It's All On Us
Chapter 2: The Opening Salvo
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, nor do I intend to gain any profit from this fanfiction.
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Nov. 1st, 1992
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Harry and Ron were released from the hospital ward Sunday at lunch, with orders to return should they need anything. The two left the ward in silence, and walked along the corridor until they found an empty classroom.
I need to look into some privacy spells, Harry thought to himself.
"Right, I know that look." Ron began, "When do we start?"
"Today." Harry said, "But we need to be careful. Professor Dumbledore made it clear the professors would be monitoring us."
"What?! Bloody hell, why?! They should be trying to find that heir and the Chamber of Secrets!"
"Dumbledore thinks we shouldn't get revenge for Hermione, said it would lead to a 'bad end.'"
Ron scowled, setting himself down on a desk before saying, "Bugger that. Whoever did this to Hermione needs to pay for it."
Harry nodded, glad they were on the same page, "So, where do we begin?"
"Why are you asking me?"
"Ron, you've lived in the wizarding world all your life. Surely you must've heard of the Chamber of Secrets before?"
The taller boy shook his head, "Not really, but then neither one of us ever really read Hogwarts, A History."
"Then that's where we start. We hit the library, ask anyone that might be willing to talk to us. Hagrid, for a start."
"What about the Slytherins? Malfoy sure seemed eager."
"Malfoy is definitely involved, or his family is, at least. Remember Dobby, that elf I told you about? I'm quite certain he's Malfoy's elf."
Ron's face tensed as a livid scowl marred his features, and he drew his wand. Harry held his hand up, silently begging him to control his temper.
Ordinarily, Harry would be right there with him. But his anger had transformed into something... colder than red hot rage. He'd never thought of himself as a violent person, but since finding Hermione he'd entertained the most brutal fantasies of torturing Draco in the most Dursley fashion he could.
It would be fitting, considering the way the Malfoy family treated Dobby.
But right now, they needed facts and evidence if they were to beat the heir. They wouldn't get them if they tipped their hand too soon, or got caught. Their one advantage was that Malfoy didn't know about Dobby, and he couldn't let Ron and his rage get in the way.
His clarity of mind came with a price though. His own rage was present, and much colder. It had an alarming way of focusing his mind, filtering out the unimportant details of his life in favor of anything and everything that might aid them. It threatened to become an obsession.
Ron cursing Malfoy wouldn't aid them...not yet, anyway.
"We have to be smart, Ron." Harry said, "It's just the two of us now, we don't have Hermione to help us this time. Or to keep us from getting expelled."
Ron grinned suddenly, earning a chastising look from Harry.
"Remember that night we found Fluffy?" Ron asked.
Harry let out a sad grin of his own, "Hermione was livid with us for nearly getting in trouble. 'We could all have been killed-"
"Or worse, expelled." The two finished as one, smiling as they remembered their absent friend.
"You're right, Harry." Ron admitted, "So, we hit the books and we ask questions. Who do we start with?"
"Hagrid, for one. He may not know anything, but if he does he might let it slip. Binns might be an option, but then again he is a professor. Dumbledore may tell him not to."
"He's a bloody snore, too. Anything he has to say might be about how the Chamber affected the goblin war or 1237."
"That's not a bad idea, actually." At Ron's perplexed look, Harry elaborated, "The Chamber is a legend, but how did the legend start? Has the Chamber been opened before?"
"I can ask my Mum, but I doubt she'll tell me. Dad either. Maybe Bill or Charlie."
"So we check the books and ask people we know. What about another source? Hermione always talks about triple checking your sources in a paper, this is the same thing."
Ron frowned, considering what other possibilities there were before a thought struck him.
"The Prophet! It's been around forever, if the Chamber opened before it would have reported it."
Harry nodded, "Brilliant! I can write to the editor, asking if we can check his records. Oh."
"What?"
"Dumbledore didn't say if Hermione's parents would be notified."
Ron frowned, "They're her parents, they must have been informed."
"Muggle parents, Ron. Dumbledore and McGonagall are great, but things slip through the cracks. Especially with the heir still lurking about."
Ron's frown was firmly rooted to his face, but he nodded all the same. It would be better to check and make sure.
"Alright, so we have a start." Harry continued, "But what about Malfoy?"
"He won't say anything to us, and we can't get to him with Crabbe and Goyle hovering around. If we can get him alone, then maybe we can get him to talk."
"Even if we do, he'll just have us expelled afterwards."
"...I dunno, mate, that one is going to be a challenge."
"We come back to it later, then. We've got a lot to start on. Let's get lunch, check with McGonagall about Hermione's parents then you start in the library while I write the letter to the Prophet. And no matter what Malfoy does, we can't let him wind us up."
"So long as we can have a go at him later, I'm in."
The two boys left the classroom and proceeded to the Great Hall. Along the way, they ran across a number of Hogwarts students who gave them sympathetic looks. Lee Jordan and a Ravenclaw girl named Hannah stopped them just outside the Hall and apologized about Hermione.
When they entered the Hall, conversations stopped and nearly every eye locked onto them. The two Gryffindors ignored it as best they could while they took their seats near the Gryffindor quidditch team.
"Harrikins." George greeted.
"Ronnikins." Fred echoed.
"Don't." Katie Bell chastised.
"It's alright, guys." Harry said, appreciating how normal the twins were being.
Ron nodded in agreement but kept his eyes on his food. The twins shared a look but didn't comment on how quiet their brother was being.
"Think you'll be good for the match Saturday?" Oliver asked, pointedly ignoring the glares from his three chasers.
Harry frowned slightly, having completely forgotten about the upcoming match against Slytherin. He'd initially planned on spending all his time researching, but three practices at night would severely hinder that.
His silence clearly wasn't a good omen, considering how Oliver looked like he'd have a panic attack if Harry didn't give him an answer. But before he could, a voice they all despised joined them.
"Potty wouldn't dare risk the heir's wrath by playing." Draco Malfoy sneered, "Not after losing his precious mudblood."
Ron's wand was already in his hand, gripping it so tight the wand began to strain under the spellotape. Harry sent him a look and shook his head, causing Ron to take a breath and relax.
"Who made you his spokesman, Malfoy?" Harry asked quietly, "Does he send you letters with his orders, maybe have you send his owls or wash his clothes?"
Draco scowled at him, "I am not some common house elf, Potter."
"So you don't know shite about what you're talking about, then. Thought as much."
Malfoy's glare intensified, "I know more than you could dream of, Potter."
Harry suddenly rose to his feet, getting into Draco's face and causing him to take a step back and draw his wand. Harry stayed firm, though, knowing how quickly things could turn on him if he drew his own wand in defense.
"Oh yes, please, tell me how you know who the heir is. Tell me where the chamber is. In fact, why don't you tell me the exact spell he used to petrify Hermione. Tell me, Malfoy, so we can all be so impressed by the mighty Heir of Slytherin."
Malfoy only now realized that every pair of eyes in the Hall were locked on him, eagerly awaiting an answer. Ron and the quidditch team each had their wands out, ready to defend Harry should he attack.
Draco paled, but said, "You'll find out soon, Potter."
With that parting shot, he scurried back to his own table. Only once he had sat down did Harry let himself relax and sit down.
"You can expect me at every practice." Harry muttered before looking at Ron, "I'm suddenly not quite hungry."
Ron nodded, pushing aside his barely eaten meal (while ignoring the stunned looks from his brothers) and the two rose as one and walked to the staff table.
As they approached, most of the staff were looking at them with open sympathy. McGonagall looked as though she might cry, while Lockhart was smiling like an idiot. Snape, however, was openly scowling at them.
"Quite a display, Potter." Snape began, "Worthy of a five point loss for bullying, I'd wager."
"Severus." Dumbledore muttered.
The potions master scowled even more before casually returning the points. Harry and Ron ignored the exchange, focusing all their attention on their Head of House.
"Have Hermione's parents been contacted yet, Professor?" Ron asked.
The transfiguration professor nodded, "I went to her home late last night to give them the news. They were quite distraught, understandably so. They visited early this morning as you slept, but plan to return as often as possible."
Harry nodded before asking, "Would you mind letting us know when they visit next? We'd like to meet them."
Professors Sprout and Vector sobbed at that request, and McGonagall appeared touched as well.
"Of course, of course." She answered.
The boys nodded their thanks and quietly left the Hall, ignoring the eyes on their back. The two split there, with Ron heading for the library and Harry for the common room.
He noticed he wasn't alone when he went inside, finding Ginny Weasley sitting on one of the couches with an old looking book and a quill in her hands. She glanced up as she heard him and gaped for a moment before summoning the will to speak.
"I'm so sorry about Hermione, Harry."
Harry nodded, "Thanks. Are you feeling alright? You look a little pale."
And she did; more than a little, in fact. She looked as though she hadn't slept in days, and had dark circles around her eyes.
Ginny paled even more before muttering something about bad dreams and scarpering off to the first year girl's dorm. Harry shrugged it off, considering it typical of Ginny to avoid him. He went upstairs to his own dorm and withdrew a piece of parchment and began his letter.
'To Whom It May Concern,My name is Harry Potter, and I am in need of your help. Recently, an incident has occurred which has caused me to gain an interest in the legendary 'Chamber of Secrets.' I am currently exploring all avenues of research into the subject and, as such, was hoping to purchase any archived copies of your paper that may contain relevant information.I understand this may be an expensive search, but I am quite willing to meet any price for these materials. I have instructed my owl to wait for your reply, and am eagerly awaiting your response.Sincerely yours,Harry James Potter'