Chapter 20
The next day, Harry spent the majority of his day trying to avoid Professor Lockhart, along with Collin Creevey, who both now seemed to Harry's full class timetable memorised. Much to the amusement of his friends, who only laughed and didn’t help at all, the only good part of his day was the after class quidditch practice. He invited all his friends to come watch but the only ones interested were Draco, Blaise and Tracey, fortunately, the three of them decided to sit on the seats surrounding the arena to show their support.
Since this was Harrys first quidditch practice with the Slytherin team, he wanted to make a good first impression and arrived half and hour early. This was a stupid decision because although Harry got the changing rooms to himself, when the others arrived, they made him stay so they could talk strategy. This took another 30 minutes.
“Okay,” Flint started the minute he took his school shirt off. “the Gryffindors, aka Woods, are trying to get more practice in by waking up at the crack of dawn, this will work to our advantage.” He started counting on his fingers. "Everyone’s half asleep, they want to murder the captain and in the mornings, it will most probably be raining. This, gentlemen, is why I booked the quidditch pitch during the summer break and not when we got back to school.”
“Smart, man.” A chaser named Adrian Pucey commented, clapping Marcus on the hand.
Once Marcus was in his quidditch uniform he brought out a large piece of parchment that was covered in strategy. Harry could barely decipher it with all the lines criss crossing around.
“Manson, Montanner” Marcus said sternly, pointing at the diagram, “you stay on Betchley” the Slytherin Keeper “until I get the quaffle and then one of you, preferably Manson, follows me because the Weasleys will be on me. I hate to say this but those Weasel faces have gotten good over the summer, I watched their team practice this morning, we need to be on high alert gentlemen. Montague, I will throw to you. Spinnet will most probably be on you like she has for the past three years and I expect you to elbow the hell out of her- be ruthless- Madam Hooch can only see so much.” He then took a deep breath and looked at Harry. “Potter, I’ve seen your dives and they are the best I’ve ever seen, during the game you will hover above us, Pucey and Montanner will be on you, do not worry about them, only focus on finding the snitch, okay?”
“Okay.” Harry muttered.
Flint clapped his hands together and grinned. “We won the Quidditch Cup last year, boys, let’s win it again.” Harry was pulled into a tight circle and the older boys started chanting ‘for the boys’ and ‘Slytherins best, chuck out the rest’. Harry laughed and joined in.
After practice, Harry had a hot shower and got changed quickly. It was now six in the evening and dinner was an hour away, but he promised Hermione they could do their Transfiguration homework together in the library after his practice ended. Flint was in a great mood after their first practice, he kept clapping everyone on the back and saying how the quidditch cup was theirs for the taking.
“Good practice, Potter, you’re better than all the other Seekers I’ve had.” Flint said, clapping his back after they got changed.
“Oh… thanks Flint.” Harry flushed at the comment.
Marcus ruffled his hair fondly. “Don’t be so modest, mate, take the compliment.”
Graham Montague came up behind them and put an arm around both of them. “What’re we talking’ ‘bout.” He said in his Irish accent.
“The usual. Praising The Boy Who Lived.” Marcus sighed dramatically.
“Ah yes, you wee Potter boy, make the ol’ Seeker look shit.”
Marcus laughed loudly. “He won us the quidditch cup but Potter will win it for us faster, won't you mate?”
Before Harry was stuck looking like a tomato for the rest of the day, he said goodbye and ran to meet his friends who were coming down from the stands.
Draco was smiling widely and started gushing immediately.
“Good Merlin, I forgot you could dive like that! I was sure you were gonna hit the ground the last time around but you pulled up just in time, Tracey was screaming the whole time-“
“Was not!” Tracey defended, turning red. “I was just worried you were gonna hit the ground, is all.”
Harry laughed and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Don’t worry about me, Davis, I’ve been flying on brooms since before I could talk. Literally, I have a picture of me flying a toddlers learner broom when I was one years old.”
“I’ve got to see that.” Blaise snorted.
“If you ask dad I’m sure he can spare one of the millions of pictures he took when I first got it.”
“I might just owl him…” Blaise said thoughtfully.
“Oh Merlin, you’re not serious?” Harry groaned.
“Ooo, ask Mr Potter if there’s a picture of Harry in a leather jacket!” Tracey giggled. “I know you’ve got one.”
Harry glared at Draco who was smirking at him. They shared a wardrobe and both knew Harry had a leather jacket in there, courtesy of Sirius, of course.
“Actually-“ Draco started.
“Nope! Nope, definitely not.” Harry barked out, holding a hand over Dracos mouth.
The walk back to the castle was peaceful but by the time they made it back, dinner had started. Harry filled with guilt when he remembered his promise to Hermione, luckily, when they walked into the Great Hall he saw her sitting at the Gryffindor table having a heated debate with Ginny and Ron. She didn’t notice him coming in so Harry promised his friends he’d be a minute and slid into the seat opposite her.
“Oh, Harry!” Hermione perked up, connecting their ankles under the table, she then slumped her shoulders with guilt. “I’m so sorry I missed our library study session, it’s just I promised Lavender to help her in astronomy and I knew you had quidditch practice so I didn’t think to-“
“It’s alright, Hermione, I actually came her to apologise to you for missing the study session. Practice went overtime and by the time I made it back to the castle dinner was ready.”
They shared a laugh and Hermione visibly relaxed. Ron, however, was the opposite of relaxed and was staring daggers into Harrys soul during the whole conversation.
“Get back to your table, snake.” He spat.
Harry frowned but Hermione and Ginny were the ones to intervene. “Ronald Weasley, you’re so bloody rude!” Ginny scowled, hitting her brothers arm.
“What?” Ron fought, rubbing his arm. “This isn’t his table.”
“If you haven’t noticed, I can see a Hufflepuff sitting next to a Gryffindor two seats down from us.” Harry replied with smirk.
Ron scowled. “Well isn’t that all nice and dandy for them then.”
Hermione only rolled her eyes and gave Harry a pitying look.
“We can study in the library tomorrow if you’d like?” She offered.
“Yeah, that’ll work.”
Harry stood up and eyed the other Gryffindors who were giving him unwelcoming looks. “Y’know, I’ll head back to my table. Thanks again Hermione, Ginny.” He nodded at the girls and strutted back to his table. There is no way Weasley was ruining his day.
“Was that Harry Potter at our table?” He heard a hopeful Collin Creevey ask “I have a photo for him to sign and I wasn’t allowed on the quidditch pitch this afternoon.”
Just as he sat down, the mousey boy was at his shoulder, much to the amusement of his friends.
“Oh this again.” Pansy and Blaise said at the same time. Pansy sounded excited whereas Blaise sounded like he wanted to jump off the Astronomy Tower.
Collin didn’t seem to hear them and slammed a polaroid picture in front of Harrys plate. It was of Collin buzzing on the spot with a hand on Harry’s elbow and the biggest smile. Harry looked much less enthused with a tight lipped grin and both hands in his pockets. Collin was pulling Harry closer in the photo and Harry looked like he was about to trip, then the photo replayed itself. “I printed the picture of us out, Harry! And I managed to make it move! With the help of my roommate, of course….doesn’t it look amazing?” He took a shattering breath and grabbed a quill and ink pot from his pockets to also put on the table. “If you still want to, I would love if you would sign it.”
Unfortunately, this Creevey kid was loud and caught the attention of both the older Slytherins and one teacher Harry had been doing well to avoid.
“Did someone say signed photos?”
Harry groaned and hid his face in his hands. All his friends were giggling and Pansy was laughing so hard, tears were streaming down her face. At least Draco wasn’t making fun of him and patted his back soothingly.
“Yes, Mr Lockhart.” Collin grinned when Lockhart stood next to them. “Harry Potter had a picture with me and now he’s going to sign it!”
“How exciting.” Lockhart clapped. “Brave of you Harry, giving out autographs at such a young age can seem a tad big headed, to be frank. I, for one, would be waiting until you have more achievements under your belt, like me for example.” This made the whole Slytherin table and a few people from other tables howl with laughter.
Harry frowned at the confrontation and quirked an eyebrow.
“Why don’t you sign it, Harry? I can decide if your autograph is ‘celebrity enough’, I’d like to think myself as an expert in that department.”
Harry hoped the glare he gave Lockhart was kill worthy and all he did was pick up his fork, fiercely stab a piece of chicken, and eat it very slowly. Collin was shuffling awkwardly and poked Harrys shoulder to ask if he was going to sign the photo or not. He kind of felt sorry for the kid who was getting mocked further down the table and only drew a messy star on the upper left hand corner.
“There you go, now leave me alone and let me eat please.” Harry snapped, his eyes stayed only on Lockhart when he said this. The older man gulped loudly and visibly before he walked back to the staff table.
“I think you’re a threat to him.” Draco whispered to him with humour.
“I hope I’m a threat to all of them.” Harry whispered back.
Dinner finished as usual and the students moseyed back to their common rooms to get ready for bed. Harry was walking with his elbows linked with Pansy’s and Tracey’s as the girls decided they were still mad at Crabbe for his comment the day before. This was fine when all of a sudden, Harry heard a voice. A voice so chilling and venomous it made his skin crawl.
“Come….come to me… Let me rip you… Let me tear you… Let me kill you…”
Harry gave a huge jump and tripped over the girls feet, making them all tumble to the floor. Their friends behind them rushed forward to ask what was wrong.
“Goodness gracious, Harry.” Tracey sighed, taking Goyle’s hand to pull her up. “Why’d you make us trip?”
“Didn’t… didn’t any of you hear that voice?” Harry muttered, looking around.
“No.” Everyone said, eyeing each other wearily.
“No, the voice. It was so loud and- are you sure none of you heard anything?”
Draco took a hesitant step forward. “We’re sure, Harry, maybe you’re getting delusional from all that flying. Blaise, you told me you read something somewhere about the dangers of flying for too long.”
“Oh yeah!” Blaise remembered. “The oxygen gets lower and thinner the higher you fly up and maybe you flew a little too high during practice and are starting to hear things. It’s not uncommon for quidditch players. You know, in the 1966 Word Cup, the Seeker on the Australian team almost died-”
“I know what I heard!” Harry yelled, pulling on his hair and looking around him again.
“This is why kids shouldn’t stay up past their bed time.” Pansy sighed like a tired mother and led Harry through their common room entrance and into his dorm.
——
Before anyone noticed, it was October. The Whooping Willow lost its green leaves which turned to orange and red, the air chilled the students skin if they weren’t covered in scarfs and beanies and Madam Pomfrey was off her rails treating people left and right for the common cold that was spreading around the castle. Her Pepperup potion was the saviour of the month, even though it left the drinker smoking at the ears several hours afterward.
Even though the weather was horrid with rain and wind, each quidditch session was a good one. Harry had had the fastest broom when a mystery parcel was sent to the whole team and inside was seven brand new Nimbus Two Thousand and One’s. Harry had sent his dad a letter asking if he donated all those brooms but he had said no. Whoever gifted them, it was the best surprise the team could’ve asked for and during practices, they flew faster than ever before. Draco was pleased to say whenever he watched them practice it was just green lines zooming all over the place. Harry had a suspicion it was the gesture of the Malfoy’s since Flint came up to Draco during breakfast the following day and told him he could try out for a reserve position. This left Draco buzzing in his seat and Harry’s suspicions were probably correct when he found Draco writing a five page letter to his father.
“I am just so thankful to whoever donated all those new brooms to us.” Harry suggested, coming up behind Draco but not close enough to read his letter.
“They’re brilliant, aren’t they?” Draco said proudly.
“It’s a pity I wasn’t told who gave them to us.” Harry sighed dramatically, eyeing Draco who was looking at his parchment.
“I’m sure it won’t kill you to not know.”
“Oh but it is, Malfoy.” Harry droned on, trying to sound exasperated. “I want them to know how so very grateful I am for my amazing new broomstick.”
Draco didn’t say anything and Harry quickly sat in the desk chair next to him and looked at his friend. “Why did Flint offer you a place in the reserves?”
“Maybe he saw me flying with you the other day and thought I’d be good on the team.”
“Hmmm… it’s very good you didn’t try to buy your way on the team and have someone kicked off.”
“I must be learning.” Draco deadpanned, kicking away Harry’s foot that was kicking his ankle.
“Dray… Dragonfly…Drab…Drat… Drafty Bin-“
“Drafty Bin?.” Draco gasped. “Are you trying to make a nickname for me, because those all suck.”
“I have nothing to work with with your name.” Harry defended.
“Your family calls you weird stuff like Prongslet and Bambi, I don’t trust you to find a suitable nickname for me.”
Harry hummed and narrowed his eyes at Draco who unfortunately went back to writing. “I think I have a suspicion on who donated those brooms.”
“Do educate me.” Draco muttered.
“Was it you?”
Draco looked up and quirked an eyebrow like he was unimpressed. “Why would you think it was me?”
“Because the day after we got those brooms you were offered a reserve spot and you’re writing a long letter to your father who must be in on your kind gesture.”
Draco stared at him a little longer before bursting out a laugh.
Harry was very confused.
“Why are you laughing, that wasn’t a joke.”
Draco calmed down and patted Harry’s shoulder with a chuckle. “Oh Harry, why would I do that? I can easily afford to donate seven of those overly priced broomsticks, but why would I? It wasn’t just a coincidence Flint offered me the position today because I asked him two days ago if there was a chance I could be on the team and he suggested reserves. Secondly, this letter is a reply to something my father has been talking about since the summer holidays, a plan or event that will take place at Hogwarts soon, he hasn’t given me any details but I’m trying to get some out of him.”
“Oh.” Harry frowned. Who could it be then?
“Do stop fretting, you have the broom now so why should it matter how you got it?”
“I want to thank the donator, this must have cost a fortune and I don’t feel right not thanking them for this.”
“You are such a dork.” Draco teased.
Harry gasped and crossed his arms. “Being nice doesn’t make me a dork.”
“But being nice has now led to you being followed around by an annoying, pubescent twat.”
“You’re right, maybe I should scare Collin off with a Boggart or something.”
“Halloween is in three days.” Draco smirked.
They looked at each other and Harry's grin widened.
Halloween was upon them and the festivities were high. They Great Hall was decorated with the usual live bats, Hagrid’s vast pumpkins had been carved into lanterns large enough for three men to sit in, and there were rumours that Dumbledore had booked a troupe of dancing skeletons for the entertainment. Plus, the anticipation for the Halloween Feast had made Harry on the verge of dribbling all day.
At 7 ‘o’ clock they made their way to feast in their usual pack. The girls, plus Daphne, had dressed in corresponding Halloween costumes and each of them was a Disney Princess. Pansy was in a sparkly blue gown which made her Cinderella, Tracey was The Little Mermaid with a fake tail, Millicent was Snow White with a velvet bow in her hair, and Daphne was Aurora from Sleeping Beauty in the pinkest gown Harry had ever seen. The boys had not bothered to dress for the occasion as the only reason Harry was even leaving his dorm was for the food.
To everyones surprise, coming into the dungeons while they were leaving was none other than Ron, Hermione and Neville.
“What are you doing down here?” Blaise asked in surprise.
“I don’t see how that’s your business, Zabini.” Ron snapped, trying to pull his friends along.
“Hi, Harry!” Hermione chirped, ignoring Ron’s pulling.
“Evening, Hermione, how’s it going?”
“Good, good. We were invited to Headless Nicks five hundredth death-day party which is just down here.” She pointed to the corridor that was lined with candles.
“Oh.” Was all Harry could say. “Well, hope you have fun.”
“I hope so too.” Neville muttered.
“It will be fine, Neville.” Hermione reassured. “Pity we’re missing the Halloween feast, but a promise is a promise, isn’t it boys?”
Ron and Neville nodded their heads sadly.
“Love the dresses, girls.” Hermione smiled one last time before walking down the corridor with the boys in tow.
“Hmph.” Pansy said. “How very odd.”
“Do you think ghost parties have food?” Crabbe asked, leaning his head down the corridor the Gryffindors went down in case he could see anything.
“Why don’t you go down there and find out.” Tracey snapped.
Crabbe did not go to the ghost death-day party and instead helped himself to more roasted potatoes. The Halloween Feast was as brilliant as expected, with more food options than one can handle. Instead, Harry put a bit of everything on his plate and got more of the stuff he liked the most and subtly put the stuff he didn’t like back on the dish he served it from.
Dumbledore, had in fact, hired a troupe of dancing skeletons for entertainment who were twisting and turning and throwing each others heads back and forth to a Mexican song. Dumbledore whispered something to one of them and soon the whole hall was doing the Macarena, even the Pureblood’s.
“What is this madness?” Draco gasped, putting his hands on his hips and moving them along with the skeletons.
”Hey, Macarena, ay!” Harry sung along, putting his hands to his hips too.
“I don’t know but I like it.” Blaise shouted back, dancing along.
“But don't you worry about my boyfriend. He’s a boy whose name is Vitorino. I don't want him, couldn’t stand him. He was no good so I hahahaha.” Pansy and Tracey, for some reason, knew that line and were cackling like stereotypical witches.
The song and dance ended and dessert was brought out. The Macarena was the biggest conversation in the whole hall and Harry was surprised his Pureblood friends were now invested to know more dances.
“Please, Harry, share what you know.” Tracey begged.
“Mother would never let me get muggle music.” Blaise sighed sadly.
“Eww, I just enjoyed dancing to muggle music.” Draco spat, looking disgusted at himself.
“That’s not a bad thing, you know?” Harry said. “You can keep your Pureblood status and shit and enjoy muggle things too.”
“Brilliant, why didn’t I think of that?” Goyle sighed dreamily.
“That song will be stuck in my head for all of eternity.” Pansy groaned like it was the worst thing in the word.
Harry was about to make a remark when he heard it through the loud chatter of the Great Hall.
“…rip…tear…kill…”
It was the same chilling voice, the same venomous, murderous voice he had heard after quidditch practice. He held his breathe and looked out the doors, listening with all he had, looking around to see anything.
“Harry, are you okay-“
“It’s the voice again- shut up a minute.”
”So hungry…for so long…”
“Listen!” Harry demanded urgently. All his friends and some students sitting near him froze.
”…kill…time to kill…”
Then the voice got fainter until it disappeared. Harry frowned and stood up to follow it when a hand reached to pull him back in his seat.
“What are you-“
“Harry, what do you think you’re doing?” Draco whispered.
“Following the voice-“
“Leave the voice, no one can hear it but you. Maybe you’re coming down with something? It is flu season, after all.”
Harry frowned and looked longingly at the doors. The feast just seemed insignificant compared to Harry’s desire to see what he was hearing. He wasn’t going mad, he wasn’t.
A few moments later, Dumbledore said his goodnights and the feast had ended. The rumbling sound of everyone leaving their seats and walking out of the hall made it harder for Harry to hear the voice again. But he did hear it again and started running up to the second corridor, he couldn’t make it out yet until:
”…I smell blood…I SMELL BLOOD…”
It was too late. A student screamed and Harry had to push his way to the front of the crowd to be able to properly see it.
On the wall, written in red, dripping blood were the words:
THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED.
ENEMIES OF THE HEIR BEWARE
There was a large puddle of water on the floor that was mixed with the blood. It wasn’t until a small boy pointed it out that Harry saw it was Mrs Norris, Flinch the caretakers cat, who was hung by her tail on a torch light. She was rigour mortis and her eyes were wide and staring.
“Enemies of the heir, beware! You’ll be next, Mudbloods!” Draco said. He had an unusual smile on his face and his eyes were more alight than Harry had ever seen. It was scary how his best friend was grinning so joyfully at the stiff cat.