CHAPTER EIGHT:

Third Person P.O.V.:

McGonagall quickly ushered the three boys into the Gryffindor common room where she intended to address her entire House at once.

Charlie crossed his arms and leaned against a wall behind her as she spoke, loud and clear, "Due to recent events, these new rules will be put into effect immediately: All students will return to their house common rooms by 6:00 every evening -"

The voice of McGonagall was going in one ear and out the other for Charlie as his mind was still fixated on Hermione.

"- All students will be escorted to each lesson by a teacher. No exceptions. I should tell you all, that unless the culprit behind these attacks is caught... it is likely that the school will be closed."

McGonagall's last words were the only thing capable of pulling the brown eyed boy from his thoughts. His mouth was agape as he heard the soft chatter of disbelief coming from the crowd of Gryffindors. When Professor McGonagall left the room, Charlie looked around the room carefully and noticed that Ginny Weasley was looking particularly nervous.

Clearly no one else seemed to notice as Harry pulled Charlie and Ron around a corner and spoke in a whisper, "We have to talk to Hagrid, I don't want to believe it, but if he did set the monster loose last time, he'll know how to get inside the Chamber of Secrets. That's a start."

"But you heard McGonagall," said Ron, nervously, "We are not allowed to leave the tower except for class!"

Charlie shook his head, "How many times has someone asked us not to do something, but we end up doing it anyway? Besides, finding the Chamber will keep my mind off of the fact that Hermione is currently laying petrified in the hospital wing. We have to do this, Ron. We have to do it for her."

That seemed to do it for the ginger haired boy as he nodded in agreement quickly.

"Brilliant," Harry said, "I think it's time we get my dad's old cloak out again."

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As the sun went down, Charlie, Harry, and Ron set out for Hagrid's hut underneath the invisibility cloak.

Charlie knocked twice on the door before hearing Hagrid on the other side say, "Who's there?"

When the three boys were about to answer, the half-giant opened the door pointing a large cross-bow directly at them. Startled, they quickly removed the cloak which made Hagrid sigh in relief.

"Oh," he said, lowering the weapon and staring at them. "What're you three doin' here?"

"What the bloody hell is that for?" said Charlie with wide eyes, pointing at the crossbow as they stepped inside.

"Nothin' - nothin' - " Hagrid muttered. "I've bin expectin' - doesn' matter - Sit down - I'll make tea - "

He hardly seemed to know what he was doing.
He nearly extinguished the fire, spilling water from the kettle on it, and then smashed the teapot with a nervous jerk of his massive hand.

"Are you okay, Hagrid?" said Harry. "Did you hear about Hermione?"

Charlie gulped at the mention of her name. Just like that, the haunted image had reappeared in his head. He should have never had left her alone in the first place with all the muggle-borns being targeted. What. An. Idiot.

"Oh, I heard, all righ'," said Hagrid, a slight break in his voice.

He kept glancing nervously at the windows. He poured them both large mugs of boiling water without tea bags in them, and was just putting a slab of fruitcake on a plate when there was a loud knock on the door.

Hagrid dropped the fruitcake. Harry, Charlie and Ron exchanged panic stricken looks, then threw the Invisibility Cloak back over themselves and retreated into a corner. The half-giant made sure that three boys were hidden before he reluctantly opened the door.

"Good evening, Hagrid."

It was Dumbledore. He entered, looking deadly serious, and was followed by a second, very stern looking man in a grey pinstriped suit.

"Oh god..." Charlie whispered underneath the cloak, just loud enough for Ron and Harry to hear, "That's my father."

The other two boys gulped in realization that where this conversation was heading, could not be any good. Hagrid had gone pale and sweaty. He dropped into one of his chairs and looked from Dumbledore to Fenwick Hawthorne.

"Bad business, Hagrid," said Fenwick in a rather rude tone. "Very bad business. Had to come.
The four attacks on Muggle-borns is one thing, but the bad publicity that the Ministry is facing is another. Things've gone far enough. Ministry's got to act."

"I never," said Hagrid, looking imploringly at Dumbledore. "You know I never, Professor Dumbledore, sir - "

"I want it understood, Fenwick, that Hagrid has my full confidence," said Dumbledore, frowning at his son-in-law.

"Listen here, Albus," said Fenwick, sternly. "Hagrid's record's against him is undeniable. Ministry's got to do something - the school governors and I have been in touch -"

"Yet again, Fenwick, I tell you that taking Hagrid away will not help in the slightest," said Dumbledore. His blue eyes were full of a fire Charlie had only seen once before - in Dumbledore's office during the last time Fenwick payed a visit to the castle.

"Look at it from my point of view," said the Minister, standing tall with confident posture. "I'm under a lot of pressure. Got to be seen to be doing something. If it turns out it wasn't this half-giant, he'll be back and no more said. But I've got to take him. Got to. Wouldn't be doing my duty - "

"Take me?" said Hagrid, who was trembling. "Take me where?"

Fenwick looked amused, "I have been insured that where you'll be taken will be no more than a precaution, Rubeus. No need to worry! If someone else is caught, I can assure you'll be let out with a full apology - "

"Not Azkaban!?" croaked Hagrid.

Before Fenwick could answer, there was another loud rap on the door.

Dumbledore answered it. Harry had to elbow Charlie in the ribs as he let out an audible groan. This could not get any worse.

Mr. Lucius Malfoy strode into Hagrid's hut, swathed in a long black traveling cloak, smiling a cold and satisfied smile.

"Already here, Fenwick," he said approvingly. "Good, good..."

"Lucius, my friend," The Minister spoke with a genuine smile, "I was expecting your arrival, and at the most opportune time nonetheless! Good man!"

Charlie couldn't help but grit his teeth. How he despised the friendship his father had with Mr. Malfoy.

"What're you doin' here?" said Hagrid furiously. "Get outta my house!"

"Now, now, Rubeus," Fenwick spoke with a stern voice, "Lucius is here by my request."

"That's right. Not to worry anyway, please believe me, I have no pleasure at all in being inside your - er - d'you call this a house?" added Lucius Malfoy, sneering as he looked around the small cabin.

Fenwick spoke up to cut the tension with an amused smile, "We have all come here this evening to not only take you in, Rubeus, but to also see my darling father-in-law -"

"And what exactly did you want with me, Fenwick?" said Dumbledore. He spoke politely, but the fire was still blazing in his blue eyes.

"Dreadful thing, Dumbledore," said Malfoy lazily, taking out a long roll of parchment, "But the Minister has come to agreement with the Governors on the board. We feel it's time for you to step aside. This is an Order of Suspension - you'll find all thirteen signatures on it, including Fenwick. I'm afraid we feel you're losing your touch. How many attacks have there been now? Two more this afternoon, wasn't it? At this rate, there'll be no Muggle-borns left at Hogwarts, and we all know what an awful loss that would be to the school."

"Oh, what a pity that would be," Fenwick added with a sarcastic smile.

The three boys under the cloak were outraged. Especially Charlie. It took everything in him not to step forward and reveal himself to his father and scream at him for what he was doing.

"Yeh lot 're a bunch o' monsters!" Hagrid roared, "Yeh can' do this!"

"Dear, dear, you know, that temper of yours will lead you into trouble one of these days, Hagrid," said Mr. Hawthorne. "I would advise you not to shout at the Azkaban guards like that. They won't like it at all."

His father's mockery of the whole situation made Charlie see red. He went to move, but Harry grabbed his arm tightly and whispered, "Don't even think about it."

"Yeh can' take Dumbledore!" yelled Hagrid, making Fang the boarhound cower and whimper in his basket. "Take him away, an' the Muggle-borns won' stand a chance! There'll be killin' next!"

"I'm afraid you don't really have a say in the matter, Rubeus." Fenwick said with a glare.

Albus began, "If you want my removal, then so be it-"

"No!" growled Hagrid.

Dumbledore had not taken his bright blue eyes off Fenwick Hawthorne's dark brown ones.

"However," said Dumbledore, speaking very slowly and clearly so that none of them could miss a word, "You will find that I will only truly have left this school when none here are loyal to me. You will also find that help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it. Oh, and Fenwick, be sure to tell your son the real reason for my departure. If not, I'm sure he'll find out in other ways. Dear, I can only imagine the betrayal the boy will feel."

For a second, Charlie was almost sure Dumbledore's eyes flickered towards the corner where he, Harry and Ron stood hidden.

Fenwick looked outraged, but shook it off with a scary smile, "Admirable sentiments as always, Albus. Don't you worry about Charles, that boy will do great things during his time away from you and your rubbish ideologies on peace and harmony. My son needs to learn the hard truths of reality. This is an opportunity for him to do so."

Charlie could feel the pitiful gazes of Harry and Ron on his face. They had no idea that his father was like this. How could they? Charlie had never told them, nor did he ever want to tell them. Why? For the fear of having them look at him like they were in this current moment was exactly what he didn't want.

"What a spectacle," said Malfoy, clapping, before turning to Dumbledore, "We shall all miss your - er - highly individual way of running things, Albus, and only hope that your successor will manage to prevent any - ah - 'killings'"

He strode to the cabin door, opened it and bowed Dumbledore out. Fenwick, without another word, waited for Hagrid to go ahead of him, but the half-giant stood his ground, took a deep breath and said carefully, "If anyone wanted ter find out some stuff, all they'd have ter do would be ter follow the spiders. That'd lead 'em right! That's all I'm sayin'."

Fenwick stared at him in amusement and anger all at the same time. The Minister had clearly reached his breaking point with this whole conversation.

"All right, I'm comin'," said Hagrid, pulling on his moleskin overcoat. But as he was about to follow the Minster through the door, he stopped again and said loudly, "An' someone'll need ter feed Fang while I'm away."

The door banged shut and Ron pulled the Invisibility Cloak off, "We're in trouble now," he said hoarsely. "Hagrid's right, with Dumbledore gone, they might as well close the school tonight. There'll be an attack a day with him gone."

Charlie didn't say anything. Instead, he moved to Fang's basket and gave him a pat on the head to calm him down.

There was so much to process. Hagrid was gone, his grandfather was gone, and his father was the reason why. It outraged him, but at the same time saddened him, if that made any sense. He didn't know what to feel. How was his father so willingly capable of causing pain to the people who practically raised his son for him? It was something that Charlie never would quite understand.

Ron and Harry took notice of their friend's sudden change of mood. They were extremely worried and concerned, but decided not to question it further. The two of them could only imagine what was going through Charlie's head. First Hermione, now this. Quickly, the brown eyed boy's life was turning upside down.

Harry adverted his gaze from his friend to not pity him too much. As he did so, he caught a glimpse of a familiar trail of spiders leading out of Hagrid's kitchen window. He pointed as he said, "Look!"

The boy with glasses started towards the door to follow them, "Come on."

Charlie instantly got up, took out his wand and lit it with Lumos, and followed behind Harry, "Come on Fang."

Ron was reluctant. Oh how he despised spiders.

Still, he followed his friends outside. The three of them watched as the spiders crawled along Hagrid's hut, down through the grass, and towards the Dark Forest.

Charlie understood immediately. "Let's go," he said, leading the way with his lit wand in his hands.

"What?!" Ron screeched.

The brown eyed boy looked at Harry to see if at least one of his friends had caught on. Harry nodded, "You heard Hagrid, 'follow the spiders'. It'll lead us to some answers!"

Ron sighed before walking behind his two friends and Fang. He shocked his head and pouted, "Why spiders? Why couldn't it be 'follow the butterflies'?"

The three boys warily followed the spiders into the Dark Forest. It was just as dark and dreary as Charlie had remembered it from first year. Only difference was Hermione had been there with him the first time... He probably would never admit it, but he missed the her so much -

"Guys, I don't like this," Ron spoke, his lip trembling, "I don't like this at all!"

Both Harry and Charlie ignored him as they continued to follow the spiders. Fang walked ahead of them without a care in the world. Not so much of coward anymore, eh?

Fang suddenly let loose a great, echoing bark, making Harry, Charlie and Ron jump out of their skins.

"What?" said Ron loudly, looking around into the pitch dark, and gripping Harry's elbow very hard.

"There's something moving over there," Harry breathed. "Listen... sounds like something big..."

They listened. Some distance to their right, whatever it was, was snapping branches as it carved a path through the trees.

"Oh, no," said Ron. "Oh, no, oh, no, oh - "

"Shut up," said Charlie frantically. "It'll hear you."

"Hear me?" said Ron in an unnaturally high voice. "It's already heard Fang!"

The darkness seemed to be pressing on their eyeballs as they stood, terrified, waiting. There was a strange rumbling noise and then silence.

"What d'you think it's doing?" said Harry.

"Probably getting ready to pounce," said Ron.

They waited, shivering, hardly daring to move.

"D'you think it's gone?" Charlie whispered.

"Dunno - "

The sound of the pattering of the little spiders continued down a path. Craning his neck sideways, Charlie realized that they had reached the ridge of a vast hollow, a hollow that had been cleared of trees, so that the stars shone brightly onto the worst scene he had ever laid eyes on.

Spiders. Not tiny spiders like those surging over the leaves below. Spiders the size of carthorses, eight eyed, eight legged, black, hairy, gigantic.

"Don't panic." Charlie whispered, to Ron in particular, as the ginger haired boy looked as if he could faint.

"Hagrid?" A deep voice bellowed through the hollow, "Is that you?"

"W-we're friends of Hagrid's," Harry tried to explain.

Then, a very large, hairy pincer emerged from the shadows. Followed by another and another and another. Until the three boys were now faced with the largest spider they had ever laid eyes on. Fang barked as the spider approached them creepily.

"And you?" Harry asked remembering the memory from Tom Riddle's diary, "You're Aragog, aren't you?"

"Yes," Aragog said simply before looking at the three of them with hungry eyes, "Hagrid has never sent men into our hollow before,"

Charlie and Ron seemed to be the only two that seemed to take notice of the clicking noises that had now gotten louder all around the hollow. Many spiders surrounded them and they just kept coming.

"He's in trouble," Harry explained, completely unaware of the scene happening behind him, "Up at the school, there have been attacks. They think it's Hagrid. They think he opened the Chamber of Secrets, like before..."

"That's a lie!" Aragog roared, "Hagrid never opened the Chamber of Secrets!"

"Then you're not the monster?" asked Harry.

"No!" Aragog dismissed quickly, "The monster was born in the castle. I came to Hagrid from a distant land, from the pocket of a traveller."

"Harry," Ron whispered, trying to get his attention.

"Shush," Harry waved him off before turning back to the aged spider before him, "But if you're not the monster, then what did kill that girl 50 years ago?"

Aragog growled, "We do not speak of it! It is an ancient creature that us spiders fear above all others! There was a girl that was discovered dead in a bathroom. When I was accused, Hagrid brought me here."

"Uh, Harry," Charlie spoke softly above Ron's whispers. He was starting to get worried as the spiders were beginning to close in on the three of them.

"What?" The boy with glasses snapped.

Charlie pointed above him. Harry shifted his gaze to witness what his friends had been so worried about the entire time. He hadn't even had time to notice the crowd of spiders forming around him before they were descending from the ceiling.

Harry was frozen still, which caused Charlie to step up and pull them towards the exit, "Well, thank you. It's been great talking to you. Real nice place you've got here, but I think it's time that my mates and I best be off."

"Best be off?" Aragog questioned, "I think not. My sons and daughters do not harm Hagrid on my command. However, I cannot deny them fresh meat when it wanders so willingly into our midst... Goodbye friends of Hagrid."

Ron began to whimper, "Can we panic now?"

Charlie nodded as the three were now surrounded. They had their backs facing one another as they stood in a triangle formation.

"Anyone got any spells?" Harry asked, panicked.

"Just one," Charlie gulped, "But it's not strong enough to take on all of them."

Ron screeched, "Where's Hermione when you need her?!?"

Even as he reached for his wand, Charlie knew it was no good, there were too many of them, but as he tried to stand, ready to die fighting, a loud, long note sounded, and a blaze of light flamed through the hollow.

Mr. Weasley's flying car from the beginning of the year, was thundering down the slope, headlights glaring, its horn screeching, knocking spiders aside; several were thrown onto their backs, their endless legs waving in the air. The car screeched to a halt in front of Harry, Charlie and Ron and the doors flew open.

"Get Fang!" Harry yelled, diving into the front seat; Ron quickly piled in the backseat as Charlie seized the boarhound around the middle and threw him into the back of the car before getting in the drivers seat - the doors slammed shut. Neither of them touched the accelerator but the car didn't need them; the engine roared and they were off, hitting more spiders.

They sped up the slope, out of the hollow, and they were soon crashing through the forest, branches whipping the windows as the car wound its way cleverly through the widest gaps, following a path it obviously knew.

Harry and Charlie looked sideways at Ron. His mouth was still open in the silent scream, but his eyes weren't popping out anymore.

"Are you okay?"

Ron stared straight ahead, unable to speak.

They smashed their way through the undergrowth, Fang howling loudly in the back seat, and Harry witnessed the side mirror snap off as they squeezed past a large oak. After ten noisy, rocky minutes, the trees thinned, and the brown eyed boy could see patches of sky.

The car stopped so suddenly that they were nearly thrown into the windshield. They had reached the edge of the forest. Fang flung himself at the window in his anxiety to get out, and when Charlie opened the door, he shot off through the trees to Hagrid's house, tail between his legs.

Charlie got out too, as did Harry, and after a minute or so, Ron seemed to regain the feeling in his limbs and followed, still stiff necked and staring. Harry gave the car a grateful pat as it reversed back into the forest and disappeared from view.

He then went back into Hagrid's cabin to get the Invisibility Cloak. Fang was trembling under a blanket in his basket. When Harry got outside again, he found Charlie trying to comfort a very sickly-looking Ron in the pumpkin patch.

"Follow the spiders," said Ron weakly, wiping his mouth on his sleeve. "I'll never forgive Hagrid.
We're lucky to be alive."

"I bet he thought Aragog wouldn't hurt friends of his," said Harry.

"That's exactly Hagrid's problem!" said Ron, thumping the wall of the cabin. "He always thinks monsters aren't as bad as they're made out, and look where it's got him! A cell in Azkaban! What was the point of sending us in there? What have we found out?"

"That Hagrid didn't open the Chamber of Secrets all those years ago," Charlie defended as Harry pulled both of his friends under the cloak and pushed them to walk, "He's innocent."

Ron gave a loud snort. Evidently, hatching Aragog in a cupboard wasn't his idea of being innocent, but that clearly didn't matter.

The three of them managed to successfully make their way back to their dorm. As they did, Ron plopped down hard on his bed, as if almost grateful to see it once again. Charlie, on the other hand, smiled as Ludo was barking happily on his bed and waving his tail back and forth. The brown eyed boy sat on his bed, while Harry laid down in his and leaned up against his pillows, relieved.

They had hit dead ends everywhere. Riddle had caught the wrong person, the Heir of Slytherin had got off, and no one could tell whether it was the same person, or a different one, who had opened the Chamber this time. What's worse? There was nobody else to ask for help. Hagrid was gone. Dumbledore was gone. Hermione was petrified...

Things weren't looking good.

Charlie sighed as he laid down, still thinking about what Aragog had said. Just as sleep was about to get the best of him, he shot up, remembering something about what Aragog had said.

"Ron! Harry!" He hissed through the dark, causing them to groggily look up at him, "That girl that died. Aragog said she was found in the bathroom -"

His two friends nodded at him in confusion. What was he telling them that they didn't already know?

"- Well, what if she never left the bathroom? What if she's still there?"

The two suddenly understood.

Ron rubbed his eyes, frowning through the moonlight, "You don't seriously think -"

Charlie nodded quickly before turning to Harry to see if he thought the same.

Harry had his mouth agape at the sudden realization, "Moaning Myrtle."

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The next morning the three boys were adamant on getting to the second-floor bathroom to talk to Myrtle. The only problem was, due to the new rules in place, the students couldn't really go anywhere without the teachers knowing.

Right after breakfast, they let the rest of the Gryffindors draw ahead of them on their way to class, before they darted down a side passage and hurried off toward Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. But just as they were congratulating each other on their brilliant scheme -

"Potter! Hawthorne! Weasley! What are you three doing?"

It was Professor McGonagall, and her mouth was the thinnest of thin lines.

"We were, uh - we were" Ron stammered. "We were going t-to go and see - "

"Hermione," said Charlie.

Ron, Harry and Professor McGonagall looked at him curiously.

"We haven't seen her in ages, Professor," Charlie went on softly, with his head looking down, "And we thought we'd sneak into the hospital wing, you know, and tell her the Mandrakes are nearly ready and, er, not to worry - "

Professor McGonagall was still staring at him, and for a moment, Charlie thought she was going to explode, but when she spoke, it was in a strangely croaky voice.

"Of course," she said, and Charlie, amazed, saw a tear glistening in her beady eye. "Of course, I realize this has all been hardest on the friends of those who have been... I quite understand. Yes, Charles, of course you may visit Miss Granger. I will inform Professor Binns where the three of you have gone. Tell Madame Pomfrey I have given my permission."

Charlie, Harry and Ron walked away, hardly daring to believe that they'd avoided detention. As they turned the corner, they distinctly heard Professor McGonagall blow her nose.

"That," said Ron fervently, "was the best lie you've ever come up with."

Charlie shrugged, "Wasn't exactly a lie. We haven't seen Hermione at all today. Might be best to check in on her before going to confront Myrtle."

Harry nodded in agreement and the three of them headed towards the hospital wing.

As they reached the infirmary, Charlie used his wand to conjure a fresh bouquet of white flowers to replace the ones by Hermione's bedside. He figured the ones he had brought earlier in the week would've probably have died by now.

Madame Pomfrey let them in reluctantly upon their arrival. She insisted that there was no use talking to a petrified person, but let them in regardless.

When he reached Hermione's hospital bed, he saw the dead flowers beside her, so he quickly swapped them out before sitting down on the end of the bed. Ron and Harry each took a seat around her as well, and looked at her concerned. She hadn't looked any different from the last time they saw her, but still, the sight was hard to process. She was their best friend after all.

"We wish you were here, Hermione," Charlie whispered, "We need you..."

Harry nodded, sadly, "Now more than ever."

Charlie couldn't help but let out a heavy breath as he took the right hand of the girl he couldn't stop thinking about. He wasn't even sure if she could hear him or feel his touch, but he still felt that in a weird way, he was comforting her. As he held her hand, he couldn't but notice that her fist was clenched around a piece of paper.

He took the piece of parchment out of her hand slowly before smoothing it out so he could read it. The paper was a page torn from a very odd, old library book.

Harry and Ron had now noticed the paper as well, so Charlie read aloud, "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."

Then, at the bottom of the page was a single word in handwriting that Charlie recognized as Hermione's, 'Pipes'

Charlie showed Harry and Ron the pages before looking at them curiously, "This is it then! The monster in the Chamber is a basilisk - a giant serpent!"

Harry seemed to process the information slowly, "Thats why I've been hearing it's voice around the castle. It's because I can speak Parseltongue and it's quite literally a giant snake! B-but, it says that the basilisk killed people by looking at them, but no ones died..."

"Because no one has looked it in the eye," Charlie explained as suddenly everything made sense to him, "Collin must have saw it through his camera, Justin... Justin must've seen the basilisk through Nearly Headless Nick! Nick got the full blast of it, but he couldn't die again... and Hermione and Penelope Clearwater were found with a mirror next to them. Hermione must have just realized the monster was a basilisk at the time. I bet you anything she warned the first person she met to look around corners with a mirror first! And she pulled out her mirror - and - "

Ron's jaw had dropped, "And Mrs. Norris?"

"The water!" said Harry happily as he made the connection, "There was water on the floor that night! I thought it was strange, but Mrs. Norris probably saw the basilisk's reflection through it!"

"But how's the basilisk been getting around the place?" asked Ron. "A giant snake... Someone would've seen..."

Charlie, however, pointed at the word Hermione had scribbled at the foot of the page.

"Pipes," he said. "The pipes... Ron, it's been using the plumbing. Harry said he's been hearing the voice inside the walls..."

Ron suddenly grabbed Charlie's arm which startled Harry slightly as it was unexpected.

"The entrance to the Chamber of Secrets!" he said hoarsely. "What if it's a bathroom? What if it's in -"

"Moaning Myrtle's bathroom," said Harry.

The three of them sat there, excitement coursing through them, hardly able to believe it.

"Bloody hell! Even petrified, Hermione somehow saves the day," Charlie admired, looking down to the girl's petrified state once more.

Ron smile widely. They had figured it out!

"Wait! T-This means," stuttered Harry, "I can't be the only Parselmouth in the school. The Heir of Slytherin's one, too. That's how they've been controlling the basilisk."

"What're we going to do?" said Ron, whose eyes were now flashing. "Should we go straight to -"

But the intercom interrupted Ron before he could finish. Echoing through the corridors came Professor McGonagall's voice, magically magnified:

"All students to return to their House dormitories at once. All teachers to the second-floor corridor. Immediately, please."

Harry wheeled around to stare at Ron and Charlie, "Not another attack? Not now?"

"Let's go see!" Harry said, before running out of the infirmary with Ron trailing closely behind him.

Charlie watched his friends disappear down the corridor, but he stayed back a moment to look back at Hermione. He took her hand in his once again and bent down to give it a small kiss, "We're going to find who did this to you, I promise."

He smiled at the girl once more before chasing after Ron and Harry, who were at the end of the corridor, peering around a corner. As Charlie approached them, he heard the voices of the McGonagall and the other professors.

"As you can see, the Heir of Slytherin has left another message," McGonagall said in a panic, "Our worst fear has become reality. A student have been taken by the monster. Right into the Chamber itself... The students must be sent home... I'm afraid that this is the end of Hogwarts."

Charlie gulped before looking to Harry and Ron. What would this mean for him? Where would he go? Where could he go? Dumbledore was gone, and there was no way in hell he was going with Fenwick after everything that has happened.

He was pulled from his thoughts as he heard the approaching footsteps and voice of Gilderoy Lockhart, "So sorry. Dozed off. What have I missed?"

Snape stepped forward.

"Just the man," he said. "The very man we've been waiting for. A girl has been snatched by the monster, Lockhart. Taken into the Chamber of Secrets itself. Your moment has come at last."

Lockhart was taken aback, "My m-moment?"

"That's right, Gilderoy," chipped in Professor Sprout. "Weren't you saying just last night that you've known all along where the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets is?"

"I - well, I - " sputtered Lockhart.

"Yes, didn't you tell me you were sure you knew what was inside it?" piped up Professor Flitwick.

"D-did I? I don't recall - "

"I certainly remember you saying you were sorry you hadn't had a crack at the monster before Hagrid was arrested," said Snape, "Didn't you say that the whole affair had been bungled, and that you should have been given a free rein from the beginning?"

Lockhart stared around at his stony faced colleagues, "I-I really never - you may have misunderstood - "

Charlie could practically hear McGonagall's smirk as she said, "Then it's settled. We'll leave you to deal with the monster, Gilderoy. Your skills, after all, are legend."

"V-Very well," The author said with uncertainty, "I'll just be in my office getting... getting ready."

The three Gryffindors heard Lockhart's footsteps disappear down the corridor.

"Right," said Professor McGonagall, whose nostrils were flared, "That's got him out from under our feet. The Heads of Houses should go and inform their students what has happened. Tell them the Hogwarts Express will take them home first thing tomorrow. Will the rest of you please make sure no students have been left outside their dormitories."

The rest of the professors seemed to nod, but Madame Pomfrey was still a bit lost, "Who is it that the monster has taken, Minerva?"

McGonagall released a sad sigh, "Ginny Weasley."

Charlie watched as his ginger haired friend's face fell as he slid silently down the wall he was leaning up against. Both, Charlie and Harry tried comforting him with a small pat on the back as the rest of the professors' footsteps retreated.

Slowly, Charlie helped Ron raise to his feet before the three of them stepped into the corridor.

If even possible, Ron's face fell even more as he read the wall covered in blood, "Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever."

"Oh my god..." The brown eyed boy said softly.

"She must have known something!" said Ron, rubbing his eyes to hold back his tears, "That's why she was taken! What if she tried telling us and we shrugged her off?! Oh god! Maybe she found the Chamber... That must be why! She's a pureblood! It's the only explanation!"

Charlie thought for a moment. He could easily recall moments throughout the year where he had noticed Ginny acting strange. It all made sense.

"That's why she was so devastated about Collin..." He whispered softly, "She must have thought it was her fault."

"Oh god... Oh god..." Ron repeated, not holding back tears any longer.

Harry and Charlie didn't know what to do, they simply enclosed Ron in a tight hug to comfort him for awhile before letting go.

Ron sniffled, "I think we should go and see Lockhart. Tell him what we know. He's going to try and get into the Chamber. We can tell him where we think it is, and tell him it's a basilisk in there. That way he'll be prepared to fight it off!"

"We might have better luck fighting the basilisk ourselves," muttered Charlie, which earned an elbow to the ribs from Harry.

He was right. Probably not the best time to talk badly about the Professor in charge of getting the sister of his, clearly distraught, friend back.

"Ron's right," Harry agreed, "Lockhart probably could use our help. Let's go."

With that, the three of them took off down the hall toward Lockhart's office, completely unaware of how hopeless they truly were...

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Author's Note:
*this chapter was not proof read*

Let's speed things up ahaha

How are we liking these hospital moments between Charlie and Hermione?! I don't want to do too much to fast because let's be real, they're twelve lol they're not going to be in love any time soon.

Anyways, hope you enjoyed! If you did let me know!

Until next time! Much love to you all!

xo, Selena