ActualWeeb: Hi guys! I'm back with a new chapter! In case the last chapter confused you, the third outcome I showed was the true outcome. Also, I know that Chapter Fourteen is supposed to be called "Cornelius Fudge", but in this, the chapter called Cornelius Fudge and the chapter called Argog merged, so this chapter is called Argog. I haven't skipped the last chapter.
Anyways, onto the chapter! I do not own Harry Potter.
"That's...that's not true..." Tom whispered.
"I'm sorry," said Bella.
"YOU'RE LYING!"
Bella flinched back at his scream. Tom noticed her startled expression and felt tears roll down his face.
"No...I'm sorry for yelling..."
Bella looked at Tom sadly before kneeling in front of him and pulling him into a hug. Tom froze for a moment before hugging her back, burying his face in her chest and sobbing.
"I-I can't be-!"
"You aren't," Bella whispered. "Not yet. You can change...you can be a good person."
Tom didn't respond. Sobs wracked his body as Bella held him, comforting him. She felt his sorrow resonate in her soul, because truthfully, she was terrified the books would bring her similar news that she had just given Tom. She feared that one day, she would become dark and bitter, just like Lord Voldemort. She feared that with all of the anger inside her, she was already on that path.
Eventually, Tom pulled away from the hug, his eyes red and puffy, tear streaks on his face.
"Why are you so nice to me?" he sniffed. "Why...?"
"Truthfully, I could have easily ended up like you," Bella admitted. "The only reason I didn't is because of my friends, I think...and that's what you need-a friend. I'll always be your friend, and I won't let you stray to the dark side. I vowed to myself to guide you on the right path."
"I...I won't be a bad guy, Bell-Bell!" Tom said. "I promise!" Bella smiled.
"I'm glad."
"'sides," Tom continued, "if I do, you'll just kick my butt, just like you kick Voldy-mor's butt!" Bella chuckled.
"Yeah...I would." She stood up and smiled down at him. "Are you ready to go back?" Tom nodded.
"Yeah...at least I know why people are scared of me now."
Bella looked down at him sadly before turning and leading him back out to the main room.
"Did...did you tell him?" Susan asked quietly.
"Yeah," Tom answered, looking down. "I'm really sorry...I...won't become like that, I promise!"
"I trust that you can stay on the path of goodness, Tom," Dumbledore told him, his eyes twinkling. "As long as you have love in your heart."
Tom stared at the old man, not fully understanding his cryptic message. "Uh...kay."
"Let's read," Luna said. "If we want to get over with reading, we should continue." Bella nodded and sat down in between her parents, Tom sitting on her lap. George started to read.
Chapter Fourteen, Argog.
Ron groaned.
"Hagrid?!" Ron gasped. "What makes you say that? I mean, I know he has an unfortunate liking for monstrous creatures, but...Hagrid? Really?"
Bella and Hermione hurriedly explained what they had seen.
"That Riddle bloke sounds a lot like Percy," said Ron. "Prefect, perfect grades, all the teachers probably adored him."
Tom looked down. But Percy wasn't evil.
"You say that like it's a bad thing," said Hermione.
"If you're stuck-up about it, it is. Anyways, are you sure he got the right person?"
"Well, we always knew...
...ask Hagrid about it all?"
"Because I'm sure he'd want to open up about his expulsion," Sirius said sarcastically.
...loose in the castle lately?"
"We should ask him," said Bella. "We need to know as much as we can so we can stop this from happening again.''
"What, right now?" Hermione asked.
"I think," said Bella, "It's time to get out my dad's cloak again."
The journey through the dark...
... sneezed at almost exactly the moment Ron swore.
Many people laughed.
...slight break in his voice.
"Hagrid, why are you so worried?" Hermione asked.
"It's nothin'," Hagrid insisted.He kept glancing nervously...
...It was Dumbledore.
"Thank goodness," Lily sighed.
...Had to come. Two attacks on Muggle-borns and an attack on the daughter one of the most powerful pureblood families- the daughter of the most powerful Neutral on the Wizengamot!
"They only care about my status," Daphne frowned.
The Ministry's got to act...
...Azkaban?"
"No!" Sirius gasped. They couldn't have just sent Hagrid to Azkaban...
...Order of Suspension
"Seriously? Suspending Dumbledore has got to be the stupidest thing you can do!" Tonks exclaimed.
...have there been now? Another attack this afternoon, wasn't it? And on Christmas, too. The child was a pureblood, which means no one is safe anymore... Not even my son. Action must be taken."
"Oh, now, see...
...follow the spiders.
"Why did it have to be spiders?" Ron groaned.
...scratching at the closed door.
"Look!" exclaimed Hermione. She pointed at the window of Hagrid's hut, where several large spiders were scuttling over the ground on the other side of the glass, moving in an unnaturally straight line as though taking the shortest route to a prearranged meeting.Ron looked very ill.
Fred felt a pang of guilt, remembering that it was his fault Ron was so scared of spiders.
"Should we follow them?" asked Bella.
"Well, Hagrid said to," Hermione said. "Maybe we can find something to free him."
"No, don't go into the forest, it's dangerous!" Madame Bones exclaimed.
"Too late," said Bella.
"Ron, are you in?" Bella asked. Ron looked terrified, but he looked at the empty seat in which Hagrid always sat in, and that seemed to strengthen his resolve.
"Yes," he said. "I'm in."
"Cmon, Fang, were going...
...watch the path for signs of spiders.Hermione also whispered "Lumos!" giving them better light.
"Good thinking...
...spider guides leaving the path.
"Noo, don't leave the path!" Susan whispered fearfully.
...come this far," said Ron.
"I don't know," said Hermione, shivering in the cold. "I don't think we should leave the path."
"Well, the spiders aren't on the path, 'Mione, so we either turn back now or follow the damn beasts," Ron snapped. Hermione squeaked and nodded.
So they followed...
...sounds like something big."
"Oh, no!" Molly whispered, fearful for her son and the girls who were her honorary daughters.
...through the trees.
"Do you think...it's a big spider?" Hermione whispered.
"Oh, no...
...already heard Fang!"
"Shh!'' Hermione hissed.
The darkness seemed...
...it's our car!"
"Oh, thank goodness," Cho sighed, thankful that it hadn't been some sort of beast.
...forest's turned it wild."
"Is that what you did to the poor car when you flew it into the tree?" said Hermione disapprovingly. "It's got dents all over!"
The sides of the car...
...face was livid with terror.
"Oh, no," groaned Charlie. "What happened?"
...she was hanging facedown.
"That's terrifying!" Astoria exclaimed.
"It was," Hermione said, pale.
"Bet 3 Knuts that it's an acromantula," Ginny whispered to Daphne. Ginny, of course, knew what was happening, as Bella had told her the story before.
"I bet that it's a basilisk," Daphne replied.
...into the dark trees. She heard Hermione scream as she was probably picked up as well.
Head hanging, Bella...
...eight-legged, black, hairy, gigantic.
"It's Acromantula!" Cho gasped.
"Dammit," Daphne hissed, passing Ginny the coins. Luckily, this time, Remus didn't point it out.
...Aragog!"
"That certainly explains the chapter title," said Snape.
...Kill them,"
"No!" Fluer exclaimed.
...didn't come from the Chamber of Secrets?"
"Of course not," muttered McGonagall. "Hagrid would never do such a thing."
...We do not name it!
"They treat it like it's Voldemort or something," commented Cedric. Everyonre stared at him. "...What?"
"You just said his name," said Ron.
"Oh," Cedric frowned. "I suppose reading these books has made me more comfortable with hearing and saying his name."
"Yeah, no one has flinched at his name since the first book," Tonks said.
"I'm glad to see that you have grown to not fear Voldemort's name," Dumbledore smiled.
...Good-bye, friend of Hagrid."
James hugged his daughter tightly, and Lily grabbed her arm.
"I was fine, don't worry!" Bella exclaimed.
"I'm still going to worry," James huffed.
...their ugly black heads.
"No! W-we're just children!" Hermione exclaimed. The spiders didn't seem to care.Even as she reached...
...the doors flew open.
"Thank Merlin, the car saved you," Mr. Weasley sighed in relief.
...back of the car, Hermione climbed in after Fang, the doors slammed...
...Bella got out too, followed by Hermione, and after...
...Ron being violently sick in the pumpkin patch.
"Oh, poor dear," Pomfrey said sadly.
Hermione was rubbing his back, comforting him.
"Follow the...
...like to know?"
"We found out that Hagrid isn't guilty," said Hermione firmly. "We could help him get out of Azkaban."
Ron gave a loud snort. Evidently, hatching Aragog in a cupboard wasnt his idea of being innocent. Bella threw the cloak over the two of them and started walking.
As the castle loomed nearer...
...fire had burned itself into glowing ash.
"Remind me to never let you wake me up again," said Ron shakily. "Nothing good will come from that- next time you wake me up for something I'll probably find myself petrified.
"Is that how you always felt about us waking you up in the middle of the night, Moony?" Sirius asked.
"Yes," Remus deadpanned.
Now, goodnight."
And so, Ron retreated into his dormitory, pale-faced. Hermione turned to Bella.
"Well," said Hermione, "this has certainly been an eventful Christmas."
"'Eventful' doesn't cover it," Neville muttered.
Bella nodded. She couldn't believe all of that had happened in the same twenty-four hours. Silently, Hermione and Bella climbed up to their dorm, which was much stiller and emptier than their minds were.
"Do you think we'll be able to free Hagrid?" Hermione asked as she climbed under her covers. Bella stared up at the canopy above her bed. Bella didn't see how they could. They had hit dead ends everywhere. Riddle had caught the wrong person, the Heir of Slytherin had got off, and no one could tell whether it was the same person, or a different one, who had opened the Chamber this time. There was nobody else to ask. However, the shakiness in Hermione's voice, the desperate hope, is what caused Bella to reply with, "Of course we will."
"That's the end of the story," said George. "Who wants to read next?"
"I will," Luna offered. George handed her the book.
"Chapter Fifteen, Slytherin's Monster."
ActualWeeb: Aaaand scene! Onto the reviews:
fanfiction reviews:
training to be a fangirl: Yes, that was the true outcome. You can still fangirl over Tom's cuteness! Also, I agree. Daphne's parents suck. And no, it's not annoying, I'm glad when you tell me who I didn't include becuase I need to remember to have them speak sometimes!
Talon: Yes, the parts of the book that aren't written are all from JKR, I don't include the text from the canon books for copyright reasons.
lilly-flower15: Thank you!
KieranDell1409: Oh, hun, you think that's RWBY Volume 3 level dark? We haven't even scratched the surface of how dark this fic is gonna get.
Rose099: I'll try to update soon!
DarkRavie: Thanks!
YuujouKami: I'm glad you liked it! Yes, I plan to have Daphne and Ginny get together in the future, and I agree, I do like writing the trio as really close in this.
Padfootette: Thanks!
winrykatbell: I loved the surprise of you coming to visit me and steALING MY CAT'S AFFECTION
fifespice: Thank you so much!
CJPotter4Life: I'm glad I cheered you up! I know Daphne's story is sad, but at least she and Astoria will have happy moments when she becomes friends with everyone! Also, you're not boring me. And also, yes, there will be DaphGin, but not yet.
ILoveGeorgeEads: Thank you! I agree, hopefully Bella will be able to guide Tom in the right direction.
Wattpad comments:
Kili-Loverxx: Thanks! I'll try to update ASAP!
Thanks for reading!