Through All the Pain // N. Longbottom

Second Year // Chapter 14

The next morning I woke up with Ron whispering in my ear. I rolled over and slapped him on the face. 

"You have five seconds to explain why you just woke me up." He backed up and rubbed his face.

"Geez Lori! I just wanted to ask if you wanted to go see Hermione!" I jolted up. 

"Give me five minutes!" I shoved him out the door and rushed around getting ready. While I was getting ready Lavender made some comments.

"You know, we aren't supposed to leave unless for lessons. What if you're next?" I whirled around to face her.

"I won't become petrified. Besides the monster is only going after Muggleborns ... I'm a pureblood, though I wouldn't care if I was a Muggleborn either! I'm not going to sit here in fear of something. I'm going to fight for my friends and family until the end." 

She stared at me for a few moments before turning back to her own homework. I grabbed a Muggle book Hermione liked to read called "Holes" by some American author names Louis Sachar. I planned on reading a few pages to her, even though she probably couldn't hear me. 

I met up with the boys in the common room and we went off to see Hermione. Along the way, they filled me in on their adventures last night. I was proud of Ron for not crapping his pants at the first sight of spiders. 

We got the hospital wing but got blocked by Madame Pomfrey. She crossed her arms and looked down at us. 

"There's no point in talking to a petrified person. She won't hear a word you're saying." I bit my lip and avoided eye contact while Ron spoke up.

"We know that, Madame Pomfrey. It's just, well, you see, we thought, maybe, we could ... be with her for a bit. She's our friend, you see, and ... even if she can't hear us ... I mean, it can't hurt, can it?"

She tapped her foot like she wasn't going to back down, but saw me holding the book. She smiled.

"Miss Granger read that book every night before she fell asleep." She slowly moved out of the way. "You three may stay for no longer than thirty minutes! After that, you three should go back to your common room." We thanked her and walked over to her side. As we sat there, Ron spoke up.

"You don't think Lockhart could be the Heir of Slytherin, do you?" I had just opened the book to the bookmarked page. Harry raised an eyebrow and I just rolled my eyes. Ron noticed our reactions and cleared his throat. 

"Right. Um ... forget I said anything."

I began to quietly read from the book, while Harry stroked her hand. After I finished the chapter. Harry spoke up.

"Wish you were here, Hermione. We need you. Now more than ever ..." I grabbed his free hand and held it. 

"Don't worry. Soon she'll be all fine well and good. The Mandrakes are almost ready." I said. Ron and Harry both looked at me weirdly. "What? I like to talk with Professor Sprout about plants." They nodded as I closed the book and laid it beside her bed, and started to leave.

"Where are you going?" Ron asked quickly grabbing my hand. 

"Neville, Seamus, Dean, and I are supposed to work on some Charms homework for tomorrow's class." I turned to walk out but Harry said something after me.

"Lori! What's this?" I turned to see him pulling a crumpled piece of parchment out of Hermione's hand. I walked over and examined it with him. 

"It looks like a page from a book," I said opening the parchment. I scanned the page and passed it to Harry for him to read. 

"'Of the many fearsome beasts that roam our land, none is more deadly than the Basilisk. Capable of living for hundreds of years, instant death awaits any who meets this giant serpent's eye. Spiders flee before it and only the crowing of the rooster can kill it.'" He read. 

"That's it!" I exclaimed. "The monster in the Chamber of Secrets is a Basilisk. That's why Harry here can hear it speak. It's a snake!" Ron walked over and grabbed the parchment. 

"Wait a minute ... look! 'instant death awaits any who meet this giant serpent's eye.' If this kills by looking people in the eye. Why is no one dead?" He asked. We all shared a look before Harry stood up.

"Because no one did look it in the eye. Not directly at least ..." He walked to the end of the bed. "Colin saw it through his camera. Justin -- Justin must've seen the Basilisk through Nearly Headless Nick! Nick got the full blast of it, but he's a ghost -- he couldn't die again ..." I walked over to the table beside Hermione and begin to speak as well.

"And Hermione ..." I noticed the mirror laying on the table and picked it up. "She had this mirror! I bet you she was using it to look around the corners! You know, in case it came along."

"Okay, that's good. But what about Mrs. Norris? I doubt she had a camera or a mirror in her paws." Ron said. I sighed.

"No one's saying she did, Ronald." I reread the page. "What could she have seen its reflection in?"

"The water!" Harry shouted. He quickly lowered his voice to a whisper. "There was water on the floor that night. She only saw the Basilisk's reflection ..." As he said that I scanned the page once more. 

"A-Ha!"

"A-Ha, what?" Ron said looking over my shoulder. 

"The crowing of roosters are fatal to the Basilisk! That's why Hagrid's roosters were killed! 'Spiders flee before it.' It all fits!" I said. 

"Okay. But how's the Basilisk been getting around? A dirty great snake. Someone would've seen ..."

"Hermione answered that too," Harry said. He had walked over and looked at the parchment. He pointed his finger at a word written on the page. Written on the page was 'pipes'.

"Pipes?!" Ron scoffed. "A giant snake creature is using the plumbing?" Harry sighed.

"I remember what Aragog said? About that girl fifty years ago? She died in a bathroom. What if she never left." Ron and I shared a look.

"Moaning Myrtle!" Harry nodded. We were heading to the door when McGonagall's voice echoed throughout the castle. 

"All students are to return to their dormitories at once. All teachers to the second floor corridor. Immediately."

"Let me guess, we aren't going to our dorms are we?" I said. Both Ron and Harry shook their heads in response and we rushed off to the second-floor corridor.

When we got there we crouched behind a pillar and listened to the Professors.

"As you can see, the Heir of Slytherin has left another message. Our worst fear has been realized. A student has been taken by the monster. Into the Chamber itself. I'm afraid we shall have to send the students home. I'm afraid... this is the end of Hogwarts." McGonagall spoke solemnly. 

"So sorry. Dozed off. What have I missed?" I fought the urge to vomit as Lockhart's ego dripped off of his words.

"Just the man we need." Snape sneered. "A girl has been snatched by the monster, Lockhart. Your moment has come at last."

"My m-moment?" Lockhart stammered. Snape smirked.

"Weren't you saying just last night that you've known where the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets is?" Lockhart's eyes widened and he stammered again.

"D-Did I? I-I don't recall..."

"That settles it," McGonagall speaks. We'll leave it to you to deal with the monster Gilderoy. Your skills, after all, are legend." I silently laughed while Lockhart faked a laugh and spoke again.

"Very well, I'll be in my office getting ready." He quickly turned to leave. I suggested we leave and follow him but overheard Professor Sprout asking a question we all were wondering. 

"Who has the monster taken, Minerva?"

We all heard McGonagall let out a long sigh. 

"Ginny Weasley."