AN: Thank you to all of my wonderful reviewers! You're all really amazing!

Melanie's second year is nearly wrapped up with this chapter. At the request of some of the previously mentioned wonderful reviewers, I have decided to stray from copying everything from the movie (a little). You'll see when you read.

Read & Review!

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything related to him. They are the sole property of J. K. Rowling. However Melanie and any other unrecognized characters are mine.

Chapter 8: Petrified and Alone

Hermione was in the Hospital Wing for the next two weeks and though Melanie enjoyed spending time with the boys, she missed her female companion. Either way she found herself walking with the boys on their way back from dinner, headed towards the Gryffindor Common Room.

"Have you spoken to Hermione?" Ron asked as they climbed the stairs towards Gryffindor Tower.

"Yesterday," Melanie answered. "She should be out of the Hospital Wing in a few days."

"After she stops coughing up fur balls," Harry added.

Ron laughed and Melanie snickered a bit before all three suddenly stopped. Underneath their feet a puddle of water was forming.

"I think Myrtle's flooded the bathroom again," Melanie said, treading carefully across the wet floor. She followed Harry and Ron towards the bathroom door and walked past the ignored 'Out of Order' sign. As soon as they entered the bathroom, the wails of Moaning Myrtle could be heard as she sobbed and howled in agony.

The taps were all running on full and the sinks were overflowing with water, which then splashed to the floor. They came around the corner and Melanie watched as Myrtle turned on them, her eyes glaring at them accusingly.

"Come to throw something else at me?" she hiccupped.

Harry frowned. "Why would we want to throw something at you?"

"Don't ask me!" Myrtle wailed. "Here I am, minding my own business, and someone thinks it's funny to throw a book at me…"

Ron, in his usual insensitivity, bluntly said, "But it can't hurt if someone throws something at you. I mean, it'd just go right through you wouldn't it?"

"Oh sure!" Myrtle shrieked, swooping down to him. "Let's all throw books at Myrtle because she can't feel it! Ten points if you can get it through her stomach! Fifty points if it goes through her head!"

Ron stood in shock and was rooted to the floor in fear, but Harry continued. "Who threw it at you anyway?" he asked.

Moaning Myrtle turned to him. "I don't know. I didn't see them," she said. "I was just sitting in the U-bend, thinking about death and it fell through the top of my head."

She floated away into a stall and Melanie turned to Ron, who was still stock-still. "Nice, Ron," she said, before watching Harry walk towards another stall. He bent over and picked something up off the floor, shaking the water away slightly.

He returned to their side and held out a small, black, leather-bound book. Melanie stared at it curiously, having no idea whose it was, or why Harry was so interested in it.

"It's a diary," Harry said as they walked away from the bathroom a few moments later. "And it's old…"

Ron scoffed. "It's a diary… its old… and was most recently in a toilet, Harry," he said, clearly not finding any point.

Harry went to open it, but Ron suddenly reached across Melanie and grabbed his hand to stop him. "Are you mad?!" he exclaimed. "That could be cursed! Dad once told me about a book the Ministry confiscated that burned the eyes out of anyone who tried to read it."

"I'll take my chances," Harry said, slowly opening the front cover of the book.

Melanie watched nervously, when suddenly Harry gasped. "Ahhh! My eyes! My eyes!" he cried.

Both Ron and Melanie froze and looked at him terrified, but when Harry started laughing Melanie hit him across the arm. "Harry James Potter that was not funny!" she scolded, but now even Ron was laughing.

She scowled at both the boys before snatching the book out of Harry's hand. "Back to the diary…," she said in an unamused, very Hermione-ish tone. She opened the front cover and looked down at the front page. "T. M. Riddle," she read. "Who's T. M. Riddle?"

"I don't know," Harry replied, then he pointed to something else on the page. "Look here… this diary was written fifty years ago."

"Wait!" Ron said suddenly, causing Melanie and Harry to stop and look at him. "Did you say T. M. Riddle?"

Melanie nodded.

"T. M. Riddle got an award for special services to the school fifty years ago," Ron told them.

She looked at him in amazement. "How'd you know that?"

"Filch made me polish his award about fifty times after I burped slugs all over it," Ron said glumly. "If you'd wiped slime off a name for an hour you'd remember it too."

Harry took the diary and flicked through the pages. "That's odd," he commented. "He never wrote in it."

Melanie looked at it too and found that every page was completely blank without the faintest trace of writing on them.

"Maybe he never got around to it?" Ron suggested.

"Or maybe something else," Melanie said.

As soon as Hermione was out of the Hospital Wing, Melanie told her the story about the diary, along with the boys help. At the moment, Hermione was flipping through the blank pages, while the four sat around the Gryffindor fire late at night.

"Tom Riddle…," she mused. "You said he won and award fifty years ago?" she asked Ron, who nodded.

"Yeah, he won an award for special services to the school," he answered.

"Fifty years ago?" Hermione pressed. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, Hermione! Why?"

Hermione sighed. "Don't you remember what Malfoy told you? The last time the Chamber of Secrets was opened was…"

"Fifty years ago," Harry finished, realization finally hitting him.

Nothing hit Ron, however.

"So?" he asked.

"Oh, wake up, Ron!" Hermione reprimanded. "We know the person who opened the Chamber of Secrets last time was expelled fifty years ago. We know T. M. Riddle got an award for special services to the school fifty years ago…"

Ron was still getting nothing.

Melanie, who was sitting next to him, sighed. "Ron, what if Riddle got his award for catching the Heir of Slytherin? His diary would probably tell us everything!" she exclaimed.

"Where the Chamber is," Hermione continued. "How to open it and what sort of creature lives in it. The person behind these attacks wouldn't want that information lying around would they?"

"That's a brilliant theory, you two," Ron said. "With just one tiny little flaw. There's nothing written in here!"

Hermione stared at the diary disappointedly, as if hoping the answers would magically appear. "It must be invisible ink!" she said and pulled out her wand, tapping a page three times.

"Aparecium!"

To Hermione's dismay, the pages of Riddle's journal remained blank and they all went to bed with buzzing minds.

Melanie woke the next morning in an unusual manner. And by unusual; she wasn't used to having Hermione drag her so abruptly out of bed and down the stairs while she was still in her pyjamas.

"Hermione, what's going on?" Melanie asked as she tripped her way down the stairs.

"Just hurry!" was all Hermione said.

When they reached the Common Room, Melanie found Harry and Ron waiting for them, both looking anxious and worried.

"Would someone please tell me what's going on?" she asked.

Hermione and Ron looked at Harry and he sighed. "Mel… it was Hagrid. Hagrid opened the Chamber fifty years ago," he said.

Melanie stared at him blankly, wondering if she had really just heard those words come out of his mouth. When no one else spoke of laughed at the assumed practical joke, Melanie shook her head.

"He would never do that, Harry. Never," she said.

The other three watched her quietly for a moment and she said, "You know he'd never do that."

"I'm just telling you what I saw," came Harry's reply.

Melanie looked at him strangely. What he saw? That didn't make any sense at all!

Hermione cleared her throat. "We have to get going for classes," she told them.

Melanie nodded. "I'll meet you in the Greenhouses," she told them as she left for the dormitory.

The entire time getting dresses, Melanie was wondering about what Harry had said. How did he know that it was Hagrid? Hagrid would never do such a thing! He would never attack innocent people… he would never kill a poor girl!

She was still pondering this when she walked down the staircase into the Common Room. However her attention was diverted by something, or rather, someone else in the room.

Ginny was pacing the length of the Common Room nervously, as if waiting for something, while she wrung her trembling hands. Her eyes were glazed over and unfocused, and the bags under her eyes told Melanie that she had not been sleeping well.

"Ginny?" she asked, her tone full of concern.

The first year girl looked up at her and stopped walking. Her eyes were startled, seemingly at the sight of finding someone else inside.

"Are you alright?" Melanie asked.

Ginny just nodded and rushed past her up the stairs of the girls' dorms. Melanie could help but notice the distance Ginny had used when walking by. Something told Melanie that something wasn't right, but she pushed the thought away and headed towards the portrait hole.

When she caught up with the others, they were already making their way down to the Greenhouses.

"It can't be Hagrid," Hermione was saying. "It just can't be!"

"We don't even know this Riddle," Ron told Harry. "He sounds like a dirty, rotten snitch to me."

"That monster killed someone, Ron!" Harry said. "What would any of us have done?"

"Harry, this is Hagrid we're talking about," Melanie said, finally making her presence known. "Hagrid… who took us on our first trip to Diagon Alley. Who introduced us to everything. Who barged into Dumbledore's office this year to defend us!"

"I know what I saw, Melanie," Harry said, though she could tell that he was fighting an inner battle. He knew she was right, Hagrid would not have willingly done something like this.

"Look," Hermione began. "Hagrid's our friend. Why don't we just go and ask him about it?"

Ron looked at her unbelievingly. "Oh, that'd be a cheerful visit!" he said sarcastically. "'Hello, Hagrid! Tell us, have you been setting anything mad and hairy loose in the castle lately?'"

"Mad an' hairy?"

Melanie and the others turned around and saw Hagrid himself standing behind them, the usual happy grin on his face.

"Wouldn' be talkin' 'bout me, now would yeh?"

"No!" all four of them exclaimed, far too quickly.

Harry nodded to the container Hagrid held on his hand. "What's that you've got, Hagrid?"

"Flesh-Eatin' Slug Repellent. Fer the Mandrakes, yeh know," he told them. "Accordin' ter Professor Sprout, they still got a bit o' growin' up ter do, but once their acne clears up we'll be able to chop 'em up, stew 'em, an' get those people in the hospital un-petrified."

Hagrid gave a meek smile, which suddenly turned serious. "In the meantime though, you three had best be lookin' after yerselves, all righ'?"

Melanie nodded with the others and watched as Hagrid walked away into the castle. It couldn't be Hagrid! It couldn't be! He was trying to help the Petrified people, not hurt them!

She was repeating this over and over in her head when Neville came running out of the castle doors, stumbling over to them. His face was anxious, worried, possibly even scared. Melanie wondered what on earth happened to make him act like this. She knew it couldn't be good.

"Harry!" he exclaimed anxiously. "I don't know who did it, but you'd better come! C'mon!"

Before she could take in what he had even said, Melanie was running off after him, back into the castle and towards the Gryffindor Common Room. The five of them jumped through the portrait hole and Melanie shouted, "Neville, what's going on?!"

Neville didn't answer or acknowledge her; instead he bounded up the boys' staircase with Harry right behind him. She didn't think twice about entering their dormitory, though Hermione was muttering nervously behind her. The only thing she could think about was the mess before her.

Papers and books were strewn across the floor, picture frames broken, and clothes lying in heaps on the ground. Melanie assumed that it was Harry's bed (he went over to that first) that was the one completely dishevelled. Pillows had even been ripped open and the remaining feathers fluttered lightly to the ground.

"It had to be a Gryffindor," Hermione said as Harry walked over to his trunk, which lay wide open on the floor. "Nobody else knows our password."

"Unless it wasn't a student…," Melanie said quietly, watching Harry shift through his books.

"Whoever it was, they must have been looking for something," Ron said.

Harry stopped and sighed. "And they found it," he told them. "Tom Riddle's diary is gone."

Days passed and Melanie still had no idea who could have possibly stolen the diary. As far as she knew, nobody except Hermione, Ron, Harry, and herself knew about it. How had someone found out? Even so, why did they steal it?

The morning of the Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff came and Melanie was still pondering this, along with Hermione. The boys were more preoccupied with the match that afternoon, as Ron tried to help Harry calm his nerves. Melanie kept quiet as Ron attempted to raise Harry's spirits, it seemed a pointless venture to her. Harry was nervous the morning of every match, and with the diary to worry about as well, he was in a worse state.

Either way, she and Hermione the Great Hall after breakfast and headed towards the Common Room, while Ron continued to cheer Harry up. They agreed to meet at the match because Hermione wanted to edit one of her essays beforehand and Melanie honestly didn't want to stay with the boys to talk about Quidditch. After just getting Hermione back, Melanie wasn't going to let her only female company escape so easily.

On their way to the Common Room, Melanie thought about the diary, or the Chamber of Secrets. Personally, she wanted to know where it was. Hundreds of searches of the school had turned up nothing and someone, in one to seven years, had not only found it, but tamed whatever monster was inside.

"Where is it?" she muttered to herself as they entered the deserted Common Room.

Hermione looked at her. "Where's what?" she asked.

Melanie looked up to find Hermione watched her curiously. "The Chamber," she told her. "I don't understand how someone could have so easily found it. And the monster, whatever it is, how could it be tamed so quickly?"

"Here's a better question," Hermione said. "Why's nobody seen it?"

Melanie shook her head wonderingly. "I don't know. You'd think someone would have seen a great monster lurking around the castle, going through corridors in plain sight…"

A look of realization sprung onto Hermione's features and she gasped. "Melanie! I think I've just understood something! I've got to go to the library!" she exclaimed, turning and walking towards the exit.

"Wait, Hermione!" Melanie called after her, but the girl was too focused to hear. Sighing, Melanie shrugged her shoulders and peered around the room, wondering what she could do to pass the time. She wound up with nothing, and ended up examining her fingernails while she waited for the boys to show up. When they did, they noticed Hermione's absence and asked Melanie what happened.

"She ran off," she told them. "We were talking about the Chamber and she said that she finally understood something and ran off to the library."

"What does she understand?" Harry asked.

Melanie shrugged. "I couldn't get that information out of her."

"But why's she got to go to the library?"

Ron laughed. "Because that's what Hermione does. When in doubt, go to the library!"

Melanie gave a meek smile, before glancing at the magic-powered clock on the side table. "You'd better get moving, Harry," she said. "It's nearly eleven…you'll be late for the match."

Harry nodded and sprinted up the boys' staircase, returning moments later with his Quidditch robes and his Nimbus Two Thousand.

They made their way down to the pitch, Harry going off in the direction of the team change room once they reached the pitch. Melanie and Ron continued into the stands and waited for the match to start. She couldn't help but notice how people had backed away once she came into view. Most of the school still believed she was helping Harry, and it frustrated her. She could only hope that whatever Hermione had figured out would help them find the real culprit.

A sudden movement to her left caused Melanie to look over and she watched as Neville came into view. She gave him a kind smile, trying to welcome him over, but he just stopped where he was, leaving an enormous amount of space between them.

Her discouraged sigh must have caught Ron's attention because he suddenly said, "It'll be alright you know. I mean, I talked to Fred and George about it and they don't really think you and Harry are attacking anyone."

She knew he was trying to sound encouraging, but it didn't help her mood much. "Wonderful! I'm so glad Fred and George are on our side," she replied sarcastically.

Ron looked sympathetic. "Really, Melanie. It'll go away once they catch whoever's doing this," he told her.

"If they catch who's doing this."

A commotion to their left ended the conversation, and Melanie looked over to see Professor McGonagall pushing her way through the crowd towards them. Her hat was knocked askew by a stray arm and Melanie might have giggled if the look on her teacher's face wasn't so serious.

"Miss Danielson! Mr. Weasley!"

Both of them stood straight as McGonagall waved them over. What had they done now? It wasn't a crime to watch a Quidditch match now, was it?

Melanie glanced at Ron, who nodded, before walking towards their Professor. Melanie sighed again as she saw Neville flinch away from her as she passed.

"Yes, Professor?" she asked when Melanie finally reached her.

Professor McGonagall looked between them fretfully, making the knot in Melanie's stomach tighten. Had something happened to Harry? They only left him ten minutes ago. What was going on?

"You'd both better follow me," she said, turning away and walking out of the crowd.

Melanie followed McGonagall, still feeling Ron's presence behind her, as they left the crowd, drawing curious eyes in their direction. Melanie tried to focus her gaze on McGonagall's back so that she wouldn't meet the eyes of the other students, but this was proven pointless. She could practically feel their eyes scrutinizing her.

When they escaped the crowd, Melanie saw Harry waiting anxiously. McGonagall nodded to him as she passed, and the three of them set off after her, towards the castle.

She walked close beside Harry and whispered, "What's going on?"

"I don't know," he whispered back, clearly having hoped that she would have some idea.

They followed Professor McGonagall the rest of the way in silence, and before they knew it they were inside the castle, making their way up the Grand staircase. It was only when they reached the forth floor that Melanie realized where they were being led. The Hospital Wing.

Melanie began to panic. Why were they being led there? What had happened? Tighter was the state the knot in her stomach took as she stepped around a corner. Sure enough, they followed the all too familiar corridor and entered through the wing doors, which were already waiting open for them.

"I warn you, this may be a wee bit of a shock," McGonagall told them.

In her nervousness, Melanie and gripped Harry's sleeve and her knuckles hand turned white from the very strength of it. Her feet grew heavy, as though they were trying to stop her from moving any further and her entire body was tense with nervousness.

And for a good reason.

When Melanie's eyes fell upon the person on the bed, she could not help the gasp that escaped her. Her hand released Harry's sleeve as it flew to her mouth, to prevent any cries that would have otherwise escaped. Tears pricked her eyes at the sight before her. It wasn't possible! It couldn't be possible!

But it was. Hermione Granger, one of her best friends, had been Petrified. Her body was completely frozen in the position it had been in before the incident, even one of her arms was bent off the bed, as if she had been in the process of raising it to her face. Her face itself was void of emotion, no trace of fear or surprise could be found. It was as though a statue of Hermione had been crafted as part of some cruel joke. Melanie hoped that was the case. That Hermione would come around the corner and laugh, telling them it was all some trick. But she never did.

"She was found near the library," McGonagall told them, her voice cracking slightly from holding back emotion.

Melanie kept her hand over her mouth in shock as McGonagall continued, "Along with this."

She held a hand-held mirror in her hand and Melanie recognized it instantly. It was Hermione's mirror, the one her parents had given to her as a present. Melanie had thought it was quite lovely, but Hermione never used it. Why then, was she found with it in plain sight?

"Does this mean anything to either of you?" McGonagall asked them.

Melanie shook her head, as did Harry and Ron.

Professor McGonagall took one last careful look at them before nodding. "Very well. You should return to the Common Room immediately," she said.

A tear escaped Melanie and it rolled down her cheek slowly. Hermione had been petrified. Hermione had been petrified. The words held no meaning to her, except that it couldn't be true. More tears began to fall from her eyes as Harry and Ron led her out of the Hospital Wong, neither saying anything. It was a quiet trip to the Common Room, but even if the boys had said anything, Melanie wouldn't have noticed. All she could think about was what she had seen. What had happened.

When they reached Gryffindor tower, Melanie broke away from the two boys and made her way over to the fireplace. Unthinkingly she sat down in an armchair and pulled her knees up into her chest, so that she was curled up in a tight ball. She noticed, as she gazed into the flames in front of her, that Harry and Ron didn't follow her, instead they moved towards the staircases and out of her view.

Melanie was not aware of anyone else in the Common Room, until Professor McGonagall walked in nearly and hour later. Melanie had not moved from her position, she had not moved her legs or even her head since she sat down. And she still didn't move, only listened as her professor addressed the entire house.

"Could I have your attention, please? Because of recent events, these new rules will be put into affect, immediately," she announced. "All students will return to their House Common Rooms by six o'clock…every evening. All students will be escorted to each lesson by a teacher. No exceptions."

A few disgruntled mumbles reached Melanie's ears, but she didn't care to see who they had come from.

"I should tell you this," McGonagall said in an even more serious tone. "Unless the culprit behind these attacks is caught… it is likely the school will be closed."

With that she turned and left the Common Room, whispers erupting inside the tower as soon as the portrait hole had closed. Melanie looked more intently into the fire, as though willing it to produce some answer as to how to stop all this. If only she knew who was behind it all…if only she had gone to the library with Hermione…

Hours passed as she sat there and the population in the Common Room began to dwindle down until only a few stragglers and herself were left. Finally, when she was the only one left, she stood and stretched, wincing slightly at the pull in her back and neck.

Melanie jumped as she heard a noise from behind her, and turned to see Harry and Ron at the base of the stairs. Harry had his Invisibility Cloak in his arms.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked, his tone betraying how concerned he was.

Melanie ignored the question; she wanted to know where they were headed.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"To see Hagrid," Harry told her, moving into the center of the Common Room. "We have to ask him about the Chamber of Secrets."

Melanie shook her head. "Hagrid didn't do this. He would never do this," she defended.

"Melanie, we have to ask him," Harry continued. "If he knows what's attacking the students…"

"He doesn't know Harry!" Melanie yelled.

Ron and Harry looked taken aback at her anger, but Melanie didn't care. How dare they think that Hagrid would attack Hermione?!

"Melanie, that thing he had fifty years ago attacked people! It killed a girl!" Harry shouted.

"Hagrid would never do that! Never!"

Harry took a step forward, now his anger was getting the better of him. "I've seen Riddle's diary! He stopped Hagrid's monster all those years ago!"

"So you say!" Melanie cried.

Harry looked at her aghast. "What's that supposed to mean?!"

"You talk about friendship, Harry, but clearly you know nothing! You trust a stranger's diary over a real friend! What kind of friend does that make you?!" she screamed.

Ron looked as though he was trying to shush them, to stop them from waking the entire house, but his attempts were futile. Melanie and Harry were both too stubborn to accept defeat.

"You're supposed to be on my side!" Harry yelled at her. "You're supposed to be my friend!"

"Yeah, well, not anymore!"

The words left her mouth before she could stop them. But her anger prevented her from apologizing or trying to take her words back. Instead, she stormed past a shocked Harry and Ron towards the girls' dorms. She reached the foot of the staircase and turned back to see them looking at her with stunned expressions.

"Have fun getting expelled," she spat.

With those last words she left the Common Room and stormed towards her dorm room. She quietened her pace as she entered the room, not wanting anyone else to wake up, but she was still furious. Melanie walked over to her bed and got under the covers, without even thinking about changing. Angry tears began to pour down her face, and she used the silencing charm Hermione had taught her to block out her sobs. Knowing that she had lost her only two remaining friends, and that she was completely alone, Melanie fell asleep to her tears.

The next morning Melanie woke early, before anyone else in her dorm had risen. The sun had not even rose over the top of the trees of the Forbidden Forest yet, but she had no intention of going back to sleep. She figured she had gotten, perhaps three hours of sleep, only sleeping for minutes at time before she woke again, and more tears came. It all seemed so surreal to her: Hermione being attacked, her fight with Harry… it all felt like a dream. But when she dressed and realized that Hermione was not in her bed and that Harry would not be waiting for her in the Common Room, she accepted that this dream was real.

She left the Common Room and made her way to the Great Hall alone. She knew most of her day, and the days after, would be like this, going to meals and classes alone. But she knew deep down inside her that she was right. Hagrid did not open the Chamber of Secrets. She was convinced he hadn't.

The Great Hall was practically empty when she arrived, only a few people were already inside and eating their breakfast. There were three Hufflepuffs at their table, fifth years she assumed, and there was a single Ravenclaw boy at his table. He was perhaps a third year. There were no Slytherins or Gryffindors there yet.

Melanie quietly made her way to her table, sitting with her back facing the Ravenclaw boy. She helped herself to some eggs and potatoes, even taking some bacon. There was never any bacon left for her, Ron always assumed everyone had eaten and took the rest. Melanie slightly wished he was there to take it from her.

"Did you hear what happened?"

Melanie turned in her seat to look at the Ravenclaw boy, who was watching her with questioning eyes. She had never seen him before, she thought she might recognize him if he were only a year older, but she didn't. His hair was light brown, slightly highlighted from the sun, and his eyes were an amazing shade of sky blue. He couldn't have been much taller than Harry or Ron, but he did have broader shoulders and he looked less lanky than the boys.

In the end, she decided that he looked friendly enough, and she could use a friend anyway.

"No, what happened?" she asked.

"Dumbledore's gone," the boy told her, his tone sad. "Last night apparently."

"Gone?" Melanie asked, shocked. "Where'd he go?"

The boy shrugged. "Don't know. I heard it was the Board of Governors, though. Something about him not being in control of this whole 'attack' thing," he told her. "Stupid if you ask me. If anyone's going to stop this, it'll be Dumbledore."

Melanie nodded vaguely, wondering if Harry and Ron knew this. She looked at the boy. "How do you know all this?" she asked.

The boy grinned. "I might have, uh, overheard McGonagall talking to Sprout about it," he said.

Melanie smiled. "You were eavesdropping? That's very un-Ravenclaw-like, don't you think?"

He shrugged. "I can't help my curiosity," he said.

"Did you ever hear the saying 'Curiosity killed the cat'?"

"I'm not worried about that," he said. "I'm a pureblood."

Melanie frowned and looked away, knowing exactly what he was talking about.

"Look, I'm sorry," he apologized. "I shouldn't have said that."

She looked back at him to find his hand sticking out in her direction, implying that he wanted to make peace. Hesitantly, Melanie took his hand and shook it.

"I'm Mark Harris," he said.

"Melanie Danielson."

"Yeah, I know. You're in with Potter."

Melanie pulled her hand away from his, glaring. Even though she wasn't exactly on talking terms with Harry, she wasn't going to let anyone insult him.

Mark looked at her, his hands raised in defence. "Relax, I don't think he's doing it," he told her.

She looked at him, her eyebrow quirked in surprise. "You don't?" she asked.

Mark shook his head. "Nope," he said honestly. "I mean don't get me wrong, he's got to be something if he stopped You-Know-Who, but I don't think he's the Heir of Slytherin. Not really the type, if you get my meaning."

Melanie smiled. "I'm glad. Finally someone who doesn't think he's the root of all evil," she said, sounding relieved.

"Or that you're his sidekick," Mark added.

She smiled and was about to turn back to her breakfast when Mark asked, "Where is Potter anyway?"

The smile left Melanie's face as she answered, "I'm not sure really."

Mark seemed to get the idea. "Sorry. He'll come around I'm sure," he told her. "Besides, most of the school is against him. He could use all the friends he can get."

Melanie nodded and turned to her breakfast, hoping that Harry realized the same thing.

She talked to Mark for most of the morning, about trivial things like Quidditch and some band called the Weird Sisters, until people began to enter the Great Hall. He said good bye as he moved down the table to sit with his friends, leaving Melanie alone again. She had long since finished her breakfast and was contemplating going back to the Common Room when Ginny sat down across from her.

If Melanie had thought that Ginny had been looking sleep-deprived the last time she had seen her, then this time she was sure the younger girl was dead on her feet. The circles under her eyes were even more prominent and her skin was clammy and pale. She rocked back and forth in her seat slightly, as though she had an extreme case of fidgeting. Melanie noticed how Ginny's hands trembled and her eyes darted down either side of the table, before coming to rest on Melanie.

"Ginny, what's wrong?" Melanie asked.

"There's… there's something I have to… have to tell you…," Ginny mumbled, her eyes staring Melanie down.

Frightened slightly, Melanie asked, "What do you have to tell me?"

Ginny opened her mouth, but no words came out, instead she began fiddling with the napkin in front of her.

"Ginny, whatever it is, you can tell me," Melanie said, trying to sound less terrified than she was.

"I've done something. Something terrible," the girl squeaked.

Unknowingly, Melanie leaned in closer to her. "What have you done, Ginny?"

"I…"

"Melanie?"

Melanie looked up to see Neville watching her, not hiding how scared he was well enough. Ginny looked away, and Melanie inwardly cursed her luck.

"Yes, Neville?" she asked kindly.

His eyes darted down the table and then back to her. "Harry, he uh, wanted me to give you this," Neville said, holding out an envelope.

Melanie looked at the letter and then down the table. She could see Harry and Ron talking with Percy about something. Melanie didn't want to take the letter, she could guess what might have been inside it, but she knew she couldn't leave Neville with it so she took it from him.

"Thanks, Neville," she said, smiling still.

Neville just nodded and walked away, not looking back at her once. Melanie sighed and turned to Ginny, who was still turned away from her. Choosing to read the letter later, Melanie said, "Ginny, what were you going to say?"

Ginny looked at her nervously and soon began shaking her head. "No, no, it's nothing. Nothing."

"Ginny, you can tell me. I won't…"

Still shaking her head, though more insistently now, Ginny got up from the table. "It's nothing. I swear. Forget it," she said. With that she walked away, leaving Melanie alone, yet again.

In all honestly, Melanie had forgotten about the letter from Harry, what with wondering about Ginny and still upset about Hermione. These thoughts hadn't gone away until late at night while she sat in bed, hoping for sleep to come over her. As soon as she did remember it, she jumped out of bed and searched her bag for it. Melanie found it at the bottom of her bag, and it was slightly crumpled when she pulled it out.

Once she had returned to her bed, Melanie ripped open the envelope and pulled out the letter, which was clearly from Harry.

Melanie,

This isn't a letter of apology, so don't look for any "I'm sorry"'s, like I know you will. But I will say that you were right. Hagrid didn't open the Chamber of Secrets fifty years ago. Ron and I went to his hut last night, but before we found anything out, Fudge came. He's taken Hagrid to some place called Azkaban; Ron said it's a wizarding prison. Lucius Malfoy was there too. He took Dumbledore.

But before Hagrid left, he told us to "follow the spiders". We did, they led us into the Forbidden Forest. That thing Hagrid kept as a pet fifty years ago, it was a giant spider. It still lives in the forest, along with its family. It spoke to us; it told us that it wasn't the monster that killed that girl. That the monster was born in the school. He said the girl was discovered in a bathroom. Ron and I think it must have been Moaning Myrtle. It makes sense, doesn't it?

Ron and I were nearly killed though; the spider set its family on us. We only got away because of Ron's dad's car. The one we flew to school at the beginning of the year. We got away fine.

I know you won't want to talk to me. I don't blame you, really. I just thought you should know this.

Harry

P.S. Ron says "Hi"

Harry was right about one thing; Melanie still didn't want to talk to him. At least not until he really apologized to her. So, she went about her day, alone. Mark said 'hello' whenever he saw her, but they never talked long enough about anything. Melanie never saw Ginny, though she tried looking for her everywhere. And she visited Hermione whenever she got the chance, though these visits never revealed new information and almost always left Melanie close to tears.

It was three days since Harry sent the letter that Melanie finally found out something useful. She was walking to lunch when she passed by the girls' bathroom that Moaning Myrtle sulked in. Remembering what Harry had said in his letter, Melanie opened the door and stepped inside.

The bathroom was empty, as usual, and Melanie was hesitant when she called out Myrtle's name. Almost instantly, Melanie heard a moan come from inside a stall and Myrtle floated through the door.

"What do you want?" the ghost girl asked, sounding annoyed that someone had interrupted her.

Melanie stepped forward nervously. "Myrtle, can I ask you something?"

Moaning Myrtle looked at her sorrowfully, and then to Melanie's great surprise, nodded.

She stepped forward and asked, "Myrtle, how did you… how did you die?"

"Oh! That's what you wanted to know?"

Melanie nodded.

"Well, I don't know! I was in here, crying, when I heard a voice. I told whoever it was to go away and when I came out… I died," Myrtle said.

"Just like that?" Melanie asked.

The ghost nodded. "Yes. But not before I saw a pair of big, yellow eyes."

Melanie had no idea what that meant or what use it would be to her, so she turned to leave. However she stopped at the sound of Myrtle's annoyed voice.

"And tell everyone else to stop coming in here! Even if they are girls!"

Melanie turned back to her, an idea suddenly coming to her. "Who else has been in here?"

"Well, you of course. And another girl."

She was sure that her tone had become desperate as she asked, "Do you know the girl's name?"

Myrtle shook her head. "No. But she had nice hair. Lovely, red hair…"

"Red hair?" Melanie asked urgently. It couldn't be. It couldn't. "Myrtle was she young? A first year?"

When Myrtle nodded, Melanie's heart sunk.

"Myrtle… what was she doing in here?"

Myrtle floated by her with a grin and stopped near the sinks. "She kept going down there."

"Down there? Myrtle, what's down there?"

Myrtle laughed at Melanie's obvious distress.

"The Chamber."

The next thing she knew, Melanie was running down the corridors as fast as her legs could carry her. She had to find her. She had to find Ginny.

Melanie couldn't believe it was true. But it all made sense and everything seemed to fit. When Melanie had seen Ginny pacing in the Common Room, she must have been waiting for everyone to leave. That way she could steal Riddle's diary. And at breakfast a few days earlier, Ginny had said she had done something terrible. Attacking people seemed terrible enough to Melanie. She just couldn't understand why Ginny was doing it. Why had she attacked all those people? Why had she attacked Hermione? And how?

She ran to the Gryffindor Common Room, hoping that she might find Ginny there. Melanie thought that she could convince Ginny to stop. She hadn't killed anyone, and the people who had been petrified would be un-petrified soon. Maybe Melanie could stop it all.

When she entered the Common Room it was empty, which was expected since classes were going on. Melanie looked around the room and then went up the girls' staircase, stopping at the first year's dorms.

She entered without knocking and was genuinely surprised to see Ginny sitting on her bed, her legs crossed and a book in her lap. However, Ginny won the award for being the most shocked; she jumped up at the sight of Melanie and dropped the book. It fell to the floor and Melanie recognized the plain black cover. It was Riddle's diary.

"Melanie… what… what're you…," Ginny stuttered.

"Ginny, I know it's you," Melanie said.

Ginny's eyes grew wide with fear. "How?"

"Myrtle told me," Melanie told her. "She told me that you'd been going down to the Chamber of Secrets."

Complete fear was the look on Ginny's face, as tears grew in her eyes. She knew she was caught, she knew that it was over.

Melanie stepped forward carefully. "Why? Why did you do it?" she asked.

Ginny began shaking her head. "I didn't want too," she said. "I really didn't want too. He made me."

"Who made you, Ginny?" Melanie asked.

"Riddle."

It was Melanie's turn to be shocked and her eyes grew wide in consequence. Tom Riddle? It didn't make any sense, how had Tom Riddle… Then it dawned on her. The diary.

"You tried to get rid of it," Melanie said in realization. "The diary. You tried to flush it in Myrtle's bathroom."

Ginny nodded.

"But then Harry found it. And you stole it back."

Again Ginny nodded. "I couldn't let him find out. He couldn't find out it was me," she said, her voice cracking.

A moment of silence enveloped the room before Melanie spoke. "Okay. It's alright, Ginny. We'll just go to Dumbledore and tell him that…"

"No!" Ginny cried. "You can't tell him! You can't!"

"Ginny, it's the only way to stop this," Melanie told her. "Dumbledore will know what to do about the diary. We can stop this."

"No! We can't!" Ginny screamed.

Melanie stepped forward. "Ginny, relax, I'm trying to help you," she said soothingly.

"Stay away from me!" Ginny yelled.

"Ginny!"

"Stop!"

Melanie stepped back when Ginny turned on her. Her eyes were glazed over and angry. Melanie knew that it wasn't Ginny anymore, but that didn't make her any less scared.

"Ginny… stop," Melanie said, trying to reason with her.

Ginny shook her head. "I'm sorry. You know too much." Her voice wasn't the same. It was eerie, unnatural.

Melanie stepped farther away. Her hand slid down inconspicuously to her pocket, where her wand was. She didn't want to use it against Ginny, but she would if she had too.

"Ginny, think about this. Think about what you're doing."

"I know what I'm doing," Ginny said. "I'm helping the school. Getting rid of Mudbloods."

"Like Hermione?" Melanie said venomously. "Was it easy for you to try to kill her?"

Ginny didn't answer, though Melanie thought she saw a flicker of something in her eyes. As soon as it had come it was gone and Ginny had backed Melanie into a corner. Melanie touched the wood of her wand and tugged it out slightly.

"I'm sorry, Melanie. It's not personal, I swear. But I can't get caught," Ginny said.

Ginny jumped forward and Melanie whipped her wand out, but before she could utter a word, Ginny touched her. A cold tingle went through her body and a black spot began to cloud her vision.

"Ginny!" she cried as she was literally blinded. "Ginny, stop!"

"I'm sorry, Melanie. I'm sorry."

The first feeling that came to her was a dull ache from her chest, which grew to cover the rest of her body. Then the ache began to disappear starting in her toes and leaving as it worked its way up to her head. Melanie strained her hearing, but was confused when she heard nothing but the drip of water. Her other senses began to come back to her, she smelled something foul and her mouth tasted dry. Whatever she was lying on was hard, cold, and slightly wet.

Melanie tested her eyes and found that when she opened them, she could see. She had half expected to still be blind. This made her curious… grateful, but curious. Looking around she found herself in a cave of some sort, the crumbling walls around her were covered in grime and filth, as was the ground beneath her.

Slowly, she pushed herself off the dirty ground, thankful that she had at least some strength in her. Melanie managed to pull herself into a sitting position and then slowly to her knees. It was while in this position that she heard the first signs of life within the cave. A cry echoed throughout the chambers and the faint flapping of wings reached her ears. She didn't understand why a bird would be in a cave, no more than she understood why she was there.

Using the wall beside her, Melanie struggled to her feet, her hands slipping on the grime of the stone. Looking around she came to realize that she was in an alcove of the side of a long dark tunnel. Melanie looked down either end of it, knowing that she had to find a way out. Unfortunately, when she reached for her wand, it wasn't there. She thought that Ginny must have it wherever she was.

Wandless and completely unprotected, Melanie stepped out of the alcove and started down the passageway. She kept as quiet as possible, not knowing what was down there.

A hiss suddenly reached her ears and Melanie stopped. In the distance she could hear slithering… and footsteps. She listened and the bird she had heard from before cried again, and was joined by pain-filled hisses.

Another, more human, cry reached her ears, followed by someone talking. Thinking that there was help somewhere, Melanie tried to run towards the sound. However she was proved wrong when she turned the corner and found Harry running down the tunnel towards her, a giant snake on his tail.

She opened her mouth to call out to him, but he ran to her, covered her mouth, and dragged her into another niche in the tunnel. Harry kept his hand over her mouth and Melanie could only watch helplessly as the snake came into view. Harry pulled her into the corner of the alcove and they cowered fearfully as the snake poked its giant head in, baring its razor-sharp teeth.

Melanie felt like screaming, the snake was only inches away from her, but she couldn't. Not because Harry's hand was preventing her from making any sound, but because her voice had disappeared when terror had consumed her. It was only that reason that kept her quiet as Harry bent down beside her. Melanie didn't dare look away from the snake to see what he was doing, but allowed herself a quick glance when a clatter was heard down the tunnel.

The snake turned towards the sound and Melanie looked at Harry, who had his finger pressed to his lips. Melanie did as she was told and kept quiet, and watched as the snake slithered away towards the sound.

Harry looked to see if the snake had gone and turned to take Melanie's hand. She was sure that the amount of force she gripped his hand with was unnecessary, but she was too terrified to really notice at the time.

They remained silent as Harry led her through a pathway that opened out into a vast Chamber. Quickly, she noticed the giant statue of the face of a man, his mouth wide open. It didn't occur to her who it was, because her focus was taken up when her eyes fell upon Ginny who was lying unmoving on the ground before the statue. A boy, perhaps seventeen or so, stood above her, and as Harry brought Melanie to a stop at Ginny, Melanie realized who he was.

Tom Riddle.

Harry bent down to Ginny, who looked as though she was merely sleeping, and Melanie stared at Riddle unbelievingly. How was it possible? This Riddle existed fifty years ago. She took in his face, realizing how handsome he was… had been. His hair was dark, but neat and his face-structure was strong. He was tall and well built, and again Melanie was left wondering how this was all possible.

"Yes, Potter. The process is nearly complete. In a few minutes Ginny Weasley will be dead and I will cease to be a memory," Riddle said.

At hearing that Ginny was dying, Melanie bent down too and felt her hand. It was as cold as ice.

"Lord Voldemort will return. Very… much… alive!" Riddle exclaimed.

Melanie looked up at him and saw a manic look in his eyes. She didn't understand what he meant by this threat, but she didn't disregard it either.

"Ginny," Harry pleaded.

Melanie jumped as the snake shot out of the pool of water behind them, crying in agony. Harry pulled her to her feet and stepped over Ginny towards something on the ground. She wasn't paying attention to what it was exactly, and so she was surprised when Harry appeared in front of her holding a sword.

"Hide!" he said as his pushed her towards the shadow.

Melanie, her eyes still on the snake, ran towards the shadow, expecting Harry to do the same. However, when she finally reached a safe place she noticed he did not, instead he was running towards the statue, the sword heavy in his hand. The snake heard him and followed as Harry climbed the statue, swinging the sword when the snake came too close.

She wanted to do something, anything to help, but without her wand she was useless. Melanie watched as Harry moved away just in time to avoid the snake's attack and then continue up the statue. The snake struck again, and Harry nearly lost his balance, but managed to hold on.

Melanie looked away from Harry towards Ginny and Riddle. Ginny was still unconscious, and Riddle was watching the snake pursue Harry with a content look on his face. She looked around for some way to help Harry, when her eyes suddenly landed on a glorious sight. There, just three feet away from Ginny behind Riddle, lay her wand. Melanie jumped up and ran towards it, catching Riddle's attention. He must have seen what she was after because a wand, Harry's wand, was pointed in her face moments later.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Riddle sneered.

Melanie looked up at Harry who was struggling to his feet, while the sword began to slip down the rock, and the snake was ready to strike.

"I bet you wouldn't do this either," Melanie told him.

Riddle watched her with a look of curiosity, which turned to fear when she shouted at the snake. Her plan worked, the snake momentarily stopped its attack, giving Harry time to get up and grab the sword. Melanie looked on as the snake turned back to Harry and lunged and Harry raised the sword.

The sword pierced the skull of the snake and it let out a painful cry, before falling down dead. Melanie let out a sigh of relief, but this feeling vanished as Riddle turned on her with a hateful look in his eyes.

"You stupid girl," he seethed.

Melanie stepped back, fear evident in her again, but Riddle didn't touch her. Instead he turned to Harry, who was slowly making his way over to Ginny's body, holding his arm and carrying the sword and a tooth in his hands. Harry weakly fell to his knees and Melanie ran to his side, only then realizing that he was hurt.

"Remarkable isn't it, how quickly the venom of a Basilisk penetrates the body," Riddle mocked. "I guess you have a little more than a minute to live."

Then Riddle sneered. "You'll be with your dear Mudblood mother soon, Harry."

Melanie looked at Harry. A minute? He couldn't die, it was Harry! He couldn't! Her hand gripped his shoulder while the other reached out for Ginny's still cold hand, under which Riddle's diary lay. This wasn't happening. It wasn't!

Harry reached out, covering Melanie's hand with his own and Riddle said, "Funny… the damage a silly, little book can do. Especially in the hands of a silly, little girl."

Melanie felt Harry's hand pull away as he reached for the diary and pulled it away. Harry put the diary on the ground and the pages sprawled open.

"What're you doing?" Riddle asked.

He got no answer, except Harry picking up the snake's tooth, raising it above the book. A determined look came over Harry's face; a fearful one came over Riddle's.

"Stop!" Riddle warned, reaching out to the diary.

Harry plunged the tooth into the worn pages of the book and Melanie watched in amazement as a tear seemed to appear on riddle. As black ink oozed over the pages, Harry stabbed the diary again, creating a new rip on Riddle. Riddle, who Melanie had come to realize was not real at all, cried in agony.

"The cover, Harry! The cover!" she yelled.

Harry closed the book and with one last look at Riddle, thrust the tooth through the black leather cover of the diary. Riddle screamed and Melanie closed her eyes against the eruption of light that came from his body.

When she looked up again, Tom Riddle was gone.

A gasp brought her back and Melanie looked down at Ginny, whose eyes were wide open and her breathing quick. She looked around carefully before sitting up.

Melanie returned to Harry's side, as he called for Ginny. Ginny turned around, and upon seeing them both, her eyes went wide.

"Harry?" she asked hesitantly. "Melanie?"

Both Melanie and Harry nodded and Ginny continued. "It was me, but I swear I didn't mean too. Riddle made me. And…" Her eyes grew wider at the sight of Harry's arm. "Harry you're hurt!"

Harry shook his head. "Don't worry," he told her. Then he turned to Melanie. "You need to get yourselves out. Follow the chamber and you'll find Ron," he said.

"Harry, I'm not leaving you behind," Melanie said.

"You have too," he replied. He winced slightly at a pain in his arm. "Melanie, I'm sorry. You were right all along. I shouldn't have been so…"

"That's not important," Melanie interrupted, though she was happy that he finally apologised. "We can get out of here, all of us."

Harry shook his head. "No. You have to leave me."

"Harry, you're my best friend!" Melanie exclaimed. "And if I've learned anything from you… it's how to be a good friend."

Melanie saw that Harry understood the double meaning in her words because he smiled slightly.

"I'm not leaving you."

A cry echoed through the cavernous chamber and Melanie looked up to see a beautiful scarlet and gold phoenix gliding through the air towards them. It was Fawkes.

Dumbledore's beautiful bird landed beside Harry and looked at him sadly.

"You were brilliant, Fawkes," Harry told the bird. "I just wasn't quick enough."

Melanie watched sadly as the phoenix leaned down towards the wound on Harry's arm, letting a single tear fall. She craned her neck to get a better look and what Melanie saw amazed her. As Fawkes let another tear fall onto Harry's arm, the wound began to disappear, heal itself.

"Of course," she whispered. "Phoenix tears have healing powers. Dumbledore told us in his office."

Harry looked at her and smiled before turning to Fawkes. "Thanks," was all Harry could think to say.

"It's alright. It's over," Harry said, looking between Melanie and Ginny. "It's just a memory."

Melanie smiled and helped him up and soon the three of them were leaving the chamber behind, never to see it again.