Butterfly In Reverse

Part Two of Her First Year

Sydny watched as Ginny seemed to stray away from people around Halloween. She kept to herself and her diary. The only person she would really talk to, was Sydny herself.

The Halloween Feast came around and everyone was excited. Everyone except Sydny. She liked Halloween, but it wasn't a thrill to her. The good part would be that Harry, Ron and Hermione would be at Sir Nicholas's Death Day Party. This would leave her with Ginny, who seemed to be her only good friend.

But on the night of the feast, Ginny was no where to be found and no one seemed to notice her absence. Sydny went alone. She sat next to her cousins Fred and George, who were at least nice to her. They made her laugh the whole time. She liked them the most out of her boy cousins. Their friends also liked her too. Katie Bell, Alicia Spinnet, and Angelina Johnson thought she had good potential to be on the Quidditch team. They said she would make a good chaser, possibly a keeper. They talked of many different things, and Sydny took all of it for further reference if she needed it. By the end of the feast, they were all stuffed and talked out.

As the school made its way to proper house common rooms, they were all stopped. There in front of them were the words, "The Chamber Of Secrets Has Been Opened. Enemies of The Heir Beware." There standing in front of the red words was Harry Potter, Ron and Hermione. Filch's cat Mrs. Norris was hanging by her tail above the sign. Water was all across the floor. Sydny was shocked, just as the rest of the school. Except some of the Slytherins. One in particular, Draco Malfoy. He called out to the school:

"Enemies of The Heir Beware. You're next Mudbloods!"

Teachers came to sort things out while Harry was being continuously blamed for the death of Mrs. Norris by Filch. But Professor Dumbledore knew better and Harry got out of trouble. As usual.

Sydny felt the need to get to Ginny. She hoped she was alright. As soon as the crowed started moving again, she ran to the front. Up the stairs to the Gryffindor common room and up to her dormitory. There she found Ginny asleep in her bed. The diary was open beside her, but there were no words.

"Ginny," Sydny called out softly, shaking her. "Ginny wake up. Something has happened."

"I'm up," she answered sleepily. "What's wrong?"

Sydny told her of the nights events. When she got to the part about the writing on the wall, Ginny's eyes went wide. She looked afraid.

"Do not worry Ginny. The cat is not dead, just petrified."

"It's not that Syd. I... I don't remember where I've been for the past few hours."

"Well, I assumed you were in here sleeping. You were not at the Feast. Maybe you are just sick."

"Maybe... but I am not so sure. Syd, I know that I came up here right after Potions to get ready for tonight."

"Yes, I was with you. Then we were down in the common room playing chess for a little bit. You said you needed to do something and went back up to the dormitory. You never came down. When you had gone up you looked a little pale, so I left you. As did everyone else. But I worried about you through dinner when you never showed up. What exactly had you gone up here to do?"

"I came up to write in my diary. It's comforting for me to write in it."

"But I saw it lying open before, and there was no writing in it."

"That's because it has a secret. Watch."

Ginny took her diary and opened to a page. She dipped her quill in ink and began to write.

Hello Tom. You know of my cousin Sydny. I've told you all about her. She wants to see how you work.

As soon as Ginny stopped writing, the words disappeared. Then a most amazing thing happened. The diary began to write back.

Hello Sydny. It is a pleasure to meet you. You are the only other person aside from Ginny to know how I work. I am Tom. This used to be my diary.

Sydny was amazed by this. But she was also a little suspicious. Her parents, and Ginny's parents had always said to be wary of things where you could not see its 'brain' or however it worked.

"Ginny, are you sire this thing is safe?"

"Yes. Very sure. I think. Tom is so kind. He helps me with my homework and listens to me Syd. He is almost as good a friend as you."

"If you say so..."

"I do. In fact, if you want, you may borrow my diary if you want. You just have to ask me before hand."

"I may. But what would I do with a diary?"

"Write your thoughts and feelings in. I know you like to draw. Draw pictures. And the best part is Tom will talk to you. He will comfort you."

"Ginny, I think you should be careful with that."

"Sydny," she said using her full name which she only did when she was upset, "Please believe me. I know! Use it for one week. Then you will understand."

Sydny let out a sigh. "Fine Ginny. If it will make you happy."

"It will. Thank you so much Syd!"

Ginny handed her the diary, which she took reluctantly. This was too strange for her. Sydny felt that maybe it was the diary making Ginny more anti social.

Late that night she sat up with the diary open on her lap. She had a quill in hand, contemplating on whether to write or not. Ginny really seemed fine with it, but the fact that it could write back troubled her. But as the minutes ticked by, Sydny's curiosity got the better of her. She had to write.

Hello Tom. This is Sydny, Ginny's cousin.

Yes, I know. Your writing is different. You have a more flowing writing. It seems almost, sad. Ginny's is perky.

You can judge emotions by writing?

When you are in a book, what more is there to do?

Nothing I suppose. You don't know how weird I feel doing this.

That's the same thing Ginny said. But she and I are good friends now I guess you could say.

How can I trust you? For all I know you could be some dark material.

That is something you must find out for yourself. Ginny trusts me. Is that not enough for you?

Not at all. My parents told me to never trust things where you can't see it's brain. Same with Ginny's parents. I think you are an evil thing.

You hurt me when you say that.

Well as far as I can tell you are making her become anti social. Ginny has never missed a meal yet, and tonight she misses a large one, a feast at that. She never even showed up. She had come up to write in you. I blame you for her absence.

Such harsh words from a girl of eleven. Tell me, why are you so bitter?

There is no bitterness in me, only in my words to you.

I think otherwise. There is power in your words. A strong power. Your emotions are blocking your potential power.

Then let them block my powers. I'd rather have hidden, unknown power, than be as Lord Voldemort was. He abused his power, tried to gain more. Now he is nothing but a wisp of a human.

Is this so? Ginny told me of what happened last year to him. You feel that he was foolish?

Indeed I do. He went about it wrong. He could have been a Wizard for sure. But his greed for power blinded him, made him evil. He chose wrong in life.

You have words of wisdom. Knowledge. And power.

What is it with you and power?

It fascinates me. If you had the right training, you could grow to be a great Witch. I could help you.

You? A memory in a book?

Yes. Let me help you. I can tutor you. I help Ginny with her homework. Now I can help you.

I want not your help. I do not need your help. You are most certainly evil. I can feel it in your words. Ginny should get rid of you. If she doesn't then I will.

Hostility towards inanimate objects is a sign of built up anger. Or is it passion? Passion for something you want. Maybe you want more to life then just this school and your life with the Weasley's. I believe you want that old boring you life you used to have back. With your parents. Yes Ginny has told me all about you and your past.

Tom, you make me angry. I hope this book is destroyed. That way no one will have ever have to deal with your lust for such things as power, and your want for corruption.

With that Sydny slammed the book shut. She put it on her dresser to give back to Ginny in the morning. She did not like that diary. If that's what you could even call it.

Sydny gave the book back to Ginny in the morning. She told her of her conversation with Tom. Told Ginny to get rid of the book. It was destroying her, she felt, from the inside out. Hopefully Ginny would listen.

The year went on. But there were more attacks. Then at the Dueling Club meeting, it was found out that Harry was a Parselmouth. The majority of the school started to think he was the Heir of Slytherin. Of course his friends remained loyal.

And in February, Ginny sent him the love poem on Valentines. She almost died that say she felt. But instead of turning to Sydny like she would have, she turned to the diary which she kept. But she had to gain it back from Harry. She had gone through with getting rid of it after she really began to feel its effects.

Sydny had seen her throw it into the girls bathroom. Now she could have her old Ginny back. She hoped. But it was not to be so. She did get that blasted diary back. This time Ginny was careful not to let Sydny know about it. It had taken control of her.

The next day, right when the Quidditch finals were about to start they had to be cancelled due to another attack on students. Hermione being one of them. Of course now, no one thought of Harry as the Heir. But Ginny was now realizing what was going on. She needed to tell someone. And soon.

She normally would have told Sydny, they had been the best of friends. But now Tom controlled most of her thoughts. Tom did not like Sydny at all. He didn't like her because she refused him access to her power. And he hated Harry, because he brought down the Dark Lord. Telling Harry would be hard too. But there were times when Ginny was in control of herself. Times when she did not want the Diary, did not want to write in it. It was one of those times that she got enough courage to tell Harry what she thought was going on.

Three days before exams started, and the thing petrifying students had not been found, Ginny tried to talk to Harry. At breakfast everyone learned that the Mandrakes would be ready that night to revive the petrified people, including Hermione. Ginny came over to Ron and Harry, trying to find the words and voice she needed. It was hard with Ron practically yelling at her to spit out the information.

As Harry watched her find the words, he saw something he had only seen a few times before. That was fear of some sort. He had seen it in Dobby when he was telling something he shouldn't be telling. This had to be very important, possibly about the Chamber of Secrets.

As soon as she was about to tell though, Percy came over. When he did, Ginny ran away. Ron yelled at him for that.

"Percy!" Ron said angrily. "She was just about to tell us something important!"

Halfway through a gulp of tea, Percy chocked.

"What sort of thing?" he said, coughing.

"I just asked her if she's seen anything odd, and she started to say -"

"Oh - that - that's nothing to do with the Chamber of Secrets," Percy said at once.

He tried to cover whatever it was he though Ginny was going to say. And he succeeded for the most part. Only now Ron was curious as to what Ginny had seen.

Harry felt he had to talk to Myrtle one more time before the petrified people were woken up. As they tried to get to the girls bathroom where myrtle the ghost dwelled, they were stopped by Professor McGonagall. An excuse was made up that they wanted to see Hermione. When they were sitting there next to her body, they noticed something. Or at least Harry did. There was a piece of paper in her hand.

They pulled it free fro her hand and read the information on it. Hermione had figured out what was petrifying students and why Harry could hear those voices in the wall. She also figured out how the creature was moving around. Harry and Ron both admired Hermione for her smarts.

They had to inform someone right away about their discovery. But as they waited in the staff room, something dreadful happened. They hid when the teachers came in. A student had been taken down to the Chamber. Another message had been left in the place of the first one reading, "Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever." They also found out who had been taken. Ron's sister, Ginny.

After the teachers had dispersed, Harry and Ron made their way back to the common room. Plans would have to be made to help professor Lockhart (he was appointed to 'find' Ginny) that night. But the common room remained crowded late into the night. Ron and harry had told the reast of the Weasly's and Sydny about Ginny.

Sydny, did not stay in the common room with everyone else. She was very upset about Ginny. If only she had listened to her. Gotten rid of that damned Diary sooner. Now she was probably dead. Her poor Aunt and Uncle would be devastated. Not to mention the rest of the boys were already down.

She wanted to cry. Cry because she lost her friend it seemed. Cry because her life was going to change yet again. But no. She would not cry. The tears were there, yes, but she would not let them fall down her cheek. Crying was something she promised not to do after her parents had died. She had cried every night for them it seemed when it had happened.

That night before she went to bed she showered off her feelings. And mixed with the soap and water, were salty tears. Tears she could not feel run down her face.

Harry and Ron had waited till the common room was empty. They left with the invisibility cloak to get Professor Lockhart. He was trying to get away instead of save Ginny. They had to persuade him to come with them to Myrtly's bathroom.

Harry used his Parseltongue to open the entrance way to the chamber. Down to below the lake Professor Lockhart confronted them. He revealed to them that he was indeed a fraud. But he was good at memory charms. He took Ron's wand (which had been broken by the Whomping Willow) and tried to erase their memories. Unfortunately for him the wand backfired and he lost his memory. The blast caused a small cave in, separating Harry and Ron.

Harry, being on the advancing side, said he would go on to find Ginny. Ron would stay with the Professor and try to make a space for him to crawl back through.

He made his way into a large Chamber, keeping his eyes squinted the whole time. The creature lurking there was a Basilisk, a giant snake. If you looked into its eyes directly, you would die. Harry forgot about this as soon as he saw Ginny's body lying at the feet of a statue. A statue of Salazar Slytherin. He called to her, trying to wake her up.

Then he saw Tom. He had meet him once when he had accidentally acquired the Diary. He asked for his help. But Tom just stood there. Stood there with Harry's wand. When he wouldn't give it back, he knew he was in trouble.

When Harry questioned him about Ginny, he started to talk about her. Told him how he gained her trust. How she grew to adore him. Tom told Harry how she made him stronger by spilling her secrets and desires and soul. Then he told her his secrets and put his soul in her. Making her do his biddings. Then when she had gotten rid of it that one time, Harry picked it up.

Of course Tom knew all about Harry. Which made him want to kill Harry. Because he destroyed Lord Voldemort. To do that, he made it so Ginny wrote her own farewell. Brought her down to the Chamber to wait. During that time he had emerged from the diary. But by then she was too weak to notice. Only half alive. And now she was on the verge of death.

Harry saw that Tom was indeed becoming clearer. Then Tom revealed his true self. And his true reasons for why he wanted Harry dead. He spelt it out for him.

TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE

I AM LORD VOLDEMORT

Harry needed to do something. He did not have much chance while Tom had his wand. Then Fawkes, Professor Dumbledore's Phoenix appeared with the Sorting Hat. Harry felt weaker with this. Then, after Tom was done talking with Harry, he called forth the Basilisk.

Harry immediately shut his eyes and ran blindly. Then he heard and felt the giant snake ram him into the wall. Then he heard more thrashing about. He dared to open his eyes a little. He saw Fawkes tarring at the Basilisk's eyes.

Then, as Tom was getting it to focus a little more on killing Harry, the Sorting Hat was swept into his arms. Scared and not really knowing what to do, Harry put the hat on his head. He asked it for help and he got an answer, so to speak. A sword fell on his head.

As the snake lunged at Harry, its fangs bared, he thrust the sword upward, through its mouth. But as the snake pulled back, dieing, it had left its mark. One of its fangs was sticking out of Harry's arm. Tom thought he had won. And he would have. Only Fawkes was crying on Harry's wound and Phoenix tears have a healing power. Tom scared the bird away. Now he was going to finish Harry off.

But Fawkes again came to the rescue. He dropped the Diary into Harry's lap. Then Harry plunged the poisonous fang into the Diary. The ink spurted out of it, and Tom, Tom 'died'. He faded away with the diary. There was a hole where the fang had been plunged in.

Ginny was coming around and tried to tell Harry everything at once. He calmed her down enough to carry back to where Ron was. Then they grabbed the tail Fawkes (Phoenixs can carry a large amount of weight) who brought the professor, Ginny, Harry, and Ron out of the underground cavern. They made their way up to Professor Dumbledore's office.

There Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were taking with him. They cried when they saw that Ginny was alive. Harry was made to retell exactly what happened. Though he left the part out about Ginny being the one who was doing things. But Dumbledore knew the truth.

He needed to talk to Harry alone, so he sent Mr. and Mrs. Weasley off with Ginny to the Infirmary, and Ron off to the common room to inform the rest of his family. Harry stayed and talked with Professor Dumbledore. He explained things that Harry did not understand.

As Harry was leaving, Lucius Malfoy walked in followed by Dobby. Lucius Malfoy is obviously Draco's father. He was thoroughly upset that Dumbledore was still Headmaster after he had tried to get him suspended from duty. After some harsh words from Mr. Malfoy were said, he stormed out. Harry had his little idea though to give the Diary back.

He gave it back in a sock. And Mr. Malfoy threw the sock down, but Dobby caught it. So now Dobby the House-Elf was free. This only got Mr. Malfoy angrier with Harry Potter and all that he stood for.

Meanwhile, back in the common room, the Weasley's and Sydny were all teary-eyed with joy about Ginny. She would be spending the night in the Infirmary, but would be there at breakfast the next day.

The next day, classes were canceled, and that night there was a celebration. Sydny spent the day talking with Ginny. She was sorry that she ever doubted Sydny. But Sydny told her not to worry. It was good to have her best friend back.

At the feast, finals for the year were cancelled, and all the petrified students were there. Hermione was thrilled that Harry and Ron were ok. As well as Ginny. Then the House Cup was awarded to Gryffindor, and the Great Hall seemed to boom with noise. Needless to say, it was a very very good night.

The last week or so of school was wonderful. Everyone was being lazy around the castle. Classes continued, but the air of determination to work was not there. Unless of course you were in Ravenclaw. They always seemed to be working.

Soon, school was out. Students made their way down to the train station. On the train, Sydny reflected on the year. It was a very interesting first year. But it was over now. She was happy to be going back to the Burrow. As she was thinking about events she wandered around the train.

She again, ran into a few people she knew. Some of the girls from her dormitory. They were as talkative as ever, or at least Margaret was. Fred and George were playing jokes on Percy. Little did they know that they would gain some important information to torture him with over the summer.

As she was walking back to her compartment as the train neared King's Cross Station, she again bumped into Draco Malfoy.

"Hello Draco."

"Ugh. Do you ever watch where you are going Weasley Jr.?"

"Yes. Only it's more fun to irritate you by smacking into you."

"You are annoying. No wonder you are related to the Weasley's."

"And you are a brat. No wonder by friends don't like you."

Both were glaring at each other not wanting to move for the other. Giving up, they both gave an exasperated sigh and pushed by each other.

This was just what Sydny needed to get her summer going. Irritation from a boy who made her insides turn. And not in a bad way.