Chapter 35: Second Attack
Chapter 35: Second Attack
The weather was gloomy, so the dark castle became particularly grim.
Evan, Hermione, and Harry raced to the Gryffindor common rooms. They were disturbed by what just happened.
“I can’t believe it; Malfoy is the one trying to kill us!” said Harry while looking pale.
“I don’t think so, why would Malfoy want to kill us?”
Evan shook his head while looking at Harry’s expression and said, “Well even if he wanted to, he wouldn’t be stupid enough to send a house elf to do so.”
“Then did Dobby….”
“I don’t think he was lying; he must have overheard his master talking about opening the Chamber of Secrets, and came to try to save you, Harry.”
“Yeah save me, not letting me get on the train, breaking my arm, and controlling over eighty chairs and tables to attack us.” sighed Harry, “If he keeps trying to save me like this, I might end up dead.”
“Don’t blame him too much, house elves are creatures of immense servility. They can’t violate their masters’ orders, they can’t reveal their masters’ secrets, and if he does, he has to bear server punishments.”
“Servile?!” grunted Hermione, “It’s unbelievable that in this day and age, that there is still slavery in our country!”
“I don’t care about that.” said Harry, “I wished he would have told us who opened the Chamber of Secrets, or what lies within it. How can no one notice a monster walking around the school!”
“Perhaps it can make itself invisible.”
Hermione thought for a moment and said, “Or maybe it can disguise itself into another object.”
“Anyway, this thing has something to do with Malfoy,” said Evan quickly, “Lucius Malfoy is plotting something, but….”
His words couldn’t go on, when the three turned a corner, they saw a horrible scene.
Evan felt his heart sink, and his face became pale.
A Ravenclaw girl was laying on the floor, she was cold and stiff, she had a terrified look on her face, her eyes were gazing at the ceiling. It was not just her, there was another figure beside her, Evan had never seen such a strange spectacle before.
It was Moaning Myrtle, she was no longer milky white and transparent, dark smoke filled her, she was lying six inches above the ground, with the same expression as the Ravenclaw girl.
“Haven’t we seen this Ravenclaw girl before? What was her name?”
Harry gasped while looking around the hallway, he saw spiders quickly fleeing.
“Penelope Clearwater, she is a Ravenclaw student,” replied Hermione with a sad tone.
“Another attack, we should find someone to come and help.”
Before they could react, they heard a door slam open, it was Peeves.
“Ah, it is you three!”
Peeves bounced around while giggling, “What are you doing, why are you sneaking around?”
He did a somersault but suddenly stopped when he noticed what was lying on the ground.
He quickly straightened up, took a deep breath, before Evan was able to stop him, he screamed at the top of his lungs. ���You did it again! Even a ghost isn’t spared! Run for your lives!”
The whole castle instantly became lively, people quickly flocked to where they were.
In the next few minutes, the scene was incredibly chaotic, Penelope was endangered of being squished. People stood in Moaning Myrtle’s body while squeezing Harry, Evan, and Hermione to the wall.
In the next moment, the teachers came and regained order.
Professor McGonagall hurriedly ran to the scene and cast a spell that produced a tremendous bang which made everyone quiet down. She ordered everyone to go back to their houses’ common room.
Evan heard Justin whisper that Harry was the successor as he left.
This remark was apparently heard by Peeves, Peeves suddenly opened his mouth producing a gigantic smile.
When the teachers were looking at Penelope and Moaning Myrtle, Peeves sang, “Oh, Potter, oh, Potter, you’re a pain, you ruin lives, and think it’s a hoot.”
“Stop messing around, Peeves!” roared Professor McGonagall, Peeves stuck out his tongue and hurriedly ran away.
Professor Flitwick along with several other students carried Penelope to the school infirmary. They didn’t know what do with Moaning Myrtle.
Finally, Professor McGonagall transfigured a big fan and handed it to Ron, who had just arrived, and told him to fan Moaning Myrtle up the stairs. Ron looked at Evan and the others with worried expression before leaving.
“Come with me, Mason, Potter, and Granger.” Professor McGonagall led them to a gigantic statue of a Griffin.
McGonagall spoke the words “Sherbet Lemon.”
As soon as her words finished the statue jumped aside, revealing a slowly ascending staircase.
Evan and the other two followed Professor McGonagall and heard a bang, the entrance closed once again. The staircase went up higher and higher, making Evan feel a little dizzy. Evan then saw a double oak door, on it was a brass knocker in the shape of a Griffin.
Evan knew where this was, it was the entrance to Dumbledore’s office.
He has been secretly looking at it for four weeks. He could not help but be amazed at its beauty. Harry and Hermione were worried about their impending fate.
It was too coincidental that the three were there for the first attack and the second one as well. If they said, they had nothing to do with the Chamber of Secrets, no one would believe them.
Dumbledore’s office is very interesting, it is a very spacious, beautiful round room and a few funny little sounds filled it. The spindly tables had a lot of silvery devices.
The walls were filled with portraits of the former headmasters, who were softly snoring in their respective frames. On a shelf sat a ragged, wrinkled sorting hat.
On a perch behind the door sat an ill-looking bird with red and gold feathers.
This should be the Phoenix Fawkes, Evan looked at it curiously.
After Observing it carefully, Dumbledore came out.
“Albus, it was Miss Clearwater and Moaning Myrtle….” said Professor McGonagall eagerly.
“I know Minerva!” replied Dumbledore calmly, “The Chamber of Secrets has indeed been opened again.”
“But Albus, you must know…Who is it?”
“The question is not who.” said Dumbledore, “The question is, how……”
Evan’s was slightly startled; Dumbledore must have noticed something.
Then he saw the look on Professor McGonagall’s face and knew like himself, Harry, and Hermione, no one understood what Dumbledore meant.
Afterward, the expected inquiry was not born, Dumbledore only asked them about the Phoenix Fawkes, and let them go.
Evan turned around, wondering whether if he just imagined it or not but it felt like Dumbledore’s eyes were on himself.