Johnny was thankful that when the Slytherin's reached their common room that none of the others followed him back up to the dormitory. As soon as the door closed behind him, the blood returned to stain his hands and a knife fell from his trembling hands. The blade was solid silver, stained with red from the blood of the rooster that currently stained his hands, and the handle of the knife was a dark red leather with a pentagram carved into it.

Johnny rushed into the bathroom, frantically scrubbing his hands until the blood washed off and his hands turned red raw instead. That was where Daphne found him.

"What happened?" Daphne asked him, grabbing ahold of Johnny's hands so he wouldn't harm himself even more. Tears leaked from Johnny's eyes as he frantically tried to explain why the sink was stained with blood, before his breathing picked up and Daphne swore. "Johnny, honey, breathe."

Johnny shook his head frantically, clawing at his own throat. Panicked tears ran down his face as Daphne shouted curses, rushing over to Johnny's bed and pulling out his trunk.

"What's the matter!?" Pansy, Blaise and Theo shouted, their eyes dancing around in the room in panic.

"Is that blood!?" Theo exclaimed, rushing over to the bathroom sink.

"Fuck the blood!" Daphne yelled, digging through Johnny's trunk. "Johnny is having a panic attack!" Pansy's eyes found Johnny, who had his knees brought to his chest with blood staining his hands.

"Johnny, love?" Pansy said softly, kneeling down in front of him. Johnny's and Pansy's eyes met, and Pansy felt her heartbreak at Johnny's bloodshot eyes.

Daphne swiftly retrieved a small vial from Johnny's trunk and handed it to Pansy. "Calming draught," she said, her voice steady. "Johnny, sweetheart, drink this. It'll help."

Pansy carefully helped Johnny take the calming draught, her gaze never leaving Johnny's distressed eyes. The others gathered around, expressions shifting from concern to determination.

As the potion began to take effect, Johnny's breathing slowed, and the desperate look in his eyes started to fade. Daphne sighed in relief. "That's it, Johnny. Deep breaths. We're here for you."

Pansy gently wiped away the tears from Johnny's cheeks. "You're not alone, darling. Whatever it is, we'll face it together."

Once Johnny seemed more composed, Daphne looked at him seriously. "Now, tell us what happened. We're not going to judge you, but we need to understand."

With hesitant words, Johnny explained the unsettling events involving Mrs. Norris, the roosters, the blood and... Arachna, his voice barely above a whisper. The group exchanged worried glances.

Daphne sighed, her brow furrowing. "We'll figure this out, John. But first, we need to deal with Snape."

"Snape?" Johnny asked.

"Some friends in Gryffindor you've got," Blaise scoffed, receiving glares from Pansy and Daphne. "What? What kind of friends just turns their back on the other?" Blaise defended himself.

"Let's get this over with," Theo helped Johnny stand and gain his balance, before Pansy shrugged Theo off of the brunette and guided him to Snape's office. Dumbledore and Snape awaited them, which caused Johnny's blood to run cold.

"Thank you, Miss Parkinson," Dumbledore said, holding the door open for Johnny. "You may go."

"No, thank you," Pansy's smile was fake, she entered the office and stood behind Johnny who was sat in front of Snape. Dumbledore sighed and shut the door, casting a silencing charm around the office before taking a seat in front of Johnny and Pansy and beside Professor Snape.

"Your friends have made some wild accusations, Mr. Grindelwald," said Snape, his beady black eyes staring into his own. Johnny held his head high, he could feel both Snape and Dumbledore trying to probe his mind. However Johnny had already became somewhat skilled in Occlumency through the books he had read in the Parkinson home that previous summer. He allowed Snape and Dumbledore to see some memories of him with his friends over the last couple of days but nothing to get him into trouble.

Johnny's eyes darted nervously, and he hesitated before responding, "I don't know what they're talking about. I didn't do anything."

Snape's expression remained skeptical. "I find it hard to believe mere accusations, but you'll need to provide more convincing answers."

Pansy interjected, "He's had a panic attack, Professor. Can't this wait until he's in a better state?"

Snape's gaze lingered on Johnny before he reluctantly shook his head. "Unfortunately not, this is a very serious accusation, I'll expect a thorough explanation, Mr. Grindelwald."

Johnny glanced at Pansy gratefully before turning his attention back to Snape, his resolve strengthening. "I understand, Professor. But I assure you, whatever accusations they've made, I am innocent. If you allow me some time, I can gather my thoughts and present a coherent explanation."

Dumbledore's piercing blue eyes seemed to study his soul. "Johnathan, we must ascertain the truth behind these allegations. I trust you understand the gravity of the situation."

Johnny nodded, his mind racing. He knew he had to tread carefully, relying on his Occlumency skills to shield the truth, at least for now. "Of course, Professor Dumbledore. I'll provide whatever information I can to clear up this misunderstanding."

Snape's suspicion lingered, but he gestured for him to continue. "Very well, Mr. Grindelwald. But remember, the truth has a way of revealing itself eventually."

With a polite nod, Johnny excused them, feeling a wave of relief wash over him.

Pansy stayed close, concern etched on her face.

Back in the dormitory, Daphne, Theo, and Blaise were waiting anxiously. Their expressions softened with relief as Johnny and Pansy entered, concern etched on their faces.

"What happened?" Daphne asked, her voice filled with worry.

Johnny took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts. "I just had a meeting with Snape and Dumbledore. They wanted to know more about what happened with Mrs. Norris and the accusations made against me."

Pansy chimed in, her voice firm. "But we stood by Johnny's side and defended him. We told them that he's innocent and that we'll find the truth."

Theo stepped forward, his expression determined. "We're not going to let them tear us apart. We'll support Johnny and find a way to prove his innocence."

Blaise nodded, his eyes filled with determination. "Yeah, we'll stick together, just like we always do."

Daphne looked at Johnny with a mix of concern and determination. "We'll research, gather evidence, and find the truth. You're not alone in this, Johnny."

Johnny felt a surge of gratitude and determination. He knew he had a strong support system behind him, ready to fight for him. "Thank you, all of you. I can't express how much this means to me."

Pansy stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Johnny in a comforting hug.

Johnny reciprocated the hug, feeling a mix of emotions - gratitude, fear, and guilt. He knew he had to be honest with his friends, to tell them the truth about what had happened.

Breaking the embrace, Johnny took a step back and looked at his friends with a serious expression. "There's something I need to tell you."

Pansy, Daphne, Theo, and Blaise exchanged concerned glances, sensing the weight of Johnny's words. They nodded, silently urging him to continue.

Taking a deep breath, Johnny began to recount the events that led to Mrs. Norris's petrification and the accusations against him. He spoke of Tom Riddle's diary, the allure of its dark magic, and how he had unknowingly become possessed by the memory of Lord Voldemort himself.

"I was manipulated by Riddle's memory, controlled by him," Johnny explained, his voice filled with a mix of shame and disbelief. "I killed the roosters and set a Basilisk loose in the school."

Theo's eyes widened in shock, while Pansy, Daphne and Blaise exchanged glances, trying to process the gravity of Johnny's confession.

Johnny continued, his voice trembling slightly. "I felt... powerful. Like a different person. All the goodness and kindness in me was gone, replaced by this cold, uncaring monster. I didn't even realise what I was doing until it was too late."

Pansy reached out and gently squeezed Johnny's hand, silently conveying her support and understanding. The room fell into a heavy silence as his friends absorbed the truth of his words.

After a moment, Daphne spoke, her voice filled with determination. "We won't let this ruin you, John. We'll find a way to break the curse, to prove your innocence."

Theo nodded, his expression resolute. "We'll do whatever it takes to help you, Johnny. We'll find a way to bring you back."