CHAPTER 36: REVEALATIONS
America wasn't about to let this mystery be solved without him being the hero, so he was resolved to sneak away and talk to Moaning Myrtle even if he had to beat a teacher over the head to do it. And oh happy coincidence, they were lead to their second class of the day by Glinda the Sparkly Wizard, who had been begging to be hit in the head all year.
"Mark my words," he said, ushering them around a corner. "The first words out of those poor Petrified people's mouths will be 'it was Hagrid'. Frankly, I'm astounded Professor McGonagall thinks all these security measures are necessary." America surreptitiously took one of his books out of his bag and began sneaking up to Glinda.
"I agree, sir," said Harry, causing both America and Ron to drop their books in shock.
"Thank you, Harry," said Glinda graciously, while they waited for a long line of Hufflepuffs to pass. "I mean, we teachers have quite enough to be getting on with, without walking students to classes and standing guard all night…"
"That's right," said Ron, apparently catching whatever horrid disease Harry had suddenly come down with. "Why don't you leave us here, sir, we've only got one more corridor to go."
"You know, Weasley, I think I will. I really should go and prepare my next class." And so Glinda flitted away.
America gasped in realization. "Oooohhh, I see what you did there." He grinned at Harry and Ron. "Sneaky. I was just going to knock him out and run for it." They let the rest of the Gryffindors draw ahead of them, then darted down a side passage and hurried off towards Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. But just as victory seemed within reach…
"Potter! Jones! Weasley! What are you doing?" It was Professor McGonagall, who was second only to the Bat-Dude on the list of teachers you didn't want catching you doing something you're not supposed to be doing.
"We were- we were –" Ron stammered. "We were going to – to go and see –"
"Hermione," said Harry. Professor McGonagall and Ron both stared at him in confusion, but America understood what he was doing.
"Yeah, since she's going to be up and walking again soon, we thought we should go and visit her," he lied. "You know, tell her she's gonna be fine and not to worry and stuff."
For a moment America thought McGonagall was going to pull an England and explode, but when she spoke it was in a strangely croaky voice. "Of course," she said, and America was amazed to see her eyes glistening with tears. "Of course, I realise this has all been hardest on the friends of those who have been… I quite understand. Yes, Jones, of course you may visit Miss Granger. I will inform Professor Binns where you've gone. Tell Madam Pomfrey I have given my permission."
America, Harry and Ron walked away, immensely relieved that McGonagall didn't blow a gasket. As they turned the corner, they distinctly heard her blow her nose.
"That," said Ron fervently. "Was the best story you've ever come up with, Alfred."
"What, even better than the one where I broke my leg trying to get ice cream?" Ron simply rolled his eyes in response.
They didn't really have much choice now but to go to the hospital wing and tell Madam Pomfrey that they had Professor McGonagall's permission to visit Hermione. She let them in, but reluctantly. "There's just no point talking to a Petrified person," she said, and all three of them had to admit she was right when they'd taken their seats next to Hermione. She was still Petrified as… uh… something that was really Petrified. If she was conscious, that just brought a whole new level of horror to the experience that probably wouldn't go away by them telling her it would be all right.
"Wonder if she did see the attacker, though?" said Ron, looking sadly at Hermione's rigid face. "Because if he sneaked up on them all, no one'll ever know…"
"Dude, that would suck," said America. "I mean, since our whole 'talk to Moaning Myrtle' plan was a bust, nobody would have a clue how to fix this mess." He noticed Harry acting oddly. "Uh, dude, are you trying to hold her hand or something?"
Harry merely pointed at Hermione's clenched fist. America and Ron looked closer and saw that there was a piece of parchment clamped in it. "Try and get it out," Ron whispered, shifting his chair so that he blocked Harry from Madam Pomfrey's view.
It was clearly no easy task. America would have helped, but it was obvious that strength wasn't the issue here. If he tried, he'd probably just rip the parchment in half on the first try. So he had to just sit there and wait impatiently as Harry tugged and twisted. Finally, after several long minutes, he succeeded, and the three of them huddled together to look at whatever it was. As it turned out, it was a page from a very old library book. Harry smoothed it out eagerly and they all nearly butted heads in their attempt to read it.
Of all the many fearsome beasts and monsters that roam our land, there is none more curious or more deadly than the Basilisk, known also as the King of Serpents. This snake, which may reach gigantic size, and live many hundreds of years, is born from a chicken egg, hatched beneath a toad. Its methods of killing are most wondrous, for aside from its deadly and venomous fangs, the Basilisk has a murderous stare, and all who are fixed with the beam of its eye shall suffer instant death. Spiders flee before the Basilisk, for it is their mortal enemy, and the Basilisk flees only from the crowing of the rooster, which is fatal to it.
And beneath this, a single word had been written in Hermione's handwriting. Pipes.
America didn't get it. Luckily, Harry did. "This is it," he breathed. "This is the answer." And then he managed to piece together the mystery. The voice Harry had been hearing was the Basilisk's, since he was a Parselmouth. None of the victims had died because none of them had looked it directly in the eye (except for Nearly Headless Nick, but, you know, already dead). Hagrid's roosters were killed so they couldn't crow and kill the Basilisk, all the spiders had run away… It all made sense. And Hermione had figured out how a gigantic snake was making its way through the school undetected, naturally.
"Pipes," said Harry. "Pipes… Ron, Alfred, it's been using the plumbing. I've been hearing that voice inside the walls…"
Ron suddenly grabbed Harry's arm. "The entrance to the Chamber of Secrets!" he said hoarsely. "What if it's a bathroom? What if it's in-"
"- Moaning Myrtle's bathroom," said Harry.
America crossed his arms, pouting. "Aw, man, I totally thought my giant frog theory was right… well, I was close enough, right?"
Harry and Ron ignored him. "This means," said Harry. "I can't be the only Parselmouth in the school. The Heir of Slytherin's one too. That's how they've been controlling the Basilisk."
"What're we going to do?" said Ron, whose eyes were flashing. "Shall we go straight to McGonagall?"
"Let's go to the staff room," said Harry, jumping up. "She'll be there in ten minutes, it's nearly break." They all ran downstairs. America still felt a bit bummed out that he'd been wrong, but that was offset by his joy at being able to be one of the heroes who figured out what Slytherin's monster was and where the Chamber of Secrets was located. Man, he was awesome! They ran straight to the deserted staff room and paced around it as they waited, too excited to sit down.
But the bell to signal break never came. Instead, echoing through the corridors came Professor McGonagall's voice, magically magnified. "All students to return to their house dormitories at once. All teachers return to the staff room. Immediately, please."
America looked for somewhere to hide. He doubted they'd be able to get back to Gryffindor Tower without getting caught, so hiding seemed their best option. His eyes landed on a wardrobe full of the teachers' cloaks. "Dudes, in here! We'll listen in and tell them what we know after!" Ignoring any protests they made, he pushed Harry and Ron into the closet and followed them in, hiding behind the cloaks.
From their hiding place they watched the teachers filtering into the room. Some of them were looking puzzled, others downright scared. It was a bit unnerving to see them so… human. Then Professor McGonagall arrived. "It has happened," she told the silent staff room. "Two students have been taken by the monster. Right into the Chamber itself."
America's stomach plummeted. Professor Flitwick let out a squeal. Professor Sprout clapped her hands over her mouth. The Bat-Dude gripped the back of a chair very hard and said, "How can you be sure?"
"The Heir of Slytherin," said a very pale McGonagall. "Left another message. Right underneath the first one. Their skeletons will lie in the Chamber forever."
Professor Flitwick burst into tears. "Who is it?" said Madam Hooch, who had sunk, weak-kneed into a chair. "Which students?"
"Ginny Weasley and Matthew Jones," said Professor McGonagall.
Ron slid silently down onto the wardrobe floor, and America felt Harry's hand clap over his mouth. Why would he do that? America had suddenly lost any ability to make a sound. His whole body seemed to have gone numb. Canada… Professor McGonagall said something, but he didn't hear it. The world outside of his own body seemed so distant. What could she possibly be saying that mattered when Canada was… he didn't even know what had happened to him. Surely he was still alive. He was a nation. But… what happened to a nation if they looked a Basilisk in the eye? It wasn't like everyone in that country would suddenly drop dead… was it? Oh, God, it couldn't be…
Then Glinda the Sparkly Wizard's voice broke through America's inner turmoil. "So sorry – dozed off – what have I missed?" America closed his eyes. If he had to look at that asshole right now, he wouldn't be able to stop himself from running out and beating him until he felt some increment better.
"Just the man," came the Bat-Dude's voice. "The very man. A boy and girl have been snatched by the monster, Lockhart. Taken into the Chamber of Secrets itself. Your moment has come at last."
"That's right, Gilderoy," chipped in Professor Sprout. "Weren't you saying just last night that you've known all along where the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets is?"
"I – well, I –" spluttered Glinda.
"Yes, didn't you tell me you were sure you knew what was inside it?" piped up Professor Flitwick.
"D-did I? I don't recall…"
"I certainly remember you saying you were sorry you hadn't had a crack at the monster before Hagrid was arrested," said the Bat-Dude. "Didn't you say that the whole affair had been bungled, and that you should have been given a free rein from the first?"
Glinda's voice was shaking badly as he said, "I… I really never… You may have misunderstood…"
"We'll leave it to you, then, Gilderoy," said Professor McGonagall. "Tonight will be an excellent time to do it. We'll make sure everyone's out of your way. You'll be able to tackle the monster all by yourself. A free rein at last."
After a few moments of silence, Glinda's voice said in a resigned way, "V-very well. I'll – I'll be in my office, getting – getting ready." His footsteps sounded, and the door opened and closed.
"Right," said Professor McGonagall. "That got him out from under our feet. The Heads of Houses should go and inform their students what has happened. Tell them the Hogwarts Express will take them home first thing tomorrow. Will the rest of you please make sure no students have been left outside their dormitories."
America heard footsteps and the sound of the door opening as the teachers left one by one. When things were silent, he opened his eyes and saw that they'd all gone. Then, for the first time in decades at the least, he burst into tears.
A/N: MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I enjoyed reading all of your shocked reviews waaaaay too much. And if you want to read the Hetalia Christmas event, you can just head over to Hetascanlations. Right now Himaruya-sensei (should I be using honorifics for him? I dunno, I don't speak Japanese) is just doing requests, but hopefully he'll continue the storyline soon. Pages Left: 32. NEXT CHAPTER: Canada finds himself in the Chamber of Secrets (yes, he's still alive). See you all next time!