Once in the bathroom Harry pulled the cloak off and stuffed under his robes. He walked up to the sink and concentrated on how to say 'open' in parseltongue. After a few minutes he gave it his best shot and said, "open" he was relieved that he had heard the hissing of parseltongue.
The sink began to move and sunk. It reviled a large pipe as Harry remembered it would. He made sure he had a good hold on the sword and that his wand was securely in his robes and carefully stepped off into the pipe and slid down the dark and slimy pipe. Rushing down past several smaller pipes that branched off. The pipe twisted and turned sloping steeply downward and before he knew it he was shooting out the end of the pipe and landing on the damp floor.
Harry pulled out his wand and said, "Lumos", the tip of his wand lit instantly giving him some light to navigate through the tunnel. He followed the tunnel around a bend to a solid wall where he saw the two serpents entwined. Again, though easier, he said, "open" and the serpents parted allowing the wall to open and let him through.
He followed the chamber until he saw the two pillars. He took a few deep breaths and concentrated on what he had to do. Thinking hard and in the hissing sound of parseltongue he said, "Speak to me, Slytherin, greatest of Hogwarts four."
The gigantic stone face began to move, the mouth opening wide creating a large black hole. As Harry heard the slithering of the snake he turned his back to the hole. The snake was slithering closer and closer. He did not dare to chance a look. Harry focused on the sound of the snake slithering closer and watching the walls and ground for shadows.
The closer the snake got the louder and clearer the slithering sound became. When the slithering sound stopped Harry held his breath and chanced a look behind him. All he could see was the large body of the snake; he looked up and saw that the snake's head was just above him.
Harry looked straight ahead, firmly gripped the sword with both hands. He raised his arms and shoved the sword up through the bottom of the snake's head, driving the sword in, all the way to the hilt. As he was still holding on to the sword the snake began swaying it's head and thrashing around.
Harry held on for dear life as he was swung around, slammed into and bouncing off of everything in the chamber. After several minutes the snake's head flung backwards onto the ground with a thud and remained motionless.
Breathless and sore Harry let go of the sword and at up on the snake to catch his breath and some strength with any luck. After several minutes passed Harry attempted to pull the sword out and succeeded. As he was trying to figure out if it was safe to look at the snake or if he should just give it his best shot at using the sword to gouge out the eyes he heard several footsteps and sighed.
"STOP! I can't believe that the three of you followed me all the way down here."
"But.."
"Hermione, no! The basilisk is dead, but I'm not sure it it's safe to look at it. I have not yet gouged out the eyes. Although do you have a mirror on you?"
"Yes."
"Walk back wards towards my voice. Just listen to my voice and trust me."
"How will we know it's safe? What will happen if it's not safe?"
"Ron calm down and relax. Hermione sorry, but the worst that can happen is you'll be petrified. Not to worry, it's possible to be cured of being petrified I promise. Ron, Ginny stay where you are. I'll let you know when it's safe. Hermione keep walking, you're doing great. Okay you can stop walking. Now use the mirror to look."
As Hermione used the mirror to try to check the snake Harry was sweating with fear. He did not know for sure if this would work. Would she be ale to see the eyes? Would she become petrified? With the snake dead would its power of petrifying still work? Harry's heart sank when Hermione stopped moving.
"HERMIONE!" Harry screamed and jumped off of the snake.
"What? Its eyes are shut."
"Why didn't you say anything?"
"Sorry."
"It appears to be safe. Why did the three of you come all the way down here?"
"We wanted to help." Ron said.
"You could have gotten yourselves petrified or killed."
"But we're all fine though." Ginny said.
"Since the three of you wanted to help, did any of you happen to mention anything to Dumbledore so that we can get out?"
"No. How were you figuring that you would get out?" Ron replied.
"I had thought that the three of you would have said something to Dumbledore and waited at the entrance."
"How'd you do it before?"
"Fawkes. But it was extremely different circumstances."
"Well let's go back the way we came and maybe Dumbledore will be there."
"I doubt it. Hold on how did the three off you get all the way in here?"
"Everything was open." Hermione replied.
"Let's go back, I think that I know how we can get out of here."
"How?" Ginny asked.
"Moaning Myrtle" Hermione answered.
"You read my mind Hermione."
Hermione just smiled.
They made their way back to the pipe. Harry called for Moaning Myrtle.
"What do you want?"
"I was wondering if you could get a message to Professor Dumbledore?"
"Why should I?"
"To be nice." Harry said as he stopped on Ron's foot to keep him from saying anything.
"And why should I be nice?'
"Have I done anything mean to you?"
"No. Who are you?"
"My name is Harry Potter and this is Hermione Granger, Ginny Weasley and Ron Weasley. Could you please help us?"
"This is a trick. Isn't it?" Myrtle said and disappeared.
"Now what?" Ron asked.
"There is something that I could try. Not sure if it will work."
"Try any way. Please." Ginny pleaded.
"KREACHER!"
There was a "pop" as Kreacher appeared.
"Who calls Kreacher to this…Master Potter. How my I be of service?"
"First of all I know what Regulus wanted you to do with the locket. I know of a way for you to fulfill what he wanted you to do. Please find Professor Dumbledore and tell him that I need help getting out of the chamber."
"Yes Master." And with a "pop" Kreacher was gone.
"I'll be right back." Harry said as he took off back through the tunnel and into the chamber.
With the sword Harry quickly gouged out the eyes of the snake and carefully pried open the mouth and even more carefully broke off a tooth and ran back to where he had left Hermione, Ron and Ginny.
"What the bloody hell is that?"
"It's a tooth Ron. I had to go back and brake off a tooth out of the snake's mouth."
"What the bloody hell for?"
"Stabbing the diary with the sword should work this time, but if for some strange reason it doesn't well, this way I won't have to come back down here. It could help with possibly finding an antidote to the venom."
"Harry are you down there?"
"Professor. Ron, Hermione and Ginny are down here too."
"Hang in there." Dumbledore said just before summoning Fawkes.
Dumbledore made his request to Fawkes.
A short time later Fawkes returned with Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione.
All four followed Dumbledore to his office. Dumbledore pulled out the diary and placed on the floor.
"Harry, I think that you should be the one to destroy the diary."
Harry shrugged his shoulders, grasped the sword and stabbed the diary. There was a muffled piercing scream, ink spurted out of the diary. As the ink oozed out you could see a hole burned through the diary. Harry picked up the dairy and a steady drip, drip of ink continued to ooze out.
Before anyone could say anything there was a "pop" and Kreacher stood in Dumbledore's office.
"Master Potter said that he knows of a way that Kreacher can fulfill his duty to Regulus. I bring locket with me."
Harry handed Kreacher the tooth from the snake.
"Kreacher do you want to do it? Or shall I?"
"Master do what he feels is best. Just as long as it is done."
"May I have the locket for a moment."
Kreacher grudgingly handed the locket over to Harry. Harry held the locket up to his face and said, "open." Everyone just looked at Harry strangely. The locket opened and Harry quickly plunged the tooth into it. There was high-pitched shriek for several minutes and then silence. Harry closed the locket and handed it back to Kreacher.
"Thank you Master Potter."
"I just thought that you would like to have it back. The locket is yours after all."
Kreacher disappeared with a "pop."
"I think that the four of you should go to your dormitories and clean up a bit. Not much longer and it will be dinner."
Once all four entered the common room, Harry wondered what had happened in the match with Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff.
"Who won in the match?"
"Hufflepuff. The final score was two hundred to one hundred and fifty. Ravenclaw was getting slaughtered. The snitch fluttered right in front of Cho, she moved so quickly that she was even surprised that she had the snitch." Ron answered.
The four of them then went to their dormitories, cleaned up and left for the dining hall for dinner. The noise in the dining hall was mostly from the Hufflepuff table, continuing their celebration of the win over Ravenclaw.
The next two weeks the talk was about the upcoming Slytherin and Hufflepuff match, who would win, how close it would be. The majority of the school was rooting for Hufflepuff to win.
The morning of the match everyone was up early and in the dining hall having breakfast. The Slytherin team left first, followed by most of everyone else. The Hufflepuff team was last to leave.
"And they're off. Hufflepuff with first possession of the quaffle, Summerby sailing up the pitch and scores. Montague with the quaffle zooming down the pitch he attempts to score and Abbott makes a nice save. Smith with the quaffle up the pitch passes to Cadwallader and he scores. Warrington with the quaffle and drops it, Smith there to catch it. He turns around and heads in the opposite direction and Blaise blocks it."
An hour later, "Smith scores! Hufflepuff slaughtering Slytherin, one hundred to nil, Abbott makes another spectacular save. Cadwallader has the quaffle and soars up the pitch and gets another one past Blaise. Pucey with the quaffle, the quaffle comes loose from a bludger hit by Summers and Summerby catches the quaffle and hustles up the pitch and scores."
Another hour later, "Hufflepuff with one hundred and fifty points, Slytherin still nothing. Wait, looks like the seekers are after the snitch. Ooo Diggory dodges one bludger and gets hit in the back of the head by the other. Malfoy catches the snitch. Doesn't look like he meant to do it. The match is over with a tie game. Now we wait to see where the standings are for the Quidditch cup"
Cedric was taken to the hospital wing as Dumbledore had Lee move out of the way.
"May I please have your attention? As a result of this match, Slytherin is tied with Ravenclaw therefore there will be another match. Very soon the date of the match will be posted in all common rooms. Enjoy the rest of your day."
Several people visited Cedric in the hospital wing. Cedric was doing fine just slight bump on the head and would be released in a day or two.
Three days later there was a sign posted in the common rooms. The play off match between Slytherin and Ravenclaw was set for the 23rd of April.
"It's two weeks away." Hermione stated.
"I know, this must be the longest Quidditch season in a long time." Harry said.
"It might be the longest season ever. When Bill and Charlie went to school they never talked about the Quidditch season gong so long. If it has then it was before their time." Ron added.
"But don't you think that they want to quickly get to the ceremony awarding the cup?"
"Hermione as much as we would like differently, they have to let Slytherin rest and prepare for the match." Ron answered.
"Don't be so nasty. Hermione's question was legitimate. Sure, Slythrein could use the rest for a hopeful chance of beating Ravenclaw but at the same time it would make sense if they had the playoff match sooner." Ginny said defending Hermione.
As the match drew closer tensions were high with Slytherin and Ravenclaw as excitement was high for the rest of the school. Slytherin with their jeering at Ravenclaw and minor threats in passing with out teachers around were starting to get to the Ravenclaw team. Harry and several other Gryffindor's as often as they could would tell the team members not to give it any thought. Slytherin was just trying to undermine them. Harry when he could he would tell Cho to just focus on getting the snitch and her own well being. He also told her to not pay too much attention to the score or what was going on with her teammates, get the snitch at soon as she could.
On several occasions Harry, Fred, George, Ron, Ginny and Hermione would come across Ravenclaw Quidditch team members quite still on the floor, there were occasions when it was obvious that he or she had been stunned or cursed or jinxed or even hexed. If they could fix it themselves they would and then take the individual to the hospital wing.
A few days before the match most of the school was outside enjoying the warm weather, Harry was walking down a hall to meet his friends outside by the tree they had been hanging out under. Halfway out of the castle Harry clearly heard the whimpering cries of someone. Harry decided to see what was going on. He walked in the direction the cries were coming from. Once Harry reached the other side of a bend in the hall he saw two people on the floor. Once was sprawled out on his or her back, the other was on his or her knees leaning over the other.
"Cho. What happened? Is Roger okay?"
"It was Draco. I saw him. Roger knocked me out of the way and got hit. I don't know what Draco used. I can't just leave him here, but I need to get him to the hospital wing."
"I know something that should help. Let me try it and then we'll take him to the hospital wing, no matter what."
"Thanks Harry."
"Finite Incantatem!" Harry was relieved that it worked.
"Let's get him to the hospital wing. And Cho do tell Madam Pomfrey who did this."
"I will. And thanks again Harry."
"No problem."
After Madam Pomfrey took over Harry walked out of the hospital wing and sprinted out of the castle to where his friends were.
"Harry, are you okay?" Hermione asked
"What took you so long?" Ron asked
"Why were you running?" Ginny asked.
Once Harry caught his breath he explained.
"Malfoy is behind this." Ron said
"Obviously he is. We just can't prove it was him for all the others unless they saw him." Hermione said.
"He'll probably get out of it." Ron said annoyed.
"There's no way. Cho saw him do it." Hermione stated
"If he doesn't get out of it he won't be in much trouble as it was only one person. Like you said Hermione, we can't prove it was Malfoy for all the attacks unless the ones attacked saw him. Cho did see Malfoy this time."
After a few minutes Harry, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, Fred and George went back inside the castle to the hospital wing to see how Roger was fairing.
* * * * * * *
"Miss. Chang, who did this?" Asked Madam Pomfrey.
"Draco Malfoy. He was actually trying to get me, but Roger knocked me out of the way."
"I will certainly be talking to Professor Dumbledore."
"Talking to me about what, Poppy?"
"Miss. Chang has just told me that Mr. Malfoy tried to stun or curse her and Mr. Davies knocked her out of the way so he got hit with whatever it was."
Dumbledore looked over at Cho and she nodded that Pomfrey had it correctly.
"I shall take care of this. Oh, Miss. Chang is this the only time you know of that Mr. Malfoy has tried to do anything to you and the rest of your team?"
"I only saw him this time so I don't know if he has done this to others or not."
"Very well."
A few hours later Dumbledore returned to the hospital wing to have a word with Roger.
"How are you feeling Mr. Davies?"
"All right."
"I heard from Miss. Chang, but I would like to hear what you have to say as well."
"Cho and I were walking and talking about the match coming up. Cho stopped talking so I turned around and saw Draco wand in hand and raising his wand arm so I pushed Cho out of the way."
"Thank you for your time. I will go and let you rest some more."
Dumbledore left the hospital wing aggravated.
* * * * * * *
Ravenclaw house was thrilled that Roger had been released from the hospital wing that night and that he would be fine to play in the match.
Over the next few days the Ravenclaw Quidditch team stayed together and were in large groups as often as possible. This was working very well as no one had been stunned, jinxed, hexed or cursed.
At dinner Harry noticed that Professor Dumbledore, Professor Snape and Draco were not there.
"Ron, Dumbledore, Snape and Malfoy are not here. I hope he's getting into loads of trouble, I doubt it though."
"Well, maybe with any luck Malfoy will at least not be able to play in the upcoming match." Ron said hopeful.
"We will just have to wait and see now won't we." Hermione said.