Chapter 41 - War in the Forbidden Forest (2/2)

Neal grinned, ”I guess”. Dumbledore then asked, ”what are you here for, Neal?”. When Neal explained his problem, he took his wand and pointed at him and spoke a few counterspells he knows. ”Hmm, No. There's no curse placed on you. I think it was because of a cursed item you are using. Tell me, Neal, is there such a thing you are using?”.

Suddenly Neal realized and gasped, ”the diary”. Dumbledore asked, ”what diary?”. Neal replied with a frown, ”Tom Riddle's diary. It's been with me since Christmas. Tom Riddle placed his memory inside it. He helps me out with my studies and helps out with spells. I think he absorbs life force to converse. I just need to stop using it regularly”.

While Neal was about to tell how intelligent Tom Riddle is, Dumbledore grabbed his shoulders tightly. He looked into his eyes and asked, ”did you just say Tom Riddle's diary?”. Neal nodded.

Dumbledore then asked, ”how did you get it? Did Draco or his father Lucius Malfoy give it to you?”. Neal replied, ”no, I found it at Myrtle's bathroom. Not sure who dumped it there though”. Dumbledore then said, ”Neal, hurry up and bring it here, right now. No, we'll just go there”.

He grabbed Neal who was confused about why Dumbledore is in a hurry hearing Tom Riddle's name. Dumbledore and Neal apparated right before the Slytherin common room's entrance. He said, ”I'll wait here. You go and bring it”.

While everyone was wondering why Dumbledore appeared in the dungeons, Neal ran upstairs and just when he went to his room, he found that it was opened. He mumbled, ”didn't I lock the door while coming out? That means...”

He rushed to his room and checked the trunk under his bed. As he saw it was pretty much intact, he sighed with relief, ”no one tried to unlock my trunk and steal my suitcase. Just in case, let's check it”. Then he opened his trunk and saw everything was in its place.

As he looked around the room, he was startled, ”Merlins' Beard! The diary's gone”. Tom Riddle's diary which he just kept on the desk, in the morning disappeared. He rushed downstairs without greeting back, Daphne and Draco who were just on their way to his room.

As he went outside of the common room panting, Dumbledore eagerly asked, ”did you bring the diary? Where is it?”. Neal replied, ”someone broke into my room while I was on my way to the hospital. They touched nothing but took the diary”.

Dumbledore was taken back, ”what? are you telling the truth?”. Neal nodded, ”Believe me, Professor. I'm not lying. I will investigate and see if anyone asked my room number or went towards my room, today. By the way, what is that diary? Is it really a cursed item?”.

Dumbledore replied, ”something worse than that”. As Dumbledore apparated disappointedly, Neal thought, ”why, now of all times?”.

Meanwhile, Ginny looking at the diary in her hands while smiling, ”I finally got my diary back. Now, no one would be able to beat me in the final exams. I will beat that Eve once again and become the class topper. I really have to thank Hermoine for the help”.

The next day morning on Sunday, as Hermoine, Ron, and Harry went to Myrtle's bathroom, they saw there was a mess around the cauldron as it fell on the floor. The potion is all over the floor making Hermoine furious.