“Rubeus Hagrid was accused of opening the Chamber of Secrets fifty years ago.” I stated, staring down Dumledory’s X-ray like blue eyes. I currently stood in the middle of his office while he sat behind his desk doing whatever he does as Headmaster to make this place awesome. I’d ended up giving up on finding his office… ‘Manually’ shall we say and settled for just apparating here; I recognized the room instantly as the one from the Riddle boy’s memory although a few things had changed; like the guy who used to be sat where Dumbledory is had turned into a moving picture behind him.
“Robyn,” Replied Dumbledory as polite as ever, but his expression was full of pure bemusement and there was an underlying question in the greeting. At my narrowed eyes and expectant question, Dumbledory subtly sighed. “Yes, he was.”
“He still works here…” Again another statement, I was just assuming based off Harry and his friend Ron’s reaction.
“Yes, he’s the groundskeeper here at Hogwarts.”
“Did you believe the accusation?” The question flew out my mouth before I could stop it; it was pure conjecture on my part to think Dumbledory had been here for fifty years, and yet the strange assurance of my statements felt infallible. The Jesus Man will know. Dumbledory regarded me for a long time, within which I felt the barriers of my mind shudder against an intruder; my eyes narrowed accusingly.
“No, I did not and still do not believe Rubeus Hagrid to be responsible for ever opening the Chamber of Secrets.”
“And Tom Riddle?” I asked, just to gauge what kind of reaction he might have to the snake-like boy.
In response, the Jesus man tilted his head forward, regarding me over his half-moon spectacles as if he could see into my soul. My discomfort levels rose but I was determined to see my detective work through to the end. I will not be a coward! “He was a student here.” A guardedness had appeared in Dumbledory’s voice, despite burying it under politeness. He thought it was Riddle. I concluded, deciding that was the best answer I would get from the all knowing one.
“Ok, thanks Dumbledory.” I grinned, focusing on apparating out of his office before he could questiom the origin of my information.
* * * *
From that point on nothing significant happened; Professor M said she was increasing impressed and satisfied with my process through the school work she gave me, apparently I was now working to the same level as the current second years. She even asked me what subjects I would take as a third year! I didn’t let myself think anything special about that though, I didn’t want to get my hopes up; I merely thought of it as Professor M informing me of what I would have to research if I wanted to continue my Wizarding education after I left Hogwarts, which I most certainly planned to so I appreciated the information.
The Easter holidays were really fun; especially my pranks on Juice Face boy and the twins. I very nearly peed myself laughing, watching the two giant phantom chickens I’d created chase the twins through the hallways of Hogwarts, and I could still feel my six pack from putting a hex on Juice Face boy to lay eggs for the whole day; the excuses he had to come up with for why eggs kept rolling out his trousers and why he had to suddenly run to the bathroom, if he sat on one, were absolutely hilarious. Prank Queen coming through everybody!
Dumbledory had informed me of another up and coming Quidditch match between Harry’s team Gryffindor and Hufflepuff; the game itself fascinated me, I would’ve love to have a go actually playing Quidditch but more than likely I would get hit in the face with a bludger or fall off my broom if I tried... it wasn’t like I’d ever be really able to have go anyway. A girl can dream… not of falling off a broom obviously but of having a go at Quidditch…then again that might be the same thing… Wow, I’m such a idiot! On the morning of the match, I woke up to the sickest churning in my stomach, shivering under a burning temperature as I lay in bed, an icy sweat blanketing my forehead. Professor M’s touching concern at my lack of facial colour made me smile; at her insistence, Madame Pomfrey saw me before the game was due to start and that was when I heard it again.
‘Kill this time…let me rip…tear…’ The second I heard it the ball of anxiety I’d felt building in my stomach from the moment I’d woken this morning, tightened as I felt colour drain from my face. “No…” I whispered, staring through Madame Pomfrey and Professor M with glassy eyes. “No!” I shrieked, “We have to stop it!” I yelled, bolting out the door. Running before I’d even made a conscious thought to run. Professor M and the Matron struggled to keep up with me as I found my way mindlessly through the maze of Hogwarts, taking my cues from the twists in my stomach as I got nearer.
Rounding the corner, I froze point blank as if I’d hit a brick wall. Utterly motionless, like statues, peering into the corridor I’d just entered from were two girls; behind me the exhaustive running of Professor M and the Matron rounded the corner and gasped the instant they saw the statues. Professor M immediately backed me behind her protectively; my gaze criticized the stone figures, wanting them to unfreeze and tell me what had done this to them; tell me how I could help them, how I could help protect the students of Hogwarts from a similar fate, Harry especially. I don’t know how long I stood motionless, just staring into the stone faces of the two girls, I wasn’t aware of my surroundings anymore; there was murmuring going on around me, floating above my head… a pair of hands clasped my shoulders, firm and strong, trustworthy as they turned me away from the stone figures.
“Robyn,” Spoke the wise, reassuring voice, shaking my shoulders in an effort to shake me out of my dazed state. My brain seemed to restart at the gesture, I became once again aware of my bodily functions; on final look at one of the stone faces of a curly haired girls was all I needed to abruptly turn and throw up guts into a bucket, which seemed to randomly appear in front of me. The girl was Harry’s friend.
We were moving, one of the reassuring hands had wrapped around my shoulder, pulling me along; my mind felt out of focus, as though a thick cloud of fog had pervaded into me, seeping through me, numbing everything. My only solid thought repeated itself over and over again, making me dizzy, ‘It needs to be stopped.’
The pair of hands guided me this way and that, until finally pushing me to sit me on chair near a lit fireplace; I stared at the fire, willing it to warm the chill manifesting within my chest. It needs to be stopped. “Robyn?” Spoke the reassuring voice. It needs to be stopped. “Robyn?” Repeats the voice, gentle. I shiver. It needs to be stopped. “Robyn, can you hear me?” It continues to ask gently, such a lulling sound. Noise near the door sounds the prompt entrance of someone into the room, I feel another gaze observe my blank one.
“Has her behaviour changed, Albus?” Speaks the Matron's familiar tone, drifting into my mind. Coming over, she puts a hand under my chin to lift it up as she examines my face, also checking my pulse and temperature. I barely pay attention, my attention fixed on the fire still.
“No. I’m not sure if she can hear me.” Answers the Jesus Man, an undertone of concern hidden there.
“What’s wrong? Will Robyn be OK? Has it anything to do with the two new attacks?” Commands a firm, albeit shaky, familiar female voice.
“She’s just in shock, Minerva.” Bustling follows the reply and minutes later, a shot glass of what looks like water but smells horrific, is held in front of me. I stare at it curiously, and then watch my quivering hand reach out and take it, under the medical order to drink it. “Albus, be wary. When the shock begins to wear off, Robyn may well have a extreme emotional reaction.” Thirst persuades me to throw back the drink; a cringe at the bite of the drink wracks my body both internally and externally, seemingly burning off the fog consuming my mind.
My eyes fall on the pair of bright blue eyes in front of me; I felt the doors to my mind shudder, serving as a second shot in awakening me fully to my surroundings, what was going on. Dumbledory was knelt in front of me, expression concerned, while behind him Professor M stood pale and firm, her eyes- drowning in worry- trained on me. Lurking in the dark, behind Dumbledory’s other shoulder aloofly stood Professor Snape, observing me closely. It needs to be stopped.
“Did you hear it?” I demand sharply, standing and moving away from the fire, further into the room.
“Hear what, Robyn?” Queries Dumbledory; slowly getting to his feet, watching me quizzically. Pinning him with a shrewd stare, it’s obvious from his and the other Professors expression they didn’t hear it, and if I told them they would surely think I was crazy. Surely someone else heard it?! Judging my expression, Dumbledory changes track, “Robyn, Professor McGonagall informs me you suddenly took off running, despite being very ill. Why?” His tone treads carefully.
“I had to try and stop it!” I shout, my angry growing. How could they not have heard the voice?
“Stop what?” Alby continues.
“It killing someone! It said it wanted to KILL! I had to do something! You can’t hear it! Any of you! YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND!” I yell spitefully. “If you could hear it you’d understand! You would have run to! Maybe in the other direction, but I had to do SOMETHING!” Ugh! I needed to find Harry; I needed to know if he’d heard the voice….
I’ll have to play it normal for now, and then wait till everyone’s gone to bed, and then I’ll go find Harry! Acting skills first and then…let the detective work begin!
____________________________________________________________________________
FINALLY! Ugh, you guys have my laptop's disagreement with the new wattpad layout to blame for the lateness of this upload! I nearly cried at the fact I let you guys now :'( I'm so very sorry.
Anyway, where there is a will there is always a way... And here we are! Hopefully my next upload will be in the Christmas holidays if I by some miracle can find the time away from coursework and revision to write:/ (I'm certainly hoping so!)
Again, thank you so much for sticking with the story and putting up with me!
You guys really are unbelievably awesome! Much love <3