10 Do something

Winter solstice came and went. Just like last year Harry had gotten a lot of gifts from his friends and families. At the same time Harry had gotten more gifts from girls he didn't know. His father Ba Kensai was up in arms and celebrating even though he was envious of his son's achievements. Like last year Harry had sent out several reply a thank you gifts to all the girls.

Surprisingly Harry gotten a gift from Tonks who was still in the Academy. She sent him a full textbook in Auror training and at the same time a book written by Alistar Moody. A name he did not need to research to know who he was. Alistar Moody was the greatest Auror of the century with more captures in prison than you can count. Though he was forced to retire after numerous paranoia to keep himself safe from threats that was actually his friends.

Ayaka-nee on the other hand toned down her gifts compared to last year. Harry received a light leather armor that could hide under his clothes with a dark green trench coat. Her excused to have the coat were to match his green eyes. The attire was very well made with numerous enchantments and protection. Harry liked it. It was small and simple unlike the jumbo airplane, car, and other expensive stuff.

All in all he had fun seeing his family and friends again.

Getting back to Hogwarts and adjusting back to school schedule weren't to troubling. Although there was a change that was either good or not. Draco Malfoy has been avoiding Harry and anyone who associated with him. The peace and quiet was great without Draco bothering his friends and himself. Like all good thing there are a bad side to it. Ron Weasley has been tailing Harry like a lost puppy and putting writing everything in leather bound book. It didn't take a genius to know that Ron was keeping track of Harry for Professor Lockhart for reasons Harry couldn't tell. Keeping things written down was something far more advanced thinking than Ron could think of and Harry had spotted the same leather bound book in Professor Lockhart possession. If Harry had to guess they were trading it back and forth.

Both Professor Lockhart and Ron were keeping journals about Harry didn't come to a surprise for our young mage. What really surprised him was that they were using it. Sure a note here and there to keep track of where Harry went was a given but a full leather bound journal? Now that's taking something seriously.

Ron was really vocal to keep anyone away from Harry. Hermione had to talk to Professor McGonagall about the youngest Weasley's harassment and it didn't sway Ron to stop. Fred and George had started to prank Ron for bothering them and spouting lies on why they should stop being Harry's friends. Ron was persistent, Harry had to give him that. Like Hermione, Parviti was also harassed and it took a good hexing to get Ron to leave her alone.

Classes were the same old with students going to classes and teachers teaching. Except for Defense Against the Dark Arts. Professor Lockhart barely taught any new spells to the students and at the same time it was really annoying to reenact his exploits. The spells they were taught could be counted on one hand. On another hand the spells were for cleaning houses that wasn't practical in real world Defense application. Apparently Professor Lockhart printed a book about house upkeeps and beneficial spells to look like they were living like rich nobles.

"Harry-nii?" Hermione asks after two weeks back from the hols. They were in their clubroom with the Weasley twins going over some notes while the Patil twins talking about fashion.

"Yes?" Harry asks.

"We're going to fail Defense aren't we?" Hermione asks even though she knew the answer she wanted confirmation.

"Yes," Harry softly said from his chair and continued, "Defense isn't about how much you know. It's how well you can use it." He looks up from his tome and smile at Hermione. "Although the examiners and exam questions may contradict my assertion."

"So what should we do?" Hermione asks.

"Why don't you do it, the tutoring classes," Harry suggested, "After all the best ways to learn new spells is to experiment with like minds." He then got up and gathers his things. "I'm going to call it a night. Good night Hermione-chan."

"Good night," Hermione reply.

The walk to his dorm weren't eventful safe for Ron tailing him. It didn't take much for Harry to spot the red head. After entering his dorm room Harry was left with his thoughts. He went over to his table and began to write a letter. Hedwig was on her perch waiting for Harry to finish and when he did the white snowy owl took his letter.

While sitting in his chair Harry was contemplating the situation that was going around him. The Chamber of Secrets was the talk of the school but outside of these walls no one talking about it. From what he gathered from Madam Bones, she was in the dark and only the Board of Education are in the know. The real surprising thing was Professor Lockhart. A man who could narrate a story to benefit his own needs wasn't talking to he press about the horror that was happening at Hogwarts. He's a fame hungry narcissist and yet he isn't capitalizing the event.

Yet a growing alarm was screaming at Harry's face. The spell that Ron cast at the Ball was by far more complicated than the Young Weasley knew. Transfiguration mixed with charms is a lot harder than anyone would think. By weaving the two spells together creates less room for errors. Second year charm and transfiguration doesn't cover Spell Weaving and Ron successfully casted the spell under great stress. Which beg the question, does Ron Weasley have the hidden power to summon Serpents of the Norse?

Shaking his head, Harry readies himself for bed without Orochi hogging most of the bed and hoped tomorrow would be better.

The next day Harry enters the Great Hall and it was a lot quieter than he remembers. He made his way to the Ravenclaw table and sat next to Padma.

"What's going?" Harry asks.

"There was another attack last night," Padma whispers. "The Board Inspector has been here since the incident."

"Interesting?" Harry said looking up at the head table where Headmaster Dumbledore should be but he was missing as well as the Deputy Headmistress.

Suddenly the Great Hall oak door slams open to let in Headmaster Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall and four new people. They wore purple robe with an emblem on their left chest. One of them was a woman and the other three were men. The woman was tall and thin like Professor McGonagall but posture told Harry she was fit to take on any adversaries. They had a sturdy stoic face and the four of them were leading the Headmaster and Deputy Headmistress to the head table where only a few staff members were sitting.

They finally stop at the head table and look at the large man who was sweating bullets.

"Rubeus Hagrid, you are to come with us," The woman said and wave at three of her men to gather the large man from his chair.

"What for? You don't have any evidence Rubeus was behind any of this," Headmaster Dumbledore boomed stopping the three purple robe man.

"I beg to differ, this isn't an arrest, more of a detainment, if there's another attack then Rubeus will be off our list of suspects," the woman said smoothly and motion her men to continue.

"Madam Inspector, why has it taken so long for you to get back to me?" Headmaster Dumbledore asks sternly.

"This does not involve you," Madam Inspector brush him aside.

"It does if my students are in danger!" Headmaster Dumbledore hissed and added, "What's the verdict on my proposal?"

"Are you mad, Albus!" Madam Inspector barked and got closer to the Headmaster, "The school will not shut down for a couple of incidences. Hogwarts will stay open!"

"Look around you, three students has been petrified! Who's next, the Bone Heir or he Malfoy Heir?" Headmaster Dumbledore said softly, "I want Hogwarts to stay open as much as you do and as well as the Board of Education yet how many bodies will lay before we really do something about the situation Madam Inspector?"

"We're doing that right now!" Madam Inspector smirk and point to Hagrid, "He's coming with us whether."

"It wasn't Hagrid! He's innocent!" Someone screeched and in came Ron Weasley who stops to point at Harry's back, "It was him and his snake! I saw it last night. Filch was there too, he could vouch for me!"

"What were you doing out late last night?" The woman asks turning towards Ron.

"Doesn't matter! I witnessed the whole thing and he's the one doing it!" Ron barked and he screams at Harry. "This is the second time someone witness your snake leaving the scene of the crime!"

The woman slowly glides over Ron and stare right into his eyes.

"Emily! Don't you dare!" Headmaster Dumbledore warn.

"I have the authority given to me by the Board," The woman name Emily said and after a second she looking over toward Harry's backside and said, "Where's your pet?"

"Orochi isn't my pet," Harry softly said standing up and facing the woman named Emily. "He goes where ever he wants to go."

"Isn't he your familiar?" Emily pointed out and staring down at the teen both their eyes clashed.

"I wouldn't try reading my mind Miss Emily," Harry said warning the woman who took a step back at his warnings. "The throbbing you're feeling is my mental defense."

"Jon, get ginger's statement and Filch's," Emily said and then look at Harry, "You're coming with me."

"Under what grounds?" Harry asks hotly.

"I don't need grounds to take you in," Emily barked and grab Harry's arm.

"Emily!" Headmaster Dumbledore barked stopping the woman and gently took Harry aside. "Mister Kousaka, go with them. I will do everything I can to prove their wrong."

With a tap on his gold manacle, Oracle shrank down and vanishes with a pop. In his dorm room everything that was his got sucked into his briefcase and the locking mechanisms snap shut.

"What did you do?" Emily ordered and when Harry didn't answer she stun him knocking him out.

"Emily!" Headmaster Dumbledore groan.

"Enough talking. Take them both!" Emily barked and three of her men took Harry.

"See, I told you he was evil! Did you listen to me? I bet he spelled Hagrid to do it. Thanks to me you're all safe!" Ron gloated and turns towards Padma. "You should thank me."

The next couple days later the news about who was attack came through. The boy that was turned to stone was Colin Creevey a first year Gryffindor student. Three stone bodies rested in the Hogwarts infirmary and thanks to the second year students the main ingredient to cure them was underway.

The Culture Club was in a hassle. Everyone was trying to figure out what just happened. Harry was carted off like a criminal and both Fred and George were tempted to drag Ron in to interrogate him. Hermione, Padma and Parviti were behind several tomes about law and anything they could get on the Board of Educations structure.

"Can everyone calm down!" Daphne ordered and that stopped everyone from doing something stupid, "I just contacted my father. He'll be looking into this."

"You make it sound like it's done and over with?" Fred comment.

"With my father, it will be," Daphne said and internally smirk at the prospect of getting Harry to be indebt to her. Granted this was something she didn't take into account. Getting someone indebt through the court system was complex and take too long to achieve.

"Daphne, let's go," Tracey suggested leaving the room.

"We still need to find Orochi!" Katie said.

"And what? We can't talk to him. We're not Parseltongue," Oliver said and then look over at Cedric.

"I wrote a letter to my dad, he'll backed anything Harry says about a Madara," Cedric said raising his hands as if he couldn't do anymore.

"But we need to do something!" Hermione screeched, "For all we know Hagrid and Harry are in some dungeon."

"This isn't the medieval times Hermione," Alicia said trying to calm the girl down, "They won't torture them."

"But it's a witch hunt," Hermione points out which got everyone on edge.

"We've got to be smart about this," Neville said for the first time, "We-we can't just go around without a plan."

"You're right Neville," Hermione said and thought for a moment, "Fred and George you guys somehow could find anyone in the castle. Go look for Orochi. Cedric keep your ears down. Oliver and Parviti find out why both Colin and Ron were out last night. Su, Padma, I need you to keep looking for any creature that can do this. Alicia, Katie, Angelina go try and buddy up with Ron to find exactly what he saw."

"Knowing him, he's going to exaggerate it to make himself look good," Katie sigh and her friends nodded in agreement.

"We've created a mild truth serum," George said reaching into his pocket to pull out a small vial, "We were going to market it as some sort of crush revealer."

"That's illegal!" Hermione drone.

"We know, that's why we aren't selling it," Fred chimed in, "Besides it doesn't really make a drinker reveal the truth. It makes them more forthcoming when it came to…Got it, a compulsion charm. It's a compulsion charm in a flasks."

"That's more doable than calling it anything near truth serum," George said snapping his fingers in agreement.

"Go!" Hermione barked.

"Aye Aye, Vice Chairmen!" Fred said handing the vial to Kate and left the room.

"What are you going to do?" Neville said watching Hermione clearing the chalkboard of all chalks.

"Connecting the dots," Hermione said casting several spells at the board.

At the near Ministry of Magic building there was another run down structure with a sign said 'For Lease'. An old man with long white beard enter the dump and find himself confronted with a posh splendor reception desk. He walk over to the receptionist and the man sitting behind it looked up to see him coming his way.

"Professor Dumbledore, what are you doing here?" The man asks getting up.

"I'm here to see one of my student that was taken by Emily Lance," Headmaster Dumbledore said kindly.

"I'm sorry to say that the student isn't cooperating and per order he's bared from receiving visitors," The receptionist said and quickly added, "I know you're still the Headmaster of Hogwarts but it's an order from the Board themselves. No exceptions. I'm sorry Professor."

"What about the Supreme Mugwamp?" Headmaster Dumbledore asks.

"Again, the Board has full authority, there haven't been any deaths or a level 9 offence and per charter there can be no outside interference, again I'm sorry," the receptionist said.

"When will the letter to his family arrive?" Headmaster Dumbledore said but sucked in his breath when the receptionist looked away in shame, "Please tell me his family's been contacted?"

"I don't know," the receptionist said.

"This is unacceptable!" Headmaster roar and that got a lot of attention from passerby and guards. "The Board of Education is required to contact the family's of anyone in their custody!"

A hard stomping noise came from behind the Headmaster and he turns around to face Lord Malfoy walking with his cane in hand. Lord Malfoy had a tone face and his feature unreadable.

"Headmaster, what do owe the pleasure of your visit," Lord Malfoy drawl.

"Why haven't Mister Kousaka's family been contacted?" Headmaster Dumbledore ask sharply.

"An owl has already been sent," Lord Malfoy said offhandedly. "It's not our concern if they reply back or not. If you take into account the prisoner's family lives in some backwater country then we would have the letter to them already. Now you know as I that we, the Board of Education, can't do much about it. Good day Headmaster."

"And what of Mister Kousaka's possessions that your inspector took?" Headmaster Dumbledore ask.

"They're part of an ongoing investigation, Headmaster, I can't divulged more than that," Lord Malfoy call over his shoulder and continue walking towards his a conference room.

For the next couple of days Hermione could tell the difference in atmosphere. All of the students in Ravenclaw and Hufflepuffs were scrounging for any information. The Slytherin were quiet except for Draco who thought his birthday came early. Without Harry around he was trying to gain more authority over everyone. Hermione didn't even know how her brother had made Hogwarts stable just by his presence in the castle. She harassed three times by Draco and his Slytherin gang and luckily the new wards warn her of other unsavory attacks. Yet with Daphne Greengrass deflecting several hexes and curse it didn't discourage the blonde ponce.

Ron Weasley on the other hand was celebrating like it was New Years. He would tell wild and crazy stories on how he found out that Orochi was petrifying students. From time to time he would change the stories from him attacking the large snake but couldn't save Colin or how he used some magic taught by Professor Lockhart to chase away the snake.

For the first time Gryffindor was split in two. On one side were those who were hanging on Ron's every word. While the other didn't believe one bit. Hermione was leading that group and thanks to the Wealsey's twins potion they got bits and pieces from Ron. At the same time Oliver went and ask Filch for his side of the story. From what Hermione could piece together, Orochi was indeed in the corridor that left Colin in a petrified state. Filch chased after Ron for roaming the corridor at night. Fred and George told Hermione that finding Orochi was impossible but they weren't giving up.

"I can't believe that Harry's the one thing that keeps those two from going at each other's throat!" Su harshly said while slamming the door to their Club Room.

"What happened?" Hermione asks looking away from the board. The chalkboard had several pictures with glowing strings crisscrossing like a diagram. It was similar to what you would find in an old detective movie where the inspector was trying to find a connection or a clue to solve the case.

"Malfoy egged Ron into another fight," Su said dropping a large scroll on the table next to several towers of books.

"That's twice in three days," Hermione said and then asks, "How much did we lose?"

"About fifty points and a weeks worth of detention," Su said unraveling the scroll. Hermione rush forward to see the scroll that was a good half a meter long fifteen centimeter thick. "It's a copy of Shen Quo's research on Madara's."

"Oh my," Hermione gasps when Su unscroll it to real Chinese texts with brush drawn pictures of a Madara. The writings and pictures amazed the young bookworm. She had never seen anything so alien and full of knowledge. In any given day she would be over the moon at looking at one of Chinese most famous researcher in magical animal but she has more important things to do. "Is there a way for you to get to Madara's magic?"

"魔法特性," Su said and the scroll glow and levitate off the table and it automatically unrolls to the section that she wanted. The ink from the letters and pictures float off the scroll to form into an image of a Madara. Several Chinese characters pops out and Su read them silently. The inked Madara illustrate what they can do as if Hermione was watching a monochromatic documentary. "Harry was right about one thing. Madara's can't petrify their victim unless they were exposed to wizard spells that does. Orochi's mimicry only allows him to absorb the spell and release within a minute. Any longer and it's useless."

"Only seventh year students could cast something similar to a gorgon's stares," Hermione surmise and went back up to the board and point to a piece of paper that has a list of spells that can petrify a living being. "All of these are too slow and takes to long to affect the victim."

Daphne and Tracey walks into the clubroom and the blonde looked agitated. Hermione had never seen Daphne lower her mask that she was all too familiar with. Seeing her act like this made the bookworm nervous.

"Bad news?" Su straight up asks without much tact.

"My father doesn't want anything to do with this case," Daphne and slowly breath in to calm her nerve. "As a member of the Culture Club, I am obligated to tell you that my father also wants me to distance myself from the club."

"What's going on?" Hermione didn't understand one bit. "You were confident your father would help Harry out and now he's telling you to piss off?"

"You won't understand," Daphne said coldly.

"What, because I'm a muggle born?" Hermione shot in.

"Hermione, I value your insights and your bibliophile but the political world greatly differs than the ones you've read in books," Daphne said without an ounce of emotion that she'd showed just a moment ago. "One wrong move and I could destroy hundred of years worth of power and influences my family gathered."

"What? Are you saying we should leave Harry in a dungeon?" Hermione screech.

"Hermione, the situation Harry's in is delicate," Daphne said trying to calm the girl down, "Look, my family can help but they can't do it in the open. What would Harry do in this situation?"

"I, I don't know," Hermione said feeling a headache.

"You've been with him the most. You understand his way of thinking. So think!" Daphne said and looks over at the chalkboard filled with red strings, pictures and notes.

"He would say we should look into the past," Hermione said then an idea pop in her head, "And his reasons were 'History repeats itself one way or another'." She bolts over to a box full of old newspaper and he start to rummage through them. "Last time the Chamber of Secrets made headlines was…YES!" Hermione pull out a newspaper and Daphne look over at it. "1943, one death, one perpetrator. Their names weren't in the paper because of their age but the person who died was Myrtle Warren. I but my entire book collection that Hagrid's was the person who was blamed for her death."

The Weasley and Patil twins walks in shaking their heads but stop when they spot Hermione bustling in the club room. Behind them followed Oliver and Cedric with a very green looking Neville.

"That's a deadly wager," Tracey chimes in.

"It all makes sense," Hermione said pulling out a copy of Hogwarts ledger, "Hagrid's name was on the list in 1943 making him a third year but in 1943 his name wasn't on it."

"That's a large gamble to make, maybe he transferred during the Great War," Su point out.

"It doesn't explained why that woman went to Hagrid first," Hermione counter and she turns towards rest of the occupants. "What do we know?"

"That we're lost," Fred chimes in and when Hermione glares at him Fred clamp shut.

"Let's start from the beginning everyone!" Hermione suggested and point to a picture of cat. "Miss Noris was petrified on Halloween night next to a threatening note about the chamber opening up again and we should be afraid. Next?"

"Luna was petrified in the bathroom," Cedric chipped in, "That's what Professor Sprout told me. I don't know why she was out though."

"I do," Su said softly and pause for a moment, "Ravenclaw students have been bullying Luna. They've stolen her shoes, property, the likes to hide them and make her look for them at odd hours. I've noticed the Prefect had purposely locked her out."

"That's horrible!" Hermione shot in.

Su fell silent for a moment, she took a deep breaths and glance over at Padma, "We've failed Luna as a friend and as Ravenclaws. Most of all I failed her as a member of the Culture Club."

"We'll get to that bridge when we get there," Parviti said, "Colin was attacked near the Trophy Room."

"Why was he out there that late at night?" Hermione asks stowing away Luna's bullied life for now. "Fred, did you find out why Ron was out and about."

"No, he wouldn't say," Fred answers.

"Harry mentioned in history we're allowed to examine past events leisurely and we could look-" Hermione stop dead and look around the windowless room.

"Hermione?" Oliver asks.

"Oliver, is there a way to find out if there's anything strange happened around the castle?" Hermione asks and when no one answered she continued, "Owls acting weird? Magical anomaly? Anything?"

"I don't know," Oliver answered.

"Why don't you ask the House Elves," George put in.

"House Elves?" Hermione asks.

"Magical creature that serves any witch or wizards. They're mostly associates with rich and ancient families. Hogwarts not that different," George said, "Their bloody helpful and they're really eager to serve."

"Especially food, go into the kitchen and you'll be beating off with a stick," Fred add in. "Why?"

"My father was a UKSF, United Kingdom's Special Force, he was a counter-terrorist expert," Hermione explained and when no one reply she added, "They're military specialist but the point is that my father ones told me. If you want to know more about your target you need to know everything around them. Where they sleep, where they eat, what they eat, who's their enemy, who's their ally, why they do what they do. If we could figure out what's happening around Hogwarts we could find out what Slytherins's beast is."

"There won't be a problem getting the House Elves to help but what are we going to ask?" George asks.

"I'll make you a list," Hermione said and then point to the scroll Su brought in, "Keep that safe."