.

"That's where Filch has been keeping guard," Ron muttered.

We all looked around at each other.

"Can't hurt you have a poke around," Harry said, getting down so he could crawl on the floor and look for anything.

"Scorch marks!" He said, then pointing them out for us.

"Come and look at this!" Hermione said. "This is funny..."

I walked over to see what Hermione was looking at. She was pointing at a bunch of spiders, all of them scuttling to get through a tiny crack in the glass. There was one long and silvery thread. Only one.

"Have you ever seen spiders act like that?" Hermione asked.

"No," I said, "have you, Ron? Ron?"

I looked back and saw my friend looking very pale and scared. He seemed to be fighting the urge to run.

"What's up?" Harry asked when he saw his friend.

"I — don't — like — spiders," Ron said, shoulders tense.

"I never knew that," Hermione said, surprise lacing her features. "You've used spiders in potions loads of times..."

"I don't mind them dead," Ron said, averting his eyes from the window, "I just don't like the way they move..."