IT'S CHANGED (SNILY)
CHAPTER 16 The diary

There was dead silence on the table and eyes for only one person who had just finished speaking a few seconds ago. Their mouths agape and eyes wide. They all spoke together.

"The Baron loved The Grey lady?"

"The Grey Lady is Rowena Ravenclaw's daughter?"

"The Grey Lady stole the Diadem?"

"The Grey Lady told about the Diadem to Tom Riddle?"

"You and Marlene were snogging in the second-floor corridor?"

All of the eyes turned to Shane, giving him an annoyed look.

"What?" Shane asked innocently. "I was searching for Austin in the entire school. Only if he would have told me that he was on the second floor"

Selene shook her head. "You are impossible, Shane"

They turned to Austin again. He took a deep breath.

"So, yes, Charm, Baron was in love with the Grey Lady and got rejected. Yes, Selene, she is Rowena Ravenclaw's daughter. Yes, Lily she stole the Diadem because she wanted to become more intelligent than her mother. And finally, yes, Severus, she told about the diadem to Tom Riddle" he drew a sharp breath after stopping speaking.

"She mentioned that Riddle came here to ask for the Defense against the Dark Arts job" Severus mused and Austin nodded. "Then it was definitely the time when he hid the diadem in that room"

"Hmm. And do you think we must visit the trophy room once to see how many years ago did, he get that Award and why?" Selene asked thoughtfully.

"Severus told it was for some Special Services to the school" Charm supplied.

"Yes. But for exactly what Special Services?" Lily countered.

"If I may speak, I have already visited that place when I was searching for Austin who in turn was too busy snogging" Shane quirked his lips in his direction who flushed.

"Then what did you find?" Selene asked.

"Nothing more than that the award was received fifty years ago. That's what's written on the trophy"

"We'll have to keep that in mind then" Austin spoke. "Do you think we can talk to the ghosts implicitly about whenever he was here?"

"I believe that's a fine idea" Severus said, rubbing his chin. "And then I don't believe the dementors are more than two nights away from us now"

"And then if Dobby helps you to get the diary from the Malfoy Manor" Shane shrugged.

Severus shook his head. "I don't think because I am no more than his secondary master"

"It doesn't depend on the Master to tell the house-elf about whom to see as a Master and whom not" Selene helped.

"Yes, if Dobby respects you more than Malfoy and is willing to help you, he will at any cost" Charm gave.

"Do you think you can try once?" Lily asked him, keeping a hand on his arm.

He nodded. "I don't think this will work but I'll try"

"Great. Now?" Shane looked eager.

"Now?" Severus frowned.

"Yeah, call him now. It's two hours in curfew" Austin looked at the huge clock that hung in the library.

"Dobby" Severus said in a strained whisper and they were met by a crack sound against their table.

"Master Severus, sir, called Dobby" the creature with eyes like green tennis balls bowed to him.

Severus grinned. "Yes, Dobby. I am master, right?"

Dobby's eyes widened. "Yes, Master Severus, sir, is Dobby's master"

"Then would you do something that perhaps later will not allowed to you, for me?" he raised his eyebrows.

Dobby wrung his hands in anxiety. "D-Dobby w-will do-"

"It will be my order to you" he assured.

"Master Severus, sir, is Dobby's master, whatever he says will be done"

"Then tell me where Lucius was when I called you?"

"Master Malfoy was in his bedroom with Mistress-"

"That will be enough, Dobby" Severus stopped him, embarrassed while the other snickered. "Have you seen the part of his Study where he has kept separate books?"

"Yes, Master Severus, sir" he nodded.

"Then there is a diary with 'Tom Marvolo Riddle' engraved on it. I want you to bring that book to me" Severus said softly, leaning in an authoritative voice.

"Yes, Master Severus, sir" Dobby vanished with that.

They sat back in their chairs waiting for Dobby to come back with the book. He came back soon with tears in his eyes and fear evident on his face. He was shaking badly.

Severus turned to him and quickly snatched the book from his hands and dropped on the table.

"D-Dobby, I-I apologize. I-I didn't know it would harm you so badly. I-I am sorry" Severus' face muscles were trembling as were his hands. Why did he not think about this? He had already known that house-elves were sensitive to anything so dark. He hoped he had not caused any permanent harm.

Dobby looked straight in Severus' eyes with betrayal. "Master Severus lied to Dobby. The diary is bad and evil" he cried.

Severus flinched. "No, Dobby" He shook his head violently. "We know it is bad-"

"Master Severus is a bad wizard. Doing things with dark things" Dobby cut him, shrilly. He wailed loudly, blabbering about how much had he trusted Severus.

Severus would have soon turned out of his wits. "We are going to destroy it!" he blurted out. And then glared at others who were doing absolutely nothing to help him.

Dobby paused. "Master Severus is not dark?"

"No, Dobby. Only if you listen to me" Severus sighed.

Dobby ignored him. "Master Severus, sir, will destroy that vile thing?"

"Yes, Dobby" Severus exhaled.

"Master Severus is good" Dobby jumped happily and caught Severus on the waist tightly. "Master Severus is good!" he repeated over and over again.

Severus gave a huff and glared at the others again who were just watching the show in amusement. Severus pried out of Dobby's arm and held him upright.

"Yes, thank you, Dobby. But now, I need you to do something else too and we can't waste more time"

"Dobby will do anything for Master Severus, sir" Dobby exclaimed joyously.

Severus turned to Selene. "Will you please, Selene"

She nodded and took her wand out, pointing it on the book. "Geminio" she whispered and another duplicate copy of the diary laid before them. No one would be able to distinguish between the two.

Severus held the duplicate copy to Dobby. "You need to place it just where you brought the original from" he said severely.

Dobby nodded seriously, getting how dire the situation was. "Yes, Master Severus, sir"

"Thank you, Dobby. You were of great help"

Dobby's chest puffed in pride. "Dobby will do anything for Master Severus" he vanished with a crack with that.

Severus turned to face all of them, who were staring at the diary. Charm moved it towards herself with the help of a quill. She examined it closely and then turned to Severus.

"You say you felt something pulling you towards it" He nodded to that.

She opened it and scribbled on a small corner before anyone could protest. They ink got absorbed by the page and she smirked. The others frowned apart from Selene.

"Tom Riddle is a fan of the Purebloods" she said.

On their questioning glances she continued. "Our families -Purebloods- hold many secrets under them. But those are important to be passed on. It wasn't possible to do so face to face sitting with your heir or heiress. So, they created these kinds of books to keep them aware about their ancestry" Selene explained.

Lily extended her hand to touch the book only to get a stern swat on her hand by Severus. She made a rude sound in her throat and turned away from him.

"You were possessed last time, Lily" Severus rumbled. "Do you want the book to swallow you this time"

"Sorry" she muttered flushing at the same time when Charm gasped.

"You sure have a knack for guessing, Severus" Charm breathed, her eyes wide.

He looked confused. She explained. "In these types of diaries, we almost talk to the person whose secret is settled in the book by writing and it writes back. But some instances are too important and so they have to be seen. They store memories in the diary"

"Like a pensieve?" Shane asked.

"Kind of" Selene supplied. "It will show it you when you ask the right question. This is how the ancestors maintain the secrets because only the true heir will be able to ask the right question"

"What if I ask the right question after attaining enough knowledge about the state?" Lily wondered aloud.

Selene smiled. "Probably, then you are worthy enough to be declared as the heir or heiress and you'll be showed the memories. Though, it's close to impossible because the web of secrets is too deep that you would never be able to"

Severus cleared his throat. "Do you think we can go in that… thing?" he pointed hesitantly on the book.

Lily turned to him sharply. "Have you lost your head?! Going into that thing?" She shook her head.

"Those are just memories; how much can they harm?" he looked at Charm for assurance.

"I agree. They are not going to be harmful as much as I know" Charm shrugged and Severus readily dragged the book towards himself ignoring Lily's glares.

He took his quill out and wrote. Tom Riddle?

The ink got absorbed and new letters began forming on the page.

Yes, I am. How do you know about me?

Severus looked at the others who were staring at the book in shock. "So, what do you think I must write, next?" he asked.

"Praise him" Selene suggested. "He'll be out soon"

Severus wrote. I have heard about you and seen the trophy you were awarded. I am inspired.

You seem as a Slytherin to me, just like I was. What do you want kid?

"Kid?" Severus took the offence and Lily snatched the book from him.

"Ask him about what happened fifty years ago" Austin mused.

Shane nodded. "For what did he get the trophy, a better question"

Lily nodded and wrote. For what the hell did you get the trophy Mr. Riddle?

Gryffindor took over my possession, didn't you?

Lily's eyes widened. "How does he know?"

Shane huffed snatching the book from her hands. "He will, if you continue writing like that"

The trophy, Mr. Riddle?

You are a Ravenclaw. Not so manipulative and settled as a Slytherin nor as impulsive as a Gryffindor. I got a killer caught who was killing Muggleborns with his pet.

"He knows that you are a Ravenclaw. If he comes after you, I am going to kill you" Selene snatched the diary from Shane who was trying to keep from kissing her.

"He is obviously lying. We have already established that he was one of those blood-purists who denied his half existence" Severus rolled his eyes. "Any crime he blames on the other is most probably done by him"

"Yeah… just like the Morfin thing" Charm nodded.

The killer? Killing Muggleborns? Selene wrote.

Ah… another Slytherin. Interesting. Yes, the Chamber of Secrets were opened at that time and the heir was killing Muggleborns.

"HELL! WHAT!?" Selene yelled practically.

"The Chamber of secrets are real?" Lily edged up.

"I thought that was just a tale" Austin said snatching the book away to himself.

The Chamber of Secrets are real? He wrote.

Yes, Hufflepuff, the naïve ones. The Chamber of Secrets are real. They still exist.

"He even knows I am a Hufflepuff" he exclaimed.

Charm tutted and snatched the diary from him. "Obviously, he does"

Where is the Chamber of Secrets? And how do you know? She wrote.

Another one, Slytherin. Perceptive. They are somewhere where you would never imagine. And I know because I am someone you could never be.

"Who are you? The heir of Slytherin?" Severus mocked, annoyed by Riddle's circles. Charm gasped. "What?"

"I said you have a knack for guessing, and you have it good" she whispered in admiration and he blushed.

"What guessing?" Lily asked hotly, wrapping a hand around Severus' arm, making him stiffen in utter shock. She didn't know if it was just her but Sev blushed more on Charm's compliments than hers.

"Riddle being the Heir of Slytherin. We have already known that his mother from the Gaunts and those were the last descendants of Salazar and now he remains the last" Charm replied, her eyes purposefully away from Lily's hand wrapped around Severus' arm.

Severus took the book from her and wrote speedily. You are Heir of Slytherin. I know that.

It seemed like the diary almost laughed. I believe you must be shown something, my Slytherin.

A small square in the page opened and it looked like something was going in. Severus instinctively leaned to see what was it, and before he knew he was pulled inside. He didn't even hear the yells of others.

*Page Break*

His head hit the ground and his groan echoed. He viewed around him weakly and groaned again.

"Lily" he almost whined. "How in the fucking blazes are you here? Charm's totally correct sometimes. Gryffindors are the biggest fools"

Lily smacked his head. "And Slytherins are over-confident about everything"

Severus smacked hers in turn. "You held on my arm. Stupid"

She flushed but not let that take over on her face, lest him know that she fancied him. "I-I was j-just making sure you were alright" she argued.

Severus opened his mouth to speak but was cut by a knock on the door.

"Enter" a wizard sitting on the chair said. That is first time Lily and Severus examined their surroundings. They were in Dumbledore's office- No! It was a memory. That means fifty years ago. This was…?

"Ah, Riddle" a boy of almost sixteen years old entered the office. The silver Slytherin prefect badge on his left breast. His eyes and hair were dark and he looked highly handsome. Well, but that did not affect anyone present there.

"You wanted to see me, Headmaster Dippet…?" he asked.

And so, the memory began with Tom living in a muggle orphanage because both his parents were dead. His mother lived long enough to only name him.

Headmaster Dippet told him that he won't be able to stay at school any longer because of the attacks on Muggleborns and the death of a girl. He seemed anxious and asked a very tilted question about what if the heir of Slytherin is caught. Dippet asked if he knew something about the attacks but he quickly denied and left.

He met another wizard on his way. A wizard with auburn hair… Severus and Lily gasped together.

"Dumbledore" they breathed, looking at each other in disbelief. Dumbledore of fifty years ago looked, well… young. The way he talked to Tom, Severus noticed, he seemed to had suspected something fishy in the situation already.

Dumbledore knew something. He made a mental note.

Then Riddle slid into the Potions classroom where lights were dim, he stood there like a statue for long before which a boy with bushy hair and a really, really big stature walked in the room with a large box, calling out for someone to move in.

It was Hagrid.

Riddle's manipulation started then. He spoke all sorts of lies -Lily and Severus knew that- to trap Hagrid in his schemes. He blamed everything that happened on him. The attacks. Some kind of a monster. People getting petrified. And the girl's death. That send shivers to their spines. Another death because of Riddle's madness.

At last Riddle pointed his wand on a creature with large pincers. Lily and Severus' eyes widened and the next moment they were on the ground.

"Severus! Lily!" yells came to their ears.

Severus opened his eyes only to see Lily's so close to him. He could feel her warm breath on his lips. Her hair spread over his shoulders. Their eyes met and that is when they realized that she was above him. Their face turned bright red. Out of all sorts of things…

Lily scrambled herself to feet clumsily and then so, did Severus. They were met by the anxious and fearful and angry eyes of the others.

"And we say the Gryffindors are impulsive" Shane commented.

"Charm said its harmless" Severus argued timidly.

"I said doesn't mean you were going to do it before even allowing me or Selene to examine the thing" Charm screeched.

"Sorry" Severus muttered looking down to his feet that he was shifting under Selene's glower. Why were they bombarding all the complains on him? Lily went with him too. He huffed.

"Care to explain" Selene hissed and he flinched. Lily calmly slid herself in the chair, viewing the show. Selene's gaze shifted to her. "You too, who had the gall to go together"

She cleared her throat. "It wasn't really my fault. Sev did it so suddenly that I didn't even get time to think" she said innocently.

Selene jerked her head. "At least he had someone with him" she gave in.

Severus' head shot up. "You are taking her side again. Fine, if you are doing this, I won't tell you what did we see"

"Lily will tell me" Selene replied smugly.

"Yes, a Gryffindor. And listen to a story" that earned him a swat on the back from Lily but he ignored it.

Selene glowered, and pointed her finger on the chair asking him to sit. He gulped at the look on her face and sat quietly. "Now, don't think I've forgotten your stupidity" she hissed shaking her head. "Start speaking"

Hell! The authority. All of them took their seats and started to listen to Severus facts and Lily's story.

"Who was the girl that died?" Austin asked muttering, "Another murder" under his breath.

Lily shrugged. "We don't know. They didn't mention the name"

"They just said she was a little girl. Probably, what? Below the fifth year" Severus supplied gaining an incredulous look from Lily.

"And he rounded Hagrid in this whole mess blaming him for a murder" Austin shook his head mournfully. "Hagrid wouldn't even hurt a fly"

"He mentioned a monster petrifying people, and one got killed of course" Charm mused. "What can that creature be?"

"The one Hagrid had, had dangerously large pincers and well, it just looked scary" Lily shuddered.

"An Acromantula" Severus told them. "It was young at that time but now if it's alive would be ready to die"

"That just means that the real thing is than an Acromantula" Shane prompted.

"It doesn't petrify people" Charm said. "So, it definitely is not an Acromantula. But yeah… the real thing will be worse"

"Research time" Severus sighed. "Get some books which relate to it and read before you go to bed. It's almost curfew"

They groaned and got up, finding books for some research again. They dumped the books on the table and slumped in their chairs tired.

"Come on, guys!" Austin tried to motivate. "We shouldn't be looking so low!"

"Yeah…" Charm rolled her eyes.

"Who's going to keep that wretched diary with themselves?" Shane asked ignoring the motivation Austin tried to pass.

"I guess, Charm can keep it?" Severus suggested.

Charm beamed. "Yeah… I can keep it"

Lily frowned. "Why? I mean shouldn't that be with Selene; she obviously knows more privacy spells"

Selene shook her head. "No! Charm does. Her family well… is quite good at it"

Charm's nose shot up in air proudly. "Don't you have any confidence in me?"

Lily flushed and squirmed in her seat. "I do. It's just I thought… but it's fine with you"

"Then get to your dormitories, people" Severus stood up, sighing.

Charm picked up the diary. It felt odd. Lighter than before, but she dismissed any doubts and slid it into her bag. They left the library soon after.

What was odd is that the diary Charm picked was not the real one. A certain dark-haired boy had been examining them for long and had seen everything that had happened since before Dobby's arrival from behind the shelves, though he wasn't able to hear much. But till he reached the end of the events he was even able to hear because the charm Snape had cast had worn off and they didn't remember to renew it.

After Snape and Evans had fallen on the ground out of nowhere, and the panic sustained in the others, he took the opportunity to replace the book with the duplicate one. So, now the actual diary remained with him. He left the library just after they did.

*Page Break*

You can be the correct option, couldn't you?

For what?

For everything I need now. To prove myself once again.

What will you do with me? He wrote warily.

Oh… no need. You are already ready for how I'll need you.

I have nothing you would need. He tried to be more confident and bolder.

You believe that. But I see everything through you so easily.

You know nothing. His lower lip trembled in remembrance. Why was he so weak? His family could remain so stoic, why can't he?

Oh, but I do. Aren't you furious on your mother right now? Don't you worry about your little friend? If you will see him alive again or not?

He is safe. He wrote desperately, more to keep himself satisfied.

Under your mother? A joke.

He is safe. He emphasized and his face twisted in agony. The emotional agony.Why couldn't he stop writing? His hands moved without his permission writing about all of his thoughts.

I would have gladly taken the longer and more compassionate approach but you are already such an easy target for me.

Why can't I stop writing? He wrote. Tears now, dripping down his face. Why the fuck did he pick the book?

Because I am almost ready to take the next step. I compile first, this is the easy part. Wait for the next.

Please, leave me. I won't any harm to you. He didn't want to die so soon. He knew what all the voice of the diary was capable of.

No, you obviously, wouldn't be any harm to me. Use, yes. And how can I leave something that will come in handy.

Don't… please. He sobbed. Totally losing composure. His chest heaved with heart-wrenching sobs. He knew he was at his most vulnerable now and the voice of the book will take advantage of him. But he couldn't help himself.

It's time.

Before he could write anything else his eyes rolled back and his pupils unfocused. He still stood upright but only like a rag doll. A puppet to someone. The diary clutched in his right hand and he lost his grip on the quill, making it drop on the floor.

He walked to the place he had never been to. He didn't know how he got there. He just saw a figure emerge from the book before everything went black on the cold floor.

*Page Break*

"This is not the real diary!" Charm exclaimed loudly the next morning.

"What?!" They all shouted together. Their eyes big with shock.

Selene snatched the book from her hands and dropped a few drops of ink on the pages. They didn't disappear. They didn't get absorbed. No one wrote back. The diary was fake.

"You didn't forget to seal it?" she asked calmly when her face looked far from calm.

"Yes!" Charm said forcefully. "Priori Incantatem my wand if you doubt me"

Selene shook her head. "No, I don't. So, which charms did you use?"

"The ones that could be lifted only by my wand and through me"

"Then it is impossible to lift it without you" Selene rubbed her chin.

"Someone had already exchanged it before Charm took it with herself" Shane helped.

"When was the last time we wrote in it?" Severus asked.

"You wrote the last. After that we didn't touch it until Charm took it" Lily reasoned.

"Then someone must have duplicated it when we all were worried about you two" Austin suggested.

"Hmm. That might have happened" Severus said. "We need to talk to ghosts soon. They are the only people other than Dumbledore and gossipy portraits that can tell us about what happened fifty years ago"

They nodded. "Then let's go, we'll ask different ghosts"

"I'll go see the Grey Lady" Shane made his first choice.

"I'll go ask Nearly-headless Nick" Lily winked, taking the perfect ghost.

"Peeves" Charm prompted. "I know how to get things out of him"

"Fat Frier" Austin said. "He is a good friend of mine"

"Professor Binns" Selene edged hastily. "Though he'll bore a bit"

Severus huffed. "Fine. So, I am going to see The Baron" he grumbled.

"Now, when this is decided, where will we meet" Austin asked.

"Why, Austin. Isn't the second-floor the perfect place?" Shane mocked.

Austin flushed. "Yeah, so we can meet there"

They nodded and went to work up again. Good, it was Sunday.

*Page Break*

"I am telling you, Sirius, they are up to something"

"I believe you, mate. I won't betray you like Moony is"

"Hey, I am just saying that this is pointless. They are not up to anything"

"How can this be pointless? They are running behind the ghosts. All at once"

"Peter…" Remus tried to poke some sense in them but only if they allowed themselves out of the little hole. He sighed.

"Yes, Remus, they are-" Sirius gasped. "Singh is on the second-floor corridor that remains abandoned with Evans"

James snatched the map from Sirius's hands and leaned to have a better look before gasping loudly.

"They are damn close!" he exclaimed.

Remus peered and laughed. "Two meters, James, two meters"

"That's so close" He yelled. "They are getting closer"

"They are about to talk or something-" Sirius started.

James sighed loudly in relief. "Solace is coming there too. Good"

"I don't know why but I have the feeling that Singh and Solace are together. Evans is for- I have no idea" Peter suggested.

"I have the same feeling, Peter" Remus patted his back.

"But maybe they are together, Singh and Evans" Sirius side-glanced James' half-shocked, half-disappointed face. "You can still have McDonalds, Prongs"

"She is just a friend. She is not Lily" James insisted.

"A friend with whom you were roaming muggle London, without inviting us" Sirius accused.

James blushed. And he had no idea why. "Yeah… she was just showing me some significant places for Muggles"

"Shouldn't the significant places with viewed with your significant one?" Sirius tried.

Only Remus laughed at the joke. "You have the stupidest joke, Padfoot"

Sirius beamed at the sight of Remus laughing. He winked making him fell silent and flush till the tips of his hair. "Still, you laughed"

"Whatever" Remus muttered; eyes downcast.

"I am following them" James decided standing up.

"Are they all there now?" Peter asked.

"Yes, all of them gathered on the second-floor. I am not a Gryffindor, if they are not going to do something fishy"

"I am in, mate" Sirius stood up too, grabbing Peter and making him stand too.

They all looked at Remus.

He sighed. "I am obviously coming to see you all don't get into something wrong"

"And then Wilkes is behind you too" Sirius warned.

"Yeah… Wilkes" James rolled his eyes "Come on, then" They left and went following the ones they found troublesome for now.