DISCLAIMER: THE BOOK BELONGS TO J. I HAVE ONLY BORROWED BOTH CHARACTERS AND PLOTLINE.

CHAPTER 29

Nearly a month had passed and what with studying, quidditch practice and Occlumency, Harry and Draco were quite exhausted. Snape had turned out to be quite the tyrant, driving the boys almost ferociously to the end of their endurance.

Draco had finally been able to build barriers and was now in the process of strengthening them; the only problem was that due to the constant delving into his mind, his sleep had become interrupted. Very rarely Draco used to see dreams as visions it always came as a clear detailed image, like the last year when he saw the philosopher's stone. However what he dreamt of now were unintelligible glimpses and snippets that put him on edge.

He had spoken to Snape about the disturbed sleep without telling him of the visions. Snape had offered him dreamless potion as a solution but only when it had reached the point of insomnia. Snape's theory was that the practice must have triggered it, so he had to learn to fight it own his own.

Harry on the other hand, had to work only on barriers and he being thorough by nature was layering each of his barriers carefully. There were parts of his mind that had become impenetrable to even Professor Snape, but he knew that there was still a lot of work to be accomplished.

Draco had been on tenterhooks the entire month, always ready to bite people's heads off. Ron had gotten an earful when he said something derogatory about Draco's flying abilities. He had almost sounded like a human howler and left Ron red and embarrassed. Everyone knew to stay away from him by now. Only Harry who knew about the reason sympathized with him, doing his best not to join him. The last time he had been walking with Draco, Hannah Abbot from Hufflepuff had seen Draco and run squealing in fright, while Draco chuckled darkly and said "Now if only Weasley had the sense to do that."

The final straw was in DADA, Gilderloy Lockhart had already been certified by many students, mostly boys as dangerous. The man could not use a spell to save his life how he escaped the Yeti and killed it was a mystery. Harry was pretty sure that Lockhart must have driven the Yeti nuts, so the Yeti did himself a favor and killed himself off.

Today he was teaching them about disarming, when he had slowly trailed off the topic and had started discussing his latest product, a lip gloss of all things, called 'Locklips' which came in many different flavors his own favorite being coconut.

Draco having reached boiling point, stood up and asked him in a sickly sweet voice "Sir, suppose there was a rampaging hippogriff on the loose, do you plan on offering him some of your lip gloss as well? I mean I know that the stuff is poisonous but surely don't you thinks it's time you actually taught us to defend ourselves?"

There was pin drop silence in the class after the outburst and Lockhart had turned a lovely puce shade. His precious product having been insulted so openly had made him furious. Unable to get formulate a sentence, he pointed a trembling finger at Draco and said "Detention eight O' clock, tonight, in my office" and dramatically exited the classroom.

There was a single giggle heard from someone and soon the entire class was laughing raucously. Draco had become their impromptu hero for that day.

That evening Draco found himself in the Professor's office or lair as he liked calling it, sitting behind a tottering pile of postcards he had had to autograph. It really irked Draco to see hundreds of pictures of the idiotic man's smiling face when all he wanted to do was burn the whole lot up.

After an hour of signing, his arms started to ache. He decided to remind the Professor, who had been patiently explaining about fame and the need to advertise, about dinner, when a plate of bread and butter materialized before him. Resigned to the fact that he would have to eat in this room and continue working, he surreptiously put up a 'muffliato' charm around Lockhart to block the annoying pompous voice. It was a spell that Snape used when he and his father spoke business at his home. Finally finishing of his work he nodded at the Lockhart and grabbing his bag he walked out of the room.

Coming to the corridor that led to the Great hall, he was suddenly brought to a halt, when what he saw sent him reeling. On the wall of the corridor were the words 'The secret chamber is opened, beware the Heir to Slytherin' and on the floor lying in a puddle of water was Filch's cat, Mrs Norris as if dead.

There were noises of people walking towards him, Draco thought of making a run for it but decided against it that would make him look guiltier. Suddenly he heard Ron's grating voice loudly in the confined space reading out the writing on the wall.

He turned horror struck at Draco and pointed to him whispering "Slytherin's Heir".

Draco eyed him cooly and said "I wish, but here's the catch Weasley even if I were Slytherin's Heir Weasley, I couldn't possibly be at two places at once, old Lockhart would vouch for me. Also I most certainly would not expend my great power to kill wayward cats. Really Weasley" he said shaking his head "you make it so easy for me."

Suddenly other students started coming in and the screaming began, finally reaching the teacher's ears. They came in to examine the crime scene and Lockhart grudgingly provided Draco with an alibi.

Filch was wailing over Mrs Norris's body when Dumbledore gently laid a hand on the man's shoulder and told him that she was only petrified, and could be saved with a draught of mandrakes potion. Soon they were questioning Draco about what he saw and everyone was busy listening.

Everyone but Harry. Harry, who had been leaning against the wall, suddenly felt a chill pass over him and felt another eerie presence with a vast conscience inside the wall that he was leaning on. Pressing himself closer he felt a murderous intent emitting from within and shut his eyes breathing hard.

After most of the people left, Draco spotted Harry waiting for him looking lost. Walking over to him, he gently jostled his arm to bring him back. Looking at Draco, Harry said "Come let's go" and dragged him towards the kitchen. After being thoroughly fed and watered, Draco looked at Harry curiously who still looked deep in thought, nursing a mug of cocoa. He had not even looked at Draco once. Suddenly Draco felt a stab of fear and leaning forward asked Harry tentatively, "Harry do you think that it was I who did it? That I am the Heir?"

Harry looked startled and then grinned "You wish" he said mirroring Draco's own words, bringing out a smile of relief on Draco's face "No, I was thinking about what I felt in the wall near the writing. I felt a presence Dray, of some inexplicable evil and I just can't figure out what, or how, only that I could sense it."

Draco looked worriedly at him, but said nothing because he didn't understand either. Walking tiredly back to bed Harry lay down on the mattress holding the Marauder's map in his hands. Lighting his wand, he examined the map looking for some clue of strange activity, when he saw a tiny dot with name Ginevra Weasley written over it, heading to the unused girls bathroom close to the corridor where Mrs Norris had just been found.

Rolling up the parchment not even bothering to put on his robes, he ran out of his tower in pajamas casting a disillusionment charm, when he got to the bathroom he found it empty. After looking around not finding anyone he decided to go back. The map never lied, so what then had Ginny been doing roaming around in the dead of night.