A Shadow of Secrets |HP| ~ Chapter Fifteen [finale part two]

"They're delaying our holiday."
"What?" a number of heads shot up across the underground common room from various conversations.
"London's been snowed in... Kings Cross is closed and Dippet's afraid none of the Muggle parents will be able to get through."
"That's stupid," Gwen remarked sourly as the fourth-year Slytherin boy continued to explain to her why they were forced to stay in the castle for a whole other day. At least there were no classes.
"Of course it is," Eloise agreed haughtily, "I think he's just trying to calm them down... or he thinks he is. Someone probably told him to - apparently, watching their mudblood children take a whizzing train through the Scottish countryside puts stupid Muggle parents off ease," she scoffed, "Personally I wouldn't mind if the the train crashed and killed them all, but it won't. Not the Hogwarts Express."
"So even we're staying an extra day? Aren't we using Floo powder?" Sabine asked timidly, sometimes unsure of how to react when Eloise acted like this. She was usually so nice...
"Exactly. It's complete bullshit."
"I agree," Gwen added.
"So what are we going to do until tomorrow morning?" Sabine questioned.
"Oh, I don't know... probably sit around and do nothing," she explained sarcastically, "I'm sick of being stuck inside while every mudblood in the school freaks out because of the Chamber."
"Speaking of that... there haven't been any attacks recently," Gwen stated dumbly, "Do you think it's been closed?"
"No, its open," Sabine answered confidently, without thinking. Oh, yes, it was definitely open.
"What makes you say that?" Eloise cocked her head to one side and regarded Sabine sharply.
She was unprepared for such scrutiny, "Well..." she knew exactly why, the look in Tom's eyes when she had fist seen him, and then again... it was clear he wouldn't be stopping any time soon, "I think... that if - if someone opened it, he wouldn't want to stop unless he was finished with it."
"What makes you think they're male?" Eloise's eyes were fixed on Sabine. Had she just said "he?" Her heart skipped a beat, and in the Slytherin common room? When he could be right behind us?
"We're talking about Salazar Slytherin's heir, Eloise, I think its probably a guy," Gwen stated, easing the mood somewhat. Sabine had no idea why Eloise was acting so... so... odd, but she assumed it was because the blonde was annoyed at the extra day in the castle.
"There's nothing to do!" Gwen whined.
"Stop whining. Of course there's something..."
Three hours later, it was almost time for dinner, and the girls had managed to keep amused. Though Eloise had disappeared for a solid half-hour, Gwen and Sabine thought nothing of it, and continued passing the time.
Outside, a cold snowy blizzard was in its final stages, and you could still hear the wind screeching in the highest turrets of the castle. Flying, of course, had been banned, but that hadn't stopped any of the brave - if not stupid - boys from attempting to battle the elements. None of them were quite so smart as to think of using a Warmth Charm.
Sabine, Gwen and Eloise had spent most of the remaining afternoon in an abandoned tower classroom. The incessant annoyance from Gwen and Eloise's brothers and their friends had forced the girls out of the Slytherin Common Room. Chatting and casual conversation had begun to bore the girls after a while, and they spent the rest of the day playing games: from Exploding Snap to Wizard's Chess. Of course, chess had been a last resort to the Gwen, who hated the game; Eloise, who had hardly ever played; and Sabine was actually very good, but insisted that she only watch. None of the players seemed particularly happy with the pieces either, who shouted and barked orders and profanities amongst themselves. When it was time for dinner, Gwen, Eloise and Sabine were some of the first inside the Great Hall.
They sat at their favourite end of the long table, helping themselves to the food piled on the platters and plates in front of them. Swinging her bag onto the bench space beside her, Sabine helped herself to a lovely-looking roast beef.
Gwen was about to bring up Christmas presents, but remembering Sabine's situation, decided not to, "You'll have a wonderful time at Eloise's," she said awkwardly.
"That is if my douche of a brother decided to go lives in a hole where he belongs," she spat.
"He's not that bad, Eloise."
"And when have you lived with him for an entire holiday?"
"Three years ago I spent a month with your family at your summer estate, Eloise."
"Right," the blonde said grudgingly.
"You're just in a bad mood, that's all. Anyone can understand that. Mudbloods shouldn't be inconveniencing us."
"No, they shouldn't - they should be wandering around the castle alone so the "monster" can get them. Not that its done its job yet..."
Sabine stayed quiet through Eloise's venomous spat with Gwen. After everything she'd seen, she didn't want to get involved in anything to do with the Chamber of Secrets.
"Are you hungry?" she asked Eloise, who was glaring off into the distance.
"What? Oh... sorry, I wasn't listening. Hungry? I guess so..." Eloise reached for a piece of pie.
"Did you fight with someone?" Gwen abruptly pulled the conversation back to Eloise's mood, "because you get like this when you've argued and things haven't gone your way."
"No, Gwen, I'm fine," she exhaled slowly, "Just fine."
"Alright then... I'm only trying to help."
Eloise took another calming breath, "I know you are, hun," she returned to her usual demeanor, "I'm just a little annoyed. The... holiday, you know? I don't think its fair. Exactly like you said. Let's enjoy our lunch now, shall we?"
Just then a familiar figure entered the door, heading in the girls' direction.
Eloise looked up from her half-finished pie, "Joy. Here he comes now."
"He" obviously meant Saiph Rosier to Eloise. To Sabine, it meant someone entirely different, but who had now approached the table with the clear intentions of sitting down beside them.
"Hello darling sister," Saiph greeted sarcastically as he, Tom, Malfoy and Gwen's brother sat down beside them.
"Finished, Sabine, Gwen?" Eloise asked, ignoring her brother.
"I'm done," Sabine stated simply, looking at Eloise.
"Me... too," Gwen added, wondering what was going on between Eloise and her brother, or at least someone else there.
"Alright then, I think its time to go. Goodbye, darling brother."
With a quick turn on her heel, Eloise stalked out of the Great Hall, Sabine and Gwen following confused behind her.
*
Sabine's bags were packed, and her diary was placed neatly in her bag, since she always carried it around with her. But that didn't help her; she just couldn't sleep. Maybe it was because it was her first Christmas as the only Gladstone she knew of, maybe it was because she felt nervous about going to Eloise's house for the holidays, but she couldn't sleep. Who knew what time it was, Sabine guessed somewhere around midnight. It meant that for nearly two hours she'd been lying in her bed awake.
Lying here longer isn't going to help me. Sabine knew she needed to relax; it was the same way she dealt with most stresses or anxiety. She usually found something else to do, and that something else was almost always the same thing. Slipping into a warm coat, Sabine grabbed her bag and diary, hurrying out of the common room, up through the Entrance Hall, and into the wintry night.
She thought it would be cold, and she was right, but it wasn't nearly as windy as she'd expected. In the moonlight, she decided a Warmth Charm would allow her a few minutes at her favourite spot, winter or summer: a high rocky outcrop just above the Black Lake.
*
Tom had heard a door's quiet creak and dainty footsteps from his dorm room. Distinctive footsteps; someone's he had heard before, moving down through the common room. It was nearly midnight, and he knew who it was. Shrugging on a jacket and tucking his wand into his pocket, he moved soundlessly through the Slytherin dorm rooms, following the steps.
That afternoon, he had met Eloise Rosier in a deserted hallway. He had expected her to walk by without a word, but she hadn't done anything close to that.
"Riddle!"
"Yes, Rosier."
"I've found out something about our little Sabine. Something you might want to know about?"
"Please, Rosier, what does the girl know that I don't?"
"You might also want to find a less... public place for me to explain it to you," Eloise continued, ignoring Tom's disinterest.
"I'm afraid I'm not interested."
"Oh shut it," she placed her left hand on her hip, "Don't play that game with me. I can blurt it out right here, but it might not be so safe if I explain your reasons for repeatedly entering a specific girls' bathroom," Eloise smirked. That got his attention.
"I don't need to hear any ridiculous reasoning for something I've never done."
"Come off it-"
"Is there anything else you'd like to tell me, Rosier. I have places to go..."
"Well, she knows you're the heir."
"Don't be ridiculous!"
"Why don't you just listen to me?"
"I highly doubt you have anything of interest to tell me..."
"Stop being so bloody pretentious."
"I'm a Slytherin Prefect. I'm not pretentious."
Just then, Professor Slughorn strolled down the hall.
"Tom! Tom, my boy, how is it going?" he greeted with gusto.
"Well, sir, I'm just about to return to the common room."
"I won't be keeping you then!" Slughorn added cheerfully, finally noticing Eloise, "Miss Rosier! How delightful to see you as well. Anything you need?"
"Well, actually, I've been having trouble with understanding the last Potions assignment..."
"How perfect! I'm sure Tom can help you with that," he replied, patting the prefect on the shoulder, giving Tom a look that showed he wouldn't leave until Tom was explaining the potions concept.
"There's a lovely classroom right here. After you, Eloise," with a gentlemanly hand gesture, and a disguised sneer, Tom led Eloise into the nearest classroom, locking the door behind them.
Eloise went straight to her point as the door closed and Slughorn's footsteps were no longer audible.
"Sabine knows you're the heir of Slytherin, Riddle. I'm assuming that's why you attempted to doctor her memory in the bathroom, but I'm afraid that didn't work. She has this diary, you see. Writes everything in it... for the past few months she's been figuring it all out. She's researched and looked for clues... quite cute really. Now, every day in the book of hers, she mentions the Chamber of Secrets, the Basilisk, Tom Riddle," she tossed her head, her blonde hair flipping to one side and then gracefully back into place. She headed for the door, "Just thought you might want to know."
Of course, that had only further strengthened his decision to do exactly what he was doing now.
There she was - huddled on a rock overlooking the lake, and writing in that diary. She had preserved herself in the book; memories, thoughts, feelings... a part of her soul, metaphorically. Tom smiled; a diary was an appropriate object to house a part of ones soul.
She hadn't noticed him yet. Of course, he was slinking silently through the shadows, his wand now held firmly in his right hand.
"Hello Sabine," his silky voice cut through the still night air like a knife.
She gasped, turning around quickly to see who was there. She instantly recognized the silhouette in the moonlight. She swallowed nervously. If she was going to tell him, it was time.
"I know... wha-what-"
"I am well aware you know that I am the Heir of Slytherin, Sabine Gladstone. Even if I hadn't already figured it out, your "friend" Eloise Rosier made it quite clear this afternoon."
What? Eloise? She... how could she know? And even if she did... she's betrayed me? No, no... she doesn't even know, how could she...
"I assure you, she told me everything. The research, the clues," he paused, "the diary."
Sabine looked down at the leather book, her heart in her throat and her hands shaking.
"It will be a quiet end, Sabine Gladstone. A quiet end for such a quiet girl."
Sabine didn't speak. Even if she had had anything to say.
"Avada Kedavra!"
A green jet of light bolted out from the tip of his wand, hitting Sabine with such force that her body flung off the side of the cliff, and plunged into the icy Black Lake, her diary and bookbag going with her.
*
The next morning, Sabine's things were rushed mistakenly onto the Hogwarts Express, and her dorm cleaned; leaving no trace of the girl. No Slytherin missed her or noted her absence, no, not her, who had lived in a shadow for so long. With no mother, father, or relatives writing in, Hogwarts dismissed her absence as fear to come back to school after the holidays. Even knowing exactly what had happened, Eloise's loyalty remained with Tom, convincing even Gwen that Sabine had just gone home, and they had missed her the day they left for the Christmas holidays.
Even twelve years later, when Dippet had figured out what had really gone on during the Hogwarts year of 1943, Sabine remained nothing more than a shadow. A shadow so full of secrets.
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