The day has been long for Lili, but it's also been fun. She completely regretted slapping her brother after it happened because, like a typical Hufflepuff, she felt bad about it. But the more she thought about it, the prouder she was of herself. She'd stood up to Draco, really stood up to him. She'd never stood up to him that way before.

"Proud of you, Lil!" She heard as she walked beside Cedric after dinner. When her hair was ruffled by a hand, she angrily looked up to see who it is. Her expression melted when she saw it was simply George.

"Hi, George." She took her headband out and fixed her hair, placing her headband back on her head. "Um...why are you proud of me?"

"Because you slapped your brother, duh. That was pretty impressive."

"Oh, that. Thanks, I think. He just...needed some sense talked into him."

"Very true."

"And he's just so inf-" She stopped dead in her tracks. "Uh...what does that mean?" The three of them read what was written on the walls, along with the other students gathering. Lili turned behind Cedric's back when she saw Filch's cat hanging dead by her tail. "I think I'm gonna be sick."

Draco pushed his way to the front and grinned nastily at Harry's group. "Enemies of the heir, beware!" He glanced at Hermione. "You'll be next, Mudbloods."

Filch then pushed through, yelling at students. "What's going on here? Go on now! Make way...Mrs Norris!" He glared at Harry. "You! You've murdered my cat. I'll kill you. I'll-"

"Argus!" A voice echoed through the hallway, belonging to Dumbledore. Teachers trailed behind him. "Everyone will proceed to their dormitories immediately."

Lili and Cedric turned and began to walk with the other Hufflepuffs towards their common room. The common room was filled with muttering, very different to the usual chatter that belonged to the common room. As Lili tried to sleep, the image of the murdered Mrs Norris wouldn't leave her mind.

--

The next morning, people were still muttering about the night before. No one knew who it was or what was really even happening. Lili tried to focus on the lesson at hand, Transfiguration.

"Today, we will be turning animals into water goblets." McGonagall tapped the bird in front of her three times. It turned into a water goblet made of crystal. "Now, who would like to go first...Mr Weasley?"

Lili watched as Ron nodded, tapping his rat. The rat turned into a goblet...with a tail. Draco could be heard snickering. 

"You must replace that wand, Mr Weasley." She spotted Hermione's raised hand. "Yes, Miss Granger?"

"Professor, I was wondering if you could tell us about the Chamber of Secrets?"

The class went quiet, and McGonagall almost glared at the girl. "My subject is Transfiguration, Miss Granger."

"Yes, Professor. But there seems to be very little written about the Chamber of Secrets. For those of us with a personal interest in the subject that is...disturbing."

After a while, McGonagall decided to answer the question. "Very well. You all know, of course, that Hogwarts was founded over a thousand years ago by the four greatest witches and wizards of the age: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw and Salazar Slytherin. Three of the founders co-existed quite harmoniously. One did not."

Lili got as snug as she could. The story of the Hogwarts founders was something that she loved. Cedric told it much better than in the books. McGonagall was no Cedric, but she couldn't be that bad.

"Salazar Slytherin wished to be more selective about the students admitted to Hogwarts. He believed that magical learning should be kept within all-magic families. In other words, purebloods. Unable to sway the others, he decided to leave the school. According to legend, Slytherin had built a hidden chamber in this castle, known as the Chamber of Secrets. Shortly before departing, he sealed it until that time when his own true heir returned to the school. The heir alone would be able to open the Chamber of Secrets and unleash the horror within. And by doing so, purge the school of all those who, in Slytherin's view, were unworthy to study magic."

"Muggle-borns."

"Yes. Naturally, the school has been searched many times for such a chamber. It has never been found."

"Professor, what exactly does legend tell us lies within the Chamber?"

"The Chamber is said to be home to something which the heir of Slytherin alone can control. It is said to be home...to a monster."

--

The next night, Lili and Cedric were hanging out with the Weasley twins again, this time in the Astronomy Tower.

"Who do you think the Heir of Slytherin is?" Lili asked.

"Potter reckons it's Malfoy," Fred replied.

"My brother? Ha! As if. Draco can't even ride a bike. He's not going to be able to get rid of all muggle-borns at Hogwarts."

"Oh, you never know Lil."

"I'm the one who's lived with him for twelve years, Fred. I know for a fact that it's all show. He can't even hurt a fly." She sighed. "But seriously. Who do you think it is? I mean it's got to be someone closely related to the Gaunts. More closely related than me, I mean. The Gaunts are the most closely related to Slytherin. And the only living Gaunt relative would be..." She thinks a bit. "Tom Marvolo Riddle. But he's probably long dead. I just know it can't be Draco."