"What's my dad's boss's name doing as a chapter?" Cedric asked.
Harry, Ron and Hermione had always known that Hagrid had an unfortunate liking for large and monstrous creatures. During their first year at Hogwarts he had tried to raise a dragon in his little wooden house, and it would be a long time before they forgot the giant, three-headed dog he'd christened 'Fluffy'.
"I don't think you will ever really forget 'Fluffy'," Luna said. "Especially considering it's name."
And if, as a boy, Hagrid had heard that a monster was hidden somewhere in the castle, Harry was sure he'd have gone to any lengths for a glimpse of it.
"That's probably true," Hermione said.
He'd probably thought it was a shame that the monster had been cooped up so long, and thought it deserved the chance to stretch its many legs; Harry could just imagine the thirteen-year-old Hagrid trying to fit a lead and collar on it.
There was some sniggering at the image, but it was quickly snuffed out by the fact of what they were thinking Hagrid had done.
But he was equally certain that Hagrid would never have meant to kill anybody.
"I definitely am certain of that," Harry said.
Harry half-wished he hadn't found out how to work Riddle's diary.
"You'd probably be wishing to figure it out, though," Luna said.
Again and again Ron and Hermione made him recount what he'd seen, until he was heartily sick of telling them
"Sorry," Hermione said
"It's okay," Harry said. "I know you don't mean to do that."
and sick of the long, circular conversations that followed.
"Riddle might have got the wrong person," said Hermione. "Maybe it was some other monster that was attacking people ..."
"We already know that it's some other monster," Cedric said.
"How many monsters d'you think this place can hold?" Ron asked dully.
"Probably quite a few," Luna said.
"We always knew Hagrid had been expelled," said Harry miserably.
'It makes sense that he never wants to talk about it, now," Luna said.
"And the attacks must've stopped after Hagrid was kicked out. Otherwise, Riddle wouldn't have got his award."
"And that right there is probably why it's hard for us not to believe that it was Hagrid," Hermione said. "I mean, it probably doesn't occur to us that whoever did it might've decided not to open it again after Hagrid was expelled."
Ron tried a different tack.
"Riddle does sound like Percy – who asked him to grass on Hagrid, anyway?"
"The monster had killed someone, and they were threatening to close down the school," Harry said. "It makes sense that he would tell on him, as bad as that sounds. The only bad thing about it is that Hagrid wasn't the one who was guilty, Riddle just blamed him for it because he was hiding a monster, and didn't think to make sure that the monster being hidden was the one that had killed the girl."
"But the monster had killed someone, Ron," said Hermione.
"And Riddle was going to go back to some Muggle orphanage if they closed Hogwarts," said Harry. "I don't blame him for wanting to stay here ..."
"I wouldn't blame someone for something they didn't do, though." Harry added.
Ron bit his lip, then said tentatively, "You met Hagrid down Knockturn Alley, didn't you, Harry?"
"Is he trying to imply something?" Hermione said darkly.
"He was buying a Flesh-Eating Slug Repellent," said Harry quickly.
"Which most likely can only be gotten in Knockturn Alley," Cedric said.
The three of them fell silent. After a long pause, Hermione voiced the knottiest question of all in a hesitant voice: "Do you think we should go and ask Hagrid about it all?"
"I think that would be a good idea, but not at the moment," Cedric said. "Perhaps once it's sunk in, and you can do it without sounding as if you're accusing him."
"That'd be a cheerful visit," said Ron. "Hello, Hagrid, tell us, have you been setting anything mad and hairy loose in the castle lately?"
There was some laughter at that.
"Yeah, I don't think that would be the best idea," Hermione said.
In the end, they decided that they wouldn't say anything to Hagrid unless there was another attack, and as more and more days went by with no whisper from the disembodied voice, they became hopeful that they would never need to talk to him about why he had been expelled.
"Yeah, that would definitely make us happy," Harry said.
It was now nearly four months since Justin and Nearly Headless Nick had been Petrified,
"Meaning it's been the longest break, from the sounds of it," Hermione said. "There hasn't been an attack this part of the school year, from the sounds of it."
and nearly everybody seemed to think that the attacker, whoever it was, had retired for good.
"Or, at least, for now," Hermione said. And then she thought about what was said. "They don't seem to think it's Harry any more, do they? At least, that's the way it sounds like."
"It's possible," Cedric said. "Either that, or they've decided to 'forget' that they thought it was him in light of the lack of attacks."
Peeves had finally got bored of his 'Oh Potter, you rotter' song, Ernie Macmillan asked Harry quite politely to pass a bucket of leaping toadstools in Herbology one day, and in March several of the Mandrakes threw a loud and raucous party in Greenhouse Three. This made Professor Sprout very happy.
"I have the feeling that they're almost fully mature," Hermione said.
"The moment they start trying to move into each other's pots, we'll know they're fully mature," she told Harry. "Then we'll be able to revive those poor people in the hospital wing."
"Let's hope that its soon, then," Luna said.
The second-years were given something new to think about during their Easter holidays. The time had come to choose their subjects for the third year, a matter that Hermione, at least, took very seriously.
"You all should take it seriously," Cedric said. "The subjects you chose can effect what path in life you take, after all."
"You sound as if you've heard that speak quite a few times," Harry said.
"I have," he said. "My mother repeatedly told me that the summer after my first year, and sent letters through all last year, and did it again at Christmas, until it was drilled into my head."
"It could affect our whole future," she told Harry and Ron, as they pored over lists of new subjects, marking them with ticks.
"I just want to give up Potions," said Harry.
"You can't give up any of the core subjects until after you're O.W.L.s," Cedric said.
"We can't," said Ron gloomily. "We keep all our old subjects, or I'd've ditched Defence Against the Dark Arts."
"But that's very important!" said Hermione, shocked.
"My guess is that it's not that important with the way that Lockhart is teaching it," Harry said.
"Not the way Lockhart teaches it," said Ron.
"See," Harry pointed.
"I haven't learned anything from him except not to set pixies loose."
"That's not a good thing," Cedric said. "Though, I would love to see how Lockhart deals with that if that's all you wrote on an exam."
Neville Longbottom had been sent letters from all the witches and wizards in his family, all giving him different advice on what to choose.
"That probably doesn't help him all that much," Hermione commented.
Confused and worried, he sat reading the subject lists with his tongue poking out, asking people whether they thought Arithmancy sounded more difficult than Study of Ancient Runes. Dean Thomas, who, like Harry, had grown up with Muggles,
"That make it sound as if he's an orphan like you," Luna said.
ended up closing his eyes and jabbing his wand at the list, then picking the subjects it landed on. Hermione took nobody's advice but signed up for everything.
"Hermione, not only are you going to burn yourself out from the pressure of trying to take every class, but some of those classes are at the same time, so you're going to have to either skip a class, or be told that you can't take them all anyway," Cedric said. "Plus, I can't see why you would want to take Divination or Muggle Studies."
"Well, it would be interesting to see a wizard's point of view towards Muggle things," Hermione said.
"Um, honestly, I can say that you probably won't like it," Cedric said. "I'm sure that you'll see plenty of examples of how wizards treat and think about Muggles in the books. In fact, you've already seen it a bit."
Harry smiled grimly to himself at the thought of what Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia would say if he tried to discuss his career in wizardry with them. Not that he didn't get any guidance: Percy Weasley was eager to share his experience.
"For something like this, it would probably be a good thing to listen to him," Cedric said. "He was probably given the same advice by his older brothers, after all."
"Depends where you want to go, Harry," he said. "It's never too early to think about the future, so I'd recommend Divination."
"If you've got the skill for it, sure," Cedric said.
"People say Muggle Studies is a soft option, but I personally think wizards should have a thorough understanding of the non-magical community, particularly if they're thinking of working in close contact with them"
"Makes sense that he would say that, his father works in close contact with them, after all," Cedric said.
"– look at my father, he has to deal with Muggle business all the time. My brother Charlie was always more of an outdoor type, so he went for Care of Magical Creatures. Play to your strengths, Harry."
"That is good advice," Luna said. However, I get the feeling that Harry isn't really going to follow it all that well, since he most likely doesn't feel he is good at anything she added silently in her mind.
But the only thing Harry felt he was really good at was Quidditch.
And I've just been proven right thought Luna.
In the end, he chose the same new subjects as Ron, feeling that if he was rubbish at them, at least he'd have someone friendly to help him.
"While that's good, you would actually have a friend in any of the subjects, you chose, since Hermione has decided to take them all, plus, Ron's not going to take it seriously, like he should," Cedric said. "He'll have chosen the minimal amount of classes he has to chose, and would also have chosen those that are suppose to be the easier to pass with the least amount of work."
Gryffindor's next Quidditch match would be against Hufflepuff.
Cedric looked interested. If what he had been thinking about worked, he should be on the team this year – or, at least, that's what he was hoping.
Wood was insisting on team practices every night after dinner, so that Harry barely had time for anything but Quidditch and homework.
"That's got to be annoying," Hermione said. "I mean, what if you wanted to do something during that time."
However, the training sessions were getting better, or at least drier, and the evening before Saturday's match, he went up to his dormitory to drop off his broomstick, feeling Gryffindor's chances for the Quidditch Cup had never been better.
"I have the feeling that you're cheerful mood won't last long," Hermione said.
But his cheerful mood didn't last long. At the top of the stairs to the dormitory, he met Neville Longbottom, who was looking frantic.
"Harry – I don't know who did it. I just found –"
Watching Harry fearfully, Neville pushed open the door.
The contents of Harry's trunk had been thrown everywhere. His cloak lay ripped on the floor. The bedclothes had been pulled off his four-poster and the drawer had been pulled out of his bedside cabinet, the contents strewn over the mattress.
"Who would do such a thing?" Harry said.
"Is anything missing," Hermione said. "The way it's trashed up makes it sound as if someone took something."
Harry walked over to the bed, open-mouthed, treading on a few loose pages of Travels with Trolls.
As he and Neville pulled the blankets back onto his bed, Ron, Dean and Seamus came in. Dean swore loudly.
"What happened, Harry?"
"No idea," said Harry. But Ron was examining Harry's robes. All the pockets were hanging out.
"Someone's been looking for something," said Ron.
"I wonder what they were looking for," Luna said.
"Is there anything missing?"
Harry started to pick up all his things and throw them into his trunk. It was only as he threw the last of the Lockhart books back into it that he realised what wasn't there.
"Riddle's diary's gone,"
"What" Hermione said. "But, why? I mean, why take that? And why thrash up the room?"
"I think I know who did it," Luna said, remembering the previous chapter.
"Who?" Harry asked.
"The only person who would probably have knowledge about the diary; the only person who was terrified to see it and in your hands no less," Luna said.
"You mean Ginny," Harry said. Luna nodded.
"But then why now" Hermione asked. "Why not within the few days of finding out that Harry had it?"
"Because I probably carried it around with me," Harry said. "She was probably just waiting for an opportune time to take it, and finally found it."
he said in an undertone to Ron.
"What?"
Harry jerked his head towards the dormitory door and Ron followed him out. They hurried back down to the Gryffindor common room, which was half-empty, and joined Hermione, who was sitting alone, reading a book called Ancient Runes Made Easy.
Hermione looked aghast at the news.
"But – only a Gryffindor could have stolen – nobody else knows our password ..."
"Unless they were scouting out or did what you guys did," Cedric said.
"Exactly," said Harry.
"I'm probably wondering which Gryffindor would do it," Harry said.
They woke next day to brilliant sunshine and a light, refreshing breeze.
"Perfect Quidditch conditions!" said Wood enthusiastically at the Gryffindor table, loading the team's plates with scrambled eggs.
"Apparently, he want to make sure you all eat," Cedric said, laughing a bit.
"Harry, buck up there, you need a decent breakfast."
Harry had been staring down the packed Gryffindor table, wondering if the new owner of Riddle's diary was right in front of his eyes.
"If Ginny's there already, then yes," Hermione said.
Hermione had been urging him to report the robbery, but Harry didn't like the idea.
"Of course not," Harry said. "One, the diary doesn't belong to me; two, I'd have to explain why it's important to me, which would probably bring up the fact that I know why Hagrid was expelled; and three, well, knowing you, it's McGonagall who you want me to go to, and I don't trust her all that much." I doubt that I'll ever really trust her he thought to himself.
He'd have to tell a teacher all about the diary and how many people knew why Hagrid had been expelled fifty years ago? He didn't want to be the one who brought it all up again.
"I guess I can understand that," Hermione said.
As he left the Great Hall with Ron and Hermione to go and collect his Quidditch things, another, very serious worry was added to Harry's growing list. He had just set foot on the marble staircase when he heard it yet again: "Kill this time ... let me rip ... tear ..."
"Wait, it's now being heard again," Hermione said, her eyes widening. "Not only is the diary stolen, but now you're hearing the voice..."
Then, as if a light bulb went off in her head, she gasped, saying, "It's connected." The other three looked at her in shock, wondering what she was going on about.
"The diary and the chamber, their connected," Hermione said. "Think about it, the diary is found by you, there are no attacks, but the minute the diary has been stolen, the very next day, you hear the snake slinking around. And, when you were in the memory, the way Riddle was thinking about something before he went off and hid to wait until Hagrid had come. His thinking wasn't because he was trying to protect someone, like I was originally thinking. He was thinking about how to protect himself. Don't you see: he's the one who opened the chamber back then. And now...
"And now, Ginny, whose, for some reason, is listening to him, is the one whose doing it this time around," she added.
"I'll agree with the first part, but, since we know that it's a snake, how is Ginny controlling it. I mean, I know for a fact that she doesn't speak parseltongue – I've not only spent enough time with her to know that, but there's no way to hide that fact from the rest of the family, and they would've treated her differently if she could, not on purpose, of course, but enough that it would be noticeable," Luna said.
"Well, okay, there is that," Hermione said, before thinking of something else, "but, considering that the diary could pull Harry into it, it might be able to give her the ability to speak it herself or something like that."
"Okay, I'll give you that," Luna said. "So, there's a good chance that it's Ginny, with Riddle's help, doing this?"
"Seems that way," Hermione said. The guys in the room just kind of looked back and forth between the two girls before deciding not to get involved. At least, that's what they were planning until it was mentioned that it was Ginny who was doing this, with Riddle's help, of course.
"Wait, but, why would Ginny be doing this?" Harry said. "I mean, she doesn't strike me as the type to do it."
"Remember what we came up with when it seemed that only those who you were irritated with were being petrified, that it was either someone trying to frame you or a fan girl," Luna said. "Ginny is a fan girl, even though you haven't really scene it all that much – or, rather, you haven't noted it, other than what happened during the summer. She most likely saw that they irritated you, and wanted to do something about it, which is where Riddle and the diary come in."
He shouted aloud and Ron and Hermione both jumped away from him in alarm.
"The voice!" said Harry, looking over his shoulder. "I just heard it again – didn't you?"
Ron shook his head, wide-eyed. Hermione, however, clapped a hand to her forehead.
"I think I've figured out what type of monster it could be in the book. Now, if only I could do that in real life," Hermione said. She had quite a few clues, but the lack of knowing about magical snakes, and the fact that she didn't have anything to help change that other than Cedric and Luna, and they didn't know what it was either, didn't really help her all that much.
"Harry – I think I've just understood something! I've got to go to the library!"
And she sprinted away, up the stairs.
"What does she understand?"
"That you're hearing some kind of snake," Hermione said.
said Harry distractedly, still looking around, trying to tell where the voice had come from.
"Loads more than I do," said Ron, shaking his head.
There was some sniggering at that.
"It sounds very true," Cedric said.
"But why's she got to go to the library?"
"Most likely to triple check to make sure what I'm thinking is possible," Hermione said.
"Because that's what Hermione does," said Ron, shrugging. "When in doubt, go to the library."
"It's not a bad habit to have," Luna said.
Harry stood, irresolute, trying to catch the voice again, but people were now emerging from the Great Hall behind him, talking loudly, exiting through the front doors on their way to the Quidditch pitch.
"So, I probably wouldn't be able to hear it anyways," Harry said. "I should have Ron go after her."
"Doubt he would, though," Cedric said. "He's a Quidditch fan and hates the library; he wouldn't risk missing a match for being in a place he hates."
"True," Harry said. Yet, he couldn't help but have a bad feeling at the moment, as if something was going to happen, something that he wasn't going to be all right with.
"You'd better get moving," said Ron. "It's nearly eleven – the match."
Harry raced up to Gryffindor Tower, collected his Nimbus Two Thousand and joined the large crowd swarming across the grounds, but his mind was still in the castle, along with the bodiless voice, and as he pulled on his scarlet robes in the changing room, his only comfort was that everyone was now outside to watch the game.
"Not everyone," Harry said grimly. How could his book self not pick up that Hermione would probably still in the library – she struck him as the type to rather be there than at the match, and most likely only attended because she was his friend – he didn't know.
The teams walked onto the pitch to tumultuous applause. Oliver Wood took off for a warm-up flight around the goalposts, Madam Hooch released the balls. The Hufflepuffs, who played in canary yellow, were standing in a huddle, having a last-minute discussion of tactics.
Harry was just mounting his broom when Professor McGonagall came half-marching, half-running across the pitch, carrying an enormous purple megaphone.
"Oh, no," Cedric said.
Harry's heart dropped like a stone.
"This match has been cancelled," Professor McGonagall called through the megaphone, addressing the packed stadium. There were boos and shouts. Oliver Wood, looking devastated, landed and ran towards Professor McGonagall without getting off his broomstick.
"He's going to complain about the match being cancelled," Cedric said, shaking his head. It was easy to see that happening; the boy was way to into the game.
"But Professor!" he shouted. "We've got to play ... the Cup ... Gryffindor ..."
Professor McGonagall ignored him and continued to shout through her megaphone: "All students are to make their way back to the house common rooms, where their Heads of Houses will give them further information. As quickly as you can, please!"
"I certainly hope that people are not going to start panicking," Hermione said.
Then she lowered the megaphone and beckoned Harry over to her.
"Potter, I think you'd better come with me ..."
"She doesn't suspect you, does she?" Hermione said. Harry shook his head, mouth dry as he realized just what, or, rather, who had been petrified this time around. He was looking at Hermione with a look of horror on his face, one that Cedric noticed as well. Looking between Harry towards Hermione, he too, realized exactly who had been petrified this time around.
Wondering how she could possibly suspect him this time, Harry saw Ron detach himself from the complaining crowd; he came running up to them as they set off towards the castle. To Harry's surprise, Professor McGonagall didn't object.
"Yes, perhaps you'd better come too, Weasley."
Hermione swallowed harshly, understanding now why McGonagall had singled Harry out, and was letting Ron follow along. There was only one thing they had in common, and her book self was no where to be seen...
[But maybe it not what I'm thinking she thought. Maybe I was just sent to the Hospital Wing, and I asked someone to get Harry and Ron for something, so I can tell them what I found out. The excuse sounded weak in her own mind, but she still held onto it, not wanting to be petrified.
Some of the students swarming around them were grumbling about the match being cancelled, others looked worried. Harry and Ron followed Professor McGonagall back into the school and up the marble staircase. But they weren't taken to anybody's office this time.
"This will be a bit of a shock," said Professor McGonagall in a surprisingly gentle voice as they approached the hospital wing.
"You've been petrified," Cedric said, looking at Hermione.
"It seems that way," Hermione said. Harry looked down, feeling as if it was his fault.
"There has been another attack ... another double attack."
Harry's insides did a horrible somersault. Professor McGonagall pushed the door open and he and Ron entered.
Madam Pomfrey was bending over a sixth-year girl with long curly hair. Harry recognised her as the Ravenclaw they'd accidentally asked for directions to the Slytherin common room. And on the bed next to her was –
"Me," Hermione said, looking said. Harry frowned, looking down again before he stood up and left the room.
"Harry," Luna said, starting to get up.
"No, let me," Hermione said, standing up herself and going after him.
"We'll be right back," Hermione said, leaving the room herself. She walked towards the kitchen, hoping that he'd be there instead of the boys dorm. Luckily, he was there, looking through the food, probably hoping to find something to cook. She was slightly surprised when he pulled out package of frozen chicken breasts from the freezer.
"Harry?" she said, walking towards him. He took a glance at her, then went to the cupboard that he'd discovered held some baking pans, grabbing and pulling out something to put the breasts in so that they could cook. He seemed to ignore her as he worked, and she just watched him, waiting until he was ready to actually talk to her.
"I'm sorry," he finally said, after he'd placed the chicken into the pan and seasoned them.
"For what?" Hermione asked. "As far as I can tell, you haven't done anything to me."
"I mean in the book. It's my fault you ended up petrified," Harry clarified.
"No, it's not," Hermione said. "Harry, I should have known better than to just run off without any protection, especially with what's going on. I'm at fault for not being more careful, especially since I was a target anyway; I mean, I'm a Muggleborn, I would be attacked anyways. The only thing that you can be faulted for is not figuring out the voice was a snake earlier, or not telling someone about hearing it, and since one, it's not like you expected there to be a snake, and two, you don't always hear it, and, even if you did, there hasn't been an attack every time you do hear it."
He looked at her, seeing that she was completely serious, and let out a smile.
"Okay, I believe you," he said. "Still feels like it's my fault, though."
He finished with the chicken, setting it into the oven to cook.
"You think you'll remember when you'll need to come back in here?" Hermione asked.
"Yeah," he said, glancing at the clock before following her back to the reading room. Once seated, Luna picked up the book from where she set it, and began reading again.
"Hermione!" Ron groaned.
Hermione lay utterly still, her eyes open and glassy.
"They were found near the library." said Professor McGonagall. "I don't suppose either of you can explain this? It was on the floor next to them ..."
She was holding up a small, circular mirror.
"A mirror? I don't carry a..." Hermione started, before she realized why there was a mirror there. "I didn't actually look at the snake..." She looked at Luna and Cedric. "What kind of snake is there that you're not supposed to look at, whether in the eye or otherwise?"
They thought for a moment, though neither of them really knew why she was asking.
"A basilisk," Luna said. "You can't a basilisk in the eye or it'll kill you."
"What happens if you don't really look it in the eye, but do so through something, or in a reflection?" Hermione asked.
"I don't know. I've never heard of someone doing that," Luna said.
"Is it a possibility that, oh, I don't know, you could get petrified if that happened," she hinted.
"Yes, it is," Luna said, a look dawning on her face. "It is entirely possible for them to be petrified."
"So there's a bloody basilisk, the most dangerous snake in the world, living somewhere in the school," Cedric said. "Great, just bloody great." He shook his head, before something else came to mind and he looked at Luna. "You know, now that I think about it, it's kind of obvious that it's a Basilisk. I mean, the spiders fleeing and the roosters being killed, it all fits."
"Yeah, it does, but it also makes sense that we didn't realize what it was either because the petrification deal threw us off," Luna said. "Everything I've read about them only says that you'll die if you look them in the eye. There's nothing about a victim petrifying in anything about them."
Harry and Ron shook their heads, both staring at Hermione.
"I will escort you back to Gryffindor Tower," said Professor McGonagall heavily.
"I get the feeling seeing you petrified is upsetting to her, more so than any of the others," Cedric said.
"I need to address the students in any case."
"I take it that there finally laying down some rules that they should have done after Justin was petrified," Hermione said, a bit huffily. While she could understand trying to keep the school running as normally as possible, when there was more than one person, there should have been some security measures made, to minimalize the chances of someone else getting petrified.
"All students will return to their house common rooms by six o'clock in the evening. No student is to leave the dormitories after that time. You will be escorted to each lesson by a teacher. No student is to use the bathroom unaccompanied by a teacher. All further Quidditch training and matches are to be postponed. There will be no more evening activities."
"That's going to make for a very boring rest of the year and crowded common rooms," Cedric said.
The Gryffindors packed inside the common room listened to Professor McGonagall in silence. She rolled up the parchment from which she had been reading and said in a somewhat choked voice, "I need hardly add that I have rarely been so distressed. It is likely that the school will be closed unless the culprit behind these attacks is caught. I would urge anyone who thinks they might know anything about them to come forward."
"I wish Ginny would step forward," Harry said.
"If she hasn't yet, I don't think she will unless she absolutely has no choice," Luna said.
She climbed somewhat awkwardly out of the portrait hole, and the Gryffindors began talking immediately.
"That's two Gryffindors down, not counting a Gryffindor ghost, one Ravenclaw and one Hufflepuff," said the Weasley twins' friend Lee Jordan, counting on his fingers. "Haven't any of the teachers noticed that the Slytherins are all safe?"
"Which does make me wonder on how she can be a fan girl when she's only attacking Muggleborns and not everyone I get irritated at," Harry said. "I mean, it doesn't look like she's much of a fan girl when she does that. In fact, it makes her seem like a pure-blood bigot."
"Maybe it's not her so much as Tom on that part," Hermione said. "I mean, Tom most likely has the a say in it as well, and he's a bit of a pure-blood bigot, despite not even being pure-blood. He probably forbids her from attacking anyone not Muggleborn – of course, I don't know if the Ravenclaw girl is or not, since not much has been said about her." Since I was most likely the target this time she mentally added. She didn't bother adding her last thought, though she could see that both Luna and Cedric understood what she wasn't saying.
She also had to wonder if something wasn't changing – this was the first attack that wasn't focused on someone who irritated Harry, unless it seemed that way because of her nagging to do his school work or something like that.
"Isn't it obvious all this stuff's coming from Slytherin? The heir of Slytherin, the monster of Slytherin – why don't they just chuck all the Slytherins out?" he roared, to nods and scattered applause.
"While the idea has merit, since it's not a Slytherin doing it, it's not like it's help," Luna said. "Plus, just because it doesn't actually say doesn't mean that there aren't a few Slytherins who are actually not evil like Malfoy is."
"That's true," Hermione said. "It seems like the only Slytherins we really hear about are evil, though."
"Then that means that we'll have to get to know some other Slytherins, outside of Malfoy and his group," Harry said.
Percy Weasley was sitting in a chair behind Lee, but for once he didn't seem keen to make his views heard. He was looking pale and stunned.
"Percy's in shock," George told Harry quietly. "That Ravenclaw girl – Penelope Clearwater – she's a Prefect. I don't think he thought the monster would dare attack a Prefect."
"While that does make sense, I think it's actually because she's his girlfriend," Cedric said.
But Harry was only half-listening. He didn't seem to be able to get rid of the picture of Hermione, lying on the hospital bed as though carved out of stone. And if the culprit wasn't caught soon, he was looking at a lifetime back with the Dursleys. Tom Riddle had turned Hagrid in because he was faced with the prospect of a Muggle orphanage if the school closed. Harry now knew exactly how he had felt.
"Only I won't go accusing people just to keep it open," Harry said.
"What're we going to do?" said Ron quietly in Harry's ear. "D'you think they suspect Hagrid?"
"Most likely," Cedric said.
"We've got to go and talk to him," said Harry, making up his mind. "I can't believe it's him this time, but if he set the monster loose last time he'll know how to get inside the Chamber of Secrets, and that's a start."
"Based on what's seen in the memory, that's not exactly true," Harry said. "I must just want – or need – to do something because Hermione got petrified."
Hermione look at him at that. Was it possible that her being petrified was because the person doing this was hoping for that response? In truth, she couldn't imagine Harry being irritated with her to the point that he was with the others, so her being the target did make her wonder a bit. Could Ginny want Harry to figure out that it was her, and confront her? Or was there another reason for it?
"But McGonagall said we've got to stay in our tower unless we're in class –"
"I think he forgot that you have a nice Invisibility Cloak to help you get around that," Cedric said.
"I think," said Harry, more quietly still, "it's time to get my dad's old Cloak out again."
"You know, I just realized that this was the first time you've used the cloak this year," Hermione said.
Harry had inherited just one thing from his father: a long and silvery Invisibility Cloak. It was their only chance of sneaking out of the school to visit Hagrid without anyone knowing about it.
"That's true," Harry said.
They went to bed at the usual time, waited until Neville, Dean and Seamus had stopped discussing the Chamber of Secrets and finally fallen asleep, then got up, dressed again, and threw the Cloak over themselves.
"It's probably very late then," Hermione said.
The journey through the dark and deserted castle corridors wasn't enjoyable. Harry, who had wandered the castle at night several times before, had never seen it so crowded after sunset.
"People must be patrolling to keep students from wandering, and are probably hoping to find the one who was doing everything," Cedric said.
Teachers, Prefects and ghosts were marching the corridors in pairs, staring around for any unusual activity. Their Invisibility Cloak didn't stop them making any noise,
"I wonder if there's a chance to add a silencing effect to it," Luna said.
and there was a particularly tense moment when Ron stubbed his toe only yards from the spot where Snape was standing guard. Thankfully, Snape sneezed at almost exactly the moment Ron swore.
"Talk about being lucky," Hermione said.
It was with relief that they reached the oak front doors and eased them open.
"I hope that you made sure that there was no one watching," Luna said.
"I'm sure that we did," Harry said.
It was a clear, starry night. They hurried towards the lighted windows of Hagrid's house, and pulled off the Cloak only when they were right outside his front door.
Seconds after they had knocked, Hagrid flung it open. They found themselves face to face, with him aiming a crossbow at them, Fang the boarhound barking loudly behind him.
"He 's waiting for something to happen," Cedric said.
"Oh," he said, lowering the weapon and staring at them. "What're you two doin' here?"
"What's that for?" said Harry, pointing at the crossbow as they stepped inside.
"I don't think he'll tell you," Cedric said. "He doesn't know that you already know what's going on, after all."
"Nothin' ... nothin'," Hagrid muttered. "I've bin expectin' ... doesn' matter ... Sit down ... I'll make tea ..."
"I think he's expecting someone to come and question him," Cedric said.
He hardly seemed to know what he was doing. He nearly extinguished the fire, spilling water from the kettle on it, and then smashed the teapot with a nervous jerk of his massive hand.
"Are you OK, Hagrid?" said Harry. "Did you hear about Hermione?"
"Oh, I heard, all righ'," said Hagrid, a slight break in his voice.
"Must be hard for him to know that a friend has been petrified, and being thought of as the one who caused it," Luna said. "I think he's just waiting for someone to come and accuse him."
He kept glancing nervously at the windows. He poured them both large mugs of boiling water (he had forgotten to add tea bags)
"I think I'll want ice then," Harry said. "I'd rather not drink hot water."
and was just putting a slab of fruitcake on a plate, when there was a loud knock on the door.
Hagrid dropped the fruitcake. Harry and Ron exchanged panic-stricken looks, then threw the Invisibility Cloak back over themselves and retreated into a corner. Hagrid checked that they were hidden,
"He must not want you to get in trouble," Hermione said.
seized his crossbow and flung open his door once more.
"Good evening, Hagrid."
It was Dumbledore. He entered, looking deadly serious, and was followed by a second, very odd-looking man.
"I think the odd looking man is probably this Cornelius Fudge mentioned at the chapter title," Hermione said.
The stranger was a short, portly man with rumpled grey hair and an anxious expression. He was wearing a strange mixture of clothes: a pin-striped suit, a scarlet tie, a long black cloak and pointed purple boots. Under his arm he carried a lime-green bowler.
"He sounds...like he couldn't decide on how to dress," Hermione said.
"That's Dad's boss!" Ron breathed. "Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic!"
Harry elbowed Ron hard to make him shut up.
"How nice of you," Hermione said.
"I don't want to be heard," Harry said simply.
Hagrid had gone pale and sweaty. He dropped into one of his chairs and looked from Dumbledore to Cornelius Fudge.
"Bad business, Hagrid," said Fudge, in rather clipped tones. "Very bad business. Had to come. Four attacks on Muggle-borns. Things've gone far enough. Ministry's got to act."
"I hope they investigated," Hermione said.
"I don't think they would be at Hagrid's if they did," Cedric said, wincing a bit as he remember some of the stories that his father had told him, stories that his mother always scowled at. He later learned that his mother was of the opinion that the Ministry was pretty useless, and never did anything properly.
"I never," said Hagrid, looking imploringly at Dumbledore,
"He's hoping that Dumbledore will be able to do something," Hermione said, shaking her head.
"Unfortunately, I don't think he can right now," Cedric said.
"you know I never, Professor Dumbledore, sir ..."
"I want it understood, Cornelius, that Hagrid has my full confidence," said Dumbledore, frowning at Fudge.
"That doesn't really seem to be meaning much right now, does it," Harry said. The others shook their heads.
"Look, Albus," said Fudge, uncomfortably. "Hagrid's record's against him. Ministry's got to do something – the school governors have been in touch."
"So, basically, investigating doesn't matter, so long as it looks like something's being done." Hermione said, eyes flashing. "That's nice. Remind me to make sure I never need them, because they'll most likely bungle it up."
"I think we now know what Hagrid was talking about in the first book," Harry said. "How the Ministry was bungling things up as usual."
"Yet again, Cornelius, I tell you that taking Hagrid away will not help in the slightest," said Dumbledore.
"What would help is you actually investigating things," Hermione said. "If you did that, you'd see that it could possibly be Hagrid."
His blue eyes were full of a fire Harry had never seen before.
"He must be a bit angry, then," Cedric said.
"Look at it from my point of view," said Fudge, fidgeting with his bowler. "I'm under a lot of pressure. Got to be seen to be doing something."
"Investigating would be seen as doing something. Taking Hagrid away is just showing that you're an idiot who obvious should not be in the position you're in right now," Hermione said hotly.
"If it turns out it wasn't Hagrid, he'll be back and no more said."
"They're not even planning to apologize for it," Harry said.
"But I've got to take him. Got to. Wouldn't be doing my duty –"
"I don't think he's doing his duty right," Hermione said.
"Take me?" said Hagrid, who was trembling. "Take me where?"
"For a short stretch only," said Fudge, not meeting Hagrid's eyes.
"Oh, no," Cedric said. "Please don't say he's taking him to Azkaban prison."
"Not a punishment, Hagrid, more a precaution."
"Then he better be going somewhere else," Cedric said. "Because if he's going to Azkaban, it is a punishment."
"If someone else is caught, you'll be let out with a full apology ..."
"Somehow I doubt that," Hermione said darkly.
"Not Azkaban?" croaked Hagrid.
Before Fudge could answer, there was another loud rap on the door.
"I wonder who it is," Harry said.
Dumbledore answered it. It was Harry's turn for an elbow in the ribs: he'd let out an audible gasp.
"Well, whoever it is, it's enough to surprise you," Cedric said.
Mr. Lucius Malfoy strode into Hagrid's hut, swathed in a long black travelling cloak, smiling a cold and satisfied smile. Fang started to growl.
"Good Fang," Luna said.
"Already here, Fudge," he said approvingly. "Good, good ..."
"Why do I get the feeling that something bad is going to happen?" Hermione said.
"Because he's involved," Cedric said.
"What're you doin' here?" said Hagrid furiously. "Get outta my house!"
"Yeah, Hagrid doesn't want trash there," Luna said.
"My dear man, please believe me, I have no pleasure at all in being inside your – er – d'you call this a house?" said Lucius Malfoy, sneering as he looked around the small cabin.
Bastard thought Cedric.
"I simply called at the school and was told that the Headmaster was here."
"What does he want with Dumbledore?" Hermione asked. Cedric, however, widened his eyes. He knew that Malfoy was on the board of governors; it was a fact that always irritated his mother, because his mother knew that he was a Death Eater. In fact, Cedric always wondered how Malfoy got onto the board in the first place – the seats were supposed to be hereditary.
It didn't bode well that Malfoy wanted Dumbledore.
"And what exactly did you want with me, Lucius?' said Dumbledore. He spoke politely, but the fire was still blazing in his blue eyes.
"Dreadful thing, Dumbledore," said Mr. Malfoy lazily, taking out a long roll of parchment, "but the governors feel it's time for you to step aside."
"More like you do, and you most likely threatened everyone into agreeing with you, because you don't want Dumbledore there," Cedric said. "You're son pretty much told us all that you would love to get rid of Dumbledore, and replace him with someone who would demand that Muggleborns be kept from going to the school while those who ar already there end up killed."
"This is an Order of Suspension – you'll find all twelve signatures on it. I'm afraid we feel you're losing your touch. How many attacks have there been now? Two more this afternoon, wasn't it? At this rate, there'll be no Muggleborns left at Hogwarts, and we all know what an awful loss that would be to the school."
"Liar, you'd love it if there was no more Muggleborns," Hermione said.
"Oh, now, see here, Lucius," said Fudge, looking alarmed, "Dumbledore suspended ... no, no ... last thing we want just now ..."
"The appointment – or suspension – of the Headmaster is a matter for the governors, Fudge," said M. Malfoy smoothly.
"Why do I feel like that's a fat lie?" Cedric said.
"We'll have to find out if it is or not," Hermione said. "Though, I would suspect that it might be, considering who it is that's saying that."
"And as Dumbledore has failed to stop these attacks ..."
"Now look, Lucius, if Dumbledore can't stop them –" said Fudge, whose upper lip was sweating now, "I mean to say, who can?"
"Harry," Hermione said.
"Why do you say that?" Harry asked.
"Don't know, but I just get the feeling that you can," Hermione said.
"That remains to be seen," said Mr. Malfoy, with a nasty smile. "But as all twelve of us have voted ..."
"Or, rather, as I've voted and controlled the others into voting as well," Luna said.
Hagrid leapt to his feet, his shaggy black head grazing the ceiling.
"An' how many did yeh have ter threaten an' blackmail before they agreed, Malfoy, eh?" he roared
"Even he knows that they wouldn't do that," Cedric said. "With the position that Dumbledore had, many of them feel that only he can keep bad things from happening."
"Dear, dear, you know, that temper of yours will lead you into trouble one of these days, Hagrid," said Mr. Malfoy. "I would advise you not to shout at the Azkaban guards like that. They won't like it at all."
Bastard thought Harry.
"Yeh can' take Dumbledore!" yelled Hagrid, making Fang the boarhound cower and whimper in his basket.
"Oh, poor Fang," Luna said. "Wait, what's going to happen to him now? Whose going to take care of Fang?"
"I'm sure that McGonagall will have someone do it," Cedric said
"Take him away, an' the Muggleborns won' stand a chance! There'll be killin's next!"
"I really hope that he's wrong," Hermione said.
"Calm yourself, Hagrid," said Dumbledore sharply. He looked at Lucius Malfoy.
"If the governors want my removal, Lucius, I shall of course step aside."
"But –" stuttered Fudge.
"Obviously Fudge does not agree with that, and will most like be wondering what Mr. Malfoy was thinking," Cedric said.
"No!'"growled Hagrid.
Dumbledore had not taken his bright blue eyes off Lucius Malfoy's cold grey ones.
"I think he plans on making sure that his point is well received," Luna said.
"However," said Dumbledore, speaking very slowly and clearly, so that none of them could miss a word, "you will find that I will only truly have left this school when none here are loyal to me. You will also find that help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it."
For a second, Harry was almost sure Dumbledore's eyes flickered towards the corner where he and Ron stood hidden.
"I think he's knows that you're there," Luna said.
"Admirable sentiments," said Malfoy, bowing.
"He probably thinks that Dumbledore is crazy," Hermione said. "And, in truth, I would too."
"I think the message was meant for Ron and I," Harry said.
"We shall all miss your – er – highly individual way of running things, Albus, and only hope that your successor will manage to prevent any – ah – 'killin's'."
"I get the feeling that he's making fun of Hagrid," Cedric said, frowning.
He strode to the cabin door, opened it and bowed Dumbledore out. Fudge, fiddling with his bowler, waited for Hagrid to go ahead of him, but Hagrid stood his ground, took a deep breath and said carefully, "If anyone wanted ter find out some stuff, all they'd have ter do would be ter follow the spiders. That'd lead 'em right! That's all I'm sayin'."
"Now that was definitely for you," Hermione said.
Fudge stared at him in amazement.
"He's probably wondering if Hagrid's gone crazy," Luna said.
"All right, I'm comin'," said Hagrid, pulling on his moleskin overcoat. But as he was about to follow Fudge through the door, he stopped again and said loudly, "An' someone'll need ter feed Fang while I'm away."
"Hint, hint," Hermione said.
The door banged shut and Ron pulled the Invisibility Cloak off.
"We're in trouble now," he said hoarsely. "No Dumbledore. They might as well close the school tonight."
"My guess is getting rid of Dumbledore is a compromise of not closing down the school," Cedric said. "They would close it down otherwise."
"There'll be an attack a day with him gone."
"I have the feeling that Mr. Malfoy would love that," Hermione said.
Fang started howling, scratching at the closed door.
"Poor Fang," Harry said.
"That's the end of the chapter," said Luna, handing the book over to Harry.