Perseus Alphard Black

Chapter 21

October arrived, spreading a damp chill over the grounds and into thecastle. Madam Pomfrey, the matron, was kept busy by a sudden spateof colds among the staff and students. Her Pepper up Potion workedinstantly, though it left the drinker smoking at the ears for severalhours afterward. Ginny Weasley, who had been looking peaky, wasbullied into taking some by Percy (Both Gryffindor and Slytherin who had surprisingly agreed on something). The steam pouring from under hervivid hair gave the impression that her whole head was on fire. 

Raindrops the size of bullets thundered on the castle windows fordays on end; the lake rose, the flowerbeds turned into muddy streamsand Hagrid's pumpkins swelled to the size of garden sheds. That didn't stop quidditch practice

Percy was in the library and was tutoring a group of second and third years. One of them was Hermione Granger. Despite being a muggleborn, Percy had no problem with the Gryffindor witch. He understood why she was a Gryffindor and not a Ravenclaw because while she was smart and had the love to learn magic, she cares about other people's well-being and isn't afraid to speak up. While Hermione was one of those Gryffindors he respects, Ron Weasley wasn't and wasn't afraid to hex the red-headed baboon whenever he interrupted his session by calling him a dark lord. 

As nice as it was for Nearly headless Nick to invite them to his Deathday party, Harry was starting to really regret not just going to the feast in the Great Hall. All of his hopes that the red in the corridor was someone's elaborate Halloween prank fled at the sight of Mrs. Norris' frozen form hanging from her perch. Harry could admit as much that he and the others had no love for the snooping cat, but that anyone would do this to her was making him feel slightly nauseous.

The situation only got worse when everyone else left the feast and surrounded the scene around them. Harry caught a glimpse of Draco getting closer and braced himself for whatever would follow the unholy glee in his eyes as the other second-year opened his mouth... and then promptly closed it when Percy put a hand on his shoulder and gave him a stern look. This had undoubtedly changed his views on Perseus Black. 

Harry couldn't help but notice that Percy has been looking directly in his direction as if he was a puzzle to be solved. Behind him someone gasped and the rest of the crowd of students started shuffling uncomfortably.

When Filch shouldered his way between the crowd closely followed by the professors walked into the scene Harry chanced a glance at the line of students behind him to see that Ginny was looking at the hanging cat in horror along with many of the other first years.

Filch quickly went into hysterics at seeing his cat hanging stiffly from the hallway torch, and it somehow ended with the three of them following after Dumbledore, who was holding Mrs. Norris, as they were led to Lockhart's office on the next floor.

At least they determined that Mrs. Norris was still alive before interrogating them.

Harry wasn't sure how to explain that they got to the corridor by following a voice in his head, so he left it out. Not that his half-truth of going up to their dorms early from Nick's death day party was deterring Snape from making snide assertions about the situation.

Dumbledore shared a look with Professor McGonagall and Snape before dismissing them.

After Halloween, all of the copies of 'Hogwarts a History' were removed from the library preceding a truly obsessive research binge by most of Ravenclaw house and one Hermione Granger. Percy was half-amused by the actions of the school and half offended on his friends' behalf as the Ravenclaws in his classes were all muttering in dark tones about a student-led revolution to take over the school and institute freedom of knowledge. They were almost ridiculously outraged at the school for withholding information from them.

Percy himself had made good money having made twenty galleons from a Hufflepuff who wanted his history of the magic textbook. 

Apparently, Fred and George's younger brother and co. had been snooping around Moaning Mrytle's stall. Jeez, didn't anyone ever tell them not to disturb the dead? If people would only leave Myrtle in peace (He had a soft spot for her) there'd be a lot less pain all around. Particularly, Percy's mental pain when faced with a distraught ghost girl (Who had a crush on him).

After Hermione got what information about the Chamber of Secrets she could from Professor Binns in their History of Magic class, Harry found they had a new problem.

The Chamber was connected to Slytherin and the whole house hoarded personal information like a dragon hoarded gold.

No one in Slytherin would voluntarily give information to anyone in Gryffindor.

Well, almost no one.

"Please, Percy! You must know something?"

To be fair, it had been Hermione's idea to corner Black in the Library and try to glean information from him. Harry wasn't so sure the older boy would help them or even know anything more than they did. For all that Black was the only one in his house that Harry would even consider trusting, Though cruel in quidditch, he was undoubtedly a ver nice person to hang around.

"Well... You said yourself that the Chamber has something to do with Slytherin's Heir. There are books on the Hogwarts Founders and their genealogy in the library. I can give you my copy of Nature's Nobility: A Wizarding Genealogy. Beyond that, I don't know much else. It is called the Chamber of Secrets you know."

Wow. Why hadn't s thought of that?

Hermione looked a bit embarrassed and thanked Percy before dragging them off toward the section of the library the Slytherin pointed to.