For the next few days, everyone was curious about the Chamber of Secrets. No one had actually known anything about and so everyone tried to get Hogwarts: A History out of the Library. Hermione had complained about it.
"All the copies of Hogwarts: A History have been taken out," Hermione said as she walked up to the alcove in the highest bookshelves. "And there's a two-week waiting list. Why did I have to leave my copy at home? With all the Lockhart books, there wasn't enough room for it."
"I think I brought mine," Rebekah said as she rummaged through her endless pouch, quickly becoming impatient and simply summoned the book. "See? I have every book I have ever brought with me."
There was very little about the Chamber in the book, only mentioned once as the room that Salazar Slytherin had placed into the school before leaving.
The bell rang and it was time for History of Magic. Professor Binns entered through his blackboard and very slowly, began lecturing in a flat drone. It was the same as ever until Hermione shook her hand in the air.
"Miss?"
"Granger, sir," Hermione said clearly. "I was wondering if you could tell us anything about the Chamber of Secrets."
That gained everyone attention, several of the Gryffindors sat up and most of the Slytherins took the books off of their sleeping faces.
"I deal with facts, not myths and legends, Miss Granger," He said dryly and then turned to Rebekah when she held her hand up. "Yes, Miss Potter?"
"All legends and myths are part of history though. A lot of the time, people just exaggerated the facts and those adjusted facts had been passed on to the next generation, resulting in those legends," Rebekah tried to reason with him.
He realised that all the students looked awake and very intrigued. "You all know, of course, that Hogwarts was founded over a thousand years ago by the four greatest witches and wizards of the age. The four school Houses are named after them: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin. They built this castle together, far from prying Muggle eyes, for it was an age when magic was feared by common people, and witches and wizards suffered much persecution.
"For a few years, the founders worked in harmony together, seeking out youngsters who showed signs of magic and bringing them to the castle to be educated. But then disagreements sprang up between them. A rift began to grow between Slytherin and the others. Slytherin wished to be more selective about the students admitted to Hogwarts. He believed that magical learning should be kept within all-magic families. He disliked taking students of Muggle parentage, believing them to be untrustworthy. After a while, there was a serious argument on the subject between Slytherin and Gryffindor, and Slytherin left the school.
"Reliable historical sources tell us this much. But these honest facts have been obscured by the fanciful legend of the Chamber of Secrets. The story goes that Slytherin had built a hidden chamber in the castle, of which the other founders knew nothing. Slytherin, according to the legend, sealed the Chamber of Secrets so that none would be able to open it until his own true heir arrived at the school. The heir alone would be able to unseal the Chamber of Secrets, unleash the horror within, and use it to purge the school of all who were unworthy to study magic."
"The whole thing is arrant nonsense, of course," He said. "Naturally, the school has been searched for evidence of such a chamber, many times, by the most learned witches and wizards. It does not exist. A tale told to frighten the gullible."
Hermione's hand was back in the air. "Sir, what exactly do you mean by the 'horror within' the Chamber?"
"That is believed to be some sort of monster, which the Heir of Slytherin alone can control," Professor Binns said in his hoarse voice.
Rebekah stilled in shock. If only the heir of Slytherin could open it, who did it? She had found that the Potter family was connected to the Riddle family by the Peverell family. Cadmus Peverell was the ancestor to the Gaunt family, and his brother, Ignotus, was the ancestor to the Potter family.
Later that day, when Hermione, Rebekah and Ron were discussing the newest homework, Ron swore loudly.
"Are you kidding me?" Rebekah said as she saw the writing.
THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED.
"Who do you think did it?" Hermione asked and Ron shrugged.
"Probably Malfoy. Slimy little git has it out for MuggleBorns," Ron said and nudged Hermione. "Remember he yelled that all MudBloods needed to watch their backs."
Rebekah paused. "Did he? Did he really?"
"Yeah, he saw the writing last time and yelled it right after the teachers left. Zabini gave him the dirtiest look ever," Ron laughed.
Rebekah excused herself for the dungeons. She stormed through the passing group of Fourth year Hufflepuffs holding bundles of food. They moved out of her way as she walked down the stairs and straight into the Slytherin Common room. Draco sat with Pansy and Nott on one of the leather couches.
Pansy bristled and averted her gaze as Rebekah stood behind them with a dark look.
"—Father won't tell me anything about the last time the Chamber was opened. It was fifty years ago, before his time, but he knows all about it, and he says that it was all kept quiet. But I know one thing — last time the Chamber of Secrets was opened, a MudBlood died. So I bet it's a matter of time before one of them's killed this time. Filch's cat got hit already," Draco finally realised that his two friends refused to look at him and were looking at something behind him. "Oh, Rebekah. Pleasure to see you here, I'm surprised you're not with your actual friends, you know, the Gryffindors."
"Funny thing that," Rebekah said and looked at her nails uninterestedly. "A little lion told me that you yelled out MudBlood after the teachers left. Did you?"
"What's it to you? You haven't been around here anymore," He said and looked around the room. "Besides you can't do anything if I did, you'd get expelled."
"Would I?" Rebekah smiled. "You do remember who I am, right? I can quite easily make friends in the other Houses and they'll happily be my friends. Who wouldn't want to be friends with the Girl-Who-Lived? Maybe prejudiced bastards like you, Malfoy!"
"What do you know about being a bastard, Potter?" He spat, standing up and facing her directly. She didn't change her expression or stance at his aggression. "You would surely know a lot. You're a filthy HalfBlood with no parents and a scar. You're no better than me so don't even try pulling that act."
"I've looked at your family tree, Malfoy," Rebekah shoved her hands into her robe pockets. "It's inbred. I rather be filthy HalfBlood than be like someone like you. Choose your enemies carefully, Malfoy."
"No, you should. Do you remember who my father is?"
"I do and I don't care. If I got expelled, I can quite easily adjust to being a Muggle, or I can transfer schools," Rebekah said. "Your threats are worthless unless you go through with them. I can and will make your school life miserable."
Draco snarled, leaning forward. "My father will hear about this!"
"So will your mother because I have already sent her a copy of our conversation," Rebekah said and took her wand from her pocket. "There's a lot you can do with a wand you PureBloods don't always know about. Good luck tomorrow morning."
It was sweet revenge the next morning when Mrs Malfoy sent a Howler to him. He went completely pale and glared at her from the other end of the table. Rebekah sat back with her House and ate her breakfast with satisfaction as the Howler began yelling.
"DRACO LUCIUS MALFOY, WHAT WERE YOU THINKING CALLING HER THAT? I HAVE ALREADY TOLD YOUR FATHER THAT HE WILL NOT INTERFERE WITH THIS SQUABBLE BETWEEN YOU AND REBEKAH. YOU WILL SORT THIS OUT BETWEEN YOURSELVES. IF I GET SENT ONE MORE LETTER OR MESSAGE SAYING THAT YOU USED A MAGICAL SLUR, I WILL SEND YOU TO YOUR GRANDFATHER'S AND YOU WILL NOT HAVE ACCESS TO YOUR WAND OR BROOM FOR THE WHOLE TIME. DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR, DRACO?" The Howler said and then turned quieter. "If you threaten anyone, I will send you to Abraxas' without warning," It turned to Rebekah quickly. "I do apologise for his actions and words, Rebekah. I will sort it out during the Yule holidays, don't worry."
It ripped itself and Draco gave her a sour look to which she responded with pulling a face. She continued to eat breakfast whilst talking to Daphne, Blaise, Pansy, who was wise enough to reconsider her friendship choices, and Theodore Nott, who profusely apologised for his and his father's words.
At eleven, the match between Slytherin and Gryffindor began with Flint and Wood crushing each other's hands and giving each other threatening glares.
"I don't care what's wrong between you two," Flint said, glaring between Rebekah and Draco. "But we're a team. Potter, you try to get the Snitch as soon as you can. Malfoy, get the Quaffle and don't get in her way."
"On my whistle," Madam Hooch said. "Three . . . two . . . one . . ."
It started with the fourteen players rising to the sky. Rebekah went higher than was actually needed, she would be able to see the Snitch much quickly if the pitch looked smaller. She squinted as her eyes darted around.
Within a few moments, Rebekah saw the black Bludger come for her and so dashed down before it could hit her. Derrick yelled for her to duck as he batted the ball towards another player. It curved and came back to her as Bole booted it away.
"What's up with the Bludger?"
"It must be targeted on Potter,"
"At least it isn't my broom again," Rebekah said as she twisted the broom and went upside down and then back upright. "Can you call a timeout?"
Flint raised his hand in a fist and Madam Hooch called a timeout. All the Slytherins, save the Keeper, went to the floor. Why was the Bludger focused solely on Rebekah and why was it only that one? They couldn't mention it to Hooch, she wouldn't have believed the Slytherins. The game resumed as Rebekah dodged each and every attempt of the Bludger to hit her.
She caught the golden glitter of the Snitch right in the middle of the pitch, making her way there. The Bludger was right behind her and it aimed itself for her elbow. She was a second too slow to turn as the Bludger flew straight into her elbow and fractured her right forearm. She gasped in pain and slowed for a moment, quickly binding her arm across her torso and above her heart.
"Has Potter broken her arm? We don't know but she had bound it, leaving her left arm to catch the Golden Snitch a few metres away from her. The Gryffindor Seeker finally sees the Snitch, going for it but Potter races him to it. Who will get it?"
The broom was squished between her right knee, that foot was tucked into the left knee so Rebekah could balance herself as she grasped for the racing Snitch mere hairs away from her fingers. The crowd yelled as she caught it but quickly loosened her grip on the broom. She fell several metres and tucked the Golden Snitch between her chin and shoulder, keeping it there as she summoned her broom and barely missed hitting the floor.
Her feet grazed the floor as the rest of the team joined her on the ground. They cheered loudly, wild in their House pride but abruptly stopped when they saw her cradle her arm.
"MADAM HOOCH, WE NEED A MEDIC!" Flint yelled so loudly the team needed to cover their ears.
Madam Hooch waved a hand to the Professors, summoning some of them. "Do you have the Snitch?"
"Here," Rebekah said as she untucked her chin and allowed the Snitch to fall into her good hand. "I've broken my arm, not just dislocated it."
It began to rain heavily but no one complained. She caught the sight of blond hair and a dazzling smile and swore to herself.
"Oh, no," Rebekah muttered, cradling her arm closer. "Not you!"