Child of Hogwarts: Part I

Chapter 23 - The Return of the Whispers

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

The Return of the Whispers

Harry slept very uneasily the next two nights, racked with worry about the missing diary, the continued state of alarm in the school, and the upcoming quidditch match. His already overtaxed brain was not aided by the constant prattle from Hermione and many of the other second-years about their course selections for next term – for the time to choose their electives was finally upon them. Most of the students in his form were appealing to older students or siblings for advice, and some were even writing home to ask their parents' opinions. Hermione, who was highly concerned that she might close down a future career path by eliminating a vital area of magical study too early, refused all suggestion but signed up for every single elective. Ron, who dearly wanted the least addition to his workload possible, enrolled in for Care of Magical Creatures because it sounded interesting and easy, and Divination because he'd heard Trelawney was something of a pushover. Harry decided he'd sign up for both of these electives as well – although he knew McGonagall was likely to scoff. To pacify both her and Hermione, he allowed the latter to bully him into choosing Arithmancy as well. The entire process had left Harry with a migraine by the time the selections were due.

When Ron shook him awake on Saturday, Harry could barely even summon the energy for enthusiasm about the match against Hufflepuff that morning, too exhausted from recurring nightmares and general disquiet... afraid that the thief who had stolen Riddle's diary could be sleeping in a neighbouring bed.

'Come on, mate,' Ron said, shoving him out of the bed. 'Get dressed! You've got to have something to eat, or you'll be rubbish out there today.'

Harry yawned deeply, pulling on his quidditch gear. Ron, though as worried as Harry and Hermione had been about the puzzling theft of the diary, clearly had his priorities set for the day. He jabbered on about the Hufflepuff team's inadequacies and the likelihood that Harry would be able to feint to divert their new seeker, as Harry prepared for the match. Harry found that keeping up the flow of one-sided conversation took only the occasional nod, or grunt, or 'Yeah, that's right' from him. He tried to channel some of Ron's excitement, but he couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something was off today.

The boys hurried into the common room, where Hermione was tapping her foot, waiting for them.

'We'd better hurry,' she said, giving her watch an anxious glance. 'There's not a lot of time for breakfast.'

'I know,' Ron moaned. 'It took me ages to get him up,' he complained. Harry rolled his eyes, leading the way out of the portrait hole.

The three of them were just coming down the steps to the entrance hall when Harry stopped suddenly, goose pimples rising on his arms. No... not today...

'Kill this time... Let me rip you, tear you, kill you...'

'The voice!' he cried, startling Ron and Hermione so badly, Ron nearly fell down the last two steps. They stared back at him in bewilderment.

'Didn't you hear it?' he asked them desperately.

Ron shook his head, looking blank, but Hermione suddenly gave a gasp, clutching at his arm.

'Oh, oh Harry!' she said, her face brightening immediately. 'I think I've got it! I understand... I just need to check, really quick – give me ten minutes in the library!' She stood on the tips of her toes on the step below, giving him a swift peck on the cheek before darting past him toward the library. Harry stared after her, shaking his head to clear it.

'But – Hermione, breakfast!' Ron shouted after her, looking horrified that she would even consider dashing off to the library when the window for food was so rapidly closing. She ignored him, continuing up the stops in a run. Ron snorted. 'You'd think she could explain for once, rather than tearing off and leaving us without a clue,' he said grumpily.