Inside the Cabinet

"Luna, let's get started on getting information about the Chamber of Secret." Ginny found Luna at breakfast the second day.

"Since when did you become so enthusiastic?"

"To avenge for Colin and Grape!"

Ginny told Luna what happened yesterday.

"It's terrible enough that the Chamber of Secret has been opened but now there's also Mary Sue? What is that?"

"Whatever it is, I think it has something to do with the Malfoy family. Dobby's pillowcase has the Malfoy family emblem on it." Ginny felt that rich people always acted exaggeratedly and were very interested in tagging everything they own, even on toilet papers. "Luna, I'm planning to tell Ron that we are investigating the Chamber too."

"Sure, the more people, the better."

When Ron, Harry, and Hermione walked into Myrtle's bathroom, they were surprised when they saw Ginny and Luna. However, Ginny's negotiation was quite successful, and her trump card was if Ron, Harry, and Hermione won't let them help, they would start troubling them in every way possible.

The investigation activities of the five didn't go very well. Christmas was getting closer, and useful clues have not yet been found. At the beginning of December, they all signed up to stay at school for Christmas. Hearing that Malfoy was also staying made them very suspicious. But this would be a good opportunity for trying to get something out of him.

Hermione said that the Polyjuice Potion was only half-finished because they needed the bicorn horn and the boomslang skin, and the only place they could get these was Snape's private stores.

Ginny checked the class schedule and thought to herself. Thursday afternoon was the Defense Against the Dark Arts class, while Gryffindor and Slytherin third grades have Potions class. It's easy to get out of Lockhart's class, which means that if I go to Snape's office then there will be no one. Okay, great plan! Simple and perfect!

On Thursday afternoon, Ginny was sitting in the last row's corner of the classroom. Halfway through the class, when Lockhart was carried away in his self-directed story of surrendering a banshee, she escaped without anyone noticing. Walking down the dungeon quietly, hearing the sound of lectures in the Potion classroom, feeling very safe, turning around and sneaking into the office in another corridor, Ginny found the cabinet that treasured ingredients and started picking the lock.

Ginny remembered that when she was little, she learnt how to pick the lock from Fred and George. They were happy to teach her because she agreed to take the risk of getting caught on pry opening the cabinet to get candy for them. But Ginny didn't really try to pick the lock. She ran to her mother and asked for two pieces of candy, one for herself and the other for her sister Ginny. Aquamarine's identity could always get access to everything. So Ginny successfully got two pieces of candy. Since then, Ginny has learnt the true power of what a good position can do.

As she fumbled through the keyhole with an iron wire, she thought that Fred and George didn't want the candy at that time, they just wanted to see if Ginny had the guts to do it, or what would happen if she was caught.

Dear brothers, of course I have the guts, and you'll never see me getting caught.

A hand was put on Ginny's shoulder and scared all her guts away:

"I didn't do anything I just passed by here and saw the cabinet I like this design very much… "

"Shhhhhhh-it's me."

It was Hermione's hand.

"Hermione! Don't tell me you're here to get the ingredients too."

"I was about to say the same thing to you."

"If I don't come, no one will open the cabinet for you. This lock was magic-proof." Ginny waved her wire, "Almost done."

"Merlin, how did you even… nevermind… "

With her many years of experience, Ginny knew that the cabinet was unlocked. She quickly opened the door, grabbed a bag from each of the two small drawers, kicked the cabinet door back to place, pulled Hermione up, and ran.

"You got everything?"

"Here, boomslang skin and… unicorn horn."

Hermione slammed her brakes, and Ginny almost bumped into her.

"We need the bicorn horn."

"Umm… are you sure?"

"Positive!"

"Eh… " Ginny felt nervous, "The only difference is the prefix… "

"And that's a big difference!"

Ginny was really afraid that Hermione's loud hisses would attract attention. She immediately said:

"You go back first, you've been out for too long. I'll get the stuff again."

Hermione looked at the watched, there's not much time left, she had to agree.

"Be careful, and don't mistake it again!"

"Alright, alright, it's… umm… bicorn horn."

Ginny retired to the office, when she finally opened the cabinet again, she heard footsteps in the corridor coming this way.

Bugger! There's still a few minutes till the end of the class, why did Snape come back so early?! If I go out now, I'll be dead before I even know it… unless…

The door was opened, someone walked into the office. Judging by the sound, that person pulled out a chair and sat down, and stayed for seven or eight minutes without intention to leave. Ginny was hiding in the bottom compartment of the cabinet, not daring to let out a single breath, feeling almost suffocated.

A few moments later, another person walked in.

"I've been expecting you." That was Snape. So the other one must be…

"Uncle Sev~"

Kiwi. I should've seen that coming.

Ginny was willing to trade her whole life of happiness for not getting caught here and now.

"I've been worrying… she's not paying attention to classes lately… "

"She has always been like this." Snape's voice became a little bit blurry somehow.

"Ah, but it's very biased of you for not caring!"

"As the old saying goes, you can't fix stupid." Snape paused.

"To be honest, I think she's born without much… intelligence." Aquamarine sighed, "But I can't just let her be like this."

"What do expect me to do?"

"She's always doodling on that notebook. I think there's something fishy about it. Would you bring me that? I want to take a look."

"As you wish."

Who is that "she"? Doodling… sounds boring.

Ginny was nestled in the small space, the minutes passed like years. She got nothing better to do than listen to the conversation outside.

Aquamarine is very dissatisfied with a person who doodling and hopes that her things will be confiscated…

Is "she" a quill? Eh… an actual person would be more likely…