The Chamber of Secrets | Hermione Granger x Male Reader (Book Two)

21. Into The Chamber

Y/N's POV

We hid as all the students rushed off to their common rooms, all the teachers were by the staff room and we're silent until Professor McGonagall arrived.

"It has happened," she told the silent staff room, "a student has been taken by the monster. Right into the Chamber itself."

Professor Flitwick let out a squeal. Professor Sprout clapped her hands over her mouth. Snape gripped the back of a chair very hard and said. "How can you be sure?"

"The Heir of Slytherin," said Professor McGonagall, who was very white, "left another message. Right underneath the first one. 'Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever.'"

Professor Flitwick burst into tears.

"Who is it?" said Madam Hooch, who had sunk into a chair. "Which student?"

"Ginny Weasley," said Professor McGonagall.

Me and Ron both gasped, we couldn't believe what we were hearing.

The staff room door banged open again. For one wild moment, I was sure it would be Dumbledore. But it was Lockhart, and he was smiling.

"So sorry, dozed off, what have I missed?"

All the teachers looked at Lockhart with hatred, then Snape stepped forward.

"Just the man," he said, "the very man. A girl has been snatched by the monster, Lockhart. Taken into the Chamber of Secrets itself. Your moment has come at last."

"That's right, Gilderoy," chipped in Professor Sprout, "weren't you saying just last night that you've known all along where the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets is?"

"Yes, didn't you tell me you were sure you knew what was inside it?" piped up Professor Flitwick.

"D-did I? I don't recall-"

"We'll leave it to you, then, Gilderoy," said Professor McGonagall, "tonight will be an excellent time to do it. We'll make sure everyone's out of your way. You'll be able to tackle the monster all by yourself."

Lockhart gazed desperately around him, but nobody came to the rescue. He didn't look confident anymore. His lip was trembling.

"V-very well," he said, "I'll-I'll be in my office, getting-getting ready."

"Let's follow him and tell him what we know." Harry suggested.

"It's not like he'll be able to help, but let's go anyway." I sighed.

We followed Lockhart to his office where we saw him hastily packing his things up.

"In a hurry to go somewhere, Professor?" I said from the doorway.

"Er, well, yes," said Lockhart, ripping a life-size poster of himself from the back of the door as he spoke and starting to roll it up, "urgent call unavoidable, got to go-"

"What about my sister?" said Ron angrily.

"Well, as to that, most unfortunate-" said Lockhart, avoiding our eyes, "no one regrets more than I-"

"You're the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher!" said Harry. "You can't go now! Not with all the Dark stuff going on here!"

"Well, I must say, when I took the job-" Lockhart muttered, "nothing in the job description, didn't expect-"

"You mean you're running away?" said Harry disbelievingly. "After all that stuff you did in your books-"

I couldn't take it anymore. "He's a fraud Harry. He's done none of the things he's claimed to of done."