Thank you to all my wonderful reviews. I'll be trying to update more now that 3rd term is over. 4th term is easy so I don't have to worry about that. We are near the end of Hermione's 2nd year. As I said before I will probably stop this story halfway though her third year. I will do a sequel though if everyone wants. Also not a lot of Minerva in this chapter sorry but more is coming. I promise.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, but if JK Rowling wants to use any of my ideas in the possible book she may write in ten years from now I won't mind.
February gave way to March then April, and then finally May. Smart students were already studying for the exams that would come in early June. Hermione was as usual one of the students in the library studying. She was pouring over books, they weren't for her regular classes though; she was trying to figure out what was petrifying the students at Hogwarts. She had noticed two things about what ever was happening. It generally happened in the second floor corridor near moaning myrtles bathroom and she was pretty sure that whatever was attacking the students was a magical creature. However as she wouldn't get to take care for magical creatures until next year, her education that area was limited. She always could ask her mother, but she didn't think her mother would like her meddling into the chamber of secrets business. So instead she was pouring over books in the library, even if it was her specialty, she was starting to get annoyed. She had no real leads about what type of monster it could be.
She put away the books with a sigh and pulled out the old transfiguration text and skipped to the animagus section. As she looked though the text she understood why it was hard for people to become an animagus. The actual transforming part just took practice but before you could start transforming you had to become mentally stable with what you would become. This took hours of calm meditation that only the most determined and skilled could do. She understood now how her mother could become one at 15 her mother was the most determined person she knew. There were some risks though with the transforming part. There had been reported cases of people who got stuck halfway though the transformation. The book recommended having a person skilled with potions and transfiguration be there supervising. She heard the bell ring and she jumped up with a shock. Oh no I'll be late for potions, she thought. She pushed the book into her bag and ran down 3 floors to the dungeons. She arrived out of breath but just in time before class started. She sat in between Ron and Neville who looked at her in concern.
"Are you okay?" Neville asked worried.
"Yes, I'm fine, I just lost track of time in the library." She said softly pulling out her notebook to copy Snape's notes on board. She quickly moved onto her potion. Snape walked up and down the aisles glaring at them all like a hawk. Or a bat, she changed her mind. She smiled to herself as Snape sulked by them. It's Batman! She thought. Her silent giggles caused Ron to look at her like she was crazy causing him to add to much pickled dragonfly eggs making his potion hot pink instead of the ruby red it was suppose to be. She moved her chair in the other direction. At the end of class they all bottled their potions and put it on Snape's desk.
"Now that you've all attempted to make a pepper-up potion." He drawled. "I expect by the start of class next week, to have a 2 foot essay on the properties and purposes of this potion. No excuses." He told them.
"But sir there's Quidditch tomorrow." Harry complained. Quidditch! Hermione groaned, there goes her plan to spend all day researching in the library. Maybe I can still go for a little bit before the game.
"Then you had better stay up late Mr. Potter." Snape said snidely. "Class dismissed." They all hurried out of the classroom.
"I hate Snape." Ron said grumbling.
"Look on the bright side Ron, no more classes today." Harry said cheerfully. "Plus Quidditch tomorrow we are going to kill Hufflepuff." They high fived each other and Hermione rolled her eyes. They walked outside to Hagrid's hut. Hermione knocked on the door which Hagrid opened quickly. He gave them all a big hug and gave them all some of his rock cake which they politely pretended to eat.
"So what brings ya to my little part of the orld?" Hagrid asked.
"Just wanted to come see you Hagrid." Harry told him with a smile.
"Plus with the new restriction we can't go outside after dinner so we haven't been to see you in a while." Hermione explained. As soon as she said this though Hagrid looked nervous and quickly asked them about their school work. The trio had brief flashback to what they learned from the diary but ignored it. It just couldn't be Hagrid who opened the chamber. Hermione had a quick idea of a way to find out what the creature opening and to hopefully get Hagrid's confidence back.
"Hagrid do you know of any type of monster who could petrify people?" She asked questionably. She felt Harry and Ron's glazes as she stared at Hagrid who leaned back in his seat. After a few minutes of thought Hagrid answered her.
"I can't think of any magical creature that can petrify a student ermione. If the was one it'd be an ancient ol creature." He said and Hermione looked disappointed. "Though I do wish I could find out what creature's been killing my roosters."
"What do you mean Hagrid?" Ron asked him.
"Some creature has killed all my roosters. Don't know what's been doin it."
"Sorry I don't know Hagrid."
They stayed with Hagrid until it was time to walk back to the great hall for dinner. They waved goodbye to him and sat down for dinner at the Gryffindor table. They chatted happily for all of dinner and quickly returned to the Gryffindor common room to work on homework. Hermione wasn't fully listening to Harry and Ron's conversation the rest of the night though. Her mind was on what Hagrid had said about it being an old magical creature. There had been a book in the library, covered in dust; it had been called The Ancient and Unknown it had been so old she didn't think to look in it but maybe now. . . She went up to bed with her mind buzzing with possibilities that she forgot she never went to see her mother that day. Something that didn't go unknown to Minerva.
Albus chuckled at Minerva as she paced the room back and forth. However his chuckle only caused her to turn and glare at him.
"What!? You think it's funny that I'm worried she didn't come see me today or send any word at all." She threw a pillow at him. He stood up and brought her into a hug.
"Minnie calm down, she's fine you know how studious she is and with exams coming well she probably got caught up studying." He said reasonably rubbing her back. She nodded weakly.
"Yes I guess your right, but this Chamber of Secrets business has got me worried. There hasn't been an attack since before Christmas and Hermione's muggleborn. I just have this horrible feeling that something is going to happen. And we haven't made any head way in who could be opening the chamber" He nodded at her words.
"Well how about you go check on her." She looked up quickly she hadn't even thought of that.
"Yes, I think I will thank you Albus." Giving him a quick kiss she transformed into her animagus form. She padded though the hallways up to the seventh floor. Only stopping to hiss at Mrs. Norris and too briefly break up two 6th year Hufflepuffs who were in a broom closet snogging. She slipped into the Gryffindor common room and noticed that the only people still up at this hour were a couple 5th years and 7th years that were already starting to study for their O.W. L. s and N. E. W. T. s. No one noticed her in her cat form and she slipped up to Hermione's dorm room. She hopped onto Hermione's bed and started purring. Hermione was fast asleep holding onto the stuffed blue otter they had gotten her over the Easter holiday. Minerva glazed at Hermione for a while before rubbing against her head but soft enough not to wake her up. Then she left satisfied that Hermione was safe and sound in bed.
The next day breakfast was an interesting affair. Gryffindors in full red and gold colors cheered on the members of the team. It was the first year they had a chance to go all the way and win the cup in 8 years. Hufflepuffs cheered on their team as well and all the teachers were happy that it was not Gryffindor and Slytherin in the final. It would have been ugly. Hermione smiled at her mother who was sporting a ruby red robe and a Gryffindor pin. Hermione turned her attention back to Harry and Ron. Harry already dressed in his robes, wasn't eating before the game like normal.
"Harry you need to eat." Ron pressed him. Hermione piled some eggs onto his plate and pushed it in front of him. She checked her watch and stood up.
"I'm going to head to the library before the match." She announced. "I'll be back before it starts, save me a seat Ron." She said and left them at the table. She hurried up to the 2nd floor and entered the library. After receiving a stern nod from Madam Price she went straight to the Magical Creatures section. Pulling the thick old book from the shelf she quickly opened it and started reading though it. She read quickly knowing that the game started in two hours, and although she wasn't fond of Quidditch she wanted to see Harry play. She was an hour into reading when she got to a passage.
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 for 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.
Oh my gosh, oh my gosh! Hermione thought. This is it, this has to be what's been attacking the students. It all makes since and that's why Harry has been hearing it, because it's a serpent. That's also the symbol of Slytherin, which I'm really surprised no one else figured that out. The Basilisk flees only from the crowing of the rooster, didn't Hagrid tell them yesterday that all his roosters had been killed. Only one thing didn't make since. The Basilisk kills with its glare not petrify. She groaned and tried to think how this fitted. Then she gasped so loudly Madam Price yelled at her. No one did look at it directly. Mrs. Norris saw it though the water on the floor, Colin though his camera and Justin must have seen it though Nearly Headless Nick. It all made since, she jumped and started to put the book into her bag. No she stopped herself that would take to long. Without thinking of the consequences she ripped the page out of the book. She put the book back and stared at the page again. She figured it out, and she couldn't believe it. Something was still bothering her, how was a giant snake getting around the school. Hm all the attacks happened near Moaning Myrtles bathroom. What if that was where it entered and exited, no one would think it to be in girl's bathroom. And then there's Myrtle, who was killed in a bathroom and never . . . left. . .it uses the plumbing!
She didn't wait any longer. She pulled out her self inking quill and quickly wrote pipes on the paper so that she wouldn't forget. With out saying another word to Madam Price she bolted from library and collided with someone coming in.
"Ow! Watch where you're going." The girl said. Looking up Hermione recognized Penelope Clearwater from Ravenclaw.
"Shouldn't you be at the game?" Hermione asked the perfect. The Ravenclaw shook her head.
"Never one for Quidditch and since Ravenclaw isn't playing don't really care." She told Hermione whose heart was beating fast. She remembered she had a mission.
"What time does the game start?" Hermione asked quickly.
"In about 15 minutes why?" Penelope told her. Hermione blanched, the halls would be empty.
"I don't have time to explain, but I figured out what has been attacking the students. Just promise me you look around corners with a mirror or something. I have to go find Professor McGonagall." Hermione started to run down the hall and Penelope grabbed her shoulder.
"Are you serious." Penelope asked. Hermione nodded. Penelope pulled a compact mirror from her bag and duplicated it quickly handing Hermione one of them. "I'm coming with you we shouldn't be alone."
They set off down the hall and Hermione felt truly scared for the first time at Hogwarts that year. No one was in the halls everyone was already at the game. They reached the corner of the hall when Hermione heard something. Something that sounded like sliding against hard floor. She wanted to run the other way but this was the only way to the grand staircase and the fastest way to the Quidditch pitch. Summoning her courage she took the mirror and flashed it down the corridor the piece of paper held tightly in her hand. The last thing she saw was a giant yellow eye before everything went dark.
Sorry about the cliffhanger but I saw no other way to end the chapter. And don't worry Minerva will be in the next chapter more. Obviously. And I hope my Hagrid was okay I'm not good with his accent. Please review.