Chapter 52: The Truth About Tom
Harry and Hermione had reached Potions early, and were nervously quiet. Slowly, other students joined them in the cold classroom, talking and laughing as they would have never done in the days before Alchemina as the Potions professor. Just as the bell rang, Snape “ or Pettigrew, rather “ came sweeping into the classroom with an air of superiority about him.
“As much as I’ve missed hearing you discuss you’re fascinatingly dull lives,” he told them coldly. “I must ask you all to be quiet.”
This was hardly necessary, as Pettigrew-Snape’s entrance had brought all conversations to a stunned silence.
“We have quite a bit to do “ it seems that Alchemina womanhas been doing a poor job in my stead for the past three months…”
Hermione scowled.
“Well, he’s certainly done his research on Snape…” shemuttered to Harry under her breath. Harry nodded glumlyin agreement.
“Potter,” he said shuffling through papers, “ “ how you’ve managed to get above E on every assignment escapes my comprehension, but I assure you it won’t last much longer…”
Harry glared into his black eyes unblinkingly, wishing he knew what was going through his head. Theresudden memoryin Harry’s mind of a scene from the night in the Shrieking Shack when Pettigrew had been exposed by Lupin and Sirius, and Harry had intervened to spare his life. Pettigrew-Snape looked nervously unsettled for a moment, but quickly turned away from him, regaining his Snape-like composure.
“I want you all to redo your research on Blood-Replenishing Potions, expanding it to include precautions that must be taken when adapting the potion for wizards who have a venom or poison injected into their blood stream. I then want you to re-write the essays, 25 inches this time rather than the insignificant twelve you were assigned previously.”
There was a large collection of groans and muttering at this point.
“I will now pass out the essays you turned in before “ which were mediocre at best. I want you to revise them during class, so hopefully you’ll realize what I found to be obviously extraneous information, most likely included to lengthen the essay in place of worthwhile research, and can eliminate it before your redraft…”
He took the first roll of parchment and made to hand it our, but upon seeing the name scribbled on the outside, he stopped, looking slightly panicked. Harry saw him swallow nervously, but his dark eyes then flicked up to Hermione.
“Ms. Granger “ hand these out, please,” he said, thrusting the essays into her hands and walking away to sit at his desk. Hermione glowered at him, but then got up and began passing the scrolls back to her classmates.
Harry got the feeling that having Pettigrew as a professor was going to be, if possible, much worse than Snape.
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“Harry, would you hurry up?” Katie called from the bottom of the boys staircase. “We’re supposed to be in the Great Hall by six “ we’ll miss Dumbledore’s announcement…”
“I’m coming, I’m coming…” he said, rushing down the steps. “Though it’s not like we can’t find out from someone else…”
“Yeah, but I’m starved,” Katie added, grinning.
It had been over a week since the memorial for Katie’s mum, and though she was still quite upset a lot of the time, Harry had noticed a significant change in her mood. He grabbed her hand and they rushed out of the portrait hole and took of down the corridor in a slow jog.
“You shouldn’t be running in the corridors “ it’s your own fault if you’re late…” they heard the Fat Lady call after them.
They got to the Great Hall slightly out of breath, but on time.
“What do you suppose this is about?” asked Susan Bones, who was sitting with Neville.
Their teachers had informed the students that afternoon that Dumbledore would be making an announcement that evening at dinner concerning the Easter Holiday, and the students had all arrived in the Great Hall and there was now a mixture of excitement and anxiety amidst them all as they waited.
Harry and Katie had barely taken their seats when Dumbledore entered from the side door next to the staff table, walked across to his usual place, and without taking a seat, cleared his throat to speak.
“Good evening to you all, I have some rather pleasant news to give you today,” he said, smiling at them. “As you already know, I’m sure, Easter Break is about a month from now. Traditionally, students are given a week off from classes but, unlike Christmas, we all remain at the castle. Due to the circumstances in our world, however, I have decided to allow you to return to your homes this Easter if you so wish. You may, of course, remain at the school “ it will be entirely safe to do so, but I have the feeling that many of your families would like to have you home. Having said this, the Hogwarts Express shall be leaving for London the Friday evening before Easter; if you wish to stay over the break, you may of course sign up with your Head of House “ please do so at least a week in advance. The train will be returning to Hogwarts from King’s Cross the Sunday afternoon following Easter. You might want to send owls to your parents the next chance you get, and inform them that you will, in fact, be able to visit home for Easter. Thank you.”
He sat down, and there was a great deal of appreciative murmurs among the students.
“Oh, Mum and Dad will so pleased,” Hermione said. “I wasn’t able to see them during Christmas Break, after all.”
“So, you won’t be coming to the Burrow, then?” Ron said, sounding disappointed, but worried too.
“Oh, I’ll visit you of course,” Hermione told him. “But I do really need to see my parents…”
“Well, then they can come to the Burrow, too!” Ron said brightly.
“Ron, a few days apart won’t kill us…” Hermione said.
“That’s not what I’m worried about…” Ron said.
“What, then?” Hermione asked.
“It’s just that “ well, with everything going on, I just think you’d be safer with wizards around. Your parents aren’t able to protect themselves very well without magic…”
“They’re not useless, Ron!” Hermione snapped.
“I didn’t say that! I just think that you and your mum and dad would be safer if you had wizards around. And it’s easier to communicate if anything happens - it’s not like you’re not at risk, Hermione “ Lucius Malfoy knows who you are, and you know he despises the fact that you’re a Muggleborn. It wouldn’t come as a shock if he tried to hurt you…”
Ron’s voice broke as he finished speaking. Hermione was astonished.
“I’m sorry Ron,” she said. “I had no idea you were so worried.”
“Yeah, well I am…” he said quietly.
“But don’t you think it would be a bit crowded at the Burrow? I mean, all your family is home “ Harry…”
“I don’t think I’ll go, actually,” Harry interrupted.
“What? But you have to “ Mum will be worried sick if you stay here,” Ron said.
“Pettigrew’s at the school. I don’t want to leave,” Harry said determinedly.
“How does that make any sense?” Katie asked.
“Who knows what he’ll be getting up to while everyone’s away for break. I plan on making sure his job isn’t made too easy…”
“Harry that’s ridiculous!” Katie told him.
“If Harry’s staying, I’m staying with him!” Ron declared.
“Ron “ no, you should go home!” Harry protested.
“Both of you are going home, stop being senseless!” Hermione said.
Before they could argue the point any further, McGonagall approached Harry.
“Mr. Potter, Professor Dumbledore would like a word with you…” she said.
“Oh “ alright…” Harry said as he cast a curious glance at the others and stood up to walk to the staff table where Dumbledore was awaiting him.
“Yes, sir?” Harry asked.
“I was just checking with you to make sure you are planning on going to the Burrow for Easter,” he said simply.
“Actually,” Harry told him. “I thought I would prefer to stay at the castle, if it’s all the same to you.”
“No, Harry,” Dumbeldore replied. “I’m afraid it's not all the same to me. The choice is yours, of course “ however, I find it in your best interests to leave for the holidays. Though I’ve assured the students the castle will be safe, I am afraid that you may be a target for Pettigrew, and with so few people remaining, you will be more vulnerable. I ask, therefore, that you reconsider your decision to stay.”
Harry sighed in resignation.
“Fine “ I’ll go to the Burrow.”
“Good “ I’m sure Molly will be delighted to see you, especially now after all she’s been through.”
Harry suddenly felt guilty for ever even considering staying at the castle, Mrs. Weasley would of course have been worried, he knew that “ but he didn’t think for a moment just how stressing it would be for her. After all “ the Boggart at Grimmauld Place had taken the form of Harry’s dead body, too. And now, with Mr. Weasley gone, the last thing she needed was Harry’s refusal to return to the Burrow with Ron and Ginny.
Harry returned to the table, where he found Hermione battling with Ron over his announcement to remain at the castle with Harry.
“Never mind “ I’m going to the Burrow,” he told them.
“Alright then,” Hermione said triumphantly. “Nothing to worry about.”
“Yeah “ except you, are you sure you can’t get your parents to come?” Ron asked Hermione.
“Ron, I really don’t think it would work well… the Burrow is too far from their dental practice, and I really don’t want to burden your mum with so many people.”
“I suppose your right,” Ron said glumly.
“Hermione, where is your mum and dad’s office?” Katie asked her.
“In London,” Hermione answered. “Why?”
“Well “ my dad lives just outside London. And well “ we have an extra bedroom in our house. Perhaps you could stay with him, it wouldn’t even have to be just for Easter.” Katie said.
“Oh, we wouldn’t want to be any trouble…”
“No “ he’d love it. He’d love to have Muggles around, and it would take his mind of…things. He’s terribly lonely “ I mean, my sister, Libby is staying with him… but I know it would help if there were more people at his home. And Ron’s right, you and your parents would be safer staying with wizards. ”
“I don’t know…” Hermione said, though she was clearly starting the consider the idea.
“Look, I’ll send him an owl tonight, and I’m sure he’ll say it’s okay. Then you can owl your mum and dad and see what they think of the idea…”
“Well, I suppose it wouldn’t hurt,” Hermione said slowly. “Alright, sure.”
“Great!” Ron said. “It’s settled then! We’ll all go up to the Owlery after dinner and send off our letters! Mum will be delighted that we’re coming home for Easter.”
Without another word, Ron turned to his dinner.
It suppose it will be quite nice to visit the Burrow for Easter, Harry thought happily, wondering more than ever now how he could have contemplated staying at Hogwarts knowing that Peter Pettigrew was running about the place.
It was then that Harry noticed that Katie looked quite upset as she sat looking sadly at her food, touching none of it.
“What’s wrong?” he asked her.
“Oh, nothing “ just Easter stuff… remembering Mum,” she said.
Harry felt very sorry for her as he looked into her eyes, which were very sad indeed, and wished he could know exactly what it was she was thinking, and hoping he could better help her. Then, in a sudden flash, a scene like a memory entered his thoughts: he could see two young brown haired girls sitting happily with their parents, surrounded by chocolate eggs.. One of the girls picked up a huge egg wrapped in yellow foil and happily tore off the wrapping. Instead of eating it, as Harry would expect, the girl cracked-open the egg to find several packages of chocolate frogs. The girl took the packages out, and remained looking inside, as though searching for something else. Then she pulled out a small note from the egg. Harry read it:
To Katie, on your 7th Easter,
The chocolate I give you, though made with sugar, could never make you sweeter than you already are. And though it is milky, and ever so rich “ it can never be more valuable than my love for you. Have a Happy Easter, and know that I will always be here for you, no matter what.
Love always,
Mum
“Harry, are you alright?” he heard Katie say.
“What?” he said, as he was shaken back to the present. “Oh “ yeah… fine “ I was just, er… thinking…”
“You completely zoned out for a minute there,” she said. “You were just staring off into space.”
“Well “ lots to think about,” he said, still trying to process what he had just seen. Had he really seen a memory from Katie’s mind? “Ummm… do you mind if I go back upstairs, Katie?”
“Oh “ yeah, go ahead…” she said, still looking worried.
Harry left, his mind wild with thoughts.
It’s the only explanation, he told himself.
Of course, he didn’t know why he should be so surprised “ he did, after all, inherit his mother’s Legilemency skills. But it was still so uncontrolled and unfocused. But he had willed to know what Katie was thinking, what she was feeling “ and like that, he was granted access to her mind.
Pettigrew, too, Harry realized.
He had wanted to know what was going through Pettigrew’s head and than remembered the night in the Shrieking Shack. Harry had thought nothing of it then, assuming it was his own memory… but now he knew it must have been Pettigrew’s thoughts, not his own.
Maybe…, Harry thought, thinking of the mystery surrounding Ophelia Cunningham.
But no, he couldn’t. Or could he? Harry had reached the Gryffindor common room. He remembered what Snape had told him about eye contact being necessary for Legilemency “ he had, after all, had eye contact with both Pettigrew and Katie. But of course, he had a mental connection with Voldemort that allowed him to bypass that particular rule.
There’s no harm in trying, Harry thought.
He sat in an armchair near the fire; the only sound in the empty common room was the soft crackling of the wood in the flames. He closed his eyes and sat peacefully, before starting to concentrate. He concentrated on the face of Ophelia he had seen when Voldemort had killed her, he thought hard of Voldemort’s mind.
What happened?
What is your connection with Ophelia Cunningham?
Harry thought hard, not even knowing if he would be able to make the connection or not. He wouldn’t let go, his mind far away for several minutes, before the warmth of the fire and the weight of the food in his stomach caused him to slowly drift off to sleep. His mind relaxed.
“Tom, I know the truth…” an oddly familiar young woman’s voice told him.
“You don’t know anything, Ophelia,” he responded coldly, walking away from her.
“When the Chamber of Secrets was opened; it wasn’t Rubeus “ it was you.”
He turned to face her, but his face registered no fear, or shock “ he smiled mirthlessly at her, his eyebrow raised.
“Have you any evidence to back up your accusations?” he asked in his high, cold voice.
“No,” she said, but remained as determined as ever. “But it doesn’t change the fact that I know.”
“Am I supposed to be hurt that you have a low opinion of me now? Because you believe I set a monster on the Mudbloods?”
“Tom “ I understand why you feel the way you do…”
“You know nothing about me, Ophelia,” he said, again turning to leave.
“Don’t do it.”
“What are you talking about?” he snapped at her.
“I know where you’re going. And I know what you’re planning on doing “ what you’re planning on becoming. If you do this now, you may never turn back. Now might be your last chance.”
She looked at him pleadingly, and for a moment that there was a flicker of indecision in his mind, and an almost insignificant knot of fear in the pit of his stomach. But within a moment, it was gone “ replaced by his cold fury.
“Goodbye, Ophelia,” he said, and he turned and left.