Chapter 15
Chapter 15
We followed Xander to his classroom where Willow was frantically searching through books. “Who was attacked?” I ask.
“Justin a Hufflepuff kid, Nearly Headless Nick, and Faith. All petrified,” Xander replies.
“Faith? How could that happen?”
“That’s what we're going to find out,” Willow answers. “From what I saw of the site where they were found, Faith was talking to Justin and Nick when they saw whatever it was and were petrified. Something was there and it was big, but if it’s big how is it getting around…” She trails off.
“Wouldn’t be the first time a scary monster used the pipes,” Xander adds. “It’s probably using that to get around, but who controls it?”
“We have a plan to figure that out possibly, but it won’t be ready till next week,” I say. “It’s that thing you don’t know about.”
“Oh! What do you have? I’ll forget this later.”
Harry says, “Ron and I have noticed Malfoy talks about the Chamber as if he knows more, so Hermione suggested we ask him about it under disguise.”
“I don’t see the rule-breaking.”
“The rule breaking is how we’re going to disguise ourselves. I assume I’m going to be patrolling more to make up for Faith,” a nod from Xander confirms this, “I’m going to send Harry and Ron to do that then.”
“Well, let’s get started on these books then,” Xander replies.
After Faith’s attack, I was given the scythe back and it took some coaching, but Harry and Ron disguised themselves as Crabbe and Goyle to question Malfoy over Christmas, but ultimately discovered he knew about as much as everyone else as the side from the death last time it was open. Harry found a diary in Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom. The diary was owned by T. M. Riddle, who just so happened to go to Hogwarts when the Chamber was last opened, but the diary was stolen.
“You don’t understand, Hermione. Tom showed me Hagrid who opened it last time. We have to go talk to him,” Harry states.
“We’ll go talk to Hagrid, but next time you come across something like that, tell someone,” I order.
We headed to Hagrid’s hut with Harry and Ron under the invisibility cloak. I knocked on the door and Hagrid let us in. Before we could start talking someone else knocked on the door, and Harry and Ron hid.
It was Professor Dumbledore, “Good evening, Hagrid, Miss Granger out on your rounds I presume?”
“Yes, Professor,” I reply.
“Well allow me to introduce Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic.”
A man wearing a strange combination of clothes and a lime green bowler hat moves into the hut and moves to me. “Miss Granger, an honor to meet you, my dear. Professor Dumbledore has informed me of your status. It is good to know there is help in these troubling times.”
I give a nod of my head and reply, “It’s no trouble to offer my help, sir.”
“Speaking of troubling times, bad business, Hagrid. Very bad business. I had to come. Two attacks on muggle-borns and a Slayer. Things have gone far enough, and the Ministry must act,” Minister Fudge said to Hagrid.
Hagrid looks at Professor Dumbledore with a sad look. “I want it known, Minister, Hagrid has my full confidence,” Professor Dumbledore said.
“Look Albus,” Minister Fudge says uncomfortably. “Hagrid’s record is against him and the Ministry must be seen doing something— the school governors have been in touch —”
“Yet again, Cornelius, I will tell you taking Hagrid will not help in the slightest,” Professor Dumbledore responds.
“Something must be done. If it turns out it wasn’t Hagrid, he’ll be back, no more said, but I must take him.”’’
Hagrid jumps from his seat, “Not Azkaban Prison!”
Before Minister Fudge could reply, there was another rap on the door. Professor Dumbledore answered it and swept in Lucius Malfoy. I heard Harry gasp and kicked my foot back to shut him up. Hagrid gave him a greeting in the form of attempting to kick him out of his house, but all Hagrid got was an insult about said house. “I simply called the school and was told the headmaster was here,” he looks around the room and his eyes land on me. “A student out of bed? Clearly after curfew? I couldn’t have come sooner.”
“Oh, Lucius she is no ordinary student—” Minister Fudge started, but was cut off.
“Miss Granger is acting in an ICW capacity under top security levels and the Minister as well as Amelia Bones and her Head of House has only been given the information due to her being under their authority,” Professor Dumbledore said pointedly at the Minister, who looked appropriately abashed.
Mr. Malfoy gave me a curious glance but continued as he pulled out a long roll of parchment. “Dreadful thing, Dumbledore, but the governors feel it’s time for you to step aside. This is an Order of Suspension — you’ll find all twelve signatures on it. How many attacks have there been now? Two more this afternoon, was it?”
I reach up and grab the parchment from Mr. Malfoy’s hands and look it over. “This says Headmaster Dumbledore,” I emphasize, “Will remain suspended until the issue is resolved and there can be in the instance of a resolution on the horizon, no suspension necessary.” I look over to Minister Fudge and think momentarily. “Give me three days. This falls under my jurisdiction since one of mine has been attacked.”
Mr. Malfoy sneers at me, “And do you know who is attacking the students or how to resolve the issue?”
“I don’t, but it doesn’t change the fact that the matter will be resolved in three days.”
Minister Fudge jumps in, “Miss Granger, sadly you both are right. There is no resolve in sight, but it is now your jurisdiction,” he looks to Professor Dumbledore. “Albus, you will have to comply with the governors, and I still must take Hagrid.”
Professor Dumbledore nods his head and Hagrid looks to me, “You may want to go talk to that friend of mine from last year, Hermione, and maybe keep an eye on Fang.”
“I’ll do that in a moment. May I leave my robes here?” Hagrid nods and I remove my robes, placing them on a nearby chair. “Minister Fudge, whoever is put in place can know about my status if the task is not resolved in the time mentioned, but not before then.”
“Agreed, Miss Granger. We’ll take our leave and let you do your business,” Minister Fudge says. I start stretching and pull the scythe from my back.
Mr. Malfoy’s eyes go wide, “Why in Merlin’s name do you have a weapon on school grounds?!”
I roll my eyes, “Like wands are not weapons. I’m allowed to carry this per my training, which is all the information I can give you before you are required to be vetted by the ICW itself or in this instance, the headmaster. Now if you gentlemen are done, I apparently need to go talk to someone.”
“Yes, yes, we’ll leave you, Miss Granger. Have a productive night,” Minister Fudge said.
The men leave with that, and I give it a few moments before turning to the boys. “I will not tell you not to come, but I highly recommend it particularly to you, Ron. I know you don’t like spiders.”
“S-Spiders,” Ron asks with a quivering voice.
“Yes, Ron. Spiders.”
“I think I’ll wait here.”
“Good choice. We won’t be long. Harry stay behind me and stay sharp.”
We leave Ron and trek into the Forbidden Forest towards Aragog’s cave. “Um, Hermione? Who exactly is Hagrid’s friend?”
“An Acromantula named Aragog, basically a giant man-eating spider who is the king of his colony. Hence why I want you to stay close.”
“Hagrid has weird friends,” Harry said as we were entering Aragog’s cave.
Once we get a good way in, I shout, “Aragog! It’s Hermione the slayer Hagrid introduced you to!” The sound of loud movements signaled his approach. When he came into view, I saw Harry take a step back that I mirrored to stay close to him.
“Young Slayer, you have returned,” Aragog said in his deep booming voice.
“I came because Hagrid has been arrested and the Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Hagrid said I should ask you.”
“That was years ago. They made him leave the school then too. They believed I was the monster in the Chamber. They thought Hagrid was responsible.”
“And you didn’t come from the Chamber,” Harry asked.
“No, Harry he did not. Hagrid told me he raised him,” I cut in. “Can you tell us anything? Maybe I can clear Hagrid’s name?”
“The thing living in the castle is an ancient creature that we spiders fear above all else. We do not dare speak of it or its name,” something clicks in my head. “That is all I can give you, Young Slayer. Please have Hagrid visit upon his release.”
I give a small bow, “Thank you for what information you could give me. We’ll take our leave.” I guide Harry slowly out of the cave and make my way back to Hagrid’s hut.
When we got there, Ron was waiting just as we left him. “Well?”
“I think I might know what it is. Let’s go.” I grab my robes, and we take off on a run for the castle and Xander’s classroom.
We came to the sight of Willow and Xander surrounded by books. I run over and start sorting through them until I find Most Macabre Monstrosities and start flipping through the pages. When I find what I’m looking for I push the book in front of Willow and Xander. “It’s a basilisk! That’s why Harry could hear it speaking. It’s a snake!”
Xander started, “How many flashbacks am I gonna get being here? First, Miss French,” Willow snorted, “and now the Mayor? I can’t get explosives here!”
“Xander, you don’t need explosives. I think between us we could handle it. I know a spell that can eliminate the thing you don’t wanna see. It puts something like a blind spot in place of the object. It would be uncomfortable, but we target eyes in general and we’re good to go for a few hours or I cancel the spell, but how do we find the Chamber,” Willow asks.
“I can do that,” Harry pipes up and turns to me. “Remember you said Moaning Myrtle died last time? We ask her about her death.”
“Of course! Let’s go,” I say, but before we head out, we hear Professor McGonagall’s voice sound magically enhanced throughout the halls.
All students are to return to their dormitories at once. All staff members and security members to the staff room. Immediately please.
“Well, let’s go see what happened.”