Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Author's Note: Thanks to Cyndi for betaing, you rock!

Summary: Serena is a bouncy friendly girl, full of life. She enjoys playing jokes and can do fifth year spells, even before she comes to Hogwarts for her first year. However she has one secret, which must be hidden at all costs. This Chapter - Serena's Quest Continues.

Serena looked at the flight of stairs. She was feeling hungry after her hard work. Looking at her watch she saw that it was nearly twelve. Surprised she let out a quick breath, for she had been away for almost an hour! There was no time to go down the stairs now.

Serena turned towards the way she had entered. Changing into her snake form she slithered along the pipeline. As she went along she noticed several markings in English, which surprised her. Who could have written them in this small a space? "Guestroom 198," read one, with an arrow pointing upwards. Excitedly she quickly wiggled up the short distance to a grating. Pushing on this grating made it come away from the floor.

Serena climbed out of the hole and again became human.

She was in a bathroom, which looked fairly modern and clean. This puzzled her, since according to Dumbledore the room had not been used before. According to Rowena Ravenclaw herself, not for 1000 years! Pushing open the door to the bathroom she found herself back in the ancient room.

Serena walked to the main door and opened it again. She glanced at her colourful notice and saw that her father had written a message on the bottom in his quick, neat handwriting. 'We've gone to lunch. Sit with Mum, love Dad."

Serena smiled and headed for the Great Hall. She didn't find it hard to get there; the smell of food cooking guided her nose towards the kitchen, and once in the Entrance Hall she heard the buzz of people chatting.

Catherine Snape sat on the Gryffindor table next to the Weasley twins. She was joking with them about something. Serena looked about her, and saw that her father was on the teacher's table next to the headmaster. She smiled imperceptibly and headed for her mother and the twins.

"Hi," she said, squeezing in between her mother and Fred.

"Hi Serry," said her mother. "You've been away for a while, are you alright?"

"Hi brainy," said Fred and George together. Fred and George were both growing their hair long. Fred had bits of burnt hair and George had pasty looking skin. They had not been like that during the match earlier.

"I'm fine," said Serena calmly. "Just been exploring the castle." Well, I was, exploring the Chamber of Secrets, she thought. "Sorry I made you worry, and what have you two been testing?" asked Serena, suspiciously. "Fred, where are your eyebrows, and George, you look rather ill."

Fred and George glanced at each other, surprised that she could tell the difference between them, before Fred whispered to Serena, "We'll only tell you if you promise to keep up our reputation as pranksters and Marauders at Hogwarts,"

"Ok," replied Serena, curiosity filling her. "I promise,"

George whispered something to Fred. "You have to go to the Room of Requirement and want the prankster room; all pranksters are called Marauders here; and then say the oath written on the wall and sign your name. But you have to be Sorted first," said Fred.

"I will," said Serena, before taking a bite of chicken.

"At midnight on September the first."

"Yes," replied Serena.

"And then you can owl us and we will tell you,"

"Or better still come down to Diagon Alley for Christmas," added George.

"I'll try," said Serena, putting down her chicken bone and picking up her knife and fork to eat some sprouts, which she had piled high on her plate.

"I can't believe you like sprouts," said Ron, sitting across the table from her.

"They're gorgeous," responded Serena, "mmmmmmmmmmmmm,"

Ron made a gagging noise and pretended to vomit.

They continued eating. After they had finished they chatted for a while about houses at Hogwarts, warning Serena away from Slytherin if she didn't get into Ravenclaw ('as if!' said Fred and George) and recommending Gryffindor. They steered clear of Hufflepuff, and that was what Serena brought up.

"I think Hermione would make a great Hufflepuff," she said calmly, but tensed inside. Hermione turned angry suddenly,

"What do you mean by that? The Sorting Hat could have put me in Ravenclaw!"

"But it didn't, did it? It put you in Gryffindor, Hufflepuffs are loyal, hopefully like you, and they work hard, definitely like you. Ravenclaws don't need to work hard; in fact they mess around an awful lot! At least, I do."

"You seem to know a lot about the houses," said Hermione, grumpily. Serena raised her eyebrows and said nothing.

Once Professor Snape had left the hall, his family also made an excuse to leave.

*~*~*

Once back into her room, Serena opened the book. There were two new lines underneath the poem.

"Well done, heir of mine, go down the long steps. There you will find a way to understand the next part of this poem, RR."

Serena went to her parents and told them that she would be 'unavailable' until dinner, at six o'clock, when she would meet her mother in the Great Hall. Both assumed that she was doing some revision for upcoming exams at her school. She then went down to the chamber again, and drew her wand.

The steps were long and narrow, and the walls dripped with water. She lit her wand-tip and proceeded carefully. After a ten-minute walk she reached a platform at the bottom. As usual she looked about her, making sure to see what was in the room. All she could see was an old stone coffin, and so she approached it.

"Here lies the body of Rowena Ravenclaw and the body of Salazar Slytherin,

Together in life as in death, Requiem in Pace."

"Rest in peace," murmured Serena aloud, placing her hand on the lid of cold marble. She wondered how to reveal the next part of the poem; maybe she had to open the coffin to find out. But there were dead bodies in there!

Serena glanced about the room for more help, and then she noticed two wooden torches by the door. She went up to them and lit each one with a flame charm. Their light was enough to reveal more torches, and soon the whole room was filled with flickering firelight. Now she could see that there was a door leading off from this hall, but it was closed.

She headed towards the door and tried opening it. However, it was locked and the unlocking spell did not work. She looked into the book but nothing had changed. Serena sighed, and wrinkled her nose; she would have to open the coffin.

She walked back to it and lifted the lid; it was very heavy, yet she somehow managed to push it aside. It fell to the floor with a splintering crack, Serena had broken it! Sighing, the young girl looked inside the dusty tomb, and saw no bodies. She breathed deeply in relief, although she wondered why the inscription had said the two founders were there. Maybe they had been buried elsewhere, or the coffin had been made but never used.

In the tomb was a shining sword with an emerald set in the hilt. Along the blade were the words, "Salazar Slytherin." Serena picked up the sword and felt her hand tingle with the magical power.

She carefully placed the sword on the floor and looked again inside the coffin, all that remained was a leather belt with a sword sheath. She took the belt and almost unconsciously put it on, and then she slid the gleaming sword into its holder.

*~*~*

Once back in her room half an hour later, Serena again drew the sword. It still gleamed as though it was new, and its point now pierced a piece of paper.

"The sword of Slytherin can help you on your quest, heir of Ravenclaw, for the two were married and you are his heir also. The prophecy is not as it would seem, for the one born in July will defeat the dark lord, but you shall rule the future of the magical world, for it is your destiny. You must restore hope to Slytherin. The dark lord will die, or the July born will die, or both will die. Defeat does not mean death, and the Dark Lord may kill the one who defeats him.

Death and defeat do not go hand in hand

Leaders may die, but armies can win.

You must take the future forwards,

Whether defeated or not,

Or he will kill you and the world will end.

To allow the diary to show the next part of your quest touch the pommel to the front page."

Serena sheathed the sword and folded the paper into four. It was dinnertime, and Serena walked down to the Great Hall, hiding her sword underneath her robes. She would continue with her quest later…


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