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Hogwarts as a whole were the worst group of people that Saffron had ever had the displeasure of meeting. Every time something strange happened, Saffron loathed them even more. Simply due to every time something happened that Harry was even in the slightest way linked to, he got the full brunt of the blame. Not a single ounce of it was placed onto herself, Hermione or Ron.

The story was that Harry had opened the Chamber of Secrets and was on the verge of killing every single Muggleborn in the school. It shocked Saffron that so many supposedly intelligent people could be so dense, as did they fail to realise that one of Harry's best friends was a Muggleborn? Saffron had no idea how the story could go from a cat being attacked to the potential mass killing of a demographic. But according to Hermione, Draco's comment directed towards Muggleborns had likely been the catalyst of it.

One of the hardest things for Saffron was having to explain to her younger brother and sister that was very little to worry about, and that it was all one twisted joke by one of the older students.

"But how can you know?" Rowan questioned her worriedly. The four Mitchell siblings were sat at the Ravenclaw table for breakfast. The whole conversation centred around Rachel and Rowan trying to disprove Saffron and Maya's reasonings as to why there was nothing to worry about.

"Think about it, Rowan," started Maya impatiently."It was Halloween, the biggest day in the whole school year for pranking. Someone probably took it a little too far by hurting Mrs Norris, so they used the Chamber of Secrets story to cover it up,"

"Why did they have to hurt the cat though?" remarked Rachel sadly with a frown.

"I know," nodded Maya. "Even though Mrs Norris isn't liked, I wouldn't wish that onto anyone,"

"But you heard Dumbledore," said Saffron briskly. "She'll be alright, so that's all the harm that's been done. The only thing that's scary is how much everyone keeps going on about it,"

"Everyone's been saying it was really dark magic that did it, though," said Rowan quietly, he glanced anxiously over his shoulder before leaning in closer to his siblings. "Saffron, are you sure Harry didn't do it? All my friends think it's him,"

Saffron rolled her eyes. The theories had even been infecting her own family. "I'm very sure, Rowan. Harry wouldn't do something like that, he's too nice,"

"Sometimes it's the nicest people that do it, though," countered Rachel. "Maybe he's just a good liar,"

"I was with him," shot back Saffron defensively. "Whoever did it would have had to of had plenty of time to get that message up there, Harry didn't have that time. I was with him all night,"

Rachel opened her mouth to argue but Saffron shut her down: "I know it's what everyone's saying Rach, but it's not true. Now can we just drop it, neither of you has anything to worry about, it'll all blow over in the next week,"

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But it didn't.

The rumours continued to spread around the school and it was getting to the point where people were acting differently around Harry.

After Charms club one night, Saffron met up with Harry who had just finished his Quidditch practice. Together, they walked in the direction of the common room, but when they walked past a pair of Ravenclaw first year girls, they squeaked and practically ran off in the opposite direction.

Harry scoffed, looking defeated. "That's not even the first time that happens," He told Saffron. "Justin Finch-Fletchly ran away from me in the library after lunch yesterday. I don't know what I can do to make it stop,"

"I think doing nothing is your answer, Harry," said Saffron sadly. "I think many of them are looking for a reaction so they're sure it's you, all you can really do is wait it out,"

"Great," mumbled Harry.

"Nobody important believes it, Harry," Saffron assured him. "I don't think many people in Gryffindor think it's you, and I know my siblings don't either. Not to mention the teachers, I mean . . . whoever did it had to be highly skilled,"

"I think that's what Hermione's trying to find out," Harry was thinking out loud. The past few days, Hermione had borderline locked herself in the library, trying to figure out what exactly the Chamber of Secrets was and whether or not they actually existed. "Has she told you anything about it?"

"I know as much as you," Saffron told him honestly. "That it's one big sick prank,"

"Dumbledore did say that only Dark Magic, could have done that, remember," Harry pointed out to her.

"True," she agreed, "But surely some of the Slytherin's could have learned it, I mean so many of their parents would have been--" she paused, and bit her lip. "Would've been able to do magic like that, so they probably learned it from them to scare us. Honestly, Harry, I really don't think you need to worry,"

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The next day, Saffron was shocked to be able to say that she had attended the most interesting History of Magic lesson to date, and probably that she would ever attend. It started off as boring as it always was. But one single question changed the trajectory of the class completely.

Of course, the question came from Hermione, who else would it be?

"Sir, I was wondering if you could tell us anything about the Chamber of Secrets,"

Suddenly, everybody was alert and listening. Saffron sat up straight and watched her fellow classmates do the same. For once, all eyes were on Professor Binns.

"My subject is History of Magic," he replied stiffly. "I deal with facts, Miss Granger, not myths and legends." The class let out a mutual groan of disappointment at that, as Professor Binns continued his usual speel again. "In September of that year, a subcommittee of Sardinian sorcerers--"

Hermione being Hermione wasn't going to take no for an answer, and everybody in the class loved it for her. Professor Binns simply couldn't annoy the whipping sound caused by her hand being raised in the air as it so often did.

"Miss Grant?"

"Please, sir, don't legends always have a basis in fact?"

Professor Binns stared at her for a couple of seconds. Saffron couldn't quite put a finger on how he felt about Hermione pursuing the subject so aggressively, but the glint in his ghostly eyes told her that there was a chance that he was at least somewhat impressed.

"Well," muttered Professor Binns, "yes, one could argue that, I suppose." He paused. "However, the legend of which you speak is such a very sensational, even ludicrous tale--" He gauged the reaction of the class, and upon seeing how excited everybody was, he decided to continue. Saffron doubted he had ever seen such a newly found interest in the subject before. "Oh, very well, let me see... the Chamber of Secrets...

"You all know, of course, that Hogwarts was founded over a thousand years ago - the precise date is uncertain - by the four greatest witches and wizards of the age. The four school Houses are named after them: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin. They built this castle together, far from prying Muggle eyes, for it was an age when magic was feared by common people, and witches and wizards suffered much persecution.

"For a few years, the founders worked in harmony together, seeking out youngsters who showed signs of magic and bringing them to the castle to be educated. But then disagreements sprang up between them. A rift began to grow between Slytherin and the others. Slytherin wished to be more selective about the students admitted to Hogwarts. He believed that magical learning should be kept within all-magic families. He disliked taking students of Muggle parentage, believing them to be untrustworthy. After a while, there was a serious argument on the subject between Slytherin and Gryffindor, and Slytherin left the school.

"Reliable historical sources tell us this much. But these honest facts have been obscured by the fanciful legend of the Chamber of Secrets. The story goes that Slytherin had built a hidden chamber in the castle, of which the other founders knew nothing.

"Slytherin, according to the legend, sealed the Chamber of Secrets so that none would be able to open it until his own true heir arrived at the school. The heir alone would be able to unseal the Chamber of Secrets, unleash the horror within, and use it to purge the school of all who were unworthy to study magic.

Everybody stared up at him, eagle-eyed and interested when he finished explaining the tale to them. Thoughts were undoubtedly swirling in each of their minds, as to whether or not the chamber did exist. This seemed to irritate Professor Binns, who remained firm on his stance that the Chamber was merely a fantasy.

"The whole thing is arrant nonsense, of course," he insisted. "Naturally, the school has been searched for evidence of such a chamber, many times, by the most learned witches and wizards. It does not exist. A tale told to frighten the gullible."

Saffron felt Hermione's hand fly into the air beside her.

"Sir - what exactly do you mean by the horror within the Chamber?"

"That is believed to be some sort of monster, which the Heir of Slytherin alone can control," Professor Binns told Hermione.

Biting her lip, Saffron considered the sound of that for a second. A monster that only the person who opened this so-called Chamber could control would wreak havoc in Hogwarts potentially. If hypothetically speaking, it was indeed real, she shuddered at the thought of what such a monster would do.

"I tell you, the thing does not exist," chided Professor Binns "There is no Chamber and no monster."

"But, sir," persisted Seamus, "if the Chamber can only be opened by Slytherin's true heir, no one else would be able to find it, would they?"

"Nonsense, O'Flaherty," snapped Professor Binns. "If a long succession of Hogwarts headmasters and headmistresses haven't found the thing--"

"But, Professor," Parvati said loudly, "you'd probably have to use Dark Magic to open it--"

"Just because a wizard doesn't use Dark Magic doesn't mean he can't, Miss Pennyfeather," Professor Binns responded cooly "I repeat, if the likes of Dumbledore--"

"But maybe you've got to be related to Slytherin, so Dumbledore couldn't -" started Dean, but Professor Binns cut him off before he could finish his sentence.

"That will do! It is a myth! It does not exist! There is not a shred of evidence that Slytherin ever built so much as a secret broom cupboard! I regret telling you such a foolish story! We will return, if you please, to history, to solid, believable, verifiable fact!"

That last rant by Professor Binns cut the air of excitement in the classroom to an end. In no time, it was back to the boring, predictable class that History Of Magic had always been. But, everybody left, satisfied, at their newly gained insight as to what the Chamber of Secrets was or could be.

"I always knew Salazar Slytherin was a twisted old loony," Ron was saying loudly, as he and the rest of the Gryffindors, made their way through the busy corridors, heading in the direction of their common room. "But I never knew he started all this pure-blood stuff. I wouldn't be in his house if you paid me. Honestly, if the Sorting Hat had tried to put me in Slytherin, I'd've got the train straight back home..."

Saffron couldn't agree with him more. Slytherin house stood for everything that she stood against. In particular, after hearing what Professor Binns had to say about the house. It just further solidified in her mind just how sinister the supposed heir of Slytherin could be, if they shared any personality traits with the roots of their house.