Like he was last year with the whole Snape/Quirrell stealing the stone thing, Harry is still sure that Hagrid is the Heir of Slytherin.

Just yesterday, I went down to Hagrid's for a cup of tea. While I was there, I asked him about his time at Hogwarts.

He told me that he was in Gryffindor too and that it was basically the same as us, until in his third year, two things happened; one: he got expelled. And two: the Chamber of Secrets was opened.

I can sort of see where Harry was coming from. Hagrid got expelled the year the Chamber was opened last time, but it couldn't have been him. He was in Gryffindor, so how could he be the Heir of Slytherin?

After millions of times telling Harry that it wasn't Hagrid, he finally gave in. But I'm sure he still thinks it's Hagrid.

Hermione wants to ask Hagrid about it, but think about it, how awkward would it be? Just going up to Hagrid 'Hey Hagrid, have you been setting any monsters loose in the castle?' Yeah, no.

But, we decided not to ask him about it until there is another attack. Fair enough, but I'm serious, it would still be awkward.

It's been nearly four months since the last attack, either the monster is going to attack very soon, or it's gone back into it's little haven and has gone into hibernation for another fifty years.

Very soon, according to Professor Sprout, the Mandrakes will be fully mature and will be ready to make the potion to restore the petrified students, and Mrs Norris, back to the way they were before.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

As the Easter holidays pass, us second years are given the opportunity to choose extra subjects for next year.

There's loads to choose from, like Care of Magical Creatures-where we learn about the different magical creatures, Divination-all the seeing the future stuff that's pretty cool, Muggle Studies-where we learn about the Muggle life, Ancient Runes-that's basically self-explanatory, and loads more.

I was talking to Percy about it, since he seemed eager to help. I wanted to know what subjects to choose, as I was having a hard time choosing.

He just said to go for my strengths. He was saying how Charlie went for Care of Magical Creatures as he was an outdoorsy sort of person, Mr Weasley went for Muggle Studies, as he wanted to work with Muggles and so forth.

In the end, Hermione and I chose the same subjects: everything. Professor McGonagall said it most likely wouldn't be allowed, but she'd talk to professor Dumbledore.

I can't wait.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In three days-Saturday-we have our next Quidditch match of the season against Hufflepuff.

Wood has been really annoying with making us practice every night after dinner. This doesn't really leave me enough time to do my homework, so I've been up until at least one a.m every night trying to cram in homework and study for upcoming exams.
But, considering all these late night practices, I feel like Gryffindor will have a good chance at winning the Cup this year, I can feel it.

On Friday night, just before the game when Harry and I come back to the common room, Neville comes running up to us.

"Harry, I don't know who did it, but you'd better come!" He sounds frantic. So, I let Harry run upstairs to his dorm while I go over to Amy, Bonnie and Hermione. Amy and Bonnie are 'quietly' playing Exploding Snap and Hermione is reading a book called Ancient Runes Made Easy. Ah, she's studying for next year. Ancient Runes is one of the many subjects Hermione and I put our names down for next year.

"Hey Sarah." Hermione says. "This book is really interesting. It might give me a head start on next year if we can do Ancient Runes! You can read it too after if you want."

"I would love to Hermione, but with all these Quiditch practices, homework and exams coming up, I don't really have time." I say.

"Pity. It's really interesting."

Soon Harry and Ron come down from the dorms. Where did Ron come from? Oh well.

"What happened Harry?" I ask.

"Someone went looking through my things and stole Riddle's diary."

"The dorm's a mess-his bed sheets tangled, scattered paper everywhere, ink all over everything..." Ron adds.

My jaw drops. "Riddle's diary is gone?"

"Yeah." Harry says. He looks sort of...angry.

"But only a Gryffindor could have done it." Hermione says. "No one else knows our password." Hermione says.

"Why would someone do that?" Amy asks, coming over to us, Bonnie following close behind.

"I have no idea."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Saturday is here. The match against Hufflepuff is today. The sun is shining, the birds are singing-that sound cliché...and there is only a light breeze.

"Perfect Quidditch conditions!" Woods says enthusiastically at breakfast, loading all our plates with eggs.

"I I've already had breakfast-" I start to say, but Wood ignores me and starts talking to us all about tactics. He's gone over this a thousand times.

Once we've all eaten, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Bonnie, Amy and I leave to go up to the common room, so that Harry and I can get changed for the game.

Once we reach the staircases, I hear something haven't heard in ages. The voice.

"Kill this time...let me rip...tear..."

Harry shouts and I just shudder.

"The voice!" Harry says, looking around. "I just heard it again-didn't you?"

"I heard it too." I say.

Ron Amy and Bonnie shake their heads. Though Hermione, face-palms.

"Harry, Sarah-I think I've just understood something! I've got to go to the library!" She says and starts to run off.

"Hermione wait!" I yell after her. I run up to her. "What is it?"

"The voice. I think I know why only you and Harry can hear it." She says, as we speed walk towards the library.

"You do?" I ask.

"Yeah. I think it might be...a snake, Sarah." She says.

"A snake?" I ask. I don't think there is any type of snake that can go around almost killing people.

"Yeah. I know what it is, but I can't remember what it's called. I think I know which book it's in though." She says and we round a corner into the library.

She immediately goes over to the last row of shelves and starts searching for a certain book.

"Hermione, hurry up." I say.

"Wait, why did you come, since you have your game?" She asks, looking through the R-section.

"I wanted to know what you were on about." I say.

"Okay, I'll just be a sec...aha, here it is!" She exclaims, pulling out a book called Reptiles Of The Magical World.

She flips through the pages until she stops.

I look over her shoulder. The page is titled 'The Basilisk.'

I read further. Now it makes sense. The Basilisk is a giant snake! Only Harry and I can near it because it's a snake, it speaks Parseltongue!

"A Basilisk?" I ask, feeling scared.

"Yes." Hermione says, I think she's a bit scared herself.

She reads through the page. She gasps. "It kills by looking people in the eye...that's why no one has been killed!" She exclaims.

"How?" I ask.

"Because no one looked it directly in the eye!" She says like it's obvious. "Look, Mrs Norris must have seen it in the water on the floor,Colin saw it through his camera-didn't you say he had his camera? And Justin...must have seen it through Nearly-Headless Nick, and I'm guessing Nick just got shock or something. Don't you see Sarah?"

My eyes widen. Everything makes sense now.

"Hermione, what if we could be next, because we know?" I say. "And also, you're a Muggle-Born, so you're on the list."

"I never thought of that. I knew I would be a target, but not because of that." She says.
I look around and I soon hear Hermione rip the page out of the book.

"Why are you ripping it out?" I hiss, looking around for signs of Madam Pomfrey.
"I'm going to show the others." Hermione says.

"Oh...do you have, like a mirror or something?" I ask.

"Why?"

"So we can see around corners, in case the Basilisk is coming or not. We'll be petrified if it's there, but at least we won't be dead."

"Good idea! And I do have one, I always have a mirror on me." She says and pulls out a small, carry mirror.

"Now, we'd better go, I've got to get ready for the game." I say.

"Yeah." Hermione says. She positions the mirror so that we're able to see around the corner. I look into the mirror. What I see is not what I was expecting.

The Basilisk.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N

Sorry this is so short, it was sort of a filler, that connects to the next chapter. I'm going to post the next chapter very soon.

What do you think? Do you think Sarah will be petrified, or will she somehow survive? Leave a comment on what you think.

There is nothing left to say in this Authors Note, so vote, comment, fan...whatever.

Hugs and Butterfly Kisses,

~Elise

UPDATE: I'm going to make this chapter in two parts :)