The Empress of Magic

Chapter 25 : Over 50 years ago.....

Several weeks later, the same mist of danger was sweeping through Hogwarts, almost as if it wanted its occupants to know that nothing good would await them the rest of their year inside its halls......

Celestia had warned the others about the Basilisk, Regulus refusing to let her walk anywhere by herself as soon as she had told them about what she and Tom had discussed.

The male couldn't help but feel like something awful would happen if he let her wander the halls alone, and he'd rather be called overprotective than lose Celestia.

Currently, the girl was walking towards Ravenclaw Tower, Theo, Fenris, and Chrome with her.

,, A Basilisk roaming inside Hogwarts...... I can't believe Dumbledore would put so many lives at stake, just to play the Hero.." He said, the thought not wanting to leave his mind, even after so many weeks.

,, I would love to tell you everything will be fine and nobody will come at harm's risk, but this time I can not do that..." She said, her voice calm.

This situation was far worse than the one last year......

After all, they had to deal with a Basilisk, not a Cerberus that could easily be lulled to sleep with the help of a little music.....

Basilisks were incredibly dangerous, which is why it was forbidden to breed them, to begin with.

, One look and you're dead........ A glance enough to freeze your mind in time.' thought the half-Veela. , ... Get too close and you're at risk of being bit, the following minutes until your death spent in utter agony.'

Theo sighed. ,, I know........... Still, one can hold on hope can't he ?"

Hope supposedly died last, after all...... Though none of them could say they had any left to begin with.

She offered him a small look of sympathy as they turned around the corner when suddenly Celestia bumped into someone much taller.

Feeling herself fall backward she braced herself to land on the ground, only for a pair of strong arms to wrap themselves around her waist, catching her before she neared the cold stone floor.

Blinking in surprise she let her bi-colored eyes travel from the green tie of a uniform upwards to the face of the one who had caught her, only to be met with a pair of deep scarlet ones in return.

She felt a cold shiver run down her spine as she looked into them, the way they shined like splattered blood upon marble floors frightening to look at, not to mention the way they seemed to closely study her, greedily drinking in her image like they wanted to possess her whole....

The last time she had seen something akin to this she had been but a little girl, running through the woods near the emergency exit of the laboratory to get back to the doors with two centaurs at her side that kept urging her to run as they fired arrows at the gigantic one-eyed Monster following them......

She could still vividly picture the piercing eye of the cyclops staring down at her as it tore one of the wood nymphs, that tried to stop it, in half and ate her right in front of her eyes......

The sound of bones being snapped and blood hitting the floor haunted her to this day...

Repressing her resurfacing emotions about the matter she put on her best false smile as she tried to figure out how she could get Theodore, Fenris, Chrome and herself away from whatever this thing in front of her was.

,, My apologies............." she said, keeping her breathing calm, even as the arms around her waist traveled up towards her back. ,, I have a bad history with bumping into people in the middle of hallways."

His expression turned into that of a charming smile, it was such a sudden change that Theo thought he had imagined the male's cold expression before...

,, It is quite fine.." He assured, letting go of her, at which she took a step back, Chrome eyeing him warily from his place on her shoulder. ,, After all it was me who bumped into you first...."

Now that she stood in front of him, and wasn't pressed up against him, Celestia took in his features.

His skin was quite pale, his black hair smooth....and his Scarlet eyes...... she had seen them before....

He wore Hogwarts Robes, a Slytherin, recognizable by the color of his tie, and a Prefect Badge decorating his robes...

Quite tall and with a muscular yet thin frame...

All in all, he was quite attractive, and probably quite popular.

Yet, how come she had never seen him if he was one of the students..?

,, Ah... We have yet to meet, correct ?" He lifted her hand, placing a kiss against her knuckles. ,, Good meet................. My name is Marvolo Riddle."

At that Celestia wanted to grab Theo and sprint...

Of course........

It just had to be Tom's Soul piece that she had to bump into in the hallway.

,, Good meet Heir Riddle........... My name is Celestia Grindelwald-Lestrange." She introduced herself, signaling to Theo through her eyes that they were in a very dangerous situation.

,, And I'm Theodore Nott....." Theo introduced himself, shaking the older male's hand, not letting his inner panic show.

,, It's a pleasure." Marvolo said, scarlet eyes set on Celestia's form, refusing to move......

She felt like he was trying to learn everything about her with a single look and it unnerved her greatly..

,, Please excuse us...... We must hurry off to meet our friends now... They're probably already wondering where we are." Theo said, offering Celestia his arm, which she hastily took as they walked away from the dangerous being.

The Soul piece, which had been left standing in the hallway without being able to utter another word quietly watched them leave, a smirk forming on its face as it fixated its eyes on the little white-haired witch that had just escaped his grasps....

, .................. You won't be able to run away from Fate, Celestia... Soon enough you'll be mine....' It thought, disappearing in a cloud of golden dust.

---------------- 

Regulus and Blaise who were sitting in Celestia's chambers and talking, jumped in surprise when the door to the girl's quarters was thrown open and shut just as quickly, a panting Theo and Celestia leaning against each other as Fenris slumped down to the floor in exhaustion.

,, What in Salazar's name happened to you two ?" Blaise asked, he and Regulus standing up in alarm.

Both looked like they had sprinted for their lifes, exhaustion and panic set in their features as they tried to catch their breath.

Why in the world were the two in such a state?

,, ... T-The Soul piece...!...." Theo struggled out, looking at the ceiling as he took in as much air as he possibly could.

Dear Merlin, he had never run somewhere so fast in his life!

Celestia was much faster than him, something that surprised the Slytherin quite a bit since she did not participate in any kind of sports or even mentioned training, so she had all but dragged him with her.

,, The Soul piece ?" Blaise repeated, as Regulus' eyes widened and he promptly made his way towards Celestia, checking her for any kind of Injury.

Finding no sign of bodily harm he breathed out a long sigh of relief, turning to the both of them. ,, What happened?"

,, Tom's Horcrux..... We bumped into it in the hallway on our way here." Celestia said, making Blaise and Regulus go on high alert.

They had been incredibly worried after they had learned about its existence from Celestia, and were waiting for the moment it would show itself, but none of them would have expected for it to happen so soon, and not quite like this...

,, Do you think you can tell which one it was ?" Regulus asked her.

Celestia was the only one they could ask this since she knew the exact amount of the Horcruxes and the dates they were created on by Tom....

She thought about it........

That version Tom was young.......

Probably only a few years older than them...

By his Hogwarts Robes and the Prefect Badge....

,, The oldest... " She said, nodding in confirmation to herself, as she thought about everything Tom had told her. ,, Tom created his very first Horcrux in the halls of Hogwarts, using his diary and the death of a Muggleborn student named Myrtle Elizabeth Warren."

The boys blinked, recognizing the name. ,, ..... Are you talking about Moaning Myrtle ?.."

Celestia tilted her head in confusion, asking ,, What in Rowena's name is a Moaning Myrtle ?"

------------------

The three Slytherins had waited until the twins came inside Celestia's chambers, before dragging them all towards the second-floor girl's bathroom where a sign written with the bold Letters OUT OF ORDER stood.

As it turned out, the infamous Moaning Myrtle was a ghost floating about the abandoned girl's bathroom on the second-floor, terrorizing everyone that dared to come close to her.....

Celestia felt incredibly bad for the poor girl, knowing her spirit must have been stuck there since the day she died, forever to remain in Hogwarts and cursed to travel the lands of the living because her death was used to create a dark object...

Once your Soul has been used for the creation of such a thing, neither the Gods nor the Fates would be able to get you back.... Such is the Curse of being bound to a dark object.

,, Why exactly did you drag us here-?"

,, This place is definitely flooded-Yuk.." The twins said, looking down.

Out of the bathroom, small amounts of water were continuously pouring out and onto the floor, meaning that everything was flooded with something that was most likely the water from a toilet.

It was not something anyone would like to walk through.

,, We have no choice.......... We have to go through if we want to question Moaning Myrtle...." Blaise said, even though he looked very much like he wanted to do anything but this.

Celestia rolled her eyes at their behavior and took off her long, black Robe, leaving it folded on the dry part of the ground where the water wouldn't be able to reach it.

Taking her Wand from its Holster, she let Chrome climb up her shoulder and swiftly walked into the bathroom, Fenris in the front, ignoring the group of boys watching her do so.

The boys blinked in shock, before quickly taking off their Robes as well and following in after her.

It was dark in the bathroom because the candles had been extinguished in the great rush of water that had left both walls and floors soaking wet.

Knowing she wouldn't be able to work like this Celestia stopped right in the middle of the bathroom and utter a small. ,, Lumos."

,, This is disgusting......" Theo said, all of them arriving a few steps behind her.

,, Disgusting indeed... but it will bring us closer to the Chamber." Regulus said, also taking his Wand out and chanting a Lumos.

The Heir of the House of Black then turned to the bathroom stalls.

,, Myrtle, you have guests awaiting you. Don't you want to come out and greet us ?"

"Who's that?" glugged Myrtle miserably. "Come to throw a book at me too, did you ?"

,, Why would someone want to throw a book at her...?.." George asked quietly, the others shrugging, not knowing the answer to it.

Too bad for them Myrtle heard him. "Don't ask me," Myrtle shouted, emerging with a wave of yet more water, which splashed onto the already sopping floor. "Here I am, minding my own business, and someone thinks it's funny to throw a book at me..."

Celestia stepped forward, interest and curiosity shining in her eyes. ,, You're Elizabeth Myrtle Warren ?"

,, Yes, want to make fun of me as well ?" The ghost asked, turning to her, anger blazing in her eyes when suddenly realizing. ,, Wait-How do you know my full name?"

,, My name is Celestia Grindelwald-Lestrange." The white-haired witch introduced herself, smiling kindly at the ghost. ,, My friends and me came here to talk with you."

Myrtle blinked in disbelief. ,, You want to talk with me..?.."

Celestia nodded. ,, More specifically about your death if it does not bring you any discomfort."

The Ghost pouted, floating circles around the half-Veela. ,, Ooooh, it was dreadful. It happened right in here. I died in this very stall. I remember it so well. I'd hidden because Olive Hornby was teasing me about my glasses. The door was locked, and I was crying, and then I heard somebody come in. They said something funny. A different language, I think it must have been. Anyway, what really got me was that it was a boy speaking. So I unlocked the door, to tell him to go and use his own toilet, and then — I died."

, It is just as I suspected....The Horcrux we're dealing with is definitely the diary......' Was the only thought running through Celestia's mind.......

She then remembered a certain thing the Ghost had mentioned when they had come in.

,, ..... Say Elizabeth.......... Didn't you say someone threw a book after you ?" She asked, making Myrtle title her head, confused about why they were suddenly switching up the direction of their conversation.

,, Huh-? Oh-Uhm, yes... I was just sitting in the U-bend, thinking about death, and it fell right through the top of my head," said Myrtle. "It landed over there, it got washed out, but Harry Potter and Ron Weasley got it and left..."

Hearing the names they all shared an exasperated sigh.....

Of course, Harry just had to get himself into trouble once more.

Regulus silently took a look at the sink, his eyes turning amethyst as he tried to find out if the Ghost was telling the truth........

Magical signatures were similar to Fingerprints in a sense. None were quite the same, no matter how close in resemblance they were.....

And as he looked at the sink he spotted the Magical signatures of both Ronald and Harry....... mixed in with another signature and one that was very much a Dark Artefact.

He furrowed his eyebrows.......

Something about the signature seemed awfully familiar...... He just couldn't place where it was from.......

,, What should we do now ?" Blaise asked, looking at Celestia.

,, Want us-"

,, To steal it back ?" The twins asked, at which she immediately shook her head.

,, No.......... We will let it with them...... Knowing Tom, he will get the diary back and when he does it won't go too far..." She said, slightly nervous about the plan.

Tom was unpredictable in a sense that meant now that the diary was gone, they had no chance of getting it back.......

So their best option would be to remain in the low for now and carefully watch each and every student..........

------------------

February came with a bittersweet note this year............. Gilderoy Lockhart seemed to think he himself had made the attacks stop. Celestia overheard him telling Professor McGonagall so while the Ravenclaws and Slytherins were lining up for Transfiguration. "I don't think there'll be any more trouble, Minerva," he said, tapping his nose knowingly and winking. "I think the Chamber has been locked for good this time. The culprit must have known it was only a matter of time before I caught him. Rather sensible to stop now, before I came down hard on him.

"You know, what the school needs now is a morale booster. Wash away the memories of the last term! I won't say any more just now, but I think I know just the thing..."

He tapped his nose again and strode off.

Lockhart's idea of a morale booster became clear at breakfast time on February fourteenth. Celestia had come down for breakfast that morning slightly late, having gotten a Letter from Rabastan and her parents that very morning, which was delivered by an overly excited Jade. When she entered though, for a moment she thought, that she walked through the wrong doors.

The walls were all covered with large, lurid pink flowers. Worse still, heart-shaped confetti was falling from the pale blue ceiling......

It looked like Lady Aphrodite had thrown up all over Hogwarts' dining hall after a night of too many drinks....

,, What happened ...?..." Celestia asked, sitting down next to Regulus, most of the Great Hall seeming less than amused, since they constantly had to fish out either glitter or confetti out of their breakfast.

,, Lockhart happened." replied the twins, both looking like they were done with the world, pointing their thumbs in the direction of the table the Professors were sitting at.

Lockhart, wearing lurid pink robes to match the decorations, was waving for silence. The teachers on either side of him were looking stony-faced. From where she sat, Celestia could see Professor Sprout's fixed smile and Professor Flitwick's exasperated facial expression. Snape looked as though someone had just fed him a large beaker of Skele-Gro and Professor Sinatra was glaring holes in the side of the pompous Wizard's head.

, ... Oh dear....' thought the Ravenclaw, fearing for what was coming next.

"Happy Valentine's Day!" Lockhart shouted. "And may I thank the forty-six people who have so far sent me cards! Yes, I have taken the liberty of arranging this little surprise for you all - and it doesn't end here!"

Lockhart clapped his hands and through the doors to the entrance hall marched a dozen surly-looking dwarfs. Not just any dwarfs, however. Lockhart had them all wearing golden wings and carrying harps, which made Celestia feel sorry for them.

"My friendly, card-carrying cupids!" beamed Lockhart. "They will be roving around the school today delivering your valentines! And the fun doesn't stop here! I'm sure my colleagues will want to enter into the spirit of the occasion! Why not ask Professor Snape to show you how to whip up a Love Potion? And while you're at it, Professor Flitwick knows more about Entrancing Enchantments than any wizard I've ever met, the sly old dog!"

Professor Flitwick buried his face in his hands. Snape was looking as though the first person to ask him for a Love Potion would be force-fed poison.

And the fact that it was Professor Snape who they were looking at, made it all the more believable.

Everyone exchanged worried glances, not at all excited about what this day would bring.

And their worries were put to good use because all day long, the dwarfs kept barging into their classes to deliver valentines, to the annoyance of the teachers and anyone who actually hoped to concentrate on his Exam preparations.

Celestia luckily enough did not get any, having asked the Dwarfs in advance to burn the ones meant for her.

Regulus, who was quite popular, even with his father's reputation on his back, made sure to glare at any Dwarf that dared to get into a seven-foot radius with him, keeping them away with a frightening amount of success.

----------------

That night Celestia walked to the Ravenclaw Tower later than anyone else, having spent the evening in the Slytherin common room, where most of the couples decided to talk with each other in hopes of making future alliances.

Regulus and Celestia, although only in their second year and yet to be betrothed were invited as well and talked to quite a few people that were ready to make an alliance of business in the future.

It was a bit funny just how many tried to get on the two-second year's good side.

,, Mistress, you seem awfully pleased." Fenris stated, walking beside her as usual.

,, I am indeed, Fenris." She said, smiling at her companion. ,, Magaret Green and her betrothed had marvelous ideas concerning the sweets Industry of the Wizarding World.... And the Taylor twins have approached us, wishing to work together should we try opening a business for toys."

Magaret Green was a Half-blood from a very wealthy Wizarding family whose members had been sorted into Slytherin for Generations. Her mother's side of the family may be from the Muggle World, but they owned a good amount of successful bakeries and chocolate factories, which the girl was to inherit once she graduated from Hogwarts.

Her betrothed, William Carter was a Pure-blood with family roots in America. His family specialized in the in-and export of goods in the Wizarding World. William was the one who approached them, offering their business alliance in hopes of expanding their family's fortunes.

Then the Taylor twins, Jeremiah and Josiah. Celestia made the wise decision to not underestimate the two Half-bloods who looked like they couldn't hurt a flie. They were calm, good-looking, and quite popular in their year, quite similar to how Fred and George were. But both of them held a glimmer in their eyes that the female recognized all too well, one that screamed danger.

Nobody dared to go against them, both having earned a high status in their House through their gift of deception, manipulation, and information gathering.

It was shocking when they told her that they used to be like Fred and George when they were younger, only having started to change after the Sorting Hat told them they had great potential should they choose the House of Snakes instead of that of the Lions.

It made Celestia wonder if her older brothers in all but blood had been given the same option, but unlike the Taylor twins, chose Gryffindor.

, How Fate can turn its directions....' She thought, smiling when Chrome nuzzled against her neck.

That smile though vanished when she felt a familiar presence near them..........

, .......... Fenris..' Celestia gave the Wolf a nod, quietly and slowly taking her Wand out, not letting it go noticed as she began slowing down her steps.

,, Nebulus......" She whispered, as fog began filling the hall, making it so that she was unable to be truly seen.

She then turned her body. ,, Reducto!" The Spell fired was met with another right in the middle, at which Celestia took her chance and began sprinting down a near hallway, Fenris following after her.

Soon she heard another pair of footsteps behind them. ,, Crucio!"

She dodged the light by inches, cursing in her mind as she jumped over the railings of the staircase while aiming her Wand in the direction of her pursuer and calling out. ,, Stupefy !"

Celestia not caring if it hit or not made a landing roll, getting to her feet a few seconds later before continuing to run.

, This is bad....!...' She thought, glancing behind her.

The half-Veela may not have been able to see him, but she could feel him near......

Looking around she spotted some loose rails, which made her smirk and pick up speed.

Fenris already guessing her plan ran towards the stairs, splitting them up.

When she was a foot away from the rails she jumped, gripping the closest one with both of her hands and swinging herself on top of it.

She did the same again and again, each time dodging a new curse being fired at her.

Finally getting to the last one, she took a deep breath to calm herself down and stood up, silently hoping she wouldn't break her neck as she jumped towards the top of the staircase.

, Too short!'

She landed on the stone, holding back a groan of pain as her stomach made an impact with the edge of it, pulling herself over and onto the stairs with slight difficulty.

Landing on her back she winced. , ... Merlin.... That's definitely going to leave bruises........'

,, Mistress!" Fenris called out, walking up to her.

,, I'm fine...." She said, getting to her knees with her familiar's help, Chrome watching while giving encouraging squeaks.

When she finally managed to do so she noticed something...........

The footsteps were gone.

Opening her eyes wide she grabbed the dagger that was hidden under her Uniform's skirt, turned around, and swung it..

Only for her hand to be caught by a larger one.

Tom stood in front of her, looking very much like he had been tossed into a wall, his hair a mess and his Uniform scattered.....

At least she knew her Stupefy hit its target......

,, You're the first one who managed to escape my grasp after I cast a Crucio in their direction." He told her, internally grimacing at the amount of strength he had to use to stop the girl from stabbing him with the dagger in her hand.

, Salazar.... Just how strong is she ?...' He asked himself, feeling the strain in his arm from holding her back.

Her Golden eyes pierced his own dangerously. ,, What do you want from me, Tom ?"

The male felt a shiver run down his spine, never having thought a girl could make him feel something similar to fear.......

A smirk graced his handsome face, leaning in closer so that his Scarlet eyes were mere inches away from her Golden ones.

,, Let me show you the Night I created my very first Horcrux...." He said, and suddenly Celestia felt herself fall, making her close her eyes.

She felt her feet hit solid ground, and stood, shaking, as the blurred shapes around her came suddenly into focus.

She immediately knew where she was. This circular room with the sleeping portraits was the Headmaster's office- Helen had once told her how each and every room at Hogwarts looked and where it was located.... But instead of Dumbledore sitting behind the desk. A wizened, frail-looking wizard, bald except for a few wisps of white hair, was reading a letter by candlelight. Celestia recognized him from one of her Grandfather's old pictures.

Armando Dippet, predecessor of Albus Dumbledore............

He had been the Headmaster of Hogwarts over fourty years ago, before he decided to spend the last few years of his long life in the comforts of his cottage in the North of Scotland.

, He can't hear me since this is a memory.....' she realized and watched as the wizard folded up the letter with a sigh, stood up, walked past her without a single glance, and went to draw the curtains at his window.

The sky outside the window was ruby red; it seemed to be sunset. He went back to the desk, sat down, and twiddled his thumbs, watching the door.

There was a knock on the office door.

"Enter," said the old wizard in a feeble voice.

A boy of about sixteen entered, taking off his pointed hat. A silver prefect's badge was glinting on his chest. He was much taller than Celestia's small form and had jet-black hair and Dark eyes.

Celestia immediately recognized him as Tom.

"Ah, Riddle," said the Headmaster.

"You wanted to see me, Professor Dippet?" said Tom. He looked nervous.

"Sit down," said Dippet. "I've just been reading the letter you sent me."

"Oh," said Tom. He sat down, gripping his hands together very tightly.

Celestia was surprised, never having seen him act so nervous.

"My dear boy," said Dippet kindly, "I cannot possibly let you stay at school over the summer. Surely you want to go home for the holidays?"

"No," said Tom at once. "I'd much rather stay at Hogwarts than go back to that - to that--"

"You live in a Muggle orphanage during the holidays, I believe?" said Dippet curiously.

"Yes, sir," said Tom, reddening slightly.

"You are Muggle-born?"

"Half-blood, sir," said Tom. "Muggle father, witch mother."

That made Celestia's lips curl up a bit. , Imagine if his Pureblood-supremacist followers knew.'

"And are both your parents -?"

"My mother died just after I was born, sir. They told me at the orphanage she lived just long enough to name me - Tom after my father, Marvolo after my grandfather."

Dipper clucked his tongue sympathetically.

"The thing is, Tom," he sighed, "Special arrangements might have been made for you, but in the current circumstances..."

"You mean all these attacks, sir?" said Tom, and Celestia took a few steps closer so that she stood directly beside the boy.

"Precisely," said the headmaster. "My dear boy, you must see how foolish it would be of me to allow you to remain at the castle when term ends. Particularly in light of the recent tragedy... the death of that poor little girl... You will be safer by far at your orphanage. As a matter of fact, the Ministry of Magic is even now talking about closing the school. We are no nearer locating the - er - source of all this unpleasantness..."

Tom's eyes widened.

"Sir - if the person was caught - if it all stopped--"

"What do you mean?" said Dippet with a squeak in his voice, sitting up in his chair. "Riddle, do you mean you know something about these attacks?"

"No, sir," said Tom quickly.

But Celestia was sure it was the same sort of "no" that meant the direct opposite.

Dippet sank back, looking faintly disappointed.

"You may go, Tom..."

Tom slid off his chair and slouched out of the room. Celestia followed him.

Down the moving spiral staircase they went, emerging next to the gargoyle in the darkening corridor. Tom stopped, and so did Celestia, her Golden eyes observing him closely. She could tell that Tom was doing some serious thinking. He was biting his lip, his forehead furrowed.

Then, as though he had suddenly reached a decision, he hurried off, Celestia gliding noiselessly behind him. They didn't see another person until they reached the entrance hall when a tall wizard with long, sweeping auburn hair and a beard called Tom from the marble staircase.

"What are you doing, wandering around this late, Tom?"

Celestia turned around, coming face-to-face with a fifty-year-younger Albus Dumbledore.

His taste in fashion had somehow worsened since then.....

"I had to see the headmaster, sir," said Tom.

"Well, hurry off to bed," said Dumbledore, giving Tom exactly the kind of penetrating stare Celestia recognized since he made it whenever he was scheming something. "Best not to roam the corridors these days. Not since..."

He sighed heavily, bade Tom good night, and strode off. Tom watched him walk out of sight and then, moving quickly, headed straight down the stone steps to the dungeons, with Celestia in hot pursuit.

Tom led her to the very dungeon in which Snape's Potion classes took place. The torches hadn't been lit, and when Tom pushed the door almost closed, Celestia could only just see him, standing stock-still by the door, watching the passage outside.

All she could see was the figure of Tom at the door, staring through the crack, waiting like a statue. Then she heard something move beyond the door.

Someone was creeping along the passage. She heard whoever it passed the dungeon where she and Tom were hidden. Tom, quiet as a shadow, edged through the door and followed, Celestia in behind him at a normal pace.

For perhaps five minutes they followed the footsteps, until Tom stopped suddenly, his head inclined in the direction of new noises. Celestia heard a door creak open, and then someone speaking in a hoarse whisper.

"C'mon... gotta get yeh outta here... C'mon now... in the box..."

There was something familiar about that voice...

Tom suddenly jumped around the corner. Celestia stepped out behind him. She could see the dark outline of a huge boy who was crouching in front of an open door, a very large box next to it.

"Evening, Rubeus," said Tom sharply.

The boy slammed the door shut and stood up.

"What yer doin' down here, Tom?"

Tom stepped closer.

"It's all over," he said. "I'm going to have to turn you in, Rubeus. They're talking about closing Hogwarts if the attacks don't stop."

"N at d'yeh--"

"I don't think you meant to kill anyone. But monsters don't make good pets. I suppose you just let it out for exercise and--"

"It never killed anyone!" said the large boy, backing against the closed door. From behind him, Celestia could hear a funny rustling and clicking, not liking it in the slightest.

"Come on, Rubeus," said Tom, moving yet closer. "The dead girl's parents will be here tomorrow. The least Hogwarts can do is make sure that the thing that killed their daughter is slaughtered..."

Celestia recognized that name, and suddenly it clicked.

That giant boy was no other than Hogwarts Gameskeeper, Rubeus Hagrid.

"It wasn't him!" roared the boy, his voice echoing in the dark passage. "He wouldn'! He never!"

"Stand aside," said Tom, drawing out his wand.

His spell lit the corridor with a sudden flaming light. The door behind the large boy flew open with such force it knocked him into the wall opposite. And out of it came something that made Celestia sigh and shake her head.

A vast, low-slung, hairy body and a tangle of black legs; a gleam of many eyes and a pair of razor-sharp pincers- It was an Acromantula- Tom raised his wand again, but he was too late. The thing bowled him over as it scuttled away, tearing up the corridor and out of sight. Tom scrambled to his feet, looking after it; he raised his wand, but the huge boy leaped on him, seized his wand, and threw him back down, yelling, "NOOOOOO!"

, I wonder......' Her eyes went to her Wand and she lifted it, pointing it at the half-giant, wanting to test something.

,, Incarcerous."

To her surprise, thick ropes were conjured out of thin air and bound the half-giant, Tom's memory watching in shock as the boy was lifted off of him, which made him snap his head in her direction.

She saw his mouth move, but before she could hear anything, she was pulled back into the present, finding herself back on top of the staircase with Fenris and Chrome whining, trying to get her to stand up, Tom's younger self nowhere to be found.