4 6
〃N〃 at d'yeh …〃
〃I don't think you meant to kill anyone。 But monsters don't make good pets。 I suppose you just let it out for exercise and …〃
〃It never killed no one！〃 said the large boy； backing against the closed door。 From behind him； Harry could hear a funny rustling and clicking。
〃e on； Rubeus；〃 said Riddle； moving yet closer。 〃The dead girl's parents will be here tomorrow。 The least Hogwarts can do is make sure that the thing that killed their daughter is slaughtered 。。。。。。
〃It wasn't him！〃 roared the boy； his voice echoing in the dark passage。 〃He wouldn'！ He never！〃
〃Stand aside；〃 said Riddle； drawing out his wand。
His spell lit the corridor with a sudden flaming light。 The door behind the large boy flew open with such force it knocked him into the wall opposite。 And out of it came something that made Harry let out a long； piercing scream unheard by anyone
A vast； low…slung； hairy body and a tangle of black legs； a gleam of many eyes and a pair of razor…sharp pincers … Riddle raised his wand again； but he was too late。 The thing bowled him over as it scuttled away； tearing up the corridor and out of sight。 Riddle scrambled to his feet； looking after it； he raised his wand； but the huge boy leapt on him； seized his wand； and threw him back down； yelling； 〃NO000000！〃
The scene whirled； the darkness became plete； Harry felt himself falling and； with a crash； he landed spread…eagled on his four…poster in the Gryffindor dormitory； Riddle's diary lying open on his stomach。
*24 7*
Before he had had time to regain his breath； the dormitory door opened and Ron came in。
〃There you are；〃 he said。
Harry sat up。 He was sweating and shaking。
〃What's up？〃 said Ron； looking at him with concern。
〃It was Hagrid； Ron。 Hagrid opened the Chamber of Secrets fifty years ago。〃
Harry； Ron； and Hermione had always known that Hagrid had an unfortunate liking for large and monstrous creatures。 During their first year at Hogwarts he had tried to raise a dragon in his little wooden house； and it would be a long time before they forgot the giant； three… headed dog he'd christened 〃Fluffy。〃 And if； as a boy； Hagrid had heard that a monster was hidden somewhere in the castle； Harry was sure he'd have gone to any lengths for a glimpse of it。 He'd probably thought it was a shame that the monster had been cooped up so long； and thought it deserved the chance to stretch its many legs； Harry could just imagine the thirteen…year…old Hagrid trying to fit a leash and collar on it。 But he was equally certain that Hagrid would never have meant to kill anybody。
Harry half wished he hadn't found out how to work Riddle's diary。 Again and again Ron and Hermione made him recount what
he'd seen； until he was heartily sick of telling them and sick of the long； circular conversations that followed。
〃Riddle might have got the wrong person；〃 said Hermione。 〃Maybe it was some other monster that was attacking people 。 。 。 。〃
〃How many monsters d'you think this place can hold？〃 Ron asked dully。
〃We always knew Hagrid had been expelled；〃 said Harry miserably。 〃And the attacks must've stopped after Hagrid was kicked out。 Otherwise； Riddle wouldn't have got his award。〃
Ron tried a different tack。
〃Riddle does sound like Percy … who asked him to squeal on Hagrid； anyway？〃
〃But the monster had killed someone； Ron；〃 said Hermione。
〃And Riddle was going to go back to some Muggle orphanage if they closed Hogwarts；〃 said Harry。 〃I don't blame him for wanting to stay here 。。。。。。
〃You met Hagrid down Knockturn Alley； didn't you； Harry？〃
〃He was buying a Flesh…Eating Slug Repellent；〃 said Harry quickly。
The three of them fell silent。 After a long pause； Hermione voiced the knottiest question of all in a hesitant voice。
〃Do you think we should go and ask Hagrid about it all？〃
〃That'd be a cheerful visit；〃 said Ron。 〃'Hello； Hagrid。 Tell us； have you been setting anything mad and hairy loose in the castle lately？〃'
In the end； they decided that they would not say anything to Hagrid unless there was another attack； and as more and more days went by with no whisper from the disembodied voice； they became
hopeful that they would never need to talk to him about why he had been expelled。 It was now nearly four months since Justin and Nearly Headless Nick had been Petrified； and nearly everybody seemed to think that the attacker； whoever it was； had retired for good。 Peeves had finally got bored of his 〃Oh； Potter； you rotter〃 song； Ernie Macmillan asked Harry quite politely to pass a bucket of leaping toadstools in Herbology one day； and in March several of the Mandrakes threw a loud and raucous party in greenhouse three。 This made Professor Sprout very happy。
〃The moment they start trying to move into each other's pots； we'll know they're fully mature；〃 she told Harry。 〃Then we'll be able to revive those poor people in the hospital wing。〃
The second years were given something new to think about during their Easter holidays。 The time had e to choose their subjects for the third year； a matter that Hermione； at least； took very seriously。
〃it could affect our whole future；〃 she told Harry and Ron as they pored over lists of new subjects； marking them with checks。
〃I just want to give up Potions；〃 said Harry。
〃We can't；〃 said Ron gloomily。 〃We keep all our old subjects； or I'd've ditched Defense Against the Dark Arts。〃
〃But that's very important！〃 said Hermione； shocked。
〃Not the way Lockhart teaches it；〃 said Ron。 〃I haven't learned anything from him except not to set pixies loose。〃
Neville Longbottom had been sent letters from all the witches and wizards in his family； all giving him different advice on what to choose。 Confused and worried； he sat reading the subject lists with
his tongue poking out； asking people whether they thought Arithmancy sounded more difficult than the study of Ancient Runes。 Dean Thomas； who； like Harry； had grown up with Muggles； ended up closing his eyes and jabbing his wand at the list； then picking the subjects it landed on。 Hermione took nobody's advice but signed up for everything。
Harry smiled grimly to himself at the thought of what Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia would say if he tried to discuss his career in wizardry with them。 Not that he didn't get any guidance： Percy Weasley was eager to share his experience。
〃Depends where you want to go； Harry；〃 he said。 〃It's never too early to think about the future； so Id remend Divination。 People say Muggle Studies is a soft option； but I personally think wizards should have a thorough understanding of the non…magical munity； particularly if they're thinking of working in close contact with them … look at my father； he has to deal with Muggle business all the time。 My brother Charlie was always more of an outdoor type； so he went for Care of Magical Creatures。 Play to your strengths； Harry。〃
But the only thing Harry felt he was really good at was Quidditch。 In the end； he chose the same new subjects as Ron； feeling that if he was lousy at them； at least he'd have someone friendly to help him。
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