"Blake, please let me tell you how-"
"Professor, I need 2 things," Blake interrupted. As much as he hated it, he found himself in Dumbledore's office, yet again.
"I need you and the Professors to check all the Owls coming in and out of Hogwarts to see if anyone's being blackmailed or tricked or cursed into doing this. Also, someone needs to monitor the Floo networks at all times."
"I see," Dumbledore said, wisely deciding not to continue to try and offer his apologies for Connor's petrification. "So you're hoping to see if there's an external influence on a student."
"Yes."
"Very well, Blake. Myself and the rest of the Professors will start today."
"Perfect. Goodbye, Professor."
Blake left as quickly as he could, not wanting to lash out the Headmaster. How many times did I tell him not to get my brother involved in this? How many times did I make my reasons clear? But he didn't care. Connor's petrified on the infirmary bed, and Dumbledore's sitting in his high chair, still scheming without a care in the world.
Blake remembered what his father had told him to do in his final moments.
"You're gonna be the man of the house now, Blake. You need to be strong for your mum and brother, okay?"
What would he think of me now? Blake thought, laughing bitterly.
Soon after, Blake met with Harry and Ron.
"So what now?" Ron said eagerly.
"We need to find the Heir, obviously, but it might take a while," Blake replied. "I've made arrangements so that if the Heir's acting from outside of Hogwarts, we'll know, but the results from that will take a long time to find out. Technically, we could make a rota of people to monitor the entrance to the Chamber too - that way, we could eventually see who the Heir is, but there's no way of guaranteeing our safety that way. Worst case scenario, even if we saw the Heir, they'd kill us before anything could happen."
"So what should we do?" Harry said desperately.
"We narrow down the most plausible suspects first. The Heir, if they're a student, would never be in Slytherin. If they were, I'd be petrified or dead by now. That leaves the other 3 houses. I've got someone in mind to help investigate in Hufflepuff, so you guys investigate Gryffindor."
"Wait a minute," Ron interjected. "I get what you're saying about them not being in Slytherin - Merlin knows you'd be the first one they off-"
"Ron!" Harry chided.
"But what about Ravenclaw? Isn't it awfully convenient that Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors are the only ones that have been targeted so far? No one from Ravenclaw?"
Harry nodded in agreement, but Blake shook his head.
"I disagree. Ravenclaws are smart, Ron - they wouldn't leave such an obvious hint. They'd have probably petrified one of their own in order to reduce the chance that they would be investigated. Obviously, you could be right, but if we're seeing which one's more probable, and considering our limited time before another attack, I'd say the Heir is from Hufflepuff or Gryffindor."
"So, you're guessing?" Harry said, slightly disappointed.
"I'm making an educated estimate," Blake corrected him. "Anyway, I'm going to go - there's someone I want to talk to about this."
Soon enough after he'd left the two Gryffindors, Blake found the person he'd been looking for.
"Cedric!" he called. The fourth year turned around, looking surprised.
"Blake?"
"I was hoping to talk to you about something?" he asked politely.
"Of course," Cedric said, his voice sympathetic. "And Blake, I'm so, so sorry about-"
"Thanks, Cedric," Blake quickly said. "Anyway, it's about that."
"I'm listening," the older boy said, an eyebrow raised.
"I think there's a decent chance that the Heir might be in Hufflepuff," he said bluntly. Seeing the look of outrage and confusion in the Hufflepuff's face, Blake quickly explained his thinking, and Cedric's outraged expressions gradually decreased.
"Obviously, they might not be in Hufflepuff, and I've got someone looking into it from Gryffindor. I'm only asking you to do this for me because I know you're close to a lot of people in Hufflepuff, and you're the only one of them I can trust," Blake said, with a small smile, remembering how Cedric had tipped him off earlier about Malfoy's attempt at cheating before their duel.
The Hufflepuff boy smiled.
"Okay, Blake. I don't think anyone in my House would ever do something like this, but I'll humour you."
"Thanks, Cedric - let me know if you think of or see anything, okay?"
The two bid their farewells to each other before parting ways.
Now there's one more person I need to see, Blake thought. It's a long shot, but I feel like something might be there…
"You wanted to see me?" Greengrass asked neutrally. The two were standing yet again in the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest.
"Yeah. I need a favour."
"I'm assuming this has to do with finding the Heir?"
"I have a hunch on who it might be, but I won't be able to investigate myself."
Greengrass raised an eyebrow. "So you think it's a girl, I presume? And you want to investigate their dorm, but because boys can't go into girls' dorms, you want me to?"
"Actually, I was hoping Kipler could instead - he'd probably be more efficient and better, right?"
"I agree. So, who's the girl?"
"First, do you agree to do this?"
"Of course I do," Greengrass said dismissively. "Dumbledore's going to be suspended soon. There's been too many petrifications recently, and Lucius Malfoy is on the Board. He'll take this opportunity to remove Dumbledore, and when he does, the Heir's only going to get bolder. But on the bright side, it means that there will be more opportunities for me to get Basilisk venom, if Dumbledore's not here."
"Okay then, summon Kipler. I'll explain to you both."
"Kipler!"
The house elf Apparated into existence, and bowed to Greengrass.
"Lady Greengrass. Is there something you require assistance with?"
"Yes, there is, Kipler. I believe Renshaw has something to say now."
The two turned to Blake expectantly.
"Okay, essentially, Kipler, I want you to look through someone's dorm room carefully and find something without them realising their room has been searched please. Similar to how you searched through my room for the Quill, except this time, you wouldn't really know exactly what you're looking for. Anything incriminating relating to the Chamber of Secrets, and anything especially relating to Voldemort, or the name 'Tom Marvolo Riddle'."
"I see. And is that your wish, Lady Greengrass?" Kipler asked.
"It is," Greengrass confirmed.
"Then I shall do as necessary," Kipler said, bowing again. "In that case, Mr Renshaw, whose dorm room will be needing investigation?"
"It'll be the first year female Gryffindor one, Kipler. And also, don't take anything from that room - we don't want them to know they are being investigated."
"And the name of the suspected female?"
Blake took in a deep breath. Maybe I'm overthinking, but between how Connor was describing her actions, and what I've seen of her, it's worth at least checking out.
"Ginny Weasley."
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