The Truth | Draco Malfoy

Chapter 11: Secret Diary

A heavy snow fell. Harry sat atop one of the towering hills facing Hogwarts. Hedwig sat beside him. "Who am I, Hedwig? What am I?" Harry asked, looking at the distance.

Zoe held Harry's hand in comfort.

***

As the trio studied in the library, Harry, burdened by dark thoughts, looked up at Ron. He smiled at Harry, then, seconds later, Hermione did the same, but there was something forced about it all. Unable to bear it, Harry gathered his books, stood up from the table. As Harry walked, students glanced up, met his gaze, then looked away. Even Madam Pince eyes him from her desk. Ginny Weasley, tired and pale, scribbled furiously in a small black book. Harry left and walked into the hallway and paused. From inside a room, the voices of a group of Hufflepuffs could be heard.

"A split second of their true nature and I ignored it." Harry whispered to himself.

"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." Ernie said.

"But why would he want to attack Justin?" Hannah asked.

"Justin let it slip to Potter that he was Muggle-born." Ernie told her.

"And you definitely think Potter's the Heir of Slytherin?" Hannah asked.

"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." He whispered 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."

"The attacks do seem to be about protecting you." Narcissa said.

"He always seems so nice, though. And, after all, he is the one who made You Know Who disappear."

"That's probably why You Know Who wanted to kill him in the first place. Didn't want another Dark Lord competing with him."

"Amazing everyone kept changing between saviour and Dark Lord throughout the years." Harry said aloud.

Harry could hear anymore, he slipped away quietly, wanting to be alone.

***

Muttering to himself, Harry stormed down the corridor, straight into Hagrid, who stood covered in snow and had a dead rooster dangling from his hand.

"All righ', Harry?" Hagrid asked.

"Hagrid... what're you doing here?" Harry asked.

Hagrid held up the rooster. "Second one killed this term. Reckon it's either foxes or a Blood-Suckin' Bugbear. Need Dumbledore's permission ter put a charm round the hen-coop. Yeh sure yeh're all righ', Harry? Yeh look all hot an' bothered."

"It's nothing. I'd better get going. I've got a lot of studying..." Harry sighed and walked away.

***

Harry entered another corridor and slowed. Up ahead, in the light of a flickering torch, something dark laid. A windowpane rattled in the wind and the torch went out. Harry stepped closer and found Justin-Finch-Fletchley... lying rigid on the floor, a look of shock on his frozen face. Nearby, an inert Nearly Headless Nick floated, body teeming with black smoke. Kneeling, Harry noticed a trail of spiders scuttling away from Justin's body and out the loose windowpane, when suddenly Harry sensed someone watching him: Professor McGonagall.