In Harry Potter as Neville Longbottom - Chapter 84: Tense Situation

Watching Neville as he was going out, Hermione felt very sad. Neville didn’t hug her or comforted her but acted so distant.

“Don’t think anything wrong about him,” Pansy suddenly said.

“He has been sitting with you since Professors found you after the attack. He didn’t take a single break since yesterday.”

“Wait… What happened to me? Who did it? Did Professors or Headmaster Dumbledore catch anyone?” Hermione fired one question after another.

“No…No one knows who did it or how. There were portraits around the whole hallway but everyone one of them claims that except us no one left that place after the attack.

Pansy said the truth.

“You mean someone attacked me inside Hogwarts and Professors and Headmaster have not found that man!” Hermione was almost sobbing and crying in anger.

Every time she feels the little tingling on her arm, she remembers the horrible pain she experienced. The pain could not be explained in mere words. It felt like thousands of ants were biting her wrists at the same time and then she was stabbed multiple times.

It was hellish in short.

“Whoever it was, left a message after torturing you – ‘ The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. It’s time to clean the filth….No more Mudblood.’ Pansy hugged Hermione and whispered these words very slowly in her ears.

Hermione’s mouth opened and it was so big that you could fit a whole egg in it. Pansy knew this trick was effective in diverting the attention of Young Sherlock (whatever that means, Muggle Stuff ) Hermione Granger.

After ten minutes on the clock, Madam Poppy rudely interrupted the girls again and then pushed Pansy away from the Infirmary. No matter what, the Infirmary is her own private kingdom. She can even throw Headmaster Dumbledore out let alone a little girl.

Pansy walked away with a sullen face and headed towards the main hall where others were waiting for her.

Neville, Seamus, Dean, Luna, Harry and even Ron. All the close friends of Hermione plus other fans of the ‘author’ Hermione.

“She is fine and will join us very soon,” Pansy gave them an update about Hermione’s health that soothed the panicked heart of her fans.

After the crowd left leaving only the ‘true’ friends, Pansy took a seat at the table and everyone also did the same.

“I think it must be one of the seniors in Slytherin. Maybe the Prefect himself. He has access to all hallways and he must know some hidden passage to leave that room,” Pansy spoke first.

“No, if it’s a Slytherin Senior student, then why leave that cryptic message? And what is this Chamber of Secrets anyway?” Seamus spoke.

“I think it must be one of those legendary hidden chambers in Hogwarts that are often mentioned in some stories. I bet Professor Binns must know about it,” Said Ron.

“But why target Hermione?” Asked a worried Harry Potter.

“Because she is special when it comes down to the muggle wizards. Because she is the most intelligent, most outspoken and most active muggle witch in here.

Because whoever it was, is jealous and ashamed of his own inferiority compared to Hermione.” Neville said and his words were also silently approved by everyone sitting around the table.

“I think we should check the Slytherin common room,” Dean whispered and looked straight at Pansy.

“Don’t look at me. I might be a Slytherin but I have no dorm mates, no friends or anyone actually close left inside that place,” Pansy whispered in anger.

“We should find that piece of shit and blast him!” Seamus said angrily.

“Well, that’s the problem isn’t it, Explosive boy. We don’t know who to target?” Said Ron mocking Seamus.

“It’s better if everyone becomes a lot more cautious and makes a list of everyone who is behaving erratically these days. Anyone you notice from any house or class. Just note down the name and I will check later.

Let’s go. I need to catch some sleep if I want to attend classes tomorrow.” Neville said after getting up.

“Yeah, and we have Quidditch training in the morning. I don’t know why no one ever says anything to Oliver,” cried Harry before Ron and he also walked away.

The next morning when the students of Hogwarts came down for breakfast, Headmaster Dumbledore along with all Professors were all sitting at the main table.

“Ting…Ting…” Headmaster Dumbledore used a spoon to hit his glass twice to silence the whole room.

“As everyone knows, one of the brightest young kids in Hogwarts was attacked in a very gruesome manner. I know most of you have no idea who did it and many of you are even sympathetic to the young witch. But there are those who are actively using profanities on the sacred grounds of Hogwarts.

This won’t be tolerated. If anyone is ever found using that type of language, I would have no other option than to expel that boy and girl.

Now, enough of heavy talk, let’s eat,” Headmaster Dumbledore finished his short speech before breakfast to make sure that the pure blood students won’t use the rumour or story of Chamber of Secrets to scare or torment the muggle-born wizards and witches.

The situation inside Hogwarts grew tense and Professors strictly controlled the kids. There was strict checking of students after the curfew which even made the famous night walker, Harry potter, put away his cloak and sleep in his bed obediently.

The message that was written with blood was removed by Professor Weasley the next day and the classes still continued.

Students with a lot more enthusiasm and emotions practised in Duel club and in DADA class.

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“No, she is not the one….not him, not him…cannot be him….” Neville was sitting inside the ROR and wearing the famous and revived Ravenclaw’s Diadem to speed up his thinking and clear away those messy and unimportant thoughts.

When he is wearing this crown, Neville feels all his thinking and intelligence become concentrated and his memory becomes strong enough to remember even the slightest whisper he might have heard somewhere in passing.

However, even after spending almost half of the day, he had no idea who is the culprit behind this incident or the new owner of Horcrux’s diary.

“I fucked up but I promise, I will find you Lord Voldemort!”

Blasting the chair away, he calmed his emotions and then put away the crown safely before leaving.