Chapter 13: Ignorance is Bliss, Negligence is Dangerous


A few weeks passed, and October had arrived. Tammy was right about the flu ─ soon after tryouts, many of the students started feeling sick, and by the second week of October, more than half of the students and staff had been to see Madame Pomfrey for a Pepperup potion to make it through the day.

But of course, I had bigger problems than a stuffy nose.. Well, I had that, too.

Willow had been acting really strangely since I made the quidditch team. I tried asking her countless times what she was upset about, but never got a complete answer ─ either she would be interrupted by other students or teachers speaking to us, or she would clam up about halfway through a crude explanation. I figured she was probably still a little upset about my trying out at all (as well as perhaps her still unexplained dislike of Fred and George), but was trying not to outright say as much, so after about a week, I simply decided to give her some space.

The diary was another issue. I couldn't bring it out during the daytime for fear of other students seeing it, and by the time night rolled around ─ whether because of school or quidditch practice ─ I was usually too exhausted to think clearly enough to deal with it. I wasn't even sure why I was so tired, I had never been like this at school back home; my best guess was that I hadn't cared even half as much about school back in America as I do about Hogwarts, and I must be putting in extra effort to be at the level I needed to be on par with.

Added stress and exhaustion aside, however, I wouldn't have been able to do much about the book anyway; Frodo had taken a standing vigil over it's hiding place any time anyone entered the room. He guarded the horcrux in his basket like a dragon guarded its eggs, and hissed and swiped at anyone who came too close.

That might be another reason for Willow's reclusiveness, as she clearly had more than few scratch marks on her hands lately.

I still wasn't sure if I should speak to anyone about it, either. I mean, on the one hand, lives were on the line, and that combined with my knowledge should be more than enough proof for Dumbledore for him to take care of it… But on the other hand, that still left the basilisk.

I did my research ─ there have been no known sightings of any basilisk since Shakespearean times, and the Ministry of Magic began enforcing the laws banning basilisk breeding nearly two centuries before that. So there wouldn't be anyone around today capable of fighting the stupid thing.

Then again, the book did say a rooster's crow could kill it… I thought to myself as I scooped some potatoes onto my plate one rainy afternoon (it had begun raining nearly a week ago, and it still hadn't let up; Heidi hadn't even been able to schedule proper team practices for us yet, and our first match was only a month away). If someone could get a hold of a rooster long enough to kill the basilisk… But then, what about the sword? If the basilisk was killed without the Sword of Gryffindor, then how would Harry and the others manage to destroy all of the horcruxes in the next few years?

SMACK! I snapped my head up, looking right into Max's grinning face, her spoon now resting in a pile of beans and potatoes on my plate.

"What was that for?!" I screeched, wiping some of the food from my cheeks. She shrugged.

"You were the one not paying attention," Max replied, setting her utensil back down, "I was merely remedying this."

"You were out of it for a while, Rosie," Tammy said hesitantly, pushing some vegetables around on her plate, "What were you thinking so hard about?" I froze, trying to think of a good excuse.

"I'm just… worried about Willow, that's all…" I said finally. We all looked further down the table, where Willow had begun sitting with some of the older students after tryouts. She was staring blankly into her lunch, her face a few shades paler than I was used to seeing, and she didn't seem to be paying any attention to any of the conversations going on around her.

"She is acting rather out of sorts, isn't she?" Tammy said, turning back to her food.

"You don't think she's still upset with me about tryouts, is she?" I whispered, twirling a strand of pink hair around my finger.

"No! No no no no no!" she responded immediately, then paused. "Well…"

"It's not your fault, Ro," Max said through a mouthful of roast beef, "She'll get over being a total prat soon enough, you'll see." She wiped the sauce off her chin with her sleeve, "Really, we should be focusing more on the first Hogsmeade weekend."

That's right! "I forgot all about that!" I exclaimed, "I still haven't gotten my permission slip signed!"

"You haven't?!" Tammy asked, stunned.

"How could you have forgotten this?!" Max added, slamming down her fork and splattering the three of us with gravy. I wiped it off with my napkin.

"Well, I can't exactly send it to my parents all the way in Georgia, can I?" I said, exasperated.

"Why can't you?" I hesitated. They couldn't find out.

"...We're not exactly speaking at the moment." I said finally. They paused for a moment, then nodded.

"Well, what about the Weasleys?" Max asked, "Couldn't you ask them to sign it?"

"I'm not sure…" At that moment, a flock of owls began flying into the Great Hall, "Maybe I can send a letter to them with Errol after mail's done." I watched the owls fly in droves around the hall, all landing calmly next to their student and passing the mail from their beaks. It was always enchanting to see, to follow the different colored and patterned feathers glide around the room each day. I kept my eyes out over Gryffindor's table for large grey owl, If I can just spot him before─

SPLAT! Suddenly, something landed hard in the bowl of beans on our table, splattering myself, Tammy, and Max with the juices. People around us laughed, and I nearly began to join them as a gray feather floated softly onto my plate.

"Well that was a bit convenient," Tammy remarked, grabbing a napkin and wiping herself clean.

"A bit too convenient, you ask me," Max added. I ignored them both, instead grabbing the ─ now unconscious ─ bird from the bowl, and taking the pack of letters from his beak. Sifting through them, I found one addressed to me. Cradling poor Errol in my lap, I set the others aside and opened my letter.

Dear Rosie,

Sorry for the lateness. Molly and I've been planning to write for a while now, but with Ron's incident with the car and the raids, neither of us has gotten the chance.

Your head of house sent us your permission form for the Hogsmeade trips. Not used to receiving word from Sprout. Usually it's McGonagall writing to us about whatever prank the twins have set off this week. Quite refreshing, I'll admit.

Anyways, here's you form. We've signed it for you, I hope you don't mind. If you need anything, don't hesitate to write us.

Give Ginny and the boys our regards!

Arthur Weasley

I sat, stunned, then looked quickly inside the envelope to see a folded piece of parchment, which unfolded to reveal Molly Weasley's signature on my permission form.

"You'd think the woman were psychic…" I whispered, shaking my head with a smile on my face. I tucked the folded pieces of parchment into my robe pocket before picking Errol back up and standing. "Best to return him before he gets too comfortable, otherwise we'll be eating owl feathers with breakfast for the rest of the year." Careful not to drop him on the way, I made my way to the Gryffindor table, gently plopping Errol into Ron's unsuspecting lap. He looked up at me, brows furrowed and food stuffed in his face.

"Oi!" he garbled, bits of potato flying from his mouth. I grimaced.

"Oi yourself, and please don't talk with your mouth full," I said, "He made a mess over on our table, just thought I should return him to you. Your parents send their best, by the way." With that, I quickly turned and walked back over to our table, not waiting for a response. The conversation turned back to Hogsmeade, and this time I was quick to join in. My mind drifted away from its previous thought processes; after all, so long as I had the diary, the Chamber couldn't be opened.

And no one gets hurt if the Chamber stays closed. Why worry over something that doesn't have to happen, anyway?

October continued to be mostly uneventful. Mostly. Fred and George, of course, being the exception.

The boys had begun taking any free time I seemed to have to either drag me along with one of their pranks, or to work on homework (meaning, of course, trick me into goofing off with them while I tried to work), or sometimes just to talk about the Hogsmeade and all the places I should visit: Zonko's, the Three Broomsticks, Honeydukes, and tons of other places to either enjoy or avoid.

Places that I would visit much sooner than I had thought. Just a week before Halloween, every student in third year and above gathered just outside the entrance of the castle, bundled up in warm clothes and ready to embark towards the first Hogsmeade weekend of the school year. Most of the older students had already gone on ahead, but myself and the other third years waited as McGonagall collected all of our permission forms and sent us on our way.

The second my form was in her hands, Fred and George each scooped an arm under mine and began hauling me away, walking me down the path into the snow-covered village. I pulled my arms out of their grasp and wrapped them around me, shivering.

"How do you people stand this weather all the time?" I asked, tucking my fingers under my arms to try and warm them.

"What, you never seen snow before?" George asked, a teasing smile on his face. I glowered at him.

"Not really, no," I said, "Most we ever get is ice and slush, which is a lot harder to maneuver in, by the way; one little ice storm, and the entire state has to shut down." I saw them look at each other out of the corner of my eye, but kept facing the path as we walked closer. I could almost see the snow-covered village ahead.

"But, Rosie-Posie," Fred drawled, "isn't Ilvermorny up in the mountains, up north?" I froze.

"You tellin' us it doesn't snow up in the mountains at your school?" George added. They both turned and looked at me, wearing unreadable expressions save the mischievous glint in their eyes.

Shit. My hands clenched into fists under my arms. I needed to say something, quick.

"I'm saying," I drew out, glaring at the two as we continued to walk, "that it doesn't snow in Georgia, where I'm from! And since I'm only there during the summer, it's almost impossible to get a hold of proper winter wear for during the year. Of course it snows at Ilvermorny, any twit would know that; doesn't mean I spend any time outside while it is!" I huffed, pushing further ahead.

Well, at least it wasn't a total lie… I thought, I should ask Dumbledore more about my "old school", clearly I'm not hiding the truth well enough…

"Aw, c'mon Rosie, don't get your knickers in a twist!" Fred laughed, he and George catching up to me with ease.

"Yeah, we were just askin' ya a question!" I rolled my eyes, but let them wrap their arms around my shoulders as we finally made it to the village. It wasn't too dissimilar from the movies, actually; the buildings seemed to all be rather small and made of dark wood, and all were covered in a thick blanket of snow. I stared in awe for a moment before shivering again, moving quickly to the first shop the twins dragged me to.

Most of our morning was spent moving from store to store, with me taking a few minutes to defrost in between, and either doing some light shopping or making note of things to purchase for Christmas presents. I saw a couple of really interesting things, including some really interesting looking books at the book shop, and managed to grab only a few instead of an entire armful (not at all because the boys were anxious to be anywhere else). I also stopped by Gladrags and picked up a few sweaters, a pair of warm boots, and a few magical pairs of thick socks ─ including one that sang when you first put them on. I also had the thought to step into Scrivenger's ─ I had gotten significantly better at writing with a quill, and decided to reward myself ─ and bought a few nice, new quills and a pot of metallic ink.

After all of that, the boys finally managed to drag me into Zonko's, and I had to admit it was impressive. We spent most of our time between shopping elsewhere and getting lunch just gaping at the sheer incredibility lining the numerous shelves of the joke shop. I, for the most part, just watched Fred and George run around, big bright smiles on their faces, and try out all the new little toys available.

Just imagine what they'll be like when they've got their own store… I thought to myself, as they rang up their purchases and led the way towards the Three Broomsticks. Fred and I grabbed a booth and sat down as George met up with Lee at the counter and ordered our lunch.

"So, what'cha think?" Fred asked me, nudging my elbow with his own. I smiled.

"Everything you said, and more," I replied, turning over my new copy of Saucy Tricks for Tricky Sorts, "This certainly makes Christmas shopping a bit easier, though."

"Christmas shopping?" George asked as he came back, him and Lee sitting opposite me and Fred, "Who're you planning on shopping for?"

"Well, I definitely wanna get something for your parents," I said quietly, looking down at my hands, "I mean, after everything they've done for me, it's really the least I can do."

"You know they don't mind that, Rose," George said softly. I shrugged.

"I know, but I still want to thank them somehow. They've been so kind to me, and I just want to show them how grateful I am…" I didn't look up in the silence, thinking about how much I owed to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. From the corner of my eye, I saw Fred give me a tender smile, patting me on the shoulder before changing the subject to new prank ideas.

And I've still got to make sure nothing happens to Ginny… I thought, nodding along with their enthusiastic planning, Sure would be one hell of a way to thank them if she gets taken into the Chamber…

We finished up our lunch (including hot butterbeer, which I held in my hands and continued to drink as we left the pub and made our way to Honeydukes in order to keep my hands from freezing), and did a bit more shopping before heading back in time for the twins to head to Quidditch practice. By the time I made it back to the school, my bag was full to bursting with new books, quills, ink, clothes, and now an excessive amount of candy and some kind of pumpkin-flavored soda.

I left the boys at the entrance hall and managed to carefully not drop anything as I made my way into the Hufflepuff common room, and walked into my dorm. No one else had gotten back yet, so it was just me and Frodo in the room alone. I quickly stored all of my new things, shifting my robes to one side and placing the drinks and candy on top of my trunk once I finished, and grabbed my notebook and pen before walking over to the cat's basket. Frodo, looked up at me, growling slightly.

"Oh hush, you," I said, getting comfortable on my bed, "I'm just checking it, honest." I carefully lifted the cat (he couldn't exactly be called a kitten anymore, not with as fat as he was getting) off the basket, placing him in my lap as I reached under the blankets and grabbed a hold of the diary. Checking quickly to make sure I was alone, I lifted the diary from its hiding place and held it carefully in my grasp.

It looked the same as it had every other time I checked it; same worn cover, same empty, yellowed pages, same uneasy feeling in my gut as I looked closer at the pages.

Nothing to worry about, I thought to myself, hiding it back in its previous place, No one else can find it so long as I have it. And he can't get me if I never write in it. I scratched Frodo behind his folded ears as he leapt back onto his perch atop the basket, then turned back to my notes.

Nothing to worry about…

That's what I told myself each day leading up to the Halloween feast. By the time the feast was about to start, I had mantra down so well I rarely even needed to think about it. I walked up to the Great Hall from the common room with the other Hufflepuffs, and quickly found myself struck awe by the sight of the hall. The candles floating around the hall had been turned a festive black, and flaming streamers floated over the rafters just below the enchanted ceiling. Live bats perched in various spots throughout the room, and lining the walls were some of the largest Jack-o-lanterns I'd ever seen, the biggest one being at least as tall as I was, sitting right behind Professor Dumbledore's chair.

I found my place at a random table with the twins and Lee, with Tammy and Max joining us after a moment. I took a quick look around; Willow was nowhere to be seen.

"Isn't Willow going to join us?" I asked Tammy. She shook her head.

"She said she wasn't feeling well," she replied, "Said something about going to Madame Pomfrey…" She then turned her attention to the food as it appeared before us. It was very similar to the feast we had that first night here, except tonight's menu included a great deal more pumpkin ─ including pumpkin bread loaves, pumpkin-corn soup, and even pumpkin-flavored potatoes.

Our little group stuffed our faces, laughing at the twins' jokes and enjoying the feast. Just as the last of the main course disappeared from the tables, a band of skeletons suddenly began playing at the front of the hall. They jammed out a tune to "rattle 'yer bones" to, as they said, as dessert began to appear before us: pumpkins full to burst of colored candies, trays of candy-coated and caramel apples, and pies and tarts and cakes all over the place. It was hard to eat so much after having such a filling dinner, but I managed to stuff at least a few slices of pumpkin pie down my throat, washing it down with a goblet or two of pumpkin fizz.

By the end of the feast, I was so tired and so full I had to lean on Fred to stay sitting upright. As we were dismissed from the hall, he and George looped their arms through mine and walked with me and the girls to the main floor and over to the staircase. As we approached the hall outside the staircases, we saw a huge crowd forming along one of the walls. My gut clenched.

No...

"What's going on?" Tammy asked, staring on her toes to see over people's heads. I pulled away from the twins and started shoving my way closer to the front. I stopped next to Cedric, blocked by two large Slytherin boys, and turned to him.

"What's happened?" He looked at me, confusion and horror hidden in his eyes.

"Not quite sure," he said, shifting over to let me get a look. I stepped in the space he left, and stood still, staring in horror at the scene before me. Harry Potter stood in a large puddle, Hermione and Ron on either side, facing an old, stiff cat hanging from the torch bracket. Above the body were large words, written in still-dripping blood, that read two simple sentences:

THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED.
ENEMIES OF THE HEIR ─
BEWARE.


A/n: Hey guys! Sorry it took so long! I just managed to find some time to work on this, but I made sure it was longer than I had originally planned! It's definitely going to take some time to write the next one - school is getting more and more hectic the closer I get to graduating - so I apologize if I don't have something up anytime soon. BUT! I have not given up on this story yet, nor do I plan to. Keep an eye out! I promise to update this the next time I get the opportunity!

-H. E. Vaughn