As promised, after finishing my food I gathered my things, and quickly walking quietly towards the library to proceed writing the letter to Merope. I steadily, hastily, and neatly wrote the letter stating what I had seen earlier, and asking for an explanation of what I had seen could be. Once the letter was sealed, I put the small cork into the ink bottle, shoving everything else into my bag just as hastily.
A few moments later I ran into a tense looking Leilah in the library. When she saw me, she briskly walked over to my side, and pulled me into one of the far corners of the library.
What's going on? She thought, her brown eyes filled with worry.
I-I'm not sure. Your brother and I are trying to figure out what I saw earlier. My guess is that your lineage means something. Do you happen to know anything of Salazar Slytherin or anything he might've left in the castle behind for his heir? I thought, as I pulled out another book.
Hogwarts: A History , I quickly scanned the pages that referred to one of the ancient founders, only to be disappointed when I found nothing about it in the book, only that the Chamber of Secrets was a rumor, never proven to be true.
"Looks like we're going to have to talk to mother." She commented, tersely.
"I agree." I said, as a boy with copper hair approached us.
"Leilah-" He said, his eyes widening when they landed on me.
"Seamus, he-" She greeted happily.
I raised a brow at her, and turned back to the older boy. Watching the scene play out.
"Oh, this is-this is Seamus MacLaggen. He's-he's a fr-friend of mine." She stuttered, her cheeks turning red.
"I'm Annamarie Riel. Leilah is one of my bestfriends, her-her brother is too. Are-are you in Ravenclaw too?" I asked, staring at his familiar face.
He nodded his head in response, his eyes scanning me, making me feel uncomfortable. I suddenly began to feel a familiar warmth on my back side, and a sense of security.
"Who is that?" I heard from behind me, feeling my lips twitch as I heard the familiar voice.
"Oh, uhh..hmm. That-that's Leilah's new friend, Seamus. Seamus MacLaggen." I said, feeling as Tom stepped next to me.
"You're a Ravenclaw." Tom said, unblinkingly.
"Uhh, y-yeah. That's h-how I met your sister." He stuttered, his eyes flicking to me again.
The look on Tom's face told me that he was either seeing something he didn't like or he invaded the boy's mind and didn't like something he'd seen hidden.
"He's your uncle." Tom commented, looking at me.
"What-what? My mother never told me I had any other relatives otherwise she'd left me with them." I sputtered.
"He's remembering the last time he saw your mother. She was way younger than when I met her. About your age. He's either related to her or, he's known her for a while." Tom said, keeping his eyes on him.
I turned to look at the boy, his eyes had a familiar blue gray eyes I'd seen in my mother. I stepped back suddenly feeling as if my head was pounding again. I shook my head dazed, before feeling my stomach begin to roll.
"It's true isn't it...d-don't stay quiet, answer me!" I demanded, my hands beginning to shake.
Oh no... Tom thought, automatically wrapping his hand around mine.
"Yes, it's true. Your mother is my older sister, we have a younger sister that's in your year. She's in Gryffindor. Her name is Grisha MacLaggen." He replied, his eyes wide.
"Come on, Sophie, let's go. Our friends are waiting for us back in the common room. Let's go." He said, practically dragging me away, towards a different part of the library, before leaving the library.
I glared at his retreating form and began walking towards the restricted section of the library, quietly slipping in.
"Accio Chamber of Secrets." I whispered, feeling as my eyes widened as three thick books flew towards me at a fast pace.
"Stupefy!" I heard someone say calmly from behind me.
I gasped, as I turned to see Tom standing behind me, holding the three books that had flown towards me.
"You seriously couldn't wait for me could you, Sophie?" He asked amused, as he handed me the books.
I shrugged, rolling my eyes t him before heading back towards the library doors. I ignored as he followed me and began making my way towards the owlery, trying to ignore the biting wind as it bit into my knees.
"Where are you two going now?" Leilah asked, suddenly appearing next to us once more.
"The owlery. I have to send this letter to your mother. Its sort of an emergency." I responded, as we all made our way across the quad.
"Hmm.. Are you still seeing things and having those dreams, Annie?" She asked.
"Yes, actually they're starting to happen on a daily bases. I've seen important things, and insignificant things like us sitting in a lesson or seeing one of the professors drop something in the middle of a lesson." I replied, as the chilling wind blew through my cloak, making me shiver.
"What is the point of having knee-high socks if they slip down." I complained as I climbed up the stone steps, up the tower where the owlery was located.
"The point is to keep our feet, all the way to our knees warm. But of course they have to be defective." Leilah muttered.
I found Chloe perched on the edge of the window. I smiled as I began chirping at her, raising my arm as she swooped down. I quickly patted her head lightly and pulling out a treat for her. She happily took her treat, watching me as she munched happily before I handed her the letter.
"I need you to take this to Merope, you already know where. I need a response as soon as possible. Be careful." I told her, as I watched her fly away.
We all walked back in silence, wondering the same thing and how we could possibly figure out which bathroom said chamber is located within the castle. Leilah muttering a quick goodbye before disappearing in the direction of the Ravenclaw common room once more.
That night as I sat in the common room, finishing my potions lesson, I couldn't help but let my mind wonder elsewhere. What exactly is the Chamber of Secrets? What did it have to do with Tom and me? Possibly Leilah? Was having the ability to speak to snakes and move things at will, out of the ordinary? Merlin, my head began to throb by the time I finished with all the lessons and reviews I had been left to study that night.
"Annie, i-is there something wrong?" Bastian asked me, worried.
There were mainly our group of friends remaining in the common room. Tom was making in attempt at helping Laura Parkinson, Peggy Parkinson's half-sister, who happened to be in the same year. She was the exact opposite of Peggy, where Peggy was round in all places including her face, Laura wasn't. While Peggy had a full head of dull brown, unkempt hair. Laura had smooth, shinny raven hair with brown chestnut streaks falling neatly down to her mid back. You get the point they're complete opposites. No one seemed to like Peggy, and Laura seemed to fit in with everyone, even the Gryffindors. Just like me.
"No, I-I've just been thinking. There's a lot of things to think about. I am actually worried I'll get behind in my studies this year." I said smiling at him reassuringly, as I put away all the notes I had written on a few pieces of parchment paper, my books, and the rest of my supplies.
"You look rather worried. Annie, you know, you can trust me with anything right?" He said, grabbing my hand and giving it a small squeeze.
I could feel my face heat up as his hand touched mine. I had never had a boy hold my hand aside from Tom. I felt awkward and really uncomfortable, so I quickly pulled my hand back, running it through my loose tendrils as I willed the heat on my face to cease.
In that instant I felt as someone's glare bore into Bastian and me. I quickly turned towards the location where I felt the glare coming from, only to be met with Tom's piercing icy glare. Laura also throwing a questioning worried look our way.
"Yes, I know that, Bastian... I know I can trust you. Unlike some people here, I know you'll tell me the truth. Brutal as it may be." I muttered, my eyes never leaving Tom's as I said it.
I saw him flinch back slightly before he slipped the indifferent mask back in place. Since we had returned from break he had become distant. It bothered me more than it should, not entirely sure as to why it did. Seeing as we lived together and his mother was becoming like an aunt to me, possibly more, since my parents left.
"Laura, I'll help you with your Herbology lesson during breakfast tomorrow, alright. I am feeling rather tired now and prefer to go get some rest, now." I heard Tom say as he gathered his books and supply before leaving without another word or glance our way.
"Annie, I think I'll go to bed too. I'll see you tomorrow. Goodnight." He said, gathering his things before disappearing towards the boys' dormitories.
I had a weird feeling something was about to happen, something I wasn't going to like very much. Later in the evening after I went back to my dorm, I felt a slight jab on my mind, I ignored it, putting up the mental barrier I had managed to place around my mind earlier today.
"What's wrong, Annie? Lately, Riddle and you have been at each other's throats. I know for a fact that when we all started Hogwarts you two were practically attached at the hip. Did you two have a lover's quarrel or something?" Bellatrix teased, as she laid in the bed beside mine.
I shook my head at her, feeling my eyes cloud with tears before I willed myself to calm down. I sighed, as I climbed into my bed, before turning onto my side to look at her before answering.
"I don't know what's wrong, Bella, honestly. But I can tell you that it'll only be getting worse from here on out. It kills me to say this out loud, but, for once in my life I hope I am wrong about what I am feeling because I don't know how much pain I can endure." I said, as I laid on my back, closing my eyes, sighing before I let sleep pull me under.