Chapter 12

The adults were in the lead, blocking the boys with their own bodies as they entered the room. The snake wasn't in sight, but that didn't mean it wasn't there. They saw the diary that Professor Dumbledore had told them about. It was resting at the foot of the statue of Salazar Slytherin, and seated on a stone throne nearby was Voldemort. He was solid now. He had a body, and soon he would have all the power he would ever need.

"Hello, traitor," Voldemort said eyeing the potions master coldly.

Severus didn't reply. He knew his time as spy was up. He had come down here with the knowledge that the Dark Lord would know all about him. He couldn't lie to the man about his actions, not after everything he had done since school started. Voldemort might have believed him if he hadn't seen Severus in action for himself.

"Hello, My Lord," Severus said calmly, standing blocking Dudley with his own body.

Voldemort laughed. "I'm not your Lord. Soon, I won't need you or any of the others, so you can die like the rest," Voldemort said and then a cold evil smile came across his face. "But first, I think I will reward you for all your help. "Crucio" Voldemort hissed, as he raised his wand casting the curse at Severus. The wand that he was holding was Salazar Slytherin's wand. It had been Slytherin's extra wand; he had hidden it in the Chamber of Secrets a millennia ago.

Severus went to his knees and cried out in pain as the spell hit him. Dudley raised his own wand and doing as the voice in his head ordered, cast a spell that the first year could not have known without someone's intervention. It was spell that had been long forgotten. "Praemedicatus!" Dudley called out.

Voldemort's spell was broken and the man stood there glaring at the boy. "I assume your protector is doing that. Hello, Rowena. How is death?" Voldemort hissed.

"Better for me, than it will be for you," Dudley said speaking in a voice that was not his own.

Remus helped Severus to his feet and the potions master nodded his thanks as he stood. Harry and Neville moved from behind the men and went to stand front and center along with Dudley. Harry spoke up, but it wasn't Harry any more. It was Godric. "Hello, Salazar. I see the end has finally come."

"For you," Salazar hissed.

"Maybe, but if leaving is our path, then so be it. You are the one who is afraid of what lies on the other side." Neville said sounding like Helga Hufflepuff.

"If the three of you weren't so afraid of what lies ahead, why didn't you leave?" Salazar demanded of them.

"You know why. We stayed to protect our Heirs," Rowena said.

"Yes, and to make sure you didn't win," Godric said.

"Oh, I am going to win because you three are in bodies of boys who haven't learned how to control their magic yet," Salazar said, and he hissed. 'Pet, come to me.'

Everyone backed up as opening appeared at the foot of the statue's feet, and the snake slowly came into the room.

"Man, that's big," Remus, said.

"Told you," Sirius said, for once in his life wishing he had been wrong.

Harry turned to Neville and Dudley, his eyes were glowing a golden-tinted green and said, "You take care of the snake. We'll get Voldemort."

After seeing what Dudley had done, and hearing the boy's voice changed, the men realized that maybe it might be a good idea to do what was asked of them, so they just nodded their heads and braced themselves to take out the snake.

Severus asked, "How?"

"Fawkes," Harry said speaking in Godric's voice, "Go get it!"

Fawkes sang his song, took off from Harry's shoulder, and flashed away. The movement of the bird sent the snake heading in that direction.

"Move!" Remus yelled, and everyone scattered.

Voldemort laughed as his pet bit at the air and just barely missed the person who had been just been standing there. He knew eventually that it would get one of them. It was only a matter of time.

Harry, Dudley and Neville stayed together, moving away from the snake and talking to each other.

"What do we do?" Dudley asked, in control again.

"I think we let them do the work," Harry said.

"No, they can't. It will harm us," Neville said. "They can only do it for a little bit. It is going to be up to us to destroy him."

"Great," Harry said, thinking as he looked around the room for anything they could do to destroy Voldemort.

It was then that Dudley noticed Professor Dumbledore standing behind him. The old man was a ghost of sorts. He looked tired and worn out. He was pointing to the statue. There growing out of it was a vine of a strange plant.

"Look at what the Headmaster's pointing to," Dudley said.

Neville recognized it. It was Devil's Snare. The boy bit his lip and said, "Guys, I hope you won't think I'm crazy, but I have an idea.

"We won't think you're crazy," Harry said. "What is it?"

"I can talk to plants. I think if I can get close enough to that plant. I might be able to get it to help us."

"How do you know you can talk to plants?" Harry asked.

"I do it at home, and they listen to me. I know it sounds strange, but I can do it," Neville said.

"Not any stranger then Harry talking to Snakes or Frogs," Dudley pointed out.

"You've got a point," Harry said, and he thought about things. "Well, Voldemort hates me. I'll keep him busy. You to do what you have to do, but remember … don't take too long," Harry said, and he started towards Voldemort.

Meanwhile, the three men were at this moment running down a dark tunnel with the large snake behind them. "Where is that bird," Severus growled as he ran, the snake inches away from taking a chunk out of his leg.

Fawkes flashed suddenly in front of the potions master and dropped the sorting hat on his head. "What this?" Severus said, pulling it off his head.

"Let me see," Sirius said, looking at the hat with puzzlement. Severus threw the hat at Sirius and the man caught it. "What, do we do feed it to him?"

The hat spoke up, "No, you fool. I'm for the wolf!"

The men didn't have time to reply because they were out of room to run; they had arrived at a dead end. Remus, Severus and Sirius all stood, lined up with their backs to the wall with the snake coming up fast. Sirius passed the hat back to Severus. Severus passed it to Remus. Remus took it, and to him it felt heavy. He put his hand into the hat and felt something cool and hard. He grasped the object and pulled it out. Once he had it out, he realized it was Gryffindor's sword.

Remus didn't have time to think. He just acted. He shoved the sword at the snake just as it reached them, its mouth wide open and ready to bite into its pray. The sword hit home, shoving right into the roof of the snake's mouth. Remus' arm was cut open as he hit one of the fangs, but he didn't care. He knew by just looking at the snake that it was dead.

Remus pulled his arm out of the snake's mouth and dropped to the floor, holding his injured arm. The snake dropped to the ground as well, dead at the feet of the men. Sirius didn't care about the snake. He was worried about Remus and went to him.

"Remus, don't die on me. I can't be alone. I'm bad at being alone." Sirius cried as he kneeled down at his friend's side.

"I can't help it. I guess it's my time," Remus said, tired and weak. He couldn't keep his eyes open any longer. As Remus started to close his eyes, Fawkes flew over and landed on the man's arm. The phoenix started to cry, and its tears dropping into the wound. Remus winced, his eyes opening wide as the wound started to heal. "That hurts," Remus said, grabbing Sirius arm.

"What did he do?" Sirius asked Severus.

"I don't know," Severus said checking Remus out. "Phoenix tears have magical healing properties. So, it's possible that it is killing the poison that got into Remus blood because of the bite.

"I don't know what's going on, but I hurt," Remus said. "It's like my body is on fire."

"Come on, we need to get back to the boys. They might need us," Severus said, knowing this wasn't over yet, far from it.

"But Remus needs help," Sirius snapped.

"No, he's right. I'll be fine. You go and help Harry," Remus said, resting his head against the stonewall.

"Okay, but don't die on me, alright?" Sirius said.

"I'll be here, and take this," Remus said handing Sirius the sword. "It might come in handy."

"Okay," Sirius said, taking the sword from Remus' hand. He stood there with worry as Remus closed his eyes, resting against the wall as he fought the burning sensation that was flowing through him at that moment.

"Come on," Severus said to Sirius. Sirius nodded, and together the pair pushed their way past the dead snake and headed back to where they had left Harry and the others.

Now, the thought running through Harry's mind right before he confronted Voldemort was 'Are you nuts!' Harry had a feeling that this was his opinion of the matter rather than Godric's because Godric was giving him advice at the time about what to say that would aggravate Salazar the most.

Voldemort was still by his throne, but he was now standing up, hissing for his pet. He hadn't heard anything coming from the tunnel where she had vanished for some time now, and he was starting worry about her. He wasn't worried that she didn't finish the job that he had given her but that maybe she had gotten lost afterwards because of the fact she was blind.

"Hey, Voldemort, you forget about me?" Harry said walking toward the man while gripping his wand tightly.

Voldemort shot Harry a dirty look and said, "Oh, I see Godric still has his moral ethics and won't control you the way I controlled the old man."

"Yes, well. He said I don't need him as you needed the Headmaster. He said I'm very capable of defeating a wizard like you," Harry said with a cocky tone to his voice.

"Why, you little brat!" Voldemort yelled, sending spells flying towards the boy.

Harry ran and dodged as spell after spell flew past him. He kept on insulting Voldemort as he ran. "You really are slowing down. It seems your age is catching up with you. What are you now? 5000-years-old?" Harry asked.

This caused Voldemort to loose control even more and his spells got faster. Harry noticed the man wasn't moving too far away from the diary. 'So, you are still tied to it,' Godric's voice filled Harry's head. "Come on, Voldie, you can do better than that!" Harry called out.

Voldemort's next spell hit Harry. It was the Cruciatus Curse, and it knocked Harry off his feet. The boy cried out in pain and he hoped his friends would hurry.

By the time Voldemort's spell contacted with Harry, Dudley and Neville had reached the top of the statue where the plant was growing. "Hurry," Dudley said to Neville.

Neville nodded and looked at the planet; reaching out, he gently touched it. "Wake up friend. I need a favor from you," Neville said.

The plant moved and gently rubbed his thick vine against Neville's arm. "Yes, we are friends. I need you to help stop someone that wants to harm me. Would you please help me?" Neville asked.

The plant moved again as if answering 'yes' to Neville's question.

"Good; the man down below you is the one that wants to hurt me. Please make sure he can't move or hurt anyone," Neville said.

The plant started to move and head in Voldemort's direction. The boys watched as it moved. The thick vines slowly appeared at the foot of the statue and started to move towards Voldemort's feet. "Let's get down," Dudley said right then.

"Sure," Neville said, and together the boys climbed down.

Voldemort was putting all his hate towards Harry and Godric into his spell. Harry was screaming madly as the spell ripped through him. Godric was doing everything in his power to protect the boy's mind; if it didn't end soon, he knew there would be nothing he could do for Harry. Voldemort knew this as well and was just about to put more power into his spell, when suddenly something thick and strong grabbed his arm yanking it upwards, cutting the spell off from Harry.

Harry lay there panting as the spell ended. The boy opened his eyes to see the Devil's Snare vines wrapping around Voldemort, pinning the man in place. "Thanks guys," Harry said weakly looking up seeing his friends rushing down from the statue to join him.

Sirius and Severus exited the tunnel about the time the spell was pulled away from Harry. The men rushed to the boy's side just as Dudley and Neville reached him as well. "Harry, are you okay?" Sirius asked, helping Harry to his feet and dropping the sword on the ground in front of Harry.

"Yes," Harry said looking at the blood-covered sword. "Is that Basilisk blood?" Harry asked.

"Yes," Sirius said, glad to hear Harry speak. He knew some people that couldn't even move after spending even a short amount of time under the Cruciatus Curse.

"Good. Dudley, Neville, help me to my feet. I know how to destroy the diary, but we have to do it together," Harry said.

Before Sirius or Severus could get a chance to comment, the boys did as Harry asked and helped him up. They walked together over to the diary, holding the blood-covered sword tightly in their hands. Voldemort was cursing and fighting to get free at this time.

"No, you can't win. I will be the one to control Hogwarts, not the three of you …," He yelled repeatedly.

Harry and the boys all smiled, as Dudley said, "Not in this lifetime!" And together the three of them sent the sword right through the heart of the diary.

Voldemort screamed. His body immediately began to fade as the power and life-force that he had been pulling from the Headmaster was set free. The ghostly figure of Professor Dumbledore smiled and then suddenly disappeared.

As Voldemort faded, Harry and his friends dropped to the ground. Three ghostly figures came out of them, laughing and smiling. They had won, and they had protected their bloodlines. Harry looked up the ghost of the man he had talked to by the lake. "Where are they?" He asked.

"They will be here. You and the others just rest," Godric said to Harry. Harry nodded and drifted off to sleep. He was too weak and tired to keep his eyes open any longer.

Thanks everyone for the great replies. I'm sorry that this one took longer to post then I planned. The weekend chapter will be posted on Friday... I have a bathroom to re-do. So, there will be no time before then to work on it... Have a good week and I hope you enjoyed the chapter so far... Oh, the exact chapter count on this 19 chapters but no worries there is a part three... the kids do have to finish their second year and deal with their third...

Marti