15th February
"IT WAS HAGRID." Harry announced in the empty common room at midnight as Hermione, Ron and I were packing up, ready to go to bed.
"What?" Ron questioned.
"It was Hagrid who opened the Chamber of Secrets 50 years ago." Harry explained.
I raised an eyebrow at him, "Wise up!" but he simply shook his head, "Proof?" I asked.
Harry held up the diary which he had now discovered belonged to Tom Marvolo Riddle. Tom had preserved his memories on the pages of the diary and had communicated with Harry, sharing that the Chamber was opened 50 years ago by Hagrid who unleashed a deadly creature that killed a student. It was Tom who caught him, that is why he got the award for special services to the school. Now, somehow, Hagrid had reopened the Chamber and set the creature on Hogwarts once more, petrifying Justin, Colin and Nearly Headless Nick, not forgetting Mrs Norris. It was only a matter of time until the creature struck again.
"Wait." I interrupted, "So you're saying that Hagrid, our friend, who may have an interest in magical creatures, would try and hurt students by unleashing something dangerous into the school? He would surely be in Wizarding prison for the murder of the student, and if he was released, surely he wouldn't have a job here, in the place that the incident occurred! It just doesn't make sense!"
Hermione continued, "I think Riddle has the wrong person, it could be another monster that was attacking people, and Hagrid... wouldn't!"
"How many monsters do you think this place can hold?" Ron asked dully.
"Hmmm... let me think... Draco, Snape, Lockhart, this thing that's petrifying people-" I answered, counting with my fingers.
"Ha- ha Kathryn, very funny. You always know how to make light of serious situations." Hermione looked at me sternly. "Look, Harry, you saw Hagrid down in Knockturn Alley during the holidays, what was he doing?"
Harry thought for a second, "Buying flesh-eating slug repellent?"
"And we all know he was expelled?" she added.
"Maybe we should just go ask him?" Ron suggested.
"Yes Ron, you go accusing your half giant friend of opening the Chamber of Secrets and see how that goes down," Harry reasoned, "We'll not say anything to anyone unless there's another attack or I hear the disembodied voices again. It's almost been four months since the attacks, the mandrakes will mature and everything will eventually blow over!"
"I hope that's true, Harry, I hope that's true..." I rested my head on his shoulder lightly and sighed, praying that whoever it was planning these attacks, that they had had their fun and that it was all over. But I really had a hard time settling myself for sleep that night, wondering who the next target could be and how soon...
14th March
"Kathryn?" asked a familiar voice during the weekly potion making class.
"Draco."I answered with a sigh, he hadn't talked to me for a few weeks and I was almost getting used to the silence.
We were making the Drowsiness Draught which truly was the opposite of how our class was acting today- loud and bubbly; we were all happily getting on with the task in hand. Draco must have seen this as an opportune time to have one of his chats that tends to leave one of us traumatised.
"It's been a month since Valentine's Day, isn't that fascinating, how time goes so fast?" Draco said, slightly too upbeat.
"Uh-huh!" I replied, adding crushed beetroot to the potion, making it turn a shade of purple.
"Did you get anything nice?" he asked as though it were a passing question.
I stopped chopping the 'leg of spider', really having to think on the spot and answered, "Not really, no, I think Valentine's Day is a waste of time, people should just have the courage and not be cowardly and wait until the cheesiest and corniest day of the year to embarrass themselves and the receiver," I felt myself ranting, so decided to draw my argument to a close, "I am not your average girl and I think you know that, it's going to take a whole lot more of that person to get any interest from me."
"Like what?" he tried to play cool, thinking he was getting somewhere with me.
Again, I stopped to think about what I was going to say, "A little less boy and a little more sincerity, conscientiousness and manliness."
"Alright then!"
It was at that point that my potion was ready and wished I could take in a whiff to make myself fall into a deep sleep then and there, because I, stupidly, had just given Draco Malfoy a challenge.
3rd April
It was during the Easter Holidays that all second years chose which subjects they were to take in third year. We had to keep on all the subjects we took now, (sadly having to endure potions for a few more years) and choose at least two more from: Arithmancy, Muggle Studies, Divination, Study of Ancient Runes and Care of Magical Creatures.
Neville had owls coming back and forth from his Wizarding family, giving him advice on which subjects are harder than others and which are more interesting than the rest. He seemed to get even more flustered by the letter as I'm guessing he just wanted someone to make the decision for him.
Hermione, Harry and I all grew up with Muggles and didn't have any family to seek advice from. Not that Hermione had much bother as she signed herself up for everything. Harry had resorted to closing his eyes and pointing at subjects with his wand and choosing them. Both Harry and Ron chose the same subjects for the ease of it, knowing they would somehow get through the classes together. I, however, took the whole ordeal very seriously; Percy had some great advice and got me thinking about what I might like and what I think I would be good at.
I sat up really late last night, struggling to make my decisions for today's deadline. I knew so little about this world and sat in wonder of what I could possibly learn and what I could use to benefit me in the future. I had an interest in all five subjects, but I had to be realistic; I was no Hermione Granger...
Fred and George came into the common room sniggering and acting all mischievous as they usually did; I just knew they were up to no good.
"Good evening boys!" I said, cheerfully.
"Evening Miss Pink!" Fred answered, plonking himself in the chair facing me, rubbing his hands together in front of the fire. George, on the other hand, sat himself down beside me, lifting my books and papers, making himself comfy.
"And what shenanigans have you two been up to tonight, then?" I smiled.
Fred appeared rather proud, "See, this is why we like you, Kathryn, you appreciate the important work we do in keeping each and every member of staff on his or her toes."
"We set a cracking jinx on Lockhart's mirror, for every time he looked in it, you want to have heard the screams that came from his room-" George started.
Fred continued, "We changed his shampoo to hair dye-"
"What colour?" I sat forward in anticipation.
"Grey." the two of them said unison.
"Then-" George laughed, struggling for breath, "Then we changed his hair rollers to make his hair seem like it was falling out-" and the three of us laughed for several minutes at the idea- Lockhart with grey hair and bald patches.
"You should have charmed the mirror to say 'Witch Weekly's Ugliest Male Award goes to... Gilderoy Lockhart'. That would have sent him mental!" I spoke in the classic presenter over-the-top voice.
George nodded but shared, "But I think it was at that point he passed out, so we had to go back in the room and fix everything so it seemed like a nightmare-"
"The worst nightmare," I laughed, "What I love is that you know how to fix everything, to make everything alright again before it gets-" at this point I think I was staring at George a little too intently and felt my cheeks reddening.
I also think Fred excused himself up to bed because he seemed to disappear and I didn't see him for the rest of the night.
"Why, what's up, buttercup?" George's eyes were full of concern.
"I'm ok!" I smiled lightly at him, feeling my heart beat faster.
He leaned forward, "We both know that was a lie, what has you up, alone at this time?"
"What has this world got to give me?" I began, but he looked confused, so I explained myself, "I'm a muggle girl, from a muggle world, after seven years of being here, I'm going to return to my old way of life, with Wizarding qualifications and-"
"Oh, Kathryn..." he sighed, "Subject choices?" he asked, looking down at the choice form on his lap.
I nodded.
"You need to stop worrying, you're young, you're smart and you actually study-" he comforted, putting an arm around me.
"I know you don't turn up to half of your lessons, which is why I haven't asked your advice before now!" I stuck my tongue out at him cheekily.
"Fair point." He nodded in appreciation that I knew him, "I think the two of us know each other better than we care to admit, and can coax information that others cannot, so for arguments sake, agree with me." I looked into his eyes and nodded gently, knowing it was true and he continued, "You like working with different people, yeah?"
"Yes!"
"Would you be interested in learning the Wizarding thoughts and ideas and inventions based on muggle objects?"
"Yeah, yeah I would!"
"I thought so! Do you like working with numbers?"
"It depends?"
"What about using numbers and charts to see how the future will unfold?"
"Sounds complicated?"
"Bill took the class, I stayed clear! What about predictions and the future and stuff?"
"Well, I think that everything happens for a reason and that things will happen if they're meant to and I like the idea of being pleasantly surprised, not expectant, it sort of ruins the event, doesn't it?" I think I had babbled on a little too long as George sat for a few seconds, stunned by my answer.
"I didn't have you down as a girl who could wait."
"I will wait if it's for the right thing that will happen at the right time."
I could tell he was trying to formulate an answer, but shook it off and continued his questioning, "Do you like history?"
"If you're talking about Professor Binns, then the answer is no, but I think I'd enjoy the class more if we had a decent teacher, I like history, knowing about our pasts and learning from it."
"Well, if it was translating old languages and Runes into modern day English, would that interest you?"
"I'm not sure, I like puzzles, but I know when enough is enough, learning French in primary school was hard, though!"
He changed to a quizzical expression, "Do you like writing?"
It was at this point that I looked at my diary and looked back at him, slightly more pink in the cheeks, "...yes!" I smiled.
"Are you a caring person? Actually, let me answer that with a 'yes!' but what about creatures- do you want to learn about them?"
I thought about Fluffy and Dragons and Spiders and Unicorns and the creature that was in Hogwarts right at this moment in time and shuttered, "Yeah, why not?"
"So... you don't want to predict the future either through calculations and charts or predictions and crystal balls, so that's divination and Arithmancy off the cards... The Study of Ancient Runes I think you'd love but would find it difficult? As for Muggle Studies and Care of Magical Creatures- you want to link your old life and this new (better) one and you like caring for and looking after others, I think you'd already made your mind up, my friend!" George concluded.
"Thanks, you've been amazing!" I smiled at him, and then yawned; he had been the only one to make me see sense.
I ticked the two extra boxes, so next year I will be studying... Charms, Potions, Transfiguration, Herbology, Astronomy, History of Magic, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Muggle Studies and Care of Magical Creatures. That was a mouthful.
1st May
Harry had been so busy between doing his homework and Quidditch practice for their match against Hufflepuff. Last night after practice, when Hermione and I were at the library getting our essays finished, Harry's dormitory was completely trashed. His stuff was thrown about everywhere, bags emptied and pockets turned out. The person found what they had been looking for- Tom Riddle's diary was the only thing taken. It must have been a fellow Gryffindor who took it, the common room was filled with people and only we knew the passwords. But the main question was: who would want the diary that badly and why?
The next morning, after breakfast the four of us headed back up to the common room to grab Harry's broom and Quidditch robes when he started shouting, "I HEAR IT! I HEAR THE VOICE AGAIN! DIDN'T YOU?"
Hermione slapped her forehead exclaiming, "Harry- I think I've just understood something! I've got to go to the library!"
Then off she ran, leaving us standing dumbfounded.
"What does she understand?" Harry asked, distractedly.
I shrugged as Ron answered, "A whole lot more than I do!"
"But why go to the library?" Harry responded.
"Well, that's obvious, isn't it? That's what Hermione does! When in doubt, go to the library!" I said nonsensically. "I'll catch up with you guys later- good luck if I don't see you before the match starts, Harry!" I then went straight to find Hermione.
"Wh-"
"SHHHHH!" Hermione shushed me. She had her nose in a book called 'Deadly Magical Creatures', scanning the information. After a minute she shut the book tight, handed me her bag and asked, "Get my mirror out, would you?" So I did as she asked, as she lifted another book down from the shelf.
"The library is closed; I trust you'll let yourself out, Miss Granger." Madam Pince hushed voice informed us and then gave me a quizzical, untrusting look.
"Come on, 'mione or we'll miss the match!" I tried hurrying her but with no luck, I found myself getting rather impatient, "right... I'll do a lap- up these stairs to Transfiguration and down the far ones and across again, okay? You'd better be ready by then!" Again she said nothing, so I left, and began walking.
On reaching the next floor, Professor McGonagall was just leaving her classroom, "Everything alright, Miss Pink? I would expect you to be at the match supporting Mr Potter?"
"I'm just on my way, Hermione is just finishing some work in the library and I decided to walk about, rather than slow her down by complaining!" I laughed gently.
McGonagall's lips curled slightly and we started walking down the corridor together, "Whatever would be so important to be studying that couldn't wait?"
"It had better be good, Professor! She wouldn't tell me..." I admitted.
McGonagall then gave me that mothering look that she often did when we were chatting, "I saw you chose Muggle Studies for next year, I was most delighted, I do believe you'll enjoy it, what was the other?" she enquired.
"Care of Magical Creatures."
"Ah, yes, I believe you have chosen well for your strengths and of course you shall be in my transfiguration class as well!"
"I look forward to it!" I sounded dreadfully like a teacher's pet as we reached the bottom of the stairs and I called out, "Hermione, are you ready?"
There was no response, Professor McGonagall stood and waited as I walked down the corridor. I saw something lying on the floor. It wasn't moving. As I approached I realised that it was someone. I realised that it was Hermione. I screamed in pain and crashed down to my knees as I saw my best friend lying there, petrified.