5

Chapter 5

It was September 1st, and I was doing my people watching. I greeted all the families that came through the Floo or magical doorway.

I had my gifted red dragon leather coat on with a black shirt. I wore black jeans and my gifted boots.

I had my quick draw wand holder attached to my forearm. I didn't expect any kind of fight this year I just wanted to get used to wearing it.

No this year I expected to have to deal with an insane house elf, a giant snake, and another hard year of coursework.

I greeted the Grangers and Hermione in passing. She told me she was looking forward to this year and everything we'd learn.

I made the joke she really knew how to put the pressure on to make the school year as entertaining as possible.

Her parents laughed and I moved to my spot near the train. I needed to keep my attention on the pillar.

Since I knew what I was dealing with, I waited for the Weasley's to come through late again.

Ron and Harry didn't come through the magical doorway. I knew that on the other side they were struggling. I pressed my hand to the archway.

It wasn't sealed from both sides just one one they were coming from. So I took a step through the other side.

On the ground were Ron and Harry their cart tossed to the ground and Hedwig complaining about her treatment.

I checked over the boys and both animals. I had to wait on Scabbers just a bit longer. And once everyone was picked up and dusted off I pressed my hand against the barrier.

There wasn't any give. So I had to cast Dunamis on the wall. I once again pressed my hand against the magical doorway and my hand slipped through.

I got the two of them in gear to run and we boarded the train with not a moment to spare.

In the commotion at some point Ron's wand had been bent and had formed a crack down the side.

I told him about Neville's problem with his wand that I had solved and offered to talk with his head of house about a trip to get a more favorable wand.

After a bit of hesitation on his part he finally agreed. I planned to come to the Gryffindor head at some point after the Start-of-Term Feast.

Hermione looked frazzled when I dropped the two off seconds after the train had already started moving.

"Where have you two been that train was about to leave and you didn't show up I was worried." She reprimanded the two.

"I'll explain this one boys, anything else you do to fire her up will be on you two." I then conversed with the bushy haired girl, "It seems that somehow the doorway had shut, and these two go stuck on the other side."

"You two can expand on that, I will focus on checking on the rest of the train." I finished.

I left the three to talk about their summers and weird happenings. My next goal would be to interact with the new first years I could remember and prank some people.

I shrunk myself down to the height I was when I was eleven. I then made my hair black and curly like my Mom's.

Then I went hunting. I looked into each cabin I passed looking for any children I recognized.

In one of the compartments I saw Neville with some of his second year mates. It seemed like the new group of first years were a small group unlike the now second years.

I came across a boy with a camera. He was sure to be one pain in the arse for Harry. Better him than me.

That's when in one of the compartments I looked inside held a red headed girl and a blonde.

Both looked to be first years I also think I recognized the redhead from the Weasley outing from my trip to the bookstore.

I opened the door and asked, "Is there room in here for one more?"

"Yes there's more than enough room for the three of us." the blonde spoke with an airiness.

"Hi, I'm Dora." I introduced myself to the two holding out my hand.

"I'm Ginny, this is Luna." Ginny shook my hand first followed by Luna. When Luna was introduced she gave a dopey smile.

"Are you both excited for your first year at Hogwarts?" I asked the room.

"Yes, I wanted to do some questioning of the ghosts. I'm sure they have so much to say." Luna replied.

"Ghosts?" I questioned.

"Could you imagine all the stories they have or all the knowledge they've learned."

"I guess that makes sense, how about you?" I asked the other person in the compartment.

"I dunno, I guess I just want to do well and be with my family." She seemed quite shy for the person that would be throwing around spells in the future.

"What classes are you both looking forward to?" I tried another tactic by switching to an every person topic.

"Care of magical creatures sounds fun, but I would love to take history as well." Luna said in only the way she could.

"I can't wait to fly!" Ginny finally had some excitement in her voice, "They say we can't try to get on a team until second year though, but they let Harry Potter on the team maybe if we do really well in flying we can get added to the team too."

The poor kid, if I remember she only got to join the team at a later time. Even then all her brothers were over protective of her so she didn't get to really show off her skills.

Then there's this year, she was in for a doozy. Trying to not let on my suddenly morose feelings I got up and told them I wanted to talk to some of the other students.

Before I left, I told them I was looking forward to seeing them in school. I then moved further down the train.

I found another perfect cabin, which held Draco, Blaise, Nott, and the gorilla duo. I slammed their door open and spread out both my arms.

"Draco!" I yelled out into the compartment probably hurting all of their ears.

"Oh no." I heard him mutter. It was honestly a very Snape-like reaction. I do break them fast.

"Do you know this witch?" Nott asked his fellow Slytherin.

"I wish I didn't." Draco said with an aged tiredness much too soon to be said by anyone that young.

"How can you say such a thing Draco, I think I might cry." I pouted my bottom lip and forced tears out of my eyes.

"You can just do that?" Draco asked with a bit of disgust lining his voice.

"I cannot be seen in the companionship of someone that makes a witch cry, my mom wouldn't let me hear the end of it." Blaise stood up and made his exit.

"What a nice boy, clearly more well behaved than you Drackey." I made it to a high pitch by the end of the sentence.

"She doesn't sound like she's gonna shut up any time soon, so I'm just going to go." Not too made his exit.

"Poor Draco you're losing friends like flies."

"Just go away Professor!" Draco had reached the end of his rope.

"Professor?" one of the shared two brain cells asked.

"You might have to retrain them cousin." I laughed as I morphed back into myself, "They clearly couldn't pick up on your panic."

"They just haven't had the pleasure of meeting with you for more than necessary."

"We did have a few run ins with each other didn't we." a light bulb flicked on, "Now Draco I won't condone stalking."

"What!?"

"I know I'm very pretty, but we are cousins." I I waggled my finger at him, "And as your teacher I won't let these crushes go any further."

His pale face really brought out the red. Steam might have been coming out of his ears. The icing came when the other lump on the bench spoke.

"Crush, on Professor Tonks?"

"Oh, do keep up you two, he should know better as I'm his cousin." I turned back to Draco, "I really am sorry I have to spurn you so, you love was just not meant to be."

I put the back of my palm up to my forehead and made my escape. I needed a break too much fun was so tiring.

Then we arrived I once again made the speedy trip up to the castle. This time Snape chose to sit on the left side of the table.

I being the good friend that I am joined him. He looked up at me and tapped the table in an antsy fashion.

"I moved here to get away from you." he informed me.

"You shouldn't worry there's no way they'd know it was you that brewed our little 'prank.'"

"Say that when there isn't an ongoing investigation, your plan did work well though."

"Have they dug into the people he's charmed?"

"A few of them, they are still questioning him from what I hear." He shook his head, "Each time he names someone his possible sentencing goes up 10 years."

"Well he should be rightly punished for all the sh-stuff he pulled."

"Yes, he does."

When Flitwick arrived he asked about our counting game this year. I informed him that we would not be playing this year as my mojo was off.

He laughed that off, stating I just didn't want to risk my money in case there was betting this year.

When Dumbledore came out I got up to speak with him. "Headmaster, I was wondering about a strange thing that happened this morning."

"What might that be?" he asked.

"Well the magical barrier at 9 ¾ had closed on some students and I was wondering if you know anything that might have caused it."

"For the barrier to fail like that I wonder if it wasn't a prank by an older student, though even they might have a hard time messing with the magic at the station."

"I seemed to be able to fix the problem quite easily so maybe it was just a magical error."

"I thank you for bringing this to my attention, I hope that isn't a bad omen for this year."

"A simple blocked magical doorway?"

"These things have a way of snowballing into more devastating problems."

I guess that's what you get for talking to a guy who really pays attention to prophesies. I sat back down at the table and waited for the sorting and feast.

The sorting began I didn't pay much attention. Luna went to Ravenclaw, Ginny and Colin went to Gryffindor.

Dumbledore's announcements this year were that, it would be Professor Kettleburn's last year of teaching.

I didn't know the guy that well so I can't say I was devastated to see him leave. Good on him for retiring though.

There was no school song this year. There was no strange announcements from Dumbledore either maybe he was getting lazy.

It could have been that I gave him some juicy information that he was in deep thought about.

Hard to know with him. He doesn't let that kinda stuff show on his face. With a background like his it made sense.

First years would be front logged with theoretical work and dark creatures with spell work sprinkled in.

Same as my last year. My Third year students would be much more spell leaning than last year.

Because I was able to teach them I knew the limit of what they could do. They were more than fine on the essay and writing side of things.

Fourth years I felt needed to work on as a group testing. In third year they left a lot to be desired on what they chose to write about.

These Fifth years were on a good track from last year. I just needed to make sure they made it to their owls.

There were no signs they would stay in DADA past the OWL so I was fine with just getting them by.

My Sixth year class if you could call it one. Had 2 people in it. Penelope Clearwater, and Percy Weasley.

After 4 years of not getting a proper education I couldn't blame the ones that wouldn't keep going.

I guess it was easier on me. The Seventh years were ready to take on what would be ending with getting them to cast a corporeal patronus, without speaking of course.

Now I come back to my Second years. The ones that had to deal with Lockhart in another time.

I can say that we would be going over cornish pixies. However we wouldn't be reaching that level of chaos.

No more than one at a time would they be let out. The class would also one at a time cast spells to stop and retrieve them.

For spell work with one another I'd get them on the tickling charm as a simple way to keep your target distracted and off foot.

I did get around to telling McGonagall about Ron's damaged wand. I think she was getting annoyed.

Students were coming to me about their problems rather than their head of house. I can't exactly blame her for her frustration.

I don't think I exactly encouraged the behavior. It really just might have been an age thing. They might feel more comfortable telling a person their age about their problems.

I can guarantee though that McGonagall would give better advice than I could. I did help in any way I could.

Talking about advice and conversations. Harsh segue but it will do. On October 30th during fourth period.

Harry walked up to my desk after class and started speaking, "Do you remember when we went to the Forbidden Forest."

"Hard to forget the spirit sucking on the pulse of a unicorn but to answer honestly yes."

"I've just learned about...muggleborns and how they get treated by pure-bloods."

"It's always sad when someone learns about the prejudices of the wizarding world."

"So your mother got kicked out of the family because they thought she was...dirtying the family name and blood?"

"You are getting good at your dramatic pauses Harry," I tried to lighten the tension some, "It's a strange societal issue when most of the world we know is made up with more muggleborns and half-bloods than those thought to be pure."

"Do you think my mom had to deal with." He almost paused there, "Pure bloods thinking she was beneath them."

"It would make sense, I hear that it was much worse then before now, keep in mind that not all pure bloods hold that loathsome opinion to be true."

"I know Ron told me about how they are called blood traitors though."

"Well I guess they would be judged harsher for having a 'gift' and just throwing it away to embrace the 'filth.'"

"I hope you don't get judged for helping all the muggleborn students you do, I know you went to Slytherin."

"Don't worry about me, most of my classmates seemed to not be too pure blood fanatical." I looked at the time, "I think if you run you can make it to your next class."

He seemed to hesitate before saying, "I also have detention with you tomorrow tonight." He then ran out of the classroom.

"That bitch!" What about my weekend. I had things I could be doing. Grading papers, planning tests.

I didn't but damn her, I wish she would check with me first it's about the principle of things.

That's what I get for having less children in my sixth year class.More free time means more detentions dumped on me.

At least it's better to have them with me than take them to Hagrid again. I could also do grading while students were there.

The more and more I thought. The more it made sense, but I was still allowed to be morally upset. I took that victory for myself.

So after it got to the right time around 3 PM. Harry arrived for his detention. I don't exactly know why he had detention.

I don't remember him doing anything particularly wrong at the start of the year. However I didn't ask McGonagall.

So there we were. I let him do homework assignments. He could catch up on homework while I did work.

We worked in a comfortable silence. After getting all of my planned work done I turned to look at Harry.

I knew so much about him. I didn't want to just pull things out of him that I already knew.

"Harry, what does a kid like you do during the summer break?" I asked out of the blue.

"Do?"

"You know, I remember one of my summers I went to a water park, or maybe something like just hanging out with friends."

"I think I went to the zoo once?"

"That's all you did, for your entire summer break?"

"I didn't really leave my house."

"What a shame, if children can't have social lives what hope do us old people have?"

"Aren't you only 19?"

"Practically Dumbledore's age really." He laughed.

"I think I can see why Snape looks like he's almost about to strangle you whenever you sit next to him."

"Noticed that have you?"

"I think everyone has noticed."

"And what does everything think?"

"Some of us think that you are trying to get him wound up enough that he'll hit you with a curse and get fired."

"What an interesting image, I do wonder if I could get him to at least jinx me."

"The older student girls think you're flirting with him." he pulled his nose in at the thought.

"Oh bleh, no, ugh." I did not need that image in my brain at all ⅕ leave this earth, "How dare you say those words in that order and make me even imagine flirting with Snape."

"Sorry Professor." He laughed to himself. I fake heaved a few times to get my complete distaste across.

"Flirting!" I made a shocked voice, "Soon you kids will be talking about dating and all that complicated stuff."

That's when I saw Harry stiffen. "Did you hear that?" He asked with a serious voice.

"I didn't hear anything." I looked around as if eyesight would allow me to hear better. I expanded the size of my ears as large as they could go.

"There it is again!" he looked a bit spooked out.

"Are you sure it isn't just the castle moving, you sure are making this Halloween spooky." I then looked at the clock above my desk, "Oh dear maybe you're just peckish I kept you in here for 4 hours."

"Ron and Hermione must be worried." He looked like he suddenly realized. He then started packing his things to go.

I made sure to follow not too close behind. This would be it. I had to make sure things didn't go too wrong.

I heard the golden trio catch up with one another. They talked about spiders, that was not something I wanted to deal with. We didn't even have the car.

Then I heard them walking over a small puddle. They read out the message in blood. Then they audibly noticed the petrified cat.

I waited for the rumble and footfall of the large mass of people coming out of the great hall for dinner.

I heard Draco call out all muggleborns. I planned to have words with him later.

I heard Filch make his claims. Then Snape asked why the three of them weren't at the feast this whole time.

That's when I made my entrance. "Sorry, it's my fault Harry was so late. We were busy talking about life, love, the universe and everything else in it."

"How can you joke at a time like this Ms. Norris has been killed."

"She's just petrified, she'll be fine if we can get a cure cooked up."

Dumbledore agreed saying the three weren't at fault and that it was darker magic that caused the cat to be frozen.

He also talked about the almost mature mandrakes, and about once they had they could make a cure.

After that great hubbub the children were sent to bed. I nodded at the three students.

I then took my index and middle finger and pointed them at each of my eyes and pointed them at Draco.

I then made my way back to my chambers to think about the events to come. I tried to remember what came next.

I really needed to make sure that Harry and Ron never got to meet Aragog. I had a bit of the same phobia as Ron.

Hermione spoke to me after class much like Harry did, "Professor Tonks?"

"Yes Ms. Granger, what is it you need?" I asked, "Was it a question about school work, or did you want to know something else?"

"Actually I was wondering about checking out a book from the restricted section."

"Oh my, planning on learning something dangerous are we?" She gave away everything with her reactions.

"Well-"

"Which book do you need?"

"Moste Potente Potions."

"Not even a book for this class, I can see why you wouldn't want to go to Snape for this."

I gave her permission in my chicken scratch to check out what she needed from the restricted section.

I knew she wouldn't check out more than she asked about. She was just kind like that and wouldn't abuse my compassion.

Then it was the Gryffindor Slytherin game. I dragged myself to watch once again as Harry Potter would almost die once again.

I took my seat next to Snape. On his other side we were joined my Lucius Malfoy. I was tempted to make small talk.

Snapes look clearly warned me not to. Which meant that I had to.

"Hi Mr. Malfoy, I'm Nyphadora Tonks, I teach your son in DADA." I didn't offer him a handshake.

"I've read from my son's letters about your interactions." his voice was quite deep.

"He's done well in my class, I do worry about him though."

"What about?"

"Well, and don't take this the wrong way." I tried to lessen the impact of my observation, "He's not very good at keeping a low profile."

"What do you mean?"

"My job is to teach, and make sure the students don't misbehave while on school grounds."

"Right?"

"Well I've caught him just too many times cursing and jinxing other students in the halls, as well as using banned words in public."

"He does this in front of everyone!?" He seemed more upset by the lack of thinking ahead than the things Draco did wrong.

Which made sense. I then looked at the pitch the bludger was after Harry and Draco was along for the ride, "I mean look at him now, he's taunting Potter while there is what looks to be a cursed bludger chasing after them at killer speeds."

The elder Malfoy did watch as his son nearly got smashed in the head by the much too fast ball.

Then with another taunt Harry flew straight at Draco and grabbed at the air ending the game.

He then got smashed in the arm by the murderous ball. Before it could go for more smashes Hermione got off a spell destroying the dangerous ball.

I wasn't going to disappear Harry's bones, however I think I did need to delay his recovery a bit.

I made a show of getting people out of the way, making my way over to Harry. I then lifted his good arm and cast Brackium Emendo on it. The arm grew out a ways.

It was much like when I over grew a limb. I had the magic to bring it back to a normal size unlike Harry.

I quickly tried to play dumb, "That was the wrong arm clearly, damn this is why you always take them to professional healers first when one is available." I spoke to all the students nearby.

I then turned back to Harry, "I really messed this up, sorry Mr. Potter, but maybe we know to not go to me in case of in need of healing."

Harry was then taken off the field. I looked down at the two of his friends and the glares they gave me.

I put both my palms together put my head down and raised my arms in a sign of asking forgiveness.

They did agree to forgive me, but made a joke about how at least they knew I wasn't good at everything. How little they knew.

I didn't start the dueling club. I had floated the idea by Severus. He seemed to think that I didn't exactly have the makings of a dueler.

He was right I was more of a guerrilla tactics kind of fighter. Rules didn't exist in a real fight.

It wasn't about being pretty just about getting the job done. I'm sure some would argue that a percentage of wizards or witches spent no time on pageantry and always went for the kill.

My point was that there would be no dueling club. No instead of having a thing where everyone could see I chose to stoke flames inside my own classroom.

I paired up the two people that would give us the information without hopefully causing the people outside of class to start to hate Harry.

I moved Draco and Harry to separate sides of the dueling platform I had transfigured from the ground.

They both tested each other's resolve. With some banishment spells. Then Draco summoned the snake.

It was a snake on the smaller side, and right after being summoned it seemed to want to get away.

Students panicked to get out of the way of the hissing and striking snake. Then Harry started hissing at it.

It was a magical moment as the snake seemed to look at Harry and calm down. It then started to leave the classroom.

I didn't want the summoned snake to be loose on the grounds and hit it with a vipera evanesca.

Everyone seemed focused on the fact that Harry could speak to snakes. Some people started whispering to one another.

"I award Mr. Potter 15 points for calming down a snake before it could do any harm to any student." I spoke before a panic could start among the students.

I then dismissed the class to go about the rest of their days be it free time or class.

I was called into the Headmaster's office to give my rundown of the events that transpired. It seems rumors had already spread.

With as much detail that was needed I told Dumbledore that a snake was summoned during a spar. Harry spoke to the snake and made sure that no one involved got hurt.

While there I did ask about the chamber, "I have avoided asking about the chamber for awhile now, but if this will become a more dangerous environment I think I need to know what you do."

"I believe that is more than fair, it started back in 1943" Dumbledore then started explaining the attacks.

How they happened much the same as they did this year. Until they escalated and a student died.

I asked about who the student was he had informed me it was the ghost that now resided in the girls bathroom.

He then went on to tell me that while they had caught who they believed responsible for the attacks the first time.

He didn't think it was the right 'weapon' or person involved. He told me about Hagrid's arrest and expulsion.

He also told me about how the evidence they had found was the acromantula, I let him know my feelings on the theory Hagrid could have allowed something like that to happen.

I also informed him something he assuredly already knew. Acromantula don't cause petrification.

"If I'm honest I feel like the cause of this should be obvious in some way."

"Do tell Ms. Nymphadora."

"If it's a Salazar secret chamber then it has to be a snake, the only problem is I don't exactly know of snakes that just cause petrification as well as death."

"Maybe we are just too deep in the forest." Dumbledore theorized.

Either he didn't actually know or he wanted me to figure it out for myself. It was around that time Fawkes flew into the room.

I left the two to themselves as I made my way back to my classroom. I had much to theorize.

I felt like at any time I could have told him about the mirror theory but I felt that I needed just a bit more 'evidence' of that.

I also didn't want to tell him about the time before the first attack. Where Harry had heard a voice no one else could.

That might rush things to an end I didn't want quite yet. I needed to hold off just a bit longer.

It was Christmas though and after that last attack on a ghost and student, there was a calm nothing.

I haven't received presents on my birthday meaning that bigger things would come this Christmas.

I received a magical record player from Mom and Dad. From Charlie a lovely green leather jacket.

From Snape a signed Lockhart book, which I burned in my fireplace. From Bill was a very expensive looking goblin dagger.

The note that came with it said that one of the goblins that was leading the curse breaking team had died in one of the defenses.

He has to become the party leader and after finishing the mission he was given his own goblin forged weapon as well as the dagger the dead one had.

While all a bit morbid of a story it was a lovely knife. It had a black spiked hilt that curved with the hand holding it.

Something a bit less morbid of a gift was an inadvertent one Hermione gave me.

Because of the timing, I had to go and see the results of Hermione's permission slip. I felt it was too good an opportunity to let slip by.

I made my way into the medical wing having checked if Hermione was already there and walked right in.

In one of the beds reading a book was the fur covered cat eared brightest witch of her age.

I approached the student and sat down on a chair next to the bed, "Animagus transformation is a bit more complicated than a polyjuice potion and animal hair."

"I know that!" Hermione seemed offended.

"Then what were you working on, it seems it did involve a polyjuice potion, something I remember giving you a book about."

"I just wanted to make and use a polyjuice potion." She stuck out her jaw letting me know I'd get no further but also without saying it, telling me there was more to it.

"Fine, but do know for a botched potion you look adorable." I stood up as she frustratedly slammed her bed, "I do think I'll remember this moment it just stands up with the best of them."

I made my way out after she started hissing at me I wished her a 'Happy Christmas'. She threw the book she was reading at me. She really did have a mean streak about her.

A whole lot of nothing kept happening as we made our way into February. If there was going to be a sample taken from Lockhart's year it wouldn't be the teaching.

No, instead it would be the Valentine's Day Massacre. As I called it. I didn't use dwarves dressed as cupids no. Instead I sent my butterflies in masse.

Each one held an embarrassing message and pun. For my efforts by lunchtime everyone that had joined in on the Valentine's Day spirit were tor- I mean sending love to everyone and anyone.

McGonagall had received some cards. I had received two from the twins. Who as soon as they saw I saw both 'beat' each other up for my favor.

I then unveiled my master plan. Having been inspired by young Harry I made my big move.

I took a knee and after casting some heart firework charms I loudly and dramatically asked Snape to be my Valentine.

There was quite a bit of applause from the Hufflepuffs and older Gryffindor girls. I made sure to catch Harry's eye with a wink.

He seemed to remember our conversation and let out a big guffaw. The twins bowed at my efforts to one up their insanity.

Snape looked as sick as I was when Harry brought it up. He dispelled my fireworks knocked a plate of food onto me and stormed out of the Great Hall.

I took a bow to the school. Some appreciated the joke. The Slytheirs looked as if they wanted to both laugh and cry.

Draco looked horrified at any of the implications of what had just happened so I tried to reassure him.

"I'm sorry you had to find out like this Draco!" I cried my crocodile tears and made my exit. The only applause I was receiving by this point was Harry, the twins, and a very amused Flitwick.

It was a bright mood that day, and it felt to have cleared up any funk that the castle was under. At least for two months.

When may came and people were forgetting about the attacks all together that's when another attack had taken place.

I knew the day would come and I still felt very guilty over letting it happen. However it was instrumental.

Hermione and one of my two 6th year students Penelope Clearwater were petrified. I made obvious note of the mirror on my visit to the hospital wing.

I made my way into the Headmasters office. Where for the first time in the short while I knew him, he was looking a little off kilter.

I powered on anyway, "I think we have a basilisk problem."

"I think you may be right, the mirrors were the clue that tipped you off then?"

"You knew?"

"I still do not know, it is only a theory of how the killer gaze may be lessened by reflected viewing."

"As Headmaster, you couldn't just throw out theories I suppose?"

"No."

"Well then we know what it might be now, what do we do?"

"I can do nothing, I have been suspended from my position." He gestured to a letter on his desk, "I am to be escorted from the castle grounds and no longer conduct myself as Headmaster, Minerva will take my place."

"Shit!"

"There is no need to be upset, I'm sure that you will do your best to keep the students safe and solve this mystery to the best of your ability."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence,Headmaster Dumbledore in suspension."

It turned out that as well as Dumbledore being suspended from his position Hagrid got thrown in the clink.

I who had missed out on the arrest somehow got put in the position of watching over Fang while he would be in jail.

So it came as a shock when Ron and Harry offered to walk Fang, "I know you two were somewhat close with Hagrid, but you really want to walk a dog when you could be taking a break?"

"It just feels right to help look after Fang while Hagrid's away." Ron looked up at me through his red hair.

"I can come along with you two, I wouldn't want people to think I passed the buck to a couple of second years."

"It's really fine, we can tell people that we offered." Harry tried to wiggle in.

"That's not how rumors work, they'd just think I made you two say that." I then squinted my eyes making a show of looking suspicious, "Say you wouldn't happen to be using Fang for anything I'd need to know about would you?"

While I wasn't Hagrid I hoped they could trust me with what they were doing. "I don't know-"

"Come on I went with you when you tried to stop the stone from being stolen, if you can't trust me by now I'd be hurt."

They seemed to silently confer. Ron's head going back and forth. While Harry adamantly nodded.

Harry then looked at me, "We are trying to solve the Chamber of Secrets."

"We need Fang in order to follow the spiders into the Forbidden Forest" Ron cleared up.

"Spiders?" I asked the two.

"Well before Hagrid left, he told us to follow the spiders if we wanted the truth." Harry divulged.

"But it's not the spiders causing any of this." I told them.

"What, then why did Hagrid tell us to follow the spiders?" Ron asked looking relieved to have a way out. You and me both kid.

"Maybe he wanted you two to find out that it wasn't him who opened the chamber last time, and that seeing the spiders would prove that."

"Then we don't know what's causing this." Harry let out a frustrated sigh.

"Hermione seemed to have it figured out she didn't tell you two?" I raised my eyebrow.

"What do you mean, she got petrified before she could finish her research." Ron looked confused.

"She had a mirror." I explained.

"Stop playing games and tell us what you know." Harry demanded. Temper temper on this one.

"Fine ruin my fun, I've come up with a theory based off of very important facts." I pointed at Harry, "They become clear if you put these facts together."

I moved my blackboard and flipped it over to the blank side. I drew the Slytherin symbol, a lightning bolt, and a mirror which I put a cartoon skull next to and drew a line through it.

"Salazar Slytherin had an affinity for snakes, it would make sense that his monster would be a snake." I pointed to the next subject, "You, who I just found out this year, are a parselmouth you heard a voice in my classroom on the day you found Ms. Norris. A voice I couldn't hear."

"So it's a snake?" Ron asked.

"Well that's where the clues so far lead." I nodded.

"Okay, keep going it's a snake what does that tell us?" Harry asked trying to move me along. Such an impatient child.

"Well here is where theories really need to be stretched, there is no snake in the world magical or not that we know of that causes petrification."

"So it's a snake we don't know?" Ron tried again to keep up with my lesson.

"It could be however remember this happened before and it left a student dead"

"Do we know what killed her?"

"Not exactly, but we know that it was an instantaneous death, and I'll do you one better."

"What?" Harry asked ready for any more information.

"You can speak to her." I smiled.

"She's a ghost?"

"Correct, she haunts to girls bathroom."

"Moaning Myrtle!" Both boys said at the same time.

"Wonderful work boys, however I still have more to go over." I pointed at the next set of symbols, "I do know a snake that causes instant death, but it requires looking at the snake in the eyes."

"So Hermione used a mirror, which means she probably figured out what the monster was." Harry looked relieved.

"She put the clues together faster than even I did." Not really but I was cheating, "The puddle, the camera, the ghost which really messed with me."

"So the snake what is it?"

"You sadly wouldn't know as it's a fifth year thing that we go deeper into, but it's a basilisk!" I let the glee fill my voice.

"A what?" Harry asked at the same time Ron screamed, "A basilisk!?"

"Good reactions you two." I looked over their expressions. 8/10 in my honest opinion.

"A basilisk is one of the biggest magical snakes in the world no wonder Sylytherin would have one." Ron caught Harry up.

"I think people would notice a giant snake getting around Hogwarts." He seemed dubious.

"Well they clearly did." I pointed out. I was met with glares from the both of them. They were getting better.

"So we don't know where the snake is or how it gets around if it's so big." Harry thought out loud.

"Well I will still help you two walk Fang, however we will not be going anywhere near spiders or the Forbidden Forests."

Five days later and another message was painted in blood. After my conversation with the two boys I had moved my roosters into a side room near my chambers.

The message strongly implied that Ginny was kidnapped and held in the chamber. The Acting Head McGonagall, told the staff that it would be closing tomorrow.

She talked about having to talk to the Weasley's about this most recent incident. She really seemed heartbroken about it, not that I didn't expect her to be upset but she never wore her emotions on her sleeve so it was a bit of a shock.

I made my way to my classroom and up to my office. I turned my hair an impossibly fiery red.

I waited until I heard the running of four feet before I started making a bit of a scene.I kicked a few chairs and threw an empty glass vial against the wall.

I was playing along the lines of being frustrated that I knew as much as I did but not the final pieces.I lifted a bench with a bit extra muscle morphed into my arms.

I looked to the door as I was about to throw it and took in their surprised faces before just dropping the bench behind me.

"Are you okay Professor?" Harry asked.

I cleared my throat before responding, "Just some redecorating you know how it is?" I made my voice stand out as fake.

"We heard about the school and my kidnapped sister!" Ron spoke out.

"I'm sorry that you had to find out this way." I walked behind my desk and sat down full weight on my chair.

"We've found out how the snake gets around, well technically it was Hermione." Harry spoke up.

"She figured that out as well?" I looked up at the boys.

"She figured out everything you did, she didn't know where the chamber was though."

"Then we are still too many steps behind to do anything!" I yelled at the two.

"She, may not have but we have!" Ron tried to take me out of my 'funk'.

"What?" I relaxed my face the red in my hair fading back into its default pink.

"We asked Myrtle about the time she died, and she told us where she saw the eyes that killed her." Harry explained.

"Then we have to hurry." I got up from my chair and opened the wardrobe. I slid open the hidden door and pushed open my door to my chambers.

The two boys followed beside me, as I walked out of my chambers and down the hall. Then after coming to a wooden door I opened it where there were my sleeping roosters.

"Hagrid's were killed by whoever opened the chamber, I got more as soon as I figured out we needed them." I explained as I stuffed one under my arm.

Ron grabbed two. Harry told me the location of the same girls bathroom Myrtle still hung around in.

"That makes sense, ghosts haunt places that leave an impression." I told the boys.

We rushed our way into the girls bathroom where Harry pointed at the sink.

Ron then started, "I told Harry to speak in parseltongue, and it opened last time."

"Right then Mr. Potter if you would." I gestured with my free hand to the sink. Harry then hissed at the sink and it opened a hole in the ground.

"Maybe there's a ladder?" I asked Harry, "Remember what I said last time about jumping into holes without thinking it through first."

Harry tried another hissing phrase. But nothing changed. I snapped my fingers, "Damn!"

I conjured a rock and dropped it down the hole. The sound indicated that it rolled down a bit before a crunched signaled the end of the ride.

"It sounds like a slide, and not too bad a drop." I looked at the two students. They seemed iffy on the test.

I shrugged and jumped down the hole making sure to not land on my feet. I then slid and ended up in a pile of bones.

"You should be fine, it is terribly gross down here though." I looked down one of the side tunnels and saw the giant shed snake skin.

Both of the boys had jumped down at the same time. They too landed on top of the big pile of small bones.

"Well we know it isn't a baby." I pointed at the skin. Ron meeped.

"If we see the basilisk remember not to look it in the eyes." Harry reminded Ron and I.

I snuck an exasperated face at Ron. He shrugged. Harry I supposed did this quite often.

"It really is a shame we are missing Hermione, I feel like we need her role to make this quartet work." Harry gave me a 'Really your making jokes now?' look.

I rolled my eyes and did my best to follow the child that was leading us. Wait I feel like something went wrong in that sentence.

The tunnels opened into a large wall with snakes in a pattern against the wall. It clearly opened so I left it to our snake speaker.

The snakes on the door slid backwards as if unlocking the door. After they all stopped the door swung open on it's own.

There was a small tunnel and a ladder down. I made sure to get ahead of the students and climbed down onto the walkway with water on both sides.

In the water stood tall snake statues. Each one looked ready to bite something. At the end of the walk way a small body was laying down in the puddle.

She could definitely be identified by her hair as Ginny. I helped the other two down into the chamber. Ron made a run for the body Harry following close behind.

I acciod Harry's wand as soon as he dropped it on the floor to check on Ginny with Ron. A hand tried to make a grab at it but it got to me before it could.

Then Tom revealed himself to the room. Not in a perverted way, just to be clear. In a here I am kind of way okay back to it. He sneered at me before focusing on the two at Ginny's side.

I made my way over while he explained what had happened throughout the year. He didn't have Harry's wand to do his little light show pseudonym game.

The Fawkes flashed in with the sorting hat. I grabbed the hat and put it on Harry's head as Tom summoned the snake.

I made sure to turn them both around as we made our run back up the walkway. From behind I heard the fight of the phoenix and basilisk.

As soon as the eyes were gone I squeezed the rooster trying to wake him up. It made a loud crow. Then the other two yelled back in response.

As soon as the crowing was heard by the snake it dropped dead. It was an anticlimactic end but it was much safer than any other fight that we might have had.

I approached the basilisk's body after dropping the rooster. I cast a wingardium leviosa on the top of the snakes mouth. It lifted up the upper mouth of the giant snake.

Then from my side I pulled out my gifted dagger and stabbed into the roof of the snakes mouth a few times making sure to get it coated.

"This isn't deep enough." I spoke to my two students, "Come here Harry!"

Harry came over sword in one hand and a hat in the other. I then instructed for Harry to try and stab the sword through the snake's brain.

He looked a bit queasy but did as I asked. The poor kid got himself cut again on one of the fangs as he drove the sword home.

I called for the phoenix. It had a cry over the injury healing the damn unlucky boy. I then did what needed to be done.

I walked over to the book. My thoughts were interrupted by Riddle, "You may have killed my basilisk but you can't kill me or save the girl it's too late to try."

I pulled out the now poison soaked dagger and spoke the words from the bottom of my heart, "Fuck you!" I then drove the dagger deep into the pages of the book.

I pulled out the dagger and went again at a different part of the book. I drove it in one more time for good measure as one of the split souls of Tom Riddle died.

I wasn't terribly clever with my last words to him. However I do feel that they were the right words for him.

Ginny then woke up from her deep slumber. Ron and Harry went to check on the girl. I stored the diary in one of my coat inside pockets. I then also sheathed my dagger.

After making sure all of the children were okay I started lecturing as we made our way back up the walkway, "That is why, Boys and Girls, we do not make friends with sentient books or any other items."

We made it to the ladder before Fawkes flew right above us, "Alright everyone hold onto me!" I instructed the three students. They grabbed onto my duster with a firm grip.

I grabbed at the tail feathers of Fawkes, and we rose up. They three of them held onto each other to support the weight of all three of them with a spread.

We flew up from the tunnels and out of the hole in the ground leading to the haunted girls bathroom.

I gave the diary to Harry and told them to go to McGonagall's office. When met with a confused face I told him I had another matter to take care of.

I made my way to the seventh floor corridor. I paced back and forth in front of the wall, thinking of finding the Ravenclaw Diadem.

The door appeared and I made my way inside. The room of hidden things was one of the messiest cluttered fire hazard looking room I had ever seen in any of my lives.

I made my way safely through rows of items long forgotten. On top of the highest peak of one of the piles of junk and other items rested the blue glowing crown.

I slowly but steadily climbed my way up to the top of the mountain of stuff. There was a strong compulsion charm that came off the head wear.

Struggling through the best I could I shanked at the crown with my knife a good few times to make sure anything living where it shouldn't have would be dead.

It gave of a dark cloud of smoke which vanished and dissipated into the air. I then chose to leave the damn cursed item there.

I made sure to safely climb back down. I nearly fell a few times with my shifting weight.

Ultimately I made it to the ground with just sore limbs. I gave one last look around the room before making the long trek back down the castle to McGonagall's office.

I was bumped into by a very angry Malfoy, "Minus 5 points to Slytherin Mr. Ma-" I had gotten the wrong one, "Terribly sorry sir, I mistook you for a child."

With that I kept going to my destination. I heard incoherent scattering behind me and wave of a cape.

I walked into the Headmasters office where Dumbledore was sitting behind his desk. Snug as a bug in a rug.

"Welcome back sir, even kicked out of the school and you won't take a vacation." I quipped.

"I have been placed back into position as Headmaster by the board."

"Bit wishy washy this board."

"Well, we all make mistakes."

"We are all human after all."

"Yes."

"Will I need to give my story to you about the chamber?"

"Not unless you feel like you need to tell me more." His eyes twinkled.

"Nope." I made my way to exit but was stopped by his voice.

"You, do deserve a bit of a break much like our students, so exams have been canceled."

"Not OWLs or NEWTs I hope?"

"They will take place later in the month to give a chance to recover from the stress and others petrification."

I left the Headmaster to his own thoughts. Personally I found the cancellation of exams irresponsible, but hey it wasn't my school.

Then came the End-of-Term Feast. I wasn't allowed near Snape this year. Seems he held a bit of a grudge for February.

Dumbledore put over the feats of Pomfrey and Sprout for their work with the mandrakes and petrification cures.

Hagrid got released from the pen. Hermione was told how instrumental she was in the finding of the chamber and defeat of the basilisk.

My Sixth year class started dating which is a strange comment now that I think about it.

OWL exams did happen later in June as did NEWTs. My NEWT class did fine on the practical exam. Only one person had to be called back for a retake of the OWLs.

June really was a very peaceful and a nice break from May. Sadly the chaos came back with a force at the end of July.