The Parselmouth and the Basilisk {Jade Book 2}

Chapter 7

A few days after the incident with the Chamber of Secrets, I decided to talk to Ginevra about what had happened.

At dinner, I looked along the length of the Gryffindor table and I finally found her, by herself, at the end.

When I was finished eating, I excused myself to Blaise and Anja, then checked to see if Ginevra was finished eating. I saw her get up, so I walked towards the door, reaching it just before she did.

"Hello, Ginevra Weasley. I really need to talk to you about something.  Follow me." I led her out of the Great Hall, but then she stopped, frowning in concentration.

"Do I know you?" she asked.

So I was correct – she had been possessed and therefore had no recollection of the events.

I shrugged. "In a way, I suppose."

She followed me, without a word, to a seat along the corridor.

I took a deep breath. "Okay. So, my name is Jade Evans. I'm a second-year Slytherin."

Her eyes widened. "A Slytherin?"

I nodded. "I'm a good Slytherin, don't worry."

She suddenly frowned in concentration. "You look sort of like...Harry Potter."

I sighed. "Yes, I'm his half-sister."

"What?"

"I'm his mother's daughter," I explained.

"Oh. So, what did you want to talk about?" she enquired.

"Now, please don't yell, or anything," I warned her, then took a deep breath. "I think you're being possessed."

She almost shouted out, I think. "Possessed? By who? And how would you know?"

"By a male Parselmouth, an Heir of Slytherin – one of Salazar Slytherin's descendants –who is most likely a Slytherin. I don't know his name, age or anything like that, but that's all I could figure out from talking to him," I told her.

"You talked to him? When? Where? And how do you know all that?" she gasped.

I smiled ruefully, then began to recount our conversation.

"So...this guy, whoever he is, is going to start attacking people on Hallowe'en? That doesn't leave us with all that much time to do anything about it..." she said doubtfully.

I got up. "I know," I stated regretfully. "I guess now we have to hope for a miracle, because there's not much two young girls can do about it. But I have to go now. Bye, Ginevra. I guess I'll see you around sometime...hopefully before Hallowe'en."

She sighed. "It does seem hopeless, doesn't it? Okay, bye Jade. Oh, and call me Ginny. Everyone does." She smiled and waved as I walked away to my Common Room.

"Bye, Ginny!"

In my Common Room, I tried to think what to do now.

Then I cursed as I realised I had forgotten to ask Ginny about the diary.

***

It was Hallowe'en and I was dreading it.

Last year, at Hallowe'en, a troll had been set loose in the dungeons.

This year, it could be worse.

Some poor Muggle-born could end up dead.

And my feeling of dread only intensified when I looked along the Gryffindor table and couldn't see Ginny anywhere.