Chapter Forty Eight

Ginny's Missing

A/N: Ok this might seem a bit lame, but I have to get it so that only Harry, Ron and Lockhart are the only ones going down there to fight them. So I'm having the others petrified like the other three, and having Dumbledore, Hagrid and Flitwick called to the ministry for urgent business. This is different from what the books say, so please read and review. –Donald

The scene that was going on in the castle when Harry and Ron woke up was a mess to say the least. They went down to the common room to find out what was going on. When they got down there, they found that there was a doom and gloom session going on. "What happened? Where is everyone?" Harry was really worried now, and turned to Ron to see if he knew what was going on.

"I have no idea Harry. I have just got down here myself. Why don't we go see if we can find the rest of the gang, or at least one of the professors to see if they know what is going on. Maybe the headmaster will know what is going on." Ron was as worried as Harry was, and as they were making their way out the portrait hole, they were stopped by Professor McGonagall.

"Where do you two think your going?" She had that stern look on her face like, your not going anywhere, and if you try, you will have detention or worse for the rest of the school year.

"We were just wondering what was going on Professor. Is something wrong, everyone's running around with their heads cut off." Harry was really worried now, from the look on their house heads face, they knew something was wrong.

"There's nothing wrong that the two of you need to worry about. Now classes have been canceled for the day, why don't you two go do some homework or something. There is to be no one leaving this dorm today, do you understand?" She furrowed her brow, and was looking extremely stern now.

"Yes professor. We do have a few things that we can work on I guess." They looked at her with wonderment in their eyes, and interest in what was going on.

"Let's go up to the dorm Ron, I left my books up there." Harry led him up to their dorm looking for Neville to see if he knew what was going on. When they got to their dorm, they found that Neville wasn't there. "I wonder where he is, I didn't see him downstairs, and I don't think that he has left the dorm." Harry was talking more to himself than to Ron, but Ron heard him all the same.

"I don't know Harry, do you think that he might have went down to breakfast early this morning? Wait we're talking about Neville here, let's look to see if there are any clues around his bed." Ron was looking through his bed area and found that it wasn't even slept in last night.

"Did you say it wasn't slept in last night. That means that he wasn't even in the dorm last night. I wonder if Professor McGonagall knows about this. Let's go downstairs to see if she's still around." They went downstairs to look for their head of house. When they got down there they found that she had already left, and that the portrait hole was blocked not letting anyone in or out. "Darn it, she's not here, and we can't get out."

"Harry, Ron have you seen Ginny around? We can't seem to find her anywhere." The twins Fred and George were their older brothers and if they couldn't find her, then something was wrong.

"No we haven't seen her all day guys. Neville's missing also, I wonder."

"Do you think that they..." Fred started

"Went off to have some alone time together." George finished.

They were always finishing each others sentences and it was a bit annoying sometimes.

"Their both too young, and we would have known about it if they were more than just friends at this time. Heck you don't see Harry and Hermoine going off and snogging do you? Or even me and Luna. Sorry Harry, I know that it was supposed to be a secret, and it's a little hard for you seeing her like this, but you know what I'm talking about right?" Ron could be a giant prat sometimes, but he knew that he might have hit a nerve with Harry when he mentioned Hermoine there.

"It's ok Ron, at least you mentioned you and Luna also in that statement. Just don't do it again." Harry smacked him on the arm and gave Fred and George a innocent smile.

"Don't tell anyone what you just heard, the four of us aren't dating yet, but we're making like we're already taken for when we're ready to take it farther. You guys understand don't you. Mum and dad would freak if they found out that we're already interested in a couple of girls. At least they know the girls, and like them." Ron was talking to the twins now, and Harry made his way over to where Professor McGonagall just came through the portrait hole to talk to her.

"Excuse me Professor, but can I talk to you for a couple of minutes?" Harry was smiling at her, hoping that he might be able to get in some information. What he heard next was shocking and made him dumbfounded for a second before he just nodded is head at her.

"Your five, the Weasley boys, please come with me. There is something that I need to talk to you about." She had a kind tone to her voice this time, and Harry, Ron, Fred, George and Percy followed her out the Portrait hole to her office.

"What is going on Professor? Is there something that is the matter? Did something happen to our parents or Ginny? Oh god, not Ginny. What happened? She was missing this morning, and we can't find her or Neville." The four of them were getting a bit anxious now, and wanted to know what was going on.

"Well as for Mr. Longbottom, you don't have to worry about where he is, he has been found. He and the rest of your little group were petrified last night, all but Ms. Weasley for some reason. What we found when we found their bodies is what is concerning us tho. Will the four of you follow me again, and I will show you what we found." She led them to where they found the bodies, which just happened to be right in front of the bathroom that Moaning Myrtle was hiding. What was on the wall written in blood made their blood run cold. The note said:

Beware of the Chamber of Secrets. The blood traitor has been taken, and will be sacrificed for her families support of the muggle borns. She has been taken to the Chamber to be sacrificed.

"Where is Professor Dumbledore, Flitcwick and Hagrid, they were going to help us go after the Basilisk Professor. We have to find them so that we can go get Ginny." The four Weasley boys were now getting really nervous and mad now.

"The professors that you have spoken of were called to the ministry last night on business. They aren't able to be gotten a hold of, and if we were able to, they wouldn't be able to get back in time. Professor Lockhart, your going to have to go down there alone to take care of the problem." McGonagall was looking stern at the DADA professor like he wasn't going to have the help of the students in this.

"Yes Minerva, I will go down there immediately to take care of this problem." With that statement, he went to his chambers to get ready, at least that's what they thought he was doing.