Thanks to my Willy Wonka of a Beta YenGirl.
Blooming Flowers
The Chamber Of Secrets.
Hagrid had been arrested and the Headmaster was suspended from his position and missing. Lockhart seemed partially pleased by Hagrid's arrest, and the rest of the Professors tried to go on as normal.
"We need to go to the library," Harry told his sister and friends after their first class, "I think I have a good idea of what the thing attacking the students is."
Hermione nodded, "Let's meet during lunch."
After murmurs of agreement, they headed for their other classes.
Lunch couldn't come quick enough, and all of them hurried to the library.
"I think it's a type of serpent," Harry said quietly as they entered the room. "Last night, I ended up talking to Aragog."
"And that is?" Draco asked.
"A giant talking spider that lives in the Forbidden Forest, used to be Hagrid's pet."
"Somehow that whole sentence made sense," Ron murmured.
Smiling a little, Harry and his friends settled down at a table in the furthest corner.
"Anyway, the only reason why I found him was because of that snake Dad had me release. It told me to follow the spiders, I did and found Aragog. He told me that the thing in the school was something old, ancient, and similar to the snake, he also said that it killed a girl years ago."
"Wait, the Chamber had been opened before?" Hermione inquired.
Harry nodded. "And apparently they thought Hagrid did it then."
"That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard," Draco snorted.
"I know."
"I suppose we should start looking," Luna hummed, "and I know just the book."
She pulled something out her bag.
"It's my grandfather's, Newt," she said, showing them the journal. "Maybe he has something in it that will help."
It did and the creature was a Basilisk.
"Everyone who's been attacked looked at it through something reflective or in Justin's case, Headless Nick. So they were only petrified."
"But, it's a giant snake," Draco pointed out, "someone had to have seen it."
"Harry," Hermione turned to her brother, "when your heard the voice, well, the Basilisk now I guess, do you remember in which general direction?"
Harry thought about it. "Not really….It always sounded like it came from the walls."
Hermione bit her bottom lip a thought slowly came to her.
"You said it killed a girl, and her body was found in a bathroom, and you often heard a voice from the walls."
Harry nodded.
"I think, I think it's using the pipes."
"…How?"
Hermione shrugged, "You have a better idea?"
Ron opened his mouth, when, suddenly Harry groaned louder and clutched his head with both hands.
"Harry?" His sister asked, worried. Standing up from her seat, she headed around the table to her brother.
Suddenly, Professor McGonagall's voice, magically magnified, echoed through the school.
"All students to return to their House dormitories at once. All teachers return to the staff room. Immediately, please."
The four students stared at each other, dread twisting inside them.
"We need to go," Harry said, still clutching his poor head.
"But Harry—" Hermione started, worried.
"Now." Harry's voice was unusually firm.
They left the library, following a silent Harry through the halls, some familiar, others not. They went through a door into a room and then another and had to squeeze in with some old cloaks. Harry stopped and shushed them. They stood there quietly; listening, jumping a bit when the first door banged open. Together, they peeked through a crack.
It was the professors, most the staff looked puzzled, others scared. Then Professor McGonagall arrived.
"It has happened," she told the silent staff room. "A student has been taken by the monster. Right into the chamber itself."
Hermione noticed that her dad gripped the back of a chair very hard, "How can you be sure?" He asked.
"There was another message," Professor McGonagall told them, "under the first one. Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever."
"Who was it?" said Madam Hooch, who had sunk, weak-kneed into the chair. "Which student?
"Ginny Wesley."
Luna felt Ron slide silently down onto the wardrobe floor. Silently, she slid down beside him. It was a little tight, but that didn't stop her from taking hold of his cold hand and squeezing it.
"We shall have to send all the students home tomorrow," said McGonagall, "This is the end of Hogwarts, Dumbledore always said…"
Suddenly the door banged open and Lockhart came in, a little out of breath.
"So sorry—dozed off—what have I missed?"
He didn't seem to notice the mood of the other teachers, and Harry watched as his dad stepped forward, eyes calculating.
"Just the man," he said softly, "The very man. A girl has been snatched by the monster, Lockhart. Taken into the Chamber of Secrets itself. Your moment has come at last."
Lockhart blanched.
"That's right, Gilderoy," chipped in Professor Sprout, "weren't you saying just last night that you've known all along where the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets is?"
"I—well, I—" sputtered Lockhart.
He kept sputtering, until finally, he conceded, "You're right, of course. All of you are, and tonight indeed would be best. I'll—I'll be in my office, getting—getting ready."
And he left the room.
"Right, that's got him out from our feet." McGonagall sighed, "The Head of Houses should go and inform their students what has happened. Tell them the Hogwarts Express will take them home first thing tomorrow. Will the rest of you please make sure no students have been left outside their dormitories."
The teachers rose, and left, one by one until only Severus was left. Once the door was closed, he went over to the wardrobe and opened it.
"Talk." He said to the five children who stared up at him, eyes softening when they landed on Ron.
"We think the monster is a Basilisk," Hermione blurted out, "and that it's somehow using the pipes to move around."
Severus blinked. "How is a giant—you know what, never mind. Thank you for telling me, now to your dorms."
"Okay."
They do, though not before Luna gave Harry her grandfather's notebook, "Maybe there's something in it that will help."
"Thanks, Luna."
~.~
It felt like the worst day of their lives. Ron, Hermione and Harry sat together in a corner of the Gryffindor common room, unable to say anything to each other. Percy wasn't there, he had gone to send an owl to his parents, then shut himself up in his dormitory. Fred and George had gone after him and seeing as they weren't back down here, were successful.
"I think she knew something," said Ron, speaking for the first time since they entered the wardrobe, "I mean she's been acting weird, and—" he rubbed his eyes frantically, "she's a pureblood though, so there can't be any other reason."
Hermione squeezed his hand.
Harry didn't say anything, this was the worst he had ever felt, there must be something they could do. Anything.
They had gone through the journal, but the only thing they found was that the basilisk had a second eyelid that if used, allowed one to look at the beast without having to worry about dying.
"The problem with that is that the Basilisk has to really trust you for it to work," Hermione had said. "There's also a spell. But it's very advanced."
Ron had looked at Harry, desperation in his face. "What about you, and your trick?"
Harry shook his head.
"It's weird, I don't really control it when it comes to advance spells. If we ended up approaching it, there's a good chance it wouldn't work."
"So, that's a no then."
"I'm sorry, Ron."
And that was it.
Harry suddenly hissed in pain, and clutched his head again.
"Harry?"
"W-We need to go to Lockhart's room."
Hermione stayed behind to cover for them while Harry and Ron ran to Lockhart's room.
"Wait, boys, boys!"
Ron skidded to a stop, stumbling forward when Harry ran into him.
"Is that—"
Salazar waved from the single portrait on the wall, "A moment."
"Sorry," Harry panted, "but we—"
"Yes, yes, I understand. But this will only take a second. It's about the Chamber of Secrets."
"What?"
Salazar doesn't explain. Instead he hissed. Ron turned to Harry confused, only to see him with this... expression.
"I'm sure you can figure out what to do with that," Salazar winked, then, he was gone.
"….Let's go." Harry then said.
~.~
Harry didn't knock on the door. Hogwarts was urging him to hurry and the whole situation, in general, had bypassed politeness.
"Professor, I—"
"Ah, Harry, Mr. Weasley."
The children stared at the stupefied body on the floor, black hair splayed out. Slowly, Harry's eyes traveled up at Lockhart who looked nervous, but also a little annoyed.
"No need to worry, you're father just—"
"What. Did. You. Do?"
Meanwhile, Ron moved, kneeling beside Severus and checking him over. Lockhart, on the other hand, closed his mouth, stopping whatever excuse he was going to say, "Pardon?"
Harry stepped further inside the room. "What did you do to my Dad?"
"Ah, this is—"
"Don't lie to me." Something in Harry's voice had the man flinching, before he finally sighed.
"Unfortunately, your father caught me at an inconvenient time."
It was then that Ron noticed the office looked completely stripped, things crammed into boxes, and trucks.
"You're... leaving?"
"Er, well, yes." Lockhart looked like he wanted to move, but Harry's piercing gaze kept him in place. "Urgent call—unavoidable—got to go—"
"What about my sister?!"
"You're running away," Harry stated softly, taking a step closer, head tilted.
Ron vaguely noting that his friend was acting... different.
"After all that stuff you did in your books—"
"Ah, well, books can misleading."
"You wrote them!" Ron shouted.
"My dear boy," said Lockhart, straightening up and frowning at Ron. "Do use your common sense. My books wouldn't have sold half as well if people didn't think I'd done all those things. No one wants to read about some old Armenian warlock, even if he did save a village from werewolves. He'd look dreadful on the front cover. No dress sense at all. And the witch who banished the Bandon Banshee had a harelip. I mean, come on—"
"So you've just been taking credit for what a load of other people have done?" Harry had taken another step closer, but apparently his rant had given Lockhart some courage because he didn't look at all nervous.
"Not like they will know, my talent with Charms helped with that."
He pulled out his wand. "Awfully sorry, boys, but I'll have to put a Memory Charm on you now. Can't have your blabbing my secrets all over the place. I'd never sell another book. Mmm, I think I have enough time to use it on Severus too. Oh, the possibilities with that."
Harry's eyes went a bright white and a flash of yellow hit Lockhart who was blasted backward, falling over his trunk, hitting his head hard and out like a light. Ron picked up his fallen wand.
"Is he—?"
"No," Harry said as he knelt down beside his father, "just knocked out. Dad?"
Severus groaned but didn't move. Harry frowned and stood up. "We need to get an adult."
Ron was silent. Then he said, "I'll go. You go save my sister."
"Ron—"
"She doesn't have much time."
Harry stared at him and then he nodded. "I'll bring her back."
He then left for the Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.
~.~
Myrtle was more than happy to help Harry. Once he managed to open the secret passage with Parseltongue, the rapid, almost painful hum that was Hogwarts, and what he had been ignoring since leaving Lockhart's room, slowed and felt a lot more understanding.
There was more to Hogwarts than being upset about her students being hurt.
Understanding, but still not entirely sure on what to do about it, Harry went through the opening. He slid down into the dark, twisting, turning, and sloping downward. He finally shot out the end with a wet thud, landing on the damp floor of a stone tunnel.
"Lumos!"
Wand lit, he went off, footsteps slapping loudly on wet floor. He wasn't sure how long he walked until he stepped on what was a very large and very long snake skin. With sweaty, shaky hands, he continued on until he finally came upon a solid wall with two carved entwined serpents, their eyes formed of great, glinting emeralds.
He approached and stared at the snakes, which felt they were watching him back. Finally, after taking a deep breath, he opened his mouth.
Open, he said in a low faint hiss.
The serpents parted as the wall cracked open, the halves slide smoothly out of sight. Harry, despite Hogwarts's best effort to comfort him, was shaking from head to foot as he walked inside.
~.~
Very much aware that the basilisk could pop out at any moment, Harry moved between the serpentine columns that lined the dimly lit chamber, searching for Ginny.
He found her standing at the foot of a statue as high as the Chamber itself.
"Ginny?"
Ginny looked over her shoulder, and her lips curled.
Hogwarts went wild.
Harry's wand went up.
"You're not Ginny."
"Smart boy."
Her voice sounded like Ginny's, but there was a coldness to it, and her eyes had a familiarity to them. She looked pale, tired, and a little skinny; as though something was draining her.
Harry gripped his wand tighter. "Who are you?"
The... whoever, pouted. "Aw, don't recognize me? I'm hurt."
Harry's eyes narrowed thoughtfully, then it hit him. "You're that... thing from last year!"
Ginny, or whatever, tsked. "No need to call me a thing."
"What should I call you then?"
Ginny tilted her head in thought. "That's a good question, perhaps I'll figure it out once I'm done here."
Wand still up, and Hogwarts ringing in his ears, Harry tried to come up with a plan of some kind.
"Why are you attacking the students?" He asked as a hopeful distraction.
"Because, it'll ruin him." Ginny hissed, eyes glowing.
"Who's him?"
Ginny just smiled. "It doesn't matter, not to you anyway. Or it won't soon enough, I was going to keep you, all that power, it would make thing so much easier. But, this is the second time you've popped up to ruin my plans. I refuse for there to be a third."
Harry did not like the sound of that, nor did he like what Ginny said next in Parseltongue.
Come out, capture him!
Quickly, Harry closed his eyes. There was a loud thud, and the sound of something slithering toward him; hissing low. Hoping he remembered the words Salazar told him, Harry opened his mouth and spoke, Hogwarts magic stirring within him.
Protector, be still, I'm a child protected under the House of Gryffindor!
Something went 'pop' and then silence. Harry stood there, eyes closed and body trembling.
You may open your eyes child. Harry jumped, startled, then very slowly he opened his eyes.
The enormous serpent had curled around him, massive coils as far as Harry could see and a pair of gleaming eyes staring down at him.
Erm…Hi?
The basilisk's tongue flickered. You are a different one.
Um, thanks?
The basilisk flicked it's tongue again. You have broken the enchantment.
"No, no, no, no! You did it again!"
Harry yelped, dodging a red spell.
"I'll kill you, I'll kill you and take your body!"
The basilisk hissed and turned to Ginny
No! Don't hurt her!
Threat.
She's a student of the school, uh, she's also protected by the House of Gryffindor! Something is controlling her, like it did you.
Ginny let loose another spell. The basilisk flicked its giant tail and the spell bounced off, hitting a nearby pillar and causing a crack.
Can you hold her still?! Harry asked.
Very well.
The basilisk slithered over to Ginny, who upon noticing that her spell merely bounced off the serpent, started to run. However, the basilisk was faster, coiling around her tightly, preventing her from escaping.
"No! Let go of me you stupid snake!"
Cautiously, Harry approached them, freezing when Ginny swirled her head in his direction, her expression terrifyingly ugly, twisted into something foreign, teeth bared.
"You annoying brat!"
Wand shaking in his hand, Harry stood there, not knowing what else to do. Should he bring her to the professors? What if she escaped? Or worse, escaped before he got back up to the surface? Could the whatever even be removed from Ginny's body without having to kill her like last time?
Suddenly, something warm coursed through him, his hands tingling with his own magic.
Biting his bottom lip, and working on instinct, Harry kept his wand and lifted his hands, dodging snapping teeth to cup the girl's cheeks... It felt like something was draining from him, there was high pitched screaming and low hissing, and he wasn't sure if either was from him.
All he could remember was smooth, cool, scales.
~.~
Harry woke up to the ceiling of the Hospital Wing, and his father sitting by his side. Upon seeing his son awake, relief showed in his expression.
"What part of stay in your dorm did you not understand?" Severus sighed as he ran his fingers through his son's hair.
"I was, but Hogwarts wanted me to go."
"I will be having words with Hogwarts."
Harry smiled a little, then his attention turned panicked, and he bolted upright. "What happened to Ginny?!"
Severus gently pushed his son back down. "She's here, resting in the next bed, and in good hands."
"Is she okay? Is she really... Ginny?"
His Dad's gentle expression didn't change.
"And why wouldn't she be Ginny?"
So Harry told him about how when he got to the Chamber and found Ginny acting different.
"Well, Miss Weasly told us about being possessed and has been checked thoroughly. We didn't find any lingering presences," Severus told his son after he was done.
Harry sighed in relief, brows furrowing when something else came to him. "What happened to the basilisk?"
To his surprise, his Dad looked amused, though he saw a little worry in his eyes.
"It caused quite the stir, slithering through the halls with you and Miss Weasley on its back, quite dazed. After dropping you two off at the Infirmary doors, it slithered off again. McGonagall wanted to destroy it, but you mumbled something - quite insistently - about not doing so. You said something about Hogwarts not liking if its protector was harmed again."
"Oh."
Narrowing his eyes thoughtfully, Severus told him to tell him everything. And after Harry did so, Severus was leaning back against his chair, and massaging his forehead.
"So, erm... about the basilisk."
"... You are not keeping the basilisk as a pet."
-End Year 2-