Chapter 13
Susan was panicking.
She'd gotten rid of the diary, but somehow, the attacks hadn't stopped. Instead, the Basilisk had Petrified three people: Hermione Granger, Lisa Turpin, and Penelope Clearwater. Who had the diary now?
She was just exiting the Hufflepuff common room when Neville Longbottom approached her, Hannah behind him.
"Harrison wants to talk to you," he said.
Susan blanched. Had the rather terrifying boy found out that she was the one doing the attacks? She followed Neville without a word.
"Are you okay?" Hannah asked her. "You haven't been sleeping well."
"Homesickness," she lied. It was easy to believe; her parents, aunt, uncle, and cousins had died in a Death Eater attack, and the only family she had left was her Aunt Amelia.
Hannah reached out and squeezed her hand gently. Susan blushed lightly.
The Potter-Blacks, Zabini, Malfoy, and three of the Weasleys were waiting for them in an abandoned classroom on the second floor. They looked angry and worried -- except for Harrison Potter-Black, whose expression was blank as usual. When Susan, Hannah, and Longbottom entered, Harrison straightened and gestured to a chair.
Susan sat down, shaking, and Hannah sat down next to her. Longbottom took a chair between one of the Weasley twins and Zabini.
"This summer," Harrison Potter-Black said quietly, getting straight to the point, "did one of you acquire a black diary, belonging to one Tom Marvolo Riddle?"
Hannah shook her head, and Susan felt all the color drain from her face. "Yes," she whispered.
"Where is it?" the raven-haired boy asked coolly.
"I -- I threw it into the toilet in Miss Pevensie's bathroom about a week ago," Susan rasped. "I didn't like what it was doing to me-" Hannah looked alarmed "-so I got rid of it."
"Then why haven't the attacks stopped?" Ronald Weasley demanded.
"Someone else has it, obviously," Zabini told Ronald Weasley sternly. "Stop snapping at her; she's obviously exhausted and panicking."
Harrison's expression suddenly went dark. "Blaise... who would have gone to that bathroom, around a week ago?"
"Fuck," Blaise rasped. "Colin has the bloody diary?"
"Not that adorable Gryffindor firstie," Hannah said worriedly.
"Fred, George, go see if Colin is in your common room," Harrison Potter-Black ordered, a note of fire in his voice. Immediately, the twins disappeared. Hannah and Susan jumped, as did Malfoy and the Weasley twins' younger brother. "Neville, Blaise, Draco, Ron, the library. The rest of us are going to Uncle Severus."
At that moment, Professor McGonagall's voice rang out. "All students are to return to their House dormitories at once. All teachers return to the staff room. Immediately, please."
"Draco, Ron, take Neville and Miss Abbott back to their common room," Harrison Potter-Black said. "Blaise, Harley and I will be taking Miss Bones to the staff room."
Susan swallowed and stood up shakily. Hannah hugged her, and she felt her heart pounding for an entirely different reason.
The teachers were deep in discussion when the group arrived at the staff room. Harrison held up a hand, pausing at the doorway.
"...has been taken by the monster," McGonagall said hoarsely. "Right into the Chamber itself."
Harrison's expression darkened. Blaise felt his heart plummet.
"How can you be sure?" Severus asked worriedly.
"The Heir of Slytherin left another message. Right where the first one was. 'His skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever.'"
Someone burst into tears.
"Who is it?" Madam Hooch demanded. "Which student?"
"Colin Creevey."
Dumbledore sighed. "I will send for an Auror."
"What do you think an Auror can do?" Severus snapped at him. "You yourself have neither found the Chamber, nor a way to enter!"
The door on the opposite side of the staff room burst open, and Lockhart's bright voice said, "So sorry -- dozed off -- what have I missed?"
"Only the Heir kidnapping a student and taking them to the Chamber," Severus snarled sarcastically. "Nothing much."
"Severus," Onyx Trelawney-White chastised. "No need for that." A slight pause. "I believe Mr. Harrison Potter-Black, who is waiting outside with a few of his friends, has a solution."
Harrison twitched, but entered the room. Blaise followed, hearing Harley bouncing in behind him and Bones shaking in the rear.
"Mr.s Potter-Black," McGonagall said in surprise. "Mr. Zabini, Miss Bones. What-"
"It was my fault!" Bones blurted. "I found a diary over the summer -- I've been writing in it -- it's full of Dark magic, it was hoodwinking me into setting Slytherin's monster on students-"
"Miss Bones, what are you talking about?" McGonagall demanded.
"I believe that the diary she's speaking about, Professor, belongs to the Dark Lord," Harrison said blankly. Everyone except Onyx Trelawney-White looked alarmed. "He acquired it when he was a teenager, and used some Dark spell on it; a seventeen-year-old Tom Riddle is trapped inside the diary."
"Tom Riddle?" said Madam Pomfrey, frowning.
"Very few people know that this is Voldemort's real name," Dumbledore said calmly. Severus flinched. "Miss Bones, where is the diary now?"
"I tried to flush it down a toilet," Bones rasped. "But it -- Colin Creevey found it. He must have been possessed by Riddle, too."
"A Parselmouth can open the Chamber of Secrets," Harrison continued with a slight frown. "Harley and I are Parselmouths -- our mother was descended from Slytherin."
Several of the teachers gasped.
"I would like to bring Professor Snape with me," Harrison said. "He is more likely to defeat the Basilisk without dying or getting Petrified." Dumbledore opened his mouth to speak, and Harrison said quietly, "I still do not quite trust you, Headmaster. Perhaps you can write letters to Miss Bones' aunt and Colin's father and brother instead?"
Dumbledore's lips thinned slightly, but he nodded. "Perhaps Professor Sinistra and Professor Sprout can escort Mr. Harlequin Potter-Black, Mr. Zabini, and Miss Bones to their common rooms?"
"I will be taking Miss Bones to the hospital wing, Albus," Madam Pomfrey said sharply. "She's been under some powerful and harmful Dark magic, and she needs healing. Come along, child," she added in a slightly gentler voice. Bones followed the three healers out of the staff room.
"I can escort Mr. Potter-Black and Mr. Zabini to their common room," Lockhart offered quickly.
"No, thanks, you make me uncomfortable," Harley said bluntly. Blaise choked, and half of the staff looked alarmed. "Professor Sinister can escort us."
Sinistra stood up, looking worried and amused. Blaise and Harley followed her out of the staff room.
Colin blinked awake.
Harrison was crouched over him, an expression of worry on his normally-expressionless face. Professor Snape was standing behind them, holding a black diary. The Basilisk was slithering around them, hissing in what sounded like concern.
"Hi, Har'son," he slurred. "Wha' 'appened?"
"Riddle tried to drain your magic," Harrison said sourly, picking him up bridal-style. Colin rested his head on Harrison's shoulder, humming. "You should be fine, with rest and a proper meal."
"'kay," he mumbled. "Pretty snakey."
Harrison chuckled. "Yes, Tenebris is gorgeous." The Basilisk's hiss turned curious, and Harrison responded in the same tongue. The Basilisk preened, making Colin giggle and Snape snort.
"You speak snakey?" Colin asked sleepily.
"Yes, and we can talk about that when you're more awake," Harrison said quietly.
"Nooo..."
Colin fell back asleep before he could protest more.