Here we are guys, the last chapters of COS hope you enjoy them. All characters belong to J.K Rowling.
Once everyone had gone to bed, Ginny practically choked down her dreamless potion, but it had been for nothing. Around 3:00am she woke up with a start, she couldn't remember the dream, but she knew it had been a nightmare. She took a deep breath and saw the girls sleeping peacefully next to her, the books were only going to get worse, and she felt a little selfish that she was reacting too badly to them, even though they weren't her thoughts.
For many years when she would go back to think about those moments, she couldn't stop wondering, why had it affected her so much and many times she wanted to go up to Dumbledore and ask him why did a simple book cause so much trouble, what kind of magic did that? But she had been conscious; perhaps Dumbledore wouldn't take those questions lightly and expel her. She started her second year fully prepared to go back to the Chamber of Secrets, she really thought the professors would have wanted to see the creature but no one was interested. McGonagall had forced her to a few afternoon teas; most were nice until she tried forcing her to "talk" now she understands McGonagall wasn't the one she wanted to speak with. Harry and her brother well, they were always busy with their own thing.
Tomorrow they will ask her questions, Moody was itching for asking. She knew that after they finish the books, a few were going to end down the chamber. Remus and the Headmaster were one of them, would she be invited? Did she even want to be invited? She took a deep breath, she was riling herself, the best thing she could do was try to go back to sleep.
…..
By 7:00 AM, the house started waking up. Ginny woke once again at 5:00 AM and realized that she wasn't going to go back to sleep. Again, she was the first in the kitchen.
Tonks was the first one down.—"Are you OK, kid?"
"Yes, I'm fine. I slept a decent amount until the potion lost his effect. But I'm OK."
"Ginny, can I ask you something?"
Ginny laughed –"people are going to be asking me a few things today, so yes, feel free to."
"Why haven't you talked about this with anyone? Last night, Molly and Arthur, they stayed behind to discuss some things with the "grown-ups" and they told us that you rarely talk about this."
"Sincerely, no one asked. I spoke to the mine healer in Egypt, I talked with him almost every day it was nice but after that, well dads in the ministry, we had to go back to Hogwarts, talking with Mom is not always the best option. I love her, but she can go mental and McGonagall invited me a few times with her and ask me how I was coping, but she was to…nice.
"Well damn her for being nice"—Tonks laughed—"I get it you didn't want anyone to cuddle, you wanted someone to reprimand you for what you did."
"A few yells would've been nice"
Tonks nodded and was about to say something when she heard steps coming down the stairs.—"Just be aware Moody will have a few insensitive questions, he doesn't mean anything by it."
Ginny nodded the moment that Molly walked in. She fussed over both of them and started making breakfast, soon everyone was walking in and having breakfast, quickly they were on the way to the Ballroom. Dumbledore did the charm and soon the book was reading again.
Chapter 12 The Polyjuice potion.
Professor McGonagall told him to wait and left him there alone.
"Seriously, Minerva. Poor boy probably was terrified."
Dumbledore was by far the most interest
"Anyone that wishes to visit is welcome."
Harry stared at the black inside the hat(…) I wanted to ask(…)You've Been wondering whether I put you in the right house(…)You would have Done well in Slytherin.
"Ooh, I bet that wasn't what you wanted to hear."—Ginny said sympathetic.
"If he had told me that any other moment, I wouldn't have cared"
Harry stared at it and the bird looked balefully back, Harry was just thinking that all he needed was for Dumbledore's pet bird to die while he was alone in the office with it. (…) When the bird burst into flames.
That caused many of the adults to start laughing.
"Oi don't laugh, I was terrified. My thoughts and Fawkes burning aligned together; I thought I had killed it with my sight."
That made Sirius Laugh even harder.
"It's actually quite interesting that Fawkes allowed you to see him on his burning day, it's when they're most vulnerable."—
"We have a connection"— Harry said, putting his wand up.
Before Dumbledore could speak another word, Hagrid burst in. A wild look in his eyes(...) It wasn't Harry, Professor Dumbledore…. I was talking ter Him.
"Whoa, Hagrid, You were on a mission.
"I was leaving the school when I heard the commotion and I ran into Professor McGonagall. She told me she'd taken Harry up to Professor Dumbledore. I actually ran."
"Thank you, Hagrid."— Harry said. "I know it must have been very difficult for you."
I must ask you. Harry. Whether there's anything you'd like to. Tell me. He said gently.
Harry flinched at those words. He knew he should've told him at least something, but what good would've that done; he didn't believe Dumbledore would've fixed everything.
"You're not going to tell him, are you?"— Tonks asked. They really needed to work in making Harry trust them - She thought.
Harry didn't know what to say. Now he thought of Malfoy shouting. You'll be next mudbloods.!... What Ron had said, hearing voices no one else can hear, is not a good sign. Even in the Wizarding world.
"This is why you should always have tact."— Charlie pointed at his brother.
"I don't blame Harry for not telling anyone."
Snape sneered at George— "Really, Mr. Weasley because it would have saved us a lot of trouble"—
"Exactly how?"—Ginny talked back to Snape-
"Harry tells him about the voice and Professor Dumbledore would have been oh "Harry my boy. I will look into it" and then what, because I remember correctly that two students had been attacked by that point and our rooms were not searched, our backpacks were not searched our persons were not searched our wands were not searched. I highly doubt Harry telling all of his secrets, you would have done nothing."
"Things still would have found their way to happen."—Hermione sighed, agreeing with Ginny.
McGonagall, who had been used to Ginny's angry tone of voice, looked unperturbed. Dumbledore did not like how people mock his comfort voice, and Snape just stared impassively at the girl. He wasn't used to her talking back at him, but realized that her anger wasn't directed at him.
The double attack on Justin and nearly headless Nick. Turn what had hitherto be nervousness into real panic. Curiously, it was nearly Headless. Nick fates. That seemed to worry people most.
"Obviously, what kills a ghost a second time?"
"Technically, he wasn't dead."
"It doesn't matter. It's very rare when something disturbs a ghost"—Andromeda said, she couldn't stop thinking about the monster. It was a snake. Yes, but she really couldn't remember any type of snake that could petrify.
Harry was glad most people were leaving. … As though he was about to sprout fangs or spit poison.
"One of your students is suffering abuse from his peers, and none of you realize this?"—Amelia shook her head.
"We did, and I informed Gryffindor house that I wasn't going to tolerate it. I know that Sprout also spoke with Hufflepuff, but they are children people were scared"
Harry made a disbelief face to McGonagall. He had been scared too.
Fred and George, however, found all this very funny. They went out of their way to March ahead of Harry down the corridors, shouting "make way for the heir of Slytherin evil wizard coming through"
Harry chuckled, that had made him feel a little less scared.
"Boys!"
"Don't"— said Ginny to her father—"It did make me paranoid, but it was just me, someone needed to fix the tension, so don't reprimand them for being themselves."
The twins smiled at their sister, but they still feel guilty of not paying close attention to her, they both flinch when they realize how uncomfortable they had made her.
"Still, Ginny, we're sorry for making you uncomfortable."
"I don't think you were making me uncomfortable as you were making the voice inside my head uncomfortable. But it's alright. I do remember seeing a few people smile at that."
Harry found it peaceful, rather than gloomy, and enjoyed the fact that he, Hermione, and the Weasleys had the run of Gryffindor Tower, which meant they could play Exploding Snap loudly without bothering anyone, and practice dueling in private.
"Did you learn anything?"— Kingsley asked them.
"Oh yes"— the twin said. –"We taught them a few Jinxes."
"Harry perfected his signature move."
Harry turned around to glare at Hermione.
Fred, George, and Ginny had chosen to stay at school rather than visit Bill in Egypt with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Percy, who disapproved of what he termed their childish behavior, didn't spend much time in the Gryffindor common room.
"We should have known that he never cared for this family."
Percy looked up at George. –"That's not true."
"Really because all the dialogue you have in these two books have been about how you much disapprove of us, how much we embarrass you …."—Fred made so on gesture with his hand.
Percy frown, he never meant it like that, he only wanted his brothers to take their education seriously.
"Wake up," she said loudly, pulling back the curtains at the window.
"Hermione — you're not supposed to be in here
"Why are girls allowed into the boys dormitory but not the other way around?"
"Girls are more mature."
"Sure."— Tonks smiled petulant to McGonagall, who glared at the girl.
Dumbledore chuckled- "We know that girls go into the boys dormitories. But girls are more sensitive. They are ladies. They know how to behave, while boys are more reckless."—
Remus, Sirius, Charlie and Bill shared a look. They could remember how well behave their girlfriends had been in some of their sleepovers. They were sure McGonagall would not approve of such things.
Molly made a disapproving sound—"I still think the charm should be put into the boys dormitories."—
"You're only saying that because you're a mom, but I'm sure, you visit Arthur a few times"—Amelia laughed. Molly looked scandalized and didn't know what to respond, making a few of her children gag.
"Teachers can't control everything." –Snape said
"I've been up for nearly an hour, adding more lacewings to the potion. It's ready." (…) Harry sat up, suddenly wide awake. (…) "Are you sure?" (…) "Positive," said Hermione, shifting Scabbers the rat so that she could sit down
"Yuck. I touched it."
"You really are going through with it"—Luna said disapprovingly.
Hedwig swooped into the room, carrying a very small package in her beak (…)"Hello," said Harry happily as she landed on his bed. "Are you speaking to me again?" (…) She nibbled his ear in an affectionate sort of way.
Remus smiled— "She really was mad at you"—
"She was, I would go up to the Owlery, and she wouldn't talk to me. I even tried to catch mice for her, she's a diva"
"And obviously, it'll be best if you can get something of Crabbe's and Goyle's; they're Malfoys best friends, (…) "I've got it all worked out," she went on smoothly, ignoring Harry's and Ron's stupefied faces.
"Hermione, does your brain ever stops?"—Fred said
"Yes, umm well no, but it quiets down sometimes"—Hermione shrug
"I've filled these with a simple Sleeping Draught. All you have to do is make sure Crabbe and Goyle find them. You know how greedy they are, they're bound to eat them.
"No one is that stupid"—Ted said laughing but saw Snape face and quiet down.
"Hermione you really wanted to try out the potion didn't you?"—Remus shook his head, he couldn't blame her, the feeling of in adventure was what made him become friends with the Marauders.
"Are you sure it's Bulstrodes Hair?"—Mad-eye asked
"No, I made a mistake"—Hermione grimace
"That's what I thought"
Harry had perched the chocolate cakes on the end of the banisters.(…) "How thick can you get?" Ron whispered ecstatically as Crabbe gleefully pointed out the cakes to Goyle and grabbed them(…)they both keeled over backward onto the floor. By far the hardest part was hiding them in the closet across the hall
"No fucking way"—Tonks laughed
"I don't know who I should be angry at, the two idiots that got drugged or Miss Granger for drugging them. You could've poisoned them"—Snape said angrily, looking at Dumbledore, expecting him to reprimand the girl.
"It was a low sleeping potion that you taught us in first year. They were fine"—Hermione answered back.
They also stole their shoes, because their own were far too small for Crabbe - and Goyle-size feet. Then, still stunned at what they had just done.
"OK, you have the shoes, you need the clothes"—Kingsley said
"Don't encourage them"—Molly said, she was just reacting to what the children were doing.—"What do you think you're doing, the three of you"
"Finding out the truth Mrs. Weasley"—Harry stated plainly
"That wasn't for you to do"—
"No one was doing anything"—Ron said, not trying to be mean, just stating the facts.
"I was so nervous they would get caught"—Hermione said to everyone. Ignoring Mrs. Weasley glare.
"Good. And I sneaked these spare robes out of the laundry," Hermione said, holding up a small sack. "
"I'm impress, Hermione"—Sirius said to the girl.
Close up, the potion looked like thick, dark mud, bubbling sluggishly.
The potion master leaned into the book, he knew Granger could follow instruction which made her descent in his class, she just lacked the passion and understanding of brewing.
Everyone was expectant of Snape's reaction.
A second later, it had turned a sick sort of yellow.
"You did it"—Amelia said surprised
"Nice"—the twins said it had taken them until third year to achieve it.
"Once we return to Hogwarts you will brew the potion for me, if it's done correctly you will go without punishment, if you make a mistake, you will have detention until Easter."—Snape said looking directly at Hermione who nodded.
Augusta leaned into Neville—"I know she has helped you, lets turned it into tutoring."
"What does the colour mean?"—Fleur asked.
Snape was going to force Granger to answer but decided against it, he would wait until Hogwarts.—"The brighter the colour the better the taste, it is said the colour reflects the essence of a person. The potion would reflect how much of a good person you are."
"Fascinating, does the taste have anything to do with the person itself?"
"Like if that was the taste the person would have if you eat them?" –Hermione asked thoughtfully.
Fred and George frown, their potion tasted like lemon and grapes.
"Yes, it could be"—Snape continued
Pinching his nose, Harry drank the potion down in two large gulps. It tasted like overcooked cabbage. (…) Immediately, his insides started writhing as though he'd just swallowed live snakes then a burning sensation spread rapidly from his stomach to the very ends of his fingers and toes — next, bringing him gasping to all fours, came a horrible melting feeling, as the skin all over his body bubbled like hot wax — and before his eyes, his hands began to grow, the fingers thickened, the nails broadened, the knuckles were bulging like bolts — his shoulders stretched painfully and a prickling on his forehead told him that hair was creeping down toward his eyebrows — his robes ripped as his chest expanded like a barrel bursting its hoops — his feet were agony in shoes four sizes too small. (…) Harry lay face down on the stone-cold floor,
"The first time hurts, your skin rearranges itself"—Alastor said—"It's a feeling you have to get use to"
"I don't feel like ever trying that potion"—Ginny said disgusted
"Potions should be taking seriously, what you three did was dangerous and reckless"—Luna said, shaking her head.
"You have no concern for your safety"—Andromeda said, pinching the bridge of her nose
"We know, but really we had to do something. Everyone was tense, afraid, and it felt like no one was doing anything"—Hermione said looking at everyone.
"You never used it?"—Harry asked Sirius and Remus.
"A few times, in fifth year, Dorcas got your mom to make some for her, and she gave it to us. People were getting suspicious of my disappearances and the boys would impersonate me…"
Sirius nodded and said—"BUT! Your mom made it which meant it was approved by Slughorn, so we knew it was perfect"
Harry nodded but had no idea who Slughorn was and why did it matter that his mom had made it, one more thing to ask later.
He banged on Hermione's door. "C'mon, we need to go —" (… A high-pitched voice answered him. (…) "I — I don't think I'm going to come after all. You go on without me."
"That's not nice, no girl is ugly"—Molly said
"It wasn't her hair, was it?"
Harry looked at his watch. Five of their precious sixty minutes had already passed.
"That's right, don't waste time"
"Don't encourage them… they did something very dangerous"—Minerva shook her head, how is that no one realized about these situations.
"Like none of you are actually curious about what they might discover"
"Good Memory Weasley"—Said Moody, with a little bit more of training these two could be good Aurors.
Snape rolled his eyes at both boys.—"You could have at least made sure to know where you were going"
"Is that Ravenclaw girl your girlfriend, Percy?"
"You lost so much time because you couldn't do some Intel before your mission."
It wasn't a Slytherin, it was Percy. (…) "What're you doing down here?" said Ron in surprise. (…) Percy looked affronted.
"That was you!"—Percy looked equally affronted.
"Yes, and I now realize you were alone with Penelope in the deeps parts of the dungeons"—Ron stated
"We were patrolling. Keeping everyone save"
"More like keeping each other entertain"—Remus said to Sirius, and then looked embarrass when he realized everyone heard.
-"He was a prefect too"
"That's the Slytherin password. This is why you have a bad reputation, of all the things you can use"—Luna said disappointed
The Slytherin common room was a long, low underground room with rough stone walls and ceiling from which round, greenish lamps were hanging on chains
"It doesn't sound cosy"
"It was nice, not as cosy as Gryffindor, but it was pretty"
INQUIRY AT THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC
Arthur Weasley, Head of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office, was today fined fifty Galleons for bewitching a Muggle car.
Mr. Lucius Malfoy, a governor of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where the enchanted car crashed earlier this year, called today for Mr. Weasley's resignation. "Weasley has brought the Ministry into disrepute," Mr. Malfoy told our reporter. "He is clearly unfit to draw up our laws and his ridiculous Muggle Protection Act should be scrapped immediately."
Mr. Weasley was unavailable for comment, although his wife told reporters to clear off or she'd set the family ghoul on them.
"I thought you said you weren't fined"—Sirius said to Arthur, narrowing his eyes at Harry
"Don't worry Sirius, I have connections I wasn't fined."
"And who are these connections?"—Amelia shook her head—"Does everyone does what they want in the Ministry?"
"Don't let the boy get to you, you have a mission to do. PAY ATTENTION!"—Kingsley said
If anyone turned to look at Snape you would see his normal blank expression but inside he was fuming, Draco had never even realized, he never told him about his friends acting strange.
"You know, I'm surprised the Daily Prophet hasn't reported all these attacks yet," (…) "I suppose Dumbledore's trying to hush it all up. Father's always said old Dumbledore's the worst thing that's ever happened to this place.
Dumbledore frowned at Draco's speech, he knew this type of behaviour could become very aggressive; it could get Draco or someone else in danger. He turned to look at Severus; they were going to need to do something.
"People knew about the attacks, but Fudge was keeping it quiet. The parents of the students were informed, Minerva went to speak with them"—Dumbledore said
"This boy is annoying, he's just repeating what he hears from his father say"—Augusta shook her head.
"I wish I knew who it is," said Malfoy petulantly. "I could help them."
"Help them do what, murder?"—Mad-eye said, yes the boy was Lucius Malfoy son, but he was twelve.
Snape closed his eyes, the life of a death eater wasn't a life he wanted for his godson.
it was fifty years ago, so it was before his time it was all kept quiet.
"It was not kept quiet. The muggle family did try to sue the Ministry, but the muggle world was different back then and the wizarding world was recovering from the war with Grindelwald."—Dumbledore stated
Last time the Chamber of Secrets was opened, a Mudblood died. So I bet it's a matter of time before one of them's killed this time… I hope it's Granger," he said with relish.
Hermione and a few other people gasp at Malfoys words.
-"You boys never told me that"—she frowned at her friends
"There was no need for you to know that"—Harry said while Ron hold her hand.
"You"—Andromeda pointed at Snape—"This is your godson, does my sister know this is her son, he's twelve he's talking about murdering and wishing peoples death, if you're really remorseful of your sins like Dumbledore believes, you would've done better in advising him."
"I can't control Draco, you know who his father is. There's a limit to what I can do."—Snape said, shaking his head, but he knew he would immediately discuss this with Draco.
Ginny had to bite her tongue, but she felt Draco was already too far gone.
Azkaban?" said Harry, puzzled. (…) "Azkaban — the wizard prison
"Foreshadowing"—Arthur said surprise.
"You need to open a book, Harry"—Tonks said
"Lucius is a fucking idiot, he unleashed a power he didn't know anything about into the school with his own son, not knowing his son could've become Ba…Monster food"—Ginny said quickly
Nymphadora and Remus wrote down ´BA´´
But luckily, we've got our own secret chamber under the drawing-room floor —"
This time, Snape facepalm himself.
"Interesting"—Arthur said—"Pity I can't go there now"
"Why not, we could have a team march in there, the moment these books are done"
"Unless you want to come face to face with the Dark Lord, I advise against it"
Amelia looked in shock—"Voldemort is at Malfoy Manor?"
"Not all the time, he spends a few days a week there. Malfoy is his bank, and his most trustworthy followers are in Azkaban."
"Always pay attention to the time"—Mad-eye said
"You never sent me that letter"—Arthur said smiling, he knew why his son hadn't, he would have asked too many questions.
Her face was covered in black fur. Her eyes had turned yellow and there were long, pointed ears poking through her hair.(…) "It was a c-cat hair!" she howled
"Oh no"—Molly lamented
Snape was laughing.—"I expect you learned your lesson"
"Yes, verify if it's human hair"
Madam Pomfrey never asks too many questions…" (…)"Wait till everyone finds out you've got a tail!"
"Madam Pomfrey needs to start asking more questions"—
"Then she would never have anyone in the hospital wing."—Minerva said, sounding disapprovingly.
"She knew it was poly juice, I told her I had everything wrong. She called me foolish but fixed me"
CHAPTER THIRTEEN—The Very Secret Diary
Ginny braced herself; she and Harry shared a look.
Hermione remained in the hospital wing for several weeks
"What did you tell people?"
"That I had tried to transfigure myself"
"My Lord, all those titles"—Augusta said disgusted, to Lockhart's get well card.
(…)"But it can't hurt you if someone throws something at you," said Harry, reasonably. "I mean, it'd just go right through you, wouldn't it?"
"Harry, you don't talk to girls like that"
"If she spends all day thinking about death, why doesn't she cross over?"
A small, thin book lay there. It had a shabby black cover and was as wet as everything else in the bathroom. Harry stepped forward to pick it up Ron suddenly flung out an arm to hold him back.
"Good job Ron"—Mr. Weasley praised his son
Everyone looked horrified at the description of Arthurs job, who knew books could do all that damage.
"Hermione, this is why you're not allowed to touch some books in the library"—Sirius smiled at the girl.—"They are dangerous for Muggleborns."
Well, we won't find out unless we look at it," he said, and he ducked around Ron and picked it up off the floor.
Remus and Sirius looked unimpressed with Harry.
Ginny shook her head—"You should've left it on the floor"
"I couldn't help it, I wanted to grab it"
"I know…"—She sighed sadly, it had happened to her too.
"So its curse?"
Harry nodded—"I believe it had a compulsive charm"
He opened it eagerly. On the first page he could just make out the name "T M. Riddle" in smudged ink.
"Voldemort"—Sirius and Andromeda said
"You… how do you know?"—Ginny said surprised
"Our family love. My grandfather went to school with him, so did Malfoys Father. My family hosted dinners for the young talented wizard, far before he became Lord Voldemort. I was young, but I remember." –Andromeda said.
Sirius had grabbed Harry by the shoulder. If he knew correctly, that book was what possessed Ginny, and now Harry had it in his hands.
T. M. Riddle got an award for special services to the school fifty years ago."
"The trophy is still there, by the way"—Ginny said angrily.
"He must've been Muggle-born," said Harry thoughtfully. "To have bought a diary from Vauxhall Road…"
"Good observation Potter"
"Voldemort is a muggle born?"—Neville asked, but only received a few shrugs.
"Really, Ron, poor Myrtle."
Oooh, it might have hidden powers," said Hermione enthusiastically, taking the diary and looking at it closely.
"Don't touch anything that isn't yours"—Arthur said disapprovingly.
Maybe he murdered Myrtle; that would've done everyone a favour…"
"RONALD!"—Mrs. Weasley said, but Ron had gone pale for a different reason. He didn't remember saying that.
"Do you have seers in your family?"— Harry whispered
"Really Harry…"—Hermione disapproved
Ginny was starting to hyperventilate.
"Ginny breath"—Charlie gave her a little shake.
"You three are fucking idiots"—Ginny said between breaths.—"Do you know that he was listening to everything… that he was manipulating you to use it."
Bill stood up at that comment, scaring Fleur—"What do you mean listening? I thought you wrote on it"
" I did, but he would sometimes ask me things that I had said out loud or only thought about it, that's why I threw it away, mind you I should've done it better, but it was terrifying when I realized how much control he had."
Bill looked concerned, memories didn't do that, what Ginny was describing was Dark Magic.
"Bill, what is it?"—Remus asked, he too realized the book wasn't normal and the more they were in contact with it the more danger they were in, but Bill's face indicated something more.
"That's Dark Magic…it's working like a weapon"
Harry couldn't explain, even to himself, why he didn't just throw Riddle's diary away. The fact was that even though he knew the diary was blank, he kept absentmindedly picking it up and turning the pages, as though it were a story he wanted to finish.
"He's possessing you already"—Tonks said, alarmed.
"No, not yet"—Ginny stated
it still seemed to mean something to him, almost as though Riddle was a friend he'd had when he was very small, and had half-forgotten.
Bill frowned, what the hell was Harry talking about, they would have to have a connection, but how deep did that connection went?
Remus was looking at Bill, but he didn't miss Dumbledore sombre expression. There was something there, Bill was figuring something out and Dumbledore already knew.
"He sounds like Percy," said Ron, wrinkling his nose in disgust. "Prefect, Head Boy… probably top of every class —"
"You compared me to Voldemort"—Percy said, horrified.
"No, I compared you to Tom Riddle, the person he was before becoming a maniac"
"You say that like it's a bad thing," said Hermione in a slightly hurt voice.
"There's nothing wrong with that Mione, it is wrong when you want all those things and give your back to your family for power and success. There's a limit for power before it changes you"—Ron said, making his brother look at him with surprise.
"Teenage Mandrakes are not fun"—Remus said, shuddering at his teenage memory.
Gilderoy Lockhart seemed to think he himself had made the attacks stop (…)"I think the Chamber has been locked for good this time. The culprit must have known it was only a matter of time before I caught him
"How narcissist do you have to be"
The walls were all covered with large, lurid pink flowers. Worse still, heart-shaped confetti was falling from the pale blue ceiling. Harry went over to the Gryffindor tablewhere Ron was sitting looking sickened, and Hermione seemed to have been overcome with giggles.
"Ahh, how cute we get to see you go through puberty"—Tonks mocked the trio
"It was disgusting"—
-"a pink monstrosity – the twins said
Harry could see a muscle going in Professor McGonagall's cheek. Snape looked as though someone had just fed him a large beaker of SkeleGro. (…) "Happy Valentine's Day!" Lockhart shouted
"Valentines is not necessarily a wizarding celebration"—Augusta shook her head, Hogwarts had let tradition get lost.
Not just any dwarfs, however. Lockhart had them all wearing golden wings and carrying harps.
Luna spoke—"I was very offended by this, those dwarfs did not want that job"
"Hermione, why are you not saying anything about this"
"I was not happy"
"That's harassment; having strange men following students around the school doesn't sound like a good idea"
"It wasn't"—Ginny said, blushing—"I will bat-boogie anyone who laughs"
Why not ask Professor Snape to show you how to whip up a Love Potion!(…) Snape was looking as though the first person to ask him for a Love Potion would be force-fed poison
"He didn't"—George smiled at Snape
"How many people did those dwarfs embarrassed?"
"Valentine should be private"
Oy, you! 'Arry Potter!" shouted a particularly grim-looking dwarf(…)Not here," Harry hissed, trying to escape. (…) "Stay still!" grunted the dwarf, grabbing hold of Harry's bag and pulling him back.(…)"Let me go!" Harry snarled, tugging
Sirius was laughing—"No, Ginny love why…"—Sirius didn't even finish before he had to duck.
"Ginevra! You can't do magic"
"I can in this house, I gave a warning"—she glared at Sirius, who put a protego in front of him, so he could keep laughing.
"Right," he said, sitting on Harry's ankles. "Here is your singing valentine:
His eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad,
His hair is as dark as a blackboard,
I wish he was mine,
he's really divine,
The hero who conquered the Dark Lord
Harry would have given all the gold in Gringotts to evaporate on the spot. Trying valiantly to laugh along with everyone else, he got up
"Kill me, kill me now"—Ginny said out loud, feeling the embarrassment she felt that time.
Tonks finally understood why Ginny had so much trouble with Harry—"Oh, Ginny..."
"That's actually sweet"—Remus smiled kindly at Ginny. Who appreciated it and smiled back before she hid in her brother's shoulder.
"I have nothing to say"—Sirius said trying hard not to laugh—"That was poetic, that…"—Harry gave him a sharp hit in the ribs to stop laughing, they were making Ginny uncomfortable, and he was starting to feel embarrass again.
"Mom, you should write it in a Christmas jumper"
"Stop!"—Fleur said, glaring at everyone—"She was eleven, and it's actually a really sweet poem, just badly delivered. I'm sure if she would've given in it to Harry in private or anonymously, Harry would've found it cute"
Everyone sobered up. They weren't expecting Fleur to be the one to come to her defence.
"Ginny it's OK, It wasn't bad it was just the wrong the time."—Harry said quietly, but Ginny was trying to bury herself into the couch.
A hush fell over the onlookers. Ginny was staring from the diary to Harry, looking terrified.
"I was"—she whispered
but Harry had lost his temper. He pulled out his wand and shouted, "Expelliarmus!"
"I hope you know other spells."—Remus mocked
Harry rolled his eyes—"I didn't think a Furnunculus would've been well received"
"did you even knew how to do that?"—Charlie mocked
Luna smiled—"Ah Ron, you were going to defend Ginny's honour"
"Of course I was, no one mocks our sister… but us"
"It observes the ink"—Arthur said, trying to remember if he ever had a situation like that.
"Ron's wand is long gone, how did no one realize?"—Ted Tonks said, shaking his head.
McGonagall pressed her lips, she wasn't going to deny she missed the wand being that damage, but even she wasn't going to point out that the Weasley's would've been unable to afford a new one.
The ink shone brightly on the paper for a second and then, as though it was being sucked into the page, vanished. Excited, Harry loaded up his quill a second time and wrote, "My name is Harry Potter
Ginny growled—"HARRY POTTER! You couldn't have started with Hello, or today is Valentine's Day…. NO! let's start with your freaking name"—
Harry jumped at her screaming his name and turned all panicky at Sirius who shook his head in defeat.—"Don't look at me kid, I'm with her."
"This is why you need good DADA teachers."—Amelia massaged her temples.
"Oh I'm working on that"—McGonagall eyed Remus. Sirius saw that and frowned. Was he going to lose his friend soon? He quickly shook his head, if McGonagall offered him the job again he would make sure Remus took it, Maybe Professor Lupin decided to adopt a dog.
Hello, Harry Potter. My name is Tom Riddle. How did you come by my diary?"
Everyone groaned. Bill turned to Ginny –"Ginny, that didn't look suspicious to you?"—He said, trying not to sound angry.
"Not really. Dad only shared his work with you boys. So how was I to know it could be dangerous, I thought mom had bought for me."
"I mean that this diary holds memories of terrible things. Things that were covered up. Things that happened at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
"He's baiting you"—Remus looked alarmed.
But this was a lie. In my fifth year, the Chamber was opened and the monster attacked several students, finally killing one. I caught the person who'd opened the Chamber and he was expelled.
"Who was the student?"
Amelia frowned. She looked up at Hagrid, she remembered Fudge telling her Hogwarts gamekeeper had been a suspect back then, but…he assured her he was guilty.
"I can show you, if you like, "came Riddle's reply. "I can take you inside my memory of the night when I caught him."
"Tell me you said no"—Charlie said
"Harry this isn't normal behaviour for books"—Remus started, but Harry just glared and said—"I know that, but we were desperate for information"
"You, you were the one who needed answers…"—Augusta said, shaking her head.
"Yes, me, the one that was being pointed at and students were terrified of. I need to know what was going on"
"Of course you agreed"
"Your bravery is going to kill you"—Neville stated
"Bravery or idiocy"—Snape added, looking both at Harry and Ginny.
Bill, Remus, Dumbledore, Alastor and Snape leaned forward, eager to learn more of how this book worked.
The pages of the diary began to blow as though caught in a high wind, stopping halfway through the month of June. (…) he raised the book to press his eye against the little window, (…) the window was widening, he felt his body leave his bed, and he was pitched headfirst through the opening in the page.
"Like a pensive, interesting"—Bill said and stopped when he saw Charlie fanning Ginny. Everyone was looking at her.
"He did this with you?"—Mr. Weasley swallowed
She mumbled something under her breath
"Ginny"—Arthur said a little more sternly. He had given Ginny a good reprimand when it had happened and spent hours teaching her the dangers of the unknown, but he never thought it had been this …physical.
"Yes, to show me how to open the chamber, to control the monster, Tom likes to talk if he believes he is proving a point."
No one said anything and went back to the book.
Tonks made a disproving sound—"The fact that you don't know it's a memory is what makes all of this more terrifying. You practically left your bed, you're inside the Diary probably lost forever, and you don't realize that"
The memory went on and Harry said—"See, I noticed"
"You gave him enough to time to kill you"
You live in a Muggle orphanage during the holidays, I believe?" said Dippet curiously.
"Yes, sir," said Riddle, reddening slightly.
"You are Muggle-born?"
"Half-blood, sir," said Riddle. "Muggle father, witch mother."
"You're joking, right"—Neville stuttered
"You-know-who is a half-blood?"—Luna asked in surprise, her eyes got even bigger.
"They know, his followers know he is a half-blood, anyone who knows his real name. Though he's made sure no one recognizes by it now."—Harry answered with disgust.
George thought of the Malfoys. — "Why follow him then? Why let a half-blood dictate your life if you're such a powerful pureblood"—
"Power son. It's all about what he can do and how he has managed it"
"Then that's just sick."
Amelia didn't know what to say. Her parents had never been true believers of pureblood supremacy, her brother had been a huge supporter of alliances with magical creatures, and she had been raised to judge people through their crimes not for their physical or magical appearance. –"I never considered doing research of his family; I don't think I ever questioned it. Did…did my brother and father knew"—Amelia asked Dumbledore.
"I'm not certain about Edgar, but your father graduated a few years before Tom. I suppose he might have had a small suspicion."
"Marvolo? As in Marvolo Gaunt, I thought his bloodline had died out?"—Sirius said, remembering his pureblood lessons.
Dumbledore shook his head in negative, but didn't say more.
Tonks wrote down. Murdered girl, in the parchment.
Riddle stopped, and so did Harry, watching him. Harry could tell that Riddle was doing some serious thinking. He was biting his lip, his forehead furrowed.
"He was always a quick thinker"—Albus sighed
Hagrid started shaking his head; he didn't want to remember this. It had caused him a lot of pain.
"Hagrid, you don't have to listen to this"—McGonagall said calmly.
"No, it's OK. I want to stay"
"Dumbles was a red-head?"—Fred said, slightly changing the tension.
"Not entirely"—Dumbledore chuckled.
"He didn't like you"—Ginny stated—"He would say you were always on his way."
Dumbledore nodded—"I was in charge of bringing his letter, the boy I meet and the boy that arrived to Hogwarts was different. I was expecting some rebellious personality, he was the perfect everything, but he always walked around as if he was suspicious of everyone."
"Evening, Rubeus," said Riddle sharply. (…)"I'm going to have to turn you in, Rubeus."
"You were in school with Voldemort"—Sirius yelped—
"Voldemort incriminated you, that shit"—Charlie gapped
"How old are you, Hagrid?"—Ted asked, not realizing Hagrid was quite up in the years.
"65, this year"
Molly thought—"So that would make Voldemort what…67, 68"—she turned around for confirmation, and she got it from Snape, who gave her a small nod, he was trying to keep as quiet as possible.
A vast, low-slung, hairy body and a tangle of black legs; a gleam of many eyes and a pair of razor-sharp pincers. (…)"It was Hagrid, Ron. Hagrid opened the Chamber of Secrets fifty years ago."
"Sorry Hagrid, I assumed too quickly"
"It's all right arry, I know why you did it"
"You were the one who started the acromantulas nest"—Remus laughed humorless, he didn't remember much of their nights out of the shack but he could remember the acid scent moony would smell when they were near.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN –Cornelius Fudge
Hagrid looked down in anger—"I would never hurt any more."
"We know Hagrid, we are sorry for doubting you."—Hermione said
"That'd be a cheerful visit," said Ron. "'Hello, Hagrid. Tell us, have you been setting anything mad and hairy loose in the castle lately?'"
"That conversation wouldn't have gone well"
The time had come to choose their subjects for the third year, a matter that Hermione, at least, took very seriously.(…) "I just want to give up Potions," said Harry.(…) "We can't," said Ron gloomily. "We keep all our old subjects, or I'd've ditched Defense Against the Dark Arts."
"When I was in Hogwarts, I hated that no one talks you through this. Those who have brothers or parents who went to Hogwarts are lucky, but the muggle born or children with no family choose with no consideration."—Remus said, shaking his head. During his teaching year, many second years had come to him for advice, but he knew not all students felt comfortable asking questions.
"Hogwarts has a good curriculum, it just needs polishing"—Kingsley added to Dumbledore's frown.
"Potions is vital for careers options and it's lacking"—Amelia said, writing things down.
Snape glare at her –"Beg your pardon, I do what I can with what I have"—
Amelia wasn't fazed. –"No, you don't. But that is not something to discuss right now"-
"I think it is"—Sirius said, turning around to look at Harry—"What did you choose?"
"Divination and care of magical creatures"—He said grimacing at divination, he really had chosen wrong.
Sirius pressed his lips and look at the teachers—"None of you suggested something different?"
"What's wrong?"
"With care of magical creature nothing, with Divination everything, it's a waste of time unless you're a seer. Arithmancy or Runes would've been better option, your father took Arithmancy and…"
Molly added disapprovingly— "Harry is his own person"—
Sirius glared at her.—"Yes, but he's in heir to in ancient house Molly, that means something no matter Dumbledore, you or McGonagall never discussing it with him. He needs to prepare for the role. So Arithmancy is for his accounts, investments and transactions which he has, and Runes always looks good in a curriculum especially if he wants to apply for the Unspeakables, Gringotts or Aurors."
Harry leaned back in his chair; he had made a mess of his subjects. Why had no one had talked to him about this, yes maybe he never asked, but how was he supposed to know? By the second year, he didn't even know he had a home, let alone assets.
Molly pressed her lips. She had never really considered Harry's name in all of this. Arthur was the one that took charge of explaining things to the boys.
Sirius was glaring at McGonagall and Dumbledore. So Remus reassured Harry—"Don't worry Harry you can take the OWLS and NEWTS of both subject you just have to study on your own. We can work on that during the Summer."
Harry nodded; it wouldn't do him any wrong if he started sooner. Maybe after the holidays, he could make a study program with Hermione. He turned around to look at her, and she smiled and nodded, she had been thinking the same thing.
Neville Longbottom had been sent letters from all the witches and wizards in his family, all giving him different advice on what to choose
"And yet you chose whatever you wanted."—Augusta pressed.
"It's never too early to think about the future, so I'd recommend Divination. (…) he has to deal with Muggle business all the time. My brother Charlie was always more of an outdoor type, so he went for Care of Magical Creatures. Play to your strengths, Harry." (…) But the only thing Harry felt he was really good at was Quidditch (…) he chose the same new subjects as Ron.
"Hermione most of the classes happen at the same time, how is that going to work?"
"That was your advice, Percy? You left the boys in the same position, clueless."
"I took 12 NEWTS is not my fault, no one feels capable of doing the same"
Harry shook his head in denial.
"Harry — I don't know who did it — I just found —" (…)The contents of Harry's trunk had been thrown everywhere. His cloak lay ripped on the floor.
"The cloak!"—Sirius yelped at Ginny, who shrunk.
"Not that cloak, Sirius, one of my uniforms."
The bedclothes had been pulled off his four-poster and the drawer had been pulled out of his bedside cabinet, the contents strewn over the mattress. (…) "Riddle's diary's gone," he said in an undertone to Ron.
Ginny kept her head down, at that moment she hadn't realized how much of the damage she had done. She didn't even remember much of it. –"Sorry Harry, I didn't even remember all that damage."
"It's alright Ginny, nothing that couldn't be replaced"
"But — only a Gryffindor could have stolen — nobody else knows our password —"
"You didn't report this"—Minerva said
He'd have to tell a teacher all about the diary, and how many people knew why Hagrid had been expelled fifty years ago? He didn't want to be the one who brought it all up again.
"Still, Mr. Potter, Hagrid is a grown man he can take it. You should've reported it."
"I don't think that would've been prudent. Merlin knows what you-know-who would've done to Ginny if he found himself cornered"—Hermione added
He had just set foot on the marble staircase when he heard it yet again.
"Kill this time… let me rip… tear…"
Hermione gasp, realizing this was her attack. The boys never told her how they had reacted, Ginny had apologized over and over when they saw each other, but Hermione knew she had no fault on it. She looked at the girl, and smiled sadly at her.
Tonks spoke-"It's a quidditch game, half of the students are all over the school, how many people are going to get attack?"
Hermione, however, clapped a hand to her forehead.
"Harry — I think I've just understood something! I've got to go to the library!"
"What did you found out"—Remus added thoughtfully. He knew Hermione had realized what it was, what was he missing.
"Don't leave"
"Stay together"
"You still went to Gryffindor tower?"—Ted said, surprised—"Were you not afraid to be attack?"
"I heard the voice, but it didn't last like the other times, it was more like a whisper. I wasn't really worried…I should have."—Harry said, eyeing Hermione.
Professor McGonagall came half marching, half running across the pitch, carrying an enormous purple megaphone
"Who was it?"—Fleur said worried.
"Who do you think?"—Fred said, shaking his head. It had come with a shock when Ron had come screaming that he would kill anyone who had dared hurt Hermione.
"No!"—Andy said, looking at Hermione.
"Potter, I think you'd better come with me…" (…) Wondering how she could possibly suspect him this time(…)"Yes, perhaps you'd better come, too, Weasley…"
"It really was you, wasn't it"—Sirius asked Hermione, who nodded.
"Two? It's turning more aggressive"
"Hermione!" Ron groaned.(…) Hermione lay utterly still, her eyes open and glassy.(…) "They were found near the library," said Professor McGonagall. "I don't suppose either of you can explain this? It was on the floor next to them…" (…) She was holding up a small, circular mirror.
"Did you saw what it was?"—Ted asked
"Yes, only for a second, I was leaving the library when I ran into Penelope. I had a weird feeling and asked if she had a mirror, she asked me what for, and I told her I knew what the monster was, she pulled the mirror out, we looked through it, and we were petrified"
Mad-eye was nodding—"Always trust your instincts"
"But why did it attack two, it never had, was the monster turning aggressive?"—Amelia turned to Ginny who was pale.
"No"—she said—"The target was Hermione not Penelope"
Their eyes widen. Hermione had been target…why because she was friends with Harry?
Remus looked pensive, Hermione had used a Mirror to get petrified, so the monster used his eyes to kill, not looking directly at it won't kill you but hurt you… there wasn't really many creatures that could do that expect Gorgons, but that was ruled out, what snake, Ginny had said Ba…No!—Remus jump, it would be too big and no one had seen a wild Basilisk in a thousand years. –He thought.
"At this point, why not just close the school and search it."—Andy said, she hadn't read anything about this in the paper.
"The professors did it, we looked through the classrooms, and we searched the grounds, the elves were asked and no one had seen anything out of the ordinary. We didn't know it was a student and when we asked Fudge for help he went for Hagrid"—Minerva said angrily. –"Not all the parents knew, the parents of the attacked students were informed but only the parents of the pureblood had been informed by their children and not all of them cared."
Augusta glared with disgust; one man she hated with passion was Fudge. She turned to look to Amelia—"Where were you? I know why I couldn't do anything, Fudge told me he had everything under control, "Children exaggerate the stories Mrs. Longbottom, were his exact words."
"I couldn't do much. Richardson was still head of the department. I tried to tell him to send Alastor, but he said no, said that Fudge had it under control. The bastard has no children, and it's known for his pureblood agenda. He didn't care"—Amelia growl. The Ministry needed a deep cleaning, but she couldn't do it alone and her backup was limited.
Percy shook his head—"I was pale because she was my girlfriend and I was the one who found them"—
"You don't deserve that cloak"—Sirius said—"It almost the end of the school year and this is the first time you use it"—
Harry rolled his eyes—"I still didn't know where the kitchens were and there was a monster on the loose. I had no intention to be outside my common room"-
"Wait a few times?"—
"Sometimes a go for a walk, but not that year"
Hagrid flung it open. They found themselves face-to-face with him aiming a crossbow at them.
"You scared the living out of me"
"I don't want to imagine how anxious you were."
"At least whisper your name, you could've been killed"
Nothin' — nothin' —" Hagrid muttered. "I've bin expectin' — doesn' matter — Sit down — I'll make tea —"
"You are waiting for Voldemort to show up any moment"—Remus sighed sadly, he knew what living on the edge felt like it and it wasn't nice.
"Aye, professor Dumbledore said it wasn't going to happen, I wasn't so sure"
Hermione smiled at the gentle giant— "Oh Hagrid, I was alright"—.
It was Dumbledore. He entered, looking deadly serious, and was followed by a second, very oddlooking man. (…)Ron breathed. "Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic!"
"The little shit is going to just take you away"—Charlie said outraged.
Sirius spat—"Yes, because your confidence means a lot to the ministry Dumbledore, they still took him"—
Dumbledore frown, he knew that Sirius would eventually want to fight with him—"I wasn't happy about it. Fudge and I fought vehemently in my office for hours…but he has never listened."
"I'm under a lot of pressure. Got to be seen to be doing something. If it turns out it wasn't Hagrid, he'll be back and no more said. But I've got to take him. Got to. Wouldn't be doing my duty —"
Amelia slammed her parchment and quill in the floor.—"Just like that! The "evidence" he had was what, Suspicion?"
"That's how easy it is to throw people into that hole"—Sirius glared at no one—"You should check the evidence of your prisoners, I know I wasn't the only one they threw in there without proof"
He said it with so much venom, Mad-eye and Dumbledore shared a look, Sirius hadn't spoken to anyone about his misfortune. Alastor was ready to accept his mistake, they did fail the boy, and he wasn't so sure how Dumbledore was going to react when Black exploded.
"An apology"—Fleur looked disgusted—"Not a pardon?"
Mr. Lucius Malfoy strode into Hagrid's hut, swathed in a long black traveling cloak, smiling a cold and satisfied smile
"What the hell is this clown doing there"—
"Lucius Malfoy in Hagrid house isn't something I ever thought would be possible"
This is an Order of Suspension — you'll find all twelve signatures on it.
"Is he insane?"
"Without Dumbledore, no child is safe"
"Oh, I'm sure Malfoy knows that"
"For one fudge is right, Dumbledore leaving was the wrong thing to do"—Molly added, looking at Ginny who had gone from pressing into Charlie to leaning back with her eyes close.
"He most likely blackmail all of them"
Dumbledore, speaking very slowly "you will find that I will only truly have left this school when none here are loyal to me… Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it."
Everyone looked at Dumbledore with surprise.
—"You knew they were there."—Minerva said, suppressing the anger in her voice. No wonder these boys took it into themselves to safe Ginny.
Remus looked at Dumbledore with a calculating gaze, he had done it again. –"You gave him a task"
"I knew Harry was searching for answers, I didn't make him do anything. Situations like those will always find a way to happen"—Dumbledore said with a direct tone to both men, who were looking at him accusingly.
Harry frown, what was Dumbledore talking about. He turned to ask Sirius who just shook his head and said later.
"Killings are what he wanted. He was happy I was attack, the best friend of the boy who lived, must have made his night"—Hermione said disgusted.
Ron grabbed her hand. — "Stop Mione."
CHAPTER FIFTEEN—Aragog
Harry and Ron stood up immediately, scaring Hermione and Sirius.
Both boys shared a look, Harry asked the book to pause and call Kreacher to freshen tea, he checked if the calming draught bottle had enough, he didn't know who would need it more, Mrs. Weasley, Sirius or Remus.
"What is wrong with you?"—Fred asked looking at them funny.
"Who's Aragog?"—McGonagall asked suspiciously.
"The king spider"—Luna said in a calm voice.
Harry looked alarmed—"Luna please tell me you have never…"
Remus and Sirius shared in alarmed look; if Luna was referring to the acromantulas they were going to strangle Harry.
Luna smiled—"It's nice of you to be concern, no I have never been that far into the forest but I know what's in there. The forest speaks."
Ginny smiled at her friend, it was this reason people thought she was weird.—"What in Merlin have you two so scared?"
"This chapter is a little tough. For all of us"—Harry eyed Ron, who was turning pale and was slightly scratching his arm. –"Just remember we are right here, and we are OK."—he said, giving a cup of tea to Mrs. Weasley, who took with a confused smiled.
"Hogwarts without Hagrid just doesn't sound nice"—Charlie smiled at his friend.
"What did you expect for the heir to show up at the hospital wing to finish killing them?"
"We didn't know what to expect, Dumbledore was gone and Merlin knew who was safe"—"I wasn't far, I'm never far"-
Mad-eye realized he had been in the hogshead.
Minerva huffed at Harry repeating Dumbledore words; he was putting too much pressure in a child. No wonder all the anger Harry had been feeling through the term. He was used to Dumbledore giving him advice or an order.
Harry agreed with himself—"I felt we were sitting ducks, too many students together more people to attack and none of us knew how to defend ourselves."
"I always thought Father might be the one who got rid of Dumbledore," (…) McGonagall won't last long; she's only filling in…" (…)"Sir, why don't you apply for the headmaster's job?"
Everyone looked at Snape with a calculated gaze, like he was about to curse Dumbledore and take the spot right now.
Sirius didn't want to admit this felt a little like foreshadowing, he looked between Dumbledore and Snape and didn't like what he saw, those two had many secrets in between each other.
The disgust on the twin's face was obvious the more Malfoy kiss his godfathers ass.
"Bet you five Galleons the next one dies. Pity it wasn't Granger —""Let me at him," Ron growled as Harry and Dean hung onto his arms. "I don't care, I don't need my wand, I'm going to kill him with my bare hands —"
Alastor shook his head, he was going to discuss this with Dumbledore, how many Jr death eaters did he had in his school and hadn't realized, this was a twelve-year-old talking about Murder he couldn't imagine what he was like now.
Tonks couldn't let it pass, she looked at Snape—"You didn't hear this?"
Snape denied, he wasn't liking how Draco was being portrait in these books, what would become of his godson?
Ernie took a deep breath and said, very formally, "I just want to say, Harry, that I'm sorry I ever suspected you He held out a pudgy hand, and Harry shook it.
"Well, at least he realized now"—Remus said
"I still don't like him"—Ron added
Molly finally understood where this was going.—"Please tell me you don't go into the forest?"—no one answered
Hagrid made a face at Lockhart, thinking him guilty.—"What does he know…"
"You should've, a book to the face would've been good for his ego"—Remus told Harry
Sirius laugh and mocked him—"Remus, we are supposed to be parenting. Assaulting people shouldn't be approved"—Remus shrug.
it was well past midnight when Fred, George, and Ginny finally went to bed.
The twins looked offended at this.—"You could have asked us to help you"
"That wasn't necessary—Harry added quickly, he didn't want more Weasley deaths in his conscious.
"I'm forbidding invisibility cloaks"—McGonagall said creating in outrage from the Marauders, Harry and Ron. She just glared at them.
"Oh poor Fang. Thank you for taking care of him"—Luna said to the boys.
Both smiled but neither corrected her that it had been someone else, most likely the elves that had been taking care of Fang.
"You are going into the forest with only one wand"—Charlie had a worried expression—"bravely stupid of you"
Ron sighed as though resigned to the worst, "I'm ready. Let's go."
Hermione felt warmth to Ron and leaned over to give him a hug—"So brave"
Ron blushed all the way to his ears.
They walked behind them for about twenty minutes
Sirius took a deep breath, he tried hard not to snap at the Professors in the room, his godson and best friend had been deep in the forest and no one had realized. Yes he and his friends had done the same thing, but they had been ordinary students, Harry was not. The-boy-who-lived should have been watch more carefully.
The twins were starting to get nervous, Ron and Harry were too deep into the forest, things started getting weird the deeper you went.
"No, don't ever leave the path"—Charlie shook his head.
Harry turned to look at his uncles, they looked nervous and Sirius looked angry. Harry wanted to ask if it was at him, but he didn't dare.
George shook his head—"The deeper you go, the crazier it gets, never leave the path."
Molly whimpered—"How deep have you been?"
The twins eyed her suspiciously –"A little deeper than that, but we only did it once. We found a submerged cave in there and something lived there, so we decided to leave it alone"—Fred answered. They had made a run for it and to this day they were sure that whatever it had been, it had chased them.
All the professor and a few adults frown and looked concerned at that.
Remus looked at Sirius who shook his head; the cave must be new because they never saw anything like that.
"You've been out of Hogwarts, what? In hour and no one realized. The school was supposed to be in vigilance mode"—Amelia frown.
Everyone leaned forward, what had the boys found?
"Harry!" Ron shouted, his voice breaking with relief "Harry, it's our car!"
"No fucking way"
"Dad what did you do?"—Bill said exasperated—"You added Runes didn't you?"
Arthur decided to stay silent, after the look Amelia and Molly had thrown at him, he was so excited to hear more of his car.
Exactly like a large, turquoise dog greeting its owner. "It's been here all the time!" said Ron delightedly, walking around the car. "Look at it. The forest's turned it wild…"
"You made it sentient. We are going for that car"—Amelia said to Arthur. She didn't know if she should be impressed or angry.
"I don't think he will go down without a fight"—Ron said and smiled at everyone's questioning look.
Remus was amazed—"What kind of runes did you use?"
Arthur was going to answer, but Snape stopped them—"You can discuss your illegal activities when we finish."
His eyes were fixed on a point some ten feet above the forest floor,
Ron started to pale, yes he had been brave enough to go into the forest, but he still had nightmares of that day.—"That was the most terrifying thing I have ever seen."
There was a loud clicking noise and suddenly he felt something long and hairy seize him around the middle and lift him off the ground.
"They grabbed you. They…"—Remus started to pale, Sirius had clanged to Harry and Fred had levitated the tea cup to his mother.
"They are going to be fine, Aragog won't harm them"
Harry looked back at Hagrid with a concerned look; he had never been told that Aragog had actually wanted to kill them. Harry turned to look at Ron, but the poor thing was getting smaller and smaller. Hermione got up to prepare a tea with a little of calming draught.
The professors looked in distraught, they knew about the acromentulas, but they have never actually seen them. Hagrid was the only one that could get close enough. Amelia was writing down—Burn down acromentulas— wild acromentulas eventually go crazy.
Spiders the size of carthorses, eight-eyed, eight-legged, black, hairy, gigantic.
"Oh, those are his baby's"—Hagrid smiled.
Everyone looked at him like he was crazy.
His mouth was stretched wide in a kind of silent scream, and his eyes were popping.
"I was praying, to all gods"
Molly was shaking, Sirius was ready to start yelling, and Tonks was making circles on Remus back.
"Aragog!" it called. "Aragog!"
The eyes of everyone pop out. Charlie gapped like a Goldie fish. –"They talk. Why do they talk!"
Hagrid smiled—"They are special."
Amelia looked outrage at his gentle smile.—SPECIAL! These acromentulas are not special, they have mutated them. This is dangerous, incredibly dangerous, Hagrid…."— Amelia was so angry she couldn't even keep talking.
"Kill them," clicked Aragog fretfully. "I was sleeping…"
Hagrid looked totally surprised. Aragog had never mentioned this to him, Harry had never said anything. He looked at the boy, who was looking at him with a regretful face.
Everyone remained in silence. Dumbledore sighed tiredly, now if he couldn't defend Hagrid. One of the clauses was that the spiders did not harm anyone.
Molly didn't know whether to cry or scream. Her hands were shaking. Arthur looked ready to start demanding the nest be removed.
Harry thought of getting to his feet but decided against it; he didn't think his legs would support him. So he spoke from the ground, as calmly as he could.
Neville swallowed fearfully. — "Harry, you have more courage than me. I don't even want to imagine what was going through your head at that moment."
"I was making in escape plan"
Mad-eye leaned his head to the side—"Blast and run?"
Harry nodded.
Aragog clicked his pincers furiously, and all around the hollow the sound was echoed by the crowd of spiders; it was like applause, except applause didn't usually make Harry feel sick with fear.
They all shuddered, not wanting to imagine what kind of sound that would be.
"I was not born in the castle. I come from a distant land. A traveler gave me to Hagrid when I was an egg. Hagrid was only a boy, but he cared for me, hidden in a cupboard in the castle, feeding me on scraps from the table(…)He even found me a wife, Mosag, and you see how our family has grown, all through Hagrid's goodness…"
"Hagrid if I could I would arrest you right now…"
"They have never killed anyone. They eat wild horses and other creatures; they don't even bother the centaurs."
"They are flesh eating spiders, miles away from a school full of Children. They don't attack because Aragog is alive, what will happen when he dies, how long will it take for them to target the school?"—Fleur looked at him like he really was crazy. And suddenly she remembered-"Last year no one informed us of what lived in the forest. A lot of my friends went hiking"
Luna looked at Harry with respect—"The rest of your courage? You still had some left? Oh, someone should hold Ronald, I think he's about to puke"
McGonagall transfigured her teacup into a bucket and threw it to Hermione, who immediately hand it to Ron.
Hagrid nodded at Aragog words.—"See, they never hurt anyone."
Charlie had to agree—"He must feel in debt with you to fight his instincts."
"Yes"—Andromeda said –"But fleur is right, what will happen when Aragog dies?"
"The thing that lives in the castle," said Aragog, "is an ancient creature we spiders fear above all others.
What does spiders fear, what does acromentulas fear?—Remus thought—Ginny said Ba… it uses its sight since Hermione looked at it from the Mirror. What snakes kills with its eyes…a Basilisk…" –Remus whimpered, but everyone was paying more attention to the Spiders.
the spiders pressing closer on all sides(…) "Go?" said Aragog slowly. "I think not…"(…) "My sons and daughters do not harm Hagrid, on my command. But I cannot deny them fresh meat, when it wanders so willingly into our midst. Good-bye, friend of Hagrid."
"Holy shit!"—Fred half yelled
—"This is why you ask for help."-George said pointing at Ron who puked. Mrs. Weasley ran to help him.
The twins shook their head –"oi, George, Fred why don't you help us find some answers you can fly brooms. We might need an escape plan. You know the forest…"
Harry was slowly shaking his head. –"Ron almost died, I don't need more Weasley deaths in my conscious"—Harry stated without thinking his words
"No deaths would be in your conscious, Harry"—Ted said
"No! Those deaths would be on Hagrid"—Arthur pointed angrily.
Hagrid didn't know what to say. He couldn't believe Aragog could betray him like that. He looked at both boys, he never believed they could have been in danger. –"I'm sorry, I really I'm"—
Ron waved him off.
Even as he reached for his wand, Harry knew it was no good, there were too many of them, but as he tried to stand, ready to die fighting
Mad-eye was impressed, the boy had courage. McGonagall didn't know what to do, her children almost died. Sirius was shaking his head from side to side in disbelief.
Remus knew that what Harry was experiencing was dangerous, but the boy was in front of him, the same boy who apparently fought against a mythological snake.
Snape didn't know what to do, Potter nearly died multiple times, what was the point of protecting the boy if he didn't know how to use common sense.
Mr. Weasley's car was thundering down the slope, headlights glaring, its horn screeching, knocking spiders aside (…)"Get Fang!" Harry yelled, diving into the front seat; Ron seized the boarhound around the middle and threw him, yelping, into the back of the car.
Molly started making circles in Ron's back, -"You are out of the forest, Ron, and you're OK."
Ron nodded—"I know, I'm OK It's just I've tried hard not to remember it so vividly"
Harry gave the car a grateful pat as it reversed back into the forest and disappeared from view.
"No wonder you don't regret taking the car."—Augusta said, she had been holding her breath all chapter.
"I'll never forgive Hagrid. We're lucky to be alive."(…) "He always thinks monsters aren't as bad as they're made out, and look where it's got him! A cell in Azkaban!"
Hagrid cried loudly, making everyone jump.— "Ron, I'm really sorry. I thought Aragog would respect our agreement. Never..."
"Hagrid"-Ron began-"It's been several years. Let this serve as a warning that wild animals cannot be controlled. We are alive, and that is what matters."—He said in choke voice.
"Ron — that girl who died. Aragog said she was found in a bathroom," said Harry, ignoring Neville's snuffling snores from the corner. "What if she never left the bathroom? What if she's still there?"
"Moaning Myrtle!"—both Tonks said
Remus yelled—"IT'S A BASILISK!"— He couldn't keep it in. Everyone became silent, looked at him like he had gone crazy. Sirius laughed humorless, still feeling tense from the last chapter. –"Moony, no one has seen a Basilisk in a thousand years."
Sirius turned around to look at the teachers and neither did Dumbledore nor McGonagall dared to look at him, it was Snape that confirmed it, who nodded at him like it was nothing.
"A Basilisk! What the hell is wrong with you people?"
McGonagall startled—"What the hell does it have to do with us?—her Scottish accent coming full force, everyone looked alarmed at her cursing.
Andromeda looked at Ron—"Why don't we take a pause and let's continue, Ron might need it"
Ron nodded, getting up, Harry was going to follow him, but the twins ambush him.
"Harry, man, what the hell. How many situations like this have you and Ron been involved, why not ask for help."
Hello guys, so I had a small writer's block with this story, but here it is. We are just two chapters away from finishing COS hope you like this.