Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets- with Newt
Disclaimer: Not mine.
Chapter 13: Valentine and Diary
Like they expected, Madam Pomfrey didn't ask any question about Hermione, who had to spend few weeks in the infirmary. Harry and his friends visited her everyday and brought her homework as well. To no one's surprise, she actually did the homework. She began to be in a better spirit when she began to turn back normal. To her disappointment, none of her friends got anymore clue since she was in the infirmary.
"I can't believe after this many weeks, we still didn't get any more clues." sighed Harry. "I thought it was Malfoy. To think it wasn't him!" grumbled Ron.
"Don't worry guys. There is one more way we can information." said Newt. Three of them looked at Newt. "What are you talking about? Do you have another plan?" asked Hermione.
Newt shook his head. "No, it's a plan I started before we started to brew Polyjuice Potion. You see, I have an…. informant. Soon, we are going to meet that informant. Hopefully, he might have some information." said Newt.
"Informant? How do we know this informant is trustworthy? Also, you know you can't let strangers into castle's without permission Newt." said Hermione. "Hermione, calm down. It's perfectly trustworthy and legal. We just have to wait bit more and meet the informant." assured Newt.
"Say, Hermione. What's that under the pillow?" asked Ron as he pulled out something that looked like a letter from Hermione's pillow. "What is this? To Miss Granger, wishing you a speedy recovery, from your concerned teacher, Professor Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defense League, and five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award. Is this real?" asked Ron with disgust. Fortunately for Hermione, Madam Pomfrey shooed all three of them out to give Hermione her potion.
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"I can't believe her. She actually likes that idiot!" exclaimed Ron. They were walking back to the common room when they heard Filch scream. "Oh no. Do you think there was another attack?" asked Newt. "Only one way to find out." said Harry.
The trio quietly followed where the scream was heard. Then, Filch went pass them swearing loudly. "This is the final straw! More mess! When I'm already piled with work! I am going have a long chat with Dumbledore!" yelled Filch.
"What do you think that was all about?" asked Ron. "Look!" said Harry as he pointed the floor. It was the same floor Mrs Norris was attacked, only it was flooded with water. The water was coming from Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, where a large wail was heard.
They all went inside the bathroom, only to find Myrtle howling and sobbing worse than usual. "Um… Hi Myrtle." said Harry to get the ghost's attention.
"Who are you! Are you here to throw things at me again?" demanded Myrtle. "No. No one is here to throw things at you. Why would someone do such thing?" said Newt.
"How should I know? I was just here minding my business when somebody threw a book at me!" said Myrtle.
"Well, why should it bother you? Shouldn't it go right through you?" asked Ron. Newt stomped on Ron's feet but it was too late. "Oh sure! Let's throw things at Myrtle! Fat stupid wailing Myrtle, who probably has no feeling!" shrieked Myrtle.
"Who threw it to to you?" asked Harry. "No idea. I was sitting behind the stalls with the door closed. It's right there." said Myrtle as she pointed at one of the stall.
They all went to the stall and found a small book laying there. Harry tried to pick it up, but Ron stopped him. "Don't touch it. It could be dangerous." said Ron. "He's right. There could be some kind of jinx in there." said Newt.
"Don't be silly. How can a book be dangerous?" asked Harry as he picked up the book. Harry picked up the small soggy book. The cover said it was over 50 years old and on the back of the cover the name T M Riddle was written.
Ron looked at the book. "T M Riddle. Hey! That's the name that was on one of the Hogwart's trophy! He got an award for special service I think." said Ron. Harry opened the book, and to his disappointment, it was blank. In fact, every single page was blank.
"Why would someone try to flush away a blank diary?" asked Newt. "Beats me. Hey, its says that the diary is bought from Vauxhall Road. I know that place. Riddle must have been a muggle." said Harry.
"Well, I guess it's probably nothing. Hey Harry can you give it to me? I want to see what it looks like when a book goes right through your head." asked Ron as he looked around for Myrtle. Harry just pocketed the diary.
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To the trio's relief, Hermione was soon released from the Hospital wing. First thing they did was to show her the diary. "Maybe it might have some secrets." said Hermione as she inspected the diary. She poked the diary with her wand and whispered something and she would even rub a revealer at it, but the diary was still blank as ever.
"It's hiding its secret pretty well. Maybe person who wrote on this is shy." said Ron. "Say, why did you keep this anyway?" asked Newt. "I wanted to know who and why someone chucked this. Also, I got curious about how he got the special service award."
"Maybe he got the highest OWL score in history of Hogwarts? Or maybe he saved a teacher from being eaten alive?" said Ron. Then Newt spoke up. "Did you say this diary was over 50 years ago?" asked Newt. "Yes." "What happened at Hogwarts 50 years ago?" said Newt.
Hermione caught what Newt was trying to say. "What if, Riddle got the award for catching the monster that killed Myrtle!" exclaimed Hermione. "Exactly! Maybe this diary has some sort of clue about that monster." said Newt. "Person who opened the chamber didn't want anyone to find out about the monster, so that person threw away the diary!" said Hermione.
Harry couldn't explain why he didn't just throw Riddle's diary away. The fact was that even though he knew the diary was blank, he kept turning the pages, as if there was something on it. And while Harry was sure he had never heard the name T. M. Riddle before, it felt as if it meant something to him, almost as though Riddle was a forgotten friend from his childhood.
Harry was determined to find out more about Riddle, so next day, he headed for the trophy room with Hermione, Newt and reluctant Ron. They went in and not only found Riddle's name on the special service trophy, but also on a list of old Head Boys.
"Wow. He's like Percy. Prefect, Head boy, he probably had best grades…" said Ron. "Why, is that a bad thing?" asked Hermione in a hurt voice. "No I didn't mean it that way." Ron said quickly.
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Thing were going more and more hopeful as time passed on. The mandrakes were growing well and there has been no more attack since Justin and Nick. Only downside was the Hufflepuff's were still cold to Harry, believing that Harry is still guilty.
The happiest person at the moment was Gilderoy Lockhart, who acted as if he stopped the attacks. Harry once overheard him telling Professor McGonagall "There will be no more ore trouble, Minerva. I believe The Chamber has been locked for good this time. The culprit must have known it was only a matter of time before I caught him. Rather sensible to stop now, for I show no mercy to dark wizards. You know what. I think this school needs a moral booster. And I have just a thing…." said Lockhart as he walked away chuckling, leaving dumbfounded McGonagall alone.
To many students and teacher's dismay they found out what that moral booster was at the Valentine's day. When Harry walked into the great hall during the morning, at first, Harry thought he was still dreaming because the hall was completely covered with large pink flowers. There were even confettis falling from the ceilings. Harry went over to the Gryffindor table, where Ron was sitting looking sickened, Newt's face was grim and Hermione seemed to have been overcome with giggles.
"Exactly what is going on?" asked Harry. Ron didn't reply. Instead, he pointed at where the teacher's set. Lockhart was wearing lurid pink robes just like the flowers and was was waving for silence. The teachers all looked grim. He could see McGonagall's lips thinning, Hagrid who was frowning under his beards and Snape glaring at Lockhart murderously.
"Happy Valentine's Day!" Lockhart shouted. "And I would like to thank 46 people who have so far sent me cards! Yes! It is me who have taken the liberty of arranging all this. But real surprise begins now!"
Harry was half wondering and half horrified at what the next "great" surprise might be. Lockhart clapped his hands and through the doors to the entrance hall marched a dozen dwarfs, all wearing golden wings and carrying harps.
"My beloved, card carrying cupids!" beamed Lockhart. "They will be walking around the school today delivering your valentines! And the fun doesn't stop here! I'm sure my colleagues will want to enter into the spirit of the occasion!
The expression on the teacher's face clearly showed they were feeling the exact opposite. "You should ask Professor Snape to show you how to whip up a Love Potion! Or, you could ask Professor Flitwick about Entrancing Enchantments! That sly old dog is best at that charm than anyone, except me!"
Professor Flitwick buried his face in his hands while Snape looked as if he wanted to force fed poison to anyone who even utters the word Love Potion.
"Please, Hermione, tell me you weren't one of the forty-six," said Ron as they left the Great Hall for their first lesson. Hermione suddenly became very interested in searching her bag for her schedule and didn't answer. Newt rolled his eyes and sighed.
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All day long, the dwarfs kept barging into their classes to deliver valentines, to anger and annoyance of many teachers.
Late that afternoon as the Gryffindors were walking upstairs for Charms, one of the dwarfs caught up with Harry. "Hey you! Harry Potter!" yelled the dwarf.
The very idea of being given a Valentine in front of a line of first years, which happened to include Ginny made Harry go red. Harry tried to escape but the dwarf held onto Harry tightly.
"I've got a musical message to deliver to Harry Potter." he said, twanging his harp "Please, not here," Harry hissed, trying to escape.
"Stay still!" grunted the dwarf, grabbed Harry's bag. "Let me go!" Harry snarled, tugging. With a loud ripping noise, his bag split in two. Everything fall on the floor, and ink bottle smashed over everything.
Harry scrambled around, trying to pick it all up before the dwarf started singing. Then, he heard the last voice he wanted to hear in this situation.
"What's going on here?" came Malfoy's drawling voice. Harry tried to stuff everything feverishly into his ripped bag, desperate to get away before Malfoy could hear his musical valentine.
"What's all this commotion?" said Percy Weasley rushing towards the crowd. Harry once again tried to run but the dwarf seized him around the knees, causing him to fall.
"Right," he said, sitting on Harry's ankles. "Here is your valentine
His eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad,
His hair is as dark as a blackboard,
I wish he was mine,
he's really divine,
The hero who conquered the Dark Lord
Harry would have gave up all his money to just disappear from this situation. His face became the color of Weasley hair when he saw people snickering. The dwarf did not stop. The dwarf opened his mouth to say it again when Newt came to rescue.
"Hello hard working dwarf, may you find a treasure you desire with all your heart." said Newt. "That must be the formal greetings for dwarfs." thought Harry. The dwarf blinked and got off from Harry's ankle. Newt continued. "I am so sorry to trouble you but could you be kind enough to stop telling this man his Valentine? It is making him uncomfortable." asked Newt politely.
The dwarf nodded and rushed off to give the next victim his Valentine. "Thanks Newt." said Harry. "No problem."
"Hey what is this?" said Malfoy loudly as he picked up Riddle's diary. Newt groaned at the idea of Malfoy picking another fight while Ginny paled. "Give that back," said Harry quietly. "Wonder what Potter's written in this?" said Malfoy, who obviously thought he had Harry's own diary.
"I said give it back." said Harry. "When I've had a look," said Malfoy, waving the diary tauntingly at Harry. Harry pulled out his wand and yelled "Expelliarmus!"
The diary shooted out of Malfoy's hand and Ron caught it with a large grin. "Harry!" said Percy loudly. "No magic in the corridors. I'll have to report this, you know!"
But Harry didn't care if he got to hex Malfoy, 5 points wasn't a big deal for him. Malfoy was looking furious, and as Ginny passed him to enter her classroom, he yelled at her, "I don't think Potter liked your valentine much!" Ginny covered her face with her hands and ran into class.
When Harry got to class, he noticed something rather odd about the diary. All his books were drenched with ink, except for the diary. He was about to look at the diary again until he had to stop Ron from waving his faulty wand again.
Harry went to bed before anyone else in his dormitory that night. Partly because he didn't think he could stand Fred and George singing, "His eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad" one more time, and partly because he wanted to examine Riddle's diary again in private.
Harry sat on his bed and looked at the diary. It had no trace of ink on it. Harry pulled out a quill and ink and wrote My name is Harry Potter in the first page. The words shone momentarily on the page and they, sank without trace. Then, something happened.
The diary had wrote back to Harry. "Hello, Harry Potter. My name is Tom Riddle. How did you come by my diary?" These words, too, faded away, so Harry scribbled back. "Someone tried to flush it down a toilet." and waited for Riddle's reply.
"Lucky that I recorded my memories in some more lasting way than ink. But I always knew that there would be those who would not want this diary read." "What do you mean?" Harry scrawled. "I mean that this diary holds memories of things that were covered up. Things that happened at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
"I'm at Hogwarts, and horrible stuff's been happening. Do you know anything about the Chamber of Secrets?" Riddle's reply came quickly, his writing becoming untidier, as though he was hurrying to tell all he knew.
"Of course I know about the Chamber of Secrets. In my day, they told us it was a legend, that it did not exist. All lies. In my fifth year, the Chamber was opened and the monster attacked several students, until it killed one. I caught the person who'd opened the Chamber and got him expelled. But Headmaster Dippet forbade me to tell the truth. A story was given out that the girl had died in a freak accident."
"Could you tell me more about it?" asked Harry. "Better, I will show you. I will show you the memory of that day." replied the diary.
Harry suddenly felt like he was being sucked into the diary. He began to spin until his feet hit solid ground. When Harry looked around, he knew immediately where he was. This circular room with the sleeping portraits was Dumbledore's office, only there was no Dumbledore.
An old frail looking wizard was reading a letter by candlelight. Harry had never seen this man before. "Oh I'm sorry. I didn't meant to barge in like this." said Harry.
But the wizard didn't look up. Harry drew nearer to his desk and stammered, "Er... I'll just go. Is that ok?"
Still the wizard ignored him. It was as if he was ignoring the fact that Harry was there. Thinking that the wizard might be deaf, Harry raised his voice. "Sorry I disturbed you. I'll go now," he half shouted.
The wizard folded up the letter with a sigh. He stood up walked past Harry and went to draw the curtains at his window. The sky outside the window was ruby red, meaning it was sunset. The wizard went back to the desk, sat down, and twiddled his thumbs, watching the door.
Harry looked around the office. And saw Dumbledore's belonging was not there. Harry realized this was Hogwarts as Riddle had known it, meaning that this unknown wizard was Headmaster of that time and Harry was little more than a phantom, completely invisible to the people of fifty years ago.
Then someone entered the room. A boy of about sixteen with a prefect's badge was glinting on his chest entered. He was much taller than Harry, but he had black hair like him.
"Ah, Riddle," said the Headmaster. "You wanted to see me, Professor Dippet?" said Riddle looking rather anxious. "Sit down," said Dippet. "I've just been reading the letter you sent me." "Oh," said Riddle. "And so can I?"
"My dear boy," said Dippet kindly, "I cannot possibly let you stay at school over the summer. Surely you want to go home for the holidays?" "No," said Riddle at once. "I'd much rather stay at Hogwarts than go back to that… place."
"You live in a Muggle orphanage during the holidays?" said Dippet curiously. "Yes, sir," said Riddle.
"You are Muggle born?" "Halfblood, sir," said Riddle. "Muggle father, witch mother. 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."
"The thing is, Tom," he sighed, "Special arrangements might have been made for you in other times. But in the current circumstances I'm afraid it's not possible."
"You mean all these attacks, sir?" said Riddle, and Harry's heart leapt, and he moved closer. "Yes." 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 with the death of that poor girl... You will be safer by far at your orphanage. The Ministry of Magic is even now talking about closing the school. We still have no clue whatsoever about the attack…"
Riddle's eyes had widened. "Sir, if the person was caught and all this stopped…" "What do you mean?" said Dippet. "Riddle, do you you know something about these attacks?"
"No, sir," said Riddle quickly. But Harry felt like Riddle was not being truthful. Dippet sank back, looking disappointed. "You may go, Tom…"
Riddle slid off his chair and slouched out of the room. Harry followed him. Riddle went down the corridor and stopped. Harry could tell that Riddle was doing some serious thinking. He was biting his lip, his forehead furrowed.
Then, as though he had suddenly reached a decision, he hurried off with Harry following 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?" Harry gaped at the wizard. He was none other than Dumbledore from fifty years ago. "I had to see the headmaster, sir," said Riddle.
"Well, hurry off to bed. It's not safe these days." said Dumbledore. AHe sighed heavily, bade Riddle good night, and strode off. Riddle watched him walk out of sight and then, moving quickly, headed straight down the stone steps to the dungeons, with Harry in hot pursuit.
To Harry's curiosity, Riddle led him to the very dungeon used for Potion class. It was dark and Riddle slowly pushed the door. Then Riddle froze at the same spot for a long time. Harry wondered what Riddle was doing. All he was doing was staring between the crack of the door. Harry waited and waited until he heard a voice from behind the door.
"C'mon… gotta get yeh outta here… C'mon now… in the box…" There was something familiar about that voice. Riddle suddenly jumped around the corner. Harry stepped out behind him. He could see the dark outline of a huge boy who was crouching in front of an open door with a very large box next to it.
"Evening, Rubeus," said Riddle sharply. Rubeus? But there was only one person Harry knew had that name. The boy slammed the door shut and stood up. "What yer doin' down here, Tom?"
"It's over. They are even talking about closing the school. Now I don't think you even meant to kill someone, but frankly, monsters don't make good pets." said Riddle.
"It never killed no one!" said the large boy, backing against the closed door. From behind him, Harry could hear a funny rustling and clicking.
"Come on, Rubeus," said Riddle, 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!" yelled the boy. "He wouldn'! He never!" "Stand aside," barked Riddle, drawing out his wand.
His spell lit the corridor with a sudden flaming light. The door behind the large boy flew open with such force it knocked him into the wall opposite. Out of it, A creature with low slung, hairy body and a tangle of black legs with lots eyes and a pair pincers came out.
Riddle raised his wand again, but he was too late. The thing scuttled out of the room up to the corridors Riddle raised his wands and tried to run after the creature but the huge boy grabbed Riddle and tried to stop.
That was when the scene ended and Harry felt himself falling on his bed with Riddle's diary lying opened. Before he had had time to regain his breath, the dormitory door opened and Ron and Newt came in.
"There you are," said Ron. "Why are you in bed so early?" asked Newt. Harry sat up, sweating and shaking. "What's going on?" said Ron, looking at him with concern. "Guys, it was Hagrid. Hagrid opened the Chamber of Secrets fifty years ago."
A/N Some descriptions are from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by JK Rowling. Please leave a review! Constructive criticism are welcomed