The Raven's Call

Truth

Alex, Asteria and I are heading back from one of our classes when we come across a flooded corridor. Curious, we follow the stream to the source. The girl's bathroom on the first floor. The one no one goes into because of a specific ghost. I haven't told them about my family connections. I haven't told anyone. Not yet. The three of us hurry to turn off all the taps in the bathroom, the last thing Hogwarts needs is a killer water bill. One of the taps I turn off has a snake etched into it, interesting. 

After we turn off the streams of water the room grows quiet, the only sound we can hear is coming from one of the stalls, sounding like a girl sobbing. "Myrtle?" Asteria asks, heading towards the stall. "Myrtle?" Alex asks her. "Who's Myrtle?" "Myrtle Warren. She's the student who died the last time the Chamber was opened." I inform them, before being interrupted by the door slamming open. There stood the first year Weasley, Ginny. Her eyes were almost glazed over as she stormed into the room. Completely ignoring us, she opens up the stall the sobbing was coming from. "Where is it?!" She exclaims, turning her head towards us. "Where did it go?!" 

"Where did what go?" Alex asks her. She mutters angrily to herself as she opens up all the stall doors one by one. Obviously, she doesn't find what she's looking for, so she leaves. "What was that about?" I ask, looking to the others. Alex and Asteria both shrug, though Asteria looks to be deep in thought about something. Maybe she knows something she's not letting on. This year just keeps getting stranger. 

"Can we talk..?" I ask the others, seemingly out of nowhere. "Like, really talk." I say, somewhat darkly. We've barely spoken since we found out I'm a Parselmouth, unless it was about school work, so I think it's time we all have a chat about what's going on in our lives. "Sure, buddy. Why not?" Alex laughs nervously, seeming to lighten the mood. This doesn't work. "Room of Requirement?" Asteria asks, and I nod, the three of us making our way there in awkward silence.

***

The Room of Requirement feels cozy, a nice fire warming the room. We all take a seat in front of the fireplace as I let out a heavy sigh. "So.." I start off, searching for the right words. "Funny story.. um.. I'm the heir of Slytherin." I let out a chuckle that is very much fake, in all honesty, I am stressed to my core. I'm a twelve-year-old boy, I should not be under this much stress. Alex roars in laughter. "And I'm the queen of England." He jokes, not believing me one bit. I look over to Asteria, I think she believes me. "I'm serious." I say, looking into his eyes, my expression serious. "I decree this codswallop." Alex smiled. I didn't want to have to pull out evidence, but I might have to. "Have you gone off the deep end?" He asks me. "You're not even in Slytherin." He's right. I'm not. I sigh again. "I know I'm not. But.." Ugh. I grab out the picture of the Sallow twins and Ominis Gaunt. "Look at this. Don't I look exactly like a mix of them? Especially him!" I point to Sebastian. 

"So you look like some Slytherin students from yonks ago. That means you're the heir of Slytherin?" Alex jokes. "Your parents were muggles, right? You've met them!" I let out an exasperated sigh. "My mother was a squib.." I say, pulling out the family tree of Salazar Slytherin now, and as I look over it, I see my parents names have now magically appeared. And mine. "Look!"  I exclaim. "You what..?" Alex asks, seemingly lost for words. "That's why I could understand what Harry was saying to that snake!" I say, it all starting to make sense. "So.. you opened the chamber? You're the one petrifying people?" Alex asks, nervously. "No! Are you mad?!" I exclaim after seeing him slowly reach for his wand. "It's not Atti..." Asteria finally speaks up. "I have something to tell you, too." She admits. Alex groans. "Oh Merlin, what is it this time?" he asks, visibly frustrated.

"Well.." Asteria starts. "Sometimes I overhear my father and his.. 'colleagues' discussions during their meetings. I heard them mention someone names 'Tom Riddle' and his diary?" I blink. There's that name again. Riddle. I look down at the family tree again. "Tom Riddle." I say, pointing to his name. He's related to me, my second cousin, once removed. I look back up at Asteria. "What is the importance of his diary, Astra?" I ask, noticing a small smile creep across her face after I used her nickname. "All I heard was Father saying he would exploit the Weasleys, so he snuck the diary into Ginny's cauldron that day at Diagon Alley." She responds. "And you didn't tell the Weasleys?" Alex snaps. "I didn't exactly know how it would happen, but when we saw Ginny in the bathroom.. she looked almost possessed." Asteria retorts. "I noticed that too." I say with a nod. "And now she's lost it. The diary and her mind." Alex says with a sigh, standing now before pacing back and forth. "So we have to find it before Ginny does?" I ask, watching him. "Or someone could keep an eye on her?" Asteria asks. "A Gryffindor, maybe?" She says, the two of us looking to Alex. 

"So, let me get this straight." Alex begins. Oh Merlin, he's angry. "You two, somehow, are intertwined in a plot to do with the Chamber of Secrets and potential genocide of non-purebloods. And I have to clean up after you!?" He explodes, I can see a vein in his neck about to pop. "And if I turn you down?" He asks, his voice deepening. "What then? If I was to walk out of here right now. What would you do then?" "Then we risk more Muggle borns getting petrified. Or worse. Think of Hermione." I say, knowing that would strike a nerve with him. He stops pacing and turns towards us, looking at Asteria first. "Maybe if this had been stopped before it all started, we wouldn't have to worry about that as a possibility." He speaks, his voice softening. "It's too late to worry about hindsight, Alex." I say, standing now, he's still much taller than me. I try to place a reassuring hand on his shoulder, but he brushes it off. "I'll keep an eye on Ginny. be in touch." He grunts before leaving, still angry, but not nearly as heated as he was before. I look over at Asteria and we both frown. We owe Alex. Big Time.