Sherlock Raja and the Case of the Petrified Puss

It started with Harry hearing whispers of doom.

Unfortunately, only he could hear them.

"Blood… I smell blood… Let me rip… tear… kill…"

Now, normally, this would be a huge red flag, but Harry—being Harry—chose to casually follow the terrifying voice instead of, you know, running in the opposite direction.

Ron and Hermione appeared just as Harry froze mid-step.

"You alright, mate?" Ron asked, waving a hand in front of Harry's face.

Harry ignored him and walked straight toward a wet corridor where spiders were evacuating like they'd just seen Snape smile.

Then, they saw it.

Blood-red words scrawled on the wall:

THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED. ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE.

And below it? Mrs. Norris, Filch's beloved cat, hanging from a torch bracket, completely petrified.

Before anyone could react, students flooded in.

Draco Malfoy, ever the sunshine of the room, smirked. "You'll be next, Mudbloods."

Hermione's face paled.

Before Ron could deck him, Filch stormed in, took one look at his cat, and lost his mind.

"YOU!" Filch pointed at Harry like he had personally hexed his ancestors. "YOU KILLED HER!"

Suddenly, a flash of light illuminated the corridor.

Raja appeared dramatically in front of Filch, his coat billowing despite the complete lack of wind.

"Hold on!" Raja said, striking a dramatic pose. "The cat isn't dead! She's only petrified!"

Filch blinked. "She's what now?"

At that moment, Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape arrived.

Dumbledore examined the cat. "Indeed, she is merely petrified."

Lockhart swooped in like an unwanted advertisement. "Ah, yes! If only I had my special countercurse, I could've—"

Raja, already bored of Lockhart, transfigured his robes into Sherlock Holmes attire, complete with a deerstalker hat and a bubble pipe.

"Elementary, my dear professors," he declared, blowing bubbles instead of smoke. "This crime can only be solved by the great Sherlock Raja Holmes!"

McGonagall, appearing behind him like a stealthy panther, whacked him on the head.

"Enough theatrics, Mr. Kumara. Five points to Slytherin for transfiguration skills, but stop… doing this."

Raja rubbed his head. "I feel the love, Professor."

Filch, still in denial, demanded justice.

"Harry did it!" he shrieked. "Punish him!"

Snape nodded, eyes gleaming. "Yes, headmaster. Clearly, this boy—"

POOF!

Raja transformed into a lawyer. Complete with a wig, a robe, and a floating legal document.

"Nonsense! In the court of Hogwarts Law, nobody is guilty until proven guilty!" he declared, slamming his hand on an invisible desk.

Snape pinched the bridge of his nose. "I loathe you."

Harry, Hermione, and Ron nodded in agreement.

Lockhart provided an alibi, claiming Harry had been helping him answer fan mail.

"Ah-ha!" Raja spun. "Then, as per the 'Innocence Until Proven Mischievous Act of 1423,' Harry is free to go!"

Dumbledore smiled. "That is not a real law."

"Yet," Raja muttered.

To prove a point, Raja transfigured again—this time into a doctor.

Producing a Mandrake restorative potion, he dramatically poured a drop onto Mrs. Norris.

"IT'S ALIIIIIVE!" Raja cackled as the cat twitched.

Filch snatched his cat up like a mother embracing her lost child.

"Oh, my sweet, sweet baby, you're back!"

Before Raja could gloat further, a shadow loomed over him.

Snape.

Snape lifted Raja by the collar. "And where did you get this potion?"

Raja gulped. "Uh… borrowed it?"

"You stole my ingredients?"

"Borrowed is such a nicer word—"

Snape dragged him off to the dungeons.

As Raja was hauled away, his final words echoed in the corridor:

"SOMEBODY SAVE MEEEEEEEE—"

The next day, McGonagall taught them how to turn animals into goblets.

Ron turned Scabbers into a furry cup.

McGonagall sighed. "Mr. Weasley, you need a new wand."

Raja, still sore from cleaning cauldrons all night, muttered, "I'll sponsor it… before he kills himself with that twig."

Then, Hermione asked about the Chamber of Secrets.

McGonagall explained Hogwarts' founders and how Slytherin left after a disagreement, but not before creating a hidden chamber with a monster to purge Muggle-borns.

"Cool," Raja muttered. "Love a good ancient murder conspiracy."

McGonagall ignored him.

Later, in the common room, Hermione looked serious. "Someone's opened the chamber. And Muggle-borns are in danger."

Ron nodded. "The heir of Slytherin must be back."

Harry narrowed his eyes. "Could it be Draco Malfoy?"

Raja immediately burst into laughter. "Draco? DRACO?! The biggest 'Daddy's Boy' to ever exist?" He wiped tears from his eyes. "No way. He doesn't have the guts."

"But—" Hermione started.

Raja pointed to himself. "You know who could be the heir? Me!"

The trio gave him deadpan stares.

Raja clutched his chest. "The betrayal. The lack of faith. My own friends!"

They ignored him.

"Crabbe and Goyle might know something," Ron suggested.

Hermione smirked. "I have a plan."

Raja grinned. "Ah yes, a Hermione plan. We're either going to break several school rules… or blow something up."

Ron sighed. "Most likely both."

Raja stretched his arms. "Welp, guess we're committing mild crimes now."

MAYA: "Master, you say that like it's new."

And thus, another chaotic scheme began.

To Be Continued…