FOUR
Spinning Secrets
***
A few days after Easter, Hufflepuff had a Quidditch match against Gryffindor. As everyone walked out to the stands, I looked for Ginny, but I couldn't find her. She always comes out to watch Harry play. He's a great Quidditch player. I wish I could fly like him. But today I couldn't find Ginny. She's usually easy to spot, with her bright red hair, but she didn't seem to be there. I asked her brother Percy if he had seen her, and he said he hadn't. "Not since breakfast; actually, she left in quite a hurry." He looked around, and said, "That's funny. By any chance, have you seen a Ravenclaw girl named Penelope? She doesn't seem to be here either."
"No, I haven't," I said, and I was starting to feel distinctly nervous. Thinking back, I realized Ginny had been slightly fidgety the last few weeks, maybe since Valentine's day. She said it was because she was worried that Harry suspected her of sending a horrendous singing valentine that he had received. I still wanted to believe that was the only reason. But as soon as the players came onto the pitch, my fears were confirmed. Professor McGonagall came out onto the field, and announced that the game had been cancelled. Everyone was told to return to their dormitories.
In the confusion and muddle that followed, I went inside, and towards the hallway where the other attacks had happened. I found Ginny in a deserted corridor.
"It happened again, didn't it? How, Ginny?"
"Serena!" she cried. Ginny grabbed my arm and pulled me closer to her. She held out a small, shabby book. I recognized it as the diary and flinched away from it. "You have to take it," she said urgently, and her voice was full of fear. "If I keep it, something even worse will happen. You can't let me do that!"
I reluctantly took the book, and she sagged against the wall in relief. "But how did you get it back?" I asked. "I thought it was gone forever!"
"So did I," she said, and she was nearly sobbing. "But then, on Valentine's Day, Harry dropped his bag in the hall, and - Serena, he had the diary! What if he had learned what I'd been doing? What if - the same thing happened to him? And someone found out? No one would be able to deny that he was the Heir! I had to get it back - but as soon as I did, I lost control again! Serena, just keep it? And everything will be fine."
She looked so desperate, and she was right. If she kept it, only worse could happen. "All right," I said. "I'll keep it."
I stuffed it into my bag, and then Professor Flitwick came down the hall. He was muttering to himself sadly, and at first he didn't see us. But he looked up just as he approached us, and said, "Oh! Dear me. You first-years should be in your dormitories. Go on, then!" and we skittered away. When our ways parted, we looked back at each other, she with thanks, and I with determination.
When I got back to the Hufflepuff common room, most everyone was there already, and Ernie had taken his customary place in front of the fire. I sat down near him, and asked, "What happened? Is everyone all right?"
"Two people were petrified," he said. "Penelope Clearwater, and - Hermione Granger."
"Ernie, you know Potter would never do that. It can't be him."
"I know, Serena. But it just seemed so much like it had to be him."
"Yes, but next time you see him in Herbology, you should apologize to him. It couldn't have been very nice, having everyone think you're the Heir when you're not."
"I will," he said.
Later Ernie told me something strange. When he was in Herbology, he worked with Potter and Weasley. He had apologized to Harry, as I'd said. Suddenly Harry had hit Ron with his pruning shears, and said, "Look!"
He was pointing to a line of spiders crawling through the grass outside. Ron looked at them, and according to Ernie, he said, "Oh, yeah, but we can't follow them now…"
Then Harry said, "Looks like they're heading for the Forbidden Forest…"
I wondered what they were up to, and how much they knew about the Chamber and the diary. It sounded to me like they were getting themselves into deep trouble.
But what else are you supposed to do when you're already in trouble like this?
I sat in my dormitory, by the window, with Riddle's diary and my Transfiguration books. I can't just sit here with this thing, this evil diary, and not do anything to help Ginny! But I can't tell the teachers. I promised, and for all I know they would expel her! I have to think; I have to find out more! But how do I do that, when I can't go anywhere without a teacher following me? I sighed. I wondered how Harry was planning on getting out to follow the spiders. Everyone's got their own way of breaking rules, I guess, when they feel it has to be done. I couldn't get out of the dormitory to get a broom to fly out of the dormitory. There had to be another way. I looked at my books again. I knew the theory. I knew about bats. I was good at Transfiguration. If anything happened to me, it couldn't be much worse than the dilemma I was already in. I was determined to try. For Ginny.
I opened the window, and I thought bat. Long, long finger bones, claws, small furry black body, big ears, blind eyes, webbings of thin black skin….
I was desperately flapping my arms to keep from falling; I didn't know where I was going! I screamed. A bat's shriek reflected in my big bat ears, and it told me - I could see! And I was gliding over the castle, past the echoing towers, seeing every insect through the noise it made. It was amazing! But I remembered my mission. I headed toward the forest.
When I got to the edge of the Forbidden Forest, I stopped and clung to a tree to look for spiders. Or listen. But any that were there blended in with the ground, and the grass and all the little plants. I decided that the only thing to do was turn human again. I flapped down to the ground, and thought human. Big, long legs, big head and small ears, pink but wearing a black cloak with a wand in the pocket, long hair the color of rose-gold. I couldn't hear the forest any more, and I blinked my eyes and couldn't see it either. Blind as a bat, I laughed, and took out my wand. "Lumos," I whispered. I saw the spiders now. They were all going in the same direction. I followed them through the dark underbrush. I had no idea what to expect, but then I never had since I'd arrived in this place.
Before I got to where the spiders were hurrying, I heard hooves coming through the woods, and a huge thing bounded up in front of me. I recognized the shape; it was a centaur. He said in a deep, wise voice, "You should not be here, little human. It is not safe for your kind in the forest."
"Do you know where Harry Potter is? He was following the spiders, too." I felt smaller than I had when I was a bat. He was so big, and he must know so much!
"Harry Potter has his own destiny. He was almost killed tonight, by what the spiders are seeking. But that would not be allowed. It has been written in the stars since young Potter's birth. He must confront Voldemort yet again. The time approaches."
"Then all this - this has to do with Voldemort?"
"Yes. And now, little one, you must go." He turned and ran into the dark wood.
When I was back in my dormitory, I thought of how this could be. I looked again at the diary. I wanted to ask this Tom if any of this was true, and what was going on. My hand reached for a quill. What am I doing? He's the one who's doing all of this! He'll only lie to me! I shut the diary quickly. I had to remember how dangerous it was.
The date on the diary was from fifty years ago. That's when the Chamber had been opened before. It made sense - but what did it have to do with Voldemort? And if Harry was destined to face him again, what could I, or anyone do, to prevent him from coming? I put the diary under my mattress and lay down hopelessly.
The next time I had a chance, I went to the library and got out a book on recent magical history. I wanted to know more about Voldemort.
His past is hardly even speculated about. Before his fall eleven years ago, no one dared ask. Even now, the entire magical community fears his name. It certainly puts a damper on research, and with his attempted return last year, no one wants to speak of him for fear of retribution. Most of the information available in the library simply chronicled the details of his reign of terror. In the early days of his influence, also, he was very secretive and kept his followers close. Most people were actually ignorant of his existence until the very time when the magical world was in his grasp. I became most interested in his wide use of the imperius curse. After Lord Voldemort's fall, they say it was practically impossible to tell who had been a loyal follower of Voldemort, and who was being controlled. Everyone denied their willing participation. But if "You-know-who" used this powerful curse so much, he must have been very familiar with it. It seemed a lot like what was happening to Ginny. Maybe this Tom person had become one of his followers.
It sounds like an awful thing, to be controlled completely and to be forced to do horrible, cruel things. And if Voldemort was involved in this, even with his power drained, Ginny and I were in way over our heads.
Spinning Secrets
***
A few days after Easter, Hufflepuff had a Quidditch match against Gryffindor. As everyone walked out to the stands, I looked for Ginny, but I couldn't find her. She always comes out to watch Harry play. He's a great Quidditch player. I wish I could fly like him. But today I couldn't find Ginny. She's usually easy to spot, with her bright red hair, but she didn't seem to be there. I asked her brother Percy if he had seen her, and he said he hadn't. "Not since breakfast; actually, she left in quite a hurry." He looked around, and said, "That's funny. By any chance, have you seen a Ravenclaw girl named Penelope? She doesn't seem to be here either."
"No, I haven't," I said, and I was starting to feel distinctly nervous. Thinking back, I realized Ginny had been slightly fidgety the last few weeks, maybe since Valentine's day. She said it was because she was worried that Harry suspected her of sending a horrendous singing valentine that he had received. I still wanted to believe that was the only reason. But as soon as the players came onto the pitch, my fears were confirmed. Professor McGonagall came out onto the field, and announced that the game had been cancelled. Everyone was told to return to their dormitories.
In the confusion and muddle that followed, I went inside, and towards the hallway where the other attacks had happened. I found Ginny in a deserted corridor.
"It happened again, didn't it? How, Ginny?"
"Serena!" she cried. Ginny grabbed my arm and pulled me closer to her. She held out a small, shabby book. I recognized it as the diary and flinched away from it. "You have to take it," she said urgently, and her voice was full of fear. "If I keep it, something even worse will happen. You can't let me do that!"
I reluctantly took the book, and she sagged against the wall in relief. "But how did you get it back?" I asked. "I thought it was gone forever!"
"So did I," she said, and she was nearly sobbing. "But then, on Valentine's Day, Harry dropped his bag in the hall, and - Serena, he had the diary! What if he had learned what I'd been doing? What if - the same thing happened to him? And someone found out? No one would be able to deny that he was the Heir! I had to get it back - but as soon as I did, I lost control again! Serena, just keep it? And everything will be fine."
She looked so desperate, and she was right. If she kept it, only worse could happen. "All right," I said. "I'll keep it."
I stuffed it into my bag, and then Professor Flitwick came down the hall. He was muttering to himself sadly, and at first he didn't see us. But he looked up just as he approached us, and said, "Oh! Dear me. You first-years should be in your dormitories. Go on, then!" and we skittered away. When our ways parted, we looked back at each other, she with thanks, and I with determination.
When I got back to the Hufflepuff common room, most everyone was there already, and Ernie had taken his customary place in front of the fire. I sat down near him, and asked, "What happened? Is everyone all right?"
"Two people were petrified," he said. "Penelope Clearwater, and - Hermione Granger."
"Ernie, you know Potter would never do that. It can't be him."
"I know, Serena. But it just seemed so much like it had to be him."
"Yes, but next time you see him in Herbology, you should apologize to him. It couldn't have been very nice, having everyone think you're the Heir when you're not."
"I will," he said.
Later Ernie told me something strange. When he was in Herbology, he worked with Potter and Weasley. He had apologized to Harry, as I'd said. Suddenly Harry had hit Ron with his pruning shears, and said, "Look!"
He was pointing to a line of spiders crawling through the grass outside. Ron looked at them, and according to Ernie, he said, "Oh, yeah, but we can't follow them now…"
Then Harry said, "Looks like they're heading for the Forbidden Forest…"
I wondered what they were up to, and how much they knew about the Chamber and the diary. It sounded to me like they were getting themselves into deep trouble.
But what else are you supposed to do when you're already in trouble like this?
I sat in my dormitory, by the window, with Riddle's diary and my Transfiguration books. I can't just sit here with this thing, this evil diary, and not do anything to help Ginny! But I can't tell the teachers. I promised, and for all I know they would expel her! I have to think; I have to find out more! But how do I do that, when I can't go anywhere without a teacher following me? I sighed. I wondered how Harry was planning on getting out to follow the spiders. Everyone's got their own way of breaking rules, I guess, when they feel it has to be done. I couldn't get out of the dormitory to get a broom to fly out of the dormitory. There had to be another way. I looked at my books again. I knew the theory. I knew about bats. I was good at Transfiguration. If anything happened to me, it couldn't be much worse than the dilemma I was already in. I was determined to try. For Ginny.
I opened the window, and I thought bat. Long, long finger bones, claws, small furry black body, big ears, blind eyes, webbings of thin black skin….
I was desperately flapping my arms to keep from falling; I didn't know where I was going! I screamed. A bat's shriek reflected in my big bat ears, and it told me - I could see! And I was gliding over the castle, past the echoing towers, seeing every insect through the noise it made. It was amazing! But I remembered my mission. I headed toward the forest.
When I got to the edge of the Forbidden Forest, I stopped and clung to a tree to look for spiders. Or listen. But any that were there blended in with the ground, and the grass and all the little plants. I decided that the only thing to do was turn human again. I flapped down to the ground, and thought human. Big, long legs, big head and small ears, pink but wearing a black cloak with a wand in the pocket, long hair the color of rose-gold. I couldn't hear the forest any more, and I blinked my eyes and couldn't see it either. Blind as a bat, I laughed, and took out my wand. "Lumos," I whispered. I saw the spiders now. They were all going in the same direction. I followed them through the dark underbrush. I had no idea what to expect, but then I never had since I'd arrived in this place.
Before I got to where the spiders were hurrying, I heard hooves coming through the woods, and a huge thing bounded up in front of me. I recognized the shape; it was a centaur. He said in a deep, wise voice, "You should not be here, little human. It is not safe for your kind in the forest."
"Do you know where Harry Potter is? He was following the spiders, too." I felt smaller than I had when I was a bat. He was so big, and he must know so much!
"Harry Potter has his own destiny. He was almost killed tonight, by what the spiders are seeking. But that would not be allowed. It has been written in the stars since young Potter's birth. He must confront Voldemort yet again. The time approaches."
"Then all this - this has to do with Voldemort?"
"Yes. And now, little one, you must go." He turned and ran into the dark wood.
When I was back in my dormitory, I thought of how this could be. I looked again at the diary. I wanted to ask this Tom if any of this was true, and what was going on. My hand reached for a quill. What am I doing? He's the one who's doing all of this! He'll only lie to me! I shut the diary quickly. I had to remember how dangerous it was.
The date on the diary was from fifty years ago. That's when the Chamber had been opened before. It made sense - but what did it have to do with Voldemort? And if Harry was destined to face him again, what could I, or anyone do, to prevent him from coming? I put the diary under my mattress and lay down hopelessly.
The next time I had a chance, I went to the library and got out a book on recent magical history. I wanted to know more about Voldemort.
His past is hardly even speculated about. Before his fall eleven years ago, no one dared ask. Even now, the entire magical community fears his name. It certainly puts a damper on research, and with his attempted return last year, no one wants to speak of him for fear of retribution. Most of the information available in the library simply chronicled the details of his reign of terror. In the early days of his influence, also, he was very secretive and kept his followers close. Most people were actually ignorant of his existence until the very time when the magical world was in his grasp. I became most interested in his wide use of the imperius curse. After Lord Voldemort's fall, they say it was practically impossible to tell who had been a loyal follower of Voldemort, and who was being controlled. Everyone denied their willing participation. But if "You-know-who" used this powerful curse so much, he must have been very familiar with it. It seemed a lot like what was happening to Ginny. Maybe this Tom person had become one of his followers.
It sounds like an awful thing, to be controlled completely and to be forced to do horrible, cruel things. And if Voldemort was involved in this, even with his power drained, Ginny and I were in way over our heads.