Harley hugged her books and hurried toward the Gryffindor dormitory.
Although she was on good terms with Filch and had already reported her "detention" with Professor Snape, getting caught wouldn't earn her another demerit.
But it was still after curfew. To avoid making trouble, Harley instinctively activated her invisibility.
As she passed the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor's office on the third floor, she heard Professor Lockhart cheering through the half-open door:
"Six months straight at the top of the bestseller list! An unprecedented record! Everyone, let's raise our glasses!"
Many voices that sounded just like Professor Lockhart answered him. He was probably chatting with his own photographs.
In a way, Professor Lockhart really was a fascinating fellow!
Harley didn't linger and continued on her way.
Suddenly, she heard a voice, one completely different from Professor Lockhart's cheering.
It was a chilling voice that made her breath catch. Every word was filled with malice and coldness:
"Come... come to me... let me tear you... tear you apart... kill you..."
Along with the voice came the faint sound of scales scraping against stone.
Harley reacted with astonishing speed. Her wand and knife slid into her hands as she pressed herself against the wall on the side farthest from the voice, making sure she wouldn't be attacked from behind.
But to her surprise, the voice didn't sound again for a long time.
Harley stood silently for a long while. She was certain that the voice she'd heard was speaking Parseltongue.
She had discovered long ago that she had a talent for Parseltongue. She'd possessed it even when she was an Assassin.
That wasn't normal. Although Demonesses could also speak Parseltongue, they couldn't do so until they reached at least the demigod level and acquired a Mythical Creature Form associated with serpents.