Violet Potter and the Basilisk Plague (Year Two)

Chapter Eleven: The Legend of the Four Chambers of Hogwarts

"ASK HIM!" Mr. Filch spat while pointing at Harry, "It's him who's done it! He must have somehow got the chamber reopened with help from his sister, who is after all---" Filch glared at Violet, "A student belonging to Slytherin House."

"No second-year Hogwarts student could have reopened the Chamber of Secrets and unleashed the mysterious monster from within." Professor Flitwick mentioned to Filch. "There are at least seven different species of monsters still in existence within our world which can of course, petrify. Most of these creatures however, are extremely rare to come by especially in this modern age, largely because they are either so extraordinarily difficult to breed and nearly impossible to train or control, or because they prefer to inhabit areas where not many humans are normally to be found. And certainly the power to petrify does not rest with any human with magical blood or not."

"And what about the Chamber of Secrets itself? Is there anything anyone here knows about it, and is it the only chamber at Hogwarts?" Hermione had asked, already beginning to look for any clues.

"I can certainly tell you this much Miss Granger, there are in fact four chambers at Hogwarts which belonged respectively to the four founders of this school. There's the Chamber of Destiny, for Godric Gryffindor. The Chamber of Goodwill, for Helga Hufflepuff, The Chamber of Time for Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin was master of the Chamber of Secrets. Though three of the founders co-existed quite harmoniously, one did not." Professor McGonagall explained.

"It was Salazar Slytherin, wasn't it Professor?" Violet asked Professor Dumbledore. "Yes, Miss Potter, I'm afraid so. For the other three founders had all shared in the very right and just belief that any young witch or wizard, no matter their blood status or what backgrounds they came from, should always be able to find a place as students of Hogwarts.

Salazar Slytherin however, considered any who were muggle-born to be at least as much of a potential danger to the wizarding world as muggles, especially the muggles in power during that age. Dirt-blooded, unworthy thieves of magic he called them, which is where it is believed certain derogatory terms for muggle-borns also originated from."

"As well as the fear and prejudice so many of the Sacred Twenty-Eight wizarding families still hold for muggle-borns and those who would accept them as equal even today, since so many people on both sides have been hunted down, persecuted and destroyed throughout the centuries." Professor Snape added. And too well I know it. It is one of the reasons for why Lily is dead. And why I will never just stand by and allow Voldemort or anyone else to try to kill her children or any others at Hogwarts as well. It is also one of the reasons why I must remain so hard on Harry and Violet. Snape then thought to himself. Then, he spoke again.

"If I might, Headmaster, perhaps Mr. Potter and his friends were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. However, the circumstances remain suspicious. I, for one, don't recall seeing Mr. Potter or Mr. Weasley or Miss Granger for that matter in the Great Hall for the Halloween Feast and the evening's entertainment." Professor Snape suddenly brought up.

"That's because we were all at a Deathday Party for a friend of Nearly Headless Nick's. You can ask any one of the Hogwarts ghosts, they will all tell you---" Harry began hotly in protest.

"But why not just go to the Great Hall afterwards? I don't believe any ghosts would provide food fit for human consumption, so then you must be hiding something from everyone. Pity, I had really hoped that after the stunt you and Mr. Weasley pulled with that enchanted car that you might have actually learned something from the consequences for once, Potter, but apparently not. Professor McGonagall, might I suggest that instead of permitting Mr. Potter to participate in the upcoming Quidditch match, that perhaps he should be banned from playing Quidditch alltogether until he is ready to be honest."

But Professor McGonagall wasn't going to have that. "Really Severus, I see no reason to stop the boy playing Quidditch. He didn't sneak up on Mrs. Norris from behind and clobber her with a broomstick. And have you any idea how much it would affect the rest of the Gryffindor Quidditch team? They must absolutely have their seeker. He is every bit of a natural at the sport as James Potter was, not to mention Derek Bell, who once coached him, and trying to find a stand in player as talented at seeking as Mr. Potter and on such short notice might well be something of a nightmare if not impossible, in other words quite unrealistic!"

"Or to find another student quite as famous or as favored, perhaps? The point I am trying to get across is that though they are widely admired, Mr. and Miss Potter ought to be treated the same as any other student, I firmly believe. And any other student would at the very least be expected to work to pick up the pieces from any wrongdoing." Professor Snape countered.

"Harry didn't do anything wrong, can't you see that? No, of course you can't. I'm expecting the wrong Professor to show fairness and reason." Violet blurted out at Snape before she could stop herself. "Young lady, I am this close to giving you a---" Professor Snape began to say, but Violet then quickly said, "I've decided to apply to join the Beginner Potioneers' Club of Hogwarts School. I'm not really sure yet how much help I'll be able to give, but since Professor Sprout and Professor Snape will need to work on preparing Mandrake Draft, there must be at least something I can do."

"I would like to try for joining the Junior Potioneer's Club as well Professors, Headmaster." Tori added for good measure. "It would be far more useful to study even more extensively about potions than cheerwitching a Hogwarts sports event such as Quidditch now the Chamber of Secrets has been reopened anyway, no offense, Harry. My bone to pick is really with certain other Slytherins."

Professor Snape then looked to Professor Dumbledore, "Headmaster, I implore you to do something to put a stop to this nonsense." But all Dumbledore had to say to that was, "I'm not certain what really is the issue here, Severus. It will be good for Miss Potter and Miss Maynard to have something to do in their spare time other than sitting around confined to their dormitories or else getting up to any mischief."

"And once Professor Sprout's mandrakes are mature, I could prepare the Mandrake Draft myself. I am able to whip up at least 50 different restorative drafts in my sleep---" Lockhart tried to say, but then Professor Snape cut him off. "I believe that I am the Potions Master at Hogwarts, therefore that part shall be my job." Clearly, Professor Snape was not happy at all about this turn of events, and neither was Filch.

"My cat has been petrified. I WANT TO SEE SOME PUNISHMENT!" Filch cried angrily. "We will be able to cure her, Argus. But this shall require faith, patience, and above all, caution. From all of us." Professor Dumbledore looked directly at the Potter orphans and their friends as he said this, and added, "You shall find the other three ingredients for the Mandrake Draft within this country only in the other three chambers apart from Slytherin's. Professor Sprout, of course, knows well what these ingredients are. But that is an adventure for another day. It is time you each returned to your respective dormitories and off to bed."