The Dark One (Harry Potter Fanfic) ||Complete||

15

"Hi Hannah," Tina greeted me at the breakfast table a week later.
"Hi," I replied gloomily as I sat down next to her.
"You're not still brooding over what he said?"
"I am," I sighed, "I just don't understand; how does he know?"
"You ant be sure what he said is true, I say he was just a lunatic telling fibs."
"I guess you're right." I said but deep down, it still bothered me.
"Good, now forget about it and just imagine; We're going to see the Duelling Competition this year!"
"Yeah, speaking of which, where is it?" I suddenly asked brightly.
"Eastern Russia!" She said happily.
"Hm..." I nodded, pretending to know where 'Russia' is.
Tina was about to start telling me what's gonna happen exactly, but she was interrupted by Professor Dumbledore.
"Excuse me Miss Tanfield, as much as I share your enthusiasm towards the International Wizarding Duelling Competition, I have to borrow Miss Longley for a short while."
"No worries. Do you also like the competition sir?" she asked.
"Yes, I think that's appropriate to say. I trust that I will see both you and Miss Longley there this summer?"
"Of course!" Her voice shot even higher in excitement.

I quickly said bye to Tina and followed Dumbledore to his office.

"Hannah, I wanted to talk to talk to you about Goodrich Gryffindor's room, or 'chamber' if you will."
I nodded, urging him to carry on.
"In light of what you have told me, I thought it only to be wise to examine it myself, along with the help of professor Snape of course."
"But how did you get in?"
"Once you've told me it was there it was unmistakable that there was strong magic surrounding the area, however it is not impossible to get in if you have the right intentions. I was shocked nevertheless that it has never caught our attention." He paused for a second then looked at me. "The magic used to conceal it was a blood line related one, therefore I am almost certain that you are indeed descended from Griffyndor."
"You what!" I asked in shock. Did he just confirm that the crazy man telling the truth? If that's the case then the rest of what he said could also be true.
"I think you've heard me Hannah," he said, "but more to the point, I wanted to let you know that all the gold and treasure down there will be transferred to your vault in Gringotts in the following weeks."
"Wha- Why? I don't even have a vault in Gringotts."
"Yes, that is why it hasn't been transferred yet. The bank is expecting your visit soon to open one with them."
"Okay, okay. But why me?"
"Well I think it is quite obvious that the treasure residing in there once belonged to Gryffindor, it is only natural for his only known descendant to inherit it. The minister for Magic argued that the items are 'meaningful historic artefacts and should belong to the ministry' but since there was sufficient evidence to prove your heritage, the court ruled otherwise."
"Merlin, this is a lot to take in."

I thought for a moment then realised he missed out something.
"What about the locket? Why won't it come off? Why did Voldemort want it so badly?" I blurted out.
"I think Voldemort wanted it purely to gain access to the parchment," he said while glancing at the ancient box I've given him a week ago, "however I do not understand why it doesn't come off, nor why it burnt you several times."
"I don't like the fact that a mysterious necklace has to dangle around my neck." I mumbled.
"It might be unnerving but I must remind you, it never posed any real danger to you, if anything, it seemed to have saved your life several times."

I nodded in acknowledgement.

"Is that all sir?"
"I should think so. I believe you know about what happened to Mr. Potter?"
I nodded again.
"Then I don't need to tell you that Voldemort is undoubtedly out there and will try to comeback using other methods."
"Of course he's out there! There was never any doubt! He's been haunting me ever since I can remember! I used to think that they were just dreams but they became too real for it not to be caused by a real person!"
"I apologise if I offended you, I didn't mean to do so, I just simply meant that he showed himself to more people than just you this time."
Sure you did. I thought.
"I wanted to warn you that despite the belief that Voldemort if only after Harry, he will most probably come for you too, though for the complete opposite reason. Although I understand that it is your decision in the end, it is important that you won't say the wrong thing when he asks you to join him."
"He asked several times before, I refused all of them. I have no desire to join a man who treats me like dirt."
"Thank you Hannah. I won't keep you any longer, go and enjoy the time you have left with your friends before the summer." He smiled.

*****

I spent the rest of the day discussing our results and summer plans with Tina and Millicent.
"We are going to visit my brother in Bulgaria," announced Millicent. "He went to Durmstrang, all my brothers do, my father wanted to enrol me there as well but the Professor Petrov, their deputy head said that my 'magical abilities weren't up to the Durmstrang standard'."
"Don't listen to them Millicent, everyone knows that Durmstrang doesn't take girls unless they are extremely good at magic by the time they get there." Tina tried to reassure the now sour faced Millicent.
"So... you have brothers!" I asked, trying to change the topic.
"Yeah, five actually, the oldest one, Bernard, works for the International Confederation of Wizards, and the rest, Edwin, Felix, Frank and Ludwig are still at school."
I looked at them in envy, such big families -- it must have been great to grow up in them.

We walked back to our common room when the sun has finally said goodbye and Tina remembered how upset she was about attaining the second highest score in all her exams.

"I'm going to beat Hermione one day! You'll see!" She said angrily as she pulled out her trunk from beneath her bed.
Millicent escaped quickly, claiming that she had to take a shower but I knew she just didn't want to be in the way in case Tina wanted to throw some punches around.

After what seemed like an endless pace up and down the dorm, she finally sat down next to me on her bed.
"You're so lucky!" She said, "I have to go home and face my mother as 'the second best', but you get to go home, open a vault in Gringotts and get so much gold you'll never have to worry about money ever again."
"Yeah but at least you have a mother to go home to." I reminded.
"Oh Hannah, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to-" she looked at me apologetically.
"I know don't worry. I just still can't believe Godric Gryffindor was one of my ancestors." I smiled.
"Oh please, get that smug look off your face!" She punched my shoulder lightly, "You might have Gryffindor blood pumping through your veins but you're a Slytherin inside and out; What you did that night wasn't brave, chivalrous and daring, it was snoopy, arrogant an reckless! If I'd have to put you in a house based on what you did, I'd put you in Slytherin for your determination to be stupid."
I thought for a second then decided to let it go, "Ah, things are better this way anyway, I mean if I were in different house then I would have never met you."
"Yeah, I don't know what you'd do without me." She laughed.

*****

I never imagined that I'd ever find stepping off of the Hogwarts express this hard, but I found myself having to be pushed off my Tina before finally accepting the cold truth; no more school until September.

I hugged Tina with a heavy heart and said goodbye to both her and Millicent in tears.

"Don't for get to write! I'm expecting letters every day!" I told them seriously.
"Of course we'll write!" Tina reassured me, "Oh look guys! There's my dad! Come! I'll introduce you!"
I didn't even have to to comprehend what she had said by the time her dad was shaking my hand.
"Nice to finally meet you Hannah." He smiled, "Tina has talked a lot about you. Apparently you're quite the quidditch player."
His tall, handsome figure towered over me like a tree. He was wearing a sharp grey suit, complemented by a black tie and glasses which gave the important businessman look, so it was only natural that I'd be shocked by his unusually welcoming manner.
"Yeah, I play a bit." I said shyly.
"A bit? I hear you're the seeker, the most important player!"
I nodded again uncertainly.
"Is it great when you're playing? The wind? The excitement? I could do it all day. Tell me, what types of brooms do you like?"
"Um... Well fast ones obviously," I smiled, "but I like taking sharp turns, and pull out of dives at the very last moment."
"Interesting... seekers usually prefer smooth flying... oh well, I guess everyone is different. I believe you're coming to Russia with us this summer?"
"Oh yes!"
"Very well, I will send a letter to your guardian explaining how we'll pick you up. Take care until then!" He said.
I waved until they faded into the distance.
I said goodbye to Millicent who said that her parents are going to be a bit late and ran through the brick wall to enter the middle world once more.

"Hannah dear, you look famished!" Was old lady Armelia's greeting.
"Nice to see you too." I said sarcastically, but I could help but notice that she too looked a bit 'famished'.
"Oh don't look so worried, I just decided to get into shape a little." She said, "Now tell me what was it like?"

Suddenly I realised that I had so much to tell her, and so much to do this summer that it might in fact... turn out to be... okay.