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Harry, Ron, and Hermione go down to Hagrid's hut to talk to him about the Heir of Slytherin, but are interrupted by Lucius Malfoy and Cornelius Fudge arresting Hagrid and making Dumbledore step down. Fudge is nearly hysterical; he says if there is another attack, fatal or no, Hogwarts will be closed. Hagrid tells them to follow the spiders, and they do, finding Aragon, who confirms that Hagrid is not the culprit. The Ford Angela saves them. They figure out Moaning Myrtle was killed by the Heir of Slytherin.
The day after Penelope Clearwater's death, there were new bulletins around the school telling all students to carry mirrors with them, in case of attacks. Teachers were instructing them to look around corners with them, and to never travel alone.
"Professor Dumbledore agrees with you, Hermione," said Professor Lupin the next time they saw him. "He think it's a basilisk. Now we just have to figure out how to find it."
"How did you do it, Hermione?" asked Ron, sounding equal parts jealous and awed. "How did you figure it out?"
"I thought about the voice Harry had been hearing," said Hermione, a little proudly. "And how it always came from the walls. So I asked myself, what could live in the walls? And the answer was easy; a snake!"
"Blimey," said Ron, turning to stare at Harry. "You must be a Parseltongue!"
"A-A what?" asked Harry in bewilderment.
"You can speak to snakes!" said Ron. "Like Slytherin could. It's a good thing the school never found out, everyone would think you'd done it for sure."
"Why?"
"Because only really bad wizards can speak to snakes," replied Ron. "Or at least that's what I've heard."
Hermione then explained the different ways that the basilisk had managed to miss killing everyone except, of course, poor Penelope Clearwater.
A few days passed, and they never managed to break free from the group long enough to get into the girl's bathroom and ask Moaning Myrtle about the Heir of Slytherin. Even worse, Professor Lupin got sick and Snape taught a lesson about werewolves, claiming that they were woefully under-taught and that Professor Lupin was little more than a hack.
"You don't think..." said Hermione as they came out of the classroom.
"What?" snapped Ron, who'd had fifteen points taken from Gryffindor for 'indolence.' "That Snape's a great big git? Because he is!"
"Obviously," said Hermione, rolling her eyes. "That Professor Lupin's...oh, nevermind."
Later, in the common room, Harry, Ron and Hermione discussed in hushed tones how they were going to get to Moaning Myrtle.
"We could always use the Invisibility Cloak," suggested Ron.
"We might have to," replied Hermione, chewing her lip. "I don't see any other way."
"Hey," said Harry suddenly, a thought striking him. "What if..."
"Yes?" said Hermione patiently.
"You think it's in the walls, right?"
Hermione nodded. Ron rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, we've covered this already!"
"If it's in the walls, and it's a snake, then it would be in the pipes, right?"
"Yes," said Hermione. "That's what I've surmised."
Ron suddenly grabbed Harry's arm.
"The entrance to the Chamber of Secrets!" he said hoarsely. "What if it's a bathroom? What if it's in-"
"-Moaning Myrtle's bathroom," said Harry.
They said there, excitement coursing through them, hardly able to believe it.
"What do we do?" asked Ron, whose eyes were flashing. "Do we go to McGonagall?"
"Professor Lupin," said Harry immediantly. "Let's go find him."
"Where?" asked Hermione. "His office?"
"No," said Harry, thinking quickly. "The staff room. The teachers probably don't like to be alone either."
"Get the cloak," hissed Hermione. "And we'll go there together."
"You two come with me," said Harry. "IWe can't just leave the common room with no one noticing."
Ten minutes later they were racing down the corridors, hardly thinking about Filch or Mrs. Norris or anyone else, intent on talking to Professor Lupin.
As they got there, they slowed down. The door was closed, so they hovered outside of it for a few seconds before Harry steeled himself and pulled off the clock. He knocked. No one answered. He knocked again, then cautiously pulled the door open. There was no one inside.
"I wonder why no one's here..." said Hermione.
"All teachers report to the staff room. Immediately, please."
Harry wheeled around to stare at Ron and Hermione.
"Not another attack? Not now?"
What'll we do?" asked Ron, aghast. "Go back to the dormitory?"
"No," said Harry, much to Hermione's distress. He looked around and his eyes fell on an ugly sort of wardrobe full of the teachers' cloaks. "In here. Let's hear what it's all about and then tell them what we know."
They hid themselves inside it while the teachers filtered into the room, hearing the staff door bang open over and over again. It was rather a tight fit with all three of them. Professor Lupin arrived, looking tired, pale, and worried.
Then Professor McGonagall arrived.
"It has happened," she told the silent staff room. "A student has been taken by the monster. Right into the chamber itself."
Snape gripped the back of a chair very hard and said, "How can you be sure?"
"It left another message," said Professor McGonagall, looking very pale. "The Heir of Slytherin. Right under the first one. 'Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever.'"
Professor Flitwick burst into tears. Professor Sprout whispered, "Wasn't Penelope enough?"
It was Professor Lupin who spoke next, his voice hoarse. "Who is it? Which student?"
"Ginny Weasley," said Professor McGonagall.
Harry felt Ron slide silently down onto the wardrobe floor beside him. Hermione covered her hand with her mouth to stifle a choked cry.
"We shall have to send all the students home tomorrow," said Professor McGonagall. "This is the end of Hogwarts. Dumbledore always said..."
She trailed off, and the room was silent.
"Lupin," said Snape, his voice thinly veiled with hatred. "Shouldn't you do something about this? It is your area of expertise..."
"Oh, Severus, please," said Lupin, sound very tired. "I have tried to find the culprit, just like everyone else here."
"I would think you would have some advantage. You'd think one Dark Creature would know another."
"Severus, that's enough," snapped Professor McGonagall. "There's no need for that, not in these dark times. Not ever, as a matter of fact. Moving on; the Heads of Houses should go and inform their students of what has happened. Tell them the Hogwarts express should will take them home first thing tomorrow. Will the rest of you please make sure no students have been left outside their dormitories."
The teachers rose and left, one by one, except...
"Professor Lupin," hissed Harry. He hoped he would hear him, as he was, after all, halfway out the door. Harry was thankful Lupin had been the last teacher to leave.
"Harry?"
Professor Lupin watched in astonishment as they exited the wardrobe and dusted of their robes.
"Harry, I do understand a certain level of trouble-making, but the school is not safe for-"
"No, Professor," said Hermione excitedly. "We have something to tell you."
Ron, his face pale but his eyes burning, nodded mutely.
"What is it, you three?" said Lupin. He looked, as far as they could tell, like he believed them.
"We think we know where the Chamber of Secrets is hidden."
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