The Girl Who Had No Escape [1]

Year 2 - 27

It had been many weeks since Christmas, students returned from their holidays and the lessons started again. Hermione had to stay in the hospital wing for seven weeks, Cassiopeia visited often, bringing her the work she missed and just chatting in general. Cassiopeia had forgiven Amelia for avoiding the Slytherins, after some convincing. But Cassiopeia still made time for her group of boys. Cassiopeia was sitting in the hospital wing with Hermione, they were both doing some charms work, when Harry, Ron and Amelia rushed in. Hermione and Cassiopeia looked to them.

"Look what we found." Harry said, showing the two girls a black diary. Hermione took it from him and read the name inscribed on the back.

"Tom Marvolo Riddle" She read out. "Who's that?"

"All we know is that he got an award for 'services to the school' fifty years ago." Ron replied. Cassiopeia took the book from Hermione and examined it in her hands. The others were talking about the possibility of him knowing who opened the Chamber of Secrets last time. However, only Cassiopeia knew that in her hands was the diary belonging to her father. The diary belonging to the heir of Slytherin. The diary belonging to Lord Voldemort. The diary belonging to the person who opened the Chamber of Secrets then. The diary belonging to the person who was opening the Chamber of Secrets now.

"But there's nothing written in it. How can we figure out what he knew if there's nothing written in it?" Harry asked.

"Unless it's hidden." Hermione replied. She took the diary from Cassiopeia and tried to cast a revealing spell. But nothing happened. "I don't know then. Maybe only a certain person can read it, or something has to happen for it to appear."

"I'll take it back to the common room and figure it out." Harry replied.

"Time to go back to your common rooms." Madame Pomfrey said, coming towards the group. Everyone went their separate ways. But just before they could go out of sight, Cassiopeia turned.

"Harry?" She called. He turned to face her. "Try writing in it." She told him. He nodded and then the group went to their own dorms.

~*~

The next morning Harry met up with the others, Hermione now allowed out of the hospital wing. Once they got into the middle of the courtyard, away from everyone else, Harry turned to them.

"It was Hagrid!" He whispered. "He opened the Chamber of Secrets."

"Tom might've gotten the wrong person." Amelia reasoned.

"We always knew Hagrid had been expelled, and the attacks must've stopped after Hagrid was kicked out. Otherwise Riddle may have never gotten his award." Harry said.

"Maybe we should ask him?" Hermione said.

"Oh, that would be a cheerful visit. 'Hello Hagrid! Tell us have you been setting anything mad and hairy loose in the castle lately?'" Ron mocked.

"Mad an' hairy? Yeh wouldn't be talking abou' me now, would yeh?" Hagrid's voice came from behind them.

"No." They all replied in unison instantly. Hagrid looked at them strangely. Cassiopeia thought it would be best to change the topic.

"What you go there, Hagrid?" She asked, pointing to the bottle in his hand.

"Oh this. This is Flesh-Eatin' Slug Repellant. For the Mandrakes, yeh know?" He replied. "Professor Sprout says they've got a bit o' growing up to do, but soon they'll be able to chop 'em up and stew 'em. Get those people in the hospital wing unpetrified. Until then, yeh's five better be looking after yehselves." He said, he then walked off. Cassiopeia felt a feeling of regret in her stomach, she knew that one of them was going to be petrified.

"Harry!" Neville's voice said running up to them. "I don't know who's done it, but you better come quick!" The group immediately ran after Neville. They ran through the Gryffindor common room- despite two being Slytherins- and went up into the boys' dorm. One of the beds were destroyed. The duvet crumpled up and books thrown everywhere, pieces of parchment everywhere.

"It must have been a Gryffindor, no one else knows our password. Unless it wasn't a student." Hermione commented.

"They must have been looking for something." Cassiopeia commented.

"And they found it." Harry said after looking through the books. "Tom Riddle's diary is gone."

The group split ways for the night, all not knowing who could have stolen the diary. Harry wanted to keep searching, but Oliver Wood came and told him he needed rest for the Quidditch match the following day. Amelia and Cassiopeia made their way to their dorms and changed in silence, not wanting to wake the sleeping girls. Cassiopeia couldn't help but feel a pit in her stomach for tomorrow, she didn't know whether it was because something was going to happen, or whether it was because she had had a long day. She could only wait and find out.

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Thanks for reading

-Zoe