"So is this about the diary?" I asked Harry immediately after we were out of earshot of anyone. "Er, sort-of," he replied. He still seemed to have trouble meeting my eyes. I wished he was able to do at least that much, if he was the one initiating the conversation. To be fair to him, I did leave last year on a bad note. I sighed.
"Look, I'm sorry about last year, if that's what this is about-"
"-it's okay," Harry cut me off, if a small voice. He kicked a non-existent pebble across the hallway. "Stuff...happens." Now this, was just sad. I had to restrain myself from sighing. "Hey," I nudged the boy, causing him to look up. It felt like I was talking to a kid that had just found out his favourite flavour of Slurpees had just run out. "I'm sorry, really. I don't know exactly what my mind was thinking, but I apologise for kicking you guys to the curb from outta nowhere, and I hope that one day we'll get over this." Was this true? Not all of it. Ever since that very day, in the room down the Third Corridor, I had developed a sort-of annoyance towards his friendship group. They just didn't know how to get over stuff. Like they couldn't form an emotional connection with everyone they picked off the side of the road. They'd never survive in the New Age. Hold on, New Age?
I decided to put these thoughts to the side, as Harry's grateful smile broke me out of my trance.
"Me too," he said, putting out his hand for me to shake. I took it. "Now back to what I was originally going to say-"
"-class is in 5 minutes," Malfoy interrupted, appearing out of nowhere and dragging me by my sleeve. "Talk later!" Harry shouted, waving at me as the disgruntled blonde led me to the dungeons. "What took so long?" He asked, as we headed down the smooth stone steps.
"He's got onychomycosis. I laughed."
"You? Laughed?"
"It's funny."
We found the rest of the class, and we all collectively found our positions within the Potions classrooms. At this point in the year, everyone had unspoken claims to their tables, which left me, the loner from the beginning of the year, in the worst spot possible: the very front. Right under Snape's crooked nose. Malfoy left my side to join Blaise, and I made my way to my respective area. At least the content would be easy, considering the hours I slaved away under Snape's watchful glare in the early hours every week.
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"Now, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little dueling club, to train you in case you ever need to defend yourselves as I myself have done on countless occasions- for full details, see my published works." Professor Lockhart started, twirling his wand around absent mindedly as he strolled around the platform. It was more of a stage, than anything. With front-row seats for the lovely view of Lockhart's nostrils. Snape was a shadow looming almost threateningly behind him. Polar opposites. It was almost humorous.
The Professor then went on to demonstrate a particular spell; a handy disarming spell that knocked the victim's wand out of their hands. Although he was the victim in this case. I had to admit, he almost played it off somewhat cooly. Almost.
"Now, its your turn! Get into pairs, everyone, that's it! They won't bite!"
I ended up with Adrian Pucey as my partner, and he definitely looked like he'd bite. 'I hope you're satisfied, Malfoy.' I thought, as Adrian bared his teeth. I vaguely remembered walking in on him snogging another dude a couple weeks ago. That might’ve been why he looked so intent on beating me to a pulp. Chivalry was truly dead.
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To summarise the events of that afternoon, I ended up temporarily blinded by a magic-incorporated sucker-punch to the eye, Malfoy and Harry had their long awaited face-off, and Harry spoke to a snake. The average day at Hogwarts.
I entered the Great Hall with an ice-bag pressed on my skull, and a killer headache. And Malfoy wondered why I regretted going. Ignoring the giggles of Pansy's group, I dug into my curry. "No, but really, is it actually Weasleby's sister who opened the Chamber? When Potter is out here spitting who-knows-what at a snake?" Malfoy chattered between mouthfuls. "I mean, I don't even know how you knew in the first place-"
"I'm done, see you later," I said, stuffing the rest of the food into my mouth and disposing of the now completely melted bag of ice in a nearby bin.
"What? Where are you going?"
"To shit."
Harry hadn't been waving at me earlier before Malfoy had taken me away; he was indicating for me to meet him at the toilets. The one with the extremely annoying ghost in it. Moaning Mittle, or whatever. I never paid attention to her.
I found Harry, Ron, and Hermione crouched in a single stall in the corner of the bathroom. Mittle hovered above our heads. When I clicked open the lock to the stall, they froze, shock turning into panic as they struggled to hide the mess of brewing equipment behind them. Behind Ron and Hermione, that is. Harry didn't bother. A recipe book was flat open at their feet, telling me all I needed to know.
Polyjuice Potion. Basically a potion that allowed you to shapeshift into whatever person's DNA sample you had. Interesting.
"Who are you trying to turn into?" I asked, tiptoeing to try and look over Hermione and Ron's shoulders. They seemed puzzled by the turn of events, but proceeded to explain to me about their plans, with gentle urges from Harry. The two of them seemed awkward, and suspicious of me, but I assumed Harry had told them about the small possibility of me showing up.
"It won't work," I said, after the explanation was over.
"And why not?" Hermione asked, almost sourly.
"I mean, it would probably work, but it'd be pointless."
"Huh? You don't think Malfoy has anything to do with the Chamber?"
"I know he doesn't know anything."
"Just because you're all tight with Malfoy now doesn't mean-"
"It's Ginny. And maybe Hagrid, but more likely Tom Riddle, something was off about that guy-"
"Get out." Ron interrupted, clenching his fists. He was seething. "You don't just walk in here and tell us what we're doing is pointless, and that Hagrid and MY OWN SISTER has something to do with all this. You don't have the right. Get. Out." I was suprised that steam wasn't flowing from his ears.
"I mean, if you want to waste your time, suit yourself, but-"
"GO. AWAY."
"Sure." I shrugged, and made my way to the Slytherin common room. A few hours later a very unconvincing Crabbe and Goyle slipped into the room, leaving not long after with 'upset stomachs'. How pathetic.
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A/n Rushed a lil cos it's 1am. Also timeline is now almost non existent but it makes sense anyway, bear with me.