HP : The Chronicles

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"I overheard it when we were at Quidditch Supplies in Diagon Alley last summer with my brother." Harry explained. "Anyway, if the Two Thousand and One is any indication, I don't see them making the deadline." The next week passed uneventfully, Halloween drawing near; Adrian was getting more and more frustrated for agreeing to attend Sir Nicholas's party, but as Hermione had stated, he couldn't back out on his promise. And , while she and Ron were quite excited about the party still, Harry couldn't get the appeal. So, on Halloween afternoon, he waved his brother and his two friends goodbye as he headed towards the Great Hall. The decorations were just as spectacular as ever, live bats flying close to the ceiling and the abnormally large pumpkins Hagrid had provided having been carved and lit.

He sat next to Ginny Weasley on the Gryffindor table and managed to get a good look on her for the first time in weeks; she looked pale and quiet, nothing like the Ginny he knew. He softly remembered Percy making her drink a Pepper-Up potion a few days ago. And now she was playing with the food in her plate, only seldom eating something.

"Hey, Ginny." He greeted the girl softly. The redhead jumped on her seat as if startled.

"Oh, hey, Harry." She greeted him back. Her voice sounded just as tired her eyes looked and the green eyed boy decided he didn't much like it; he'd rather have her smiling.

"I'm sorry to ask Ginny but, are you alright?" She regarded him confused. "I mean, you look tired."

"Oh, that." She actually smiled a little. "I haven't been sleeping that good lately." Ginny admitted. "Never been away from home before; the stress must be getting to me." Harry nodded once, not entirely convinced; he tried to engage in small talk, but all he got in return was short answers; not rude, but very much unlike her. He was about to ask her if she was well again, when Fred interrupted him.

"Is Ron, Adrian and Hermione really at Nearly Headless Nick's deathday party?" He asked with a wide smile.

"Yes, they are." Harry confirmed, his mind still focused on Ginny and her strange behavior.

"Wicked!" Both twins exclaimed.

"Not so much; I bet they'll be starving by now." Ginny spoke softly, slightly surprising Harry in the process.

"How so?" George asked.

"I don't expect food is being served in a party for ghosts." Their sister pointed out. Harry nodded smiling; that was something he hadn't really considered.

"You know what?" He asked, taking the last bite of his treacle tart. "The feast is almost over anyway; I'll walk to the kitchens to see if the house elves can drop something by the Common Room later tonight."

"You have been raised a gentleman, young Harry." Fred stated, assuming a proud countenance, George wiping an imaginary tear from the corner of his eye. Harry just shook his head at their antics, knowing fully well that if they were in his place -though unlikely since the Weasley twins always got in trouble together- they would do just the same. He left the table, barely registering Ginny stating she was feeling tired. In the kitchens, needless to say, the elves were overjoyed at the prospect of serving Adrian Potter and Harry was half debating returning to the feast when he heard it.

"… rip… tear… kill…" It was the same voice he had heard back when he was expecting his brother to be done with his detention. It was moving away from him and this time he was sure, it was coming through the walls. He pressed his ear on the cold stone and tried to listen; "… so hungry… for so long…" The voice moved further away and Harry started running to catch up with it. "… kill… time to kill…" It sounded as if the voice was coming through the ceiling; was it a ghost? He ran faster, reaching the corridor next to the Great Hall. For a moment he thought the buzzing noises from the students still at the feast would prevent him from hearing anything else but he was soon proved wrong. "… I smell blood… I SMELL BLOOD!" Harry's stomach lurched as he looked around him hopelessly; the voice had come from just around the corner. He pulled out his wand and moved slowly towards it.

The first thing he noticed as he turned was the water on the floor. It was quite dark, light coming only from two torches and the moon peering in the tall arched windows, but it was enough for Harry to catch the reflection on the stone floor. Then there was something written on the wall, in large, bold letters, right between the two windows;

THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN

OPENED. ENEMIES OF THE HEIR BEWARE

And right beneath that ominous phrase, the most unexpected thing; there, hanging from her tail from the torch bracket was Mrs. Norris, Filch's cat. Harry jumped back shocked, splashing in the puddle of water beneath his feet. How was that possible; Mrs. Norris didn't look stunned; she looked… frozen in time, petrified. A few pairs of footsteps broke him out of his reverie and his fight or flight instinct -flight winning- kicked in. He jumped backwards again and hid behind a thick tapestry that was covering a nook on the wall, the footsteps approached, followed by voices Harry was shocked to recognize as his brother's and his friends.

"Pudding might not be finished yet…" Ron mumbled hopefully.

"Well, we could give it a go." Adrian stated, the hope equally noted in his voice.

"We shouldn't bother; the feast should be almost... Look!" Hermione stated gasping; they must have seen the writing on the wall, Harry figured. And they had, if the exclamations they made were any indication.

"Maybe we should try and help…" Adrian offered.

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