"I must question, Dumbledore, where, exactly, you received your information." Lucius Malfoy, turning his back, away from the Headmaster's gaze, questioned. His eyes flickered over the gathered group; the Hogwarts Faculty and the Board of Governors.

Dumbledore waited until Lucius Malfoy turned back to face him. Lucius avoided looking Dumbledore in the eye for a prolonged period.

Dumbledore's response was calm and collected. "I heard a theory which makes sense based on the evidence, Lucius."

Malfoy turned around, away from Dumbledore's inquiring gaze. "A…theory, Headmaster? Perhaps you know who is responsible. Perhaps…the person who opened the Chamber has confessed?"

"Perhaps…" Dumbledore whispered heavily. Lucius turned around, but Dumbledore ignored him.

"The danger is present and real." Dumbledore addressed the rest of the gathering. "As Hogwarts Headmaster, the safety of the pupils is paramount. However, it would be easier, bureaucratically speaking, if the Board of Governors and Hogwarts were in agreement in this matter."

"It's not a good look, Dumbledore." An elderly governor spoke up. "To close the school."

"Temporarily close the school." Dumbledore corrected him. "Until the monster can be located and neutralised."

"You are asking us to completely trust your judgement on this matter, Dumbledore. And furthermore, despite the numerous attacks, you have only just managed to mention this theory. I can't help but wonder if you have a hidden agenda. I'm afraid that without concrete proof – or the theorist speaking directly to us – the Board of Governors has no choice but to deny this request." Malfoy said. No one on the Board dared to disagree.

#.#.#

Several hours earlier…

The counterpane slid off the messed up bed.

Ginny Weasley woke, bleary eyed. Outside it was still dark, she could see the inky blackness, dotted with shining stars through the dormitory window. Ginny had tried to get a good sleep, but she'd been tossing and turning all night. Was her plan right?

It was sheer luck that it was even possible. She'd seen Professor Dumbledore use a most curious feature in the castle. After a bit of trial and error, Ginny found a way to use it too.

With most of the castle's inhabitants watching the Quidditch, Ginny hadn't a better day to put her plot into action.

Ginny once again questioned the wisdom of her scheme. Should she go to Professor Dumbledore? He would listen, Ginny was sure, but to get to him, she would have to speak to Professor McGonagall. Professor McGonagall was strict enough, but Ginny had no evidence – it was a feeling something was wrong, something was missing in her memory. She couldn't tell them any important details of what had happened. Surely they'd hear her, but it wouldn't do any good. In any case, Tom Riddle was decorated for special services to the school. It would be foolhardy to assume that Ginny's word would count for anything against that record.

Then there was her brothers. They wouldn't be able to fathom that Ginny could be involved in such a thing; she was sure that they'd assure her that she was imagining things and she wasn't in any way involved. Also, Ginny didn't want to expose them to Riddle.

In case her plan didn't work, she made a back-up. Which was why she was standing outside the Ravenclaw doorknocker.

"Who owns who? The Wand or the Witch or Wizard?"

Ginny paused. "I think the answer is they have a symbiotic relationship."

"Well reasoned." The door opened, and Ginny padded to the girl's dormitory.

Knocking softly, Luna's dreamy voice answered. "Enter."

Ginny softly opened the door. Luna was sitting up in bed.

"I'm sorry to wake you, Luna." Ginny began; she hadn't seen or spoken to Luna in ages; but Ginny felt that if anyone wouldn't mind that, it would be Luna. Luna was looking at Ginny with wide, comforting eyes.

"Hello Ginny. It's good to see you."

"It's good to see you too, Luna." Ginny fiddled in her pocket. "Luna, I need you to do something for me. Please." Ginny amended.

Luna's eyes changed almost imperceptibly. "What is it?" Luna asked, her voice barely above a breath.

Ginny withdrew her hand. She held a series of envelopes, neatly tied in a bunch with ribbon.

Ginny handed them over to Luna.

"Tonight, Luna, if I don't ask for them back, would you please…"

"Make sure they get to who needs to see them?" Luna asked with a smile. "Certainly, Ginny. I'll see you tonight."

Luna's soft spoken farewell was enough to raise Ginny's spirits. Luna was wonderfully understanding, and had an understated way of expressing herself. Luna undoubtedly knew something was wrong, but she was tactful enough to pretend she didn't, at least to Ginny's face.

#H.H#

A few hours after the meeting in Ravenclaw tower…

Unaware of Ginevra Weasley's covert operations, Albus Dumbledore was conducting a meeting of his own. Only Rubeus Hagrid and Professor McGonagall were in attendance. Dumbledore didn't want to spread what he was about to the whole school; the fewer who knew the better. He would be meeting with the entire faculty and the Board of Governors after.

Dumbledore fingered his wand, The Elder Wand in his hand. Professor McGonagall watched his eyes intently.

"What I'm about to tell you doesn't go beyond this room." Dumbledore began. McGonagall and Hagrid nodded their assent immediately.

"The Basilisk isn't the primary threat."

Professor McGonagall drew a sharp breath. She had been expecting something like this, but expectation wasn't enough to prevent the reaction. If the Basilisk wasn't the main concern, then there had to be something extremely serious going on.

"However, a threat it is, so I am going to bring in a specialist in dealing with Dark Creatures." Dumbledore waved his wand, and a Phoenix Patronus emerged.

McGonagall's lips formed into a smirk. Clearly Dumbledore wasn't putting his eggs in Lockhart's basket.

The Patronus shot out of the office, unimpeded by physical barriers. Dumbledore sighed, and turned back to his friends.

McGonagall red his expression perfectly. "You don't know how the Heir of Slytherin is opening the chamber." She had heard his cryptic comment some months earlier, when Colin Creevey had been petrified. 'The question is not who, the question is how.' From Dumbledore's expression, it seemed like he still had no idea how the Heir was opening the Chamber.

"After Quirrell's demise, to the best of my knowledge, Lord Voldemort fled back to Albania to regather his strength."

"He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is the Heir?" Hagrid asked, dreading the confirmation that he was about to receive.

Dumbledore nodded, looking ragged. "I can't tell if he's working with some allies…"

"How else, if he's at low strength?" McGonagall asked. "Surely not…Gilderoy Lockhart…" McGonagall murmured.

Dumbledore's eyes flashed with amusement. "I don't believe so."

"Not sure if Gildy has a mind to control." McGonagall muttered under her breath.

"It is possible that Tom is using a different victim…or ally every time, to maximise his chances of success."

"But success in what?" Hagrid asked.

"Firstly, Lord Voldemort wishes to return to his full strength." Dumbledore clenched the back of a chair, his hands white. "And secondly, he wants to kill Harry."