Chapter X
A Place to Learn
"The girls' toilets. Really?"
Somehow, Harry wasn't really sure, on the day of the Hogsmeade meeting for Weasley and Granger, he found himself alone with Draco to check out the Chamber of Secrets. Daphnis and Pansy practically pushed the two together and Harry did not know if he wanted to thank them or curse them. He was now all too aware of his growing crush on the blond, hell he even worked on getting into a new routine every night thanks to Blaise giving him his exercise routine and magical weights two nights prior. So far, no results.
"How did this even happen?" Draco continued, looking around the bathroom as though it has personally offended him. "Did they really think that a bathroom was the best place to conceal the entrance? Did bathrooms even exist back then? Harry, why aren't you answering any of my questions?"
"Because they're stupid and I don't know the answer to them," Harry said simply. "This is Moaning Myrtle's bathroom; nobody comes in here. I'm guessing the entrance was over here, but the bathroom was built over."
"Moaning Myrtle? Oh of course," Draco groaned.
"You think I'm happy about that too? She's obsessed with me," Harry said. "I swear she has had a crush on me since we first met, and I was twelve! It's creepy. Not to mention what happened when I was fourteen and in the Prefect's bathroom." They heard crying behind them, and Draco swirled around. "I thought you said this was empty!"
Harry huffed annoyed and moved to the stall. He didn't bother knocking as he pushed the stall door open, revealing nothing but a bubbling toilet. "It's just Myrtle crying. Just ignore her, she's creepy but harmless," Harry said, the toilet giving a loud gurgle in response.
Harry rolled his eyes and moved away from the stall to the sinks. Draco followed, looking over his shoulder. Harry forgot which sink it was exactly and kept examining the faucets one by one until he saw the carved snake on it. He pointed it out to Draco, who raised an eyebrow. "Plumbing, Potter?"
Harry just chuckled and turned to the sink, hissing easily, "Open." He saw Draco shiver, but not fearfully, and the sinks began to move, revealing the large pipe entrance to the Chamber of Secrets.
Draco swallowed and took one look at it before turning to Harry, "Make stairs, I am not ruining our robes over this!"
"I—I don't know if you can do that," Harry said.
"Well, how did you get out the first time?" Draco demanded.
Harry's cheeks reddened as he said, "We had Fawkes, it carried us out."
"Well, Weasley didn't have the phoenix all the time, did she? Oh don't look at me like that, Potter, remember who my father is. She must have made stairs somehow, yes? Do it," Draco demanded.
"What a bossy boy," Harry muttered but he obeyed. He looked at the long pipe and hissed uncertainly, "Stairs?"
The large pipe shook and Harry gasped as stairs appeared, pushing out from the sides. Draco lit the edge of his wand and looked at Harry smugly. "I told you," he said, smirking. "Come along Harry." He waved his wand under Harry, and he blinked stupidly once or twice before following after Draco. Why didn't I think of that the first time?
At the bottom of the pipe, Draco was using his wand to clear away the bones and disgustingness on the floor. "I am not using this method every single time, there better be a different entrance Potter, or you will clean every last inch of this to make it acceptable."
Harry rolled his eyes at Draco's complaining. "Come on, the entrance is this way," he said, pointing down the only tunnel. They walked in silence for a while, their footsteps' soft splashes echoing down the tunnel as Harry led the way. Draco was still behind him, seemingly sulking. "Something on your mind?" Harry asked.
"Since you asked, yes there is, Potter," Draco spat out. "What makes you think that you can just stroll in here doing whatever you like and steal the Seeker position from me!? I am the best Seeker that Slytherin has ever seen, and you've stolen that!"
Harry was distracted by the basilisk's old shredded skin they just reached as he answered, "I don't know why you are even on that, Draco. I mean you've always been an off-choice for Seeker. I mean you have a great body and a huge chest but that's more of a Chaser's build than a Seeker."
"Are you calling me fat, Harry?" Draco demanded and Harry stopped, realizing what he said. His face turned red as he turned around and started to blabber an apology. "No I mean of course not, it's far from that—what are you doing?" Draco rolled up his sleeves and started to unbutton his shirt, revealing actual muscles! He flexed and Harry just stared. "Jesus Draco! When did you get all those muscles!?"
"Wouldn't you love to know, Harry?" Draco said, smirking. "Apologize and I might let it go."
Harry's face burned and he muttered, "Sorry I didn't mean you're fat, you're far from it."
"Now say I'm the best Slytherin Seeker."
"You're the best Seeker Slytherin have seen in all the games played," Harry said, smirking at Draco's offended face. It was gone in a second as he buttoned his shirt up.
"Impressive," he said. "Now let's continue on, this place is getting to me." He held his nose as he glared at the snake skin offensively.
Harry cursed himself as he turned and walked stiffly on, completely embarrassed about embarrassing himself in front of Draco and seeing his muscles! Why is he so hot? He cursed himself.
The sewer-like walls turned into an actual corridor that ended in a large door with snakes carved in. Harry hissed at it to open, and the snakes sprung to life, slithering out of the way for the door to swing open by itself. Draco just stared in wonder as they stepped into the Chamber proper. The ceiling was just as high as Harry remembered with long thick pillars in the shape of snakes holding it up. At the end was a pool of water with the large carved head of Salazar Slytherin, and in the pool laying on the edge of the long, wide walkway, was the dead body of the Basilisk. Harry felt a stab of guilt and anger as he stared at it. Guilt for killing the snake, and anger as it reminded him of Ron and Ginny. "Fuck," Draco cursed as he stared at the snake, "you really did kill a basilisk."
"Yeah, I did," Harry nodded. The two walked closer to the remains and Draco pressed his hand on the beast, Harry following.
"It's a shame," Draco hummed, "but you can still use it. Basilisk parts are very profitable since they are extremely rare."
"You're seriously thinking about money right now?" Harry asked.
"Yes, a Malfoy always looks to better himself," Draco said. He looked around the chamber and said, "Help me push it to the side. If you will not take advantage, I will."
"You're not—I did all the hard work!" Harry yelled, "this snake tried to kill me! If you're going to use it for money I want some too! And you have to show me exactly all the ways it can be used."
Draco turned to Harry, a smirk on his full lips as he held his hand out. "Deal." Harry took it and couldn't help but blush at how warm his hand felt and how tightly he held Harry's hand. It was gone too soon, and the boys started the august task of pushing the Basilisk's body away to the side. The two grunted as they pushed against the heavy body. "How did it even move?" Draco complained, "It feels like I'm pushing against a boulder!"
"Just shut up and push!" Harry panted. The Basilisk's body slowly moved, scraping against the floor. The submerged part thankfully didn't drag it down. They followed the edge of the pool, Harry thinking of just leaving it there for them to collect later on. They were both getting sweaty quickly, the task becoming harder and harder with every second. "Damn it Potter!" Draco complained, "Couldn't you have killed this thing in a more convenient location?"
"Look I wasn't thinking of harvesting it for parts or even being back here! Now shut up and push, or are those muscles just for show?"
"I'll show you what my muscles are for Potter! Ahhh!" Draco screamed as he continued to push. The floor was wet and they stumbled a few times but thankfully did not fall. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Harry felt like he could push no more. His arms and legs were aching and he stumbled away to see that the body was against the wall. "Finally," he huffed, collapsing against it. Draco just stared at the floor with his nose held high. He looked stunning, his hair completely soaked through with sweat and his shirt wet and sticking to him. Harry blushed when he thought he saw abs.
Draco pulled out his wand and aimed it at the Basilisk. A sign appeared, nailed into the body that read, "PROPERTY OF DRACO MALFOY AND HARRY POTTER. DO NOT TOUCH OR DIE!"
Harry just stared at the sign for a moment before panting heavily, "Oh right… magic. Forgot we had magic…"
"Your Gryffindorness is still here," Draco said, sounding disgusted. "Let's find that other entrance then, Potter. Come on."
Harry groaned, not wanting to get up, but forced himself to do so. He took a couple of steps away from the Basilisk's body and looked around, frowning. "I don't remember seeing any other door when I was here before," he said. The two lit their wands and started to wander the large room, each taking a different side. Harry ran his hand along the smooth walls, his wand held high to extend its light. He couldn't see or feel any doorway or secret passage. He looked over at Draco's side to see that the blond had similar luck. They met back by the body and Draco glared at the statue of Salazar Slytherin. "What use is a Chamber if there are no treasures or secret exit?" he demanded. "I am not using the girls' loo every single time! And why is his mouth still open?"
"I don't know," Harry said honestly. "I think I remember it was close before… one second." He moved towards the pool of water and let his robes fall to the ground when he reach its edge.
"Harry what are you doing?" Draco demanded. "Harry you better not be so stupid—POTTER!" he screamed as Harry jumped into the pool. The pool wasn't deep, only about seven or so feet but Harry's guess. He looked around underwater and quickly swam up to the surface. "There's a bridge in here!" he yelled out.
"Very good now get out of that disgusting water this instant!" Draco yelled. "What were you even thinking?"
Harry just responded with a sly grin, "This," he said and swung his arm in a giant splash, causing Draco to scream and jump back.
"YOU ROTTER! GET OUT RIGHT NOW POTTER!" he yelled.
"What are you going to do?" Harry laughed. He swam to the edge and pulled himself out, shaking like a dog, and grinned at Draco.
"It's like owning a blasted pet," Draco grumbled. "Now use your hissing and hiss up that bridge."
Harry rolled his eyes but turned to the water, wondering what to say. "Bridge?" he hissed but nothing came out. He frowned and tried to remember what it was that Riddle said to summon the basilisk. If it won't respond to simple words, then perhaps a phrase? "What did he say again?" he muttered.
"That's English."
"Shut up, I know," Harry growled. "I'm trying to remember what Voldemort said to make the mouth open. It was calling Slytherin the greatest, but I forget what else."
"Well only the Heir of Slytherin can be here, maybe try telling that stupid bridge you are that," Draco suggested.
"Oh, yeah we can try that," Harry said. He looked at the water again and said, "Slytherin, Greatest of the Four Houses, The Heir of Slytherin requires your bridge! Bring it up and keep it up forever?"
They heard a rumbling from deep down. The water began to shake, and the boys watched as a stone bridge lifted itself out from the pool! Water slipped over onto the floors as it rose, connecting the long hall with Slytherin's open mouth. "That just looks wrong," Harry commentated but he led the way across the bridge. Inside the statue's mouth was a spacious den for the basilisk, filled with even more bones and the tatters of old skin sheds, but more surprisingly there was a door. Harry tried the door, and it opened easily. The two teens glanced at each other, and Harry pushed the door fully open and both stepped inside.
The room was pitch black, but as soon as they stepped in a fireplace roared to life, followed by candles along the walls. It was a study! A massive study filled with bookcases filled with books, large desks, sofas, and even a bed. On top of the fireplace, leaning against the wall, but not fully connected, was a portrait of a man with long black hair and a hooked nose. He was wearing green robes and had a long snake around his shoulder. "Why are you here, boys? And who are you to enter my chambers?" the portrait demanded.
Harry stared at the portrait for a long time, "Salazar Slytherin?"
"Indeed that is me, now who are you, and which one of you is my descendant?" he asked, looking at Harry. "Is it you? You have the same hair color, even if your hair is too wild to be a Slytherin's."
"Er yeah, it is me, I guess," Harry said awkwardly. "Sorry."
"Why are you here, descendant? And what is your name?" the portrait asked.
"We need a place where we can learn Defense Against the Dark Arts," Harry answered, "All of Slytherin house, I mean. Our current teacher is useless and the other houses are doing something similar but not with any of the Slytherins. This is the only way to be fair, I feel."
"A reasonable request, but my Basilisk will keep you all safe from harm," the portrait said. "She is fiercely loyal to me, and is tasked with protecting any and all Slytherin students."
Harry looked at Draco awkwardly. Draco nodded and answered in a calm voice, "I am sorry, Professor Slytherin, however when we entered, we'd already found the Basilisk dead in the pool."
"WHAT!?"
"I'm sorry, I do not know how it died," Draco said. "The Chamber of Secrets has not opened for a long time. Fifty years."
"Fifty years? But you two are the first to visit me since my very own grandsire," Slytherin answered. "My pet… very well. She is with me then, in death." He reached up and petted the snake on his shoulder, "And I will be left with her memory." He said. "You may use my chamber, boys, and all the knowledge I have amassed in my study."
"Thank you, Professor Slytherin," Draco said.
"It is no problem, but still I wish to know your names. Descendant, what is your name?"
"Oh, uh Harry," Harry answered.
"Harry? Harry Slytherin? What a ghastly name, ridiculous. My heir should have a more proper name like Hadrian, or Alexander, or even Merlin or Ganymede. But Harry?" Slytherin said.
"My last name isn't Slytherin, sir, it's Potter. I'm Harry Potter," Harry introduced himself.
"The Potters? I finally have a Potter in Slytherin!? HA! If only I can see the look on Godric's face! Oh, he would be so livid!" Slytherin laughed. "Welcome to the correct house, Mr. Potter, my heir! I am so sorry for your unfortunate name, however. And you, blond boy, what is your name?"
"Draco Malfoy, sir," Draco answered.
"Draco! Now there is a proper name, my heir!" Slytherin said, and Draco smiled smugly at that. "But a Malfoy? Aren't your family supposed to be in France?"
"We moved centuries ago to Britain and thrived," Draco answered.
"I see, I see, but why have you used the second entrance to come into my Chamber and not the main?" Slytherin asked.
"There's another entrance?" Harry asked.
"Of course there is! It leads right into my house's common room," Slytherin said and he pointed to his left. Draco and Harry followed it to see a door. "You can use it for your study sessions," Slytherin continued. "Of course, only my heir can open it."
"That is perfect, thank you," Harry said happily. "Come on, we can explore the study later, I need a shower."
"Yes you do, especially after that idiotic swim!" Draco complained. He looked up at the portrait and said, "I am so sorry that he is your heir, he has no sense at all." The two promised to come back soon and went to the door. Draco held it open for Harry and they entered a very small space. The wall in front of them slid smoothly out of the way and Harry blinked at the light, looking back as he stepped into the Slytherin Common room. Behind him was a very large portrait of different species of snakes. The Slytherins in the common room all gasped as he and Draco stepped through, the portrait sliding closed behind them.
"Potter! Malfoy! Where did you come from?" Tracy Davis asked.
"Our new classroom for lessons, after it is cleaned up a bit," Draco answered cockily. "Now excuse us Davis, but we require a shower, and Harry needs some sort of punishment for being a massive moron."
"Watch it or I'm dragging you in next time," Harry warned, smiling brightly at Draco. His heart jumped in thrill when he thought he saw a blush on the Malfoy's cheeks.
By order of
THE HIGH INQUISITOR OF HOGWARTS
All Student Organizations, Societies, Teams, Groups, and Clubs are henceforth disbanded. An Organization, Society, Team, Group, or Club is hereby defined as a regular meeting of three or more students.
Permission to re-form may be sought from the High Inquisitor (Professor Umbridge).
No Student Organization, Society, Team, Group, or Club may exist without the knowledge and approval of the High Inquisitor.
Any student found to have formed, or to belong to, an Organization, Society, Team, Group, or Club that has not been approved by the High Inquisitor will be expelled.
The above is in accordance with Educational Decree Number Twenty-four.
"We're up to twenty-four now? This is ridiculous," Draco muttered as they read the order. "I guess Weasley and his group were listened in."
"Who would have guessed," Theo drawled.
"They're still going to do it," Harry said, frowning. He thought for a moment before looking at Draco, "Do you think Umbridge knows I'm part of the Slytherin team yet?"
"No, we've been keeping it a secret," Draco answered.
"Good, then we will have no problem getting reformed. However, I think it's best if I talk to someone about all of this," Harry said.
"Who do you have in mind?" Theo asked curiously.
Harry gave him a smirk and shrugged, "Just a close friend." He went to a nearby table and pulled out ink, a quill, and a piece of parchment. He quickly wrote out a note reading, "We need to talk. Be at a fireplace tonight after midnight." He felt his friends watching him curiously and he just smiled, "I'm going off to the owlery, meet you at breakfast."
He rushed off to the owlery and gave the letter to Hedwig. He watched her fly away before returning back to the castle, entering the Great Hall looking very smug. His friends asked who he had sent his letter to, but he refused to answer. Instead, he just ate his breakfast and hoped he looked rather cool and mysterious in front of Draco.
Classes that day were odd. Harry somehow survived Potions class, even with Umbridge observing them. She seemed to try and get Professor Snape unnerved and nervous with her questions, questioning his methods and choice of potions to teach as well as his yearly application to the Defense Against the Dark Arts post, but they were all unsuccessful. Afterward in Divination, Harry, Blaise, and Pansy couldn't help but feel extremely sorry for Professor Trelawney who seemed to be on the edge of a mental breakdown due to the results of her evaluation from Umbridge. They wanted to comfort the professor but felt too awkward to do so, however thankfully Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown did as Weasley snorted at her sobbing. "He has no respect," Pansy whispered, disgusted.
Harry forced himself to pass the time working on homework after classes. He still didn't tell his friends who he was going to talk to, and he kept glancing at his watch to check the time. Several times it felt like time was going backward. He asked his friends for some floo powder to make a call, and Pansy provided it. An hour before his meeting, Harry stood up suddenly and moved to the portrait with snakes. "Open," he hissed and smiled as the portrait slid open.
"Potter! What is that?" The Quidditch Captain Urquhart asked.
"This? Oh, I'll tell you guys about it tomorrow," he said. "It's something extremely Slytherin if you can put it that way, and extremely private." Urquhart stared at Harry for a moment before making a noise. "Practice's tomorrow morning. Don't stay up too late."
Harry nodded and went through the portrait. Slytherin was sleeping in his portrait and Harry took the time to look around the study, his fingers brushing idly across the books' spines as he read the titles. Not surprisingly, there were several books that would be considered "Dark" as well as a few personal journals, but many, many more ancient books about various subjects.
Just as twelve struck, Harry was bent over the fireplace. He threw the floo powder in the fire and said, "Number 12 Grimmauld Place!" and stuck his head in the green flames. "Sirius!?" Harry asked in a hushed whisper. "Sirius!"
There was the sound of movement and Harry saw Sirius kneel in front of him. "Hi," Sirius said, grinning.
"Hi," Harry repeated. "Sorry, it's been too long."
"Too busy planning secret Defense Against the Dark Arts groups?" Sirius asked. There was a short pause.
"How did you know about that?" Harry asked curiously.
"You want to choose your meeting places more carefully," Sirius said, grinning broadly. "The Hog's Head, I ask you…"
"That wasn't me," Harry said. "That was Weasley and Granger—I mean Ron and Hermione."
Sirius's smile vanished. "What happened?"
Harry gave a tired sigh and said, "You know the resorting? I was resorted into Slytherin. Before you freak out, turns out they're not actually that bad! Hell Draco Malfoy and I are friends now! I can't believe it either—but Ron and Hermione, they didn't take it as well. Ron, he actually outed me in front of everyone on my first day as a Slytherin. He yelled out that Cedric and I were dating and that I—I might have killed Cedric." Harry was surprised at how emotional he sounded and the tears that welled in his eyes. Sirius immediately summoned a handkerchief and wiped away his tears.
"How are you feeling? About all of this?" he asked.
"It was hard at first, but I'm actually happy now," Harry admitted. "Really happy. Draco and the others, they care for me, like really care for me. Immediately after Ron outed me, Blaise actually punched him! In front of everyone!" Harry was smiling again as he remembered the day. "But, yeah, I'm not involved in Hog's Head. We really only know it because Neville told Blaise—they're dating, by the way—about Ron and Hermione, they didn't even think about asking me about the group."
"So now what are you doing?" Sirius asked.
"Well, I might have pushed the Quidditch team to have a trial just for me and getting on their team as a Seeker. Draco really didn't like that," Harry said. "I have beaten him soundly! But also I thought to do the same thing but just for Slytherins. Umbridge is teaching us nothing and if any of them are attacked, I want them to be able to defend themselves!"
"Right, so let me get this straight," Sirius said, frowning. "You're now a Slytherin just like—" Sirius started to cough violently, and a second hand appeared with a glass of water. "Cheers Remus," he said after a drink.
"Hello Harry," Remus Lupin's voice called, "I did not mean to overhear, but you and Sirius are rather loud."
"Sorry!" Harry said.
"Anyway, you're now a Slytherin," Sirius said. "Are you sure that you are happy?"
"I am."
"Then I have no problem with it, do you, Remus?" Sirius asked.
"No, absolutely not, just remember to focus on your studies," Lupin said.
Harry nodded.
"Second, this Defense Group. Any idea on where you will be holding it? How is it all organized?" Sirius asked.
"It is going to be held in a place only I can get to," Harry said. "The Chamber of Secrets. Did you know that there's a secret entrance to Slytherin's personal study which is in the Chamber itself? I'm in it right now."
"No, I haven't," Sirius said.
"Theo and Daphnis are going to take care of the planning stuff, I think. I'm just going to be the main instructor, considering I have the best experience out of us all," Harry continued.
"Naturally," Sirius said.
"Sorry, but who are they again?" Remus asked. "I just want to have a clear idea of who your new friends are now."
"Theodore Nott and Daphnis Greengrass," Harry replied automatically. Remus appeared next to Sirius.
"Nott I remember, but I thought the Greengrass Family only has two daughters," Remus said.
Harry shook his head, "The older in my year transitioned. He goes by Daphnis now."
"Ah, tell him, I say congratulations and I hope he is well," Remus said politely.
"Sounds like you've surrounded yourself with some very open-minded people," Sirius said, smiling. "James would definitely approve. Reminds me of Reg, actually."
"Reg?" Harry asked.
"My brother. I told you about him during the summer," Sirius said. "We… we weren't on the best of relations, but I remember he—" Sirius started coughing again and took another sip of water. "Blimey, I must be getting sick or something, sorry about that. Anyway, Reg was like you too, he was surrounded by a lot of bad people before finding friends like yours."
"Oh, okay," Harry said, smiling softly. "Thank you. And I think you should go to bed for that cough."
"Nah I'll be fine," Sirius said.
Harry suddenly felt like he was being watched. He turned around and stared at the brick wall behind him. He saw nothing but still, the sensation didn't go away. "I need to go!" he said urgently, and he pulled his head out of the fireplace. The fire surged and Harry gave a horrified gasp. A hand had appeared amongst the flames, groping as though to catch hold of something, a stubby, short-fingered hand covered in ugly old-fashioned rings.
Harry glared at Umbridge's hand but did not say anything as he watched it grab wildly at where he was just moments before. He stood himself calmly and extinguished the fire with a wave of his wand, hoping that it would cause some harm to Umbridge.
A/N: Anyone got a cough drop? Thank you all so much for reading and your reviews!
Chadd Hawkins: Says the one who misspells Chad and is too much of a coward to actually log in.
Kat: I hoped you enjoyed!
Zelena: YES!
The Wolf's Knight: Here it is!