PRINCESS ➳ harry potter , draco malfoy (OLD VERSION)

29 || Into The Chamber

The night that was supposed to be the most hopeful of the year, the night in which the Mandrake Draught would be ready, and all those who had been Petrified would be revived, proved to be the most haunting night of the year instead.

Katie had been leaving Potions class with Pansy when Professor McGonagall's voice, loud and booming, echoed through the corridors.

"All students are to return to the dormitoties at once. All teacher to the second floor corridor immediately."

With a hopless glance around, Katie changed course and started making her way out of the dungeons, leaving a confused and terrified Pansy behind. Once she was on the first floor corridor, Katie rounded a corner and ran straight into two people. They all let out loud yelps of fright.

"Katie?"

"Harry?"

"What are you doing here?" a red-head chimed in.

"On my way to the second floor, of course," Katie told Ron. "What about you two?" Katie knew at once that it was a stupid question. With a small nod, the trio sprinted up the next set of marble steps. They arrived at the same place of the first attack and saw all the teachers gathered around the stone wall on which 'THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED. ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE' still shone in bright red.

Katie, Harry and Ron hid behind a nearby pillar and listened in to the teacher's conversation.

"As you can see," McGonagall began, "the heir of Slytherin has left another message."

Katie peeked around the pillar to catch a glimpse of said message, but the huddle of teachers were blocking it from view.

McGonagall continued on. "Our worst fear has bee realised — 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." Katie had never heard Professor McGonagall, a brave, strong and stern witch, speak with so much terror and hopelessness in her voice.

Lockhart, dressed in pink robes, strode down the corridor, a spring in his step, his usual smile on his face. "So sorry — dozed off. What have I missed?" He didn't seem to notice the looks of disgust and hatred that the other teachers were shooting at him.

"A girl has been snatched by the monster. Lockhart, your moment has come at last." Snape said ever-so teasingly.

Lockhart looked as though he had been thrown into a pool of ice cold water.

"M-my moment?" he stammered.

"Weren't you just saying last night that you've known all along where the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets is?" Snape's lips curved into a curt smile, one that McGonagall mirrored.

"That settles it," she said. "We'll leave you to deal with the monster, Gilderoy. Your skills, after all, are legend."

Lockhart glanced around, his wide eyes begging for help, but none came. Finally, he managed to wipe the flabbergasted expression off his face and moulded his mouth into a smile.

"Very well! I'll be in my office getting..." he paused. "Getting ready."

Once Lockhart had retreated from the corridor, Madam Pomfrey turned to McGonagall.

"Who is it that the monster has taken, Minerva?" she asked cautiously, as though scared of the answer, her breathy voice filled with fear.

McGonagall sighed sadly and said, "Ginny Weasley."

Ron let out a small whimper and then Katie felt him sink to the floor.

With that being said, the teachers cleared from the corridor. Katie and Harry could finally step out from behind the pillar and read the message that had been written on the wall. Upon reading it, they both gasped in terror, and Katie instinctively grabbed Harry's hand, who did not hesitate to grip it back.