Hell Have No Fury

by thehelpinghand

I am Aileen Potter, Daughter of the Sea, Granddaughter to the Goddess of Love. I am the Champion of the Great Goddess Hecate. I am the eyes that see and acknowledge all that lays before me. I am the torch that burns like a beacon in times of darkness, pain and sorrow. I am the protector of the weak, innocent and just. And this…this is the story of my life MAJOR EDIT 20/06/2018

14. Chapter 14: Warnings x2Ed

Chapter 14: Year two: Polyjuice Potion and Warnings

Following the attack on Mrs. Norris the school was fall of gossip. The students couldn't talk of anything else for an extended period of time before they went back to gossiping about what might have happened despite the fact that the teachers weren't releasing any information on what happened (mostly because they didn't really know what happened either).

Filch didn't help in reducing the rumors that were floating around, or stopping them, since he spent most of his time pacing around the corridor where Mrs. Norris had been attacked. Since the corridor was by one of the main roots from the upper floors to the lower ones, the students were constantly reminded of what happened. The fact that the words on the wall couldn't be removed despite Filch's best efforts also ensured the students continued questioning what might have been the sauce of the attack.

Ginny seemed to become very upset following the attacks, and when Aileen approached Ron about it (he was the brother closest to her age so Aileen had hoped he would have insight into what was wrong) he dismissed her distress as being due to Ginny's love of cats. However, Aileen believed it was something else. Aileen let the younger girl know that if she needed to talk about anything, she was there to listen. The other girl was always an ill pale now but Aileen made sure that she ate a decent amount of food and that she was wrapped up warmly – she pulled the twins into helping her with her campaign to ensure that Ginny was alright since they were both very protective of their family. She also thought about pulling in Percy to help, but he was also starting to look stressed as he made sure to sit by the first years in the common room as often as he could, so they knew he was available to help them (mostly with school work, but also with any questions they may have about anything else). When Percy wasn't sat with the first years, Aileen was so they always had someone older with them when in the common room which seemed to help reduce the tension they were experiencing. Aileen figured that between the three of them, they had Ginny covered to ensure that she was safe, and that she wasn't suffering too much following the attack, or whatever it was that had influenced her so much that she didn't want to talk about.

The attack on Mrs Norris also had quite the effect on Hermione, more so than any other Mundane-born in the school. It was not out of the norm for Hermione to spend a lot of time reading, however after the attacks it seemed that Hermione was doing nothing but read despite Aileen's best attempts at interference. Aileen figured that if continued into a second week she would in list the help of her dorm mates to stage an intervention. Whenever she asked what Hermione was up to, she wouldn't respond. Aileen had a lot of trouble getting the other girl to leave the library long enough to get something to eat.

It wasn't until the Wednesday following the attack that they found out what had captured Hermione's attention.

Aileen arrived in the library after speaking with Fred and George, abolishing them for their latest prank (it was not well executed, and nearly hurt a couple of students), and found Ron at the back of the library, measuring his History of Magic homework. Professor Binns had asked for a three-foot long composition on 'The Medieval Assembly of European Wizards.' Ron had been complaining about it all week – especially considering the fact that Binns never marked their essays – but had not got around to actually writing it until the night before.

"I don't believe it, I'm still eight inches short..." said Ron furiously, letting go of his parchment, which sprang back into a roll. "And Hermione's done four feet seven inches and her writing's tiny."

"Where is she?" asked Aileen, grabbing the tape measure and unrolling her own homework to make sure she had done the right amount.

It was something she did regularly despite the fact that she always did the exact amount that was required. It was something that differed between the friends and probably said a lot about their personalities. Ron almost always ended up not writing enough, and he wrote as big as he could get away with to cover the extra inches. Hermione always wrote too much, and her hand writing was tiny so that she could get in as much information as she could. It wasn't unusual for Hermione to add nearly an extra half foot to her parchment although Aileen was trying to curb her of this habit because it wasn't doing her any good with the teachers. She knew that Snape – at the least – stop marking after the assigned length which was why Hermione never received higher than an EE in her assignments (which pushed her to write more). Then there was Aileen who always wrote the exact amount, keeping on topic and not adding anything unrelated to the subject although she made sure to thoroughly research and source all her assignments.

"Somewhere over there," said Ron, pointing along the shelves. "Looking for another book. I think she's trying to read the whole library before Christmas."

As though summoned by Ron's snarky comment, Hermione emerged from the shelves. She was looking distinctly ruffled since she hadn't allowed Aileen or any of her dorm mates to help her since Halloween. She was also looking irritated so Aileen made the assumption that whatever Hermione was looking for had yet to be found.

"All the copies of Hogwarts, A History have been taken out," Hermione huffed, slumping into the empty seat next to Aileen. "And there's a two-week waiting list. I wish I hadn't left my copy at home, but I couldn't fit it in my trunk with all the Lockhart books."

"Why didn't you ask, I have mine in my trunk?" Aileen informed her. It was another of those things Aileen was trying to get Hermione to do – speaking about her thought processes with others and actually telling them what she was looking for or had discovered since she had a bad habit of just gallivanting off on her own when they were supposed to be working on a group project. Aileen figured it had something to do with her primary school years and lack of intelligent friends. However, Aileen and her other partner's in class were willing to pull their own weight (or in Ron's case Aileen wouldn't let him slack off) and so she needed to learn to actual talk with them.

"Why do you want it, anyway?" Aileen questioned, deciding she needed to speak with Hermione on a one-to-one basis again at some point soon.

"The same reason everyone else wants it," Hermione answered, slumping her shoulders as she realized what Aileen's first question was hinting at. She should have spoken with her friend last week, instead of ignoring and snapping at her. "To read up on the legend of the Chamber of Secrets."

"I remember reading something about that." Aileen said frowning in thought as she tried to recall the information. She had been more interested in researching more about the wards she had read in the book she had taken from the library over the Christmas last year so she hadn't read too much into the founder's yet although it was on her list. But she did recall some of the basic information on the Snake Founder from Hermione's favorite book. "Salazar Slytherin's secret chamber is said to contain a monster waiting to be unleashed on the school, I think. I can't remember. What do you know?"

"That's just it. I can't remember, either" said Hermione, biting her lip. "And I can't find the story anywhere else -"

"Hermione, let me read your composition," said Ron desperately cut in, checking his watch. He knew Aileen wouldn't let him look at hers since she had reminded him every day to do the assignment since two days after it was given and since he hadn't taken her advice, she didn't see why she should help him now. If he had been asking two or three days ago, then she would have gladly pointed to him to the relevant texts and page numbers, but he knew he was too late. However, Hermione would sometimes help him if she was in the right mood.

"No, I won't," said Hermione, suddenly severe. "You've had ten days to finish it -"

"I only need another two inches, come on-"

The bell rang. Ron and Hermione led the way to History of Magic, bickering.

History of Magic was easily the most boring class at school. Although the concept of being taught history by a ghost was a good one, Professor Binns had a dull, droning voice that always succeeded to put the majority of the class asleep. Those that stayed awake didn't pay attention – games were played and homework completed at this time. Hermione was the only one who took notes on what was being said, while Aileen read books on history she had taken from the library for just this purpose. She even made notes on parchment so that she could go back over what she had learnt.

Their lesson that day began as it always did. As soon as the final bell rang, Binns opened his notes (which was still a concept that baffled Aileen) and began to read in his flat droning voice. The twins – acting on Aileen's advice – had snuck into the classroom and gotten a copy of all seven stacks of notes from Binns desk (each one representing a year) and Aileen was slowly going through it and compiling a useful revision book with additional references when she had the free time. Her history reading in Binns class was half spent on this, the other half was spent on other historical points that interested her. So far she had completed the booklet for the first two years, and was half-way through third year. Since she would have the time over the summer holidays, Aileen had decided to put the write up on hold and was simply gathering her data and references for the final five years and she would finish writing it over the holidays.

Peripherally Aileen noticed as the rest of her class began dropping into their normal stupor or distracted games as Binns continued drowning on about various important dates, names, constitutions and battles that had happened. Although there first year was 40% goblin rebellion this year's content was only 10% goblin rebellion and there was no further goblin rebellions until they appeared again in the OWLs. Instead, Binns had moved onto the more important historical facts such as why the Statue of Secrecy was implemented, how and what the magic behind it was. It was something Aileen thought the rest of the class should really be paying attention to, but no one was even rousing long enough to write down an important date or name.

This state of affairs continued for the first thirty minutes of class when something unprecedented happened. Hermione raised her hand. Although in any other class it would not have been unusual. However, no one ever tried to interrupt Binns or ask him a question. The student's just didn't care enough, or didn't have the energy, to try and do so. But Hermione proved her bull-headed stubbornness by holding her hand in the air until she was noticed by the ghost.

"Miss - er -?" Binns questioned, his voice confused and showing his bafflement. Aileen didn't blame him, he probably hadn't been interrupted during a lecture since he died and he had probably only looked up from habit which had carried over since his death.

"Granger, Professor. I was wondering if you could tell us anything about the Chamber of Secrets," said Hermione in a clear voice.

Dean Thomas, who had been sitting with his mouth hanging open, gazing out of the window, jerked out of his trance; Lavender Brown's head came up off her arms and Neville's elbow slipped off his desk. The other students who were awake turned to stare at either Hermione or Binns, while trying to wake the closest sleeping student so they could hear what Binns had to say. Professor Binns blinked.

"My subject is History of Magic," he said in his dry, wheezy voice. "I deal with facts, Miss Granger, not myths and legends." He cleared his throat with a small noise and continued, "In September of that year, a subcommittee of Sardinian sorcerers -" He stuttered to a halt. Hermione's hand was waving in the air again. "Miss Grant?"

"Please, sir, don't legends always have a basis in fact?"

Binns stared at Hermione for a long moment without saying anything. "Well, yes, one could argue that, I suppose." Binns conceded after a lengthy moment of thought. He was starting to look more awake and engaged then Aileen had ever seen him as he studied Hermione. "However, the legend of which you speak is such a very sensational, even ludicrous tale -" Binns cut himself off when he realized that he had the entire classes' undivided attention. It was something he hadn't had in a long time and Aileen could see his annoyance at it happening over something that he considered to be completely unrelated to his subject and based in myth.

"Oh, very well," he said slowly. "Let me see... The Chamber of Secrets... You all know, of course, that Hogwarts was founded over a thousand years ago - the precise date is uncertain - by the four greatest witches and wizards of the age. The four school Houses are named after them: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin. They built this castle together, far from prying Muggle eyes, for it was an age when magic was feared by common people, and witches and wizards suffered much persecution."

He paused, gazed blearily around the room, and continued. "For years the founders worked, mostly in harmony. They taught the young minds of the time how to use and hide their magic. However, Salazar Slytherin and Godric Gryffindor were regularly reported to argue. One of the biggest disagreements that sprang up between the founders was who they should teach. Slytherin wished to only teach magic to those of all-magic families. He disliked taking students of Muggle parentage, believing them to be untrustworthy. After a while, there was a serious argument on the subject between Slytherin and Gryffindor, and Slytherin left the school." Professor Binns paused again, pursing his lips, looking like a wrinkled old tortoise. "Reliable historical sources tell us this much," he said even as Aileen narrowed her eyes in disagreement.

From what she had read there were no reliable pieces of historical evidence from that time – documents didn't start springing up until around the thirteen hundreds stating what had happened. She had done very little research into the founders, her attention focused elsewhere, but she made a promised to herself that she would move such research closer to the top of her list because it was now becoming apparent that whatever was happening at Hogwarts this year seemed to have a connection with the schools founding.

"But these honest facts have been obscured by the fanciful legend of the Chamber of Secrets. The story goes that Slytherin had built a hidden chamber in the castle, of which the other founders knew nothing." Binns tone of voice told the whole class that he did not believe this to be possible.

"Slytherin, according to the legend, sealed the Chamber of Secrets so that none would be able to open it until his own true heir arrived at the school. The heir alone would be able to unseal the Chamber of Secrets, unleash the horror within, and use it to purge the school of all who were unworthy to study magic."

"I always knew Salazar Slytherin was a twisted old loony," Ron told Aileen and Hermione as they fought their way through the teeming corridors at the end of the lesson to drop off their bags before dinner. "But I never knew he started all this pureblood stuff. I wouldn't be in his house if you paid me. Honestly, if the Sorting Hat had tried to put me in Slytherin, I'd've got the train straight back home..."

Hermione nodded fervently, but Aileen didn't say anything. She had never told Ron and Hermione that the Sorting Hat had seriously considered putting her in Slytherin. The only reasons she had not ended up in the House of the Snakes was because she had asked the hat to place her with her friends and because she had not wanted to spend the next seven years living in close quarters with someone as arrogant as Malfoy. But even now, after the hassle of the House of Snakes and their head, she didn't have a general hatred to all things Slytherin. And she very much doubted that the story of Salazar Slytherin is as simple as it is portrayed – after all the founders had to have been very close friends to build a school as magnificent as this. Then there was the many famous Slytherins that had graduated from Hogwarts and gone onto do great things.

As they were shunted along in the throng, Colin Creevy went past. "Hiya, Aileen!"

"Hello, Colin," Aileen automatically respondedsince Colin had taken to saying hello to her every time they passed in the corridor.

"Aileen – Aileen - a boy in my class has been saying you're -"

But Colin was so small he couldn't fight against the tide of people bearing him toward the Great Hall; they heard him squeak, "See you, Aileen!" and he was gone.

"What's a boy in his class saying about you?" Hermione wondered.

"That I'm Slytherin's heir, I expect," Aileen answered with a grumble. She had seen students turn and walk in the opposite direction of her all week, or walk as far from her down the corridor as they could. She had even seen Justin of Hufflepuff turn and run away when he saw her. It seemed she was about to be facing another school term of being ostracized by the students who didn't think about the evidence before them and felt like blaming Aileen, except this time it wasn't about points and the house cup. All Aileen could hope for was that her friends were not drawn into the bullying this time and that perhaps the teachers would notice and take action unlike the year before.

"People here'll believe anything," said Ron in disgust. The crowd thinned and they were able to climb the next staircase without difficulty. "D'you really think there's a Chamber of Secrets?" Ron asked Hermione, who was generally the source of knowledge and logic unless it was in a strenuous situation.

"I don't know," she said, frowning. "Dumbledore couldn't cure Mrs. Norris, and that makes me think that whatever attacked her might not be – well - human."

As she spoke, they turned a corner and found themselves at the end of the very corridor where the attack had happened. They stopped and looked. The scene was just as it had been that night, except that there was no stiff cat hanging from the torch bracket, and an empty chair stood against the wall bearing the message.

"That's where Filch has been keeping guard," Ron muttered. They looked at each other. The corridor was deserted.

"Can't hurt to have a poke around," saidAileen crouching down and looking closely around the corridor: her instincts had been screaming danger since Halloween and she needed to know what she was facing encase it could sniff her out as a demigod (although from what she could tell magical creatures didn't have the same blood-thirst for demigods that monsters had).

"Scorch marks!" she said. "Here - and here -" Aileen pointed to the edge of both sides of the corridor, noticing that it ran along the majority of the corridor. But it was faded and Aileen couldn't tell where the trail started, ended, or led. Too much time had passed and the walls of the castle were very strong and so the marks were only just visible to her. Perhaps if she had been able to probably examine the corridor when it first happened she would have gotten directionality from the marks, but she wouldn't get anything from it now other than the thing they were looking for was big and fast.

"Come and look at this!" said Hermione. "This is funny..."

Hermione was pointing at a long line of spiders, who were climbing a single silvery thread in order to reach the top most pane. There, there was a small group of the spiders fighting to be the first to get through the small crack. Aileen had never seen anything like it, it was as though the spiders were terrified of something and wanted out of the castle as quickly as they could.

"Have you ever seen spiders act like that?" said Hermione wonderingly.

"Never, something must have spooked them – they're evacuating the castle." Aileen said, frowning in thought. "What do you think, Ron?" Aileen turned to Ron who hadn't said anything yet. She found him standing as far back from the wall as he could and he appeared to be fighting his instinct to run.

"What'swrong?"Aileen asked in concern at seeing his fear.

"I - don't – like - spiders," said Ron tensely.

"I never knew that," said Hermione, looking at Ron in surprise. "You've used spiders in Potions loads of times..."

"I don't mind them dead," said Ron, who was carefully looking anywhere but at the window. "I just don't like the way they move..." Hermione giggled. "It's not funny," said Ron, fiercely. "If you must know, when I was three, Fred turned my - my teddy bear into a dirty great spider because I broke his toy broomstick... You wouldn't like them either, if you'd been holding your bear and suddenly it had too many legs and..." He broke off, shuddering.

Hermione was obviously still trying not to laughwhile Aileen nodded in understanding. She didn't have a fear of spiders because she had shared a living space with them, but she had no doubt that if she had been forced to spend only one or two nights in the cupboard every now and then she would have grown to fear them instead of accept them. And she was aware that all children of the goddess Athena had a fear of spiders because of the curse Athena cast on Arachne.

Feeling they had better get off the subject before Hermione insulted Ron and started another argument, Aileen said, "Remember all that water on the floor? Where did that come from? Someone's mopped it up."

"It was about here," said Ron, recovering himself to walk a few paces past Filch's chair and pointing. "Level with this door." He reached for the brass doorknob but suddenly withdrew his hand as though he'd been burned.

"What's the matter?" said Aileen, coming over to see the door.

"Can't go in there," said Ron gruffly. "That's a girls' toilet."

"Oh, Ron, there won't be anyone in there," said Hermione, standing up and coming over. "That's Moaning Myrtle's place. Come on, let's have a look."

And ignoring the large OUT of ORDER sign, she opened the door. Aileen hadn't been in these toilets before. Whenever she spoke with Myrtle it was in any of the many other bathrooms since the young ghost was prone to wondering the pipes. The bathroom was in the worst condition out of all the bathrooms in the school. Water pooled on the floor, mirrors hung cracked on the wall and a few of the stool doors where hanging off their hinges.

"Hello, Myrtle?"Aileen called walking down the bathroom, looking into the stools to see if the young ghost was home.

She found Myrtle in the end stool, floating above the tank of the toilet, picking a spot on her chin. She looked rather board, something Aileen new happened a lot with the ghost since there was not much she could do. The other ghosts did talk with her, but not often because she was still a teenage girl while – out of all the other ghosts in the school – the Grey Lady was youngest at around 25/30 years. There was too much of an age difference for them to have much in common so their conversations didn't last long and they didn't happened often either.

"This is a girls' bathroom," she said, eyeing Ron suspiciously. "He's not a girl."

"No," Hermione agreed. "I just wanted to show him how er – nice it is in here." She waved vaguely at the dirty old mirror and the damp floor – Aileen made a mental note to teach Hermione how to lie better.

"Myrtle," Aileen said softly, before Hermione could be called out on her lie. "We were wondering if you saw anything on Halloween? Because a cat was attacked right outside your front door on Halloween. Did you see anyone near here that night?"

"I wasn't paying attention," said Myrtle dramatically. "Peeves upset me so much I came in here and tried to kill myself. Then, of course, I remembered that I'm - that I'm"

"Already dead," said Ron helpfully.

Myrtle gave a tragic sob, rose up in the air, turned over, and dived headfirst into the toilet, splashing water all over them and vanishing from sight, although from the direction of her muffled sobs, she had come to rest somewhere in the U-bend.

Aileen, Ron and Hermione where sat in the common room later that night, trying to avoid Percy who Ron had had an argument with earlier on in the day about responsibility and looking after Ginny. Percy had seen them coming out of the girl's bathroom and responded in a rash, angry way since he didn't want the three of them encouraging the rumors that were floating about by being seen where Mrs. Norris was attacked. Aileen, however, was confused on how Ginny got brought into the debate.

Despite the time that had passed, Ron was still in a foal temper. Aileen had convinced him to try and concentrate on his charms homework which was due the day after tomorrow, but he kept blotting the parchment. As he had done for every assignment the year before, Ron absently reached for his wand so that he could remove the smudges. However, the spell didn't work as it was supposed to and it set the parchment alight. Knowing there was no saving it, Aileen grabbed the parchment and threw it in the fire before it could burn anything else.

Ron slammed his Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2 shut, silently stating he was giving up on his homework as he sat back on his chair – fuming. To Aileen's surprise, Hermione followed suitbut she was gentler with the book she was currently pursuing.

"Who can it be, though?" she said in a quiet voice, as though continuing a conversation they had just been having. "Who'd want to frighten all the Squibs and Muggleborns out of Hogwarts?"

"Let's think," said Ron in mock puzzlement. "Who do we know who thinks Muggleborns are scum?" He looked at Hermione. Hermione looked back, unconvinced.

"If you're talking about Malfoy -"

"Of course I am!" said Ron. "You heard him call you a Mudblood; come on, you've only got to look at his foul rat face to know it's him -"

"Malfoy, the Heir of Slytherin?" said Hermione skeptically.

"Look at his family," said Ron as Aileenalso closed her book, deciding that she wouldn't be able to get anymore work done with the two of them conspiring. "The whole lot of them have been in Slytherin; he's always boasting about it. They could easily be Slytherin's descendants. His father's definitely evil enough. They could've had the key to the Chamber of Secrets for centuries! Handing it down, father to son... "

"Well," said Hermione cautiously, "I suppose it's possible... "

"But how do we prove it?" Aileen questioned, not willing to give voice to her opinion on who she thought it was especially since she didn't want to wrongfully accuse someone like she was being accused. She had many reasons to doubt it was Malfoy, but the most prominent one being that the Malfoy family originated from France seven hundred years ago. There was no way for them to be descended of Slytherin unless one of Slytherin heir's married into the family and if that was the case, they would not be hiding the fact that Lucius Malfoy is Lord Slytherin.

"There might be a way," said Hermione slowly, dropping her voice still further with a quick glance across the room at Percy despite the fact that he was too far away to hear. "Of course, it would be difficult. And dangerous, very dangerous. We'd be breaking about fifty school rules, I expect -"

"If, in a month or so, you feel like explaining, you will let us know, won't you?" said Ron irritably, never having been one to learn patience.

"All right," said Hermione coldly. "What we'd need to do is to get inside the Slytherin common room and ask Malfoy a few questions without him realising it's us."

"But that's impossible," Aileensaidwith a questioning eyebrow raised,as Ron laughed at theincredibility of the idea.

"No, it's not," said Hermione. "All we'd need would be some Polyjuice Potion."

"What's that?" said Ron and Aileen frowned in thought as she tried to remember where she had heard that name.

"Snape mentioned it in class a few weeks ago -"

"D'you think we've got nothing better to do in Potions than listen to Snape?" muttered Ron.

"It transforms you into somebody else. Think about it! We could change into three of the Slytherins. No one would know it was us. Malfoy would probably tell us anything. He's probably boasting about it in the Slytherin common room right now, if only we could hear him."

"This Polyjuice stuff sounds a bit dodgy to me," said Ron, frowning. "What if we were stuck looking like three of the Slytherins forever?"

"It wears off after a while," said Hermione, waving her hand impatiently as though there was nothing to worry about. "But getting hold of the recipe will be very difficult. Snape said it was in a book called Moste Potente Potions and it's bound to be in the Restricted Section of the library."

There was only one way to get out a book from the Restricted Section (without the use of the invisibility cloak and a ten day window; something Aileen was not about to tell Hermione): You needed a signed note of permission from a teacher.

After the pixie incident, Lockhart had refrained from brining live creatures to class. Instead, he read from the drivel he called a book. During the more 'dramatic' parts of the book he would get students to reenact it. For some reason, Lockhart had decided that Aileen was the best person to reconstruction the scenarios.

Aileenwas hauled to the front of the class during their very next Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson, this time acting a every other time she had been taken to the front of the classroom, Aileen kept her face completely blank and when she was forced to speak she used her this-is-ridiculous-and-I-hate-you-voice that she had developed just for Lockhart. The Slytherins in the room seemed to find it highly amusing since none of them brought into the crap that Lockhart was sprouting.

"Nice loud howl, Aileen – exactly - and then, if you'll believe it, I pounced - like this - slammed him to the floor - thus with one hand, I managed to hold him down - with my other, I put my wand to his throat -I then screwed up my remaining strength and performed the immensely complex Homorphus Charm - he let out a piteous moan - the fur vanished - the fangs shrank - and he turned back into a man. Simple, yet effective - and another village will remember me forever as the hero who delivered them from the monthly terror of werewolf attacks."

The bell rang and Lockhart got to his feet.

"Homework - compose a poem about my defeat of the Wagga Wagga Werewolf! Signed copies of Magical Me to the author of the best one!"

The class began to leave. Aileen returned to the back of the room, where Ron and Hermione were waiting.

"We'll wait till everyone's gone," said Hermione nervously. "All right..."

She approached Lockhart's desk, a piece of paper clutched tightly in her hand, Aileen and Ron right behind her.

"Er - Professor Lockhart?" Hermione stammered. "I wanted to - to get this book out of the library. Just for background reading." She held out the piece of paper, her hand shaking slightly. "But the thing is, it's in the Restricted Section of the library, so I need a teacher to sign for it - I'm sure it would help me understand what you say in Gadding with Ghouls about slow-acting venoms..."

"Ah, Gadding with Ghouls!" said Lockhart, taking the note from Hermione and smiling widely at her. "Possibly my very favourite book. You enjoyed it?"

"Oh, yes," said Hermione eagerly. "So clever, the way you trapped that last one with the tea-strainer-"

"Well, I'm sure no one will mind me giving the best student of the year a little extra help," said Lockhart warmly, and he pulled out an enormous peacock quill. "Yes, nice, isn't it?" he said, misreading the revolted look on Ron's face. "I usually save it for book-signings." He scrawled an enormous loopy signature on the note and handed it back to Hermione.

"I don't believe it," Aileen said as the three of them examined the signature on the note after making it a safe distance from the classroom. "He didn't even look at the book we wanted."

"That's because he's a brainless git," said Ron. "But who cares, we've got what we needed-"

"He is not a brainless git," said Hermione shrilly as they headed toward the library.

"Just because he said you were the best student of the year-"

They dropped their voices as they entered the muffled stillness of the library. Madam Pince, the librarian, was a thin, irritable woman who looked like an underfed vulture.

"Moste Potente Potions?" she repeated suspiciously, trying to take the note from Hermione; but Hermione wouldn't let go.

"I was wondering if I could keep it," she said breathlessly.

"Oh, come on," said Ron, wrenching it from her grasp and thrusting it at Madam Pince. "We'll get you another autograph. Lockhart'll sign anything if it stands still long enough."

Five minutes later, they were barricaded in Moaning Myrtle's out-of order bathroom once again. Hermione had overridden Ron's objections by pointing out that it was the last place anyone in their right minds would go, so they were guaranteed some privacy.

Myrtle had once more taken to crying in her stall, but Aileen left her too it since interrupting Myrtle during a good cry could turn her anger on you. Hermione was the one in control of the book (she wouldn't even let Aileen and Ron touch it) as she turned page after page, looking for the potion they wanted. From what little she was able to gleam of the rest of the book, Aileen could understand why it was in the restricted section. Almost every potion came with an illustration that showed the taker to be in great pain. Making a mental note to herself, Aileen promised herself to go through the book and write out the instructions for potions that she might find useful in the future.

"Here it is," said Hermione excitedly as she found the page headed The Polyjuice Potion. It was decorated with drawings of people halfway through transforming into other people. Aileen sincerely hoped the artist had imagined the looks of intense pain on their faces: she had experienced more than enough pain in her life without personally inflicting it on herself.

"This is the most complicated potion I've ever seen," said Hermione as they scanned the recipe.

"Hermione, we're second years and that book is from the restricted section; I should hope it is the most complicated potion you know the existence off." Aileen informed her friend as she leant forward to read the ingredients and process

"Lacewing flies, leeches, fluxweed, and knotgrass," Hermione murmured, running her finger down the list of ingredients as she chose to ignore Aileen's sarcasm. "Well, they're easy enough, they're in the student store cupboard, we can help ourselves... Oooh, look, powdered horn of a Bicorn - don't know where we're going to get that - shredded skin of a Boomslang; that'll be tricky, too and of course a bit of whoever we want to change into."

"Excuse me?" said Ron sharply. "What d'you mean, a bit of whoever we're changing into? I'm drinking nothing with Crabbe's toenails in it -"

Hermione continued as though she hadn't heard him. "We don't have to worry about that yet, though, because we add those bits last..." Ron turned, speechless, to Aileen, who had another worry (she had probably tasted things far worse than this potion before).

"What are we going to do about the ingredients not in the student cupboard, Hermione? Like the shredded skin of a boomslang. The only place I can think that would be is Snape's private stores. What are you planning to do, break into it?

Aileen had stolen before but she detested having to do so and she especially disliked the idea of stealing from Snape who she knew had tried to protect her the year before. She was thinking about sending an owl to the apothecary asking for the ingredients they would need, but she wasn't certain she would be able to get them. Unless she research other – less harmful – potions that's required it and mentioned how she was looking to brew them.

Hermione shut the book with a snap. "Well, if you two are going to chicken out, fine," she said. There were bright pink patches on her cheeks and her eyes were brighter than usual. "I don't want to break rules, you know. I think threatening Muggleborns is far worse than brewing up a difficult potion. But if you don't want to find out if it's Malfoy, I'll go straight to Madam Pince now and hand the book back in..."

"I never thought I'd see the day when you'd be persuading us to break rules," said Ron, probably remembering the strict rule abiding Hermione from the year before. "All right, we'll do it. But not toenails, okay?"

"How long will it take to make, anyway?" said Aileen resignedly as Hermione, looking happier, opened the book again. She would contact the apothecary as soon as she could in regards to the ingredients and hopefully prevent any theft, and if that wasn't possible replace any ingredients that Hermione chose to steal while also increasing her own potion stock.

"Well, since the fluxweed has got to be picked at the full moon and the lacewings have got to be stewed for twenty-one days... I'd say it'd be ready in about a month, if we can get all the ingredients. "

"A month?" said Ron. "Malfoy could have attacked half the Muggleborns in the school by then!" But Hermione's eyes narrowed dangerously again, and he added swiftly, "But it's the best plan we've got, so full steam ahead, I say."

"Slytherin has better brooms than us," Oliver Wood began. "No point denying it. But we've got better people on our brooms. We've trained harder than they have, we've been flying in all weathers -"

("Too true," muttered George. "I haven't been properly dry since August")

"and we're going to make them rue the day they let that little bit of slime, Malfoy, buy his way onto their team." Chest heaving with emotion, Wood turned to Aileen. "It'll be down to you, Aileen, to show them that a Seeker has to have something more than a rich father. Get to that Snitch before Malfoy or die trying, Aileen, because we've got to win today, we've got to."

"So no pressure, Aileen" said Fred, winking at her. Aileen just rolled her eyes, amused, she never understood Woods' obsession with winning.

When the team entered the pitch, they were immediately engulfed by the noise of the crowd. It was mostly cheers from the Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws who were hoping they would beat Slytherin and therefore give them a better chance at the cup. But just because they were the minority, didn't mean that the Slytherins didn't make themselves herd with their hissing and booing.

Madam Hooch, as she always did, was playing referee. She went through the normal process of asking the two captains to shake hands (it was meant to encourage sportsmanship). However, the rivalry between Flint and Wood was greater than the normal Slytherin and Gryffindor rivalry so they attempted to break each other's hands and glare the other into submission.

"On my whistle," said Madam Hooch. "Three... Two... One..."

With a roar from the crowd to speed them upward, the fourteen players rose toward the leaden sky. Aileen flew higher than any of them, looking around for the Snitch. This was the first game she was playing with glasses, and she hadn't realizing how much she relied on her instincts before. Not even the training showed her how much easier it was to see the field during play with her glasses. However, just because she could now see better than she ever could before, didn't mean she was going to stop using her instincts since it was something that she could transfer into her demi-god life.

"All right there, Scarhead?" yelled Malfoy, shooting underneath her as though to show off the speed of his broom.

Aileen chosenot toreplyto Malfoy's taunting since she was confident in her skills as a seeker and, more importantly, as a flyer. Even though Malfoy's broom was a little faster than hers, Aileen was confident that she had more control and could actually use the speed on her broom to the best of its abilities. Moments after Malfoy moved to fly on the other side of the pitch, Aileen was forced to bank left sharply as a Bludger came pelting towards her.

"Close one, Aileen!" said George, streaking past her with his club in his hand, ready to knock the Bludger back toward a Slytherin.

Aileen saw George give the Bludger a powerful whack in the direction of Adrian Pucey, but the Bludger changed direction in midair and shot straight for Aileen again. Aileen dropped quickly to avoid it, and George managed to hit it hard toward Malfoy. Once again, the Bludger swerved like a boomerang and shot at Aileen's head. Aileen put on a burst of speed and zoomed toward the other end of the pitch. She could hear the Bludger whistling along behind her. Fred was waiting for the Bludger at the other end. Aileen ducked as Fred swung at the Bludger with all his might; the Bludger was knocked off course.

"Gotcha!" Fred yelled happily, but he was wrong; as though it was magnetically attracted to Aileen, the Bludger pelted after her once more and Aileen was forced to fly off at full speed.

It had started to rain; Aileen felt heavy drops fall onto her face, splattering onto her glasses.

Fred and George were now flying so close to her on either side that Aileen could see nothing at all except their flailing arms and had no chance to look for the Snitch, let alone catch it.

"Someone's – tampered – with – this – Bludger -" Fred grunted, swinging his bat with all his might at it as it launched a new attack on Aileen.

"I want to know why no one else has noticed." Aileen said sharply, trying to fly in such a way that it made it easier for the twins to put power behind their swings and not risk hurting her, and yet not give the Bludger an opening. This was as bad as her first match the year before, when her broom was being cursed. It had taken a while for anyone to notice then, except this time she didn't seem to have Professor Snape helping to protect her. Instead, she had the twins doing their best to intercept the Bludger.

"We need time out," said George, trying to signal to Wood.

Wood had obviously got the message. Madam Hooch's whistle rang out and Aileen, Fred, and George dived for the ground, still trying to avoid the mad Bludger.

"What's going on?" said Wood as the Gryffindor team huddled together, while Slytherins in the crowd jeered. "We're being flattened. Fred, George, where were you when that Bludger stopped Angelina scoring?"

"We were twenty feet above her, stopping the other Bludger from murdering Aileen, Oliver," said George angrily. "Someone's fixed it - it won't leave Aileen alone. It hasn't gone for anyone else all game. The Slytherins must have done something to it."

"But the Bludgers have been locked in Madam Hooch's office since our last practice, and there was nothing wrong with them then..." said Wood, anxiously.

Madam Hooch was walking toward them. Over her shoulder, Aileen could see the Slytherin team jeering and pointing in her direction.

"I have an idea." Aileen sighed, she knew that Wood would not give up the game. "Fred, George, leave the Bludger to me. I'm faster than it and I can take corners quicker. With you two up with me the others are being slaughter."

"Don't be thick," said Fred. "It'll take your head off."

Wood was looking from Aileen to the Weasleys.

"Oliver, this is insane," said Alicia angrily. "You can't let Aileen deal with that thing on her own. Let's ask for an inquiry..."

"If we stop now, we'll have to forfeit the match!" said Oliver worriedly.

Madam Hooch had joined them. "Ready to resume play?" she asked Wood.

Wood looked at the calm but resolute look onAileen's face. "All right," he said. "Fred, George, you heard Aileen - leave her alone and let her deal with the Bludger on her own."

Fred and George were still frowning worriedly at her as the rest of the team got on their brooms, preparing to take off. On an impulse Aileen leaned forward and kissed the both of them on the cheek.

"I'll be fine." Aileen promised them, touched that they cared about her.

The rain was falling more heavily now. On Madam Hooch's whistle, Aileen kicked hard into the air and heard the telltale whoosh of the Bludger behind her. Higher and higher Aileen climbed; she looped and swooped, spiralled, zigzagged, and rolled. Slightly dizzy, she nevertheless kept her eyes wide open, rain was speckling her glasses and ran up her nostrils as she hung upside down, avoiding another fierce dive from the Bludger.

Using the Bludger to her advantage Aileen started interrupting play. She would dive just in front of the Slytherin players or fly towards them and pull away at the last second causing them to have to dodge the Bludger that was on her tail. When she wasn't making the Slytherin's life hell she was flying in complicated and quick patterns around the stadium, pulling of tricks that even professionals struggled with. And while doing all that she kept an eye out for the snitch.

"Training for the ballet, Potter?" yelled Malfoy as Aileen was forced to do a barrel roll mid-loop to dodge the Bludger, and she fled, the Bludger trailing a few feet behind her; and then, glaring back at Malfoy in hatred, she saw it - the Golden Snitch.

It was hovering inches above Malfoy's left ear - and Malfoy, busy laughing at Aileen, hadn't seen it. Aileen span quickly, her broom turning in a complicated way around her as she planted her feet on the brush in order to complete the turn without any further moment in the direction she didn't want to go. Then she flew towards Malfoy, ducking under the Bludger. The Bludger seemed to realized that the game was about to come to an end because suddenly she didn't have one Bludger to dodge, but two.

One came from behind and the other the side. Aileen mentally cursed and dodged the one from behind her since it was aimed at her head but the one coming from the side hit her full on. She felt the bones in her arm shatter and at least two ribs. Aileen went off track for a few seconds before she swerved and continued her dive straight down to Malfoy. Her broken arm gripping the broom tightly.

Through a haze of rain and pain she dived for the shimmering, sneering face below her and saw its eyes widen with fear: Malfoy thought Aileen was attacking him.

"What the -" he gasped, careening out of Aileen's way.

Aileen took her good hand off her broom and made a wild snatch; she felt her fingers close on the cold Snitch but was now only gripping the broom with her legs and a broken arm. There was a yell from the crowd as she headed straight for the ground. Aileen leaned back on the broom and with one hand stilled gripped around the handle in pain it forced her broom to level out barely an inch of the ground.

Aileenslipped of her broom and to her knees, breathing shallowly as she focused on not passing out. She had none of her medical equipment on her because her Quidditch robes didn't have pockets. She was contemplating sowing them in due to the way both her first season games went to hell in a hay basket.

Before she knew what was happening Aileen was suddenly swamped by what left like the entire Gryffindor house, but none of them dared touch her, not sure what her injuries where. Then she heard a voice in the crowd, asking them to let him threw. Putting the snitch in her pocket, Aileen drew her wand.

Gritting her teeth, Aileen slowly pulled herself to her feet and pointed her wand directly in Lockhart's face. The older man paled drastically. Out of the corner of her eye Aileen saw Professor Snape making his way through the crowd with a scrawl fixed on his face.

"Not to worry, Aileen. I'm just here to fix your arm."said Lockhart soothingly. "It's a simple charm I've used countless times -"

"You will do no such thing." Aileen hissed at him, her eyes narrowed. "You are not a professional healer and I would rather spend the rest of my life with a broken arm then allow you to touch me. Now back off." Aileen ordered him.

"Come now, Aileen, it will only take a few seconds." Lockhart tried to say.

But Aileen wasn't focused on him anymore. She heard a whistle of air behind her. Immediately she span on the spot:

"Confringo" she shouted. The red spell left her wand and impacted against the Bludger turning it to dust above the shocked crowd.

"What are you doing Lockhart?" Professor Snape's voice drooled. "Surely you should be escorting Miss Potter to the Hospital Wing, where a professional can heal her rather then stood out here in the rain."

"Would you mind escorting me up to the Hospital Wing Professor, since you have a background in healing? And you're skilled enough in defence to stop the other Bludger from trying to kill me." Aileen took a chance – as far as she was aware professor Snape was the only adult to directly try and save her life from immediately present danger.

Aileen walked to professor Snape's side and without saying a word Professor Snape place a hand on her shoulder, they both walked through the crowd. It was only once she was in the corridors, out of sight of the student's that she collapsed. Professor Snape reacted quickly and caught her.

"My ribs." Aileen gasped out before her eyes rolled to the back of her head and she passed out.

When Aileen came too she was in the hospital wing, with Madam Pomfrey hovering round her bed, casting diagnostic spells. The pain had been reduced to a dull ach and Aileen could feel her arm was in a sling – which told her the break was very bad since Madam Pomfrey could fix a simple fracture in seconds. Aileen wasn't sure what she had done with her ribs, breathing was easier but it still caused a spike of pain and she felt bandages wrapped around her chest.

"Ah, good you're awake." Madam Pomfrey said, she was holding a large bottle of Skele-Gro.

"That bad?" Aileen asked.

"I have set most of the bones in your arm, however some of them had been too badly damaged and I was forced to vanish them. Your ribs I have healed but they will be tender for the next three days or so. You're in for a rough night," she said, pouring out a steaming beaker full and handing it to her. "Re-growing bones is a nasty business."

So was taking the Skele-Gro. It burned Aileen's mouth and throat as it went down. Still tut-tutting about dangerous sports and inept teachers, Madam Pomfrey retreated, leaving Ron and Hermione to step forward from where they were hovering in the background.

"Could have tasted worse." Aileen grimaced, taking the cup of water that Hermione offered her.

"We won, though," said Ron, a grin breaking across his face. "That was some catch you made. Malfoy's face... He looked ready to kill!"

"I want to know how he fixed that Bludger," said Hermione darkly.

"We can add that to the list of questions we'll ask him when we've taken the Polyjuice Potion," Aileen said, sinking back onto her pillows as what was left of the adrenaline in her system faded. "I hope it tastes better than this stuff..."

"If it's got bits of Slytherins in it? You've got to be joking," said Ron.

The door of the hospital wing burst open at that moment. Filthy and soaking wet, the rest of the Gryffindor team had arrived to see Aileen.

"Unbelievable flying, Aileen," said George. "I've just seen Marcus Flint yelling at Malfoy. Something about having the Snitch on top of his head and not noticing. Malfoy didn't seem too happy."

They had brought cakes, sweets, and bottles of pumpkin juice; they gathered around Aileen's bed and were just getting started on what promised to be a good party when Madam Pomfrey came storming over, shouting:

"This girl needs rest, she's got eleven bones to regrow! Out! OUT!"

And Aileen was left alone, with nothing to distract her from the stabbing pains in her arm. Hours and hours later, Aileen woke quite suddenly in the pitch blackness. With a thrill of horror, she realised that someone was sponging her forehead in the dark.

"Get off me!" shehissed, and then, "Dobby!"

The house-elf's goggling tennis ball eyes were peering at Aileen through the darkness. A single tear was running down his long, pointed nose.

"Aileen Potter came back to school," he whispered miserably. "Dobby warned and warned Aileen Potter. Ah miss, why didn't you heed Dobby? Why didn't Aileen Potter go back home when she missed the train?"

Aileen heaved herself up on her pillows. "It was you! You stopped the barrier from letting us through!" Aileen accused, with slightly narrowed eyes as what Dobby was saying penetrated her sleep and pain filled mind.

"Indeed yes, miss," said Dobby, nodding his head vigorously, ears flapping. "Dobby hid and watched for Aileen Potter and sealed the gateway and Dobby had to iron his hands afterward," he showed Aileen ten long, bandaged fingers, "but Dobby didn't care, miss, for he thought Aileen Potter was safe, and never did Dobby dream that Aileen Potter would get to school another way!"

He was rocking backward and forward, shaking his ugly head. "Dobby was 'so shocked when he heard Aileen Potter was back at Hogwarts, he let his master's dinner burn! Such a flogging Dobby never had, sir..."

He blew his nose on a corner of the filthy pillowcase he wore, looking so pathetic that Aileen felt her anger ebb away in spite of herself.

"I suppose that you were also the one to enchant the Bludger?" Aileen asked, sinking back into the pillows. "Are you aware that you could have killed me?"

"Not kill you, miss, never kill you!" said Dobby, shocked. "Dobby wants to save Aileen Potter's life! Better sent home, grievously injured, than remain here miss! Dobby only wanted Aileen Potter hurt enough to be sent home!"

"Dobby if I was grievously injured I would be kept in the hospital wing and if Madam Pomfrey couldn't heal me I would be sent to the hospital until such a time as I am well again. Then I would come back to Hogwarts." Aileen explained softly. "I know you're worried about my safety Dobby, but I am not going anywhere."

"Ah, if Aileen Potter only knew!" Dobby groaned, more tears dripping onto his ragged pillowcase. "If she knew what she means to us, to the lowly, the enslaved, we dregs of the magical world! Dobby remembers how it was when He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was at the height of his powers, miss! We house-elves were treated like vermin, miss! Of course, Dobby is still treated like that, miss," he admitted. Aileen grabbed a tissue from her bedside table and gently dried Dobby's face of tears.

"But mostly, miss, life has improved for my kind since you triumphed over He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Aileen Potter survived, and the Dark Lord's power was broken, and it was anew dawn, miss, and Aileen Potter shone like a beacon of hope for those of us who thought the Dark days would never end... And now, at Hogwarts, terrible things are to happen, are perhaps happening already, and Dobby cannot let Aileen Potter stay here now that history is to repeat itself, now that the Chamber of Secrets is open once more-"

Dobby froze, horror-struck, then made to grab Aileen's water jug from her bedside table but Aileen caught the house-elf with her good arm and pulled him to her side, ignoring the pain that shot threw her ribs as she jarred them.

"I will not let you punish yourself in my presence Dobby." Aileen informed the house elf who was shaking and muttering 'Bad Dobby' to himself while wringing his hands.

"Dark deeds are planned in this place, but Aileen Potter must not be here when they happen-go home, Aileen Potter, go home. Aileen Potter must not meddle in this, miss, 'tis too dangerous-"

"Dobby my life is full of danger, being a Hogwarts is probably the safest I've ever been." Aileen informed the house elf. "I know you can't tell me who opened it last time or who is opening it now, but can you tell me when the chamber was last opened?" Aileen asked softly.

"Fifty years ago."squealed the elfafter a moment before he was back to pleading. "Go home, Aileen Potter, go home!"

"I'm not going anywhere!" said Aileen fiercely. "One of my best friends is Muggle-born; she'll be first inline if the Chamber really has been opened -"

"Aileen Potter risks her own life for her friends!" moaned Dobby in a kind of miserable ecstasy. "So noble! So valiant! But she must save herself, she must, Aileen Potter must not -"

Dobby suddenly froze, his bat ears quivering. Aileen heard it, too. There were footsteps coming down the passageway outside.

"Dobby must go!" breathed the elf, terrified.

There was a loud crack, and Aileen was suddenly holding thin air to her side. Aileen fixed her eyes on the dark doorway to the hospital wing as the footsteps drew nearer. Next moment, Dumbledore was backing into the hospital wing, wearing a long woolly dressing gown and a nightcap. He was carrying one end of what looked like a statue. Professor McGonagall appeared a second later, carrying its feet. Together, they heaved it onto a bed.

"Get Madam Pomfrey," whispered Dumbledore, and Professor McGonagall hurried past the end of Aileen's bed out of sight. She heard urgent voices from the direction of Madam Pomfrey's office, and then Professor McGonagall swept back into view, closely followed by Madam Pomfrey, who was pulling a cardigan on over her nightdress. He heard a sharp intake of breath.

"What happened?" Madam Pomfrey whispered to Dumbledore, bending over the statue on the bed.

"Another attack," said Dumbledore. "Minerva found him on the stairs."

"There was a bunch of grapes next to him," said Professor McGonagall. "We think he was trying to sneak up here to visit Potter."

Aileen's stomach gave a horrible lurch. Slowly and carefully, Aileen swung her feet of the bed and made her way towards the professors. A ray of moonlight lay across its staring face. It was Colin Creevey. His eyes were wide and his hands were stuck up in front of him, holding his camera.

"Colin," Aileen whispered horrified as she moved to the young boys side, reaching her good hand out to touch the boy's head.

"Miss Potter, what are you doing out of bed?" Madam Pomfrey demanded.

Aileen didn't even look at her. "He's been petrified, like Mrs Norris."

"Yes," said Professor McGonagall through pursed lips when she realized that Aileen wasn't going nowhere. "But I shudder to think… If the headmaster hadn't been on the way downstairs for hot chocolate - who knows what might have -"

The four of them stared down at Colin. Then Dumbledore leaned forward and wrenched the camera out of Colin's rigid grip.

"You don't think he managed to get a picture of his attacker?" said Professor McGonagall eagerly. Dumbledore didn't answer. He opened the back of the camera.

"Good gracious!" said Madam Pomfrey. A jet of steam had hissed out of the camera. Aileen caught the acrid smell of burnt plastic. "Melted," said Madam Pomfrey wonderingly. "All melted..."

"What does this mean, Albus?" Professor McGonagall asked urgently.

"It means," said Dumbledore, "that the Chamber of Secrets is indeed open again." Madam Pomfrey clapped a hand to her mouth.

"You were at school the last time it open," Aileen looked up at the headmaster, her emerald eyes swimming with a hint of blue-y-green in her anger and sadness. "Did you figure out what the beast, the thing attacking the students, was?"

"Sadly no." Dumbledore sighed. "And that is not the question; the question is how…"

The news that Colin Creevey had been attacked and was now lying, as though dead, in the hospital wing had spread through the entire school by Monday morning despite the teachers best attempts at keeping the knowledge under-wraps. The air was suddenly thick with rumour and suspicion. The first years were now moving around the castle in tight-knit groups, as though scared they would be attacked if they ventured forth alone.

Ginny, who sat next to Colin Creevey in Charms, was distraught. Aileen tried to get the younger girl to open up to her and when she took her out to train, she turned it into a game to get the girl to smile and laugh. She also refused to let her join any of the team practice because she was in no state to cope with Wood's drill Sargent behavior. When Aileen had informed Wood of this he had been furious but Aileen had shouted him down (in front of the whole team and the Gryffindor students above fourth year) informing him in no uncertain terms that Ginny's health was more important to her than any stupid cup and if he had a problem with that he could find a new seeker. The twins had added to the threat by saying Oliver would also be looking for new beaters while Percy had silently glared the Quidditch obsessed boy into submission while publicly showing support for the twins which he didn't do very often.

Despite the fact that she had been under Madam Pomfrey's care in the hospital wing, and therefore unable to even get out of bed without immediately being set upon, the majority of the school population still seemed to be under the impression that Aileen was the heir. There was a quiet few who used their common sense and let her know they didn't think it was her, but they didn't want attention and scorn drawn to them so they didn't say anything in her defense. Aileen didn't mind that they were being silent since they told her what they thought and in her opinion they were too young to face the school wide bullying with confidence.

Meanwhile, hidden from the teachers, a roaring trade in talismans, amulets, and other protective devices was sweeping the school. Neville bought a large, evil-smelling green onion, a pointed purple crystal, and a rotting newt tail before the other Gryffindor boys pointed out that he was in no danger; he was a pureblood, and therefore unlikely to be attacked.

"They went for Filch first," Neville said, his round face fearful. "And everyone knows I'm almost a Squib."

Aileen had pulled the boy into a hug and dragged him away from the other students where she then proceed to methodically go through all the facts pointing to why Neville was not a squib. It was something she had been trying to persuade him off since first year, but with others calling him a squib and the strict, unhelpful behaviour of his gran it was very hard work. It was made even worse because Neville was not using his own wand and she couldn't get him to buy one that suited him since his grandmother wanted him to use his father's wand – in his memory.

A lot of the first years were afraid, going around in groups, having nightmares and, more often than not, crying. Aileen did what she could to comfort them, but a lot of the student body were suffering from the delusional believe that she was the heir of Slytherin and so were avoiding her. Because of this she generally went to the prefect/head boy/head girl, when she came across one of the upset first years and they wouldn't accept her help.

Mid-December, as was her routine, McGonagall brought around the list of those who would be staying for the Christmas Holidays in Gryffindor. Aileen, as usual signed her name, joined by Ron and Hermione who had convinced their parents to let them stay. Aileen had overheard Malfoy saying that he would be staying for the Christmas Holidays because his parents were going to some big convention in France. Hermione thought that the holidays would be the best time to use the potion.

However, the only way that the potion would be finished on time was if they were able to get their hands on Bicorn horn and Boomslang skin. The items were very expensive and restricted owl order items, you would have to go into an apothecary to buy them (as Aileen had been informed when she sent a letter to the apothecary asking. This was because the Bicorn horn was only used in OWL potions and higher, while Boomslang skin was used in some potions brewed prior to OWL year, they were healing potions. The only way to get the ingredients is to prove either advanced potion's knowledge or an OWL/NEWT.). Which meant that the only way they would be able to get the ingredients is if they got them from Snape's privet stores; he only let the best of his NEWT classes into these stores if they could prove themselves capable brewers and they were under his constant supervision.

Aileen privately felt she'd rather face Slytherin's legendary monster than steal from Snape. However, she didn't voice her doubts to her friends in what they were planning. In the same way she didn't voice her doubts about Malfoy. The year before she had been ignored in her defense of Snape, and now she doubted her voicing in defense of Malfoy would go over well especially when Hermione had her stubborn head on. She was set in her ways and refused to listen to anything Aileen had to say on the matter and so she had given up.

"What we need," said Hermione briskly as Thursday afternoon's double Potions lesson loomed nearer, "is a diversion. Then one of us can sneak into Snape's office and take what we need." Aileen and Ron looked at her nervously. "I think I'd better do the actual stealing," Hermione continued in a matter-of-fact tone. "You two will be expelled if you get into any trouble, and I've got a clean record. So all you need to do is cause enough mayhem to keep Snape busy for five minutes or so. "

Aileen smiledgrimly. Deliberately causing mayhem in Snape's Potions class was about as safe as poking a sleeping dragon in the eye. They were probably more likely to be expelled for disrupting Snape's class then actually getting caught stealing from the man. Especially since, although he hid it well, Snape took the safety of his students very seriously. Deliberately distracting the class could cause an explosion from a student who wasn't paying attention to their cauldron, which could result in serious injuries.

The potion lesson began as usual. Twenty cauldrons stood steaming between the wooden desks, on which stood brass scales and jars of ingredients. Snape prowled through the fumes, making waspish remarks about the Gryffindors' work while the Slytherins sniggered appreciatively.

Draco Malfoy, who was Snape's favourite student, kept flicking puffer-fish eyes at Ron and Aileen. The only reason Aileen's and Ron's cauldrons hadn't blown up yet was because Aileen would catch the pufferfish eye (she was between Malfoy and Ron). She currently had a stack of about twelve pufferfish eyes on her desk. Snape had seen the flying pufferfish parts, but hadn't made a comment since it had yet to land in her cauldron. Aileen's potion was slightly too dark since her focus was so split but she really didn't care. Ron's potion was doing even worse than hers since his attention was focused on waiting for Hermione's signal, although his potions skills were poor to average at best.

When Snape turned and walked off to bully Neville, Hermione caught Aileen's eye and nodded. Aileen ducked swiftly down behind her cauldron, pulled one of Fred's Filibuster fireworks out of her pocket, and gave it a quick prod with her wand. The firework began to fizz and sputter. Knowing she had only seconds, Aileen straightened up, took aim, and lobbed it into the air; it landed right on target in Goyle's cauldron (which she had deduced to be at a stage where it wouldn't harm nobody else when it exploded).

Goyle's potion exploded, showering the whole class. People shrieked as splashes of the Swelling Solution hit them. Malfoy got a face-full and his nose began to swell like a balloon; Goyle blundered around, his hands over his eyes, which had expanded to the size of a dinner plate - Snape was trying to restore calm and find out what had happened. Through the confusion, Aileen saw Hermione slip quietly into Snape's office.

"Silence! SILENCE!" Snape roared. "Anyone who has been splashed, come here for a Deflating Draft - when I find out who did this -"

Aileen and the rest of the Gryffindors who had been too far from Goyle to be hit, watched as a good proportion of the Slytherins walked up to Snape's desk with various parts of their bodies increasing in size. As Snape started deflating half the class, Aileen spotted Hermione sneaking back into the classroom, the needed ingredients hidden under her robes.

When everyone had taken a swig of antidote and the various swellings had subsided, Snape swept over to Goyle's cauldron and scooped out the twisted black remains of the firework. There was a sudden hush.

"If I ever find out who threw this," Snape whispered, "I shall make sure that person is expelled."

Aileen simply frowned in worry as she looked at the firework in the professor's hand. She made it look like she was trying to identify who it might belong to. She was not going to look Snape in the eye because he seemed very good at reading her emotions when he was doing so despite the fact that she had perfected her mask long before arriving at Hogwarts.

When they got to Myrtle's bathroom Hermione threw the new ingredients into the cauldron and began to stir feverishly.

It was a week after they began the final process of brewing the polyjuice (which sounded better then thinking about how it had been a week since Aileen had helped Hermione steal from Snape) when the trio were walking across the entrance hall. Instead of continuing on to the common room, they stopped as they noticed a small group of people gathered around a notice board. This was an unusual occurrence because the notices were normally put in the common room, but if there was one in the entrance hall it meant it was really important and applied to everyone on the school and not just a specific house or year. They probably had copies in the common room, to make sure everyone read the notice.

Seamus and Dean beckoned them over, looking excited. Although Aileen spent more time speaking with Neville then she did the other two Gryffindor boys of their year, they still had a mostly friendly acquaintance.

"They're starting a Duelling Club!" said Seamus. "First meeting tonight! I wouldn't mind duelling lessons; they might come in handy one of these days..."

"What, you reckon Slytherin's monster can duel?" said Ron, but he, too, read the sign with interest. "Could be useful," he said to Aileen and Hermione as they went into dinner. "Shall we go?"

Hermione agreed to go since it was a chance of learning something knew while Aileen agreed to go sine she wanted to see how well her reflexes carried over to help her in a magical dual as opposed to a fight with monsters. It also gave her a chance to practice more of her defensive and offensive spells in a controlled, practical, environment. So it was, with their different reasons, the group joined the Seamus, Neville and Dean as they headed to the great hall that night. The girls from their year had decided they didn't want to go, but depending on what Hermione and Aileen said, they said they would consider going to the next session.

Between dinner and the start of the dueling club the house elves had been very busy rearranging the Great Hall. The five dining tables had been removed (to who knew were), and the floating candles had been moved so they were hanging intermitted through the room. Instead, they would grouped together along the outside, with a handful hanging up above the golden stage which had been placed were the teachers table normally sat. From the number of students in the room, it seemed that the majority had come to see what the dueling club was about, exhibiting various degrees of emotion (from excited too annoyed).

"I wonder who'll be teaching us?" said Hermione as they edged into the chattering crowd. "Someone told me Flitwick was a duelling champion when he was young - maybe it'll be him."

"Knowing our luck it will be Lockhart." Aileen said and then, as if to just prove her point, Gilderoy Lockhart strutted onto the stage, resplendent in robes of deep plum and accompanied by none other than Snape, wearing his usual black. Lockhart waved an arm for silence and called:

"Gather round, gather round! Can everyone see me? Can you all hear me? Excellent! Now, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little duelling club, to train you all in case you ever need to defend yourselves as I myself have done on countless occasions - for full details, see my published works. Let me introduce my assistant, Professor Snape," said Lockhart, flashing a wide smile. "He tells me he knows a tiny little bit about duelling himself and has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration before we begin. Now, I don't want any of you youngsters to worry - you'll still have your Potions master when I'm through with him, never fear!"

"Wouldn't it be good if they finished each other off?" Ron muttered in Aileen's ear.

Snape's upper lip was curling. Aileen wondered why Lockhart was still smiling; if Snape had been looking at her like that she'd have been running as fast as she could in the opposite direction (and she had actually faced countless monsters). Lockhart and Snape turned to face each other and bowed; at least, Lockhart did, with much twirling of his hands, whereas Snape jerked his head irritably. Then they raised their wands like swords in front of them.

"As you see, we are holding our wands in the accepted combative position," Lockhart told the silent crowd. "On the count of three, we will cast our first spells. Neither of us will be aiming to kill, of course."

"I wouldn't bet on that," Aileen murmured, watching Snape baring his teeth even though his stance suggested he wasn't taken the fool seriously.

"One – two – three -"

Both of them swung their wands above their heads and pointed them at their opponent; Snape cried: "Expelliarmus!"

There was a dazzling flash of scarlet light and Lockhart was blasted off his feet: He flew backward off the stage, smashed into the wall, and slid down it to sprawl on the floor. Malfoy and some of the other Slytherins cheered.

Hermione was dancing on tiptoes. "Do you think he's all right?" she squealed through her fingers.

"Who cares?" said Aileen and Ron together, and Aileen had a feeling the only reason Ron wasn't clapping or cheering was because it was Snape who blasted Lockhart across the room. Lockhart was getting unsteadily to his feet. His hat had fallen off and his wavy hair was standing on end.

"Well, there you have it!" he said, tottering back onto the platform. "That was a Disarming Charm - as you see, I've lost my wand - ah, thank you, Miss Smith - yes, an excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape, but if you don't mind my saying so, it was very obvious what you were about to do. If I had wanted to stop you it would have been only too easy - however, I felt it would be instructive to let them see... "

Snape was looking murderous. Possibly Lockhart had noticed, because he said, "Enough demonstrating! I'm going to come amongst you now and put you all into pairs. Professor Snape, if you'd like to help me -"

They moved through the crowd, matching up partners. Lockhart teamed Neville with Justin Finch-Fletchley, but Snape reached Aileen, Hermione and Ron first.

"Time to split up the dream team, I think," he sneered. "Weasley, you can partner Finnigan. Potter, Mr. Malfoy, come over here. Let's see what you make of the famous Potter. And you, Miss Granger - you can partner Miss Bulstrode."

Malfoy strutted over, smirking. Behind him walked a Slytherin girl who reminded Aileen of a picture she'd seen in Holidays with Hags, or perhaps of the empousa without any of the seductive charm that they use to lure in (and kill) men. She was very square and stocky, the shapeless fomr of the school robes and the awkwardness of youth not helping her any. Hermione gave her a weak smile that she did not return.

"Face your partners!" called Lockhart, back on the platform. "And bow!"

Aileen and Malfoy barely inclined their heads, not taking their eyes off each other. Malfoy was known for dirty handed tricks, and she did not trust the other boy as far she could throw him. But she also didn't bow properly since it was a sign of disrespect to the person they are dueling – an insult in the old tradition because it insinuated that the other person was below you in skill and stature. The only reason Snape hadn't bowed properly was because he most likely considered Lockhart a bug to be squished and he would take it as a sign of respect instead of an insult if he had bowed like Lockhart wanted.

"Wands at the ready!" shouted Lockhart. "When I count to three, cast your charms to disarm your opponents - only to disarm them - we don't want any accidents - one... Two... Three... "

But Malfoy had already started on "two": Aileen dodged the spelled and irritably cast her own.

"Expelliarmus"

Malfoy's wand went flying and Aileen caught it not remotely impressed. Malfoy was of an old pureblood family which meant he had been taught the basics of magic before coming to Hogwarts, and once he started Hogwarts he would have started having proper magic lessons during the summer and that includes duelling. He had two months to learn the basics of duelling and yet he – not only cheated – but was unable to shield or dodge a simple spell.

"I said disarm only!" Lockhart shouted in alarm over the heads of the battling crowd."Stop! Stop!" screamed Lockhart, but Snape took charge.

"Finite Incantatem!" he shouted, loudly; Aileen was impressed that he was able to cast a spell powerful enough to council the possible hundreds of spells that was flying around the room and the effects.

A haze of greenish smoke was hovering over the scene. Both Neville and Justin were lying on the floor, panting; Ron was holding up an ashen-faced Seamus, apologising for whatever his broken wand had done; but Hermione and Millicent were still moving; Millicent had Hermione in a headlock and Hermione was whimpering in pain; both their wands lay forgotten on the floor. Aileen leapt forward in order to help her grabbed Millicent's arm, wrenching it from Hermione and pulling it behind her. With her arm locked in place it was easy for Aileen to maneuver the larger girl away from her friend.

"Dear, dear," said Lockhart, skittering through the crowd, looking at the aftermath of the duels. "Up you go, Macmillan... Careful there, Miss Fawcett... Pinch it hard, it'll stop bleeding in a second, Boot... I think I'd better teach you how to block unfriendly spells," said Lockhart, standing flustered in the midst of the hall.

He glanced at Snape, whose black eyes glinted, and looked quickly away. "Let's have a volunteer pair – Longbottom and Finch-Fletchley, how about you-"

"A bad idea, Lockhart," said Snape, gliding over like a large and malevolent bat. "Longbottom causes devastation with the simplest spells. We'll be sending what's left of Finch-Fletchley up to the hospital wing in a matchbox."

Neville's round, pink face went pinker.

"How about Malfoy and Potter?" said Snape, his face straight and giving nothing away.

"Excellent idea!" said Lockhart, gesturing Aileen and Malfoy into the middle of the hall as the crowd backed away to give them room. Aileen tossed Malfoy's wand back to him causing a few Gryffindor's to laugh.

"Now, Aileen," said Lockhart. "When Draco points his wand at you, you do this." He raised his own wand, attempted a complicated sort of wiggling action, and dropped it. Snape smirked as Lockhart quickly picked it up, saying, "Whoops - my wand is a little overexcited -"

Snape moved closer to Malfoy, bent down, and whispered something in his ear and demonstrated a wand movement that appeared to be a second level shield smirked,and stepped away from the professor.

"Scared?" muttered Malfoy, so that Lockhart couldn't hear him.

Aileen didn't answer to his petty baiting.

Lockhart cuffed Aileen merrily on the shoulder. "Just do what I did, Aileen!"

"What, drop my wand?" Aileen said sarcastically as she took her place.

But Lockhart wasn't listening. "Three – two – one - go!" he shouted.

Malfoy raised his wand quickly (it seemed he had the common sense to not cast before the count while everyone was watching) and bellowed, "Serpensortia!"

The end of his wand exploded.

Aileen didn't wait to see the long black snakeland on the ground, "Expelliarmus" she said once again sending Malfoy's wand flying over to her. The smirk was whipped of his face. Aileen then turned her attention to the snake that had fallen heavily onto the floor between them, and raised itself, ready to strike. There were screams as the crowd backed swiftly away, clearing the floor.

"All of you move back, slowly." Aileen order the front row of students, being careful to think about speaking English. They did as she ordered and started shuffling backwards. Aileen's voice had drawn the attention of the snake to her.

"Don't move, Potter," said Snape lazily, but even while she stood eye to eye with an angry snake she could hear the undertone of annoyance in the man's voice – he obviously did not want his student to have summed the snake. "I'll get rid of it... "

"Allow me!" shouted Lockhart. He brandished his wand at the snake and there was a loud bang; the snake, instead of vanishing, flew ten feet into the air and fell back to the floor with a loud smack.

Enraged, hissing furiously, it slithered straight toward Justin Finch-Fletchley and raised itself again, fangs exposed, poised to strike. Acting on instinct Aileen jump off the stage and landed in a crouch in front of Justin. Then she stood locking eyes with the snake to assert her dominance over it.

"Clam yourself, beautiful," Aileen said, her voice taking on a hissing quality like it always does when she speaks with a snake. The snake folded in on itself from its poised position and closed its mouth. "I will take you from here, return you from where you came." Aileen continued, holding her arm out.

"I did not like it there, to many cages. Means two-leggers." The snake hissed angrily.

"Then I shall find you a new home," Aileen promised.

"There will be rats?" the snake hissed, swaying slightly. "And no two legged creatures to take my venom."

"Yes," Aileen hissed. The snake slivered up her arm and wrapped himself around her chest. Aileen turned her attention to Snape, who, like the rest of the hall, was staring at her in shock. "I need to see the headmaster about finding a home for this snake; I will not allow you to banish it and return it to where it comes from, he did not like it there, sir." And with that said Aileen turned and walk from the hall, the students parting to let her through.

After her discussion with the headmaster about finding a safe home for the snake, Aileen left the headmaster's office just as Snape led a red faced Malfoy up the stairs. She went to the common room where she found Ron, Hermione and Neville waiting for her. It appeared as though everyone else had gone to bed.

"You're a Parselmouth. Why didn't you tell us?" Ron demanded while Aileen pulled herself up onto her windowsill.

"Parselmouth?" Aileen asked confused. She had never heard that title before.

"You can talk to snakes!" Ron exclaimed.

"I know," said Aileen. "I've been talking to snakes most my life. Wasn't till I accidentally set a boa-constrictor on my cousin Dudley while we were at the Zoo that I realized I was talking a different language. It was telling me it had never seen Brazil and I sort of set it free without meaning to but that was before I knew I was a witch." Aileen shrugged carelessly.

"A boa constrictor told you it had never seen Brazil?" Ron repeated faintly.

"Yeah, snakes are very intelligent creatures. Some of the more common breads like the grass snakes are not as intelligent as something like the boa constrictor but they have about the same understanding as a child would."

"Aileen,this is bad."Ron finally said once he had gotten his mouth to work again.

Both Ron and Hermione were looking as though someone had died. Neville wasn't as bad but he still looked extremely concerned.

"Would you three please explain why you look like your about to attend my funeral?" Aileen asked.

"Being able to talk to snakes was what Salazar Slytherin was famous for. That's why the symbol of Slytherin House is a serpent." said Hermione, speaking at last in a hushed voice,

"Exactly," said Ron. "And now the whole school's going to think you're his great-great-great-great-granddaughter or something-"

"They already think I am the heir." Aileen informed them bluntly with a careless shrug. "Being able to speak to snakes changes nothing. The opinion of the sheep of this school does not matter to me – they can all go to Hades, if they can't pull their collective heads out of their asses and look at the facts in front of them."

The next morning the snow that had begun in the night had turned into a blizzard so thick that the last Herbology lesson of the term was canceled: Professor Sprout wanted to fit socks and scarves on the Mandrakes, a tricky operation she would entrust to no one else but her most prized students (a couple of seventh years and Neville), now that it was so important for the Mandrakes to grow quickly and revive Mrs. Norris and Colin Creevey.

Aileen was in the library looking though books in the creature section. She was trying to find books on snakes because she had realized that the creature must be a snake – that is after all what Salazar was famous for. She thought it might be a Basilisk but she didn't understand why no one was dead if it was. From what she knew there were two different types of Basilisk.

The first was, in some aspects the most deadly. They are small, fast, and have spikes around their heads that looks like a crown. Their scales are coated in a poison like their teeth and can dissolve any substance like acid and they can breathe fire. This basilisk was more closely related to their drakon kin and are also called mikró stemma. The mikró stemma had a fatal weakness that many demi-gods have exploited – weasels can kill them with their presence – if they did not wish to engage them in combat.

The second basilisk is also known as the King of Serpents. They can grow to be up to 80 feet long (females being larger than males) and live thousands of years. They can also go a long period of time without food by going into a type of hibernation. They have yellow eyes that will kill immediately upon gaining eye contact. Their poison kills in under two minutes and the only known cure is the freely given tears of a phoenix. The thing that makes this basilisk so hard to kill is the inability to penetrate its skin; not even celestial bronze or imperial gold could cut though the basilisk scales. It is for this reason that this basilisk is known as the true basilisk.

Aileen prayed that she was wrong in her belief of what the creature was because she doubted that anyone could take on the King of Serpents and live. Aileen knew she might have a chance against the mikró stemma but no one, in the entirety of their history, had been able to kill a Basilisk. Not Hercules, or Perseus, or Jason or Theseus. Each of these hero's faced the Basilisk and where forced to flee, or die.

Aileen was about to leave the library, book in hand, when a group of the Hufflepuffs, who should have been in Herbology, sitting at the back of the library, caught her attention. They didn't seem to be working. Between the long lines of high bookshelves, Aileen could see that their heads were close together and they were having what looked like an absorbing conversation. She was about to walk away from them when something of what they were saying met her ears, and she paused to listen, hidden (ironically) in the Invisibility section.

"So anyway," a stout boy was saying (Aileen thought his name was Ernie, but she wasn't sure), "I told Justin to hide up in our dormitory. I mean to say, if Potter's marked him down as her next victim, it's best if he keeps a low profile for a while. Of course, Justin's been waiting for something like this to happen ever since he let slip to Potter he was Muggle-born. Justin actually told her he'd been down for Eton. That's not the kind of thing you bandy about with Slytherin's heir on the loose, is it?"

"You definitely think it is Potter, then, Ernie?" said a girl with blonde pigtails (Hannah, she thought) anxiously. It sounded almost like she didn't want to believe what Ernie was saying but she was scared and willing to listen to what was being said.

"Hannah," said Ernie, "she's a Parselmouth. Everyone knows that's the mark of a Dark wizard. Have you ever heard of a decent one who could talk to snakes? They called Slytherin himself Serpent-tongue." There was some heavy murmuring at this, and Ernie went on, "Remember what was written on the wall? Enemies of the Heir, Beware. Potter had some sort of run-in with Filch. Next thing we know, Flich's cat's attacked. That first year, Creevey, was annoying Potter in the corridors, continually badgering her. Next thing we know - Creevey's been attacked."

"She always seems so nice, though. She didn't appear to hate Justin and I heard that she was helping out the first years," said Hannah uncertainly, "and, well, she's the one who made You-Know-Who disappear. She can't be all bad, can she?"

Ernie lowered his voice mysteriously, the Hufflepuffs bent closer. "No one knows how she survived that attack by You-Know-Who. I mean to say, she was only a baby when it happened. She should have been blasted into smithereens. Only a really powerful Dark wizard could have survived a curse like that." He dropped his voice until it was barely more than a whisper, and said, "That's probably why You-Know-Who wanted to kill her in the first place. Didn't want another Dark Lord competing with him. I wonder what other powers Potter's been hiding?"

Aileen had heard enough. She turned on her heel and walked out of the library. Aileen walked down the corridor with a frown on her face. Planning…

"Oh, hello, Hagrid," Aileen said, pulled from her thoughts by the presence of her large friend.

Hagrid's face was entirely hidden by a woolly, snow-covered balaclava, but it couldn't possibly be any-one else, as he filled most of the corridor in his moleskin overcoat. A dead rooster was hanging from one of his massive, gloved hands.

"All righ', Aileen?" he said, pulling up the balaclava so he could speak. "Why aren't yeh in class?"

"Canceled," said Aileen, "What're you doing in here?"

Hagrid held up the limp rooster. "Second one killed this term," he explained. "It's either foxes or a Blood-Suckin Bugbear, an' I need the Headmaster's permission ter put a charm around the hen coop." He peered more closely at Aileen from under his thick, snow-flecked eyebrows. "Yeh sure yeh're all righ'?"

"It's nothing," she said. "I'd better get going, Hagrid, it's Transfiguration next and I've got to pick up my books." She walked off.

Aileen went up the stairs and turned along another corridor, which was particularly dark; the torches had been extinguished by a strong, icy draft that was blowing through a loose windowpane. She was halfway down the passage when she nearly tripped headlong over something lying on the floor. She squinted down at what it was and felt as though her stomach had dissolved.

Justin Finch-Fletchley was lying on the floor, rigid and cold, a look of shock frozen on his face, his eyes staring blankly at the ceiling. And that wasn't all. Next to him was another figure, the strangest sight Aileen had ever seen. It was Nicolas no longer pearly-white and transparent, but black and smoky, floating immobile and horizontal, six inches off the floor. His head was half off and his face wore an expression of shock identical to Justin's.

Aileen ran to the nearest classroom and threw open the door.

"Miss Potter, what-" Professor McGonagall exclaimed from the front of her fifth year classroom.

"Professor, Justin, Nicolas, they've been attacked." Aileen said, her eyes wide.

"Show me." Professor McGonagall ordered as Aileen left the classroom. They came to a stop at Justin's side just as Peeves came flying through a door. He spotted Nicolas and Justin and before either of them could stop him he filled his lungs and screamed:

"ATTACK! ATTACK! ANOTHER ATTACK! NO MORTAL OR GHOST IS SAFE! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! ATTAAAACK!"

Crash – crash – crash - door after door flew open along the corridor and people flooded out joining McGonagall and her class in the corridor. For several long minutes, there was a scene of such confusion that Justin was in danger of being squashed and people kept standing in Nicolas. Aileen crouched above Justin, taking many kicks as students stampeded in the corridor. The teachers shouted for quiet. Professor McGonagall used her wand to set off a loud bang, which restored silence, and ordered everyone back into their classes. Aileen stood up from her protective position and just as the scene cleared somewhat Ernie the Hufflepuff arrived, panting, on the scene.

"Caught in the act!" Ernie yelled, his face stark white, pointing his finger dramatically at Aileen.

"That will do, Macmillan!" said Professor McGonagall sharply.

Peeves was bobbing overhead, now grinning wickedly, surveying the scene; Peeves always loved chaos. As the teachers bent over Justin and Nicolas, examining them, Peeves broke into song:

"Oh, Potter, you rotter, oh, what have you done, You're killing off' students, you think it's good fun -"

"That's enough Peeves!" barked Professor McGonagall, and Peeves zoomed away backward, with his tongue stuck out at Aileen.

Justin was carried up to the hospital wing by Professor Flitwick and Professor Sinistra of the Astronomy department, but nobody seemed to know what to do for Nicolas. In the end, Professor McGonagall conjured a large fan out of thin air, which she gave to Ernie with instructions to waft Nicolas up the stairs. This Ernie did, fanning Nicolas along like a silent black hovercraft. This left Aileen and Professor McGonagall alone together.

"This way, Potter," she said.

"Professor,I am not the one attacking students." Aileen informed her bluntly as they walked.

"This is out of my hands, Potter," said Professor McGonagall curtly.

"To hell with that; the way you're acting is making the students hate me. None of you are standing up for me and that is causing the students to attack me. I may be able to dodge spells but sometimes my friends aren't fast enough." Aileen said, her tone hard.

Since Colin had been attacked she had been the subject of harsh tongues and spell fire. So far none had succeed in hitting her and the only reason her friends had not been hit was because she cast a shield spell over them. Since the dueling club the attacks had been getting worse.

McGonagall didn't answer, they justmarched in silenceto the headmaster's office. They stoppedbefore a large and extremely ugly stone gargoylethat Aileen had been in front of only two days before.

"Lemon drop!" she said.

The gargoyle sprang suddenly to life and hopped aside as the wall behind him split in two. Behind the wall was a spiral staircase that was moving smoothly upward, like an escalator. As she and Professor McGonagall stepped onto it, Aileen heard the wall thud closed behind them. They rose upward in circles, higher and higher, until at last, slightly dizzy, Aileen saw a gleaming oak door ahead, with a brass knocker in the shape of a griffin.

They stepped off the stone staircase at the top, and Professor McGonagall rapped on the door. It opened silently and they entered. Professor McGonagall told Aileen to wait and left her there, alone. Aileen looked of all the teacher's offices that Aileen had been in, Dumbledore's was the most interesting.

It was a large and beautiful circular room, full of funny little noises. A number of curious silver instruments stood on spindle-legged tables, whirring and emitting little puffs of smoke. The walls were covered with portraits of old headmasters and headmistresses, all of whom were snoozing gently in their frames.

There was also an enormous, claw-footed desk, and, sitting on a shelf behind it, a shabby, tattered wizard's hat - the Sorting Hat. There was only one difference in the room that she could spot. On Saturday the golden perch that stood behind the door was empty, however today a decrepit-looking bird that resembled a half-plucked turkey sat on it. It was making a gagging noise and Aileen thought it looked very ill. Its eyes were dull and, even as Aileen watched, a couple more feathers fell out of its tail. Then suddenly the bird burst into flames.

Aileen stared in shock for a moment before she realized what the bird was – a phoenix. Aileen had heard rumors that the headmaster had gained a phoenix as a familiar but she had not thought them to be true. Apparently the rumors were, for once, correct. The bird, meanwhile, had become a fireball; it gave one loud shriek and next second there was nothing but a smoldering pile of ash on the floor.

The office door opened. Dumbledore came in, looking very somber.

"Professor,your Phoenix just burned." Aileen informed the old man hesitantly.

Dumbledore smiled. "About time, too," he said. "He's been looking dreadful for days; I've been telling him to get a move on."

Aileenlooked back to the perch in time to see a tiny, wrinkled, newborn bird poke its head out of the ashes. It was quite as ugly as the old one. Aileen moved forward and gently removed the chick from the ashes, brushing him clean and stroking him down the spine. The Phoenix thrilled softly in pleasure causing both Aileen and the headmaster to relax.

"It's a shame you had to see him on a Burning Day," said Dumbledore, seating himself behind his desk and motioning Aileen to the seat across from him. "Fawkes is really very handsome most of the time, wonderful red and gold plumage. Fascinating creatures, phoenixes. They can carry immensely heavy loads, their tears have healing powers, and they make highly faithful pets."

Aileen continued to gently run her thumb along Fawkes spine as she sat in the seat offered to her, waiting for Dumbledore to bring up the topic that had led her to being in his office. But Dumbledore just fixed Aileen with his penetrating, light-blue starethat Aileen met head on. She hadn't done anything wrong or against the school rules (technically she couldn't get in trouble for brewing the polyjuice until she actually took some).

Before Dumbledore could speak another word, however, the door of the office flew open with an almighty bang and Hagrid burst in, a wild look in his eyes, his balaclava perched on top of his shaggy blackhead and the dead rooster still swinging from his hand.

"It wasn' Aileen, Professor Dumbledore!" said Hagrid urgently. "I was talkin' ter her seconds before that kid was found, she never had time, sir -" Dumbledore tried to say something, but Hagrid went ranting on, waving the rooster around in his agitation, sending feathers everywhere. "- it can't've bin her, I'll swear it in front o' the Ministry o' Magic if I have to-"

"Hagrid, I-"

"- yeh've got the wrong girl, sir, I know Aileen never -'

"Hagrid!" said Dumbledore loudly. "I do not think that Aileen attacked those people."

"Oh," said Hagrid, the rooster falling limply at his side. "Right. I'll wait outside then, Headmaster." And he stomped out looking embarrassed.

"I am glade he is my friend," Aileen commented, blinking at the door in shock causing Dumbledore to chuckle.

"Indeed Hagrid is fiercely loyal to his friends." Dumbledore agreed, waving his wand to banish the rooster feathers.

"Headmaster, if you do not believe I attacked those students, why am I here?" Aileen asked brining the conversation back on topic.

"I still want to talk to you."Dumbledore said, considering her, the tips of his long fingers together. "I must ask you, Aileen, whether there is anything you'd like to tell me," he said gently. "Anything at all."

"I think I know what the beast is." Aileen said after a moment. Dumbledore's eyes widened in shock and he leaned forward, his focus completely on Aileen and the twinkle in his eyes gone. "I don't have any proof and something doesn't quite match up, but I believe that Salazar's beast is a basilisk." Aileen pulled the book on rare magical creatures out of her bag and handed it to the headmaster.

"Basilisk, the king of serpents. Why do you believe it is a basilisk child, I do not know much about them, unfortunately?" the headmaster asked leaning back thoughtfully, as he placed the book on the desk to go through later.

"As you said: the Basilisk is the king of Serpents. Salazar Slytherin was a parselmouth so it is not too far a stretch on the imagination that the beast in the chamber is a snake. Since the ability to speak to snakes is only past on through blood only his heirs would be able to control the beast and I imagine he has also put paseltongue passwords on the chamber so that no one else could find it." Aileen frowned. "A Basilisk can grow up to 80feet and can survive thousands of years; it also has the ability to hibernate for a long period of time if it is not being fed which would explain why it has lasted so long. Ron, Hermione and I went back to the corridor where Mrs Norris was attacked and found scorch marks, indicating that something fast and big passed though the corridor – I think you will find something similar at the other scenes."

"How does a basilisk attack?" Dumbledore asked after a moment of silence.

"It has a jaw strong enough to bit through anything; poison that can kill in under two minutes with no known cure and if you look the basilisk in the eye it will kill." Aileen explained.

"Then how are the students still alive?" Dumbledore asked, challenging her theory.

"I'm not sure, but I think it's because they never looked it directly in the eye. The day Mrs Norris was attacked Myrtle had flooded the corridor so there was water everywhere. Colin had his camera, and Justin must have seen it though Nicolas who, as a ghost, can't die a second time." Aileen explained thoughtfully.

"Out of all the monster's I have thought it could be, yours makes the most sense when you take in this remarkable reflective image possibility." Dumbledore agreed. "Is there anything else?"

"No professor, we don't know who is behind the attack or where the chamber is located." Aileen said answering the questions that the Headmaster had asked without saying.

"You have given me much to think about, thank you, Aileen." Dumbledore sighed. Hearing the dismissal Aileen got up, gentle placed Fawkes back on his perch and left the office.

The double attack on Justin and Nearly Headless Nick turned what had been nervousness in to real panic. Curiously, it was Nicolas's fate that seemed to worry people most. What could possibly do that to a ghost? People asked each other; what terrible power could harm someone who was already dead?

There was almost a stampede to book seats on the Hogwarts Express so that students could go home for Christmas.

"At this rate, we'll be the only ones left," Ron told Aileen and Hermione. "Us, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle. What a jolly holiday it's going to be."

Crabbe and Goyle, who always did whatever Malfoy did, had signed up to stay over the holidays, too. But Aileen was glad that most people were leaving. She was tired of people skirting around her in the corridors, tired of all the muttering, pointing, and hissing as she passed; she was especially tired of the curses, hexes and jinx's being sent at her.

"The Polyjuice Potion's nearly ready. We'll be getting the truth out of Malfoy any day now."

At last the term ended, and a silence deep as the snow on the grounds descended on the castle. Aileen found it peaceful, rather than gloomy, and enjoyed the fact that she, Hermione, and the Weasleys had the run of Gryffindor Tower, which meant they could play Exploding Snap loudly without bothering anyone, and practice duelling in private.

Percy, Fred, George, and Ginny had chosen to stay at school rather than visit Bill in Egypt with Mr. And Mrs. Weasley. Aileen figured that their excuses to stay (extra study, keeping an eye on their little brother/sister and wanting to experience a Hogwarts Christmas, respectively) was just an excuse so that the Weasley parents didn't have to spend more money trying to get the whole troop to Egypt. According to Percy, the eldest two Weasleys normally came home for Christmas, but just as Charlie couldn't get Christmas off last year, Bill's excavation this year was taking longer than they had predicted and so he wouldn't be finished until the New Year. From what Aileen could determine, the eldest Weasley children were trying to arrange time off together around the end of school term so that they could spend time with their entire family which is something they haven't quite managed since the Christmas before last (either Bill or Charlie had been missing at any of the gatherings or in the case of the year before the four middle children).

Aileen once again made frequent trips to the lake. She had only seen her dad a hand full of times since the first time she met him in the lake but she enjoyed spending her time with the other creatures that inhabited the lake. She was able to get some practice with her various weapons against the warriors of the Mer-village who were sometimes willing to spare the time to spar with her. There was also the times that the nymphs travelled to the lack for a short amount of time to tell her stories of her dad, brother and atlantis.

Christmas morning dawned, cold and did the same thing this year as she had the year before. She woke up early and levitated everyone's presents down to the common room. Then she woke everyone up: Hermione, Ron, Fred, George, Ginny and Percy. She waited for them down in the common room with tea and coffee set out by the excited house-elves.

The opening of the presence was just as fun this year as it was the year before, especially when Percy opened a present, blushed and quickly hid it. He then spent about five minutes fending of the twins and only Aileen telling them to open her present to them stopped them from physically tackling their brother to see what had made him blush.

No one, not even someone dreading taking Polyjuice Potion later, could fail to enjoy Christmas dinner at Hogwarts. The Great Hall looked magnificent. Not only were there a dozen frost-covered Christmas trees and thick streamers of holly and mistletoe crisscrossing the ceiling, but enchanted snow was falling, warm and dry, from the ceiling. Dumbledore led them in a few of his favourite carols, Hagrid booming more and more loudly with every goblet of eggnog he consumed. Percy, who hadn't noticed that Fred had bewitched his prefect badge so that it now read "Pinhead," kept asking them all what they were sniggering at.

Aileen didn't even care that Draco Malfoy was making loud, snide remarks about her new sweater from the Slytherin table. Mrs Weasley had made this sweeter for her and it made her feel like she belong somewhere – like she had a family. Ron had barely finished his third helping of Christmas pudding when Hermione ushered them out of the hall to finalise their plans for the evening.

"We still need a bit of the people you're changing into," said Hermione matter-of-factly, as though she were sending them to the supermarket for laundry detergent.

"And obviously, it'll be best if you can get something of Crabbe's and Goyle's; they're Malfoys best friends, he'll tell them anything. And we also need to make sure the real Crabbe and Goyle can't burst in on us while we're interrogating him. I've got it all worked out," she went on smoothly.

"Can I inquire as to why I must become a boy?" Aileen asked but was ignored as Hermioneheld up two plump chocolate cakes.

"I've filled these with a simple Sleeping Draught. All you have to do is make sure Crabbe and Goyle find them. You know how greedy they are, they're bound to eat them. Once they're asleep, pull out a few of their hairs and hide them in a broom closet."

Aileen and Ron looked incredulously at each other. "Hermione, that plan -"

"Could go seriously wrong -"

But Hermione had a steely glint in her eye not unlike the one Professor McGonagall sometimes had.

"The potion will be useless without Crabbe's and Goyle's hair," she said sternly. "You do want to investigate Malfoy, don't you?"

"Oh, all right, all right," said Aileen, knowing that they were not going to win this argument. "But what about you? Whose hair are you ripping out?"

"I've already got mine!" said Hermione brightly, pulling a tiny bottle out of her pocket and showing them the single hair inside it. "Remember Millicent Bulstrode wrestling with me at the Duelling Club? She left this on my robes when she was trying to strangle me! And she's gone home for Christmas—so I'll just have to tell the Slytherins I've decided to come back."

Aileen frowned at Hermione. How was she going to explain Millicent turning up for an hour, and then disappearing again? What would happen when Malfoy mentioned it to Millicent when she returned after Christmas – because Aileen had no doubt that Malfoy would enquire over the strange behaviour. Then there was the fact that Aileen had rarely if ever seen Millicent in Malfoy's presence. Normally the girl hung out with Theodore Nott and Blaise Zabini or Daphne Greengrass and Tracy Davis depending on the day. They were taking a big enough risk impersonation Crabbe and Goyle without adding the complications and risks of Hermione's identity to the plan.

When Hermione had bustled off to check on the Polyjuice Potion again, Ron turned to Aileen with a doom-laden expression. "Have you ever heard of a plan where so many things could go wrong?"

Much to Ron and Aileen's shock the first part of the plan went really well. Goyle and Crabbe ate the cakes and they stuffed them in a closet just off the entrance hall, taking their shoes and hurrying back to the bathroom. They could hardly see for the thick black smoke issuing from the stall in which Hermione was stirring the cauldron.

Pulling their robes up over their faces, Aileen and Ron knocked softly on the door.

"Hermione?" They heard the scrape of the lock and Hermione emerged, shiny faced and looking anxious. Behind her they heard the gloop gloop of the bubbling, glutinous potion. Three glass tumblers stood ready on the toilet seat.

"Did you get them?" Hermione asked breathlessly. Aileen showed her Goyle's hair. "Good. And I sneaked these spare robes out of the laundry," Hermione said, holding up a small sack. "You'll need bigger sizes once you're Crabbe and Goyle."

The three of them stared into the cauldron. Close up, the potion looked like thick, dark mud, bubbling sluggishly. "I'm sure I've done everything right," said Hermione, nervously rereading the splotched page of Moste Potente Potions. "It looks like the book says it should... Once we've drunk it, we'll have exactly an hour before we change back into ourselves."

"Now what?" Ron whispered.

"We separate it into three glasses and add the hairs."

Hermione ladled large dollops of the potion into each of the glasses. Then, her hand trembling, she shook Millicent Bulstrode's hair out of its bottle into the first glass. The potion hissed loudly like a boiling kettle and frothed madly. A second later, it had turned a sick sort of yellow.

"Urgh - essence of Millicent Bulstrode," said Ron, eyeing it with loathing. "Bet it tastes disgusting."

"Add yours, then," said Hermione.

Aileen dropped Goyle's hair into the middle glass and Ron put Crabbe's into the last one. Both glasses hissed and frothed: Goyle's turned the khaki color of a booger, Crabbe's a dark, murky brown.

"Hang on," said Aileen as Ron and Hermione reached for their glasses. "We'd better not all drink them in here... Once we turn into Crabbe and Goyle we won't fit. And Millicent Bulstrode's no pixie. We should also change into the other robes first, I already have doubts about turning into Goyle without having to see anything."

"Good thinking," said Ron, unlocking the door. "We'll take separate stalls."

Careful not to spill a drop of her Polyjuice Potion, Aileen slipped into the middle stall and placed the cup on the toilet. She quickly stripped down and pulled on the cloths Hermione had gotten. They were very loose on her and Aileen shifted uncomfortably.

"Ready?" she called.

"Ready," came Ron's and Hermione's voices.

"One-two-three-"

Pinching her nose, Aileen drank the potion down in two large gulps. It tasted like overcooked cabbage. Immediately, her insides started writhing as though she'd just swallowed live snakes -doubled up, she wondered whether she was going to be sick - then a burning sensation spread rapidly from her stomach to the very ends of her fingers and toes - next, bringing her to her knees, came a horrible melting feeling, as the skin all over her body bubbled like hot wax - and before her eyes, her hands began to grow, the fingers thickened, the nails broadened, the knuckles were bulging like bolts - her shoulders stretched painfully and a prickling on her forehead told her that hair was creeping down toward her eyebrows— her chest expanded like a barrel bursting its hoops.

As suddenly as it had started, everything stopped.

Taking a deep breath Aileen stood up. So this was what it felt like, being Goyle. Her large hand trembling, she laced up Goyle's boatlike shoes. She reached up to brush her hair out of her eyes and met only the short growth of wiry bristles, low on her forehead.

"Are you two okay?" Aileen called. Goyle's low rasp of a voice issued from her mouth.

"Yeah," came the deep grunt of Crabbe from her right.

Aileen unlocked her door and stepped in front of the cracked mirror. Goyle stared back at her out of dull, deep-set eyes. Ron's door opened. They stared at each other. Except that he looked pale and shocked, Ron was indistinguishable from Crabbe, from the pudding-bowl haircut to the long, gorilla arms.

"This is unbelievable," said Ron, approaching the mirror and prodding Crabbe's flat nose. "Unbelievable."

"We'd better get going," said Aileen, loosening the watch that was cutting into Goyle's thick wrist. "We'reon the clock now."

Ron, who had been gazing at Aileen, said, "You don't know how bizarre it is to see Goyle thinking." He banged on Hermione's door. "C'mon, we need to go -"

A high-pitched voice answered him. "I - I don't think I'm going to come after all. You go on without me."

"Hermione, we know Millicent Bulstrode's ugly, no one's going to know it's you -"

"No-really-I don't think I'll come. You two hurry up, you're wasting time"

"Hermione, are you okay?" said Aileen through the door.

"Fine-I'm fine-go on-"

Aileen looked at her watch. Five of their precious sixty minutes had already passed. "We'll meet you back here, all right?" she said.

Aileen and Ron opened the door of the bathroom carefully, checked that the coast was clear, and set off.

"Don't swing your arms like that," Aileen muttered to Ron.

"Eh?"

"Crabbe holds them sort of stiff... "

"How's this?"

"Yeah, that's better..."

They went down the marble staircase. Aileen led Ron to the entrance of the dungeons where she had seen Slytherins coming from. They had barely made it to the stairs when a girl with long, curly hair emerged from the entrance.

"Ravenclaw." Aileen grunted with a frown, wondering why the girl was down there.

Ron closed his mouth since he was about to ask where the common room was but Aileen's grunt stopped him. Aileen led Ron down the steps and through the corridor, in the general direction that she knew the common room they were looking for was.

After a quarter of an hour of walking they heard a sudden movement ahead.

"Ha!" said Ron excitedly. "There's one of them now!"

The figure was emerging from a side room. As they hurried nearer, however, their hearts sank. It wasn't a Slytherin, it was Percy.

"What're you doing down here?" said Ron in surprise. Percy looked affronted.

"That," he said stiffly, "is none of your business. It's Crabbe, isn't it?"

"Wh-oh, yeah," said Ron.

"Well, get off to your dormitories," said Percy sternly. "It's not safe to go wandering around dark corridors these days."

"You are," Ron pointed out.

"I," said Percy, drawing himself up, "am a prefect. Nothing's about to attack me."

A voice suddenly echoed behind Aileen and Ron. Draco Malfoy was strolling toward them, and for the first time in her life, Aileen was pleased to see him.

"There you are," he drawled, looking at them. "Have you two been pigging out in the Great Hall all this time? I've been looking for you; I want to show you something really funny." Malfoy glanced witheringly at Percy. "And what're you doing down here, Weasley?" he sneered.

Percy looked outraged. "You want to show a bit more respect to a school prefect!" he said. "I don't like your attitude!"

Malfoy sneered and motioned for Aileen and Ron to follow him. Ron and her hurried after Malfoy, who said as they turned into the next passage,

"That Peter Weasley-"

"Percy," Ron corrected him automatically.

"Whatever," said Malfoy. "I've noticed him sneaking around a lot lately. And I bet I know what he's up to. He thinks he's going to catch Slytherin's heir single-handed."

He gave a short, derisive laugh. Malfoy paused by a stretch of bare, damp stone wall.

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

"Er-" said Aileen, with a bewildered look that Goyle always wore whenever a teacher asked him a question in class.

"Oh, yeah - pure-blood!" said Malfoy, not listening, and a stone door concealed in the wall slid open.

Malfoy marched through it, and Aileen and Ron 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.

"Wait here," said Malfoy to Aileen and Ron, 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-" Wondering what Malfoy was going to show them, Aileen and Ron sat down, doing their best to look at home. Malfoy came back a minute later, holding what looked like a newspaper clipping. He thrust it under Ron's nose.

"That'll give you a laugh," he said. Aileen saw Ron's eyes widen in shock. He read the clipping quickly, gave a very forced laugh, and handed it to Aileen. 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 be-witching 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.

Aileen forced a laugh as she handed the clipping back to him.

"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.

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

"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 Muggleborns. A decent headmaster would never've let slime like that Creevey in." Malfoy started taking pictures with an imaginary camera and did a cruel but accurate impression of Colin: "`Potter, can I have your picture, Potter? Can I have your autograph? Can I lick your shoes, please, Potter?"' He dropped his hands and looked at Aileen and Ron. "What's the matter with you two?" Far too late, Aileen and Ron forced themselves to laugh, but Malfoy seemed satisfied; perhaps Crabbe and Goyle were always slow on the uptake.

"Saint Potter, the Mudbloods' friend," said Malfoy slowly. "She's another one with no proper wizard feeling, or she wouldn't go around with that jumped up Granger Mudblood. And people think she's Slytherin's heir! I wish I knew who it is," said Malfoy petulantly. "I could help them."

Ron's jaw dropped so that Crabbe looked even more clueless than usual. Fortunately, Malfoy didn't notice, and Aileen, 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 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.

Ron was clenching Crabbe's gigantic fists. Feeling that it would be a bit of a giveaway if Ron punched Malfoy, Aileen 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 expelled," said Malfoy. "They're probably still in Azkaban."

"Azkaban?" said Aileen, puzzled.

"Azkaban-the wizard prison, Goyle," said Malfoy, looking at her 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?" Aileen 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."

Aileen saw the excitement on Ron's face at that declaration and kicked him hard in the shins. "OW!" Ron explained.

Malfoy looked at him. So did Aileen. Ron blushed. Even his hair was turning red. His nose was also slowly lengthening-their hour was up, Ron was turning back into himself, and from the look of horror he was suddenly giving Aileen, she must be, too.

Aileen jumped up and hulled Ron to his feet, "I'll take him to the hospital wing." Aileen grunted in Goyle's monotone voice then pulled Ron out of the common room as quickly as she could.

Aileen could feel her feet slipping around in Goyle's huge shoes and had to hoist up her robes as she shrank; they crashed up the steps into the dark entrance hall, which was full of a muffled pounding coming from the closet where they'd locked Crabbe and Goyle. Leaving their shoes outside the closet door, they sprinted in their socks up the marble staircase toward Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.

"Well, it wasn't a complete waste of time," Ron panted, closing the bathroom door behind them. "I know we still haven't found out who's doing the attacks, but I'm going to write to Dad tomorrow and tell him to check under the Malfoys' drawing room."

Aileen checked her face in the cracked mirror. She was back to normal. She put her glasses on and divided into the stool she was in before to change. Ron hammered on the door of Hermione's stall.

"Hermione, come out, we've got loads to tell you-"

"Go away!" Hermione squeaked.

"What's the matter?" said Ron. "You must be back to normal by now, we are-"

But Moaning Myrtle glided suddenly through the stall door. "Ooooooh, wait till you see," she said. "It's awful-"

Aileen came out her stool completely dressed in her normal cloths. "Hermione?" Aileen called in concern.

They heard the lock slide back and Hermione emerged, sobbing, her robes pulled up over her head.

"What's up?" said Ron uncertainly. "Have you still got Millicent's nose or something?"

Hermione let her robes fall and Ron backed into the sink. Her face was covered in black fur. Her eyes had turned yellow and there were long, pointed ears poking through her hair. "It was a c-cat hair!" she howled. "M-Millicent Bulstrode m-must have a cat! And the p-potion isn't supposed to be used for animal transformations!"

"Uh-oh," said Ron.

"You'll be teased something dreadful," said Myrtle happily.

"Its okay, Hermione," said Aileen quickly. "We'll take you up to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey never asks too many questions... "

It took a long time to persuade Hermione to leave the bathroom. Moaning Myrtle sped them on their way with a hearty guffaw. "Wait till everyone finds out you've got a tail!"

Word count: 22,093

Copied: 11,350

Edited: 21/02/2018