I must get the journal back from Percy, Ginny thought. I don't even know if he still has it. I'll have to follow him and find out.
So Ginny followed her brother very, very carefully, trying to figure out if he still had the journal. One night, she saw him leave the common room and was very suspicious, for she knew it wasn't his patrol night.
She hurried after him, putting a Disillusionment Charm on herself so that he wouldn't see her unless he was really, really paying attention. Percy went into a room that Ginny didn't recognize, and she thought about for a moment, then opened the door a crack, silently peeking into the room.
A gasp of shock escaped her, for what should be going on in the room but snogging! Percy and the girl jumped back from each other and Percy put his glasses back on. "Ginevra!" he yelled at her angrily, "what are you doing here?!"
Still staring at Percy and Penelope, the girl she'd seen Percy with before, she giggled, "You have a girlfriend, Percy? You?" Stuck-up, book-wormy you?—well, Penelope is a Ravenclaw.
Percy took Ginny by the wrist and slammed her against the wall, his wand at her throat. "You will not tell anyone about this, Ginevra, or I will write Mother about what you've been doing all year long," he ordered her.
Ginny looked defiantly right into her brother's face. "You sound like a Slytherin, I don't take bribes from prefects, and I have gotten away with what I've been doing all year and a letter to Mother isn't going to stop me!"
Penelope pulled Percy away from Ginny and said, "Ginny, please! You don't know what it's like—"
"—to be laughed at no matter what you do?" Ginny finished. "That's what happens to stuck-up prefects: they generally get laughed at. And anyway, Percy, there is no way you can stop me from saying anything. I'm not at your mercy: you and your girlfriend are at mine."
Ginny ran out of the room and fled to her dorm room. I hate when he tries to control me! I won't listen to him! I WON'T!
Ginny sat in the Gryffindor Common Room a couple months later, tired and depressed. Evidently, her brother did not have the journal anymore, for she had searched his room several times for it and hadn't found it.
She sighed and tried to consentrate on her homework, but found that she couldn't. She suddenly realized that if Percy didn't have the journal than he must have given it back to Harry! Ginny took a quick look around the Common Room. She knew that Harry, Ron, and Neville were somewhere out in the castle, and noticed Dean and Seamus sitting together in the Common Room.
Ginny got up and entered the stairwell to the boys' dorm, careful to make sure that no one saw her. She hurried to the second years' dorm room and quickly entered, looking around. She spotted Ron's trunk right away, and hurried to the bed beside it, hurridly searching for the journal.
In her frenzied search, she things left and right as she looked for the journal. Finally, Ginny found it, and clutched it to herself with tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry," she whispered to it, "but I'll never let you go again.
Turning to leave, she finally noticed the mess she'd made in the room and sighed to herself. She hurried to the door, turned and drew her wand, cleaning up most of the mess in the room. She left, hurrying straight to her dorm room. She put the journal under her pillow to keep it safe, and curled up in her bed.
I don't think Tom would be happy with me, she thought to herself, but I'd rather keep him safe than to have Tom's cousin tell Potter everything that I've told Tom!
A few nights later, as Ginny sat on her bed stroking the journal's cover, a strong desire to return to the Chamber came to her, and she immediately stood and dressed to leave, pulling her cloak snugly around her. Slipping her journal into her pocket, she hurried down to the Chamber and walked into the main room.
"Tom, are you here?" she called. "Tom?" She walked around in the room, wondering where Tom was.
A door slammed. A quick movement caught her eye and she turned to see Tom come out of one of the side rooms she'd never been in before. "Tom!" she cried happily and ran toward him to throw her arms around him.
Before she could, he caught her by the arms and hissed, "Ginny, I told you to get rid of the journal and never come back to the Chamber of Secrets. Did you misunderstand me?"
Shocked, she pulled back, but Tom shook her arm warningly and she stopped. "No, Tom," she gasped, tears coming to her eyes, "please don't be angry."
He still looked upset, and a tear slipped down Ginny's cheek. "I'm sorry," she whispered, bowing her head in shame. "I had to come back: I wanted to see you." Tom sighed and drew her close to himself as she began to weep openly. "Tom, I can't leave you. I need you! And I couldn't let Harry keep the journal: I had to steal it back."
"It's all right." When Tom said that, Ginny buried her face in Tom's robes and sobbed. "Oh, Ginny," he sighed, "I've missed you so much. I know why you did what you did, but you shouldn't have done it. You're just in so much danger when you're here."
"I'm sorry," wept Ginny. "I didn't actually send that note to Harry, and I didn't mean to—"
"Ginny, it's okay," Tom interrupted gently. "I know. I've been watching over you from here in the Chamber. I couldn't let you be hurt. I sent Miskenet to help you with Rishka and that boy, and I've been watching over you to make sure no harm befalls you."
She clung to him tightly as he took her into one of the side rooms of the Chamber and sat down, drawing her onto his lap. She made a little exclamation of surprise, but he reassured her, and she calmed down, relaxing in his arms. "Thank you," she whispered. "I've missed having someone care like you do, and I'm sick of constantly battling my brothers and everyone around me."
"Well, I'll help you, Princess," he told her. "Don't worry about them anymore."
"All right," she sighed. Tom held her close for a while until she said, "I should go now, Tom. But please—please stay with me!"
Tom nodded. "I will. I'm so sorry that I've dragged you into such a disaster."
Ginny slipped off of Tom's lap and stood, Tom leading her toward the main room. Upon entering the main room, they found Tom's cousin leaning against one of the serpant statues, waiting for them.
"Ah, Estella," he said tonelessly. "Tonight you will go after Granger."
Tom looked horrified, and Ginny jumped up and down in excitement. "Okay! I've been waiting for an excuse to get her!" She jumped around Voldemort until he told her to get busy. She (on impulse) threw her arms around him and gave him a big hug before dancing off to summon Benjy.
A shocked expression on his face, Voldemort looked over at Tom, who was swearing under his breath (P). "Why did she just do that? Doesn't she know that she should respect me?"
Grinning, Tom replied, "She respects you about as much as Bellatrix Lestrange adores you, cousin. Ginny knows respect: she's just excited about Granger's impending doom."
Ginny came bouncing back into the room, Benjy slithering after her. "Okay," she said. "I'm going now. Bye!"
Tom stopped her. "First of all, Ginny," he began, "he [pointing at his cousin] does not appreciate your hugging him—"
"Why not?" Ginny interrupted. "He needs it, just like you did."
"Ginny, he's not a normal person," Tom told her patiently. "He's the Dark Lord. Besides, he was conceived under a Love Potion and therefore can't show affection toward anything but himself. You shouldn't waste your time with him. And I don't like seeing you that close to him anyway."
Voldemort was very annoyed. "Would you not talk about me as if I'm not here?" he snapped.
Ginny apologized, and Tom returned to his earlier statement. "So, one, don't hug him, and two, I want you to change your appearance before you leave here." She asked him if he would, and he nodded, taking out his wand.
When Tom had Ginny all ready, she hugged him, then called Benjy to follow her through the pipes as she walked through the halls. "She's one of the most insurgent witches I have ever dealt with," said Tom's cousin, "par with her mother Meretta and cousin Bellatrix. But they're not rebellious toward me, and Estella is."
Tom smiled. "I'm sure Ginny would be pleased to know that you've likened her to one of your best Death Eaters," he said.
At that moment, Estella was walking by the D.A.D.A. classroom. She jumped a kilometer when Lockhart came out. He jumped as well, startled, then asked, "Who are you?"
"I am Estella Parkington," she replied.
He scowled. "You're responsible for that note I received?" he asked.
She nodded, and he threatened to give her detention. "Oh, Professor," she said, "I thought you'd be pleased that I put so much thought into it! See, I had to make it rhyme, and the only way I could was to make it sound a bit rude. It does say something about how you still look good though."
Lockhart grinned a silly grin and ran a hand through his hair. "So why are you out here?"
Estella sighed. "I came to see if you were still here, for I was wondering about speaking with you. I was also about to head to the library to look at books about you."
"Ah, well, thank you for your loyalty," he said to her, sounding very impressed with her (and himself). "Why don't you come into my office and I'll see if I can give you one of my published works."
"Oh, but I have nearly all of them," she said easily. "They were almost all on the booklist, you know."
Lockhart smiled his cheesy smile and ushered Estella into his office. She remained standing as he reached into his trunk and pulled out a book entitled Magical Me. She realized that it was the book that he'd been signing in Flourish and Botts!
"Here," he said, setting the book down on his desk. "You may have this. And...I'll sign it for you..." He picked up his peacock quill and signed his name in a very fancy cursive. "There you go," he said, picking it up and handing it to her. "And if you're going to send me another note, try to make it more...I don't know..."
"Flattering?" Estella asked, trying to hide her sarcasm. "If I decide to write another, I'll see what I can do." She stood and left, taking the book with her. She called to Benjy just to make sure he'd stayed with her, and he had.
"You're so good, Benjy," she told him. "I'm just sorry that you have to be involved in all this."
Benjy sounded surprised when he replied, "Basilisks down through the ages have been used like this. I am not the first to be like this, but I am the first to terrorize a school! And I really don't mind it. When I killed that whiny girl a few years ago, I was allowed to eat part of her before the Dark one stopped me. I'm used to it, Child."
Estella felt quite sick inside, and said, "If we kill anyone tonight, Benjy, please don't eat them!"
"As you wish, Child," he replied.
Just then they came up to the library corridor and Estella informed the serpant, "I'm going to go see if Granger is in here. I'll be back soon."
Benjy agreed and Estella stepped into the library quietly. Madam Pince spotter her instantly and asked, "What are you looking for, girl?"
"I'm looking for Hermione Granger," Estella replied. "Have you seen her?" I have a surprise for her!
"Yes. She left books on that table," said the Madam, pointing. "She never does that! Of all the students, she is the most respectful to the books! And she left them sprawled all over the table! I don't know when she left, but I will have a word with her about this!"
Estella nodded in agreement. "Sorry about that," she said. "Do you want me to pick up the books for you?"
Madam Pince eyed her suspiciously. "Slytherins do not offer to do nice things for others. Come to think of it, Slytherins do not look for Hermione Granger!"
"I guess I'm a different kind of Slytherin," Estella replied. "Would you like me to put away the books?"
The Madam nodded, and Estella walked off quickly. Picking up one of the books on the table, she read the cover. "Magical Creatures. Huh. What would she be doing with that?" Estella wondered out loud. "Dangers of Little Known Creatures." Estella grinned at the cover, which was attempting to look creepy.
A sudden thought hit her, and she knew. Granger is researching the Monster of Slytherin. She must have found out that he's a basilisk! I have to get to her right now!
She quickly put the books back on the shelf and thanked Madam Pince, leaving the library. Telling Benjy to follow her, she decided to head down toward Professor McGonagall's office. She knew that Granger would have gone directly there once she realized what the monster was.
Walking purposefully down the hall, Estella soon heard voices, and stopped to listen. She heard Granger speaking to another girl, whom she recognized as Penelope, Percy's girlfriend. Estella quietly allowed Benjy to come out into the hall.
Estella purposely made her footsteps echo in the halls so that the two girls would look around the corner. Two mirrors and two hands appeared around the corner, and she grinned wickedly, raising her hand in greeting.
"Um, who are you?" asked Hermione, walking forward with Penelope behind her.
"I am Estella Parkington," she answered, "and I have a surprise for you!"
At that moment, Benjy slithered around the corner, and Penelope screamed before collapsing to the floor, petrified (she'd seen Benjy's eyes through the mirror she had). Hermione looked shocked, and stared at Estella. "Are you—?" she gasped, and Estella shook her head, drawing her wand. "What are you doing?" Hermione cried. "Don't you know it's illegal to do these things?"
Benjy was amused, and hissed, "She's not too smart, is she?"
Hermione heard the hissing and looked up, catching sight of the basilisk's eyes through the reflection in the lamp. She fell to the floor, still holding her mirror in her hand. Estella sighed and touched the stiff girl's hand, feeling a little bad. "Necessary, you know," she told Granger, "for survival. At least you didn't die, and you'll be able to be revived."
Estella heard a door open and slam shut. She hissed to Benjy and took refuge with him in the pipes, watching to see who was coming. It was Professor McGonagall who found Hermione and Penelope. Estella turned and walked quietly away, Benjy slithering after her.
Once she had returned to the Chamber, she told Tom's cousin, "Granger's petrified, and so's the other girl that was there, Penelope."
Voldemort looked quite happy. "Two of them! Well done, Estella."
She shrugged and walked over to Tom, who put his arms around her. "Are you all right?"
"Yes, Tom. Just—it's still a shock to me to see my victims lying on the floor." She laughed dryly. "I would love to see Potter's face when he finds out that Granger's been petrified."
Tom stroked Ginny's back and said, "It'll be all right in time. They'll be brought back."
Ginny nodded and buried her face in Tom's robes. "I didn't mind getting rid of either of them, Tom. Penelope is Percy's girlfriend, and I wanted her gone. Hermione is the most annoying girl ever, and is a know-it-all. She's terrible! I didn't mind it, Tom. I could do it again, too!"
Tom sighed a little, then said, "You should go on to bed, Ginny. You don't want to be found out of bed tonight."
"True," replied Ginny, stepping back and drawing her wand. She changed her appearance quickly, and Tom smiled at her proudly.
"You can change the colours when you change the crest now!" Tom praised her.
Ginny smiled slightly. "It's been a lot of work, but I did it by accident the first time," she told him. "Goodbye." She hugged him very tightly, and he returned it, kneeling in front of her. He kissed her forehead, then allowed her to leave the Chamber.