Charlie P.

When everyone got back from the village, Harry walked into the entrance, and everyone in the room went imediatly quiet. They all were staring at Harry with intrest, not a good intrest, and intrest that Harry knew would mean people rushing at him, asking questions Harry didn't want to answer. Ron, Hermione, and Ginny all moved closer to Harry, and he could here Ron laughing under his breath.

A little girl that looked about four, ran up to Harry and said shyly " Are you Harry Potter?" Harry smiled kindly, and said in a voice that he hoped was calm, " Yes I am, what's your name?" The little girl smiled back at him, and said " My names Brenna. " Then she said a little less shy " My sister thinks you're really cute. She has a picture of you on her wall." Harry looked at Brenna with amusement, and said with a laugh " Well tell your sister I'm honored, and I'm sure she's a great person." Brenna nodded, and ran back to a women that had a teenage girl standing next to her, that looked completly morttified. Harry smiled at her, then walked back up to the room with his freinds following.

That night they ordered dinner in the room, and all sat on the bed and ate. Ginny was saying " So you think that you'll be stampeded with girls like all the muggle movie stars?" Harry pushed her playfully, and sidwith mock serisoness " Well who wouldn't, I mean look at me. I am he image of cute." Ginny rolled her eyes, and ate another spoonful of stew. Hemione had been laughinf along with them, but hadn't said much, but now she spoke up " Harry, this might have been funny then, but next time it could be reporters, and we don't want to be front page of the Daily Prophet. You, we, need to be more careful. " Harry nodded, he knew she was right, even if he didn't want to. Hermione glared at Ron and Ginny, and they both nodded also. Hermione smiled, and then said on a more cheerful note. " Okay, well then. Who will be sleeping were, Harry and Ron, you two can have the den. Do whatever, I don't care. Ginny and I will have the bedroom. If that's okay with you Ginny."

She said looking at Ginny. Ginny nodded, and said with a smirk " Not like I'de want to share a bed with Ron. He kicks." Ron glared at her, and reached over a punched her playfully on the arm. Ginny punched him back, but Harry could tell a little harder.

They all stayed up untill about 10:30, then Hermione said they shuld all go to bed, because they had to be ready to go by nine.

As Harry got dressed, and made a wall in the midde of the bed, Ron was getting more and more pale. " Why are you putting the wall there?" Why are you putting on those pajamas?" He asked worridly. Harry rolled his eyes and said " I'm putting a wall because Gin said you kick, and I'm putting these pajamas on befcause they're the ones I brought. " Ron nodded, and got into bed, and fell asleep almost immeditly. Harry fell asleep soon after.

The next morning everyone was up by seven, and had eaten, showered, and hid their stuff( Hermione had insisted), and were ready to go by nine. Ginny had suggested they walk to Mr. Preists house instead of Disapperate.

When they reached the small brick house, they hesitated. Harry knew that most people that had been freind with Tom Riddle would be scared to talk about him. Ginny was the one to go up to the door, and push the round doorbell. Nothing happened, Hermione looked around, then they heard a crash and " Coming, I'm coming!" a man growled.

A tall white haired man, wearing a blue polo shirt answered the door.

" Yes?" he asked. No one answered for a mintuete, then Harry took a deep breath and said " Are you Mr. Charles Preist?" He asked. The man nodded, then looked at Harry closly, then looked completly suprised. " Come in, come in!" He said a comeplty diffrent voice.

They stepped in, and followed him into a brightly light living room.

" Please call me Charlie. I'm sorry, I didn't catch you names?" He said as they all sat down. Ron started to answer " I'm-" Hermione interuppted him and said " I'm Lucy, he's Fred" she said pointing to herself and Ron " She's Marrice, and this is Bob." she said.

Harry caught her eye, and nodded, they should have thought of that earlier. Charlie nodded, and said with a wide smile

" Hello, well can I get you anything to drink? Water, milk, pumpkin juice, or orange juice." They looked at each other, and Ginny said " We'll have water, thanks." He nodded, and bustled off to were they geussed the kitchen was. Harrysaid quietly "

He seems nice enough." Everyone nodded their agreement, and Charlie came back into the room carrying a tray with glasses of water. He handed them out, then sat back down on a tan chair. He smiled at them and said " So what can I help you with today?", Harry answered quickly

" We've been researching someone fom your past,

and we thought you might be able to help." Charlie nodded, and Harry continued, " Well, this might be a bit hard to talk about, but we need you to tell us as much as possible. The man we've been researching is...Tom Riddle." Charlie looked up quickly, then replied shakily " Well, that's a name I haven't heard in a while. Tom Riddle, well. What can I help you with then, my children?"

Hermione smiled kindly, and said " Thank you Charlie, we'll try to keep it quick. " He nodded. " Okay, well, how close were you and Tom?" she asked.

" We were very close, I was his closest...I'm not sure what we were. We were hoodlums, I'm sure. We bullied anyone younger than us, we stole from older students, and everyone around us. Everyone was afraid of Tom and I. Everyone execpt Proffesor Dumbledore." he said with a look of regret in eyes. Harry asked a quistion next. " Did Tom ever dissapear?

I mean, not for a few hours, but for days." Charlie sighed. " No, Tom didn't skip school. He was a model student, in front of teachers. That's why he was a prefect, and Head Boy." Harry wrote that down on a peice of paper that he had with him. " Wait a minuit, he did dissapear somewhere once, I think we were in our sixth year? Or mabye seventh. Anyway, he dissaperd for about five hours. He dissapeard, and came back wearing a ring, but he never said were he got it." Harry wrote that down, and glanced around the room. That must have been when he killed the

Riddles. Charlie was looking pale, and after they asked him a few more quistions, then they got up to leave. As they were walking toward the door, Charlie pulled Harry over, and said " I wasn't able to help much, but a women named Ester English will. She lives just outside of London, on Jenny Trail, 416 the big red House." Harry looked at him quizickly, but didn't quistion him, and left quickly.

When they got back to the hotel room, Harry told them what he had been told. Hermione looked at him with wide eyes " Harry, what could that mean? Should we go there?"

Harry shook his head, and answred "Why not try, he was helpful, and he doesn't seem like the murdering sort." Harry said firmly. Hermione sighed, and said she was going to pack. Just then there was a knock on the door. Ginny got up and pulled the door open. A tall cloaked figure was outside the door, and he rushed into the room. Harry pulled out his wand, and heard

Ron and Ginny doing so also. The peson pulled his hood, and they saw Charlie. " Charlie-" Ginny began, but was cut off by Charlie. " I had to tell you something. Regulas A. Black is the person that destroyed the locket, and he did destroy it. Forget the locket, I know it's gone. John Doe-Doe is real, please do not doubt this, write him imeditialy and tell him that Croon is down. It has began. He'll know what you mean. I have to go now, do not look for me." he said rushidly, then he put up his hood again, and left.

Harry looked around the room, Ron still had his wand in his hand,

Ginny was staring open mouthed at the door, and Hermione was standing in the door way lookin shocked. She ran over to the door and opened the door quickly, and apperantly saw nothing. " Harry, what was that about? Do you know what he was talking about?" She asked. Harry shook is head, and picked up a peice of paper. Hermione looked at him, shocked. " You're not really going to write John are you?" Harry stopped looking for a quill. " Yes Hermione, I am. I don't why, or how, but I believe him." he answered bluntly. Hermione shut her mouth quickly,

and looked thoughtful. " I suposse it won't d any harm...but be careful Harry." Harry nodded, and wrote down what he was told to, then tied it to Hedwigs leg, and watched her fly away.

When they had packed, they checked out, and disapperated back to Black Manor. It was late, so everyone went straight to bed.

The next morning, a letter arrived for Harry.

Dear Harry,

Thank you. Bring you wands to the English house. For a precation. Write me for when yor going to the house.

John Doe-Doe

Harry looked at the letter, then passed around the room. Ron was the last to look at it, and once he was done reading it he said in a slightly sarcastic voice " Odd sort of letter isn't it, bring your wands, not like we can go anywhere without them, we need them for almost everything." Hermione glared at him, and answered " Ron, it was a reminder, don't be a git!" Ron nodded, and glared at her back. The rest of the day was calm, they had decided to go the next day, so Harry sent Hedwig off, and lay dwon for a nap.

A/N Hey everyone, hope your enjoying this, I've worked very hard on it. Well, not this chapter speciacly, but this story. The next chapter will be up ASAP. And so you know, because someone I know asked me this, it's not Snape writeing the letters. So everyone please please reveiw, I love getting them, and if I know people are reviewing, then I know they're reading, and I'm not just writeing this for my own enjoyment. R/R!

Hermione / Sam