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New chapter. Hope you enjoy.

Harry Norwood

Chapter 12

The next morning the school was buzzing with news. There was another body. A first year Gryffindor had been found petrified just outside the hospital wing last night. The whole school was anxious and nobody went anywhere alone anymore. Susan had taken to writing her aunt but she only told them to stay safe and not to wander around alone.

Teachers were everywhere. They, alongside the prefects patrolled the corridors more frequent. They observed study groups in the library, quidditch practice, students hanging out outside and what not. Harry met Luna again. They still couldn't find out what was wrong with Ginny. Luna had, again, asked her to see madam Pomfrey but the Gryffindor girl shook her off saying that she was alright.

Quidditch practice got more intense now that the game was only a week away. And even though Harry and Zacharias were only reserve players Cedric drilled them hard.

Three days before the game it started snowing like crazy. The snow build up so fast that the Hufflepuffs couldn't even tell if it was day or night due to the snow blocking their windows.

Harry grew more and more nervous even though he wasn't playing. He started dreaming about that rouge bludger chasing him. He really hoped they figured out what had caused that. When the day finally came Harry was the first one up. He decided to get ready and have an early breakfast alone, before going to the library to calm his nerves. He wasn't looking for anything in particular, but a book about languages in the wizarding world caught his attention. He skimmed through it and was quite surprised to actually find a section about parseltongue. He quickly checked it out. After putting it in his trunk he meet the team outside the quidditch pitch.

The reserve team would watch the match from a spot near the changing rooms, in case they needed to go in, which only happens if the game went on too long and the main team needed to rest. They were to wear their uniform under their robes just in case and their brooms lay ready near the entrance to the pitch.

To say Harry was nervous would be an understatement. He could see his housemates cheering as he took his seat. The school looked equally divided unlike with any game against Slytherin, where everyone, except Slytherin, would cheer on the other team.

When the teams entered the pitch the cheers got even louder. Hooch said a few words, the captains shook hands and the game was on. Both teams were equally good. They would score alternately. The first goal went to Hufflepuff but not long after Ravenclaw was able to score. It went on like this for about an hour before one of the seekers saw the snitch for the first time.

Cedric was going against a third year Ravenclaw girl by the name of Cho Chang. It was her first year on the team but Harry could tell that she's good. When she saw that Cedric had spotted the snitch she immediately went after him. The snitch zig zagged around the pitch. Up, down, left, right. It was had to follow them. This went on for good five minutes before they lost sight of the snitch again.

Half an hour later it started snowing. It became rather difficult to see what was happening. The only way they knew was due to the commentary.

The game was now a little bit over two hours long. The score was pretty even. 140 to 160 for Ravenclaw. Everything was still possible. Harry couldn't tell if Cedric had seen the snitch or not. Lee Jordan's commentary was quite unclear. When the snow became less and less Harry saw both seekers zooming, neck and neck, across the pitch. Other players had to get out of the way or else they would have been hit. It didn't last very long as they, again, lost the snitch.

It was now nearing the three hour mark. The score was now tied at 220. Cedric was slowly circling the pitch. He was now behind the Ravenclaws goal posts. Cho was near the middle, her back turned towards Cedric.

Harry had seen the snitch a few minutes ago, near the ground but he couldn't tell Cedric. Not that he would hear him anyway. The snitch moved slightly upwards and that's when Cedric saw it. As Cho hadn't seen it yet, Cedric moved slowly toward it. Unfortunately it had sensed him and moved quickly. Cedric speed up and zoomed right past Cho. She quickly went after him.

The snitch was moving towards the Hufflepuff goal posts. Cedric and Cho were, again, neck and neck. Then something happened that you just couldn't make up. The snitch flew right over the right goal post, Cedric and Cho right after it with Cedric slightly in the lead. Just in that moment a Ravenclaw chaser tried to score in that exact goal. Just as Cedric reached out his hand to grab the snitch the quaffle bounced of his shoulder and fell right into the keepers arms.

The keeper looked behind him and sure enough Cedric had caught the snitch. The entire stadium went wild. The teams landed and Harry and the rest of the reserve team ran down to cheer with their teammates.

The party in the common room that afternoon was crazy. Even Professor Sprout showed up with snacks. They were even allowed to be up until midnight.

After that everything went by in a blur. Harry had started reading the language book and found it rather interesting. Maybe he could learn some of them. The more he read about parseltongue the more he got the feeling that this was what made him hear that voice. Since one of the creatures who can petrify was a snake and parseltongue is the snake language it made sense. He just had to test out that theory. He made a mental note to try it out at the pet shop in Diagon alley over Christmas break.

A few days before the end of term they announced a Dueling Club. Everyone was excited to go. At eight o' clock that evening they hurried back to the Great Hall. The long dining tables had vanished and a golden stage had appeared along one wall, lit by thousands of candles floating overhead. The ceiling was velvety black once more and most of the school seemed to be packed beneath it, all carrying their wands and looking excited.

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

"As long as it's not –" Hannah began, but she ended on a grown: Gilderoy Lockhart was walking 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 dueling 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, lashing a wide smile. "He tells me he knows a tiny little bit about dueling 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 you Potions master when I'm through with him, never fear!"

"Wouldn't it be good if they finished each other off?" Ernie muttered in Harry's ear. Susan laughed quietly under her breath.

Snape's upper lip was curling. Harry wondered why Lockhart was still smiling; if Snape had been looking at him like that he'd have been running as fast as he could in the opposite direction.

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," Harry murmured, watching Snape barring his teeth.

"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 quite a die people around them.

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 Brown – 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 Ernie with Justin Finch-Fletchley. Snape reached Grant and Ron first.

"Time to split up the dream team, I think," he sneered. "Weasley, you can partner Finnigan. Potter –"

Grant moved automatically toward Fey and Joanne.

"I don't think so," said Snape, smiling coldly. "Mr. Malfoy, come over here. Let's see what you make of the famous Potter. Miss Abbott, you can partner Miss Parkinson. And, Miss Granger – you can partner with Miss Bulstrode."

Harry was glad Snape didn't choose one for him. He and Neville went into starting position.

Malfoy strutted over to Grant, smirking. Behind him walked two Slytherin girls who each reminded Harry of a picture he'd seen in Holidays with Hags. Millicent Bulstrode was large and square and her heavy jaw jutted aggressively. Hermione gave her a weak smile that she did not return. Pansy Parkinson was tall and big-boned, and her sharp face was just as aggressive and scary as Millicent's.

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

Harry and Neville bowed politely.

"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 –"

Harry and Neville did as told and Harry had quickly disarmed Neville. They continued this for a while and Neville was quite proud of himself that he managed it a few times. They looked around to watch the other. The focused on Potter and Malfoy.

Grant swung his wand high, but Malfoy had already started on "two": His spell hit Grant so hard he stumbled, but everything still seemed to be working, and wasting no more time, Grant pointed his wand straight at Malfoy and shouted, "Rictusempra!"

A jet of silver light hit Malfoy in the stomach and he doubled up, wheezing.

"I said disarm only!" Lockhart shouted in alarm over the heads of the battling crowd, as Malfoy sank to his knees; Grant had hit him with a Tickling Charm, and he could barely move for laughing. Grant laughed and made some comments that Harry couldn't hear. Gasping for breath, Malfoy pointed his wand at Grant's knees, choked, "Tarantallegra!" and the next second Grant's legs began to jerk around out of control in a kind of quickstep.

"Stop! Stop!" screamed Lockhart, but Snape took charge.

"Finite Incantatem!" he shouted; Grant's feet stopped dancing, Malfoy stopped laughing, and they were able to look up.

A haze of greenish smoke was hovering over the scene. Some people were lying on the floor, panting; Ron was holding up an ashen-faced Seamus, apologizing for whatever his apparent broken wand had done; but Hermione and Millicent Bulstrode were still moving; Millicent had Hermione in a headlock and Hermione was whimpering in pain; both their wands lay forgotten on the floor. Harry leapt forward and pulled Millicent off. It was difficult: She was a lot bigger than he was.

"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's 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, Professor 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 with a twisted smile.

"Excellent idea!" said Lockhart, gesturing Grant and Malfoy into the middle of the hall as the crowd backed away to give them room.

"Now, Grant," 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. Malfoy smirked, too. Grant looked up at Lockhart and said, "Professor, could you show me that blocking thing again?"

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

"You wish," said Grant out of the corner of his mouth.

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

"What, drop my wand?"

But Lockhart wasn't listening.

Three – two – one – go!" he shouted.

Malfoy raised his wand quickly and bellowed, "Serpensortia!"

The end of his wand exploded. Harry watched, aghast, as a long black snake shot out of it, fell heavily onto the floor between the two opponents, and raised itself, ready to strike. There were screams as the crowd backed swiftly away, clearing the floor. Grant was also starring at it.

"Don't move, Potter," said Snape lazily, clearly enjoying the sight of Grant standing motionless, eye to eye with the angry 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 the students and raised itself again, fangs exposed, poised to strike.

Then Grant did something rather stupid. He pointed his wand at the snake and said „Flipendo" knocking the snake right into the crowd. Hell broke loose as people began to run and scream.

Snape stepped forward, waved his wand, and the snake vanished in a small puff of black smoke. That signaled the end of the evening and everyone hurried back to their common rooms.

The next day tragedy struck again. This time it hit the Hufflepuffs. One of their own, Justin, had been found petrified alongside the ghost of Gryffindor, nearly headless Nick. The usually cheery and happy house of Hufflepuff was now sad and derepressed. The other second years wondered why Justin was walking around alone. Harry couldn't stop starring at Justins empty bed. They had tried to visit him in the hospital wing but Madam Pomfrey wouldn't let them.

Christmas break came quickly that year. Harry and his friends had tried to check the bathroom out one last time but were again chased off. Harry wasn't in the mood to celebrate but he tried not to show it as he was afraid when his parents found out what had happened they would take him from Hogwarts.

The day after he returned home he went to Diagon Alley. His first stop, after exchanging money, was the pet shop. Luckily it was rather empty. Harry quickly walked to the back of the shop where he knew the reptiles were located together with the snakes. The clerk was currently talking to a customer. Harry quietly walked over to one of the tanks. Inside was a long green snake. To say he was nervous would be an understatement. He looked around to see if anyone would notice him. When he saw no one close enough he cleared his throat.

"Hello?" he said quietly with a shaking voice. Nothing happened. He tried again. "Hello" he said more confident. Again nothing happened. "Okay Harry concentrate. One more try." he told himself. He tried to look into the snakes eyes. "Hello". To Harry's surprise the snake looked at him. Harry tried again.

"A speaker." the voice sounded surprised. It was more of a hiss than a voice. He looked at the snake.

"Did you just talk?" he asked it feeling rather silly.

"Yess...I have never seen a speaker before" the snake answered. Harry was shocked. It had really worked.

"I have never spoken to a snake before" Harry answered still looking around to make sure no one was watching him. Just in that moment a larger group of people walked into the shop. "I'll come back someday" he told the snake and quickly left the shop. He still couldn't believe what happened. He browsed the alley for a bit. He didn't need the psychology book anymore now that he had figured it out but he still looked though the book shop. He also got some Christmas presents for his friends. Back at home Harry made a list of all the things he had found out. He was planing on presenting it all to Professor Sprout but he needed to be sure first and gather all the evidence.

- possible creatures in the chamber: Cockatrice or Basilisk (Basilisk more likely as Slytherin symbol is a snake)
- possibly located in girls lavatory on first floor (check out properly)

Sadly he didn't have more at the moment. Everything else was just a suspicion. At first Harry was just curious what happened to Mrs. Norris but now he was rather determent to figure it all out. There was also the mystery as to who opened the chamber.

Christmas passed as quickly as it came and now Harry was back at Hogwarts.

Hope you liked it. Let me know what you think.