Chapter 4- Shawn Riddle

"No, No, Nooooooo!" Harry sat up hysterically, his eyes darting from left to right. He surveyed the familiar white walls carefully and realised that he was in the infirmary (this wasn't Harry's first visit.) He fell vacantly backwards onto the soft bed and stared directly up at the plain ceiling.

"What the heck happened?" Harry half said to himself but at the same time secretly hoped that someone would tell him the answer. Harry looked down and noticed that he was no longer wearing his glimmering green robes that he was wearing on the night of the feast. He reached over for a sparkling glass of water that stood on a nearby table. A searing pain ran up and down Harry's ribs and he gasped ferociously. The pain temporarily left his body as he begun to hear the sound of lurking footsteps. Harry quickly closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep. Listening intently, Harry heard the creaky door opening and then the sound of nearing footsteps.

"Harry?" Harry half opened one of his eyes and saw the long thin silhouette of Professor Dumbledore.

"Oh, hello professor," Harry said in an unconvincing sleepy voice (Harry sat up slowly so as to not disturb his ribs.)

"Harry, I have no time to talk so I'll make this quick," Dumbledore wiped what seemed to be an invisible tear from his eye, "I think it would be best for you if I started to give you advanced defence against the dark arts lessons."

"Well, okay then."

"Meet me in my office tomorrow at six o'clock." Dumbledore flung his robes behind himself and left the room in a hurry. Just as Dumbledore left, an excited looking Ron entered.

"Hello Harry mate!" Ron said

"Hello Ron."

"Glad to see your awake then," Ron grasped the glass of water from the table and drank it in one large gulp.

"What, what happened to me?" Harry asked. Ron wiped the residue of the water from his mouth, "We were in the hall and then suddenly you fell forwards off your chair and hit the edge of the table." Harry rubbed his crying ribs and thought that that at least explained one thing.

"The last thing I remember was looking into the eyes of this boy who looked at least my age." Harry shuddered at the memory.

"He is your age, he has just been transferred here, I met him in Potions, he seems nice." Ron bundled a lot of information into just one sentence.

"How have I missed potions? How long have I been out?" Harry wondered.

"Two days."

"What," Harry chuckled, "you are joking right?"

"Nope! No one could figure out what was wrong with you, we weren't even sure if you would ever wake up."

"You mean I've already missed two days of classes," Harry let off a deep sigh, "Do you have my timetable then?"

"Yeah, it's in my pocket." Ron produced a neat piece of parchment from the inside of his robes and placed it on Harry's scarred finger. As Harry ran his eyes through the timetable he asked, "Hey Ron, where is Hermione?" Harry looked up and saw the expression on Ron's face drop. Ron ran his stubby fingers through his red hair, "You don't want to know mate."

"Yes, I do!" Harry persisted.

"I've, eh, just remembered," Ron thought for a minute, "I've got Potions homework." Ron galloped out of the room leaving Harry to around the completely desolate room.

"You never were a good liar Ron," Harry said aloud.

"Where, where am I?" Harry shouted through a cloud of black smoke. Coming through the mist, Harry noticed a gravestone. Strong black writing started to slowly appear, 'here lies Lily and James Potter'

"Wha?" a tear trickled down Harry's cheek and splashed on the marshy ground. Suddenly, there was a crack from the dark shadows behind Harry. On the ground was two more gravestones. As before, black writing started to be magically carved into the stone. 'Here lies Hermione Granger' one said, and the other read, 'here lies Ron Weasley'. More and more gravestones shot out from the surrounding smoke. 'Here lies Albus Dumbledore', 'Arthur Weasley', 'Fred Weasley', 'George Weasley'.

Harry was breathing very heavily. Cold sweat dripped from his nose onto the now soggy white blanket. Harry jumped swiftly off the uncomfortable bed and grabbed the Hogwarts robes that lay inside the cupboard. Harry didn't know where he was going to do or what he was going to do but some imaginary force seemed to be pulling him out the door. Harry looked to the left; a dark figure was resting at the end of the corridor. Harry walked unsteadily towards it. One step. Another step. Five meters away and Harry stopped.

"Who, who are you?" Harry was shaking from head to foot.

"I'm the new wizard joining sixth year, my name is Shawn, Shawn Riddle," Shawn turned around with an outstretched hand, "I hope I didn't disturb you."

"You're, there's, you aren't related to you know who are you?" Harry was trembling violently.

"He is my father's, father," Shawn noticed Harry taking a step back in horror, "No, no. Don't get the wrong idea, I mean I'm nothing like him. The, eh, sorting hat even thinks so, he put me in Gryffindor."

"How come I have never heard of you before," Harry took two steps forward in interest.

"That is because no one knows, only Dumbledore, your two best friends and now you." Shawn suddenly looked very sincere, "and that's how it must stay!"

"Okay then Sh, Sh, Shawn," Harry's mind had went completely blank.

"You see Harry, I am hoping to some day become great friends with you and I don't want there to be any secrets between us. Now, its getting late and I have to get to bed, see you tomorrow Harry!" Harry watched Shawn as he walked round the corner. He didn't know what was happening anymore.

"Oh no, I still need to sort out my quidditch team," Harry just remembered.

The next morning Harry was given permission to leave the infirmary. Today wasn't a good day. First thing was double potions with professor Snape and then it was defence against the dark arts with, Harry thought for a moment.

"Come on Harry, Snape's calling the class in." Ron told Harry. Everyone took a seat at one of the musty benches in the glum, dark room, Harry had decided to follow Ron but Snape yanked back on the collar of Harry's robes.

"No Potter," Snape glared at Harry, "I want you to sit next to our new student, Shawn Riddle." Harry's heart fell down into his stomach, he felt sure that Snape somehow knew about Shawn and Voldemort but Harry thought it was best not to say anything.

"O, okay!?" Harry drifted down the centre of the class and took a seat in-between Shawn and a grubby looking boy from Slytherin.

"Hello Harry!" Shawn said excitedly. All this didn't make sense to Harry, did Shawn not know what Voldemort had done to Harry.

"Harry?" Snape's cold voice hit Harry's ears.

"Pardon?" Harry murmured.

"What does extract of foobar mixed with the spice of troll make?" Snape sneered happily at the confused look on Harry's face. Harry looked around the staring faces in the room for help which came from the most unlikely person,

"Dragon root," Shawn whispered.

"Its, em, dragon root sir," Harry answered.

"Correct," Snape looked quite puzzled that Harry actually got a question right, "what do you want, a medal? Get back to work!" Snape roared.

"I hate him! I hate him! I hate him!" Harry said to Ron as soon as they left the dusty dungeon.

"He asked you almost every question in the entire textbook." Hermione said as she walked to catch up with Harry and Ron.

"Hey Hermione, I was wondering, where were you the day I woke up in the hospital?" Harry noticed Ron looking nervously away and Hermione blushing a little.

"I was in the library with Shawn okay!" Hermione said after a few seconds of silence.

"What! Don't you know who he is?"

"Yes but he isn't Voldemort is he," Hermione started to get angry, "and I don't know what you're trying to say, after all he did tell you almost all the answers in there."

"But...."

"And, he has been nothing but nice to me and Ron ever since the day we met him." Hermione interrupted.

"Is this true Ron?" Harry forced Ron to get involved.

"Well, yeah I guess so."

"What are you guys talking about?" Shawn ran alongside Hermione.

"What a jerk Snape is," Harry quickly said, "hey, er, thanks for the help in there." Although Harry didn't like the fact of being wrong, Hermione was right, Shawn hadn't been anything but nice and Harry thought he should also try and make an effort to get along.

"No problem man," Shawn beamed happily.

"So what you guys in now?"

"We're all in defence against the dark arts."

"Hey, me too." Shawn said.

"That reminds me, Ron who's our new teacher?" Harry said.

"Don't know, haven't had it yet mate," Ron started to smile, "I hope they are good though."

When they entered the defence against the dark arts classroom, Harry immediately noticed that the normally overcrowded walls were now completely bare, uncovering ghastly beige colour. A man with sharp eyes and a long nose was sitting at the teachers desk. He was wearing ancient looking maroon robes, leather shoes and had a golden feather tucked behind his ear.

"Everyone take a seat." The man said in a very deep and loud voice. Harry sat next to fellow Gryffindor Neville Longbottom.

"Hello Neville, do you know who the teacher is."

"No, but as long as I pass I don't really mind."

"Right everyone settle down," the man rose from the desk, "my name is professor Marvin and as you know today is your first day at NEWT level defence against the dark arts. I would like to start you off with a simple shield spell called 'reboundamos'. The wrist movement goes like this," Marvin pointed his armed hand to the ground and then flicked it to the left and then the right saying 'reboundamos'. A blue glow surrounded him for two seconds and then disappeared.

"I would like everyone to get in pairs to practice the spell." Harry was partners with Neville.

"Reboundamos!" Harry was glad to see a blue glow surround him after only one attempt. Soon the room was in a chorus of 'reboundamos'. Neville, who had never really been good at magic, was surrounded by a blue glow after his second attempt.

"Well done Neville," professor Marvin said, "now everyone gather round and I'll show you what this spell is actually used for." The room went quiet and all the pupils gathered around Marvin.

"Now Harry, I want you to try and hit me with a spell," Marvin saw the reluctance in Harry's face, "go on Harry!"

"Okay then," Harry prepared his wand, "shoo shockist," a green wisp of smoke sprang from Harry's wand. 'Reboundamos' professor Marvin said, the blue glow surrounded him and when Harry's spell made contact with it a scarlet jet came shooting out and hit Harry hard in the chest. Marvin helped Harry to his feet, "a very useful spell indeed, capable of disarming and immobilising your opponent. Right class that's it for today, next week we will delve deep into the history of reboundamos."

"That lesson was great!" Ron exclaimed.

"It was, until the end," Harry said while rubbing his throbbing chest. Harry started walking up the marble staircase.

"Hey, aren't you coming to see Hagrid? I thought we could bring Shawn along." Hermione said.

"Cant, I've got an extra lesson with Dumbledore."

"See you later then," Hermione and Ron said together as Shawn ran to catch up with them.

"Yeah, see you." Harry said quietly and began his journey up the ever changing staircase.