For a few days, the school could talk of little else but the attack onMrs. Norris. Filch kept it fresh in everyone's minds by pacing thespot where she had been attacked, as though he thought the attacker might come back. I had seen him scrubbing the message on the wall with Mrs. Skower's All-Purpose Magical MessRemover, but to no effect; the words still gleamed as brightly asever on the stone.
When Filch wasn't guarding the scene of thecrime, he was skulking red-eyed through the corridors, lunging outat unsuspecting students and trying to put them in detention forthings like "breathing loudly" and "looking happy."Ginny seemed very disturbed by Mrs. Norris's fate. According to Ron, she was a great cat lover."But you haven't really got to know Mrs. Norris," Ron told herbracingly. "Honestly, we're much better off without her." Ginny'slip trembled. "Stuff like this doesn't often happen at Hogwarts,"Ron assured her. "They'll catch the maniac who did it and havehim out of here in no time. I just hope he's got time to Petrify Filchbefore he's expelled. I'm only joking —" Ron added hastily asGinny blanched, I hit him on the head.
The attack had also had an effect on Hermione. It was quiteusual for Hermione to spend a lot of time reading, but she was nowdoing almost nothing else. Nor could Me or Harry and Ron get much response from her when they asked what she was up to, and not until the following Wednesday did we find out.
Harry found Me and Ron in the library, me reading a book, and Ron measuring his History of Magic homework. Professor Binns had asked for a three foot-long composition on "The Medieval Assembly of EuropeanWizards.""I don't believe it, I'm still eight inches short. . . ." said Ron furiously, letting go of his parchment, which sprang back into a roll."And Hermione and Emma done four feet seven inches and her writing'stiny.""Where is she?" asked Harry, grabbing the tape measure and unrolling his own homework."Somewhere over there," I said, pointing along the shelves."Looking for another book. I think she's trying to read the wholelibrary before Christmas."Harry told Ron and me something about Justin Finch-Fletchley running away fromhim."Dunno why you care. I thought he was a bit of an idiot," saidRon, scribbling away, making his writing as large as possible. I snorted "Allthat junk about Lockhart being so great —"Hermione emerged from between the bookshelves. She lookedirritable and at last seemed ready to talk to them."All the copies of Hogwarts, A History have been taken out," shesaid, sitting down next to Harry and Ron. "And there's a two-weekwaiting list. I wish I hadn't left my copy at home, but I couldn't fitit in my trunk with all the Lockhart books.""Why do you want it?" said Harry. "The same reason everyone else wants it," said Hermione, "toread up on the legend of the Chamber of Secrets."
"What's that?" said Harry quickly."That's just it. I can't remember," said Hermione, biting her lip."And I can't find the story anywhere else —" I have my book" I said quietly "and there's no point?"
"What do you mean?" asked hermione "There's nothing about the Chamber of Secrets" I said "I looked it up Halloween."
"Hermione, let me read your composition," said Ron desperately, checking his watch.
"No, I won't," said Hermione, suddenly severe. "You've had tendays to finish it —"
"I only need another two inches, come on, Emma —"
The bell rang. Ron and Hermione led the way to History ofMagic, bickering.
History of Magic was the dullest subject on our schedule. Professor Binns, who taught it, was our only ghost teacher, and themost exciting thing that ever happened in his classes was his entering the room through the blackboard. Ancient and shriveled, manypeople said he hadn't noticed he was dead. He had simply got up toteach one day and left his body behind him in an armchair in frontof the staffroom fire; his routine had not varied in the slightestsince.Today was as boring as ever. Professor Binns opened his notesand began to read in a flat drone like an old vacuum cleaner untilnearly everyone in the class was in a deep stupor, occasionally coming to long enough to copy down a name or date, then fallingasleep again. He had been speaking for half an hour when something happened that had never happened before. I put up my hand.Professor Binns, glancing up in the middle of a deadly dull lecture on the International Warlock Convention of 1289, lookedamazed.
"Miss — er — ?"
"Potter, Professor. I was wondering if you could tell us anything about the Chamber of Secrets," I said in a clearvoice.Dean Thomas, who had been sitting with his mouth hangingopen, gazing out of the window, jerked out of his trance; LavenderBrown's head came up off her arms and Neville 's elbow slipped off his desk.Professor Binns blinked."My subject is History of Magic," he said in his dry, wheezyvoice. "I deal with, facts, Miss Potter, not myths and legends." Hecleared his throat with a small noise like chalk snapping and continued, "In September of that year, a subcommittee of Sardiniansorcerers —"He stuttered to a halt. Hermione's hand was waving in the air.
"Miss Grant?"
"Please, sir, don't legends always have a basis in fact?"Professor Binns was looking at her in such amazement, I was sure no student had ever interrupted him before, alive or dead."Well," said Professor Binns slowly, "yes, one could argue that, Isuppose." He peered at Hermione and me as though he had never seen astudent properly before. "However, the legend of which you speakis such a very sensational, even ludicrous tale —"
But the whole class was now hanging on Professor Binns's everyword. He looked dimly at them all, every face turned to his. I could tell he was completely thrown by such an unusual show ofinterest."Oh, very well," he said slowly. "Let me see . . . the Chamber ofSecrets . . .
"You all know, of course, that Hogwarts was founded over athousand years ago — the precise date is uncertain — by the fourgreatest witches and wizards of the age. The four school Houses arenamed after them: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, RowenaRavenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin. They built this castle together,far from prying Muggle eyes, for it was an age when magic wasfeared by common people, and witches and wizards suffered muchpersecution."He paused, gazed blearily around the room, and continued."For a few years, the founders worked in harmony together,seeking out youngsters who showed signs of magic and bringingthem to the castle to be educated. But then disagreements sprangup between them. A rift began to grow between Slytherin and theothers. Slytherin wished to be more selective about the students admitted to Hogwarts. He believed that magical learning should bekept within all-magic families. He disliked taking students of Muggle parentage, believing them to be untrustworthy. After a while,there was a serious argument on the subject between Slytherin andGryffindor, and Slytherin left the school."Professor Binns paused again, pursing his lips, looking like awrinkled old tortoise."Reliable historical sources tell us this much," he said. "But thesehonest facts have been obscured by the fanciful legend of theChamber of Secrets. The story goes that Slytherin had built a hidden chamber in the castle, of which the other founders knewnothing."Slytherin, according to the legend, sealed the Chamber of Secrets so that none would be able to open it until his own true heirarrived at the school. The heir alone would be able to unseal theChamber of Secrets, unleash the horror within, and use it to purgethe school of all who were unworthy to study magic."
There was silence as he finished telling the story, but it wasn't theusual, sleepy silence that filled Professor Binns's classes. There wasunease in the air as everyone continued to watch him, hoping formore. Professor Binns looked faintly annoyed."The whole thing is arrant nonsense, of course," he said. "Naturally, the school has been searched for evidence of such a chamber,many times, by the most learned witches and wizards. It does notexist. A tale told to frighten the gullible." my hand was back in the air."Sir — what exactly do you mean by the 'horror within' theChamber?""That is believed to be some sort of monster, which the Heir ofSlytherin alone can control," said Professor Binns in his dry, reedyvoice.The class exchanged nervous looks."I tell you, the thing does not exist," said Professor Binns, shuffling his notes. "There is no Chamber and no monster.""But, sir," said Seamus Finnigan, "if the Chamber can only beopened by Slytherin's true heir, no one else would be able to find it,would they?""Nonsense, O'Flaherty," said Professor Binns in an aggravated tone. "If a long succession of Hogwarts headmasters and headmistresses haven't found the thing —""But, Professor," piped up Parvati Patil, "you'd probably have touse Dark Magic to open it —""Just because a wizard doesn't use Dark Magic doesn't mean hecan't, Miss Pennyfeather," snapped Professor Binns. "I repeat, if thelikes of Dumbledore —""But maybe you've got to be related to Slytherin, so Dumbledore couldn't —" began Dean Thomas, but Professor Binns hadhad enough."That will do," he said sharply. "It is a myth! It does not exist!There is not a shred of evidence that Slytherin ever built so muchas a secret broom cupboard! I regret telling you such a foolish story!We will return, if you please, to history, to solid, believable, verifiable fact!"And within five minutes, the class had sunk back into its usualtorpor.
"I always knew Salazar Slytherin was a twisted old loony," Ron toldHarry and Hermione as they fought their way through the teemingcorridors at the end of the lesson to drop off their bags beforedinner. "But I never knew he started all this pure-blood stuff. Iwouldn't be in his House if you paid me. Honestly, if the SortingHat had tried to put me in Slytherin, I'd've got the train straightback home. . . ."Hermione nodded fervently, I was quiet. Thing was, I would go in Slytherin's house. It was where people were loyal, ambitious, cunning, and smart...I felt a need to defend it. "Gryffindor, stole things" I snapped.
"What?"
"Yeah, claimed he made something. Didn't. I don't know."
"Hiya, Harry!"
"Hullo, Colin," said Harry automatically.
"Harry — Emma — a boy in my class has been saying you're —"But Colin was so small he couldn't fight against the tide ofpeople bearing him toward the Great Hall; they heard him squeak,"See you, Harry!" and he was gone."What's a boy in his class saying about you?" Hermione wondered."That we're Slytherin's heirs, I expect," I said. "People here'll believe anything," said Ron in disgust.The crowd thinned and they were able to climb the next staircase without difficulty."D'you really think there's a Chamber of Secrets?" Ron askedHermione."I don't know," she said, frowning. "Dumbledore couldn't cure Mrs. Norris, and that makes me think that whatever attacked hermight not be — well — human."
As she spoke, we turned a corner and found ourselves at theend of the very corridor where the attack had happened. we stopped and looked. The scene was just as it had been that night,except that there was no stiff cat hanging from the torch bracket,and an empty chair stood against the wall bearing the message"The Chamber of Secrets Has Been Opened.""That's where Filch has been keeping guard," Ron muttered. we looked at each other. The corridor was deserted."Can't hurt to have a poke around," said Harry, dropping hisbag and getting to his hands and knees so that he could crawlalong, searching for clues. I followed him
"Scorch marks!" I said. "Here — and here —""Come and look at this!" said Hermione. "This is funny. . . ."Harry and I got up and crossed to the window next to the messageon the wall. Hermione was pointing at the topmost pane, wherearound twenty spiders were scuttling, apparently fighting to getthrough a small crack. A long, silvery thread was dangling like arope, as though they had all climbed it in their hurry to get outside."Have you ever seen spiders act like that?" said Hermione wonderingly."No," said Harry, "me either" I said "have you, Ron? Ron?"I looked over his shoulder. Ron was standing well back andseemed to be fighting the impulse to run."What's up?" said Harry."I — don't — like — spiders," said Ron tensely."I never knew that," said Hermione, looking at Ron in surprise."You've used spiders in Potions loads of times. . . ."
"I don't mind them dead," said Ron, who was carefully looking anywhere but at the window. "I just don't like the way theymove. . . ."Hermione giggled."It's not funny," said Ron, fiercely. "If you must know, when Iwas three, Fred turned my — my teddy bear into a great big filthyspider because I broke his toy broomstick. . . . You wouldn't likethem either if you'd been holding your bear and suddenly it hadtoo many legs and . . ."
He broke off, shuddering. Hermione was obviously still tryingnot to laugh. Feeling they had better get off the subject, Harry said,"Remember all that water on the floor? Where did that come from?Someone's mopped it up.""It was about here," said Ron, recovering himself to walk a fewpaces past Filch's chair and pointing. "Level with this door."He reached for the brass doorknob but suddenly withdrew hishand as though he'd been burned."What's the matter?" said Harry."Can't go in there," said Ron gruffly. "That's a girls' toilet."
"Oh, Ron, there won't be anyone in there," said Hermione,standing up and coming over. "That's Moaning Myrtle's place.Come on, let's have a look."And ignoring the large out of order sign, I opened the door.It was the gloomiest, most depressing bathroom Harry had everset foot in. Under a large, cracked, and spotted mirror were a rowof chipped sinks. The floor was damp and reflected the dull lightgiven off by the stubs of a few candles, burning low in their holders; the wooden doors to the stalls were flaking and scratched andone of them was dangling off its hinges.
Hermione put her fingers to her lips and set off toward the endstall. When she reached it she said, "Hello, Myrtle, how are you?"Moaning Myrtle was floating abovethe tank of the toilet, picking a spot on her chin."This is a girls' bathroom," she said, eyeing Ron and Harry suspiciously. "They're not girls." "Obviously" I muttered. "No," Hermione agreed. "I just wanted to show them how —er — nice it is in here."She waved vaguely at the dirty old mirror and the damp floor.
"Ask her if she saw anything," Harry mouthed at Hermione.
"What are you whispering?" said Myrtle, staring at him."Nothing," said Harry quickly. "We wanted to ask —""I wish people would stop talking behind my back!" said Myrtle,in a voice choked with tears. "I do have feelings, you know, even ifI am dead —""Myrtle, no one wants to upset you," said Hermione. "Harryonly —""No one wants to upset me! That's a good one!" howled Myrtle."My life was nothing but misery at this place and now people comealong ruining my death!"
"If you could shut up-" I started but Hermione interrupted. "We wanted to ask you if you've seen anything funny lately,"said Hermione quickly. "Because a cat was attacked right outsideyour front door on Halloween.""Did you see anyone near here that night?" said Harry."I wasn't paying attention," said Myrtle dramatically. "Peevesupset me so much I came in here and tried to kill myself. Then, ofcourse, I remembered that I'm — that I'm —""Already dead," said Ron helpfully.
Myrtle gave a tragic sob, rose up in the air, turned over, anddived headfirst into the toilet, splashing water all over them andvanishing from sight, although from the direction of her muffledsobs, she had come to rest somewhere in the U-bend.Harry and Ron stood with their mouths open, but I shrugged wearily and said, "Honestly, that was almost cheerful forMyrtle. . . . Come on, let's go."Harry had barely closed the door on Myrtle's gurgling sobs whena loud voice made all three of them jump."RON!"Percy Weasley had stopped dead at the head of the stairs, prefectbadge agleam, an expression of complete shock on his face."That's a girls' bathroom!" he gasped. "What were you — ?"
"Just having a look around," Ron shrugged. "Clues, youknow —"
Percy swelled in a manner that reminded me forcefully ofMrs. Weasley."Get — away — from — there —" Percy said, striding towardthem and starting to bustle them along, flapping his arms. "Don'tyou care what this looks like? Coming back here while everyone's atdinner —""Why shouldn't we be here?" said Ron hotly, stopping short andglaring at Percy. "Listen, we never laid a finger on that cat!""That's what I told Ginny," said Percy fiercely, "but she stillseems to think you're going to be expelled, I've never seen her soupset, crying her eyes out, you might think of her, all the first yearsare thoroughly overexcited by this business —""You don't care about Ginny," said Ron, whose ears were now reddening. "You're just worried I'm going to mess up your chancesof being Head Boy —""Five points from Gryffindor!" Percy said tersely, fingering hisprefect badge. "And I hope it teaches you a lesson! No more detective work, or I'll write to Mum!"And he strode off, the back of his neck as red as Ron's ears.
I was talking to Draco when I cam back I could hear Hermione saying "--Who'd wantto frighten all the Squibs and Muggle-borns out of Hogwarts?"
"Let's think," said Ron in mock puzzlement. "Who do we knowwho thinks Muggle-borns are scum?" "If you're talking about Malfoy —"
"Of course I am!" said Ron.
"Malfoy, the Heir of Slytherin?" said Hermione skeptically.
"Look at his family," said Harry, closing his books, too. "Thewhole lot of them have been in Slytherin; he's always boastingabout it. They could easily be Slytherin's descendants. His father'sdefinitely evil enough."
"You're no better than them then." I said coldly, they turned sharply.
"What do you mean?" asked Ron in a choked voice "how can you say-"
"They judge muggle borns because of their families" I say "your judging them because of their family. But-" I add, and they relax "he was acting shifty."
"But how do we prove it?" said Harry darkly.
"There might be a way," said Hermione slowly, dropping hervoice still further with a quick glance across the room at Percy. "Ofcourse, it would be difficult. And dangerous, very dangerous. We'dbe breaking about fifty school rules, I expect —"
"If, in a month or so, you feel like explaining, you will let usknow, won't you?" said Ron irritably."All right," said Hermione coldly. "What we'd need to do is toget inside the Slytherin common room and ask Malfoy a few questions without him realizing it's us.""But that's impossible," Harry said as Ron laughed."No, it's not," said Hermione. "All we'd need would be somePolyjuice Potion."
"What's that?" said Ron and Harry together.
"It transforms you into somebody else. Think about it! We couldchange into three of the Slytherins. No one would know it was us.Malfoy would probably tell us anything. He's probably boastingabout it in the Slytherin common room right now, if only we couldhear him." I exclaimed.
"This Polyjuice stuff sounds a bit dodgy to me," said Ron,frowning. "What if we were stuck looking like three of theSlytherins forever?"
"It wears off after a while," said Hermione, waving her hand impatiently. "But getting hold of the recipe will be very difficult.Snape said it was in a book called Moste Potente Potions and it'sbound to be in the Restricted Section of the library."
There was only one way to get out a book from the RestrictedSection: You needed a signed note of permission from a teacher."Hard to see why we'd want the book, really," said Ron, "if weweren't going to try and make one of the potions.""I think," I said, "that if we made it sound as thoughwe were just interested in the theory, we might stand a chance. . . ."
"Oh, come on, no teacher's going to fall for that," said Ron."They'd have to be really thick. . . ."