I'm back. And I still don't own Harry Potter. Or anything else J K Rowling thought up for that matter. Just my name. So read my story, and review it, or I'll curse you.

The End of a Few Things

"What the blazes is going on down there?" Draco was peering down towards the quidditch pitch, where the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff teams should have appeared five minutes ago. It was halfway into the quidditch season, a crisp March morning, and the entire school was anxiously awaiting the match. McGonnagal strode out of the Gryffindor change rooms, lifting a magical megaphone to her mouth. "All students will proceed to their common rooms now. This match is cancelled. Will all teachers and prefects please escort their students to the dormitories now, thank you."

Ten minutes later, a shout composed of seven outraged voices rose from the center of the Slytherin common room where the quidditch team was assembled. "WHAT?" "Quidditch has been cancelled," Professor Snape said calmly.

"You can't just cancel quidditch!" Flint burst out angrily.

"But sir..."

"We were doing so well..."

"And unless Gryffindor won..."

"By a whole lot..." "

One more match..."

"And we could have won the cup!" Ryua and Draco were finishing each other's sentences, a sure sign they were both furious, something to be avoided.

"Silence!" Snape's voice cut across the myriad protests, "There is nothing I can do about it. There has been another attack." Everyone quieted down at those words, then started talking all at once again.

"Who was it?"

"Do they know who did it yet?"

"If it wasn't someone on the quidditch team, then why was quidditch cancelled?" The last was from Flint, which earned a special glare from Snape.

"Clearwater, a Ravenclaw prefect, and Granger from Gryffindor. In addition to quidditch suspension, a teacher will escort students to classrooms and washrooms at all times, and everyone will be in bed before 8:00 or will be expelled. And if any of you," and here Snape's voice got very hard and his eyes flicked over the more bloodthirsty students, "knows who is behind these attacks, I would advise telling the authorities immediately. If the monster is left free to roam, the Ministry will no longer allow students to be taught at Hogwarts."

"Well, bloody hell, doesn't that just cap all," Flint sounded utterly dejected, "Team, bed." And they obeyed, even though they weren't much of a team at the moment.

The whole school was subdued after that. The next month of school was dull and depressing, the only time the students had to themselves being after lights out when they could get expelled for it. The teachers were either jumpy or likely to burst into tears (with the exception of Lockhart who kept prancing around like always), there was no quidditch, after-hours study in the library was banned... The only good thing was Ryua didn't have to live with her family. And Ryua's lethifold gave her some freedom. She and Draco could fit inside it, although it was cramped, and because they had nothing to fear from Slytherin's beast, they had no worries about getting out at night to breathe, or fly on the pitch.

In that way, it was kind of fun. Ryua often went out just by herself, and it was very freeing to know that you were the only student to brave the corridors, or to have the entire quidditch pitch to yourself and the starry night sky. Of course, that didn't last either. Towards the end of May, Ginny Weasley was dragged into the chamber, the creature's hissing voice echoing through the walls, silent to all but a few. Ryua looked up from her Charms essay, Parsyl snapping up to a more alert position. "Chamber creature again?" Draco asked, working on his own essay. He'd just realized he had one month to get his marks up to an acceptable standard, and was working his rear off.

"Yeah..." Ryua trailed off, listening, "It sounds happy. Draco, that's not good."

"Oh, come on, we could stand to loose a few mudbloods." "Draco, don't talk like that, you sound like Father. And with a student's death, Hogwarts will close. Understand? CLOSE!" Ryua was just starting to get frantic. "Draco, we'll have to go home. And stay there. I don't know about you, but I'd stay here forever if I could. I... I don't want to go home..."

"Merlin's beard, Ryua, lighten up. You're scaring me." Draco had never seen her this close to tears, not in years. "It'll be fine. Someone'll find the chamber, or the school will be repopulated with only purebloods, or we'll go to Durmstrang, or something, Ryua, listen to me," He reached over to poke her with his quill, "It'll be okay. Just don't get all soft on me, especially not in the middle of the Slytherin common room, alright?"

Draco was right. Two hours later, a representative of the Ministry (which just happened to be Lucius Malfoy with Dobby) and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley arrived at the school. The Malfoy twins managed to be in the courtyard as their Father stalked out of Dumbledore's office, Dobby trailing gingerly behind. They watched from behind a tree as Potter, covered in mud, slime, and two kinds of blood ran down the curved staircase and tossed something equally disgusting into Lucius's spotless, white hands. He distastefully pulled what appeared to be a scrap of cloth off of the diary Draco had picked up on Valentines' day and tossed it negligently away. Ryua watched it arc to the side, and land squarely in Dobby's hands, who promptly began to squeak excitedly. "You've lost me my servant, boy!" Lucius' voice reached a decibel level audible across the courtyard, and he drew back his wand, saying, "Avada... There was a small explosion, but not of green light.

Lucius was thrown backwards against a pillar to reveal the little form of Dobby, one hand still raised, standing in front of Harry Potter. Ryua and Draco were too stunned to move for a second, until Ryua started to snicker. She clapped a hand over her mouth to muffle the sound, and Draco pushed her farther behind the tree, shaking with laughter himself. Having seen Father as a stern, imposing, dangerous figure all their lives, it was an incredible treat to see him sprawled on the dirt, hair and robes all mussed, face a brilliant pink, glaring up at his former. house elf. "You know, he's going to be furious when we get home," Ryua said, gasping for breath.

"Yeah, but I'll just imagine that moment in my mind, and we'll just see if he can curse me with any effect," Draco still had a broad grin on his face, "Come on, before someone sees us."

"Too bad about the creature, though, I would have liked to meet it."

Draco snorted. "You and your creatures. Don't you think about anything constructive? Like styling your hair, or thinking up snide remarks about Gryffindor? Some Slytherin you are!"

Author's Note: Ah, that was fun. And although I can't remember if Lucius tries to kill Harry in the book, I do remember Dobby saving him. So, book two done, tell me what you think, give me suggestions, feedback, even just say "hi, I read it", I just want reviews. Or I'll curse you. Painfully. So... REVIEW! Please?