Sirius Black daughter - Athena Black (Book 2)

Four

October arrived, spreading a damp chill over thegrounds and into the castle. Madam Pomfrey, the nurse, was kept busy by a sudden spate of colds among the staff and students. Her Pepperup Potion worked instantly, though it left the drinker smoking at the ears for several hours afterward. Ginny Weasley, who had been looking pale, was bullied in to taking some by Percy. The steam pouring from under her vivid hair gave the impression that her whole head was on fire. 

Raindrops the size of bullets thundered on the castle windows for days on end; the lake rose, the flower beds turned into muddy streams, and Hagrid'spumpkins swelled to the size of garden sheds. Oliver Wood's enthusiasm for regular training sessions,however, was not dampened, which was why Athena was to be found, late one stormy Saturday afternoon a few days before Halloween, returning to GryffindorTower, drenched to the skin and splattered with mud.Even aside from the rain and wind it hadn't been a happy practice session. Fred and George, who had been spying on the Slytherin team, had seen for themselves the speed of those new Nimbus Two Thousand and Ones. They reported that the Slytherin team was no more than seven greenish blurs, shooting through the air like missiles.

As Athena was walking in the desserted corridor leading to the Gryffindor tower when she spotted Flich and broke into a run to take another route. She stoped abruptly near a statue and realized that she didn't know any other way to the Gryffindore tower. So she waited there for around ten minutes and started to walk back to the Gryffindore tower. As she was walking she met Harry.

"Hey, Harry!" Athena called out.

"Oh, Athena." 

"You look beated." 

"So do you."

"What?" Athena looked at herself. "I guess I do look tierd."

They walked back to the Gryffindore tower together and Harry filled Athena with whatever happend today.

"A deathday party?" said Hermione keenly when Harry and Athena had changed at last and joined her and Ron inthe common room. "I bet there aren't many living people who can say they've been to one of those — it'll be fascinating!" 

"Why would anyone want to celebrate the day they died?" said Ron, who was halfway through his Potions homework and grumpy. "Sounds dead depressing to me. ..." 

Rain was still lashing the windows, which were now inky black, but inside all looked bright and cheerful. The firelight glowed over the countless squashy armchairs where people sat reading, talking, doing homework or, in the case of Fred and George Weasley, trying to find out what would happen if you fed a Filibuster firework to a salamander. Fred had "rescued" the brilliant orange, fire-dwelling lizard from a Care of Magical Creatures class and it was now smoldering gently on a table surrounded by a knot of curious people. The sight of Percy bellowing himself hoarse at Fred and George, the spectacular display of tangerine stars showering from the salamander's mouth, and its escape into the fire, with accompanying explosions. 

The restof the school was happily anticipating their Halloweenfeast; the Great Hall had been decorated with theusual live bats, Hagrid's vast pumpkins had been carved into lanterns large enough for three men to sit in, and there wererumors that Dumbledore hadbooked a troupe of dancing skeletons for theentertainment.

"A promise is a promise," Hermione reminded Harry bossily. "You said you'd go to the deathday party." 

So at seven o'clock, Harry, Ron, Athena and Hermione walked straight past the doorway to the packed Great Hall,which was glittering invitingly with gold plates andcandles, and directed their steps instead toward the dungeons.

The party was so depressing for Athena. The food was rotten and the music was awful. Athena walked straight though a ghost whose name was Myrtle Elizabeth Warren but was commenly called Moaning Myrtle. Athena managed to have a proper conversation with her woth making her burst into tears. She agreed to meet her whenever she could becasue she didn't seem to bad. 

After seconds she met Peeves the Poltergeist, who was the very reverse of pale and transparent. He waswearing a bright orange party hat, a revolving bow tie,and a broad grin on his wide, wicked face. Athena had known Peeves for a while now. He didn't seem to bad of an ally to an prankster. Peeves was also a friend of Fred and George which was aslo a plus because he wouldn't disturb another prankster until an official prank war has been declared.

When Athena turned back she noticed that she has lost the trio in the crowd of ghosts. It was about a solid minute before she spotted them near the food. 

Then Nearly Headless Nick went up the podium to give his speech. But the headless hunt barged in and took all the attention away from Nearly Headless Nick. The trio and Athena left the dungeons as it was freezing down there. A minute laterwere hurrying back up the passageway full of blackcandles. 

"Pudding might not be finished yet," said Ron hopefully, leading the way toward the steps to the entrance hall.

Harry suddenly stumbled to a halt, clutching at the stone wall.

"Harry, what're you — ?" Athena began.

"It's that voice again — shut up a minute — Listen!" said Harry urgently, Athena, Ron and Hermione froze, watching him. 

"This way," he shouted, and he began to run, up the stairs, into the entrance hall.

Harry sprinted up the marble staircase to the first floor, Ron, Athena and Hermione clattering behind him. 

"Harry, what're we —" Athena attempted to ask again.

"SHH! — It's going to kill someone!" he shouted.

He ran up the next flight of steps three at a time, — Harry hurtled around the whole of the second floor, Athena, Ron and Hermione panting behind him, not stopping until they turned a corner into the last, deserted passage. 

"Harry, what was that all about?" said Ron, wiping sweat off his face. "I couldn't hear anything. ..." 

But Atehan gave a sudden yell, pointing down the corridor. 

"Look!"

They approached slowly, squinting through the darkness.Foot-high words had been daubed on the wall between two windows, shimmering in the light cast by the flaming torches. 

THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED.ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE. 

"What's that thing — hanging underneath?" said Ron,a slight quiver in his voice. As they edged nearer, Harry almost slipped — there was a large puddle of water on the floor; Ron and Athena grabbed him, and they inched toward the message, eyes fixed on a dark shadow beneath it. All fourof them realized what it was at once, and leapt backward with a splash.

They saw Mrs. Norris, the caretaker's cat, was hanging by her tail from the torch bracket. She was stiff as a board, her eyes wide and staring.

"Let's get out of here." Athena statted.

"Shouldn't we try and help —" Harry began awkwardly. 

"Trust me," said Ron. "We don't want to be found here." 

But it was too late. A rumble, as though of distant thunder, told them that the feast had just ended. From either end of the corridor where they stood came the sound of hundreds of feet climbing the stairs, and the loud, happy talk of well-fed people; next moment, students were crashing into the passage from both ends. 

The chatter, the bustle, the noise died suddenly as the people in front spotted the hanging cat. Athena, Harry, Ron, and Hermione stood alone, in the middle of the corridor, as silence fell among the mass of students pressing forward to see the grisly sight.

 Then someone shouted through the quiet. 

"Enemies of the Heir, beware! You'll be next,Mudbloods!" It was Draco. Athena felt another surge of anger. How could he? How could he call them Mudbloods? Couldn't he keep his mouth shut for a few minutes?

He had pushed to the front of the crowd, his eyes alive, his usually bloodless face flushed, as he grinned at the sight of the hanging, immobile cat.