A Young Wizard's Journey - The Chamber of Secrets

Diagnosis and Detections

As Mr Filch pushed his way through the crowd, he spotted the quartet stood out in the centre and his eyes narrowed.

'What do you little-?'

But he never got to finish his sentence as his eyes fell on the hanging Mrs Norris. He clutched at his face and staggered forward.

'My cat! MY CAT! What's happened to Mrs Norris?' he shrieked. His voice was much higher than usual, he sounded almost deranged.

His eyes wandered the quartet, then fell on Y/N who was closest to the cat.

'You!' he screeched. 'You! You've murdered my cat! You've killed her! I'll kill you! I'll-'

Y/N was backing away, his wand now pointing at Filch instead as the caretaker advanced.

'Argus!'

Dumbledore swept through the crowd like a ghost, a number of other teachers following along in his wake. He moved straight over to the wall and detached Mrs Norris from the torch bracket.

'Come with me, Argus,' he said, turning back towards them, 'and you too, Miss Granger, Mr Weasley, Mr Potter and Mr L/N.'

Lockhart immediately pushed to the front of the line of teachers.

'My office is nearest, Headmaster, just upstairs, please feel free- '

'Thank you Gilderoy,' said Dumbledore, and he swept back off up the corridor. The crowd of students parted, and the quartet, caretaker and Professors Snape and McGonagall followed. The rest of the Professors stayed behind and began calling out to the assembled students, shepherding them back towards their respective common rooms.

As they moved through the corridors, Professor McGonagall chanced a look at Y/N, who was staring at her the entire walk. He tried to convey with a look that he had no idea what had happened, but she simply shook her head slightly and kept wandering. He hung his head, but a moment later looked up again as he felt Hermione wrap his hand in her own. She smiled reassuringly at him and he felt his stomach warm.

They stepped inside Lockhart's darkened office and many of the Lockhart pictures began emptying out of their frames. Many had their hair in rollers or face masks on. It was a pitiful sight. The real and somehow just as pitiful Lockhart swept across the room, lighting the torches and candles before stepping back. Dumbledore set Mrs Norris down on the table and began examining her. The quartet sat down on chairs, Hermione pushed hers so that its legs were touching Y/N's and leant her head against his shoulder.

They watched as Dumbledore leant in, his face inches away from Mrs Norris, his fingers moving and prodding the frozen cat as he muttered under his breath. Y/N felt his head rippling painfully.

'Got any of that chocolate on you?' he muttered to Hermione she snapped a piece off and handed it to him

'What's up?' she asked as she handed it over. Y/N simply nodded to Dumbledore.

Lockhart was practically dancing around the room speaking loudly about his own theories, whilst Professor Snape was lingering behind Dumbledore. He looked as though he was trying very hard not to smile. Professor McGonagall was looking everywhere bar at the quartet.

'It was definitely a curse that killed her, probably the Transmogrifian Torture. I've seen it used many times, so unlucky I wasn't there, I know the very counter curse that would have saved her...'

His rolling monologue was interrupted regularly by Filch's dry wheezes and sobs. He was in a chair off to the side, his head in his hands and his entire body shaking. They didn't like Filch, but that truly was a sad sight. It wasn't pleasant to see a man so broken.