What If? Year 1

Chapter 38

"So you saw Tom Riddle in the... ummm, spirit realm?" Ara's face was filled with terror and concern. 
"Y-yeah," I stutter out, "I didn't even realize that.." I shutter and run my hands up and down my arms. I was shaking, and trying to get what he had said to me out of my head. 
"I don't think anyone who didn't know him at that age would have," Ara tries to comfort me. She moves to my bed and lets my lay my head on her lap. 
"Maybe you should stay out of the spirit realm for a while," she says, combing her fingers through my hair.  
"Yeah, probably. I'm just worried about Regulus, and I can't see him without being in the.. realm." 
"I'm sure Fabian and Gideon are looking over him." I smile and sigh. I close my eyes as she continues to play with my hair. 
"Something else?" 
"My parents haven't sent me a letter in months. McGonagall says that there is a chance that someone is intercepting my letters. I'm sure my parents are fine, but it still worries me." 
"Do you think that-.."
"I thought maybe." I go silent, trying to calm my racing heart and uneven breathe. 
"We're safe here though, at least from him," Ara tells me, "I mean, the only person that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was scared of was Dumbledore. Maybe your dad. Dumbledore will protect us." I nod.  Ara picks up my head and lays it down on a pillow. She gets up to grab a piece of parchment. She sits back down next to me and starts to write:

Dear, Mr. and Mrs. Potter, 
I'm not sure you are going to get this, but thought I'd try. Goldie is worried because she has not gotten any letters from you in quite a while. She's beside me while I write this.  Perhaps you have not gotten any of her letters either. If you get this, please respond.
Thanks, 
Ara

I smile and get up. 
"Thank you," I tell her, giving her a hug. 
"Of course," she replies, "We should get a different owl to take it, not Hedwig." 
"Yeah, and you should probably take it, not me." Ara nods and gets up to leave. 
"Wait, are we allowed out of the common room? Besides eating and classes?" 
"Oh, Merlin. You're right. We probably can before dinner tonight." Ara nods and sits next to me. 

"Hey, we're going to dinner. You need to get ready, because you cannot go wandering around the castle by yourselves." Percy's voice rings through the dorms. I sigh and shake Ara from her nap. 
"We've gotta go to the Great Hall." 
"Okay." We walk down to the common room, into the crowded common room. 
"Hey, Goldie," Harry says, walking over to is, "Is it true that you found Hermione?" I nod and he wraps me into a hug. 
"Are you alright?" he asks, still not letting me go. 
"Um, yeah?" I say, "Harry, what's this about?" 
"McGonagall said you were upset about it," he says, "and I feel like I haven't talked to you in a while, so I thought I'd check on you."
"I'm fine," I tell him, as he lets me go, "But there is something I need to tell you, about the monster."
"I've heard something too. Hagrid opened the Chamber of Secrets." 
"Who told you that?" 
"Some guy named Tom Riddle." 
"Harry, I don't think you should listen to anything he tells you." 
"I saw a memory and everything." 
"Have you even ask Hagrid about it?" 
"Don't you think that might be a touchy subject?" 
"So you're going to believe a stranger over Hagrid?" 
"Do you think that Hagrid would tell the truth about this?" 
"Can you even imagine Hagrid killing or even hurting anyone?" Harry looks at me, shocked. 
"No, but why don't you like Tom?" 
"He's-.."
"Hey, Harry! Oliver wants to talk to you during dinner." 
"Sorry, sis. I'll talk to you after dinner, alright?" I scoff as he runs off. Ara rubs my arm, trying to calm me down. 
"Doesn't even have time for his own sister," I complain, "What could Oliver possibly want, quidditch has been canceled, for bloody sakes." Ara nods. 
"Maybe you should bring this stuff up to Dumbledore?" 
"I think I need to visit a different person first, Hagrid.  I can't believe that he would be the Heir of Slytherin, I mean honestly, have you met the guy?" Ara giggles and nods. 
"How are we going to get there, didn't you hear Percy, he said we aren't allowed out of the common room without being escorted." 
"We're going to have to borrow a certain thing of my brother," I answer, as the crowd ahead of us begins to move. 

After dinner, I make my way up to Harry's dorm. The Invisibility Cloak was throw in his trunk, messily. I pick it up and throw it over my head. Since I was so small, the cloak was dragging on the floor as I walk back to Ara. 
"Bloody hell," she whispers, as I uncover myself besides her, "That scared me.. is that a cloak of invisibility? Like the one in the story?" 
"Yes, and don't ask questions right now. We have a goal." Ara nods and moves in closer to me. I put the cloak over the both of us, thankful that we are both so small. We navigate through the common room and to the portrait hole. 
"Won't they see us open the portrait?" Ara whispers. 
"They will probably just think its someone coming it." I whisper back, "come on, I would like to be back before dark." We open the door and walk into the corridor. We walk to Hagrid's Hut, with urgency.  To my surprise, and slight horror, Harry and Ron were already in there. 
"Go by the window," Ara suggests, "We can listen." We shuffle over to the window. Harry and Ron were watching Hagrid make a fruit cake. Suddenly he drops it as he looks through the window. 
"You guys aren't supposed to be here, did you bring the cloak?" Harry and Ron look at each other, worried. I look and see Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic and Dumbledore walking down to the hut. I make my way to the back door and open it slowly. Ara grabs the boys, startling them. 
"Oh, quiet," I say, "Get under the cloak you twats." They obey, just in time for the Minister to knock on the door. 
"Good evening, Hagrid."
"That's Dad's boss," Ron breaths, before Ara elbows him in the ribs. Poor Hagrid was all pale, and wiping his sweaty palm on his apron. He had to sit down and hold his head in his hands. 
"Bad business, Hagrid," Fudge says, his tone short, "Very bad business. Had to come. Four attacks on Muggle-borns. Things've gone far enough. Ministry's got to act." My own face pales, and Harry steps behind my, silently, to hold me upright. 
"I never," Hagrid says, looking expectantly at Dumbledore, "You know I never, Professor Dumbledore, sir-." 
"I want it understood, Cornelius, that Hagrid has my full confidence," Dumbledore states, frowning harshly at Fudge. 
"Look, Albus," Fudge replies, uncomfortably, "Hagrid's record's against him. Ministry's got to do something.." I shake my head. 
"Cornelius, I can tell you in full confidence, taking Hagrid away will not help in the slightest." The fire in his pearly blue eyes make me shrink into Harry's arms. 
"Look at it from my point of view," Fudge pleads, fidgeting with his hat, "I'm under a lot of pressure. Got to have something done. If it turns out it wasn't Hagrid, he'll be back and no more said. But I've got to take him. Wouldn't be doing my-." My eyes shoot to Hagrid, who is now trembling. 
"Take me?" he asks, "Take me where?" 
"For a short stretch only," Fudge replies, not daring a look at the trembling half-giant, "not a punishment, Hagrid, more a precaution. If someone else is caught, you'll be let out with a full apology-." 
"Not Azkaban..." Hagrid croaks out with anguish. Fudge could not even answer the distressed man before another rap was heard on the door. Dumbledore answers it, and Ara soon received an elbow in her ribs. 
Lucius Malfoy struts into Hagrid hut, with a smug look and a cold smile. Fang growls lowly at him. 
"Already here, Fudge.. good, good." 
"What're you doin' here?" Hagrid shouts, "Get outta my house!" Ara flinches as Mr. Malfoy takes a step towards us. 
"My dear.. man, please believe me, I have no pleasure at all in being inside your- You call this a house?" Mr. Malfoy sneers, "I simply called at the school and was told that the headmaster was here." I could feel the anger radiating off our Ara, and I reach out to grab her shoulder. She did not relax, but now I could make sure she did not run out from beneath the cloak. 
"And what exactly did you want with me, Lucius?" His polite tone was strictly contrasting his body language. 
"Dreadful thing, Dumbledore," she says lazily, "But the governors fee it's time for you to step aside." My stomach sinks and Ara makes a move forward.