Hey hey hey, what a magical day 4 chapters being given to you so quickly! I am loving this! one more chapter to come and then its back to outlining and writing more! As always dedicated to MissRissa81 and my lovely readers

January 1941

Hermione had finally caught back up to where she should be over the Christmas break. And they had decided because they had found the Chamber they would read more about Slytherin to see what other secrets they could find.

She was currently sitting in front of the Statue of Salazar Slytherin reading and kept skimming back over the same paragraph, "Boys! Come here, I think I've found something."

It took them a moment to move to her as they had been sitting far enough away to give her some space. They were more hesitant around her and protective of her since the attack and she had snapped at them quite a few times for it.

"What is it?" Theo asked as they came up behind her.

"Salazar Slytherin himself stated quite a few times when he was bragging of his Secret Chamber that he had a library in there that only his heir could access and it had obscure dark texts that weren't readily available. One of a kind books that would not be seen again until his true heir came to reclaim the Chamber for him or herself." Hermione read aloud.

"A library? In here?"

"We have to find it. That could be where his wand is hidden. And Merlin only knows what else he hid in there," Theo said.

The four decided they would take it in turns looking around the full extent of the Chamber until they found something. The other three would continue to read to see if there were any other obscure clues in regards to the location.

Now they had a renewed sense of interest in the Chamber. It wasn't only a safe hiding place for them anymore. There was something more interesting to find down there.

They would bring meals down there on the weekends and come down during the week simply to look around.

The Gryffindors and Dumbledore were getting even more interested in finding out what they were doing and Dumbledore had become more devious in trying to separate them.

He had plans for Tom. Not the others. They would ruin his plans. He needed to separate Tom from the other three but it was becoming more and more difficult as time went on.

Hermione was more withdrawn and sending lots of letters back and forth to her mother since her attack and her mother was more interested in what was happening around her children.

February 1941

Aldrich was the one that stumbled upon the Library— they had been searching for a month and had barely scratched the surface of how truly expansive the Chamber was.

He surmised that it was under where the Transfiguration classrooms would be located above them.

He headed back to the Common Room and told the others he had found it. But as it was after curfew they would have to wait until the next day to go down and really explore it.

When he showed them where it was and Tom opened it fully— they found thousands of books, some artifacts and potions bottles along with journals.

There were hundreds of scrolls on one wall and drawings on the fourth wall.

It was amazing and it would take them a long time to get through it all. It wasn't all about Slytherin either. He had stuff about the other Founders that he had observed and the location of his room and how to open it that was located on the Fifth Floor.

The Chamber was just an added bonus for anyone that came upon it.

It wasn't long before Hermione set herself up in the corner with a transfigured armchair and began to pour over his journals while the boys researched the books on the other founders and what the artifacts and potions were for.

Hermione was reading a particularly interesting journal when the boys were out practicing their Quidditch for tryouts when she found the mention of the Basilisk and where it lies.

She wasn't surprised that it was a giant snake after the way Tom could talk to the Snake and Slytherins choice of house animal.

But what she read meant that the snake could only be controlled by Tom and it would do whatever he wanted it to.

Yes it was still glean information from the school animals but it hadn't actually moved from the Statue of Salazar since he put it to sleep all those years ago.

It was waiting until the heir came to use it for their bidding. This would be great. They could get it to spy on Dumbledore and the students he had recruited and not even have to lift a finger. There were other uses Hermione could think of as well. But for the moment this would do.

She told the boys the next time they were all down there and Tom began to really converse with the Great Snake. He learned so much about the school as a whole and the Snake agreed to find the other rooms for them and how to open each room.

Now they could concentrate on their research of the Founders and different dark types of magic.

They had more time to look into what the artifacts and potions could do.

March 1941

Tom left the others in the Common Room when he was called to Professor Dumbledore's office. He had sent word with one of the Prefects that he would like to see him urgently and he was curious.

He hadn't told Hermione, Theo and Aldrich that it was Dumbledore summoning him. He would tell them when he saw what the Professor wanted.

When he arrived, he walked in without announcing himself. He didn't care if it was rude.

"Ah, Tom. Thank you for coming," Dumbledore said.

Tom took the chair that the Professor indicated and waited. He was inwardly impatient but showed none of that on the outside. He wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing he was getting to him.

"I'm concerned Tom," he said.

Tom glanced up at him suspiciously, "Concerned, Professor?"

"You seem to be withdrawing from most of the school and only spending time with Missus and Mister Nott and Mr Avery. I'm concerned that they are forcing you into stuff," Dumbledore stated, showing concern on his features. But Tom knew the truth.

"I spend time with my other Housemates sir, and they are family. They wouldn't force me into things I didn't want to do," Tom said.

Dumbledore scowled for a moment and then composed himself, "I just think you should try and separate yourself more. You don't want to get complacent with friends."

"I'll take it under advisement, sir, if that's all?" Tom asked.

"Of course, dear boy. Please head back to your Common Room and don't hesitate to come see me if you need anything," the Professor said.

Tom nodded and walked back down to the Common Room. The others weren't around when he got there so he moved back out of the Common Room and to the Chamber where the Basilisk told him they were.

When he told the others they got angry that he hadn't told them it was Dumbledore that had summoned him and the way he had tried to manipulate Tom.

They would keep a closer eye on Dumbledore. He clearly didn't want Tom spending time with them.

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