#( since no one uses the bathroom because of myrtle and the chamber )

[corneliaavenue-ao3]

the smallest man who ever lived (a graveyard fic)

Graveyard fics are fics that I started and will never return to. Some are vague outlines, some are 4 sentences, some are 40 pages. But if they haunt me, I want them to haunt you too.

This is a Tom Riddle/Myrtle Warren fic believe it or not. I was toying with the idea of what if Myrtle didn't die when she was supposed to, what if she took all of her feelings of being tormented and bullied and decided she wanted to fight back via Slytherin's Golden Boy.

The plot of this is very influenced by the bridge of the smallest man who ever lived.

The plan was that Tom petrifies one of Myrtle's bullies and then basically uses this as "blackmail" for the next year to get Myrtle to do some of his dirty work and to corrupt her little by litte. So we would see Myrtle using hexes on her classmates that Tom taught her to do, and justifying it because they made fun of her glasses.

In the end, the plan was at the end of Tom's 7th year, Myrtle's 5th, he offers to show her where the basilisk is and leads her to the chamber of secrets where he then still kills her and uses her death as the first horcrux, so nothing changes.

Myrtle still comes back as a ghost, but she haunts the chamber of secrets for 50 years (in 50 years will all this be declassified and you'll confess why you did it?) waiting for Tom to return.

And then he does with little Ginny Weasley in tow, and she realizes that he will always be the monster that manipulates vulnerable young women.

What I wrote is below the cut!

Being fourteen years old was the second worst thing you could wish on someone. The actual worst thing would be permanently frozen at the age of fourteen as a translucent ghost forever haunting the first floor girls’ lavatory. 

In another life, Myrtle Warren was seconds away from that fate. However, in this life, she has a different destiny.

“Go away!” Myrtle shouted into the now occupied bathroom. If Olive Hornby and her posse of bratty girls came in to continue to tease her about her glasses, Myrtle might finally curse them.

Instead of giggles, she heard a funny voice speaking a funny language. A male voice. 

She should confront the voice, tell him to go use his own toilet, but something in Myrtle’s head told her to stay still. She tucked her feet up on the stool, so they weren’t dangling and giving away her location to the strange male. 

Holding her breath, Myrtle listened closely to what was happening outside her stall. The creak and hiss of pipes reverberated in the lavatory. The male voice didn’t speak again, but she could definitely hear something move. She waited, bated breath, for the noise to stop.

It took several minutes, but finally the movement stopped. Myrtle felt it was finally safe for her to leave the shelter of her toilet stall and see exactly what that noise was. She was a Ravenclaw afterall, curiosity is part of her.

Standing right by the sinks stood Tom Riddle. Myrtle was very aware of the sixth year Slytherin boy, how could she not? Especially when Hornby’s posse loved gossiping about his black hair and long slender fingers. Not that Myrtle also did not think about his fingers, but at least she was better than gossiping about his slim digits. 

The same fingers that were holding onto the edge of a sink that had moved back exposing a large pipe in the floor.

“You’re not supposed to be here. This is a girls’ lavatory.” Myrtle’s voice wobbled, just slightly.

...

“Is this open pipe related to the petrifications occurring lately?” Myrtle asked.

Tom’s hand flexed, “And if it were?”

Myrtle lifted her chin up, not about to be intimidated by some boy in a girls’ restroom, “I would ask if petrifications are limited to just muggleborns, or if they can make exceptions for a mean, Pureblood Ravenclaw girl.

And Myrtle did something she never expected she would ever do. She made Tom Riddle smile.

For the first time since she stepped foot in the halls of Hogwarts, Myrtle Warren was enjoying listening to the morning gossip in the Great Hall. Students were running back and forth between tables. Cries of “Did you hear?” and “I can’t believe it happened to her!” bounced off of the ceiling. Not only had another student been petrified, it was a Pureblood student. 

Olive Hornby, in the middle of reapplying her lip gloss in the reflection of her compact mirror, was frozen in time.

And Myrtle Warren could not be happier. No one had teased her about her glasses all morning. 

---

“You have a diary?” Myrtle shrieked, picking up the black notebook. “Why?”

Tom looked up at the sky, sucking in a deep breath, as if he was contemplating if he would rather answer that question or curse her for it. “I write my thoughts so I don’t bother other people with them. You should try it sometime.”

---

“Do you want to see where that passage in the girls’ lavatory leads to?”

---

Death was painless.

Becoming a ghost was easy.

What hurt was the grief that stuck with her. The questions. The doubt. Why did Tom Riddle befriend her in the first place? Why did he kiss her just to kill her? She cursed the gods that placed Tom Riddle in her life in the first place. 

She haunted his secret chamber, his villain lair, making it unwelcoming if he were to ever return. 

Were you sent by someone who wanted me dead? Did you sleep with a gun underneath our bed? Were you writing a book? Were you a sleeper cell spy? In fifty years, will all this be declassified? And you'll confess why you did it. And I'll say, "Good riddance.” 'Cause it wasn't sexy once it wasn't forbidden. I would've died for your sins. Instead, I just died inside. And you deserve prison, but you won't get time. You'll slide into inboxes and slip through the bars. You crashed my party and your rental car. You said normal girls were boring, but you were gone by the morning. You kicked out the stage lights, but you're still performing. And in plain sight you hid, but you are what you did. And I'll forget you, but I'll never forgive the smallest man who ever lived.

[braveclementine]

Chapter 11

Warnings: None, Readers under 18 can read this book. It is solely fluff- nothing sexual

Copyright: I do not own any Wizarding World characters that J.K. Rowling wrote. I do however own Elizabeth Kane (main character) and Trang Nyguen (best friend). There should be no use of these two names without my permission. I also do not condone any copying of this.

.💚💚.

𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝖓𝖊𝖝𝖙 𝖒𝖔𝖗𝖓𝖎𝖓𝖌, I woke up late. Harry was already eating his breakfast- left handed as Madam Pomfrey was examining his right one.

"Ah Miss Kane!" Madam Pomfrey said as I sat up slowly. I felt my own arm. It still felt weird, probably a bad sign. "Yes, you'll need about two hours more."

I groaned. Harry winced, "Bad luck Liz."

I grinned at him. "How's the porridge?"

"Great." He said. He seemed a bit distracted. I wondered what they'd said after I'd been knocked out, but I couldn't bloody well ask with Madam Pomfrey right in front of us.

"Miss Kane, when your arm is finished healing, Professor Dumbledore wants to see you in his office." Madam Pomfrey said as she finished poking and prodding my sore arm.

I grimaced. "Lovely." I muttered.

Madam Pomfrey bustled off to go get my breakfast and Harry leaned over and asked, "Why do you think Dumbledore wants to see you?"

I shrugged, feeling guilty, "I have no idea. What did they say after I went under?"

Harry shrugged. "Not much really. Dumbledore just said that the chamber was opened again which I feel is pretty obvious now-"

"Only because Dobby told you seconds before." I pointed out genially.

"Anyways, Dumbledore feels that the more important question is how the chamber was opened rather than who opened it." Harry said, feeding himself more porridge.

I frowned, "Well then, it sounds as though he's already got an idea of who it is."

Harry frowned too. "I don't know. Neither do the other professors."

I didn't answer as Madam Pomfrey bustled over with my tray of porridge. I poured a godly amount of brown sugar, cinnamon, and milk into it before I ate it. Harry wrinkled his nose, "How can you stand that much sugar?"

I shrugged, my mouth full of sugar and milk. "It tastes better." I finally answered when I swallowed. "I love sugar."

"I can tell." Harry said with a laugh, finishing off his porridge.

"Oh, Harry." I said since Madam Pomfrey was out of earshot. "I'd go to Myrtle's bathroom, that's where Ron and Hermione will be."

Harry looked a bit confused, but gave me a thumbs up, and headed out of the hospital wing. I sighed, laying back down on the bed now that I had finished eating too. Harry was a slow eater. Then again, I'd damaged my bad arm and so I'd eaten with my good one.

I stared up at the ceiling. What could Dumbledore possibly want with me now? The next attack? I wasn't up to looking into the future today. There was a flash of images in my head, but nothing distinct and I pulled my pillow over my face. I wondered what dad would say if he knew I was in the hospital wing overnight for something stupid like this.

I thought you said you weren't going to interfere with the future, I scolded myself. I mean, you even told McGonagall that you don't interfere with the future, so why did you go against your own saying? And remember, you promised yourself this summer that you weren't going to get into trouble? What do you think you're in now?

Shut up, I answered myself in my mind. It was a simple fix really, I just missed the wand. Bad reflexes.

Oh yes, because Chasers have bad reflexes. Admit it, the wand was pulled back at the exact right moment for you to miss because you were trying to interfere!

I thought I told you to shut up?

I'm the rebellious part of your mind, and yet somehow, also the logical part of your mind. How about you reinstate that promise you made, not only to yourself, but also to your dad. I mean, how would he feel if you got hurt? I mean, you could end up petrified if you're not careful.

Shut up.

Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you.

I rolled over, trying to fall back asleep, and yet there was this internal battle raging through my head. I had promised not to intervene with the future and I couldn't even keep that promise. Now look where I was. I rolled back over, staring at the ceiling. No more.

Three and a half hours later I was standing in Professor Dumbledore's office. He was seated behind his desk. Professor Snape and McGonagall were standing to the side. Professor Dumbledore gestured that I should sit down in front of his desk. I complied, exhausted.

"How is your arm, Miss Kane?" Dumbledore asked.

"Better than yesterday." I said, waiting to know what he really wanted to know. I was so done with this.

"Wonderful." Dumbledore said, sounding distracted, "Now Miss Kane-"

I interrupted, feeling angsty again. "If you are about to ask me about the future, I honestly don't see anything of any importance." This was a complete lie, but I was done. If I had to lie to preserve the outcome, I would.

Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape both looked a little shocked. Perhaps because I'd interrupted Dumbledore, perhaps because they thought I had all the answers, perhaps because I did sound a little rude. Whatever the case, I did not look at them. I wasn't in the mood. My head was pounding, I felt like I was suffocating. I wanted to be away from everyone who knew that I could see the future. I wanted to be with someone that wouldn't ask questions.

Dumbledore bowed his head once. At least he wasn't looking at me like I was a rude little girl. "Very well Miss Kane. Please come back if anything changes."

"Right." I said, trying to sound politer than before.

I hurried from the room. Thank Merlin that was over! Even though I knew the other three were in Myrtles toilet working on the Polyjuice potion, I didn't feel like going. Instead, I headed down to Hagrid's and helped him work in his garden with Ginny.

.💚💚.

𝖂𝖍𝖊𝖓 𝕮𝖍𝖗𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖒𝖆𝖘 𝖇𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖐 started to roll in, Professor McGonagall collected names of who were staying at Hogwarts. I would've gone home, considering I didn't plan on being part of the Polyjuice fiasco one way or another. However, with dad being out of town, I wasn't going to be able to go home anyways.

I had already sent Dad his and Trang's Christmas presents. I'd gotten Trang a bunch of candy (again) and also a dragon ring like the one dad had given me. However, I had performed a bunch of spells to prevent the dragon from moving. I'd have to replenish the spells every summer, but I figured I'd be able to do so easily.

Christmas wasn't for another four weeks, but I knew that wherever dad was- he was far away and I wanted Trang to get her present in time.

My first Quidditch match came a week later. It was Hufflepuff vs. Ravenclaw. Cedric told us to have a good and easy game. I was so excited, I couldn't eat breakfast. Finally, Harry and Fred were able to convince me to eat some bacon, but at this point, I thought I may throw up.

I was glad we weren't playing against Slytherin as I walked down to the pitch with the rest of the team. Of course, if we won against Ravenclaw, then we'd play Slytherin. Hopefully we won that match and then we'd play Gryffindor for the cup. But first, we had to win this match first. I wasn't to worried- Cedric was a superb seeker.

It was freezing outside and snow was falling. I shivered in my robes. Hopefully the match would be quick and easy. I clutched my Nimbus 2000 tightly in my hand in the locker room. I wasn't able to sit down.

Cedric was talking strategy and I forced myself to listen. Then, we got ready to walk out and start the game. Cedric and the Ravenclaw captain (I forgot his name, perhaps Rogers?) shook hands and then Madam Hooch blew her whistle.

I kicked up off of the ground as Madam Hooch threw the ball up into the air. I held my breath. Luckily, Hufflepuff Chaser Heidi Macavoy caught the Quaffle. I flew some paces ahead and to the right while the other Chaser, Malcom Preece flew on the other side of her. I swerved in and out of the Ravenclaw chasers.

Then, I saw the Quaffle coming towards me. I swooped up and caught the Quaffle and then did a roll to dodge a bludger. I approached the goals, my heart beating fast. I dodged another chaser and then threw the Quaffle towards the right goal- the goal the keeper was farthest from. Grant Page flew down towards my Quaffle but missed by inches.

I heard cheers rise from the Hufflepuff and Gryffindor teams. Gryffindor was supporting Hufflepuff, mostly because of me if I'm going to be honest (and totally humble, totally).

I heard Lee's voice over the intercoms. "Hufflepuff's first score by Elizabeth Kane, newest member of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team. Hufflepuff leads 10-0."

I ignored the rest of his jibber-jabber as Heidi and I raced to the other end of the pitch, trying to catch Jeremy Stretton, the Ravenclaw Chaser with the Quaffle, racing towards our keeper, Herbert Fleet.

Then, Jeremy threw the Quaffle towards his fellow teammate near me, I quickly leaned forward, putting on an extra spurt of speed and reached out and managed to catch the Quaffle with two fingers, thrusting it towards my chest.

I turned around as quickly as the broom would allow and shot off in the opposite direction, dodging a bludger from one of the Ravenclaw beaters. I could hear Lee above the crowd going, "-nice intervention by Kane, now on her way to the other side of the pitch-"

The snow was coming down even harder. Out of my peripheral vision, I saw Jeremy coming up behind me and I quickly dove, throwing him off balance. I then swooped up and flew straight towards the goals. Grant watched me carefully and I feinted that I was going to throw right and then threw into the middle goal post. I had scored again.

The rest of the game passed rather easily, though tight. Ravenclaw scored twice in a row and Heidi managed to score four goals. Cedric and the Ravenclaw seeker were doing their best to find the snitch but as of so far, there had been no sign. The snow was coming down even harder and the wind was blowing the brooms and balls off course. We'd missed a goal because of a large gust of wind.

At this moment, Ravenclaw was up by 20 points or two goals. Malcolm had the Quaffle right now and I was nearby, ready to catch the Quaffle if he threw it towards me. I was starting to freeze, my fingers frozen to the broom. When was the game going to end?

Malcolm zoomed nearby and instinctively, I reached out for the ball and he passed it off. It was one of the tactics that we'd practice. I immediately skyrocketed to avoid two Ravenclaw chasers and then sped down towards the pitch. There was a large gust of wind and I narrowly avoided a runaway bludger. I also nearly dropped the Quaffle which threw me off balance and made me start to doubt if I was going to be able to score.

No. I couldn't think like that. I worked my way towards the end of the pitch. Grant was there, looking very uncomfortable on his broom.

"-Kane up to bat once again. Let's cross out fingers on this one Hufflepuffs!" Lee was shouting into his microphone. I took a deep breath and then threw with all my might. I crossed my own fingers as the Quaffle approached the goal. Grant zoomed up towards the middle of the goal posts and nearly got it, his fingers just brushed it and I gasped aloud, but his fingers didn't make purchase.

I pumped my fist into the air and then dove to come on level with the Ravenclaw Chaser who had grabbed the Quaffle. I was having the time of my life.

"-Kane scores once again!" Lee was shouting. "She's unstoppable."

My cheeks burned with pride. If only my dad could've seen my performance. I bumped into the Ravenclaw Chaser, knocking the Quaffle out of her hands so that Heidi could catch it. Heidi, Malcolm, and I sped off in the opposite direction. If we scored, we'd be tied with Ravenclaw. Now, if only Cedric could find the snitch.

Heidi carried the Quaffle until the Ravenclaws started swarming.

"- Nice pass from Macavoy to Kane." Lee was commenting. "Kane takes the Quaffle to the end of the pitch and ooh, close call, almost bludgeoned by a bludger. And Kane fly's up to score and ooh-"

I was pummeled from the side by the same Ravenclaw I had stolen the Quaffle from just moments earlier. I had two options to make in a split second- let go of the Quaffle and hang onto my broom or hold onto the Quaffle and hope that I could stay on by just tightening my legs around the broom.

I went with the second option.

I hugged the Quaffle to my chest while my legs tightened around the thin broom. My broom was spinning off course and I nearly closed my eyes except I needed to keep them open. There were many gasps from the crowd. I gritted my teeth. I WAS GOING TO WIN THIS MATCH! I was upside down at that moment and there were actually a couple screams from the crowd. Heidi flew below me, and I dropped the Quaffle into her hands, and then rightened myself up.

There were cheers from the crowd and Lee was shouting something complimentary into the magical microphone that I couldn't hear as the blood rushed back from my head. Heidi scored and as she flew past, gave me a high five. I was grinning.

At that moment, the whistle sounded and I made my way back down to the ground. We'd won! Cedric had caught the snitch and we'd won! We were all grinning like idiots and high-fiving each other.

We headed into the team locker room to change and get ready for the party that Hufflepuff would be throwing.

I left the changing room a bit after all the others and found myself being bombarded by Harry, Ron, Harry, Fred, George, and Lee.

"Congratulations Liz!" Fred said, pulling me in a huge bear hug.

"Thanks Fred!" I squealed, wrapping my arms around his neck.

"You rocked it girl!" Lee shouted, also pulling me into a tight hug.

"That crazy upside down move you did was so wicked!" George said with a grin.

We headed inside, laughing and shouting.

"Aren't you going to the house party?" Ron asked, as I started down the hallway towards the Transfiguration classroom.

"Oh, no." I said, waving my hand like it didn't matter, though I did want to go. "I have a private lesson with Professor Mc-"

"Absolutely not Miss Kane." Professor McGonagall's voice came from down the hallway. The teachers were entering the castle at the moment. "You flew wonderfully today. Go enjoy the party with your fellow teammates. We'll reschedule the private lesson for tomorr-."

"Actually. . ." Snape said slowly, who had followed her over. "I have her tomorrow."

I blushed just slightly.

"The day after then." Professor McGonagall said warmly, "Unless you have a different class on that day?"

I shook my head. "Two days from now I'll be at your classroom."

"Lovely." Professor McGonagall said with a thin smile, and then turned, and walked down the hallway.

"How many private lessons are you taking?" Harry asked.

"Oh ummm, three official ones." I said. That didn't include helping Hagrid or Sprout in the garden or greenhouses. Or the centaurs, if I was still going to do that.

"Why would you torture yourself like that?" George asked repulsed. "Especially potions?"

"Excuse me?" Professor Snape said icily, towering over George. George grinned in his face.

I giggled. "I happen to find potions one of my favorite classes. Especially the private ones."

Some colour spread into Snape's' cheeks. He turned and stalked off towards the dungeons. I waved to the others and hurried to the common room where the others were waiting for me to celebrate with them.

.💚💚.

𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝖓𝖊𝖝𝖙 𝖉𝖆𝖞, I was in the freezing cold dungeon and Snape was in a horrible mood when I came in. "Er, should I come back? You look angry." I said honestly as he angrily cleaned up a spill on the floor.

His expression softened slightly and he shook his head, his teeth clenched to tightly to speak. I sat down uncertainly in my seat.

"Someone threw a firework in a potion today." Snape finally said. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about that?"

I blushed. That had been our plan so that Hermione could steal some ingredients from Snape but I didn't know anything about that.

"Er- no?" I said, my cheeks colouring.

Snape was done fixing the mess. "You flew well yesterday." He said, his back to me.

"Thanks." I said, my cheeks even redder than before. There must be something wrong with me if I looked for his praise above all others, even my dad. "That means a lot, coming from you." I muttered, looking down at the table.

Silence again. I bit the inside of my cheek. Bloody hell, what was I doing?

"I've decided I'll tutor you in Defense Against the Dark Arts." Snape said, turning around for a moment, his cheeks seemed a bit pinker than usual.

"Yes!" I said, slightly louder than I meant to.

He snorted, "Yes, yes, so exciting."

"Sorry, but I really am glad you're doing this. Lockhart-"

"Is an idiot?" Snape asked.

"He doesn't know what he's doing." I said, blushing as I knew he was quoting what I'd said before.

"No." Snape said, turning back around to his desk and rearranging something. "No he does not. We'll start the Defense Against the Dark Arts lessons on Mondays, good?"

"Yes." I said, because that wouldn't clash with anything.

Snape turned back around again and sat across from me. "Today I'm going over the different properties of roses. Pay attention."

He didn't have to tell me twice.

.💚💚.

𝕬 𝖜𝖊𝖊𝖐 𝖑𝖆𝖙𝖊𝖗, Harry, Hermione, Ron, and I were walking across the entrance hall when we saw that a bunch of people were crowded around the notice board that Hogwarts had up year round. This was where everything about new clubs and events were posted. But there was rarely anything interesting enough that so many people would be crowded around it.

"Wonder what's up." I said aloud and we walked over. Seamus and Dean pointed excitedly like we couldn't read and said, "They're starting a Dueling Club! First meeting tonight! I wouldn't mind dueling lessons; they might come in handy one of these days. . ."

"What, you reckon Slytherin's monster can duel?" Ron asked sarcastically, but he continued to read the sign with interest.

"Could be useful." He said to the three of us as we walked over to the Gryffindor dinner table. "Shall we go?"

I knew Lockhart was going to be dueling so I wanted to say no, but at the same time, I knew Snape would be there and that alone was what made me say yes. I didn't eat at the Gryffindor table tonight, I was eating with the Hufflepuff Quidditch team.

Cedric and the others were already sitting down when I came over, talking and laughing, and I took a seat next to Heidi. Cedric smiled over at me and I felt my heart flutter. Stupid, stupid.

I whispered to Heidi, "Are you going to the Dueling club tonight?"

Heidi shook her head. "Nah, I don't think it's going to be that useful. Besides, I have a lot of homework. Are you going?"

I sighed. "I honestly don't know. I have homework too, but I don't know- maybe I can learn some new spells."

Heidi nodded in approval. "That is true. I wonder who will be teaching the class."

"Lockhart and Snape." I said automatically without thinking.

Heidi's cheeks coloured, "Professor Lockhart is going to be there?"

I nodded, sighing. Sometimes my girlfriends could be very girlish. But I didn't say a single word against him like I would've if Hermione had said the same thing, "He's the one who set it up."

"Hmm." Heidi said, thinking now and glanced up at the Professors table. "Maybe I might come for a couple of minutes. . ."

I giggled but kept my opinions to myself. After all, the only reason I was going was because I knew Snape was going to be there. Automatically, I looked up to the teachers table and locked eyes with him. I quickly looked away, cheeks colouring. Bloody hell.

But really, wasn't there a difference between me and other girls? They liked Lockhart because he was a fluff-head pretty boy, right? But Professor Snape wasn't really as handsome as Lockhart- that was a given. But Professor Snape had character, didn't he? He had secrets he kept inside and a different person that he kept hidden. And wasn't learning about a person what made you love them?

Of course, I didn't love Professor Snape, but I couldn't deny that there was a type of attraction that I felt for him. But was it really all that more different from how I felt about Hagrid or Professor McGonagall? I mean, I admired them and loved them because they were so much older and wiser. But wasn't that how I felt about Professor Snape too? Surely it was. I couldn't possibly love a Professor and these girl students didn't love Lockhart. They just thought he was hot. But that wasn't really love, was it?

Yet. . . it did feel different with Snape than the other Professors. I sighed, shaking my head. No matter, after all, whether my feelings of affection were different or not was irrelevant. One had to return them for them to matter. You could love someone all you wanted but if they didn't like you back, your feelings were irrelevant.

I got up from the table, waving to my fellow teammates, and headed to the library to finish my Potions essay before the dueling club. Oh, I couldn't wait to watch Severus destroy Gilderoy in battle. My lips curled into a smile and I found it difficult to focus on my essay.

⬅️➡️

[redvmvncy]

juliet had always avoided the bathroom that was moaning myrtle’s, she knew what was in there too, the entrance to the chamber of secrets. a place created by her ancestor and opened by her father twice to kill muggleborns. she had never seen it, but she was always drawn to it. and today was a day that myrtle wasn’t in the bathroom, so juliet entered it. she went over to the sink and felt the snake on one of the faucet but before anything could be done next she saw someone behind her and jumped back. “i wasn’t expecting anyone to be in here.” she said honestly.

[dracowars]

obsessed | tom riddle

pairing: tom x reader

word count: 2,9k

summary: where y/n dislikes tom's obsession of becoming the dark lord

a/n: my first tom imagine for @creeping156tin !!! i hope you enjoy it as much as i enjoyed writing it <3

warnings: angst, claustrophobia, mentions of blood

universe: harry potter

A loud, painful scream suddenly pulls you out of your deep, peaceful sleep and you shoot up from your bed, your dorm room almost completely wrapped in darkness except for a few dim candlelights.

"What was that?!", your roommate asks you in fear and lights up all the lamps in your room with a spell. The other two girls also look around anxiously and neither of you know an answer to the question.

Until you suddenly hear numerous voices and steps outside your room and you quickly jump up, your friends accompanying you as you quietly open the heavy door. Carefully, you peer out of the narrow gap, only to see how all the other students in your house are running around in front of it, frightened.

"What is going on here?", you ask one of the students who you get hold of first, and look at him expectantly but somehow also a little bit scared.

"Somebody is supposed to have died!", he answers you shortly and as fast as you stopped him, he sprints off again, following the others.

Taking a look at your friends, who are still standing close behind you at the door, you can see the pure fear in their eyes. And even though they do not look like they want to leave your dorm any time soon, they nod understandingly as a sign that they still want to come with you. After all, there have always been a lot of rumours going around Hogwarts that were ultimately false anyway.

Hastily grabbing your cloaks in the colors of your house, you follow the other students out into the dark and cold corridors of Hogwarts. One of your friend is clinging onto your left arm while you are busy seeing where everyone is going.

Although you are never really afraid of anything, you now have a very uncomfortable feeling in your stomach area. The high-pitched, deafening scream from earlier still gives you an incredible amount of goosebumps all over your body and thousands of questions fly through your head.

If someone was actually killed, then who? And above all, by whom?

The four of you continue to follow the crowd, which already seems pretty strange to you as this succeeds without further problems because no teacher is patrolling the corridors like usually, and you finally stop in a long, illuminated hallway. Half of the school is probably in this certain hallway right now and romps into a big pile.

The feeling of fear is suddenly overshadowed by worry as your thoughts wander off while you get closer to the crowd. They wander off to Tom Riddle, your best friend.

The questions where he is and whether he is okay or not buzz through your mind and your knees become much shakier than before.

What if something happened to him?

Not wanting to further think about the possible worst case scenarios, you continue on your way. Everyone in the crowd is whispering wildly and you can only pick up a few snippets of words here and there that do not help you at all. The longer you stay among them, the worse you get. However, you are abruptly freed from this bad feeling when a loud shout echoes through the corridor all of a sudden.

"All students have to go back to their rooms immediately! There is nothing to see here", you recognize Armando Dippet's, the headmaster's, voice in the exclamation that silenced everyone.

But due to the fact that the headmaster himself is here right now, the feeling of uncertainty returns inside of you because it cannot mean anything good if he has to be here at this late hour. Apparently not only you think that way, because suddenly the murmuring around you gets louder again.

Across the hall you spot Dippet and several other teachers, including Dumbledore, who are currently trying to hold the students back. At first it is quite difficult for you to see from what exactly they are holding them back, but in the next moment you notice the door to the girls' bathroom and how it opens.

An unknown person steps out of and you catch a glimpse through the now opened door to a stretcher with a white cloth on top of it. You have to swallow hard at the sight, but you do not have time to see more as you are rudely pushed aside.

"It's Myrtle!"

"The Chamber of Secrets has been opened!"

The teachers from each house immediately begin to bring the students back to their common rooms after the exclamations, which is why you are pushed around even more now. Meanwhile you have already lost your friends in the crowd and the whispering around you is getting louder and louder with each second, so that you slowly but surely lose your orientation.

But suddenly everything around you falls silent when your gaze lands on him.

"Tom!", you loudly call out his name and try to somehow fight your way through the crowd. However, he does not seem to have heard you and just keeps staring in the direction of the bathroom before turning away to walk into the other direction.

Finally being able to free yourself from the crowd, you take a deep breath and follow your boyfriend as quickly as possible so that you do not lose him in the labyrinth of corridors and staircases.

"Tom! Wait!", you yell after him when you spot him at the end of an empty hallway. He flinches briefly before he turns around and recognizes you, relief written over his face.

Your steps echo loudly from the walls as you fall around his neck and deeply inhale his scent, calming you down right away.

"What are you doing here, Y/N? You should be on your way back to your dorm by now", he says with such tension in his voice that you immediately break the hug and get away from him, looking at him worriedly.

"What is it?", you ask him directly, his expression how you have never seen it before. Kind of obsessed.

"Nothing. What should be, sweetheart? I am fine", he assures you and places his hand against your cheek, placing a gentle kiss on your forehead which is apparently meant to calm you down. You softly press his hand back on your cheek with your own as he tries to loosen it.

"Somebody was murdered, Tom. How can you be doing fine? That is terrible!", you express frightened and look deep into his eyes, in which you can see nothing but a crazy twinkle. "There is something else that is bothering you. I can see it, Tom. Tell me."

Finally removing his hand from you, he stares at you for a moment, completely speechless. It just does not go into his head how you can see through him so easily, how you can detect everything within seconds. He was never used to beeing looked after by someone, but since you came into his life, his otherwise dark and cold soul started to feel a little bit brighter and warmer with each minute he has spent with you so far.

"Talk to me, Tom. They said something about the Chamber of Secrets. Have you not been talking about it for two weeks?", you mention and want to step closer to him again, but he immediately takes a step back and lets the cold of the night envelop your body.

"You wouldn't understand anyway", he scoffs, averting his gaze from you while convulsively clenching his hands into fists and all of a sudden he no longer looks like the Tom Riddle with whom you fell so deeply in love with.

"What did you do, Tom?", you shakily breathe out, fear flowing through your body because of the fact that might really have something to do with this. Since his response is taking an unnaturally long time to come, tears already form in your eyes, but your voice is failing you as you try to speak up.

"I finally made it, Y/N. I finally opened the Chamber of Secrets", he admits and your breath gets caught in your throat, the satisfied smile on his lips disturbing you. "I can finally sleep in peace again. It was amazing, Y/N!"

Staring at him in disbelief as he is basically enjoying what he has done right in front of your eyes, a tear finds its way down your cheek and you barely dare to say your next words.

"Please tell me that you have nothing to do with her death", you utter, hurt evident in your voice, and look at him with a heartbreaking expression on your face.

"It is not my fault that this stupid girl was in that bathroom, but believe me I would do it again every damn time", he explains in all honesty and tries to convince you that nothing is wrong with his actions. "I would open the chamber again every time, Y/N. I knew you wouldn't understand!"

In fact, yes, you could not for the life of you understand. None of his words make any sense to you. You have had this conversation many times already in the past. And every time it ended the same way: you were deeply hurt and he just left. For him everything revolves around his dream of becoming a Dark Lord who rules the whole wizarding world.

"Tom, you killed someone! Of course I do not understand! What do you expect from me? That I am happy for you?", you yell at him, now with much more anger than sadness in your voice.

"Well, yes. That would be an idea for once instead of trying to reprimand me again and again", he rolles his eyes in annoyance and gives you a derogative look.

"All I ever wanted was to protect you from doing something stupid that you may never be able to to reverse, but obviously I miserably failed", you sob as you cannot longer keep your tears under control.

"I never asked you to", he hisses with no emotion.

"I have always taken care of you and this is how you thank me!?", you angrily scream in his face, but he does not even move an inch. "Stop this stupid rambling about becoming a Dark Lord or.. Or otherwise I will never talk to you again, Tom."

"Then leave! I don't need you. Get out of my life!", he yells at you when he can no longer hold back his emotions and you feel your heart break in two, but do as he pleases and leave without another word.

Two weeks later and almost no one talks about the incident anymore, even though a fellow student was brutally killed. However, it is more than fine for you if it means that you will not be reminded of him and his hurtful words towards you every time.

"Hey, Y/N. You look so pale today. Is everything alright?", your friend asks you as she worriedly looks at your still full plate, which you have not touched yet, just like the weeks before.

With a forced smile you nod at her, signalising that you are fine, when in reality you are anything but fine. You have never felt this bad in your life.

Maybe you and Tom were just best friends and not meant to be, but you always felt a different kind of feeling towards him that was definetely beyond friendship. And for a while you even imagined that he could maybe feel the same way.

Oh, and how wrong you were.

Listlessly moving your meanwhile cold food around on your plate, you listen to the conversation of your group of friends who are animatedly talking about today's Quidditch game. But somehow your brain cannot process any of their words correctly since your thoughts keep wandering back to him.

You have not seen him since the terrible incident, neither in class nor in the hallways. Even though you forbid yourself it, you still worry about him despite everything that happened between you. You do not want to give him the satisfaction that he is still continuously on your mind, but you just cannot help it.

"Y/N! Will you be at the Quidditch game today as well? We want to make a detour to the lake afterwards", one of your friends asks you enthusiastically and without really thinking about it, you agree with a nod. A little distraction will not hurt you.

Later in the day, after your class in Muggle Studies, you make your way back to your dorm to prepare for the Quidditch game later. Stepping up the stairs you spontaneously decide that you want to let your thoughts dangle a bit more so you make a detour through Hogwarts to get to the courtyard to get some fresh air.

With your books tucked under your arm, you run down the stairs and slowly walk through the long corridor to the clock tower. With your gaze focused on the deserted hallway in front of you, you are about to reach the junction to the courtyard when a person steps into your field of vision. A person you did not expect.

At the other end of the corridor is none other than Tom himself, who, just like you, abruptly stopped walking when he spotted you on the other side. For a short moment you stare at each other from the distance.

This moment does not last long when the painful memories appear in your head again. You lower your gaze to the floor, avoiding eye contact, press your books against your chest as if they could protect you as a shield, and turn to the courtyard.

Fortunately, you do not hear any footsteps behind you and you assume that he does not dare to follow you, which is why you slow down your pace and take in a deep breath when you arrive outside. There is no one around, only the birds happily chirp over your head, until you hear loud steps behind you all of a sudden.

"Y/N!", he calls you and you freeze in your movement, your heart racing.

With shaking hands you turn to him, despite the countless warnings in your head. Tom is only a few meters away, a sad look on his flawless face.

You do not say a word, just wait for what he has to say to you. If he even has anything to say at all.

"I am so glad I found you", he exhales heavily and runs his hand through his brown hair. You immediately notice the dried blood on his hand.

"You are bleeding", the words pour out of of you unintentionally, obviously showing him that you still care about him after all. You prevent yourself from thinking about the cause of his injury.

"O-Oh, yes. Well, that is not that bad", he laughs nervously, but your eyes stick to his injured hand until he hides it behind his back. "We need to talk, Y/N."

"What is there to still talk about? I have nothing to say to you."

"I know", Tom sighs, not quite sure what to say himself. Silence spreads between you again until you break it with a loud scoff.

"Good. If you have nothing to say either, then I can go", you accuse him before walking past him, but you are promptly grabbed by the wrist and pulled back.

"I love you", he confesses out of nowhere and even though these are the words that you always wanted to hear so bad, tears form in your eyes and you angrily swat your hand out of his grasp.

"That is not fair, Tom! You can't just tell me something like that after you broke my heart and destroyed our friendship!", you whine and quickly wipe the tears away as he gets closer to you.

"I was so damn stupid, Y/N. I did not know what I had until I lost it", he explains dejectedly and watches how one of your tears slowly rolls down your cheek. "I am so sorry. I am not worth crying for."

"It is too late for that now", you sob and want to turn away again when he suddenly grabs your face with his hands and pulls you into a gentle kiss that says more that words could ever express. And the worst part of it is that you do not fight against it, you just let it happen. You might even enjoy it a little even though this is definetely not how you imagined your first kiss with him to be.

"I really love you, Y/N. I realized it now", he whispers after he broke the kiss, a small smile on his lips because you did not reject him.

"Tom-", you try to answer, but he stops you by laying his finger on your lips.

"I know what you want to say. I closed the Chamber of Secrets again and finished thinking about becoming a Dark Lord once and for all. Your are much more important to me than that", he tells you and you can cleary hear out the sincerity in his voice.

He is back. Your Tom is finally back.

Happily, you jump around his neck and tightly squeeze him, wettening his cloak, and in the next moment you punch him hard against his chest. Laughing, he takes your hand in his and places a kiss on top of it.

"Now please tell me what you did with your hand and do not lie to me, I warn you", you admonish him while he lets you take his hand to have a closer look at his small injury.

"You wouldn't believe me if I said that I wanted to get you flowers, right? But funny thing is that it is exactly what I tried."

[yuufujimaru]

How does interactions between Yuu and Myrtle Warren go? Anything interesting? What does she think of Yuu? First impressions? ~🔮anon

To be honest I don’t like Myrtle and Yuu wouldn’t either because she just does a lot of self pity and I don’t vibe with that. 

TRIGGER WARNING: Mentions of Suicide and Murder. 

“I swear to god if they don’t start leaving me alone…” Yuu grumbled, undoing his tie as he rushed into the bathroom once more. 

Third year and he has yet to shake off those damned teachers. 

“And it’s only the start of the school year too,” Yuu huffed, crossing his arms as he debated in going down into the chamber. 

The corpse is long since gone and its valuable materials have been taken by him and his father for experiments…not like it’s worth a damn at the moment with Malfoy breathing down his neck. But he and his father could make use of the venom for preparations for the future for sure and it never hurts to be safe. 

‘You shouldn’t be here.” 

“I am sure that you allowed that Trio of Gryffindor’s here last winter break,” Yuu stated back blandly, turning around to look at the person who spoke before he stilled. 

No one was…

“You're the ghost that haunts this toilet,” Yuu commented. 

Bad enough he had the teachers on his ass not even the first week of class but if this ghost decided to try and rat him out he was going to be so pissed. 

“And you're the boy everyone hails as a genius but I see you as a bully,” her voice was nasally as she floated out and he found himself groaning in annoyance. 

“And I see you as someone who never had much confidence. Died here huh? Pull an Elvis,” he sneered, having already figured out by her posture she was the self deprecating and she blamed her faults on others. 

“What?” 

“Past your time,,,but no doubt not true,” He sighed, pushing his hair back. “Look, I don’t care about whatever self loathing you're doing here but leave me be and I will leave you alone.” 

‘It’s not true! You're here to bully me and-and go into that chamber that held the thing that killed me,” she accused, pointing at the circle of sinks. “I saw you last year-” 

“Dumbledore knows so you don’t have to worry about me going all crazy psycho murderer,” he commented with a snort. “And if I were you I would work on your personality.” 

“Wh…What do you mean,” she demanded, floating up quickly in a show to intimidate the boy. 

“What I mean is I have heard about you and I know your type,” he snorted, crossing his arms. “You really are pathetic in death as you were in life Myrtle Warren,” he mocked, the girl hissing slightly as she clenched her fists. “Only the 1st and second years can stand you, after that everyone realizes that you are just projecting self pity and making them feel bad for you who never did shit about her circumstances. And you know? They just don’t need that,” he snorted. 

“They are nothing but liars and traitors! I thought they were my friends-” 

“You just want to whine about your life and death, that’s all you do. At least some of the ghosts here actually do something about the fact they are here. Even Peeves, even if I hate the bugger,” Yuu huffed. “You? You refuse to leave a perfectly functional bathroom scaring off the girls to use the other floors bathroom because you don’t like it when they are on ‘your turf.’ And it’s lame,” Yuu shook his head. 

“Shut up!” 

“And there you go, whining when someone is shoving cold hard truth down your throat,” she scoffed like he was disappointed. “Don’t be surprised that I know all about you either,” he stopped her as she opened her mouth. “Not only do the students and ghosts talk, they gossip and they don’t like you.” 

“I know that-” 

“And You don’t like them and I wonder why you haven't tried anything to actually make yourself likable,” he demanded. “Instead of bemoaning about your fate, how about you use this…really questionable second chance to try and help people.” 

“No one ever helped me,’ she sneered. “Why should I help them!” 

“....You have been here for 50 years and still are so petty,” he shook his head. “And your penchant for liking how students have accidents isn’t really helping your case.” 

He moved top leave, content with staying in his new dorm until Myrtle spoke. 

“When that first Mirror failed…you should have slit your wrists,” she commented, Yuu himself stilling turning to look at her with an incredulous look. 

“Are you fucking serious you annoying little pissant,” he demanded, turning on his heel, locking his hands together behind him as he glowered at her. “How spiteful are you to wish death upon another who is younger than you?” 

Myrtle was silent as she floated above him for a sense of superiority before the air shifted and she fell to the ground, yelping as her ability to float was gone. 

“Wh…huh,” she gasped as Yuu continued to stare at her, eyes glowing an unnatural color as he walked forward. 

“Onmyoji, the famous Wizards of Japan, they had the powers and duty to capture spirits…I am not only descended from the man compared to Merlin…but the man also compared to Morgan le Fay,” he hissed, kneeling down to lock eyes with her. “You are to never wish death or harm upon another student. Or I will capture your spirit in a sealing talisman and never let you go,” he warned, glowering into her eyes as she shivered. 

“Y…You can’t do that! Dumbledore-” 

“I am his beloved student and I am the second in this school, teachers be damned,” he hissed. “Hogwarts listens to my will and from today onwards you are banned from this bathroom and all others. You will not inconvenience the poor girls of this school so long as I am here and if I find out you are bothering students because of these acts or if the ghosts tell me you're bugging them because of me…I will be coming to search for you and it won’t be pretty.” 

“...The teachers were right.” 

“Hmm?” 

“You're a monster.” 

Yuu stood up, eyes dimming as he clenched his hands. 

‘They don’t know shit about me and they think they are gods over me. When I am clearly superior,” he smirked. “Make no mistake, I am under no illusion that I could beat them all. But so long as Dumbledore is on my side, they are very limited on what they can do. Now with his continued backing, I am untouchable. But this is no arrogance, arrogance is being in over your head and thinking you can do anything and everything without repercussions. I am not arrogant, but I am intelligent and I know what I can do and what I cannot.” 

“It’s not going to last. Dumbledore is a fleeting ma-” 

“He’s a manipulator and I am a Queen on the chessboard acting as a pawn,” he smirked. “You don’t know shit about this school and just because you're a ghost doesn’t mean anything. You're as clueless as a student.” 

“I’ll tell everyone your nothing but a bully and a-a-” 

``Nothing they haven’t-one, heard before and two, would believe your other claims-because no one likes you,” he smiled. “Have a nice day.” 

He left and from that day forward Myrtle vanished, hiding in the highest tower, waiting until the day Yuu finally left for good. 

The older years, the females that is, gifted Yuu a basket of skin care as a gag gift as a thank you. They did not anticipate how genuinely happy he was; but they did jump on the free tutoring offer.

[easily-infatuated23]

The Tub: Draco Malfoy x Reader

a/n: this is my first one of these so sorry if it sucks but here goes nothing!

Part Two Here

warnings: just some light fluff, small mention of bullying

summary: reader is having a really hard day and when she goes to relax in the prefects bathroom the unexpected occurs 

word count: 2k

The castle is enormous. So enormous that getting lost becomes part of my daily routine. But sometimes, its so crushingly small it's hard to find a place to be alone to get away from the constant noise of what feels like hundreds of middle and high school students. Everyone’s first choice of escape is the astronomy tower, so much so that a Ravenclaw tried to institute a sign up sheet as to insure the crowds wouldn’t mass as much. They were unsuccessful. The truly hidden places of the castle are few and far between and for those of us who aren’t lucky enough to find the Room of Requirement, we must get creative. The most recent spot I have found is the Prefect’s bathroom on the sixth floor. Moaning Myrtle will sometimes float through but we are on good terms so she generally will leave me alone.

As a Seer, the noise of the world is extra loud in my head. It's bad enough to have the regular noise, but the passing through of others’ thoughts is exhausting. I have gotten better at shielding myself but it takes a lot of energy. The Prefect’s bathroom has been a wonderful solution because within the chamber is a large bathtub which I use as a jacuzzi, to relax and reset. I am just so tired. The added layer of being Seer as well as a non pure-blood in Slytherin, takes its own individual toll. My family had been pure-blood until my parents. My mother had married a muggle man.

I started late in the sequence of years at Hogwarts. My family moved from America to England which meant I transferred into school third year. For a while people were interested in me but that died down within the first month. However, when I let my family heritage slip, I became as talked about as Harry Potter. As a descendant of Merlin himself, people began to attempt to get close to me just for the idea of “fame” rubbing off onto them. Harry and I have had discussions about it together but I know he secretly enjoys it, even if he doesn’t know he does.

Today wasn’t just any typical Thursday. The excitement for Christmas break was buzzing around the castle, practically inescapable. The world was loud and I was tired. Luckily, today is a short day so I was able to escape to the Prefect’s bathroom after lunch. I usually waited until I knew most of the castle was either at a meal or doing homework but today the world had been especially loud. I tentatively filled the tub checking my surroundings for a stray ghost or student. Once it was full I climbed in and allowed myself to fully relax. The noise melted away and it was like I could finally breathe.

After only fifteen short minutes I heard footsteps and looked up to see the last person I would expect or want to see, Draco Malfoy. The Prince of pure-blood Slytherin, the cruelest person within the castle besides Professor Snape. He had never gone out of his way to be mean to me in particular, but if one of his buddies started something he would be sure to join in. When people found out about my abilities, I had been forced to read him in front of practically the whole school. I saw such pain and fear in his life that I nearly passed out. To prove to him that my abilities were real, he told me to tell him something from his past only he would know. I said “a talking diary and a ripped page from a bookstore”. Ever since then, he never challenged me again. And yet here he was now, invading my hidden corner, my escape from everyone.

We locked eyes as he walked in and we both froze. “What are you doing in here?” he asked sharply. I didn’t reply but simply began to get out and grab my things when his voice interrupted my actions. “I’m not gonna make you leave I was just asking. You looked dreadful during Potions today, are you ok?”. For the first time, his words and his tone matched and seemed genuine. “Everyone has been really loud today. Let's just say that if I never hear the sentence ‘is he gonna ask me to the Yule Ball’ again it will be too soon” I remarked. He chuckled and looked down at his shoes. I now became acutely aware of the fact that I was standing in front of him in just a bikini in a steamy room. My cheeks flushed and I slipped back into the tub. “Why are you in here Draco?” I asked. He looked up at me and sighed. “This is usually where I come to hide but I got here a bit later than usual, I didn’t think there was competition for this spot”. I frowned and looked away from him. “Yeah that’s my bad, I usually am in here much later in the day. It’s just been such a loud day already. I needed to decompress earlier than usual”. He walked closer to me, then circled the tub to sit on the window sill. After a few minutes he spoke. “Does it actually help quiet the world? To sit in there I mean”. He gestured to the tub. “Yes it does actually”. I replied.

This was the weirdest but nicest conversation I had ever had with him. I had never been fully alone with Draco before, was this how he was when he was removed from his asshole friends? In a moment of impulsive thought I blurted “You are welcome to join me if you’d like”. Shit. Why did I say that? This guy is literally the worst. “Wouldn’t that just add noise in your head?” he asked. “No, when its a group of ten or less I can actually turn everybody off quite easily. Anymore then that and it gets harder and harder”. He nodded and then looked out the window. I could see his mind working through his grey eyes, deciding if he would stay or go. Finally, he shrugged. “What the hell”. He kicked his shoes off and began to loosen his tie. I wanted to look away but I couldn’t help myself watch him undress. I finally looked away and closed my eyes, relaxing my head on the edge of the tub.

The tub was big enough around that he could sit on the other side and we wouldn’t touch. The water churned as he got it. He sat closer to me than I had anticipated but I tried not to think about it as I took a deep breath and let my mind wander. “This is surprisingly relaxing”. His voice for the first time didn’t sound as strained or coarse as normal. “How did you find out about this?” he asked. I opened my eyes and looked at him, puzzled. “Have you never been in a jacuzzi?”. He shook his head. “Wow well that’s one thing wizards should definitely adopt from the muggle world” I replied, with a smile. He looked away from me quickly. Was that a hint of blush coming from his cheeks? Probably just from the heat of the water I rationalized. “Do you do this everyday?” he asked. “At least once a week. It's good for the soul”.

There was then a long period of silence. At first the silence was uncomfortable, but the longer it persisted, the more comfortable it became. A couple times I could have sworn that the water churned in a way that would indicate him moving closer to me. I didn’t dare check. I kept my eyes closed as the odd smile would flow across my face without thought. When I finally did open my eyes, he was less than two feet away from me. We locked eyes and I smiled. He gave a timid smile back before looking away again. I wanted to use my abilities to slip into his mind and hear what he was thinking but I held myself to a strict rule. “This seems like a pretty necessary time to use it” the voice in my head remarked. I physically shook my head to expel that thought from my mind. I felt his eyes on me. “I wasn’t inside your head by the way. I thought about it but decided that didn’t hold up with my rule so I shook it out of my head”. “You can if you want” he replied. I looked at him and sat up a bit. “My rule is I only purposefully do it if absolutely necessary or if the person gives me permission or asks me to do it. Are you asking me Draco?”.

The words flowed out of my mouth before I could filter them. Was that flirty? Did I just flirt with Draco? The thoughts swirled in my head only to be broken by his response. “Yes I am” he said sincerely. “Can I have your hand? It’s easier if I have physical contact”. I said. He nodded  and stared into my eyes as I moved closer to him. I clasped his hand and imagined his energy and thoughts flowing into my brain. His head was relatively quiet, besides one thought practically screaming. I opened my eyes and looked into his, stunned. “What was I thinking?” he asked in almost a whisper. I swallowed hard. “You were thinking ‘is it wrong that all I want to do is kiss her’”. I felt my cheeks turn red but I didn’t break eye contact. “Is it?” he asked. “No” I replied, unaware that a smile had crept across my face. He smiled back as his eyes darted from my eyes to my lips and back. I moved his hand which I was still holding to my cheek. His free hand moved underwater to my lower back as he pulled me onto his lap. Our faces were so close together I could feel his breath. He moved his other hand to my waist as I cupped his cheeks with mine. In a tender moment, not overly embroiled with passion or lust, we kissed. It was innocent and sweet. It made everything else seem unimportant. It was as if time slowed to a stand still. After a few moments we both pulled away and shared a smile that became a laugh. “I can honestly say this is not how I thought my day was going to go” Draco chuckled. “Me neither” I added. Suddenly a thought popped into my head. “Wait what time is it?” I asked. He checked his watch. “Two o’clock, why?”. “Damn, I promised I would meet Ron for a game of wizard’s chess. I always beat him but he insists on constantly challenging me”. I started to pull away when I noticed his face drop slightly. I pulled close to him again. “I am not making up an excuse to run away from you. Believe me I don’t want to go but if I don’t Ron will come looking for me and this would be a hard situation to explain” I remarked with a chuckle. His face picked up a little. “Are you staying here over Christmas?”. “Yes I am” I replied. “I think I will too, I’ve recently started to fancy you and I kinda want to explore this without the pressure of the whole school being here, if that’s ok with you” he smiled. “I would like that”. “But for the moment we can’t tell anyone what happened here or that we are even friends” he remarked suddenly. “It’s not my favorite reputation to uphold but if my father finds out I am seeing or being seen with someone who is not a pure-blood..” he trailed off. I pulled his face close to mine again and looked deep into his eyes. “You don’t have to explain. Remember, when I read you two years ago? I saw all of your past. I understand why”. His eyes were sadder now but he still managed a small smile. “Ok now I really have to go” I said as I kissed him one more time before climbing out of the tub. He watched me as I changed back into my uniform, smiling a bit more smugly now. “When can I see you again?” he called after me as I walked towards the door. “Friday night, let’s meet in the common room. Everyone will be gone for Christmas by then”. “Its a date!”. I turned back and blew him a kiss which he caught and immediately pressed to his lips. My heart fluttered as I jogged to the Great Hall. “Oi, where’ve you been?” Ron questioned impatiently. “Sorry, got a bit caught up” I remarked, smiling at the secret Draco Malfoy and I now shared.

[halothenthehorns]

All in the Family

Chapter 27: The Writing on the Wall

It was admittedly a relief to still find themselves inside the familiar stone corridors of Hogwarts, even if the moment they were dropped into was quite horrifying to find in their school.

"Is, is that blood?" Pettigrew squeaked in protest, quickly backing away from the wall, his eyes flickering to the nearest torch bracket. Even though he'd half expected it, he still almost screamed at the sight of Mrs. Norris hanging there.

"This place has gone mad," Potter breathed behind him, he looked likely to be sick as he jumped forward and dragged his friend farther away. "Who, who would-"

"Not even we hated Filch and his cat that much," Sirius agreed, keeping his back firmly against the wall.

Regulus stayed right where he was at the far end of the corridor, wishing more every moment he could leave it altogether, especially as he caught sight of where the book was.

Pettigrew must have as well, as he swallowed hard and looked back at his mate still holding tight to his shoulder. "I'll give you one guess where that book landed."

He reached up and patted his hand, perhaps even squeezed it for a moment as if to reassure, and then slowly and carefully went back and plucked the book before the flames could lick at the pages where it sat just above where the cats tail was wedged in.

He quickly darted back to his friends side with a relieved sigh, but didn't immediately feel up to turning it open. "What do you think is happening here James?"

"Don't know," he said so quietly it was almost impossible to hear from so far away. "I've got a bad feeling Harry's going to find out though." He had his back turned to all of them now, eyes trained on the corner he could no more pass. Regulus suddenly realized how vulnerable he was, with the four Marauders clumped up down there, and the other three crowded in front of a door and across from the threatening, still glistening letters. He again glanced down the empty hallway, flickering with shadows of an empty castle, and almost wished that the story would dump them in that time instead. At least they'd be surrounded by other students and teachers, rather than eight teenagers having to figure all this out alone.

Pettigrew began in a taut voice of Filch arriving to discover the same as them, and his reaction was as vivid as it was sad to hear. He didn't particularly care for the caretaker more than anyone else, but he'd certainly never prayed upon his cat for such a vengeful reason as killing it like someone in this castle would some day.

"I suppose this rules Filch out as a suspect," Remus muttered more for something else to hear other than death threats being issued by Filch. He was eyeing the door Longbottom, Smith, and Evans were now trying to open, but having no more success than any before. Instead his eyes began examining the scene, hoping for some clue as to what happened here.

"Never thought of him as a possibility," Sirius needlessly agreed.

They both relaxed just a fraction when Peter kept going on into the teachers arriving, and Dumbledore taking control of the scene at once. Despite already having been in Lockhart's office and not wanting a repeat experience, even that would have felt better than hanging around in a corridor with a dead cat.

Until their headmaster passed along the news this was not so.

"Petrified?" Longbottom echoed, to confirm he'd heard as much. "What on earth can do that?"

"A few things," Remus couldn't help himself prattling off at once his knowledge of beasts. "Certain arachnid venom, gorgons, a few spells-"

"So, are we still in danger from any of that?" Evans cut in with a look that wasn't quite hopeful, but looked more like she wanted to be.

"Nah," Sirius decided, clearly bolstering up some false bravado now that it was clear the threat at least didn't seem to be upon them soon.

"Sirius, this is not a nah kind of situation!" Remus protested, swatting him upside the head.

"And what is, pray tell?" Sirius demanded back as he rubbed at the spot while smirking at his friend. "I find this a perfectly good time to try and enjoy life, while we still have it!"

"Shut up Black!" Frank snapped at once.

"Be real Longbottom," the other returned with a haughty sneer. "If this pattern continues, I'll bet my house we're going to end up in the presence of whatever did this," he gestured needlessly at the cat.

"Not necessarily," Alice insisted, looking to Evans to support her theory. "Not if a person did this, we haven't seen another human since all this started. So, as long as it was a wizard that's somehow done this-"

"What person do you know that petrifies an old man's cat for fun?" Lupin protested, turning on the two of them to defend his friend, even though he himself had just scolded him. "I'm sorry I even said that, there must be something running around the castle that's doing this. If a person wanted to go after Filch, they'd take him, not his cat."

"I don't think so," Evans sided with the other two, "it must be a person orchestrating all of this, and just because we don't know of the magic yet doesn't mean it's not possible. We don't run around this place thinking we own it," she finished viciously.

Peter looked between his friends and the other group before deciding to hurry along before he was asked to voice his opinion. Personally, he hoped they were right, and feared his friends were instead.

Regulus kept himself, and his opinions, out of this for now. Even as he felt he had a bit more to the answer, it was nothing concrete. He well remembered a story his mother had told him about the Chamber of Secrets, and of a horror spoken within said to be Slytherin's own monster. He didn't know if Sirius even remembered the same, his brother had never been very good paying attention to their mothers stories. He had no more idea than anyone else though what it could all mean, or even if it was a valid threat. Anyone, like that Malfoy kid, could have done this themselves just to get a scare out of the school, but he didn't think that likely, especially as Potter asked of his friends;

"Think my kid's nuts?" He spoke softly though, true worry in his voice for why a child of his would be hearing voices.

"No," all three of his friends assured him at once.

"It's not as if he's Sirius', then the poor thing wouldn't have a chance," Pettigrew poked fun.

"Harry didn't tell the teachers he heard the voice for the same reason none of us would, they would call him crazy," Lupin more lightly pacified. "We know that Harry's telling the truth though, so there must be some explanation."

"Besides going off to live in a madhouse, like mine," his brother agreed.

Regulus scowled but chose to ignore his brother and try to understand how Harry hearing such a thing could fit into all of this.

Lily listened uneasily as she questioned the same, and didn't have quite the same conviction some child of Potter's wasn't just a tad loony, but hearing voices didn't seem to be one of the issues with that. Instead she turned to Alice and Frank and asked, "why do you think we've been locked out of a bathroom of all places? That's never happened before." They'd been lucky a fair few times now to stumble across one of those about as often as food, and she'd been hoping their luck would hold.

"Perhaps the castle's doing us a favor, that's Moaning Myrtle's bathroom after all," Alice shrugged.

Upon hearing that Filch had not been able to clear the words from the wall, Frank uneasily stepped forward, and gave the script a prod with his wand. Nothing happened, so he tried a few different spells, and he could no more erase it with magic than with Mrs. Skower's All-Purpose Magical Mess Remover. Knowing he wouldn't dare do this under normal circumstances, but curiosity very much getting the better of him, he instead used a more powerful bit of magic and gouged some of the stone wall right from the letter C, which finally came free.

"Frank!" Alice gasped in protest as he went back over to them, twisting the bit of smooth stone this way and that in the light.

"I want to know what this is," he insisted without remorse. "That's quite some powerful magic used to get it up there."

"They could have just wrote it up there and used a permanent sticking charm," Evans pointed out.

"No, I don't think so," he hesitated for a moment before pulling his dragon-hide gloves out of his pocket, now thankful for his mothers paranoia of instilling he wear them while brewing any potion. He slipped them on and rubbed his finger vigorously against the red mark, and still nothing happened, though this time he hadn't really been expecting it too. "I think this is blood, but of what kind I can't imagine."

"There's not a lot of creatures whose blood is like that," Lupin spoke up quietly from behind them, and they all turned in surprise, not having realized he'd come forward to speak to them, but having watched Longbottom had piqued his curiosity.

"You know which ones do?" Frank asked, genuine curiosity mixed in with some weariness, he'd never had a pleasant interaction with a Marauder before this.

"Sure," he agreed, the troubled lines on his face making him look older than his years should. Up close they all noticed how pale his skin was in the dim lighting and his unusually grey bangs, though not many people really got close enough to notice or care about such details, he spent too much time with people the school was more than happy to leave a wide berth. "If I'm right though, we're going to have a problem."

"This school is full of wankers!" Potters protest cut in, and Lupin looked back up and around curiously as if he'd forgotten what they'd just been talking about. "How could any of them think my son would be the heir of Slytherin!"

Lupin went back over with an exasperated expression in place, and Lily wondered if his friends ever grew as tired of Potters theatrics as she did. Who cared what the school thought about one lone student? She wanted to call Lupin back over and demand he finish whatever he'd been fixing to say, if he had an idea of what had put that blood up there he should share it.

She'd misread his expression though, Remus was just as exasperated as his friends for this student population even considering such a thing. He happily went back over to the fold of his friends and snarked right along with James and Sirius, albeit under his breath so only the three of them could hear, as Peter kept going right up to Binns's class.

The history lesson Binns offered over the subject was probably one of the most interesting things to ever actually happen in that class, and it was quite depressing they couldn't enjoy young Hermione making this possible considering the topic. They all felt too bad for Harry immediately after the fact, the kid actually trying to convince himself of what the school thought. James was no more related to Slytherin than any other pureblood, and they all wished they could be there to tell him as much.

Regulus finally listened back in with interest again as the kids circled back to this location again to search for clues. He couldn't imagine they'd find any with so much time passing after the fact, but with his eyes still flickering between the open corridor and the dead cat, he certainly had his fingers crossed they would. Sadly, scorch marks and spiders meant nothing to him, and he scowled and muttered about wasting time as Ron let his friends in on his arachnophobia problem.

"That's not fair!" Lily protested as her son decided to follow his friend into the very bathroom they were being blocked from.

"I'm sure we'll get sent to another room soon with a loo," Alice told her sympathetically.

"No, not that," Lily rolled her eyes, "I just hate being left out, if Myrtle saw something I'd rather hear it from her than Potter's friend over there."

"I doubt Myrtle's in there," Frank reminded. "We haven't seen a ghost anymore than, well, anything else. Hell, Mrs. Norris actually is the first living thing we've seen around here," and she's not even really alive right now, he finished in his head.

"Think she's been in the castle the rest of the time, or is she just here now because she's-?" Alice paused and swallowed awkwardly without finishing. Petrified or not, she looked quite dead from here.

"Hard to say," Frank scratched uncomfortably at his neck. "I wouldn't be too surprised if whatever happened didn't work on animals though, it didn't on Hedwig."

Myrtle proved to be of no help to anything, which explained why the Marauders looked so bored with the interaction, which surprised Lily a bit. If she'd thought about it at all, she would have expected them to enjoy hearing of the encounter with a ghost, they seemed to consider themselves rather experts on them, as much as she caught them chatting with all others in the castle.

Then Percy came and shooed the kids all away, and really it was starting to feel like quite the waste of a chapter until Hermione offered such an interesting solution.

"They really think it's Malfoy that much?" Peter quickly stopped before the last sentence to verbalize his surprise.

"More likely him than Harry," James sniffed, though he too seemed to agree this was beyond a second year.

"Polyjuice Potion though?" Sirius was blinking with a rather disturbed expression in place. "Of all the ways they decide to get the answer?"

Remus agreed with a good laugh as Peter finished with the excellent point of Ron's on how this would even be possible.

They were surprised not to be interrupted by being yanked away, but Evans laughing. Leaning against Myrtle's door with pure mirth on her face as she tried to gasp out her surprise of a twelve year old managing such a thing. Then the door she was leaning on swung open behind her, and she fell out of sight.

[minervahopebeyond]

Blood Petals.

Hello! I hope you like this one! Tell me what you thought in the comments✨

Ps. I’ve checked but sorry if you find any errors in this one (grammar or vocabulary)

Chapter 20: The curse.

He tried to warn Severus about Theodore. The man just said that he was fully aware about the situation but the boy was still at school, so he was starting to doubt that his godfather had informed the Headmaster at all. That’s how Draco found himself asking for a meeting with Dumbledore on Friday.

He spoke the password that professor McGonagall informed him and entered the office. When he got in, the old man was sitting on his desk, drinking a cup of tea.

Dumbledore looked more and more thin as the year went by, the blond boy thought that it was not a good look on him. He looked sick.

“Mr. Malfoy. How are you, boy?”

Draco wanted to cut directly to the point, formalities be damn.

“Good. Thank you, sir. I came here with information. I think that one of the Slytherins is-“ The man interrupted.

“If you are talking about your friend Theodore Nott, I’m aware of the situation. Severus told me.”

Draco felt like a weight had been lifted. He thought, for a second, that Severus was a lying bastard. He wasn’t ,though. Still a spy. Good.

“Then expel him, Headmaster. Before he does something that he’ll regret. I beg you.”

The old man looked at him with kind eyes and a soft smile. He fixed his glasses before talking.

“I don’t think that’s an option, Mr. Malfoy. My duty is to care about all the students, even the ones that make the wrong choices.” Draco was looking at him like he had lost his mind. Was this man senile?? “If I expel him, and he fails on his mission, he would, at the least, face torture; I don’t think that’s fair for a sixteen year old, don’t you agree?” Dumbledore said as he took another sip of his tea. “However, since you are close to him... let him know that we can provide shelter for him, that he has options. I would appreciate it very much.”

Draco only nodded before being dismissed by the Headmaster, telling him to get back to class. What the fuck?

It was ridiculous.

‘Yes, come to Hogwarts. It’s the safest place in the entire magical world. We only hired followers of the Dark Lord accidentally a couple of times, no biggie... And yes, we did also have a three hundred year old monster inside of a hidden secret chamber under the school, that also happened to kill the students ( no, nobody asked Salazar Slytherin why the fucking pipes were so ridiculously big). There was also that time when the dementors almost killed a student in a quidditch match... And let’s not forget about last year, when someone from the ministry used a blood quill as punishment. Which brings us to this moment; yes, we are aware that we currently have a sixteen year old Death Eater inside of the castle, thank you for asking.’

Draco was glad that he was going to die before having kids because, if he were a parent, he would most likely set the school on fire if they got to live even one of the things that Potter had to endure in the last six years of his life.

And now he was thinking about Potter again. Fuck. Draco sighed as he walked to class again.

He really wished that Theo would listen to him. Or Dumbledore. Or Severus. ANYONE.

————————

He wasn’t talking to Potter. Actually, he wasn’t talking to the Golden Trio in general because they refused to tell him the truth.

Draco looked worst everyday. Pansy and Blaise tried to make him talk to the three Gryffindors; saying that he didn’t need to fight with people right now, he needed friends. The blond boy ignored them. What he needed was to find a way of convincing Theodore of stopping whatever plan he had in mind.

Unfortunately, the boy was avoiding him. He sealed his curtains at night, to prevent Draco from climbing into the bed; and disappeared after classes. The blond boy couldn’t approach him like this.

He was so tired, it was almost Easter Holidays and everything was the same. Draco was alone, the coughs were getting worst... He felt the physical need to be close to Potter everywhere, every fiber of his being was begging him to fix this. He ignored the feeling daily.

The blond boy knew that he was pushing everyone away, but the bloody adults in charge of the fucking school were just letting things flow. It was his responsibility now. He just had to find a way of stopping this.

He had just finished Charms, when he decided to take the long way back to the dungeons, he wanted some quiet... at least for a while.

The hallway from the second floor was, almost always, desolated. Nobody went there because of Myrtle. That’s why he was surprised to hear the girl-ghost talking with someone that day.

“Do you want me to get help?” She asked in a low voice.

The water from the tap was running, Draco could hear it flowing the bathroom.

“No... I just need to be alone for a minute.”

Draco knew that voice. Theodore sounded strangled, like he had been crying. He quietly entered the bathroom.

The boy was sitting on the floor, robes all drenched. His hair was a mess, eyes red with his wand on his hand. Hazel eyes were looking at him, scare. ‘One bad move and this could all go to shit, this is your chance, Draco. Take it.’

He walked slowly to were the boy was and knelt in front of him, looking at him with kind eyes.

“This is what I was trying to tell you, Theo. You don’t want to do this.”

Tears were starting to course down the boy’s cheeks, as he looked away.

“It’s too late. I don’t have a choice.” His voice came out weak. Draco got a little closer to him, pushed the hair away from his face. He could swear that Theo leaned in to the touch for a moment.

“You do. Dumbledore knows.” The boy widened his eyes, alarmed. “He knows, and he is letting you try this because he fears that if he expels you right now, you could get hurt by them” Then, the blond boy looked at Theodore with determination. “He is offering you shelter, if you want it. Take it, Theo. I beg you.”

The brunette snorted, rolling up his sleeve.

“This will not go away with shelter, it’s a biding contract.”

“I knew it.”

Draco froze. That voice. Shit, not now! He was so close! He looked up and saw Potter looking at them. The green eyes shifted between hate and disappointment. The daffodils were starting to hurt him.

“You acted like I was crazy but you knew, didn’t you??” The dark-haired hissed at him.

“Yes. But Potter I’m trying to-“

“You are helping him! Look what he is.“ he said with a severe tone. Draco couldn’t contain the coughs anymore, petals were falling from his mouth.

Theo pointed his wand at the boy that stood in front of him.

“Back the hell off, Potter.”

The dark haired boy pointed his wand right back at him, and Draco wanted to just stop coughing so he could do something about this.

Theo fired the first spell, obviously. They were wrecking the bathroom. They weren’t listening to him. Draco felt so impotent as he saw everything happen.

“Cruc-“ Started to cast the hazel-eyed boy. Draco screamed as loud as he could.

“DON’T!”

And at the same time: Potter threw another spell at his opponent.

“Sectumsempra.”

Draco didn’t know what it was when he heard it, but he quickly discovered that the spell was actually a curse.

Theo fell to the ground so fast, his white shirt starting to turn red from the blood. He ran an threw himself on the floor next to the boy. The blond boy could hear Myrtle going to get help.

“Shh, Theo. It’s okay. Somebody is coming.” He kept saying as he held the boy. The hazel eyes looked at him, lost. He couldn’t contain the tears, the petals escaped between sobs. ‘How could he have done this? It’s Potter. He is a good person. Why would he hurt someone like this. I just-‘

“Malfoy... I-“ He glared at the boy, who was looking at him with fearful green eyes, holding his wand tightly.

“Get the hell out of my sight.” He hissed at him.

The boy had started to turn around when Severus entered the bathroom. Confused eyes on his face, looking between Potter and him.

He knelt next to the boy on the floor and began to cast the counter-curse.

Draco held Theo the whole time.

——————-

He was at the infirmary, lying in the bed next to Theodore. He had asked Severus to spend the night, and because he saw him really upset, his godfather allowed it.

The boy was still unconscious. Draco was looking at him, trying to fall sleep... But the scene from the bathroom kept repeating in his head. He shouldn’t have approached Theo, if he hadn’t, then maybe this wouldn’t have happened.

He heard soft sound of steps, when Draco turned around to look, he couldn’t hear them anymore.He narrowed his eyes.

“Potter.” He called. At first, nothing happened; then the boy appeared next to him, taking off his invisibility cloak.

“Hi.” The green-eyed said with a weak voice.

“What do you want? Are you going to actually kill him now?” He spoke with venom in his voice. The daffodils were burning him. Draco couldn’t even look at him.

“I just... I didn’t know what the spell did.” Potter said in a low voice.

Draco turned to look at him, furious. That was the great excuse? Really? He was suppose to believe that? He snorted.

“Get out.” The blond boy was so mad. He didn’t even cared when he started to have a coughing fit while Potter walked away.

—————————

“Draco, the Golden Trio is outside.”

He was sitting on the couch at the Slytherin common room, revising his notes from transfiguration. He didn’t even looked up at Pansy.

“Tell then to leave, they are going to miss the train.” He heard his best friend sighed before walking outside. She wasn’t gone for long.

“They are being extremely insistent.”

Draco pushed his books aside and started to walk towards the door. When he got outside, the Gryffindors were looking at him with hesitant eyes.

“What do you want?” Potter was the first to respond.

“We have to leave. Where is your luggage?” He asked with confused eyes. Draco crossed his arms.

“Next to my bed. I’m staying here.” He spoke with a flat voice. The fucking flowers started to move aggressively, hurting him.

He could see the Weasley and Granger looking at their best friend; worried. Potter was staring at him, hurt eyes on his face.

“You didn’t tell Dad or Padfoot. They are expecting you. Come on, just-” Draco just shrugged.

“I’ll send a Patronus. Anything else?”

Since they didn’t answer, the blond boy wished them a ‘Happy Easter’ and went back inside to his common room.

[submissivebookmark-motherofchaos]

Excerpt from Chapter 33 of A Force of Nature 

Tom paced Hermione’s chambers, the journal clutched in his hand. He’d been carrying the bloody thing on his person since he sent its twin with Severus to Hermione. He knew she received it, but she’d yet responded to him.  

He sat heavily on the couch and looked into the fire. He felt coldness seep into his very soul. No longer did he have Hermione near him, nor the others. He felt as if he was drifting at sea with no hope in sight. Even Nagini was gone now. He knew what happened to her, he wasn’t a fool. Somehow, Hermione had healed her and sent his tattered soul back to him, he could feel it. He felt in parts torn asunder and almost whole. It was an aggravating feeling and he needed Hermione to explain why she would do such a thing. Not only that, but how did she know of his Horcruxes to begin with? Was it the diaries? Did she figure out that he did indeed follow through and make more than one Horcrux?

A few hours after he felt part of his soul return, Nagini came to him, she was healed, human and happy. She told him she was going to look for her friend and thanked him for being her friend, but she couldn’t stay because she had her own life to live. While he was glad that Nagini was healed, he did have what he thought was affection towards his familiar, he was now even more lonely. No one to talk to that he could share his worries with. His followers must not know of the changes he’s undertaken. He was sure that some of them must have noticed something… Dolohov, for instance, seemed particularly keen on where Hermione stood with him. Dolohov would need to be addressed at a later date though.

Bella was another matter. He’d been shocked when Bella returned after she disappeared. She was... different. A light shone in her eyes, and she was with Rodolphus hanging onto him as if he hung the moon. He felt a twinge of jealousy watching the pair. He didn’t want Bella, he never did, he wanted Hermione. He wanted her to look at him with love and adoration. He craved her love and affection.

He had to make what happened right, but how could he if the blasted woman never responded to him? He knew she got his letters. Still, no answer. She’d sent letters to Rosier and her grandmother, hell, even Bella and Rodolphus received letters. It was like she was rubbing salt into his open wounds, taunting him from afar.

Leaning back he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. For the first time in his life, he felt like he could cry. He was new to these emotions and he decidedly didn’t like them. He didn’t like feeling rejected by the one person that was supposed to love him. He did this to himself, he knew. He could still see it all so clearly. The shock and betrayal on her face as he raised his wand to her, the curse he meant that slipped past his lips, and then her anger.

She was glorious in her anger, the magic in the air was an aphrodisiac when she pushed him back. Never had he met anyone that could best him. She’d hurt herself in her anger, Apparating away leaving her blood and flesh behind. He feared she might have killed herself unintentionally and wanted to run to her to make her see that he wanted her gone so she wouldn’t see the monster he was. He wanted to punish Bella, to hurt her. He didn’t want Hermione seeing him like that, but the bloody stubborn woman didn’t leave.

Why? Why couldn’t she listen to him and follow his lead to protect her? He learned more about Hermione than he ever knew when she left. Each evening he and Severus would sit and discuss what happened at length. It was more like a lecture from Severus, but he knew he deserved it. Not only was she punishing him, but her other elements all because he acted irrationally.

Severus told him everything he wanted and needed to know about her. She was one to bend the rules and he chuckled when Severus had relayed to him that she set his robes on fire during her first year, thinking he was cursing Harry’s broom. He also told him how she, in her first year, made it through the labyrinth the professors set up keeping the Sorcerer's Stone safe. She surprised Severus by solving the puzzle he left with the potions. Tom remembered that he had seen and watched Harry throughout that year, and her too, not realizing who she would become to him. At first, he was impressed with her knowledge and the strength of her magic. He’d thought when he finally killed Harry that year, he may take her despite her dirty blood. He would mould her into his image, saturate her with his darkness.

Severus shared more memories with him of her time at Hogwarts. Her second year had been interesting. Not only did she create Polyjuice in the same bathroom he’d killed that mudblood , Myrtle, but she also turned herself into a cat which Severus had to help cure her of. Secretly, Severus had been impressed by her skill, but he didn’t dare praise her nor let her know that he was aware.

Later she’d been petrified. Severus had watched over all the students, but Severus watched over her more. He said that she reminded Severus of himself when he was at Hogwarts, too brilliant, difficult time making friends, and often ridiculed. He knew he couldn’t show her favouritism, but he wanted desperately to get her away from Potter and Weasley because he could see how they used her intellect for their gains. She would often do their homework, and help them with their halfcocked schemes placing them in danger. The only reason they’d had any success was due to her dedication to the pair, and her persistence in protecting them. He thought they wouldn’t know their wands from their bell-end if not for her.

Then came her third year. Severus had suspected something. He would see her in numerous places knowing she couldn't get from one end of the castle to the other without being seen by him as he prowled the hallways. He never thought, even for a moment, that she had a time-turner. By the end of the year, she looked waned and exhausted. Tom remembered he was just in one of Severus’ memories showing when Hermione confronted her parents about their lies. That she wasn’t truly a Muggleborn as they led her to believe. He could see the confusion, anger, and hurt on her face as she stood up to them. The moment her father grabbed her, and then struck her, Tom felt his magic rise in agitation. He felt a spark of jealousy when Severus touched her and calmed her magic and caught her as she fell into his arms having overexerted herself.

The most amazing part of that whole episode was how she Oblivated her parents, that she spoke the words erasing them from her presence. She invoked the Paternitas se Abnegant , an ancient spell that hardly any knew, her magic had protected her.

Her fourth year he preferred not to dwell on. He could see the way that large oaf looked at her with lust and desire. He wanted to hunt down Krum and rip his intestines out through his nose. Take his male assets and dice them up, maybe give them to Severus for potions ingredients. But knew that would displease Hermione, so he decided against it as long as Krum never came near her again.

He felt he knew Hermione better now, he would have to handle her with gentle care and love as he should have from the beginning, but bloody hell, he wasn’t used to having these blasted feelings.

Now he had time to acclimate and he would do better with his control.

Since the others left for Hogwarts, Tom had been busy reasserting himself as the Dark Lord. He wanted his followers to know that he was to be feared. They knew that they were to leave Harry Potter alone...for now. He still wanted to speak to the boy, to find the supposed prophecy. He knew it was a fake, but he needed to see for himself. The boy was of no use to him if it was. He did try to enter the boy’s mind to find Hermione and he didn’t see her, though he did find Potter’s thoughts on Hermione interesting. He loved her as a sister and trusted her with his life. The love he felt for her was pure and bright. He was terrified by it.

Hermione could evoke loyalty from any person she met, her fierce protectiveness of them earning their regard. None knew that she was a fable personified, that she was the embodiment of Life. They just knew that when she gave her word, she kept it. Sadly, he couldn’t say the same about himself, perhaps that’s why she didn’t trust him. Or it could be he was a complete bloody fool and tried to curse her. Either way, he knew he had to work hard at changing his ways.  

His followers knew of their new goal. They were to take over the Ministry and continue to chip away at Dumbledore’s armour and support system. He wanted to be the one who landed the final blow to the man who made not only his life hell but so many others. Dumbledore may have led him to be who he was now, manipulating him to embrace the darkness, but Tom knew it was his fault, too. He could have worked harder to embrace the light instead of taking the easier way out.

Tom felt the shock flood his system when the journal that was on his lap warmed and started to glow. He fumbled with it and lost his grip as it fell to the floor with a dull thump. Swearing, he stood and scooped it up and walked towards Hermione’s desk and set the journal down. Taking a deep breath he opened it slowly and held his breath. He could see his neat scrawl and then Hermione’s beautiful penmanship under it. He cringed at his first few entries.

How dare you!? You took my familiar from me! Nagini came to me and told me what you did. You had no right to release her!  That’s part of MY soul you released! What were you thinking!? https://archiveofourown.org/works/22982413/chapters/65072746

[hillnerd]

Hello hillnerd! I've read more than one of your interesting analysis, so I was wondering, if/when you'll have the time could you explain why/how Ron's character was mistreated by the movies? We all know what a terrible portrait of Ginny they've done, but I've always felt like they did a worst job with Harry than with Ron. Thank you very much, and if you've already spoken more deeply about, don't you worry about it ^^

Aw thanks so much! I’m glad you find my extra long rants interesting! ;)

So! Ron Weasley is my favorite character in the HP series. I found myself continually getting more and more disappointed with his portrayal as the movie series progressed, and have had lots to say on it over the years, but don’t believe I’ve ever had one semi-cohesive long post about it. Here we go, kids!

I have explored this when I went into classism and how it plays into Ron, and the Weasleys, portrayal in the films. This, I feel, is key to understanding how perverse the changes ended up being in the films. To me it’s not just about the character of Ron not being portrayed accurately, but rather an all-around disdain for poverty/working class people.

I won’t repeat what I said in my other essay- but please do read it to get a fuller picture of my issues with Ron’s portrayal. To sum it up, classist tropes of poor people being stupid, lazy, unloyal, and fearful is what Steve Kloves reduced the Weasleys to. 

I also am not a huge fan of the movies, so have not given many of them a lot of rewatches- nor will I for this- so it might get hard for me to remember all issues, and I’m sure I’ll miss a lot of them.

HOW RON WEASLEY WAS RUINED IN THE MOVIES:

When people watch the films they come away from them having some understanding of who the characters are in the books. Harry might come across as more serious in the movies- but his bravery, his dedication, his self-sacrifice, and even at times his sarcasm- are still there. Hermione and her whip-smart intelligence are not just present- they are upped to the point of ridiculous at times- they also went on to make her even more empathetic, friendly and kind than she was in the books (she’s more of a prickly little thing- but they portray her as this sensitive empathic character who never puts a step wrong in the movies… ) and made her more physically capable than in the books too. (punching malfoy, able to physically lift Harry into the air when being swung around on the whomping willow, dueling capabilities etc)

Then there is Ron. Most people come away thinking Ron is a coward, or stupid- at best they find him amusing. The movies seemed to go out of their way to wipe away all of Ron’s positive attributes and replace them with problematic behaviors that were completely antithetical to who Ron was, and even change scenes so that he did the exact opposite actions as well. They robbed him of almost every act of intelligence, kindness, wit, heart and bravery from the books. I’m fine with changes from the book as far as scenes- but I am not ok with them completely altering his character to make him selfish, unkind, cowardly, stupid etc. The movies didn’t just ruin Ron Weasley in them- they created a legacy of suck. I mean, that’s why  there are video essays titled ‘is Ron useless’ on youtube where they have to do a breakdown of the character, in the newest HP phone game Ron isn’t featured like Harry and Hermione and is worth less points, in the play he’s portrayed as a dingus who can’t point a wand in the right direction… People fundamentally don’t know Ron, and that’s due to the movies (and their influence - even on how people interpret his character when they read the books, imo.)

Let’s get into it though!

This started with the first film:

the one film that was truest to who Ron was in the books.

The Devil’s Snare

Let’s compare the scenes:

Now, they had to cut one of Hermione’s feats in order to streamline the journey to the stone. The riddle with the potions would be a lot harder to make interesting in film, so having her shining moment be the Devil’s Snare makes absolute sense. 

As it was her one moment of glory, it also made sense for her to get to stay calm. I can’t begrudge that change.

What I DO have issue is, Kloves decided to sacrifice Ron’s character in order to bolster Hermione. He made Ron become completely irrational and panicky, while cool calm Harry and Hermione looked on with amusement and derision. 

He could have easily had both the boys unable to keep from wiggling- or had Hermione just crawl off in time like in the book- but no. 

This was the beginning of a pattern we continue to see throughout the movies.

They kept feeding the notion that in order to make Harry and Hermione looks cool’/brave- they needed to have Ron cowering beside them- when that is the exact opposite of who he is as a character. 

We also have another moment earlier in the book/film that undercuts Ron in order to bolster Harry.

_________________________________________________

Their first quidditch lesson:

BOOK

MOVIE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ix0BhYSZBg

Ron’s been flying a broom since he was a kid. Yet he’s struggling to get the broom to go up while most of the class succeeds, and then it strikes him in the face? Really? Neville is already about to have an accident with the broom and made a lot more sense for this piece of physical comedy- but they did it to Ron… 

In this film it’s not that big of a deal- after all he has loads of great moments- but it goes to show that Kloves doesn’t understand Ron’s role in the series for Harry- beyond being his best friend, he’s also a knowledgeable guide to the wizarding world. They almost completely remove this from Ron, and give almost all exposition to Hermione or Hagrid. Ron’s essential function is removed. This is just a tiny example. It gets worse as the films continue.

   ————————————————————————————————

THE TROLL

In the book he is very capable and is able to do Wingardium Leviosa to save Hermione WITHOUT her coaching him in the bathroom. But he can’t have his moment without Hermione teaching him in the movie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbxMy9T49fM

    ————————————————————————————————

Chamber of Secrets

This is it. The film where Ron is firmly established as a coward.

He is moaning, squeeking, shaking, crying, and all around acting a total miserable coward in scene after scene. Again this is the exact opposite of who Ron is as person. In the books he’s this fiery tempered guy who is ready to first fight/duel any ahole who crosses his path- but in the movies, he’s this:

FOLLOW THE SPIDERS

In the books he never is falling apart like that, even when facing the spiders- his biggest fear. (He is literally phobic of them, but this is now shown in the films.) Harry is stoic, to the point of ridiculously stoic, during these moments- while Ron practically crying. Now I’m fine with Ron being show afraid in this particular scene- my issue is how it’s played for comedy, how they add in moments of ‘now can we panic,’ and have Harry show about as much emotion as a door knob the whole scene.  

If this were the one scene where Ron acts like this, hey I’d let it pass.

Nope. It’s become his entire personality. He is in the same state CONSTANTLY in this film. Dignity? Ron does’t get to have a moment of that. He’s constantly making this face:

When in the car, when near his mum, when being yelled at by the howler, when being yelled at by moaning myrtle, when Harry is injured etc.

If his excessive fear weren’t the only big problem that’d be one thing- but no.

He is also striped of his purpose in being a guide to the wIzarding world.

—————————————-

MUDBLOOD AND SLUGS

When Hermione is called a Mudblood in the books she has no clue what that means. Ron is the one who, rather eloquently, explains it.

This is instead given to Hagrid and Hermione. While Ron pitifully barfs int he corner only able to add a feeble ‘it’s sickening’ for laughs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xpj3krxJtNU

——————————————————————-

PRISONER OF AZKABAN

They continue to make Ron a coward, but also erode his friendship with Harry and Hermione, and make him ‘irresponsible’ on top of it.

INSUFFERABLE KNOW-IT-ALL

Ron gets detention from Snape for defending Hermione against him.

In the films he agrees with Snape’s bullying comment

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjxZyljxrxE

——-

SCABBERS

Ron’s concern about Scabber’s health is made into a one-off sort of joke in the films, and for some reason a narrative of ‘Ron keeps losing Scabbers and is an irresponsible pet owner’ is established in the films. 

Molly has to chase him with Scabbers and shouts ‘DON’T LOSE HIM!’ and then later the cat/rat fight is reduced to a ‘Ron’s lost Scabbers’ instead of it being a clear case of ‘the rat is dead, most liekyl because of her cat.’

Again we see Ron being shown as inferior (dumb ron unable to keep up with pets), while Hermione is built up ad able to talk down to Ron. (Ronald has lost him again!) (Also, anyone else HATE that they did this with the Ronald bit with Hermione and Ron?) Even Hagrid condescends to Ron when he finds the rat (and Hagrid is shown as quite clueless, but apparently not as clueless as Ron now….)

——-

There’s a moment added to the films where Harry goes to return the crystal ball to Trelawney and asks if Ron wants to come with him— Ron, a bit rudely, says no. This was used as a way to get Harry alone with Trelawney for the professor to give her prophecy- but why did they have to do it at the expense of Ron?

—————

THE SHRIEKING SHACK

Ron on multiple occassions in the book goes out of his way to attempt to save Harry. ALL of these are cut.

Ron literally put himself between Harry and danger. Instead in the films he’s stupidly sitting beside the whomping willow,

 then he’s  just screaming, terrified, as he’s dragged away.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lhi1bOuIj0E

Then Ron, with a severely broken leg, stands on it to confront a murderer while Hermione scaredly whispering.

Instead they give this line to HERMIONE, while Ron incoherently whimpers on the ground like a coward. 

They knew Hermione had a TON of ‘moments’ in this film already- why did they need to give one of Ron’s ONLY moments to her???????? She had just punched Malfoy (instead of slapped him), literally had the strength of a grown weight lifter to lift Harry by the shirt into the air as they fought the whomping willow and will go on to the have the time adventure… yet, here we are- She has this line as well.

Ron is robbed of every ounce of dignity and gumption and self-actualization he HAS.

————————

Then at the end of the time adventure they have Harry and Hermione laughing at Ron as he, again, incoherently babbles and makes this face.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OavYqCjM45k

Oh ahahah! It’s DUMB OLD RON! XD

Everything valuable he brings to his friendship with Harry and Hermione is cut- and replaced with this garbage.

—————————————————————————————————-

GOBLET OF FIRE

Again all nuance for Ron’s character is lost- and he’s demonized while Harry and Hermione are lifted up. They also, throughout the movies, have done a pretty crap job of showing Ron’s place in the wizarding world when it comes to wealth and when it comes to how he’s treated and what he goes through. His lack of money is treated as a joke with his robes, and in general is not taken seriously beyond a a few Lucius is a bad guy scenes and the first movie.

HARRY AND RON’S FIGHT

In the books Ron and Harry’s fight leaves Harry devastated- and Ron’s behavior doesn’t come out of nowhere either. They establish that Harry and He had an agreement to go into the tourney  together if they could- but it looks like Harry did it without him. [the post by @owlpostagain does a brilliant analysis of it]

Ron does not come into their fight angry- in fact he’s trying (And failing) to be positive for Harry.

Ron brings NO ANGER to this exchange. HARRY DOES, though:

In the books Harry isn’t reasonable when he tries to explain this to Ron- he’s angry and insults Ron. Of course in the films, they make Harry ever so reasonable and Ron just a moody whiny asshole who is purely angry and spiteful in this exchange.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=an7WWOY94Qs

The utter misery Harry experiences while he and Ron are on the outs is cut (I mean, at this point, why would he be miserable? Ron is a pretty awful friend in the films.) Best explored in a post I can’t find now- just go and reread how miserable Harry is. (eta: FOUND THE POST!!! Thanks @vivithefolle​!)

[This post] by @purpleklimt​  PERFECTLY sums up all the part in GOF where Harry is desperately missing Ron

He then goes on to attack Ron a SECOND time in the books

They leave out Harry’s part in this fight- and make it solely Ron’s fault in the films.

When they make up in the books Harry is SO relieved he won’t even let Ron apologize. He starts off cold- but immediately turns it around with relief.

But in the movie he’s angry and condescending to Ron (after having a SUPER out of character ‘everyone look at me, who wants me to open the egg!!!’ scene) and continues acting so AFTER they’ve ‘made up’? It’s not a happy reunion. And Ron is acting… really stupid :P For no reason

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9s_dukNgLPg

————-

TRAINING

Ron goes on to help Harry train for the next task in the books, letting him practice hexes on him. Ron does nothing at all to help Harry in the films. Literally nothing.

———

YULE BRAWL

Again Ron is shown as angry- but they have to up the ante don’t they- where he literally makes Hermione have a breakdown in tears saying he’s ‘ruined everything’- when she had a great time at the ball in the books :P

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bynhxDUqqgU

Where as in the books they are having a fight of equals:

————-

They also add in a lot of scenes where Hermione is like, a rock for Harry emotionally (which she has never been in the books at all. The closest was in book 7 at the graveyard at xmas.)

————————————————————————————

ORDER OF THE PHOENIX

This is the ONLY movie after the 1st one to show Ron’s true friendship for Harry.

It’s not a coincidence that it’s the only film NOT written by Kloves. Here he is defending Harry.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktfsgXyRbuc

Ron is a bit of a non-entity in this movie in general, but he’s a good supportive friend, and even has his cleverness pointed out

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_p6j28GC3A

I guess they had to when they cut out him being prefect :P

They do a minor bit of Hermione getting Ron’s lines when Harry meets up with them at Grimauld place:

Ron: We told Dumbledore we wanted to tell you what was going on. We did, mate. But he’s really busy now, we’ve only seen him twice since we came here and he didn’t have much time, he just made us swear not to tell you important stuff when we wrote, he said the owls might be intercepted.

Movie:

Harry: You couldn’t have put this in a letter, I suppose. I’ve gone all summer without a scrap of news.Ron: We wanted to tell you, mate. Really, we did. Only –Hermione: Only Dumbledore made us swear that we wouldn’t tell you anything.

But it’s not the worst infraction. It does cut into Ron and Harry’s bond though in order to bolster Harry and Hermione’s. :P

————————————————————-

HALF-BLOOD PRINCE

Steve Kloves is back- and he seems determined to undermine Harry and Ron’s friendship, bolster Harry and Hermione’s, and generally cut out anything but buffoonery from Ron’s stories.

He has Ron kissing Lavender for seemingly no reason, has Ron looking like a moron as he does quidditch (The helmet… ) and just in general doesn’t give Ron any dignity.

When Ron is poisoned- a VERY SERIOUS incident- Ron immediately goes from dying to sitting up to make a joke.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nK3K8XmZX3Q

The MOST EGREGIOUS one, though, is THE ENDING OF THE MOVIE

First let’s look at what we find in the books

They are a TRIO- Ron and Hermione are equally supporting him- but as usual Ron has the most lines of verbal support in the book- because that’s his role as Harry’s BEST FRIEND.

In the film… I mean… LOOK AT IT! 

Ron is COMPLETELY SILENT. And seated about 20 feet away from them as the ‘grownups’ talk and Hermione pledges her ever loving support to Harry, while Ron, again, IS SILENT! FOR THREE MINUTES!

WTF

I JUST…. WHAT?! WHAT?! WHAT?! WHAT?!!!?!?

—————————————————————————-

DEATHLY HALLOWS

Ron is actually portrayed ok at times here- They are ALL OVER the place with Ron’s characterization though, and do LITTLE to show the sacrifices he’s making leading up to their journey (and don’t support that narrative much later either.)

At times a bumblerhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiTgShhO-JM

But is finally allowed to hold his own when things get serious- but shows a weird sort of serial killer-esque darkness as he confronts the frozen deatheater.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sk5I27gTOj0

Again they make him an idiot at the ministryhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxgGMs3tezw

But Ron’s injury for once is treated seriously. :) (no sitting up to make a joke!)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lvpgvg_0neQ

The locket scene they do NOT honor Ron’s character, and have him become incredibly cruel compared to how he was in the bookhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZi_9E3ULwI

Again they do what they’ve done with ALL the fights based around Ron  (note how they CUT all of Harry&Hermione’s fall-outs?) they make Ron completely randomly unreasonable- and bolster Harry’s perspective as just misunderstood and not at all out of control angry

Don’t get me wrong, Ron was horrid when he was essentially possessed by the locket- but he NEVER went to the low blows Ron of the films did.

They go on in the film to show that without Ron, Harry and Hermione are fine. They are dancing and having a good time without him. And why wouldn’t they? He’s never been the rock of support and common sense he was in the books.

In the books they are hopeless without Ron. Miserable without him. that’s why when he’s back it’s a BIG deal                      _________________________________________________

♪REUNITED AND IT FEELS SO GOOD♪  meh

When reunited, Harry and Ron don’t have a particularly close bond- They destroy theh horcrux- and Ron’s emotional reaction of sobbing after his worst fears are out is cut- because of course all Ron-humanity is cut- and then his bond with Harry where they embrace and Harry comforts him is also cut- because only Harry & Hermione are actually close in these movies….

Movie version:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1XUfFnmflU

The clip cuts off but after

All that, and all they say is:

‘Just think, there are only three to go.’

Oh ok! No Ron explaining things, no Harry and Ron bonding- Ron’s not a good friend anyways, right?

Augh.

Where Ron comes in saving the day and bringing them tons of knowledge (the taboo, snatchers, potter watch) film Ron comes back bringing nothing (because Ron in the films NEVER is smart or bringing anything to the table. The TWO TIMES in the WHOLE FILM SERIES he does, it’s commented on like ‘wtf?!’ from Hermione….), and his presence doesn’t seem to particularly change anything for Harry and Hermione either. They were fine without him and Hermione is laughing and smiling LESS with Ron around, so is Harry.

Anyways! Then there is Hermione’s torture. Ron in the books is going mad with grief for her- He on MULTIPLE OCCASSIONS defends her and even says for them to take him instead. in the movies he reacts with a worried look and silence, then when he’s down in the basement seems less worried about Hermione than he was about anything in all those other movies he was freaking out in:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twHLFlqZ8T8

Look at how sedate he is. Jesus.

In the books he’s shouting her name and desperate for her.

But in the movies… BLECH

At least they still let him save her. (I’m surprised they let that stay.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2zNRrOXbPY

————————————————-

I only saw Deathly Hallows part 2 when it first came out- and haven’t seen it since because i really didn’t like it. The final fight sequence sucks so hard :P

But anyways- what I remember- Ron essentially does nothing and contributes nothing until he gets him and Hermione into the chamber of secrets and they randomly kiss.

ROOM OF REQUIREMENT

He is portrayed as plain old SILLY in the Room of Requirement:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZiGbypAnFU

————————————————-

MY FRIEND IS ABOUT TO GO DIE.

He gives a lame ‘what? Are you mad’ then as Harry goes off to die, Hermione gives Harry a big old hug- (neither character would let Harry do this- but Ron just STANDING there??? THE FUCK?) and Ron just stand there silently. Again, why is kloves so afraid of having these boys touch? Show affection????? (honestly I think all the times Ron shows anything like friendship in the films it’s usually silent moments that are improvised by Rupert.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rg1LLVWZyg8

Like you’re telling me THIS BOY

Is gonna just stand there while Harry goes to die???

——————————

And then hermione almost seems embarrassed to be interested in him

——————————

19 YEARS LATER

Then in the final scene of the book, where Ron had tons of lines (the most besides Harry and Albus) he’s just this potbellied silent dude.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEKA6rmVfW8

Like…. I can’t.

I HATE what the movies did to Ron. (don’t get me STARTED on Ginny.)

At every place they could they silenced him, took away his moments, made him a buffoon, made him a coward, made him a rotten friend, removed all his best traits- and left him to be mostly… THIS

He’s a selfish cowardly lump who is just around to keep the AUDIENCE entertained. Honestly you could cut Ron from the movie series and almost nothing would have to be changed- that’s how little they let him inform the narrative.

[yoakkemae-moved]

snippet i’m writing for a “professor liu” fanfic. 

“It has happened,” says Professor McGonagall, whose voice Harry can barely hear in the wardrobe, even with the door slightly ajar. Harry tries his best to peek through the cloaks and the doors both to see, and all he can view is Professor McGonagall’s face, looking pale. “A student has been taken by the monster. Right into the very Chamber itself.” 

Despite the blood rushing from his face, Harry still hears how Professor Flitwick squeals, can hear the sound of hands clapping over a mouth, can hear Professor Liu’s low, bitter mutter of “fuck”. Professor Snape’s voice rings next with the question of, “How can you be sure?” 

“The Heir of Slytherin,” starts to answer Professor McGonagall, her usually calm voice slightly shaking, “left another message. Right underneath the first one. ‘Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever.’” 

He can hear one of the professors burst into tears, can hear the thump of a cushion which meant that someone had fallen into a chair. 

“Who is it?” questions Madame Hooch, her voice faint. “Which student?” 

“Ginny Weasley,” Professor McGonagall replies sadly, and Harry and Ron share a wide-eyed look of horror, and Harry can almost count all of the freckles on Ron’s face -- he’s gotten so pale. 

“All we can do now is close the school and return students home,” Professor McGonagall continues. “This is the end of Hogwarts, everyone.” 

“Fuck,” curses Professor Liu again, this time sharper and louder. “You know what? I’m going to search through the hallways to see if I can find any image of a snake anywhere because that’s better than nothing, even if it is futile. Salazar Slytherin probably had a big ego -he must have marked it somehow.”

“And, what, pray tell, good would that do?” asks Professor Snape, voice low and dark. “It could take you days to find it--if you ever do.” 

“Even if she’s dead before I can reach her, at least we can bring her body back to her family,” argues back Professor Liu, voice terse. It’s the most argumentative that Harry has overheard the two unlikely friends being. “We all know this is just a futile exercise of trying to assuage my guilt, so if you would cease with the cynicism, Severus, so I may at least try.” 

There is no verbal reply from Professor Snape, and Harry can hear footsteps walk out the door. After Professor McGonagall gives every professor their instructions, all of the other professors trail leave the room, and Harry and Ron just stare at each other, white-faced, before leaving the room themselves. 

Harry unconsciously starts to make his way to the Gryffindor Tower when he pauses, and it takes a few moments before Ron realises and pauses too. 

“Wait,” Harry says, his mind slowly moving past the shock and his thoughts starting to turn. “We know where the Chamber is, we know what’s in it--Professor Liu is trying to find it, but if she knows where it is--” 

A spark of life that had been gone in Ron’s eyes starts to ignite again, and Ron finishes the sentence, “--Then she could rescue my sister.” 

“Maybe she’s in her office,” says Harry, a little fervent from the spike of adrenaline that has suddenly started to hit. “I know she said she was going to search the castle from top to bottom, but maybe she needed to get something there first.” 

“Then let’s go to her office first and see if she’s there,” says Ron, sounding rather determined, and the two of them run towards Professor Liu’s office. From outside, Harry can see a light and the low muttering of words; although, he can’t exactly make out what was being said. Without any hesitation, both Harry and Ron bursts in and stop in the doorway when Professor Liu points her wand at them. 

In the next moment, Professor Liu blinks and lowers her wand. “Harry, Mr. Weasley, you two should be--” 

“We know where the Chamber of Secrets is and what’s inside of it,” interrupts Harry, the words falling out of him in a burst. He’s worried, suddenly, that Professor Liu won’t believe him, just like Professor McGonagall didn’t last year with the Philosopher’s Stone, but Professor Liu just blinks at them for a moment, swears, and, as she stands up, tells them that they’d better tell her where and what. 

“It’s a basilisk,” Harry says, and Professor Liu swears again before going into her desk drawers. “And it’s in Moaning Mytle’s bathroom.” 

“I knew it had to have been a snake of some sort, why didn’t I realise it would be the king of snakes?” Professor Liu mutters to herself as she pulls out several vials of liquid and stashes them in her robe. “And that would explain the roosters being killed and the spiders running--how could I be so stupid?” 

After putting away the vials, Professor Liu raises her wand and says, “mittere nuntium Severus Snape,” and something shoots out of her wand and flies out of the door he and Ron had left open. With that done, Professor Liu looks at them for a moment before saying, “I will escort you both to your dorm--no, I don’t want to hear it,” she says, raising a hand to the sudden angry outbursts coming from Ron and himself. “You’ve given me valuable information, information that, since it came quickly, could save Ms. Weasley’s life. I know that she’s your sister, Mr. Weasley, and your friend, Harry, but a basilisk is not one for two twelve year olds to deal with. It’s not even enough for two grown wizards to deal with.” 

“I speak parseltongue; I’m the only one who can get you inside the chamber,” Harry argues fiercely, and Professor Liu pauses as she considers the information. It’s then when Professor Snape runs into the office, casting a glare at both Harry and Ron. Before he can say a word, Professor Liu interrupts with, “They’ve figured out where the Chamber is and what is inside--it’s in Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom and the animal is a basilisk.” 

Professor Snape looks like he’s bitten into something quite foul, and some dark form of amusement crosses Professor Liu’s lips as the corner of her mouth quirks. “Quite,” Professor Liu says in response to Professor Snape’s nonverbal statement. “Harry here has argued a good point--he speaks parseltongue and is the only one who could allow us both entrance to the Chamber and, if possible, argue with the basilisk.” 

“You cannot mean,” says Professor Snape lowly, his eyes narrowing, “to take two twelve year olds with us to the Chamber of Secrets holding a basilisk inside of it.” 

“One,” Professor Liu says, casting Ron an apologetic look, who scowls in return. “And unless you or I have suddenly developed the ability to speak in the language of snakes, we cannot leave Harry behind. Harry,” she says, suddenly addressing him, which was good as he was getting tired of being talked about while he was right there. “We are forced to bring you due to your talents, but you will obey us at every turn. If we tell you to run, you will run. Don’t stop, don’t look back. If we tell you to duck, you duck. If we tell you to stay behind, you stay behind.” 

Harry nods, even though he might not listen if it comes down to it. Professor Liu’s mouth quirks again, almost as if she realises this. 

“We’ll return Mr. Weasley to his House, inform Minerva of the situation, and head to the Chamber,” Professor Liu states, and then there looks to be some sort of silent conversation between Professor Liu and Professor Snape that takes place for a few minutes (which, Harry would like to note, they don’t exactly have time for! Who knows if Ginny is still--) before Professor Snape rolls his eyes and turns away. 

“Come then, Potter, Weasley,” Professor Snape mutters, looking as if he’d rather be feeding them to the basilisk instead. They leave Professor Liu’s office together, but instead of joining them to walk towards the Gryffindor Tower, Professor Liu splits and walks off in a different direction. 

“Where is Professor Liu going?” Harry asks before he can stop himself, and Professor Snape stares down at him before answering tersely, “Professor Liu is going to attempt to surmise just where in the bathroom is the entrance. Keep silent. We don’t want to bring attention to Professor Liu’s actions--or our own.” 

Harry falls dutifully silent, and he shares a look with Ron, who looks both pale and oddly determined. Harry thinks that, once they arrive at the Tower, Ron may try to argue for his own addition to their party, but this is Snape rather than Professor Liu, who has always been fair. 

And he did, where he was shut down completely by both Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape. Harry’s Head of House hadn’t liked the idea of Harry coming along to the Chamber either, but Professor Snape had tersely interrupted her complaints with the reasoning that Professor Liu had given him, and told Professor McGonagall to blame Professor Liu for the ridiculous idea. 

“I will join you when I am able,” Professor McGonagall says, and Professor Snape nods in response. 

They leave for the bathroom in silence, and Harry has to bite the inside of his lip to keep him from asking Professor Snape questions. How were they going to defeat a basilisk? There were no roosters to take with them into the chamber, but maybe Harry could argue with it... Calm it down... 

They arrive inside to see Professor Liu bent over a sink, along with Fawkes and the Sorting Hat sitting on the floor below her. She turns just enough to raise an eyebrow at Professor Snape as she says, “Here is the entrance--I knew there would be a blo--a snake, marking it.” Upon seeing their focus on the Sorting Hat and Fawkes, she also adds, “Headmaster Dumbledore has seen fit to provide us with back-up.” 

“Wonderful, a hat and a songbird, that’s going to go well when we’re being eaten alive,” Professor Snape mutters to himself, low enough that Harry’s pretty sure he’s not supposed to hear it, but can as the man is so close. Harry almost blinks in shock--did he really have a sense of humour? 

Or it was just a dark, realistic comment on how everything was going to go down, Harry thinks to himself. 

[alindakb]

Letters to my Parents - Friday 4 June 1993 - by Alinda

Friday 4 June 1993

Dear mom and dad,

These last two weeks have been unreal. First off, Draco kissed me. Like really kissed me, on the lips and everything. And now we can’t seem to stop. I love feeling his lips on mine. It’s the best thing ever. And I’m glad we get to do it whenever we want now because when he first did it, I thought it would be the last thing I do before I died.

Yes, I almost died and this time I didn’t want to. I was just so badly hurt and we thought there would be no way to rescue me on time. But I should start at the beginning, so you understand what had happened.

It was the week before exams would start when Draco figured it out. I had told him that I had heard a voice saying it was going to kill before all of the attacks. And he knows that Hermione was carrying around a mirror when she got petrified. The monster of Slytherin was a Basilisk. That was why I could only hear the voice. I’m the only one we know in this school that understands Parseltongue. A Basilisk kills you instantly with the stare of his eyes, but none of the victims had looked it straight in the eye. Hermione had used the mirror, Colin saw it through his camera, Justin was looking through Nearly Headless Nick and Mrs Norris had only seen the Basilisk reflection in the water that had been on the floor. That’s why none of them had died.

Draco showed me the passage in a book about the Basilisk and it all made sense. Hagrid had said something had been killing roosters, and the crowing of the rooster is fatal to a Basilisk. We only took some time to figure out how the Basilisk got around the castle. But after some brainstorming we knew, it was using the pipes. The voice I heard was inside the walls.

Later that evening, when I was brushing my teeth I remembered Myrtle’s story, about how she had died. She was in the bathroom and heard some boy say something in a different language. And when she opened the stall door she died instantly when she saw a pair of eyes. It must have been the Basilisk that killed her. She’s the girl that died fifty years ago. The entrance to the room must be in her bathroom.

I went to find Draco to tell him about Myrtle, but I couldn’t find him anywhere. He wasn’t in the dormitory or the common room. I asked around, but no-one had seen him in a while. Terence said not to worry, that Draco was probably just in the bathroom or something. But it just didn’t feel right. I went to bed and waited for a while for Draco to join me, but he never came. So I got up again to look for him. The common room was empty by now, just like all the bathrooms. Draco wasn’t in the dungeon. I was really worried so I decided to go to Professor Snape and tell him Draco was missing.

But I never made it to Professor Snape’s quarters. When I came out of the Slytherin dungeon I found Ron and Neville looking around in the hallway. Ron came running up to me, saying they had been looking for me. They had overheard Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick talking about a student that had been taken to the Chamber of Secrets. That there had been a message on the wall saying ‘His skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever.’ So they followed them all the way to the staff room and then overheard that Draco was the student that had been taken.

I stumbled to the floor when they told me. I couldn’t believe it, I had only just got him back and now I was going to lose him all over again. And this time for real. He would die and I won’t be able to save him.

Ron kept talking, saying that all students will be sent home the next day and that the end of Hogwarts had come. He continued with saying that he couldn’t believe that the professors were just giving up. That nobody was going to try to find the Chamber and save Draco. It was wrong. So they had come looking for me, to go on a mission to find this Chamber and rescue Draco. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Ron, the boy that had dumped Hermione for hanging out with me, who had been sure I was pure evil for most of the year and who hated all things Malfoy had come looking for me so we could go safe Draco.

Ron already had a plan. Only the day before they had overheard Professor Lockhart saying he knew where the entrance of the Chamber of Secrets was, so we should start with him. So we sprinted to his office. And you will never believe it, but Professor Lockhart was packing all his belongings. It seemed that the other Professors had tasked him with rescuing Draco and he was running. He was going to leave my boyfriend for death. I got really angry and started shouting at Professor Lockhart. Accusing him from running away, even after all that stuff he had done in his books. And then we found out that he hadn’t done any of those things, he’d been taking credit for what other people had done. He tried to defend himself by saying it was a lot of work to find the stories, to track the people down, asked them what happened and then putting a memory charm on them so they wouldn’t remember doing it.

After that, he tried to obliviate us, couldn’t have us blabbing his secrets all over the place. So I reached for my wand and used the Expelliarmus spell to disarm Professor Lockhart. Ron caught the wand and flung it out of the open window. I was furious. Professor Lockhart said he couldn’t do anything to help Draco, because he didn’t know where the Chamber of Secrets was. I spit at him that he was in luck, because I knew and that I also knew what was inside. I told Neville to go find Professor Snape or Professor McGonagall and to tell them to find us in Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom. Neville ran off and Ron and I forced Professor Lockhart to come with us to the bathroom.

Myrtle was sitting on the tank of the end toilet when we came in and she was surprised to see me. She asked what I was still doing walking around alive. She thought I was dead by now since I hadn’t been around in weeks. I hadn’t thought about it, but I hadn’t been back there since she convinced me it was a good idea to slit my wrist open and kill myself. I had completely forgotten about Myrtle. And I was supposed to be her friend. I apologised to her and promised that I would come to visit her more often.

Myrtle wanted to know why I wasn’t dead and I told her we would discuss that some other time. She got upset about that and snapped at me ‘Than what do you want this time’. I asked her where she had seen the pair of great, big, yellow eyes when she died. Myrtle pointed vaguely toward the sink in front of her toilet and Ron and I hurried over to it to investigate. It looked like an ordinary sink; the only thing standing out was a tiny snake on one of the copper taps. Myrtle said the tap has never worked when I turned it. Ron suggested saying something in Parseltongue. I didn’t know if I could since I only managed to do it when faced with a real snake and I’ve never tried otherwise. But after a couple of tries, I managed to say ‘Open up’ in Parseltongue.

The tap glowed with a brilliant white light and began to spin as soon as I hissed the words. Then the sink sank right out of sight, leaving a large pipe exposed. The pipe was wide enough for a man to slide into. I told Ron that I was going down. I couldn’t not go, not if there was a change that Draco was still alive. I had to believe he was, the thought of losing him for good was daunting. Ron said he would come with me and I was thankful that I didn’t have to go down the pipe alone.

It’s then that Professor Lockhart spoke up, saying that it seemed that he wasn’t needed. I had completely forgotten about him. Ron turned towards him and pointed his wand at him, saying Lockhart could go first. He protested, but we had both our wands pointed at him, so he hadn’t a real choice.

Professor Lockhart went down the pipe first. I followed him quickly. It was like rushing down an endless, slimy, dark slide. Other pipes branched off in all directions, but none of them was as large as the one I was sliding down. In the end, the pipe levelled out and I landed on the damp floor of a dark stone tunnel. We were miles under the school, and Ron thought we were probably under the lake.

I lighted my wand with a Lumos and told Ron and Professor Lockhart that they should close their eyes at the first sign of movement. Ron asked why and I told him about the Basilisk and how it could kill him with his eyes. We moved forward and discovered that the entire floor was littered with small animal bones. I struggled to not imagine what Draco might look like if we found him, what if the Basilisk had eaten him and there would only be bones left.

After a while, we walked up to a large shed snake skin that was from a beast at least twenty feet long. Ron and I were examining it when Professor Lockhart made a grab for Ron’s wand and tried to obliviate us again. But Ron’s wand was still broken from our little crash into the Weeping Willow, and it backfired. The wand exploded with the force of a small bomb. I slipped over the coils of snakeskin to get out of the way when great chunks of tunnel ceiling came thundering to the floor.

When I looked up again I was staring at a solid wall of broken rock. I made sure that Ron was okay, but Professor Lockhart wasn’t because he had gotten blasted by the wand. Ron couldn’t get through the fallen rocks so I told him to wait there with Professor Lockhart. I was sure that Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall would arrive shortly once Neville had warned them about where we had gone. They would be able to get through the wall of rocks.

I took off alone, past the giant snakeskin. The tunnel turned and turned and I was afraid I would never reach Draco in time. And even if I did, how was I going to save him? I had no skills to fight a Basilisk of even the person that had taken Draco. I’m just a mediocre wizard, I have no extraordinary skills.

Finally, after another corner, I came to a solid wall on which two entwined serpents were carved. I told them in Parseltongue to open. The serpents parted as the wall cracked open, the halves sliding smoothly out of sight and I walked inside. By then I was shaking and terrified of what I would find.

I was inside a very long, dimly lit chamber. Stone pillars entwined with more carved serpents rose to support a ceiling lost in darkness, casting long, black shadows through the odd, greenish gloom that filled the place. It was eerily silent and a chill went over my body. I pulled out my wand and started moving forward between the serpentine columns. My footstep echoed loudly and I was sure I wouldn’t surprise anyone. They would know I was coming, so I kept my eyes narrowed, ready to clamp them shut at the smallest sign of movement.

I found Draco lying on the floor, between the feet of a high statue of a wizard with a face that was ancient and monkeyish. It had a long, thin beard that fell almost to the bottom of the wizard’s sweeping stone robes. I sprinted towards Draco, begging him not to be dead. I flung my wand aside, grabbed Draco’s shoulders and turned him over. His face was white as marble and he felt cold to the tough. His eyes were closed and I was afraid I was too late. I hugged Draco against my chest and begged Draco to wake up.

A soft voice came from the side, saying: ‘he won’t wake’. I jumped up and spun around. A tall, black-haired boy was leaning against the nearest pillar. He was blurred around the edges and he looked at me with fascinated eyes. I asked him who he was and he told me he was Tom Riddle. I shook my head, that couldn’t be possible. Tom Riddle was the memory trapped inside Draco’s notebook; he could not be a person here in the school.

And I wish I had realised right then that Riddle was the one, but all I could think of was Draco and his lifeless body on the floor beside me. With tears in my eyes, I asked Riddle what he had meant when he said that Draco won’t wake. Tom said he wasn’t dead and I was relieved for a moment until he continued with a ‘but only just’.  I took hold of Draco again and asked Tom for his help, telling him there was a Basilisk around and that we needed to get Draco out of there. I hoisted Draco half off the floor and then bent to pick up my wand, but my wand was gone.

When I looked up I could see that Riddle was holding my wand, twirling it in between his long fingers. A smile curled the corners of Riddle’s mouth and I got angry at him. This boy had helped Draco all year and now he was just smiling at us while Draco was dying. I screamed at him that we needed to go, that the Basilisk could come at any moment. But Riddle said in a calm voice that it won’t come until it’s called. I had to lower Draco back onto the floor, unable to hold him up any longer. And I was confused. I didn’t understand what Riddle meant and he also hadn’t given me my wand back. I was getting a bad feeling about it all.

Riddle his smile just broadened. He said I wouldn’t need my wand. And that he’d waited a long time for this, for the chance to see me and to speak to me. I told him we could speak later, that we now first had to get Draco to the hospital wing. But Riddle didn’t care. He said we were going to talk now. Something was wrong and I looked again at Draco, wondering out loud how he had gotten like this.

Riddle answered that question for me. He said it was an interesting question and quite a long story. He said that the real reason Draco was like this is because he opened his heart and spilt all his secrets to an invisible stranger.

The notebook. Draco’s notebook. I looked at where Riddle was nodding towards and I could see the little diary Draco had been writing in all year. About his fears and heartbreak. He had told me. And now Riddle was telling me that he had charmed Draco into trusting him, that it had been boring to listen to the silly little troubles of a twelve-year-old boy. But he had written back, had been sympathetic and kind, making Draco pour his soul into the diary, so Riddle could grow stronger. So strong that he became more powerful than Draco, and started pouring his soul into him. Riddle had made Draco open up the chamber of Secrets, had him strangle the roosters and had him write threatening messages on the walls.

I couldn’t believe my ears. Draco had been the one to do all that. And he had let the entire school believe that it was me. Why hadn’t he ever said anything?

So you will believe that I was relieved when Riddle continued his little speech and revealed that Draco had no memory of doing any of it. He hadn’t known that he was being used. It sickened me when Riddle bragged about how interesting it had been to read about how worried Draco had been, how he had questioned if he might be responsible for any of it. And how fun it had been to convince him otherwise. Until Draco had said he wouldn’t write to Tom again after an argument. But I had been so kind to almost kill myself, upsetting Draco so much that he started writing to him again.

And I felt horrible. When I had found the notebook, Draco must have tried to get rid of it and I had brought it back to him. It was my fault he was dying now. I could feel the tears stream down my cheeks by now. Draco was going to die and there was nothing I could do about it. And it was all my fault.

Riddle looked at me with an angry look. He said I disappointed him. He had been so curious about me ever since Draco had told him that I had defeated the Dark Lord twice in my short life. And then I tried to kill myself, like a helpless little child. He just had to meet me, and seeing how much Draco and I care about each other, he just knew that I would come to his rescue if Draco would be in danger. So Riddle had made Draco write his own farewell on the wall and come down here. Draco cried at first, Riddle said, he thinks Draco finally realised that had been him all along. Only it was already too late, he had put too much of himself in the diary, into Riddle, so much so that Riddle could leave the pages of his diary, slowly killing Draco while he was waiting for me.

He wanted to know how I, a skinny boy with no extraordinary magical talent, who even wasn’t smart enough to kill himself properly, managed to defeat the greatest wizard of all time? How had I escaped with nothing but a scar, while Lord Voldemort his powers were destroyed? I asked him why he wanted to know and he told me he was Lord Voldemort. That it was the name he had fashioned for himself, a name he knew wizards everywhere would one day fear to speak when he had become the greatest sorcerer in the world.

But he wasn’t the greatest sorcerer in the world and I told him so. I told him that headmaster Dumbledore was the greatest wizard in the world. That everyone says so and that Voldemort was still afraid of Dumbledore now, where ever he was hiding these days.

Something amazing happened then. Music was coming from somewhere that kept coming closer. It was Fawkes, headmaster Dumbledore’s bird. It dropped the sorting hat at my feet and then landed on my shoulder. It made Riddle laugh, mocking the items that Dumbledore had to send me. But for me, it felt like I had a change. Even though the objects seemed useless, I felt like I might be able to somehow defeat Riddle now and save Draco. All I wanted was to save Draco.

After that things became a bit scary. Riddle asked me how I had defeated him before. He tried to keep me talking, but I knew that the longer it would all take, the more life was slipping from Draco’s body into Riddle. So I told him he was useless, that my muggle-born mother had saved me. Riddles concluded out of that that there was nothing special about me and send for the Basilisk. It came sliding out of the mouth of the statue that had opened wide to make a huge black hole. I shut my eyes and I could feel Fawkes take flight. I was going to die, I was sure of it. If Fawkes would take of what did I have to defend myself with?

I could hear the Basilisk’s heavy body slithering across the floor. I kept my eyes shut and began to run blindly sideways, keeping my hands stretched out. Voldemort was laughing when I tripped. Something heavy hit me then and I was smashed into a wall. I was sure the next thing I would feel were some fangs biting me and killing me. But that never happened. I could hear mad hissing and something thrashing wildly off the pillars. And I couldn’t help myself; I had to take a look. And you will never believe what I saw. Fawkes had punctured the Basilisks eyes.

The next thing I remember is holding the Sorting Hat, while the Basilisk was coming after me. I pulled the hat on my head and just thought ‘help me’. There was no voice but the hat contracted and something very hard and heavy thudded onto my head. It almost knocked me out. It was a gleaming silver sword and I took it out and used it when the Basilisk lunged for me. The hilt drove into the roof of the Basilisks mouth, making it keeled over sideways, twitching to the floor. I slid down the wall, my arm hurt so badly and when I looked I could see one of the poisonous fangs of the Basilisk sticking out of it. I crawled toward Draco. I was going to die, I knew it. A white-hot pain was spreading slowly from the wound and my vision started to become foggy. It was a lot like when I had slit my wrist and the world had started spinning while the blood pulsed out of my arm.

I made it to Draco and took his hand in mine. If we were going to die I wanted to hold him, know that he was here with me. I tried to ignore Riddle’s laughter and mocking. I just wanted to tell Draco one more time that I love him. Fawkes came flying by then and he dropped the diary into my lap. And without thinking I wrenched the Basilisks fang out of my arm and plunged it straight into the heart of the book. I wanted to hurt the awful book that had used my Draco, manipulated him and was now killing him. There was a long, dreadful, piercing scream and ink came spurting out of the diary. Riddle was writhing and twisting, screaming and flailing and then he was gone. My wand fell to the floor with a clatter and then everything was still. I lay down on the floor and closed my eyes, not expecting to open them again.

The next thing I remember is Draco holding me in his arm, begging me to wake up. I opened my eyes and was happy to see that Draco wasn’t as white anymore as when I found him on the Chamber’s floor. I asked him if we were dead. He told me we weren’t and that I had to stay awake. Draco was crying and I knew he had seen the wound in my arm. He was begging me to stay with him. I said I was sorry. There was no way to save me. It hurt so much hearing Draco pleads, begging me not to leave him alone. I told him I love him and he said it back to me. I knew I hadn’t long, I was in so much pain and Draco’s face was fading in and out of focus. I remember whisperings ‘please kiss me’ and the next thing I know is the feeling of Draco’s lips on mine. It made me forget the pain and despair reaching inside me. I could only feel his warm breath against mine, his lips pushing against mine, opening slightly and biting on my bottom lip. It was perfect. And I thought that this was not a bad way to go, with the boy I love kissing me.

Only Fawkes had another plan. He had landed next to us and was pushing Draco away from me. Draco fought it at first and then he was gone. Only his hand stayed entwined with mine. He said everything was going to be okay and I believed him. The pain was leaving me and I could open my eyes again. The world was coming back into focus and I could see Draco sitting next to me, a smile on his face. Fawkes had his head still on my arm and a pearly patch of tears was shining all around my wound, only there was no wound anymore. And then headmaster Dumbledore’s words came back to me, phoenix tears have healing powers. I wasn’t going to die. I was so happy that I leapt at Draco and found his lips again and this time I kissed him back with all my strength. We laughed and kissed and it was perfect. We were both going to be okay and Voldemort and the Basilisks were death.

After a while, we got up and walked with Fawkes on our tails out of the chamber back towards Ron. Ron had managed to move enough rocks in the time I was gone to make a gab where Draco and I could climb through. Professor Lockhart was also still there. Ron said his memory was gone, that Lockhart had no clue who he was or where he was.

For a moment none of us knew how we were going to go back up the long pipe, but Fawkes helped us out again. Draco was still holding my hand and Ron grabbed the back of my robes, holding Professor Lockhart’s hand with his free hand. I took hold of Fawkes tail feathers and then we flew upwards through the pipe. And when we reached the top I could see Professor Snape run into the bathroom with Neville on his heels. Myrtle expressed that she was disappointed I wasn’t dead and Draco gave her an angry stare.

And then Professor Snape pulled Draco and me in a hug. It was the weirdest thing that had happened all night. Professor Snape was hugging us and Ron and Neville were staring at us blankly. I must say I was glad when Professor Snape let go of us. It’s just weird, him hugging us.

He took us to headmaster Dumbledore’s office. Draco’s parents were there and it was clear that his mother had been crying. She took Draco in her arms as soon as we entered the office. Headmaster Dumbledore was also there, just like Professor McGonagall. The headmaster made Draco go to the hospital wing to get checked out and his parents went with him. And then they asked me to tell them what had happened. I told them everything, up till the moment that Professor Snape found us in the bathroom.

After that headmaster Dumbledore awarded Ron and I both Special Awards for Services to the School and he gave out points for the house cup. Neville got 100 points for finding help, Ron got 150 points for facing danger to save a friend and he gave me 200 points for bravery and courage to face the Basilisk to save the boy I love. Professor McGonagall escorted Ron and Neville back to their own common room and Professor Snape took Professor Lockhart to the hospital wing, leaving me alone with the headmaster. He first thanked me for showing real loyalty to him and then he told me something disturbing. The only reason why I can speak Parseltongue is because Lord Voldemort can, as a last remaining descendant of Salazar Slytherin. Headmaster Dumbledore thinks that Voldemort has transferred some of his own powers into me the night he killed you. I don’t know what to think of that. It scares me. I wondered if I was only Slytherin because of that part in Voldemort inside me since you both had been Gryffindors. Headmaster Dumbledore assured me that the hat would see more than just the little part of Voldemort that is inside me and that I myself had qualities that Salazar himself valued in his students, like my determination and cleverness. He also said that I cherish the once I love abidingly and unconditionally and that that was very Slytherin of me. And then he continued that I could have also been in Gryffindor because I also have a lot of traits that are part of that house, like my bravery (even though I don’t feel brave most of the time) and my heroic actions last year and now. And the fact that I had pulled Gryffindor’s sword out of the head should tell me that house placements aren’t as black and white as we would like to pretend. And that I shouldn’t worry about the small part of Voldemort inside me because that was not what made me the person that I am or determent my placement in Slytherin.

It was time to sleep after that and I was happy to see that Draco was also back in our dormitory and we could slip into my bed together. The next morning I woke with his arms around me and the news we would have a feast that afternoon to celebrate the end of the terror at Hogwarts.

The feast was amazing. The Mandrakes had matured so all the petrified people were there and Hermione had joined Draco and me at the Slytherin table. It was good to have her back and she was pleased to see that Draco and I were now boyfriends. Ron and Neville also joined us halfway through the feast. It was a bit awkward, seeing Ron and Hermione trying to be civil for my sake, but it was fun. Daphne was very interested in everything that had happened and Greg wanted a word by word account. And at the end of the feast, Hagrid walked into the Great Hall. I got up and ran towards him and hugged him, glad to have him back.

Sunday we had to get back to studying, because or exams have started since Tuesday. Hermione was in a panic on Sunday, afraid she wouldn’t do any good because she had missed so much while being petrified. Draco told her not to worry, that he had no problem with taking over her number one position. She hit him with a book after that and Daphne and I just laughed at them. Greg tried to cheer Hermione up by saying she would still do better than him and that just made her determent to tutor Greg for the rest of the Sunday afternoon.

Just one more week of exams and then we can relax until the results come in.

I have to go now, Draco is here and he is going to quiz me on Potions, to make sure I don’t mess up our practical exam on Monday.

Love you both,

Harry James Potter.

[the-potter-analyst]

Chapter 9 - The Writing on the Wall

Harry Potter and the Sacred Text word of the day: Innocence

To pick up when Harry hears the voice, I gotta give a hand to Ron and Hermione who were like we have zero idea what’s going on but our boy needs us. All I could think about was them being like this

But all jokes aside, it must’ve been pretty scary on their end to have their friend hear a voice they can’t, saying it’s going to kill, and have said friend run after it. And then they find a cat hanging from the wall with a creepy message next to her. Pretty sketchy.

I first interpreted “innocence” to refer to naivety and purity and it took me until Dumbledore said “innocent until proven guilty” that I realized the intended definition was probably guiltless lol. But I decided to read the chapter with both interpretations! To start with “guiltless,” the big situation regarding this is the rumor that Harry opened the Chamber of Secrets or at least the assumption that he attacked Mrs. Norris. Filch and Snape are quick on the bandwagon that Harry is guilty, but it’s Dumbledore who gives Harry the benefit of the doubt. It’s interesting seeing this in comparison to how the justice system works in the US, because while we claim and act like it’s “innocent first,” the system always assumes you’re guilty unless evidence states otherwise (unless you’re a poc and then you’re just guilty period). I think it’s really important that people in power exercise “innocent first” and appreciate that Dumbledore assumes that Harry is guiltless, even though he was found at the scene of the crime and when others think otherwise. The hosts made a really good point that in western culture, we perpetually live like every bad thing that happens as deserving, like there was one thing we did wrong in the past and now we’re getting punished for it, we internalize it, and similarly, we think that the punishment of a flawed person is deserving even if their innocent of a crime. Just food for thought bc I can go on and on about the justice system.

On the reading of “naivety,” I also looked at moments that are the opposite: cynicism and corruption. I saw this with Filch and Snape respectively. Snape fully knows that Harry couldn’t have petrified Mrs. Norris, but he jumps at the opportunity to punish him in some way. Filch assumes that Harry is attacking him for being a squib, something that Filch is obviously very insecure about. He thinks everyone is against him or out to get him, most likely due to past experiences.

Speaking of naivety, it’s interesting that Harry chose not to share the information about him hearing the voice. That info would exonerate him from blame and put more context on what happened, but he doesn’t bc of a gut feeling (someone who’s completely ignorant would probably delve that info). I liked the discussion in the podcast of how Harry doesn’t trust himself, or at least parts of himself. He has yet to tell Ron and Hermione, his closest friends, about almost being sorted into Slytherin bc of the implications that brings up, that maybe he’s a bad person or could become one. Maybe it’s from his upbringing, but it’s also a part of himself that he doesn’t understand yet, something he can’t control like hearing creepy voices no one else can. It's interesting to think about how this part of him is from Voldemort. He's unaware of this currently, but also doesn’t know what to do about it and his automatic response is to keep it to himself. Bc Harry Potter cannot Trust Adults.

Ron is so goddamn loyal to Harry, because even though he’s hesitant about the voice and very worried about Harry, he still trusts that Harry heard something. As soon as Harry says “yes I know this is fucking weird but it happened,” Ron doesn’t question it further. And this habitually happens throughout the books, like something weird and unexplainable happens to Harry and Ron will be on board with it. I know that in their 4th year this doesn’t happen, but I’ll put a hold on that when I get there since there are claims that it was out of character for Ron. We’ll see.

I also saw Hermione having that pure innocence in that scene with Binns. Another synonym of innocence is “inexperience” or a lack of knowledge, and when Hermione doesn’t know something, she goes to books. And when that fails her, she asks questions! She’s definitely not afraid to do so even with a professor like Binns.

You know, for as much as Ginny is mentioned, in reality she gets no screen time. Every little detail we hear about her is second hand like, hey Harry, this happened to Ginny! It could be that she’s still avoiding any interaction with him because of her crush. I think there’s one small paragraph of Ron talking to Ginny, but she never says anything. But on the topic of innocence, as non-first time readers we know that she not guiltless. She’s the one who opened the chamber and is fully aware of it, though she wasn’t in control of her actions. And it’s terrible that her brothers are like they’ll catch that maniac and expel him. And it distresses her more that Ron, Harry, and Hermione are blamed for what she did.

I forgot that the corridor where Mrs. Norris was attacked was right outside Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom. Does that mean Harry heard the basilisk coming out of the chamber?? Also I’ve always wondered where in the heck those openings in the pipes are that can fit a giant ass snake. Bc unless it can change its size and fit through facets, idk how it could just pop up anywhere in the castle. If someone knows the answer pls enlighten me.

Small things:

I know this has been mentioned a lot since Hogwarts Mystery came out, but I wonder if Rowling had the idea of the cursed vaults early so early on

Tfw you’re just short of your page minimum for your essay

How is it with how meticulous Britain is with its historical record that they don’t even know the date when Hogwarts was founded. Like we know the date when Oxford was founded. Did they lose those documents sometime in the past? But even then you’d think there would still be oral histories about it. We don’t even get an approximate date?? The historian in me is unsatisfied.

I wonder if the Gryffindors have History of Magic with Hufflepuffs bc only Gryffindors were speaking up in class. If there were Ravenclaws in that room they’d also jump in lol

Man, Colin has said “hiya Harry!” so much that Harry now has an automated response to him

Something tells me Harry would love being with the Scooby Doo gang

Previous: Chapter 8 - The Deathday Party

Next: Chapter 10 - The Rogue Bludger

[writer-dreams]

Polyjuice Potion (Part 1) (Draco Malfoy x Reader)

Hiiii. I wrote this on my old (deactivated) ao3 account. This is also my first story on tumblr so don't judge too harshly pleeease.

Part 2 / End

Prompt: Reader is friends with the golden trio but is secretly dating Draco Malfoy behind her friends' backs. After the Chamber is opened, the trio planned to use Polyjuice Potion to sneak into the Slytherin Common Room and see if Draco Malfoy has any knowledge of the Chamber of Secrets.

House: Slytherin

Blood Status: You choose

Note: The reader in this story is female (she/her pronouns)

Word Count: 1,737 words

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Third Person POV

Everyone stared in horror at the petrified Ms. Norris and the writing on the wall. "The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the Heir....beware." (Y/N) read aloud.

"Enemies of the Heir! Beware! You'll be next, mudbloods!" Draco Malfoy taunted, looking specifically at Hermione Granger.

Hermione simply rolled her eyes at the Slytherin Prince but she didn't fail to notice the glare (Y/N) had sent in Malfoy's direction. Malfoy also seemed to take notice of this and instantly glared back.

"What do you think you're glaring at, (L/n)?" He sneered.

"You know damn well why I'm glaring." She answered.

"What? Is it because of the mudblood, Granger?" Malfoy asked, feigning innocence.

"Why you little-I'm gonna tear your throat out for calling Hermione that!" (Y/n) growled as she began stomping in Malfoy's direction. Nobody made a move to stop her as she harshly grabbed Malfoy's tie and dragged him down the hall.

Hermione sighed and regrouped with Harry and Ron, who were still staring in the direction (Y/n) had gone.

"Another fight between (Y/n) and Malfoy, hey?" Ron joked.

"I swear they've been at each other's throats ever since she got sorted into Slytherin." Harry shook his head.

"They've really hated each other since....since forever, I suppose." Hermione added, "Anyways, what do you think of this whole 'Chamber of Secrets' and 'Heir of Slytherin' thing?"

"Heir of Slytherin? Wonder who that could be...." Ron trailed off, his gaze once again in the direction which Malfoy and (Y/n) had disappeared off to.

"Maybe you're onto something, Ron. What if Malfoy is the Heir of Slytherin?" Harry asked.

"Then we HAVE to find out!" Hermione exclaimed,  "I have just the plan. Meet me in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"We'll be breaking about 50 school rules but if we get this right, we should be able to find out if Malfoy really is the Heir of Slytherin or not with just a little bit of polyjuice potion." Hermione explained.

"That sounds risky but if it'll get us the information we need, then I'm in." Harry said.

"Count me in too." Ron added.

"Perfect." Hermione clapped her hands. "I'll begin making the potion right away then."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The day had arrived. Hermione stuffed her pile of books into her bag and headed to the Gryffindor Table, where Ron and Harry were already seated.

"Good news, you two. The potion is almost ready. Now all we need are some bits of the person you're turning into." Hermione explained.

"Crabbe and Goyle." Said Harry.

"Excellent." Hermione says while taking out two muffins from her bag. "I've filled these with a sleeping draught. It'll knock them out for a while. All you have to do is feed these to them, stuff them in a broom closet, then take their uniforms and a lock of their hair."

"You can't be serious, Hermione! You can't actually expect us to be able to pull that off, right?!" Ron asks.

"Yes. I do." Hermione answers, annoyed.

"Who do YOU have to knock out and snip their hair?" Ron inquired.

"I, luckily, already have my hair." Hermione smirked as she pulled out a single strand of hair from her bag. "It's (Y/n)'s hair."

"Why in the world would you take (Y/n)'s hair? Malfoy hates her, he wouldn't tell her anything. Secondly, she's our friend! Why don't we just invite her along?" Harry asks.

"(Y/n) is gonna be gone on a holiday while this is happening and she is a Slytherin. Her hair was much easier to obtain then getting Millicent Bullstrode's or Parkinson's hair." Hermione said.

"That still doesn't explain the fact that Malfoy hates her guts. He wouldn't tell his enemy anything about the Chamber of Secrets or about the Heir." Harry argued.

"And yet she always seems to know things about Malfoy that nobody else knows. Remember the one time she came back after a fight with him and she explained that he has a large scar on his chest? Nobody could have seen that and I doubt (Y/n) would be going around like a barbarian, ripping off people's shirts. The only way she could've known that was if he had shown her. I'm starting to think she knows more about him than she really says. Anyways, it's nearly time. Go get Crabbe and Goyle and bring me back the hairs." Hermione ushered the two.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The liquid in the cauldron was black and slushed all around the edges of its container. Ron gagged at the sight as both he and Harry watched Hermione pour the ghastly potion into some vials.

"Alright, now, everyone put your hairs into the potion." Hermione instructed.

As Harry placed Goyle's hair into the potion, the liquid changed color. Not too far off, he could hear Ron groan in disgust.

"This smells and looks disgusting. Do I really want to put this in my mouth?" Ron complained. Harry agreed wholeheartedly. The two stared in jealousy as Hermione's potion turned into a pleasant (f/c).

"Why does yours get to look so nice?" Harry whined.

Hermione simply shrugged. "Now, we all must drink the potion."

Everyone gulped down the potion, immediately regretting it. They look at each other and watch and their skin started to change and their bodies morphed into their chosen hair-owners.

"Bloody hell. I've turned into Crabbe." Ron exclaimed.

"Let's go, we don't have much time. We only have an hour before the potion wears off." Hermione said, disguised as (Y/n).

They all nod and follow Hermione out of the bathroom. They only started roaming the halls before a voice called them.

"Excuse me!" The voice shouted.

"It's Percy!" Ron gasped.

"What do you three think you're doing wandering around here at this time?" Percy glares at them sternly, crossing his arms.

"We-W-We...." Ron started before he was quickly cut off by the voice of Draco Malfoy.

"Crabbe? Goyle? I've been looking all around the  bloody school for you! Where have you been? Pigging out in the Great Hall?! Why in the world is (L/n) with you?!" The blond boy glares at Hermione.

Hermione glares right back. Malfoy then turns to Percy. "And what are you doing here, Weasley?" He asks rudely.

"Watch it, Malfoy." Percy warns him.

Malfoy rolls his eyes and signals for Harry and Ron to follow him. "Come on then, let's go to the common room. I suppose (L/n) will have to follow as well since she's probably already forgotten the password like the idiot she is."

Hermione bites her tongue to stop herself from saying anything before realizing that (Y/n) wouldn't let an insult like that fly by. "Shut your mouth, Malfoy." She spat.

Malfoy smirked before the four of them stopped in front of a wall. "Pureblood." He says before the wall slides open. The group steps inside the common room and Malfoy immediately plops himself down on the couch. He notices that his three, well two, friends aren't following him.

"Well, go on then. Take a seat." He gestures to the couch across from his. The trio quickly make their way to the couch.

"(Y/n). Come sit next to me." Malfoy motions.

Hermione, knowing how much (Y/n) hated Malfoy,  knew that she would never accept. "No." She answered.

Malfoy only smirked before he got up and literally lifted Hermione off the couch and onto his. Hermione knew at this point, it might be better to shut her mouth. Clearly, (Y/n) had been doing something that allowed Malfoy to think it was a good idea to pick up his worst enemy and plop her next to him on a couch. After Malfoy had gotten settled in again, he looked at Crabbe and Goyle.

"You would never be able to guess that the Weasleys are pure-bloods, not with the way they behave. They're an embarrassment to the wizarding world. All of them!" Malfoy said.

Ron began tightly clenching his fists. Malfoy noticed this and started questioning him. "What's wrong with you, Crabbe?"

"Stomachache." Ron answered quickly. Malfoy shrugged and didn't question it further.

"I'm surprised the Daily Prophet hasn't made a report on these attacks. Dumbledore must be trying to keep them quiet. Father always did say that Dumbledore was the worst thing that ever happened to this place." Malfoy laughed.

"You're wrong!" Harry angrily said, standing up.

Malfoy glares at him. "What? You think there's someone worse than Dumbledore?"

Harry sits back down. "Harry Potter?" He suggests.

Draco merely looks at him for a second before bursting into laughter. "You're absolutely right. Good one, Goyle. Saint Potter. Just because he's a parselmouth, people think HE'S the Heir of Slytherin."

"But you must have SOME idea." Harry says.

"I already told you yesterday. I don't know who it is. How many times do I have to say it before it sticks through your thick skulls?" Malfoy says, exasperated.

Malfoy then looks over to Hermione, who is still sitting next to him. "(Y/n), love? Is there something wrong? You've been quiet this whole time."

"Just...thinking. Wait, did you just call me Love?!" Hermione asks.

"Yes...? It's been your nickname for nearly a year now?" Malfoy asks, confused.

"What?!"

"We've been dating for almost a whole year and we told nobody except for Crabbe, Goyle, Zabini, and Parkinson?" Malfoy states, still confused as to why his girlfriend seemed so shocked.

"Love? Is there something wrong?" Malfoy asks, truly concerned now.

Hermione quickly looks over at Harry and Ron. They both give her the same shocked look. Then she started noticing Ron's red hair reappearing and Harry's scar returning. They motioned towards her hair. Their time was up, now they had to leave before Malfoy found out.

"I-I gotta go." She said, quickly getting up and almost sprinting out of the room. Ron and Harry also follow closely, leaving a sad and confused Malfoy behind in the common room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"This whole time....SHE'S BEEN DATING HIM?!" Harry asks, still shocked at what he had just discovered.

"That explains how she knows so much about him." Hermione says.

"Bloody hell......B-But she hates him....WHO WOULD EVEN DATE A POMPOUS GIT LIKE HIM?!" Ron exclaims.

"Should we tell her?" Harry asks quietly.

"No. Then she'll realize what we were up to. Her relationship was suppose to be a secret and we basically just ruined her privacy by pretending to be her." Hermione said.

"Fine. But if she finds out, I'm not at fault." Ron shakes his head.

"She won't."

*********************

So this was Part 1. I hope you all enjoyed reading this. I'll start moving in all the other parts from the other story eventually. If you have any requests, feel free to ask. Until next time.

-Jade

[kurojiri]

On the road to redemption

Fandom: Harry Potter Pairing: Tom Riddle/ Luna Lovegood (pre-relationship) Summary: Tom was told he couldn’t take over the world at age fifth-teen. So, as a means to lessen his sentence and be eligible for parole for a reincarnation rehabilitation cleanse cycle after this lifetime as Tom Riddle, he will be accompanied by his new guardian angel named Luna to see that he fills his quota for good deeds. Wonderful. A/N: for @tunavibes Word Count: 3,750 Read on: ao3 | ffnt 

He hadn’t really bothered to consider what actually happened after someone died.

That had been one of the main purposes of him spending so many hours and years into making the horcruxes as he wanted to create and hide away the whole concept of dying; to defy death essentially. Magic had occupied his own belief system too, when he considered his life after Hogwarts. He, who was a half-blood with half his history coming from an old ancestry family and awe, and another that was dirty and unknown (for the wizarding world and himself). Tom Riddle, of course only focused on what he had deemed had been important to remember. Yet, that had been a mistake. He could admit that now quietly.

Not that it could save him, he had done enough damage to damn his soul.  

Demons were real. Angels too. So really, Tom couldn’t help but sigh and want to scream from the echoes from Mrs. Cole’s old warnings about naughty children going to hell. And all those other people calling him a devil’s spawn. They weren’t right; but neither were they wrong all together. Heaven and Hell did exist; and in Tom’s case he really made his name famous in both their circles. At age fifteen no less.  

Apparently, since Tom had always been a troubled boy, who had gone through many guardian angels from the past and now many refused to work with Tom, he had been given a very small list of angels that would probably work with him. It had come from a somewhat new program that heaven wanted to try before the souls were fully judged upon their death. A format that helped troubled souls into early redemption. He didn’t fancy a trip to eternal damnation without parole, so there he was. In the middle of talking to a consultant, who was then promptly made to be the case worker that had his case number.

That hadn’t been how he wanted his Wednesday to go, but he had little rights at the moment. He was now stuck there, having to drink tea that had been too bitter and lukewarm, and with biscuits that had been provided being too sweet for his liking. The office cubicle had been a narrow spot, and messy with many folders stacked impossibly high. From what he had been able to see, his consultant had a horrid scrawny writing, and ink spots on his trousers. He must have been new since he had a terrible posture as he kept checking over his work. Tom could have used him, but with his magic being temporarily taken away from him during his appointment he couldn’t really afford any more tallies for bad behavior. Too bad, it could have been interesting to have an informative inside heaven.  

The morning had been stuffy with numerous angels roaming, working and settling with recently deceased souls. Tom had been somewhat grateful that the deceased were cleaned up. There had not been any hints of what got them, if Tom blinked and forget what he was doing, he could have assumed that he was still back on earth. Where his soul was not in jeopardy. And that he had not been stopped mid-work.    

Myrtle's ghost had been the last straw for his last guardian angel, he had called in headquarters about Tom’s evil scheme. Had paused the ritual for him creating his first horcrux, and had called in Death right away. (Tom still couldn’t really believe that he had met the actual figure, Death.) It hadn’t been one of his greatest moments. His magic had been mostly drained from the ritual, and whatever he had left had been buried deeper inside his core when they coaxed Myrtle’s ghost closer for an interview. His clothes had been dirty from the water that had been leaking from the bathroom and the Chamber of Secrets. Hence, why his hair was limping too from the sweat dripping from his brow.

The basilisk had been freed too in the midst when he thought he could take on a glowing bloke with wings. He blamed it on the low blood pressure when he still had his wand then. Tom had pointed the wand to his guardian angel (which he didn’t know was a thing then) and had cursed him. It didn’t hit him; it flew past the body and when Death came forward Tom’s magic just knew who he was. Yes, the black menacing cloak and skeleton body said it all, but it had been the very essence of pure magic that radiated from him, that made his knees buckle down. The showdown didn’t last at all.

(And it couldn’t have been called one either because it had been a rather pathetic show of a mortal trying to fight the literal manifestation of death and an angel that had sneaked behind him as he bound Tom's magic away for that misunderstanding—quarrel, depending on whom you asked to cease as they went along with protocol to judge his mortal sins and ultimately give him a sentence for his crimes against humanity.)

Tom could only remember how scared he had been. That the glowing man, who could have been a veela (if men were capable of carrying that gene), and a dementor god had caged him so quickly. They subdued his magic, had made Tom want for his body to melt from its foundations. He had been a mess. And it had been the first steps for Tom to understand that he was a weak mortal. Even with magic, he couldn’t go against certain things, and beings; such as Death and his cosmic intervention of life and death.    

Hence: Heaven, Hell and Purgatory.  

Tom Riddle’s own life now rested on the angel that had been making calls, writing thousands of letters and codes since his arrival. It had been nerve-wracking. With half his cuppa down, he wanted to open his mouth. But with another chain of angels coming and leaving, their wings had brushed to the back of his chair. Their own magic had been too pure. Too powerful that it had suffocated him on few occasions. It almost seemed like their magic knew instinctively of Tom’s corrupted soul, because each time they came closer to brush his back, it burned him. Some were kinder about it with their apologies.    

Others, they had irritated Tom that they could brush off his shivers.

He had been about to comment about the lack of space when his case worker finally put down his ink pen (muggle looking, oddly enough). “Tom Marvolo Riddle. Born on the 31st of December in 1926, to the parents of Tom Riddle Sr, a non-magical mortal and Merope Riddle née Gaunt, a child of magic.” Tom nodded, as the angel continued (but he had made sure to remember about finally learning the name of his father). “You were temporarily detained after being caught performing an illegal dark ritual that is punishable to a sentence of eternal damnation without parole for an emergency reincarnation rehabilitation cleanse cycle.”    

Tom had momentarily looked small. He did his best to still his body from the way the man looked at him coolly. It seemed like he was getting the hang of his career as he took in Tom’s visible cracked soul.    

“Is that correct?”  

His lips pursed. “Yes, it is correct.”

His case worker sighed as he put down the folder, he had fiddled with. He took off his glasses before refilling his cuppa. “Now, I understand that your assigned guardian angel had quit their position right after he had taken you to the lower level of Purgatory. Usually when someone like you,” he poked at Tom's file, “and of your background of losing a certain number of guardian angels and has committed a major taboo it would be an easy swipe to hell. However, the head chief had expressed some leniency and wishes to try out a relatively new program for people (like you) that could be redeemed.”  

He took a big sip from his cuppa. “Personally, I don’t care about mortals with their constant wars, issues etc.; but I would like to have a simple case once in a while. They don’t warn any of us new guys how hectic the office life can be. So, hear me out Tommy-boy. Please think about what led you here today at my cubicle. And repent. Get a new hobby. And repent some more because honestly lad, your limbo status isn’t that great to be in. I have already called some people that were interested in helping you on your journey to redemption. So, let’s go to the interviewing rooms and get started before lunch break preferably. Although, if you want something to eat, just telling you it's Taco Tuesday.”  

“It's Wednesday.”  

That, and Tom didn’t even know what the arse was a taco. Or why they had them on Tuesdays.    

His case worker shrugged his shoulders. “It’s always Taco Tuesday when Carl from Department of Angel Resources makes them.”

They didn’t say much after that as he was pulled into a futuristic elevator; where once again he was burned by the feathers that tickled his arms and back. It hadn’t been that thrilling making his way towards the interview hallway. The walls were pale white with few portraits. That, and the coffee was all gone. Not that he trusted the angel that had been in charge of it.  

Inside the interview room it had the same dull walls with a wooden table. The chairs were metallic and uncomfortable. Too bare and quiet that it had been awkward for him to sit down with a clock ticking while his case worker had his clipboard and other files ready. The first one that came had been haughty; an arse-kisser. He didn’t last long with the prepared questions and Tom’s own reluctance to speak to him. The second was quieter, with a penchant for small animals; she didn’t like how he killed a couple of furry creatures when he was younger.  

By number seven, his case worker wanted to pull his hair out. Not that it would help them. The other six had all ranged from cocky, bizarre and unwilling to understand. They could be fine with other humans, but when it came to Tom, none of them could mesh with him. Could not see something that Death saw him by giving him a second chance. Tom never had cared about what others thought about him, but when these beings that had some pull at someone’s destiny to the afterlife, he had become somewhat uneasy that he would be stuck with the wrong company.      

Did Tom really want to redeem himself? Not really, but he also didn’t want to end up in hell. And that had been enough motivation for anyone.

As number seven came in, Tom’s own heart soared.    

She was lovely, odd, and for some reason, dangerous. Her silver eyes had been a little cloudy, but he couldn’t stop analyzing in the way she glided into the room; she had been breathtaking. And then she opened her mouth.  

She was completely unorthodox. The way she politely answered the questions left him baffled, and he had been sure his case worker had been too as he jotted some of her answers. For all the beauty she had, she was a loony girl. (He had to make sure he didn’t outwardly gap at her when she looked at him.) He was half convinced that she had been created to ruin him. She had to have been when at the end of the interview he said yes to her.    

His case worker had been speechless, but rapidly worked on approving the contract and other required paperwork. They only had thirty minutes before Carl would ring up the tacos, and he wanted Tom and Luna, his new guardian angel to wait in line for him, so they could get him some tacos. As he had been left to Luna’s care Tom had been uncharacteristically hushed. It all felt rushed. By finding out the afterlife, and having been sentenced into community service until further notice.  

He still couldn’t forget how she gave him a silver and blue bracelet with hidden runes inscribed on it. Her magic had been contained to it, but strangely hers didn’t' burn him. It instead felt like a cool mist softly fanning his skin.  

When he asked about it, she had smiled at him. “It’s a way to talk to me when we go back to earth. Most of the time we angels don’t actively interact with mortals.”  

“So, then, as long as anyone has it on, they can see and communicate with you?”  

Luna’s smile twitched to a more amused chuckle. “Not exactly.” Her hands wrapped around his arm where the bracelet was placed. “This had been made for only you and myself to communicate with. So, while you can talk to me, nobody else can see or interact with me.”    

They made a left turn and got inside the elevator again. He did his best to ignore the stares that they both received, while Luna smiled and waved at a few. He couldn’t blame them for gawking at them.    

They looked so unconventional when they stood side by side. With her loose garments, tangled wavy hair and wings, and Tom in his dull colored trousers and collared shirt without any wrinkles. (He had been grateful that when he entered the afterlife that his clothes had been cleaned up.) Neither looked like they could belong to the same group of associates. By then they stood, with Luna humming to herself, and Tom counting the seconds before the doors would open to the cafeteria.    

It truly had been the strangest Wednesdays he had ever had; but at least he learned and tasted what tacos were. They hadn't been terrible, but too greasy for his likes.

.

Back on earth, Tom’s life had quietened down considerably. Dumbledore still didn’t trust him, Myrtle’s ghost now semi haunted him whenever she felt like it; which had been obnoxiously frequent after his classes when he did his best to maintain his grades. (ex-Dark Lord or not, Tom Riddle expected his grades to always be top tier.) And now with his head lowered most Slytherin's left his side, not that he had been hurt or shocked from their actions. He would have done so too if another poor bloke had fucked shite up. His Hogwarts career really became slower. And that had been due to Luna’s insistence of working with his community service.  

She had been his daily reminder of where his life strayed off to. With pressed robes still being a thing, he maintained and grades that shined brighter than the other purebloods that used to follow him. The only difference was now, his façade came with the chains of his fate based on his actions of good deeds. For example, Luna loved the idea of him becoming a professor. He did too when she looked at his file the other day ago. It had included a very small list of interests and goals he had made up years ago. There had been some that had been impossible to achieve as a mortal and others he had forgotten he made when he had been younger and delusional. But being a professor at Hogwarts; Tom had loved it.  

He always had loved Hogwarts and its complicated world. It had been the first tale and home for Tom as it brought him magic, even if it had been Dumbledore that had been that catalyst back then. But now, as he was in a new crossing road, Tom still wanted Hogwarts to be a part of his life in some fashion.

If he couldn’t take over the world, he could at least reshape it. Tom figured that if he could teach the future magical children on how to be adequate casters and problem solvers then it would overall benefit all humanity for the better. Heaven above, would appreciate that with the amount of magical folks that died too early from not being informed enough during their training. (There had been numerous, very chatty angels that had whined about that issue in the elevators for him to remember that bit during his brief time in the afterlife.)  

But before that, he needed to figure what he was willing to do with his life. Meaning, if Tom wanted to stay in Hogwarts, or leave to America for a scholarship and temporary transfer program that they had where he could be made an apprentice and gain a reputable name and work before trying his luck back on graduation back in Europe. It almost seemed like a hard decision. In the end of his fifth year, he had enough professors that wrote outstanding recommendations and approval to enter the program. He gained a temporary residence with a family that would host his stay for his last two remaining years for Ilvermorny, and that had been it. His new road to take with Luna’s light guiding him when he packed up for the last time in the Slytherin dorm room.  

It oddly felt right.  

International portkeys were expensive; but they had been opted to do the job as Tom’s summer had been flagged to end quickly. With a different location, time zone and cycle of when classes started, he had little time to accumulate in Wools or to the people. He had paperwork to finish that included his muggle side affairs to tweak his background during his stay there with a temporary resident status.  

(It had been a relief that he wouldn’t have to worry about Mrs. Cole or the latter staff and children again once he was ready to leave the orphanage for good.)  

With the time constrict it had enabled for Tom to get used to having Luna around him. There had been moments when he just knew when she was close, and others when he had to channel his magic to call her. He tested it out when he walked back and forth his appointments to gain a muggle passport and other documents, he needed for his trip. Since apparently across the pond they wanted Tom to be somewhat well-versed with muggle affairs and teachings to blend with their non-magical sections if he ever ventured out and needed to act without suspicion. Although he still couldn’t really talk to them muggles since the states were more reclusive with muggles with their Rappaport’s Law going on that kept the magical community segregated with the non-magical kind.  

But at least, Tom had been finding their customs and school curriculum to be less dull than he feared. Their extra studies and clubs had been interesting too, as he had shuffled with the pamphlets and booklets that they had given him in the list of supplies that he would need shortly before he would head off to school. Those short days had lifted his mood since it reminded him of the first summer after he learned about his magic and Hogwarts.  

As if, Tom could really begin anew.  

It had helped that it worked when they talked to each other too, it had made Tom’s new goals much easier to accommodate and swallow since his revelations. From her own smiles Tom had acquired a peculiar emotion of satisfaction when he had gathered his remaining items before leaving altogether from his room.    

With the bracelet on he had been able to see her facial expressions when they talked. They had been sharp as they had been fluid like the clouds that roamed in the skies as of late. He didn’t know her well enough, but Tom had studied enough people to get a brief understanding that Luna had comprehended what made Tom click before, and sometimes still did as they walked around the limited orphanage. Old habits, after all, had always been hard to quit right away; but he had been learning to curb some intents with her so close. It had been outstanding for him to see his control he still relented with Luna’s own magic being woven to the bracelet he wore and monitored their connection, he could feel her own intentions, her feelings, and empathy that he did not fully possess or understood yet.  

It all been alien for him. But in a good way, Tom had wanted a challenge. A mindless puzzle to foster room for him to improve himself indulgently.    

“Are you ready?”  

He closed his trunk with a soft grunt. Then, lifted it off his bed to smooth over the thin sheet. “Yes, I suppose I am.”  

The first portkey he had used had been very tight, strong and lasted longer than he liked. The trip landed him closer to the edge of where water and land connected. Where the salt in the air touched his skin and Tom almost wanted to crouch from the chilly air that invaded his lungs. It had been a couple of years since that incident, and with Luna’s figure fading from his line of vision he had to make due with by walking dutifully to the port where the ship would take him to America. In six weeks, Tom would have a new life officially. With a temporary home in the summers and winters and in two years' time, Tom Riddle would be an adult.  

Someone that could (and will have to) make a difference in the world; and preferably, from his case worker, Death and Luna’s expenses, with only good deeds.  

As he walked towards the ship Tom allowed himself to be sentimental. Once he had made it to the main deck and found a good place to stand without getting in the way, he took one last glance back at the land. He didn’t have anyone to wave goodbye, but that had been fine for him. And when the image of the land had been long gone, Tom simply went to his assigned room and prepared a small journal entry about the day before getting started on the few materials of homework that he had while he swayed with the waves and idle chatter by the crew and other passengers.

It would end up alright. He may not know how it truly felt to bleed onto faith alone for any new journeys, but that had been why Luna existed. Why they had been paired together.  

They would make it work.

He just had a good feeling about it.

[babycakes-rps]

Im reading the harry potter books for the first time and im at the end of chamber of secrets where they find the chamber and im just like...why go in there yourselves?

At this point, they don’t know that the basilisk has anything to do with voldemort, which means Harry is no more fit than any other second year student. Ron is rarely ever helpful, and his wand is broken anyway. And Lockhart is a fraud so besides being someone to sacrifice, he can’t do anything either. Once they talked to Myrtle and found the sink, why not go get Mcgonigall? Tell her where the entrance is- she’ll grab Flitwick and Snape- go to the bathroom with them so yyou can say something in parseltongue to open the chamber, then um go to bed?

Like I know they like doing things themselves, but Harry and Ron have no plan, and unlike with the sorcerers stone, this time they know for a fact that there’s some dark shit down there including one of the worst monsters in existence. He also knows that the only way he knows to stop it isnt an option since the roosters are all dead. And Ron’s sister is down there. They’ve got one shot. If something happens to them, no one will be able to save Ginny. Hermione’s the only other person who knows about the basilisk, and by the time she gets unpetrified they’d all probably be dead and even if not, she didn’t talk to aragog so she doesnt know the entrance is in the bathroom, and she also couldn’t open it because she doesn’t speak parseltongue. So why do Harry and Ron go in there themselves and risk his little sister’s life? Snape with potions and dark arts knowledge going down there with Flitwick knowing his charms stuff would be much more promising than Ron, Harry, and Lockhart.

And yeah it does turn out to be voldemort, but they don’t know that until theyve already made the stupid decision to go in there. And being connected to voldemort didn’t end up helping anyway, neither did being the powerful wizard chosen one golden boy. What smart things did harry do in the chamber? Threw a rock to get the snake off his trail for a second, and used the fang to kill the thing. Snape and Flitwick could’ve done that; probably a lot faster and safer too. I mean just saying.