Taking Over Me

Chapter 12 - Year 5 - 1943

A few minutes later, several wizards from the Ministry of Magic arrived and took Myrtle's body away. I followed her lifeless corpse through the hallways of Hogwarts, stopping only when they reached the staircases leading down to the entry hall.

I noticed Riddle hanging around on the staircase. For some strange reason, he was smiling slightly as Myrtle's body was paraded past him. He watched the procession like a victor watching his enemies flee.

"Riddle."

I whipped my head around and saw Professor Dumbledore standing at the top of the stairs watching Riddle.

"Come," the professor gestured to the boy.

"Professor Dumbledore" Riddle said.

For some reason, I thought I detected a hint of malice in the way Riddle said Dumbledore's name. There was no reason for Riddle to dislike the professor though, so I assumed I was hearing things.

I watched them from the landing where Professor Dumbledore had been a moment before. Riddle trotted up the stairs to meet Dumbledore in the middle.

"It is not wise to be wandering around this late hour, Tom," Dumbledore's voice was sharper than I'd heard before. Maybe these two did have some kind of history.

"Yes professor, I suppose I, I had to see for myself if the rumors were true. The ghosts of the castle were all in a bind about someone getting killed. I didn't believe it so I had to see if it was real."  Riddle gazed up at Dumbledore, putting on the smile he used to charm half the school.

"I'm afraid they are, Tom."

"Then what does that mean for the school. I'd hear the talk with all of the students being injured that the school might-. Professor, I don't have a home to go to. They wouldn't really close Hogwarts would they?"

"I'm afraid they may have no choice."

"But if it all stopped, if the person responsible was caught," Riddle had a dark gleam in his eyes.

Professor Dumbledore shied away, looking concerned. "Is there something you wish to tell me Tom?"

"No sir, nothing at all." Riddle was too good a liar. After what I'd seen him do, there was no way I'd ever believe a word that came out of his mouth.

Dumbledore wasn't a fool either; he knew Riddle wasn't telling everything, but without proof, there was nothing that could be done. "Alright then. Off you go."

"Good night professor," Riddle said. He walked up the stairs and caught sight of me staring at him. He glared at me before storming away.

Something was bothering me about Riddle's behavior. It was odd, even for a Slytherin. I was shaken over seeing my good friend's dead body in the bathroom, I told myself. I was imagining Riddle's actions, there was nothing to be worried about. My nerves were fried and overanalyzing everything. At least that's what I tried to convince myself, but something in the back corners of my mind told me something was wrong.

I decided to follow Riddle, after all there wasn't any harm in walking in the same direction as him. If he was doing something horrid, I would alert a teacher and stop him. If I was imagining things, then no harm done.  

I stayed several feet back from Riddle. We already had enough problems without him thinking I was a stalker. He moved quickly down a set of stairs. He kept moving lower into the castle and I realized that he was probably going to the Slytherin dormitories. I'd heard a rumor from one of the Hufflepuffs that the Slytherin dorms were somewhere in the dungeon levels of the school. It seemed the rumors were true.

I kept following Riddle, although I couldn't explain why. He walked deeper into the castle until I was thoroughly lost in the maze of corridors. Riddle seemed to know exactly where he was going though. He glided through the hallways like he was in his own home, confident and without hesitation.

He finally stopped at a wooden door practically hidden amid the pillars and statues. He pulled out his wand and I ducked around the corner, fearing he'd heard me.

"Alohomora," I heard him say. The door creaked open as Riddle yanked the handle.

"It's going to be okay," someone whispered.

I peered around the corner and caught a glimpse of a massive student hunched over a wooden crate. I recognized him as the large Gryffindor. Hagrid, I think his name was.

"Evening Hagrid," Riddle's voice dripped with scorn and pride all at the same time.

I crept closer to the doorway and jumped when I heard the crate lid bang shut.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to turn you in," Riddle said.

I tried not to shudder. He sounded almost sympathetic, which was terrifying, but I didn't understand what Riddle thought he needed to turn Hagrid in for.

"I don't think you meant for it to kill anyone."

I gasped and then slapped my hands over my mouth. Riddle thought Hagrid had killed Myrtle. But that didn't make any sense. Hagrid and Myrtle had never even spoken to one another as far as I knew. What was Riddle playing at?

"But you can't. You don't understand." Hagrid wrung his hands.

"The dead girl's parents will be here tomorrow. The least Hogwarts can do is make sure the monster that killed their daughter is slaughtered."

If Hagrid really had killed Myrtle then I wanted him dealt with, but saying he was a monster and calling for the Gryffindor's head seemed like overkill even to me.

"It wasn't him. Aragog never killed no one, never."

I frowned. Was there another person in the room that I couldn't see? Because Riddle and Hagrid were acting like there was another person. I'd never met or heard mention of a student named Aragog, but this was a large school and I knew I hadn't met everyone here.

"Monsters don't make good pets Hagrid," Riddle chastised.

I looked around the doorframe and saw Hagrid inching in front of the wooden crate.

"Now stand aside." Riddle ordered.

"No," Hagrid argued.

"Stand aside." I flinched from the coldness in Riddle's voice and it wasn't directed at me. I knew that he was reaching his limit and when his voice went cold, bad things happened, like me getting attacked in the library bad. "Stand aside Hagrid."

"No," came the stubborn reply.

Riddle whipped his wand in the air and pointed at the crate. I couldn't make out what he said, but the next instant, the lid burst off. I wanted to go inside and see what was hiding in the crate, but Riddle still looked murderous and I wasn't sure how to explain my presence in this part of the castle without admitting I'd followed him. If possible, I'd prefer to avoid all confrontations about that situation.

A scuttling sound came from inside the room and I almost screamed as a massive spider crawled out of the crate. It was as larger than a dining plate, probably even bigger than one of the gold platters our food was served on in the Great Hall.

It leaped out of the crate and onto the floor. It scurried in my direction and I tried not to scream for fear of drawing its or Riddle's attention. It raced across the corridor.

"Arania Exime," Riddle shouted, sending a blast of light after the spider. It was too far away and the blast hit the corner it scurried around.

"Aragog," I heard Harid call. "Aragog."

I realized that thing was the monster the two of them had been talking about. Then that means that this spider must have been the one responsible for Myrtle's death.

"I can't let you go Hagrid.They'll have your wand for this Hagrid. You'll be expelled." Riddle had his wand aimed at the larger man's chest when I looked back inside the room.