A/N: Despite I update more than others, I still feel bad for not writing anything yesterday… :( I'll try to make this a better one, with more Leo and Percy… okay, pessimism sulk over…

Hello! I love you guys! Thanks sooo much to vogelflip123, p4nd4m4n, DeathDragonSlayer666, Luna2859, Moon Stone Tiger Lily and Nikitapikulik for following, p4nd4m4n for favouriting this and following and favouriting me and to AutumnLeaves03 (I'm planning for more than one demigod to get attacked… *grins evilly*), aviendhaphiragon (you're right… that's why I'm putting them in this chapter), Lav da mermaid (good point… but I've decided that then Hazel would have to hear it too, and I don't want too many demigods hearing it), Percyfan101 (if you were talking about the chapter, then yes, I agree, but if you were talking about something else, tell me why. CC is always wanted!), Snow (thank you!) and Moon Stone Tiger Lily (more coming right up!)

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Chapter 12: Disguises and Suspicions

Annabeth was furious. Try as she might, she didn't think that she had ever heard of anything about a monster snake in the Chamber. There were too many monster snakes she could think of. And what if it was a Greek monster? There were no other clues… yet. She thought about the way the victims were petrified and racked her brain. She was sure she'd read something a few years back… ugh! She was so frustrated, it was all she could do to restrain herself from flinging her quill across the room. Uh-huh. Annabeth Chase, considering throwing a quill and paper? What was the world coming to? But when she thought about how her slow thinking was causing students to be petrified, she felt like growling. The only thing stopping her was Percy's hands in her hair.

"Don't worry, Wise Girl," he said softly, "you can't be expected to know everything. There's something going on… just-" he smiled, "clam down."

Annabeth groaned.

"Seaweed Brain, you're going to be the death of me…"

Percy laughed and kissed her. Annabeth felt slightly better.

Just then, Frank reappeared.

"Hey, Frank," Percy called, "What happened?"

"Nothing in particular," Frank replied, explaining the little that had happened.

"Oh, and Annabeth," he said, turning to her, "There's another clue for you…"

When Frank told her about the roosters, Annabeth gasped. It all seemed to add up now!

"I've gotta go to the library." Annabeth exclaimed, giving Percy another hug -he smelled of chocolate and salt- and ran off.

Percy rolled his eyes.

"Wise Girl," he muttered, a smile on his face.

At dinner, Percy looked up and down the Gryffindor table.

"Where's Annie?" he asked, worried.

"I don't know, I haven't seen her since she went to the library," replied Frank.

Percy pushed his food away from him (I know, Percy Jackson, stopping eating?) and sprinted towards the library, panic in his eyes.

A few minutes later, a howling Percy ran into the hall, clutching an unconscious Annabeth in his arms.

In the Hospital Wing

"Annie," Percy sobbed, "Annie."

Hazel patted his back awkwardly while Piper watched silently, eyes glistening.

"It'll be okay," reassured Hazel, "She'll be fine. It's only petrification."

"Only petrification?" Percy growled. The ground seemed to shake slightly and the water fountains trembled. His eyes glinted with anger, then broke down again. Hazel sighed with relief.

Hermione watched this all with interest.

"So, you have an influence over the earth, too?" she asked matter-of-factly.

Percy fought not to drench her.

"That isn't relevant at the moment," he snarled, grabbing Annabeth's cold hand, "You care about that? I thought she was your friend or something!" He settled for a grade 10 glare.

Hermione shriveled under his gaze. She scolded herself. Of course, she felt terrible for Annabeth, but her natural curiosity was too strong. And Percy. Percy. What was up with him? He was 100% different, no question about it. His emotions seemed to control the earth and water in the pipes… but magic didn't work that way… and he was so protective of Annabeth, almost as if he was scared about something bad happening to her. But what would attack them? They're twelve! What could have happened to them at twelve? Well, she better reday the potion… Annabeth wouldn't be there to help, and Percy was in no state to be brewing… and if she had some spare potion… maybe, just maybe…

A few weeks passed since Annabeth's petrification, and most students were recovering from the shock of seeing the strong, handsome American student break down and cry. The student in question, however, was glaring at anyone who even looked at him funny.

Then the potion was ready. It was decided that only Harry, Ron, Jason, Leo and Piper would go – Crabbe, Goyle, Blaise, Nott and Pansy. They gulped down the potion, and their faces started contorting in pain. Then their bodies started elongating, shrinking, fattening and paling. Soon enough, there were five Slytherin look-alikes in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.

"Woah!" Leo yelled, seeing himself in all his Slytherin glory, "The ladies do not luv this man!"

Piper rolled her eyes.

When that was sorted out (with a small arguement of 'but the ladies luv me. But not him. So do the ladies luv me in this body?' and a 'ow! Sorry, Beauty Queen!') Nico was leading them to the common room, when a voice suddenly echoed behind them. Draco Malfoy was strolling toward them. Nico scowled. This boy thought his father was sooo superior.

"What're you doing with my mates, Di Angelo?" sneered Malfoy witheringly.

Nico said nothing but shot him a death stare. Malfoy winced slightly, then paused by a stretch of bare, damp stone wall.

"What's the new password again?" he said to Harry.

"Er -" said Harry.

"Oh, yeah -pure-blood!" said Malfoy, not listening, and a stone door concealed in the wall slid open. Nico grimaced. Malfoy marched through it, and the others followed him.

The Slytherin common room was a long, low underground room with rough stone walls and ceiling from which round, greenish lamps were hanging on chains. A fire was crackling under an elaborately carved mantelpiece ahead of them, and several Slytherins were silhouetted around it in high-backed chairs. Nico loved it, though it would be better in black, and with a few skulls.

"Wait here," said Malfoy to them, motioning them to a pair of empty chairs set back from the fire. "I'll go and get it my father's just sent it to me -"

Nico had already seen the piece and hissed nervously to Ron.

"Watch out. Control your temper."

Leo whistled. "Di Angelo tells someone to control their temper… yikes! The end is here as we know it!"

Nico glared, while Leo's nose started flaming.

"Leo!" Harry whispered uncertainly, "your, umm, nose…"

"Oh!" Leo patted it out with a knowing, mischievous grin that looked crazy on Nott's plain, pudgy face, "Fire's my magic thing."

Malfoy returned.

Wondering what Malfoy was going to show them, the curious children sat down. Nico slunk away, secretly eavesdropping.

"That'll give you a laugh," Malfoy said, thrusting a newspaper clipping under the disguised children's noses.

Harry saw Ron's eyes widen in shock. He read the clipping quickly, gave a very forced laugh, and handed it to Harry, who shoved it to Piper, who scowled in disgust.

"What's the matter, Pansy?" asked Draco.

"Nothing is wrong. You did not see me scowl." Piper whispered in Malfoy's ear. His eyes glazed over and nodded dreamily. Harry looked suspicious, but Ron was too angry to notice.

It had been clipped out of the Daily Prophet, and it said:

INQUIRY AT THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC

Arthur Weasley, Head of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office, was today fined fifty Galleons for bewitching a Muggle car.

Mr. Lucius Malfoy, a governor of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where the enchanted car crashed earlier this year, called today for Mr. Weasley's resignation.

"Weasley has brought the Ministry into disrepute," Mr. Malfoy told our reporter. "He is clearly unfit to draw up our laws and his ridiculous Muggle Protection Act should be scrapped immediately."

Mr. Weasley was unavailable for comment, although his wife told reporters to clear off or she'd set the family ghoul on them.

"Well?" said Malfoy impatiently as Harry handed the clipping back to him. "Don't you think it's funny?"

"Ha, ha," said Harry bleakly.

"Lol," agreed Leo, though he could feel his toes burning up with anger.

"Arthur Weasley loves Muggles so much he should snap his wand in half and go and join them," said Malfoy scornfully. "You'd never know the Weasleys were pure-bloods, the way they behave."

Ron's - or rather, Crabbe's - face was contorted with fury. Nico scowled. He'd warned him.

"What's up with you, Crabbe?" snapped Malfoy irritably.

"Stomachache," Ron grunted.

"Well, go up to the hospital wing and give all those Mudbloods a kick from me," said Malfoy, snickering. "You know, I'm surprised the Daily Prophet hasn't reported all these attacks yet," he went on thoughtfully. "I suppose Dumbledore's trying to hush it all up. He'll be sacked if it doesn't stop soon. Father's always said old Dumbledore's the worst thing that's ever happened to this place. He loves Muggle-borns. A decent headmaster would never've let slime like that Creevey in."

He started mimicking him, cruelly but accurately.

"Can I have your picture Potter? Can I lick your shoes?"

"Saint Potter, the Mudbloods' friend," said Malfoy slowly. "He's another one with no proper wizard feeling, or he wouldn't go around with that jumped up Granger Mudblood. And people think he's Slytherin's heir!"

They waited with bated breath: Malfoy was surely seconds away from telling them it was him - but then

"I wish I knew who it is," said Malfoy petulantly. "I could help them."

Nico shrugged. He'd expected it. Piper was nonchalant too, though that was probably her dad's acting skills.

Ron's jaw dropped so that Crabbe looked even more clueless than usual. Fortunately, Malfoy didn't notice, and Harry, thinking fast, said, "You must have some idea who's behind it all…"

"You know I haven't, Goyle, how many times do I have to tell you?" snapped Malfoy. "And Father-" Nico silently snorted "- won't tell me anything about the last time the Chamber was opened either. Of course, it was fifty years ago, so it was before his time, but he knows all about it, and he says that it was all kept quiet and it'll look suspicious if I know too much about it. But I know one thing - last time the Chamber of Secrets was opened, a Mudblood died. So I bet it's a matter of time before one of them's killed this time… I hope it's Granger," he said with relish.

Leo snarled, then looked shocked that he could make such an unhappy sound. Ron was clenching Crabbe's gigantic fists. Feeling that it would be a bit of a giveaway if Ron punched Malfoy, Harry shot him a warning look and said, "D'you know if the person who opened the Chamber last time was caught?"

"Oh, yeah ... whoever it was was expelled," said Malfoy. "They're probably still in Azkaban."

"Azkaban?" said Harry, puzzled.

"Azkaban - the wizard prison, Goyle," said Malfoy, looking at him in disbelief "Honestly, if you were any slower, you'd be going backward."

He shifted restlessly in his chair and said, "Father says to keep my head down and let the Heir of Slytherin get on with it. He says the school needs ridding of all the Mudblood filth, but not to get mixed up in it. Of course, he's got a lot on his plate at the moment. You know the Ministry of Magic raided our manor last week?"

Leo grinned before hastily trying to look sympathetic. Harry tried to force Goyle's dull face into a look of concern.

"Yeah. . ." said Malfoy." Luckily, they didn't find much. Father's got some very valuable Dark Arts stuff. But luckily, we've got our own secret chamber under the drawing-room floor -"

"Ho!" said Ron. Nico winced at Malfoy's openness. If he wasn't his enemy, he would've had to given him lessons.

Jason growled. This kid was taking it way too far. Dark Arts room? Mudbloods? Death? He could tell that the others agreed. He could see Leo's shoes smoking, and Piper's hand was straying towards Katropis which was hidden in her robe. He sensed that this was a good time to leave. In fact, they were already changing back.

"Bye, Malfoy," he said abruptly, and they ran off, leaving a very confused boy behind.

Umm... yeah... like it? Hate it? I know how rubbish I am at romance... SORRY! ;) R&R!