The past month had been the most stressful period for Ronan. After the holidays, when he recovered from the attack, he had been feeling a little bit uneasy. He would get angry at small things, and most things irritated him. All of his friends sensed his anger, and it only took the broken nose of a third-year student to make everyone realize that it would be better if they left him alone.
When he got to the Room and started practicing on dummies again. did he realize what was up with him.
Exploding the face of a dummy, while picturing the face of his attacker, he felt better. It was then he realized that he was feeling such a way because he felt bitter, he knew in no way he was a powerful wizard, but it infuriated him that he lost. The worst part was that he had read, possessed people only show a fraction of their actual prowess.
This meant that not only he was defeated, but he was defeated when the witch on the other hand was a just fraction of her power. This infuriated him, and that is why he had been so angry lately. A part of him wanted to kill the witch behind the attack and burst her head like a watermelon. It was a very humiliating experience for him, being defeated like that.
The good thing was, that the main heroes of the story got on good terms with now, especially Hermione. That is why she came straight to him when they found the diary of Tom Riddle. After talking to her, he convinced her that he should have a look at it as well. Ronan didnt know why Neville wanted to keep the diary for one more day, but he didnt care, his plan didnt have a time constraint.
He planned on using Legilimency on the girl, getting the information of chambers, and then killing her. This way he could become the hero of Hogwarts, as well as get recognition in the British Magic Community. His plan was fail-proof, he only needed the diary to lure Ginevra and then subdue her…
Wiping the sweat off his face, Ronan then sat down and looked at the old piece of parchment in front of him. The Marauder’s map showed the whole Hogwarts along with the position of everyone in the castle at the moment. His attention went to Gryffindor's common room. He could see that Ginevra was in her dorm room, while Neville and the boys were in theirs.
I am glad that I got this… This map is a work of art, and definitely worth the price that I paid for it.
It was then did Ronan noticed some peculiar, along with Neville, Ron, and Harry there was one more person present in the dorm room. Someone called Peter Pettigrew. He couldnt remember who this person was, but brushed aside the name thinking it must be a senior of someone…
The next day when Ronan got to the great hall to have breakfast, he saw that Neville along with his gang were standing outside, seemingly waiting for someone. He was along with Pancy at the time, and they got past when Neville came to him. “Ronan, we need to talk,”
“Bugger off Longbottom,” Pancy retorted, but he gave her a look and became silent. “Go on ahead,” he said in a commanding tone and she went away. She behaved nicely because his mood had been sour lately. And she didnt want to snap at her.
“What is it?” he asked the boy, as soon as Pancy had left.
“Can we talk in private?” Neville said, warily looking around.
So, they went to a secluded hallway on the second floor, and there at first Ronan asked for the diary but Neville didnt bring it with him. Neville then told him everything that happened when he was exploring the diary. And how supposably, Hagrid was supposed to be the one who opened the Chamber of Secrets fifty years ago. And after Neville had told the story, he and his whole gang turned to him, as if he was their leader.
“Well, this a pretty interesting news..” Ronan said, “You guys are friends with that man, right? Why dont you guys just go and ask him?”
Ron then asked, “And how are we supposed to do that.. We cannot just ask the man whether recently he had set free a beast that has been petrifying people all around the school.”
“I get your point,” he replied, “Also, I dont think we would get any answer if we were to shake that branch. If Hagrid indeed was the one who opened the Chamber all those years ago, he wouldn't be a game-keeper. Chances are that he would still be in Azkaban,”
Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.
“The what?” Harry asked.
“Azkaban. It is a wizard jail…” he clarified, “Also, Dumbledore would have done something if indeed the gentle giant was behind the attacks.”
“Do you reckon that the diary showed Neville a false memory?” Hermione asked. Ronan was about to open his mouth, only to realize that he could use this to his advantage.
“I am more concerned with the fact that the diary was able to show anything to Neville,” All of them stared at him for an answer, so he clarified, “To understand what I am trying to say, you need to delve into the magic behind the portraits that you see hanging around the school,”
“What about it?” Ron asked.
“People from those portraits can talk, stare, and move from one portrait to another. And then there are simple photos of wizards, in which we see people moving in the same motion over and over again. These photos are not sentient, but portraits are, that is because portraits are in a way memories of the person that they are made of…”
Ron then impatiently asked, “What is all that has to do with the diary?”
He sighed, and stared at the boy, “Ron. Portraits are memories. And you know what one of the characteristics of memories is? They cannot perform magic. Unless…”
“Unless what?” Harry asked.
Ronan then made a rather panicked face and then turned towards them. “Who amongst you touched the diary?” he asked abruptly.
“We all did,” Neville said nervously, “Why? What’s the matter?”
“Nothing,” Ronan then made a sudden nonchalant face, “I just need you to go… And bring that diary to the entrance of your common room, and then wait for me there. And I want to do it right now,”
“Right now?” Hermione asked, “But the class is about to start,”
Ronan then irritably turned towards her, “Hermione. This is not a request. You need to go, pick the diary up, and get to the entrance of your common room… Also, wear your dragon hide gloves when picking it up,”
All of them stared at him, bewildered, but he was not backing away, “Go! NOW!” sensing urgency in his voice, they all ran away.
Ronan then looked around and pulled his the Marauder’s map. He then opened it up, to realize that Ginevera was also on the floor with him, and based on her movement, she seemed to be hiding a hallaway down the path. He closed the map, acted as if he was in trouble, and started running away. He could not do anything to her at the moment, but soon he would be able to.
By the time he came to the fourth floor, the bell had already rang and most of the students were in the classes. He had kept the map open in front of him and saw that Ginvera had entered the second-floor girl's bathroom for some reason and was staying there for now. He figured that she was hiding, little did she know that there was nowhere in school that she could, where he could not find her.
When Ronan came to the door of the classroom, he opened it up and barged inside. Professor McGonagall who was teaching fifth-year students in the classroom stopped as she saw him.
“Can I help you with something Mr. Johanson,” she asked in a strict voice, visibly irritated with his sudden intrusion.
“I need to talk to you Professor,” he then quickly added, “In private,”
She looked at him with anger, “What could be so important that you barged in my class right now,”
“Professor,” he said firmly, “I am willing to accept any punishment that you throw at me. But this is really important, and I think I need to tell you this information before it is too late,”
Sensing urgency in his voice, Professor turned to her class, “Everyone, please read the basics of animal transfiguration on page 786, I will be back in a minute,”
She then strutted out of the classroom, and he followed behind. In the hallway, she looked at him cold gaze, and spoke, “Speak,”
“Neville Longbottom came across a diary, which I suspect is a cursed object,” he replied in simple words.
She was a little taken by it, “A cursed object?” He nodded, and then told her about how Neville found the diary and what it showed him. He also told her that he had ordered Neville to go bring the diary out of the dorm and wait for him outside the common room.
“Professor, no memory has the power to cast magic, unless the memory is cursed. That diary is cursed, and I dont know whether it is harmful or not, but I think it should be looked into.”
She contemplated for a second, then nodded, “This is certainly a good reason to call me out of the class. She then started hurrying towards the Gryffindor common room, and he followed behind. When they got outside the common room, he saw that all four of them were standing outside, looking nervous for some reason.
Professor came and asked Neville, “Where is the diary in question, Neville?”
They all looked puzzled by the presence of Professor there, but still, Neville spoke the truth, “Professor it is gone,”
Harry then quickly added, “Someone stole it. Our whole dorm room is in shambles, everything is either broken or torn apart.”
“Shit,” Ronan mumbled deliberately, gathering the attention of onlookers. Then he turned to Professor, “Professor, you know what that means.. Right?”
“Unfortunately I do,” Professor said with a grave tone. “I am also concerned, about how you know about cursed objects so much, but that is something I will address later,”
It is then the voice of Snape started reverberating through out the school, “All students to return to their House dormitories at once. All teachers return to the staffroom. Immediately!”
They all looked at each other, and then Professor McGonagall turned, “Go to your dorms, right now,”
They all nodded. The four of them went back inside, while Ronan on the other hand started making his way towards the girl's toilet on the second floor, it was time to pay Ginevra a visit.