The Diary of a Witch, Volume II

CHAPTER 3: NOVEMBER

Sunday, November 1, Great Hall, Breakfast,

So according to Dumbledore Mrs. Norris has been petrified. But she'll be back soon getting students into trouble because Professor Sprout is growing some Mandrakes for the Restorative Draught which should be done by the end of the year. The second years already knew about those Mandrakes because she made us all repot them at the beginning of the year in Herbology. We had to wear ear muffs that were pink and fluffy. At least I did. Mandy had her camera with her that day and took a picture of me and the Mandrake I was repotting. She's gotten into taking pictures lately for some reason.

What everyone's really talking about though is that message on the wall. What did that mean? The Chamber of Secrets has to do with Salazar Slytherin and why he left the school, I just can't remember the full details. I remember reading about it in my copy of Hogwarts; A History. I guess I'll have to un-bury it from the bottom of my trunk.

Tuesday, November 3, DADA,

THE LEGEND OF THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS (FROM HOGWARTS; A HISTORY)

Hogwarts was founded over a thousand years ago by Salazar Slytherin, Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, and Rowena Ravenclaw. For the first few years they all got along and everything was fine. But later a disagreement caused a rift to grow between Slytherin and the others.

Slytherin wished to only teach students who came from pure magic backgrounds (in other words Purebloods; Muggleborns need not apply). He believed students from Muggle backgrounds were untrustworthy and unworthy to learn magic (gee, thanks). There was soon a huge argument between Slytherin and Gryffindor that caused Slytherin to leave Hogwarts.

The legend goes on to say that Slytherin built a secret chamber that the other founders had no knowledge of. He sealed the Chamber of Secrets so only his heir could open it and unleash the monster within the school and use it to purge the school of all who in his eyes were unworthy to study magic. So if this is true and the Chamber of Secrets HAS been opened then I'm pretty much dead.

Though I don't know...the monster is obviously an animal so he wouldn't attack me. At least I don't think so. Of course the book (and Professor Binns) insisted that this is just a legend and there has been no proof. But isn't that message on the wall and Mrs. Norris proof of the fact that the chamber exists?

I'm going to have to do some reading on this...

Wednesday, November 4, Library,

POSSIBLE HELPFUL BOOKS:

The Process of Petrification and Its Remedies

Salazar Slytherin: The Complete Biography and History

Legends of the Founders of Hogwarts

Cats and Their Predators

Stories and Legends From the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Thursday, November 5, After DADA,

THAT was pretty sad.

Lockhart has taken to acting out scenes from his books now. Today he made Potter act like a werewolf. I can't decide whether it's as bad as the time he made Potter act like a yeti with a head cold or the time he made him act like a vampire. All I know is that everyday I'm getting more and more tempted to skip DADA classes.

For more cheerful news the first Quidditch match of the season is this Saturday and I have two Galleons on Gryffindor to win because I think they're the better team despite the fact that Malfoy's Dad has a big Gringotts account. Ravenclaws' first game isn't until the first Saturday of December and it's going to be against Hufflepuff. I hope it isn't going to be TOO cold then...

Saturday, November 7, Common Room,

GRYFFINDOR WON!!!

HAH! This just proves that it doesn't make a difference what type of broom you have, it all depends on talent. Take that Slytherin. Here's a play by play:

The game started at eleven in the morning like always. It was muggy and gray when we went outside and was drizzling by the time the game was over. I sat with the Ravenclaw house team in between Max and Mandy and with Terry, Anthony, and Padma. Hannah and Owen had to sit with the Hufflepuffs which is a stupid rule if you ask me.

The minute the game started a Bludger went after Potter and kept doing so no matter how many times the Weasley twins knocked it away. Because of this the Gryffindor chasers kept getting hurt and Slytherin started to score. The Gryffindors finally called a time out when the score was 60-0, Slytherin. It was pretty obvious that someone tampered with the Bludger and I wonder who would of done that? A Slytherin maybe?

But the Gryffindors didn't call them on it. They started playing again and Fred and George left Potter on his own. He had to fly all over the place to avoid getting hit. A lot of Slytherins started to laugh at him because he did look pretty silly. They cracked up when Malfoy shouted from his broom, "Training for the ballet, Potter?" Potter glared at him a moment but then a Bludger hit him in the arm.

After that he flew straight at Malfoy looking like he was going to hit him (which I was all for, personally) but instead of hitting him he caught the Snitch. It had been fluttering right next to Malfoy when he was laughing his head off at Potter. Serves him right, the obnoxious jerk. After he caught the Snitch, he fell to the ground. Potter, not Malfoy. Though, Malfoy did get yelled at by Flint.

It doesn't end there though. Unfortunately for Potter Lockhart got to him on the ground before anyone else and did a spell to heal his broken arm. Only it didn't heal his arm. It removed all of Potters bones! I didn't even know you could DO that.

I'm officially disgusted at Lockhart.

1 A.M., Sunday, November 8, Dorm Room,

Oh man. Oh man, oh man, oh man.

I was right about it not being over. Colin Creevey has been petrified.

My lesson with Firenze ran a little late tonight because we sort both got caught up in the magical meditation thing (which happens very easily, trust me) and sort of because I wouldn't shut up about Quidditch. I finally shut up when Firenze said very calmly that my chatter was delaying the lesson and was getting irritating. He said nicely though, so I didn't get mad.

After the lesson I wandered back to the castle when the I heard the voice from when Mrs. Norris was petrified. Okay, I admit, this was a little stupid of me but I just ran in the direction of the voice without looking where I was going. Hey, the ring was making me invisible and there wasn't anyone around so it wasn't as if I was in danger of getting in trouble.

But it stopped and I was in a part of the castle that I didn't recognize. I wandered around a little completely lost until I came across Dumbledore and McGonagall (both in night cloths, nice robe Headmaster D) carrying a petrified Colin Creevey who was carrying his camera around like he always does.

I've never really spoken to Creevey, he's this Gryffindor first year who idolizes Harry Potter and takes his and other pictures all the time. The only time I ever spoke to him was when he asked me if I knew where to find the book that tells you how to make Muggle photos into magic ones and I showed him. He seemed all right. Cheerful and a little to perky for my taste but otherwise fine. Why would anyone want to attack him?

I followed McGonagall and Dumbledore partly to find out more information and partly because I at least know the way to Ravenclaw house from the infirmary (which I figured was where they were taking him). I was right and Madam Pomfrey met them in the infirmary asking them how it happened and they told her, stared at Colin for a few minutes, and then Dumbledore took the camera he was holding.

"You don't think he managed to get a picture of his attacker?" McGonagall asked what I'm sure we were all thinking. Dumbledore opened the back of the camera and the whole thing suddenly melted. Shame too, that was a NICE camera.

"What does this mean, Albus?" McGonagall asked.

"It means that the Chamber of Secrets has indeed been opened again," he answered.

McGonagall stared at him. "But Albus...surely...WHO?"

He looked at her and said, "The question is not WHO. But HOW."

Okay. Did I miss something? Since when has the Chamber of Secrets been opened before? I never heard anything about this. Plus, what did Dumbledore mean? That comment he made makes no sense. Not that Dumbledore has been known to make sense. I'm too tired to think about this. I need sleep.

Monday, November 9, Charms,

Okay, THIS is the stupidest thing I've ever heard.

Ernie Macmillian is a Hufflepuff second year and is a friend of Justin and Owens. I don't talk to him too much and I think I'm starting to understand why. He's gotten Justin convinced that HARRY POTTER is the Heir of Slytherin and is going to attack him for being a muggleborn.

First off. This is Harry Potter we're talking about. He kicked Voldemorts' ass when he was a baby. He saved us again last year with the whole Philosophers Stone deal. Secondly. He's never professed any hatred of Muggleborns or Halfbloods. Sure he doesn't like his Muggle relatives but from the rumors I've heard he has reason not to like them. I don't like my grandfather that much either; doesn't mean I think all Muggles are scum. One of Potters BEST FRIENDS is a Muggleborn for crying out loud. Third. Potter was in the infirmary when Creevey was attacked. I doubt he could have instructed a monster to attack Creevey when Madam Pomfrey was there. That woman has sonic ears like Superman, I swear.

But Ernie says You-Know-Who probably went after him in the first place because he didn't want another dark wizard for competition and he didn't like Filch or Creevey. But hello, Ernie, NO ONE likes Filch and you'd be a little annoyed to if someone kept following you around snapping pictures all the time.

Neither Ernie nor Justin was impressed with my reasoning. Now Justin is avoiding Potter like the plague and Ernie is spreading these rumors.

The stupidity of people never ceases to amaze me.

Tuesday, November 10, Library,

Unbelievable. Some sixth year just tried to sell me some pointed crystal thing he said would protect me from the 'monster in the chamber'. I told him I highly doubt a purple crystal would save me from being eaten.

He's not the first to try and sell me something like that either. Some fifth year Slytherin recommended an amulet thing for me to try to ward off the monster and I just said I'd kick it to ward it off.

Next time someone offers an smelly onion to me or whatever I'm not going to bother with words I'm just going to point my wand at them and tell them to go away.

Friday, November 13, Common Room,

I'm so glad this week is over. I think the bad luck of Friday the thirteenth spread to include the whole week. I would hibernate in my dorm room for the rest of the weekend but I have Quidditch practice on Saturday and a essay I need to finish up.

Justin and Ernie have been getting on my nerves with their insistence that Potter is the Slytherin Heir and what's worse is that they've got Hannah believing them! Mandy and Padma are suspicious of Potter too. Owen and Anthony say they need more proof but do agree that it is possible. Terry is the only one who is with me one hundred percent and believes Potter isn't the Heir.

My friends have taken to guarding me and Justin because we're Muggleborns. I'm serious. If I want to go to the library Mandy or Owen go with me. Terry and Max insist on coming with me when I walk around the grounds. Davies keeps telling me not to walk alone at night because he doesn't want one of his Chasers getting petrified. The annoying part about this is that he didn't say that to Max even though he's a Muggleborn like me. Talk about sexist.

TEN people have come up to me selling amulets and other useless charms trying to say that they will protect me from the monster of the chamber. I got detention on Wednesday from a shocked McGonagall when I finally lost it and told one of the sellers off on my way to Transfiguration. If I had known she was there, I wouldn't have cursed.

Lockhart keeps going around saying he's close to finding the Chamber of Secrets and that we don't need to worry about being petrified because he will soon be able to defeat the monster. Every time he says this I want to scream. Or sock him. One of the two.

Thursday I had my detention and had to wash all the windows of the Great Hall without magic under Filches supervision who has become even grouchier ever since Mrs. Norris was petrified.

Then there's today.

I woke up late and didn't have time to meditate or eat breakfast. So I had to sit through Transfiguration and Charms with a growling stomach. It's very hard to concentrate with a growling stomach which is why the Light Charm I was practicing probably went wacky and nearly blinded the whole class. This caused Flitwick to take five points from Ravenclaw for 'nearly endangering the whole class's eyesight'.

Because I missed breakfast I practically inhaled my lunch and on my way to Herbology ran into Filch who gave me detention AGAIN for (and I quote) "being happy". I tried to tell him I was miserable but he didn't believe me. This caused me to be late to Herbology and Professor Sprout took off another five points from Ravenclaw because of it.

So I have to send an owl to Firenze now and tell him that I'm going to be a little late for our lesson because I have detention. I can only hope he doesn't ask me why I have detention.

Late Saturday, November 14, Dorm Room,

The bad luck continues.

For my detention I had to cut up frog body parts for Snape because he needed them for potion ingredients. Can I just say gross and I would not drink anything that had frog eyes in them.

In my lesson I had to try and heal a owls injured wing with magic. The owls name was Cecil and she said she got the stick into her wing joint by not looking where she was going and advised me to be aware at all times and always look before I fly. I thanked her for the advice but in the end I couldn't heal the injury. I was able to pull the stick out for her though. And I put a cloth over the injured part afterwards but other then that I couldn't do much.

Monday, November 16, Charms,

I was late for breakfast again. I've got to fix that cat alarm clock I got.

It wasn't too bad though because Max offered to walk me to Charms which I thought was sweet of him. The truth is I think I have a crush on him. Max, I mean. I like being around him a lot. He's really cute and my stomach started to do that flippy thing Giselle told me happened to her when she started to like Gerard.

Of course that stomach flippy stuff could have been because I ate my breakfast too fast.

Thursday, November 19, DADA,

POSSIBLE SUSPECTS FOR THE HEIR OF SLYTHERIN:

1) Harry Potter: I'm just putting him on here because everyone else seems to suspect him.

2) Draco Malfoy: He's always putting down Muggleborns and Halfbloods. He sure is enough of a creep to be it. I'm not sure he's smart enough to be the Heir of Slytherin though...

3) Professor Snape: Well, he IS a Slytherin. If the chamber was opened fifty years ago it could have been him when he went to school here or something...wait, how old IS Professor Snape???

4) Any Slytherin here fifty years ago...hmm. For that matter, any PUREBLOOD here fifty years ago...yeah, that doesn't narrow it down.

5) One of the teachers???

Late Saturday, November 21, Dorm Room,

I DID IT!!!

I healed an animal! Okay, so it was only the already half healed wound on Cecil's wing but I still healed it! It was really wicked too. I now know why Firenze gave me that book on animal anatomy. To heal the injuries you have to have an idea of what the bones looked like in the first place.

I held Cecil in my lap and breathed in and out like I was meditating and held my hand over the wound. Cecil later told me I was surrounded by a blue light but I don't remember that because my eyes were closed and all I felt was the sensation that a mini me was kind of racing along the bones and waving pixie dust or whatever and healing the scab. It was sort like the Magic School Bus series.

The Magic School Bus is this series of books I LOVED as a kid. They were about this class that had this crazy teacher named Miss Frizzle who had a magic school bus that could shrink, turn into a submarine, and do all sorts of things like that. She used this bus to take them on field trips to places like the inside of one of her students. It was one of those learning books but it was a great learning book. Plus, I loved Miss Frizzle and wished that my grade school teachers had all been like her. Alas, I had the most boring teachers alive. Mind you, this was before I had Professor Binns.

Anyway, I kind of felt like how I bet the students felt in The Magic School Bus Goes Inside The Human Body. Then after I was finished mending the bones I collapsed for a little while from exhaustion according to Firenze. He said this will happen during the first few months I use my healing gift. After awhile my body will get used to doing stuff like this.

I hope the instant hunger goes away after awhile too because when I woke up I was starving. I made a stop at the kitchens before going up to my dorm room. I think I'm beginning to really love house-elves. I'm going to have to give them something for Christmas as a thank you for keeping me fed.

Tuesday, November 24, History of Magic,

Boy, I suddenly sympathize with my teachers. How the heck do they go about explaining stuff? I made the mistake of mentioning that it would be Thanksgiving this Thursday in the United States and how much I missed my Mom's turkey to my friends at breakfast and they were all "huh, what's Thanksgiving?"

So I had to explain about Pilgrims, Indians, and what not and then Owen said, "Well, how come the United States gets their own holiday and we don't?"

Remind me never to tell him about the Fourth of July.

Friday, November 27, Library,

THINGS TO DO:

1) Quidditch practice Saturday

2) Essay for Transfiguration, Herbology, and Potions

3) Practice charms for test on Monday

4) Return library books by Sunday

5) Study for Herbology test next Friday

6) Write letters home (including Grandfather)

Saturday, November 28, Dorm Room,

Our first game is in a week and I'm not worried. Not at all. Really.

Davies is going to make us practice everyday this week though so I hope I don't have a lot of homework. Owen, Hannah, and Justin got Ravenclaw rosettes to wear on their uniform to show support for me and Terry even though technically they're supposed to be rooting for their own house. But they have Hufflepuff pennants to wave and their scarves of course so Owen says that way they'll be supporting their friends and their house at the same time.

Luckily it hasn't started to snow yet. But I give it another week or so. I can always sort of tell when it's going to snow. There's just something in the air.