A/N : It's a very long chapter! You have been warned! Like 7000 words so enjoy I also apologise for any typos, I'll fix it later!
Later in the evening Harry went to bed, before any of the others. Though was pestered by Y/N and Ron to sit with them and play wizard chest though Harry wasn't exactly feeling it. He was more invested in trying to uncover Tom Riddle's Diary. And indeed seems to have worked.
"Let me show you." The ominous book wrote back to him.
Harry paused for a fraction of a second and then wrote two letters.
"OK."
The pages of the diary began to blow as though caught in a high wind, stopping halfway through the month of June. Mouth hanging open, before he knew what was happening he was tilting forward; a window was widening, he felt his body leave his bed, and he was pitched headfirst through the opening in the page, into a whirl of color and shadow.
He felt his feet hit solid ground, and stood, shaking, as the blurred shapes around him came suddenly into focus.
Harry knew immediately where he was. This circular room with the sleeping portraits was Dumbledore's office - but it wasn't Dumbledore who was sitting behind the desk. A wizened, frail-looking wizard, was reading a letter by candlelight.
"I'm sorry," he said shakily. "I didn't mean to butt in--"
But the wizard didn't look up. He continued to read, frowning slightly. Harry drew nearer to his desk and stammered, "Er - I'll just go, shall I?"
Suddenly there was a knock on the office door.
"Enter," said the old wizard in a feeble voice.
A boy of about sixteen entered, taking off his pointed hat. A silver prefect's badge was glinting on his chest. He was much taller than Harry, but he, too, had jet-black hair.
"Ah, Riddle," said the Headmaster.
"You wanted to see me, Professor Dippet?" said Riddle. He looked nervous.
"Sit down," said Dippet. "I've just been reading the letter you sent me."
The headmaster began to explain how he couldn't possibly send him back home for the holidays, which Tom was fine, living in an orphanage for him was not the best.
"You live in a Muggle orphanage during the holidays, I believe?" said Dippet curiously.
"Yes, sir," said Riddle, reddening slightly.
"You are Muggle-born?"
"Half-blood, sir," said Riddle. "Muggle father, witch mother."
"And are both your parents -?"
"My mother died just after I was born, sir. They told me at the orphanage she lived just long enough to name me - Tom after my father, Marvolo after my grandfather."
"The thing is, Tom," he sighed, "Special arrangements might have been made for you, but in the current circumstances..."
"You mean all these attacks, sir?" said Riddle, and Harry's heart leapt, and he moved closer, scared of missing anything.
"Precisely," said the headmaster. "My dear boy, you must see how foolish it would be of me to allow you to remain at the castle when term ends. Particularly in light of the recent tragedy... the death of that poor little girl... You will be safer by far at your orphanage. As a matter of fact, the Ministry of Magic is even now talking about closing the school. We are no nearer locating the - er - source of all this unpleasantness..."
Riddle's eyes had widened.
"Sir - if the person was caught - if it all stopped--"
"What do you mean?" said Dippet with a squeak in his voice, sitting up in his chair. "Riddle, do you mean you know something about these attacks?"
"No, sir," said Riddle quickly.
"You may go, Tom..."
Riddle slid off his chair and slouched out of the room. Harry followed him.
Down the moving spiral staircase they went, emerging next a gargoyle in the darkening corridor. Riddle stopped, and so did Harry, watching him. Harry could tell that Riddle was doing some serious thinking. He was biting his lip, his forehead furrowed.
Before moving on though, the young wizard was interrupted by the sounds of hurried footsteps. Tom turned sharply to his right facing Harry with a softened yet stern expression.
"Elizabeth, what are you doing up?" The sudden question made Harry frown. At first he was confused but then he felt something pass through him and yelped. A young girl walked straight through him.
"Why, looking for the furious beast that roams the halls, of course." The young girl spoke sarcastically, Harry moved to the left to get a better look at her. She had long striking blonde hair, porcelain skin and her cheeks were a tint of red; robes matching that of a Slytherin, a third year possibly? she couldn't be any older than Riddle, maybe a couple years younger. Who was she?
"If Headmaster Dippet finds out that your out here, sister, he'll surely punish you. Not to mention the beast that's..." but whatever the young boy was going to say was drowned out by the sounds of heavy footsteps ahead in the halls.
Sister? But Tom had said previously that his mother had died shortly after his birth? Did they not share the same mother? Though it was certainly plausible, they didn't look alike at all.
"What are you doing, wandering around this late, Tom, Elizabeth?" A sudden voice brought him out of his musings. Harry gaped at the direction of the voice it was a wizard. He was none other than a fifty-year-younger Dumbledore.
"I had to see the headmaster, sir, Eli was... accompanying me," said Riddle.
"Well, hurry off to bed you two," said Dumbledore, giving the two siblings exactly the kind of penetrating stare Harry knew so well. "Best not to roam the corridors these days. Not since..."
The two of them took off in a hurry as Dumbledore sighed, Harry followed after them just as quickly. What was going on?
—
Y/N and Ron had just finished their game of wizard chess down at the Great Hall before saying goodbye to Hermione as they split off to their own dormitories. The two of them entered with a push of the door and were shocked to find Harry awake and shaken on his bed, looking amidst and sweeting.
"What's wrong?" Y/N asked him worriedly, hurrying over to him with Ron in tow.
"It was Hagrid..." He breathed in and out. "Hagrid opened the Chamber of Secrets fifty years ago..."
—
The next morning didn't start better either. For the rest of the day the four of them were stuck trying to figure out more on Tom Riddle but alas, he was a complete anomaly.
It only got worse when Neville Longbottom came rushing down to the four of them in library in a fright of terror. Apparently, somebody had trashed the Gryffindor tower and... more importantly trashed Harry's things.
The contents of Harry's trunk had been thrown everywhere. His cloak lay ripped on the floor. The bedclothes had been pulled off his four-poster and the drawer had been pulled out of his bedside cabinet, the contents strewn over the mattress. It was a sore sight to see.
"Jesus Christ." Y/N muttered as he picked up one of Harry's robes that looked like it had been through the shredder.
"Someone's been looking for something," said Ron. "Is there anything missing?"
They all looked around until Harry let out a frustrated groan. "Riddle's diary's gone," he said in an undertone to Ron and Y/N.
"What?"
Harry jerked his head toward the dormitory door and Y/N and Ron followed him out. They hurried down to the Gryffindor common room, which was half-empty, and joined Hermione, who was sitting alone, reading a book called Ancient Runes Made Easy .
Hermione looked aghast at the news.
"But - only a Gryffindor could have stolen - nobody else knows our password--"
"Exactly," said Harry.
The next day wasn't any better either... Hermione and Y/N stayed stuck in the library while Harry and Ron went out to watch the Quidditch match. Though good news, they were almost done with Latin translations and one step close to uncovering what the book held (certain parts of it anyway) and it had
Y/N on edge, Hermione had Descendants book in her hands (Which Y/N had to hold out for her to read from it) switching back and fourth between numerous other books.
With everything going on Y/N was only focused on trying to solve the stupid book that his cat had mysteriously led him to, by accident or on purpose? he didn't know, nor did he care. Whatever it was, it was bugging him. He needed a break, luckily the Quidditch game had yet to start.
Y/N placed down one of his numerous Latin books and turned to Hermione with a wishful looking. "Want to head out to the Quidditch field? I'm sure the game hasn't started yet if we're lucky." It had been awhile since Y/N had played or even watched a game since all he was doing all the time was studying or playing mini Sherlock detective.
"No, I'm alright." Hermione waved off with a short smile. "I'm almost done, I'd like to finish before anything else."
"Are you sure?" Y/N asked with a frown. "You've been studying all day, maybe a take a break?"
"Really, Y/N. I'm fine, I'll see you out on the stands in a bit. I promise." Hermione told him, giving him a encouraging smile. "Go on, I won't be far behind."
Y/N felt hesitant to leave her in the library but if she said she'd join him soon then what's problem? Perhaps a part of him didn't want to leave her alone. 'Clingy much?' He shook his head amusingly. "Alright." He gave her a hug and she accepted his embrace. Y/N soon took off to the Quidditch field.
But... he made it half way there before a chilling yet melting pain coursed through his back neck more violently than ever before. Y/N staggered, grasping onto the stone wall to his left for help; his other hand on his neck.
"Kill.... rip."
That same screeching voice coursed through his body and made him shudder.
"Not again, for fucks sake." Y/N gasped, the pain border lining worse than he could ever imagine.
'We really need to do something about this!'
He took a deep breath and waited for the pain to subside, breathing in and out rigidly. Finally minutes later it left, returning to normality.
Though he began wonder if ther was more to this hearing voices than he thought. They were able to hear what snakes said so maybe.... He shrugged off whatever doubt he had in his mind and proceeded to the Quidditch field, he knew that Harry would undoubtedly be having the same experience.
—
Y/N and Harry made their way towards the Quidditch field. Though passing through the corridors, Y/N noticed Ronnie off to the side looking ashen. So he decided to talk to him.
"Hiya, Ronnie." Y/N called out to him. The boy looked up at him and tried to smile, but only grimaced, causing Y/N to frown. "You alright."
"Fine..." But Ronnie trailed off, his head dipping slightly, a frown made its way to his features.
"Colin still in the infirmary?" Y/N asked him gently, putting a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
"Yeah." The boy answered simply. "Though not for too long hopefully." And Y/N could only nod and agree. He hoped it would all be over soon.
"I'm sure he'll be out of there in no time." Y/N squeezed his shoulder reassuringly and the boy smiled. "Come on, I've got a Quidditch match to win, and we need people cheering us on." He smiled.
"Yeah, of course." Ronnie lit up at the remembering the match. "I almost forgot." He said as he took of running, stopping at one of teacher's demanding voice of him slowing down.
Y/N chuckled and rushed ahead, catching up with Harry to the Quidditch field and along with the rest of Gryffindor team as they began settling in.
But before before they could even get on their broomsticks, Professor McGonagall came marching across to them while wielding an enormous purple megaphone.
"This match has been cancelled," Professor McGonagall called through the megaphone, addressing the packed stadium. So much for a nice game of Quidditch. "All students are to make their way back to the House common rooms, where their Heads of Houses will give them further information. As quickly as you can, please!"
"What's going on?" Ron asked them as he rushed down.
"The match's been cancelled." Y/N explained gloomily, barely clutching his broom as Harry shared an equally upset look.
Soon Professor McGonagall and Wood finished talking and strangely, McGonagall made her way over to them, looking, slightly pale. "Potter, L/N, I think you'd better come with me..."
The two boys exchanged confused looks before compiling, following the older teacher. She soon noticed Ron's presence.
"Yes, perhaps you'd better come, too, Weasley."
Some of the students swarming around them were grumbling about the match being canceled; others looked worried. Harry, Y/N and Ron followed Professor McGonagall back into the school and up the marble staircase. But they weren't taken to anybody's office this time.
"This will be a bit of a shock," said Professor McGonagall in a surprisingly gentle voice as they approached the infirmary. "There has been another attack... another double attack."
Y/N felt his insides churn, something in the back of his head began to scream at him, a terrible feeling making its way to his very soul. The three of them entered and the first thing Harry and Ron saw was a fifth-year girl with long, curly hair, a Ravenclaw. But that's not what Y/N was focused on, no, he was looking at the medical bed on the opposite end. His entire stomach did a front flip, he felt as if he was gonna he sick. Y/N felt choked, unable to sputter a word, 'No.' His heartbeat came faster now, so much that he thought he would explode.
"Hermione?"
Hermione laid utterly still, her eyes open and glassy. It turns out... she's been petrified.
"Oh god." Y/N grabbed onto a nearby curtain rack just to keep himself from buckling to the floor. Harry and Ron soon spotted her.
"Hermione!" The both exclaimed, shock filled their faces. The two of them rushed to her side, looking her over frantically. Y/N stood back, a couple meters away, afraid to even go near.
"They were found near the library," said Professor McGonagall. "I don't suppose either of you can explain this? It was on the floor next to them..."
She was holding up a small, circular mirror.
Harry and Ron shook their heads, both staring at Hermione.
Y/N stood aimlessly, his gaze still on Hermione's face. Eyes open and glassy, laid still as a statue on the infirmary bed. 'It's all my fault.'
He shook his head seconds later, his head turning down to the floor, eyes searching every marble tile. Finding a way to block everything else around him out.
"I will escort you back to Gryffindor Tower," said Professor McGonagall heavily. "I need to address the students in any case."
But Y/N didn't want to leave. He could only focus on her, 'What have I done?' It was his fault, he knew. That voice he had heard when leaving the library, he should've known. But instead he carried on.
Even while waiting at Quidditch field he didn't question why Hermione had not turned up yet, however he just didn't think anything of it... and now here she laid stilled and lost on a bed in the infirmary.
Tears began to fall down his cheeks as he watched her, that saddened expression only worsen with time. Seeing his look, Professor McGonagall placed a gentle yet firm hand on the back of Y/N's shoulder and guided the three boys back to the Gryffindor Tower.
Though Y/N didn't respond to anything nor listen to anything they said, he was in too much shock. Why did he have to leave? He broke his promise to her and now... she might never awake...
"It's all my fault..."
—
In the dark corners of the Ministry Of Magic, Cornelius Fudge stood impatiently, pacing past his desk every minute as he waited for Lucius Malfoy.
Luckily, not a minute later, the platinum-blonde haired man walked into Fudge's office, a cold and snarling look on his face. "Minister." He said, his tone anything but kind.
"Ah, Lucius." Fudge, remarked cherrily though he was far more uncomfortable on the inside rather than out. "Thank god you're here."
"Of course, Minister." Malfoy sneered, a dark smirk across his face. "Ready to depart." It was no rumour. The ministry was concerned with the situation at Hogwarts, The Chamber Of Secrets. Ha, Fudge would've laughed if it wasn't so serious.
"You know what you have to do?" Fudge questioned him, but judging by the sinister smile on his lips proved he did.
"Of course." Lucius felt like it was long time coming. "The boy will be no trouble." Daniel L/N's son was a deeper thorn in Fudge's- well, the Ministry's, backside than one could really fathom. Whether it was justified or not. Fudge couldn't allow Daniel to continue to, well for the better word, control his son any longer, though by Lupin's account, he was doing poorly at it. 'Should've never taken his deal'
Though it could not be changed now, he could always take another step. Starting with ridding the world of a greater evil.
"Excellent." Fudge smirked. Daniel L/N failed to uphold his end, so Fudge was prepared to undo his, rightfully so. "Lets get on with it." Fudge, followed by Lucius exited his office and proceeded on their way to Hogwarts, it wasn't only Hagrid they would be after, oh no...
Y/N L/N as well.
—
It was fruitless to believe that anything would get better. Y/N was already starting to believe that. Every day he would go down to the infirmary to visit Hermione, every single chance he had. It hurt him to even to look at her in such a state, never mind speak of her, but he told himself that he deserved it, he was guilty. He shouldn't of left her alone in the library and now she was petrified. If he ever caught the monster that did that to her, he would skin it alive with his bare hands.
It was not surprising, he was shocked but more angry than ever. It was all finally getting to him, or that's what Harry had told him the day before, thinking everything was too much. It certainly felt like that. From his grandfather's death, his father ignoring him and now Hermione bewitched. Y/N felt like his entire world was beginning to crash down around him and rightfully so. Perhaps he wasn't cut out for such things?
The days were getting worse and even more stranger. The day after, Midnight, who was usually following Ginny Weasley everywhere suddenly stopped. As if something had changed her mind and then began again, though by lunch time the cat came down to the Great Hall and didn't jump onto Ginny's lap, no, instead she jumped onto Y/N's (which wasn't uncommon) but what was though, when Ginny approached them, Midnight hissed, baring her teeth and claws. Warning her off.
It took a while for Y/N to calm her down but it worked, so instead she had to stay away from Ginny. Though Y/N couldn't understand the change in behaviour, it was almost like the time he had found parchment on her that night he was woken up, baring the same disgruntled amber eyes...
"What're we going to do?" said Ron to Harry and Y/N, though he wasn't listening. They were in the Gryffindor's common room. "D'you think they suspect Hagrid?"
"We've got to go and talk to him," said Harry, making up his mind. "I can't believe it's him this time, but if he set the monster loose last time he'll know how to get inside the Chamber of Secrets, and that's a start-" But stopped as he noticed Y/N sullen look.
Y/N wasn't listening, he was too busy in his own head to even realise the two of them talking.
"Is he alright?" Harry asked Ron, looking skeptical. Y/N had barely said anything on the last month since Hermione's attack. "He's been like that ever since Hermione..."
"I dunno." Ron shrugged. "Hey, Y/N?" But still no answer. Ron got up off his chair and walked over to Y/N, he shook his shoulders and finally snapped him out of whatever trance he was in.
"What?" Y/N snapped, his voice cold and eyes piercing. But when he turned to see Ron and Harry, he softened. "Sorry." He muttered.
"It's fine." Ron reassured. "You alright?" He asked his friend.
Y/N looked at him as if he was stupid. "No, I'm not alright." He muttered and got out of his chair, pushing past Ron and passing Harry on his way out. Wanting just to avoid any conversation whatsoever.
Ron and Harry could only exchange glances of concern before taking over Harry's cloak in hand and ready to talk to Hagrid.
—
Harry and Ron had arrived at Hagrid's hut. It began off to a great start when Hagrid had pointed a crossbow at the two of them. Then hiding in the corner of small building at the sudden knock at the door, which, turned out to be Dumbledore... and then fucking Cornelius Fudge.
"That's Dad's boss!" Ron breathed. "Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic!"
Harry elbowed Ron hard to make him shut up.
"Bad business, Hagrid," said Fudge in rather clipped tone. "Very bad business. Had to come. Four attacks on Muggle-borns. Things've gone far enough. Ministry's got to act."
"I never," said Hagrid, looking imploringly at Dumbledore. "You know I never, Professor Dumbledore, sir--"
"I want it understood, Cornelius, that Hagrid has my full confidence," said Dumbledore, frowning at Fudge.
"Look, Albus," said Fudge, uncomfortably. "Hagrid's record's against him. Ministry's got to do something - the school governors have been in touch--"
"Yet again, Cornelius, I tell you that taking Hagrid away will not help in the slightest," said Dumbledore.
"Look at it from my point of view," said Fudge. "I'm under a lot of pressure. Got to be seen to be doing something. If it turns out it wasn't Hagrid, he'll be back and no more said. But I've got to take him. Got to. Wouldn't be doing my duty--"
"Take me?" said Hagrid, who was trembling. "Take me where?"
"For a short stretch only," said Fudge, not meeting Hagrid's eyes. "Not a punishment, Hagrid, more a precaution. If someone else is caught, you'll be let out with a full apology--"
"Not Azkaban?" croaked Hagrid.
Before Fudge could answer, there was another loud rap on the door.
Dumbledore answered it. It was Harry's turn for an elbow in the ribs; he'd let out an audible gasp.
Mr. Lucius Malfoy strode into Hagrid's hut, swathed in a long black traveling cloak, his hand held begind himself, dragging something... or someone? Wearing a cold and satisfied smile.
"Already here, Fudge?" He said approvingly. "Good, good... I have the boy." Lucius, this time, dragged out something from behind him and behold... stood a boy, his hands in a bind and looking seriously pissed off. Brown hair, hazel eyes and eyes shooting daggers at the platinum blonde prick that was holding him...
it was Y/N.
Harry and Ron both let out gasps and had to clasp their own mouths shut.
"Get off me!" Y/N hissed, his eyes shooting daggers at Lucius who was dragging him. "I said let me go!"
Even a blind man could see the pure anger that was coursing through the boy's veins.
"Dear, dear, you know, that temper of yours will lead you into more trouble one of these days, L/N," said Mr. Malfoy. "I would advise you not to shout at the Azkaban guards like that. They won't like it at all."
'What? Nah fuck this, I ain't going to no prison! The hell did I do?'
"What're you doin' with Y/N?" said Hagrid furiously. "Ya have no right to take er student."
"Calm yourself, Hagrid," said Dumbledore sharply, and looked at Y/N.
"Professor, sir. He took me from the infirmary. The son of a-" But whatever Y/N was about to say was drowned out by Lucius shutting the boy up with a smack to the head.
"Ah good, good timing." Fudge clicked his tongue, nodding approvingly.
"Mr. Malfoy, I will have to ask you to remove yourself from Mr. L/N. It is not you're place to be taking students away from school grounds." Dumbledore said with so much fire in his eyes that they thought'd explode.
"Impossible," Fudge dismissed. "We cannot allow these, these attacks to continue, not if we have a chance to stop them." The dark heir to Slytherin, that's what Fudge was thinking of justifying it as, however he had a more brisk reason as to why he wanted him locked away.
"I'm not responsible for any-" Yet again Y/N was silenced by that of Mr. Malfoy, all while Y/N felt his blood boil.
"Take me!" Hagrid roared, "but ya won't be touchin' a hair on Y/N's head, He has nothin' to do with it, he wouldn't hurt a fly."
Lucius Malfoy's smirk turned into a deep frown. "Tell that to my son." Well... yeah he did hit him... once, or twice. Which he indeed did get a detention shortly afterwards after the display at the Quidditch field, though Malfoy got the same treatment.
"That was my punishment to dish out, Lucius. Now I will not have a student removed from Hogwarts simply because of your... personal feelings regarding the situation." Dumbledore said as he looked at Fudge dauntingly.
"I doubt it'll be your problem any longer, Dumbledore." Lucius smirked. "But the governors feel it's time for you to step aside. This is an Order of Suspension - you'll find all twelve signatures on it. I'm afraid we feel you're losing your touch."
"Oh, now, see here, Lucius," said Fudge, looking alarmed, "Dumbledore suspended - no, no - last thing we want just now."
"The appointment - or suspension - of the headmaster is a matter for the governors, Fudge," said Mr. Malfoy smoothly. "And as Dumbledore has failed to stop these attacks--"
"See here, Malfoy, if Dumbledore can't stop them," said Fudge, whose upper lip was sweating now, "I mean to say, who can?"
"That remains to be seen," said Mr. Malfoy with a nasty smile. "But as all twelve of us have voted--"
"Yeh, can't take Dumbledore!" yelled Hagrid, making Fang the boarhound cower and whimper in his basket. "Take him away, an'the Muggle-borns won'stand a chance! There'll be killin'next!"
"If the governors want my removal, Lucius, I shall of course step aside--"
"But -" stuttered Fudge.
"No!" growled Hagrid.
"Hang on!" shouted Y/N.
"However," said Dumbledore, speaking very slowly and clearly so that none of them could miss a word, "You will find that I will only truly have left this school when none here are loyal to me... Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it."
'Good. I need some help!'
"Admirable sentiments," said Malfoy, bowing. "We shall all miss your - er - highly individual way of running things, Albus, and only hope your successor willl manage to prevent any - ah - killins."
Lucius Malfoy let go of Y/N after getting a hesitant nod from Fudge and strolled out, Y/N rubbed at the shoulder in which Malfoy had held roughly. 'Bitch.' He had he thought to attack him, and actually tried to do but was shut down by Dumbledore with a stern stare before he could even move.
Before Hagrid left he stood his ground, took a deep breath, and said carefully, "If anyone wanted ter find out some stuff, all they'd have ter do would be ter follow the spiders. That'd lead em right. That's all I'm sayin'."
Dumbledore watched as the three of them left until it was only Y/N, himself and Harry and Ron hiding in the corner. He looked at Y/N and gave him a small smile. "You better come with me, Y/N." The two of them walked out of the hut and Harry and Ron watched, unsure as to what to say.
—
Standing in Dumbledore's office was always an honour. Well in the right reasons anyway, and Fawkes The Phoenix, what a nice bird.
Dumbledore sat upright in his chair, as Y/N sat opposite of him, looking slightly agitated.
"I bet, you have a lot of questions, Y/N." Dumbledore told the boy with a short smile.
"You can say that again." Y/N muttered, fidgeting with the silver ring on his finger, twisting it back and fourth.
Dumbledore let out a surprisingly audible sigh. "What do you know of your mother?"
Y/N immediately stopped what he was doing, frozen in place, until looking up from his ring and his gaze settled on Dumbledore. "Maria Black." He answered and Dimbledore nodded. "Sister to Sirius Black, a mass murder. And a family of Pure-Blood rivalry believers. And... she was student here?"
Dumbledore nodded, his mind going back to those times, oh how simply it was. "She was a bright and chirpy student, and smart. Much like you." The old professor chuckled ruefully. "Though a lot less of a, well, let's say, a lesser mischief."
Y/N shared a small smile at the reveal, "I probably get it from my father." But at the mention of him, he frowned.
"It's easy for us to look at one side and simply judge, without knowing the full picture." Dumbledore told him, noticing his sudden change to which Y/N's frown deepened.
"I look at every side and I still don't understand him."
"He's a complicated man." Dumbledore said with another sigh. "A lot of things these days are complicated, don't you think?"
To which Y/N nodded, "Yes." His mind went back to Hermione, everything to do with Lockhart and his own feelings. Everything felt confusing to him, his own jealousy. Then to her laying still in the infirmary, Y/N wished he could do anything, but he couldn't, he'd never felt so helpless.
"Ms. Granger will be fine." Dumbledore assured him, as if reading his mind. But would she? What if she would hate him afterwards for not being there? Many dangerous thoughts made its way to his head, he wouldn't be able to stand it if she ever left.
"But it's not your father you share those characteristics with, no, someone much older." The professor revealed to him, to which Y/N looked at him with his brows furrowed, confusion in his look. "Your grandmother."
"But she never-" But Dumbledore interrupted him.
"Not your father's mother. Maria's mother," Dumbledore got out of his seat slowly and walked across to a bookshelf, "She was quite the adventurer, going places no one ever dared to go. In fact, in her first year, she travelled deep into the forbidden forest at night and came back the next morning. Brave and foolish all the same. Much like you, hmm?"
Dumbledore pulled out a book and came back over to his desk, a cheerful glint in his eyes as Y/N looked slightly dumbfounded. "I believe this," He gestured to the book. "Will hold some of the answers to your questions, though not all of them." Dumbledore placed the book on the desk and Y/N pulled it around to face him, it was the Descendants book! The same from the library.
"You knew I took it the day I sneaked out."
Y/N said almost shy-like, down casting his gaze. Though he left out the part about Hermione accompanying him.
"Oh? Whatever do you mean?" Dumbledore asked with a light smile, which made Y/N wince, "See? Brave and foolish." Dumbledore said, "You may keep the book. You'll find you'll need it more than me." Dumbledore dismissed him.
Y/N left his seat and took ahold of the book, gripping it closely. And left the Headmaster's office, a strange yet hearty feeling in his soul.
—
After Y/N's talk with Dumbledore. The day continued fine, in his words, terrible. Malfoy had made claims that Snape would be a better Headmaster than Dumbledore which Y/N wanted to punch him for that. Then made a horrible comment about Hermione, which,
Y/N then tried to kill him but was stopped by Harry, Ron and, surprisingly, Neville.
Next thing he knew, Harry and Ron had gone out, something about going to find spiders that Hagrid had mentioned but he wasn't in for a hunt. He didn't want to go with them, feeling his own past self creeping up on himself, thinking that he'd screw it up. No, he wasn't up for anything. He soon found his mood tuning depressingly sour, so he just had to see her, Hermione always cheered him up.
Y/N sneaked out into the corridors and made his way to infirmary without being seen, and sneaked into the room. It was dreadful, students laid out on medical beds, looking like Medusa had turned them to stone. It was an awful sight. And then he saw her... Hermione.
Her hair was in it's usual bushy pattern, her cheeks filled with a tint of red and eyes glassy from being petrified. She was in the exact state she had been when she was attacked. Just like Colin, and everyone else.
It was foolish of him, to make that promise. He knew it and he went along with it anyway.
How stupid he was, it wasn't after that he questioned whether he would be able to uphold it, but he wanted to. He had to.
Y/N took a hesitant step towards her, at first he was afraid to move anywhere near her, that maybe he even tried to touch that he'd just make it worse, that he'd undoubtedly screw even that up. But he couldn't stand it any longer, he finally managed to find his footing and went over, pulling a wooden chair out besides her bed and sitting down.
"Hey Hermosa." And he chuckled, not the humorous kind, the bitter one. "It's been awhile since I've called you that huh?" Been a long time since's he properly laughed either. "You're not gonna guess the shit month I've had." And he waited, half expecting her to jump up and scold him, to even hit him. Gods know, he needed something to wake his unbearable ass up. Something to help out,
"I don't know if I can continue this journey without you." Y/N admitted, vulnerability lacing his words, staring down at her pretty face, yeah that's what he thought. "You were always so much better at this than me." He had the book by his side, Descendants, huh, of what? "I've been trying to understand it, to make sense of the words but I can't." He felt tears beginning to form at the back of his eyelids. "I've had no such luck," Y/N quieted down for a few minutes, letting his mind clear.
"And if that isn't bad enough? Y/N L/N can't workout a simple bloody book." He clenched his hands into a fist, tightening them, his gaze switching to the window which showed sun setting, darkness almost creeping in. "Now there's some bloody git that's taken Hagrid away to Azkaban and-" He felt a lump form in the back of his throat, he unclenched his fist.
"And, they even wanted to take me." Saying it aloud sounded strange, somebody wanted to take you away? Wow just great. "And I don't even know why, why would they want to take me? Is it something that I've done?" He sighed placing his head in his hands, palms to rest against his eyes.
"I've always gone by the rules... well mostly. But I've never done anything to actively hurt anyone." more like them doing it in return' He wanted to add but found no strength to do so. "Feels like the whole world is turning against me—and maybe that's me sounding too dramatic but that's what it feels like..."
The entire time, it was... surreal, ever since the duelling club, people looked at him differently, with disregarding and judging looks. It's what he first feared would happen when he first arrived to Hogwarts and now it really was happening.
"I just want answers... it's all I want and I can't even seem to get them." Y/N voice was beginning to break, tears were starting to show themselves. He'd never felt so lost, without her. "What would you do?" He asked her, eyes bugging into her, trying to catch a glimpse of any sign of her. "Knowing you, you'd probably tell me to keep at, keep on going until I finally figure it out, 'til I find those things that are holding me back." He smiled a sad smile at the thought of her encouraging him to continue, with her by his side.
He'd never felt so, so... loved? It's what it felt like to him, having someone there by your every step of the way. And that feeling was strained now, it's effects slipping away.
Y/N wiped away the tears in his eyes with the sleeve of his robe. "You're the only one who makes me smile as much as you do," He chuckled truthfully. "and I... love you for that." It's true, he had never smiled more so than when near her, it was refreshing and cheerful.
It filled him with love and aspiration.
He didn't know what else to say, his mind running a hundreds different things. Y/N exhaled slowly and turned to his left, he ducked into his bag and pulled out his guitar, just after using the spell on it. He rested it in his arms gently and soothing, as he watched Hermione in her prolonged sleep.
"I'm sorry..."
It came out more hoarse than he would ever imagine, he was sorry, if there was anything he was sorry for then it was her, for leaving her behind and failing over his promise...
Perhaps he and his dad weren't so different after all. Complicated, yeah... both seemingly complicated in their own ways.
Y/N removed his silver, green gem ring off his left ring finger and placed it in the nightstand by Hermione. And he placed his right hand on the strings of his guitar.
'Been a long time since I 've even sung a song, been months...'
And let his left hand drift to the cords and at first, didn't dare to start, that maybe if he did then the world would stop and break right underneath him, but then he caught the sight of her face, and her usual brown eyes and found himself, ruefully lost...
I miss you so much
Your light, your smile, your way
and everything about us.
Now you're gone,
You're still here in my heart, in my tears.
Yeah you sure left your mark.
And we were just getting started.
The elegant whispers echoed slowly throughout the room, the strings of the instrument performed its very soothing tune that would even raise the dead from their ashes and burials. And no one conscious was here to listen...
It wasn't long enough,
It wasn't long enough together
but it was long enough,
yeah it was long enough to last forever.
Sometimes I get so mad, I scream, I swear at this cause this isn't how we planned it.
I sit here in a cold room
prayin', waitin' on you,
to run back through that door,
to the way it was before
you left.
Y/N hazel eyes zoomed across the room back and fourth, hoping, searching for some sort of light in his darkness and behold, he found none.
I've been cheated
Defeated
To believe that you're gone.
It wasn't long enough
It wasn't long enough
It wasn't long enough
No... It wasn't long enough.
Y/N sighed inwardly, breathing out more so than he'd liked. And placed his guitar away in his bag. He looked down at the book that was still held deeply in his lap, a frown appearing just atop his burrow. He grabbed ahold of the book and tried to open it, as usual.
Yet it didn't... huh?
He tried again and still it wouldn't budge.
'Is this Hermione's way of resenting me?'
Though he tried again, but this time he noticed a green light emitting it's self at the centre of the book, curious, he flipped it over to reveal the front cover and saw that it was annoying it's own type of shine, emerald, by the looks of it.
"Wait a minute..."
Y/N gazed over to the ring on the nightstand and to his left and saw the familiar ring's gem glowing. Curious, he picked the ring up and placed it back on his finger before trying to open the book, he pulled the cover and it opened just as it had numerous times before.
'Okay... what the fuck?'
He opened the book fully to reveal the content and he looked through it.
'So that's how I opened it? Okay, I really need to chat with Dumbledore after all this is over, seriously.'
He went to put the book down to his left but accidentally knocked a glass over on the side,
'Fuck.'
Y/N got onto his knees can began trying to clean up but something suddenly caught his eye as he got to the floor, he looked up at Hermione for a second to make sure she was okay but found her hand was enclosed into a fist.
'Huh?'
Y/N carefully got up and gently opened up the girl's hand to reveal a big scrunched up piece of parchment.
He picked it up and unfolded it to reveal rushed scribbles of writing all in ink, Hermione's hand writing.
"The wolves hidden, caged and trapped. Chained by those who-"
But before he could continue, something again caught his eye, at the bottom of the parchment was a word in big bold letters:
Basilisk.
'Basilisk....?' His mind went blank for a few seconds, trying to fumigate what it meant before suddenly gasping at the realisation.
'SNAKE!'
Of course. The voices, it all made sense. Explains why no one could hear them, only a Parseltongue could understand them.
"Of the many fearsome beasts that roam our land, none is more deadly than the basilisk. Capable of living for hundreds of years, instant death awaits any who meet this giant serpent's eye." He said almost all at once. One of the many books they had read before in the library. It could kill just by looking at them.
'But they're not dead.'
Why didn't they die?'
Y/N looked over at Hermione and then it clicked, something Professor McGonagall had said the day Hermine was petrified.
"She was found with a mirror! Near headless nick was a ghost so he couldn't die, Justin was looking through Nick at the time so he couldn't actually look the snake in the eye. And Mrs. Norris must've saw it through the water! So... Hermione must've seen it through the mirror."
His mind was running a million miles a minute, his heartbeat unstoppable. He had to get to Harry and Ron, Y/N had never felt so thrilled, he felt like all life was coming back into him.
Y/N looked down at Hermione and his face just lit up like a Christmas tree. He was smiling as far and wide as he possibly could. "Gods you're a life saver, literally, Hermione." And he did something that his old and angry self probably would have never done. He bent down and kissed her cheek, the sudden action making himself blush but he didn't care.
He took off out of the room, though forgetting his bag and things, as well as the parchment. The one parchment that he had neglected to read... left sitting on the nightstand:
The wolves hidden, caged and trapped. Chained by those who were supposed to free them.
Followed by soft cat footsteps, a snarling sensation of anger and visible confusion. Etched into the poor fellow's neck, a horror worse than hell. And beady amber eyes for all to see, conjuring their worst and most hateful sins, or more importantly their hate.
After all seems lost, the blood thirsty hunger unleashes to reveal their true self. But only when faced with their nemesis, the obvious snake and the devious prince of darkness.
(That's a creepy prophecy, eh?)
Y/N ran as far as his legs could take him, pushing past the doors and into the long corridors but suddenly came at a screeching halt as he saw someone stood, standing completely still in his current direction.
"Ginny?" And there she was standing, in front of the doorway leading to his salvation, the youngest Weasley sibling stood.
"Hello, Y/N." But it didn't sound like her, no her voice was dark and misty, completely and utterly lost to the wind.
"What are you doing here?" He asked as he slowly walked up to her, everything on his mind dropping and concern for her his one priority.
"Why," A dark smirk found its way to her lips that made Y/N shudder. "Looking for the boy that roams the halls of course." And before
Y/N could react she pulled out her wand and directed it towards him, "Stupefy!" shooting out a jet of red light and immediately, Y/N felt something cold and dark bask against him, a sudden urge to sleep over took him and his eye sight went black...
A/N: Damn that was a long chapter, well, I thought I'd treat you guys. Though I may half it down in the future! Next one chapter, Chamber Of Secrets! All questions will be revealed in that chapter!