After four petrifications, the Ministry had to spring into action. Cornelius Fudge, the current Minister For Magic, visited the school to interrogate the matter. But the decision given by the Minister was idiotic as hell. No really, trust me. 

The Minister suspended Dumbledore (yes you heard it right, our last chance of protection against the Chamber's Mystery Monster blown up) and sent Hagrid off to Azkaban. Unbelievably idiotic, right? 

I mean, with Dumbledore as Headmaster everything was quite safe. Oh yeah, people got petrified, but no one died, okay? With Dumbledore gone, who knows, there will be killings next! And no I'm not getting overly dramatic. I'm simply stating the truth. 

And now there were rumors of the school closing down as well. There had been a few protests throughout the school which were suppressed, nearly all fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh years joined (except Slytherins of course) and well we knew that most of the teachers were also quite willing to join but didn't because in doing so they would be expressing their disagreement with the Ministry's decision which will surely not leave a very favorable impact. 

Lockhart was also terrified even though he made sure to keep up his facade, Snape had grown more stern as ever, McGonagall tried to get us to focus on studies but no avail. And then the inevitable happened. Me and the twins were returning from the dungeons escorted by Professor Snape and as we passed the second floor, everyone stopped. 

Since we were in the back, we didn't have any idea about the distraction. Pushing through the crowd, we reached the front and saw words inscribed on the wall in red under the previous message: 

"HER SKELETON WILL LIE IN THE CHAMBER FOREVER." 

Snape turned to face us and his face was white as sheet, "go back to your common rooms. Immediately." 

His voice was grave and judging by his expressions something very bad had happened. We all had to rush back to our common room without an inkling of what might have commenced. As we reached the common room, it began to fill up gradually with students and none of them knew what had happened. 

All they could tell us was how their classes got interrupted and how they were rushed in here. Quite soon the whole common room was packed. Most of the people were bombarding Percy with questions but he was too busy counting the students that he literally ignored us. 

After the third round of his counting he spoke, "where's Ginny?" 

Well... Yes, Ginny was nowhere to be seen. 

"Search in the dorms! All of them!" Perce ordered, "I must alert Professor McGonagall on this." 

Then Fred asked, "and where is Ron? Harry is also nowhere to be seen." 

Amid the search for Ronald, Harry and Ginny, someone told us that Harry and Ron had gone off to see Hermione and would probably be in detention by now. Oh, that settles it. But where in the world is Ginny? 

Then after a whole two hours of anxiety and searching, finally Professor McGonagall entered the common room. All of a sudden every single person grew silent and faced her with full attention. She looked weary and as grave as Snape had been when he had told us to go to our common rooms. 

Percy entered soon after her and even he looked pallid as if he had just witnessed a death. Since no one was daring to ask anything, I stepped forward, "Professor, what has happened? Where's Ginny?" 

She spoke, "Ginnevra Weasley... Has been taken into the Chamber by the Monster itself." 

The words fell on us like thunder. "But why Ginny?" George asked, "I mean according to the legend the Monster attacks Muggleborns, then why would it take our sister into the Chamber?" 

McGonagall shook her head, "I'm afraid that's what we are confused about. We are doing all we can to retrieve Miss Weasley. I assure that we will do our best to keep her from harm." 

Percy stormed, "but Professor no one even knows whether she's alive or dead! The message... It was written clearly that her Skeleton..." He collapsed down. 

Never before had he been so frustrated. 

Professor McGonagall nodded, "I can understand. The Headmaster is on his way and we are sure that he'll do all in his power for Ginny and the others." 

I asked, "but what about now? Does no one know where the Chamber is located? Has no one found out until now?" 

She looked at me and I actually felt sorry for her; the way her expression was so fatigued and she really looked as old as she was despite being thoroughly energetic and active every time I had seen her before today, "if it is of any comfort to you, Professor Lockhart has been saying that he knows where the Chamber is for ages. We have sent him to show what he's really worth and face the Monster." 

Doomed. Practically busted. Can no one see that he was actually boasting and nothing else? 

The twins slapped their hands on their foreheads in disappointment, "we do hope Professor Dumbledore reaches soon then."

***

The whole day and night passed in deep depression. Neither of us had slept a wink. I crept out of the dorm much fed up with all the despair and went to the common room. Percy was slumped on the couch staring in front of him at nothing in particular while the twins were trying to comfort him. 

They told me that Ron and Harry had not returned either. I sat down with them. But then something struck me all of a sudden. "Fred, George, Ginny used to keep a diary and as far as I know she always wrote every single thing in it," I spoke. 

Percy straightened immediately, "so that means that if we find the diary we would get to know where she was the last time before the Monster caught her or what was the last thing that happened to her!" 

If we find the diary, that is. 

"You go to her dorm," his voice was feeble but his eyes were lit up with that hopeful determination once again, "find the diary and bring it here." 

I nodded and went to the First Year girls dorms. It wasn't hard for me to find her dorm and since her dorm mates were awake they let me in. I searched for the diary in all possible places. In her trunk, under her bed, under the bed sheets, in her bedside table and every other place I could think of. But there wasn't any sort of diary. 

I asked the other girls but they had no idea whatsoever. Though one of them told me that Ginny was very protective of an ancient book which she always carried with her wherever she went. With that little piece if information I emerged out of the dorms to be confronted by Perce and the twins whose faces fell when I told them that I hadn't found the diary and it was possible that Ginny still had it with her. 

"Wait a second here," Fred remarked, "Ginny never had a diary in the first place. We always know the things she keep with her and I don't remember anyone buying her an ancient diary. Unless it's one of Mom's cookbooks..." 

Now that's weird. "I saw her writing in it myself. On various occasions," I told them. 

We were pacing the common room restlessly when McGonagall entered again. It was very near dawn. All three of us crowded around her.

"Is Ginny okay?"

"Did Professor Dumbledore find the Chamber?"

"Harry and Ron... Are they okay?"

"Professor, please tell us!" 

She took a deep breath, "Ginnevra is perfectly fine."

All of us let out the breath we were holding. 

"She is in the Hospital Wing for some much needed rest," McGonagall continued, "the other petrified students are also being revived by the Mandrake Drought. Potter and Weasley are fine as well. And the Headmaster is back." 

All of us hugged her instinctively out of relief. Though quite soon we realized that we shouldn't have done that. But instead of being awkward, Professor McGonagall hugged us back putting her thin arms around us, "everything will be okay. Hogwarts is not closing down." 

When we finally let go, she smiled slightly, "Harry Potter saved the day again." 

I spoke when I remembered that Lockhart had gone to seek the Chamber as well, "and what about Professor Lockhart?" 

She shook her head, "pitiable condition. Doesn't remember who he is anymore. We are sending him off to St Mungo's as soon as we can." 

Oh. 

She spoke, "I have to go now. I had just come to relieve you all. You will be allowed to see Ginny after a while. I'll let you know myself." 

Percy nodded, "of course, Professor." He looked a lot better now without the frown lines creasing his forehead. Then McGonagall stepped out. 

When she was gone, Percy confessed, "I was fearing Mom would probably kill me if something happened to Ron and Gin." 

Fred and George patted him on the back, "come on, Perce, there are still a few hours until breakfast. Go and get some rest because you'll have to put up with your Head Boy duties tomorrow as well."

Sure enough, Harry Potter saved the day. Dumbledore was back and everything was back to normal. 

***

On the way to breakfast I met Dobby who was doing cartwheels out of joy holding a slimy sock. "Dobby, what are you doing here?" I asked soon as I saw him. 

He bounced towards me grinning wider than ever, "Dobby is free, Miss! Dobby is a free elf!" Free elf? How did that happen? "Master presented Dobby a sock. Master gave Dobby clothes. Dobby is free!" 

I laughed a little as Dobby vanished still doing cartwheels. The twins were surprised on how I knew that elf so I told them that I'll give all the details some time later. At breakfast, Dumbledore told us all that happened in the Chamber. 

The Basilisk (that is the Monster inside the Chamber) was killed by Harry and now all students were safe from the horrors of such a Chamber. Both Harry and Ron were given a lot of points and Awards of Special Services to the School and Gryffindor won the House Cup. 

Exams were cancelled this year much to the joy of the students and the session ended on a happier note despite the fact that all of us had spent the year in such calamities. Ginny was a lot better and thankfully she hadn't been fatally harmed. 

"This year all of you are being given an early off," Dumbledore announced, "you will all be headed home through the Hogwarts Express today. Best of Luck for the next session and keep one thing in mind: help will be always given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it." 

So here ends my first year at Hogwarts. And well it had been a roller coaster of events indeed. Because as far as I have learnt by now, this Wizarding World is a lot different than the Muggle one and the definition of a normal year is quite different in a wizard's dictionary.

***