If you want to read by 20+ Chapters from here you can visit my Patre-on.
[P] [A] [T] [R] [E] [O] [N]
[email protected]/Makimafic
••••••
"Why Justin Finch-Fletchey? The only thing I remember is that his family is old money in the non-magical world. Besides Justin is fairly sympathetic to everyone save the Slytherins... Why Penelope Clearwater? She's one of the few Prefects that bother doing their job correctly at Hogwarts."
"Penelope was going out with Percy Weasley." Revealed Nigel.
"A means to hurt a Gryffindor? That sounds like a Slytherin plot...in fact no. I doubt any Slytherin girl would want to date a Weasley, or a Slytherin boy to date Penelope."
"Sorry, I was so sure..."
"No need to apologise Nigel. You were right at least on one thing, we didn't study the background of the victims. Any common point on the three Gryffindor girls that were attacked during the match?"
"Well there are all first-years...they are sleeping in the same dorm..."
"Pardon?"
For the first time of their study, Alexandra was stunned. Why had they not thought about something so evident? They had searched the Heir of Slytherin in Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and of course Slytherin. But they had ignored Gryffindor. Because surely a Lion couldn't be an ally of the Snakes, no?
"Err, yes. Why? Is that's interesting?"
"Depends. Who else is in the same dorm?"
"I have not all the names..."
"Please, Nigel...it is important!"
If they had to waste new inquiries in the Gryffindor tower, they would be sure to alert the Heir. After a few seconds of reflexion, Nigel gave her the name.
"Ginny Weasley."
"SHIT!"
"Why do-oh, no. You think?"
"I think the girl is the Heir or someone is usurping her identity? Yes, I am. Remember what you told me during the Quidditch match? Lovegoods and Weasley live in the same village! So if her best friend began to change in behaviour, I think even a strange girl like Luna Lovegood would notice the differences."
"And the others?"
Alexandra took a moment to collect her thoughts.
"Creevey takes photos of everything. Maybe he stalked her at a moment the Heir was under a different appearance...then he had to be neutralised. Penelope is a fair Prefect; she cares about all the first-years and helps them when they're lost in the castle. If she tried to help the false Ginny at a moment the Chamber was about to open..."
"Justin?"
"Justin is friends with a lot of Gryffindors, and Hufflepuffs share everything in news for the Hogwarts rumour mill. The first-year girls would have noticed if someone tried to do dark magic or something weird in their own dorm."
"By Merlin...it fits."
Alexandra felt excitation make her heart faster. After countless hours in researches they had resolved the mystery.
"Do we confront Ginny or whoever is passing for her?"
"No. Or rather, not yet. We need allies."
Given the fate which had befallen every student close to the 'Heir', prudence was recommended. Since Morag and Hermione were petrified, Nigel and she were the last forces left in reserve. If they were defeated and petrified, there would be no one left to act.
"Hufflepuffs or Gryffindors?"
"Neither. I think it's time to involve the Professors and give their chance."
"They have refused to act...and they know certainly more than they told us."
"Flitwick will help us...and I think it's time to verify how much of a fraud our DADA Professor really is." The smile of Alexandra was larger this time. They would need preparation to corner him but one way or another she was going to have answers. "It's time I have a conversation with the true Gilderoy Lockhart."
Nigel grinned in turn. The Cornish Pixies had never been forgotten.
"What will be the code name of the operation between us? The enemy certainly can change appearance at will..."
Alexandra eyes posed on the monstrous picture of the Basilisk.
"If we cut the head of the snake, the body will die. This will be Operation Kingslayer."
21st March 1993, Hogwarts, Scotland
Gilderoy Lockhart smile was very much in abeyance as he emptied the rest of the Firewhiskey bottle in his crystal glass. Taking the later, he emptied it in one gulp and sighed as the alcohol diffused its warmth in his body.
Spy work, he had learned early in his job, could be very unpleasant. You were surrounded constantly by enemies, you could trust no one and most of the times whatever duelling abilities you possessed were completely irrelevant. Gilderoy had thought Hogwarts would be a hard environment, but one he could survive by maintaining his 'narcissist imbecile' persona at all times. It had been obvious Dumbledore had not bothered asking himself if the Lockhart he despised was a mask or not. And the Supreme Mugwump had always been the main danger, with the pet Death Eater serving as Potions Professor a distant second.
But no. Hogwarts was truly a lot of things, but an exemplary school it was not. Students were attacked right and left, wards were activated to prevent the Ministry from intervening and a Monster roamed in the corridors.
The DADA Professor threw a glare at the dozens of portraits of himself spread over his office. This assignment had ceased to be funny long ago and the bigotry of the pure-blood factions had returned in power. It was getting too dangerous for him. He was a spy, not a fighter and while he was far more trained than Dumbledore or the other Professors suspected, his rather lacklustre performance in duelling was a huge drawback.
Truly, he would leave this castle without any regret. His trunks were packed every morning and the sensitive information he had collected was already in the hands of his superiors. Now he just needed to find the good moment to escape. Given the general behaviour of the fraud he was supposed to be, no one would be surprised to hear he had made his escape.
He was sorry for the students, but his sympathy did not overwrite his allegiance and his will to live.
When it came to it after all, he had absolutely no chance against a Basilisk.
---+---
A/N: If you want advanced chapters, you can find it at [email protected]/Makimafic