“You should have been brought straight to me,” Madam Pomfrey muttered as she browsed through the potions cupboard.

“That man thinks he knows everything. Is he a qualified Medi-Wizard? No,” she grumbled as she tended to her patient. “It would have been much easier to mend a broken bone but I’m afraid that you’ll have to re-grow all the bones in your arm now.”

“Oh joy. Sounds like fun,” Alec replied sarcastically.

“Hush now and drink this.” She handed him a vial of Skele-gro. The boy grimaced as he downed the nasty flavored potion and then proceeded to hand her the empty vial. Alec lowered himself flat on his back and tried to get comfortable.

The Medi-Witch then tucked the blanket around the young boy. “I sincerely hope you are not going to pick up your father’s habit of ending up in here so often. He was always one of my most frequent patients seeing as he always ended up on the wrong side of James Potter’s wand. Those two would hex each other way too often and always wound up in my care.”

The boy yawned. “Where is my dad?” Alec asked, feeling sleepy.

“I shooed him out of here so I could tend to my patient,” she replied.

“I bet he wasn’t happy about that,” the Ravenclaw replied, closing his eyes.

“Well he didn’t protest much since I believe he had some business to take care of. I dare say that I just might have another patient by the time this night is over.” Alec opened his eyes and smirked, knowing full well that his father would surely be after Lockhart by now.

“Now you go ahead and rest. If you need anything, I’ll be in my office.” The witch said before leaving. Alec closed his eyes again and fell into a light sleep.

“Err-Hello?” Alec said, unsure what to say to this house elf.

“Mister Snape’s son must leave Hogwarts now,” the elf cried.

“Why? I live here,” he replied as he glanced at his watch. 2:15 AM, a lovely time for a conversation with some house elf.

“Bad things is going to happen,” the creature wailed.

Alec could feel a headache coming on. “Look,” he said impatiently, “can you tell me your name and how exactly you know something is going to happen?”

“My name is Dobby, Mister Snape’s son, and Master--” Dobby cut himself off.

“Bad Dobby! Dobby mustn’t say anything bad about Master!” The elf grabbed a nearby candlestick holder and began hitting himself on the head.

“Dobby! Stop that Dobby!” Alec whispered furiously, hoping that the Medi-Witch wasn’t going to be roused from her sleep. The second year used his good arm to remove the candlestick from Dobby’s grasp.

“Dobby, what can you tell me without badmouthing your Master?” Alec asked, trying to get any information from the slightly deranged elf.

“Dobby just wanted to protect young little Master. Dobby tried to make Mister Snape’s son go home so young Master would be safe.” Dobby explained.

“Why did you want me to go home so badly?” Alec asked, perplexed.

“Mister Snape’s son brings evil book to Hogwarts and Dobby wanted to protect young Master. Dobby is sorry for hurting Mister Snape’s son with the Bludger but Dobby wanted yous to leave.”

“I think I know what you are talking about and I don’t even have that book anymore. So can you please leave me alone now?” Alec asked. “I’m not leaving Hogwarts.” He added firmly.

“Dobby is sorry. Dobby just wanted to protect young Master but if yous don’t have the evil book then Dobby must leave now and hope that young Master will be safe.”

“Can you tell me who your master is?”

Dobby was about to reply when the sound of approaching footsteps was heard from the quiet hallways.

“Dobby must go now.” With that said, the little elf disappeared.

Alec resumed his position lying down, closed his eyes and listened to the whispering people.

“Minerva, would you please fetch Poppy?” the voice of the Headmaster requested.

Alec cracked open an eye to see what was going on. The Headmaster was lowering a young boy who looked rather stiff onto an infirmary bed. Arriving with Professor McGonagall, Madam Pomfrey pulled out her wand, muttered a few incantations before turning towards the others.

“It appears the boy has been petrified. It will take quiet some time before the Mandrakes to be ready in order for Severus to brew the restorative draught,” the Medi-Witch concluded.

“Is it true then Albus? Has the Chamber of Secrets really been opened?” the Transfiguration professor asked.

“I believe that it is indeed true. The Chamber of Secrets has been opened again and the beast that lies within it is once again attacking students,” the Headmaster replied gravely.

Again? Alec gasped and instantly the three adults turned towards him. The Ravenclaw smiled sheepishly at them.

“How much did you hear?” Professor McGonagall demanded.

“Umm, all of it,” he admitted guiltily.

“Alas, that does not matter for it will be all over the school’s rumor mills tomorrow, regardless of Mr. Snape overhearing our conversation,” the Headmaster said with a small smile.

“What will we do with the boy?” Madam Pomfrey asked, gesturing towards the petrified student.

“For now, I believe that you should place curtains around his bed to keep curious students away. There is not much else we can do for Mr. Caldwell until the restorative draught is made.” Professor Dumbledore replied gravely.

As the two professors left, the Medi-Witch came bustling over to Alec and made him lie back down. She once again pulled the blankets up and tucked him in before lecturing him.

“I don’t want to hear you up anymore this night. You need your rest and if I have to use a Dreamless Sleep potion to assure myself that you won’t get up, then don’t think that I won’t because I will.” The witch said sternly and Alec smiled up at her.

“I wouldn’t doubt that you would. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop anyways; I’d just waken when they arrived,” the second year explained as his eyes drooped closed. The matron smoothed the covers out with a soft smile before retiring back to her bed.

Alec eyed the hospital outfit with distaste. “I’ll do that. When did my dad stop by?”

“Late last night after you’d fallen asleep,” she replied.

Alec grabbed his clothing and walked towards the nearby bathroom. He changed and as he exited, he noticed a partially covered bed that wasn’t there the previous night. He peeked through the curtains and saw a very bald Lockhart lying on the bed, looking uncomfortable.

Alec smirked as he left, knowing that his father had extracted revenge on the defense professor. He met up with Lisa and Josh and the three entered the Great Hall.

“Do you guys know what happened to Lockhart?” Alec asked as he served himself.

“Yeah,” Josh looked around to verify that no teachers and prefects were around for the moment. “We were kinda going to visit you last night. We borrowed your special cloak and we were on our way to the infirmary when we saw your dad…”

-Flashback-

Lockhart was practically cowering against the wall as Snape glared at him.

“I warned you not to touch my son or attempt any spells on him,” Professor Snape hissed.

“S-Severus… I was just trying to help the boy. I-I’m sorry,” Gilderoy Lockhart stuttered fearfully.

“You’re sorry?” Alec’s father sneered at the man, who flinched back. “My son is in the infirmary having his bones re-grown because you felt the need to help him. What spell did you use?” The Potions professor demanded.

“B-Bracchium Emendo.”

“I don’t recall that spell, therefore I’ve never used it before. I believe this would be the ideal time to attempt it,” Snape said before lazily flicking his wand and casting the spell at Lockhart’s hand. The bones disappeared from the hand and it flopped down.

Lockhart let out a cry, not from pain, but from shock.

“What a shame,” he tutted. “You removed the bones from my son’s arm but I only managed to remove the ones in your wrist. Perhaps I should attempt to do it correctly this time.” He flicked his wand at the other arm and this time the bones in the entire arm disappeared and the arm fell useless to his side.

“Perhaps I am getting old if I cannot get an easy spell correct the first time around,” the dark-haired man surmised aloud. “Thank you for your assistance in teaching me a new spell,” Snape added sarcastically.

Lockhart, being the idiot he was, didn’t detect the sarcasm. “Any time you need any assistance with spells, I’d be happy to help.” He smiled up at the Potions Master, thinking he was forgiven over the whole ordeal.

Snape snorted and rolled his eyes at the so-called Defense professor.

“I guess I will have Madam Pomfrey assist me in fixing my arms right up. Good night, Severus.” The man cheerfully said as he headed towards the Infirmary.

The Potions professor shook his head in exasperation before smirking. He whispered a spell that removed all of Lockhart blond hair. The man continued walking, never noticing that his hair was missing.

-End of flashback-

“Anyways,” Josh continued. “We followed Lockhart to the infirmary and just as we got there, Professor McGonagall was leaving followed by the Headmaster. I swear he looked right at us as we entered the Hospital Wing.”

“It’s entirely possible that he was capable of seeing through the cloak,” Lisa cut in. “He wears glasses so maybe they’ve got enchantments of sorts on them.”

“Probably,” Josh said. “After that, we just checked to make sure you were alright and had to leave since Lockhart was right there and it’s not like we could have talked to you or anything.”

“I’ve got to admit that your dad is pretty cool sometimes. Although he is still kinda freaky with his bat-out-of-hell attitude during class,” Josh said. Alec smirked and looked over Josh’s shoulder, causing the boy to pale. “He’s standing right behind me isn’t he?”

Severus interrupted the boy’s stuttered apologies with a smirk. “That is not the first time I have been called a bat-out-of-hell.” He turned his attention to his son. “How is your arm?”

“It’s perfect. The bones are all back and Madam Pomfrey gave me a clean bill of health before kicking me out,” Alec replied with a grin. He knew his father took great pleasure in terrifying students for his own amusement.

“I expect to see you in class then,” the dark-haired professor said before retreating to the dungeons.

“Like I said before,” Josh said after a minute. “He can be cool and creepy at times.”

Alec just laughed and stood up, finished with breakfast. “Let’s go, classes start in a bit.”

The two others stood and Josh added, “And next time let me know if he’s standing right behind me!” Alec and Lisa both snickered as they headed to class.