Emma Potter

37: Freak

By morning I had known all about Colin Creevy being petrified, I had also known that Draco had not put a curse on the Buldger, I had also found out by recounting my conversation Dobby that the chamber had been opened before. Also, found out that I absolutely detested my House. We were pompous, and groupists and very overated.

The last bit I kept to myself.

Me, Ron and Hermione spent our late morning in the girls bathroom. My brother made me jump when he came in. "It's me," he said, closing the door behind him. There was aclunk, a splash, and a gasp from within the stall and  "Harry!" Hermione said. "You gave us such a fright — come in —how's your arm?""Fine," said Harry, squeezing into the stall. An old cauldron wasperched on the toilet, and a crackling from under the rim toldHarry they had lit a fire beneath it. Conjuring up portable, waterproof fires was a speciality of Hermione's. 

"We'd've come to meet you, but we decided to get started on thePolyjuice Potion," Ron explained as Harry, with difficulty, lockedthe stall again. "We've decided this is the safest place to hide it."Harry started to tell us about Colin, but I interrupted."We already know — we heard Professor McGonagall telling Professor Flitwick this morning. That's why we decided we'd betterget going —" 

"The sooner we get a confession out of Malfoy, the better,"snarled Ron. "D'you know what I think? He was in such a foultemper after the Quidditch match, he took it out on Colin."

 "There's something else," said Harry, watching Hermione tearing bundles of knotgrass and throwing them into the potion."Dobby came to visit me in the middle of the night."Ron and I and Hermione looked up, amazed. Harry told us everything Dobby had told him — or hadn't told him. Hermione andRon listened with their mouths open. My mouth of course was closed, I had already told him about my conversation about Dobby.

 "The Chamber of Secrets has been opened before?" Hermionesaid. "We justified that, I said."This settles it," said Ron in a triumphant voice. "Lucius Malfoymust've opened the Chamber when he was at school here and nowhe's told dear old Draco how to do it. It's obvious. Wish Dobby'dtold you what kind of monster's in there, though. I want to knowhow come nobody's noticed it sneaking around the school."

"Well," I snarled "I'll tell you why I know it wasn't him shall I?"

"Englighten us" said Harry rolling his eyes. I scowled "he was with me, last night." I growled "we talked till about 4" Silence.

"About that monster" said Hermione quickly , "Maybe it can make itself invisible," s proddingleeches to the bottom of the cauldron. "Or maybe it can disguiseitself — pretend to be a suit of armor or something — I've readabout Chameleon Ghouls —" 

"You read too much, Hermione," said Ron, pouring deadlacewings on top of the leeches. He crumpled up the emptylacewing bag and looked at Harry."So Dobby stopped us from getting on the train and broke yourarm. . . ." He shook his head. "You know what, Harry? If he doesn'tstop trying to save your life he's going to kill you." Then he looked at me. "What about Emma?" he asked. 

I shrugged.

The news that Colin Creevey had been attacked and was now lyingas though dead in the hospital wing had spread through the entireschool by Monday morning. The air was suddenly thick with rumor and suspicion. The first years were now moving around thecastle in tight-knit groups, as though scared they would be attackedif they ventured forth alone.Ginny , who sat next to Colin Creevey in Charms, wasdistraught, but I felt that Fred and George were going thewrong way about cheering her up. 

They were taking turns coveringthemselves with fur or boils and jumping out at her from behindstatues. They only stopped when Percy, apoplectic with rage, toldthem he was going to write to Mrs. Weasley and tell her Ginny washaving nightmares.Meanwhile, hidden from the teachers, a roaring trade in talismans, amulets, and other protective devices was sweeping theschool. Neville Longbottom bought a large, evil-smelling greenonion, a pointed purple crystal, and a rotting newt tail before theother Gryffindor boys pointed out that he was in no danger; he wasa pureblood, and therefore unlikely to be attacked."They went for Filch first," Neville said, his round face fearful."And everyone knows I'm almost a Squib."