Harry woke up that Sunday morning constantly thinking about Ginny, so he decided to go and talk to her in the common room.
"I've just been pretty busy, you know," was Ginny's response when Harry had asked her why she hasn't been talking to him lately.
"I understand," said Harry.
"But we could spend some time together today, since it's a weekend," she suggested. "Maybe go out for a walk across the grounds, and tonight, I may give you a second birthday present."
Harry had a lovely feeling from that comment, but had to push it off until that night, because of Potions homework, which doubled from the previous year.
While walking to Divination the next day, Harry, Ron, and Hermione passed by the portrait of Grendawill Hentree.
"HE UNLOCKED THE PASSAGEWAY LAST NIGHT!" she was screaming.
"Bloody Scared Anorexic," complained Ron. "Does it ever shut up?"
"I don't think so," said Hermione. "I could hear her all last night while I was trying to sleep."
After classes that day, the three decided to walk to Hagrid's hut. They ran into Perifius Malfoy.
"Run away," he hissed. "I'm hungry, hungry for flesh." And he walked away.
"Was that bloody kid just talking in...Parseltongue?" Ron asked.
"I think so," Harry replied, and was about to say something, but Hermione looked at him sharply, and he caught himself just in time.
"He was talking in Parseltongue, which is kind of strange," said Hermione to Hagrid at his hut.
"Oh, that ain't strange with the Malfoys, I'll tell ya," Hagrid said.
"What?" Harry asked.
"Tha' whole fam'ly speaks it," he said. "They do a damn good job o' keepin' it private, I tell yeh."
"Perifius obviously doesn't," Harry said.
That night, while in the Gryffindor Common Room, Harry was sitting alone, staring at the fire. He was thinking terribly hard. Was Perifius a snake? Was he guarding something, or helping to guard something? Then, he remembered his dream the other night. Lucius died, but Perifius was the boy next to him, not Draco. They were standing in the Chamber. Perifius was helping Voldemort. All he, Hermione, and Ron had to do was get into the Chamber safely.
Suddenly, Harry saw a face appear in the fire. It wasn't a normal face; its nose was flat, its eyes were large, and it had thin lips. It resembled the face of Voldemort, and then Harry noticed: It was Voldemort.
The head of Voldemort raised out of the fire and looked around. He noticed Harry. "Oh, the person I've been wanting to see for ages," he said.
"Go away," Harry demanded.
"No, it will be you that will go away."
Suddenly, Harry felt an electrifying pain in himself, and was being lifted off the sofa he was sitting on. He was being drawn slowly into the fire. It hurt terribly. He was nearing the fire, he was so close; he could feel the flames hitting his skin.
He saw Ron walking down from the dormitory steps. Ron stopped dead in his tracks, and was staring wide eyed.
"No!" whispered Voldemort's chilly voice.
Harry fell to the stone ground, and Voldemort's face disappeared from the fire.
"What kind of bloody magic is this?" Ron asked.
"Voldemort was dragging me toward the fire," panted Harry. "Didn't you see it?"
"No," answered Ron, but he seemed to have believed Harry. "If Voldemort got into the school's communications, does that mean...he's inside the castle??"
"I think it does," said Harry.
Suddenly, a puff of flames leapt out from the fire. Harry stepped back. Another face began rising from the ashes, and it revealed the face of Dumbledore.
Harry looked startled. "Dumbledore?"
"Come near me, Harry," Dumbledore whispered.
Harry walked to the fire and saw Dumbledore's face gleaming in it. "How am I —? What are you —? How —?"
"There's no time for answers, Harry. You will find out eventually, trust me.
"I have to tell you something, something you will not wish to hear, but you need to know. Voldemort is inside the castle at this very moment."
"Yeah, I know."
"And, as you know, he is inside the Chamber of Secrets, guarding a Horcrux. Now, I know where it is hidden in the Chamber, so listen very closely.
"Along the edges of the murky waters, there are statues of snakes. Ten of them, I believe. Do not swim through the waters; they will bring immediate death. Walk through one of the tunnels, and when you get to the seventh window, there will be a locket there. Pick it up, and be careful not to drop it, because if you do, there's no turning back.
"I also have to warn you, Harry, that Voldemort has unfortunately created more monsters to live in the Chamber; dangerous monsters that can eat bones like they were a simple piece of candy. One of them is in this school, and his name is Perifius Malfoy, as you already have guessed. He is the one that killed Professor Sprout."
"What I want to know is why Professor Sprout had to be killed."
"Ah, that is something I can answer. You see, Voldemort has edited the entrance to the Chamber a little. You still go through that girls' bathroom, but where used to lie bones now lies a large Poisonous Grasp. Now, he did not want Professor Sprout to teach you students how to destroy them, because he plans on planting many, so he sent Perifius to murder her.
"Now, be careful when you enter the Chamber. Do not touch any part of the Poisonous Grasp. Stay on any ledge you can find. Also, to destroy the plant, just flick your wand three times, and say Descendio. Also, an easier way would be to use a little pepper spray.
"And, I must tell you, Harry, Hogwarts is no longer safe. The chance of the school closing now is bigger than ever. Now, I must go; Sirius is waiting."
"What?" Harry knew Sirius was no longer alive.
"It will come to you eventually, Harry," answered Dumbledore. "Just follow the clues. They will help you. Good night." And the face of Dumbledore washed away.
The next morning, while Harry, Ron, and Hermione were walking to breakfast, they passed by a red liquid dripping from a wall in the hallway.
"This does not look good," Hermione said.
The three continued to walk, and eventually saw blood written all over the wall.
"Oh no," whimpered Ron.
Harry began to read what it said. "'A warning to everybody. Every Mudblood shall be wiped off the face of the earth, along with anybody who needs to be. Pure blood shall be the way as we move forward. There are monsters lurking in your halls. Be aware; the Chamber of Secrets has been opened.'"
As Harry was reading it, Professor Slughorn happened to pass by.
"Oh my," Slughorn muttered. "Did any of you do this?" He pointed at the three. The three all shook their heads.
At that time, Professor McGonagall passed by, and stopped dead in her tracks.
"Oh dear," she muttered. "There needs to be a stop to this, at once! One of you, why don't you round up the students?"
"Why us?" Hermione protested. "You're the headmistress."
"Yes, well, you're right," McGonagall responded. "Just a note to all of you: I do not think the school can go on any longer." And she walked away.
"It's Ginny. I know," Harry said.
The three began running up to the common room. When they were there, they found Ginny reading a book on a sofa.
Harry ran towards Ginny and grabbed the book out of her hands.
"I was reading that," she hissed in Parseltongue.
Harry took it and threw it in the fire.
"You shall pay, Potter, and your little Mudblood friend will, too."
A strange noise came from Ginny's mouth. Her eyes went to the back of her head, showing the whites of her eyes. A cloud of dust began rising from her head. Suddenly, she shook, and almost lost her balance.
"What are you all staring at?" she asked plainly.
"Ginny!" Ron whimpered.