Call of the Light
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of its characters. However I do own this story idea. That's about it. (I also own a bunch of Harry Potter merchandise yeah I'm weird)
Warning: Well the only warnings as of now are that this is a slightly alternate universe setting. It does include male/male along with male/fem pairing. May be an Mpreg. Mature content, bad language, and many other possibly suggestive themes.
Summary: What if the tables were turned. What if LV went after Neville Longbottom instead of Harry Potter on that faithful day. What if Harry Potter had actually gone to Slytherin. Would Harry let the dark side take him or would he still feel the call of the light? Would Harry still be the one called on to save the day in the end? Better than its sounds. DMHP
Pairings: Main pairing Draco/Harry
Chapter 14: Accusation!
"What are you playing at?" Justin Finch Fletchly yelled. Everyone had their eyes glued to the two boys. No one else dared to utter another word however. Harry could feel his face going red.
"I just told that snake not to bloody kill you! You all heard me!" Harry retorted but no one testified to this. He turned to his group of friends and met their individually. None of them seemed to know what to say. All them wearing shocked or horrified expressions. "What is the matter with you people?" Harry asked indignantly. Neville came over and clapped him on the shoulder.
"Maybe we should just leave Harry." Neville whispered into his ears. He looked around nervously when everone started whispering and pointing at once. Some students even had the audacity to glare at them as the two made their way out of the Great Hall and into the corridor. The duo were at the staircase by the time the rest of their friends caught up with them.
"Why didnt either of you tell you could speak Parsel-tongue?" Ron asked his face was red and he looked angry.
"Parsel-who?" Harry asked back looking completely perplexed. His eyebrows knit together in confusion.
"Parsel-tongue it means you can talk to snakes." Pansy explained while checking her nails. "You know its really rude to keep secrets from your best friends." she uttered and Hermione shot her a look. Pansy notice the bushy haired girl staring at her but apparently didnt care.
"I didnt even know I was speaking Parsel-tongue!" Neville said.
"Me either it was weird, like it just came to me." Harry explained.
"I'm afraid the whole school is going to be convinced now." Cole muttered shaking his head and looking distraught. This was bad.
"Convinced of what exactly?" Harry asked, he was really tired of weird crap happening to him.
"Harry do you know why the symbol of Slytherin house is a serpent?" Draco inquired finally speaking. The blond was eyeing Harry with concern and worry. Harry knew this was bad, concidering Draco almost never openly showed emotion around other houses, especially the Gryfindors.
"Um...okay no I dont."
This time it was Neville who spoke. "It's because he was a Parsel mouth too. He could talk to snakes as well. Which most likely means everyone's going to think that one of us or maybe both of us are the Heir of Slytherin." the shy boy explained. The young Potter's eyes widened and everything came into perspective.
"Aw Merlin's gray balls why me?" Harry sighed.
The next few weeks in school were hell for Harry and Neville. They had been totally ostrasized. Nobody but their circle would talk to them. Even the teachers seemed to be treating them coldy. It seemed that either everyone was scared of them or angry at them. In short, the whole school hated them. The only good thing that had happened in the past month or so, for Harry was the fact that both he and Draco had made it onto the Slytherin Quidditch team.
"I cant take this!" Harry cried to no one in particular.
"It will be alright, brother." Cole said calmly. He was used to Harry's outbursts now, as he had been doing that quite frequently of late. He gave the older boy a pat on the shoulder and went back to his homework.
Harry glanced around the Common Room and everyone seemed to be skirting around him in general. No one dared to come too close. If someone needed to get to other side of the Common Room they would circle the perimeter of the room rather than get too close to Harry, where he and Cole sat in the middle of the room..
Just then Pansy, Blaise and Draco came into the room. People regarded them but quickly went back to what they were doing. "Harry we have a problem." Pansy said as she sat down.
"Gee, did you figure that out yourself?" Harry asked sarcartically.
"No need to be a git Harry. Anyway we just heard Dumbledork talking to Snape and McGonagall." the girl replied.
"And?" Harry asked in return.
"He wants to put you and Longbottom under an indefinite Binding." Draco explained and shuttered as the words came out of his mouth. Blaise looked uneasy and Cole looked completely ticked.
"They cant do that!" Cole nearly yelled and people in the Common Room began to stare.
"I'm afraid he can if he has the consent of the Ministry and Harry's Head of House." Blaise muttered looking troubled. "This is really bad on so many levels. A Binding will hinder your powers greatly Harry."
"We cant let them do this." Cole said and it seemed he was getting really worked up over this. "I mean think about it, we just got Harry back in touch with his Guardian God what do you think a Binding will do?"
Everyone was silent as they pondered their options. "We have to find the monster and stop it." Harry muttered and sensed the truth of his word as he spoke them. "It's the only way. And we've got to act fast."
"Yes and we will have to destroy this thing before they can bind your and Neville's powers, after that its over and there wont be anything we can do." Blaise said.
"So you're telling me that you guys actually want to go looking for something that can petrifiy people on sight?" Pansy asked indignantly and then smirked. "Count me in!"
"The first thing we need to do is have a meeting with the Gryfindorks and tell them everything. We'll have to compile every clue we have and see if we cant figure this out." Draco said surprising everyone. Usually Draco would be the last person to suggest being in the company of a Gryfindor.
"Right." Cole agreed. "We've got to act fast. The way I figure it we've got a little over a month before Dumbledore can get approval for a Binding. Thank Merlin for bureaucracy." Everyone gathered their things and left the Common Room in search of the Gryfindors.
"I think our best bet is to check the library. This is usually the time Granger is pouring over books." Pansy said as they walked the corridors. Everyone gave their consent and with that they made their way towards the library. Just as Pansy said Hermione was in the back of the library, reading a book. "Granger." Pansy said without preamble. Hermione jumped because she hadnt heard them approach, she was so engrossed in her book.
"We need to talk, do you know where Neville and Ron are?" Cole asked and Hermione nodded.
"What's going on?" she asked looking up at the group of Slytherins in confusion.
"We'll explain once Longbottom and Weasley are here." Blaise replied. Hermione nodded once before she marked her page in the book and stood.
"Okay then follow me." with that she lead the way back to Gryfindor Tower. Once they arrived she turned to the rest of the group. "If you guys could cover your ears please." they all obligded knowing that they werent allowed to know the password into the Gryfindor dormitories.
"Leo Lambo." she muttered and the portrait of a fat lady opened. Hermione stepped through the threshhold promising she would be right back. Minutes later she returned with both Ron and Neville in tow.
"What's the matter?" Ron asked eyeing the group of Slytherins before his eyes landed on Harry.
"Something awful if we dont do something about it.:" Cole muttered and Ron frowned. Neville seemed anxious. Apparently he wasnt too excited to hear what the other students had to tell them.
With not many words passed between them, the group made their way back to the library, to their usual meeting place. Once they were there no one seemed to want to say anything.
Finally Ron couldnt take it anymore. "Well what's the urgent news?" he asked eyeing Draco from across the table they all occupied.
"Dumbledore wants to put Harry and Neville under a Binding." Cole said and all three Gryfindors gasped.
"They cant!" Ron whispered harshly.
"Apparently they can." Harry muttered dejectedly. But then he said "We have to find Slytherin's monster and destroy it. And we need to do it fast!"
"But how can we? We dont even know what the bloody thing is. And let's not forget the fact that this thing can petrify living being on sight." Neville said, he was looking around at everyone, waiting for an answer.
"It's like Weasley said." Draco shuddered. "We make a natural Circle. That means we have the power to destroy it Longbottom. Not to mention we have the power of two Neutralizers on our side. And of course we have the greatest weapon of all, a psycho witch with nothing else better to do."
"Yeah." Pansy said and then realized something. "Hey!"
"The point is we have the power. The question is do we have the knowledge to use that power." Harry intervened. "What we need to focus on now is finding out exactly what the monster is as well as finding where the Chamber of Secrets is."
"I agree. Once we find out that we can just go blast that monster bastard back to the Underworld." Ron grinned and he seemed to be excited.
"This isnt a game Weasley! The school, the students and not to mention Harry and Longbottom are in danger!" Draco hissed and Ron despite himself nodded to what the blonde said.
"I think our best bet is to think of monsters that have the ability to petrify." Hermione said. "Let's see theres Gorgons?"
"No it couldnt be a Gorgon. Whatever it is it's much bigger than a Gorgon." Neville said.
"I think...I think it's some kind of serpent." Harry muttered. Everyone looked at him and he explained "Think about it. Salazaar Slytherin could speak with snakes, it would make the most sense. I'm sure its giant snake that only someone with the ability to communicate with snakes could control."
"Giant serpent? Like maybe a dragon?" Ron said.
"No dragon has the power to petrify." Blaise said.
Hermione who had been pretty silent up until this point spoke "There's something that I think you all should see." she held up a book that had something inscribed at the bottom. 'T.M. Riddle.'
"I found this the other day. I think it's a diary. I looked up the name in the Hogwarts student archive and found this name. He was some kind of hero, he supposedly saved the school about fifty years ago."
"I remember that name now. It was on one of the trophies I had to clean for detention a couple months back!" Ron exclaimed. "Something about special services to the school."
"Come to think of it..." Draco started and looked reverant for a few moments. "My father told me that the Chamber of Secrets had been opened before, about fifty years ago."
"And you just neglected to tell us this before now?" Cole asked eyeing his cousin suspiciously.
"I forgot okay!" Draco retorted glaring back at the Black.
"Maybe this T.M. Riddle guy was the one who stopped the monster half a century ago." Neville said. "Well let's read it, at the very least it might have a clue." Everyone agreed and Hermione laid the book on the table where they all could see. She opened it and it was completely empty.
"What the hell?" Pansy asked. "What kind of journal is this?"
"Hm..." Draco hummed and took out a quil and ink. He wrote something on the page and everyone watched as the words disappeared.
"Okay weird but..." Ron started but was cut off when word appeared on the page.
'Hello.'
"It's magical." Blaise said eyeing the book as the word disappeared from the page leaving it blank again.
"I have an idea." Harry said and took the quil from Draco. He wrote 'Who are you?" the words were gone in seconds replaced by.
'Tom Riddle. Who are you?'
'Harry' Harry wrote back.
'Nice to meet you Harry.' the book replied.
'Do you know anything about the Chamber of Secrets?' Harry wrote back. Everyone watched with baited breath.
'Oh yes.' was the reply.
Harry looked around the table before writing 'Can you tell me?'
'No' and everyone sighed in disappointment.
"Well so much for that." Ron said dejectedly.
But then more words appeared on the page. 'But I can show you...' Everyone looked around perplexed at one another. No one had time to say anything because next there was a flash of light and they found themselve no longer in the library.
"What in Merlins boxers is going on here?" Ron yelled. No one had an answer for him. They were standing in a corridor of Hogwarts but everything seemed unreal. Their surroundings flashed and flickered like an old projector.
"I think...we're seeing a memory." Hermione said before there was voice down the hall that they all recognized. It was Dumbledore. They all walked toward the sound of the wizard's voice. And was surprized to see a much younger version of the old Professor talking to a student that they didnt recognize.
They all watched quietly as the scene unfolded. "Is it true? Are they really going to close the school Professor?" the student said. He was boy of about sixteen or seventeen. He had dark eyes and dark hair and from the badge on his robe they could see that he was a Slytherin.
"I'm afraid so Tom." Dumbledore replied looking grimly down on the boy.
"But they cant! Sir I have nowhere else to go! I cant go back to the orphanage!" the boy they assumed was Tom Riddle said.
"I'm sorry but there is nothing else that can be done my boy. The school is far too dangerous now that the monster has claimed the life of a student."
"But sir there has to be something that can be done!" Tom looked panicked now.
"I'm afraid not." Dumbledore said and then he studied the boy. "Is there anything you wish to tell me Tom?" the wizard asked.
Thats when Tom's expression went from panicked to nervous and then somehow he managed to school his features and gave Dumbledore an apathetic gaze. "No sir."
"Then I suggest you be off to bed now. It is nearly curfew." the wizard said and with that there was another flash of light and the scene changed. They were now standing in a small room. In the room the only occupants a large teenage student and a chest.
The oversized boy was talking into the chest saying "I know it wasnt you! It couldn't have been. You wouldn't hurt anybody." They all got the feeling that they knew this boy. There was something oddly familiar about him. But before any of them had time to ponder who he was, the only door to the room slammed open. Tom Riddle stepped through the doorway.
"Hagrid I'm afraid that the beast will have to go. And I'll have to turn you in." he said calmly although there was a strange light in his eyes.
"No you cant! He's innocent, I tell you he didnt kill that girl!" Hagrid cried and now they all knew why the boy was so familiar. This was their Gameskeeper fifty years ago.
"Hagrid I know this is hard for you but he has to go!" with that the boy raised his hand. His eye flashed an evil green and emerald flames shot from his hand. The flames missed Hagrid but hit the chest dead on. Out of the chest came a creature! It was a spider the size of a pitbull. It scrambled around the room as it tried to dodge Tom's flames. Finally it made a mad dash for the door and escaped. With another flash of light they were all sitting back in the library at their table.
Neville slammed the book closed and looked around at his friends. Everyone seemed shocked at what they had just seen.
"Hagrid was the Heir of Slytherin?" Pansy asked frowning as she said.
"I cant believe it." Harry said.
"Well that would explain why Hagrid was expelled from Hogwarts. Not to mention why he's not allowed to use magic." Neville said
"I dont believe it." Hermione said. "Something doesnt add up here."
"That monster spider didnt seemed anything like what we saw in the corridor." Harry said. Neville nodded.
"Dumbledore said that the monster killed someone." Blaise said. He looked pensive for a moment before saying "Usually when a person is killed their spirits lingers because it cant move on. Maybe the ghost of that student is still here. We could ask them what the monster was." Blaise said.
"There's only one student apparition in the school." Hermione said.
"Moaning Myrtle." Pansy said looking annoyed. "I hate that whinny twit!"
"Pansy!" Hermione reprimended.
"So should we go ask her?" Cole asked looking around.
"She'll get upset." Hermione murmmered.
"Oh who really cares? That bird is upset all the time! Like she died on her period or something!" Pansy said but then rolled her eyes. "I'll ask her." With that she got up and made to leave.
"Wait Pansy you cant go alone." Hermione said grabbing the other girl's arm. Pansy scowled at her. "It's too dangerous and what about the new hallway restrictions."
"Fine. I guess you have a point. Does this mean you're volunteering to come with me?" Pansy replied removing the muggle born's hand from her arm.
"No I think you should take one of the boys with you in case you run into the monster." Pansy looked slightly insulted by that but didnt say anything as she grabbed ahold of Neville.
"Come on Longbottom!" she said pulling him from his seat.
"Why me?" he asked indignantly.
"One because you're the Boy Who Lived. Two because you and Harry are the only ones that can sense the monster coming! And three because I said so dammit!" Pansy explained before pulling him out of the library.
Harry sighed. There was so much going on. Too many questions and not enough answers. His head was beginning to hurt. He took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
"You okay Harry?" Ron asked and Harry nodded solemnly.
"I just getting a bit of a headache." He muttered and leaned his head to the side letting it fall onto Blaise's shoulder. The dark featured boy glanced sideways at him but said nothing. "I want this to be over soon."
"Everyone does." Draco muttered and he patted the boy on his shoulder.
"I'll be back." Cole said as he got up.
"Where are you going?" Blaise asked. They seemed to share some kind of look.
"To get a book. I'll be back soon. There's something that I think can help us."
"You need some help?" Blaise asked. Cole smiled and shook his head before walking away.
The group was silent for a while. Harry looked around the table and noticed something weird. Both Ron and Draco seemed to be staring at him...no they were staring at Blaise like they wanted to throw him off a cliff. He shook his head he must have been imagining things. In minutes Cole came back with a thick, leather bound, red book. On the cover it read 'Monster Book of Monster: Limited Non-Enchanted Edition.' Harry thought it was a strange title but decided not question it.
"I think we might be able to find what we're looking for in this book." Cole said softly as he began to flip through the book. He looked through the table of contents and found something that seemed to spark his interest. He quickly rifled through to the middle of the book. He read for a few moments and declared "This has to be it!"
"What is?" Harry sat up from Blaise's shoulder and stared across the table trying to see the page.
"A basilisk?" Hermione said reading over Cole's shoulder. "Of course! They fit the description of the monster perfectly." Cole nodded and began to read.
"Capable of living for hundreds of years. The basilisk is a monster that most creatures fear. They have the ability to kill with one gaze into their eyes. This serpent's poison can kill in a matter of minutes. Known for feasting on the flesh of men." Cole shuddered. "Although it is a rare beast if one ever happens to come across a basilisk DO NOT PURSUE! There's not much known about the creature for most who have seen it have not lived to tell the tale." Cole stopped reading there.
"If it's able to kill with one look then why arent all the victoms dead instead of petrified?" Harry asked, finding that fact disturbing.
"Maybe they didnt see the monsters eyes directly?" Draco proposed.
"What do you mean?" Ron asked.
"What I mean is remember every attack happened near a bathroom. There was water on the floor of every scene maybe the victims only caught sight of monster eyes in its reflection." he said, and then sighed. "I wish there was more we could find out, but from what that book just told us I think we have our monster. I mean it's a giant snake that can live for hundreds of years. That would explain how Slytherin was able to control it and how the creature has managed to survive all these years." Everyone nodded that they understand Draco's rational.
"But still how has this thing been lurking in the school all these years and no one has ever found it?" Hermione asked and again there was a pensive silence among the group.
"I think we can answer that." Pansy's voice came from behind them. They all turned to see her and Neville looking haunted as they made there way back to the table.
"We talked to Moaning Myrtle. She said that the only thing she remembers of her death was crying in the stall of the girl's lavatory. And there was some sort of sound. She said the sink in the girl's bathroom just exploded and thats when the monster appeared." Everyone let the information sink in.
"So the monster has been living in the pipes of the school? That would explain how it's remained undetected all this time." Ron said.
"I think you're missing the bigger picture here Ron." Hermione replied.
"What do you mean?" this came from Cole and then he gasped as he realized what she meant. "All this time its been right there! Hidden in plain sight!"
"Just like a Slytherin, very sly indeed." Blaise sighed as he made the connection in his head as well.
"What the hell are you guys on about?" the redhead asked impatiently.
"The entrance to the Chamber of Secrets..." Harry said.
"It's in the girl's bathroom on the third floor..." Neville muttered, looking down at his hands.
After much arguing amongst them, the group left the library. They'd finally decided that they would descend into the Chamber the following night. That would give them time to prepare. They had no real idea what they would find in the Chamber, besides a giant man eating snake, and so they wanted to be ready for anything.
That was before they came to a corridor crowded with teachers. They seemed to be huddled around something and they were all talking in frantic voices. They decided to sneak around the corner and listen in on the conversation.
"The monster has taken a student into the Chamber this time Albus! A student of my house!" McGonagall whispered harshly.
"And it appears that the Heir of Slytherin has left us message as well." Snape muttered, it seemed as if even he was shaken by what had happened.
Harry noticed that there was water on the floor and he knew that there was a bathroom not too far down the hall to the left.
"We must alert the parents and let them know that the school is no longer safe. We will have to close the school." grimly looking down at the ground.
"If only I had been there! I could have saved them both." Gilderoy Lockhart said dramatically. Ron groaned at the man's comment.
"He said both?" Hermione turned to everyone else. "What's he talking about?" That's when the teachers began to shift just enough for the group to see that there was a student lying on the floor, apparently he had been petrified like others before him. He wore Gryfindor robes and had a prefect badge.
"Percy!" Ron hissed. He looked like he was about to run to his brother's side but was held back by Neville and Cole. "Let me go he's my brother!" he whispered harshly.
"Wait Ron! We'll help him but we need to act carefully." Harry said placing a hand on Ron's shoulder. Ron sighed and tried his best to calm down.
"Who will save the poor girl?" Professor Sprout asked the group of other teachers.
"I'm afraid there's not much we can do at this point. No one knows where the entrance to the Chamber is. For now all we can do is begin the evacuation of the school and see to those who have been petrified." the Headmaster utttered.
"What was the name of the girl who was taken Professor McGonagall?" Professor Flitwick asked as he cast a levitating charm on Percy's prone body.
"Ginny Weasley." the old witch replied looking almost as if she were on the verge of tears. "She was promising young witch." And with that the group of teachers began to disband and for the first time Harry and the others could read the message that had been left behind. Again it was written in blood, and it read 'Her bones will lie in the Chamber forever'
"Ginny!" Ron wailed and everyone grabbed their heads as his power spiked in hallway. In seconds his skin was glowing and the sound of waves seemed to come from nowhere.
"Ron calm down." Cole eyes flashed as he touched the redhead and his power receded immediately.
"We have to go now!" Ron demanded. "I'm not going to let some damn snake make a Weasley meal out of my sister." He said and began his trek toward the third floor. No one protested. Even though they thought they'd have time to prepare it seemed fate had another plan. They would have to enter the Chamber tonight.
They came to the third floor bathroom. There they saw Moaning Myrtle and as usual she was weeping. "Myrtle we need you to tell us what sink the monster came from." Ron demanded without preamble. The ghost girl merely pointed to the third sink.
"Well how do we get it to open?" Pansy asked.
"I think either Harry or Neville have to say something in Parsel tongue." Cole guessed. Neville stepped forward.
He spoke "Open" There was a rumbling sound from deep in the pipes and immediately the sinks began to shift and move until there was a circular opening in the floor.
"It looks like a slide. And it smells like a troll's arse down there!" Pansy cried covering her nose.
"Come on before we're too late to save my sister." With that said they entered the Chamber one by one. Each sliding down a long tunnel that felt like it was covered in dirt and grime. When the slide ended they all landed in a heap on a dirty floor. They all looked around what they found took away their breath. It was a horrible sight.
The ground was littered with bones on all kinds. "This is so gross." Pansy said as Hermione keeled over and retched. Neville soon followed suit. Harry thought he would be sick as well but he willed himself not to. After the two Gryfindors were done emptying their stomach the group marched on. They walked down a random tunnel hoping that they were going the right way. As they walked the bones they passed seemed to get older and older. There was water everywhere, all of their shoes were soaked.
"It's so quiet." Blaise said. Draco was scanning the area and saw something down a tunnel that connected to the on they were walking in.
"What is that?" he asked pointing to the right. Everyone turned at once. "It looks like..."
"A snake skin." Harry said solemly.
"Well that's encouraging." Cole muttered shaking his head. "This is bad you guys. This place is huge and we have no idea where we're going, how are we ever going to find Ginny and the monster?"
"Maybe Harry and Neville can listen out for it?" Hermione suggested. Both boys seemed to be listening out for something but apparently they didnt hear anything.
"I think I can find them." Ron finally said.
"How?" Blaise asked as he eyed Ron.
"It's a Weasley Gift. We can see the memories of water. Anything that happened in particular body of water we can tap into it." Ron explained and all the purebloods nodded apparently they had heard of this before.
"Why didnt you try that in the first place?" Harry asked.
"Because honestly, I've never been able to do it before."
"Ppfft. Figures." Draco said.
"Can it Malfoy. This isnt a fucking joke!" the redhead retorted. Harry almost pointed out that he sounded like Draco when he had said that, but figured that would just ruin the redhead's concentration and decided to keep quiet. Ron closed his eyes and began to concentrate. His power rose around them and the already cold air became freezing as he opened his eyes once again; they were swirling. "I...I can see it. The monster dragged my sister down that tunnel." Ron said pointing toward the corridor that contained the giant snake skin.
"Of course." Pansy muttered and the group trudged on. They passed more bones, some rats, turned a couple times and came to huge open room. There was a walkway that was surrounded on both sides by running water. In the back of the room there was a huge likeness of Salazaar Slytherin carved into the wall. Water ran out of his mouth. Harry sinced something very old and evil in the room.
There was a breeze wafting in from somewhere. Harry gasped as he heard a familiar motherly voice Remember the book! The voice of the wind spoke in his head. He didnt know what that meant but he didnt have time to ponder it. There was someone standing at the end of the walkway. They couldnt tell who it was from so far away but the figure seemed familiar.
Then they all spotted Ginny Weasley laying at the feet of the man. The only indication they had was Ginny's blood red hair.
"Ginny!" bellowed Ron as he ran down the walk way with everyone else at his heels. When they came to the end of the of the room they recognized the man immediately. It was Tom M. Riddle.
"Okay what the hell is going on here?" Pansy yelled impatiently.
"Isn't it obvious by now?" Tom laughed and everyone glared at him.
"What have you done to my sister?" Ron yelled and ran to his sister dropping down onto his knees to be at her side. He took her hands and gasped when he felt how cold they were.
"I'm afraid poor little Ginerva Weasley will have to die so that I may live again." Tom said his voice cutting through the air like a knife.
"What kind of sick, twisted bastard are you?" Ron yelled angrily. Then he turned back to his sister trying desperately to wake her up.
"It was you all along!" Blaise said stepping forward. "You framed Hagrid all those years ago when you...you were the Heir of Slytherin all along!"
Harry's eyes widened. He could feel the truth of Blaise's words.
"Ah yes Hagrid my old friend. Pity really but I couldnt very take the blame for it now could I?" Tom smirked and there was an evil light in his eyes.
"But how did you manage to come back and open the Chamber again?" Draco asked figuring the man would reply.
As it happened Tom did "I was controlling Ginny Weasley all along. First years are so easily manipulated by a little magic."
"But you're dead!" Cole cried.
"Yes but not completely. And soon I will be dead no longer. The world will fear me once again. With every passing second I grow closer to new life and the girl, well let's just say you should be preparing for a funeral." Tom laughed again and this time a sound like a giant snake hissing echoed in the room.
"Just who are you anyway?" Neville yelled.
"I am Lord Voldemort." Tom said making sure to pronouce each word clearly and with pride.
"You bastard! I've heard enough!" Pansy yelled. "How dare you take the life of a maiden witch!" with that her skin went aglow. Her eyes were liquid amber as she pushed power from her hand. Tom merely staggered. "What in the...?"
"He's not real!" Cole said. "At least not yet."
"Somebody help me!" Ron said still kneeling beside his sister. Pansy gave Hermione a look, she nodded towards Ron and his sister and some kind of understanding passed between them.
Hermione ran to Ron's side. "I've got it Ron. Go help the others." Ron was reluctant to leave Ginny but he knew there wasn't much he could do. Now with his attention completely on Riddle, rage and power course through his veins. He brandished his wand as he powered up.
"There's nothing you can do to me. Unfortunately the reverse is also true. But I have someone here who wants to play with you all. Come on out girl!" the image of Tom Riddle said and then there was another huge hissing. Out of the wall came the basilisk. It was a horrible sight, glowing yellows, at least seventy feet long, it was as wide as a bus and when it hissed it revealed a giant forked tongue, and about four rows of jagged sharp teeth.
"That thing's fucking huge!" Draco exclaimed colorfully. Then he smirked "But then again, the bigger they are the harder they fall." as he spoke the basilisk came rushing to Tom's side. It idled there, apparently it was waiting for the order from its master.
"Harry maybe you could talk to it?" Cole suggested as the basilisk seemed to take interest in them. They were all careful not to look into the creature's eyes.
"I can try. Hey there pretty girl! Mind not eating us?" Harry hissed and for a second the giant snake seemed to be considering what he said.
Then Tom spoke "The basilisk will only obey me!" And with that the snake lunged. The group scattered. It seemed to favor Neville as she followed him.
"Dammit Longbottom dont try to run! Dont you know never turn your back on an enemy that's faster than you?" Draco yelled and then sighed. He called lightning to his hand. "Hey corpse breath!" he bellowed and shot a volley of lightning at the basilisk. It connectedd with the back of the creature's head and now Draco had her attention.
Eat blonde boy first Harry and Neville heard it say.
"Neville, Ron!" Harry called to the other two. They nodded and as if they had practiced it before they all launched an attack simultaneously. Ron made water rise and swirl violently toward the beast. Neville shot a column of white hot flames from his hands. Harry shot a wave of air vibrations at the monster. All the attacks made contact and ripped into the monster.
OW! The basilisk hissed but didnt turn away from Draco. The blond smirked. He shot lightning at the creature. He'd hit her in the face, blinding her.
"Ha!" Draco laughed. He didnt see it coming when the snake slammed into him, using her head like a club and sending Draco flying.
Cole put out his head and Draco was suspended in mid-air, stopping him from hitting the far wall.
"Blaise!" Pansy yelled. The boy nodded in response looking anxious.
"Harry, Weasley and Longbottom get ready." He said as stepped a little closer to the basilisk. His skin gave off a golden glow as he called his power. The basilisk began to hiss and flail around madly. It was as if the creature were confused and in pain.
"Now!" Blaise yelled and the three other boys called their elements. Water met with air and air met flame as they collided with the monster's body.
The creature was wailing and thrashing around in shere pain but it wouldnt die.
"We need Draco!" Harry shouted as he and the others continued their magical assault on the serpent.
Cole helped Draco regain consciousness. "They need your help Draco!" Cole said urgently to his cousin. Draco was still a bit dazed but he nodded and got to his feet. With a determined light in his eyes, Draco called his magic and shot a steady stream of lightning at the beast. All four elements came together as one.
IT HURTS SO MUCH! was the last thing the creature hissed as all four wizards pushed even more power into their attack. The basilisk exploded in a shower of gore. Blood and thicker things rained down upon the room. There were wet sloshing sounds as pieces of the monster landed everywhere.
"Okay, that just gross." Pansy said. Then she yelled "You guys did it!"
Tom Riddle did not look happy. "You may have destroyed the basilisk. But I'm afraid the girl is far gone. In mere seconds she will die and I will be reborn." he said. The whole group rushed to Ginny's side.
"Hermione how is she doing?" Ron asked as tears welled in his eyes.
"Not good Ron. I'm doing all I can but even with my healing powers it doest seem like enough to save her." Hermione replied as she poured more and more of her healing magic into Ginny Weasley.
"Healing power?" Draco frowned. "How in Hecate's panties is that possible?"
"There's no time to explain that!" Pansy hissed and knelt beside Hermione. "Why cant you save her?" she looked into the other girl's eyes.
"I dont know! There doesnt seem to be anything physically wrong with her. There's something in her head, a spell of some kind and its slowly killing her like a poison!" Hermione explained, gasping as she tried harder to heal the younger girl. "She's fading so fast, even if we could reverse the spell it might be too late."
"Blaise, Pansy, let's try." Cole said kneeling as well.
"Try what?" Pansy asked, not following.
"We're the only ones here with mental Gifts we have to try to enter Ginny's mind and reverse the spell, its the only shot we've got!" Cole laid his hands over Ginny's clammy forehead.
"Right I'm with you!" Blaise said and clapped his hand on Cole's shoulder, closing his eyes as the younger boy had.
"Hey wait for me!" Pansy said and mimicked Blaise. All three of them collapsed as they ventured into Ginny's mind.
"It doesnt matter what you try! I will be whole once more. And once I am I will destroy you all!" Harry eyed the almost living image and thought about what he had seen from that journal. Just then the words of the wind came back to him.
Remember the book! Harry gasped as everything clicked. And the next second, he felt the wait of a book in his hand. It was Tom Riddle's journal.
"How did you get that!" Tom Riddle yelled outraged.
"Harry where did that come from? I thought Granger left it in her bag." Draco frowned.
"I dont know where it came from. But I do know where I'm sending it. Straight back to hell! Neville?" Harry threw the book up into the air and suspended it there with a bit of magic. The next second it was incinerated in a wash of flames by Neville.
"No!" Tom bellowed. Seconds later Pansy, Blaise and Cole gasped back into consciousness.
"It's gone! There was something anchoring the spell in her mind but whatever it was must have been destroyed because we were able to remove the spell with ease." Cole explained.
"It was the journal." Neville said seeming hopeful, he was was hoping that Ginny could be saved now.
"Too early to celebrate!" Hermione said. "She's still slipping! The spell must have had too strong a hold, she's dying anyway." Hermione informed them as tears slipped down her cheeks and her hair began to shimmer and her eyes sparkled like they were made of glitter. "Come on Ginny!" she cried.
"I have an idea to save her." Draco said and everyone turned to him. "We have to close a Circle." Ron scowled as if that were the very last thing he had wanted Draco to say.
"But Draco you know how dangerous that is. Pooling all our powers together, that could be detrimental if even one of us is out of synch." Neville replied looking nervous.
"Do we have any other choice! Do you want the Weaselette to die or what?" Draco retorted.
Ron said "He's right! We have just the right amount of people. Seven, a perfectly balanced Circle. Harry, Draco, Neville and I will have to be the anchors and Blaise, Pansy, and Cole will have to be the directors."
"What are you guys on about?" Harry asked. He had no idea what they were talking about.
"Harry just follow our lead okay. Just concentrate your power on Hermione and saving Ginny." Ron told him and he nodded. They all stood and formed a circle around the two Gryfindor girls.
"Fire, Water, Air and Sky need to be called in that exact succession." Ron said and everyone nodded. Harry hoped to the Gods that they were able to save Ginny. Whatever was about to happen he knew it was their last shot to heal Ginny and that they didnt have much time left.
Neville called to flame and his element responded immediately. He glowed a warm orange and blue glimmer as if his very skin contained fire.
Ron pulled his magic next and his body became a glowing image of the sea. Energy rolled off him waves.
Harry knew it was his turn and so he called to the air with everything he had. His eyes became glowing emerald and his skin glowed like he had swallowed the light of the moon.
There was a crackle of thunder around them as Draco called his element. His glow nearly blinded them as lightning flashed behind his skin.
Simultaneously Cole, Blaise and Pansy beckoned their own powers. Cole's storm grey eyes churned with rain clouds, his skin glowed a pale silver light. Next to him Blaise cast a golden light into room. Pansy's eyes became liquid amber and her skin twinkled like it been sprinkled with stars.
Everyone concentrated their energies on the two girls still laying on the floor. Harry could feel himself connecting to each of his friends. It was a strange and invasive feeling, as if they no longer had seperate minds of their own. They were one single thought, one mind and one power. Energy pooled in the middle of their Circle. It swirled around Hermione and Ginny in a tornado of rainbow lights.
Hermione pulled on all the energy around her and channeled it into Ginny. She willed Ginny to come back and not to slip into the Otherworld. "Ginny live!" she muttered desperately. Everyone concentrated harder, calling all the power they had.
Hermione looked down on the younger girl and felt more than saw her coming back to the world of the living. Soon Ginny's color started returning. In moments Ginny gasped and took in many ragged breaths. The Circle collasped as did everyone in it. They heard Tom Riddle wail as the last of his essence faded away, but they only had eyes for Ginny. She was breathing shakily but she managed to fluttered her eyes open.
Ron was the first person she saw. "I'm sorry big brother!" she rasped. Then she fell unconscious.
"She'll be alright now. She just needs to rest." Hermione whispered.
"Thanks gods." Pansy sighed. But then she frowned "Now how the hell are we going to get out of here?"
"I think I can take care of that." Harry muttered. He wasn't sure how he knew it would work but he did. He called to the wind asking it give them a lift back to the school. As it happened the wind oblidged. They were all lifted into air by an invisible force and began flying back out of the Chamber.
"Harry how are you doing this?" Cole asked.
"I dunno. Just do not ask me to do it again anytime soon. It's drainging like you wouldn't believe." In minutes the group came flying up out of the entrance in the girl's lavatory.
"Oh my! You all look terrible!" Moaning Myrtle giggled and plunged into the toilet of a random stall.
"Psycho ghost bitch." Pansy muttered under her breath.
School seemed to return to normal after that night. All the students treated their group like they were heroes. Harry found it vexing how fickle people could be. No one could believe what they had done down in the Chamber of Secrets. Sometimes Harry couldnt believe it himself. It all seemed like a really bad nightmare. But he sighed knowing it wasnt. It seemed Voldemort wouldnt stop trying to return. Really how many times would they have to defeat him before he realized it wouldnt happen.
"Harry what are you thinking about?" Ron asked from his spot next to him. They were sitting out by the lake. Ron had been absentmindedly controling the water making it dance and form shapes.
"Nothing really." Harry sighed and drew his knees up to his chest. He was lying; there were a lot of things going on in his head. Like the fact that only weeks ago he'd found out what the Gift of Bearing was finally. He had also found out that he'd been 'blessed' with that 'gift'. He kept thinking about what that would mean for his life. He had also been thinking about Draco, who had been acting strangely ever since the day after they had emerged from the Chamber. He'd gotten a visit from his father and every since then he'd been very distant and mopey. No one could get him to talk about what was wrong with him. "So what is that you wanted to ask me Ron?"
Ron's face colored with a bright blush. He looked down at his hands and began speaking "Well Harry you know that summer break is coming up soon. I was wondering, if you didnt already have plans, if you would want to come and visit my place for a few weeks. It'll be fun I promise!" Ron said and he had started rambling on nervously.
Harry stared at him wide eyed. He had never been invited to stay at anyone's house for the summer. The idea excited him "Sure Ron that's sounds great! Thanks for inviting me!" and with that he glomped the redhead.
"I'm glad you're excited Harry, but next time could try not to tackle me so hard?" Ron laughed and this it was Harry's turned to blush as he pulled away from the boy.
"Well I think we should be getting back to the school. I think the feast will be starting soon." Ron suggested and Harry nodded. With that the two made their way back to the castle. Random thoughts running through their heads. What they hadnt noticed was that they were being watched.
"I feel bad for those two they're in for a rough ride." a blonde haired blue eyed Ravenclaw girl said to herself as she followed behind them at a leisurely stroll.
End of Chapter
Okay like I really hope you all enjoyed this chapter. It was kinna hard to write but at the same time fun! I know a bunch of you will probably have questions but as I've said before you'll have to keep reading to get all your answer! Lol anyway what did Luna mean? Well I guess we'll all have to wait and see to find out huh. Btw I hope this chapter didnt seem like anticlimactic or anything let me know what you guys honestly think okay.