Disclaimer: Aaaaaaaaaaaah not the closet please! I don't own the characters, I promise!
A/N: I have not received my two reviews so I am posting two weeks later. It was actually a good thing for me that I didn't get the two reviews, because I was too busy studying for my own exams, and finishing up a 7-10 research paper. I am out for the summer, and hopefully I can write more. I am headed off to Illinois on the twenty-fourth with my friend Kate, and we are staying there for two weeks. I should be able to write while I'm there as well, but we'll see if I get any time to myself. I would like to thank Flying Chrissy for adding me to her author alert, Story alert, and favorite authors lists, and for the wonderful review!
Chapter 13: A talk with Dumbledore, Year 2
It was July 17, and the day Albus Dumbledore would talk to Holly about the books. Dumbledore has already lived through the first four years of Harry's career at Hogwarts, and he couldn't imagine how different it would be from the real thing. He sat in his office looking over the list of new students. A knock interrupted his thoughts, and with a sigh he called out,
"Enter."
In stepped the minister of magic.
"Good morning Cornelius," Dumbledore greeted politely.
"Albus," Fudge greeted, "Have you found a new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher?"
"Not yet," Dumbledore responded.
"Well, I have a person who is more than qualified for the position, and I think she should be appointed now because you have not found anyone so far. Have you not been looking?" Fudge spluttered.
"I have my dear Minister, but since Voldemort is back, that has been low on my things to do." Dumbledore said.
"He is not alive!" Fudge shouted.
"You may appoint this person to my school, but don't expect me to stop looking for ways to destroy Voldemort, because I am not ignoring the truth." He said giving Fudge a fierce stare.
"Well then, Dolores Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary will come here and teach Defense against the Dark Arts starting on September first."
"And on another note, what are you going to do about these unexplained deaths?"
Fudge was quiet for a moment, and then said,
"What can I say, it's probably some disease that we don't need."
"Cornelius, there is no sign of a fight. They are all unscathed. That is what the reports say." Dumbledore said.
"And they want us to do?" He asked.
"Right now there have been 30 deaths in the last three days, what are you going to do about the witnesses." Dumbledore wondered.
"I suppose I need to talk to the Muggle Minister." He said reluctantly.
"I think that would be a good idea, and I also think that the obliviators need to do there job as well." Dumbledore suggested.
"Ok, Ok, I'll get right on that when I get back." Fudge said completely flustered.
"Good, glad we are on some kind of common ground. And, I will see Dolores on September first."
Fudge just nodded his head, and left the office.
This Tuesday morning saw the Burrow alive with the sounds of adults getting themselves ready for work. The previous day's findings were disheartening, but they knew when the time was right the evidence would show itself. Molly was at the stove fixing heaps and heaps of breakfast for the Aurors, Healers, obliviators, and the other ministry workers. James and Lily were the first to enter the Kitchen besides the major cook of the house. Just then, a few large Owls swooped in through the window carrying newspapers. One Owl landed in front of James, and one in front of Molly. The other Owls gathered on the table waiting for the other occupants to claim there papers. James fished a few coins out of his cloak, and dropped them into the pouch. That Owl and the one who arrived for Molly left out of the open window. Lily took a sip of coffee before unfolding the newspaper beside her plate. Joanna and Remus were the next adults to enter the Kitchen.
"The paper came already?" Remus asked. Lily looked up from her paper and porridge and absentmindedly answered,
"Mmmhmmm,"
Joanna paid the Owl, and opened the paper to read with her best friend. Molly sat a plate of breakfast in front of each person before returning to the stove.
"Joanna look at this," Lily said.
"What?" She asked.
"Look at the obituary." Lily said. Joanna went to the said page before exclaiming,
"Fifteen unexplained deaths?"
"What!" James exclaimed, "Lily, let me see that."
Lily handed the paper over to her husband, and waited.
"We have enough work to do as it is, please tell me we aren't going to be assigned to this task." He complained.
"James, you know as well as I do that they won't do anything about these deaths." His wife said confidently.
"Well, in one way I hope we find who is doing it, but on the other hand I really don't want to be assigned to more work."
A few minutes past before Sirius and Rochelle entered the Kitchen. Sirius slumped into a chair at the table, and poured himself some orange juice. Rochelle on the other hand paid the delivery Owl, and went to stand beside Molly. All that could be heard were the clang of silverware, sips and thuds of mugs, and rustling of papers. It was nearing 8:00 when the employed exited the Burrow to aparate to work.
In another part of Europe, in a large building, a girl is huddled in the corner of a dingy room. Her hair was matted with grime, and her form was very petite. She looked undernourished, and that was proven true when a small tray was slid under the door and it held a slice of bread and an ounce of water. The girl fumbled in the dark toward the door to get the food that the monsters left for her. The water always had dirt in it, and the bread was always starting to mold, but this was all she had till her friends and family found her. She carefully ate the insufficient food, and as she swallowed the bit the door banged open--in stepped Yaxley.
"Are you ready to talk?" He asked. In a weak voice the girl said,
"No."
"When will you be ready to tell the Dark Lord your secret?" He tried again.
"Never." The girl just lied, because she didn't have a secret, and if she had, she didn't have the time to read any of it.
"Crucio,"
Yaxley cast the spell with no emotion, and he only let the girl go when she stopped screaming.
"Are you ready yet?" he asked for the third time. The girl shuddered,
"No," She said again in her even weaker voice.
By noon, Davidson Manor was alive in action. Kendra was making lunch while her children were playing outside. During her musings she heard the living room fire roar into life.
"Kendra?"
"Yes?" she shouted.
"Mind if I come and talk for a minute?"
"Come on through Molly." Kendra hollered back. Another whooshing sound followed the response.
"Where are you?" Molly asked.
"Downstairs in the Kitchen." She responded with a smile. She heard footsteps enter the kitchen.
"Good afternoon," Molly greeted. Kendra turned around to face the woman.
"How's life at the Burrow?" Kendra asked. Molly smiled good naturedly,
"It's... Crowded." She said.
"I bet. That house of yours wasn't meant to hold so many people."
"No, it wasn't."
At that moment the sliding glass door flew open. Molly jumped, and Kendra was completely unaffected by the noise.
"How do you not flinch?" Molly asked.
"When you have as many children as I do, you get used to all the banging," She smiled.
"Mummy! Mummy! Mummy!" The little girl shouted. Kendra turned from the stove.
"Yes Molly?"
"Help! Help! Help! Holly and Lilly are chasing me!" She screamed at the top of her lungs as she barreled into her mother. Lilly was the first to enter the house, in a singsong voice she called,
"O Mooooooooolly."
Holly followed, and in the same singsong voice she called,
"Siiiiiiiiiiiissy." And in unison, they both sang,
"Come out come out where ever you are."
Mrs. Weasley just watched in amusement. Holly and Lilly walked over to their mother, and stood on either side of her. In fright, Molly hid behind her mother. Holly and Lilly looked at each other before Holly inhaled deeply.
"I think I smell a little child." She said afterward.
"I think your right." Lilly confirmed after inhaling herself.
"But where could the little human be?" They asked together. Lilly reached behind her mother to give her a one armed hug. Holly followed her example, and Kendra just put her arms around her children's shoulders. Lilly's arm dropped, and collided with bushy hair.
"I found the little girl!" Lilly exclaimed. Holly's arm dropped as well, and in one swift movement, the two girls lifted Molly over there mother's head, and set her gently down on the floor. Molly screamed in terror of being lifted so high off the ground. Kendra smiled at her children's antics, and smacked the girls on the back of the head.
"Leave your sister alone. You guys are not vampires."
"But Mum." Holly whined. Kendra just smacked her again and said,
"Go get your siblings. Lunch is almost ready."
After following her mother's orders, and eating lunch, Holly was on her way to the meeting with Dumbledore.
The walk from Hogsmeade was kind of depressing for Holly, because of what happened on July First. It was a beautiful day, and Holly could not help but to enjoy the blue skies and sunshine. Professor McGonagall waited for her at the gates to the castle. They walked in companionable silence all the way to the great oak doors. The entry hall was quiet except for the footsteps of the two occupants, and the scratching of Holly's cane against the stone. The password was given to the gargoyle, and Holly ascended the winding staircase to the Headmaster's office. She stepped out on to the landing, and before she could knock on the door Dumbledore said,
"Enter."
Once inside the office, Holly was seated in front of the desk.
"So which book shall we talk about today?" Dumbledore asked.
"We will be discussing book two if that's alright."
"Perfectly fine my dear, perfectly fine. So where does this book start off?" He asked, and reassured.
"We start in the summer before Harry's second year. The book starts out reminding us of what happened in the previous book, and it begins on July 31. The Dursley's have a dinner guest this night, and Harry is miserable because he has to stay in his room pretending he doesn't exist. The Dursley's also happened to forget that this was Harry's birthday. During the summer, Harry didn't receive any letters from his friends, and Dudly enforces it later in the chapter. When Dudley brought up the subject, Harry said some pretend magical words to scare Dudley, and Aunt Petunia aimed a heavy frying pan at his head and promised that he wouldn't get anything to eat till he was finished with the chores. The next chapter Dobby comes to warn Harry not to go back to Hogwarts, and then Harry finds out that Dobby has the letters his friends wrote him. To enforce that Dobby doesn't think Harry should return to Hogwarts, he disrupts the dinner going on downstairs. Harry gets a letter from the ministry, and a day later bars were put on the windows."
"That's a mouthful Holly." Dumbledore said.
"It'll get longer as the books progress." She replied.
"So what chapter are we covering next?" He asked.
"Three and four." She said.
"How many chapters are in this?"
"Eighteen," Holly replied.
"We'll be here for a while won't we?"
"I'll try to skip the unimportant parts, ok?" She asked.
"Sounds good." Dumbledore agreed, "So, on to chapter three."
"This chapter starts with Ron Fred and George flying their father's car to break Harry out of the Dursley's house, and they took him to the Burrow. He meets the entire family at breakfast, and the twins try to steer away from the fact that they flew the car. Anyway, the next chapter is when Harry learns about the flue, and he ends up in Knockturn Alley. When he finally gets back to Diagon Alley and finds the Weasley's, they enter Flourish and Blotts only to have Harry yanked to Lockhart's side. The Malfoy's think he is being favored, but we all know that Harry doesn't like the attention." Holly paused, to see if Dumbledore had anything to say about the new chapters presented, she continued when he said nothing. "Chapter five starts out with the Weasley family and Harry driving to King's Cross Station. At the platform Harry and Ron cannot get through the barrier, so they get this brilliant idea to fly the car to Hogwarts because it has an invisibility booster on it. When they reach Hogwarts, the car gets out of control and they crash into the Whomping Willow. In this part of the book, Ron broke his wand trying to get the car to stop. When they got into the school, professor Snape drug them to his office, and tried to expel them. The next chapter when Harry and Ron go to breakfast, Ron receives a howler. We learn about mandrakes, Cornish pixies, and that Lockhart is the new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher. And this is all I've got for those chapters, any questions?"
"Just one." Dumbledore said.
"That is?" Holly asks.
"How come Ron and Harry didn't just wait for Molly and Arthur to come back through the barrier? Or the better question is: Why was it sealed?"
"Well, to answer your first question. As you know, they are boys, and they figured the adults couldn't get back to help, so they found there own transportation. And the question will be answered in a later chapter."
Dumbledore just sat there for a while before saying,
"Continue please."
Holly got out of the seat and went to pet Fawkes.
"The next chapter, Harry and the team of Gryffindors go down to the pitch for practice, but get stopped by the Slytherin team. Draco insults Hermione, so Ron tells Draco to eat slugs. The spell backfires on him, and Ron is the one lying in the grass belching them up. I know Harry and Ron got a detention, and I can't remember why, but Harry had to serve it with Lockhart answering fan mail. During the detention, Harry hears a voice in the wall that no one else can hear. The next chapter starts when Harry is taken to Filches office for dripping mud on a carpet. While he is there, Harry discovers that he is not a wizard. Sometime during the chapter, nearly headless Nick invites Harry to his death day party, and Harry asks Ron and Hermione to accompany him on Halloween. They leave the party, and Harry follows the voice that he heard earlier in Lockhart's office. They stop in front of a wall on the first floor with a petrified Mrs. Norris, and writing underneath."
"So this is when we find out that Harry can understand snakes?" Dumbledore asks when Holly finished.
"Yup, and we also see the first petrified living being."
"Do we know what the message said?"
"The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the heir beware."
"Oh," was all Dumbledore could say, "I will assume we find out who has opened the chamber then?"
"That will come later too, I promise." Holly assured.
"The next two chapters start with the teachers questioning Harry, Ron and Hermione about the cat. In the next History of Magic class, Hermione asks about the chamber of secrets. After they get the answers, the three go back to the first floor to talk to the ghost that lives in the bathroom. The three ask moaning Myrtle about the attack, and speculate who is behind the attacks. They eventually come to the conclusion that Draco is behind the attacks. The decide that the only way to find out if it is true is to brew the Polyjuice potion. It is in a book in the restricted section, so they go to get Professor Lockhart's permission. The next chapter they get the signature, and get the book from the Library. We see a Quidditch match where a rogue bludger chases after Harry succeeding in breaking his arm, and besides all that, he caught the snitch. While Harry is on the ground after the match, Lockhart attempts to heal the broken arm, but instead makes the bones disappear. Once he is safely in the hospital wing, Madam Pomphrey heals him, and during the night while his bones are regrowing, Dobby pays Harry another visit to warn him to leave. In the middle of there talk, the professors bring another petrified person in. The next victim was Colin Creevey."
Dumbledore sat quiet, listening to Fawkes sing softly every time Holly stroked the feathers.
"How many chapters do we have left?" Dumbledore asked apprehensively.
"Only eight." Holly replied, "Do you wish me to babble through four more of the chapters?"
"We may get done quicker." Dumbledore said.
"Ok then, eleven, twelve, thirteen, and fourteen, here we go! But I will warn you now Albus, we have around thirty-nine to deal with in book five."
Dumbledore just sighed, and said, "Please continue."
Holly nodded, and began again, "Harry is released from the hospital wing, and goes to find Hermione and Ron in the girl's bathroom brewing the potion. In order for them to complete it they have to steal some things from the potions storeroom. We also find out that a dueling club is formed by Snape and Lockhart. During the first meeting, Harry and Draco duel a little before Draco conjures a snake. This is when Harry learns he is a parselmouth. Everyone thinks Harry is responsible for the attacks, and they also think he is the heir of Slytherin. This is supposed to be confirmed when Harry accidently comes across the petrified forms of Justin Finch-Fletchley, and nearly headless Nick. When he is discovered with the two still forms, he is taken to your office for further questioning. Before your arrival, Harry witnessed one of Fawkes' burning days. You tell Harry that you do not suspect that he was the one who petrified the two individuals. Christmas day comes and goes, and we also find that the Polyjuice was ready to be used. The boys disguise themselves as Crabbe and Goyle so they could follow Malfoy and question him about the chamber of secrets. They find out in the meeting that Draco has no idea who is behind the opening. When they get back to the girls bathroom with the news they find Hermione hadn't transformed into a person; however, she had some cat features. The next chapter Harry finds the diary of Tom Riddle in the flooded bathroom on the first floor. He shows this to Hermione, and they search to find anyone with the name. For Valentines Day, Lockhart stages dwarfs dressed as cupids. When Harry gets back to his dormitory he waits for everyone to be asleep before he figures out the secret of the diary, and he travels back in time so Riddle can show him who he framed as the heir of the Chamber of Secrets. Harry tells the other two who was suspected of the killing. The next chapter Harry, Ron, and Hermione do not ask Hagrid about the Chamber of Secrets. No more attacks happen over the next few months. We also find out that the second years schedule the next year's lessons. The Quidditch practices for Gryffindor increase, and one evening after practice, he comes into the dormitory to find all of his things were thrown about. He also finds that the diary is missing. At this point in the story Harry hears the voice again, and Hermione runs to the library to do some research. The next Quidditch match is canceled because Hermione and another girl were petrified. Harry and Ron go visit Hagrid that day, and they have to hide under the invisibility cloak because some people from the ministry come to take Hagrid to Azkaban, and you were suspended from the Headmaster position. This is all because they think you are not doing your job."
Dumbledore looked thoughtfully out of the window for a few minutes before asking,
"Why didn't Harry or any of the others bring the diary to an adult?"
"Because they thought it was harmless." Holly replied, "If you found a book when you were around there age, wouldn't you be curious too?)
"I suppose I would." Dumbledore agreed. Holly nodded, and Dumbledore asked, "Isn't Tom Riddle Voldemorts real name?"
"Yes, it is."
"Well, that still is the same between the book and reality." Dumbledore thought out loud.
"Seems so." Holly responded.
"I believe I am ready for the rest of the book."
Holly took a deep breath, began her last long tale for the day.
"By now, everyone is frightened to see who the next petrified student is; however, Draco seems to enjoy everyone's discomfort. When Harry and Ron were hiding under the invisibility cloak in Hagrids hut, he gave them a suggestion to follow the spiders, and they do just that. They follow the spiders, and it led them into the forbidden forest where they meet the acromantula who was supposed to be the beast in the chamber of secrets. While they are captives of the large spiders, they learn that aragog is not the creature who is petrifying the students, and they also find out that Hagrid is innocent. Aragog's does not want to let the two boys go, because he thinks they are fresh meat, but the car they flew to Hogwarts saves them. Despite the craziness that is going on at the school, the students learn that exams will still continue. Ron and Harry notice that Ginny is acting strange, and the two boys go to visit Hermione in the hospital wing. While they are there they find that Hermione had the answer to the monster living in the chamber of secrets which was a basilisk. One night they eavesdrop on the teachers and find that Ginny has been taken into the Chamber by the monster. The teachers assign Lockhart to the task of freeing her, but he attempts to flee. Harry and Ron catch him in the act, and force him to come with them to the chamber of Secrets. When they get into the chamber, Lockhart attempts to erase there minds with Ron's broken wand, and instead the spell backfires blocking the tunnel. At this point Harry has to continue on alone. When inside the actual chamber Harry finds an unconscious Ginny. He then meets Tom Riddle who reveals that he has been controlling Ginny through the diary. Fawkes arrives with the sorting hat. Tom Riddle calls the basilisk to kill Harry, but Fawkes helps by making the snakes eyes incapable of seeing. Eventually, Harry kills the basilisk, and pierces the diary with a fang. This action gets rid of Tom Riddle for the time. The last chapter in this book is when Harry retells what happened in the chamber to you, McGonagall, Arthur, and Molly. After this point, Ginny and Lockhart are sent to the hospital, and Lucius arrives with Dobby. Harry gets an idea to put one of his socks into the diary and give it back to Lucius. When Harry forces him to take it back, he gives it to Dobby who finds that his master gave him a sock. We can all safely say that Lucius was not happy. That is all for the day." Holly finished.
"It is getting to be dinner time; would you like to join me?" Dumbledore asked.
"Sure, I'd like that." Holly answered.
A/N: Alright everyone, can we have two more reviews for this chapter? I hope so. This chapter was a long one, and it definitely took me a while to write. Just remember, read and review!