They said that there would be a special class for evening's Defense against the Dark Arts, which got everyone very excited. Because it would mean that probably, Professor Lockhart would give a show on his legendry skills. At least, it was most of the girls who were excited. Circe felt lazy. She would really exchange detention for the next 2 week with a chance to skip today's lesson. There is definitely no amazing show by the awesome professor. Even Neville could outwit him if he put his mind to it. Why couldn't anyone see that he, Professor Gilderoy Lockhart, was just a fraud? She found out his lie when she saw him practicing the memory charm in class before lessons starts. She asked him about it and he replied that he was merely practicing; making sure that he doesn't 'lose it'. Though it did took some time to figure it out. Of course, why would a man who has a string of experience dealing with the dark arts practicing a memory charm? Why not an attack spells? But to sure, she broke into his office and read something from one of his books. She could have just bought some through owl mails but it would have been just a waste of money. The next day, she approached him after class.

"Professor, I read before that when you were wondering in the Russian forest, you encountered a hippogriff. What is the first move in that kind of situation?"

Professor Lockhart looked stunned for awhile. "Well…it's best to probably cast a fire charm as hippogriffs are really, really scared of fire."

Circe couldn't believe what he just said. A hippogriff that is afraid of fire? That wasn't the first move to do because it wasn't what was written in his book, if it was his in the first place.

"A fire spell, professor?" she stared blankly at him.

"Yes, Ms Grace. That's the very best…first move." He said while staring at the floor, scratching his head.

Got cha!

Wrong. The first move is to bow as low as possible because hippogriffs are proud creature. Showing an unfriendly move would be demanding deep injuries from them. "Thank you, professor. That was rather….enlightening." she smiled at him as she walks away. She decided not to report her findings to Professor Snape. Lockhart was just a waste of breath and space. And it was rather cruel to steal the memories of all those men. But she wondered just what other things he would do. Maybe she will deal with him later, right now; this so called Chamber of Secrets is her priority.

And now, she was heading towards his class with heavy eyelids. She couldn't believe it that she has to attend a stupid class by a stupid man. With a groan, she pushed the door open. Without any surprise, almost all the students were already there. They were all surrounding what looks like a long platform, chatting away with great excitement. It took a few seconds for Circe to realize that it was a dueling platform.

Then, Professor Lockhart appeared and he quickly walked up to the stage. Circe noticed that he was wearing a really fancy cape, hanging sloppily on his left shoulder.

"Gather around! Can everybody see me? Can you all hear me?"

When the crowd was silent, Circe, from the back row, could see him mouth the word 'excellent'. She rolled her eyes.

"In the lights of the dark events of recent weeks, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little dueling class, to train you all up, in case you ever need to defend yourself like I myself have done on countless occasions. For full details, see my published works." He grinned broadly, and then untying his cape, he threw it to a crowd of girls who gasped with thrill as they caught it. Circe could have vomited blood at that instant.

"Let me introduce my assistant, Professor Snape," he said as he stretched his arm to the other side of the platform. And then appeared the professor who seemed to glide up the platform, with his arm folded together. His face was expressionless and it could only mean one thing. You're dead meat, Lockhart. Circe smiled wickedly.

"He has sportingly to help me with a short demonstration. Now I don't want any of you youngsters to worry, you'll still have your potions master after I'm through with him. Never fear." And he gave a wink. Circe stomach made a double turn. She was totally disgusted by him. God, spare me this torture!

They started to walked across the platform, made the dueling gesture, bow and walked back. Everybody was watching and waiting. Only Circe yawned with no signs of embarrassment. It was so obvious who was going to land on him bum.

"On the count of one… Two…Three!"

Perhaps Lockhart wasn't quick enough, or wasn't smart enough or whatever but before he could even inhales the next breath of air, Professor Snape cried out, "Expellliarmus!"

And a jet of white energy rushed out and knock Lockhart flat on the ground. Way to go, professor!

Lockhart got up immediately with a loud groan. "An excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape, but if you don't mind me saying, that it was pretty obvious what you were about to do and if I had wanted to stop, it would only have been too easy."

"Perhaps it would be prudent to first teach the students to block and friendly spells." Professor Snape suggested, completely ignored Lockhart mumblings.

Lockhart looked as though he should have thought of that first. "An excellent suggestion, Professor Snape! Err…let's have a volunteer pair…Erm…Potter! Weasley! How about you two?"
Circe rubbed her eyebrows. Disaster is going to happened to Harry if Ron were to cast even a simple attack spell.

"Weasley is the one who causes devastation with the simplest spell. He'd be sending Potter to the hospital wing in a matchbox. Might I suggest someone from my own house? Malfoy, perhaps?" Snape intervened and without waiting for a mutual agreement, he turned around and summoned Malfoy to the platform.

Circe's attention pricked up. Potter and Malfoy? This would be interesting. Everybody knows that the both of them loath each other with pure hatred. Circe, who was leaning against a pillar, walked towards the platform.

"On the count to three, cast your charm to disarm your opponents, ONLY to disarm. We don't want any accidents here." Lockhart said.

Circe grinned maliciously. She could feel the tension growing between Harry and Malfoy.

"One…Two…"

Malfoy shouted out a charm and threw Harry spinning in midair and finally landed hard at the foot of Lockhart.

Some of the students (mostly Gryffindors) muttered "Cheater!". Cheating indeed is wrong but it is useful to get a head start against your enemy. This Circe knew.

But Harry got up, fuelled with energy. "Rectusempra!"

And the next thing, Malfoy was thrown backwards and fell also right at Snape's feet. Snape with a look of disgust, grab Malfoy by the collar and pulled him back to his feet.

"Serpensortia!" he cried and then a long, grey snake emerged out of the tip of his wand.

Harry was taken aback. He hadn't learned how to fight against a snake. The crowd hissed with greater excitement.

Knowing that Harry had no idea what to do, Snape told him not to move and let him get rid of the snake for Harry.

"Allow me, professor!" Lockhart beckoned towards the snake.

Oh God….Circe thought, whacking her forehead. Someone save this poor man, please!

Lockhart pointed his wand at the snake, cried out a charm; the snake flew upwards and drops back down with no sign of injury whatsoever. The snake continued to glide but suddenly turned to Justin and hissed menacingly at him.

"Leave him alone!"

Circe turned to Harry. Her eyes wide open now. He was talking to the snake, telling it not to attack Justin. So, Harry can talk to snakes too.

"I said, leave him alone!" harry said, walking towards the snake.

But everyone, Circe noticed, was staring at Harry with horror. It was as if he was doing something bad or evil. But he just was saving Justin! Even Ron and Hermione looked at his with disbelievement. What was going on?

But the snake then closes its mouth, hiding its fang again. Without further ado, Snape pointed at the snake with his wand, muttered something and the snake was on fire and disappeared.

The class was silent and everyone was still staring at Harry in horror. Only Circe was glancing around at the crowd, wondering what Harry had done besides asking the snake not to attack Justin.

"Class dismissed." Snape's voice echoed and everybody slowly dispersed away. Circe saw Harry and his two best friends walking away with hurry. Following her instinct, she followed them. When she was close enough to Ron, she knocked against his shoulder, while slipping a tiny, silver, metal ball into his pocket.

"Oops! Sorry, Ron. I hadn't had enough sleep yesterday."

"Oh, that's alright." He replied.

The tiny ball was a listener. She made hundreds of those during the summer holidays and finally, she could put it to good use. Once she finally chucked her black satchel under her bed, Circe sat on her bed and placed another tiny ball into her ear and waited.

When they finally reached their common room, Ron couldn't hold it any longer. "You're a parselmouth? Why didn't you tell us?"

"I'm a what?" queried back harry.

"You can talk to snakes!" Hermione said.

"I know. I mean accidentally set a python on my cousin, Dudley, at the zoo once, ONCE. But so what? I bet loads of people can do it."

"No, they can't. It's not a very common gift, Harry. This is bad." Hermione said who appeared much calmer than Ron.

Harry couldn't get it. "What's bad? If I hadn't told that snake not to attack Justin-

"Oh! So that's what you said to him!"

"You were there! You heard me."

"I heard you speak parseltougue, snake language."

"I spoke a different language?" harry asked. It was unbelievable. "But I didn't realize…how can I speak a language without knowing I can?"

"I don't know Harry. But it sounded like you were egging on the snake or something. Harry, listen to me. There's a reason the symbol of Slytherin house is a serpent. Salazar Slytherin was a parselmouth. He can talk too snakes too."

"Exactly! Now, the whole school's gonna think that you're his grand-grand-grand-grandson or something!"

"But I'm not!" said harry in defiant. "I can't be…"

"He lived a thousand years ago. For all we know, you could be." Hermione said, in a rather conclusive voice.

Circe had heard enough. With raw anger, she took the ball out of her ear and flung it to the wall, shattering it into millions of pieces. Someone might get hurt if she doesn't clean up the mess but right now, she doesn't give a fickle about it. so that's why Snape's been paying extra attention on her, that's why he questioned her whereabouts and purposely giving her detentions. It wasn't because she messed up with her potions but because he wanted to know where she was and what she was doing. They knew that she can talk to snakes because she told the professor during the summer holidays when he was telling her that poison from a python actually possess healing powers if mixed correctly with basil and juice of a crushed bat's heart. Now, he didn't want her to leave his sight. He thinks, no, they think that she is the heir. After Collin was attacked, Snape has grown even moodier towards her. But what furry her most was that, no one told her anything. They just did as they want with her. If they wanted to question her, just summon her to Snape's office. If they wanted to make sure that she wasn't up to no good, just give her detention every day. Circe felt as if she was treated like a puppet with strings attached to her limbs, controlled by both the professor and headmaster.

But it then occurred to her, Harry was also a parselmouth. She can't be his long-lost cousin or relative. If she actually was, then Voldemort is his long-lost uncle or something. And that would just blow Harry's mind. No, it's too far fetch. But if of them were the heir, then who was that red-headed girl Circe saw? There can't be three heirs. Or maybe the red-headed girl is the true heir but coincidentally, Circe and Harry are also parselmouths. Hermione did say that it was a rare gift but it's not impossible. No, it's too extraordinary to have an heir and two unfortunate parselmouths to be in the same school. Then what was it?

Circe got up. There wasn't time for afternoon naps. She decided to go back to the library whilst it's still opened. She still needed to figure out the monster of Slytherin. As she walked out of the common room, Pansy sniggered at her, yelling out another verbal abuse. Circe just ignored her. One day, she will get back. Who cares what the professor or headmaster will think about her. Who cares if she becomes evil like her father. She was a Riddle and shouldn't be fooled with. One day, she'd make sure that message is properly screwed into Pasy's head...and maybe the professor's and headmaster's too. And now that, everyone knows that Harry is also a parselmouth, they had better treat him like how they treated her. If there is any form of bias, Circe would get mad, very mad.

I hope you enjoyed this update :) Read and review guys. Thanks lOVE, Wildreams