CHAPTER 23: The feeling of a heartbreak
A/N: Hey guys, I'm back. Sorry about the wait once again. As I mentioned my exams are going on. However, only a couple left so you won't have to wait extra long for the next chapter. Now, onto this chapter. It's really long and I feel like I'm going to lose some of you after this. I hope not, I really do but we'll wait and see. I would just like to say that you would do yourself a favor and would enjoy the story so more if you keep an open mind and don't think in the terms of that 'this character wouldn't react in this way', or, 'I don't like it because I don't want him/her to do this or say this'. Remember folks, all this is coming from my sick head, not Joe Rowling's. This is the story I want to tell. Now, without further ado...
His shirt was soaked with sweat as he crossed one corridor after another. The voice never once stopped as it kept ringing in his ears like a never-ending loop. He would've realised if he had stopped and taken a moment to analyse the situation that it was his mind that was repeating it now as the word had been ingrained in his brain and not coming from the mouth of a creature he never wished to come across.
KILL KILL KILL
He turned another corner and he felt as if he'd already been here. Desperation and fear were etched on his face as he stopped and turned around. The path looked identical as the one before him.
He turned back around and took off, hoping this familiar path he felt he had already crossed before would somehow miraculously lead him to the stairs.
He cut through another corner and came to an abrupt halt. His already wide eyes stretched even further as a look of pure terror enveloped his face.
His feet moved of their accord and before he realized it, he was standing right under the unmoving form of Mrs Norris. She was hanging from a torch bracket by her tail.
Harry gulped fearfully as his eyes turned back to her face. Her mouth was open in a silent scream and her yellow eyes were bulged out of her sockets.
His gaze shifted to the right and he quickly backed away from the wall, almost losing his balance in doing so.
Right across from him, written on the wall, in red were the words.
The chamber of secrets has been opened
enemies of the heir...beware
He walked over to the wall to closely examine the writing. 'What's that smell' He wondered. His first guess was that it was paint but that quickly changed when he took a whiff and strong musky smell overloaded his senses. 'That's definitely not paint'
He lifted his hand and swiped his finger across the thick gooey liquid. It felt heavy on his finger and wasn't easily dropping to the ground even when he pointed his finger towards the floor.
"AAAH!"
Harry whipped his head in the direction of the voice, where a stunned looking first year was standing close to the intersection where multiple corridors merged.
He watched as the boy from Ravenclaw slowly turned his wide-eyed gaze from staring at Mrs. Norris towards him.
Harry felt he lost his ability to speak the moment their gazes locked. He wanted to say something, anything, if for nothing than to erase the look of suspicion slowly filling the boy's eyes.
He opened and closed his mouth multiple times, but no sound came out.
His eyes turned wide when he heard a clatter of footsteps getting closer.
Simultaneously, as if it was rehearsed, all 4 houses came into emerged from opposite corridors.
Houses of Slytherin and Ravenclaw came in through the same hallway the Ravenclaw boy had, while Gryffindor and Hufflepuff houses followed the passage Harry had used.
All four houses were led by head students and prefects.
Harry kept turning his head back and forth between them, feeling like a prey who was cornered from every direction and had nowhere to go.
His shoulders relaxed a bit and some of the anxiety left his body as he saw Hermione and Ron make their way towards him, pushing and shoving other students to get to him.
"Harry!" shouted Hermione, as she came running towards him and put her arms on his shoulder once she reached him. Ron was right behind her. "Where were you? I got so worried when you didn't show up for dinner, and then there was a loud cry...we thought someone was hurt. Was it you? Are you okay? Did anything hap-"
Her speech halted mid-sentence as her eyes turned wide and she backed away a couple of steps. Her gaze was locked on something above his shoulder. He didn't need to turn to know what it was. He looked at Ron and found him mirroring Hermione's expression.
Infact, it seemed everyone's eyes were locked onto the same thing as he swept his gaze across all the students.
His eyes found Malfoy's but unlike previously, he averted his gaze right away. He knew what he would find in his eyes and he couldn't deal with it, at least not right now.
He just hoped that nobody thought he was capable of doing such a heinous thing.
He had never seen or heard these many students silent before. The gravity of the situation suddenly hit him like a ton of bricks. Before he could contemplate on what it meant he heard a voice yell.
"What are you all doing here? MOVE!"
Harry's face turned pale as he watched Filch squeeze his way through to get to the front.
"Potter?" Filch furrowed his brow in confusion as his eyes landed on him. Harry tore his gaze away from the caretaker and noticed that, not intentionally, but Hermione and Ron were now standing closer to the entire student population of Hogwarts than him.
He could tell that they weren't aware of it as their gazes were still locked on the wall behind him and their mouths were open in disbelief. He figured they were now looking at the message written on the wall.
He turned his head back towards Filch as he made his way towards him. "Why are you standing there boy, all alone" snickered Filch, showing his dirty rotten teeth that made Harry cringe.
"Your friends abandoned you, huh, no longer-"
Harry shut his eyes the moment he saw Filch's eyes leave his and look behind him. He opened them when he heard a sharp gasp leave Filch's lips.
He watched as Filch put his hand over his heart as he nearly stumbled to the ground as he backed away in horror.
"Noooo!" He let out an anguish scream as he dropped to his knees. Harry looked around and saw everyone's eyes showing sympathy as they watched the poor squib let out one gut wrenching scream after another.
"Mrs Norris!" He cried, tears escaping his eyes and rolling down his cheeks.
"Everyone, make way!" Harry turned his head and watched students from Gryffindor and Hufflepuff separate and create a clear path for Professor McGonagall to walk through. He looked behind her and saw Snape and Lockhart follow her.
Professor Sprout, Flitwick, Binns, Vector, and Madam Pince came into view once they were visible.
Harry put his hand inside his right trouser pocket and took out the penny he always kept with him. He started twirling it between his fingers to stop his body from shaking. The staff had yet to look at him as all their gazes were locked on the wall behind him.
His entire frame was trembling with fear and he couldn't do anything to stop it. He wanted to cry angry tears for appearing so afraid and vulnerable in front of the entire school.
'C'mon Potter, get a grip.' He started twirling the coin at a rapid speed. He whipped his head up and almost jumped in the air when he felt an arm drape over his shoulder. The weight and pressure of the arm stopped him from falling to the ground, that's how fragile he felt at the moment.
He met the smiling face of his friend, the one he hadn't spoken to or seen since last year, Cedric Diggory. The first thing he noticed was that he was even taller than he remembered.
"Hey there, buddy. Remember me" chuckled Cedric. Harry felt his breathing slowly return to normal along with the beating of his heart.
"Cedric" He whispered hoarsely.
"Yup, it's me. I'm glad you still remember me though. 3 days have gone and you didn't deem it important to see me" Cedric shook his head, before giving him a wink.
A chuckle escaped Harry's lips and he was internally grateful for his friend for coming to his aid when he felt he was being swallowed by a black hole. He never wanted to feel that way again.
"Oh my, what do you think this means, Albus"
Harry turned his head and saw Dumbledore standing next to McGonagall. As if on cue, the headmaster turned his eyes momentarily towards him and gave him a reassuring smile before turning his gaze back to the wall.
"I've some ideas but I don't think you're going to like either of those, Minerva" said Dumbledore as casually strolled towards Filch and helped him stand up.
Harry was a little relieved that the caretaker had stopped crying, except sniffling every now and then.
"It's him!" shouted Filch, pointing an accusing finger towards Harry.
Cedric stepped in front of him and shielded him from Filch's death glare.
"He killed my cat! I'm gonna kill him" yelled Filch before he leapt in Harry's direction.
Dumbledore snapped his fingers and conjured a chair from nowhere. He then made a backing motion of his hand and in less than a second, Filch was sitting comfortably in the chair.
Filch tried to move but he couldn't move any of his body parts except his shoulder, hands and feet. It was like he was chained with an invisible rope.
Harry felt a hand grip his right hand and turned to see Hermione standing next to him, with Ron standing on her other side.
She gave him a small nod, accompanied by a smile. He reciprocated the action before turning his attention back towards Filch.
"Now, now Argus, we shouldn't be making any accusations. It's far too early for that" Dumbledore raised an eyebrow in question when it looked that Filch was about to argue but kept his mouth shut.
"And, I can assure you that Mrs Norris is not dead. She has been petrified. I can also assure you that we will do our very best to reverse the curse and bring her back to her normal state." stated Dumbledore before turning around.
"But what about the blood. How do you explain that? His hand is covered in it" Filch pointed his finger at Harry.
Harry felt everyone's eyes turn immediately to his hand. He looked down at it as well and realized that he had forgotten about it.
Somehow, the blood that once covered only a part of his index finger, was now smeared all over his hand.
It was dry now too, and the smell had gotten worse than earlier.
"I swear I had nothing to do with it. I didn't know where I was going. I just heard the voice like the rest of you and it led me here" exclaimed Harry.
"Voice, what voice. I didn't hear any voice!" yelled Filch.
"Yeah, maybe that because you're squib" He quickly added after seeing Filch's face turn even redder. "I bet everyone else heard it"
He looked around and saw everyone staring at him either blankly or in confusion.
Except one.
If only Harry had seen the look of shock that enveloped Dumbledore's features, but it left as quickly as it came.
"Hearing voices!" cackled someone from Slytherin house but Harry couldn't make it who it was.
"You're a freak, Potter!" shouted another student.
"Is this some sort of a joke to you!"
"He just wants the attention. Doesn't care how he gets it"
"Yeah, I knew there was something wrong with him"
"Go home"
"Yeah, if you have any"
"Go be with your parents. That's where you belong. Freak!"
"SILENCE!"
A shiver ran down Harry's spine as everyone shut their mouths, even the students who weren't throwing those nasty comments towards Harry.
A huge hush fell around the corridor as Dumbledore turned towards the Slytherin house.
Since he was looking the opposite way, Harry couldn't see the headmaster's face, and he hoped he never had to either when he was angry.
The rage that came over his face in that moment terrified him so badly, he hardly believed it was the same loving and caring person he knew.
"Mr. Hutchin, Zabini, Croft, Romero, and Ms Zimmer, Turner, and Lewis, you will all be serving detentions starting from tomorrow night. With me" He added, his voice cold and steely.
Harry couldn't decipher who these students were as everyone's expression seemed similar to him. They all seemed scared out of their wits and some of them even looked like they might faint any second now.
"Miss Tallot, Mr Wood" Dumbledore turned around and acknowledged the newly appointed head students. "Please lead the students back to their houses. Thank you"
The head students gave a nod of their head before they led the students away.
"Except Roman and Harry" He added.
Harry saw the boy from Ravenclaw who let out that horrible scream, stop in his movement and turn around with wide eyes.
All the students walked in silence with their heads turned down. Even the older students looked shocked and afraid, and he had a feeling it was more due to seeing Dumbledore shout and angry than seeing a petrified Mrs Norris and a bloody message on the wall.
"That includes you three as well" Dumbledore said, looking at Cedric, Hermione, and Ron.
They all hesitated for a second but quickly shuffled away after seeing Dumbledore raise an eyebrow.
Harry rubbed his blood covered hand on his trouser, but it wouldn't come off.
"Harry" He looked up when Dumbledore called his name. "What happened?" his voice back to normal.
Harry took a gulp before opening his mouth. "Umm...I left-"
"Wait a minute, sorry I didn't ask this before but are you okay with your teachers being here or would you like to speak with me in private"
The answer was out of his mouth before he even had the time to think about it. "Private" he blurted.
He avoided looking at his teacher's faces for the fear of seeing them being offended.
"Okay" Dumbledore said, as a small smile curved his mouth. He then turned towards Filch who was still glaring towards Harry.
"Argus, I promise you once more that Mrs Norris would be fine. Just give us some time, by us I mean Professor Sprout, as I believe the situation requires her ability and profound skill to make the potion, am I right, professor" He turned his head towards Professor Sprout.
A slight blush came over herbology professor's cheeks as she shyly nodded her head. "I will get on it right away, headmaster. Though, I would like to be honest with Mr Filch" She turned her gaze towards Filch. "You have to be patient because it takes a while for the potion to be ready"
"How long?" he asked rudely.
Professor McGonagall was about to open her mouth and reproach him but stopped when Dumbledore shook his head.
"It depends actually. The mandrake potion is an extremely hard concoction. It requires the longest time to make it then any other potion. It is hard for me to tell a specific time period right now because due to its various stages, it only becomes clear how long it might take once you're half way done. But if I had to guess, I would say that since I don't have all the ingredients with me right now and it takes a month to grow them, and I'm not sure if Severus has the-"
"I do," said Snape.
"Oh, good then, well to make the potion and for it take effect I would say somewhere around the last term"
At seeing Filch's mouth open in disbelief, she added "But if I had some help, it could be finished earlier"
"I will help you," Everyone turned a surprising eye towards Snape, who didn't cower under their stare. "I will start right away" with that, he turned on his heel, and started walking.
He stopped after taking couple of steps and turned around. Everyone's eye solely focused on him. "If I may headmaster. Mr Potter was right when he said that he was serving his detention with me. The reason he didn't turn up for dinner or wasn't seen by anyone was because I was helping him finish his potions homework. As to why he chose this particular route to get to where he was going," Snape shrugged his shoulders. "Might've fancied for a stroll and just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. That trait certainly runs in the family. As for the voices...working for 2 hours on potions would do that to you" He finished, before leaving with a flourish of his robes.
Harry's mouth was hanging open in shock as he stared at the spot Snape was standing just a second ago. He couldn't believe it; Snape actually took his side for once, and that also when he had the perfect opportunity to not, seeing how most of the students believed he was guilty.
He didn't had time to ponder more on this as his inner turmoil was broken by a scuffle of feet. He looked up and saw rest of the staff leave.
McGonagall caught his eye for a moment before she turned around.
He turned and saw Filch leaving in the opposite direction, the chair nowhere in view. It was only him, Dumbledore, and the Ravenclaw first year student, who still had a look of fear etched on his face.
…...
Harry was nervously twiddling his fingers as he sat next to Roman. They were sitting in the headmaster's office with him sitting opposite them, his elbows placed on the table and his hands twined at the front.
"Why don't you start us off, Harry?" Dumbledore gave him an encouraging smile which reduced his nerves a bit.
"As Professor Snape said...I left a bit late because he was helping me with my homework. I left the room and figured that dinner would be over. I didn't realise where I was going...That's when I heard the voice...I got scared and ran and that's when..." He trailed off, hoping Dumbledore could figure the rest.
"Why did you get scared?" asked Dumbledore, giving no inclination what he was feeling or thinking by the tone of his voice.
Harry was silent for a moment, wondering if he should say what it was he heard. If word got out, it would only give everyone more ammunition to believe further that he was crazy.
He would be lying if he said he wouldn't think the same if it was anyone else. It sounded crazy to him, now that he knew he was the only one who heard it.
More importantly, what it is that he heard. It still sent a shiver down his spine as he remembered the voice, the word, repeating in his mind like a loop.
But he trusted Dumbledore, more than anyone. So, with a huge gulp, he said in a heavy voice. "Because what the voice said. 'Kill.'
"It?"
Harry nodded his head. "It didn't sound human" his voice just above a whisper.
Dumbledore gave a single nod of his head. "Thank you, Harry" He then shifted his gaze towards Roman. "Whenever you're ready, Roman?"
Roman, who was staring at Harry the entire time, whipped his head towards Dumbledore. A whimper escaped his lips that he had no control of.
His entire body was trembling. Harry feared he might've a panic attack if he didn't calm himself.
"You're alright, son. Don't be afraid. I assure you you're not in any kind of trouble" Dumbledore gave him a comforting smile.
Roman nodded his head before speaking. "I was going back to the common room when I heard a noise"
"So, you heard it too!" Harry shouted, relieved that he wasn't alone.
"No...all I heard was something hitting the floor" Roman turned back to Dumbledore before continuing. "I was about to turn a corner when I heard a clattering sound, like someone dropped something on to the floor, like steel" He furrowed his brow in contemplation. "I heard someone run so I ran to see what it was but..." He shook his head. "when I reached the corridor no one was there. I got scared and ran. I got lost and didn't know where I was. That's when I found Harry."
Roman turned his head in Harry's direction.
"When I saw him, he was standing close to the wall, touching it. I saw something big written on the wall but couldn't make out what it was from my place so I walked closer and that's when I saw the cat...and I screamed." He turned his gaze down. "I forgot all about the writing on the wall" He finished in a whisper.
They were all silent for a while. Dumbledore was stroking his beard in a contemplative manner while Harry and Roman both wore different expressions of nervousness with a mixture of anxiousness.
"Alright," started Dumbledore, looking towards them with a smile. "Thank you for being so brave, both of you. You may leave now" he stated.
Harry looked at Dumbledore uncertainly. He was hoping that Dumbledore would clear all his questions so he can sleep without having to worry about this new mystery that seemed not only dangerous but, also that was far beyond his reach to solve.
'I can't expect for him to have answers all the time. That would be ridiculous' He reminded himself, even though he was slightly disappointed by it.
"Good night, sir" he said, before standing up.
"Good night, Harry, Roman" replied Dumbledore, with a polite smile.
"Good night, headmaster" said Roman.
Harry turned and headed towards the door.
The stone gargoyle slowly circled in a downward spiral before stopping once it reached the ground entrance.
Harry stepped out with Roman right behind him.
They both turned their separate ways without saying anything. Harry was walking with his head turned down.
For the first time since he'd been at Hogwarts, he felt afraid. No matter how much he tried he couldn't remove the voice from his head.
But that wasn't the only reason, he was also afraid of how everyone was going to treat him. If tonight's small sample was anything to go by, it didn't bode well for his upcoming year.
He just hoped this whole mystery would be solved soon, even if he had to do it himself.
He wasn't going to let anyone think that he was a murderer.
…...
"Lionheart" he waited as the portrait opened before entering the common room.
He wasn't surprised to find his friends waiting for him.
They hadn't noticed his presence yet, however. Hermione was reading what looked to be 'Hogwarts: A History,' for the hundredth time, while Ron was playing wizard's chess, alone.
He walked over to them. Hermione tore her gaze away from the page and looked up. "Harry!" she exclaimed, putting the large tome down as Ron got up from the floor and took a seat on the sofa with Hermione.
Harry sat on the chair and gave them both a nod.
"Hey" he said, leaning back in the seat.
"So...what happened?" asked Hermione, with a slight hesitation to her voice.
Harry shrugged his shoulder. "Nothing" He sighed heavily. Ron and Hermione looked at each other before facing him again. "He just asked us what happened" He added.
"What happened, Harry?" Hermione asked. There was trepidation in her voice, she wasn't entirely sure if she wanted to hear it.
Harry released another long sigh before turning his gaze towards them. "What do you want to know?"
"Wow" whispered Hermione, shock evident in her voice. She was staring at the floor.
"Bloody hell!"
"Ron!" reprimanded Hermione, in an automatic response.
Ron rolled his eyes before looking towards Harry. "That's wicked mate. That only you heard it"
"So what?" Harry sat up straight. He was trying really hard to keep his voice calm and normal and not sound anxious or nervous, which was exactly what he was feeling. "I don't understand why everyone got so boiled about it. It's not like I'm the first person to hear unhuman voices that tell you to kill"
"It is Harry," said Hermione. He looked at her as she continued. "Even in the wizarding world, hearing voices isn't considered normal. Actually...it's considered to be a bad omen"
They both stared at each other. Him, trying to hide the fear that was trying to break all over his face. Her, conveying with her eyes how worried she was for him.
"You said Dumbledore didn't say anything" They broke the contact at Ron's voice and turned towards him.
"No" Harry shook his head. "Can't always expect Dumbledore to have all the answers"
Ron nodded his head before furrowing his eyebrows. "Who could that be?" At seeing Harry and Hermione give him a look of confusion, he elaborated. "The person who the Ravenclaw boy said he heard drop something. I mean it's obvious isn't it. Whoever that person was, is the one who petrified Filch's cat and wrote all that"
"I agree... but there is no way to find out who it could be" said Harry, in a dejected tone.
"Oh my god!" exclaimed Hermione, putting her hands over her mouth. Her eyes were wide as she stared at Harry.
"What!" he said in alarm.
She slowly uncovered her mouth. "I saw Malfoy leave during dinner" she whispered.
Harry's eyes turned wide as he leapt up from his seat. "What!"
Hermione nodded her head as her and Ron stood up as well. "I was facing the Slytherin table and I saw him and Pansy Parkinson have a fight. He got up and headed for the exit, she went after him. She stopped him when he reached the door. We were sitting at the end and I heard what she said to him since they were only a few feet away." Her eyes turned wider if that was possible.
"Harry, I heard her say 'Don't do it Draco'"
They all looked at each other in disbelief. "He didn't listen to her though, and left" added Hermione.
"When was this" Harry almost shouted.
Hermione stuttered for a moment as she tried to remember. "Umm...about to 20 minutes before dinner finished" she said.
Harry looked at Ron, who nodded his head. "It fits" whispered Ron. "It would give him plenty of time to do what he set out to"
"Guys, we're not sure if this is true. It's just speculation" reasoned Hermione.
"I say we tell Dumbledore right away" argued Ron.
"What!...No...Ron, we can't. We need proof. We can't just accuse someone purely based on assumptions, not to mention that everyone in the school knows that Harry and Malfoy hate each other. It would only turn people more against Harry if Malfoy turns out to be innocent." she finished breathlessly.
"I agree with Hermione," said Harry. "We need to find out if it really was Malfoy," said Harry.
"Alright then, but how do we do that. We can't just go up to him and ask 'Hey Malfoy, was it you who petrified Filch's cat then sacrificed somebody, only to use their blood to write a terrifying message on the wall'" said Ron, facetiously.
He dropped the act when Hermione shot him a deathly glare before she turned towards Harry, who was staring at the floor. "What are you thinking, Harry?" she asked, walking closer to him.
He lifted his head towards her. "I was thinking if I could use my invisibility cloak to sneak into the Slytherin common room and into the second-year boy's dormitory. Maybe I can find something in the room"
"That's a brilliant idea!"
"That's a terrible idea!"
Hermione and Ron glared at each other and Harry would've laughed if it was any different situation.
"It's brilliant" repeated Ron.
"No, it's not. It's a terrible idea" growled Hermione.
"Fine, it's a terrible idea" squeaked Ron. His cheeks-tinged pink when he heard Harry snicker.
Hermione focused her glare at Harry and he stopped snickering right away. "I can't believe you would think of doing something so careless, Harry. Do you want to get expelled, because that's what will happen if you go on with that stupid plan of yours"
"But I won't be seen, Hermione" he argued petulantly.
"The factor of risk is too high. You could get caught. You have never seen the Slytherin common room and are not familiar with its surroundings. One bump, or even a noise, and your cover is blown. Also, don't you think Professor Dumbledore would be suspicious it was you if Malfoy reports that someone snooped around with his belongings. He's the one who gifted you the cloak, remember."
Harry's hopes deflated at hearing that.
Hermione took a deep breath as she walked towards the fireplace "We need a better plan. Something that is fool proof...or the closest thing to it"
Harry and Ron looked at each other and raised an eyebrow in question. "But what could that be?" asked Ron.
"I don't know" She turned around and faced them. "Yet"
…...
McGonagall's eyes swept across the room as everyone was trying to transform the birds in their cages into water goblets. The cages were sitting on the desk, one in front of each student.
Only Hermione had managed to perform the transformation yet. However, she was also sporting the most anxious expression out of everyone in the room. Her gaze was turned down and she was biting her bottom lip.
McGonagall rolled her eyes when Ron managed to transform his bird into a goblet shape, including its wings, for the fifth time.
McGonagall walked over to him and performed the spell that changed the bird back to normal. "I would suggest not doing any spell work till you get a new wand, Mr. Weasley"
Ron's cheeks turned red from embarrassment as the students around him started laughing, including Harry, who was sitting next to him.
McGonagall turned to leave when she saw Hermione's raised hand. "Yes, miss granger"
Hermione brought her arm down. "Professor," her voice uncertain. "I was wondering if you could tell us about the chamber of secrets"
Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned their attention towards McGonagall.
The professor looked at the anticipated expression on all the students faces. "Very well" she walked back to the front of the room before facing the class. She took a moment before speaking.
"Hogwarts was founded over a thousand years ago" She paused. "By Godric Gryffindor, Salazar Slytherin, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Helga Hufflepuff. Three of the founders coexisted harmoniously. One did not"
"I think we all know who that was" piped in Seamus, earning a chuckle from some of the boys from his house.
However, McGonagall's glare shut them up. "Salazar Slytherin believed that only magical families should be allowed to send their children to Hogwarts. His reasoning behind it was that this way there would be no blood impurity, it would remain untainted. Pure blood."
Hermione, Ron and Harry turned their gazes towards Malfoy to sense his reaction. They remember how last year he had called Hermione a 'mudblood'. However, whatever reaction they were expecting, it certainly wasn't to see the Slytherin boy to appear bored out of his mind.
"According to legend, unbeknownst to other founders, Slytherin had built a hidden chamber inside the castle, known as' The Chamber of Secrets'. It is said that shortly before he departed because the other founders didn't agree with his belief, he sealed the chamber until his own true heir returned, for only the heir alone could open the chamber and unleash the horror within and by doing so purge the school of those who, in Slytherin's view, were unworthy to study magic"
"Muggleborns" interjected Hermione.
McGonagall gave a nod of her head. "Let it be reminded that the school has been searched multiple times, but no such chamber has been found"
McGonagall turned around and walked towards her desk.
"Professor" said Hermione. McGonagall turned around to face her. "What exactly does the legend entail the chamber holds?"
McGonagall released a breath before speaking. "A monster"
A collective gasp was heard around the room.
"One that could only be controlled by the heir of Slytherin"
…...
Harry, Hermione and Ron were walking briskly down the corridor as students tried to get to their next class.
"Do you think it's true? That the heir of Slytherin has returned" asked Ron.
"Yes. If not for nothing than how worried the teachers are" said Hermione, as they started climbing the stairs.
"I think it points more towards Malfoy now that we know that only the heir of Slytherin can open the chamber and control the monster" said Harry as they reached the top and turned left.
Hermione stopped walking, which invariantly stopped the boys. "Harry, you can't think like that. It's like you've already decided Malfoy is behind all this"
"But listen to this, Hermione. His entire family has been in Slytherin. Plus, you know more than anyone knows what he thinks about muggleborns. I bet you anything he at least knows more about this. There's no way he doesn't" finished Harry, but Hermione still didn't look convinced.
"Please" he pleaded, bending his knees slightly to be on her eye level.
Her shoulders sagged a little as she answered. "Fine" she sighed.
"Yes!" Harry fist pumped the air.
"But we can't be reckless about this" she shot them both a defiant look. "Until I find a way for us to go about this, we're not going to do anything, you hear me"
"Agreed" said Harry happily.
"Good. Looks like I'm going to be spending a lot more time in the library to find a way" she said indifferently.
Harry and Ron could tell that she was trying to hide her excitement of searching for new books and drain them for knowledge.
"What more time? You already spend every free time in the library" Harry shot Ron a look for his stupid comment. But it was nothing compared to withering glare Hermione was giving him.
…...
Day 1
Harry entered the common room as the portrait closed behind him. He sulkily made his way towards the boy's staircase.
"Harry"
He was startled out of his trance as he turned towards where the voice had come from. "Hermione?" He furrowed his brows as he took steps towards her.
She put a marker on the page she was reading before closing the book and standing up. She put the book on the small table before walking around the sofa and meeting him half way.
"What are you doing up this late?" he asked, stopping in front of her.
"Oh, I was just reading this book I borrowed from the library. It talks about advanced potions" she pointed towards the aforementioned book.
Harry nodded his head. "Okay. Well, good night" he started to turn around but Hermione's hand on his shoulder stopped him.
"Where were you, Harry?"
"Just went for a stroll" He said casually, offering her a smile before turning once again.
"But it's past curfew"
He turned around once more; the smile still etched on his face. "Must've lost track of time" He said before heading towards the staircase.
"Why do you have your invisibility cloak with you" Harry cursed under his breath as he looked at the translucent cloth tucked under his arm.
He forced the smile again as she came to stand in front of him. He could see worry seeping into her eyes as her eyebrows squinted together. "Just in case...you know. Precaution"
Hermione nodded her head before speaking. "You left right away after finishing dinner. Me and Ron spent half an hour looking for you"
"Like I said, felt like going for a stroll"
Hermione gave him a look of empathy. "Is it because what some of the students are saying" she spoke softly.
He was about to speak when she cut him off. "Harry, I told you, what they say doesn't matter. You have no control over it so why bother wasting your time thinking about it. Plus, all that matters is what you believe, and if the people who are close to you believe you...and we do. Nobody in Gryffindor thinks you were behind what happened. You even saw it yourself when Dean and Seamus got into fight over it with Zabini and Nott"
"Thanks Hermione" He didn't have the heart to tell her that although some of that stuff did bother him, he didn't spend much time thinking about it.
Infact, his sullen mood had nothing to do with what had transpired yesterday night with hearing the voice that no one else did, or witnessing Filch's petrified cat, or the bloody message for that matter.
It was something he couldn't disclose to anyone who didn't know about it, and only a couple of people did.
"I'll keep that in mind" He reassured her with a smile, which she reciprocated.
…...
Day 2
"This is so goooood. Ummmm" Dudley moaned blissfully, as he munched on chocolate frogs.
Harry looked at him amusedly as Dudley swallowed 3 chocolate frogs at once. "Might want to slow down, Dudders, wouldn't want it to get stuck"
Dudley glared at him, but it only made him look even more comical. "Shud up"
Harry snickered but stopped when the door open and Madam Pomfrey poked her head inside. "Time to leave" she said to him.
Harry let out a sigh and nodded his head.
"Any improvement" he asked after closing the door behind him.
"I'm afraid not"
Her eyes grew sympathetic at seeing sadness seep over his face. "It's only been a week" She placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'm fairly certain that by the end of next week, she will have gain consciousness" She finished with a small smile.
Harry nodded his head before leaving.
…...
Day 3
"Hey Potter, care to tell us how you managed to stun Filch's cat. We've wanted to do it for years" shouted a seventh year Slytherin. Harry turned his gaze down and kept on walking as all the students in the courtyard started laughing.
…...
Day 4
"Harry?"
Harry closed his eyes and cursed under his breath. He let out a sigh and put on a fake smile before facing Hermione, who was standing next to the couch, with a book in her hand.
She had a deep frown on her face as she stared at him.
"Hermione!" He said a little too cheerfully, hoping she didn't notice. "You're up again" He chuckled and cringed inwardly. It even sounded fake to his own ears.
"Yeah, I'm up...again" The frown still in place as she pointed to the book she was clutching with her free hand. "Reading about-"
"Potions" Harry cut her off with a smile as he started backtracking towards the staircase. "Well, I'll let you read in peace. Good night, Hermione"
He didn't wait for her reply and almost made a dash for the dormitory.
…...
Day 5
"Stay away from Potter guys, you don't want to get on his bad side or you could be next on his list" A group of Hufflepuff sixth years cackled madly on the grass. The girls were clutching their midriffs as the boys rolled on the ground.
"Ignore them, Harry" Hermione gripped his elbow and stirred them away as she glared at the group over her shoulder.
"Hermione's right, mate. Don't listen to them," said Ron.
Harry nodded his head as they made their way to Hagrid's.
Hagrid took a sip of his tea and released a pleasing sigh before focusing his gaze on the three Gryffindor's sitting begore him.
His gaze turned somber as he watched Harry stare at the floor with a tired look.
He caught Hermione's eyes and pointed towards Harry with his head. She shook her head. Hagrid nodded before clearing his throat.
"So...'Arry. When are ye starin' quidditch practice for the new season" he asked cheerfully.
Ron's ears perked up and he turned towards Harry with excitement all over his face.
"In two weeks' time" replied Harry monotonously, his gaze still down.
"I bet you can't wait" chuckled Hagrid.
"Yeah, we talked all night yesterday and came up with strategies after Harry came back" Ron said with a smile.
"Came back" asked Hagrid, scrunching his face in confusion.
"Oh yeah, Harry's been going for late night walks during night" Ron snapped his mouth shut as he realized he shouldn't have said that. It wasn't his place. He was afraid of Harry's reaction but relieved a sigh of relief when no reaction came from his bespectacled friend.
No one seemed to notice a stricken look come over Hermione's face.
…...
Day 6
"Aye Potter! Whose blood are you going to sacrifice next?"
…...
Day 7
"Oh look, the freak's coming this way. Everyone run!" Harry turned on his heel and headed the opposite way. His nostrils flared as he heard howls of laughter erupt behind him.
…...
Day 8
"I thought you said you weren't going to do this anymore"
"Not again" he whispered, his head rolling back as he stared at the ceiling before turning towards Hermione. "Not now, Hermione. Please"
"Harry, I just want to-"
"Not now" He lifted his hand. "Don't worry about me, alright. You don't need to stay up for my sake. I know you finish all you're reading outside of schoolwork in the morning. You're just depriving yourself of sleep with no reason. I appreciate that you care for me but...please..." He heaved a tired sigh before trudging towards the staircase.
Hermione watched him leave with a worried expression. The book long forgotten out of her mind as she dropped heavily onto her seat.
…...
Day 9
Harry looked around in confusion as he entered the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom. His confusion was matched by every other student that entered the room.
Instead of their normal room with desks lined up in columns and rows, there was now a long ramp covered in a purple curtain. All the chairs and desks were lined up against the wall.
Harry also noticed that the geography of the room was different.
It had a more of a rectangular dimension as opposed to squared shape of what they were used to. His gaze then turned to two figures standing on opposite ends of the ramp.
"What is Snape doing here?" asked Ron, as everyone gathered around the ramp.
Harry shrugged his shoulders as Lockhart walked to the middle of the ramp with a beaming smile on his face.
"Welcome everyone! I know you must be feeling quite surprised. Don't worry, I thought we'd have some fun today" He chuckled, making most of the girls swoon on the spot.
Hermione, however had a small frown on her face as she listened to him.
"Today, I'm going to teach you how to properly disarm your opponent. Now, I know you're all familiar with the spell, you may have even used it considering you have all participated in the duelling championship last year. Mr Malfoy, though, without there being an actual match in the final, was announced the winner because Harry was busy saving the entire school from a professor turned evil megalomaniac." Lockhart gave Harry an extravagant bow whose cheeks turned red from embarrassment. "Thank you for your service, Harry. I hope that is enough reminder to those who think you are anything but a true hero, and would go to any length to protect anyone in danger"
Lockhart finished determinedly as he swept his gaze across all the students. Every second year, except those in Gryffindor, avoided his gaze.
"As I was saying before I got side-tracked is that the spell I'm going to teach you is 'Expelliarmus.'
There was a loud groan from the students. "Now, now" Lockhart waved his finger from left to right. "Expelliarmus is a spell that can help you in the most critical situations, remember, if you take away your opponent's wand than they can't fight you back" A small smile curled his lips as he noticed a thoughtful expression come over several students, one of them was Hermione.
"Unless of course, they can do wandless magic because than you're toast" A light laughter covered the walls of the room.
"Professor," Lockhart turned towards Snape, who was staring back at him with irritation. "I believe everyone gets the idea, why don't we give them a demonstration so that I can leave and get back to my work" He drawled.
"Oh sorry," Lockhart said with a sheepish smile. "Forgot that you had to leave. Everyone, give a huge round of applause for Professor Snape, he was kind enough to make some time from his busy schedule and join us"
Snape rolled his eyes as students started clapping. "Enough!" He shouted.
Lockhart shrugged his shoulders at the students before facing Snape.
Both professors bowed at each other before taking their stance.
A hush fell over the room as the second years watched with anticipation.
"Expelliarmus"
"Expelliarmus"
Snape veered out of the way as Lockhart's wand landed in the middle with a soft thud before it rolled to the edge of the ramp.
Lockhart's cheeks-tinged pink as every eye in the room fell upon him. "Well done, Professor Snape, well done." Lockhart smiled, as he walked over to retrieve his wand. "Although, I'm sure you can attest that it would've been rude of me if I hadn't let you win" He chuckled confidently.
"Of course," said Snape, before a small smirk enveloped his lips. "Although, we can demonstrate one more time if you like, and this time you won't have to hold back" He finished with a sneer.
Lockhart gulped before responding. "I think we've already wasted enough time don't you...plus, you must be getting late" he chuckled nervously.
Ron and Harry looked at each other with a smile and shook their heads.
"Very well" said Snape, before he turned on his heel and descended the steps of the ramp and headed towards the door.
Lockhart waited till he disappeared before addressing the students. "Now, let's get started shall we." He took out a crumpled piece of paper from his coat pocket. "You will come up to the ramp when I say your name. I was running late so I assigned the pairs randomly. Some of you will face your own house mates. Just want to get that out of the way so you don't ask questions later."
He paused for a moment before continuing. "Ernie Macmillan and Lavender Brown"
Harry looked over at Hermione and Ron, who were standing with everyone who had already taken their turns on the opposite side of the ramp. They had both won their duels. Now, it was only ten students left.
He was quite shocked at how many students found it hard to execute the spell perfectly. It was his main spell and the one he relied on mostly during last year's competition. So, he was feeling pretty confident.
"Blaise Zabini and Harry Potter"
Harry walked towards the steps before climbing them as Blaise did the same. "C'mon Harry" cheered Hermione. He hid a smile and waited till Lockhart gave further instructions.
"Now boys, as I'm sure you know, you only need to disarm one another" Both boys nodded but Harry didn't like the look on Blaise' face. He had a feeling that something bad was going to happen.
He didn't have much time to think about it as Lockhart shouted "One, two, th-"
"Everte Statum"
Harry's eyes grew wide and before he had time to react, his body was rolling backwards in the air. He landed on his side near the edge of the ramp.
"Harry!" shouted Hermione, before she dashed towards him.
Harry, however, paid her no intention, or to Professor Lockhart who pulled him up. "Harry, you alright"
He shrugged him off and turned his glare towards Blaise, who was staring at him with a cocky grin. "Rictumsempra" He watched with satisfaction as Blaise' expression turned to horror a second before he was sent flying backwards and just like him, landed awkwardly on his back.
"Ow!" he groaned in pain before hurriedly standing back up.
"Boys! That's enough!" yelled Lockhart, but Blaise didn't listen to him as he pointed his wand towards Harry and yelled "Serpensortia"
A collective gasp escaped the students mouths as a snake came out of Blaise' wand and landed in the middle of the ramp.
"Harry, don't move. I got this" said Lockhart from behind him.
Harry didn't hear him though as he walked towards the snake.
"Harry, wait, stay back!"
The snake hissed and slithered on the spot. Everyone, except Harry's eyes turned wide as the snake turned towards Justin Flinch-Fletchley, who was standing close to the edge of the ramp. He was too shocked to move and stared back at the snake in fear.
"Hathehh Ssss Haa Saahthay Ssss" Everyone looked at Harry in shock.
A whimper escaped Justin's mouth as he looked back and forth between Harry and the snake. The snake seemed to be in a struggle. It looked like it was fighting with itself.
"Seethaaa Aayaa ssssehhh Haa Hathehh Ayaeeh Seyythaa Ssss" hissed Harry. The snake looked up at him for a moment before it turned back to Justin.
"Harry!"
Harry blinked a couple of times and frowned. His eyes went wide when they focused on the snake as it was advancing on Justin.
"Vipera Evanesca"
The snake evaporated in smithereens. All that was left was soot in its place.
Harry turned around and saw Lockhart's wand raised before he lowered it to his side and turned his shocked gaze towards him.
Harry looked around and saw that everyone's face matched his, along with fear.
"What's wrong with you!" cried Justin. Harry turned his confusing gaze towards him only to see him run out of the room.
…...
Harry entered the common room and took deep breaths to return his breathing back to normal. He had just run all the way from the classroom.
The door slammed open and he turned around to see Ron and Hermione dash into the room.
"Why didn't you tell us?" demanded Ron as Hermione took out her inhaler and took several puffs.
"Tell what?" he asked.
"That you're a parselmouth"
"A what?" he asked confusedly.
"Parselmouth, meaning you can speak with snakes"
"I know, I once talked to one when we went to a zoo for my cousin's birthday. But I bet loads of people can do that." he justified.
"No, they can't" said Hermione as she stood next to them. "It's not very common, Harry and it's bad. Especially for a Gryffindor"
"What do you mean, it's bad. I was only trying to stop that snake from attacking Justin?
"So, that's what you were saying" exclaimed Ron.
"You were there, you heard what I-"
"I heard you speak parseltonngue. None of us understood a thing," said Ron.
Harry's eyes turned wide. "I was speaking a different language" he whispered. Ron and Hemione nodded their heads. "But I didn't realise it...how can I speak a different language if I never learned it"
"I don't know, Harry," said Hermione. She was staring at him anxiously. "But what is worrying is that now everyone is going to think that you're Salazar Slytherin's heir"
"What-why?" he asked in distress.
"Because he was a parselmouth as well. That's why the symbol of Slytherin house is a snake.
"But...I can't be" he whispered in disbelief.
"I mean we can't be sure. He lived more than thousands of years ago," said Hermione sympathetically.
…...
Day 10
Harry, Hermione, and Ron were sitting in the library, pouring through books to find something that could help them get information from Malfoy. or rather they were studying as he kept glancing up to catch students staring at him. They would turn away when he caught them, only to repeat the same thing a couple of minutes later.
He shook his head. 'I've had enough of this'
He closed his book and started putting it back in his bag.
"What are you doing?" asked Hermione.
"I can't take this anymore. I'm going back to the common room. You guys let me know if you find anything" He stood up and slung his bag over his shoulder.
Hermione looked at him with pity in her eyes. A look Harry was getting tired of seeing.
…...
Day 11
Harry was leaning on his forearms that rested on the top of the railing. He closed his eyes as a drop of rain landed close to his right eye before opening them. The sky was cloudy and gloomy, which perfectly coincided with his mood, and didn't seem that the sun would shine today.
"Not feeling up for classes today?" asked Cedric, who was standing next to him in a similar stance.
Harry shook his head as he dropped his chin on his hands.
"Boy, you can't seem to catch a break, can you? chuckled Cedric, trying to levitate his friend's mood. He let out a sigh when Harry's expression remained unchanged.
"Look at the bright side. I mean no one has teased you since yesterday. Isn't that great?" he asked, hoping this would do the trick.
He figured not when Harry turned to him with a defeated look. "It's worse" started Harry. "Now, everyone's afraid of me. At least before they were only making fun of me. No one really believed that i could've done it. I was just at the wrong place at the wrong time and everyone was scared so they blamed me to hide their fear. I mean look at me, do I look dangerous to you. I know everyone was laughing behind my back, making fun of me, thinking that how dangerous a second year could be"
He shook his head and stood up straight. "But now...now they are afraid. The whole school is. Even the teachers. I saw Professor Flitwick turn the other way around when he saw me yesterday. I was okay being called a freak" he said with disgust before his face contorted to despair. "It's better than being called a killer"
He hastily wiped at his eyes to hide the tears that were ready to drop at any moment and turned his back on Cedric.
He sniffled and started to head for the door when he felt a pair of arms envelop him from behind. That did it. He turned around and hugged Cedric with all his being as silent tears streamed down his face.
…...
Day 12
"Mr. Potter, could you stay behind for a moment, please" Harry looked at McGonagall before nodding his head. He turned to Ron and Hermione. "I'll meet you guys in the library"
They looked at him for a moment before giving him a nod. "See you later, mate" replied Ron as he grabbed Hermione's hand and pulled her long. Her eyes stayed on Harry till she left the room.
Harry turned back around and saw McGonagall looking at him with soft eyes. "Firstly, let me say that I'm extremely sorry for what you're going through. You don't deserve any of this and I want you to know that none of this is your fault."
Harry nodded his head and turned his gaze towards the floor. "If you ever feel the need to speak with someone, my door is always open."
He looked up and nodded once again.
She gave him a small smile in return. "I don't want to ruin the mood but I would like to inform you that although understandable under the circumstances, you're not paying attention in the class. It's a complaint I've heard from other teachers as well. I think it would do you good to invest yourself completely in your studies." A wistful smile came over her lips as she continued. "My-…...someone I knew, used to tell me that 'There's nothing more terrifying than a mind without a thought.' The meaning behind that is that an empty brain is the easiest to manipulate for other people.
You might be feeling vulnerable right now by hearing or seeing everyone react differently towards you. The only way to not focus on any of that is to keep yourself busy with something productive."
She inclined her head and raised an eyebrow. Harry gave her a curt nod.
"Good" she gave him a tight-lipped smile before saying "and also, please make sure that you're on time for your morning classes. This is now the second time in a row that you've been late"
"I will" he said before hastily leaving the room.
…...
Day 13
Harry slowly opened his eyes when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Dumbledore smiling down at him. "Professor"
"Come, let's have a talk"
Harry nodded his head as he looked around. Dudley was playing exploding snap on his bed. He then turned his gaze to his aunt, who remained unmoved. He sighed and followed Dumbledore out of the room.
They were both sitting on the couch in Madam Pomfrey's living room. Two empty cups of tea were laying on the table next to a teapot.
"Madam Pomfrey said that she detected some minor changes in aunt Petunia's health. She said her recovery is happening at a much slower rate than she has ever seen." he said dejectedly.
"It's nothing to worry about Harry. Your aunt wasn't born with a magical core, that's why her recovery is taking this long. But what matters is that she is getting better. It may take an extra week or two but believe me she will be back to normal"
He nodded his head and let out a sigh. "I feel that if I could talk to her than I wouldn't feel so bad. I would have one less thing to worry about. Also, I think she could help me... not that she really can" He chuckled humourlessly.
"Of course, she could help you, Harry" Harry looked up at him as Dumbledore continued. "Help doesn't always have to be practical. Sometimes the best help a person can offer you is by to simply listen to what you have to say"
Harry turned his head and stared out the window into the night sky.
…...
He hurried down the corridor with his cloak hiding him from anyone to see. He knew it didn't really matter if he they could hear him, but he didn't really care about it at the moment. He was hearing the voice again. It had started the moment he had closed the door to the hospital wing.
From the moment on he made a beeline towards the common room.
"Must kill. They should be purged. All dead"
He stopped running when the voice suddenly stopped. He took several deep breaths before moving forward.
He turned a corner and stopped dead in his tracks as his mouth opened in shock.
His feet moved of their own accord as he neared the scene before him. He looked at the hanging figure of Nearly headless Nick. His head was swinging to the side as though on a hinge.
Harry looked down at the second figure that was sprawled out on the cold floor. Harry kneeled down to take a closer look at the ghostly pale of his year mate, Justin Flinch-Fletchley. His mouth was wide open in a silent scream, as were his eyes.
Harry touched his hand with his own and immediately snapped it back. It was freezing.
He furrowed his brows in confusion as he watched a large group of spiders crawl the side of wall and exit through the gap.
He couldn't investigate it further as he heard footsteps approaching. He quickly turned around and felt dread envelop him when he saw his cloak lying at the end of the corridor.
Before he could think to go and grab it, a figure came into view.
He watched the person's eyes widen when they shifted from him, to the dead ghost, then towards Justin's body.
"I think it's best from now on if you lock yourself in your dormitory"
"Professor, I swear it wasn't me-"
"Save your breath" said Snape, lifting his hand. "For those who may need your convincing. I, for one, don't care but,"
Snape narrowed his eyes as he slowly walked towards him. His every step echoed of the walls "I'm only going to ask this once, so be wise."
Harry gulped and nodded his head.
"Are you hiding anything from me?"
"No"
"Did you do this?"
"No"
"Do you know who did?"
"No"
"Do you suspect anyone?"
There was a slight pause before he answered. "No"
Snape's lips curved into a smirk. "What was my first question?"
"Umm...I don- I don't know..." he trailed off.
"Why are you not in your dormitory, in your bed, sleeping, like your fellow students?"
"Umm...I was..."
Snape raised a challenging eyebrow that gave Harry the feeling that he knew more than he was letting on. "50 points from Gryffindor for breaking rules and you will be serving detention tomorrow night by cleaning the storage room in the potions classroom"
Harry gave a quick nod of his head. At this moment he would do anything to get away.
Snape jerked his head to the side. "Go straight to the headmaster's office. Straight" He drawled.
Harry nodded his head and walked past him.
"Wait" Harry stopped and turned around. "Aren't you forgetting something?" Harry's eyes turned wide as he saw Snape extend his arm and reveal his cloak.
Harry looked up but Snape didn't turn around to face him. He hastily grabbed it from his hand and headed for the headmaster's office. The last thing he saw was Snape levitate Justin's body from the ground.
…...
Day 14
Harry hit the wall hard when the fifth year Hufflepuff pushed him.
"Hey, stop it!" exclaimed Hermione, jumping in front of Harry and protecting him from the bigger student.
"Why should I?" he shouted. Harry looked around and saw a large crowd gathering around them. "He put my housemate in the hospital" he pointed towards Harry.
"Shut up!" shouted Ron. "Harry didn't do anything"
"Oh yeah, everyone knows that he tried to kill Justin in Lockhart's class by egging that snake on, and Filch said he saw him running last night. Out. Of. Curfew"
Harry's mind went back to last night when Filch caught him as he was running towards Dumbledore's office. He had forgotten to put his cloak on. In his hurry, he didn't pay the caretaker any attention when he was shouting his name to stop.
"No, he wasn't! Filch just made that up because he blames Harry for his cat" argued Ron.
"Well, why don't you ask him?" glared the fifth year.
Ron didn't notice Hermione's eyes turn wide as she remembered seeing Harry entering the common room late last night before he dashed towards his dormitory.
It had been going on for nearly two weeks now and for the past couple of days she had been waiting for him in the dark. Even turning off the fireplace.
She knew Harry would only lie to her so there was no point in confronting him.
"Tell em Harry!" said Ron confidently. However, his smug smile didn't stay for long as Harry remained quiet. "Harry?" Ron's face marred confusion when his friend didn't answer.
Before anyone could react, Harry pushed Hermione out of the way and ran.
"Muggle Killer" shouted the Hufflepuff as Ron and Hermione watched him leave with concern.
…...
Day 15
"I'm warning you again Mr Potter. If you don't change your ways, then things won't bode well for you." Harry nodded his head as he looked at McGonagall's angry face.
Day 16
This has turned into a very serious matter now, Harry, not that it wasn't before. But the news of a student being found petrified at the grounds of Hogwarts is on the front page of every wizarding newspaper"
"I guess that's bad" replied Harry.
Dumbledore nodded gravely. "Yes, very bad. I am receiving daily mail from parents who demand that I shut the school down, not to mention the pressure from the ministry" He then brought a smile onto his face and Harry could see the twinkle in his eyes come back. "But you don't need to hear about an old man's ramblings. You just stay brave, alright" He patted Harry's knee.
Harry felt a little better, feeling that he would be alright as long as Dumbledore was on his side.
…...
Day 17
"I don't understand why you keep lying to me!" exclaimed Hermione.
"I'm not lying" huffed Harry angrily.
"Yes, you are. If you would just tell it to me than I could help you"
"No, you can't" He cursed inwardly as her eyes turned wide.
"So, there is a problem!"
"No- Hermione...please. I'm just...don't feel like talking"
Her shoulders sagged as she watched him leave.
…...
Day 18
"Another couple of weeks!" he exclaimed.
"Keep your voice down" Madam Pomfrey scolded him as she stocked her cupboard with bottles full of potions. "And yes, I told you this could happen, and I also told you that there is nothing to worry. Her body just needs a little more time"
Harry turned on his heel and dragged his feet towards the door.
…...
Day 19
"Freak"
"Killer"
"Go back to your home"
"How many more are you going to kill"
"I've told my muggleborn friends to lock themselves in the dormitory at night"
"Yeah, I did the same"
Harry cut through the crowd as insult after insult was thrown after him.
Day 20
"Harry, please. You need to talk with someone. This isn't healthy" said Hermione desperately.
Harry pinched the bridge of his nose as he tried to remain calm. He looked up to see her watching him with concern. "No, I don't" he gritted out.
She was about to speak when he cut her off.
"What I want is for you to stop all this...whatever it is. If you really want to help than do so by finding a way that can help us know what's Malfoy's up to, or why did he leave the great hall during the night Filch's cat was petrified"
"Harry, I'm trying-"
"Try harder, Hermione!" He paused, exhaling a breath. "Because that is the only way I can prove my innocence"
…...
Day 21
This is your last warning, Mr Potter. If you're late one more time, you'll be serving detention. I've warned you many times by now and frankly, I'm losing my patience" Harry nodded his head and went back to his seat.
…...
"God Hermione! Would you stop!" he shouted.
"I'm worried for you, Harry. I thought you wouldn't go tonight after McGonagall gave you final warning. And today you've come back even late. It's nearly midnight, Harry. Where do you go!"
"It doesn't concern you!"
He turned around and headed for the stairs.
"I know where you go"
Her voice was soft and low but he heard it clearly. He whipped his head around and stared at her in shock. Her gaze was focused on her hands, as she nervously twiddled with them.
She looked up and met his gaze. "I figured out a week ago, it was pretty easy actually...You're trying to break into Slytherin common room, right?"
She mistook his shocked expression as truth. "I guess you're yet to enter past the portrait. Maybe you're trying out different passwords each night...but Harry, I told you it's dangerous and-"
"Good night, Hermione"
He exhaled a sigh of relief as he turned and climbed the stairs. If Hermione believed that he was trying to break into Slytherin house each night, then that was fine with him. More than fine.
He would've thought differently if he had seen the look of hurt that came over her face when he cut her off.
…...
THE FINAL DAY
"Oh, and Mr Potter, before you leave, I want to tell you that you will be serving detention tonight. Please come see me in this room sharp at 8.00 o'clock" said McGonagall from her desk.
Harry didn't even give her a nod as he exited the room.
"I told you this would happen" said Hermione as they started walking.
"And I told you that it's none of your business!" He snapped.
Hermione's eyes turned wide in surprise by the tone of his voice but she got over her shock quickly as her cheeks turned red in anger and said "I know it's not my business, Harry! I'm just looking out for you and I know-"
"Well, you don't need to look out for me!" He growled, aware that everyone around them stopped walking and was now watching them "You're not my mother so you can just stop it, okay."
He saw hurt flash through her eyes but didn't care. His anger had been bubbling for a long time now and he had finally had enough. All the shit he felt he had been through for the past three weeks and more had made his life a living hell. The insulting remarks, the death threats, everyone fearing him, his aunt's unchanged health, the voice, Hermione's continued pestering. He had been holding it in for as long as he could and he couldn't do it any longer.
He didn't care that he was going to unleash all that rage on Hermione because he felt that she was partly to blame for it too. He had gotten so tired and angry at her for calling him out every night when he returned from visiting his aunt. Not to mention the frustration he felt towards her for unable to figure out a way to extract information from Malfoy.
He had waited all this time because she had said they she would find a better way. But she had failed. He truly believed at this moment that he could only count on himself at the moment and had never felt so alone before.
"Harry-" she started but he cut her off.
"Like I told you, if you really want to help, then help by proving that I didn't do anything and not by waiting for me all night just to show me that you care because that does nothing!"
Tears started forming at Hermione's eyes but she was too shocked to wipe at them.
"I don't know why you always have to know everything, sometimes people don't want to share it with anyone else. But you don't get that do you because you always have to know everything about everyone. Well, here's a news flash for you Hermione, I DON'T WANT TO TELL YOU. Do you get that through that thick skull of yours" He breathing was coming in rapid succession as he glared at her.
Ron watched with wide eyes as anger took over Hermoine's face. Her eyes narrowed into slits as she glared back at Harry. He had never seen her look so furious ever since he has known her. He then shifted his gaze towards Harry. 'Well, that's nothing new' He thought, as he had seen Harry's angry face countless times by now.
"I don't have to know everything about everyone!" she said loudly. "I just care about my friends, something you should learn to do also, because let me tell you that if you keep treating them like trash, or snapping at them whenever you feel like it, you're going to lose them too and I want you to know that it won't be because they tried to help you but because you don't know how to be a good friend"
Silence.
The anger disappeared from Hermione's face as quickly as it appeared. Her eyes went wide and a gasp left her lips before she covered her mouth with her hands, staring at Harry in shock.
A look of hurt, quick as a flash, came over Harry's face before he schooled his features back to normal. He stared at her passively, with no emotion on his face. His eyes were another story though, as they encompassed all the rage, fury, anger, and wrath he was feeling inside.
"Well, I don't need to say anything since you already proved my point. Why should I care about other people when they're going to eventually leave me. I think I'm better this way" Hermione cringed inwardly at the coldness in his voice as tears leaked down her cheeks.
"Harry-"
"I'll make it easier for you. How about we don't talk again, or better, how about we stop being friends" A gasp left Hermione's lips but he paid it no attention and continued. "That way you won't have to trouble yourself with caring about me, and I won't have to listen to you pestering me anymore. It's better for both of us" He turned to Ron, who was staring at him wide-eyed. "I don't mind being your friend Ron, and I don't mind you being hers either" He gestured towards Hermione with his eyebrow. "But I'm not going to hang with you when she's around"
He turned on his heel and walked away, leaving every student who was present with their mouths hanging open as the watched him disappear in shock.
However, their shock was nothing compared to the feeling of a heartbreak of one person.
A/N: Alright, hit me with it. Pour in all your comments. Loved it, Hated it. I want to gobble it all. Anyways guys, I hoped you enjoyed it. Personally, it's one of my favourite. Take care and I'll catch you on the flip side.