The Diary

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It started with rumors sweeping through the halls of Hogwarts like wildfire. Hushed whispers that the legendary Chamber of Secrets had been opened, unleashing a terrifying monster to purge the school of those deemed "unworthy."

The evidence became chillingly clear when Mrs. Norris, Filch's cat, was found petrified and hanging stiffly from a wall sconce. Scrawled ominously beside her were the foreboding words: THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED. ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE.

In the following weeks, more victims turned up frozen solid, their bodies contorted in eerie rictuses of fear. A Gryffindor prefect, a Ravenclaw student, and even the ghostly form of Nearly Headless Nick seemed untouchable to this mysterious petrifying force.

Harry began hearing that chilling, serpentine voice again, whispering of hunger and death. He confided in Draco, Blaise, and Pansy about the disturbing occurrences, but none of them had any idea what could be causing the attacks.

One night, Harry was heading back from studying when the sinister, slithering murmurs reached a frenzied crescendo in his ears. He followed the sounds to an unused classroom, pushing open the door to find--

The small black diary lying innocuously on one of the dusty desks.

Harry stared at the unremarkable book, his heart pounding. He had searched everywhere for this wretched thing after it went missing, worried about what might happen if it fell into the wrong hands. Could it be the key to unraveling this latest horror plaguing Hogwarts?

His fingers trembling slightly, Harry reached out and snatched up the tattered diary. As soon as his skin made contact with the aged leather cover, he knew instinctively he was right to be wary. A rotten, malevolent aura seemed to emanate from the book's very pages.

Cradling it carefully, Harry hurried back to the Slytherin dormitories and up to his bed hangings, sealing himself in with a Silencing charm. He took a steadying breath, squared his shoulders...and opened the diary's cover.

The yellowed pages within were entirely blank. Harry furrowed his brow in confusion, wondering if he'd been too hasty assuming this was at the heart of Hogwarts' latest terror.

As he went to close the book, a trickle of midnight-black ink began bleeding across the center of a page, coalescing into inky words:

"Hello, I've been expecting you..."

Harry froze as tighter, elegant script started appearing rapidly, the pages flipping urgently of their own accord.

"My name is Tom Riddle. I know all about you, Harry Potter. Your scar, your unfortunate beginnings...and the great power you wield, though you may not fully comprehend it yet."

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