Chapter Text
My most hated class of the week comes: History of Magic. It's almost a consensus among the students, I think even Hermione doesn't like this subject. It's a close tie with Potions, which, as much as I'm a Slytherin and Professor Snape favours the Slytherins, he apparently has a love-hate relationship with me, probably because Harry is my brother, but at the same time I'm a Slytherin. At least during History of Magic class I can sleep without fear of the teacher swearing at me.
So that's what I do: with my arms on the table I rest my head on them as if they were a pillow, and with Professor Binns' low, boring voice I soon find myself in a deep sleep. At least until I feel something hit the back of my head. I open my eyes and grumble quietly to whoever woke me up, when I realise that apparently all the students are paying attention in class. Surely something important has happened. Next to me, Ginny slips out of her chair.
"My subject is History of Magic," I hear the teacher answering someone. I lift my head and see that he's answering a question from Aster Diggory. "I deal with facts, Miss Diggory, not myths and legends." he turns to the board and resumes the content. "In September of that year, a sub-committee of Sardinian sorcerers..."
Aster raises her hand.
"Miss Diggory?"
"Please, sir, don't legends always have a basis in fact?" says Aster.
"Well," he says slowly. "yes, one could argue that, I suppose." he looks like he's never paid so much attention to a student before. "However, the legend of which you speak is such a very sensational, even ludicrous tale..."
Then he looks at all of us, realising that the subject draws our attention more than the content he is teaching.
"Oh, very well. Let me see... the Chamber of Secrets..."
He seems to think about what to say.
"You all know, of course, that Hogwarts was founded over a thousand years ago – the precise date is uncertain – by the four greatest witches and wizards of the age. The four school houses are named after them: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw and Salazar Slytherin. They built this castle together, far from prying Muggle eyes, for it was an age when magic was feared by common people, and witches and wizards suffered much persecution."
He pauses and looks at us again before continuing.
"For a few years, the founders worked in harmony together, seeking out youngsters who showed signs of magic and bringing them to the castle to be educated. But then disagreements sprang up between them. A rift began to grow between Slytherin and the others. Slytherin wished to be more selective about the students admitted to Hogwarts. He believed that magical learning should be kept within all-magic families. He disliked taking students of Muggle parentage, believing them to be untrustworthy. After awhile, there was a serious argument on the subject between Slytherin and Gryffindor, and Slytherin left the school."
I see Cassia, Megan and Melia look at each other. He pauses again.
"Reliable historical sources tell us this much, but these honest facts have been obscured by the fanciful legend of the Chamber of Secrets. The story goes that Slytherin had built a hidden chamber in the castle, of which the other founders knew nothing. Slytherin, according to the legend, sealed the Chamber of Secrets so that none would be able to open it until his own true heir arrived at the school. The heir alone would be able to unseal the Chamber of Secrets, unleash the horror within, and use it to purge the school of all who were unworthy to study magic."
The silence in the room at the moment is one of apprehension on the part of the students about the story Professor Binns has just told.
"The whole thing is arrant nonsense, of course. Naturally, the school has been searched for evidence of such a chamber, many times, by the most learned witches and wizards. It does not exist. A tale told to frighten the gullible."
Another hand is raised, this time Zoe's. "Sir... what exactly do you mean by the 'horror within' the Chamber?"
"That is believed to be some sort of monster, which the heir of Slytherin alone can control,"
We all exchange nervous glances.
"I tell you, the thing does not exist. There is no Chamber and no monster."
"But, sir," says Stella. "If the Chamber can only be opened by Slytherin's true heir, no one else would be able to find it, would they?"
"Nonsense, Lestrange," the teacher says in an irritated tone. "If a long succession of Hogwarts headmasters and headmistresses haven't found the thing..."
"But, Professor," says Carina. "You'd probably have to use Dark Magic to open it..."
"Just because a wizard doesn't use Dark Magic, doesn't mean he can't, Miss Malfoy," Professor Binns retorts. "I repeat, if the likes of Dumbledore..."
"But maybe you've got to be related to Slytherin, so Dumbledore couldn't..." says Stella.
"That will do," he interrupts her. "It is a myth! It does not exist! There is not a shred of evidence that Slytherin ever built so much as a secret broom cupboard! I regret telling you such a foolish story! We will return, if you please, to history, to solid, believable, verifiable fact!"
Today's lessons are over, and I'm walking with the rest of first-years towards the Great Hall when I bump into Harry, Ron and Hermione.
"Ah, hi, Emma." says Harry.
"What's up, Harry?" I ask, and turn to the other two. "Ron, Hermione."
They both greet me with a smile and a nod. I signal to my friends to go into the Great Hall without me, while I stay behind with my brother and his friends.
"I had perhaps the most exciting History of Magic lesson I'll have in all my years at Hogwarts," I start saying.
"Why?" Ron asks.
"I was asleep, and then I was woken up and..." I start, but Hermione interrupts me.
"You were asleep during class?" she asks me incredulously.
I roll my eyes. "It's the only way I can stand a few lessons... As I was saying, the teacher explained a bit about the Chamber of Secrets and..." then I see the three of them exchange glances. "What?"
"We just wanted to talk to you about it." says Harry. "Have you been talking to your roommates about the chamber?"
"We talked a bit... Why?" I ask suspiciously.
"Well, we thought the heir of Slytherin might be Malfoy." says Ron.
I chuckle. "Some of my friends thought so too. But Melia, Draco's distant cousin, says it's unlikely..."
"I told you! I don't think he's the heir either, but your brother and Ron can't get the idea out of their heads..." says Hermione.
"Wait a minute!" says Ron. "Draco? Are you two on first name basis now?"
I roll my eyes again. "We sometimes talk during meals and in the common room... He can be quite nice when he's not being a complete arsehole, you know? But why..."
"Can't you find out if he's the heir? What if you tried to talk to him?" Harry asks.
"Your sister is friends with your biggest enemy and that's what you care about? How..." Ron says, but we both ignore him.
I take a deep breath. "I don't think Draco would tell me anything if he knew something. Maybe it's something he only tells his closest friends, I bet those two gits Crabbe and Goyle must know..."
From the looks exchanged between Ron, Hermione and Harry, I can see that I gave them an idea.
"Whatever you're thinking, don't get me involved in it." I say, walking faster and entering the Great Hall, heading for the Slytherin table.