Conspiring

"Don't try to scare us with all that doom and gloom!"

Several young wizards, including Hermione, felt uneasy at Draco's words.

"I'm just stating the facts." Draco put on a particularly mysterious expression. "According to legend, when the Chamber of Secrets is opened, a terrifying monster will emerge and purge the school—that is, get rid of all the Muggle-borns."

"That sounds like something a pure-blood supremacy family would do. Could the so-called Heir happen to be you?"

Hermione gave Draco a dismissive look. After working together so often in instances over the past two years, they weren't nearly as tense with each other as they'd been in their first year, and she could tell he was joking.

"Don't go pinning that on me. I'm a pragmatist now!" Draco shook his head indifferently. "But don't just brush off my warning, either. If the Chamber really does appear, we'll all be in trouble."

"What's there to be afraid of?" Ron snorted. "Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor Wilson are at the school. How much trouble could this so-called Heir cause?"

Indeed, Anduin's presence meant that although the young wizards were a little nervous about the Chamber and the Heir, they weren't exactly afraid.

In fact, even Draco, who had just been trying to scare them, didn't think the so-called Chamber would pose much of a threat.

They were still wondering whether Anduin had cooked the whole thing up. After all, they'd been through this sort of "the boy who cried wolf" story more than once.

While the group was still chattering about the Chamber, McGonagall and Snape arrived.

When they saw the writing on the wall, their expressions tightened.

"Prefects, take your students away from here at once!" McGonagall called, dispersing the crowd. Then she carefully took Mrs. Norris down from the torch.

"Professor,