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263Chapter 12: Consequences
Chapter 12
Consequences
The next morning, Harry received silent stares as he walked down into the Gryffindor common room. Harry looked around confused to see upper years giving him small glares as Harry waited for Ron or Hermione. Harry wondered briefly why there were stares as Ron came down the stairs from the boys' dormitories.
"Why is everyone staring?" he asked Ron.
"Dunno," Ron shrugged as they left the common room. As they walked towards the Great Hall for breakfast, Harry noticed that they were getting looks. Slytherins were giving him and Ron the normal sharp looks, but he noticed that Ravenclaws, and even Hufflepuffs were whispering around him as well. "Wonder what they're talking about," Ron said as they entered the entrance hall.
Harry's stomach dropped as his mind went to last night's events. "I think I know what they're talking about," he said.
"What is it?" Ron asked.
"Draco and I snogged in the Great Hall last night," Harry said with a slight grimace. "Remember?"
"Oh yeah, you told me something about it," Ron said as they went through the doors of the Great Hall. "In front of the entire school! What were you two thinking!?"
"Well," Harry said, a blush coming to his cheeks. "We made a bet on the Quidditch match, and I won so…"
Ron groaned as he looked around at everyone staring at Harry and him. The Slytherins were glaring at Harry, but both he and Harry were surprised to see some Gryffindors glaring at him as well. The hall erupted into whispers and murmurs as Harry and Ron walked towards the Gryffindor table and sat down in their regular seats.
"So Harry," a voice said. Harry looked around and saw Blaise Zabini standing over both him and Ron. The entire Gryffindor table was staring silently, confused why a Slytherin would dare come to Gryffindor territory. "Heard you and Draco had a bit of a kiss last night," he chuckled.
"What's it to you?" Ron asked, giving the Slytherin a glare. Blaise chuckled and smirked at Ron before turning his attention to a flustered Harry. "Harry, you didn't introduce me to your best friend," he chuckled. "Come on, I'm sure you two talk loads about me."
"Maybe," Harry said, still a bit flustered.
"Why you here?" Ron asked again. Blaise just give him a confident smirk and said, "Don't worry your cute red-head about it. I just want to talk to my friend Harry here."
Ron gave the Slytherin a sharp look as he ignored Ron and focused on Harry.
"What do you want Blaise?" Harry asked.
"Just wanted to see how you're doing," Blaise said.
"Fine," Harry said uncertain. "Though, we keep getting looks."
"What else do you expect when you snog a Slytherin?" Ron asked. Blaise chuckled and nodded.
"Draco is known for his theatrics," he said. He looked at the two Gryffindors and gave them a small smile, "Well, that's all I wanted to see with you Harry, hope you hold out okay." He looked at Ron and gave him a smirk, "And it's very nice to meet you Ron Weasley, hope to see more of you both." Blaise walked away from Gryffindor Table, leaving behind him confused looks and murmurs as Gryffindors looked at Harry and Ron, as if checking to make sure the Slytherin hasn't jinxed them.
Hedwig flew down towards Harry with the rest of the owls. Harry tore open the envelope Hedwig was holding while she helped herself to some of Neville's cornflakes. The note inside said:
Dear Harry and Ron,
How about having tea with me this afternoon 'round six?
I'll come and collect you from the castle.
WAIT FOR ME IN THE ENTRANCE HALL;
YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED OUT ON YOUR OWN.
Cheers,
Hagrid.
"Wonder what he wants," Ron said.
"I don't know," Harry said. So at six o'clock that afternoon, Harry and Ron left Gryffindor Tower, Harry relieved to be away from the strange looks, and headed down to the entrance hall. Harry briefly wondered if Hermione would be there, he hasn't seen the girl since last night.
Hagrid was already there waiting for them.
"S'pose you want to hear about Saturday night, do you?" Ron asked.
"I've already heard all abou' it," Hagrid said, opening the front doors and leading them outside. "Don't wanna talk bou' that today."
"Oh," both Ron and Harry said.
The first thing they saw on entering Hagrid's hut was Buckbeak, who was stretching out on top of Hagrid's patchwork quilt, his enormous wings folded tight to his body, enjoying a large plate of dead ferrets. Averting his eyes from this unpleasant sight, Harry saw a gigantic, hairy brown suit and a very horrible yellow-and-orange tie hanging from the top of Hagrid's wardrobe door.
"What are they for, Hagrid?" Harry asked.
"Buckbeak's case against the Committee for the Disposal o' Dangerous Creatures," Hagrid said. "This Friday. Him an' me'll be goin' down ter London together. I've booked two beds on the Knight Bus. …"
Harry felt a nasty pang of guilt. He had completely forgotten that Buckbeak's trial was so near, and judging by the uneasy look on Ron's face, he had too. They had also forgotten their promise about helping him prepare Buckbeak's defense; the arrival of the Firebolt had driven it out of their minds.
Hagrid poured them tea and offered them a plate of Bath buns, but they knew better than to accept; they had too much experience with Hagrid's cooking.
"I got somethin' ter discuss with you two," Hagrid said, sitting himself between them and looking uncharacteristically serious.
"What?" Harry said.
"Hermione," Hagrid said.
"What about her?" Ron said.
"She's in a righ' state, that's what. She's bin comin' down ter visit me a lot since Chris'mas. Bin feelin' lonely. Firs' yeh weren' talking to her because o' the Firebolt, now yer not talkin' to her because her cat—"
"—ate Scabbers!" Ron interjected angrily.
"Because her cat acted like all cats do," Hagrid continued doggedly. "She's cried a fair few times, yeh know. Goin' through a rough time at the moment. Bitten off more'n she can chew if yeh ask me, all the work she's tryin' ter do. Still found time ter help me with Buckbeak's case, mind. …She's found some really good stuff fer me …reckon he'll stand a good chance now. …"
"Hagrid, we should've helped as well—sorry—" Harry began awkwardly.
"I'm not blamin' yeh!" Hagrid said, waving Harry's apology aside. "Gawd knows yeh've had enough ter be gettin' on with. I've seen yeh practicin' Quidditch ev'ry hour o' the day an' night—but I gotta tell yeh, I thought you two'd value yer friend more'n broomstricks or rats. Tha's all."
Harry and Ron exchanged uncomfortable looks.
"She's got her heart in the right place, Hermione has, an' you two not talkin' to her—"
"If she'd just get rid of that cat, I'd speak to her again!" Ron said angrily. "But she's still sticking up for it! It's a maniac, and she won't hear a word against it!"
"Ah, well, people can be a bit stupid abou' their pets," Hagrid said wisely. Behind him, Buckbeak spat a few ferret bones onto Hagrid's pillow.
"Hagrid…" Harry began awkwardly, "about last night in the Great Hall—"
"Just be careful Harry," Hagrid said. "Don't know why you pick Malfoy, though."
"Oh…" Harry said. He looked at Ron, and hoped for him to change the topic. Ron got the look and nodded.
They spent the rest of their visit discussing Gryffindor's improved chances for the Quidditch Cup. At nine o'clock, Hagrid walked them back up to the castle.
A large group of people was bunched around the bulletin board when they returned to the common room.
"Hogsmeade, next weekend!" Ron said, craning over the heads to read the new notice. "What d'you reckon?" he added quietly to Harry as they went to sit down.
"Well, Filch hasn't done anything about the passage into Honeydukes. …" Harry said, even more quietly.
"Harry!" a voice said in his right ear. Harry started and looked around at Hermione, who was sitting at the table right behind them and clearing a space in the wall of books that had been hiding her.
"Harry, if you go into Hogsmeade again …I'll tell Professor McGonagall about the map!" Hermione said.
"Can you hear someone talking, Harry?" growled Ron, not looking at Hermione. Harry gave Ron a small glare and sighed, maybe he and Ron were being prats.
"Hermione…"
"Harry," Hermione said, "can I ask you about this thing I heard?"
"Err… what is it?" Harry asked.
"I heard from Parvati Patil that her sister told her that you and Malfoy were… well you two were kissing… in the Great Hall… in front of everyone. And then you left," Hermione said awkwardly, her face flustered as she tried to avoid Harry's face.
Harry was flustered as well, his face nearly the shade of red as Ron's hair. "Umm yeah… it's true," he said.
Hermione looked up at Harry, seemingly betrayed and heartbroken. "Why didn't you tell me?" she asked. "Why didn't you tell me that you and Malfoy were…"
"I tried," Harry argued. "I tried telling you last night, during the party but Ron made you run to the girls' dormitories."
Ron looked at both of them shocked. "Not my fault she's done enough damage this year!"
"Still, you could have told me this morning," Hermione said. "I thought I deserve better than to learn my friend snogged his supposed enemy second-hand."
Guilt boiled in Harry again. He opened his mouth to apologize, but with a soft hiss, Crookshanks leapt onto Hermione's lap. Hermione took one frightened look at the expression on Ron's face, gathered up Crookshanks, and hurried away towards the girls' dormitories.
"So how about it?" Ron said to Harry, as though there had been no interruption. "Come on, last time we went you didn't see anything. You haven't even been inside Zonko's yet!"
"Maybe," Harry said. He stood up and left Ron as he went towards the boys' dormitories, the guilt leading him towards the book he hadn't touch for so long.
"Tom, help," he wrote into the diary.
"Harry, it has been so long. Where have you been?" the words immediately replied. Harry stared at Riddle's response and thought before writing, telling the diary about every detail that happened since he last wrote.
"I don't know what to do," he finished.
Harry waited with baited breath as he watched the ink ooze into the page, being absorbed by the magic diary. It took a few moments, then paragraphs appeared as Riddle replied.
"First you should calm down Harry," Riddle began. "The arguments with your friends are now done and can be looked at later. First we much address something more important. You and Malfoy have kissed, snog as you put it, in front of the entire school no doubt. There will be serious consequences of this, no doubt his father and yours will hear of it. Either by your own mouths or by their associates. If both you and Malfoy fear your fathers as I believe you do, then I believe that the best course of action would be to tell them in person, immediately. You have the Invisibility Cloak, I am sure you can find a way to reach your father. As for now, I think you need a distraction. A project, if you will, that will keep your mind off of your friends, off of your father, and off of all your troubles."
"What do you have in mind?" Harry wrote, his head starting to feel light as a yawn escaped his lips.
"What do you know of The Chamber of Secrets?" the diary wrote.
Harry was confused, he had never heard of it. "Nothing."
"The Chamber is one of a few things left by the great Salazar Slytherin. It is a chamber that only those he deems worthy can access, those who are like you and me. Parselmouths. When he left Hogwarts, Slytherin had told the school of the Chamber's existence, but only us Parselmouths can know and find the true location of it. The school has tried to find it multiple times, and each time they have failed. Every time the Chamber of Secrets has been open, the school has become something better, something purer. The last time the Chamber has been open was fifty years ago. I had opened it, and used Salazar Slytherin's secret to better Hogwarts."
A feeling of dread appeared in Harry, but it was quickly squashed down as he stared at the ink. It felt as if the diary was forcing him to focus only on it, that whatever Riddle was writing was the only thing that matter. Any thoughts of how wrong or fear Harry felt was pushed down with his dread as artificial compliance and curiosity made him wrote, "What is in the Chamber?"
"A most magnificent and powerful beast. A basilisk. The Chamber of Secrets is home to Salazar's basilisk, a creature used to vanquish his enemies, as well as his heirs'."
"But I have no enemies," Harry wrote. "None in Hogwarts."
"You are wrong. That muggleborn you have told me of constantly, this Hermione Granger. She is holding you and Ronald Weasley back. She is constantly parading her intelligence and making you and Ron feel worthless. Why, it is more than anyone can bear, isn't it? Her constant badgering and forcing you to do what she wants. Hogwarts, and your lives, would be so much fuller, so much better, if she wasn't here. She is the reason why you are angry at your best friend after all. Are you really going to let that girl stand between you and your best friend? Between you and your lover? She'll never accept your relationship, we both know that. She will try everything in her power to separate you and Draco."
"She would never do that!"
"No? Then why didn't she congratulate you? Why isn't she happy with your relationship with Draco? Harry, I am trying to protect you. Go, carry this book and go out of the boys' dormitories Bring your quill and leave Gryffindor Tower. Head towards the second floor girls bathroom and all will be revealed. Now, walk."
Harry tried to resist, he tried to fight back. But his legs seemed to have a mind of their own as he closed the diary and shot up from bed. He held the diary close and began walking, slowly, each step seemingly deliberate. And with each step Harry found that his vision was fading, a blackness overtaking the boundaries of his surroundings. The darkness inching closer and closer together, his vision narrowing as he went down the stairs, his awareness and mind going as well. He couldn't fight it, he couldn't scream. His surroundings kept surrendering to the darkness. Then, at the bottom of the stairs, everything went black.
"It seems that our sons have an interesting relationship," Lucius Malfoy said to James. James was in his office when the Malfoy barged in.
"Go away Malfoy, unlike you, I have actual work to do," James said, not looking up from his report. It seems that the dementors were terrorizing the citizens of Hogsmeade, and Kingsley was thinking of sending him to deal with it.
"You mean you did not hear? My how embarrassing," Lucius smirked. "Lucky for you, I have."
"Have what Malfoy?" James asked annoyed.
"Why, it seems that our sons are in a relationship with each other," Lucius said. "Your filthy half-blood of a son seemed to think it was proper to ruin my child and kiss him. Right in front of the Great Hall."
James Potter looked up from his report, his mind barely processing what Lucius had just said. He slammed his hands against his desk and growled out, "Don't you dare call my son a filthy half-blood."
"Well, it is true," Lucius chuckled. "To think that your son thought right to drag Draco into his perversion. I should have him expelled for that."
"What the fuck are you talking about Malfoy?"
"Why, this," Lucius said, pulling out a photo out of his robes. "Pansy Parkinson was kind enough to take a picture of the moment and send it to me. She believed that it would be beneficial if I see this, and believe me it is. I have just finished writing a severe letter to my son, which will be followed by a personal visit after the trail. I just thought that—"
James snatched the photo from Malfoy's hand and looked at it. It was a still photo, but James saw plenty. There, in the Great Hall, was his son, leaning up and against Draco Malfoy, their arms around each other as their mouths were firmly connected. James could see the look of pure happiness in Harry, the expressions, the way he held himself, and, for a moment, he had forgotten everything and felt… happy. But that second was ruined as old voices and tragedies flooded into his head, his happiness felt with anger, despair, self-hatred, and rage.
Harry Potter, his son, was kissing a boy. His first kiss was with a boy! The spawn of a man James hated most. And this Pansy Parkinson dared to ruin it, immortalize it, by taking a photo. He continued to stare at the picture as Lucius Malfoy went on about how he was going to "correct" his son.
"Get out," James finally said. He pocketed the photograph and sat back down at his desk. Lucius looked at him offended.
"Don't you—"
"Get out!" James roared in anger. "Or so help me I'll reopen your case and have you thrown into Azkaban!"
Lucius simply gave James a cold, calculating look and said, "Very well." He closed the door behind him.
James gave an exhausted sigh and took out the photo again. He looked at it, and again that feeling of happiness came to him. He tried to hold onto that happiness, his pride for his son finding someone to spend his intimate time with. But old wounds washed it away, and in an act of frustration, James tore the picture.
Harry awoke to a sense of panic. He looked around, and almost yelled in fright when he realized that he was on the second floor. He looked down at the diary and threw it on the ground in fear. That thing had controlled him! He lost conscious and did as the diary commanded; made him think that he wanted to—no he would never do that! He needed help, he needed to get rid of it. He needed—he needed… he needed Draco. He needed to tell Draco and have him help him get rid of the blasted diary.
Harry looked down at the diary. He didn't want to touch it, yet he didn't want to leave it where anyone can find it. Harry took off his robe and wrapped the diary with it. Holding the clothed diary in his arms, Harry turned and quickly made his way towards the grand staircase. He didn't know where or how he'll get to the Slytherin common room. All he knew was that it was located in the dungeons.
Harry ran down the staircases, taking the stairs two steps at a time as he stared down, making sure that he did not trip. He miraculously did not run into any prefects or teachers as he reached the entrance hall, turning around to go further down into the dungeons. Harry had only gone down to the dungeons for potions class, and instead of hanging a right at the first intersection towards the potion classrooms, Harry instead turned left and began his way down the maze of corridors that was Hogwart's underbelly.
The diary still wrapped in his robes, Harry had no idea how long he was walking around, the corridors blending into each other as he searched endlessly for the entrance to the Slytherin Dungeons. His feet started to hurt as he turned another corridor, he started to feel light-headed again, a small urge to open the diary bubbling inside him.
"Look who it is," a voice grunted behind him. Harry turned around to see Crabbe and Goyle standing in front of him, both Slytherins resembling trollish boys as they stood shoulder to shoulder.
"What you doing here Potter?" Goyle grunted.
Harry looked between the two of them. He didn't want to drop the diary, yet he felt like he needed to get his wand out quick. "Looking for Draco," he said, trying to size himself up.
"What you want with Malfoy, Potter?" Goyle demanded.
"Yeah, we don't like that you and him are spending time together," Crabbe said. "No one does."
"It's none of your business," Harry said, remembering how his boyfriend is Slytherin's Ice Prince.
"Really? Well you're in Slytherin territory Potter, no one to help you here," Goyle said.
"Slytherin territory," Harry repeated, his brain working overtime as he tried to act like Draco. He needed to get these two to bring him to the Slytherin Dungeon. "That's right I am in Slytherin territory… which means that it's run by Draco."
"Yeah, you got that right," Goyle grunted.
"And he doesn't want any stupid Gryffindors in here, especially after what you done to him and Zabini," Crabbe said.
"What I did to them?" Harry asked.
"Yeah! Making them fags! Flint said that you made Malfoy and Zabini fags!" Crabbe said.
"I didn't do that," Harry said. "They were born that way. Besides, I think Draco would be mad at you if you don't bring me to him."
"What you talking about Potter?"
"I'm Draco's boyfriend," Harry began. "If he heard that I was looking for him… and then found out that you two stopped me from seeing him… he's not called the Ice Prince of Slytherin for nothing."
Crabbe and Goyle looked at each other, slightly nervous. "He would never do anything to us," Crabbe said.
"Are you sure?" Harry asked, slowly gaining confidence as he watched the two grunts grow confuse and uncertain. "So what if you two are in the same house as him. We all know that Draco cared more about me, he always did."
"He hated you," Crabbe said.
"Still he spent more time thinking about me then you two," Harry said. He hugged his robe closer to him as he took a step towards the two goons. "When was the last time he was actually interesting in you? Talked about your hobbies? Your interests?"
Crabbe and Goyle glanced at each other and Harry felt victorious. "You two follow him, because he deserves to be followed," he continued. "Those who don't… they're going to be in trouble with Draco. I know that's true."
"Yeah… Draco tells us not to talk to them for a bit, ignore they exist," Crabbe admitted.
Harry nodded and said, "That's only if you disobey him. Imagine what he would do to you two, knowing that you kept his boyfriend from him. …"
Crabbe and Goyle again shared that same dumb look and Goyle grunted, "You're coming with us Potter. No fighting."
They both grabbed an arm roughly, Harry squeezing his robe and the hidden diary to his chest as they did so, and he allowed the two Slytherins to manhandle him as they escorted him throughout the dungeons. The two Slytherins led Harry down a corridor, turned left, and down a set of stairs Harry never saw before. At the end of the stairs was a stone brick wall with moss growing on it. Crabbe and Goyle let go of him as Goyle walked up to the wall. Crabbe meanwhile squished his hands against Harry's ears, pushing hard as he tried to block out the sounds of Goyle saying the password to the wall.
The wall shuttered and slid out, revealing an archway that led into the Slytherin Dungeon. Crabbe and Goyle again placed their hands on Harry and dragged him into the common room, the wall closing behind him.
The common room was filled with Slytherins, all sitting around on low backed black and dark green button-tufted, leather sofas. The entire room had a green tint to it as the lamps gave out a green light, as well as a huge window showing what Harry guessed was the underwater of the Black Lake. Every Slytherin turned their attention to the three as they came in. "The hell is he doing here!?" a Slytherin yelled when he noticed Harry.
"What are you idiots doing bringing a Gryffindor in here for?" another demanded.
"Get out Potter! You don't belong here!"
"Fuck off Potter!"
"Stop it!"
The last voice was an all too familiar voice as Draco stood up from his place with Blaise. Blaise looked over and gave Harry a confused look. Draco glared at Crabbe and Goyle and said, "Take your squib hands off of Harry at once! Who do you think you are?"
"We found him wondering the dungeons!" Crabbe argued.
"Yeah! We thought you should know—"
"Just get away from him. Now," Draco said coldly. Harry felt as if the entire common room fell several degrees as Draco glared at the two. The grunts let go of Harry immediately, and he stumbled before regaining his balance.
"We need to talk… now," Harry said. Draco looked at the bundle in Harry's arms confused, but nodded. He opened his mouth and addressed the entire common room. "Everybody out!"
"Screw you Malfoy! We're not doing what Potter wants," Flint said from his seat. Draco turned to him and said, "For that Flint, I will personally make sure that your family is forgotten. Remember who it was that gave your team the Nimbuses."
Flint glared at Draco and turned his view to Harry. "Snake's Bitch." He spat before leaving the common room. The other Slytherins followed, all groaning and muttering, but looking apprehensively at Harry and Draco. Blaise stayed where he was, as well as Crabbe and Goyle.
"Are you deaf as well as squibs?" Draco demanded at Goyle and Crabbe. "Go to the dormitories."
"Blaise can stay," Harry said quickly. Blaise shot Harry a small smile. Draco just nodded and led Harry to the sofas as Crabbe and Goyle left. "What's the matter Harry?" he asked. "What is in your robe?"
Harry looked between the two of them and laid the robe out on the table. He unfolded it until Riddle's diary was laying on top of it. He looked nervously between Blaise and Draco, thinking of how he can explain what happened.
"Harry, is that the diary I gave you?" Draco asked.
"Yeah," Harry began. "I know you didn't tell me to write in it but… I just felt compelled to. Ron and Hermione are still fighting, and both of them are mad at me and in that moment I just… ran to the diary. Riddle replied and for some reason I just started to feel light headed. He told me that Hermione… that she would never accept our relationship Draco, and that she was holding me and Ron back. I knew it was all lies but still… I couldn't just throw the book away. He then told me about a thing called the Chamber of Secrets, and the thing in there can help… get rid of Hermione. Next thing I knew my body was moving by its own and everything went black. … Then I woke up on the second floor and I was really scared. I picked up the diary in my robe and brought it down here. I don't know what to do Draco, I'm scared."
"Harry… if I knew that this would happen… I would have never given you the diary," Draco said.
"I don't blame you Draco," Harry said. "I just need your help getting rid of it."
Draco and Blaise looked down at the diary in fear while Blaise looked confused and worried. He looked down at the diary and looked at the fireplace roaring next to them. "Then it's simple," he said. "Let's just toss it into the fire."
And before Harry or Draco could react, Blaise took up the diary, and threw it violently into the fire. The fire crackled and burned around the diary, and Harry watched with baited breath, hoping that the fire would be enough to destroy it. But the longer Harry watched the diary, dread filled in him as he noticed that there was no damage to it. It was as if the fire simply danced around it, licking the book but doing no damage to it.
"Draco…"
"I know."
"What is this thing!?" Blaise demanded as he took out his wand. He pointed it at the fire and casted an extinguishing spell at the fireplace. The fire died out, and laying perfectly still on the charred and burnt logs was the diary in perfect condition. The three boys looked at each other, all scared and helpless as they stared at the dairy.
"What did I bring in?" Draco said to himself. He sat up and knelt in front of the fire. Hesitantly he put his hand into the fireplace, and gasped when his fingers touched the cover of the book. "It's cold," he said. He picked up the book and placed it again on Harry's robes. Draco opened the book and flipped through the pages quickly. "Not a hint of burns," he said.
"We need to give this to Dumbledore," Harry said. "It's out of our control."
"You're right," Draco nodded. "I'm so sorry Harry. I should never have given this thing to you."
Harry gave Draco a reassuring smile and shook his head. "Don't blame yourself Draco, there's no way you could have known." And to make sure Draco knew that Harry didn't blame him, Harry closed the distance between them and kissed him briefly. "Come on, we have to show this to Dumbledore… now."
Harry and Draco stood up and Harry again wrapped the diary in his robes. "Blaise, are you coming?"
"No, I'm not," Blaise said, his eyes locked on the robes. "That thing scares me too much. …I think I'll wait for you guys to tell me what happened."
Harry and Draco nodded and left the Slytherin Dungeons. They were silent as they walked, both scared of the small book Harry was holding as they exited the dungeons. They reached the third floor when they ran into somebody. "What are you boys doing out of bed?" Professor Lupin-Black asked.
"We need to get to Dumbledore," Harry said. "We need his help."
"Whatever for?" Professor Lupin-Black asked.
Harry and Draco looked at each other, worried. "It is very urgent, Professor," Draco said. "Please."
"Very well, follow me," Professor Lupin-Black sighed, eyeing the bundle in Harry's arms. Harry and Draco followed Professor Lupin-Black back towards the grand staircase and onto the second floor. He led the boys towards a corridor with an ugly stature of a gargoyle at the end of it. "Acid pop," Professor Lupin-Black told the gargoyle.
The gargoyle sprung to life and jumped out of the way, revealing a spiraling staircase that rose from the ground. "Up there boys. Afterwards, I think you two should return to your dormitories immediately. Good night," Professor Lupin-Black said. He waited till Harry and Draco started to climb the staircase before leaving them.
Harry and Draco walked to the top of the spiraling staircase and knocked on the door. They waited until they heard Dumbledore's voice say "Come in," and opened the door. The boys entered and found Professor Dumbledore wearing a night robe.
"Ah, Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy," Professor Dumbledore said. "What do I owe this late night visiting?"
"We need to show you something," Harry said. He walked towards Dumbledore's desk and placed his robe on it. Dumbledore watched curiously as Harry unwrapped the diary. "This is a diary that belonged to Tom Riddle," Harry said.
Dumbledore frowned and said, "You both need to sit down boys, I believe we will be here for a while." Harry and Draco sat down in front of Dumbledore's desk as the Professor sat in his chair. "You must tell me everything involved with this diary," Dumbledore said seriously.
Harry nodded and both boys started to tell Dumbledore everything about the diary. From Draco finding it in his father's study, giving it to Harry as a Christmas present, and every session of Harry writing in it, and how the ink disappears into the diary, only for Riddle's reply to appear. When Harry was done telling Dumbledore of the events that just happened, and of the Chamber of Secrets, Dumbledore remained quiet as he thought out his response.
"I am glad to see that both of you are uninjured because of this book," Dumbledore said. "Though, I wish that this had been brought to my attention sooner. This diary is a very dangerous object."
"Sir… is it because of the Chamber of Secrets?" Harry asked.
"That is one reason, Harry," Dumbledore said. "Another one is that this diary was once owned by Lord Voldemort himself."
"You-Know-Who?" Harry gasped.
"Please Harry," Dumbledore said. "Call him Voldemort. Always use the proper name of things. Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself. But yes, the person you know as Tom Riddle grew up to become Lord Voldemort."
"Then the thing that… Voldemort told me about," Harry said. "About the Chamber being open. …"
"Is true, that is correct," Dumbledore said. "Fifty years ago the Chamber of Secrets has been open, and a student has died because of it. It seems that Voldemort would want to repeat the incident, killing those he deemed unworthy."
"Muggleborns," Draco said.
"Correct, Draco," Dumbledore said.
"But why me?" Harry asked. "Why did he want me to open the Chamber?"
"I believe you told me the reason already Harry," Dumbledore said. "It is because of your unique ability to talk to snakes."
"Parseltongue is an extremely rare ability Harry," Draco said. "Only those descendent from Salazar Slytherin can have it."
Harry nodded and frowned. He didn't like knowing that he and Voldemort apparently had a common ancestor. "We tried to throw it into a fireplace," he said, "but it didn't burn."
"We thought that if we give it to you, then you would know a way to destroy it," Draco said.
Dumbledore nodded and looked down at the diary, "That is very frightening," he said. "So much so for boys your age. I am afraid to tell you both that at the moment, I do not know how to properly dispose of this dangerous object, nor can I properly identify it. But rest assured that it is in safe hands with me. You do not need to worry about the diary any longer, nor about the worries it has caused both of you."
"Thank you Professor," Draco said standing up.
Professor Dumbledore nodded and stood up. He picked up the diary and opened a drawer, dropping the diary in it and closing it up. "Now I suggest we all go to bed. You boys have a busy morning after all," Dumbledore said. "I always find Monday mornings to be the longest of all. Good night boys."
"Good night Professor," they both said as they left, Harry taking his robes with him.
They went down the spiral staircase and Draco turned to Harry. "How are you feeling, cub?" he asked.
"Fine…" Harry said, not believing himself. He looked at Draco and blushed as he said, "Can… can I sleep with you? For tonight?"
Draco chuckled and nodded. "Of course Harry, come on. Let's go to bed."
A/N: And we'll never see the diary again. … I'm serious!
Kigen Dawn: Get that Daddy kink away from this story immediately! Eww! And do you really want more sex scenes? Maybe. But not now. Now, plot.
Love-of-all-Anime: Welcome! Thank you very much as well!
Sapphirewaterfall: It's okay lol. Don't worry about it. Of course they like each other! I try my damnest to make sure that the chemistry between them is real! And yeah, I may be basing his finding his sexuality on my own—excluding all the kissing and activities that requires two people because I haven't found that second man lol.
Littlesprout: Love you lol
Jokul Frosti: that was nothing, did you see what happened here!? And of course Oliver had to brag! Who wouldn't with a piece that big lol.
Super MKatR: hope the wait was worth it
MiniMarauder5: Well, they heard it. We just don't know their full reaction yet.
Sasuhinas fan: No it's just a really hard spell. And stop reading my notes! Honestly, did you have to use the word Consequences lol
David-El: Well, a certain chamber's going to be opened but instead of a snake coming out, a snake will be going in, if you know what I mean lol
Ern: Sorry for the wait lol
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