TWO WEEKS LATER, THE GRYFFINDOR QUARTET HAD BEEN HAVING TO COPE WITH BEING A MEASLY TRIO. Gemini, silently, appraised herself for not yet snapping whilst surrounded by fragile masculinity. Hermione had always been a buffer for the three; making sure jokes never got taken too far, Harry would lessen his advances on Gemini, and that the red haired boy wouldn't take offense to his best mates fame. It had definitely been an unspoken struggle.
"Merlin. Don't tell Wood I said this, but you'd think our workouts would've give me some muscle by now," Gemini complained to the boy's. Harry only chuckled in response; both him and Ron were quite winded themselves. Staggering under the weight of the various library books in their arms, the three finally reached Hermione's bed in the Hospital Wing. The bleached bedsheets were already covered in diversified informative novels. The bushy haired girl looked up at the sound of their pants, "Oh, good! Put those anywhere." Harry looked around, but there was not anywhere to set the bounded pages. Making no move to voice his observation; he simply dropped them and the others followed suit. Gemini bantered, "Madam Pince asked that we relay a message to you, Hermione: She'd appreciate it if you'd leave a few books for the rest of the school." At once, Ron's hand covered his mouth; not wanting his chuckles to fuel their battle of wit. As a substitute for arguing, Hermione stuck her tongue out at the girl. Laughter circumambulated them all at her uncommon actions.
"Oh, hush. I've got to keep up, haven't I?," she stated more than questioned. "Hermione. You were already ahead to begin with," Harry contested. It was misunderstood as to why the girl pushed herself too far, but before Gemini could express her concerns; a black bushy tail popped into view. "'Mione! Can I please pet it?," she yearned to do so; ignoring her friends judging looks. "Gem, calm down. Is that thing ever going away?," Ron asked. Eagerly, Hermione affirmed, "Yes. Any day now, according to Madam Pomfrey. I'm just thankful i've stopped coughing up hair balls." The other female quickly quipped, "We all are. Believe me." It was unnerving watching a fellow friend puke up, and the only contents of it being black tufts.
Pushing the matter aside; Hermione changed the subject, "Now. What about the Chamber of Secrets? Any leads?" They glumly shook their heads. "Nothing," Harry answered; afraid to damper her spirits. A nod of her head signified comprehension; and she perturbedly inquired The Boy-Who-Lived, "And has it gotten any better? I mean...is anyone speaking to you." The other two in the room winced; all of the other students had avoided Harry as if he was a walking plague. The detentions had stacked up against Gemini for all of the hexes she'd spelled towards her friends critics; of course, Hermione hadn't yet learned that. Harry cleared his throat, "Neville asked to borrow a tubeworm in Potions yesterday. I suppose that's something." Incarnating a distraction; Ron picked up a get well card that was wedged under Hermione's pillow. The girl's arms flailed in an attempt to possess it once more; as Ron recapitulated, " 'To Miss. Granger. Wishing you a speedy recovery, from your concerned teacher, Gilderoy Lockhart.' You sleep with this under your pillow?" Both Gemini and Harry mercilessly cackled at their friends reddening face. Hermione quickly defended, "Of course not! I don't know how that got there. Now go. I still have six hundred pages to read in Transfiguration Through the Ages."
The three bid her well and exited back out into the dark corridors. As their limbs mounted the stairs; Ron prated, "I know Hermione's mental, but can you believe she falls for that smarmy nonsense of Lockhart's?" Gemini smirked, "No need to be jealous, Ronald. He is twice her senior." The ginger's ears flushed red at the accusation, "I'm not jealous!" Harry and herself nodded along; unconvinced but not wanting to cause an argument so late. As they continued on their walk back to the common room, their actions halted at hearing the squelch of shoes. When stopped, they looked down to see a great flood of water that streamed from the Girls' Bathroom. From within, Myrtle's insistent moaning had intensified from its usual whimper.
"Looks like Myrtle flooded the bathroom," Harry pointed out. Gemini immediately teased, "Wow. Marvelous observation skills, Harry." Both boys neglected her expected jest, and sloshed off towards Myrtle's domain. "Yuck," Ron complained; as he stepped lightly in a particularly deep puddle. "Bunch of wimps," Gemini ridiculed, her converses now soaked as she charged in front of them. Wracking moans echoed off of the dreary tile. As they arrived to the last cubicle, they viewed Myrtle turn around accusingly. "Come to throw something else at me?," she sniffed indignantly. The living girl took in her crazed translucentness, "We didn't do shit to you." Ron automatically clamped a hand over her mouth; he hissed, "Do you want to set her off even more? Have some tact." In the meantime, Harry continued the interrogation, "Why would I throw something at you?" The ghost, who had taken a fast liking to the Boy Wonder, reluctantly recounted, "Don't ask me. Here I am, minding my own business, and someone thinks it's funny to throw a book at me." Ron ignorantly questioned, "But it can't hurt if someone throws something at you. I mean, it'd just go right through you...wouldn't it?" Myrtle instantly howled.
Gemini shrugged off the dense boy, "I'm the tactless one, am I?" The ghost savagely exhorted, "Oh sure! Let's all throw books at Myrtle because she can't feel it! Ten points if you can get it through her stomach. Fifty points if it goes through her head!" Harry, still in search for answers, interjected, "Who threw it at you anyway?" Myrtle took that as an invitation to fly right in front of the raven haired boy, "I don't know. I didn't see them. I was just sitting in the U-bend, thinking about death, and it fell through the top of my head." Harry, noticing what she was talking about, picked up a small black book. It was drenched in toilet water, but he still hid it in the depths of his robes. "Fifty points if you can get it through her nose," Gemini snidely remarked to the ginger. "I heard that!," Myrtle fumed, pointing a finger at the chortling girl. The Gryffindors contiguously dashed out.
Harry examined the book once they eventually slowed down, "This is a diary and it's old." Ron offered him a distasteful look, "It's a diary, it's old...and was most recently in a toilet, Harry." The Potter boy chose to ignore his friends revulsion. Instead, he spared a glance towards Gemini, "Hey Gem. Do you want to inspect this with me...when we return to the common room? I want to take a proper look at it." She nodded her head in affirmation. "He wishes to take a proper look at you," Ron mockingly grumbled. Gemini, defending the raven haired boy, turned in on her friend, "You're still bitter about Hermione's affections."
Amidst the budding of their bickering; Harry decided to take a peak inside. Ron, observing his friends actions, reprimanded him, "Are you mad? That could be cursed. Dad once told me about a book the Ministry confiscated that burned the eyes out of anyone who tried to read it." Gemini scoffed, "Ronald. You were just fine with me being offered to thoroughly check it out with him." It was true, but Ron feared they might get in trouble if caught with it; because of how it was obtained. Harry rolled his eyes at the warning. "I'll take my chances," he started out; opening it, "Ahh! MY EYES! MY EYES!" Ron and Gemini became frozen, terrified, when a grin slipped onto Harry's face. At the end of the corridor; Ginny stood, looking from the diary to Harry -- utter terror on her face -- then dashed off. Harry yelled out, "Ginny! I was only joking...brilliant. Even your sister thinks i'm a monster." Gemini and Ron identically quipped, "Who doesn't?"
Ron suddenly frowned; as he scanned the object over Harry's shoulder. On the first page of the diary, embossed letters spelled out a name: TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE. "Why the constipated face?," Gemini questioned; trying to catch a look at the page. Ron linked, "Tom Marvolo Riddle? Hang on. I know that name...Of course! The night Gemini and I had detention; our job was to polish the silver in the trophy room. I remember because I kept burping slugs all over Tom Riddle's trophy. I must have wiped slime off his name for an hour." Harry fanned through the pages; the empty pages. "That's odd," he said, "He never wrote in it."
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Later that night; Harry and Gemini sat in the common room. The crackling fire warmed their bones in a way that unknowingly soothed them.
Gemini tentatively inspected the leather journal, "Tom Riddle...Hm. Ron said he won an award fifty years ago. Fifty years ago? We're sure?" Harry confirmed her question, "Yes. Why?" The girl further elaborated, "Don't you remember what Malfoy told us? The last time the Chamber of Secrets was opened was fifty years ago! That means Tom Riddle was here, at Hogwarts, when it happened. What if he wrote about what he saw? It's possible he knew where the Chamber was, how to open it, even what sort of creature lives in it. If so, whoever's behind the attacks this time wouldn't want a diary like this laying around...would they?" Harry examined her in adoration, "That's a brilliant theory, Love. With just one tiny little flaw...there's nothing written in this dairy." Gemini snorted, "I know that, idiot. I'm just saying; we have magic after all. It might be invisible ink or something."
Her ebony wand was then withdrawn from a bundle of caramel curls; Harry drank in how they effortlessly bounced in every direction. "Aparecium!," she commanded; tapping the diary three times. The blank pages stared at her mockingly; causing the girl to growl out in frustration, "I don't know, Harry. I think we should be careful with this. Surprisingly, something tells me Ron might be right. It could be dangerous, but don't you dare tell him I said that." Cautiously; Harry's emeralds bore into mercury pools, "You don't think I'm dangerous, do you? I mean...you're not scared of me, are you? Gem?" A pang of sympathy shot through the girls body; for his voice weighed heavily with exhaustion. It nearly reminded her of her father's silent hatred towards himself, one she tirelessly fought everyday, and she'd hoped that Harry wouldn't allow the taunts to chain him down. A genuine smile graced her features as she eyed the boy in front of her; and she admitted, "I'm actually scared of a lot of things, Harry. Not of you, though. I'd never be scared of you. You will always remain a safe place for me; so chin up."
Merlin, he desired a kiss from her. No Gryffindor courage to be found; he interrupted what he assumed to be a moment, "Hey...can you hand me the journal? I've uh...had an idea," Gemini furiously blinked; for she had landed lost within his eyes, and slowly passed the book off. Thankful for his interference because these new emotions confused her. Why were her palms prickled with sweat? Why did she feel as though the heat in the room had intensified? That was something to mull over for later.
Harry retrieved a bottle of ink and a tattered quill off of an adjacent table; now appreciating the sloppiness of some fellow housemates. Gemini moved closer to the boy, unknowingly causing his heart to zealously pound, and scrutinized his next action. Dipping the quill into the dark liquid; Harry hesitated to write in the mysterious journal, causing a drop of ink to splash onto the worn parchment. They both thought nothing of it; until they watched the droplet briefly blaze...then vanish as if it were sucked into the page. Excitement washed over the two, but no words were spoken in fear of this being their tired minds hallucinating. Harry quickly dipped the quill again and, this time, wrote: My name is Harry Potter; accompanied by Gemini Lupin-Black. Like last time; the page greedily sucked the words up. Only now; a response oozed out: Hello, Harry Potter and Gemini Lupin-Black. My name is Tom Riddle.
Both minds raced as they shared a disbelieving glance. Deciding; Harry scratched out: Do you know anything about the Chamber of Secrets? A gasp escaped Gemini when her eyes caught the response; yes. This boy held knowledge in regards to their fears; they were a step closer to connecting everything. Harry, again, wrote: Can you tell me? This time the entity replied with a short: no. "What does he mean no? He's getting our hopes up," Gemini grumbled; angered with the strange conversationalist. Harry's voice nearly rung out in response, but died in his throat when new words trickled onto the page: But I can show you. They both waited, intrigued, when suddenly...the pages began to flutter wildly. It's movements ceased once landing on a page titled "June the 13th." This particular sheet contained a minuscule shimmering square....it could be compared to that of a window. Harry lifted the book closer to both of their faces, but the proximity caused them to unexpectedly pitch forward. They spilled through the widening window; into a whirl of color and shadow.
Shoeless feet connected with the sting of cold cobblestone, and the Gryffindor's hurriedly took in their surroundings. Throwing her hands up; Gemini whisper yelled, "It's like we fell down a rabbit hole! How the hell do we get back?" They were in a torch lit corridor...unaware that they were sprung into a memory of the past. Everything around them seemed de-saturated, save for the two themselves...who retained the true, rich colors of the present. Their disorientation slipping away, realization struck that they were not alone; someone else in their vicinity peered around the corner of a cracked wall. "I know this isn't the time," Harry started out, "But you are glowing." Gemini huffed at his declaration, "You're correct. This isn't the time...but thank you. Now, go ask that boy where we are." Harry, beaming from her acceptance of the compliment, advanced on the other occupant, "Excuse me. Could you tell me where I am? Hello?" His queries fell on deaf ears. Gemini sneered, "How rude." The boy still didn't respond, his ruby eyes staked to the activity in a conjoining room...which the Gryffindors now understood to be the Entrance Hall.
"Riddle," a voice called out; startling them all. The boy wheeled...and looked right through Gemini and Harry. They both turned in the direction of the voice, unnerved by being ignored, and saw a much younger Albus Dumbledore. The boy, Tom Riddle, calculatingly nodded his head, "Professor Dumbledore." The Headmaster of their time scolded, "It's not wise to be wandering around this late, Tom." The cracked doors of the Hall then burst open, and the four of them witnessed a stretcher being carried off; a sheet covered a body-like lump. The teen cleared his throat, "Yes, Professor. I suppose I -- I just had to see for myself, if the rumors were true." The older man gravely agreed, "I'm afraid they are, Tom." The boy pushed further, "About the school as well? They wouldn't really close Hogwarts...would they, Professor?" Again, the adult confirmed his suspicions, "Headmaster Dippet may have no other choice, I'm afraid. Is there something you wish to tell me, Tom?" The younger males charms were not usually seen through, but Dumbledore had always been able to see more than what meets the eye. Tom paused; for a moment too long, "No, sir. Nothing."
The scene abruptly changed, but they had not prepared themselves for the unforeseen.
The two, now, observed Riddle putting an eye to the crack of a door; the dungeon air chilling the balls of their feet. A nervous voice emitted from the cracked mahogany, a familiar voice, "C'mon Aragog. Gotta get yeh outta here...C'mon now. Get in the box." As Riddle pushed the door clear; the children saw a large boy crouched by a box. A youthful Hagrid squinted into the holding that a strange clicking poured from. "Evening Hagrid," Riddle started; the door slamming behind him, "I'm going to have to turn you in, Hagrid. I don't think you meant it to kill anyone...Hagrid. The dead girl's parents will be here tomorrow. The least Hogwarts can do is make sure the thing that killed their daughter is slaughtered." The young half-giant defended, "No, yeh can't! Yeh don' understand! It wasn' him! Aragog never'd kill no one! Never!" His classmate did not listen to the pleas; only contested, "Monsters don't make good pets, Hagrid. Now...stand aside."
Riddle withdrew his wand from swishing robes, and he blasted the closed door off it's hinges. The detonation extinguished the torches inside. Unseen Gryffindor's gasped at the sudden darkness, but also for a creature scuttled out of the poorly enclosed confinement. In the inky blackness; a low-slung creature with a tangle of many legs skittered about. A gleam of many eyes flickered around, and it was adorn with a pair of razor-sharp pinchers. Riddle drew his wand on the fearsome insect; and Hagrid leaped forward, his howl ripping out, "NO!" The humongous teen leaped onto Tom. As they tumbled to the floor; the entire room whirled off its axis, spinning, and the children found themselves plummeting through shadow and color once more. Harry grasped Gemini's hand as they fell flat onto the carpeted common room.
Laying on the floor; Gemini marveled, "Merlin's beard. It was Hagrid?! Hagrid opened the Chamber of Secrets fifty years ago!"