Violet Potter and the Basilisk Plague (Year Two)

Chapter Eleven: The Legend of the Four Chambers of Hogwarts

"You. It was you, I know it!"

Filch suddenly turned on Harry once it became evident to him that Mrs. Norris wasn't just simply going to get back up and return to her normal self. But Violet spoke up immediately to try and defend her brother. "Mr. Filch, there's no way Harry could've ever done something like this, he---"

"Oh, so sudden to come to your nasty brother's defence aren't you? How am I supposed to know you weren't involved yourself somehow?" Filch asked Violet, being suddenly suspicious of the Potter girl as well. "Would you explain to me then, just what exactly the famous Harry bleedin' Potter was doing standing right beside my poor cat while she is just laying there all stiff and---I have you both now for sure! I have you both for the murder of Mrs. Norris!" Filch cried, with a sudden deranged look to him. Violet couldn't believe it, she blinked and said, "What? I just got here from the Great Hall! Mrs. Norris isn't dead. Harry wasn't even here long enough to do anything and besides, no witch or wizard, let alone second year---" But Filch wouldn't listen and cut her off.

"I'll report you to the Headmaster, as well as the Juvenile Auror Department of the Ministry for good measure for conspiracy to murder my cat girlie! And as for your miserable brother what did the dirty work---"

Before Filch could continue on however, Professor Dumbledore had arrived on the scene followed by Professors Snape, McGonagall, Flitwick, Sprout, Madam Pomfrey, and Lockhart. (Although Lockhart insisted on following along, most of the others barely tolerated him being there). "Argus, why all this infernal shouting, I---" Professor Dumbledore then saw the bloody message on the wall, as well as Mrs. Norris and he suddenly looked a great deal more grim and worried. "Every student from all houses are to proceed to their dormitories immediately. Everyone except Harry Potter, Violet Potter, Victoria Maynard, Ronald Weasley, and Hermione Granger."

So, the five of them remained in the corridor while everyone else left, some stopped to say something to each of them before continuing on their way, and most of it was not pleasent. Malfoy whispered to Harry maliciously, "Now I don't believe for one second that any Potter opened the Chamber of Secrets. Too bad the squib seems to think you did. Have fun getting expelled and locked up!" And he left with Crabbe and Goyle.

Percy said in passing to Ron, "As a Gryffindor Prefect and your older brother, I am going to have to have a very serious word with you once you've returned to Gryffindor Tower Ronald." Ron was not happy about the prospect at all. "Bloody unbelievable. Now I'm about to be treated as though I have one foot in Azkaban by Perfect Percy! We didn't even do anything!" Ron grumbled.

"I'm far more concerned to be honest about what Mr and Miss Potter may have done here on this night." Professor Snape said darkly. Tori, as bravely as she possibly could then said, "Professor, you can't really think this was Harry and Violet's fault. We only were just going to go back to the Slytherin common-room after the Halloween feast---"

"Quiet, Miss Maynard. I'm sure that the famous Potter twins don't need you or anyone else to try to cover and lie for them. They can speak for themselves." Snape said dismissively.

"Ah, but first thing's first, we must first determine whether or not Mr and Miss Potter are truly the guilty party or in fact, innocent. And you know this particular dark magic is beyond the abilities of even the most skilled and powerful wizards and witches in existence, Severus." Dumbledore explained matter-of-factly. "Mrs. Norris is not dead Argus," he then explained to the caretaker. "She has been petrified."

"Ah! I thought so, it's so unfortunate I wasn't there. I know exactly the counter-curse that could have spared her. Just a useful bit of ancient magic I happened to study whilst on my adventures in Ouagadougou in 1987---" Lockhart began to boast. But Dumbledore only said to that, "That will do well enough, Gilderoy. But how she has been petrified, I cannot say---"