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Darkness Within | ||||||
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Category: Pre-OotP, Alternate Universe Characters:Albus Dumbledore, Draco Malfoy, Dumbledore, Harry/Ginny, Hermione Granger, Minerva McGonagall, Neville Longbottom, Other, Remus Lupin, Ron Weasley, Severus Snape, Sirius Black Genres: Action/Adventure, Angst, Drama, General Warnings: Dark Fiction, Death, Disturbing Imagery, Intimate Sexual Situations, Mild Language, Mild Sexual Situations, Negative Alcohol Use, Rape, Sexual Situations, Violence Story is Complete Rating: R Reviews: 144 Summary: Tom Riddle opened the Chamber of Secrets while he was a student at Hogwarts. He committed another horrific act that same year. Now decades later, the students of Hogwarts continue to be impacted by his crimes. How will Ginny and her friends handle the darkness within? Hitcount: Story Total: 148981; Chapter Total: 7021 |
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Chapter 10 Spring Ginny sighed in frustration and tromped up the stairs to her dormitory. Her brother Ron had looked positively crazed moments earlier when he announced to the entire common room of Gryffindor Tower that his rat, Scabbers, was missing. He had then accused Hermione of not controlling her cat, who he was sure had attacked Scabbers. The bed sheet with bloody spots he held up was certainly proof of some sort of altercation. What a mess! Ron could be stubborn and difficult at the best of times. Though he often complained about how useless Scabbers was, he was very attached to his pet. Hermione was determined to defend her cat, Crookshanks, even though it seemed likely that the orange beast had attacked the missing rat. Harry was, as usual, caught in the middle of their bickering. At least his Firebolt had been returned to him, so the Gryffindor team was set for their upcoming Quidditch match against Ravenclaw. Ginny collapsed on her bed and stared up at the canopy. She wished Anna was around to talk to about this latest incident. Although, truthfully, Ginny didn’t know what she could say to Anna when she returned to school. It was so awful that her father had died. Ginny couldn’t imagine the pain of losing a parent, but Anna had now lost both. Her thoughts turned to Harry. What had his childhood been like growing up without his parents? He and Anna had that in common now. They were both orphans. They had both been raised by relatives. Neither had much family left in the world. Ginny’s family was so large she could hardly imagine what that would be like. Her musings were interrupted by the arrival of her roommates. Ginny had become far more friendly with them this year than last, but she couldn’t really confide her thoughts and feelings to them. Chewing on her lip thoughtfully, she pulled out a piece of parchment and got her quill ready. She would write a letter to her brother Charlie. Bill had received the last one, so it was Charlie’s turn. Besides, he was the animal expert. He was bound to have some good thoughts about the Crookshanks and Scabbers problem. ******************************** **************************************** ************* Anna returned to school on a Sunday afternoon. Neville hugged her and pulled her over to the couch where Ginny was sitting. “I’m glad you’re back,” Ginny said as she gave her friend a quick hug. “How are you?” “Fine,” she replied, pushing a lock of hair behind her ear. “I mean…” she pressed her lips together hard and then sighed. “I’m managing at the moment. I guess that’s a more honest answer.” Ginny nodded thoughtfully. “Would you like to work on some homework or talk about anything?” she asked tentatively. “Tell me about the Quidditch match against Ravenclaw. Neville wrote to me that we won,” Anna said with a sly smile. “Did Harry make a brilliant catch?” Ginny laughed and launched into a lengthy retelling of the entire match, ending with Harry’s perfect capture of the snitch. “The whole house was so thrilled! Fred and George somehow managed to get hold of a load of sweets and butterbeer. We had a wonderful party to celebrate,” Ginny paused, glanced around quickly, and lowered her voice. “Even Percy was extremely pleased, partly because he won a bet he had with Penelope.” Anna giggled. “They’ve been together a while now, haven’t they?” “At least a year, I think,” she replied. “He hasn’t really talked about it, so I can’t say how long for sure.” Her friend nodded and asked about the other news of Gryffindor tower. Ginny had just finished filling her in on the problem of the missing rat, Scabbers, presumed dead at the paws of Hermione’s cat, Crookshanks, when Ron and Harry wandered over. “Sorry to hear about your dad,” Harry said sincerely. Anna’s hands were clenched in her lap, but she looked at him calmly. “Thanks, Harry.” He shifted awkwardly for a moment. “Will you be okay? Living with your Great Aunt Augusta, I mean,” he said as he glanced over at Neville apologetically. “Of course I will,” Anna assured him. “She’s always been perfectly kind to me.” “Gran’s mellowed a lot in the last several months,” Neville observed. “I guess you really don’t like living with your aunt and uncle.” Harry shook his head. “Not at all.” His stony expression made it clear he did not want to talk about his relatives. Neville turned his attention back to Anna. “How did it go at Gringotts?” “Better than I expected, honestly,” she replied. “Dad arranged the finances so that I am fully aware of every expenditure and have a lot of freedom with my money. Gornuk, the goblin in charge of my account, didn’t seem very pleased with me at first, but I made him laugh in the end!” “You made a goblin laugh,” Ginny said incredulously. “How did you manage that?” “Well, I suppose laugh is a bit of an overstatement. It was more of a chuckle.” Anna smiled. “Anyways, he explained that Aunt Augusta, as my legal guardian, had to sign off on any withdrawal over a hundred Galleons from my account. So, I withdrew ninety-nine Galleons.” Neville and Harry both started laughing, while Ginny simply looked slightly stunned and impressed. “Blimey,” Ron sputtered. “I wish I had a vault at Gringotts with that kind of gold in it.” Harry stared at Ron for a moment as Neville and Anna became unnaturally still. “I think Anna would trade every Galleon for more time with her parents,” he said quietly. “I know I would.” Ginny pressed her lips together hard as she stared at her friend. “I think I should go unpack my bag,” Anna said softly as she stood. “Would you like some help?” Ginny asked. She nodded. “Thank you, Ginny. That would be nice.” The girls walked upstairs to the dorms. ********************** **************************************** *********************** Augusta Longbottom walked into the elegant home of her old friend, Emily Macmillan. It was a stately manor with a grand entrance hall and an extraordinary ballroom. Emily and her husband, John, hosted a formal Christmas Eve party every year which was attended by most of the upper echelons of wizarding Britain. Augusta had been attending the annual party for more decades than she cared to admit, though she had missed a few years due to the horrors of the first wizarding war. She and Emily had been in the same year at Hogwarts so long ago. Though sorted into different houses, they had been friends throughout their time there. The two had remained close, celebrating marriages, births, and mourning over life’s tragedies. “My dear, Augusta,” she said. “I’m so glad you were able to come to tea today. How have you been?” The two friends embraced briefly and sat in the comfortable chairs of the parlor. “I’ve been quite well, and I was very pleased to receive your invitation,” Augusta replied. “Have you redecorated? These drapes look quite new!” Emily nodded eagerly and told her all about the recent refurbishment of the parlor. The ladies chatted pleasantly as they drank their tea and exchanged harmless gossip and news about old friends and acquaintances. “And, how is Neville enjoying his year at Hogwarts?” Emily inquired. Augusta smiled with satisfaction. “I believe this is his best year so far. He’s really making noticeable progress in his studies, and I have received some very positive notes from his professors.” Augusta took another sip of her tea. “How is Ernie doing this year?” “Quite well from what his parents tell me,” she replied proudly. “He is very fond of astronomy and has top marks at the moment.” She refilled their cups and passed the sugar. “Ernie mentioned that Neville is often with his new cousin. It’s good they are friends since she is living with you for the time being.” “Yes,” Augusta murmured, stirring her tea gently. “Neville and Anna have become quite close.” She carefully placed her teacup on the table and looked at her friend seriously. “I wanted to tell you... Anna’s father died recently. I am now her legal guardian.” Emily lowered her cup and looked at her friend in surprise. “Oh, Augusta, how awful! The poor girl losing her father so soon after her grandmother’s death.” She covered her lips with her fingers and shook her head slightly. “It was a terrible shock,” she confided. “Andrew was perfectly healthy. He was involved in a horrific accident and died almost instantly.” “Well, I’m sure it is some comfort that it was quick, but still…” Emily trailed off before gathering her thoughts. “How do you feel about being her guardian? Being completely responsible for her.” “I won’t deny that it’s a bit overwhelming at my age, being responsible for two young people now.” Augusta sighed. “However, I must admit, Anna is rather easy to have around. She and Neville entertain each other and help one another with their studies. The tutor her father hired has worked out quite well and is willing to continue on in the post this summer. Financially, she is well provided for, so that is not a concern.” Augusta shrugged her shoulders and picked up her tea cup. “So,” Emily began thoughtfully. “You said that Anna is well provided for financially.” She lifted an eyebrow as she gazed at her friend. “Is she well enough provided for to be considered an heiress?” Augusta stared at the other woman for a moment and then groaned. “Yes…barely. I mean, she certainly has a respectable inheritance. I suppose she could be considered a minor heiress.” Emily smiled shrewdly. “And her blood status?” she asked. “I assume her parents and grandparents were all witches and wizards.” “Well, no,” Augusta replied. “Her mother was a witch, but her father was actually a squib.” “But all four grandparents were magical, weren’t they?” Emily pressed. “Yes,” said Augusta. “Her Longbottom grandmother was a talented witch. She finished at Hogwarts two years behind us.” Emily nodded. She vaguely remembered Katherine. “Her other three grandparents were all healers at the same hospital.” “So, basically, you are now the guardian of a nearly pure blood witch who has a healthy inheritance and will be of age in three years,” Emily summarized. She raised her cup to salute her friend. “I wish you luck!” Augusta sighed and rubbed her suddenly aching temple. ********************* **************************************** ************************ Ginny and Anna snuck out of the castle just after dinner to take a short walk around the grounds. They were careful to keep close to the greenhouses. It was still light outside, so they felt perfectly safe even though they were technically out of bounds. “Tell me what happened with Hermione,” Ginny demanded. “I heard she hit Draco Malfoy!” Anna giggled. “She did hit him! I was shocked and so was Neville. Neither of us was close enough to really hear what happened, but we both heard the smack, and it was rather obvious since Malfoy was holding the side of his face, and Hermione had her hand raised.” She sighed. “I wish I’d been closer. You should’ve seen your brother’s face. Ron was looking at her with such admiration!” Ginny grinned. “I bet he was! I would’ve loved to have seen that.” She sat down beneath a tree, and Anna joined her. “Do you know why she hit him? I mean besides the obvious reason of Malfoy being a dreadful human being.” “Yes,” Anna’s smile faded. “It had something to do with the hippogriff, Buckbeak. The poor creature is going to be executed for the supposedly serious injury Malfoy suffered at the beginning of the school year.” Ginny sighed unhappily. “Poor Hagrid,” she murmured. “He must be so upset.” Anna nodded, and they sat quietly for a time enjoying the slight breeze and the freedom of being outside. It was unseasonably warm for early April. Many of the trees and shrubs were covered with buds and fresh pale green leaves. It was obvious that spring had reached their area of Scotland. “Did you hear about Hermione leaving Divination?” Anna winced. “Yes,” she admitted. “Lavender and Parvati were rather upset with Hermione. They said that she was quite rude to Professor Trelawney.” Ginny nodded. “What do you think? I mean, I know you didn’t see since you don’t take Divination.” “Well, I think it’s great that Hermione is taking one less class,” she said. “I mean, the schedule doesn’t allow a student to take so many subjects. I’m taking three electives, and I know how busy I am all the time. I don’t know how she was even taking five electives.” “Why didn’t you sign up for Divination?” Ginny inquired. “Most students seem to think it’s an easy class, even if Professor Trelawney is a bit…well, off-putting.” Her friend stared up into the darkening night sky quietly for a moment. “I don’t really want to know my future. Perhaps, I’m afraid of it.” She sighed and leaned back on her elbows. “Just dealing with life now feels challenging enough most of the time,” she explained with a slightly bitter chuckle. “The future can take care of itself! Besides, my grandmother never had a single positive remark about the subject of Divination.” Ginny laughed. “Well, the professor does seem a bit odd, to say the least. What do you think of the electives you’re taking?” “Ancient Runes is my favorite by far,” Anna replied. “But, I like Care of Magical Creatures well enough, even if it is mostly because I like Hagrid. Arithmancy is challenging. The homework is constant and time consuming; however, the professor is brilliant, and I’m learning a lot.” Ginny laid down on the soft grass thinking about what electives she wanted to take next year. Ancient Runes seemed like an excellent choice, and she thought Magical Creatures would be interesting as well. She was tempted to take Muggle Studies. Her father was fascinated by Muggles, and it might be a useful class. Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden hissing sound next to her. She gasped involuntarily at the sight of the gray and brown snake a few feet from her. It had a black pattern on its back. “It’s okay, Ginny,” Anna murmured. “It’s an adder. Please be still. It won’t hurt you.” Ginny’s eyes widened in horror as Anna hissed at the snake. It moved slowly away from her and approached Anna. She was sitting up now and looking at the snake calmly, while making soft sibilant noises at the reptile. It seemed to gaze at Anna for a long moment, listening intently, before it slowly slithered away into the night. “You’re a Parselmouth!” Ginny exclaimed as she scrambled into a standing position. Her body felt disconnected, completely numb, causing her to sway slightly as images of the Chamber and of Tom Riddle raced through her mind. Anna eyed her cautiously as she slowly rose to her feet. “I know. I’m sorry you had to find out like that. It was just a male adder, recently awake from hibernation and searching for a mate. I promise you. It was completely harmless, Ginny! When I asked it to move away, it left us in peace.” “How can you talk to snakes?” Ginny demanded, pressing a hand against her chest as she forced herself to take slower breathes. Anna sighed. “I’ve always been able to talk to snakes for as long as I can remember. My grandmother once told me that my mom could speak Parseltongue as well. I’m not evil, Ginny, and neither was that snake!” “Who else knows?” Ginny asked. “Who knows you can talk to snakes?” “Neville knows,” Anna replied, staring into the darkness for a moment before returning her attention to her friend. “He caught me talking to a snake at Longbottom Manor last summer. He warned me not to tell anyone. He told me that people thought Harry was evil last year when they realized he was a Parselmouth.” Ginny watched Anna closely for a moment, her mind still racing. Anna's eyes had the same look she had seen in Harry's far too often, a look of defeat, of weary acceptance that you're about to be blamed for something that isn't your fault. She exhaled slowly. So many students had blamed Harry last year for opening the Chamber of Secrets because he could talk to snakes. They thought he was the Heir of Slytherin because of his ability. Of course, Ginny knew the truth. The Chamber had been her horror, her nightmare, her fault for trusting the diary, for trusting Tom. Harry was not evil in any way, yet he could speak Parseltongue. What kind of person would she be if she held this ability against Anna? |
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