The Chamber of Secrets | Hermione Granger x OC (Book 2)

The Chamber

Next day at Transfiguration Class

The quartet were now sitting in Professor McGonagall's class for Transfiguration. He managed to hide Hermione's book under his bed after he made it back last night. Luckily Hermione hadn't asked any questions about what he was hiding under his robe. She only sent a few skeptical and suspicious stares.

The entire class each had different small animals on their desk and were conversing with each other until Professor McGonagall spoke up, "Could I have your attention, please?" Everyone went silent as she got up from her desk that sat directly in the front of the class. She walked around her desk beside a large bird. "Right. Now, today, we will be transforming animals into water goblets." Draco shrugged. "Like so." She turned to the bird resting on the post to her right and tapped it with her wand as she spoke, "One, two, three, Vera Verto." A stream of magic emitted from her wand, and the bird became a goblet. All the other students expressed amazement as they gasped, "Now it's your turn. Who would like to go first?" She walked between the desks until she came up to Ron, who sat next to Harry on 1 desk. "Ah! Mr. Weasley." She approached Ron, "One, two, three, Vera Verto." she repeated.

He cleared his throat then silently tapped his wand towards Scabbers three times, "Vera Verto." he said, but his wand caused Scabbers to morph into a furry goblet with his tail wagging around while squeaking. Harry, Thomas and some of the other students grinned and laughed. Hermione hadn't looked amused in the slightest.

Ron picked up the Scabbers-goblet in fear with wide eyes. "That wand needs replacing, Mr. Weasley." McGonagall told him. She began to turn around when she noticed Hermione had raised her hand, "Yes, Ms. Granger?"

She dropped her hand, "Professor, I was wondering if you could tell us about the Chamber of Secrets." she asked. Draco gave Hermione a surprised look. Thomas was shocked Hermione was still on the subject. It always vexed her when she was not in the know about something or there was a mystery that needed to be solved.

Professor McGonagall glanced around the room, seeing that the students looked somewhat interested as well, "Very well. Well, you all know, of course, that Hogwarts was founded over a thousand years ago by the four greatest witches and wizards of the age: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin. Now three of the founders coexisted quite harmoniously. One did not."

Ron leaned towards Harry, "Three guesses who." he whispered.

McGonagall continued, "Salazar Slytherin wished to be more selective about the students admitted to Hogwarts. He believed magical learning should be kept within all-magic families. In other words, pure-bloods." Hermione and Draco glared at each other, "Unable to sway the others, he decided to leave the school. Now, according to legend, Slytherin had built a hidden chamber in this castle, known as the Chamber of Secrets. Well, shortly before departing, he sealed it, until that time when his own true heir returned to the school. The Heir alone would be able to open the Chamber, and unleash the horror within, and by so doing, purge the school of all those who, in Slytherin's view, were unworthy to study magic."

"Muggle-borns." Hermione said. Professor McGonagall pointed her wand at her in an affirmative gesture.

"Well, naturally the school has been searched many times. No such Chamber has been found." McGonagall turned and walked back to her desk.

"Professor." Hermione called out and she turned to face the student, "What exactly does legend tell us lies within the Chamber?"

"Well, the Chamber is said to be home to something that only the Heir of Slytherin can control. It is said to be the home of a monster." McGonagall answered. Thomas and Hermione feels a sense of dread at those words as a horrified Ron turned around to look at Draco, who grinned smugly at him.

After the class, Thomas, Hermione, Ron and Harry found themselves walking through the corridors, "Do you think it's true? Do you really think there is a Chamber of Secrets?" Harry asked.

"Judging by the look of McGonagall's face, there definitely is. She's worried. All the teachers are." Thomas told him.

"But if there really is a Chamber of Secrets, and it really has been opened, then that means-"

"The Heir of Slytherin has returned to Hogwarts." Hermione interrupted, "The question is, who is it?"

Draco and Goyle suddenly pushed past Thomas, nudging him out of the way with Crabbe running to keep up, "Let's think..." Ron began as he glanced at their adversaries as they pass, "Who do we know who thinks all Muggle-borns are scum?"

"If you're talking about Malfoy.-" 

"Of course!" Ron replied.

"Well, Hermione..." Thomas began, "You did hear what he said. 'You're next, mudbloods'." 

"I heard him." Hermione replied, still not completely on board with the fact Draco might be the heir, "But Malfoy, the Heir of Slytherin?"

"Well, maybe Ron and Thomas is right, Hermione. I mean, look at his family, the whole lot of them have been in Slytherin for centuries." Harry told her.

"Crabbe and Goyle must know. Maybe we could trick them into telling." Ron suggested.

"Crabbe and Goyle are thick, but not that thick." Thomas replied as they came to a stop and faced each other.

Hermione spoke up, "But there might be another way. Mind you, it would be difficult, not to mention, we'd be breaking fifty school rules, and it'll be dangerous, very dangerous."

Library

"You 3 just wait here." Hermione told them. They were all standing in a corner of the library alone. "I'll be right back." she said then walked off. Ron got up and saw on the wall-mounted desk. 

"Well, now that she's gone." Ron said. "What you guys get for Hermione?" Harry told Ron of his gift. Then Ron looked at Thomas for an answer, "And you?"

"It's a surprise." Thomas said with a smile as he leaned against the wall. "What about you?"

"I got her a telescope signed by Gilderoy Lockhart." Ron said.

Thomas groaned annoyingly, "Oh that git." he said.

"I know, I know. But Hermione fancies the man. And I thought why not?" Ron replied. The boys all had a collective agreement that Lockhart was indeed a liar with all of his stories. 

Thomas sighed. He didn't like the idea. Something about Lockhart irked him. He didn't like liars.

Hermione suddenly returned with a book in hand. "Here it is, the Polyjuice Potion." She began to read from the book, " 'Properly brewed, the Polyjuice Potion allows the drinker to transform himself temporarily into the physical form of another. ' "

"You mean, if we drink that stuff, we'll turn into Crabbe and Goyle?" Ron asked.

"Yes." Hermione answered then continued to read through the page.

Thomas, Ron and Harry exchanged grins. "Wicked. Malfoy will tell us anything!"

Hermione smiled slightly at their motivation, "Exactly, but it's tricky." She glanced at the book again, "I've never seen a more complicated potion."

"Well, how long will it take to make?" I asked her.

She finally looked up from the book, "A month."

Thomas's mouth dropped and Harry had a look of shock written all over his face, "A month?! But, Hermione... if Malfoy is the Heir of Slytherin, he could attack half the Muggle-borns in the school by then!"

"I know... But it's the only plan we've got." and so all they could do... was wait.