After the news had spread about the school of this mystical and apparently dangerous Chamber of Secrets, every bloody student and their mum was in a complete tiswas. Clearly, it was with good reason. Some loony was galavanting about the school, from what I could gather, and had it out for those who weren't of pure blood. It seemed I was in the clear, or so I hoped.

In History of Magic, I had bolding decided to ask Professor Binns about the Chamber, seeing as he was a rather old, dead bloke who surely knew quite a bit about it. It counted as history, that much I was certain. He kindly explained it to my rather small class, and we'd all listened with interest and spent the rest of the class exchanging ideas about who the heir could possibly be.

I'd been doing my own investigating and had concluded, rather publicly to my mates and whoever else might hear me, that Harry Potter had something to do with it. I had nothing against the boy, however he seemed to attract trouble like I attracted bothersome Scots. I was sure to convey that I did not believe he was the Heir of Slytherin, seeing as he was in Gryffindor and all that lot. Fred and George were sure to take my deductions to the extreme, however, and paraded around the school behind Harry declaring that the Heir of Slytherin was coming through. Bullocks, obviously, but so it goes with the Weasley twins. They are rather foolish.

"You know, Rue, some might say you're just fitting 'im up," George said, following me out of the library.

"But I'm not! I'm simply saying what everyone else is thinking," I said, taking a right and hurrying down the staircase before it had a chance to move.

"Right, well, maybe you should lay off a bit," Fred offered.

I rolled my eyes, "Like either of you are defending the boy's reputation. You waltz around claiming that the Heir of Slytherin is coming through, or have you failed to notice your own actions?"

George smiled, and Fred scoffed. "Nonsense, my dear. We're just making sure he has plenty of time to get to his classes."

"By threatening other students in a roundabout kind of way, yeah?"

"Of course! Now, onto a more important matter," George gently grabbed my arm and pulled me into a small, deserted alcove.

Fred rounded on me, "Rüdiger Von Straussburg, how have things been going with our dearest Quidditch captain, Oliver Wood?"

I raised my eyebrows, "Seriously?"

"Nah, he's only joking," George said, attempting to look completely sincere.

I let out a sigh. "He's being bloody annoying, that's how things are going. I want to hex his arse to three years ago when he hated me so he could see how foolish he's being now."

"Oh, come off it," Fred groaned. "We saw him holding you after the Halloween feast three days ago."

"He wasn't holding me," I said defensively, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Yeah, he kind of was. And you were clinging to him," George paused, gauging my reaction.

"Kind of," Fred quickly added.

"Look, if this is just you two confronting me because he's put you up to it-"

"Not at all!"

"How dare you think so little of us!"

"Honestly, Rue."

"You're bonkers."

"Well then, rather quick to deny things, aren't we, gentlemen?"

"He really didn't put us up to this. We just want both of you to be happy," Fred said, searching my eyes. George nodded.

"Blimey, you sound like girls. Go conspire with Carrie, Fi and Rose and leave me out of it. I've got my own boy troubles with Gwinnett anyway."

"Isn't he seeing that Hufflepuff girl?" George asked, looking to his brother.

Fred shrugged, "Dunno."

"Dear Merlin," I groaned, pushing past them. "As lovely as your company is, dinner awaits in the Great Hall, and I'm feeling quite peckish."

"You'll see, Rue!" One of them called. "You'll be happier once you're with him!"

The next morning, I hurried down the hill to get to Care of Magical Creatures. I'd been a tad late stumbling out of bed due to a rather awful dream about Wood, and Fiona hadn't bothered to wake me up.

I came up beside her just before Hagrid came around to tell us about our lesson.

"Thanks for the wake up call, mate," I muttered under my breath.

"Sorry, you looked like you were having a rather pleasant dream," she hissed back.

"What in the bloody hell does that mean?"

"You looked the most relaxed that I've seen you in weeks."

I was about to say something else when I felt a presence come up behind me. "Nice of you to join us today," a distinctively Scottish voice said from behind me. Shivers ran up my spine when I felt his breath on my neck. How close to me was this boy?

"Bugger off," I murmured, attempting to look like I was focused and interested when Hadrid looked over at me. He turned his attention back to the other side of the group, and Oliver moved so he stood directly next to me. I could feel his arm against mine.

The nerve.

Hagrid gave us instructions to set to work. I turned to glare up at Wood. "What is your problem?" I snapped.

He just smiled before turning to work with one of his stupid mates.

I shook my head and joined Fiona.

"So, what were you dreaming about then?"

"I'm not at the liberty to say," I said shortly. "What are we supposed to be doing?"

Fiona began explaining whatever Hagrid had said at the start of the lesson. I nodded absentmindedly, my thoughts focused on the dream. It seemed like it was in the future, but not too much since Wood and I looked roughly the same age. But I felt older. And that is what was so remarkably different about this dream. It hadn't been Dream Rue, it had been me. I hated to think that I had actually been enjoying lying in the grass with that descendent of William Wallace and then rolling over to straddle and snog the hell out of him. It was all rather disturbing, and I decided that it was necessary to later discuss the possible meanings with Rose. I rather hoped snogging him in my dream really meant that I wanted to deck him.

Class was eventually dismissed and I hurried off, set on finding Rose before Ancient Runes.

"There you are!" I gasped, latching onto Rose's arm before she could slip away.

"Yes, here I am," she smiled. "Shall we?"

"Please, and, er, there's something we need to discuss via parchment if we aren't doing anything particularly important during class, alright?"

"Sure."

We took our usual seats in Ancient Runes towards the back of the room. I fumbled through my bag, looking for a bit of blank parchment. My eyebrows furrowed when I pulled out a folded up piece of parchment. However, I didn't bother to pay it any mind and set it aside, desperate to talk to Rose. I triumphantly found a piece and set it in front of her. She dipped her quill in ink and began writing.

So, what seems to be bothering you? Another dream, perhaps?

You're good.

What happened?

Dream Rue has disappeared. Now it's actually me, and I'm straddling and snogging him abso-bloody-lutely senseless. It's awful.

I see, I see. Well, I'd interpret it as you fancying a shag. From him, obviously.

She noted the look I gave her when I saw what she had written and quickly added to it.

Or probably something less graphic, but along that very same line.

Brilliant. I hate this, Rose.

I know, love.

Don't tell Fi and Carrie, please.

Got it. So, what's that bit of paper you've got there?

I looked at it and shrugged, turning my attention to the front of the room where the professor was pointing to a translation on the blackboard. Rose poked the back of my hand with the tip of her quill.

Let me see it, then.

I slid it over to her and began taking notes, waiting for her to tell me what was on the paper, if anything.

It's from Oliver. He wants to see you. Privately.

Well, he's not going to, is he? The little sneak.

Oh, why not? Give the bloke a chance.

I shook my head, signaling the end of the conversation. Rose slipped Wood's note back to me. I'd burn it later in the common room.

Alright, so this was originally a lot longer, however I realized the next bit was going to be at least the length of another chapter. So I'm going to finish that up and post it soon. Another two chapters in a few hours, just like yesterday. (Impressive, no?) I know not a lot happened in this chapter, but it's definitely going somewhere, I promise. As always, Ms Rowling owns the Harry Potter Universe and all you recognize from it. Rue and Co are my own creation. Please review! I love them. Yours.