Midnight Protector | Harry Potter FanFiction

FOUR

The early morning rays of blurry sunlight slowly pulled Harry out of his dreamless sleep, making him aware of the loud snores coming from Ron. The previous night hadn't exactly been a late one, just an exhausting one. Every available girl had tried to catch the attention of the-boy-who-lived, something that the majority of the Weasley brothers found to be absolutely hilarious. The problem was that Harry didn't have it in his heart to send them away since he could feel their joy and excitement meeting someone they perceived as a hero. This one event meant more to them than anything.

Sometimes Harry really hated being empathic.

Thankfully, Kingsley stepped in when darkness had fallen and declared that it was time to leave. Harry had never been so relieved to see the Marauder Quarters again. All of the emotions and attention had really taken a lot out of him and had left a rather irritating headache. Harry had retreated to his room and had fallen asleep moments later, sleeping through Ron's staggering entrance hours later.

Holding back a groan, Harry grabbed his glasses and slid them on. He didn't even wait for everything to come into focus as he pulled back the bedcovers and slid out of bed. He also didn't remember changing into pajamas and had a feeling that Dobby was becoming protective again. The overexcited house elf had appointed himself as 'Harry Potter's personal elf' years ago and no one could convince him otherwise. Harry had tried on several occasions.

As quietly as possible, Harry snuck out of the room only to step into darkness. Ashes were all that remained in the fireplace and all of the candles had died some time ago. The only sound was Kingsley's slow breathing from the sofa in front of the fireplace. That would be a challenge. Kingsley was the lightest sleeper Harry knew. The smallest noise could make the man jump to his feet with his wand at the ready.

Harry was about to turn back when he felt something urging him to continue forward. He had felt the sensation before and knew it was coming from someone or rather something he could trust. Hogwarts was trying to communicate with him in the only way she knew how...subtle control. Waves of reassurance and protectiveness swirled around Harry as he left the Marauder Quarters. His footsteps echoed throughout the hallways as he slowly walked in a trance-like state. He didn't know where he was going but the path he was taking felt right.

Awareness slowly started to return as Harry walked up the moving stairs which oddly remained completely still. Muffled whispers from the portraits brushed against his ears but Harry kept his gaze forward. He turned off on the second floor and walked towards a familiar girl's bathroom. Nervousness filled Harry's stomach as he pushed the door open. There was only one reason Hogwarts would bring him here.

The entrance to The Chamber of Secrets was hidden in this bathroom.

"What are you trying to tell me?" Harry asked quietly as he entered the bathroom, his eyes focusing completely on the sink that Moaning Myrtle had pointed out years ago. A sudden gust of wind washed over Harry as everything around him changed. The bathroom darkened, lanterns ignited, colors dulled and a faint smell of old parchment filled the air, an odd smell for a bathroom.

At the sound of the door opening behind him, Harry quickly turned to see a familiar jet-black haired boy enter with a stack of books in his hands. He was only slightly taller than Harry and had a silver prefect's badge pinned on his black robes. It was Tom Riddle...sixteen-year-old Tom Riddle with a calculating look on his face that Harry didn't like in the slightest. Riddle was up to something and that was never a good thing.

Harry moved out of the way and watched as Riddle approached the sink he had just left. Everything about Riddle screamed confidence and determination; the way he walked, his posture, the glint in his eyes, and the smug look on his face. This teenager had no doubt whatsoever concerning who he was and what he wanted in life. World domination. It's what every kid asks for.