Tom was inside of his prison that was Riddle Manor. He had moved the couch to sit in front of the window where he had a perfect view of the inside of Honey's bedroom. Although her bedroom was windowless he could somehow see into it. He supposed it was because this was not reality. It was a type of dream world where anything was possible.

He discovered by accident that he had the ability to take control of Honey's body while she slept or when she was unconscious. She rarely slept but she would when exhaustion consumes her. When she did she would appear on the bed of her old windowless bedroom. Since he was inside of her mind, he didn't have to eat, sleep, or use the bathroom. All he had to do was wait for her to appear. Seeing a small movement on the bed, Tom stood up and pressed his forehead against the glass window. He squint his eyes to see the tall tell signs of her blonde head in the bed. Yes!

Tom opened his eyes to complete darkness. He felt his way with his hands and opened the curtains on the four poster bed. There was enough light from the moon through the window to allow him to see a lamp nearby. He twisted a small knob and the room lighted. He heard a gasp and turned to see Evie peeking at him from behind her curtain.

"Couldn't sleep. Got to do homework." Tom told her. He stood up and searched for some clothes in Honey's trunk. He went to the bathroom to change. When he was done he turned the light off and grabbed Honey's wand that was next to the portrait of her snoozing grandpa. He left Ravenclaw Tower and snuck into the Chamber of Secrets.

After he had regained his memories, he remembered something he had planned to do if he ever had the chance to return to Hogwarts. Search for the real Chamber of Secrets. He had accepted that Melissa's claim was true. There was no other explanation for her powerful magic. He wanted it for his own. It was his right to claim it. He was the heir of Slytherin too. Even if he was a half-blood, it didn't matter. He was inside the body of a pureblood.

Tom used a charm to light the entire Chamber. He found a rock with a sharp point and he pricked Honey's finger. He dropped the rock as he heard the voices and smiled.

Honey was in the middle of Care for Magical Creatures when she noticed that the original professor had been replaced with a large man name Hagrid. He had visible bruises on his face. The other students were whispering, speculating about how he attained those injuries and what had occurred in previous classes. Apparently, Professor Hagrid usually taught this class. He had a habit of bring dangerous creatures to class that have attacked students before. Umbridge had inspected his class and embarrassed him in front of students.

Hagrid stood nervously in front of them, fiddling with something in his hands she could not make out from her position in the back. He appeared to have gathered his courage and addressed them.

"I've bin savin' a trip inter the Forest fer yer fifth year. We'd go an' see these tamed creatures in their natural habitat. Now, what we're studyin' today is pretty rare, I reckon I'm probably the on'y person in Britain who's managed ter train `em."

The class was quiet as he lead them through the snow toward the Forest.

"Gather roun', gather roun'," he said, putting the object he was holding down. "Now, they'll be attracted by the smell o' the meat but I'm goin' ter give `em a call anyway, `cause they'll like ter know it's me." He turned, shook his shaggy head to get the hair out of his face and gave an odd, shrieking cry that echoed through the dark trees.

Honey felt something touching her right hand. She looked down and pulled her hand from the creature that was nudging her. The creature was large with a dragonish face, neck, and skeletal body of a black, winged horse. She recognized it from the carriage ride to Hogwarts. The creature bowed its head to her.

"That's all fer now. Class is over!" Hagrid shouted.

As the students dissolved back to the castle, Honey stayed her ground as more creatures of the same kind emerged and bowed. She reached her hand out and petted the one that had nudged her hand on the head. It made a shrieking sound and lifted its head as did the others.

Hagrid made his way to Honey.

"What are they?" she asked him.

"Thestrals."

"I've read about them." She had but they didn't quite match the description in the book. It was mostly because the wizards or witch who have seen them described them as creepy. They were not creepy. She thought they were beautiful.

"Never seen em' do this." he admitted and leaned down his head to look at Honey's thick winter coat.

The Thestrals were standing in coordinated row of fours like soldiers waiting for their commander. Honey fisted her right hand, feeling it burn and ache. The pain was more intense than ever before and it was pure torture.

"What's that coat yer wearing?"

"Excuse me." she choked out and ran back to the castle.

Honey stopped at the side of the stone wall and opened her palm. She turned it around and stared at the dark birthmark on the back of her wrist. It was where the pain was centered. Why was it still hurting? She had not abused it like before. In fact, she had been strictly using her left hand. Maybe she should have it examined?

By the time she reached the hospital wing the pain was gone. After examining it with her wand, Madam Pomfrey told her that she could not find anything wrong with it. Seeing that Honey was stressed over her hand, the Madam Pomfrey gave her stronger salves that would temporary numb her nerves on it. Honey knew it was not true. Something was terribly wrong with her hand but it was undetectable by magic. It meant she had to figure out the cause in a non-magical way. She thought of ways while walking back to her dorm room.

"Where were you last night?" asked her grandpa. He had returned to his portrait and was looked at her expectantly.

"Sleeping."

"Where?"

Honey knitted her brows in confusion. "In bed."

Her grandpa shook his head. "You went somewhere."

"No, I didn't."

"Indeed you did. Ask Evie, she saw you leave."

"Perhaps I will." Honey left the tower and searched for Evie.

Evie was in the greenhouse writing notes about her Chinese Chomping Cabbage.

"Evie?"

Evie stopped writing and looked at her. "Hi, Honey."

"Hi. Did you see me leave my bed last night?" Honey wasted no time and asked her.

"Yes."

"Did I say anything before I left?"

"You said you couldn't sleep and had to do your homework. I figured you left to meet with the others to do your extra project."

"I did." Honey nodded. "Harvey looks great. Is there anything I can help you with?"

"No, I'm just going to measure him." she took out a measuring tape and wrapped it around the cabbage.

"All right."

Honey left the greenhouse and went inside the Chamber of Secrets. She closed her eyes and was transported into the pseudo Riddle Manor where Tom was. He was sitting on the couch and staring out a window. She walked behind him to see what he was so engrossed to that he didn't even noticed her. Her face twisted in rage when she saw what it was. She was wondering why he had been too quiet lately. Now, she knew the truth. He had been taking control of her body while she slept.

"I knew I couldn't trust you." she whispered coldly.

He jumped up and turned around to face her. The window disappeared and the room transformed into the Chamber of Secrets. Chains flew from the stone wall and wrapped around his arms and legs.

"I hope you enjoy your little outing because it's going to be your last."

"No! I-I was helping you with your research!" he claimed, not struggling against the chains.

"It doesn't matter-"

"I was searching for a solution. I'm trying to help us."

"I can search for a cure to this illness myself."

"Don't talk about it like it's a type of disease."

"It is an abnormality."

"Well, yes. But this was never meant to happen."

"Then what was?"

Tom clenched his teeth and pressed his lips together to resist saying anything incriminating.

"I'll answer for you. You were going to sacrifice my life to revive your own."

"I admit I have thought of it at one point but I changed my mind. I'm on your side. I won't hurt you."

"You may have my mother fooled but not me."

"I love you."

"Your love is a lie."

"How can I prove it to you?"

"Where did you go last night?"

"The Chamber of Secrets." he confessed without hesitation.

"How does it feel? To know the only reason you were allowed access was because of my blood."

"If we work together we can find a way to separate faster." he offered. As much as she hated him, he knew she wanted him out of her body as equally as he does.

Honey considered his offer. It would benefit her to have more help but Tom was not trustworthy. "I want insurance."

"An Unbreakable Vow?"

"No."

Although Hufflepuff first match was against Gryffindor, Zacharias brought Honey to watch the Slyhterin's Quidditch team practice. Sitting on the stands, Honey and Zacharias were wearing their winter coats and hats, studying the Slytherins.

"Always be careful when flying with Slytherins." Zacharias advised her. "They can get pretty violent and you saw what happened at their last match."

"They lost the match but managed to weaken the Gryffindor's team." Honey observed.

"We play Gryffindors first but can't watch them now. They haven't found good enough replacements yet. Since they are not ready that leaves Slytherin and Ravenclaw." he paused. "Are you all right with playing against Ravenclaw?"

"I'm going to wait until my first game to decide."

"Fair enough."

Honey looked back at the Slytherins.

"They are going to knock you off your broom." Tom teased her. As part of their agreement she was allowing him his free time to view what she was seeing. Class was boring to him but he was eager to watch some Quidditch even if it was practice.

"Hmm...I think I might pull a Slytherin. Cripple the Keeper. Eliminate the Seeker and Beaters."

Tom didn't doubt her ability to do it after what she had done to him. She was not soft like Melissa.

"As if you can beat my Slytherins." He challenged her.

"Don't you know? Eagles eat snakes."

"They're going to be hard to beat." said Zacharias.

"I'm confident we'll win."

Zacharias had to leave early to meet his Quidditch team. He promised that he'll introduce her to her Beater partner soon. Honey waited until the Slytherins practice was over to leave. At the bottom of the stairs she saw Blaise lazily strode down the path and Pansy trailing behind him, attempting to pursue him to do something for her.

"I don't think I can help you there." said Blaise.

"But you are his friend. Talk to him."

"It's only a coat. Get over it."

"But don't you want to see it too! Or...what about the body? It's on their lawn."

"Don't believe him too much. He likes to make up stories."

It didn't take long for Honey to realize that they were talking about her Nundu fur coat. The coat she was currently wearing. Maybe the coat was the reason for the Thestrals' odd behavior toward her? They recognized the Nundu's hide because they are magical animals too.

"You should talk to Hagrid. He adores monsters." Tom suggested.

"It doesn't matter. Only an expert can tell the difference."

It was difficult to tell the difference since the Nunda's hide was similar to a leopard's. To be safe, Honey took off her coat and turned it inside out. She shook the snow off, put it back on, and was pleased to feel the cool soft fur against her skin.

"Should've done this sooner. It feels spectacular." Hugging the coat to her body, she walked back to the castle.

"What are we going to do about Voldemort?" Tom suddenly asked her.

"What about him?"

"He's planning something but I don't know what it is."

"Shouldn't you know what his plans are? Isn't there a connection between you two?"

"No, there isn't."

"You are him. He is you. His habits are the same as yours but amplified." Honey reviewed her encounters with Tom and Voldemort and analyzed their similarities. "He'll befriend me with fault sincerity, try to win my trust, and kill me when I'm at my most vulnerable."

"He wants us alive." he reminded her.

"That means he'll do the first two. Got any ideas what the third is?"

"Anything involving taking over the Wizarding World. Don't let down your guard."

"He has a world to conquer and let's not forget Harry Potter and Dumbledore to kill. I doubt I'm his first priority. I'll handle it when he tries to strike me."

"Don't get too arrogant. Voldemort is not the type of person to play around. Everything he does is for a purpose." Tom realized too late that he was giving her reasons to doubt him. But lucky for him she was preoccupied with something else.

Honey thought back to the rumors that were spreading about her family, the Slytherins reactions in the changing room, the people who were claiming false friendship with her, and students begging those liars to meet her and see her coat. "I know why he revealed my secret. He wants me to have admirers, make me embrace my celebrity status, bath in their attention."

"His plan is not without merit." It would have been efficient when she was younger and trusting.

"There goes number one." Honey thought about number two and how he would accomplish it.

"I think for number two, he might come in person."

"He came to Hogwarts before, possessing the body of a professor. To win my trust he would have to be inside someone close to me. My friends."

"Keep a close watch on your friends. Distant yourself from them if they start acting out of the ordinary."

When Honey finally made it to Ravenclaw Towers she mentally shut Tom out to address the knocker in private.

"In the ordinary it lies, do not be deceived by your ears and eyes." she repeated the words the knocker had said to her weeks before.

Honey waited for the knocker to speak. She took a step closer to look at it and jumped back when the transparent head of a woman emerged from the knock.

"Winifred?" said the head.

The rest of the woman's body appeared. The ghost had long hair down to her waist and a Victorian dress.

"What are you doing in Ravenclaw Tower, Winifred?" the ghost asked.

Honey blinked. It appeared that the ghost had mistaken her for someone else.

"You best return to Gryffindor Tower before the prefects see you."

"Gryffindor?" Honey said in confusion.

It was not until she looked down at her coat did she realize why the ghost thought she was a Gryffindor student. The inner lining color of the coat was crimson and the bits of yellow and gold from the fur poking out made it appear as if she was wearing Gryffindor colors.

"I can't return to Gryffindor Tower-"

"You've already got Peeves hiding in the other end of the castle whenever you're near." The ghost shook her head in a teasing manner.

Honey was not about to be kicked out her own house. She stood her ground, not moving an inch. "I'm not -"

"Don't argue with me, Winifred." The ghost stressed the name.

That was Honey realized who the ghost had mistaken her for. Her long deceased great-grandma. She had heard stories of her attending Hogwarts and she was a Gryffindor. Possibly a mischievous Gryffindor if what the ghost says was any indication. That would explain why Peeves was scared of her. He must believe she was her Great-grandma Winifred too.

"No more mischief tonight. To bed. Off you go." she ushered Honey.

Honey back away. She felt her head spin and the next thing she knew she was inside of an unfamiliar common room. It was similar to the Ravenclaw's common room but with some differences. Something told her she was in Gryffindor Tower, mainly the colors on the walls and the Gryffindor students. The ghost must have brought her there. It didn't matter how she got there the most important thing was how she going to get out. She surveyed the area and saw two people walking through an opening on the wall. Believing it was the exit she headed to the portal.

"You can't leave. Curfew already started." said a girl with busy brown hair and brown eyes. The prefect badge on her robe was visible.

"I'm not a Gryffindor." Honey said quickly before she was interrupted. She pulled opened her coat to show her Ravenclaw uniform underneath as proof.

The girl took in her uniform and nodded. "You should hurry to your house. Umbridge will give you detention if she sees you." The prefect walked toward her. "I'll walk you back."

"I'll walk her." a boy with dark messy hair offered.

The prefect looked as if she was about to argue but the boy led Honey through the portal before she could say anything. He glanced around before pulling her close and threw a sheet over them. Honey felt her face heated and her heart beating faster at his proximity.

"Who is he?" came Tom's booming voice.

"I don't know." she told him honestly.

"He's a stranger? You're with a stranger? Why are you with a stranger?" he said angrily.

"He's walking me back to my house."

"Where is your house?" the boy whispered.

"He doesn't even know where your house is?!"

Honey ignored Tom and tried to figure out where she was at. She recognized some of the artwork and carvings on the wall. "That way." She pointed.

"You know your way to your house. You don't need him." suggested Tom.

"He offered. I don't want to be rude."

"He's probably possessed by Voldemort! Get away from him!"

Honey winced and clutched her hand. She was overwhelmed by the pain from her throbbing hand and Tom's screams. The boy stopped to look at her with concern.

"Get away from him!"

"What's the matter?" the boy asked her.

"Get away from him!"

Honey focused on silencing Tom and forced him back inside Riddle Manor. The pain in her hand had dulled and was tingling.

"Headache?" the boy asked.

"Yes, it's gone now." Honey answered.

"I get those often." he admitted.

"You don't have to walk me back. And..." she touched the cool sheet they were under. "What is this?"

"It's..." the boy appeared apprehensive for a moment but took a deep breath and said. "It's an invisibility cloak."

Honey's body stiffened. She could not believe that she had come across one of the Deathly Hallows by chance. If this was the invisibility cloak it meant -

"You're Harry Potter." she said. Images of the man lying dead on the floor and a woman's screams flashed in her mind.

Not Harry, please no, don't kill him, take me, kill me instead!

"Yes." he said in a low tone as if he was embarrassed.

Honey pulled herself from the trance and blinked to fully look at his face. How had she not recognized him before? "You look like him. Your father. I...I saw his...your parents photographs." She lied.

Harry nervously looked away. "Do you read the Daily Prophet?" he asked.

"No. I read books."

"Good. The Daily Prophet has nothing but rubbish on it." he said with a harsh tone.

"I'll keep that in mind." she waited three seconds before saying the next thing. "I can walk myself back. There is no need to trouble you."

"No. Umbridge will give you detention if you are caught. You wouldn't want to serve detention with her. Trust me." He said with a haunting tone.

They walked in silence the rest of the way with Honey leading. As they grow close to Ravenclaw Tower, she thanked him and walked up the spiral staircase.

"Where is that woman? The ghost." she asked the knocker once she had reached it.

For once the talkative knocker had no riddles for her. It opened, waiting for her to walk inside. Instead of walking through the threshold she walked back down the spiral staircase in search of Peeves. He might have the answers to her questions. Walking in Hogwarts at night was different from the day. There was barely any light too, yet she was aware of the path she was taking. It was as if she had walked through the corridors numerous times before.

"What's this? A student out of bed?" Peeves cackled from behind her.

Perfect, she didn't have to find him. He came to her. She turned around to look at him. The poltergeist looked her up and down, slowly floated back in alert before delivering a deafening scream.

"Quiet!" she ordered him.

Peeves snapped his mouth shut.

"Why were you screaming?" she curiously asked him.

"Impulse." he said, circling her.

"What have I done to receive such a reaction from you?" she curiously asked.

"As if you don't remember you wick witch."

Honey had no idea what he was talking about but it appeared that what happened made him frightened of her.

"And I'll do it again if you don't answer me." she bluffed.

Peeves flew about twenty feet away from her. "What do you want?"

"Tell me. What's my name?" she tested him.

"I see your vanity is ever present, Winifred Sheridan." he snorted.

Honey nodded. Sheridan was her great-grandma's surname. It was chosen as her middle name for sentimental reasons. She walked toward him and reached her hand out to him.

"Keep that thing away from me!" Peeves screamed and flew further away. "I can't believe you succeeded in fusing it to you."

Honey brought her hand back and looked at the dark birthmark. The birthmark he was staring at with unblinking eyes.

"Yes, I did." she played a long to figure out what he was talking about.

He flew a little closer to her to inspect the mark. "Have you gone to the other world yet?"

She still didn't know what he was talking about. "No."

"When you do, tell me about it. I'm going to taunt the ghosts."

"Sure."

The next morning, Honey went into the girls' bathroom on the first floor. It was Quidditch season, which meant Moaning Myrtle was off haunting the boy's changing rooms to wait and harass them. Becky was in charge of brewing the Polyjuice Potion while Meredith directed her. They had estimated that it would be done the day before the last day of term. Cara had been given the mission of gathering the ingredients from Pansy and Millicent. She was told to gather their hair or other things on their bodies that were not too disgusting to swallow.

"If I had something stuck under my skin, how would I get it out?" Honey asked them. Last night she went to ask Peeves questions about the knocker and was left more confused than ever. But one thing she did know was that there was something embedded in her hand. It might be the cause for her constant pain.

"Like a splinter? My mum used a needle and tweezers to pull it out." said Becky without looking up from the cauldron.

Honey flexed her wrist, inspecting her birthmark. "What if it's something large?"

"Use a large knife with a sharp and pointy end." suggested Meredith. "Slowly cut into the skin and scrap it out."

Honey thanked them and left the bathroom. She went to her dorm room in Ravenclaw Tower and called Lumi. She ordered her to bring her a knife. The house elf did as she was told and brought one to her. Honey took out the salve Madam Phomfrey gave her. She wore a glove on her free hand and rubbed it over the birthmark and the area surrounding it. When the hand was completely numb and sensationless she held the knife over the dark mark.

"What are you doing?" asked Lumi in alarm. The elf's eyes became larger if possible and her bat-like ears dropped downward.

"Cutting this out."

"No!" The house elf screamed.

The knife vanished from Honey's hand. Lumi ran to hug her leg.

"Don't! Why would you do that? You cannot mutilate yourself." The house elf sobbed.

"It might stop hurting if I do." Honey told her calmly.

"No! No!"

"Don't cry, Lumi." Honey comforted her.