LUCY:

Thanks to Fred's firework and Harry's Quidditch reflexes, Hermione was able to successfully swipe the necessary ingredients from Snape's storage two days after the full moon. We gathered around the cauldron in the bathroom that afternoon, watching as Hermione stirred.

Harry sighed. "He knew it was me. I could tell."

"Snape can't prove it was you. What can he do?" Ron asked.

"Knowing Snape, something foul," he replied bitterly.

"It'll be ready in two weeks!" Hermione chirped, seemingly unaware of the conversation happening less than a meter away.

I groaned and dragged my hand down my face. "I'm going home for Christmas. Christmas is in exactly two weeks."

The others turned to stare at me.

"You're going home for Christmas?" Ron asked.

I nodded. "Cedric has been such a nervous wreck lately." I sighed and looked down at my hands. "I know he's trying to be brave, for me and for everyone else who looks up to him, but going home would give him a break from that. There's no Chamber of Secrets at home --- that I know of, anyway," I added with a halfhearted grin.

"Yeah, and no Lockhart either," Harry chuckled. "Truthfully, he's the bigger danger to you. You only left the Hospital Wing, what, three days ago?"

I pursed my lips. "I think so. I don't even know. I've been so busy trying to catch up on work I honestly have no idea. Speaking of, I should probably go," I said with another sigh. "I need to try to finish an essay before practice tonight."

Harry's eyes lit up. "Oh! You've been cleared for Quidditch?"

"Not exactly," I replied slowly as I rose to my feet. "But I will go mad if I have to go one more day without flying."

Hermione glanced up from the potion to look at me disapprovingly. "Lucy, if you haven't been cleared-"

"I'll be fine," I interrupted. "Honestly. I would rather fall to my death than be stuck on the ground at this rate, anyway."

"Alright then, how many fingers am I holding up?" she asked, clearly holding up three fingers.

"Seven," I retorted. I laughed when she glared at me. "I'm kidding, Hermione, you're holding three fingers up. See? I'll be fine at practice. Meanwhile, my essay won't write itself. See you all later."

I ducked out of the room before anyone could protest and made my way up to the common room. The twins tried to convince me to help them bewitch Percy's prefect badge, but I shook my head.

"Sorry, boys, I need to finish an essay before practice tonight."

They jumped. "Practice? Tonight? You're going?"

I nodded. "Finally. I can't wait. I miss the sky. Speaking of, my essay on moon cycles is waiting for me. See you later!"

Thankfully, my dormitory was empty. I loved being back, and I was glad that everyone else loved me being back too, but the attention was suffocating. Especially when I was trying to write an essay.

I did manage to finish it before practice, and I felt a shiver of joy run up my spine as I zipped up my Quidditch robes. They were bigger on me than I remembered, but I figured a month in the Hospital Wing, barely able to eat anything due to my reaction to the dittany, would have that effect.

Just the same, I grinned at Harry when we met in the common room. He smiled, too.

"Ready, Lu?"

"You bet your Bludgers I am," I replied, laughing at my own enthusiasm as we walked out of the common room. I checked my half of the ring as we left. As I expected --- bright, bright yellow-green, which I assumed meant nothing other than pure excitement.

A week later, a new notice was pinned to the board in the entrance hall announcing the start of a dueling club.

Seamus Finnigan was the one who waved us over. "First meeting tonight! I wouldn't mind dueling lessons; they might come in handy one of these days."

Ron snorted. "What, you reckon Slytherin's monster can duel?"

Despite this, he walked into the Great Hall with me at eight o'clock sharp that night.

"I wonder who'll be teaching us?" Hermione wondered aloud. "Someone told me Flitwick was a dueling champion when he was young, maybe it'll be him. Or maybe your brother, Lucy, I've heard that he's a fantastic dueler."

"Fantastic-er than us?" Fred asked, pretending to sound hurt.

"Yeah, Cub, tell them about how fantastic we are."

"Fantastic, but not fantastic enough to dodge a surprise rictumsempra!" I said softly, shooting a tickling charm behind my back and smirking when I heard uproarious laughter. "Finite incantatem!"

Harry, Ron, and Hermione were all laughing too.

"Well played," Harry said with a grin. The grin faded instantly, though, when he saw who was walking onto the stage.

I couldn't help but groan, too. Gilderoy Lockhart was to be our instructor. The man, in revolting purple robes, waved at the crowd. "Gather round, gather round! Can everyone see me? Excellent!"

"I wish I couldn't," I muttered to Harry. "Maybe being blind wasn't so bad after all."

He stifled his snicker with the sleeve of his robe as Lockhart spoke again. "Now, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little dueling club, to train you all in case you ever need to defend yourselves as I myself have done on countless occasions; for full details, see my published works. Let me introduce my assistant, Professor Snape," said Lockhart, flashing a wide smile. "He tells me he knows a tiny little bit about dueling himself and has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration before we begin. Now, I don't want any of you youngsters to worry! You'll still have your Potions master when I'm through with him, never fear!"

"Wouldn't it be good if they finished each other off?" Ron whispered. Now Harry and I both clapped our hands over our mouths to stifle our laughter, and I heard the twins snort in unison behind us.

The two men faced each other, bowed, and lifted their wands.

Lockhart's smile was still firmly in place. "As you see, we are holding our wands in the accepted combative position. On the count of three, we will cast our first spells. Neither of us will be aiming to kill, of course."

"I wouldn't bet on that," Harry whispered. I nodded my agreement. Snape looked nothing short of murderous.

"One, two, three!"

Snape's disarming spell sent Lockhart flying off the stage, though I was too short to see where he landed.

Hermione craned her neck and stood on her tiptoes. "Do you think he's all right?"

"Who cares?" Ron and Harry replied in perfect unison.

"He's fine," I said as the now-quite-frumpled man crawled back onto the stage.

He didn't miss a beat. "Well, there you have it! That was a Disarming Charm! As you see, I've lost my wand --- ah, thank you, Miss Brown --- yes, an excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape, but if you don't mind my saying so, it was very obvious what you were about to do. If I had wanted to stop you it would have been only too easy, however, I felt it would be instructive to let them see..." He gulped. "Enough demonstrating! I'm going to come amongst you now and put you all into pairs. Professor Snape, if you'd like to help me?"

Professor Snape reached us first. He smirked at Harry and Ron. "Time to split up the dream team, I think. Weasley, you can partner Finnigan. Potter-"

Harry inched toward me, and I toward him.

"I don't think so."

Harry moved the other way, toward Hermione.

"Another comfortable choice. Mr. Malfoy, come over here. Let's see what you make of the famous Potter. And you, Miss Granger, you can partner Miss Bulstrode. As for you, Miss Diggory, you can duel Mr. Graye here."

"Hey, Diggory," Archie said, smiling and tossing a lock of curly hair over his shoulder. It seemed like he hadn't cut it in his time since starting Hogwarts; it now reached past his shoulders.

"Didn't realize you had a last name, Graye," I chuckled. "Everyone just calls you Archie."

"I prefer it that way. Can you imagine someone as colorful as me actually enjoying being called Graye?"

"You have a point."

"Face your partners!" rang out Lockhart's voice. "And bow!"

Archie muttered some profanities about Lockhart under his breath as we bowed. I fought to keep a straight face. Archie smirked when he saw how hard I was trying not to laugh.

"Wands at the ready! When I count to three, cast your charms to disarm your opponents! Only to disarm them, we don't want any accidents! One, two, three!"

"Expelliarmus!" I shouted. Archie's wand flew into the air, and I couldn't help but laugh at the shock on his face. "Tried to distract me, didn't you?"

He nodded as he bent down to pick up his wand. "Emphasis on tried."

It seemed we were one of the only pairs to actually follow instructions. Different colors of smoke hung over the room, and I heard Lockhart shouting somewhere in the distance.

"Finite incantatem!" Snape bellowed over the chaos, and the room came to a standstill. I turned around when I heard Hermione squeak in pain (what can I say, my ears got really sharp while I was blind) and Archie and I rushed over to help Harry pull Millicent Bulstrode off of Hermione.

"Thanks," Hermione croaked, clutching her throat.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

She nodded, and Archie and I returned to our positions as Lockhart flitted around the room like a concerned chicken.

He cleared his throat. "I think I'd better teach you how to block unfriendly spells. Let's have a volunteer pair! Longbottom and Finch-Fletchley, how about you-"

"A bad idea, Professor Lockhart," Professor Snape said icily. "Longbottom causes devastation with the simplest spells. We'll be sending what's left of Finch-Fletchley up to the hospital wing in a matchbox. How about Malfoy and Potter?"

I shook with anger. How could he say such a horrible thing about Neville? And everyone knew that putting Harry's rivalry front and center wouldn't end well.

"But Professor," Archie said loudly. "Lucy's already disarmed me! Shouldn't we see a demonstration of someone doing it properly?"

But no one paid him any mind as Draco and Harry were ushered onto the stage.

Lockhart stood with Harry while Snape stood with Draco. Both teachers whispered something in their designated pupil's ear, and I bit my lip nervously when Draco smirked. Surely whatever advice he was receiving was much better than whatever Lockhart was telling Harry. I crept closer to the stage so I could intervene if necessary.

Lockhart backed away and beamed. "Three, two, one, go!"

Malfoy got off the first spell. "Serpensortia!" he yelled.

I was yanked backward when a massive snake shot out of his wand. I glanced back to see Archie was the one who had pulled me, staring at the snake with wide eyes as he gripped my shoulder.

A sickening smile was on Professor Snape's face. "Don't move, Potter. I'll get rid of it."

But he made no move to "get rid of" the snake.

"Allow me!" Lockhart volunteered, stepping forward and blasting the snake. Rather than vanishing, however, it shot up into the air and landed among the crowd, advancing toward Justin Finch-Fletchley. Cedric started pushing his way through the crowd and drawing his wand, but before he could fire off a spell, Harry was rushing toward them, speaking in... was that Parseltongue?

It was. The snake stopped, and turned to look at Harry. Everyone turned to look at Harry.

"What do you think you're playing at?" Justin turned on his heel and rushed out of the hall as murmurs swelled around me. The snake disappeared in a puff of black smoke.

I rushed forward and grabbed Harry by the arm, not daring to look at anyone else, not even Cedric. "Harry, we need to leave. Now."

He didn't respond, but he followed me. Ron and Hermione walked behind us, and none of us said a word until we reached the Gryffindor common room, which was thankfully empty.

Ron shoved Harry into a chair. "You're a Parselmouth. Why didn't you tell us?"

Harry blinked, looking from him to Hermione to me then back at Ron. "I'm a what?"

"A Parselmouth!"

"It means you can talk to snakes," I explained softly, sitting on the floor across from him and pocketing my wand, which I hadn't even realized I was still holding. Hermione sat a distance away from me, her eyes somewhat glazed.

Harry nodded. "I know. I mean, that's only the second time I've ever done it. I accidentally set a boa constrictor on my cousin Dudley at the zoo once --- long story --- but it was telling me it had never seen Brazil and I sort of set it free without meaning to that was before I knew I was a wizard-"

"A boa constrictor told you it had never seen Brazil?" Ron asked, looking as if he were about to faint.

"So? I bet loads of people here can do it."

"Oh, no they can't. It's not a very common gift." Ron sat down heavily on another armchair. "Harry, this is bad."

Harry's eyes flashed angrily. "What's bad? What's wrong with everyone? Listen, if I hadn't told that snake not to attack Justin-"

"Oh, that's what you said to it?"

"What d'you mean? You were there! You heard me!"

"You were speaking Parseltongue, Harry," I said. "None of us could understand what you said."

"You could have been saying anything," Ron added. "No wonder Justin panicked, you sounded like you were egging the snake on or something. It was creepy, you know-"

Harry's jaw dropped. "I spoke a different language? But... I didn't realize... how can I speak a language without knowing I can speak it?" Ron shook his head slowly. Hermione looked pale. I inched toward her and laid my hand on top of hers. Harry sighed. "D'you want to tell me what's wrong with stopping a massive snake biting off Justin's head? What does it matter how I did it as long as Justin doesn't have to join the Headless Hunt?"

Hermione spoke for the first time, her voice little more than a whisper. "It matters, because being able to talk to snakes was what Salazar Slytherin was famous for. That's why the symbol of Slytherin House is a serpent."

Harry's eyes widened in horror.

Ron nodded. "Exactly. And now the whole school's going to think you're his great-great-great-great-grandson or something."

"But I'm not!" Harry shouted.

Hermione bit her lip. "You'll find that hard to prove. He lived about a thousand years ago; for all we know, you could be."

Harry sank into the chair. "But I'm not," he said much more softly.

"I believe you, Harry," I said, "proof or no proof. In the meantime, maybe you should go to bed before everyone comes back."

He nodded slowly. "I don't want to face anyone."

Ron rose to his feet and offered Harry a hand. "Let's go, mate."

Once the boys were gone, Hermione glanced at me. "Lucy, I'm scared," she whispered.

"Of Harry?"

"No. I don't think so, anyway. I'm scared of everything we don't know." She clenched her fists. "I know we have to follow through with the polyjuice plan, but Godric, I want to go home for Christmas."

"Just stay with Harry and Ron no matter what, and you'll be safe," I assured her.

She blinked back tears. "I will."

"Why don't we go get some sleep ourselves?" I suggested.

She nodded. "Okay."

Like Ron had with Harry, I rose to my feet and offered her a hand. She accepted it meekly and followed me up the stairs to our room. We both laid awake a long time, each with our own troubled thoughts, but we fell asleep eventually.

The next morning, the snow was so thick it cancelled our last Herbology lesson of the year. I took the chance to go visit Hagrid before heading home for the holidays, braving the snow by bundling myself up in as many layers as I could find.

When Hagrid first opened the door, he was baffled. "Hello?"

I giggled. "Hi, Hagrid. It's me, Lucy."

"Oh! Lucy! Come in! So great ter see yeh!"

I ducked inside and peeled my top layer off. "Hi, Hagrid! How have you been?"

"Oh, it's been all righ', I s'pose. Why aren't yeh in class? You c'n see now, can't yeh?"

"Herbology was cancelled because of the snow, but I wanted to see you before I left for Christmas," I explained. "What's that in your hand, Hagrid? Is that... a dead rooster?"

He held it out reluctantly. "Sure is. Second one I've found like this. Blood drained and ev'rything."

I gasped. "Oh no! Blood-Sucking Bugbears?"

"Them or foxes," he said with a nod. "Yeh want to head back up ter the castle with me? I need ter show Professor Dumbledore this rooster."

I nodded. "Sounds good to me."

We had nearly reached Professor Dumbledore's office when we bumped into Harry --- literally. I offered Harry a hand off the ground, which he accepted as he brushed the snow from Hagrid's coat off of his robes.

"All righ', Harry?" Hagrid asked.

He nodded. "What're you doing in here?"

Hagrid lifted the rooster. "Second one killed this term. It's either foxes or a Blood-Suckin' Bugbear, an' I need the Headmaster's permission ter put a charm around the hen coop." Hagrid leaned closer to Harry. "Yeh sure yeh're alrigh'? Yeh look all hot an' bothered-"

Harry glanced at me before looking back at Hagrid. He was definitely not "alright," but he said, "It's nothing. I'd better get going, Hagrid, it's Transfiguration next and I've got to pick up my books."

"I'll walk with you," I said quickly. "See you in January, Hagrid! Send me a letter if you find something out about the roosters, will you?"

"Will do!"

Harry and I hurried off toward the Gryffindor common room. We walked in silence for a minute, and I was about to ask what was wrong when he tripped. We both froze in horror when we saw what he had tripped over. Justin Finch-Fletchley was lying on the ground, petrified. Nearly Headless Nick was beside him, made of black smoke rather than a white glow. They wore identical expressions of shock. Spiders scurried away from the bodies.

He scrambled to his feet, and we pressed our backs against the wall. My throat was completely dry, but my hands were slick with sweat.

"If we run, no one would ever know we were here," Harry whispered, heaving for breath. "But I can't just... we can't just leave them here..."

"We need to get help," I agreed, feeling as if the air had been stolen from my lungs.

"You can run, Lucy, pretend you didn't see anything, I wouldn't blame you-"

"Harry, no, I would never-"

"Will anyone believe it's not my fault?"

"I'll defend y-"

Before I could finish my sentence, Peeves zipped around the corner. "Why, it's potty wee Potter and the sleepwalking Diggory! What's Diggory up to? Why's Potter lurking-" He observed the bodies and froze. "ATTACK! ATTACK! ANOTHER ATTACK! NO MORTAL OR GHOST IS SAFE! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! ATTAAAACK!"

Harry and I found ourselves surrounded by students as the classes emptied. Professor McGonagall reached us first and shouted for everyone to return to their classes. I scanned the crowd for my brother, or for any friendly face, but I recognized no one.

Everyone had nearly returned to their classes when Ernie Macmillan sprinted over to us. He looked from Justin to Nick to Harry to Justin to Harry.

"Caught in the act!" he shouted, pointing his finger at Harry. He jabbed the same finger at me. "And you, too! Wait until Cedric hears about this!"

"That will do, Macmillan!" Professor McGonagall snapped.

Peeves overhead began to sing, "Oh, Potter, you rotter, oh, what have you done, You're killing off' students, you think it's good fun-"

Professor McGonagall fixed her glare on the poltergeist. "That's enough, Peeves!"

He soared away, sticking his tongue out at Harry. I sank slowly to the floor, and Harry followed suit. I couldn't breathe. The world around me spun as Justin was carried away by Professor Flitwick and Professor Sinistra and Nearly Headless Nick was fanned away by Ernie, who kept casting dark looks at Harry and me alike.

"This way, you two," Professor McGonagall said.

Harry and I rose slowly to our feet and followed after her as best as our leaden feet would allow us.

"Professor, I swear, I didn't- we didn't-"

"This is out of my hands, Potter," she replied, her voice sharp and emotionless. We approached Professor Dumbledore's office, and she shouted, "Lemon drop!"

We made our way to his office in complete silence. Professor McGonagall left us there alone. We didn't speak.

Harry made his way slowly to the Sorting Hat and slipped it on over his head. After a couple of seconds, he yanked it off as if it had burned him and backed away.

"You're wrong," he said.

"What did it say?" I asked after a moment, fiddling with the sleeves of my robe and staring at the red underbelly.

Before he could reply, there was a gagging sound behind us. We spun around to see a phoenix, but not the same glorious phoenix I had seen in photographs and illustrations my whole life. This phoenix looked exhausted and sick. I was about to take a step toward it when it promptly burst into flames.

Harry gasped in horror and glanced around the room, but the bird let out one last piercing shriek and left behind ashy remnants. At just that moment, Professor Dumbledore entered the room.

Harry tripped over his words, completely panicked at this point. "Professor! Your bird, I couldn't do anything, he just caught fire, I-"

Professor Dumbledore smiled. "About time, too. He's been looking dreadful for days; I've been telling him to get a move on." When Harry made no reply, Professor Dumbledore turned to me. "Would you like to explain what makes phoenixes so special, Miss Diggory?"

I swallowed hard. "When phoenixes die, they burst into flame. But then they are born again from ashes." I gasped. "Look! There he goes!"

Surely enough, a baby bird poked through the grey matter.

Dumbledore sat behind his desk. "It's a shame you had to see him on a Burning Day. He's really very handsome most of the time, wonderful red and gold plumage. Fascinating creatures, phoenixes. They can carry immensely heavy loads, their tears have healing powers, and they make highly faithful pets."

"I've always wanted one," I said absently, watching with wonder as the bird continued to grow ever so slightly. "My dad recused phoenix eggs and brought them home once, and I tried to keep one. But my family knew me all too well and took the egg from me."

Before anyone could say anything, the door behind us was thrown open and Hagrid entered the room, waving the dead rooster around wildly.

"It wasn' them, Professor Dumbledore! I was talkin' ter them seconds before that kid was found, they never had time, sir, it can't've bin them, I'll swear it in front o' the Ministry o' Magic if I have to, yeh've got the wrong children, sir, I know Harry and Lucy never-"

Dumbledore interrupted loudly, "Hagrid! I do not think that Harry or Lucy attacked those people."

"Oh. Right. I'll wait outside then, Headmaster." Hagrid flushed bright red and left the room, rooster dangling at his side.

"You don't think it was us, Professor?" Harry inquired timidly.

"No, Harry, I don't, but I still want to talk to you two. You especially, Harry."

Harry shifted uncomfortably beside me.

"I must ask you, Harry, whether there is anything you'd like to tell me. Anything at all."

Harry hesitated a long time. I could only imagine what he was thinking about. I waited for him to say something about the voices he had heard, something about his being a Parselmouth, but he said none of that. "No, there isn't anything, Professor," he said instead.

Professor Dumbledore considered him for a long moment. "Very well. You may wait on the stairs. I would think it unwise for anyone to go anywhere alone right now, so don't go to class quite yet. Lucy, may I have another word with you?"

I nodded, heart hammering as Harry disappeared.

"I know there is more to the story than Harry is willing to tell me. I won't ask this of you," he added, noting the change in my expression, "because I would like to say I understand Harry's reluctance to tell anyone save you, Mr. Weasley, and Miss Granger what is troubling him. But I do have something to ask of you."

"Yes, sir?" I inquired when he hesitated.

"Lucy..." he began, adjusting his glasses on his nose as he studied me with his pale blue eyes. "In these uncertain times, everybody needs somebody to turn to when the world feels overwhelming. I understand that Harry does not yet trust me as fully as he trusts his friends. As one of his friends, and perhaps as the one who understands young Mr. Potter best, all I ask is that you help him as best you can, whatever may come next."

I nodded. "Of course, Professor. I promise."

He smiled kindly. "Do you have a question for me? Or for the Sorting Hat, perhaps?"

I froze. It seemed he had read my mind even when I wasn't aware of what exactly I was thinking. Asking me to stand beside Harry unconditionally seemed something one would ask of a loyal Hufflepuff rather than a reckless, headstrong Gryffindor.

I bit my lip and chose my next words carefully. "I would like to know why I'm in Gryffindor instead of in Hufflepuff. I've wondered that for over a year now. But... but I don't think I want the answer handed to me. I think... I think I would rather find the answer for myself."

"What a Ravenclaw response," he replied with a mischievous wink. Noting my half-amused and half-pained expression, he chuckled. "There is nothing wrong with that. I believe the best individuals possess equal shares of all of the Houses' qualities. Just the same, Lucy, thank you for your promise. You may go with Harry to class now."

Harry and I hurried up to the common room first, still in need of our bags. We paused for a second to catch our breath before crawling back through the portrait hole.

"What did Dumbledore ask?" he inquired.

I grinned teasingly. "You answer first. What did the Sorting Hat say?" He grew red in the face, and I immediately backpedaled. "You don't have to tell me, Harry. I just thought it might be related. He offered me a chance to ask the Sorting Hat why I was in Gryffindor and not Hufflepuff, but I said I'd rather wait and see for myself than have it explained to me."

He relaxed slightly. "The Sorting Hat almost put me in Slytherin," he admitted after a moment of hesitation. "That's part of why everything has... well... bothered me so much. Being a Parselmouth, being the one to find all of the bodies, being called the Heir of Slytherin-"

"I understand," I said, impulsively reaching forward and laying a gentle hand on his arm to stop him. "It's alright. You're here for a reason, Harry, and I hope I am, too. We'll figure this out together. After all," I added, "I've been right alongside you in nearly every adventure so far. I'm ready for this one, too."

And as we hurried to class, I realized that I would have said that to him even without Dumbledore's prompting.