Chapter 24: Ghostly Incident

There were screams as the crowd backed swiftly away, clearing the floor, for the snake, which just exploded from Malfoy's wand. 

"Don't move, Potter," said Snape lazily, clearly enjoying the sight of Harry standing motionless, eye to eye with the angry snake. "I'll get rid of it. . . ." 

"Allow me!" shouted Lockhart. 

He brandished his wand at the snake and there was a loud bang; the snake, instead of vanishing, flew ten feet into the air and fell back to the floor with a loud smack. Enraged, hissing furiously, it slithered straight toward Chris and raised itself again, fangs exposed, poised to strike. 

Chris took out her wand and was about to cast 'Stupefy'. 

Harry shouted, "Don't move, Chris." 

Chris looked at him and he started to make a hissing sound. The snake slumped to the floor, docile as a thick, black garden hose, its eyes now on Harry. Harry sighed and looked up at Chris and found her grinning at him. 

"What did you ask it?" Chris asked excitedly. 

"Er.... to leave you alone...?" Harry smiled awkwardly seeing the other frightening faces. 

"Amazing." Chris grinned again. 

Snape stepped forward, waved his wand, and the snake vanished in a small puff of black smoke. Snape, too, was looking at Harry in an unexpected way: It was a shrewd and calculating look. There was muttering all around the walls. Harry started to leave and Ron and Hermione followed him. 

As they went through the doors, the people on either side drew away as though they were frightened of catching something. Harry got irritated and hurried to the door. 

As they left, people started to stare at Chris. Luna poke her, "You knew he can talk to snakes?" 

"Yeah. He told me a few weeks ago." Chris answered. "Let's get out of here." 

She was feeling uncomfortable because of everyone's gaze. Luna nodded and they also left the Hall. 

Chris entered the Gryffindor common room, and heard Harry's angry voice, "I don't know why you two are making so big deal out of it. I saw the snake was about to attack Chris so I stopped it. Chris knows I am a Parselmouth, she said it's not a bad thing." 

"Harry everybody doesn't listen to Chris. Just because she doesn't think it bad, doesn't mean it's not bad." Hermione said loudly. 

"Yeah. And now the whole school's going to think you're Salazar Slytherin's great-great-great-great-grandson or something ..." Ron said.

"But I'm not," said Harry, with an irritated tone. "You'll find that hard to prove," said Hermione. "He lived about a thousand years ago; for all we know, you could be." 

Hearing that Harry storm off to boys dormitory. Hermione sighed then turned around and saw Chris standing there. 

Without saying anything Chris silently made her way to girls dormitory before Hermione could speak.

Next Morning, Chris heard the other two girls, Danielle and Lauren speaking; that for the second time Ginny had left a mess of rooster feathers on her bed and on the room floor. Chris wouldn't have believed it if she hadn't seen that with her own eyes.

"Hi, Chris!" Hermione said loudly as soon as Chris entered the common room. 

"Oh! Hey." Chris said, scanning the room for Ginny. 

"Umm... Chris... Listen, last night I was just worried about Harry. I didn't mean to say anything bad about you." Hermione said breathlessly. 

"It's ok Hermione. I understand." Chris gave a little smile. She was really not in the mood of taking small grudges over people. 

The snow that had begun in the night had turned into a blizzard so thick that the last Herbology lessons of the term were cancelled. Professor Sprout wanted to fit socks and scarves on the Mandrakes, a tricky operation she would entrust to no one else, now that it was so important for the Mandrakes to grow quickly and revive Mrs Norris and Colin. 

The first-year Gryffindors didn't have any classes that morning and Second years Herbology was cancelled. Chris saw there was still no sign of Ginny so she decided to look for her. She asked Ron, Fred, George and Percy if they had seen Ginny. No one knew where was she. Chris carefully assured the Weasleys that there was nothing to worry about. Then she left the common room and soon Harry came following her. 

"What are you doing here, Harry?" Chris said as she saw him. 

"Actually I wanted to talk," Harry said. awkwardly. 

"Yes?" Chris started walking again.

"Ron and Hermione think that I can be the heir of Slytherin. They said being a Parseltongue is a bad gift." Harry said, walking with her.

"I know. I heard them last night." Chris said, still carefully looking at the hallways. 

"Oh! Chris, I know you don't think it's a bad thing but Hermione is right. People will doubt me." 

"People were doubting you before, didn't they? People will talk, Harry. You'll see, if they find something new by tomorrow then they will accuse someone else. So relax." Chris said, as they turned a corner and came face to face with a giant man. Chris looked up and saw Hagrid. 

"Oh, hello, Hagrid," Harry said, looking up. 

Hagrid's face was entirely hidden by a woolly, snow-covered balaclava, but it couldn't possibly be anyone else, as he filled most of the corridor in his moleskin overcoat. A dead rooster was hanging from one of his massive, gloved hands. 

"All right', Harry?" he said, pulling up the balaclava so he could speak. "Why aren't yeh in class?" 

"Canceled," said Harry. "What're you doing in here?" 

Hagrid held up the limp rooster. 

"The second one killed this term," he explained. "It's either foxes or a Blood-Suckin' Bugbear, an' I need the headmaster's permission to put a charm around the hen coop." 

Roosters? Second time?

Chris thought and raised her eyebrows. Hagrid noticed Chris from under his thick, snow-flecked eyebrows. 

"And who's this?" Hagrid asked. 

"O! This is Chris. We met her in Diagon Alley, Hagrid. Remember?" Harry said. 

"Who? The one yeh met while leavin' the Knockturn Alley?" Hagrid replied. 

"Knockturn Alley? What on earth you were doing there?" Chris asked, looking surprised. 

"I was lost. I was lost, Hagrid, I told you." 

" 'Course," Hagrid chuckled. "Nice to met yeh, Chris." 

"Same here Hagrid." Chris smiled. 

"Any friend o' Harry's are welcome in the meh house. Come fo' tea sometimes if yeh like." Hagrid said then winked at Harry. 

"See you later, Hagrid," Harry said as Hagrid left. Before Chris can ask something Harry hurriedly spoke, "We should better get going, Chris, it's Transfiguration next and I've got to pick up my books." 

"Ok," Chris said and they started walking towards the Gryffindor tower. They turned along another corridor, which was particularly dark. Chris had a bad feeling while walking there; the same feeling she had when she was walking with Colin last time. Suddenly Chris froze. In front of them, Justin Finch-Fletchley was lying on the floor, rigid and cold, a look of shock frozen on his face, his eyes staring blankly at the ceiling. And that wasn't all. Next to him was another figure. It was Nearly Headless Nick, no longer pearly-white and transparent, but black and smoky, floating immobile and horizontal, six inches off the floor. His head was half off and his face wore an expression of shock identical to Justin's.

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