Chapter 325: The Missing Diary
Chapter 325: The Missing Diary
As the sharp shrieks of Mrs. Norris rang through the corridors, the young witches and wizards were all drawn to the source of the commotion.
Kyle, disguised by the Disillusion Charm, lingered at the back, quietly observing the unfolding events.
Just as he remembered, Filch and Harry were discovered on the third floor by other students, who mistook Harry for the heir...
The professors arrived and escorted Filch and Harry away. The prefects began leading the students back to their common rooms.
As the crowd gradually dispersed, Kyle found himself in an awkward situation. He had no place to go.
Returning to the dormitory was out of the question, and it was still months until his original timeline. What was he supposed to do in the meantime? He couldn't very well loiter in the castle indefinitely.
Kyle made his way up the stairs towards the eighth floor.
Moaning Myrtle was still in the bathroom, and "he" would be heading there soon as well. It was definitely not a good time to return to the Chamber of Secrets, so he decided to pay a visit to the Room of Requirement.
It seemed like the only place he could go at the moment.
"I need a place to rest," he said.
A door appeared in the middle of the corridor, and Kyle stepped inside... In an instant, his previous worries melted away.
The room was magnificent.
The large four-poster bed was more than three times the size of those in the dormitories, soft and inviting. Once he lay down, he wouldn't want to get up again.
In front of the bed was an equally large desk, adorned with parchment, quills, and ink.
Beyond that were various rooms—a dining room, a bathroom, a study, and more, all equipped with everything he could need.
Kyle even spotted a room with Wizard Chess, Exploding Snap cards, and various flying brooms of different models, although they seemed a bit outdated. The best among them was only a Cleansweep Five.
But that didn't matter. After all, who would fly a broom inside their room? ...Not that Kyle would.
The ceiling had been enchanted just like the Great Hall, but with the added benefit of being adjustable to his liking.
If he wanted, Kyle could fill the room with sunshine all day, stargaze from the comfort of his bed, or sip tea and read a book to the soothing sound of rain...
It was perfect.
Meals were also easily taken care of, as the house-elves in the kitchen could deliver food anywhere he desired.
After exploring his new sanctuary, Kyle suddenly felt that a few months might not be enough. If possible, he wanted to stay there until graduation... and maybe even apply for a teaching position afterward so he could continue living there.
Although that might be a bit far-fetched.
With his accommodations settled, Kyle returned to the castle and found Peeves on the sixth floor, painting a turtle on a suit of armor with a small brush.
"That diary?" Peeves tilted his head in thought. "I threw it away... That thing was so useful; it made the little brat scream so loudly."
Kyle's eye twitched. "Where did you throw it?"
"Don't know," Peeves said matter-of-factly.
"A box of Blast-Ended Skrewts!" Kyle exclaimed.
Peeves shook his head. "Honestly can't remember. Who cares about something after it's been tossed out? You can look for it yourself if you want. Maybe it's on the third floor, or the fifth, or the seventh..."
For an entire night, Kyle searched almost every floor, risking discovery by the professors.
As dawn broke, having found nothing, he returned to the Room of Requirement on the eighth floor.
The diary was lost, and no one knew where it was now.
Kyle sat at the desk, pondering Peeves' last words.
"The red-headed little brat was scared out of his wits and fell over. Potter threatened to go find Bloody Baron, so I ran off... That good-for-nothing."
Kyle stood up and lay on the soft, large bed. He had originally thought that he was the heir, but now it seemed that wasn't the case.
The sudden appearance of the Basilisk from the bathroom earlier was likely just a coincidence.
He had summoned the Basilisk in the Chamber before, which meant that the entrance through the statue had already been opened at that time.
It was only because of the sudden appearance of the four giants that he completely forgot about this matter.
The Basilisk must have followed and come out with him after he left the Chamber.
And then there were the things Riddle had said...
Cowardly... Weak... Future servant...
The only one who fit these descriptions perfectly was probably the rat, Scabbers, who was always by Ron's side.
Could it be him?
...
In the following days, Kyle stayed in the Room of Requirement.
All was peaceful in the castle, and everything proceeded as he remembered.
Before long, November arrived.
On the day of the first Quidditch match, when Professor Quirrell was attacked, Kyle left the Room of Requirement early and made his way to the Chamber.
Kyle had originally thought he would have to wait until night, but in less than two hours, he heard rustling sounds from outside.
Kyle quickly hid in the shadows near the door.
The door opened, and a ghost-like Riddle floated in, followed by a rat.
"Peter... you really should get yourself a wand," Riddle said softly. "I really don't understand. You were able to learn Animagus, yet you can't change back without a wand."
The rat paused and kept bumping its head on the floor.
"Don't be nervous, Peter," Riddle said. "I don't know what I'll become in the future, but right now, I don't blame you."
"You did very well. You're a very good follower," Riddle said, pointing to the diary. The rat quickly climbed onto it.
The fur on the rat grew dull, and Riddle's figure became clearer.
"As a reward..." Riddle gazed at his increasingly corporeal body, his eyes glazed with intoxication as he spread his arms, "Close your eyes, Peter!"
The rat quickly lowered its head.
Riddle made a hissing sound, and the Basilisk appeared...
"Go, purify the school, and kill those Mudbloods!"
At this moment, Kyle, under the cover of the Disillusion Charm, quietly slipped out of the Chamber.
The Basilisk made quite a ruckus, and neither Riddle nor the rat noticed that there had been an extra person in the Chamber.
Indeed, it was that rat who got the diary.
After returning to the castle, Kyle didn't linger and immediately went to the location of the second attack.
It was on the third floor as well.
Professor Quirinus Quirrell hadn't gone to watch the Quidditch match. He was heading to his office, hugging a lawnmower.
However, as he walked, he suddenly heard strange friction sounds, as if something huge was crawling on the ground.
The sound was coming from another corridor up ahead.
Unaware of the danger, Professor Quirrell quickened his pace, wanting to go and check out the situation.
...
(End of Chapter)
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