Fighting Friends Smiling Enemies

Gabrielle gasped as she got off of the Hogwarts Express. "It's huge," the brunette mumbled to her best friend, Ginny Weasley. "Probably full of cute guys too!" Sarah said. "Talk about it and Harry Potter," Ginny squealed. They all nodded in agreement and proceeded to walk toward the crowd of 1st years. Gabby quickly found her place beside Ginny. Their families had been friends since forever, and so had Gabby and Ginny. Their other friends followed in tow. A very tall and giant man was calling for the rest of the 1st years to come. Gabby identified him as Hagrid; Ginny's brothers had always mentioned him. Rumor was that he was half-giant or something. They boarded small boats, four to each, and crossed the great lake. "Didn't your brother, George, say there was a squid in the lake?" Catherine said. "Yeah, probably nothing to worry about though," Ginny said. When they got to the other side, they were herded into a room outside of what must have been the Great Hall. There was a woman, probably a professor, who greeted them at the door. ""Welcome to Hogwarts, I am Professor McGonagall. The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room" Professor McGonagall started. "I hope we're together," Gabby whispered to Ginny. Ginny nodded her head. "The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history."McGonagall went on. Gabby droned her out at this point. She had spent enough sleepovers at Ginny's house over the summer before her family had decided that going to the states every summer would be fun in order to know how this whole drill went. She had heard about Bill, Charlie, Fred, and George's stories enough to know this speech. McGonagall stopped talking and went into the great hall. Quiet conversation broke out among the first years. "I hope I don't end up in Slytherin," a girl nearby hissed. "Gryffindor, I have to get into Gryffindor. Oliver is in there after all," Sarah squeaked. "Oh give up Sarah. Oliver's a 6th year for crying out loud. Maybe we should aim a little lower," Gabby said. "How about Neville Longbottom? Perfect for you Sarah!" was the snide remark from a blonde girl nearby-Sissy Stillwell. She definitely would end up in Slytherin, she was just too much of a snob not to. "Shut up Sissy. You're just jealous, Neville's too good for you," Ginny and Gabby shot back. "Oh look who's talking. Ginny Weasley and Gabrielle Martin. I'm so scared!" Sissy mocked. "Whatever Sissy" Gabby said. Sissy wasn't worth getting into an argument with. "1st years! Come!" McGonagall shouted and they proceeded to walk into the Great Hall The sorting hat sang a very dainty song and then one by one, the 1st years were called up to put it on. Gabby could feel her knees go weak when her name was called up. She breathed slowly and focused on putting the hat on. Before she had a chance to put it on properly, it bellowed out "GRYFFINDOR!" Gabby whipped it off and gave it to Sarah as she ran to sit by Catherine at the Gryffindor table. *

    "I call that one," Ginny yelled as the four girls ran through the doorway to their room together. She pointed to the bed closest to the doorway, on the left.

    "It's awesome that we got to be together," Gabby said enthusiastically. Catherine, Sarah, Gabby, and Ginny would be sharing the dorm for the next 7 years. It would be great----as long as they stayed friends anyways.

    "I know! I'll take this one," Sarah said indicating a bed on the right. Catherine moved to the one beside it on instinct. They were a group of four, or two sets of best friends.

    "Obviously, I get this one. I bet I'll be the quickest to unpack," Gabby said.

    "You're on. Last one to finish has to shower last every night," Ginny challenged. Sarah and Catherine looked at each other.

    "We're in," they both chimed and the race began. The four girls shoved and pushed and pretty much rushed to get their belongings in place. In the end, Ginny lost.

    "Ugh, I'm going to be a frozen Popsicle. Forget it, I'm going to start washing in the morning," Ginny said, "Anyways.what are we doing here talking about showers? Let's go hang out in the common room!" They darted out of the room, ready to join the festivities.

    The Common Room was alive with conversation about Harry and Ron's ride in a flying car. Comments ('I heard they even stopped for burgers.' 'Don't be ridiculous.' 'Harry is so brave.') on the act filled almost every sentence muttered.

    "Mum is going to go bonkers," Ginny said to Gabby.

    "It was pretty cool though," Catherine said.

    "They could have been hurt!" Sarah said.

    "Why did they do it anyways?" Gabby asked. That was pretty much all everyone talked about all night. *

    *Beep*Beep* Beep* went the buzzer of the alarm clock. It was a magical alarm clock of course. Unlike normal muggle alarm clocks, it didn't wake everyone in the room up. It was tuned just to wake up the person who set it. It had other features also, but Gabby hadn't figured out how to work them yet. She turned over in her bed. She was the only one awake. Why wasn't Ginny? Ginny was supposed to be up before her, to take her shower. Gabby dragged herself out of bed, and into the shower. When she came out, Ginny still was sleeping. She was going to be late.

    "Ginny, wake up," Gabby said as she moved Ginny's arm. Ginny opened one eye, then the other.

    "Wha?" Ginny mumbled.

    "You need to get up, we have to be down at breakfast in ten minutes and you haven't taken your shower yet," Gabby said. Ginny shot up immediately.

    "Ten minutes? What? No way!" Ginny screamed and ran for the bathroom. "Can you get my school books together please?"

    "Sure, hurry up Ginny," Gabby said smiling. She went over to Ginny's dresser and rummaged through it. When she got out the Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration something fell out-a small black book. Gabby leaned down to pick it up. As her fingers brushed against it she gasped as an image of a snake flashed through her eyes. She pulled back. "Ginny?" she called, but there was no reply. She mustered up some courage, and picked it up again. This time there was no snake, but she still felt a shiver run through her spine. She put it back into the battered book.

    "Yea?" Ginny said as she came out of the bathroom.

    "Oh nothing," Gabby said, deciding not to mention it, "Here you go. Now let's hurry, I'm hungry for breakfast."

    Gabby turned the event over in her mind. What was it that she just saw? She would think it over for about a week, before forgetting. She wouldn't have another vision again for a long time. It would be over a good two years before any such thing ever happened again. *

    "Transfiguration with McGonagall," Sarah commented on their first class as they walked in the door.

    "Wonder what we're going to transfigure today. I hate this class, I haven't been able to do anything" Gabby said as they sat down.

    "H..h.hiilooo Gabby," said a voice behind them. Gabby turned and felt her spirits fall a little when she saw who it was, Colin Creevey (In her opinion, Colin Creepy) and some friend of his. "How you been doing over the summer?"

    "Fine," Gabby muttered and was about to turn around when the friend spoke up.

    "So do you want to meet me in the Astronomy Tower tonight?" the friend said.

    "Uh, what for? We don't take Astronomy this year oh smart one," Gabby said.

    "Who said we were going to be studying? Unless you count studying my mouth," the slimy friend now said. Gabby was appalled. She slapped him hard across the face.

    "Go curse yourself," Gabby sniped before turning around as McGonagall walked in.

    "The name's Mark," he whispered to her as they turned to the page in their textbooks where they had last left off.

*

    The class almost all the Gryffindors seemed to despise was potions. Gabby was not exempt from this trend. Professor Snape was absolutely biased. It didn't help that she also did very poorly in this class. She was barely passing.

    "I do say you are rivaling the second year, Mr. Longbottom, in your inadequacy in making potions, Miss Martin," Snape sneered as she messed up the sleeping drought to be a green oozing liquid that was leaking through her melting cauldron.

    "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to," Gabby whimpered.

    "Of course you didn't mean to. But that doesn't make it any better that you are quite stupid. Clean this mess up, and zero marks for today," Snape snapped at her.

    "I'll help you clean it up," Mark offered from behind her, he seemed to sit behind her in almost every class.

    "Really," Gabby asked, surprised at his newfound kindness. Usually all the comments he said to her were rude and contained disgusting remarks to the thought of the two making out, or further.

    "Yea, for a price," he said and smiled confidently.

    "Forget it," she said not even bothering to ask him what it was, "Stop wasting your time Mark. You and I equals never. Go eat hippogriff dung." She turned around to clean up, now helped by Ginny.

    "We'll see about that," he whispered under his breath. *

    Gabby gazed around the room as she ate her dinner. Everyone around her was excitedly discussing the approaching Quidditch season in a week. She didn't really care for the sport, even though her dad was crazy about it. It just wasn't her thing. Her eyes swept past the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff table and landed on the Slytherin table as she scanned it. Looking at the people she met Sissy's gaze staring right back at her. Sissy wasn't even her real name. It was actually Cecile, but no one bothered. Sissy glared at her across the room. Gabby narrowed her eyes and the two would have continued into a staring contest but she was interrupted and lost her focus on the girl.

    "So who do you think is the cutest guy on Gryffindor's Quidditch team?" Sarah inquired to Gabby. She turned toward her friend and joined the conversation.

    "Wood, unrivaled," Gabby said with a smile.

    "No way, Harry is without a doubt cuter," Ginny cut in.

    "Fred and George look pretty good too," Catherine said. Ginny scrunched her face up into an expression of disgust.

    "Eeeewwww," Ginny said simply.

    "You only say that because they're your brothers," Gabby said laughing.

    "Still, Fred and George? You have got to be kidding!" Ginny spat.

    "It's just an opinion," Catherine said softly before staring off at the twins. Ginny made a gagging sound. Gabby and Sarah just laughed. *

    Days passed, which turned into weeks. Life sped by at Hogwarts in what seemed to be normal repetition without anything eventful. To Gabby, it almost felt boring. She had expected adventure and extreme excitement at Hogwarts with all the stories ever told. Especially after what had happened, the year before she came, with Harry Potter. She was starting to think that nothing would ever happen. But unfortunately for everyone, she was wrong.

    It had started on Halloween night, when Filch's cat had been found petrified. Even more, on the wall, foot-high words had been written, shimmering in the torchlight. THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED. ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE. It was all anyone discussed for days and almost weeks. Word about the dueling club and the discovery of Potter as Parselmouth fueled the fire. They chatted about it in Herbology. They chatted about it at dinner, in the common room, in the halls, even while they slept. Gabby herself was found discussing it in Binn's History of Magic class while he droned on about the Goblin Rebellions. "Who do you reckon the heir is?" Catherine asked. "A Slytherin no doubt. Probably Malfoy," Gabby said. "Well, I've actually heard a different theory, and I'm starting to agree," Sarah said. The two looked at her with an expression that told her to go on. "I mean, you guys have heard about it, Harry's a parselmouth. He spoke in Parseltongue; I heard it from Justin Finch-Fletchley. He said Harry was.egging it on him." "Don't be ridiculous, Harry can't possibly be the Heir of Slytherin, it's just not logical. He's in Gryffindor! So what if he can talk to snakes, it's not a big deal," Gabby said about to loose her temper. "Actually, Gabby, it is a big deal. Don't you remember? Salazar Slytherin was known, you hear that, famous, for talking to snakes. The symbol of the Slytherin House is a serpent," Catherine said and put her hand on Gabby's shoulder to calm her. She felt Gabby loosen under the touch. "Look, it's not that it's not logical, your theory. But after you two fell asleep last night I discussed this with Ginny. She knows him better than any of us, with her brother being Harry's best friend and all. She is set that Harry being a Parselmouth doesn't mean anything. We should stick by her," Gabby whispered. Then she noticed, Ginny hadn't been participating at all, even though she sat right by Gabby. She turned to the girl who seemed to be staring off into space. "Right Ginny?" A moment passed and there wasn't a response. "Ginny, oh Ginny?" Gabby said as she tugged on Ginny's arm. "Yea? Whadya want?" Ginny said stirring and rubbing her eyes a little. "Were you even listening to us?" Catherine asked.

    "Not really, I'm a little tired." Ginny said sleepily. Gabby nodded. She had heard Ginny mumbling in her sleep restlessly. She had even awoken a few times to find her friend not there.

    "Are you ok? Where have you been going at night?" Gabby whispered quietly so that only Ginny could hear and with concern.

    "I'm fine. What are you talking about? I've been in bed all night," Ginny said strongly and then, after a moment, with less confidence, "haven't I?" Gabby shook her head slowly. She saw alarm ring through Ginny's eyes but quickly disappear. Gabby opened her mouth to speak, but before she could say anything, class ended and Ginny left with a bolt.

    "Where are you going?" Sarah shouted after Ginny's retreating form.

    "Library, I need to look something up alone. You guys go to lunch without me," Ginny called over her shoulder before disappearing through the door.

    "What's wrong?" Sarah asked observing Gabby's worried face. Gabby shook her face slightly, as if lost in thought.

    "Nothing, let's go," Gabby said as she grabbed her bag. *

    "Wingardium Leviosa!" Gabby said, waving her wand at the pencil on her bed. It didn't move at all. Gabby let out a sigh of frustration. Flitwick had pulled her behind after class to discuss her 'obstacle' in the class. She hadn't been able to master at least _ of the spells they had been trying, not even the first one. She had gotten a couple, but those usually backfired too. Gabby wondered if maybe she was a squib.

    "You aren't a squib," Ginny had reassured her the day before when she had brought it up.

    "Oh yea, name one class I'm not terrible in." Gabby had retorted. Ginny had seemed a little panicked as she tried to come up with something, just plunging Gabby's confidence deeper.

    "You did Hex Mark! Remember? And it was a mighty good one! Ok, so you misaimed it, you were supposed to hex the rat. But you did it didn't you?" Ginny had said.

    As she attempted the spell once again, "Wingardium Leviosa", she smiled at the memory. She hadn't missed at all. Her aim had been perfect. With this encouraging thought, "Wingardium Leviosa" shot out one more time and to her delight, it raised an inch in the air, rolled over, and dropped back onto her bed. Not that wonderful, but it would be good enough for tonight.

    "Now on to Transfiguration. Bother, I'm doing extra homework in all these classes. Eurgh," she muttered to herself as she rummaged through her bag for the Transfiguration book. "Oh no," she said unhappily as she remembered where it was. She had lent it to Mark. Well, not lent. But he had snatched it away from her, and she had already been on the edge of Detention from Snape, and she had forgotten to get it back. She decided to just borrow Ginny's.

    Approaching the trunk, she remembered what had happened last time she had found Ginny's textbook. That little black book had fallen out of it. Gabby shivered at the thought. She hadn't experienced the vision, or any other visions, ever since. It must have been a fluke or something. She shook the Transfiguration book as she pulled it out, but nothing fell out. Ginny must have done something with it.

    "So, what lesson was I assigned to redo again? Oh yea, Lesson 3," Gabby said to no one in particular as she flipped through the pages. She glanced over at the clock. 8:30. Her friends would be up soon. She wasn't even halfway done with her extra work anymore. Seemed like she'd be up late-again. *

    Time passed and the Heir of Slytherin struck again. It took Colin (which left Gabby feeling a little guilty since she had been annoyed by him all year for liking her), and everyone pointed their fingers at Harry. That is, until it took Hermione. Everyone stopped then, knowing he wouldn't harm one of his best friends. Hagrid was arrested, and everyone thought it was safe. Gabby was worried though, the events seemed to strike Ginny hard. Ginny had known Hermione pretty well, since Hermione was also her brother's friend. It went unnoticed to the others, although Gabby watched with concern, that the circles under Ginny's eyes were getting darker and darker and that Ginny was absent from the dormitory during the middle of the night.

    However, the deceptive safety that the students had felt, knowing that Hagrid was blamed for it and in Azkaban, was shattered promptly when it took another victim. The school seemed shocked and severely alarmed by the disappearance of one more student; Ginny Weasley herself. Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever.

    There had been more writing on the walls. Sarah and Catherine had been in hysterics. Gabby saw the blank and distant looks on her brothers' faces. She saw the determination in Harry's face at the table as he talked with Ron, as if they meant to get her back. But, Gabby herself had not felt shocked at all by Ginny's disappearance. This seemed rather strange to her, but for some reason she was not surprised. Upset, sure, but there had been no shock as it came to the others. Deep inside, she had known it wasn't Hagrid. For some reason, Gabby felt she knew it from the beginning of the year. She racked her brain for the reason for her strangeness. She lay on her bed for what seemed like years as she tried to think what was bugging her. There was something she knew, something her subconscious was desperately attempting to let her know. Eventually, the girl slipped into slumber.

    Welcoming her was a set of eyes. Snake eyes, staring at her with a deathly hunger in its' eyes. Gabby woke with a start. "What the heck do the eyes have to do with anything," she said quietly. She looked around the room and at the clock. It was time to get up anyways. Gabby rushed through her shower, trying to maximize her speed. She moved as quickly as she could manage. When she got out, the other girls had already gone down to breakfast. She shot through the door and practically flew down the stairway as she dashed for the Great Hall. 'Please let them have found Ginny. Please,' her mind begged fate as she hurried, eager for the possibility of news. She crashed into the table, unable to stop her momentum, as she entered the Great Hall. She looked around at the others and they could read the question on her face, and they nodded smiling. "Oh thank god," Gabby managed to gasp out as she felt herself flooded with the emotion of happiness. * Gabby opened up a Chocolate Frog that she had just bought from the Snack Cart on the Hogwarts Express. She was heading back home. Ginny sat beside her, joyously snacking on Bertie Bott's Everyflavor Beans. "Hey Ginny, I have a question for you," Sarah said sitting across from the two. "Shoot away," Ginny said. "What was in the Chamber?" Sarah asked. Ginny waited a moment before answering. "A Basilisk," Ginny replied. Gabby gasped quietly. "What?" "Nothing," Gabby said aloud. 'The eyes.the eyes of a Basilisk.' she thought to herself.