𝓗𝓲𝓼 𝓒𝓱𝓸𝓼𝓮𝓷 𝓞𝓷𝓮

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍

𝐀𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐨𝐠

SUMMER WAS CREEPING over the grounds around the castle; sky and lake alike turned periwinkle blue and flowers large as cabbages burst into bloom in the greenhouses. But with no Hagrid visible from the castle windows, striding the grounds with Fang at his heels, the scene didn't look quite right to Chloe; no better, in fact, than the inside of the castle, where things were so horrible.

Chloe and Ron had tried to visit Hermione, but visitors were now barred from the hospital wing.

"We're taking no more chances." Madam Pomfrey told them, severely, through a crack in the door. "No, I'm sorry, there's every chance the attacker might come back to finish these people off."

With Dumbledore gone, fear had spread as never before, so that the sun warming the castle walls outside seemed to stop at the mullioned windows.

There was barely a face to be seen in the school that didn't look worried or tense, and any laughter that rang through the corridors sounded shrill and unnatural and was quickly stifled.

Chloe constantly repeated Dumbledore's words to herself. "I will only truly have left this school when none here are loyal to me. Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it."

But what good were those words? Who exactly were they supposed to ask for help, when everyone was just as confused and scared as they were?

Hagrid's hint about the spiders was far easier to understand - the trouble was, there didn't seem to be a single spider left in the castle to follow.

Chloe looked everywhere she went, reluctantly helped by Ron. They were hampered, of course, by the fact that they weren't allowed to wander off on their own but had to move around the castle in a pack with the other Gryffindors. Most of their fellow students seemed glad that they were being shepherded from class to class by teachers.

One person, however, seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the atmosphere of terror and suspicion. Draco Malfoy was strutting around the school as though he had just been appointed Head Boy.

Chloe didn't realise what Draco was so pleased about until the Potions lesson two weeks after Dumbledore and Hagrid had left, when, sitting right behind Draco, she overheard him gloating to Crabbe and Goyle. "I always thought Father might be the one who got rid of Dumbledore." He pointed out, not even troubling to keep his voice down. "I told you he thinks Dumbledore's the worst headmaster the school's ever had. Maybe we'll get a decent headmaster now. Someone who won't want the Chamber of Secrets closed. McGonagall won't last long, she's only filling in.."

Snape swept past Chloe without making a comment about Hermione's empty seat and cauldron. "Sir, sir, why don't you apply for the headmaster's job?" Draco suggested, loudly.

"Now, now, Malfoy. Professor Dumbledore has only been suspended by the governors. I daresay he'll be back with us soon enough," said Snape, though he couldn't suppress a thin-lipped smile.

"Yeah, right. I expect you'd have Father's vote, sir, if you wanted to apply for the job. I'll tell Father you're the best teacher here, sir-" said Draco, smirking. Snape smirked as he swept off around the dungeon, fortunately not spotting Seamus, who was pretending to vomit into his cauldron.

"I'm quite surprised the Mudbloods haven't all packed their bags by now. Bet you five Galleons the next one dies. Pity it wasn't Granger-" Draco continued, just as the bell started ringing.

At Draco's last words, Ron had leapt off his stool, and in the scramble to collect bags and books, his attempts to reach him went unnoticed.

"Let me at him!" Ron growled, as Chloe and Dean hung onto his arms. "I don't care, I don't need my wand, I'm going to kill him with my bare hands-"