And another chapter for the day...
Chapter 10: Meanwhile, in Moaning Myrtle's Bathroom...
'Alexis... It's time to wake up my dear.'
Alexis groaned at the sound of McPherson's voice waking her up. But it wasn't McPherson's voice, it couldn't be. The voice was far smoother and cunning.
"Riddle?" whispered Alexis. "Is that you?"
She felt the presence of someone smiling down at her but as she looked around she found that no one was there. What she did find, however, was three chicken feathers in her hand and blood, lots of blood.
"What happened? What did I do?" Alexis whispered to herself. Much to her surprise, Tom Riddle's voice replied.
'You got into a scuffle with a few roosters,' he said, lazily. 'You handled yourself quite well, even without magic. Don't worry, the blood isn't yours my dear.'
"What?" mumbled Alexis. "Tom, what's going on? Why am I so tired?"
'Relax, Alexis. Everything is fine. I woke you up so your friends wouldn't get suspicious.'
"Suspicious of what? And why can I hear you in my head?" asked Alexis. She walked to the sink to wash off the blood but it wouldn't turn on.
'You keep disappearing right before a student is found petrified, my dear. People are going to start thinking you're the Heir. As for you being able to hear me, see it as another bonus to using my diary.'
"I..." started Alexis but she didn't know what to say.
After washing the blood off her hands in a different sink, she hurried through the halls towards the Gryffindor Tower. She was just about to reach the fourth floor when she heard Peeves screaming.
"ATTACK! ATTACK! ANOTHER ATTACK! NO MORTAL OR GHOST IS SAFE! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! ATTAAAACK!"
Alexis stumbled into the hall and caught sight of Harry and the petrified forms of both Nearly Headless Nick and Justin Finch-Fletchley just before the halls filled with panicked students and teachers.
"Caught in the act!" yelled second year Hufflepuff Ernie Macmillan, his face stark white, pointing his finger dramatically at Harry.
"That will do, Macmillan!" said Professor McGonagall sharply.
Peeves was bobbing overhead, now grinning wickedly, surveying the scene; Peeves always loved chaos. As the teachers bent over Justin and Nearly Headless Nick, examining them, Peeves broke into song:
"Oh, Potter, you rotter, oh, what have you done, You're killing off'students, you think it's good fun-"
"That's enough Peeves!" barked Alexis, and Peeves zoomed away backward, with shrug of his shoulders.
Alexis watched as Professor McGonagall led Harry away while the other teachers took carry of the two petrified figures. She couldn't stop the fear that was crawling under her skin.
'It's alright, Alexis,' said Tom Riddle in a voice Alexis almost mistook for comforting. 'You're not a Muggleborn, you're safe.'
"Yeah, but neither was Nick, he was a Halfblood," mumbled Alexis quietly.
'Ah, but I won't let her harm you, my dear. You are under my protection.'
Unsurprisingly, Tom Riddle's words did not comfort her. She ignored Hermione pleading look to talk and instead went straight to bed.
Alexis, however, did not spend much time in her bed. Oliver Wood, with the help of their House's Head Professor McGonagall, had forced her to go to the hospital wing. He, along with all her other Quidditch teammates, were convinced she was sick and needed to be healed up by the next game which was why Alexis found herself spending almost all of Christmas Break alone in the hospital wing.
'Well, I'm not entirely alone,' Alexis thought, bitterly. 'There's plenty of people here, they're all just petrified and can't talk back.'
'Your sense of humor seems to be entirely sarcastic,' said Tom. Alexis could feel him smirking even though she couldn't see him.
"Thanks," she said sarcastically earning her the first laugh of Tom Riddle.
She closed her eyes and drifted to sleep. When she woke up it was because of Harry and Ron were sitting at the end of her bed.
"I'm sorry, Hex," mumbled Ron. "I should have trusted you when you said Malfoy wasn't the Heir. You were right, I just really hate the bloody prat."
"I'm sorry too," said Harry. "I should have told them I believed you. I'm sure Hermione is sorry as well."
"Apology accepted, but um, where is Hermione?" Alexis asked.
"Behind the curtain," said Ron.
Harry leaned close to Alexis and whispered in her ear what had happened. It took all her strength not to laugh.
"I think I forgive you the most, Hermione," Alexis called over the curtain. "You undoubtably learned your lesson."
"Yes," said Hermione, "and I'll never question you again. Just don't tell anyone."
"Wouldn't dream of it," sang Alexis, "but I'm sure your a very pretty cat."
There was light laughter that filled the hospital wing and even Hermione joined in.
"Oh, Hermione noticed your gifts were still at the end of your bed so we brought them for you," said Harry. He pulled out several small gifts from behind his back.
"That ones from my mum and the family," said Ron, proudly.
Alexis opened all of her presents with newly found mirth. She laughed and joked with her friends as if nothing had happened. However, when she opened he last present, which just so happened to very expensive dragonhide Chaser gloves from the Malfoys, Harry turned the conversation to more serious matters.
"We know the Chamber of Secrets was opened fifty years ago, Hex," he whispered, "and we know whoever opened it was expelled."
"Now all we have to do is figure out who-"
Poor Ron nearly choked trying to stop talking as fast as he did. Madam Pomfrey shooed the boys out of the room, telling them it was too late for them to be out of their tower. Moments after they left, Hermione fell asleep and Pomfrey went to her own quarters, leaving Alexis alone once more.
'Alexis...'
"Yes, Tom?" Alexis whispered. She pulled out her journal just incase.
'I know who opened the Chamber of Secrets fifty years ago.'
Alexis's eyes lit up.
"Can you tell me?"
'No...'
"But-"
'I can't tell you, my dear... But I can show you.'
Before Alexis could say anything, Tom Riddle's diary fell open on her lap, it's pages flipping wildly. She felt herself being drawn to the book and before she knew it, her whole body was pulled into the pages.
Alexis felt her feet hit solid ground, and stood, shaking, as the blurred shapes around her came suddenly into focus. Standing in front of her was a very handsome boy, around Cedric's age, with jet-black hair and dark but very noticeable silvery-grey eyes. A silver prefect's badge was glinting on his chest.
"Tom?" Alexis asked cautiously. The boy looked at her and started walking towards her. Alexis was surprised when he didn't slow down but even more surprised when he walked right through her and opened the door behind her.
'I can't see you, my dear,' said Tom. 'This is but a memory.'
"You look..." Alexis started but trailed off.
Tom Riddle laughed for the second time, 'I look like my father but with silver eyes instead of green. I received them from my mother I'm afraid, the same as your best friend. Now hurry and catch up with me. I want you to see this.'
Alexis did as she was ordered and caught up to Tom's memory just as he entered the Headmaster's office. Surprisingly, however, it was not Professor Dumbledore who sat in the Headmaster's chair but another man who was bald except for a few wisps of white hair, and frail-looking in old age.
"Ah, Riddle," said the Headmaster.
"You wanted to see me, Professor Dippet?" said Tom Riddle. He looked nervous.
"Sit down," said Dippet. "I've just been reading the letter you sent me."
"Oh," said Tom. He sat down, gripping his hands together very tightly.
"My dear boy," said Dipper kindly, "I cannot possibly let you stay at school over the summer. Surely you want to go home for the holidays?"
"No," said Tom at once. "I'd much rather stay at Hogwarts than go back to that- to that-"
"You live in a Muggle orphanage during the holidays, I believe?" said Dippet curiously.
"Yes, sir," said Tom, reddening slightly.
"You are Muggle-born?"
"Half-blood, sir," said Tom. "Muggle father, witch mother."
"And are both your parents-?"
"My mother died just after I was born, sir. They told me at the orphanage she lived just long enough to name me - Tom after my father, Marvolo after my grandfather."
Dipper clucked his tongue sympathetically.
"The thing is, Tom," he sighed, "Special arrangements might have been made for you, but in the current circumstances..."
"You mean all these attacks, sir?" said Tom.
"Precisely," said the headmaster. "My dear boy, you must see how foolish it would be of me to allow you to remain at the castle when term ends. Particularly in light of the recent tragedy... the death of that poor little girl... You will be safer by far at your orphanage. As a matter of fact, the Ministry of Magic is even now talking about closing the school. We are no nearer locating the-err-source of all this unpleasantness..."
Tom Riddle's eyes had widened.
"Sir- if the person was caught-if it all stopped-"
"What do you mean?" said Dippet with a squeak in his voice, sitting up in his chair. "Riddle, do you mean you know something about these attacks?"
"No, sir," said Tom quickly.
Alexis truly wished she could read the minds of memories at this moment.
Dippet sank back, looking faintly disappointed.
"You may go, Tom..."
Tom Riddle slid off his chair and slouched out of the room and Alexis followed him. He looked nervous, and bit his lip as if he was thinking hard. Finally, as if he had made up his mind, Tom took off quickly down the stairs. They didn't see another person until they reached the entrance hall, when a tall wizard with long, sweeping auburn hair and a beard called to Riddle from the marble staircase.
"What are you doing, wandering around this late, Tom?"
Alexis's eyes widened at the sight of the wizard. He was none other than a fifty-year-younger Dumbledore.
"I had to see the headmaster, sir," said Tom.
"Well, hurry off to bed," said Dumbledore. "Best not to roam the corridors these days. Not since..."
He sighed heavily, bade Tom good night, and strode off. Tom watched him walk out of sight and then, moving quickly, headed straight down the stone steps to the dungeons, with Alexis in hot pursuit.
When they finally did reach the dungeons, Tom, however, did not take her to the Slytherin Common Room. Instead he led her into what would soon be Professor Snape's potion classroom.
"C'mon... gotta get yeh outta here... C'mon now... in the box..."
There was something familiar about that voice...
Tom suddenly jumped around the corner. Alexis stepped out behind him. She could see the dark outline of a huge boy who was crouching in front of an open door, a very large box next to it.
"Evening, Rubeus," said Tom sharply.
The boy slammed the door shut and stood up.
"Hagrid?" Alexis said a loud. Both boys ignored her.
"What yer doin'down here, Tom?"
Tom stepped closer.
"It's all over," he said. "I'm going to have to turn you in, Rubeus. They're talking about closing Hogwarts if the attacks don't stop."
"N at d'yeh-"
"I don't think you meant to kill anyone. But monsters don't make good pets. I suppose you just let it out for exercise and-"
"It never killed no one!" said Hagrid in boy form, backing against the closed door.
"Come on, Rubeus," said Tom, moving yet closer. "The dead girl's parents will be here tomorrow. The least Hogwarts can do is make sure that the thing that killed their daughter is slaughtered..."
"It wasn't him!" roared the Hagrid, his voice echoing in the dark passage. "He wouldn'! He never!"
"Stand aside," said Tom, drawing out his wand.
His spell lit the corridor with a sudden flaming light. The door behind Hagrid flew open with such force it knocked him into the wall opposite. And out of it came something that made Alexis's eyes light up with amazement and horror.
A vast, low-slung, hairy body and a tangle of black legs; a gleam of many eyes and a pair of razor-sharp pincers- Tom raised his wand again, but he was too late. The thing bowled him over as it scuttled away, tearing up the corridor and out of sight. Tom Riddle scrambled to his feet, looking after it; he raised his wand, but Hagrid leapt on him, seized his wand, and threw him back down, yelling, "NOOOOOO!"
The scene whirled, the darkness became complete; Alexis felt herself falling and, with a crash, she landed on the tile floor of Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, Tom Riddle's diary lying open on her stomach.
"What was that?" she shouted.
'You needed to know the truth,' Tom replied, coolly.
"The truth? Hagrid did not open the Chamber of Secrets, I know it!"
Alexis felt Tom Riddle smiling at her and, if only for a brief moment, saw him doing just that. It frightened her, the sight of him that is, and she grabbed her head in confusion.
"Get out of my HEAD!"
Throwing the diary as far as she could, Alexis scrambled to her feet and ran out of the bathroom, not once looking back at where the journal had landed.
Well? I thought that was a pretty good time to end it
special thanks to all of you lovely creatures that read my stories!
Luna the HP fan: the answer to your first question(tactically first two questions) is yes. That's all you get for that one ;P As for the spell Amo Tu, it's a comforting spell that is used to calm its target. I might just write a oneshot to explain it better but don't expect it anytime soon (or do I'm not very good at knowing when I'll get around to stuff). Anyway thanks for the review!
more reviews would be awesome! You guys rock and are very inspiring!
DCF