Chapter 23 - The First Attack
The first attack happened while Harry was in the Hospital Wing. It was Colin Creevey. A first year. I couldn't understand who would attack a little boy. The news spread like wild fire that he was in the Hospital Wing and had been petrified like Mrs Norris. Hermione, Ron and I made our way to Myrtle's bathroom as soon as we heard to try and speed up the process of making the potion. We were onto the stage where it had to rapidly boil for 3 hours so we all just sat around it and read potion books to see if there was any way to speed it up. In theory, if we were stay up all night sometimes to do things, we could shave off about a week. We came to this conclusion when Harry walked in.
"Harry! You gave us such a fright! How's your arm?" Hermione asked as she saw him while he walked towards us and sat down near the bubbling cauldron.
"Fine." He replied while inspecting the potion.
"We'd've come to meet you but we decided to get an early start on the potion." Ron explained.
"Did you see Colin in the Hospital Wing?" I asked him.
"Yeah, I was coming to tell you guys, I wasn't sure you knew." Harry replied, slightly grumpily. I reckon he wanted to let us in on what he thought was a big secret.
"Everyone knows, Harry." Hermione stated while stirring the potion.
"Hence the early start." I added while stifling a yawn.
"The sooner we get a confession out of Malfoy, the better," snarled Ron. "D'you know what I think? He was in such a foul temper after the Quidditch match, he took it out on Colin."
"There's something else," said Harry, watching Hermione tearing bundles of knotgrass and throwing them into the potion. "Dobby came to visit me in the middle of the night."
"The silly house elf that stole your letters?" I asked and Harry nodded before continuing.
"Turns out he's been doing a lot more things recently. He's the one who closed the portal to us on the way to Hogwarts..."
"Okay then, we'll blame Dobby from now on for the incident." I interrupted grinning while Ron rolled his eyes. Obviously not.
"He also jinxed the bludger." Harry continued. Hermione and I gasped in shock. "He said it was to save my life."
"If he keeps trying to save your life, he might end up killing you." Ron chuckled at his own joke while I punched him in the arm.
"And get this. The Chamber has been opened before. He wouldn't tell me when though." He stated triumphantly.
"This settles it," said Ron. "Lucius Malfoy must've opened the Chamber when he was at school here and now he's told dear old Draco how to do it. It's obvious. Wish Dobby'd told you what kind of monster's in there, though. I want to know how come nobody's noticed it sneaking around the school."
"One of our parents would have told us that, they went to school at the same time as Lucius." I stated a little triumphantly myself.
"Maybe it can make itself invisible," said Hermione ignoring me, prodding leeches to the bottom of the cauldron. "Or maybe it can disguise itself, pretend to be a suit of armour or something - I've read about Chameleon Ghouls -"
"You read too much, Hermione," said Ron interrupting her while pouring dead lacewings on top of the leeches. He crumpled up the empty lacewing bag and looked at Harry.
"That's the last of it. Me and Hermione will see if we can find anything about it being opened before." I stated while Hermione nodded in agreement.
"Let's get this in one of the stalls. We can seal the toilet and door so not even Myrtle can get in." Hermione said smartly while ordering the two boys to carry it gently while I held it on the heat because it couldn't come off for a second. We then walked up to the common room where there was a new announcement on the notice board.
Starting at the beginning of December Hogwarts will host
Duelling Club!
Get your names down and get your wands at the ready
For this amazing opportunity!
Come one, Come all!
See your Head of House to put your names down.
"Wicked!" Dean Thomas stated behind me while peering at the note.
"I bet there'll be some Slytherin's there. I can't wait!" I grinned the Dean and Seamus high fived me also grinning as were Ron and Harry.
"I wouldn't mind duelling lessons. Might come in handy..." Seamus said obviously thinking about the monster.
"What, you reckon Slytherin's monster can duel?" Ron asked while reading the sign with interest.
"Could be useful," Harry stated. "What do you think, 'Mione? Shall we put our names down?" She hesitated at first but agreed and we went to see McGonagall after dinner.
-.-
Two weeks passed and there was thankfully no more attacks. As we were getting closer to Christmas everyone was getting excited to be going home for the holidays. I decided against it again this year as did Harry, for obvious reasons as did Ron and Hermione. The potion would be finished in about a week's however we decided Christmas Day would be the perfect time with Crabbe, Goyle, Bulstrode, Parkinson and Malfoy were all staying for Christmas so we just had to get the hairs by then. It was tonight that the duelling club was to start and we were really excited. The person who would be teaching us had been kept a mystery but Hermione had heard that it would be Professor Flitwick! Unfortunately, we had no such luck.
"Gather round, gather round! Can everyone see me? Can you all hear me? Excellent!" We heard as Professor Lockhart entered and walked onto the stage with a superior air around him while none other than Snape followed him. "Now, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little duelling club, to train you all in case you ever need to defend yourselves as I myself have done on countless occasions - for full details, see my published works. Let me introduce my assistant, Professor Snape," Lockhart paused while flashing a wide smile. "He tells me he knows a tiny little bit about duelling himself and has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration before we begin. Now, I don't want any of you youngsters to worry - you'll still have your Potions master when I'm through with him, never fear!"
"Wouldn't it be good if they finished each other off?" Ron muttered in our ear's causing me and Harry to chuckle. The two professors faced each other and bowed with a few paces between them before getting into, what I assume, are duelling positions.
"As you see, we are holding our wands in the accepted combative position," Lockhart told the silent crowd. "On the count of three, we will cast our first spells. Neither of us will be aiming to kill, of course."
"I wouldn't bet on that," Harry murmured, while we watched Snape baring his teeth.
"One - two - three -" Lockhart continued then both of them swung their wands above their heads and pointed them at their opponent; Snape cried: "Expelliarmus!" There was a dazzling flash of scarlet light and Lockhart was blasted off his feet: He flew backward off the stage, smashed into the wall, and slid down it to sprawl on the floor. Malfoy and some of the other Slytherin's cheered. As you can imagine, Harry Ron and I also did a little cheer as did some other guys however 'Mione was dancing on tiptoes.
"Do you think he's all right?" she squealed through her fingers.
"I hope not." I replied chuckling while she glared at me. While Harry and Ron asked;
"Who cares?" at the same time. Lockhart was getting unsteadily to his feet. His hat had fallen off and his wavy hair was standing on end.
"Well, there you have it!" he said, tottering back onto the platform. "That was a Disarming Charm - as you see, I've lost my wand - ah, thank you, Miss Brown - yes, an excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape, but if you don't mind my saying so, it was very obvious what you were about to do. If I had wanted to stop you it would have been only too easy - however, I felt it would be instructive to let them see..." He seemed to notice that Snape was glaring at him at this point. And if looks could kill, Lockhart would be a goner. "Well, that's quite enough demonstrations from us, how about we get some volunteers?"
"I dare you." Me and Harry said to each other at the same time then burst out laughing. Lockhart looked at us both and looked kind of angry at us laughing.
"You two." He stated. Me and Harry looked at each other in shock.
"If I may..." Snape interrupted. "We should split them up. I'll have two from my house go against both of them." A wide grin spread over mine and Harry's faces.
"Bring it." Harry whispered behind me as we both climbed onto the stage and took out our wands.
"Malfoy. Greengrass." Snape continued and they climbed onto the stage. Malfoy smirked at us while Daphne Greengrass looked at me focused. I had heard that she was really good at duelling, it should be a challenge. Snape walked behind them and whispered something, causing both of them to snicker and smirk.
"Good luck, chaps." Lockhart said to us while behind us before walking into the middle. "Okay, face your partners and bow." He commanded and we did, not taking our eyes off our opponents. It was obvious Malfoy was to go for Harry and Greengrass to me. Harry and I looked at each other briefly and decided the same. "Wands at the ready!" shouted Lockhart. "When I count to three, cast your charms to disarm your opponents - only to disarm them - we don't want any accidents - one ... two ... three -" Lockhart hadn't got to three when they both did spells at the same time.
"Rictumsempra!" Came from Malfoy and hit Harry causing him to laugh uncontrollably.
"Avis! Oppugno!" Greengrass shouted and a flock of birds attacked me which I had to dodge. I pointed my wand at the birds.
"Finite Incantatem!" And the birds disappeared before I pointed my wand to our opponents. "Funis!" A long rope came from my wand and went straight to their legs and knocked them onto their faces. I smirked as Malfoy climbed to his feet first.
"Tarantallegra!" Harry choked out while laughing causing Malfoy to start dancing.
"Locomotor Motis!" Daphne shrieked and I also fell on my face with my legs tied together.
"Serpensortia!" Malfoy shouted and a snake landed near my face. I shrieked and rolled off the stage in fright much to the amusement of Malfoy.
"Serpensortia!" I screeched angrily and aimed at Malfoy's head which the snake wrapped itself around causing him the scream like a little girl. A couple of unknown people helped me back on stage while I reversed the spells on me and Harry. Snape took the snake off of Malfoy while Lockhart went to do the one near me and Harry. Honestly, I was terrified. I hate snakes so much.
"That's enough. Let's call it a draw shall we, an excellent duel if I say so and some good spells from both sides. Now, let's get rid of this little monster." He brandished his wand at the snake and there was a loud bang; the snake, instead of vanishing, flew ten feet into the air and fell back to the floor with a loud smack. Enraged, hissing furiously, it slithered straight toward Justin Finch-Fletchley and raised itself again, fangs exposed, poised to strike. I nearly had a heart attack at this point and I backed up as did Lockhart, Greengrass and Malfoy. Snape went to deal with it himself when something weird happened. Harry started making some weird hissing noises and the snake seemed to look at Harry before going for Justin again. Harry made louder hissing noises and the snake stopped. Snape got rid of it while everyone, him included, just stared at Harry in shock.
"What in the hell are you playing at?" Justin asked fearfully with wide eyes.
"I think todays duelling club has ended. Go." Snape said dismissively. I was first to recover and pulled Harry out of the room quickly while everyone stared at us. Ron and Hermione followed us with our stuff. I found an empty classroom and we all bundled in.
"What's up? What have I done?" Harry asked confused.
"You're a Parselmouth. Why didn't you tell us?" Ron asked him.
"I'm a what?" said Harry, still confused.
`A Parselmouth." I replied. "You can talk to snakes."
"I know," said Harry. "I mean, that's only the second time I've ever done it. I accidentally set a boa constrictor on my cousin Dudley at the zoo once - long story - but it was telling me it had never seen Brazil and I sort of set it free without meaning to that was before I knew I was a wizard..."
"A boa constrictor told you it had never seen Brazil?" Ron repeated faintly.
"So?" Harry continued. "I bet loads of people here can do it."
"Oh, no they can't. It's not a very common gift. Harry, this is bad." I said shaking my head.
"What's bad?" said Harry, sounding slightly angrily. "What's wrong with everyone? Listen, if I hadn't told that snake not to attack Justin..."
"Oh, that's what you said to it?" Hermione asked.
"What d'you mean? You were there - you heard me -" Harry replied obviously still confused.
"We heard you speaking Parseltongue," said Ron. "Snake language. You could have been saying anything - no wonder Justin panicked, you sounded like you were egging the snake on or something - it was creepy, you know -" Harry gaped at him.
"I spoke a different language? But - I didn't realize - how can I speak a language without knowing I can speak it?" Harry was obviously in shock, Ron shook his head. He had no idea.
"D'you want to tell me what's wrong with stopping a massive snake biting off Justin's head?" Harry grumbled. "What does it matter how I did it as long as Justin doesn't have to join the Headless Hunt?"
"It matters." I replied while Hermione continued.
"Being able to talk to snakes was what Salazar Slytherin was famous for. That's why the symbol of Slytherin House is a serpent." Hermione informed him and Harry's mouth fell open.
"Exactly," said Ron. "And now the whole school's going to think you're his great-great-great-great-grandson or something -"
"But I'm not," said Harry, with a panic he couldn't quite explain.
"You'll find that hard to prove," said Hermione. "He lived about a thousand years ago; for all we know, you could be." At least this way, I'm not related to Slytherin but I couldn't understand it and I know it hasn't been doing these attacks, he's been with me most of the time. We needed to find out who it is. And quick.