Discussions
When the five students arrived in the headmaster's apprentice common room, they sat down and waited for Dani to speak.
"Guys, I wanted to talk to you about the chamber and some things related to my position. What being the headmaster's apprentice means is that the school has decided that it wants me as a future headmaster. So the position gives me certain privileges which are off set by additional training. It also bound me to the wards to help support them."
"Dumbledore and McGonagall are former headmaster's apprentices them selves. They are the only two former apprentices at the moment. Basically, if anything happens to Dumbledor, McGonagall becomes the headmaster and and I her deputy. If anything happens to both, I become the headmaster."
"Doesn't the board of trustees decide?" Hermione asked.
"They can try, but the school is sentient. The school will only accept those that it chooses. So they can appoint some one, but that person cannot access the wards, initiate a school lock down, access the headmasters office, or several other things."
"The reason that I am telling you this is that one of the things I do is help Dumbledore to keep the school journal. I have skimmed most of them, and come across several references to the chamber of secrets in them. Apparently before Slytherin left the school he created a hidden area in the school. Some call it a broom closet, others think it is lots larger."
"According to legend, the chamber contains some creature that only the heir of Slytherin can control. The heir is supposedly the only one who can open the chamber. Several headmasters have searched the school, but non have located it."
"How can the heir open it?"
"I think one of two things. One that there is some sort of blood magic at work, or two, that some hereditary ability is used. The only hereditary ability that Slytherin is known to have is Parseltongue. I was thinking of that dueling match where Harry used that ability. Since we don't know what's down there, I want you to promise me you wont go do something stupid."
Mean while in headmaster's office the staff was meeting.
"Minerva, you remember when it was opened 50 years ago, so you know how dangerous this is."
"I know, but a spell could do the same thing. Lets just be cautious before anything, the students will panic if we set a lot of restrictions down. Besides, we still don't know if this is a joke."
"I agree" came a voice from behind. Everyone turn to see Dani coming and taking a seat. Snape told her to get out.
"Severus, perhaps it is time to explain the headmaster's apprentice to everyone. Minerva and I know because we were headmaster's apprentices in our day. The short of it is that the school, contrary to popular belief, is sentient and picks who it wants as a headmaster. After McGonagall, Miss Potter will is next in line to be headmaster."
This was greeted with several complaints and murmuring and Dani commented that she hoped there were a few years before that happened. Dumbledore just smiled and said it wasn't his choice. Once everyone had agreed that in her position, she had a right to stay, they moved back to the chamber.
"Dani, what's your opinion of the Chamber?" asked Dumbledore.
"I think just because we can't find something doesn't mean that it doesn't exist. I would guess that is is protected by either blood magics or something that requires a rare but specific ability. Since blood magics are quite strong, I would put money on it being an ability. Blood magic would have been detected and I bet that previous headmasters have looked for that specifically."
"Yes, quite right on the blood magic, I myself have use blood magic detection charms and found nothing. Now on this ability idea, please explain."
"You can make a weak charm that would respond to a specific ability quite easily. The ability I was thinking of was parseltongue, Slytherin was known for it and it is a rare trait. Then all you would need is a password charm with the password required to be spoken in parseltongue. It's simple, effective, and would go unnoticed in all the magic a round the school."
"I think your quite right. I don't think that any one has ever done that specific search. The only problem is a parseltongue." Dumbledore paused to think. "Dani your earth form gives you parseltongue abilities right?"
"Yes, any language written or spoken, animal or other wise. The first thing is to locate the entrance. Once we know where it is we should find out what in there before entering. If it's in a room we could put a password charm on it to prevent any one from entering."
"I Agree, that is a sound approach. Filius you can help us with the charm to detect the charm?" Flitwick nodded. "Any other ideas?"
McGonagall spoke up "I think when we start searching, the the house heads start with there individual house and the other start in the dungeons and work. We should also do it on a Saturday. "
"Perhaps we should hold a Hogsmead weekend to get most of the student out of the school." Sprout suggested.
"No, we should have something at the quidditch pitch so we can have all the teachers helping with the search." Vector suggested.
Dani stopped to think before "In muggle schools, we would be considered a secondary school, and muggle secondary schools hold dances from time to time. Not necessarily a formal dance, just a social dance were people get together and make new friends. Also I'm the only one who can speak in parseltongue, so we should have some sort of way for teachers to get intouch with me"
"I think the the dance idea is good. The prefects can supervise and it would promote interhouse relationships. As far as the communication thing, when Sirius, Remus and I were in detention, we used a set of mirrors with a two way communication spell to plan pranks. Only two could be in use at once, but that's all that would be necessary to work and we could keep them for general communication later."
Everyone agreed and they spent the rest of the meeting learning the detection charm. Dani didn't learn it as she wouldn't be involved in thte search, so she spent the time making mirrors. Latter James enchanted them, there was one for each staff member and the head boy and girl. At Dani's suggestion, they also had a broadcast mode.