“Hello, Sal,” Alec greeted. “I have a couple of questions to ask you.”

“Ask away, young Snape,” Slytherin prompted.

“We were wondering if you could tell us what you know about the Chamber of Secrets and the beast the lies within it.”

“Alec,” Lisa interrupted impatiently.

He turned to her. “What?”

“Will you please stop speaking in Parsletounge because we surely can’t understand a thing you both are saying,” she replied, exasperated.

“Oops sorry,” Alec reddened. “I didn’t realize I wasn’t speaking English.”

“I’m afraid I won’t be too helpful. You see, I was created just before Salazar made the Chamber of Secrets. All I can share with you are the rumors that I believe are true along with what I know happened 50 years ago.”

“Wait,” Josh intervened. “The Chamber was opened 50 years ago? What happened?”

“50 years ago, several students were attacked and one died.” The three students gasped. “A student by the name of Tom Riddle managed to capture the culprit and stopped the attacks from happening. Since then, all has been quiet until now when these attacks started up again.”

“Do you know who the culprit was?” Lisa inquired.

“I believe it was a student by the name of Rubeus Hagrid.”

“Hagrid?” Three shocked voices exclaimed at once.

“Yes, and I believe he still works here. You see Headmaster Dumbledore was the Transfiguration professor at the time of these attacks and he wasn’t so convinced it was Hagrid who had been attacking the students. Nevertheless, the boy was expelled and his wand was snapped.”

“Do you think they’re going to blame Hagrid again? For these latest attacks,” Josh asked.

“I believe it is highly likely,” Salazar answered. “I wouldn’t be surprised if the ministry shows up soon and takes him off to Azkaban.”

“Azkaban?” Lisa wondered.

“It’s the wizarding prison that is guarded by Dementors. They are truly horrid creatures,” Slytherin answered.

“Oh,” Lisa responded. “Do you have any idea what creature could be petrifying the students?”

“Like I said earlier, I was created before the Chamber was built and I wouldn’t really know what could lie within it. It could be anything.”

“I’ve noticed the spiders are leaving the castle. Does that have anything to do with the monster in the chamber?” Alec questioned.

“It’s possible. I will think more on it and perhaps you three can visit me again later and I might have been able to think of something by then.”

“Thanks Salazar, for all your help,” Alec said.

“You’re welcome,” he responded. “Have they found out what is wrong with your father yet?”

“Not yet. I haven’t seen him today so I’ll find out if anything has changed.”

The three Ravenclaws left the portrait and headed to the exit of the dungeons. All three were pondering over the new information and hoping to come to some conclusion about the entrance of the chamber or at least what lied within it.

“I’m going to go visit my dad,” Alec said to break the silence.

“Okay. Josh and I’ll head to the library. I had a few more things I wanted to research.” Lisa answered.

Alec walked towards the infirmary while his two best friends went to research some more. He arrived in the hospital wing to find the Headmaster conversing with Madam Pomfrey.

“Alec,” Professor Dumbledore greeted. “How have you been?”

Alec shrugged. “I’ve been okay. Have there been any changes?”

Dumbledore shook his head sadly. “I’m afraid nothing has changed. Until we find out more information on the potion, we are unable to counteract it.”

Before anything further could be said, the infirmary doors opened with a slam.

“Dumbledore,” the Minister of Magic bellowed. Before he could say anything further, he was interrupted by an irate Medi-witch.

“Now look here,” she began with her hands on her hips. “This is a hospital wing and I have patients who need their rest.”

Cornelius Fudge spluttered. “But--I am the Minister of Magic!”

“I don’t care who you are! If you are not quiet in here, then I will kick you out, Minister or not!” she declared. Alec smirked from his seat beside his father, knowing full well that Madam Pomfrey meant business.

Apparently the Minister knew as well so he quietly turned to Dumbledore. “I’ve come to tell you that Hagrid is being taken into custody of the Aurors.”

The Headmaster frowned. “I want it understood that Hagrid has my full confidence. I do not believe he was the one behind these attacks.”

“I’m afraid Albus that I have to do something and Hagrid’s record is against him. We at the Ministry feel that something- anything, needs to be done in order to prevent further attacks.”

Once again the infirmary doors were opened and Lucius Malfoy came strutting in, with an official document in his hand.

“What can I do for you today, Mr. Malfoy?” the Headmaster asked.

“We, the school governors, feel that it is time for you to step aside. This is an Order of Suspension and you’ll find all twelve signatures on it. I’m afraid you’ve been loosing your touch. How many attacks have there been now?” He looked around the hospital wing and his eyes stopped on Alec, who was sitting by his father’s bedside.

He flashed Alec a nasty smile before turning his gaze back to the Headmaster.

Minister Fudge was looking rather panicked right now. “You-You can't suspend Dumbledore! This is the last thing we need right now,” he began to sweat. “See here, Malfoy, if Dumbledore can’t stop these attacks, who do you think can?”

“That remains to be seen. But all twelve of us have voted-”

“And how many did you threaten or blackmail to get these signatures?” Alec muttered but he was clearly heard in the quiet infirmary. Malfoy shot him a venomous look.

“Very well,” Dumbledore conceded. “If the board of governors wishes for me to step down, then I shall.”

After the Headmaster left, Madam Pomfrey shooed him back off to his dormitories. He was currently working on his charms homework while waiting for his friends to return from the library.

A few minutes later, the entrance to the common room opened. Alec looked up, hoping to see his friends but instead Professor Flitwick came in. Several students looked his way, curious as to why their Head of the House was here. He continued walking until he stopped in front of Alec.

“Can you come with me Mr. Snape?” he asked in his squeaky voice.

“Okay,” Alec answered. “Do I need to bring anything with me?”

“No, no. You may return your belongings to your trunk then return down here.” Alec dashed up the stairs and placed his stuff on his bedside table before heading back down again. His mind was whirling with possibilities for having to come with the teacher. He didn’t think he’d done anything wrong and Professor Flitwick looked rather grim. His heart began to pound as they headed down the corridor where the infirmary was located.

“I’ll warn you; this will be a bit of a shock.” Alec prepared himself, but wasn’t expecting to see his two best friends petrified.

“No, no, no,” Alec whispered as he approached their still bodies.

“They were both found together and they each had mirrors in their hands. Do you have any idea why?” the charms professor asked.

“I-I don’t know,” he admitted. “They were in the library the last I knew.”

“Madam Pomfrey said she’ll permit you to stay the night here if you’d like to take a Dreamless Sleep potion.” Professor Flitwick offered.

“Thank you,” Alec agreed. He sat miserably on the chair in between his two friends’ beds. The infirmary was silent, except for the sound of shuffling papers in the Medi-witches office. Alec sighed dejectedly and grabbed both of his friend’s hands. They were cold and stiff. After several minutes, Madam Pomfrey came in and placed his sleeping potion on the table next to an empty bed. Alec curled on the bed, despite the fact that he wasn’t in pajamas, and swallowed the potion. He lay back down and drifted into a dreamless sleep.

The next few days went by excruciatingly slow. Alec found it hard to concentrate in his classes since his two best friends and father were in the infirmary. The teachers weren’t too hard on any of the students, since everyone was really worried about the possibility of the school closing. The Headmaster was gone and Professor McGonagall had stepped into his place temporarily.

The final bell rang and students were dismissed. Instead of returning to his dormitory, Alec went to the infirmary, as he had been doing for the last several days. As usual, he pulled up a chair beside his two friends. While he was sitting there, he noticed a small wad of paper in Lisa’s hand. It was easy to miss since her hand was clenched closed.

The paper read: “Of the many fearsome beasts and monsters that roam our land, there is none more curious or more deadly than the basilisk, known as the King of Serpents. This snake, which may reach gigantic size and live many hundreds of years, is born from a chicken’s egg, hatched beneath a toad. Its methods of killing are most wondrous, for aside from its deadly and venomous fangs, the Basilisk has a murderous stare, and all who are fixed with the beam of its eye shall suffer instant death. Spiders flee before the basilisk, for it is their mortal enemy, and the Basilisk flees only from the crowing of a rooster, which is fatal to it.”

On the side, Lisa’s handwrote the word pipes, which didn’t make any sense to Alec. The rest of it fit though. It made perfect sense that the creature was a basilisk. He decided to ask Salazar and see what he thought.

Several minutes later, Alec reached the portrait. He quickly and quietly read off the information about the Basilisk.

“It makes perfect sense. I speak Parsletounge, so why not use a snake?” Sal muttered.

“Do you know what Lisa meant by the pipes?” Alec asked.

“Hrmm…” Salazar pondered for a minute before it came to him. “She must have meant the snake travels though the piping system. Now that I think about it, 50 years ago, a girl died and it was in a bathroom.”

Alec’s eyes widened as the realization hit him. “Moaning Myrtle.” He quickly muttered the password and entered the room. It was dark and slightly dusty in here since no one had been staying in the quarters for a while. He quickly grabbed his invisibility cloak that was safely kept in his closet and left his bedroom. As he entered the living room, he spotted a wine bottle sitting on the side table.

A sudden thought occurred to him. His father had received the bottle from Lucius Malfoy for Christmas and yet his father didn’t start acting weird until afterwards. He vaguely recalled his father had a wine glass in his hand when he first snapped at them. Several other times when his father was angry, he was always drinking something. He could be wrong, but it wouldn’t hurt to grab the bottle and have it tested.

Even though the Headmaster was gone, he still headed towards his office so hopefully Professor McGonagall can have the wine tested or contact Dumbledore to do it. After guessing several passwords, he was finally admitted into the office. Unfortunately it was empty with the exception being Fawkes, who was perched on his stand.

Alec grabbed a blank piece of parchment and scribbled a quick note on it for the Headmaster. He wrapped the note around the bottle and turned to the Phoenix.

“Do you think you can take this to Professor Dumbledore? Please Fawkes, I need him to test it and hopefully he can cure my dad.” Alec pleaded. The bird sang a short melody before taking flight and grabbing the bottle and note in his talons. He disappeared in a flash.

Alec left the office and headed back towards the infirmary. Just as he arrived, he heard an announcement.

“All students are to report to their dormitories immediately,” Professor McGonagall’s amplified voice announced.

He quickly checked on his father and two friends before making his way to the Ravenclaw common room. As he passed the teachers lounge he heard their voices. Since he’d grabbed his invisibility cloak earlier, he decided to put it to use and listen in.

“How are the Mandrakes doing?” Professor McGonagall asked the Herbology professor.

“They are almost ready. Only another day or two more,” she replied.

“Good, but unfortunately as soon as these students are restored to their proper health, they’ll all have to go home. The school will have to close.”

The staffroom door opened and Gilderoy walked in, very much late to the meeting.

“So sorry,” he apologized and flashed them his obnoxious smile. “I must have dozed off. What’ve I missed?”

“We were just discussing how the school will have to close. There is nothing further we can do to keep the students safe. Although,” the Transfiguration professor glared at him with an odd glint in her eye, “you have been talking about knowing the entrance to the Chamber this whole time. Perhaps you’d like to go take care of it so the school can stay open? Here’s your chance,” she added.

Lockhart sputtered for a moment before collecting himself somewhat. “I-I- well okay then. I’ll, um just go prepare,” he replied before scurrying out of the lounge quickly.

Several teachers managed to chuckle quietly, but their laughter was subdued with the impending end of the school.

“Is there anything else we can do?” one of the other teachers asked.

“I’m afraid not-” she began before Filch entered the lounge.

“Professors, there’s been a message left on the wall. It says that a student was taken into the Chamber itself.” Filch reported as the teachers gasped.

“Are all the students accounted for?” Professor McGonagall asked sternly.

Professor Flitwick muttered a quick charm to tell him who was absent from the common rooms.

“All the students are accounted for except…”