SuperPotterLock- The Chamber of Secrets

Gilderoy Lockhart

The next morning saw a slightly more cheerful, limp-free Castiel, who sat down next to Hermione at the breakfast table.

'That's a good one,' he said, gesturing at the copy of Voyages with Vampires that she had propped open against a milk jug. She nodded vaguely without taking her eyes off the page. Content to sit quietly beside Hermione, he munched on a heavily buttered piece of toast until the Gryffindor boys arrived and sat down on her other side.

'Good morning,' he said brightly, as did Neville Longbottom opposite them.

'Post's due any minute- I think Gran's sending on a few things I forgot,' Neville said, just as Sherlock walked in and sat opposite John. No sooner had John grabbed a bowl of porridge did hundreds of owls stream in and circle the hall, dropping parcels on tables. A big, lumpy package bounced off Neville's head and something large and grey fell into Hermione's jug, spraying them all with milk and feathers.

'Errol!' Ron exclaimed, pulling him out of the jug by his feet. Errol slumped unconscious, with a damp, red envelope clamped in his beak.

'Oh, no-' Ron gasped.

'It's all right, he's still alive,' said Hermione, prodding Errol with the tip of her finger.

'It's not that- it's that.'

He pointed at the red envelope. It looked ordinary enough, but Neville, Ron and Sherlock were all looking at it as if it were about to explode, and Castiel jumped back and fell out of his seat when he saw it.

'What's the matter?' said Harry.

'She- she sent me a Howler,' said Ron faintly.

'You'd better open it, Ron,' said Neville in a timid whisper. 'It'll be worse if you don't. My gran sent me one once, and I ignored it and- it was horrible.'

John frowned in confusion at the slight flicker of fear that crossed even Sherlock's face.

'What's a Howler?' he asked.

'You'll see,' Sherlock grimaced as the envelope began to smoke at the corners. Ron slit it open with shaking hands and Neville stuffed his fingers in his ears.

'What-' John began, but he never got to finish his sentence as a booming roar filled the Hall.

'... STEALING THE CAR, I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN SURPRISED IF THEY'D EXPELLED YOU, YOU WAIT TILL I GET HOLD OF YOU, I DON'T SUPPOSE YOU STOPPED TO THINK WHAT YOUR FATHER AND I WENT THROUGH WHEN WE SAW IT HAD GONE...'

John clamped his hands over his ears in an attempt to block out the sound of Mrs Weasley's yells that were making the plates and spoons on the table rattle. People throughout the Hall were swivelling round in their seats to see who had received the Howler and Ron sank so low in his chair that only the top of his red head was showing.

'... LETTER FROM DUMBLEDORE LAST NIGHT, I THOUGHT YOUR FATHER WOULD DIE OF SHAME. WE DIDN'T BRING YOU UP TO BEHAVE LIKE THIS, YOU AND HARRY COULD BOTH HAVE DIED...'

John's eardrums were starting to throb and Sherlock's eyes were squeezed shut. He wished it would be over soon.

'... ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED, YOUR FATHER'S NOW FACING AN ENQUIREY AT WORK AND IT'S ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT. IF YOU PUT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE, WE'LL BRING YOU STRAIGHT BACK HOME.'

A ringing silence fell and the red envelope burst into flames and curled into ashes. John lowered his hands cautiously and Castiel pulled himself out from under the table, trembling slightly. A few people laughed and gradually, a babble of talk broke out again.