Chapter 2
The sound of a woman screaming abruptly woke Harry James Potter from his already restless slumber. The feint glow from his still flashing cheeks gave off enough light for Harry to locate his glasses relatively easily in the darkness. As he slipped his glasses further up his sweaty face he also instinctively reached for his wand that he now kept in a makeshift wand holster that he had fashioned from too broad pieces of elastic he had found in Fred and Georges old room the previous day.
Harry removed the wand from his wrist holster and quickly thought of the incantation that he needed. Straight away the wand tip burned to life giving off an eerie glow around the room.
Harry had practiced this simple incantation non-verbally in his spare time at night and had perfected it relatively easily.
But now his thoughts on what and where the scream had come from were interrupted by the buzzing sound of Harry's pocket sneakoscope that was in his trunk. Thinking that the screaming and the buzzing of the sneakoscope could not just be coincidences, Harry leapt from his bed still in his pyjamas and crept out into the hall leaving Ron sleeping like a brick as always in his bright orange adorned bed. Harry suddenly felt a sense of urgency towards the situation with the sound of another scream and rushed down the hall way to the girl's room bursting in holding his wand tightly in his hand.
Harry's wand light illuminated a scene that would have put his worst nightmares to shame. Glancing to his left he saw Ginny Weasly seemingly asleep; her breathing raspy, laying on her bed under the covers still. As terror flowed through his veins, his eyes scanned the room to where he could see Hermione laying on the floor up against the wall pointing her wand at the door behind him, tears streaming down her face. Without acknowledging Harry's entrance, she mouthed the words 'Opungo' in a strangled voice; a look of horror clearly written on her face. As the bright yellow birds that were conjured darted towards Harry, he realised too late that they were not aiming at him but at some other threat behind him.
He whirled around, but it was too late. The giant red eyes of a huge snake stared back evilly at him from the gloom before striking Harry. Harry felt a sharp pain and a feeling of icy cold rush through his leg, followed by the warm feeling of blood. Harry stumbled back in shock at the size and ferocity of the snake but was saved from its second blow by the arrival of Hermione's conjured birds which flew around rapidly attacking the snake. Using the snakes distraction to his advantage, Harry turned to Hermione and staggered over to her; the pain in his leg making him wince as he went. Harry noticed that the snake had managed to attack Hermione and there was bright red claret running from a wound on her left arm near her shoulder. Suddenly as Harry reached her, her eyes started to drift closed as she lost consciousness. Harry fearing the worst shook her and screamed at her to stay awake but to no avail. 'She can't die on me now, not now'. Harry turned and saw that the birds were significantly lesser in numbers and that they were quickly shimmering from existence. The snake was zigzagging smoothly towards him as if on ice and its huge body was still uncoiling behind it as it went. The snake began talking to Harry. 'Look now Harry, look how your friends lay dead around you, look now for the last time'.
Harry ignoring the snake's taunts simply stood and flicked his wand at the rapidly advancing serpent. The snake was suddenly flipped into the air, writhing to get free of its magical bonds. Again Harry, furious anger boiling in his soul, cast without words Sectumsempra imagining the snake being shredded to pieces but the spell came out weakly as another wave of pain and nausea swept through him; from the snakes venom no doubt he thought. Never the less the monster writhing in the air was hit with the spell and hissed in pain as it was covered in deep scratches. As Harry's concentration wavered with the increasing pain in his leg, the snake that he had guessed was Nagini by now also fell to the floor with a heavy thump instantly resuming its advance upon Harry. Feeling an overwhelming weakness flood through his arms he dropped his wand and collapsed next to Hermione on his knees. Harry reasoned that there was now a very good chance that he was going to die if no help came to him as he couldn't hold his wand let alone fend off a giant demon snake. But he realised that no one could help him now; all of his last great defenders were dead, killed mercilessly by voldermort and his followers. Despair hit him like a tidal wave. The snake was suddenly upon him, its fat scaly body weighing him down easily as it coiled its self around Harry.
The snake raised its head and red eyes bored into green as it spoke. 'Its over Potter, you die tonight Harry'.
Harry glared straight back into the snake's eyes and weakly managed to taunt back in parcel tongue. 'I've heard that somewhere before Tom'.
The snake paused suddenly as if in thought and then let out an insane cackle that rippled through the room sending a shiver down Harry's spine.
' That old fool had taught you well about me then Harry; taunting Lord Voldemort with the use of his old name' ' it is indeed a shame that you just like him and every one else that taunts Lord Voldemort will have to die'.
With this the snake reared up to strike ready to finish of the boy who lived for good.
Harry knew at that moment as the snake bore down upon him that he had failed. Failed his God father, failed his friends, failed his headmaster and failed his mother and father. As his last thoughts rested upon his mother and father, an image flickered across his mind like a blurry pensieve manifestation. Harry saw his parents, their back turned seemingly in conversation. A weight suddenly felt lifted from his shoulders and Harry now saw that the room was glowing with a blazing golden light and the snake along with its long sleek body was now pinned like a hunting trophy against the wall over by the far end of the wall. A ravaging wind seemed to be swirling around in the room and every where bits of parchment and socks were being whipped up into the air. Harry's hope had been rekindled and fuelled his rage at Tom riddle. As Harry's fury continued so did the snake continue to be crushed against the wall although it was no longer struggling as it had been and looked motionless to Harry.
Harry glanced down at the warm wetness that was running down his calf soaking his pyjamas in blood. Harry felt feint and he finally succumbed to the poison. Falling on his side next to Hermione he opened one eye briefly, enough to see the snake up again and advancing angrily towards him but with the red gleam now absent from his eyes. Harry gripped Hermione's limp hand in his and closed his eyes, a dim flash of red registering through his eyelids as he waited for death to finally take him. Yes he thought he would see his parents again after all.