Seven Devils ★ T.M.R ★

Chapter Six

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BLOOD IN THE WATER
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"THIS IS RIDICULOUS," Marina mumbled, rubbing her hands into her eyes. "It happened, I swear. Why would I make something like that up?"

"Because you want the plan to work, even though it's not," said Moody brusquely.

They were gathered again in Dumbledore's office for the fourth time in a month. After his brief conversation with Marina, Riddle had vanished back into the depths of the diary without a hint of reprieve.

"Marina, you must consider. This situation could have other explanations," Lupin said, his tone horribly reasonable "Perhaps you fell asleep and dreamt it – it's not like you can go back and check what you wrote –"

"I wasn't sleeping," said Marina fiercely. "It happened. I could feel it. I'm telling you, he's there, he's just watching, getting a feel of us before he does anything. He didn't want me to give you the diary, so maybe he's trying to figure a game plan."

Heart sinking, Marina watched as the four of them shared a look. She knew how she sounded – paranoid, chasing hallucinations. They didn't know her really. She'd come out of nowhere and spun this plan out of thin air from their perspective. Marina was sure they had started wondering if any of it was true outside her own head. She had a sick feeling that it was part of Riddle's plan.

Dumbledore surveyed her. He looked about as agitated as Marina had ever seen him. "Regardless," he said, "it is your week with the diary. If anything happens" – Moody gave a loud sceptical snort which the room largely ignored – "you must let me know immediately."

He handed her the diary and Marina nodded, feeling despondent. As the others left, Dumbledore called her name before she could get to the fireplace to go home. "Marina."

Shoulders slumped, she turned to find him giving her a serious look.

"This is not the time to let your emotions make you reckless. You must be vigilant of any vulnerability you show him." His eyes were intense from beneath the gleaming spectacles. She only nodded, throwing a handful of Floo powder into the fireplace and stepping through with a clear "Tomes and Scrolls!"

She stepped into her bedroom and kicked some of the ash that had come with her back into the fireplace. She angrily slammed the diary onto the desk, pulled out her quill and wrenched the book open on a random page.

'Care to explain?'

There was no reply and she felt her head spin, wondering if they had been right and she'd imagined the whole thing.

No, it had happened. She remembered the fear, the whispery voice that had been speaking to her in dark moments when she was alone. Suggesting things. She forced her attention back down to the diary and tried again.

'Hey, I know you're there. Why so quiet with the others, huh? Everyone thinks I'm lying now.'

She tapped her foot impatiently, waiting for the ink to sink in. There was an annoying pause before his reply finally bubbled up.

'You must admit, this is a strange set up I find myself in. Four formidable witches and wizards taking turns talking to me. Forgive me for being a little slow to get my bearings.'

Marina could have laughed with frustration. 'You could have said SOMETHING to them, they look at me like I'm crazy now,' she wrote furiously.

'You know, I have been wondering why a Muggle is in such close communications with the headmaster of Hogwarts, a senior professor, a werewolf, and an Auror. Perhaps you might explain that story to me, I'm sure it's a good one.'