Chapter one

Susan Bones sat on the edge of her pool. She originally came out to swim then sunbath. But like so often over the last year, her thoughts drifted to what she had seen and what she had heard since the end of her first year. She had just finished the end of her second year at Hogwarts, which turned out to be frightening, not just for her but for every student at Hogwarts.

Students were being petrified, and no one wanted to walk around the castle alone. Many believed Harry Potter was the cause just because he was a parselmouth. Susan didn't believe it but all the Hufflepuff's kept saying the clues were there. Harry survived the killing curse as a baby, he spoke to snakes which is connected to the dark arts. None of them would believe he was innocent. When Susan tried to say she believed in Harry, they would shun her and then tell her she wasn't seeing what was right in front of her face. Her friend Hannah Abbott also tried to tell her that Harry was behind the attacks. Finally she just kept her opinion to herself but she also refused to speak with anyone in Hufflepuff.

When Hermione Granger ended up petrified, Susan looked smug. Everyone finally began to believe it wasn't Harry Potter. All the students knew Harry and Hermione were close. They all tried to apologise to her, she accepted but said nothing would be the same. Even Hannah had apologised then tried to work on plans to spend time together during the holidays. Susan refused, saying she wanted to spend time with people who didn't listen to gossip which made them turn their backs on their friends. Hannah ended up crying as she ran to her dorm room. Susan did feel a little guilty, but then she kept thinking about how Harry would have been feeling when the entire school turned against him and not one of the teachers did anything about the way Harry was being treated.

Susan had no idea if she will ever end up friends with Hannah again, for now she just didn't want to be associated with people like that. The first night home she sent a very long letter to Harry. First apologising for the way Hufflepuff house treated him. Then she went on to explain how she tried to argue in his defence. She then explained that they all apologised to her when they should have apologised to Harry. She told Harry she just couldn't feel as close to them as she did before.

Amelia Bones came home from the ministry. After setting her case on her desk in her office she went to find her niece. Ever since he brother and his wife had been killed, she had become Susan's guardian, but now she thought Susan as a daughter.

Amelia stood at the doors staring down at Susan who was just sitting on the edge of the pool. What surprised her was her niece seemed to be a little sunburnt and her sunbed and towel looked untouched. She noticed the previous night Susan seemed distracted, and quiet. The same thing happened when she arrived home after her first year at Hogwarts. She realised if her niece didn't bring up what was troubling her, then she would have to. Amelia knew some students had been hurt at Hogwarts but everything was taken care of before the ministry got involved. She wondered if this was the thing that was bothering her niece.

After dinner was over, with Susan only picking at her food, Amelia stood, 'Susan, I want to talk to you, let's go into my office.'

'Yes aunty,' Susan followed her aunt through the house and into her office. Amelia sat on one sofa while Susan sat on the other, 'Is something wrong aunty?'

'That is what I would like to know. I know something is wrong with you. But what I also noticed is that you are acting the same as you did at the end of your first year. So I believe it's time you tell me what is going on.'

Susan sighed, 'There's a lot to go into, but it involves Harry Potter.'

'The-boy-who-lived, I did not know you were friendly with him.'

'Enough to say hello. He's very quiet, doesn't talk much and I know he's wary of everyone.'

'Susan, just tell me what's got you so upset.'

'This year was worse than last year and poor Harry ended up in hospital again. He looked terrible but he also looked…' Susan hesitated, 'not just scared, there was something, I just can't describe it. Lost, that's it, he looked lost.'

'I heard he played quidditch, are you sure it wasn't just related to that?'

'Yes, I'm sure, after Lockhart removed Harry's bones in his arm, Harry didn't have any problems with quidditch.'

'Why would a professor remove his bones?'

'Lockhart turned out to be a fraud, but he tried to mend Harry's broken arm. You see, a bludger just seemed to go after Harry. The Weasley twins tried everything to protect Harry but the bludger was determined to get Harry. Well, just as Harry was about to get the snitch, it slammed into Harry's arm, breaking it. He still caught the snitch with his other arm then landed heavily. Lockhart said he would fix Harry in a jiffy, but removed his bones. Harry had to spend the night in the hospital having to regrow his bones. I snuck up there at one time to see how Harry was feeling. I didn't end up speaking to him because he didn't look well at all, he kept wincing a lot. I also noticed that Madam Pomfrey didn't seemed to be very sympathetic. It wasn't Harry's fault he had no bones in his arm.'

'Let's get back to what you said about this year was worse than last.'

Susan lifted her head to stare at her aunt, 'You should have been told.'

'I was told students were hurt but it did not concern the ministry. Are you saying that something happened at Hogwarts that involved my office?'

'Well, for one, students being petrified, the chamber of secrets was opened and released some monster. Poor Harry, most thought it was him just because he's a parselmouth. They only believed it wasn't him when Harry's friend, Hermione ended up petrified. Three were muggleborns, but the girl found with Hermione was a pureblood. I overheard some students talking about Harry, how he saved someone in the chamber and when I saw him walking to the hospital he was covered in blood.'

'We'll get to the chamber in a moment. How did everyone find out Harry Potter is a parselmouth?'

'Lockhart put on a duelling club, he was hopeless. He had Professor Snape help out. Well, Lockhart called on Harry while Snape called on Malfoy. Malfoy conjured this huge snake and it began to go after Justin. Harry hissed at it and the snake stopped, then Snape vanished the snake.'

'Did Professor Dumbledore suspend Mr. Malfoy for conjuring a dangerous animal inside a school?'

'No, he didn't even lose points, nothing. But Harry got shunned by everyone, except Hermione and Ron. But I did notice Ron looked a little cautious when he was with Harry. I tried to tell everyone Harry isn't bad, I could see it.'

'Did you find out who opened the chamber and what caused the students to be petrified?'

'No, but Fudge arrested Hagrid.'

'Fudge, he is minister, he is not allowed to arrest people.'

'Well, Hagrid ended up released right as the feast started. I overheard him thank Harry, Hermione and Ron for proving he was innocent. Draco Malfoy seemed very angry at the end of the year and I heard that his father was sacked from his job as governor. He was involved with having Professor Dumbledore removed from Hogwarts.'

'Alright, there seems to be someone keeping information from my department. But why are you so worried about Harry Potter?'

'Apart from the way he looked, he seemed very apprehensive about the holidays. I overheard that his relatives don't like him since they're muggles. He just looked so lost aunty. I mean if he saved someone, then he must have faced whatever this monster is, so wouldn't he need to speak with someone about his ordeal? And last year, Harry saved Hermione from a troll that had broken in on Halloween. Harry ended up battered and bruised again at the end of the year, I never found out why. But something bugged me about Harry, the way he looked at the start of last year and again this year.'

'Go on.'

'Okay, I saw him on the train last year but not this year. Let's start with last year. His clothes looked like rags, he had holes in his shoes and his glasses were held together by tape. When he changed into his robes, they were brand new, like his shoes. He also looked very thin, too thin to be healthy. This year, I saw him outside the barrier with the Weasley family. The clothes were the same, and I mean they were the same clothes and same shoes with holes in them. He looked a little better, but still thin. Now during the feast I heard that Harry and Ron flew to Hogwarts in some car. Snape wanted them both expelled, but Snape always wants Harry expelled even when he doesn't do anything. I don't know aunt, I just know something is not right. I keep getting this feeling that something is seriously wrong and it involves Harry.'

'Did he see a healer at the hospital?'

'No, just Pomfrey. During the leaving feast, Harry never spoke, he hardly ate and never lifted his head. I think something bad happened to him. Do you know what could petrify people?'

'There are a few ways, but the legend of the chamber only mentions a monster, not what the monster is. Alright, I best check this out. If students were petrified and not just hurt like what would normally happen to children at Hogwarts, then my office should have been notified. Also Hagrid, it should have been one of my aurors to arrest him but only after an investigation. I will also need to find out why Draco Malfoy was not suspended.'

'Please aunty, can you do all that after you check on Harry. I'm really worried about him.'

Amelia stared at her niece, she knew Susan would not ask her unless she was serious. Susan's mother had a sixth sense about people. She could always tell if someone was worth watching or even weren't trustworthy. It seems Susan had inherited her mother's gift. Amelia would work on a visit to Harry Potter, first she had to find out where he was living. Being the head of the department of magical law meant she could get the information on any person's address. She needed to find out why her niece was worried about Harry Potter but she also had to find out just what has been happening at Hogwarts.