Disclaimer: i own nothing in this, harry potter and characters are the property of J. K. Rowling
This story is NOT mine, this was a good story that got removed, and despite everyone giving me and others bad messages, i believe this deserves to be on FanFiction, and unless im sent a message by someone representing FanFiction , or the original writer of this story, im not removing it, so dont bother trying.
other than that, enjoy the story :) feedback is always a good thing :)
"The weak point on a basilisk is directly under the neck!" Matt yelled, from somewhere behind a shelf of books. Madam Pince gave them a glare.
"NO YELLING IN THE LIBRARY!" She screeched. Harry, ignoring her, scribbled the tidbit onto the paper. Cedric, across from him, was flipping through a book and mumbling to himself.
"Basilisk...basilisk...here!" Cedric pointed to a page. "Right, their scales are weak against fire." Harry nodded and tabbed it down.
Cho Chang made a entrance, followed by Susan Bones, both carrying a large scroll. Harry noticed a certain missing person.
"Where's Luna?" Cho quickly set the scroll onto the table.
"In the infirmary, getting that wound treated. Here's the pictogram. I hope you appreciate the outrageous bullshit we had to do to get Lockhart to sign that damn sheet." Harry waved a hand distractedly.
"You didn't have to get flirty with him, if that's what you did. That prat'll sign anything in quill distance if it stands still long enough." Harry remarked. Cho cheeks flushed, along with Susans. "And where's Edgecombe?" Harry snapped.
"She backed out." Cho admitted reluctantly. Harry shrugged.
"Whatever. Did you hear the news?" Harry was not all that worried. He was fairly sure that the girl wouldn't go babbling to a teacher.
"What news?" Susan asked curiously. Harry smirked slightly.
"Dumbledore got suspended." Both girls gasped. Harry chuckled slightly. "I know. Even the Ministry shouldn't be so stupid as to take the most powerful wizard in Britain out of here when shit like this is going on. Dumbledore's curled up nice and cosy in Azkaban at the moment. Edgecombe won't squeal without him here."
Harry spread the scroll out in both directions. It revealed a large diagram of a basilisk. Harry tapped the eyes with his wand. A paragraph of text appeared at the bottom, detailing out the strengths and defenses of the eyes. Harry smirked.
"Right, you two keep working. Don't forget to keep your mirrors handy."
Harry and the entire party had agreed to carry small hand mirrors around with them, as a flimsy defense against the basilisk. Admittedly, this would still leave them quite vulnerable should the basilisk get peckish, but then, they were pretty much fucked because of the venom anyway.
"Where are you going?" Matt's shaggy brown head peeked out from behind a large text. Harry cocked his head slightly, a bit uncomfortable.
"I'm going to go visit Luna." Harry admitted reluctantly. Matt nodded as if nothing were amiss, and snapped the text shut.
"Me too, then. I've got some Honeydukes chocolates left over."
"Madam Pomfrey?"
The old Mediwitch did not look up from the cauldren she was stirring. She had her finger on a line of text and was muttering incomprohensively to herself. Matt peered over the rim, and mouthed the words 'mandrake draught' to him over the rather audible bubbling and hissing of the potion. Makes sense, with all the Petrified patients, I suppose. Harry thought.
Harry exchanged looks with Matt. Harry reached over and nudged the elderly healer.
"Madam Pomfrey?" Her head snapped up, with her blinking and shooting glances at the potion all the while.
"Yes, yes what? What?" She snapped. She waved a hand at the incomplete antidote. "I'm rather busy."
"Where is Luna?" Harry asked, in a pleasant tone. She frowned.
"Isn't she in her bed, letting the Cutbane and blood clotting and flesh sewing potions work?" Pomfrey asked, in a slightly confused tone.
"No." Harry replied, gritting his teeth slightly. "She's not in the Hospital Wing at all." Harry restrained himself from hissing the last part.
Madam Pomfrey's face darkened, and she waved her wand at the enourmous spoon she was using to stir, which began stirring of it's own accord. She billowed out of her dormitory and into the Wing, her baleful gaze searching among the immobile Petrified patients.
"Of all the...I told her to stay put!" The Mediwitch snapped. "The potions don't work well in motion, that silly air-headed foolish..." Madam Pomfrey broke off into a dark mumbling rant that grew quieter until it died completely. She stormed out of the Hospital Wing, waving her wand. Harry and Matt, both exchanging slightly bemused looks, simply followed.
"It's a good thing I place tracking charms on my patients when I admit them." Madam Pomfrey explained quickly. "She's not the first student who's tried to skip early, and when I get my hands on her, ooh!"
The Mediwitch rounded the way to the first floor dormitory, then stopped abruptly. She whirled on them.
"Why are you two following me?" She snapped. "Don't you have schoolwork and such? Go on, get!" Both boys shrugged, and turned around.
Just as they were about to head back, they heard a startled shriek from around the corner.
Both boys turned on their heels, and peeked their heads around the corner. What they found was quite a shock.
Madam Pomfrey had stopped dead in the corridor. She, along with Professor McGonnagal?, Flitwick, Snape, and Lockhart, were staring, transfixed at the place where the first warning from the Heir of Slytherin had been inscribed. It had long been wiped off, of course, since bloody threats on walls were not tolerated.
Of course, this was a different case when a new message replaced it.
TWO GIRLS HAVE BEEN TAKEN, ONE IN SACRIFICE, ONE IN PUNISHMENT. THEIR SKELETON'S SHALL LIE IN THE CHAMBER FOREVER.
"Merlin...Minerva, it can't be true! Who?" The normally very somber Transfiguration Mistress looked especially grave, and nodded very slowly.
"It is true. We found drops of their blood in vials under the message. Two girls have gone missing in Hogwarts. One is Ginny Weasley. And the other..." Harry felt his stomach drop into his testicles as a horrible sinking feeling rose in his throat.
"Is Luna Lovegood."
Harry could not help it; His vision filmed over red, and a terrible rage swept through his senses, driving all coherent thought out of his mind entirely. His hand clenched up, his teeth clicked together in a feral, silent snarl. He dimly heard the Deputy Headmistress talking.
"...We'll have to notify their parents. They'll certainly send the Headmaster back now; This is proof that we need him here. I've already Flooed the Minister..."
Dumbledore! For the love of God, did McGonnagell? have no independant thoughts of her own? She couldn't be more his puppet if she had danced for him! Harry's breath came out in short, shallow pants through his nostrils.
"Harry. Harry!" Matt hissed. "We've got to get out of here before they notice us!"
The Heir of Slytherin had just crossed the line. Harry could feel every drop of blood in his body screaming for vengeance and retribution. He had not just taken anyone; He had taken Luna.
"Harry! Oh, fuck it." Matt muttered, before quickly taking him by the arm, and dragging him around a corner, disillusioning him on the way. The teachers all swept by without a second glance.
"...They'll probably close Hogwarts after this, what a terrible tragedy..."
A harsh punch across the face brought the world back to Harry with a slight pop. Harry fingered the bruise on the side of his cheek, noting dimly that it had knocked his sunglasses off, before looking at Matt.
"Get it together, dude! Luna needs us right now." Matt whispered intensely.
A sharp pain in his hands brought his gaze to his palms. There were deep gashes. Apparently he had clenched too hard. Thin streams of blood trickled from them.
Harry stood up, brushing himself off.
"Thank you, Matt." He answered coolly. No, not coolly. Icily. He was ice. He was cold as ice. He was colder than ice. He was the living embodiment of frost. "Come. We musn't wait a single moment."
Harry's foot turned the corner, smashing his sunglasses underfoot. He ripped a piece of parchment from his binder before he flung it aside. He began writing as fast as he could, scribbling furiously.
"Harry, we can't go rushing in there, it's suicide!" Matt protested. Harry barely even heard him.
"Ico, find Cedric and Cho and give them this." Harry commanded, holding out the piece of parchment. Ico's scaled head emerged from the sleeve, snatching the parchment, before the familiar shot off, slithering as fast as possible. Even the sassy snake knew not to fuck around in this situation.
"No, it's not. Every second that we delay makes the probability that Luna is dead larger. This Heir has just made the biggest mistake he will ever make. He has assumed that no one knows where his precious Chamber is. So we'll have a advantage if we strike now." Harry turned the corner, and kicked open the girls dormitories.
"Shouldn't we wait for the others?" Matt had seemingly given up arguing, having drawn his wand.
"Open!" Harry hissed. The sinks locked out of place, and the gaping chasm opened in the middle. "No. That note I just sent will have them coming. We have the element of suprise and reinforcements." Harry grabbed Matt's sleeve and dragged him towards the hole.
"Wait, what about the stairs!" Matt half screamed, before Harry yanked him and threw him into the hole.
"Son of a bi-i-i-i-i-i-i-itcccccchhh-!"
Harry waited a single second before gathering a breath and jumping in right after him.
Harry had to school his mouth to stillness to prevent not screaming like Matt. The stench of the tunnel was putrid, the grease was disgusting, and the constant and sudden turns played hell with his bowels.
The tunnel ride ended abruptly, with Harry landing unceremoniously on his arse in a pile of bones. Harry picked himself up, dusting his robes off. Nearby, Matt was leaning against a wall, a rather peeved expression on his face.
"You could have told me about that before hand." Matt offered, rather heatedly. Harry shrugged, and started pressing forward.
They turned the corner, and both nearly had a heart attack when they saw a huge, shriveled snake skin lying immobile in the dank passageway.
"Shit...that thing is HUGE!" Matt whispered. Harry nodded in mute agreement.
"It's just a skin. Let's keep moving." Harry walked past the skin, taking care not to touch it. It never hurt to be too careful.
The ground was wet against Harry loafers, and made crunching sounds as his feet connected with the deteriorating stone and mortar.
"Right...Harry, if the basilisk's awake, the first thing we need to do is find some way to take out the eyes. I suggest a Reducto or a Cutting Curse..."
"Mhmm."
"...And whoever this Heir is, he's more likely than not down here somewhere, we need to be ready for him..."
"Mhmm."
"...And then there's the problem of the basilisk itself; their hide is pretty spell resistant, and the venom'll kill you in less than a minute..."
"Mhmm."
"...Then we're going to wake up the Weasley girl and Luna and have a massive victory orgy..."
"Mhmm. Wait, what?" Harry turned around, and found Matt glaring at him.
"You weren't even listening! Harry, you've got to take this seriously!" Harry leveled a icy blue glare at him.
"I am taking this seriously. But every second we waste time-" Matt sighed explosively.
"Yes, I know, Harry. But Luna wouldn't want us to rush into this like a foolish Gryffindor. She'd-" He cut off, as they rounded the corner.
They were faced with a large obstacle, a huge gate with two snakes intertwined on it, and sculptures of snakes on the sides. Harry and Matt viewed it objectively.
"Well, that's definately not the gift shop. Ready?" Harry cocked his head back at Matt. Matt readied his wand, and his face firmed up, and he nodded.
"Ready."
"Op-" Harry was cut off the few things in the world he loathed more than idiocy or Gwen Stefani.
"Ha! I knew it! I knew it!" Harry came about, to find Henry and Ron Weasley coming around from the corner they had previously came around. Henry had his wand out and was gesturing at him with it. "You're the Heir of Slytherin!"
"Henry, what the hell do you think you're doing here?" Harry asked exhasperatedly. Ron stepped forward, his wand at the ready.
"We're here to catch you! You're the bastard who sicced the monster on Hermione!" Harry raised a eyebrow.
"Hermione? That muggleborn you hang out with and steal homework from? I couldn't give a flying fuck about her. And I'm not the Heir of Slytherin." Ron's face heisitated, and Henry stepped in.
"Liar! How did you know to come here, then?" Harry groaned in frustration. He did not have time for this!
"I figured it out on my own. Now get the fuck out of here! You'll only get in the way!"
Henry sneered. "As if! We're going to stop you, and drag you back up, and prove you're both Dark Wizards! Now, c-come on!" Henry pointed his wand at Harry. "D-drop your wand, and kick it over! We're going back up!" Nearby, Ron was holding Matt at wandpoint.
Harry caught Matt's eye. Matt nodded, ever so slightly. Their wands whipped forward as one.
"Percifus Totalus!" They both cried. Both Gryffindor's locked up like boards of wood, and fell to the ground.
Harry waggled a finger at them. "Now sit tight, while we save the day. I'm not suprised at you, Henry, but Ronald, I am honestly perplexed. I am here to save Luna and your sister. You should know better than to interrupt me." Ron's eyes widened in their frozen sockets. Apparently he hadn't known.
Harry and Matt dragged the two dead weights around the corner, before returning to the door. Harry stepped forward.
"Open!"
The two snakes jumped into animating, the metal serpents slithering around until they reached 180 degrees from where they had started. With a ancient rumble, the golden door split apart.
There was a great stone hall, with pools of water on the edges of each side, accentuated by identical statues of who Harry assumed to be Salazar Slytherin. At the end of the hall, there was a enourmous head, assumedly also Salazar Slytherin.
"Wow...if this guy couldn't love his own image any more unless he turned it into a pussy...or maybe a cock. He does certainly seem to have a obsession with snakes." Matt whispered. Harry was not paying attention much to the statues.
He was paying a great deal more attention to the two immobile bodies laying on the floor of the Chamber, a length away.
"Keep your eyes open. Cover me." Harry hissed under his breath. Matt nodded, and they kept back to back, wands at the ready, until they reached the two terribly still forms of Luna and Ginerva Weasley.
Harry dropped to a crouch, shaking Luna by the shoulders.
"Luna. Luna!" Harry hissed. He pawed her cheek. She was a as cold as the stone she laid upon. Harry's breath caught in his throat, and his fingers automatically sought out the pulse in her neck.
Nothing.
Nothing.
Noth-there! A beat. Extremely weak, but still there.
"Hey Harry, check out this wierd ass diary. The Weasley chick won't let go of it." Harry looked. Matt was tugging on a small leather diary, but the red head held it in a iron grip.
"Forget it!" Harry whispered, picking up Luna in the beginnings of a fireman's carry. "Just sling her over your shoulder, so we can get the hell out of here!"
"You're not going anywhere."
Harry cursed explosively, and turned about, nearly dropping Luna in the process. Matt was twisted around by Ginny, his wand in one hand and his Knife of the Living Dead in the other. It was good to see Matt had the forethought to bring it.
There was a dark haired boy, looking perhaps a fifth or sixth year, standing there, turning a wand slowly in his hands. He was wearing slightly old robes, and the crest on his chest was that of a Slytherin.
Harry eyes narrowed. "You're the so-called Heir of Slytherin." he spat.
There was a flash of annoyance in the boy's eyes. "Yes, I am the Heir of Slytherin."
"Who are you?" Harry snapped. The boy chuckled softly.
"My name...is Tom Riddle." Harry's eyes widened.
"That is impossible. Voldemort is currently in a spiritual form, a form less than human. He is certainly not in Hogwarts again. Dumbledore would have noticed." Harry was certain about that. For all the disgust he felt for the aged Headmaster, he could not deny that the man was a genius. He would've most certainly set up spirit detection wards around Hogwarts after last year.
"True enough, if I were a spirit. Alas, I am but a memory; a imprint, saved in that diary." The teenage Dark Lord pointed at the diary held tightly in the grip of the youngest Weasley. "But not much longer. With every passing second, I grow stronger. And thanks to your little girlfriend, I will come back even stronger than before."
"Lucky for me, I don't have to wait." Harry smiled coldly. "Matt, destroy the diary. Let's see how much of this guy is still just ink and imprints."
"Right!" Matt loomed over the diary, knife already raising.
Suddenly, the diary jumped open, and a blast of ink gushed out like a hose, straight into Matt's eyes.
"Sunuvabitch!" Matt swore, stumbling back. Riddle was already moving, turning to the great head at the end of the hall.
"Speak to me, Salazar Slytherin, greatest of the Hogwarts four!" The boy hissed in Parceltongue. Harry's eyes widened.
"Matt, get the fuck out of the way!" Harry yelled. Matt didn't question him, before leaping behind a statue into one of the pools of water.
A huge basilisk loomed out of the opening mouth. Harry raised one sleeve, making sure to keep his eyes down. Unfortunately, this brought his gaze directly to the monster's mouth, which did not to much for his nerves as it slithered closer and closer.
"Kill him." Tom hissed.
Harry pointed his wand and yelled a few curses. Bolts of light shot forth from his wand, bouncing off the scales. One lucky Stinging Hex lodged itself into the basilisk's open mouth. It let out a unearthly shriek, before ducking it's head, on the defensive.
Harry retreated behind a statue. There was splashing in one of the pools. Harry peeked around. Matt was hurriedly wiping off the ink.
"Harry, it won't come off! Fuck! It fucking stings like shit!"
"Just get out of the way!" Harry ordered. "You'll only be a hindrance if you're blind as a bat."
Matt nodded reluctantly and ducked and ran towards the exit, his eyes red as a pot smokers.
Harry looked heisitantly around the corner, making sure to keep his eyes low.
The basilisk was still writhing slightly. Suddenly, it stopped, and from what Harry could see, raised it's head slightly. Suddenly, another unearthly shriek emitted from it's maw. It was barely recognizable Parceltongue.
"Revenge!" It hissed. It whipped around.
Harry's eyes widened.
"Oh bugger."
The massive tail of the basilisk came to bear, smashing through the statues like cheap rice paper. Harry dove for safety, but one of the flying Salazar torsos rammed into his midsection, throwing him across the Chamber and into the main passage, knocking his wand from his hand easily..
Harry groaned, his vision blurry. Near his leg, his wand had miraculously landed. He reached unsteadily for it-
And it was smashed by a flying piece of statue. Ironically, it was Salazar's head, and it sneered stiffly at him,almost mocking in the way it was embedded in the ground. A brief wail of phoenix song trilled from it, before it was just another piece of wood with a pretty feather in it.
Harry cursed foully, and propped himself up on his elbows, trying to glare unsteadily at the rapidly approaching monster of Slytherin.
Sorry, Luna. He thought deliriously. Sorry for letting you die like this. Sorry for dying like such a little bitch. Sorry for never telling you I-
There was a another song.
Fawkes appeared, in a flash of crimson flame, his talons striking at the unprotected eyes of the basilisk, clawing them out with cruel, gouging swoops. The basilisk reared back, snapping and howling in pain. Nearby Tom Riddle was trying to egg the basilisk on.
"You can still smell him! Kill him! Kill the boy!"
Fawkes swooped overhead of Harry, letting a raggedy bunch of cloth fall from his clutches. It landed right on Harry's hand, covering it completely.
Harry almost laughed at the absurdity. This was all the Headmaster had to send? A hat and a phoenix? How the hell was he supposed to save Luna with that?
His question was answered in the process. A heavy hilt dropped into his hand from underneath the Sorting Hat, the moment the thought 'Save Luna' crossed his mind. Heisitantly, he drew it out.
The longsword was encrusted with rubies and engraved heavily in gold. Etched onto the blade, there was a name. Godric Gryffindor.
Harry was struck speechless for the very first time in his life.
And was promptly knocked out of it.
"What are you doing sitting around, you worthless bag of ass spackle! Get up and use the thrice damned thing!" The Sorting Hat shouted at him. Harry scrambled to his feet, his face determined.
He had failed before. But he had a chance now. Even if he knew absolutely nothing about swordplay or could possibly lop of his own foot by accident, this had given him a chance.
The basilisk had stopped writhing now. It was seeking Harry out, it's snout in the air, testing the air, tracking his scent. Harry took a step to the left, and his foot knocked a piece of rubble. The basilisk's head swung towards him, and lunged. Harry dove towards the left, and the wall exploded behind him as the basilisk took a chunk of stone out of the wall as if it were as soft as wood.
Harry pivoted, and dragged the sword in a Slash across the creature's side. The hide, so resistant before, parted like water, oozing ichor and blood. The basilisk hissed in pain, and Harry had to throw himself to the ground as the tail swung over him with force enough to pulverise a tempered steel like a plastic milk carton. Harry got to his feet, and quickly darted behind a statue, making sure not to brush anything on the way.
He thought rationally. The eyes, the biggest threat, were gone, but it still had it's nose and ears to work on. But from the way it was swinging it's head to and fro, they were largely underdeveloped, likely due to it's long period of hibernation.
Harry took a chunk of stone in his hand, and lobbed it over at the other side of the Chamber. With a clatter, the rock landed, and the basilisk's blind head immiediately centered there. It coiled, and uncoiled like a spring, smashing into the wall and crushing a good portion, before retreating in pain.
Harry immiediately took the chance to spring from his hiding place, and score another gash along it's side. The basilisk screamed, and before Harry knew it, he was diving and rolling again as the basilisk destroyed and mutilated more of the Chamber in it's fury.
Harry crouched behind one of the destroyed busts, thinking furiously. I can't keep jumping and pricking it, it'll take forever, and Luna doesn't have that long. I need to find a direct shot into it's brain. There's only two ways to do that, sticking my hand up it's throat, which would be retarded, since I would almost certainly be poisoned, or...
Harry grimaced. This was going to suck tremendously.
Harry crept up to the end of the Chamber, near the large head of Slytherin where the basilisk had emerged. The basilisk tailed him like a bloodhound, following his scent clumsily but steadily. It was wary, now, since it knew that Harry was a legitimate threat, and not something to be toyed around with, like a mouse.
Harry took up another chunk of rock. Casting it right out from behind the half dismemebered bust of Slytherin he was hiding behind, it bounced and struck against the large head.
The reaction was instant. Harry ducked behind a statue, just as chunks of granite flew as the enourmous monster smashed it's fangs around the cold stone of the head, breaking quite a few fangs in the process. Harry was out from his hiding place in a second. He then proceded to do quite possibly the most Gryffindor thing he would ever do in his entire life.
He leapt onto the basilisk's head.
The creature noticed his presence immidiately, rearing, but Harry was not about to play rodeo with a rampaging basilisk. He took the founder's sword in a reverse grip and rammed it with all his might into the serpent's ruined eye.
Harry held on for dear life to the sword sunk hilt deep in the snake's cranium as the basilisk bucked and arched wildly, spasming without control. Suddenly, with a sickening squelching sound, the sword pulled free, and Harry was flung across the Chamber in a manner all too familiar, coming to rest next to the fuming Tom Riddle and his prisoners.
Harry yelled in pain as soon as he hit the stone floor, feeling things break. Most certainly a few ribs, and maybe his arm, too. He sat up on his one good arm to watch as the basilisk slumped to a halt, dead.
"You idiot!"
Harry turned, to see Matt jogging over. His face was still smeared black from the ink, but it seemed he could see well enough.
"You went bareback on a basilisk? Were you trying to get yourself killed?" Matt asked. He seemed too relieved to be truly angry, though.
"Worked, didn't it?" Harry asked, his voice tinny and thin through the pain and exhaustion. Matt shrugged helplessly.
"Depends on your definition of 'work'. Whatever, let's just get out of here-"
"Harry! WATCH OUT!" A male voice bellowed from across the Chamber. Harry turned, to see Cedric, Cho, and Susan rushing over across, looking very greasy. No doubt from the slide, he mused.
Then, he felt the basilisk fang pierce his arm, and he screamed.
He turned, to see a blank eyed Luna holding it, with Tom Riddle smirking cruelly in the background.
"Think you could escape?" Tom asked, his voice soft and mirthful. "Not a chance."
Harry growled and ripped the fang from his arm.
"You shouldn't have DONE that." Harry got out, through clenched teeth. He could already feel the venom spreading, seeping into his veins.
In the background, his friends, were fussing around him. Matt was yelling to go get Fawkes.
"Really?" Tom asked, slightly curious. "whyever not?"
Harry rolled over, and with the last of his strength, plunged the fang into the diary held in Ginny's hand. Black ink rose like vile, tainted blood from it's pages.
Tom's mouth opened in a silent scream, golden light shining forth from his open mouth. Harry's whole body was slck with sweat, and he was shuddering uncotrollably, no doubt on account of the poison.
"T-t-that's why. No one f-f-f-fucks with me, T-t-t-" Harry's eyes rolled up into his head, and he saw nothing more.