"Good luck, Harry." The three words were simple. But coming from Ginny, they meant far more than I would have ever expected. She was still walking with us, but for me, we were a long way away.

Blood… time to kill… let me rip… tear… destroy…

Everyone froze except for Ron.

"What?"

"I just realised… Darion, Amber, we need to get to the library!"

"Right on your tail. You three can go on ahead."

"And I need to go use the ladies'. Be right there."

Me and Ron looked at each other.

"I will never understand why you stick around those two."

The Gryffindor Lions prepared to enter the Quidditch pitch. But before we could mount our brooms, Professor McGonagall ran out to the pitch as well.

"This match has been cancelled. All students are to make their way to their common rooms," she said via a magical megaphone.

"Potter… come with me. There is something you need to see. Ron, too."

I feared the worst… I could see it in my mind's eye. Ginny and Amber, torn apart, defending each other to the very end.

As it was, I wasn't that far off the mark. Which meant that it was close to my nightmares. Not too comforting.

"They were found near the library…" Professor McGonagall told us. We were too shocked to do more than stare.

Hermione, Darion and Amber. All petrified. Their stares were like stone. I sat down on Amber's bed, and traced her forehead with my thumb.

I was counting on you, Amber… don't worry. No matter what the cost, I must find the bastard who attacked you and tear his head off.

"Harry… listen to me." The voice was so soft that for a moment, I thought Amber was speaking. Then I looked up, and saw that Ginny had sat on Amber's other side.

"We're in this together. We always were."

"All students are to be under the constant supervision of a teacher. No student has permission to leave their common room after six in the evening. There will be no extra-curricular activities." Every Gryffindor hung to Professor McGonagall's words.

"And I shall tell you this. Unless the culprit behind these attacks is caught… it is likely that the school will be closed. Any information that shall lead to the capture of the Heir of Slytherin should be confided in a teacher as soon as possible."

She left the room on that macabre note, leaving the Gryffindor's in a huge discussion. I took Ron and Ginny, and sat in a private corner.

"We do know one thing: Tom Riddle showed me that Hagrid opened the Chamber of Secrets last time. That means he knows how to get into the Chamber of Secrets. We have an opening."

"But you heard McGonagall. We aren't allowed out of Gryffindor Tower except for class."

"I think it's time to take my dad's old Cloak out again."

That night, I took Ron and Ginny to Hagrid's hut under the cover of the Invisibility Cloak.

*Knock* *Knock*.

"Who's there? I warn you… I'm armed."

"It's me, Hagrid. And I brought a couple extras. We need to talk."

"Come in, then."

Hagrid looked like he was under siege. His eyes darted around, as if looking for eavesdroppers, he never let his crossbow get more than five feet away, and he paid little attention to the tea he was preparing.

"Hagrid. This may come as a sensitive subject, but what do you know about the Chamber of Secrets?" Ginny asked. Her words did not hint that we knew about the last attacks. But her eyes did.

"You see, the thing about that is…"

*Knock* *Knock*.

"Under the Cloak. Now."

It didn't occur to us for a second to disobey. Ginny latched onto my arm, and Ron put all three of us under the Cloak's fine weave. Hagrid nodded, and opened the door.

"Good evening, Rubeus. May we come in?"

"Of course, Professor Dumbledore." Dumbledore entered the room, followed by a man sporting a lime green bowler hat.

"That's Dad's boss: Cornelius Fudge, the Minister for Magic!"

Ginny kicked him the same time I elbowed him.

"Minister Fudge? What are you doing here?"

"Bad business, Hagrid. Bad business. I had to come. That's five Muggle-borns petrified now. No more standing around. The Ministry must act."

"Act? I appreciate the vote of confidence, but why are you telling me?"

"A temporary measure… and should the culprit be caught, you will be pardoned with a full apology…"

"Wait, what?"

"Cornelius, I have to say… Hagrid has my full confidence."

"Look, Hagrid's record is against him. I have no choice but to take him."

"Take me? Take me where? Not Azkaban!"

"As I said… a temporary measure."

*Knock* *Knock*.

"Now who else could be coming at this hour?"

It was Lucius Malfoy. Ginny tightened her grip, and I gave her a grip of my own.

"Get outta my house!"

"Hagrid, let me assure you that I have no pleasure at being inside your… wait, this is a house? Anyway, I called at the school and was told the headmaster was here."

"And what is it that you want from me, Lucius?"

"I am merely here representing the Board of Governors. And I have here a letter for you. It is the formal notice of your expulsion from Hogwarts. You'll find all twelve signatures on it. I'm afraid that we feel you're… losing your touch. How many attacks? Three more this afternoon? Deary me, at this rate, there'll be no more Muggle-borns left at Hogwarts."

"How many of those governors did you have to threaten and blackmail, Malfoy?"

"Dear me. I would recommend not losing your temper to the Azkaban guards. They do not like the taste of temper."

"But still, take Dumbledore away? Take him away, and the Muggle-borns don't stand a snowball's chance in Gubraithian fire. You mark my words, there'll be killin's next!"

"Relax, Rubeus. If the governors wish my removal, I shall of course step aside."

"No!"

"But… you will find that I have not truly left the school unless none remain loyal to me. You will also find that help will be given at Hogwarts to those that… ask for it."

"Admirable sentiments. We will miss your methods of management. And I hope your successor will be able to prevent any… killin's."

Dumbledore and Malfoy left the room.

"If anyone was looking fer some stuff, all they would have to do would be to follow the spiders. That's it. I'm off."

Hagrid and Fudge followed. We whipped off the Cloak.

"Hagrid's right. No Dumbledore. There'll be an attack a day!" Ron was terrified. Ginny was shivering. I sighed.

"Spiders, Ron."

"That doesn't help… we're in trouble.

After some coaxing, we set into the Forbidden Forest to follow some spiders. They hid themselves under the Forest foliage, but we could still track them.

We were nearing the heart of the Forest when it happened. Large monsters seized us from behind, and… took us to our destination.

A whole hive of spiders. Spiders over a million times their normal size. And the monsters, which must have been giant spiders themselves, took us to the king of the pack. It was the size of a football field, easily.

(Who is it?)

(Human, Father Aragog.)

(Is it Hagrid?)

(Two of the hunter variety, and one of the virgins.)

(Kill them… I was sleeping…)

"We're friends of Hagrid!"

(Friends? Hmm…)

"Hagrid's in trouble. There's been a series of attacks. They think Hagrid is responsible."

(But that was a long time ago. The Chamber of Secrets. It was a crime that Hagrid was framed for. But it was a lie. I was exiled to the forest for what the monster did.)

"What was the monster?"

(We do not speak his name. It is terrible luck. All I can say is this: the girl that I was framed for killing died in a bathroom. I saw none of the castle but a box, in which I grew up in.)

"…Thanks. We'll just go."

(Go? I think not…)

"What?"

(My sons and daughters do not harm Hagrid, on my command. But I cannot deny them fresh meat, especially not virgin meat. Goodbye, friends of Hagrid.)

The spiders had surrounded us. I hid Ginny behind me. I did not want to see her ripped apart with spiders fawning over her meat.

"Know any spells?"

"One, but it's not powerful enough for all of them…"

"Where's Hermione when you need her?"

A rumble.

"What was that?"

*SMASH*

Mr Weasley's Ford Anglia burst through the forest, and drove right up beside us.

"Dad's car! Ron, must you remind me of this now?"

"Ginny, it's our ticket out of here. You get on Harry's lap. I'll drive."

It was the degree of seriousness in our situation that I had no objection to being close to Ginny.

We burst through the growth, desperate to get out of the forest.

Told you I'd get a double update.

So we draw closer to the climax of our thrilling tale. Who is the Heir of Slytherin using? How will Harry prevail?

Next time, we finally get to the chapter I've been looking forward to the most: the Chamber of Secrets. No, you will not know my secrets before I release that chapter. I want at least some surprise from this story.

Neither can live while the other survives.