Legit five

Chapter 44

The next day, they all went to see Hermione and Sandra in the hospital wing, Harry replaced the flowers on Hermione's bedside table with fresh, Annabelle did the same with Sandra and Ron was standing on the right side of Hermione's bed. Harry noticed something clenched in Hermione's hand. Gently he pulled out a crumpled piece of paper. 

" What's that ? " asked Ron, Harry was staring at the paper dumbfounded. 

" This is why Hermione was in the library the day she and Sandra were attacked... Come on ! " They left the hospital wing in a hurry. Harry began explaining to them what was on the paper. " The monster in the Chamber of Secrets is a basilisk. It's a giant snake. No wonder I can hear it ! " said Harry. 

" But if it kills by looking people in the eye, why is it that no one's dead ? " asked Ron. 

" Because they didn't look at it directly in the eye " said Annabelle. 

" Colin saw it through his camera. Justin must have seen the basilisk through Nearly Headless Nick. Nick got a full blast of it, but he's a ghost, he can't die again. And Hermione had a mirror, she was probably using it to look around corners just in case it came around, Sandra must've looked in the mirror too. " said Harry.

" And Mrs. Norris ? I'm pretty sure she didn't have a camera or mirror " said Ron. 

" There was water though, remember ? She only saw the basilisk's reflection " said Harry. 

" How's the basilisk's getting around ? Surely someone would've seen it " said Ron. 

" The pipes," said Harry, " Hermione has them written down right here," he said gesturing towards the paper. 

" Pipes? It's using the plumbing ? " asked Ron. Annabelle stopped them. 

" Remember what Aragog said about that girl fifty years ago ? " asked Annabelle, they looked at her curiously. " She died in a bathroom? Well, what if she never left? "

" Moaning Myrtle " they breathed. Annabelle nodded.

" All students are to return to their house dormitories at once " McGonagall's voice rang throughout the whole school. " All teachers to the second-floor corridor immediately " Harry, Ron, and Annabelle immediately went to the second floor. They hid behind a corner as teachers filled the corridor, they were all looking at the wall. " As you can see the Heir of Slytherin had left another message, " began McGonagall. " Our worst fears has been realized. A student has been taken by the monster, into the Chamber itself. The students must be sent home, I'm afraid this is the end of Hogwarts ". At the moment Lockhart came swaggering into view. 

" Sorry, dozed off, what have I missed ? " he asked 

" A girl has been snatched by the monster Lockhart, your moment has come at last," said Snape in his monotone voice. 

" M--My moment ? " stuttered Lockhart " Weren't you saying, just last night that you've know all along where the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets is ? " asked Snape 

" That's settled. We'll leave you to deal with the monster Gilderoy " said McGonagall. " Your skills are legend after all ".

" Very well. I'll just be in my office um um, getting ready " said Lockhart, he turned and left. 

" Who is it that the monsters taken Minerva ? " asked Madame Pomfrey. 

" Ginny Weasly, " she answered. Annabelle and Harry turned to look at Ron who was frozen with his mouth hanging open, horrified. The teachers left to reveal the message on the wall. 

" Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever " Ron read " Ginny ".

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They soon found themselves running towards Lockhart's classroom.