I'm feeling nice so two chapters in one day.
Nico (POV)
A few days later Justin and Sir Nicolas were petrified. Huffepuff went into a frenzy, all sure that Harry was behind it. Whenever I was seen sitting by Harry or talking to him, they started glaring and muttering that I'm helping him.
The students weren't the only ones who thought Harry was behind it. Ghosts had been approaching me almost every day to warn me so stay away from Harry. On the bright side I had gotten plenty of practice shushing the spirits.
On the fourteenth of December Annabeth IM'd me to tell me that Percy is missing. Unable to help out myself, I sent out an army of spirits to search for him, but just like everyone else found nothing. Will on the other hand had agreed to return to camp for the holidays to help Annabeth, and perform his duties as head of Apollo cabin.
A few days later the winter holidays begun, this year earlier than the last due to the chamber. This meaning that I would be spending Bianca's anniversary without Will this year, though he had offered to wait to leave to spend time with me.
I refused to let Will stay of course, though Kat had chosen to stay this year to help out with the potion (and babysit me)
This year I plan to ignore the date and spend the day with my sister. Kat had been sending me worried looks the whole night before.
I won't up horribly early, shadow-travelling away before Kat could find me. If Hazel noticed how quiet I was she didn't comment on it, she's good that way.
When I get back from Camp Jupiter I'm exhausted, apparently Kat didn't see that as good enough a reason not to talk to her.
"NICO!" She yells, storming into the dorm. "Where have you been? I know today isn't a good day for you, but you can't just disappear! I was worried about you, where did you go?"
I turn to glare at her, ignoring her questions.
After a few minutes of silence Kat gives up, realizing I need to be alone.
The next morning Kat looks at me expectantly.
"I'm not telling you." I tell her, crossing my arms. "All I'll say is that I was perfectly safe."
I attempt to ignore her glaring, deciding to put on my headphones and listen to the metal thing.
Christmas morning Kat runs into my room, jumping on my bed.
"JINGLE BELLS MALFOY SMELLS! HERMIONE MADE A POTION! HE'LL BE THROWN IN AZKABAN AND I WON'T BECOME A STATUE! HEY!"
I glare at her. "No amount of good news is an excuse to wake me up at such as ungodsly hour." I groan.
"It's eight O'clock sleepy head." She says shaking me awake. "I GOT PRESENTS!"
I sigh. Christmas at Hogwarts is great, but I can't help but compare it to with Bianca, Dancing around in our night robes and opening presents all morning with Vergo's delicious cooking, before changing into formal robes for dinner with Grandfather and our other guests.
Christmas at Hogwarts lacks any formality, but it has no Bianca or Mama.
"Fine." I grumble, pulling myself from bed to see Kat wearing a Santa hat and pyjamas. "Open mine first!"
"Should I even bother reminding you that you're not allowed in here?" I sigh.
She just shakes her head and pushed a black parcel with dancing skeletons into my hands.
I give her a curious look before ripping it open.
Inside is a black T'shirt and container of chocolate skeletons. I pull out the shirt to see:
"I hate morning people, and mornings, and people." Written on it.
I smirk at her. "Accurate."
She smirks at me. "Hand mine over!"
I glare at her, before handing over the large present from under my bag.
"WHAT IS IT?" She squeals, pulling off the wrapping.
It's a broomstick servinging kit. "I'm already regretting supporting you unhealthy ob-"
She pulls me into a hug. "You're awesome."
I blush. "Thanks?"
I then open my other presents: large tin of fudge from Hagrid, a book on memory spells from Hermione, a collection of circular disc things in packets that Kat called movies from Wil, and my present from Hazel.
"Who's that from?" Kat asks, eating the candy Alex had sent her.
"Uh… family?" I say vaguely, making Kat raise her eyebrows at me.
I open it to see a knitted black sweater with skulls with Christmas hats.
I smile. It's a bit much, but It's the thought that counts. Besides sweaters are a Christmas tradition.
Kat falls off the bed laughing next to me. "That is beautiful! But I doubt your father knitted that."
The idea of Hades knitting is enough to make me laugh as well. "No, it's from a cousin." I lie.
She doesn't seem to believe me, but just shrugs it off and forces the sweater over my head, before pulling me out of the dorm.
"I'm not hungry! And I'm not wearing this around people!" I whine, pulling myself from her grip.
"I should hope you're not hungry, considering we're going to the girl's bathroom, and oh yes you are."
I groan. Perhaps I should have gotten a present for Myrtle.
"That's a lot of potion." I comment, looking into the cauldron.
"We'll have to get rid of it." Hermione tells us, stirring it. "We can't have any proof of what we did."
"Maybe you should save it." Kat suggests. "Does it go off?"
Hermione shakes her head. "Lasts quite some time, but we won't need it. Malfoy's definitely the heir."
I definitely see how he could be, the date of the chamber being opened, Priscilla being there at the time, and his hatred towards muggleborns, but it seems too obvious.
I tried to push thoughts of Bianca and Mama from my mind over Christmas.
"Hey Malfoy!" Kat shouts when she sees his familiar sneer in the great hall.
"Did your family finally get sick of you or could you just not bear to be without me for the holidays?" Kat mocks.
"Williams." He sneers. "The monster still hasn't killed you? What a shame."
I notice Kat balling her fists.
"Calm down." I whisper to her.
The rest of the day was spent eating delicious food and pranking people. Kat's favourite hobbies.
"Can we help?" Kat begs Hermione.
"I thought you hate drinking potions." I tell her. "They're not vegetarian."
She slumps down. "I do, but because of our damn potions class I've had to be less strict."
I give her a sympathetic look.
Sadly neither of us had a chance to use the potion as Crabbe and Goyle were taken by Harry and Ron and everyone else was gone.
I game back half an hour later, hoping to hear that Malfoy had been caught only to find Hermione still hiding in the toilet.
"It's horrible!" Myrtle exclaims happily.
"What happened?"
"Take a look." She giggles.
Hermione swings the door open, hiding her face in her hands sobbing.
"IT WAS CAT HAIR!" She exclaims.
She is covered in tick black hair with beady yellow eyes .
"Cool." Kat breathes. "I guess I need to find a new name, you stole mine."
Hermione attempts to glare at her.
"Would the potion just not if you're transforming into someone unhuman? What if it were a creature who took the potion? Perhaps someone half and half." I ask, pretending to be curious.
Hermione looks thoughtful. "I'm not sure, I don't think it works on creatures such as werewolves and half goblins or giants…" she says thoughtfully.
Great, I probably wouldn't be able to take it.
Kat manages to tear her attention away from Hermione long enough to look at the potion. "Still a decent amount left."
Before Hermione could reply the bathroom door slams open, and she runs back into the stall.
Ron and Harry run inside, returned to their usual appearance.
"Hermione, come out, we've got loads to tell you-" Harry says,
"You can tell us." I shrug, inspecting the potion.
"Go away!" Hermione squeaks.
Harry and Ron look at each other.
"What's the matter?" said Ron. "You must be back to normal by now, we are.
"What happened with Malfoy?" Kat asks. "Is he the heir or what?"
"He's not." Ron replies glumly.
I grit my teeth. Great, we have to start over.
"Ooooooh, wait till you see," she said. "It's awful-" Moaning Mertyl grins.
They heard the lock slide back and Hermione emerged, sobbing, her robes pulled up over her head.
"What's up?" said Ron uncertainly. "Have you still got Millicent's nose or something?"
Hermione let her robes fall and Ron backed into the sink.
Her face was covered in black fur. Her eyes had turned yellow and there were long, pointed ears poking through her hair.
"It was a c-cat hair!" she howled. "M-Millicent Bulstrode m-must have a cat! And the p-potion isn't supposed to be used for animal transformations!"
"Uh-oh," said Ron.
"You'll be teased something dreadful." Myrtle says happily.
"It's okay, Hermione," said Harry quickly. "We'll take you up to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey never asks too many questions..."
"Can you explain what that cockroach said when you get back?" Kat pleads.
They sigh, giving Hermione a concerned look, before telling us everything.
Draco may not know anything but his father clearly does…
"Can you dispose of the potion?" Hermione asks me, still sobbing.
I nod.
Eventually they leave the bathroom, dragging the hidden Hermione with them.
Kat curses under her breath. "That weasel must know something."
"Why would he lie?" I shrug. "Priscilla must have not opened it."
"No, but she was there. The Malfoy family probably know plenty about the chamber." Kat says.
"They probably wouldn't know any more than I do." I sigh.
If only Bianca hadn't moved on, I would be able to ask her.
"Have you remembered anything else?" she asks.
"Nothing about the chamber." I answer.
"I'll take care of the potion." Kat tells me.
"You're horrible at potions."
"That doesn't mean I can get rid of one." She huffs.
I shrug and return to my dormitory to iris message Will.
"So we're back at the beginning." He sighs.
"Yep, and I can't even remember anything else. If I just knew who else was at school then." I sigh.
"Maybe you should ask Bianca. She was there and a Slytherin!" he exclaims, grinning.
If only I could.
"That's not possible." I sigh.
"Why not? Can't Bianca remember?"
"I just can't, okay!" I yell, swiping through the message.
Well that went well.
When Will got back after the holidays he kept giving me confused and angry looks. Whenever he tried to talk to me I made an excuse and avoiding him.
Maybe I should just find a lie, like because of her death Bianca never regained her memory, but no I had to freak out so he'll never believe me now.
As soon as I see Will's familiar blonde hair heading in my direction I run away, almost colliding with the golden trio.
"…saved a teacher from the giant squid. Maybe he murdered Myrtle; that would've done everyone a favour ..."
I wrack Ron over the head. "Don't be an asshole."
Him, Harry and Hermione turn to me.
"What? She's annoying." Ron shrugs, rubbing his head.
"I could say the same about you." I mutter, sitting next to them. "Why would someone have murdered her?"
"I found a diary belonging to a T.M Riddle." Harry answers.
I think back to that red haired girl and boy from the forties. "What about it?"
"Someone threw it at Myrtle and I don't know it seems Important."
"It is." I say. "Or at least it could be. I met him back in the forties."
They gape at me. I doubt they'll ever get used to my age.
"And this diary is seventy years old." Hermione says, tapping it excitedly.
"So?"
"Oh, Ron, wake up," snapped Hermione. "We know the person who opened the Chamber last time was expelled fifty years ago. We know T. M. Riddle got an award for special services to the school fifty years ago. Well, what if Riddle got his special award for catching the Heir of Slytherin? His diary would probably tell us everything - where the Chamber is, and how to open it, and what sort of creature lives in it - the person who's behind the attacks this time wouldn't want that lying around, would they?"
"That's a brilliant theory, Hermione," Ron says."With just one tiny little flaw. There's nothing written in his diary."
I sigh. Why would that girl carry around an empty diary then go through all the trouble of throwing it away?
Hermione pulls out her wand. "It might be invisible ink!" she whispers.
She taps the diary three times and says, "Aparecium!"
Nothing happened. Undaunted, Hermione shoved her hand back into her bag and pulled out what appeared to be a bright red eraser.
"It's a Revealer, I got it in Diagon Alley," she said.
She rubs hard on January first. Nothing happened.
"I'm telling you, there's nothing to find in there," said Ron. "Riddle just got a diary for Christmas and couldn't be bothered filling it in."
I sigh. That can't be it.