𝙮𝙤𝙪 || 𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙮 𝙥𝙤𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲-𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐞: 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬

"Sir Nicholas' deathday party was...something alright," you said, walking beside Ron out of the dungeons. "It's not what I expected, but still—"

"Oh, stop sugar-coating it. It was terrible," said Ron, looking hopeful at the end. "Pudding might not be finished yet."

You're not sure you can stomach anything after smelling rotten fish the whole time down there, but you were still feeling hungry. You hope Susan and the others saved some for you if the Halloween feast was finished by now.

As you emerge from the steps, Harry stops all of a sudden. He looks around with narrowed eyes, as if searching for something, before he places his ear on the stone wall.

"Harry, what're you—" Ron asked but was immediately cut off by Harry.

"It's that voice again—shut up a minute—"

You look around and strained your ears for any noise, but heard nothing. Ron and Hermione were just as confused as you were.

"Harry, I can't hear any—"

"This way!" Harry shouted as he ran into the entrance hall.

You, Ron and Hermione follow after him. You rush past the Great Hall, the chatter growing muffled as all of you climb the marble staircase to the first floor.

"Harry, what're we—"

"SHH!" Harry shushed Hermione, stopping for a moment to look around before shouting, "It's going to kill someone!" and ran faster up the next flight of stairs.

You didn't have time to process what he just said as you tried catching up to him, already out of breath. Your legs were shaking when the four of you turned a corner into an empty passage on the second floor.

You lean against Hermione tiredly, who was tucking away stray strands of her bushy hair sticking to her face. The cold floor looked really comfortable to nap on at that moment.

"Harry, what was that all about?" Said Ron, wiping sweat off his face. "I couldn't hear anything..."

But Hermione suddenly gasped and pointed down at the corridor. "Look!"

Something was shining on the wall ahead. All of you approached slowly, squinting your eyes through the darkness. On the wall between two windows, shining underneath the light of the flaming torches, were the words written in the color red:

THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED. ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE.

"What's that thing—hanging underneath?" Said Ron, stammering a little.

As the four of you went closer, Harry almost slipped on a large puddle of water on the floor. Ron and Hermione grabbed him, before continuing on walking towards the message, all eyes fixated on a dark shadow beneath it.

"Mrs. Norris!" You exclaim, recognizing Argus Filch's cat instantly.

She was hanging by her tail from the torch bracket, looking very still with her eyes wide and staring. You weren't fond of Mrs. Norris, but you didn't like seeing her like this either.

Is she...dead?

"Let's get out of here," Ron said suddenly.

Harry was hesitant. "Shouldn't we try
and help—"

"Trust me, we don't want to be found here," said Ron. He clutches your hand when you tried inching towards Mrs. Norris, saying your name sternly. "You heard me, if they see us here we'll—"

But it was too late. The distant echoes of multiple footsteps and happy babble were heard a second later. The feast has just ended, and now students were slowly approaching the passage from both ends.