Chapter 5 – The Chamber Reopened

The Chamber of Secrets had been opened, and Mrs. Norris was the first victim.

"The what?" Britomartis asked later on that night as she and Snape returned to the Slytherin dorms. She deposited Snookie-poo on the couch, who immediately slithered off to find some dinner of her own.

"The Chamber of Secrets," he repeated, his eyes darting nervously around the common room. He gripped her arm. "Not in here."

He looked around, his hair whipping around his face, then pulled her out of the dorms and dashed down the halls, black and purple robes billowing behind them as they left the dorm building and headed for the classroom hall next door. Climbing up several flights of stairs, many of them narrow spiral staircases, both squeezed through the cubbyhole they had done when teenagers and entered the small room with the stained glass roof.

He lit the cobwebbed lantern with his wand, the round room filling with soft light.

"What is going on, Severus?" she asked as she settled on the floor.

"Fifty years ago," he began. "Something happened at the school involving the Chamber of Secrets ... "

After a half-hour of listening, Britomartis was feeling quite nervous. "I never knew what kind of monster our house founder was."

Snape scooted closer to her, making sure her eyes were locked to his through her sunglasses. "There's much darkness here, Martis. Sleeping, quiet, but there is darkness."

She nodded. "It can be dealt with. Nothing is ever hopeless."

"You don't know what you're saying."

She looked up at him, radiating pain. "I do know."

* * *

Draco Malfoy did not forgive easily.

In fact, he could never forgive period.

Of course, an owl was immediately sent out with the message that Professor Snape had made an insinuation about the great Malfoy family and had refused to answer any questions in relation to the new Slytherin House Mother.

"Well," he snapped toward one of the more intelligent members of his goon- squad. "What have you found out?"

The teenager pushed his glasses up on his nose. "Well, I was only able to look up her school records, sir."

Draco plopped onto a couch. "Is she really Pure Blood?"

"Yes, sir, the two great wizard families of Crete, actually: the Vox and Atoka lines. She entered Hogwarts twenty-two years ago and had left after her Third-Year to attend Beauxbatons for the rest of her education."

"The sissy school?" Draco sneered. "And she's teaching us?" He snorted. "What did she do here at Hogwarts?"

"Showed talent in elemental magics; was on the Slytherin Quidditch team as a Beater - "

"Really." Draco narrowed his eyes. "Used to play Quidditch, too. Yes, I think there's a reason for me to join the team this year. What else?"

The goon smiled nervously. "According to my sources, it appears she and Professor Snape had ... dated."

"What? Who told you that?"

"Mr. Hagrid, sir."

"That idiotic half-giant? No. Since she was thirteen when she last attended, he probably tried to enchant her or something." Draco chuckled grimly. "Well, Professor, I know your secret. Britomartis Vox will not be held under your enchantments this time, I'll make sure of it."

The goon edged away as Draco Malfoy giggled.

* * *

Several days had passed. Britomartis was now considered a fixture of the school, a trusted House Mother, and a teacher that demanded hard work from her pupils. Whether they survived or not (it seemed a few had backfires of spells when they tried to cheat on writing essays).

"Good morning, Sir Nicholas," Britomartis greeted the nearly-headless ghost.

"Good morning, Miss Vox!" he answered as he passed her in the hall.

"Good morning, Professor Vox," several students from her class called.

"Good morning," she answered. "How are you all this morning?"

"Fine!"

"Miss Granger," Britomartis hailed.

Hermione paused and turned to see the Worlds Religions teacher approach her. "Yes, Professor?"

Both walked in the direction the student was heading. "I must speak to you about that exchange between you and Mr. Malfoy in my class earlier today."

"Oh."

Britomartis waited a few heartbeats before saying, "How much of a pain in the butt has he been toward you?"

"It's nothing, Professor."

"Hermione ... I will not tolerate bullying in my classes, especially by my own house students."

The girl continued walking to her class, her robe swishing around her ankles. "Nothing is wrong. I can handle it."

She had to let her go as Hermione entered a classroom.

Britomartis sighed. "Everyone is so damned British."

* * *

Lucius Malfoy entered the common room of Slytherin House. "SNAPE!"

The room echoed with his yell. Poking one of the couches with his cane, he snorted. "Disgusting. SNAPE!"

A woman appeared from one of the hallways. "Professor Snape is in classes right now ... Great Mother, Lucius Malfoy."

He peered at her, trying to place the ash-blonde hair, Goddess fetishes, snake around the shoulders, and the sunglasses. "Britomartis Vox," he sneered. "You return to Hogwarts to finish your education at your old age."

"No, I am a professor. What business do you have in Slytherin House again? Picking on more children or looking for someone more lowly than yourself? I should warn you, we have higher standards than when you were a miserable young git."

A smirk of coldness passed his lips. "Ever the lowbrow wit, Spirals."

Britomartis crossed her arms. Snookie-poo raised her body in agitation. "What do you want with Severus?"

"None of your business. Slytherin ... interests are at heart."

"Didn't know you had one, Lucy. And for your own information, I am Slytherin House Mother."

He raised a finely arched eyebrow. "Indeed? Well then, I suppose we must tolerate each other's company until Snape returns from his classes."

"Oh, joy," Britomartis stated flatly. "Is this the Pink Bows Incident all over again?"

Lucius Malloy's face turned darker than usual. "You bring that wand out, and I will strangle you with that ugly snake."

"Thought you'd make someone else do it - it's manual labor." She smiled in a way that annoyed him to no end. "How do you like your tea?"