The Potter Twins and the Chamber of Secrets {2}

20. Petrified *

"I can't believe the news today, why can't I close my eyes and make it go away?" ~ Sunday Bloody Sunday, U2

The morning after we saw the past through Tom Riddle's diary, we recounted what we saw to Hermione, Ron and Tay.

"Riddle might have got the wrong person," Hermione suggests. "Maybe it was some other monster that was attacking people..."

"How many monsters d'you think this place can hold?" Tay asks dully.

"We always knew Hagrid had been expelled," Harry says miserably.
"And the attacks must've stopped after Hagrid was kicked out," I add.

"Riddle does sound like Percy - who asked him to grass on Hagrid, anyway?" Ron says, trying a different tack.

"But the monster killed someone, Ron," Hermione says.

"And Riddle was going to go back to some Muggle orphanage if they closed Hogwarts," I tell them. "I don't blame him for wanting to stay here..."

Ron bites his lip, and then speaks again;
"You met Hagrid down Knockturn Alley, didn't you, Harry?"

"He was buying a flesh-eating slug repellant," Harry says quickly.

The five of us go silent before Hermione speaks up hesitantly.

"Do you think we should just go and ask Hagrid about it all?"

"That'd be a cheerful visit," Tay scoffs. "Hello, Hagrid, tell us, have you been setting anything mad and hairy loose in the castle lately?"

"She's right, we shouldn't go to Hagrid," Harry says, following another short silence. "After all, it's been nearly four months since the last attack."

"But," I begin, "if there's another attack we'll speak to him."

*~*

The Easter holidays have come around, along with something new for all us second years to think about; our new subjects for third year.

"It could affect our whole future," Hermione tells Harry, Tay, Ron and I, as we all look over a list of new subjects.

"I just want to give up potions," Harry mutters.

"We can't, we keep all our old subjects," I tell him gloomily. "Otherwise, I'd drop Herbology."

"Or Defence Against the Dark Arts," Ron adds.

"But that's very important," Hermione says, shocked.

"Not the way Lockhart teaches it," Tay pipes up. "The only thing I've learnt from him is how to cower in the face of harmless pixies."

Around us, I can hear many of the others thinking about it also.

Neville has been sent notes by his family and is asking others if they think Arithmancy sounds harder than the study of Ancient Runes.

Dean Thomas, on the other hand, who grew up with Muggles like Harry and me, has simply decided to close his eyes and jab his wand at the list, then poking whatever subjects it landed on.

Then there's Hermione, who is taking no one's advice, but is signing up for everything.

Ron, Harry, Tay and I have no idea what we want to do, but Percy is eager to help us out.

"Depends on where you want to go," he says. "It's never too early to think about the future, so I'd recommend Divination. People say Muggle Studies is a soft option, but I personally think wizards should have a thorough understanding of the non-magical community, particularly if they're thinking if working in close contact with them - look at my father, he had to deal with Muggle business all the time. My brother Charlie was always more of an outdoor type, so he went for Care of Magical Creatures. Play to your strengths."