So... many... REVIEWS! You all are the greatest and I hope you remember that forever. Congrats to everyone who got the references! And speaking of REFERENCES:

"Caleb has been all over me." "I don't need to know that!" 3x02 (Shout out to CalebAndHannaForever, Ava B, Bagilia, and ShadowsOnTheMoon for getting it!)
"Hot on the A trail." Hanna said this in 2x22
"Hannibal-Lecter smart." 4x01 (Shout out to Ava B, Bagilia, Goldenheart11, and ShadowsOnTheMoon for getting this one!)
"Okay, what the hell did she just say?" Hanna to Spencer, 4x01
And of course the entire "Hole in your stomach" conversation from 2x08 XD (Shout out to Sarah, Goldenheart11, HP and PLL fan, Titanium Wolf, Bagilia, Sgdp1261, and ShadowsOnTheMoon!)

And shoutout AGAIN to Ava B, who pointed out references in her review that I didn't even pick up on! You rock, sis.

NorthernSteelGirl: No, I'm not from Pennsylvania. I was just there recently though, in Ligonier. So pretty. I'm from Virginia! Where are you from?
Sarah: Well first of all, my name is Sarah, too, so you're automatically awesome :D second of all, THANK YOU! So great to meet a fellow BooRadleyVanCullener, I've been trying to get Heather to read my story. She favorited one of my tweets about it, but idk if she's read it yet :/ one can hope! I'm so so SO glad you liked Mona; I've been trying really hard to write her well, because a poorly written Mona is like giving someone rocky road ice cream without the marshmellows; it's a waste. Hope to see you reviewing more often, you're great!
WideOpenSpacesGirl045: Haleb is quite adorable :D thanks for the kind words, and don't worry about not reviewing last chapter! Good to have you back, though,
and good luck getting ready for college!
HP and PLL fan: Your pen name is quite appropriate for this story :) thank you!
CalebAndHannaForever: Blood is the New Black, actually. But you still got it!
Ava B: Not a problem! Thanks for the review anyway,
and for guessing the reference correctly :) I wouldn't be surprised if there was a bromance between James and Caleb. Both are pretty mischievous, so it makes sense. And I love the part with Spencer and Aria as well! I can't pass up an opportunity for some good old Sparia, they're too perfect ;D and yeah, poor Em isn't Seeker like she wanted to be :( stupid A didn't want her getting the position she wanted! And yeah, Maya is alive and well!
Titanium Wolf: Mike is definitely petrified, and as for what McGonagall thinks, you're going to see some of that this chapter, actually. Stay tuned!
Bagilia: I
promise, I'm actually a nice person in real life! Not the slightest bit evil! I mean, I do a mean evil laugh, but I'm not evil! It's just for the sake of the story/plotline, you'll see how it's important. And I love Spanna! I mean, Team Sparia all the way, personally, but Spanna is entertaining :) and I read something on the significance of the deaths in Harry Potter: Dobby was to show that even the smallest creatures can die a hero's death. My heart :'( and oh man... now I'm scared to see your wrath. And you won't get Haleb this chapter, but you've got an amazingly cute chapter with them coming up. Remember, they're not broken up! Just a small spat between them.
TotalCowGirl: Yeah, Emily didn't get seeker unfortunately :( thanks for the kind words!
Sgdp1261: The girls have been bickering especially this season, and it's so entertaining because we don't have to worry about it; we're so far into the series that we
know that it's all out of love. And that description was nothing short of perfectly accurate. Basically all of the Liars' scenes together to a T. Thanks for the review!
PrettyWitchyVamp: Wait, that's so true. When are the girls NOT drinking coffee on the show?! And the friendship between the four girls is so, so beautiful. I would kill to have a friendship like that in real life. Thanks so much for the review, and no worries about updating ASAP. I do updates daily anyway! :)
ShadowsOnTheMoon: GOD DAMMIT HOW COULD I FORGET?! Aww, now I'm never gonna forgive myself for excluding that... and interesting that you're suspicious of Caleb... ;) And Spencer thinks the world of Emily. In fact, Spencer thinks the world of all of the girls! They all look up to each other in so many ways and rely on each other so much, I love it. And do you expect anything less from Spencer? To quote Aria, "Spencer
bleeds caffiene!" Thanks so much for the review, once again :)
Goldenheart11: Yeah, Emily did deserve it, but when 'A' is on the loose, the girls don't always get what they deserve :( and well, while Spencer's mindset can come in handy, it can also get her in trouble, and you'll actually see a little bit of that later on in the story. Looks like you'll just have to keep reading ;) and indeed, Aria is going through a tough time, and you'll see that especially in this chapter. I advise grabbing the nearest box of tissues and holding it close to you... Thanks again for reviewing!

This chapter is kinda sad ;( at least, the beginning is. Toward the middle, it gets pretty humorous, so hopefully you'll appreciate that! So enjoy, and REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!


"I'll allow you 2 more minutes, then I have to send you back to class, okay?"

"Thank you, Madam Pomfrey," Aria said as she turned away from her ailing brother to smile up at the nurse. But as soon as Pomfrey walked away, Aria's smile dissipated. She turned back to Mike, knees on the floor as she knelt beside the bed, running her fingers through Mike's velvety brown hair, longing for him to shove her away in annoyance like he usually did. After a minute, she ran her fingers from his hair down to his pale face. His skin felt cold and papery; it was unlike the smooth, warm texture she was used to.

"You're so cold," she whispered sadly, as though he would respond. She knew he wouldn't, but Madam Pomfrey told her time and time again that talking to Mike would help him in the end. Aria still didn't see how, but she was willing to try anything.

"You know," she began again, "you're almost as cold as you were when you rode your bike in the rain that one time." She sat up a little as she continued. "I think you were 7, and for whatever reason Mom thought it would be a good idea to let you ride your bike around the neighborhood on your own... and it started pouring." Aria then found herself giggling. "You walked into the house, and your clothes just stuck to you everywhere and you were shivering and grumbling..."

But Aria stopped laughing once she realized she had no one to laugh with. How Madam Pomfrey didn't think she was crazy was beyond her.

Nevertheless, she kept talking. "The weird thing was, you went upstairs, and Mom asked me to go up to check on you... and when I got up there 2 seconds later you were completely dry..."

She remembered that day vividly, as though it had just happened. Mike had walked through the door with a sour look on his face as his clothing dripped with rainwater. Aria had been sitting at the kitchen table, sketching the embroidery of her mother's apron on a sheet of paper, when he walked in, and she had impulsively burst out laughing, which caused Mike to fall into a fit of pouting as he went up the stairs. Aria's mother had scolded Aria, sending her up to his room to apologize, but the minute Aria got up there and set eyes on him, there wasn't a single damp spot on him.

Aria started showing symptoms of being magic, even if she didn't know it at the time, by the time she was 10, but Mike started showing them a little earlier. It frustrated him, not knowing what was wrong with him, and it caused him to get bitter at times. He would talk back, he would throw things, and he would lounge around in his room, not wanting to be near anyone. Aria remembered one time he had lashed out and accidentally hurt their mother, and she had walked past his room later that evening to find him crying on his bed.

It was in that moment that Aria knew she would do anything to protect Mike, in the same way she would right now. But she couldn't do anything, and it was killing her.

A tear slid down Aria's cheek as she reached for Mike's ice cold hand that was resting by his side. "Please get better Mike," she whispered tearfully. "I need you here. Please wake up soon."

As she held onto his hand, a thought occurred to her. She had speculated that the "A" fangs might have something to do with what happened to Mike, and that maybe something similar that was happening to her had happened to him. Tentatively, she removed her hand from his as she started inching her hand his right robe pocket...

"Miss Montgomery?" Madam Pomfrey called in the background, startling Aria, who jumped up and spun around, hastily wiping her tears away in the process. "Yes?"

"Time is up," Pomfrey said gruffly, yet still apologetically. Aria could easily pinpoint the sympathy in her eyes. Great. Just what she needed.

Aria sighed as she stood up. "Alright, I'm going."

Madam Pomfrey then walked out of the room, and Aria quickly leaned down toward Mike again. "I'll get back to you," she whispered to his stone-cold face, his haunting hazel eyes glassy and wide open. "She's not doing any real favors for you, but I'll figure out what's really going on here. I'll bring you back."

With one final kiss on Mike's forehead, Aria made her way out of the Infirmary, eyes still glazed over with tears for her brother. She didn't know if she was emotionally stable enough to return to class. Everyone would just stare holes into her when she walked in. They would all know where she was at, and she didn't think she could take that.

I'll just go see Ezra, and then see how I feel afterward, she thought to herself, trying her hardest to calm herself down. She walked briskly down the corridor toward the classroom that he taught in.

She was about to walk into the doorway when she stopped short. Inside, echoing off the forever-ascending concrete walls, were not one, but two voices.

Aria froze, pressing herself against the wall outside of the doorway as she listened in.

"I wasn't aware that you wanted to see me, Minerva," Ezra spoke, apprehension clear in his voice. Aria's eyes widened. What did Professor McGonagall want to see Ezra for?

"Well, truthfully Ezra this wasn't on my agenda for today," McGonagall said tiredly. "But something has come to my attention, and I need your opinion on it."

Aria held her breath. Was she asking what she thought she was asking?

"I was going to ask Professor Binns on this one because he taught for such a long time, and is probably knowledgeable on the subject," McGonagall continued, her heels clicking against the pavement, and Aria could clearly imagine her walking precise circles around the front desk, and she knew Ezra well enough to know that he was probably doing everything he could not to pass out under McGonagall's falcon gaze. "But he finally left this post awhile ago, so I thought a fresh outlook would be better."

"Oh?" Ezra said, his voice cracking and nearly an octave above what it normally was.

The heels stopped clicking, and Aria pressed her ear up closer to the wall as she continued to listen in, her heart leaping up into her throat, throbbing against her vocal cords. Yet somehow, she still wasn't even remotely prepared for what McGonagall said next.

"What do you know about the Chamber of Secrets?"

There was an awkward silence, and Aria had to try her hardest to suppress her whiplash. She could almost hear Ezra blink in shock. "Sorry?"

"The Chamber of Secrets," McGonagall repeated. "Surely you've read about it in your studies?"

Ezra paused, but then cleared his throat. "Yes, I have. I have a pretty good recollection of the events that took place on the day that it..."

"Really, now?" McGonagall said sarcastically. "Well I assure you that I have an even better recollection considering that I was there for it!"

Aria could hear the sound of furniture shuffling, and would've bet 20 sickles that Ezra had nervously stepped back and rammed into a chair or the chalkboard; something painful. "I'm... I'm sorry, I didn't - "

"It's fine," McGonagall said breezily. "But what's not fine is..."

"Is what, Minerva?"

McGonagall took a deep breath, preparing for what she was about to say. This time, her voice was deeper, sharper even.

"I think it's been opened again."

"What?" Ezra exclaimed, and the sound of more chairs shuffling was heard; either he was coming out from behind his desk, or he was bumping into more things in shock. Aria guessed it was probably the latter. "How can you be sure?"

"Mike Montgomery still hasn't woken up yet," McGonagall said brusquely.

"But that's one student," Ezra said softly. "From what I remember - and I'm sure that you do as well..." he added quickly as to not defend McGonagall, who, Aria guessed, had some sort of scowl on her face right now. "But from what I remember reading, when the Chamber was opened, there were dozens of kids who were petrified, not just one."

Aria's eyes widened even more. Petrified? She was told that he was only paralyzed! And what was the Chamber of Secrets? What did that have to do with Mike?

"I had a suspicion the moment I saw him lying on the ground," McGonagall said sadly. "I knew it, but at the same time I wasn't sure. But..."

"But what?"

"My suspicions were confirmed today," she continued, her voice dropping to that same chilling octave that it had before. "Someone else has been hurt."

"In the same way?" Ezra squeaked. "Who?"

McGonagall swallowed loudly before proclaiming, "Scorpius Malfoy."

Aria's jaw dropped to the ground. Malfoy?

"Aria?" a voice called, and Aria whipped around to see Spencer coming toward her, displaying her Prefect badge on her robes proudly.

"Shhh!" Aria hissed, turning back toward the doorway, where McGonagall and Ezra were still chatting. But she didn't hear anymore voices. They had stopped talking.

"Are there students in the hallway?" McGonagall asked warily.

"Uh, I'll go check," Ezra started, but McGonagall stopped him.

"I've got this," she said, almost condescendingly. "Muffliato!"

There was a flash, and then an abnormal buzzing sound filled the vicinity. Aria tried to keep listening in, but she couldn't hear a thing the two were saying.

Dammit! she thought as she marched away in a huff, taking a confused Spencer by the arm as she stalked away, rounding the corner as she did so. Eventually the buzzing sound dissipated, so she turned to Spencer.

"What the hell was that all about?" Aria whispered frantically. "I was closing in on some valuable information!"

"Well how was I supposed to know that?!" Spencer asked defensively. "And wait... what valuable information?" At the end of the sentence, Spencer's eyes lit up and her eyebrows arched upward. Any type of clue was good enough for her.

"...I don't know," Aria admitted as she bit her lip thoughtfully. "Something about... the Chamber of Secrets? Know anything about it?"

"No..." Spencer said warily as she furrowed her brow, clearly ticked off that there was something out there that she didn't know about.

"Well, apparently it's being opened again, whatever that means," Aria explained. "And apparently it's supposed to explain for Mike and Scorpius being petrified."

"Wait, petrified?" Spencer exclaimed, forgetting the atmosphere that they were in, if only for a moment. "By what?"

"I don't know, I didn't get to fully listen in!"

"And wait, when did Scorpius get petrified?" Spencer asked, seemingly caught off guard. "When did this happen?"

"Apparently just now."

"On my shift?!" Spencer squeaked, before groaning loudly and smacking her hand against her forehead. "Seriously, Mona is going to kill me for this."

"First of all, if it weren't Malfoy, I'd be concerned about your concern for the wellbeing of your fellow students," Aria said dryly, trying to break some of the tension in the air that came with this horrifying new information. "Second of all, what's the worst Mona can do? Bite you?"

"Okay, whatever," Spencer retorted. "Did they say where they found Malfoy?"

Aria opened her mouth to respond, but before she could, the sound of a mob of people running amuck was heard just down the corridor.

"I think that should answer your question," she muttered as she walked ahead, with Spencer in tow.

As they continued walking, the sound of the voices got louder and louder until the source was finally in view. Spencer could see over the crowd of people where Emily and Hanna were, so she grabbed Aria by the wrist and led her over to them.

"Hey guys, what's going on?" Spencer whispered.

"See for yourself," Hanna said bluntly, extending her hand outward toward the scene of the crime. Aria and Spencer looked forward, and gasped.

Scorpius lay face up on the ground, his arm extended with his wand grasped tightly within his fingers, as though he was defending himself against something. There was a murmur among the students that the girls presumed only to be about Malfoy, until all four looked up to see the other topic of hurried conversation.

Written in thick, dark red blood higher up on the wall, was a message. A dark, horrible message:

The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the Heir, Beware.

"Back to class everyone!" Madam Pomfrey scolded. "It's being taken care of!"

Everyone started making their way back to class, but Spencer, Aria, Hanna, and Emily couldn't seem to peel their eyes away from the haunting message higher up on the bricks. Finally, Hanna tugged on all of their arms, nudging them toward the direction of their next classes, but Emily stopped.

"G-g-guys..."

They all whipped around, startled by her shaky tone. "Em, what's the matter?"

"Look!"

She pointed upward with a shaky index finger, and the girls' gazes followed in that direction. But when they saw what she was pointing to, they each felt their stomachs flip over on themselves.

Right under the message was drawn a big, fat "A". One that definitely was not there before.

"Girls! Why aren't you in class?"

All of the girls looked over to Professor McGonagall, who's horn-rimmed glasses were nearly falling down her nose, and mousy hair was in a tight, tight bun at the top of her head.

Emily gulped. "Professor, we were just distracted by the message - "

"As was everyone else, Miss Fields," McGonagall pointed out, "but they all managed to return to class. Why can't you four?"

"Because no one else saw that giant 'A' that's there now!" Spencer blurted out.

McGonagall froze, a confused look on her face as she looked back up to the wall. The girls stared at her apprehensively, wondering what was going through her mind. When she turned back to them, she said the last thing they expected her to say:

"What giant 'A'?"


Side Note: Oh Professor McGonagall. I love that bitch more than I love some of the actual people in my life. And could Mike have something to do with the fangs? While we're at it, could SCORPIUS? And the girls all saw an 'A', but no one else did. What could that mean? It's all up in the air at this point. Sound off in the reviews!