Ariadne's Thread ⭒ h. potter

Potter, You Rotter

"Oh, it's terrible, Filius." McGonagall was saying, in her thick Scottish brogue. "Poor little Colin Creevey– he's a lion, you know. But so small, even for a first-year. We had so hoped it would be just the cat but– well, Albus believes that the Chamber is truly open."

"Colin Creevey?" Ariadne mouthed to Ron and Hermione, who nodded. Colin was in her year, sorted right after her. He had always been very nice– one of the only people who was not only not rude to Ariadne, but actively kind. He was just a tad... enthusiastic sometimes, not that that was a bad thing. The thought of his body, Petrified like Mrs. Norris... Ariadne shivered in fear.

"Let's go." Hermione mouthed. She led Ron and Ariadne back down to the second floor and into Myrtle's bathroom. "Now that we're certain that the Chamber of Secrets has been open, we'd better get a head start on the Polyjuice. Ronald, grab a cauldron. I'll start a fire in the toilet."

It was already cramped in the stall in which they were hiding their potion with the three of them, but by the time Harry joined it was a very tight squeeze. Ariadne found herself pressed up against his side while he told them about an elf who visited him in the hospital wing.

"And then Dobby said that the Chamber's been open before, and he warned me to get out of Hogwarts. He said that I'm a target, alongside the muggleborns. And he sent the bludger after me!"

Ron began to speculate on the Malfoys role in this, but Ariadne was too caught up on Harry's words. "Sorry, did you say Dobby?" Dobby at Hogwarts? She had never seen him outside of the manor! She didn't know he could even leave without permission.

"Yeah," confirmed Harry. "He's this house-elf that visited me before school started and got me in trouble with the Ministry. Then he tried to stop me from coming to Hogwarts by closing the platform entrance. Now the bludger? He's been trying to warn me this whole time. He's got good intentions, I think. Maybe not the best execution."

Yes, that sounded like Dobby alright. Ariadne began to mutter herself, thinking out loud. "Okay. Now Dobby's involved. Okay. I think– I think you lot might be right."

"Right about what?" Hermione asked. "Do you know Dobby?" Ron and Harry both looked at Ariadne expectantly. ­

"Dobby is the Malfoy family's house elf. They're almost certainly involved– Dobby doesn't do anything outside of them. I don't know if Draco's the Heir, I still don't think he could be. But I do think Lucius is involved. I've got to talk to Dobby."

"Is there any way you could summon him? He just shows up to me as he pleases, so it's on his time. Or write him?" Harry asked.

"I can't summon him– not at Hogwarts, I don't think. And I can't write him. I can't let Mr. Malfoy intercept anything, and I also can't say for sure if Dobby can read, to be honest. But I do know that I can't take the Polyjuice with you guys. There goes my only chance to be Daphne Greengrass." Ariadne ended with an attempt at a joke, but she really was disappointed to not participate in the Polyjuice Heist. She was the one who had given it the name, after all. She had been excited to sleuth like she'd seen in the muggle films.

"Why not?" said Ron, even as Hermione looked on knowingly.

"I'll have to go home for Christmas," Ariadne said grimly. "I'll write to Narcissa now."

Ron groaned. "Tough luck, mate." Harry looked at her sympathetically.

Ariadne went back to her room to pen a letter, deciding it'd have to be a good one to both make up for the last few months of radio silence and to get an invitation back home for Christmas.

Dear Narcissa,

I hope that you are well. I am very sorry that I have not written these past few months. I was quite distraught after the sorting – I feared that you'd be disappointed. It certainly has been one to me. Gryffindor has not been too kind to me, and I'll admit that I have few friends. It seems people cannot see past my father's shadow. I am writing in the hopes that I'll be allowed to come home for Christmas (and my birthday), for I should not like to be alone then.