"I'm going to the game," Severus said, leaning against the door of her room. "Are you sure you don't want to come?"

"I'm good," Elizabeth held up her Potions text. "Sadistic professor is giving a test Monday."

"Where did you learn words like that?" Severus scowled.

"Remus." Elizabeth said, pretending to read a page. Severus had offered to let her attend the game, if she sat next to him, another brief respite from her punishment. But Elizabeth couldn't think of anything worse than watching her team play without her.

"Alright. I'll return in a few hours, unless there's some kind of Quidditch record set," Severus tapped the door jam. "Behave yourself."

"I'll be here." Elizabeth dug her toes into the bedspread.

Elizabeth had barely read three pages when Severus reappeared. "You need to come with me."

"Dad, I really don't want to—

"Elizabeth." Severus said quietly. "The game was canceled. There has been an attack."

"Who?" Elizabeth shoved her feet into her already laced shoes.

Severus put his hands on her shoulders. "A Ravenclaw girl and…" he sighed. "It's Hermione, hatchling."

"Hermione!" She lunged toward the door, but Severus wrapped his arms around her and held her tight.

"Listen to me," he said gently. "You can't do anything for her right now. I'll take you to see her, and then you have to go to the Tower."

"Where? When?" Elizabeth leaned against him. "She's petrified, right? Not—

"They found her by the library," Severus' voice was even, calming. "She's petrified, she'll be alright once the Mandrakes mature." He looked down at her. "We don't have to go, hatchling. She's in good hands, your grandmother is with her, and the youngest Weasley boy."

Elizabeth bit her lip. "I want to see her."

"Alright. Quickly, though." Severus ushered her out the door and to the hospital wing. He pushed open the door and stood behind her as she took in the still, glassy-eyed Hermione.

"I don't suppose you know anything about this?" Minerva was standing beside her frozen student, holding up a small, circular mirror.

Elizabeth shook her head, grabbing Ron's hand.

"I will escort you back to the Tower," Minerva said. "I need to address the students in any case. Unless, Professor….?" She looked at Severus, who bent to look at Elizabeth.

"I need you to go to the Tower," he said quietly. "The security around here is going to be tight, and I need you to be with your House."

"Okay… but…" she looked warily at Hermione.

"She will be alright, hatchling, I promise." He gave her a fast hug. "I'll see you soon."

*S*S*

"All students will return to their House common rooms by six o'clock in the evening. No student is to leave the dormitories after that time. You will be escorted to each lesson by a teacher. No student is to use the bathroom unaccompanied by a teacher. All further Quidditch training and matches are to be postponed. There will be no more evening activities."

The Gryffindors stood in a huddle in the common room, listening to Minerva read from the parchment in her hand.

"I need hardly add that I have rarely been so distressed," she said, emotion evident in her voice. "It is likely that the school will be closed unless the culprit behind these attacks is caught." Elizabeth felt someone grab her hand and she didn't have to look to know it was Fred. "I would urge anyone who thinks they might know anything to come forward."

Elizabeth only half listened to the chatter that followed McGonagall's departure. The image of a frozen Hermione wouldn't leave her mind, and the prospect of the school closing was overwhelming. Tom Riddle had turned Hagrid in because he was faced with the prospect of a Muggle orphanage if the school closed.

She knew that Severus wouldn't send her back to the Dursleys, but Hogwarts was their livelihood. What would they do if Severus couldn't teach?

"What are we going to do?" Ron whispered across Fred, scowling just a little at her hand clasped in his brother's. "Do you think it really is Hagrid?"

"Dumbledore doesn't think so," she whispered back. "But maybe it's a mistake. He opened it by accident?"

"We have to go talk to him," Ron said.

"McGonagall said to stay in the Tower," Fred said firmly.

"Since when has that stopped you?" Elizabeth scowled.

"We need your cloak," Ron said, ignoring his brother.

"Dad has it. He took it after the Stone and never gave it back."

"They're guarding the halls," Ron said. "Percy just made a big deal about how he's risking his life to stand guard. We'll never make it without the cloak."

"Listen," Elizabeth turned her attention to Fred. "You know better than anyone how to get out of the castle."

"There's no way that doesn't involve going into the hallway."

"Wait." Ron looked toward the floo. "Can't you floo to Snape's quarters?"

"Yeah," Elizabeth shrugged. "That doesn't get us closer to Hagrid."

"But it gets you closer to your cloak." Ron said. "Do you know where he put it?"

"It's in his closet." Elizabeth bit her lip. "But I can't take it. I swore I'd never steal from him again, not after the firecracker."

"A diversion, then." Ron looked thoughtful. "A diversion that would draw the teachers, and maybe we could get out of the castle."

"They'll still see us," Fred said, shaking his head.

"Us?" Ron looked at his brother.

"Well you guys don't seem to have a plan." He thought for a moment. "Maybe we don't need a cloak."

"There's a charm," Elizabeth said. "But I don't know it."

"I do. It's 3rd year stuff," Fred fingered his wand. "But it doesn't last very long, and it's not so much an invisibility charm as it is a blending charm. You blend in with your surroundings… so we'll have to cast it and run like hell."

"We can't run, it's not a silencing charm," Elizabeth worried.

"Tiptoe like hell then," Fred amended.

Walking through the corridor, even while invisible, was difficult with the teachers, prefects, and ghosts lining the halls.

Halfway to the main doors, they met Minerva and Severus, guarding a stretch of the hall.

"Someone stole it," Minerva was whispering to Severus. "It was in my desk this morning, and it was gone when I stopped back this evening."

Elizabeth didn't have time to wonder what they were talking about. Instead, she used the fact that the adults were talking to sneak by undetected, followed by the boys.

Once they hit the outdoors, they ran, not worried about their footsteps on the grass, to Hagrid's house. They reached it just as their bodies started to reappear. Elizabeth raised her hand to knock as her arm became visible, but the door swung open… to reveal Lucius Malfoy, Dumbledore, Hagrid, and a man Elizabeth didn't recognize.

Fred and Ron dove into the bushes, but Elizabeth was frozen in place, pinned by four pairs of eyes.

"I see our removal was well founded," Lucius Malfoy's lip curled at the sight of her. "Albus Dumbledore can't even keep the students in the castle."

"She's a messenger," Albus said, looking at her carefully. "Did Professor McGonagall have any response to my question, Miss Evans?"

Elizabeth hesitated for the briefest of moments. "Yes, sir. She said she would take first watch tonight."

Albus nodded. "Good." He looked past her. "Certainly, she didn't send you alone?"

"I'm alright, sir." Elizabeth heard the boys come out of the bushes and retreat toward the castle.

"I need to return to the castle to get my things," Albus said. "I'll escort you back."

"Someone will have to care for Fang while I'm gone," Hagrid was saying to the man Elizabeth didn't know.

"Gone where?" Elizabeth asked. "Where are you taking him?"

"Not your concern, Evans," Lucius growled. "Let's speed this process along, Fudge. We need both of these men off the grounds."

Hagrid looked at Elizabeth, then away, as if he were having some kind of fit. "If anyone wanted to find out some stuff, all they'd have to do would be to follow the spiders."

"What are you talking about, giant?" Malfoy sneered.

"Nothing," Hagrid said, pulling on his coat.

"Let's go then," Albus put his hand at the base of Elizabeth's neck, steering her toward the castle. Fudge and Hagrid broke off; Fudge apparating away with Hagrid in tow. The three remaining walked silently back to the castle.

When they were through the doors, Elizabeth was relieved to see that the guards were still clustered toward the dormitories. There were no teachers close enough to see that she had been outside. She hoped that Fred and Ron had made it back without being caught.

Inside Dumbledore's office, Albus pointed to the floo. "You may return to your common room, Miss Evans."

"Yes, sir." Elizabeth didn't need to be told twice. A feeling of dread had settled over her. Dumbledore gone, Hagrid taken away to, she could only assume, Azkaban. She wanted, badly, to curl up and go to sleep.

With a rush, she was back in the common room, deserted aside from Fred and Ron, sitting in chairs near the fireplace, clearly waiting.

"Why did he cover for you?" Ron asked immediately. "What did he say when you got back?"

"Nothing," Elizabeth said quietly. "Getting sacked doesn't make him chatty."

"Sacked? Is that why Fudge was there?" Fred rubbed his hands together absently.

"Is Fudge the guy with the hat?" Elizabeth asked.

"He's the Minister of Magic," Ron said. "Dad's boss."

"He wasn't there for Dumbledore," Elizabeth said. "He was there for Hagrid. They've taken him away."

"And Malfoy was what?" Fred asked. "Just hanging out?"

"He was there for Dumbledore. Something about a vote."

Fred shook his head. "It'll all go to hell now. No way there won't be an attack a day now that he's gone."

"Hagrid said to follow the spiders," Elizabeth said, still a little confused over that one.

Ron shuddered and Fred grinned. "Looks like Ronniekins is out."

"Shut up," Ron hissed.

Fred laughed and stood. "I suppose we should sleep while we can," he gestured to the stairs.

"You guys go. I'm going to stay down here a while."

The Weasleys headed up the stairs, and Elizabeth curled up in the chair closest to the fire, pulling a throw around her shoulders. She stared into the fire for a long time until she was startled out of her trance by the portrait opening.

"I told your grandmother that I'd check the boys' dormitories," Severus said quietly. He sat on the front edge of her armchair. "What are you still doing down here, hatchling?"

Elizabeth shrugged. "Not really tired." As if on cue, a yawn betrayed her. Severus raised an eyebrow. "I just don't want to be with people."

Severus nodded. "I wish I could take you with me downstairs, but I'll only be there myself for a few hours."

"Hagrid is gone. Dumbledore is gone."

Severus nodded again. "I'm not going to ask how you know that." He lifted her chin to meet his eyes. "It will be alright. It's a snag, but we'll get through it."

"Okay."

"Come," Severus stood, pulling her up as well. "Your grandmother is checking the Slytherin girls and then is coming here. You should be in bed when she gets here." He kissed her forehead and hugged her, letting her pull away when she was ready. "Go on," he prodded her toward the stairs. "I need to check on the boys, and I don't want to see you in the common room when I get back."

"Goodnight, Dad."

"Goodnight, hatchling."

*S*S*

"I'm quite surprised the Mudbloods haven't all packed their bags by now," Malfoy said in Potions the next day. "Bet you five Galleons the next one dies. Pity it wasn't Granger—

"Mr. Malfoy, go to my office." Snape ordered. "The rest of you, clean up and line up at the door. I've got to take you all to Herbology. No one is to leave this room without me." He swept through the door to his office, closing it firmly behind him and eyeing the blond boy standing near his desk.

"Do you have a death wish of some kind, Mr. Malfoy?"

"I'm safe," Draco said haughtily. "My blood is pure."

"I'd heard a rumor to that effect," Severus said dryly. "What have I told you about your pure blood propagandizing, Draco?"

"It's not propaganda, it's the truth."

Severus pressed his lips together. "Does it seem strange to you that your idol in this situation is harming innocent children?"

Draco snorted. "Like you haven't."

Snape's eyes went stormy. "Listen to me, young man. I believe I've made it clear that I've done things in the past I'm not proud of. I would like to keep you from doing the same thing."

"I am doing the right thing," Draco squared his shoulders. "I'm backing the winning horse. If you hadn't left the Right side, you might be running this school right now."

In one quick motion, Severus had Draco by the front of his robes, holding him up to look him in the eye. "I'm not sure when you started speaking to me this way, Draco Lucius, but it stops now. Do I make myself clear?"

Taken aback slightly by the man who had always been physically gentle toward him, Draco's eyes widened. "Yes."

"Yes, sir." Severus prompted sternly.

"Yes, sir." Draco said softly.

"Good." He set the boy down. "A four foot essay on the contributions of Half-blood and Muggle-born witches and wizards on my desk in two days. Heaven help you if it has any taste of elitism." He raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, sir." Draco ground his teeth together.

"Do not disappoint me, Mr. Malfoy." The bell rang, and Severus pointed to the door. "Go."

*S*S*

"That Draco Malfoy character," said Ernie when they were working in Herbology. "He seems very pleased about all this, doesn't he? D'you know, I think he might be Slytherin's heir."

'I don't think so," Elizabeth said, her attention caught by several large spiders scuttling over the ground outside the greenhouse, moving in an unnaturally straight line as though taking the shortest route to a prearranged meeting.

"Look at that," Elizabeth whispered to Ron.

"Oh," Ron looked pale. "Well, we can't follow them now, if that's what you mean."

"Looks like they're heading for the Forbidden Forest…"

Ron lost even more color.

At the end of the lesson, Professor Sprout escorted the class to their Defense lesson. Elizabeth and Ron lagged behind to talk.

"We could take Fang with us," Elizabeth said. "But how do we get there?"

"I thought you promised not to lie to your dad anymore?"

"Well then I guess we should just let the Chamber monster kill people," Elizabeth said sarcastically.

"Aren't there supposed to be werewolves in the forest?" Ron said nervously as they sat down.

"Could be worse," Elizabeth shrugged, wishing she could stick up for werewolves.

Elizabeth listened to Lockhart prattle on about Hagrid and how everything was fine, and that he, Lockhart, could have stopped the monster himself, but sometimes you have to let people work out their own problems. Digging her nails into her palm with one hand, she used the other to scrawl a note to Ron. "Let's do it tonight."

Ron gulped.

*S*S*

It was late, Elizabeth was tiring of playing Exploding Snap with Fred, George and Ron. Ginny was nodding off in Hermione's regular chair. Ron was acting about as guilty as a person could act. George was oblivious, but Fred was watching her closely.

"Come over here a minute," he said after the next game, almost dragging her to a deserted corner.

"What?"

"What are you planning?" Fred asked quietly.

"Nothing." Elizabeth tried to turn back to the game, but Fred had both of her arms in his hands.

"Ron's acting like a crazy person, you're throwing games like I've never seen, and you're never up this late." He frowned. "You're trying to be awake for bed check. Why?"

Elizabeth slid her arms out of his grasp so that he was holding her hands. "I'm just freaked out, alright? I didn't sleep that great last night… I don't want to go up until I have to." She assumed what she hoped was a sad look. "And Ron is just upset about Hermione. I mean, we all are, right?"

Fred looked at her for a moment, then nodded. "Right," he pulled her into a hug. "I'm sorry. You want to sleep down here? I'll keep you company."

"Oh yeah, Dad would love that," Elizabeth laughed.

"Alright. So… Exploding Snap?"

"Exploding Snap."

At midnight, Minerva came through the common room, shooing them out. "Go to bed, children. It's past time you ought to be sleeping." Severus was behind her, robes billowing in the nonexistent wind.

"Let's go, boys, I don't have all night," he pointed to the stairway. The Weasley boys clattered up the stairs, and Ginny went up the other way.

"Dragging your feet, kitten?" Minerva asked, looking at her granddaughter.

"No, ma'am. I'm going," Elizabeth started for the stairs, but was intercepted by Severus.

"Nightmares?" he asked gently.

Elizabeth shook her head. "No, sir."

Severus looked unconvinced. "Alright. But," he looked at Minerva. "I'll leave a Draught of Peace with your grandmother in case you need it tonight."

Elizabeth nodded. Severus looked like he wanted to say something, but instead hugged her briefly and kissed the top of her head. "Goodnight."

"Come along, I'll walk you up," Minerva put her arm around Elizabeth shoulders and led her upstairs.

*S*S*

"Get some sleep, Severus," Minerva said gently as her son nearly nodded off in the hallway. "You're of no use to me tired."

Severus nodded. "Just a few hours."

He lay in his room, just managing to slip into sleep when the floo in the living room roared to life and Minerva pounded on his door.

"Elizabeth and Ronald Weasley are missing," she said breathlessly.

"What?" Severus was on his feet in a moment. "We just saw them."

"One of the twins, Fred I think, went to check on Ronald, found him gone, and came to get me. I checked the girls' dormitories, and Elizabeth is gone!"

"Hagrid's hut," Severus grabbed his wand off the bedside table and strode from the room, panic rising in his chest. If that child snuck out to feed that dog, I'll… I don't know.

"I'll check the castle," Minerva said. "I thought you took her cloak!"

"I did," Severus thought of the cloak in his closet and shook his head. No way did she steal it back, not after the firework trouble.

Severus all but ran across the grounds, hurtling through the door of the hut. Fang was nowhere to be seen. Walking the damn thing, Severus thought, the panic not dying. He heard a roar outside and looked out of the door to see a mud-streaked car slam on the brakes. Two bodies were thrown from the door and the car turned around and went into the forest, where Severus could only assume that it had come from.

He watched, frozen, as the bodies dragged themselves over to sit next to pumpkins. He struggled to get his breathing and heart rate under control as the moonlight hit his daughter's face. Leaning slightly against the doorframe, he let anger flood in, pushing out the fear.

The anger gave his legs strength they hadn't had for the last few minutes. He went out to the patch.

"Hagrid never opened the Chamber of Secrets," Elizabeth was saying. "He was innocent."

"Something you already knew," Severus said coldly, crossing his arms.

Elizabeth scrambled to her feet and cast Lumos.

"Dad!"

Severus was contemplating exactly what form his lecture would take when he was hit in the stomach with a torpedo of green-eyed child.

"The monster was a spider! A huge spider!"

Severus wrapped his arms around her, unconsciously checking for injuries.

"Hagrid told us to follow the spiders, we didn't know there would be huge ones!"

"The Forest has all kinds of strange things," Severus murmured. "That's why it's forbidden."

"I would have told you, Dad, but we had to do it tonight." Elizabeth said quickly, trying to avoid a lecture.

"Hmm." Severus secured one arm around her. "We'll talk about it in the morning." He looked at Ron. "Come, Mr. Weasley. Your brother is waiting in the common room."

"Which one?" Ron said nervously.

"The teenage-boy-eyed one," Severus grumbled.

"Fred?" Elizabeth leaned against her father as they watched.

"You are far too comfortable for someone who is in as much trouble as you are, young lady." Severus said, but his voice lacked the bite he'd intended. "Yes, Fred."

They reached the front doors, met by an extremely angry Minerva.

"What were you thinking?" She all but screeched.

"They're alright, Mother," Severus said. "Let's save the scolding for when we're well rested."

Back in the common room, Fred was pacing the floor. When the portrait swung open, he ran to the tired party, slapping Ron across the back of the head before crushing him in a hug. "Idiot! There's a bloody lunatic on the loose!"

"Mr. Weasley," Minerva started to scold.

"Oh I don't know, Professor," Severus said, a bit amused. "Mr. Weasley's sentiments seem just right. Bed, all three of you." He looked down at his daughter. "I should chain you to your bed frame."

"Let's go," Fred pointed at the stairs.

"Fred." Elizabeth said quietly. "I'm—

"Not right now," Fred waved her off. The boys disappeared up the stairs.

"Come along, Elizabeth," Minerva said firmly. "Let's see if putting you to bed will stick this time."

"Grandma, you don't need to—

"Apparently I do, Elizabeth Rose," Minerva said sharply. "Since I put you in your dormitory not 2 hours ago and you were found outside the castle!"

"I can go on my own."

"Elizabeth Rose Evans, are you answering me back?" Minerva latched on to her granddaughter's ear.

"No, ma'am."

"Say goodnight to your father and let's go." She released the captured ear.

"Goodnight, Dad."

"Goodnight. Again." Severus looked down at her. "Don't leave your bed until morning."

"Yes, sir."

*S*S*

"It's a free period now," Professor McGonagall said after Transfiguration the next morning. "I'll escort you all back to the common room and I'll be back to collect you for lunch." She led them briskly down the corridor and to the portrait where she watched as they all stepped inside.

"Miss Evans," She stopped Elizabeth before she could enter the portrait. "Your father wishes to see you now. I'll walk you downstairs."

"No need," Severus' voice came from behind them. "I'll take her from here." He hand closed on her shoulder to steer her toward their quarters.

"Hi, Dad." Elizabeth grimaced.

"Hello," Severus smirked. They said nothing else all the way to the dungeons, where they sat on the sofa in their quarters.

"So you followed the spiders."

Elizabeth nodded. "I was thinking about something they said."

"You weren't thinking about how much trouble you are in?" Severus crossed his arms.

"Well, yeah. But they were saying that the girl who was killed 50 years ago was found in the bathroom."

"Dignified," Severus commented.

"So I was thinking… You don't think it's Moaning Myrtle?"

"Moaning Myrtle?"

"The ghost that haunts the girls bathroom. The one that's labeled out of order."

"The one where you and your friends tried to poison yourselves?"

"Yes, sir." Elizabeth shrugged. "I want to talk to her."

"Oh really?" Severus asked dryly. "Young lady, you were alone in the Forbidden Forest last night."

"We took Fang," Elizabeth said, knowing that it probably didn't matter in Severus' eyes.

Her father sighed. "How did you manage to get out of the castle?" He asked.

Elizabeth grimaced. "We used an disillusionment charm."

"Where did you learn that? That's third year charms."

"An older student taught us…"

"An older student who looked plenty angry with you last night?"

Elizabeth nodded. "He didn't know that we used it for that, Dad, really."

"I believe it," Severus said. "He looked significantly lied to. You owe him an apology, Elizabeth Rose."

"Yes, sir. But he wouldn't talk to me this morning…"

"Well, you're just going to have to keep trying." He sighed. "Now, about this bathroom thing—

"I just want to know what she knows," Elizabeth cut in.

"Elizabeth, the way to my good graces is not interrupting me."

"Sorry."

Severus nodded. "As I was saying, I will take you. But we will wait until the Mandrakes are mature. If we're going to go into danger, we're going to have an antidote ready."

Elizabeth nodded. "Alright." She kissed him on the cheek. "Thanks for not being too angry, Dad."

"Oh, I'm angry." Severus stood. "But what's done is done." And you've run out of consequences, he said to himself. With the restrictions on the students' movements and the end of Quidditch, Elizabeth was basically living as if she were grounded. Short of giving her a few smacks, he couldn't really think of anything to do to her.

"Dad?" Elizabeth stood too.

"Yes?"

"Can I go visit Hermione?"

"She's petrified, Elizabeth, she can't hear you."

"I know," Elizabeth shrugged. "I just want to see her."

Severus pondered for a moment, then sighed. "I suppose we could go for a few minutes."

*S*S*

"What's that?" Severus asked in the hospital wing, as Elizabeth pulled at a scrap of paper clamped in Hermione's hand.

"I don't know," Elizabeth yanked it free and smoothed what proved to be the page of a very old book.

"Defacing books?" Severus raised an eyebrow.

"Listen." Elizabeth read from the paper. "Of the many fearsome beasts and monsters that roam our land, there is none more curious or more deadly than the Basilisk, known also as the King of Serpents. This snake, which may reach gigantic size and live many hundreds of years, is born from a chicken's egg, hatched beneath a toad. Its methods of killing are most wondrous, for aside from its deadly and venomous fangs, the Basilisk has a murderous stare, and all who are fixed with the beam of its eye shall suffer instant death. Spiders flee before the Basilisk, for it is their mortal enemy, and the Basilisk flees only from the crowing of the rooster, which is fatal to it." She held up the paper. "Look." She pointed at the written word below the passage. "Pipes. That's Hermione's handwriting."

Severus took the paper and read it again.

"Dad, the monster in the Chamber's a basilisk— a giant serpent! That's why I've been hearing that voice all over the place, and nobody else has heard it. It's because I understand Parseltongue…"

"The basilisk kills people by looking at them," Severus said quietly, looking around. "But no one is dead… because no one looked it in the eye. Mr. Creevey saw it through his camera. The other boy… he must have seen it through the ghost. And Miss Granger…"

"She was using the mirror," Elizabeth crowed triumphantly, looking at Severus.

"Too smart to be a Gryffindor," Severus muttered, folding the page and tucking it in his robes.

"Pipes," Elizabeth said thoughtfully. "Pipes… Dad, it's been using the plumbing. I've been hearing that voice inside the walls…" She looked at him. "The entrance to the Chamber of Secrets! What is it's a bathroom? Moaning Myrtle's bathroom!"

Just then, Professor McGonagall's voice came through the corridors, magically magnified.

"All students to return to their House dormitories at once. All teachers return to the staffroom. Immediately, please."

"Another attack?" Elizabeth asked.

"I don't know," Severus said quietly. "Go to the Tower."

"Dad—

"Mr. Weasley!" Severus saw Fred passing by. "Escort my daughter back to the Tower, please."

"Yes, sir." Fred barely broke his stride, forcing Elizabeth to jog after him.

"Fred, come on."

"Come on, what?" Fred grumbled.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I just didn't want you to get hurt—

"You didn't want me to stop you," Fred stopped and looked at her. "You didn't want to protect me. You just didn't want me to stop your plan."

Elizabeth bit her lip. "I didn't think you'd stop me. I thought you'd want to come."

"Well I would have stopped you," Fred growled. "I would have stopped you."

"You couldn't, Fred! We had to follow the spiders!"

"What good did that little expedition do? You could have been attacked!" Fred's voice was so fierce that Elizabeth shrank back.

They had reached the portrait, but Fred paused, glaring at her as if asking for a response. But she had none, and at her silence, he made another growling noise before snapping the password and storming through the portrait.

Elizabeth followed, more slowly, a feeling of dread settling over her.