Disclaimer: Much as I'd like to, I don't own Draco Malfoy, or any part of the magical world that J.K. Rowling has all the copyrights to ... please don't sue me. There are some parts of this story that are quotes from the book - it can't be helped - events are the same as in the book, but Draco's opinion of these events may vary from Harry's.

Author's Notes: I needed to do some re-writing, after reading OotP. I have made some minor changes to this chapter, mostly spelling and grammar.

Chapter 7 - Enemies of the Heir, Beware

That very night was Halloween. Pansy commented that I still looked a little flushed, but it wasn't half as bad as I'd been. The Feast was spectacular. Dumbledore had booked a troop of dancing skeletons for the entertainment ... probably because the ghosts - who, I'm told, usually provide the amusement factor at the party (they had done in my first year) - had all disappeared.

It was a great night. The pumpkins were the size of small houses (very small, but a Weasley could happily live in one, if they got kicked out of their family home), and the highlight of the party (at least in my opinion, it was the funniest part) was when one of the skeletons tripped and fell off the stage, breaking into individual bones, which started dancing on their own.

I did notice an absence of Potter, Weasley, Weaslette and Hermione. None of them appeared all evening. That didn't bother me ... at the time, anyway. Still, it wasn't as exciting as last year ... although I preferred this to the blind panic, it still wasn't as exciting. That is, until after the Feast.

It's odd - I still don't know how it happened - but you do know that the corridors and stairways move. No matter what way we tried to take, it led us up to the second floor - we kept turning back, but the third time we found ourselves there, Theo suggested that we try to cut across and go down the far staircase.

We found ourselves in a packed corridor and the crowd had stopped moving. "What's going on?" Theo asked.

"Dunno. Can't see from here." I answered, "Crabbe, Goyle, make way for me to get through this." I said, pointing in the general direction of the front of the crowd. Crabbe and Goyle obediently began shoving people out of my way and soon I made it to the front. There I saw three Gryffindors - Potter, Weasley and Hermione - standing gawping at a wall, which had been decorated with red writing:

'THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED

ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE'

And what looked suspiciously like Mrs Norris, hung up by her tail from a torch bracket. Very cute - I always thought she deserved a good kicking, but that was going one better. I wondered if she was dead - considering the message, and my knowledge of certain unpleasant details to which the rest of the school had a noticeable lack of access, the answer was probably 'yes'.

I then realised exactly what the implications of this were. The Chamber of Secrets has been opened - that means Tom is doing what he planned to do. Took him long enough to get started, but I'm not complaining about that. I looked at the three Gryffindors with perverse amusement - they might even get the blame for this. "Enemies of the Heir, beware!" I shouted, now looking specifically at Hermione, "You'll be next, Mudbloods!"

I'm not sure if it was my shouting or (more likely) the large group of students clogging up the corridor, but Filch made his Squibly presence known at this moment. He shoved past me, asking, "What's going on here? What's going on?" I just stopped myself from laughing at the expression on his face when he spotted his precious Mrs Norris. "My cat! Mt cat!" he wailed, "What's happened to Mrs Norris?" then he spotted the student nearest the crime-scene - Potter, "You! You! You've murdered my cat! You've killed her! I'll kill you! I'll -"

I was just enjoying the show - Potter being threatened by Filch was something I'd pay to see and here I was getting to watch it for free - when another voice made itself heard, "Argus!" I turned to see Dumbledore and some other teachers, across the corridor from me. I watched as Dumbledore took the foul feline down from her hanging place and turned to face the suspects and the victim-by-proxy, "Come with me, Argus. You too, Mr Potter, Mr Weasley, Miss Granger."

He's going to take them away, to interrogate them where I can't watch ... no fair! Lockhart pranced over to Dumbledore, saying, "My office is nearest, Headmaster - just upstairs - please feel free -"

"Thank you, Gilderoy." Dumbledore said in a way that I was certain was intended to mean 'do shut up, you babbling idiot'.

I watched as they left, wondering how Lockhart could be so oblivious to the fact that almost everyone hates him. I also wondered where Weaslette was, and why no one had missed HER, when several people had commented on the absence of Potter and his gang.

* * *

When we got back to the common room, I went straight to the dorm and lay down - not bothering to change - and started to try to figure out what was going on.

Theo appeared in the dorm, moments after me, "Draco." he said apprehensively.

I looked up and gave him a look that says 'what?'

"Umm. Every self-respecting Slytherin knows what the Chamber of Secrets is. Everyone knows it's meant to be Slytherin's Heir who opens it. And everyone also knows that Salazar Serpent-tongue Slytherin said his Heir would have his skills. Care to tell me if this is a coincidence?"

"I assume you're referring to my sudden interest in learning a new language?" I asked, still looking up at Theo, who had now sat on the edge of his bed. He nodded. "It's not a coincidence." I said honestly.

"Are you admitting -?"

"No." I interrupted, "I am not admitting to being the Heir ... only that my sudden interest in Parseltongue is related to it. I've been expecting something like this and wanted to be prepared."

"You've been expecting something like this? What's that mean?"

"It means I've been aware of the Heir's intent to return to Hogwarts, since the start of the summer holidays, but I wasn't sure if he had actually made it here, or not."

"So who is it?" Theo asked.

"The same person as last time." I said, returning my gaze to the ceiling.

"Who was it last time?" Theo persisted.

"What other Parselmouth do we know of, who might be alive in this century?" I asked, staring intently at the stonework above me.

"Not ... not You-Know-Who?"

"Got it in one." I said, with a bemused smirk, "So, are you still against him?"

"You have to ask? Duh - of course I'm still against him."

"That's good." I said, frowning, "The problem is, I don't think I can do anything about it. He knows that I know He's here. He knows I know who He's using this time. If I start acting suspiciously, He'll catch on, and then all hell will break loose at my expense. If we're going to do anything, this year, we need to exercise a great deal of caution."

"Who's He using this time?" Theo asked, perched on the edge of his bed like he might fall off at any second.

"Little Weasley girl. I think. She was notably absent at the Feast."

"She's not exactly the sort of person you'd think was working for Him. Then again, who'd have thought it was Quirrell, last year?"

"I don't think she's a willing servant. She most likely doesn't know what she's doing. We ought to watch her ... except I can't, because she'll notice if I start snooping." I said, sitting up and turning to face Theo, "If you and the girls could watch her?" I said in a way that makes it sound like a question. Theo nodded. "And paying specific attention to the books she owns. A small black diary might be useful to get our hands on. Or at least, to get it away from her."

"How's that work?" Theo asked.

"The diary is the source of all her problems." I said cryptically.

Then a knocking could be heard on our door. "Who's there?" Theo called, loud enough to be heard.

"It's us." Blaise's voice said from beyond the door, "Cat and me."

"Come in." I replied. The door opened and the two girls bolted inside, closing the door behind them, as quickly as humanly possible. "What's up?" I asked.

"The Chamber of Secrets." Blaise said, "Cat went all weird when she saw the writing, and now she says she had a vision."

"I did have a vision!" Cat snapped.

"What was it?" I asked.

"I suddenly knew ... it's some sort of rhyme." she said nervously, "I get these sorts of flashes - that's why I want to take Divination next year, because I think I might be a Seer."

"What rhyme?" Theo asked.

"Little red girl with a little black book and a demon in her soul, calls up deadly eyes and poisonous teeth that could swallow humans whole." Cat said, obviously concentrating on getting the wording exactly right.

"That's news." I said sarcastically. Cat glared at me, "I mean, I already knew that." I said, suddenly on the defensive.

"What's the monster, when it's at home?" Theo asked.

"What are you boys on about?" Blaise interrupted.

"Chamber of Secrets." I said calmly, "I know who's behind it. Same trouble-maker as last year. And Weasley-girl is the less-than-willing partner-in-crime."

"How the ...? How'd you figure that?" Blaise asked.

"I have my sources." I said, watching them both, "I say we watch Weasley-girl, and if possible, get the little black book Cat mentioned away from her. I can't do it myself, because He knows me."

"This is not going to be fun." Blaise whined.

"You think I enjoy it?" I asked, "What I'd give for a quiet life."

* * *

The very next day, Theo managed to get a detention from Filch, for loitering. And the day after that, Filch tried to give me a detention for looking happy ... well with Mrs Norris out of commission (apparently petrified, rather than dead), who'd not be relatively happy? The thing that surprised me was that Weaslette seemed to actually be upset about the incident - not what I had expected - I'd thought that she'd seem pleased. Then again, it could be an act - probably.

Hermione could be found in the Library, every day, whenever she wasn't required to be in class. I didn't really bother with her, until Wednesday after Potions class. I had gone up to the Library to make a start on my Potions homework, when I spotted her. She was in the History section, when I settled myself down at a desk in the corner, where few could see me. Hermione, however, was one of the few - she spotted me and made her way over to my table.

"What're you up to, Malfoy?" she asked.

"Actually, at the moment, I'm only doing my Potions homework. I'm not up to anything particularly evil, today." I said, smirking.

"Oh, no?" she asked, watching me, "I don't suppose you know anything about this Chamber of Secrets thing, do you?"

"I know about it, yeah." I answered, "I'd suggest you ask a teacher about it - they might be able to tell you something."

"Why can't you just tell me?" she asked, glaring.

"I have my reasons." I said, now refusing to look at her, "Besides, considering that your looking in the History section ... how about asking someone who'd know about the History of the school?"

"You're NOT helping." Hermione snarled.

"Yes, I am. I just told you exactly how to find what you want to know." I said, frowning.

"Yeah, right." she snapped, before returning to the shelves. I shook my head and made myself scarce - I didn't feel like hanging around when she was pissed off at me - gods only know why, but it makes me feel ... what's that word? - guilty ... when she's mad at me. I really don't understand it, myself ... I mean, I'm always pissing people off and never once have I felt bad about it, before.

I spent the rest of the day wondering if she'd actually bothered to take my advice, or not. Probably not, considering the fact that she doesn't trust me, in the least.

* * *

I know that all Slytherins are always up to something ... but now it seems the same with the Gryffindors, too. Weaslette is obviously up to no good, even though she doesn't act like it. Then there are the Weasley twins - don't get me started on those two. And now the Terrific Trio are up to something, I just wish I knew what. I'd guess it's either something to do with the Chamber of Secrets, or they're trying to sabotage the Snakes-and-Lions Quidditch match - for all I know, it could be either.

Speaking of Quidditch, the first match of the season approached with unnerving speed. I had barely gotten bored with Halloween's excitement, when the match was upon us. Of course, I was looking forward to it. The whole team was looking forward to the match, with sadistic glee - it was pretty much a foregone conclusion that we would run the Gryffindors into the ground.

And the match itself. I really don't want to talk about it ... but I have to, don't I? It is part of the story, unfortunately.

I saw the audience cheering the enemy, as I waited in the changing room. Then it was our turn to go out. Most of the crowd booed us, but I heard cheering from the quarter nearest us. I looked up at the Slytherin part of the crowd, to see all the second years cheering loudly, and jumping up and down in a most un-dignified manner that does not suit Slytherins. I also saw the higher box, where Snape usually sat ... he was there, but so was someone else ... my father had come to watch my first match. I considered that to be a good thing - he'd see me run Potter into the ground, like I'd planned.

While I had been looking around, Flint and Wood had been ordered to shake hands - neither had been too friendly about that. And then, as I returned my attention to Madam Hooch, she blew the whistle that signalled the game was to begin.

Potter flew up a little higher than was necessary, as if he thought that flying higher made him better ... he wishes. I shot past, underneath him, trying to attract his attention - as you do, if you want to make them think you're after the Snitch, to pull off the Wronski Feint - he didn't notice me, so I did the same again, this time yelling at him, "All right, there, Scarhead?"

He looked down at me, but suddenly flew round in a different direction. I looked up to see that a Bludger had just missed him. Within minutes, the Weasley twins were circling around him trying to make the Bludger, that had focused itself on Potter, hit anyone in our team ... not with much success. I flew up a little higher and started searching for the Snitch, and trying not to let the three ridiculous-looking Lions distract me. I didn't care that the Bludger was obviously tampered with - probably Flint's doing, I thought - I certainly wouldn't put it past him.

Then the rain started. I still couldn't see anything that looked like a Snitch, but our team was miles ahead, so there wasn't too much to worry about - there was no real chance of Potter seeing anything, and I was quite happily doing exactly what I was supposed to do, rather than messing around like he was.

After another good few minutes, Gryffindor called a time-out. I made good use of this time, by trying to locate the Snitch. It seemed reluctant to show itself. I glanced at the box in the Slytherin area, seeing Father watching me intently. It always made me nervous when he watched me like that - it usually meant that if I made a mistake, I'd regret it.

I decided to pay more attention to the game than the spectators, and noticed the Gryffindors taking off, again. The Beaters had left Potter alone, and he began flying around like a rabid Doxy, trying to keep away from the mad Bludger. To say it was funny to watch would be an understatement.

As he passed close to me, I yelled out, "Training for the ballet, Potter?" I watched him speed off down the pitch, and couldn't help but laugh. It was ridiculous, really. He turned round to give me an angry glare, and sat still long enough for the Bludger to collide with his arm. He nearly fell off ... only nearly, unfortunately. Then, he dived, speeding towards me - I thought he might have lost control, or he might have thought the Bludger was my fault and was attacking me. I would kick myself when I realised that the Snitch had been right behind me ... I only realised this after I had swerved out of his way and watched, helplessly, as he caught the damned thing.

Seriously pissed off might cover a microscopic fraction of how I felt at that moment, and I seriously hoped he'd break his neck when he hit the ground. Again, I was unlucky. He lived, and I have to be thankful for Lockhart, since he DID ruin Potter's victory ... I'm not exactly sure what he did, but Potter got stuck in the Hospital Wing for the night.

* * *

End of chapter 7