CHAPTER THIRTEEN: THE VERY SECRET DIARY

"The Very Secret Diary" Harry read.

Ginny tensed.

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Harry read in his best Lockhart impression,

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Everyone laughed.

"Not bad Harry" Ginny praised.

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"That's disgusting" Charlie said.

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"Sounds like Myrtle flooded again" Molly sighed.

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"Only you two can enter a girls' toilet like it was any other room" Bill said.

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"Throw?" Everyone else asked.

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Ginny's attention had been caught. This would have been around the time she had tried to dispose of the diary.

She should have taken it to Dumbledore now that she thought back. At least telling him that something was wrong with it.

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"You've been spending WAY too much time with Ron" Hermione groaned.

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Molly and Arthur turned to Ginny recognizing the book from what Harry had handed over.

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"That's the guy my Mum had the hots for." Sirius recognized.

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"That's odd." Remus said. "Guess he never used it."

"Probably a birthday or Christmas gift." Sirius said.

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"It's evil" Ginny muttered under her breath trying not to be heard by the werewolf in the room.

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"RON!" Molly scolded.

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"It wasn't rightfully earned." Dumbledore said. "However, I had no power to override Professor Dippet's decision."

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Harry froze and exchanged a glance with Ron. Technically speaking, Riddle HAD murdered Myrtle.

"Did he murder Myrtle?" Sirius asked.

"I…just couldn't believe now that I'm older that Ron would have said something that stupid." Harry saved.

"Gee. Thanks." Ron muttered.

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"Stupid Dursleys" Sirius growled.

However Dumbledore was deep in thought. It appears that the horcruxes had recognized each other.

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The few that knew that Tom Riddle was Voldemort winced at the comparison.

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"That was only because Tom wasn't possessing anyone" Ginny whispered low enough so that her father could hear.

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"That got old REALLY fast" Snape said.

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"Oh brother!" All the teachers and those that had him as a teacher chorused.

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"Goodness only knows what that man can come up with for Valentine's Day" Remus groaned.

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"Nothing like paper on your meat." Sirius said sarcastically.

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"Oh Merlin. What self-respecting man wears THAT shade of pink?" Charlie asked.

"A very brave one to risk ridicule or a very stupid one." Bill said. "Or he could be gay."

"WILLIAM!" Molly scolded not really wanting to hear the last bit.

"There's nothing wrong with it Mum." Charlie said. "Some of my best friends are gay."

"Excuse me?" Tonks asked. "I'm straight."

"I meant at the reserve." Charlie corrected.

"I don't have a problem with it personally." Molly said.

"You never tell a witch who's infatuated with a wizard that said wizard is homosexual" Flitwick explained.

"Of course, if you WANT girls to steer clear of you, then you should announce it." Sirius said with a smirk.

"And hope that your straight friend people assume is gay doesn't find out." Remus added glaring at Sirius.

"We had to find SOME excuse to tell girls why you wouldn't go out with them!" Sirius defended.

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"I felt that way" Snape confirmed.

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Jaws dropped.

"I will admit, it was a very festive Valentine's Day" Dumbledore said.

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"At the worst times possible" McGonagall added remembering one that came to class to give Cho Chang a card.

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"Why didn't we ever think of that?" Sirius asked.

"Because love potions are illegal" Remus reminded his partner in crime. "And the wards PREVENT Entrancing Enchantments."

"I meant ASK. Just to get reactions." Sirius corrected.

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"I was ready to force-feed HIM poison" Snape stated.

"Out of curiosity," Bill asked the two. "Did anyone ask?"

"A few asked what Lockhart had meant by that." Flitwick said. "And that had been my BROTHER who was an expert at those."

"And I gave detention to anyone who asked me about love potions" Snape said.

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"Harry got a Valentine?" Bill asked teasingly.

Harry blushed red much to the amusement of his godfather.

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"If I hadn't been in a hurry and if I had been alone, it would have been fine." Harry groaned.

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"Wow that's one persistent dwarf." Remus chuckled.

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Harry opened his mouth to keep going, but laughter prevented him as the Weasley kids (minus Ginny) laughed as did Tonks and the Marauders. To Harry's embarrassment, even the teachers were chuckling.

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"You know, I wonder what would have happened if he had taken it and brought it home to his father?" Ron asked.

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"Ginny?" Arthur asked his daughter quietly as people were making comments about respecting people's private property. He wondered if that had anything to do with why she took it back.

"I was scared Riddle would get to him" Ginny whispered. "Like he got to me."

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"That had been YOURS?" Bill asked his sister.

Ginny nodded while blushing.

"It wasn't that bad." Harry said remembering how upset she had looked. "Just…the timing was."

"Thanks" she said figuring he was only saying that to make her feel better.

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"That's odd" Flitwick said.

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"We should so start that back up!" the twins chorused.

"Don't you dare!" Harry and Ginny responded before turning to each other earning a laugh causing them to blush.

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Ginny had started hyperventilating. This was how it had begun for her.

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"Oh Merlin!" Ginny shouted as she once again ran out of the room looking sick.

"I'll be back" Harry said throwing the book on the coffee table and going after the girl followed by his two friends who had told the adults that they've got this.

They found Ginny sitting on the steps having trouble breathing.

"Ginny." Hermione said kneeling down in front of the distraught girl. "Breath with me. In…and out…In…and out."

The two boys sat on either side of the younger girl and rubbed her back comfortingly.

"What happened?" Ron asked confused.

"Riddle used the same technique on me." Ginny explained. "When I got the diary, I wrote the first sentence and it vanished and Riddle wrote back. I thought it was like having a friend to talk to. He then told me he could show me some of his memories. I allowed him to. And he taught me how I could show him mine. That allowed him to possess me. When I saw Harry with the diary…it was more than just being scared Riddle would betray my secrets…but I didn't want him possessing Harry. So…"

"So you stole back the diary." Harry figured.

"I didn't want him taking advantage of you like he did me." She said. "And with only Fred, George, Ron, and Hermione by your side…me too scared to talk to you…I didn't know how much you'd want Riddle as a friend too. I didn't know just WHO he was or that he wanted you dead."

"Ginny. Look at me." Harry said grabbing her shoulder and gently turning her towards him. "What happened that year WASN'T your fault. It was Voldemort's and Mr. Malfoy's. You were just a pawn in their evil scheme. Nobody blames you."

"But what if Sirius will?" Ginny asked. "Because of me you were put in danger."

"And you wouldn't have been in that position had it not been for Mr. Malfoy. Or even Voldemort for creating that damned that." Ron explained. "Sirius likes you Ginny. And this won't change it."

"It's helped you grow into the strong witch you are now" Hermione said. "And if I can forgive you for what happened, anyone who can't…they'll suffer the wrath of Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger."

"You mean the wrath of the Golden Trio?" Ginny asked.

"The WHAT?!" the trio asked.

"Long story." Ginny said. "It's the school's nickname for you three. Because you three can get away with anything."

"Oh brother." Hermione said.

"Would you say that's better or worse than the Marauders?" Harry asked Ron.

"This makes us sound more innocent than we are." Ron said. "So are we good Ginny?"

"The sooner this book is done the better." She said.

The four went into the living room.

Everything alright?" Molly asked.

"Bad memories." Harry said picking up the book.

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"Sounds like Dippet." Sirius mused.

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"You're in a memory. He can't hear you" Bill said.

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"I will say this about him." Harry said with a smirk to perk Ginny up. "The years have NOT been kind."

"You've seen this guy recently?" Remus asked.

"You'll see later." Harry hinted.

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"I've heard of him" Sirius said. "Marvolo Guant. His son, probably Tom's uncle, tried to get some financial help from my great-grandfather after Marvolo was sent to Azkaban. But because the Guants aren't THAT respectable, he was refused."

"That's interesting to know" Dumbledore mused though he had already known the connection between the Guants and the Slytherins.

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"That must have been a sight." Sirius chuckled.

"In a way" Harry mused. "The auburn hair threw me off."

"Age takes away hair color" Dumbledore explained.

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"Did you read that accent right?" Arthur asked confused.

Harry nodded.

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"Hagrid?" Everyone asked.

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Those that didn't know the reason for Hagrid's expulsion looked confused.

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"Ha" Ron laughed dryly thinking of his own meeting with the creature Hagrid was protecting.

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"That makes no sense" Charlie said. "I mean, Hagrid would never hurt anyone muggleborn."

"That is because Tom had accused the wrong person" Dumbledore hinted.

"And he got away with it?!" Tonks gasped.

"After Hagrid had been expelled, the attacks stopped so it was only natural for Professor Dippet to assume that Tom had been correct."

"And if Tom had been wrong?" Hermione asked. "If the attacks continued?"

"Hagrid would have been welcomed back and be fitted with a new wand." Dumbledore said. "and a compensation."

"So…who's next?" Harry offered.

"I'll read" McGonagall said.