Blurred Lines

Draco was on a mission. He'd just come out of the Great Hall with Ron and Hermione when he saw a flash of blue. Telling the Gryffindors to wait in his room he ran. He swore he'd spotted her walk down this way. But every time he got into the end of the corridor she turned into the next one, and for all he knew she could disappear down a secret passageway, or divert into a classroom. He had no idea where she was going; all that was up here was a deserted corridor, deserted because it was Peeves' favourite haunt. But regardless Draco followed until he reached the final turning. There she was, leaning against the opposite wall, waiting for him. "You can certainly walk fast." Draco stated in an attempt to break the ice.

"I tend to when somebody's following me." Roxanne replied.

"Sorry. I just need to talk to you. We need to talk to you."

"We? I don't see anybody else here."

"You know what I mean. They're waiting in my room for us."

"Do I have a choice?" Roxanne asked, folding her arms in defiance.

"Of course you do." Draco said. "But the question is, will you really ignore us when we need you?" He added, smirking.

Roxanne sighed. "Fine. Lead the way, oh mighty Slytherin Prince."

Draco smiled and turned, not bothering to check she was following. When they fell into step, he turned to her. "Why did you go down there? Nobody goes down there."

"Because of the fact nobody goes there. It's quiet, the perfect place to think. Peeves leaves me alone when I'm there too. I thought, what with your insistence to follow me, that it would be the right place to have a chat without running the risk of being overhead."

"I see. You really do have the control of this place, don't you?"

"Not really. The only person who controls the castle is Hogwarts herself. I just earn and command the respect of enough people to get favours. Which you'd know all about."

Draco laughed. "Of course."

They entered Draco's room as Hermione pounced on them. "What took you so long?"

"Sorry. This one knew how to run away." Draco told her, jerking a thumb in Roxanne's direction.

"I don't appreciate being followed. With a father like mine, that's kind of easy to understand." She sat herself down. "So what is it you wanted to talk about?"

Hermione turned to her. "First of all. Basilisk fangs can kill a Horcrux, can't they?"

"Yes."

"And the venom from the fangs can live for many years after the death of the snake?"

"For at least fifty years, yes. Where are you taking this?" she narrowed her eyes.

"We need to get into the Chamber." Ron piped up. "And we wanted to ask you to get us in."

"You want me to what?" she asked, scandalised.

"Please Roxanne." Draco begged. "We're doing what Harry asked us, but the only way we can is to get those fangs. You don't have to come in all the way, just enough to get us into the heart of the Chamber."

"I don't know whether I can do that… I don't know whether the Chamber will respond to me…"

"It responded to Harry." Ron reassured her.

Hermione leaned forward. "You don't have to. I know your feelings towards snakes. Nobody's forcing you and if you say no, we'll go with Plan B. But we need to get in there."

"What's plan B?"

"Ron imitating Harry's parsletongue."

Roxanne smiled. "That I would love to hear." She became sombre. "Fine. I'll help."

"Thank you." Draco told her, taking her hand. "We appreciate it."

Roxanne squeezed his hand and smiled. "This had better be worth it. Lead the way."

xxxxx

They entered the girl's bathroom and it was, as usual, deserted. Except for one figure. "Ron. Where's Harry?"

"Busy." Draco answered her instead.

"Draco!" the girl squealed, flying towards him. "Are you better now?"

"I feel much better, thank you Myrtle."

"Good, I don't like seeing you sad." She spotted Hermione. "You're not going to turn into a cat again are you? Not brewing polyjuice potion? Naughty!"

Hermione smiled. "Not today Myrtle."

Myrtle smiled before finally laying eyes on the other member of the group. "You."

Roxanne stepped forward from the back of the group. "Me."

"Why are you here?" Myrtle questioned, her voice accusing.

"Because I need to get into my father's Chamber. I'm helping these three with a mission Harry gave them."

Myrtle floated closer to her. "I've seen your memories, and your soul. I know the double life you lead."

Then you'll know I mean no harm." Roxanne told her, her voice soft and calm.

Myrtle's eyes narrowed. "Fine. But if any of these three die down there, I will haunt you."

"I'm sure you will." Roxanne walked past the ghost, who flew down into the sewers.

The other three followed. "Harry felt something on the taps last time which told him it was the rights spot." Ron told the group.

"Yeah, snakes. Salazar Slytherin was proud of his abilities." Roxanne agreed, indicating the carvings on the sides of the taps. "I suggest you three stand back." They all moved away from the sinks as Roxanne closed her eyes. When she reopened them, the pupils had become slits. "Open." She commanded in her tongue, watching as the sinks moved and made way for a gigantic opening in the floor.

Hermione peered over the edge. "That's a long way down."

Ron took her hand. "It is, but you won't get hurt, I promise."

"How are we getting out?"

"Leave that to me." Roxanne told her as she smiled, her eyes now back to normal.

Standing at the edge, Ron looked at his girlfriend. At her nod they jumped, disappearing into the darkness. Roxanne was next, followed finally by Draco.

When they landed, Ron noted that the bones on the floor were still there. "The smell's got worse though."

"This way." Roxanne led them in the same direction Harry had gone five years previous, except she was more sure-footed and confident of her path.

"Is that snake skin?" Draco asked, reaching out to touch the shed layer.

"Yes. It's old though, I can tell by how it's started to break up. The basilisk really was the King." The Riddle heir added sadly.

Draco stepped closer to her. "We need to keep going."

Roxanne nodded, moving again further into the Chamber. When they reached the final door, Roxanne's eyes changed again. "Oh great Slytherin, please allow your heir into your most prized hiding room." Once again the Chamber responded, the snake locks moving out of the way for their cousin as the door swung forward.

The Chamber itself had started to break. The gigantic statues that used to sit tall and proud lining the walls were now cracked and chipped as the elements ate away at them. The unnatural glow that the Chamber used to have had gone, the only light now being that from the torches still burning brightly in their casings. The statue of the founder at the end of the tomb was also decaying, the water still running from its mouth dissolving the limestone surface. The most striking thing, however, was the body on the floor. Face up the basilisk still lay, its unseeing eyes still watching the ghosts of life past. Three of the four stepped forward but Roxanne froze. She was appalled and upset about the way the beast had died, but knew it was necessary. What she couldn't understand was why the body of the poor thing hadn't been moved, or at least burnt so it could be at one with the Earth once more.

As the Gryffindors stepped forward Draco stopped. Turning, he saw Roxanne still at the edge of the walkway, her face frozen in horror. Following her line of sight he saw she was staring at the basilisk. He sighed. Walking over towards her he took her arms, shaking her gently out of her reverie. "You don't have to stay down here you know."

She turned her eyes on him and he noted, with fright, that not only were her pupils still slits, but her eyes were also taking on flecks of red, much like her father. "It's fine." Shrugging him off, she strode forward, her eyes never leaving the cold gaze of the beast before her.

"It really is magnificent." Hermione said in awe.

"But mad. I heard the fight Harry had with it from by where the skin is. Bloody thing was mental." Ron complained.

Roxanne whipped around, drawing her wand. "It was not mad. It was hurt, and certainly not in its right mind." She told him, her voice cold and intimidating. She turned back to the snake. "My father always prizes his snakes, especially Nagini. Yet he couldn't tame this one. I can feel and see its memories. The poor thing was not only under a permanent Imperio, but also under a permanent Crucio. It was persistently being tortured unless it did exactly what was ordered of it."

"That's barbaric." Hermione whispered.

"That's my father. Harry killing it did it a favour…" she paused as she saw the snake's final memory, one of pain. Her eyes hardened as she heard it scream and watched as her father did nothing to help it. Her whole body started to shake with anger. "And He just left it to die. Not bothering to help it. Even after the memory of Him from the Horcrux was destroyed, and after His body was restored two years later, He still didn't come back. Instead He forgot all about it, leaving it to rot." She spat the last word, furious with her father for doing such a thing. "He is not a Slytherin. He is no father of mine. But enough. We do what we came here to do." Crouching down Roxanne pulled three fangs from the beast's mouth, standing back up with them. At their questioning gaze, she shrugged. "One per Horcrux."

Moving away from the body, the group stood in a circle, placing the locket on the floor in front of them. Roxanne passed a fang to Ron and he knelt down, Hermione going with him. "You'll be fine." She reassured him.

"Wait." Roxanne told them, holding up a hand. "When that thing dies anything could happen. Let me talk to my ancestor first." She turned to the statue behind them and opened her hands, bowing her head in respect. "Salazar Slytherin, as your most humble heir I ask for your help."

A sudden hissing was heard and the wind picked up as the memory of the founder flew all around them. When the wind died down further hissing was heard, this time coming from the mouth of the statue. "What is it you seek child?"

"Protection. My friends wish to destroy one of my father's Horcruxes, though I think it will be violent when they do. Can you help us? Can you keep us safe?"

"Terrible things. Terrible Dark magic." Salazar replied. "I will help you my child. What He has created upsets the balance of nature, and you wish to resolve that problem. You and your friends will be safe."

"Thank you, oh great Slytherin."

"And remember my child…you are nothing like Him. You are more a Slytherin than He ever would be." At this the hissing stopped and Roxanne closed her eyes, thanking Merlin for her bloodline.

She turned to the other three. "OK. It's safe. But be quick. Once I open it there's no telling what will happen."

Ron nodded and focussed his attention back onto the locket, poised to strike. "I'm ready."

Roxanne did nothing, except smile. "Open." She commanded.

The locket immediately answered her demand. Opening with force, the locket shook as heavy black smoke rose from it into the air, twisting and swirling into a huge mass. The cloud it created started to manipulate itself into a hideous face, intent on causing destruction. It didn't however, as with lightning speed Ron stabbed the very heart of the locket, causing an almighty, piercing scream to come from its core. The cloud dispersed as roaring was heard throughout the Chamber.

Roxanne collapsed as the strike came. Her father had created a link to her, and she watched as he realised one more of his Horcruxes were gone. She watched as his face contorted into horror and panic, and as he reached out for Nagini. She watched as he stroked the snake's head tenderly and realisation struck. She couldn't tell the others, she just hoped they worked it out soon. Pulling back out, Roxanne came back to Earth, snapping back to reality to find the other three surrounding her, clearly worried. "I'm fine." She reassured them as she sat up.

"What happened?" Draco asked as he pulled her to her feet.

"I saw my father's reaction to the destruction of part of His soul. I saw His pain the moment the locket was stabbed."

"I'm sorry." Ron instantly said. "I didn't know that would happen."

"None of us did. I didn't, so it's fine." She bent down and picked the locket back up. Closing it shut and hanging it round her own neck, she went over to the snake. "I'll keep hold of the locket for the time being. The basilisk needs to made one with the earth once more." Stepping back she raised a hand, casting a silent spell. All four watched as the gigantic body of the basilisk caught fire.

Draco, sensing the girl's sadness, stepped forward and took her hand in his own. At her questioning look, he smiled. "You're here for me, I'm here for you."

Hermione stepped the other side of the Riddle heir, taking her other hand. "We all are." She added.

"Yeah." Ron agreed from his place the other side of Hermione. "You're not alone Roxanne."

"Thank you, the three of you. That means a lot." The group remained where they were stood for a while, watching the flames lick the body until they unanimously decided it was time to leave. Picking up the two remaining fangs, the group of four walked back through along the corridor and out of the tomb, Roxanne sealing the door so that no one would ever enter again. They retraced their steps until they came back to the circle where the bird bones lay.

Ron looked up into the never ending darkness. "How do you suppose we get back out?"

Roxanne smirked. "How did you get out last time?"

"Fawkes."

"Well, even though Dumbledore is dead, his phoenix lives on." Roxanne out two fingers in her mouth and whistled. Within seconds, the sound of beating wings could be heard and Fawkes flew into the room, landing gracefully on the brunette's shoulder.

"How on earth did you find out he was still alive?" Hermione asked in awe, reaching out to stroke the bird's head.

"I saw him." Roxanne replied, stroking the scarlet breast. "Last year, after Dumbledore's death. You all heard the lament after the funeral. I was in the mountains watching from afar. Fawkes landed close to me without knowing I was there. I called out to him. He was, as was expected, very defensive, but eventually he warmed up to me. He's mine now."

"Can he still carry us?"

"I should think so." On cue Fawkes spread his wings, hovering in front of them. Roxanne grabbed his tail and was lifted into the air. "Draco, you grab my foot." The blond did as Fawkes rose higher. "Now, Hermione, you take hold of Draco." Again, Fawkes rose at the extra weight. Ron, without having to be told, held onto Hermione, the fangs in his other hand. When all were holding tight Fawkes flew, stretching his wings wide and soaring up into the air effortlessly. He rose towards the light, and before they knew it, they were back in the bathroom. He placed them all on the ground one at a time before taking off out the window, back into the free Highland air. Roxanne instantly turned to sinks and sealed the Chamber forever, ensuring it would never open again

"Thank you." Draco told her. "We're grateful."

"It's fine. It's my job to help." With that she strode out of the bathroom, not giving them another chance to speak to her,

"Do you think she's alright?" Hermione asked, concerned.

"Probably not." Draco replied, staring after her. He felt strangely protective of the girl, despite the fact he barely knew her. It could have been because he knew how it felt to grow up with the expectations of one's father weighing heavily on your shoulders. He knew how it felt to have your father disappointed in you. He also knew the conflicting emotions she was feeling: despite all the hatred and disgust she would be feeling towards Him, Roxanne would still lover her father, because a father-daughter, or father-son, bond is hard to break. "She needs time. She'll clear it all out in her head eventually."

"I suppose you're right." Hermione sighed. "Oh well. We better go and put these fangs somewhere safe. We'll see you later Draco, OK?" At his nod she hugged him before pulling Ron out of the bathroom, leaving Draco alone to his thoughts.

Myrtle reappeared. "Are you OK?" she asked him.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Draco told her, offering her a small smile. "Just reminiscing is all."

"Need to talk?"

"No I'm fine. Thank you." He nodded in her direction and left the bathroom, deciding he needed some sleep. This whole experience had worn him out.

xxxxx