The Chamber Of Secrets - Hermione Granger x OC

The Entrance

Henry and Oliver bumped into Ron, Harry, and Lockhart in the hallway.

"Our sister has been kidnapped, and she's being held in the Chamber of Secrets. Will you guys help us get her back?" Oliver asked.

"Of course," Ron replied without hesitation, exchanging a determined glance with Harry. "We were just heading there now, actually."

Lockhart, ever the opportunist, chimed in with a falsely confident smile. "Indeed! It seems we have a rescue mission on our hands. A group endeavor, if you will. With my exquisite expertise, we are sure to succeed."

Henry couldn't help but roll his eyes at Lockhart's boastful statement, but he appreciated the extra support. "Perfect, it can be a whole big group project then."

"Sooo... Where are we going?" Lockhart asked.

"The Chamber is under the girl's bathroom," Harry replied.

Lockhart chuckled nervously, attempting to maintain his facade of knowledge and skill. "Ah, yes, dear boy, I knew that. I was just testing you." He adjusted his robes and shot a glance at Ron, who couldn't help but roll his eyes at Lockhart's exaggerated sense of self-importance.

"Alright then," Henry said, breaking the brief silence. "Let's not waste any more time. Isabella needs us."

The group made their way to the girl's bathroom, a hushed anticipation filling the air as they stared at the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets.

"Ok, so how do we open it?" Ron asked, his eyes fixed on the seemingly ordinary bathroom entrance.

"It's quite obvious, I'd say, Mr. Weasley. Open sesame!" Lockhart exclaimed with a theatrical flourish.

To their dismay, nothing happened. The bathroom remained unchanged, the door to the Chamber firmly shut.

"Niiice job," Oliver replied, his voice laced with sarcasm as he exchanged an exasperated glance with Henry.

"I was just testing to see if you kids knew how to NOT open the Chamber," Lockhart retorted, his pride slightly wounded. "How do you kids think we open it?"

"Well, according to Hermione's note," Oliver said, reading aloud from the paper, "we need to speak Parseltongue. What is that?"

"It's snake language. Harry can speak it," Ron explained matter-of-factly.

"You can?!" Oliver asked, his eyes widening in disbelief.

"A little bit," Harry replied modestly, his voice filled with a touch of uncertainty. "It's... It's something I discovered during my first year."

"So can I!" Lockhart interjected with false bravado."Just one of my many talents I haven't made public yet."

Henry, unable to tolerate Lockhart's self-centeredness anymore, snapped, "Shut up, Lockhart."

Lockhart's expression faltered for a moment, his self-assured facade cracking under Henry's words. He fell silent, avoiding eye contact with the others.

Oliver, trying to ease the tension, stepped forward. "Uh... Okay, Harry. If you can speak Parseltongue, then go right ahead." He motioned for Harry to step toward the middle of the bathroom.

Harry took a deep breath and positioned himself in the middle of the bathroom. He began speaking in a language that none of his companions could understand. They watched in awe as he effortlessly articulated the ancient words, his voice seeming to resonate with the very essence of magic.

After a few seconds, the seemingly ordinary sink started to move, slowly revealing a hidden passage. The group exchanged bewildered glances.

"Ok, that's weird," Oliver said, breaking the silence.

Lockhart peered down the pitch-black passageway. The drop was steep and foreboding, each step into the abyss revealing more uncertainty.

"So, who's going first?" Lockhart asked.

"You," Henry replied with a mischievous laugh.

"Now what would that accomplish?" Lockhart asked.

"Better you than us," Ron said.

".......Right.......," Lockhart said.

Lockhart turned around and stood at the edge of the drop, his eyes fixated on the gaping abyss below.

"Are you sure you don't want to test if fir-" Lockhart's sentence was abruptly cut short as Ron gave him an unexpected push, propelling him down the passage.

"AHHHHHH!" Lockhart's scream echoed through the darkness, his voice filled with sheer terror.

The group watched as Lockhart disappeared into the depths. Henry couldn't help but burst into laughter, quickly regaining his composure to offer Ron a heartfelt compliment.

"You're my hero," Henry said, a genuine and lighthearted appreciation evident in his voice.

They heard a thud as Lockhart landed on the ground, the sound reverberating through the passage. The group held their breath, waiting for a moment to see if Lockhart had survived the fall.

After what felt like an eternity, Henry finally broke the silence. "Are you alive?" he asked.

"It's very dirty down here," Lockhart's voice came from the darkness.

The boys let out a collective sigh of relief, their tension easing as they realized they hadn't inadvertently killed their teacher.

"Well, at least he's still breathing," Oliver remarked, unable to hide his slight amusement at Lockhart's less-than-heroic response.

Ron couldn't help but chuckle. "Looks like you'll have to make do with a little dirt, Lockhart. Better get used to it."

"Guess I'm up next," Henry said, as he prepared to take the plunge into the unknown depths below.

Oliver turned towards Ron and Harry. He spoke with a solemn tone, emphasizing the gravity of the situation.

"If anything happens down there, I want you guys to get out. It's my sister, after all. You aren't obligated to come with me," Oliver said.

"We were coming here anyway," Harry replied. "We're a team, and we've got your back until the end."

Ron nodded in agreement, his loyalty shining through. "Absolutely. We won't leave you alone, Oliver. We're in this together."