Chapter 12
Neville tapped the last barrel and waited as the wall slid aside, then entered the Hufflepuff common room. He knew Hermione was right behind him even if he couldn't see her, but he did hear light footsteps following him. He went over to the couch by the fireplace and sat down, ignoring the confused looks from the few Hufflepuffs not in the library or kitchens, or walking the grounds.
Hermione slunk up the girls' staircase and quickly found the second-year girls' room. She pulled out her wand and whispered, "Homenum Revelio."
Nothing happened; the dorm room was empty. Hermione tried the doorknob, then unlocked the door with another flick of her wand.
Unlike the Ravenclaw second-year girls' dorm, this room was tidy and functional. Hermione glanced over the names at the end of the bed and found Abbott's and Bones' trunks.
She waved her wand over Abbott's luggage, muttering a spell Harrison had taught her that would scan for any spells. When nothing happened, Hermione unlocked the trunk and began searching. When all she found were books and clothes, she returned everything to its spot and closed the trunk.
Bones' luggage had a protective ward on it, as well as a spell that would alert Bones if someone tried to open her trunk. Hermione put a stasis charm on the alarm spell and tried to remove the protective ward, but none of the spells she knew worked. The stasis charm wore off, and Hermione slunk back downstairs, huffing.
She went over to Neville and tapped his shoulder. The boy twitched slightly in his 'sleep.' "I can't find it," Hermione whispered. "Abbott's trunk just has clothes and books, and Bones' trunk had some sort of charm on it to stop me opening it. I couldn't get past it."
Neville stirred and yawned, then stretched. "'mm hungry," he mumbled to himself, then headed sleepily over to the entrance. Hermione followed.
Colin had been discharged from the hospital wing an hour ago. He was headed towards Myrtle's bathroom, puzzling over his conversation with Harrison. The elder boy had asked him not to tell anyone about the Basilisk; not everyone was as obsessed with snakes as Colin was, and there was no way to know if someone had ophidiophobia just by looking at them. Colin had agreed (after asking what "offid-phobia" was).
But Colin knew that, even if Harrison treated him like a little brother, the boy didn't really care about anyone else. There was another reason Harrison wanted to hide the knowledge of the giant snake.
He was so distracted by his thoughts that he almost slipped on the water outside Myrtle's bathroom. Colin yelped and slid into the wall.
"Who's there?" Myrtle called anxiously.
"It's me!" Colin chirped. "What's wrong?" He entered the bathroom carefully, flashing back to the first time he tried ice-skating.
Myrtle hovered over him, looking miserable. "Someone threw a book at me," she pouted.
"I'm sorry," Colin said worriedly. He spotted the book on the floor, completely soaked. "Did you see who did it?"
"A girl, I think," Myrtle sniffed, looking confused as Colin went over to pick up the offending thing. "I didn't see any specific features. She was blond, I think."
"I don't think she was throwing the book at you, then," Colin said. "I think she was just trying to throw it away." He shivered; there was something malevolent coming from the black book.
The ghost relaxed, then frowned at Colin's expression. "What's wrong?"
"My magic doesn't like this book," Colin replied, turning the book over in his hands. "Tom Riddle... do you know who that is?"
"His name sounds familiar," Myrtle said slowly. "I think he was a student when I was-" she gulped.
Colin nodded, putting the book in his bag. He would give it to Harrison later.
"What the fuck," said Blaise succinctly as they entered the Great Hall.
There was pink everywhere. Pink, heart-shaped confetti was falling from the ceiling, pink flowers were floating beside the candles, and dwarves dressed in pink tutus were standing below the staff table, scowling.
"Gah!" Harley wailed, and everyone turned to him. "My eyes!" He covered his face to laughter.
"Happy Valentine's Day!" Lockhart said dramatically. He, too, was wearing pink, causing Ron and Draco to look disgusted and Hermione and Neville to burst into giggles. "And may I thank the forty-six people who have so far sent me cards! Yes, I have taken the liberty of arranging this little surprise for you all -- and it doesn't end here!"
At this, the dwarves stepped forward, looking surly. Blaise noticed they were also wearing golden wings and carrying harps.
"What the fuck," he said again.
"My friendly, card-carrying cupids!" Lockhart beamed. Harrison made a noise of derision, causing Hermione's and Neville's laughter to grow louder. "They will be roving around the school today delivering your valentines! And the fun doesn't stop here! I'm sure my colleagues will want to enter into the spirit of the occasion! Why not ask Professor Snape to show you how to whip up a Love Potion? And while you're at it, Professor Flitwick knows more about Entrancing Enchantments than any wizard I've ever met, the sly dog!"
"Why would we want to learn how to make a date-rape potion, Professor?" Harrison asked loudly, voice cold. Silence fell immediately.
"W-what?" Lockhart stammered. "That wasn't -- what do you mean?"
Harrison folded his arms. "A Love Potion isn't consent. It's forced consent. Hence: rape."
Shudders swept through the room. Harrison swept over to the Slytherin table, his friends hurrying after him. The atmosphere was no longer cheerful and amused.
"If any of those dwarves try to give me a valentine," Harrison muttered darkly. Everyone within earshot shivered.
Hi! I'm Colin Creevey!
My name is Tom Riddle. How did you come by my diary?
Someone tried to flush it down a toilet.
Lucky that I recorded my memories in some more lasting way than ink. But I always knew that there would be those who would not want this diary read....
Hermione was in the library again. She was still looking for a spell to bypass Bones' protective ward, but hadn't had any luck. She was considering sneaking into the restricted section when she ran into Lisa and one of the Ravenclaw Prefects, Penelope Clearwater.
"Oh, hello, Lisa, Miss Clearwater," Hermione said distractedly. "What-"
"There's something in the hallway," Lisa said urgently, crouching behind the bookcase. "Something huge."
"It sounds like a snake," said Clearwater tersely.
Hermione immediately pulled out a mirror. "Keep your eyes closed."
"Why-"
"It's Professor Slytherin's familiar, a Basilisk. Someone's put him under a spell; he's supposed to protect the school and its students, but instead-"
The hissing grew louder.
"How do you know all this?" Lisa asked worriedly. "Is -- is Harrison Potter-Black the heir?"
Hermione bit her lip as she held the mirror up so she could see around the bookshelf. But before she could answer, everything went dark.