Chamber Born

“Ms. Weasley, come with me please.”

Ginny froze in panic, but then she felt Tom recede. He was still there, but fainter. She felt him urging her forward and she started walking, not looking at Hermione or Harry.

They reached an empty hallway and then McGonagall whirled on her, wand out. Tom took over and her wand was moving before she could even process what was happening. They deflected the spell McGonagall shot at her and then held a ready guard.

“What is the meaning of this?” Tom said, using her mouth.

“You’re not Ginny Weasley.”

Tom grimaced.

“Clever, but I cannot let you leave knowing this. It’s unfortunate that you forced things… Ginny was interesting… I’d have preferred not to use her.”

What commenced was a duel the like of which Ginny could never have even imagined. Ginny cast spells she knew no first year should be capable of. At a few points, when McGonagall had done them some injury, Tom had hissed and healed the wound, all the while transfiguring the stone of the castle to buffet McGonagall’s defences.

Finally, McGonagall seemed to wear down. Tom grinned and was finally able to stun her.

They stood over McGonagall.

“Obliviate. Imperio. You wanted to discuss with me how I knew such a powerful countercurse. You accepted my explanation that my older brother taught it to me. You will report to the headmaster that Ginny seems like a talented, but otherwise normal student and will brush off anyone who brings up any abnormal behaviour from her. This was just an odd fainting spell on your part.”

Ginny watched in horror as Tom revived McGonagall and she smiled warmly at her. Ginny fought for control, but Tom held fast. Once McGonagall was gone, Tom spoke to her.

“I’m sorry, Ginny, that it had to be this way.”

Then, she blacked out.

What followed was brief moments of lucidity followed by black outs as Tom shoved her aside. A dark chamber, Astrid petrified, then Pansy, then Hermione. Her refusing to go home for the holidays. Her mother sending her a Weasley sweater in Gryffindor colours for Christmas. Tom burning it—one thing they were aligned on. Tom taking Professor Snape by surprise and obliviating him, the only other professor who noticed something was wrong. Oh what had she done?

Ginny awoke in a dimly lit room. The stone below her was damp.

“You’re awake.”

“Tom.” Ginny’s voice was flat and she glared at the handsome boy before her. “Why?”

The boy sighed.

“I wouldn’t have chosen you if I had a choice. But I am magically bound to cast this ritual. Once you let me in and I took over without permission to duel Professor McGonagall, the compulsion forced me to choose you.”

“You shouldn’t be choosing anyone!”

Tom laughed.

“That, we’ll have to agree to disagree on. I value my life more than anything.”

“What does this ritual do, exactly?”

“It will use your magic and soul to create a corporeal form for myself.”

“I’m guessing it won’t go well for me,” Ginny said drily. Funny how being semi-lucid for months of possession really made you take things in stride.

“Unfortunately it won’t. You’ll die.”

“Wonderful.”

Ginny was already scanning the floor, looking for some kind of weapon, anything she could use against him. She saw the diary laying open on the ground. And then her heart nearly stopped. What she had thought was some sort of statue moved ever so slightly. She looked up and up and… holy shit. It was a snake. A gigantic snake. And it had its eyes closed.

“What the—”

“How rude of me. This is…” He made a hissing and spitting noise that Ginny somehow understood to mean, “Seraphina.”

“Seraphina?” Ginny asked meekly. The thing must be about sixty feet long.

“Interesting… you understand. It must be due to the transfer.”

“Understand what?”

“Parseltongue.”

“Wow, that’s… freaky.”

“It’s a gift.”

Ginny had to admit, it would be rather cool to be able to talk to snakes.

“So, what’s the plan? We wait here until you drain me?”

“Unfortunately. Again, this is not the way I would have wanted it to happen.”

Ginny glared at him.

“What a comfort. Fine. If you’re going to kill me, at least tell me what this is.” She gestured at the diary. Tom shrugged.

“I, this diary, am a Horcrux. A piece of the original’s soul. If I was successful, which based on the accounts of my visage during the last war, I was, then I am the largest piece.”

“The last war? I haven’t heard your name mentioned.”

Tom laughed. “You most definitely have.” Then he wrote his own name in fire in the air, swished his wand, and…

“No.”

“Yes.” He sounded bitter. “I did not expect the horcruxes to affect my mental stability. By all accounts… I was insane.”

“You’re… You-Know-Who.”

“Don’t use that ridiculous moniker,” he snapped. “Just say Voldemort.”

“Are you really scolding me as you drain me of my soul and magic?”

Tom winced slightly. Then he turned and hissed. If Ginny focused she could understand what he was saying.

“How are you my—”

Ginny lunged for the diary. Tom whirled around, but she’d grabbed it. Then, without thinking, she hurled it up toward the snake. Then she hissed.

“Eat!”

“NO!” Tom hissed.

But it was too late. The basilisk snapped its jaws over the book. Tom seemed to instinctively look away from the beast and she mimicked him. Its eyes had been closed. They were probably dangerous.

But then a hole appeared in Tom’s form. He looked down at it, panic written across his features.

“No, no, no, no…”

He looked at Ginny and then winked out of existence. And then she felt him. It wasn’t like the first time. It was deeper. He took control and there was nothing she could do.

“Do not harm her,” she felt herself spit. And then she was back in control and Tom… Tom was gone. What had just happened?

She got unsteadily to her feet. Her wand lay closeby. She leaned down and picked it up, eyeing the trunk of the snake’s body wearily.

“Hello?” It came out as a hiss. She nearly dropped her wand in surprise. Why could she still speak to it?

“Hello? Tom?”

“Ginny. I was the one he was referring to.”

“Where is Tom?”

The serpent sounded sad.

“I’m not sure. I think he’s gone.”

The serpent let loose a mournful cry.

“But who will feed me? Who will sing to me? I cannot go on like this. Alone.”

Despite everything. Despite it being a massive, deadly serpent, Ginny felt for the creature.

“I will. Here. Come here.”

The snake leaned its head down, eyes still closed, and she touched its nose and petted it.

“Would you like me to sing to you?”

“Yes.”

Ginny began humming and then, almost without thinking, she began to sing a song her mother sang to her when she was very small. The snake let out a noise that Ginny thought might be a sigh.

As she sang, flashes of memory reached her. Tom burning the sweater, her friends, petrified by her own hand, her mother writing to her only two weeks ago that she was disappointed in her… Tom writing back cordially, explaining Ginny’s actions in a far more mature way than she would have. 

Tom, who’d helped her save Pansy, who’d put effort into maintaining her relationships while he possessed her, who’d petrified her friends rather than kill them to prevent suspicion of her altered behaviour. Tom who’d planned to sacrifice her so that he could live… She didn’t know what to do with any of that.

She stood there, petting a sixty foot snake, singing, as anger and sadness culminated in hot tears pouring down her cheeks.

It was ten minutes before Ginny told the snake she would be back. The snake actually nodded its head, eyes still closed, and hissed a goodbye to her.

“Come back soon.”

“I will,” Ginny said, meaning it. How horrible would it be to be stuck down here for who knows how long?

“Oh!” Ginny turned. “Do you know how to undo the petrifications?”

“No… I am a hunter.”

She didn’t seem keen on expounding on that comment so Ginny nodded and left.

Climbing back out of the pipe proved to be difficult. She kept sliding back down in the slime and muck. She closed her eyes and tried to recall how Tom had done it.

“Stairs,” she hissed. Stairs grew from the passageway and she began climbing out. It was a very long trek and her body felt sore and generally awful. When she finally made it, she realised she was in Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom. The ghost was nowhere to be seen.

She went down to the dungeons and took a long shower. Oddly, no one was in the common room or dorm, and she had the shower all to herself. She changed into a new set of robes. She reminded herself to thank Pansy for the boots. They were still pristine despite practically wading through muck. Then she put her wand in her robes… something flashed in her brain, a frustration. She couldn’t place it, but she ignored it for now. She realised it was pretty close to dinner time. It didn’t explain why no one was here, but she made her way to the Great Hall. No one noticed her at first upon entering. Everyone was very subdued and focused on the staff table. She made her way to the Slytherin table and sat down.

This caused a tidal wave of reactions.

“Ginny!” Aurellia flung herself at her and hugged her. “You’re okay! You’re okay!”

“Course I’m okay…” Ginny trailed off unconvincingly. But the rest of the Slytherin table was whispering around her and then it spread to the other tables as people realised she was there.

“Ginny!” The twins came running toward her. Suddenly she was hugging them. They seemed completely taken aback by this, but they hugged her back. She hadn’t seen them as herself in months. Ron was standing awkwardly off to the side.

“What’s going on?” Ginny asked. “Why is everyone freaking out?”

“There was a new message on the walls,” Fred said. “Ginevra’s body will lie in the chamber forever.”

Ginny blinked. That absolute wanker! What a drama queen. She thought she might just not mention her adventures, but he’d advertised! Oh no, the teachers were coming down now.

“Ginny! Thank Merlin. I thought… I’m glad you’re all right.” It was Percy. Before Ginny could respond someone called her name.

“Ms. Weasley!” McGonagall looked a mix of stern, relieved, and—oh no she was crying.

“Are you alright?” Professor Flitwick asked.

“Yes, yes, I’m okay.”

“But what happened?”

“I—”

“Not here.”

Ginny watched, impressed as McGonagall parted the crowd before them and had Ginny come along.

“Perhaps in my office, Minerva?” Dumbledore said.

“Mine is closer,” McGonagall said sharply. All the heads of house, Dumbledore, and a teacher Ginny vaguely knew was Professor Vector, all piled into McGonagall’s office. Ginny couldn’t help feeling a bit nervous.

“Ms. Weasley, we would like to know what happened,” Dumbledore said. Annoyance flashed across McGonagall’s face, but she hid it quickly.

“First, would everyone like tea?” Professor McGonagall said.

“Umm, could I speak to Professor McGongall in private? Perhaps with my Head of House as well?”

She didn’t know why, but she felt she could trust Snape.

“I’m afraid I must insist,” Dumbledore said.

“There is a clearly distraught girl in front of us, Albus. We will do what makes her feel comfortable,” McGonagall said. Ginny felt a pang of guilt and gratitude for her professor.

“After Ms. Weasley explains, we can—”

“No. Whatever has occurred, Ms. Weasley is a child. If she wishes to speak with myself and Minerva, then that is what will happen.” Everyone turned to Professor Snape and Ginny could tell the other professors were shocked. Dumbledore looked as if he was about to argue, but then he inclined his head.

“Very well. However, I wish to speak with Ms. Weasley afterwards.”

Dumbledore left with the other professors and it was just McGonagall and Snape. Snape drew his wand began casting a litany of spells, only some of which Ginny recognised.

“You think the Headmaster will try to listen in on our conversation?” she asked, horrified at the idea.

Snape looked at her sharply and his wand was on her in a moment.

“Ms. Weasley please place your wand on the desk in front of you, out of your reach.”

“Severus!” McGonagall said in horror. “What are you doing?”

“It’s okay Professor, I’ll explain.” She slowly took her wand out of her robe pocket and placed it on the desk. Snape lowered his wand.

“Professor…” Ginny looked at McGonagall and she felt the guilt welling up on her. “You’ve been placed under an imperius.”

And then the whole story came out. She told them everything about the diary, about Tom, about losing control for most of the year. And finally about waking up in what they called the Chamber of Secrets.

Professor McGonagall’s hand was over her mouth in horror by the end. Professor Snape looked very pale.

“Before we go any further, there are a few things we must handle right now,” Professor Snape said.

“W-what?”

“When you meet with Professor Dumbledore, you will not tell him about the diary. You will say that you can’t remember, but that you touched something and since then, you’ve been possessed. You will not look him in the eye—”

“Severus! Albus would—”

“Minerva, please. I suspect he would if he felt it was important for him to know.”

“Would what?”

“There is an art called legilimency. It is extremely rare, but it allows the user to enter the mind of the victim and, for lack of time, let’s say ‘read their thoughts.’”

Ginny gaped at him.

“How do I stop this?”

“There is another art called occlumency that prevents this, if you are skilled enough. It is imperative that the Headmaster not know about Tom Riddle’s diary and what happened in the chamber. I cannot say more. But if he suspects what I do, you will be in grave danger.”

Ginny paled.

“When you meet with him, you must seem cowed. Look at the ground, do not meet his eyes. If you absolutely must look at him, avoid eye contact and only look at him briefly. Pretend to be traumatised—”

Ginny snorted. “I don’t know how much I need to pretend.” Snape glared at her.

“This is important Ms. Weasley.”

“Sorry sir.”

“I really don’t think this is necessary.”

“Minerva, you must trust me.”

She paused and then nodded.

“Very well.”

“Sir, can you tell me why?”

“Not at this moment.”

“Severus, if there is information you have…”

“Not information that I can share with an unprotected mind. I have already probably said too much. Ms. Weasley, if you wish to know, you will study occlumency. I can lend you some books to read over the summer, but you must keep them secret. It is… a frowned upon branch of magic.”

“Why?”

Snape looked visibly annoyed at her questions.

“Because a skilled occlumens is able to lie under veritaserum. It is why it is not used in court procedings. It also has a minor cultural taboo for those who are aware of it. They think, if you learn the art that you must have something to hide.”

Ginny spluttered.

“That’s ridiculous. It’s my mind! I don’t want anyone in there.”

The gravity of that statement, given what she had just told them, could almost be felt in the room.

“I quite agree. Which is why I am an occlumens myself.”

Professor McGonagall looked a little pale.

“Perhaps it is time I resume my studies as well…”

“I would be happy to assist you, Minerva.”

She gave him a thin smile. “I believe you are the only one I would allow to assist me with this.”

To Ginny’s absolute shock, Snape’s cheeks reddened a bit at this and he inclined his head.

The rest of the conversation was one of assurances and comfort. Ginny found it funny to have her two most stern and unflappable professors attempt to offer her comfort, but she was also pleased to have some adults on her side. Her past year, even the blackout times, were becoming clearer even as they spoke, and it took all she could not to cry when a sudden flash of an encounter with her mother, unrepentant after having slapped her, entered her mind.

Her mother had all but called her a monster as Tom had refused to capitulate her Slytherin status or friendships. It was surreal remembering him defending her and feeling his genuine affront that her mother’s behaviour, and yet knowing he planned to sacrifice her all along. She couldn’t reconcile Tom’s actions whatsoever and she wasn’t sure if she was ready to try to understand them.

“What am I going to tell everyone?” she finally asked her professors.

“Do you remember everything that happened while you were possessed?” Professor Snape asked.

“I’m starting to.”

“The question is, how much do you want to attribute to your possession and how much to yourself?”

Ginny’s head snapped up and she looked at him.

“Did you perform legilimency on me?”

“I do not need legilimency to understand the emotions of a twelve-year old. Nor, despite what many believe, am I unaware of each of my Slytherins’ family situations.”

Ginny blushed and then slumped.

“Tom… If I tell my mother that I was possessed all those times, I’ll just be her poor baby girl who was influenced by something dark in Slytherin. And she’ll forgive me.”

“And that will last until she discovers you are indeed friends with Ms. Parkinson and Ms. Rosier.”

“Yes… Oh Morgana, how are they? Everyone who was petrified. I’m horrible. I didn’t even ask, first thing.”

“You are not horrible,” Professor McGonagall broke in. “You just went through something incredibly traumatic. Your friends are fine. They will be revived tonight.”

“Good.”

“I believe, if you stand by your actions as… Tom, obviously excepting the attacks on your fellow students, you should say that you were being possessed in your sleep. That the dark object petrified those close to you as a way of preventing anyone from suspecting any changes in your behaviour, and that you have no idea how it did that. That you woke up, free of its influence, with flashes of memory of your nighttime exploits. I think it will be safe to tell your friends in the short term, but I would encourage them to study occlumency, especially Ms. Granger. Due to her being in Mr. Potter's orbit, I believe she is in the most danger of having her mind read.”

“Of course, sir…” Then Ginny’s eyes blew wide.

“Yes Ms. Weasley?”

“I… He took my exams for me…”

Both Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall exchanged a look.

“I believe, to maintain the fiction we intend to spread, those results will have to stand. However, if you would like, I can arrange for you to receive some tutoring. We can call it recompense from the school for you being exposed to a dark object.”

“Thank you, professor. That would be… great. I remember a lot about the previous year, but I don’t think I’d be able to do any of the practicals… Um, do you mind if I take my wand.”

“Please.”

She did and then she waved it. Snape stiffened slightly, but then relaxed when he saw she was casting a levitation charm.

Ginny stared at her wand after the spell.

“It’s… different for me. It’s not terrible, but it feels less powerful.”

This statement cause Snape to go pale.

“I will escort you personally to Ollivanders.”

“We can’t… I can’t afford a new wand,” Ginny said. Snape gave her his iciest of glares and it was all she could do not to quail before it.

“You are one of my Slytherins. I will buy you the wand.”

Ginny noticed Professor McGonagall’s cheeks pink at that.

Ginny inclined her head.

“Thank you Professor.”

Snape smiled.

“I see Ms. Parkinson has been a good influence on you. It is good to see you put aside any Gryffindorish pride in favour of a Slytherin’s practicality.”

McGonagall glared at Snape for that comment, but Ginny could tell it was only half-hearted.

“Sir, can you come with me to Professor Dumbledore’s office? I believe you can be there as my Head of House.”

“Of course.”

***

“Enter.”

Well, that was just rude. She hadn’t even knocked. Also… a little creepy. They stepped into the Headmaster’s office and Ginny had her head bowed.

“Ms. Weasley, Severus.”

“Ginny!”

Ginny groaned internally as she was swept up in a hug.

“What happened? We heard about everything and Dumbledore says you may have been involved… I told you… Oh dear…”

Her mother finally let up on the hug, but still held her arm. Ginny had a thing or two to say about that I told you, but she kept quiet.

“Severus, I think it may be best if we have this discussion in private.”

Ginny felt panic grip her.

“Ms. Weasley has asked me to be here as her head of house.”

“That is only necessary if her parents are not present.”

“And yet, the bylaws still allow me to be party to any meeting within the school grounds that involve a Slytherin. With their permission of course.” Ginny felt her mother stiffen at the word Slytherin.

“I think it’s clear that my daughter was unduly influenced to be in Slytherin.”

“What?” Ginny said, snapping her head to the side. While a lot of her house had been rather cruel this year, Tom had actually deescalated things with Draco rather masterfully. He’d played on Draco’s guilt at having been the reason Pansy was banished from House Parkinson, which had resulted in Draco being—not friendly—but unfailingly polite to her. But that was all unimportant in the face of the fact that she liked Slytherin and a lot of her classmates in it.

“According to Ms. Weasley’s account, the possession didn’t start until after she had arrived at school.”

“All the more reason for her to be out of that house!”

“No,” Ginny said firmly, still looking at the ground. “I don’t know where I ran across whatever possessed me, but I’m sure it wasn’t in the Slytherin Common Room, otherwise anyone could have picked it up beforehand.”

“Then you may have been targeted.”

“I don’t want to leave Slytherin,” Ginny said stubbornly. She could almost feel Snape’s eyes boring into her, telling her she was being too bold, but she didn’t care. Maybe it wasn’t in her to be this cunning. She couldn’t just play meek as her mother dragged out the worlds longest unjustified ‘I told you so.’ She didn’t look at Dumbledore, but she did look up. “I’m not switching houses.”

Her mother let go of her arm. She turned and saw the confusion and betrayal on her mother’s face.

“Why do houses matter so much?” she asked and her voice came out pleading. “I like Slytherin. Morgana, Hermione Granger doesn’t care that I’m Slytherin and she—”

“Morgana?” her mother said and her face curdled before Ginny’s eyes. “You use the Dark Lady’s name?”

“Have you read about Merlin?” Ginny snapped. “What he’s done?” This only had the effect of making her mother angry.

“That’s it, we’re pulling you out of Hogwarts. This can’t go on.”

“Molly,” Dumbledore started.

“No Albus, she’s using Morgana’s name. She’s a Slytherin.”

“While her sorting is… regrettable.”

Ginny almost looked Dumbledore in the eyes there.

“Regrettable?” Ginny said. “I didn’t realise you were so prejudiced, Headmaster.” She almost couldn’t believe her daring, but the sight of him had suddenly filled her with a cold rage.

“The girl is correct.” Snape stepped forward. “It is unprofessional to show such… favouritism, Albus. Perhaps limit it to… awarding points after declaring a House Winner.”

“Severus.”

“We are getting far off the point,” Snape continued as if Dumbledore hadn’t spoken. “Whatever your future decisions regarding Ms. Weasley, she is currently my student. I will remain as long as she wishes.”

“Let us discuss what happened,” Dumbledore said.

So Ginny told the story they’d practised, leaving Tom and the chamber out of it. She offered vague recollections of prowling the school at night and growing more fatigued as the year went on. Dumbledore did try to catch her eye, but she feigned anger at her parents and focused her attention on them. Finally, Ginny took a breath.

“And if you try to pull me out of Hogwarts, I will offer pensive memories of abuse.” She hadn’t gained much knowledge from Tom’s possession, but she could recall things he thought and did as if they were her own actions. She knew a pensive was a way of viewing memories and were permissible in court.

Her mother took a step back, fury and guilt plain on her face.

“A-abuse? How could you—”

“How could I!?” Ginny raged. “How could you!? You’ve been horrible to me all year. You’ve only written to me to tell me you were disappointed because of a house. Rather than judge my actions, you just let your stupid prejudice decide I was bound to be evil. Dad hasn’t written to me at all! Do Bill and Charlie even know about my sorting? And you slapped me!”

“How dare you? Abuse? Correcting a child when they are misbehaving—”

“Oh? How was I misbehaving? Because I got sorted into a house!?”

“Yes,” her mother hissed.

“Molly. Ginny. Let’s all calm down.”

Ginny whirled on him. She was so angry she couldn’t even think straight.

“Now you play peacemaker? Where were you while I was alone for the past year? Did you smile as she knit a Gryffindor sweater for me? Not a single letter. And now we should all calm down? I was possessed! And no one even noticed anything was wrong!”

Snape shot her a warning look. Her father looked guiltily at her mother and Ginny somehow knew she had forbidden him from writing to her.

“I’m done. I told you what I know. I’m going to go wait with my friends until they get revived.”

“Ginevra! We are not done.”

“Yes we are. I do not care what you have to say.”

She wish she could say she walked out with her head held high as Professor Snape or Pansy would have done, but she practically ran.

Snape followed closely on her heels. When they were a sufficient distance away, Snape lightly touched her shoulder. She stopped and he pulled out his wand and cast a number of spells.

“You must be the most ambitious student Slytherin has ever seen, because I have never seen such a Gryffindorish lack of cunning in my entire life.”

Ginny glared at him, the anger from earlier still pulsing through her. After a moment, Snape rolled his eyes.

“If your situation ever becomes truly dire, owl me at Spinners End.” Ginny blinked in surprise. “I trust you can find your way to the Hospital Wing?”

She nodded. “Thanks, professor,” she said meekly.

***

Professor McGonagall was sitting in her office when a silver doe burst through the wall.

“I need your assistance diverting Molly Weasley and her husband from the Hospital Wing.”

“I take it, it didn’t go as well as we hoped,” McGonagall muttered to herself. She stood up and left to go find Snape.

***

Pansy blinked rapidly.

“What—Ginny!”

“I’m here. Everythings okay.”

The girl was sobbing as she held Pansy’s hand.

“I’m so sorry, Pans. I’m so sorry.”

“Aurellia?” Pansy asked, suddenly panicked.

“Fine. She’s okay too.”

“What are you sorry for?”

Ginny gave her a confused look.

“I petrified you.”

“Well…” Pansy drawled. “I assume there’s an explanation behind that.”

“I—I was possessed. I’ll tell you more in a bit. Not here.”

Pansy nodded, never feeling more creeped out by the amount of portraits around the school and how they could be used to spy for the headmaster.

“They’re waking Hermione up now,” Ginny said, looking over. Pansy sat bolt upright.

“Granger was petrified?”

Ginny nodded. 

“Astrid as well. She already woke up and said she needed to be alone for a bit.”

Pansy immediately began getting out of bed.

“Madam Pomfrey said—”

“Pomfrey can suck face with a dementor. Help me up.”

Granger blinked awake and Madam Pomfrey gave Pansy a reproachful look. One which Pansy returned with interest.

“Pansy?”

“That’s Parkinson to you Granger.”

Hermione smiled, seeming a little delirious. Then she saw Ginny and she pushed herself against the headboard, eyes wide with terror.

“Hermione, it’s just me. I was possessed. Everythings okay now.”

Oh Morgana, Ginny was crying again. Pansy pulled Ginny into a one armed hug while she held Hermione’s arm in what she hoped was a comforting way.

“Ginny, are you going to keep sobbing over everyone who wakes up?”

“There’s more?” Ginny asked, horrified.

“Well, Filch’s cat. You can go and have a good cry over her as well, if you like.”

Ginny laughed, but Pansy didn’t miss the guilty look she shot over at the frozen cat.

“What happened?” Hermione asked, still seeming a bit wary.

“I’ll tell both of you. But not here.”

Hermione hesitated, but nodded.