You're searching, Joe, for things that don't exist; I mean beginnings. Ends and beginnings - there are no such things. There are only middles.

- Robert Frost

The Queen of Serpents

Chapter Eight

Snap, Flash, Attack!

"speech"

thoughts

"parseltongue"

/mind speech/

=visions=

Writing

Madame Pomfrey had not been pleased.

Actually, she had been furious. Fortunately the team had been more than capable of pointing her anger at its proper subject. Harry could not help but smirk at the thought of the trouble Lockhart was now in.

Not that it made up for having to grow back the bones in his arm.

The door of the Hospital Wing burst open, revealing the Gryffindor quiditch team. Marcus scowled, and the team quickly stood up to defend their seeker.

Wood lifted his hands in surrender. "Look, Flint, we aren't here to cause trouble. We just..just.."

Fred grinned. "Come on, Oliver. Just-"

"-Say it," George completed with an identical grin.

Wood gulped. "To congratulate you." He looked as though someone had just told him he had lost all his possessions.

The Slytherin team just stared in shock at their opposite number.

Angelina shoved her way past Wood. "Look, we think the way you dealt with those bludgers was amazing."

Katie Bell nodded. "It was. And you managed to win even with everything against you like that."

Alicia smiled at Harry. "And, Potter managing to catch the snitch after breaking him arm? That was incredible."

Dean gave Harry a slight smile. "Yeah, you really are great. Wish I was..."

"Right." Oliver nodded. "So, because of that we-"

The twins cut him off. "Decided to throw you a victory party!" The twosome began tugging out armfuls of sweets. The chasers, the seeker, and - more reluctantly - the keeper, followed suit.

The two rivals had just started on the party and an actual, non-violent conversation, when Madame Pomfrey made an appearance, storming over shouting. "This boy needs rest. He has thirty-three bones to regrow. Out! OUT!"

Harry would have found the two teams hasty retreat comical, if it were not for the fact that it left him alone with only the pain in his arm for company.

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Collin hurried through the dark halls. he probably shouldn't be doing this but...Harry Potter. His hero. Was all alone in the Hospital Wing with no one to talk to all because Madame Pomfrey would not let anyone visit.

The first year Gryffindor smiled happily to himself. It was really nice of Fred and George to give him these grapes. They'd even helped with the directions! And maybe Harry would be so glad to see him that he would actually sign a photograph!

Collin picked up his pace, clutching his camera tightly.

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Emerald scented the air. The small squeak-yums liked to come out during the dark time. Cobra-Sting also liked it better when she went out at dark time when few two legs were about. Emerald was unsure why Cobra-Sting was worried. She remembered how, before her great sleep, her master's not-blood hatchlings would come play with her. Surely they would be glad to see her again?

The great serpent rounded a hissed happily. There was a boy holding a click-flash. She remembered how Cobra-Sting had shown her one of those many sun turnings ago. He had made a little Emerald with it. Maybe the boy wanted to make a little Emerald too?

The boy turned, lifting the Click-Flash. Emy sissed happily. The boy's finger touched the click and the flash turned the hall bright.

Emy blinked her big eyes. She did not like the bright light of the Click-Flash. Cobra always made her shut her eyes when he used his.

Strange. The boy had gone to sleep. Emy sighed. The children always went to sleep when she was near now. Perhaps because it was always dark time when they saw her?

The great serpent moved away. She would let the boy rest. She would finish her hunt. Next light she would ask Tom to make more small Emeralds. And to bring her another small master and sweet croak-hop too.

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Harry woke with a start and a yelp of pain; his arm felt as though someone had poked it with a hot needle half a dozen times. For a second he thought that was what had woken him.

Then harry realised that something was tapping him on the forehead. "Get off," he said loudly.

A strange, green creature, with big floppy ears and tennis ball eyes jumped lightly to the ground beside the bed. Harry suddenly recognised the creature for what it was.

"You're a house elf."

The creature sniffled slightly. "Yes, Dobby is a house elf. Oh, Harry Potter! Long has Dobby been wanting to meet you sir..."

Harry tuned out the elf. Not the easiest thing to do, considering the high pitch of the creature's voice. Dobby. Now where had he..?

"Of course!" Harry said aloud, "you're the Malfoy's elf!"

Dobby immediately curled in on himself, whimpering. "Yes, Mr. Harry Potter sir. Dobby is."

Harry frowned. "What are you doing here?"

Dobby's eyes went wide. "Dobby...Dobby is warning Harry Potter to...to go home."

Harry's frown deepened. "Why? School can be rough sometimes - like now - but, on the whole, it's not that bad."

Dobby shook his head desperately. "Harry Potter must go home. Hogwarts is not safe for Harry Potter! Dobby thought his bludger would make it so Harry Potter would have-"

"Wait." Harry's eyes sparked dangerously. "Your bludger? You set the bludger on me? Why? And why Draco too?"

Dobby suddenly looked panicked. "Dobby is wanting Harry Potter to go home. And Dobby's master is wanting young master home. Dobby though-"

"Thought that if we were injured badly enough they'd send us home." Harry's eyes widened in sudden realisation. "This is about the Chamber, isn't it?"

Dobby's eyes grew to the size of dinner plates. "Already it is happening? Dobby cannot allow Harry Potter to stay here. Not when history is about to repeat itsel-" He cut himself off, bat ears quivering at the sound of footsteps.

"Dobby must go," the elf whispered, vanishing with a sudden CRACK!

Harry slumped back, shutting his eyes, pretending to sleep. Just in time, as Dumbledore was backing into the wing, carrying one end of what appeared to be a statue. Professor McGonagal followed, lifting the other end. Together they placed the object gently on the bed.

"Get Madame Pomfrey," Albus whispered. Professor McGonagal nodded, hurrying passed the end of Harry's bed. Harry kept his breathing slow, even and deep.

"What happened?" Madame Pomfrey asked upon seeing the headmaster.

"Another attack," Albus said quietly. "Minerva found him on the stairs."

"There was a bunch of grapes next tot him," Minerva explained. "We think he may have been trying to visit Potter."

Harry's eyes narrowed. Slowly he lifted himself a few inches, just enough to see who was on the other bed. It was that irritating Gryffindor with the camera. What was his name? Calvin or something.

Of greater interest, to Harry at least, was the camera.

Harry pretended to wake up, looking confsed. "Professors?" He gasped. "Who? Wha..What happened to him?"

Albus and Minerva shared a look. "He would have learned of it soon enough," the headmaster said finally. "There has been another attack Harry. Collin has been petrified."

Harry's eyes widened. "You mean like Mrs. Norris?" Albus nodded sadly.

Harry pretended to think. "Professor, the camera! Maybe he got a picture?"

Albus did not answer. Instead he leaned down and prised the camera from Collin's stiff fingers. Slowly, he pulled away the back, revealing the film.

"Good gracious!" Madame Pomfrey exclaimed.

A jet of steam burst out of the camera. Harry caught the acrid scent of burnt plastic. "The film's melted," he said, genuinely confused. "What does that mean, Sir?" A little courtesy never hurt.

"It means," Albus said slowly, "that the Chamber of Secrets is indeed open again."

Poppy clapped a hand to her mouth. Harry pretended to be shocked. Minerva simply stared at her superior. "But, Albus...surely..who?"

"The question is not 'who'," replied Dumbledore, his eyes on Collin's still form. "The question is why..."

From what Harry could see of the other two people in the room, they were as confused by this as he was.

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"And that was it," Harry finished. "Professors Dumbledore and McGonagal left and Madame Pomfrey ordered me to go back to sleep."

"I wonder when before the Chamber was opened," Sa'zar said thoughtfully.

Tom bit his index finger. He knew his brothers. Once started they would not stop. There was only one thing to do. "It was opened the last time I was here. Fifty years ago."

Dudley blinked. "Is that why you have an award for 'Special Services to the School?'"

Harry raised an eyebrow at Tom. "You never said anything about an award."

"Yeah," Dudley nodded. "I've been meaning to ask you about that shield."

"You have a shield? Neat!" Sa'zar grinned, jumping up. "Let's go see it then!"

"NO!" Tom cried out and immediately regretted it. "It's just...A girl died." He forced himself to calm down. they don't know. They don't know. "And a boy got expelled. And I..I.."

"It's okay if you don't want to talk about it." Dudley gently patted Tom's shoulder.

"We won't mention it again," Sa'zar vowed.

Tom nodded weakly. He was glad his brothers had dropped the topic, even if he was certain that they would be looking at his trophy soon enough.

He really hated keeping secrets from his siblings.

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AUthor's Note: Okay, so this time I have a good excuse. I spent the last week sick in bed with the flu and was too tired to do more then use up five boxes of tissues. But I'm better now! Hurray!

Quote: Dear Tom, I can't remember what I did the night of Hallowe'en, but a cat was attacked and I've got paint all down my front. End Quote.

Any HP CoS story that is based on the books and says BLOOD! GRRRRRRRRRRRRR! Paint. Ginny used paint. Sorry, but that really irritates me. I agree, chicken blood is cooler, but it says straight out PAINT! Honestly!

Questions:

Chapter 6:

Why does Binns award Sa'zar's points to both of his houses?

Who was the Gryffindor Binns taught?

What task did Lucius set Dobby?

Why is Sirius the Slytherin heir?

Who else is an heir?

Why did Ron's rat react?

How much do you think Albus knows/suspects? (This is an opinion question.)

Who is the man in Tokyo? (To be answered in third year.)

Who is the Tigress? (To be answered in seventh year.)

Chapter 7:

Why are there two bludgers attacking?

Why does the Slytherin team keep playing?

Why does Flint want Collin's pictures?

Harry tells Draco something when he wakes the blond up. Where does the idea come from?

Opinion: Why will Gilderoy have to leave Hogwarts?

Chapter 8:

How does Harry know who Dobby is?

What does Dumbledore mean 'why'?

How does Dudley know about the shield?

Where did Emy's 'little Master' come from? (Not who gave it to her.)

Why didn't Tom's film melt?

Points:

Gryffindor:86

Hufflepuff:96

Ravenclaw:84

Slytherin:102