AN: We're almost at the end! Action here we come!

10 - The Plan

The next few months passes without any attacks. People were beginning to believe that the attackers had left, and some rumours were being passed around.
"I heard that the Ravenclaw Quidditch captain was the attacker, but he did something wrong, and got himself petrified. That's why there haven't been any attacks."
"I think it's a Hufflepuff student. Their house hasn't been attacked yet."

The headmistress tapped her spoon to her glass at dinner in mid-April, and everyone in the hall went silent. They were fearing the news that the attacks had been started again.
"We are fortunate," she began. "the attacks have been delayed. However, this does not mean we should not still be taking precautions. I have been told that teachers have seen students walking the halls alone."

A few people looked away, but the headmistress continued.
"The attacks could resume at any time. So it is still advised to students, for their safety, to travel with groups of four to five people."

The headmistress returned to her spot, and Asher instantly turned to Levi, Julian, Sean and Chase.
"We need to do something soon. We need to think of a plan." Asher said, and the others nodded, but Chase was hesitant.
"Don't you guys think you should figure out Thad's clue first? I mean, you've had it for months and you still haven't figured it out." He mumbled, poking his chicken with his fork.
"Valerie is working on it. At least we know now that they aren't using the second floor bathroom. It explains why we haven't seen them go in there."
"Whatever you guys are planning, don't give me a part," Chase said, pushing his plate away, "I'm going to go sit with Damon."

They watched him go, before turning back to each-other.
"What are we going to do? We've been following them for months, and there's nothing out of the ordinary." Sean said.
"Well as long as they don't get away, we can make sure they don't attack anybody else." Asher replied, looking over his shoulder at Valerie, who was looking through a map of Hogwarts' plumbing system.

"I take it that Brooke is still trailing them then?" Julian asked.
"Yeah, she said they just sit around and talk. Nothing exciting."

The doors to the Great Hall swung open and Brooke came running in.
"There's been another attack. But I was watching Landon and Aubrey the entire time."
"Then I bet it was Kai." Sean muttered, and Brooke nodded.
"Probably."
"Did you see him going anywhere?"
"He just went into the fourth floor bathroom, but Landon and Aubrey were walking away, so I followed them."
"So then we know it's Kai that did the attack."
"Yeah."

"Who was attacked?" Valerie asked, walking over. Brooke looked up at her.
"Erm…" she trailed off.
"Come on, who was it?"

Brooke looked up at her sheepishly, and then sighed. "It was your brother, Chase."
Valerie's face kept its flat expression, and she turned and stormed from the room. Asher and Sean shared a look, before turning back to Brooke.
"We should probably go after her…" Asher started and Brooke just nodded.

Asher and Sean stepped into the hospital wing, and saw Valerie sitting beside a bed. On the bed was the petrified state of Chase, with his arms spread-eagle, and eyes drooped. Valerie was scowling, holding her brother's hand.
"What's with the scowl?" Sean asked, walking up behind her. She glanced at the two of them over her shoulder, before looking back at her brother.
"I just don't understand why he did it."

"Did what?" Asher asked, stepping out from behind Sean.
"The person who found him said he 'sacrificed himself'," Valerie explained, "he was standing in front of a mirror in the bathroom like this." She gestured to his spread-eagle posture.
"It's not something to beat yourself up over."
"He left a note," Valerie cut in, "he said he needed to 'petrify himself' so something worse didn't happen."

Asher and Sean only looked between each other. Madam Pomfrey came scurrying into the room, preparing two more beds.
"What's going on, Madam Pomfrey?" Valerie asked, looking at the worried look on the woman's face.
"There's been more attacks."

The three of them looked between each other, before looking over to the doors where two more petrified students were being brought in. The first, was Brooke.
She was petrified with her finger pointing directly away from her chest, and her mouth open. Her brow was lowered as if she was yelling.

The next student to be brought in was familiar. He had long, almost silver hair, and had a look of absolute rage on his face. Asher's brain clicked.

It was Kai.

"So, what are we going to do?" Sean asked, looking down at Asher, Valerie, Julian and Levi. "Like, what's the plan."
"We're going to sneak into the Chamber of Secrets, and we're going to kill the basilisk." Valerie answered, receiving shocked looks from both Levi and Julian.
"How are we gonna get past the guards?" Asher asked, as Levi and Julian snapped their jaws shut.
"I ordered another invisibility cloak. This one is pink." Valerie laughed, and Asher only nodded.

"So, when are we going to do this?" Sean asked, and the others instantly perked up.

"Right now."