The Diary

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Chapter 20: Just the Beginning*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

~Godric's Hollow, Potter Residence, Basement~

"Potter you better have a damn good reason to call me on a Sunday. Ginny is furious."

"Shut up and sit down ferret boy."

"Watch it Weasley."

Seemingly unobservant of the disgruntled Malfoy Harry looked up at the assembled group around the table in his basement and one of the many meeting rooms for the Order of the Phoenix. "Everyone here? Figg? Dumbledore? Black? Lupin? Davies? Weasley? Malfoy?"

"Everyone's here Potter. Now get on with it already."

Harry glared at the smug faced blonde man, but continued. "I don't have much to say; only that we must find her."

Sirius Black spoke the question on everyone's mind, "Find who?"

Mechanically Harry reached into his pocket and flipped open his watch. He stared down at the face of the pocket watch for a moment then laid it on the table and slid it towards his godfather. Sirius stared at the watch and looked back up at Harry in disbelief. The other members just looked between Potter and Black in curiosity. "Her, we have to find her."

"Bloody hell," Black said as he handed the watch to Remus Lupin who was sitting to his left.

"Oh dear Merlin," the old werewolf sobbed. He handed the watch to the next person as he wiped the free flowing tears from his weary eyes.

The watch went from person; turning confusion to shock in its path. Finally, it reached Kali Potter's former field partner, Draco Malfoy. "How Potter?" he whispered tonelessly.

"I don't know, but that watch can't lie. Kali saw to that."

In a flash Draco had lifted from his seat and pinned Harry to the wall, hard. "Why the hell haven't you checked this before? WHY!"

"Malfoy! Back off!" yelled Roger Davies. By now the whole Order was standing, watching the two men.

While Draco was yelling at him, Harry had kept his eyes closed. He deserved this. "I... I don't know why. I... it should have been the first thing I did."

Draco banged him against the cement wall again. "Well, why didn't you Potter?"

"I can't remember," he whispered. He opened his eyes. The emerald green shimmered in tear filled eyes as he stared intently at the other man. Malfoy released his grip on Harry's shirt and the raven-haired man slid down the wall till he sat on the floor staring blankly ahead of him. "I packed it away after Kali died so I wouldn't have to be reminded about it. I wouldn't have even checked it till now if it weren't for that blasted spirit. It... it looked so much like Kali that I believed it was her. I was so stupid," he whispered as he, himself, was shattered.

"Spirit?" Albus Dumbledore questioned.

"I've seen it too, in my dreams," confessed Lupin.

The room went quiet again as Draco cast a look of disgust and almost pity at the crumpled form of the Boy-Who-Lived. "If you need me I will be in Malfoy Manor." He gathered his cloak and walked out of the room and apparated as soon as he could.

The room remained silent as all members were lost in thought. Only Remus voiced his. "My little girl's alive."

~Professor Covington's Office, one week later~

"Come in," Kay called from her mound of papers, "Ah, Mister Potter is there something I can help you with?"

"I've finished the assignments, all forty feet." Thomas deposited the scrolls on her desk.

"All forty in less than a week? Impressive Mister Potter, most impressive." She reached into the drawer of her desk and withdrew a familiar black book. "I believe this is yours now, according to the deal we made one week ago." Thomas reached for the book but she pulled it just out of his grasp. "Try not to fall behind in class this time Mister Potter. I doubt I will be able to work out a deal with the rest of the staff again."

"Yes Professor." He grabbed the book and walked out with a "Bye Professor" as he stepped over the threshold of her office.

"Goodbye Mister Potter," she sighed as she tackled her paper work again.

~Gryffindor Tower, First Year Boys' Dormitory~

Closing out the rest of the world with his velvet scarlet curtains, he cracked open the diary and read. Something he had been waiting a week to do.

~The Diary~

We left for Hogwarts as usual and classes began on September 1^st as they always have. The O.W.L.S. was this year so classes were infinitely harder. Know-it-All was ecstatic, the loser. I, though begrudgingly, did all of my work to keep up or even surpass her. Harry and I kept in contact, but only through letters. Our houses would never let the barriers be crossed, even for the hero and the outcast.

Winter arrived quickly and Professor Sara Hutchinson, the DADA instructor, suggested a Holiday Ball to lighten the spirits. What she really meant was 'take our minds off of Voldemort.' No date for me. Everyone paired up as soon as the announcement sounded. Draco asked Blaise, I didn't care but he tried to make me. It was nearly the day of the ball when a rather good looking, red headed Gryffindor asked me.

~Flashback, Balcony in Hogwarts~

Two teens were leaning on the banister while gazing up at the inky blue sky littered with twinkling stars. The red haired boy was dressed in his brand new royal blue dress robe, an early birthday present from Fred and George. The girl with brown curls piled atop her head wore a form fitting silver velvet dress robe that flared at the hip and lightly grazed the floor and it shimmered blue when she moved. Her long sleeves ended at her slender wrists and flared at the bottom, much like the styles in the renaissance. The boy turned to his date and smiled as the girl looked up at him.

"What are you smiling at Mister Weasley?"

"My beautiful date, Lady Lupin." He bowed.

"Charmer," she laughed as she rolled her eyes, "and might I add that you are very handsome tonight Mister Weasley. The blue matches your eyes fantastically."

He laughed with her. "You really are beautiful Kali. I can see why Harry is so in love with you."

"Not Harry Potter again. We are just friends, nothing more."

"Are you sure?"

"I wouldn't be talking Ron or should I say Ron 'I'm in love with Hermione Granger' Weasley? Come to think of it... why did you ask me? Why didn't you ask Granger?"

"Why not? You are beautiful, smart, funny..."

"Drop the flattery and get back to Hermione."

"Alright, alright. Well, I do like Hermione, but I don't think she likes me. I think she likes Harry," he sighed.

"Didn't they go to the ball together?"

"Yeah, but don't worry. He doesn't like her that way. He is definitely in love with you."

"No he isn't! We are just friends."

"Are you sure?" Ron inquired.

"Ye..." Kali paused as if in thought. "Since when have you been so bloody insightful?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "When one of your best friends is a famous hero who is as daft as a flobberworm and tries to hide behind a wall to push people away and the other is a genius but hides behind books... you have to be somewhat perceptive."

"I see your point."

"So what is going on between you and Harry?"

"Well, I'll tell you if you tell me about you and Hermione first."

"Sounds fair. Hermione is bloody brilliant and beautiful too! Oh, and wicked funny. She is perfect," he said dreamily, "When she reads a book her eyes get squinty and her nose scrunches up when she gets to a difficult part."

"Wow, you sound like you really like her," Kali sighed.

"More then anything."

"Don't worry, she'll come around eventually and you'll be inviting me to your wedding where you will STILL be trying to set me up with Harry Potter."

"You know that you and Harry make a good couple. Just listen for a second before telling me off." Kali nodded, signaling for him to go on. "Kali, you're strong. You can support him when he needs it."

"Well that's good for him."

"Not done yet. Harry's selfless and you need someone to take care of you as much as he does. You are perfect for each other."

"I highly doubt that."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive, nothing will ever happen between Harry and I. We are just friends. It's getting late Ron and we've been out here for awhile now. You should probably go back to the dance before they send a search party for you."

"What about you?"

"I'll be down shortly. I just want some fresh air for a bit longer. Now you should leave."

"But..."

"Unlike you, I don't have a giant target painted on my back."

Ron nodded before heading back into the empty classroom, down the stairs and back to the Great Hall where the ball was still going on. Kali stayed outside, silently thanking whoever put up the warming charms on the stone balcony. Finally she turned around and headed back to the ball. But, she wouldn't make it back. She closed the classroom door just as a large hand covered her mouth and jerked her away from the door.

~End Flashback and Diary~

"Thomas? Rhiannon and I would like to have a word with you," called the familiar voice of Will Weasley.

"Can't this wait?" Thomas asked as he shut his book shut and opened his drapes.

"No, it can't Thomas," Rhiannon said forcefully.

"Fine, what do you want?" He was standing now.

Rhiannon closed and locked the door behind her. "Thomas, we are friends right?"

"Of course, you and Will are my best friends."

"Please sit down Thomas."

"What's going on here?"

"Do what Rhiannon told you to do."

"Why are you lying to us Thomas?" she asked, her voice breaking, "Why are you keeping secrets? We're your best friends for Merlin's sake! You're supposed to be able to tell us everything!"

"Shut up Malfoy! This is none of yours or Will's business so stop trying to pull a Marauder on me!"

"Thomas, we aren't trying to Marauder you. So let's just calm..." Will interjected, attempting to be the voice of reason.

"Yeah and I'm so sure that Padfoot, Prongs and Wormtail just wanted to have a friendly chat with my granddad, but he just blurted out that he was a werewolf for no reason!"

"Thomas..."

"Potter, you're right. We are acting like the Marauders but we have a good reason, just like they did. We are concerned about your safety. We know that you are keeping a secret," Rhiannon stated, "We know it has to do with that black book and maybe the green one too. Tom, we just want to help you. We don't want to wait on the sidelines anymore while you fail your classes."

The tension filled the air as the three friends remained silent and motionless. Till one spoke up, "You know that is the first time you've called me Tom in a while."

"Yeah," Rhiannon sighed.

"I like it," he told them and the tension melted.

~Marauders' Room~

After their fight, the trio brought out the Marauders' map and went to their secret room for some privacy. They were all lounging on plush sapphire blue armchairs.

"So, if I may summarize." Thomas nodded his approval. "Covington gave you a book which turned out to be your mum's diary. Then she took it away because you began to fail in all your classes but she gave it back because you handed in extra credit essays. Then there is this green book your dad gave you. The book is the Book of Prophecies for the Slytherin family, which you are a part of. Not to mention that you are also a descendant of Godric Gryffindor, but we kind of already knew that."

"In a pumpkin seed," Thomas said nonchalantly.

"You forgot about the sister."

"Thank you Rhi. I totally forgot about that. You had a sister, Thomas. And here we were excited about finding out your mum was a Slytherin and dated Uncle Draco."

"You say that with such disgust Weasley." Thomas and Will just busted out laughing, much to Rhiannon's annoyance that is till she joined in. "So, now what are we gonna do?"

"Ask my friends for help."

"You can count on me mate," Will said as he patted Thomas on the back.

"Same here," Rhiannon agreed, "When do we start?"

"Well Rhi, you have the best speaking voice. Here." Thomas handed the diary to the girl.

"Are you sure Tom? It's your mum's diary and all. You should read it." She tried to hand the book back but he declined.

"No, you should read it."

"Alright, everyone comfy?" She cracked open the book as she snuggled into the blue chair.

~The Diary~

I remained unconscious for the remainder of Christmas holiday. The New Year was rung in without me and without my dad. He remained my constant companion while I slept. Draco, Harry, Ron, Dumbledore, Uncle Sirius, and Professor Hutchinson all visited me according to Madam Pomfrey. She said that it was dinner time and that Dumbledore forced my dad to eat in the Great Hall. That is why no one was here when I awoke. She also told me that I should stay in bed for another week. I don't think so. I had to see my dad.

I threw on a spare green robe from the closet. It was too big, but it covered my hospital pajamas. I walked through the big oak doors and walked down the carpet straight to the head table. A wave of silence followed me in my wake. My dad froze at the sight of me. I am sure I still looked horrendous; pale as death, sallow as Snape and as exhausted as he was after the full moon. It didn't help that the full moon was near. I always felt weaker then. Not by much but I always was sick by a full moon. I suppose it is just werewolf genetics.

When I reached the head table, my dad ran to me and hugged me like he never wanted to let go again. He finally let go when Dumbledore began to usher us to the antechamber in the back.

~Flashback~

"Dear Merlin Kali, you had me so cared. I was beginning think I'd never get my little girl back."

"I'm fine dad."

"Are you sure Miss Lupin?" asked Dumbledore as he looked at her over his half-moon spectacles. Kali nodded her response. "Good, can you please tell me what happened to you that night?"

"Albus, she just woke up! She is much too weak to relive..."

Kali placed a hand on his arm. "I'm fine dad. May I sit please?" Albus gestured to a red armchair and she sat down. I was in one of the empty classrooms on the second floor. Ron and I had been talking on the balcony there. I told him to go back to the party before Know-it-All, I mean Miss Granger, got angry at me. After he left I stayed there for ten or so minutes. When I exited the classroom, I turned around to close the door when a hand covered my mouth and an arm went around my waist. I was scared. I stomped down on his foot and he let me go. I ran, but they caught up and... and one of them tackled me to the ground and flipped me over onto my back."

"Who was it Miss Lupin?"

"Goyle, sir. Gregory Goyle was on top of me. I tried to struggle free, but he was just too strong. He picked me up as if I were a rag doll and shoved me against a wall. Vincent Crabbe was there by then. Goyle let go of me but they surrounded me. That's when they began to hit me. They kept telling me that I was filth, dirt, mudblood lover, Gryffindors' whore and werewolf scum." Kali glanced up at her father for a second who had rested his hands on her shoulders. "After a few punches I kicked Goyle and made a dash for it. I ran toward the stairs, but Crabbe got me. He spun me around and told me that I wasn't going to get away that easily. I tried hitting him and pushing him away, but nothing worked, until my last push. He let go. I couldn't stop myself and I fell down the stairs; then everything went black."

"This is an outrage Albus. Those boys need to be suspended. We cannot have some other child beaten like Kali was."

"Remus, I assure you that..."

"Stop it. We can't suspend them yet."

"What? Why not?" he asked his daughter.

"Crabbe and Goyle are stupid. They are lackeys, nothing more. They wouldn't do anything unless ordered to."

"Do you have any suspicions Miss Lupin?"

"I do, but I have no proof. Give me one week and I'll find out who it was."

"Very well Miss Lupin. You have one week. Now, you must be hungry, join your housemates for dinner."

"Yes, thank you Professor."

~End Flashback~

I left the room but after I closed the door, I leaned my ear to the door and tried to listen to the conversation between my father and Dumbledore.

~Flashback~

"Albus how can you..."

The old wizard cut him off. "Has Kali decided what she wants to do after she graduates from Hogwarts?"

"I think she wants to be a professor or a researcher."

"A shame."

"Why is that?"

"She'd make a fine Auror and a valuable member of the Order."

"No, I won't have it. I don't want her involved in any of this."

"Perhaps, but she should be the one to decide Remus." There was a pause. "I suspect that she will be involved whether you approve or not."

The conversation seemingly over, Kali backed away from the door and joined her house for dinner. What her housemates didn't know was that she was silently conversing with Salazar Slytherin himself.

"I don't think I'd make a good Auror. I'm too... I don't know. I just can't see myself facing down Death Eaters. And what was this Order Dumbledore mentioned?"

"The Order of the Phoenix, it is a group of witches and wizards who have dedicated themselves to the defeat of Lord Voldemort."

"I see, how do you know all of this?"

"Voldemort told me."

"I knew it! He is a true heir, but I thought there could only be one heir at a time."

"Do not always believe what you read Kali."

"Ok, so now what do I do Salazar?"

"Join the Order."

"How?"

"You'll find a way."

~End Flashback~

I began devising my plan that night. I knew that it could not have been Draco. No matter how much we look like we hate each other deep down we still cared a great deal for one another. So that limited my list of possible suspects to everyone else in Slytherin house. A few days after I woke up I put my plan into action.

~Flashback~

Kali was sitting in an empty room with a table, two caldrons, chair and various things scattered about the table.

"Ok, the water is boiling. Now I have to add the three chopped puffapods, two diced ginger roots, half a phial of Sleekeasy's Hair Potion, aconite and a peacock feather for the color shifts. Let simmer for five minutes. Ok this one is boiling too," she commented to herself, "some shredded boomslang skin, two crushed snake fangs, one rat spleen, some dittany and five ounces of dragon's blood for the necessary mind control element. Stir it up and hope it turns puce. Success! Now to mix these two up." Kali pulled out a bigger caldron and hefted it onto the tabletop. Slowly she poured in the dragon's blood concoction then the hair color changing potion. "Now for the kicker." She pulled out a phial that contained no more than four drops of a greenish yellow liquid from her robe pocket. "Veritaserum from Snape's own stock. Godric, I'm good. Stir this, say a few words 'Arcanum Acanorum Fateor Salem' et voila! I am done!"

~End Flashback~

After I had cleaned everything up and jarred the potion, I ran to the kitchens. I begged Dobby forever to add my potion to the Slytherins' food, promising that it wouldn't hurt them. He finally succumbed, but not after lecturing me about toying with Harry's heart. Dobby is extremely loyal to that boy. After I left the kitchens I wrote a quick note to the Weasley twins... I think I said something like "Fred and George, Take the blame and you will be rewarded, Specter."

Specter was the nickname Uncle Sirius gave me. He thought I needed a Marauder name. I didn't know why he chose Specter, but it became very appropriate later.

The potion worked. It changed every Slytherin's hair color to some other neon color. Draco had green, Kay had pink and I had blue. We were quite the spectacle at dinner. What everyone didn't know was that as long as a Slytherin's hair was neon they were susceptible to the effects of the Veritaserum if I said the trigger word, Salem. Of course the real problem lied in the fact that once I corner someone to question and said the word; I would also be under the influence of the truth potion.

~Flashback~

"Petrificus Totalus! Petrificus Totalus!" Crabbe and Goyle's bodies froze up and hit the floor with resounding thuds. "Salem. Ok you over grown sacks of hippogriff dung, why did you attack me?"

The one with bright pink hair, Goyle, answered, "We were told to."

"By whom? Give me the name, now!" Kali accented her words with a hard kick to Goyle's ribs.

As Goyle groaned the orange haired Crabbe answered, "Nott, Timothy Nott told us to. What are you gonna do with us?"

Though she wished she could lie, Kali spoke the truth. "I am going to memory charm you, knock you out and maybe kick you a few more times before finding Nott."

"We're gonna tell Snape and you're gonna get into lots of trouble," Goyle sputtered stupidly.

"No, you aren't because you won't remember. Obliviate! Obliviate!" Goyle and Crabbe stared blankly ahead of them. "Stupefy! Stupefy!" They slumped over themselves and despite the desire, Kali left without anymore injury to the unconscious boys.

~End Flashback~

Timothy Nott, I knew of him, another proud pureblood with Death Eater parents. I'd have to say that if Draco was the leader of the Slytherins then Nott was a close runner-up.

~Flashback~

"Hey Nott!" A tall brown haired boy turned around in the deserted hallway. "Petrificus Totalus!" Kali ran to where he lay on the ground. She kneeled by his rigid form and glared daggers at him. "Hello Tim."

"Lupin, what is the meaning of this? Release me this instant!"

"I don't think so Tim. Not until I get the answers I'm looking for."

"You won't get anything from me you mudblood lover!"

"That's where you are wrong Nott. Salem, so were you the one who ordered Crabbe and Goyle to beat me?"

"No, I told them to kill you."

Kali took a deep breath. "Why? Why do you want me dead?"

"I don't." He smirked. "You aren't that bad looking I thought I might be able to..."

"Who wants me dead?" she growled.

"My master, the Dark Lord."

Kali lost balance and fell to a seating position. "Why... why does he want me dead?"

"I don't know. Why do you think?"

"Because Harry Potter is in love with me," she said absently. A second later she gasped and covered her mouth in disbelief.

"I knew it! Ha, my master is going to kill you to hurt Potter. You are nothing more than a..."

"Obliviate! Stupefy!" Kali got up and ran out of the hallway with one thought left in her mind. *I'm a target, the main target now.*

~End Flashback~

I related all my findings to Dumbledore, after my hair turned back to its normal color. His face seemed more worn than ever. I begged him not to tell my dad and he agreed, only till the danger becomes greater. So it was a secret between Dumbledore and I. He even offered me a position in the Order of the Phoenix for my work on getting the information. He said it was 'creative' yet highly immoral. I just told him I was a Slytherin. He seemed to understand.

The Order taught me how to duel, from traditional styles to modern field battle dueling. Dad was not pleased in the least. I don't think that the thought of his one and only child being trained to battle evil gave him happy thoughts. Harry was usually my training partner... he was so afraid to hurt me in the beginning. That is till I got him good. After that he was a challenge.

So things were back to normal, as far as I knew. Though, I did find myself sleeping more often and with all the extra sleep I got I was still exhausted. As time went on I slept more and more. Then weird stuff began to happen. People came up to me and blamed me for things I hadn't done. Why would I go sneaking around the Gryffindor Tower entrance late at night? Why would I sneak to the piano room? None of this made any sense. I didn't even remember any of this till it was over. But our story doesn't begin at the end. It begins with a kiss.

~Flashback~

"Wait!" Kali runs toward Harry. She spins him around. "No one is here. No one can see us."

"What is this about Kali? First you blow me off and now you want to be my friend. I am tired of having to be 'secret' friends. Why can't you just..." He never finished his rant, because in that instant Kali had thrown her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a passionate kiss. When they stopped Harry looked dazed but coherent. "R... Rydia?"

The thing inhabiting Kali's body smiled and whispered, "I love you Edward."

~End Flashback~