Chris Plovert
"Professor Snape is not playing around with all of this homework," Terry said as he took a sip of pumpkin juice.
Plovert was sitting with Kristen, Padma, Michael, and Terry at dinner. They all had parchment out and their Potion textbooks out next to their dinner so that they could eat and work at the same time.
"Just wait until our O. W. L. year. I heard he assigns triple what he is now," Padma said.
That was hard for Plovert to imagine. He spends more time on Potions than he does any of his other classes. Plovert thinks that Snape is a bit of a sadist and likes to watch his students suffer. Plovert never really minded doing homework when the topic was interesting though. Even though Snape was not Plovert's favorite professor, he actually liked Potions as a course.
"How much can one write about Wiggenweld Potion?" Michael asked.
"You're still on that essay? I finished that a while ago," Kristen said.
"When? I never saw you working on it," Padma said curiously.
"It was when Hermione was still in the Hospital Wing. We finished it together on the day before she was released," Kristen said.
Plovert was really confused about Kristen's sudden change of heart when it came to Hermione Granger. Since the Holiday Break, Kristen acts as if she and Hermione have been friends for years.
"Remember when you used to do your homework with us?" Padma asked.
Last year, Kristen and Padma always did their homework together, but this year Kristen seemed to hang out with Dylan and her friends more often. Padma is obviously annoyed and jealous by this, but Plovert is more curious than anything. Last year when Josh was spending time with Dylan's group it was because they were on an adventure together. They saved the school together and now with this Chamber of Secrets business, Plovert suspects that Dylan has invited Kristen to help them save the school from the Heir and clear the Potter Twins name. Plovert obviously did not think that the Potter Twins were involved with any of this. Dylan would never do something like this and Plovert couldn't imagine that Dylan would be okay with Harry doing any of this either. Plovert has been waiting for Kristen and Dylan to invite him to help out. Why wouldn't they? He was smart and trustworthy. He could really help them solve the mystery, but whenever Plovert hinted about it to Kristen, she would act like she had no idea what he was talking about. It was starting to get real annoying.
"I'm doing homework with you guys right now," Kristen pointed out.
"You know what I mean. Now the only time we ever see you is at meals and at class. You spend the rest of your time with the Potters, Granger, and that Weasley boy. Since when do you hang out with them?" Padma asked.
"I've been friends with Dylan for years and she is really going through a lot right now since everyone seems to think she is the Heir of Slytherin. She needs me," Kristen explained not looking up from her Parchment. She seemed nervous, like she was hiding something.
"Okay, but what about Granger? You used to not be able to stand her, but now you are having study dates with her," Padma said.
"Hermione really isn't that bad when you get to know her. She is just scholastically ambitious," Kristen shrugged.
Plovert gave Kristen a suspicious look that she seemed to be trying to ignore. He has always been very close with Kristen and he can tell when she is hiding something. Plovert would like to know what it is so that he can help.
"Whatever," Padma sighed.
Kristen gave her an apologetic look.
"Look why don't we have a good, old fashioned study session in the courtyard after breakfast tomorrow?" Kristen suggested.
"Why don't we hang out in the library tonight?" Padma asked.
"Well uh...I actually am helping Dylan with some...homework tonight, but I'm all yours tomorrow I promise," Kristen said.
Padma rolled her eyes.
"Sure," she said.
Plovert felt bad for Padma, but figured he could deal with that later. Right now Plovert wanted to figure out what Dylan and Kristen really were doing.
When dinner was done, Kristen headed towards the library while Terry, Michael, and Padma headed towards Ravenclaw Tower. Plovert turned to follow Kristen.
"Plovert, what are you doing?" she asked.
"Well if Dylan needs some extra help, I would love to assist you. She is my friend too after all," Plovert said innocently.
Kristen bit her lip nervously.
"You really don't have to. We aren't going to be long," Kristen said.
"But I insist," Plovert said.
Kristen looked around and sighed.
"You know we aren't doing homework, don't you?" she asked.
Plovert smirked and nodded.
"You're trying to figure out who the real Heir, aren't you?" he asked quietly.
"Well its complicated really. Dylan found a diary and we are trying to see if we find anything interesting in it," Kristen said as they reached the library's entrance.
"A diary?" he asked.
"Yeah. I guess you can help too, but you have to promise that you won't tell anyone," Kristen said.
"Of course. You know you can trust me," Plovert whispered so they wouldn't get in trouble.
Kristen finally looked over at Plovert and locked eyes with him.
"I know," she smiled. Then she led Plovert back into a hidden corner of the library when Dylan was sitting on the floor holding this old looking, black book.
"Plovert, what are you doing here?" she asked nervously.
"I'm done being kept in the dark. I want to help you," Plovert said taking a seat down next to her.
Dylan looked over at Kristen.
"He followed me here. We can trust him," Kristen explained.
"You know I will always have your back," Plovert said.
"What did Kristen tell you?" she asked.
"She told me you found this diary that you think might have some information you need for something," Plovert said.
Dylan looked at Plovert, then back at Kristen. Then she sighed.
"Well yeah, but the problem is...the pages are blank," Dylan said opening the book she was holding to show Plovert the blank pages.
"A blank journal," Plovert said.
This is it. Why do they care about some old, ratty blank journal.
"It used to belong to some do gooder named Tom Riddle who won some special awards. Merri-Lee gave it to me at Sammi and Harris's wedding and I gave it to Ginny Weasley. I've seen her writing in it, but when I found it, it was blank," Dylan explained.
So they care about reading some first year's diary? Plovert was confused, but figured there had to be a reason for this.
"Maybe it is invisible ink," Plovert said taking out his wand and taping the blank page while saying "Aparecium". Nothing happened.
"That was my theory too which is why I brought this," Kristen said pulling out a Revealer. Plovert remembered that she got over the summer so that all of them could write secret messages to each other in the Ravenclaw house. Plovert has one too in his bedroom. She began to rub it on the blank page, but once again nothing happened.
"Maybe she was writing in another book. Are you sure that this is her's?" Plovert asked.
"I know it. I remember it too well," Dylan said.
"Well it wasn't invisible ink and I highly doubt that she could have charmed it at such a young age," Kristen shrugged.
"I think you just have your hands on an old diary that nobody used," Plovert sighed. This was not what he was expecting. Was this really what Kristen was doing with Dylan? This is nothing compared to Josh's adventure last year.
"I don't trust it. You guys know that Merri-Lee always has a motive so maybe she gave this to me for a reason. Besides if it was just a blank journal, why would Ginny try to get rid of it by throwing it into a toilet?" Dylan asked.
"She probably didn't want to hurt your feelings for not wanting the journal you gave her. Besides why do you care about what an eleven year old or a former student from a long time ago wrote about?" Plovert asked.
Dylan and Kristen glanced at each other.
"There might be answers in it," Dylan explained.
Plovert sighed.
"I think you guys are wasting your time, but if you guys end up doing something important, you know where to find me," Plovert said standing up.
Was Dylan going crazy from the Chamber stress? She was hiding out in the library with an old, blank book. What was this mystery book going to do? Reveal to her how to beat the Slytherin monster? Plovert thinks that she is grasping at straws and for some reason Kristen is going along with it.
Plovert guesses that he will just have to hope that Dumbledore figures everything out before anyone else gets hurt. If anyone can do it, he can.
It seems that Plovert isn't going to be much help. Plovert is a very logical thinker and can't imagine that a blank diary could help with anything. He is willing to risk his life for friends, but isn't the type to do something that he feels is a waste of time. In the next chapter Kristen decides to do a little research on Tom Riddle with a friend and then after that we fastforward to Valentine's Day where Alicia seems to have some admirers.
