Harry Potter : Cael Vale’s journey to Hogwarts

The Gryffindor common room was unusually quiet that evening. Dinner had passed in tense silence, and now the students were being escorted back to their dormitories by house prefects and Aurors. The shadows seemed longer than usual, besides the fireplace a lot of students were talking about recent incidents .

Cael slumped into the armchair nearest the fireplace , flanked by Fred, George, and Lee Jordan. Fred leaned forward, elbows on knees, flicking embers off the toe of his shoe.

"So," Fred began quietly, "what do you think happens now? Exams are a month away. Dumbledore's gone, Hagrid's gone. The school's unraveling."

Cael shook his head. "With the professors more focused on security than teaching, I doubt anyone's thinking about exams right now."

Lee snorted. "Then why not just send us home? They're risking our lives keeping us here."

Cael turned to him, serious. "Because if they do, it's over for Hogwarts. If the Chamber's not dealt with this year, it'll drag on into the next. Students will keep getting attacked. Parents—especially the pure-bloods—will pull their children out. They'll send them to Durmstrang or Beauxbatons. The governors' funding will dry up, and Hogwarts won't survive."

Lee frowned. "You think it's really that bad?"

"It's worse," Cael said grimly. "Think about it. Every potion we brew, every magical beast we study—those ingredients and creatures cost money. Where do you think that money comes from? Pure-blood families fund the school. If they cut their ties, there'll be no more free tuition for Muggle-born or orphaned students. No salaries for staff. No food for these 'lavish feasts.' Hogwarts will crumble from the inside out."

There was a silence between them.

Before anyone could respond, the portrait hole swung open violently.

Percy Weasley stumbled in, eyes red and rimmed with tears.

The entire room stilled.

Fred and George stood immediately, shocked into silence. They had never seen Percy like this—not their smug, uptight brother.

Ron and Harry descended the stairs from the dormitories, drawn by the noise.

"Percy?" Fred asked, stepping forward. "What happened?"

Percy opened his mouth, but only one word escaped, voice cracking:

"Ginny."

Ron's stomach dropped. "What happened to Ginny?! Say it, you idiot!"

Percy's voice broke. "She's gone. Taken. They—they say the heir took her into the Chamber of Secrets."

Gasps broke around the room. Someone screamed quietly behind them.

"The professors… they're searching," Percy continued, wiping at his face. "The hair left a message. They found it outside the bathroom… it said no one will find her bones."

Fred surged forward, fists clenched. "How can they took her ? She was supposed to be here, why didn't any of us notice her absence ? Let's go and find her !"

Percy shook his head.

George caught Fred's arm before he could run. "No. No. We don't know where she is."

Percy suddenly straightened and shouted, trembling with panic. "Everyone—everyone get back to your dormitories! No one leaves until you're told. No more roaming around. Not tonight."

Students murmured in fear and began retreating upstairs. Fred hesitated.

"You expect me to sit here?" he said, grabbing Percy by the collar. "My little sister is gone. I don't even know if she's alive—and you expect me to sit?!"

"I want to find her too!" Percy shouted back. "But if you run around blindly, you'll be next. Don't be stupid, Fred!"

George pulled his twin back, forcing him to let go. "Not now," he muttered. "We'll figure something out."

Percy watched them disappear into the staircase, then turned and fled the common room, heading straight for Professor McGonagall's office.

Cael remained by the fireplace, stunned.

His thoughts spiraled.

Ginny? It was Ginny all along?

But something didn't fit.

"She wasn't like the books," he muttered. "Not pale… not withdrawn. She was cheerful, laughing. Normal. And I never saw Lucius slip that diary into her cauldron at Diagon Alley. How did she get it?"

His thoughts were interrupted by Ron's voice, shaky but determined. "We have to do something."

Harry nodded. "We need to tell someone—about the Basilisk, about the entrance to the Chamber. It's definitely in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom."

Ron hesitated. "But what about Hermione? Shouldn't we find her first?"

Cael stood. "Where is she?"

Harry replied, "She said she was going to the library after dinner. Probably still there."

"Right," Cael said. "You two find McGonagall. I'll find Hermione and bring her to the second floor."

Ron and Harry nodded and raced out the portrait hole. Cael grabbed his wand and bolted for the library.

⸻

He found her in the corridor, just leaving the library, arms full of books.

"Hermione!" he called. "There's something you need to know."

She turned, immediately concerned. "What happened? Another attack?"

Cael nodded grimly. "Worse. Ginny Weasley was taken. They found a message on the wall. 'Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever.'"

Hermione gasped. "No…"

"Harry and Ron are telling the professors," he continued. "We're supposed to meet at Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. They think they've found the entrance."

Hermione nodded quickly, already turning. "Let's go."

Together, they sprinted toward the second floor, footsteps echoing through the hollow stone halls.