The Chamber of Secrets

I don't own Harry Potter, Girl Meets World, or the MCU!

Thea hadn't found Harry or Ron anywhere on the Hogwarts Express, neither had Fred, George, Percy, or Ginny. There was no sign of the boys and Thea was getting worried. By the time they reached Hogsmeade Station, she was frantic.

She cornered Professor McGonagall in the entrance hall, filling her head of house in on the situation. Fred and George scanned the Great Hall, just in case they'd missed them. Professor McGonagall took charge, ordering them to join the other students while she spoke to Professor Dumbledore.

The sorting took place, Thea picking nervously at her fork while she searched the Gryffindor table for Ron's shock of red hair or Harry's messy black. Ginny was sorted into Gryffindor and raced to claim a seat next to her big sister.

"Any sign of them?" She whispered.

"No." Thea shook her head "Your Mum is gonna kill me."

Ginny took her hand and squeezed.

The feast began, but Thea barely touched her food, watching as McGonagall and Dumbledore whispered at the head table. She barely noticed Filch skulking through the door and hissing in Professor Snape's ear. It definitely drew her attention when he got up and swept out of the hall. It wasn't long before Filch was back, beckoning McGonagall and Dumbledore to follow him out too.

When they returned, Snape and Filch looked furious. Professor McGonagall had an odd look, halfway between pride and rage. Dumbledore looked as serene as ever, which calmed Thea marginally.

When the feast ended Professor McGonagall beckoned the Weasley siblings and Thea towards her "Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley are perfectly fine." She told them before they could start bombarding her with questions "They crashed a car into the Whomping Willow."

"THEY CRASHED A CAR?" Thea shrieked.

"A flying car. I don't suppose you'd know anything about that?" Suddenly none of them would meet their head of house's eyes "Right then. I've written to your parents and to Mr. Potter's guardians about the incident. Miss Weasley, your brothers can show you up to Gryffindor Tower. I believe in the absence of your mother's rage, an older sister's will do quite well. Miss Matthews if you'll follow me."

Percy quickly started shepherding Ginny and the twins out of the hall, Fred and George muttering under their breath.

"They stole Dad's car? And they didn't invite us?"

"I can't believe it. I didn't think Ron even knew how to drive the car?"

Professor McGonagall led Thea down to the dungeons where Professor Snape's office was "I leave them in your very capable hands, do try not to destroy Professor Snape's office. The password is 'wattlebird' when you're done."

"Thank you, Professor." Thea shoved the door open "What in Merlin's name were you thinking?"

Ron winced "We couldn't get onto the platform. We missed the train. We didn't know what else to do."

"So your solution was to take the flying car, the one your parents would need to come back to to drive home, and fly unlicensed to Hogwarts?" Thea threw her hands in the air "You didn't wait for a grown up, or send an owl, or pause to think that plan through for two seconds?"

Harry ducked his head, Thea made quite a few excellent points "We're sorry, we panicked."

Thea took a deep breath "Are you ever going to do anything like this again?"

"No." Ron and Harry had no wish to incur the wrath of Thea Matthews.

"Good." Thea quickly swept the two boys into a tight hug "I'm glad you're both safe, if this ever happens again, wait for a grown up and-oh my Morgana I've become my mother."

Ron shared a glance with his best mate, they might be in mountains of trouble, but at least they hadn't been expelled, and Thea's anger was quickly being replaced with relief.

"You missed the feast, did you eat?"

"McGonagall gave us some sandwiches." Harry nodded.

Thea sighed "Well, let's head upstairs, I'm sure your brothers want to have words with you too." Ron winced making Thea laugh "Just wait until your mother hears. Five galleons she sends you a howler."

Mrs. Weasley did indeed send a howler. It exploded over the Gryffindor table at breakfast, shouting so loud dust shook from the ceiling. Ron's face was scarlet and Harry looked like he was trying to crawl under the table.

Thea sipped her tea, unbothered as can be. Fred and George looked sympathetic at least, having received howlers of their own before. Percy sniffed superiorly and Ginny had buried her nose in a book to hide her own flushing face.

Thea scanned her schedule, they'd be starting the day off with DADA. That was sure to go well. Lockhart was at the staff table in baby blue robes, grinning and winking at students as they passed.

Disgusting.

His class was exactly as Thea expected, nothing more than a self tribute to their "professor." He started out with a test with the most ridiculous questions.

1. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's favorite color?

Thea rolled her eyes, she may despise the man, but she'd heard Mrs. Weasley gush about him enough that this test would be easy. As long as she made the answer flattering enough, she'd pass.

2. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's secret ambition?

3. What, in your opinion, is Gilderoy Lockhart's greatest achievement to date?

The questions did not get harder. Thea scribbled down her answers, trying very hard not to burst out laughing at some of the stupider ones. All the way to question 54.

54. When is Gilderoy Lockhart's birthday and what would his ideal gift be?

The year was going smoothly so far. Thea had yet to jinx Lockhart, though there were several close calls. Quidditch practices were starting up again, Wood and Angelina had dragged them all out of bed at the crack of dawn to talk strategy.

Their lecture lasted three hours in the locker room before they could even step foot on the pitch. Fred and George kept falling asleep against the wall as Oliver droned on and on. Katie was eyeing the bench, clearly debating if it would be worth it to lay down and shut her eyes for a spell. Harry was dozing, being held up by his broomstick. Thea had fully given up and was asleep on the floor, safely hidden behind the lockers.

"Okay, let's go put our new theories into practice!" Oliver finally finished his presentation, jolting the rest of the team awake.

Fred quickly kicked Thea's leg making her sit up an glare at him "I didn't wake you up."

The still yawning team trekked onto the pitch, where Harry spotted Ron and Hermione sitting in the stands.

"Aren't you finished yet?" Ron called through his stack of toast.

"Haven't even started." Harry grumbled "Wood's been teaching us new moves."

They weren't in the air more than five minutes before the team noticed the gaggle of green and silver gathered at the edge of the pitch.

Oliver led them to the ground as he shouted "Flint! This is our practice time! We got up specially! You can clear off now."

Marcus Flint, the Slytherin Captain sneered "Plenty of room for all of us, Wood."

"But I booked the pitch!" Oliver spat furiously "I booked it!"

"Ah, but I've got a specially signed note here from Professor Snape." Flint waved the scrap of parchment under their noses "I, Professor S. Snape, give the Slytherin team permission to practice today on the Quidditch pitch, owing to the need to train their new seeker."

Thea seized the paper to see for herself.

"You've got a new seeker?" Wood allowed himself to be distracted "Where?"

Draco Malfoy, with an air of smarmy superiority, strolled forward. The Slytherin team grinned broadly around him.

"Aren't you Lucius Malfoy's son?" Fred glared, looking as if he would like nothing better than to deck the second year.

"Funny you should mention Draco's father." Flint didn't bother to hide his smirk "Let me show you the generous gift he's made to the Slytherin team."

Seven sparkling new broomsticks were shoved in the Gryffindor's faces, each with fine gold lettering spelling out "Nimbus 2001" on the handles.

"Very latest model." Flint bragged as the opposing team's jaws dropped "Only came out last month, I believe it outstrips the old Two Thousand series by a considerable amount. As for the old Cleansweeps, sweeps the board with them."

Fred and George both had Cleansweep Fives. Thea had to grab them both by the backs of their robes to stop them leaping at Flint.

"Oh look, a pitch invasion." One of the Slytherins jeered.

Ron and Hermione had left the stands and were crossing the grass to see what the fuss was about.

"What's happening? Why aren't you flying? And why's he here?" Ron glared at Malfoy.

Malfoy's eyes narrowed "I'm the new Slytherin seeker, Weasley. Everyone's just been admiring the new brooms my Father's bought our team. Good, aren't they?" He waved his broom, watching Ron's eyes track it "But perhaps the Gryffindor team will be able to raise some gold and get new brooms too. You could raffle off those old Cleansweep Fives, I expect a museum would bid for them."

"At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in, they got in on pure talent!" Hermione was quick to jump to their defense.

"No one asked your opinion," Malfoy snarled "You filthy little mudblood."

Thea let go of Fred and George's robes and they both dove at Malfoy, only stopped by Flint blocking them. Katie and Angelina shrieked some seriously unladylike words. Oliver was physically holding Thea back from joining the fray.

But it was Ron who drew his wand "You'll pay for that, Malfoy!"

A loud bang echoed across the pitch and Ron flew backward, landing hard in the grass. His wand, which had been broken by the Whomping Willow, had backfired. Thea elbowed Oliver hard in the gut and he released her.

"Ron!" Hermione squealed "Ron! Are you all right?"

Thea helped him sit up and he opened his mouth to answer, but all that came out were several slimy slugs. Thea gagged, turning slightly green. The Slytherin team was paralyzed with laughter.

"We better get him to Hagrid's , it's nearest." Harry helped Thea pull Ron upright.

Thea quickly passed him to Hermione "I'll be there in a minute."

Not wishing to stick around for the wrath of Thea Matthews, Harry and Hermione hoisted Ron up and half carried, half dragged him in the direction of Hagrid's hut. Thea's thunderous gaze sobered the Slytherins up quickly. She stalked forward, looking more like a deadly cat than a girl.

"You." She seized the front of Malfoy's robes "Will never. Ever. Refer to Hermione, or anyone else as that. Am. I. Clear?"

"I suppose you mudbloods all stick together, don't you?" The only thing betraying Malfoy's fear was his already pale skin turning chalky.

"Thea, don't." Oliver warned "You'll get kicked off the team. He's not worth it."

Thea's dark eyes held Malfoy's pale ones for a long moment before she dropped him in a heap at her feet. Fred and George quickly moved to flank her, whether to restrain her or help her was anyone's guess.

"Take the pitch." Oliver spat, shoving his team towards the locker rooms "We'll practice another day."

The Slytherin's triumphant looks faded as they remembered exactly who their new seeker had insulted.

Revenge was sweet. In the weeks and months that followed, the Slytherin team found themselves on the receiving end of prank after prank. Adrian Pucey had dungbombs slipped into his book bags daily and now had an odor surrounding him so strong, no one wold get near him. Miles Bletchley kept getting beaned in the head by fanged frisbees from nowhere. Warrington had bulbadox powder dusting his skin at all times making him break out in boils. Flint kept hearing disembodied giggles around every corner and it was driving him mad. Derek and Bole, the beaters, had all of their robes splattered in garish patterns. Malfoy was getting all of that and more, currently his pale hair was dyed a fantastic shade of hot pink.

Halloween was fast approaching, which would normally mean it was time for the Weasley/Matthews/Jordan prank war. But they'd decided to focus all their energy on the Slytherins. Snape was furious, but the quartet was too good, or rather, Thea was too good. He couldn't find a shred of evidence against them.

The Halloween Feast was meant to be the crowning jewel of the year. The entire Slytherin table was on edge, poking at their food cautiously while the other houses dug in with gusto, safe in the knowledge that the Slytherins were the targets.

Thea loaded up her plate with mashed potatoes "This is the best idea we've ever had." She said loudly, allowing her voice to carry to the Slytherin table.

"Indeed, my dear Althea." George laughed wickedly "A truly brilliant plan."

"A stroke of genius, one might say." Fred agreed.

The Slytherins shuddered and scanned the hall, hoping to spot whatever horror lay in store for them.

"Have you seen Ginny?" Thea leaned down the table to ask Percy "I thought she was going to eat with us."

"No." Percy frowned, pushing his horn-rimmed glasses up his nose "She's been acting very oddly lately, have you noticed?"

"I think she's homesick." Thea sighed "I'll take her a plate if she doesn't turn up. What about Harry, Ron, or Hermione? I don't see them either."

The feast ended with no explosions, no transfigurations, no dungbombs or fanged frisbees. The Slytherins were twitching.

But as they trekked back up the stairs, everyone stopped.

"What's going on?" Thea wiggled between two sixth years "Why did we stop?"

"Enemies of the heir, beware! You'll be next mudbloods!" Draco Malfoy's voice echoed around the hall.

Thea closed her eyes "He never learns, does he?" She muttered.

"What's going on here?" Filch was coming up the corridor "What's going on?"

Thea was too far back to see what was happening, but whatever it was was making Filch splutter and shriek at ungodly volumes. Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, and Lockhart swept through the students. Thea took the opportunity to slip behind them and see what was going on.

Harry was being held by the front of his robes by the rabid caretaker while Ron and Hermione watched helplessly. His rage was clearly because of the stiff body of his cat, Mrs. Norris, hanging from the torch by her tail. Just above her, written in what looked like blood was

THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED.

ENEMIES OF THE HEIR BEWARE.

Thea was barely aware as she hurried forward, pushing Filch off of Harry and starting to fuss over them "Are you hurt? What happened?"

Dumbledore took charge, carefully lifting the cat down "Argus, come with me. You too, Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger."

"My office is nearest, Headmaster." Lockhart offered "Just upstairs."

"Thank you, Gilderoy." Thea made to follow them "Not you, Miss Matthews. The rest of you, back to your common rooms."

"Absolutely not." Thea planted her feet "They're not going anywhere without me."

"Now is not the time, Miss Matthews." Dumbledore was clearly not in the mood, he beckoned Percy forward "Mr. Weasley, if you will please escort Miss Matthews and the rest of the Gryffindors back upstairs. And no stragglers."

Percy stumbled forward, prefects badge shining on his chest "Right, sir! Gryffindors follow me please." He shoved Thea down the hall "They'll be fine." He whispered "Dumbledore won't let anything happen to them. It won't do any good for you to get in trouble fighting him."

"I swear if they are hurt in any way I will hold you personally responsible, Percival."

"That's not my name."

"I don't care."

Fortunately for Percy, Harry, Ron, and Hermione returned to the common room, shaken but unharmed. Thea was the only one left, tapping her foot impatiently as Percy had shepherded everyone else up to bed.

"What happened?" Thea demanded, pulling them all into a bone crushing hug "Holy Hecate, are you okay? You weren't at the feast"

"We're fine." Hermione struggled uselessly "We went to Nearly Headless Nick's Deathday party. We were just coming back to the common room when we stumbled across Mrs. Norris."

Thea released them "Uh-uh, sure. I buy the Deathday party, Nick wouldn't stop bragging that you were coming, but what really happened on your way back?"

"How do you always know?" Ron grumbled "It's weird."

"Because I know you. Now what happened?"

Harry glanced at Ron and Hermione nervously, they'd been very clear about not telling anyone he was hearing voices...But Thea wasn't anyone, she was Thea.

"I, uh, heard someone." Harry ignored the warning noises from his friends "They were talking about smelling blood, they were going to kill someone. So, I followed and the voice led us to Mrs. Norris. She's not dead though, Dumbledore said she's just petrified, Madam Pomfrey can fix her."

"Hold on." Thea held out her hands "This voice, what did it sound like?"

"Cold, just evil." Harry shivered, remembering the icicles that had slithered down his spine when he heard the voice "It said it was...hungry."

"Ron? Hermione?" Thea asked "Why do you look like that?"

Hermione was twisting her robes in her hand anxiously and Ron looked like he was contemplating taking a leap from the tower window.

"Well," Hermione hesitated "We didn't hear the voice. We didn't hear anything."

The silence was heavy as Thea considered them "Okay." She finally said "That doesn't necessarily mean anything bad."

"Doesn't it?" Harry asked "A mystery voice in the walls, that only I can hear, that wants to kill people?"

"Well, when you put it like that!"

"Am I going mad?" Harry was starting to panic "I know I heard it, it was there."

"I believe you." Thea grabbed him by the shoulders "You said the voice led you to Mrs. Norris, that's the opposite direction from the common room from the dungeons, you wouldn't have any reason to be there."

"You-you believe me?"

"Of course I believe you, Harry. We'll figure this out. What did Dumbledore say about it?"

The trio avoided eye contact.

"...You didn't tell him, did you?"

"Er, no." Ron toed at a hole in the rug "We didn't want anyone to think Harry had gone bonkers."

Thea collapsed in a cushy armchair and buried her face in her hands.

Despite Thea's urging, Harry did not tell Dumbledore about the voice. The entire school thought Harry was the Heir of Slytherin. Fortunately, they had the Slytherin v. Gryffindor quidditch match coming up and if that wasn't a sufficient distraction, Wood's nose to the grindstone training certainly was.

Oliver's pregame pep talk was not what Thea would call promising.

"The Slytherins have better brooms than us, no point denying it. But we've got better people on our brooms. We've trained harder than they have, we've been flying in all weathers-"

"Too true." George grumbled "I haven't been properly dry since August."

Thea nodded enthusiastically, remembering how Wood had made them practice in a storm that had blown her into the stands.

"-And we're going to make them rue the day they let that little bit of slime, Malfoy, buy his way onto the team! It'll be down to you, Harry, to show them that a seeker has to have something more than a rich father. Get to that Snitch before Malfoy or die trying, Harry, because we've got to win today, we've got to."

Thea swatted at the captain "Do not die." She ordered.

The match started badly. As they kicked off a bludger flew straight at Harry making him duck to avoid it.

"Close one, Harry!" George swung at the bludger, knocking it towards Adrian Pucey.

But the bludger changed direction midair and sped at Harry again. Harry dropped and George hit it again, towards Malfoy this time, but it looped back towards the Gryffindor Seeker. Harry dodged and rolled, trying to avoid the dangerous ball as Fred and George took turns trying to knock it off its course.

Around them, Slytherin was in the lead, 60 points to zero. Thea was fuming when Wood called for a time out. She'd had a chance to score but had taken a bludger to the face and her nose was bleeding freely.

"What's going on?" Wood had gathered them under the stands "We're being flattened. Fred, George, where were you when that bludger stopped Thea scoring?"

"I'm fine, thank you." Thea mumbled thickly through the blood.

"We were twenty feet above her, stopping the other bludger murdering Harry, Oliver." George growled "Someone's fixed it. It won't leave Harry alone. It hasn't gone for anyone else all game. The Slytherins must have done something to it."

"But the bludgers have been locked in Madam Hooch's office since our last practice, and there was nothing wrong with them then." Wood argued.

"Listen," Harry pushed in "with you two flying round me all the time the only way I'm going to catch the Snitch is if it flies up my sleeve. Go back to the rest of the team and let me deal with the rogue one."

"Don't even think about it." Thea shook her head, sprinkling crimson drops everywhere "We'll ask for an inquiry, Madam Hooch will-"

"If we stop now we'll have to forfeit the match!" Harry shouted "And we're not losing to Slytherin just because of a mad bludger! Come on, Oliver, tell them to leave me alone!"

"This is all your fault, 'Get the snitch or die trying?' What a stupid thing to tell him." George mimicked Oliver's pep talk.

Madam Hooch joined them "Ready to resume play?"

Wood looked between Harry, wearing a mask of determination, Fred and George, who were both steaming, and Thea, who's eyes were promising an extraordinarily painful death should anything happen to Harry.

"All right. All right," Wood made his decision "Fred, George, you heard Harry. Leave him alone and let him deal with the bludger on his own."

"Are you insane?" Thea shouted.

"No, I'm captain, and if you want to keep playing, you'll stop arguing with me." Oliver chose death by Thea Matthews.

It was starting to rain, Thea was trying to keep one eye on Harry, who was spinning wildly around the pitch, and one eye on the quaffle. Angelina scored and passed the ball to Thea who ducked two chasers and the other bludger and scored again.

She grit her teeth, she could hear Malfoy cackling somewhere above her, presumably at Harry. In that moment, when Thea had taken her eyes off Harry, the bludger landed a hit and Harry screamed.

Thea whirled on her broom, ready to catch Harry if he'd been knocked off, but instead he was speeding at Malfoy, the bludger hot on his heels. Malfoy gave a girlish squeal and dove out of the way and Harry caught the snitch that had been hovering behind his ear. Harry rocketed towards the ground and landed in the mud.

Thea drew her wand "CONFRINGO!" She screamed.

The bludger exploded.

Proudly, Thea pocketed her wand and headed towards Harry. The rest of the team was already gathered around him and, unfortunately, so was Lockhart.

"Lie back, Harry, it's a simple charm I've used countless times." Lockhart was saying, rolling up his sleeves.

Harry appeared to be putting up a fight as he tried to sit up. Thea was fighting her way through the crowds of students that had flooded the pitch as Lockhart raised his wand. When she reached them, Harry's arm was limp and purple.

Thea knocked Lockhart aside and into the mud, dirtying his robes "Harry! Oh my Morgana."

"Perfectly normal reaction." Lockhart spouted nervously "The bones are no longer broken, that's the important thing."

Thea rounded on him "You didn't heal his bones, you removed them! You ignorant-! Stupid-! How did you become a teacher?!"

Lockhart looked like he was trying to get a word in, but Thea was in no mood as she screamed at him.

Ron shook his head "He had that coming. C'mon, let's get you up to the hospital wing, Harry. She'll be going off at him for hours."

It had taken Dumbledore himself casting a silencing charm on her to stop Thea's tirade. Lockhart looked significantly cowed and absolutely furious to have been unable to stop the 14 year old from verbally ripping him limb from limb.

Thea stormed into the hospital wing, still unable to make a sound and pulled Harry into a tight hug, absolutely refusing to let him go until Madam Pomfrey had assured her that his bones would be regrown by morning. When the nurse threw them out, Thea had regained her voice and had moved on to scolding Oliver.

More and more muggleborns were getting petrified. Colin Creevey, a first-year Gryffindor was found the night after the match. After the ill-fated dueling club, where Justin Finch-Fletchley was nearly attacked by a snake and Harry had discovered he could speak parseltongue, the poor Hufflepuff and Nearly Headless Nick were found petrified in a corridor. Ginny was in a constant state of panic and tears, Thea did her best to comfort her but the youngest Weasley only withdrew further into herself.

A few weeks before Christmas, Thea got a letter from her mother. She'd purposefully failed to mention the petrifications that were happening, not wanting to worry her family. The odds were that Dumbledore wouldn't volunteer that information if he didn't have to.

Dear Thea,

You know Dad, Auggie, and I would love to have you home for Christmas. Riley's in a bit of a mood this year though. She's going through some drama with Maya and Lucas. She might take it out on you. I think it might be easier if you come home for the Easter holidays instead, but that's your decision.

We got a letter from the school, did you really hex your Defense Against the Dark Arts? For removing your friend Harry's bones? I genuinely don't know what to say. Part of me wants to remind you not to hex your teachers, another part wants to tell you how proud I am of you, but most of me wants to ask what kind of school you're going to? (His BONES? How? Why? Is he okay?)

Auggie drew a picture of you hexing your teacher. How is it that you're on a separate continent and you still manage to be his favorite? We got the pictures you sent, you look beautiful, you're so grown up.

We love and miss you so much, my sweet girl. Merry Christmas!

Love,

Mom

Thea smiled, she'd included some moving photos in her last letter, borrowing the idea from Colin Creevey. There were several of her zooming around the Quidditch pitch, reading in the library or common room, laughing with Fred, George, and Lee, and one particularly intense game of wizards chess with Ron.

She wasn't sure exactly what was going on with the whole Riley, Maya, Lucas drama. Her Mom didn't tell her much in the interest of privacy, luckily her Dad had no such reservations. If she understood it correctly, Riley had a crush on Lucas, then Maya also had a crush on Lucas, at first Maya had stepped back for Riley, but once she figured out Maya had feelings for the Texan, Riley had stepped back. Now they were in a strange state of back and forth that was far too complicated for Thea to worry about.

Topanga had a point about waiting for the Easter break to visit, Riley had a habit of taking everything out on her sister. Thea had written to her a few times this year and she'd only gotten one response her sister clearly hadn't wanted to write. She would just have to settle for overcompensating with Christmas presents again.

Christmas dawned bright and early with a fresh dusting of frost covering the grounds. Thea was the only one in her dormitory who'd stayed at school for the break, most students fled home the second they could. So she gathered her pile of presents and met Fred and George in the common room.

Her Weasley sweater was light blue this year and as cozy as always, the twins had gotten her some new pranking supplies, Percy had found a large book that narrated some famous Quidditch matches, Ron as usual gave her several dozen chocolate frogs and sugar quills, and Ginny had given her a little red notebook with a locking charm on it. They headed down to the feast, chatting and laughing, even Ginny was less subdued than usual.

After lunch, Fred and George had dragged Percy and Ginny outside to have a snowball fight. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were acting more suspicious than usual, but Thea had decided she'd deal with that after Christmas. As it was, she found herself walking back to the common room alone.

As she reached the top of a moving staircase she felt a freezing gust of wind. The window had been left open overnight and was covered in a reflective sheen of ice. Stepping carefully so she didn't fall, Thea slid across the floor to close it. As she pulled the window shut, a pair of glowing yellow eyes reflected back at her in the frosted pane.

Thea had read the myth of Medusa before, the snake haired woman who could turn her victims to stone with a glance. This must be how they felt. It felt like every muscle in her body was frozen, she couldn't even blink. All she could do was stare up at the ceiling and wait.

Thea had been found by some unfortunate Hufflepuff fourth years and relocated to the Hospital wing, joining Colin Creevey and Justin Finch-Fletchley. She was fully aware, could hear everything, and see as long as it was in her fixed line of sight, but she couldn't communicate. As it turned out, when you are trapped in your own head, things get boring really fast.

Fred and George came to visit her every day, bringing her their notes from class and telling her the latest news. Harry and Ron tried to visit a least once a week, Hermione was a few beds down after an incident with polyjuice potion for weeks. Ginny turned up every evening to quietly sob at her sister's bedside. Even Oliver Wood turned up when the rest of the school got back and had a full breakdown over losing his chaser.

Percy stopped by regularly with her letters, if there was one thing to be thankful for, it was that her family seemed to be blissfully ignorant of what was happening to her. Not that she'd expected anything different, Dumbledore was not known for sending home newsletters.

Percy's Ravenclaw girlfriend and Hermione were petrified too and Madam Pomfrey halted all visitors, afraid that someone would try to finish the poor kids off. If Thea thought she was bored before, it was nothing compared to now. Waiting for the mandrake draft to be ready to reanimate them was torture.

Fortunately, the matron was a terrible gossip. Hagrid had been arrested and Dumbledore had been removed. Students were terrified while McGonagall struggled to keep the school running as normally as possible. Lockhart wasn't helping, telling everyone who would (or who didn't have a choice but to) listen how he was certain the monster was taken care of and there was nothing more to fear.

The year was almost over when Ron and Harry turned up in the middle of the day, convincing Madam Pomfrey to let them see Hermione and Thea.

"There's just no point talking to a petrified person." She grumbled.

If Thea could have screamed, she would.

Ron and Harry shuffled and mumbled around Hermione's bed for a few minutes before Harry gasped "Ron, this is it. This is the answer. The monster in the Chamber's a Basilisk, a giant serpent! That's why I've been hearing that voice all over the place, and nobody else has heard it. It's because I understand Parseltongue. It kills people by looking at them but no one's died because no one looked it directly in the eye."

"What do you mean?"

"Colin saw it through his camera. The Basilisk burned up all the film inside it, but Colin just got Petrified. Justin...Justin must've seen the Basilisk through Nearly Headless Nick! Nick got the full blast of it, but he couldn't die again. Thea was found by the window, she must've seen it's reflection. Same with Mrs. Norris, remember all that water on the floor? Hermione and that Ravenclaw Prefect were found with a mirror next to them. Hermione had just realised the monster was a Basilisk. I bet you anything she warned the first person she met to look round corners with a mirror first! And that girl pulled out her mirror...and..."

"But how's the Basilisk been getting around the place?" Ron asked "A dirty great snake, someone would have seen."

"Hermione's answered that too." Thea could hear the crinkling of parchment as Harry gestured wildly at the parchment in his hand "Pipes. Ron, it's been using the plumbing. I've been hearing that voice from inside the walls."

"The entrance to the Chamber of Secrets," Ron whispered hoarsely "What if it's a bathroom? What if it's in-?"

"Moaning Myrtle's bathroom?" The second years sat in silence for a moment before another realization struck Harry "This means I can't be the only parselmouth in the school. The Heir of Slytherin's one too. That's how they've been controlling the Basilisk."

"What're we gonna do?" Ron panicked.

"I don't know!" Harry was hyperventilating "I don't know!"

Ron got up and started pacing, his eyes landed on his older sister's motionless form "...What would Thea do?"

"She..." Harry took a deep breath "She'd tell us to breath."

"Yeah, yeah." Ron sucked in as much air as he could "Air is good. Oxygen and all that. Then what?"

"She'd say we need an adult." Harry laughed a little wildly "She'd say 'Two second years does not a wizard make.' But Dumbledore's gone, we'll have to go to McGonagall."

Thea could have cried, thank Magic they listened when she talked.

"Let's go to the staff room, she'll be there in ten minutes."

The boys raced out of the hospital wing and Thea felt the knot in her chest ease, McGonagall was a sane, competent adult, she would be able to help.

Clearly that didn't happen. Several hours later Madam Pomfrey administered the mandrake draft and Thea could finally move again. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were there, stone faced and sad, Ginny had been taken by the monster into the Chamber and was likely dead. Dumbledore arrived to bring them up to McGonagall's office, having returned as headmaster. Thea came along, not that she gave him much of a choice.

Ron and Harry had evidently not spoken to McGonagall at all, opting instead for Lockhart, and they'd all vanished into the Chamber as well. Thea filled the old wizard in on everything she'd heard will in her petrified state but before he could do anything the door to the office opened and there, covered in dust, slime, and blood were Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Lockhart.

Mrs. Weasley threw herself on her daughter and wailed and Mr. Weasley quickly joined the embrace. Thea staggered to her feet unsteadily, still having trouble with the whole moving thing and seized Harry and Ron tightly.

"You absolute idiots, what were you thinking?" She mumbled "You two are simultaneously the most brilliant and most insane people I've ever met. I'm going to murder the both of you as soon as I can feel my legs."

Thea disentangled herself to hg Ginny, letting Mrs. Weasley start fussing over the boys "You saved her! You saved her! How did you do it?"

"I think we'd all like to know that." McGonagall's voice was shaky

Ginny was crying freely, her face pressed into Thea's shoulder as Harry explained everything. The voice he had heard, how Hermione had figured out it was a Basilisk, the acromantula in the forest, and finding the Chamber.

McGonagall cut him off "So you found out where the entrance was, breaking a hundred school rules into pieces along the way, I might add, but how on Earth did you get out of there alive, Potter?"

Harry went on, telling them how Dumbledore's phoenix had found him and how he pulled a sword from the sorting hat to kill the Basilisk. Then he hesitated, glancing at the trembling first year still wrapped in her sister's arms.

"What interests me most," Dumbledore gently took control of the conversation "Is how Lord Voldemort managed to enchant Ginny, when my sources tell me he is currently in hiding in the forests of Albania."

Mrs. Weasley made a strangled noise "W-what's that? You-Know-Who enchant Ginny? But Ginny's not...Ginny hasn't been...Has she?"

"It was this diary." Harry pulled out a worn book with a hole burned through the middle "Riddle wrote it when he was sixteen."

"Brilliant. Of course, he was probably the most brilliant student Hogwarts has ever seen, present company excluded of course." Dumbledore twinkled at Thea.

"If you think flattery is gonna get you out of this you are very wrong."

Dumbledore winced "Yes, that seems to be becoming a trend."

Ginny was not expelled, though she seemed to have attached herself to Thea with a permanent sticking charm. Harry and Ron had earned themselves two hundred points apiece, winning Gryffindor the house cup for the second year in a row. Exams were cancelled and Lockhart was removed to St. Mungo's after a memory charm severely damaged his teaching ability, not that he had any to begin with.

Thea had a stack of letters from home, she'd never replied to the one she got at Christmas and of course Hogwarts hadn't notified them about the attacks. Ginny was dozing in front of the fire, resting against Thea's legs when she sat down to pen a letter.

Dear Mom, Dad, Riley, and Auggie,

So, don't freak out. I know I haven't written in a bit, but there's a totally reasonable, logical, not crazy explanation.

...

Okay, no there's not.

First, I'm fine. Second, I promise I'm not mad or anything and that's why I wasn't writing. Third, there might've been a giant snake set loose in the school that petrified me and a bunch of other students until the screaming baby plants were grown up enough to wake us up. I promise I'll tell you whatever you want to know this Summer, but for now the short version is I'm okay, so is everyone else, and the snake is dead so really there's no reason to worry at all.

Mom, you can't sue Hogwarts, I checked.

Dad, don't let Mom go crazy, again I'm fine!

Auggie, sweetie, I promise you won't have to go so long without a letter from me again. I love you guys so much.

Riley, I really hope we can talk. I had a lot (and I mean A LOT) of time to think this year and there's so much I want to say to you.

I love you all.

I know I wasn't able to come home for Easter, so maybe I can come home for a week or two over the Summer, instead of you coming here? I'll have Dumbledore set up a portkey (he owes me big time) just let me know when works best for you?

Love, hugs, and kisses,

Thea

"Mmh!" Ginny seemed to be having a nightmare.

"Gin, wake up." Thea nudged her shoulder gently "It's okay, you're safe, I'm right here."

The possession had left Ginny traumatized and more often than not, she awoke in tears, clutching at whichever sibling was nearest like a lifeline. Now she latched onto Thea like a baby koala, burying her face in Thea's robes. Thea put aside her quill and let her cry herself out. Madam Pomfrey had given her a referral to a mind healer and the school would be footing the bill, Thea had made sure of that.

Tomorrow they'd board the Hogwarts Express back to London and hopefully next year would have less killer snakes.

Hopefully.

Word count: 6766 words

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Love,
The Author