He Answered In Ink

Elena Everard is a Ravenclaw prefect who follows the rules.
As a Muggleborn witch in a year plagued by whispers of the Chamber of Secrets and students turning up petrified, she cannot afford not to.
So when she confiscates a suspicious diary from a frightened first-year named Ginny Weasley, she does what any responsible prefect would do-
She investigates.
She does not expect it to answer.
Tom Riddle is thoughtful. Intelligent. Attentive in ways no one else has ever been. In a castle gripped by fear and suspicion, his words feel steady. Safe. Understanding.
For the first time all year, Elena doesn't feel alone.
But comfort can be dangerous.
And the boy in the diary is more than ink and memory.
He is listening.