Chapter 13: Investigations
"I always knew Salazar Slytherin wasn't the twisted, muggle-hating, old loony everyone made him out to be," Draco told Harry and Hermione as they fought their way through the teeming corridors at the end of the lesson to drop off their bags before dinner. "But I never knew he was married to Helga Hufflepuff. It's odd, isn't it, that it's usually Ravenclaw house that sides with Slytherin, rather than Hufflepuff."
"Perhaps it's because Slytherin left Hufflepuff behind. Professor Binns didn't say anything about her leaving with him. She must have been upset," said Hermione.
"Upset? My father always says 'Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.' She probably would have killed him if he had returned. I thank Merlin I'm in the house that had an intelligent leader. I mean, how could Ravenclaw not see how stupid she was being. Of course, I shouldn't expect much from someone who married Gryffindor. After all, he's the epitome of stupid. I wouldn't be in his house if you paid me. Honestly, if the Sorting Hat had tried to put me in Gryffindor, I'd have gotten on the train straight back home..." Hermione nodded fervently, but Harry didn't say anything. His stomach had just dropped unpleasantly. Harry had never told his friends that the Sorting Hat had considered putting him in Gryffindor. He cheered himself with the thought that the hat had ultimately put him in Slytherin, and had admitted that he was better suited for that house. As they were shunted along in the throng, Colin Creevy went past.
"Hiya, Harry!"
"For the love of Merlin, Colin, leave me alone!" hissed Harry, but Colin hadn't heard him.
"Harry — Harry — a boy in my class has been saying you're —" But Colin was so small he couldn't fight against the tide of people bearing him toward the Great Hall; they heard him squeak, "See you, Harry!" and he was gone.
"What's a boy in his class saying about you?" Hermione wondered.
"That I'm Slytherin's heir, I expect," said Harry, feeling an odd sensation as he suddenly remembered the way Justin Finch-Fletchley had run away from him at lunchtime.
"People here'll believe anything," said Draco. "Still, being Slytherin's heir isn't too bad, is it Harry?" The crowd thinned and they were able to descend the next staircase without feeling as though they were being dragged along with the current.
"D'you really think there's a Chamber of Secrets?" Greg asked Hermione.
"I don't know," she said, frowning. "Dumbledore couldn't cure Mrs. Norris, and that makes me think that whatever attacked her might not be — well — human." Harry and Draco gave her a look of disgust. "Look, I know he's evil, but he is a very powerful wizard." Harry and Draco nodded, acknowledging the truth of that statement. As she spoke, they turned a corner and found themselves at the end of the very corridor where the attack had happened. They stopped and looked. The scene was just as it had been that night, except that there was no stiff cat hanging from the torch bracket, and an empty chair stood against the wall bearing the message "The Chamber of Secrets has been Opened."
"That's where Filch has been keeping guard," Greg muttered. They looked at each other. The corridor was deserted.
"Can't hurt to have a poke around," said Draco, dropping his bag and getting to his hands and knees so that he could crawl along, searching for clues. "Scorch marks!" he said. "Here — and here —"
"What about Luna?" asked Harry.
"She has class, and we have a free period now. She can hardly join us at the moment, and who knows when we'll get another opportunity like this. We'll tell her all about it when we see her later."
