Harmony didn't have to wait long before the letters on the paper started to crumble into the page. She could only stare in shocked amazement, mouth wide open with only one thought racing through her head, 'Wow'. Only when the words had finally gone did she snap out of her stupor. In a rush of excitement she opened the drawer of the desk that had an assortment of writing utensils. She was on her right way of figuring out how a wizard's journal works and nothing was going to stop her!
Hurriedly she found different size pens, crayons, colored pencils, heck even a paint brush. It was too bad she didn't have a black light, though she could go to the kitchen to grab some matches to see if it needed heat to reread what she had written previously. Now since it was a wizarding journal she was 99% sure it would need some type of spell, but what was to stop her from trying anyway? So she started writing with gusto.
0.5 pen
0.7 pen
Red pencil
Green pencil
Pai-
As she feverishly wrote more, more of her words disappeared, adding to her excitement. The pencils crumbled into the page while the pens smoothly disappeared and the paint she was writing with was disappearing as she was mid stroke, only for black lines to trade places with her previous words.
To say she was speechless would be an understatement.
(β)
Tom was disturbed.
First he was amused by her thoughts on invisible ink. That was until she started writing again. What was that witch thinking?!
What are you doing?
He wrote as politely as he could, not wanting to scare his new source off. No matter how deranged this witch was, a source was a source.
(β)
Coming out of her shock, all she could write was,
Ehhhh!?
Again the book began writing to her, in much better hand writing she had to admit. Elegant cursive glided across the page as she wondered if her Grandma had such lovely handwriting, sadly she'd never be able to compare the two.
Sorry, I was wondering what you were trying to do.
Uhhh,
She knew she was looking like an idiot here but, she could just ask the self writing book, so she swallowed her pride.
Just ...trying a few things out. Sorry. You wouldn't happen to have an instruction manual would you?
Tom just blinked, before replying to the new source, best to keep her entertained.
Not that I know of, I apologize Miss Tauris.
...What is wrong with wizards!? Do they expect everyone to know everything!? I'm not a God! I mean sure reading a 'dummies' guide to self writing journals will make me look stupid, but hey if I need help, I need help. And way to make me feel old, Mr. Journal. XP
Please just call me Harmony or something shorter, I know writing can get bothersome after a while, especially for my middle finger and schools not going to help for that matter.
I apologize Harmony. I will admit wizards don't have ...instruction manuals, as you say, but to be fair this journal is a bit special.
Oh? Please don't tell me this isn't connected to another journal, THAT would be embarrassing! I'm sooooo sorry! I shouldn't have raβ
Tom cut her off, he didn't want her to stop writing.
Harmony, its fine. Truly, I found it interesting. Would you be willing to share more?
...No? Maybe... I really don't know. I mean dumping all of my problems on someone else... yeah... sorry about that.
Don't be sorry Harmony, that's what I'm meant for.
What do you mean?
Harmony, you have really good luck. I'm a memory in a journal, made by Tom Marvolo Riddle. I'm supposed to help others, preferably students.
Tom.
Tom.
She should know this. The name sounded familiar to her, but damn it the lobster stole her tongue and she can't really remember, oh well, if it was important she'd remember.
...Doesn't it suck? Being a journal, I mean.
Suck?
Hmm, how to put this. I would find it horrible to be stuck as a journal, stuck to the whims of someone else. Having to... cater or listen to someone else with no chance to walk away. It'd be like living in a constant lecture, in other words it sucks. How could Tom be so cruel to you? Did he at least give you a name?
She didn't get a response. Slightly worried as well as rightfully pissed at Tom Marvolo Riddle for treating his journal like an object. Well, if she was being fair it was, but ...but what about the journal? It could write back?! How cool was that!
Marvolo. You may call me Marvolo.
She bit her lip when she read that.
He didn't give you a name. She glared at the page and just before the words disappeared, How dare he.
I'm just a memory, Harmony. Why not call myself from his name?
She could feel the slight amusement in his words.
Because you're you, Marvolo. You're an amazing journal that can write back! Heck, you're even better than the Fly Pen! It only did what it was programmed to do, automated responses. You on the other hand can hold conversations, er write, I mean. Its not like you're giving me set responses. ...are you?
No, I'm not.
See? Amazing! ...And to be honest, I will have to admit Tom's pretty cool to be able to make you, even if it was an accident, but I'm still mad at him.
Why would you be mad at him?
She bit her lip, not sure how to say this without being rude or insensitive. ...He left you, Marvolo. He didn't hand you off to me like a treasured friend, asking me to take care of you. ... ...I didn't pick you up from the floor at least. ... I paid close to sickle for a journal at Flourish and Blotts, which happened to be you. ...I'm sorry.
With those few words the Malfoy's fate was sealed.
(β)
Marvolo?
Harmony could feel the room fraught with tension, and it really unnerved her.
Marvolo, are you okay?
Perfectly fine.
Really? Before Marvolo could write a reply, denying it, she continued. Wanting him to know that it doesn't really bother her. I understand if you'd want to punch someone. Heck, I'd even offer to hold them down so you could punch them! Just... I'm not so sure how'd you'd be able to do that. Other than me hitting their head with you, though I'm sure it'd hurt you more, so we're back to square one.
A little violent are we?
Violent?! I'd prefer to think I'm protective! Warning the perpetrator is fair, but if the point needs to get across a good smack against the back of their head is very productive and feels really good.
Other's would call that violent, Harmony.
I know! Irony right? she was quite proud of herself, he didn't seem to be upset anymore. She didn't like upsetting her friends, but its not like she had any tact. Which easily showed in her writing. Especially when she continued with, Soooooooo, if you're a wizards journal, how much would you know about the wizarding world. It'd be really helpful to know what type of door I'm sticking my foot into.
Marvolo should have felt insulted by her question, but she was a muggle born so he just waved it off. Besides she was writing, in pen since he had asked her, allowing him to have a slow increase in magic and her questions were insightful, especially for an 11 year old. He found her to be childish, normally he annoyed at someone else's excitement, but she had found out about magic and that he could forgive. What really interested him was her questions.
They weren't completely clueless, asking nonsense about flying brooms or something that would waste his time. No she asked a bit about wizard culture and how their systems worked, like she was planning on living there. he had a pretty good suspicion that was the case especially when she asked him about goblins and Gringotts. She wanted to know the best way to interact with them. When he asked why she simply said she wanted to set up an account and see if they invested in stocks, something a child shouldn't really care about unless...
Are you trying to move to the wizarding world?
She didn't respond right away, but when she did it was simple. Yes
May I inquire as to why?
Again she hesitated, I don't want to live with strangers.
Strangers? Why would you live with strangers?
He wanted to ask more specifics but he wanted her to open up on her own, it would make her trust him. She had secrets, he could easily tell. That first diary entry was very telling and now that she knew someone, even if only a memory, was on the other side of the journal she was more cautious with what she said. Which made him slightly regretful that she found out about him, he probably could have gotten more out of her if she didn't know about him. He would have to ask her about that 'year' comment.
But in a way, though he was very reluctant to admit it, he was grateful too. She treated him as a person rather than an object, which he found refreshing. Voldemort had written information and they discussed like business partners, while Malfoy was a groveling servant, not much for conversation but he did have his uses even if it was only temporary. He found her messy writing expressive, even with her horrible spelling, she gave him a weird XP when he mentioned it to her, saying she could care less about her spelling right now.
Because that's where I am right now.
What about your parents. He pushed, wanting to know more. Either way it was a win-win. He wanted to know her boundaries and how he could get around them, but if she answered all the better.
They're not here.
May I as-
Please, Marvolo. I don't ... I don't want to think about it yet.
He was quiet a bit before deciding it would be best to show her sympathy, he didn't want to be dealing with a crying child. So he wrote, I'm sorry for your loss and dropped the matter, she was probably still in denial, and changed subjects.
How were you able to buy school supplies without going to Gringotts?
Originally I went to Diagon Alley to window shop and get a feel for the prices. I actually wrote down the price and where to find them on the list so when I went back I could get them. Can't say I'm too thrilled and 7 of the required books.
You should value books, Harmony. Especially school books.
I do Marvolo! Its just... I skimmed through thoughs books they're stories!
He sighed, annoyed. It looked like he was going to have an idiot to talk to. He was hoping, with her previous questions, that she at least cared for knowledge.
I mean what bloody authors portrait winks at you?! Ugh!
Okay, he could give her that.
I'm just going to by one and if its required I'll get the others, though I doubt it. I could get more from the goblin book a purchased! I mean come on! Literature stories for Defense Against the Dark Arts! If it was an English class I'd understand, but really?! And what with the classes name?! 'Defense against the Dark Arts' pretty biased in my opinion. Why not call it 'Defense against harmful spells' or stuff, heck if they need a cool name call it *husky voice* 'Defend Yourself'!
Well, that was a surprise for Marvolo. This witch could rant. What do you mean by *husky voice* and why don't you like the name of your class?
oh well *husky voice* is just like saying something in a husky voice, i get bored and like to express myself, writing can be emotionless or easily misunderstood especially they way it gets written, had a few myself, don't remember what they were though. As for my issue with the name 'Defense against the Dark Arts' give me a weird mental image, I'm pretty sure they mean spells but I can't help picturing art projects attacking me, like dark themed paintings and such. All I know is I'd scream and punch a whole trough them. *shrug* what can you do?
What do you think of the Dark Arts? He asked, extremely curious. Maybe Voldemort had taken over and didn't let him know.
I don't know. I haven't seen them in action. I've only seen them in RPGs. I've seen a Dark Megaman, but that was just corruption from a virus. So I cant really say, I've only seen magic in fantasy games. Actually there was this one game... with Dark Fang, one of my favorite moves. But if wizards magic is anything like the games I've played then there's a system, Water beats fire, lightning beats water, leaf or nature beats lightning and fire beats nature. Simple. While Dark and Light are strong against each other. Magic has a system, and there's a balance, but that's my understanding from games that I've played when I was younger. Magic is a strategy and to win you need to know what does what. I'm sureI'm not 100% correct but each spell or attack should have a weakness, whether it be an attack, a shield or a dodge its just a matter of knowing and right now I'm a level 1 in understanding that. Those assigned books for that class only seemed to glorify the 'true' tales of the author, there wasn't anything in there I could read without gaging.
Marvolo was speechless, she didn't say dark magic was 'evil' and he was slightly excited, maybe he succeeded! Magic wasn't outlawed and the wizarding world had finally moved forward! He wanted to know the year, if he had succeeded even with Dumbledore breathing down his neck. Last he heard was Dumbledore had form an army against him. He couldn't just out right ask. He wanted to know about her, but she didn't need to know him so he went with something a bit more on the safe side and it would answer an earlier question.
Would you happen to know the year, its been a long time since I was able to talk to my previous owner.
Hmm, I'm not 100% sure, but since I met Harry I can assume we're in the 1990's.
He paused. How can you not know the year?
I didn't check out the news paper okay! Honestly it was the last thing on my mind.
But why wouldn't you know the date?
Some stuff happened.
What 'stuff'?
Stuff as in a certain Doctor took me in my sleep and placed me here without my knowledge and left.
Doctor who?
See! You get it!
No. I don't. Who's the doctor?
XD Yes. He's the Doctor.
Harmony he trailed off in frustration.
Marvoloooooo. :) Seriously. He's the Doctor!
Why do you keep writing 'Doctor' when the proper word is 'doctor' and Who. Is. He.
Sorry, sorry. Honestly its more like an insiders joke. I keep forgetting where I am. The 'Doctor' is his name. Hence why I capitalized the 'D' and the reason why I kept going with his name is that's what everyone says when they first meet the Doctor. Honestly its a lot of fun.
...Doctor, that's a strange name.
Don't tell him that. He chose that name so its important to him.
Why would he choose that name?
To remind himself to never be cruel or cowardly, to never give up or to give in. His name is his promise that he tries to keep one way or another even when he was lost even when he claimed he wasn't the Doctor any more. Though personally I'd argue with him to say even then he was still the Doctor.
Somewhere deep in the hidden forests of Albania a certain snake was getting a minor whiplash of emotions.
