Chapter 15
Harry spends the next two days after the diary incident at war with himself, debating whether he should speak to Draco about it. It's not like Harry to keep things from Draco, but in this instance, he finds himself hesitant to share, though he has no idea why. The problem has been driving him mad, and Harry's sure that his distress has not escaped Draco's notice. The blond has yet to comment on it, but Harry has noticed the concerned and questioning glances Draco gives him when he thinks that Harry's not watching.
Soon after witnessing Tom Riddle's memories of the night the supposed Heir of Slytherin had been caught, Harry hurriedly replaced the diary in Draco's bedroom. Luckily, Draco had still been missing from his room when Harry went to put the diary back, saving the dark-haired Slytherin from a confrontation that he was not yet prepared for. And, considering that he has yet to broach the topic with Draco, he still isn't. He knows that the issue needs to be addressed, preferably before school starts back up, but for the moment he needs time to think. For all Harry knows, he could be blowing things out of proportion and searching for a conspiracy that he'll never find. But, he'd rather be overly suspicious than oblivious and unprepared. That's something he's learned the hard way.
Around eleven in the morning, about four hours into his day, Harry decides that he is in desperate need of a break from his incessant worrying. In a huff, he ventures to the Malfoy's library, hoping that a bit of reading will distract him, at least for a little while.
His walk to the library takes less than five minutes, and soon enough Harry finds himself surrounded by a vast sea of shelves, each one housing numerous tomes that contain knowledge beyond Harry's imagination. He breathes deeply, inhaling the satisfying aroma of aged parchment and leather. Instantly, he feels his worries dissipate as a refreshing sense of tranquility washes over him, settling his anxieties and rejuvenating his spirit.
Harry smiles and continues into the library, wandering aimlessly through aisles as he peruses the titles laid out before him with an inquisitive gaze. He stops when his eyes land on something shiny. Upon closer inspection, Harry notes the elegant ornamentation that has been intricately carved into the book's spine. The swirling patterns enclose the title and author, which have been artistically transcribed in delicate, looping calligraphy that reads: The Iliad ~ Homer.
After a moment of contemplation, Harry reaches up for the book, rising to the balls of his feet to give himself the extra height he needs to grab onto it and pull it from the shelf. Once it is in his hands, he turns it over, revealing the hand-drawn illustration adorning the front cover. As he runs his finger gently over the intricate depiction of some Ancient Greek hero that he doesn't recognize, Harry hears someone speak from behind him.
"I see you've found one of my most prized possessions, Harry. A fine choice, indeed. And unusual, especially for one so young. Although, I can't say that I'm surprised." Harry turns around, smiling as his gaze lands on the form of Lucius Malfoy.
"Thank you. If I may, why is it so special?" Harry replies.
"When I was young, a year or two older than you, I believe, my father had me make this book. He even insisted that I transcribe the poem in English from the original ancient greek. Even though I didn't particularly enjoy the task, I worked on it until it was finished. I distinctly remember the moment when I realized what it was that my father was trying to teach me. Any guesses as to what that might have been, Harry?"
Harry ponders Lucius' question for a moment, but he isn't able to come up with an answer. Eventually, he meets Lucius' eyes and shakes his head.
"Perseverance; He wanted me to understand why you should approach everything you do, say, and believe in with determination and tenacity. I may not have many fond memories of my father, but this is one of them." Lucius explains, a rare, wistful smile forming on his lips as he reaches for the book in Harry's hands. Harry readily hands it over to the Malfoy Patriarch, watching as he runs his hands over the front cover, nostalgia pooling in his eyes. Throughout the entire time Harry has known the man, Lucius has never shown this much emotion in front of him, or in front of almost anyone, at least as far as he's aware. Harry is honored that Lucius felt that he could trust him enough to share something so personal and allow him to witness this moment of vulnerability. Harry smiles brightly before he responds.
"I understand; Thank you."
"Yes, well, part of my responsibility is to ensure that you and Draco succeed. I do hope that this lesson will prove to help you as much as it helped me." Lucius states, his business-like tone of voice returning as his expression transitions back to its usual stoicism.
"I guarantee that it will." Harry assures confidently, wanting nothing less than to someday make Lucius proud of what he's accomplished. Lucius sends Harry one more subdued smile before handing the book back to Harry and turning away.
As he retreats from the library, he calls out to Harry. "Give it a read and come to see me when you're finished. I'd like to hear your thoughts on the content."
"I will!" Harry replies eagerly, only just able to contain his excitement. Once Lucius has disappeared around the corner, Harry bounds over to one of the cushy armchairs near the library's entrance and flops down into a seated position before opening the tome and beginning to read.
~~~Time Skip~~~
Later that night, Harry finally decides to take action. He's not going to talk to Draco, not yet, but he is willing to speak to Severus about it. He figures that it's worth a try, even if all he gets out of the encounter is a few half-answers and some parental advice. And, if nothing else, he may be able to tell Harry who Tom Riddle is, or was, rather.
So now, here he is, hesitating at the door to Severus' room. It's not overly late, barely an hour after dinner, but Harry is still unsure about disturbing his guardian in his chambers, not wanting to intrude upon his privacy. After a brief moment, Harry raises his hand to knock.
He only waits for a few seconds before the door opens and Severus appears before him. There is an ink smudge across his nose, indicating that he has probably been working. Harry holds back a giggle, finding humor in the appearance of the usually put-together man standing before him.
"Harry, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Severus asks curiously, stepping aside to allow Harry to enter the room. The door closes softly behind him and there is a moment of silence before Harry is able to find his words.
"I'm here to ask you a question… About the Chamber of Secrets." Harry says quietly, looking down at the floor as he fiddles nervously with his fingers.
"I see." Severus pauses. "I must admit that I was expecting this conversation much sooner. Please, have a seat." Severus indicates to the desk across the room, where there are two chairs, one on either side of the desk. Harry nods and complies, carefully taking a seat in one of the comfy armchairs. A second later, Severus follows, taking the seat across from Harry.
"Now, what would you like to know?" Severus steeples his fingers at his chin and leans forward, fixing Harry with an inquisitive gaze.
"I know that the Chamber of Secrets has been opened before. I'd like to know what happened." Harry replies firmly, his gaze determined and stubborn.
"I am not able to reveal much about that time to you as I am under strict instruction to not divulge this information to any student, even if it is you. However, since I know that you will not let this go, I can point you in a direction that will give you the information that you seek." Harry leans forward, listening intently. "There is a ghost that resides at Hogwarts, I believe the students and staff have taken to calling her Moaning Myrtle. Are you familiar with her?" Harry nods and Severus continues. "I recommend you speak with her about this when you return to school. That is all I can say on the matter."
"Thank you, sir. I appreciate the recommendation." Harry responds after a moment of contemplation. It may not have been the answer he was looking for, but at least it was something to go on. Maybe Moaning Myrtle will be able to corroborate Tom Riddle's story.
Harry stands and begins to leave, turning when he reaches the door as he remembers the other question he meant to ask.
"One more thing, are you familiar with the name Tom Riddle?"
Severus' eyes widen ever so slightly, but it takes less than a second for the professor to regain his composure and school his features. "I am." He replies simply.
"Who is he?" Harry asks quietly. Severus sighs and shakes his head.
"That is something I cannot tell you, Harry. You will find out in time, but for now, it is best that you do not know."
"I understand. Goodnight." With that, Harry leaves the room, arguably with more questions than answers. Though, there is one thing he can be sure of, Tom Riddle cannot be trusted.