𝐋𝐎𝐂𝐊𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝐇𝐀𝐃 𝐆𝐎𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐍 𝐌𝐔𝐂𝐇 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐀𝐍𝐍𝐎𝐘𝐈𝐍𝐆. There had been a double attack right before the Hufflepuff and Gryffindor game — which lead to the Quidditch season being suspended. Raya was already in a horrible mood at that news, but the announcement that teachers were to accompany students to all their classes did it for her.

The Ministry of Magic had taken Hagrid in, accusing him of being the cause of the petrified kids (and ghost). While most kids at Hogwarts weren't sure about this accusation, Lockhart seemed to think it was the only possible answer.

"Why is everyone so upset today?" he entered the class. "Ah, I know it's upsetting about the clubs and all — but hey! The culprit's been captured, so it's only a matter of time before everything runs back up again."

"Professor McGonagall seemed certain Quidditch was done for the season," Raya told him, glaring. "What makes you sure everything is over? What if it's not Hagrid?"

"Now, now, Miss Newbrooke," Lockhart waved his finger in the air like she was a child, "We mustn't doubt the Ministry. They've kept us safe all these years, and I'm certain they'll keep us safe in the future."

"I think they acted without thought," Thomas added. "I mean, Hagrid's been here for so many years. If he really wanted to go around petrifying students, why would he wait until now? It makes no sense."

Kids around the class began to nod in agreement, questioning the logic in the Ministry's actions.

"Settle down," Lockhart tried. "I'm sure the Ministry had reason to do what they did."

"Removing Dumbledore?" A Gryffindor kid asked. "I'm not a Ravenclaw, but even I know that's not smart."

"The Ministry was being pressured to act," Raya shrugged. "They just decided to take Hagrid because he was an easy choice."

"I heard that Malfoy kid was the one who got Dumbledore out," another Gryffindor said.

"It was his dad, dumbass," Cierra told him. "Draco can't get Dumbledore out on his own. Apparently, his dad tricked and bribed and blackmailed his way into getting Dumbledore out of here."

Kids began to speak up, voicing their agreement and thoughts.

Lockhart tried to get everyone to calm down, but to no avail.

"ENOUGH!" he finally yelled, causing the class to silence. His voice took on a forced calm tone, "There will be no more discussing politics in this class. We're here to study Defense Against the Dark Arts, and that is what we will do." He straightened his robes, pulling out one of his books, "Now, let's take out Break with a Banshee. Who would like to play the role of the Bandon Banshee, who I managed to defeat with nothing but my wand?"

Thomas' hand shot in the air, a look of smug determination on his face.

Lockhart looked around the class expectantly, hoping someone else would volunteer. Thomas had a habit of going out of character. 

No one else was interested.

"Mister Pegas," Lockhart sounded wary. "Come on up. Remember to read your lines, and act out exactly what I tell you to."

"Not a problem, Professor," Thomas smirked.

Summer came to Hogwarts slowly.

It was most visible in the Ravenclaw common room, where the windows gave beautiful views of the mountains and lake. The teachers were like pests, always escorting them from one class to the next. 

Muggle Studies and Potions were pretty much the only fun classes at Hogwarts anymore. At least until one day.

When Snape announced that exams were still on, the kids were too scared to even protest.

Raya looked at her class, shaking her head in disappointment as she lifted her hand.

"Yes, Miss Newbrooke?" Snape asked drily. 

"Sir, I'm just wondering... why are we still having exams?" Raya asked. "I mean, this is just my points of view as a student — who will be writing this exam — but, there's been way too much going on to actually study for exams. We've had students petrified for so much of the year — one of the older Ravenclaws who many of us know personally, Penelope Clearwater, was also petrified."

The students watched Snape for a reaction.

He looked bored, "Your point?"

"My point is that the mental toll this has all taken on students should be considered, and it's enough to cancel exams," Raya explained. "Mental health is important, and with so many students in shock, doing exams isn't healthy. It's too much pressure."

Snape sighed, as if actually considering her point, "While you make a fine argument, I am not the one to decide whether exams happen or not. That is up to our Deputy Headmistress, Professor McGonagall. Your complaints have been heard by me, but Professor McGonagall is the only one who has the power to do this."

"In other words, there's not a damn chance the exams are off," Raya deadpanned.

"Not a damn chance," Snape agreed. He turned to the rest of the class, "Now, get out your textbooks and open page two hundred thirty. Miss Newbrooke, care to explain the effects of the Doxycide Potion."

Raya blinked, "It stuns Doxies. It's like a pesticide, but it's non-lethal and used in the case of an infestation."

"It's characteristics?"

"Pardon?"

"It's characteristics, Miss Newbrooke," Snape repeated. "Tell me the characteristics of this potion."

"It's usually black in color, and is sprayed," Raya answered.

"What do you do after adding Budiman?" Snape asked.

"Stir quickly."

"Why?"

"Stirring slowly will cause the potion to form lumps," Raya said, sitting up. "That will cause the end result of the potion to be too solid, and it won't be able to spray as well as it should."

"What happens if you add Wolfsbane instead of Cowbane?"

"The potion will become an antidote for a pixie infection."

"Have we studied this potion before?" Snape turned to Cedric — who had been watching Raya and Snape fire answers and question back at each other.

"Uh, no," he shook his head.

Snape managed a smile, "I don't think you have any reason to worry over the exams, Miss Newbrooke. The rest of you however, let's not get into that." He turned around, robes billowing as he walked back to his desk, "Go over the potion tonight. We'll be making this tomorrow."

Raya nearly ran out of class when Professor Sikander arrived.

"Slow down, Raya," Professor Sikander laughed as began heading to Muggle Studies without waiting for Thomas and Elias. "Professor Snape might think you don't like him."

"I wonder what could give him that idea," she said drily, waiting for her classmates at the bottom of the stairs.

Thomas and Elias left the class slowly, taking their time while Raya impatiently tapped her foot against the floor.

"Finally," she muttered, when they left Potions. "Now, let's go do some learning."

The learning stopped shortly after.

Huddled in the Ravenclaw common room, the students were preparing to say goodbye to Hogwarts. A student had been taken down to the Chamber of Secrets this time. Ginny Weasley. That was evidently the last straw.

Hogwarts was closing.

"I can't believe this is happening," Cierra muttered, staring into the fireplace.

Raya rubbed Loki's ears, humming in agreement.

"I mean, we all knew Hagrid wasn't the one who opened the Chamber of Secrets," she continued. "And it only took Ginny being dragged down there for everyone else to realize it."

"There's too much politics behind this," Thomas shook his head sadly. "They just needed someone to blame. And they went with Hagrid."

"They're not gonna do anything about Ginny?" Elias asked. He looked around, "I mean... someone's got to do something. Right?"

"It's politics," Nathaniel muttered. "We don't have any say."

"That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard," Elias scowled. "We're just supposed to go home tomorrow morning, and forget Ginny's down there somewhere. Who the hell gets to choose this?"

"We can't do anything right now," Roger Davies, who was sitting on a couch nearby, said. "We literally can't do anything. We're nowhere near strong enough to face whatever monster lurks in the Chamber. Right now, we can only count on the teachers."

Raya and her friends hated it, but there was logic in his statement.

"Off to bed," Trevor, their seventh year Prefect, announced. "Come on now. The Hogwarts Express is coming tomorrow morning. Everyone needs to be up and ready at eight o'clock."

The Ravenclaws trudged up to bed miserably. 

Raya curled up on her side, a dream taking over before she even fully fell asleep.

In her dream, she stood in some washroom. It looked like a Hogwarts washroom, but Raya was pretty sure she hadn't ever gone in this one. Which meant...

Loud sobs filled the washroom.

Raya cringed at the closed stall which held Moaning Myrtle. She turned towards the door, hoping to get out before Myrtle noticed her. She wasn't sure she could handle her right now.

She froze at the sight of a dark haired boy entering the washroom. He wore dark robes with a green tie, and a Prefect badge pinned to them. Raya assumed he was an older Slytherin, maybe in his last year?

Even though she didn't want to bring any attention to herself while Moaning Myrtle was sobbing, she was pretty sure a guy entering the girls' washroom was a situation she'd rather not have to explain to Myrtle.

"Um, this is the girls' washroom," she told him, a little unnerved by the steely look in his eyes. "Myrtle's having a breakdown and I think it's better if you get out of here — oh!"

Raya stared as the boy walked right through her.

She looked around, remembering this was a dream. She was watching a memory that had already happened.

The boy made his way to the tap, whispering furiously.

It took Raya a second to realize he wasn't whispering — he was hissing. He was speaking Parseltongue.

Raya stared in shock. This guy did not look like the heir of Slytherin. He looked... charming. The Prefect badge confirmed that he did well with his teachers and in his classes. Clearly, no one else suspected him either.

She watched as a pair of yellow eyes appeared from the tap. Raya knew the only reason she wasn't affected was because this was a dream. But even through a dream — Raya could feel herself stiffening up. She forced herself to look away.

Myrtle's bathroom stall door jiggled, which Raya thought was weird, because ghosts couldn't touch things. 

It took her half a second to realize Myrtle was still alive, and if she would open the door, she'd be looking right into the eyes of the monster. Before Raya could shout a warning — like it would help — Myrtle opened the door, staring into the eyes of the monster, falling backwards stiffly as she died.

The man smirked at the sight, walking out of the washroom — not a sliver of regret in his eyes.

Raya sat up, gasping.

The entrance to the Chamber of Secrets was in Moaning Myrtle's washroom. Ginny was in there. Still in her pajamas, she pulled her charm necklace on, tapping into her light powers to conceal herself as she sneaked through the halls. 

She made it to Myrtle's washroom without even passing into anyone. She made herself visible again, entering Myrtle's washroom.

"Myrtle?" she asked.

"Oh, are you here to make fun of my hair?" the ghost appeared from nowhere, glaring at Raya. "Or my glasses? Surely you'd like to throw a book at my head!"

"No, Myrtle, I need to ask you something," Raya tried. "When you died, the guy, do you know who was controlling the monster?"

"The monster?" she repeated. "I don't even know what monster it was, let alone who was controlling it."

"The Slytherin Prefect," Raya tried. "In sixth year, maybe. Or fifth year. Someone who was loved by teachers, and students. Someone who you wouldn't have expected to be the heir of Slytherin."

"Hmm," Myrtle spun as she thought about it. "In fifth year, it was Robert. He was a bully, and not many people liked him except the Slytherins."

"The sixth year prefect?" she tried.

"Tom," Myrtle sighed, blushing. "Tom Riddle. He was so charming, and always so nice to me."

"He liked you?"

"Well, he never bullied me," Myrtle said. "That's good enough as liking me. But—" Myrtle narrowed her eyes, "Why are you so interested in this? I know Potter and Weasley have their petrified friend. What about you?"

Raya looked past Myrtle, seeing the entrance to the Chamber already open.

"I've got a friend I need to save."

She went down the entrance, making herself invisible again. It was disgusting, but she somehow made it down without throwing up at the stench.

Raya froze at the sight of Ron Weasley and Professor Lockhart. Lockhart was staring at his surroundings with a sense of amazement while Ron looked mildly annoyed. She looked past him to see boulders blocking the path ahead.

Harry must've been on the other side.

Raya went over to the boulders, climbing up steadily — thanking Chiron for the lava on the rock climbing wall he'd added two years ago. It made climbing an actual rock wall easy.

Raya made it to the top and over without Ron — or an unusual acting Lockhart — noticing. She jumped down, running along the path until she reached the sight of the monster. 

A basilisk.

It stood above Harry, ready to strike. Harry held a sword in his hands, but it was obvious he didn't know how to use it well.

Raya's instincts took over. 

Keeping herself concealed, she pulled out her sword, rushing against the basilisk from behind.

"THE OTHER SIDE," a still somehow young Tom Riddle was saying to the serpent as he lashed towards Raya, forgetting about Harry. "THE BOY, YOU STUPID THING. WHAT ARE YOU ATTACKING?"

Raya ducked, rolling under the basilisk and stabbing upwards, driving her sword 'Denebola' into the underside of his jaw. The basilisk thrashed, but Raya had already pulled her sword out, making it die faster.

She stared at the dead body of the giant serpent, in shock that she'd actually killed it.

A groan from somewhere caused Raya to snap back into the present.

She watched as Harry pet a... phoenix? He was holding his arm, a basilisk fang protruding from it. With great difficulty, he managed to pull it out.

Raya, still invisible, ran over to Harry. She lay her hands on his wounds, the phoenix placing his head on her hands. Raya tapped into her control of sound waves, muting her voice to anyone around her. 

"You're dead, Harry Potter," said Tom Riddle's voice above them. "Dead. Even Dumbledore's bird knows it. Do you see what he's doing, Potter? He's crying."

The Phoenix cried as Raya sang a silent hymn to Apollo, her body tired and weak, threatening to break.

"So ends the famous Harry Potter," said Riddle's distant voice. "Alone in the Chamber of Secrets, forsaken by his friends, defeated at last by the Dark Lord he so unwisely challenged. You'll be back with your dear Mudblood mother soon, Harry... She bought you twelve years of borrowed time... but Lord Voldemort got you in the end, as you knew he must..." 

With the phoenix tears strengthening her healing magic, Raya made it through, pulling away as Harry's wound healed. She pet the bird, thanking him silently.

"Get away, bird!" Riddle said suddenly, pointing a wand at him. "I said get away!" There was a bang and flash of scarlet and gold as the bird flew away. He stared at a healed Harry, "This is better, I suppose. You and me..."

He froze as the phoenix dropped something in Harry's lap. A diary of sorts.

Harry grabbed the basilisk fang he'd pulled out of his arm, stabbing it in the diary.

There was a long, dreadful, piercing scream. Ink spurted out of the diary in torrents, streaming over Harry's hands, flooding the floor. Riddle was writhing and twisting, screaming and flailing and then—

He was gone. 

Harry's wand fell to the floor with a clatter and there was silence. Silence except for the steady drip drip of ink still oozing from the diary. The basilisk venom had burned a sizzling hole right through it.

Raya heard stirring, her eyes falling on Ginny.

Harry ran to her.

Raya — still weak and invisible — followed.

"Harry — oh, Harry — I tried to tell you at b-breakfast, but I c-couldn't say it in front of Percy — it was me, Harry — but I — I s-swear I d-didn't mean to — R-Riddle made me, he t-took me over —and — how did you kill that — that thing? W-where's Riddle? The last thing I remember is him coming out of the diary—" 

"It's all right," said Harry, holding up the diary, and showing Ginny the fang hole, "Riddle's finished. Look! Him and the basilisk. C'mon, Ginny, let's get out of here —" 

"I'm going to be expelled!" Ginny wept as Harry helped her awkwardly to her feet. "I've looked forward to coming to Hogwarts ever since B-Bill came and n-now I'll have to leave and — w-what'll Mum and Dad say?"

Raya couldn't do anything as she was still invisible, and it would too hard to explain her presence at this point. She sighed to herself, wanting nothing more than twenty hours of uninterrupted sleep.

She turned her sword back into a charm, following Harry out of the Chamber.

Raya had only gotten an hour or so of sleep before a feast was called.

She trudged downstairs, yawning and in her pajamas. She clutched Loki close to her, scowling at any kid who looked like they might snitch on her. She ate a bit of dessert and even less food, falling asleep multiple times throughout the feast.

Hagrid returned to school at three in the morning, grinning and not at all looking like he had spent the last few months in Azkaban.

Professor McGonagall stood up, clearing her throat, "As you all know, up until now, exams were considered a given. However, thanks to a certain teacher and the recent events, it's come to my attention that students do not think doing exams would be good for their mental health this year. Normally, we do not do this, but given the circumstance, and the broken up year we've had, school exams are cancelled this year! Everyone passes on to their next class!"

The school cheered loudly at that news.

Raya caught Snape's eye, who managed to a look of surprise at McGonagall's announcement.

"Like he wasn't the one who told her that," Thomas snorted, catching the look as well. "I guess we've got you to thank for this, Rye."

"You've got me to thank for a lot of things," Raya muttered, still processing the events that took place a few hours ago.

At one point, Dumbledore stood and announced that Professor Lockhart was not coming back next year. He needed to restore his memory, and had also been complaining about a certain class that tried to undermine his every statement.

Thomas grinned wickedly at that, avoiding Dumbledore's pointed stare.

Quite a few teachers cheered at that announcement as well.

The next thing Raya knew, she was sitting in a compartment with Cedric, Fred, George, and Lee, heading home on the Hogwarts Express. The last bit of the term went by too fast.

"So, are you excited to see you little boy toy?" Fred asked as they played Exploding Snap.

"Don't ever say that again," Raya cringed. "It's so weird."

"In other words, you can't wait," he laid a card down.

Raya made a point not to answer that.

She missed Luke. More than she could've thought. They'd Iris-Messaged often, sending letters and little trinkets. But it was different from actually being with him.

"All right, all right," Cedric said, getting the Weasleys to back off. He turned to Raya, "Just don't forget about us."

"As if I could."

Raya grinned at the sight of her friends. She was gonna miss them this summer. She always did. But she missed her home too.

She'd see them in a few months, she told herself.

REY WRITES!

thanks for reading!!

also reminder, this is a ff, not canon, some
characters might be good, some might be bad!

thoughts?

comments?

headcanons?

theories?