16. Queen Of Lies

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It turned out that the Ravenclaw boy who Tom set the Basilisk on, had only been petrified and not killed.
He had only seen the Basilisk's reflection, from a puddle of water outside the bathroom, and he hadn't looked directly into the monster's eyes.
Despite not actually killing the boy, Tom was not disappointed in anyway, as he was only warming up.
The teachers were unsure about how the boy had been petrified, but they made no attempt to tighten security around the school or alert the Ministry to the situation.
A Madrake draft was being prepared by Herbert Beery, the Herbology teacher, which would return the Ravenclaw boy to normal. But it would take several months to make, so for the time being he was lying on a bed in the hospital wing.

Tom decided not to release the Basilisk again, until everyone had calmed down and gotten over the first attack.
The boys in his gang seemed to know that he was the heir of Slytherin, but he never confirmed to them the truth.
Genevieve's friends on the other hand, had no idea who was behind the attack, and she often had to listen to them theorise about who it could be. But by joining in with the conversation, she was able to shift all suspicion away from Tom.

Since Genevieve and Tom were Prefects, and excellent students, no teacher expected them to be behind the attack. All except one.
Dumbledore was the only one who seemed suspicious of them.
So Genevieve and Tom had to keep their heads down, particularly in Transfiguration, to make sure that Dumbledore didn't have any reasons to think they were up to no good.
But two weeks after Halloween, he asked Genevieve to stay behind after class, and she knew it wasn't to help him tidy up the room, as he had claimed.

Once alone with the teacher, Genevieve stood right in front of him, not even bothering to pretend to tidy the classroom.
"How can I help you, Professor?" Asked Genevieve.
"As a Slytherin Prefect, I was wondering if you had heard anyone in your house talking about the heir of Slytherin or the Chamber of Secrets?" Questioned Dumbledore.
"Of course I have. Everyone is talking about it, and theorising about who the heir could be" admitted Genevieve.

"So, you don't know for certain who the heir is?" Quizzed Dumbledore.
Genevieve felt her palms begin to sweat, "No sir. Besides, Professor Dippet has already asked us Prefects to keep an eye out for any suspicious activity, and report to him if we see or hear anything. So, if I did know something, I would already have told the Headmaster".
"Would you?" Asked Dumbledore.
"Yes, Professor. Of course" lied Genevieve.

"You wouldn't want to keep the heir a secret, so that the school can be purged of Muggle-borns?" Questioned Dumbledore.
"Of course not sir" answered Genevieve.
"Well, ruling over the Muggles is Grindelwald's goal" replied Dumbledore.
"I am not Gellert Grindelwald. And you can't seriously think that I'm the heir of Slytherin. I'm not even from this country, so I can't be related to Salazar Slytherin" reminded Genevieve.
Over the years she had continued to deny her relation to Gellert, even though Dumbledore knew the truth. Because she didn't want to say it out loud, just in case anyone over heard her.
Saying it aloud, also made it real, and while at Hogwarts she liked to forget that she was a Grindelwald.

"You have to admit that it is suspicious. The Chamber of Secrets being opened, while a Grindelwald is at Hogwarts. Your uncle would be pleased if you had found the chamber, and did start attacking Muggle-borns. I warned you when you first came here, that I would only keep your real identity a secret, if you gave me no reason to suspect that you were here on your uncle's orders, to cause trouble. This situation gives me cause to doubt you, you must understand that. My concern is for the students of this school, and if I think that keeping your secret will put them in danger, I will have to tell the headmaster and the Ministry, who you really are" warned Dumbledore.

"How many times must I tell you, Professor, that I am not Gellert Grindelwald. Whatever plans he might have, they do not involve me. My guardian doesn't care what I get up to, even if I am doing everything in my power to impress him. Besides, Gellert wants to rule over the Muggles, he doesn't care about Muggle-borns, so wiping the ones at Hogwarts out, wouldn't benefit him in anyway. I am not the heir of Slytherin, and I have not opened the Chamber of Secrets and set a monster loose in the castle" informed Genevieve.
"So, you deny that your uncle has encouraged you to do this?" Asked Dumbledore.
"My guardian hasn't told me to do anything. And since he didn't go to school here, he doesn't care about Hogwarts" answered Genevieve.

"I think he cares more about Hogwarts than you realise. It is the school I teach at afterall, and they say I am the one person he fears" admitted Dumbledore.
Genevieve bit her lip, and decided to drop some of the pretence of being raised by a mysterious guardian.
She hoped that being slightly truthful with Dumbledore, would put him off the scent about her opening the chamber.
"He does fear you, it's true. He wants you out of the way. But he honestly doesn't care about Hogwarts. He hasn't told me to bring it down or cause chaos here. He hasn't even told me to get close to you, so that I can lead you into a trap, or anything like that. Because he really doesn't care about me, or what I get up to. If he did have plans concerning Hogwarts, he wouldn't include me in them" revealed Genevieve.

"It can't be easy. Having your only family member, not care about you" Dumbledore said softly.
Genevieve sighed, "It's not. But I'm used to it. I can't really remember my parents, so he is all I've known... Hogwarts is my home, and I wouldn't want to put it in any danger. This is the one place I have friends, and people who love me. So it makes no sense that I'd want to destroy the safe place I've made here".
"I believe you. I don't think you would want to harm this school or do anything that would get you expelled" admitted Dumbledore.
"Thank you for believing me".

"Just because I believe you did not open the Chamber of Secrets, it doesn't mean that I don't think you have no idea who the heir is" informed Dumbledore.
"But I don't" lied Genevieve.
"So, you honestly have no idea who is behind this?" Questioned Dumbledore.
"No, Professor"
"Well then, you should head to the great hall for lunch, I'm sure your boyfriend is missing you"
"Yes, I expect he is... Goodbye Professor"
"Farewell Miss Grindelwald. And don't forget what I said. If you hear anything, you come to me or the headmaster"
"Yes, Professor".

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