𝕓𝕣𝕒𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕪 // 𝕙. 𝕡𝕠𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕣

chapter 4: no longer safe

your pov

it is the next day, and i've just walked into the Transfiguration classroom with harry and ron. hermione wanted to be early to class after last night, and i would have gone with her, but i didn't want to wake up any earlier than i had to. once we sit down, professor mcgonagall walks to the front of the room to begin class.

"Could I have your attention, please? Right. Now, today, we will be transforming animals into water goblets. Like so," mcgonagall taps a deminstrates with a mouse."One, two, three, Vera verto. Now it's your turn. Well, who would like to go first?" ron eagerly raises his hand. "Ah! Mr. Weasley." ron takes out his broken wand and tries the spell on his own mouse.

"Ahem. Vera verto!" ron casts, but his spell only half works as the goblet is still furry and has whiskers.

"really good ron!" i say, trying to hold in my laugh. he gives me a look.

"oh shut up." he says, trying to put more tape on his wand.

"That wand needs replacing, Mr. Weasley," mcgonagall says sternly. hermione raises her hand. "Yes, Miss Granger?"

"Professor, I was wondering if you could tell us about...the Chamber of Secrets?" hermione asks. i'm glad she did, i honestly have no idea what this 'chamber' is.

"Well, very well. Well, you all know, of course, that Hogwarts was founded over a thousand years ago by the four greatest witches and wizards of the age: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin. Now, three of the founders coexisted quite harmoniously. One did not." mcgonagall says.

"Three guesses who." ron whispers to harry and i.

"Salazar Slytherin wished to be more selective about the students admitted to Hogwarts. He believed magical learning should be kept within all-magic families. In other words, "pure-bloods." Unable to sway the others, he decided to leave the school. Now, according to legend, Slytherin had built a hidden chamber in this castle, known as the Chamber of Secrets. Though, shortly before departing, he sealed it until that time when his own true heir returned to the school. The heir alone would be able to open the Chamber and unleash the horror within, and by so doing purge the school of all those who, in Slytherin's view, were unworthy to study magic." mcgonagall says.

"Muggle-borns." hermione says sadly.

"Well, naturally, the school had been searched many times. No such chamber has been found," mcgonagall says. i raise my hand. "yes, ms. (l/n)?"

"Professor? What exactly does legend tell us lies within the Chamber?" i ask.

"Well, the Chamber is said to home to something that only the Heir of Slytherin can control. It is said to be the home of a monster." mcgonagall replies. i shudder. i really hope this chamber of secrets isn't real.

~time skip~

i'm walking down the hallway with harry, ron, and hermione after transfiguration.

"D'you think it's true? D'you think there really is a Chamber of Secrets?" ron asks us. i nod my head, as much as i don't want to believe it, it makes sense..

"Yes. Couldn't you tell? McGonagall's worried. All the teachers are." i say.

"Well, if there really is a Chamber of Secrets, a-and it really has been opened, then that means---" harry starts to say.

"The Heir of Slytherin has returned to Hogwarts. The question is, who is it?" hermione finishes.

"Let's think. Who do we know who thinks all Muggle-borns are scum?" ron says.