Because You Love Me

58. Tom Marvolo Riddle

 Harry suddenly took off. Ron, not knowing what they were about to do, trusted his friend and took off after him.

"Where are we going, Harry?"

"Lockhart's office!" he answered breathlessly. "He may be useless, but at least we can tell him what we know!"

They ran all the way up to the third floor and into the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. They bolted up the stairs and into the small door.

"Professor!" Harry shouted. "We have something to tell you!" He and Ron finally stopped. He looked around. Everything was neat and tidy and Lockhart's trunks were out. He was filling them up as fast as he could. He scowled. Gilderoy Lockhart was nothing but a coward. "Are you going somewhere?"

Lockhart whirled around, startled. He wasn't aware that he had guests. "Well, um, yes. Urgent call. Unavoidable. Gotta go."

"What about my sister?" Ron demanded. "You can't just leave."

"Well, uh, as for that, most unfortunate. No one regrets it more than I."

"You're the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. You can't go now."

"Well I must say when I took my job, there was nothing in the description about-"

Anger flooded through Harry. "You're running away?" he interrupted. Lockhart tried to go around him, but Harry blocked his way. "After all that stuff you did in your books?"

"Books can be misleading," Lockhart said.

"You wrote them!" Harry yelled.

"My boy, will you use your common sense. My books wouldn't have sold half as well if they didn't think I did all those things."

"You're a fraud. You've just been taking credit for what other wizards have done!"

"Is there anything you can do?" Ron demanded.

Lockhart was getting frustrated. "Yes. As a matter of fact, now that you mention it, I'm rather gifted with memory charms. Otherwise all those wizards would have gone blabbing and I never would have sold another book."

Harry was steaming, his eyes narrowed. Ginny's life hung in the balance and this grown man in front of him was just going to let her life slip away because he was too afraid to face the monster.

Lockhart walked over toward the other side of the room. Harry and Ron looked at each other. They weren't stupid. "As a matter of fact, I'm going to have to do the same to you." He whirled around, but Harry and Ron already had their wands extended toward him.

"Don't even think about it," Harry warned him. "Leave your wand, Lockhart. You're coming with us."

~ * ~

Severus paced back and forth in the corridor on the third floor. The Hospital Wing was up there and he had already seen Alaina. The fact that Ginny was taken into the Chamber of Secrets was disturbing. It could have been any of the students. As a matter of fact, it could have been Harry. The thought was too terrible for him to think about, though it had plagued his mind since he read the message on the wall.

He was about to go back inside when he heard voices. He hurried to hide himself, wondering who would be out and about after Minerva had told them all to go to their rooms. His heart sank when he saw Harry and Ron with their wands out, leading Lockhart somewhere. Curious, he followed them. They went down to the second floor, to the girl's bathroom and Harry and Ron pushed the man inside.

Severus went close to the door so he could at least hear them. It was a few moments before anyone said anything. He could hear the rapid rhythm of Lockhart's breathing. Harry was the first to say anything.