A/N: Happy New Year, everyone! Hope you all had a lovely holiday season. Let's make 2024 a year to remember, shall we?

Harry could only imagine the shock running through Fred and George Weasley's minds as they sat waiting in Dumbledore's office. Their youngest brother, Petrified...it must have been terribly confusing and frightening for them. Both boys were uncharacteristically quiet as they sat restlessly in their armchairs, sharing meaningful looks with one another that Harry couldn't begin to understand. Whatever signals the twins were sending each other, it seemed to bring them little comfort.

Dumbledore entered the office soon after, and was immediately bombarded by questions from the twins. "How did this happen?" George demanded.

"Yeah, how come they were targeted?" asked Fred. "What did they do to anybody?"

Dumbledore merely held up a hand for silence. "We are waiting for a few more people to arrive," he muttered. That left an awkward silence as the three students were forced to wait longer for answers. Harry still had no idea why he had been summoned as well, and was dying with questions of his own.

A few minutes later, the door swung open again, and Percy Weasley strode in, his Prefect badge gleaming on his chest. "I've found my sister as you requested, Headmaster," Percy announced. And behind him, Ginny Weasley shuffled into the office, alongside Dahlia Potter, hand in hand, both still sporting their Gryffindor attire from the Quidditch match. Harry was surprised to see his sister, and judging by Dumbledore's reaction, so was he.

"Good afternoon, Miss Potter," Dumbledore greeted her. "What brings you to my office?"

"I'm here to support Ginny," Dahlia announced firmly, clutching Ginny's hand tighter. Ginny was trembling slightly and looked on the verge of tears. Dumbledore must have noticed this too, for he nodded and summoned more chairs for the new arrivals to sit in.

"I'm terribly sorry for what has happened to your brother Ronald," said Dumbledore somberly to the gathered redheads. "Your parents have been notified and are on their way as we speak. I can assure you that, while he will remain in his current state for some time, he will make a full recovery and should be back to normal by the summer."

"Forgive me, Headmaster, but that's little consolation," said Percy, and the other Weasleys nodded in agreement. "Why was nothing done after the Lovegood girl's accident to prevent more attacks like this from taking place?"

"Preventative measures have been put in place to protect students from harm," said Dumbledore. "It was these very measures, in fact, that saved your brother's life. The mirrors that have been installed around the castle are only one step that has been taken – the staff has been thoroughly searching the castle for the creature that is responsible."

"It's been months since the first attack!" said Fred, and George nodded vigorously in agreement. "The castle can't be that big."

"We'll help you look," George said firmly. "We've found plenty of hidden rooms and passages the monster could be hiding in."

"I assure you that Professor Lupin is being quite thorough in his search," said Dumbledore. Then, he unexpectedly turned to Harry. "He also tells me that you have approached him in an attempt to help, Mr. Potter."

"Erm...yeah," said Harry awkwardly. "After Luna was attacked, I felt like I should do anything I can."

"And do you have any specific insights into this latest string of attacks?" Dumbledore asked. "Anything that might help us locate the perpetrator?"

Harry was taken aback by the question. Dumbledore regarded him quietly, his blue eyes studying Harry's face. Harry realized that Dumbledore was wearing an expression he had rarely seen on the man before. He looked unsure. Out of answers. Desperate, even. He and Lupin haven't made any progress, Harry thought with dismay. He's hoping my visions can bail him out of the situation.

Before Harry could answer, there was a great whooshing noise as Dumbledore's fireplace glowed bright green, and two figures stepped out of the hearth and into the office: Cornelius Fudge and Lucius Malfoy. Harry's stomach dropped at the sight of two of his least favorite people aside from Voldemort.

"Afternoon, Minister," Dumbledore said cordially. "Governor Malfoy. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I'm afraid there's no pleasure in today's visit, Dumbledore," said Fudge irritably. "I've just been informed of the latest attack. The Ministry has given you plenty of leeway to fight this battle yourself, but it has become clear that a more heavy-handed approach is needed!"

"I assure you that the matter is being taken seriously," said Dumbledore.

"Perhaps not seriously enough," Malfoy sneered. "Two pure-blood children Petrified, right under your nose? That's not something the public will take kindly to."

"Fortunately, my job is not a popularity contest," Dumbledore said calmly. "I do what is best for my students, even if it is not always the most popular thing."

"This is getting out of hand, Albus!" Fudge snapped. "First the troll incident, then Pettigrew, now this? I have been fielding angry letters for over a year as to why I've let you keep your position! And you mean to tell me that you don't know who is behind it all?"

"I know precisely who is behind it," Dumbledore said coolly. "Tom Riddle."

"Who?"

"A former student of this school," Dumbledore explained. "Better known today as Lord Voldemort."

Ginny Weasley gave a little eep of shock at the use of the name; Dahlia wrapped her arms around her to calm her quivering.

"Oh, not this nonsense again!" Fudge scoffed. "I had a feeling you were behind Pettigrew's tainted testimony, and now here's the proof! You're trying to spread rumors of the Dark Lord's return to save your own hide!"

"I'm afraid it is no rumor," said Dumbledore. "I believe that a cursed diary has been smuggled into the castle, and it has been possessing a student to do the Dark Lord's bidding."

Harry saw Lucius Malfoy's face twitch slightly at this reveal. His eyes darted briefly over towards Ginny before he recomposed himself – which was all the confirmation Harry needed.

"Preposterous!" said Fudge. "I know you are partial to your groundskeeper, Dumbledore, but Hagrid must be brought to justice. It's clear that he is repeating his actions of fifty years ago—"

"It couldn't have been Hagrid!" Percy Weasley protested. "He was with us, at the Quidditch match!"

"Hagrid's alibi has been air-tight for the last several attacks," Dumbledore agreed. "As I have maintained all along, he is innocent of these crimes."

Fudge's face was going red with frustration now. "If you cannot produce a viable suspect of these attacks, then I'm afraid I have no choice but to—"

"Wait!" a tiny voice piped up. All eyes turned to Ginny, who stared wide-eyed at the adults before her, then dropped her gaze forlornly to her feet. "It was me."

"Ginny, don't—!" Dahlia said in a frightened tone.

"No, Dahl, they have to know," Ginny sighed. "I had the diary. I wrote to Tom Riddle, and he told me a lot of things...really scary things. I have gaps in my memory during the attacks, and I think he was possessing me."

"Ginny, stop!" Dahlia wailed, clapping her hands over her ears in visible distress.

"Do you have the diary with you, right now?" Dumbledore asked softly.

"N-no!" Ginny sniffed. "Dahlia convinced me to get rid of it...after Luna Lovegood was attacked. I was frightened, and I threw it away."

"Threw it away?" McGonagall repeated, looking shocked. "Where?"

"In Moaning Myrtle's bathroom," said Ginny. "I s-should have turned it in, but I was scared of getting into trouble."

"Minerva, go and fetch the diary from the bathroom at once," Dumbledore said urgently.

"It's n-not there anymore!" Ginny cried. "I went back to look for it a few days later, and it was gone!"

"Gone?" said McGonagall, frowning. "Where could it have gone?"

"Somebody else must have found the diary and begun to write in it themselves," Dumbledore muttered thoughtfully. "Another student, no doubt. Tom Riddle would have used them to continue his bidding."

Things suddenly started to make a lot of sense to Harry. Dahlia had been avoiding him all term, no doubt feeling anxious about Ginny's possession of the diary. She must have been terrified of her best friend getting in trouble by admitting that she did indeed know where it was. Only once Dahlia convinced Ginny to dispose of the diary did she draw close to Harry again, believing the threat to be over.

But who had found the diary afterwards? Someone else in the castle must have it now...what if it had fallen into the hands of someone who wanted to do Voldemort's bidding, like a Slytherin? But would a Slytherin attack a fellow Slytherin, or give reason to other pure-bloods that they were in danger? What exactly was Tom Riddle's plan? Harry was at a loss.

"Well, I do believe that constitutes a confession," said Fudge after a few moments of stunned silence. "I take it Miss Weasley will be expelled, Dumbledore?"

"Not so fast, Cornelius," said Dumbledore. "You've heard her say it yourself: she did not possess the diary for today's attack. She also did not do any permanent harm to anyone, nor was she in full control of her senses during the attacks."

"Be reasonable, Dumbledore," Fudge growled. "It's either this, or the girl will be charged publicly by the Ministry."

"You could take that route," Dumbledore admitted. "Though I wonder how the press would react to charges being brought against an eleven-year-old girl, days after her brother was attacked, no less."

Fudge looked furious at this suggestion. Dumbledore had called his bluff, and clearly Fudge had no response ready for it.

"Then I'm afraid we are left with no other options," he said. "Lucius, if you will?"

Lucius Malfoy cleared his throat and address the Headmaster. "Albus Dumbledore," he announced gravely (while obviously suppressing a grin), "as representative for the Board of Governors, I hereby relieve you of your duties as Headmaster of Hogwarts School, effective immediately."

At once, the Weasleys all spoke up in defiant protest to this. But again, Dumbledore held up a patient hand to quiet them. "I believe I am entitled to a hearing with the Wizengamot before such a ruling is upheld?" he asked.

"Indeed you are," Fudge sneered, and this time he looked as though he had the upper hand. "Though I wonder how good your chances will be, once Dale Greengrass learns what has happened to his daughter. His influence can be rather significant, wouldn't you agree?"

Dumbledore visibly deflated at this. Even Harry knew the implications of what Fudge was suggesting: Lord Greengrass had a lot of sway with the Wizengamot, and if he had reason to blame Dumbledore for his daughter's fate, the man stood little chance of acquittal with the neutral voting members.

"Don't make this difficult now, Dumbledore," said Malfoy, a look of triumph on his face. "Come quietly and avoid the negative press a Wizengamot conviction would bring you. It's the one hope you have of avoiding Azkaban."

Dumbledore gave a heavy sigh. Then he got to his feet, looking more like a tired old man than Harry had ever seen him. "Very well; I accept your judgment," he said. He glanced towards McGonagall in the corner, who looked horrified. "I take it my Deputy Headmistress will take my place?"

"For now," Malfoy nodded. "The Board of Governors will convene shortly to discuss a more...suitable replacement."

Harry's stomach lurched at this. He could only imagine what Malfoy's idea of a 'suitable' Headmaster was. He had visions of a pink-cardiganed, toad-faced woman occupying the office once more, and had to suppress a shudder….

Dumbledore stepped through the fireplace, followed shortly by Malfoy. "You can expect Madam Bones to arrive any moment," Fudge told McGonagall in passing. "She will be overseeing the investigation from now on." And he too stepped through the flames, leaving only McGonagall and the dumbstruck Potter and Weasley students behind.

"Professor?" Percy Weasley asked uncertainly. "What happens now?"

"Take the others back to their dormitories, Mr. Weasley," said McGonagall, settling into the chair Dumbledore had just vacated with a sigh. "You will all remain there until the staff – and presumably the Ministry – decides on our next steps."

Percy nodded, and the six students stood to exit the office. They descended the spiral staircase together, and were greeted immediately at the bottom by James and Lily Potter.

"What's happened?" James demanded, looking from Percy to Harry. "Where's Dumbledore?"

"He's been sacked," Harry muttered. "Fudge and Malfoy just left with him."

His parents looked stunned by this revelation. "That's it, then," Lily said matter-of-factly. "Let's go, kids. We're leaving."

"Leaving where?" Harry asked, alarmed.

"We've been discussing this with Remus for a few weeks now," said James gravely. "We're pulling you and your sister from Hogwarts."

"What? You can't!" Harry protested.

"You can finish the year at Ilvermorny," Lily said gently. "You'll be safe there. We can reassess Hogwarts next year, once things have settled down."

A million thoughts raced through Harry's mind. Endless possibilities had occurred to him about the outcome of the school year, but withdrawing from Hogwarts had never crossed his mind. This was his home, his birthright! Leaving this place would feel like abandoning the one place he'd ever felt like himself.

To Harry's surprise, it was Dahlia who spoke up next. "I'm not leaving Ginny," she said firmly, her hand still firmly grasping her friend's. "If she stays, I'm staying too."

"Dear, it's not safe for you here with Dumbledore gone," said Lily. "Remember what happened to Calvin, and the other students?"

"I won't leave her here by herself!" Dahlia wailed. "She just lost a brother; don't make her lose me too!"

Lily looked to James for help. James looked conflicted, as though unsure what to do.

"If Dahlia stays, I stay," Harry added. "I'll watch after her. And Uncle Remus will too."

"Sir, the Minister said that Madam Bones will be here soon to take over the investigation," Percy added. "Perhaps it would be best if your whole family was here together, rather than spread apart?"

Harry was grateful for Percy's support. Privately, he rather hoped Dahlia would take their mother's advice and leave the school, if only for the rest of the year. As long as she was safe, Harry would feel infinitely better about the situation. But if she stayed, there was no chance he was leaving her side.

"We'll table this discussion for now," James muttered, giving his wife's arm a reassuring squeeze. "Let me talk with Amelia, and we'll decide what to do from there."

Lily didn't look entirely pleased, but she eventually nodded her consent. James rushed up the spiral staircase to meet McGonagall, while Percy led his siblings plus Dahlia back to Gryffindor Tower. Lily accompanied Harry up to the Ravenclaw common room, still looking worried.

"Uncle Remus tells me you've been trying to help with the search," she said pointedly. "Is that true?"

"Yeah," Harry admitted. "I had some ideas about where to look—"

"I want you to forget all that, okay?" Lily said firmly. "You are to obey your professors and stay out of trouble. The thought of losing you...it's too much to bear."

Harry prepared to argue this point, but noticed that his mother had slowed her pace, tears welling up in her eyes. He paused to give her a hug, and she pulled him tight in an enveloping embrace, body shaking with silent sobs.

"I'll be safe," Harry promised. "And I'll guard Dahlia's life with my own."

"I know you will," Lily sniffled, pulling away and kissing her son on the forehead. "That's what worries me."

They passed the rest of the journey to Ravenclaw Tower in silence, hands clapsed firmly together...Lily was holding onto her son for dear life. Harry was struck by the mighty power of Lily's maternal instinct over him – he knew how potent it was thanks to her protective magic in his first timeline, but witnessing it firsthand was another thing entirely.

"Who are the authors of history?" asked the bronze eagle statue outside the common room entrance once they arrived.

"The victors," Harry said sullenly. The door swung open, and Harry hugged his mother goodbye before walking inside.

The Ravenclaw common room was packed full of anxious students when he entered, and they all hushed at his approach. "Harry, what's going on?" asked Padma Patil. "What did Dumbledore say?"

"Dumbledore's been sacked," Harry sighed, eliciting gasps of shock from the students. "The Minister's here, and the Aurors are likely on their way."

"Did they say what would happen to our Quidditch match?" Roger Davies piped up hopefully.

"Who cares about a bloody Quidditch match?" groaned Penelope Clearwater. "Did they say what would happen to Hogwarts?"

"Dunno," Harry shrugged. "But they'll probably search our dorms pretty soon."

That triggered a wave of students rushing up the stairs, presumably to rid their belongings of any contraband they might be carrying. Harry sought any friendly face to turn to, anyone he could commiserate with in such a dark hour. His Quidditch teammates avoided his eye; his dorm mates made excuses to be elsewhere; Hermione didn't even spare him a glance as she gathered her things and rushed up to the girls' dorms with her fellow second-years.

Luna, Ron and Daphne were gone. Dumbledore was sacked. Hermione was ignoring him. Lupin and his parents wanted him out of the way. Harry was alone in this now, and he felt the burden of solving this mystery increase tenfold with the stakes higher than ever.

The dorms were indeed searched head to toe later that evening, and not just by staff members – Aurors equipped with Secrecy Sensors and Dark Detectors swept over every inch of Ravenclaw Tower, and presumably every other House. It seemed that Fudge and Amelia Bones were taking no precautions this time.

Harry's dorm was inspected by Rufus Scrimgeour, the no-nonsense head of the Auror Department. Scrimgeour uncovered a few questionable items, including Anthony Goldstein's illicit stock of Wit-Sharpening Potions and a concealed copy of 'Witches Gone Wild' magazine under Terry Boot's bed. This seemed to be on the tamer side of what he'd uncovered that day elsewhere, for he barely gave a grunt of disapproval before taking the contraband with him out of the dorm.

The school was also searched once more, as Harry watched on the Marauder's Map that night. Both Aurors and staff members scoured the castle, their dots moving in careful groups as they cleared room after room, floor after floor. Even Harry's own father James participated in the hunt, working with Tonks and Moody to clear the dungeons. It seemed that no progress was made that weekend, however, as students remained in lockdown in their common rooms awaiting further notice.

On Monday morning, the Great Hall was opened for breakfast, and the students gathered to hear from Acting Headmistress McGonagall. "The school will remain open, under strict supervision," she announced. "Aurors will remain stationed here until the culprit is caught and punished. Students are not to wander off alone, and all extra-curricular activities are hereby canceled for the remainder of the year."

There were loud groans of irritation at this, particularly from Roger Davies, who had been lobbying Flitwick fruitlessly to let them finish their match against Gryffindor. Harry noticed that McGonagall also seemed displeased with the proceedings...Fudge was taking a heavier hand in the investigation, and these new measures were obviously not her idea. She eyed the Aurors with trepidation, and Harry knew her well enough that she was worried about scaring the younger students with their menacing presence.

And while Harry appreciated the extra effort to solve the case, he knew the Auror presence was entirely useless. None of them aside from his father seemed particularly invested in solving the case, and few of them seemed to even believe a threat even remained in the castle. Instead, they passed their time on shift harassing students in the halls for minor infractions and generally intimidating the student body.

Harry thought Dumbledore's absence from the castle would be a relief, knowing that such a powerful wizard was not watching him at all hours of the day. But that absence also meant Fudge and his cronies had full control over things, and that was much worse. All of the fun had been sucked out of Hogwarts, and students now lived in constant fear, not from the Heir of Slytherin but from the long arm of the Ministry asserting its control over the student body.

After a week of stunted progress, students began to be randomly selected for questioning in McGonagall's office. Nobody spoke about what happened during the questioning, but nobody seemed pleased when they returned from such a summoning. It reminded Harry of Umbridge's tactics in attempting to find the perpetrators of Dumbledore's Army, and now he saw where she got such an idea. He certainly didn't plan on drinking any beverages offered to him by a Ministry official….

Harry got his own summons during dinner one Friday evening, as a prefect passed him a note from McGonagall requesting his immediate presence. He walked up to the Headmistress' Office and knocked before entering.

"You asked to see me, Professor…?" he said, trailing off as he took in the inhabitants of the room. McGonagall was there, sitting behind her desk, but also present were Minister Fudge and Amelia Bones, sitting in the two armchairs nearest the door, both facing him.

"Ah, Mr. Potter, you made it," said Fudge. "Do you know why we've summoned you here today?"

"Erm...no," Harry said slowly, looking to McGonagall quizzically. She offered him no answers, merely pursing her lips and glancing furtively at the Minister.

"The Ministry is taking this 'Heir of Slytherin' business quite seriously," Fudge explained. "We have been poring over student records to determine who the culprit might be. And we've uncovered some...troubling details about you."

Harry's heart skipped a beat. "What kind of details?" he asked nervously.

"Well, so far all of the victims have somehow involved you," said Fudge. "Your sister's cat...your friends Lovegood, Weasley and Greengrass...how peculiar."

"Why would I target my own friends if I was the Heir?" Harry asked, frowning.

"A curious question indeed," said Fudge. "Though that is not the only reason you've fallen under suspicion. Do you have your wand with you, young man?"

"Erm...yes," said Harry, cautiously drawing his wand from his robes pocket.

"Will you perform a simple spell for us?" asked Fudge. "Just so we can see that it works?"

"Alright," said Harry. "Lumos." A ball of light appeared at the tip of his wand, lighting the entire room. The wand must have sensed Harry's nerves, for the light was more powerful than he intended, causing everyone to squint and avert their eyes from the blinding white light.

"That's quite enough, thank you, Potter," Fudge said irritably, waving his hand to signal Harry to extinguish the light. When Harry did so, Fudge turned to Amelia Bones, who was frowning down at a roll of parchment in her hands. "Well, Amelia?"

"Nothing," she muttered. "How odd."

"Is that your wand, Mr. Potter?" Fudge demanded. "Where did you get it?"

"I bought it from Ollivander's, on my eleventh birthday," Harry explained. "I've never used another."

"Impossible," Fudge scoffed. "Headmistress, have you observed Mr. Potter performing magic in his classes this school year?"

"Of course," McGonagall sniffed. "He's one of my brightest students." Harry noted the pride in her voice, but also the fearful tone behind it, which caused his heart to beat even faster.

"This simply cannot be," said Fudge. "James Potter must have tampered with the records! I've always suspected him to be up to no good—"

"That's impossible," Amelia said quickly. "Even if James tried, there's no way he could fool the Trace."

"He was always much too clever for his own good," Fudge muttered, rubbing his hands together agitatedly. "I'll have him questioned for this—"

"Excuse me, Minister, but have I done something wrong?" Harry asked, a feeling of panic overtaking him.

"That remains to be seen," said Fudge. He reached over and snatched the parchment from Amelia, brandishing it in Harry's face. "Care to explain this?"

Harry took the parchment and examined it. It bore his name and birth date at the top, followed by a long list of what looked to be spells. Each spell was accompanied by a date and time of day – some seconds or minutes apart, others days or weeks.

"I don't understand," Harry muttered. "What is this?"

"Your magical record," said Fudge. "Every underage wizard has one. The Trace can detect every spell you cast, and it is recorded here, on your record. But yours seems to be malfunctioning."

"Malfunctioning? How?" asked Harry.

"Look at the last spell on the list!" Fudge said impatiently. "Look at the date!"

Harry scanned the bottom of the parchment. The last spell listed was 'Locomotion Charm', dated the 30th of June, 1992 at 7:43 PM. He immediately remembered casting it: he'd used it to levitate his trunk off of the Hogwarts Express upon returning to King's Cross at the end of last term, shortly before handing his wand over to his mother for the remainder of the summer.

"Where are the rest of the records?" Harry asked. "This was nearly a year ago."

"That question has puzzled us for days, Mr. Potter!" Fudge scoffed. "The Trace seems to have forgotten you exist ever since last summer! Why on earth would that be?"

"I dunno," Harry shrugged. "I didn't do anything different…"

"He must have swapped wands over the summer!" Fudge concluded.

"That wouldn't make a difference," Amelia sighed. "The Trace is tied to his magical core, not his wand. You heard what Saul Croaker said—"

"Something is afoot here, Amelia!" Fudge snapped. "I will not have this! The boy has clearly found a way to subvert the Ministry's surveillance, and I intend to figure out why!"

Harry again looked to McGonagall for assistance. She watched him fearfully, but offered him no support.

"Sir, am I being accused of something?" Harry asked, doing his best to sound innocent. "I don't see how this pertains to me."

"You—what—of course it pertains to you, boy!" Fudge sputtered. "It's your record, your reputation on the line!"

"Mr. Potter has a point, Minister," Amelia said gently. "It is not his fault that there is a problem with the Ministry's record-keeping. And unless you have something concrete to accuse him of, I fail to see the purpose of this meeting."

Fudge muttered mutinously under his breath as he considered his next move. Harry stood stock-still, doing his best not to betray his nerves. I haven't done anything wrong, he reminded himself. There's nothing he can get me into trouble for. He hadn't the faintest idea why the Trace didn't seem to be working on him, but that wasn't his problem right now. The only thing he could do was maintain a guise of innocence to avoid jeopardizing his father's Auror career.

"Very well, Potter, you may go," Fudge groaned. "But be warned: the Ministry has a very close eye on you, and if we get even a whiff that you're involved in this mess somehow, you will be expelled in a heartbeat."

"Thank you, Minister," Harry said, forcing himself to bow politely to the despicable man. He turned and strode to the exit before he could say or do anything further that could be used against him somehow.

Dumbledore would have never allowed this, Harry thought as he returned to Ravenclaw Tower, a bit disgruntled. For the first time, he missed the old man's presence in the castle. McGonagall was fair-minded, but she lacked Dumbledore's spine to stand up to Ministry interference. She'd always fallen into line when expected to...Harry remembered that she'd declined to join the Order of the Phoenix during the First Wizarding War.

Harry entered the common room and spotted Terry Boot working on homework at an empty table. He plopped down into the chair across from Terry with a heavy sigh. "You aren't going to believe what just happened—" he began.

But to his surprise, Terry looked up fearfully at Harry and immediately gathered his things to head up to the dorm. Harry watched him go, perplexed.

"Surely no onestillthinks I'm the Heir?" Harry muttered angrily to himself.

"Of course they don't," a voice scoffed nearby; Harry looked up to see Sue Li reading in an armchair nearby. "But you're something of a leper around here lately, or haven't you noticed?"

"Why?" asked Harry, bewildered. "What did I do?"

Sue sighed and closed her book to face him, glancing around first to ensure they weren't being watched. "There's a rumor going around that only people who are close to you are being targeted," Sue said in an undertone.

Harry's blood chilled at that thought. "Who started that rumor?" he demanded.

"Dunno, but it makes sense, doesn't it?" Sue shrugged. "Your sister's cat, your best mate, and two people who publicly defended you? Lots of people think that whoever the Heir is, he has an axe to grind with you."

"Why would the Heir of Slytherin care about me at all?" Harry asked.

"Beats me," said Sue. "But no one wants to be seen talking to you, or else they might be next to 'take the fall' on your behalf."

"Ridiculous," Harry muttered. "Surely nobody actually believes the Heir is specifically going after my—"

"Gotta go, Harry, sorry!" Sue said hurriedly, as she spied Padma Patil and Lisa Turpin heading their way. She stood and walked briskly away from Harry to greet them.

That's just great, Harry thought irritably. People are so scared of the Heir that they don't even want to be associated with me. But Sue (and Fudge) had a point: why was it only Harry's friends that were being targeted? Last time it was only Muggle-borns who fell prey to the basilisk, but there was no such connecting thread between this timeline's victims aside from their proximity to Harry.

Could this be a clue as to who had the diary? Was it someone like Marcus Flint, who harbored malice against him ever since his first day at the school, or maybe Draco Malfoy, who perpetually antagonized him and Dahlia at every step? No chance Lucius would let his son continue using the diary if he'd found it, Harry reasoned. No, whoever had found the diary after Ginny probably didn't know what it was capable of. But why had they not turned it in when the investigation began?

No matter, though. Harry didn't need to have people around him at all times. If anything, it would aid him in his quest to solve this case before anyone else got hurt. He felt guilty for promising Lily he would stay out of trouble, but he couldn't sit idly by. Not when the basilisk still ran loose, and seemed to have a penchant for going after people he cared about. He resolved to begin searching for the Chamber in earnest the following week.

But that proved more difficult than expected, as Harry felt eyes on him at all times in the coming days. Every time he left Ravenclaw Tower to attend classes or meals, it seemed that teachers and Aurors were lurking just out of sight around every corner, watching him like a hawk. Fudge must have made McGonagall keep an eye on me, he thought irritably. It prevented him from sneaking off to look for the Chamber, or even to visit the Room of Requirement in the evenings. Even the library had been closed following the latest attack, so he was confined to the Great Hall or the common room at all hours of the day.

The one upside was that, with all the added security, there was a chance the diary owner couldn't enact their own plans. Maybe Fudge's plan is working after all, Harry mused. Tom Riddle may have been able to pull one over on Dumbledore back in the day, but fooling the entire Department of Magical Law Enforcement was a much taller task. That gave Harry a small bit of comfort as they entered the final month of the school year with nary an incident to speak of.

But even that small comfort was short-lived, as Harry entered the Great Hall for breakfast one morning to find his father arguing with McGonagall at the Head Table. He approached tentatively, unable to hear what was being said. But when James turned to walk away, he looked beside himself with rage.

"Dad?" Harry called out. "What's going on?"

"The Aurors are being pulled from Hogwarts," James muttered angrily. "The investigation is being closed."

Harry's stomach dropped. "But why?" he asked. "Summer's just a month away, and there haven't been any attacks since you got here!"

"That seems to be the problem," James chuckled mirthlessly. "The Board of Governors is convinced that the threat has passed and the school can return to normal operations. I tried to tell them it's too soon, but they wouldn't listen."

Malfoy's pulling strings behind the scenes, Harry thought with horror. He wants the Heir of Slytherin to finish his mission. It also explained why McGonagall had not been replaced at Headmistress yet: Lucius wanted her to be the one to take the fall once the Heir struck once more, clearing the path for a more sinister candidate to run the school next year.

"You can't go," Harry implored James. "This will only give the diary owner free reign to—"

"I tried explaining that to McGonagall," James said, exasperated. "But it's out of my hands. My orders are clear, and I am to evacuate school grounds at once."

Harry swore loudly at this. It was a testament to the gravity of the situation that his father did not reprimand him for it. "This isn't going to end well," he muttered.

"Listen," said James softly, kneeling before his son. "Your sister is still refusing to leave her friend. But it's not too late for you to come with me. I'm sure you can test out of your exams at home and come back next year if it's safe."

"No way," Harry refused. "If Dahlia stays, I stay."

James looked pained by this answer, but he nodded and wrapped Harry in a hug. "I'm proud of you, son," he sighed. "It's a wonder you weren't put in Gryffindor, because you've been so brave through all of this."

If you only knew, Harry thought to himself. He watched helplessly as his father strode out of the Great Hall and out onto the grounds. He was truly on his own now.

But maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all. Everyone was still on high alert, after all, and Remus still had the staff vigilant and patrolling the halls at all hours of the day and night. Even so, morale was low among the students, who felt that the departure of the Aurors meant they were being left for dead. Paranoia and fear ran rampant, and students rarely left their common rooms between classes or meals anymore.

With the added pressure of end-of-year exams, students were beginning to crack left and right. A seventh-year Hufflepuff girl had a nervous breakdown during breakfast the first morning of N.E.W.T. exams and had to be sedated by two teachers. Three separate fifth-years fainted later that same week in the corridors, as exhaustion and stress combined to push them past their limits.

The lower grade levels were affected as well – many of Harry's classmates seemed to be struggling to focus on their finals, particularly his fellow Ravenclaws. There was an unspoken competitive nature amongst them, as each wanted to be regarded as the smartest and earn the highest grade. Anthony Goldstein unexpectedly vomited during their Charms final; Terry Boot lost two fingers to the Venemous Tentacula during Herbology and spent the night in the Hospital Wing having them regrown; Padma Patil got into a physical fight with her twin sister during DADA that required Stunning Spells from Lupin to break them apart.

Hermione was the latest domino to fall, and her breakdown was frightening to behold. She was struggling to complete her task during the Transfiguration practical exam: transfiguring her raven into a goblet. Eventually she got so frustrated that she let off a burst of accidental magic that caused everyone else's ravens in the room to explode in a shower of feathers. She was so distraught that McGonagall had to suspend class early to carry her up to the Hospital Wing in the fetal position.

She remained absent during the following day's final, the History of Magic written exam, as were several others who had cracked under the pressure. Harry couldn't remember a time of such anxiety and distress among his fellow students. But no matter; this was the final exam, and many of the students would no doubt be leaving the school early with their parents that very evening. He was looking forward to an early vacation himself, envisioning his parents arriving to collect him and Dahlia to return to the Canaries for a few weeks of blissful reprieve….

His daydreaming caused him to zone out during the exam, and he barely noticed when a prefect rushed into the room to approach Professor Binns' desk. "Professor, I need to borrow Harry Potter," he said.

"Hmm? Oh, very well, Mr. Porter, you may go," the ghost said absent-mindedly. Harry gathered his things and followed the prefect out of the classroom, confused. He was led up to the Headmistress' office once more, and Harry found himself annoyed at the interruption. What could Fudge want from me this time? he thought. Did he finally find something to get me in trouble with?

But Fudge was not present when Harry entered the office. "Have a seat, Harry," said McGonagall in a strained tone. Harry froze – she never addressed him by his first name unless something was seriously wrong. He sank into an armchair and waited expectantly for her to continue.

McGonagall studied him for a moment, wringing her hands together in obvious dismay. "The worst has happened," she admitted. "The monster has taken a student into the Chamber to be killed."

Harry's heart skipped a beat. "Who?" he asked. "Ginny Weasley?"

"Your sister," McGonagall sniffed.

Harry felt his stomach drop out from under him. Dear god, no, he thought with horror. Anything but this. The rumors had been true after all: the Heir of Slytherin was targeting him specifically, and now they'd claimed the ultimate prize. The one person Harry couldn't bear to live without. The sibling he'd always dreamed of having, cruelly snatched away from him to die a horrible death.

"Your parents are on their way," McGonagall said softly. She offered him consoling words, but Harry didn't hear any of them. He felt sick, unable to accept what this meant. His loving family that had become so dear to him was being ripped apart. Voldemort had claimed yet another member of his family. And there was nothing he could do about it.

Like hell there isn't, Harry thought resolutely. I'm going to find the Chamber today or die trying. He was prepared to tear up every bathroom in the school looking for the entrance if he had to. He had nothing left to lose. He stood and left the office before McGonagall could protest.

Harry paced back and forth at the bottom of the spiral steps, thinking. Where to begin his search? Myrtle's bathroom was a fair place to start – she'd throw a fuss when he started blasting toilets apart, but that was the least of his concerns. He'd just have to think of a way to avoid unwanted attention from the teachers during his search...he didn't want to have to fight them, but he would if they stood in his way….

"Harry?" a timid voice called out, breaking Harry from his tormented thoughts. He turned to see Ginny Weasley lurking beside the stone gargoyles, looking terrified. "Is it true? Has Dahlia been taken?"

"Looks that way," Harry shrugged. "They're likely going to shut down the school." It was unthinkable, but at that moment Harry didn't even care about Hogwarts. His life felt like it was already over; who cared about a stupid castle after such an incomprehensible loss?

Ginny's eyes went wide, then she burst into tears. "I'm s-s-so sorry," she wailed. "It's all m-my fault."

Despite the turmoil raging in Harry's mind, he couldn't bring himself to be angry with Ginny. He walked over and gave her a reassuring hug. "It wasn't you," Harry told her, patting her awkwardly on the back. "It was Tom Riddle doing those things through you. You couldn't have known—"

"I s-should have told her earlier!" Ginny sobbed. "S-should have made her turn it in…"

"Come again?" said Harry, frowning.

"I lied, Harry," Ginny admitted, a miserable look on her face. "I n-never had the diary. Dahlia s-showed it to me after Halloween and m-made me keep quiet about it."

A chill ran down Harry's spine at this admission. "Dahlia had the diary?" he repeated, dumbstruck. "The story you told Dumbledore was made up?"

"It was all true, just...reversed," Ginny said, shaking her head. "I took the fall for her because she was too scared to admit it. I shouldn't have listened...I should have gone to McGonagall straight away…."

Harry's mind was working at a million miles an hour now. Puzzle pieces were falling into place at rapid speed, and in hindsight, it should have been so obvious. Why would Lucius have given Ginny the diary in the first place? When there was a far better target so nearby: the daughter of his most prominent political rival, James Potter?

It was no wonder Dahlia had been so distant for the first half of the year. She was undoubtedly ashamed once she realized what she had done. And after Luna's accident, she was frightened enough to dispose of it, and only then did she return to Harry's side to make amends. Harry should have seen the signs ages ago, and was kicking himself for not knowing his sister well enough to recognize them.

But this revelation didn't answer the most important questions: Who had the diary now? And where the hell was the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets? If he couldn't solve those two problems, it was still too late. Harry had long ago eliminated the possibility of Myrtle's bathroom – he'd been watching it like a hawk on the Marauder's Map, and nobody had come or gone in months now. The only time Harry had ever seen Dahlia in there was at the beginning of the year—

"—When I told her to stay away!" Harry gasped, smacking himself in the forehead.

"Sorry?" asked Ginny, looking confused.

"I told her it wasn't safe in Myrtle's bathroom," said Harry, pacing rapidly now as the last few pieces clicked into place. "She must have told Tom in the diary that I was onto him, that I knew where the Chamber entrance was. So he made her move it somewhere else!"

"Where?" asked Ginny.

Where indeed? Harry couldn't recall ever seeing his sister's dot disappear off the Marauder's Map. The only oddity he'd noticed was that she had begun to frequent a different girls' bathroom...another less-visited one, near the dungeons….

Harry took off at a dead sprint, not even bothering to bid Ginny goodbye. He had all the answers now, and time was of the essence.

He reached Lupin's classroom in record time and burst into his office, surprising the man, who was pacing listlessly in front of the window. "Harry!" said Lupin. "You startled me. What's the matter?"

"I know where the Chamber of Secrets is," Harry announced breathlessly. "And I'm going there now, whether you come with me or not."

A/N: Year 2 finale coming next! Can you pick up on the clues and figure out who found the diary next?