"Use your bloody head, Ariadne!" Ron exclaimed, for what seemed to be the dozenth time. Harry had pocketed the diary before taking it back to the Common Room where they found Ron, who had very obviously been waiting for Harry by the fireplace. "How could it be Ginny's diary if it's empty? She writes in the bloody thing all the time, you've seen it yourself!"
"I suppose you're right," Ariadne conceded hesitantly, looking over the blank pages from where she sat on the arm of Harry's chair, as he skimmed through the book once more. "I don't know why– it just looks awfully like it, I guess."
"Of course it looks like it," Ron rolled his eyes. He leaned back in his armchair, however, no longer prepared to argue. "It's a black book. Not too unique, is it?"
Ariadne sighed. "You're right. I just got this feeling–"
"I know what you mean," Harry said quietly. "About the feeling, at least. But it's not Ginny's diary," he said confidently, pointing to the cover. "1942. And the inside says T.M. Riddle. But he never wrote in it." Again, Harry flipped through the pages quickly from cover to cover, searching for any more clues. Ariadne peered closer.
"Vauxhall Road," she read aloud. "Muggle-born, maybe? That's near my old school."
"T.M. Riddle?" Ron interjected, getting up to join Ariadne and Harry in looking at the book before thinking better of it. He'd been cautious of even opening the book, citing advice from his father, but Harry had not heeded his warnings. Sitting back down, Ron crossed his arms thoughtfully. "I know that name… T.M. Riddle went to Hogwarts. Got an award for special services to the school fifty years ago. Hey!" he cried, indignant at the look Harry and Ariadne shared. "I know things too, you know. If you'd wiped slug slime off his name for an hour, you'd remember it too."
"T.M. Riddle…" Ariadne mused. "There's got to be something in here. Dobby said that there would be a book with instructions for the Chamber, and now we've found this book on my first day back. Keep looking," she instructed imperiously. The corner of Harry's mouth curled up into a half-smile, but he complied, peeling still-damp pages apart.
"Bit convenient though, don't you think?" Ron looked dubious.
"That's what I said!" Harry claimed, and Ron's frown turned into a grin to match Harry's own. "But it's what we've got. And we do always seem to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, so maybe things are working out for once?" Even Harry seemed to be attempting to convince himself, as if it really was so impossible that things might work out for him.
"Well," Ariadne began. "I think we all know what our next step is." She looked at Harry and Ron expectantly, and after a beat, the three spoke in unison.
"Wait for Hermione."
And wait they did. Ariadne and Harry found the diary on the 3rd of January, and Hermione didn't return from the library until February 1st. Though they visited her every day during that month, Harry feared taking the diary out of the dormitory, particularly when they weren't certain what it could do. In the meantime, although Ariadne had not yet seen Ginny writing in her diary, that didn't mean much considering Ginny had resumed avoiding Ariadne like the plague. Considering the diary was from 1942 anyway, it could hardly be Ginny's.
When Harry did present Hermione the diary, she was confident that the diary was the key to the Chamber, opting to ignore Ron's dramatic eye rolls.
"Absolutely brilliant theory, guys," Ron said, sarcasm evident. "Tiny flaw though– the diary's empty. He got a diary for Christmas and didn't bother filling it in. Don't blame him. Not very manly, is it? A diary?"
Now, it was Hermione who rolled her eyes, and when she dragged the three of them over to the trophy room for further investigation, it seemed more for the sake of punishing Ron than anything else. Though Riddle's trophy held no details of why it had been rewarded, they did find his name in a list of old Head Boys and Girls.
Ron scoffed, "Sounds like Percy. Prefect. Head Boy. Probably the perfect student." He wrinkled his nose, "top of every class."
"Well," Ariadne said hesitantly, spotting Hermione's hurt face. "That's not always a bad thing, you know. Right, Harry?"
Harry looked up from the list of Head students, which the rest of them had stopped observing a few minutes ago. "Right," he agreed quickly, though it was clear he didn't know what he was agreeing to.
"That was useless," Ron declared as they left the trophy room, sending a glare Hermione's way. Hermione glared right back, and Ariadne elected not to intervene. She glanced at Harry instead, smiling eyes ready to silently laugh at Ron and Hermione's usual antics together. But still, he was not paying attention. Though Ariadne had to strain her ears to hear, she heard him whisper something under his breath: "1977 to 1978."
As February continued and the last vestiges of winter began to wane, the sun began to shine on Hogwarts once more. This, coupled with a lack of recent attacks, did wonders to lift Hogwarts' mood. Even the mandrakes were growing at a more rapid pace, with Madame Pomfrey confident that a cure could be brewed shortly. For the first time in a long time, morale was up at Hogwarts. That is, until Professor Lockhart decided that Hogwarts could do with morale boosting.
On the fourteenth, Ariadne walked over to breakfast with Hermione and Ron, chatting mindlessly on their way to the Great Hall.
"Where's Harry?" Ariadne asked, pointing her question towards Ron.
"Still sleeping," he responded. "Wood's been keeping them late for Quidditch. He snuck back in after curfew last ni– what the–?" Ron trailed off, stopping in his tracks as they entered the Great Hall.
"Do you think we've made a wrong turn?"
"Ooh, Happy Valentine's Day!" Hermione said dreamily, admiring the redecorated Great Hall. Lurid pink flowers covered the walls while heart shaped confetti floated down from the ceiling, charmed to show a warm, spring day. "Do you think it was Professor Lockhart who did this? He's so thoughtful." A soppy look crossed over her face that Ariadne had never seen before, and she blinked at the sight.
Harry rushed in, a thoroughly confused look on his face as he observed his surroundings, just as Lockhart stood at his seat at the teacher's table. "What's going on?" he asked, grabbing a piece of bacon.
"Looks like Lockhart has an announcement," Ariadne stage whispered, before nudging her chin in Hermione's direction. "Some people are very interested, so sit down," she joked.
"Happy Valentine's Day," Lockhart announced joyously, mood compounded by the hot pink of his robes. "And might I thank the forty-six people who have sent me cards already!"
Hermione blushed an even deeper red.
"Oh, Hermione. Tell me you didn't," Ariadne giggled.
"Didn't what?" Ron questioned heatedly, annoyed to feel left out.
Hermione shushed them both, staring back at Lockhart and resolutely avoiding either of their faces.
"I've arranged quite the surprise for you all," Lockhart continued. His words triggered the entrance of a dozen very angry dwarves into the hall, costumed with golden wings and harps. Evidently, they were meant to be delivering Valentine's for the day. Ariadne wondered briefly if she'd get any, but shook the thought away. Like Sirius Black's daughter would receive a Valentine.
After breakfast, the Hall departed for class, chattering excitedly about Hogwarts' newest Valentine's Day tradition. Harry, Ron, and Hermione went to Charms while Ariadne headed to Transfiguration, but while in the queue behind Ginny for her class, Ariadne spotted the Trio as they made their way upstairs for theirs. She moved to greet them when a shout cut her off.
"Oy! 'Arry Potter!" one of the dwarves began towards Harry, shouldering people out of the way with his body. Ariadne laughed as Harry tried to run away, but quickly stopped when she was met with a particularly painful kick in the shin by the dwarf as he made his way through. "Ow!" she yelped, and Ginny shot her a look.
When the dwarf got to Harry, though Ariadne was too far to hear their interaction, she noticed Harry hiss something out as the messenger prepared his song, oddly menacing for a Valentine dwarf. He grabbed a hold of Harry's bag with an iron-grip, ultimately ripping the bag as Harry attempted to get away. An ink bottle smashed over his books; diary included.
Ariadne rushed out of the queue to help him, and Harry shot her a grateful look. While kneeling there, ink on her robes and hands, a voice drawled out from above her. Draco. Great. She kept her head down.
"Cleaning up after Potter?" The smirk was evident in his voice. "What a good little elf you've become, Ariadne Black." Ariadne snarled up at him, gripping her wand.
"Shut up, Malfoy." Harry beat her to it. As he moved towards Draco, however, the dwarf grabbed him by the ankles and toppled him to the ground. Though Draco began to laugh, Ariadne shot him a glare she had picked up from Narcissa, used only when her patience had entirely run out. His laughter died out abruptly.
"Let's both just get this over with," the dwarf said, sitting on Harry's legs to prevent him from escaping. "Here's 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."
Ariadne pursed her lips in an effort to keep a laugh in, not wanting to humiliate a red-faced Harry any further. The people around them, however, had no such qualms, and laughter erupted in the corridor.
"Hold on," the dwarf said, turning to Ariadne now. "Got one for you too. Ariadne Black, innit?" Ariadne nodded hesitantly, cautious from Harry's own embarrassment. She had never gotten a Valentine before and was a bit excited as well, though she hoped it wasn't as bad as his. The dwarf strummed his harp and began.
"Ariadne abandoned at sea
After Theseus had stolen her thread
But never to fear, a hero was there
And Dionysus took her to wed."
No one was laughing now, the poem just a bit too on the nose to be funny. The hush that had fallen over the crowd of students was more deafening than any laughter could have been. Harry shot her a confused look, and Ariadne wished suddenly that she had gotten something about a pickled toad or a blackboard as well. Ariadne, who was familiar with the mythology of her name, could sense something nefarious in the words masked by the dwarf's upbeat Valentine's ditty.
Draco could too, apparently. "What the bloody hell was that?" he shouted at the dwarf, whose face remained as surly as ever.
"Dunno. I only repeat what I get told."
"Well, who told it to you?" he demanded, voice cold in preparation for a Don't you know who I am? moment.
"Can't say," the dwarf replied, adjusting a costumed wing that had dislodged during his scuffle with Harry. "Carrier cupid code," he finished lazily, sounding very much like he cared about neither the carrier cupid code nor Draco's demands.
Draco leaned forward. "Listen here, you disgu–" Ariadne placed a hand on his shoulder, cutting him off.
"Draco," she said softly. "Enough. It's okay."
His head snapped toward her sharply, eyes widening in surprise. They narrowed once more, looking slightly behind her, where Harry had joined, having rearranged his bag.
"Fine," he said hotly. "That's the last time I ever help you." Draco stormed off, and Crabbe and Goyle followed. As he passed by Ginny, he called out to her spitefully. "I don't think Potter liked your Valentine much, do you?"
Ginny, who had been staring at the diary in Harry's hands, covered her face and ran into Transfiguration. Ron pulled out his broken wand, though Harry pulled him back. Still holding onto Ron, he turned to Ariadne.
"What was that all about? The song?"
"I don't–" Ariadne didn't know what to say, but Hermione beat her to it.
"Later," she said firmly, eyeing a newly arrived McGonagall. "You'd better get to Transfiguration, Ariadne. Harry, Ron, and I will meet you after Charms."
Ariadne nodded, still slightly shocked, and made her way into class. Sitting next to Ginny, she couldn't exactly discern which one of them their classmates were sending pitied looks to. Both, probably. Ginny, whose head was firmly placed in her arms on the desk, began to moan.
"Oh," she groaned out, muffled. "Why did I do that? What have I done?" Her small shoulders began to shake, and Ariadne reached out to pat her on the back.
"It's not a big deal, Ginny," Ariadne began to comfort. Ginny rebuked her quickly.
"It is," she sobbed. "I don't know what to do from here."
"Harry won't care, Ginny." That was partially a lie, as Ariadne was sure that Harry would have preferred that the singing Valentine had not occurred, but she was also certain he wouldn't think it was a big enough deal to be mad at Ginny over. "You've done nothing wrong."
"I have," Ginny started, but she was cut off when McGonagall cleared her throat to begin the lesson on transfiguring lovebirds into love notes (apparently somewhat lured into the festivities). Ginny popped her head up and began to take notes, though there was nothing yet to take notes on. She stared ahead, eyes empty and shoulders still shaking, but no longer prepared to continue the conversation. And although Ariadne had been determined to comfort her after class, Ginny ran out of the room before she could even collect her books.
In the Common Room that night, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ariadne secluded themselves in the back at a table under a large painting of three ancient wizards painted below a painting. Very wizarding meta. They had already moved three times so far in their attempt to avoid Fred and George's rendition of Harry's Valentine, and it seemed that the twins had finally gotten bored given that they were over by the fireplace chatting up Angelina.
Harry, Ron and Hermione seemed to be waiting for Ariadne to speak, but she elected to wait for them in turn. As a result, all four of them sat in expectant silence.
"Alright," Ron finally spoke. "What in Merlin's name was that earlier? Who's Dinoosus?"
"Dionysus," Hermione corrected exasperatedly. "Ariadne was a princess from Crete who helped Theseus defeat the Minotaur, giving him thread to navigate the Labyrinth. She defied her father in doing so, so Theseus promised her he'd marry her if she ran away with him. He lied, though, and abandoned her on an island while she was sleeping. She was rescued from there by Dionysus, the god of wine, who married her. The question is, Ariadne, why would you need rescuing?"
"No," Harry cut in quietly. "The better question is who is it that thinks you need rescuing? Who sent that Valentine?"
"Well, I want to know why Malfoy was so quick to defend you," Ron interjected. He narrowed his eyes suspiciously, leaning forward in his seat. "Are you lot getting on again?"
"I have simply no idea!" Ariadne exclaimed, earning her a few glances from around the room. She lowered her voice. "Who it could have been, I mean. Everyone at this school hates me." Met with indignant looks, Ariadne revised her statement. "Besides you lot! I mean wed? That certainly wasn't literal. It was probably a prank by someone just a bit too into classical mythology, I'm quite sure of it." Ariadne wasn't, not exactly, but she very much hoped that was the case, and she didn't want her friends to worry about her. Especially when she truly had no idea who could have sent it. "And to answer your question, Ron, Draco and I are not 'getting on again,' as you should have been able to tell by the way he stormed off and promised to never speak to me again." Satisfied, Ron sat back and sent her a slightly apologetic smile.
Noticing that Harry still looked dubious about allowing the matter to drop, Ariadne continued. "Not to mention we've got far more important things to deal with," she added, nodding towards the diary that Harry was thumbing through absently. He stopped suddenly at her acknowledgement, looking down in surprise as though he hadn't even realized he'd been doing it.
Though Harry remained reluctant to move on from the topic, Ariadne's reminder was a successful one. "Right," he said. "I'm going to figure this out. Catch up in the morning?" he asked, though he did not wait for their reply as he was already part way up the stairs by the time he'd finished speaking.
Ron groaned, throwing his head back into the chair. "Not this again! It's. Empty. What is there to figure out?"
Ariadne ignored him, and instead leaned in towards Hermione conspiratorially. "So," she whispered loudly, to ensure that Ron could hear. "Did Lockhart say anything about your Valentine in Defense?"
Hermione and Ariadne giggled as Ron groaned again, this time even louder than before. "You two are the worst," he complained, throwing his head back into the chair once more before getting up. "I'd be better off with Fred and George." He stalked off, sending them a look that only served to transform their giggles into a full-blown cackle.
After getting ready the next morning, Ariadne walked downstairs to find Harry and Hermione talking quietly. Apparently, Harry had figured out how to work the diary. A little too well, it seemed.
"Hold on," Ariadne stopped them. "Keep a monster in Hogwarts? Is that something that you think Hagrid would do?"
Harry, Ron, and Hermione exchanged guilty looks before turning back to Ariadne. "Yes," they spoke in unison, and Hermione took it upon herself to explain.
"Hagrid has a…" she paused and seemed to be searching for the right words. "…habit, of getting involved with creatures that are a bit dangerous."
"A bit?" Ron snorted. "Are you talking about the illegal dragon or the giant, three-headed dog?"
Harry elbowed Ron, cutting him off. "It doesn't matter," Harry said seriously. "Hagrid would never hurt anybody on purpose. But it does make sense. We'd always known that Hagrid had been expelled, and the attacks stopped after he got kicked out."
"But maybe it's a coincidence?" Hermione said hopefully, as though she was attempting to convince herself. "Maybe Riddle got the wrong person, but the attacks stopped because Hagrid's expulsion was a good excuse?"
"Well, should we just ask Hagrid, do you reckon?" Ariadne interjected. She didn't know Hagrid like the three of them did, and so she allowed them to discuss their next move amongst themselves. But it had become clear that they were only talking in circles, desperate to avoid what seemed to be the obvious truth.
"Not sure that would go over well," Harry replied with a hint of sarcasm. "Hey, Hagrid. My diary told me that you're the one that opened the Chamber of Secrets fifty years ago, is that true?"
Ultimately, lulled into the security of nearly four months since there had been an attack, the four of them elected to say nothing to Hagrid for the time being. Glares at Ariadne had even begun to subside– they were back to the old her father's a murderer and she's from a dark family stares, rather than the newer and more heated she's an evil murderess targeting muggleborns looks that she had grown familiar with. More than even a sense of complacency, their silence was driven by hope– that if Hagrid were involved it was a problem no longer, and that the dangers with the Chamber truly were over.
One day, however, Ariadne sat with Hermione in the Common Room as Hermione gave her advice on her Charms homework in between chapters of her early review of Ancient Runes.
"You're not even taking Ancient Runes, Hermione. How can you review?"
"It's never too early to get started. I'll be taking it next year, anyhow," Hermione replied, eyes never straying from the page of her book. "It's Flipendo, by the way. Emphasis on the 'pen'."
"How did you–? Thanks," Ariadne replied, crossing the word out on her parchment. "Hold on! I thought you'd decided on Arithmancy. How can you take both? They're at the same time!"
"I'll have to work something out with McGonagall. I simply can't pick one or the other. How can I be expected to choose without having learned anything about either? I've got to be able to take both."
Ariadne was about to tell her that that was utterly ridiculous when Harry and Ron came bolting from their dormitory, collapsing into the two chairs next to them.
"The diary," Harry said hurriedly. "It's gone."
"What?" Ariadne asked, even though she'd heard him perfectly well. "Are you sure you didn't just misplace it?" Even as she asked, Ariadne knew that Harry hadn't.
He shook his head. "The whole dorm's been ransacked. Someone knew I had it, and they wanted it back."
Hermione looked utterly taken aback. "But– it had to have been– it's a Gryffindor? Only they would know the password."
"Exactly." Harry nodded grimly.
Harry was very aware of this fact the next day at breakfast, staring down at the table of Gryffindors as though that would help him figure out who it was. Ariadne touched his shoulder.
"We'll figure it out, don't worry. Just focus on the game today. And try not to break any limbs this time?" She smiled at him teasingly, which he returned.
"I'll do my best– not exactly up to me, though."
Ariadne interrogated him about Quidditch as they walked back to get his supplies, determined to understand the game if she was going to attend every match, which she anticipated she would as long as Harry was playing. She had no interest in it herself, considering she hadn't really enjoyed flying class at all. The heights were too much.
"–ten points a Quaffle, and then a hundred fifty for the Sn–" Harry cut himself off abruptly. "There it is again! Can't you hear it?" He looked at Ron, Hermione, and Ariadne searchingly, but they could only stare back. Suddenly, Hermione hit her head with her hand.
"How did I not– Harry! I think I've figured it out! I've got to get to the library!" She sprinted away without a response, taking the stairs two at a time in her haste.
"Figured what out?" Harry said, more to himself than anything else. He was still looking around for the voice. "You really can't hear it?"
Ariadne shook her head. "No, but it seems like Hermione might know something. You've got to get to your game," she said, eyeing the people heading to the pitch behind him. "Ron, should we wait for Hermione?"
"Nah," he rejected. "She could be there for bloody hours. Grab your broom, Harry. We'll be in the stands."
Ariadne and Ron took their seats next to his dormmates, and Ariadne was pleased to note that Seamus Finnegan only sent her a wary side-eye rather than an outright glare. Progress! She and Ron roared with applause when the Gryffindor team walked out and sent the Hufflepuff team good-spirited boos. Only, just when Harry had mounted his broom, Professor McGonagall hurried onto the pitch.
"Is this normal?" Ariadne asked Ron. "She didn't do this last time."
He shook his head. "It's not… let's go." Ariadne's heart dropped, but she nodded and stood up.
As they pushed their way through the stands, McGonagall cast a quick spell with her wand and began to speak, voice now amplified throughout the pitch. "Today's match is canceled," she called. Ariadne and Ron sped up among the booing crowds. Something was wrong. "All students must return to their Common Rooms, where their Heads will give them further instructions. Now, please."
When Ariadne saw McGonagall call Harry over to her, Ariadne began to run, pulling Ron with her. She pushed her way through the crowd, garnering further complaints from both the students and from Ron, but she didn't care. Could McGonagall suspect Harry for something? Or was there something worse?
By the time she and Ron caught up to Harry, Ariadne was completely out of breath and certain that McGonagall would send her back to the Common Room. But Ariadne grabbed Harry's arm and held on while she addressed McGonagall.
"What's going on? Where are you taking him?"
Professor McGonagall stared at Ariadne's grip on Harry's elbow before looking at her. "Black?" She said, sounding surprised. "Oh. Yes, well, Black, Weasley, perhaps you'd better come too…" As they followed McGonagall back into the castle, Ariadne knew something was horribly wrong, but did not want to think it. She kept her hand firmly attached to Harry's arm, now more as a comfort to herself than anything else. But he did not shake her off, even as McGonagall guided them to the infirmary.
As they reached the entrance, McGonagall sent Ariadne a curious look once more, but she was filled with too much dread to even begin to attempt to discern it. Her dread only worsened when McGonagall began to speak, her voice too gentle to be delivering pleasant news.
"There has been another attack, another double attack."
Two girls lay on the beds, perfectly still and glassy eyed. One of them was Hermione, looking utterly lifeless like Ariadne had never seen before. Even her hair, which usually moved and tangled even in sleep, looked static. Tears entered Ariadne's eyes, and before she knew it, she was crying. She knew Hermione wasn't dead, and that the Mandrakes were nearly mature enough for the cure. She knew all that, objectively, but her friend was here in this hospital, looking dead on this bed. So she cried, burying her face into her robes. Ron and Harry only stared at Hermione and said nothing, making no move to touch either one of them.
"This was found next to them," McGonagall said, holding up a small circular mirror. "I don't suppose any of you can explain that?" She looked at Ariadne, probably because she'd be most likely of the three of them to own a mirror herself. Ariadne shook her head, and Professor McGonagall sighed.
She then led them back to Gryffindor Tower, where every Gryffindor from every year awaited them in the Common Room. Every Gryffindor except Hermione, that is. Though Gryffindor was known universally as the loudest, rowdiest house, no one dared make a noise while their Head spoke. Especially not as she discussed the potential closing of Hogwarts, showing a rare display of choked emotion. Only when she left did students turn to one another in the masses, and quiet chatter began, though Harry, Ron, and Ariadne spoke only with one another.
A resolved look on his face, Harry took the lead. "We've got to talk to Hagrid. I don't believe he's got anything to do with it, not this time around. But if he knows anything that could help Hermione, we've got to try."
"But how can we sneak out?" Ariadne asked. "McGonagall said that no one was to leave the tower. Maybe," she began to think out loud. "Should one of us try and distract her? No, she'd see right through that."
"We've got a way," Harry replied confidently. "Just meet us back down here when your dorm's asleep."
Easier said than done. Though Ariadne and her suitemates went to bed at the usual time and Olive fell asleep almost immediately, Aria faced two obstacles before she could sneak out. First, Romilda and Lola chatted in their beds for what felt like hours on end. They discussed neither the potential closure of the school, nor the monster attack on a fellow Gryffindor, giggling instead over the Hufflepuff seeker.
"Shame we couldn't watch him play today–"
"–but at least we got to see him in his Quidditch robes!"
Each time it seemed they were done, one only needed to mention his name and they'd collapse into giggles all over again. Ariadne willed them to fall asleep, but even as she rolled her eyes, she made a mental note to keep an eye out for Cedric Diggory.
Second, even after the two finally tired themselves out, it was clear that Ginny was not asleep and would not be any time soon. Ariadne listened as she tossed and turned, apparently struggling to get comfortable. After what felt like hours, Ariadne finally decided Harry and Ron had probably waited long enough. She feigned a wide yawn and pulled the curtain between her and Ginny shut before slipping out as quietly as she could to the right. She opened the door just wide enough to stick her leg through before shimmying her body the rest of the way, hoping that no one had noticed.
Downstairs, however, Harry and Ron were nowhere in sight. Just before Aria was going to accept that they had gone without her, she felt a tap on her shoulder. She whirled around to find nothing, and quickly pointed her wand out.
"Who's there?" she demanded.
Laughter rang out from in front of her, and Ariadne gasped as a hand floated out from thin air. It began to lift a shimmery piece of fabric, slowly revealing an amused Harry and Ron.
"Your face!" Ron choked out.
"Ha ha." She replied sarcastically, though as her heartbeat began to slow down, she was increasingly able to recognize that it actually was quite funny. "How'd you do that?"
"It's my dad's old invisibility cloak," Harry explained, cheeky grin still on his face. "Sorry," he continued, not sounding very sorry at all. "No one else knows about it besides Hermione, so we couldn't pass up the chance. What took you so long?"
Ariadne grinned back. An invisibility cloak? His dad's? That explained a lot of the Marauders old pranks, she realized, as well as some of the Trio's more covert escapades. We have got to be using that more.
"Romilda and Lola were up for hours talking about Cedric Diggory, who is apparently quite fit, so I've got to confirm that for myself sometime." Harry looked confused and Ron scoffed, but Ariadne continued. "And Ginny would not fall asleep. Have you talked to her lately, Ron? I haven't really had the chance."
"She's fine," he dismissed. "Percy says she's just been antsy lately 'cos of some fight they had. Let's go now, anyway. We've got to get information as soon as we can."
Harry and Ariadne nodded their agreement, and Harry beckoned her under the cloak, which was just large enough to cover the three of them. With a shoulder pressed into Harry's side, and Ron's elbow in her face, the journey through the castle corridors was not necessarily a pleasant one, but the realization that she was invisible made it all worth it. Ariadne was very much aware of their presence beneath the cloak and could see through the silvery fabric hiding them. When they passed by a window next to the Common Room exit, however, the reflection of the door opening on its own, even as she watched Harry open it, was simply fascinating. Hermione must love this, she thought, wishing Hermione were here to discuss it. Soon, Ariadne reassured herself.
When they finally made it to Hagrid's small hut on the castle grounds, Harry uncloaked the three of them and knocked on the door only to be met with a crossbow to the face.
"Oh," Hagrid said. "What're you three– doesn' matter– come in, come in."
Hagrid seemed a bit out of sorts as he beckoned them in, and their entrance prompted loud barks from the corner. Ariadne moved straight to the large dog standing menacingly behind Hagrid, petting his head lightly. He melted at her touch, jumping onto her playfully and very evidently unaware of his own size. She righted herself and laughed, scratching his belly at his encouragement.
"He likes yeh," Hagrid noted absently, pulling the kettle haphazardly from the fire.
Ariadne smiled back. "I like him," she responded.
She had always liked dogs, especially big ones like Fang, but her flat in London had been too small and no pets had been allowed anyway. And she didn't dare ask for one at the Malfoys. Not to mention they'd probably prefer a pet that was a bit smaller and scalier. Ariadne laughed lightly at the thought of Fang slobbering over Lucius.
Ariadne continued to play with Fang until a loud knock sounded at the door. Hagrid dropped the fruitcake that he'd been preparing, and Ariadne scrambled over to Harry and Ron. Pulling them into a corner, Harry quickly pulled the invisibility cloak over the three of them. Ariadne kicked Ron to make sure that his foot was pulled in. He sent her a look, but they all stayed as quiet as possible. Grabbing the crossbow once more, Hagrid opened the door.
It was Dumbledore, followed by a man that Ariadne had never seen before. She sent Harry and Ron a look, though Harry looked as confused as she was.
"That's Dad's boss!" Ron whispered excitedly from Harry's other side. "Cornelius Fudge, that's the Minister of Magic!" Harry elbowed Ron hard in the side, and Ariadne stifled a laugh. Poor Ron. She observed Fudge, who looked a bit too rumpled to be the head of Britain's wizarding government.
"Sorry to say, Hagrid," Fudge began. "But it's a bad look in our corner. Four attacks on Muggleborn students? Ministry's got to act."
Hagrid's attempts to defend himself were supported by Dumbledore, but Fudge was not having it, despite how uncomfortable he looked.
"Albus," he entreated, though it irritated Ariadne that Fudge addressed Dumbledore and not Hagrid. "Hagrid's record– the school governors have been in touch." Fudge sighed. "I've got to be seen doing something," he admitted. "If it wasn't Hagrid, he'll return and that'll be that. But I've got to take him."
"Take me?" Hagrid repeated, dabbing at his forehead with a tablecloth of a handkerchief. "Take me where."
"Only for a short time," Fudge eased before braving a look at Hagrid. "Azkaban," he admitted, continuing quickly. "For a short time! And very low security. Nothing like Black or Lestrange." Ariadne stiffened, sucking in a sharp breath. If she'd been Ron, she'd have been elbowed over. Instead, Harry gave her a comforting pat on the shoulder.
The rustling they'd made was completely drowned out, however, by the opening of Hagrid's door. Lucius Malfoy strode in, and Ariadne clasped her hand to her mouth. She would not make the same mistake again, but she couldn't believe her eyes.
Fang began to growl as Lucius sneered around the hut before allowing his cold eyes to settle onto the headmaster.
"I was told that you'd be here, Dumbledore. Terribly sorry to inform you, but the governors have decided it's time for you to step aside." He pulled out a piece of parchment, ignoring the fire in the piercing blue of Dumbledore's eyes. "You'll find all twelve signatures here. Two more attacks this afternoon? Tsk tsk, Albus. And I'd thought all along that you wanted Muggleborns at the school." Lucius tutted condescendingly.
The suspension was apparently news to Fudge. "Dumbledore suspended? Lucius, that can't be– if Dumbledore can't stop them, who can?" He was sweating above the lip.
Lucius shot Fudge a nasty smile, and Ariadne was hit with the cold realization of the extent of Lucius Malfoy's power. She'd always known he was an important figure, and Draco loved to remind her of the weight that the name carried. But even over the Minister of Magic? In that case, who exactly governed Lucius Malfoy?
Dumbledore looked Mr. Malfoy in the eyes and conceded to stepping down, in spite of Hagrid's emphatic and Fudge's tentative protests. "However," he added. "You will find that I will only truly have left this school when none here are loyal to me... Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it."
Dumbledore's eyes seemed to flicker towards where they were hidden, and Ariadne watched carefully to make sure Lucius hadn't noticed. But he only mocked Dumbledore's sentiments and lead the men out the door. Hagrid squared his shoulders, waited a beat, and spoke. "If anyone wanted ter find anything, they'd jus' have ter follow the spiders. That's all I'm sayin'. Oh, an' someone'll need ter feed Fang while I'm away."
Fudge stared at him oddly, but Lucius' eyes only narrowed. He looked around the room suspiciously, though conceded when he found nothing. Ariadne let out a breath that she didn't know she was holding when everyone was finally gone. Fang whimpered and scratched at the door, and Ariadne bent down to soothe him.
"I know," she said quietly. "I don't like him either."
Ron pulled the cloak off. "No Dumbledore?" he said, horrified. "Well, we're in trouble now."
Trouble was one way of putting it. With Dumbledore gone, the castle was essentially on lockdown. The students were herded from class to class by teachers, and they couldn't even visit Hermione in the hospital wing. The constant supervision was grating. To everybody but one, at least.
Draco appeared to be thoroughly enjoining the atmosphere of terror presently being fostered, with a particular appreciation for his family's role in it. Ariadne overheard him gloating one day in the corridor as she waited to be allowed into Transfiguration.
"Father's always said Dumbledore's the worst headmaster the school has ever had. It only makes sense that he'd be the one to get rid of him. Maybe we'll get someone decent now. Someone who sees the sense in keeping the Chamber of Secrets open.
"Someone like who, Draco?" Ariadne called from across the hall. She couldn't help herself. Draco looked up at her interjection, surprised. "Your father?" she scoffed.
"Better than yours!" he retorted instantly. Ariadne recoiled as if she'd been slapped, and the smug smile fell from his face. Before he got the chance to continue, however, Ariadne was ushered into class by McGonagall. She felt everyone staring at her and did not look to see if Draco was one of them.
"We'll be revising for your exams today," McGonagall declared once everybody took their seats. "Do not groan. We'll be working on turning mice into snuffboxes which most assured will be on your exam."
Transfiguration was not a class that Ariadne struggled in, and so she was one of the first to be finished. Next to her, her suitemate Olive was not so lucky. Even with her pigtails blocking her face, Ariadne could see that she was about to cry.
"Try to be a bit more aggressive," Ariadne suggested. "Like a jab." She made a stabbing motion with her wand. Olive bit her lip and nodded, copying the gesture with her own wand. A blue light emitted, and the mouse turned into a rather furry box.
"That's the closest I've gotten!" she exclaimed. By the time Professor McGonagall came by their desk to check on them, Olive had a very pretty golden box in front of her (although it was not as ornate as Ariadne's own).
"Well done, Miss Dagwood," McGonagall praised, a rare look of surprise cast over her usually stern face. "I take it that this is with your aid, Miss Black?"
"Oh, Ariadne was very helpful, Professor. I've never done anywhere near this well in Transfiguration!"
"Yes, I'm aware," McGonagall replied, though she had the barest hint of a smile on her face. "Five points to Gryffindor. And Miss Black, I'd be very impressed if you aided Miss Dagwood further this afternoon. A bit of tutoring might do her some good, and you've proved to be an effective one."
Ariadne didn't particularly want to spend her night doing Transfiguration work with Olive in the library, but there wasn't a universe in which she rejected a direct request from Professor McGonagall. So, she suppressed a sigh and nodded. "Sure thing, Professor."
After class ended, Ariadne led a chattering Olive towards the library. Though Ariadne had always viewed Olive as a sort of silent follower of Romilda and Lola, it was clear that she had plenty to say on her own. Admittedly, Ariadne had mostly tuned Olive out, but she still appreciated that she felt comfortable enough to find her voice. She just wished that her voice wasn't so focused on Hogwarts' latest gossip.
So, when someone ran into her and nearly knocked Ariadne down, the shove was an almost welcome reprieve.
"Sorry abou– oh, Aria?"
"Harry! Where are you going in such a rush?" In his hurry, Harry had only half-turned around to apologize before realizing that it was Ariadne who he had knocked over. He ran a hand through his messy hair absently as he walked closer towards her and Olive, whose blush Ariadne firmly ignored.
"Ron and I are–" Harry began, before he seemed to think better of it. He seemed to contemplate something for a moment, before his green eyes steeled ever so slightly. "Nowhere, really. Just grabbing something from the dorm. Are you headed to the library?"
"Yes," she replied. "We're just going to revise some Transfiguration, but it shouldn't take too long. Meet you after dinner?"
"No!" Harry practically shouted. "I mean, the first-year Transfiguration exam is really nasty. Even Hermione had a hard time. I'd try and revise into the night, just to make sure."
Ariadne furrowed her brows. "Oh?" She looked back at Olive, who had paled considerably at this information. "Well, we'll just start with the basics and go from there." She moved towards the stairs to the library, but Olive did not follow, instead standing and staring at Harry. Eyes on Ariadne, Harry did not notice.
"Study hard," he reminded her seriously, before taking off towards the dorm once more. Ariadne walked up the stairs and Olive finally followed, silent as the red faded from her dark skin. Only when they had set their bags down at a table did Olive speak once more.
"Wow," Olive breathed. "What's it like to have Harry Potter talk to you?"
"Oh, er… okay, I guess?" Ariadne moved to change the subject. "Let's try turning a match into needle?"
Although Ariadne had been dubious about Harry's warning for the exam, it turned out that Olive needed much more help than she anticipated anyway. Though Ariadne remained patient (as much as she could), she was surprised to have had to returned to explaining the Transfiguration alphabet, which they had learned on their first ever day of class. Not to mention that Olive kept getting distracted.
"I'm horrid," Olive despaired. "My brother was always the smart one in the family. He just graduated this year, but I really wish that he was here to help me. He's a reserve Keeper for Pride of Portree now, though. He's good at everything."
"Wicked," Ariadne said, assuming Pride of Portree was a Quidditch team. "Don't worry about it, Olive. I'm sure that he struggled with his classes during his first-year as well."
"Do you think so?" Olive asked brightly. "I'll write him a letter and ask. Just wait a few minutes, okay? We could use a break anyways. Ooh, I wonder if he's found any clothes that I might like. He's really got an eye for fashion."
Distractions like that meant that Ariadne was not out of the library until well after midnight. Although she wanted nothing more than to go back to her dorm and sleep, she carefully snuck out of the castle and onto the grounds, very narrowly avoiding a confrontation with Snape. Fang had to be fed, after all.
Only, by the time that she got to Hagrid's hut, it became apparent that somebody had already done so. Not only was Fang's bowl half empty, as though it had recently been filled, but Fang was also nowhere to be found. Ariadne nearly panicked before something shimmery caught her eye. Hanging from one of Hagrid's dining chairs was Harry's invisibility cloak. So he lied to me, she realized. Pulling the invisibility cloak over herself, she sat down at Hagrid's table and waited.
Another chapter! More things brewing! Who do you think sent that Valentine? Do you prefer longer chapters, or are shorter ones easier to read? As always, please read and review (and favorite and follow) and let me know what you think!