When I went to bed that night I found a note from Loki under on my pillow, or should I say under Freya and Freddie who were on my pillow, asking me to meet him alone in his rooms first thing in the morning. I couldn't help but wonder what he wanted to talk to me about, but I figured if it was anything serious, he would have spoken to me as soon as I got back to Hogwarts. As much as I loved Bruce, I had missed Loki teaching ancient runes. He always brought the stories about how the runes were created to life, I guess that came from being there when they were created.
I got up a little earlier in the morning so I could go see Loki before anyone else woke up. It was easier than trying to explain why I spent so much time with Loki.
It almost felt like a dream walking through the hallways, I never thought I'd see Hogwarts after we decided to stop project insight. Yet I was back at Hogwarts like nothing had happened.
When I pushed the door open to Loki's classroom, I saw that Professor Dumbledore and Professor Sprout were with him. I knew straight away that something was up.
"Am I in trouble?" I asked as I walked into the room and sat down at one of the tables in front of Professor Dumbledore.
"Not so much in trouble, dear," Professor Sprout said, patting me on my back.
"I personally feel that it's utterly abused that this needs to spoke about," Loki said, dramatically sitting down behind his desk.
"The ministry has been informed by MACUAS that you not only used magic when you are under age but it was also performed in front of a muggle," Professor Dumbledore told me.
"But it was an emergency! If I didn't get the chip to shut down the helicarrier, thousands of people were going to be killed!" I desperately tried to explain.
"Both the ministry and MACUSA are aware of this and are thankful for your actions" Professor Dumbledore told me, making me relax a little. "But they have asked me to give you an official warning that if you break the decree again, they will have to take action."
"I understand Professor. Hopefully a situation like that will never happen again," I said, feeling relieved that I wasn't going to get kicked out of school.
"Now that everything is sorted out, I'm going to go check on the mandrakes," Professor Sprout said as she walked out of the room.
Even though I could leave, I sat in front of Professor Dumbledore debating if I should tell him that Hydra had people in the ministry. Out of everyone, he was the one that would be able to find out who it was.
"I sense there is something else you wish to talk to me about," Professor Dumbledore said, waving his wand and bring the armchair in the corner of the room over so he could sit down.
"I think I know what this is about and you should tell him, Elsa" Loki said, dropping his glamour and walking over to me.
When Loki sat down next to me and put his arm around my shoulders to comfort me, I knew he was right.
"When we were trying to get information about Project Insight from a Hydra agent, he said something that kinda freaked me out," I told Professor Dumbledore who nodded his head for me to continue. "Hydra have people in the ministry of magic. That's how SHIELD never became aware of Voldemort. Whoever the Hydra agent is, they stopped the information from being passed on. Project Insight was also programed to take out anyone in the wizarding world who was considered a threat. That included you, Harry, Hermione and who knows how many other people. They also had access to all our test scores which helped project insight decide who was a threat."
"That, indeed, is troubling. We have managed to keep ourselves separated from the muggle world for centuries. It's concerning that an organisation has managed to infiltrate us in such a way," Professor Dumbledore said, as he thought what I had just told him.
"I have dealt with this Hydra before. They are capable of anything," Loki tells him.
"I will look into this and don't worry Elsa; we will find out who the Hydra agent is."
I was happy that Professor Dumbledore was looking into the Hydra agent that had managed to infiltrate the ministry but I didn't think he was going to be to find out who was. I was trying to figure out what I could do help as I walked down to the great hall for breakfast, but I couldn't think of anything. To figure out who it was I would have to actually be working in the ministry and that wasn't going to be happening any time soon.
I was lost in my own world as I walked down and didn't notice where I was walking. So, I guess it wasn't a surprise when I walked into someone. Looking up I was relieved to see it was Harry and Ron, not someone else like Cho or Samantha.
"Oh my god, I am so sorry guys," I said as I helped Harry up who I had just knocked over.
"That's okay. I'm surprised you're actually talking to me," Harry said, looking close to tears.
"Why wouldn't I talk to you? Because you're the 'Heir to Slytherin'. I honestly can't believe people actually believe that, it's just so stupid," I told Harry as I wrapped my arm around his shoulder and continued to walk down to the great hall.
"See, I told you that not everyone believes it," Ron said, trying to look on the bright side.
"I guess," Harry muttered as I noticed Hagrid walk in to the entry hall looking flustered but when he saw the three of us, broke in to a big smile.
"Harry, Ron, Elsa! How have yeh been? Lil Freddie miss ya when yer were gone, Elsa," Hagrid said as he pulled the three of us into a group hug.
"Better now that all that drama in Washington is over. Thanks for looking after Freya and Freddie while I was gone. Even if Freddie is giving me the silent treatment," I laughed as I tried to get Freddie out of my pocket to show Hagrid. But being the stubborn little bowtruckle that he was, Freddie stuck his tongue out at me.
"Still cheeky as ever, I see," Hagrid laughed as Freddie crawled back into my robes pocket.
"Did you ever find out who was killing the rosters?" Ron asked, confusing me about what he was talking about.
"Someone's killing rosters?"
"Yeah, I've been finding em all over the grounds. Luckily, I haven't found any more recently but still no closer ter finding out who it was," Hagrid said, sounding defeated.
"If you need any help, just let me know," I told Hagrid, hating the thought that someone was hurting animals.
"Don't yer worry yourself about it, Elsa. But there is one thing yer can do for me. Did yer mind coming down to visit Theo, he's been missing yer."
"Of course, I'll come and visit him as soon as possible," I said, waving goodbye to Hagrid before turning back to Harry and Ron. "Where is Hermione? I would have thought she would have been down by now."
"She's in the hospital wing. She got sick over Christmas," Harry told me as we walked into the great hall.
"Is she okay? Can she have visitors?" I asked the pair of Gryffindor's and as soon as they hesitated to answer me, I knew something was up. "Okay, I get it. Something happened over the break, you don't have to tell me now. But I want to know everything later when no one else is around."
I walked off to the Hufflepuff table, not giving the boys the chance to say no. I knew it was something that could possibly get them expelled, it always was with those three. I hated to think what they have got up to this time, I just hoped it wasn't something too dangerous. But then, I was really one to talk. I had just come back from throwing myself into the middle of was essentially a war between Hydra and us.
"Where have you been?" Danny asked as I sat down at the table next to Cedric.
"I had to talk to Professor Alden about something," I told him before using our bond to tell him more. Professors Dumbledore and Spout wanted to talk to me because I may have used magic outside of school when I was helping Dad bring down Project Insight. But don't worry, everything is totally fine.
You're telling me everything later, okay.
I smiled at Danny to let him know that I would fill him in on everything once we were alone. Cedric knew straight away that we were talking through our bond, so I needed to fill him in later as well.
"I can't believe that we have double history of magic for our first class back," Henry said between mouthfuls of food.
"Honestly Henry, don't talk and eat at the same time," Maggie laughed.
"Yeah, seriously dude. Say it, don't spray it," Danny joked.
"It might not be a bad thing that we have history of magic first," Hamish said from a few seats up from us.
"Why is that," Cedric asked, as I moved my backpack off the seat next to me and patting it to invite Hamish to sit with us.
"Because maybe he can tell us about the Chamber of Secrets once and for all," Hamish said, as he hesitantly sat down next to me. "Something tells me that there is a lot more going on than we are being told. And the whole thing about Harry Potter being the heir is just ridiculous."
"Thank god it's not just me who feels that way about Harry," I said, earning myself a glare from Ernie McMillian and Justin Finch-Fletchley who were in the same year as Harry.
"There is no way that Harry could be the heir, I can't believe that people actually believe it," Cedric said as he quickly glared at the pair of second year Hufflepuff's.
"I know, Harry is such a sweet boy," Maggie added.
Now that I knew that my friends believed that Harry was innocent, I just had to find way to get the rest of the school to believe it.
"Professor, I was wondering if you could tell us about the Chamber of Secrets," Hamish asked the minute class started.
Professor Binns looked up at Hamish in shock. I don't think in all his years of teaching at Hogwarts either alive or as a ghost, he ever had anyone actually ask a question in class.
"Now, Mr. McCracken. My subject is History of Magic. I deal with facts, not myths and legends," he said, clearly annoyed by the question.
"It McLaggen, sir. Hamish McLaggen. But doesn't every legend come from a true story of sorts."
"I can assure you Mr. uh McLaggen, there is no truth to this myth," Professor Binns said as I raised my hand to ask him a question. "Yes, Miss...um"
"Rogers, Professor Binns. Elsa Rogers. Hamish is right though. I know that a lot of the Asgardian myths come from actual facts. Thor himself told me, I mean he is one of the avengers along with my dad and he has told me a few of the stories," I added, supporting Hamish.
"Maybe a few of those myths come from truths, but not this one Miss Rogers."
"Well, if there isn't any truth to it. What's the harm in telling us?" Cedric asked as Professor Binns sighed in frustration.
"Very well but keep in mind that what I about to tell you if purely fictional," the ghost Professor said, resigning himself to fact he had no choice to tell us after the rest of the class started to agree with us. "The story goes that Salazar Slytherin had built a hidden chamber in the castle, of which the other founders knew nothing about. Now, as you all know Salazar Slytherin had a falling out with the rest of the founders about his views on who should be allowed entry to Hogwarts and left. Slytherin, according to the legend, sealed the Chamber of Secrets before he left so none would be able to open it until his one true heir arrived back at the school. The heir alone would be able to unseal the Chamber and unleash the horror within and purge the school of all who were unworthy to study magic."
"Well, if only the heir can open it, how do we know for sure that there isn't a chamber," Amanda asked.
"I can assure you, Miss Bows, the castle has been searched top to bottom and now chamber has been found."
"What about the horror with in? Does that mean there is some sort of monster living in the chamber?" Henry asked.
"There is no such thing as monsters, Mr. Chew."
"But you be sure about that. I mean, only the heir would know wouldn't they," Danny called out and pushing Professor Binns to his breaking point.
"That is enough! I have humored this class for far too long. I will not answer any more questions about something that has no factual evidence to support its existence!"
Something in Professor Binns voice told us that there was no room for any arguments. So, the class settled down and fell back into its normal dull routine as Professor Binns began to drone on some goblin rebellion that none of us really listened too. I mean, how could we. We just found out that there could potentially be a monster living in the castle with us.
The whole class was quiet as we walked out of the classroom to head down to the great hall for lunch. I don't think any of us wanted to talk about what we found out at the beginning of the lesson. If we spoke about it, it felt like the monster would come out and attack us where we stood.
"I'll meet you guys in the great hall for lunch in a couple of minutes. Harry and Ron told me the Hermione was in the hospital wing," I said, breaking off from my group of friends to go see Hermione.
"Do you want us to come with you to see if she's okay?" Maggie asked, but I knew that if I brought anyone with me, I stood no chance of seeing Hermione.
"Thanks, but I think if I go with anyone one, she won't want to see me. Apparently, she won't let anyone other than Harry and Ron. So, I'll probably have better luck going alone."
"If that what you think is best, we'll meet you down stairs in a little bit," Cedric said, kissing me on the check.
I waved to my friends and headed up to the hospital wing but unfortunately, I wasn't looking where I was going and got my foot stuck in the vanishing stair on the moving staircase. I ended up falling flat on my face as I tried to pull my foot out.
"You have got to be kidding me," I muttered to myself as I tried to pull my foot free of the vanishing stair.
"Miss Rogers, would you like so help freeing your foot," Professor Lockhart called out to as I groaned at the thought of the idiot trying to help me. I would probably end up losing my foot because he sent it to another dimension so something.
"No thank you, Professor. I'm completely fine," I said as I finally got my foot free.
"Such a shame, I know the perfect spell that would have freed your without any of that unneeded struggle," Professor Lockhart said, as I made my get away.
"Really is a pity but thank you for the offer, Professor," I called out over my shoulder, relieved I got away from him in one piece.
I tried to hide that I was limping as I walked up the rest of the stairs. The last thing I needed was for Professor Lockhart to see I was limping, he would probably do the same thing that he did to Harry, to me. And I really didn't want to spend the night regrowing the bones in my foot. The second I saw the door to the hospital wing, I ran and opened it, ignoring the pain in my foot and trying to get away from Lockhart as quickly as I could. I knew that I had probably sprained it but it would be healed in a few minutes, I just needed to sit down.
"Miss Rogers, please don't tell me you have injured yourself at quidditch practice on the first day back," Madam Pomfrey sighed as I hobbled into the room.
"No, I'm fine. I just got my foot stuck in the vanishing stair. Professor Lockhart wanted to help me but I managed to get it out just in time," I said, cringing at what I was implying about the professor.
"Thank goodness for that, I have had enough students come through those doors needing help after Professor Lockhart tried to aide them," Madam Pomfrey told me, not caring that she was talking down a teacher in front of a student. "Now, Miss Rogers what can I do to help you today?"
"I was wondering if Hermione was able to have visitors yet? I heard she was unwell and thought that I would check on her to see how she is."
"I'm afraid that Miss Grangers isn't able to see anyone at the moment, but I will tell her you came to visit her," Madam Pomfrey told me. Smiling at the nurse, I turned to leave the hospital wing when I heard a voice all out from behind a set of curtains at the far end of the room.
"It's okay, Madam Pomfrey. I don't mind Elsa seeing me like this."
Madam Pomfrey let me past her as she muttered to herself that she will never understand the minds of students. I had no idea what to expect when I pushed the curtains aside, but Hermione looking like a cat was the last thing I thought I would see.
"Hermione! What happened?" I asked, throwing my bag onto the floor and sitting down next to her.
"It's a long story, but let's just say a potion didn't work out the way I expected," she said quietly.
"Polyjuice potion," I whispered to her, making sure no one could hear me.
"Yeah, we were trying to help Harry prove he wasn't the heir of Slytherin."
"Please tell me you found something out after what happened to you."
"Well, the only thing for sure is that it'snot Draco Malfoy."