FicWad

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't even own a house. J. K. Rowling has both. Don't sue me for my poverty.

Chapter 13

The next month proved Harry correct. Walking down a hallway was all it took to get every eye turned to him, and people would get out of his way, even if they weren't in his way. That may have had something to do with Fred and George, though. They took it upon themselves to warn everyone to stay away from the terribly frightening second year. They would march in front of him yelling, "Get out of the way! Murdering snake man coming through! Don't piss him off, or he'll sic his killer cobra on you!" Harry, of course, went right along with it, occasionally pointing to a student (usually a fifth through seventh year) and say something to the effect of, "Watch it! You almost bumped me!" Then he'd snicker.

The animagus training was progressing wonderfully. The book said that this stage would normally take from a year and a half to two and a half years. Harry figured that he would probably get through it sooner than that, considering that he trained all night, every night.

One thing that couldn't figure was what the monster was. It was obviously a snake, but one that could either petrify or kill without leaving any marks? He tried looking into the girl that Hagrid had said died, but couldn't find anything other than that her name was Myrtle Manfree.

There was also very little on Riddle. He was Head Boy and a Prefect, and he had top grades in everything. Then he disappeared. There was a brief mention in one of the old graduate's books (a kind of year book they give to the seventh years when they graduate) about him going to work at some shop, but Harry knew that couldn't have lasted long.

Ron was being very strange. He seemed to be actively avoiding Harry. Harry assumed that it was because he believed Harry actually was the one setting a monster loose on the school. Harry didn't really care; he was just pleased not to have to do anything other than show up to make him leave. He decided it was time for another talk with Hermione.

"Hermione, I've got a bone to pick with you." She looked at him confused, wondering what it could be this time.

"I'm not fawning over Lockhart any more."

"I know, and that's very good, but that's not what this is about." She just looked at him until he continued. "I thought you would stop fawning over stupid, moronic prats in general, rather than Lockhart specifically."

"I don't think I am fawning over anyone at all, actually." She seemed really confused, thinking hard about the past several days.

"I'm talking about Ron." And suddenly she understood.
"I don't faun over Ron, Harry. He's just a friend."

"No, you would never be friends with such an imbecile. However, you have proven that you will let an infatuation blind you to a person's innate stupidity. Ron is a fool." Hermione sighed.

"I know he's not the brightest spark from the wand, but he is a good person."

"I don't care if he's the venerable pope; he annoys the shit out of me." It seemed that Hermione had given up telling him to watch his language.

"Well, he's been avoiding you, so I won't be seeing him anyway. And he has tried to warn me to avoid you a couple of times, too, because I'm muggleborn, and you were obviously telling that snake to attack me at the dueling club. I suppose you're right. I'm not going to be mean to him, but we won't hang out with him anymore." 'Must remember to do a happy dance when there aren't so many people watching.'

Harry was glad that Ron was going to be going home for the holidays. That meant that he would be gone for the next two weeks. Hermione was staying though, and Harry was hoping that, when Ron realized that she was staying here with Harry, he would try to convince her to go home, thus starting the conversation where Hermione tells his he is no longer welcome in her presence. Harry intended to witness that conversation.

That night, at dinner, Luna Lovegood walked up to Harry at the Gryffindor table. "Harry, could you unpetrify Jermy Prascal, please?"

Harry looked up and asked, "Who's Jermy Prascal?"

"He's the Gryffindor first year boy you petrified a while back. He is a friend of mine." Like always, Luna was dead serious.

Harry smiled. "I'm sorry, Luna. I rather don't know how to unpetrify anyone. And I hate to tell you this, but I'm not the one who petrified him."

"Did you tell a monster to do it?"

"I'm afraid I don't know how the students are getting petrified. Sorry to be of so little help, Luna."

She smiled, sadly. "It is alright, Harry. If you ever do figure out how to unpetrify the students, please do." Harry nodded. He went back to eating, ignoring the fact that the entire Hall was staring at him.

#########################################################

Finally, the holidays were upon them. That morning, Ron came up to Hermione and asked to speak with her. When she got up to go talk with him, Harry followed. Ron led her to an unused classroom. When he saw Harry sitting in the room with Hermione, his expression grew cold.

"Could you excuse us, Harry? This is private." His face was bright red, and he seemed inches from punching Harry.

"Oh, of course. How rude of me." Harry turned him self invisible. "There, I'm gone." He was vaguely surprised when Ron didn't believe him.

"I'm serious, get out." Harry rolled his eyes and opened and closed the door. That seemed to convince Ron. Hermione, why are you staying here for the break. You and Harry will be the only Gryffindors here. Who knows what kind of terrible things he would do to you?"

Hermione was suddenly very angry at Ron. "Ron, if you truly believe that Harry would ever hurt me, then you are as stupid as Harry is always saying you are." At this, Harry's face was covered in a grin. "Harry is not the one attacking the students, Ron. He doesn't have anything against muggleborns. Hell, his MOTHER was muggleborn, you imbecile!" Hermione took some time to calm her self down. "Look, I'm sorry I yelled at you. But Harry is my best friend. If you can't get along, then I'm going to ask you to leave me alone." Harry decided to make himself visible. He was standing behind Hermione's shoulder, looking at Ron with a smirk. Ron's face was glowing by now, and the sight of Harry sent him hurrying out the door. Harry decided to break the silence.

"Glad that's over." Hermione shrieked and spun around.

"Don't sneak up on me like that! You scared the hell out of me!" Harry smiled at her.

"Watch you language." He then ducked the swing she made at him. "Woah, calm down. Lets go throw snowballs at the students that are leaving."

"No, Harry. Let's just go back to the common room."

######################################

That night, Harry and Hermione were researching magical snakes. They were trying to figure out one that could petrify or kill without leaving any marks. After three hours, Hermione was the one to find it.

"Here it is! Of the many fearsome beasts and monsters that roam our land, there is none more curious or more deadly than the Basilisk, known also as the King of Serpents. This snake, which may reach gigantic size and live many hundreds of years, is born from a chicken's egg, hatched beneath a toad. Its methods of killing are most wondrous, for aside from its deadly and venomous fangs, the Basilisk has a murderous stare, and all who are fixed with the beam of its eye shall suffer instant death. Spiders flee before the Basilisk, for it is their mortal enemy, and the Basilisk flees only from the crowing of the rooster, which is fatal to it. Oh, this is it! You said that the spiders were fleeing the scene at the first attack. And Hagrid told me that the roosters were killed earlier in the year."

"Yeah, but no one had died. They've all been petrified."

"Ummm......Oh! They didn't see it directly. The cat probably saw it in the reflection of the water that was on the ground, and the other kid seemed to have been looking out the window when he saw it. It was probably the reflection too."

"Huh. Well, what do we do with this information?"

"I think we should tell Professor Dumbledore."

"Well, I can't think of a reason not to, so okay. Tomorrow then."

The next day, Harry and Hermione found themselves at the teachers' table at breakfast. Harry said, "We need to talk to you, professor." He seemed to know what it was about already and led them to his office. His office was filled with lots of silvery gadgets and doodads. Just behind the desk stood a perch, on which was a large red and gold bird. "Is that a phoenix, sir?"

"Why, yes it is, Mr. Potter. Your knowledge of the magical world astounds me every time I speak to you, it seems."

"Well, I decided to look phoenixes up after Mr. Ollivander told me that my wand had a phoenix feather core."

"Ahh, yes. Mr. Ollivander informed me that you had gotten the other one." Harry was a bit surprised at that.

"Why did he tell you that, sir?"

"Well, Harry, this is the phoenix that gave the feathers for those two wands."

"Oh, no way! That's awesome! I knew I liked that bird."

"Now, why don't we get back to why we are here?"

"Oh, right. Hermione and I think that the creature attacking students is a basilisk."

Dumbledore sat up a little straighter. "And why do you think that?"

Hermione decided to take it from there. She told him all her reasoning after telling him about reading about basilisks last night. Dumbledore seem to think for a moment. "Yes, but then why has no one noticed it before now? A basilisk that old would be fifty feet by now." Harry hadn't thought of that, but apparently Hermione had.

"I think it is going through the pipes, sir. Harry says he's heard a scary voice talking about killing and such, but he could never tell where it was coming from. I believe it was in the walls."

"Ah, yes. But then, the entrance...." He seemed deep in thought. Harry decided to bring him back to reality.

"Sir?"

"Oh, I was considering the possibility of the entrance being located in one of the school's bathrooms."

"Oh. Wait, wasn't the girl that died fifty years ago found in the bathroom?"

Dumbledore's face lit up in recognition. Then he glanced at Harry in askance. "How do you know about what happened then?"

"It was in the records, sir." Dumbledore nodded at that.

"Well, lets go check out that bathroom." Hermione was shocked.

"Sir? You are taking us with you?" The headmaster smiled at her.

"I think I may need a parselmouth to open the door. Do not worry, Miss Granger. We shall not be venturing into the Chamber today. I am just going to set up a trip ward to tell me when someone does enter it. I need to catch the person doing this." Twenty minutes later, during which Harry realized that the sad ghost was Myrtle Manfree, and Harry and Hermione were headed back to the Gryffindor common room.