Ch 11 pt 2

Tell me, Miss Weasley, do you keep a diary?"

The girl stiffened and a frightened look briefly appeared on her face. "Uh, yes, sir."

"Very good! I find that keeping a diary — well, actually, Wizards like to call them journals, sounds more manly, don't you know — anyway, I find keeping a daily journal helps me organize my thoughts." He smiled at her benevolently. "It's ever so useful to be able to go back weeks, months, or years, and see exactly what I was doing or thinking on a certain day. It helps bring clarity to my decisions." And helps combat any attempts at someone meddling with his mind in the future, he didn't say out loud. He looked at her, waiting for a response. Several of the girls within earshot, he saw, were asking their friends if they had a diary to spare.

Not knowing what else to say, she said, "Um, yes, sir." She was still on guard, though.

"Do you keep your diary with you, my dear?"

She frowned, "Yes, sir. It's in my bag."

"Wonderful!" he exclaimed. He had been afraid that today she might have left it in her dorm room. That would have delayed things and wouldn't have been as dramatic. "I find that keeping my journal at hand is a marvellous way to jot down the day's events when I have a few spare moments, instead of trying to remember everything just before I retire for my nightly beauty sleep." He smiled at her. "A well-rested Wizard is a well-prepared Wizard, don't you know? Or Witch I should say, I suppose." His smile beamed down at her.

He glanced at Professor McGonagall standing beside him. She was annoyed that he had called her over and seemed to be ignoring her. He leaned close and whispered in her ear, "Watch her carefully." He glanced around. At least half the Gryffindor table was watching, with a substantial portion of the other Houses doing so as well. Percy was walking down the aisle towards them, no doubt concerned for his sister. The twins were standing and watching.

He pulled out his wand with a flourish and said, "Accio Ginny's diary."

Her eyes shot wide open and she made a belated grab for her bag as it rustled. A thin black book with gold-coloured corner protectors flew up in front of Gilderoy. Gilderoy held it suspended in front of him and slowly rotated it.

"Hm," he said, "purchased from Winstanley's Bookstore & Stationers, an establishment on Vauxhall Road, London. That's a Muggle firm, how did you ever find this book? And what's this name, here?" He stopped the rotation and said loudly, "Tom Riddle?"

He looked up at the Headmaster's table to see the old Wizard walking quickly around the end of that table. He wasn't wasting any time in getting here.

He looked down at the little Witch. She was staring up at him in horror and he could see the sheen of sweat on her face. The poor girl was terrified!

"Really now, Professor Lockhart, return Miss Ginny's property at once. You have no right to see something so private!" said McGonagall, outraged at his presumption.

"I'm afraid I can't do that, Minerva, because this book is possessed by the vilest magic you can imagine. Can't you feel it?"

She jerked her attention from him to the book.

As Ginny started to jump up to grab the book, Gilderoy cast a silent stupefy on the girl with his free hand, dropping her back in her seat where she slumped forward beside her plate, which he magically moved aside. He magically guided her collapse subtly with his left hand until it appeared she was hiding her face in her arms on the table, and not knocked out.

The Transfiguration professor stared at the book, then pulled her wand and cast a strong detection spell at it. The book momentarily disappeared in an inky black cloud. She took a startled step back. "My word!" she exclaimed. She turned her shocked gaze to him.

The upper year students close enough to understand what was going on gasped and moved back, pulling their less informed mates with them.

The Headmaster arrived just then, staring at the diary in disbelief.

Gilderoy said, loudly and reproachfully, "I told you, did I not, Headmaster, that there was a vile Dark Artefact being paraded in the Halls? Well, here it is. The exact same magic that possessed Ravenclaw's Diadem." He could see the Headmaster eyes widen in surprise.

He looked down the Gryffindor table towards Harry; others would think he was just staring into the distance. Then he glanced at the Headmaster. "And I have felt another somewhere in Hogwarts," he calmly stated. The Headmaster started, but retained enough control not to glance at Harry.

Minerva put a hand below her throat in shock. "Another one?" she whispered, "Like this?"

"Yes," Gilderoy said sadly, shaking his head. "There is still another here." He took a deep breath, then smiled broadly, displaying his magnificent teeth. "Amazing, isn't it, that the Castle's protective enchantments seem unable to detect these things. I would think they would be set to detect any Dark enchanted items as a threat to the students when they hit the Castle's protective enchantments. But I guess they are not. Rather careless, if you ask me." He planted a seed of doubt in the older Witch's mind. The Headmaster was staring daggers at him.

"I, Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defence League, five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most-Charming-Smile Award, and Hogwarts' beloved Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor has done it again!" he proclaimed loudly. "One more innocent saved because of my superior knowledge and skills." He was like a peacock proudly spreading its tail to attract attention. And he was succeeding.

By now, the entire room understood something important had just happened. The ones farther away were asking those closer what had happened. They quickly quieted down as they realized he was speaking.

"Children, you can tell you parents that once again I assure them I will keep you all safe while you are here at Hogwarts. I, Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defence League, five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most-Charming-Smile Award, and your beloved Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor is on the job here!"

He brandished the book higher, so all could see it. "There is a vile piece of magic on this book, and it has been trying to possess an innocent Witch. She is safe now, as are you all! The book can harm no one. I shall dispose of it. And then I shall find the foul Wizard who would try to entrap an innocent Witch in a web of evil by giving her what appears to be a harmless book!" Actually, the one that gave her the book was already dead at the hand of his compatriots, but nobody else knew that.

Percy had made his way to his sister and was kneeling down beside her. "Mr. Weasley," Gilderoy said in a normal voice, "Do not touch her."

The Prefect jerked his hand back as if it were scalded.

The blonde-haired professor turned his attention to Dumbledore, who was staring intently at the book still held above their heads. "Headmaster, Albus, I am not one to meddle in another's business, but I think Miss Weasley here needs to have Madam Pomfrey give her a thorough examination, in all particulars." He stared meaningfully at the old Wizard, then at Professor McGonagall. "All particulars," he repeated. "Who knows what else a Wizard evil enough to have one of these in his possession might do to an innocent under-aged witch," he concluded in an undertone only those two were close enough to hear.

Professor McGonagall gasped and turned to stare at Ginny. The Headmaster continued to stare at the diary, frowning.

"I casted a stupefy on her a moment ago to spare her the embarrassment of being the focus of the room." And to prevent Tom from acting, but he couldn't say that out loud. "Perhaps you should float her to the infirmary, Minerva." He turned his full attention to the Headmaster. "I'm not one to meddle in another's business, Headmaster, but maybe you should inform Mr. and Mrs. Weasley of this situation?"

The Headmaster had to force himself to stop staring at the book. "Yes, of course," he said distractedly.

Gilderoy guided the book down and into a silk bag that he then placed in his pocket. He looked up around the room. "Misters Weasley, would you all attend here please?" He clapped his hands twice. "That's all, children. You may return to your repasts. And don't some of you have a class coming up?"

The room quickly dissolved into the dull roar of hundreds of students talking loudly and gathering their things. There would be many discussion about what had just happened.

McGonagall was already gone, Percy trailing in her wake worriedly. When the remaining Weasleys had all assembled, Gilderoy said, "Meet the Headmaster in his office, your parents will be there shortly." They hurried off.

Gilderoy sighed happily and stood posed in triumph. He had done it again. And done it well. Unfortunately, keeping the news of Voldewhore's horcruxes out of the public's knowledge was the only reason he would sacrifice his headlines, and the attendant increase in his reputation, although the rumour mill should work in his favour.

After a few minutes of watching the students leave, with the girls all casting looks of admiration at the Professor who had just saved the life of a student, Gilderoy turned and headed for the Headmaster's Office. He expected that by now, Mr. Weasley had collected his wife and was on his way to Hogwarts. Gilderoy should arrive just in time to make a dramatic entrance. And, he expected, a dramatic confrontation. The Headmaster was not going to like what Gilderoy planned to tell the Weasleys.

He halted a second just at the top of the stairs to the Headmaster's Office to compose himself. Smiling broadly, he thrust open the door and strode inside, his robes billowing around him. Just as he had thought, the Headmaster was greeting the Weasley parents who had not even had time to sit in the provided chairs.

"Ah, good!" exclaimed Gilderoy, "everyone except Mr. Percy Weasley is here." Mr. Weasley was watching him, surprised, while Mrs. Weasley was anxious at the thought of one of her brood being in danger.

Before the Headmaster could say more than, "Professor Lockhart . . . ." Gilderoy launched into action.

"I am so sorry," the D.A.D.A. professor said addressing the two parents, "That we had to disturb you today. I know what a trial it is for a working man such as yourself, Mr. Weasley, to escape your busy office on such short notice. And Mrs. Weasley, I know, is just as busy keeping home and hearth functioning so well." Both Weasleys looked a bit taken aback while the twins and Ron rolled their eyes at his smarmy actions.

"Never fear, I, Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defence League, five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most-Charming-Smile Award, Hogwarts' beloved Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor, and adventurer extraordinaire, have rescued your daughter, Miss Weasley from a fate worse than death. And I am not exaggerating! But, no farther harm to her shall occur." The adults looked worried now, and the children perturbed. Percy quietly slipped into the room.

"First, I must give you a little background. Perhaps you heard earlier this year that on October 31st the Chamber of Secrets was opened and a pet was petrified?" The adults slowly nodded. "What you may not know is that the last time the Chamber of Secrets was opened, some fifty years ago, a child died." Now they did look alarmed, and Molly was wringing her hands together.

"Now, I did extensive research on that previous episode and discovered some disturbing facts. Even though no marks of any kind were on the poor girl's body, the Headmaster at that time, Armando Dippet, decided that Third-year Rubeus Hagrid's pet Acromantula was the monster. The Headmaster had him expelled from the school and his wand snapped. The evidence used was the word of one Tom Riddle, a Fifth-year Prefect. That's all, just the word of one student against another, even though everyone knows Acromantulas kill with a venomous bite."

The Headmaster interrupted, "Surely that isn't important, now, Gilderoy, we need to deal with what happened today." He leaned forward in his chair and projecting an air of Grandfatherly concern.

"Yes, Headmaster, it is important. Miss Weasley's family must understand the awful trial that she has been through, and what they must do to help her recover. Or she, like Hagrid was, will be swept aside and the injustice ignored." The entire Weasley family stiffened in response to that declaration.

He turned back to the Weasleys. "What the Headmaster wants to keep secret from you is that Tom Riddle, the one who accused Hagrid, used that girl's death, Myrtle Warren — you may know her as Moaning Myrtle." They all exchanged glances, no one who attended Hogwarts left without hearing of Myrtle. "He used her death to create a foul artefact, one of the most vile pieces of magic you can imagine. He turned an ordinary item," Gilderoy pulled the silk bag out of his pocket and slid the opening down far enough for them to see the book, and the name one it. He held it up in his left hand. "He made this diary into a Soul Vessel." Harry surreptitiously slid his wand into his other hand. "Notice the name here," he tapped the index finger of the hand holding the diary, "is Tom Riddle!"

The Headmaster stood, "I must insist that you stop right there, Gilderoy, this concerns something they do not need to know." The old Wizard was furious, his eyes had gone flat without the slightest trace of a twinkle.

"Yes, they DO need to know." Gilderoy angrily replied. "And unless you intend to have a spell battle in this office right now, I intend to tell them the TRUTH!" Harry had his wand pointed at the old Wizard.

The Weasleys were watching with mouths agape. Harry noticed from the edges of his eyes that the twins had their wands out and ready, as well, and they seemed more pointed at the Headmaster than himself.

"Someone, the Headmaster does not as yet know whom," he said, glaring at Dumbledore, eyes narrowed and daring him to stop the D.A.D.A. professor from revealing what he knew. "Someone gave this diary to your daughter with the intent that it would consume her soul and give the soul bound in the diary a living, breathing body. And thus bringing back to life the one that used to be known as Tom Riddle and is now known as Lord Voldemort!"

The Weasleys gasped as one at that name, and Mrs. Weasley collapsed into a nearby seat. The twins, Ron, and their father were staring at him as if he were mad.

"Are you ready, Headmaster?" Harry's wand was outstretched, pointing accusingly at the Wizard and the tip glowing with a potential spell. "Are you ready to obliviate us all?" he yelled. "The entire school? For the battle shall not be an easy one and I dare say the entire castle shall hear and feel the effects!"

The Headmaster knew Gilderoy had the drop on him. Even though he had his wand at hand, he would not get off a single spell before Gilderoy bespelled him. If they had been alone he might have dared to try. But they weren't.

They stared at one another for a timeless period before the Headmaster sighed and sat back in his chair. "I shall require a Wizards Oath that none shall know what was revealed in this room today."

"No." Harry/Gilderoy said. His wand still pointed at Dumbledore. "An Oath that their magic will only let them tell those who need to know or already know of the information about horcruxes, or once Voldemort, Tom Riddle, is decisively dealt with and no longer a danger to people who don't believe in his rule."

They again engaged in a staring contest. "And that you will not obliviate anyone in this room of this knowledge, nor that you will betray us," Harry/Gilderoy added. The Headmaster reluctantly agreed. Minutes later, it was done and their wands restored to their proper places.

Mr. Weasley cleared his throat, uncertain of what to say next. He had never heard of anyone going toe-to-toe with the great Dumbledore and winning. He settled on asking, "Are you sure this is a . . . one of those soul things?"

"You want proof? That's easy to provide," responded Gilderoy jovially, as if the deadly confrontation of a few minutes ago were a disagreement over what tea to serve at supper. "This will be the second one of these I've destroyed in a month."

He turned a steady eye on Dumbledore, "Would you do the honours of providing a shield for everyone over there?" He pointed to one end of the office. Frowning, the Headmaster joined the others and cast a shield over the Weasleys and himself.

Harry/Gilderoy, still holding the diary in his left hand, dropped it to the floor. In one smooth motion, he drew the Goblin knife from his thigh holster with his right hand and rammed it through the diary. He wiggled the knife around trying to spread as much poison as possible.

A scream came from the diary as Harry stepped back with the knife, the Basilisk poison left behind making its way through the diary. Ink poured from the diary in a seemingly endless stream, puddling on the floor. A black smoke rose from the diary, and a face formed that everyone could see was doing the screaming. It spun wildly, looking for escape. Harry whipped his knife blade through the centre of the face parting it into two pieces. The screaming choked to a stop and the cloud dissipated into thin air.

It took most of half-an-hour and several cups of tea to calm the Weasleys.

Molly stared at Gilderoy. "That . . . thing was trying to possess Ginny?"

Gilderoy nodded. "She had no idea that every time she wrote in the diary, telling it of her dreams and her woes, that it stole a bit more of her life-force and soul. It had a powerful compulsion enchantment in it that tricked her into writing in it and then prevented her from stopping." He was not smiling or glossing things over for them, they needed to know what their daughter had done, and what the diary had done to her in turn. "When she slept, he would take over her body and force her to do things, like opening the Chamber of Secrets, killing Hagrid's roosters, writing on the walls in blood, ordering the Basilisk in the Chamber to attack Mrs. Norris and Colin Creevey. He was in her mind, forcing her to do those things."

"Basilisk?" questioned the Headmaster.

Gilderoy turned an astonished expression on Dumbledore. "Surely you knew? You've had fifty years to examine the evidence. I figured it out the night the message appeared on the wall. Do you mean to tell me that after fifty years, you haven't figured that out? Is that why you never used your position to clear Hagrid of the accusations against him and restore to him his wand? You actually believed that an Acromantula killed without venom or touching its victim?

"Are you senile?" The Headmaster looked furious at the accusation. "I mean, for Merlin's sake, Slytherin's emblem is a snake," Harry continued, "the Basilisk is the only snake that kills with a look. What else could have killed Moaning Myrtle in the First Floor Witches toilets without any injuries? Didn't it cross your mind to ask her how she died? Are Miss Granger and I the only ones in this Castle who know how to think? Myrtle's description of her death, alone, would have cleared Hagrid!"