Chapter 4: Their Only Plan
The next morning, Josh, Ron, and Hermione trudged towards the Quiiditch pitch as Gryffindor was practicing this morning. Harry and his team had left earlier while they were asleep, but luckily Josh knew where they were as Wood's voice had woken him up that morning. The entered the Stands and found some seats. Josh and Ron began talking Quidditch while Hermione had brought one of Lockhart's books to read.
"I think the Cannons might have a chance this year," Ron said just as the Gryffindor team came out of the locker rooms to finally get into the sky to practice. Josh looked down on the field to see that mousy boy again with his camera taking pictures again.
"Ron, who's that?" Josh asked pointing at the camera boy.
"That's Colin Creevey, first year Gryffindor," Ron answered. "He's a big fan of Harry just like Ginny." Josh nodded now understanding Ron's comment about the Harry Potter fan club yesterday.
"Uh oh," Hermione said as she was looking up.
"What is it?" Josh asked and Hermione pointed.
"Slytherin," she answered and sure enough, the Slytherin team was walking onto the field.
"I smell trouble," Ron said as the three then ran onto the field to see whats up.
"I don't believe it!" Josh heard Wood hissed in outrage as they got closer. "I booked the field for today! We'll see about this!" Wood shot toward the ground, landing rather harder than he meant to in his anger, staggering slightly as he dismounted. Harry, Fred, and George followed. "Flint!" Wood bellowed at the Slytherin Captain. "This is our practice time! We got up specially! You can clear off now!"
Marcus Flint was even larger than Wood. He had a look of trollish cunning on his face as he replied, "Plenty of room for all of us, Wood."
Angelina, Alicia, and Katie had come over, too. There were no girls on the Slytherin team, who stood shoulder to shoulder, facing the Gryffindors, leering to a man.
"But I booked the field!" said Wood, positively spitting with rage. "I booked it!"
"Ah," said Flint. "But I've got a specially signed note here from Professor Snape. 'I, Professor S. Snape, give the Slytherin team permission to practice today on the Quidditch field owing to the need to train their new Seeker'. "
"You've got a new Seeker?" said Wood, distracted. "Where?"
And from behind the six large figures before them came a seventh, smaller boy, smirking all over his pale, pointed face. It was Draco Malfoy.
"Aren't you Lucius Malfoy's son?" said Fred, looking at Malfoy with dislike.
"Funny you should mention Draco's father," said Flint as the whole Slytherin team smiled still more broadly. "Let me show you the generous gift he's made to the Slytherin team."
All seven of them held out their broomsticks. Seven highly polished, brand-new handles and seven sets of fine gold lettering spelling the words Nimbus Two Thousand and One gleamed under the Gryffindors' noses in the early morning sun.
"Very latest model. Only came out last month," said Flint carelessly, flicking a speck of dust from the end of his own. "I believe it outstrips the old Two Thousand series by a considerable amount. As for the old Cleansweeps"—he smiled nastily at Fred and George, who were both clutching Cleansweep Fives—" sweeps the board with them."
None of the Gryffindor team could think of anything to say for a moment. Malfoy was smirking so broadly his cold eyes were reduced to slits.
"Oh, look," said Flint. "A field invasion."
Ron, Hermione, and Josh were crossing the grass to see what was going on. Josh did sense that there might be a little trouble.
"What's happening?" Ron asked Harry. "Why aren't you playing? And what's he doing here?"
He was looking at Malfoy, taking in his Slytherin Quidditch robes.
"I'm the new Slytherin Seeker, Weasley," said Malfoy, smugly. "Everyone's just been admiring the brooms my father's bought our team."
Ron gaped, open-mouthed, at the seven superb broomsticks in front of them. Josh stared at the brooms as it seemed that that was the only way Malfoy could get onto a Quidditch team.
"Good, aren't they?" said Malfoy smoothly. "But perhaps the Gryffindor team will be able to raise some gold and get new brooms, too. You could raffle off those Cleansweep Fives; I expect a museum would bid for them."
The Slytherin team howled with laughter.
"At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in," said Hermione sharply. "They got in on pure talent."
The smug look on Malfoy's face flickered.
"No one asked your opinion, you filthy little Mudblood," he spat.
Just then, Josh was filled with seering anger. Flint had to dive in front of Malfoy to stop Fred and George jumping on him, Alicia shrieked, "How dare you!"
Ron plunged his hand into his robes, pulled out his wand, yelling, "You'll pay for that one, Malfoy!" and pointed it furiously under Flint's arm at Malfoys face.
A loud bang echoed around the stadium and a jet of green light shot out of the wrong end of Ron's wand, hitting him in the stomach and sending him reeling backward onto the grass.
"Ron! Ron! Are you all right?" squealed Hermione. Josh wasn't paying attention as he stared at Malfoy.
Ron opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. Instead he gave an almighty belch and several slugs dribbled out of his mouth onto his lap.
The Slytherin team were paralysed with laughter. Flint was doubled up, hanging onto his new broomstick for support. Malfoy was on all fours, banging the ground with his fist. The Gryffindors were gathered around Ron, who kept belching large, glistening slugs, except for Josh. Nobody seemed to want to touch him. Malfoy stood back up and was about to say something until he was thrown to the ground.
Eveyone's heads turned towards Malfoy and saw Josh leaning over him, fists clenched and a bruise began to appear on Malfoy's face. Josh had just punched Malfoy in his jaw.
"You'll pay for that, Anderson!" Malfoy said as he glared at Josh from the ground. Josh only stared back as Hermione came over and gabbed his arm to pull him away.
"We'd better get him to Hagrid's, it's nearest," said Harry to Josh and Hermione, who nodded, and the pair of them pulled Ron up by the arms then began to head off to Hagrid's just as Ron threw up a nother slug.
"Wow! Can you turn him around, Harry?" Colin said excitedly as his camera flashed.
"No, Colin, get out of the way!" Harry growled, pushing the younger Gryffindor out of the way.
Harry, Josh, and Hermione quickly hurried Ron to Hagrids.
"This calls for a specialist's equipment," Hagrid said, bring over a bucket and plopping it down in front of Ron when they have arrived at his Hut. "Nothin' to do but wait'll it stops, I'm afraid," Another slug. "Better out than in," Hagrid sighed. "Who's Ron tryin' to curse, anyway?"
"Malfoy," Harry told him. Hagrid nodded as he didn't seem to need anymore information. Being Malfoy was enough of an explanation. Josh was staring out the window thinking about that nasty word. Why would somone use that word. It's very horrible word to use. Malfoy gives the Slytherins a bad name. His mother or grandparents weren't even that bad.
"He called Hermione… um, well, I don't- I don't know exactly what it means," Harry continued, glancing over at Hermione who looked like she still wanted to cry. She stood up and moved off and away from us, crossing her arm as Josh saw her shoulders shake.
"He called me a Mudblood," she said. He glanced at Ron who was still puking slugs.
"He did not!" Hagrid exclaimed with his mouth agape.
"What's a Mudblood?" Harry asked.
"It means 'dirty blood,'," Hermione said, whipping around to glare at all of them. "Mudblood's a really foul name for someone who is Muggle-born. Someone with non-magic parents. Someone like me," she said sitting back down beside Ron.
"It's not a word someone usually hears in civilized conversation," Josh commented out of no where.
"See, Harry, there're some wizards, like the Malfoy family, who think they're better'n everyone else because they're what people call pure-blood," Hagrid explained.
"That's horrible!" Harry exclaimed.
Another slug. "It's disgusting," Ron said with a green face.
"And it's codswallop, to boot," Hagrid added.
Josh looked out the window again. Purebloods. They always think they're better than anyone who is not a pureblood, well most of them. His family wasn't like that. They were a neutral family, and have always been just like the Greengrass family, from what Daphne told him last year. That reminded him that he had to tell his friends about Daphne. He looked back towards his friends and decided now was not the right moment.
"'Dirty blood' Why, there isn't a wizard alive today that's not half blood or less," Hagrid exclaimed. "More ter the point, they've yet to think of a spell that our Hermione can' do. Come here…" Hagrid sighed, taking Hermione's hands as she walked toward him. "Don't you think on it, Hermione. Don't you think on it for one minute… eh?" Hermione smiled in the thanks at the half giant.
A couple months passed with nothing too interesting at Hogwarts School Witchcraft and Wizardry. It was now October, Halloween day. Josh had left the Great Hall early. He didn't feel too well for some reason and began walking around the first floor. He was looking at a suit of armor when he heard his name called.
"Josh!"
He slowly turned his head and saw Daphne walking up to him with her hands in his pocket. "Hey, Daphne," He greeted with a lazy smile. "What's up?"
"Hey," Daphne greeted as she reached Josh. "I heard about Ron and you."
"About what?" Josh asked as he continued to walk towards the stair case with Daphne walking by his side.
"About how Ron tried to hex Malfoy, but it backfired, and then how you went on and punched him in the face," Daphne said with a smirk. Josh nodded.
"Yeah, he called Hermione a mudblood," he said causing Daphne to gasp. "I can't stand that word. My cousin uses it a lot, and i'm glad he doesn't go here, and goes to Durmstrang."
"So your mom isn't an only child?" Daphne asked.
"No, unfortunately, she's not," Josh replied. "I have an estranged Uncle who's more like Malfoy's father." Daphne nodded. "You know all that happened like a month ago, right?" Daphne sighed and shrugged, and when Josh was about to continue, he heard something that made him stop. It was a voice, a voice to chill the bone marrow, a voice of breathtaking, ice-cold venom.
"Come…come to me…Let me rip you...Let me tear you...Let me kill you…"
"What?" Josh asked as he looked around.
"What?" Daphne said as she looked at Josh strangely. "What is it?"
"That voice!" he exclaimed frantically. "Didn't you hear it!"
"I'm sorry?" Daphne said. "What voice?"
"That voice that said...didn't you hear it!" Josh asked as his breathing quicking as he frantically began looking around.
"Are you okay?" Daphne asked him worriedly, but Josh didn't answer as he then closer towards the stairs, and she followed him. "Josh, you're scaring me." she said as they reached the bottom of the stairs.
And then, Josh heard it again. "...rip...tear...kill..." It was the same voice once again, same cold, murderous voice he had just heard. Josh stumbled to a halt, clutching at the stone wall, listening with all his might, looking around, squinting up and down the dimly lit passageway.
"Josh, what're you..."
"Shh!" Josh shushed Daphne. "It's that voice again, be quiet for a minute..."
"...sooo hungry...for so long..."
"Listen!" Josh said urgently. Daphne froze, watching him, and apprently not hearing anything.
"...kill...time to kill..."
The voice was growing fainter. Josh was sure it was moving away, moving somewhere. A mixture of fear and excitement gripped him as he stared down the dimly lit corridor and then looked up towards the ceiling; where was it at? Was it a phantom or something that couldn't be seen by the naked eye.
"This way!" Josh shouted and he began to run up the stairs, towards the second floor.
"Josh, what're we..."
"Shh!" Josh shushed Daphne who was following him. Josh strained his ears, distantly, towards the floor they were nearing, and growing fainter still, he heard the voice. "...I smell blood...I SMELL BLOOD!"
His stomach lurch. "It's going to kill somone!" he shouted and ignoring Daphne's bewildered face, he ran up the remaining step and tried to listen over his own pounding footsteps. Josh hurtled arond the whole second floor, not stopping until they turned the corner where they ran into Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
"Harry? Ron, Hermione," Josh said looking at the others with concern, Daphne trying to hide behind Josh, but failing miserably.
"Josh?" said Harry as he then looked behind Josh. "And...who are you?"
"Daphne Greengrass," Hermione answered for her. "What are you doing with her!" she asked Josh who didn't want to get into it right now.
"Why are you hanging around that snake?' Ron asked heatedly. "You know their all death eaters waiting to happen." Daphne looked away with a tiny blush, apparently telling Josh's friends that him and Daphne were friends would be a bad idea. She looked away when something caught her eye.
"Look!" She shouted, gaining everyone's attention as she was pointing at something that was shining on the wall ahead. They approached slowly, squinting through the darkness. Foot-high words had been daubed on the wall between two windows, shimmering in the light cast by the flaming torches.
THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN
OPENED. ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE.
Josh stepped forwards hearing something under his footing, and when he looked, he saw water all over the floor.
"'The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies the heir beware,'" Hermione read. "It's written in blood."
"Oh, no… It's Filch's cat. It's Mrs. Norris," Harry said, drawing all of their attention to the cat, hanging by it's tail next to the message. Josh and Harry both moved closer and sure enough, it was exactly Mrs. Norris.
And then, a huge group of Gryffindors, probably coming from dinner, appeared from one side of the corridor, and Then, from the other way came a group of Slytherins.
"'Enemies of the heir beware?" Draco exclaimed from the group of Slytherins before eyeing Hermione. "You'll be next, Mudbloods!" Josh turn to look at Malfoy thinking about giving him a black eye this time. He was about to step forward until he heard voice.
"What's going on 'ere?" Filch yelled, as he made it through the crowd. "Go on, make way, make way. Potter, what are you… Mrs. Norris?" he gasped as he saw his cat, and then glared daggers down at Harry. "You've- murdered my cat," he growled. Josh and his friends were all surprised at his accusation. Harry couldn't have done it, He had arrived here the same time as Josh.
"No. No," Harry stuttered out shaking his head and trying to step back.
"I'll kill ya… I'll kill ya!" Filch screamed, grabbing Harry by the front of his shirt.
"Argus!"
Dumbledore had arrived on the scene, followed by a number of other teachers. In seconds, he had swept past Harry, Ron, Hermione, Josh,and Daphne and detached Mrs. Norris from the torch bracket.
"Come with me, Argus," he said to Filch. "You, too, Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger, Mr. Anderson, and Miss Greengrass."
Lockhart stepped forward eagerly.
"My office is nearest, Headmaster—just upstairs—please feel free—"
"Thank you, Gilderoy," said Dumbledore.
The silent crowd parted to let them pass. Lockhart, looking excited and important, hurried after Dumbledore; so did Professors McGonagall and Snape.
As they entered Lockhart's darkened office there was a flurry of movement across the walls; Josh saw several of the Lockharts in the pictures dodging out of sight, their hair in rollers, and rolled his eyes at Lockhart's stupidity.
The real Lockhart lit the candles on his desk and stood back. Dumbledore lay Mrs. Norris on the polished surface and began to examine her. Harry, Ron, Josh and Hermione exchanged tense looks and sank into chairs outside the pool of candlelight, watching. Daphne sank into hers feeling like a black sheep and out of place of the four Gryffindors.
The tip of Dumbledore's long, crooked nose was barely an inch from Mrs. Norris's fur. He was looking at her closely through his half-moon spectacles, his long fingers gently prodding and poking. Professor McGonagall was bent almost as close, her eyes narrowed. Snape loomed behind them, half in shadow, wearing a most peculiar expression: It was as though he was trying hard not to smile. And Lockhart was hovering around all of them, making suggestions.
"It was definitely a curse that killed her—probably the Transmogrifian Torture—I've seen it used many times, so unlucky I wasn't there, I know the very countercurse that would have saved her…" Lockhart said. Josh face-palmed himself. There was no such thing, was there? Even if it was, there should be a better name then the transmogrifian torture.
Josh turned to look at Filch who was letting out dry, racking sobs. He was slumped in a chair by the desk, unable to look at Mrs. Norris, his face in his hands. Much as they detested Filch, Josh couldn't help feeling a bit sorry for him. If Dumbledore believed Filch, Harry would be expelled for sure.
Dumbledore was now muttering strange words under his breath and tapping Mrs. Norris with his wand but nothing happened. She continued to look as though she had been recently stuffed.
"…I remember something very similar happening in Ouagadougou," said Lockhart, "a series of attacks, the full story's in my autobiography, I was able to provide the townsfolk with various amulets, which cleared the matter up at once…" Josh grimaced and stared at Lockhart in disgust. He would love to give Lockhart his swift kick to his bottom right now, just to shut him up.
At last Dumbledore straightened up. "She's not dead, Argus," he said softly.
Lockhart stopped abruptly in the middle of counting the number of murders he had prevented. Josh and Harry shared a look. If not dead, then what? They soon got their answer.
"Not dead?" choked Filch, looking through his fingers at Mrs. Norris. "But why's she all—all stiff and frozen?"
"She has been Petrified," said Dumbledore ("Ah! I thought so!" said Lockhart). "But how, I cannot say…"
"Ask them!" shrieked Filch, turning his blotched and tearstained face to Harry and Josh who held their breaths.
"No second year could have done this," said Dumbledore firmly as Harry and Josh released their breaths. "It would take Dark Magic of the most advanced—"
"They did it, they did it!" Filch spat, his pouchy face purpling. "You saw what they wrote on the wall! They found—in my office—they know I'm a—I'm a—" Filch's face worked horribly. "They know I'm a Squib!" he finished. Josh looked confused. He didn't know that. He turned to see Harry, Ron, and Hermione wide eyed.
"We never touched Mrs. Norris!" Harry said loudly. "And we don't even know what a Squib is," He added.
"Rubbish!" snarled Filch. "They saw my Kwikspell letter!"
"If I might speak, Headmaster," said Snape from the shadows, and Josh's sense of foreboding increased; he was sure nothing Snape had to say was going to do him and his friends any good.
"Potter and his friends may have simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time," he said, a slight sneer curling his mouth as though he doubted it. "But we do have a set of suspicious circumstances here. Why was he in the upstairs corridor at all? Why wasn't he at the Halloween feast?"
Harry, Ron, and Hermione all launched into an explanation about the deathday party. Josh new about the party, but he didn't want to really got to it. He knew how horrible it was going to be. "…there were hundreds of ghosts, they'll tell you we were there—"
"But why not join the feast afterward?" said Snape, his black eyes glittering in the candlelight. "Why go up to that corridor?"
Ron and Hermione looked at Harry.
"Because—because —" Harry said, his breathing quickening. "because we were tired and wanted to go to bed," he said.
"Without any supper?" said Snape, a triumphant smile flickering across his gaunt face. "I didn't think ghosts provided food fit for living people at their parties."
"We weren't hungry," said Ron loudly as his stomach gave a huge rumble.
Snape's nasty smile widened and then turned towards Josh and Daphne. "What about you two?" he asked.
"Well, I wasn't feeling too well, so i left early," Josh told which happened to be the truth and then he found the writing and the cat, and not to mention that the voices led him there.
"And I wanted to see if he was okay," Daphne said, causing everyone but Josh and Dumbledore to look at her strangely. Josh already knew what they were thinking. Why would a Slytherin want to see if a Gryffindor was doing okay, but it didn't matter, because to Snape shook his head and then looked at Dumbledore.
"I suggest, Headmaster, that Potter is not being entirely truthful," he said. "It might be a good idea if he were deprived of certain privileges until he is ready to tell us the whole story. I personally feel he should be taken off the Gryffindor Quidditch team until he is ready to be honest."
"Really, Severus," said Professor McGonagall sharply. "I see no reason to stop the boy playing Quidditch. This cat wasn't hit over the head with a broomstick. There is no evidence at all that Potter has done anything wrong." Josh looked over at Harry who looked really nervous.
"Innocent until proven guilty, Severus," Dumbledore said firmly, causing all of the twelve year olds to sigh in relief. Snape looked furious. So did Filch.
"My cat has been Petrified!" he shrieked, his eyes popping. "I want to see some punishment!"
"We will be able to cure her, Argus," said Dumbledore patiently. "Professor Sprout recently managed to procure some Mandrakes. As soon as they have reached their full size, I will have a potion made that will revive Mrs. Norris."
"I'll make it," Lockhart butted in. "I must have done it a hundred times. I could whip up a Mandrake Restorative Draught in my sleep—" Josh, Harry, and Ron rolled their eyes.
"Excuse me," said Snape icily. "But I believe I am the Potions master at this school."
"You may go," Dumbledore said to Harry, Ron, Hermione, Josh, and Daphne.
They went, as quickly as they could without actually running. They were a floor up from Lockhart's office, Daphne wasn't sure why she was following the Gryffindors. The arrived at an empty classroom, where Hermione opened the door. Harry and Ron walked in and then Hermione turned towards Josh and Daphne.
"Oh, well, no thanks. We're going to pass," Josh said as him and Daphne passed Hermione, but then the two were grabbed by their arms and pulled into the room. Hermione shut the door and walked over towards Harry and Ron who all stared at Daphne and Josh. Josh stared back while Daphne looked at the ground.
"So, Josh, do you have something to tell us?" Hermione asked as her, Harry, and Ron looked at Josh expectantly. Josh looked at Daphne who seemed shy and quiet.
"Guys, this is my good friend, Daphne," Josh answered with a sigh. Daphne gave a wave without looking at the other Gryffindors.
"Good friend?" Ron and Hermione said hotly and in unison. Josh nodded and sighed.
"Yes, we've been friends since I encountered her in the library first year," Josh said.
"You do know that this girl is a Slytherin!" Ron said.
"Yes, Ron, I'm aware of that," Josh said tiredly.
"But, but, she's a snake, and a bad egg," Ron argued. "You know There's not a single witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin."
"Says who Ron!" Josh asked now getting angry.
"Says History!" Ron nearly yelled. Harry, Hermione, and Daphne looked on shocked at the now two fighting friends. "She could only be being friends with you just to get close to Harry so she could take him out, like her parents ordered her to!"
"That's so stupid Ron!" Josh shouted with clenched fists. "Why would she do that! She's my friend!"
"Because she's cunning, smart, ambitious! She could trick and manipulate you with you not even knowing it!" Ron said. "Believe me when i say, but all Slytherins are bad, waiting for their master to come back so they could join them. Not one has a good heart in them!"
"MY MUM DOES!" Josh shouted as loud as he could, and then everything was silent as everyone stared at Josh. Ron stood with his mouth agape. "Yeah, Ron, my mother was in Slytherin, and so were my Grandparents, and then my great grandparents and so on! Now why don't you tell me why a Slytherin's son was put into Gryffindor!" Ron's mouth moved up and down, having no idea how to answer that question. Josh turned and walked towards the door and opened it, then turned back towards Ron. "We're through, Ron, and never ever insult Daphne, her parents, or my mother or my family ever again!" he finished and then slammed the door shut.
Josh was about a few feet away when the door opened and shut again. "Josh, wait!" He heard Daphne's voice called and heard her foot steps. Daphne showed up next to Josh who was seething in anger. "D'you think you should have told your friends or at least Professor Dumbledore about that voice you heard?" She asked.
"No," said Josh, without hesitation and exhaling a long breathe to get himself to calm down. "Hearing voices no one else can hear isn't a good sign, even in the wizarding world."
"I know," Daphne said with her head bowed. "You should still tell someone, but you know, this whole thing's weird. What was that writing on the wall about? The Chamber Has Been Opened… What's that supposed to mean?"
"It rings a sort of bell," Josh said slowly. "I think someone told me a story about a secret chamber at Hogwarts once, having to do with Salazar Slytherin...might've been my grandfather." Daphne glanced at Josh who glanced back and then continued walking.
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. Josh 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 red-eyed 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 had an effect on Daphne, or so it seemed to Josh. It was quite usual for the her to spend a lot of time reading, but she was now doing almost nothing else. Josh was with her in the library trying to figure out this Chamber of Secrets. Neville was with them as well, but doing homework. When Josh told him about Daphne, he didn't care that she was a Slytherin, after spending time with her, she kind of grew on him. Tracey Davis, Daphne's best friend, was also with them. She didn't mind either that Neville or Josh were Gryffindors. She actually liked them.
Since the library was pretty packed with students, and with Josh's annoyance, Him, Neville, Tracey, and Daphne had to sit a table away from Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Josh tried to ignore them, but they sort of talked a little too loud.
"All the copies of Hogwarts, A History have been taken out," Josh heard Hermione say, He looked over to see her sit 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." Josh looked down at the book he was reading, which happened to be Hogwarts, A History, and smirked to himself. He knew the reason she wanted it was to read up on the Chamber of Secrets like everyone else.
The bell rang. The group of four gathered their things and left towards Transfiguration class. Lucky, they all had it together. Josh entered first and sat in the back. Neville sat next to him while Daphne and Tracey sat to their right. Seconds later, Josh saw his Harry, Hermione, and his former friend Ron enter the class. Hermione and Ron had been arguing about something, but Josh was to annoyed to not even care what it was.
"Could I have your attention, please?" Professor McGonagall called from the front of the classroom, next to the chalkborad with notes on it and started our new lesson in Transfiguration. All the students hushed and gave her their attention. "Right. Now, today, we will be transforming animals into water goblets." Josh rested his head on his hand. He wished he could turn Ron into a water goblet.
"Like so," Professor McGonagall continued, turning to the bird sitting on her desk and she pointed her wand at it. "One, two, three, Vera verto." Instantly, the bird shrunk and turned into a beautiful shinning goblet with gems on the sides. "Now it's your turn. Well, who would like to go first?" Professor McGonagall smiled, looking around the room until her eyes fell on Ron. "Ah! Mr. Weasley. 'One, two, three. Vera verto,'," she instructed.
Ron cleared his throat and pointed his wand as Scabbers, tapping his wand against him three times before saying; "Vera verto!" A spark flew out from where Ron's wand that was broken, and turned Scabbers into a goblet… or more so, a furry one with a tail that squeaked. Josh snorted into laughter, but then turned into coughing earning him a strange look from Neville.
"That wand needs replacing, Mr. Weasley," she said turning to go back to her desk when Hermione raised her hand. "Yes, Miss Granger?"
"Professor, I was wondering if you could tell us about the- the Chamber of Secrets?" Silence descended over the room as we all waited for Professor McGonagall to speak.
"Very well," she sighed. "Well, you all know, of course, that Hogwarts was founded over a thousand years ago by the four greatest witches and wizards of the age: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin. Now, three of the founders coexisted quite harmoniously. One did not-"
"Three guesses who," Ron whispered loudly making Josh roll his eyes.
"Salazar Slytherin wished to be more selective about the students admitted to Hogwarts. He believed magical learning should be kept within all-magic families. In other words, 'pure-bloods,' Unable to sway the others, he decided to leave the school. Now, according to legend, Slytherin had built a hidden chamber in this castle, known as the Chamber of Secrets. Though, shortly before departing, he sealed it until that time when his own true heir returned to the school. The heir alone would be able to open the Chamber and unleash the horror within, and by so doing purge the school of all those who, in Slytherin's view, were unworthy to study magic."
"Muggle-borns," Hermione added.
"Well, naturally, the school had been searched many times. No such chamber has been found," McGonagall finished.
"Professor?" Hermione asked, causing the professor to turn and look at her. "What exactly does legend tell us lies within the Chamber?"
"Well, the Chamber is said to home to something that only the Heir of Slytherin can control… It is said to be the home of a monster." Josh and Neville shared a glance wondering what kind of monster could it be.
After class, Josh, Neville, Tracey, and Daphne were walking through the corridor behind Malfoy and his cronies.
"D'you think it's true? D'you think there really is a Chamber of Secrets?" Neville asked as the four walked down the halls.
"Yes. Could you not tell? McGonagall's worried. All the teachers are," Daphne answered as she hugged her books closer to her chest.
"Well, if there really is a Chamber of Secrets," Josh began waving his arms around. "And it really was opened before, then that could mean that the Heir of Slytherin has returned to Hogwarts. And most important question is, who is The Heir of Slytherin?"
"Let's think," Tracey bit out sarcastically as Draco walked in front of them. "Who do we know who thinks all Muggle-borns are beneath them?"
"If you're talking about Malfoy-" Neville began slowly. Josh stared ahead at Malfoy. It could be possible that it was Malfoy but Josh didn't think so.
"Of course. You heard him! 'You'll be next Mudbloods,'," Daphne quoted from that night they discovered Mrs. Norris and the writing on the wall.
"We heard him. But Malfoy, the Heir of Slytherin?" Josh asked his friends, letting out his thoughts.
"Well, maybe Daphne's right, Josh. I mean, look at his family. The whole lot of them have been in Slytherin for centuries; he's always boasting about it. They could easily be Slytherin's descendants. His father's definitely evil enough," Neville said. He did know a lot about the Malfoys thanks to his Gran.
"But if it was Draco, he wouldn't be keeping it to himself. He'd be blabbing to someone about it," Josh said knowing that bragging bum.
"Crabbe and Goyle must know," Tracey said suddenly. "Maybe we could trick them into telling." she said with a mischievious smile that could put the Weasley twins mischievious smiles to shame.
"Even they aren't that thick," Daphne sighed and then a light bulb went off in her head. "But there might be another way," she said, drawing all of our attention to her as she stopped, looking at us uncomfortably. "Me and Tracey could, like go on a fake date with them and get them to tell us." Tracey grimaced in disgust causing Josh and Neville to chuckle. "And we could brew some truth telling potion and get them to spill it."
"Time out!" Josh said gaining everyone's attention. "That potion is very difficult to make, especially for a few second years, no offense Neville." Neville shrugged.
"None taken," he said. He knew when to admit what he was bad at to his friends.
"I say we do it!" Tracey said. "Just for the fun of it. I would like to know Crabbe and Goyle's secrets." Josh and Neville exchanged a glance.
"Mind you, it would be difficult. Not to mention, we would be breaking about fifty school rules. And, it'll be dangerous… very dangerous," Daphne spoke up and her, Tracey, and Neville looked at Josh for confirmation.
"Alright, let's do it." He said with a smirk. This was going to be a piece of cake. "What's this potion called again?"
"Veritaserum," Daphne and Tracey answered in unison. "But getting hold of the recipe will be very difficult. Snape said it was in a book called Most Potente Potions and it's bound to be in the Restricted Section of the library." Daphne continued.
"But, There's only one way to get that book out of the Restricted Section," Neville said. "You needed a signed note of permission from a teacher."
"Hard to see why we'd want the book, really," Josh said while trying to think of something. "if we weren't going to try and make one of the potions."
"I think," said Daphne, "that if we made it sound as though we were just interested in the theory, we might stand a chance…" Everyone then began to think on how to do it when someone spoke.
"Oh, come on, no teacher's going to fall for that," said Tracey. "They'd have to be really thick…" And then, the light bulb went off in Josh's head.
An hour later, Neville and Josh were waiting outside the Defense Against the Dart Art classroom. They were waiting on Daphne and Tracey who were suppose to get a permission slip from the git, Lockhart.
"Josh?" Neville called. Josh turned to look at him questioningly. "Why did you stop hanging out with Ron, Harry, and Hermione?"
"Cause of Ron," Josh answered, and before he could elaborate, Tracey and Daphne exited the classroom with smirks upon their faces.
"We did it!" Daphne said waving the slip in front of Josh's face. Josh smirked and tried to grab it, but Daphne pulled it away.
"Good, let's go," Josh said and when they turned, they saw Harry, Ron, and Hermione, standing behind them. "Harry, Hermione," Josh greeted them and not Ron who was not even looking at Josh.
"Josh," Harry said. "What are you guys doing?"
"Oh nothing, just hanging out," Josh lied and his friends nodded. "You?"
"Same," Harry replied and to Josh, it seemed he was not telling the full truth, and Josh didn't even know how he could tell.
"Cool," Josh said. "Well, we gotta go." And then left with his friends and headed off towards the library.
"Here it is," Daphne announced, coming back to the group who were talking about other things, reading from Moste Potente Potions. "'The Veritaserum Potion, properly brewed, is a powerful truth serum that is most commonly used in interrogation. The potion effectively forces the drinker to answer any questions put to them truthfully, though there are some methods of resistance.'"
"Do you mean, if Crabbe and Goyle drink that stuff, then they'll tell us anything we want to know?" Neville asked, looking a little too excited. Josh was getting excited too. This was like pulling a prank, but they were doing it to get some information about this heir of Slytherin.
"Yes," Tracey answered shortly.
"Wicked!" Neville smiled.
"Exactly," Daphne nodded before looking back down at the book. "But it's tricky. I've never seen a more complicated potion," she sighed as she looked down at the instructions. Josh and the others looked over her shoulder
"Well, how long will it take to make?" Josh asked her. Daphne looked back at him worriedly.
"A month," she answered.
"A month?" Josh bit out. "But- if Malfoy is the stinkin' Slytherin Heir, he could attack half the Muggle-borns in the school by then!" he nearly shouted. Tracey and Neville looked at Daphne nervously.
"I know," Daphne sighed. "But it's the only plan we've got."
A/N This is turning out to be a really short story. Strange!
