Disclaimers: See the first chapter.

Snippets From the Potterverse

Chapter 52 - Tom's Very Secret Diary

Once upon a time, a student named Tom Riddle had recorded his memories permanently in a magical diary, and left it behind at Hogwarts. Many years later, he used the diary to control Ginny Weasley. The diary was destroyed by Harry Potter, and everyone lived happily ever after.

Or so they thought.

Tom Riddle had not written just ONE diary! The evil, mind-controlling diary was only his favourite one. He had ANOTHER diary, this one so incredibly secret that NO ONE would ever read it!

Or so he thought.

On a fine fall day at Hogwarts, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger were in the library, working on Professor Smythe's twenty-inch-long essay on the yeti. Hermione had filled up twenty-four inches of parchment and was still going strong. Harry and Ron felt ill.

I'm going to go find some... more books to help me out, Harry mumbled. Be right back.

He scurried away, hurrying down the nearest dark, dusty aisle of books. Once out of the sight of Madame Pince, the librarian, he slowed to a walk and ran a finger along the spines of the books he passed.

Harry stumbled over something, his shoulder colliding painfully with the bookshelf. A single volume tumbled to the floor. Cursing under his breath, Harry bent to pick it up.

My Diary'.

Whose diary?

He flipped it over. Clearly embossed on the back was T.M. Riddle'.

Harry's eyes widened. He fairly dashed back to his table, plopping down forcefully in his chair and thrusting the diary under Ron's nose. Easy, mate! Ron looked positively alarmed. He took the diary from Harry, examining it critically. When he saw the name on the back, he dropped the diary on top of his essay. Ink smeared.

Hermione gingerly picked the diary out of the ruins of Ron's essay and tapped it with her wand, restoring it to its previous clean state. Another diary belonging to Tom Riddle? she asked.

Harry quivered so violently that his chair squeaked. It could be filled with all sorts of evil plans of doom! he wept.

Ron squeaked. Hermione rolled her eyes. She started to open the diary.

No, don't! Harry and Ron squealed.

Hermione gave them a dirty look. Stop being such cowards. You're in Gryffindor, remember?But who knows what fiendish things could be contained within the yellowed leaves of that accursed book! Ron cried.

There was a long pause as Hermione and Harry stared at him. Finally, Harry spoke.

Ooookayy.... thanks for that assessment, Ron. Hermione, don't open the book!It's just a DIARY, Hermione said in irritation. She opened the diary and skimmed a few pages, then snorted in laughter. A few more pages, and she was chuckling. Harry and Ron were interested despite themselves.

What is it?

Hermione cleared her throat and began to read.

'Dear Diary - Today was the worst day of my life, I swear! It was so completely horrible! I can never, ever, EVER show my face again in the Great Hall! Susie Ellerman, who is soooo cute and who I sooo want to go out with, called me a git! I was sooo embarrassed, I could have died! I was, like, absolutely dying!!! I never, ever want to see anyone else ever again!! I'm glad I have you, Diary. You're, like, so my best friend! I gotta go now. The other boys are coming up from dinner. I'll finish this later. Love, Tommy.'

There was a long pause. Then Harry blinked.

Voldemort wrote that?

There was another pause. Then the three teenagers burst into giggles. Madame Pince came and kicked them out for making too much noise, but it didn't bother them. They just took Tom's diary back to the Gryffindor common room and amused everyone by reading it aloud.

Poor Mouldy Voldie.