Here it is folks, the last Chapter of Chamber of Secrets is up, I will try to get as much of Prisoner of Azkaban uploaded today as I can,
Question: Should Sirius at the beginning of PoA of after the truth about Pettigrew
"Mr. Potter will you come up here for a moment please?" McGonagall said.
Harry looked at Ron and Hermione, they both shrugged, so Harry got up and walked to the head table. When he was standing in front of McGonagall she pulled out her wand and cast what Harry assumed was a silencing charm around himself, Dumbledore and the other heads of house.
"Mr. Potter would you be willing to take myself, the other heads of house and those that had been petrified and who would like to down into the chamber?" McGonagall asked. "Professor Dumbledore and I think it would help them get closure."
Harry thought for a moment. "Can the Weasley's come as well?" Harry asked. "I think since Ginny was taken down there that they have a right to see it."
McGonagall nodded. "That's fine."
"Okay," Harry said. "But I refuse to take Umbridge or Fudge anywhere near the chamber. Madam Bones, Kingsley, Moody, Tonks and Remus are welcome, but those two aren't."
McGonagall looked at Dumbledore who nodded his agreement.
"Very well," McGonagall said as she lowered the silencing barrier.
"May I have your attention please," Dumbledore called out to the chatting hall, once he had everyones attention he continued. "Mr. Potter has agreed to take myself, the four heads of house, Madam Bones, Aurors Moody, Shacklebolt, Tonks, Mr. Lupin and those that were petrified down to the Chamber of Secrets so that those affected can receive closure." Everyone in the hall was too shocked to say anything. "Mr. Finch-Fletchley, Mr. Creevey, Ms. Granger, Ms. Weasley if you don't want to come you will not be forced to. Arthur, Molly you and your family can come as well."
"What about myself and the minister?" Umbridge simpered.
"I'm sorry Delores but only those that need to go down into the chamber will be going," Dumbledore told her.
"Excuse me?" Umbridge asked dropping her coy manner. "I am the Senior Undersecretary to the Minister for Magic! I-"
Fudge cut her off. "Not now Delores," he snapped.
Umbridge immediately stopped talking but she looked furious.
"Now would those who I have named please follow me outside of the great hall, the rest of you please remain seated," Dumbledore said. "We will have lunch when we return."
The Weasley's looked at Ginny, she had a determined look on her face.
Before anyone could ask, Ginny spoke. "I'm going, I need to go."
Molly and Arthur exchanged worried looks.
"Sweetheart I don't know if that's a good idea," Molly said gently.
"I have to mum," Ginny told her pleadingly. "Please."
Arthur sighed. "You can come."
The Weasley's walked out of the hall followed by Hermione, Justin, Colin, Harry, the headmaster, the four heads of house, Kingsley, Moody, Tonks, Remus and Madam Bones.
Harry caught up with the Weasley's and led them to the girls bathroom on the second floor which held the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets.
"This is the sink," Harry said as he pointed to the sink with a tiny snake engraved on the tap. He tried to imagine it was real and he hissed causing a few people to jump back.
The tap glowed with a brilliant white light and began to spin. Next second, the sink began to move; the sink, in fact, sank, right out of sight, leaving a large pipe exposed, a pipe wide enough for a man to slide into.
"I'll go first," Harry said as he pulled out his wand. "Lumos."
"Are you sure you should go first?" Madam Bones asked eying the large pipe.
"I'll be fine," Harry assured her before lowering himself into the pipe and letting go.
It was like rushing down an endless, slimy, dark slide. He could see more pipes branching off in all directions, but none as large as theirs, which twisted and turned, sloping steeply downward, and he knew that he was falling deeper below the school than even the dungeons.
Behind him he could hear someone thudding slightly at the curves.
Then the pipe leveled out, and he shot out of the end with a wet thud, landing on the damp floor of a dark stone tunnel large enough to stand in. The next second Ron came whizzing out of the pipe, followed by Fred then George. Soon everyone was standing in the slimy damp room.
Ginny was pale and clutching her mothers hand. Justin and Colin were staring around with wide eyes, and Hermione looked calm, but Harry could tell she wasn't.
"Where do we go from here Mr. Potter?" McGonagall asked using her wand to clean off her robes.
"This way," Harry said walking in the direction of the entrance.
He heard a few gasps as they walked over the floor that was littered with small animal bones. When they reached the giant vivid green snake skin everyone froze.
"That's huge," Tonks gasped.
Harry chuckled humorlessly. "Wait until you see the basilisk."
They walked for less than a minute when they reached where the ceiling had caved in.
"What do we do?" Ron asked.
Dumbledore pulled out his wand and waved it in an intricate pattern, all of the rocks disappeared.
"Wicked!" The twins said.
Dumbledore chuckled. "Thank you boys."
They continued on, they turned and turned until finally they reached the tunnels end, a solid wall which two entwined serpents were carved, their eyes set with great, glinting emeralds.
"Are those real emeralds?" George asked.
"Yes Mr. Weasley, I think they are," Dumbledore answered.
There was a clicking noise and a flash, everyone turned to see Colin standing with his camera.
"Sorry," Colin said quickly. "I wanted a picture."
"That's quite alright Mr. Creevey," Dumbledore assured him.
"Are you all ready?" Harry asked looking around at everyone.
"Yes." Everyone answered, some more hesitantly than others.
"Open," said Harry, in a low, faint hiss.
The serpents parted as the wall cracked open, the halves slid smoothly out of sight, and Harry entered the chamber, everyone else following behind.
They were standing at the end of a very long, dimly lit chamber. Towering stone pillars entwined with more carved serpents rose to support a ceiling lost in darkness, casting long, black shadows through the odd, greenish gloom that filled the place.
"It's much too dark in here," Dumbledore said as he waved his wand, all of a sudden the chamber was illuminated. "That's better."
As they drew level with the last pair of pillars, a statue high as the Chamber itself loomed into view, standing against the back wall. The same monkeyish face with a long thin beard Harry had seen over two years ago came into view.
"Bloody hell!" Tonks exclaimed.
Everyone turned to see what Tonks' was staring at and saw a fifty foot long basilisk, bright green in color laying on the stone floor, a pool of blood off to the side.
"That's...that's huge!" Justin yelled as he paled. "That's what petrified us?"
"You fought that to save my Ginny?" Molly said faintly before smothering Harry with a hug. "We can never thank you enough Harry."
The Weasley men were looking between Harry and the basilisk in shock.
"It's even bigger than you'd think," Charlie said his voice coming out choked.
Remus was staring at the pool of blood frozen. "You almost died...right there."
Harry put a hand on Remus' shoulder. "But I didn't, I'm right here and that's what matters."
"If your mother was alive...she would kill you," Remus told him.
Harry smiled slightly. "I did it for a good reason."
Remus finally moved so he could look at Ginny who was staring at the basilisk with tears streaming down her face. "I know you did, and I'm proud of you for doing it. I think it was very dangerous and you should've went to a teacher, but I am proud. If your parents were here I know they would be too."
"Thanks," Harry told him sincerely.
Harry walked away to check on Hermione who was standing near the basilisks' head.
"I can't believe you fought that," Hermione said as she laid her head on his shoulder. "It doesn't seem possible."
Harry sighed. "It was mostly luck Hermione, you heard what happened."
"Don't sell yourself short Harry," she told him.
"I'm not," Harry said. "I'm just being honest."
He looked around and saw that Colin had come out of his shock and was now taking pictures. Justin still looked gobsmacked but he had finally moved from where he had been a few minutes ago. Molly and Arthur were comforting Ginny who was still crying and the twins were inspecting the basilisk under the watchful eye of McGonagall. Ron was walking around the chamber with Bill and Charlie.
Sprout and Flitwick looked to be in a deep discussion and Snape was appraising the creature. Madam Bones was taking notes and speaking in hushed tones to Kingsley who was nodding along to whatever she was saying.
Moody was walking around the basilisk while his magic eye stayed focused on Harry, and Tonks looked like she was comforting Remus.
"Do you feel better now that you've seen what petrified you?" Harry asked Hermione.
"I'm definitely glad that I've seen it," Hermione answered honestly. "It's horrible to think that all of this happened all because Tom Riddle hated his father and Lucius Malfoy hated Mr. Weasley."
Harry rubbed his scar. "I know, but we can't change what's already happened, we just have to move on."
After spending half an hour in the chamber Dumbledore told everyone that it was time to head back to the great hall.
"Mr. Potter," Snape said as they made there way to the chambers exit.
Harry stopped walking and turned around. "Yes, professor?"
"Would you be willing to bring me down here so that I can harvest the basilisk parts to use for potions ingredients?" Snape asked for once not sounding condescending.
"Sure," Harry shrugged not seeing a problem with it.
Snape looked taken aback for a moment before composing himself. "Thank you Mr. Potter."
Harry nodded then walked fast to catch up with his friends.
Upon returning to the great hall everyone stopped talking to look at them, a few seconds later the talking resumed.
Harry sat down at the Gryffindor table, Hermione and Ron taking a seat on either side of him.
"Harry?" A voice said causing Harry to turn around and see Seamus standing behind him looking nervous.
"Yes?" Harry asked his dorm mate.
"Can we talk for a second?" Seamus asked wringing his hands.
Harry eyed him closely before answering. "Sure."
Harry followed Seamus outside of the great hall.
Seamus didn't wait for Harry to say anything, he just began speaking. "I'm really sorry for not believing you when you said that You-Know-Who was back. I should've known that you wouldn't make up something like that. We were friends for four years and I just threw our friendship away." He shook his head. "I believed what the Prophet was saying because my mum did, I should've trusted you. Dean tried to make me see sense but I didn't want to listen."
Harry could tell that he was being sincere in his apology. "I understand why you would believe your mum over me, but it did hurt when you turned your back on me after four years of friendship." Seamus looked down. "But I don't see any reason why we can't go back to being friends."
"You're the best Harry," Seamus said.
Harry chuckled. "It's fine Seamus, you weren't the only one to not believe me, but you were one of the only ones to apologize and admit that you were wrong." Seamus grinned. "Now come on, lunch is probably already out."
They walked back into the hall and took their seats.
"What was that about?" Ron asked glancing at Seamus who was talking rapidly to a grinning Dean.
"Seamus apologized," Harry said.
Ron scowled. "And you accepted it after he treating you like crap for the past three months?"
Harry sighed. "I don't have enough energy to spend my time mad at people who apologize to me and mean it Ron. He apologized and I know he meant it, so just drop it. Okay?"
Ron grudgingly nodded and went back to his food.
"What was the chamber like?" Ernie asked as soon as Justin sat down.
"It was ten times creepier than the book makes it out to be," Justin said. "And the basilisk is huge, I can't believe Harry fought that and lived."
"Was there anything else down there besides the basilisk?" Hannah asked.
"There were a few doors but no one went into any of them," Justin told them.
"Was Harry okay?" Susan asked. "I mean it must've been difficult for him, seeing as he almost died in there."
"He actually seemed perfectly fine," Justin said. "He spent most of the time comforting Hermione."
"Are you glad you went down there?" Ernie asked his best friend.
"Definitely," Justin said right away. "I've finally seen what petrified me and I realize now just how lucky I am that I didn't die."
"What was it like?" Dennis asked his brother.
"It was weird," Colin told him. "The walls were damp and everything looked old and creepy."
"Did you get any pictures?"
"Yes," Colin said enthusiastically. "I'm going to develop them tonight so that I can show everyone who wasn't able to go down there."
"Were you scared?"
"Not really," Colin said truthfully. "Professor Dumbledore was there along with the other teachers, and I knew that Harry had already killed the monster. It was more that it was dark and chilly that gave me the creeps."
"I can't believe Harry killed a basilisk," Anthony said shaking his head. "The thought of even going near one frightens me."
"Well after everything we've learned about him from these books we've learned that if Harry is anything it's brave," Padma said.
"I'm still surprised that Hermione figured out what the monster was from what little they had to work with," Lisa said.
"I don't know how she isn't in Ravenclaw," Terry said. "She's the smartest witch in our year."
"That's true," Sue Li said. "But after everything we've read you have to admit she has a lot of bravery."
"I don't know how he seems so normal after everything he's seen, done and been through," Daphne told her best friend as she watched Harry walk back into the great hall.
"Everything affects people differently," Tracey said. "From what we've read about his home life, it obviously wasn't great. He's had a pretty horrible life up until Hogwarts, so he sees things differently.
Daphne frowned and looked thoughtfully at the fifth year Gryffindor. "I think we should try talking to him some more."
"Oh?" Tracey said. "Any particular reason?"
"Not really, I just have this feeling that I should try to get to know him."
Tracey smirked at her best friend. "Whatever you say."
A few seats down Draco was staring at the same fifth year Gryffindor as Daphne.
'Maybe Potter isn't so bad after all.' Draco thought as he stabbed at the lasagna on his plate. 'I wonder if we would've been friends if I wouldn't have insulted Weasley on the train four years ago. Would Potter be in Slytherin? Would we be best friends instead of him, Weasley and Granger?' He felt like clawing his eyes out, why was he feeling anything other than contempt for Potter, after all they were enemies. Weren't they? 'He did stand up for me...And I don't want to be a death eater...I don't want to kill anyone...I don't think I could even if I wanted to...Why is this all so damn confusing?..I'm starting to think like a bloody girl.'
Up at the staff table several conversations were going on.
"Albus what are we going to do about the acromantula colony in the forest? Surely they can't stay there," Minerva said sounding stressed.
"I will have them removed once the reading is over," Albus assured her. "I don't like what happened to Harry and Mr. Weasley in the forest any more than you do."
"What about the chamber? Will you do anything with it?" Minerva questioned.
"Of that I am not sure," Dumbledore answered truthfully. "Only a parselmouth can open the chamber, and the only two living parselmouths are Harry and Voldemort. Severus informed me that Harry will be taking him down into the chamber one day to harvest the basilisk, other than that no one will be going down there."
On the other end of the table the school nurse and Herbology professor were having an entirely different conversation.
"He needs to have a full check up," Pomfrey said as she looked over at Harry who appeared to be talking to Ron and the Weasley twins.
"I agree Poppy," Sprout said frowning. "After everything he went through growing up and after every we've learned has happened to him since arriving here, I think a full check up would do him good."