Chapter 21: Echoes of a Broken Mind
Kiba awoke from his slumber slowly, gradually opening his painfully heavy eyelids to view the surroundings. Madam Pomfrey was no where in sight and Kiba didn't even know what day, hour or month it was anymore, all that he knew was that it was around Christmas time. The walls and windows were decorated with everything Christmas and the thick snow could be seen everywhere. The young heir felt cold and he himself couldn't understand how he had lost so much mass, he had eaten, plenty… maybe he'd been asleep for a while. He looked towards the bedside table and saw a wrapped box, a present.. so it was Christmas… or had been…
The doors of the hospital swung open and Dumbledore entered followed by McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey. Kiba closed his eyes and pretended to still be sleeping and quietly listened in on their conversation. "there he is," Madam Pomfrey said worryingly as the three stepped over to him. "i don't know what it is Headmaster, but he isn't getting better. In fact, he's getting worse by the day"
"Worse?" McGonagall asked expressing a never seen amount of worry "is he dying?"
"No. Kiba is not dying, not on my watch" Pomfrey said. Kiba felt a hand touch his forehead softly then again on his chest.
"His body is failing him" he heard Dumbledore say with a sigh "He might make it.." Dumbledore paused as his hand caressed the boys chest "Minerva, please meet me after the feast" he said in an urgent tone before leaving the room. Kiba slowly opened his eyes, acting as though he'd been asleep.
"oh my dear, you're awake- here let me help you" Madam Pomfrey helped him sit upright against the beds backboard. "Merry Christmas dear" she said
"Merry Christmas, Madam Pomfrey and you too Professor" Kiba replied
"Merry Christmas, Mr. Scamander" McGonagall said with a smile, "I'll leave you to eat, i hope you recover well"
"Thank you, Professor" she turned on her heels and left the hospital with quick steps and the doors shut behind her. "what's wrong with me, Madam?"
"here," the nurse said handing Kiba a bowl of porridge "you need to eat" Kiba reluctantly grabbed the bowl and lifted a spoonful of the food to his mouth. His mouth was dry and the movement of his arm only send a searing pain through his bones. He couldn't even enjoy the substance that eventually made it's way to his hurting stomach. "that's it, nice and slow"
"I'm really… thirsty" Kiba said gulping down more porridge. She quickly turned to her trolley and handed him a goblet of pumpkin juice which the desperate boy gulped down quickly. He breathed heavily after finishing the goblet. Somehow the distance to the diary damaged him, he was in agony in both body and mind. The diary had become a part of him, and she took it away. She had his father and most likely didn't even know, and ther heir was desperate to get it back. He had to get it back.
Kiba brought another spoon of porridge to his mouth but stopped as glanced once more at the single present beside his bed. "who visited me?"
"Ah, well there was Miss Patil, i think Parvati was her name. Then there was another two girls from Gryffindor, Miss Dunbar, who also brought this present and Miss Brown" The witch replied
"only them?" Kiba asked, his heart sank.. not a single one of the trio had visited..
"no wait, there were two more. Mister Malfoy and another Slytherin Girl visited, though both fled once i returned" she said with a chuckle "but that needn't worry you dear, you just eat up now" Kiba sat in silence. Draco had visited him, and he wasn't even close to Kiba, yet he came unlike Hermione. Hermione… it was coming back to him now, what he had done, what the diary had done to him because of how he felt for Hermione. "you don't have all day to finish that bowl, Mr. Scamander"
"I-" Kiba set they bowl onto his table and held his pained stomach "i don't feel so good.." He muttered
"wait sweetheart, I'll-" she headed for her trolley but was to late, the vomit that had threatened the boys throat came shooting out along with some blood as Kiba lurched to the side. The woman shrieked internally but rushed to the parselmouth's side as he fell back onto his pillow. He groaned in pain and his entire bloody shuddered, he feared that he might be dying. "stay with me Kiba, don't you dare slip away!"
"i-…"
"Kiba! Stay with me" Madam Pomfrey said with trembling eyes "you will not die! You hear me?!"
His head was spiralling and his consciousness was slipping again.. maybe for good this time.. He could only think about how Faye and Lucy would never know how or why he had disappeared. Faye.. Hermione and the oth- "ARRRGHHH!" he screamed out in pain as he was one again punished for his thoughts, his stomach turned violently and his brain felt like it would explode at any second. 'i need it, i need the diary. She has it… Hermione has it, Hermione has my diary and i need it back! She doesn't know.. he'll kill her!'
"Kiba? Can you hear me?" Madam Pomfrey asked, worry written all over her expression. But Kiba had completely fallen into the horrid abyss of his twisted mind, not acknowledging her presence until she shook him lightly. He blinked a few times at her and sighed.
"sleep.." He whispered as he closed his eyes.
"of course dear, whatever you need" she tugged him in and watched as he turned to his side. She soon left him and he opened his eyes. Something dark crossed his mind and he heard it, something he hadn't heard for a long time.
'come Kiba, seek me!' a voice that wasn't his echoed through his mind.
'go away! Get out of my head!' Kiba shouted back internally
'how do you treat your guests? You let me in, and now you want to kick me out?'
'I never let you in!'
'oh but you did!' the voice said slyly, Kiba knew immediately who it was, it must be Tom Riddle. His Father had infected his mind, and the separation from the diary was driving the young heir mad. 'Come seek me!'
Kiba bolted upright and sat. He had a plan that could have a disastrous outcome if he was caught. He rose from his bed, completely silent in the dead hospital wing. Not even the whirls of the snow outside could penetrate the windows as the only noise that could be heard was the thunderous beat of Kiba's heart. Draped in his pyjamas and a thin white blanket, he stepped away from his bed, and stood in the centre of the wing. All seven of his victims surrounded him like demons who had arrived to drag him to his doom. Only they were still and silent. Each one displayed a permanent face of horror, probably petrified to the very soul. He walked over to each one in order, gazing upon each moonlit face, somehow unable to feel regret. Kiba couldn't find anything near remorse to seeing Colin stuck in his petrified state. Not even a single shred, not even for Mrs. Norris or Luna. The diary had twisted him into such darkness, that he was incapable of feeling affection anymore. A hollowed out boy, overdosed with hate and anger. He needed the diary. He needed to find Tom before it was too late.
He pushed the heavy hospital doors open just enough to squeeze through so that the screeching of the metal hinges wouldn't alert anyone. He walked unsteadily, holding on to what ever he could find to avoid falling over, and peaking around every corner in case a Teacher or Prefect came along. The stone corridors were colder then ever and icicles had formed on the ceiling and arches, reflecting the moonlight like a path for the Parselmouth to follow. He ascended the many steps that led to the desired location, Gryffindor Tower. Kiba was lucky that the password hadn't been changed and he entered through the portrait hole and the warm air felt like a healing charm to his shivering bones.
The small entrance hole was pitch black but the common room was dimly lit by the fire in the fireplace. Kiba wanted to step into the light and direct warmth of the fire but stopped when he heard footsteps and a voice "Harry? Are you down here?" Kiba was sure that it had been Hermione's voice followed shortly by Harry's and Ron's voices as they also came down the spiral staircase.
"Why'd you want us to meet you here anyways?" asked Ron sleepily
"because of what i told you earlier today" Hermione replied "what are we going to do?"
"I still think it's Bullshit," Ron said "i mean, He's our friend!"
"He lied to us Ron," Harry said "and you heard what Draco said"
"i know Draco isn't the heir, but Kiba? It's ridiculous. I won't believe it, Hermione you were with him when Justin was attacked!" Kiba's heart sank, not only did they know he was the heir, but they had told each other and that means they could tell others. But was that the reason that they hadn't visited him in the hospital? Because they knew it had been him all along, and that he purposely forced them onto a wrong path to avoid suspicion?
"he's been lying all year, to us, to McGonagall.. to the entire school" Hermione said "every time we asked what's wrong, or about the diary, he would get mad and lie to our faces. He turned away from us.. his friends. And it all makes sense now!" Hermione switched between several wild emotions as she spoke which made Kiba feel bad. He hadn't realised what he was putting her through.
"But it can't be… not him… not Kiba, he's supposed to be our friend…" Ron stammered, hesitating to accept the truth that was shielded by their friendship. But Kiba suddenly felt nothing, like a great vacuum inside him had sucked away all the emotions he could have possibly felt as he watched from the dark entrance.
"i wanted to be wrong, i really did…" Hermione said weakly "maybe, we can convince him to turn himself over"
"or we tell Dumbledore" Ron suggested
"no," Harry shot back "if we turn him in then he'll be punished, no doubt. But, if he turns himself over for what he did, then he might… i don't know"
"He might just get expelled and not send to Azkaban?" Ron finished
"yeah, whatever Azkaban is-"
"it's a Wizard Prison"
"… point is, we don't want him imprisoned" Harry said
"to be honest, i don't want him expelled either" Hermione added "they'll snap his wand in two and he will be set back to Muggles for ever"
"but we have to convince him to turn himself in" Ron said once more "and i think you should do it"
"what, me? Convince him?" Hermione asked "so he can attack me when i tell him that we know what he's done? Are you mad?! I'm a Muggle-born, he wouldn't even hesitate"
"out of the three of us you are closest to him" Harry said "He won't hurt you" Hermione looked to the fire and sighed.
"i guess i can tr-" Hermione began but was cut off by the sound of the portrait slamming shut. The three were stunned by the idea of their conversation being overheard. The sound of Kiba's bare feet hitting the stone floor echoed through the corridors as he sprinted back to the hospital, ignoring the pain in his bones. He slipped through the door and jumped into his bed and covered himself entirely with the sheets, trying to force himself to sleep.
But sleep didn't come easy, he was constantly reminding himself that he had no friends, that his short time at Hogwarts would come to an end with him being sent to Azkaban. He would never graduate and he'd never see his friends at Leverton's again, and they wouldn't even know what happened to him. Lucy, Jakob, Madam Helaway and… Faye… the last name broke his heart and his psyche was being pulled apart, he hadn't really talked to her, she hadn't responded to his letters.. and now he'd never send one again… it was all Tom's fault, that foul, evil and hateful Riddle. He would go to prison because of him, his own fucking father!
'I don't want to go, i want to stay, i want to become a great wizard..'
The boy awoke late the next day from his slumber, unsatisfied by the coldness of the hospital. Unlike last year, the icicles on the windows resonated no joy in the Parselmouth. He carefully sat on the edge of his bed and grabbed the red box with the red and gold ribbon from his bedside and opened it. Inside was a Christmas hat and underneath a few sweets, mainly Pumpkin pasties and jelly slugs along with a card. The present was from Fay, and the card was a simple Christmas card that told him 'Merry Christmas, hope you get well soon' and the there was another card that previously lay underneath the present which was similar but from Pervati. He ate one of the jelly slugs and it lifted his spirit for just a moment before Madam Pomfrey entered and told him that he could return to his dorm and attend the feast. "but, should you feel I'll you come straight here" she added. Kiba nodded and reluctantly headed for the Gryffindor common room. He didn't want to be there, not after what he had heard them say, but maybe he could find a way to sneak into the girls dorm to get his diary back..
He entered the common room and headed straight for his dorm where he saw an envelope by his bed. He looked at the card and saw that it was from lupin along with a discount coupon for a broom shop in Diagon Alley. He placed his sweets down and sat on his bed, sighing heavily. He closed his eyes and for a moment he felt cold, very cold, but the warmth of the dorm returned once he opened his eyes again. He dressed himself and headed for the great Hall where the feast had already begun. He saw Harry, Ron and Hermione sitting together but they didn't look at him, they hastily whispered at each other so Kiba decided to sit down next to Parvati and across from Fay.
"Kiba!" Parvati said in Surprise
"you're finally out of the hospital!" Fay added. "how are you feeling?"
"like shit" Kiba said as he began piling his plate with food. "thanks for your concern" he added putting on the best smile he could.
"I see you found my present," Fay said referring to the Christmas hat on the boys head "you like it?"
"yeah," Kiba said after gulping down some pumpkin juice "it's a perfect fit"
The three continued eating while Parvati somehow managed to talk on "So. Are you coming back to the common room tonight? The twins want to share something with us"
"I-.. i don't know, honestly" Kiba said "i might just stay here or go to the library"
"Aww, come on. Why would you go anywhere else? Don't you want to be with Harry, Ron and Hermione?" Kiba didn't respond as he seemingly drowned himself in thought, trying to think of a clever way to retrieve his diary, somehow.. there has to be a way. "Kiba?"
"I'll come up," Kiba said distantly "Promise" the girls grinned brightly and continued eating. As stupid as that promise might have sounded Kiba knew that there diary was in the Gryffindor tower, his father's diary. It was the only way to get it back, maybe he could sneak into the girls dorm while the twins did what ever they do.
The dinner was soon over and desserts took it's place and soon disappeared as well which meant that all students were to head for their common rooms. "Ahem, Mister Scamander!" McGonagall's voice rung through the hall and Kiba reluctantly made his way to her. She stood a little away from the teachers table and waited for the boy "The headmaster requests that you visit him tomorrow morning before breakfast begins, it is.. urgent"
"I'll be there, good night professor"
Kiba joined Parvati and Fay and the three headed for the Gryffindor common room where they eventually parted ways. The boy entered his dorm and got dressed in some casual clothes he grabbed a piece of parchment, a feather and a bottle of ink and headed for the door again. Without a word Kuzon flapped his wings and flew after the boy setting himself down on his shoulder. He made his way through the crowd that was eagerly awaiting Fred and George's announcement and sat down at one of the few tables.
'Dear Faye' he wrote 'i was very sick and couldn't write a Christmas letter on time so I'll do it now. Merry Christmas' he continued writing without paying attention to his surroundings, he barely noticed when a finger touched his arm. He looked up and saw Hermione's bushy hair accompanied by a worried expression. "Hermione?"
"are you okay?" the girl asked softly
"fine" the boy replied in monotone as he dipped his feather in his ink.
"i saw you were at dinner today, it's good to see you eati-"
"What do you want?" he asked slightly angrily unable to control himself.
"I.. I know Kiba" Hermione said quietly
"you.. Kno-" Hermione's eyes began to redden as tears threatened to flow, and Kiba sat motionless as ink dropped to his parchment slowly creating a black puddle. "i know what you did.."
"What did i do? Did i hurt someone or steal something? Did i say something mean?" Kiba saw tears flowing down the girls cheek but she remained quiet trying not to sob loudly for all the common room to hear
"you're doing it again," Hermione said "why do you have to lie to me all the time? I know it was you that Att-" the sudden sound of Kiba's feather snapping in two stopped her as the boys fist tightened. His neck twitched and his eyes remained closed for a few seconds and his head shook slightly. Kiba felt a sudden bloodlust clouding his mind, he tried to stop it to think clearly but he could only listen to Hermione's words "I.. I know you're a Parselmouth, i know that you wanted to find the chamber of secrets ever since you decided to help me. I know that you are obsessed with Salazar Slytherin to the point that you asked Draco to lend you a book from the Slytherin common room" she paused for a moment and too a deep but shaky breath "a-.. and i know.. that you're.. the heir of Slytherin"
Kiba's eyes shot open wide and too Hermione's relief revealed his usual Hazal. But his eyes were fixed on something Hermione couldn't see in a panic. "Kiba? Kiba, can you hear me? Kiba!" she sat down beside him trying to stay as quiet as possible. Luckily everyone was still to busy watching Fred and George. She shook the boy slightly and he blinked once "what is it?"
"You need.. Leave me… please" he said quietly as he continued starting at nothing
"I'm not leaving, talk to me!" she forced him to look at her. For a moment their eyes met and it was almost funny how his eyes apparently said everything that his mouth didn't.
Hermione's saw nothing but a scared, fearful, broken boy who had been heavily damaged. Her looked tortured and beaten down, like how mind had been completely destroyed. She didn't see the evil, the bloodlust and malicious intend beneath his irises.
"Hermione…" he whispered. No matter how hard Hermione tried to not let him for her again like he'd done so many times she couldn't help herself, desperately wishing for the boy to let her in just this once.
"Kiba? Talk to me.. please. Do you need help? Is it… just tell me!" she pleaded frantically but silently.
"… going to… K-Kill… y-…you" The young heir said through pauses as his head slowly turned back to its former position and his eyes once again stared at nothing.
"Who? What? Talk to me, just this once" the girl pleaded as she saw the boy break down further, she grabbed his hands which were thin and cold and tried to get him to look at her again
"He'll.. hurt you.." the boy said. Kiba tried to focus on the side touch of Hermione's hands because they eased the strain of Tom's influence. "I need.. the.. diary"
"I'll get it for you. Where is it?" Hermione replied quickly hoping she could take the object away from the boy
"you don't.. have it?" Kiba asked, suddenly looking at the girl. She shook her head and held his hands tighter but he suddenly pulled his hands away and grabbed his belongings "I… I shouldn't have.. Told... Stay away from me.. before I… I, hurt you" the girl watched as he walked slowly and unsteadily towards the spiral staircase, looking one last time at what she didn't see before ascending it. She didn't understand what he said no matter how hard she tried, had he gotten so obsessed with the diary that he referred to it as 'He'? was he even telling the truth or was he long again.
She sat alone at the table, silently weeping... silently.. screaming.
Kiba fell onto his bed and shut the curtains. He buried his face into his pillow trying not to imagine again what he saw in the common room behind Hermione.
That Face… His Face… among all the Gryffindors… and his horrid smile as his Scarlett eyes stared into his very soul. Egging him on, mouthing the simple phrase 'Kill the Mudblood' .. over… and over… and over again.
'Seek me! Kiba…' the voice of Tom echoed in his mind
'Kiiiiiiiibaaaaaa… Riiiiiddelllll…'
--
AN: well.. it's been a good while. i broke my old phone but accidently dropping it out of my pocket from a 5 foot high stage...
was scared that I'd lost my entire collection of stories but i was able to recover it to my PC which was a absolute blessing.
I got a new phone now and finally finished this chapter.
hope you all are still enjoying the story and remember that you can PM/DM me your character to be featured in future chapters!
leave a Review!
Thx and till the next chapter!
