Chapter 164: Chapter 164: "Tracking the Heir"
The next morning, Harry returned from his daily exercise routine to find his dormmates, Roger and Reggy, eagerly discussing the previous night's events. Their animated conversation filled their dorm room with a nervous energy.
"After last night, you're still in the mood to go out alone for exercise, Harry?" Reggy asked, his voice tinged with disbelief. "I'd be too scared to leave the castle."
Roger nodded in agreement. "Yeah, we've got a dangerous person roaming inside the castle again, just like in our first year. That message written in blood makes it all the more terrifying."
Harry couldn't help but smile at his friends' concern. "Were you really that scared? You know that message was written in chicken blood, right?" He paused, considering his next words carefully. "I think I'll be able to handle the heir, whoever they are. Since they're acting in secret, it means they're afraid of the professors, which suggests they're not too dangerous for me. However, you guys should be careful. Whatever magic petrified Mrs. Norris is undoubtedly high-level stuff."
Of course, Harry didn't tell them the whole truth. There was no need to. He knew from his knowledge of the books that the heir only attacked Muggle-borns, and he didn't think that was going to change in this world, even if Ginny Weasley wasn't the attacker this time.
Reggy's eyes widened. "Chicken blood? Thank goodness. I thought it was human blood and someone had died. Also, Mrs. Norris isn't dead?"
"No, that cat is still alive," Harry explained. "Just petrified. Though I'm not sure what could have caused it."
Roger leaned forward, his curiosity piqued. "Knowing this is very comforting. But who do you think is behind it? Who is the heir of Slytherin, and what is the Chamber of Secrets?"
Harry shrugged, feigning ignorance. "If you want to know what the Chamber of Secrets is, you can just refer to 'Hogwarts: A History'. It has information about the myths surrounding it. As for the heir of Slytherin, I have no idea."
Reggy slapped his forehead. "I left my book at home. I knew I should carry it with me all the time. Roger, let's hurry and get the book from the library before anyone else remembers and takes it!"
With that, while Harry got ready for the day, Roger and Reggy dashed towards the school library. Even though they might not learn much from the books, Harry let them go and have fun. He had more important things to do today. This might be the best time to find the person possessed by the diary since they would likely be in a very bad condition after yesterday's possession.
As Harry entered the Great Hall for breakfast, he found Reggy and Roger surrounded by his friends and other students. Reggy was reading aloud the part about the Chamber of Secrets from the "Hogwarts: A History" book he had just borrowed. Similar scenes were unfolding in many places around the Great Hall, with students huddled together, discussing the mysterious chamber in hushed tones.
Seeing Harry approach, Cedric greeted him and then asked, "You're not curious about the chamber, Harry? Why are you so calm?"
Harry smiled knowingly. "I already know the known information about the chamber. Who do you think told these two about the book?"
Elvinia, Reggy's sister, chimed in. "Now it makes sense. I was wondering how my brother was able to get the required information so quickly."
Reggy looked up from the book, his face flushed with excitement. "Don't put me down, sis. Harry, there's not much information here. It's all a myth. Is the chamber really designed by Salazar Slytherin to cleanse the school of those unworthy of learning magic?"
Reggy was careful not to say "Muggle-borns" even though everyone thought so. He didn't want to become hated by a significant group of students.
Harry considered his response carefully. "I don't think so. It was a dangerous era with many instances of witch hunts, and we don't know the real reasons for the existence of the chamber. Maybe only the founders knew. If Slytherin was so bad, he wouldn't have worked together with the other founders to build this haven of learning for all witches and wizards. Maybe the chamber and its monster were left as a last line of defense for the school in case of attacks from the witch hunters. If it was for any other reason, the other founders would have done their best to destroy the chamber and its monster after Slytherin left."
Arabella nodded in agreement. "I think so too. Someone probably hated Slytherin after he had that whole fight with Gryffindor and made up all kinds of stories to make him look evil. I don't think the founder of my house is cruel enough to harm young students."
"I agree," Harry said, his stomach growling. "Now let's end this discussion. I'm very hungry."
While Harry was having his meal, he was not idle. His eyes scanned the whole hall, searching for suspicious targets. However, it was not an easy task. Many students, after seeing the writing and the fate of Mrs. Norris, had suffered nightmares and didn't get a good night's sleep, so many people appeared exhausted and sleepy.
What Harry was searching for was a person who was exhibiting some kind of guilty behavior. If he remembered correctly from the books, Ginny Weasley had displayed this behavior after the Halloween night.
So Harry searched, narrowing the scope of his investigation for now to just Gryffindor and Hufflepuff students of the fifth year or younger. He excluded the higher years and students from Slytherin and Ravenclaw, reasoning that they would likely know the dangers of books that could write back and the significance of missing memories leading to informing the professors or throwing the book away.
If Harry didn't find anyone in his narrowed scope, he would consider expanding his search. However, Harry didn't have to resort to that or search long. His narrowed-down scope led him directly to a girl who matched all the signs of a person who had been possessed by a dark object: dark eyes, low mood, weakened magic, sleepy demeanor, and more. A discreet detection spell confirmed Harry's suspicion.
Harry didn't know who she was, but she looked like a third-year Gryffindor student. Interestingly, she had some mind shields, so Harry couldn't easily learn her identity through Legilimency. Careful not to draw attention to himself, Harry silently cast a tracking charm on her. Now that he knew the person behind the attacks, he could attempt to control the series of events in the way he wanted. He needed to plan carefully, but that would have to wait until he gathered all the necessary information.
After breakfast, it was time for classes and everyone reluctantly made their way to their respective classrooms. The Chamber story discussion did not stop though. It had spread around the school quickly. Thanks to everyone being curious about the chamber and the whole heir thing, no one bothered the Golden Trio about anything that happened last night. They seemed relieved by this unexpected reprieve from scrutiny.
But this was not the end of the Chamber and Slytherin discussion. The second-year Gryffindors, Charles's year, asked Professor Binns about the chamber during their History of Magic class. After he reluctantly told them about it, a big debate erupted in the school.
One side believed the chamber was designed to rid the school of Muggle-borns, while another side believed the chamber was left as a last line of defense for the school. The debate raged on in common rooms and corridors, with students passionately arguing their points of view.
Harry, however, believed his own inference, which was mainly because he had gotten Gryffindor's letter stating that the monster was left behind by Slytherin to protect the school. As for why the snake was attacking students now, Harry could only guess, and the most probable reasoning could be inferred from what happened so many years ago when Tom Riddle was studying at Hogwarts.
He theorized that when Tom released the basilisk for the first time, Myrtle unknowingly saw the secret. To hide this, Tom ordered the basilisk to kill her. Since Tom was the heir, the basilisk had to listen to him, but after killing a student, the basilisk must have gone against Salazar Slytherin's original orders. Due to this, the snake should have gone mad, and now there was no reason left in the creature. It was a crazed snake listening to the mad commands of the diary holder. Otherwise, the snake should not listen to a possessed person even if he or she knew Parseltongue.
As classes concluded for the day, Harry found himself with a new mission. Carefully and discreetly, he began to inquire about the Gryffindor girl he had noticed at breakfast. Although it could have been a straightforward task, Harry deliberately made it more challenging. He wanted to avoid any chance of the girl noticing his interest in her, which might spook her or alert her or Voldemort's soul piece to his suspicions. By the time he retired to the Ravenclaw common room that evening, Harry had gathered several pieces of information about the girl's identity.
Chapter 165: Chapter 165: "Evelyn Rosier"
As Harry sat on his dorm bed that night, his mind was entirely focused on the information he'd pieced together about the girl he was now certain was possessed by Tom Riddle's diary Horcrux. Through his discreet inquiries throughout the day, he had learned that her name was Evelyn Rosier, a third-year Gryffindor student.
The Rosiers, Harry discovered, were once a prominent pureblood family, traditionally associated with Slytherin and rumored to have Dark leanings. However, the family had fallen on hard times since many of its members died in the two wizarding wars fighting for the dark side, their wealth and influence waning over the years. This decline had profoundly affected Evelyn's upbringing, leaving her caught between her family's tarnished legacy and an uncertain future. Her unexpected sorting into Gryffindor had apparently caused quite a stir when it happened two years ago.
From what Harry gathered, Evelyn's sorting could have made her a prime target for bullying, given her family's reputation and the Gryffindor house's traditional rivalry with Slytherin. However, Harry's efforts to combat bullying in his first year with pranks seemed to have had a lasting impact. Due to this, Evelyn wasn't actively tormented by anyone. However, Harry learned that even without the bullying, she did not have an easy time, and that Evelyn remained somewhat isolated within Gryffindor, her family name creating an invisible barrier between her and her housemates.
The bits and pieces of description Harry had collected painted a picture of a petite girl with long auburn hair that often looked unkempt. Several students had mentioned her hazel eyes, describing them as sad or tired-looking. Her robes, while clean, were noticeably second-hand, hinting at her family's reduced circumstances.
As Harry pondered the situation, he considered how Tom Riddle's diary might have found its way into Evelyn's possession. Most likely, Harry thought, Lucius Malfoy had a hand in giving her the book. It showed how cruel he was, even to people on the same side. Sending to potential death a member of an already dying pureblood family seemed particularly heartless.
Evelyn Rosier's family's declining status and her isolation within Gryffindor could have made her vulnerable to such a manipulative magical object. Her heritage also explained her mind shields, which Harry had sensed during his subtle attempts at Legilimency. These shields clarified why the Chamber was opened and the basilisk was let out for the first time only on Halloween, not before, like in the books when Harry heard the voices in the walls days before the attack. Evelyn likely didn't trust the diary so much at the start, but her loneliness might have won out in the end. It was well known that Tom Riddle had a way of charming vulnerable people. Also, Evelyn's mind shields meant that possessing her took time, ensuring Harry's detection wards at the Chamber triggered for the first time only on Halloween.
However, despite knowing all this, Harry was not going to put an immediate end to the events surrounding the Chamber of Secrets. He had already decided to cause some trouble for Dumbledore, and he was determined to go ahead with this plan.
There was, however, one change he was going to make. Harry was not going to drag everything out to the end of the year like in the books. The possession by a Horcrux was not good for the poor girl's soul. So Harry planned to let the attacks happen, cause some trouble to expose everything to the outside world, get the Ministry and Aurors involved quickly, and when the soul of Tom Riddle in the diary got anxious, end the whole thing himself. This would ensure that Evelyn was not affected too much, and Harry planned on taking her to Cordelia later to ensure no lasting effects of possession were left behind.
And this time, Harry was planning to take the credit. Since he had already shown his skills to the world and planned to participate in adult dueling tournaments next year, there was no need to hide his strength anymore. He could now openly take credit and earn some honors for himself.
With everything planned, Harry resumed his normal routine at the school. Classes, apprentice work with his master Flitwick, and then following Evelyn Rosier around whenever Harry noticed her near the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets. For her other actions like killing roosters, he did not follow. Just following to ensure the basilisk did not kill anyone was enough. Harry's tracking charms ensured he knew her every movement.
Days flashed by with nothing much happening. No attacks. The castle also returned to some calm since there was really not much harm caused by the Halloween incident. Everyone learned that it was just chicken blood that wrote the message on the wall and that Mrs. Norris was not dead. So all the fear from that night dissipated rather quickly.
As the tension from Halloween faded, the excitement of the approaching Quidditch season began to take over the school. The anticipation of upcoming matches pushed thoughts of the Chamber of Secrets to the back of everyone's minds, bringing a welcome distraction to the castle.
There were some major changes in the Quidditch teams this year. Draco Malfoy, for reasons unknown to all the students in the school, got into the Slytherin team as their seeker. He didn't have to buy his way onto the team, which many people found odd. Harry was also surprised by this change. He had no idea what had happened to cause this shift from the canon. However, this meant that the Slytherin team was not upgraded with Nimbus 2001s for every player, which would have made them overpowered. Draco did get himself one, though, and his strength using that broom made it so that the Slytherin house accepted his entry into the team despite the suspicious circumstances.
In Gryffindor, Charles got his spot as a chaser again. Despite the team not wanting him after his last year's performance, he won his spot fair and square during the Quidditch trials, and no one could deny him the position. Another change was that Ginny Weasley, a first-year, outperformed Katie Bell and all other competitors for the seeker spot and got herself selected. Many were surprised by this, even her brothers. They didn't know she knew how to play Quidditch as well as she showed during the trials. The fact that first-years were now allowed to participate in the matches worked out well for her.
Harry had paid some attention to Ginny Weasley this year and was surprised to see the changes in her behavior, which was quite different from that in the books. For one, she was not a fangirl of the Boy Who Lived, Charles Potter. She walked and talked calmly around him. They were good friends, though, and Harry could feel a childhood sweetheart kind of vibe in their relationship. Also, since she was not possessed by the diary Horcrux in this world, she was having a very good school year.
Another new addition to one of the Quidditch teams was Susan, who won her place as a chaser for the Hufflepuff team. Harry watched her trials and was very proud of the skills she showed. If not for her young age that limited her physical strength, she was the best one in skills from all the chasers that tried for the Hufflepuff team. Cedric was very excited about getting a good seeker for the Hufflepuff Quidditch team.
No prominent change was there in the Ravenclaw teams. Harry was asked to join the team, but he declined since he knew for sure that the matches would be cancelled soon due to the attacks. Also, he didn't have any interest in the game anymore. However, to ensure that he got his name engraved in the history books and also ensure Ravenclaw won the Quidditch cup for once, he planned on playing in the year Roger becomes the Quidditch captain. It would be good to get a cup for his house for one year.
The first Quidditch match of the year was going to be exciting, and it was Gryffindor vs. Slytherin. With the new lineup on both teams, the match promised to be unpredictable and thrilling. However, Harry's excitement wasn't for the game itself, but for what he knew Dobby was planning to do during the match. He anticipated the house-elf's misguided attempts to protect Charles, wondering how it would play out in this altered timeline.
As he lay in bed that night, Harry couldn't help but wonder how the events would unfold, and how they would differ from what he remembered from the books. Would Dobby's interference be as dramatic as before? How would it affect the match's outcome? With a mix of anticipation and caution, he drifted off to sleep, ready to face whatever challenges the next day might bring, both on and off the Quidditch pitch.
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