Chapter 15

The next morning, I was on a fence. I didn't know weather to tell the others about the Library or not. In the end I decided it was probably better if they knew. I didn't want to turn into a Dumbledore, who only distributes important information after it is too late.

Through out the day, I found it difficult to get a chance. We were just so busy with class and studying. After dinner I finally managed to meet them in the common room. However, I decided it was a bad idea to show them while there were so many people in the common room. "I have something important to show you but we have to wait until everyone goes to bed." I told them quietly. They exchanged looks but nodded.

...

We waited for hours. We actually got ahead in all of our homework while we were waiting. Finally, at around midnight, the room was empty. I scanned it carefully to make sure. "Okay." I said. "Come over here." I lead them over to the section of wall I had come through the night before.

"A wall?!" Ron asked. "We stayed up for hours so that you could show us a wall?!" I sighed.

"No Ron. Not a wall." I said as I rolled my eyes at him. I placed my hand on the wall. There was a feint clicking sound and it started sliding down.

I motioned for them to go into the passageway. "Why are you motioning at a wall?" Harry asked.

"Don't you see it?" I asked them. They all shook their heads.

"She's crazier than Harry." Ron whispered to Neville.

"Hey!" Harry exclaimed. Of course! I thought as I smacked my forehead with the palm of my hand.

"Sorry, I forgot about the notice-me-not charm." I said sheepishly. I grabbed Harry's arm and pushed him through the passage.

"Where did Harry go?!" Hermione asked worriedly. I shoved her into the passage after him. Then I took Ron and Neville's arms and pushed them inside. I walked in after them and it closed behind me. Harry and Hermione had already cast "Lumos".

"Where are we?" Hermione asked. Her eyes were wide with amazement. I pushed my way to the front.

"Follow me. I'll show you." I said as I walked down the passage. Soon we came to the door. "The heir of Ravenclaw demands entry to her library." I said. The door swung open and I lead them inside. "Welcome to the Secret Library of Rowena Ravenclaw." I said as Opened my arms in a 'tada' gesture. They were all gaping at me. Ron got his voice back first. "Bloody hell, You're the heir of Ravenclaw!" He said.

"Very insightful, Ron." I said as I skipped happily to the family tree wall. "But actually I'm the heir of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. Also, look at this, Harry's the heir of Gryffindor."

They were all a little too shocked to speak. "Oh and this is awesome, ask the library a question. Something you want to know." I said to them.

"Umm. What do you have on the chamber of secrets?" Hermione finally asked in a confused voice. The same three books as last time, flew off the shelves and landed open on the table. They all sat down. I picked up one of the books. It was another one of Rowena's diaries. I read it aloud so the others could hear.

Godric, Helga and I have been searching high and low for Salazar's hidden chamber. So far we have found nothing. I didn't expect to though. Salazar is way too smart to allow anyone but his heir access to it. Actually no, we have found something. In the girls bathroom, on one of the taps, there is an engraving of a snake. I suspect this is the entrance but we can do nothing to find out. We have tried destroying the sink, but have found that it is quite indestructible. I believe that to gain access you must speak parseltongue (the language of the snakes) and I do not know anyone but Salazar who can.

"Wait." Harry interrupted. "I though it was normal to be able to talk to snakes."

"No, Harry." Hermione told him. "It is a very rare talent. Because of Salazar it has become associated with dark wizards though."

"I think I'm a parseltongue then." Harry said quietly. "I talked to a snake at the zoo once. I didn't even realize we were speaking a different language though. It sounded like english to me." Ron looked horrified. He opened his mouth to speak.

"Don't even say it Ron! Harry is not the heir of Slytherin!" I cut him off. Ron closed his mouth again with a sheepish grin. I pretended to squint at the family tree wall.

"In fact, a guy named Tom Riddle is." I told them.

"Who is Tom Riddle?" Harry asked. A book came flying off one off the shelves and opened to a page. Harry picked up the book and read.

Tom Marvolo Riddle was a prefect and a head boy. He won an award for special services to the school by catching Rubeus Hagrid, who killed a girl with the monster from the chamber of secrets. The half giant, Hagrid was then expelled. Tom Riddle later became Lord Voldemort. Few know of you-know-who's true identity today.

"So that's why Hagrid was expelled. He was framed for opening the chamber of secrets." Harry said.

"Poor Hagrid. We've got to prove he is innocent." Said Neville.

"So obviously, Voldemort opened the chamber of secrets while he was a student and killed a muggle born. But how could Voldemort be opening the chamber of secrets while he is not here?" Hermione asked. Another book flew off the shelf. Hermione read out loud:

There are many ways to do things from afar. One of the best ways is to get someone to do it for you. That person could be under the imperius curse but the caster would have to be it reasonably close proximity. Possession is another way. It is used often by dark wizards and witches.

"I really love this library!" Hermione exclaimed when she finished reading.

"You love every library," Ron pointed out.

"So someone could be possessed? Like Quirrell?" Neville asked.

"Quirrell was still in control and gave his body up willingly. I suspect that this time the person was given no choice. They probably don't even know what they are doing." I said.

"While we are here we may as well ask: What is the monster in the Chamber of Secrets?" Ron said. Another one of Rowena Ravenclaw's diaries came of a shelf. I read aloud.

I have been trying to figure out what the monster in the chamber of secrets could be for some time. Right now, my biggest suspect is a basilisk. It would be a snake so he could order it around. No one else would be able to control it.

"What is a basilisk?" I asked the library. I picked up the next book that flew onto the table and read:

A basilisk is a monster that is a member of the reptile family. It resembles a giant snake. Basilisk's kill by looking people in the eye. It also has a deadly venom. Probably the most lethal and fastest acting poison it the world. Spiders flee before it.

"It all makes sense." Hermione told us.

"But if it kills by looking people in the eye, why is it Mrs Norris or Colin aren't dead?" Ron asked.

"Well Colin didn't look it in the eye, did he? He saw it through his camera and Mrs Norris..." Harry was saying but then he paused. "Water! There was water on the floor that day. Mrs Norris only saw the basilisk's reflection!"

"That also explains why you can hear it talking." I told Harry.

"Wait a minute! You knew!" Hermione pointed an accusing finger at me. "You were carrying around a little mirror. You made us carry them around too." Oh Crap!

"I just like mirrors!" I insisted. I mentally kicked myself. Really? I just like mirrors? I reprimanded my bad lying in my head.

"You knew that the monster was a basilisk." Hermione argued.

"It was just a precaution." I said. "I suspected that since there were no marks on the bodies, it could be something like medusa. You know, they were kind of turning to stone." They seemed to accept this.

"Okay then." Hermione said slowly. That was too close! I need to be more careful!

"What should we do?" Neville asked.

"We need to find out who is possessed, and fast." Harry told us.

"Maybe we should look into how someone could have been possessed." Hermione said.

"Good plan." I agreed. The others nodded. I started closing books and letting them float back to the shelves so that the table wasn't so cluttered with books.

"How do you possess someone?" Hermione asked the library. A knew book floated to the table. Hermione read:

Possession is when a soul (or part of a soul) takes over another's body. Ghosts can posses people but only when they are unconscious. Parts of a soul can be hidden in an object. If someone creates some kind of bond with an object containing a soul part, they can be subjected to possession.

"So basically, the possessed person could be anyone who has anything of sentimental value." Ron said in frustration.

"err. Yes." Hermione confirmed.

"So basically we have gotten nowhere." Harry muttered as he rested his elbow on the table and used it to prop his head up.

"No. We know so much more than we did before." I said.

"What I want to know is when did Voldemort open the chamber the first time and who did he kill?" Ron said. Another book made it's way to the table. Ron quickly read through the page in his head. "It happened fifty years ago." He told us. "And get this. He killed moaning Myrtle. She died in the bathroom. Rowena was right. That must be where the Chamber entrance is."

"We need to find out who has been possessed." Hermione said.

"Right now I'm tired." I told them. "It's late. We should go to bed." We got up and made our way back down the passage. As soon as I got to my dorm, I collapsed into bed.

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