Chapter 20: Chapter 19
Hogwarts was beginning to rejoice in the sunshine again. There were no more attacks, everyone's spirits were lifted, and hope was reviving in their hearts that the thickening clouds would go away. Madam Pomfrey cheerfully reported that the mandrakes were becoming nervous and withdrawn, which meant they were going through puberty.
- 'When the teenage acne clears up, we'll replant them again,' Harry overheard her good-naturedly sharing the news with Filch.
- And after that, we'll chop them up and make a tincture. So Mrs Norris will soon be with you again...
Perhaps the mysterious criminal, whoever he was, had lost his resolve, Harry thought. It must be getting riskier to open the Chamber of Secrets with the whole school on alert. And the monster must have decided to hibernate for the next fifty years.....
The golden-haired Lockhart seemed to consider the cessation of attacks a personal achievement. Harry had once overheard him ranting about his valour. McGonagall was leading the Gryffindor freshmen to their transfiguration lesson, Lockhart walking beside him. Sitting on a bench under a tree, the Slytherin could hear the charlatan's chatter.
- 'I think, Minerva, that there will be no more casualties,' Lockhart said, winking and tapping himself on the nose with his finger. - I guess the Room is closed for good this time. The perpetrator has realised that I will expose him, it's only a matter of time. It would be wise of him to stop his atrocities now before I get to him. Yes, by the way, you realise too that the school needs some sort of celebration to boost morale. No more reminiscing about last term's failures! I can't say more than that now, I can only add that I know which way to go.....
He tapped himself gracefully on the nose once more and strode away. The Locons' idea of a holiday came to fruition on Valentine's Day, the fourteenth of February. The walls of the hall were strewn with lush poison-pink flowers, and heart-shaped confetti rained down from the pale blue ceiling. Seeing this squalor, Harry immediately hated this silly holiday. When Potter looked back at the professor's desk and saw Lockhart's smug face, the Slytherin had the urge to throw Cruciatus at the rascal. However, the boy quickly calmed down and began to eat.
Lockhart, dressed in a hideous pink robe to match the flowers, gestured for silence. The teachers on either side of him sat with stone faces. Harry saw Professor McGonagall's cheek twitch from his seat. Morgana and Bellatrix gave grimaces of disgust. The two black-haired wizards sat side by side and had already begun to bond with each other. But it was the blonde charlatan's actions that irritated the two brunettes greatly. The former Dean of Slytherin, but still the school's current Potions Master, was sitting on the edge of the professor's desk, looking rather gloomily at the unfolding action.
- Happy Valentine's Day! - Lockhart exclaimed. - First of all, let me thank everyone - forty-six people - who sent me a Valentine's Day card! I took the liberty of giving you this little surprise. But that's not all!
Lockhart clapped his hands, and a procession of grim-looking gnomes entered the hall. However, they were not ordinary dwarves: each of them had a harp in his hands and golden wings behind his back.
- I present to you my good cupids, the special valentine postmen," Lockhart smiled radiantly and smugly, stepping forward after a short silence.
- Today they will go round the school and deliver valentines. The fun is just beginning! I'm sure my colleagues will want to be part of our celebration too! Let's ask Professor Snape to show us how to make a love potion! And Professor Flitwick, at this feast of flaming hearts, could tell us something about Charms. He knows more about them, old pranksters, than any wizard!
Professor Flitwick hid his face in his palms. Snape's look said that he would pour a glass of poison down the throat of the first person who approached him for a Love Drink.
Throughout the day, dwarves with valentines drifted unceremoniously from class to class, annoying the teachers. After lunch, one of them, a particularly ugly one, caught up with Harry at the door of the spell room.
- Hey, you, you Gaia Pottey! - He shouted, shoving the students away.
The Slytherin was taken aback at such insolence. Some idiot, let's not point fingers at the redhead, had decided to declare her love for him in this way.
- A musical message for you, Gaia Pottery, personally," the dwarf announced, strumming his harp inexorably.
His eyes are greener than a wizard's toad,
and his hair is blacker than a yearling, blacker than a classroom slate.
Oh, God, I want you to give me your heart,
I want the hero who fought the Dark Lord.
As soon as the gnome finished, Harry quickly pulled out his wand and vaporised him. Looking around the crowd with a furious look, Potter said:
- I don't know what kind of fool wrote this message, and I don't want to know, but I'll tell you straight away that the author of this message is not my type.
Harry turned and walked away, not noticing Ginny Weasley running away in tears. Back in his room after class, Potter decided to sort out his diary.
Harry sat down on his bed and flicked through the blank pages - there wasn't a trace of red ink anywhere. So he pulled a new vial of ink from the bedside table, dipped his quill in it and put a blot on the first page. For a second the ink stood out brightly on the white sheet and then, as if sucked into the paper, disappeared. Harry, more than excited, dipped his quill again and wrote:
"My name is Harry Potter."
The words came out clearly for a moment and then disappeared again without a trace. And then something finally happened. His ink seemed to flow out of the paper, forming a phrase Harry had never written:
"Hello, Harry Potter. My name is Tom Riddle. How did my diary come to you?". That inscription died as well, but not before Harry began hastily writing the answer, "Someone threw it down the toilet."
Not a few minutes later, a new message came from Riddle. "It's a good thing I wrote down my memories in a more reliable way and not in ink. I knew some people didn't want my notes read, didn't I?"
"And what does that mean?" - Harry was so excited that the quill was stumbling and putting blots.
"This diary contains records of terrible events shrouded in a veil of mystery. They took place many years ago at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
"This is exactly where I am," Harry wrote quickly. - Horrible things are happening at Hogwarts again. Do you know anything about the Chamber of Secrets?" His heart pounded loudly. Riddle didn't hesitate to answer, his handwriting becoming haphazard as if his interlocutor was in a hurry to speak his thoughts.
"Of course, it is known. In my day we were told it was a legend, that it didn't exist, but that was a lie. In my fifth year, the Room was opened, and the monster broke free, attacked the students and killed one. I caught the one who had opened the Room and he was expelled. The Headmaster, Professor Dippet, was very ashamed that such a thing could happen at Hogwarts, and he forbade me to tell the truth about it. The case was presented as if the girl had died because of an accident. And they gave me a beautiful engraved plaque and told me to keep my mouth shut from now on. But I know it could happen again because the monster is still alive and the one who can free him is still out there."
Harry nearly knocked over the ink vial in his hurry to write a reply.
"It's happening again. There have been three attacks already, and it's unclear who the main culprit is. Who was last time?"
"I can show you him if you want," Riddle replied. - My words alone are not enough. But I can enter you into my memory for the night I caught him."
Harry was tormented by doubt. The quill froze over the diary. What did Riddle's words mean? How could you tap into someone's memory? He cast an anxious glance at the bedroom door. Darkness was thickening in the room. He shifted his gaze back to the diary:
"Allow me to imprint you in my memory."
Harry hesitated for a split second and wrote just two letters, "OK." The pages of the diary shimmered as if picked up by a strong wind and stopped in mid-June. Harry watched with his mouth open as the page for the thirteenth of June turned into a tiny television screen. With trembling hands he brought the diary closer to his eyes, the miniature window suddenly widened, and he was pulled there, Harry felt his body lift off the bed and he dove headfirst through the open page into a swirl of colours and shadows. His feet hit solid ground; he flinched but straightened up and the blurred outlines of his surroundings regained clarity. Harry realised at once where he was. The round room with portraits dozing on the walls was the Headmaster's office. But it wasn't Dumbledore sitting at the familiar desk. The gaunt, sickly-looking wizard, bald save for a few wisps of grey hair, was reading a letter lit by the flame of a candle. Harry had never seen this man before.
- I apologise," Harry said uncertainly. - 'I didn't mean to barge in like that...' But the wizard didn't even look up. He continued reading with his eyebrows furrowed. Harry moved closer to the table and, stammering, asked:
- Um... I should probably get going, shouldn't I? The wizard still didn't notice him. He didn't seem to hear anything. Deciding he had gone deaf, Harry raised his voice:
- I'm sorry to bother you, but I'm leaving! The wizard folded the letter with a sigh, stood up, walked past Harry and began to draw the curtains on the window. The sky outside the window was ruby red - the day was winding down. The wizard returned to the table, sat down put his fingertips together and began to twirl them, glancing at the door. Harry looked around. The phoenix was gone, as were the buzzing silver things. This was Hogwarts as Riddle knew it, which meant the headmaster was this unknown wizard, and Harry himself was nothing more than a phantom, invisible to people who had lived fifty years ago. There was a knock at the door.
- Come in," the old man said in a weak voice. A young man of about sixteen entered, hat off. His silver headman's badge gleamed on his chest. He was much taller than Harry, but his hair was just as black and shiny.
- 'Ah, Riddle,' said the Headmaster.
- 'You wanted to see me, Professor Dippet? - Riddle was nervous.
- 'Have a seat,' Dippett suggested. - I've just read your letter." Riddle sat down with a sigh and clasped his hands together tightly. - 'My dear boy,' Dippet said with a softness in his voice, 'I simply can't let you stay at school for the summer. After all, you'd probably like to stay at home for the holidays, wouldn't you?
- No," Riddle answered immediately. - I'd rather stay at Hogwarts than go back to these.... this… this... this...
- You always lived in a Muggle asylum during the holidays, I suppose? - There was genuine interest in Dippet's voice.
- Yes, sir. - Riddle blushed slightly.
- Are you a Muggle-born?
- Half-blood, sir. Muggle father, witch mother.
- What happened to your parents?
- My mother died just after I was born, sir. The orphanage told me she only had time to name me Tom after my father, and Marvolo after my grandfather.
Dippet sighed sympathetically.
- Given the special circumstances, one might agree with you, but the situation at the school now...
- 'You mean the attacks, sir? - Riddle asked,
- 'Exactly,' replied the headmaster. - 'My dear boy, you must realise how unwise it would be to allow you to stay in the castle after the end of term - especially in light of the latest tragedy...' the death of that poor girl... You will be safer away from here, in your sanctuary. There's a talk at the Ministry of Magic about closing the school. For we are, alas, no closer to discovering the... the cause of this disaster. Riddle's eyes widened.
- Sir... But if this man is apprehended. If all this stops.
- What are you saying? - Dippet's voice broke into a falsetto, and the Director jumped in his chair. - Riddle, do you know anything about these attacks?
- 'No, sir,' Riddle answered hastily. But it was clear to Harry that this 'no' was the same as the 'no' he had said to Dumbledore himself. Dippet, slightly puzzled, sank back into his chair:
- You can go now, Tom... Riddle slid off his high chair and left the room. Harry followed him. They walked down the spiral staircase and out into the semi-dark corridor to the gargoyle. Riddle stopped, biting his lip and furrowing his brow. Then, as if coming to some sort of decision, Riddle rushed away. Harry rushed after him in silence. They met not a living soul on the way, and it was only in the hall that a tall wizard with a huge mop of reddish hair and the same beard called out to Riddle from the marble staircase:
- "Tom, what are you doing wandering about at this late hour? Harry stared at him in amazement. Standing before him was none other than Dumbledore, only fifty years younger.
- 'I've been to see the Headmaster, sir,' Riddle said.
- 'Well, go to bed soon. - Dumbledore threw him the same penetrating look Harry knew so well.
- 'Best not to walk the corridors now - since...' He sighed heavily, wished Riddle goodnight, and headed out.
Tom waited until he was out of sight and hurried down the stone steps to the underground rooms. Harry followed at his heels. But alas, Riddle led him not to a cleverly disguised passageway or secret tunnel, but to the room where Snape was teaching them how to brew potions. The torches were not lit, Tom had covered the door, leaving a narrow slit, and Harry could see only him alone, leaning motionless against the door and watching the corridor. It seemed to Harry that they stood like that for nearly an hour. Tom Riddle was staring through the narrow slit, transformed into a stone statue. Just when Harry was desperate to find a way back to the present, footsteps were heard on the other side of the door. Harry could see a man walk past the door they were standing behind. Riddle slipped silently, like a shadow, into the corridor and followed him; Harry tiptoed after him, oblivious to the fact that he couldn't be heard. They followed the mysterious footsteps for about five minutes until Riddle suddenly froze and turned his head in the direction of the new sounds. Quite close, somewhere round the corner, they heard the creak of a door opening, and someone spoke in a hoarse whisper:
- Come... Come on... Come here, to me... That's it... Now into the box... The voice was distinctly familiar. Riddle suddenly stepped out from around the corner. Harry took two or three steps too and stopped behind him. He discerned the big man's silhouette pressed against an open door that held a huge box.
- Good evening, Rubeus," Riddle said loudly. The giant slammed the door shut and straightened up.
- 'What are you doing here, Tom? 'It's all over, Rubeus. I'm going to tell everyone about you. Because if the attacks don't stop, the school will be shut down.
- You what?
- I don't think you wanted to kill anyone. But you can't turn a monster into a peaceful pet. You let him out to warm him up a little, to get him out of the house.
- He didn't kill anyone! - shouted the tall boy, pressing his back against the closed door. There were strange rustling and clicking noises coming from behind it.
- Listen, Rubeus. - Riddle came closer. - The dead girl's parents are coming tomorrow. The least Hogwarts can do for them is to convince them that the creature that killed their daughter has been destroyed.....
- He didn't do it! - Roared the boy. His voice echoed loudly through the dark corridor. - He... no, he never... he can't!
- Stand aside," Riddle ordered, pulling out his wand. The spell lit up the dungeon with a bright flash of fire. The door behind the big man's back swung open with such force that he was thrown against the opposite wall. A monster appeared before Harry's eyes, making him shriek, but thankfully silently. A huge, squat, furry body, a tangle of countless black legs, a glimmering array of eyes and a pair of razor-sharp stingers - a scorpion or a spider of enormous size. Riddle raised his wand again, but he was too late. Fleeing, the monster rolled over him, swept down the corridor and out of sight. Riddle struggled to his feet, looking after it, and took up his wand again, but the giant leapt at him, snatched his wand, and flung Riddle to the floor, screaming wildly: "Noooooo!"
Harry's eyes started to glaze over from what was happening, and then darkness came, Harry fell somewhere and flopped onto the bed. The memory he saw made Potter think seriously. Even though Harry had had little contact with the school forester, Potter immediately realised that the memory Riddle had shown him about Hagrid being the culprit behind the opening of the Chamber of Secrets was false. Firstly, Hagrid was not the heir to Slytherin, which was the main condition necessary to find and open the Chamber of Secrets, and secondly, having questioned Neville and Hermione, who frequented the woodsman's cottage, Harry concluded that Hagrid was incapable of such meanness.
'So this Riddle guy showed me this false memory on purpose, but for what purpose? 'Something's not right here,' Harry pondered. 'One riddle and not a single answer. Realising that he couldn't do it on his own, Harry got out of bed, dressed quickly and left the bedroom. But before he left, the boy threw the diary into his bag.
Applying his disguise charms, the sophomore stealthily left the faculty lounge and headed towards the Headmaster's tower. Looking around, Harry walked down the corridors of Hogwarts, clutching his diary bag tightly in his hands. But what Riddle had shown him was not getting out of Harry's head. The sophomore was very puzzled.
Turning to the correct door and opening it, Potter entered a corridor leading directly into the Headmaster's tower. Climbing the stone stairs, Harry found himself back in another corridor and, reaching the gargoyle that closed the passage to the Headmaster's office, stopped briefly. The boy hesitated to say the password for a while. Harry was gathering his thoughts.
- Emerald - after a long silence Potter did say the password, and as soon as the gargoyle moved aside, opening the passage leading to the spiral staircase, the sophomore walked slowly. Once on the first step, Harry stood up and waited for the staircase to rise on its own.
Once in front of the wooden door, the boy hesitated again. From behind the closed door came the voices of Morgana, Bella and Hela. The three ladies were already making small talk amongst themselves. Harry felt a breeze run down his back. Finally gathering his thoughts, the sophomore knocked on the door and, after waiting for permission, entered the headmistress' office.
- 'Harry, what brings you to my office so late,' Morgana said, interrupting Bella and Hela who were looking at the boy with smiles on their faces.
- I discovered something the other day and I thought I'd show it to you," the sophomore said as he sat down in the padded chair.
- So show me," the black-haired wizard said softly, tapping her fingers lightly on the table.
Harry hesitated for a moment and pulled Tom Riddle's old diary out of his bag. However, as soon as Potter placed his find on the edge of the table, Hela, who was standing nearby, quickly ran over and snatched the cursed book.
- Harry, where did you find this abomination? - The black-haired goddess of death's voice was filled with disgust at the object she held in her hands. Morgana and Bellatrix looked at the goddess with concern, as did Potter.
- In the first-floor loo, a few days ago. Why?
- I hope you didn't open that artefact and pee in it. - Hela paced from side to side.
- Well, I... Harry hesitated for a moment, but after looking into Hela's eyes and swallowing nervously, he finished the sentence, -Yes.
- Bastard!!!!! I'll flog you. !!!!!. - The black-haired goddess of death cried out at the same hour, looming menacingly over the boy.
- Hela, what's the matter? - Morgana and Bella said at the same time.
- It's a Horcrux," Hela shouted, waving the diary around for a few moments.
- What?!" - the two wizards skilled in the dark arts replied in unison and looked eloquently at Harry.
- 'This abomination reeks of black magic if you use the special analysis spell you learned under Morgana's tutelage. But no, you didn't because you were curious to know what was in that diary, you juvenile twerp! - Hela screamed without restraint.
Morgana and Bella, who were standing not far from the boy, didn't hide their disappointment in Harry either.
- Do you realise that a Horcrux isn't just a notebook or a diary? It can take over your mind! - Hela continued to be indignant.
- 'So, for the greatest carelessness, I'm withdrawing fifty points from the Slytherin faculty, and you'll have to study with me or your godmother for the next few months. We'll decide that later," Morgana said as Bella looked at the silent boy with disappointment.
- 'I'm going to chastise him now, if you don't mind Morgana, can we use your chambers? - Hela lifted Harry from his chair and turned to the headmistress.
- 'Of course,' she replied as she watched the black-haired goddess of death lead the sophomore into the dormitory. A few moments later, the sound of a whip was heard from there. Hela, as promised, gave Harry a good whipping with the whip she had created.
- You'll know how to disregard security charms and pick up dangerous artefacts," Hela shouted, slapping the boy on the buttocks. For several minutes these blows continued until Harry's buttocks were completely red. Sitting up the boy clearly wouldn't be able to sit up for a few more days. Discarding the whip and waiting for Harry to put on his trousers, Hela pulled him to her and wrapped her arms around him.
- You realise the danger you've put yourself in, Harry, we're not strangers to you," Hela whispered, pulling the sophomore against her soft chest.
- I'm sorry, but I couldn't fight my curiosity," Harry whispered.
- 'Fool, I care about you, Morgana and your godmother. But if you show that kind of carelessness again, these spankings will seem like little bites, dear," Hela said firmly, ruffling the boy's hair lightly.
- So, now tell me everything you have learnt in this diary," the goddess of death spoke again after a short silence.
<...>
Returning from the headmistress' bedroom, Hela approached Morgana and Bella and told them everything she had learnt from Harry's words. While the ladies whispered, the sophomore stood by the rack of books and looked through them.
- I think we should check that bathroom, the diary was there for a reason," Morgana said after a long moment of thought.
- Harry, I think you should go to your faculty lounge," Bellatrix answered him.
- 'But I want to go with you and help...
- No, go to the dormitory," the ladies stated adamantly.
The sophomores had no choice but to leave the headmistress' office, but Potter didn't go back to the living room, but, using his invisibility charms, headed towards the bathroom, ahead of Morgana, his godmother and Hela.
Finding himself in front of the ladies in the abandoned ladies' room on the ground floor, Harry began to look around. After a few minutes of searching, the sophomore found the image of a snake on the centre sink and decided to try and open the passage. With a hiss in Parseltang, Harry watched as the sink pulled aside and opened the passage downstairs.
At that moment Hela, Morgana and Bellatrix burst into the bathroom. The brunettes were displeased with the boy's unauthorised behaviour.
- Harry, stop," the headmistress said, stepping forward to stop Hela from giving the boy another spanking.
- 'Okay, it's all right. No travelling abroad this summer. I'm not letting you out of practice,' Hela promised, crossing her arms over her chest.
Cresting the stairs, the ladies and Harry made their way down and found themselves in a long underground corridor. The explorers headed forward, actively using spells to orient themselves in space so as not to get lost. After a while, the group came to a huge iron door with snakes on it. Harry hissed again in the snake language and the door opened, the boy and his companions saw several dozen snake statues and the huge stone face of Salazar Slytherin.
Harry stepped away from his companions who were scrutinising the space of the Chamber of Secrets and walked to the edge of the huge pool, but as soon as he did, there was a loud hiss.
- Who's there?
- Harry, get away from there," Bella shouted. But the hissing continued.
- I can smell you, you bipeds. Who are you?
- Who are you? - Harry hissed: "Show yourselves."
A few moments later, a giant snake with majestic horns on its head emerged from the water. The basilisk rose a few metres and stared at the boy.
- 'Harry, stand back and don't look him in the eye,' Morgana shouted, covering herself, like the other ladies, with a special magical shield.
- Don't be afraid to speak, I won't hurt you," hissed the basilisk.
- What's your name? - Potter asked.
- Master Salazar called me Heshass," hissed the female basilisk.
The giant snake lowered itself to the floor and crawled around the boy, clearly studying him.
- The previous visitor to the Ransom Room forced me to attack, but you're better than him. Yes. Your magic is much stronger. I can become your familiar if you want me to. All you have to do is put your palm on my head," the basilisk walked around Harry and looked at the boy appraisingly.
Potter stood silent for a while, contemplating how to proceed, but after careful thought, the sophomore decided to accept Heshass' offer.
When Harry lightly touched the scallop on the giant snake's head with the palm of his hand, a bright glow enveloped him and the basilisk. Soon a familiar connection was established between the basilisk and the sophomore. An exhausted Harry fell to the floor and his ladies immediately ran up to him.
- So, Harry, we're leaving immediately. But you don't come here without me, Hela or Bella, understand? - Morgana said firmly after the snake had crawled back into the water.
- 'Yes,' the boy replied, then with Hela's help he got to his feet and headed for the exit of the Chamber of Secrets with the rest of the ladies.
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