Harry； however； pointed at the word Hermione had scribbled at the foot of the page。
〃Pipes；〃 he said。 〃Pipes 。 。 。 Ron； it's been using the plumbing。 I've been hearing that voice inside the walls 。 。 。 。〃
291*
Ron suddenly grabbed Harry's arm。 〃The entrance to the Chamber of Secrets！〃 he said hoarsely。 〃What if it's a bathroom？ What if it's in …〃 ‘= Moaning Myrtle's bathroom； 〃said Harry。 They sat there； excitement coursing through them； hardly able to believe it。 〃This means；〃 said Harry； 〃I can't be the only Parselmouth in the school。 The Heir of Slytherin's one； too。 That's how he's been controlling the basilisk。〃 〃What're we going to do？〃 said Ron； whose eyes were flashing。 〃Should we go straight to McGonagall？〃 〃Let's go to the staff room；〃 said Harry； jumping up。 〃She'll be there in ten minutes。 It's nearly break。〃 They ran downstairs。 Not wanting to be discovered hanging around in another corridor； they went straight into the deserted staff room。 It was a large； paneled room full of dark； wooden chairs。 Harry and Ron paced around it； too excited to sit down。 But the bell to signal break never came。 Instead； echoing through the corridors came Professor McGon agall's voice； magically magnified。 ‘All students to return to their House dormitories at once。 All teach ers return to the staff room。 Immediately； please。 〃
Harry wheeled around to stare at Ron。 〃Not another attack？ Not now？〃 〃What'll we do？〃 said Ron； aghast。 〃Go back to the dormitory？〃 〃No；〃 said Harry； glancing around。 There was an ugly sort of wardrobe to his left； full of the teachers' cloaks。 〃In here。 Let's hear what it's all about。 Then we can tell them what we've found out。〃
They hid themselves inside it； listening to the rumbling of hundreds of people moving overhead； and the staff room door banging open。 From between the musty folds of the cloaks； they watched the teachers filtering into the room。 Some of them were looking puzzled； others downright scared。 Then Professor McGonagall arrived。
〃It has happened；〃 she told the silent staff room。 〃A student has been taken by the monster。 Right into the Chamber itself。〃
Professor Flitwick let out a squeal。 Professor Sprout clapped her hands over her mouth。 Snape gripped the back of a chair very hard and said； 〃How can you be sure？〃
〃The Heir of Slytherin；〃 said Professor McGonagall； who was very white； 〃left another message。 Right underneath the first one。 ‘Her skeleton 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 student？〃
〃Ginny Weasley；〃 said Professor McGonagall。
Harry felt Ron slide silently down onto the wardrobe floor beside him。
〃We shall have to send all the students home tomorrow；〃 said Professor McGonagall。 〃This is the end of Hogwarts。 Dumbledore always said。 。 。〃
The staffroom door banged open again。 For one wild moment； Harry was sure it would be Dumbledore。 But 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。 A girl has been snatched by the monster； Lockhart。 Taken into the Chamber of Secrets itself。 Your moment has e at last。〃
Lockhart blanched。
〃That's right； Gilderoy；〃 chipped in Professor Sprout。 〃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 …〃sputtered Lockhart。
〃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；〃 said Snape。 〃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。
〃I … I really never … you may have misunderstood …〃
〃We'll leave it to you； then； Gilderoy；〃 said Professor McGonagall。 〃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 youself。 A free rein at last。〃
Lockhart gazed desperately around him； but nobody came to the rescue。 He didn't look remotely handsome anymore。 His lip was trembling； and in the absence of his usually toothy grin； he looked weak…chinned and feeble。
〃V very well；〃 he said。 〃I'll … I'll be in my office； getting getting ready。〃
And he left the room。
〃Right；〃 said Professor McGonagall； whose nostrils were 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。
It was probably the worst day of Harry's entire life。 He； Ron； Fred； and George sat together in a corner of the Gryffindor mon room； unable to say anything to each other。 Percy wasn't there。 He had gone to send an owl to Mr。 and Mrs。 Weasley； then shut himself up in his dormitory。
No afternoon ever lasted as long as that one； nor had Gryffindor Tower ever been so crowded； yet so quiet。 Near sunset； Fred and George went up to bed； unable to sit there any longer。
〃She knew something； Harry；〃 said Ron； speaking for the first time since they had entered the wardrobe in the staff room。 〃That's why she was taken。 It wasn't some stupid thing about Percy at all。； She'd found out something about the Chamber of Secrets。 That must be why she was …〃 Ron rubbed his eyes frantically。 〃I mean； she was a pure… blood。 There can't be any other reason。〃
Harry could see the sun sinking； blood…red； below the skyline。 This was the worst he had ever felt。 If only there was something they could do。 Anything。
〃Harry〃 said Ron。 〃D'you think there's any chance at all she's not … you know =〃
Harry didn't know what to say。 He couldn't see how Ginny could still be alive。
〃D'you know what？〃 said Ron。 〃I think we should go and see
*295*
Lockhart。 Tell him what we know。 He's going to try and get into the Chamber。 We can tell him where we think it is； and tell him it's a basilisk in there。〃
Because Harry couldn't think of anything else to do； and because he wanted to be doing something； he agreed。 The Gryffindors around them were so miserable； and felt so sorry for the Weasleys； that nobody tried to stop them as they got up； crossed the room； and left through the portrait hole。
Darkness was falling as they walked down to Lockhart's office。 There seemed to be a lot of activity going on inside it。 They could hear scraping； thumps； and hurried footsteps。
Harry knocked and there was a sudden silence from inside。 Then the door opened the tiniest crack and they saw one of Lockhart's eyes peering through it。
〃Oh … Mr。 Potter … Mr。 Weasley …〃 he said； opening the door a bit wider。 〃I