Chapter Seven: Research…Ugh
After their completely successful Quidditch match, the trio decided that they could dedicate more of their time to finding the Chamber. Flint had almost completely slacked off with practices now limited to only once a week. Though he did drill them constantly about not getting cocky or they'll blow the whole season. But, because of their extra time (and Hagrid threatening bodily harm if they were found within five feet of the forest again) they started trying to find the Chamber again.
Harish decided that their attempt to just try and find the Chamber was completely unsuccessful, so he completely resolved how they were going to find it. The boy came to the conclusion that they would have to research the Chamber before they had any chance at all at finding it.
This is why the three second years could be found each sitting around a table in the library one bright Saturday morning with huge books stacked all around them. Harish was reading avidly a book on Salazar Slytherin and the twins were each picking through Hogwarts a History, trying to find mention of the Chamber of Secrets.
Harish glanced up slightly from his book when he heard two sighs escape from the other side of the table. "What?" he asked, his eyes moving back to the page of his reading material.
"This is such a waste—"
"Of a beautiful Saturday morning."
"Yeah, who would want to spend it in the library of all places?" Harish asked sarcastically. "When everyone knows it's a verified cause of death?"
"Shut up," both twins said before flicking a page in their books casually and in unison.
Harish failed at holding back a snort. They really were too much alike sometimes. At this, the two Weasleys angled identical glares at Harish. "Not helping," he said with a smile. And they went back to reading. After a while, Harish grew bored of reading up on Slytherin and left the twins to research on the Chamber while he found something else of interest hidden in the back of one of the shelves.
It was a dusty old leather bound book that looked like it was at least fifty years old. Curious as to what it was, Harish pulled it off and opened it slowly. The first page read:
School Records
"This should be interesting," he thought.
After a couple minutes, he twins noticed that he was missing. They grinned at each other before calling softly, "Harish? Where'd you go?" then Fred added quieter, but still loud enough for the other boy to hear. "I guess the library swallowed him whole."
George tsked and added, "It's a shame…I guess we'll just have to leave then."
They made a show of standing up, slamming their books shut and scraping their chairs against the floor. Then Harish poked his head out from behind one of the shelves.
"Ha, ha very funny. But I bet you'll have fun trying to find your spot again." The twins groaned. "But guess what I found!"
"Something boring?" George stage whispered to his twins and they both grinned evilly once again.
Harish ignoring this remark, replied, "I found old school records of my dad."
The other two sat up straighter with curiosity. Information about Voldemort when he was in school? The twins practically started drooling at the thought of it.
"See look here," Harish flipped to a page where he had a finger stuck in it, marking the page. There was a picture of a boy a couple years older than them that looked a lot like Harish; dark hair, pale skin, and really slim. "This is a picture of him in his fourth year. And this—" he flipped to another page he had saved that had a certificate stuck to it. "This is a Special Services Award that my father got for turning in the culprit that opened the Chamber nearly sixty years ago."
"But isn't—?" the twins said before cutting off as Harish slapped a hand to both of their mouths.
He glanced around before saying with gritted teeth, "Imposter, remember?"
They both nodded, understanding now that they were about to go shouting about Harish's father being Voldemort. Slowly, Harish removed his hands from the other two's mouths, trusting that they were thinking about what they were saying now. The three boys went back to reading and occasionally Harish would comment about something else he had found on his dad. The thought of Voldemort being a boy…it was one that freaked the twins out. Some people you just can't imagine as a child.
After they decided that they had researched enough, they went back to the common room, planning on pranking someone. When they walked in, a sixth stood up with his nose stuck in the air. He looked really ticked off and had an air of arrogance to him.
Harish sighed. This was going to be annoying, he could already tell.
"You know, Blake?" the young man said rudely. "I'm sick of you waltzing all over the place like you're in charge. How can we even be sure that you really are the Heir of Slytherin?"
"I'm Voldemort's son," Harish replied evenly.
"Really?" the other boy sneered. "What kind of name is Blake, then?"
"An alias," Harish sneered back. "You know, a name that you use to hide your identity if you were—I don't know—an infamous dark lord."
"You could be making this all up," the older student snarled, taking a step forward.
"Are you challenging me?" Harish asked, taking a step forward as well. His voice was dangerously low and his eyes glinted with the promise of pain, flashing death green again.
He stood there, staring up at the older boy. Most people would have gone running if Harish's glare was directed towards them, but the twins noticed that the boy was either stupid, or really idiotic, because his stance didn't even waver as he said cockily, "Yeah I guess I am". The whole room shifted uncomfortably waiting for a battle to unfold.
Harish's face contorted into a wolf like grin and he let out a laugh that lacked any mirth. It was high and cold. Then he started circling his prey like a hawk like he had seen his father do to unruly Death Eaters. This was when the other student started having second thoughts, seeing the younger boy's enthusiasm and readiness for a fight with a fifth year. But, he realized that it was too late to back out now.
Harish glanced at the rest of the House, which had slowly been gathering in the common room to watch how Harish dealt with the young man. "This is an example of what happens if you question my honesty. Expelliarmus!" his victim's wand shot out of his face and rolled underneath a couch, forgotten. He then quickly shot a stinging hex and the boy grabbed his side in pain. "Do you want to think about an apology?" Harish asked.
The sixth year jutted his jaw out defiantly and replied, "What, to a little Mudblood?"
This was obviously the wrong response for Harish's face grew pink and he waved his wand and the other boy began vomiting slugs. "Rethink your answer."
"Why?" the other boy said and Harish waved his wand yet again, this time the boy clutched his knee, which was now bent backwards.
"I'm sure that all of you remember," Harish said, addressing his audience once again and circling his victim. "What happened last year, when someone questioned my authority."
The other boy paled as he saw where this was going. "Please, I'm sorry," he pleaded.
Harish, however, ignored him and continued on. "For what kind of Mudblood could perform an Unforgiveable?"
The other student opened his mouth to protest, but Harish wheeled around and called, "Crucio!"
A jet of red shot out of his wand and hit the other boy square in the chest. Harish held the spell, screams echoing his ears, until finally he felt two hands on his shoulder. He looked to see the twins standing right by him.
"I think they get it," the two said quietly and Harish cast his eyes down, nodding. He released the other boy from his wrath and walked out of the room without a second glance back.
When they got in the dormitories, the twins rounded on him. "Don't you think that was-"
"A little harsh?"
Harish frowned, obviously puzzled. "He disobeyed. That's what happens when people disobey."
"What do you—?"
"Mean?"
"Well, I've seen a couple of Death Eater meetings in my time and that's what my father does when they are rude to him. First he gives them a warning, and if they overstep the barrier again, he punishes them." The twins looked at him. Trying to find a way to distract them, he said with a plea in his eyes, "How about I teach you some spells I know so that you can protect yourselves if anything like last year ever happens again."
The two red-heads sighed and raised an eyebrow at the horrible subject change but nevertheless allowed themselves to be distracted for their friend's sake.
"What've you got?"
"What was that spell you used that bent that boy's leg all funny?"
Harish smiled. Mission accomplished.
POOR-PRAT—HE-DOESN'T-KNOW-ANY-BETTER
Professor Snape sat at the high table that evening, eating dinner and appearing like nothing was wrong. But something was wrong. Earlier that day one of his Slytherins had been transported to the Hospital Wing. Poppy had later informed him that the student was suffering from a slug-vomiting hex, a splintering hex, his knee was bent in a way that knees were never designed to face, and he appeared to have either been victim of a hundred stinging jinxes or had the Cruciatus cast on him. This was peculiar though, because no one could use an Unforgiveable in the castle. He sighed tiredly. This was a lot like what had happened one year previously when several fourth to seventh year boys had shown up in the hospital. That had also occurred right before that drastic change within his old house.
He narrowed his eyes. Something fishy was going on and all evidence pointed towards top student, Harish Blake. He still couldn't figure out who that boy looked like. He glanced at the boy, taking in his prominent cheekbones, pale pointed face, and almond shaped pale green eyes. The face looked like no one he had ever seen. The boy glanced his way and their eyes caught, Harish's narrowing warily when he noticed that his head of house was watching.
After a minute he looked away and Harish's gaze slid away as well, but his eyes snapped back to the other boy's. Those eyes…Snape nearly fell out of his chair in shock. They were Lily's eyes. The professor guessed that he didn't recognize them until right then because Harish's eyes were several shades lighter; just enough where they looked almost completely different other than shape. But…How? How was this boy related to Lily?
His gut wrenched and he looked away, no longer able to stand it. He didn't care how the boy was related to Lily at the moment. He did not want to stir up painful memories. So, he shoved these revelations to the back of his mind and quit thinking about them. No use in trying to figure these things out when he had papers to grade.