Late November arrived, bringing with it cold and gloomy weather. The arrival of Christmas break kept students motivated to work, but, unfortunately, another attack had happened. Harry had, unfortunately, stumbled upon this one again, due to hearing voices in the wall and following them. Even worse was the fact that it was two victims: Justin Finch-Fletchley and Nearly Headless Nick, both of whom, were yet again petrified. Snape's potion was taking so long to brew, for one, because Professor Sprout's mandrake juice was a necessary ingredient, and the mandrakes hadn't even reached puberty yet.

Harry had been taken to Dumbledore's office by Professor McGonagall after being caught by Filch and looking like the guilty perpetrator. After an uneventful conversation with the headmaster in which Harry divulged very little about what was going on inside his head, he made his way back to the Gryffindor common room, finally to find the one person he had been wanting to see for weeks: Ginny Weasley. The common room was unusually quiet again. Perhaps many people were in the library or still in the Great Hall as it was late in the evening.

It was a bit awkward approaching Ginny because she was faced away from him as he came into the common room. Harry felt very nervous now, thinking she thought he was crazy, but his Gryffindor bravery kicked in. He couldn't help but notice how gorgeous her long red hair looked against the light of the fire.

"Er, hey Ginny," he said, trying to sound nonchalant.

Ginny appeared to have not heard him. Harry approached her slowly and said her name again. She didn't respond again. Harry noticed that she was looking down into a small book that had nothing written down in it and thought it incredibly bizarre that she didn't hear his voice. He finally approached the table and pulled out the chair next to her to sit in it.

"Ginny?" he said curiously, looking at the same black book she was looking at. This time, she seemed to snap out of it, and was, for some reason, out of breath.

"Harry!" she said weakly. "It-it's so good to see you!"

"Er, you too," he said cautiously. Nevertheless, it was nice to hear enthusiasm in her voice. She quickly stowed the little black book away, which, underneath it, was her textbook The Standard Book of Spells, Year One.

"Are you okay?" he asked. "I feel like I haven't seen you in forever."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. I've...uhh...been busy with school...and...uhh...I guess I've been in my room more lately."

"Right," said Harry softly. "Erm, if you don't mind me asking, but what is that book you were looking at?"

"Oh this? This is the Standard Book of Spells book. I'm sure you remember it from last year," said Ginny.

Harry was finding her behavior very bizarre. "No I mean what was that other book you were looking at?"

"O-other book?" she asked.

"Yeah, that small black book you, er, put away right after I got here," said Harry.

"Oh," said Ginny, her brow furrowed, as if confused or deep in thought. "Uhh...oh it's nothing special…"

"I'm only wondering cause you seemed to be staring at it or something, and there was nothing written in it, and you seemed to not hear me at first when I first called your name," said Harry, now feeling worried about her.

"Really?" said Ginny, her ears turning pink. "Haha that's pretty weird isn't it?" she said very awkwardly.

Harry raised his eyebrows. "Ginny, I'm starting to worry about you. Tell me what you know about that book. I won't judge or anything…" he said, feeling embarrassed now himself.

Ginny glanced down at the book, then back up at Harry.

"It's a diary," she said. "Or at least, I think it is. When you write in it, the ink disappears, like it's keeping your secrets or something. But the weirdest thing is that it writes back to you."

"That is weird," said Harry, who, still, was only getting used to what was weird and what was normal in the wizarding world. He wished he could be of more help to Ginny.

"Yeah, but it's really neat, honestly," she continued. "The diary can...sort of...be nice… sometimes, if you know what I mean."

Harry eyed her suspiciously. "That's cool, but I don't like how you were in some sort of trance or whatever when I came over here."

"I know the whole thing is a little weird, Harry," said Ginny. "But I mean I guess it's not too big of a deal, right? I'm just scribbling in a diary and it talks back to me is all."

"Yeah, well, you might want to check with your mum or something over Christmas break to make sure that book is safe," said Harry suspiciously.

Ginny pursed her lips. "Now you sound like Percy," she said. She heaved a sigh. "I can take care of myself, you know, now that I'm at Hogwarts."

Harry's face burned with embarrassment. "Er, right. Sorry, Ginny. I'll just...leave you to it then," he said, rising up from the table, wishing he could stay with her but feeling too embarrassed to do so.

"Thanks for stopping by," she said, looking into his green eyes and then glancing away quickly as if that was a hard thing to do. She almost suggested that he stay, but something in her head told him that wasn't a good thing to do right now.

Harry decided he was worried about Ginny's safety more than of her approval of him at the moment after he left. He decided he would tell Ron when he got to bed that night.

(meanwhile)

Ron and Hermione had been in the library again, sitting alone in a secluded corner between bookshelves. They played footsie occasionally while reading and answering questions for homework assignments. They chatted quietly and flirted with each other until it had gotten pretty late, 10 o'clock in fact.

"Bloody 'ell we've been here for three and a half hours!" whispered Ron, after Madame Pince had told them to leave.

"Oh, Ron, you really should watch your language sometimes," said Hermione, putting her books back in their respective places. "But yes, time flies when you're having fun."

"Right, sorry about that," he said.

"It's okay! Let's go." Then she did a "hem hem" and stretched out her hand for him to hold.

They were making their way back down the quiet corridors to Gryffindor Tower when they stumbled across a horrific sight: Justin Finch-Fletchley and Nearly Headless Nick were both petrified. Nick was frozen in midair while Justin was on the ground, stiff as a rock.

Hermione whimpered and grabbed a good hold of Ron. Ron half-hugged her in response, wincing at the sight. "W-we should just go, before someone suspects us again," he said.

"Y-yeah," said Hermione weakly. And they scrambled past the body and form and hurriedly made their way to Gryffindor tower, knees weak from the experience.

"We have to tell Harry," said Ron.

"Yeah, for sure," agreed Hermione.

"Babbity Rabbity," said Ron, this being the new password. The Fat Lady swung the door open to let them into an unusually quiet common room. Nobody was there.

"Ron…" whispered Hermione, biting her lip as the portrait door behind them closed. "We're alone."

"Yeah," he whispered back. Then they walked slowly to the parting of staircases between males and females. They turned to look at each other.

"Er, I guess I'll just tell Harry myself," said Ron, looking into Hermione's big brown eyes. "I'm sure he's up there by now."

"Okay," said Hermione softly.

There was a pause. Neither one wanted to leave the other. Both of them were a little scared, but they also relished being alone.

They stared at each other, holding hands. Ron came closer and put his arms around her torso. Hermione reciprocated in a kind of permanent hug as they looked at each other.

Hermione giggled, a little nervous and also happy as she looked at Ron. "What are you doing, handsome?" she whispered.

"Just looking," said Ron softly. "What are you doing?"

"Just looking back," she said. "Looking at all your freckles…"

Ron chuckled. "I have a lot don't I?"

"I love each and every one of them," said Hermione softly.

"Well if you come closer, you can get to know them a little better," said Ron.

"Mmmm," moaned Hermione in approval as their faces came closer together. Eyes closed, their lips locked for the first time since that fateful night in the girls' abandoned toilets.

They kissed for a little bit. Then they stopped, heads resting on each other, Ron only a few inches taller than Hermione.

"Wish we could do that every night," said Ron.

Hermione giggled, her eyes still closed. "Me too," she said softly.

"I love you, 'Mione," said Ron.

I love you too, Ron," said Hermione. "I'm really scared. I...I wish we could stay together tonight but I know we can't. I...I just feel so safe around you."

Ron chuckled. "I really wish we could stay together too. I want to protect you as much as I can. But...alas..."

Hermione looked at him with sadness and longing. "One more kiss before we go our separate ways?"

Ron didn't even need to verbally respond as he leaned in to her soft lips for another round.

"I'm glad no one was down here for once," said Hermione when they finally let go.

"Me too," said Ron. And, as much as it pained them to part, they did, bidding each other goodnight as they proceeded to their respective bedrooms.

Ron made his way up to his four poster bed which was next to Harry's. Neville was snoring, while Dean and Seamus were still gone, probably doing something mischievous.

"Harry?" whispered Ron. "Are you awake?"

"Yeah," whispered Harry, lying in bed, turning over to look at Ron who was changing into his pajamas. "I don't think we have to worry about waking Neville. Anyways, it won't matter even if he does hear us. I have to tell you something."

"I have to tell you something too," said Ron.

"Okay, you first," said Harry.

"Hermione and I were coming back from the library just now when we saw another attack," said Ron, worried again and thinking of Hermione as a Muggle-born and potential victim.

"Yeah, I saw it too," said Harry. "Justin and Nick, right?"

Ron nodded. "Did you hear voices earlier tonight?"

"Yeah. I actually hear them almost every night. Sometimes it's louder than on other nights. Tonight though it was a little louder than normal," said Harry.

Ron shuddered. "So what was it you were going to tell me?"

"I saw Ginny tonight for the first time in over two weeks," said Harry.

"And?"

"She didn't seem like herself at all. She was being awkward and not talking much and kept avoiding questions when I asked her stuff. She had this black book that she said was like a diary but that it writes back to her and the ink disappears."

Ron's eyes got wide. He looked angry. "Ginny can be such a dunce sometimes. Mum and dad always told us never to trust anything magic that can think for itself."

Harry wished he had intervened more with Ginny upon hearing these words.

"She seemed, sort of, attached to the diary," said Harry.

"That's not a good sign at all," said Ron. "It could be dark magic."

"Oh mate, I should've said something," said Harry. "I didn't know. Honestly."

"That's okay," said Ron. "I mean, its not like they teach us stuff like that here at Hogwarts. They should though, apparently. How'd Ginny even get a book like that?"

"I forgot to ask," said Harry, feeling stupider by the moment.

"I'll straighten this out," said Ron.

They proceeded to talk about related subjects until they finally drifted off to sleep.

(the next day)

Ron confronted Ginny at breakfast the next day about the diary. Ginny told him that it was none of his business and that he should leave well enough alone, which infuriated Ron even more.

"Fine! But if something happens to you, it's your own bloody fault!" said Ron angrily.

"Fine!" said Ginny. "Just leave me alone!"

"With pleasure!" said Ron, leaving her to herself. She was no longer eating with the trio.

Eventually the time came for Christmas holidays. The trio stayed at Hogwarts for the holidays, going over the last steps of the Polyjuice potion and plotting how to bewitch Crabbe and Goyle. Millicent Bulstrode went home for the holidays, but Hermione still figured it would work to have herself portray Millicent. "She" would decide to stay at the last minute because she started dating Crabbe (who would really be Ron).

"It's a stretch," said Harry. "But who knows, maybe Malfoy won't suspect anything."

Hermione had snatched some extra Slytherin robes from the laundry and headed up to the abandoned girls' toilets where Harry and Ron were eyeing the bubbling potion in front of them with disgust.

They had successfully drugged Crabbe and Goyle with a Sleeping Draught so Harry and Ron could pluck hairs from them for transformation. Hermione, too, had successfully saved her hair from Millicent Bulstrode from their short wrestling match in the Dueling Club. Together, the three drank their respective portions of potion and, resisting the urge to upchuck, had successfully transformed from Harry, Ron, and Hermione into looking like Gregory Goyle, Vincent Crabbe, and Millicent Bulstrode.

"We only have an hour," said Hermione in Millicent's low voice. "Let's go,"

They were confronted by Percy Weasley who was patrolling the corridors, and before getting into trouble, Draco Malfoy had appeared, looking as much like a Slytherin as ever.

"Oi! What're you three doing with him?" said Malfoy as he approached what he thought was his old gang.

"They appeared to be wandering the corridors," said Percy testily. "You have no business being on this corridor at this hour."

"Enjoy the authority while you can Weasley," said Malfoy with a sneer to Percy. Percy gave a condescending snort and left. Ron almost made a move, but Harry pinched him from behind. Malfoy turned to them as they headed down to the Slytherin common room in the dungeons.

"Why are you wearing glasses, Goyle?"

"Oh," said Harry awkwardly. "Uhh..reading."

"Reading?" said Malfoy incredulously. "I didn't know you could read."

Hermione started to laugh, but quickly restrained herself. Malfoy caught her eye. "And I thought you went home for the holidays, Milly?"

Hermione caught herself. "I...I decided to come back. You see, Crabbe and I have started dating, and I wanted to spend more time with him."

Malfoy looked appalled. "Crabbe?! Since when did you start dating Milly?"

"Not too long ago," choked Ron awkwardly. Malfoy eyed them suspiciously. Ron and Hermione tried to avoid eye contact with him as they walked down the corridors. "Crabbe, I didn't know you had it in you."

"Me neither," croaked Ron.

They arrived at the Slytherin common room entrance.

"Pure blood," said Malfoy to the portrait door, which swung open. They all took their seats around the sofas of the common room, Ron and Hermione sitting next to each other, while Harry and Malfoy sat by themselves.

"Can you believe that Weasley?" spat Malfoy, referring to Percy. "Ordering us around. He thinks he's all that. He's an embarrassment to the wizarding world is what he is, just like the lot of them."

Ron's eye was twitching, but he looked down to hide it. Hermione grabbed his hand and squeezed it, almost cutting circulation off of Ron's hand due to Millicent's unusually strong grip. None of them responded to Malfoy's accusation.

"It's really all part of a conspiracy, of course," continued Malfoy matter-of-factly. "Hogwarts is trying to get us used to going to school with Mudbloods and Blood Traitors so the Purebloods will eventually die out and lose their power. Then the Ministry will be overrun by Muggles, and the magic population will die out. At least this Heir of Slytherin is starting to take care of things."

Harry, Ron, and Hermione all had trouble containing themselves. Nevertheless, Harry put on a good show. He took the lead in the conversation as Goyle, the boy who apparently could read.

"So you know who it is then?" asked Harry. "The Heir of Slytherin?"

"I told you yesterday, Goyle," said Malfoy irritably. "Don't you remember? I don't know who it is. All I know is that the last time the chamber was opened, a Mudblood died and the person who opened the chamber was expelled, and that was about 50 years ago."

"But it's definitely a Slytherin this time, surely?" said Harry.

"Must be, right?" said Malfoy. "Wouldn't be anyone from the other three houses. They're too sympathetic to the Mudblood cause, the whole of them. Slytherin is the only one holding on to noble causes such as the preservation of blood."

Harry gave a noncommittal grunt. Ron and Hermione didn't say anything, but continued looking down.

"What's the matter with you two?" said Malfoy to Ron and Hermione. "You're unusually quiet."

"N-not feeling well," lied Ron.

"Me neither," said Hermione hastily.

"You know," said Malfoy, eyeing them suspiciously. "It's only a matter of time before an attack leads to a death. They'll close the school down for sure, but not until a death happens. I hope the monster kills Granger first. She's the worst..."

Hermione, despite looking like Millicent, became very pale. Her eye started twitching too. Ron nudged her gently, signaling something between them.

"I-I need to use the bathroom," said Ron. "Still not feeling well."

"M-me too," said Hermione, still pale as ever, trying to hide her twitch.

Ron and Hermione scurried off back to the girls' abandoned toilets, wishing they had the invisibility cloak. Harry stayed with Malfoy a little longer in the common room.

"Can you believe them, Goyle?" said Malfoy when it was just he and Harry. "There's something not right about them. They're acting strange."

"I don't know what's gotten into them," lied Harry.

"You know, between you and me, I'm starting to think Slytherin isn't pure either. I wouldn't be surprised if there were blood traitors even in our midst, if you catch what I'm saying," said Malfoy curiously.

"Very well could be," agreed Harry nervously, still trying to figure out who the Heir was. "Do you think the Heir knows some powerful magic then? He must if he can control that monster."

"Obviously," said Malfoy rudely. "It's rare to have control over such brute beasts that you can order them to murder for you. But I don't understand why the monster only petrifies people."

"Me neither," said Harry. Suddenly, Harry began feeling a pain all over his body, telling him that his transformation back into his regular self was commencing.

"I need to use the bathroom now myself. They must've put something in that food tonight," said Harry, trying to not look suspicious as he scurried off, wincing in pain at his body.

Malfoy merely stared after him as he fled.

Harry arrived at the girls' toilets to find Ron and Hermione had changed back into their normal selves.

"Harry!" said Ron, still in his Slytherin robes. "Thank goodness you got back in one piece! We were wondering when you were gonna leave. I had to make a run for it. I figured you could handle it yourself, and Hermione wasn't looking so good, so we ducked out while we could. She's dreadful, mate. I think she was almost nauseous when we were coming back up here, but can you believe Malfoy? What a monster he is."

"I know," said Harry, still comprehending everything.

Hermione emerged from one of the toilets, still looking pale and changed back into her Gryffindor clothes.

"Harry," she said weakly.

"How are you feeling," asked Harry sympathetically.

"Pretty terrible. Not gonna lie," said Hermione sadly. "It doesn't feel good when you know one of your most evil classmates wants you dead."

"I promised you, Hermione," said Ron. "I won't let anything happen to you."

"I KNOW!" yelled Hermione. "BUT I WISH YOUR WAND WAS FIXED!" Then she burst into tears. "I'm so sorry, Ron! I didn't mean it like that! I'm just so scared! Please, just hold me!"

Hermione buried her face in Ron's Slytherin robes. Ron wrapped his arms around Hermione as he looked at Harry, who gave him a sympathetic look. Both of them felt really sorry for Hermione.

"Er, why don't we go to the library and see if we can't figure out more about the monster? Maybe there's a way to stop it or fight it or something," said Ron, trying to think of something to say.

Hermione moaned into his chest. Ron wasn't sure if this was a moan of approval or of disgust. Then he heard a muffled "okay," issue from her.

It was a bad night for all of them. They at least knew it wasn't Malfoy, but now they had no idea what to do next to prevent another attack except to try and do more research. Harry was scared for Ginny. Harry and Ron were both scared for Hermione. Things couldn't get much worse.

Or so they thought.