I want to thank everyone who reviewed with ideas for Slytherin's Monster. I know exactly what I'm going to be doing now, thanks to the many ideas that were submitted on the previous chapter.

EternityDragon2610: I'm sorry to say that Kendra will be killing the serpent in this story, but I have specific reasoning for it. Fighting Slytherin's Monster for her is like Percy's Ares at the end of The Lightning Thief. I'll give more details when that part arrives to avoid spoiling the "Why?" of it all.

il2swim57: Yeah, I'm not sure what Kendra's ambition is right now, either, other than just gaining more knowledge. But at the same time, that's kind of the point? I don't know, but it seems to me that if she has a reason to stay in Britain, then she would be a bit more reluctant to leave her birth land behind for the PJO universe, which I definitely plan on including. Right now she's just sort of trying to find her place in the world.

Maybe it'll be time for another reflective moment for Kendra soon?

Gia: Sorry, but no, I don't think Kendra and Malfoy will be getting along. I could do a different fem!Harry where they do, though. I already plan on writing as realistic a fem!Harry story as I can later on, once this story is at a comfortable length (once Voldy is dead).

Once again, thank you to everyone who left a review about the basilisk situation. I really appreciate the help!

I do NOT own Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, or their universes. Those rights belong to JK Rowling, Rick Riordan, and their publishers.

ENJOY!

Kendra breathed a sigh of relief the moment she arrived at the Patil household for the holidays. Ever since the dueling club and Justin Finch-Fletchley's petrification, Kendra had been scrutinized and made a pariah by the majority of the school. She just knew that it had something to do with Malfoy, given that everyone was suddenly aware of her being the Head of the Slytherin family.

It wasn't like she had tried to keep it a secret –– people were just completely oblivious to the obvious unless it was pointed out to them, and no one had noticed the significance of her rings.

But now everyone knew, and Kendra was being blamed for the attacks.

Forget the minor detail that she literally had no problems with either Pansy or Justin, it was clearly her fault because snakes don't attack her.

Kendra actually smiled at the memory of Hedwig meeting the black mamba. Hedwig had been nervous up until the moment she learned that the serpent enjoyed sun-bathing, too, and then they decided to sleep in the sun together while Kendra was in class.

She decided to name the snake "Aquila" –– mostly because she was amused that no one else knew why she would call a snake "Eagle", all of them unaware of the connection between Slytherin and Ravenclaw, somehow.

For being so obsessed with blood and lineage, magical folk weren't all that great when it actually came to knowing whom was related to whom unless it was within five generations.

Her friends all defended her, saying that she wasn't capable of harming another student.

She deigned not to tell them that (technically) she was capable; she just didn't care enough to go out of her way and hurt someone who didn't truly deserve it –– like Malfoy, for instance.

Kendra greatly enjoyed the time leading up to Christmas –– practicing dueling and weapons combat with Padma and Parvati; more time in the pool, thanks to the runes carved into it that kept the water warm and comfortable despite the chill in the air; and enjoying the peace and freedom from the scrutiny and watchful gazes of the student body of Hogwarts.

It was a very much needed vacation.

Christmas morning greeted them all with snow-covered grounds and frigid temperatures, but it made for such a beautiful sight –– and gave the perfect excuse to bundle up with soft, fluffy sweatpants and sweaters, and thick, fluffy blankets –– that Kendra just couldn't be mad.

Kendra was pleased to receive a Christmas gift from the Delacours; especially since she had sent them one, as well. She was hardly surprised that most of her presents were books or gift certificates for books.

Her favorite present was from Cedric, who sent her a framed photo of the two of them sitting shoulder-to-shoulder beneath an apple tree at his house, smiling and laughing together. The frame itself was silver filigree with an owl in one of the branches. The note attached to it read:

To my favorite little sister,

Whenever things get hard, just remember the times they weren't. By remembering that you once enjoyed life, you will always know that it can get better. It may be hard right now, but I believe that you have the strength to get through this.

You have a beautiful smile, Kendra. I hope to see it more often.

Stay strong, Tiger Lily

Cedric

Kendra smiled as she read the note. She had only told Cedric that her middle name was Lily, and he had taken the time to look up the different flowers and their meanings specifically so he could have a unique nickname for her –– Tiger Lily: a symbol of confidence, pride, and wealth. It was his way of telling her to be proud of herself, the wealth of knowledge and love she had to share with others, to be confident in her abilities.

Kendra wondered what her father had called her mother. She had never asked.

She was tempted to use her ring and find out, but it was at that moment that she heard a yell calling her for breakfast.

Kendra carefully put her presents in her trunk, the photo on top.

Padma smiled when Kendra entered the room. "Happy Christmas, Kendra."

"Happy Christmas," Kendra returned easily because, yes, it was a very happy Christmas.

After breakfast, Kendra used the Floo for a brief trip to the Diggorys. She latched onto Cedric with a tight hug and no words spoken. He wrapped his arms tightly around her, and she could feel him smiling into her hair.

"Thank you," she whispered to him.

"You couldn't wait until we got back to school to say that?" he teased.

"I'm incredibly impatient, remember?" Kendra replied with a grin.

Cedric laughed.

"I didn't even know you had that photo," she told him with mock anger.

He smirked slyly. "You aren't the only one who can be sneaky."

Kendra thanked him again, said "Happy Christmas!" to his parents, then returned to the Patils to enjoy the rest of her holiday.

It was her best Christmas ever.

The end of the holiday vacation came far too soon for Kendra's liking.

January passed relatively uneventful, aside from another petrification of a fifth-year Gryffindor, for which Kendra was blamed, again. She had to pass through the hallways surrounded by glares and mutters, asking why she hadn't been expelled already.

Kendra was just glad that her reputation as a troll-slayer and dueling prodigy was enough deterrent to keep away any actual conflicts.

The sun eventually began to shine weakly on Hogwarts again, even if the mood inside the castle was as subdued as ever, especially with the petrification of Crabbe and Goyle at the beginning of February –– the only double attack aside from Justin Finch-Fletchley and Nearly Headless Nick, the ghost of Gryffindor.

Everyone was treating Kendra like a bomb about to explode since three of the five human and living victims were people close to Malfoy, who regularly pissed her off. They all said that it was just a matter of time before she attacked the boy himself.

Kendra thought it was all ridiculous –– she had already gotten even with Malfoy at the dueling club before the holiday. There was simply no point in going after him right now.

She wasn't sure how Dumbledore was keeping law enforcement out of this, but Kendra figured it was only a matter of time before the Ministry got involved, whether they were wanted or not, because the staff didn't seem to be doing anything other than ignoring the problem.

"You know, what the school needs now is a morale-booster," Lockhart said to Professor McGonagall while the second-year students were lining up for Transfiguration. "I won't say any more just now, but I think I know just the thing…"

He tapped his nose and strode off.

It was obvious what he meant when the students arrived for breakfast on the fourteenth.

Kendra thought she was still dreaming –– stuck in the middle of a nightmare –– when she entered the Great Hall to find every wall covered with large, lurid pink flowers and heart-shaped confetti falling from the pale blue ceiling.

It only got worse when Lockhart introduced his "friendly, card-carrying cupids" –– which turned out to be a dozen surly-looking dwarves with golden wings and harps. And even worse when he outright told the students to ask Professor Flitwick about Entrancing Enchantments or if Snape could brew them a Love Potion.

"It's like he's trying to get people raped," Kendra muttered to Padma. "Honestly, those foul things take away their free will. I'm surprised they aren't illegal."

"At least they're banned at school," Padma said in an attempt at consolation, but it was weak and they both knew it. It was too disturbing to think about just how many students were willing to break the rules to get what they thought they "deserved" because they were Pureblood or from a wealthy, prominent family.

Kendra was just glad the wizarding world didn't have a concept of rape –– otherwise those buffoons would realize they could just take what they wanted, and Kendra doubted they would even be punished for it, with how corrupt the Ministry was.

All day long, the dwarves kept barging into their classes to deliver valentines, to the annoyance of the teachers. When one tried getting to Kendra, she pulled out her knife and threatened to cut out his throat and force him to choke to death on it.

She never would have suspected a dwarf could run that fast.

After that it seemed to become a game with the other students to see who could make her snap and kill a dwarf first.

If it weren't for Lupa's training, it would have been the fourth one.

Instead, Kendra managed to control her temper the rest of the day by thinking of lovely, pacifying thoughts –– like running in the Forbidden Forest as a wolf with the wind blowing through her fur; or soaring through the skies as a bird while the wind ruffled her feathers; or falling from a steep height in a death-defying dive with the wind rushing past her face.

Essentially: Kendra liked the feel of the wind.

That night a thunderstorm appeared out of nowhere and drenched the castle until Kendra grew too exhausted to maintain it.

With March came the petrification of Marcus Flint, which cancelled Quidditch matches for the rest of the year because Slytherin apparently didn't believe in having a reserve team or an Assistant Captain, like the Ravenclaws did.

No one was more upset than Oliver Wood, the Gryffindor team Captain, who was the most vocal and upset about this, but nothing he did changed anyone's mind.

April began with the petrification of third-year Marietta Edgecombe, and Cho Chang turned most of Ravenclaw against Kendra at that point, regardless of the fact that she was their star Seeker.

Kendra breathed deeply the moment students left the school for the Easter holidays, and a small amount of excitement filled her when they had to choose their subjects for third year, now that they were allowed to take electives.

She decided on Arithmancy, Study of Ancient Runes, and Care of Magical Creatures. They seemed far more relevant than Divination –– which wasn't possible unless one was a child of Apollo or an Oracle –– or Muggle Studies –– which was completely useless since she already knew more about the Muggle world than the Pureblood, magically-raised teacher did.

The eighth of May was when the school rued the day they turned against Kendra Potter.

She returned from a trip to the library to find the entire common room looking somber and, she was confused why, a little fearful –– especially of her.

A sinking feeling settled in her stomach. She had heard the whispers of the monster going out for another attack, so another Ravenclaw had to have been the victim, and they weren't angry at her, which meant it was someone she was friends with.

"Professor?" she said weakly to Professor Flitwick. "Who?"

The tiny teacher looked extremely nervous about answering, but he summoned what courage he had and told her.

"Padma Patil and Luna Lovegood."

Kendra felt as if she had been sucker-punched. All of the air left her lungs in one exhale, and she forgot how to breathe in. She stumbled backward, shaking her head.

This had to be a nightmare… This couldn't be real…

"Kendra," Professor Flitwick said softly and cautiously, "are you all right?"

It was a stupid question to ask.

Kendra's shock turned to a raging fury, like a hurricane building inside her, waiting to be unleashed upon whoever had taken her best friends from her. Thunder clapped loudly outside the tower, sealing them in like a coffin lid and darkening the room until the only source of light was the flickering fire. Several Ravenclaws jumped in fright.

"Am I all right?" she repeated incredulously. "How could I possibly be 'all right?'"

Her fingers were sparking. Kendra knew she was moments away from blowing, so she turned and swept from Ravenclaw tower. What few students she passed in the corridors dove out of her way as if Thanatos himself was striding the halls.

The moment she was out of sight of portraits or students Kendra turned herself invisible and made her way to the Astronomy Tower.

The gale that blasted her when she stepped out was a literal breath of fresh air, and the torrential rains that poured from the heavens were like nectar. Kendra was soaked entirely within five seconds of abandoning the comfort of the castle, but she didn't care.

She moved in the direction of the edge of the tower, moving quicker with each step, until she finally leapt off and morphed into a screech owl mid-air, the sacred bird of Hades. It was an omen of bad luck, associated with death,

Lupa had taught her to show no mercy, and Kendra would bring death to whoever was foolish enough to hurt her friends.

Her pack.

Kendra opened her beak and screeched to the heavens –– a bone-chilling sound that echoed above even the storm.

This false Heir of Slytherin would pay.

Kendra's life only got worse the next day when she learned that Hagrid had been arrested, charged with attacking the students as he had been falsely accused of fifty years ago. Then she learned that Dumbledore had been sacked as Headmaster by the Board of Governors, too, and she accidentally set her plant on fire in Herbology –– Were they really so foolish as to remove the one man who was powerful enough to stop this madness?

Yes, Kendra realized with a snort. They absolutely were, because magical folk seemed to lack any shred of common sense if they weren't associated with the gods.

The only good thing was her vindication in the eyes of the students. All her friends, who had believed in her from the start, had no trouble gloating to everyone else that they were right.

Kendra and Parvati spent most of their time together, comforting each other after Padma's attack and petrification. They were occasionally joined by someone else, but for the most part they only had themselves. They had tried to visit Padma and Luna, but visitors were now barred from the hospital wing.

"We're taking no more chances," Madam Pomfrey told them severely through a crack in the infirmary door. "No, I'm sorry, there's every chance the attacker might come back to finish these people off…"

Kendra nearly blew up the training room during that day's exercises.

With Dumbledore gone, fear spread through the school like never before, so that the sun warming the castle walls didn't seem able to penetrate the interior. There was barely a face to be seen in the school that didn't look worried or tense, and any laughter that sounded was shrill, unnatural, and was quickly stifled.

Malfoy travelled the halls in fear, now that he didn't have Crabbe and Goyle to protect him, and none of the other Slytherins really cared enough to take on the task.

Kendra glared at him any time they passed –– she just knew that he had something to do with all the attacks. She doubted he was the one actually doing it, but he was involved, somehow.

The students were escorted from lesson to lesson by a teacher, now, and Kendra had never felt more restricted in her life –– even with the Dursleys she had been able to get some escape, but she never had the chance, except by sneaking out of her window at night.

Kendra's patience was put to the most extreme test in Defense Against the Dark Arts.

Lockhart bounded into the room and the class stared at him. Every other teacher in the school was looking grimmer than usual, but Lockhart appeared nothing short of buoyant.

"Come now," he cried, beaming around him. "Why all these long faces?"

People swapped exasperated looks, but nobody answered.

"Don't you people realize," Lockhart said slowly, as though they were dim, "the danger has passed! The culprit has been taken away ––"

"Says who?" said Dean Thomas of Gryffindor loudly.

"My dear young man, the Minister of Magic wouldn't have taken Hagrid if he hadn't been one hundred percent sure that he was guilty," said Lockhart like he was explaining that one and one made two.

Several students snorted.

Lockhart seemed to think they were laughing at Dean and not him. Between that and his hints that he had always thought Hagrid was no good, his confidence that the whole business was now at an end, infuriated Kendra so much that the glass window behind her had a new spider-web of cracks by the end of the lesson from the force of her power begging to be unleashed.

Ten minutes into Transfiguration the next day, Professor McGonagall told them that their exams would start on the first of June, one week from today.

"Exams?" howled Seamus Finnigan. "We're still getting exams?"

The Ravenclaws –– minus Kendra –– shot him dirty looks. That was the reason that she was only friends with Padma and Luna in her own House. The rest of them only cared about grades rather than the application of the knowledge they learned. They all seemed more focused on just doing well in school and getting a good job than discovering how they could use what skills they were given.

Kendra and Parvati shared glances.

"The whole point of keeping the school open at this time is for you to receive your education," Professor McGonagall said sternly, frowning. "The exams will therefore take place as usual, and I trust you are all studying hard."

There was a great deal of mutinous muttering from the Gryffindors, which made Professor McGonagall scowl even more darkly.

"Professor Dumbledore's instructions were to keep the school running as normally as possible," she said. "And that, I need hardly point out, means finding out how much you have learned this year."

Kendra stared at her incredulously. Students were being petrified! And Dumbledore wanted to pretend like nothing was happening? Looking at Parvati and Neville, they seemed just as dumbfounded as she was. She had known that wizards and witches were often careless when it came to dangerous situations –– a flick of a wand was usually all it took to make things better –– but to put the entire school at risk just to keep the Ministry away? Seriously?

"I'm starting to think that transferring to Beauxbatons sounds like a good idea," Kendra muttered darkly to Parvati, who nodded her agreement fiercely.

"At least there's no risk of death on a daily basis there," the Gryffindor spat under her breath.

Three days before their first exam, Professor McGonagall made another announcement at breakfast.

"I have good news," she said, and the Great Hall erupted.

"Dumbledore's coming back!" several people yelled joyfully.

I hope not, Kendra thought venomously. The school would be better off with a Headmaster who actually gave a damn about the students and their safety.

"You've caught the Heir of Slytherin!" squealed a girl at the Ravenclaw table.

Kendra rolled her eyes. They weren't even looking for the Heir, so how could they possibly have found them?

"Quidditch matches are back on!" roared Oliver Wood excitedly.

He received a lot of incredulous stares for that.

When the everyone had settled down, Professor McGonagall said, "Professor Sprout has informed me that the Mandrakes are ready for cutting at last. Tonight, we will be able to revive those people who have been petrified. I need hardly remind you all that one of them may well be able to tell us who, or what, attacked them. I am hopeful that this dreadful year will end with our catching the culprit."

There was an explosion of cheering. Kendra's gaze shot to Parvati's at the Gryffindor table, and the both beamed with relief shining in their eyes.

Padma would be coming back to them tonight.

After History of Magic that day, instead of the bell to signal break, Professor McGonagall's magically magnified voice echoed through the corridors.

"All students to return to their House dormitories at once. All teachers return to the staff room. Immediately, please."

Fear settled in Kendra's heart. Looking around to make sure no one was looking, she turned invisible and made her way to the staff room, following Professor Sinistra. It was a large, paneled room full of dark, wooden chairs. She moved herself into one corner as it filled with teachers. Some of them were looking puzzled, others downright scared. Then Professor McGonagall arrived.

"It has happened," she told the silent staff room. "Two students have been taken by the monster. Right into the Chamber itself."

Professor Flitwick let out a squeal. Professor Clapped her hands over her mouth. Snape gripped the back of a chair very hard and said, "How can you be sure?"

Kendra wanted to hit him. Professor McGonagall wouldn't say it if it weren't true.

"The Heir of Slytherin," said Professor McGonagall, her face very pale, "left another message. Right underneath the first one. 'Their skeletons will lie in the Chamber forever.'"

Professor Flitwick burst into tears.

"Who is it?" said Madam Hooch, who had sunk, weak-kneed, into a chair. "Which students?"

Professor McGonagall had tears in her eyes.

"Hermione Granger and Parvati Patil."

Kendra slid down the wall. The teachers were so shocked that none of them noticed the soft flump of her body hitting the stone floor.

Her best friends… Padma and Parvati… But at least Padma would be coming back tonight…

No, she told herself fiercely. She would find the Chamber of Secrets and save Parvati; then she would make whoever this false Heir was pay for trying to permanently take one of her friends away from her; for making her life at Hogwarts this year a living Hell.

"We shall have to send all the students home tomorrow," Professor McGonagall weakly told the staff members. "This is the end of Hogwarts. Dumbledore always said…"

The staffroom door banged open.

It was Lockhart, and he was beaming.

"So sorry –– dozed off –– what have I missed?"

He didn't seem to notice that the other teachers were looking at him with something remarkably like hatred. Snape stepped forward.

"Just the man," he said. "The very man. Two girls have been snatched by the monster, Lockhart. Taken into the Chamber of Secrets itself. Your moment has come at last."

Lockhart blanched.

"That's right, Gilderoy," Professor Sprout chipped in. "Weren't you saying just last night that you've known all along where the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets is?"

"I –– well, I ––" Lockhart sputtered.

"Yes, didn't you tell me you were sure you knew what was inside it?" piped up Professor Flitwick.

"D-did I? I don't recall ––"

"I certainly remember you saying you were sorry you hadn't had a crack at the monster before Hagrid was arrested," Snape said. "Didn't you say that the whole affair had been bungled, and that you should have been given a free rein from the first?"

Lockhart stared around at his stony-faced colleagues.

Kendra took a perverse pleasure in watching the fraud getting ripped apart by the teachers. With everything going so badly the last few weeks, it lent her strength that at least something could go right.

It also gave her an idea…

"I –– I really never –– you may have misunderstood ––" Lockhart tried.

"We'll leave it to you, then, Gilderoy," Professor McGonagall said. "Tonight will be an excellent time to do it. We'll make sure everyone's out of your way. You'll be able to tackle the monster all by yourself. A free rein at last."

Lockhart gazed desperately around him, but nobody came ot the rescue. His lip was trembling, and he looked weak-chinned; feeble.

"V-very well," he said. "I'll –– I'll be in my office, getting –– getting ready."

He left the room.

"Right," Professor McGonagall said, her nostrils flared, "that's got him out from under our feet. The Heads of Houses should go and inform their students what has happened. Tell them the Hogwarts Express will take them home first thing tomorrow. Will the rest of you please make sure no students have been left outside their dormitories."

The teachers rose and left, one by one.

Kendra sat in silence, trying and failing not to cry. She couldn't lose Parvati –– she just couldn't. It wasn't right that someone so amazing had to be taken. Why couldn't it have been someone the world would have been better off without –– someone like Malfoy or Zabini? Or maybe even Zacharias Smith, the pompous Hufflepuff who spurred the rest of the school into their hatred of her?

When she finally rose, darkness was falling.

As she looked to the rising moon, it seemed to shine just a little brighter, and a newfound determination filled Kendra.

She knew what she had to do.

Kendra swept through the halls, making her way to Lockhart's office. There seemed to be a lot of activity going on inside it. She could hear scraping, thumps, and hurried footsteps.

Kendra used her wand to unlock and open the door.

"Going somewhere?" she snarled.

Lockhart looked like a deer caught in headlights.

His office had been almost completely stripped. Two large trunks stood open on the floor. Robes of several ghastly colors had been hastily folded into one of them; books were jumbled untidily into the other. The photo graphs that had covered the walls were now crammed into boxes on the desk.

"Er, well, yes," Lockhart said, ripping a life-size poster of himself from the back of the door as he spoke and starting to roll it up. "Urgent call –– unavoidable –– got to go ––"

"You've got that right," Kendra spat, raising her wand.

"What are you ––?"

"You're going to be monster bait," Kendra said happily, grinning nastily. "I'm taking you down into the Chamber of Secrets, and you'll be leading the way so I don't die first."

Lockhart went for his wand, but Kendra was faster.

"Expelliarmus!"

Lockhart was blasted backward, falling over his trunk; his wand flew high into the air; Kendra caught it and snapped it before throwing the remains out of the open window.

"You idiots never learn," she said furiously, kicking Lockhart's trunk aside. Lockhart was looking up at her, feeble once more. Kendra was still pointing her wand at him.

"What do you want with me?" he asked weakly.

"I already told you," she said, as if speaking to a child. She grinned again, and Kendra was very pleased to see Lockhart shudder in fright. "You're going to be snake food."

She pointed her wand into his face.

"Imperio!"

A curious sensation shot down Kendra's arm, a feeling of tingling warmth that seemed to flow from her mind, down the sinews and veins connecting her to the wand and the curse it had just cast for the first time ever.

Well… on a human, at least.

It wasn't illegal on non-humans, so animals made perfect practice. One never knew when they would need to be able to 'persuade' a threat to leave, thus the Imperius Curse was a valuable spell to have in her arsenal. No one knew that she knew the spell, but that was how Kendra preferred it, so she was quite happy that it worked.

Lockhart's eyes glazed over, unable to get close to fighting her willpower and strength.

He stood up and marched out the door. Kendra turned herself invisible so no one would notice her and simply think that Lockhart was alone. She made him lead her to the one place that recurred in all the attacks ––

Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.

The ghost was sitting on the tank of the end toilet.

"Oh, hi Kendra!" she said happily when Kendra turned herself visible again.

"Hello, Myrtle," Kendra said, smiling. "I was wondering if you could help me."

"I'm not sure how much help I can give," the ghost said self-deprecatingly, "but I'd be happy to try, at least."

"Thank you," Kendra told her sincerely. "I wanted to ask you how you died?"

She had a suspicion about what the monster in the Chamber was, but she needed to know how Myrtle died before it was confirmed. She knew that Myrtle had died fifty years ago, which happened to be the last time the Chamber of Secrets was opened, but she had never asked for specifics, unsure whether or not that would be offensive to the friendly ghost.

And so Kendra was surprised when Myrtle's whole aspect changed at once. She looked as though she had never been asked such a flattering question.

"Ooooh, it was dreadful," she said with relish. "It happened right in here. I died in this very stall. I remember it so well…"

Kendra tuned out the parts about Olive Hornby, having heard all about the bully several times before, but rushed to the sink when Myrtle said she had seen a pair of great, big, yellow eyes the moment she died at that location.

It looked like an ordinary sink. She examined every inch of it, inside and out, including the pipes below. And then Kendra saw it: Scratched on the side of one of the copper taps was a tiny snake in the shape of an S.

"So that's why this tap's never worked," Kendra murmured to herself.

She grinned at Myrtle.

"Thank you so much, Myrtle," she said gratefully. "You may have just saved two lives by telling me this."

Myrtle beamed.

Kendra turned to the tap and focused intently.

"Open!"

The words came out as a strange hissing sound, and at once the tap glowed with a brilliant white light and began to spin. Next second, the sink began to move; the sink, in fact, sank right out of sight, leaving a large pipe exposed, a pipe wide enough for a man to slide into.

Kendra directed her wand at Lockhart, and the lazily-smiling buffoon walked forward before jumping into the hole with a loud "WHEEEEE!"

"Idiot," Kendra muttered.

Then she jumped in after him.

It was like rushing down an endless, slimy, dark slide. She could see more pipes branching off in all directions, but none as large as the one she was in, which twisted and turned, sloping steeply downward. She fell deeper below the school than even the dungeons, though how she knew that, Kendra didn't know.

And then the pipe leveled out, and she shot out of the end. Luckily, Lockhart was there to act as a cushion, and Kendra couldn't help the snort that escaped her when he landed face first in a pile of wet, sloppy mud that messed up his hair.

Using her senses and the small draft in the tunnel, Kendra was able to determine which way to go and where obstacles were.

Making Lockhart trip over everything first helped, too.

They passed over small animal bones and passed a gigantic snake skin the same shade of green as poison, lying curled and empty across the tunnel floor. The monster that had shed it must have been fifty feet long, at least.

Kendra swallowed thickly, but then she remembered that Parvati was down here, dying if not already ––

"No," she scolded herself. "She's still alive. She has to be."

The tunnel turned and turned again. Every nerve in Kendra's body was tingling unpleasantly. She wanted the tunnel to end, yet dreaded what she'd find when it did. And then, at last, as she crept around yet another bend behind Lockhart, she saw a solid wall ahead on which two entwined serpents were carved, their eyes set with great, glistening emeralds.

Kendra approached, her throat very dry.

This was it.

"Open," she said in a low, faint hiss.

The serpents parted as the wall cracked open, the halves slid smoothly out of sight, Kendra forced Lockhart to enter first, then followed right behind.

AN: Next up, the King of Serpents.

This chapter felt a little rushed, but oh well. I don't really like second year, anyway, and just wanted to get it over with.

Again, I'd like to thank everyone who came up with ideas for Slytherin's Monster. I look forward to seeing what everyone thinks of it after the next chapter.

THANKS FOR READING!