FOR A FEW DAYS after the attack there seemed to be nothing else that anybody wanted to talk about other than Ms. Norris's predicament and the writing on the wall. It didn't help that Filch was a constant reminder of what happened.
"YOU!" the trio jumped as Filch came over to them, glaring disgustedly as he looked down at Freya. "You look suspiciously happy, and your hair is too red! DETENTION!"
"Well, you're talking too loudly, and your hair is too ugly! Should we fire you, for it?" Freya hissed back as Harry grabbed for her arm hastily and Will face-palmed himself before he rushed after them, tutting.
"You know he's in a mood because of Ms. Norris!" Will chastised as they hurried away from Filch who was now trying to detain a kid for laughing too happily, "Can't you try to control yourself?"
"I was in control, that's the fifth time this week he's tried to get me for something! The crazy man." Freya said with a shake of her head, looking away from glaring at Filch and then brightening up. "Hey, look Harry, it's-"
"H-hiya, Harry!"
"Hullo, Colina," said Harry automatically even as he startled as suddenly Colina was coming towards them.
She looked troubled for some reason as she smiled over at them, "B-bad about the cat, huh?"
"Are you a cat person?" Will asked politely.
"Uh, very much one!" Colina seemed to glance at Will almost gratefully as she looked to Freya then Harry, biting her lip. "Have they found out who did it yet?"
"Nah, but they will, but hopefully before than the culprit finished Filch off!" Freya said with a grin and then switched positions quickly when Colina paled, "I mean I hope nobody else gets hurt! Of course, nobody else will get hurt! Right, Harry?"
Freya shot him a look that he read instantly: Talk to her so she feels better.
"Yep, everything will sort out. I mean, Dumbledore's the headmaster, isn't he?" Colina nodded and he looked around hastily before saying, "Uh, how about you head to class now, Colina?"
"OH!' Colina's eyes widened as she realized she'd followed them to their next class. Turning around quickly she began to run, calling over her shoulder, "Biya, Harry!"
Other than the people like Colina who were scared by the situation and Filch who was beyond angry, there was Will who had also been affected by the accident. He was always the one to be reading but he seemed to be doing nothing else, even as Freya and Harry hassled him at mealtimes for reading at the table, and it wasn't until the following Wednesday that they found out what it was about.
"Hey Harry, why do you look as lousy as I feel?" asked Freya when she looked up to see Harry coming towards her table in the library, looking troubled.
Harry frowned, "Why do you feel lousy?"
"Because I'm doing Binn's stupid essay and I'm eight inches short," she huffed, looking down at her paper loathingly. "William's done four feet and seven inches, and his writing is girlishly tiny."
"Jealousy is an ugly color on you," Harry smirked before sitting down on the table heavily. "But to answer your question, Snape made me stay back to scrape tubeworms off the desks-"
"The lousy git."
"And just now, Justin Finch-Fletchley ran away at the sight of me."
"Oh Harry, it's because you're intimidatingly handsome with your knobby knees and unbrushed hair-" she paused when he saw he wasn't smiling and frowned. "-or it's just that Justin is an idiot, of course. I mean even after the pixies he still thinks Lockhart's all great…"
Her voice took a bitter edge at the end and when he looked at her questionly she waved in a 'don't mind me' way and he listened, looking around and asking instead, "Where's Will?"
"Right here." Will came emerging from the bookshelves looking harassed as he at last seemed ready to talk to Freya and Harry as he sat down on Freya's right, "All the copies of Hogwarts: A History have been checked out and there's a two-week waiting list. If only I didn't have to bring those Lockhart books, then I could have fit mine in…"
"Why do you want it?" Freya and Harry questioned together.
"The same way everyone else wants it, to look up the Chamber of Secrets." Will scowled down at the table, obviously annoyed as he rubbed the side of his head. "I swear I read about it maybe in passing when I looked through the book, but the information on the first classroom built in Hogwarts distracted me from it."
"Wow, because the first classroom in Hogwarts is so much more fascinating than something called the Chamber of Secrets," Freya smirked, rolling her eyes at Harry in a 'can you believe him' sort of way before her brows raised and she whipped her head over at Will. "William, I just remembered something urgent."
Will's eyes widened, "You know something about the Chambers?"
"No," Freya gestured down at her essay, "I remembered I need two more inches of this essay done. Let me read over your composition."
Will glared, "No."
"Harry, tell him to-"
"Freya."
"Oh, bloody hell-"
The bell rang.
Harry smiled to himself as they walked to History of Magic, his friends bickering the whole way there, but it dropped from his face when they got to the class. Professor Binns, their only ghost teacher, was the most boring person at their school. So, it was a nice change that day when Will raised his hand and asked, "Professor Binns, sir? May you tell us something about the Chamber of Secrets?"
What followed was the liveliest debate that they ever-and would ever-have in that class.
"I always knew that Salazar Slytherin was a total loon, but I never knew he was the one who started all this Pureblood nonsense," Freya said, sounding amazed as they walked out of Binns. She shook her head vigorously, "Honestly, that just makes me reassured about how I was put into Gryffindor.
Her tone had a note of relief that Harry thought was odd,but Will quickly nodded in agreement next to her, distracting him from the oddity. "For me, the hat was deciding on putting me in Ravenclaw but-"
"But it crushed my dreams and put you in Gryffindor," Freya finished somberly and laughed as Will nudged her, "My first-year dreams, of course. I got used to you, didn't I?"
Harry smiled slightly but licked his lips nervously as he thought about his own sorting with the hat, remembering how if he had let it, the hat would have put him in Slytherin…
"Hiya, Harry!"
"Hullo, Colina." said Harry, blinking away from his thoughts and looking around warily until he spotted her in the throng of students.
"Harry- Harry- a boy in my class was saying you were-" Harry watched as the small girl continued getting pushed back in the tide of larging students, seeing only her hand waving to him wildly as she called out, "Biya, Harry!"
"What would a boy in her class be saying about you?" Will wondered out loud as they made their way to a less crowded area of the school.
"Probably that I'm the Slytherin Heir," Harry replied disgruntled.
"People here will believe in anything," said Freya in disgust. They turned the corner of the hallway, "Hey. But do you think there really is a Chamber of Secrets?"
"I'm not entirely sure," replied Will, sounding a bit annoyed by the fact. "Dumbledore couldn't cure Ms. Norris though and he's Dumbledore, so it makes me think that whatever attacked Ms. Norris wasn't- well- human."
As he spoke, they turned another corner and found themselves in the scene of the crime. For a moment the trio was silent, staring at the words on the wall, still there even though the immobile cat was gone.
"It would probably be bad if somebody saw us here alone," Will acknowledged.
"Yeah," Harry agreed. "But, you know, nobody else is here to see us..."
"So, really, it's obvious what we should do." Freya agreed and as one they all dispersed to look around the area.
Harry got on his hands and knees to crawl around and was interested to find clues already, "Scorch marks! Here, and there!"
"And look at this," Will sounded highly surprised, "This is funny…"
Harry came over eagerly and his brows raised as he saw on the window next to the message on the wall a line of spiders exiting out the crack of the window, each going down a silver web of rope on the outside to leave.
"Huh, maybe it's a magical spider thing?" Harry wondered out loud. "Freya, is this a magical spider thing? Freya?"
Looking over their shoulders when she didn't answer, both Harry and Will furrowed their eyebrows at Freya who was standing well back from where they were at, her face steady as she was biting her lip hard, her eyes darting around as if she were prepared to run away at any moment.
"What's up?" asked Harry confused.
"I... don't...like...spiders." The words sounded as though they hurt to say out loud as she gripped the end of her ponytail tightly, twirling it around her fingers anxiously.
"I never knew that," Will said surprised as he looked at Freya interestedly. "You've used spiders in potions loads of times."
"I don't mind them when they're dead," Freya said tightly, looking anywhere but the window. "But I don't like...the way they, you know...move."
Will let out a huff of laughter and Harry shot him a frown as Freya glared.
"It's not funny! I should have you know that when I was three, Fred turned my teddy into a big ugly spider because I broke his new broomstick! It was awful…"
She broke off shuddering and Will seemed to be trying to force the grin off his face as he shook his head, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, but all your fierceness and then it's spiders that get to you…"
"That's not the only thing that scares me," Freya said, "sometimes, when I'm not prepared for it, I startle when I see your face."
Will opened his mouth with an angry retort but was interrupted by a snort on Harry's part and it seemed to make him come to the conclusion just not to say anything at all.
Though deeply amused, Harry decided to change the topic as he looked around, remembering something. "There was water on the floor when we arrived, wasn't there? Where did that come from?"
"It was about here," said Will, recovering himself to walk a few paces past Filch's chair and pointing as Freya eagerly followed him away from the spiders. Pointing, he continued, "Level with this door."
He reached for the brass doorknob but suddenly withdrew his hand as though burned, blushing a faint pink color.
"What's the matter?" questioned Harry.
"Can't go in." Will said gruffly, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. "That's the girl's toilet."
"Oh, whatever William, there won't be anybody in there," said Freya passing them both to go to the door, "That's Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. Come on, let's have a look, shall we?"
Ignoring the large OUT OF ORDER sign on the outside, she strode on in.
It was the gloomiest bathroom that Harry had ever seen, cracks in the tiles and the whole area just seemed grayer than what it should normally be, even as some light shone in. He was just thinking that at least it didn't smell when Freya whirled around at them, putting a finger to her lips, as she backed up and knocked on the last stall.
"Heya, Myrtle. Are you alive in there?" There was an indignant sniff and Freya winced. "For that one, I really am sorry, it just sort of came out."
Both Harry and Will shot exasperated looks her way as they went to stand beside her. When they looked in, they saw Myrtle floating above the tank of the toilet, picking a spot on her chin.
"This is a girl's bathroom," she said eyeing Will and Harry with deserving suspicion. "They're not girls."
"They might not be, but I can vouch for the fact that Harry's got a girly scream and William's got feminine handwriting."Both boys in question shot her unamused looks and she grinned over at them before looking back at Myrtle, "We wanted to check something out in here, Myrt."
"Should you be telling her that?" Will muttered.
Freya looked surprised, "Well, why else would we be in here? Because it's the best hangout spot in the school?
As Will muttered something that sounded like 'no, tact', Myrtle looked at Freya, frowning. "My name is Myrtle, not Myrt."
Freya raised her brows, "Ah, sorry It just came out. Do you mind if I call you, Myrt?"
"I get called everything from Moaning Myrtle to ugly to crybaby, a whole list of names." Myrtle said icily, "So, it doesn't really matter what I mind by this point, does it?"
"Well, of course it does." they all looked to Freya surprised but she was staring at Myrtle only, looking thoroughly perplexed, "That's why I'm asking."
Something flickered over the ghost's pale see-through features before she had on her usual disgruntled, watery eyed, expression. "I do not mind, Myrt."
Freya shot her a thumbs up before turning around and Harry, glancing back at Myrtle, whispered over to her, "Ask her if she saw anything."
"Why are you whispering?" Freya looked over her shoulder and winced as Myrtle's eyes were filling with tears again, "You're saying awful things about me, aren't you?"
"No!" Harry said hastily, "We're not, we just wanted to ask-"
"I may be dead, but I do have feelings you know!" Myrtle's lip trembled, "I still feel things!"
"No, we didn't mean to be rude." Will tried, "But we did want to ask-"
"Don't mean to be rude! What a good one!" Myrtle shook her head vigorously, "I had the most awful living life and people like you just want to come in and make my Afterlife-"
"BLOODY HELL," they all startled at Freya's outburst as she whirled on Moaning Myrtle from her position of checking over the sinks for a leak. "Listen Myrt, did you see anything the night of the attack or what? Because that cat got attacked outside of your bathroom."
Myrtle glared at her, "You interrupted me!"
"It's about time someone interrupted you!" Freya rolled her eyes, "Now did you see something the night of the attack or what?"
"I didn't because Peeves made me so upset that I came in here to kill myself!" Myrtle hissed as the boys both winced.
"You're already dead!" Freya exclaimed back wildly.
"I KNOW THAT!" Myrtle said just as and with a furious gaze over at Freya, her eyes filling up with angry tears, she disappeared down the toilet, splashing water out as the three of them hastily backed up.
Will and Harry stared open mouth, in shock about what just happened, and Freya waved their concerned expressions off. "That was pretty much the happiest Myrtle gets, so quit your looks. I on the other hand am sorely disappointed at how useless this has been. Let's go, guys."
They did and Harry had barley closed the door on Myrtle's gurgled mutterings and sobs when a loud voice startled them all.
"FREYA!"
Percy Weasley had stopped dead on the top set of stairs, his prefect badge gleaming, an expression of shock and confusion on his face as he gazed down at them.
"That's the girl's out of order bathroom and you had Harry and Will were in there and you're here at the scene of the crime again." he gasped, "Wh-what are you-"
"We were just having a look around," Freya shrugged after a moment of shared glances between the three of them, "Looking for clues and- and don't look at me like that!"
Percy had swelled in a manner that reminded him very much of Mrs. Weasley as he came striding down the stairs, a disbelievingly angry look on his face.
"Get- away- from- there-" Percy hissed, flapping his arms as he bustled them away from the door as though he didn't trust them to move themselves as he sighed, leaning on the wall when they'd gotten a great distant away from the spot, and he looked down at them angrily. "Do you even care how that looks? Being in that spot while everyone's at dinner?"
"Why shouldn't we be here?" Freya asked hotly, glaring up at her older brother. "We didn't lay a hand on that stupid cat-"
"That's what I've been telling people, but you know how people are! That's what I've told Colina Creevey as well, that small sweet looking girl that's so fond of all of you?" Harry blinked at the mention of her as Percy continued fiercely, "She was worrying to me, asking me if you could be expelled! Looked close to tears that little fangirl of yours did and you're just continuing affecting her like that-"
"Oh, lay off, Percy!" Freya hissed, her ears going red. "You don't care about Colina! You'rejust worried I'll ruin your chances of being Headboy-"
"Five points from Gryffindor," Percy snapped. A look of outraged surprise crossed Freya's face as she gaped up at him and Percy ignored it, fingering his Prefect badge terse. " I hope that teaches you a lesson! No more detective work, or I'll write to mum!"
"No need!" Freya exclaimed wildly as Percy turned away hastily, "Apparently, my motheris right here at Hogwarts with the way you've gottenso goodat telling me what to do!"
Percy ignored her, striding away quickly, the back of his neck just as red as his little sister's ears.
"Is there a reason that Percy saw you lot, turned an interesting shade of red, and hurried to the farthest corner away from you?" George asked that night as he and Fred went over to the three of them who were sitting doing their homework on one of the desks near the fire.
"Because he's a prat," Freya snarled angrily, her anger that had lasted for most of the day igniting like her wand as she tried blotting out the smudges she caused to get on her homework and her malfunctioning wand instead burned the page.
Her brothers shared an amused look and hurried away from her, going to their friend Lee Jordan as Freya slammed her textbook shut angrily, sitting back as she crossed her arms. It surprised him when Will followed suit, but for a different reason.
"Who could it be though?" he asked quietly, as if continuing a conversation they'd been having, "Who would want to frighten all the squibs and muggleborns out of the school?"
"Let me think, who do we know in this school who thinks muggle-borns are scum, happens to be in Slytherin, and would love to see Harry and us blamed for whatever trouble happens around here?" Freya asked in mock puzzlement. She squinted into the fire, mockingly deep in thought. "I...I'm getting the image of a blonde furred ferret in my mind and that seems mostly correct and yet-"
Harry laughed as Will gave a slight smile, though he looked troubled by what she was saying.
"You can't jump to conclusions," he said doubtfully.
"I don't know," said Harry as he crossed out one of his Charms worksheets answers after peeking to see Will had something different, "Didn't Malfoy seem suspiciously happy when he saw the writing and us being caught?"
"Yeah, yeah he did!" Freya said eagerly, pointing at Harry before frowning, her hand falling limply to rest on her knee as she cupped her chin on the palm of her hand, pouting. "But then that means he's sort of brilliant for coming up with that scheme, like insanely brilliant, and I don't want to give him that sort of compliment. Also, he's just not that brilliant."
"Yes, but doesn't he have loads of money? Think of Dobby, maybe he's sending servant house elves or the like to spy." Harry suggested, closing his books too as he warmed up to the idea. "I mean, his family is as pureblood and as evil as you can get."
"Malfoy, the Heir of Slytherin?" Will questioned, but this time he sounded slightly less doubtful.
"Yes! The whole line of Malfoy's I bet you anything if we look it up were all Slytherins. This could be something passed down from father to son!" Freya grinned, "Oh, if we could just catch Malfoy in the act my dad could finally get his wish to get Malfoy's dad for something!"
"I suppose it's possible," said Will cautiously, "If you really think about it…"
"But how do we prove it?" asked Harry darkly.
"Well, there is a way to prove it," Will started hesitantly as he cast a fervent look towards the corner of the room where Percy was before looking at them, "And it would be highly dangerous. I mean, we'd be breaking a thousand rules and-"
"If in a month or so, you feel like getting to the point, you will let us know, won't you?" Freya questioned dipping her head so she was looking up imploringly at Will in that mocking way of hers.
"All right," Will said regarding her coldly before shifting noticeably to look to Harry more as he continued, "What we'd need to do is get inside Malfoy's common room to talk to him without noticing…"
Will explained the Polyjuice Potion to the growing interest of both Freya and Harry and the plan soon seemed to be fool proof, except for one matter.
"To get to the restricted area for the book we need, we'd need a teacher's permission, but I don't know." Harry said thoughtfully, "No teacher would ever sign it off because the only reason we'd need the book is to make the spell, right?"
"Maybe," Will agreed, "but maybe if we act like we need it too check over a theory we could get away with it."
"No teachers that thick."
"No good teacher is that thick," Harry and Will glanced over at Freya, and she smiled crookedly as she clapped her hands together. "About time Lockhart becomes good for something, aint it?"
It was that night that Draco Malfoy got a letter from one of his father's many night owls. He'd been resting in the open wall corridor that he liked to be in so much that it was abandoned, leading to an old school building was the reason, and because the view made him feel both at peace and powerful, when the owl came swooping down.
"Hello, Orion," Draco said with a raise of his eyebrows, petting the bird's head quickly as he untied the letter. "Fly home safe, okay?"
The bird hooted softly before going off as Draco opened the envelope. For a moment, after he'd unfolded the letter, all he could do is stare.
Dear Draco,
Do not find yourself at any moment alone with any mud bloods or any of that sort of riffraff.
It's going to be a bad year for them, and you don't need to get involved with their problem, but if you do see it, close your eyes, son.
Mind that you burn this letter afterwards, you hear.