That Christmas, Katie and Chris chose to stay at Hogwarts over the break. It was either that or go on a ski trip with their family, which did no sound very appealing to either of the students.

Another Muggle-born student had been Petrified. It just so happened that said student was Justin, the boy from the duelling club. More and more people jumped on the theory that Harry was the heir of Slytherin, but it was only a matter of time before the Polyjuice potion would be completed and it could be proven that it was Malfoy behind the attacks.

Katie still was not convinced that it actually was Malfoy. He was mean and spiteful, yes, but murderous? Katie wasn't so sure, but she knew it was better to be safe than sorry.

Katie spent Christmas day in the Gryffindor common room with her friends, Chris and the Weasleys, which proved to be most enjoyable. They all exchanged presents and spent a lot of the day playing chess and other games. Fred and George caused an awful racket, but no one really minded, and no other Gryffindors had stayed for the holidays either, so the pair really weren't bothering anyone.

The plan was for Harry, Ron and Hermione to use the Polyjuice Potion and go to the Slytherin common room on Christmas night. So she didn't look too suspicious, Katie sat with Draco, Crabbe and Goyle at Christmas dinner. Malfoy made continuous snarky remarks about the jumper Harry was wearing (which had been knitted and gifted by Mrs Weasley), and Katie shot the blonde down with a glare every time.

When Draco had eaten enough food as he possibly could, he stood up and announced, "Right, I'll be going back to the common room now. Crabbe, Goyle, are you coming?"

Crabbe and Goyle gulped and their beady eyes longingly scanned the large trifle that was piled in front of them. Draco scoffed and rolled his eyes and, realising that he was not getting Crabbe and Goyle away from that table any time soon, he turned to Katie.

"Are you coming?"

Katie nodded and lifted herself from her seat. As she and Draco left the Great Hall together, she turned around, caught Harry's eye, and nodded, signalling to him that they were headed back to the common room.

Upon arrival at the common room, Katie told Malfoy that she was going to get changed and dismissed herself to her dormitory. She quickly changed into some more comfortable attire but did not return to Draco. Instead, she hid behind the open door the lead to the stairs of the girls' dormitories. She wanted to listen to the information that Harry, Hermione and Ron could manage to pull from Draco.

Not even a minute later, a patch of the stone wall turned into a door and Harry and Ron, disguised as Crabbe and Goyle stepped in (Katie had told them where the common room was located and how to get inside). Katie scrunched up her face in confusion, not knowing why Hermione hadn't joined the boys.

"There you are," Malfoy said loudly. "I was beginning to think you two were never going to leave the Great Hall."

Katie couldn't see what was happening in the common room, but she could hear everything as clear as day.

"I'm surprised the Daily Prophet hasn't done a report on all these attacks," Malfoy began and Katie's heart jolted. "I suppose Dumbledore's trying to hush it all up. Father's always said that Dumbledore was the worst thing to ever happen to this school."

"You're wrong!" Harry shouted, and a tense silence instantly filled the entire common room. Katie winced and held her breath.

"Harry..." she whispered disappointingly.

"What?" Draco barked. "You think there's someone here who's worse than Dumbledore? Well, do you?"

Another short silence followed as Harry thought of what to say next. To Katie's relief, he came up with the best response possible.

"Harry Potter." he said.

Malfoy chuckled. "Good one, Goyle. You're absolutely right. Saint Potter. And people actually believe that he's the heir of Slytherin?"

Katie found herself subconsciously edging closer to the door. Her heart began to thump wildly against her chest, thinking that Malfoy was actually about to confess to being Slytherin's heir.

"But you must have some idea who's behind it all." Harry piped.

"I told you before, Goyle. I wish I knew. I could help them out." Malfoy's voice dropped as he spoke his next words. "Father did tell me one thing, though. Last time the Chamber of Secrets was opened, a Mudblood died, so it's only a matter of time before one goes again. As for me, I hope it's Granger."

Katie felt her blood boil up with anger, but she didn't have much time to dwell on this rage, because Malfoy began saying something that distracted her from his last comment completely.

"Although, I do know one person who could potentially be behind it all..." His voice was slowly, drawled, almost uncertain, but somewhat evil.

"Who?" Ron said, a little too eagerly.

Katie could tell by Malfoy's voice that he was smirking when he said, "Blair."

Katie sucked in a sharp breath and clenched her fists. Malfoy thought she was the heir of Slytherin? He really believed that she could be so evil as to attack Muggle-borns?

"C-Christian Blair?" Harry asked stupidly, sounding extremely stunned.

"No, you idiot. Katerina Blair. You know, the Slytherin." Malfoy put emphasis on 'Slytherin,' making it a very important word in that sentence. Katie didn't need to be able to see them to know that Harry and Ron were exchanging glances of disbelief.

"A-are you sure?" Ron stammered nervously. Katie could tell that her friends' faith in her was faltering. This wasn't good.

"I mean, it makes sense," Malfoy stated. "Think about it, she's not a Mudblood, and while her entire family were Gryffindors, she was sorted into Slytherin. Doesn't that seem a bit odd? A girl coming from a long line of Gryffindors suddenly breaks the chain by being put into Slytherin. Why else if she wasn't the heir of Slytherin?"

If Katie had have been listening to this conversation from someone else's perspective, she would've been convinced by Draco's statement, so she couldn't even begin to imagine what Harry and Ron were thinking in the moment.

Malfoy continued. "Oh, and, to add to that, she's a Parselmouth. It all fits."

Harry and Ron couldn't seem to stifle their gasps. Katie's whole world stopped. For a split second, all her senses became numbed. She had not yet told Harry and Ron that she was a Parselmouth (mind you, she didn't actually plan on ever letting it slip to them), and now Malfoy had outed her deepest, darkest secret to the two people who she least wanted to find out.

Katie couldn't take it any longer. She finally revealed herself. Hot tears streamed down her face. Harry and Ron visibly tensed up when they saw her emerge from behind the door. Malfoy swung around to face his housemate.

"Is that really what you think?" Katie asked Draco weakly, her voice quivering. Malfoy smirked devilishly.

"Perhaps."

Katie took in a single, shaky breath and nodded once, before rushing straight out the door of the common room.