Chapter ten: My moment has come at last.
"I don't think our students are very happy that we're still planning on having exams. I have had to explain about three times today that it is simply to keep things running as normally as possible, but they seem to think there should be no exams.what with everything which has happened and all." McGonagall told me a few days later at lunch.
I shook my head. "And why shouldn't we have exams?" I demanded. "The culprit has been caught and everything is normal again."
McGonagall looked shocked. "Gilderoy, did you not hear what Albus said before he left? Hagrid is not the culprit. Anyone who knows him would know that."
"Minerva," I said feeling as though I was speaking to a child. "The ministry wouldn't take an innocent man."
"The ministry," McGonagall said through clenched teeth. "Have to be seen to be doing something and that happens to be the best they could come up with."
*****
After lunch I had the second year students, who were all still acting as if they thought the culprit was still at large. I had to take them to their "History of Magic" class after and I sighed as I did so. It had been a long night the night before and it was beginning to catch up with me- I was planning on taking a nap as soon as possible. I'd been on patrol the night before by orders of McGonagall, and orders were orders, despite the fact that the culprit was currently in prison. I had, however, managed a brief sleep in one of the unused rooms.
I heard one of the students mutter something to the other about when the regulations would be relaxed and when the guilty party would be caught.
"Mark my words, 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."
"I agree, sir." Harry said, and I wasn't the only one shocked. Ron dropped his books, and hastily picked them up again. I surveyed Harry thoughtfully- maybe he'd realised that I was right, that as the superior wizard I knew everything.
"Thank you Harry. 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." Ron agreed with me, and Harry. "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 for my next class." I said. I left them where they were and headed straight for my office intent on having a much needed nap since I had no class then. I made myself comfortable, and a few moments later I was asleep.
*****
"ALL STUDENTS TO RETURN TO THEIR HOUSE DORMITORIES AT ONCE! ALL TEACHERS RETURN TO THE STAFF ROOM! IMMEDIATELY PLEASE!" came over the loudspeaker, waking me up awhile later. I sighed and got up, but one of my portraits stopped me. "You can't go out in public looking like that!" it admonished me.
I went to one of my many mirrors and checked my reflection. Sure enough my hair was a mess, and my robes crumpled. I fixed my hair, and smoothed out my robes before making my way down to the staff room. I wondered what the big news was now: something insignificant probably considering that the chamber was closed and all.
When I entered the staff room everyone was already gathered in there. I entered with a smile. "So sorry- dozed off- what have I missed?" I asked brightly.
Snape stepped forwards, a strange smile on his face. "Just the man. The very man. A girl has been snatched by the monster, Lockhart. Taken into the Chamber of Secrets itself. Your moment has come at last."
"That's right Gilderoy. Weren't you saying just last night that you've known all along where the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets is?" Sprout asked me, with a strange look on her face similar to Snape.
"I-well-I" I stammered not sure what to say. I was shocked to hear that something had happened when I had been so sure that the culprit was Hagrid, and he was safely away from the school in Azkaban. Unless, of course, he broke out. I'd never heard of anyone doing that before, but it was a possibility that Hagrid was a very strong dark wizard.
"Yes didn't you tell me you knew what was inside it?" Added Flitwick.
"D-Did I? I don't recall." I said, thoughts still going through my head at the speed of lightening. What was I meant to do now? I had no idea where the chamber was!
"I certainly recall you saying you were sorry you hadn't had a crack at the monster before Hagrid was arrested." Snape added and I wished he would shut up. Was everyone ganging up on me? "Didn't you say the whole affair had been bungled, and that you should have had free reign from the first?"
"I..I never really..You may have misunderstood.." I said, deciding that there was only one option: I had to leave. If I had of known where the chamber was then I would have not hesitated in going in there and teaching that monster a lesson or two.
"We'll leave it to you then." McGonagall declared. "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 reign at last."
I looked around me concerned. How was I meant to do anything when I didn't even know where the chamber was? They were all going to think I was a complete fraud! If only I had the slightest idea where the chamber was! "V- very well! I'll- I'll be in my office, getting, getting ready." I said, and I left the room then.
I went straight to my office and sat down in my chair thinking. Where could the chamber be? I decided that it was most likely on the second floor where the writing had been found. Come hell or high water that night I was going to find the entrance to the chamber and defeat the monster, and renew the teacher's faith in me. After all I had done in my life there was no way I was backing down now. The time for action had arrived. (For full details see my published works.)
"I don't think our students are very happy that we're still planning on having exams. I have had to explain about three times today that it is simply to keep things running as normally as possible, but they seem to think there should be no exams.what with everything which has happened and all." McGonagall told me a few days later at lunch.
I shook my head. "And why shouldn't we have exams?" I demanded. "The culprit has been caught and everything is normal again."
McGonagall looked shocked. "Gilderoy, did you not hear what Albus said before he left? Hagrid is not the culprit. Anyone who knows him would know that."
"Minerva," I said feeling as though I was speaking to a child. "The ministry wouldn't take an innocent man."
"The ministry," McGonagall said through clenched teeth. "Have to be seen to be doing something and that happens to be the best they could come up with."
*****
After lunch I had the second year students, who were all still acting as if they thought the culprit was still at large. I had to take them to their "History of Magic" class after and I sighed as I did so. It had been a long night the night before and it was beginning to catch up with me- I was planning on taking a nap as soon as possible. I'd been on patrol the night before by orders of McGonagall, and orders were orders, despite the fact that the culprit was currently in prison. I had, however, managed a brief sleep in one of the unused rooms.
I heard one of the students mutter something to the other about when the regulations would be relaxed and when the guilty party would be caught.
"Mark my words, 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."
"I agree, sir." Harry said, and I wasn't the only one shocked. Ron dropped his books, and hastily picked them up again. I surveyed Harry thoughtfully- maybe he'd realised that I was right, that as the superior wizard I knew everything.
"Thank you Harry. 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." Ron agreed with me, and Harry. "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 for my next class." I said. I left them where they were and headed straight for my office intent on having a much needed nap since I had no class then. I made myself comfortable, and a few moments later I was asleep.
*****
"ALL STUDENTS TO RETURN TO THEIR HOUSE DORMITORIES AT ONCE! ALL TEACHERS RETURN TO THE STAFF ROOM! IMMEDIATELY PLEASE!" came over the loudspeaker, waking me up awhile later. I sighed and got up, but one of my portraits stopped me. "You can't go out in public looking like that!" it admonished me.
I went to one of my many mirrors and checked my reflection. Sure enough my hair was a mess, and my robes crumpled. I fixed my hair, and smoothed out my robes before making my way down to the staff room. I wondered what the big news was now: something insignificant probably considering that the chamber was closed and all.
When I entered the staff room everyone was already gathered in there. I entered with a smile. "So sorry- dozed off- what have I missed?" I asked brightly.
Snape stepped forwards, a strange smile on his face. "Just the man. The very man. A girl has been snatched by the monster, Lockhart. Taken into the Chamber of Secrets itself. Your moment has come at last."
"That's right Gilderoy. Weren't you saying just last night that you've known all along where the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets is?" Sprout asked me, with a strange look on her face similar to Snape.
"I-well-I" I stammered not sure what to say. I was shocked to hear that something had happened when I had been so sure that the culprit was Hagrid, and he was safely away from the school in Azkaban. Unless, of course, he broke out. I'd never heard of anyone doing that before, but it was a possibility that Hagrid was a very strong dark wizard.
"Yes didn't you tell me you knew what was inside it?" Added Flitwick.
"D-Did I? I don't recall." I said, thoughts still going through my head at the speed of lightening. What was I meant to do now? I had no idea where the chamber was!
"I certainly recall you saying you were sorry you hadn't had a crack at the monster before Hagrid was arrested." Snape added and I wished he would shut up. Was everyone ganging up on me? "Didn't you say the whole affair had been bungled, and that you should have had free reign from the first?"
"I..I never really..You may have misunderstood.." I said, deciding that there was only one option: I had to leave. If I had of known where the chamber was then I would have not hesitated in going in there and teaching that monster a lesson or two.
"We'll leave it to you then." McGonagall declared. "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 reign at last."
I looked around me concerned. How was I meant to do anything when I didn't even know where the chamber was? They were all going to think I was a complete fraud! If only I had the slightest idea where the chamber was! "V- very well! I'll- I'll be in my office, getting, getting ready." I said, and I left the room then.
I went straight to my office and sat down in my chair thinking. Where could the chamber be? I decided that it was most likely on the second floor where the writing had been found. Come hell or high water that night I was going to find the entrance to the chamber and defeat the monster, and renew the teacher's faith in me. After all I had done in my life there was no way I was backing down now. The time for action had arrived. (For full details see my published works.)