Marooned - Fred Weasley

Chapter 8: Heart of Stone

Sarah was walking back from the library with Selena when she bumped into Harry, Ron and Hermione.

"What are you-" she started but looked at the inscription on the wall.

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

"What is this?" asked Selena.

"It's written in blood," said Hermione. Sarah took in the picture and something caught her eye, it was Filch's cat.

"Oh no," she gasped, walking closer to it.

"Mrs Norris," said Harry, everyone looking horrified at the animal, hung by the tail. The corridor filled with students going back to their dorms then, everyone reading now the inscription and Malfoy shot a glare at Hermione and Selena, "You'll be next, Mudbloods."

Sarah took out her wand and started fumbling with it, "Fancy that makeover, then, Malfoy?"

He tried to hide the concern on his face, and two of his friends set themselves between Malfoy and her.

She let out a pitiful chuckle, "Say that again, I dare you."

Malfoy glared at her, reaching to his wand but Filch's voice erupted.

"What's going on here? Make way, make way," said Filch, walking through the crowd of students, pushing Sarah and the twins apart.

He completely froze in terror when he saw his cat, "Mrs. Norris? You've murdered my cat," he whimpered to Harry.

"I'll kill ya, I'll kill ya!" he shouted, grabbing Harry by the collar.

"Argus!" called Dumbledore. When he saw the writing, he sent everyone to their dormitories.

"Everyone except you three," he said pointing at Harry, Ron and Hermione. Sarah squeezed Harry's shoulder and left.

That wasn't a good sign, that wasn't a good sign at all.

"You think that'll get even Hermione detention?" asked Fred in a hushed voice and Sarah shook her head, "I think they have enough reason to know they aren't capable of such a thing."

"But who is then?" he asked her and she raised her shoulders, "I have no idea. But it's so weird. Enemies of the Heir, that's really ominous."

A shiver passed her as she thought back at the writing on the wall. She had not come across anything mentioning a Chamber of Secrets at Hogwarts.

During their Transfiguration class the next day, Sarah had asked if McGonagall could tell them about the Chamber of Secrets, and the look on McGonagall's face then it only added to Sarah's level of worry.

McGonagall rubbed her hands together in thought and finally agreed, "You all know, of course, that Hogwarts was founded over a thousand years ago by the four greatest witches and wizards of the age: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw and Salazar Slytherin. Now three of the founders coexisted quite harmoniously. One did not."

Fred leaned closer to Sarah, "Care to guess which one?" She let out a soft chuckle.

"Salazar Slytherin wished to be more selective about the students admitted to Hogwarts," continued McGonagall.

"What a load of rubbish," mumbled Selena, knowing full well he meant to not admit Muggleborns.

"He believed magical learning should be kept within all-magic families. In other words, pure-bloods." A few people glared at Selena then, and after she checked that McGonagall wasn't looking she flipped them off.

"Unable to sway the others, he decided to leave the school. Now, according to legend, Slytherin had built a hidden chamber in this castle known as the Chamber of Secrets. Though, shortly before departing, he sealed it until that time when his own true Heir returned to the school. The Heir alone would be able to open the Chamber and unleash the horror within and by doing so, purge the school of all those who, in Slytherin's view were unworthy to study magic. Naturally, the school has been searched many times and no such chamber as been found."