Cornelius Fudge
The trio all knew that Hagrid had a rather unfortunate affinity for large and dangerous creatures, not seeing the obvious danger they bring.
They knew this first hand during their first year at Hogwarts when he tried to raise a dragon in his house and it'll take a while for the three to forget the three headed dog he named Fluffy.
And Arthur was sure that Hagrid would've tried to get a glimpse of the monster from the Chamber of Secrets when he was a student.
He'd go on to explain in detail what he had seen, and would go over it again and again, even mentioning the acromantula, which David wasn't too thrilled with.
"Acromantulas don't Petrify their victims. And there's no way Slytherin would have that in the Chamber. Because not even Parselmouth can control them." Chrys pointed out.
"And the fact that Riddle seemed to have placed the blame on Hagrid because he seems like the obvious suspect means he's at least in league with the heir of Slytherin." Arthur added.
"And that makes sense considering he's a Slytherin himself." David nodded.
"But why did you feel that surge of anger when laying eyes on Riddle?" Chrys questioned.
"I have no idea. Perhaps it's because of that gut feeling I had that there's something up with him." Arthur shrugged, unsure himself.
This left the three in silence until Chrys asked possibly the most anxious question they could have.
"Should we go and ask Hagrid about all of this?"
"Really? Ask Hagrid if he set a large spider or if he knew anything about the Chamber?" David frowned, knowing that it wouldn't be a pleasant conversation.
Ultimately, they agreed that unless another attack happens, they won't say anything to Hagrid. And considering that Arthur didn't hear the voice for days on end, they started becoming hopeful that they don't need to talk to him about his expulsion.
It has been four months since both Justin Finch-Fletchley and Nearly Headless Nick were Petrified, making many think that the attacker was retired for good. Of course, Peeved ended up getting bored of his mocking song about Arthur and Ernie Macmillan even asked Arthur politely to pass a bucket of leaping toadstools during Herbology class one day. And when March arrived, several Mandrakes threw a loud and raucous party in Greenhouse Three, making Sprout happy.
"The moment they start trying to move into each other's pots, we'll know they're fully mature." She said to Arthur. "Then we'll be able to revive those poor people in the hospital wing."
In the Easter holidays, all the second years were given something new to go over because it was time for them to choose their elective subjects for the rest of their following school years.
Of course, Chrys took this seriously.
"This really could affect our futures." She said to Arthur and David, who went over the lists of new subjects, marking ones they want to tackle with ticks.
"If only Potions was an elective course." Arthur muttered as despite liking the subject overall, Snape was borderline unbearable as a teacher.
"Unfortunately it isn't." David muttered back.
"And I'm worried about Defence Against the Dark Arts if Lockhart remains. We haven't learned a single thing from him other than not letting Cornish pixies loose." Chrys told them.
Neville ended up getting letters from every magical member of his family, giving him different advice on what subjects to choose from. He was so confused and worried that he read the list of subjects with his tongue poking out and asking people whether Arithmancy was more difficult than Study of Magical Runes.
Dean, having grown up among Muggles, just closed his eyes and jabbed his wand at the list, picking whatever subject it landed on.
With Chrys, she just decided to sign up for everything and if she didn't like any subjects in particular, she'd just drop them.
Arthur decided to ask Sam for any advice.
"Well, it just depends on your interests and strengths. Look at Gideon, he was obsessed with Muggles and so he chose Muggle Studies. Then there's Kenny, who was more of an outdoors man and obsessed with magical creatures so he chose Care of Magical Creatures." He explained.
This was a big help for Arthur because he only chose two subjects that indeed interested him: Divination and Care of Magical Creatures. David chose those as well, partly because he wanted to stay by his best friend's side.
Gryffindor's next Quidditch match would be against Hufflepuff. Wood naturally insisted on team practices every night after dinner, leaving Arthur barely any time to do anything except both Quidditch and homework. Though the training sessions got better, or at least drier, and when the evening before Saturday's match ended well with the training session, Arthur went up to the dormitory so that he can drop off his broomstick and felt like Gryffindor's chances to win the Quidditch Cup were at their best.
However, his cheerful mood was cut short when at the top of the stairs to the dormitory, he met Neville, who looked frantic.
"Arthur, I don't know who did it. I just found -"
With a fearful look, he opened the door for Arthur to see what he's trying to tell him.
All of his contents in his trunk were thrown everywhere. His cloak was torn and laid on the floor. His bedclothes were pulled off his four poster bed and his drawer was pulled out of his bedside cabinet, its contents strewn all over the mattress.
Arthur was shocked, his mouth wide open, as he looked at the scene before him. He then noticed how the pockets in his robes were pulled inside out. He finally realised with dread what had happened. Someone was searching through his belongings.
Getting out of his shock, he and Neville pulled the blankets back onto his bed as David, Mike, Dean and Seamus came in, all of them just as shocked as Arthur.
"What the hell happened?!" Mike gasped.
"Someone was searching through my belongings for something." He replied.
"What's missing?" David questioned, helping out Arthur and Neville.
They all picked up his things and put them into his trunk. When he threw in the last of Lockhart's book, his eyes widened in concern and worry as he finally noticed what was missing.
"Riddle's diary. It's gone." He said quietly to David.
"Oh no…." David whispered.
Arthur rushed out through the dormitory door with David right at his tail, heading back down to the common room where Chrys sat by herself, reading a book. The two boys would explain what happened and she was truly aghast.
"But… this means that a Gryffindor did it. No one else knows the password."
"I know…." Arthur left open, hating himself for thinking that there's one person that could've done this and he didn't want to believe it.
The next day was bright and cheerful as there was brilliant sunshine and a light, refreshing breeze.
"Perfect Quidditch conditions!" Wood said with enthusiasm at the Gryffindor table, loading all of the team's plates with scrambled eggs. "Arthur, buck up there, you need a decent breakfast."
He was eating, though not as quick as his teammates. He was just paranoid about who had Riddle's diary, still not wanting to believe who he suspected.
Chrys urged him to report the robbery but he shot the idea down because he didn't want to draw attention from who had the diary and that he'd have to explain the diary and about why Hagrid was expelled fifty years ago.
As he left the Great Hall with David and Chrys to collect his Quidditch items, a serious worry grew in him. He set foot on the marble staircase when he heard that voice again after so long.
"Kill this time… let me rip… tear…."
He stopped on the spot and both David and Chrys looked at him in alarm.
"I've heard the voice again." He told them, leaving David wide eyed yet Chrys snapped her fingers with a look of realisation.
"I think I know something. I need to go to the library!" She then sprinted off up the stairs.
"What do you think she knows?" Arthur asked as he tried to figure out where the voice came from, thinking that perhaps the monster from the Chamber was a magical snake, as Parselmouths can control them, but he couldn't know which one because there's little info about them.
"I don't know, we'll just have to wait when she gets back." David shrugged.
"But why would she go to the library?"
"That's what she does, when in doubt, go to the library and read a book or two."
Arthur groaned as he couldn't figure out where the voice came from and people started emerging from the Great Hall, talking loudly as they walked through the front doors to the Quidditch pitch.
"Look, just get moving. The match starts at eleven." David reminded him.
Naturally, Arthur ran at top speed to Gryffindor Tower, collected his Nimbus Two Thousand and was able to join the large crowd swarming through the grounds, yet he was thinking of the castle and that voice. He then put on his scarlet uniform in the changing room, the only comfort being that almost every single person was outside watching the game, the only one he knew that wasn't was Chrys.
The teams then walked onto the pitch with loud applause. Wood took off to make a warm up flight around the goalposts and then Madam Hooch released the ball.
The Hufflepuff team, who were in canary yellow, stood in a huddle, having a last minute discussion of tactics, no doubt.
Arthur was about to mount his broom when McGonagall had come out, half marching, half running across the pitch with an enormous purple megaphone. This made Arthur's heart drop like a stone, knowing what's about to happen.
"This match has been cancelled." She called out through the megaphone, addressing the packed stadium. This made the crowd make the loudest shouting and booing Arthur ever heard.
Of course, Wood looked truly devastated and when he landed, he ran to McGonagall without getting off his broom.
"But Professor!" He shouted in despair. "We've got to play… the Cup… Gryffindor…."
McGonagall just ignored him and continued shouting through the megaphone.
"All students are to make their way back to the house common rooms, where their Heads of Houses will give them further information. As quickly as you can, please!"
After that, she had Arthur come to her.
"Pendergast, I think you'd better come with me…."
Based on the grave expression on her face, something bad has happened, meaning… another attack.
David sudden;y detached himself from the complaining crowd, running to them as they made their way to the castle. Much to his surprise, McGonagall didn't object at all.
"Yes, perhaps you'd better come too, Merlon."
Some students swarmed around them, grumbling about the fact that the match was cancelled, while others looked worried.
The two boys followed McGonagall into the school and up the marble staircase. Yet they weren't taken to her office, making them dread about where they're going.
"This will be a bit of a shock." McGonagall told them with a shockingly gentle voice as they approached the hospital wing. "There has been another attack… another double attack."
The boys looked at each other as their stomachs did awful somersaults and breathed shakily.
McGonagall pushed the door open and let them in.
Madam Pomfrey was bending over a sixth year Ravenclaw girl with long curly hair. It was the Ravenclaw he and David saw leave the dungeons when they turned into Crabbe and Goyle. But when they saw who was on the bed next to her, they nearly lost all feeling in their limbs.
"No… Chrys…." David gasped in horror as Arthur was left speechless.
Chrys lay utterly still, eyes open and glassy.
"They were found near the library." McGonagall informed them. "I don't suppose either of you can explain this? It was on the floor next to them…."
She held up a small and circular mirror.
Arthur and David shook their heads, still staring at Chrys.
"I will escort you back to Gryffindor Tower." She said heavily. "I need to address the students in any case."
"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."
Every Gryffindor was packed in the common room, listening to McGonagall in silence until she finished reading from the parchment that she rolled up and then said in a choked voice "I need hardly add that I have rarely been so distressed. It is likely that the school will be closed unless the culprit behind these attacks is caught. I would urge anyone who thinks they might know anything about them to come forward."
She then climbed out of the portrait hole awkwardly and once she was out of sight, everyone started talking.
"That's two Gryffindors down, not counting a Gryffindor ghost, one Ravenclaw and one Hufflepuff." Lee Jordan, the Merlon twins' best friend said, counting with his fingers. "Haven't any of the teachers noticed that the Slytherins are all safe? Isn't it obvious all this stuff's coming from Slytherin? The heir of Slytherin, the monster of Slytherin, why don't they just check all the Slytherins out?" He then roared, earning nods and scattered applause.
Sam was sitting behind Lee and he was shockingly silent, looking pale and horrified.
"He's in shock." Kevin whispered to Arthur. "The Ravenclaw was Penelope Clearwater, a Prefect. He's probably thinking about how the monster is now attacking Prefects."
Arthur barely listened as his eyes stared out blankly, welling up as he had the image of Chrys lying on the hospital bed as though she was a statue stuck in his head.
His fists then clenched tightly as he was now more determined to find the culprit and end their reign of terror to the school because he is not gonna lose the one place where he felt like he truly belonged. But unlike Riddle, he isn't gonna set up an innocent persona and actually figure out who's doing all of this.
"What do we do?" David asked in desperation.
"We're gonna talk to Hagrid. He may not be the one who opened the Chamber last time but if he knows anything about the Chamber and the monster, he needs to tell us."
"But you heard McGonagall. We can't leave the tower except for class."
Arthur sighed as he knew one way to get answers.
"We'll have to use my dad's old Cloak again."
There was something that Arthur had inherited from his dad. It was a long and silvery Invisibility Cloak. Their only chance to sneak out of the castle and visit Hagrid without anyone knowing.
They went to bed at the usual time, waiting until the four other boys stopped going over the Chamber of Secrets and finally fell asleep. They then got up, dressed in regular clothes and put the Cloak over them.
Journeying through the dark and deserted corridors wasn't even close to being enjoyable. Despite having roamed through the castle at night several times before, Arthur found it chilling to see it all so crowded after sunset with teachers, Prefects and ghosts marching through the corridors in pairs, keeping their eyes open for any unusual activities.
The Invisibility Cloak wasn't able to stop them from making any noise as there was a really tense moment where David stubbed a toe yards away from where Snape stood guard.
It was a good thing that the greasy haired teacher sneezed at pretty much the same time David hissed some curse words. They were finally relieved when they reached the oak front doors and eased them open to exit outside.
It was a clear and starry night as they hurried to the lit windows of Hagrid's hut. Once they've reached the front door, they pull the Cloak off.
Right after they knocked, they found themselves facing Hagrid aiming a crossbow at them, Fang his boarhound, barking loudly behind him.
"Oh." He said as he lowered his weapon and stared at them. "What're you two doin' here?"
"Why do you have a crossbow in your hands?" Arthur dramatically gestured to said weapon as they entered.
"Nothin'... nothin'." Hagrid muttered. "I've bin expectin'... doesn' matter…. Sit down… I'll make tea…."
He didn't seem to know what he was doing as he extinguished the fire, spilling water from the kettle on it and even smashed the teapot with a nervous jerk of his huge hand. He was distracted by whatever he was expecting.
"Hagrid… did you hear about Chrys?" Arthur asked him.
"Oh, I heard all righ'." He replied with a slight break in his voice.
He also kept glancing through the windows nervously before pouring them large mugs of boiling water, having forgotten to add tea bags and was about to put a slab of fruitcake on a plate when a loud knock on the door filled the tense silence.
Hagrid dropped the fruitcake and the boys threw panicked expressions at each other before putting the Cloak over them and retreated into a corner. Hagrid made sure they were hidden before seizing his crossbow and opened the door once more.
"Good evening, Hagrid."
Dumbledore had arrived, entering with a deadly serious look on his face and was followed in by a second, odd looking man in Arthur's opinion.
He was a short and portly man with short and rumpled grey hair and had an anxious expression on his face. He wore an odd mixture of clothes because he wore a black pin striped suit, a scarlet tie, a long black cloak and purple pointed shoes. And under his arm was a lime green bowler hat.
"That's Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic." David whispered so quietly that only Arthur heard him. This made him concerned because if the Minister of all people came to Hogwarts, then it must be really serious business.
Hagrid grew pale and sweaty, dropping into one of his chairs and looked back and forth between Dumbledore and Fudge.
"Bad business, Hagrid." Fudge said in a clipped tone. "Very bad business. Had to come. Four attacks on Muggle-Borns. Things've gone far enough. Ministry's got to act."
"I never…" Hagrid said, looking at Dumbledore imploringly. "...you know I never, Professor Dumbledore, sir…."
"I want it understood, Cornelius, that Hagrid has my full confidence." Dumbledore frowned at Fudge.
"Look, Albus…" Fudge said uncomfortably. "...Hagrid's record's against him. Ministry's got to do something… the school governors have been in touch." This made Arthur remember Lucius Malfoy's one of them.
"Yet again, Cornelius, I tell you that you taking Hagrid away will not help in the slightest." Dumbledore told him, his blue eyes full of a fire that Arthur had never seen before, which actually scared him.
"Look at it from my point of view." Fudge replied, fidgeting with his bowler hat. "I'm under a lot of pressure. Got to be seen to be doing something. If it turns out it wasn't Hagrid, he'll be back and no more said. But I've got to take him. Got to. Wouldn't be doing my duty -"
"Take me?" Hagrid said, now trembling. "Take me where?"
"For a short stretch only." Fudge told him, not meeting his eyes. "Not a punishment, Hagrid, more a precaution. If someone else is caught, you'll be let out with a full apology…."
"Not Azkaban?" Hagrid croaked in fear.
Before Fudge could reply, a loud rap was heard on the door.
Dumbledore answered and both Arthur and David had to hold back their growls.
Lucius Malfoy strode into Hagrud's hut, wearing a long black travelling cloak, and had a cold and satisfied smile. Fang started growling at him.
"Already here, Fudge." He said with approval. "Good, good…."
"What're you doin' here?" Hagrid said furiously. "Get outta my house!"
"My dear man, please believe me, I have no pleasure at all in being inside your, er, d'you call this a house?" Lucius said with a sneer, looking around the small cabin. "I simply called at the school and was told that the Headmaster was here."
"And what exactly did you want with me, Lucius?" Dumbledore asked politely, though the fire still burned in his eyes.
"Dreadful thing, Dumbledore…" Lucius said with laziness, taking out a long roll of parchment. "...but the governors feel it's time for you to step aside. This is an Order of Suspension, you'll find all twelve signatures on it. I'm afraid we feel you're losing your touch. How many attacks have there been now? Two more this afternoon, wasn't it? At this rate, there'll be no Muggle-Borns left at Hogwarts, and we all know what an awful loss that would be to the school."
Arthur's eyes widened in fury because he finally understood that look Lucius made at Flourish and Blotts. He planted the diary into Mary's cauldron and she somehow got possessed or manipulated by the diary, no doubt thanks to Riddle, and attacked the Muggle-Borns and other victims with the monster in the Chamber. This would then give enough reason for Lucius to get rid of Dumbledore as Headmaster as he remembered what Draco said, that Lucius said that Dumbledore was the worst thing to happen to Hogwarts.
And despite not wanting to admit Mary was the one responsible, it makes sense. She acted out of character ever since arriving at Hogwarts, she seemed terrified when she saw Arthur with the diary and she was a Gryffindor so she could enter the dormitory and get Riddle's diary.
"Oh, now, see here, Lucius." Fudge looked alarmed. "Dumbledore suspended… no, no… last thing we want just now…."
"The appointment, or suspension of the Headmaster is a matter for the governors, Fudge." Lucius said smoothly. "And as Dumbledore has failed to stop these attacks…."
"Now look, Lucius, if Dumbledore can't stop them -" Fudge tried arguing back, though his upper lip was now sweating. "I mean to say, who can?"
"That remains to be seen." Lucius replied with a nasty smile, clearly enjoying this. "But as all twelve of us have voted…"
Hagrid then leapt to his feet, his shaggy black head grazing the ceiling.
"An' how many did yeh have yer threaten an' blackmail before they agreed, Malfoy, eh?" He roared. Arthur and David frowned as there was no doubt Lucius did just that.
"Dear, dear, you know, that temper of yours will lead you into trouble one of these days, Hagrid. I would advise you not to shout at the Azkaban guards like that. They won't like it at all."
"Yeh can' take Dumbledore!" Hagrid yelled at him, which made Fang cower and whimper in his basket. "Take him away an' the Muggle-Borns won' stand a chance! There'll be killin's next!"
"Calm yourself, Hagrid." Dumbledore sharply told him as he looked at Lucius.
"If the governors want my removal, Lucius, I shall of course step aside."
"But -" Fudge stuttered.
"No!" Hagrid growled.
Dumbledore still didn't take his bright blue eyes off Lucius' cold grey ones.
"However…" He then said, speaking very slowly and clearly so that a single word isn't missed. "...you will find that I will only truly have left this school when none here are loyal to me. You will also find that help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it."
Arthur then noticed Dumbledore's eyes flickering towards the corner where he and David. He wouldn't be surprised if he knew they were there considering how all knowing he can be.
"Admirable sentiments." Lucius said, making a bow with fake admiration. "We shall all miss your, er, highly individual way of running things, Albus, and only hope that your successor will manage to prevent any - ah - 'killin's'."
He then strode out of the cabin, opening the door and bowing Dumbledore out. Fudge, fiddling with his bowler hat again, waited for Hagrid to go before him, though Hagrid stood his ground, taking a deep breath and said carefully "If anyone wanted ter find out some stuff, all they'd have ter do would be ter follow the spiders. That'd lead 'em right! That's all I'm sayin'."
This statement made Fudge stare at him in amazement, not knowing that this was for Arthur and Davd to hear.
"Alright, I'm comin'." Hagrid said, pulling on his moleskin overcoat. Though, as he was about to follow Fudge out, he stopped again and loudly said "An' someone'll need ter feed Fang while I'm away."
The door had banged shut and David pulled the Invisibility Cloak off of him and Arthur.
"This is not good. With Dumbledore gone, the attacks could happen per day now and the school will close indefinitely." David said gravely.
Fang then released a howl as he scratched the closed door.
Well, Arthur is now connecting the dots. He just needs to have some more clues and he'll finally know everything.