Modification || T. Riddle || Completed

Chapter 12: Aragog

Chapter 12: Aragog

Estela couldn't seem to rid her mind of Riddle and whatever it was he was up to. She tried to focus on her task rather than his own ambitions, though. But little did she know that they both had tasks and plans that they kept a secret from each other. They were both scheming against each other in one large and complex circle that would eventually come together.

Estela was woken up that morning by a high pitched outcry. She darted up from the sofa where she had fallen asleep reading, but could not find a source of the noise. She rubbed her eyes and thought she must have dreamed it, when she heard it again, but this time she could make out what the squeaky voice was saying.

"Everybody up! Immediately!" Cried the voice. Estela looked around but saw nothing once more, until she looked down and saw Professor Flitwick, the head of her house standing by her feet. She jumped.

"Professor!" She exclaimed. "Is everything all right?"

"I'm afraid it isn't, Markorp, something terrible has happened." Replied Flitwick, who seemed very jittery. "Ravenclaws! Everybody up this instant!"

Confused looking students came down the stairs at once looking half asleep, muttering amongst themselves and yawning.

"It's six in the morning." One student moaned. "There's better be a good excuse for waking us up this early."

"Everyone is to go to the Great Hall." Instructed Flitwick. When the only response he got was droopy eyed stares, he shouted, "Immediately!" With a voice so strong compared to the previous squeaks. It seemed to wake everybody up anyway, and at once everyone went to the Great Hall.

"What do you think's going on?" Anthony asked Estela, catching up with her with a half asleep looking Cayra plodding behind him.

"No idea," Estela replied.

"Well it better be good," Cayra yawned. "I was in the middle of an amazing dream. I married the lead singer of 142 Staircases and... well, you don't need to know the rest."

"For Merlin's sake, Cayra," Anthony said with a nervous laugh.

"What? It was great."

When they walked into the Great Hall, Gryffindor and Hufflepuff had already arrived, and every single teacher was standing at the Grand Table looking severely at all the students. There was a solemness to each of their faces that made them look older, despite how young some of them may have been. Many of the teachers even had tears in their eyes, and she was sure that even Albus Dumbledore's eyes seemed to shine a little brighter than usual.

Nobody spoke a word as they all waited patiently for the last house to arrive. Slytherin strutted into the Hall looking grumpy at having been woken up earlier than usual. Amongst them all was Tom, who looked as calm and unfazed as ever. The same could not be said about his 'friends', however. There was something about their faces that made Estela wonder what on earth had happened. And it made her wonder if they already knew.

Once everyone was seated, Headmaster Dippet began to speak, a grave look on his face.

"Students," he began. "I'm afraid a very serious matter has arisen. This news may shock some of you, may upset some of you, but will undoubtedly have an enormous effect on each and every one of you. A student has been found in the Girl's bathroom on the first floor this morning." Everybody looked at each other as if to say 'big deal', until the headmaster continued with his story.

"The girl was a fourth year from Ravenclaw house." The image of a squat student with dark lank hair with a fringe, pimples and thick glasses sprung to Estela's mind and something within her began to writhe in fear. "Her name was Myrtle Warren. And she is dead."