Chapter 56 – A Plan Undone!

    {Rigel''s room, Slytherin Dorm, Hogwarts}

    {4th Sep 1991}

    {3rd Person POV}

    ...

    ''You''re telling me the plot of the first, the second, and the third book are happening simultaneously???'' Rigel screamed in his thoughts as he walked back and forth, his mind going through the possible changes that could happen.

    ''I''m nowhere near ready to deal with the Basilisk... what even was its weakness, the rooster''s crowing? And I''m supposed to fight it?'' Rigel thought. The odd confidence that she had and Narcissa''s plan slowly made sense to him, during the first day Draco was provoking him without any reason.

    ''His aim would likely be to drag me into a duel where he could use the snake summoning charm forcing me to reveal that I''m a Parselmouth, since outside intervention would make it seem like I lost...'' Rigel thought, the liner progression of that story would end with him getting labeled as the heir of Slytherin and when the first student dies or gets petrified, he would be hauled off to Azkaban because the Malfoy family would already have trashed his reputation with the attacks on the Daily Prophet and made it seem like he''s the next Dark Lord.

    ''Still, it is a little early, and it''s a good thing that I caught on to the plan. I haven''t heard any whispers from behind the walls so whoever has the diary hasn''t started yet... I need to have a conversation with Myrtle and ask for her help...'' Rigel finished his short Plan B, though right now he had a unique opportunity to deal with this situation.

    He turned to Narcissa and looked into her eyes, the expression of shock that she had initially displayed was gone, hidden behind an impassive face.

    "I know you would fight back but I never realized you would do something that''s just dumb... Do you both husband and wife think that the Dark Lord is dead, that you could just throw away the diary he specifically mentioned to never reveal to anyone?" Rigel''s question was sharp and for a moment color left Narcissa''s face.

    Her mouth opened but no words came out as the scenario began to sink in, she then shook her head and retorted, "The Dark Lord died that night."

    "Really, are you really really sure, that Dark Lord didn''t have some escape plan when he went to attack the Potters? Then how about the Dark Mark, is the squiggly tattoo on your husband''s arm gone? Is he free from the mark of Slavery?" Rigel retorted right back. He knew Narcissa didn''t have answers to his questions because of what limited foreknowledge he had left. With the way things are changing, he wasn''t sure how long this advantage would last.

    "I don''t really care about any deal you speak of, as far as I can see your plan would never work. You know that the Diary could bring destruction inside Hogwarts but you don''t know what creature resides inside the chamber, once I gather some evidence I can simply absolve myself of any involvement with the attacks." Rigel shrugged it would be pretty easy since he knew he had an eavesdropper on this very conversation.

    "You can go, I don''t really think you have anything to offer." Rigel pointed at the door and waited. He was waiting for Naricssa to offer the information about who they planted the Diary on, and then they could begin negotiating, but the blond witch simply picked up the invisibility cloak, draped it on herself, and walked out of the room.

    ~Thud~

    With a soft thud, the door slammed shut, and he turned to look at the wardrobe. Rita walked out of the door with her eyes wide, the question that was on the tip of her tongue was blurted out, "The Dark Lord is alive?"

    ...

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