Chapter 116: Of Earths and Stars

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I would like to thank my beta, Akisu, for his help in this chapter.

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15 March 1993, Hogwarts

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was veiled in an unsettling fog, a reflection of the shrouded mystery that had consumed not only the minds of the residents of the castle but also of Harry Potter. Unlike the rest of the student body and the staff, the resurgence of the Heir of Slytherin was something that he had expected. However, the change in patterns was something that he didn't see coming. It had baffled even his admittedly sharp intellect, and his usual air of confidence was beginning to show cracks, replaced by visible frustration.

The castle's usually lively halls were now hushed with fear, as the once-safe haven became tainted by the sinister presence of the infamous Heir of Slytherin. 

Currently, Harry Potter was staying in his trust Room of Requirements, which he had shaped into a comfortable living room. He was sitting in an armchair that was identical to his favourite one in the Slytherin common room. Next to him, Daphne was pacing around, while Luna was humming distractedly.

All of them were trying to figure out what Riddle's angle was. His change in patterns was baffling. It just didn't make sense. The first smiling face might be a message saying that he was back and not to forget about him, but the second petrification was such a break in the routine. Cormac McLaggen was a Pureblood, and from a very influential family as well. His father was very well known in the ministry, and that meant that the Wizengamot would start putting pressure on Dumbledore to investigate, something that the headmaster would probably protest heavily.

But also, it was the location of the petrification. One of the biggest reasons he was even doing this was to spread fear in the muggleborn population. He always chose a location that was pretty popular to release an unspoken message, 'I can get you wherever you are.'

However, McLaggen's petrification was in a part of the castle that no one ever ventured. Riddle obviously expected the petrification to occur there, since the blood drawing happened. Curiously, Longbottom was the one who found the body and from a preliminary Legilimency scan, the boy had foolishly followed the Basilisk's voice once more.

And that also posed an issue. How was Longbottom connected to all of this? Riddle would be curious about his future self's defeat, of course, but the attack on McLaggen was pretty much framing the boy since he was spearheading the harassment of the boy who lived.

The timing also didn't make sense. Considering that his attacks happened a month apart, which was ideal to keep this little reign of terror while leaving enough hope that he wouldn't continue. Yet, he was accelerating now, something that risked getting the ministry actively involved and the students observed even further.

Harry spent what seemed like hours trying to understand Riddle's motivations, "There's something I'm missing…"

Daphne spoke out loud, "What if it is Longbottom?"

The Potter scion gave her an incredulous look, "Didn't I tell you that a cursed diary is responsible for all of this?"

"No, I meant that Longbottom is the one being possessed. Maybe Riddle is using his subconscious to pick his target somehow."

Harry shook his head, "No, I used Legilimency on him. He wasn't the one who petrified McLaggen, he just followed the Basilisk's voice and found him."

"I'm just saying that it's suspicious, that's all."

"No, the bigger question would be why McLaggen was even in that corner of the castle when he was petrified and how did Riddle know about it and plan to have him petrified in that exact spot."

"Why don't you track him like you did before?" Daphne asked, "Luna told me you used something to scry his location. Can't you do that again?"

"I used something similar to the Diary to do it, a part of a whole. Plus, he figured out how I tracked him down, so he probably put up some protections. I took him by surprise the last time. I don't have that luxury now."

"Do you have at least a few ideas on why McLaggen was chosen? The guy is an ass, but he's hardly the ideal victim that Riddle would pick…"

Harry shook his head, "This was premeditated. The school has to send an owl to a student's guardian if he or she gets hurt. For muggleborns, since the school is technically foreign territory, the headmaster could choose to act as a guardian since they are considered to be orphans in the magical world, at least in terms of paperwork. So, technically this forced the headmaster to admit that something was wrong, especially since two attacks happened so quickly one after another."

"So, McLaggen Senior would have to know what happened to his son and he'd demand answers," Daphne continued.

"Yes, but he's also a known supporter of Dumbledore. A petrification wouldn't really be a big deal, but the headmaster would technically be forced to break his own embargo about the chamber. And that would mean that people outside the castle would have to talk, which explains the article."

Yeah, the infamous article that pretty much caused the headmaster to keep putting out one fire after another. 

Hogwarts was Dumbledore's territory and he liked having its secrets remain in the castle. There was this large ward that pretty much caused people to not want to talk about anything unusual happening in the school. Harry had sensed it pressing down on him when he tried to send a letter to Arcturus Black that had information about the petrifications.

Other than a single no-name muggleborn being petrified in November and a squib caretaker sharing the same fate a month prior, people just started to forget about it. But now that the heir had returned, the ward could only do so much. The McLaggen attack was the stone that broke the camel's back, and students started to be afraid since the boy was a pureblood.

Fear would overwhelm the compulsion to keep things secret, and the fact that Dumbledore had to send a letter as well, the headmaster was currently under fire, which of course, meant that Rita Skeeter had to write an article about it, one that was currently on the front page of the Daily Prophet on the table in front of them.

MCLAGGEN SCION VICIOUSLY ATTACKED IN HOGWARTS!

BOY WHO LIVED IMPLICATED!

by Rita Skeeter

On the seventh of March 1993, Cormac McLaggen fell victim to a petrification spell within the supposed sanctum of safety, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The incident, far from being an isolated occurrence, has unveiled a dark series of events that has plagued the esteemed institution since the past October. It seems the illustrious halls of learning have not been impervious to a sinister force. McLaggen, a young and promising Gryffindor, is now the fourth casualty following students Dean Thomas, Penelope Clearwater, and even staff member Argus Filch.

The haunting undertone of these attacks becomes even more evident when one considers the chilling details. The initial assault carried with it an ominous message written in blood, hinting at the involvement of the 'Heir of Slytherin,' who allegedly opened the legendary 'Chamber of Secrets' to unleash terror upon unsuspecting victims. For the uninitiated, the Chamber is a mythical chamber attributed to Salazar Slytherin, said to harbour a fearsome creature tasked with purging the castle of those deemed unworthy. The veil of secrecy surrounding these assaults, as they remained concealed from the general public for months and escaped the notice of even the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, raises troubling questions about the transparency and efficacy of Hogwarts' leadership, especially Headmaster Albus Dumbledore.

However, this narrative is but a single thread woven into the intricate tapestry of these events. Among the prime suspects, Neville Longbottom, known as the renowned "Boy Who Lived," comes under scrutiny. Longbottom's connection to the Parseltongue ability came to light when he inadvertently employed this skill to command a snake to attack fellow student Draco Malfoy during a Dueling Club demonstration, under the supervision of the infamous Gilderoy Lockhart. The once-heroic Longbottom's reputation has been tarnished by an array of controversies throughout the current academic year, including employing a Flying Car to access the school, thereby flagrantly disregarding the International Statute of Secrecy. Furthermore, his involvement in a covert operation where he assumed the identities of prominent wizarding families' heirs to infiltrate the Slytherin common room and interrogate his peers has only heightened suspicions. The emergence of his Parseltongue proficiency only serves to further muddy the waters and provoke speculation regarding his true intentions.

Curiously, Headmaster Albus Dumbledore's silence regarding Longbottom's potential culpability casts a shadow over his reliability and impartiality. The revered leader's mere assurance that the victims would soon recover under the care of Potions Master Severus Snape and Master Herbologist Pomona Sprout does little to quell the growing unease among parents and guardians. Doubts now loom over Dumbledore's ability to ensure the security of his students.

As the castle navigates this period of uncertainty, one cannot ignore the uneasiness that shrouds the normally vibrant atmosphere of Hogwarts. It appears that even a place synonymous with magic and enlightenment is not immune to the creeping tendrils of darkness. As investigations continue and answers remain elusive, it becomes evident that the true nature of these events may be far more complex and disturbing than any could have fathomed.

Story continues on page 5.

Yeah, Rita Skeeter was a vicious woman indeed. Dumbledore had barely spent a single day inside the castle ever since it came out. There was a lot of chatter on whether or not he was the right person to take care of the next generation of wizards and witches in Britain. It wasn't enough to rattle Dumbledore from his position, but it was still damaging enough.

"Riddle might have wanted to kick Dumbledore out of the castle," Daphne proposed.

Harry shook his head, "We know that Riddle wants Dumbledore out of the castle, but even this wouldn't be enough for Malfoy to start a motion with the board of governors. You need an aggrieved parent to complain and McLaggen Senior is unlikely to do so since it would technically be political suicide and it's not that permanent; his son would be unpetrified in a couple of weeks… Oh!"

"What is it?"

"I'm thick. How could I not see it? He's not being meticulous. He didn't choose to change his schedule. He was forced to do it. McLaggen was petrified just two days after Professor Sprout announced that the Mandrakes would mature. He could try to sabotage them, but no one knows where she put them, and even then, they're probably under heavy wards since they can technically be used as deadly weapons. So, whatever Riddle's plan was, he had to accelerate it and whatever it is, he still needs the victims to stay petrified for some reason."

Daphne grinned, "I'm happy you solved it."

"Solved it? No, we got another clue. It'll be very helpful, but we still have a long way to go."

"No, we have a Quidditch game to get to. We both promised Tracy that we'd see the game with her and it's almost eleven."

"Do we have to? I'm so close. I can feel it." Harry whined.

"Of course, we do. We made a promise, remember? Tell you what, you don't have to leave with me. I need to return a few books to the library, and I'll meet you up there."

"Fine," Harry replied while rolling his eyes, "I'll be there."

The blonde nodded and left, leaving Harry and Luna alone. 

"You still don't see it?" the young Ravenclaw started.

"See what?"

"Never mind," the girl muttered to herself.

Harry rolled his eyes and conjured an illusion of the castle. He knew that there had to be something he was missing with the locations. The amount of preparation and foresight meant that Riddle was paying very specific attention to the locations. There had to be some meaning.

Hogwarts was a very hard castle to have a map of. It was constantly moving around, and there were numerous spacial anomalies inside it. Huh, the petrifications occurred in places that never really shifted. It was always near something public, like the great hall and the hospital wing, that the castle just didn't shuffle around. Even McLaggen was petrified near one of the old, abandoned trophy room before it was moved around a century ago when a stray spell from two students duelling in the corridor shattered most of them. Both students were expelled, of course, but the trophy room was moved to a location in the castle that was more easily supervised.

Each attack occurred on a different floor. Harry decided to take every floor independently and make an illusion of it. Then, he marked the location of each petrification.

Luna perked up and commented, "What a pretty star…"

"What are you talking about?"

"The petrifications take the shape of a star…"

Harry furrowed his eyebrow. Each floor of the castle had different dimensions. It wouldn't be possible to even make a shape considering the space distortions. 

However, the young Ravenclaw insisted, "Look, try to put the floors in the castle as if they would fit somehow. Remove all of the space enchantments, like they were normal rooms. They should fit, somehow. Now light the location of every attack and remove the castle altogether."

Harry did as Luna instructed and gaped as he noticed a pattern emerge from the light. He connected all of the attacks to each other. It was a star with a missing side, or more specifically a giant pentagram that the castle diagonally. Riddle was planning a giant ritual of some sort. He was right, this is a lot bigger than Harry realized, "How the hell did you see that?"

Luna answered with a shrug, "I just do. There's a point missing to complete the star."

"The location of the last petrification," Harry created a point that would complete the Pentagram, and he recreated the castle. He then found where the last attack would take place.

The answer was a familiar location that Harry should have been elated to discover, but it made him feel like his veins had turned to ice. "Daphne," he murmured.

Without saying a word, the Potter scion ran out of the Room of Requirements towards the library, the location of the last attack. The moment he entered he yelled out, "Daphne!!!"

He kept running around the library like a madman, ignoring the protests of Madam Pince. He could deal with a few detentions. This was far more important.

Finally, Harry froze when he saw his best friend. She stood unmoving, with her eyes widened, while holding a mirror in her hand. A familiar smiling face drawn in blood was on the walls and the Potter scion felt like he couldn't breathe.

Madam Pince came in running after him and also stayed motionless at the scene, "Merlin's beard."

But Harry didn't care. This was his fault. Riddle had targeted her because of him. However, this feeling of guilt was quickly overwhelmed with something else. The Potter scion had rarely experienced such emotion.

Rage. All-consuming burning rage.

He was going to burn Riddle for this.

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If you want to support me check out my patréon at https://www.patréon.com/athassprkr

I tend to upload drafts of early chapters on there to get people's opinions of them so you can read up to 20 chapters ahead as a bonus.

Thank you guys for your support in these hard times.