Hey! It's been a ridiculously long time, I know, but I really enjoyed writing this chapter, even if I had to trudge through it. Hope you guys like it!
Disclaimer: I'm not as cool as Rowling. Never will be, but I'll always try.
Chapter 19:
I stood in the middle of Snape's office, sweating as I grinned. I'd just fought off his spell completely, and as he got up from the floor, I did a small victory dance.
"I beat you!" I said, voice full of delight.
"You surprised me," he muttered, wiping the dust from his robes.
"Never underestimate your opponent," I said, in a poor imitation of my uncle's voice.
He gave me a look of disapproval, but not even Snape could deter my good mood.
I put my hands up. "I'm sorry that I'm doing so well. Next time, I'll make sure to not use my full potential so your ego can remain intact."
"Sit."
My smile fell as Snape finally scared me, his tone low and angry. But it was the concern that threw me off. I took a seat in front of his desk as he sat behind it.
"I'm concerned," he started.
"That I'm doing too well?" I said, incredulously. I'd been progressing at a fast rate for weeks, studying until the library closed, then some. And once the library did close, I cast a disillusionment charm on myself, checking the restriction section for the books I needed.
Not that I wanted to get less than four hours of sleep per night, but I had to get into the chamber of secrets somehow, and I'd wager my entire fortune (that Dumbledore and Snape had been adding to since my parents' deaths) that there was some self-involved parseltongue who made some sort of reference book.
Maybe I could figure out how to get into the chamber without Harry's help. Unlikely, but worth a shot. Every minute I spent not studying or trying to destroy Voldemort felt like a waste of time, and it drove me crazy.
"Yes." He sighed as I raised my eyebrows. "Just don't do anything foolish."
"Wouldn't dream of it, Professor."
He rolled his eyes.
I went back to the restriction section that night, scanning through the aisles for anything on parseltongue. I was two thirds through the fourth aisle from the wall when I found something promising. It had a compilation of articles about the "dignified history of Salaazar." I'd seen things like it; obsessed Slytherins just loved to talk about him. But this one had an entire chapter on his "talents."
"I'm sure the guy was very talented," I muttered, flipping to the page. I ran my thumb down the paragraphs, paging through them. "Parseltongue," I found eventually. My heart pounded as I found a few translations. I don't know what I was hoping for, considering the odds were one in a million that I would actually find an exact translation of "open," but my nerves were on edge as I skimmed through the article.
Nothing.
I slammed the book shut and stacked it on the pile I found it. I turned, cursing quietly until I heard a crash behind me. The entire row fell to the floor with a dozen thuds.
"No," I hissed, gathering them up quickly as I looked around. Once they were back to their places, I held my breath, listening for anything. I knew I should run, but I couldn't make myself move.
Then I heard a meow. Mrs. Norris. I glanced at the stack and realized that a pile sat on the table—all of Slytherin and snake related things. I pushed them back to the floor and pulled out my wand, cursing the rest of the shelves to fall to the floor.
One book hit my head on the way down and I swore, glancing to the title: Fiend Fyre. It was the alternative to my plan, one I'd been trying so hard to avoid. I grabbed it and ran, not stopping till I was a few corridors away. Mrs. Norris hadn't found me yet, which I took as a good sign. I realized that I was by the room of requirement, and suddenly the book felt heavy in my hands. No doubt Madam Pince would have put curses and charms on each book, just in case a student tried to take it.
I should probably hide it, I thought.
A few minutes later the door squeaked open and I ran through the aisles until a tall closet came into sight. Something glinted on top of it. My breath caught in my throat as I sped up. Finally, it stood before me. I stared up at the diadem, in awe and disbelief. The book fell out of my hands as I reached up and grabbed it. Finally.
"Two down, four to go," I said, grinning.
I almost skipped out of the room of requirement, pausing only to listen next to the door. Silence. I opened it, only to see Umbridge, whose smile wiped mine off my face.
"My my, what have we here?"
Pink seemed much scarier at night, and even with the torches lit, the room felt cold and dark. Umbridge didn't help things.
Neither did the kitten plates.
"Tea?" she asked, just as Snape walked in. He shook his head minutely just as I shook mine, and Umbridge set down the pink-patterned saucer. Her smile was a tiny bit less smug as she folded her hands and placed them on her desk. She cleared her throat.
"Well, Severus, as I'm sure you know—"
"I am very aware of the situation, Professor," he said the last word with some derisiveness, and if I hadn't been so mortified, I would have smiled. The diadem sat between Umbridge and me, and even though I wanted to reach up, take it and run, I knew I couldn't. I felt like kicking myself for being so stupid.
"Well then, you'll agree with me when I suggest a week of detention," she said, smiling sweetly.
"I would want nothing less," he said smoothly.
"And I will confiscate this item that she stole, no doubt," she said, caressing the diadem.
My stomach knotted up. I could almost feel the horcrux's power across the desk. "I didn't steal it," I said without thinking.
Umbridge scowled. "Then what were you doing wandering around with it at night?"
I swallowed and glanced at Snape. Mistake. His eyes narrowed.
Then a stroke of genius hit me. I turned back to Umbridge and shrugged, letting out a loud hiccup. "Fine," I said. "I had a little bit to drink, and I wanted to go for a walk. Why I brought my crown thing with me, I don't know. It was my mother's," I added, letting myself get all teary.
Had Umbridge bothered to look at Snape, she would have seen him roll his eyes, but she was watching me steadily.
"Consuming alcohol on school grounds?"
"She is of age, Delores," McGonagall said as she stepped inside.
Both Snape and Umbridge seemed disappointed at her entrance.
"Now, the issue of wandering the halls at night is quite another matter. I expect that has already been dealt with?"
"A week of detention," Snape muttered, looking straight ahead.
"Well then, it seems we're all done here. Come along, Miss Dumbledore. I wish to discuss something with you in my office."
I stood up, unable to believe that McGonagall had saved the day. That was when Umbridge let out a small cough.
"Hem hem," she said, "I don't believe the minister would approve of such a light punishment."
McGonagall's lips thinned into a tight line, but Snape was ready. "Then I'm sure a month of detention would appease him." He beckoned me out of the room before Umbridge could get another word out, and I glared.
"A month?" I said, holding the diadem as we shuffled down the hall.
"Light punishment for whatever you were doing, I'm sure," Snape said once we stepped into McGonagall's office.
"Now, Katarina, I expect to hear the unabridged version of your adventures this evening," McGonagall said, still in her nightclothes. I was surprised she had a matching hat.
I swallowed. "I was snooping around the halls, and found a disappearing room."
"Where?" Snape demanded.
"I don't remember," I said, hoping my voice sounded more guilty and less like a lie.
"And what are you doing with this diadem?" McGonagall asked, unconcerned with a disappearing room.
Crap. That was the thing I couldn't explain away. Snape knew it wasn't mine, and odds were that if neither of them knew the significance of the diadem, Dumbledore would.
"I bought it in Diagon Alley," I said lamely.
Snape's eyebrows went up. "I find that hard to believe, considering it's a historical heirloom of Hogwarts."
I closed my eyes. Busted.
"Ok, so I found it here, but I really need it."
"Why?" Snape said.
I shook my head.
"Does this have to do with your visions?" McGonagall asked.
A brief pause, and then I nodded.
"Well, needless to say it must be hidden in a safe place," she said, glancing darkly down at it.
"But—"
Her head snapped towards me, eyes like a hawk "Miss Dumbledore, I have worked far too hard tonight to keep you out of trouble. I will not tolerate an argument from you."
I managed to stay quiet for a moment before I cracked. "You know I'm trying to do good here," I said. "I'm trying to help this whole shitty situation, and if you would just let me do what I need to, I could stop Voldemort before he hurts anyone else! I know what I'm doing!"
"Like you did the last time you tried to take matters into your own hands?" Snape's voice was quiet, delicate even, but his words stung anyways. He was referring to my pathetic attempt to save my mother. "You keep going into situations with no plan, and then you get worked up when they don't go as you want them to. You are far too inexperienced to play with fire," he said. "Do not continue to do so, or I will come up with a far worse punishment than one month's detention."
"Like what?" I said, scowling at him. "Are you going to take away house points?"
His gaze was level as he said, "I will have you removed from Hogwarts."
My jaw dropped. "You wouldn't."
"I would."
"You can't!" I screamed.
"If this is not a safe place for you to be, then other arrangements can be made. Do. Not. Challenge me. Now go back to sleep."
I was positively fuming. "Fine. But I'm taking the diadem."
"You most certainly are not," he said, voice low. He took it and handed it to McGonagall, who waved her wand. It disappeared with a pop, and my heart sank. All that hard work, for nothing.
"You have no idea what you're doing," I breathed.
"Neither do you," Snape said slowly.
I stormed out of the room then, shaking and breathing hard.
When I got to the common room, I almost ran to the tower.
"What are you doing out so late?" Harry said from the couch. His eyes were bloodshot as he stared at me.
"Getting detention," I said, barely pausing to speak.
"Hey, I want to ask you a question."
"Not now Harry," I said, but he stood up, and stood in front of me.
"You know about the dreams I've been having."
"So?"
I almost stepped around him, but something in his eyes made me pause.
"Do you know how to make them stop?"
Snow was just beginning to fall outside.
I scratched my neck and let out a bitter laugh. "Kill Voldemort. That'll make your nightmares go away."
He frowned. "This isn't a joke, Kat."
I clenched my jaw. "Don't you think I know that? Don't you think I get the severity of the situation? I'm busting my ass trying to help, but no one here seems to give a damn!"
"I give a damn," he said, quietly. "I know how you feel—"
I shook my head. "I have to watch, every day. Every day I don't—can't—do something about it, I see things come true that I can't stop. It's the worst feeling in the world, and you have no idea how that feels." I walked around him and went upstairs, barely bothering to change into pajamas before dropping into bed.
I didn't sleep at all that night.
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