Chapter 19
‘Ginny I’m so glad to see you again. Why did you get rid of me?’ Tom wrote her as she gave it a big smile. It had been two days since she got the Diary back and she hadn’t had time to write it back. It was late at night, and she was sitting in her bed writing to it once again. It was like talking to a friend you haven’t seen in years.
Ginny quickly wrote, ‘Yeah! It was great being able to write to you again. And I didn’t get rid of you, someone took you when I accidentally forgot you in the library. The memory is all hazy. It’s been like that for a while, so I doubt its anything to worry about. Did the person who took you write to you?’
Tom paused for a long moment before wrote hungrily, ‘Yes, quite a curious person. Do you know a Raynor Manchester?’
‘Why would someone lie about their name?’ She thought before writing, ‘No, I don’t even think someone of that name goes to this school. Did the Raynor say anything about himself?’
Tom once again paused for a long time then wrote oddly fast, ‘No, but I suspect he is a Slytherin like me. He also is aware of our relationship, although I don’t the full extent of his knowledge. But that is about it, he was very cautious to not do that. Are you friends with any Slytherin other than Harry?’
Ginny’s eyes opened in shock. ‘Why would someone steal Tom and not say anything? It doesn’t make sense! The only Slytherin friend I have is Harry, he couldn’t have done this. He is too nice of a person.’
‘No, I don’t have any other Slytherin friends. And Harry couldn’t have done it, he wasn’t in the library when I spoke to him. What if it was a Ravenclaw? I have many Ravenclaw friends, although most of them are female I guess, and none named Raynor Manchester. I’ll ask around though.” Ginny wrote back quickly.
Tom wrote faster than Ginny had ever seen him, he wrote, ‘No, Raynor Manchester does not exist. Whoever wrote to me lied, Ginny it doesn’t matter anyway. I was just curious, no need to hunt this person down. We have much more important things we need to do.’
‘Okay.’
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Harry scowled at the letter he was gripping tightly, of course Quirrell would have been sent on a mission two weeks before winter break. He knew he should be more worried or angry about Voldemort branching out and recruiting death eaters, but in all honesty he could care less. Death was something that you couldn’t get rid of, and he quite liked the idea of all muggles being violently slaughtered like the filthy pigs they were. Although the giddy excitement feeling stopped when he felt his hands get hot. It wasn’t uncomfortable just surprising.
“Geez Harry! Drop that!” Theo exclaimed as he swatted the burning letter from his hands, the fire quickly died out when it left his hands.
Draco gave a strained smile and said, “Why am I not surprised. What was in that letter that made you so mad?”
“Oh, Draco he won’t tell us! The Nargles infested his brain, no one thinks with them.” Luna giggled as she took a bite of egg.
Shaking his head, he calmed himself down and said changing the subject, “Yes I’m afraid Luna is correct. Anyway, I have to go, I’ll see you all in class.”
“Alright Harry, have fun doing whatever you do.” Neville said with an eye roll, not even bothering to ask at this point.
He was going to try and talk to moaning Myrtle. Harry hadn’t had the chance to do it yet, as he was too busy with studying and trying to beat Granger in grades as the know-it-all decided to keep her promise and pick up the pace. He has been succeeding, although they were neck to neck in the subject. He had asked around about her though, turned out she was extremely bullied and came to the bathroom to cry when she died. He would pretend to be bullied and relate to her, perhaps it would make her more open.
When he arrived at the bathroom he heard crying noises, he quickly walked in putting on the mask of tears. He was always good at fake crying, he used to get away with a lot of things when he was at the orphanage.
The crying seized as he was immediately bombarded by a shrilling squealing noise as a ghost of a girl flew above him. “Why have you come here?! To make fun of me and laugh?” Myrtle pouted, Harry immediately knew why she was called ‘Moaning Myrtle”
Pretending to be shocked he coward and stuttered, “Of course not! I-I didn’t even know you were here n-no offense. I-I’m s-sorry I can leave n-now.”
He was motioning to the door when Myrtle exclaimed in her high-pitched shrilly voice, “No! I you must tell me why your sad before you can leave. I’m soooo lonely here it would be nice to speak to someone decent.”
Harry inwardly groaned, he hadn’t expected her to be so… Ecstatic and hyper. Keeping up his masked he sniffled, “O-Okay if you insist.” He turned around and slumped down on the walls.
“T-Their j-just so m-mean I don’t understand why!” Harry exclaimed to the girl.
Myrtle seemed to have hesitated and asked, “What did they do?”
Wiping his fake tears off he said, “T-They just insult me because I am not a pure-blood! I-I mean why does it matter so much!” He gave a quick frustrated growl.
Myrtle frowned and said, “Yeah I know what you mean! When I was alive everyone made fun of my blood status, it’s not fair!” Her leg stamped the floor like an infant, although it just went through the tile.
“You were bullied too? I-I’m s-so sorry.” Harry stated as he curled himself in himself more.
“Yeah, they were the reason I died in the first place!” Myrtle shrilled; Harry was surprised his ears hadn’t started to bleed.
Slightly uncurling himself intrigue he asked, “W-What do you m-mean? D-D-Did they kill y-you.”
Myrtle shook her head erratically and turned her head around and screamed, “I must not tell!” Harry was about to ask further but without warning she said, “Okay, FINE I’LL TELL YOU! But not even I am quite sure what happened...” Deciding to not respond he let her continue, “I- They threw a bunch of papers at me and called me ugly, I ran in here to cry when I heard a fellow student come in here a few minutes later. I quieted myself down to avoid further embarrassment when I heard funny hissing noises! I tried to escape but when I was halfway to the exit all I saw where bright yellow eyes, and everything went black! And then I woke up here…” She said then quickly burst into tears and annoyingly attempted to hug him.
He quickly got up, all tears stopping as he left the room, surprising the girl. He confusion grew to hatred as she noticed his obvious smirk, she screamed, “YOU LIAR! I HATE YOU, Y-YOU JUST WANTED TO KNOW HOW I DIED!” The toilets blew up, and Harry only smirked and left the bathroom. He was running as he wanted to get away from here as fast as possible, after all it would look very suspicious.
He however did not notice his professor watching him run down the hall in shock.
~Flashback~
Severus frowned at the tables in front of him, hating his job and most importantly the kids. Ever since his confrontation about Potter with the Dark Lord two days ago he had been watching the boy like a hawk. For the two days his opinions of the spoilt brat changed, he soon started to become… Unnerved by him. It wasn’t just the power but his demeanor, he was overly polite and held himself like a noble pureblood that oddly reminded him of Lucius. Although unlike Lucius he did not show off or play, he was cold and quiet, obviously preferred to listen to his friends than talk. There was nothing noticeably bad, matter of fact he is a star pupil, but that’s what unnerved him. He was too perfect.
So, when he saw the boy leave in the middle of breakfast his curiosity and the need to follow his Lords wishes outweighed his want to ignore it. Giving some piss excuse to his fellow teachers he followed the boy with great stealth, even going so far to cast a disillusionment and silencing charm on himself. And eventually they arrived at an abandoned girl’s bathroom, his curiosity grew when he witnessed Potter make a rather convincing sad face. Although for a spy like him it was far too obvious, he knew to the untrained eye it would be convincing though.
He was forced to sit through, and watch Potter manipulate and lie to the tormented soul named Moaning Myrtle. It was slightly annoying to see how easily he pried the secret out of her, when he and Albus spent hours reasoning with her to no avail. Although now he knew it, where the chamber of secrets is. He didn’t quite know what to do with the information, he couldn’t just head to Albus office as he knew what would be at stake. Lord Voldemort’s Horcux. At the fateful day he was called he was sent to find it and bring it to him, and he couldn’t tell Albus about it under any circumstance either. He knew that Weasley brat had it, but he had no idea where it was. He couldn’t just go in the Gryffindor Common room and take it or force it out of her either. He was planning to try and use Veritaserum and obliviate her after, but he was oddly terrible at memory charms, so he was hesitant.
Snapping himself of those thoughts he thought about Potter. Perhaps this is why his Lord seemed to be so obsessed with Potter, the child is a simply two-faced monster. The memory with Theodore’s Nott cat resurfaced his mind, the memory becoming disgustingly clear. He saw the decapitated and mutilated body, he witnessed Potter comfort Nott, he was a whiteness as Nott slowly started to cling to Potter like a lifeline as he was too scared to spend any time alone.
Potter finally left to go to class as he just stood their shocked at recent revelations. ‘Why does Potter want to know where the chamber of secrets it?’ he thought to himself.
---
Harry entered Professor Lockhart’s class, he quickly zoned out rest of the class.
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The rest of the week passed easy although the Snake voice around him never quite left. Harry knew he should inform someone that he knows where the chamber is, but after the hateful looks, jeers, and pitying looks from the teachers he wanted them to BURN. He watched in amusement as every muggleborns and Halfblood stick together in groups, and at this point even the purebloods were starting to get antsy. It gave him an odd sense of satisfaction and control.
Although Professor Snape started watching him like a hawk. It started to really get on his nerves, especially since he couldn’t make any more special trips to the restricted section. The man also seemed to have started to become wearier of him, he’d still insult Harry like usual but there was a hesitance when he did so. Forcing himself out of his thoughts he continued to work on his test on transfiguration.
When he excited class he heard a loud commotion, he quickly walked to the scene to investigate. When he saw it, his heart dropped. The Chamber of secrets had taken a living victim as sacrifice, it was written in blood on the walls.
Professor McGonagall said with tears in her eyes, “The school will have to be shut down, all the students need to be sent home…”
Regret filled his senses; he should have said something. Although now it’s too late to tell someone, unless… In a random jolt of Gryffindor instincts, he grabbed Draco by the arm and dragged him and basically dragged him to Lockhart's office. After all he couldn't leave the perfect chance for revenge...