Meanwhile

None of the trio believed for a second that Alfred had been truly hurt.

Sure, they may have saw the leg flopping around without any hope of voluntary movement, but they just couldn't believe it. The American had fallen from eight stories up and didn't have a scratch, so there was no way that he could actually be hurt from a simple wand spell.

Right?

Well, it turns out he was. They figured that out while hiding in an undetectable spot; using a mirror to peer into the room where the students were sleeping. Well, it was obvious Alfred was trying to sleep, but he also was in pain as shown from the constant groaning and trying to readjust his position on the bed.

The trio had gone really low now hadn't they? Not any lower than before; but now they didn't even have the decency to be ashamed about it.

They had literally snuck out of bed in the middle of the night to tend to a potion to give to their friends because they didn't believe a word they said, and then snuck up the stairs to make sure that they weren't secretly out…they don't even know what they thought they would be doing at this ungodly hour.

Although they will admit that they all seem a little tense for supposedly being 'sound asleep'. Alfred has an excuse considering his current disposition; but why do the twins have their glasses on? As far as Harry and Ron can remember, they usually don't sleep with them off.

And it also seems a little farfetched the Ivan actually sleeps with his scarf on despite the fact he never takes it off during the day.

Maybe something odd was going on. But what it was, the trio had no clue.

But seeing as just staring at their 'sleeping' forms wasn't going to do them any good, they decided to pack up their limited gear and get back to the potion brewing downstairs.

The first batch had been a total disaster since apparently Ron thought that he could speed up the process by adding some worms wart, but as expected, it just blew up. So now they were hoping for a better second try.

Just as Hermione was checking to see if the coast was clear, using the screen of her phone as a mirror, the echo of footsteps came falling down the hall in waves along with whispers of gossip.

The three ducked back into their perfect hiding spot wedged in between a couch in the hallway and a random table of modern design so it was a cube with the sides covered.

They looked into the mirror on the side, that they had been using to peek into the nurses room, and saw the five professors bring in Colin Creevey on a makeshift stretcher.

Harry, who had the best hearing of the group, tried as hard as he could to decipher the words being spoken, but was having trouble making it out.

"What are they saying?" whispered Ron, but he quickly got quelled by Hermione.

After a few minutes, nothing useful was being able to be heard. Harry wasn't sure whether it was actually because he couldn't hear anything or if Dumbledore was just stalling because so far he had only said things that were completely useless.

"The chamber of secrets has been open" he finally heard the headmaster say in a low, grave voice.

Harry's eyes went wide and hand flew to his mouth. He had suspected it to be true, but now that it has been confirmed he was shaking.

His friends had finally done it. Alfred, Mathew and in all likelihood Ivan had gone and opened the gate that will wipe out the entire muggle population of Hogwarts.

"What happened, what's going on?" asked Hermione showing equal panic. Wondering what on earth could have Harry so upset.

"I'll explain when we get back to the potion. let's go." He told her as his eyes darted left and right to check for any signs of life. He hadn't wanted to bring his invisibility cape since the twins would be able to see him anyways.

Quickly, he stood and signaled for his friends to follow after him as he dashed into the hall and down the twisting stairs to the bathroom where they were conducting their experiment.

Doing as he said, Hermione and Ron chased after Harry, being careful not to make any noise as to wake up the Hufflepuff's just up the stairs next to them.

Racing down the ever changing steps, they eventually made their way to the abandoned bathroom and Harry locked the three of them inside.

-0-

"Now do you mind telling me what all that nonsense was about?" Hermione asked, walking over and sitting next to the bubbling cauldron. Pulling the needed objects from the pocket of her cloak, she sprinkled a new layer of chocolate mint (not every potion ingredient has to be vomit inducing) into the froth bellow.

"Yeah, why did you freak out like that?" agreed Ron, taking a seat on one of the many rows of sinks along the wall.

Harry panted for a few seconds to catch his breath before he started to explain.

"The chamber of secrets has been opened again."

Ron and Hermione looked up from their activities and now were actively listening.

"Wait, the chamber has been opened before?" asked Hermione; crossing her legs to get into a more comfortable position as she stirred the fickle mixture.

"Of course," said Ron. "We already know that their ancestors are the decedents of Slytherin, so it only makes sense that one of them has opened it before. My moneys on Arthur."

"But Arthur isn't actually their brother. Remember what they said," answered Harry.

"And they haven't lied before? Do you not remember that in Mathew's story that there was a man with Yellow eyes, that was obviously from England." Ron explained to the others and understanding began to grow.

It made sense. The twins haven't exactly been the most truthful with them since they have met. To be honest, they can probably count the amount full truths that they have gotten out of them on one hand. So is it that hard to believe that they twisted one more story?

"Same with Francis. Remember in both their sculptures there was Arthur with the green eyes and Francis with the purple. Maybe each of them has a sin and if the coloring makes any sense, then Arthur would be greed and Francis would probably be lust."

Everything was now fitting together perfectly. Maybe the twins hadn't been lying totally. Maybe they were orphans that had been abandoned, but had been found by their secret brothers.

"See, you guys are getting it." Ron explained. "And while Francis never went to Hogwarts; we know that Arthur had since Alfred and Mathew told us that he's been sorted into Slytherin; which only proves the point further."

"So what you're saying is that Arthur had opened it the first time and now he is trying to make Alfred and Mathew do it the second?" confirmed Harry.

"Of course. And that also would explain why he hired Ivan to watch them; to make sure that they are actually doing their job."

"Maybe…" Hermione said while shaking up the milk for the next part of the potion. "But we have to wait for the truth potion to know for sure."

Also, she just doesn't want to be wrong about them again.

Baring the fact that everything about what they are doing right now is wrong; After promising among themselves for the- what was it?- fifth, sixth, time that they will stop their spying and conspiracies about the twins, they still haven't even taken a break from it.

In actuality they have gotten more persistent if anything.

"By the way" Ron asked the girl fretting over the smallest detail of the greenish liquid.

"You do realize that we are brewing a awful smelling potion in the middle of the night in the girls bathroom? You do know what will happen if we get caught being out after hours again, right? And you don't think that we're not going to get caught."

"No" she said adding a peanut and the potion flared up a little, causing Harry to jump back. But Hermione, who was used to it by now, didn't even flinch.

"No one ever checks this bathroom, not even the teachers."

"Why" asked Ron.

"Moaning Myrtle."

Harry on Ron had the 'who?' on their lips as a wispy girl with an appearance of a ghost (and much like Mathew when they first met him on the train that day) in a tarnished black dress popped her head out from the stall behind Ron.

"I'm moaning Myrtle" she shouted in the redheads face, and drifted to the top of the circle of sinks in the center of the room.

"I wouldn't expect you to know me." She said with a sniff like she was holding back tears. "I mean who would ever talk about ugly, miserable, moping, moaning Myrtle."

Now she wasn't even holding back the tears. Instead, they just freely flowed down her face as she flew past them at top speed and dived into the toilet, sending the water flying out in all directions and splashing onto the floor.

The two just blanched at the only other female in the room, who proceeded to shrug and said "She's a little sensitive."

"You think?" deadpanned Ron with a role of the eyes.

"Oh stop being rude" Hermione threatened, holding the end of the spatula she was using to stir the foul smelling brew, at Ron.

"She's letting us use her bathroom without telling the teachers. We should be grateful."

There was a miniature glaring match between the two friends, as Harry's mind got to thinking. Suddenly he realized something that needed to be addressed.

"How much do we tell them?"

The other two stopped their bickering and turned to Harry, realizing he had a very valid question. How much do they let the twins know?

If they don't tell the twins anything, there is no doubt they will know the trio is hiding something.

But on the other hand, if they say too much then there is a good chance that all three of them will have a bullet in their heads faster than you can say "hero".

"…You have a good point" Hermione admitted. "Also, we saw how crucial they were last year. We would have never gotten past the second gate if it weren't for them."

"You guys have to be bonkers" said Ron looking between the two in disbelief. "We can't tell them anything, remember, we are pretty sure that they are the heirs of Slytherin."

"But we also don't think that they are doing it consciously. It's only when the slip into their 'dazes' that they start acting like that," interjected Hermione.

"Another question though, do you think Ivan is related to them too?" said Harry.

"I mean, he has awfully convenient timing. He shows up and bludger goes mad, and Colin get's frozen. Plus, he also has the glowing eyes like Alfred, just with gold rings."

"Good point," said Ron, rubbing his chin as if thinking. "Maybe he is the one actually opening the door, while Alfred and Mathew are just running it. That would make sense since the things like the writing on the wall happened before Ivan even showed up."

"Maybe," said Hermione. "But whatever it is, we should find out within the next few days. I made extra of the potion so that we could give some to Ivan too."

Harry nodded as Ron let out a loud yawn. It was three in the morning, so he was exhausted.

"Hey guys, I think I'm going to head up to bed."

"Yeah, me too," Harry said also stretching.

"I think we have done sufficient work for tonight," Hermione nodded, rubbing her hands to get the residual powder off her hands as she stood up.

"We shall do the usual and reconvene at breakfast tomorrow."

"English," Blanched Ron.

"Meet tomorrow at breakfast." Harry sighed, heading out the door.

Snape's walkthrough of the school should have ended about an hour ago so the trio shouldn't have to worry about being caught wandering the corridors. And even if Snape is for some reason awake, chances are he is going to be so sleep deprived that they could convince him that everything he is seeing is a dream.

"Well why didn't she just say so" defended Ron chasing after him.

Hermione didn't even bother running and instead just casually walked back to the tower.

-O-

Waving goodbye to each other in the common room, they split into their separate dorms and Harry and Ron ran up into their own room.

Seeing Neville dead to the world next to the two empty beds, they couldn't help but think about how their eccentric roommates will be moving back in by Tomorrow.

They aren't sure whether that is a good or bad thing.