Halloween came, and with it came the usual isolation he had become used to now. They had no classes for the day and as Harry woke up, he decided to spend the day in the Come and Go Room practicing magic or perhaps even testing that diary again.
His plans were rendered useless when he stepped out of the Ravenclaw Common Room and found, to his surprise, all his friends waiting for him outside.
"What are you all doing here?" He asked, having not expected to see them today. They knew what day it was and he thought they would prefer to give him some time alone today. It seemed he was sorely mistaken.
Daphne rolled her eyes and grabbed his sleeve. Harry was surprised when she began dragging him behind her.
"You're the biggest idiot in the world if you think you can stay all alone today," she muttered.
"What she said," Susan replied, taking his other sleeve. Harry stared at their hands holding his sleeves and he missed the challenging stares they gave each other. The others deadpanned.
Turning back toward Harry, Susan continued, "We'll be with you the entire day and we can spend it doing whatever you prefer."
"Stop treating me like some child," Harry said with a frown.
"Stop acting like one then we might," Hannah retorted unabashedly, earning a disbelieving look from him. "What's with that look? It's children who mope about alone in a dark corner when they're upset. Now come on, we can practice some cool spells up in the room and you can teach us a bit more. Just like usual."
Harry looked around and sighed. His friends smiled and began dragging him to the seventh floor where the Come and Go Room was situated.
"I can walk just fine on my own," he complained, pulling his hands back and smoothing down the creases on his sleeves. The girls clicked their tongues in annoyance which he ignored expertly and began walking ahead, leaving the rest to follow.
"These two need to get their shit together, I'm telling you," Hannah whispered so that only Tracey could hear. The brunette nodded.
"I talked to Daph about it. She's flat out denying anything. He's just a friend, she says," Tracey replied mockingly.
"Yeah. Just a friend my arse," Hannah retorted. "Both she and Sue are so transparent I'm surprised Harry can't already tell."
"He's got to be the densest idiot I've ever seen," Tracey muttered. "What else does he want to see what's right in front of our eyes?"
Hannah frowned.
"You think Harry already knows and is choosing to stay out of it?"
Tracey remained silent for a while as she mulled that thought in her mind.
"Could be," she sighed. "Still, that's not the main issue here. It's Susan and Daph I'm worried about. No matter how much she denies, I can see she likes him."
"Well, Sue doesn't deny it. She's just…"
"Hesitant?" Tracey supplied helpfully.
Hannah smiled weakly and shrugged.
"What I know is this can't go on for long," Tracey said firmly. "Before these two idiots start outright fighting over him, they need to sort it out."
"What are you planning?" Hannah asked curiously.
Tracey looked at her and smirked.
"I had a piggybank when I was little," she began. "I used to collect a lot of coins from both the muggle and magical worlds in it. One day, I wanted to take it all out, but it was impossible to pull anything out of that small hole."
"Where are you going with this?" Hannah asked in confusion.
"When I realized nothing was happening, I did the most obvious thing that came to my mind," Tracey smirked. "I picked it up and smashed it on the floor. Voila! Problem solved."
"So your idea is to do what? Smash those two on the floor?" Hannah asked, still confused.
"No, you donut!" Tracey giggled quietly. "What I'm saying is sometimes you have to just go for the most direct way. Lock those two idiots in a room and let them sort it out between them."
"I see," Hannah muttered. "I hope they don't kill themselves while they're at it."
Tracey snorted.
"What are you two muttering about back there?" Neville asked curiously as he turned around to look at them. Tracey and Hannah stared at him for a moment before they smiled innocently and linked an arm each with his. Neville's eyes widened and flustered, he looked from one to the other.
"Nothing, just discussing how fine your ass looks today," Hannah chirped.
"Yep," Tracey grinned. "Very smackable, I must say."
Neville's eyes bugged out, prompting the two girls to giggle as they dragged him with them.
"H-hey!" He cried out as he barely caught his footing.
Harry, Daphne, and Susan looked over in surprise at the pair of witches dragging a red-faced Neville with them.
"What's up with them so early in the morning?" Daphne asked aloud. Harry and Susan shrugged as they stared at them.
"No clue," Harry replied once the three rounded the corner. "Come on, let's go before they torture that poor lad."
Chuckling, Daphne and Susan followed, falling into step on either side of him.
"Can I ask you something if you don't mind, Susan?" Harry asked without looking at the redhead as they walked. Surprised, Susan looked at him.
"Yeah, sure. What is it?"
Harry pursed his lips.
"Your parents died on Halloween too, right?" He asked. Susan's eyes widened as she stared at him, feet rooted to the spot. Harry and Daphne stopped as well, staring at her in concern.
"Why are you bringing this up?" She asked softly. Harry frowned.
"Nothing. You just… I don't know how to say this without sounding insensitive but…"
"Why don't I mourn them? Is that what you're wondering?" Susan asked, a sad smile on her face. Harry and Daphne exchanged a look before the former nodded at her.
Susan sighed and started walking, prompting the other two to follow.
"They died before I even knew them," she started. "And I have little to no memories of my time with them. Aunt Amelia took over every responsibility and she never let me feel as if I didn't have my parents. I must sound heartless but in all these years, I've never even missed them."
Harry frowned at her tearful look and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"The only time I even realize what I've lost is when someone reminds me that they're dead," she continued.
"I'm sorry. That was not my intention," Harry said softly.
"I know," Susan said with a chuckle although her eyes were teared up. "Aunt Amelia never mourned them either. She believes we should remember the dead for the remarkable people they were, and we should never lament the loss. They are in a better place now."
"That's a nice sentiment," Daphne said softly. Susan glanced at the blonde and smiled.
"Perhaps that thought process has become normal to me. I do think about them when I wake up on Halloween but nothing more," she replied. "My aunt has that outlook for many things in life and people consider her cold-hearted. Maybe it is, but I prefer it."
Harry and Daphne glanced at each other as they walked, occasionally looking at Susan who stared straight as she walked.
"Don't think too much about it, you two," Susan said softly. "I don't intend to make light of what you two have suffered but it's completely different from mine."
They looked at her apologetic face and sighed.
"We're not offended," Daphne replied for both her and Harry. "It's just…"
"Weird, right?" Susan chuckled sadly. "It is what it is."
Their remaining walk was silent.
-Break-
Harry watched Susan as she went about her practice with the rest of them.
He had instructed them on what they would be practicing today while he did some of his own a slight distance away from them. Currently, he was leaning against the wall and staring at her.
She was a fierce girl and a very capable spellcaster. He watched her go toe-to-toe with Daphne. The two girls were evenly matched, just as they had been since their first session.
Susan's words had struck a chord with him. In a way, their situations were so similar it was uncanny.
The Halloween of 1981 saw a series of attacks in Wizarding Britain against several targets. Harry knew his family was attacked by Voldemort while a few other Death Eaters had attacked several wizarding families including hers.
Both had been orphaned the same night. The only difference was that she had family remaining while he had to grow up in an orphanage. Their upbringing could not have been more different. Where she had a loving aunt, he had to endure that harridan for years until she had died and afterward, he had usually been left to his devices.
Harry shook his head to clear off those unpleasant thoughts. It was all in the past that he had left behind for good.
Yet, he could not help but wonder just what his life would have been like if he had an uncle or an aunt to raise him. Perhaps it would've been a loving environment, or maybe they would have been pathetic assholes who would've treated him even worse. He didn't know, and the more he thought about it, the more he realized that he had no interest in finding out. He was the last of the Potters and that was his reality.
"Thinking about Susan's words?" Daphne asked as she came over. Her duel with Susan had concluded moments ago and Harry looked over at the redhead who was slumped over against Hannah's back. He smiled at the sight.
"More like wondering how different things would've been if I had someone to raise me like Susan had her aunt," Harry replied.
Daphne looked at him in profound sadness.
"Daphne?" He asked, surprised when her eyes filled with tears.
Daphne hastily turned her gaze away, wiping the tears off before she turned back toward him and gave a strained smile. Harry stared at her with widened eyes.
"Nothing. Just wondering how unfair the world truly is," she replied in the softest voice he had ever heard from her.
Harry pursed his lips and nodded with a deep sigh. Burying his hands in his pockets, he looked straight up at the ceiling. All the while, Daphne tried to keep her raging emotions under firm control. It was not the time to bother him with her troubles, not when he was like this.
"Remember when I showed you all those memories?" Harry asked, looking at everyone around them. The other four had also arrived near them and were looking on with similar frowns. "When you all learned Voldemort was still alive?"
Harry noted, to his surprise and approval, that none of them even so much as flinched at the bastard's name. They had indeed come a long way in such a short span.
"I still can't believe he's alive," Hannah whispered.
"You remember when you said I work so hard because I'm preparing to eventually face him?" Harry asked.
Daphne looked at him and nodded.
"It is indeed one of the reasons," Harry said vehemently as his eyes hardened. "But there is another reason. A reason so profound… a reason I've come to realize after enduring everything life has thrown at me so far and what I fear will surely come to pass in the future."
Everyone hung on to every word Harry was saying. They had very rarely seen him looking so passionate before.
"All we can do is fight," he said. "Fight and keep fighting. That is going to be the truth of this world once that bastard comes back. If we win, we live. If we lose, we die. And the only way we win is if we fight. Without a fight in you, you accept whatever fate throws at you. You are nothing more than a slave."
They stared, wide-eyed, as he glared at the wall in the distance.
"I hate people like those… People who surrender to their fate and don't fight for what they want… for their survival… for a worthy cause," he hissed and looked at them. Tracey and Hannah were staring at him in shock while the other three were wearing looks of understanding on their faces. "That is why I work, why I learn, why I practice… and that is why I want you all to do the same as well. If we don't, we'll lose. And if we lose…" he trailed off.
"What is the point of power and ability if you don't uplift those who are below you?" Daphne said softly, smiling at him. Harry was surprised when she took his hand and gave him a comforting squeeze. "That is what you're doing to us, right? Without expecting anything in return… you are helping us just because it is the right thing to do."
Susan smiled sadly as she took his other hand.
"But that's not all," she said softly. "You've been alone your entire life… and no matter how independent you might seem, deep down… you crave companionship… for people to hold close, don't you?"
Harry sighed and looked away.
"We will be with you every step of the way, Harry," Neville said firmly, clapping him on the shoulder. "We will grow strong together so that when the time comes, we can fight. And as you said, we won't win if we don't fight."
Harry looked around, taking in the encouraging looks on everyone's faces, and sighed, smiling.
"You guys…"
-Break-
"Alright then, there's one more thing we will start doing from tomorrow onward, and it is non-negotiable," Harry called out. They had been in the room for the entire day practicing spells and reading up on advanced coursework.
They looked at Harry and the large curtain behind him.
"What's that?" Tracey asked curiously.
"I've observed that the magical folk tend to be lazier than their muggle counterparts," Harry began. "And it's understandable as well. After all, why exert yourself physically when you have magic at your disposal? However, that's where all of them are wrong. Being in a good physical shape boosts your metabolism and gives you a much-needed mental boost. That is why you all shall start working on keeping yourselves physically active."
The curtain fell and their eyes widened as they stared at all the contraptions on display.
"This is the best gym equipment you could possibly ask for, conjured by this room for all our needs," Harry said as he gestured toward the heavy-duty machinery. "We won't throw ourselves into it head-first. It will start slow and gradually, we will start increasing the level."
"Merlin all this looks so intimidating," Hannah whispered.
Harry looked at the blonde and chuckled.
"It might in the beginning, but trust me, once you get used to it, you'll never want to go a day without working out," he replied. "Using these machines and all the other tools is very straightforward. You all better make sure you come here every morning right after freshening up. There will be changes to your diets as well."
"Please don't tell me we'll have to eat all that stuff you do," Hannah said, horrified.
Harry's response was a deadpan stare.
"If you want to become as big as Hagrid when you're older than be my guest," he replied. The blonde immediately shut up.
"Yeah, if anyone needs all this the most, it's this glutton over here," Susan teased her best friend, yelping when she earned a jab to the side from her.
Harry chuckled as the gym vanished and was replaced by a large table with six chairs around it. One by one, they all took their seats and looked at him.
"I'm going to try it once again," he said and the mood plummeted when he levitated Tom Riddle's diary out of his pocket. He conjured a pair of gloves and donned them.
"Had any breakthrough since then?" Neville asked as he stared at the diary before he blinked and looked away with a grimace. Its influence was palpable even from a distance.
Harry shook his head with a sigh.
"No response. Although admittedly I've simply been trying to drone on and on about how miserable Draco Malfoy's life has been so far."
"Try something serious then," Daphne said firmly. "Something that is sure to catch his attention."
"Like what though?" Susan asked curiously. Daphne looked at her and smirked.
As she explained what she had in mind, their eyes widened.
"That's a brilliant idea!" Susan exclaimed. "It could work, right?"
Harry looked contemplative for a moment before he nodded.
"Voldemort is, as far as I understood in that encounter, prideful. However, he also seemed almost desperate to come back. I think it could work," Harry nodded.
He grabbed the quill and dipped it in ink, poised to write on the blank sheet of yellowed parchment.
"Here goes nothing," he muttered.
Hello, Tom. I'm back. How are you?
The reply came in no time, which was a surprise as they had expected it to take longer.
Greetings, Draco. I am doing as fine as I can, confined as I am within these pages.
"Aw, poor baby," Hannah mocked. Tracey chuckled.
I hope you were here with me, Tom. You already know I have no friends. It feels so lonely without anyone else to talk to. These past weeks have been the best of my life here at Hogwarts. You have no idea how bad it was when you stopped responding back then.
"Crybaby Draco is always funny," Tracey giggled.
I apologize for making you worry, Draco. I am not used to talking to people, to be honest. In fact, you are the first in decades who has taken the trouble of talking to me.
It's not a trouble at all, Tom! You are my best friend! Of course I'll talk to you!
I am grateful for your friendship, Draco. However, I cannot help but feel you are hiding something from me.
"Careful, Harry," Daphne warned. Harry nodded and began writing once again.
What do you mean, Tom? I am hiding nothing from you.
Is that so, Draco? I have not told you this so far but I can sense it when someone is hiding something from me, and whenever we talk, I can feel it.
"He's talking about his inability to get inside your mind, right?" Susan asked, earning a nod.
"This has been the block since the beginning," Harry muttered. "I can spin any tale I want but he won't believe it unless he sees it in the mind of the one who is writing in his diary."
"Can you fake it, Harry?" Hannah asked curiously. "You are very advanced in Occlumency, right? Can't you show him what you want?"
"He's not letting him inside his mind!" Daphne said firmly, making Hannah recoil. The girl raised her hands placatingly.
Harry looked at Hannah and smiled.
"It is as Daphne said, Hannah. Letting him inside any of our minds is out of the question. And even if it wasn't, I'm not advanced enough to feed this thing false memories or create a fake personality. We don't have that option with us," he replied.
"Try what Daphne just said then," Susan encouraged. "Hopefully his greed overpowers his caution."
"He is a teenager, Susan. Of course it will," Daphne said confidently.
"Let's hope it does," Harry muttered and started writing. They watched the words vanish a second after Harry pulled the quill away and stared. They kept staring as seconds passed with no reply.
Suddenly, Harry winced. His hand clamped on his forehead as he grabbed the arm of his chair firmly.
"Harry!" Daphne shouted as she shot out of her chair. Susan also rushed over, taking his hand while the others stood in alarm.
"The diary is moving on its own!" Neville cried out and they looked down at the pages fluttering about.
All the while, Daphne and Susan were trying their best to calm Harry down.
"Merlin… His scar…" Susan said in a horrified whisper as she pulled Harry's hand away. Their eyes widened at the sight of the inflamed scar. It was pulsating an angry shade of crimson, as if it was filled with unshed blood.
Suddenly, the pages of the diary stopped fluttering and it went still, just as Harry did. Heaving, he sat in his chair with Daphne and Susan on either side of him, rubbing each arm in comfort.
"You okay?" Susan asked softly as Daphne alternated between the diary and his scar, flabbergasted as to what suddenly happened.
"Y-yeah," Harry coughed. The redhead immediately asked for water and held the glass up for Harry who gulped it down eagerly. "Fucking hell, that was hard… I'm fine now, don't worry."
Reluctantly, Daphne and Susan pulled their hands away and took their seats. No one failed to notice how they pulled their chairs much closer to Harry. The wizard in question merely sighed.
"What the hell happened there!?" Tracey asked in shock.
"That was Voldemort throwing a tantrum at what he perceived as someone mocking him, the greatest wizard in the history of wizardkind," Harry finished mockingly.
"What do you mean?" Neville asked in confusion. Harry looked at the boy and chuckled.
"I don't know how it happened but the moment I mentioned that I had found something in the Restricted Section that could help restore a witch or a wizard back to their optimum physical self, he tried to invade my mind to search for any deceit. Honestly speaking, it took all I had to keep him out of getting in here," Harry said, pointing to his head.
"There goes that idea then," Tracey muttered.
"Not necessarily," Susan replied. "We need to learn what this diary is, and as much about him as possible. Can you continue, Harry?"
"Are you mad!?" Daphne exploded, glaring at Susan. "Didn't you see what just happened? It's madness asking him to write in this thing again!"
"Daphne," Harry sighed. "It's fine. Susan is right."
Eyes wide, Daphne stared at him.
"We need to learn it all, and I'm not so weak that I can't write a few lines," he chuckled. Looking over at Susan who was frowning, he smiled. "No issues. I think I can get something out of him."
"Fine!" Daphne hissed. "Don't come crying to me if something goes tits up then!"
Harry dipped the quill in ink and held it over the black page once again.
Sorry, Tom. I don't know why but I suddenly got a terrible headache. But what do you think? It's so cool, right? The book said no matter how serious the injury is, the body will get back to as good as it can be. I can only imagine the possibilities!
There was a long moment of silence in the room as they waited for the reply. Even Daphne who was otherwise fuming was staring pointedly.
Indeed, Draco. Indeed. It is heartening to see a proud pureblood scion such as yourself taking an interest in magic so profound and complex. The future of Wizarding Britain is surely bright with wizards like you getting ready to take charge.
Yeah. I love to learn about these things, but it's also sad, isn't it? There have been so many great wizards in the past who either did not know about this magic or didn't have someone helping them do it. The Dark Lord's loss is a very big one. If only he was still alive somehow… I would've done all I could to bring him back to his best.
"Take the bait, bastard," Neville muttered under his breath as they stared.
I believe there is indeed something you can do about that, Draco. Remember when you said the Dark Lord tried to kill a baby but his killing curse rebounded and killed him instead?
Yeah, I do. Harry Potter. He's an asshole.
Yes. Although we don't need to think about Harry Potter right now. I believe the Dark Lord did not die that night.
What!? What do you mean!?
There are ways, Draco. Ways known only to the greatest of wizards and witches. Ways to accomplish anything, even the impossible. It is my belief, Draco, that the Dark Lord also accomplished something impossible. Indeed, it is a possibility.
Harry felt everyone lean closer. However, he kept his eyes firmly on the parchment.
What are you talking about, Tom?
I'm talking about magic beyond the capabilities of a normal witch or wizard, Draco. I won't burden your young mind with the intricacies of it but if you would do something for me, I would be very pleased.
You are my friend, Tom. I'll try my best!
I will tell you soon, my friend. There are some issues I need to resolve first.
Okay, Tom! I'll wait for you!
Harry put the quill back in the inkpot and shut the diary. Looking around, he was met with grim faces.
"He tried to get inside your mind but failed. He must be thinking of other ways to influence you. That's why he didn't tell you what he wanted you to do," Susan said, earning a nod from everyone.
"We got to know something important though," Daphne intoned softly. "Recall how he was saying about accomplishing something only the greatest witches and wizards could. I believe that was how he managed to survive."
Harry nodded. Voldemort had indeed survived the killing curse, just like he had. However, while he was saved because of his mother's sacrifice if Ollivander was to be believed, Voldemort also had done something to save himself from that outcome.
"Whatever it is, it can't be anything good," Neville muttered.
"We need to know what he did to prevent his death. He doesn't have his body, which means he doesn't need one to stay alive even though he needs one to properly live," Harry mused.
"I've only heard about ghosts who can remain in this world without their bodies," Tracey mused.
"Yeah, but ghosts are dead. This fucker isn't," Hannah replied.
"This is very high level of magic we are dealing with," Daphne said gravely. "And knowing what kind of person he was, it has to be the vilest of magics."
"Indeed," Susan nodded. Daphne glanced at the redhead with pursed lips before she looked away. She was still upset with how the girl had pushed Harry to write even after going through that. They might have gotten important information and Harry might have taken it all just fine, but it didn't mean she would forgive her so easily.
Meanwhile, Susan did not miss the look Daphne gave her, nor was she unaware of the reason. She sighed and looked at Harry who was staring contemplatively at the diary.
"Looks like we've got to do some research of our own," he said after a few moments of silence. "This room here can summon all the books from the library, including the restricted section. We will scour the entire library out for anything related to what we've just discovered. Hopefully we find a lead."
There were several grimaces shared around at the prospect of going through those vile tomes. They knew Hogwarts had all kinds of books in the library and not all were good. The thought of reading some of the darkest magics known did not fill them with any sort of excitement. It was quite the opposite. Yet, they needed to do it.
After all, they could not do anything against something they didn't know enough about.
-Break-
They had already spent the entire day inside the Come and Go Room and it included having dinner therein. None was in the mood to attend the feast in the Great Hall. They left the room around curfew and together, they began walking down the stairs.
To their immense surprise, the castle seemed to be eerily quiet. The portraits were all vacant and neither the professors nor the students were wandering about.
"You'd think there'd be more celebrations considering what day it is," Susan remarked as they stepped off one moving staircase and onto another one.
"Probably celebrated too much and went to bed sooner," Tracey rolled her eyes, leaning against Daphne who shook her head as she looked around.
"No," the blonde said quietly. "Something's wrong."
Suddenly, they heard footsteps and they looked down. Susan's eyes widened at the sight.
"Auntie!" She called out in surprise. Her friends looked at her before looking at the redheaded woman clad in official robes and staring up at them.
"Susan," the woman called out in relief. Their footsteps hastened and they met on the third-floor corridor. To their surprise, the woman wrapped her arms around Susan and hugged her firmly.
"Auntie, what's the matter? What are you doing here? And the aurors too?"
The foreboding feeling intensified at the woman's solemn look.
"Come with me, you all," she instructed and began walking down the stairs. They were surprised at the instruction but did not protest. Quietly, they walked behind the woman with the auror squadron walking behind them.
"Something's definitely happened," Hannah whispered.
"Obviously, glutton. Auntie won't be here if it hadn't," Susan whispered in return. Hannah poked her friend in the waist, making her hiss.
"Girls, behave."
"Yes, Auntie," Susan said quietly.
Harry looked around, taking in the castle once again. It truly felt wrong. Whatever happened was serious.
They stepped off the staircase and saw, to their surprise, all the professors gathered in the middle of a corridor. The professors turned around and their eyes widened when they landed on their group. Relieved looks mixed with a sneer were directed at them and as they came closer, they stared at the spectacle in shock.
The wall on the opposite end of the small corridor carried a message – a message in red.
THE TIME OF RECKONING HAS COME!
THE UNWORTHY WILL EXIST NO MORE.
THE WILL OF GREAT SALAZAR SHALL REIGN SUPREME.
THE HEIR OF SLYTHERIN HAS RETURNED TO PURGE THIS CASTLE OF THE UNDESIRABLES.
FLEE, OR BE PREPARED.
ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!
"What the hell is this?" Harry muttered as he read the pathetic warning. He frowned when he felt someone tug his hand and as he glanced to his right, he saw Daphne staring at something.
"Harry…" she said quietly and pointed a finger to their left. Harry looked over and was met with the curve of the wall. He stepped forward, wondering what had spooked her so much.
His eyes shot open in shock at the sight and he belatedly registered the loud gasps that echoed behind him as all his friends saw it.
Now he realized why the castle was deathly quiet, why the aurors were here and were led by none other than the Director of the DMLE, and why all the professors were standing as sentries in this corridor.
Two girls were lying on the floor, eyes open and unmoving. What was unnerving about them was the vacant look in those orbs.
Shaken, Harry and his friends stared at the prone, lifeless forms of Ginny Weasley and Luna Lovegood.
TBC.
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