October seemed to fly by as quickly as September did. Madam Pomfrey was kept busy by the colds going around among the staff and students. Ginny who had started to distance herself from her friends has been bullied into taking a pepper-up potion walked around the whole day with steam pouring out from under her hair.

Wood didn’t let up on the training regimen either as it poured rain outside. He used the rain as what he called all-weather training. That’s why Harry, Fred, and George were returning to Gryffindor Tower, drenched and covered in mud late in the afternoon.

The boys were so exhausted as they strode along a deserted corridor. It wasn’t long before they came upon the Gryffindor House ghost, Nick.

"Hello Nick.� Harry greeted softly. Magi

"Hello, Weasley Twins and Harry,� Nick said folding a transparent letter and tucking it away inside his doublet.

“You look troubled, Nick,� Fred said.

Nick waved his hand in front of him and said, “Nothing of any importance. It’s not like I wanted to join anyway. Just thought I’d try but apparently, I don’t meet the requirements.�

They could tell that Nick was quite bitter about whatever it was. Harry was about to suggest that they move on when Nick started to speak again. “You would think being hit over forty times with a blunt axe would qualify but no a quarter inch still hangs on.� Nick erupted, “They will not allow me to join the Headless Hunt!� The boys looked at each other for looking back at Nick.

Nick was about to complain some more but before he could they all heard a soft meow coming from down the hall. Harry had a bad feeling he knew somehow that Filch was in a foul mood. Harry quickly said goodbye to Nick, grabbed Fred and George by the arms, and dragged them away before Filch could catch them.

Later that evening Harry was sitting in the common room with all his friends and some other curious Gryffindors while Fred and George tried to find out what would happen if they fed a Filibuster firework to a salamander, they had rescued from their Care of Magical Creatures class. Harry wasn’t quite sure if rescue is the word Harry would use but he was relatively sure the firework wouldn’t harm the salamander so he let the twins continue with the experiments.

When the salamander ate the firework, swallowing it whole, they waited with bated breath. It was less than a minute when the salamander shot off the table with sparks shooting out of its mouth. When it bounced off the wall and shot at some fifth-years doing some school work, Perry marched over and started to shout at the boys. October 31st 1992

“Rip… Tear… Kill…� a cold, murderous voice sounded around him. Harry stopped and put his ear to a wall trying to listen and hear where the voice was coming from.

Ron had stopped behind him and said, “Harry what are you doing?�

“Quite down, Ron.� Harry whispered, “I hear a voice.�

“Soo hungry… for so long…� the voice sounded again.

Harry turned to Ron and Hermione. “Listen, don’t you hear it?� Both Ron and Hermione froze and stared at Harry.

“Kill… time to kill.� The said fading away. It was moving away from him. “This way,� Harry said as he took off up the stairs into the entrance hall. He couldn’t hear much with all the chatter from the Halloween Feast echoing through the hall. Ron and Hermione had caught up to Harry. Hermione tried to say something but Harry shooshed her straining his ears. He was about to give up when he heard it again. “Blood… I smell blood…� the voice sounded from a floor above. Harry took off again headed to the second floor. He raced around the floor till he reached the last deserted corridor where he met a grim sight. Hanging from a torch bracket was Filtch’s cat, Mrs. Norris. She was stiff as a board and her eyes wide open. She looked dead. But this wasn’t what made Harry Stare. On the wall between the two windows, someone had written a message.

THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED. ENEMIES OF THE HEIR BEWARE.

s he stared at the words Harry suddenly found himself standing at the end of a dimly lit chamber. The lighting cast eerie shadows from the towering stone pillar carved with serpents. Harry slowly walked past the pillar till he reached an open chamber and right at the end in the middle of the wall was a huge statue of a man. Harry didn’t focus on the man because at his feet was a small red-haired figure lying face down on the stone floor.

As he ran over, he flashed back the words on the wall. This time, under the original message something new was written. ‘Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever.’

Harry woke from the grim dream the words and Ginny’s pale form still fresh in his mind. He couldn’t imagine a world where she wasn’t there. It hurt. As Harry climbed out of bed that morning, he tried to find Ginny but she had been avoiding them for the last few weeks. Earlier that week, Neville and Harry had asked Luna if she knew what was going on with her. Luna looked sad as she told them that except for classes Ginny had been avoiding her as well.

Harry and his friends scoured the castle looking for Ginny but it seemed she had always managed to evade them. Later on, that evening they all headed down to the Great Hall to enjoy the Holiday feast. Harry had been walking on eggshells all day. He had an eerie feeling all day since that dream. Harry had debated about going to Professor McGonagall and telling her he was worried about Ginny and about the dreams he had been having.

The feast was as spectacular as ever. Harry looked around thinking there would be no way Ginny would miss her first holiday feast. As he looked down the Gryffindor table, he didn’t see the one person he was looking for. As the night went on and she never showed up Harry began to worry more. Neville had asked Harry multiple times if he was alright. At first, Harry shrugged off his concern but Neville knew him better than to let Harry stew. When Harry mentioned that he was still worried for Ginny he suggested that they take Luna and have her check the dorms to make sure she was alright.

Harry told them he didn’t want to ruin their Holiday but before Neville could say anything Luna leaned around him and said that she didn’t mind. They were leaving the hall when Harry heard it.

“Kill… time to Kill,� the voice said. Harry froze at the sound of the voice. Harry wanted to run away but he had to know for sure so he led Neville and Luna up to the exact corridor where the word would be. When they reached the corridor Harry froze as he stared at the words. Neville gave a shriek and Luna seemed to whimper as they stared at Mrs. Norris hanging by her tail from the torch bracket.

Harry knew what they had to do as he grabbed his two friends by the arm and dragged them back to the Great Hall. Neville and Luna both wandered over to the Gryffindor table and sat down both seemingly in a trance while Harry made his way over to the head table. When he stood in front of the Professors, Harry took a deep breath and asked if he could speak with Professor McGonagall. She nodded and led Harry into a corridor off the Great Hall.

“Mr. Potter, you wanted to speak with me?� She questioned gently.

Harry nodded and quietly told her what they had found. At first, it seemed she didn’t believe him but the longer she looked at him she could tell that this wasn’t a prank or anything of the sort. Professor McGonagall told Harry to stay where he was and walked back into the Great Hall. She came back with the headmaster, who she told what Harry had told her. He seemed surprised for a moment before he schooled his face and told Harry to lead them to the corridor.

Harry led them to the end of the corridor. He didn’t want to go down there so he just pointed and said, “It’s just down there.� Professor Dumbledore nodded and told Harry to stay there. Harry stayed and watched as a few minutes since McGonagall and Dumbledore walked in Professor Flickwick and Professor Snape rushed by. It was nearing eleven when Harry was finally allowed back to his dorm. Harry tried to sleep that night but he was plagued by nightmares.

November 1st, 1992

The next day Harry went down to breakfast late and it seemed that Harry was the center of the rumor mill. As Harry approached the table people pointed and whispered as he walked by. Harry frowned as he sat down next to Neville.

“What’s the word?� Harry quietly asked.

“Apparently you don’t like cats,� Luna said from across the table.

Harry’s eyes widened, “They think I…� Harry trailed off in disbelief.

Neville shook his head, “Only the people that don’t know you.� The conversation stalled when Hermione and Ron sat done next to them arguing about Filtch’s cat. Hermione felt that Ron should feel some compassion for the animal while Ron was saying that whoever had strung the animal should do the entire school a service and rid them of her. Harry couldn’t help but think that he should in fact show some compassion for the animal as he had not seen the true horror of the scene.

Harry was going to say something when Neville did it for him. Harry was so grateful for his best friend saving him. Breakfast was almost over when Harry spotted Ginny sitting at the very end of the Gryffindor table with an untouched piece of toast in front of her. She looked pale and over-tired. Harry knew that chances like this wouldn’t come around very often so he nodded toward Ginny and got up to talk to her before class.

Ginny hadn’t noticed Harry as he approached because she jumped when he tapped her shoulder. Her brown eyes widened as she took Harry in. “Can we talk?� Harry asked. Ginny nodded and they walked out of the hall.

“How have you been?� Harry asked as he took her book bag from her. Ginny just shrugged her shoulders. Harry could almost feel her withdraw back behind a wall like she was hiding something. “Ginny, I know we don’t know each other as much as I would like to but I am worried about you.�

Ginny’s eyes met his and he found himself lost in the brown eyes that had so much fire behind them. “Well, I’m fine,� she hissed lowly. As you said we don’t know each other. You don’t know me well enough to know when something is really wrong.�

Harry smiled softly at Ginny and said, “I know you well enough Ginny. Ginny, you are probably one of the kindest people I have ever met. You are not afraid to speak your mind. You really feisty which is showing itself right now and are one of the most brave and loyal.� As Harry spoke tears built up in Ginny’s eyes. Finally, Harry reached out and cupped her cheek and said “I don’t know how, but I know you.�

A sob broke through her lips and Harry pulled her into a hug and rubbed her back as he whispered that everything was going to be alright.