Chapter 36 - Cursed Vault of Fear (2/2)

The next morning, his door was knocked hard continuously until he opened it. Neal looked at Malfoy and spoke lazily as he was still drowsy, ”it's still 9:00. We don't have classes in the morning”. Malfoy replied, ”you need to come and see it”.

After dressing himself up, Neal went with Malfoy to the first floor of the castle where a lot of students and teachers along with Dumbledore gathered around.

As soon as someone spotted him, ”Hey, it's Neal”, everyone tuned towards his directions. Filch, the caretaker pushed the kids out of the way and scurried towards him. Neal saw hate in his eyes. He howled, ”you, Slytherin. How dare are you...”.

He was stopped by Dumbledore, ”Argus, calm down”. Filch looked at Dumbledore and shouted in a wave of anger, ”calm down? My poor Norris was killed by this Slytherin”. Neal was taken back, ”what the hell are you talking about? When did I kill your cat?”.

A person from Gryffindor sneered, ”oh, please stop acting, Slytherin. Everyone here knows you did it”. As he said that, he pointed his finger somewhere. The crowd stepped aside and Neal saw a dead cat hanging on a small lamppost. Above it, he saw a sentence written in blood.

”The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the heir beware”. Neal was taken back by the words and mumbled, ”but that's impossible”. As everyone's looking at him suspiciously, he looked at Filch and said, ”I'm sorry about her death but I'm not the culprit. Does it even make sense that I kill it first and then write on the wall I did it and now I'm denying it?”.

Ron commented, ”I don't know the meaning of those words you've written with Mrs. Norris' blood but for the past week, you've been acting suspiciously in classes”. While few people nodded, Dumbledore said, ”Mr. Lockhart. could I use your office for a moment?”

Lockhart smiled, ”of course”. Then Dumbledore said, ”Neal, Prof. McGonagall, Prof. Snape, come to Prof. Lockhart's office for a moment. Students, everyone return to your dormitories”.

Neal then spoke out loudly as Dumbledore turned back and stepped forward, ”wait. The writings on the wall aren't true because I found no monster in the chamber of secrets”. Dumbledore, Prof. McGonagall, and Snape stopped and turned abruptly after hearing his words. Dumbledore asked ina

surprise, ”What did you say?”.

While the students look at him curiously, Neal said, ”I went into the chamber. The legend is false”. Then he turned towards Filch, ”so, it can't be me, Filch. Most likely, it might be someone that hates me because he, clearly mentioned the heir. I guess he also hates you very much to use Mrs. Norris to frame me”. Filch suddenly remembered that in previous detention, Harry saw the Kwickspell course in his room which is popular among Squib.

He suddenly turned to Harry, ”you, Potter. You killed my Norris”. The room suddenly went into surprise, especially Gryffindors. Harry was stumped to see how he was getting involved in this troublesome business and defended himself, ”It's not me”. Filch dashed towards him in hate and tried to grab his collar.

Dumbledore shouted, ”Argus, calm down. We'll look into this, I promise”. Then he turned towards Neal and said, ”you are coming with us”. After Filch, teachers, and Neal went away, Draco looked at them in disgust, ”so much noise for a mere cat. Isn't it good that it's gone?”.

Ron for the first time agreed with him, ”Now that you mentioned it, it's true”. Hermoine nudged him, ”Ron?”. He came to his senses and both of them realized that they were on the same page, both snorted and went their ways, ”hmpf”.

While the trio was returning, Harry asked, ”what is Neal talking about? What did he mean by the chamber and no monster? He even said the legend is false”. Hermoine replied, ”I don't know about it. I'll check out the Library, later. However, I still think Neal is innocent. I wouldn't think the one who never breaks rules and being a perfect student would kill a cat”.

Ron and Harry commented, ”you are defending our enemy”. Hermoine replied, ”oh, please. I'm just being objective. Just like he said if he, really kills it, why would he write on the wall that he did it and now denying it? Please use common sense for once”.

Meanwhile, Ginny woke up in her bed again to find blood marks here and there all over her clothes and hands which had dried up.