Jake Anderson: A Hogwarts Tale

Chapter 7: The Christmas Ball

Jake regained his consciousness in the Hospital Wing. He didn't open his eyes. He realised that he was surrounded by many students. They were talking about what happened.

"Falling from the roof?"
"He was face to face with death"

Jake opened his eyes. Oiseau, Andy, Lana,Maiko,Opal and Izzy were standing there looking at him. Jake realised that Madam Pomfrey wasn't inside. Jake got up from his lying position to a sitting position. Oiseau at once jumped at Jake and gave him a hug. Andy looked jealous as Jake could tell. Maiko, Lana, Izzy and Opal was looking at Jake's face.

" I thought I was gonna die. Even if I didn't die, I thought nobody would care about what happened to me",said Jake.

"OF COURSE WE WOULD CARE. WE ARE YOUR FRIENDS. IT'S JUST THAT IZZY, OPAL AND MAIKO DIDN'T GET CHANCE TO TALK TO YOU", said Lana to which Maiko, Izzy and Opal nodded.

" Oh, I thought nobody wanted to me friends with me",said Jake. Maiko said,"We want to be your friends, mate. We always felt sad when you always sat lonely at the Gryffindor table. Yesterday, you got Oiseau as a friend. All of us here are your friends". Izzy, Opal, Lana and Oiseau nodded. Andy's face looked like he wanted to bust out. Something told Jake that Oiseau forced Andy to come here. Jake then asked," How did I live?". "Well, McGonagall told that she was taking a round of the castle when she saw you falling. She used a spell to reduce your velocity while falling down so that you won't get hurt. She says she was angry on you for walking around late at night. However, this accident was more brutal than a detention. So she took thirty points from Gryffindor. She says she should have taken more",said Opal. "My mom told McGonagall what you told about Professor Slora. She's a nasty wretched foul- Oh sorry Oiseau. I forgot she was your mother",said Lana. "No problem. Go ahead. I hate her more than you guys do together. Let me finish the sentence for you. She's a vile,stupid, foul, troll, boogey loving woman",said Oiseau smiling. "That made you feel better?",asked Jake chuckling. "Made my best moment insulting her",said Oiseau smiling. Everyone laughed. Andy said,"Guys, I have some work to do. I have remedial potions. I am..have to go". He ran out of the Hospital wing. Lana replied,"Well, my mom said that she never takes remedial classes. I think he is lying". "Of course he is. He hasn't gotten over Jake punching his nose. He didn't like me being friends with you either. I forced him to come. Don't worry he'll bounce back",said Oiseau.

Jake was discharged from the Hospital Wing. He spent his time chatting with his new friends. He didn't see Andy much. They kept investigating on what Slora was up to. They still had no luck.

"I can't tell what she is making me do. Unless the job is finished. I made an unbreakable vow. Anyway, mom is going to do it. She says she lost to my cowardice",said Oiseau.

Slora however, wasn't happy at all that Jake had escaped from death.

"Mate, you didn't tell what happened to you. You got to tell us",said Maiko. Jake, who had never told what happened at the roof, told them. "I am sad I missed my owl's funeral because of this".

Days passed. It was a week more for Christmas. It was Christmas holidays for two weeks including this week. But most of the students didn't leave. Liliane Slora had organised a Christmas Ball for the students. All were super excited. Jake, Maiko,Oiseau,Lana, Opal and Izzy didn't leave. Oiseau brought in her other friends in order to help them with their investigation. They were two Hufflepuff boys named Lucas Channing, a Muggle Born (This might be the Muggle Born friend Oiseau mentioned to her mother) and Benjamin 'Ben' Carlson. They went to the grounds together to talk about what Slora is up to. Lucas said,"Voldemort's dream is to bring blood purity, I guess. So maybe you would see my death coming soon". "Don't think like that. If someone is dying we all are. We will fight against her to save Hogwarts",said Jake.

They had regular meetings in the Chamber of Secrets. Thanks to the Parseltongue ability of Oiseau. Jake had asked Moaning Myrtle, a ghost who plays around in the bathroom whether a teacher had been going to the Chamber of Secrets. They received a reply of no. So they constantly went to the chamber and talked about their suspicions.

The Christmas ball was coming soon. Andy had asked Oiseau for the ball to which she accepted. Lana, Maiko,Jake,Ben,Lucas,Opal and Izzy decided to view the ball without participating. To everyone's surprise, rumours spread that Neville Longbottom and Professor McGonagall were going to the ball too.

The time for the ball arrived on Christmas night. Jake had received many gifts from his friends. He sent Andy and Oiseau dress robes for the ball. All of them went for the ball, McGonagall was indeed dancing with Professor Neville. Jake was keeping an eye on Slora who was smiling at the dancers. Suddenly the ball ended and they put rock music as all got involved in dancing except the friends. Hands were rising up and down by the dancing crowd making Jake struggling to see Slora. But suddenly, he saw Slora going outside the ball room. Jake signalled his friends that she was leaving the ball in between. Jake went through the crowd and called Oiseau to go with them making Andy angry. He was enjoying dancing with Oiseau. Jake, Oiseau,Lucas,Izzy,Maiko,Opal,Lana and Benjamin was tiptoeing behind Slora. Slora didn't notice. She then went to the left of the seventh floor corridor. Then Slora stood in front of a door for a moment. Lo,it opened and she entered and it closed.

"That's gotta be the room of requirement. If we want to do something we have to think of a room suitable for what we are doing . Then it will open to us. But, we don't know what she was needing the room for. So we can't get in",whispered Jake. "Hang on. I haven't made an Unbreakable vow stating I won't tell what she thought. She told me that I can unleash that thing which I can't tell if I think that the room will transform into 'The Room of Hidden Things'. The job might have finished by now. But I can't confirm. We have to check it inside, then if I confirm that her job is over, let's get out and I will tell you what she was planning. Everybody, think, "The room of hidden things". The eight friends thought inside their mind,"We wanna access the room of hidden things". The door opened, they got inside. They walked and walked and walked. Suddenly they heard a cackle followed by a serpent hiss. "HAHAHAHAHA". Then they heard whispers of Parseltongue, they followed the whispers. Jake whispered,"I think, I know what's it. Guys don't look at the face if you see a serpent. You will die". The others nodded. Then they saw the tail, no two tails of two gigantic serpents. Nobody looked at it. They his as they looked Slora laughing. She then spoke in Parseltongue to the snakes. After hearing what she said, Oiseau gestured her friends that they should go back. They slowly exited the room.

"Yes, the job is done. I can tell you what she is planning. She said the job is done in Parseltongue. I know Parseltongue. Oh for the first time, it is helping me. Listen. She is fulfilling our ancestor Herpo's and Voldemort's and Slytherin's dream. Herpo used to hatch Basilisks. That's what she did. She hatched two chicken eggs under two different toads months ago. Slytherin and Voldemort, wanted to ensure Blood Purity in the school. That's what she is doing. And as a Dark Conjurers, she is planning to take over the school. And slowly the world. She said that after the job is done, she will call the Dark Conjurers into the school. Now the Basilisks have grown up,they are ready to unleash",said Oiseau as they were walking back to the ball room. "Oh, no. That's terrible. We need to inform McGonagall. Hurry up, quick",said Jake as the eight friends ran to the Ball room. It was so crowded. Jake and his friends had no idea how they would reach McGonagall. Jake tried to squeeze in through the crowd but had no use. But he got an idea. Sure it would be embarrassing but Jake decided it would be the best. He muttered with his wand pointing his neck,"Sonorus". This spell would magnify his voice. The other friends looked at what Jake was doing. Jake shouted with his magnified voice,"PROFESSOR MCGONAGALL...IT IS AN EMERGENCY, THE SCHOOL IS IN GRAVE DANGER". His voice was so loud that everybody gasped in panic with what he said. The music stopped. McGonagall came in through the crowd.

"What did you say Rhyder?",asked McGonagall. Jake used the quitening charm and said,"Professor, please take us to your office. Now, it's for the safety of the school",said Oiseau. McGonagall nodded and took them to the headmistress's office. "Albus",she said to the gargoyle as it moved. Then they took the stairs and opened the door and entered the office. Jake shut the door. He narrated what happened and about his whole investigation.

"Really? This all happened? Professor Slora tried to kill you? Is she unleashing a Basilisk. And all this right under my nose-"

What McGonagall said after that wasn't heard. As the door blast open. And there stood Slora who sneered and said,"Yes Minerva. Right Under your nose".