Second year

Chapter

Disclaimer in first chapter

I dragged my trunk behind me and ran into the barrier and came out on the other side and then with some help from an upper class-man I got my trunk on the train and I found an empty compartment that I charmed to be unnoticeable. I grabbed a book from my satchel and began to read it.

I was reading an obscure book of charms that Griffin had pointed out tome the clerk did not know the value of the book and so I got it in a good price. I sat in silence the whole ride and only got up to change into my robes. If I was to go by the beginning then I would say that nothing would change this year. This year we used the carriages to get to Hogwarts they were seemingly pulling themselves or by a spell but actually they were pulled by thestrals, magical creatures that only appeared to those who have witnessed death.

During the sorting I noticed that Potter and Weasly were not present at the Gryffindor table and it seems that I wasn't the only one who noticed as the other Weaslys were a bit uneasy and worried. During the sorting only one person interested me and that was Ginny Weasly. She was so nervous and unsure and her brothers were ignoring her so I motioned for her to sit next to me.

"Hi I'm Hermione Granger"

I introduced myself

"Ginny Weasly"

She responded shyly in a high pitch voice. We talked about general topics and I told her about my first year classes and offered to help her if she needed it. During dinner I caught one of the twin's eyes and he nodded at me briefly in thanks and then he looked away before I could respond. Soon the feast ended we all followed the prefect to the Portrait. I waited for Ginny who was listening to the prefect's instructions and I walked her to her dorm room. I went into my dorm room and warded my trunk and my sleeping place and then I unpacked everything. I changed into my cotton pyjamas and fell into a light slumber while listening to my room-mates voices.

XXX

The next morning I woke up extra early because I had to work with my hair. Chiara had introduced me to a great magical hair tonic that could de-frizz my hair. My hair was still short as I had it cut in a pixie cut but over the course of the year it had grown longer it now almost brushed my shoulders. I showered, brushed my teeth and then towelled of my hair and changed into my school uniform and I applied the tonic in my slightly damp hair and then proceeded to brush them. When I was done my hair were no longer frizzy and they were in nice waves now I just have to do something with my teeth and then everything would be perfect.

During breakfast several of the girls noticed the change but the boys didn't Ginny even complimented me on my appearance although the attention on me was diverted to Weasly when the howler that was sent to him started yelling at him in his mother's voice. When the howler was done the whole hall burst into laughter and his face turned into a very unattractive red colour that clashed with his hair.

We all traipsed outside and went into the greenhouse where we were being taught herbology by Professor Sprout who was a stout woman with a kind disposition. She was wearing thick gloves and her robes were a brown colour and there were many smudges of dirt on them.

"Today class we will studying the mandrakes. Now can anybody tell me what mandrakes are?"

She asked and I promptly answered the question and was awarded ten points for my answer. We were supposed to re-pot the mandrakes and had to wear earmuffs so that the mandrakes' wail won't affect us. The lesson went al right except the fact that Neville fainted because of the mandrakes wails.

In the transfiguration class there were constant mishaps because of Weasly's faulty wand. Finally there was the lesson that I was most looking forward to defence against the dark arts. Professor Lockhart was a handsome man and he had a great smile and at this age this was all it took to get my heart beating loudly. But when he progressed through his lesson I found my admiration diminishing. His teaching style was atrocious but I guess he wasn't used to teaching. It all came crashing down on me when he couldn't even trap a few pixies with a simple spell. He must be a fraud plain and simple how he could defeat a werewolf when he couldn't capture pixies.

That night I sat in my dorm room and made a timeline of all the events in Professor Lockhart's books and found that several of the dates overlapped and that confirmed my suspicions. After that I never believed a word that he said and designed my own study guide that would help me greatly.

XXX

During these weeks other students have all noticed my changed appearance and they have many comments about it. The boys are indifferent as they are still at the stage where they do not see girls in a romantic light but the girls have formed many opinions about me some were complimentary but some were catty. I was walking through the hall when a particular girl loudly commented.

"So what if she changed her hair she is still the uptight nightmare that she was in first year."

Her friend further commented

"You can change the outside but you can't change the inside"

The females surrounding them snickered and I tensed in response and I hurried away to hide my hurt expression. My problems were soon but at the back burner however when Sir Nicholas came and visited me in the abandoned classroom that I had chosen to hide in.

"Hermione I'm here to extend an invitation to my death day party on this Halloween"

He said solemnly

"Of course I will come"

I answered immediately and his countenance changed and he became happy again and he disappeared leaving me alone with my thoughts. Why do the girls still think of me that way? I have never done anything personally to them but maybe I give them that impression when I always answer questions and the teachers always praise me. Well then I can't change myself just for their satisfaction.

That's the spirit Hermione don't ever change yourself and become a mindless drone like those girls

Chiara said and I smiled internally

I won't

I promised her firmly and righted my clothes and hair and then went to my next class. The day passed in a blur and soon I was in my room reading a book on obscure hexes and jinxes. I soon fell asleep without even changing into my pyjamas. Classes went on and the world kept spinning September ended and October started. I was well ahead in all of my classes and was constantly at the top. I still answered all the questions in my classes except potions I learned that lesson after the first few insults.

In the second week of October the girls that had teased me suddenly stood up and screamed during breakfast and I soon saw why. They were covered in huge boils that oozing with puss and other liquids. They looked disgusting and many students scooted away from them and had pushed away their meals.

"Now these girls look as ugly as they are on the inside"

One of the Weasly twins said smugly and I noticed some of the other students nod in agreement. Professor McGonagall was soon upon them and was scolding them harshly and had assigned them detentions. One of the twins winked at me and I realized that this wasn't a coincidence these boys had actually pranked the girl because she teased me. I felt warmth blooming in my chest and my lips curl upward and realized that this was the first time I was happy since I came back here.

XXX

Soon Halloween came and I had to honour my promise and had to go the death day party. I made sure that my belly was full before I left to go for the party. The chamber where the party was hosted was filled with ghosts and was decorated with shrivelled up and torn crepe paper which was in dark colours. There were buffet tables set up and the food was placed in tarnished silver platters the food itself was disgusting and mouldy. I looked around the room and my eyes fell upon Potter and Weasly who were looking completely out of place. I frowned and walked towards them quickly and then asked them in a cold tone

"What are you doing here?"

They looked disgruntled at my sudden appearance

"We were invited"

Potter said tersely and Weasly continued

"You must be uninvited obviously you're always where you're not wanted"

The sneer on his face twisted his face into something ugly and Potters face was also cold and I sniffed trying to seem indifferent.

"For you information I m invited and I am quite well liked thank you very much"

I snapped and stormed away and quickly returned to my own room and fell into my bed and cried to sleep. The next day I noticed that he student body was subdued and found out later by a ghost that the chamber of secrets had been opened and Mrs. Norris had ended up petrified.

I noticed at dinner that Ginny was jumpy and was snapping at everybody and so I decided to visit her in her dorm. That evening when she was up in her dorm and her doormats were downstairs in the common room I entered her room and noticed that she was madly scribbling in a diary. I cleared my throat to gain her attention and she jumped when she saw me she quickly closed the diary and placed it in her bedside drawer.

"Hey Hermione"

She greeted in a shaky voice and I frowned

"Ginny are you al right?"

I asked concerned and she immediately answered

"Yes I'm al right"

I frowned even more at her quick answer

"Is somebody or something bothering you?"

I asked again and she twitched but answered in a negative so after a bit of small talk I left and went into my dorm and lay down in my bed

Such dark magic…

A deep voice whispered

Who is this?

I asked sharply

Nigel Milady I am at your service

The voice from before answered playfully

What did you mean before?

I asked him

There was dark magic emanating from the diary and there was so much of it

He answered

Do you recognize the magic?

I asked

Yes

He answered simply

Well what is it?

I asked irritated when he did not answer

Your too young suffice I to say you should get that diary away from you friend. The diary is affecting her

His tone said that his decision was final so I just thanked him and didn't bother him any more.

The school was buzzing because of the Gryffindor and Slytherin match that would be held this afternoon. I didn't go to these things because I wasn't interested in Quiditch and instead I practised my spells and did my homework and read ahead. That's why it was only when the other students came back did I know that a Bludger had been enchanted to follow Potter and he was currently in the hospital wing.

The next day we all got to know that Colin Creevy had also been petrified and that scared all the students. I was burning with questions so when time came for our history class I took the liberty to ask some questions to assuage my curiosity.

"Professor what is the chamber of secrets?"

Everybody went still when I asked the question and professor Bins looked uncomfortable when he answered my question.

"The founders had an argument you see Salazar did not want to allow muggleborns to attend and the other founders disagreed so when Salazar left he left the chamber for his heir so that he may eradicate all muggleborns but there have been many attempts to find the chamber but it has not been found."

He finished but the students still feared the monster and their concerns had not been lessened in the least. That evening in my dorm I sat down and tried something that I have never quite done before I actually looked for a particular spirit. I soon found his presence and tentatively started a conversation.

Hello are you Salazar Slytherin

After a while a got a response

Yes that is me and who is this

A rough voice answered

I'm Hermione Granger sir I wanted to ask about the chamber

I said and he answered

That chamber houses my pet basilisk. She protects my research room from intruders. They are located behind my statue.

He answered confused

Then why has it been killing and petrifying students?

I demanded

History has distorted my image greatly I am not a prejudiced man I wanted to enter muggleborns but only by using memory charms so that they would think they were around wizards all their life so that they might not kill themselves or others because magic is as they say evil. My heir believed these lies and controlled my pet.

He said and grief was clear in his voice

I'm sorry that your image was distorted but I need the location of the entrance so that the basilisk could be killed.

I said awkwardly not wanting to upset him more but knowing I have to tell him the truth

It is behind a sink in the first floor female lavatory. There is a snake carved into the sink and only a parseltmouth can open the door.

He answered subdued and after that I left him alone. I was sure that the diary was connected to Voldemort. i got up from my bed and sneaked into Ginny's dorm which was empty and then opened her bedside drawer and there lay the dairy I grabbed it and sneaked in back into my own room.

XXX

The end of the year was drawing near and everybody was cramming for the exams. I went to the headmaster's office and knocked on the Gargoyles guarding the office as I didn't know the password. The gargoyles stepped aside and let her through. I climbed the staircase and entered the grand office. The room was circular and had large windows there were many shelves in the room that were filled with odd gadgets that whirred and puffed out smoke. Professor Dumbledore sat behind a large oak desk and beside him there was a perch and there sat his familiar a phoenix. He was in his molting stage and I was sad that I could witness his rebirth.

"Miss Granger you wanted to see me?"

Professor Dumbledore asked

"Yes professor I wanted to tell you that I know what the monster is and I also know where the chamber is located"

I said and at this he sat a bit straighter and threaded his fingers and then rests his chin of his hand

"Continue"

He commanded

"The monster is a basilisk and the entrance is behind a sink in the first floor girls' bathroom and it can only be opened by a parselmouth. There is also another matter I found a dark object in Ginny Weasly's possession though I don't think she knows it is a dark object."

I explained and then handed him the diary. He examined the diary and then placed it in one of his drawers.

"Thank you Miss Granger you have been of great help"

He said and then dismissed me from his office.

The next few weeks were hectic and the students were not allowed to roam the corridor and a teacher was with them at all times. A delegation of curse breakers came in and they were able to disable the protection on the entrance. The basilisk was killed and there were no causalities.

A few days later I was called into the headmaster's office. I gave the gargoyle the password and then climbed the stairs and knocked on the door and then entered when I was invited in. on the desk of professor Dumbledore there was the dairy but it was severely damaged.

"Ms Granger do you know what this artefact is"

Professor asked with a grave expression and I shook my head in response.

"This artefact possessed small portions of tom riddle's or as we more commonly know him as Voldemort's soul. This is keeping him anchored in this world"

He answered me

"You have done this school a great service and as such you are awarded 150 points and a plaque will be made to honour your service"

He continued now with a twinkle in his eye as I stood there gaping like a fish.

"Thank you headmaster very much"

I finally said and he waved it off and then I was dismissed from his office and I went to the common room. Sitting there was Ginny she motioned for me to follow her and I did we sat on her bed and I waited for her to speak.

"The diary was controlling me and by extension the snake. I was the one who petrified the students and I was the one who wrote the message"

She said quietly

"Oh Ginny it wasn't your fault"

I said but I could tell from her expression that she didn't believe me.

"Listen to me no one expects you to know everything or to be constantly vigilant. This should be a learning experience for you but it should not govern your life. No one blames you for these unfortunate events. You are as much as a victim as everybody else was."

I told her in a firm tone and she smiled at me hopefully and asked

"Really"

"Yes really"

I answered and she seemed more content.

This time when my mother asked me if I had made any friends I said yes and I could see the relief in her face and I myself felt a bi lighter I guess sharing your troubles does help. Even if having a friend has helped I sorely wish that I would have one uneventful year