A Young Wizard's Journey - The Chamber of Secrets

A Whole New Side

'Knew you should have gotten rid of that thing,' said Ron bitterly, glaring at the diary on Harry's bed.

Harry had just finished telling Ron, Y/N, and the currently disillusioned Hermione about what he had seen in the diary. The dormitories were empty, but they didn't want to take the risk of Hermione being spotted by one of the other boys. This way, she could slip out without being noticed if any of them happened to walk in.

'He could've gotten the wrong person, couldn't he?' said Hermione's voice. 'It might not have been Hagrid.'

'We know Hagrid got expelled,' said Harry, he looked miserable, 'and the attacks must've stopped after Hagrid got kicked out, or Riddle wouldn't have gotten the award.'

'It just doesn't feel right though,' said Y/N, his eyes also on the diary. 'I get what it showed you, and I'm not discrediting that it happened, but if that's its purpose why does it feel so evil? Surely an enchantment like that would just be... well, an enchantment. No good, no evil.'

'Y/N's right,' said Ron 'Something just doesn't feel right. Hagrid goes nuts for those nutter animals he loves, but he wouldn't kill someone, and if he knew a creature could, he wouldn't keep it.'

'That one, I'm afraid, I can't agree with you on, Ron. If we hadn't talked him into getting rid of Norbert, he'd have kept it till it burnt down half the school,' said Y/N, 'but something's definitely not right. For one, if it was Hagrid, why this year? He's been here forever. He's one of Dumbledore's closest, Dumbledore trusts him. He could have done it any year or just permanently, and yet here we are.'

'Who else could it be?' asked Harry, looking frustrated.

'Literally anyone else in the castle, Harry,' said Y/N. 'We didn't think Hagrid was a suspect before.'

'We didn't really think anyone other than Malfoy was to be fair, Y/N,' said Hermione quietly.

Y/N got up and began pacing. The book made him uneasy. Lucius Malfoy had passed it onto Ginny, Ginny, against all better judgement, had kept it. This year, the Chamber had been opened and suddenly this book, this stupid little diary, had all the answers as to what was going on. And yet Malfoy had none, despite his father being the one with the book. It was all too convenient. He felt like the answer was right around the corner and he couldn't place it.

'None of us want to believe it's Hagrid either mate,' said Harry, watching Y/N pace, 'but I know what I saw.'

'I know Harry, but something's just not adding up for me. I can't help but feel like Hagrid's just another piece of the puzzle. Not the ending.'

'Should we speak to him?' asked Hermione.

'That'd be a cheerful visit,' said Ron 'Hello, Hagrid. Tell us, have you been setting anything mad and hairy loose in the castle lately?'

'It's been quiet since before Christmas now,' said Hermione. 'We don't need to speak to him unless it happens again, it might already be over. Come on, Y/N,' and he felt something grab his arm and start tugging him towards the door.

'Where are we going?'

'You need to make me visible again, and you can't really do it up here,' came Hermione's voice as she dragged him downstairs.

This had apparently been an attempt at something longer, however as Hermione dragged him subtly over to the portrait hole and took him out of it. He revealed her and she hooked her arm around his, leading the way off into the corridors of the castle.

'Where are we going now?' he asked, a little bemused.

'If we turn around and walk straight back in, that's going to look weird, you leave then 10 seconds later we both walk back in. Besides, curfew hasn't hit yet.' And with an amused smile, Y/N allowed himself to be lead around the castle.