Riddled

|22| Enough

This had gone much too far.

Before, coping with the attacks, while it was still awful, was easier for Ginny. She didn't have connections with the students who got Petrified.

But now she did. She'd just attacked Percy's girlfriend and one of Ron's closest friends.

She awoke the next morning, a Saturday, the last weekend at Hogwarts before exams. A golden ray of sun peaked through the blinds and shone on her pale face, but she shivered. Though everyone else had been complaining about the relentless heat of June, she'd been freezing. She didn't want to think about what that meant, but deep down she knew.

Tom was still feeding off of her soul.

She went down to the Great Hall for breakfast, nearly in a trance. She didn't think of anything else except what she knew she needed to do.

The tension that had been building in her shoulders released when she spotted an empty seat next to Ron, who was in a rapid discussion with Harry, which came to an immediate halt when they spotted Ginny.

She took a deep breath and forced herself with every bit of will she had left in her to speak:

"I need to tell you something. It's important."

Ron rolled his eyes. Ginny was hardly surprised; Ron rarely took her seriously. But Harry looked over at her intently. She shivered. She could see a spark in his eyes; he knew.

"Is it about the Chamber of Secrets, Ginny?" he asked.

Ginny nodded reluctantly. Her heart pounded vigorously. This is it, she thought. She felt like crying with relief. All you need to do is tell them and this will all be over.

"Well, Merlin's pants, Ginny!" Ron groaned with impatience. "Tell us, then!"

Suddenly every memory of Ron and Harry whispering in secrecy and sneaking around flooded through Ginny's head. It all made sense. She'd known about the Chamber of Secrets all year and had they. They'd been trying to find it. Trying to solve the mystery that lay deep beneath Hogwarts. And she had the answer.

"I-I know who's been opening the Chamber," she said. "It's..."

"I'll take that seat, Ginny!" Percy said loudly behind her. Ginny turned around. Percy looked nervous. An unusual look for Percy. A rush of guilt went through her as she remembered standing over Penelope in the corridor, looking down at her frozen expression of terror.

If she hadn't attacked Penelope, she might not have given Percy her seat. But out of pure pity she resigned and let him have it. She hurried out of the Great Hall in a cloud of shame and terror.

Hopeless and defeated she went up to the common room, deciding to revise for her exams. She'd try and talk to Harry and Ron later, somewhere more private.

She hadn't been sitting there long when she heard the door swing open. She looked up from her Transfiguration book to see Percy walking towards her, and her insides immediately felt like jelly. Not Percy...

He took a seat beside her and looked her in the eye sharply.

"Ginny, you made a promise. You can't go around telling people about Penelope and I. It's my business. And I thought you'd be a bit more sympathetic considering Penelope's been Petrified."

He strutted back out the portrait hole before Ginny could say a word.

She couldn't help but feel furious with Percy. He'd just ruined everything! When would she see Ron and Harry again today? It wasn't likely she'd have another opportunity to talk to them alone. Even if she did, would she be able to muster up the courage?

She gazed in the mirror that hung on the wall. Her brown eyes were dull and sunken in. She was running out of time.