I Hate Him

Chapter 19

Year 2

1993

//Mr. Weasley's car and Finding the Chamber//

Harry swung the lamp at the creatures and they reeled back in fear whilst Ron just stared at the spiders in fear, Fang whimpering as he hid behind Ron. Robyn pulled out her wand as a spider ran toward her and pointed it at the creature and shouted, “Stupefy!” A burst of white light flew from her wand and hit the spider, sending it flying backward into a tree.

“Know any spells another spells?” Ron asked his voice uneven as he glanced at Robyn, who answered with a gulp,

“A few."

“One, but it’s not powerful enough for all of them." Harry added, Robyn looked around and pointed her wand at a group of spiders and cast,

“Stupefy!” The small group of spiders were blown back.

“Where’s Hermione when you need her?” Ron let out a little sob as the spells seemed to make little to no effect as the spider’s were now only a foot away from the three and scrambling over each other. Robyn stood to the left of Ron as she glanced around at the creature with her mind wiring as she thought of spells hurriedly. Suddenly, the sound of an engine broke the air and Robyn frowned and then saw a car zoomed through the mass of spiders, hitting them down and sending them into the air.

It was Mr Weasley’s Flying Ford Anglia.

It knocked spiders out of its way and came to a stop in front of the three students, the spider’s ran away to hiding, the doors popped open, almost expectantly. Robyn jumped into the back of the car as Harry and Ron jumped into the front car - all without a second thought.

“Let’s go!” Harry shouted, and Fang jumping to the back quickly where Robyn was. She wrapped her went to closed the door by they close by themselves and Robyn's eyes widened and glanced at Fang then over her shoulder into the window and saw spiders running toward them. Harry pointed his wand out the window as he screamed, “Arania Exumai!” Harry cast pointing his wand at a charging spider which flew backward.

Another spider slammed into Harry’s window another landed he roof of the car and one on the bonnet causing Fang to whimper from beside Robyn and she gulped herself just as Ron yelled, “Go!” The car reversed backward over a large hump. Robyn clung to the back of Harry’s chair as the car drove backward and she squeaked nervously and let out a groaned as the car landed with a harsh thump, knocking the spider off the roof. The car skidden to a halt and Robyn let out a breath of relief as she dropped her head against the back of Harrys seat.

Ron panted heavily as he looked at them, “Glad we’re out of there.”

Suddenly, a spider jumped into the window and grabbed Ron’s throat with its legs and screeched into his ear. Robyn screamed as Harry pointed his wand at the creature and shouted,

“Arania Exumai!” The spider was expelled off Ron’s neck and outside, landing in the darkness. Robyn's jaw dropped as she stared Ron's white face as he panted,

“Thanks for that.”

“Don’t mention it." Harry gulped with a small nod of his head. They all looked over the mound of dirt to see the spiders line up like soldiers for battle and Robyn's felt her throat tighten as she stared at the mass of spiders that were advancing toward them.

“Not good.” Robyn muttered fearfully with her eyes widened, “Get us out of here. Now!” Ron started the car and drove backward as fast as he could with Harry clinging to the door.

“Come on!” Harry shouted, “Come on, move faster! Come on! Go!” Ron drove through the tree’s spiders running behind them and Robyn whimpered and gripped the seat and shouted,

“Ron, get us in the air!” Ron pulled at the gear but it didn't move and her eyes widened as he cried,

“The flying gear’s jammed!” Robyn bit her lip and rolled down the window and leaned out with her wand tight in hand .

“Robyn, what are you doing?!” Harry shouted as he looked over his shoulder at her. She ignore him as she pointed her wand at the spiders

“Duro Duo!” The spiders in the first line of spiders were turned into stone, acting like a barrier which stalled the other spiders momentarily. Robyn pulled herself back into the car and rolled up the window and looked forward and saw Ron looking at her with a raised eyebrow in the rear-view mirror whilst Harry was just facing her with an expectant expression.

"Oh, Hermione needs someone to study with." She said with a slight apologetic expression, "Thats one of the third year spells she learned."

"Okay..." Harry trailed off then shook his head, "Thats not important." He snapped his head to Ron, "Pull! Come on! We need to get out of here!"

“I’m trying!” Ron shouted back and Robyn reached forward and grabbed the leaver along with Harry and they all tried to push it. SHe glanced upward and her eyes widened as she saw them driving toward a mass of spiders and her eyes widened and shoved as hard as she could. Then, they all managed to push the lever forward, sending them into the air and threw the trees. She held onto the back of Harry's seat as she panted heavily in relief whilst Ron and Harry breathed in relief.

Then, the car drove downward toward the ground and landed, hard, on the ground near Hagrid’s hut, spraying mud and dirt everywhere. Robyn opened the door once the car stopped and got out the car in unison on Ron and Harry, once the car stopped.

Ron slammed the door behind himself as he yelled angrily, “Follow the spiders. Follow the spiders. If Hagrid ever gets out of Azkaban, I’ll kill him.” Robyn walked with Fang at her leg, panting happily, to her brother and friend. Behind them, the car roared into life beside them and reversed before driving straight back into the forbidden forest, the three barely noticed as Ron said, “I mean, what was the point of sending us in there? What have we found out?”

“We’ve confirmed one thing.” Harry said and he turned to Ron, “That Hagrid defiantly didn’t open the Chamber of Secrets. He was innocent."

***

Robyn dropped her bag onto her bed a few days later. She she sighed softly as she ran her hand into her hair before stretching as a yawn escaped her lips before murmured,

"I hate Wednesdays. Don't you agree, Herm... " She trailed off as she realized what she said, "...ione." She finished and looked at Hermione's empty bed and felt her heart sink, "Oh." She sat down on Hermione's bed and looked at a picture of Hermione and Robyn who were smiling brightly with their arms over eachothers shoulders. Robyn picked it up and looked at it, "Why, 'mione? Why did you have to go out that late? You know its not safe. You're smarter than....?" Robyn trailed off as she stared at her Hermione with her eyes slowly widening, "Thats right. Hermione's smart...very smart. So...Library...why...what...." She gasped and jumped off her bed, "You found something!" She put the picture down, "We'll save you Hermione. I promise."

Robyn broke out into a run as she ran out the dormitory and through the Common Room and into the corridor. She ran down down the corridor as fast as she could with her hair flying behind her as she weaved between people, sometimes yelling that she was sorry at the off people she bumped into. She dashed around the corner and nearly bumped into Malfoy and his group and ignored their shouts of annoyance. She sped into the library and burst through the doors and looked around and saw Madam Prince scowling from behind her a shelf at a pair of forth years who looked very cozy. Maybe she knew what Hermione had been reading that night.

"Madam Prince." Robyn panted as she jogged over to her,

"No running in the library." Snarled the lady over her specticals,

"Yes, I know. I'm sorry, Ma'am." Robyn nodded quickly, "But its important. Life and death important!" The librarian narrowed her eyes at her and Robyn felt herself shrink under her gaze but pressed on, "Ma'am, do you know Hermione Granger?"

"The bushy haired girl, second year?" Murmured Ma'am Prince and Robyn nodded excitedly, "Yes. I do. Very bright. Poor girl, though. She was attacked, a week ago wasn't she?"

"Yes, thats why I'm here." Robyn said, "She was here that night. Do you remember what she was reading?" A low hum of thought escaped Ma'am Prince's lips at Robyn's words. She then spun on her heal and walked along the shelves and Robyn didn't hesitate and follow her. Robyn could hear her mumbling under her breath before turning sharply into one of the sheleves and running her hands over the books before plucking one off the shelves. Madam Prince turned around and held the book out to Robyn, who took it gratefully,

"This." She said, "Enjoy, Miss. Potter." She walked off without another word and Robyn called a thank you after her before she ran off and sat down at a chair and read the cover.

Mystical and Malicious Beasts

by Lucy Quinfeth

"Please have left me a sign, Hermione." Robyn murmered before she opened the book and started reading.

One hour later, Robyn still hadn't found anything. She sighed and turned from the chapter on Dragons and went to look at the next chapter but stopped when she realised the page was missing with only the edge remaining where someone had ripped it. She groaned in annoyance and shook her head and mumbled,

"Disrespectful." She went to skip the chaper but stopped as something scratched at the back of her mind and turned to the contents page and ran her finger down the chapters before stopping at the one after Dragons, "Chapter 14, Basilisk." She bit her lip and stood and went to the shelves where the book came from and look over at the spines then picked out one:

Snakes and Slithers of the World

by Ralph Willison

She looked over the index page and through the B section and poked the word Basilisk and flicked the to age referenced and ran her eyes over the passage as she read:

The Basilisk is often reference in European bestiaries and legends and is often found in cold and damp areas. Its earliest record was in the 1650 manuscript of Snákur skepna - 'Beast of the Snake' - from Iceland were it was recorded for killing a man. It is a legendary reptile reputed to be a serpent king who can cause death with a single glance from its large yellow eyes but people can be paralyzed if they do not look directly into its eye. It's teeth are 8 inch fangs that pierce skin with ease with one row and around 60 in its mouth. The monster has very little weak points and is very hard to kill with creatures including spiders, ants, and other invertebrates often flee before it. This is often how the creature is recognized for being near. However, its weakness is that it can be killed by the crowing of a rooster.

They have caused only 20 deaths in this century with 3 being muggles. hey are dangerous creatures and are not to be taken without caution.

Robyn's jaw dropped as she read it and everything seemed to fit together - like a puzzle. Roosters could kill it, Hagrid said all his roosters had been slaughtered. Spiders and other invertebrates flee before it, spiders scurry away from it at the seen of the attacks. Plus, its a large snake and whenever there was water, there was a trail! That means the creature was a Basilisk.

"Hermione, you are a genius." She whispered in awe then frowned as something came to her mind. Then how did the people attacked, not die? They had to have looked it in the eye to be in the state but...they're not dead...so they had to have looked it in a different way. But how....?

"Stop it, Julius." A girl snapped, "I can see you in the window." Robyn snapped her head up and looked at the third year and saw her looking at the window and at the reflection of her friend, who was trying to sneak up on her. Then, it clicked.

"Reflection. The mirror." She breathed in shock then she thought about the others.

Hermione had a mirror.

Colin Creevy had...a camera!

Justin Flinch-Fletchly. He didn't have anything on him but...headless Nick. He saw it through the ghost.

Miss's Norris, there was a lot of water. She saw its reflection too.

Robyn let out a squeal, "They never looked at it directly! Yes!" People looked at her in confusion but she ignored them and closed the book before putting it back in the shelves. Before Robyn could make another movement, Professor McGonagall's voice sounded around the school as it was magically magnified,

“All students are to return to their house dormitories at once. All teachers to the second floor corridor. Immediately.”

All was silent in the library and Robyn felt her heart sink. She had a feeling that whatever it was, it was something to do with the Basilisk. Madam Prince cleared her throat as people started to mutter worriedly, she snapped,

"You heard Professor McGonagall. Go to your Common Rooms." Robyn walked with the people as they left the library and she pushed her hand into her pocket as she felt her wand then turned off into a corridor. With the mass of students, no one noticed her.

That is, almost everyone.

She walked down a corridor then turned and began to descend the steps toward the second floor. She held onto the railing as she hurried down but then halted as a sneering voice reached her ears,

"Where do you think you're going, Potter?" She tightened her grip on the railing and gritted her teeth as she turned around and looked at the top of the steps and saw Malfoy looking down at her with his pail face turning into a smug expression, "Naughty. Wait until Professor Snape heres about this."

"Oh shut up, Malfoy." She snapped, "I don't have time for this." She turned and started to walk down the steps but Malfoy smirked as he called,

"I'm expecting an answer."

"Well, you're not getting one." Robyn replied simply and Malfoy glared at her and went to speak but a voice called,

"Mr. Malfoy, what do you think you're doing?" It was Professor Flitwick. Robyn ran down the steps and around the corner, leaving Malfoy alone with the teacher.

Malfoy narrowed his eyes at her then looked at Professor Flitwick as he walked out to the steps. The teacher looked up at him, "Of to your dormintory, Mr. Malfoy." He rolled his eyes and glanced at where Robyn had left before walking off to the Slytherin Common Room.

***

Robyn heard voices as she approached the main stretch of corridor and stopped and hid behind a corner and peered around and felt her stomach twist at the sight. There was writing on the wall in blood and she covered her mouth in shock and hid back behind the corner and breathed shakily and closed her eyes fearfully. Someone had been taken. Professor Snape's voice caused Robyn to open her eyes and compose herself as she listened,

“A girl has been snatched by the monster, Lockhart. Your moment has come at last.”

“M-my m-moment?” stuttered Professor Lockhart,

“Weren’t you saying just last night that you’ve known all along where the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets is?” Professor Snape responded, in an almost mocking tone.

“D-did I ?” asked Professor Lockhart nervously, “I don’t recall –“

“That settles it.” Professor McGonagall concluded, cutting across the frightened DADA teacher, “We’ll leave it to you to deal with the monster, Gilderoy. Your skills, after all, are legendry."

“More like imaginary." Robyn mumbled to herself quietly then shut up as Professor Lockhart responded nervously,

“V-very well. I’ll – I’ll be in my office, getting – getting ready.” She watched as he walked off around the corner then looked at Professor McGonagall as she said,

“The rest of us should go and inform the students what has happened."

“Who is it that the monster’s taken, Minerva?” Madam Profrey asked quietly and Robyn furrowed her brow and strained her ears as Professor McGonagall said, gravely,

“Ginny Weasley.”

Robyn's eyes widened and she covered her mouth as a whimper threatened to escape her lips. She pulled herself behind the corner and whimpered softly, "Oh Ginny." She rubbed her face and looked up at the ceiling as tears filled her eyes. This just got more complicated.

She jogged away from the corridor with her eyebrows furrowed. She knew that Professor Lockhart wouldn't do anything - he was useless - and there was no way that she would leave Ginny's life in his slimy hands. The question was, should she go find her brother and Ron? However, she didn't want to put them in a dangerous situation. Robyn slowed to a stop as she realized she didn't know where the creature was. She quickly entered the girls bathroom where Myrtle resided. She knew no one would go in there.

"Oh." A voice murmured and Robyn looked up and saw Moaning Myrtle floating near the ceiling as she looked down at Robyn, "Hello Robyn Potter."

"Hi Myrtle." She murmured as she leaned against the sink and bit her lip as she thought about the creature. Robyn nibbled her bottom lip as she thought about the creature. People would noticed a massive great creature sliding through the corridors, so how was it getting around?

Well, every time she'd heard the creature it had been in the walls and it would also need to be somewhere dark as she'd read that they like to live in dark wet areas, naturally caves but there were no caves at school. So, somewhere dark and wet...pipes!

"Oh my god." She murdered, "Pipes. It in the pipes. But in order to attack Hermione and other others, he needs to get out of the pipes and into the corridors. So, there needs to be an entrance." Robyn thought about it as she tapped her fingers on the sink with a small frown.

"So, wheres your brother?" Mrytle purred but Robyn ignored her as she thought about there the creature could come from.

Maybe a man-hole in the corridor? Perhaps not, Robyn couldn't remember seeing any in the corridors of Hogwarts. She tapped her lips as she thought. What if it came in by magic? The heir of Slytherin could magic it in? Robyn hit her face in frustration a that idea. She had a feeling that whoever it was, there as no way the person would be able to magic the creature in. So, how?

"...you'd think after fifty years I'd figure out that Hogwarts students are rude. Honestly, all I want is some company." Robyn snapped her gaze to the ghost and her eyes widened and breathed,

"What did you say?"

Myrtle crossed her arms and growled, "I said, that I want some company."

"No, no, no. Before that." She pressed,

"Oh. Yeah, fifty years I should have - "

"You were here for the first attack." Robyn gasped and sat up "Wait, no. Its you. You're the victim. A girl died because of the creature." A small smirk formed on Mrytles face as she sat on the top of the sink stand, above Robyn. She let out a fake sigh of sadness and moaned quietly,

"Oh yes. I was. It was awful really. I was minding my own business, hiding from stupid Hornby who was making fun of my glasses." She began to explain with a forced sad expression, "It was in the third cubical and I decided that there was enough hiding and it was dinner, so go opened the door and then...I died." Robyn blinked as Myrtle sighed softly, "Then I woke up like this." Robyn shook her head as she pressed urgently,

"But, there has to be something else." Myrtle hummed softly as she thought,

"Well, I remember seeing something on this sink." She muttered as she patted the sink top she sat on and Robyn moved around and turned around and looked at the sink she'd just been leaning on, "Yes. A large pair of eyes. Yellow in colour and...thats it. Then, I died." Robyn ran her hand over the sink and knelt down and ran her hands over her pipe underneath it and then stood and looked at the mirror and ran her hands over the edge.

"Is there anything special about this sink, Myrtle? Anything off?" Robyn inquired as she checked the sink,

"Well, every time people try to use it, no water comes out." Mrytle shrugged slightly and Robyn looked up at her as she mumbled,

"That would make sense. It would mean that the creature could get up and out." She then ran her hand over the tap and felt something odd. She leaned down and saw a snake made of metal in graved on the side of the tap and a smile formed on her face, "Oh my god. Mrytle, this is the Chamber of Secrets. Slytherin's lair. How does it open?"

Mrytle giggled from above her, "Say open."

Robyn raised an eyebrow, "Open."

Nothing happened.

Robyn shook her head and she bit her lip as she thought for a moment then looked at the snake and a look of realization came on her face. Its Slytherins lair and it wouldn't be so easy to get access to this place. So, what is so rare that only Salazar Slytherin can do. Being rude to it? No... Robyn looked at the snake insignia on the tap and nodded slightly.

Parseltongue.

She looked at the snake and spoke in Parseltongue, "Open."

There was a loud click and groaned of stone as the top of the sink lifted up, causing Mrytle to squeal and giggled as floated down and hovered beside Robyn. Her jaw dropped and she stepped backward as the all the sinks moved forward a meter then they stopped. The sink with the sink then started to lower until it was completely in the floor then a grate slid over it. There was no a large gaping hole in the floor that was pitch black, she breathed nervously and looked at Mrtyle, who giggled softly,

"Enjoy, Harry's sister." She winked and floated off. Robyn watched her leave then looked at the hole and stepped forward into the grate and looked down. It was completely pitch black and meant she couldn't see the end of it. She let out a nervous breath then fluttered her eyes closed before jumping into the pitch black hole.