"So we know that Malfoy is not the heir of Slytherin" Hermione summarised their findings after a couple of weeks after halloween and their disastrous polyjuice experience. "We know that he doesn't know who it was, and we also know that the last time the chamber of secrets got opened, a muggleborn died."
"And that polyjuice doesn't work with animal hair-" Harry elbowed Ron, making him stop. Hermione simply glared at him, and moved on.
"So we don't have any idea who the heir is?" Harry voiced the obvious, his voice tinged with frustration. "There's been three attacks already, and half the school thinks that I am the Slytherin's heir"
"Well to be fair, you did speak in parsletongue-"
"Not the point Ron"
Harry continued. "The point is that, despite all the attacks, no one's got an idea who the culprit is. And our only lead just turned out to be a dead end."
The abandoned girl's bathroom turned quiet, with only the sound of moaning Mirtle sobbing occasionally echoing through the pipes.
"You think that Richard might have something to do with this?" Ron asked suddenly making both Hermione and Harry groan.
"Give it a rest Ron, just because someone doesn't like quiddich doesn't make them evil. " Hermione said while rolling her eyes.
"No, i mean think about it," Ron still pushed on. "We know that he is always going off on his own, he's been dissapearing to who knows where every night and after classes, and Fred and George told me that he's been exploring the castle from the day one."
"That still doesn't make him the heir of slytherin. You know him, he's always too busy training. He's probably out somewhere doing his own thing like always, away from nosey people like you." Hermione commented making Harry snort.
"Yeah, well do any of you know the girl he was talking to on the quiddtch finals?" Ron asked, making Harry and Hermione stop to think for a moment. Despite her appearing to be the same age as them, they did not know her.
"You don't" Ron stated with confidence. "I for one have never seen a girl like that, and after the quddich match, I've never seen her attend to any of our classes, or dinner."
"So what does that mean?" Harry asked confused. At the same time Hermione was thinking as well.
"Well, I think that the girl is the Heir of Slytherin." Ron declared, "and Richard is helping her."
"But how does that even make sense?" Hermione asked, "don't you think that someone might notice a stranger wandering in the school?"
"I mean we didn't"Ron replied. Hermione tried to speak up, but Harry interjected.
"He does make a little bit of sense."
"Really Harry?" Hermione asked sarcastically, but Harry was building a picture in his mind already.
"Think about it Hermione, why would someone who never spend time on games suddenly come to watch a quiddich match? And suddenly aftervthat, there is a new student no one's ever seen?"
"Yeah, he must've used the Quiddich match as a distraction to get her inside." Ron followed Harry.
"But Filch's cat got attacked before that," Hermione remained skeptical. This wasn't the first time Ron suggested something that sounded as absurd. "If she is the heir of slytherin, then how could the first attack happen?"
"She could've taught him how to do it," Ron claimed. "He must've known her before he even came to Hogwarts, so he was only showing a front to us."
Harry quipped in," He must've come to Hogwarts to find the chamber of secrets, that must be why he was always out at night exploring. And when he found the chamber, he must have let out what ever that was inside on Filch's cat because it would always smell out people who sneak at night. "
"And then, he used the quddich match as a distraction to sneak the true heir inside. That's why Colin got attacked the very night, because the real heir was back." Ron concluded his theory. "He must be someone who follows the heir. That explains how he is so good at dueling and spells. They must have trained him since he was a baby or something."
"That is even less believeable than Malfoy being the heir of Slytherin,Harry" Hermione said as she brought out counter arguments.
"First, Richard is a part of the transfiguration club, so he's expected to dissapear from time to time, and second, professor Mcgonagall is in charge of the club. So thers no way he can sneak out of there without permission or without her knowing. And according to the what Salazar Slytherin said, 'ONLY' the heir can control the beast within"
"Thats years ago Hermione, You can't just blindly believe what books said some musty old wizard said-"
"I will have you know that the books.."
................
Meanwhile Richard was scheming. The stupid Basilisk was getting in the way of his life. He couldn't go out due to the new restrictions. Meaning, he couldn't train, couldn't research, couldn't scavenge in the room of requirement or even go to the washroom in peace. Not to mention, his newest interesting project, Neville Longbottom... the guy was reverting back to his cowering self.
In short, the snake was obstructing his way of life, and Richard didn't like that. But he had to wait. Even now, when the object of his desire was just in an arm's reach.
"What are you looking at ? You already missed your chance to change houses if this is what its about. I told you that you would have done great in Slytherin. But nobody wants to listen to the old batty hat..."
"I'm doing perfectly fine in Gryffindor, thank you very much. "Richard interrupted the sorting hat hoping that it would shut up.
"Hmph, I stand by what I said back then as I do now. You would have done well in Slytherin."
If there was a way to forcefully make this stupid hat regurgitate the sword of Gryffindor, then Richard would have done it already, damn the consequences.
Yes, the Sword of Gryffindor. The ultimate creation of magical weaponry in the history of magic, made for the greatest duelist who wielded both the sword and wand to battle.
A weapon that never rusts, never loose its luster, can constantly upgrade itself....Richard wanted to get his hands on that more than anything. Too bad he couldn't do it.
"Don't mind what the old sorting hat says,, despite what it says, what ultimately matters is your own choice."
Dumbledor encouraged Richard, while dismissing the hat's rambling. Yes, Dumbledor. The hat was saying his psychology report infront of one of the greatest schemers ever.
Dumbledor is a schemer. He is a good schemer, but his good extends to the greater good, meaning that he won't hesitate to use others, even good people if he has to. While Richard understood from reading the books that he holds no malice, and would do his best to help the individuals, if necessary he is not reluctant to let individuals fall, if it was for the so called greater good.
"Professor McGonagall handed me your theory notes, which I found to be quite fascinating." Dumbledor replied as he waved his hand, and the parchments scattered all over his table organised themselves. "Magic has always fascinated me, but unfortunately I am being evicted from the school at the moment by the school board. So I will have to take the notes with me to elsewhere."
"So the rumours are true? Is the school board really replacing you?" Richard questioned despite knowing the truth. The minister was a fool. An incompetent fool who is in constant fear of loosing his position. Still, to actually remove the most powerful wizard available from the only magical school when there is a deadly threat of unknown power roaming the castle? That guy was an imbecile.
Professor Dumbledor replied without changing his expression." Not replacing, really. In the most simple terms,I've been sacked. But let's not worry about what we cannot control. Your notes, did you come up with them yourself? Or did you read it from somewhere else?"
"I came up with them my self."
"Wonderful!" Dumbledor's eyes revealed an exited glint as he leaned forward. "Your notes are very interesting. Enough to make an old man like me feel young again. This idea about the magic circuits, how did you even get it?"
"Ummm.. I have no problem explaining it professor Dumbledor, but is it really ok to spend time on magic with a monster loose in the castle?"
"Well, I have done all that I can about that. And now, I don't have the authority to do anything anymore, because right now, I am just an old man refusing to leave. So before I leave I just wanted to have a conversation with you."
Hearing Dumbledor's reasons, Richard suppressed a sigh or exasperation. He took a breath, steadying himself and his mind. He knew that the next dozen or so minutes was going to be a minefield he had to navigate with utmost care. And quite frankly, he would rather face the basilisk than spending time under the blue eyes that seemed to peer right into his soul.