Between Two Worlds: The Weasley Intervention

Chapter 5 : Aftermath and Revelations

The silence that followed the destruction of Tom Riddle's diary was deafening. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Navier stood frozen, their eyes fixed on the smoking remains of the Horcrux. Even Professor Lockhart, usually so quick with a self-aggrandizing comment, seemed stunned into silence.

It was Hermione who finally broke the spell. "Is... is it over?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Navier nodded slowly, her eyes never leaving the ruined diary. "Yes," she said. "This part, at least."

Harry opened his mouth, clearly about to say something, but a groan from the corner interrupted him. Professor Lockhart was struggling to his feet, looking thoroughly confused.

"What in Merlin's name just happened?" he asked, running a hand through his disheveled golden locks. "Did I... did I save you all from some terrible danger?"

Ron snorted, unable to contain himself. "Yeah, sure, Professor. You were brilliant."

Lockhart beamed, apparently missing the sarcasm in Ron's voice. "Well, of course I was! Though I must say, I don't quite remember the details. Must have been the adrenaline of the moment, you know. Now, who wants to help me write this up for my next book?"

Navier exchanged exasperated glances with her friends. Despite the gravity of what had just occurred, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of amusement at Lockhart's predictable behavior.

"Professor," she said carefully, "I think it might be best if we kept this incident quiet for now. We wouldn't want to cause a panic in the school, would we?"

Lockhart's face fell for a moment, but then he brightened again. "Ah, of course! Very wise, very wise indeed. We'll keep this our little secret, shall we? A thrilling tale of danger and heroism, known only to us brave few!"

As Lockhart continued to ramble, Navier noticed Harry watching her intently. There was a question in his eyes, one that made her stomach clench with anxiety. She knew they would need to talk soon, but now was not the time.

"We should go," she said, addressing the group. "It's almost curfew, and we don't want to be caught out of bounds after everything that's happened."

The others nodded in agreement. As they gathered their things and prepared to leave, Navier couldn't help but feel a sense of relief mixed with trepidation. They had succeeded in destroying the diary, but she knew their journey was far from over.

The walk back to Gryffindor Tower was tense and quiet. Even Ron and Hermione, usually quick to dissect every detail of their adventures, seemed lost in thought. Harry walked beside Navier, occasionally throwing her sideways glances that she pretended not to notice.

As they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, Navier made a decision. "Harry," she said softly, "could I talk to you for a moment? Alone?"

Harry nodded, his expression serious. Ron and Hermione looked curious, but didn't protest when Navier waved them on ahead.

Once they were alone in the corridor, Navier took a deep breath. "You heard what Riddle said, didn't you?" she asked, though she already knew the answer.

Harry nodded slowly. "About you being from the future," he said. "Is it true?"

Navier closed her eyes for a moment, weighing her options. She had known this moment would come eventually, but she hadn't expected it so soon. Still, if anyone deserved the truth, it was Harry.

"Yes," she said finally, opening her eyes to meet his gaze. "It's true."

Harry's eyes widened, but to his credit, he didn't immediately bombard her with questions. Instead, he simply asked, "Why?"