Nearly Headless Nick was having his DeathDay Party today and had invited Buffy, Oliver, and Harry, who brought along Ron and Hermione. The room was located in the dungeon. The hall was decorated with black tapers that were burning bright blue. Harry shivered as the temperature of the room dropped. He pulled his cloak tighter trying to ward off the cold. He noticed that Ron and Hermione were doing the same, but Oliver and Buffy weren't. Buffy and Oliver had been to a few, but this was the first one for the others. When they entered the room they saw every ghost that resided at Hogwarts and few that did not. The room glowed with bright white radiance. There were at least a hundred ghosts there. Nearly Headless Nick was standing just inside the doorway. He wore a ghostly hat that had a feather sticking out of it.

"My dear friends," Nick greeted them.

The trio noted that Sir Nicholas didn't sound like his usual spirited self. His face was depressing.

"Welcome, welcome…so pleased you could come…" Taking off the hat he was wearing he bowed deeply.

"Wouldn't have missed it Sir Nicholas." Buffy curtsied. "I have a surprise for you later. I think it might actually brighten your spirits."

"Then I eagerly await it Miss Buffy."

Sir Nicholas moved to allow them to enter. Harry, Ron, and Hermione took everything in. They saw the long table with a black tablecloth. The food was severed on handsome platters made of silver. Each platter had a variety of food that looked like fish, cakes and good foods. The three began to move foward feeling a powerful hunger at the goodies. That was until they smelt the rotting fished. Buffy and Oliver laughed at their faces of nausea. Coming their way was Moaning Myrtle. She's the ghost who haunts the second floor girl's bathroom.

"Myrtle, it's good to see you somewhere besides the girl's bathroom. Have you met my friends? This is Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley. Guys this is Myrtle."

"Is nice to meet you Myrtle." Hermione said first.

"You're just saying that. You'll just make fun of me like everyone else. I know what they call me behind my back. Fat Myrtle! Ugly Myrtle! Miserable, moaning, moping Myrtle!"

She said nastily.

"Myrtle, be nice. They don't think that and you know Oliver and I don't. We're your friends. Wasn't I the one that got your bathroom considered broken because you didn't want people in it? Now be nice or I'll have to have it reopened." Myrtle began to smile.

"Are you my friends?" She asked Harry, Hermione, and Ron.

"We liked to be if you'll let us." Harry said as the other two nodded.

Myrtle nodded and flew away happily. Sir Nicholas flew their way a little later.

"Enjoying the party?"

"Very much Sir Nicholas," replied Oliver.

"Not a bad turnout. The Wailing Widow came all the way up from Kent…It's nearly time for my speech, I'd better go warn the orchestra…"

The orchestra had just stopped at that very moment. Everyone was silently waiting for Nick to begin. The sound of the hunting horn sounded.

"Oh, here we go," said Nicholas bitterly.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, Oliver, and Buffy turned as a dozen ghost horses each ridden by a headless horseman came through the dungeon wall. A large ghost holding a bearded head under his arm was the one blowing the horn.

"Nick!" He roared. "How are you? Head still hanging in there?"

"Welcome Patrick." Nick said with difficulty.

"Live'uns!" Sir Patrick said spotting the five humans, and giving a huge fake jump of astonishment, so that his head rolled off.

"Very amusing," said Nick darkly.

"Don't mind Nick!" Sir Patrick's head shouted from the floor. "Still upset we won't let him join the Hunt! But I mean to say-look at the fellow…"

"I was right in my judgment. You are definitely way too good to join this bunch of stuck up snobs."

"Snuck up snobs? Just who do you think you are?" Patrick's body had picked up so that his head could get a better look at Buffy.

"I don't have to think. I know who I am. I'm Buffy Summers Hogwarts resident Slayer. You remember Peeves? Right? I'm the person who got rid of that pesky poltergeist when he crossed me one too many times, and I don't mind doing it again. Sir Nicholas allow me to present to you on this day of you 500th year of death a present especially for you."

Using her wand Buffy sent a spark of read into the air. Soon a group of twenty-four ghosts came in all with their heads nearly chopped off.

"This Sir Nicholas is your Hunt. A group for you made of other ghosts who have nearly lost their head. Enjoy it."

A look of pure joy came to Nicholas's face as he greeted his Hunt. The Headless Hunt was so flabbergasted that they didn't know what to say. They merely got back on their horses and rode off without saying a word.

"Thank you Buffy. The look on Patrick's face was priceless. I will always remember this day."
Buffy gave on her thousand watt smiles before leaving.

Ron had finished his detention with Snape. Buffy had been right. Snape had saved the sixth years cauldrons. They had sat for almost two days with ingredients hardening in them. He had to clean them all with a small brush. Now he had gone to dinner to find Hermione. Once he had eaten they decided to look for Harry since he had missed dinner. They were headed toward Professor Lockhart's office where Harry was suppose to be. Not too far from Lockhart's office they saw him standing there.

"Harry!" The two called out. Harry turned toward them.

"Did you hear it?"

"Hear what?" Ron asked.

"It's that voice again-shut up a minute…"

"…Kill…time to kill…" The voice sounded as if it was moving away from their position.

"Voice? What voice?" Ron asked again.

"I heard it first in Lockhart's office, and then again just…. It's moving. I think it's going to kill."

"…soo hungry…for so long…"

"This way!" Harry shouted running toward the stairs.

"Harry wait! Not so fast!"

Hermione called out as she and Ron tried to keep up with him. Harry dashed around the second floor corner. He ran around several more corridors before coming to an abrupt halt.

"Harry, what was all that about?" Ron asked wiping the sweat from his face. "I couldn't hear anything…"

"Look!"

Hermione gasped pointing down the hall. Water was all across the floor. Tiny spiders fled across the room. The light in the hall was dim but the three could read the words from where they were. Hermione read what it said out loud.

"The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the heir…beware. It's written in blood."

"What's that thing hanging underneath?" Ron asked his voice slightly shuddering.

"Oh no. It's Filch's cat. It's Mrs. Norris." Harry said.

Mrs. Norris was hanging by her tail from a torch bracket. Her body was stiff and unmoving.

"Let's get out of here," said Ron.

"Shouldn't we try to help?"

"Trust me Harry. We don't want be found here."

It was too late though. Footsteps were heard coming from two different directions. Buffy, Oliver and Percy were leading one group. A group of Slytherin came up the other passage led by Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle.

"Enemies of the heir, beware?" Draco read his usual smug look on his face.

"What's going on? Go on, make way, make way." Filch pushed his way through the crowd and spotted his cat. "Mrs. Norris? My cat! My cat! What happened to Mrs. Norris?"

His eyes fell upon Harry and a rage seem to over take him. His face grew red with rage. His hands were poised to attack Harry.

"You! You murdered my cat! You've killed her! I'll kill you! I'll kill-"

Before he could make a move on Harry, Buffy intercepted him shoving up against clean part of the wall.

"Settle down Filch! Your cat's too stiff to be dead."

"Miss Summers is correct Argus. I…everyone will proceed to the dormitories immediately. Everyone except…you three and you Buffy."

"Gryffindor's follow me."

Percy told them. Snape, McGonagall, Giles, and Lockhart made their way through the leaving students. Giles and McGonagall were looking a bit flushed and Buffy gave them a knowing smirk. She made a mental note to talk to Giles. McGonagall and Giles tried not to let it show that they had just been snogging. Buffy finally let Filch go and moved next to Harry. When all the students were gone Dumbledore spoke.

"She is not dead Argus. She's been Petrified."

"Ah, thought so. So unlucky I wasn't there. I know exactly the counter-curse that could have spared her."

Lockhart said proudly. Buffy looked toward Snape and rolled her eyes. He also shared her look.

"How did it happen Headmaster" Buffy asked.

"That my dear I cannot say."

"Ask him. It's him that done it. You saw what he wrote on the wall." Filch said pointing at Harry.

"Harry didn't do this. He's only a second year. He wouldn't have the power." Buffy told Filch.

"It would take Dark Magic of the most advanced-"

"He did it! He did it!"

"I never touched Mrs. Norris." Harry replied in his defense.

"If I might, Headmaster. Perhaps Potter and his friends were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. However, the circumstances are suspicious. I, for one, don't recall seeing Potter at dinner."

Buffy gave Snape a look that told him to quit picking on Harry. She would only let the accusations go so far.

"I'm afraid that was my doing. Harry was helping me answer my fan mail," answered Lockhart.

"That's why Ron and I went looking for him, we just found him when he said…"

"When I said I wasn't hungry. We were heading back to the Gryffindor Common Room when we found Mrs. Norris."

Harry responded quickly when Hermione had looked to ask should she tell them.

"Innocent until proven guilty, Severus."

"My cat has been Petrified. I want to see some punishment!" Filch was livid.

"We will be able to cure her, Argus. As I understand it, Madam Sprout has a very healthy

growth of Mandrake. Premature, proportionately made, which will revive Mrs. Norris."

Dumbledore said trying to be patient with the man.

"I'll make it," Lockhart butted in. "I must have done it a hundred of times. I could whip up a Mandrake Restorative Draught in my sleep."

"That would go along with that counter-curse you said you could have used. Besides he's the Potions Master at this school." Buffy said pointing back to Snape.

"Buffy!"

Giles admonished though his eyes showed that he was dangerously close to letting his laughter out. Ever since the arm incident Giles had changed his opinion of Lockhart. Dumbledore ended the situation before it could go any farther.

"You three are dismissed." The trio began to leave.

"If you don't mind Headmaster I'd like to escort them back."

"That is fine Ms. Summers."

Buffy and the trio left and were soon followed by the teachers.

"This isn't the way to the Gryffindor tower." Hermione told Buffy.

"That's because we're not going there. We're going to my room. We need to talk."

They made it to Buffy's room and she gave the password. The trio stepped in with Buffy right behind them. The room hadn't changed much since the last time they had been there. There were a few more stuff animals on the bed obviously given to her by Oliver. The three took a seat on Buffy's bed. Buffy stayed standing.

"Now which one of you wants to tell me what the real reason why you guys were in that hall?"

"What do you mean Buffy?" Ron asked nervously.

"In the hallway Hermione started to say what really happened but Harry came up with a perfect excuse not tell."

"There was this voice Buffy. It came out like a whisper, but it said "Kill… time to kill…"

Apparently I'm the only one that heard it."

"We didn't tell anyone because hearing voices isn't a good sign. We didn't want them to think that Harry is crazy."

"I don't think you're crazy Harry. My slayer senses have been telling me of a danger within the school, but every night I patrol and find nothing."

"Buffy, what do you know about the Chambers of Secrets?" Hermione asked.

"Not much, I'm afraid. You all know, of course, that Hogwarts was founded over a thousand years ago by the four greatest witches and wizards of the age. Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin. Now three of the founders co-existed quite harmoniously. One did not."

"Three guess who and I bet you get it in one." Ron told them.

"Salazar Slytherin wished to be more selective about the students admitted to Hogwarts. He believed magical learning should be kept within all magic families, in other words, Purebloods. Unable to sway the others, he decided to leave the school. Now according to legend, Slytherin had built a hidden chamber in this castle known as the Chamber of Secrets. Now shortly before departing, he sealed it until that time when his own true heir returned to the school. The heir alone will be able to open the Chamber and unleash the horror within and by so doing, purge the school of all those who, in Slytherin's few, were unworthy to study magic."

"Muggle-bourns." Hermione said from her spot.

"The Chamber is said to be home to something that only the heir of Slytherin can control. It said to be home of a monster. No one has ever found the entrance."

"Do you have any idea of who the heir could be?" Harry asked.

"No, but I've been trying to keep an eye on a select few, but the heir could be anybody."

"Could Malfoy be the one behind this?" Ron asked.

"It's a possibility. I can't keep tabs on him twenty-four-seven."

"Crabbe and Goyle must know. Maybe we can trick them into telling us." Ron suggested.

"Even they aren't that thick." Hermione told him.

"I really need to get patrolling. I'll let you guys handle Crabbe and Goyle. You come up with anything let me know."

The three nodded as Buffy escorted them out. Buffy went one way and they went the other.

"I've been thinking that maybe we don't have to trick Crabbe and Goyle but Malfoy. Mind you, it will be difficult, not to mention we'll be breaking about fifty school rules. And it'll be dangerous. Very dangerous. Here it is. The Polyjuice Potion. Properly brewed, the Polyjuice Potion allows the drinker to transform himself temporarily into the physical form of another." Hermione spoke.

"You mean if Harry and I drink that stuff we'll turn into Crabbe and Goyle?" Ron asked thinking of that prospect.

"Yes."

"Wicked Malfoy will tell us anything."

"Exactly, but it's tricky. I've never seen a more complicated potion."

"Well, how long will it take?" Harry asked.

"A month."

"A month? But Hermione, if Malfoy is the heir of Slytherin, he could attack half the Muggle-bourns in the school by then."

"I know but that's not the only problem. The book with the recipe in it is in the restricted section. We're also probably have to steal most of the ingredients."

"I can think of only one teacher that would be gullible enough to give us a pass." Harry replied looking at Ron.

"Lockhart!"