The following Wednesday I was sitting in the library with Cedric as we soldiered through our Defense Readings. This week was all about Basilisks and how Lockhart is apparently the only person to have seen one alive in the last century. I was beginning to wonder who had edited these books to even get them to print since these stories were obviously bogus. I would have to write about it to dad in my next letter and ask about his own editing and how this could have ever happened. Unfortunately, since the books did go to print, and they were assigned, Cedric and I were stuck reading through them on a rare sunny day in November. Although it was quite cool outside, I could see several bundled students walking around near the Black Lake.

"So, how did your dads react when they found out about the Chamber of Secrets being opened?" Cedric asked as he closed one of his books before opening the next one.

"Dads?" I asked, wondering what he meant. "Oh, you mean Remus. He's actually my uncle, but close enough I guess. He didn't seem too concerned in comparison to my father. I think Dumbledore had to send dad a personalized letter stating that it is still in Harry's and my best interest to stay at Hogwarts."

"Sorry, I just assumed they were together," Cedric said while I shrugged.

It wasn't that far off to assume Remus was my father or even that he was my dad's partner considering they practically lived together and were raising Harry and me alone.

"My dad was actually pleased since he figured it gave me a chance to protect my fellow Hufflepuff's," Cedric said but I noticed his embarrassed blush.

"Your dad sure is proud of you," I said, but this caused Cedric to expel an exasperated sigh.

"I just wish he wasn't always bragging about things that haven't even happened. Sometimes I feel I'm not going to meet all his expectations and I will just end up failing him," Cedric admitted in a soft voice.

"That will never happen. I can tell your dad thinks the world of you and that's why he boasts, it's not because he expects anything from you," I said confidently.

"You think so?"

"Yea, I can tell just by the way he looks at you, you're his entire world," I said more warmly.

As much as Mr. Diggory seemed a little too brazen at times, I felt he was fairly harmless. He just wanted Cedric to have everything he could ever want.

"Well, I guess that's been true since my mother died when I was five," Cedric said softly.

I felt my hands start to sweat at the mention of his mother.

"I'm so sorry," I offered sincerely.

As difficult as my mother's situation was, she was still alive.

"Thank-you. And it's okay you know, you don't have to tell me about your mother, I'm not telling you this to expect any kind of reciprocation. I just wanted you to know," Cedric explained.

"Thank-you," I returned the sentiments, feeling my heart rate start to go down. "Maybe another time?"

"Of course. If ever you are ready I'm here to listen."

I stared at Cedric for a few moments. The twins were always kind and patient with me, along with my other friends, but it seemed almost sincerer coming from someone like Cedric.

He was definitely more than just the heartthrob all of the other girls deemed him to be, he seemed to be a truly kind-hearted person.

Out of the corner of my eye I noticed Katie, Alicia and Angelina approach us from behind before they decided to sit down a few tables over. I locked eyes with Ange who gave me an apologetic look while the other two were incessantly giggling. I knew I shouldn't have told them about my meeting with Cedric today until afterwards. More surprisingly though Fred, George and Lee followed moments later with the twins both giving me disapproving looks.

Cedric must have noticed my diverted attention because he turned around and spotted my friends.

"They still don't trust me, do they?" Cedric asked about the twins as I turned my attention back to him.

"They're just being prats," I said shaking my head.

"They care a lot for you," Cedric shrugged as if he wasn't fazed by the hostility he was receiving from them. "Plus, you seem to spend all your time with them and mastermind some of their pranks," he added while I feigned innocence.

"What ever do you mean?" I asked casually.

"I do recall that a certain prankster somehow opened the Hufflepuff common room in our first year and dungbombed us," he added while I felt myself blush. "How did you manage to open the door anyways?"

"I knocked," I answered casually with a smirk.

"But if you get the knock wrong you get drenched in vinegar," he said while I thanked Merlin that hadn't happened to me.

Then I got an idea for my next prank.

"Want to call it a day?" Cedric asked, maybe sensing that my brain was already figuring out the execution for my prank.

"Sure, meet up next Wednesday?" I asked with a smile, to which he easily returned.

"Sounds great," he answered before he packed up his things and left the library.

I then walked over to my friends and took a seat. Alicia and Katie were still watching the spot where Cedric had left even though he was already out of sight.

"Pretty boy leaving so soon?" Fred asked in a voice that sounded like he had a bad taste in his mouth.

"Oh, forget him," I said, not having any energy to put up with Fred's childishness. "I have a prank for the Hufflepuffs."

This automatically changed Fred's mood who leaned over to hear my plan. I proceeded to hunch over in a whispered huddle with the twins and Lee while I filled them in. Twenty minutes later we were exiting the library despite Alicia and Katie called out asking me to stay and tell them details on Cedric. I didn't even turn around to acknowledge their ridiculous request.

We were walking down the kitchen corridor while Lee made sure no one was coming on the map. Once the coast was clear he gave our usual cue and Fred went to the door.

"Now remember, third log from the bottom. Knock three times, pause, and then two more times," I whispered.

Fred nodded back at me and started knocking. He paused a moment to wait for the door to open but instead the upper log opened on a top hinge, pouring a large vat of vinegar on top him. I hit the ground laughing hysterically as Fred just stood there in utter shock. I could hear Lee and George laughing just as hard from behind me but Fred started to come to his senses. This was my cue to leave.

I quickly stood up and bolted for the Gryffindor common room. Unfortunately, I could hear and smell Fred which meant he was only a few paces behind me. Once I was through the portrait hole I sprinted to the girl's staircase where I stood just out of reach in a taunting fashion.

Fred rushed to the bottom of the staircase, followed closely by George and Lee who were still laughing.

"You can't stay up there forever Hare," Fred called with a scowl.

"I can stay here as long as it takes for you to shower. I'm sure the guys won't let you up without a good hose down," I countered with glee.

I was quite proud that I had gotten the one up on Fred.

"Oi, Fred, you smell foul," Angelina said as she passed the boys and came to stand beside me while covering her nose.

"Thanks for that bit of information Ange, I had no idea," Fred replied sarcastically but Angelina just shrugged.

"Well I better be off," I said turning to follow Ange up the stairs.

"Yea, you better hide," Fred called out while I could still hear the boys howling in laughter.

I turned around one last time to stick my tongue out at him before disappearing up the stairs and into our dorm. I would have to thank Cedric for the idea, and make sure Fred never finds out that Cedric had any part in it.

XXX

Unfortunately, the excitement and merriment caused by the prank was short lived when students started becoming petrified. This of course spouted a whole new argument with my dad about letting us stay at Hogwarts. Apparently even Dobby the elf had been back to warn Harry to leave. I had to admit, as much as Hogwarts was my favourite place in the entire world, things weren't looking too great. Harry's situation was only heightened when we learned he was a Parseltongue at the Dueling club, in front of the entire school no less. Now everyone thought he was the heir of Slytherin or some such nonsense. Another issue to deal with besides all the above was that we had started to notice Ginny's odd behaviour. She had been almost hysterical when Ron and Harry had stolen her dad's car and her mood hadn't really changed since. This seemed especially unusual since Ginny had been raving about attending Hogwarts all summer.

"Maybe we should take her to Honeydukes?" George suggested one day as we all walked down the hall.

"I think something else is bothering her, she's not homesick," I replied as we turned the corner to find a group of huddled students.

Blatantly, they all seemed to be shouting at each other.

"Oh no," I whispered only to take off running a moment later towards the fringe of dark hair I could see sticking up over the group of Hufflepuffs.

"You did it! You're the heir of Slytherin," one idiot Hufflepuff was spouting as he pointed his finger at Harry.

I rushed over and stood between Harry and the boy with Fred and George following close behind me.

"Why don't you go find something better to do, I hear you lot are good at that," George said starkly to the boy.

He was interrupted of any retort as Professor McGonagall came rushing and saw the petrified boy on the ground whom Harry was standing beside. I also noticed Nearly Headless Nick had somehow also been petrified as he was floating near the body of the boy. McGonagall ordered the idiot Hufflepuff to use a fan to blow Nick up the stairs while she attended to the petrified boy until Madam Pomfrey arrived. McGonagall then whisked Harry away before I could ask him anything.

Everything since the moment I had run towards Harry seemed to have gone by in a flash and now I was left with nothing else to do but wait. So, I walked back to the common room with the twins to wait for Harry's return.

When Harry did arrive through the portrait hole later I ran up to him followed closely by Hermione and Ron.

"What happened?" I asked anxiously as I had been worried Dumbledore might believe the ludicrous rumours about Harry being the Heir of Slytherin.

"He believes me that I'm not the heir," Harry said, allowing me to breathe a sigh of relief.

"Did you tell him anything else?" I asked, knowing Harry had a lot of secrets at the moment.

"No, I didn't tell him about the Polyjuice plan to prove my innocence, or that I hear voices in the walls," he whispered with fervor and a pointed look.

We had disagreeing opinions on whether Harry should tell Dumbledore about everything that had been going on recently. Harry told me weeks ago that he had started hearing whispers inside the walls of the school and that they were also homicidal in nature. I thought it was a little out of our depth since none of us had any idea what it meant, except for the fact that Harry would be carted off to St. Mungo's if anyone ever found out. Dumbledore seemed like the safest option. I hadn't even told the twins about the trio's scheme, it almost seemed too dangerous.

The one thing the twins were good at was cheering up Harry. Over the next week they acted like his bodyguards and hyped up the whole Slytherin Heir thing. They told students who looked mistrusting towards Harry that Harry was out choosing prospective victims. With the whole thing blown out of proportion, it almost seemed comical.

However, the one thing that was proving stubbornly difficult was my dad. He had written to us every day asking for an update about the school. It was obvious how worried he was about the two of us, which was understandable, but it almost made me wish he wasn't so in tune with the wizarding world, like Hermione's parents.

"Hey Marnie, you should read this," Harry said one morning in mid-December.

It was a letter from Remus.

Dear Harry and Marnie,

I hope you two are doing well and staying out of trouble, given the circumstances. I wanted to take the rare opportunity with Joss out of the house to advise that the two of you stay at Hogwarts for the Christmas holiday. It has come to my attention that the Weasley's will also be spending their holiday at the castle and it might be in your best interest to stay with them. I know how much that school can mean to someone, especially someone who has had a difficult childhood, so despite the Chamber of Secrets being opened I still think you should stay.

I also write this to tell you that Joss has been vocal about his intention to try and keep you at the cottage after the holidays. I have tried talking to him about it, but you know how he worries. He hasn't had it easy either.

If you two do decide to stay it will negate the decision and I feel the three of you will be better suited having taken that conversation off the table.

If it helps I will be incapacitated this Christmas with my 'hairy little problem' so you do not have to worry about me.

I love you both and look forward to seeing you over the summer holidays.

Sincerely,

Remus

I finished reading the letter and looked up at Harry. We had already had this conversation and were unsure of whether to return for Christmas. As much as the two of us enjoyed spending the holidays back at the cottage, we were afraid of what conversations my dad might try to incite. As well, there was the whole Polyjuice scheme and it looked like it would be ready just before the break.

"We stay?" I asked as I looked up at Harry.

"We stay," he replied with a nod.