Chapter Ten: The Chamber is Opened:
Ravenclaw, that is all Ron could think of as to where his sister had been sorted. He had expected his sister to be sorted to Gryffindor just like her brothers but somehow the hat had seen her intelligence and sorted her with Luna Lovegood to Ravenclaw! Both girls had been very happy and had sat through the feast talking to each other happy they would be in the same house. Luna was strange but Ginny said it was because she had seen her mother die and of her gift. Ron did not know what gift that was so he did not say anything, his sister was in Ravenclaw! Ron was sitting on his bed in his dorm clad in a new pair of red pajamas with a gold lion on the shirt pocket when Harry came into the room.
"What is on your mind?" Harry asked Ron, "besides food."
"My sister!" Ron said throwing a pillow at Harry, Harry caught it and threw it back, "how can she be that smart?"
"Having to deal with you mate." Neville said coming into the room.
"Oi who's side are you on?" Ron said.
"Those with brains." Neville said grinning good naturally. "Like Harry and I."
"You have brains, where do you keep them?" Ron shot back.
With that an all out pillow fight broke out, Dean and Seamus came into the room, took a few seconds to see the battle and they joined in. The boys chased each other around the room and hit each other hard with pillows until Percy stormed in and yelled at them to stop. The boys thought for a moment, just a moment mind you to go after Percy but at the thunderous look on his face that reminded the boys of Molly Weasley they just grinned and got ready for bed. Percy stormed out leaving the second years to get ready for bed and clean up any mess they had made.
The next morning the boys got up, dressed and went to breakfast where they ate quite well as they all were starting to go through a growth spurt as most teens and pre-teens do. The boys made their way to their first class which turned out to be History of Magic. To say it was a disaster would not really do it justice. Harry liked history normally and had studied the book assigned, "History of the Modern Magical World". It spoke of the war with Grindwald and interesting of world war two and the death camps and even showed that Grindwald was just as bad as the muggle Hitler in that he wanted anyone not pureblood wiped out. It went unsaid that Voldemort was cut from the same cloth as Grindwald but most students could put two and two together and figure that out for themselves.
Things got bad when Lockhart came into the classroom, took role and introduced himself. Harry had to fight to not fall asleep as the arrogant man went over all his books he had written and claimed he had done all the things in the books. Harry knew Lockhart was a liar and quite possibly a thief, Harry hoped to get through this class without Lockhart saying anything to him but that was not to be. Harry was leaving class when Lockhart spotted him right as Draco was leaving. Harry did his best to get away from the man but not before Lockhart had praised him for what he had done in getting rid of Voldemort. Harry's eyes burned bright green and he managed to get out of the classroom before he hexed the man, only to nearly walk right into Draco and his Slytherin friends.
"I bet you liked that Potter, you can't even go to class without causing a distraction, famous Harry Potter…"
"Tell me Malfoy why exactly am I famous?" Harry hissed getting into Draco's face.
"You defeated the dark lord as a child." Draco said.
"That is a lie, I never did anything, my gran did, you know she died for me sacrificed her life?" Harry said softly his eyes fairly glowing. "She is dead because she saved my life and because of that Voldemort is gone."
"I did not realize you would not want to take credit." Draco said stepping back at the look of murder in Harry's eyes.
"I would never take credit for anything I had not done!" Harry said coldly, "it was my gran, but the Wizarding world does not want to know that! No because she was nothing but a muggle and you don't see muggles as worth anything!"
"But they are not!" Draco snapped.
"Tell me Draco are you Christian?" Harry asked.
"Yes I am." Draco said, "what does that have to do with anything?"
"Remember this, the virgin Mary was a muggle of the chosen people who are all muggles and she had the son of God!" Harry snapped.
With that Harry stormed off knowing his words had hit home, he knew he would burst out laughing if he stayed behind at the look on Draco's face so he went to double potions. Here he paired up with Neville helping Neville with his potion gladly as Neville did need all the help he could get in potions. He would never be a potions master but Harry was intent on him at least able to make a potion correctly, besides it would keep Severus from going into what Harry called his "scary teacher mode" which involved snapping, lots of sarcasm and hovering darkly over the students. Well he still did all that but did not much bother Harry's table as the students worked quietly together. Harry respected Snape and between his mother and the potions master of Hogwarts he had been trained well before he came to Hogwarts and was expected to do great things with what he knew.
He went to lunch and sat down and tucked into the Sheppard's pie, cool creamy milk and fresh bread with good wholesome butter. He looked over to see Ginny and Luna talking at the Ravenclaw table and looked up as Ron took a seat across from him and tucked into his own food. Harry was enjoying his second year so far and was looking forward to starting practice with the Gryffindor team. He looked forward to winning the Quidditch cup and his first prank of the year going off. He knew his dad and Sirius would be so proud of him and the school would get a good laugh. He would have to send anonymously a box of sweets to Filch after his prank went off later that day. Harry snapped out of his thoughts as Hermione took a seat and started in on her lunch.
"So Harry why did you say what you did to Malfoy?" Ron asked him.
"That my gran saved me and I survived because of that?" Harry replied, "because it was true."
"No that the Virgin mother was a muggle?" Ron asked.
"Because she was." Hermione replied, "as were all those in Israel at that time."
"How is it possible for them not to have magic?" Ron asked.
"One of those things I suppose." Harry said shrugging, "The magical human number went through a large surge in the early part of this millennium."
"I guess that makes sense." Ron said his facial expression showing he did not get it at all.
"Well I am going to go see Ginny and Luna." Harry said getting up.
"What why?" Ron asked.
"Well I have to see which one I want to marry when I grow up." Harry shot back. "On second thought I could marry both…"
He walked over to the Ravenclaw table grinning as Ron looked at him in shock and Hermione glared at him and huffed. Harry took a seat by the startled first years and started to talk with them. Soon they were laughing and enjoying his company and Flitwick was close to tears seeing a Gryffindor being so kind to two of his Ravenclaws. Then again Harry had been friends of both girls as they had both skipped a grade in their private muggle primary. That had to be the reason Ginny was a Ravenclaw after all and of course she was with her good friend Luna as well.
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A few days later saw Harry with a small group of students in his year outside working out in the fine late summer weather. Many students had taken to muggle self defense before Hogwarts as they were not strong enough to control any magic they may display. By learning Kung Fu, an ancient fighting style started by the Shaolin monks in China as a fighting style the monks could use to defend themselves against enemies they came to school more disciplined than many other students. Harry was practicing with one of his favorite weapons the nine section whip chain. This was made of short links of steel linked together that ended in a sharply pointed link. Harry had been training with this for years and had reached a level that awed many of the students of the school. He focused on the clay pots charmed to hover in front of him and to dodge and move as he struck out. He had to be fast and flexible and he was, he attacked and brought down one clay pot, turned and got another, turned again got three and then leaped and did a back flip striking out to get the last two. He brought the whip chain in and turned to see Draco watching him.
"Not bad Potter, but how is that going to work against magic?"
"Well it's fun and you saw what I was able to do just now." Harry replied.
"What about knives?" Draco asked.
"What do you know about knifes?" Harry asked.
"Well they are fun to use." Draco said, "my father thought the practice would make me better with a wand when I got one."
"I am still better than you with a wand and knives, you don't stand a chance."
"A challenge?" Draco asked.
"Yes, here I will set the targets." Harry said using his wand to set the targets himself for the first time. "You first Draco."
Draco stepped up and took careful aim and hit each target dead on. Then it was Harry's turn and he hit each target dead on in less time than Draco. Gimi, the dwarf that helped students working in the training grounds grinned as he watched the boys take their knives back and he gave a short whistle and the targets began to move. Draco was able to get them all even when they moved fast but Harry was able to get them dead center every time. Before either boy could continue they saw Severus walking towards him his robes billowing around him. He saw the boys and Harry saw a very brief look of concern in his eyes before his mask fell back into place. He saw Gimi and nodded to him then turned to the boys and few other students out here practicing.
"You must come in now." Severus said, "you are to go to your common rooms."
"What happened sir?" Harry asked.
"Someone wrote on the wall the Chamber of Secrets is opened, under that sign Mrs. Norris was found petrified." Severus said not the kind of man to sugar coat anything.
"The Chamber of Secrets, I have heard of that somewhere." Draco said.
"It was opened fifty years ago, one student died, and shortly after the chamber was closed." Severus said.
"Who was the student?" Harry asked.
"Myrtle Hornby, ironic in the fact she was a pureblood." Severus said, "in hindsight it is probably why the attacks stopped as the chamber was opened to terrorize anyone not pureblood."
"That is not very nice." Draco said surprising both Harry and Severus, "well everyone knows purebloods are the strongest magically, then half-blood. Muggleborn just don't get our culture but I don't, well I don't think they should die for that."
"Alright who are you and were is Draco Malfoy?" Harry asked.
"I don't want anyone to die." Draco said, "really I don't."
"Well said, but come now." Severus said, "I have to get you into the school for your safety.
The boys followed Severus up to the school and entered not surprised that they did not see Filch. Harry headed up to his common room to talk to his friends about the turn of events. They had not even been in school a month and already a new threat! Harry was not happy and he sure did not want to see anymore attacks. What surprised him was how Draco had acted and what he had said, he was sure Draco would be back to his old self, even claiming being the one opening the chamber just to get attention. But right now he seemed to have thought that maybe hurting Muggleborns was bad, Harry was glad he had a change of heart like this even if it would not last.
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A week later Lily Potter came to Hogwarts to help Severus brew the Mandrake draught that was needed to un-petrify Mrs. Norris. Severus believed there would be more attacks and he hoped the worst would be petrifying not death. That was why Lily was here with fresh mandrakes sent from America fully ripe and in stasis for the potion. Dobby helped in the cutting of the mandrake roots and the other herbs needed for the draughts that the potions master and mistress would make. The two started on their work and of course as both were the best at what they did they thought their way was the very best. They were such good friends their banter was anything but light and Lily could very well hold her own with Severus. Of course growing up in the same northern town Severus had she was very good with the same wit and sarcasm he was. That was why when Harry came by later that day to say hello to his mother he just rolled his eyes at the banter that was going on.
"Lily you should add a pinch less of the mint." Severus said.
"Severus I am not one of your addlebrained first years, I know how to make this potion even better than you!" Lily shot back not looking up from her work.
"I taught you how to brew all those years ago." Severus said not looking up either.
"No you did not, that was your mum who introduced me to potions." Lily retorted.
"Your potion is too gray." Severus said.
"I can lighten it out with your blood." Lily replied sweetly.
"That would ruin the potion." Severus shot back.
"Yes as your blood is more vampire than human." Lily shot at him, "hello Harry having a good term?"
"Yes mum, but you know professor Snape is not a vampire." Harry said waiting his mother brewing the potion.
"Siding with me will not get you potions Harry." Snape said.
"Can I help?" Harry asked a she loved to brew potions nearly as much as his mother and Severus did. "Please?"
"Yes, come watch this while I get some bicorn horn." Lily said.
Harry grinned and walked over to watch the potion stirring it as it needed it. He was not at the level of brewing that his mother or Severus was so he had to fully concentrate on the potion and could not give into talking to either. Severus looked up and smirked as he watched the son of James Potter willingly brewing in school, something his father never would have done! Then again he was the son of Lily Potter nee Evans and he had inherited her love of potions. He even helped Fred and George Weasley in their joke products. Even with all that was going on this year Severus was grateful to have Harry in his life even if he could not publicly show affection for the boy. One day that would change, one day he could say how much he cared for the Potter family and for the Potter children. He knew how things could have been different if Lily and James had died and how bitter and unhappy he would be. Oh he still felt guilt for what he had done but he had good friends to help him in his darkest hours and he could only thank God for that.
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Even though JKR does not say much about religion and who would be in what Church the Malfoy's seem to me to be Christian. For Harry to remind Draco that the virgin Mary was muggle would get Draco to think, for a few seconds at least! I did take the liberty of giving Moaning Myrtle a last name and make her a pureblood. More on her death will come to light in later chapters.
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