Chapter 24

The events that happened spread through the whole school and the theories people were making were wild, but none came close to the truth. Harry had distanced himself from his friends a bit during these events and after delivering the Dungbombs to an excited Peeves and promising to give Filch more hell, he spent the time in his dorm.

Teachers had ended lessons early these days to avoid more attacks. Peeves had turned very nasty and Lavender Brown swore he hit her with a broomstick for looking at her reflection in the suits of armour along the corridor.

Collin Creevey, Jake Hunter and a few other Muggle students were all attacked and Harry felt like solving what was going on. He took his mirror and had a lengthy discussion with Sirius. Harry learnt that, the Chamber of Secrets as it was called was a room somewhere in the castle, created by Slytherin. No one knew exactly what was in there and there were so many speculations about the creature or whatever was in there. Harry bid Sirius goodnight and relaxed on his bed, trying hard to remember what he saw in the dream.

The next morning, Harry joined his friends for breakfast and after a few minutes, he asked them if they knew anything about the Chamber of Secrets. Ron and Neville gave Harry the same answer just like Sirius did but the look on Hermione's face told Harry she knew something but didn't talk because she felt hurt by Harry's actions the previous day and the attacks on the Muggles were frightening her. Harry was talking about what he suspected when suddenly, someone's tray fell behind him.

He turned around and saw Ginny Weasley looking at him, a horrified look on her face

"What the bloody hell is wrong with you?" Harry asked. She just turned and ran out of the Great Hall and Neville asked, "Was it something we said?" Harry shrugged his shoulders and continued stirring his porridge around. Something was really wrong with that girl.

Gryffindor had Herbology with Slytherin for the first lesson and everyone was outside the greenhouses waiting for Professor Sprout to call them in. Harry walked with his friends and he had a little chat with Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan about the attacks on the school.

Harry had just ended his conversation when he heard "I think the Chamber has been opened guys", the drawling voice of Draco Malfoy drifted through the air waves towards him. Ron perked up suddenly, alert and listening whilst Neville looked elsewhere, pretending not to be looking at Malfoy, but really listening to the conversation.

"Father told me it was opened before, but he won't say who. He said if the school found out, the person would be expelled and his wand would be snapped just like..."

Malfoy stopped suddenly and turned to face Hermione. "What's wrong Granger? Scared of the creature? Hope you are next. Shame that you really have to go. I bet Potty will miss you and so will Weasley and Longbottom." Hermione burst into tears and Malfoy looked around, obviously searching for Harry.

"Don't Draco. He'll hurt you again", Pansy whispered. Draco ignored her and walked over to Harry and grabbed his collar.

"I hoped your filthy mother was born during the first attacks Potter, maybe you wouldn't have come out. Perhaps your father would have found another bitch to fuck anyway," he said loudly and the Slytherins joined him in laughter.

"He shouldn't have done that," Neville whispered to Blaise who was standing beside him.

"You have five seconds to apologize to Hermione, Ron, and Neville. I'm not going to ask you to apologise to me for insulting my parents memory, but I'll give you a chance to do good."

Neville was counting his fingers waiting for Harry to strike and Blaise looked at Neville and smiled to himself. Maybe, he might watch a match before boring Herbology lessons. Harry released himself from Malfoy's grip and then willing every bit of his magic to choke him, he focused his eyes on Malfoy's slender neck and Malfoy started choking, gasping for air.

Neville was shocked and wondered how Harry did it. Malfoy was choking and he was on his knees clutching his throat and trying to remove the invisible hand holding it. Harry looked at Malfoy with anger in his eyes and Malfoy wheezed at the four Gryffs he had insulted. "Please… I'm sorry."

Harry held on for a while and when they heard Professor Sprout coming, he released him and Malfoy started vomiting whilst the Gryffindor girls gave him disgusted looks. Walking past the silent crowd of onlookers, he entered the greenhouses as Professor Sprout approached Malfoy and unknown to Harry, he had earned the respect of everyone standing there.

"Nice stunt Harry," Neville whispered, helping him with his plant.

"I thought you would kill him." Harry smiled and said, "sometimes you've gotta keep a head Neville." Harry looked at Hermione and she saw that, her eyes were red and puffy from crying and Ron was doing her best to comfort her, but it was no use. Harry sighed and decided to do something to help her. Although they were not the best of friends right now, she didn't deserve to die. Harry swore to put an end to the killings as he added the last dragon dung to the plant.

Blaise had patted Harry on the back after Herbology only to receive a death glare from Ron. Daphne and Tracey walked by,and Harry turned to face Ron, giving him a sign to calm down.

"What's their problem? Evil snakes. Always producing dark wizards. I bet one of them is responsible for the killings. I heard the Muggles are petrified but not dead. Evil lot them Slytherins. Just wait till I get them all. Best stay away from them Harry, and you Neville. They can influence you and you could turn dark."

"Ron that's enough." Harry said pushing him hard against the wall. Ron was taller than Harry and it looked like a dwarf confronting a giant. He was holding Ron's hand and in carefully selected words he hissed, "you have no right to tell me who to associate myself with. I don't want to hear your bigoted comments on Slytherins anymore Ron because as far as I'm concerned, they are human. If you keep this up better stay the fuck away from me you hear?"

Harry let go of him and walked to the Great Hall. Ron could only stare at him shocked and Neville just shrugged. "I think you should stop this Ron. Slytherins are quite smart and not all of them are evil." Ron glared at him and Neville scurried away to join Harry.

SOMEWHERE IN HOGWARTS

She was running. Everyone was eating, but she was running. How many people had to die? All the attacks on the Muggle students was her fault, just because she came into contact with a diary that had appeared strangely among her school items. The diary had made her do terrible things and when she heard Harry Potter, the boy she fancied had figured out that, the Chamber of Secrets was opened, she couldn't do it anymore.

Ginny Weasley was very scared and disturbed. Off late, she stopped taking meals and joining her friends for the usual gossip, and they were worried about her. She always seemed distant and she talked to herself most of the time. Ron had told the whole family how Harry amazingly discovered that, a teacher was attacking the school and trying to bring back a Dark Lord.

The whole story her brother described made her parents eager to meet him and she was also eager to see him at Hogwarts and now that she saw him every day, he was about to know her as someone who attacked her fellow students. She fancied Harry and she already had plans for the both of them one day in a broom cupboard.

No. She had to end it. She walked to the girls' toilets and threw the diary into the closet. She had done it and she didn't want to see it again.

Please Review