Chapter 8.
- [Harry lays in bed, shocked by what he just heard. A few days later, in the girls' bathroom, he tells Ron and Hermione what he overheard.]
- Hermione: "Again"? You mean, the Chamber of Secrets has been opened before?
- Ron: Of course. Don't you see? Lucius Malfoy must have opened it when he was at school here, and now he's taught Draco how to do it.
"Nope!" Sirius stated popping the p.
"Maybe Draco is the heir, and some older Malfoy taught him?" Peter suggested.
"No." Narcissa and Regulus answered at the same time.
"Oddly protective, aren't you?" Sirius asked.
"No, it just doesn't make sense." Narcissa stated.
"Why not?" James asked.
"If someone in the Malfoy's bloodline was the heir of Slytherin, they would be waving it around to the fellow pureblooded families, not keeping it a secret." Regulus explained.
Hermione: Maybe. We'll have to wait for the Polyjuice Potion to know for sure.
Ron: Enlighten me. Why are we brewing this potion in broad daylight...in the middle of a girls' lavatory? Don't you think we'll get caught?
Hermione: No. No one ever comes in here.
Ron: Why?
Hermione: Moaning Myrtle.
Ron: Who?
Hermione: Moaning Myrtle.
Ron: Who's Moaning Myrtle?
Moaning Myrtle: I'm Moaning Myrtle.
Sirius rolled his eyes. "So fucking dramatic." He mumbled.
[She flies to the top of a pillar.]
Moaning Myrtle: I wouldn't expect you to know me. Who would ever talk about ugly, miserable, moping Moaning Myrtle?
"She's not that bad." Regulus states. "I've had some good conversations with her." Mary raised her eyebrows.
"You were in the girls' lavatory?"
"Well, it was an accident, I didn't really know Hogwarts at the time, and I accidentally entered lavatory, and met her." Regulus explained.
[Moaning Myrtle screams and flies into the toilet.]
Hermione: She's a little sensitive.
[The scene shifts to the Great Hall. There's a big, blue table that takes up a good potion of the hall. Students are crowded along either side. Lockhart steps onto the table.]
Lockhart: Gather round! Gather round. Can everybody see me? Can you all hear me? Excellent. In the light of the dark events of recent weeks, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little Dueling Club 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.
"How was he even hired?" Lily questioned.
[Lockhart takes off his cloak and throws it into the crowd of students.]
Lockhart: Let me introduce my assistant...Professor Snape. [Snape steps onto the table.] He has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration. 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. [They bow to each other and get in dueling positions.] One. Two. Three.
Snape: Expelliarmus! [Lockhart is blasted back.]
Cheers flew out across the room.
Hermione: Do you think he's all right?
Ron: Who cares?
Lockhart: An excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape but if you don't mind me saying, it was pretty obvious what you were about to do.
Severus rolled his eyes. "It still hit you."
Lockhart: -and if I had wanted to stop you it would have been only too easy.
"Sure." Lily stated.
Snape: Perhaps it would be prudent to first teach the students to block unfriendly spells, Professor.
Lockhart: An excellent suggestion, Professor Snape. Well...let's have a volunteer pair. Uhh...Potter, Weasley, how about you?
Snape: Weasley's wand causes devastation with the simplest spell. We'll be sending Potter to the hospital wing in a matchbox. Might I suggest someone from my house? Malfoy, perhaps?
"Ughhhhh." Lily moaned. "This is just feeding into their rivalry!"
Lockhart: Good luck, Potter.
Harry: Thank you, sir.
Lockhart: Wands at the ready.
Draco: Scared, Potter?
Harry: You wish. [They both bow and take the steps backwards.]
Lockhart: On the count of three, cast your charms to disarm your opponent, only to disarm. We don't want any accidents here. One. Two.
Draco: Everte Statum!
"OI HE WENT ON TWO!" James yelled.
[Harry went flying back.]
Harry: Ricumspectra! [This spell sends Draco flying back.]
"Yeah!" Remus cheered.
"Cheaters always lose!" Sirius sang cheerfully.
[Snape dragged Draco up and thrust him back into the duel.]
Lockhart: I said disarm only!
Draco: Serpensortia! [A snake came out of his wand.]
Snape: Don't move, Potter. I'll get rid of it for you.
Lockhart: Allow me, Professor Snape. [Snape stops in his tracks] Alarte ascendare! [the snake jettisons high into the air, then falls back down, raises its head and turns toward Harry with a hiss]
"Of course." James said, and put his head in his hands.
Harry: Sya- hassa- she. (Leave them alone.) [the snake turns toward Justin Finch-Fletchey and hisses] Sya- hasi- heth. (Leave him alone.) [Snape watches suspiciously] Sya- hasi- heth. [the snake turns toward Harry again]
Snape: Vipera. Evanesca. [He waves his wand, emitting a blast at the snake, causing it to burst into flame and disappear. A murmur runs through the audience.]
Justin Finch-Fletchney: What are you playing at?!
"Saving your life."
Ron: You're a parselmouth? Why didn't you tell us?
Harry: I'm a what?
Hermione: You can talk to snakes.
Harry: I know. I mean, I accidentally set a python on my cousin, Dudley at the zoo once. Once but so what? I bet loads of people here can do it.
Remus shook his head. "No, it's actually quite rare."
Hermione: No, they can't. It's not a very common gift Harry. This is bad.
Harry: What's bad? If I hadn't told that snake not to attack Justin--
Ron: Oh! That's what you said to it.
Harry: You were there! You heard me!
Ron: I heard you speaking Parseltongue. Snake language.
Harry: I spoke a different language? But I didn't realize-- How can I speak a language without knowing I can?
"That is a good question." Alice admitted.
Hermione: I don't know Harry. But it sounded like you were egging the snake on or something.
James smashed a pillow into his face. "Of course." The sound came out muffled. Lily frowned.
"God forbid they actually trust the boy who has saved the Wizard World twice!!" She expressed.
Hermione: Harry, listen to me. There's a reason the symbol of Slytherin house is a serpent. Salazar Slytherin was a parselmouth. He could talk to snakes too.
Ron: Exactly. Now the whole school is going to think you're his great-great-great grandson or something.
Andromeda shook her head. "It makes no sense. On his dad's side he's a Potter, which are not related to Salazar...and Lily is a muggleborn."
Harry: But I'm not! I can't be.
Hermione: He lived a thousand years ago. For all we know, you could be.
Regulus frowned. "Is that really a bad thing?"
"Yes." All the Gryffindors answered immediately.
"Oh, but if he were the descendent of Godric it would be fine then? Piss off." Bellatrix shouted.
[The scene shift into McGonagall's classroom. Everyone is staring at Harry.]
Harry: I'll see you back in the common room. [Harry walks out.]
Ominous voice: Blood. I want blood.
"I have an idea." Remus announced. Everyone turned towards him. "What if the voice we're hearing is speaking parseltongue? That's why only Harry can hear it!"
"That does make sense." Frank agreed.
Ominous voice: They all must die. Kill. Kill. Kill! Time to kill.
- [Harry turns a corner and discovers Nearly Headless Nick, petrified with his head partially detached and floating in place. On the floor just a few feet away is Justin Finch-Fletchey, also petrified. Harry kneels down to examine his stiff body. As he does so, Filch walks out of a doorway behind him.]
- Filch: Caught in the act. [Harry turns around at the sound of his voice] I'll have you out this time, Potter. Mark my words. [grins wickedly and walks away]
- Harry: No, Mr. Filch! Y-y-you don't understand-- [breaks off as something else catches his eye; he looks to see another group of spiders scurrying away over the wall and out a window; as he walks to the window, watching the spiders, Filch returns, accompanied by Professor McGonagall; she gasps in shock at the sight of Justin and approaches him, then glances from his body to Harry] Professor. I swear, I didn't.
"Surely Minnie will understand." Sirius reasoned. Mary cringed.
"Listen...we know it isn't Harry...but- but uh...the evidence against him is pretty damning." She explained. Sirius glared at her.
Professor McGonagall: This is out of my hands, Potter. [she and Harry then walk to an opening containing a griffin statue, the entrance to Professor Dumbledore's office] Professor Dumbledore will be waiting for you. [she gestures towards the statue; Harry approaches] Sherbet Lemon. [she opens her hands at the statue; the statue rotates clockwise and rises, and a staircase comes out of the floor, also rising in a clockwise fashion; Harry steps onto the staircase, stepping towards a door as the statue comes to a stop. Harry walks in.]
Harry: Professor Dumbledore? [Harry fully walks in. He sees the Sorting Hat.]
Sorting Hat: Bee in your bonnet, Potter?
Harry: I- I was just wondering if you put me in the right house.
"Damn right it did." Sirius exclaimed.
Sorting Hat: Yes...you were particularly difficult to place, but I stand by what I said last year. You would have done well in Slytherin.
Harry: You're wrong. [Harry's eye catches something else, he starts to walk towards it and we can see it's a Phoenix.]
"Dumbledore has a Phoenix?!" Peter blurted out.
[Harry grins at the Phoenix, who bursts into flames.]
Dumbledore: Harry?
Harry: Professor, sir. Your bird--There was nothing I could do. He just caught fire.
Dumbledore: Oh, and about time too. He's been looking dreadful for days. Pity you had to see him on a burning day. Fawkes is a phoenix, Harry. They burst into flame when it is time for them to die, and then they are...reborn from the ashes. [A phoenix rises from the ashes.] Fascinating creatures, phoenixes. They can carry immensely heavy loads, and their tears have healing powers. [The door opens.]
Hagrid: Professor Dumbledore, sir. Wait, listen. Professor Dumbledore, sir. It wasn't Harry.
Lily grinned. "Aww, of course Hagrid has Harry's back."
Dumbledore: Ahh...Hagrid-
Hagrid: I'd swear it in front of the Ministry of Magic.
Dumbledore: Hagrid! Relax. I do not believe that Harry attacked anyone.
Hagrid: Of course you don't. And-- oh. Oh...right. Well, I'll-- I'll just wait outside then.
Dumbledore: Yes.
Harry: You don't think it was me, professor?
Dumbledore: No, Harry. I do not think it was you.
"Ha!" Sirius cheered, pumping his fists in the air. "Harry has Dumbledore on his side! He'll be fine." James high-fived him.
"Only because it most likely helps Dumbledore." Regulus mumbled.
Dumbledore: But I must ask you... is there something you wish to tell me? [Harry thinks for a moment.]
Harry: No, sir. Nothing.
Dumbledore: Very well, then. Off you go. [Harry leaves.]
[It is Christmas, and students going home for the holidays are transported across the frozen lake in sleighs pulled by white horses. It transitions to nighttime, and the Great Hall is shown.]
Hermione: Everything's set. We just need a bit of whoever you're changing into.
Harry: Crabbe and Goyle.
Hermione: We also need to make sure that the real Crabbe and Goyle can't burst in on us while we're interrogating Malfoy.
Ron: How?
Hermione: I've got it all worked out.
Lily beamed. "Naturally."
Hermione: I filled these with a simple sleeping draught. Simple, but powerful. Now, once they're asleep, hide them in the broomstick cupboard, and pull out a few of their hairs, and put on their uniforms.
Ron: Who's hair are you ripping out then?
Hermione: I've already got mine. Milicent Bulstrode. Slytherin. I got this off her robes. I'm going to go check on the Polyjuice Potion. Make sure that Crabbe and Goule find these.
[Ron sneaks up behind a statue with his broken wand. Harry is behind him.]
Ron: Ahem. [He's about to use his wand when Harry interrupts him.]
Harry: Ron, maybe I should do it.
Ron: Yeah. Right.
Harry: Wingardium Leviosa. [The cupcakes start to float in the air as Crabbe and Goyle come into sight.]
Regulus scowled. "Sure, I imagine that these boys are thick, but surely they aren't so idiotic to eat random cupcakes floating in the air."
[Crabbe and Goyle already have handfuls of pastries.]
Crabbe: Cool! [The boys take them out of the air and eat them.]
Regulus scowled even more.
[Harry and Ron smirk at each other. Crabbe and Goyle devour them, then suddenly look at each other. Their eyes roll back into their heads.]
Ron: How thick could you get?
Harry: Come on, let's get them. [The scene changes, and suddenly it's Hermione pouring the Polyjuice Potion into containers.]
Hermione: We'll have exactly one hour before we change back into ourselves. [Hermione hands the potion to Harry, and Ron.] Add the hairs.
Ron: Ew. Essence of Crabbe.
Hermione: Cheers. [They all clink potions and drink. All three look disgusted.]
Ron: I think I'm going be sick. [He lets go of his drink and it clatters to the ground as he runs.]
James frowned. "It tastes that bad?"
[Harry takes another sip.]
Hermione: Me too. [Her drink shatters as she runs for the stalls. Harry's drink falls to the ground as he leans over. He looks towards his hand and sees its bubbling. Harry then looks in the mirror, and sees his face is bubbling too.]
"Ew."
[Harry's face then morphs into Goyle. Ron emerges from the stall, looking like Crabbe.]
Ron: Harry...
Harry: Ron...
Ron: Bloody hell.
Harry: We still sound like ourselves. You need to sound more like Crabbe.
Ron: Bloody hell.
Harry: Excellent.
Ron: But where's Hermione?
Hermione: I-I don't think I'm going. You go on without me.
Harry: Hermione, are you okay?
Hermione: Just go! You're wasting time.
Harry: Come on. [They leave the stall.]
"Oh, no." Marlene said. "What if the hair on that Slytherin girl's robe, wasn't hers?" Ted cringed.
"That would suck." He stated.
"Besides the Hermione issue, their transformations went well." Sirius expressed. "They might be able to pull it off!"