Chapter Ten
Percy
Harry and Percy charged the massive snake, and Snape began to duel the midget with a ridiculous name. Harry pulled a sword from the Sorting Hat, like some kind of demigod magic trick. Percy yelled pointers about swordsmanship while they dodged the flailing tail, and landed gashes along the glittering green scales.
"Both hands, Harry! That sword's a bit heavy! Watch your feet! There ya go!" Percy ran up the length of the snake, burying Riptide in it's empty eye socket. It exploded into dust, and Percy fell to the floor below in a crouch.
"Great job, Harry! About time one of you wizards learn to use a proper weapon!." They watched the two wizards duel, an incredibly complex battle of spells. Harry suddenly yelled something about a diary, and rummaged through Neville's pockets. Pulling out a little notebook, Voldemort turned to them.
"YOU INSOLENT CHILDREN!" he screamed, and Harry brought down the sword. Ink covered Harry and Percy like blood, and Voldemort writhed and screamed. Then, he was gone.
Neville began to stir, and promptly passed out when he saw Snape bloodied and battered. Snape conjured a stretcher for Neville, and they set off the way they came. Ron and Hermione brightened when they saw them, and she stepped on Lockhart to see them. Ron snickered at the sight.
Aeto proudly carried Fawkes on his back, and soon they were staring up the long pipe.
"I hate the underground. Aeto can't carry us all, but I could get Professor Mcgonagall." They all sat in a tired circle, with the exception of Lockhart and Neville who were both unconscious.
"How do you plan on getting back with your dog?" Snape asked, and Percy smirked.
"He's a hellhound Snape. Shadow-travel is something they can do. I guess it's technically called umbruportation, but yeah. Aeto is just a puppy, and even one trip tires him out. I'll get Mcgonagall." Percy picked up Aeto, and whispered in his ear. They then melted into shadow.
Percy crashed through a table in the staff room, much to the shock of Professor Mcgonagall, Dumbledore, and an elderly woman. He probably looked like a mess, covered in blood, ink, and monster dust. He put Aeto in his hood, and turned to the teachers.
"Professors, Snape, Ron, Harry, Hermione and I found the Chamber and killed the basilisk. Neville seems okay, but they're a little stuck. Lockhart went batshit crazy on us and started trying to wipe out memories. Oh, and apparently the Chamber was opened by teenage Voldemort. What a dumb name. And my name is Perseus! Seriously, who wants to sound like a moldy cracker-" the door slammed open, and the rest of the group came in.
"Fawkes gave us a lift." Said Harry, and Percy shrugged. That tiny bird carried them all? Sure, why not. That's not any weirder than his teleporting puppy. Hermione came in with Madame Pomfrey, and Percy yelped.
"YOU! I LET YOU OUT OF MY SIGHT, AND YOU GO OFF MONSTER SLAYING?! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT IT MEANS TO BEHAVE?!" Percy shrank from the purple faced woman, and her attention was grabbed by Neville's still form on the stretcher. She woke him with a muttered spell, and Percy sheepishly handed her his medkit. She glared at him, but took it.
"There's only muggle supplies in there, I don't know any magical first aid." He balked at the glare she sent his way.
"Sit down. All of you. That means you, Severus." Dumbledore looked amused at the sight. Percy sent him a pleading look, and he asked Snape to explain.
When they reached the part where Snape dueled Voldemort, he had Harry tell the rest. Harry handed him the diary, and by then Neville was bandaged and sitting up. Percy had given Madame Pomfrey a Gatorade for him, and he was quietly drinking it. Percy handed everyone else one, and took a blue one for himself. Snape eyed it suspiciously.
"This one's just a muggle sports drink, drink it. Trust me, you'll feel better." Snape drank, and Percy thought to himself 'little does he know the purple one turns your poop green too'. Hiding his smile behind a swig of Gatorade, he listened to Neville's story.
He talked about meeting Malfoy at Diagon Alley, who had given him the diary by saying he'd dropped it. He talked about writing to the person in the diary, and the times were he couldn't remember what he had been doing for hours. He then remembered "Tom" making him trash his room, paint his own goodbye on the wall, and go into the Chamber. The elderly woman stood and hugged Neville, who Percy guessed was her grandson.
Dumbledore stated that Voldemort was likely using the diary to feed off Neville's emotions, and that he was in no trouble. "Far older and greater wizards have fallen for Voldemort's trickery, Neville. It doesn't make you any less of a man, nor do we believe it was your fault." Neville was crying into his grandmother's shirt, and Madame Pomfrey took the group to the Medical Wing. They sat down as she healed their scrapes and cuts with a quick spell.
She ranted at Percy for well over an hour, and he sprinted out the moment she stopped. He didn't stop running until he'd reached the Gryffindor Common Room, where Harry, Ron, and Hermione were telling the story. He went right to his room, changed into his orange shirt and pajama pants, and passed out.
The Petrified students were revived a week later, and normalcy returned. Well, mostly. Harry had told Hermione about Dobby, and how he'd freed him, and she was furious. Percy was also outraged, and they spent weeks campaigning for a new club, S.P.E.W.
Percy had explained that he learned wandless elemental magic at Camp, which was why he could track the basilisk. He admitted that was how he'd kept the rain off during the match. He demonstrated for them, swirling some water in the air into shapes. He gave the same explanation to Snape, and told him that's how he knew when a potion was going nuclear.
They had each been awarded 25 points, and they were in the lead for the House Cup. Gryffindor was 100 points behind in the Quidditch Cup, and Hufflepuff won the Championship. Classes continued as normal, and Percy was glad he'd managed to reveal a lot about himself to his friends without revealing too much.
He worried about the "tragedy" he was supposed to prevent, because it appeared that the Chamber of Secrets wasn't it.