AN: The start of Part II of the story. We finally get to see some maturity shining out of Ginny, although, I'm sure you can see, she still has a ways to go. I've tried to present Ginny in a more fitting manner of her role as the Heiress of Slytherin, specially since she has been trained to fulfill this role to perfection. However, I do want to keep her young and full of rebellion since she is still a Gryffindor and her personality doesn't entirely fit Slytherin. Hope you guys like. Laterz…Lilguji

The Secret of the Chamber of Secrets

Chapter 10

"Hey, Myrtle, the dueling club is starting up again today 'cus of the war! Should I bother? After all, it's not as if I need the help."

"GIN!! Go! You definitely should go! You might not need the help but that doesn't mean that you can't show off. You'll kick everyone's asses!! It'll be worth the laugh as they try to win against you."

I had been training for the past 5 years now, and this was it. My sixth year had arrived, the year I was supposed to clear Slytherin's reputation from the trashing it received when Voldemort came into power. I can just imagine the looks on everyone's faces when they find out that I'm the true Heiress of Slytherin. Especially the Dream teams. Their faces will be like a more shocked version of when I moved out of the Gryffindor Tower and into the Chamber during my third year. Of course, they don't know that.

Like promised, Mistress sent off the letter from Salazar to Dumbledore. It told him my identity but it did give me privacy and saved me the trouble of sneaking into the Chamber for training. Dumbledore simply 'moved' me into another room that was isolated and coincidentally had a secret entrance to the Chamber. I think I actually surprised Dumbledore, he-who-knows-all-in-Hogwarts, when he found out that I was the true heiress of Slytherin.

Ron had thrown a fit when he found out I was moving out. I think it was part jealousy that he had to stay while I got a room of my own because of my past 'troubles'. He didn't want me to leave and had a giant tantrum in the middle of the Gryffindor Common room. What was funnier was that Hermione and Harry tried to 'comfort' me. They said that they were sorry for ignoring me and promised to pay more attention to me in the future. When I told them I didn't want attention and that was the reason why I was leaving, they laughed. They were convinced that I wasn't really leaving and it was all a ploy to get more attention. They tried to convince me that I was loved in Gryffindor Tower and that it was a mistake on my part to think that I didn't get enough attention. The whole night had been a bust. I was so busy trying to get away from them that I couldn't move myself into the Chamber until 1 in the morning. They still try to convince me to come back to Gryffindor Tower during meals, that is, whenever I show up. I told Mum the same thing after her numerous letters barraged me. I wanted more "privacy" and "quiet to study in". I still felt "shaken" by the incident in my first year and wanted some time to myself to help me get over it. Since my grades rocketed up after I 'moved out', they couldn't find reason to complain.

The only teachers that reacted to my moving out were Professors Snape and McGonagall. And ironically enough, their reactions were very similar. They both were cold to me for the first few months. I guess they thought that I moved out to show that I was better than the other students. But when my grades went through the charts they started warming up to me again, if Snape could warm up to anybody at all. Although I must admit, the reason my grades picked up wasn't because of extra studying, it was because of the Chamber and my personal drill sergeant, Mistress.

From the moment I said 'yes', my training began. Mistress worked methodically, first reviewing my schooling, then continuing the material I was learning now. Except, I learned with her at a much faster pace. By the end of my third year, I had learned all the material I would know by the end of my fifth year. I only needed to know up to my sixth year since that was when I would fulfill my destiny so when I finished the sixth year material, we moved on to more diverse topics. I continued learning the seventh year material, but at a slower pace since I had started learning other magicks and much more advanced material.

Mistress taught me how to use all the magick around me. I learned basic Wicca, which was my favorite since it was wandless. Mistress taught me the Dark Arts along with White Magick so that they canceled each other out. She didn't want me to become addicted or evil or be so afraid of turning evil that I would avoid using the magick until it was too late. I learned all sorts of defense, from mental shields to martial arts. The Chamber's training room had a ghost sensei who taught me what she could being semi-corporeal and kept me fit. I learned to fight with different types of swords, knives, axes, bows and arrows, a wonderful weapon called a glaive and many more.

As time went on, I also learned a lot about the Chamber itself. All the ghosts in the Chamber had semi-corporeal forms. They could pass through walls, yet carry objects around and clean. Apparently the magic had seeped into their bodies and allowed them to use minimal powers as well as actually touch things. I also learned to tune myself to the Chamber's magick. If I concentrated, I could feel everything in the Chamber. I could tell who was where inside the Chamber and after a while, outside the Chamber too. I also learned that time in the Chamber moved faster than time outside. I could spend all day in the Chamber and come back out in time for lunch. The Chamber was also very sustaining. I never got tired or hungry during the lessons or training. I only felt it when I left the Chamber. The regular body pains did come at first. Headaches over hard spells or cramps come that time of the month but soon, even that was solved by a few handy spells.

During my time in the Chamber, my mind and body flourished. The lack of sunlight made my skin pale and my freckles all but disappeared. My hair, a bright red from being bleached outdoors, became darker and wavy. I was starting to look more and more like Mistress and after spending so much time around her, I started acting like her too.

I secluded myself more and more into the Chamber, spending all the time I possibly could in my 'room' with no one but my best friends for company. And did I mention that my best friends were a ghost and painting? So they understood when I told them that I was getting lonely. Being in the Chamber all the time made me feel disconnected from the real world. And having no real living company that I could touch, feel and talk to face to real face was hard.

But now it was all going to come to an end. This was my sixth year, the year my secret would come out and I would change the wizarding world. It was the year I would complete my training and make my transformation into the Heiress of Slytherin. I was happy and confident even though I was lonely and had no idea what I was going to do.

I still have no idea how I'm going to clear Salazar's reputation but I can solve the problem of my loneliness. By venturing into the world of Hogwarts and participating more outside the Chamber and not 'disappearing' to my room all the time I could try to connect to somebody, anybody. Isolation could only be productive for a limited time. Too much and it drove you crazy. I didn't want to let it bother me too much but hanging out with the other kids made me feel surprisingly lonelier. In the middle of the crowded Great Hall, I feel lonely and disconnected from the others somehow. So now I look for that one person who can rid me of my loneliness. Don't know who it will be or if I'll ever find someone who I feel connected to ever again but I am searching.

But till I find them, I've decided to venture out more and mingle with the other students. This meeting of the dueling club is the perfect way to come out of the shell that I have been stuck in for the past five years. Myrtle agrees that I should go and is coming with me. I smile to myself; it was time to come out of my cocoon at last.

"Ginny!! You're here!! Wow, I didn't think you'd come!!"

"Of course you wouldn't Ron, Ginny's been hiding in her room for so long that it's a miracle that she ever comes out. So Ginny, what exactly do you do in there all day long?''

I smiled stiffly at Hermione, reminded from the tone of her voice why I hated the bitch.

"I study Hermione. How else do you think I'm in almost all seventh year classes? The only classes where I'm still in sixth year are Divination and Care of Magical Creatures, and those by default since you need experience more than knowledge there. Maybe if you did the same instead of dallying about with my brother, your grades would be closer to mine."

My smile had turned nasty and I knew that my words hurt her. She was jealous as hell that I was allowed to skip a year in most of my classes and that she wasn't. I was in all of her advanced classes, all of her regular classes and some advanced classes of my own. She was bitter because I did as well or better in all the classes I shared with her. She couldn't surpass me in even one class we shared and I knew she hated it. Harry must've noticed the tense atmosphere because he changed the topic of discussion. I guess he wasn't as dense as I had assumed.

"So Ginny, ready to see the Slytherins get their asses kicked? The first meeting is a tournament to assess skills of each player. We're gonna duel the people in our years. I think you're with us because of your advanced classes."

"Cool! Can't wait to kick some ass, don't really care whose."

My eyes flickered briefly in Hermione's direction before meeting Harry's startled gaze. Before he could say anything, Professor Dumbledore came on stage to speak.

"This past year has been a hard one for many of us. We have lost loved ones, treasured parts of our lives and the innocence that many don't loose until they leave Hogwarts. So we have started this dueling club again. We will meet weekly and train all those who are interested. Hopefully, this will help prepare you for the world outside of Hogwarts where we won't be able to protect you. Today is assessment day. We will set up duels and create a dueling chart on stage. The strongest duelers in each year will help those whose skills are weaker. We will draw up charts between houses, years, and within the houses and years themselves. The top 2 duelers of each year will be awarded 50 house points each. Let us begin."

With those final words the stages were set. Each student went up and signed their names which were then placed in multiple categories. I was indeed dueling the seventh years and my match was one of the first ones. The Great Hall was divided into parts the teachers table becoming the stage where the scores and results were posted in large glittering letters. The students attending were pushed back against the walls while the area left open in the middle was divided into seven platforms. They had stairs at both ends so that the duelers could climb up and were charmed so that nothing could enter or leave the platforms once the duel had started. The first seven matches were announced and the poor students took their places. Each platform was for each year, the one closest to the stage being the one for the seventh years and the rest of the years following down. The first years were the closest to the doors so that if there were any injuries, they would be able to get to the Hospital Wing easily. And when the duels began, I saw that the first years weren't the only ones who would visit the Hospital Wing tonight.

It was pathetic how bad the students were. Their curses were weak and aim terrible. If the platforms weren't charmed to keep everything inside, many of the onlookers would be on their way to the Hospital Wing too. I could feel a sneer of disgust forming on my face and did nothing to stop it. I heard my name called and shook my head, snapping out of the trance I had fallen into. Pulling off my cloak and robes I prepared for my first duel which was next. Stretching and shaking my limbs to warm them up, I noticed more than a few appreciative glances sent my way. I just smirked and ignored them; only the right glance would ever affect me at all.

I was wearing black again. Tight black low-rise jeans and a small black t-shirt. The shirt was small enough that it showed a few inches of belly every time I raised my arms. I wore black a lot because it looked good on me. Not my words, Mistress told me so, but then again, Mistress is technically me so forget I mentioned it. But it's true, the dark color made my skin paler, my eyes darker, and my hair redder. I stretched again and shook my hair out of my eyes before climbing onto the platform to face my opponent.

The selection process was random and had put me up against Millicent Bulstrode. I knew that she liked to play dirty and rough because she was slow. Millicent was not a small girl and she wasn't very fast either, so she used her size and sheer strength against her opponents. It wasn't illegal for a dueler to just throw down his or her wand and sock their opponent, so all she had to do was stall until she got close enough to do damage before I 'escaped'. But then again, I have been training for the past five years so this was my chance to prove to my sensei that I have been paying attention.

I bowed at Millicent gracefully listening to Harry and Ron yelling reassurances and advice on not letting her get too close to me. Myrtle was watching the duel from the ceiling with amusement and I waved at her. While I was waving, Millicent sent a curse at me which I countered without looking away from Myrtle. Along with the counter, I sent a Jelly Legs Jinx towards Millicent and settled into the duelers pose. I had expected her to use my distraction to her advantage but unfortunately for her, I was taught to never let my guard down. I sighed as Millicent undid the effects of the jinx and turned to face me with a glower on her face. Her advantage had fallen through and she knew that she would have to win this duel the hard way. Fortunately or unfortunately for her, I was hoping she'd try to deck me, just so I could take her down and show everyone that I wasn't the type of girl to be messed with.

She sent a few curses at me and tried to block the ones I sent at her while moving forward. I welcomed her into hitting range and waited for her to make the first move. She was angry and when angry, people tend to make mistakes, so I waited for her first mistake. I also knew why she was angry since I was toying with her on purpose and she knew it. Hell, I think the entire Great Hall knew that I was toying with her, maybe that's why the Hall was unnaturally silent. They were waiting to see me get in trouble once Millicent reached me.

Of course I didn't blame them for underestimating me. After all I was barely over five feet and from all the babying Ron tended to do, people had every right to assume that I was dead against someone Millicent's size. Hell I knew I was tiny and it had been a sore point for me when my training had first begun. Or at least it was until I finally learned to use my size to my advantage. Now I had the training to beat any opponent twice my size, all I needed to do was think things through.

Millicent continued to move forward and the Dream Team started to scream at me. They yelled that she was getting too close but I ignored them concentrating on the task at hand. I knew that she had the advantage of sheer size and strength and that one good punch could make me look very stupid. So instead of sending curses at Millicent I just dodged hers conserving energy to block her first punch. I doubt she had training for endurance or for dueling period and I could see her tiring herself out. She was probably assuming that with my small frame, a half-cocked punch would still be enough to win and I was counting on her first punch to be weak.

The moment she came close enough to touch me she charged at me. Her first swing was indeed weak and easily blocked. The second was stronger but she hesitated from surprise and I still blocked it. She sent a third punch towards my stomach and I stepped back grabbing her outstretched hand. With a simple movement, I used her own momentum to flip her over my back and pointed my wand at her neck. She landed with a hard thud and immediately raised her hands up to protect her face.

"I give up!"

I smiled and offered her a hand up as the previously silent Great Hall broke into applause. I walked off the platform with a small smile on my face. The fight had been boring and not very trying but I had gotten the point across that I was not helpless. My smile grew as the Dream Team crowded around me, amazed.

"Ginny!! How'd you do that??!! Was it Bill or Charlie who taught you? How come they didn't teach me?"

"Wow Ginny!! You were great. I can't believe how fast you were!" Then I heard a voice I didn't want to hear in my hour of triumph.

"Ginny!! What were you thinking of toying with Millicent like that? You could've been hurt. She's twice your size and tried to pull that same trick on me in my second year. She nearly choked me to death!! I thought you were smarter than that!!"

"FIRST of all Hermione, you are not my mum and you cannot tell me what to do. Second of all, she didn't try to pull that same trick on you, she did. And third of all, I am smarter than that because I went into this fight knowing I could win if I played it right. I knew what I was doing and you have no right to question my decisions at all until you beat Millicent yourself. So you know what Hermione? Screw you because I don't need to listen to anything from you."

Hermione was speechless for about a minute before she started screeching at me all over again. I rolled my eyes and walked away to where Myrtle had swooped down leaving behind two speechless boys and one ticked off bitch.

I understood Harry and Ron's reactions. They were guys and if you give most guys violence they'll love it. But Hermione? She was just jealous that I could beat her intellectually and now physically. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I'm invincible because I'm not. I can be beat, but I doubt that any student at Hogwarts can beat me. And I loved it. Hermione was jealous of me and I loved it. Was I evil to revel in her jealousy? No. Was I wicked? Definitely.

I don't know what it was about Hermione that ticked me off but something about her did. From the first time I met her I didn't like her but tolerated her for Ron's sake but now I didn't care. The moment she started messing with my brother, all the civility I had with her had been blown away. On top of messing with Ron, she was fooling around with Harry as well. She has always come in between the two boys and if anything could ever break their friendship, it would be her.

It could be that I was jealous of her for being so close to Harry, but I don't think so. I've been over him since he saved me from Tom. Funny, huh? A guy saves your life and instead of falling even more in love with him, I started thinking of him more like one of my overbearing brothers. I'm convinced the real reason I don't like Hermione is because she's playing with the hearts of the two nicest guys in the world. Even if they are a little slow, one of them is my brother and the other one feels like one of my brothers and I cared for them deeply. She also was abusing the one thing in the world that I didn't have and longed for desperately, a true friendship with someone real. So I didn't like Hermione. At all. My feelings of dislike bordered on hatred because she used the fact that she was a friend of my brother to boss over me. She's a control freak and tries to control my life like everything else around her.

But it doesn't matter since I've learned a new way to handle her. Yell at her once and say something half degrading, then just walk away and ignore her. It makes her even angrier when no one listens to her so that's exactly what I did. I walked on not saying anything and just smiling as if she didn't exist. And I took pleasure in knowing that it ticked her off.

I smiled at Myrtle who was trying to hide her giggles but was having a hard time because she was transparent. She knew about my feelings towards Hermione and agreed with me. She had forgotten Harry when she met the butler of the Chamber, Henry. The two of them were hitting it off but she still had a soft spot where Harry was concerned and didn't like Hermione for controlling him.

She was laughing at my antics with Hermione and I knew that my face mirrored the mischievously evil look that she had on her face. Wondering aloud to her who I would face next, I missed the cool gray eyes that watched me with a new interest.