The cold, wet, and dark time of the year began. Christmas was over, and the remaining weeks of Winter were long and dark. At Hogwarts, the teachers began to increase the pace. There was more homework, pop tests and revision. Hermione loved the schoolwork, and her enthusiasm rubbed off on Neville. A new person joined their study group. Dean Thomas detached himself from Ronald Weasley and Seamus Finnigan to get the help he needed to pass his subjects and stay in Hogwarts. Dean also volunteered to accompany Hermione or Neville if they had to move around the castle. The invitation from the Malfoys for Harry to stay at Malfoy Manor did not extend to any of the Alliance. The Malfoy cronies continued to harass and threaten Neville and Hermione. Malfoy maintained a moody silence and stayed in the background.
Harry fought against the boredom and enjoyed a few of his lessons. His favourites were Charms, Transfiguration, and Potions. Potions became one of his favourites as he applied himself to put the theory he had absorbed from his Azkaban tutors into practice.
Defence Against the Dark Arts was improved by having temporary teachers taken from the auror corps. Each auror covered a section of the course and filled in the gaps left by Quirell.
Dean, Neville, and Hermione frequently partnered with each other in Potions. The twins started to tutor the three in their expanded potions laboratory. The three escaped Professor Snape's sneering wrath aimed at Weasley and Finnigan.
-ooOOoo-
A house elf delivered a letter from Amelia Bones. Enclosed with the letter was another from Nicholas Flamel. Amelia explained that she knew what Nicholas Flamel had written and that no matter what happened, she supported Harry entirely in his mission.
That sounded ominous.
From: Nicholas Flamel,
Alchemist
To: Harry J. Potter,
Slytherin House,
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Tuesday, January 14, 1992
Dear Harry,
I have met with the Marquis of Cr écy and Unspeakable Davis. I have explained to them the nature of Lord Voldemort's soul anchors, and they have agreed to make every effort to help destroy these evil things. They are fully aware of the need for secrecy.
Lord Greengrass and Eric Davis will set up a safe repository for storing these things when we can find and then obtain them. We will then have to make a way to destroy them.
Lord Greengrass will let you know when the safe place is ready.
Yours sincerely,
Nicholas Flamel
Harry took both letters and the envelopes and burned them in his fireplace.
The next day another house elf delivered a letter.
From: Cyrus Greengrass,
Greengrass Manor
To: Harry J. Potter,
Slytherin House,
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Wednesday, January 15, 1992
Dear Harry,
The safe place is ready. Eric Davis has arranged for a secure vault in the Department of Mysteries. As an Unspeakable, he is expected to obtain and keep dangerous and secret artefacts. The secrecy that surrounds the work of the Department of Mysteries applies internally as well as externally. Unspeakables often work on secret projects, so this vault will not raise any suspicion as long as what we put in there won’t escape and wreck the Department.
Yours sincerely
Cyrus Greengrass
This letter was also destroyed. Harry sat on the floor of his room and meditated. He had to put all his thoughts about Lord Voldemort's soul anchors in a locked room in his mindscape of Potter Manor. The headmaster or Professor Snape had not been able to collect anything from their Passive Legilimency. Harry had to work to keep it that way. The campaign to remove Lord Voldemort had hardly started, and more people were discovering what he was doing. Harry had to trust them to control their minds and keep their mouths shut.
-ooOOoo-
A lesson that Harry loved was flying. The lessons continued on Thursday afternoons after History of Magic. Rain and snow might have made flying uncomfortable, but the lessons included weather shielding charms and simple warming charms for broom flyers. Neville and Hermione both overcame their uncertainty with the right kind of encouragement.
The reason for Harry’s love of flying was simple. His small stature, lack of strength and fitness, and limp were overcome when he connected with his broom. All Harry had to do was pilot the broom, and he could fly as fast and as far as anyone else could. The old Cleansweep Six’s had an endearing nature. They were like riding club ponies who bonded with their favourite riders. Madam Hooch laid out the brooms in any order. She waited until the students were assembled, with Slytherins on one side and Gryffindors on the other. Madam Hooch gave the command to mount their brooms, and the students gave the ‘UP’ command. The brooms then flipped themselves across to their favourite rider’s waiting hands. Even Crabbe and Goyle both had a loyal broom.
Simple tests were given, and the better flyers were allowed to progress to greater heights and speeds. They were not ready to try out for Quidditch, but some were keen to prepare for the tryouts in the second year. As January turned to February, the more advanced flyers were given free time on their brooms as long as they stayed around the castle. Harry persuaded Neville, Hermione, and Dean to accompany him on a castle circuit. The Escort flew with them. The group made a gentle, low-speed trip around the castle walls. As Harry passed the closest encroachment of the Forbidden Forest, he saw a heat image in the trees. It looked like an enormous snake.
Harry turned to the flyer next to him. “Blaise! Do you see anything moving down there in the trees?”
Blaise scanned the forest; he couldn’t see anything. No one else could either.
-ooOOoo-
“Time to move on with the tasks, Harry. The Chamber of Secrets must be investigated before anyone else discovers it. That heat image you saw was big enough to be Matilda.”
“Brilliant, Tom! You are so helpful, NOT!”
-ooOOoo-
The regular letter from Aunty Amelia arrived. Amelia and Harry used Bones house elves to carry their letters. Owl mail was still too likely to be intercepted by the Ministry or by Albus Dumbledore. Amelia reported that Fudge was still not allowing any mention of Harry in the Ministry. The Daily Prophet still ignored Harry. The Harry Potter Fan Club was working at full speed. Ten mature ladies opened and responded to every letter. Usually, fans got a copy of a signed photograph of Harry at Hogwarts and a copy of a short letter Harry composed for his fans. The letter had a few simple things like how much Harry liked flying and his favourite food this week.
A sad chapter was about Sirius. Harry still sent Patronus messages to Sirius nearly every day. Sirius could not reply by Patronus as he was not allowed a wand. Sirius could have written, but he refused to. The safe, secure hiding place of his thirteen-year-old mind was now where Sirius permanently lived. Carers had been found to ensure that Sirius was safe, but he was not happy. A healer from St Mungo’s Rehabilitation visited Sirius, but there was no change. The Black vaults paid for the carers, and Sirius was supplied with whatever he asked for. What was not allowed was to go to Hogwarts, which he begged for every day. He did not accept that James was dead. If Sirius escaped from his comfortable asylum and made his way to Hogwarts, Harry would, at best, be embarrassed and, at worst, endangered.
Some happier letters went to and from Nicholas Flamel. Nicholas was meeting Lord Greengrass and Eric Davis. Some agreement had been reached about researching ways to deal with Voldemort. Progress was, however, slow. Harry would have to wait until the Easter break to catch up with his new advisors.
-ooOOoo-
Harry returned to his room after working in the library with Hermione, the Alliance, and the Escort. He checked the map to make sure that the Alliance were safely back in their Common Rooms. Hermione and Neville were not in the Gryffindor Common Room or their dormitories. A map search was needed to find them. They were in an unused classroom and were surrounded by some Slytherin names. There was Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, Parkinson, and Bulstrode. Yaxley and Flint, two older Slytherins, were lurking in the corridor outside the room.
Harry growled. He took his staff to Blaise Zabini’s door and hammered on it. Zabini opened the door. “Malfoy is misbehaving. Message the teams, third floor, Room 337. If they hurry, they might see some fireworks.”
Walking around the castle was slow and difficult for Harry. It was a lot easier to fly. Harry’s staff wasn’t as fast as a broom, but he still made it up from the dungeons to the third floor in less than a minute. He didn’t have to wait for the moving stairs to re-align themselves.
A quick disillusion spell and the silent flying approach allowed him to reach within two paces of Flint and Yaxley before he gagged and bound them. The door to Room 337 was locked. The locking spell was overpowered by Harry’s staff and silently swung open. Harry floated in; he was invisible and silent.
Neville and Hermione were tied up and kneeling on the floor. The Malfoy gang were standing around them with their wands pointed at them.
Malfoy turned to look at the open door.
“WHO IS THERE? YAXLEY! FLINT! WHAT ARE YOU PLAYING AT? SHUT THE DOOR AND KEEP IT LOCKED.”
The wands were ripped from the gang's hands and flew out the door. The door slammed shut.
The temperature in the room started to fall.
Malfoy yelled. “NO! NO! NO! NOT AGAIN!”
The air in the room started to move. It rapidly swirled around, and it quickly became a storm-force wind. The gang were pushed back against the walls by the wind pressure. Neville and Hermione were untouched. The ropes holding them were untied, and they stood up. Harry removed the disillusioning spell and cast warming charms on the Gryffindors. The door swung open, and Harry, Neville, and Hermione walked out. The wind was diverted around them as they walked. It didn’t even ruffle their hair.
The door shut again as Susan and Hannah ran up to them. The noise of the hurricane in the room was thunderous. Harry motioned the group to walk back to the main staircases. Blaise, Daphne, and Tracey arrived and collected the wands from the floor outside Room 337.
Once they were away from the noise, Harry stopped. “Did they do anything to you?”
Neville shook his head. “Not really; they surrounded us at the third-floor stairs and took our wands. My ring had been buzzing. I didn’t take any notice of it. I had never felt that before, but now I know what it is, and I will take notice of the warning.
They were trying to threaten me. They really don’t have anything to threaten me with; it was a bit pathetic.”
“Parkinson kept yelling at me that I should have stayed away from Hogwarts and that I don’t belong here and will get chased out of the castle,” Hermione said. “It was silly. They really are childish. My ring was buzzing as well. Now that I know how it feels, I will react if it happens again.”
Professor McGonagall arrived; Dean Thomas was with her.
“What is happening here?” Professor McGonagall asked.
Hermione answered. “Malfoy and his gang ambushed us at the stairs. They took us to an old classroom, tied us up, and tried to threaten us. Flint and Yaxley were there. They stayed outside the room. Harry rescued us.”
Blaise returned Neville’s and Hermione’s wands. Neville led the way back to Room 337. Flint and Yaxley were still tied up and gagged.
The hurricane in Room 337 was still roaring.
Professor McGonagall shouted. “ANGUS!”
A young Hogwarts elf wearing a kilt appeared in front of Professor McGonagall.
“ANGUS, GO TO PROFESSOR SNAPE’S ELF AND ASK HIM TO INFORM THE PROFESSOR THAT I HAVE SEVERAL OF HIS STUDENTS DETAINED IN ROOM 337.”
Professor McGonagall beckoned Harry to her. “MISTER POTTER, PLEASE STOP THAT WIND.”
Harry held up his staff and slowly lowered it until the tip touched the floor. The wind noise subsided.
The door was unlocked, and Professor McGonagall marched in.
The Malfoy gang were slumped down on the floor. The professor scanned each of them.
“You do not appear to be injured. Stay where you are!”
Professor McGonagall then levitated Flint and Yaxley into the room. She did not release them.
Meanwhile, Neville was talking to Dean. “What are you doing here?”
Dean answered. “I was waiting for you to come back from the library. You didn’t arrive, so I went to look for you. You weren’t in the library, and then I saw Professor McGonagall on the stairs. She looked worried and was hurrying. A strange house elf was with her. I followed them, and here I am. Where did that house elf come from?”
Harry answered. “The house elf was Righteous. She is a Potter elf. I have her following Hermione. If Malfoy hurt Hermione, Righteous would have tried to stop it, but a house elf can’t initiate hostile actions. She had to look for help. Professor McGonagall was the nearest teacher.”
Neville took a sharp breath. “Here comes Snape.”
The Slytherin professor glared at the group gathered outside Room 337. Professor McGonagall called him into the room.
A minute passed, and Professor McGonagall came out. “Miss Granger and Mister Longbottom are to go to the Infirmary. Madam Pompfrey will check you over. The rest of you are to return to your Common Rooms.”
Harry turned to Neville and Hermione. “Let us know how you are in the morning.”
“Thank you, Harry. I’ll put it in the journal. We weren’t taking any notice of who was around us, and we just walked into them. Parkinson and Bulstrode were following us.”
Professor McGonagall came out of the room. “Who has their wands?”
Blaise held the bunch of wands up.
“Give them to me. Get moving, all of you.”
The group broke up. The Escort and Harry slowly made their way back to the Slytherin Common Room.
“I hope they stay in the Infirmary tonight. Righteous will tell me when they move back to the Gryffindor Tower.” Harry said.
Blaise shook his head as they walked. “That was a silly thing to do. What was Malfoy thinking? Did he expect to get away with it without the teachers finding out? He must have thought that he could frighten Hermione and Neville.”
Harry said. “Yes, it was silly. Malfoy isn’t thinking. Yes, he does expect to get away with everything he does. He doesn’t care if the teachers know. He thinks that everyone can be frightened into letting him bully them. He is the future Lord Malfoy, and he knows everyone will be frightened of him because of his father’s power. It’s always ‘My father’ this, and ‘My father’ that. Perhaps it is time to change his expectations.”
-ooOOoo-
“I have a question. What was Matilda doing out of her nest? It’s mid-winter. She should be mostly asleep. Has something or someone driven her out to hunt. You might find that Voldemort has not gone away. He may be lurking in The Chamber of Secrets.”
“Wonderful! Thank you, Tom. How about I find out how brave Draco is. “
“An excellent idea. He will be so excited to meet his Dark Lord.”
-ooOOoo-
The Escort arrived at breakfast. Malfoy and his gang were all together. They grinned and sneered at Harry as he walked in. Neville and Hermione sat at the Hufflepuff table with Susan and Hannah. Harry sat at the Slytherin table facing the Alliance. Hermione waved to Harry and smiled. She was doing well.
The mail arrived. Unseen by anyone else, Harry’s house elf gave him a package from Aunty Amelia. Inside it was a smaller package. It was from Nicholas Flamel. The attached note was made interesting reading.
From: Nicholas Flamel,
Alchemist
To: Harry J. Potter,
Slytherin House,
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Monday, January 20, 1992
Dear Harry,
Progress has been made more quickly than I expected.
I have enclosed four phials for you. They each contain one drop of The Elixir of New Life.
The Elixir is a serum enchanted by contact with one of my Philosopher’s Stones.
DO NOT TOUCH THIS SERUM.
It will transform the soul of anyone who comes into contact with it into a zygote. The zygote will be their zygote a few days after conception. They will be their mother’s egg, as it was when fertilized by their father’s sperm. The mother’s egg becomes a zygote. A zygote has all the genetic information needed to make a baby. A zygote will grow and eventually form an embryo. Then the embryo will grow into a foetus in the mother’s womb. It is what is needed to make a baby.
The phial is also a stasis chamber that will preserve the zygote as long as the phial remains intact. Damaging the phial will kill the zygote.
So far, so good; now comes the tricky part.
The phials are keyed to you. They will not open without your consent.
Suppose you can persuade the shade of Lord Voldemort to touch the serum while it is still in the phial. If you manage to do that, Lord Voldemort will be transformed into a zygote of himself, and his soul will be trapped in the phial. His soul will be permanently attached to the zygote.
This will not destroy Lord Voldemort. Suppose someone forces you to open that phial and arranges for the zygote to be transferred to a woman who is ready to become pregnant. In that case, the zygote may grow into a baby. That baby will be born with Lord Voldemort’s soul attached to it. The horror of the Blood War may then be inflicted on a new generation if that child grows up guided by the soul of Lord Voldemort.
Capturing Lord Voldemort's soul will give you time to find all his Horcruces.
Once all of the Horcruces are destroyed, you may safely destroy the phial and send Lord Voldemort to his afterlife.
Cyrus Greengrass and Eric Davis both have similar phials in their possession. They will use their contacts to search for Lord Voldemort and arrange a trap for him. However, I believe Lord Voldemort will remain obsessed with you, so I have sent you these Elixir phials.
I agree with Cyrus Greengrass that it is unfair that you should carry this burden. I wish that there was some way to keep you safe and let you grow up in your own time. However, there is no way to keep you safe from old wizards obsessed with such things as prophecies.
Stay strong and be careful.
Sincerely
Nicholas Flamel
316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7bJu9mKaZy
Harry finished reading the letter. He then turned and stared at Draco Malfoy. Malfoy was laughing at something Pansy Parkinson had whispered to him. Something tickled Draco behind his ear, and he swatted at it. There was nothing there. He turned to see who was touching him. Harry was still staring at Draco. Something pinched Draco on the same spot. Draco swung his arms behind him to try to catch whoever it was. There was still no one there. Draco froze as a voice whispered in his ear.
“Your education begins tonight, Draco Malfoy.”
Draco barked out. “Who said that?”
Theodore Nott asked. “Who said what? What are you talking about?”
Draco caught sight of Harry, who still staring at him. Draco stood up and hurried from the hall. Pansy jumped up and ran after him.
Harry turned and faced the front.
Daphne observed the odd performance. “Harry, are you playing tricks on Malfoy?”
Harry glanced at Daphne and gave a tiny nod.
“Please be careful, Harry.”
Harry replied. “I’m always careful, Daphne. Thank you for caring.”
-ooOOoo-
Staff meetings were always short and business-like when Minerva McGonagall chaired them. On this rare occasion, Albus Dumbledore was present. He started the meeting with his usual long wandering speech about almost nothing.
Minerva McGonagall and Severus Snape both asked to discuss the behaviour of the Malfoy gang, but Albus refused to let them.
“Minerva, Severus, I’m sure the complaints you sent me are simply the exaggerated expressions of long-standing house rivalry. The kind of reaction you ask for cannot have a beneficial outcome. I will not discuss it again.”
Albus smiled at Minerva. “I want to hear how Miss Granger is settling in now that she has had some time to recover from the Beauxbatons transfer business.”
“Miss Granger is doing very well.” Minerva smiled. “She and Neville Longbottom are working together to support and encourage the first-year students struggling with academic work. The study group with her friends from Hufflepuff and Slytherin has gained members from Gryffindor. They are doing very well.”
Albus coughed. “Sorry, pardon me, Minerva, did you say study group?”
“Yes, Albus, they have a study group who regularly meet to work and help each other with their studies and practical work.”
“Is Mister Potter involved with this study group?”
“Yes, he is, Albus. His work is exceptional, and his practical work is amazing.”
The headmaster turned to Professor Snape. “Severus, how is Mister Potter doing in Potions?”
“His work is acceptable. He, Miss Greengrass, and Miss Davis are the leading students. Miss Granger and Master Longbottom are nearly equal to them.”
The headmaster’s face became worried and angry. “Didn’t you tell me before the start of the year that you were not looking forward to teaching Mister Potter?”
Severus smiled. “That was then; this is now. I assumed that the Potter boy would be sorted into Gryffindor, where he would continue the behaviour that distinguished his father.”
“Which I remember only too well. I gave James Potter detentions nearly every week during his first five years.” Minerva McGonagall put in.
“However, Mister Potter was sorted into Slytherin.’ Severus Snape smiled again. “From his first day, he impressed me with his magical power and ability to influence others. He has not embarrassed Slytherin. He has turned the first-year group around, despite Draco Malfoy’s feeble attempts to grab the group's leadership.”
“Ha!” Minerva exclaimed, “The same thing is happening in Gryffindor. Ronald Weasley seems to think that he is the leader of the firsties. Neville Longbottom and Hermione Granger told him he wasn’t from the first day. Mister Potter had re-established the Potter-Longbottom-Bones Alliance before they got to Hogwarts. He added Miss Granger to it while they were on the Hogwarts Express.”
“WHAT! WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME! YOU MUST STOP THEM AT ONCE!” Albus demanded.
“Albus!” Minerva responded. “None of us can stop anything. The Alliance was created ages ago by their families. They are all wearing their house rings. That started at Christmas when Miss Granger was given her Potter house ring.”
“YOU MUST ORDER THEM TO TAKE THOSE RINGS OFF! I WILL NOT HAVE HOUSE BUSINESS AT HOGWARTS!” Albus was now steaming angry.
“Albus! You know that ordering anyone to remove their house ring is illegal. If we did so, we would be charged with crimes before the Wizengamot.” Severus mildly replied.
Minerva smiled. “The influence of the Alliance is growing. A firstie boy, Dean Thomas, was attached to Ronald Weasley at the start of the year. Then he detached himself from Weasley and joined the Alliance study group. The improvement in his marks is obvious.”
Albus hissed and puffed. Then he growled. “The meeting is over. You may go.”
-ooOOoo-
Quiet conversation and essay writing occupied most students in the Slytherin Common Room. Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle were reading their favourite comics. Draco Malfoy was bored.
A shadow appeared before him.
“Get up, Draco! You’re coming with me.”
“WHAT! WHO ARE YOU?” Draco tried to see who it was casting the shadow. He couldn’t work out who it was.
“Crabbe! Goyle! Get rid of this! Whoever it is!”
Vincent and Gregory kept reading their comics. They didn’t hear Draco’s order.
“Get up, Draco!” The shadow made a gesture. Draco was pulled up until he was hovering above the floor.
The door opened as Draco floated to it. The shadow followed him through the door. Draco yelled and wriggled, but he couldn’t make anyone in the Common Room hear him and escape whatever held him.
The external door dissolved into the stone wall as the shadow took Draco up the dungeon steps.
The shadow took a more solid appearance.
Draco yelled. “POTTER! What are you doing? How are you doing this?”
“At last, you have some sensible questions. I concealed my identity with a partial disillusionment charm. A simple privacy spell prevented anyone from hearing you yell out. The floating is done using the good old Wingardium Leviosa. The immobilization is achieved with a partial Petrificus spell.”
“Where are you taking me!”
“We are going to visit Moaning Myrtle.”
“WHO IS THAT?”
“She is the ghost who haunts the first-floor girl’s bathroom. She died in there in 1943.”
“WHAT! WHY?”
“That bathroom is the nearest entrance to Slytherin’s Chamber of Secrets. There is another entrance, but it’s out in the Forbidden Forest.” Harry calmly replied.
“YOU’RE MAD! THERE’S NO SUCH THING!”
“Ah! I assure you, Draco, the Chamber of Secrets is real. So is Slytherin’s monster. Now, here we are, the second-floor girl’s bathroom.”
Harry used Draco to push the door open, and they floated in. Whimpering moans were coming from one of the stalls.
Harry called out. “HELLO! ANYBODY HOME!”
“GO AWAY! YOU CAN’T COME IN HERE! THIS IS THE GIRL’S BATHROOM!”
“Don’t worry, Myrtle, we’re not staying. We are only here to open the Chamber of Secrets.” Harry evenly replied.
Myrtle rushed out and confronted Harry.
“YOU’RE HERE TO MAKE FUN OF ME! GO AWAY!”
The ghostly figure circled around Draco. “WHO ARE YOU? WHY DON’T YOU SAY ANYTHING?”
“He doesn’t want to be here, Myrtle. I’m going to use him to distract the monster if I have trouble with her.”
“WHO ARE YOU? WHY DO YOU WANT TO GO DOWN THERE?”
“I’m Harry Potter. I’m checking on the monster. I saw her out in the Forbidden Forest, and I wanted to know why she was awake at this time of year. Can I ask you a question?”
Myrtle growled. “All right! Yes, you can ask a question.”
“Do you know that Slytherin’s Monster killed you?”
“Was that it? All I remember was two big yellow eyes by the basins.”
“Have you been down to the Chamber of Secrets lately, Myrtle?”
“I was there in the summer. The drains flooded, and I was washed down there. It’s not a nice place.”
“The drains connect to the Chamber of Secrets, is that right, Myrtle?”
“Lots of the drains go through it. There is always water down there.”
“When I take Draco down there, do you want to go with us?”
Myrtle was suspicious. “Why should I? Why do you want me to go with you?”
Harry shrugged. “One of us might die. Wouldn’t you like to watch that? If we do die, you could tell the other ghosts.”
Myrtle giggled. “If you die, Harry, you could share my toilet.”
“Thanks, Myrtle, I will think about it. Now, I’ll open the entrance.”
Harry walked to the circle of basins and spoke in parseltongue. “{Open}”.
The stone slabs on which the basins stood moved aside to reveal an open drain.
Harry and Draco floated out over the gaping hole. “See you down there, Myrtle.”
As they descended into the darkness, Harry gave Draco a gentle shake.
“Are you awake, Draco? You’re missing the fun.”
Draco coughed and moaned. “I’m going to murder you when I get out of here, Potter.”
“That’s better; I can’t have you missing out on the next bit.”
The drain curved from vertical to nearly flat. Harry floated along, taking directions from Tom.
-ooOOoo-
“This is where Matilda sheds her skin. She does that every year in summer. She grows slowly now, so she doesn’t have to shed that often.”
They floated over a massive length of dry snake skin.
-ooOOoo-
Harry relayed the information to Draco. “I’m going to cut you up and feed you to the giant squid, Potter.”
“Can you do anything you’ve seen me do tonight, Draco?”
“No, but I’ll find a way to make you suffer.”
“Hmmm! Now, this is interesting.” Harry and Draco floated up to a stone wall. Two snakes were carved into the wall. They had glinting emeralds for eyes.
“This is the front door to the Chamber of Secrets. I have to command it to open using parseltongue. Did you hear me use parseltongue when I opened the bathroom entrance, Draco?”
“Yes! You could have told me that you could do that.”
“Telling you things and having you believe me are two entirely different things, Draco.”
Harry focused on the carved snakes and said. “{Open}”.
The wall split apart and smoothly slid aside.
“Some much for security. Salazar must have been confident that no other parseltongue speakers would find this place.”
Harry and Draco floated through the opening and into the long hall.
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