"So, I think it's time to move on from the fiasco that was the Polyjuice Potion," Harry said.
"We can file that one under lessons were learned, and mistakes were made," Ava said.
"Many, many, mistakes," Tonks agreed.
"So, time for the next chapter," Sara said.
"I still wish that I would have been told my daughter was in the Hospital Wing," Charlotte chimed in before she eyed McGonagall up. "Why didn't you?"
"I assumed Miss Granger was responsible enough to tell you," McGonagall said.
"And you know what they say about people who assume," Lita remarked.
McGonagall sighed. Well, that's how she felt in hindsight.
"And you should have done your due diligence in making sure we knew," Charlotte said. "I'm beginning to think this is a pattern. The staff of this school assuming someone else is going to be responsible and passing the blame when something goes wrong."
"Mum, I messed up," Hermione said.
Charlotte's ire was directed at McGonagall. She supposed there was no point now, but still it bothered her how the adults at this school did not do their jobs properly. Kate said things were better and Harry agreed, things were much better. But, Hogwarts during her eldest daughter's time troubled Charlotte greatly.
"Never thought I'd hear Miss Perfect admit to making a blunder," Malfoy remarked.
"Malfoy?" Hermione asked
"Yes?"
"Piss off," Hermione said.
"Ouch," Astoria said. "So, next chapter?"
"Next chapter," Sara agreed.
"Chapter Thirteen," Gideon read. "A Very Secret Diary."
"Oh, whose diary?" Bellatrix asked.
"No one good," Ginny said.
"I wonder if it belongs to the culprit," Lily said thoughtfully.
"Only one way to find out," Lena said.
People believed Hermione was attacked by the heir. However, she just has a furry face thanks to the botched polyjuice potion.
Charlotte just tutted disapprovingly at that statement.
"Years ago, let it go," Hermione said.
"It also represents another lie you've told me over the years," Charlotte said. "How many more am I going to find out during the process of this book?"
"Let's keep going," Ava said nervously.
"It's not like Hermione can tell you," Harry said. "But…you two are due a discussion after the books are all said and done. Long overdue."
Hermione opened her mouth to protest, but Harry put his hand up as if to say he did not want to hear any arguments.
"You must teach me your special power to silence her, oh great one," Fred said.
"Maybe later," Harry said.
Hermione is still keeping up on her work.
"Well, there's a shock," Lita said. "In other news, sun is warm, rain is wet, and politicians are liars."
"Didn't want to slip into the dreaded second place," Daphne said.
Hermione said nothing. Falling behind was going to be the worst thing for her.
"Unless you're first, you're worst," Kate summarized.
"That's a terrible attitude to have," Kara said. "Not good for one's mental health."
"And I'm beginning to think someone put that thought into Hermione's head," Astra said.
Hermione said nothing, although she knew who did.
"I do wonder,' Charlotte murmured darkly.
Ron and Harry discover that Lockhart has sent Hermione a get well card.
"Very unprofessional," Ava said.
"Not to mention a bit creepy," Lita said.
"I'm not sure if it was anything like that," Ron said.
"Well a thirty-some year old teacher giving a card to a twelve….thirteen year old girl, that doesn't seem…" Natalie said.
"Seems like he's an utter wanker, and he better not do what I think he did," John said.
"He didn't did he?" Mick asked.
"No, but we'll discuss this more later," Harry said.
Charlotte frowned.
"These children would have been better off of having no teacher at all," Charlotte remarked.
"The more I learn about this Lockhart, the less I like," Nyssa said. "He's not still out there, is he?"
"You'll find out what happened to him by the end of this book," Harry said.
"Fair enough," Nyssa said.
After Harry and Ron leave the hospital wing, they come across a ranting Filch who is talking about all of the mess he had to clean up.
"I do wonder what your point is, with all of the house elves," Peter said.
Hermione's eye twitched, but she was not in the mood to say anything.
"It's a good point," Junior offered.
"Yeah, having a squib take care of Hogwarts feels…off," Nora said.
"I still don't know why Dumbledore appointed him all of those years later," McGonagall said. "The one time I asked, Dumbledore said everyone should have a chance to achieve their dreams."
"Not sure how working at a school full of magical children is Filch's dream," Sirius said.
"Comes across as a miserable bastard," Thea said.
"Maybe Dumbledore's shielding him because he's in danger from someone," Lita suggested.
"Wouldn't be the first time that Dumbledore used Hogwarts as witness protection," John said.
And here, John threw Snape a very nasty look, which Snape returned with an equally nasty scowl. Ava cleared her throat.
"His employment doesn't make any sense," Sara said. "But, I suppose he does some things that the house eleves could not do."
Harry and Ron discover Myrtle throwing a fit. They go and see what the problem is.
"Myrtle throwing a tantrum over something?" Lily asked.
"Well, I'm shocked and appalled," Natalie said. "Such a departure from her usual sane and rational character."
"What affected her delicate sensibilities this time?" Bellatrix asked.
"I suspect we're going to find out," Astra said.
Myrtle is in hysterics that someone threw something at her.
"Don't get what the big deal is," Bellatrix said. "I used throw things at her all of the time. It just passes through her."
"Nope, can't see of a single reason why Myrtle would hate you," Regulus said sarcastically. "None at all."
"She just wants to be hysterical about something," Lily said. "She wouldn't be happy if she's hysterical."
"I think a small part of her is happy when someone mistreats her," Kara said with a sigh. "Because, it gives her a reason to act out."
"I think you hit the nail on the head," Daphne said.
Harry makes the mistake of saying that the book can go through Myrtle. Needless to say, this does not endear him to her that well.
"Oooh, Harry," Lily groaned. "I mean you're right…."
"Of course he's right, she's making a mountain out of a molehill," Bellatrix said.
"Can't say anything right, might as well not say anything at all," Lita said.
"With her, you can still say nothing, and she still would throw a fit," Natalie offered.
"It's true," Lily said.
Harry goes for the book, but Ron warns him it could be dangerous.
"Oh, yes ,it could," John said. "You should know better than to pick up random books."
"Well, you know why I don't," Harry said.
"Mmm," Astra said.
Astra was bursting to have a go about Dumbledore. However, Lily and Natalie were already eyeballing her, and Astra did not want to bring up the fact she spent over half of her life in Hell.
Ron explains the dangerous books. Namely the book where the reader speaks in nothing but sonnets, the book where the person can never stop reading, and the book where the person burns their eyeballs out.
"Didn't one of our great aunts write that one?" Bellatrix asked.
"Yes," Narcissa confirmed.
"Well, that would put anyone off of reading for a while," Sara said.
"There's a lot more cursed and damned books than I'd like to admit," John said.
"The League's run into a few," Nyssa said.
"And I hate to say it, but that book must have some kind of allure on it," Nora said. "Which makes me curious as to why there was no one accidentally writing in it, wherever it was before it got to Hogwarts."
"Well, the person who had it, must have had it under numerous protections," Malfoy said. "And likely made sure that no little hands traveled to that part of that house."
"That was oddly specific," Astra said.
Harry discovers that it's a diary which belongs to T.M. Riddle.
Astra had been set on edge when she read that name. Despite a lot of Harry's past being a mystery to her, she knew precisely who that was.
"Oh bugger me sideways," John grumbled. "Of course it is."
"Who?"Sirius asked.
"You'll find out soon enough," Alex said grimly.
"It's quite the revelation," Zari added.
"But, I want to know now," Bellatrix said.
"You wouldn't believe me, even if I told you," Harry told her.
"Ah, Trixie's got her pouty face on," Regulus said in a sing-song voice.
Those who knew, said nothing. Ginny watched the spectacle play out. She could see Harry being sucked in by the diary. The allure to write in it was strong. The power to use it was exactly what Riddle wanted.
The parasitic nature of the diary made Ginny shudder even in hindsight.
Ron points out that T.M. Riddle got an award for special services to the school. Fifty years ago.
"You would remember that if you barfed slugs all over it," Zari said.
"And had to clean it fifty times," Astra said.
"Well it was more like about twenty, but yes, that name is forever burned in my brain," Ron said. "And the fact that plaque is there…"
Ron trailed off before he could get spoiler locked.
"I get the sense you don't like this guy, at all," Lily said.
"Oh, trust me, it's warranted," Harry said.
Harry finds out the diary has never been written in. And deduces that Riddle is Muggleborn.
"A very logical conclusion to come to," Nyssa said.
"I was on the right path," Harry said.
"Oh, you really were," Ginny agreed.
Harry would have to be the one to find the diary. Now that Ginny had both time and hindsight on her side, she knew Riddle purposely had her dispose of the diary. She did not overcome it. No, Riddle had her do it. So Harry could easily find it.
"And you kept the bloody thing," John said.
"Not a smart thing to do at all," Harry said.
"It's like the Mirror all over again," Astra said. "It sucked you in."
"I still can't believe Dumbledore put that thing near children," Zari said.
"The Mirror of Erised?" Sirius asked.
"Yes, that blasted thing," John said.
"Good thing it's been taken care of," Sara said.
"Although the damage is done for a long time," Alex said.
When Harry shows Hermione the diary, she deduces that it has hidden powers
"Oh, I had no idea," Hermione murmured darkly underneath her breath.
"Powers that should be dealt with by a qualified adult," John said.
"Well, we could give it to the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," Ron said. "He should be qualified to handle these things. I mean, all of the things he's said he's done in his books, surely a cursed book would be right up his alley?"
"Point taken," John said.
"The more I see this book, the more I wonder what kind of magic it is," Junior said. "Even in these memories, sommething about it, I don't like."
"Take makes a lot of us," Regulus said.
Ron remarks that Riddle could have gotten his award for getting thirty OWLs. Or murdering Myrtle.
Lita, Nora, Kara, Alex, Thea, and Zari all turned their attention to Ron.
"What?" Ron asked.
"We'll discuss this one later," Zari said.
"He didn't seriously kill Myrtle?" Bellatrix asked. "Please tell me that this school didn't award him for bringing that terror upon the school. Because nothing would make me like him. In fact, if this Riddle was responsible for Moaning Myrtle, I think this Riddle might be the worst person I would ever have the misfortune of meeting."
Sara could barely stifle her laughter.
"What's so funny?" Myrtle asked.
"You'll find out soon enough," Sara said.
"I need to know now!" Bellatrix whined.
"Calm yourself, Bella," Narcissa said with a sigh.
"Maybe we shouldn't be trolling her this badly," Kara said.
"It's half the fun though," Sara said.
Harry deduces that Riddle may have gotten his award for Special Services to the school by stopping whoever opened the Chamber of Secrets.
"Brilliant ,logical deduction," Tonks confirmed. "Wouldn't be surprised."
"Sound logic, indeed," Nyssa said.
"Timeline does add up," Junior said.
"And it makes a lot of sense," Sara said. "Almost too much sense."
"Indeed," Harry agreed.
Whoever is opening it might have disposed of the diary, because they don't want the information out.
"There may be a more insidious reason," John said. "I'll let you know if I'm right later."
"I'm coming to the same conclusion," Ginny said.
"You don't suppose the person behind the diary wanted it to be found?" Zari asked.
"I'm coming to that conclusion as well," Daphne said.
"With the person behind it and his vain, swollen ego, I wouldn't be surprised," Malfoy said.
"The more I learn about this Riddle, the less I like him," Bellatrix said.
It was Kara's turn to almost stifle a giggle.
"I still don't know what you lot are on about," Bellatrix said.
"Actually, I want to know with the rest of them," Sirius said.
Hermione tries to reveal the contents of the diary, to no avail.
"They weren't going to make it that easily," Natalie said.
"No, it wasn't," Hermione agreed. "Maybe we should have taken it to a teacher?"
"Not sure if the diary would have let us," Harry said.
Ginny caught Harry's eye and nodded. Before disposing of it, she tried to take it to Professor McGonagall. Numerous times. She always lost her nerve before she made it out of the Gryffindor Common Room.
Harry feels as if T.M. Riddle is a friend he once had when he was small and forgotten
Astra just stuck her head in her hands and sighed.
"And that's how it sucks you in," Regulus said. "I had my suspicions before, but that's a dark magical artifact. And it's already twisting your perception to gain your trust."
"Do you have an idea what it might be, Reggie?" Sirius asked his younger brother.
"It might be the type of dark magic that even the Blacks would find taboo," Regulus said grimly.
"There's very little that it could be," Bellatrix said. "We are very open. There's very few things we would consider dark magic."
"There's one thing," Narcissa said.
Bellatrix opened her mouth and closed it suddenly.
"I suppose it won't do me any good asking you if you're going to be okay," Astra said. "You're going to have to deal with this."
"Don't I always?" Harry asked.
"You shouldn't," Astra said.
"I shouldn't, but who else would?" Harry asked.
"If there ever was a sentence that described Harry Potter," George said.
After hunting down more information on Riddle, Ron compares him to Percy. Being prefect, head boy, and at the top of every class. And Hermione is hurt that Ron might think that's a bad thing.
"All things considered," Ron said to Hermione.
"I know," Hermione said.
"Hmmm," Remus said. "The name Riddle ring a bell to you?"
"He couldn't be Slytherin's heir though, because Riddle isn't a pureblood name," Bellatrix said.
"Maybe he's an accomplice to whoever Slytherin's heir is," Remus suggested.
Everyone turned to Harry.
"Well, I can't tell you," Harry said.
"This is frustrating!" Bellatrix yelled. "I want to know who this wanker is."
Now it was time for Tonks to break out into a fit of laughter.
"I really wish I knew why you all kept doing that as well," Bellatrix said.
"Oh by the end of the book ,you'll know," Tonks said.
"How many more chapters after this?" Bellatrix asked.
"Five," Ava informed them. "Be patient. We'll all get there in the end."
Pomfrey assures Filch that the Mandrakes will be ready in no time so they could cure Mrs. Norris. They were being moody and secretive.
"So, they're teenagers," Nora said.
"Pretty much," Ruby agreed. "At least there's some good news coming out of this."
"Yeah, but unless one of them saw the attacker, they're not going to be of much help," Remus offered.
Harry thinks the person behind the attacks has lost their nerve. Ernie still thinks Harry is behind it having given himself away at Dueling Club.
"I know this wanker already apologized, but he seriously can't let it go," James said.
"Ernie took a while to learn his lesson," Ron said.
"I don't think the person behind the attackers lost their nerve," Nyssa remarked.
"More like they're waiting for the right opportunity to strike," Tonks said. "Make everyone a bit too relaxed. For the optimal amount of chaos."
Lockhart seems to think he stopped the attacks himself.
"You don't say," Tonks muttered while rolling her eyes.
"Oh shove it, you tosser," John said.
"Most of the student body was getting quite sick of him at this point," Daphne said.
"The staff reached that point by the end of the first month," McGonagall said.
"Opening feast," Snape said. "Dealing with him put me in a sour mood."
"Which is why you were such an arse to Dad," Ruby said.
"Oh, he doesn't need a reason for that, honey," Harry said.
Snape nodded in response.
"This guy can't be serious," Junior said.
"He wishes," Sirius said.
"Oh, that's a different version of the same over-played joke," Regulus said with a roll of his eyes. "Well, at least you mixed it up."
Naturally, Lockhart wants to get the spirits of the school up with a morale booster.
Ginny groaned, and she was not the only one.
"I've got a bad feeling about this one," Lily said.
"You too?" Natalie asked.
"Anyone with sense should be getting a bad feeling about this," Thea said seriously.
"This guy really gets so much more punchable the more I read about him," Astra said.
"Just wait," Alex said.
"Every time someone says that, my skin crawls," Astra said.
"And rightfully so with Lockhart," Kara said grimly.
The Great Hall is now a pink nightmare.
"My eyes!" Lita screamed. "The Goggles, they do nothing!"
"Morgana's taint," Bellatrix said in disgust. "Why? Just why?"
"The teachers let him do this, why?" Kate asked.
"It was Dumbledore who signed off on this nonsense, wasn't it?" Zari asked.
"If Dumbledore knew what Lockhart was, then his indulgence in his bullshit is far more disgusting than I thought," Alex said.
Ron is revolved and Hermione is giggly.
"I agree with Weasley?" Malfoy asked. "Why do you do this to me?"
"Granger, your smart card has been revoked," Daphne said.
"I wasn't the only girl doing it," Hermione said.
"To be fair a few of the boys were doing it as well," Astoria said.
"Zabini," Daphne coughed.
"You really should get that checked out," Harry teased her.
"Zabini did seem a bit chummy with Lockhart," Astoria said.
"Might have been seeing how much money Lockhart had, so he could feed his mother the information," Narcissa said.
"For her…side hustle?" Sara asked.
"Is that what we're calling seven husbands dying under mysterious circumstances now?" Zari asked.
"Kat does have some standards," Narcissa said. "I just think young Zabini had his own motives."
"He's normally more intelligent," Astoria said.
"And so is Hermione, but there you go," Kara said.
"She's up to seven husbands now?" Sirius asked.
"Thought it was only four," Peter said.
"Is she still hot?" Sirius asked.
"Yes," Harry said.
"Did you sleep with her, Potter?" Malfoy asked. "Because we know you're a motherfucker."
"Draco Malfoy," Narcissa said scandalized.
"That's no way to talk about your new step Daddy," Bellatrix said.
Malfoy pulled a face as several of the members of the group laughed.
The teachers are not in a good mood. And who could blame them. Snape and McGonagall are particularly disgusted.
"So, you did notice," McGonagall said.
"I agree with Snape," Sirius said. "I'm disgusted as well."
"Believe me, I agree with my grumpy future self as well," Severus said.
"And there he is, oblivious to everything around him," Zari said. "I haven't seen anyone more obsessed in their own self-obsessed wankery."
"Maybe a few," Kate admitted.
"Although Lockhart really brings things to a special level," Lena said.
Lockhart announces forty-six people sent him cards so far, and he's arranged a little surprise.
"So, we know the precise number of people who have lost sense of themselves," John said.
"Hermione?" Kate asked.
"Mistakes were made," Hermione said.
"Lockhart's celebrating how many valentines he got from underage students," Kara said. "Am I the only person who is a little squicked out by this?"
"It's not just you," Alex confirmed.
His little card carrying cupids, which were dwarves dressed like cupids.
"Not sure how he pulled that one off," Junior said. "Dwarves are prideful creatures."
"They don't look too happy about it," Lily said.
"I wouldn't be either if you forced me to dress like that," Mia said grimly.
"You're not the only one," Thea agreed.
"Must have received gold," James suggested.
"Must have needed it badly then," Daphne said.
"Lockhart had to have paid a small fortune to get it set up," McGonagall suggested.
"Unless someone else footed the bill for him," Malfoy replied.
"You're not suggesting Dumbledore did that, are you?" Astra asked.
"Very clever of you, Logue," Malfoy said.
"He does seem like the type to find this highly amusing," Sirius said.
"I'd find my boot in his ass highly amusing," Mick said. "I know you said that Lockhart's too in love with himself to try anything, but sometimes I wonder about him."
"Not the only one," Charlotte said. "Does Hogwarts even do background checks?"
"I've got this one," Ron said. "Dumbledore said he was okay and no one questioned it."
"I questioned it, Weasley," Snape said. "My opinion was disregarded as always."
"The one time we wished it wasn't," Harry said.
Lockhart suggests that the teachers can teach them much. Namely, asking Snape whether or not he could whip up a love potion.
"Surely, no one was that suicidal," Zari said.
"Five," Snape said. "Five idiots. One of them a Slytherin. Two Gryffindors, and two Hufflepuffs. They asked."
"What did you do to them?" Kara asked.
"Forced them to write an essay about how love potions are an ethical breach," Snape said. "And how dangerous they can be."
"They are, though," Lily said. "People don't take them as seriously, because they're mostly a witch thing."
"Well, obvious men can't be raped," Kate said. "And since men don't generally use love potions, it's okay."
"Should be on the same level as the Imperius," Junior agreed.
Harry figures Snape would force-feed anyone poison who asked.
"Potter, if I could get away with it, I would," Snape said.
"And none of us would be surprised," Zari said.
"I hate that I would be on Snape's side with this one as well," John said.
"Boy, Lockhart should get another Order of Merlin," Sirius said. "For all of the unity he's promoting."
"He's just that kind of guy," Sara said.
The dwarf comes to deliver the valentine for Harry Potter. Harry's not too thrilled to receive one.
"Sorry," Ginny muttered.
Even after all of this time, Ginny still wanted to crawl in a hole and cry after that one. Eleven-years-old or not.
"It was…an interesting poem," Harry said.
"It was terrible," Ginny said.
"Would have appreciated more if it was not out in public," Harry said.
"I think that much was obvious," Kara said. "Given who is bound to show up in a situation like this."
"Harry's personal stalker," Astoria said.
"Actually, Creevey was still in the hospital wing," Malfoy said.
"Talking about you, you wanker," Astoria said.
Harry tries to struggle out, but the dwarf will have none of it. And it rips Harry's bag.
"I really hope you got reimbursed for that thing," Sara said.
"I patched it up for the year, and someone else got me a new one," Harry said. "Not a knut out of Lockhart, although it should have paid."
"Oh, if I was there, I would make him pay alright," Lily said.
"Damn dwarves," Mick said.
"Always so proud," Junior said.
"And they're already in a surly mood for being made to do this," Regulus said. "Therefore, they're not going to stop for anything."
To make matters worse, Draco Malfoy turns up. Along with Percy Weasley.
"I'd ask how this could get any worse, but I know better," Astra said.
"Well, with any luck, Percy would put a stop to this, and get the crowd out of there," Peter said.
"Harry's luck is awful," Alex said. "Sorry, but it is."
"You speak the truth," Harry said.
"Why is it, that every time something significant involves Harry, you're right there?" Lena asked. "Maybe, Astoria's right."
"I can't help it that Potter was in the middle of something most of the time," Malfoy said.
"You could help the amount of times you instigated it," Zari said.
"She's got a point,Draco," Narcissa said.
"Oooh, it's coming, isn't it?" Ginny asked.
"Get it over with," Kara said.
"It's like pulling a band-aide off," Nora said. "Get in, get out quickly."
"I'd like to apologize for my eleven year old self, again," Ginny said. "Bloody hell, what a silly little bint I was."
The dwarf reads that poem. Much to the amusement of the crowd.
Fred and George sang the poem in unison.
"Got that all out of your system?" Harry asked them.
"For the moment," Fred said.
"Wankers," Ginny grumbled.
"Love you too, sis," Fred said.
Despite her faux anger, Ginny smiled.
"It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be," Astra said.
"It's just my behavior overall that makes it bad," Ginny said.
"Eleven," Kara reminded her.
In the chaos, Malfoy snatched Riddle's diary.
"I would have cut off his fingers at this point," Nyssa said.
"She would," Thea said.
"Pomfrey could have regrown them," Sirius reminded them.
"Yes, but it would have hurt like hell, and the Potion would have tasted terrible," Malfoy said.
"Would have taught you a lesson, to keep your hands to yourself," Bellatrix said. "I agree with Nyssa. Although, you would have lost more than your fingers. Nephew or not."
"Good thing Harry's a bit more forgiving," Lena said.
"Be thankful for that," Narcissa said.
Malfoy wants to read the diary, thinking it was Harry's.
"Good thing the diary wasn't interested in having you read it," Astra said.
"Lucky, indeed," Malfoy agreed.
The fact her son had been so close to that thing, made Narcissa's skin crawl. It just reminded her how insane Lucius's plan was.
"You creepy little stalker," Kate said.
"Do they even have restraining orders in the Wizarding World?" Ruby asked.
"Unfortunately, no," Ron said.
Percy tries to defuse the situation. Harry uses the disarming spell to get the diary away from Malfoy. Percy threatens to report it.
"Worth," Lita said. "So worth."
"It was," Harry confirmed.
"Did Percy ever report it?" Fred asked.
"Yes, Mr. Weasley made a full report," McGonagall confirmed.
Malfoy takes out his humiliation on Ginny by snapping that he doesn't think Potter liked her valentine.
"Dude," Thea said. "Just because Harry wouldn't take you to the school dance, doesn't mean you have to harass first-years over that."
"I'm not…" Malfoy said.
"Harry didn't shake your hand, and you're still a grade-A wanker about it," Astra said.
"It wasn't the best poem, but you shouldn't have done that," Lily said. "The girl had a crush she could barely understand to deal with."
And it didn't help that Mrs. Weasley told Ginny stories about Harry which inflamed her delusions.
Harry discovers that all of the books were splattered with ink. Except for the diary.
"Well, that's not normal," Regulus said.
"I would have turned that diary into…someone reputable by now," Lily said. "Although, I don't know who I could trust at this point."
"I don't think it would want that," Nora said.
"It wouldn't," Bellatrix confirmed.
But, surely, that diary could not be, what she thought it was? Although, the more she read about it, the less she liked it. And the less Bellatrix liked this Riddle.
Ron is too busy having more problems with his wand to pay much mind.
"The fact you did what you could with that wand really speaks well for you," Remus said.
"That being said, you should have written home and asked for a new one," Sirius said.
"We'll talk about this wand later," Ron said.
"It's almost like he's saying that it comes in handy later," Natalie said.
"I don't see how," Astra said.
It was a danger to both Ron and the people around him.
Fred and George sing the valentine all night. Which gets old.
"I can see your point," Zari said.
"Overdid it, didn't we?" Fred asked.
"By a bit," George said.
"By a bit, or more," Harry said.
Harry drops ink onto the diary, which absorbs it.
Sirius, Regulus, and Bellatrix all sighed disapprovingly.
"Oh, I'm about to do something which you're all going to think is stupid," Harry said. "But, remember. I lived a sheltered life, and knew very little about magic."
"What Harry's about to do, is something no one should do with any magical artifact," Sara chimed in. "Especially a diary of mysterious origins like this."
Harry writes in the diary, using his real name.
"HARRY!" Astra and Natalie shouted.
"Oh, you weren't fucking kidding!" Sirius yelled. "That was one of the worst things you could have done."
"This is like giving your real name online to a predator," Zari groaned.
"Stupid, I know," Harry said
"Predator is fitting," Ginny said.
"Although, it may have known more than it was letting on," Nora said.
"Harry," Lily murmured. "Why?"
"I told you it was stupid," Harry said.
"This is the most grim and horrifying PSA about why you shouldn't give out your personal information to people," Kara said.
"That's putting it mildly," Alex said.
"Well, what's done is done," James said.
The diary writes back, saying his name is Tom Riddle.
"Tom Riddle?" Junior asked. "Tom Marvolo Riddle?"
"You know him?" Astra asked.
"I know of him," Junior said. "One of the most brilliant students at Hogwarts since…well since Dumbledore. Say what you want about Dumbledore, but the man was brilliant."
"I wouldn't call Dumbledore stupid," John confirmed. "It's just his decisions lacking."
"The point is, Riddle was earmarked for greatness, and he just vanished off of the face of the Earth, about twenty years ago, by our time," Junior said. "My grandfather told my father stories about this brilliant prodigy who had the entire world in his hands and could be anything. And he's just gone."
"What do you think happened to him?" Sara asked.
"Well, there's a belief that he might have been one of the earliest victims of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named," Junior said.
Harry thought that was an interesting way of putting things.
"The Dark Lord killed him?" Bellatrix asked.
"That's what my father believes," Junior said.
"Interesting theory," Kara said.
"Am I close?" Junior asked.
"Oh, we're going to find all about Riddle," Sara said. "Don't you worry."
Harry asks about the Chamber of Secrets. And Riddle explains about it. He mentions how the person who had the power to release it was never properly imprisoned.
"He's not wrong," Ron said.
"I wouldn't believe a damn word he tells you," John said.
"I wish I didn't," Harry said. "But, he's convincing. Enchanting."
"Oh, this is becoming like something out of one of my worst nightmares," Peter groaned.
"We can't stop what happened here," Sirius reminded them.
"He wants you for something," Mia said.
"The enchantment is extremely powerful and dangerous," Nyssa said.
"Obviously, yes," Astra said.
When Harry asks who it was, Riddle offers to show Harry.
"An obvious trap," Nyssa remarked. "Just shows how dangerous this thing is."
"I wonder how it got into Hogwarts, without anyone noticing," John said. "I was under the assumption there were ancient enchantments that warned the Headmaster of any problems."
"Only does you so good when the Headmaster can be bothered with them," Astra said.
"Or this diary could have been so well made, that it didn't get picked up," Hermione said.
"Maybe," Bellatrix said. "Maybe."
Harry agrees to let Riddle show him.
"Well, here we go," Astra said.
Harry would have known better, had he been allowed to retain those Astra locked eyes with Harry, he knew.
Natalie could see some kind of unspoken conversation being played out by Astra and Harry.
"That's not an ordinary diary," Mia said.
"This is…really creepy," Ruby said.
"Imagine being in Harry's shoes," Lena said.
"No thanks," Lita said.
"You've done some insane shit that should have gotten you killed dozens of times over," Ron said to Harry.
"Don't I know it," Harry said.
"At least a dozen," Sara said. "And that's not counting the few times you actually did die."
Harry is taken into the diary. He ends up in Dumbledore's office, only another wizard was sitting there.
"Dippet," Junior said. "Dumbledore's predecessor."
"Heard about him," Sirius said. "Didn't seem to have much sense from what I'm told."
"Unfortunately, that appears to be a trend among Heads of Hogwarts," Tonks said.
"At least our current one doesn't have his finger in every government position in the country, and can actually focus on running the school," Kate offered.
"Which is what a Headmaster should be," Junior summarized. "All about the school."
"Dumbledore likes to spread himself thin and grab as much power as possible," Bellatrix said. "Bloody tyrant with a twinkle."
"As if Voldemort's any better," Sirius said.
Bellatrix said nothing.
"Creepy as fuck," Astra groaned.
"No kidding," Hermione said. "The greyscale makes it ominous."
Harry tries to get the older wizard's attention, only to find out that he's deaf to anything Harry says.
"Memory," Tonks said.
"Obvious now," Harry said.
"But, not like any memory that I've ever seen," James said.
"The longer you're in there, the more dangerous it is," Astra said. "This diary is terrifying."
"Yup," Ginny said.
The longer Harry was there, the more his hooks would get planted deep.
After some time, a young sixteen year old boy enters the office.
"Hard to believe what he grew into," Kara murmured to Harry.
"True evil starts so innocently," Harry told her.
Harry learns the boy is Riddle. And the Headmaster, Dippet, tells Riddle that he can't stay at school over the summer.
"Oooh, I felt that one," Harry responded.
"He knows,he's playing on your similarities to get him to trust you," Nyssa commented.
"Sick and twisted bastard," Mick said.
"That would be during the Blitz, wouldn't it?" Sara asked.
"Yes," Harry replied.
"Well, Riddle might have had a good reason," Junior said. "Although there's something about this that doesn't seem right."
"There's a lot about this that shouldn't seem right," Tonks said.
"To know then what we know now," Daphne said.
Everyone answered in response, nodding.
We learn that Riddle is half-blood. And both of his parents are dead.
"Really unsettling similarities," Lily said.
"On the surface is where they end," Astra said.
Dippet admits circumstances could be made. But with the attacks, he can't do it. Especially with the death of a little girl. Hogwarts would close.
"So someone did die," Sirius said.
"Damn," Regulus said.
"But, Hogwarts was still open ,so someone must have been caught," Bellatrix said.
"Someone, yes," Kara agreed.
Riddle asks if the attacks stopped, would the school remain open. If they caught the attacker?
"Oh, that rat bastard," Sirius hissed underneath his breath.
"I'm seeing what he's doing," Lena said. "He knows.'
"More than knows," Bellatrix said. "This is how he got his award."
"The easy solution, but never the right one," Kate said.
"That never changes," Lily said.
"And it looks like it may never," Mia added.
When Riddle denies knowing anything, the disappointed Dippet lets him go.
"So, he's playing an angle," Nyssa said.
"Yeah, I can see it," Regulus said. "He doesn't want to seem too eager."
"He's playing everyone," Astra said.
"There's one person that he was never able to properly play," Harry commented.
Riddle runs into Dumbledore, who suggests he not be wandering around late at night.
"I'm just wondering how much Dumbledore knew about what was going on," John said.
"Not sure if I want the answer," Astra said.
"That's a discussion for the end of the book," Ava said.
Kara lightly nudged Harry to get his attention while everyone else was focused on the book.
"Doesn't Dumbledore just casually drop a very important piece of information towards the end?" Kara whispered to Harry.
"Getting ahead of yourself but yes," Harry said.
Riddle makes a beeline down into the dungeons.
"Shifty twat," Bellatrix said. "I can't believe a half-blood got into Slytherin. Well, other than Snape."
"You'd be surprised how many purebloods are just half-bloods pulling a con," Ron said.
"It's true," Tonks said. "And that goes with Death Eaters as well."
"I know you don't believe it," Harry summarized.
"The Dark Lord would never…he just would never," Bellatrix said.
"Are you sure about that?" Sara asked.
"I'll be his number one, these books will tell us how important I am," Bellatrix said.
"You could be dead," Sirius offered.
"I'm beginning to think we all are at this point," Natalie said.
Harry notices a familiar voice trying to get something to go into the box.
"No," James said. "It's not possible."
"There's no way he would hurt anyone," Peter protested. "Not intentionally at least."
"But, he's trying to hide something," Lena offered.
"Hagrid…oh I don't doubt he could be doing something highly illegal,' Sirius said with a defeated sigh. "And he did get expelled."
"And setting himself up to the perfect scapegoat," Astra said.
"What's in the box?" Ruby asked.
"My worst nightmare," Ron murmured.
No one asked and Ron did not volunteer any further information. They would find out soon enough.
"Admittedly, this does all look bad," Tonks said.
"Hagrid never does himself any favors," Sara said.
"He's got a twisted perspective of what's safe," Ava said.
"That comes with being a half-giant," Harry said. "Things that are dangerous to a normal person don't harm him."
Riddle addresses the young man as Rubeus, and says that Hogwarts will be closed if the attacks don't stop.
"Obviously, they don't care about a little thing called the truth," Kara said in disgust. "They just want the easy solution."
"It's the same as it's always been," Lily said.
"So, this is how it happened," Sirius said. "They want to be seen doing something."
"To be fair, that's not just a Ministry of Magic thing," Alex said. "That's the cause for a lot of governments."
"Speaking from experience?" Astra asked.
"Unfortunately," Alex said with a sigh.
Rubeus protests that his pet never killed anyone. Riddle suggests the parents of the girl deserves to see the creature slayed.
"Hagrid just purposely walked into his trap," Sirius said. "The bastard played him. He played him."
"Hagrid does himself no favors, though," Bellatrix said.
"He never does," Malfoy said. "He makes it so easy for people to set him up for a fall."
"Oooh, wouldn't you know?" Ginny asked.
"If only that thing was slayed," Ron murmured.
Riddle knocks the boy to the side to get at the creature.
"What a hero," Zari said dryly.
A creature with many legs and many eyes goes for Riddle before the memory fades out and Harry ends up in the real world.
Ron shuddered when seeing the "creature."
Astra responded with a sigh.
"Yes," Astra said. "At least you're out of the diary."
"And I can only imagine what you were thinking," Ruby said.
"You did give Hagrid the benefit of doubt, right?" Peter asked.
"I…I didn't think it would be out of the realm of possibility for Hagrid to want to get a glimpse of the creature," Harry said. "You know how he is about creatures."
"Fair enough," Peter said.
"Judging by Ron's very obvious traumatic reaction and the glimpses we got, that's a spider," Astra said. "And if that's the type of spider I think it is, and damn it Hagrid if it is, it would kill instantly through its venom. It doesn't petrify."
"Plus, Slytherin is known for being a Parselmouth," Sirius said.
"It's a pity no one fifty years before this smelled the same rats you did," John said.
"Dumbledore didn't believe it," McGonagall said.
"Well, good for him," John said. "What did he do about it though?"
No one had an answer.
Ron comes across Harry. Who tells him that Hagrid opened the Chamber of Secrets.
"Well, he was accused of it anyway," Sara said. "There's the chapter."
"That entire diary is insidious," Bellatrix said. "Especially if it's…what I think it is."
This Riddle was twisted and deranged. Although if the Dark Lord killed him, he performed a service doing that to someone who would perform magic like that.
"Also, Lockhart's still a wanker," Sirius said.
"Amen to that," Lily said. "He still owes my son for a new bag."
"Somehow, I doubt I'll be getting that from him," Harry said. "No child could resist the allure of the diary though. Very few adults can either."
"Which is why it's dark magic, and not just what the Ministry brands as dark to restrict what we can do," Regulus said.
"Well, what else can happen next?" Lena asked.
"Dangerous words," Lita said. "Very dangerous words."
"Yes, very," Alex said.
"Let's read up," Sara said.
"No brakes until the end, I'm guessing," Lily said
"That's putting it mildly," Harry said.
It seemed obvious that any hope that Harry would not have to deal with whatever the monster is was foolish. Although for those who did not have previous knowledge of the series,a few valuable pieces were missing.
"I'm ready," Ginny said.
"We all are," Hermione said. "Things only get worse from here. And…more mistakes were made."
Charlotte could only imagine and she feared what could have happened to her daughter.
"Let's get on with it, then," Sirius said.
To Be Continued.