===November 8 1992===
Harry and Hermione are sitting eating dinner when Draco comes over. "We need to talk." He says as he keeps walking so it looks like he just walked past them.
After a minute they get up and head the same way. Draco sees them and leads to the seventh floor. "Wait, and watch." He says as he paces past an empty wall 3 times only for a door to appear. He opens the door and ushers them in.
They enter the room and find it set up like a living room. A roaring fire in one wall, a few comfortable looking chairs sit in front of the fire. "What is this place?" Hermione asks.
"My dad calls it the Room of Requirement." Draco answers. "It can be anything you want it to be. Just walk like I did thinking of what you want."
"Thank you for showing us this." Harry says.
"I felt it was necessary, what I have to say shouldn't be overheard." Draco says motioning for them to take their seats.
They both sit. "What's going on?"
"There's been an attack. A muggleborn is petrified."
"I haven't heard anything." Harry admits.
"Colin Creevy, first year Gryffindor. A Slytherin found him." Draco says. "That's how I know, apparently Dumbledore is trying to keep it quiet."
"He probably was trying to stop us from hearing about it." Hermione says.
"That makes no sense." Draco says. "The victim is in your house, why would he keep it from you?"
Harry and Hermione look at each other then sigh. "What we're about to tell you can not leave this room." Harry says.
"Come off of it Potter, it can't be that serious." Draco laughs.
"I'm the heir of Gryffindor." Harry says.
Draco stops laughing and looks at Harry. "If you're Gryffindor." He looks at Hermione. "You're not a muggleborn are you?"
"I'm the heir to Ravenclaw." Hermione says. "Though I still consider myself a muggleborn as it had been nearly 1000 years since magic showed up in the line."
Draco nods, it was a good argument. "No wonder my father told me to get you two if something happened."
Harry nods. "If students are being attacked we need to do something."
"Draco, please write to your father and tell him what you told us. We could use his advice on what we should do next." Hermione says.
"I can do that. I'll ask him to send any recommendations straight to you." Draco says.
"Thank you."
Later that evening, Hermione, using Harry's cloak, sneaks up to the infirmary. Once there she sees nothing out of the ordinary until she gets to the back of the infirmary. There she finds the same privacy spell Madam Pomfrey had taught her. She uses the spell that lets her into the privacy spell, pulling the cloak off once she's inside.
Once inside she sees Colin laying on the bed petrified. His hands were up near his face like he was holding something up when it happened. Remembering meeting him on the first day she looks around for his camera. Sure enough it sits on the table next to the bed, she carefully picks it up and examines it.
"Unfortunately the film inside is destroyed and the lens appears to be destroyed beyond repair." Pomphrey says from behind Hermione, causing her to jump as she turns around.
"You scared the daylights out of me." Hermione says.
"Given that you shouldn't be here I say we call it even." Pomphrey bargains.
"Sorry, I had to see if the rumors were true." Hermione says.
"Unfortunately, they are." Pomphrey says. "It's going to be months before the mandrakes in our greenhouse are mature enough to make the draught."
"He's going to be stuck like this for months?" Hermione asks.
"Looks like that way."
"Is there no way to obtain more mature mandrakes?" Hermione asks. "Or just some of the draught?"
"I could have the headmaster ask around." Pomphrey answers, "but I wouldn't bet on it."
===November 9 1992===
Harry and Hermione are sitting in the Great Hall finishing breakfast when a letter is dropped between them. Hermione grabs the letter and opens it.
Mr Potter, Miss Granger,
Draco told me about the situation. I received a notice late last night from the headmaster informing me as well.
I would suggest we don't take any action just yet. As much as it pains me to see a student petrified it is a singular attack at this time. If another attack happens I suggest we ask the aurors to thoroughly check the school. Perhaps have a few stationed there to prevent attacks.
Sincerely,
Lucius Malfoy
Hermione hands the letter to Harry so he can read it. As he finishes it McGonagall walks up to them. "If you two have a moment."
They both nod and get up following her out of the Great Hall. "The headmaster asked me to come get you two and bring you to him. Did I miss something?"
The two heirs share a look of unease before Harry finally speaks. "We're not on the best of terms with the headmaster."
Hermione scoffs, as usual Harry tries to play it down. She had Hedwig return Lockhart's contract so she wouldn't have to talk to the headmaster again. Now they were once again being summoned to his office.
McGonagall leads them up all the way up to Dumbledore's office. "Minerva, thank you for bringing them. You may return to your duties."
"She can stay." Harry says wanting another witness to whatever Dumbledore wants to say this time.
Hermione smiles, it's nice to see Harry trusting an adult. Especially when she trusts the adult as well.
Dumbledore nods. "Very well, as you have probably heard, one of our students has been attacked. Colin Creavy was found petrified in a hallway by a prefect late yesterday afternoon. I apologize that I did not tell you immediately. I went and saw his mother, then I returned late last night. I wrote a letter to Lucius, but in spite of our issues I thought you'd rather hear it straight from me."
The two teens look at each other, telling a parent most certainly is more important then telling them. With that in mind Hermione speaks carefully. "Why aren't you telling the whole school?"
"I don't wish to cause a panic." Dumbledore answers.
Neither of them like that answer, but neither of them have a solution at this point so they leave it alone.
"Is that all?" McGonagall asks.
"Yes, please return to class." Dumbledore says.
===November 17 1992===
The dueling club was silent. Draco had panicked when Harry was winning and summoned a snake during the duel. Harry instead of banishing the snake talked to it.
"The room, now!" Hermione whispers angrily to Harry once the snake is gone and he's off the dueling platform. Then she furiously marches out of the room.
"What did you do?" Ron asks.
"I better go find out." Harry says.
"Can I have your cloak if she kills you?"
Harry doesn't answer him as he quickly goes after Hermione. By the time he catches up to her the door to the room appears. They enter the room. It's an exact copy of the Gryffindor common room.
Hermione closes the door and looks at him. "I thought you trusted me."
Harry looks at her confused. "Mione, I do."
"Then why didn't you tell me?"
"Tell you what?"
"That you're a parseltongue!"
"A what?"
"A parseltongue, a wizard who can talk to snakes."
"There's a term for it?" Harry asks.
Hermione sighs. "You seriously didn't know that?"
Harry shakes his head. "I'd completely forgotten about it until today. I've only done it one other time and that was before I got my wand." Harry sits down.
"What happened?" Hermione asks.
"Dudley wanted to go to the zoo for his birthday, and they were afraid of what I would do if they left me home alone." Harry explains. "I was tired of carrying everything for Dudley like I was his servant. So when he stopped in front of where the snakes were and I realized I understood them I asked them to mess with them. I thought I was speaking English the whole time."
Hermione nods. "It doesn't make sense. Parseltongue is extremely rare, supposedly only those directly related to Slytherin have it."
"I'm not related to him though. The lineage test would have shown that." Harry says.
Hermione nods. "No, but according to Lucius Malfoy you-know-who was. What if when he gave you that scar…"
"He gave me some of his abilities?" Harry finishes.
Hermione nods. "That's my thought."
Harry sits down. "Is he controlling me through my scar? Am I the cause of these attacks?"
"I can't believe that." Hermione says. "He couldn't force you to give him the stone last year so I doubt he can control you."
Harry nods. "Thanks, that makes me feel better."
Hermione nods. "I'm sorry I accused you of keeping stuff from me."
"It's okay, I kind of did."
"But now we know we're looking for either a snake or something similar. Whatever Slytherin left in the Chamber, he wanted his descendants to be the only ones able to control it."
"So more research?" Harry asks.
Hermione nods. "More research."
===November 18 1992===
Harry and Hermione sat down to breakfast the usual buzz of conversation around them. As they get their plates Neville and Hannah sit across from them. That wasn't odd, since Halloween they took turns sitting at each other's table. What was odd was the dark circles under both their eyes.
"Nev, you okay?" Harry asks, genuinely concerned for his friend.
Neville shares a look with Hannah. Harry is all too familiar with that look as he and Hermione share it all the time. He hadn't realized these two were that close already. Hannah nods sleepily.
"We decided to take a walk before curfew last night." Neville explains. "During our walk we came across water on the floor, when we went to find the origin we discovered that another attack had happened."
"What exactly did you find?" Hermione asks.
"Justin Fitch-Fletchley, my fellow Hufflepuff petrified, he was standing right next to Sir Nicholas, apparently looking through him. Sir Nicholas was also petrified and looking the same direction." Hannah explains. "Neville stayed while I went and got Professor Sprout who went and got the headmaster and Madam Pomphrey."
Harry's heart pounds, he knows Justin, like Colin Creavy he's a muggleborn. A bit of panic goes through him as he worries that Hermione could potentially be a target.
"You should go see Madam Pomphrey, and get some dreamless sleep potion." Hermione says knowing the girl was traumatized. "Both of you. We need to go talk to the headmaster."
"Why would you need to go talk to the headmaster?" Hannah asks.
The two heirs share a look and nod simultaneously. "Neville, fill her in on the way to the infirmary."
A look of relief crosses Neville's face. "I will."
Suddenly not hungry the heirs get up and head off running into Draco. "Draco, did you hear?" Hermione asks as they pull him into a niche.
Draco nods. "I just came from the Owlery. I sent word to my father. I'm sure he'll be here shortly."
Hermione nods. "Thank you." They continue on to McGonagall's office when they run into her.
"Goodness, I was just on my way to get you." McGonagall says. "I heard about the attack. Do you want me to come with you to see the headmaster?"
The relief is obvious on both their faces. Harry nods. "If you would."
They proceed to Dumbledore's office. When they get upstairs they find Lucius Malfoy and a woman they don't know standing by Dumbledore's desk. Dumbledore sits at his desk, lack of sleep obvious on his face.
"Miss Granger, Mister Potter you are right on time." Dumbledore says. "Allow me to introduce you to Amelia Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement."
"Why are these students here?" Amelia asks.
"Greetings ma'am. I'm Hermione Granger, the Heir of Ravenclaw. This is Harry Potter, the Heir of Gryffindor."
"Oh, that was unexpected." Amelia says.
"It's fine." Hermione says. "We've done everything we can to keep our identities quiet."
Amelia nods. "I can certainly understand that."
Dumbledore clears his throat. "Can we get to the matter at hand?" Everyone nods. "I asked you all here because we have a problem. There have been two attacks on Hogwarts students. Attacks that have left students petrified. I don't want to have to close Hogwarts because it's unsafe, but I'm afraid it might just come to that."
"Let's take it one step at a time." Lucius says.
"I'd say the first step is to acknowledge the attacks have happened to the student body." Hermione says.
"Perhaps have everyone move about in groups?" Harry suggests. "Harder to target a group."
"I'd like to have my aurors sweep the castle." Amelia says.
"When would you like to do that?" Dumbledore asks. "We'll have to reschedule classes."
"Not if it's done during winter break." Hermione says.
"I was here for break last year. Should be easy to work around the few students here." Harry says.
"Only problem is that the perpetrator may also be gone." Lucius says.
"Let's not forget the school has been searched multiple times for the Chamber in the past." Dumbledore says.
"Then having it searched again shouldn't be a problem." Amelia says. "You should also send notices to all parents. At least then they'll be informed."
Dumbledore nods. "I'll get to work on that."
"I'll help with that." McGonagall says.
"Is there any chance any aurors could be stationed here?" Hermione asks.
Amelia shakes her head. "I don't have that kind of man power. As it is I'm going to have to pull people off other tasks to search the castle."
"Is there anything we can do as students?" Harry asks.
"Keep your ears and eyes open, and report anything suspicious to the headmaster." Amelia says. "He has a direct line to me."
They both nod and then leave to let the adults work out the rest of the details.