The Slytherin Sister

Chapter 7

Potions class started out just fine, Draco and I were working side by side, making Swelling Potions. I looked to Vincent and Gregory's potions behind me and saw that neither looked quite right. Millicent's was wrong as well, and Pansy, clearly finished with her own, was trying to help.

I turned my attention back to Draco and said casually, "I overheard some Ravenclaws talking in the corridor. One of them mentioned the Chamber of Secrets having been opened before. Have you heard that, or do you reckon that its just gossip?"

Draco looked at me and caught my wrist before I added one too many lacewing flies.

"It's true. My father said it was opened fifty years ago, so before his time at Hogwarts. He also said that someone was killed that year, a girl. He didn't know her name though, and she was mud- muggleborn." He said, adding his own lacewing flies.

"Do you know who opened it before? Or even where the chamber is?" I asked cutting up the roots into perfect cubes.

"No, I know they caught whoever did it, but they never found the chamber." He said.

"Could it be the same person as before?" I inquired.

"I doubt it, whoever did it would likely have been sent to Azkaban. And no one has ever broken out of Azkaban so it has to be someone new." He reasoned.

"Unless..." I began, "They caught the wrong person, then that person would be sent to Azkaban and the real culprit would be free to do it again whenever they wanted."

"But then, why wait fifty years?" Draco asked.

"I don't know." A million thoughts were racing through my head, each idea less likely than the previous.

I turned my gaze towards Harry, Ron and Hermione, with the intention of inspecting their potions, just in time to see Harry pull a firework from his bag. I watched as he took aim, and let it fly. On instinct, I shoved Draco and dove out of the way. Just in time too, because a moment later, Gregory's potion was splattering everyone, blown up by the firework.

"What the hell?" Draco hissed.

Both of us stumbled to our feet and surveyed the chaos around us. Random parts of several people's bodies were growing rapidly to monstrous sizes, the whole thing was really quite comical. At least until I saw Hermione slip out of Snape's office, tucking something into her robes. She had stolen something from him! Likely an ingredient for their stupid potion.

***

Draco and I were walking down the corridor after class when I asked, "Do you think that whatever is in the Chamber will only attack muggleborns?"

He contemplated it for a minute before answering, "I don't think so. I think enemies of the heir could be anyone who go against Slytherin's beliefs. Like blood traitors and anyone who fraternize with muggles."

My stomach did a little flip and I whispered, "But, I live with muggles."

His eyes widened in memory of our conversation on the train, "I'm sure you'll be safe, you're a Slytherin."

I wasn't so sure.

***

"You idiots!" I shrieked at Harry, Ron and Hermione. I had cornered them in their bathroom again. "You could have killed someone, you're lucky that Gregory's potion was similar enough to the real thing!"

"Well you're no help! None of this would have been necessary if you had just questioned him yourself!" Ron bellowed back.

"I did question him!" My blood boiled with anger. How could they all be so stupid? "He didn't open the chamber! He doesn't know where it is! He doesn't know who opened it the last time! It was opened fifty years ago, in 1942! Lucius wasn't even alive yet!"