Chapter 25: Battle with a Basilisk

Just before the blast, Harry felt himself launched forward in an almighty tackle. He could hear the commotion as the rocks fell around him, but he found himself completely barricaded, if a little squished, because somebody was laying on top of him. It wasn't until several moments after the last sound that he even tried to move.

It didn't take long for Harry to realize that, while he had been shielded from the collapsing corridor, his protector must have been knocked unconscious because he wasn't moving. Harry prayed to Merlin that whoever it was was alright, and then squirmed to get free so he could breathe freely once more. It was only as he finally sat up and wiped the sweat of his brow that he saw that the person that had used his own body as a shelter for Harry, was none other than Severus. Harry drew in a deep breath as he saw that the man was now half buried under the fallen rocks and debris, and had a large gash that was pouring blood on his head.

Harry couldn't see how bad the wound was because of all the blood and hair. He ripped a strip of cloth from the hem of his robe as he reminded himself that he knew from first-hand experience that head wounds always bled more than others, and it didn't mean that anything was seriously wrong. He wrapped the cloth around Severus head as tightly as he could so it would apply much needed pressure, but that was where his knowledge ended. He could do no more to help and he cursed at his uselessness.

Biting his lip, he looked at the limp form of Severus laying before him, and then at the corridor before him. The cave in had happened behind him and Severus had shoved him forward. That meant that ahead of him was the way onward. Ahead of him lay Ginny. Harry looked once more at Severus before slowly rising to his feet. He took his wand out of his holster and held it firmly.

"Lumos," he muttered quietly and turning back to the wall of fallen rock behind him. He couldn't hear anything from the other side of it, and he wondered how many had been hurt because of Lockhart's stupidity, and how serious the damage was. There was also the question of how thick the barrier was, and what could be done to remove it? How long would it take? Ginny didn't have much time.

Severus had told him before that there would be sometimes be situations where 'anything goes.' He'd explained that he understood that sometimes things just happen, and that if he ever found himself in such a situation, Harry was to do absolutely everything in his power to just keep himself alive. Keeping himself alive was the only rule during these situations, and that these situations were also why he trained Harry in combat so hard. Harry could only assume that this was one of those situations. But what about Ginny? Severus had told him time and time again that he was to get a professor if he ever needed help, but there was nobody to help him this time. Severus was the only one on this side of the cave in, and he wasn't exactly in a position to do anything.

Taking a deep breath, Harry walked down the corridor. If he survived this, Severus would probably murder him. But if Ginny died and he didn't even try to help her, Harry knew that he wouldn't be able to live with himself. The sorting hat may have wanted to place him in Slytherin, but Harry truly was Gryffindor to the core. He couldn't let people just suffer and die when he was their only hope of survival.

The chamber seemed to go on forever, and Harry found himself praying that he wasn't too late. Finally he came to a large room, and he couldn't contain the gasp that escaped his lips when he saw the limp form laying on the floor. Quickly stowing his wand in his holster he rushed over and knelt beside her. He pulled her into his lap and placed his hand to her cheek Ginny was so pale that her vivid red hair seemed to wash her face out, but Harry refused to give up hope.

"Ginny," he whispered fervently. "Please wake up Ginny."

"She won't wake." Harry quickly pulled his wand back into his hand and whipped around to face the strange voice.

"Who are you?" he demanded not caring for the politeness that Severus had tried to drill into his head for the past couple of months.

"You have to ask Harry?" The speaker was a boy older than Harry, but he didn't look old enough to be out of Hogwarts yet. "I must say that I am very disappointed. Ginny has told me so much about you, but you fail to live up to her expectations. The way she talks you are an absolute wonder, even if you don't have time for your biggest fan."

Harry swallowed hard as he studied the boy before him. He'd seen the diary lying beside Ginny and was starting to put two and two together. "And what about your expectations Tom?"

The boy gave a slight smile of satisfaction at seeing Harry start to use his brain. "Considering you refused to talk to me, I can't say I've set very high expectations. I am very curious however."

Harry's mind was spinning. How was this possible? Severus had entirely freaked out at hearing the name Tom Riddle, and that had only been some old diary. Now however, there was a physical being standing before him responding to the name Tom. All Harry could think to do in this situation was learn as much as possible. That meant keeping the boy talking. If he could. "Curious about what Tom?"

"Curious about you of course," the boy replied with a sneer. "How could a mere baby vanquish the most powerful wizard of the era? The wizard people still fear to call by name more than a decade afterwards?"

"There are many wizards more powerful than Voldemort, Tom," was Harry's instant reply and he watched the boy's face turn sour.

"Name one Harry Potter," he snarled venomously. "Name one wizard that doesn't flinch at the mere mention of the great and powerful Lord Voldemort!"

"Dumbledore." There was no hesitation in his voice. Only pure trust and confidence. Even Severus snapped at him not to say the name, but Harry didn't let it phase him. "Everybody knows that Voldemort was scared of Dumbledore. He's also done his worst to try and destroy my life and I will continue to deny giving him the satisfaction of being scared of him." Harry had no idea where this courage was coming from but it made him happy that it seemed to be pissing off the boy standing before him.

"Albus Dumbledore is an old fool!" he snapped angrily. "Albus will never know true power because he is afraid to do what he has to in order to obtain it."

"And what is that Tom?" Harry inquired. He still held Ginny's head in his lap with one hand on her head and the other holding his wand firmly.

"In order to gain true power Harry Potter," Tom spit his name out like something venomous, "you have to take it. By whatever means necessary you have to reach out and take it or it will never truly be yours. One can never truly be in control when submitting to another. But you didn't answer my question. How, after years of increasing power and rising to the top, could the great Lord Voldemort be vanquished by nothing more than a small child?"

Harry glared at the boy before him. He didn't know exactly what was going on, but he did know that he was running out of time. Ginny was growing weaker by the minute and he still didn't know how he was going to help her. The threat of the basilisk was also never far from his mind. "Professor Dumbledore is no fool," he declared valiantly as he once again ignored the other boy's question. "He knows you're behind these attacks and has an entire team of aurors after you."

This pronouncement just made the boy laugh. "Albus Dumbledore is pathetic. He was always a step behind and as soon as I gain full power once more I will finally get rid of his annoying interference once and for all."

"Dumbledore will never back down. He'll fight you 'til his dying breath. Dumbledore is the most powerful wizard alive and he will stop you." At this declaration, the chamber was suddenly filled with a music that made both boys stop and look around. Harry had never heard anything like this before, but he found he was filled with a type of calming peace despite the weakening Ginny laying in his lap.

Both Harry and Tom were still as the music filled the air around them, until finally flames erupted at the top of the nearest pillar. A crimson bird the size of a swan with a glittering golden tail as long as a peacocks had appeared. It finally stopped singing and soared to Harry's side with a ragged bundle gripped tightly in its long golden talons.

"That's a Phoenix," Tom remarked not taking his eyes off the fiery bird.

"Fawkes?" Harry asked in wonder as he reached out to stroke the crimson feathers. Dumbledore had told him that Fawkes was quite magnificent when it wasn't a burning day, but he hadn't thought he'd ever get to see it. He wasn't sure he'd ever want to see it if it meant being in Dumbledore's office again. There was just something about being in the Headmaster's office that was very unsettling. "What's this you've brought?"

Tom still stood watching the bird carefully as Harry unfolded the ragged bundle that had been dropped into his lap. When he saw what it was however, he couldn't help but start laughing.

"The sorting hat?" he asked through his laughter. "This is what 'The Great Albus Dumbledore' sends his mighty warrior? A song bird, and an old hat. Well, since I doubt you've figured it out yet, let me spell it out for you." From within his robes, Tom withdrew a wand and wrote in the air and emerald green letters appeared as he did so. 'Tom Marvalo Riddle.'

"Before ditching me in a pathetic muggle orphanage, my mother declared my name to the matron." Tom's voice was full of distain as he spoke. "After learning of my powerful heritage, I couldn't very well keep my filthy muggle father's name. Instead, I fashioned myself a new name. A name that I knew would one day strike fear into everyone that heard it." With that he gave his wand one more wave and the letters began to arrange themselves once more. "I am Lord Voldemort."

Harry wasn't extremely surprised by the revelation. Between how the boy was speaking and how the adults had acted at hearing Tom Riddle's name, it wasn't as if it was rocket science to put it together. Harry's lack of a reaction however seemed to annoy Riddle however because he sneered once more. "You are a fool not to be afraid of me Harry Potter. Albus Dumbledore may be coming with the entire Ministry behind him, but he will never defeat me. I cannot be defeated."

"You sound so sure of yourself, but that is only going to get you into trouble," Harry retorted angrily. He wasn't going to lie, Fawkes and the sorting hat did seem rather useless, but he trusted in Dumbledore with all of his being. He also knew that as soon as Snape woke up and found him there would be absolute hell to pay and Riddle would be begging for death.

"You are but a child Harry Potter, and therefore I do not expect you to understand the measures I've taken that even Dumbledore will not be able to defeat. I am done wasting my time with you however. I believe it is time to match the power of the Great Lord Voldemort against the wondrous Boy Who Lived and the greatest weapons Albus Dumbledore can give him."

With that stretched his arms wide, threw his head back so he was looking at the vast stone ceiling of the chamber, and began to hiss. "Slytherin!"

Harry licked his lips as he realized immediately what Riddle was now doing and he couldn't help but clutching tightly to his wand with one hand and the old sorting hat in the other. The moment was truly here and there was no running away from it.

"The greatest of the Founders Four!" Riddle continued to bellow to the ceiling. "I call upon you to provide your power to purge the school of its magical impurities!"

There was a great scraping sound from the giant statue and Harry drew himself up with a great breath as he held his wand at the ready. It struck him as funny that although he'd only been training with the man a few months, and they had been far from fun and enjoyable, he really wished that Snape were here beside him right now. He would have automatically assumed it would be Dumbledore's presence he would crave the most, but he felt right now that if he just had Snape beside him, he would be able to tackle it all without a problem. Aside from being murdered by the man's own hand later of course.

"Parseltounge won't save you now Harry Potter," Riddle sneered as Harry shut his eyes tightly. "It only obeys the true heir of Slytherin and I'm afraid that your mudblood mother and blood traitor father don't cut it."

"Your squib mother and muggle father aren't much better in that department Tom!" Harry's heart soared and he couldn't keep himself from opening his eyes as he spun at the sound of the new voice approaching. He didn't even mind Fawkes taking flight once more but bolted straight to the dark clad figure and immediately buried his face in his robes.

"You came!" he whispered as there was a tremendous thud that shook the entire chamber.

"Always," Severus whispered. "Someone has to save you from your Gryffindor idiocy." They were spoken fervently but with a serious edge that helped Harry snap back to the situation at hand and he drew himself up once more, shut his eyes, and spun to face the horror before him.

"So sweet," Tom spat with disdain as he watched the pair. "I don't care how many people you have by your side Harry Potter, you can't win this and everyone you allow at your side are simply the people you allow to die for you."

At these words Harry couldn't resist looking over at Severus one more time, and then gave a small smile of slight relief when the man reached out and cuffed him upside the back of the head without breaking his stoic position at all. Suddenly Tom switched back to Parseltounge, and Harry snapped his eyes shut with his wand at the ready.

"It is time to feast my beauty!" Tom hissed. "Tear them both apart and enjoy."

Harry could hear the snake begin to slither and immediately raised his wand. He wasn't at all sure how he was going to be able to fight a battle against a deadly snake when he couldn't even see what he was doing; but he knew that, as long as Severus was by his side, everything would be just fine.

At that moment however, he heard the sudden screech of a bird echo around the chamber. "NO!" Harry heard Tom's shriek at the same time he heard hisses of agony from the basilisk. "Get away from him you stupid bird!" Tom screamed and Harry opened his eyes to see a jet of red light narrowly miss the phoenix as he soared back into the air high above them. Harry couldn't help but smirk. The fighting odds had just evened out a little bit.

"Phoenixes aren't as useless as you first thought, are they Tom?" Severus had quickly come to the same realization as Harry had, and now stood staring at the boy before him. At this moment, it didn't matter who this boy was, or how it was even possible that he was here. All that mattered was that he had threatened his son, and now he was going to pay dearly.

"Your bird may have blinded my basilisk, but he can still smell you and you still don't have a chance," Tom spat angrily before hissing once more. "Take care of the boy, I'll deal with the other one."

"He's dividing Severus," Harry warned just before the giant serpent lunged for him. "Reducto!" Harry collapsed the pillar closest to him to block the lunge and then ran for all he was worth trying hard to ignore the duel happening behind him.

He found that he didn't have to try too hard since he had enough problems of his own. The basilisk had made short work of getting past the fallen pillar, and was now enraged. "Stupify!" he shouted as he pointed over his shoulder. It had no effect whatsoever however and Harry found himself wishing he had had more time to study up on basilisks. Surely there had to be a way to defeat them without enslaving roosters.

The giant serpent made another terrific lunge, and Harry was forced to throw himself to the floor to avoid it. It was a narrow miss and sent the basilisk headfirst into one of the chamber walls, but at the same time Harry's impact made him drop his wand and it clattered to the floor skittering out of his reach. Terrified, and at a complete loss of what to do next, Harry pulled the old sorting hat out from under his chest and rammed it onto his head. "Help me, please help me," he muttered frantically pulling himself to his knees and starting to crawl along the wall in the desperate hope of finding an escape. He was flattened back to his stomach however when something large and heavy fell onto the top of his head.

Rolling to his side, Harry pulled the hat off and attempted to blink the stars in his vision away. Now was definitely not the time for him to pass out. As he slowly pushed himself to his feet however, Harry saw something glittering that he couldn't blink away. The hilt of a sword was now sticking out of the old sorting hat! Not caring how it got there or knowing exactly what he was going to do with it, he pulled it out and shakily stood up.

He didn't have time to think furthing however as the basilisk opened his mouth wide and lunged directly for Harry's head. Without a moment of hesitation, Harry went into an offensive lunge of his own, and drove the blade of the sword clean through the mouth of the giant snake. As he did so, he cried out in pain as a searing white hot fire shot through his arm and quickly began to spread. His scream distracted the two dueling wizards, and watched as Harry hit his knees while pulling a large basilisk fang out of his arm.

"Harry!" Severus cried out in alarm running to the dark haired boy now covered in blood.

"It won't be long now," Tom drawled with a smirk as he leaned lazily against a pillar to watch. "Basilisk venom is a quick poison but it does make for a very painful death."

"Harry!" Severus repeated as he pulled his son's head into his lap and even Fawkes flew over. Severus always carried a bezoar with him, but he knew very well that they were useless against basilisk venom. He was completely useless as a father. Only a few months into it and he was watching his son die as he watched helplessly on.

"It's all over Harry Potter," Tom sneered. "Even Dumbledore's bird knows that. He's crying for you. Can you see that? It won't be long now. I'm going to sit here and watch you die, and then I will finish off your friend."

Fawkes was crying? Severus's head jerked up hardly daring to hope. But Tom had been telling the truth! Fawkes truly was crying right onto Harry's wound and, as Severus looked on in amazement, the bleeding stopped and the hole sealed up.

"Harry?" It came out as a strangled whisper. After all he had been through in his life, Severus Snape had very little reason to hold on to hope of any kind, but this was a miracle that seemed to be in his favor.

"Stop! Get away from him!" Tom suddenly shouted jumping up once more. "Avada Kedavra!" The green light shot right into the wall of the chamber as Fawkes took flight in a flash of flames once more. "Stupid bird!" Tom shouted as he searched for it once more.

Severus was filled with relief as Harry slowly sat up on his own. "Pheonix tears have healing powers in them unrivaled by almost anything else," he told the stunned boy.

Just then Fawkes appeared above them once more and dropped something. Severus stared at the book for a moment, but Harry's eyes immediately widened. Without a second of hesitation, he grabbed the discarded basilisk fang and lifted it high above his head.

"Avada…" Tom started, but Severus was quicker.

"Expelliarmus!" Red light exploded from Severus's wand at the same time that Harry plunged to basilisk fang into the center of the diary. Instantly Tom screamed in agony as ink splurted all over Severus and Harry. Harry dug the snake fang into the book deeper and Tom's screams continued until he suddenly exploded in a burst of light, the wand in his hand clattering to the floor. Not a split second later, there was a loud gasp of breath as Ginny's breath returned to her full force and her eyes flew open.

Harry didn't understand why, but he lay back onto the stone floor of the chamber feeling completely exhausted, but at the same time began to laugh hysterically. In spite of everything that had happened, every obstacle that had gotten in their way, the basilisk was dead, Tom Riddle was gone, and they had gotten to Ginny in time.

Severus watched the boy before him in great relief. This entire mess was over, and Harry was safe. He would definitely be ordering a complete psych evaluation to make sure to minimize any possible lasting damage, but for right now everything was just fine. "You do realize that you are officially grounded for the rest of the term right?" he declared firmly as soon as the uncontrollable laughter had quieted down.

Harry sat up once more now calm again and stared at the man before him. Then, with a true smile relief and calm, he fell against his chest once more in a tight hug. "I know and, somehow, I am alright with that dad."

Author's Note: I know it's been forever and you've all given up on this story. I've just had major writers block. It is far from perfect and when I read it again later on down the road, (probably when it's not two o' clock in the morning) I'll probably hate it, but I've finally got this chapter done so I'm posting it. Your reviews are always amazing and so encouraging. I've only got one more chapter after this to deal with the aftermath, and then "The Trouble With Polyjuice" will be complete. I've started thinking about a sequel, but with how much trouble I've had writing lately… I don't know. I've always got ideas running around in my head. I just can't seem to get them written up.

Enjoy,

~Lily