Chapter 35: The Trouble With Hermione

The next day, I had Harry repeat the story to Hermione. And then had him repeat it again. Neither of us could believe it.

Apparently, the diary was magical. It talks back to him. It held the bloke Tom Riddle's memories inside and every time Harry wrote in it, he would answer.

Tom took Harry back to the night that the Muggleborn had died. There, he showed him that Hagrid was the one that had opened the Chamber. He had a creature in a box that had killed the student.

Hermione and I refused to believe it.

"Riddle might have got the wrong person." said Hermione. "Maybe it was some other monster that was attacking people."

"Could be true." I sighed. "Then again, how many monsters d'you think this place can hold?"

"We always knew Hagrid had been expelled." said Harry miserably. "And the attacks must've stopped after Hagrid was kicked out. Otherwise, Riddle wouldn't have got his award."

"Riddle does sound like Percy. Who asked him to squeal on Hagrid, anyway?" I said. I was starting not to like the sound of the git.

"But the monster had killed someone, Ron." said Hermione.

"And Riddle was going to go back to some Muggle orphanage if they closed Hogwarts." said Harry. "I don't blame him for wanting to stay here."

"You met Hagrid down Knockturn Alley, didn't you, Harry?"

"He was buying a Flesh-Eating Slug Repellent." said Harry quickly.

"Do you think we should go and ask Hagrid about it all?" asked Hermione, hesitantly. We knew that it was going to be a delicate conversation.

"That'd be a cheerful visit." I said, voice dripping with sarcasm. " Hello, Hagrid. Tell us, have you been setting anything mad and hairy loose in the castle lately?'"

In the end, we decided that they would not say anything to Hagrid unless there was another attack. It was now nearly four months since Justin and Nearly Headless Nick had been Petrified, and nearly everybody seemed to think that the attacker, whoever it was, had retired for good. Peeves had finally got bored of his "Oh, Potter, you rotter" song, Ernie Macmillan was starting to be polite to Harry again, and in March, several of the Mandrakes threw a loud and raucous party in greenhouse three. This made Professor Sprout very happy.

"The moment they start trying to move into each other's pots, we'll know they're fully mature." she told Harry. "Then we'll be able to revive those poor people in the hospital wing."

More pleasant news was given to us second years to think about during their Easter holidays. We could choose our subjects for the third year, a matter that Hermione, at least, took very seriously.

"It could affect our whole future." she told us as we looked over lists of new subjects, marking them with checks.

"I just want to give up Potions," said Harry.

"We can't, unfortunately." I said gloomily. "We keep all our old subjects, or I would've ditched Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"But that's very important!" said Hermione, shocked.

"Not the way Lockhart teaches it. I haven't learned a damn thing from him except not to set pixies loose."

Neville and Dean were beside me, looking over their lists. Neville looked like he was going to fall apart. Dean was just pointing his wand at random spots on the paper, circling wherever it landed. Hermione signed up for everything.

Harry didn't seem too enthusiastic to pick anything. His mind was on the upcoming Quidditch game against Hufflepuff. In the end, he just chose whatever I did, which was Divination and Care Of Magical Creatures.

Wood was insisting on team practices every night after dinner, so Harry barely had time for anything but Quidditch and homework. We were sitting in front of the warm fire, trying to concentrate on our History Of Magic homework, when Neville came up to us, looking frantic.

"Harry - I don't know who did it - I just found-"

Harry took off after Neville, leaving Dean, Seamus, and I confused.

"Wonder what that was all about." said Dean.

"Dunno." I said. "But I'm about to find out."

I got up and headed towards our dorm, Dean and Seamus at my heels. When we got to the room, there was a collective gasp.

The contents of Harry's trunk had been thrown everywhere. His cloak lay ripped on the floor. 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.

Dean swore loudly.

"What the fuck? What happened, Harry?" asked Dean, looking around at the disaster.

"No idea." said Harry. I looked over at his robes. All the pockets were hanging out.

"Someone's been looking for something." I said. "Is there anything missing?"

Harry started to pick up all his things and throw them into his trunk. He then started to look around him with a panicked look on his face. I rushed over to him.

"Riddle's diary's gone." he whispered to me

"What?"

"Someone has stolen the diary! We gotta go tell Hermione." he said.

He jerked his head toward the dormitory door and we hurried out and back down to the Gryffindor common room, which was half-empty, and joined Hermione, who was sitting alone, reading a book called Ancient Runes Made Easy .

Hermione looked shocked at the news.

"But, only a Gryffindor could have stolen it. Nobody else knows our password!"

"Exactly!" said Harry.

"But who would want to take it?" I wondered. "Who else knows about how it works?"

"Dunno." said Harry, looking down at the floor.

We woke the next day to brilliant sunshine and a light, refreshing breeze.

"Perfect Quidditch conditions!" said Wood enthusiastically at the Gryffindor table, loading the team's plates with scrambled eggs. "Harry, buck up there, you need a decent breakfast."

Harry was in no mood for eating. Both Hermione and I could tell that the diary weighed heavily on his mind. Hermione had been urging him to report the robbery, but Harry didn't like the idea.

As we left the Great Hall, we headed up the staircase. Suddenly, Harry stopped midway up. He looked around, head turning this way and that, and then shouted, causing Hermione and I to jump back.

"The voice!" said Harry, looking over his shoulder. "I just heard it again, didn't you?"

I shook my head, wide-eyed. Hermione, however, clapped a hand to her forehead.

"Harry! I think I've just understood something! I've got to go to the library!"

And she ran up the stairs without another word.

"What does she understand?" said Harry distractedly, still looking around, trying to tell where the voice had come from.

"Loads more than I do." I said, shaking his head.

"But why's she got to go to the library?"

"Because that's what Hermione does." I said with a laugh and a shrug. "When in doubt, go to the library. You'd better get moving. It's nearly eleven, and you've got a match to win."

Harry raced up to Gryffindor Tower, while I headed to the pitch by myself. I met up with the other boys and Parvati, and headed with them to the stands.

"This game will be easy as pie, if I do say so meself." said Seamus, as if he was playing.

"You never know, we could lose." doubted Parvati.

"Are you mental?" I chimed in as we took our seats. "This is Hufflepuff we are talking about. We always beat Hufflepuff with flying colors."

"All students are to make their way back to the House common rooms, where their Heads of Houses will give them further information. As quickly as you can, please!" boomed McGonagall's voice through a megaphone. The crowd groaned.

"What's that all about?" asked Dean.

"I'm going to find Harry and see." I said, running ahead.

I made my way through the crowd and up to a bewildered looking Harry, who seemed to be speaking to McGonagall.

"Yes, perhaps you'd better come, too, Weasley." she said, giving me a worried look.

I looked to Harry for answers, but he looked just as clueless as I felt. We followed McGonagall back up to school and towards the hospital wing.

"This will be a bit of a shock," said Professor McGonagall in a gentle voice. "There has been another attack... another double attack."

We gulped and went in after her. Madam Pomfrey was bending over a fifth-year girl with long, curly hair. The Ravenclaw we accidentally asked for directions to the Slytherin common room. And on the bed next to her was a sight that made my heart drop.

"Hermione!" I yelled.

I stared at her. She looked completely lifeless. Her body was stiff as a board, her hand was raised as if she was reaching out for something. Her eyes were wide open and glossy, as if she was looking beyond the room.

I could hardly hear what the Professor was saying. Something about a mirror that was in Hermione's hand. I just shook my head when Harry did.

I wanted to touch her, but she looked as if she would be frozen to the touch. I had to keep reminding myself that she wasn't dead.

Harry had to pull on my shirt to get me to move, even though he looked just as bad as I felt. We followed McGonagall back to Gryffindor Tower.

"All students will return to their House common rooms by six o'clock in the evening. No student is to leave the dormitories after that time. You will be escorted to each lesson by a teacher. No student is to use the bathroom unaccompanied by a teacher. All further Quidditch training and matches are to be postponed. There will be no more evening activities." she said to all of us packed inside the common room She rolled up the parchment from which she had been reading and said in a somewhat choked voice, "I need hardly add that I have rarely been so distressed. It is likely that the school will be closed unless the culprit behind these attacks is caught. I would urge anyone who thinks they might know anything about them to come forward."

She climbed somewhat awkwardly out of the portrait hole, and the Gryffindors began talking immediately.

"That's two Gryffindors down, not counting a Gryffindor ghost, one Ravenclaw, and one Hufflepuff." said Lee Jordan, counting on his fingers. "Haven't any of the teachers noticed that the Slytherins are all safe? Isn't it obvious all this stuff's coming from Slytherin? The Heir of Slytherin, the monster of Slytherin - why don't they just chuck all the Slytherins out?"

Percy was sitting in a chair behind Lee, but for once he didn't seem too keen to say anything. He was looking pale and stunned.

"Percy's in shock." George told us quietly. "That Ravenclaw girl, Penelope Clearwater, she's a prefect. I don't think he thought the monster would dare attack a prefect."

"What're we going to do?" I said quietly in Harry's ear. "Do you think they suspect Hagrid?"

"We've got to go and talk to him," said Harry. "I can't believe it's him this time, but if he set the monster loose last time he'll know how to get inside the Chamber of Secrets, and that's a start."

"But McGonagall said we've got to stay in our tower unless we're in class."

"I think," said Harry, more quietly still, "it's time to get my dad's old cloak out again."