“Jade!” Blaise shouted, running over to me and shamelessly throwing his arms around me.

I grinned.

He may have been taller, but his forthrightness hadn’t changed one bit.

He was still the same Blaise I had met last year, I reflected, but I had changed a lot.

I now had a father and had learnt more about myself.

“Jade…hello! Hello! Can you hear me? Merlin, you drift off into daydreams easily!” Blaise laughed, waving his wand in front of my face.

People stared at the two of us as they walked past. I could have sworn one old man muttered ‘children these days’ under his breath.

I jerked back to reality and glanced around. We were in Diagon Alley, just outside Flourish and Blotts.

Blaise smirked. “Welcome back to Earth!”

I rolled my eyes. Behind us, our parents had become engrossed in a conversation about subjects at Hogwarts.

“Alex and Anja both told me they’d be here today,” I told Blaise, glancing around again.

No sign of them.

“How about we go buy our – ugh – Gilderoy Lockhart books?” Blaise suggested, peering in through the window. “It looks quite busy in there – oh no, they’re doing a book-signing! Lockhart is in the shop! Oh well, I suppose we’ll have to go in there anyway.” He indicated for me to look through the window, and there he was, a man who looked like he thought he was the most important person in the world.

I suspected many of the people in line agreed with him.

“Oh, lovely,” I groaned, but pushed open the door.

Just in time to see Harry Potter receive all of Gilderoy Lockhart’s works, free of charge.

Then came the wonderful news.

Lockhart was going to be our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.

I turned to Blaise, horrified. “Lockhart’s our teacher?!!!!”

He nodded, looking equally horrified.

We stood at the back of the shop, waiting for the line to shorten a little and for photographers to finish taking Harry and Lockhart’s photographs.

A few minutes later, the photography session was over and the signing continued. Hermione, Harry, Ron and a girl who looked like Ron – I guessed she was his sister – came to the back of the shop.

Ron and his sister ignored us, Hermione gave me a hesitant smile and Harry glared at me.

As usual.

But before they could leave, Draco Malfoy came to the back of the shop too, from upstairs.

The five of them began arguing. Then two men joined these five.

I didn’t know them, but from their appearances I suspected that they were Draco’s father and Ron’s father.

This was not going to be good.

Mr Malfoy and Mr Weasley began arguing too. Their words had total hate behind them and I knew it wouldn’t be long until one – or both – of them snapped.

After some time, the Weasleys, Harry and Hermione left the shop.

The Malfoys remained behind. Mr Malfoy and Draco talked urgently for a few moments. Mr Malfoy then left the shop.

Then Draco caught sight of us and, for some reason, called me over.

Blaise started to follow me, but Draco shook his head so I muttered, “He must want to talk to me alone for some reason.”

He shrugged, nodded, and then motioned for me to go.

“Jade, I need to talk to you. It’s about Quidditch. You’re on the team, aren’t you?”

I thought I would probably get on the team this year, so I nodded.

He led me to a place out of earshot of everyone else. “There’s a lot I could tell you. But to cut it short, my father has gotten me onto the Quidditch team. He bribed Flint by giving everyone on the team a Nimbus Two Thousand and One. I’m a Seeker, although I’d prefer to be a Chaser like my brother Sirius. And you’re the only second-year I know will be on the team this year. None of my group is trying out. Anyway, the point is, everyone is going to think Father bought my way onto the team, because he did. I just wanted to ask if you could, I guess…defend me during matches, and before matches, if people try bully me about it? Especially that girl, Hermione Granger.”

He blushed and looked down at the ground.

“You fancy Hermione?” I teased.

He shrugged. “Maybe…but can you please promise me you’ll defend me?”

“I promise,” I said firmly.

He relaxed. “Thanks, Jade. And no more –”

“So, how long have you liked Hermione for?” I asked interestedly.

Draco sighed. He stared at me for a few seconds before his face broke into a grin. “Not telling you. But please don’t tell anyone. If word gets to my father that I fancy a Muggle-born…well, I don’t want to think about it.”

I nodded seriously.

Then he walked back to his father and I walked back to where Blaise was waiting for me.

Blaise didn’t ask what had happened and I didn’t even consider telling him.

We bought our books – it took ages – and then we left the store.

Outside Flourish and Blotts again, we decided to look for Alex and Anja.

After saying goodbye to our parents and telling them where we were going, we headed towards Quality Quidditch Supplies.

Just another pair of 12-year-olds, walking along on a summer’s day.

Finally, we reached the store and there they were.

Alex and Anja were standing together outside the store with their arms linked together. They were talking animatedly. Anja pointed at something, made a comment and Alex burst out laughing.

“OI! ALEX! ANJA!” Blaise yelled, and I laughed.

“You really have no sense of public embarrassment, do you?”

He grinned and shook his head. “Nope.”

Anja and Alex walked over to us – still with their arms linked together.

“When did you two start dating?” Blaise asked them casually, as if enquiring about the weather.

Alex and Anja quickly separated their arms. “We’re not dating!” they said in unison.

Blaise and I grinned at each other.

“Hi, you two lovers. We’ve got all our school supplies, have you?” I asked.

They both nodded. “Right. Well, I’ve got something to tell you.”

In a low voice, I told them about my being the Heir of Slytherin and the story of the Chamber of Secrets.

Alex looked worried. “That’s not good. You’re a Parselmouth, did you say? I don’t know if you have to open the Chamber…you might have to! Well, the one good thing is that we’re all half-bloods. Wait, Anja, you’re not Muggle-born, are you?”

Everyone looked at Anja.

She tilted her head to one side, frowning. “No…maybe…no, I don’t think so.”

Alex breathed a sigh of relief. “Good. But that’s still a massive responsibility. It is now effectively your job to make sure that the monster, whatever it is, does not get loose – this year or any other year here at school. Do you have any idea what the monster might be?”

I shrugged. “No idea. I’m just going off what my father told me. But you’re right. That is a huge responsibility. I just have to hope I’m not forced to open the Chamber.”

I had to hope…that didn’t sound hopeful at all.

And as I looked around at my three friends, I recognised a little bit of fear in each of their eyes.

Because as soon as I got to Hogwarts, the power to kill others lay in my hand.