(10 minutes prior)

Harry was set in the middle of a runic circle in the Room of Lost Things and Blaise set representations of the basic elements around his friend and rival while Professor Crane drew a runic circle with some chalk. Blaise kept the crystal from the black grimoire in his hand as he set it up, listening to the whispering voice inside giving him his instructions, looking through the grimoire to make it look like he was reading from it for Elijah and Lily. After some debate and a quick idea upon hearing what the ritual would entail, Blaise opted to do the ritual instead of the theoretical Barrier spell. "What is this ritual," asked Elijah. Blaise listened to the voice for a moment before responding.

"Spirit Separation Ritual," he said. "According to this grimoire, it was developed by a man who wanted to sever the Soul Bond of the woman he was infatuated with. I'm willing to bet this will pull the soul piece from that journal and break the hold it has on Harry at the same time."

"Are you sure?"

"Well, it's main properties were made to invade the body and find any connections to the soul."

"Won't this sever his Bond with the girls," asked Lily.

"That's a risk. But that's also why I want Elijah to conduct the ritual. He's more experienced at using Soul Sight and can direct where to aim the magic. Normally, this would be a long and grueling ritual as the caster tries to find the links. With Soul Sight, it should take significantly less time."

"And you're sure this will work," asked Crane as he put the finishing touches on the circle. Blaise listened to the voice and looked lost in thought.

"83% sure."

"Blaise…"

"It's either this or let Harry stay possessed. It's feeding off of his magic and strengthening its hold the longer we leave it and Harry's Soul Magic is just going to make it stronger because of its natural absorbing capabilities. This way, we have a shot of at least limiting what it can do to him if not fully separate the two. According to the grimoire, even if we don't sever the connection fully because of how long it's been attached to him, the ritual can reverse the draining and Harry can use it as a spare energy source until it depletes completely, Harry's own magical reserves can benefit greatly from it, in theory."

"I'm not sure," said Lily.

"Well unless you have a better idea, Elijah please repeat the following incantations." Elijah stood in front of Harry and the journal and repeated Blaise's incantations as directed. Each of the four representations lit into a different colored flame and the circle erupted in white lights. Elijah activated Soul Sight and saw magical energy from each of the flames starting to collect above Harry. "The ritual responds to your will. As long as you know what exactly you want to happen in the ritual the magic circle will do just that. Depending on how well we can identify the connection between the journal and Harry." Elijah nodded and started focusing on the journal's magic and saw a very faint line connecting it to Harry.

"It doesn't look as strong as before," he muttered.

"Looks can be deceiving. We know this thing is smart and capable of masking itself using distractions. It could be limiting the connection to make it seem like not too bad of a problem, so you instinctively don't use the ritual to the fullest extent."

"It's what I'd do," said Lily. Elijah cocked his neck and started focusing on the connection, ignoring the other connections to the girls.

"Alright, Blaise," he said. "I can see the connections what…" An inhuman scream sounded from the journal and seemed to echo throughout the room. Unbeknownst to the participants in the ritual, Riddle's soul pieces were responding to their presence and the ritual that was potentially a threat to their existence and power.

"Focus," shouted the Second Year as he flipped through the grimoire (listened to his teacher). Blaise lifted a vial from his pocket and poured its contents into the ritual circle, careful to avoid touching the circle itself.

"What's that," asked Lily.

"Carbon sediment. Asked to browse Professor Snape's experimental ingredient cabinet for this."

"Why?"

"He's going to form a crystal," said Elijah. "My uncle did this all the time!"

"Coangusto," said Blaise. The sediment started to bind together. "Fusilia!"

"That's an advanced spell," said Lily. "Be careful, Blaise!"

"I'm fine!" Blaise silently thanked the presence in the crystal for lending him enough power to use the concentrated fire spell to form an inch-long quartz crystal. "Professor Crane, I need you to make a barrier! Make sure it surrounds the ritual site! Elijah, if you have an idea of what the soul piece feels like, sever the connection! Then extract it and place it into the crystal!"

"Well done, Blaise," shouted Elijah with a grin as he directed the ritual to sever the crystal's link to Harry. He pulled out his wand and aimed at the journal. "Tracto!" The screaming intensified as a black mass was pulled from the journal and the face of a young man was shaped within. "Pono!" He sent the soul piece into the crystal and watched as the crystal turned a deep red, the same color as the Philosophers Stone. With an explosive wave of magic that knocked several things in the room to the ground including a bust holding a silver diadem and a wooden mannequin nearby, a black smoke halfway extracted from the diadem and trying to escape.

"Is that a Philosophers Stone," asked Lily.

"A what," exclaimed Crane.

"Looks like it," said Elijah.

"Don't touch it," said Blaise. "Not yet." He aimed his wand at the Stone. "Sfragída!" The Stone flashed before its red color turned into a black. Harry groaned as he stood up.

"You ok," asked Lily.

"Why are we in the Room of Requirement," he asked.

"Well," said Blaise. "I just saved you from being the puppet of a disembodied soul piece."

"Christ, now I'll never hear the end of it."

"You're welcome."

"How are you feeling," asked Lily.

"Lightheaded."

"That's normal," said Blaise. "The grimoire said that feeling comes from a connection being severed from your soul. If someone were to sever your link with one of the girls, you'd feel that as well as a bit of emptiness about you."

"What is that thing," asked Harry.

"An old grimoire. I think it might've belonged to one of the Ten."

"What makes you say that," asked Elijah.

"There's more in here about different spells I've never heard of." Blaise listened to the instructions of his hidden teacher about a spell and aimed his wand before flourishing a jagged line. "Animatis!" A bright blue orb shot from his wand and hit a nearby broom. The item stood up on its bristles and started moving to Blaise as if walking on legs.

"Oh," said Lily. "So that's where the inspiration for Sorcerer's Apprentice came from."

"Congratulations," said Harry. "You have a broom slave…"

"More like an extension of his own soul," said Elijah. "The Animatis spell is one that extends your soul out and forms a connection with a targeted item and giving it life for as long as you want it too. Objects with movable extensions act as limbs given the context of the spell."

"You know it," asked Blaise.

"I never learned it. My mother used it at home. She used to make me laugh by animating this old marionette doll. At first I was creeped out, I was three, then she gave it a voice and it was the funniest thing in the world. Isabel tried learning the spell to make mechanical slaves. Let's just say the conflicting energies made them explode in her face."

"As things go," said Lily with a satisfied smirk. Alistair shuddered slightly.

"I hate dolls, especially if they're moving on their own. Bloody demons, those are."

"Are we done here," asked Harry. "I'm getting…"

"What's the hurry," asked a raspy, hollow sounding voice from behind Lily. They turned to the voice and saw a wooden mannequin limping towards them, a silver diadem on its head. "After all. You've procured something of mine. I thank you for your service and would very much like it back."

"Oh," said Elijah as he aimed his wand. "That is all kinds of creepy."

"What exactly is it that we have that you want back," asked Harry.

"…My soul," shouted the raspy voice. A blast of flames shot from the mannequin's arms at the runic circle, making sure the same ritual couldn't be used again. Blaise raised his arm to cast another flame spell. The possessed mannequin flicked an arm and knocked a shelf over, sending it on top of Blaise and knocking him unconscious. Lily and Elijah started firing spells at a rapid pace and the mannequin swatted them away one at a time.

"It's like a giant sentient wand," exclaimed Elijah.

"I am Lord Voldemort! My magic surpasses mortal limits!"

"Son of a bitch," shouted Harry. His wand sang as he got a shield up while a massive wave of magic shot from the mannequin's hands. Elijah and Lily were too slow and were hit full on by the blast. They were knocked off their feet and unconscious as they hit the wall beside the door. The mannequin levitated the black crystal off of the floor where it was dropped and 'swallowed' it. "Oh, fuck all kinds of duck…"

"Harry," said Crane as he failed at blasting a section of the mannequin away. "Run!" Harry picked up the journal out of instinct and started running as Crane and then the mannequin followed after him.

(Present time, Anima Mea Dorm)

Daphne sighed and massaged her temples while Cain bounced a ball off a wall, caught it and repeated the process out of boredom. "Would you knock it off," she asked.

"Hey, I'd rather be training with your boyfriend, but he's getting his head checked out by Professor Crowe so…"

"Harry's in trouble," exclaimed Luna as she burst into the common room. "We need to help him!" She grabbed Pansy and pulled the girl to her feet from where she lay on the floor reading a book.

"Hey," she exclaimed.

"Where does Milly usually go at this time of day?!"

(Seventh Floor Corridor Ravenclaw Wing)

Harry and Alistair ran, the professor telling wandering students to head to their dorms and wait until told otherwise as he deflected and sent spells at Voldy-ken, as Harry dubbed him mentally. "Get to your dorms," he shouted. "This is an emergency!"

"Down," shouted Harry as he charged up a Magical Bolt and fired it at the mannequin. The attack did little more than make it slightly stumble as it sent a fire spell at them. Alistair deflected the flames away, burning away nearby paintings as its occupants ran for safety. "What's it going to take to stop this thing?!"

"I could always try Fiend Fire, but I can't use it in the school!"

"Well that's great! Hold on!" Harry raised a shield as a blasting spell shot towards him. The shield absorbed the spell and the mannequin stopped short.

"Bad time to show off, Mr. Potter…"

"Yeah, I noticed…"

"Teach me that spell boy," said Voldy-ken.

"I'm gonna go with no…"

"Imperio!" Harry raised a shield again and absorbed the forbidden spell. "Impossible!"

"Nice going, Mr. Potter," said Alistair.

"Shove it!" Crane tackled Harry to the ground as a spell almost took off the tween's head.

"If we get out of this, I need a pint!"

"I've have Elijah buy you one!" Harry sent a blast of magic at the mannequin, knocking it backwards and giving them time to get away. Alistair looked at few stragglers.

"Would you get your arses moving before I deduct points from your house?!" The students ran as fast as possible, two of them rushing to Flitwick's office.

"Harry," shouted Luna from the stairs. "Lead it to the second floor!"

"Luna," asked Harry.

"If she's got a plan," said Alistair. "We're gonna follow the bloody plan!"

"We don't even know the 'bloody plan'!"

"Teach me that spell, boy," shouted Voldy-ken.

"You want a spell," asked Alistair. "I got one for you!" Alistair aimed his wand. "Umbris Confringo!" A ball of black mist formed around the tip of the wand before launching at the mannequin. Voldy-ken shouted in frustration as he tried swatting away the darkness around him. "That won't hold him for long… get moving!"

"Right," said Harry as he glanced at the spell before following the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. It wasn't long before the mannequin started following again as they descended the stairs.

"I hate bloody dolls!"

"Just run!" They got to the second floor just as Filius and Minerva managed to catch up with them from Flooing to the fireplace of a classroom on the second floor.

"Mr. Potter," exclaimed Minerva. "Professor Crane! What is going on?!"

"Voldemort soul pieces possessed a mannequin," said Harry. "Normal spells aren't doing shite! Luna has a plan!"

"What plan," asked Filius as Minerva stopped herself from reprimanding Harry for his language as they spotted the mannequin land in front of them.

"This way," shouted Luna as she lobbed a firecracker, curtesy of the Weasley twins, at the mannequin. It exploded and liquid fire started spreading on its left arm. Voldemort ignored the burning appendage and sent a blasting spell at them. Minerva was quick and transfigured the floor between them into a wall to block it, giving them time to follow the Seer.

"What's the plan," asked Harry.

"Destroy a Horcrux," she replied.

"How?!"

"He'll hear me!"

"Just tell us as we go," shouted Alistair. As the students and teachers made their way to the second-floor girls' bathroom, one of the portraits inhabitants managed to go to Dumbledore's office and inform him of what was going on. Minerva spotted the sinks in the bathroom had moved and blinked.

"What on earth…" she started as Luna turned to them.

"Explain later, slide now!"

"Get away from there," shouted Voldemort as the mannequin followed after them.

"Don't have to tell me twice," shouted Alistair as he slid. Minerva and Filius turned to the mannequin and were both sent sprawling into adjacent stalls, the mannequin focused solely on Harry. Luna took his hand and pulled him along with her down the tunnel. The sound of wood scraping against stone followed them not long after as Voldemort started getting angrier and angrier.

"Where are we going," asked Harry.

"Chamber of Secrets," said Luna. "We had a tough time opening it, luckily you talk in your sleep."

"Why is that…"

"Parseltongue!"

"What's the plan, Lovegood," asked Alistair as they heard Voldy-ken land.

"Right now Pansy is helping Milly calm down the Basilisk."

"She's what?!"

"When we get to the chamber proper, we need the basilisk to bite the mannequin."

"You say that like it's gonna be easy!"

"Boy," shouted Voldemort.

"I'm getting really sick and tired of being called that," muttered Harry. "Why is he so fixated on me?!"

"Could be the other soul piece it swallowed is driving its actions. Trying to get back the feast it was pulled from," said Alistair.

"That's a lovely thought…. But that still doesn't explain his one-track mind."

"Could be the ritual caused some kind of pain to it, made it delirious."

"Oh great, it's desperate then!" Luna looked behind them and gasped.

"Ravenclaw's diadem," she said.

"Keep moving," shouted Harry. Luna faced forward and kept pace with Harry. Daphne stood at the entrance of a large hole and waved them through while Cedric sent a volley of spells past Alistair to slow down the mannequin.

"Hurry inside," said Daphne. "Luna said your mom and Elijah are on their way with Blaise. They're going to trap the mannequin with no means of escape."

"Lovegood said something about…" started Alistair until he saw his students standing in front of a 50-foot Basilisk. "Bloody hell…"

"This is Salazar's Basilisk," said Millicent. "Luna managed to figure out how to control him." Harry turned around as he heard the mannequin enter the Chamber. He could practically make out a grin on the faceless mannequin as Voldemort stared them down.

"Nowhere to run, boy," said Voldemort. "{Basilisk! Kill these intruders! The Heir of Slytherin commands you!}" The Basilisk stared down at the children in front of it before turning its head to the mannequin.

"{You are no Heir of Slytherin, pretender! The true Heiress has claimed her title! I will follow her commands! Not yours!}"

"{Fool! I am the Heir of Salazar Slytherin! You will obey me, monster!}"

"{He won't listen to anything you say, Riddle}," declared Elijah behind them. "{Parseltongue doesn't mean that you're a part of a specific bloodline. I learned Parseltongue years ago.}" Voldemort growled and sent a Killing Curse at Elijah. The Soul Mage anticipated this and raised a shield like Harry had done earlier. Harry turned to the Basilisk.

"{That thing holds the soul of a monster. He's a threat to the Heiress and the children of Hogwarts.}" The Basilisk looked at Harry before snarling and charging at the mannequin. Alistair kept the children to the side as the large fangs of the Basilisk clamped down on the head of the mannequin.

"The Diadem," shouted Luna. The mannequin screamed as black smoke started spewing from its head. It struggled as it tried pulling itself free and went limp after a minute. The Basilisk dropped the mannequin before moving back towards the other children and coiling beside what looked to Harry like a giant statue.

"You know," said Cain. "For a 'legendary Chamber', this place is lackluster."

"This is the Chamber of Secrets," said Daphne. "The least you could do is show a little… enthusiasm…" Daphne looked at his hands as she saw him eating an apple. "Where…?"

"I have deep pockets." Daphne rubbed her temples and turned to Harry before finally snapping to the danger he was just in and wrapping her arms around his neck, the other girls not long after. "See, where the hell does a guy get that kinda luck?"

"A botched ritual," said Blaise. Lily cleared her throat and shifted her feet slightly. Harry looked at the Basilisk and saw it coiling around Millicent as she held a golden conch.

"What is that," he asked.

"That's how the Heir controls the Basilisk," said Luna. "I saw you were in trouble and quick learned Parseltongue to get us down here." She rubbed her temples. "That gave me a major headache. A kiss would make me feel better."

"Luna," said Elijah. "Now is not the time." He moved to the mannequin and nudged it with his boot. He used Soul Sight and peered into it, seeing no magical signature. "I think we found a way to destroy Horcruxes if we can't siphon them into my gem."

"Crowe," said Alistair. "Explain, now."

"We'll explain later. For now…" Elijah glanced uneasily at the Basilisk. "Can we get out of here. I may have learned Parseltongue, but giant snakes kinda get to me."

"You all go on up," said Harry. "I'm going to try and see…"

"No," said Lily. "You're coming with us." She pulled him along. Tracey shivered as she looked around the Chamber.

"Why did we need to come down here," she asked as she followed after them.

"Precaution," said Luna as she skipped beside her. "Voldemort doesn't know about the capabilities of Soul Magic. He can't predict who knows it."

"Soul Magic," said the mannequin as it slowly stood up again.

"Ok, bullshit," said Cain. "Professor Crowe said you were dead!"

"My older half may have been unstable enough to not know how to combat you. But the last few months have been illuminating. Thank you, Harry for telling me how effective Soul Magic can be and…" The mannequin grinned as a golden shield shot in front of it as Alistair and Elijah shot flames at Voldy-ken. "…How to properly use your spells."

"Ah, crap baskets," said Elijah.

"And I know how to properly use them to their fullest extent." A black silhouette surrounded the mannequin and soon it resembled a human body made of black energy.

"Someone mind telling me what's going on," asked Cain.

"I think Tom has figured out how to access Soul Magic," said Luna.

"Not good," said Blaise as he fingered the gem.

"It's not complete," said the voice. "You can beat it. You just need the right spell."

"Would you mind telling me said spell," he whispered

"And before I suffer the same fate as my counterpart…" said Riddle before he raised a 'hand' and blasted a green bolt of lightning at the Basilisk, killing it. "That is for your disloyalty, beast."

"No," shouted Millicent. Another shield erected as Lily and Harry sent blasting charms at Tom. The black form smiled as it turned to them.

"Ah, the Boy-Who-Lived and the Mother-Who-Won. You may be powerful but if it wasn't for your tricks, your damned ritual, you never would've defeated the older me."

"So you're supposed to be Voldemort, I take it," said Alistair as he stood between the figure and the students. Blaise tensed slightly as he listened for the spell. With Elijah obstructing the figure's view of him, Blaise pulled out his wand and started subtly casting a spell around him before priming himself to spring into action.

"You would do well to show fear at the mere mention of my name."

"Why should I fear a man who lost to a baby?" Harry deadpanned at the mention. "Let alone a man who can't even back up his threats. You want me to fear you? Give me a reason then."

"My killing of the Basilisk wasn't enough for you? Fine then." The figure glanced at Cain and fired a curse at the boy. Cain attempted to move out of the way as the spell veered off course, aiming at Blaise. The spell impacted a golden barrier in front of Blaise and kept streaming into it. Everyone stared at the action as Blaise walked forward as the figure flickered, showing the mannequin beneath it. Once the figure was completely gone, Blaise aimed his wand.

"Ni de xin shi wo de," he said as green magic shot forward at the mannequin. In his weakened state, Voldemort could barely erect a shield to block the spell. It maneuvered around the shield and impacted the mannequin. Voldemort screamed shortly before it stopped and a black wisp was pulled from it, dropping it to the ground. The green spell surrounded the wisp before it started ripping the soul piece apart. "Duihuan." Blaise held up the gem and let the spell flow into it. It glowed briefly before growing dim. Blaise panted slightly. "Even with the barrier… that was draining…"

"What did you just do," asked Elijah.

"The grimoire. Told me how to convert certain things into radiant magic and place it into gems other than quartz." Blaise held up the gem and pocketed it.

"You couldn't be faster," asked Cain. "Why the hell did he single me out?!"

"No Soul Magic," said Alistair. "You and I don't know how to make those shield spells and he figured I was planning something. I was hoping he would blast me and give Elijah to room to do something, but I forgot about you, Cain. Sorry." Cain groaned and collapsed into the water at their feet.

"Hare! Remind me to kill you for this!"

"Is he talking to me," asked Harry.

"I think it's safe to assume yes," said Blaise before turning to Millicent who was looking at the Basilisk. "Daphne, Luna. Get her back to the dorm."

"How do we even get out of here," asked Cain.

"Salazar's Journal," said Luna. "Said there's a passage to the basement next to the Slytherin common room. {Drain.}" Harry blinked as the water started receding beneath them revealing a massive library among other things.

"Ladies and gentlemen," said Elijah. "The Chamber of Secrets." As everyone stared at the Chamber's contents, Alistair stood off to the side, out of everyone's view, and glared at the mannequin, eyes black and red. He stuffed a black wand back into its hiding place in a holster on his left wrist and used his regular wand to incinerate the thing as a precaution, his eyes turning back to normal as he shivered.

"I hate dolls," he muttered under his breath.

(Author's Notes)

And it's back guys! Just a heads up, RoSM will not be updated as regularly as before. The whole reason is because I've hit a bit of writer's block regarding this story. Sorry to disappoint longtime readers and newcomers alike, but if you've come this far, you must like something about my writing so please check out my other stories as well if you wish. Also, for readers like DZ2, any challenges you have for me I'll accept. Could be for anything, provided I know the title and it's not fucking Twilight. These will be welcome tests to get me out of my comfort zone and give me some fresh ideas to mess around with occasionally when I need a break from my normal stories.