Chapter 7 - The Diary
“Did you finish your research?” Draco asked the minute they had gotten settled on the train.
“No, I just started actually, I wanted to work on schoolwork first,” Hermione paused, “But did your father happen to say anything else about that journal he took to the shop?”
“Not here,” he said glancing around to see Pansy and Theo both listening in. She frowned. She liked Theo and wanted to trust him.
“Well, you were right about one thing,” she huffed.
“I’m right about many things.” She rolled her eyes at him. “Which thing in particular?”
“Lockhart is a complete quack. Most of his books seem to be utter codswallop.” She ignored the snickering, “It’s clear that if it’s not completely made up, he at least didn’t do half of what his books claim.”
“But he’s so dreamy,” cooed Pansy. Hermione and Daphne dissolved into giggles.
Once they had finished with the feast and made their way to the common room Hermione pounced again. “What did you hear?” she asked, dragging Draco to a secluded table and shooing away Pansy.
“He said that the diary could open the Chamber of Secrets.” Hermione gasped, she had read about the Chamber in a few of the books she had read over the summer, although none pointed to whether it actually existed as more than a myth.
“So it’s real then?” Draco nodded. “I want to see it.” she said suddenly.
“What? No, it’s too dangerous, the last time it was open a muggleborn died according to Father. I won’t let anything happen to you, so I’m keeping that diary in my trunk all term.”
“Draco, please,” she whinged batting her eyelashes at him.
He groaned, “Fine but please be careful, I don’t know what it’ll do to you and please don’t open the Chamber.”
“I’m not daft Draco, of course I’m not going to open it. I just want to examine it as part of my research.” Draco stared at her, “please just go get it.” He acquiesced, moving toward his dormitory.
Theo came to sit by her, “So any interesting research over the summer?” he asked prodingly.
“How do you always know everything?” she asked, laughing.
“Not everything, but you’re not the best whisperer.” Hermione rolled her eyes.
“Yes, but I’m not quite through,” she answered.
“Well the Nott library is almost as large as the Malfoy one, and considerably darker, so just let me know if I should owl father for anything okay?” She nodded, smiling at him.
As professor Snape handed out their schedules at breakfast the following morning, Draco passed her a small black book under the table.
“Thanks,” she said. He only nodded.
“Please be careful.”
-
“Do not tell me you gave Draco that thing to take to school with him.” screeched Narcissa the following morning. Lucius flinched.
“I explained what it would do, I doubt he’ll even use it, but with Arthur Weasley breathing down my neck and searching the manor at every chance, I needed to get it out of the house,” he explained.
“By putting our son in danger?” hissed Narcissa.
“He won’t be in any danger Cissa,” he reached for her hand. She promptly yanked it away.
“He is alone with a Horcrux ! I would call that danger,” she glared at him. “Not to mention if he were to open the Chamber and accidentally hurt Hermione. It would kill him, you saw how he looked at her, and for Salazar’s sake Lucius, he gave her a replica of my grandmother’s hair piece. Mind you he asked for the real thing, and I said we would discuss it when he was older, but that is his intention it may seem, not to physically harm her!” She huffed turning away.
Lucius came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her as he kissed away the tear that had fallen down her cheek. “Cissa, I know. I am sure Miss Granger will be fine, now as for Draco’s intentions. I believe you and I agreed she was acceptable, although the Dark Lord may prove to be a problem should he disapprove. Miss Granger will need to prove herself, or be content to fade into the shadows, but we can keep her safe.” Narcissa nodded slowly, turning to press her lips to his.
-
Defense Against the Dark Arts was as dreadful as she imagined. Professor Lockhart was clearly a fraud and it concerned her that no one aside from a few of her friends could tell. The first lesson he released a swarm of pixies and fled the classroom followed by most of the class. Hermione immobilized them while Theo and Harry picked them up and threw them to Draco who placed them back in their cage with slightly more force than necessary. The pixie who had immediately tried to nest in his hair mysteriously missing.
Later, after catching up on the mountain of homework already assigned to them that week, Hermione steeled herself as she sat in a secluded corner of the library. She wanted privacy for what she was about to do, but wasn’t so naive to think that she might come out unscathed. She took a deep breath and opened the black diary.
It was blank.
She flipped through every page in the small book, taking care not to tear the pages of the fragile paper. She stared at the book, momentarily puzzled.
“I wonder,” she said, more to herself than the book. Hermione dipped her quill into her inkpot, poising it over the pages.
Hello
Hello, and whom do I have the pleasure of speaking with?
Hermione Granger, sir. And what name should I refer to you as?
Miss Granger, a pleasure. You may call me Tom, although it appears you may know me by a different name?
Yes sir.
Tom, how old are you?
I’m 16 Miss Granger, or rather,my 16 year old self is preserved in this diary.
“Hermione!” called out a voice from around the corner of the nearest bookshelf. She started, hastily closing the diary and shoving it into her bag, before opening a copy of the nearest textbook and bending over it.
“Oh, there you are. Theo wanted to work on charms if you have time.” She looked up to see Draco and Blaise ginning at her.
“Why do you both look like you’ve been caught with your hand in the cookie jar?” she mused.
“We made the house team!” Harry joined them, stepping around the corner.
“Harry that’s amazing!”
“I’m the new seeker, and Malfoy got a spot as a chaser.” Hermione ran at them pulling them both into a hug on either side of her.
“Oi! Charms is due tomorrow and I know for a fact you lot haven’t started it” called Theo from the other side of the common room as they stepped through the entrance.
Hermione smirked, turning to the pair, “Congratulations, really. Now get your homework done.”
-
Hello Tom. I apologize for the sudden end of our last conversation. I was interrupted.
Hermione, I understand.
Can I ask, how does this work?
A fair bit of impressive magic if I say so myself, I preserved a memory, an echo if you will, in this diary. It houses my memories from the time and while I am sentient in my own thoughts, I will always be my 16 year old self.
Do you have a connection to your future self? The one alive today?
Clever girl, I expect you to answer my questions as well.
Of course sir.
While I don’t have the ability to relay information I glean to my current self, I am able to gather and retain information from correspondence within this journal.
Now, I’ve answered your questions, my dear girl, I have one for you. Do you know Harry Potter?
Hermione shuddered. How much did he know and what would he ask her to do?
Yes, he is in my year at school. In Slytherin.
In Slytherin? Interesting. May I speak with him? I have been anxious to meet him for so long.
Of course, may I ask one last thing?
Taking the short silence to mean yes, she pushed on, diving head first.
Can you tell me anything about Horcruxes?
The silence stretched on. Hermione started to sweat.
I didn’t mean to offend, I read the term in a book from the Malfoy library and haven’t been able to find any other explanations.
Of course, it’s only natural to sate your curiosity. I will direct you to some resources that might be helpful.
And Hermione saw several titles she had packed in her trunk appear on the page.
Now, about Harry Potter.
Hermione debated the rest of the week. Finally deciding and setting off to find Harry late Friday evening.
“Harry, I need to talk to you.” He turned to look at her surprised.
“What’s up?”
“Alone,” she almost hissed. Draco and Theo stared at her. “Walk with me, please?”
Harry got up packing his bag. “Alright, ‘Mione what’s wrong?”
She dragged him out of the common room, out of the castle, and into a secluded patch of trees behind the quidditch pitch.
“What Hermione?” Harry asked, clearly annoyed with the precautions. His eyes only grew as she explained what the diary was and what Lord Voldemort wanted with him.
“This is it?” he asked, wide eyed, taking the small black book from Hermione. She nodded, giving him a grim look.
“Just remember if you can, ask about Horcruxes and copy any information you get to pass back to me. It’s important.”
-
As the weather grew chilly, talk in the common room surrounded one thing, quidditch.
“Flint reckons that we’ll slaughter Hufflepuff. Harry’s the fastest seeker he’s seen in years and with the rest of the team shaping up we should be in good shape,” Draco was explaining for the thousandth time.
Hermione rolled her eyes, “Just try to catch the snitch early so I can finish my potions essay.”
The group of slytherins walked down to the pitch the following morning, faces pelted with icy rain.
“Impervious,” she called, waving her wand across the group.
“Good one Hermione!” grinned Theo, shaking out his wet hair.
She sat squished between Blaise and Vince, in front of Theo who was sharing a blanket with Daphne.
“Ooh look there they come!” squealed Pansy, pointing at the group of green-clad players making their way onto the field. Hermione’s eyes zeroed in on a platinum blond head mounting his broom. Even squinting, she could barely make out Draco’s form as the game continued through the downpour. After only 15 minutes she was completely soaked through regardless of the multiple drying charms she cast. She snuggled closer to Blaise, whose large body still radiated heat even in the freezing temperature.
Hermione let the noise of the game fall away, slipping deeper into her mind, until even the pouring rain could’ve been a light mist on her skin. She began to build bricks up layer by layer.
“Potter catches the snitch! Slytherin wins 290 to 50” and her eyes flew open, the bricks crumbling into dust.
“How he saw the snitch when he’s half blind to begin with is beyond me,” Daphne rolled her eyes. Theo chuckled. Hermione pushed past the group and ran down hugging her best friend.
“You were amazing!” she screamed over the storm, hugging tightly to Harry. “You were great too, I caught some of your goals” she smiled as she turned to Draco, who grinned sheepishly before clasping Blaise on the shoulder.
“I’m starved, do you think the house elves are ready with dinner? I need something warm,” Pansy’s lips had a slight blue tint and she was shaking, although not hard enough to stop her from making eyes at Draco across the group.
-
“Ugh can you even imagine?” Pansy sneered, tearing her eyes from the Gryffindor table. Hermione looked up from her book in time to see a sandy haired boy fling a spoonful of peas at a tall dark skinned boy across the table from him.
Hermione smirked at her, looking at their housemates, “At least our boys know how to behave at dinner.” Theo rolled his eyes at her while Millie giggled next to him.
“It’s almost as if we’ve had etiquette lessons since we were in nappies.” Theo sighed, “Trust me, sometimes I’d rather fling peas at Blaise, but I fear old Mrs. Montgomery might rise from the grave to curse me.”
“Oh please, I’m sure your lessons were nothing compared to the hours we had to spend locked in a stuffy tea room,” piped in Daphne, while Millie nodded.
“And you didn’t need to start your dance lessons until you were 10, I will never be the same after Madam Dubois’s ballet classes.” Mille said scoffing. Blaise rolled his eyes, opening his mouth to retort when Harry threw himself on the bench next to him, and proceeded to prove just how many etiquette lessons he missed out on by being raised out of pureblood society. Pansy sniffed delicately, which went unnoticed by the boy it was directed at, although Tracey giggled as she met Hermione’s eye.
“Where were you?” Daphne asked the latecomer.
“Lost track of time,” explained Harry through a mouthful of potatoes. Hermione gave him a quizzical look, which he brushed off, choosing to add more ham to his plate.
“Oi Vince, pass the rolls yeah?” he called down the table.
As they left the Great Hall, they were caught in a throng of students clustered in the door.
“What’s going on?” she asked Blaise, who’s summer growth spurt had put him several inches taller than the rest of them.
“I can’t tell, there’s something blocking one of the corridors.”
Hermione weaved her way towards the front of the crowd, and when she pushed past the front row of students her stomach dropped. On the wall across from her were the words:
THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED AGAIN, ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE!
The letters were dark red, and looked fresh, the final e of beware was still dripping what looked like blood down the wall. She was going to be sick, and as she tore her eyes from the words, she saw Mrs. Norris in a puddle of water, unmoving. Hermione looked at her classmates, zeroing in on Harry.
“We need to talk,” she hissed at him, out of earshot of the others as they made their way to the common room, still shaken over the incident. He simply stared at her.
“Now!” she dragged him to an empty classroom and shut the door. “What the bloody hell happened, Harry?” she smacked him on the arm.
Harry laughed, “Hermione, that's the first time I've heard you curse. But what do you mean?”
Hermione growled at him. “You know what that diary does. You have it. You missed the first half of dinner. What. Did. You. Do.” She punctured every sentence with an additional smack.
“Okay okay,” Harry stepped back, “stop hitting me, I didn’t do anything, or at least I don’t think I did. I don’t remember,” he admitted sheepishly.
“What do you mean you don’t remember?”
“Just what I said, I was writing to Riddle, we’ve started talking more, he really gets me, Hermione. Especially the stuff with my aunt and uncle,” he trailed off.
“Harry, what happened?” she coaxed.
“Right, er, so I was in the library just writing with him, I think I might have learned some stuff about the Horcruxes too, but the next thing I know, I’m on the second floor, leaving a bathroom I’ve never seen before and I’m late for dinner.”
“Harry-”
“I know, okay? Please don’t start.”
“No Harry, I think you might have been possessed, or at least used by him.” He blanched.
“You mean you think, Riddle was in my head?” She nodded. “Hermione, I don’t want him in my head.”
“Hang on,” she reached into her bag, “here. I’ve been teaching myself. I can practice with you, but I think we should all learn. Just in case.” Harry took the book.
“What is Occlumency?” He asked, reading the cover.
“It’s the practice of protecting one’s mind. It’s sister is Legilimency, which is the magic version of mind reading, but it’s much more advanced, and I’m more concerned with protecting myself and my friends right now.”
“So you’re giving me more homework?” he sighed.
“Harry, you know this is important. Come to study group 30 minutes early this week and we can focus on the basics.”
He nodded, “Thanks,” they turned to leave. “Hermione?”
“Yes?”
“Don’t tell anyone okay?” She gave him a sad smile and nodded.
They entered the common room in the middle of what appeared to be a house meeting.
“There you are, what were you two doing?” asked Draco. She shook her head and he frowned.
“Now is anyone the heir of Slytherin that they know of?” asked Greyson. When met with silence he continued, “I’ll take that as a no, but everyone needs to keep their noses clean, especially no hexing muggleborns.” Hermione saw some of the older students roll their eyes. “We don’t need the scrutiny, they’ll be looking for reasons to kick us out after this.” The group broke out in mutterings, but Greyson stepped back to talk quietly with Gemma.
“I’m going to bed, I’m getting a migraine.” Hermione whispered, pushing through the crowd to the dormitory.
“Do you think she’s okay?” asked Blaise.
“Mate, she’s a muggleborn, and she reads, which means she probably knows what happened last time, of course she’s not okay,” Theo clapped him on the shoulder.
“What do we do?” whispered Daphne, she looked up at him with wide eyes.
“She’s never alone,” ordered Draco, “Got it? Someone goes with her everywhere.” They all nodded.
“Well I guess I’ll take first watch,” said Tracey heading after Hermione, “Goodnight!”
Students all over the castle woke in November to notices in their common rooms:
Hogwarts Dueling Club
7pm Tuesdays
Sponsored by: Gilderoy Lockhart
“Nice!” Harry laughed. “This is great, we can actually practice some of the stuff we’re going over in study group!”
“I think we might still want to keep some of that under wraps,” said Theo. “It’s school sponsored, so I bet we don’t learn anything more than a stunning spell.”
-
The students of Hogwarts gathered in the Great Hall that Tuesday evening at 7 o’clock and waited with anticipation as Professor Lockhart strode in, accompanied by a grumpy looking Professor Snape.
“Students, how lovely to see you all here at my little club. Of course I’m sure you’re thrilled to have the chance to learn a little something about self defense with all this nonsense going about. Now Professor Snape has agreed to be my demonstration partner, but never fear, you’ll still have your potions professor when I’m through with him.”
“I wonder if he lost a bet,” whispered Pansy, giggling.
“Why don’t we pair off and begin practicing?” Lockhart called out.
“What? He didn’t even go over a spell!”
“Professor,” a silky voice called, Hermione’s head snapped up at the danger that lay there, “why don’t we show the students what they should be practicing.”
“An excellent idea Professor Snape! Now why don’t we demonstrate a proper duel.” Lockhart beamed. Hermione hid her laugh with a poorly timed cough, receiving a glare from Snape.
The professors bowed to one another, and Snape shot out a stinging hex followed by a knockback jinx.
“Why don’t you demonstrate how to block unfriendly spells,” Snape called the Defense teacher.
“Of course!” And Lockhart shouted “Expelliarmus” as Snape’s wand jumped, though the professor still retained control of it.
“The disarming charm, an excellent way to gain control of a duel,” Lockhart called to them, “Now let’s pair you off and you can practice disarming each other before we move on.”
Hermione to her dismay was paired with a third year Gryffindor who looked like Christmas had come early when he laid eyes on her. She rolled her eyes.
“Well Granger, we meet at last,” he drawled.
“McLaggen,” she nodded at him.
“Normally I would feel remorse at hexing a girl, but since you’re a Slytherin, and well you, I guess it doesn’t count,” he smirked at her.
She groaned internally, never quite understanding the reaction of the other houses. She still maintained that while Slytherin house was notoriously darker, that was due to the ambition of its students to pursue the bounds of magic, magic that was considered dark, rather than pursuit of darkness itself. Well, that and it’s association with the Dark Lord who would have recruited his school friends and their families, who also happened to be in Slytherin.
“I guess I won’t have to go easy on you then,” she retorted, making a small bow towards him, as customary in dueling etiquette. He did not return the movement.
She sighed, “At least have the manners your pureblood upbringing should’ve provided.” She waited for the words to hit him, see the color in his face rise, before she hit him with the spell, catching his wand as it sailed towards her. “Hmm, looks like I win,” giving him a smirk. She turned slightly to see how the rest of the pairs were doing. Draco had successfully disarmed Terry Boot, and Harry looked to be taking turns with Ernie. Neville was begging one of the older slytherins for his wand back. Hermione frowned. It would be more difficult further away, but she cast the spell again on her housemate, both his and Neville’s wand flying across the hall into her hand. Most of the hall had turned to watch.
“Miss Granger, well done!” Lockhart exclaimed, seeming to have no concern whatsoever that she had disarmed someone other than her partner, and interrupted the session. “Let’s have a demonstration,” he clapped his hands together. “Please come up and ah yes, Mr. Weasley, please join us.”
“Mr. Percy Weasley, if you please,” interrupted Snape as Ron who moved toward the stage with a glint in his eye. “I assure you Miss Granger is up for the challenge,” he said as he eyed her with a calculating look. Hermione stared back at him, he was testing her. This was an opportunity to prove herself, and on a literal stage, in front of the student body against a student with four extra years of training. She glanced at Draco, who was watching her with a worried expression, and Theo who caught her eye and nodded.
“Try serpensortia if you want a bit of fun,” he whispered as she passed him on the way to the stage. She grinned at him over her shoulder as she climbed the stairs.
She walked to the other side of the stage to stand by Professor Snape, “You wanted a challenge Miss Granger,” he said softly so only she could hear, “now rise to face it.”
As Percy climbed the stage opposite her she did a quick analysis. Percy, while older and more advanced in his magic schooling, was a prefect, and from what she had heard, a stickler for the rules, which on a normal day she could appreciate, tonight she had to break that down into strategy. She receded into her walls, having gotten quite good at keeping them up consistently and let the cool emptiness wash over her, sharpening her senses as her emotions and nerves melted away. She faced off opposite him, bowing when directed and raised her wand, assuming a simple stance while Percy raised his arms like a snake charmer.
She counted to three, giving the room time to settle, before swiping her wand and saying clearly, “ Flipendo” . Percy dodged the jinx, and parried, which Hermione easily side-stepped before hurling a stinging hex at his left ankle. It hit true, and she readjusted her stance before sending a jelly-legs jinx. While it went slightly wide, it set the course for her next hex, which left Percy’s face covered in flapping bogeys. Before she could raise her wand to disarm, Snape stepped in between them removing the bogeys from Percy. Percy, whose pride was starting to hurt, shot a knockback jinx at Hermione before Snape had moved fully out of the way, blocking her view of him, allowing his spell to hit her squarely in the chest. She flew back several feet, landing hard. She cast a shield charm, giving herself time to get up. But glanced at Theo, and without a second thought, cast “ Serpensortia” and gasped as a snake formed on the stage, slithering towards Percy. He froze, eyes locked towards the snake. The hall went silent.
“Not to worry, I have just the thing,” Lockhart jovially called, casting a spell that threw the snake 10 feet in the air and dropped it back to the stage, hissing angrily.
A loud laugh broke through the tense silence. Followed by a strangled hissing, coming not from the snake, but behind her. Hermione whipped around, eyes zeroing in on her best friend as Harry hissed at the snake, who seemed to react at the sound. Before it could go on any longer, Professor Snape vanished the snake and called an end to the duel club for the week, Lockhart announcing they’d continue weekly for the rest of term.
“Why didn’t you tell us you were a parselmouth?” asked Theo on the way back to the dorm.
“What’s a parselmouth?” asked Harry and Greg together.
“It means someone who can speak parseltongue,” explained Draco, “someone who can talk to snakes,” he clarified at the faces of confusion.
“Oh I guess I didn’t know, I’ve only met one snake before and it seemed to understand me, but it didn’t talk back.”
Hermione paled, “And this one did?” He nodded.
“It actually said something really rude to Lockhart when he threw it in the air,” he chuckled, “and I explained that he’s a bloody idiot and probably didn’t mean it and not to attack. But then Snape vanished the snake before it could respond.”
“Potter, everyone’s going to think you’re the heir of Slytherin now, he was a parselmouth, it’s why we’re the snakes,” explained Blaise.
“But I’m not.”
“But you could be,” Hermione sighed, everyone turned to stare at her. “Harry, you don’t have your full family tree, there’s no way to know. And even if you can trace the Potter line, your mother’s lineage might have had a descendant somewhere in the last 1000 years.” Silence descended on the group, until Vince brought up the quickly approaching exams.
Hermione turned to Harry and whispered, “Please promise me you’re still working on your Occlumency. I just have a feeling it’s more important than ever now.”
That was the first night she had the dream.