Chapter VII
Riddle's Warning
Harry left the Great Hall in an almost bewildered state, he stopped nor reacted to anybody. He could here their distant voices but didn't know or care if those voices were calling out to him. He went back to his room and sat on the edge of the bed, staring out into the distance. Everything felt like a blur.
"Harry", a voice rang off in the distance. He shook his head, thinking that he were hearing things when the voice rang off again, but more pronounced. He could hear the voice of Ginny, but didn't know where it was coming from. At that very moment, a reddish fire burst from the fireplace, startling Harry. He stood up and in seconds, Ginny's face materialized in the fire.
"Ginny," Harry said in surprise. "What are doing?"
"Using Sirius' old trick," she replied. "I figured now was as good of a time as any to use it. I heard about what happened from Draco, are you okay?"
Once he was able to get over the shock of seeing Ginny, he answered. "I don't know, this is just really surreal."
"Don't think about it too much hon, it could be nothing, just a student playing a prank," she said. "Everyone knows your story, some mean kid might use that to his advantage to get attention."
"I don't believe it is Ginny," he said honestly. "I've been here for nearly a term now and I truly believe that no student here would do that."
"Than what do you think it is?" She asked.
"I don't know," he replied.
Ginny's questionable expression was more than readable in the fire, but she surprisingly didn't pursue any further, much to his relief.
"Please promise me you'll stay calm during all of this," she said.
He took a deep breath. "I promise."
"I want you to sleep tonight, Harry," she said sternly, but with a smile on her face. "You look like you haven't slept in days."
"I will," he said.
"I love you, and I will see you in couple of weeks."
"I love you too," he replied as the fire went out. Speaking to Ginny felt like the soothing thing he was needing. His nerves evaporated for a bit. In his current state, the feeling allowed him to feel the exhaustion that she was speaking of. He changed into his bed clothes and laid down in bed, sinking his head into the pillow. In almost a matter of seconds, he fell asleep.
The darkness that covered his eyes changed almost instantly as they fell on a black tiled hallway. The hallway was long, leading to a single door at the end. One light shone in the room, resting above the door. He found himself walking towards it slowly, nerves rose within him as the door became more and more defined. It was a blue and black door with a doorknob resting in the middle. The details of the knob were very pronounced as a large M, representing the Ministry, was revealed in the center of it. Knowing where he was, he tried to walk away, only to see the door fly open and his body, against his will thrust inside.
The door slammed shut behind him as he found himself in a dark room, filled with crystal balls. Due to the rooms lighting, the shelves of balls went into infinity, with seemingly no end. He knew this room as the Hall of Prophecies. Some time ago, Harry's own prophecy sat in this very room. It had since been destroyed in a desperate battle between him and his friends facing off with Tom Riddle's Death Eaters.
He stared around, curious to the reason why he was here.
"I need that prophecy," he heard a familiar slithering voice say. Riddle's voice echoed through the room, and a great sense of deja vu hit Harry instantly. He followed the voice, which came from just around the corner from where he stood. He walked around the shelf and before him was a scene that was all too familiar.
Sitting before him, on his knees, was his Godfather, Sirius Black. Circling him, like a snake going around its victim, was Riddle. Harry had seen this scene before, which was one of the reasons why he did not react. He more stood in his spot, confused.
"You'll have to kill me," Sirius responded.
"Oh, I will, but first you will fetch it for me," Riddle responded.
Suddenly, Riddle stopped circling, a smile began to plaster across his face as he stared away from Sirius and towards Harry himself. This, in itself, startled Harry. Sirius disappeared from the room, leaving only Riddle.
"As you fetch me, Harry," Riddle said. He turned towards Harry and walked towards him.
Harry stood his ground. "What do you mean?" He asked.
Riddle gave a harsh laugh. "Oh, you will find out soon enough my dear, young friend. I've waited over twenty years for you to find out, and let me tell you something Harry, these twenty years are much more worth it than the fourteen I spent getting back to my body all those years ago."
"Answer my question," Harry demanded.
"In due time Harry, in due time," Riddle responded in a calm tone. "In fact, I'm a little surprised your precious Dumbledore hasn't said anything to you about it. Maybe you should inquire with him, or with that traitor Severus."
"Stop procrastinating Tom," Harry said. The first sign of anger actually hit Riddle at that moment. Never liking his real name, Riddle chose to go by Voldemort, feeling that his real name was beneath him. It was Harry's weapon to get under Riddle's skin.
"You want an answer Harry," Riddle said in a scathing tone. "I will give one, when you least expect it. You will find out my answer soon enough Harry, and you will hear it loud and clear. As I stated so long ago, you are a fool Harry Potter. As that moment with your godfather proved back then. You remember don't you, falling into my little trap. You're in another one Harry, and you soon see how big the trap is."
"You're a liar," Harry said, finally interrupting Riddle. "A weak, wretched man, who thinks that all of the world is his. A man who rid himself of his family and brainwashed a number of wizards into following him just to die for him. I've beaten you once Tom, and I will do what I have to see that you're beaten again."
"I admire your courage Harry, always have," Riddle responded, with a serious expression on his face, though his voice remained calm. "But that courage has been your downfall, a weakness that you have never been able to overcome. Little do you know that your weakness has already resulted in my victory. My victory will soon show itself, and you will be no more. Goodbye Harry."
The nightmare faded as Harry found himself being lifted back into reality and landing back on his bed. He woke up in a pool of sweat, which drenched the bed. He sat up, more afraid than ever.
