OOO
After the first rooster was killed, the rest died soon after; the killer, however, was never found and once the roosters were gone nothing else happened. Though they doubted it to be true, Hagrid nervously chalked up the whole incident to a wild animal and eventually things returned to as normal as a school like Hogwarts could be.
Draco's unease lingered, though, and from time to time his friends would ask him if he was alright. Unable to pin down a reason for his wariness, he shrugged and claimed he was tired, nothing more. Nevertheless, Sirius knew better and tried to keep an eye out as well, even if he couldn't convey all the reasons for Draco's attitude to the others. He too knew that it was no animal that had attacked him. Furthermore, every so often a strange scent that made his hair stand on end would waft through the castle.
Finding out that Harry's cloak was still missing weighed as well. Sirius assumed that whoever had the cloak and map could wander around with near impunity, though stealing such valuable items to strangle roosters made no sense. Harry grew slightly frantic at this suggestion and even Nott eventually ceded that there might be something to be nervous about.
Nothing worse happened though and with the approach of Halloween, Draco felt his spirits begin to lift.
"You look a lot brighter than you did in Herbology a few days back," Neville observed as he and Draco went down to Hagrid's hut to look at the pumpkins. They were to be carved up soon, but the boy wanted to see them in their full, living glory before they were severed from the vine. Hagrid had promised them each a share in the seeds as well, something they were both enthusiastic about.
"Well, Halloween's coming, isn't it?" Draco grinned. "Hard to be completely out of sorts when you know there's gong to be a feast and the Great Hall will be decorated like nothing else."
"Yeah." Neville nodded in agreement. "Of course, it's not always happy. I mean, it's a bit exciting and whatnot, with the feast and all. But… well…" He looked at Draco nervously. "I mean, it's an anniversary in certain respects, isn't it?"
Draco caught his meaning and nodded. "Oh. Right. That." He shrugged. "I can't say that it makes me particularly upset; you know me Neville. I'm not like that, not going to be mad he's gone or anything. I think it's a positive thing, even if others don't believe me. As for the other, other thing – if Harry feels saddened by it, he hardly ever says as much."
Neville nodded and rubbed his hands together. "I guess we'd better get up to the castle. Starting to get cold."
"Speaking of other celebrations, though – did Harry tell you he was invited to Sir Nicholas' Death Day party?"
"He was?"
"Yeah, him and Theo and Hermione. I think he might be regretting it now, but there's no way that Hermione would let him get out of something like that."
"Probably not," Neville reflected. "Very…"
"Uptight?" Draco suggested.
"I was going to say by the book and rule-following," Neville rejoined with a nervous smile. "You know, she's alright. Helps me out with my homework a lot when I need it, same as Theo when he has the time. And isn't in detention."
"I thought he was getting better about that," Draco asked.
"Was he? Maybe. I don't know. He's not in the common room very often so I assumed he was off with Lockhart."
"Hasn't said anything about it to me or Harry if he has been. Of course, given how mad it seems to make Hermione he might not want to make it public knowledge. But if he got it in class, surely you or Harry would be there to see it." Draco shrugged. "He's probably off studying a lot. You know how Theo is."
"Yeah. That makes sense." He tugged on the doors of the castle. "You could be a little easier on Hermione, though."
"I guess. She gets all her knowledge out of books, though, and that bothers me a bit. She's very… she's not open to possibilities and I don't like the way she brushes Luna off, as if she were batty or something."
Neville took a look at Draco's face and decided he might be better off holding his tongue. Luna didn't make sense to him either most of the time; then again, she was the one in Ravenclaw and not him. He had trouble passing practically everything, so who was he to say she was smarter or less intelligent than Hermione? That, and he knew Draco got quite worked up about the subject from time to time.
"So you think they'll have live bats like they did last year?"
"Did they have bats? I barely remember." He smiled wryly. "I didn't get to see or eat at much of the feast if you recall."
"Oh! That's right. The troll in the dungeon."
"Hopefully this Halloween will be a little more fun and a little more uneventful than that. Even if we did make a friend out of it, I've no desire to go about facing something like that again. At least not right away."
OOO
Happening too soon, happening too soon… he is not ready, not ready…
He will be. It was told.
He must be.
Then we must…
Only when the time comes. Patience.
Why wait to see? The beast already moves… Linger and it will be too late.
He will come to us.
It was told.
But when it happens the darkness will be upon him and he will be…
If it is true, if he is what you believe, then it will not matter.
Can there be any doubt?
Should you not at least tell our guardian?
Patience.
OOO
"Three minutes!" Pansy crowed as they passed around a plate of black and orange frosted cookies. "That was all the time it took him to catch the Snitch!"
"I knew my brothers were spying on us," he said with a casual shrug. "So I figured I would give them a show."
"Play like that in the tournament and we'll be sure to win the cup!" Daphne smiled and refilled her pumpkin juice.
"Well, it's not just me, you know," Ron replied modestly and looked over at Pansy. "Thanks to your dad we're actually flying decent broomsticks. Fast, responsive – they're a dream to fly."
"And they're going to go circles around the Gryffindors!" She smirked. "I can't wait to see the looks on their faces the first time we run them into the ground."
A few seats down, Millicent frowned. Pansy had been going on about the Quidditch team and Ron's prowess for day, something only made worse when the other students like Daphne started joining in. Morosely, she chewed and gave brief thought to sitting elsewhere. It was, after all, an anniversary of sorts for her, the first day she'd really gotten to meet Draco and Harry.
Problem was, she didn't see either of them anywhere in the Great Hall.
"Hey Millicent!" Pansy shouted at her from down the table. "Maybe next year you can try out for the team too! We'll be needing a Keeper and you'll be just perfect! You won't even have to block – just float around in front of the baskets and you'll be wide enough to stop whatever the other team tosses at you!"
Laughter broke out among the rest of the second years and Millicent's face blossomed a beet red. Grabbing her plate, she stomped off through the crowd of students to the Gryffindor table.
Even if Draco and Harry weren't around, there were always the Weasley twins.
"Milli!" George grinned. "Glad to see you're abandoning the dark side for the evening!"
"Hey guys," she grinned. While they ate, she turned to the twins. "Are those new Slytherin brooms really as good as Pansy and Ron say they are?"
George grimaced and her heart dropped. "Unfortunately… they're pretty fast."
"Well a fast broomstick can't make up for a complete lack of talent," Fred shot back. "Don't worry, we'll beat them." He patted her on the shoulder.
She nodded, trying to exude some of his confidence, but it didn't work very well. Seeing her expression, George nudged her.
"And if we happen to lose, we can always stuff fireworks into their backpacks."
At this, she laughed, and began to loosen up as the dancing skeletons were brought out to entertain them for the evening.
OOO
"Well that's odd," Draco murmured.
"What's odd?" Susan looked over at him.
"Look at that." He pointed at a line of spiders scurrying away down the hall.
"Ew!" Hannah jumped back. "There must be over a dozen of them!"
"I now – don't you think that's a bit strange? Them all lining up like that, so many at once?"
She shuddered. "I hate spiders. Strange or not."
"I can take care of that." Ernie pulled out his wand. "Easy."
"Don't!" Draco held him back. "They aren't bothering us. In fact…" He seemed puzzled. "It looks like they're leaving for some reason, heading for the door."
"Come on, guys, we're already late." Susan urged them along. "Who cares about spiders? I want to eat!"
"You guys go ahead." Draco watched the arachnids as they moved along and took a few steps in their direction. "I want to see where these little guys are headed."
"Well don't be too long," said Ernie. "Or you'll miss the feast entirely."
"I'll only be a moment."
They parted ways and Draco tracked the spiders all the way to the door, where he'd assumed they were heading. However, as he was about to follow them outside to see where they were going from there, screams rang out throughout the castle and the stomping sounds of feet echoed above him. Puzzled, he turned from the doors and ran up to see what the commotion was about.
OOO
Please do not do this. Oh, please do not. She will never forgive me! She will think I am responsible…
Stop fretting. We will use the cloak; she might suspect but she will never see you. As for why, well… as you thought yourself – bright and clever. Far too clever. We won't risk this.
She has done nothing to deserve…
Fool. It's not about what she has done, but about what she can do and might do. And you are all the more idiotic if you think your banal pleadings will do anything but strengthen my resolve.
…
That's better.
OOO
"Well I'm certainly glad to see you've been making an effort to appreciate Professor Lockhart's talents and abilities." Hermione fastened the clasp of her cloak.
"I do try." He smiled at her. "Has Harry already gone down to the dungeon?"
"I believe so." She gamboled to the door. "We'd better hurry too or else we won't get there in time." She dashed out of the common room while Nott followed a few steps behind her as she went on enthusiastically about the party. "And it's pretty unique, isn't it? I mean, how many people can say they've been to a deathday party? Living people that is. And I wonder what they'll have for food. I mean, ghosts can't eat in the same way that living people can so…"
As she turned down the second floor corridor, Hermione became suddenly aware that there had been no response for several minutes. Turning around, she found herself to be alone and stopped in confusion. Had she really been going along that fast that Theo was unable to keep up and got lost in the corridors?
"Theo?" She whispered.
There was a sound in front of her and she spun around. It was a low sound, a hissing that reminded her of water being let out of a valve. Then there came a grinding noise from up ahead. Nervous, she drew her wand and walked forward.
"Theo? Is that you?" She swallowed. "Is somebody there?"
"Of course somebody is!" Right in front of her a pearly figure drifted out. "I'm always here! Of course, I'm sure that many people would say that I'm a nobody but… oh!" The figure broke down into sobbing.
"Hello Myrtle," Hermione sighed and lowered her wand. "I don't suppose you've seen my friend Theo about? I think he might have gotten lost…"
"A boy?" She sniffed. "Why would I see a boy when I stay in the girl's bathroom?"
"I was only…" Hermione froze; a dark shape drifted out of the bathroom.
"Of course I did hear somebody making noise like then did when I…"
Hermione never heard the rest, however. Looking through Myrtle, she saw a pair of bulbous eyes shining behind the ghost. Within moments, as if ice were coursing through her veins, her extremities seized up and she fell to the ground, petrified.
"Oh! OHHHH!" Myrtle screeched and dropped through the floors, floating all the way down to the dungeon in a panic.
OOO
Harry's legs ached as he ran though the halls, hoping that Sir Nicholas was finding somebody who could help. He'd been wondering where Theo and Hermione were when Moaning Myrtle's wailings had broken up the party, screaming about how a girl had been killed outside of her bathroom and on the second floor. Fearing the worst, he'd gone to find out, only to hear someone screaming about smelling blood and killing on his way up there, urging his steps along even further.
Hermione. She had been Harry's first thought and, as he turned into the corridor, he found it to be disturbingly true. A cry wrenched from his throat and he ran over to her unmoving, prone body. Above her head there was writing on the floor in some kind of red substance. He reached out to touch it and found that it was only red paint, though it was clearly meant to call to mind blood.
"The Chamber of Secrets has been opened," he whispered. "Enemies of the heir, beware…"
"Hermione!" A pained scream came from behind him and Harry turned to see Theodore behind him along with many of the teachers and much of the student body. "Harry, what did you do?"
"Theo!" He looked up. "I didn't do anything, I found her like this!" He looked over at the ghosts who'd come up from the party. "Isn't that right Sir Nicholas? Myrtle came down screaming that the girl had been killed…"
"Let me see, let me see…" Lockhart bustled to the front and made a show of picking Hermione up off of the ground.
"He's right" The nearly-beheaded ghost affirmed to the gathered crowd. "He was with us until Myrtle came down and by then the attack had already happened."
"Besides, I…" Harry trailed off. He was about to tell those assembled that he'd heard who did it – but a disembodied voice? He doubted that would alleviate anybody's suspicions. "I wouldn't do this to Hermione! She's my friend!"
There were nods as Lockhart began rambling on about Ouagadou while Dumbledore came to the forefront. With a nod, he scooped up Hermione and accepted Lockhart's offer to go to his office, joined by several of the other teachers, while the prefects herded the students back to their common rooms where they would finish up the feast.
"You had better come as well," he told Harry who nodded and Nott who remained transfixed, staring at the words.
When they reached the office, Nott collapsed and buried his face in his hands. "This is my fault!" He moaned. "I should have stayed with her! I just…"
"What happened?" Harry asked.
"I got distracted by one of the paintings," he replied miserably, "and by the time I starting moving again the stairways had shifted. I didn't know where she was but I thought… I thought we were both going to the party so I would just meet her there!"
Lockhart was still going on about curses and counter-curses while Dumbledore prodded Hermione with his wand. At length he looked up a Harry and the doubled-over Nott with a piercing but reassuring gaze.
"She isn't dead," he murmured. "Petrified. But not dead."
"Well that's good, isn't it?" Harry patted Nott reassuringly on the back as the other boy leaned into him, crying faintly into his shoulder. "I mean, if she's not dead, we can do something about it, can't we?"
Snape, who'd accompanied them along with McGonagall, was looking at him distastefully. "I suppose I can."
"Professor Sprout just started growing Mandrakes," Dumbledore told them. "As soon as they're ready a potion can be made…"
"And I will be more than happy to do so!" Lockhart chimed in with a large smile. "Since Miss Granger is one of my most studious and enthusiastic pupils, I would be honored…"
"I'm the Potions Master!" Snape broke in tersely. "I will make the draught!"
For a moment, Harry wondered if they were going to draw wands. He broke the silence by turning to Dumbledore. "Professor, there's something I need to speak to you about."
"Pertaining to the attack, perhaps?" Snape insinuated.
"Sir Nicholas already told us that the attack had occurred before Harry even left his deathday party," McGonagall rejoined. "There's no reason to believe he had anything to do with this or that he was up in that corridor for any reason apart from concern for a fellow student." Affronted, Snape stalked out of the office, while McGonagall turned to Harry and Nott. "Finish up with the head master, boys, and then come back to the tower as quickly as possible. If there's something about Petrifying students, I don't want mine wandering the halls."
"Gilderoy? You will take Miss Granger to the hospital wing?"
"Of course Headmaster," the man said with an exaggerate bob of his head.
"Then come, Theodore, Harry," he said, whisking the boys away before Lockhart could say anything more. "I believe you had something to talk to me about? In private?"
"Yeah." Harry nodded and followed Dumbledore up to his office. "I heard a voice," he said, the moment the door was shut.
"Oh? What manner of voice?"
"I don't know… I mean, I didn't see anybody. But it sounded really angry." He swallowed. "It talked about killing and smelling blood. It seemed to be getting louder and then… that's when I found Hermione."
"Do you think this might have something to do with your cloak?" Nott looked at Harry and suggested tentatively.
"My invisibility cloak has been missing for a while now," he explained to Dumbledore. "I haven't been able to find it anywhere. Although… I heard the voice for quite a long way, unless the person was following me…"
"It's a possibility," Dumbledore admitted. "I'm glad you told me of this fact. It is something we will have to consider. And if you hear the voice again, I would appreciate you letting me know where and what it says. For now, however, perhaps you had best do as Professor McGonagall suggested and return to your common room. Being careful, of course."
As they headed down the silent hallways, Harry turned to Theo. "I hope you don't think I had anything to do with that," he reiterated. "I would never hurt somebody like that, let alone Hermione."
Theo gave him a small smile through his obvious distress. "I know. I trust you."
Harry's face broke into a relieved grin. "Well that's good. You seemed so upset at first…"
"Seeing her body like that… it was a bit shocking. I was not thinking clearly." He frowned as his eyes welled. "And I still feel guilty."
"It could have happened to anybody," Harry reassured him. "It's not like you were the one who attacked her. And about the attack – what was all that business about the Chamber of Secrets?"
"Oh, that?" Nott scoffed as he wiped his eyes will the heel of his hand. "And old legend. Supposedly Salazar Slytherin made a secret room before he left, a room only his 'heir' could open."
"Why would he do that?" Harry frowned.
"Because he did not like Muggleborns attending the school. He thought it tainted the purity of the magic. And do whenever the Chamber was opened it was purported that whatever was inside would help to eradicate them from the school." See the look on Harry's face, he made a smile. "Of course it is all nonsense, Harry. This school has been in use for ages and nobody has ever found any such chamber."
"But Hermione's parents are Muggles," Harry pointed out.
"That does not mean the rumor is right – only that whoever attacked her probably wants to feed the rumor. Really, that whole message was probably a scare tactic. I would not give it any credence."
When they reached the Gryffindor common room, however, they discovered that the chamber, with fears and speculations about it and what it might contain, was all that people could talk about.
OOO
A/N: Another chapter in honor of yesterday and things are moving quickly! Don't worry, though, there's a reason for this. ;) Next chapter will see another important development, dealing with the chamber, rumors and blame – though most of you can probably guess where that plotline will be headed.
If all goes as planned, I will be able to post once or twice more before taking my leave. Hope you enjoyed this chapter and the next one will be coming up right away.