Chapter Thirteen- T.M. Riddle

"What?" I gasped in complete bewilderment. Snape, turning to me with dangerously suspicious black eyes, put both hands on each side of my chair. I stared back, heart pounding.

"That stunt you pulled with the snake - how did you do it?" Snape hissed. "How do you know how to cast the Imperius curse, non-verbally?"

Dumbledore's eyes lost its twinkle completely. "Miss Snape," he said very seriously. "Is this true?"

"What's an Imperius curse?" I demanded. "I didn't do anything with the snake - well, no, I stopped it from attacking Finch-Fletchley. "

"How?" said Dumbledore. He gestured at Snape, who bared his teeth and stepped back stiffly.

I looked down at my hands, and blushed. "Well, I've always been able to do it. In a muggle school I went to, well, there was a snake we'd found on the courtyard. I'd been petting it earlier...it let me, I don't know why...and a couple of boys found it afterwards. They tried to kill it, and when it hissed I freaked out, thinking it would bite...I didn't know it was a garden snake, and I screamed for it to stop, and it went away."

"Harry said it was accidental magic," I said, in a very small voice. "I didn't know it was wrong." How could I be doing so many things wrong?

Dumbledore's eyes softened when I looked up finally. "It was accidental magic, Miss Snape. You didn't know it was Dark Magic, and it's certainly rare to perform such a dark spell without realizing it, but not impossible. I'd advise you not to do it again if you can help it."

I dared a look at Snape, who was scowling - but he looked surprised. "How strange," he sneered. "That the one thing you excel at is prohibited."

Dumbledore blinked suddenly. "It seems we have another guest." He waved his hand and the door to his office opened, revealing a flustered Theodore.

"Theodore?" I said, surprised.

He flushed, something I'd never seen before.

"What're you doing here?" I rose to my feet.

The boy sighed. "The entire second year sent me. Blaise said he saw Professor Snape pull you out to Headmaster Dumbledore, and your concentrated face on that snake. They want to know if you're the Heir of Slytherin with Potter."

To everyone's surprise, including mine, I grinned. "You caught me. Come on, let's go tell Pansy I'm going to open the Chamber of Secrets and send a monster after all her hair products."

"This isn't funny!" Theodore snapped, and we both forgot Dumbledore and Snape were there. "Everyone thinks you're the Heir! They say Potter's being controlled by you!"

"Theodore, that's so completely stupid." I said in disbelief. "I'm not even a pureblood."

"That's what I said!" He brushed back his hair in agitation. "You could be a mudblood-"

"Mister Nott!" Snape snapped. Dumbledore fixed Theodore with a stern look.

"May we be dismissed?" I said to Dumbledore. "I need to go punch Zabini."

"You don't want to do that," Theodore said tightly. "Half the Slytherin House is furious that you could be the Heir and you're not even a pureblood. The other half is tripping over themselves to get into your good graces."

I cocked my head. "Maybe I can knock some sense into Draco - scare him into not hating mudbloods."

"Miss Snape," Dumbledore said, eyebrows raised.

"Sorry - I really don't mean it offensively," I said sheepishly. "Good day, Professors."

When we'd left, I sighed. "Why can't I just have a normal Hogwarts day?"

Theo had no answer.

O-O

Being the scary Heir of Slytherin lasted exactly one week. I was sent piles of money, chocolates, candies and letters that I forced Theodore to help me send back. Everyone else blanched when they saw me and scrambled away - it gave me a sick feeling inside.

But at least Harry was getting the same attention - but only the part where everyone was bloody terrified of him. If I so much as borrowed a quill from him, the rumour that I'd be killing someone tonight spread like wildfire.

He was a Parselmouth, Theodore explained. That was someone who could talk to snakes.

I was taking a class with Theodore next to me, the Slytherin pair behind me tossing me I'm a pureblood, I promise notes to me when we heard Peeves' scream.

"ATTACK! ATTACK! ANOTHER ATTACK! NO MORTAL OR GHOST IS SAFE! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! ATTAAAACK!"

Mcgonagall stood sharply from her seat at the front. "EVERYONE, CAL-"

The doors had already opened and students flooded into the dark corridor. I followed with a beating heart.

What the hell was I supposed to think when I ran out to see Harry, trying to slink away, with a frozen Justin Finch-Fletchley and a strangely frozen-in-midair Nearly Headless Nick, smoking at the tips?

Face red, Harry lifted his eyes to mine.

He had not done it. I could tell instantly. Mcgonagall whirled around at the screams from the students.

"Caught in the act!" Ernie Macmillian yelled, his face stark white, pointing his finger dramatically at Harry.

"That will do, Macmillan!" said Professor McGonagall sharply.

Peeves was bobbing overhead, grinning wickedly, surveying the scene. As the teachers bent over Justin and Nearly Headless Nick, examining them, Peeves broke into song:

"Oh, Potter, you rotter, oh, what have you done, You're killing off students, you think it's good fun-"

"PEEVES!" McGonagall shouted furiously. Peeves stuck his tongue out at her, and zoomed away with a loud, very off-key Oh, Potter you rotter, oh what have you done song.

When a few Professors had taken Justin and Nick, McGonagall turned to Harry, who had never looked more like he wanted to be invisible.

"What do we do?" I whispered to Theodore.

"Nothing," he said back, eyes ahead. "The rumours will be gone from you, and latch onto him."

"That's not...great for Harry."

"It is for you. Don't do anything - it'll pass over."

What are you doing what are you doing what are you doing - I shut my eyes for several moments and clenched my fists. "You don't really think Potter, of all people did this, did you?"

Heads swiveled to look at me, and Theodore stared at me in disbelief.

"Then who did it?" Someone called, and McGonagall once again tried to regain the crowd's attention. Harry's eyes were fixed on mine.

"You think he made that snake attack?" I snorted loudly. "Potter's an idiot. It would take a Slytherin to do this."

"He was caught in the act," Ernie snarled, white-faced still.

"Of course he was," I forced myself to step forward, and smirk victoriously at Harry. "I made sure of it. Why does it matter, anyway? Justin's a mudblood."

There was a collective intake of breath from the crowd, and several people shouted and started forward in absolute anger.

McGonagall, absolutely red-faced in fury, used her wand to set off a loud bang, which restored silence, and ordered everyone back into their classes. Theodore paused long enough for her to bark out his name, and he finally left with the rest of them.

"Not you and Potter, Miss Snape," McGonagall said sharply. "And fifty points for such a horrid use of language. Follow me, now!"

She led us in silence to a route where I recognized was Dumbledore's office. Harry turned his head to look at me, and mouthed a silent thank you.

I blew out a breath. You're welcome.

We stopped at a ugly stone gargoyle, and McGonagall barked out the password (Lemon Drop) before it jumped aside. We stepped up to the spiral staircase until we reached the annoyingly familiar oak door.

When we stepped into the office, McGonagall told us to wait and was gone. Harry turned to me then.

"Why'd you do it?" he muttered.

I shrugged and looked around to inspect the room. "I dunno, really. Couldn't let you get through those rumours yourself. Poor little Harry," I sent him a grin to let him know I was kidding.

Harry glared at me. "I could have handled it," he said defiantly. He scuffed his shoe on a shelf from behind a desk.

"I can handle it better, trust me," I told him. "I'm a Slytherin, Harry. Half the Slytherins will be scrambling to make sure they won't be Petrified. You're half off the hook, and Ernie'll stop bothering you."

But Harry wasn't looking at me anymore. I turned around at his silence, and followed his gaze to a familiar Hat on the shelf.

"The Sorting Hat," I said in surprise.

Harry swallowed thickly, and stepped closer to it. He paused, and turned to me. "Rowan...can I ask you something?"

I cocked my head. "Sure."

"Do you think I'd do well in Slytherin?"

That was surprising. I frowned. "Well - you're a bit too reckless for Slytherin, but then again so am I. I'd say you'd do well, but you're a Gryffindor, Harry. And there really isn't anything wrong with Slytherin, alright? So lay off my House."

He looked at the Sorting Hat, then back at me. "I suppose. After all, you're okay."

"Thanks," I snorted.

Then a strange, gagging noise behind us made us wheel around. There was a bird perched on a golden perch, behind the door. It looked very sickly, and was dropping feathers as it hacked, wheezing.

"Oh, no," Harry said, worried. "Last thing I need is for it to die - "

I rushed forward and reached out a hand. "This is a phoenix, I think. Read about them somewhere, but I can't seem to remember...something important…" My fingers had almost brushed the bird's remaining feathers when it burst into flame.

I let out a yell similar to Harry's and dove out of the way as the bird shrieked. It was a large fireball now, and I backed up from it wildly.

"Quick - a charm - anything!" I said frantically. "Oh, I wish Theodore was here!"

"Or Hermione," Harry said as frantically, jerkily removing his robes to try and beat out the flames. His elbow caught the fabric and he shook it frantically.

But it was too late; by the time I had shrugged off my own robes and prepared to beat the flames on the bird, it had shrieked one last time and become a smoldering pile of ash. There was a silence, except for the heavy breathing from Harry and I.

The office door opened. Dumbledore came in, looking very somber.

"Professor," Harry gasped. "Your bird - I couldn't do anything - he just caught fire-"

"We didn't do anything, I swear," I said in astonishment, shutting my mouth when Dumbledore smiled.

"About time, too," said Dumbledore. "He's been looking dreadful for days; I've been telling him to get a move on."

We gaped at him, stunned. I worked my jaw. "What?"

"Fawkes is a phoenix. Phoenixes burst into flame when it is time for them to die and are reborn from the ashes. Watch…" Dumbledore chuckled, nodding at the ashes.

From the ashes, a tiny, wrinkly, ugly baby bird emerged, emitting a little squawk.

"It's a shame you had to see him on a Burning Day," Dumbledore continued, seating himself behind his desk. "He's really very handsome most of the time, wonderful red and gold plumage. Fascinating creatures, phoenixes. They can carry immensely heavy loads, their tears have healing powers, and they make highly faithful pets."

But I'd had enough of this. I barely let Dumbledore sit down before I blurted, "Professor, we didn't do anything."

Dumbledore fixed us with light blue eyes, but before he could say anything Hagrid burst through. I was genuinely surprised I hadn't heard him thundering in earlier - he was panting, which meant he'd run up.

I clapped a hand to my mouth and reeled away as the dead rooster in Hagrid's hand swung wildly in my direction.

"It wasn' Harry, Professor Dumbledore!" said Hagrid urgently. "I was talkin' ter him seconds before that kid was found, he never had time, sir-"

Harry looked urgently at Dumbledore as he pulled his robes back on; I did the same.

"-it can't've bin him, I'll swear it in front o' the Ministry o' Magic if I have to. Yeh've got the wrong boy, sir, an' Rowan never did anythin' either, I swear -"

"HAGRID!" Dumbledore said loudly. "I do not believe it was either Harry nor anything."

"Oh," Hagrid blinked several times, and he let his dead rooster fall limply to his side. A leg smacked my head and I forced myself not to shudder. "Well, I'll jus' be outside, then." He stormed out, embarrassed and red.

"You don't think it was me?" I said, almost disappointed at the lack of drama. Harry rolled his eyes at me, and I grinned.

"No," Dumbledore said with a chuckle, but then his face grew somber again. "But, I do need to speak with you two about something. I must ask if there is anything you'd like to tell me."

For a strange reason, Tom surfaced to my head.

That makes no sense, I thought in bewilderment. What's friendly Tom got to do with anything?

And then I remembered the snake - how I could control them, but Dumbledore knew this already.

And Harry hearing voices…that was certainly important, if Dumbledore believed him.

"Harry," I said, turning to him. "Tell him about the -"

"No," Harry said, loudly and quickly. "Nothing at all."

Dumbledore was silent for several moments as I stared at him. Harry swallowed and met my eyes.

"Thank you, Harry." Dumbledore said. "I'd like to speak to Rowan alone now, please."

When Harry had left, Dumbledore repeated the same question to me, one more time.

For Merlin's sake, Harry, you better know what you're doing. I took a deep breath. "Nothing from me either, sir."

O-O

As the end of term came by, everyone was beginning to pack their bags, Theodore included. I entered the boys' dormitory, disappointed to see him packing with flicks of his wand.

"You're not supposed to be in here," a shirtless Blaise shouted, yanking the curtains closed.

"What are you doing here?" Theodore asked me, and I ducked as a shirt zoomed over my head into his bag. Blaise's sock zoomed into my face and I threw it at the curtains in annoyance.

"I'm going to be so alone," I moaned. "Snape's not going to celebrate with me, that's for sure."

Draco rolled his eyes as Goyle and Crabbe grunted in agreement. "I'm staying, if that makes you feel any better. Crabbe and Goyle, too."

"Great," I perked up slightly. "Hermione, Harry and the Weasleys are too but they're all cooped up in the Gryffindor's common room."

"Don't say their names in here," Draco said in a foul tone. "You'll contaminate the air."

I rolled my eyes as Theodore shut his trunk. "Come on," he told me, and we left the room.

Finally, when it was time for students to get on the train, I wrapped my jacket around me and shivered, following Theodore out.

"Why didn't you bring your hat?" Theodore snickered as I rubbed my cold ears.

I sneezed. "I f-forgot. Merlin, it's cold." Bending to scoop some snow, I balled it into a snowball and sent it flying at Fred's face a few feet to the right of us (he was saying goodbye to Lee Jordan).

"Write me," I said quietly as Theodore dragged his trunk along. He turned around to glance at me, offering a nod and a small smirk. I hugged him as students began to leave for the train. He wrapped his arms around me for two seconds before shoving me away.

"You're freezing, you bloody fool," Theodore pulled off his hat and shoved it at me. "Now leave me alone - I'm only leaving for Christmas holidays."

"I'll miss you," I shrugged, pulling on the hat. "And I expect a present, alright?"

"You sure you don't want money?" Theodore regarded me seriously. "I've seen your money section in your trunk - it's barer than the Weasley Gringotts vault."

"I've plenty of money," I assured him. "My muggle guardians send money, and Snape turns it to wizard currency for me. I assume he puts it away for me somewhere - don't think he trusts me with my own money."

"So," Theodore said, frowning. "You basically don't have any spending money."

I shrugged. "Call me poor, then. But I don't want your money; get me something nice, and if I hate it I'll sell it and get money like that." My wicked grin was enough to assure Theodore I wasn't joking.

"Alright. See you, then." said Theodore.

"Write me!"

"I'll think about it."

O-O

As Christmas grew nearer, I made sure to get all my shopping down quickly. Snape would never allow me to get presents for the Gryffindors, so I merely asked my friends to help me order them.

Snape had finally given me my own money, and I was astonished to discover I actually had a lot of it - the Masons had given me a lot of money. Galleons poured into my trunks, and it was a good thing trunks were charmed to fit more than it looked like.

I'd asked Theodore through letter to help me order my presents for Harry, Fred, George, and Ginny. Hermione and Ron were sort of acquaintances, and in the end I'd decided to get them smaller gifts. Crabbe and Goyle were Draco's friends, but I could not imagine not giving them presents when they were always joined at the hip with Draco, so I bought them candy - two boxes of them.

Ron was getting an assortment of Honeydukes' finest chocolates. And after much thought, I'd slyly asked Draco to help me take some of his peacocks' feathers and turn them to white quills for Hermione after he'd insulted her again. It cost me a fortune, but I could not wait for him to see her using them.

Christmas morning, I woke up extremely early and headed to the Gryffindor Common Room, presents in my arms. It only occurred to me that I did not have the password when the sleepy Fat Lady asked for it.

"Rowan?" Hermione said in surprise, and I spun around to see her, cheeks flushed in shock. "What are you doing? I mean, up so early? And here?"

"I've gotten you a present," I said, flushing faintly. "Here." She took the glass box, her own arms clutching presents.

"I've gotten you something as well," she said in relief. "It's small, though, I wasn't sure-"

I took her present, and tilted my head at the door. "Do you suppose you could give Ron and Harry my presents?"

"Oh, but you should come in, of course! Lionheart," Hermione told the Fat Lady briskly.

"I'm not a Gryffindor!"

"It's not against the rules, I checked," Hermione said rather pompously, flashing me a smile. "Come on."

After nearly tripping over the raised door (why was it a hole? Why not a door?) I reluctantly climbed in. Red and gold exploded in the room, bright and shiny and happy. Whereas the Slytherin Common Room was dark and soothing, the Gryffindor Common Room was feisty and happy.

"I think my eyes just burned a little," I said, following Hermione to the boys' dormitory.

She huffed, but lifted her hand to hide a smile. "It is a bit bright here. But it's cheery."

When we reached the boys dorm, Hermione flung the door open with a particularly loud slam that made me think she did this often. "Wake up!"

There were groans of despair from the two curtained beds. Hermione, arms full of presents, used her elbow to expertly yank open both. Ron yelled and pulled the covers over, half asleep.

"Not yet…" Ron moaned, but he reluctantly grabbed for his shirt as he noticed Harry, green eyes glassy with sleep, reach over and snag his glasses.

"It's Christmas!" Hermione exclaimed, tossing them their presents. "And I've brought someone to visit!" She handed me my present and we sat at the foot of the boys' beds.

"Christmas," Harry said groggily, but I noticed his face light up and he rubbed the sleep from his eyes as Ron tried to pull his head through the sleeve of his shirt.

When they'd gotten dressed, we moved down to the Common Room. I sat with them in a circle, near the fireplace, beaming widely. I'd never done this before; celebrated Christmas like this. Usually the Mason's left me their presents on the table, but often they were busy at work.

Trading off presents, I realized Ron had not gotten me anything. His ears burned pink, but I assured him with only a little disappointment that it was alright.

Hermione opened her presents, and when she reached mine she let out a soft gasp at the glass casing around the beautiful three quills. "Where did you get this?"

I grinned. "Peacock feathers," I said proudly and mischievously. "Made so well that the Malfoys probably use them, if they'd thought to get it."

Not a lie.

An owl came swooping in as everyone else opened their presents (Harry had gotten me a snow globe that told me the weather and a Gryffindor scarf out of spite, and Hermione had gotten me a set of Potions books). It landed next to me with a large package, and when I opened it several presents spilled out, including a letter.

"It's all from Theodore," I said in disbelief, and at once Ron and Harry began to help me open the presents. Hermione's feeble protests soon grew quiet as she helped them.

"This must have cost a lot…" Hermione said in surprise, holding up a smaller package that displayed a jeweled necklace.

I fumed. He knew I hadn't gotten him too much, and he had to go and get me so much.

"Bloody hell!" Ron shouted, and I turned to him as he tipped over a bucket full of Galleons. "What's he paying you for?"

"I told him not to get me money," I said furiously, oddly stung. "What's he playing at, I'm not poor - "

But I broke off in surprise. When I touched the Galleons, they popped into chocolate coins, scattered around the room. I opened his letter.

Rowan, it said simply. Happy Christmas. Miss my presence yet, or have you forgotten about me? Hope that Galleon trick fooled you. Theodore. I hadn't written him in a few days.

I found another package, one not as nicely wrapped from Mrs. Weasley. It was a sweater - similar to the ones Harry, Ron and Hermione received. It was purple and had a silvery R on it, and I instantly gathered my presents and went to change.

The Great Hall was beautiful: Tinsel had exploded everywhere, and the teachers were all in a cheery mood. I didn't see Snape, but I hoped my present had reached him. He had gotten me nothing - sometimes, I really didn't know why I tried.

Not feeling up to being rejected by friend after father, I slid into the Slytherin bench, on the other side of the table where the only other occupants were Draco, Vincent and Gregory - I'd noticed I referred to them as Crabbe and Goyle, but seeing as they were not enemies I had started making an effort to call them by their first names. That put me close to the teachers' table, and I felt their eyes quickly scan over me in hidden concern before turning back to their conversations.

I was just spreading marmalade over my toast when out of the corner of my eye I noticed a blonde slide down next to me.

"This seat taken?" Draco said dryly.

"Not for you," I waved my hand at him, equally sarcastic to hide my surprise. I looked over to see Vincent and Gregory still sitting like lumps on the other side, immersed in their pancakes.

"Look at them," Draco said snidely and loudly, and nudged me when I continued to spread my toast. I obediently swiveled around to see Harry, Hermione, and Ron hurriedly eating. For what, I didn't know. "Look. Disgusting."

"I know," I said dryly. "Who eats buttered toast when there's jam?"

"I wonder what they're up to," Draco continued, as if he hadn't heard me. "Maybe we should follow them." He said this as the three Gryffindors hurried out of the room.

I let my head fall next to my plate. "Draco, no."

"Crabbe, Goyle!" Draco, who didn't even need to say this particularly loud, snapped his fingers at the two Slytherins, who reluctantly but obediently came over. "Follow Potter," Draco ordered.

I groaned. "Draco - "

Shuffling away, Vincent rolled his fingers (which gave a loud crack) and reached for a pastry.

"No, you fools, you'll make noise!" Draco snapped. I rolled my eyes as Vincent stepped back with a grunt of reluctance, and the two Slytherins left the room to follow Harry.

Draco made a sound of satisfaction. "I hope they're off doing something punishable."

I shook my head. "Honestly…"

"I'm going to go follow them," Draco announced. He stood, and crooked a finger at me.

I blinked. Twice. What..?

"Come on," he said impatiently.

I got to my feet, but not to follow him. "What do you think you're doing?"

"We are going to see what they're up to," Draco said snootily.

"I'm not going anywhere with you," I said furiously. "Who do you think I am - Vincent and Gregory?"

He was used to being listened to, I realized. At Hogwarts he reigned supreme most of the time. And without me next to him he'd assumed I'd be a Pansy, flocking after him brainlessly.

"No," Draco said, impatiently again, almost condescendingly. "We're going to follow them, but thanks to you I might not even find them!"

"You're joking," I said, aghast. "Are you naturally this stupid? I think you should leave them alone, and I'm certainly not following you!"

"Too loyal to Potter?" Draco sneered. "Even wearing the Weasel's mother's sweater? What, they couldn't afford to buy a present?"

"Or maybe," I seethed, breath heaving, "They know what family is, unlike you where your parents obviously found you less important enough to leave you here with the idea that money is love!"

Draco jerked suddenly, and a brief moment showed me that I'd gotten through to him - his face flushed pink before he managed to wrestle his emotions down. I hadn't meant to say it, but I knew it stung and it gave me a cold sense of satisfaction.

"Did Snape get you a present, then?" He spat at me. "Did he even come to the Great Hall to see you?"

He was right. Fuming, I twisted on my heel and stalked out.

Draco had piqued my curiosity, though - what were those Gryffindors up to? But for the sake of my pride I forced my feet down to the Slytherin Common Room, and spent the next few hours reading furiously, Draco's Christmas present kicked under my bed along with Vincent and Gregory's.

Guilt slowly seeped into my mind as I read on, though. I should not have done that. Yes, it had given me a slap of satisfaction, but firstly I could not be making him an enemy. Secondly, who was I to tell him his family didn't want him?

Cursing under my breath, I kicked off my blankets and levitated the presents out. Arms full, with my wand under my armpit, I made my way to the Common Room.

Draco was sitting with Vincent and Gregory, and he leaned his head back casually, grey eyes calculatingly cold. "Come to apologize?"

There was something off about Vincent and Gregory; they tensed oddly.

"If you'll apologize first," I said, tense. "I have your presents for Christmas, if you'll accept them from a dirty half-blood like me."

Draco didn't react for several moments - he stilled and examined me coldly. I lifted my chin.

"I'll make you a bargain," The blonde offered. Gregory and Vincent looked at us attentively; I'd never seen them so interested in me.

I narrowed my eyes. "If it involves money, Draco, I swear I'll scream."

"The bargain," Draco said pointedly. "I won't mention your friendship with Potter, and you won't mention my family."

"Deal," I said brightly, shoving him over so I could sit next to him. He toppled over with a grunt, and I tossed him his present before handing the other two to Vincent and Gregory. "It's fine if you didn't get me anything; Ron didn't either."

"I'll eat my wand if I have anything in common with Weasley," Draco sniffed. "Of course I got you something." He handed me a box, wrapped in glittering gold paper. He opened his own present. "How'd you know I wanted these robes?" They were hemmed in gold, and the fabric was much softer than the Hogwarts ones.

"Owled your parents," I said, focusing on my own present now. But before I'd gotten the chance to open it, Vincent made a sound. I looked up to see the both of them, their presents on the ground, and backing away quickly.

"What's wrong with you two?" Draco said coldly in annoyance.

"Stomachache," Goyle grunted once in a vaguely familiar voice I couldn't place. They stumbled out of the room.

There was a short silence where I realized I'd given them my presents and had no reason to stay, and where Draco realized his cronies had left so he didn't need to stay.

I unwrapped my present.

It was a polished, wooden box. When I opened it, the inside of the box was pressed with a thin sheet of velvety fabric. There were about thirty vials inside, glittering with ingredients.

"Potions ingredients," I said in wonder, lifting the third vial. "Is this dragon blood?"

Draco smirked. "Ten uses in rare potions, at least, right?"

"Twelve," I breathed, setting it down carefully. "Moonstone...fairy wings...are you mad? How much did this cost?"

"It's partly from my father, so don't think I spent five hundred Galleons on you." Draco looked smug, and he crossed his arms to lean back on the couch. Gingerly I set down the box.

" got the same set for Snape but it wasn't nearly as expensive...there were no fairy wings and the dragon blood was of the cheapest species…"

"Okay, Weasley," Draco smirked. "Fancy a game of chess?"

O-O

"Out! Out!" Madam Pomfrey howled, slamming the door on me. I pounded at it several moments fruitlessly.

"It's no use," Harry said from behind me. I whirled around to face him. "She won't even let me and Ron in."

"How did Hermione get a cat face, anyway?" I demanded.

"Not so loud!" Harry hissed. "If Peeves catches wind of what happened to her, he'll tell everyone when term starts."

I lowered my voice. "But...what happened?"

Harry paused. "Er…"

"What?"

"I can't tell you," Harry said apologetically.

I huffed. "Really, Harry?"

"I'm sorry," Harry sighed. "But I can't."

I straightened my robes and spun on my heel. "I'll see you later, then."

Turning the corner, I slammed into something black and full of fabric; when I looked up, it was the annoyed face of a greasy-faced Snape.

"Perhaps," he said viciously. "If you bothered to look where you were going-"

"I'm sorry, sir," I said tiredly, bringing a hand up to rub my eyes and stepping around him.

He was silent for several moments and I almost turned another corner before he said shortly, "How did you know I needed those ingredients?"

I turned around and offered him a tight smile. "I pay attention, sir. You have a list behind your desk. Happy Christmas."

I gave him a few seconds to respond, my heart pounding unwillingly in my chest. Two words. Come on.

Snape gave me a short nod and turned away.

I did not see him nor Harry for the rest of the day, but when I went to bed that night there was a leather wand holster waiting for me on the drawer with an envelope. When I opened it, there were only two initials: S.S.

O-O

When term started, it took a while for Hermione to come back. Once she did, I searched sneakily for signs of cat, but her brown eyes were not in any way catlike, and there was no cat fur anywhere - Madam Pomfrey had done her job too well for me to determine anything.

The only very interesting thing was that there was rumours on Myrtle flooding the girls' bathroom, and that whenever I talked about it Harry, Ron and Hermione would clam up and switch the topic. The attacks had stopped for now, but Peeves would give everyone a full routine of "Oh Potter You Rotter" whenever he caught a glimpse of Harry.

Valentine's day rolled around, and Lockhart became even more full of himself. He announced the number of cards and flowers he'd received every time I saw him and would beam whenever a dwarf (there were about twenty of them running around delivering Valentine day messages) came by to sing to him.

I was walking with Draco in the hallway when we heard a loud singing from an urgent dwarf who was sitting on Harry's ankles.

His eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad,

His hair is as dark as a blackboard,

I wish he was mine,

he's really divine,

The hero who conquered the Dark Lord.

I had to admit: it was funny. Draco, who had no qualms about laughing as loud as he could, turned to me in time to see my lips twitch. He caught my eye and I burst out laughing with the rest of the crowd.

Peeves, disgruntled his dance routine of "Oh Potter You Rotter" had been ruined, zoomed away with a promise to toss dungbombs in the dormitories. Shoving forward, I helped Harry up, who, by that time, was so red in the face he rivaled Ron's hair.

Percy Weasley came by and forced most of the crowd away, but not before Draco stepped forward and snatched something from among the books that had spilled from Harry's bag.

"Does Potter have a diary? Wonder what he's written in this?"

Harry looked up and froze. Very quietly, he faced Draco. "Give that back."

"Hand it over, Malfoy," said Percy sternly.

"When I've had a look," said Draco, waving the diary tauntingly at Harry.

"Draco, seriously, just leave - " I stopped talking abruptly, because as Draco turned to face me I recognized the year on the cover of the book. It was Tom Riddle's diary.

Harry, who had lost his temper abruptly, yanked out his wand and shouted, "EXPELLIARMUS!" The book flew out of Draco's hands, with Percy shouting loudly in protest, as Ron leaped up and caught it with a ferocious grin.

Pulling together the rest of his books, Harry began to stride away quickly. Draco, furious, began to yell insults at Ginny and shoved the students in the hallway away, stomping away spitefully.

"Come on, Charms," Theodore said from beside me - he always seemed to appear out of nowhere.

"I'm skiving," I told him, and shouldered my own bag before running after Harry.

I caught him going into Transfiguration, and abruptly switched directions for the library.

Questions were whirling in my head - where had Harry gotten that book? Had Ginny given it to him? It was special to me...Tom had been a good friend and Harry certainly didn't need it; why had Ginny given it away? The thought of it made me slightly angry.

Ten minutes before dinner ended I hurried to the dormitory, pulled on a set of black robes that had no Slytherin crest, and fitted the Gryffindor scarf Harry had gotten me on Christmas over my neck.

As students began to file to their common rooms, I followed a group of seventh years who assumed by my scarf I was a Gryffindor to the Gryffindor Common Rooms.

"Fortitudo," one of them told the Fat Lady carelessly, and I kept my head down when the portrait swung open.

The second year dormitories were not hard to find without Hermione, and I snuck into the boys' dormitory without anyone noticing. Dean Thomas nearly caught me but I turned my head away at the last second and all he said was, "Oi! You're a girl!"

The dormitory was empty except for Ron and Harry - Harry was seated on his four-poster, examining the diary carefully.

"Alright," I said, and both their heads snapped up in surprise. "Where did you get that diary?"

"How did you get in here?" Ron demanded.

"I snuck in, how else?" I walked up to them and seated myself on Harry's bed next to him. "The diary..?"

Harry hesitated. "Found it in Myrtle's bathroom. Someone had thrown it at Myrtle's toilet while she was in there and the bathroom flooded."

Ginny! I thought furiously. She'd thrown it away? "It's mine."

"No, it isn't," Ron said, sitting up. He seemed interested in the book, now that I wanted it. "It's T.M. Riddle's."

"Tom Riddle," I said impatiently. "I've been talking to him."

"You found it, then," Ron said. "We just want to have a look, is all. Nothing but blank pages in there anyway, how have you been talking to someone fifty years ago?"

"Like this," Harry interrupted, staring down at the book. "I wrote something and Tom replied."

Writing was appearing on the page, and Harry dutifully read aloud Tom's writing:

In my fifth year, the Chamber was opened and the monster attacked several students, finally killing one. I caught the person who'd opened the Chamber and he was expelled. But the Headmaster, Professor Dippet, ashamed that such a thing had happened at Hogwarts, forbade me to tell the truth. A story was given out that the girl had died in a freak accident. They gave me a nice, shiny, engraved trophy for my trouble and warned me to keep my mouth shut. But I knew it could happen again. The monster lived on, and the one who had the power to release it was not imprisoned.

"Ask him who it was last time," I said urgently. Harry, dipping his quill in the ink bottle already, complied.

"He says, I can show you." Harry read, quickly writing O.K. on the page.

There was a crack, and then Harry vanished along with the diary.

With a shout, Ron and I sprang to our feet. "Harry?"

I pulled out my wand. "Finite Incantatem."

There was nothing.

Ron grabbed a pillow and slapped it upon where Harry and the diary had been.

"Rowan, we've got to get someone," Ron said frantically.

"No," I said abruptly. "Wait...give it a while. Tom's probably taken Harry somewhere. If we get someone we won't know anything."

"ARE YOU BLOODY MAD?" Ron hollered. "Harry could be anywhere, we know nothing about this Tom bloke!"

"He could have done something to me while I had the diary!" I shot back defensively.

"I'm getting Hermione," Ron began to stride towards the door.

"Just wait!" I shoved him back, eying the bed.

There was a crack again just in time for Ron to shove me aside, and I fell to the floor the same time Harry fell out of nowhere, spread-eagled on the bed with the diary on his stomach. He sat up, sweat plastering his hair to his forehead.

"Harry, mate, what's up?" Ron said in concern. He began to step forward, but I shot out a hand and yanked his ankle so he fell one more time before smugly getting up and walking past him.

""It was Hagrid." Harry said, eyes wide and shaking. "Hagrid opened the Chamber of Secrets fifty years ago."

Ummmmm….sorry? Is anyone alive out there?