Red dragon

27

Harry had never been so glad to be walking into the great hall that Halloween; his loyal cat at his heals. Even though Luna had predicted that something bad was going to happen. He was glad to be at the feast and not at the death day party.

Ginny was present for the whole feast; it gave Harry hope. He really must have saved her from that fate.

Everyone around him was joking and enjoying the day. The rumour of the dancing skeletons was just a rumour but the night was fun.

"Harry?"

"Oh hi Luna."

"I'm bringing My friend Genevieve on Sunday." She told him before she sighed. "The Nargles will be hibernating soon; lucky for them." She said as she walked off.

"Harry what are Nargles?" Hermione asked.

"Troublesome tiny creatures. They steal things for a while and they hibernate in Mistletoe."

"Oh. What do they look like?"

"Don't know. Ask Luna." He shrugged and tried to eat his pie. He had a strange feeling Luna was trying to warn him of something. Good for them; Hibernating meant they would be out of the way.

"I can't walk." Ron hobbled and stepped on the end of Zana'a tail making her shoot forward ahead of the whole group.

"You shouldn't have eaten so much."

"Then why do they make it so good; tell me that 'miss top of the year'." Ron groaned as the four Gryffindor's headed to their common room.

Suddenly, a whimper made everyone stop. Zana was whining at Mrs Norris hanging form. She circled and whined again.

Zana was a cat bigger than Mrs Norris and the smaller cat was a little afraid of her. However, they were both Feline and this was distressing poor Zana. Obviously not as much as Argus Finch who was sobbing on the floor.

Harry noticed that his feet were dry. Mrs Norris was likely dead.

Going to the death day party had saved the cat; it was too late for her now.

Harry picked up Zana and held her close petting her head in a way that he hoped would comfort her.

The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the heir beware.

Harry and Draco exchanged a look before looking at Hermione.

"The Chamber of Secrets." They both whispered; it was Lucius Malfoys favourite story.

"The what?"

"Hermione you need to get up to the common room. We'll tell you there."

"That won't protect her Malfoy." Blaise was behind them; grinning.

"Even a great pureblood like you won't save your little mudblood girlfriend." Theodore continued.

"She's as good as dead now." Daphne Greengrass was with them. They all laughed.

Harry turned to them; his blood boiling. "You take that back."

"Why? Look at it." Theo grinned. "Enemies of the heir. Slytherin is going to eradicate the school of filth like her. Just like that blasted cat."

Oh how Harry wanted to let out some parceltongue just to shut them up. Zana beat him too it. She understood that the boy had just insulted not just her master and his friends but also one of her dead comrades.

She pounced and began clawing at the boy.

"What is going on here?" Professors McGonagall, Flitwick and Snape stood behind the group. "Harry what is your cat doing?!"

Harry pried the cat away from the boy; she was wining terribly. "I'm sorry professor; Seeing Mrs Norris upset her. When Nott insulted us she just freaked."

"Miss Granger?" Professor Snape inquired.

"Yes they did sir." She dropped her head.

"Okay, each of you three can lose five points for using that word." His voice didn't change from its usual tone. Harry would have thought a harsher punishment but he wasn't in a place to argue.

"Only Theo used it." Daphne exclaimed.

"Okay then He can lose ten on top of your five." Snape motioned for them to follow him; which they did but not before giving the group a glare.

"Miss Granger what did they say?"

"They called her a Mudblood professor." Draco answered.

The professor nodded slowly. "Okay I suggest you all go up to your dorms and stay there for tonight."

"Professor will Madam Pomphrey have something to calm Zana?" The cat was still whining.

"Maybe; you may go and speak to her first but be quick."

When they were back in the common room Harry smothered a potion onto one of Zanas sardines. He tried to feed it too her but she was to distressed to eat.

"Princess please eat something." She wined at him and padded at his leg. "I know girl; I know. Just have a little it will make you feel better."

"The poor thing." Ginny patted the cat on the head.

"I don't know why she cares." Ron rolled his eyes.

"She's scared." Harry defended. Harry was comforting his cat tonight; he would find the diary tomorrow.

"So what is the Chamber of Secrets?" Hermione asked. The common room was full of students. "You both seemed to want me hidden."

Harry and Draco exchanged a look. "You guys know what we talked about on the train." Everyone nodded. "Well that's how I know." Harry shook his head; they still believed he was a seer.

"Right." Ron nodded.

"Salazar Slytherin created a secret chamber to hid an illegal Basalis. It was trained to kill muggleborns and squibs but it will attack anyone or anything."

"That's why it attacked Mrs Norris it was going after Finch."

Harry nodded. "Well only the heir of Slytherin can open the chamber."

"And you know who it is?" Hermione sat forwards.

"Tom Riddle."

"Who?" Seamus asked.

Harry pointed to his scar. "Him."

"You mean you-know-who is here?!"

"Not exactly. He's using a magical artefact to control someone and have them do it for him."

"Who?"

"That I don't know. It's a diary; a diary that will write back. I need to find this diary and destroy it."

"So a student has it?" Hermione asked.

"Probably; likely a first year girl but might not be. Now the monster will only kill you if you look it in the eye. My advice is to use a mirror to look at it. Or water; just something reflective. Don't look it directly in the eye."

"How do you know this?" One of the older students asked suspiciously.

"I can hear him." Harry used the lie again. "I know things." He shook his head. "I hate it... It makes me feel tainted…. But."

"I can imagen." One of the second year girls mentioned idly.

Harry turned to Zana who was now eating her snack. "Well done girl."

"Right, everyone go and fetch every mirror you have." Hermione told the room and most of the girls; and a few guys including Draco ran to their dorm rooms.

There were a couple of dozen mirrors scattered on the floor. Hermione and a few others cast the Gemino spell on the mirrors. So that eventually everyone in the common room had at least one to carry with them everywhere. Hermione grabbed one that would be taken to Luna. They would start spreading the mirrors around soon.

"Remember don't look it in the eye." Draco told them.