Chapter 10: Enemies of the Heir, Beware.

Kill… I want to hurt… So… so hungry… I must… soon… feed soon… soon… tear… rip it apart... rip it… apart… kill it… I want… to kill… Kill… I want to kill… KILL!

Harry woke up, sweating. He stared around his dormitory, trying to understand what just happened. He could feel the last word ringing in his ears; a scream that he couldn't find an origination from.

"It was just a dream, Potter… get it together." He chastised himself, sure he'd awakened from a nightmare of some sort.

Halloween had come, along with the decorations. Most of the castle was decorated, jack-o-lanterns with changing faces smirked, frowned and screamed in delight at those who walked by. Some of the enchanted pumpkins had been further bewitched by the Weasley twins to follow students around and burst into flames.

Freshly showered and dressed, Harry walked into the Slytherin common room, meeting his friends. Tracey smiled and hugged him, sitting next to him. Daphne and Blaise sat on opposite chairs, Daphne looking somewhat apologetic, Blaise was reading a weekend edition of the Daily Prophet, looking up and nodding at Harry.

"Ready for the day then?" Daphne asked, clearing her face of real expression. Harry followed suit and nodded, making Tracey raise an eyebrow.

"Why ready?" she asked, looking at the raven haired boy. He looked at Daphne, who nodded.

"I'm sure Blaise already knows, but Halloween marks the anniversary of my parents deaths." Harry said.

Blaise nodded his acknowledgement, newspaper down. Tracey looked somewhat taken aback.

"I should've known, Harry; I'm sorry." She said with worry.

"Trace, it's okay. I don't remember them much. Mostly only have a few flashes here and there." Harry said, smiling softly.

Tracey nodded, glad she hasn't bothered her… friend?

I guess we haven't really talked about us since we talked with Daphne. Tracey realized, frowning slowly.

"I'm gonna head to the library; I've got to catch up some material that I'm not understanding from Flitwick." Daphne said, sighing and pointing at her book bag.

"What are you up to?" Harry asked Blaise.

"I've got an unwanted but necessary meeting with Weasley." He said bitterly.

That didn't surprise them, as he wouldn't stop talking about how close he was getting to besting Ron at Wizard's Chess. As much as Blaise would switch up his game, Weasley would adjust accordingly. This was something Zabini did not take lightly.

"So, it's just us today." Tracey said happily.

"You seem happy about that." Harry noted dully.

"O-oh. Yeah…" Tracey said, feeling as though she'd misread the situation. She looked up to see Harry grinning playfully. "You prick!"

"I'm sorry, I was just being mean." Harry chuckled, letting Tracey playfully swat his arm.

"Where to then?" She asked, smiling.

"Let's get breakfast? I'm famished." Harry said, taking her hand.

"Let's go then." She said, leading the way.

As they headed out, a snide voice came from behind.

'Oh, look. Potter and his second choice. What happened? Zabini didn't wanna hold hands?" Malfoy said rudely, walking into the common room.

"Is someone jealous they haven't been getting attention? I'm sorry Draco; I'll make it up to you." Harry responded, walking out with Tracey.

"Aww, we didn't see his face of indignation." Tracey grinned.

"Nah, but we'll let the little creep stew." Harry said with a mischievous smile.

"So er… I was hoping we could talk." Tracey said after a while.

"Sure?" Harry questioned. He saw her fidget with her own fingers, trying to figure out which words to use.

"I just… well… we almost kissed." Tracey said, frowning slightly. Harry nodded slowly. "And then I confessed that and why I like you. But… what now? Are we just friends or…?"

"I actually had a thought on that." Harry said, looking embarrassed for a moment so brief that Tracey thought she imagined it.

"And it was what, Harry?" She asked curiously.

"I uh… well, I wanted to ask you something." He said, looking ahead.

Tracey looked down, blushing. She could feel her heartbeat speed up and was glad she wasn't holding Harry's hand.

"Ask away." She said, secretly proud she didn't stutter.

"Tracey Davis…" Harry began, taking her hand.

OooooO

It's quiet. He thought.

In the distance, he could hear the crowds. Happy people, kids enjoying the Halloween night festivities.

Let them. They will soon be silenced.

He walked on, the empty corridor almost forgotten about by anyone other than students looking for places to "hang out" alone.

He huffed.

"Such a waste, human companionship. An unnecessary diversion. One need only focus on power, and the appropriate way to attain it quietly." He said, smiling coldly. "Don't you agree, Luna?"

"I don't know." Luna Lovegood said, looking dreamy as usual, but if anyone noticed, absent.

"Of course. But you will know." The boy said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I will." Luna said, nodding slowly.

"Good girl. Now, let me show you something…" He said, his voice trailing off.

"Huh?" Luna said, looking around. "Wha-what? Where am I?"

The blonde looked around, confused.

"Maybe it was the wrackspurts?" she asked herself, looking around.

A noise came from behind her, calling her attention immediately.

The castle had enchanted torches that lit magically as they were needed. Several around her were on, but she realized that the lights behind her had been slowly going out.

"That's… not good." Luna said meekly, seeing the torches darken towards her.

Without another word, she ran, the lights behind her going out faster. Her heart was pounding in her chest, fear making her turn every so often. Her mind came up with all sorts of shapes, creatures and other horrors chasing her.

She ran up some flights of stairs, through darkened corridors that would light up and go out almost as quickly.

"Please… Please, no…" she begged, crying in terror.

The only sounds coming were her footsteps, but that didn't help. The darkness loomed, getting closer. She took another staircase, running into something with a shrill scream.

The massive shape twisted, staying dark despite the magical torches. Now Luna sat, staring at the darkened indistinguishable form. The only light in the area was the single torch on the wall.

"You will know." The voice came, just as the last light dimmed.

Not a sound disturbed the dark and silence.

OoooO

"There's really no way around it, then." Daphne said with a sigh.

"I'm not entirely sure that's a bad thing." Hermione said, receiving a nod from Susan Bones.

"Why not?" Daphne asked, reading over the notes again.

"You're trying to express a process that can't be sped up. You can't cut corners in spell casting, and Charms require exact movements." Susan explained.

"And that's a good thing. Every spell requires an incantation and wand movement, and through work, you can do without incantations, but unless you somehow learn wandless magic, you can't do spells without the movements." Hermione said.

"Why is that good?" Daphne said moving her wand as closely to the movements as needed.

"Well, not all spells are good. There are dangerous spells out there that can be done nonverbally, but if you can identify the movement…" Susan explained, receiving nods from the other two girls.

"Then you can tell if you can block or if you need to dodge." Daphne concluded, checking her movements.

"Exactly!" Hermione said, looking pleased.

Daphne studied the movements with her study group, chatting quietly in between.

After some time, Hermione suddenly looked worried.

"What time is it?" She asked.

"Almost eight, I think. Why?" Susan asked.

"I've something to do right now; I told Ron to make sure he and the boys were ready by eight!" Hermione said, gathering her things hurriedly.

With a brief farewell, she quickly left, leaving Daphne and Susan looking amused and confused, respectively.

"What do you think she has to do?" Susan asked, eyeing the door in case it was a joke.

"No idea." Daphne said, shrugging.

OooooO

"Where did they go?" Daphne asked, frowning.

"I believe Ronnikins and his lot just left." Fred said, smirking.

"I think, mayhaps, if we shut up, we can hear Ronny." George said, holding a finger to his lips.

Sure enough, Daphne could hear Ron complaining, just far enough to not make out his words, but close enough to know the voice.

"You guys are lifesavers, cheers." Daphne said, taking off in the direction of the loud mouthed red head.

She followed his echoes as he and his friends walked, surprised at how opinionated the boy was.

How- no. Why does she put up with him? Daphne thought, listening to Ron speaking.

"… And that's how you just know Malfoy is a poof." Ron finished, to the cheers of his friends.

"Honestly, Ron, can't you find a way to talk without being so vulgar?" Hermione asked, clearly upset.

"Dunno how you can stand it, hangin' around the snakes. You know they'll bite when you don't expect it." Ron argued.

"I don't see you complain when you play chess with Blaise or when you constantly try to get Harry's attention." Hermione countered.

"Damn, she got you, mate." Dean Thomas said, barely heard over the collective "ohh" from the rest of the boys.

"Zabini is the only one worth playing chess with at the castle." Ron said, crossing his arms. "Outside of that, he's a slimy snake, just like the rest of them."

"And Harry?" Daphne asked, glowering at the boy.

The Gryffindor group stopped, the boys shrinking back under Daphne's cold stare. Hermione saw her group's reaction and huffed.

"Honestly, it's like you never get scolded. Why are you here, Daphne?" Hermione asked curiously.

"You forgot your charms book when you left and I've been looking for you you return it. Of course, as a "slimy snake", I expect some form of payback." Daphne said, glaring at Ron. He opened his mouth to protest, but quickly found he had no words. Daphne opened her bag and handed Hermione the well thumbed copy of their school book.

"Thank you, Daphne. I'm sorry for any obscenity from Ronald." Hermione said, apologizing for her friend.

"It's fine. If it helps, a lot of us do think the same way of Malfoy." Daphne said with a noncommittal shrug.

"See?" Ron said triumphantly, shrinking back as Daphne glared again.

"So," Daphne said, turning to Hermione, "Why are you lot down here?"

"It's Sir Nicholas's death day party, and we were invited." Hermione said, looking awkward.

"I've never been to one." Daphne said, looking surprised. "Are you the only living guests?"

"As far as I know, would you like to join us?" Hermione said, smiling kindly.

"Hermione!" Ron whined, signaling his meaning with obvious head movements.

"I would be delighted to, Hermione." Daphne said, shoving Ron aside. "Lead the way."

Daphne and Hermione walked, talking among themselves, Ron, Neville, Seamus, and Dean trailing behind, grumbling together. As they approached the celebration of death, the wall torches were slowly changed for candles with eerie blue flames.

"Wicked." Ron breathed, eyeing them.

"Indeed. Welcome, children." Said the Gryffindor Ghost, Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, affectionately known as Nearly-Headless Nick.

Daphne gasped slightly as they were brought into a massive room filled with more ghosts than she would have believed. The room practically glowed a translucent blue hue, from the ghosts and the candles. Unused tables with unused chairs were set up, their intended occupants floating around, murmuring and sighing to themselves.

"Look!" Ron said excitedly, "food!"

The boys walked quickly to the table, but stopped. As Daphne approached with Hermione, she knew why.

"It… It's all spoiled." Ron complained.

OoooO

Blaise Zabini walked into the Slytherin common room, sighing tiredly. Making connections was a very tiresome business, but he promised his mother the effort. Plus losing to Ron in chess again put him in a very bad mood, making it very difficult.

Various students were sitting around talking, others more proactive in their time. He saw Harry and Tracey sitting, the former having a conversation with Marcus Flint.

"So for the next game, make sure you don't shit this up." Marcus said with a mean smile.

"I know; I got it." Harry said with a nod.

Marcus returned the nod and walked off, signaling Montague to follow. Blaise approached and sat at his usual spot, greeting his friends.

"Finally happened then?" Blaise asked, pointing at the two of them.

"What do you mean "finally"?" Tracey asked with a frown.

"Trust me, half the Slytherin house saw this one coming, even Crabbe and Goyle didn't miss it." Blaise said, smirking. Tracey looked indignant but didn't reply.

"That obvious then?" Harry asked, amused. Blaise nodded.

"Where's Greengrass?" Blaise asked, realizing their fourth number was missing.

"We kinda figured she'd be with you, since we didn't find her or her study group in the library." Tracey said, looking at Blaise.

"She wasn't there? Is she in her room?" Zabini asked.

"We didn't see her come in since we came back, but I guess maybe she came back early?" Harry said, looking at Tracey. With an understanding nod, the brunette got up and headed to the blonde's dorm.

"Did you take her to the ramparts you found with Lovegood?" Blaise asked, smirking.

"Zabini, you wound me. I've more class than that. Besides, Luna's been there a lot recently and I didn't want to ruin the mood. No offense to Luna, her energy just wouldn't have been helpful." Harry said.

"I guess that's true. Speaking of her, something happened to Luna." Blaise said.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked, attentive.

"Not sure. They found her passed out and crumpled up by the Ravenclaw room door." He said, nodding slowly.

"What? Is she okay?" Harry asked, shocked.

"I'm not sure; she's in the hospital wing." Zabini said.

"I'm gonna check on her." Harry said, heading out without waiting for a response.

The boy left quickly, out the door well before Tracey came back from the dorms.

"Daphne isn't here." Tracey said, looking for Harry. "Where'd he go?"

"Lovegood was attacked, he went to check on her." Zabini explained.

"What?! What happened?" Tracey demanded, both worried and hungry for the gossip.

OooooO

Harry sighed, walking out of the hospital wing. After assuring Madame Pomfrey he wasn't injured, he checked up on Luna. There was nasty bruising along her arms and neck, which Madame Pomfrey's medicine was taking much longer than usual to heal. The matron assured the boy that while the assault was physical, it wasn't anything more sinister.

Relieved, but not happy, he'd walked out, wondering who would do something this horrible to her. As he absent-mindedly walked back to Slytherin House, he heard a distant voice. Harry looked up, but instantly realized the four way corridor he found himself at was entirely empty. The torches burned brightly, showing not a soul in any direction.

"Hello?" Harry called, eyeing the various decorations someone could hide behind.

Silence.

Aftera moment, he shrugged it off uneasily. It was Halloween, maybe just one of the Twins' pranks.

It's been so long… So… So hungry….

"What?" Harry said, looking around. His wand was drawn, looking up and down the hall warily.

So… so hungry….

The voice seemed to go further away.

"No, come back!" Harry called, quickly running down the way the voice came from.

It's been so long… Finally… I can eat… I can kill… I can… I can kill… Kill… KILL!

The voice grew in volume, sounding happy at the prospect of killing.

"No. No, no no…" Harry said, paling. He ran faster, trying to catch up with the voice. He didn't know what it was, but one thing was clear: it was going to kill.

Is that… that smell… prey…

"No!" Harry said, breathless.

I smell blood… the delicious blood… feed… time to feed….

"Dammit!" Harry cried, turning a corner. He could hear the voice; it echoed as he got closer.

"Harry?"

The boy almost fell over as he stopped, someone calling his name throwing him off.

"What?" He said dumbly, trying to register what he was seeing in his panic.

"What's wrong?" Daphne said, looking worriedly at her friend.

"Daph, the voice." Harry said, breathing hard.

"The invisible one?" She asked. He nodded quickly.

"We need to hurry; it's gonna hurt someone." Harry said, quickly taking off the corridor.

"What? Harry, wait!" Daphne said, running after him.

So good… so good… I will rip… I will tear your flesh…

"Hurry!" the boy called, running towards the voice.

The carpet began to squish under their feet, the deep burgundy carpet looking like a stream of blood along the floor. There was a lot of water on the floor, but he couldn't worry about that now. Someone was in danger.

So… good….

The voice faded away with those last words echoing madly in his ears. Harry huffed as he slowed down, looking around the area for anything out of place. Daphne had caught up, wand drawn. Sbe didn't know what was happening, but she knew something was wrong since every inch of her screamed for her to run.

"What happened?" she whispered almost inaudibly, scanning the corridor carefully.

"Dunno… something isn't right." Harry said nervously.

He hadn't felt this scared even when he faced Voldemort last year, but now he could almost literally feel his hair on end, his throat was dry, and he felt parched.

"Harry… there's something written on that wall…" Daphne said slowly, paling.

Harry looked at where Daphne had pointed to.

"Is… is that blood?" He breathed.

"Harry… let's go… please." Daphne begged quietly. Harry briskly shook his head, inching his way to the brilliant red stains on the wall. She followed, her heart pounding so loudly she was sure Harry could hear it. She took his hand shakily, and they walked together slowly.

The bloody text on the wall slowly became clearer.

The Chamber of Secrets has been opened.

Enemies of the Heir, beware.

It has begun

The final letter trailed off, falling in the direction of a mangled, bloody mess that lay under it.

"It killed someone." Harry choked out, snow white out of shock and fear.

"An animal." Daphne said quietly, pointing to the tail some ways down the corridor.

"The Chamber of Secrets is open…" Harry said, reading the wall.

A sudden loud sound made them both yelp and jump, realizing it was several doors opening.

"Thank you for enjoying our Halloween festival!" Fred called happily, people streaming out of the doors opened.

A scream rang out as attention was brought to the remains and the bloody remains.

OooooO

In the darkened hospital wing, Luna lay asleep. Not a sound was heard, save for a distant but echoing commotion. A boy approached the sleeping girl, seeming to step out of the shadows themselves.

"See, Luna? Fear is a glorious power." The boy said, smiling darkly.

Luna's unconscious form snapped up in bed.

"Yes. I see." She said monotonous.

"Now, rest. You won't be aware you remember this when you wake." The boy said, sitting on her bed. He leaned in, kissed the girl and he faded, turning into a smokey substance that entered Luna through her slightly parted lips. Her chest heaved and raised, and with a shudder, she fell back into bed and was still. Suddenly her eyes snapped open, a much larger and darker smoke rushed from her mouth and nose with a loud, pained scream. Luna screamed until her voice died and caught in her own throat.

Madame Pomfrey ran out, panicking and trying to see what was wrong. She hadn't noticed that the bruising had gone.

"You will know."