Chapter Seven: Halloween
Mungo waited in expectation for a long time for his letter's return, but after several weeks it still didn't arrive. October drew closer, and then before Mungo knew it they were halfway through. Hagrid's pumpkins grew bigger, bats started flying from the trees at night,. And Mungo pulled off the best Herbology lesson he had ever had, he managed to not only save the plant from dying from a bad cut, but it managed to survive long enough to show it to Professor Sprout.
Halloween drew closer, and all Mungo was looking forward to the feast that entailed.
However, one day when Mungo was going to potions, a blonde-haired Slytherin second-year came into his path. This wouldn't have stopped Mungo, but with the addition of two other second-years that were just as tall as Mungo, and much wider, they fairly blocked up the corridor.
"Excuse me." Mungo tried.
"I bet you think you're pretty clever, transforming Erebus' wand like that. Clever Hufflepuff, that's new." The blonde boy said.
"Hur hur, that's funny Malfoy." One of the big ones said, chuckling like a bubbling vat of oil.
"A fat lot more than ye can do. Now, excuse me, I have t' get t' class." Mungo said. He knew that he couldn't take on three second-years, even if two of them looked like they couldn't spell their own names.
"I'll show you what I can do!" Malfoy said furiously, drawing his wand. Mungo quickly drew his wand as well, not having a clue what to do.
"Leave it," a voice said behind Mungo. He turned around and saw Professor Snape.
"Put your wands back into your pockets. Mr. Gorsson, you're needed in Potions, I believe." Professor Snape commanded.
"Aye, sir." Mungo said, putting his wand back in his pocket.
"Mr. Malfoy, I do not want you attacking students in the halls. Think of your reputation." Snape said, turning to Malfoy.
"But, sir, he attacked me-" Malfoy started. Professor Snape raised his hand, stopping Malfoy.
"Your reputation." Professor Snape repeated, and then took off toward the dungeons, Mungo trailing in his wake.
He couldn't believe his good fortune. He had heard that Snape had favored a boy named Malfoy, and let him get away with everything. Yet he had just put Malfoy down. What was up with that?
Mungo went through his potions lesson with that constantly on his mind. When the bell rang, Professor Snape said,
"I would like Mr. Gorsson to stay here behind the rest of the class."
As the rest of the class filed out, Mungo sat in his seat in trepidation.
Professor Snape sat at his desk in the classroom, and looked at Mungo with his black eyes.
"I suppose you are aware that you are doing exceedingly well in your Potions marks?" Professor Snape asked after an uncomfortable pause.
"Yes, sir." Mungo answered.
"And are you aware that your own grand-father was the author of Magical Drafts and Potions?"
"Yes, sir." Mungo said, wondering where this was going.
"Expectedly. But are you aware that Arsenus Jigger was also the Potions master at this school? The same position I hold now?"
"No sir." Mungo replied, surprised.
"And, judging from the amount of talent you have showed so far, you have inherited no small amount of your character from him." Professor Snape continued.
"What's yer point?" Mungo asked, curiosity overwhelming him.
"My point is, he was a Slytherin." Professor Snape said, starting to get impatient. "And you would have to be a fool not to see that you would be able to accomplish great things in Slytherin. I am asking you to transfer."
Mungo looked at Professor Snape incredulously. Of course Mungo did not want to vanish into antiquity, and he wanted to go as hgh as he could. Slytherin would certainly help him with that.
Mungo looked at the badge on his chest. The light just caught it to make the gold shine, the badger lost in the golden shine.
"I'm sorry, Professor. I belong to Hufflepuff."
Professor Snape nodded, and pointed at the door. Taking the hint, Mungo left, taking his things.
Halloween arrived sooner than was expected. Mungo arrived before everyone else, and ate more heartily. Duncan had to drag him away from the Hall to prevent Mungo from over-eating.
Mungo and Duncan walked through the corridors, looking at the statues and wondering whom they represented.
A red-haired Griffindor girl came into view. Mungo waved politely and said,
"Good evenin'."
But the girl just walked past them, looking ahead and not saying a word.
"That's strange." Duncan commented, but they moved on.
They were nearing the second floor, when Mungo smelled something reminiscent of a sewer line. He turned around, and heard a faint hissing sound.
"Duncan… I think there's something behind us." Mungo said.
He turned around to look too, and they saw a huge serpentine head come out of the doorway of the first floor landing. It looked around, and Mungo realized what it was.
"It's a basilisk! Doon't look it in th' eye, an' run!" Mungo shouted, running up the stairs to the second floor. Duncan followed close behind, panting with fear. They heard an angry hiss and a large scaly body going up the stairway.
"Run faster!" Mungo shouted, putting on a spurt of speed. They saw the charms classroom door, and ran inside, slamming the door after Duncan.
"What in blazing-" Duncan started, but Mungo shushed him urgently and put his ear to the door. He could hear the basilisk sliding past the door, and a startled yowl.
"Mrs. Norris!" Duncan said. Regardless of Mrs. Norris' connection with Filch, Duncan was very fond of cats, and, unlike most students, it was his ambition not to kick Mrs. Norris, but to make her purr.
Duncan ran to the door, but Mungo pushed him back.
"No, Duncan! The basilisk is still there!" Mungo whispered frantically. Duncan calmed down and waited.
After a fairly short while, Mungo heard footsteps racing up the corridor, and he opened the door a bit to look. He saw Potter, Weasley, and Granger all running down the corridor. And then they stopped, staring at something on the wall.
Mungo heard another noise, hundreds of happy, well-fed voices and footsteps on the stairs. A great mass of students came around the corner, and walked down the hall towards Potter and his friends. Then the great mass of students stopped too.
"Coom on!" Mungo said, leaving the classroom. Duncan followed.
They managed to squeeze their way to the front, and saw the horrible sight there. Tied to a torch bracket by her tail was Mrs. Norris, and written above her in giant red letters were the words:
THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENEDENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE
"Davy Jones' Locker," Duncan breathed."Ye have goot t' tell me what that means some day," Mungo whispered.
"Enemies of the Heir, beware! You'll be next, Mudbloods!" Malfoy's voice rang out.
Mungo, infuriated by the vile worm, drew out his wand, but Duncan restrained his hand.
"Out of my way, out of my way!" Filch's voice came from behind the group. Filch came into view, students moving aside for him to pass. He stared at Mrs. Norris for a moment, and then rounded on Potter.
"You've…. Murdered my cat." Filch said, his voice thick with emotion. "I'll kill ya!" Filch grabbed Potter by the front of his shirt. "I"LL ILL YA!"
"It was a basilisk!" Mungo shouted, but another voice drowned his own out.
"ARGUS!" Professor Dumbledore came into view. He looked at Mrs. Norris closely, and said,
"Prefects, please escort your houses to their dormitories. Everyone should go to bed. Except," Professor Dumbledore gestured to Potter, Weasley, and Granger. "You three."
"Come on, Mungo. They wouldn't believe us if we told them it was a basilisk anyway." Duncan said, leading Mungo away.
"A basilisk in Hogwarts…" Mungo breathed.
