Ginny felt beads of sweat run down her face, mingling with the tears that still clung to her face. Her back up against a wall, she waited for her Ron, Harry and Hermione to pass her.

"It's coming" she said under her breath. She meant it to be a warning, she was afraid, but still an uninvited grin crept across her face. He, whoever he was, was trying to take control again.

Ginny heard a thump against the wall around the corner.

"It's that voice again – shut up a minute -"

Voice? The boy hears it too? Ginny found herself thinking. It wasn't her though. Who was in her head, thinking for her? Who was slowly taking over her? How was this happening?

He spoke in her head again.

It's Potter. Potter's a Parselmouth. How though? No blood. No. The boy didn't inherit it…his family's too pure, too good. He may be clever, but Parseltounge can't be learnt, and he wouldn't be intelligent enough to learn it himself if it were. So how? Not from me. No. But how else? I DIDN'T! The boy has my power!

Ginny was suddenly pulled by an invisible force inside of her. She whipped her head round the corner, still unseen by her brother and his companions. Quickly she had to come back as Harry sprinted toward her. He was following the voice, his eyes shut tight with concentration. Ron and Hermione followed, looking confused and concerned, questioning Harry about where he was going, what was happening.

Ginny felt herself take control, move her feet, gather speed. She ran for Gryffindor tower, still dripping wet. She heard the great hall's huge, imposing doors open a long way off, and continued to sprint for fear of being caught and questioned. She glanced behind her. The corridor was still empty. She turned back to see another bare corridor. Breathing heavily, she scaled the tower stairs, and came face to face with the fat lady.

"You're all wet, dear."

"Yes, but I need to get in. Quickly!"

"Alright, hold your hippogriffs. Password?"

Ginny gasped the password and sprinted inside the common room. She climbed the stairs to the girl's dormitories, entered the first year room and took her towel out of the bathroom to dry her face. She put some dry robes on, and then put the diary on the desk for later.

Now she was here, sat at the desk, running over the events in her head, trying to make some sense of what was happening. After the stress of the evening, she felt strangely peaceful for all that had happened. It was her first year at Hogwarts, her first term, and the place was already full of mystery. She had heard all about the commotion last year, with Ron getting caught up in the philosopher's stone adventure.

Ginny saw it was midnight, and decided to head for bed. Where were all the other girls? Suddenly she heard a knock at the door. She shut the diary and put it in her robe pocket, while walking to the door. She opened it to the pale face of Hermione.

"There you are Ginny" she said, looking relieved. "You wouldn't believe the things going on downstairs."

"Why? What's happened?"

"Well, Mrs Norris was petrified by something; no-one's really sure what, but I think Dumbledore might know something. Snape and Filch both think Harry did it, but then they would suspect him, and he's been with us all evening. And then there's the writing on the wall… 'The chamber has been opened. Enemies of the heir beware.'"

"Do you know who wrote it?"

"No, but I'm going to get some more information on it…Professor Binns might know…but "A History Of Hogwarts" would definitely have something in it. Anyway, I just came to check you were alright, Ron said I should. Why are you up this late anyway?"

"Oh – bad dream. I couldn't sleep. Thought I might as well wait for all the others to get back, I don't know where they've got to."

"They probably got caught up in the commotion outside the hall. I wouldn't worry – they'll be back soon. Well, night Ginny."

"Night."

Ginny sighed and went to change for bed. She heard the girls come back as she was in the bathroom, but they all went straight to bed. She came out and quietly got into her four-poster, drawing the curtains around her. Then he spoke in her head again.

It won't be long now. Not long. The creature is ready. But the boy…well, he knows now. I won't be defeated again though. No, not this time. Perhaps I can use his precious love against him…yes, the girl is perfect. You may come in to some use, girl. Lucius chose the perfect person – he will be rewarded greatly. Yes, it's all come together. Now how to get the boy drawn in…well, he's already on the trail, now let's give him a stronger scent.