"He get's rewarded. That's good," Harry said. "Despite the fact that I ended up getting hurt instead, he did have some good intentions."
"Yeah. Plus, no one deserves to be treated the way he's obviously being treated," Hermione said.
For a moment, there was silence as Harry, Ron, Ginny and Lockhart stood in the doorway, covered in muck and slime and (in Harry's case) blood.
"Yeah, that would be extremely shocking to see," Cedric said.
"Wouldn't you be covered in ink as well," Luna said, looking at Harry.
"Yeah. I guess it just didn't mention it," Harry said.
Then there was a scream.
"Ginny!"
"Mrs. Weasley must be there," Cedric said. "She's the only one I think would scream out like that."
It was Mrs. Weasley, who had been sitting crying in front of the fire. She leapt to her feet, closely followed by Mr. Weasley, and both of them flung themselves on their daughter.
"They must've just been told that Ginny had been taken into the chamber, was going to die, and that there was nothing that could be done," Hermione said
"I wonder if they know that Lockhart went down there," Cedric said.
"Well, if they checked out his office, then they would most likely see that it's ransacked, as if he was in the middle of packing when interrupted, so chances are that they would have realized that he wasn't the great hero he acted like because of that," Harry said.
"Unless they thought something else," Hermione said. "I mean, look at the way I acted in the book, making up excuses for Lockhart's shortcomings. I really doubt that others wouldn't do the same, unless they knew what a fake he was, and, sadly enough, not even you and Ron will really be able to make the die hard core fans of his believe that."
Harry, however, was looking past them. Professor Dumbledore was standing by the mantelpiece, beaming, next to Professor McGonagall, who was taking great, steadying gasps, clutching her chest.
"We must've shocked her," Harry said.
Fawkes went whooshing past Harry's ear and settled on Dumbledore's shoulder, just as Harry found himself and Ron being swept into Mrs. Weasley's tight embrace.
"Looks like Fawkes didn't want to risk being squished," Luna said.
"You saved her! You saved her! How did you do it?"
"That's a kind of long story," Harry said.
"And that's probably with you omitting parts of it," Hermione said.
"I think we'd all like to know that," said Professor McGonagall weakly.
Mrs. Weasley let go of Harry, who hesitated for a moment, then walked over to the desk and laid upon it the Sorting Hat, the ruby-encrusted sword and what remained of Riddle's diary.
"And I bet everyone's wondering why you have all three items," Cedric said.
Then he started telling them everything. For nearly a quarter of an hour he spoke into the rapt silence: he told them about hearing the disembodied voice, how Hermione had finally realised that he was hearing a Basilisk in the pipes; how he and Ron had followed the spiders into the Forest, that Aragog had told them where the last victim of the Basilisk had died; how he had guessed that Moaning Myrtle had been the victim, and that the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets might be in her bathroom …
"So, you basically started from the beginning," Hermione said.
"Very well," Professor McGonagall prompted him, as he paused, "so you found out where the entrance was –"
"I'm sure that news is very welcoming for everyone, because now they can take measures to ensure that something like this doesn't happen again. Of course, the fact that the basilisk is now dead, those measures will pretty much be useless," Cedric said.
"Those measures should have been taken long before now, especially since it didn't seem that hard to find," Hermione said. "All a person has to do is talk to Myrtle and ask her how she died. She has no problem telling it, or asking questions that pertain to it. Based on the information she give alone, it's obvious that it was a basilisk – unless there's another creature who can do the same thing. And, considering that the basilisk had just appeared in the seconds that Myrtle realized that Riddle was in the bathroom, it makes sense that where she saw it appear in the split second before she died was the obvious place to look. They could've taken measure to ensure no one could use it, or to at least alert them if someone did go there."
"I take it you've been thinking about this," Harry said. Hermione nodded.
"But Myrtle hasn't been there the entire time," Luna said. "Plus, most of the Professors there now are the different than the ones there back when it was opened the first time."
"Which excuses most of the Professors. However, Professor Dumbledore isn't excused, because he was there, and he could've asked when she got there," Hermione said. "And, even if it did slip his mind, he still knew that she had died in the school, and it's obvious that he remembered the first attacks after Colin's, so him remembering that Myrtle was the victim isn't impossible."
"She's right about that," Cedric said. "And, outside of that, it kind of shows that he wasn't doing anything to make sure students were safe – those only happened after Hermione's petrification, like everyone realizing that you're not the heir – and, for some reason, I get the feeling that the measures taken were because Professor McGonagall decided on them, since, if they were going to be happening, I would imagine that they would've happened after Justin was petrified."
"Yeah, it would make sense if that was when the safety rules were introduced," Harry said.
"breaking a hundred school rules into pieces along the way, I might add –"
"Well, they wouldn't have been able to stop the basilisk if they hadn't broken the rules," Hermione said.
"but how on earth did you all get out of there alive, Potter?"
"Fawkes and the Sorting Hat came to the rescue," Harry said.
So Harry, his voice now growing hoarse from all this talking, told them about Fawkes's timely arrival and about the Sorting Hat giving him the sword. But then he faltered. He had so far avoided mentioning Riddle's diary – or Ginny.
'I'm probably afraid to know what everyone's reactions would be if they knew that she was, unknowingly, responsible for the attacks," Harry said. "I would hate to have the family have that black mark on their name because of something that wasn't completely her fault, at least, the first few times. Like I said before, I can't have complete sympathy for her after she stole the diary back and wrote in it, because she knew what she was doing when she did that."
"Which makes me wonder, now, how did she get the diary in the first place," Hermione said. "I mean, I doubt her parents bought it for her, considering what it can do, and the fact that it write back to a person would probably make it appear onto the list of not suitable for selling to the public. So, how did she get it?"
"That is a good question," Cedric said.
"Let's hope it gets answered," Harry said. "Especially since I'd rather not go through a second year like this one again." The others nodded their heads, understanding what he was talking about. None of them wanted to go through a year like this, either.
She was standing with her head against Mrs. Weasley's shoulder, and tears were still coursing silently down her cheeks. What if they expelled her? Harry thought in panic. Riddle's diary didn't work any more ... How could they prove it had been he who'd made her do it all?
"Dumbledore knows that it wasn't her, and that's all that will be needed," Hermione said. "While her judgement is at fault, the actions weren't her own, and therefore, shouldn't be at fault."
Instinctively, Harry looked at Dumbledore, who smiled faintly, the firelight glancing off his half-moon spectacles.
"What interests me most," said Dumbledore gently, "is how Lord Voldemort managed to enchant Ginny, when my sources tell me he is currently in hiding in the forests of Albania."
"So he knows that Riddle is Voldemort. I wonder why he hasn't let people know that," Harry said.
"Well, we know that Ginny is definitely safe," Cedric said.
"If Dumbledore knows where Voldemort is, why isn't he doing anything about it," Hermione said.
"I don't know," Cedric said.
Relief – warm, sweeping, glorious relief – swept over Harry.
"W-what's that?" said Mr. Weasley in a stunned voice.
"I suppose that it would be rather strange, and terrifying, to hear that," Cedric said.
"You know, it's probably a good thing that the only people there are ones who wouldn't still attempt to blame Ginny for everything," Hermione said. "Though, I get the feeling that everything is going to be glossed over as well."
"You Know Who? En-enchant Ginny? But Ginny's not ... Ginny hasn't been ... has she?"
"He probably doesn't know what to think after hearing that," Hermione said. "Especially since one might believe that 'enchant' would be that Ginny joined the Voldemort's forces instead of what actually happened. At least, that's probably what's going through Mr. Weasley's mind right now."
"It was this diary," said Harry quickly, picking it up and showing it to Dumbledore. "Riddle wrote it when he was sixteen."
"You should also mention that there was some kind of spell on it that connected Riddle's soul to Ginny's so that Riddle could come back alive," Cedric said. "Dumbledore might be able to find out what the magic used to do that was."
Dumbledore took the diary from Harry and peered keenly down his long, crooked nose at its burnt and soggy pages.
"Brilliant," he said softly.
"I don't think I would call it brilliant," Hermione said.
"I think he means the spell work, not what the effects of it was," Cedric said.
"Of course, he was probably the most brilliant student Hogwarts has ever seen."
"I doubt that's true," Harry said.
He turned around to the Weasleys, who were looking utterly bewildered.
"Yeah, it probably is surprising to hear the headmaster call Voldemort brilliant," Cedric said.
"That, and the fact that it might not be all that well known that Voldemort went to Hogwarts," Hermione said. "Of course, now that we know that Voldemort's not his real name, it's no wonder why people didn't know that."
"Very few people know that Lord Voldemort was once called Tom Riddle. I taught him myself, fifty years ago, at Hogwarts."
"Which means that he probably knew how Riddle was going to turn out, and didn't really do anything to help him out and keep him from doing that," Hermione said.
"He disappeared after leaving the school ... travelled far and wide ... sank so deeply into the Dark Arts, consorted with the very worst of our kind, underwent so many dangerous, magical transformations, that when he resurfaced as Lord Voldemort, he was barely recognisable. Hardly anyone connected Lord Voldemort with the clever, handsome boy who was once Head Boy here."
"Which probably helped him in gaining followers, since no one would have know who he was, and he could make up a history for himself, one that paints him as whatever he wants to be seen as," Harry said.
"But Ginny," said Mrs. Weasley, "what's our Ginny got to do with – with – him?"
"His d-diary!" Ginny sobbed. "I've b-been writing in it, and he's been w-writing back all year –"
"Ginny!" said Mr. Weasley flabbergasted.
"Okay, time to find out what Mr. Weasley tells his children about not doing when it comes to certain things," Hermione said.
"Haven't I taught you anything? What have I always told you? Never trust anything that can think for itself if you can't see where it keeps its brain."
"That's really good advice," Hermione said.
"Why didn't you show the diary to me, or your mother? A suspicious object like that, it was clearly full of Dark Magic!"
"Eh, not really," Cedric said. "I think he's only saying that because of who Riddle is, not because it actually is full of Dark Magic. Plus, the diary does seem extremely harmless – it's only the fact that it allowed Riddle to possess Ginny that actually made it harmful."
"I d-didn't know," sobbed Ginny.
"The first time she wrote in it, she should have told her parents, just to be safe," Harry said. "Even if it wasn't full of dark magic, she still should have been more careful, and done a better safe than sorry deal."
"I found it inside one of the books Mum got me."
"So that's how she got it," Hermione murmured.
"I th-thought someone had just left it in there and forgotten about it ..."
"No, that doesn't seem right, considering what it can do. It had to be planted by someone – I mean, you said it yourself, books are tested before being allowed out in public, to make sure that they're safe," Hermione said. "Considering what it could do, it makes sense that it would give off a bad vibe if it was tested, so it had either been hidden in the book for a purpose or planted after the fact."
"That's true. Even second-hand – especially second-hand – shops do that," Cedric said. "Someone probably made sure that no one was looking, hid it, and didn't care who got it, so long as it did damage."
"And whoever that person is, owns Dobby," Harry said, remembering what he little elf tried to do earlier in the book. "Remember, he knew that something was going to happen. Which makes me wonder, why did he say it didn't have to do with Voldemort."
"He was probably told not to," Cedric said. "But, remember, he did seem like he was trying to give you a clue when he said that. While Riddle was Voldemort, there is some differences between them, which is probably what he was going for, you figuring out that it did have to do with him, but not him, if that makes any sense."
"It does," Hermione said. "At least, for me."
"Me too," Harry said.
"Miss Weasley should go up to the hospital wing straight away," Dumbledore interrupted in a firm voice.
"Ah, I wanted to know which book it was," Hermione said.
"Well, since Dobby is coming into this chapter at some point, we might still be able to know that," Harry said. "He might try to give me some clues about it." Harry was joking about this, of course, since he had the feeling that Dobby wouldn't really know exactly how Ginny got the diary, just that she would – or, rather, that someone would, unless Ginny was the actual target... He shook his head to clear that thought. Their was no way the person knew that Ginny would receive the diary, unless they purposely planted it in one of her books, and the chances were, there weren't enough time for that to happen.
"This has been a terrible ordeal for her. There will be no punishment. Older and wiser wizards than she have been hoodwinked by Lord Voldemort."
"That does sound to be true, though that also sounds as if she had no chance of fighting Voldemort at all," Luna said.
He strode over to the door and opened it. "Bed rest and perhaps a large, steaming mug of hot chocolate. I always find that cheers me up," he added,
"Whatever Dumbledore's failings are, he does know how to cheer people up," Hermione said. "Especially children. Maybe that's why he's the headmaster of the school."
"He does have a way of putting people at ease, even those who don't like him," Cedric mused.
twinkling kindly down at her. "You will find that Madam Pomfrey is still awake. She's just giving out Mandrake juice – I dare say the Basilisk's victims will be waking up any moment."
"So you're going to be fine," Harry said, looking at Hermione.
"Seems so," she said.
"So Hermione's OK!" said Ron brightly.
"There has been no lasting harm done," said Dumbledore.
Harry noticed that he didn't say anything, but had the feeling that both Ron and Dumbledore just happened to speak before he did, as he knew that he himself was worried for Hermione, which meant that he would express being glad that she would be waking up soon.
Mrs. Weasley led Ginny out, and Mr. Weasley followed, still looking deeply shaken.
"You know, Minerva," Professor Dumbledore said thoughtfully to Professor McGonagall, "I think all this merits a good feast. Might I ask you to go and alert the kitchens?"
"A feast," Hermione said, shaking her head while Harry and Cedric chuckled.
"That's going to be the most interesting feast in Hogwarts history," Cedric said. "Especially since most of the students will probably be in pajamas."
"Yeah, it probably is rather late," Luna said.
"Right," said Professor McGonagall crisply, also moving to the door. "I'll leave you to deal with Potter and Weasley, shall I?"
"Oh, that sounds extremely ominous," Harry said.
"I doubt you'll get expelled or in trouble," Hermione said.
"Yeah, you just basically saved the school and the world. You don't deserve any punishment," Cedric said. "In fact, if I was honest, you're actions should get you a Special Awards for Services to the School."
"I'm not sure I would actually want one," Harry said, thinking about the last person who got one. The fact that the award could be associated with Riddle made him believe that the award was a bit tainted, especially since Riddle was a murderer when he received it, and a serial killer in the making.
"Certainly," said Dumbledore.
She left, and Harry and Ron gazed uncertainly at Dumbledore. What exactly had Professor McGonagall meant, deal with them? Surely – surely – they weren't about to be punished?
"If I didn't know better, I would say that they did that on purpose, to scare you," Hermione said.
"I seem to remember telling you both that I would have to expel you if you broke any more school rules," said Dumbledore.
"He did say that, didn't he," Harry said, groaning a bit.
"It seems that part was practically forgotten the minute breaking rules were needed," Hermione said. "I guess it's a good thing that it was me, not you, who did the stealing from Snape, because, had we'd been caught, chances are that you would have been expelled."
"Now there's a cheerful thought," Harry said.
Ron opened his mouth in horror.
"Yeah, that would come as a shock, wouldn't it," Luna said.
"But, of course, he's not going to punish you for saving the school," Cedric said.
"Which goes to show that the best of us must sometimes eat our words," Dumbledore went on, smiling.
"Why he let you believe that he might punish you is something that I really wish I knew," Hermione said, shaking her head. "It was actually very mean to do, and most likely worried you quite a bit."
"I'll say," Harry said. "To think that I might end up stuck permanently with the Dursleys..."
They all made a face that that.
"Let's not think about that," Hermione said. "It's not going to happen, thankfully, so there isn't a reason to think about it."
"You will both receive Special Awards for Services to the School"
"Knew that you would," Cedric said. "Though why is Ron getting one? He didn't really do much; he did about the same amount as Hermione did, in fact, and it doesn't sound like Hermione's getting one, so why would he be getting one?"
"Maybe because he was with me," Harry said, shrugging. "I honestly don't know. Though, I also don't think it's far that we get one and Hermione doesn't. Just because she's petrified doesn't mean that she doesn't deserve one, because without her, we wouldn't have really known what we would be facing until it was too late."
"Somehow, I think he's only giving one to Ron because he's standing there with you," Luna said. "I imagine that Ron would complain a lot if he didn't, plus, Mrs. Weasley might do the complaining had she heard of you getting one, but Ron not getting one."
"and – let me see – yes, I think two hundred points apiece for Gryffindor."
"Four hundred points in total," Harry said.
"That'll definitely make sure that Gryffindors get the house cup that year," Cedric said.
"I really hope we don't always win it," Harry said. "Because, if we did, then that would seem like Dumbledore wants us to win because I'm there. I mean, at least when it comes to points being given to me, Ron, and Hermione in a large amount like this. Think about it; the first time it happens, we tied with Slytherin, but I get the feeling that, had Neville not been involved, I would have gotten more points than I did to make sure that Gryffindor won. Now this year, we get four hundred points – two hundred apiece – which most likely secures Gryffindor house the house cup. If it happens again in the next years.."
"It'll seem like it's not so much as you're accomplishments, rather that it'll be more like he's just awarding them to you to make sure that the house wins the cup because of you're presence there," Hermione said.
"Exactly. It's not fair to those who actually do the work in other houses simply because I'm not in their house," Harry said.
"Yeah, I get what you mean," Luna said. "You're afraid that, if a year goes by that you don't do anything that would save people, you would still get points for doing nothing, and therefore cause a lot of resentment among the other houses because of that. Though, I don't see you're book self worrying about it."
"I think it's because my book selves too close to the situation," Harry said. "Kind of like with the Ginny situation."
Ron went as brightly pink as Lockhart's Valentine flowers and closed his mouth again.
"That's probably the first time he's ever gotten so many points in one go," Hermione said. "Somehow, I don't see people getting that many points in one go a lot."
"But one of us seems to be keeping mightily quiet about his part in this dangerous adventure," Dumbledore added.
"You know that something is wrong with Lockhart when he's that quiet," Cedric said.
"Somehow, I get the feeling that Dumbledore probably has an idea of what already happened," Hermione said, though with a frown. She remembered what Hagrid had said about Lockhart only being there because he was the only one who applied for the job. If Dumbledore did have an idea of what had happened down in the chamber, then did that mean that he knew that Lockhart was a fraud already? Lockhart being a fraud could be the only way that Dumbledore would know that he would loose his memory, because she doubted that Memory Charms were the first charm that popped into the mind when faced with an adversary.
"Why so modest, Gilderoy?"
"He's being modest because he doesn't have his memory," Harry said.
Harry gave a start. He had completely forgotten about Lockhart.
"He's easy to forget when he's not being annoying," Harry said.
He turned and saw that Lockhart was standing in a corner of the room, still wearing his vague smile. When Dumbledore addressed him, Lockhart looked over his shoulder to see who he was talking to.
"Professor Dumbledore," Ron said quickly, "there was an accident down in the Chamber of Secrets. Professor Lockhart –"
"Am I a Professor?" said Lockhart in mild surprise. "Goodness. I expect I was hopeless, was I?"
Everyone in the room laughed at that.
"I don't think he's ever spoken a truer phrase," Cedric said, still laughing.
"He tried to do a Memory Charm and the wand backfired," Ron explained quietly to Dumbledore.
"Oh, you've got to like that," Hermione said. "He conveniently leaves out that it was his wand that did the backfiring."
"I wonder if Dumbledore knew about the troubles Ron's wand was having," Harry said.
"If he did, he should have made Ron write to his family for a new one," Hermione said.
"Dear me," said Dumbledore, shaking his head, his long silver moustache quivering. "Impaled upon your own sword, Gilderoy!"
"So he did know that Lockhart was a fraud," Hermione said, while the others gasped a bit.
"Is this what you meant by when you said that Dumbledore might have already known what happened to Lockhart?" Harry asked her.
"Yes," Hermione said. "And I can't really get mad at him for putting someone like Lockhart in the school, either, because we were already told that Lockhart was the only person who applied for the job, and there's nothing that really says that he's not what he seems to be beforehand."
"Sword?" said Lockhart dimly. "Haven't got a sword. That boy has, though."
"Dumbledore doesn't mean a real sword," Hermione said, rolling her eyes.
He pointed at Harry. "He'll lend you one."
"Would you mind taking Professor Lockhart up to the hospital wing, too?" Dumbledore said to Ron.
"He wants to talk to me in private, meaning there's something that he doesn't want Ron to hear," Harry said.
"That, or he knows that you want to say something else, but don't want Ron to hear," Hermione said. "I noticed that it didn't mention you saying anything about what Riddle had said about you two being strangely alike, and I have the feeling that that's not something you want Ron to hear."
"No, not really," Harry said.
"I'd like a few more words with Harry ..."
"Well, at least you'll be able to keep him from knowing what you don't want him to know," Hermione said. "Ron will be under the impression that Dumbledore had something else to say to you over you having to say something else to him."
Lockhart ambled out. Ron cast a curious look back at Dumbledore and Harry as he closed the door.
Dumbledore crossed to one of the chairs by the fire.
"Sit down, Harry," he said, and Harry sat, feeling unaccountably nervous.
"First of all, Harry, I want to thank you," said Dumbledore, eyes twinkling again. "You must have shown me real loyalty down in the Chamber. Nothing but that could have called Fawkes to you."
"While Fawkes is Dumbledore's companion, it doesn't mean that he's only loyal to Dumbledore," Luna said. "If a phoenix senses that a force of good needs help in the area it's in, it will more often than not go to help. If said person it senses is someone whose pure of heart, then it's guarantee to go help them."
"Why does Dumbledore say that it's only because I showed loyalty to him, then?" Harry asked.
"Maybe to increase you're loyalty to him," Hermione said. "Keeps you looking up to him and all. If he said that Fawkes came to you because you're pure of heart or a force of good, then you would probably think that you don't really need him, and would probably make you feel equal to him. By saying that it's you're loyalty to him, you would automatically believe that you not equal to him, and be more likely to listen to him. Or something like that."
"So, you're saying that, if he had said the truth, I would realize that I am an equal instead of him being above me," Harry said.
"Yeah, something like that," Hermione said.
"It is an interesting theory," Luna said. "By not telling you the truth, it also keeps you humble as well."
He stroked the phoenix, which had fluttered down onto his knee. Harry grinned awkwardly as Dumbledore watched him.
"And so you met Tom Riddle," said Dumbledore thoughtfully. "I imagine he was most interested in you ..."
"Unfortunately," Harry said.
Suddenly, something that was nagging at Harry came tumbling out of his mouth.
"Professor Dumbledore ... Riddle said I'm like him. Strange likenesses, he said ..."
"Did he, now?" said Dumbledore, looking thoughtfully under his thick silver eyebrows at Harry.
"I wonder if Dumbledore thinks that as well," Harry said.
"He really shouldn't. I mean, you have nothing in common," Hermione said.
"Except similar looks," Harry said.
"Which could be true for quite a few people in the world," Hermione said.
"And what do you think, Harry?"
"I don't think I'm anything like him," Harry said.
"I don't think I'm like him!" said Harry, more loudly than he'd intended. "I mean, I'm – I'm in Gryffindor, I'm ..."
"I don't think saying you're house is a good indication of how different you are from him," Hermione said. "And that's not just because you could have been a Slytherin, but the houses don't matter in real like. What you should say is that you care about people, have friends who care about you, and you would never murder anyone in cold blood."
But he fell silent, a lurking doubt resurfacing in his mind.
"I'm about to tell him what the Sorting Hat told me," Harry said. "That's the only thing that would be a doubt to me."
"Professor," he started again after a moment, "the Sorting Hat told me I'd – I'd have done well in Slytherin. Everyone thought I was Slytherin's heir for a while ... because I can speak Parseltongue ..."
"Which, I've got to wonder if I'm the only member of my family who can," Harry said.
"It's possible that you're not. I mean, it's not like your family would advertise it," Cedric said. "They would know the kind of prejudice they would face, and wouldn't give the fact away if they could do it, unless they completely trusted the person they told."
"You can speak Parseltongue, Harry," said Dumbledore calmly, "because Lord Voldemort – who is the last remaining descendant of Salazar Slytherin – can speak Parseltongue. Unless I'm much mistaken, he transferred some of his own powers to you the night he gave you that scar. Not something he intended to do, I'm sure ..."
"Until you know more about you're family, you can't really believe that," Hermione said. "Just because Dumbledore is treated like he has the right to know everything, and most likely believes this himself doesn't mean that it's actually true. You're family, if they could do this ability, probably close guard this secret, to the point that those outside of immediate family didn't know about it."
"Voldemort put a bit of himself in me?" Harry said, thunder-struck.
"Is that even possible?" Harry said.
"I don't know," Cedric said.
"It certainly seems so."
"Dumbledore said that," Luna said when everyone looked at her. The way she said it, so matter of factly, had startled and confused the others; they hadn't noticed that she had been looking at the book, either, as both Cedric and Hermione had been focused on Harry.
"I wish it had said that it had mentioned who said it," Hermione said. "We might not have been so startled to hear it from you if it had."
"So I should be in Slytherin," Harry said, looking desperately into Dumbledore's face.
"No," Hermione said. "You should be in the house you chose to be in."
"The Sorting Hat could see Slytherin's power in me, and it –"
"I know, I know," Harry said, noticing Hermione about to open her mouth again. "I shouldn't put so much stock on my parselmouth abilities to determine what house I should be in."
"Especially since it's reason for wanting you in Slytherin is because it thought you would do great there – probably thinking you'd grow ambitious and the fact that you really are cunning," Cedric said.
"Put you in Gryffindor," said Dumbledore calmly. "Listen to me, Harry. You happen to have many qualities Salazar Slytherin prized in his hand-picked students."
"That makes it sound as if he wants you to think that you belonged to Slytherin," Luna said.
"His own very rare gift, Parseltongue ... resourcefulness ... determination ... a certain disregard for rules," he added,
"Let's see, the Parseltongue ability is most likely the only definite Slytherin deal in the qualities he pick," Cedric said. "Resourcefulness can easily be a Ravenclaw trait, determination is a Hufflepuff trait, and disregarding the rules is a definite Gryffindor trait."
his moustache quivering again. "Yet the Sorting Hat placed you in Gryffindor. You know why that was. Think."
"That sounds like the only reason why you're not in Slytherin is because you asked it not to put you there, like every trait you have is a Slytherin one, and therefore you should be in Slytherin," Hermione said, frowning.
"Considering that he risked his life to save the school, that shows that he's not just Slytherin material," Cedric said.
"It only put me in Gryffindor," said Harry in a defeated voice,
"I probably noticed that Dumbledore was saying that I'm Slytherin material," Harry said, sighing.
"because I asked not to go in Slytherin ..."
"Exactly," said Dumbledore, beaming once more. "Which makes you very different from Tom Riddle. It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities."
"That was bad way of going around it, because, while that would stun me, there will be a part of me which believes that I still belong in Slytherin," Harry said.
Harry sat motionless in his chair, stunned. "If you want proof, Harry, that you belong in Gryffindor, I suggest you look more closely at this."
Dumbledore reached across to Professor McGonagall's desk, picked up the blood-stained silver sword and handed it to Harry. Dully, Harry turned it over, the rubies blazing in the firelight. And then he saw the name engraved just below the hilt.
Godric Gryffindor.
"And now that part will have been silenced," Harry said, looking amazed, just as amazed as the others.
"That sword was said to have been lost years ago," Cedric said.
"Well, it's not lost any more," Hermione said. "We know a way to get to it."
"Only a true Gryffindor could have pulled that out of the Hat, Harry," said Dumbledore simply.
"Of course, that probably makes it a bit more difficult," Hermione said.
"Not really, because it seems that Harry is able to pull it out," Cedric said.
For a minute, neither of them spoke. Then Dumbledore pulled open one of the drawers in Professor McGonagall's desk, and took out a quill and a bottle of ink.
"What you need, Harry, is some food and sleep."
"Yeah, that does sound really good," Harry said.
"I suggest you go down to the feast, while I write to Azkaban – we need our gamekeeper back. And I must draft an advertisement for the DailyProphet, too," he added thoughtfully. "We'll be needing a new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. Dear me, we do seem to run through them, don't we?"
"Since I've only been in the school two year, I can't honestly answer that question," Harry said.
Harry got up and crossed to the door. He had just reached for the handle, however, when the door burst open so violently that it bounced back off the wall.
Lucius Malfoy stood there, fury in his face.
"He must've just learned that Dumbledore's back," Hermione said.
"And he must be mad about it because he thought he got rid of Dumbledore," Luna said.
"I think this is where the hammer will fall on him," Cedric said, "because, if the other governors decide that someone is to be a fall back for getting rid of Dumbledore in the first place, it's Mr. Malfoy who'll end up taking that fall. Of course, since he more likely instigated Dumbledore's suspension, him taking the fall makes a lot of sense, and, at least, no one innocent will be out of a job."
And cowering under his arm, heavily wrapped in bandages, was Dobby.
"The Malfoy's own Dobby?" Hermione said.
"I thought we ruled the Malfoys out," Harry said.
"No, not really," Cedric said, realization on his face. "We ruled out the Malfoys as the heir to the Slytherin line. We didn't actually rule out that they owned Dobby though. In fact, we didn't even talk much about who owned Dobby, just that they had something to do with the Chamber."
"Right. I forgot about that," Harry said, while Hermione's eyes widened as a memory came back.
"Oh, we had it wrong before," she said. "Well, not wrong, really, but we hadn't thought about it."
"What are you talking about?" Luna asked.
"Remember when we were conteplating on how Ginny got the diary," Hermione said. The others nodded. "Well, remember how Cedric said that it was most likely just planted there to do damage, no matter who got it." Again, they nodded. "Well, we forgot that Mr. Malfoy had grabbed one of Ginny's books. Remember, in the Flourish and Blotts chapters, how he grabbed the Transfiguration book? That's probably the book that the diary was found it."
"That's most likely true," Luna muttered, her eyes turning back to the book.
"Good evening, Lucius," said Dumbledore pleasantly.
Mr. Malfoy almost knocked Harry over as he swept into the room. Dobby went scurrying in after him, crouching at the hem of his cloak, a look of abject terror on his face.
"So!" said Lucius Malfoy, his cold eyes fixed on Dumbledore. :You've come back. The governors suspended you, but you still saw fit to return to Hogwarts."
"Malfoy here probably thinks that he can use this as a reason to permanently suspend Dumbledore," Cedric said.
"He's going to be so disappointed when he finds out that it's not going to happen," Luna said.
"And, based on his reaction, he only knows that Dumbledore is back in the castle – his son probably saw him and sent him a letter – so he doesn't realize that he's about to make a fool of himself," Cedric said.
"You're lucky that you're about to see it," Luna told Harry. He smiled at her, amused by the fact that she thought he would be lucky.
"Well, you see, Lucius," said Dumbledore, smiling serenely, "the other eleven governors contacted me today. It was something like being caught in a hailstorm of owls, to tell the truth."
"They must've panicked and sent word as fast as they could," Cedric said.
"They'd heard that Arthur Weasley's daughter had been killed and wanted me back here at once. They seemed to think I was the best man for the job after all. Very strange tales they told me, too. Several of them seemed to think that you had threatened to curse their families if they didn't agree to suspend me in the first place."
"I wonder if he's going to try and deny it," Hermione said.
Mr. Malfoy went even paler than usual, but his eyes were still slits of fury.
"So – have you stopped the attacks yet?" he sneered.
"He failed at kicking Dumbledore out, but he's going to still try and get to the Weasleys," Harry said.
"It's too bad that he won't be able to," Hermione said. "Dumbledore won't let it be known that Ginny was the unknowing puppet. Besides, if what we think is true, then Mr. Malfoy already knows that it was her; however, he also can't say how he does without letting it be known that he had something to do with it."
"Have you caught the culprit?"
"We have," said Dumbledore, with a smile.
"Well?" said Mr. Malfoy sharply. "Who is it?"
"He's kind of easy to read, when you know what he's done," Hermione said.
"Yeah, he thinks that he'll be able to get some of his brand of justice by having an innocent girl take the fall, only to end up looking like a fool," Harry said.
"The same person as last time, Lucius," said Dumbledore. "But this time, Lord Voldemort was acting through somebody else. By means of this diary."
"And here, Mr. Malfoy will realize that his plans are not going to work," Luna said.
He held up the small black book with the large hole through the centre, watching Mr. Malfoy closely.
"Dumbledore knows that it was him," Cedric said. "How?"
"Maybe he suspected it when he heard how Ginny got the diary. I mean, it's most likely possible that he heard about the fight, after all," Hermione said. "And, considering who Riddle was, it probably made sense that he might have given his followers something to safekeep for him. Plus, when one adds in the fact that the Malfoys and Weasleys don't get along at all..."
"Then it's easy to see Mr. Malfoy as the culprit, since Mini-Malfoy doesn't have an ounce of subtly to him," Harry said.
Harry, however, was watching Dobby.
The elf was doing something very odd. His great eyes fixed meaningfully on Harry, he kept pointing at the diary, then at Mr. Malfoy, and then hitting himself hard on the head with his fist.
"He's telling you that Mr. Malfoy is the reason that Ginny had the diary, while also punishing himself for such actions," Cedric said.
"I see ..." said Mr. Malfoy slowly to Dumbledore.
"A clever plan," said Dumbledore in a level voice, still staring Mr. Malfoy straight in the eye. "Because if Harry here –" Mr. Malfoy shot Harry a swift, sharp look, "and his friend Ron hadn't discovered this book, why – Ginny Weasley might have taken all the blame. No one would ever have been able to prove she hadn't acted of her own free will ..."
"Ha, the way that Dumbledore is acting, one would get the impression that he himself was able to speak to Riddle and find out the truth," Cedric said.
"And he pretty much says that the book caused it, meaning that Mr. Malfoy can't do anything to get Ginny punished," Hermione said.
"And, Mr. Malfoy can't say that it isn't true or not, because he'd end up with questions about how he could know that any what not," Harry said.
Mr. Malfoy said nothing. His face was suddenly mask-like.
"That won't help. Everyone in the room knows you're guilty," Hermione said.
"Well, technically, I don't, not yet, anyway," Harry said. "Book me hasn't figured out the clue that Dobby's giving me at the moment."
"And imagine," Dumbledore went on, "what might have happened then ... The Weasleys are one of our most prominent pure-blood families."
"Which is something that Mr. Malfoy must hate, because they don't follow the same beliefs that he does," Hermione said. "Though, I do wonder if there's something else to it as well."
"Imagine the effect on Arthur Weasley and his Muggle Protection Act, if his own daughter was discovered attacking and killing Muggle-borns."
"And that right there shows why Mr. Malfoy did it," Luna said sadly.
"Very fortunate the diary was discovered, and Riddle's memories wiped from it. Who knows what the consequences might have been otherwise ..."
Mr. Malfoy forced himself to speak.
"Very fortunate," he said stiffly.
"In his mind, he's probably cursing up a storm that his plan was found out," Hermione said.
"That, and the fact that something his master trusted him with that probably wasn't meant to have what happened to it, meaning that, should Voldemort find out..." Harry said.
"He's going to be punished," Luna finished.
And still, behind his back, Dobby was pointing, first to the diary, then to Lucius Malfoy, then punching himself in the head.
And Harry suddenly understood. He nodded at Dobby, and Dobby backed into a corner, now twisting his ears in punishment.
"Took me awhile, didn't it," Harry said.
"Don't you want to know how Ginny got hold of that diary, Mr. Malfoy?" said Harry.
Lucius Malfoy rounded on him.
"How should I know how the stupid little girl got hold of it?" he said.
"Oh, he just made a rather big mistake there, didn't he," Hermione said. The others looked at her. "Harry asked him if he wanted to know how Ginny got it. He said nothing about Mr. Malfoy already knowing. Yet, Mr. Malfoy, in a very defensive way, pointed out that there was no way he would know how Ginny got the diary. By saying it like that, he's makes the mistake of saying the wrong thing. He basically gives himself away in his worry that Harry already knows what he did."
Luna reread the statements to her self. "You're right," she said. "His last question shouldn't have been said if he truly was innocent and wanted to continue to hide it."
"Because you gave it to her," said Harry. "In Flourish and Blotts. You picked up her old Transfiguration book, and slipped the diary inside it, didn't you?"
He saw Mr. Malfoy's white hands clench and unclench.
"Prove it," he hissed.
"I don't really have to. You've done that yourself," Harry said.
"Oh, no one will be able to do that," said Dumbledore, smiling at Harry.
"Which means he get's off scot free," Hermione said, a frown on her face.
"Not now Riddle has vanished from the book. On the other hand, I would advise you, Lucius, not to go giving out any more of Lord Voldemort's old school things. If any more of them find their way into innocent hands, I think Arthur Weasley, for one, will make sure they are traced back to you ..."
"Oh, yeah, he would definitely do that," Hermione said. "And enjoy it, too."
"I don't think it's just Mr. Weasley who would enjoy it," Cedric said. "There are others as well."
Lucius Malfoy stood for a moment, and Harry distinctly saw his right hand twitch as though he was longing to reach for his wand. Instead, he turned to his house-elf.
"We're going, Dobby!"
He wrenched open the door, and as the elf came hurrying up to him, he kicked him right through it. They could hear Dobby squealing with pain all the way along the corridor. Harry stood for a moment, thinking hard. Then it came to him.
"Here's were Dobby's reward is probably going to come back into the mix," Harry said.
"Professor Dumbledore," he said hurriedly, "can I give that diary back to Mr. Malfoy, please?"
"Certainly, Harry," said Dumbledore calmly. "But hurry. The feast, remember."
Harry grabbed the diary and dashed out of the office. He could hear Dobby's squeals of pain receding around the corner. Quickly, wondering if this plan could possibly work, Harry took off one of his shoes, pulled off his slimy, filthy sock, and stuffed the diary into it.
"Oh, that's going to be good to see," Cedric said, getting what Harry was about to do.
Then he ran down the dark corridor.
He caught up with them at the top of the stairs.
"Mr. Malfoy," he gasped, skidding to a halt, "I've got something for you."
And he forced the smelly sock into Lucius Malfoy's hand.
"What the –?"
"That's probably insulting to him," Hermione said.
Mr. Malfoy ripped the sock off the diary, threw it aside,
"Dobby better catch it," Luna said.
then looked furiously from the ruined book to Harry.
"You'll meet the same sticky end as your parents one of these days, Harry Potter," he said softly. "They were meddlesome fools, too."
"They weren't fools," Harry said, glaring at the book as if it was Mr. Malfoy.
He turned to go.
"Come, Dobby. I said, Come!"
But Dobby didn't move. He was holding up Harry's disgusting, slimy sock, and looking at it as though it were a priceless treasure.
"Master has given Dobby a sock," said the elf in wonderment. "Master gave it to Dobby."
"What's that?" spat Mr. Malfoy. "What did you say?"
"Dobby has got a sock," said Dobby in disbelief. "Master threw it, and Dobby caught it, and Dobby – Dobby is free."
"To bind himself to another master, the one that he probably wants," Luna said.
"You mean you think that he wants to belong to Harry," Cedric said. Luna nodded.
"How would he do that," Hermione said.
"I'll explain what I've been told after the chapter," Cedric said
Lucius Malfoy stood frozen, staring at the elf. Then he lunged at Harry.
"I guess well be seeing of Dobby is going to bind himself to Harry," Cedric muttered to himself.
"You've lost me my servant, boy!"
But Dobby shouted, "You shall not harm Harry Potter!"
"He did bind himself to you," Luna said, looking at Harry.
"How?" Harry said, completely confused.
"I tell you what I know after the chapters over," Cedric said, rephrasing his previous words.
There was a loud bang, and Mr. Malfoy was thrown backwards. He crashed down the stairs, three at a time, landing in a crumpled heap on the landing below. He got up, his face livid, and pulled out his wand,
"Did he just forget what Dobby just did to him?" Hermione asked.
"Most witches and wizards do have a habit of underestimating those that they consider lower than them," Cedric said. "Even when faced with evidence like what Dobby just did, they still forget it."
but Dobby raised a long threatening finger.
"You shall go now," he said fiercely, pointing down at Mr. Malfoy.
"You shall not touch Harry Potter. You shall go now."
Lucius Malfoy had no choice. With a last, incensed stare at the pair of them, he swung his cloak around him and hurried out of sight.
"I do hope his pride becomes even more wounded than it already is," Hermione said. "I hope that it get's spread around what Dobby did to him, as well as the fact that he threatened the other governors."
"Harry Potter freed Dobby!" said the elf shrilly, gazing up at Harry, moonlight from the nearest window reflected in his orb-like eyes. "Harry Potter set Dobby free!"
"How is it that Dobby bonded with Harry, but Dobby says that he's free," Hermione said.
"Because Harry helped free Dobby from Mr. Malfoy," Cedric said. "And, even though Dobby has probably bound himself to Harry, because Harry helped free him, Dobby is probably taking that to mean that Harry wants him free, and will let him do whatever he wants."
"Least I could do, Dobby," said Harry, grinning. "Just promise never to try and save my life again."
"Good thing to ask for, however, I do believe that it'll be something impossible for Dobby to do," Hermione said.
The elf's ugly brown face split suddenly into a wide, toothy smile.
"I've just got one question, Dobby," said Harry, as Dobby pulled on Harry's sock with shaking hands. "You told me all this had nothing to do with He Who Must Not Be Named, remember? Well –"
"It was a clue, sir," said Dobby, his eyes widening, as though this was obvious. "Dobby was giving you a clue. The Dark Lord, before he changed his name, could be freely named, you see?"
"I guess we were right," Hermione said, "though, it's not an easy clue to understand."
"Right," said Harry weakly. "Well, I'd better go. There's a feast, and my friend Hermione should be awake by now ..."
Dobby threw his arms around Harry's middle and hugged him.
"Harry Potter is greater by far than Dobby knew!" he sobbed. "Farewell, Harry Potter!"
And with a final loud crack, Dobby disappeared.
"I wonder if we'll ever see him again," Hermione said.
Harry had been to several Hogwarts feasts, but never one quite like this. Everybody was in their pyjamas, and the celebrations lasted all night.
"Sounds like a good party," Hermione said. "Though, I do have to wonder how many people from Slytherin came, considering what the party is for."
Harry didn't know whether the best bit was Hermione running towards him, screaming, "You solved it! You solved it!"
"And how is that not the best bit?" Hermione asked, playfully of course, though Harry didn't quite notice that at first.
"Well, I, uh," he started, stuttering as he tried to find a good answer for that, until she finally grew pity on him, and burst out laughing, letting him know that she had been kidding. He huffed, shaking his head, but the smile on his face belayed that he wasn't actually irritated with her.
or Justin hurrying over from the Hufflepuff table to wring his hand and apologise endlessly for suspecting him,
"Hermione's better," Harry said.
or Hagrid turning up at half past three, cuffing Harry and Ron so hard on the shoulders that they were knocked into their plates of trifle,
"Well, that right there might be why you're not sure," Hermione said.
or his and Ron's four hundred points securing Gryffindor the House Cup for the second year running, or Professor McGonagall standing up to tell them all that the exams had been cancelled as a school treat ("Oh, no!" said Hermione),
"Okay, it is a good thing that they're not going to have exams done," Hermione said. "I just, even if they seem to drive me crazy, I kind of like doing exams."
"Nothing wrong with that," Luna said. "It's just the driving others crazy when they drive you crazy that people don't like."
or Dumbledore announcing that, unfortunately, Professor Lockhart would be unable to return next year, owing to the fact that he needed to go away and get his memory back.
"Geez, that's quite a list of things," Cedric said. "Personally, for me, I think the fact that Lockhart won't be returning is the best part. At least, the me in the book does."
Quite a few of the teachers joined in the cheering that greeted this news.
"Considering how he drove them crazy, I think it's understandable," Hermione said. "Now, what I want to know is which ones, other the Snape because I can't see him cheering, managed not to cheer?"
"Shame," said Ron, helping himself to a jam doughnut. "He was starting to grow on me."
The rest of the summer term passed in a haze of blazing sunshine. Hogwarts was back to normal, with only a few, small differences: Defence Against the Dark Arts classes were cancelled ("but we've had plenty of practice at that anyway," Ron told a disgruntled Hermione)
"I have the feeling we might not have told you about what we found out," Harry said.
and Lucius Malfoy had been sacked as a school governor.
"Yes," Hermione said.
Draco was no longer strutting around the school as though he owned the place.
"I get the feeling that isn't going to last very long," Cedric said.
On the contrary, he looked resentful and sulky. On the other hand, Ginny Weasley was perfectly happy again.
"That's good. She'll at least have some good memories of that year," Luna said.
Too soon, it was time for the journey home on the Hogwarts Express. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George and Ginny got a compartment to themselves. They made the most of the last few hours in which they were allowed to do magic before the holidays. They played Exploding Snap, set off the very last of Fred and George's Filibuster Fireworks, and practised disarming each other by magic. Harry was getting very good at it.
"That's good to know," Harry said. "It sounds like a very useful spell."
They were almost at King's Cross when Harry remembered something.
"I remember it?" Harry said.
"It seems you'll be the one to get Ginny to spill the beans, instead of Ron," Luna said.
"Ginny – what did you see Percy doing, that he didn't want you to tell anyone?"
"Oh, that," said Ginny, giggling. "Well – Percy's got a girlfriend."
Fred dropped a stack of books on George's head.
"Ow. That probably hurt him," Hermione said.
"What?"
"It's that Ravenclaw Prefect, Penelope Clearwater," said Ginny. "That's who he was writing to all last summer. He's been meeting her all over the school in secret. I walked in on them kissing in an empty classroom one day. He was so upset when she was – you know – attacked. You won't tease him, will you?" she added anxiously.
"I wonder what Ginny's sounding anxious for," Harry said.
"Who knows," Luna said, shrugging as she turned back to the book.
"Wouldn't dream of it," said Fred, who was looking as if his birthday had come early.
"Definitely not," said George, sniggering.
"That right there tells us that they will," Cedric said.
The Hogwarts Express slowed and finally stopped.
Harry pulled out his quill and a bit of parchment and turned to Ron and Hermione.
"This is called a telephone number," he told Ron, scribbling it twice, tearing the parchment in two and handing it to them. "I told your dad how to use a telephone last summer, he'll know. Call me at the Dursleys, OK? I can't stand another two months with only Dudley to talk to ..."
"I really don't think that's a good idea," Hermione said. "Not only is Ron sure to mess up somehow, but if you're aunt or uncle answer..."
"Yeah, that's sure to get me into trouble," Harry said.
"Not that I won't call," Hermione said. "Unless something should come up, and I can't because of that something."
"Your aunt and uncle will be proud, though, won't they?" said Hermione,
"Boy, that makes me sound rather naïve about them," Hermione said.
"I don't really think I've said much about it to you," Harry said. "Otherwise, I'm sure you wouldn't have asked about it."
as they got off the train and joined the crowd thronging towards the enchanted barrier. "When they hear what you did this year?"
"All those times I could have died and didn't," Harry said, shaking his head.
"They'd be both furious and saddened by the fact that you didn't," Luna finished.
"Proud?" said Harry. "Are you mad? All those times I could've died, and I didn't manage it? They'll be furious ..."
"That should definitely give me a clue that something is seriously wrong with you're family," Hermione said. "I doubt I'll say anything about it, though."
And together they walked back through the gateway to the Muggle world.
"That's the end of the book," Luna said, closing it and setting it down.