ambitious, cunning, adaptable | hp x dm

chapter twenty three: the chamber of secrets

Slowly, Harry turned to look at Pansy and Draco. Before either could say something, Harry dashed up to his dorm. The other followed him up, and caught him digging through his trunk until he came away with the cloak.

"Harry," Pansy began but was cut off by a wave from Harry's hand.

Serious green eyes peered up at her. "I don't plan on doing anything stupidly Gryffindor, okay? I just want to talk to Myrtle and get some confirmation. If we take it to the professors, and we're wrong, Nott might die, okay?"

Draco gave a huff that sounded suspiciously like 'if he's not already dead' before nodding. "Let's just do this quickly, okay? Before something happens and we end up dead instead of Nott."

The three disappeared under the cloak and slipped out the passageway. The halls were almost eerily silent, and they didn't run into a single professor on the way. It was almost painful for Harry to see Hogwarts this way. It made him think of the school as a husk or a skeleton. Suppressing a shudder, he shook his head and focused on keeping listening for the Basilisk.
Once they reached the third-floor bathroom, the three students froze, and Harry let the cloak drop to the thankfully dry ground.

Below the message about the Chamber opening was a new line, this one no less chilling.

His skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever.

"We should get a teacher." Draco murmured, and Harry nodded slowly. This was way out of their league.

Pansy gestured down the hall. "Professor Lockhart's office is right over there."

A snort escaped Harry. "We should get an actual professor." He replied scathingly.

Stamping her foot, Pansy jerked her head towards the message. Harry purposefully did not look at it. "I know he's a bit of a prat, but he did write all of those books! Right now he's the closest, and he's the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. If anyone is qualified to face a Basilisk, it's probably him."

The logic of that was overwhelming, but Harry still didn't like it. Eventually, Draco grabbed his arm and tugged him down the hall. "She's right, Harry. He has to be good for something to do all those things."

They reached Lockhart's door and knocked. The hurried noises from within stopped suddenly, and the door was opened just enough to see the man's eyes. "What in Merlin's name are you three doing here?"

"We have some information that you really need right now," Pansy told him, eyes fierce.

Lockhart blinked at them and then opened his door for them to come in. "Alright, get in here, quickly then."

Inside were a few trunks, all of which were open. Various things were sitting inside, with more waiting to be put in as well. All in all, it looked like someone was doing a hurried job of packing.

Suspicion grew in the eyes of the three students, and Draco whirled on him. "Going somewhere then?" He sneered, eyes narrowing dangerously.

"U-urgent call, my boy. You know how it is. I simply cannot-"

"It's our housemate your trying to abandon." Harry snarled, his own gaze made of green fire. "What could be more important than a dying student?"

Stuttering, Lockhart held up his hands. "Well, when I took this job, you see... I didn't think- I mean there was nothing like this... My contract."

"So you're running away?" Pansy asked, biting her lower lip. She looked sorry she'd ever stood up for the man. "But all the stuff in your books..."

An awkward chuckle from Lockhart fell on unamused ears. "You really shouldn't believe everything you read, you know."

A furious noise came from deep in Harry's chest. "You wrote them!"