"Yeah, however, I have a sinking suspicion that we won't really be liking the club," Harry said.
"Why?" Cedric asked.
"Which teacher is there that would most likely make the club, or take it over," Harry said.
"Lockhart," Luna said, as the other two groaned. Yeah, Harry would probably end up being right about that.
Harry woke up on Sunday morning to find the dormitory blazing with winter sunlight and his arm re-boned but very stiff. He sat up quickly and looked over at Colin's bed, but it had been blocked from view by the high curtains Harry had changed behind yesterday. Seeing that he was awake, Madam Pomfrey came bustling over with a breakfast tray and then began bending and stretching his arm and fingers.
"All in order," she said, as he clumsily fed himself porridge left-handed. "When you've finished eating, you may leave."
"That'll be good news," Harry said. "I can go find you and Ron, and tell you what Dobby told me."
Harry dressed as quickly as he could and hurried off to Gryffindor Tower, desperate to tell Ron and Hermione about Colin and Dobby, but they weren't there. Harry left to look for them, wondering where they could have got to and feeling slightly hurt that they weren't interested in whether he had his bones back or not.
"I'm sorry," Hermione said. "We probably went to Myrtle's bathroom, eager to get the potion started since we've probably heard about Colin already."
"Yeah, things like that are doubtful to being kept secret," Cedric said.
"I guess I can forgive you, then," Harry said.
As Harry passed the library, Percy Weasley strolled out of it, looking in far better spirits than last time they'd met.
"Oh, hello, Harry," he said. "Excellent flying yesterday, really excellent. Gryffindor have just taken the lead for the House Cup – you earned fifty points!"
"You haven't seen Ron or Hermione, have you?" said Harry.
"No, I haven't," said Percy, his smile fading. "I hope Ron's not in another girls' toilet ..."
"I think Percy's probably thinking Ron's having trouble remembering his gender," Luna said. "Why else would he immediately jump to that conclusion."
"I think it's because Ron was in Myrtle's toilet the other day," Hermione said.
"Either way, it'll give me a clue as to where to look for you two," Harry said.
Harry forced a laugh, watched Percy out of sight and then headed straight for Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.
"Yeah, it probably wouldn't be good to have him follow you," Cedric said.
He couldn't see why Ron and Hermione would be in there again,
"The potion," Hermione said.
"Right," Harry said.
but after making sure that neither Filch nor any Prefects were around, he opened the door and heard their voices coming from a locked cubicle.
"It's me," he said, closing the door behind him. There was a clunk, a splash and a gasp from within the cubicle and he saw Hermione's eye peering through the keyhole.
"Harry!" she said. "You gave us such a fright."
"I told you it was me," he said.
"You were probably speaking quietly; for all we know, someone else couldn't decided to use the bathroom for some reason or another," Hermione said. "Plus, we probably expected you to be staying in the hospital wing longer."
"Come in – how's your arm?"
"Fine," said Harry, squeezing into the cubicle. An old cauldron was perched on the toilet, and a crackling from under the rim told Harry they had lit a fire beneath it. Conjuring up portable, water-proof fires was a speciality of Hermione's.
"We'd've come to meet you, but we decided to get started on the Polyjuice Potion," Ron explained, as Harry, with difficulty, locked the cubicle again.
"I wonder if you really did or if one of you had to be convinced," Cedric said, looking at Hermione. He couldn't really imagine her not going to see how Harry was doing, for any reason.
"We've decided this is the safest place to hide it."
"Somehow, I think Hermione must've overridden what he wanted, again," Cedric said. "I can't see Ron being okay with going there on his own."
"That, and he probably suspects that Hermione will be the one spending the most time with the potion, she it's not like he needs to be there a whole lot," Harry said.
Harry started to tell them about Colin, but Hermione interrupted. "We already know, we heard Professor McGonagall telling Professor Flitwick this morning. That's why we decided we'd better get going –"
"The sooner we get a confession out of Malfoy, the better," snarled Ron. "D'you know what I think? He was in such a foul temper after the Quidditch match, he took it out on Colin."
"That does make sense, though, how the person would know that Colin wouldn't be in his dorm is strange. In truth, from the sounds of it, it was more of like whoever did it got lucky," Cedric said.
"True. I mean, they can't have really thought that someone would be around other than teachers, especially since it was most likely after hours," Harry said.
"There's something else," said Harry, watching Hermione tearing bundles of knotgrass and throwing them into the potion. "Dobby came to visit me in the middle of the night."
"Yes, that is good information to have," Hermione said. "There could possibly be a record about it somewhere."
"Possibly, though it'll be something hard to search for," Cedric said. "Otherwise, people would know this already."
Ron and Hermione looked up, amazed. Harry told them everything Dobby had told him – or hadn't told him. Ron and Hermione listened with their mouths open.
"It is an amazing amount of information," Hermione said.
"The Chamber of Secrets has been opened before?" said Hermione.
"This settles it," said Ron in a triumphant voice. "Lucius Malfoy must've opened the Chamber when he was at school here"
"One problem, though; more people would know about it if that happened. He ony left school a few years before my parents came," Cedric said. " He's five years over my father, and three over my mother. While my mother doesn't tell me everything that happened during that time, she would have mentioned if the Chamber was opened and people were being attacked."
"and now he's told dear old Draco how to do it. It's obvious. Wish Dobby'd told you what kind of monster's in there, though. I want to know how come nobody's noticed it sneaking round the school."
"He still under the impression that Dobby is a Malfoy family," Cedric said. "You know, you should have asked if he was part of the Malfoy family or not. It would have helped clear up quite a bit."
"But he can't tell which family he's from, can he?" Hermione asked.
"No, but I have no doubt that he would give himself away if Harry asked. He could either shake his head no or ask 'how did you know'," Cedric said.
"Maybe it can make itself invisible," said Hermione, prodding leeches to the bottom of the cauldron. "Or maybe it can disguise itself – pretend to be a suit of armour or something. I've read about Chameleon Ghouls ..."
"Well, the only thing we know is that Harry tends to hear the voice inside the walls, and that it's some kind of snake," Luna said.
"I wonder..." Hermione started, clearly thinking of something.
"What?" Harry asked.
"Well, if you're hearing it inside the walls, then whose to say that whatever snake it isn't travelling inside the walls," she said. "It would explain why no one has seen it."
"You read too much, Hermione," said Ron, pouring dead lacewings on top of the leeches. He crumpled up the empty lacewing bag and looked round at Harry.
"That's not a bad thing," Harry said.
"So Dobby stopped us getting on the train and broke your arm ..." He shook his head. "You know what, Harry? If he doesn't stop trying to save your life he's going to kill you."
"Sadly, that's true," Cedric said. "He's being so progressive about it, after all. I mean, he could have killed you with that Bludger; you were pretty lucky to get away with just a broken arm."
The news that Colin Creevey had been attacked and was now lying as though dead in the hospital wing had spread through the entire school by Monday morning. The air was suddenly thick with rumour and suspicion. The first-years were now moving around the castle in tight-knit groups, as though scared they would be attacked if they ventured forth alone.
"I do think that it's a good idea to be in a group – so far, the attacks have only been done when alone," Hermione said.
Ginny Weasley, who sat next to Colin Creevey in Charms, was distraught,
"That must be horrible, knowing the person who got attacked well," Harry said.
but Harry felt that Fred and George were going the wrong way about cheering her up. They were taking it in turns to cover themselves with fur or boils and jump out at her from behind statues.
"Yeah, that definitely wouldn't help," Hermione said.
They only stopped when Percy, apoplectic with rage, told them he was going to write to Mrs Weasley and tell her Ginny was having nightmares.
"Talk about getting another Howler sent," Cedric said.
Meanwhile, hidden from the teachers, a roaring trade in talismans, amulets and other protective devices was sweeping the school.
Hermione face turned thunderous. How could someone even think about taking advantage of people like this?
Neville Longbottom bought a large, evil-smelling green onion, a pointed purple crystal and a rotting newt-tail before the other Gryffindor boys pointed out that he was in no danger: he was a pure-blood, and therefore unlikely to be attacked.
"They went for Filch first," Neville said, his round face fearful, "and everyone knows I'm almost a Squib."
"There's no such thing as being almost a Squib," Cedric said. "You either are a wizard or you are a Squib, no inbetween."
In the second week of December Professor McGonagall came around as usual, collecting names of those who would be staying at school for Christmas. Harry, Ron and Hermione signed her list; they had heard that Malfoy was staying, which struck them as very suspicious.
"Considering the grief he gave you the previous year," Hermione said. "Of course it's suspicious."
The holidays would be the perfect time to use the Polyjuice Potion and try to worm a confession out of him.
Unfortunately, the potion was only half-finished. They still needed the Bicorn horn and the Boomslang skin, and the only place they were going to get them was from Snape's private stores. Harry privately felt he'd rather face Slytherin's legendary monster than have Snape catch him robbing his office.
"Yeah, being caught by him would be bad," Cedric said.
"What we need," said Hermione briskly, as Thursday afternoon's double Potions lesson loomed nearer, "is a diversion. Then one of us can sneak into Snape's office and take what we need."
"Deliberately provoking him? Do you want him to kill one of you?" Cedric asked.
Harry and Ron looked at her nervously.
"I think we're wondering the same thing," Harry said.
"I think I'd better do the actual stealing," Hermione continued, in a matter-of-fact tone. "You two will be expelled if you get in any more trouble, and I've got a clean record. So all you need to do is cause enough mayhem to keep Snape busy for five minutes or so."
"You are trying to get them killed," Cedric said faintly. Hermione punched his arm, glaring at him.
Harry smiled feebly. Deliberately causing mayhem in Snape's Potions class was about as safe as poking a sleeping dragon in the eye.
"I take it poking a dragon in the eye isn't safe at all," Harry said. Cedric shook his head.
Potions lessons took place in one of the large dungeons. Thursday afternoon's lesson proceeded in the usual way. Twenty cauldrons stood steaming between the wooden desks, on which stood brass scales and jars of ingredients. Snape prowled through the fumes, making waspish remarks about the Gryffindors' work while the Slytherins sniggered appreciatively. Draco Malfoy, who was Snape's favourite student, kept flicking puffer-fish eyes at Ron and Harry, who knew that if they retaliated they would get detention faster than you could say 'unfair'.
"Isn't that dangerous," Hermione said. "I mean, what would happen if one of those puffer-fish eyes landed in the cauldron?"
"He'll blame Harry for it," Cedric said. "His precious Slytherins, after all, can't have made any mistakes."
Harry's Swelling Solution was far too runny, but he had his mind on more important things.
"It might be a good idea to at least make it look like you're working on your potion," Hermione said.
He was waiting for Hermione's signal, and he hardly listened as Snape paused to sneer at his watery potion. When Snape turned and walked off to bully Neville, Hermione caught Harry's eye and nodded.
"I wonder what she talked you into doing," Luna said.
Harry ducked swiftly down behind his cauldron, pulled one of Fred's Filibuster fireworks out of his pocket and gave it a quick prod with his wand. The firework began to fizz and sputter. Knowing he had only seconds, Harry straightened up, took aim, and lobbed it into the air; it landed right on target in Goyle's cauldron.
"That'll get his attention, though, I do have to wonder, was it a safe action," Cedric said.
"I have the feeling that I did everything possible in preparation," she said. "And checked to see what would happen if the potion wasn't made properly."
Goyle's potion exploded, showering the whole class. People shrieked as splashes of the Swelling Solution hit them. Malfoy got a faceful and his nose began to swell like a balloon; Goyle blundered around, his hands over his eyes, which had expanded to the size of dinner plates, while Snape was trying to restore calm and find out what had happened. Through the confusion, Harry saw Hermione slip quietly out of the door.
"I hope you hurry," Cedric said.
"Silence! SILENCE!" Snape roared. "Anyone who has been splashed, come here for a Deflating Draught. When I find out who did this ..."
"I hope you think to get rid of the evidence," Cedric said.
"I don't we do," Harry said, thinking of him and Ron. "Why did I have to do the lighting, anyways?"
"Probably because Ron wouldn't agree to it," Hermione said. "I would imagine that he finds Snape too scary for him."
Harry tried not to laugh as he watched Malfoy hurry forward, his head drooping with the weight of a nose like a small melon. As half the class lumbered up to Snape's desk, some weighed down with arms like clubs, others unable to talk through gigantic puffed-up lips, Harry saw Hermione slide back into the dungeon, the front of her robes bulging.
"I hope no one else notices that," Hermione said. Though, she had the feeling that if they did, they would probably think something else other than she's stealing something...
When everyone had taken a swig of antidote and the various swellings had subsided, Snape swept over to Goyle's cauldron and scooped out the twisted black remains of the firework.
"Yeah, should have gotten rid of the evidence," Harry said.
There was a sudden hush.
"If I ever find out who threw this," Snape whispered, "I shall make sure that person is expelled."
"Lets hope he doesn't," Harry said, shivering.
Harry arranged his face into what he hoped was a puzzled expression.
"Somehow, I don't think you succeeded," Luna said.
Snape was looking right at him, and the bell which rang ten minutes later could not have been more welcome.
"He knew it was me," Harry told Ron and Hermione, as they hurried back to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. "I could tell."
"Actually, I don't think it's that he knew it was you, I think it was more like he was just blaming you," Hermione said.
Hermione threw the new ingredients into the cauldron and began to stir feverishly.
"It'll be ready in a fortnight," she said happily.
"Snape can't prove it was you," said Ron reassuringly to Harry. "What can he do?"
"Knowing Snape, something foul," Cedric said.
"Knowing Snape, something foul," said Harry,
"Apparently we have the same thought," Harry said.
as the potion frothed and bubbled.
A week later, Harry, Ron and Hermione were walking across the Entrance Hall when they saw a small knot of people gathered around the noticeboard, reading a piece of parchment that had just been pinned up. Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas beckoned them over, looking excited.
"They're starting a Duelling Club!" said Seamus. "First meeting tonight! I wouldn't mind duelling lessons, they might come in handy one of these days ..."
"That's true," Cedric said.
"What, you reckon Slytherin's monster can duel?" said Ron,
"No, but it's not a bad skill to have," Cedric said.
but he too read the sign with interest.
"Could be useful," he said to Harry and Hermione as they went into dinner. "Shall we go?"
"We'll be up for it," Harry said. "Though, if this happens in real life, and who I suspect is teaching the duelling skills, I am not going to be going."
"Agreed," Hermione said.
Harry and Hermione were all for it, so at eight o'clock that evening they hurried back to the Great Hall. The long dining tables had vanished and a golden stage had appeared along one wall, lit by thousands of candles floating overhead. The ceiling was velvety black once more and most of the school seemed to be packed beneath it, all carrying their wands and looking excited.
"I wonder who'll be teaching us?" said Hermione, as they edged into the chattering crowd. "Someone told me Flitwick was a duelling champion when he was young, maybe it'll be him."
"We would have to be extremely lucky for it to be him," Cedric said.
"As long as it's not –" Harry began, but he ended on a groan: Gilderoy Lockhart was walking onto the stage, resplendent in robes of deep plum and accompanied by none other than Snape, wearing his usual black.
"Apparently, we don't just have the fraud, but the teacher who hates my guts as teachers," Harry said with a groan.
"I definitely think that, if this happens in real life, I am not going," Cedric said.
Lockhart waved an arm for silence and called, "Gather round, gather round! Can everyone see me? Can you all hear me? Excellent!
"Now, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little Duelling Club,"
"I wonder how much he bugged Dumbledore for that permission," Hermione said.
"to train you all up in case you ever need to defend yourselves as I myself have done on countless occasions – for full details, see my published works."
"Can he actually speak without mentioning how great he thinks he is?" Luna asked. "Or how about without mentioning his books."
"I don't think so," Cedric said.
"Let me introduce my assistant Professor Snape," said Lockhart, flashing a wide smile. "He tells me he knows a tiny little bit about duelling himself and has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration before we begin. Now, I don't want any of you youngsters to worry – you'll still have your Potions master when I'm through with him, never fear!"
"Somehow, I don't see Lockhart coming even close to beating Snape," Hermione said.
"I don't think we'll still have a Defense teacher when Snape's through with him," Cedric said.
"Wouldn't it be good if they finished each other off?" Ron muttered in Harry's ear.
"I don't think we'll be that lucky," Harry said.
Snape's upper lip was curling. Harry wondered why Lockhart was still smiling; if Snape had been looking at him like that he'd have been running as fast as he could in the opposite direction.
"He must look even scarier than normal," Cedric said.
Lockhart and Snape turned to face each other and bowed; at least, Lockhart did, with much twirling of his hands, whereas Snape jerked his head irritably.
"I think the way Snape does it would be better," Hermione said. "I mean he doesn't really take his eyes off of his opponent all that much, meaning that a surprise attack won't work on him all that much."
Then they raised their wands like swords in front of them.
"As you see, we are holding our wands in the accepted combative position," Lockhart told the silent crowd. "On the count of three, we will cast our first spells. Neither of us will be aiming to kill, of course."
"Somehow, I wouldn't be betting on that being true," Hermione said, thinking of who Lockhart was duelling with.
"Sadly, I don't think Snape will do anything that would cause serious damage," Cedric said, sighing.
"I wouldn't bet on that," Harry murmured, watching Snape baring his teeth.
"Then again, I could be wrong," Cedric said.
"One – two – three –"
Both of them swung their wands up and over their shoulders. Snape cried: "Expelliarmus!" There was a dazzling flash of scarlet light and Lockhart was blasted off his feet: he flew backwards off the stage, smashed into the wall and slid down it to sprawl on the floor.
Malfoy and some of the other Slytherins cheered.
"There would probably be more, but with how unliked Snape is, I doubt any of them would cheer for him, even if they were impressed," Cedric said.
Hermione was dancing on tiptoes. "Do you think he's all right?" she squealed through her fingers.
"I really wish my book self would smarten up," Hermione said.
"Who cares?" said Harry and Ron together.
Lockhart was getting unsteadily to his feet. His hat had fallen off and his wavy hair was standing on end.
"I wonder what would happen if he looked at himself in a mirror," Hermione said.
"He'd probably go into horrified hysterics if he saw the way he looked," Luna said.
"Well, there you have it!" he said, tottering back onto the platform. "That was a Disarming Charm – as you see, I've lost my wand – ah, thank you, Miss Brown. Yes, an excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape, but if you don't mind my saying so, it was very obvious what you were about to do. If I had wanted to stop you it would have been only too easy. However, I felt it would be instructive to let them see ..."
"Yeah, right," Cedric said.
"It is a good spell to show, though," Hermione said. "And we can see what it does, too."
Snape was looking murderous. Possibly Lockhart had noticed,
"Yeah, saying what he said is a sure fire way of asking Snape to kill him," Cedric said.
because he said, "Enough demonstrating! I'm going to come amongst you now and put you all into pairs. Professor Snape, if you'd like to help me ..."
"I would leave before anything else happens, especially since I get the feeling that Snape will purposely go straight for you three, and pair you up with people whom you probably won't like," Cedric said.
They moved through the crowd, matching up partners. Lockhart teamed Neville with Justin Finch-Fletchley, but Snape reached Harry and Ron first.
"Time to split up the dream team, I think," he sneered. "Weasley, you can partner Finnigan. Potter –"
"Well, Ron's isn't too bad, meaning you and Hermione will be the ones placed in the worst spots," Cedric said.
Harry moved automatically towards Hermione.
"I don't think that was a smart move, Harry," Hermione sighed.
"I don't think so," said Snape, smiling coldly. "Mr. Malfoy, come over here. Let's see what you make of the famous Potter."
"You can see which of us he has the most respect for," Harry said, shaking his head
"And you, Miss Granger – you can partner Miss Bulstrode."
Malfoy strutted over, smirking. Behind him walked a Slytherin girl who reminded Harry of a picture he'd seen in Holidays with Hags. She was large and square and her heavy jaw jutted aggressively.
"Lovely, a female Crabbe and Goyle," Hermione said. "I have the feeling that she won't be using a wand on me."
"I get that feeling as well," Harry said.
Hermione gave her a weak smile which she did not return.
"Of course not, you're not only a Gryffindor, but also Muggleborn, and, if she's like the other Slytherins, she's not going to show signs of liking you all that much, even if she doesn't care about your blood status or if she does like you," Cedric said.
"Face your partners!" called Lockhart, back on the platform, "and bow!"
Harry and Malfoy barely inclined their heads, not taking their eyes off each other.
"Yeah, I have the feeing that Malfoy isn't going to listen to the rules that well," Cedric said.
"And, with so many people there, chances are Lockhart won't see anything that Malfoy may do, or will be unable to control the entire group," Hermione said. "And I doubt Snape will do anything, either."
"Wands at the ready!" shouted Lockhart. "When I count to three, cast your charms to disarm your opponent – only to disarm them – we don't want any accidents. One ... two ... three ..."
Harry swung his wand over his shoulder, but Malfoy had already started on 'two': his spell hit Harry so hard he felt as though he'd been hit over the head with a saucepan.
"How would you know what being hit over the head with a saucepan feels like?" Hermione asked slowly. Harry didn't answer.
He stumbled, but everything still seemed to be working, and wasting no more time, Harry pointed his wand straight at Malfoy and shouted, "Rictusempra!"
A jet of silver light hit Malfoy in the stomach and he doubled up, wheezing.
"I said disarm only!'"Lockhart shouted in alarm over the heads of the battling crowd,
"Did he really think that people would actually do what he said to do?" Cedric said, shaking his head.
"It would have been better if he had them do it one at a time, so that he could make sure they only did what they were told," Hermione said.
"And he probably should put those who don't in detention with him if they don't," Harry said.
"He would probably think that people will purposely not listen to be in detention with him, though," Luna said.
"True," Harry said.
as Malfoy sank to his knees; Harry had hit him with a Tickling Charm, and he could barely move for laughing. Harry hung back, with a vague feeling it would be unsporting to bewitch Malfoy while he was on the floor,
"Do you honestly think that, that's a smart idea?" Hermione asked. "He'll probably curse you the second he has a chance to."
but this was a mistake. Gasping for breath, Malfoy pointed his wand at Harry's knees, choked, "Tarantallegra!" and next second Harry's legs had begun to jerk around out of his control in a kind of quickstep.
"Stop! Stop!" screamed Lockhart, but Snape took charge.
"I really hope the girls in the class take notice of that," Luna said. "I mean, the fact that he panics instead of doing something gives a big hint to his character."
"Somehow, I doubt any of us are listening," Hermione said.
"Finite Incantatem!'"he shouted; Harry's feet stopped dancing, Malfoy stopped laughing and they were able to look up.
"Yeah, Snape's probably mad enough that Malfoy won't attempt to curse you," Cedric said.
A haze of greenish smoke was hovering over the scene. Both Neville and Justin were lying on the floor, panting;
"I get the feeling that neither of them actually managed to do the correct spell," Cedric said.
Ron was holding up an ashen-faced Seamus, apologising for whatever his broken wand had done;
"Which shows that he should have left or not gone at all," Harry said. "I forgot his wand was broken." The last part was said low, almost unhearable to the others.
but Hermione and Millicent Bulstrode were still moving; Millicent had Hermione in a headlock and Hermione was whimpering in pain.
"So she resorted to Muggle fighting," Hermione said. "I wonder if someone should mention that to her if this does happen."
Both their wands lay forgotten on the floor. Harry leapt forward and pulled Millicent off. It was difficult; she was a lot bigger than he was.
"She sounds like she's near Dudley's size; I mean, the size he is now, not in the book," Harry said.
"Dear, dear," said Lockhart, skittering through the crowd, looking at the aftermath of the duels. "Up you get, Macmillan ... careful there, Miss Fawcett ... pinch it hard, it'll stop bleeding in a second, Boot ...
"I think I'd better teach you how to block unfriendly spells," said Lockhart, standing flustered in the midst of the hall.
"You know, he should have thought of that before he put you all into groups," Cedric said.
He glanced at Snape, whose black eyes glinted, and looked quickly away.
"And, instead of demonstrating it for you, he's going to just force you into attempting to do the spell," Luna said, shaking her head.
"Let's have a volunteer pair – Longbottom and Finch-Fletchley, how about you?"
"Somehow, I don't think that's going to work – Snape probably going to insist it be you and Malfoy," Cedric said.
"Yeah, probably because he wants to embarrass you," Hermione added.
"A bad idea, Professor Lockhart," said Snape, gliding over like a large and malevolent bat.]
There was a lot of sniggering at that.
"Longbottom causes devastation with the simplest spells. We'll be sending what's left of Finch-Fletchley up to the hospital wing in a matchbox."
"There's no need for him to pick on Neville," Hermione said hotly. She looked at the others. "I wonder if the reason Neville has a low opinion of himself might be because of the way others treat him. I mean, if I'm constantly being treated badly, I would begin to believe what I'm being told, and subconsciously suppress myself in response."
Neville's round pink face went pinker. "How about Malfoy and Potter?" said Snape with a twisted smile.
"Knew it," Cedric muttered.
"Excellent idea!" said Lockhart,
"Of course he'd think that, it'll give him a change to make it look like he was mentoring the Boy-Who-Lived," Hermione said.
gesturing Harry and Malfoy into the middle of the Hall as the crowd backed away to give them room.
"I really should refuse," Harry said, "but I won't because it's a teacher who told me to do it. I really shouldn't left."
"Now, Harry," said Lockhart, "when Draco points his wand at you, you do this."
He raised his own wand, attempted a complicated sort of wiggling action and dropped it.
"He wants me to drop my want?" Harry said blandly. "I don't think that would be the smartest thing to do."
Snape smirked as Lockhart quickly picked it up, saying, "Whoops – my wand is a little over-excited."
"Can a wand get over-excited?" Hermione asked.
"I don't think so," Cedric said.
Snape moved closer to Malfoy, bent down and whispered something in his ear. Malfoy smirked, too.
"I get the feeling that Snape's telling Malfoy to use a certain spell," Hermione said.
Harry looked nervously up at Lockhart and said, "Professor, could you show me that blocking thing again?"
"Yeah, knowing the spell would help," Harry said.
"Scared?" muttered Malfoy, so that Lockhart couldn't hear him.
"He wishes," Cedric said. He could tell that the book Harry wasn't.
"You wish," said Harry out of the corner of his mouth.
Lockhart cuffed Harry merrily on the shoulder. "Just do what I did, Harry!"
"What, drop his wand?" Hermione asked incredulously.
"What, drop my wand?"
"There's no need to repeat her, Harry," Luna said blandly.
"I can't really help it, Luna," Harry said.
But Lockhart wasn't listening.
"Three – two – one – go!" he shouted.
Malfoy raised his wand quickly and bellowed, "Serpensortia!"
The end of his wand exploded. Harry watched, aghast, as a long black snake shot out of it, fell heavily onto the floor between them and raised itself, ready to strike. There were screams as the crowd backed swiftly away, clearing the floor.
"I definitely don't think that's a spell a second year should know," Cedric said, aghast in his own way. Then, he thought of something else and groaned.
"What?" Harry asked.
"Remember what I said in the last chapter, how you shouldn't let people know that you can speak to snakes?" Cedric said.
"Yeah..." Harry said. Hermione and Luna gasped as they realized what it was that Cedric was thinking.
"You're going to talk to it," Hermione said. "And people are going to know."
"Don't move, Potter," said Snape lazily, clearly enjoying the sight of Harry standing motionless, eye to eye with the angry snake. "I'll get rid of it ..."
"Probably after it bites me," Harry said.
"Allow me!" shouted Lockhart. He brandished his wand at the snake and there was a loud bang; the snake, instead of vanishing, flew ten feet into the air and fell back to the floor with a loud smack.
"You've got to be kidding me," Cedric said. "Is he trying to get the snake to attack someone?"
Enraged, hissing furiously, it slithered straight towards Justin Finch-Fletchley and raised itself again, fangs exposed, poised to strike.
"Oh no," Hermione said. She had the feeling that this was where Harry would show to be a parselmouth; she doubted he would just stand there.
Harry wasn't sure what made him do it. He wasn't even aware of deciding to do it. All he knew was that his legs were carrying him forward as though he was on castors and that he had shouted stupidly at the snake, "Leave him!"
"Well, we'll know in a second if you spoke parselmouth or not," Cedric said.
And miraculously – inexplicably – the snake slumped to the floor, docile as a thick black garden hose, its eyes now on Harry.
"I wonder if I can keep it as a pet," Harry mused.
Harry felt the fear drain out of him. He knew the snake wouldn't attack anyone now, though how he knew it, he couldn't have explained.
He looked up at Justin, grinning,
"Yeah, not something I should be doing," Harry muttered, having the feeling that Justin wasn't going to be all grateful or relieved.
expecting to see Justin looking relieved, or puzzled, or even grateful – but certainly not angry and scared.
"Honestly, while I can understand that it's not thought of as being a good talent to have, being angry at you for saving his life is a little too much there," Hermione said.
"What do you think you're playing at?" he shouted, and before Harry could say anything, Justin had turned and stormed out of the Hall.
Snape stepped forward, waved his wand and the snake vanished in a small puff of black smoke. Snape, too, was looking at Harry in an unexpected way: it was a shrewd and calculating look, and Harry didn't like it. He was also dimly aware of an ominous muttering all around the walls. Then he felt a tugging on the back of his robes.
"Come on," said Ron's voice in his ear. "Move – come on ..."
"Well, Ron has the right idea," Cedric said. "I hope he'll be able to explain everything to you properly."
Ron steered him out of the Hall, Hermione hurrying alongside them. As they went through the doors, the people on either side drew away as though they were frightened of catching something. Harry didn't have a clue what was going on, and neither Ron nor Hermione explained anything until they had dragged him all the way up to the empty Gryffindor common room. Then Ron pushed Harry into an armchair and said, "You're a Parselmouth. Why didn't you tell us?"
"It's not like I would know if Cedric here hadn't explained it to me," Harry said.
"I'm a what?" said Harry.
"A Parselmouth!" said Ron.
"I like how he says that like I'm supposed to know what it means," Harry said.
"You can talk to snakes!"
"I know," said Harry. "I mean, that's only the second time I've ever done it. I accidentally set a boa constrictor on my cousin Dudley at the zoo once – long story – but it was telling me it had never seen Brazil and I sort of set it free without meaning to. That was before I knew I was a wizard ..."
"I can just imagine what he's going to say at hearing that," Hermione said, a small smile on her face. If she hadn't heard about it in the book, she'd probably have trouble believing it.
"A boa constrictor told you it had never seen Brazil?" Ron repeated faintly.
"So?" said Harry. "I bet loads of people here can do it."
"Well, I'm going to be betting I'm going to get a rude awakening on that thought," Harry said.
"Oh no they can't," said Ron. "It's not a very common gift. Harry, this is bad."
"What's bad?" said Harry, starting to feel quite angry. "What's wrong with everyone? Listen, if I hadn't told that snake not to attack Justin –"
"Unfortunately, no ones going to realize that that's what you were saying, since it'll sound different to everyone else," Cedric said.
"Oh, that's what you said to it?"
"What d'you mean? You were there ... you heard me."
"I heard you speaking Parseltongue," said Ron, "snake language. You could have been saying anything. No wonder Justin panicked, you sounded like you were egging the snake on or something. It was creepy, you know."
"I won't lie and say that it probably wasn't creepy, but why would he say that you were egging the snake on? I mean, it did say that the snake became docile after you talked to it, so egging it on shouldn't pop into his mind. Plus, he's your best friend; he should know you enough to know that you would never do that," Hermione said.
Harry gaped at him.
"I spoke a different language? But – I didn't realise – how can I speak a language without knowing I can speak it?"
Well, I get the feeling that it sounds like English to you, which is why you probably don't realize it," Cedric said.
Ron shook his head. Both he and Hermione were looking as though someone had died. Harry couldn't see what was so terrible.
"I don't know why Ron's like that, but, considering what's going on, I can hazard a guess as to why I'm like that," Hermione said.
"D'you want to tell me what's wrong with stopping a dirty great snake biting Justin's head off?" he said. "What does it matter how I did it as long as Justin doesn't have to join the Headless Hunt?"
"By the way, I'm pretty sure that he'll be thankful for that once he calms down," Cedric said.
"It matters," said Hermione, speaking at last in a hushed voice, "because being able to talk to snakes was what Salazar Slytherin was famous for. That's why the symbol of Slytherin house is a serpent."
"I thought so," Hermione said, sighing. "I'm probably thinking that now people are going to definitely believe that you're the Heir of Slytherin, even if they didn't before."
Harry's mouth fell open.
"Exactly," said Ron. "And now the whole school's going to think you're his great-great-great-great-grandson or something ..."
"But I'm not," said Harry, with a panic he couldn't quite explain.
"Um, not to be mean, but, as you don't know your family line, especially on your father's side, it is possible that you are related to him," Cedric said. "I'm not saying you're his heir or anything, but you could have some of his blood in you."
"You'll find that hard to prove," said Hermione. "He lived about a thousand years ago; for all we know, you could be."
"Don't worry, Harry, I don't think you're the one attacking people," Hermione said.
Harry lay awake for hours that night. Through a gap in the hangings round his four-poster he watched snow starting to drift past the tower window, and wondered.
Could he be a descendant of Salazar Slytherin? He didn't know anything about his father's family, after all. The Dursleys had always forbidden questions about his wizarding relatives.
"I don't think they would have known, anyways," Hermione said.
Quietly, Harry tried to say something in Parseltongue. The words wouldn't come. It seemed he had to be face to face with a snake to do it.
I would imagine that, or you would need someone who could speak it themselves," Cedric said.
"But I'm in Gryffindor," Harry thought. "The Sorting Hat wouldn't have put me in here if I had Slytherin blood ..."
"That's not true," Harry sighed, remembering that the Hat had wanted him in Slytherin. However, now that he thought about it, it never said anything about his bloodline, just that he could do great there...
"Ah," said a nasty little voice in his brain, "But the Sorting Hat wanted to put you in Slytherin, don't you remember?"
Harry turned over. He'd see Justin next day in Herbology and he'd explain that he'd been calling the snake off, not egging it on, which (he thought angrily, pummelling his pillow) any fool should have realised.
"Unfortunately, Harry, not only is everyone scared right now – there is something attacking people at the school – but you were already a suspect, and now, that fact that you can do something Slytherin could do, and, so far, you've had a connection to those petrified already..." Cedric stated.
"It's easy to see why they would think I am the one doing it," Harry finished.
By next morning, however, the snow that had begun in the night had turned into a blizzard so thick that the last Herbology lesson of term was cancelled: Professor Sprout wanted to fit socks and scarves on the Mandrakes, a tricky operation she would entrust to no one else, now that it was so important for the Mandrakes to grow quickly and revive Mrs. Norris and Colin Creevey.
"Yeah, I can understand that," Hermione said. "Though I get the feeling that Harry is going to irritate us a lot because he's unable to speak to Justin at the moment."
Harry fretted about this next to the fire in the Gryffindor common room, while Ron and Hermione used their lesson off to play a game of wizard chess.
"I get the feeling that you're right," Cedric said.
"For heaven's sake, Harry," said Hermione, exasperated, as one of Ron's bishops wrestled her knight off his horse and dragged him off the board. "Go and find Justin if it's so important to you."
"She is right," Luna said. "She must know you well in order to know that."
So Harry got up and left through the portrait hole, wondering where Justin might be.
"Somehow, I get the feeling that he's in Hufflepuff dorms," Cedric said. "I mean, I would bet they all think you're going to go after him next after the snake episode, and, since you don't really know where the dorms are, they probably think he's safe there."
The castle was darker than it usually was in daytime, because of the thick, swirling grey snow at every window. Shivering, Harry walked past classrooms where lessons were taking place, catching snatches of what was happening within. Professor McGonagall was shouting at someone who, by the sound of it, had turned his friend into a badger.
"I wonder if it's a class with the twins in it," Hermione said.
Resisting the urge to take a look, Harry walked on by, thinking that Justin might be using his free lesson to catch up on some work, and deciding to check the library first.
A group of the Hufflepuffs who should have been in Herbology were indeed sitting at the back of the library, but they didn't seem to be working.
"There probably talking about Harry," Luna said.
Between the long lines of high bookshelves, Harry could see that their heads were close together and they were having what looked like an absorbing conversation. He couldn't see whether Justin was among them. He was walking towards them when something of what they were saying met his ears, and he paused to listen, hidden in the Invisibility section.
"Yep, they're talking about me," Harry said. "That would be the only thing that would really catch my attention and make me stay hidden."
"So anyway," a stout boy was saying, "I told Justin to hide up in our dormitory. I mean to say, if Potter's marked him down as his next victim, it's best if he keeps a low profile for a while. Of course, Justin's been waiting for something like this to happen ever since he let slip to Potter he was Muggleborn. "
"Um, what's that supposed to mean," Hermione said. "I mean, when Justin told Harry that, no one was being attacked. So how could be waiting for it since he let it known that he was Muggleborn."
"Honestly, they're being a bit like you guys are with Malfoy, not looking at another suspect. The only difference is that they're saying 'it's you' and not even trying to prove it, while you are trying to prove that it's Malfoy," Cedric said.
"What about you? What do you think?" Hermione asked.
"Well, honestly, I probably don't think it's Harry, mostly because he was in the hospital wing, and, though not many people know this, Madam Pomfrey does have ways of being woken if someone tries to leave before she lets them," Cedric said. "I should know; I ended up stuck there last year, and tried to leave before she let me. I won't be doing that again."
"Justin actually told him he'd been down for Eton. That's not the kind of thing you bandy about with Slytherin's heir on the loose, is it?"
Considering that this whole Slytherin's heir didn't start until Halloween, how would he know not to say that," Luna said.
"You definitely think it is Potter, then, Ernie?" said a girl with blonde pigtails anxiously.
"I get the feeling that, whoever that one is, she's not completely convinced that it's you," Hermione said.
"Hannah," said the stout boy solemnly, "he's a Parselmouth. Everyone knows that's the mark of a dark wizard. Have you ever heard of a decent one who could talk to snakes? They called Slytherin himself Serpent-tongue."
"You know, I've got to wonder, why do they think it's the mark of a dark wizard?" Hermione asked. "I mean, other than being a talent used by two well know wizard, one who was dark and the other who was supposedly dark, I don't see any other indications that it's a dark talent. Also, considering that, when it comes to history, people have to do something in order to be known, it is very possible that there has been a decent one, possibly more than one, and the only reason why they haven't been heard about is because they didn't do anything to have attention thrown on themselves."
"I think it's because snakes have been used in the darkest potions and spells," Cedric said.
"Plus, Daddy told me that there were rumors that Voldemort would cast spells in parseltongue that would multiply the effects of the spell," Luna said.
There was some heavy murmuring at this, and Ernie went on, "Remember what was written on the wall? Enemies of the Heir Beware. Potter had some sort of run-in with Filch. Next thing we know, Filch's cat's attacked. That first-year, Creevey, was annoying Potter at the Quidditch match, taking pictures of him while he was lying in the mud. Next thing we know, Creevey's been attacked."
"You know, when it's put like that, I can see why they think it's you," Hermione said, thinking. "Do you think who ever is doing this is purposely making it seem like it's Harry?"
"It's possible," Cedric said. "It could be that, or someone whose such a fan of yours that they're going after those who annoy you."
"It could be a mixture of both for all we know," Luna said.
"He always seems so nice, though," said Hannah uncertainly,
"Yeah, she's hesitant about thinking it's you," Cedric said. "I don't know how long it'll last, though."
"and, well, he's the one who made You Know Who disappear. He can't be all bad, can he?"
"No, he isn't," Hermione said
Ernie lowered his voice mysteriously, the Hufflepuffs bent closer, and Harry edged nearer so that he could catch Ernie's words.
"That curious to know what bad things they're saying about you," Luna said. Harry shrugged and nodded.
"No one knows how he survived that attack by You Know Who. I mean to say, he was only a baby when it happened. He should have been blasted into smithereens. Only a really powerful Dark Wizard could have survived a curse like that."
"Um, does he even know what curse was used?" Cedric said.
"I don't think so," Hermione said.
"Then how would he know who could survive a curse and who couldn't," Cedric said. "Besides, what would he be preaching if Dumbledore survived a curse like whatever one he's thinking."
He dropped his voice until it was barely more than a whisper, and said, "That's probably why You Know Who wanted to kill him in the first place. Didn't want another Dark Lord competing with him."['/b]
"Um, what makes him think that it was Harry he wanted to kill to begin with?" Cedric said. "Just because he survived doesn't mean that he was the target."
"Yeah, but the last book does make it sound like he was the target," Hermione said. "Remember, Voldemort even said that his mother didn't need to die, meaning that it wasn't she wasn't a target, and I can't see a reason for him to go after you or your mother if your father was his only target."
"Yeah, but that's also not known, either," Cedric said.
[b]"I wonder what other powers Potter's been hiding?"
Harry couldn't take any more. Clearing his throat loudly, he stepped out from behind the bookshelves. If he hadn't been feeling so angry, he would have found the sight that greeted him funny: every one of the Hufflepuffs looked as though they had been Petrified by the sight of him, and the colour was draining out of Ernie's face.
"Ah, yes, causing trouble for no reason other than you want people to think that it's Harry petrifying people," Cedric said.
"I wonder who'll they'll blame if Harry, Hermione, or Ron end up petrified," Luna said.
"As much as I hate to admit it, having Hermione here petrified would get people to stop thinking that it's Harry, as would having him or Ron petrified would," Cedric said. "I only say you, Hermione, because you're the most likely to get petrified out of you three."
"Hello," said Harry. "I'm looking for Justin Finch-Fletchley."
"Somehow, I don't think that's the best thing to say," Hermione said.
The Hufflepuffs' worst fears had clearly been confirmed. They all looked fearfully at Ernie.
"I think we know the leader is," Cedric said.
"What do you want with him?" said Ernie, in a quavering voice.
"I wanted to tell him what really happened with that snake at the Duelling Club," said Harry.
Ernie bit his white lips and then, taking a deep breath, said, "We were all there. We saw what happened."
"Which doesn't mean much, otherwise you would get rid of these ridiculous notions of Harry being the one attacking people," Cedric said. "I mean, clearly, he wasn't attempting to harm Justin, otherwise he would have kept quiet."
"Then you noticed that, after I spoke to it, the snake backed off?" said Harry.
"All I saw," said Ernie stubbornly, though he was trembling as he spoke, "was you speaking Parseltongue and chasing the snake towards Justin."
"No offense, but this Ernie guy just sounds like a complete idiot. Harry didn't need to chase the snake towards Justin, it was doing fine all on it's own," Hermione said.
"I didn't chase it at him!" Harry said, his voice shaking with anger. "It didn't even touch him!"
"It was a very near miss," said Ernie.
"Yes, I can see how settling down and imitating a garden hose is a near miss," Hermione said drolly.
"And in case you're getting ideas," he added hastily, "I might tell you that you can trace my family back through nine generations of witches and warlocks and my blood's as pure as anyone's, so –"
"You know what, I should say that, if I was going to be petrifying people, I would do it to pure-bloods," Harry said, "just to see what his reaction is like."
"I don't care what sort of blood you've got!" said Harry fiercely. "Why would I want to attack Muggleborns?"
"You should add in there whom your mother and one of your best friends are as well," Cedric said.
"I've heard you hate those Muggles you live with," said Ernie swiftly.
"Why doesn't he go live with them for a week, and then try and use that as an excuse," Hermione said. "Not even a Muggleborn would like them; heck, the most tolerant person in the world wouldn't like them."
"It's not possible to live with the Dursleys and not hate them," said Harry. "I'd like to see you try it."
"I wonder what would happen if he did," Luna said.
He turned on his heel and stormed out of the library, earning himself a reproving glare from Madam Pince, who was polishing the gilded cover of a large spellbook.
"Quiet, Harry," Luna said.
Harry blundered up the corridor, barely noticing where he was going, he was in such a fury. The result was that he walked into something very large and solid, which knocked him backwards onto the floor.
"Wonder what Hagrid's doing in the castle," Hermione said.
"Oh, hullo, Hagrid," Harry said, looking up.
Hagrid's face was entirely hidden by a woolly, snow-covered balaclava, but it couldn't possibly be anyone else, as he filled most of the corridor in his moleskin overcoat. A dead rooster was hanging from one of his massive, gloved hands.
"All righ', Harry?" he said, pulling up the balaclava so he could speak. "Why aren't yeh in class?"
"Cancelled," said Harry, getting up. "What're you doing in here?"
Hagrid held up the limp rooster.
"Second one killed this term," he explained.
Hermone's eyes furrowed; she didn't know why, but that sounded like it was something important to know.
"It's either foxes or a Blood-Suckin' Bugbear, an' I need the Headmaster's permission ter put a charm round the hen-coop."
He peered more closely at Harry from under his thick, snow-flecked eyebrows.
"Yeh sure yeh're all righ'? Yeh look all hot an' bothered."
"I take it what Ernie and the rest of the group has been saying is bugging you," Luna said.
Harry couldn't bring himself to repeat what Ernie and the rest of the Hufflepuffs had been saying about him.
"It's nothing," he said.
"You know, you might feel better if you talk about it," Hermione said.
"I'd better get going, Hagrid, it's Transfiguration next and I've got to pick up my books."
He walked off, his mind still full of what Ernie had said about him.
"Justin's been waiting for something like this to happen ever since he let slip to Potter he was Muggleborn ..."
Harry stamped up the stairs and turned along another corridor, which was particularly dark; the torches had been extinguished by a strong, icy draught which was blowing through a loose window pane. He was halfway down the passage when he tripped head-long over something lying on the floor.
"Why do I have a sudden foreboding feeling?" Hermione said.
"Probably for the same reason I do," Harry said. "After all, I get the feeling that there is something even worse than it getting out that I can speak to snakes is probably going to happen."
He turned to squint at what he'd fallen over, and felt as though his stomach had dissolved.
Justin Finch-Fletchley was lying on the floor, rigid and cold, a look of shock frozen on his face, his eyes staring blankly at the ceiling.
"Another attack," Cedric said. "And I think we can now say that whoever is doing this wants to frame you, Harry."
"Not nessessarily," Luna said. "While Justin himself wasn't who Harry was irritated with, Harry was a bit irritated about the situation. It could be that whoever it was that misunderstood that. Or, they could have believe what Ernie does, and decided that Harry is iritated with him, ergo, he needs to be petrified."
"So we still don't know if this person is trying to frame Harry or if they are an extreme fan of Harry," Hermione said. Luna nodded.
And that wasn't all. Next to him was another figure, the strangest sight Harry had ever seen.
It was Nearly Headless Nick, no longer pearly-white and transparent, but black and smoky, floating immobile and horizontal, six inches off the floor. His head was half off and his face wore an expression of shock identical to Justin's.
Luna's eyes furrowed. What could do that to a ghost?
Harry got to his feet, his breathing fast and shallow, his heart doing a kind of drum-roll against his ribs. He looked wildly up and down the deserted corridor and saw a line of spiders scuttling as fast as they could away from the bodies.
"That is the second trail of spiders you've seen leaving the scene of a crime," Cedric said.
"Whatever snake is doing this is probably one spiders fear. I mean, it might explain why they're hurrying away," Hermione said. Luna had a twinge of a thought of what kind of snake, but could really remember the name or anything that would be helpful, and ended up deciding not to mention it.
The only sounds were the muffled voices of teachers from the classes on either side.
He could run, and no one would ever know he had been there. But he couldn't just leave them lying here ... he had to get help.
"Even though it would put you into a bad position, you still want to help," Hermione said, shaking her head.
Would anyone believe he hadn't had anything to do with this?
"I have the feeing that, other than Hermione, Ron, and Hagrid, the answer is no," Cedric said. "And I only say Hagrid because he just saw you mere moments beforehand."
"So you don't think that Hagrid would believe that it isn't me," Harry said.
"Actually, he probably would," Cedric said, thinking about it. "The fact that he ran into you moments before will probably help, though."
As he stood there, panicking, a door right next to him opened with a bang. Peeves the poltergeist came shooting out.
"You've got the worst luck ever," Cedric said.
"Why, it's potty wee Potter!" cackled Peeves, knocking Harry's glasses askew as he bounced past him. "What's Potter up to? Why's Potter lurking –"
"And he's noticed Justin and Nick," Hermione said.
Peeves stopped, halfway through a mid-air somersault. Upside-down, he spotted Justin and Nearly Headless Nick. He flipped the right way up, filled his lungs and, before Harry could stop him, screamed, "ATTACK! ATTACK! ANOTHER ATTACK! NO MORTAL OR GHOST IS SAFE! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! ATTAAAACK!"
"Nice way to incite panic, isn't it," Luna said.
Crash – crash – crash: door after door flew open along the corridor and people flooded out. For several long minutes, there was a scene of such confusion that Justin was in danger of being squashed and people kept standing in Nearly Headless Nick.
"If you were the type to get lucky, you'd be able to disappear in the crowd," Hermione said.
"Unfortunately, I'm not the type to get lucky," Harry said.
Harry found himself pinned against the wall as the teachers shouted for quiet. Professor McGonagall came running, followed by her own class, one of whom still had black and white striped hair.
There was some sniggering at that.
She used her wand to set off a loud bang, which restored silence, and ordered everyone back into their classes. No sooner had the scene cleared somewhat than Ernie the Hufflepuff
"Ernie the Hufflepuff?" Cedric asked.
"It's a nice way of knowing who I'm talking about," Harry said, shrugging.
arrived, panting, on the scene.
"Caught in the act!" Ernie yelled, his face stark white, pointing his finger dramatically at Harry.
"I wonder what Ernie would do if he knew that there's no way for you to have done that between leaving the library, running into Hagrid, and then heading wherever it was that you were heading too," Luna said.
"That will do, Macmillan!" said Professor McGonagall sharply.
Peeves was bobbing overhead, now grinning wickedly, surveying the scene; Peeves always loved chaos.
"Think we can figure out how to get Peeves petrified," Harry said.
As the teachers bent over Justin and Nearly Headless Nick, examining them, Peeves broke into song:
"Oh Potter, you rotter, oh what have you done? You're killing off students, you think it's good fun –"
"Considering that no one's actually dead, that doesn't make sense," Cedric said.
"That's enough Peeves!" barked Professor McGonagall, and Peeves zoomed away backwards, with his tongue out at Harry.
Justin was carried up to the hospital wing by Professor Flitwick and Professor Sinistra of the Astronomy department, but nobody seemed to know what to do for Nearly Headless Nick. In the end, Professor McGonagall conjured a large fan out of thin air, which she gave to Ernie with instructions to waft Nearly Headless Nick up the stairs. This Ernie did, fanning Nick along like a silent black hovercraft.
"That's got to be an interesting thing to see," Harry said.
This left Harry and Professor McGonagall alone together.
"This way, Potter," she said.
"She doesn't think you did it, does she?" Hermione asked, frowning. "I mean, really, she's got to be smarter than that."
"Professor," said Harry at once, "I swear I didn't –"
"This is out of my hands, Potter," said Professor McGonagall curtly.
"I think that she doesn't think it's him, but, at the same time, she's got to take you to Professor Dumbledore," Cedric said.
They marched in silence around a corner and she stopped before a large and extremely ugly stone gargoyle.
"Sherbet lemon!" she said.
"A candy password," Hermione said. "Interesting."
This was evidently a password, because the gargoyle sprang suddenly to life, and hopped aside as the wall behind him split in two. Even full of dread for what was coming, Harry couldn't fail to be amazed. Behind the wall was a spiral staircase which was moving smoothly upwards, like an escalator.
"That sounds interesting," Hermione said.
As he and Professor McGonagall stepped onto it, Harry heard the wall thud closed behind them. They rose upwards in circles, higher and higher, until at last, slightly dizzy,
"It's probably a tower room," Cedric said.
Harry could see a gleaming oak door ahead, with a brass knocker in the shape of a griffon.
"I wonder if it's always like that, or if it's an addition Dumbledore added," Luna said. "I mean, it's like a symbol for Gryffindor, and not all heads have been in Gryffindor. At least, I don't think they have been."
"They haven't – one of the more memorable things that I can remember reading in Hogwarts, a History is that one of the most hated heads of the school was a Slytherin," Cedric said.
He knew where he was being taken. This must be where Dumbledore lived.
"That's the end of that chapter," said Harry, handing the book over to Hermione.