Page 4 of 4

Part 18

"Ok, Erin, you've been on top of things. Explain." Harry said the moment they holed up in the empty common room (everyone else was now in bed).

"All right, Harry." Erin said curling up in her favorite chair. "In the beginning it was all about you and hearing this voice no one else could hear…and because of it we found out about Mrs. Norris being petrified and the Chamber being opened. And then Colin was petrified coming up to the Hospital Wing to see you. And then we found Justin and Nearly Headless Nick—"

"Erin, I didn't tell you something…uh, two something's…I was trying to ignore everything, but I realize I can't now." He said. "While I was talking to Dobby I heard the voice again, I thought I was going crazy and then when we were talking I was ignoring it again." He sighed. "He shouldn't have, but I was."

Erin's eyes suddenly went wide. "Oh, my goodness. I need to get to the library as soon as possible tomorrow."

"Why?" Ron asked.

"Because I think I know what Hermione was looking up! It all makes sense! Or it will! Harry, maybe only you can hear the creature, and maybe that's because the creature is a snake!"

With Erin's sudden revelation everything was starting to make sense. During the next few weeks it was getting harder and harder to do anything though. Erin did manage to get to the library once when she begged Professor McGonagall to let her go. She had sent her with Donovan, who was visiting his mum. Erin felt she could confide in Donovan and she told him everything. He listened to her with rapt attention as she told him about her suspicions. When she was done and she was looking in a book he said, "Erin, just be careful, Mother has told me a lot about what the four of you have gone through." He looked a little unsure of himself. "Erin, there is something that I wanted to tell you…"

"What's that?" She asked.

"Have you noticed that we look alike?"

"A little, yeah." Erin said unconcerned. "About as much as Harry and I look alike, I guess. The black hair and shape face…the thing is there is something that I wanted to tell you—"

"Oh, I found it!" Erin said suddenly. "I was right. Look Hermione left me a clue, just in case!" She showed him the little mark on the page, the mark of two triangle ears and an 'S' tail. It was Hermione's mark. "I have to go see Hermione, would you mind?"

"Not at all." He said smiling a little. "Should we stop by the tower and pick up Harry and Ron?"

"That's would be great." She smiled at him and he smiled back an identical smile.

They sat next to Hermione. "We need your help." Harry whispered to her. "We really need your help."

"Hermione, I found your mark, I know you were trying to tell me something. What were you trying to tell me, Hon? I have figured out that it's a snake and that that is what the creature is…but you took the one thing I had to go on…"

"Erin, look…" Harry had been looking at Hermione's hand and found a wad of paper.

"Don, keep a look-out." Erin said. And the young man chuckled turning from them.

"We need him around more often." Ron said.

That caused quite a chuckle from Donovan. Harry managed to pry the paper from Hermione's hand. "Got it!" He whispered.

They got out of there and Donovan was right behind them. "Erin, what does it say?" Harry asked (he had given the girl the paper).

"It's a Basilisk, king of the serpents. It's hatched underneath a toad. Only the cock's crow is fatal to it. Don't you remember when Hagrid came into Dumbledore's office swearing it wasn't us? He had a dead chicken in his hand. Something has been killing the Hogwarts chickens. Spiders flee before it…I knew I read that somewhere before!" She said. "The creature in the Chamber is a Basilisk! That's why Harry can hear it and no one else."

"But if it is a basilisk…" Ron said. "How's it getting around? Someone would notice a snake of that size around here…"

"Hermione answered that too…" Erin said showing them the paper. "Pipes. It's been using the plumbing. That's why Harry has been hearing it in the walls, ceiling or floor. It all makes sense."

"You know what Aragog said?" Harry said slowly. "About a girl that died in a bathroom fifty years ago? What if she never left?"

"Moaning Myrtle." Don suddenly said. They had forgotten he was there.

"You know Myrtle?" Erin asked.

"Uh, yeah, you could say that." Don said blushing a little.

"All students return to their House dormitories at once, all teachers and other adults to the second floor corridor." McGonagall's voice sounded through the halls.

"I have to go…" He said. "Are you three all right? I'll take you to your dorm if you want…"

"It's ok." Erin said. "Go on."

He left and the three of them looked at each other for a moment before following. They stopped at the corner listening. McGonagall was there. "As you can see the Heir has left another message. It is as Albus foretold, this is the end of Hogwarts." She sighed. "It has happened, a student has been taken into the Chamber itself."

"So sorry, dozed off, what did I miss?" Lockhart strode toward the teachers.

"Ah, just the man." Sprout sad. "A student has been taken by the monster."

"Yes, Gilderoy," Snape said. "Weren't you saying the other day that you knew where the entrance was?"

"Did I? I don't recall…"

"Well, it's settled." McGonagall said. "We'll leave you to deal with the monster, Gilderoy."

"Quite so." He said. "I'll just be in my office, getting ready." He left.

"That gets him out of our hair." Flitwick squeaked.

"Who has the monster taken, Mother?" Don asked.

"Ginny Weasley."

A gap appeared among the teachers and the wall could be seen clearly. "Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever…" Ron was breathing heavily like he couldn't believe it. "Ginny…"

After the teacher's left the three of them decided (ok, Ron and Harry decided with Erin howling protests) that they would get Lockhart and go to the Chamber. "He may be useless, but he is going to try and get into the Chamber." Harry was arguing.

"We could just go to McGonagall!" Erin was saying. "And tell her what we know! And then she—"

"She would tell you to get to the Tower and leave everything to them." They jumped surprised. Don was walking behind them. "I know my mother." He rolled his eyes. "I'll help though."

"With or without Lockhart?" Erin asked hopefully.

"He is a teacher…I'm not." Don said, he didn't sound so sure though. "Where is the Chamber?"

"Moaning Myrtle's bathroom." Erin said.

"I'll meet you there." He turned and trotted off. Probably to divert suspicion and get some supplies.

They burst into Lockhart's office a few minutes later. "Professor, we need your help…" Lockhart whirled around shutting the lid of a trunk. They looked around, clothes, books, curlers…were everywhere. "Are you going somewhere?"

"Yes, very unavoidable, very sorry…"

"What about my sister?" Ron bellowed.

"Yes, very regrettable, no one regrets more than I…"

"Save it, you despicable, lying cretin." Erin said. "I don't want to be here trying to convince you, of all people, but these two are so set upon it. Now listen you are the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, probably because no one else wanted the job…" It was no secret Erin disliked Lockhart.

"Yes, well when I took the position, there was nothing in it like this…"

"What about all those things you did in your books?" Harry asked.

"Harry, are you that dense? He wrote them, that doesn't mean he did them!"

"Do use your head!" Lockhart said. "My books wouldn't have sold half as well if I didn't say that I did them!"

"You're a fraud—"

"I told you." Erin said.

"You've just been taking credit for what other wizards have done!"

"Is there anything you can do?" Ron asked.

"As matter of fact, yes." Lockhart said turning around, his back to them. "I am very gifted at memory charms, you see all those wizards and witches would have gone blabbing. And I'm uh…afraid I'm going to have to do the same to you…" He turned and found three wands on him.

"Don't even think about it." Harry said.

"Yeah," Ron sneered. "While it takes you the extra time to speak the spell Erin will just curse you and be done with it."

Lockhart looked at Erin. It was no secret he knew how gifted she was with a wand. Just like her mother… "Let's go." Erin said.