AN: Hello everyone. Welcome back for another week. In case you haven't figured it out yet, I try to post these every Friday, and I've been pretty good about that schedule. So 'When next chapter?' Next Friday, probably. Beyond that, I apologize if you've been trying to look for me at Animazement, I had to cancel my trip last minute. I'll let you guys know of any other events that I try to go to, in case you want to track me down to try and convince me to add your favorite character to the harem. :P
"Finally." Luna said, looking at the two Ravenclaws who had just broken from their kiss.
"Oh, most definitely yes." Padma said, looking at Harry.
"Okay… why am I not in trouble? I was trying to pay you back for all of the teasing, now you're looking like you've been waiting for that." Harry asked, very confused.
"Harry, I've been wanting you to do that since last year. Hermione's been longer." Padma said, pointing to her bushy haired friend.
"Wait, what?" Harry asked, even more confused.
"Harry, half of the girls in the Sphinx Club have crushes on you. We've been trying to drop hints, but you're about as dense as lead." Padma said, swinging their interlocked hands back and forth.
"Who?" Harry asked, still bewildered by what was being told to him.
"Me!" Luna said, grabbing his other hand. "I haven't known you as long as the others, but I like you."
"I'm afraid me as well, Harry… I guess it started when you complimented my teeth on the train.. And then with the Troll and the studying and everything it just got deeper and deeper… Oh!" Hermione said, before grabbing his face in both hands and kissing him.
"Woo! Go Hermione!" Padma said, cheering on her friend.
"Oh NO!" a few voices throughout the Ravenclaw common room cried out. "Hermione was first? I could've sworn it was going to be Padma." one said.
"Mine was on Parvati, figured she'd be the braver one." a male third year (Third year male maybe?) Harry couldn't name called out.
"I think you'll find I was first actually!" Padma called out, excitedly.
"No, we were going on who would initiate their kiss first, we kind of didn't plan on Harry taking initiative." A fourth year girl called out.
"I did! Check the pool guys: Harry gets tired of teasing and kisses one of them." Penelope Clearwater called out.
"She's right… should have known." Cho Chang said, a third-year girl who had a long roll of parchment in her hand. "You'll have your galleons by the end of the week, we have to assemble all the keys."
"You guys were betting on us?" Padma asked.
"Yeah, Harry was the only person in the school who didn't know about how you guys felt about him, we were betting to see what would take him to get a clue." Penelope said.
"Well… that's embarrassing." Harry said, shrinking into himself.
"Oh well, now it's over. Let's go get something to eat, then we'll tell the others. They'll surely be excited!" Luna said, dragging Harry, and by extension Padma toward the door.
The situation in the Sphinx Club room was different as Padma and Hermione explained that they had finally revealed their interest in Harry to him.
"So… he kissed you first?" Daphne asked.
"Yeah… didn't expect it at all." Padma said, somewhat dreamily.
"Was it nice?" Tracey asked.
"Most definitely." Padma confirmed.
"Well poo, there goes my plan." Daphne said, as she got up and kissed Harry, shocking him. "Hi Harry, I like you too. I had other plans, but they ruined it."
"Are there any other girls who like me like that?" Harry asked, continuing to be confused as to what was happening in his life. A couple hours ago he was convinced that all his friends hated him, now four of them had expressed some deeper feelings for him that he could barely process.
"Me." Susan raised her hand.
"Oh. I didn't expect an answer." Harry said, sinking into the couch in bewilderment. "What does this mean now?"
"Well, do you like us like that?" Daphne asked, looking to Harry.
"I don't know. I certainly care very strongly for all of you, but I hadn't even had friends before I met you guys last year, much less be interested in a girl like that. Now five of you are all interested in me? I have no idea what to do." Harry said. He felt bad for the girls. Even if he did return their feelings, he'd have no way of knowing what those feelings even were. He did care about them very deeply, and wanted to see them happy. He also did think those kisses were nice, and would rather like to have more of them.
"Well, here's something we can do. Are you opposed to us being more affectionate?" Daphne asked.
"What do you mean?" Harry asked, confused.
"Holding your hand when we walk together, more hugs, occasional kisses. Maybe trying to find some alone time together." Daphne listed.
"That sounds nice." Harry said, and he meant it, he'd always enjoyed Hermione's hugs, and Padma had been holding his hand more and more this year. Looking back, he could now realize that all four of the girls had been more openly affectionate this year than the year prior.
"Then how about we do that while you get used to the idea." Daphne suggested.
"Aren't I supposed to only have one girlfriend though? That's how it works in the movies." Harry said.
"Normally yes, but you're a special case in that you'll have to marry multiple girls anyway. Might as well start by 'dating' multiple girls to get used to the idea." Daphne said.
"I guess that's fine." Harry said, as Padma and Hermione leaned into his sides, taking each of his hands in theirs. "In other news, we made a bit of a breakthrough on the petrifications."
"Oh, do tell." Daphne said.
"We think the monster is some kind of snake, or snake-like creature. Since I can talk to snakes, and Luna can vaguely understand them, the fact that only the two of us could make out the noise from Halloween seems to point towards that." Harry said, using his still-taken hand to gesture to Luna.
"That makes sense I guess, how would a snake do the writing we saw though? Even if it was smart enough to do that, a defining feature of snakes is their lack of hands." Daphne said.
"I think I might know that one." Susan said, a dark look on her face.
"Go on?" Harry said, looking at his.. Girlfriend? He honestly wasn't sure.
"I think I did it. When I unpacked my stuff when we got here I found a diary in with my things. I thought maybe Auntie had gotten it for me and wanted it to be a surprise. I started writing in it and it started writing back. At first I thought it was just an enchanted journal to make it easier to talk about things, but then it started asking me to do things. I said no, but then I started sleeping really bad, and Hannah caught me sleepwalking a couple times. Remember when it was announced that something had killed the chickens Hogwarts keeps on campus?" Susan enquired.
"Yeah, apparently the kitchens were scrambling to find some replacement eggs because they needed so many." Hermione mentioned.
"I found feathers in my shoes that next morning. I don't remember anything that happened on Halloween, or what happened the day Colin was found. I don't know what took me so long to put everything together though… maybe I just didn't want to think I was doing it. I'm so sorry." Susan said, as she started breaking into tears. Harry was up in an instant and wrapping his arms around her.
"Shhh, shhh. It's okay. It wasn't you. It was that diary. Must be some kind of dark magic or something. Where would you have gotten it though?" Harry wondered, patting Susan on her back and holding her close.
"Malfoy!" Hannah exclaimed. "When he gave you the transfiguration book when we went shopping! He put it in your cauldron, maybe he slipped the book in with it?"
"Yeah, I remember that. Didn't your aunt check your things though?" Harry asked the crying girl in his arms.
"I told her about the book Malfoy gave me and she checked it over. She couldn't find anything weird about it though." Susan said, calming down a little bit.
"Well, it was a transfiguration book, maybe he transfigured it to be hard to find?" Padma asked.
"There was a page that kept sticking… maybe he used a sticking charm on it." Susan realized.
"Okay, well, where's the book now? Maybe we can give it to Dumbledore and he can destroy it." Harry asked.
"I threw it in the lake… I didn't want anything to do with it. I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking." Susan said, Harry simply held her and patted her on the head.
"It's okay. Maybe that's enough. Wonder why it made you kill the chickens though? Certainly whatever monster was let loose could do that if it was necessary." Harry wondered.
"Unless something about chickens could harm the monster! Padma, we need to go to the library now! I think I have an idea!" Hermione said, grabbing Padma and running off.
The pair returned some time later, Hermione waving a piece of parchment in the air. "I found Slytherin's monster!" She said, a look of pride on her face.
"Well, what is it?" Tracey asked.
"A Basilisk, a giant snake creature that kills anyone who makes eye contact with it. (It) Supposedly dies instantly if it hears a rooster's crow." Hermione said, showing everyone the parchment with the information copied from the book.
"But Ms. Norris and Colin aren't dead, just petrified." Daphne said, looking over the page.
"Yes, but remember what was on the floor where we found her? A bunch of water, she saw it's reflection. Same for Colin, he saw it through the viewfinder of his camera, those have mirrors too. There's no documentation on that ability, but there's precedent in some muggle stories." Hermione said.
"Yeah, Medusa could petrify her enemies through a reflection, that's how Perseus ended up beating her." Harry remembered.
"Exactly. So, now we have another question." Hermione said, her excitement waning.
"How on earth do we fight a basilisk?" Harry said.
"Yeah… with no roosters, odds aren't looking good. What'd the book say about them?" Daphne asked.
"Not much, they're incredibly rare creatures, brewing them has been banned forever, so most people who knew anything about them are long dead. There's the obvious kill on (sight instead of gaze?)gaze ability, and their scales are apparently even tougher than dragons. They also have an incredibly potent venom, stronger than any other substance known to wizard kind, there's no known antidote." Hermione said.
"So, we need to find a way to kill an unkillable snake monster." Harry said. "Well, what can we do to protect ourselves?"
"Travel in pairs at the very least, going off alone could get you killed if you come across it accidentally, at least in pairs someone could try to warn you." Padma said.
"Oh! I have a bunch of old compact mirrors that I used to use for make-up. We could keep one of those on us. That way if you see it you're just petrified, and not killed. While neither are great, I'd definitely rather be stiff than dead." Lavender said.
"That's a great idea. Now we should just tell Dumbledore." Hermione said.
"No!" Susan screamed out, causing everyone to look at her. "If we tell him, then we have to tell him about the diary. What if he says it's my fault and I get expelled and sent to Azkaban?"
"Susan's right… We can't risk that yet." Hannah said.
"What's Azkaban?" Harry asked.
"It's our maximum security prison for wizards. No one has ever escaped, and it's guarded by these terrible creatures called Dementors." Daphne said, before looking everyone over. "Well, we'll pair up by houses. Always travel with your housemates unless you're in your own common rooms. Harry, Luna, try and keep an ear out for if you hear it anywhere. If you do, let everyone know."
"Right." Harry and Luna said in unison, causing Luna to giggle.
"Okay, for now, we should actually study. We'll need to know new spells now more than ever." Hermione said, pulling out her textbook. Everyone followed for an intense Sphinx Club study session.
The Christmas holidays went by with the Tonks' being very upset with Dumbledore that they weren't allowed to spend their first Christmas together, although Harry managed to calm them down and say that they'll make up for lost time this summer. Harry and the other Sphinx Club members managed to stay at the top of their classes, with Luna continuing to completely outperform her yearmates. Ginny and Astoria had officially declined in joining the club, Ginny saying that it would interfere with her desire to play Quidditch next year, and Astoria saying that she didn't want to be ostracized by her yearmates for associating with Harry Potter, who was deemed 'The biggest thorn in Slytherin's side." Daphne laughed at that, knowing that Harry would certainly be the person who got the last laugh on them in the end.
Harry was sitting in the Sphinx Club room when Professor Flitwick found him. "Harry dear boy, I have something I'd like to speak with you about." The short professor said, a smile clear on his face.
"What is it professor?" Harry asked, curious.
"You've been performing very well in your dueling lessons, and I believe we now have an opportunity to put them to the test. There is a tournament in Dublin next month and you are in the age range for its Junior Division. I believe that you should go and represent Hogwarts. You would gain some valuable experience that no amount of my tutelage could replace, and maybe find others who share your dueling passion. I made many lifelong friends at these events." Flitwick said, a smile on his face.
"I'd love to professor, but the school is on lockdown isn't it? No one is allowed to leave because of the attacks." Harry said, disappointed. The tournament had sounded like exactly what he needed, since no matter how much he practiced he still felt something was missing.
"Well my boy, we'll simply need to speak with the Headmaster about that. If we can classify this as a school event, you could very well be allowed to go. I'd likely need to accompany you, but would have been doing so anyway as your coach. We can even inform your family so that they may come and watch." Flitwick said, excitement evident in his voice. There were three things that really got Flitwick excited: Dueling, Charms, and Music, and he was so incredibly excited that Harry had been proving to be exceptional in all three.
"Well, we can ask. I'd feel bad about getting special treatment though." Harry said, looking down. For all his hard work, Harry still didn't like things going his way simply because of who he was.
"My dear boy, I would offer to train any student in dueling who asked, and they would be receiving the same invitation if I felt they were prepared for it. This is not because you are Harry Potter, this is because you are Harry, one of my start students, and an excellent duelist in training. Now, I will be going to see the Headmaster, and see if we can be allowed to do this. I wanted to approach you with this first so I could make sure it was something you were interested in. I would expect a summons from the Headmaster by the end of the week if he accepts." Flitwick said, making his move to the exit. "For now, I recommend you practice. Perhaps see if the other Sphinx Club members will assist. Ms. Patil and Ms. Granger are excellent in Charms, I'm sure they're capable of keeping you on your toes, even more so if they work together."
"They most certainly can." Harry said, chuckling slightly to himself. Invigorated, he readied the training dummy that the Sphinx Club had and set about practicing his repertoire of offensive spells.
That Friday, Harry had been called to the Headmaster's office and he was somewhat nervous. Harry had little direct experience with the man, only their brief interaction in the hospital wing the year before. He saw the man nearly every day, but he was someone who Harry knew little about. Entering the office, Harry thought it was decorated rather strangely, with dozens of portraits of sleeping people lining the walls. Several bookshelves were strewn about the room, they seemed as though they were organized in a strange way, with some books being placed in sideways, some backwards, and even one was being held up by a small stone. Various silver gizmos sat on Dumbledore's desk, and appeared to move in strange, but rhythmic ways. In a case on the far end of the room was an ornate silver sword, and next to it, on a familiar stool, was a ratty woven hat.
"We meet again Mr. Potter. Not up to any mischief I hope?" The Sorting Hat said, sitting on his stool.
"I try not to. I think I know why I'm here, and its not for any mischief making." Harry said, answering the Hat. Harry thought talking to an inanimate object was somewhat strange, but strange had been the new norm since he first came to Hogwarts, so he let it slide. The Hat could talk back after all.
"Oh, I'm merely pulling your leg, seeing as I have none of my own." The hat chuckled at his own joke before continuing. "Saw you looking at the portraits, would you like to know more?"
"Always!" Harry said with a smile.
"That's what makes you a Ravenclaw, though I stand by that you'd have done great elsewhere too." The Hat said, before continuing. "Every portrait you see here is of a Former Headmaster of the school, normally they stay asleep until that Headmaster dies, then they wake up and act as an advisory board for the current Headmaster. Normally none of these would be sleeping at the moment, given that Dumbledore's predecessor, Armando Dippet left us a few decades ago. Something seems to be bothering them though."
"Brilliant…" Harry said, looking at the many sleeping portraits. He saw the one labeled Armando Dippet, but failed to recognize any of the other names.
"The sword you saw earlier is one of the two remaining artifacts of the founders of Hogwarts, yours truly being the other. It is the Sword of Gryffindor, a powerful enchanted sword constructed by the goblins and then enchanted by Sir Godric Gryffindor himself. It's said that it becomes stronger with every enemy it fells." The Hat said, looking very pleased with itself.
"What happened to the other artifacts?" Harry asked.
"Rowena Ravenclaw's Diadem vanished shortly after her and her daughter's death. Slytherin's Locket vanished within the past two hundred years, and the same is true for Helga Hufflepuff's Cup. Each of them were powerful artifacts capable of great things. For example, if you were to wear Ravenclaw's Diadem, it would bestow you with enhanced cognition, allowing you to think more clearly than normal. It's said that the objects would appear before a Hogwarts student who was a true example of their house in their time of need. Perhaps you may find one someday Mr. Potter." The hat said.
A loud fwoomsh echoed throughout the room as a red bird appeared on a perch Harry hadn't noticed. The bird appeared almost eagle-like, but much thinner in the face, with a longer, straighter beak.
"Ah, Fawkes, our esteemed Headmaster is not intending on keeping this young boy waiting much longer I hope?" The hat asked, the bird trilled. "Fawkes here is a phoenix, a very rare magical bird. He's the familiar of our Headmaster."
"Wow, man, Luna would love to meet you." Harry said, looking to the phoenix.
"Yes, Ms. Lovegood would rather enjoy a chance to sit down and converse with the phoenix here. A special one she is. Destined for greatness I'd say, much like you, and the rest of that club of yours. Well done on that my boy, I haven't seen such inter-house cooperation in many years." The Hat said, as Dumbledore entered the room.
"Ah, young Harry. Having a delightful conversation with the sorting hat I hope?" Dumbedore asked, moving to his seat, before grabbing a sweet from his candy bowl. "Lemon drop?" he offered,
"No thank you sir, not a fan of sour candy." Harry said politely.
"Mores the pity then. Do you know why you are here Mr. Potter?" Dumbledore asked, his twinkling eyes focused on the young man in front of him.
"I believe I'm here to speak with you about the duling tournament in Dublin? About how Professor Flitwick wants me to compete." Harry said, hoping he was correct. He don't know what he'd do if he was in trouble.
"Quite right. Filius has been telling me how well your dueling lessons are coming along. I initially had some reservations about you having them. You have however, performed spectacularly and kept up with your schoolwork on top of it. I am very impressed. Now, in order for me to ascertain whether or not I will allow you and Professor Flitwick to go to this tournament, I must insure that you are not the individual who has been attacking students. I do not believe that you are, but for posterity I must determine this objectively. Do you understand?" Dumbledore asked, his face going serious.
"Yes sir." Harry said, tensing up.
"Good, let us start with the night of the first attack, Halloween. What were you doing that day?" Dumbledore asked.
"That morning I had woken up and gone about my normal routine, brushed my teeth and changed into my casual clothes since we didn't have classes that day. I went down to the Great Hall for breakfast, and Neville stopped me. He asked If I wanted to attend Sir Nicholas's 500th deathday party with him. I talked with Hermione and Padma and we said we would go. Luna also decided to join us. We left breakfast and went to the Sphinx Club room to study from 10 until 2, and then we left to meet Neville, Parvati, and Lavender at the bottom of the staircases. From there we went through the dungeons to where Nick was holding his party, we stayed for a few hours until they started their feast, when we were suggested to leave. As we were walking out, I heard a strange voice saying "kill" so I ran after it to make sure no one got hurt. From there we found Ms. Norris and the message. After that I spoke with the teachers about what happened and then went to bed." Harry said, breathing heavily once he finished.
"I see… you heard whatever this was?" Dumbledore asked, his twinkling eyes narrowing.
"Yes, I think. No one else could hear it, if we hadn't have come across Ms. Norris I think I would have just thought I was hearing things." Harry said, he didn't like lying to the Headmaster about no one else hearing it, but that was Luna's secret to tell, not his.
"I see, have you heard this voice any time after the first incident?" Dumbledore asked.
"Not that I can think of." Harry said. He briefly scanned his mind to see if he could recall another time. "No, not anytime after that."
"Not even on the night Justin and Sir Nicholas were attacked?" Dumbledore asks, somewhat forcefully.
"No, I think I was in the Ravenclaw common room the night Justin was attacked. Even if whatever it was was speaking it was probably drowned out by everyone else talking." Harry said.
"I see. Do you know anything about the attacks?" Dumbledore asked.
"Pretty much what everyone else does. The attacks occurred when they were more or less alone. Everyone was petrified. The messages on the walls talked about the Chamber of Secrets being opened, and that Enemies of the Heir of Slytherin should watch out. The club did some research into the Chamber of Secrets, which is supposedly a secret area of the school the Salazar Slytherin used to do some type of magic. Nothing on the Heir of Slytherin though, any information about his lineage seems spotty at best." Harry said. All of that had been true, just perhaps not the whole truth.
"I see, and do you have any personal thoughts on the matter?" Dumbledore asked.
"I think whatever is attacking students is some kind of snake monster, since I was able to hear it when no one else could. I can talk to snakes, so that seems to fit. Also Salazar Slytherin's symbol WAS a snake, and it had to come from somewhere. Doing some research gave us a list of snake monsters, though none of them petrify people. Horned Serpents and Basilisks seemed likely, but Horned Serpents haven't been in Europe for a long time, and Basilisks have been illegal to breed for a very long time." Harry said, hoping that Dumbledore would pick up his bread crumbs.
"I see. Well, I have no reason to suspect that you are involved in the attacks. I will allow you and Professor Flitwick to attend the tournament next month. Please do practice and give them a good showing from Hogwarts, we haven't had a dueling champion from our students in a great many years." Dumbledore said, his mouth turning into a smile. "You are dismissed Mr. Potter. Good luck."
"Thank you Professor." Harry said, before getting up and heading out of the room.
Harry ran to his room and wrote out a letter to Andy and Ted:
Dear Ted and Andy,
I've been invited to enter a dueling tournament in Dublin next month. Professor Flitwick and I will be going for me to compete in its Junior division. I would really like it if you two could find the time to come, Nym too if she can get the time off work. I'm sorry we didn't get to see each other over Christmas, and I hope we can use this as a time to catch up before I head home for the summer.
Can't wait to see you,
Harry Potter