In Between Two Worlds (HP/PJO Crossover)

Chapter 52: Slimy Slytherins.

For a few days, the school could talk of little else but the attack on Mrs. Norris. Filch kept it fresh in everyone's minds by pacing the spot where she had been attacked, as though he thought the attacker might come back. I had seen him scrubbing the message on the wall with Mrs. Skower's All Purpose Magical Mess Remover, but to no effect; the words still gleamed as brightly as ever on the stone. 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 also had an effect on Mione. It was quite usual for her to spend a lot of time reading, but she was now doing almost nothing else. None of us could get much of a response from her when we asked what she was up to, and not until the following Wednesday did we find out.

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

We found Ron at the back of the library, measuring his History of Magic homework. Professor Binns had asked for a three foot 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."

"Where is she?" I asked, grabbing the tape measure and unrolling my own homework.

"Somewhere over there," said Ron, pointing along the shelves. "Looking for another book with Bailey. I think she's trying to read the whole library before Christmas." Harry told Ron about Justin Finch-Fletchley running away from us.

"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 and Bailey emerged from between the bookshelves. Mione looked irritable and at last seemed ready to talk to us.

"All the copies of Hogwarts, A History have been taken out," she said, "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-"

"I only need another two inches, come on-"

The bell rang. Ron and Hermione led the way to History of Magic, bickering. We had all learned not to try to break them up when they fought like this.

History of Magic was the dullest subject on our schedule. Professor Binns, who taught it, was our only ghost teacher, and the most exciting thing that ever happened in his classes was his entering the room through the blackboard. Ancient and shriveled, many people said he hadn't noticed he was dead. He had simply got up to teach one day and left his body behind him in an armchair in front of the staff room fire; his routine had not varied in the slightest since.