Note: If you didn't catch last week's FFN notification error, make sure to read last week's chapter before this one.
Thursday November 5th, 1992
On a fairly subdued Thursday morning, the children of Hogwarts enjoyed a regular breakfast and a regular delivery of owl post. For Domonkos, however, his post was scanned with an investigative eye. The Prophet was read twice over, and his personal mail doubly so.
"How odd." He muttered at last.
Jacqueline paused her meal with a questioning glance. "What is it?"
"My mother sent me the money I asked for for the VATIC fundraiser, but her letter does not ask anything about it. I also cannot find any articles in the Prophet discussing the petrification."
"Maybe your mother doesn't want people to panic?"
Those in hearing distance gave varying looks of disbelief. Domonkos, himself shook his head. "No. That would not be her way. Not when children's lives are in danger. Even if the Editor chose to not publish the article, she would at least acknowledge it in her letter. Yet she has not."
Melissa entered the conversation. "Wait, have any of you heard back from your parents about what happened?" They each answered. None of them had. "Everyone, don't be loud about it, but I think Dumbledore is editing our mail."
The others were reasonably shocked. Gears clicked into place, or whirled to comprehend. "Why would he do that?" Warrington asked.
"To keep us from blabbing, obviously." Jacinth bit back.
"That's ridiculous!" Rusalka pouted. "I know that boy is only- that he's alive. Still, are we supposed to sit back and wait until it happens again?"
"What else can we do?" Jacqueline asked. "We won't have another Hogsmeade visit until Christmas. Even then, he might cancel the trip altogether to keep us from warning the Ministry."
"Maybe we can get Professor Snape to floo one of us to the Ministry and report it?" Warrington suggested. The others laughed it off as impossibly dumb. That said, it did give Melissa an idea...
Several hours later.
"Soros. Bennett."
"Malfoy. Crabbe. Goyle."
Draco, Vincent, and Gregory entered Dungeon #5 on high alert. They scoped the room, searching out any possible dangers.
"Relax, you three. There's nothing to worry about. Though I did specify that only you were supposed to come into the room, Malfoy."
"If this is a trap it would be foolish for me to come alone."
Domonkos was flummoxed by the insinuation. "Do you really think we would do you harm?"
"Well- you did send a message asking me to come alone-"
"It's fine, Dom. He's just being cautious." Melissa looked over to the boys. "Do you two mind waiting outside for a bit? Malfoy can tell you what this is about, later, if he thinks that's alright."
Draco flared his nostrils, visibly annoyed at the instructions. Clearly he wished to be in charge as he ordered "Wait outside until I call you." The other boys left the room. When the room shut, he swung back at the remaining two. "What's this about?"
"We're putting Dumbledore in his place." Melissa answered coolly.
His eyes went wide. "You would go against Dumbledore? But you're a muggleborn?!"
"And? That hasn't stopped him from doing nothing about Creevey, has it?"
"No. Well… he is rather useless, isn't he?" He smirked. "What's your plan to bring him down?"
"We have already made most of the preparations." Domonkos replied. "Your role, should you choose, is the next step. Your family has a house elf which you can call, yes?"
"I do… but he's bound to my father, not to me."
Melissa pursed her lips. "So he can't hear you if you called him?"
"He can, but father has instructed him not to follow any orders from me while I'm at Hogwarts."
Domonkos sighed. "So the same as Orpington. That's not good. What do we do now?"
Though pensive, she raised a finger in thought. "Wait… did he specifically say "do not follow any orders by Draco" for the instruction?"
Draco blinked, unsure of the answer. "More or less."
"Hmm… let's try something then. Repeat after me-"
As she spoke, Draco grimaced, disgusted at the script. "Those words, exactly?"
"Yes." She huffed.
"Oh, very well. …Dobby, if you are not too busy at the moment, I kindly ask if you are willing to come here to help a muggleborn friend with a task. …Did I really need to say it like that?"
Dobby popped into existence.
"I'd certainly say so, yes." Melissa teased.
"Master Draco be asking for Dobby?" The house elf squeaked.
Draco shook his surprise quickly. "Yes. This is not an order, but I would like you to help my friend here. He wishes to send a package to his mother, but a bad man is preventing her from receiving owls. Can you help?"
The house elf nodded, ears flapping against his head. "I can be doing so, Master Draco."
"Excellent." He made a gesture to Domonkos, who gave a package of letters and pictures to the eager house elf.
"Our address is on the top, there." Domonkos explained. "There is a study on the second floor, and the desk with a typewriter on it is hers. You can take everything out of the package and leave them there on the desk. It would be best if you do this unseen. We can't risk anyone finding out how she got them. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Mister Wizard, sir. We house elfs know best how to work quiet-like."
"Good." Draco punctuated. "You're dismis- er, that is- if you want to, you can leave now."
"I's be doing so, Master Draco." With that, Dobby bowed and popped out of the room.
"...I can't believe that worked."
Melissa rocked on her feet. "Language is a powerful tool, Master Draco." She patted him on the shoulder. "You did good. Though be careful to make sure your father doesn't hear about this."
The boy shuddered briefly. "Most certainly not."
Hogwarts Student Attacked! Fabled Chamber of Secrets, Opened!
Article by Annabella Soros
In a surprising end to Halloween Night, our nation's children were shocked to find one of their own attacked within the very walls of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! The student, eleven year old Colin Creevey, was found petrified -frozen solid- with no trace on his body as to why. Yet malicious evidence of the culprit was found in a chilling, blood-stained message written on the wall! "The chamber of secrets has been opened. Enemies of the heir, beware."
Can this be true? Has the fabled Chamber of Secrets opened once again? Our older readers may recall a similar instance in 1943, when one muggleborn student died and two others were petrified. Though records of the event have hidden the guilty student who was caught and expelled, one must ask if that same person -or their child- could have caused this newest tragedy?
Yet there is another disturbing question we must ask ourselves. Why is it only now, one week after the event, that we at the Daily Prophet have been made aware of the attack? Word did not reach us by the board of governors, the staff, or students at the school. Only an anonymous tip, hand-delivered, with details and pictures of the message was able to reach us about the situation. For reasons beyond this writer, it appears that Albus Dumbledore and the Board of Governors have kept hush on the situation. More disturbing, no efforts have been made by either party to cure young Colin Creevey of his petrified state. There is a plan to use a potion supplied by the gardens of Hogwarts; but the ingredients in question will not be available to use until the end of May. Meaning that the poor, traumatized young boy will be left in this frozen state for seven months!
Neither Dumbledore or the board members have been available for comment at the time of this publication.
For more on this story, see History Of the Chamber on Page 3,
For efforts by students to revive Creevey, see Fundraiser Page 7.
From their seats in the great hall, Jacinth glanced over at the head table with vicious glee. "Wow! Dumbledore looks furious!"
"Not surprised." Rusalka flicked her eyes from the article over to Domonkos. "Your mom doesn't hold back, does she?"
"That she does not." He purred.
Melissa huffed over the commentary. "Well tough. He got what he deserves."
"Indeed."
"So what happens now?" Rusalka asked.
"Now we wait for our efforts to bear fruit." Domonkos answered.
Melissa smirked. "And for the chaos to unfurl."
The group chuckled at the thought, enjoying as the school eagerly poured over the paper.. Then Jacinth flinched and ducked his head. "Shit! Shit! Shit! He's looking over at us!"
Jacqueline glanced then cringed from the Headmaster's narrowed gaze. "I suppose it doesn't take much to guess who got word out; what, with it being your mother and all."
Domonkos shrugged lightly. "It does not matter. He does not know how I did it, so he cannot punish what he has no proof of."
Rusalka snorted at that. "You got that right. If he tries anything, we have your back." The others nodded and made their own vows of solidarity to Domonkos. The boy gave grateful smiles in return, though he clarified the hope that their vows will be unneeded as the day unfolds.
The conversation then turned to gossip of the Chamber and the mysterious Heir. After all, the article didn't just drag Dumbledore and the Board of Governors through the mud, it also emphasized a date this very century when the Chamber was last opened. Sure, a few of them heard rumours about an acromantula attack, but that source was by Binns, who likely wasn't even alive at the time to remember any attack. Now a news article, on the other hand, that certainly gave credence to the idea that it really was the Chamber of Secrets, and that a new heir has been born since then. But the question remained as to who that can be.
"People will think it's one of us, obviously." Warrington said.
Jacinth disagreed. "More likely a first year. Though most of them aren't fancy purebloods-"
"Like that matters." Garrick scoffed in the distance.
The rest of the group turned towards the boy. Most were confused, but Jacinth just scoffed back. "No need to get defensive, Orpington. I'm not saying it's you."
"That's not what I mean! What I mean- is…" He looked about the table, then gave a dejected sigh. "May I say something in confidence?" The others all nodded, and leaned in with perked ears as he spoke. "This summer, after the last Wizengamot session, my cousins and I overheard Father and Uncle Acacius talking. A rumour has been spreading in the Wizengamot about… You-Know-Who."
The children gave quiet gasps. Jacinth asked. "What's he got to do with the Heir?"
Garrick bit his lip. "Some of the older students have been saying that You-Know-Who is the Heir; or at least was the Heir the last time the chamber opened, and might be possessing someone again like last year; but I'm detracting. The rumour they were discussing, it claims that he… that You-Know-Who lied about his blood status."
"What are you saying?" Jacqueline asked, wide-eyed with fear.
"That he-" Garrick paused, noting the anger already present on Jacinth and Cassius' faces. "According to rumour, he had a muggle father and a squib mother; and that Dumbledore himself was the professor that informed him of the wizarding world the day he got his Hogwarts letter."
"That's a lie!" Jacinth growled, barely able to keep his voice low.
"I'm just repeating what I heard! Apparently a very reputable source told them. Someone whose family supported You-Know-Who during the war."
"Who?!"
"I don't know! They didn't say. If it's true, though, then the heir might not be a pureblood. It could be anyone!"
"That's dangerous talk, Orpington." Rusalka warned gently.
"Which is why I asked to speak in confidence."
Melissa took a moment to glance down the table. "But you said your uncle's girls were there with you, right? You think Greengrass has told anyone?" Garrick and the others followed the glance down towards Daphne Greengrass, who was chatting quietly with Tracey Davis.
"I'm not sure. She has few friends that are involved in politics. If she's told anyone, I doubt the rumours will spread."
"Hopefully." Jacqueline said.
Hopefully not. Melissa thought.
One Night Later
I hate this! I hate this! I hate this! I hate this! FAAAAAAACCKKK!
Melissa ripped the invisibility cloak off her body and tossed it onto one of the benches. As soon as it came off she hopped on the spot, wildly shaking her limbs to get the essence of the cloak off of her. God, that was AWFUL! How does Harry stand it?!
"Fuck! Fuck!" The whispered loathing was cathartic as she shook off the rest of the creepers. Deep in the silence of the great hall came a sudden pair of pops. Though hissing through the pain of the cloak, Melissa straightened herself out and turned towards the pair. "Gentlemen! How wonderful to see you tonight!"
The two house elfs were hesitant to respond to the strange greeting. "Dobby found a letter addressed to himself among Master Draco's friend's package, Miss. Dobby has followed the instructions and brought Kreacher with him to Hogwarts."
Kreacher crossed his arms "The good witch has a task to help Master Harry?"
"That she does." She purred. "Someone hurt his friend, and that hurt pains him. So, we three will be getting revenge on Harry's behalf."
"Revenge, hmm?"
"Harry Potter is in pain?!" Dobby panicked.
"Not physically. Emotionally." She replied. "Someone tried to bring a terrible plot to Hogwarts, and used his friend to do so. Naturally Harry is furious, but I figure we ought to do something to cheer him up. Don't you agree?"
Dobby gulped nervously. His bandaged hands pulled at his ears, wringing them out in painful tugs. "Dobby would like to help Harry Potter, but Dobby must leave if his Master wakens."
"I needs the same be it master Sirius calling."
"Of course, Kreacher, Dobby. That's why I asked for both of you, just in case."
"Then what is it we be doing to bring Master Harry's revenge?"
From a satchel, Melissa brought out a can of paint, a sketch of paper, and a magical camera. "Oh, just a couple of small things…"
Melissa yawned loudly as she arrived at the table for breakfast. "Morning!"
"Good morning." The rest of her cohorts greeted her. Amy offered her a pitied smile. "Trouble sleeping again?"
"Something like that. Had a late night."
The other girls looked at each other in confusion. After all, they had all gone to bed at the same time. Certainly there was more to it than was being let on. Fortunately, though, no questions were asked as the post owls arrived.
That is, until the students looked up.
Like wind against the sand, the wall of the open window shifted as the owls flew by. Letters and lines slowly caressed into being. The sweep of the graphics grew downward. Indeed the sand metaphor felt apt as the effect resembled the motions of an hourglass trickling down the curve.
Marvolo Gaunt (Pureblood) - Corvina Gaunt (Pureblood)
T
Merope Riddle, née Gaunt (Squib) - Tom Riddle Snr (Muggle)
T
Tom Marvolo Riddle Jr (Voldemort)
Whispers, gasps, screams, shouts of outrage; the great hall burst into a symphony of chaos! Everyone seemed to shrink back, launch onto their feet, or froze -mouth agape- at the sight before them. What was this? Truth? Lie? None could tell. None held the same reaction to the writing as the other, but all reacted to it with shock.
Wow! Melissa thought. Looks even better in the daylight. Oh, shit, I think Ginny just fainted!
Eventually the owls landed. Many hooted angrily as letters remained tied to their legs. Yet for the most part the action was in vain, as the students were in far too much shock to pay attention to the feathered mail-carriers. Though someone must have eventually unbound an owl, as soon a shout rang across the hall. "EVERYONE, LOOK! THE PAPER!"
In a ripple effect, people slowly tore their eyes away from the blasphemous writing and looked down at the morning paper. Those who did had their reactions spike anew at the front-page photo. Blazing under a lumos maxima on a darkened night, shined the exact same graffiti as the sight before them. Above the message was a headline that others could only dare to think.
More Writing on the Wall! You-Know-Who, a Fraud?
The staff and students began reading the article or continued to stare at the wall. Enraptured, horrified, aghast, gleeful, any one of these words and more could describe the madness befalling them in this moment. Yet how shocking it must have been for those around the country to witness? To see images of a yearbook where Tom Junior is surrounded by fellow Slytherin cohorts; or of Tom Senior's headstone; or details of Morfin Gaunt's arrest record for the elder Tom's murder; or of the sordid tale (by anonymous tip) of how Merope Gaunt ensnared a muggle into the marriage bed only for him to break free, leading to her eventual death from childbirth at a London orphanage.
"Garrick!"
Melissa cocked her head downward, catching Jacqueline's worried expression as she reached out to the boy. "Did you know?"
"No. Whomever started this must have been planning this for some time. The Wizengamot was just the start."
Not intentionally. Melissa thought gleefully. But, my, my, how fun this will be!
She should have been surprised when a summons came to Dumbledore's office. Instead, she merely sat placid in the offered chair, and would have even taken a sherbert lemon, had the man offered. Albus Dumbledore seemed every bit his age in that moment, giving a tired sigh as his shoulders drooped against the seat's back. Tempted, Melissa stole a peak at the full measure of the man, and found his eyes did not so much as twinkle as he beheld her.
"Miss Bennett, I'm afraid to say that I'm very disappointed in you."
Ask me if I give a fuck. "I'm not sure what you mean, Headmaster." She answered sweetly.
His hand tapped gently against this morning's paper. "I cannot pretend you played no part in this, not when so much is at stake." Despite his mysterious statement, Melissa gave no rise to ask. The wizard sighed again. "I need to know the truth, Miss Bennett, and it is imperative you be honest with me. How is it that you can see into the past, and just how much have you seen?"
The question genuinely threw her off. "Is that even possible?"
His eyes narrowed. "Miss Bennett, I require you to be honest with me."
"And I am. I don't think futu- or, well, 'past-sight' is even a thing. Is it?"
"Then how do you explain this?" He placed the paper in front of her, a collage of images in full display.
He has a point. That said, there is plenty of truth in a half-lie. "If we're speaking hypothetically…"
"If that is required, then yes."
"Under more… amenable circumstances… It would be nice if sometime in the future you give Harry and I a small tour of the pensieve memories that you've collected over the years about Tom Riddle's life. I'd be curious to see how it coincides with my own research on the subject."
Dumbledore pressed his forehead against his palm. A sight which tempted a snicker at the closest she will ever see to the man fully facepalming in exasperation. He finally released his hand from the position, though his tired countenance remained. "You realize the danger you have wrought upon the school, don't you? When he learns of this insult the attacks will only increase until the chamber is found. You, yourself, may be targeted."
"I certainly hope he learns about it." In fact, Melissa plans on finding a way to spell the newspaper into the diary before shipping it off to Salvatore. "But, lucky for me, I don't have to worry about any chamber-based attacks."
His body straightened in surprise. "What do you mean by that?"
"The threat has been neutralized." She purred. A wicked smile fixed on her face in cat-like satisfaction.
"You destroyed the monster?!"
"No. In fact, I had nothing to do with it."
"Then, how? Who?"
"Harry." She answered simply. Her gaze was no longer smug, but glinted with affection "He's clever, that one. I'm not even sure how he did it, but in a single day he solved a mystery not even you could uncover after fifty years. Honestly, it's impressive."
Neither spoke for a moment. The words and its implications needed time to sink in. "Then this means that Slytherin's monster is no more and the school is safe. …and Voldemort?"
"Has no power inside of Hogwarts anymore. Aside from the DADA professorship, that is." She teased playfully.
The implication snapped something in Dumbledore's memory. It was clear in the way his body shifted forward. "The curse! Ah, I see now. When you suggested the contract, you knew how to stop it."
"I didn't, actually; but it was a pretty good guess on how to work around it. Don't you think so?"
To Melissa's surprise, the man actually gave a bubble of laughter at the response. Though, by the shake of his head, it seemed at least partially stemmed out of exasperation. "I must admit, never in all my years has a student surprised me so."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
In a strange turn of events, the silence that fell between them was far more amicable than either thought possible. That said, the mood did dampen somewhat as Dumbledore's eyes fell back to the paper. "As much as I am relieved to hear the school is safe once more, I'm afraid I am still required to discipline your actions."
"You're going to punish me for telling the paper?"
"No, I'm afraid such a detail should remain off-record. Perhaps fifteen points from Slytherin for defacing school walls, and an evening in detention with Mister Filch?"
That's an insanely generous offer, take it! "Understood, Headmaster."
"As for Mister Potter's contributions to the school, he should be rewarded for finding and destroying the monster."
"I think Harry would hate that." Melissa grimaced. "He doesn't want any unnecessary revelations or retaliations from the public about the Slytherin's chamber, if you catch my drift."
The wizard raised his brows, then he fell to a sagely nod. "I'm sure points for looking out for his friends in their time of need can suffice. As I understand it, he is part of that lovely club of yours that is fundraising for a shipment of the mandrake restorative draught from India. Points and, of course, a donation by myself and fellow colleagues to ensure it is procured before the supply runs out of season should suffice."
"That sounds perfect." She smiled widely. "I'm sure he'll be relieved with that as his reward. Mister Creevey will be happy, too, of course."
"Of course. No doubt the young boy and the rest of the students will be glad to have this incident put behind us."
As opposed to waiting all fucking year to be healed! "Absolutely." She smiled sweetly.