Hello once more everyone, welcome back. My apologies for not posting an update, but life has been life-ing.

I don't really want to get into semantics. Everyone has looked at the world's political stage right now, so… Instead of focusing on what is happening that we don't like, let's take a look at what I have been up to.

First off, my next appointment to go over everything for surgery is in a few weeks. I've already had several so far, this next one should be finalizing my team, if not going over extra information and what to do in certain… situations.
Next, I've switched tracks and dropped from college. Due to personal issues, I was not able to continue, but I have been getting more help and I finally have better medication for my mental health issues. Hopefully, I will resume classes in the Fall, changing my major to focus on Law, with a second focus on medical practice. I want to make sure that I can fight for myself, and everyone else like me. Which is why I'll be working on fighting new legislation and giving my minute of allotted time to lawmakers in each and every case that I can.
The world was made to be wide enough for everyone. We cannot let selfish ideals take up the space that we are meant to inhabit.
With that said, let's get into the next chapter.

—0—

Albus Dumbledore gave a warm smile as each of his compatriots filed into the room. Minerva was first- as the deputy headmistress- followed by the rest of the heads of house. Severus, Pomona, and Filius. After them came the required course professors. Lockhart for Defense Against the Dark Arts, Binns for History, and Sinistra for Astronomy, with her silver corded robes that gave her distinction as the Arithmancy professor. They were further followed by the elective course professors. Babbling for runes, Trelawney for Divination, Professor Kettleburn for Care of Magical Creatures, and Charity Burbage- the professor of mugge studies.

After they had all filed in and taken their sets, Albus began.

"Welcome everyone, to the professors conference of this autumn, nineteen ninety two. We have a lot to discuss today, starting with our NEWT students! Minerva, if you would start us off?"

Professor McGonnagal nodded and procured a leather folder, opening it and pulling out a series of papers. "I have several students this year who show great promise in their pursuits of the art of transfiguration. I would recommend these three to try the examination before the transfiguration guild. They are quite talented."

Albus's eyes twinkled as he accepted the papers, looking over each one, before nodding and taping them all back into order. "Perfection as always Minerva. You do our school justice. I will send word to some of my colleagues about possible apprenticeships. Next, Severus?"

"Despite their… brashness, I have two Gryffindors with quite the eye for brews. I expect them to achieve outstanding scores on their NEWTs, in fact, they have begun working on two extra credit brews for me, including a single dose of Felix Felicis."

Minerva's chest puffed up a bit in pride as Albus gave a short bit of applause. "Wonderful. Wonderful. I do hope you push them to gain membership inn the brewers guild."

"Of course, headmaster. They are the first promising NEWT students I have had in quite some time."

Albus nodded, drawing a lemon drop from his robes, he unwrapped the sweet and turned to the next professor. "Pomona, your students?"

"No lookers this year, I am afraid, though that may not be the case next year. For that, you'll just have to wait and see."

Albus nodded and turned to Flitwick. "As for you, Filius?"

The diminutive professor's mustache twitched as he spoke of two Ravenclaw students, each well-accomplished in their classes.

"They just require a bit more prodding. I am sure they will be incredible charmsmiths!"

"Wonderful! Now, that's all for our required NEWTs… how about our electives? Babbling? How go the classes for Runes?"

"No student shows promise when it comes to my class. Beyond the norm that is. You already know who I'm waiting for."

"Yes yes… I believe we may be able to set up a meeting between the two of you soon." Albus winked. "Now, how about Arithmancy?"

"Quite a few badgers have been doing quite well this year, Albus. I believe they have been gaining help from one of their underclassmen in that regard." Sinistra giggled. "Though I cannot fault them for it. Their work is properly done, and functional."

Albus nodded. "Well now, with that, why don't we move on to our set students? I myself have no concerns for our OWL takers this year, minus those in Defense?"

Gilderoy Lockhart flashed his brilliant smile. "The students have been progressing quite well Albus. I may have a few recommendations for the Dark Force Defense League!"

"I am pleased to hear that, Gilderoy. Now then, let us proceed to our lower years. Any new standout students? Severus, how is Miss Weasley fitting into Slytherin?"

The potions professor gave a jolt, before giving a nod and pursing his lips. "From what I have seen, she gets on quite well with others in the school. There were some worrisome moments at the start of the year, though Mr. Malfoy saw to it that she was not bothered afterward. I believe he has been working in tandem with the odd one. The Black?"

"Ah, yes! That would be Ronald. I assume you hadn't heard what went on with his family over the summer?" Minerva spoke, her eyes betraying her gratitude for the care of a Weasley in Slytherin.

"The prodigal son?" Snape's lip curled. "I must say, I am amazed at Molly Weasley's folly when it came to the situation. Though I will say no more, out of respect for the divided family."

Albus nodded. "Thank you, Severus. It is true, young Ronald has returned to Hogwarts and will be seen to as per the lines on lost children written in the school charter. It is up to im and his family to mend their broken relationship, though it seems that he and his blood siblings have a bond stronger than any other. Let us move on… Filius? You seem to have something upon the tip of your tongue. Don't let me hold you back now?"

"Yes, Albus. It is just regarding the second years. Three others besides young Ronald have drawn some of my concern."
"And those would be?"

"First of all, Mr Malfoy."

Severus raised his hand. "If I may, Draco has been having some issues as of late with his sleep schedule. From what I can glean as his head of the house, he is still shaken from his encounter within the forbidden forest last year."

Albus nodded. "I expect you have been scheduling visits with him, Severus?"

"He has been steadily recovering, though he did recently say something about daydreams and other worlds. I can only hope he will not shatter from such a dark encounter."

Dumbledore nodded, before turning back to Filius. "And the other two?"

"Miss Scortwit has been having some… issues as of late. She seems to have quite a few ups and downs in her emotions."

Albus nodded. "When I have seen her, she has been quite collected, though some instability is to be expected after her experiences last year."

Many of the professors hung their heads at the reminder of Quirrel. Albus continued. "From what her father has written me, she has been directed to practice delimancy, the art of organizing the mind. Her healers have seen to it to provide the necessary texts, though reliving old memories cannot be easy."

Filius nodded. "I see. I will do my best to provide aid when needed. Finally, there is Miss Granger."

"Oh? What of her behavior has seen you concerned, Filius?"

The professor sighed. "Last year, she was bright and filled with excitement. Those feelings seem twisted now. Marred by an odd behavior, as if she is better than the others. It is a dark outlook for a student, Albus."

The headmaster nodded. "Let us keep an eye on her. Are there any more notes before we-"

A frantic knock interrupted the headmaster, who calmly drew his wand and flicked it at the door.

"Enter."

Percival Weasley, the head boy of Hogwarts- despite his mistakes from the previous year- stood panting and pale, with a face covered in perspiration.

"Headmaster! Professors! Please, you must come quickly. There has been an incident in the corridor."

Dumbledore rose from his seat and strode to the door, giving a nod to Percy. He knew the boy did not come to the professors in paltry situations.

"Lead us there, young Percival."

It was not a long walk, since the meeting was held next to his office every year in one of the old classrooms. Though, when they arrived at the scene, there were already many students milling about.

Albus could see over most of them, spying what seemed to be a message that was written out on the wall. However, he could also see a shock of something brown hanging beneath. Hoping it was not a student, he waved his wand, setting off a noise like a firecracker, and causing the students to part.

There, hung from her stiff tail, was Ms. Norris. The cat of the poor groundskeeper, Argus Filch. Albus quickly broke into a run, waving his wand to get her down.

Though nothing seemed to work…

His eyes flicked up to the message and his heart filled with dread.

-THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED. ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE-

"Who has done this…" He heard Babbling whisper from behind him.

'Not who, it is more of how, my dear…'

At the moment, it was much too hard to think, with the students all whispering and Argus now shouting about punishment for his cat.

"Argus, she has been charmed up there by something that I will need some time to figure out. Let us clear the students please?"

"Like hell Albus! I already know who's done it! It's that bloody cripple it is! The one with the cocky rat!"

Albus held back the urge to curse the man for directing his anger upon a student, and an unfortunate one at that.

"I do not believe that said student would do such a thing. Now please, Argus. Return to your quarters. I will get Ms. Norris down, and bring her to the hospital wing."

The squib muttered a few curses beneath his breath, before relenting and walking down the hall. Albus gave a wince as he heard the sniffles begin halfway down the hallway.

'Poor Argus…'

"All of you, please stay together as you return to your common rooms. The professors and I will do our best to deduce what has happened. Minerva, if you would conjure me a muggle stepladder?"

"Of course Albus."

A swish of her wand, and the ladder he needed stood before him. Albus smiled and thanked the deputy headmistress, before slowly climbing the ladder and undoing the numerous sticking charms that had been cast upon the petrified feline.

"Whoever has done this has a sick sense of humor." Albus sighed. "If we had attempted to summon her any more than thrice, poor Ms. Norris would have lost her tail."

"She isn't dead, is she Albus?" Minerva whispered. He understood her concern. Ms. Norris was a good friend to the cat animagus.

"Not dead, simply petrified. I believe Poppy has some potions in stock… Though I wonder if it would be wise to fix this ailment now, or wait until we solve this mystery…"

"Surely we should cure Ms. Norris of this petrifiction?" Severus drawled.

"I am afraid that may provoke whoever did this further. It was evidently done with malicious intent." Albus sighed. "If we were to fix Ms. Norris, who knows what might happen? Would this heir become more brash and seek to kill her? Or worse still, would they begin to take out their ire by pursuing our muggleborn students? We must take everything into account in this situation, especially as it has threatened not only our students, but some amongst our fine panel of educators."

Deverus gave a bow. "I understand headmaster. I am here should you require my assistance."

"In such a case Severus, I believe I will require your aid. Ms. Norris bears no signs of practical magic, so it may have been a potion that has done this… Of course there is always the myth… Kettleburn my fine fellow, how many creatures could petrify another?"

The man gave a hum and pulled out a tobacco pipe. He froze as Minerva glared at him, and slowly put it away.

"Well… quite a few could petrify or paralyze with a bite. A cockatrice can petrify with its breath, though in that case, it turns its victim to stone… I know the legends, so a cockatrice would be the best bet if not for the stone predicament."

Albus nodded. "We will talk more of this. Minerva, Severus, Filius, Pomona. Increase the protections on each of the common rooms. I will think of anything else to help protect the students…"

"If I may headmaster." Gilderoy Lockhart flashed a smile. "I have an idea that would simply be perfect for such things."

"Oh?"

"Indeed. A self-defense course, co-taught by myself and any others who would enjoy helping. We can say it's a dueling club, and teach the students vital counter curses and charms that may help them stay safe."

Albus felt a twinkle in his eye. 'My Gilderoy, your house traits are showing!'

"What a wonderful idea! Severus, if you would aid him, you could teach some better defensive measures, and gain some extra experience for taking up the defense position in the future! And Filius, if you were to join, it could open the door to a full-time dueling team!"

Minerva stepped forward, clearing her throat. "While I am as excited as all of you at the prospects of Gilderoy's suggestion, should we not first attend to this situation?"

Albus looked up at the writing on the wall and nodded. "Indeed. Gilderoy, please visit my office later to talk more of this… dueling club. Heads of house, to your houses. Make sure that everyone is accounted for. Everyone else, check the corridors. I will clean the wall."

The professors all bowed, before drawing their wands and setting out to perform their duties.

—0—

Tom seethed as he sat upon the mudbloods bed.

How dare they mock him?

How dare they attempt to mock the noble line of Salazar Slytherin?

With a growl, Tom flicked the mudbloods wand at the window, causing the edges of the glass to turn cherry red and warp. His magic roiled as the remainder of the window collapsed under its own weight, reducing itself to a bubbling and hissing pile of slag.

A few more moments saw Tom reveling in how the floorboards slowly darkened under the heat as his own magic seeped through the wards of the castle.

'They seem… weak…'

It was abhorrent that the world had let such a thing happen. Hogwarts, the magnificent edifice of magic, was dying. Back when he was young, and had first discovered his ancestor's chamber…

It was thanks to the castle itself. It communed with him, strengthening his magic, curling under his own touch like a loyal crup. It was that feeling of belonging that called to him. That feeling which pushed him to seek out eternal life. He studied the forbidden works of Herpo the Foul, the artistic wording of the Grindelwald movement, when he was but a boy… It was there he found the ritual, but it was wrong…

When he returned to the castle as a young man, it no longer spoke to him. It no longer wrapped around his shoulders like a gentle embrace. Albus had offered the position, but… he was much too heartbroken to remain.

Hogwarts was his first love, and to this day, his only love…

Tom let out a wistful sigh and flicked the glass focus in his hand, returning the glass to where it had once been, and giving it back its proper shape. The scorched floorboards slowly mended, bright color seeping back into the ashen spot at the foot of the wall.

Turning away from the spot, Tom shook his head. It would not do to think of such things. He had far too much to do now, like figuring out how someone had opened the chamber.

Though of course, he couldn't leave the room tonight. The professors would berate him for it and he did not need that sort of attention now.

'There is a quidditch match coming up… perhaps then…'

—0—

And with that, a new chapter comes to a close. Sorry for any mistakes. My grammar officer will most likely handle it.

I do have a project that I am hoping to reveal soon. I just need to finish the artwork and it will be all set. I haven't been able to make any new homebrew because of it, but I'll hopefully have something for the Sword of Gryffindor next time.

Until then,

Adios