Sapphire Witch - Under Editing to make it easier to read

Talking to Dumbledore

~Outside~

There is a heavy snowfall outside. Harry sits atop one of the towering hills facing Hogwarts. Hedwig sits beside him. Harry: "Who am I, Hedwig? What am I?"

~Library, night~

The trio study. Harry, burdened by dark thoughts, looks up at Ron. He smiles at Harry, then, seconds later, Hermione does the same -- something forced about it all. Unable to bear it, Harry gathers his books and gets up from the table. As Harry walks, students glance up, meet his gaze, then look away. Even Madam Pince eyes him from her desk. Ginny Weasley, tired and pale, scribbles furiously in a small black book. Harry exits, walk into the hallway, and pauses. From inside a room, the voices of a group of Hufflepuffs can be heard. Ernie: "So, anyway, I told Justin to hide up in our dormitory. I mean to say, if Potter's marked him down as his next victim, it's best he keep a low profile for a while." Hannah: "But why would he want to attack Justin?" Ernie: "Justin let it slip to Potter that he was Muggle-born." Hannah: "And you definitely think Potter's the Heir of Slytherin?" Ernie: "Hannah, he's a Parselmouth. Everyone knows that's the mark of a dark wizard. Have you ever heard of a decent one who could talk to snakes? They called Slytherin himself Serpent-tongue. (whispering darkly) Remember what was written on the wall: Enemies of the Heir Beware. Potter had some sort of run-in with Filch. Next thing we know, Filch's cat's attacked. That first-year Creevey's been annoying Potter. Then Creevey's attacked." Hannah: "He always seems so nice, though. And, after all, he is the one who made You Know Who disappear." Ernie: "That's probably why You Know Who wanted to kill him in the first place. Didn't want another Dark Lord competing with him." Y/n intercepts. Y/n: "If that was the case why didn't Voldemort kill Grindlewald when he had the chance? Grindlewald is still very strong and could kill Voldemort if he wants to." Hannah: "She has a point. Ernie." Ernie: "A sucky one You Know Who obviously didn't see Grindlewald as a threat." Harry doesn't need to hear anymore. He slips quietly away. Y/n turns on her heels and storms off.

~Corridor~

Muttering, Harry storms straight into Hagrid, who stands covered in snow, a dead rooster dangling from his hand. Hagrid: "All righ', Harry, Y/n?" Harry: "Hagrid... what're you doing here?" Hagrid holds up the rooster. Hagrid: "Second one killed this term. Reckon it's either foxes or a Blood-Suckin' Bugbear. Need Albus's permission ter put a charm round the hen-coop. Yeh sure yeh're all righ', Harry? Yeh looks all hot an' bothered." Harry: "It's nothing. I'd better get going. I've got a lot of studying..." Y/n: "Hagrid is it only the roosters getting killed?" Hagrid: "Yeh, why?" Y/n: "Just wondering." Basilisks are killed by roosters. Salzar was a parel tonuge. His only living relative was Tom Marvolo Riddle. After he died the bloodline did as well. Thus the monster has to be an untrained, unsocialized basilisk. Y/n leaves.

~Different Corridor~

Harry enters, slows. Up ahead, in the light of a flickering torch, something dark lies. A Windowpane rattles in the wind and the torch... goes out. Harry steps closer, finds... Justin-Finch-Fletchley. Lying rigid on the floor, a look of shock on his frozen face. Nearby, an inert Nearly Headless Nick floats, body teeming with black smoke. Kneeling, Harry notices a trail of spiders scuttling away from Justin's body and out the loose Windowpane... when suddenly Harry senses someone watching him, wheels: McGonagall. Harry: "Professor, I swear I didn't --" Minerva: "This is out of my hands, Potter. Mr. Filch, will you take care of this, please?" Harry's eyes shift. Filch lurks in the shadows beyond McGonagall. He steps forward, hisses quietly. Filch: "Caught in the act. I'll have you out this time, Potter. Mark my words..." Y/n: "The heck did I just walk into?" McGonagall: "You as well." As McGonagall leads Harry and y/n away, Harry looks back. Filch stares at Justin and Nick, then turns. Filch: "Dark magic. That's what you've got, Potter. Even the air you breathe comes out poison. You're evil. Evil as they come..." Y/n: "Just because it's dark doesn't mean it's evil."

~Gargoyle Corridor~

McGonagall marches Harry down to an ugly stone gargoyle. Minerva: "Sherbet lemon." Y/n: "Dumbledore and his obsession with sweets." The Gargoyle springs to life, its wings opening. Minerva: "Professor Dumbledore will be waiting for you." McGonagall ushers Y/n and Harry inside. It's an elevator. The Gargoyle's wings close. Harry and Y/n rise to an upper floor.

~Headmaster's Office ~

Harry steps out of Gargoyle's embrace and enters a large, circular room. Strange silver instruments whir quietly. On a nearby shelf, the Sorting Hat sits. Harry casts a wary eye at the past Headmasters snoozing in the portraits around him. In the last portrait, the Headmaster is awake, reading a book. He is Professor Dippet. Y/n approaches him. Y/n: "Dippet. You were here when Riddle was in school correct?" Dippet raises an eyebrow but nods. Y/n: "That was 50 years ago when he opened the Chamber of Secrets?" Dippet: "He wouldn't." Y/n: "But he would. Based on my research into his family. He's the only relative of Slytherin alive at that time. The only possible parslemouth." Harry approaches the Sorting Hat, glances around, then places it atop his head. Sorting Hat: "Bee in your bonnet, Potter?" Harry: "Well, you see, I was wondering..." Sorting Hat: "If I put you in the right house? Yes... you were particularly difficult to place. But I stand by what I said last year... you would have done well in Slytherin." Harry strips the hat off and tosses it back onto the shelf. Harry: "You're wrong!" The hat sits motionless. Silent. Hearing a gagging sound, Harry wheels, and finds an old, bird sitting on a golden perch. It wobbles, then... bursts into flames. As Albus enters, Harry looks horror-struck. Harry: "Professor, your bird... I couldn't do anything... He just caught fire." Albus: "About time too. He's been looking dreadful for days. Pity you had to see him on a Burning Day. He's really very handsome most of the time." Y/n notes Harry's look. Y/n: "Fawkes is a phoenix, Harry. Phoenixes burst into flame when it is time for them to die and are reborn from the ashes." Harry looks to the floor. The ashes swirl. A baby Fawkes pokes out his wrinkled head, blinking through the dust." Albus: "Right. 3 points to Gryffindor. Fascinating creatures, phoenixes. They can carry hefty loads, their tears have healing powers, and they make highly faithful pets." Y/n: "When Credence was dying was that the reason that the phoenix was coming to Credence and spreading its ashes over him?" Albus: "Yes. You know a lot more about Phoenixes than I thought." Just then, Hagrid -- still clutching the dead rooster -- bursts through the door. Hagrid: "It wasn't Harry, Professor Dumbledore!" Albus: "Hagrid --" Hagrid: "I was talkin' ter 'im jus' before that kid was found. It can't've bin 'im!" Albus: "Hagrid --" Hagrid: "I'll swear ter it in front o' the Ministry o' Magic --" Albus: "Hagrid! I do not think that Harry has attacked anyone." Hagrid: "Oh. Right. I'll wait outside then." As Hagrid exits, Harry looks hopefully at Albus. Harry: "You don't think it was me, Professor?" Albus: "No, Harry. But I must ask you... is there anything you'd like to tell me? Anything at all?" Albus waits. Harry debates. Finally... Harry: "No, Professor. Nothing." Harry leaves. Y/n: "I saw Ginny carrying a black diary with a name on a gold plate."