It was Sunday morning to find the dormitory blazing with winter sunlight and his arm reboned but very stiff. He sat up quickly and looked over at Colin's bed, but it had been blocked from view by the high curtains Harry had changed behind yesterday. Seeing that he was awake, Madam Pomfrey came bustling over with a breakfast tray and then began bending and stretching his arm and fingers.
"All in order." she said as he clumsily fed himself porridge left handed. "When you've finished eating, you may leave."
Harry dressed as quickly as he could and hurried off to Gryffindor Tower, desperate to tell Y/n, Ron and Hermione about Colin who had been petrified like Mrs Norris and Dobby who had visited him again only to reveal it had been his Bludger that broke Harry's arm, but none of the three were there. Harry left to look for them, wondering where they could have got to and feeling slightly hurt that they weren't interested in whether he had his bones back or not.
As Harry passed the library, Percy Weasley strolled out of it, looking in far better spirits than last time they'd met. "Oh, hello, Harry." he said. "Excellent flying yesterday, really excellent. Gryffindor has just taken the lead for the House Cup, you earned fifty points!"
"You haven't seen Ron, Y/n or Hermione, have you?" said Harry.
"No, I haven't." said Percy, his smile fading. "I hope Ron's not in another girls' toilet..."
Harry forced a laugh, watched Percy walk out of sight, and then headed straight for Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. He couldn't see why Ron, Y/n and Hermione would be in there again, but after making sure that neither Filch nor any prefects were around, he opened the door and heard their voices coming from a locked stall.
"It's me." he said, closing the door behind him. There was a clunk, a splash, and a gasp from within the stall and he saw Hermione's eye peering through the keyhole.
"Harry!" she said. "You gave us such a fright...come in." She said opening the stall door.
"How is your arm?" Y/n asked him curiously.
"Fine." said Harry, squeezing into the stall. An old cauldron was perched on the toilet, with a crackling from under the rim, they had lit a fire beneath it. Conjuring up portable, waterproof fires was a speciality of Hermione's.
"We'd've come to meet you, but we decided to get started on the Polyjuice Potion." Ron explained as Harry, with difficulty, locked the stall again.
"The sooner we start it the sooner we can use it." Y/n explained. "We have also decided this is the safest place to hide it."
Harry started to tell them about Colin, but Hermione interrupted.
"We already know, we heard Professor McGonagall telling Professor Flitwick this morning. That's why we decided we'd better get going..."
"The sooner we get a confession out of Malfoy, the better." snarled Ron. "D'you know what I think? He was in such a foul temper after the Quidditch match, he took it out on Colin."
"There's something else." said Harry, watching Y/n and Hermione tearing bundles of knotgrass and throwing them into the potion. "Dobby came to visit me in the middle of the night."
"Dobby? The house elf who visited you in the summer?" Y/n asked as he, Ron and Hermione looked up at him from the cauldron now and Harry told them everything Dobby had told him, or rather what he hadn't told him.
"So Dobby stopped us from getting on the train and broke your arm." Ron shook his head. "You know what, Harry? If he doesn't stop trying to save your life he's going to kill you..."
"The Chamber of Secrets has been opened before?" Y/n asked surprised. "That is interesting...If we can find out when it would help with our investigation."
"This settles it." said Ron in a triumphant voice. "Lucius Malfoy must've opened the Chamber when he was at school here and now he's told dear old Draco how to do it. It's obvious. Wish Dobby'd told you what kind of monster's in there, though. I want to know how come nobody's noticed it sneaking around the school."
"Maybe it can make itself invisible." said Hermione, prodding leeches to the bottom of the cauldron. "Or maybe it can disguise itself, pretend to be a suit of armor or something. I've read about Chameleon Ghouls..."
"You read too much, Hermione." said Ron, pouring dead lacewings on top of the leeches. He crumpled up the empty lacewing bag.
"There is nothing wrong with reading Ron." Y/n said crossing his arms. "It all just depends on the books you choose to read." He said slyly.
The news that Colin Creevey had been attacked and was now lying as though dead in the hospital wing had spread through the entire school by Monday morning. The air was suddenly thick with rumor and suspicion. The first years were now moving around the castle in tight knit groups, as though scared they would be attacked if they ventured forth alone.
Ginny Weasley, who sat next to Colin Creevey in Charms, was distraught, but Y/n felt that Fred and George were going the wrong way about cheering her up. They were taking turns covering themselves with fur or boils and jumping out at her from behind statues. They only stopped when Percy, apoplectic with rage, told them he was going to write to Mrs. Weasley and tell her Ginny was having nightmares.
Meanwhile, hidden from the teachers, a roaring trade in talismans, amulets, and other protective devices was sweeping the school. Neville Longbottom bought a large, evil smelling green onion, a pointed purple crystal, and a rotting newt tail before the other Gryffindor boys pointed out that he was in no danger considering he was a pureblood, and therefore unlikely to be attacked.
"They went for Filch first." Neville said, his round face fearful. "And everyone knows I'm almost a Squib."
In the second week of December Professor McGonagall came around as usual, collecting names of those who would be staying at school for Christmas. Harry, Y/n, Ron, and Hermione signed her list. They had heard that Malfoy was staying, which struck them as very suspicious considering the grief he had given last year about staying. The holidays would be the perfect time to use the Polyjuice Potion and try to worm a confession out of him.
Unfortunately, the potion was only half finished. They still needed the Bicorn horn and the boomslang skin, and the only place they were going to get them was from Snape's private stores.
"What we need." said Hermione briskly as Thursday afternoon's double Potions lesson loomed nearer. "Is a diversion. Then one of us can sneak into Snape's office and take what we need." Harry and Ron looked at her nervously.
"I think I'd better do the actual stealing," Hermione continued in a matter of fact tone. "You three will be expelled if you get into any more trouble, and I've got a clean record. So all you need to do is cause enough mayhem to keep Snape busy for five minutes or so."
Y/n nodded in agreement with Hermione's plan but he also knew that causing mayhem in Snape's Potions class was about as safe as poking a sleeping dragon in the eye. They'd have to make sure not to get caught.
Potions lessons took place in one of the large dungeons. Thursday afternoon's lesson proceeded in the usual way. Twenty one cauldrons stood steaming between the wooden desks, on which stood brass scales and jars of ingredients. Snape prowled through the fumes, making waspish remarks about the Gryffindors' work while the Slytherins sniggered appreciatively. Encouraged by Atticus, Malfoy, who was Snape's favorite student kept flicking puffer fish eyes at Y/n, Ron and Harry, who knew that if they retaliated they would get detention faster than you could say "Unfair."
The class were brewing Swelling Solution potions today and Y/n worked carefully on his potion which was simmering nicely. Harry's Swelling Solution however was far too runny, but he had his mind on more important things. He was waiting for Hermione's signal, and he hardly listened as Snape paused to sneer at his watery potion. When Snape turned and walked off to bully Neville, Hermione caught Harry's eye and nodded.
Harry ducked swiftly down behind his cauldron, pulled one of Fred's Filibuster fireworks out of his pocket, and gave it a quick prod with his wand. The firework began to fizz and sputter. Knowing he had only seconds, Harry straightened up, took aim, and lobbed it into the air, it landed right on target in Goyle's cauldron.
Goyle's potion exploded, showering the whole class. People shrieked as splashes of the Swelling Solution hit them. Atticus's entire head had gotten covered as he used his hands to keep it up. Malfoy got a faceful and his nose began to swell like a balloon, Goyle blundered around, his hands over his eyes, which had expanded to the size of a dinner plate, Snape was trying to restore calm and find out what had happened. Through the confusion, Y/n saw Hermione slip quietly into Snape's office.
"Come on Hermione..." Y/n whispered under his breath.
"Silence! SILENCE!" Snape roared. "Anyone who has been splashed, come here for a Deflating Draft. When I find out who did this..."
Harry tried not to laugh as he watched Malfoy hurry forward, his head drooping with the weight of a nose like a small melon. Atticus's face showed that he was fuming with the situation. As half the class lumbered up to Snape's desk, some weighted down with arms like clubs, others unable to talk through gigantic puffed up lips, Y/n saw Hermione slide back into the dungeon, the front of her robes bulging.
When everyone had taken a swig of antidote and the various swellings had subsided, Snape swept over to Goyle's cauldron and scooped out the twisted black remains of the firework. There was a sudden hush.
"If I ever find out who threw this." Snape whispered. "I shall make sure that person is expelled..."
Harry arranged his face into what he hoped was a puzzled expression. Snape was looking right at him, and the bell that rang ten minutes later could not have been more welcome.
"He knew it was me." Harry told Ron, Y/n and Hermione as they hurried back to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. "I could tell."
"Hermione was able to get the items we needed at least. Which means were still on track." Y/n said as Hermione threw the new ingredients into the cauldron and began to stir feverishly.
"It'll be ready in two weeks." Hermione said happily.
"Besides, Snape can't prove it was you." said Ron reassuringly to Harry. "What can he do?"
"Knowing Snape, something foul." said Harry as the potion frothed and bubbled.
A week later, Harry, Ron, Y/n and Hermione were walking across the entrance hall when they saw a small knot of people gathered around the notice board, reading a piece of parchment that had just been pinned up. Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas beckoned them over, looking excited.
"They're starting a Dueling Club!" said Seamus. "First meeting tonight! I wouldn't mind dueling lessons, they might come in handy one of these days..."
"What, you reckon Slytherin's monster can duel?" said Ron, but he, too, read the sign with interest.
"I'm going to attend." Y/n said looking at the sign. "This actually could be very useful Ron. Duelling is a good skill to know for a wizard, It could come in handy." he said as the four started to make their way to dinner.
"Well if you're going then I'm going." Ron said not really needing an excuse. "What about you two?"
Harry and Hermione were all for it, so at eight o'clock that evening they hurried back to the Great Hall. The long dining tables had vanished and a golden stage had appeared along one wall, lit by thousands of candles floating overhead. The ceiling was velvety black once more and most of the school seemed to be packed beneath it, all carrying their wands and looking excited.
"I wonder who'll be teaching us?" said Hermione as they edged into the chattering crowd.
"Last year Professor Flitwick told me was a dueling champion when he was younger so I Imagine it will be him." Y/n said excited by this prospect.
"As long as it's not..." Harry began, but he ended on a groan. Gilderoy Lockhart was walking onto the stage, resplendent in robes of deep plum and accompanied by none other than Snape, wearing his usual black.
"You just had to open your mouth..." Y/n whispered to Harry who was also regretting he had.
Lockhart waved an arm for silence and called out. "Gather round, gather round! Can everyone see me? Can you all hear me? Excellent!"
"Now, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little dueling club, to train you all in case you ever need to defend yourselves as I myself have done on countless occasions, for full details, see my published works.
"Let me introduce my assistant, Professor Snape." said Lockhart, flashing a wide smile. "He tells me he knows a tiny little bit about dueling himself and has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration before we begin. Now, I don't want any of you youngsters to worry...you'll still have your Potions master when I'm through with him, never fear!"
"Wouldn't it be good if they finished each other off?" Ron muttered to Y/n and Harry.
"I am willing to put money on Snap for once." Y/n whispered back.
"Too easy." Harry muttered.
Snape's upper lip was curling before he and Lockhart turned to face each other and bowed, at least, Lockhart did, with much twirling of his hands, whereas Snape jerked his head irritably. Then they raised their wands like swords in front of them.
"As you see, we are holding our wands in the accepted combative position." Lockhart told the silent crowd. "On the count of three, we will cast our first spells. Neither of us will be aiming to kill, of course."
"I wouldn't bet on that." Harry murmured, watching Snape baring his teeth.
"One...two...three..."
Both of them swung their wands above their heads and pointed them at their opponent; Snape cried. "Expelliarmus!" There was a dazzling flash of scarlet light and Lockhart was blasted off his feet. He flew backward off the stage, smashed into the wall, and slid down it to sprawl on the floor.
Malfoy and some of the other Slytherins cheered.
Y/n couldn't but look amused.
Hermione was dancing on tiptoes. "Do you think he's all right?" she squealed through her fingers.
"Who cares?" said Harry and Ron together.
Lockhart was getting unsteadily to his feet. His hat had fallen off and his wavy hair was standing on end. "Well, there you have it!" he said, tottering back onto the platform. "That was a Disarming Charm, as you see, I've lost my wand...ah, thank you, Miss Brown, yes, an excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape, but if you don't mind my saying so, it was very obvious what you were about to do. If I had wanted to stop you it would have been only too easy however, I felt it would be instructive to let them see..."
Snape was looking murderous. Possibly Lockhart had noticed, because he said, "Enough demonstrating! I'm going to come amongst you now and put you all into pairs. Professor Snape, if you'd like to help me."
They moved through the crowd, matching up partners. Lockhart teamed Neville with Justin Finch-Fletchley, but Snape reached the four first.
"Time to split up the dream team, I think." he sneered. "Weasley, you can partner Finnigan. Mr. Malfoy, come over here. Let's see what you make of the famous Potter."
Malfoy strutted over, smirking.
Y/n moved toward Hermione now.
"Again, I don't think so." said Snape, smiling coldly . "Atticus Grindelwald, here." He beckoned and Atticus slowly made his way over. "We shall see how the two brothers compare..." Snape continued now. "And you, Miss Granger, you can partner Miss Bulstrode."
A Slytherin girl who reminded Y/n of a drawing in book of creatures he had read began to strut over to them now. She was large and square and her heavy jaw jutted aggressively. Hermione gave her a weak smile that she did not return.
"Face your partners!" called Lockhart, back on the platform. "And bow!"
Y/n and Atticus looked at one another now not taking their eyes off each other. they raised their wands up and Y/n bowed forward out of respect but Atticus did not return the gesture.
"Wands at the ready!" shouted Lockhart. "When I count to three, cast your charms to disarm your opponents...only to disarm them, we don't want any accidents. One...two...three!"
"Petrificus Totalus!" Atticus immeadlity chanted
"Protrego!" Y/n instantly retaliated with as he conjured an invisible shield to protect himself .
Atticus was momentarily surprised by Y/n's ability to block his spell but his brow quickly furrowed and he raised his wand again.
But Y/n didn't give his brother any chance to cast another spell as he quickly chanted "Silencio!" with his wand pointed at Atticus.
Atticus called out to cast a spell, but nothing happened. HIs voice had been muted by Y/n. Atticus tried again but it proved futile and with each attempt he grew angrier.
Y/n let out a breath now. "Expelliarmus..." He cast and Atticus's wand now flew from his hand and clattered across the floor.
"You have always looked down on me Atticus...but I will not let you do that anymore. I will make you acknowledge me even if it takes the rest of our lives..." Y/n said as he watched his brother snarling.
"I said disarm only!" Lockhart shouted in alarm over the heads of the battling crowd and Y/n looked to the side now to see Malfoy had sank to his knees laughing, Y/n figured Harry must of have hit him with a Tickling Charm. Harry had hung back, with a vague feeling it would be unsporting to bewitch Malfoy while he was on the floor, but this was a mistake, gasping for breath, Malfoy pointed his wand at Harry's knees, choked, "Tarantallegra!" and the next second Harry's legs began to jerk around out of his control in a kind of quickstep.
"Stop! Stop!" screamed Lockhart, but Snape took charge. "Finite Incantatem!" he shouted. Harry's feet stopped dancing, Malfoy stopped laughing, and they were able to look up.
His gaze then turned to both Y/n and Atticus and with an unhappy look he cast the same spell again allowing Atticus to talk again.
"Don't think that just because you can cast a few cheap spells that it makes you any better than me..." Atticus spit as he turned away from Y/n now and picked up his wand.
Y/n just sighed and shook his head. He began to watch the other duels now as he saw both Neville and Justin were lying on the floor, panting; Ron was holding up an ashen faced Seamus, apologizing for whatever his broken wand had done. Hermione and Millicent Bulstrode were still moving, Millicent had Hermione in a headlock and Hermione was whimpering in pain, both their wands lay forgotten on the floor.
"Hmm." Y/n murmured and taking some inspiration from Harry he aimed his wand discretely at Millicent. "Rictusempra..." He whispered and immediately she broke out into a fit of giggles and let go of Hermione to grab her own ribs as she continued to laugh.
Hermione quickly put distance between herself and Millicent as she watched the girl fall to the floor. Confused at what had just happened her eyes began to scan the room until she saw Y/n putting away his wand now.
Y/n caught Hermione looking at him but said nothing, he only gave her a small smile and slight bow of his head.
Hermione realising Y/n had helped her gave him a small smile back.
"Dear, dear." said Lockhart now, skittering through the crowd, looking at the aftermath of the duels. "Up you go, Macmillan... Careful there, Miss Fawcett... Pinch it hard, it'll stop bleeding in a second, Boot..."
"I think I'd better teach you how to block unfriendly spells." said Lockhart, standing flustered in the midst of the hall. He glanced at Snape, whose black eyes glinted, and looked quickly away. "Let's have a volunteer pair. Longbottom and Finch-Fletchley, how about you..."
"A bad idea, Professor Lockhart." said Snape, gliding over like a large and malevolent bat. "Longbottom causes devastation with the simplest spells. We'll be sending what's left of Finch-Fletchley up to the hospital wing in a matchbox." Neville's round, pink face went pinker. "How about Malfoy and Potter?" said Snape with a twisted smile.
"Excellent idea!" said Lockhart, gesturing Harry and Malfoy into the middle of the hall as the crowd backed away to give them room.
"Now, Harry." said Lockhart. "When Draco points his wand at you, you do this."
He raised his own wand, attempted a complicated sort of wiggling action, and dropped it. Snape smirked as Lockhart quickly picked it up, saying, "Whoops...my wand is a little overexcited."
Snape moved closer to Malfoy, bent down, and whispered something in his ear. Malfoy smirked, too. Harry looked up nervously at Lockhart and said. "Professor, could you show me that blocking thing again?"
"Scared?" muttered Malfoy, so that Lockhart couldn't hear him.
"You wish." said Harry out of the corner of his mouth.
Lockhart cuffed Harry merrily on the shoulder. "Just do what I did, Harry!"
"What, drop my wand?" Harry asked.
But Lockhart wasn't listening. "Three...two...one...go!" he shouted.
Malfoy raised his wand quickly and bellowed, "Serpensortia!"
The end of his wand exploded. Harry watched, aghast, as a long black snake shot out of it, fell heavily onto the floor between them, and raised itself, ready to strike. There were screams as the crowd backed swiftly away, clearing the floor.
Y/n, Hermione and Ron watched in shock.
"Don't move, Potter." said Snape lazily, clearly enjoying the sight of Harry standing motionless, eye to eye with the angry snake. "I'll get rid of it..."
"Allow me!" shouted Lockhart. He brandished his wand at the snake and there was a loud bang; the snake, instead of vanishing, flew ten feet into the air and fell back to the floor with a loud smack. Enraged, hissing furiously, it slithered straight toward Justin Finch-Fletchley and raised itself again, fangs exposed, poised to strike.
Y/n rolled his eyes and was about to comment on Lockhart's stupidity but stopped when he saw Harry moving forward as though he was on casters and that he began to speak in hisses at the snake. To everyone's shock the snake slumped to the floor, docile as a thick, black garden hose, its eyes now on Harry.
Harry looked up at Justin, grinning, expecting to see Justin looking relieved, or puzzled, or even grateful...but certainly not angry and scared.
"What do you think you're playing at?" Justin shouted, and before Harry could say anything, Justin had turned and stormed out of the hall.
Snape stepped forward, waved his wand, and the snake vanished in a small puff of black smoke. Snape, too, was looking at Harry in an unexpected way. It was a shrewd and calculating look. The crowd had started to murmur now.
"We should get Harry out of here." Y/n said to Ron and Hermione who both nodded in agreement.
It was Ron who moved towards Harry and tugged on his robes. "Come on, Move...come on..." He urged Harry and steered him out of the hall.
Y/n and Hermione hurried alongside them. As they went through the doors, the people on either side drew away as though they were frightened of catching something.
Harry didn't have a clue what was going on, and neither Ron, Y/n nor Hermione explained anything until they had dragged him all the way up to the empty Gryffindor common room. Then Ron pushed Harry into an armchair and said. "You're a Parselmouth. Why didn't you tell us?"
"I'm a what?" said Harry.
"A Parselmouth Harry." said Y/n following on from Ron. "It is the name given to those who can talk to snakes..." He said uncomfortably.
"You can talk to snake Harry!" Ron cried now.
"I know." said Harry. "I mean, that's only the second time I've ever done it. I accidentally set a boa constrictor on my cousin Dudley at the zoo once...long story, but it was telling me it had never seen Brazil and I sort of set it free without meaning to that was before I knew I was a wizard."
"A boa constrictor told you it had never seen Brazil?" Ron repeated faintly.
"So?" said Harry. "I bet loads of people here can do it."
"Oh, no they can't." said Ron. "It's not a very common gift. Harry, this is bad."
"What's bad?" said Harry. "What's wrong with everyone? Listen, if I hadn't told that snake not to attack Justin..."
"So, that is what you said to it?" Y/n asked Harry.
"What d'you mean? You were there...you heard me..."
"We heard you speaking Parseltongue." said Ron. "Snake language. You could have been saying anything, no wonder Justin panicked, you sounded like you were egging the snake on or something...it was creepy, you know."
Harry gaped at him. "I spoke a different language? But...I didn't realize...how can I speak a language without knowing I can speak it?"
Ron shook his head. He, Y/n and Hermione were looking as though someone had died. Harry couldn't see what was so terrible.
"D'you want to tell me what's wrong with stopping a massive snake biting off Justin's head?" he said. "What does it matter how I did it as long as Justin doesn't have to join the Headless Hunt?"
"It matters." said Hermione, speaking at last in a hushed voice. "Because being able to talk to snakes was what Salazar Slytherin was famous for. That's why the symbol of Slytherin House is a serpent."
Harry's mouth fell open.
"Do you understand now?" Y/n asked him.
"The whole school's going to think you're his great great great great grandson or something..." Ron uttered
"But I'm not." said Harry, with a panic he couldn't quite explain.
"You'll find that hard to prove." said Hermione. "He lived about a thousand years ago, for all we know, you could be."
It was next morning, the snow that had begun in the night had turned into a blizzard so thick that the last Herbology lesson of the term was canceled. Professor Sprout wanted to fit socks and scarves on the Mandrakes, a tricky operation she would entrust to no one else, now that it was so important for the Mandrakes to grow quickly and revive Mrs. Norris and Colin Creevey.
Harry fretted about this next to the fire in the Gryffindor common room, while Ron and Hermione used their time off to play a game of wizard chess and Y/n sat reading one of his books.
"You're going to turn into Hermione if you keep reading those books all the time." Ron said to Y/n.
Hermione just shot Ron a dark look.
"I do not see that as a bad thing necessarily." Y/n said as he flipped a page but didn't look up. "Besides I bought them in Diagon Alley when Lockhart announced he would be teaching us. I have been using these books to teach myself Defence Against the Dark Arts to make up his lack of ability."
Hermione looked up at Y/n now to say something but she caught sight of Harry. "For heaven's sake, Harry." she said exasperated, as one of Ron's bishops wrestled her knight off his horse and dragged him off the board. "Go and find Justin if it's so important to you."
So Harry got up and left through the portrait hole.