AN: Hey guys! Welcome back to another chapter. I don't have much to say, other than that if you are planning to be at Animazement 2022, you can try and find me there! I'll still have Chapter 21 posted on that Friday (It may be late since I can't schedule it to go live at a certain time.) On with the chapter!.
The last several weeks had not been going well for Harry. Immediately after they had found Ms. Norris and the writing about the Chamber of Secrets on the wall a large group of students led by Percy Weasley had showed up, and Harry was unlucky enough to have his hand stained red by examining the writing. Percy had immediately hauled Harry off to Minerval McGonagall, who had given him a light interrogation while Harry answered as best he could. Thankfully, with six people agreeing that they had both been with Harry the whole night, and that they had encountered the writing together, Harry was let off. That however hadn't stopped the student body as a whole from making their own conclusions, and now Harry is being called the "Heir of Slytherin".
Harry sat with his head in his hands in the Sphinx Club room, trying to think about who or what could have done that to Ms. Norris. Harry had no love for the cat at all, he didn't enjoy some creature being injured or… petrified, like she had been.
The rest of the club had not been idle in this time though, Hermione and Padma had gone full research mode, attempting to locate any information on the Chamber of Secrets and Salazar Slytherin that was available in any section of the library. Lavender and Parvati had taken it upon themselves to lead a "Harry's a good guy" publicity campaign on his behalf, and Tracey and Daphne were keeping their ear to the ground in the Slytherin common room to see if any information about the true Heir was around. They had quickly thought that Malfoy was a suspect, but Pansy had alleviated them of that notion quickly. She had been with Malfoy throughout the entirety of Halloween, and he hadn't gone anywhere near the dungeons since that morning, since he had Quidditch practice that day.
This left Harry with little else to do but train. He knew he couldn't push his exercises too much, his body was still technically malnourished, although significantly less so than before. Harry had instead been studying as many spells as he could get his hands on. Professor Flitwick was more than happy to assist, and gave instructions on four basic spells for Harry to practice, given that they were likely to be the most important spells in a duelist's toolkit. They were the disarming charm Expeilliarmus, the stunning charm Stupefy, and the summoning charm Accio, as well as the banishment charm, its counter.
Expelliarmus had been very easy for Harry, and he picked it up within only a few castings. It felt right to him, and the motion and incantation simply flowed from his body without thought or effort. A few times he even felt the spell rocketed from his wand before he had finished saying the words, although Harry wasn't as sure about that. The other three were proving to be trickier, although he had managed to successfully perform them once each, thrice for the banishment charm. Harry's couple experiences overpowering his knockback jinx had prepared him for it, and he understood why this was used instead. It was not only less taxing on his magic reserves, but also was easier to control the direction and speed of whatever he sent away.
Harry was attempting Accio again, trying to summon a pillow from the couch to his hand. With a point of his wand and the correct pronunciation, the pillow shot forth across the room and plowed itself directly into his face, knocking him down.
"Congratulations Harry! That was a very good summoning charm." Luna's chipper voice said from the other side of the pillow.
Harry looked towards the door and saw her there, walking towards him. "Well, I wasn't aiming for my face, but I guess I did manage to actually summon it."
"You'll get it in no time, you only just learned it existed last week, and they normally wait until fourth year to teach it." Luna said, giving him a pat on his shoulder.
"Yeah, that's what they all say." Harry said, playfully rolling his eyes before standing up.
"The others are still busy, they didn't want you to be alone, so they sent me." Luna said, pulling him over to the couch.
"It's still just so strange, why does everyone think I'm the heir of Slytherin? I'm not even IN Slytherin." Harry asked.
"Well, Slytherins are supposed to be cunning, maybe you're so cunning you managed to cunningly disguise yourself as a Ravenclaw?" Luna asked, putting her finger to her chin.
"Ha, guess I deserved that one. It's more or less what I told the sorting hat to NOT get put in Slytherin." Harry laughed half-heartedly.
"Oh! Yay! Score one for Luna." Luna said, shooting one of her dainty hands up into the air in victory.
"Yep, score one for Luna. How are classes going? You spend a lot of time with us, but I never manage to actually ask." Harry said, looking at his blonde friend.
"Oh, they're going fantastic. I've made it to the top of the year actually, thanks mostly to the time I spend with you guys. Even when you aren't directly tutoring me, you guys keep teaching me all kinds of things, making my classes much easier than I thought they would be." Luna said, smiling at Harry.
"Oh, I'm glad. Sorry I can't be more help though. I'm great on the practical side of magic, but pretty pants at the theory side. Hermione, Padma, Susan, and Daphne have to check over my work all the time when I turn in papers." Harry said, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment.
"Oh, you're plenty of help Harry. Your help with confidence in casting is great, plus you seem to be able to know exactly what I'm doing wrong to correct me." Luna said, keeping her smile on him.
"Oh, well thanks I guess." Harry said, giving a small smile as he flushed red.
"I see why all of the girls like you so much." Luna said simply.
"Oh not you too. Don't I get teased enough?" Harry asked defeated, as Luna simply laughed.
The early days of December saw three major events happen. Sadly, first was the petrification of one Colin Creevey, a Gryffindor first year who was friends with Ginny. Because of this, Hogwarts was put into lockdown, with no one allowed to leave the castle while they investigated who or what could be causing these incidents. The final major event was that Professor Lockhart decided to host a Dueling Club, in an attempt to teach students how to properly defend themselves from attackers.
Harry was torn on what to think about the Dueling club. On one hand, Harry truly enjoyed his dueling lessons, and his practice spars with Flitwick and a few of the older students had been some of the highlights of his time at Hogwarts. On the other hand, it was Lockhart running the class, a man who Harry was quite convinced had never actually successfully cast a spell in his life. At the urging of not only the Sphinx Club, but Professor Flitwick, Harry relented and went to the meeting.
"Greetings students, while I likely need no introduction, allow me to do it regardless. I am Professor Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin recipient and honorary member of the English Dueling Society, and welcome to the second year meeting of my new Dueling club. Here I intend to give those who are interested some extra lessons in how to properly defend themselves. Now, I believe we shall start with a demonstration. I will duel with our special guest, Head of Slytherin House, Severus Snape." Professor Lockhart said, waving his arms towards the dark presence that was the Potions professor.
The pair made their way to the large dueling platform that was set up in the center of the room, and took to the dueling stance, Lockhart making sure to properly describe it. Despite Harry's dislike of the men on the platform, Harry could find no faults with their stances. The pair began their duel, with Snape immediately casting the disarming charm that Harry had been working on. It worked to a resounding success, managing to knock Lockhart's wand from his hand, and send the older man into the wall with a solid thud. Harry for once, was glad that Professor Snape was present.
"Well done Professor Snape! A perfectly executed disarming charm. Now obviously I could have blocked it, but this is a great lesson in showing how to graciously accept defeat." Lockhart said, which caused a deeper scowl than normal to appear on Professor Snape's face. He did however, wordlessly accept Lockhart's bow, and then turn to the audience.
"Professor Lockhart and I have decided that the best way to start this class will be to pair up and have you take turns disarming each other. I will give a slower, more deliberate display of the spell, and you will do your best to copy it. We will both be going around the room and assisting with your technique. I will give out your pairs after my demonstration." Snape said in his normal monotone voice. Harry paid close attention to the Professor's demonstration, while he didn't like Snape as a person very much, he could not deny that the man was an exceptional wizard.
The pairings however had not been nice to Harry, with all of the Sphinx Club members being separated, and his partner being his arch-rival, Draco Malfoy.
"Ha, bet you hadn't even heard of the disarming charm before today Potter." Malfoy said, his words conveying the same 'better-than-thou' tone they always did.
"I've been practicing it for about a week. Professor Flitwick showed it to me." Harry said, keeping his tone neutral. Daphne had given him many tips on how to deal with Malfoy, but the foremost among them had been to never let him get under your skin.
"Ah, yes, the old Potter special treatment. Oh well, let's begin. I'll go first. Expelliarmus!" Draco said, pointing his wand towards Harry and thrusting forward. Harry's wand did not leave his grasp.
"I think you're thrusting too much. Try it slightly lighter." Harry said, unsure as to why exactly he was giving advice to his enemy, but feeling it necessary. "Expelliarmus." Harry encanted with a light push forward. Draco's wand shot out of his hand and into Harry's.
"Lucky shot Potter." Malfoy said, as Harry offered his wand back to him.
To Malfoy's credit, that was the last time he messed the spell up, and the pair traded disarming charms back and forth for the remainder of the time allotted.
"Wonderful! Marvelous! Magnificent!" Lockhart cried, his voice filling the room. "I've seen a lot of improvement in each of you! Now, to end our class, I believe we shall have two of you duel. Severus, how about each of us pick a student from our houses while we were here at Hogwarts?"
"I'm afraid I'm unfamiliar with what house you were in, but from my own Slytherin I'll choose Draco Malfoy." Snape said evenly.
"I was a Ravenclaw, so I'll choose Harry Potter." Lockhart said, gesturing to Harry.
'Wonderful' was the sarcastic thought that ran through Harry's mind. He'd have to duel his arch rival in front of the entirety of their year. Harry hoped that his training with Flitwick would give him the edge he needed, since he was unsure of how much experience Draco had. Draco's class performance and not knowing of the disarming charm boded well, but it was entirely possible that Lucius had instructed his son in some powerful magic.
"Scared Potter?" Malfoy asked as he made his way to the platform.
"Not overly, I suppose this can be a rescheduling of the duel we were supposed to have last year." Harry said, keeping his tone as even and pleasant as he could muster. Harry wasn't scared, although he was nervous. He however trusted Lockhart's desire to not have a student's death on his hands enough that he'd call the match before things got too bad.
Harry and Draco bowed to each other and took their positions on each end of the platform. With the sound firing from Lockhart's wand, the two started.
Harry fired a knockback jinx, before crouching forward and firing a tripping curse below it. Malfoy dodged to the side before firing back a disarming charm, but whiffed the casting by thrusting too much. Harry reclaimed and fired another knockback jinx, which Draco just barely stepped out of the way of.
"Serpensortia!" Draco called out, and Harry was briefly taken aback as a large snake shot forth from Malfoy's wand and toward him. Harry jumped back and fired a disarming charm at Draco, it connected, sending the blond boy's wand away from his grasp.
"Good show, I'll handle that." Lockhart said, as he caused the snake to rise up into the air. The snake, however, disliked it's new vertical movement and managed to wrench itself free of the spell. Now angered, it set it's eyes on the nearest target, Justin Finch-Fletchley and began to close the distance to strike.
"Stop!" cried out Harry, as the snake turned to look at him.
"Speaker?" the snake hissed, stopping swiftly.
"I guess, can you not hurt him? He didn't put you in the air." Harry said, not noticing the many eyes in the room that were falling on him.
"I will not then. Please release me from this stone room." The snake said, before it was violently vanished by Snape.
"Harry, what was that?" Hermione's voice came from his right. Turning to look at her, Harry noticed an emotion he never wanted to see on anyone's face…. Fear.
"I asked it to stop. It was going to attack Justin because Lockhart made it mad." Harry said, now aware how everyone was looking at him. "Did I do something wrong?"
"Harry… normal wizards can't talk to snakes." Padma chimed in from beside Hermione.
"Ooh…" Harry said, feeling his stomach drop from under him.
Susan and Hannah were on either side of Justin, making sure he was okay, and everyone else was looking at him, mixtures of fear and anger on most of their faces.
Harry ran.
Harry ran up the moving staircase.
Harry ran past the Sphinx Club room.
Harry ran past the portrait entrance to the Ravenclaw house.
Harry ran past everyone in the common room.
Harry ran past the statue of Rowena Ravenclaw.
Harry stopped in his bed, pulling the covers over him, and shutting out all light in the world.
Then, Harry cried.
Harry wasn't sure how long he stayed under the covers. He heard his roommates come and go a few times, and he was vaguely aware that he probably should have attempted to go to class at least once, but he didn't care. His life was over.
Harry had thought that after he left the Dursleys that his troubles would be over, that his friends and family would never leave him. How stupid he was to think that. No, he was Harry Potter, the boy who lost his parents. The boy who no one could ever love. The boy who hurt everyone he interacted with. The freak, the misfit, the unwanted.
"Harry?" a voice came through. It was small, and timid. Afraid of him, just like everyone else.
"Go away." Harry said, his voice rough in his throat. How long had it been since he spoke? Since he drank anything?
"No, I don't think I will." The voice said, louder, more sure.
"Go away." Harry repeated, although he barely managed to get it out.
"We're worried about you, you know? Hermione's torn to pieces, and it's all Padma can do to try to hold her together." The voice said. It had to be Luna.
"Why do they care? They're scared of me, just like everyone is." Harry said.
"I'm not scared of you Harry. Neither are Hermione, Padma, Susan, Hannah, Daphne, Tracey, Lavender, Parvati, or Neville." Luna said, and Harry could feel her sit on his bed.
"You didn't see the looks on their faces… I did. I hadn't seen Hermione that scared since we found Fluffy last year." Harry said, sinking deeper into his covers.
"Oh, yes she was scared. But not of you. She was terrified for you. People already believed you were the Heir of Slytherin, and now you displayed that you have one of his signature abilities. He could also talk to snakes like you and I can." Luna said.
"Thanks for trying to make me feel better Luna, but you don't have to lie about being able to talk to snakes." Harry said, the effect making him feel worse.
"Oh, but I can talk to snakes, although they're a bit hard to understand. The one on the platform called you a sneaker. I don't know why though, you weren't very sneaky." Luna said quizzatively.
"It called me a speaker… wait… you really can talk to snakes?" Harry asked, shooting up. The light from the window blinding him for a moment as he readjusted to the world.
"I talk to all kinds of animals. Snakes are hard for me to understand though, like they're talking through water." Luna said, before holding her nose. "You're quite smelly Harry. Please go shower and then meet us in the common room. You're going to apologize to Hermione and Padma, then we're all going to go eat some food in the great hall." Luna said, grabbing his shirt with one hand and trying to throw him from the bed.
"I… I guess you're right. Thanks Luna." Harry said, getting up and moving over to his trunk.
"Of course I'm right. I'm Luna. Now, off you go stinky!" Luna said, before getting up and making her way down the stairs.
Harry showered and changed clothes, before gathering his courage and stepping down the stairs. Waiting at the bottom were Hermione, Padma, and Luna.
"Hey…" Harry started, trying to examine his friend's features. Hermione's eyes and nose were red, and her cheeks were puffy. Padma had a handful of tissues in her hand.
"H-hey…" Hermione squeaked out pitifully. She tried to look up at him, but could only make it half-way.
"I'm sor–" was all Harry got out before Hermione crushed him in a powerful hug.
"Don't ever do that again Harry! Oh I was so worried, you ran before I could work anything out and then I got here and you were in the boys dorms where we can't go up and didn't come back down and you missed classes and meals and your dormmates hadn't seen you and.." Hermione sputtered as she bawled into his chest holding him tighter.
"See, told you." Luna said.
"I'm sorry Hermione. I'm sorry to you too Padma. And thanks Luna. I was just, so scared. Everyone was looking at me like I was the monster that's been petrifying people." Harry said, as something clicked. "Wait a minute… I could hear something that night we found Ms. Norris, and the only other person was Luna, who couldn't make out what it was saying…. I can talk to snakes, and Luna can't quite figure out what they say…"
"So the monster that's been petrifying people is some kind of snake!" Padma finished looking shocked. "Of course it is! It's a monster made by Salazar Slytherin from his Chamber, of COURSE it's a snake, what else could it be?"
"That narrows down our search quite a bit. I don't imagine snake creatures that can petrify people is a long list. Maybe we'll find out what it is by the end of the year!" Hermione said, recomposing herself after the revelation. "We should make our way to the library right away!"
"Nope. Food first. Harry hasn't eaten in two days, and you didn't eat at all yesterday." Luna said. "After THAT you can go to the library, and I'll make sure Harry apologizes to all the girls for making them worry. Then you all will kiss and make up." Luna said, nodding confidently.
"Ooh, can mine be literal?" Padma asked, leaning in close to Harry and interlocking her fingers with his.
Harry flushed.
"Of course, I'm never not literal." Luna said, intertwining her fingers with his other hand.
Harry flushed deeper.
"You guys really need to stop with the teasing." Harry said, trying to build up his courage.
"Who says we're teasing Harry?" Padma asked, batting her eyelashes at him,
"You better stop." Harry said, reaching his breaking point.
"Or what Harry? What are you going to do?" Padma asked, quirking an eyebrow at him.
"This." Harry said, as he grabbed Padma's face and kissed her.
'Oh I'm SO dead for this… worth it though.' was Harry's thought as he let the kiss take hold.