This was well written, but poor poor Penelope. It seems to be a common theme when re-writing the Chamber of Secrets in fanfiction that somebody(ies) gets killed instead of petrified. Not a development I'm keen on (Harry Potter gets too depressing towards the latter part of the series as it is).
Author's response
It's not that I have a desire to kill characters, it just seems implausibly lucky that the great snake couldn't claim a victim despite numerous encounters. I realise the poor critter is out of practice, but how lame would it have to be to miss two girls in an empty corridor using only a hand-mirror? As for me picking on Penelope twice in the same year, she fit the bill for Flint's favorite prey as well as being present in canon for Hermione's petrifaction.
wh