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Chapter 06: The Chamber Reopened

Ron had his wand out and was slowly walking towards Harry. He stuck the wand at Harry's throat.

"So, Potter, a bit shocked I spoiled your little scheme," said Ron who seemed beyond reason.

"Ron, put down your wand," warned Ginny angrily. "Mum warned you..."

"No, Ginny, you need to be protected from him," said Ron who honestly believed he was performing some valiant deed. This was the wrong thing to say.

"Protected!" cried Ginny incredulously. "I can take care of myself and I trust Harry. Why can't you? It's not like you ever attempted to even know him, you just made the wrong conclusions because you’ve got it in your head that all Slytherins are evil!."

Ginny began to pull her wand out but Ron's hand remained unmoving, still pointed towards Harry's throat.

"That's the point, he's a bloody Slytherin," hissed Ron. "He is no better than You-Know-Who, and now he is going to drag you down with him on his little crusade of terror."

"Harry is not anything like and will never be anything Voldemort!" snapped Ginny before clapping her hand over her mouth. She could not even believe her daring, saying his name out loud. It seemed to come from nowhere and if being angered by Ron had not distracted Ginny, she would have felt even more suspicious at her own daring.

Ron winced at hearing Voldemort's name. Harry felt a feeling of impending doom coming as Ron began to respond.

"See, now I know for a fact Potter has some kind of dark magic control over you, because you would not dare utter that name in any under circumstances, you have always said You-Know-Who like everyone else," said Ron. "Potter is a bad influence on you, saying his name will lead to nothing but trouble."

Ron then rounded on Harry. Harry felt he could deal with Ron easily but he also realized it would be best for Ron to get all his aggression out without Harry retaliating.

"As for you Potter, I am going to do something to you that should have been done a long time ago," said Ron, holding up his wand but seemingly hesitating. It was obviously the youngest Weasley boy wanted to attack Harry but he did not think out exactly how he was going to attack Harry.

"If it makes you feel better," said Harry indifferently as Ginny put her head in her hands in frustration, attempting to hold back tears.

"Ron, don't you dare," said Ginny warningly but it was too late.

"Wingardium Leviosa," cried Ron, saying the first spell that came to his mind.

"You dolt, that charm is not supposed to be used on people," hissed Harry as he levitated about a foot off the ground. Ron could not maintain control and Harry crashed down, unable to brace himself because of at the awkward angle he fell.

Harry's knee smacked off the edge of the table with a crack. Ron had a look on his face as if he realized he went too far as Harry winced, clutching his knee.

"Harry!" yelled Ginny rushing over to her friend with a look of concern spreading over her face.

"I'm fine Ginny, it's just bruised," said Harry, attempting to pull himself to his feet but his leg gave out from underneath him.

"Ginny, I'm..." started Ron but Ginny turned to Ron, an angry glare in her eyes.

"Stay away from us," said Ginny in a deadly tone of voice. "Haven't you done enough damage? Harry, you need to get up to the Hospital Wing. You can't even stand."

"Ginny, I'm fine," said Harry irritably.

"No you're not," said Ginny, helping Harry up before turning her back to Ron. Ron seemed to not take being ignored too well.

"Fine, Ginny, fine, if you want to help the slimy Slytherin and hang around him, that's your business," said Ron angrily. "I just hope you don't get yourself killed!"

Harry winced slightly at Ron's words and he started to feel guilty.

"Ginny, maybe we should not..." said Harry but Ginny cut him off.

"If you are about to say we should not be friends Harry Potter, then you can save it," said Ginny in an irritable tone of voice. "I’m not going to abandon you just because what my git of a brother says. Now come on, you need to get that knee looked at as I thought I heard something pop when it hit the table."

Ginny and Harry left as Ron had an enraged look on his face. Potter had to be evil, he just had to be. After all, he was a Slytherin and all Slytherins were evil Death Eaters in training. Sure, Ron never seen Potter doing anything evil but he was sure of it, Potter had to be smart enough to shield his evil from the outside world. Surely someone else had to see that.

Later that night, Harry was in the hospital wing. As it turned out, his right kneecap had been dislocated cracking against the table. Madam Pomfrey had mended it in a short time but she insisted Harry spent the night, just in case there were any complications. Ginny had sat by Harry's bedside late in the night, Harry just rested and watched her writing in what appeared to be a diary of some sort.

"Harry, we heard the most horrible rumors, please tell me Ron Weasley did not attack you," said Hermione who had just walked in the Hospital Wing looking frantic.

"Fine, Hermione, I won't tell you but I would be telling you a lie then," said Harry.

"Snape did not seem too happy at Weasley," said Theodore. "I heard pushed for Weasley to get a harder punishment than he got for ruthlessly attacking a student, of his own house in fact and McGonagall seemed to agree but Dumbledore stepped in, saying it was an isolated incident and it would never happen again."

"Yeah, if I attacked Ron, Dumbledore would be singing a different tune," said Harry coldly.

"Harry, I'm sure Dumbledore wouldn’t treat you any different than Ron," said Ginny although she looked a bit curious at why Harry would say something like that.

"Ginny, you don't know Dumbledore like I do," said Harry slowly. "He did some things during my first year that casted suspicion on his character for me. Let's not forget it was his orders that put me with those...Dursleys."

Harry was about ready to say a ruder word but he decided on just referring to the offended family by their name.

"Ginny, I understand you may have been painted a respectable picture of Dumbledore due to your entire family up until you being in Gryffindor," said Daphne. "Dumbledore is..."

Harry held his hand up to stop Daphne from finishing that sentence.

"We can't talk about this right here, it's too risky," said Harry in a low tone of voice. "I will explain why I feel how I do about Dumbledore later, but I can’t here, Ginny."

"Okay, Harry," said Ginny in a low tone of voice but she wondered what Dumbledore might have done other than leave Harry at these Dursleys to make Harry distrust the Headmaster so much.

Ginny was brought out of her thoughts by the arrival of trouble. Namely her mischievous twin brothers Fred and George Weasley.

"Harry, we heard about your little accident," said George. "And rest assure, we will be having words with Ickle Ronniekins about his recent attitude."

Harry wondered if words meant what he thought it did, as in pranking Ron ruthlessly.

"So we decided to bring you a little gift you raised your spirits," continued Fred.

"So allow us to present to you," said George, picking up from his twin.

"A one of a kind, completely authentic," said Fred.

The Twins pulled a toilet seat behind their backs.

"Hogwarts Toilet Seat," chorused the Twins.

Harry burst out laughing; The Twins were always good for a laugh. Daphne, Theodore, and Ginny joined in and Hermione seemed to be doing her best not too, but her lip seemed to be twitching as she fought the urge to laugh.

"Fred and George Weasley, what are you doing with that thing?" demanded Madam Pomfrey who walked into the room, hands on hips. "Remove it now, it’s unsanitary."

The Twins backed off and decided it was in their best interest to step out.

"As for you four," said Madam Pomfrey, turning to Hermione, Ginny, Daphne, and Theodore. "Mr. Potter needs his rest as he just dislocated his knee cap so please leave."

The four got up although Ginny gave Harry a long look before reluctantly turning her back and leaving. Harry sighed before lying back. This was going to be a long, lonely night.

The next few weeks seemed to past by rather quickly. Flint was his usual insane Quidditch practicing self, drawing the Slytherin Quidditch Team to the point of exhaustion. As an added bonus for Harry, Colin Creevey seemed to want to follow Harry everyone as some sort of over talkative shadow.

Lockhart's classes were the most useless thing in the history of humanity and they made Harry long for the days of Quirrell, despite the minor complication of Voldemort sticking out of the back of Quirrell's head. Lockhart read passages from his books and picked Harry always to act out the more interesting parts. Of course Harry cooperated but only in his own half hearted, sarcastic manner. Lockhart did not seem to think anything was off with Harry's lack of enthusiasm and he mistaken it for excitement. Unfortunately, thanks to Hermione practically begging Harry not to make Lockhart's life a difficult, and Harry in a moment of weakness agreeing, he had no means of retaliation. Of course, that did not stop Harry from making plans to seek out an old spectral ally of his who had aided Harry in the process of mischief making in the past.

Ron decided to ignore both Harry and Ginny and this time he kept his silence for more than a few days. Still, mysterious things happened to the youngest Weasley brother, like his face mysteriously popping out with boils and then his breakfast transforming into spiders, freaking out Ron to no end. Ginny told Harry weakly that spiders freaked out her brother. This cold attitude by Ron seemed to bother Ginny. Harry suspected this was the reason why Ginny looked so tired and ill recently. Not even Harry's paranoid mind could not come up with another explanation.

"So, Hermione, tell me again, how exactly did you rope us into this?" inquired Theodore in an irritable manner.

Theodore, Daphne, Hermione, and Harry were heading up on Halloween Night to the five hundredth Death Day celebration of the Gryffindor Ghost Sir Nicholas de Mimsy Porpington or more commonly known to mortals, Nearly Headless Nick. Nearly Headless Nick seemed to be on a quest to join the Headless Hunt but due to his unfortunate condition of not being completely headless, he had been denied. He had enlisted the help of Hermione and her friends to attempt to convince the leader of the hunt, a Sir Patrick Delaney Podmore to allow him entrance into the Hunt.

"It will be an interesting and entertaining cultural experience," said Hermione in an excited tone of voice.

"Yeah, but it sounds like it is dead depressing," said Daphne seriously. "Still, how did Ginny get out of doing this?"

"Harry, where is Ginny anyway?" asked Hermione.

"What do I look like, her keeper?" said Harry irritably before getting a serious expression on his face. "For your information, she said she wasn't feeling well and was going to bed early tonight."

The three Slytherins and Hermione made there way up to the Deathday Party. They were greeted by the most horrific sound they had ever heard.

"What in the blazes is that?" said Daphne covering her ears in disgust. "That blasted thing sounds like a dying cat in a hailstorm!"

"That, I believe is the music selection for this evening," said Hermione.

"Sounds like Mikey singing in the shower," remarked Harry who was partially glad Ginny was not here so he could make this analogy. He had told Daphne and Theodore about his family the previously year and Hermione had met them in what was an eventful evening with a battle with some Purple Dragons and a couple of invisible Foot Ninja involving Harry and Raph. Ginny, however, had not been told about his family, all Harry told her was he had been adopted by some Muggles in New York. Perhaps in the future, Harry would tell her.

Nearly Headless Nick glided up to the four friends, smiling.

"Good evening my friends," said Nick. "So glad you can make it."

The four friends exchanged smiles with the ghost and they walked around the party, the smell of rotted food turning Harry's stomach. Harry could spot the Slytherin House Ghost, the Bloody Baron, covered in Silvery Blood wrapped in chains and all the other ghosts seem to be giving him a lot of space Looking further, Harry saw a sight that sickened him. Pizza so old that it had gone bad. He had a look of indignation on his face but Hermione stopped and looked frantic.

"No turn back, I don't want to talk to Moaning Myrtle," said Hermione frantically, looking at the ghost of a girl with glasses and pimples.

"Myrtle, isn't she that nut who haunts the girl's bathroom?" asked Theodore.

"She's not a nut she's just...slightly mentally unstable," said Daphne, attempting to find the right wording. "It's also pretty damn difficult to use the facilities when she is wailing in there."

Suddenly a wicked looking man with a Technicolor bow tie whizzed from underneath the table.

"Greetings, Peeves," said Harry remembering he needed to have a talk with the Poltergeist. "I would like to have a chat with you."

"Why, a chat with humble Peevesie, I wonder what the Potter boy has up his sleeve," said Peeves, mischief dancing in the eyes of the Poltergeist.

"Wouldn't you agree it would be a shame if Professor Lockhart's life would be made a bit more difficult?" asked Harry. Hermione opened her mouth to protest but Peeves responded before she could say anything.

"Peeves gets your message loud and clear, sir," said Peeves, giving Harry a mock salute before turning to Hermione. "Now, I heard you were being rude about Myrtle. Very nasty about wanting to avoid her. Maybe I should call her over hear and have a chat with her."

"No Peeves, please no," begged Hermione but Peeves was beyond reason.

"Oh, Myrtle," called Peeves.

Moaning Myrtle glided over, looking on the verge of being upset about something.

"What!" said Myrtle irritably.

"Miss Granger was talking about you," said Peeves in an innocent voice or at least as close as innocent as Peeves ever got.

"I was just...just saying how nice you look," said Hermione in a strained manner.

Myrtle burst out into tears.

"You've been talking behind my back!" wailed Myrtle. "Always the same rubbish. Moaning Myrtle. Miserable, Moaping Myrtle."

"You forgot Pimply," said Peeves before he started pelting food at Myrtle and chanted. "Pimply, Pimply, Pimply!"

Myrtle zoomed out of the room, wailing.

"Just what the world needed, a temperamental ghost," said Harry under his breath while shaking his head.

"It looks like Nearly Headless Nick is about to give his speech," said Hermione, attempting to change the subject.

Nick walked up to the podium, preparing to give his speech.

"My dear friends, I..." started Nick but he was stopped by the sound of a horn and a bunch of ghosts riding in on dozen spectral horses.

One of the ghosts had removed his head and they were playing a game of catch with the head.

"Oh great," said Nearly Headless Nick.

"Nick, my dear boy," hollered one of the ghosts. "Hope you aren't still sore at being left out of the headless hunt."

The ghost saw the three Slytherins and Hermione and gave a fake jump of astonishment, causing its head to fly off.

"Liveuns," cried the head of the ghost. "Anyway, the name's Sir Patrick, don't mind Nick, he seems to have taken the rejection of being disqualified from participation in the headless hunt rather harshly."

"Well, Nick can be er very imposing," said Hermione at a loss to what to say.

"Ha," said Sir Patrick's head. "He probably told you to say that."

The Headless Hunt members had engaged in a game of Head Hockey. All the ghosts at the party seemed to lose interest in Nick and were keenly watching the game of Head Hockey that had been going on.

"Come on, maybe there is still something salvable at the feast," said Daphne.

Harry nodded; it would be best if they left now. No use of having Filch or Mrs. Norris catching them out and about at night.

Hermione, Daphne, Theodore, and Harry walked out but Harry stopped cold as he heard something. The same voice he heard in Lockhart's office.

"Come to me, I smell blood, I can taste it," hissed the voice. "Rip, tear, kill, so hungry, I must strike now."

Harry's eyes went wide, shaking his head in an attempt to clear the origin of the voice but this was a futile attempt.

"I smell blood, must kill now," hissed the voice. Harry stepped forward, as if transfixed by the sound of the voice.

"Harry, what's the matter," said Hermione, looking worried.

"It's going to kill someone," said Harry, his eyes glazing over and his mind going numb for a few seconds before Hermione whacked him across the back of the head.

"Snap out of it, Harry!" cried Hermione looking scared beyond belief at the fact Harry's face went blank, devoid of all emotion.

"What in the world is making him act like this?" said Theodore.

"Search me," said Daphne.

Harry could hear the voice again.

"Mission accomplished," hissed the voice that only Harry could hear.

"It's gone," said Harry, giving his head a shake before his eyes snapped open. "Uh, guys, what just happened right there."

"You went all strange for a couple of minutes, Harry," said Hermione, looking perplexed. "Don't you remember anything?"

"Not really," said Harry before backing off and bumping into someone. Turning around, he saw Ginny who had just came out from behind a tapestry. "Ginny, I thought you weren't feeling good."

Ginny still didn't look too good; her face was red and sweaty. She looked like she was on the verge of throwing up.

"I was going to go to the hospital wing," said Ginny in a dazed voice before she shook her head. She actually did not know how she got her but a mysterious low voice hissed her head to say these words as a cover up for the lapse in memory.

"Okay, Ginny," said Harry, worry in his voice. "You still don't look good, maybe I can come with you and escort you up there."

Harry walked off with Ginny for a few feet as Daphne, Theodore, and Hermione slowly followed them but Harry stopped, a very disturbing sight greeting him.

It was Filch's cat, Mrs. Norris, hanging up stiff as a board. A message was scribbled into the wall.

Harry moved for a closer look and what he saw was disturbing and extremely cryptic.

The Chamber of Secrets has been reopened, the Enemies of the Heir, Beware

Harry reached underneath his robes, preparing to pull his Portus-Amulet out. He needed to get himself and his friends out of there, before they were seen because it looked very suspicions for them to be seen here.

From behind Ginny's eyes, Tom eyed what Potter was pulling out curiously. He could see the mark of Salazar Slytherin on it and he recognized the object for what he previously thought to be a myth, the Portus-Amulet of Slytherin. He would need to have the pawn take it somehow because as Tom was the Slytherin heir, it was his by what he perceived to be divine right. Tom began to plot a way to get his hands on this little artifact.

Harry's plot to get his friends out of there came too late.

"The Chamber of Secrets has been opened, you'll be next, Mudbloods," said Draco Malfoy who had rounded around the corner.

A crowd of students had walked over to see the commotion, along with Ron Weasley who spotted Harry and appeared to draw the worst conclusion possible.

"I told you, Potter was a Dark Wizard!" yelled Ron, pointing to Harry who had been spotted underneath the cat.

"Excuse me, Mr. Weasley, what exactly are you babbling about," said Professor Snape, who had been joined by Professors McGonagall, Lockhart, and Dumbledore before stopping for a second, taking in the full seriousness of the situation greeting him. "Mr. Potter, I would like to have a word with you."

"Indeed, that would be a wise choice, Severus," said Dumbledore, looking serious, his eye completely devoid of twinkle.

They were interrupted by Filch, who saw Mrs. Norris hanging stiff as a board.

"Mrs. Norris!" cried Filch in anguish before rounding upon Harry, preparing to strangle him. "You, you killed my cat. I'll kill you, I swear it."

Snape pulled out his wand and used some sort of wordless spell to restrain Filch.

"Do not have a fit, Filch," said Snape in a low voice. "We will settle this matter like the adults we are. Now come this way my esteemed colleagues and Lockhart, you might be of some use as well, I suppose."

The four Professors, Filch, and Harry had walked up numbly to Lockhart's office, which he so graciously provided for the little investigation.

"She's been Petrified, Argus," said Dumbledore finally after a few minutes which had the added bonus of Lockhart babbling about several of his books and Snape appeared to be straining not to strangle Lockhart.

"But, how, Headmaster," said McGonagall in a low tone of voice.

"Ask him!" cried Filch. "He has had it out for me from day one, just like his father and his pesky friends."

"I doubt a second year, even a Slytherin could perform magic this dark," said Dumbledore. "Mr. Potter could have very well been at the wrong place at the wrong time. Now, I wish to leave now to attempt to think over this matter in my office, I bid you all good night."

Dumbledore left followed by Snape, McGonagall, and a reluctant Filch, who stared daggers at Harry while cradling the stiff body of Mrs. Norris. Harry left quickly, not wanting to be in the same room with Lockhart any more than he had to.

Harry wondered exactly what this Chamber of Secrets was. He had a research project on his hands. He decided to make a trip to Slytherin's Library the next day as he remembered reading about a secret chamber of some sort the previous year.

Dumbledore was in his office, mulling over what he had learned tonight. He saw the Weasley girl, she had obvious signs of being possessed by some sort of magic object and Dumbledore had a shrewd feeling his old rival Voldemort was doing this. Dumbledore figured he would do nothing as the growing bond between the Ginny and Harry seemed to be growing a bit stronger everyday. Dumbledore felt his plans would go a lot smoother if young Miss Weasley had an unfortunate accident as she was being possessed by Voldemort's past self and met her demise. Perhaps then he could get Harry underneath his thumb if the girl met her demise.

Smirking evilly with a demonic twinkle in his eye, Dumbledore felt this plan was foolproof. Potter would no longer be a threat to his power. That would be the ticket and he could set Potter on his destiny to destroy Lord Voldemort and thanks to Dumbledore's ingenious blocks where he suppressing Harry's more unique magical talents, after the victory, Dumbledore could easily dispose of the weakened Potter and begin set his plans to completely control the Wizarding World into its final phase.