Tom Riddle's Diary
"Funny, the damage a silly little book can do, especially in the hands of a silly little girl..."
Creation of the Diary as a Horcrux
When Riddle started his sixth year, Professor Dumbledore, then professor of Transfiguration, began suspecting Riddle. Knowing it was no longer safe to open the Chamber and that the school might be shut down if another student was harmed, Riddle framedRubeus Hagrid and his pet Aragog for the crimes. He imbued the diary with other powers so that the Chamber could be opened again in the future.
Riddle also questioned Potions professor Horace Slughorn about the properties of a Horcrux and how one might create multiple ones. Influenced by Riddle's charisma and believing his own wisdom was being admired, Slughorn told Riddle what little he knew on the subject.
"While the magical container is still intact, the bit of soul inside it can flit in and out of someone if they get too close to the object. I don’t mean holding it for too long…I mean close emotionally. Ginny poured her heart out into that diary, she made herself incredibly vulnerable. You’re in trouble if you get too fond of or dependent on the Horcrux."
As a Horcrux, the diary allowed a writer to communicate with the memory of the sixteen-year-old Tom Riddle merely through writing on the journal's blank pages. The diary could transport the reader into a realm of memories, much like the Pensieve. The diary was also able siphon the life force from a reader and transfer it to Riddle's stored memory. This act was an effort to create a physical body for the sixteen-year-old soul of Tom Riddle. The closer a writer became to the memory of Tom Riddle emotionally, the more power the diary would have over him or her.
It is unclear whether other Horcruxes include any these same abilities; however, Salazar Slytherin's Locket had a negative effect on the physical and emotional bodies of those who wore it.
Re-opening of the Chamber of Secrets
"...I was patient. I wrote back. I was sympathetic, I was kind. Ginny simply loved me... No one's ever understood me like you, Tom... I'm so glad I've got this diary to confide in... It's like a friend I can carry around in my pocket... If I say it myself, Harry, I’ve always been able to charm the people I needed."
In 1992, Ginny Weasley came into the possession of the diary through the scheming of Lucius Malfoy, who wanted to sabotage Ginny's father. She soon learned how to use the diary to communicate with Tom Marvolo Riddle, though she was unaware that he was Lord Voldemort, or if he was even real. Ginny wrote all of her deepest feelings and secrets in the diary, including her feelings of infatuation towards Harry Potter.
When the attacks began, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger began to investigate the matter. They initially suspected Draco Malfoy, who was openly prejudiced toward Muggle-borns, but after using Polyjuice Potion to spy on him, they discovered that he knew little about the attacks. Hermione eventually deduced that the monster had to be a Basilisk, but she was petrified before she could inform Harry or Ron, though she managed to leave them a clue.
Harry heard strange voices in the walls of Hogwarts, which implied the urge to kill. Harry followed the voices through the Hogwarts corridors until he came upon the second floor girls' lavatory. It was here that he discovered the waterlogged diary, which Ginny had discarded in an emotional fury. Soon enough, Harry was communicating with Tom Riddle, who showed him a memory within the diary in which Riddle confronted Rubeus Hagrid about the keeping of a dangerous pet. This implied to Harry that Hagrid had opened the Chamber of Secrets, but Riddle was merely using Hagrid's pet Acromantula, Aragog, as a scapegoat so Hogwarts would not be closed down.
Later, Ginny stole the diary from among Harry's belongings, and shortly thereafter went missing. She was forced to paint a threat on her life on the walls of a hallway and sealed herself inside the Chamber. Hogwarts was again under threat of being closed.
Destruction
"Haven't I taught you anything? What have I always told you? Never trust anything that can think for itself if you can't see where it keeps its brain!"
Harry returned to the girls' lavatory and successfully discovered and opened the Chamber of Secrets. Harry, Ron, and Professor Gilderoy Lockhart made their way into the Chamber. Lockhart, who had no plans to actually fight the Basilisk, attacked the students with Ron's own broken wand, which backfired on Lockhart, wiping his memory. Harry continued into the Chamber, where he discovered an unconscious Ginny next to Tom Riddle, who was gaining strength and form.
Lord Voldemort was unaware that this Horcrux had been destroyed until he forced the truth out of Lucius Malfoy (who did not know the Diary was a Horcrux) shortly after his return to power in June of 1995. He was furious to learn of its destruction.
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