*If you're a returning reader, this rewritten version of the chapter is worth the reread!*
Chapter 10: Chambers and Tears
"Crap," Rose mumbled as a she fell on her back. The rocks on the cave wall came tumbling down creating a barrier between Ron and the twins. They were left alone to face whatever horrors were in the Chamber of Secrets.
Now, you're all probably wondering how in the bloody hell, did Rose Potter end up on the way to the Chamber of Secrets? Well, let's start with what had happen since the last time we've seen our dear heroine.
Over the course of four months much has happened.
Someone broke into the second year Slytherin girls' dormitory to dig through Rose's truck and find the diary. However before Rose could find the culprit, the next day Hermione showed up, paralyzed, at the Hospital Wing along with a Ravenclaw girl. In one hand was a mirror, and in the over was a crumbled-up page from a book. The page talked about a monstrous snake called a Basilisk which could kill if you looked into its eyes or petrify someone who say the reflection of its eyes. She had also written 'pipes' on the paper. Of course, only Rose, Harry, Ron, and Draco saw this paper. They were also the only one who understood what the paper meant.
The next thing to occur was Hagrid, the groundkeeper being arrested by Cornelius Fudge for being involved with the opening of the Chamber Of Secrets (but he isn't actually). Unfortunately, no one had any time to do anything about it because May had arrived which meant exams were here. The only good thing that occurred was that the Mandrakes had finally matured, un-paralyzing all of the victims just in time for their exams.
Rose had just come out from taking her potions exam with the fourth years (last exam of the year whoo), when Ron and Harry came running to her.
"Ginny!" Harry said.
"What?" Rose asked.
"Chamber of Secrets! Taken!" Ron wheezed out.
"What?" Rose asked again. The two boys grabbed her hands and dragged her away. They continued to run until they reached the third-floor corridor. On the wall, written in red paint was:
"Her skeleton will lie in the chamber forever…"
"Where could he have taken her?" Ron asked as panic entered his voice.
"We need to find the entrance," Harry said. Rose frowned. As she tried to think of where it could be. Then the idea popped into her head.
"Hermione is bloody brilliant!" She exclaimed. The two boys turned to look at her. "Remember 'pipes?' That's how the Basilisk is traveling and what's the only bathroom that no one ever goes to?"
"Moaning Myrtle's!" The boy exclaimed. Rose nodded her head.
The three started to run to the first-floor girls' bathroom. As Harry was checking the sinks and Ron was guarding the door, Rose wrote was writing two notes on scrapes on parchment. Both read:
Ron, Harry and I are going to the chamber of secrets to save Ginny. Don't freak out! Sorry for leaving you behind, but time's a wasting!
With a flick of her wand, both notes transformed into paper airplanes and flew off. One would go to Hermione who still in the Hospital Wing (all the victims were taking their exams there) while the other would go to Draco, who must have been somewhere in the castle.
"Found it!" Harry exclaimed. Rose rushed over to him. He showed her a sink faucet that had a snake in the form of a 'S' carved into it.
"Ready?" She asked. Harry nodded his head.
"Open!" Together the two spoke in parseltongue. Suddenly the sink sunk down into the floor revealing a passage way that went directly underground. Harry quickly dashed outside to bring Ron back into the bathroom.
"Bloody hell," Ron muttered when he saw the hole.
"Who's going first?" Rose asked. Without responding, Harry jumped into the hole. Rose and Ron quickly went to the hole and watched as Harry fell. Another five minutes had passed before they heard a 'Plop!'
"It's alright guys!" Harry yelled up at them. "It's soft landing!"
"Ladies first?" Ron said sheepish, looking at Rose. She smirked at him.
"Oh, of course," Rose said and then pushed him just like she did when he tried to pull the same thing in their first year. Ron let out a scream as he fell. Smirking, Rose twisted her hair into a bun before gracefully jumping in. After a few minutes she landed on her bottom on something soft.
"You're right, it is a soft landing," Rose said to the darkness.
"That's because you landed on my back," Ron groaned from beneath her. Getting off him, Rose and Harry casted a 'Lumos' charm (Ron couldn't since his wand still didn't agree with him).
"We must be miles under the school," Rose commented.
"Remember," Harry said quietly as they walked cautiously forward, "any sign of movement, close your eyes right away." They continued to down through the passageway. Beneath their feet, the sounds of bones crunching made their skin crawl.
"What's that?" Harry said as he shone his wand over something long and gruesome. It was the dried-up skin of a giant snake.
"It looks like its skin," Rose said.
"Blimey, it sheds," Ron said.
"The adventure ends here, children!" A voice startled them. They turned around to see Lockhart standing behind him with his wand also casting a light charm. They turned and turning their wands towards him. "Expelliarmus!" Ron's wand shot out of his hand and landed in Lockhart's.
"I shall take a bit of this skin back up to the school, tell them I was too late to save the girl, and that you three tragically lost your minds at the sight of her mangled body - say good-bye to your memories!" He pointed Ron's wand at them. Rose couldn't help but smirk; the idiot hadn't notice the obnoxious amount of Sellotape around Ron's hand-me-down wand.
"Obliviate!" Lockhart shouted. The spell however backfired, hitting the blond man so hard that he flew and hit the cave wall. Suddenly there was a rumbling and rocks began to fall down. Rose grabbed Harry and pulled at the same time that Harry had given Ron one mighty push.
"Crap," Rose mumbled as a she fell on her back. The rocks on the cave wall came tumbling down creating a barrier between Ron and the twins. Harry landed with a thud besides her, but he was quickly up on his feet again.
"Ron! Are you alright?" Harry yelled through the rocks. There was a moment of silence before a response was heard.
"Yeah, mate, I'm fine!" Ron yelled back. Harry and Rose let out a sigh of relief. "You and Rose go on without me! I'll try to dig a way through!"
With that Rose got up, grabbed Harry, and they went on. The tunnel turned and turned again. Every nerve in Rose's body was tingling unpleasantly, but she tried to keep a brave face for her brother's sake. And then, at last, as they crept around yet another bend, and saw a solid wall ahead on which two entwined serpents were carved, their eyes set with great, glinting emeralds.
They approached.
"Open, "said Harry and Rose, in a low, faint hiss. Rose felt an icy chill down her back. It was the first time she actually heard the hissing sounds they made.
The serpents parted as the wall cracked open, the halves slid smoothly out of sight, and Harry and Rose, shaking from head to foot, walked inside.
They were standing at the end of a very long, dimly lit chamber. Towering stone pillars entwined with more carved serpents rose to support a ceiling lost in darkness, casting long, black shadows through the odd, greenish gloom that filled the place.
"Where's Ginny?" Harry whispered, voicing Rose's thoughts.
They started to walk through the chamber. Every careful footstep echoed loudly off the shadowy walls.
Rose kept her eyes narrowed, ready to clamp them shut at the smallest sign of movement. The hollow eye sockets of the stone snakes seemed to be following them. Then, as they drew level with the last pair of pillars, a statue high as the Chamber itself loomed into view, standing against the back wall.
It was ancient, with a long, thin beard that fell almost to the bottom of the wizard's sweeping stone robes, where two enormous gray feet stood on the smooth Chamber floor. And between the feet, facedown, lay a small, black-robed figure with flaming-red hair.
"Ginny!" The two yelled as they ran towards the girl. They dropped to their knees, and Rose pulled her onto her lap.
"Don't be dead, don't be dead," Harry muttered as he checked for her pulse. "Alive." They let out some sighs of relief.
"Wake up sweetie, wake up," Rose said gently.
"She won't wake up," said a soft voice.
They jumped at the voice and turned around.
A tall, black-haired boy was leaning against the nearest pillar, watching. He was strangely blurred around the edges, as though they were looking at him through a misted window. He wore Slytherin robes with a shining prefect badge pinned to it. He looked barely sixteen.
Rose felt a shiver rack through her body. This boy had a familiar aura about him. It felt cold…dark…evil…yet seductive…Like the diary.
"Are you T.M.R.?" Rose asked, nervously.
Riddle nodded, not taking his eyes off them.
"Tom Marvolo Riddle, at your service," He gave Rose a deadly grin like he was about to eat her. She found her brother's hand and gripped it tightly. "I remember you going through my pages, dear. I was quite angry when you decided not to write in me. You angered me, sweatheart."
"What d'you mean, she won't wake up?" Harry said desperately, ignoring what he had said before. "She's not - she's not -?"
"She's still alive," said Riddle with a smug look. "But only just."
"Are you a ghost?" Harry said uncertainly.
"A memory," said Riddle quietly. "Preserved in a diary for fifty years."
He pointed toward the floor near the statue's giant toes. Lying open there was the little black diary Rose had found in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. Rose wondered how it had got there.
"You've got to help me, Tom," Harry said, raising Ginny's head again. "We've got to get her out of here. There's a basilisk ... I don't know where it is, but it could be along any moment ... Please, help me –" Rose stood up, but made no movement to help her brother who was trying to hoist Ginny up. She knew better. Tom was not going to help them.
"What did you do to her?" Rose growled at the memory. Riddle smirked at her and started to walk towards her. Rose tried to pull out her wand only to find it in Riddle's hand along with Harry's.
"Listen," said Harry urgently, his knees sagging with Ginny's dead weight. "We've got to go! If the basilisk comes -"
"It won't come until it is called," said Riddle calmly. He moved closer to Rose. She was frozen at her spot. All she could focus on was his handsome face. His dark eyes seemed to devour her, seeping into her mind, searching.
Harry lowered Ginny back onto the floor, unable to hold her up any longer. "What d'you mean?" he said. "Look, give me my wand, I might need it -"
Riddle's smile broadened. He placed a hand on Rose's cheek. It felt strange like a cold glove on her face. His touch paralyzed her. Rose tried to move but couldn't. He placed his other hand on her neck and began to bring his face closer to hers.
"You won't be needing it," he said. His voice was low yet rough. Harry glared at him.
"What are you doing? Stop touching her," Harry was yelling at this point. Riddle smirked and shot Harry a smug look before turning back to Rose.
"Why didn't write in my diary, darling?" Riddle growled, his face so close to hers. His nose nearly brushed against hers, and she could feel his left hand tightening its hold on her neck. It suddenly became hard to breath for her as she stared deeper into his dark eyes. His magical aura was rolling off of him in waves, overcoming her body with the sensations of the darkness…and yet she didn't want to move away. Rose felt attracted to whatever mystery Tom emitted. His magic seemed to be brushing up against her own, caressing it in the sweetest of ways like two star crossed lovers meetings again. His dark eyes continued to bore into her own, and whatever Tom was seeing in her green eyes seemed to please him greatly as if he was seeing some sort of forbidden secret within them…a secret that not even Rose was privy to.
Suddenly, Rose was pulled away from Riddle by her brother. Finally, being able to think again, Rose quickly moved by Ginny, trying to get as far from Riddle as possible. Riddle frowned at her distance, but quickly replaced it with his original smug look.
"We're going to talk now," said Riddle as he gave them a devilish smile, and he pocketed their wands.
The twins stared at him with matching green eyes stricken with fear.
"How did Ginny get like this?" Rose asked slowly. She could still feel the cools waves of Riddle's magic, and it was making it hard for her to concentrate on anything productive.
"I think I asked you a question first," said Riddle pleasantly. His dark eyes never left Rose as he scanned her up and down, like a tiger sizing up its prey. "But it's quite a long story. I suppose the real reason Ginerva's like this is because she opened her heart and spilled all her secrets to an invisible stranger."
"What are you talking about?" said Harry. Rose felt her heart drop to her stomach. She had a good idea of what Ginny's troubles were.
"The diary," said Riddle, annoyed. "My diary. Little Ginny's been writing in it for months and months, telling me all her pitiful worries and woes - how her brothers tease her, " -Riddle's eyes glinted evilly "how she didn't think famous, good, great Harry Potter would ever like her, how she wished if maybe she looked like Rose Potter maybe then the great Harry would notice her..."
All the time he spoke, Riddle's eyes never left them. There was an almost hungry look in them.
"It's very boring, having to listen to the silly little troubles of an eleven- year-old girl," he went on. "But I was patient. I wrote back. I was sympathetic, I was kind. Ginny simply loved me."
Riddle laughed, a high, cold laugh that didn't suit him. It made the hairs stand up on the back of Harry's neck, and made Rose want to hide beneath her bed covers.
"If I say it myself, Harry, Rose," He said their names like they were old friends, "So Ginny poured out her soul to me, and her soul happened to be exactly what I wanted ... I grew stronger and stronger on a diet of her deepest fears, her darkest secrets. I grew powerful, far more powerful than little Miss Weasley. Powerful enough to start feeding Miss Weasley a few of my secrets, to start pouring a little of my soul back into her. . ."
"What d'you mean?" said Harry, whose mouth had gone very dry.
"Haven't you guessed yet, Potter?" said Riddle softly. He looked back at Rose and winked at her. "But you've figured it out already haven't you, Rose? Ginny Weasley opened the Chamber of Secrets. She daubed threatening messages on the walls. She set the Serpent of Slytherin on four Mudblood."
"No," Rose whispered.
"Yes," said Riddle, calmly. He looked expectedly at Rose, waiting for her response.
"You monster," Rose sneered. Riddle's eyes flashed red and he smiled darkly.
"Thank you, you're too kind, darling," he said. "It took a very long time for stupid little Ginny to stop trusting her diary, but she finally became suspicious and tried to dispose of it. And that's where you came in, Rose. You found it, and I couldn't have been more delighted. But you could have imagined my disappointment when you threw me away to the bottom of your bag." The end of his speech seemed to anger him, and suddenly he moved towards Rose again. Before either her or Harry could react, Riddle had grabbed Rose by her wrist, pulling her towards him.
"Why didn't you write in me, Rose?" Tom repeated. His hold tightened and he looked deeply into her eyes. His magical aura continued to wash over her, but now his magic was no longer trying to caress hers…instead it felt like he was trying to drown her in his darkness.
"Let her go!" Harry yelled, staring at the scene before him with wide eyes. Compared to Riddle, his sister looked so small and frightened, and yet she wouldn't look away from the tall menacing boy.
"But I knew you would come, dear," Riddle hummed. He turned to look at Harry, briefing releasing Rose from the trance he put her in. "And you, Harry Potter, I have many questions for you."
"Like what?" Harry spat, fists still clenched.
"Well," said Riddle, smiling pleasantly, "how is it that you a skinny boy with no extraordinary magical talent - managed to defeat the greatest wizard of all time? How did you escape with nothing but a scar, while Lord Voldemort's powers were destroyed?"
The red gleam returned to his hungry eyes now. His hold on Rose tightened to the point that she feared he might break her wrist.
"Why do you care how we escaped?" said Harry slowly. He was trying to figure out how to get his sister away from Riddle without him reacting violently. "Voldemort was after your time."
"Harry," Rose said quietly from her spot besides Tom. Fear pooled within her and as she realized who was standing before them…and who currently had her right wrist in a death grip.
"Voldemort," said Riddle softly , "is my past, present, and future..."
Riddle finally let go of Rose's arm. She quickly scurried to her brother who immediately tried to hide her behind him. They watched as Tom pulled Harry's wand from his pocket and began to trace it through the air, writing three shimmering words:
TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE
Then he waved the wand once, and the letters of his name rearranged themselves:
I AM LORD VOLDEMORT
"You see! I am the greatest wizard in the world!" Riddle exclaimed. Harry took a step forward, clenching his fists.
"No, you're not! Dumbledore is!" Harry yelled back.
"Harry, don't!" Rose warned her brother as she grabbed his arm. The last thing she wanted to do was anger this being. Tom Riddle, Lord Voldemort, whoever he was, he was still dangerous.
Riddle face contorted into the foulest of looks at hearing the name. In the background, twinklign music could be heard but neither the twins or Riddle paid attention to it.
"Well, where's you great Dumbledore now!" Riddle spat at them.
"Besides, even if he's not here," Rose said, getting some confidence and move besides her brother. "My brother had already defeated you twice! What makes you think he can't do it again?" She rested her hands on her hips and tried to look unphased. Riddle looked absolutely murderous, and yet at the same time he looked disappointed at Rose, as if he expected her to be better than that…For a second, Rose wondered why she felt compelled to yield to Riddle. She tried to repress this instinct.
The music was becoming louder, distracting Riddle. Tom whirled around to stare down the empty Chamber. The music was growing louder. It was eerie, spine-tingling, unearthly. Then, as the music reached such a pitch, flames erupted at the top of the nearest pillar.
A crimson bird the size of a swan had appeared, piping its weird music to the vaulted ceiling. It had a glittering golden tail as long as a peacock's and gleaming golden talons, which were gripping a ragged bundle.
A second later, the bird was flying straight at Harry. It dropped the ragged thing it was carrying at his feet, then landed heavily on his shoulder. As it folded its great wings, Rose looked up and saw it had a long, sharp golden beak and beady black eyes.
The bird stopped singing. It sat still and warm next to Harry's cheek, gazing steadily at Riddle.
"That's a phoenix," Riddle stated. He looked calculating as he scrutinized the bird.
"Yeah, Fawkes," Harry replied.
"And that the sorting hat," Riddle pointed at the brown old hat. Then he starting laughing. "This is what the great Dumbledore sent to his defenders?" He became serious again. Ignoring the bird and her brother, Riddle looked to Rose who still stood defiantly besides Harry. "You should have written in my diary when you had the chance, Rose. You could have avoided this." Rose's eyes went wide.
"What are you talking about?" She asked. Riddle didn't reply. Instead he smiled devilishly at them with his dark hungry eyes.
"Kill them," Tom hissed the order in parseltongue. Before the twins could figure out who he was talking to, there was a rumbling as something was coming towards them… The basilisk was coming.
"Run!" Rose shouted as she grabbed her brother, who grabbed the sorting hat, and followed after. They kept their eyes forward as they felt and heard the basilisk slithering towards them. They continued to run and run through the tunnels until they heard a roaring.
Against their better judgment, Rose and Harry turned around to see Fawkes pecking out the basilisk's eyes out. The basilisk tried blindly to bite the golden bird as it flew over its head.
"NO!" They heard Riddle screaming. "LEAVE THE BIRD! LEAVE THE BIRD! THEY ARE BEHIND YOU. YOU CAN STILL SMELL THEM. KILL THEMI"
The blinded serpent swayed, confused, still deadly. Fawkes was circling its head, piping his eerie song, jabbing here and there at its scaly nose as the blood poured from its ruined eyes. They continued to run and duck from the basilisk and its swinging tail.
"Ow, " Harry said as he put on the sorting hat. Rose looked at him to see that he had pulled out a long ruby encrusted sword. Realization dawned on Harry. Pushing Rose behind him, Harry grabbed the sword and held it with two hands.
"What are you-?" Rose couldn't finish because the basilisk's head was lunging right at them. With a leap and mighty thrust, Harry stabbed the basilisk through the roof of its mouth.
"NOO!" Riddle yelled as he saw what happened.
"Ow," Harry groaned as he slipped to the floor. Rose raced towards her collapsed brother.
"Are you alright?" Rose asked desperately. Then she saw a long basilisk fang protruding from Harry's forearm. Riddle's mocking laughter filled the chamber.
"Oh, poor little Rose, what will you do now?" Riddle mocked haughtily. Like a ghost, Riddle appeared behind the girl. He watched her small frame shake uncontrollably. He leaned in close behind her until his hands rested on her shoulders, and his face was besides hers.
"He's going to die, Rose," Tom hissed into her ear. "He's going to rot down here where he belongs." His hands tightened on her shoulders. Rose let out a sob. "And then I'm going to kill you next, darling, and feed on your soul."
It felt like every bone in her body was on fire. Riddle's cold and dark presence was suffocating her. Rose couldn't think, she couldn't speak, she couldn't even breath. Her vision blurred and her hands began to shake. Her stomached churned violently and bile rose up in to her throat. Anger filled every part of her body, making her see red.
With a shriek, Rose pushed Riddle away from her. Caught off guard by the sudden movement, Riddle released her and stepped back. Rose could finally breath with him away from her. Frantically, she looked around until her eyes landed on the fallen basilisk. Without thinking, Rose ran towards it and ripped a fang out from its mouth. She turned back to Riddle.
"What are going to do with that?" Riddle smirked. "Kill yourself?" Rose gave him a deadly look. She took a few steps forward, being wary of Riddle as she approached his diary.
"Go fuck yourself," Rose growled. With one swing, she brought the fang down, piercing the leather of the diary. It started to shrieked a high pitch sound.
"YOU BITCH-" Riddle screamed as he reached for his diary. But it was too late, and he disappeared before he could finish speaking. Nothing was left of him except for Harry and Rose's wands that fell to the floor with an anti-climactic 'clack!' Scooping them up, Rose quickly returned to her brother's side. She rested his head onto her lap and pulled out the fang from his arm. It came out with a disgusting squish sound and black blood oozed out.
"Rose," Harry said softly, looking up at her with dim green eyes. She felt hot wet tears stream down her cheeks. Sobs racked through her body as she held him.
"I love you so much," Rose cried. She shook as she stroked his face. "Y-y-you're my every t-thing. W-what am I going to do without y-y-you?" He gave her a weak smile.
"I'm sorry for not keeping my promise," Harry replied with a hoarse voice. His eyelids drooped. "For not staying alive, but I love you too, I love you so much, Rosie." With that Harry's eyes fluttered closed. Rose let out a heart aching wail and began to sob over his body. Her heart shattered like glass and the pieces fell to the pit of her stomach, piercing her soul.
Suddenly Fawkes reappeared, still singing his eerie song, and sat next to her. He began to cry as well. Rose looked up at the holy creature as its golden tears welled up in its eyes before falling down onto Harry's wound. She watched in amazement as the golden tears rolled towards the open wound and began to piece together the broken bone, muscle, and veins until the skin began to seal up. As it did so, Rose felt the shards of her broken heart up heal as well. Suddenly, Harry's eyes flew open.
"Rosie?" He asked looking up at her as he sat up. "Is this heaven?" Rose smiled widely and swung her arms around him.
"No, stupid, you're still alive," Rose cried as she hugged him tightly. "Still alive."
Then they heard sobbing. Turning around, they saw that Ginny had woken up and was crying into her hands.
"It was m-me, Harry - but I - I s-swear –Rose-I d- diddt mean to -," Ginny sobbed as she hid her face in her small hands. "R-Riddle made me, he t-took me over –"
"Shh, it's alright, everything is fine," Rose cooed as she wiped the girl's face with her robes.
"Yeah, Riddle's dead," Harry assured as he held up the punctured diary, He stuffed it into his robe pocket and tried to help Ginny up. She stumbled and fell onto him.
"I can't walk," she replied, her cheeks red.
"It's alright," Harry replied with a kind smile. He turned around and squatted down. "Hop on." Nervously, Ginny jumped onto Harry's back and wrapped her arms around his neck. Despite his near-death experience, he felt strong enough to carry the smaller girl. Harry stood up and hoisted the thin girl onto his back. Turning around, he looked at his sister.
"Rose, what are you doing?" Harry asked. The red-haired Slytherin was currently collecting as many basilisk fangs and skins as she could into her robes (which she had removed and turned into a pouch).
"These would be great for potions!" Rose replied with a huge grin. Harry sighed, and heard Ginny giggle softy from his back. With Riddle's aura gone and Harry alive, Rose already felt a million times better. It seems that the phoenix song was lifting her spirits back up.
After leaving the chambers, Rose, Harry and Ginny found that Ron had pushed enough rocks out of the way to create a small opening for them to squeeze through. Lockhart was still there, even more useless than ever because apparently, he had lost all of his memories. When they reached the gaping hole, Fawkes had been somehow able to pull them up and into the first-floor bathroom. Once there, Harry and Rose resealed the chamber and went to find their professors.
They went to Professor McGonagall office to find that Dumbledore, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were there.
"My baby!" Mrs. Weasley cried when she saw Ginny, who was had just gotten off of Harry's back. Mrs. Weasley hugged her daughter tightly.
"What had happened?" Mr. Weasley asked. Then Harry, Rose, and Ron went into a detailed explanation of what had happened. Rose and Harry made sure to avoid mentioning Ginny's involvement with the diary.
"Well then, Mr. Weasley why don't you lead your parents and sister to the Hospital Wing," Dumbledore said. The ginger family made their way out. Dumbledore also dismissed McGonagall to take Lockhart to the infirmary as well. Then Dumbledore stood up and then led the two to his office.
"Licorice Wands," he mumbled at a Gargoyle statue. The stature turned revealing a staircase that lifted the three to his office. "Please sit, Harry, Rose." Dumbledore sat behind his desk. The two nervous sat at the two armchairs in front of his desk. Rose shifted her pouch of fangs and skins onto her lap, wrapping a protective arm around them.
"Don't worry, Miss Potter, I will not be taking your potions ingredients away," Dumbledore chuckled with a twinkle in his blue eyes. "Although, I think you should go give those to Professor Snape, now." Recognizing when she was being dismissed, Rose went to her feet. She gave her brother one last smile before leaving the office.
"Professor Snape! Professor Snape!" Rose called as she knocked repeatedly on his office door. The door swung open, revealing Snape sitting behind his desk, grading exam papers.
"Miss Potter, you're a mess!" Snape said when he noticed the state that his student was in. She was covered in dust, dirt, blood, and a strange black ooze. "What happened?"
"Harry, Ron, and I went to the Chamber of Secrets to save Ginny. So, we went and Harry killed the basilisk with Gryffindor's Sword and then I killed Tom Riddle. Then I thought Harry was dying but Fawkes saved him, and then Ginny woke up. So, then I saw the dead basilisk and remembered what you said before about its fangs and skins being rare potions ingredients, and well," Rose said all of this in one breath. She then sent down her robe pouch on the table and undid it, revealing the multiple fangs and scraps of thick skin. Snape's jaw dropped as he examined them.
"These are amazing," he said, still at a loss of words at the girl's story.
"I know, right!" Rose replied with a smile. Snape chuckled at her enthusiasm. He pulled a paper from his desk.
"Think you would also be happy to know that out of all of the fourth years, you, a second year, got the highest score," Snape said as he showed her the exam paper that had a large 'O' on it. This was prefect! Her brother and Ginny were alive, they had super rare ingredients, and she aced her exam. Her mood had done a complete 180-degree change in the way that only twelve-year-old kids seem to manage. Smiling widely, Rose hugged her professor. Snape, who had gotten used to her need of hugging over the year, patting her gently on the back until she let go.
"Thank you, Professor!" The girl exclaimed as she ran out of the office. Snape rolled his eyes but let a sigh of relief. Another year that Rose Potter came out alive was considered a success for him
…
As Rose made her way back to Harry, she passed Lucius Malfoy who glared at her. The tall blond man turned back to face them with his staff swinging in his hand.
"Let us hope that Mr. Potter is always around to save the day," Lucius Malfoy said in his elegant drawl. Harry shot him a look, puffed up his chest, and grabbed Rose's hand.
"Don't worry, we will be," Harry said. With that Malfoy gave them one last signature sneer and walked away.
"What was that about?" Rose asked. She was honestly impressed by her brother's attitude. Definitely a Gryffindor.
"Long story," Harry replied as he gave her hand a squeeze.
"And where's your sock?" Rose asked. Harry grinned.
"With someone who deserves it more." He replied proudly.
"You're such a weirdo." Yet despite her words, Rose kissed Harry on the cheek. Together, they walked to the Great Hall for the end of the year feast.
Rewritten 6/4/2018 3:47 AM