CHAPTER 6
By the time Lucy went back to school she had read all the second year books and was ready to start a new timetable.
Quite a few of the 2nd years didn't seem too pleased to have a 1st year in their lessons with them, especially one who could master most spell quicker than they could.
But the only teachers who seemed to have a problem with her were Hunt, who set her a test on all the 1st year assignments at her first lesson, and a test on all the work the 2nd years had covered before Christmas.
Only when Lucy achieved high marks on both did he seem satisfied. Professor Snape, who had disliked Lucy the moment she stepped into his class, seemed even more annoyed with her now. He set her reams of homework every lesson, the same essays as the rest of the class plus another two or three that the class had already completed.
With all the extra work and with Lucy now studying different things from Andrea, they didn't have time to explore the secret passage. They had all but forgotten about it when one night Lucy was studying her charms notes she came across an incantation to reveal hidden information or items.
"Look at this" she said quietly to Andrea, "I wonder if that would reveal something in that room?"
"Let's try it tonight," Andrea answered her eye's twinkling.
"How are we going to get there at this time? Someone will see us leave the tower."
"Not if we wait until their all in bed." Andrea said casually.
"If we're caught, we're in big trouble. They could expel us!" whispered Lucy nervously.
"They won't expel you; you're the top student in the school for heavens sake!" mocked Andrea. "Come on don't be chicken!"
They waited until the rest of the students had left the common room and snuck out down to the passage which appeared to them as before, stumbling along in the darkness Lucy took out her wand cautiously and opened the door.
As before they entered an empty darkened room, Lucy lit her wand and looked around. Glancing nervously at Andrea she muttered the incantation, half hoping that it wouldn't reveal anything and they could go back to their warm beds.
The spell however worked and revealed another doorway, this one looked very old with a huge brass handle, and cautiously the girls moved forward and opened it. They found themselves staring down a dark, cold flight of stairs.
They began slowly to go down the stairs; they were about 10 steps down when the heavy door slammed shut behind them. With a startled shriek Lucy tripped over Andrea who had stopped to look round at the door and they both tumbled painfully down the stone steps. As they lay in a crumpled heap at the bottom of the stairs they noticed that they had emerged in what looked like an anti-chamber with another door at the end. Through this door, which Lucy opened with a quiet word they found themselves, strangely enough in a very ornate bathroom?
"Well" giggled Andrea, "the last thing I was expecting was a secret toilet"
Lucy joined in with her giggling, then suddenly said "Sh, listen, I hear voices."
The voices were coming from behind the only door in the room, "Where did the other door go?" said Andrea in a panicked voice.
"It's behind that mirror, look there are hinges on the right side." Answered Lucy, as she slowly crept up to the door, to listen.
"But how did they find them?" came the unmistakable voice of Professor McGonagall.
"I have a few theories, but as yet I simply don't know" replied the voice of Dumbledore.
"We have to get out of here" whispered Lucy.
The words were no sooner out of her mouth when the door swung open and they were facing the two Professors.
"Ladies, May I enquire what you are doing on in my private bathroom?" asked Dumbledore looking from one to the other.
"How did they get in there in the first place?" added McGonagall.
"As to that, it may answer our other question," said Dumbledore to McGonagall pointedly.
"We. uh.we found this corridor that wasn't a corridor the next day and we were curious because that boy had been there so we went to investigate and Lucy found this enchantment and we thought we'd try it we didn't think there was any harm and we're sorry and we would never do it again, sir." Blurted out Andrea all in one breathe.
McGonagall looked utterly confused when she said to Lucy "Perhaps you would like to try a more understandable version of events. Lucy took a deep breathe and told the story from the beginning starting from the scream and finishing there in Dumbledore's office.
Dumbledore, who had sat down behind his desk to listen, didn't say anything for a few moments then raised his eye's and said "Curiosity is not a crime, indeed it is a very commendable attribute when exercised cautiously."
McGonagall looked as surprised as the girls at this statement. He continued "the Slytherin student, do you know who he is?"
"No sir, except that he is in 7th year" stammered Andrea.
"Very well I think you should both go to bed now and I would ask you not to wander around the castle at night, it is not always safe"
Lucy and Andrea were surprised to find themselves outside the Gryffindor statue that led to Dumbledore's office, as they headed to their dormitory; they tried to puzzle out what they had learned, if anything. Exhausted they both tumbled into bed and were soon fast asleep.
By the time Lucy went back to school she had read all the second year books and was ready to start a new timetable.
Quite a few of the 2nd years didn't seem too pleased to have a 1st year in their lessons with them, especially one who could master most spell quicker than they could.
But the only teachers who seemed to have a problem with her were Hunt, who set her a test on all the 1st year assignments at her first lesson, and a test on all the work the 2nd years had covered before Christmas.
Only when Lucy achieved high marks on both did he seem satisfied. Professor Snape, who had disliked Lucy the moment she stepped into his class, seemed even more annoyed with her now. He set her reams of homework every lesson, the same essays as the rest of the class plus another two or three that the class had already completed.
With all the extra work and with Lucy now studying different things from Andrea, they didn't have time to explore the secret passage. They had all but forgotten about it when one night Lucy was studying her charms notes she came across an incantation to reveal hidden information or items.
"Look at this" she said quietly to Andrea, "I wonder if that would reveal something in that room?"
"Let's try it tonight," Andrea answered her eye's twinkling.
"How are we going to get there at this time? Someone will see us leave the tower."
"Not if we wait until their all in bed." Andrea said casually.
"If we're caught, we're in big trouble. They could expel us!" whispered Lucy nervously.
"They won't expel you; you're the top student in the school for heavens sake!" mocked Andrea. "Come on don't be chicken!"
They waited until the rest of the students had left the common room and snuck out down to the passage which appeared to them as before, stumbling along in the darkness Lucy took out her wand cautiously and opened the door.
As before they entered an empty darkened room, Lucy lit her wand and looked around. Glancing nervously at Andrea she muttered the incantation, half hoping that it wouldn't reveal anything and they could go back to their warm beds.
The spell however worked and revealed another doorway, this one looked very old with a huge brass handle, and cautiously the girls moved forward and opened it. They found themselves staring down a dark, cold flight of stairs.
They began slowly to go down the stairs; they were about 10 steps down when the heavy door slammed shut behind them. With a startled shriek Lucy tripped over Andrea who had stopped to look round at the door and they both tumbled painfully down the stone steps. As they lay in a crumpled heap at the bottom of the stairs they noticed that they had emerged in what looked like an anti-chamber with another door at the end. Through this door, which Lucy opened with a quiet word they found themselves, strangely enough in a very ornate bathroom?
"Well" giggled Andrea, "the last thing I was expecting was a secret toilet"
Lucy joined in with her giggling, then suddenly said "Sh, listen, I hear voices."
The voices were coming from behind the only door in the room, "Where did the other door go?" said Andrea in a panicked voice.
"It's behind that mirror, look there are hinges on the right side." Answered Lucy, as she slowly crept up to the door, to listen.
"But how did they find them?" came the unmistakable voice of Professor McGonagall.
"I have a few theories, but as yet I simply don't know" replied the voice of Dumbledore.
"We have to get out of here" whispered Lucy.
The words were no sooner out of her mouth when the door swung open and they were facing the two Professors.
"Ladies, May I enquire what you are doing on in my private bathroom?" asked Dumbledore looking from one to the other.
"How did they get in there in the first place?" added McGonagall.
"As to that, it may answer our other question," said Dumbledore to McGonagall pointedly.
"We. uh.we found this corridor that wasn't a corridor the next day and we were curious because that boy had been there so we went to investigate and Lucy found this enchantment and we thought we'd try it we didn't think there was any harm and we're sorry and we would never do it again, sir." Blurted out Andrea all in one breathe.
McGonagall looked utterly confused when she said to Lucy "Perhaps you would like to try a more understandable version of events. Lucy took a deep breathe and told the story from the beginning starting from the scream and finishing there in Dumbledore's office.
Dumbledore, who had sat down behind his desk to listen, didn't say anything for a few moments then raised his eye's and said "Curiosity is not a crime, indeed it is a very commendable attribute when exercised cautiously."
McGonagall looked as surprised as the girls at this statement. He continued "the Slytherin student, do you know who he is?"
"No sir, except that he is in 7th year" stammered Andrea.
"Very well I think you should both go to bed now and I would ask you not to wander around the castle at night, it is not always safe"
Lucy and Andrea were surprised to find themselves outside the Gryffindor statue that led to Dumbledore's office, as they headed to their dormitory; they tried to puzzle out what they had learned, if anything. Exhausted they both tumbled into bed and were soon fast asleep.