Author's Note: I just wanted to say thanks to everybody who's read my story or reviewed. This next chapter was quite difficult to write. I'm always a very happy person so dark and depressing can be hard for me to write.
Disclaimer: Anything recognized doesn't belong to me and there is dialogue taken from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
4. Blackout
"You'll be next, Mudbloods!" Draco Malfoy shouted from the opposite side of the swarm, eliciting gasps from the crowd. Other students were whispering frantically, some pointing at something other than the writing. Victoria saw a cat, but it appeared completely frozen. The mutterings of those around her soon identified the cat as Mrs. Norris, whose owner was the grumpy caretaker Mr. Filch.
Victoria felt a hand grab her elbow, and Ginny whispered anxiously, "Where were you? You missed the feast."
Victoria, who was still in shock, was too preoccupied with the bloody writing. She wasn't sure, but it looked familiar. She ignored Ginny's question and asked, "What's the Chamber of Secrets?"
Ginny shook her head, "I don't know." The pair watched the teachers arrive. The crowd was dispersed, but Harry Potter and his two friends went away with the teachers.
They were walking back to the tower with the other Gryffindors when Colin and Aaron joined them. At first, they did their best to calm Ginny down. She was terrified that her brother was going to be get in trouble again. Only after they had entered the common room and taken seats furthest from the fire, did they focus on Victoria.
"Victoria, you missed the feast." Colin commented.
Victoria thought about how she'd passed out on the bathroom floor, only to wake up just down the corridor from a wall with bloody words and an immobile cat. The three were her closet friends, but she wasn't sure she could trust them. Two months of companionship did not make Victoria comfortable with divulging her secrets. Once again she chose to rely upon her inferior lying ability, "Um…Montague caught me. I think I got knocked out."
"That's terrible!" Colin exclaimed.
"Though it explains why he looked like he was in a good mood during the feast," Aaron reasoned. Victoria sighed. Someone else had probably been at the receiving end of Montague's wand.
Ginny, calmer than before, suggested, "You should tell McGonagall."
Victoria panicked, "No! Um…it's just that I don't want to give Montague the satisfaction."
The others looked like they didn't quite agree, but just like Victoria wasn't comfortable sharing her secrets, they weren't comfortable pointing out they thought she was making a mistake.
Victoria stayed downstairs until Ginny's brother came back. Ginny looked like she wanted to run over to him, but she didn't; Harry Potter had returned too.
Saying goodnight, Victoria went up to the dormitory and got ready for bed. Once her curtains had been drawn tight, she attempted to write to Tom, who'd been silent for days now.
Tom?
Yes?
I'm so sorry.
Whatever for?
I upset you and you didn't write to me.
I was upset, but it had nothing to do with…you.
Why were you upset then?
Victoria was even more confused when Tom changed the subject,
How was your Halloween Feast?
Victoria was then troubled by something she couldn't quite place. Something that she should have realized then, but didn't. She pushed away her bad feelings,
I missed it. I don't really remember what happened. I passed out in a bathroom and woke up after the feast was over. Tom, there was a message outside the bathroom written in blood talking about a Chamber of Secrets and Mr. Filch's cat was attacked.
Victoria was surprised when Tom completely ignored her last sentence,
Did you tell anyone you passed out?
I told my friends.
Are they going to tell a professor?
No, but they think I should. I told them that Brett Montague knocked me out.
And they believed you?
Yes.
Good.
But Tom, something's wrong. I've never heard of anyone being unconscious for so long without something like anesthesia…it's not like I hit my head or hurt myself, I just fainted and didn't wake up for hours, but Tom, I don't think I was in the bathroom the whole time, I woke up wet and covered in paint.
You aren't going to worry about this, and you aren't going to tell anybody.
Tom, something's wrong.
Victoria, I'm your friend, and people should listen to their friends. You will listen to me. Now, get some sleep.
Victoria listened to Tom. Putting aside the diary, she lay down, her heart not at ease: Something was wrong.
XxXxX
Before dawn the next morning, Victoria woke up from her restless slumber. She had had a difficult time falling asleep last night with all that happened.
Ignoring Sarah's snores and Ginny's murmurs, Victoria tried once more to recall the previous evening. She remembered walking out of the stall, and then to the sinks and that's when everything went foggy. She almost remembered turning the water tap. No, everything went black before that…and she doesn't remember turning the tap on. She remembered bending over, and seeing…something.
Victoria sighed irritably as she felt the beginnings of a headache. But luckily today was Saturday so she wouldn't have to suffer through it during her classes. She turned over on her side and readjusted her head.
Although she couldn't remember what had happened in the bathroom, she could clearly recollect what happened next: People panicking, Mrs. Norris, frozen after being attacked, and the writing on the wall about the Chamber of Secrets – which sounded familiar.
Realizing where she'd read it before, Victoria ripped open the curtains and pulled Hogwarts, A History from her bedside table. Flipping through, she found the section on Hogwarts myths and legends. Apparently, Salazar Slytherin, founder of Hogwarts and the house that now bears his name, built a secret chamber that houses a monster. The chamber was constructed prior to Slytherin's departure from the school. He and the other three founders had got into a dispute over the blood status of students admitted to Hogwarts and supposedly the monster survived to enforce Slytherin's views.
Victoria shut the book, unsatisfied. The Chamber of Secrets was rumored to exist and the book answered who built it and why it was built. But the book failed to mention the chamber's location or what kind of monster lay within.
She would have thought that this was just an elaborate joke, but, remembering the cat and the anxious faces of her teachers, she knew this was no joke.
XxXxX
In the days following Halloween, things were different. Professor Dumbledore gave a very grave announcement Sunday night at dinner and declared that Mrs. Norris had been petrified.
There was a contagious hysteria that swept through the student population. Outrageous stories with unknown origins frightened and amused. This was due to the fact that very little was known about the Chamber of Secrets. Before Halloween, only a handful of students knew about the chamber. Now, they were descending upon the library and questioning teachers for more information.
Hermione Granger had asked Professor Binns, who taught History of Magic, about the chamber. His information, spread by the second years of the class, was considered the most legitimate source of information. However, this wasn't enough for Hermione Granger.
On the Tuesday afternoon following the attack, the thorough student approached Victoria, "Hi, I'm Hermione Granger."
"Victoria Thomas," she introduced herself.
Hermione Granger waved her hand, "I already knew – I asked Harry," Victoria thought it would be impolite to say that she knew Hermione Granger's name for the same reason, "Anyway, on the train, you had a copy of Hogwarts, A History, and I was wondering if I could borrow it. The library has loaned out all their copies."
Victoria, although usually very selfish when it came to books and especially so when it happened to be from her favorite professor, agreed to let Hermione Granger borrow her copy. After all, Hermione Granger had a very good reason to want to find as much information about the Chamber of Secrets as possible. Apparently, Harry Potter, who'd been the first to discover Mrs. Norris and the wall, was suspected by the student populace as the culprit. And it wasn't just the students.
During their private brewing session that evening, Professor Snape wasn't the most pleasant company. Whereas the rest of the teachers were worried, Professor Snape was furious that Harry Potter hadn't been punished. Halloween's incident only made Professor Snape twice as irritable in light of the first Quidditch match, Gryffindor vs. Slytherin.
Victoria didn't say anything as Professor Snape seethed about Harry Potter. She just shredded her palm tree root and hoped that Professor Snape wouldn't ask her honest opinion.
After their lesson was over, Professor Snape escorted her back to Gryffindor tower, and then proceeded with a double patrol of the top two floors – a security measure following Halloween.
XxXxX
The Gryffindor girls usually slept in on weekends, but that Saturday, they all got up bright and early, ready to don their red and gold for their first Hogwarts Quidditch match.
Ginny was particularly excited. Not only had her twin brothers been on the team for the last two years, but Harry Potter was the team Seeker, "He joined last year, and first years never make the team. They aren't even allowed brooms, but he has a Nimbus 2000," she said as she walked to the pitch with Aaron, Colin, and Victoria.
"But the Slytherins all have Nimbus 2001s," Aaron countered.
Ginny crossed her arms, "There are more important things than the broom model in Quidditch."
"Let's hope so because that's the only way were going to win."
Colin, who, like Victoria, hadn't ever been to a match before, asked, "Do you think we'll get good seats." He was fiddling with the lenses on his camera.
Aaron looked at the camera skeptically, "Colin, I don't think you'll get any decent shots. Quidditch is very fast, especially when over half the players are playing on Nimbuses."
As they climbed up the stairs, Victoria asked, "Ginny what're your brothers' positions again?"
"They're both Beaters," she answered.
Innocently, Colin asked, "What's a Beater?"
Aaron started, "What! What! I've been telling you for –" He stopped as he saw Colin smirking. Victoria and Ginny giggled while Aaron pouted. There was no way that anyone could be friends with Aaron and not know everything about Quidditch.
Once the four were in stands, Victoria observed the huge field. Three large hoops were at the end of each side of the pitch. Madame Hooch stood in the center of the field next to a black crate, broom at hand. Across the pitch, all the Slytherins had dressed in their green and silver.
Soon the players came out and flew a few laps around the pitch. Ginny let out a small shriek, "That's Harry!" as Colin snapped away on his camera. After a few words from Madame Hooch, the balls were released and the game began.
Aaron had been right in saying that the game would be fast. Victoria had a hard time keeping up with the players as the swerved, dropped, and sped across the pitch. A few minutes into the game, Colin had stopped taking pictures. Later into the game, one of Ginny's brothers hit a Bludger at a Slytherin, sending the boy crashing into the stands. Biting her lip, Victoria turned and said, "Aaron," but he shushed her and continued to watch the game, bouncing on the balls of his feet. Victoria tried somebody else, "Ginny?"
"Hmm," she replied, eyes still on the game.
"Quidditch seems awfully dangerous," Victoria pointed out. Both girls then cringed as Harry Potter only just missed an incoming Bludger.
"Nobody's died in ages. Besides –" Both girls gasped as the same Bludger, which had turned itself around, and then shot past Harry Potter once more. The entire school watched terrified as that one Bludger chased Harry Potter around the pitch. Often, the Bludger would aim and shoot forward toward its target, and undoubtedly Harry Potter's superior flying skills kept him alive. However, as all this was going on, he caught sight of the golden Snitch and in his attempt to catch it, left himself vulnerable. Ginny, and many others in the stand, screamed when the Bludger hit his arm, outstretched, trying to reach the Snitch. Victoria flinched; she could almost hear the cracking of his bones. But miraculously, despite the injury, Harry Potter managed to catch the Snitch. The Gryffindor section of the crowd erupted in cheers and shouts, even though their Seeker was hurt. Ginny was crying and Aaron was clutching his heart.
Soon, many of the Gryffindors, the four first years included, descended down onto the pitch to swarm Harry Potter and the rest of the team. However, they arrived too late. According to those who'd witnessed it, Professor Lockhart had tried to mend Harry Potter's bones, but had instead removed them. He'd been taken to the Hospital Wing for an overnight stay.
Harry Potter may have been absent, but Ginny's twin brothers still threw an impromptu party in the Gryffindor common room. They'd been absent for a while before showing up with arms filled with sweets. A radio was soon playing music from the Wizard Wireless Station.
Cynthia, Sarah, John, and Henry mingled with the older students, but the other first years took to their corner and spent hours lost in happy camaraderie. When she went to bed, it was almost as if the previous weekend had been forgotten. She wrote to Tom, who was back to normal, albeit a little sore over Slytherin's loss. He then became quite peeved with her when she expressed concern over Harry Potter. Afterwards, she wasn't very optimistic as she lay down beneath her comforter.
XxXxX
The next morning, Victoria woke up feeling groggy and dizzy. She sat up, reached up to rub her eyes and was surprised that her nightgown's sleeves were wet and stained with some sort of slime. She looked down at her sleeves confused. There wasn't any possible explanation as to why her sleeves were soaked in slime…except that maybe…last night, she'd had an awful nightmare. She could only remember a few things: echoes of stone walls, the sound of scraping stone, and fire dimly reflected in puddles of water.
Shaking her head in confusion, she stretched, her limbs aching they were so tired, and got up. Victoria got ready for the day on autopilot, almost forgetting her tie and leaving her headband askew.
"Are you okay?" Ginny asked her they walked down to the common room.
"I'm just really tired," Victoria admitted, lifting her heavy legs down each step.
Ginny nodded and they walked into the common room. They were both surprised to see Aaron waiting for them alone. As a rule, the girls slept in later than the boys and all four would meet up down in the Great Hall. It worked out: the girls needed more sleep and the boys needed more food.
Aaron looked up at them anxiously, "Have you two seen Colin?"
Both girls shook their head and Ginny answered, "No."
Aaron wrung his hands, "After the party, he snuck out last night to visit Harry Potter and he wasn't in his bed this morning. I checked, his camera was gone too."
Ginny shrugged, "Maybe he went to breakfast early?"
Aaron seemed relieved at the suggestion, but Victoria wasn't so sure. Something was off, something more than her ruined nightclothes and exhausted body. She let out an enormous yawn. As they walked through the portrait, Aaron asked, "Victoria, what's wrong?"
"I'm," another yawn, "just tired."
"Oh," Aaron said.
As they walked toward the staircase, Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick came into view, "Miss Thomas, Miss Weasley, Mr. Fuller," it was then that Victoria noticed that Professor McGonagall was very gray and her lined face seemed to be creased with worry, not sternness. "I'm afraid the very worst has happened," at this point a crowd had assembled around the professor, "Mr. Creevey was found petrified last night."
There were gasps from the other Gryffindors. Victoria felt as if she herself had been petrified, but she had to blink furiously to keep herself from crying. Ginny let out a small cry and her brother the prefect, Percy, put a sympathetic hand on her shoulder. Aaron, who was shaking, asked, "Professor, can...when...Colin..."
In a voice more tender than her normal voice, she said, "Mr. Fuller, Professor Sprout has begun growing Mandrakes, which, Professor Snape will be able to stew to restore Mr. Creevey."
Ginny shrugged off her brother's hand, wiping her red eyes, "Can we visit him, professor?"
"Madame Pomfrey wishes to keep him isolated, but we'll allow an exception for you three today."
The three nodded gravely and set out for the fourth floor. Ginny was trembling so Victoria reached out and grabbed her hand. Aaron saw this and reached for Ginny's other hand.
Hand-in-hand, they walked into the Hospital Wing. Almost immediately, Ginny ducked her head and looked down at the ground. Harry Potter was sitting on one of the beds, pulling on his shoes. He looked deep in thought, but as they walked toward curtained off bed, Victoria met his eyes. They were cloudy, and his jaw was set with grim determination. He looked well beyond his twelve years.
"Hey," Harry Potter said, softly, getting up from the bed. The three stopped in front of him, "I'm sorry about Colin. He's was a friend of yours, right?" Aaron nodded, stubbornly refusing to let tears fall. Harry Potter then left and the three walked to the curtain, and pulled it open.
Ginny gasped, and then began to sob loudly. Aaron collapsed into the chair beside the bed. Victoria stood frozen, her mouth open slightly. Madame Pomfrey, the school nurse, entered the room, but when she saw Colin's friends, she smiled sadly and let them be.
Colin's eyes were wide, his mouth opened with fright. His hands were near his face, and it looked like he'd been holding something in his hands. A quick glance at the bedside table revealed that Colin had been holding his beloved camera when he'd been petrified. Victoria, no longer stock-still, reached forward and touched Colin's cheek. Surprisingly, he was still warm.
Ginny continued to weep and Aaron buried his face in his hands, and Victoria had a sinking that somehow this was her fault.
XxXxX
Only a few days ago, everything had been fine. Now, Victoria felt more dreadful than she'd ever felt before. Her parents dismissal was nothing compared with the doubt and fear that clouded her own heart. Something was wrong, terribly wrong with her. And the worst part is that she had no idea what.
Colin's absence wrecked the dynamic of the lesser Gryffindor first years. Aaron, who had been closest to Colin, had sunk into a depression that rivaled the bouts that Victoria was regularly falling victim to. In response, Ginny tried to help by being his partner in class and helping him with his homework. As a consequence, Victoria was often left alone.
And now, it wasn't as if Victoria had other friends to rely on.
Tom had been a bit out of it lately. Instead of listening to Victoria, he was telling her what to do. She'd tell him about how she was feeling about Colin and about how she had now idea what was wrong with her and how because of this, she thought that she could be losing her mind. Tom would just tell her not to worry, to not ask for help and to just go on as usual. Some mornings, she'd decide not write to Tom that night, but every time she tried to stop, she'd always end up writing to him by the end of the day. And when she wasn't writing to him, she was thinking about writing to him. She felt the all consuming need to confide in him.
Things with Professor Snape weren't better. The Tuesday after Colin had been petrified, he'd been sympathetic, given her chocolate and let her pick the potion for the night. However, that Thursday, Professor Snape was once more angry, no, furious with Harry Potter. Apparently, somebody in the second year potions class had set off a firework and consequently panic ensued. Professor Snape, with his ever-present prejudice, blamed Harry Potter.
Victoria tried not to get upset with Professor Snape as he raged against Harry Potter. She liked the boy, but she didn't dare tell Professor Snape that. Although, she should have stood up for him considering the more sinister rumors that were following him. It was still believed that Harry Potter had opened the Chamber of Secrets, but now some believed he was responsible for the attack on Colin. Colin was a huge fan of Harry Potter and since he'd met Harry Potter, he'd become everything short of a stalker. People believed that because Colin wouldn't leave him alone, Harry Potter attacked him.
Fortunately for Victoria's waning endurance, a few weeks later, Professor Snape was in a much better mood. He let Victoria in on a little secret. In light of recent events, Professor Lockhart had organized a Dueling Club and had asked Professor Snape to be his assistant. What wasn't a secret was Professor Snape's dislike for Professor Lockhart, though it paled in comparison to his feelings regarding Harry Potter.
On the evening of the Dueling Club, Victoria went to the Great Hall with Ginny and Aaron. The tables were gone, but in the middle of the hall was a stage. Nobody besides Victoria knew who would be teaching, but there were mixed reactions when Professor Lockhart stepped onto the stage, "Gather round, gather round! Can everyone see me? Can you all hear me? Excellent! Now, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little dueling club, to train you all in case you ever need to defend yourselves as I myself have done on countless occasions – for full details, see my published works. Let me introduce my assistant, Professor Snape!"
Professor Snape came onto the stage. He looked extremely confident, but given Professor Lockhart's magical ability, it didn't surprise her. She was sure that it would be Professor Lockhart that would need assistance.
The professors faced each other and bowed. Professor Snape's was a curt one, whereas Professor Lockhart looked quite the dandy. Professor Lockhart announced, "On the count of three, we will cast our spells," Professor Snape tensed and his eyes narrowed, Professor Lockhart continued, "One – two – three –"
"Expelliarmus!" Professor Snape shouted as soon as his opponent finished counting. Bright red light shot from the end of his wand, hitting Professor Lockhart and throwing him from the stage.
Many of the girls in the audience shrieked at seeing the famous wizard being hurt.
But as Professor Lockhart stood up and dusted himself off, the witches in the audience sighed in relief. Victoria met Professor Snape's gaze. He raised one eyebrow and she gave him a half smile.
Professor Lockhart attempted to pass off being knocked of his feet as foresight on the part of Professor Snape in teaching the students the Disarming Charm. Professor Lockhart must have been weary about going head on with Professor Snape once more, so he decided to pair the students up.
Victoria got paired with Alistair Bosworth, a cocky, smart-mouthed Ravenclaw and fellow first year. He grinned as he faced her down, "Ready, Thomas?"
Professor Lockhart called out instructions, "Face your partners and bow!" Across the hall, the students obeyed, "Wands at the ready! When I count to three, cast your charms to disarm your opponents – only to disarm them – one…two…three –"
"Expelliarmus!" Victoria shouted, and a bright red light shot out of Victoria's wand. Alistair Bosworth's wand landed a few feet away from him. But Alistair Bosworth wasn't paying attention. Near the stage, Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy were dueling and they were definitely not using the Disarming Charm.
Draco Malfoy shouted, "Serpensortia!" A huge black snake shot out of the end of his wand. The crowd panicked, people scrambling to get away from the large creature.
"Don't move, Potter," Professor Snape, drawled in a harsh voice he'd never used with Victoria, "I'll get rid of it." But Professor Lockhart stepped forward. He waved his wand and then the snake was airborne. It landed by an older Hufflepuff.
Suddenly, Harry Potter darted forward and placed himself between the snake and the Hufflepuff. He then began hissing horribly, and the snake, which had been posed to strike the Hufflepuff, fell to the floor.
The Hufflepuff, terrified, yelled at Harry Potter, "What do you think you're playing at?"
Professor Snape waved his wand and vanished the snake. He glared at Harry Potter, but it wasn't with malice. It was a steely, determined look.
Then Harry Potter was led from the hall by his two best friends as the students began to mutter frenziedly amongst themselves.
"Harry Potter's a Parselmouth!" Aaron said, eyes bugging from his sockets.
Ginny was ashen faced, but Victoria, confused, asked, "What's a Parselmouth?"
Eyes still wide, Aaron responded, "He can talk to snakes."
Now it was Victoria's eyes that widened, "That's what all the hissing was? He was talking to that snake?"
Aaron nodded grimly, "Yeah."
Victoria was still confused, "I don't get it. Why is that a bad thing?"
"Salazar Slytherin was a Parselmouth…" Aaron began, then his face became harsh, his large cheeks swelled and reddened with anger, "And Slytherin built the Chamber of Secrets,. Maybe Potter really is the heir."
Victoria certainly didn't think that Harry Potter was the heir of Slytherin. She'd kept her real blood status to herself, so it was believed that she was Muggleborn and Harry Potter had been very nice to her. Trying not to be obvious in her defense of Harry Potter, she asked, "Was that Hufflepuff a Muggleborn?"
Both her fellow Gryffindors shrugged. They didn't know. But it turned out that he was.
XxXxX
If things had been bad before, they were horrible now.
Later that night, Tom seemed to have reached his breaking point when Victoria told him that Harry Potter was a Parselmouth.
What?
Draco Malfoy conjured a snake and it was about to attack a Hufflepuff boy when Harry Potter told it to stop. Now people really believe that he's the heir of Slytherin.
Indeed.
Harry Potter may be a Parselmouth, but the snake didn't attack the Hufflepuff. Maybe he was telling it to leave him alone.
Tom didn't respond.
Tom?
Victoria sighed heavily – she was somewhat used to his moods –and put the diary on the nightstand. Rolling onto her stomach, she buried her face in her pillow and was out.
XxXxX
…water was dripping from leaky pipes – the slime on the floor was slippery and she struggled to keep her footing – she was holding something in her hands, a book? – then the puddles of water on the floor shook and rippled as something massive slid across the grungy stone – she saw the shadow, but before she could react, she fell into darkness once more…
XxXxx
"Victoria! Victoria, wake up!"
Victoria opened her eyes sleepily and saw Ginny Weasley and her fiery hallo. "Mmm," she mumbled.
"You missed class!"Ginny said anxiously. Victoria shot out of bed, but near fell onto the floor as her legs got tangled in the sheets. Ginny reached out and grabbed her shoulder to keep her from falling, and then asked, "Victoria, why are you damp?"
Victoria then realized that her nightgown was wet and dirty, especially around the hem.
"What happened to you?"
Victoria just shook her head. Something was definitely wrong. This was the third time she'd woken up wet and without any knowledge as to how she ended up that way. Too afraid to admit that she was losing her mind, she asked, "I missed class?" Then a chill set in as she realized that she had missed Potions class.
"Yes. You weren't in bed when I woke up, so I thought you were already downstairs, but you weren't. You never showed up. Snape asked Aaron and me where you were, but we didn't know."
"I didn't miss Herbology did I?
"No, it was canceled."
"Why?"
"Look outside," Ginny said.
Victoria looked and was blinded by white. Snow blew furiously against the window, but Victoria eyes hurt from looking at the bright snow.
Still concerned, Ginny exasperated, "Victoria, you're sick. You should go down to the Hospital Wing –"
"No!" Victoria interrupted. She couldn't let anybody else know about her predicament. She didn't know what had caused the strange dreams and unbelievable fatigue. She was terrified that something was wrong with her.
"Well, maybe you should talk to Snape," said Ginny. Victoria had told her friends about her sessions a few weeks into term. They thought it was a little odd, but saw no harm in being the meanest teacher's favorite.
"No, I can't," Victoria replied in response to Ginny's suggestion. She didn't want Professor Snape to be disappointed in her, "Ginny, there's nothing to tell, but promise me you won't say anything to Aaron or anybody else."
Ginny looked skeptical, but agreed nonetheless.
"Thank you, I'm just overwhelmed. It is difficult learning a whole new world. And it's not like this whole Chamber of Secrets things makes things any easier," Victoria said, trying to sound confident, but falling flat.
However, at the mention of the Chamber of Secrets, Ginny swallowed and said, "Victoria, there's been another attack."
Victoria's face lost its anxious flush, "What?"
"It was the Hufflepuff that almost got attacked by the snake – Justin Fitch-Fletchly. Sir Nicolas was also petrified."
"But he's a ghost!"
"I know," she said blushing, but still looking quite worried, Ginny continued, "Harry found them. People already think he's the heir, but…"
Victoria tuned her out. Her heart beat wildly in her chest and her shiver coursed through her as she realized that her severe tiredness, wild dreams, and blackouts coincided with the attacks.
XxXxX
Not even the end of term could cheer Victoria up. As holly and tinsel were hung about the castle, she slowly succumbed to depression. And others noticed. Almost everybody believed that she was just scared of being attacked and grieving for her petrified friend. Victoria did nothing to correct these assumptions, even though she knew that they weren't the true reasons. Victoria kept her theories quiet and tried to push them to the recesses of her mind because she couldn't fathom being connected to the attacks.
This was heaped on to the other multitude of problems that Victoria was nearly drowning under.
Tom's participation in their evening writing sessions was waning. Often times, Victoria wrote and heard no response, as if the diary was like any other. But it was to Tom that Victoria revealed her belief that she was somehow connected to the attack and how afraid she was that she'd be kicked out of school if anybody found out even though she had no idea of what she could possibly be doing. On the occasions that Tom did write back, he'd tell Victoria to carry on as usual and not to tell anybody else about her mysterious and terrifying dilemma.
And she didn't, not even Professor Snape, who, like Ginny, could see something was wrong with Victoria.
On Christmas Eve, Victoria was in the dungeons working on the Fungus Fixer Formula, when Professor Snape, who was at his desk grading papers, snapped, "Miss Thomas! Pomegranate extract is added before copper dust!"
Victoria quickly pulled the dropper away from the steaming cauldron, and checked the instructions in her book. He was right, but Victoria had been nearly dozing; in an attempt to keep from having nightmares, she'd been keeping herself from sleeping. She'd stay up writing with Tom. She reached for the pomegranate extract, and murmured, "Sorry, sir."
Professor Snape put down his quill, "Miss Thomas, something is troubling you. It has been for the last few weeks. You've missed a class, and you're dozing while brewing. Are you ill?"
"No!" she said a little too quickly. Trying to recover, she stuttered, "I-it's just…Colin," she finished lamely.
He sighed heavily, "Miss Thomas, I assure you, in a matter of months your friend will be restored. As for yourself…You won't be harmed…" he trailed off, almost uncertain.
"I won't be," she admitted softly. At the quizzical raise of his brow, she continued, "I know that I'm adopted."
"That doesn't mean you are not a Muggleborn," Professor Snape pointed out logically.
"I'm not. My birth parents were in Gryffindor and Slytherin. At least, that's what the Sorting Hat said."
"Do you know which parent was in which house?"
She shrugged, "No." She looked down at her feet, and swung her legs, dangling from the stool, idly.
"Tori," he got up and came to her, getting down on a knee and putting a hand on her arm, "You can tell me what's wrong. You can trust me."
Victoria couldn't meet his eyes. It wasn't that she didn't trust him – she trusted him more than anyone. But she was afraid that something was amiss with her, that maybe she wasn't meant to be a witch. And then she'd be sent back to her parents, or worse. But most importantly, she didn't want to disappoint him because after her parent's cruel dismissal, he was all she had.
Christmas morning came and for the first time in her life, Victoria wasn't looking forward to it. Back at Owlhill, Victoria and her parents would go to morning service, and then back at the house have a large, filling dinner. This year, Victoria didn't think she'd be able to enjoy the day. She'd gotten little sleep the night before and considering all that was going on, she'd be too worried to take pleasure in the festivities.
Victoria got up to get ready and nearly stumbled on a small pile of wrapped packages. Unexpectedly, she smiled. The last thing she'd foresaw on this day was presents.
"Happy Christmas, Victoria!" Ginny chirped happily from her bed. She was wearing an olive jumper with a "G" on it. She was busy opening her pile of gifts and was already surrounded by candy, other knitted clothing, and baked goods.
Victoria, still smiling, replied, "Happy Christmas, Ginny."
"Going to open your presents?"
Victoria, still in her nightgown piled her presents back onto the bed and hoisted herself up. Usually, she didn't spend much time in the dorm and if she did, it was behind her bed curtains. However, both Cynthia and Sarah had gone home for the holiday. In fact, all of Gryffindor Tower had cleared out except for Victoria, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and the five Weasleys.
Victoria tore open her first package, which was wrapped in dancing Christmas tree paper. It was rather lumpy. Victoria tore it open and saw that it was a royal blue jumper with a white "V".
"That's from my mum," Ginny explained looking at Victoria's confused face, "We all get one every year."
"It's so nice," Victoria said as she pulled it on. It was snug and warm. With the knitted jumper came a box of small cakes and cookies.
She opened the next box and saw a carton of chocolate frogs. Ever since Professor Snape had given her a chocolate frog, they'd quickly become her favorite wizard candy. Checking the tag, she called across the dormitory, "Thanks, Ginny!"
"I like your gift too!" With Professor Snape's help, Victoria had made Ginny lilac scented perfume.
Victoria smiled. She was definitely on a holiday high. She read the tag on her next present and saw that is was from Aaron, who'd gone home. Pulling off the plain brown wrapping, she saw it was a thin reference manual titled An Introduction to National Quidditch Teams. Flipping through it, Victoria saw that it had each team's photo and a small biography.
Her last present didn't say who the sender was, but instead, in neat writing, said Tori, I know you said not to get you a present since you were unable to buy one for me, but knowing that your parents will not, I took the liberty of giving you something precious to me. Knowing exactly who it was from, Victoria carefully unwrapped it. It was a book, but it wasn't new.
Opening Forgotten Techniques of Potions Masters, Victoria saw that two notes had been written in on the first page. The first was faded and looked like a girl's writing: Sev, I've had this book for years and have it pretty much memorized. I'm giving it to you so you can learn, and I'm sure that someday, you'll pass it on.
The next inscription was in Professor Snape's familiar scrawl: It is time to pass it on. Happy Christmas to my favorite student. Victoria's heart warmed at this admission.
Looking through the book, Victoria soon became lost in the pages dedicated to different ways to handle common ingredients and ways to subtly strengthen everyday brews.
It took Ginny three tries to finally get Victoria's attention. Her dorm mate was dressed and ready to go downstairs, "You coming?"
"Yes."
Ginny bit her lip, "I think that we should try to visit Colin today."
"We should," Victoria said as she hopped out of bed and got dressed, wearing her new jumper. Taking her book from Professor Snape, she followed Ginny down to the common room. There, Ginny's twin brothers were wearing their jumpers – adorned with a Bludger and bat – and playing the popular game, Exploding Snap. Victoria had spoken to them in passing on a few occasions, but she could never tell them apart, and her inability to identify them intimidated her.
"Morning, Ginny!" The one facing the stairs called.
His twin turned around, "Happy Christmas, Ginny!"
"You too, Fred, George."
The twin who'd turned, grinned, "Happy Christmas, Ginny's friend."
Victoria mumbled, "Happy Christmas…"
"See why you're just Ginny's friend. We can't be bothered with learning your name since you can't tell up apart," smirked the other twin. Victoria blushed, clutched her book to her chest and looked down at her feet.
"Leave her alone, George!" Ginny said, annoyed.
He gasped, "I'm Fred! Ginny, how could you?" He put a hand to his chest in feigning insult, but leaned over and winked at his brother.
Ginny rolled her eyes, "Whatever." She grabbed Victoria's hand, "We're going."
"Bye Ginny!"
"And Ginny's friend!"
After they were through the portrait hole, Ginny let go of Victoria's hand and sighed, "They're always teasing. You just have to ignore them. If you let them get to you, they'll never leave you alone…Percy still hasn't learned that."
Victoria shrugged and admitted, "I can't tell them apart."
Ginny snorted, "I even guess sometimes."
They continued to smile and joke until they reached the Hospital Wing where there gaiety disappeared. With solemn faces, they knocked on the door.
The no-nonsense Madam Pomfrey opened the door. Her face softened when she recognized the girls, "How can I help you two girls?" She said this knowingly as if she already knew the answer.
"Madame Pomfrey, we'd like to see Colin," Ginny asked.
Madame Pomfrey pursed her lips, "The petrified students are supposed to remain secluded."
"But it's Christmas," Ginny argued.
"Please," Victoria added.
Madame Pomfrey gave a sad smile, "Perhaps, a few minutes wouldn't hurt." She opened the door a little further to let the two first years into the ward.
Victoria felt herself getting choked up again as they went back to Colin's bed. Of course, nothing had changed. Colin's mouth was still wide with silent surprise, he hands were still up by his face, and Victoria still cried.
Half an hour later, their visit had ended and their tears had dried. Ginny and Victoria had agreed that they wouldn't spend the rest of Christmas Day wallowing in grief. They were sure that Colin wouldn't have wanted that.
They went back to the common room and then Ginny found her brother, Ron, and asked to borrow his chess set. For the rest of the afternoon, Ginny taught Victoria how to play wizards chess, which was very similar to regular chess, but much more violent. The pieces would smash each other to bits. Ginny then kept Victoria in suspense as she recounted how her brother had played across a giant chess set to keep You-Know-Who from getting the Sorcerer's Stone. Of course, Ginny had some difficulty in keeping the story flowing. She kept glancing over to the corner where Ron, along with Harry Potter and Hermione Granger seemed to whispering conspiratorially. Ginny would blush and turn away and Victoria would have to remind her of where she left off.
Christmas dinner was eaten in the Great Hall which was decorated with numerous glowing trees with holly and mistletoe strung across parts of the ceiling. The enchanted ceiling revealed that it was snowing softly outside. The eight remaining Gryffindors had the entire table to themselves and feasted on a hearty roast with all the trimmings. Dessert was just as splendid with a variety of cakes, tarts, and puddings.
Victoria was still trying to finish her generous serving of Christmas pudding when Harry Potter and his two friends left. They had been whispering on and off all through dinner. After they'd left, Victoria's eyes turned to the teacher's table; Professor Snape was glaring at the door that the trio had just exited through. But, as if he'd felt her gaze, he turned to her, and his face became neutral. Victoria knew that this was the closet thing to a smile she'd get in public and didn't hesitate to smile back at him.
After dinner, Victoria joined Ginny and her twin brothers in Exploding Snap. She wasn't very good and George, the twin she was partnered with, did his best to make up for her dismal performance. The next few hours were filled with laughter and friendly ribbing on the part of the twins. And when Victoria went to sleep that night, she knew that today had been her best day in a long time.
XxXxX
The next day, it was nearly noon before Ginny and Victoria managed to drag themselves out of bed and to the Great Hall for a late breakfast.
Stifling a yawn, Victoria slathered her piece of toast with raspberry jam. As she reached for bacon, two people plopped down across the table from the two girls.
Harry Potter and Ron Weasley looked exhausted and a bit upset, but the former gave a half smile when he saw the girls, "Morning."
"Morning," Victoria responded as Ginny knocked the butter dish from the table. Victoria leaned over to help her clean it up when somebody said, "It looks like I got what I wanted for Christmas, Potter." Draco Malfoy and two massive Slytherin boys sauntered up to the Gryffindor table.
"What's that supposed to mean, Malfoy?" Harry Potter asked, glaring at the blond boy.
"Granger's missing. It seems the monster has struck once again. Is she petrified or did the Mudblood die?" Draco Malfoy smirked.
Harry Potter and Ginny's brother both stood up. Ron Weasley, reached a hand into his robe said angrily, his face as red as his face, "Shut your mouth, Malfoy!"
"Bit upset about your girlfriend, Weasley?" Draco Malfoy taunted.
Ron Weasley took a step forward, but Harry Potter pulled him back. Rom Weasley tried to throw off his friend, but stopped struggling as Professor Lockhart waltzed up to the students, "Good Morning, all," he chirped and smiled dazzlingly.
"Good Morning, Professor," the group murmured together.
Professor Lockhart commented, "Remember what I've said, Harry," before continuing up to the teacher's table.
Draco Malfoy lost interest in antagonizing the Gryffindor boys, but turned to Victoria and said, "You might be next, girl," before leaving the Great Hall, his two friends trailing.
As the boys sat down again, Victoria asked, "Your friend wasn't attacked, was she?"
Harry Potter shook his head, "No, but Hermione will be in the Hospital Wing for a while." He suddenly looked uncomfortable, "Nothing is going to happen to you, Victoria." He thought she was scared because she might be attacked about her blood status.
"Like we can do anything about it," Ron Weasley said sullenly.
"Ron," Harry Potter started.
"We were wrong, weren't we?"
Harry Potter sighed, frustrated, but took a deep breath and met her eyes, "You'll be fine."
Victoria wanted to believe him, but some part of her fought the tender reassurances because they made her want to tell Harry Potter about everything – the dreams and all the other strange coincidences. But she couldn't confide in him, just like she couldn't tell Professor Snape. She was afraid of their judgment and of the consequences. But this couldn't go on.
She excused herself and went to the nearest classroom. Shutting herself in, she reached into her bag and pulled out the diary; she'd taken to carrying it around with her at all the times. Finding quill and ink at the teacher's desk, she wrote,
Tom?
Yes?
I feel so torn. Sometimes I think I should tell someone about all the strange things. I feel like the longer I wait, the worse things will get. But I'm afraid of what will happen if I do.
Victoria, you won't tell anyone.
You know I'm afraid that I might not get to be a witch anymore or that they'll send me back home, but what's the point if I'm not happy?
Victoria, you trust me, right?
Of course, but Tom, you're my diary. I can listen and trust you all I want, but you're still stuck in a book.
Not for much longer.
Abundantly confused, Victoria asked,
What?
You'll see. Now Victoria, go back to your friends and say nothing.
Tom, I don't understand.
Victoria, do as I say.
Tom, I can't –
Victoria stopped suddenly as she felt her stomach drop and her hands shook. Her quill floated to the floor. She tried to keep herself from following it by clutching the side of the table, but in vain. She fell into darkness…
XxXxX
Her thoughts were not her own. She could sense jumbled ideas and words in another, foreign language. Vaguely, she knew she was moving, but how or where, she wasn't sure. She couldn't see exactly, but there was light and whiteness. She heard somebody else talking, but it sounded like she was underwater, and then she was abruptly startled awake by passing through something absolutely freezing.
Blinking, her eyes refocused and she came face to face with a girl ghost. She had a rather round face and large eye-glasses. Hands on her hips, the ghost leaned forward and spoke right in Victoria's face, "Why are you acting so funny?"
"What?"
"When you came into the bathroom, your face was all strange. Then you started making funny noises. You didn't hear me when I yelled at you, so I went through you." She ghost then floated back and drifted up past a window.
Victoria's mouth widened with surprise when she saw that the sun was setting. She gasped, "What time is it?"
Then it clicked.
Victoria remembered when she first wrote in the diary. Tom had had no idea that fifty years had passed, and afterwards, he'd occasionally ask the date or day of the week. But the night Mrs. Norris had been petrified, Tom, who hadn't written her in days asked about the Halloween feast. How could he have known about the feast? He had no perception of time within the diary.
Victoria, heart racing, felt all the pieces painfully fall into place – Tom knowing the time, that fact that he seem hardly perturbed when Victoria reported that she'd have chunks of her day missing, or how whatever she was wearing before her strange dreams became utterly filthy and she had no idea how, and that Tom wanted Victoria to not seek help elsewhere. Somehow, Tom knew…or was responsible for all the things that had happened to her. And as pure terror shot through Victoria, she knew Tom had something to do with the petrified students and the Chamber of Secrets –
Victoria felt the freezing cold once more. The girl ghost had tried to get Victoria's attention again.
The ghost floated over the stalls, "Of course you'd ignore me. It's either that or the teasing…they all tease and ignore poor, miserable, moping, moaning Myrtle." She then dived down into a toilet. Water shot out spraying the vicinity.
Victoria didn't give the ghost another thought as she ran out of the bathroom and to Gryffindor Tower. She practically shouted the password at the portrait of the fat lady and then sprinted up to her bed, ignoring Ginny's shout.
Seeking the privacy of her bed curtains, she climbed into bed without changing. She then reached a shaky hand into her robe pocket she pulled out the small black diary and set in on the bed across from her.
Almost at once, the overwhelming need to write, to confide consumed her. She felt her eyes moisten as she attempted to restrain herself. But her struggle was in vain. As if she had no control over them, her hands prepared a quill for writing and opened the book.
Trembling, she began,
Tom?
It's late, Victoria. You should be sleeping.
She felt her insides churn. She had been right about Tom knowing the time. That means that somehow, when Victoria lost consciousness, Tom…he must do something with her body. It certainly explained her ruined clothing.
Victoria?
She couldn't keep herself from writing, so she tried to write without feeling,
Yes, Tom?
What's the matter?
The question seemed so innocent, but Victoria knew better. She couldn't confide in him. She knew that when she poured her feelings into the diary, it made her vulnerable. So as nonchalantly as she could manage, she told Tom about Draco Malfoy's comments this morning.
And how do you feel about the possibility of being attacked?
Knowing she was in more danger from the book in her lap than the monster in the chamber, she wrote,
Nothing really.
XxXxX
The next few weeks provided Victoria was a strained mental state that she couldn't have possibly imagined. But instead of succumbing to the subtle attacks of Tom Riddle, Victoria tried to fight back. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't keep herself from writing in the diary. However, she could keep herself from spilling out her feelings to him. Instead, she trusted others.
Soon after the students had returned for the start of term, Victoria told Ginny and Aaron about her parents. They were both sympathetic. Ginny confessed she'd already known something was wrong. Victoria never talked about her parents and they hadn't gotten her a Christmas present.
A week later, she told them that she'd been adopted and what the Sorting hat had said. Both were surprised. They wondered why she'd let everybody believe that she was Muggleborn. She told them there wasn't any proof otherwise. After the shock had passed, her two friends expressed relief that Victoria had been in Gryffindor instead of Slytherin.
But despite all of her attempts to halt the influencing corruption of Tom, he was still winning. She still wrote to him, even though she was careful of what she wrote, and she had yet to tell anybody about the diary. She was also having trouble staying awake in class and her grades were suffering because of it.
One evening, a couple of weeks into the term, Victoria was in the library. She had finished her homework and was writing to Tom, as usual. But today she was particularly exhausted and weary, she wasn't as careful as she should have been. Most of her teachers wouldn't see anything out of the ordinary if a student's grades were a bit lower than they'd been the previous term. However, Professor Snape had noticed. He had confronted Victoria, and she'd denied that anything was wrong before bursting into tears and running from the classroom.
Now she couldn't help herself. She sought Tom's reassurances, not thinking about the consequences. She should've known better because it wasn't long before she started to feel everything slipping from focus…
Once again, she was dimly aware of what as happening. But knowing now what exactly was happening, she panicked and began to struggle. Whatever magic held her was fierce and she heard a boy's voice cry out, "No!" before she broke free and collapsed onto the ground.
She could hear her heavy breathing echoing in the – she looked around – bathroom, the girl's bathroom on the third floor to be exact. Tom had some sort of history with this place and quick glance to the left revealed something strange. Standing up shakily and walking over on wobbly legs, she was that the circle of sinks had been spread apart, revealing a dark hole. There was a loud creak and slowly, the sinks slid back into their normal places.
Victoria took a few steps back and nearly fell as her heel slipped on something. Looking down, she saw the diary.
In an episode of fear and anger, she snatched up the book and ran into the nearest stall. Throwing the book into the toilet with a large splash, she pushed down the flush lever, and ran out of the bathroom and didn't look back.
XxXxX
Things didn't seem to get better.
Victoria was itching to write in the diary, but she refused to go back to that bathroom. She supposed that this is what happened to people back in the Muggle world when they went through withdrawal from drugs or alcohol. However, things didn't get better over time. She still had trouble sleeping. She still had nightmares about the whole experience. The most terrifying dream she'd had started seemingly innocent. She'd be walking into a room somewhere and suddenly the diary would be there and there'd be an echoing "No!" She'd wake up, ears ringing, too scared to try to fall back asleep.
However, the world didn't stop just because one young witch was slowly falling apart. Before long, it was February 14th.
That morning, when Victoria walked into the Great Hall with her two friends, she wondered if she was still dreaming.
"Ugh," Aaron said. Victoria agreed completely. The entirety of the hall was garnished nauseously with every shade of pink imaginable. Red heart-shaped confetti fell from the enchanted ceiling. Throughout the Great Hall, most of the boys looked reasonably disgusted whereas the girls were all smiles. A quick glance at the teacher's table easily gave away the culprit; Professor Lockhart had coordinated his robes to match the room. His fellow staff members, however, looked like they'd like to be anywhere but here.
The three Gryffindors sat down at their part of the table.
Aaron cast a giggling Cynthia Kincaid and Sarah Clippenger a disgusted look, "Ugh, Valentine's Day. Promise me neither of you will act like that. There's only so much a bloke can take."
Victoria nodded and then listened to Professor Lockhart as he addressed the hall. At the suggestion that they ask Professor Snape for a Love Potion, Victoria looked at said Professor. Her smirk was rewarded with an exaggerated sigh.
Looking down at her naked toast, Victoria asked, "Ginny, pass the jam?"
Ginny was huddled over a parchment, biting the end of her quill.
"Ginny?" Aaron asked. The redhead looked up, "What are you doing?"
"Nothing," Ginny said quickly, blushing, "But, um, what rhymes with 'lord'?"
"Cord?" Victoria supplied.
"Bored?" Aaron added, before leaning in close to Ginny in an attempt to read her paper. Ginny, still bright red, elbowed him out of the way before collecting her paper and rushing out of the Great Hall, eyes firmly on the ground. "What's wrong with her?" Aaron asked.
Victoria shrugged, and taking her toast with her, headed off to class.
Classes were rather eventful that day, much to the frustration on the part of the teachers. Throughout the day, the little winged dwarfs employed by Professor Lockhart disrupted classes with poorly written Valentines. Most of them seemed so terrible they were most likely pranks. Cynthia received one in Transfiguration which compared her brown eyes to tree bark. As the rest of the class giggled behind their hands, Cynthia thought it was the most romantic thing in the world.
That afternoon as they were leaving Charms and passing the second year Gryffindors, Harry Potter was cornered by one of the surly dwarfs. He tried to get away from the ridiculous creature and seemed to die of shame as it began to sing. Victoria also felt extremely uncomfortable because it didn't take a genius to figure out who sent it. She cringed at its dreadful rhymes and unromantic similes. As the crowd laughed, Ginny hid herself behind her two friends, desperately hoping not to meet Harry Potter's eyes.
Ginny's prefect brother, Percy, tried to disperse the crowd, but once again, all stayed put to watch another heated battle between Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy.
Draco Malfoy had taken something from Harry Potter's bag, which had been ripped in his struggle with the dwarf.
Harry Potter said something, but it was too quiet for the bystanders to hear. Then Draco Malfoy said loudly, "Wonder what Potter's written in this?"
When Victoria saw what Draco Malfoy was holding, she felt herself freeze with sheer terror. It was Tom's diary. She then realized that Harry Potter had had it, and looked back and forth between him and the book, earning her a confused look from the second year.
Draco Malfoy attempted to embrass Harry Potter, but the famous wizard disarmed the Slytherin boy. Draco Malfoy, bitter over the loss of an opportunity to humiliate his enemy, shouted cruelly to Ginny, "I don't think Potter liked your valentine much!"
Ginny buried her red face in her hands and ran down the corridor to History of Magic. Aaron followed, but Victoria trailed behind, her thoughts going too fast to register.
In class, Aaron, despite his dislike for the holiday, did his best to cheer up a despairing Ginny. Victoria, on the other hand, tried to sort through her jumbled, panicked thoughts.
The diary wasn't gone, and even worse, Harry Potter had it. She hoped that he hadn't figured out that the diary was special yet, but considering he was willing to lose Gryffindor points to get it back showed that he thought it was important. Victoria couldn't stomach the thought of Harry losing his mind like she did or maybe unintentionally attacking people.
But as Victoria went through the horrifying scenarios, she realized one thing, this was Harry Potter. Twice he'd been up against dark magic – the diary was decidedly evil – and won.
XxXxX
Things continued to spiral downward throughout the rest of the winter. Victoria, now that she knew where the diary was, had to use all of her willpower not to go and get it. It was a never-ending struggle. Victoria, who always had people worrying about her, tried to put on a happier front. It worked; Victoria's friends and teachers, who'd been aware of her depression following the opening of the Chamber of Secrets, didn't seem to notice that it had gotten worse.
On the bright side, there hadn't been anymore attacks, but as spring and Easter break passed by, Victoria couldn't focus on anything but the diary and the need to repossess it.
She was pushed beyond her breaking point during a private lesson with Professor Snape. They'd been brewing to restock the Hospital Wing's supply of Pepper Up Potion when there was a rap on the closed door.
Professor Snape, who'd been showing Victoria how do julienne jellyfish skin, spoke curtly, "Enter."
Brett Montague waltzed into the classroom, but paused when he saw Victoria, sleeves rolled up, hunched next to a steaming cauldron, he smirked, "Sorry, Professor, I didn't know you had a detention."
"Indeed. What did you need, Mr. Montague?" Professor Snape asked.
"What?" Victoria asked. She was used to Professor Snape ignoring her, but he never lied about their unusual friendship. And of all the people for him to lie about her having detention, he picked Brett Montague.
Professor Snape ignored her, and then Montague said, "My father sent a letter and there is something you might be interested in knowing, Professor."
"Professor!" Victoria interrupted.
"Quiet, Miss Thomas!" Professor Snape all but snarled. He shot her a glare, something he'd never done before. It was at that moment that Victoria then saw the side of Professor Snape that all the others students saw: a harsh, unforgiving mean man.
Then Montague smirking, said impudently, "That's right, Thomas."
Victoria looked between the two Slytherins and felt her eyes moisten. Refusing to let either see her cry, she rushed past Montague and fled the dungeon, ignoring Professor Snape's "Miss Thomas!"
Victoria sought refuge in an unused classroom on the first floor. She pulled open the door, and froze as she saw that it was already occupied by two other people who were in a rather…compromising position. At being interrupted, Percy Weasley turned bright red and took his hand out of the Ravenclaw prefect's shirt. The prefect then removed her hand from Percy Weasley's pants…Victoria shut her eyes tight, "Sorry!" she half shouted before turning and running from the room.
She didn't stop until she was in the Fat Lady's corridor. Pressed against the wall, she felt herself break. She couldn't handle Professor Snape's blatant rejection and what she just witnessed the prefects doing certainly didn't help. She would have talked to Ginny and Aaron, but they were watching the Quidditch team practice…Harry Potter was there too, which means…the diary…as soon as that thought formed, she made up her mind.
Giving the password, the portrait swung open and she went through. She got to the landing, and instead of going up the girls' side, Victoria bolted up to the boys' dormitories.
At the door marked "Second Year," she put her ear against the door, and deduced that there was nobody inside. Opening the door, she flinched as it creaked. She shut the door and found the bed with the trunk "H.J.P." in front of it.
Then, all she saw was red. She was consumed with a furious force and couldn't even begin to restrain herself as she tore through Harry Potter's things. Her unwieldy desperation only subsided when her hands were clasped firmly around a familiar small, black book.
At once, she realized what she had done and was horrified, but still she was unable to leave the diary. Checking to see if the way was clear, she ran down out of the boys' dormitories and up to her own bed.
After seeking the refuge of her bed curtains, she opened the diary, which appeared unchanged since when she last had it, and wrote,
Tom?
Victoria. I knew you would find the diary. You can't help yourself.
Victoria felt her face grow hot with shame.
Tom, you're bad. I want you to stop it Tom. I know you have something to do with this.
With what?
She became frustrated,
I can't stop thinking about you and your stupid diary! I'd get kicked out of school I told anyone about you! I'm losing my mind because of you! You're making me attack students!
There's no need to worry about that any longer. Killing Mudbloods doesn't matter anymore.
Tom?
You'll see. But in the meantime, you'd better not even think about trying to get rid of me again. Not that you could. You're mine…
Victoria lay down on her side and cried herself to sleep knowing Tom was right. It was too late to save her.
XxXxX
Victoria prepared for classes in the mood of one on their way to the gallows. She ate breakfast like it was her last supper. The next day was the same and soon they all blurred together. Aaron and Ginny soon gave up on her. Professor Snape tried meeting her eye on several occasions, but Victoria kept her eyes firming on her cauldron. She had stopped going for their evening sessions. For the spring, she put aside living and merely existed.
She'd still write to Tom, who'd gone from confidant to bully. He made her feel even more doomed with every word he wrote back and took delight in making her cry over his pages.
A few weeks after stealing back the diary, Victoria lay in her bed, the rest of the dormitory empty. She vaguely recalled that there was a Quidditch match today. Soon, though, she felt her eyes droop, and soon she was asleep…
…she heard wretched hissing and her stockings and shoes were soaked. Her sleeves were wet and heavy and she heard something massive come toward her…
"Victoria!" Someone shouted and shook her roughly. Through blearily eyes, Victoria saw Cynthia Kincaid, whose face scrunched up, "Why are you wet?" she asked, and typical of Cynthia, she went on, "Never mind that. McGonagall wants every Gryffindor downstairs. There's been another attack." She then flounced from the room.
Victoria didn't follow, but instead reached for the diary sitting next to her,
Tom! You said that you wouldn't attack Muggleborns anymore!
No, I said it didn't matter, not that I wouldn't be doing it. Besides, I know how much it upsets you.
Standing up shakily, crying, Victoria went to join the other Gryffindors in the common room.
Cynthia had been wrong. There had been more attacks. Hermione Granger and Penelope Clearwater, the Ravenclaw prefect she'd seen with Percy Weasley, were the victims. As a result, students couldn't be anywhere without a professor. To make things worse, the school's Board of Governors had suspended Professor Dumbledore. It was almost a certainty that Hogwarts would be closed.
Tom was just as brutal as ever with Victoria, but she knew she had to fight back somehow. It was one thing if she was the only one in danger, but now it seemed as if he would resume his attacks on Muggleborns.
She was much too frightened to go to a professor. They wouldn't understand. So she tried the only other person who knew about the diary.
On one of the last days of May, Victoria approached Harry Potter and Ron Weasley in the Great Hall.
"Victoria," Harry Potter greeted.
She looked at the table and murmured, "I need to tell you something."
Both boys, who'd looked exhausted moments earlier perked up. Harry Potter leaned in and anxiously asked, "Yes?"
"It's about –" She began, but was cut off by Percy Weasley.
"Nothing, absolutely nothing. They wouldn't want to hear about that." The prefect babbled.
Victoria, flustered by the interruption, lost her nerve and quickly left the Great Hall. She once again stopped at the first floor classroom. She couldn't muster the courage to walk up to Harry Potter again. She'd used up all of her store in the Great Hall, but unknowingly, she did a very noble, very Gryffindor thing: she sacrificed herself,
Tom, just do it. I know you're going to kill me.
You seem very calm about this.
So you're not denying it.
No.
Admiringly, she kept herself from crying,
Then just do it. I don't care anymore, but please don't hurt anybody else.
I'm afraid I can't do that, Victoria.
Tom?
You see, as soon as you're dead, I already have plans on who's to die next.
Frantically, she asked,
Who?
Harry Potter.
Victoria gave a small cry,
No! Tom, don't! Why?
It's no concern of yours, Victoria. Now, I think it is time for me to say good bye, and thank you. I couldn't have succeeded without you.
Victoria, terrified, was powerless and couldn't put up a struggle as she fell into darkness.