Alex Weasley: Book 3

36

"Where are we going?" Laila asked. "I didn't even know this part of the school existed."

"Yeah, not many do."

"Where are we going?"

"To meet Hermione and Luna."

"And who's Luna?"

"Luna Lovegood. She's a Ravenclaw." Laila looked at her strangely.

"So a Hufflepuff and a Slytherin are going to meet a Gryffindor and a Ravenclaw?"

"Yeah."

"Is this supposed to be a joke? I don't get it."

"Through here." Alex rolled her eyes and led Laila into the secret passage. They eventually made it to Helga's Hall.

"Is this real gold?" Laila admired the grand door.

"Aren't you used to gold?"

"I generally don't see massive doors built with solid gold in my day to day life." Laila shot her a glare. Alex shrugged and pushed open the door. "Whoa."

"I know." Alex smirked.

"What-? How? Where is this place?"

"As far as I understand, under the great hall... and the entrance hall. And the foyer."

"What is this place? I've never heard of it."

"No one has. It's been abandoned for centuries. I'll tell you more soon. We're waiting on a couple of people." Laila looked around, gazing in awe.

Hermione and Luna took a little longer to return seeing as the former had to venture into the forest to return with the latter. But they eventually did.
"Finally." Alex stood up from her chair. "We can begin."

"Luna, meet Laila. Laila, Luna." Hermione introduced.

"Hi."

"Okay, so Hermione and I want to share some really cool, mind blowing stuff with you. Welcome to Helga's Hall."

"Helga the founder?"

"Yeah. Like Slytherin had a chamber. Ravenclaw had a study and Gryffindor had a grove."

"But the chamber was never proven to exist. I mean it was said to have been opened last year, but was it really the chamber?" Laila asked, skeptical.

"Yes. Where else do you think the sixty feet long king snake that petrified us came from?"

"Just because you know what happened, doesn't mean we all do. There's, like, a million rumours floating around about what happened."

"Oh. The chamber of secrets was opened. The monster was a basilisk. We all saw a reflection of its eyes which is why we got petrified and didn't die. Harry and Ron went into the chamber to save Ginny and slay the monster. Did I miss anything?" She asked Hermione.

"Basilisks are extinct." Luna said.

"There was one living in the castle. Slytherin found it when it was newly hatched and looked after it."

"He locked it away in the chamber when he realised how lethal it's gaze could be." Hermione finished. "We've learnt a lot about Salazar Slytherin here."

"We read his private diaries."

"Journals. They were journals. Chronological entries of his life." Hermione defended.

"Either way, we want your help to map out the lives of all four founders and present it to the school."

"The four of us, each from a different house, just like it started. Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Slytherin and Gryffindor." Luna said.

"Exactly. You guys are some of the smartest people I know. You're intelligent." Alex looked at Hermione before facing the rest of the girls. "She's good at learning, retaining and understanding information. And you're cunning." Alex turned to Laila before addressing them all. "She's good at thinking on her feet. She's also really good at strategies and working with people. And Luna- Luna's wise. She sees things in a way no one else would think possible. All of you bring something to the table. We'll make an unstoppable team."

"Since you're not talking about what you can contribute, I'll do it for you." Hermione said. "You've got an amazing memory. You've basically informally taken the tests to graduate Hogwarts, and for some reason you're still here as a third year. Oh, and you're the one who found this place."

"Moving on, Hermione and I have read through all of Slytherin's journals."

"You already said that." Hermione cut in, helpfully.

"Alright, fine. You explain." Alex huffed.

"Can I see these journals?" Laila asked.

"Definitely. We don't think it's a good idea to take it out of here though. Just in case anyone catches sight of it."

"Do you know where the other secret rooms are?"

"We know where the chamber of secrets is. There's supposed to be an entrance down the corridor we came through. This place also links to Gryffindor's grove but I don't know which way it is. The exit's hidden. I'm guessing it'll lead to the forest somewhere."

"Let's find the chamber."

"Why don't we save that till last? We can find the grove or the study first." Alex said.

"But if you know how to find the chamber, why don't we start with that."

"We could, but uh, there is technically a sixty feet long dead snake there, and not even Slytherin spent much time in there. Probably for a reason."

"Oh my god." Laila smirked in reply. "You're scared of the dead snake."

"No I'm not."

"Yes you are."

"Well, technically that snake petrified me. Physically, not emotionally, and also murdered a girl. Who wouldn't be a little freaked out?"

"Dead things can't hurt us." Luna said. "But the memories can haunt us unless you face them."

"But there's a reason I'm not a Gryffindor. So what we'll do is- I'll draw you a map to the chamber and you guys can check it out. You probably won't need parseltongue like the toilet entrance."

"I'm sure Hermione'll hold your hand the whole time, if you want." Laila was mocking her, she was sure. She didn't understand why, so she took Hermione's hand anyway.

"I know. Still really don't fancy tripping over a large snake." Hermione squeezed her hand comfortingly. "If you want to go in that's fine. But I'll have to work up the courage if I'm going to encounter such a large snake." Luna wandered away slightly walking over to a section in the far corner of the room. She placed her hand on a stone dragon Alex had never really noticed. "Luna?" The blonde simply twisted the small statue.

There was a rumbling and they all watched on with curiosity as the wall disappeared into the ground. "How fortunate." Laila said over her shoulder as she sauntered over to Luna. "Looks like Luna's discovered the entrance to one of the other founders' hidden rooms."