Over the next few days, almost everyone at school discussed Mrs. Norris being petrified.
Quite a few students, especially those in the lower years, were actually rather pleased about it in secret.
After all, Mrs. Norris had gotten too many students into trouble for them to feel any affection for her.
"What a shame. It would have been even better if Filch could have been petrified!" Some students even said things like that.
But plenty of students were also upset about Mrs. Norris being petrified, Ginny among them.
Harry knew that Ginny loved cats.
The Weasley family kept a very intelligent big cat at the Burrow. According to Ron, Ginny had always been the one to look after the cat when she was at home.
So Harry could completely understand why Ginny seemed so anxious and upset after Mrs. Norris was petrified.
Harry and Hermione took turns comforting Ginny, but it did not do much good.
Ginny still often seemed distracted, and Hermione had even noticed her crying in secret several times.
Ron soon grew rather tired of this.
After all, he was one of the students who really disliked Mrs. Norris and Filch, especially after Filch had actually accused him of being the culprit in Lockhart's office.
Being the center of attention did secretly please Ron a little.
But being suspected was another matter entirely.
"Leave her alone. She'll get used to it after a while. Besides, that cat isn't dead. Once the mandrakes mature, she can be restored, can't she?" Ron said.
Besides Mrs. Norris being petrified, another topic was just as hotly discussed, if not more so.
The Chamber of Secrets!
Most students had never heard the term before.
No one doubted that Hogwarts had secret chambers. Plenty of students said they had come across rooms that