Chapter 15

There's a sketch of muscle going in his cheek. Both his lips and eyes twitched in irritation. His jaw set in a barely controlled turmoil of frustration.

It had been a very bad day. Yes, a very bad day. And it had all transpired from the time, Harry first woke up to this present moment. The source of it was none other than Gilderoy Lockhart. When Harry first roused from his sleep, he found himself shrouded in a pile of love letters and chocolates. Two of his roommates, Jason Spum and Frank Birke, had spread all of it out on his bed, laughing at his reaction for obtaining so many gifts from his admirers. They shrewdly hastened out of the dormitory when Harry directed his lethal glare to them.

As Harry sauntered to the Great Hall, he was forced to take a different route to elude his fan girls. In their hands, they clutched letters and chocolates all meant for him. Later on, of course, it was revealed that Lockhart had kick-started this whole process by publicly announcing a Happy Valentine's Day to all students. The only other person who shared his disgust was Daphne, who was greatly enticed by the thought of cursing Lockhart to the next dimension. She had her own adventure with her peers earlier in the morning and their other three friends were overcome with giggles at hearing their little tale. They thought the day was turning out to be quite amusing.

Despite their assumptions, they too began getting more and more vexed as the day went on.

Most of their own admirers from their own houses thought it was the perfect opportunity to express their feelings. It was later discovered that a flock of owls, coming from the Owlery, harassed three Hufflepuff boys in a flurry of beating wings and pecking beaks. The assault was led by a red irate owl that reportedly belonged to a certain Hufflepuff. The Weasley twins and Lee Jordan were also taken to the infirmary for the injuries they acquired - a few parts of their body had been transfigured into various pieces of furniture. And four Ravenclaws found themselves trapped in empty classroom with no knowledge of how to free themselves due to the multitude of charms that had been cleverly placed on the door. Someone had to summon Professor Flitwick to undo the web of magic.

So for the rest of the day, Harry and the girls barricaded themselves in the library, seeking protection from Madam Pince. She was not exactly fond of noise in her precious library, and she would be sure to kick out anyone who made any sort of commotion regardless of who or what they were.

"Oy, you! 'Arry Potter!" shouted a particularly grim-looking dwarf. Behind him was a horde of other dwarves, apparently elbowing each other to get to Harry as well. Madam Pince bristled when they overlooked her presence, and Harry smiled grimly the look on his face signifying that pain was soon to be dealt out. The dwarves were oblivious to this, but the girls were wary, knowing that he would soon be on the brink of explosion.

Harry raised a finger to shush the little dwarf before he could say a word. Harry's cool composure turned to ice as he presented them with his furious glare that might disintegrate them if it viable. "You've got three seconds to get out of my sight, dwarf, and that includes the rest of your little group…or I'll introduce all of you to a world of pain," Harry hissed. "I'm not clowning around. One..." The first count was sufficient to send the dwarves scuttling frightfully for their lives. "Pitiful, the lot of them. To think they were once a powerful being back in the elder days, feared by most magical creatures... Now look at them, they've been reduced to some sort of…love messenger…" Harry murmured mostly to himself.

The girls chose not to comment as they readied their notes in preparation for O.W.L review. Nibbling her bottom lip, Callista exhaled noisily, attaining her friends' attention. "I have a confession to make."

"You finally punched Weasel in the face?" proposed Sheila, eyes shimmering in excitement.

"You kicked him really hard between his legs?" Daphne suggested.

"Or you have come to the conclusion of tossing Weasel to the colony of Acromantulas in which Aragog is residing and you want us to help you bait him?" They all looked Regine staggeringly. In response, she just shrugged her shoulders. "No reason to look me like that. Even my limit with Weasel is wearing thin. He's really annoying and approaching Callista all too frequently."

"No and no," saying this to Sheila and Daphne, she then moved to her last female friend, smiling widely. "And Regine, as much as the thought appeals to me, that's a big no."

"Well, go on then, what is it?" Harry urged, though vaguely disinterested in what his friend had to say. He was trying to finish his Transfiguration essay.

"It's concerning the Chamber of Secrets. I've looked at the issue of the petrifications and the monster within the chamber from every possible angle-"

"Which reminds me," Daphne interrupted. "Potter, I have the information you want. It was hard to coax father into telling me but I got a hold of it in the end. I recommend you to hearing this first before Callista continues with her theory."

Harry looked up, resting his quill on the table. "Alright. Callista, could you hold your thoughts first? Let's listen to what Daphne has to inform us." Callista bobbed her head, brandishing her wand up and down to cast a Silencing Charm around them.

"Very well then," Daphne agreed. She took a deep breath before continuing, "Father poked around at the Ministry and managed to access information on what occurred at Hogwarts fifty years ago. Malfoy was correct, the chamber did open. And after it had been opened, the Slytherin monster ended up taking the life of a young girl, a Muggleborn to be precise. Guess who?" At his friends' engrossed and confused looks, Daphne answered the question herself, "Get this, her ghost still haunts the girl's bathroom on the same floor Filch's cat was petrified."

"Myrtle? Moaning Myrtle?" Sheila was surprised. "You have got to be kidding me!"

"Jonnet, do I look like I'm humoring you?"

"Who would ever have thought it'd be her? It does make sense though. Myrtle is the only ghost in Hogwarts that just seems different from the others, and not just in terms of appearance alone," Regine affirmed. Callista was pensive, quietly digesting all of this.

"Around the same time all of this happened, there was also a student who was awarded for the special service he'd done for the school."

"Tom Riddle," Callista prompted. "He received that award fifty years ago."

"That's right," Daphne concurred. "Evidently, he unraveled the mystery of the chamber and apprehended the culprit."

"So that's how he got the award," Harry murmured.

"Wait." Sheila halted them for a second. "If the mystery of the chamber was solved fifty years ago, how has it been opened again?"

The others were struck with the implications of this revelation, but even more stunned that it was Sheila who reached this conclusion.

"You know, Sheila, now that you mention it, this Riddle guy seems rather suspicious to me." Even though he had never met Riddle, a prickling in the back of Harry's mind told him that he shouldn't be trusted. "Did Lord Greengrass tell you how this Riddle figured out the secrets of the chamber?"

"No, Father said there's nothing else in the report."

"Do you know how long he took to solve it?" Regine questioned.

Daphne blinked her eyes. "Yes, as a matter of fact, Father did mention that to me. It was a bit astonishing, really, because the day Myrtle died was the exact same day he seized and handed the person whom responsible to the authorities. This person was promptly expelled from Hogwarts. But think about this for a second. If the professors couldn't locate either the culprit or the chamber throughout the entire period, how did this fellow do it in just one day? Even if he merely told the professors who released the Slytherin monster, not explaining where the chamber was, it still must have been a remarkable feat." Her eyes narrowed. "Remarkable…bordering on unbelievable."

"All the more reason this Riddle guy seems suspicious to me," Harry muttered.

"Who was the culprit?" Callista enquired, her tone somber.

"You all are not going to believe this." Daphne was a bit distracted. "The report says it was... Hagrid..."

"What?" Sheila whispered hoarsely.

"No, not Hagrid!"

"Regine, calm down." Callista soothed the frantic girl, rubbing her back comfortingly.

"That's bollocks!" Harry was irate. "Hagrid wouldn't hurt a fly. Sure, he has an odd fascination with dangerous creatures, but there's no way in hell he's the heir! It's completely false."

"I agree," Callista consented, still pacifying her frantic friend. She was furious, a far cry from her usual gentle demeanor. "We have known Hagrid for a very long time. He's our friend. Even if he possessed such a hazardous creature, there is a one in a million chance he'd unleash that thing with the intention of hurting people, let alone killing people. No, I believe this Riddle guy is the person who's responsible for all the attacks."

"That incident took place fifty years ago," Sheila butted in. "So what if he's responsible for the attacks fifty years ago and the attacks now? We can't be sure that Riddle is the person who's behind all the current mayhem. He's not in Hogwarts anymore. Even to someone as gullible as me, that seems pretty impossible."

Daphne pondered her friend's words, crossing her arms. "Jonnet is right. However, it is likely that he was the true perpetrator and not Hagrid. He must have blamed Hagrid to conceal his own doings. But Father did say there was evidence to the existence of the monster and that it was sighted by over ten students."

"Hold on!" Regine suddenly recovered as something clicked in her mind. "Remember that time Hagrid blurted out the reason he was expelled? It was because he brought his pet into Hogwarts. And that pet was Aragog!"

"Yeah, and we have encountered that bloody Acromantula before." Harry soured up and the other three girls shivered at the nasty memory. If it hadn't been for Regine, the huge Acromantula wouldn't have permitted them to walk out of the forest alive. Aragog did, however, warn them to never come anywhere near his colony again, or else he and his children wouldn't dither to devour them. Regine was no exception.

"But we all know that Acromantulas consume their prey…they don't petrify it," Callista muttered more to herself than to the others. She drew in a shaky breath. "After assimilating all of this, I'm now positive of the identity of the Slytherin monster. I doubted this conclusion after the first and second attacks, but after the third one, it all made sense. This thing can petrify its victims, and it once killed a student. Yes, it's all linked now... The answer was always there, right in front of us. It's obvious!" Callista clapped a hand to her forehead. "Goodness, the answer was truly right in front of us the whole time! The symbol of Slytherin is the biggest clue of all. It's-"

"No, stop right there," Harry harshly disrupted her. "That's enough. Whatever it is that you withheld, just keep it to yourself. This whole situation is far too risky for you girls and I could never forgive myself if something happen to you. Someone was killed the last time they got involved, even if it wasn't intentional, and who's to say it won't happen again in the near future. Some things are best kept to yourself. So this is where we stop, no more digging any information or hunting down the chamber's location. That's it, end of story. This case is closed."

Three of the girls vehemently disagreed, their curiosity overcoming their sense of self-preservation.

"Um...girls..." Regine's timid voice sprang up and caused the dissent to wither away. "I think Harry's right, we shouldn't delve deeper into this. It's dangerous, really dangerous," she spoke hastily, a hint of panic in her voice. "Can we please just let go of this one?"

At their friend's plea and scared expression, the other girls traded looks and nodded their heads. "Alright, Regine. We promise we won't venture into this issue any further," Callista softly comforted.

Harry just sat there, thunderstruck.

"What, Harry?" Sheila said cheekily.

"Why are you looking at us like that, Potter?" Daphne grumbled.

"Finally!" he breathed. "You all agreed for the first time ever! I didn't think something like that would happen in a million years!" The girls just rolled their eyes. "Oh, stop with the eye rolling! Whenever I disagree with something you say, you all unite against me. But whenever one of you pipes up, you all agree straight away!"

Harry huffed childishly, picking up a random book and hiding his face under it. His mumbled complaints about girls and unfairness were muffled by the book. All four girls shared a smile as they caught snippets of his whining. They had no idea how he did it, but the intense atmosphere had reverted back to normal as they concentrated on their work once more, occasionally stopping to giggle as Harry cursed under his breath.

14 May 1993.

Harry tapped his foot impatiently as the wind blew fiercely, ruffling his hair and Quidditch attire.

He looked over at the Gryffindor team, now recognizing that all of their star members had assembled. His brother was the last person to arrive. They huddled up together, having a last-minute discussion of their plan of attack. Transferring his attention to his own teammates, he exhaled noisily. Callista was not yet with them and it would affect his strategy if she didn't reach the field in time since she was in the first set of the team. He ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. He ought to have just pulled her out of the common room along with him, but no, he had to back down from arguing with her when she insisted on going through her O.W.L notes one last time. He knew he should have forced her to leave with the team instead of by herself.

"Barton!" Margaret Barton, another Chaser, looked up. "We've got no choice, you're up. We can't wait for her any longer. The game is going to start any minute now." The sixth year girl nodded her head. "Seekers, a word? The rest, prepare yourself." The majority of the team members dispersed at their captain's order. The Seekers stepped forward. "We need to win this game to crush their morale. The next time they go up against us, I want them to be hesitant and wary. The Seeker is the key to winning this game." They nodded their head in solemnity. "Alright, here's the game plan. Li will play first and I want you to push my brother until he's out of breath. Drag him around the field. With your style, it should be easy enough to lure him out. Don't let him see the snitch. If you by any chance, spot the snitch and you truly believe you can grab it before my brother can, go for it. But never take risks, understand?" The girl murmured her assent. "Chang, I'll call on you when I think the time is right and you can finish off the game. I have faith in you two. We've already won against Slytherin and Hufflepuff, but we need to win this game as well, alright? I'll be counting on you tw-"

"All students are to make their way back to the common rooms, where their heads of houses will give them further information. As quickly as you can, please!" Harry was interjected by McGonagall's booming amplified voice.

"What the hel-"

"Mr. Potter!" Before he could finish another sentence, Flitwick called out for him. The diminutive professor beckoned Harry over. "Harry, you must come with me. A terrible incident has happened. Come quickly!"

Harry handed his broom to one of his roommates, a concerned looking Frank Birke, who assured him he would return it to its proper place. "Don't worry, mate, I'll put it back for you!"

"Professor, has there been another attack?" he pressed, pursuing Flitwick.

"Mr. Potter, now is not the time for trading questions. Professor McGonagall has already asked Ms. Jonnet to accompany her. Your other friends are also waiting for you." There was a horrible twinge in the pit in his stomach. His palms were slick with sweat, and his fists clenched. "But I'm afraid the answer is yes. There have been attacks...two of them... and one, it concerns you..."

Harry couldn't think and didn't know what compelled him to, but his legs were moving of their own accord as he found himself sprinting. Jaws hardening, he prayed that the thoughts trespassing his mind would not prove to be true. He came to a standstill and he was greeted by the sight of his three other best friends, crowded around a hospital bed. Their expressions were twisted in distress and misery. Harry's insides did a series of horrible somersaults as his heart dropped. Time slowed and came to a halt. His eyes glued to Callista, whose still and unmoving body lay rigid on the bed. She was clad in her Quidditch uniform.

He'd promised...He'd promised he would protect each and every one of them. But now, his words were nothing short of lies.

Harry's eyes finally flickered to the other three girls' expressions and it took everything in his power to reign in his emotions. But as he spotted a single tear slide down Regine's soft cheek, he snapped. His hands compressed into tight fists and his teeth gritted out of rage. He was vaguely aware of the blood dripping from his palm as he clenched his hands too strongly, nails digging into the skin, but he barely felt a thing. Whoever was responsible for this, he would make them pay. He would have his revenge.

"Professor, did the attacks ensue at the same time and in the same place?" Harry asked briskly.

Flitwick was escorting him on the way back to the common room.

"Harry, I must ask you not to act rashly. For now, your safety is my main concern."

"I'm just asking, Professor...I'm curious..."

Realizing that the professor intended to ignore him, he discontinued walking. Spinning around, Flitwick looked at his pupil's unfazed expression and heaved a sigh, knowing from experience just how stubborn he was. It was one trait he had definitely inherited from his parents. "Come with me." Harry's expression turned to one of confusion, but he obediently chased after his head house.

After a few minutes of silence, they appeared in the hallway that led to Ravenclaw's Quidditch locker room. Harry was astounded, not because of the eerie silence, but because of the odd sheen and glimmer of the floor. As he looked down at it, Harry could see his own reflection staring back at him. It was as if floor of the corridor was one long mirror.

"Ms. Granger and Ms. Campbell were found in separate places. But both had one thing in common. We located Mrs. Granger near the library, clutching a small mirror in her hand. And we stumbled on Ms. Campbell here." Flitwick gestured with his little arm. "Now, as you can see, someone cast a charm to deliberately make this floor shine. A person can see their own image just by staring at it. There are only a handful of people who could execute this charm perfectly, and Mrs. Campbell is unquestionably one of them. As this hallway has only one way out, I can only assume that Ms. Campbell predicted something was after her. As such, this is the result of the precautionary steps she decided to take. Unfortunately, it still couldn't save her from being petrified."

Harry knelt down and traced his fingers along the floor's surface, finding it to be quite grimy despite its initial shininess. "No... I believe she charmed the floor to prevent the worst... and it's no coincidence that she came across this 'monster.' She was...targeted."

Flitwick squeaked fearfully, aghast. "T-that's enough, Mr. Potter! This is neither the time nor place to say such nonsense! Now, come along!"

Harry discounted Flitwick's command as he mulled over this new development, slowly reaching another conclusion. If his presumption was accurate, then the Slytherin monster was being controlled by someone. Harry couldn't help but to wonder, if he assumed that Callista was intentionally sought out and attacked by the Slytherin monster, whoever controlled it must have had a reason to do so. Why her? Was it because she's a Muggleborn? Was that it?

Now Harry was beginning to regret that he hindered Callista from divulging the identity of the Slytherin monster. He furrowed his eyebrows in solemnity, vowing to find and make this puppet master pay. Tracking this chamber was now his top priority. Since his sensing technique proved to be useless, he'd just have to investigate the whole matter in the old-fashioned way.

28 May 1993.

Two weeks had now passed since the fourth attack and the series of events that ensued resulted in a terrible time for the school. Not only was Hagrid arrested and shipped off to Azkaban, but Dumbledore was gone as well. With the headmaster not in the castle, fear had rapidly spread. Gryffindor and Hufflepuff had even gone so far as to unify, banding together against the Slytherins. The majority of the two houses figured that since all Slytherins seemed to be safe from the monster, they were all part of a conspiracy bent on exterminating Muggleborns. Harry just scoffed at it all. This issue was too big for an average student to handle. The assailants not only hid themselves well, they were also capable of efficiently covering their tracks and hiding any evidence that pinpointed them as the culprits.

Harry scratched his head, aggravated. Now he sounded just like that Muggle fiction detective character, Sherlock Holmes. He proceeded towards the infirmary, many emotions surging in him. The picture of Callista lying in the hospital bed had haunted him ever since it had been burned in his mind. He couldn't get rid of it. He shook his head, kneading his forehead with one hand. Entering the infirmary, he was not surprised that Regine and Sheila were there. They were working on their notes for O.W.L very diligently. Following Callista's petrification, each of them had formed an unspoken agreement to prepare their Ravenclaw friend with gifts.

She would be thrilled at the prospect of her friends putting in so much effort for her. He smiled slightly at the image of Callista's excitement. It was just a matter of time before the mandrakes would be ready for use. He looked around and wasn't surprised to see his brother there. He guessed that the brat cared for his female friend. Harry even heard him murmuring to the motionless Hermione on many occasions. Daniel wasn't ashamed or bothered that Harry or anyone was there. For once, Harry admired his little brother. If he cared that much and was willing to go that far for his friend, then Harry supposed he'll lend his power to his little brother if the time came. The sound of footsteps snatched his attention and he swung his gaze to the entrance. Xi and Clearwater stepped into the infirmary.

"Oh? You two?"

"What, Potter?" Xi retorted. Even through Harry was her Quidditch trainer and captain, her attitude towards him was still unchanged. "You thought we wouldn't come visit? Callista is also our friend, you know. We've been visiting her many times these past two weeks."

"Hey, hey, no need to get uptight, Li." Harry hoisted his two hands in surrender. "I didn't mean anything. No need to get your knickers in a twist."

With cheeks tainted pink, she harrumphed incomprehensibly and rushed past him, hauling Clearwater with her. They took one side of Callista's bed, while Regine and Sheila occupied the other. The four exchanged small smiles as they had all grown accustomed to each other's presence by now. After settling in, Xi and Clearwater extracted parchments from their bags and began working on homework.

Sensing a strange presence, Harry was on his guard. He glanced up sharply, but relaxed his muscles. "Oh, Ms. Lovegood..."

A first year girl with dirty blonde hair that reached down to her waist, stood in the entrance to the infirmary. She blinked her protuberant silver grey eyes that gave her a permanently surprised look. Harry always felt that there was something odd about the first year girl. Maybe it was because she was wearing a necklace of Butterbeer caps, or because she had a light, airy way of speaking. Maybe it was her tendency to read the Quibbler upside-down. But for whatever reason, Harry was constantly on his guard whenever she was around him. Somehow, he feared that she might know who he truly is, he feared that she might just have the ability to see right through him.

"Hello, Harry Potter," Luna said with a dreamy smile. "I've never really had the chance to ask, but are you Lord Wrackspurt?"

"Um...come again, Ms. Lovegood?" Harry was baffled.

Her eyes shone dreamily and her smile widened. "You see, many Wrackspurts always gather around you. This infirmary is filled with them right now and they all are here for you, Harry Potter. They admire you very much. So, are you their Lord? You seem…different…than the rest of us."

Chuckling a little, Harry smiled secretly. "I have no idea. Perhaps I am..."

"Yes, perhaps..."

With an amused smile, he shook his head. "You know, Luna, you don't have to pretend. Callista has told me many things about you."

She was surprised this time. "Oh..." There's a hint of sorrow beneath her faraway expression.

Yes, Harry did remember this girl quite well. Callista had told Harry and the other three girls concerning a first year Ravenclaw girl who was horribly bullied and had no friends. Thankfully, Callista put a stop to the taunting immediately and punished those responsible. When Harry enquired as to why he didn't know about this when it was going on, Callista merely remarked that he would have if he took his prefect duties seriously. Harry just shrugged and readily agreed with her.

After that, Callista befriended the unique girl and accompanied her from time to time, letting her adjust normally and learning to deal with the girl's strangeness quiet well. Though Callista knew that some of the imaginary creatures she described don't exist, Callista still treated the girl warmly and gently, not debating with whatever she had to say. And just after few weeks in Hogwarts, the first year girl had a few loyal friends. Now, there was not a day she didn't have a friend by her side.

"Why don't you keep the Wrackspurts from infesting Callista? And try to not let the Nargles steal her stuff, eh?"

"Yes, I'll do that." Luna smiled sadly yet dreamily, looking at the petrified girl on the bed.

"Go on, have a seat, Ms. Lovegood," Harry ushered her, knowing how Luna felt deeply for the older girl.

Luna had visited Callista many times. Harry could understand that Callista was the person who changed her life and protected her from the bullies. To his mild surprise, Regine also got along with Luna pretty well. Probably, it was because she experienced the similar sort of difficult times during her early years in Hogwarts. He tilted his head slightly. Now that he inspected the infirmary for a second time, he realized his Slytherin friend wasn't here with them. Why wasn't Daphne present? She was always the first person to visit Callista.

"Do you two, by any chance, see Daphne?" Harry queried his two other best friends.

"No, Gryffindor didn't share any classes with Slytherin today." Sheila's usually cheerful eyes lingered with a slight sadness.

"Regine?" She just shook her head wordlessly. "I'm going to go and see her."

Harry didn't bother to wait for their response, he did hear Sheila yelling for him to be careful.

Harry marched through the snake pit without hesitation, asserting his presence in the Slytherin common room. The whispers and murmurs slowly ebbed away. He discarded the stares blatantly directed at him. With his hands shoved in his trouser's pockets, he glided his way to Daphne's room.

"How does it feels, Potter?" That one comment from Malfoy made his foot freeze in mid-air. "You can't strut around the castle as arrogantly, now, can you? Not now that your Mudblood of a friend has been petrified. It's a pity that she didn't di-"

That was all it took. Harry's boiled in anger as he rotated his body and charged at the boy and his followers. Dashing towards the second years before the upper years could stop him, Harry raised both of his hands and sent massive blows to two of Malfoy's bodyguards. His fists powerfully collided with both of their faces at the same time, and they staggered backwards at the surprise assault. Without pausing for a second, Harry turned to his next victim. He gripped Malfoy's left shoulder strongly, confining him, stopping him from moving anywhere.

His right hand retracted speedily and punched Malfoy in the stomach. Harry slammed his fist three times and the movement of his punches was a blur. Malfoy didn't even have a chance to gasp in pain before Harry bent Malfoy's forward. Without a second thought, he brought his right knee up, smashing it into Malfoy's face. This caused Malfoy to be thrown back, but Harry wasn't satisfied yet. He grabbed one of Malfoy's arms and yanked him back. Spinning his body in a full rotation, the back of Harry's left hand smacked Malfoy on the face. The boy collapsed to the ground with bruises all over him. This was met with an absolute silence as the people were too absorbed to intervene.

Harry stretched his neck to the side, his right hand rubbing the back of it. His left hand had returned to his trouser's pocket. He grunted, and without a word, abandoned Malfoy there. For far too long, the blond boy had been swaggering around the castle as if he owned the place. Harry was getting irked by the stupid little shit. Satisfaction flared inside him as he exhaled a breath. He grinned a little. It had been a long time since he beat up somebody. And if Malfoy kept up with his attitude, Harry might have to step up his assault the next time. Halting in his tracks, he rubbed his head, frustrated. He had almost forgotten about the charm surrounding the girl's dormitory.

"Way to go, Potter." Harry eyed the person over his shoulder. Barbara Zabini stood behind him, her arms folded together, a smirk playing on her lips. "You're as impressive as always..." Barbara raked her eyes over Harry's form with evident lust.

"Am I?" Harry smirked, twisting his neck to the Slytherin girl. He was pleased to witness the blush creeping up her cheeks. "Hey Zabini, a favor, if you don't mind? Levitate me to Daphne's room. I need to see if she's alright or not..."

"Figures, you came all the way here just for her..." Barbara whispered unpleasantly. Nonetheless, she complied. She whipped out her wand and waved it. Harry's body hovered into the air and Barbara transported him to the room he requested, walking along behind his hovering body. Reaching Daphne's room, she knocked on the door, and the two fifth years waited patiently. It didn't take long before the door was opened, though only slightly ajar. Daphne's right eye peeked through the crack.

"Daphne, Potter came to see you. He's concerned," Barbara coaxed, her expression softening a bit. "And before you close the door, you know how bloody well stubborn he is. He won't give up until you let him in." The door was still shut in their faces. Harry was confounded. Barbara clarified for him, "It won't take long. She may be deactivating the wards around her room. Hers are particularly nasty. Campbell came by once and constructed it for her. That girl is really brilliant, if you ask me-" She stopped suddenly as realization sunk in. "...Sorry, I mentioned her, Potter."

"It's fine..." Harry dismissed, his face devoid of emotion. They didn't have to wait long before the door swayed open once again. Barbara steered Harry gently inside Daphne's room. He nodded to her. "Thanks, Zabini."

She fluttered her eyes, unsure of how to react. It was not often the elder Potter expressed his gratitude to anyone. Barbara just dazedly nodded her head. She twirled around and went to her own room, across the hall from Daphne's. Unlocking the door and retreating to her room, she sealed the door. Seeing this, Harry shut Daphne's as well. Whirling around slowly, Harry was dismayed to see that Daphne had just collapsed onto her double bed, burying her beautiful aristocratic face in one of the pillows. Harry surveyed her room and he crossed it to reach her. It was small, but pleasant enough.

He perched on the edge of her bed, his back to Daphne. "Are you going to tell what's wrong?"

Something stirred on the bed and Harry felt Daphne was moving, sitting next to him. As she did so, she laid her head on Harry's right shoulder. Since Harry was used to it, he wasn't troubled by this at all. She had been continuously like this whenever they both were alone, be it in the Greengrass manor or anywhere else. At first, he dissented with the gesture, but knowing he wouldn't be able to win a single argument against her, he ultimately conceded.

"This has been a really quiet two weeks. You and Regine haven't said much and Sheila isn't very talkative anymore..." Harry's voice penetrated the silence. "And you didn't visit Callista today..."

"I..." Harry could feel her body trembling slightly. "It's too much for me to just see her lying there... not moving at all, just…stiff..." She snaked her hand around to Harry's right arm, clutching it tightly. Harry looked down at her, for the first time catching her in such a vulnerable state. "Will you stay for a while?"

Harry didn't know what made him to, but he found himself leaning down over her head, sighing as the smell of her shampoo breached his nostrils. "I'll stay as long as you want me too... I know that what happened to Callista affected you greatly, but it did so with all of us too. And it hurts to see you girls like this. I promise I'll be there for you all...for you..." Realizing the position they were in, Harry's cheeks started to burn red. His mind suddenly registered the very gorgeous girl in his embrace and his thoughts went blank at her touch. Still, he didn't distance himself, he just held Daphne as she basked in his warmth. He noticed that her chest was maturing quite well.

"Wait..." Harry paused. "You have your own bathroom?"

Daphne surprisingly chortled, not budging from her spot. "Potter, you're quite talented in ruining the moment, aren't you?"

"I'm serious here!" Harry growled. "Oh, that's it, I'm so going to change into Slytherin!"

"And what of everyone else? They'll see you as a dark wizard in the making. Will you be willing to cope with that?"

"If it takes me having my own private room and bathroom then hell yeah!" Daphne chuckled more. "Do you know how disgusting it is to share a bathroom with three other guys?"

She detached her head from his shoulder. "You're serious, aren't you, Potter?"

"Do I look like I'm kidding?"

The more Daphne tried to not smile, the more her lips began to curl into one. Returning to her previous position, she nuzzled her body against Harry's, the smile never faltering, even for one fleeting second. "Whatever you say, Harry... whatever you say..." This time, she pulled him closer to her. Harry just rested his left hand on hers, squeezing it in comfort.

Later that night, Harry sat in his dormitory, revising his notes. His other three roommates were keeping to themselves and astonishingly enough, studying just like him. One thing he was becoming positive of, was that Ravenclaws took their studies seriously. Notwithstanding if one was a playful person by nature, they wouldn't divert their concentration from a task that involved their studies. Incapable of reading a single line from his parchment, Harry grunted, rolling the thick paper and setting it aside. He stood up from his desk. Draping himself in one of his Muggle jackets, he briskly strode his way out of the dormitory, desperately in need of some fresh air.

It was suffocating how tense the Ravenclaw tower was these days. Without anyone noticing, Harry slipped out the common room. He casually strolled his way around the castle, walking aimlessly with no fixed destination in mind. The Astronomy tower jumped into his mind since it had the best view and deliciously cool air. Deciding to head there, it took him a couple minutes to arrive, though he did take quite a few shortcuts. Harry came to a sudden halt as he felt a presence in the tower. Someone was just sitting and staring up at the sky. No, it was more like gazing sadly at the stars. Harry advanced on the silhouette and he had no difficulty recognizing who it was.

"Sheila!" The girl's body tensed up.

"Hey, Harry..." She grinned weakly.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"You first," she replied smartly.

Harry scowled. "Don't get smart with me. Don't you know how dangerous it is to be walking around by yourself?"

She chose not to respond and budged her eyes to the moonless, starry sky, bringing her knees up to her chest. Harry frowned as he approached her. He gazed down his friend for a while, enthralled by her athletic figure. There was no denying that Sheila was a very pretty girl and the wind enhanced her beauty, gliding through her short hair. He dropped down beside the Gryffindor, averting his gaze from her and following her line of sight to the sky filled with stars. A genuine and peaceful smile crossed his lips. It was so beautiful.

"You know," Sheila crushed the silence. "I love to watch the sky when I'm not flying a broom. It gives me a different sense of freedom and serenity. It is so beautiful, especially at night when stars triumph over the clouds."

"I know what you mean by that..." said Harry softly. Then a smirk crept into the corners of his lips. "Pity Quidditch has been cancelled. I'm missing my chance to snatch the cup from you yet again."

"You wish, Potter," she snorted. "...How's Daphne? Is she alright?"

"Yeah, she's fine... She just couldn't bear to see Callista in such state." Harry's smile wavered. "How's Regine?"

Sheila heaved a depressed sigh. "Still the same. She's been distraught these past two weeks. She hasn't talked much to anyone."

"I couldn't blame her," Harry murmured. "One of her best friends has just been petrified."

"There's more to it than that," noted Sheila.

Harry pivoted his eyes to her. "What makes you say that?"

Sheila rocked her body a little. "Nothing. It's just…she's always like that whenever there's an attack. Usually, she recovers after a few days, but not this time. I thought she knew every person who's been petrified, and since the recent victim is Callista, it just affected her that much more but that was certainly not the case. The only person she knew who had been turn into a stone was Callista," said Sheila carelessly, treating the whole matter to be unimportant.

"You're right..." Harry numbly looked back at the sky. Now that he thought about it, his Hufflepuff friend had constantly acted in a fearful manner each time there had been an attack. Mentally, he punched himself. He couldn't believe Sheila was the one who took note of that observation, not him. It elevated his feeling of concern for Regine. He would need to confront her tomorrow. Lost in his thoughts, he wasn't aware of Sheila's movement. She had crawled up behind him. It was only when a pair of arms enveloped his body that Harry splintered his thoughts.

"U-uh, S-Sh-Sheila?" Harry's cheeks warmed at her bold gesture.

"Regine and Daphne aren't the only ones who were shaken up by the whole ordeal…me too... I just need some comfort, Harry...please..." She tightened her grip around him, snuggling deeper into his back. His face softened. Hesitantly, Harry placed his right hand on hers, leaning his back into her more. He attempted to comfort her as best as he could.

Daniel Potter had made a very bad decision.

Sure, he made fairly horrible decisions from time to time, but the slight uncomfortable situations those choices situated him cannot be compare to the one he was in at the present. Here he was, with Ron and Fang, cornered with nowhere to go, surrounded by hundreds and hundreds of spiders. And not just any tiny spiders that crawled about in attic corners, but big, hairy, nasty and huge spiders, almost at the size of a carthorse. He and Ron had urgently desired to solve the mystery of the Chamber of Secrets, and so they foolishly ventured deep in the Forbidden Forest, where they landed themselves in the midst of a huge colony of Acromantulas. Daniel gathered what remain of his courage and steeled himself in anticipation for the worst. His wand was in his hand.

He knew it wouldn't do them good, but at least he'd put up a fight and stall them until they'd be rescued by miracles. Though the odds of that happening didn't look so good.

"I warned you, brat. I warned you not to act so recklessly," a sudden voice boomed. "But you're just so stubborn."

Daniel's heart leapt. He couldn't be more relieved at hearing the familiar voice. His brother was here! Out of instinct, the spiders that had seemingly been closing in, abruptly halted, the sound of their clicking pincers rapidly drifting away. They tentatively backed down.

"W-who's that?" Ron squeaked fearfully, looking from side to side frantically. Harry dispersed the ancient invisibility spell and materialized behind Ron. His hand expertly chopped at the back of Ron's neck. The Weasley's eyes bulged at the unexpected assault before he passed out and collapsed to the ground with an idiotic silly look on his face. Harry's own expression was unreadable, but Daniel could discern that he was pretty serious, and there was a hint of trepidation in his eyes.

"Why did you do that to Ron?" Daniel groused callously.

"I don't want him to know it was me..." Harry then glared his brother. "I don't know if I should compliment you or insult you for being both brave and an idiot. It's honorable how you wanted to know the heir wasn't Hagrid, but that was still a very stupid move."

"Harry Potter..." said Aragog slowly. The gigantic spider stepped out from his domed web. "Why have you come?"

A single bead of sweat trickled down his cheek, but Harry reinforced himself with a look of confidence. "It's nice to see you too, Aragog. It's been what? Three years at most? And you could tell it was me even though you are blind?"

"I have come to know and feel your presence," croaked the old spider. "But you do seem much different from the last time we met... you have grown in strength...yes..."

"Aragog," Harry imposed his body from quivering. "How about you just forget we came and let us walk out?"

"I think not..." The gigantic spider was up on its eight legs. "I advised you long ago to not stray into our midst, and yet you pay no heed of my caution. I have let you go once but no more. I shall consume you myself. I cannot deny your flesh meat any longer."

"Tch..." Harry clicked his tongue, refraining from saying something impetuous. "Fine, be that way. But there is something I'd like to discuss with you, something that involves, perhaps, a very old myth..."

"If it is your last request, then very well, I shall comply, Harry Potter."

Pleased, Harry swiveled his gaze to his brother. "This is a conversation that doesn't concern you. I'll lift this spell after I'm done conversing with him. Don't do anything reckless, not unless I say so, you got that? Just stay where you are." Daniel nodded his head vigorously. "This spell will only makes you temporarily deaf, nothing more. It's something I picked up in our mansion's library. Fisius!" Daniel's ears lost their function.

"Right, where were we?" His heart was beating riotously. "I want to know what you have heard from the old legends. Is there any possibility that a particular kind of creature could control a larger population?"

"Many..." said the aged spider. "There are powerful creatures like I-"

"I don't quite think you understand what I mean, Aragog," Harry cut him off, controlling his rapid breath. "I wasn't referring to you and your family. I'm talking about a great and powerful creature. A creature capable of a great feat and possesses unimaginable power that is beyond our comprehension. What's more, a creature capable of dominating a whole species in this world as a king, preferably...serpents..." There was no sound in response this time, no clicking from the huge spiders, no moaning from Ron and not even the rustled from the leaves. The temperature sunk to an icy level and Harry's muscles tensed. "I knew the only way I could uncover the information was by talking to its mortal enemy and that's your kind. Snakes and Spiders aren't exactly what you called friends. What better way than to ask you directly? You must've realize how the snakes have been acting, am I correct? You can feel it, can't you? Something is stirring, something is about to unleash to this world in the future years to come." Harry inquired curiously. "I'm talking about the real King of Serpents, Aragog..."

"Enough!" Aragog rumbled and the clicking noise from his pincers was a furious one. "That is all lies! Nothing but lies! It is an ancient myth that tells us of a being so horrible that even the fiercest beast of the land fears of its existence. This being is known to take the form of a serpent …It is bad enough for us to flee from the beast resides in the depths of the castle. But this ancient myth mocked more of our superiority! My children, do not them leave, is particular Harry Potter! He possesses too much knowledge of the lost ancient world. Annihilate him and leave nothing behind!"

Harry had what he came for and knew the beast is existed, in the form of a serpent. He dispelled the charm he cast earlier over his brother. "Prepare yourself, brat!" Stomping his foot to the ground, he was now in a defensive stance. Daniel didn't need to be told twice, and he toughened himself up.

"What did you do?"

Harry couldn't resist the smirk on his lips. "I wounded his pride."

Gnashing his teeth, Harry roared, dropping his arms to his sides and channeling an immense amount of focus. As the Acromantulas lunged towards them, they were blocked by the invisible barrier set by Harry. Unrelenting, they raised their pincers and battered the shield with everything they had. Harry grunted in pain as vein of muscle sketched to both of his hands. Sweat started to pour out of him. It was too much for him to handle, there were too many. He couldn't retain his Telekinesis for much longer. He dropped to one knee, breathing heavily, and glanced gallingly at his brother over his shoulder.

"Don't just stand there, do something!"

"What?" Daniel spoke with alarm.

"Take them out! Repel them one by one or eradicate them if you have to!" yelled Harry desperately. "It won't affect the shield if you cast spells on them!"

Harry's body was bowled over a little by the force of the Acromantulas, but he strengthened himself once again. His eyes were now closed, concentrating to preserve the barrier. By now, most of the spiders were pounding at the unseen wall with their whole bodies, and most of them hopped on top of it, prolonging their merciless attacks. The Acromantulas were slowly but steadily closing in. Daniel flung spells from one spider to another, not faltering for one second. Fang was whimpering and cowering over Ron's fallen form.

"You shouldn't have knocked out Ron!" Daniel barked heatedly. "He could have helped us! But no, you just had to be so full of yourself! And you had to keep yourself from unwanted attention!"

"Is this really the time? And I don't sound like that!" Harry fiercely disputed, his eyes still shut. He peeked an eye, panting, and saw that Aragog was gradually shortening the distance to them. If that giant Acromantula participated in the assault, then checkmate, it's all over for them. Just maintaining the force of the push with this large number was too much for him. "We've got no choice..."

"What was that?" Daniel pointed his wand at his target and hissed a spell.

"We'll have to take out Aragog!"

"What?" Daniel exclaimed, stunned. "He's Hagrid's-"

"And that thing tried to eat us!" Harry hollered angrily.

Daniel was conflicted for a moment. "That still won't do anything! What about the others?"

"Still a brat," Harry grinned cockily, gasping air from time to time. "You should know better. If you're outnumbered, the next best thing to do is to eliminate the leader. It's a rule of the battlefield, and it's the best choice you have in circumstances like this. The rest will be either confused at the sudden turn of tide or will be scattered away. The worst thing could happen is they go berserk on us."

"That's not bad! Yes, not bad at all!" Daniel bellowed mordantly.

"Aragog!" Harry called out. "Retreat now, before I'm forced to kill you!"

"What are you doing?"

"Giving him a warning," Harry stated simply.

"What good will that do? Do you think he'll listen to us? He's a little pissed off right now!" Daniel screamed crossly. "And how are you going to harm Aragog if we're still surrounded by these other Acromantulas!"

Harry inhaled a good amount of air. Opening his eyes fully, the emerald color converted to pure gold. "Sinetis mur fignes!" As he uttered the spell, he rose up on his feet. With the support of the Mystic Eyes and his wandless ability, he decanted more magic into the spell. A massive shockwave discharged from Harry's body, overpowering the Acromantulas. They all were pushed powerfully and went flying into the distance. Daniel gasped, falling onto his butt as he shielded his face with both of his hands from the impact. Harry, without wasting time, raised one hand, aiming towards Aragog. His eyes were still glowingly gold in color.

"Aragog!" he shouted, noticing the spiders who didn't get hit by the impact crept up on them. "Last chance! Call your children to retreat!"

Harry gritted his teeth as the aged spider didn't acquiesce. "Distraho ut cinis cineris." Much to Harry's amazement, one of the nearest Acromantula leapt forward in between Aragog and the magic. It hit the younger Acromantula instead and the spell disintegrated the spider wholly, obliterating it to dust. Harry cursed at this. He ducked when one of the other Acromantula dove for him and he kicked his right foot up. It slammed into the Acromantula painfully and the thing soared into the air though it recovered instantly, flipping in the mid air and smoothly landed on the ground.

"Why are you stopping? Whatever spell that was, it was brilliant! Use it again!"

Harry was now irate. "I can't, brat! That spell drained a lot of my magic! If I use it two more times, my magic will be depleted completely!"

Knowing they now had full advantage, the Acromantulas proceeded, though more cautious than their previous aggressiveness. The two brothers retreated until both of their backs pressed flatly against each other. "So, what now?" Daniel asked, eccentrically no hint of fear in his voice.

Harry smirked, squeezing his eyes shut. "I was thinking of casting Fiendyre as my last resort...That will burn them to ashes, all at once." Opening his eyes, the color once more restored to its usual emerald.

"Are you mad? You'll burn down the whole forest." Daniel scowled. "Don't you have any other spell to deal with them?"

"Unfortunately, no. The spell I utilized on the Acromantula just then was the most powerful one I have in my arsenal. It basically melts the victim, no matter how big or powerful they are. However, it also means taking a big risk. If my aim is anything short of perfect, I'm just wasting my magic and the spell is useless against large number. It's intended for one target only."

Daniel sighed, resigning to his fate. "Maybe being bitten by them isn't that bad at all."

Harry arched an eyebrow at that. "You're starting to sound like a real Potter, brat."

"What can't I say? I am one," Daniel responded with a glint of mischievousness.

"Hmph." The Acromantulas inched more closely to them. "Here they come, brat. If we fall-"

"-we take them all with us..." Daniel finished it for his brother.

"Damn right, we do. We are Potters after all."

As both brothers readied themselves, a long horn sounded, and blaze of light ignited the darkness of the hollow. A battered car was thundering down the slope, headlights glaring and knocking the spiders out of its way. The car screeched into a halt in front of them and the doors flew open. Harry's mind was in a whirl. "Levitate the Weasley and Fang into the back of the car! I'll hold them off!" An Acromantula impulsively charged towards Daniel. Harry, seeing this, raised his left leg high above his head, displaying his flexibility.

Summoning his magic as his eyes flashed to gold, he plunged down his foot on the Acromantula. Straight away, he shabbily conjured a simple very sharp spear and thrust it powerfully into the Acromantula's head. It screeched, hysterically moving its eight legs in different directions, and then slumped down after a while, signifying its death. Extracting the spear, followed by a spurt of blood, Harry took a perfect aim at Aragog. It was his one last chance, and with a roar of lion, he hurled it with all his might. But the spear was deflected by the giant Acromantula.

"At least I try..." Harry murmured, his eyes returning back to emeralds. Spinning around, he darted towards the car. "I'll drive, brat!"

He shoved his brother to the passenger seat, diving into the front and slamming the door shut. He positioned his hands on the steering wheels. "Sorry, car but I'll take control for now. You'll thank me after I upgrade you." He took a deep breath. "Augeo the res patrocinor!" There was a flash of light that blinded them all. Any damage of the car was instantly fixed, its structure became more solidified and improved. It was almost as if it was a brand new car.

"Man, gotta thank the old man for teaching me that spell. I didn't think it was possible." Harry smirked, eyeing his brother in the corner. Daniel's mouth was agape. "That magic was to strengthen and enhance the structure of things to greatly improve upon them. It also increased its effectiveness. But you can only choose whether you want it focusing on offence or defence. What I cast just then was a complete defence remake and it's now more invulnerable."

The spiders jumped on the car, banging the windshield wrathfully, however, it did not fracture nor scratch it. "If you're going to drive then hurry up!"

"Relax, brat, nothing will happen. I got this. Now..." He grabbed a hold of the clutch and shifted it to reverse. Reeling his body around, Harry stamped on the accelerator, bringing the car in a full circle. "Move Fang, I can't see."

"How can you be so bloody calm?" Daniel snarled.

Harry disregarded him and switched the clutch, now turning it to move forward. Squashing on the accelerator, Harry sped the car up. The engine roared and they were off, hitting more Acromantulas. "Hell yeah!" Harry exclaimed, exhilarated at the scene of giant spiders being thrown into the air. One of the Acromantula was smashed by the car. It rolled off onto the windshield, then to the car's roof before crashing down to the back bumper and onto the ground. Both brothers guffawed at that, adrenaline pumping onto them. "God, I always wanted to drive!"

Harry swerved the car, seizing another route, demolishing more of the nasty Acromantulas. Both brothers whooped in elation, laughing as the spiders were thrashed into the air. "I think I'm getting the hang of this!" Harry proclaimed, still in high spirits. "We're almost out of the forest now. The Acromantulas aren't chasing us anymore." True to Harry's words, the trees were gradually getting thinner. Skillfully, Harry evaded the large oaks, procuring a safer route. They now could see patches of sky again. Slowing the car down, he finally pulled a stop in front of Hagrid's house.

Harry looked at his brother and Daniel returned it with the same favor. Both cocked an eyebrow before transferring their awareness to the back seat. Fang was flinging himself onto the window, howling in anxiety. Ron was snoring loudly, sleeping peacefully. "Get them out."

"Alright." Daniel nodded his head. "Come on, Fang."

Daniel opened the door and the dog shot off to Hagrid's cabin. Harry got out as well, inhaling the air. His face contorted into disgust at the sight of the Weasley boy drooling. "Get him out of there before I do it myself, and clean the seat while you're at it." Daniel speedily hovered his best friend out of the car, resting him on the ground first. Stretching his arms, Harry yawned, patting the automobile gratefully. "Well, I haven't had an adventure like that for a while now."

"So, Hagrid was innocent," Daniel said, standing up after checking his best friend.

"Of course, he is," Harry sighed exhaustedly. "He may have an unlikable fascination with dangerous creatures but he would never hurt people." Now, Harry was pensive. "Thinking of the conversation I had with Aragog, it does make me wonder..."

Harry rubbed his chin with his right hand, submerging into a deep thought. Daniel could hear his brother carry on mumbling 'King of Serpents' over and over again. After a while, Harry lifted his head, his eyes huge. "Of course!" he whispered throatily. "There is a beast that can petrify and kill. Aragog did say they fled from the beast as if they feared it. I kept thinking about the real King of Serpents when the answer to all the attacks is actually that!" Harry whacked his forehead. "God, how could I be so blind! And Callista figured it out ages ago! It's - it's-"

"It's what?" Daniel urged.

Harry shook his head. "This is something beyond us, brat. Forget this Chamber of Secrets and I mean it. If we go up against it, we'll only be facing instantaneous death and that's a certainty. But...how did it move without being seen? Something as large as that, someone would've spotted it." Harry was aggravated, his forehead crinkled together. "Somehow, I regret not letting Callista search the answer more."

"Brat, trust me when I say this. You'll die if you confront this thing so let it go," Harry advised. Daniel swallowed at his brother's serious expression. "Now then." Harry unlocked the door to the car.

"What are you doing?"

"Are you kidding? I'm keeping this car. I always wanted a car to drive around in the Muggle world. I'm going to hide it in the Forbidden Forest and by the end of the term I'll bring it to a much more comfortable and safer place."

"What!" Daniel was stunned. "That car belongs to Mr. Weasley, you can't just take it! That's called stealing! And besides, what makes you think it's going to submit to you, it had a mind of its own! Do you really think it would willingly be your car just like that?"

"Well, shall we ask the car then?" Harry smirked cockily. "Say car, since I cleaned you and modified your structure into a more superior than your original state, why don't I become your owner? You'll be in much better care than your previous owner. I heard they've been treating you badly. Although, you'll have to act like a real car and not some kind of creature... So, what do you say?"

The engine roared approvingly and Harry's smirk widened. Daniel's jaws dropped at how easily Harry persuaded the car. "Well, that settles it then, he's mine. Keep this a secret, brat or this car will come after you." Harry went inside the car. "You better get into the castle before anyone finds out!" With that yell, Harry raced the car back into the forest and disappeared from the view. Daniel shook his head in amazement. There's no way he could compete with his brother, be it in any field.

That settles it then. His brother was not a human, and he was not a true spawn of devil either... he was a reincarnation of the devil himself.