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Chapter 5 -- Silence Is Golden
I walked alone in the hall, shivering slightly. I had excused myself from the Gryffindor commons for a walk alone. I had been really shaken by the events that had taken place during the day: Dippet had demanded that everyone go by the buddy system and no one walk the halls alone, but I was always one to break the rules.
I sighed and leaned against the wall, near an old coat of armor. I couldn't get the image of Riddle jumping into the hole in the girl's bathroom out of my head; however, I had enough common sense not to ask him about it. Riddle could be so uptight sometimes.
But I absolutely knew that Riddle had to have had a part in what had happened today. I know it.
I heard a strange, foreign noise near me; it sounded almost like something slithering. A large something.
I began to turn around when I heard something behind me. A scream. I turned backward violently, and bolted to where I thought the scream came from. I turned a few corners and dashed down an empty corridor. Turning again, I found-
It was a fourth year boy and girl, by the looks of them; he was holding an envelope and she a small square mirror. Both had been Petrified. They lay there, on the cold stone floor, almost lifeless. I dashed forward and leaned over them, my heart in my throat.
"Avery?" I heard a voice say. It was Riddle.
"Tom, look- they, they're gone," I stuttered. Another strange gleam shined in Riddle's eyes.
"Gone? As in dead?" he asked delicately. I gave him a strange look.
"No, just Petrified," I said, sighing heavily. Riddle's eyes darkened. "I really can't believe this is happening, Riddle. Someone needs to catch whatever or whoever it is that's doing this and put and end to it." I stood. "I'll go get Dippet, he needs to know. Stay here with them, and be careful." With that last sentiment, I was off.
Striding down the corridor, I couldn't help but wonder why Tom had been out. I mean, it was a real coincidence that he had been out at exactly the same time as the Petrifications. Then again, so had I. Sighing, I said the password to the eagle.
"Unity," I whispered. The stairs began moving immediately and I hopped on. Soon I was at the door. I could hear Dippet and Dumbledore talking inside.
"No, I would never suspect him of doing anything of the sort, Albus!" Dippet said in his squeaky voice. "I don't know where you get these things sometimes, old friend."
"Just a precaution," said Dumbledore's serene voice from within. I opened the door slowly and poked my head in.
"Hello, Professor, headmaster; important news. I just found two fourth year students Petrified in the fifth floor corridor!" I said, a bit out of breath. Dumbledore's eyes widened, and he stood valiantly.
"Take us there," he said, and off we went. After a minute of scrambling from the office, Dumbledore asked, "Did you leave Tom with them?"
"Tom? You mean Riddle?" I asked. "Yeah, he's guarding them." A shadow passed over Dumbledore's face and his strides quickened. We reached the bodies in goodtime. Tom was standing over the girl with a look of interest.
"They are both of muggle heritage," Dumbledore said softly, dipping down and looking at each closely. Riddle stood back hastily, lurking in a shadowy corner as Dippet stode forward as well.
"We must get them to the hospital wing immediately! Atalanta, Tom- if you mind? Professor Dumbledore and I have some matters to discuss." With a flail a cloak, they both were off, talking rapidly in hushed whispers.
I levitated the boy and Riffle the girl; we set off for the hospital wing.
"This really is scary," I said softly, as we turned a corner.
" I don't really think you have much to worry about; it's obvious what the perpetrator is doing. He's purging the school."
"He's what?" I asked in disbelief, stopping dead in my tracks.
"Don't you see?" Riddle asked, eyes wide. He turned around as well. "He's trygin to rid the school of Mudbloods." I cringed.
"Don't use that foul language around me, Riddle. I'm pissed off enough at you in general, don't make it worse."
"Why should you care? You're a pureblood; you're safe," he said distinctly, and he started walking down the corridor again. We walked in silence as I thought of my retort to Riddle. Finally I could see the hospital wing.
"I don't believe anyone's safe until the person who's doing it is caught. Or thing," I added, entering the hospital wing and handing over the bodies to Madame Doyle, who fussed over them and put them in cots next to the first victim. I sighed and left the hospital wing with Riddle at my side.
"Do you really think this is such a wretched thing?" he asked curiously.
"Yes, I do! I don't discriminate against others just on account of how pure their blood is. Didn't you say you were an orphan?" I asked wickedly; he looked away, embarrassed. "You don't even know what kind of blood you have. You could be as muggle as the people lying in those cots-"
"That's a LIE!" Riddle roared at me, wand out and pointed at my throat. I gulped and visibly paled. He put a silencing charm on me. "You're a liar and a filthy waste of a pureblood." With that, he left me alone in the dark. I clutched at my throat and tried as hard as I could to shout, scream; I even tried the counter curse, but nothing came out. I groaned inwardly, still frightened, and stomped off to Gryffindor Tower.
Muggles say silence is golden. They couldn't be more wrong.