Hello! I'm sorry I'm so very very late!
Well for a recap, I use the 'nee LastName' because it is still a legal but more hidden last name. Nee is defined as 'originally called; born.' It is mainly used for women's maiden names, but that is not the only application available.
Remember! We're tracing their lineage back over 2,000 years! Lots of things can happen to last names and Lordships in that amount of time. (Not to mention this is a work of fiction.) Both Neville and Harry's ancestors found the need to hide their lineage by using the maternal last names available to be inherited by their offspring. The 'nee mainline' names are still legally there but are only shown in Gringotts inheritance test and their own private family grimoires.
Think of it like this:
Hadrian James
Evans (maternally inherited the full 'mainline' because it is a new magical line with Lily being the original magical 'ancestor')
Potter (Paternally inherited the full 'mainline' as he is the last living descendant of the Gryffindor nee Pendragon's who changed the main name used from Gryffindor to the symbolic name of Potter after they developed the Metamorph Ear-cuffs. They could do the change as they are not the 'mainline' for Gryffindor but a branchline.)
Peverell (Paternally inherited the full 'mainline' as he is the last living descendant of the youngest brother. The youngest brother (and therefore not the heir) of the three Peverell brothers married the heiress of the Gryffindor nee Pendragon line and took on her names as she had no brother so she was the sole inheritor. Tom, who is the descendant of the middle brother, is neither alive nor dead and so lost the right to inherit the name. This could change if Tom gains a body. This particular name wasn't completely disclosed yet, but I figured, 'what's the harm?')
Gryffindor (maternally inherited through Queen Guinevere. Not the 'mainline' but could inherit if the 'mainline', the Longbottom's, dies out. In other words he would not be called the Heir of Gryffindor. For example, you could have Black for a last name but not be Heir Black in line for the Lordship.)
nee Pendragon (He was born Pendragon but the name was magically hidden while the maternal name of Guinevere took its place. Queen Guinevere was the sister of Lord Gryffindor and she retook her maiden name in order to hide her son the prince after Arthur's defeat by the Romans. Technically she needed her brother's permission as the Lord of the line in order for her son to be called Gryffindor, but as his Queen and Arthur being his Blood Oath King, I don't foresee much of a struggle.)
Neville Frank
Longbottom (maternally inherited the full 'mainline' as the mother of the Heir of Gryffindor was the last descendant of the Longbottom line. An undisclosed historical incident happened that made the Gryffindor's feel the need to hide their heir.)
nee Gryffindor (He was born 'mainline' Gryffindor and is, therefore, Heir of Gryffindor.)
Clear as mud? Wait till we get into Tom's tree ;) lol
"Conversations"
'Internal Monologues'
~Dragontongue~
sssParseltonguesss
[Action]
Chapter 9: Dear Diary
Christmas was wonderful. Ethan Bond, magi-carpenter extraordinaire, sent the little Dragon Lord two new pieces for his wizard's chess set: Rook Luna stood on top of a portion of a castle wall with her skirts and cloak billowing from a non existent wind. Her face was tilted towards the ceiling while a tiny, brightly colored hummingbird perched on her head. Knight Neville was in an aggressive stance facing forward with a sword in his hands and a little owl perched on his shoulder. The little figurines explained the carpenter's curious question about what Neville and Luna's familiars were when they picked up Luna's Christmas present.
The twins had sent him some chocolate frogs along with a note telling him that the enquiry he had given them on the train at the beginning of the year was still a work in progress.
Lady Longbottom gave him a self-inking quill which was absolutely wonderful! As long as he kept his hand moving relatively steadily, the amount of blots on his parchment diminished by at least half. His teachers were sure to appreciate the gift as much as he himself did.
Luna sent him a circlet along with an explanation that since the diadem had been defiled he should use this one instead. Harry had no idea what diadem she was referring to, but he filed it away as 'probably important to remember at some point.' This was Luna afterall. The circlet itself was actually gorgeous in its simplicity. The twisting metal formed a small detailed dragon in flight with two tiny citrine quartz for eyes. Apparently it had been in her inheritance bag that she had received upon her mother's death. Harry resolved to give the heirloom back the next time he saw her with a warning not to give such precious things away so carelessly. At Neville's amused insistence, he eventually tried it on. It wouldn't come off. Lady Longbottom had smirked and asked if there was another headwear fad she had been unaware of. For the first time in years, Harry actually blushed.
'Blast it all to Camelot and back again! Luna better know how to get this bloody thing off or I'll never hear the end of it! Though it does conveniently pull attention away from my scar…. And the dragon a brilliant… No! I don't want to wear a crown! Arthur will cackle like a loon if he catches me with this stuck to my head! I'll never hear the end of it!'
Neville gave him the most cherished gift of all though. It was a pocket watch with the Pendragon shield of arms on the front and a picture of Harry's parents just out of Hogwarts on the inside of the cover. He had never seen his parents before that moment. To say that Harry was close to tears was an understatement. Later on, Neville show him all the intricacies the watch offered. In addition to his parents' picture, if he tapped on the closed watch twice with his wand and whispered Neville or Luna, their individual pictures would replace his parent's picture and an extra hand on the watch would point to one of three state of beings etched around the clock face: Safe, Hurt, or Endangered. He could add more pictures and track the person if they willingly gave him a lock of hair to drop in the watch. The back of the watch had four small images etched on the surface: the Peverell symbol of a circle containing a triangle with a line through it, the Potter symbol of a man partway morphed into a bird, the Gryffindor symbol of a roaring lion, and the Evans symbol of a tiger lily in full bloom.
Neville for his part had danced around the room upon receiving Harry's gift. The tiny whomping willow sapling was the size of a bonsai tree currently. By the time the two boys graduated it would be around three feet tall. Due to the slow growth, Neville would be able to take it to Hogwarts with him via his trunk's Greenhouse. No doubt he'd have a special place set up for it in Getaway Tower within a day of their return. Luna had sent him a baby mandrake plant and a booklet full of the different uses each part of the plant could provide. Lady Longbottom had a dry comment to add about how dangerous her grandson was turning out to be with his "plant minions increasing at a most alarming rate."
She herself had given Harry and Neville matching black top hats with a jaunty set of three small blue feathers for Harry and an elegantly long dark wine red feather for Neville. The lady of high fashion herself received an outrageously majestic wide brimmed current red hat with gold ribbons from Neville and a 20 cm norwegian ridgeback dragon clip for hat or hair from Harry. They all decided that high tea out in the conservatory where headwear was acceptable was in order.
A few days later, for his New Year's Eve Resolution, Harry had decided he should take up creative writing in a very specific, conveniently blank diary. In a very careful way of course. He had promised Luna afterall.
[Hmmmmm] 'Oh, the possibilities.' Harry had the most devious smirk on his face as he pulled the old leather diary of one T.M.R. closer to him and opened it to the first page.
'Time to solve a riddle.' [har har]
Once upon a time in a land not so far away but in a completely different world, there was little boy baby who had gree
Harry watched with interest as the words suddenly sank into the page and disappeared.
Hello, My name is Tom Riddle. May I ask who you are and how you came by my journal?
The elegant script appeared where his previous "story" had begun.
Um… Sorry, but this book is blank. That's why I was going to write my story in it. Where the bloody… did my writing go!? [HP]
Your writing came to me, and even though this book may appear blank it most certainly isn't. [TMR]
It's is actually. Particularly in regards to the writing I want to be showing. What a useless book. I should have known something was off and tossed you straight in the rubbish heap. [HP]
I'm hardly useless. I hold many secrets of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in my depths. The magic of this diary is both rare and unique deserving of much more articulate writing than a plebeian "Once upon a time" story. How muggle. [TMR]
This Tom fellow was absolutely oozing outrage and arrogance. And… Harry's Mind Ring was warming up and the gem was glowing yellow… The diary had the nerve to cast a compulsion charm on him!
My name i… [HP]
'I. Don't. Think. So.' Harry slammed the diary shut and dug into his trunk's Treasure compartment for his mind clearing crystal.
Half an hour later (most of said time was spent venting his annoyance to three very amused dragons… 'Honestly! The audacity of the glorified notebook!'), Harry resumed his seat at the desk in the guest room he used at Longbottom Manor. His mind clearing crystal was in one hand, a quill in the other hand, and the diary spread out in front of him.
Alright you mischievous piece of animal skin and wood (that's leather and paper), you have a few choices to pick from. [HP]
I am quite clever enough to know what you meant by animal skin and wood. Though your crude description leaves much to be desired. [TMR]
1) You throw mind magic at me. I clear it off. I burn you.
2) You throw mind magic at me. I clear it off. I give you to a teacher and explain how I saw Lord Malfoy slip you in with Ginny's things last summer. And no, I won't be suspected of stealing you. Ginny threw you in a toilet.
3) You throw mind magic at me. I clear it off. I use you to practice my ABC's… for as long as it takes to drive you batty.
4) You DON'T throw mind magic at me. We get to know each other like normal people.
I'll warn you right now, the great and noble Dumbledore himself has sent several compulsion charms at me. Now, I despise him. I hate being manipulated even more than I hate
Harry suddenly caught himself… mustn't give too much information (ammo) to, well, anyone. In reality, one of the things he despises the most is when a person smiles while twisting someone to their will with lies and deceit in order to use him or her. Often times, once what is wanted is taken, the person being manipulated is thrown away in ruin. That sort of thing can be worse than blatantly mistreating someone. At least one knows with the later that he or she is hated, saving the heart and trust from being ruthlessly crushed. In a nutshell, it's disgusting behavior and turned Harry's stomach with threats of his Ghost Freak persona's emanate necessity.
Nevermind. If you insist on trying to manipulate my mind, I will get rid of you in a permanent way. There is no need for the world to house such an object. Am I clear?[HP]
The words sank in and a full minute passed before the response started to spiral across the page.
I'm sorry that I offended you. You must understand, I am a precious possession to my original writer. In fact, I am a memory of him. To be passed through so many hands suddenly after so many years is a bit concerning. However, being compared to Professor Dumbledore is a low and cruel insult. That interfering buffoon has absolutely no similarity to myself. What little good sense I thought you might have by your ability to assess his true personality was clearly overestimated if you think to compare the two of us. [TMR]
Well it is hardly my fault that no one seems to want to keep you around, now is it. Perhaps if you kept your compulsion charms to yourself they'd keep you longer? You should be grateful that I saved you from a watery grave. [HP]
'Well, Luna did. But he doesn't need to know that for now.'
I take it you are choosing option 4? [HP]
Yes. [TMR]
You were curious about my name earlier. I have many names and many titles. Which, if any, I will give to a self-important semi-sentient diary is yet to be seen. How old are you? [HP]
Let's make a deal. An answer for an answer, sound fair?[TMR]
I'm not sure I'm that interested in you. I think I'd rather just write my story like I was planning the whole time. [HP]
Another smirk slid across the young dragon lord's lips. Oh the feel of messing with the parasite shard in this book was absolutely exhilarating.
'Time for a subject change before he gets his bearings.'
So, Tom, there's this kid at the school who supposedly defeated the scariest dark lord ever when he was a baby. His name is Harry Potter. Did Ginny ever mention him? [HP]
...Yes, she might have mentioned him a time or two. [TMR]
Supposedly he, the dark lord, could talk to snakes and a lot of his followers are from Slytherin. In fact, I've been informed that "no wizard that ever went bad wasn't in Slytherin." On a side note, do you wanna know a secret? [HP]
Even though I must take exception to that quote, I'm waiting with baited breath to hear your deep dark secret. [TMR]
Harry wasn't sure if that was sarcasm or not.
I have a sneaking suspicion he was a Gryffindor. [HP]
The diary literally shook in outrage. Harry actually let out a cackle in response. Who knew baiting the soul of Voldemort would be so fun?
I mean, he went around murdering people and making a vigilante group. That is so Gryffindor: The bold, the brave, the rash. The people who are never wrong and will take stupidly violent confrontational means to see their beliefs through. If he was Slytherin he would have worked his way from the inside out in the Ministry of Magic. Cunning. No one would even know he was a Dark Lord even as he sat in the Minister's chair controlling all of Magical Great Britain. Instead he's just some insane mass murdering bigoted hypocrite. [HP]
The diary was eerily unresponsive.
'Can you kill a soul fragment by shock and mortification?'[evil laugh]
Perhaps some extenuating circumstances forced him to act out of character. Getting the facts of the matter will probably be impossible at this point and time. I am 16, or I was when I changed my diary into a memory vessel. [TMR]
'Hmmmm. I guess I should give him a bit of a carrot. I've already used plenty of stick.'
I am 12. Nice to meet you Tom. [HP]
Harry calmly closed the book and pushed it to the center of the desk. After contemplating his options a bit he turned to his loyal dragons.
~I am sure your right, Chaos. It's definitely containing another soul fragment, the same as was part of my scar. I think we should research Tom Marvolo Riddle and find out all we can about him. Luna said he was mine but not mine. She said we were bonded by blood and soul. I believe the soul bond was removed this with the fragment last week. I have no idea if a blood bond actually persevered without any actual blood remaining with the entity in question. I'm guessing he is one of the Blood Oath Lines from King Arthur just like Neville and Luna. If he was actually the real Heir of Slytherin, which seems likely as he was a parselmouth, then he would be the 'Advisor.' It's sad that Percival Slytherin's line has ended with a lunatic. He seemed brilliant even if he didn't let me escape Arthur.~
~You're right. Advisor Knight Percival was very wise.~ Atlas agreed.
****Flashback to Percival's Lesson****
"If I may ask, Merlin, why is it that you do not wish to be a King? I would think most would be proud to find out they are royalty. Consider the power at your disposal." Percival smoothly moved to sit at Harry's side. Despite the fact that he now had his legs hanging over the edge of one of the higher battlements of the castle, the man still managed to look as elegant and predatory as the servant's rumors claimed.
Harry gave the man a considering gaze. "I don't like my choices being taken from me. I hate being used. Taking care of a nation of illogical followers would be tiresome. So much work, and for what?" He turned his gaze back down to the little people far below. They looked like ants running around gathering things and rushing back to their holes...houses. "Power over those who don't think for themselves? What would that give me? I'd have to work that much harder as I would have to think for them as well. I have my dragons and my friend. I don't need anything else. People are cruel. Why would I want them."
The man beside him followed his line of vision and kept silent for a few minutes before presenting his answer. "It is my understanding from a month of observation of your words, actions, and attire, that you have led a hard life which has forced you to control that which you were able for your own safety. The only thing, based on your physical appearance and flinches, you were able to control was your own mind. Some would consider you to suffer from a multiple personality disorder. However, you show too much control over your different personas for me to believe that to be the case. On the other hand, they are not masks such as I use as no deceit is ever present in your eyes. I would venture that every persona I've witnessed has been a part of the true you. I wonder, has anyone truly met the full you?"
Harry stared at the man beside him with no little amount of shock. His hands gripped the stone wall beneath him till his knuckles turned white and his fingers were in pain.
"Arthur has had the life of a prince. His battles and struggles are completely different from your own. It is no wonder that you two are forever butting heads like the bucks during the fall. Your horns will remain locked until one of you falls or you finally back down. Such is your strength of will. Where Arthur is proud to lead in his father's path, you are fine with cutting your own trail with those few you have allowed close. Yet, all is not lost. The Prince has a good heart. For you, I believe he will open his eyes and look to be greater than that which he would have been following his father's will. In the space of a month you have forced him to open his eyes to things even I, the Lord Slytherin and rightful Advisor to the royal line, could never achieve."
"Slytherin? Your family name is Slytherin? Oh Merl… Oh Magic. The Slytherin line is the King's Advisor. I had forgotten. That does make sense though." Percival chuckled softly as he watched the young Heir cycle through faces of shock and realization. Perhaps the child would stay. His affect on Arthur made the man eager to see what man and boy would achieve as King someday...both of them.
****Back to the Present****
~What should I do with him/it? Lock it up in a lead containment box like I did the one from my scar? Get to know him and figure out what makes him tick? Give it to a teacher? I don't know…~
~Well, you offered a deal to him and he accepted option 4. It would be dishonorable to break an agreement.~ EmberLight gave him a slightly reprimanding look. ~If you weren't going to follow through then you shouldn't have offered.~
~That's true. You are right Ember. Thank you.~ Harry sighed and leaned further back into the chair. ~If this fragment is his 16 year old self, then he isn't my parents' murderer exactly. I'm not sure how he came into being, so I'll withhold full judgment on this fragment for now. There was no limit on time or the amount of information to share, so I can cut it off once we feel that I have sufficiently gotten to know him.~
~Acceptable.~ Atlas agreed and then he morphed back into the owl disguise and left the room in search of his noble rider. Neville was probably down in the Greenhouse still. He'd been lamenting the 'deplorable' state it had fallen into in only a few months of his absence. Harry slipped the diary back into his bag and started to stretch his hands above his head.
'Harry,' Norstra quietly drew Harry's attention inward to his mindscape for a long needed discussion, "there is someone who keeps trying to get close to you. So far I've been able to block him from physically getting close, but I think he's the one who closed the barrier at Platform 9 3/4 and charmed the Bludger to attack you in the stands during the quidditch game last term. Chaos and I have talked about it and the magical signature seems to be the same in all instances.'
'And you don't know who this person is?' The aforementioned bludger had completely blasted the Ravenclaw section of the stands to pieces in its pursuit of the little dragonlord. This occurrence had elevated his wariness of the bludgers part of the game into a 'avoid at all costs' level. Even though Harry loved flying on both his dragons and on a broom, he hadn't tried out for the open spots on the Ravenclaw quidditch team. Being a beater just wasn't very interesting to him. Actually it set off all of his survivalist warning bells at deafening levels. If the seeker position opened up he might give it a shot though. Possibly. As long as possessed iron balls weren't literally chasing after him trying to blast his bones apart. Magic knows what would have happened if he'd been a hair slower.
'We don't think it's a person. However, we don't know anymore than what we've just told you.'
'Well this certainly is unexpected. Do you think you'll be unable to continue blocking him?'
'I seem to be stronger than him as I'm drawing extra power from our bonds, so it shouldn't be an issue. I wasn't sure if you'd want to try meeting him and finding out what his objective is. To be honest it's a bit tiresome to keep a constant block up.'
'Hm… I see. Well, nothing for it then. Let down the block and let's meet this menace.' Harry brought his consciousness fully back to reality and stood up with his wand at the ready. Norstra climbed out of his wild hair and hovered over his left shoulder so she'd be ready to block the mysterious enemy if he tried to attack right away. Chaos was now about a foot long and was wrapped around his shoulders while EmberLight stood by his side. Her back was now even with his waste. They didn't have to wait long. A sudden pop was heard slightly to left and a strange creature came into view.
"It is a great honor to meet the great Harry Potter, sir. Harry Potter must not return to Hogwarts. It's not safe! Dobby has tried to warn the great Harry Potter but was unable to get close." The large eyed, pillowcase clad being twisted his fingers together in obvious agitation.
"I was under the impression that you were the one behind the attacks on my person."
"Dobby never meant to kill Harry Potter, sir. Only to hurt or seriously harm… Harry Potter must leave Hogwarts. Dobby's evil master has made it dangerous!" Suddenly the little being started whacking himself on the head with a transfiguration book that Harry had left on the nearby bed. "Bad Dobby! Mustn't speak bad of master! Bad elf!"
Harry and company stared in disbelief as the little… sentient being (apparently? maybe? presently debatable...) dropped the book and instead got down on his knees and started pounding his head into the stone floor.
"STOP!" Harry shook his head in annoyance. "Norstra bind him to a chair. You, Dobby was it?, what exactly are you. Why is it Hogwarts not safe for me when the only danger to my person has been from other students and yourself. Trying to seriously harm me does not convince me that you are looking out for my well being!"
"Oh! The great Harry Potter remembered Dobby's name! Dobby is so honored! Dobby is a house elf, sir. Harry Potter must not be at Hogwarts, sir. It is better to be harmed than do be dead, sir." Dobby nodded his head with determination. "Dobby is sorry, but Dobby has to return back to his bad masters now." With a snap of his fingers the little house elf disappeared from the chair with another pop.
"What in the world… Is he crazy? I can't… What the... bloody…" Harry sat back down and shook his head in complete shock. "I don't even know what to say to that." Harry took a minute to sift through the short conversation. "I think you don't have to bother blocking, Norstra. Seems his way of saving me will be indirect. Not that that's a relief."
"No kidding." The two dragons and one fairy pixie were still staring at the empty seat in disbelief. "Insane, that one." Chaos added.
****One month after Christmas Holiday****
I can show you what I know about the Chamber of Secrets if you like? [TMR]
If you want. [HP]
Harry watched quietly as a memory moved around him. Inside he was a bit terrified he might be stuck in the book permanently, but a few minutes later he was spat back out.
That's very interesting. To be honest, I can't really see a half giant getting all excited about killing muggleborns though and getting all worked up about "pureblood." Also, I didn't know there was a spider breed that could petrify it's prey... [HP]
The diary was letting the distinct aura of annoyance radiate out again. Harry gave a satisfied sigh and leaned back in his chair to enjoy the warmth of the fire.
A few days later Luna plopped down on the bench next to Harry. Lunch was in full swing and Harry was doing last minute fact checks for the potion test later that day. He had Tom's diary out slightly under his notes as he'd just had a brilliantly vexing message pop into his mind and he wanted to pass it on to his papery companion as soon as possible. However, the young girl's next words froze all thought about the uses of slug slime.
"Harry, I was wondering, when will the next petrification happen? I mean, it's been a while now since the last attack."
EmberLight Kitten poked her head out of Harry's pocket in alarm.
~Little dragon lord, that is not your Seer. Did something steal her scales? It smells like her… Where is Chaos?~
'Luna is with you in the second floor hallway, right Chaos?'
'That's right. She's looking for something she couldn't quite see. Not exactly sure what, but I'm looking around for anything suspicious.' Chaos replied.
The Luna imitator gave a huff. "Are you listening to me? It's rude to ignore people you know."
'Well that sounds kinda like Hermione Granger doesn't it?' Harry directed his question to his gathered dragons and pixie fairy in his mind's cottage.
'It really does sound like something Bushy would say.' Atlas added his opinion. 'The question is what do we do? What on Earth does she even mean asking that? Does she really think you're the heir and would just answer a question like that in the middle of a crowded meal? I mean whispers only hide so much here.'
'I honestly don't know any of the answers.' Harry gave a confused once over at the Luna imitator. "Um. Luna? I'm not sure what you mean?"
EmberLight, Norstra, and Harry were now all turned towards the girl giving her their full attention, which was a big mistake. None of them noticed with a certain little redhead passed by and reached for some hot cross buns next to Harry's notes with the excuse her brother had devoured all the ones on the Gryffindor table (very believable). A black haired Ravenclaw named Cho gave a careless wave towards the food and turned back to her own friends. They were busy squealing about her story depicting their Seeker's shy request for a date. Therefore, no one noticed when Ginny Weasley snagged more than just a bun. Harry wouldn't notice until he was finally rid of the fake nearly an hour later. The girl had looked down at her the hair spilling over her shoulder and then cut off mid-pointless-sentence and ran out the doors.
'Odd. Very Odd.' Harry started returning his things to his bag. 'Wait… Wha? Where is Tom? Oh bloody hell!' He let his head drop on the table. 'That is really really not good... Maybe he'll turn a new page and decide to be a good book for whoever stole him?' A collective snort of disbelief echoed through his head.
****A Week Before Finals****
Harry was rejoicing that his luck had held out and no petrifications had occured since Tom had left his tender loving hands. Well, he was right up until he discovered a new message on the wall stating in frightening red: "Her skeleton will lie in the chamber forever." Some quick thinking led to him stepping back into the shadows to bypass the gathered professors. He slipped into the Girls loo that was nearby to wait for the coast to clear.
"Boys are not aloud in here! This is the girls' loo!" A grating voice proclaimed just as Harry was about to slip back into the cleared hallway. He whipped around to come face to face with a ghost chile.
"Ah, my mistake. I'll just be off then, shall I?"
"Yes! Why don't you just leave pitiful, ugly, moaning Myrtle all by herself just like everyone else!" The ghost swooped around the room with a high pitched wail. "Why I haven't seen a single person in months and then two people invade my loo in one day just to leave again without the decency to even look my way! I've been here 50 years and no one cares a bit about me! Who would about little old me?" She burst into tears then dove down a toilet with a great splash.
"It's here, Sire." Luna and Neville slipped into the room as Harry stood in dumbfounded silence still looking where Myrtle had disappeared. "I can finally see it. You'll need Neville with you. The professors won't take you seriously and Ginny will die if you do not act immediately."
"Right. The Chamber is here then? Any idea on the specifics?"
"A snake guards it, as is proper."
"Right. Snake. Got it." The three children spread out across the room looking for the clue. Only three minutes later Neville called them over to the sinks. It was time to clean up Harry's mistake with Tom the Diary. After all, it was his fault, his carelessness, that it had fallen into innocent hands, and he hadn't done everything in his power to get it back again. He and Neville gave Luna hugs then jumped into the open hole in the floor, ready to face their dues.
When they had reached the entrance to the main chamber deep under the castle, both boys were going over their options and strategies. The invisibility cloak was retrieved from Harry's bag, all items that weren't about to be used were miniaturized and clipped to the charm necklaces. After taking a deep breath, Harry took the lead and opened the passage. He made his way directly down the center of the room keeping his eyes on his toes and his peripheral vision as focused as possible. When he finally made it to Ginny Weasly, who was lying at the base of a large stone statue of a man, he quickly knelt down to check her heart beat. So it was that he missed seeing a shade step out of the shadow of the statue.
"She won't wake."
Harry's head snapped up and he gasped at the sight of Tom standing outside the diary.
The following discourse was a bit disconcerting, and Tom Riddle's shock and anger at finding out Harry was the boy who had been tormenting him earlier in the year with evasive and witty comments and magic was entertaining to say the least. Finally things started coming to a head as the little girl's face became pale as death.
"How is it that a baby was able to destroy the darkest wizard of our time?" The shade snapped out the question.
"If he is truly you, and you are truly the heir of Slytherin, then He could not kill me with the killing curse because he had no right to. His very magic and blood refused it." Harry replied coldly. "Neville, now!"
"Yes, sire." With his eyes so focused on Harry, Tom Riddle never thought to beware of the Warlord who was always at the boy's side. Behind the shade Neville flung off Harry's invisibility cloak with such a dramatic swirl even Snape would have been proud of it. He fired off an Lumos Maxima as the mini-dark lord turned. While the shade was momentarily disoriented, Neville grabbed Ginny and pulled her off to the side. Meanwhile, Harry snatched the journal and ran towards the exit. However, the plan was not to be seen to its completion. As soon as Tom realized what was happening he turned and screamed at the statue.
sssSpeak to me Salazar! Greatest of the four!sss Out of the mouth a massive snake slithered. sssKill them! Catch the one running away! He has stolen something precious!sss
sssYes
A loud trill interrupted the commotion and a beautiful bird swept over Harry's head, which was conveniently there to catch the sorting hat the bird dropped as he passed. With a heavy clunk, Excalibur was returned to the world once more to be wielded in the hands of Camelot's hesitant heir. Granted, it was carved with the words Godric Gryffindor and it fell out of the hat onto Harry's head instead of being pulled dramatically from a rock. But it did happen. 'At least I finally got it back. I've been wondering where it was since it was missing from my inheritance bag but was part of my test results.'
'About time.' Agreed his familiars. He had time to think these things as he continued his run because the red bird was busy poking the snakes eyes out. 'Ick… You guys stay back. The bird was diversion enough so your part right now is done. If I'm going to be swinging this stupid sword around at a giant snake I don't want you anywhere near. Understood?'
'You can't be serious!' EmberLight snarled angrily.
'Go down the left tunnel. I'm headed right.'
'We will be having WORDS about this later, little lord! We are your protectors not the other way around!'
Harry slipped into a shallow inlet just as the snake caught up to him. He scrambled frantically for an idea to get the snake to not notice him. He felt a smooth stone under his hand and quickly grabbed it thinking to throw it as a sound diversion… Except, no. No this rock and this other one were pretty neat… best keep those in his pocket to examine later.
~Come here you ugly overgrown worm!~ Roared a familiar baritone. It would seem Atlas had taken charge.
The next few minutes passed in a blur of running, stabbing, and internal freak outs. Then all of a sudden, the giant snake now dubbed basilisk was lying dead and Harry held a fang in his hand and the journal splayed open on the ground before him. Around him three dragons drew tight ranks and Neville stood between the shade and his King. Off to the side, the little redheaded girl continued her deathly sleep.
"No! This is impossible! I can't have been beaten by the likes of a child! I won't be!" The shade's face was positively manic.
"Get back in the book." Harry pressed the tip of the fang against the open page. "NOW TOM."
"Harry, please! I just want to live! To have a body! To feel again! She offered me her life." Tom's eyes were dilated from fear and anger. "You have no right to interfere!"
"She offered you nothing of her own free will. I don't care what you say. I won't repeat myself again. Tom, don't make me kill you. I will do it if you push me. Have no doubt."
Tom gave a desperate scream of rage before disappearing into the vibrating diary. After several seconds the little redheaded girl woke up.
A few days later, Harry took up his quill and opened a familiar leather-bound book.
Dear Diary,
You will not believe what happened to me a few days ago…
Oh! And this summer I have a surprise for you. Your own personal, permanent companion. I just have to drop by the bank quick...