A/N: Agh ok ok ok here it is! My first Potterhead fandom fanfiction :) I AM SO HAPPY!
Bit of background: I watched the movies, like, a week and a half ago. Literally, all eight movies in three days. Because I was never allowed to watch them, and I just did it anyway, because I was bored and sleep meant nightmares so-
I came clean to my parents after I finished Deathly Hallows 2, and I am now in respectful rebellion (idek if that's a thing). My parents don't approve but they aren't doing anything about it so I'm going to keep delving into it and hopefully someday get the series. I mean, risking their disapproval? They're already disappointed and I'm a sucker for solid friendships and borderline-suicidal self-sacrifice. And trauma. Always trauma.
I recently read a fanfiction called Strength in Weakness by Littleforest. It's absolutely amazing. And now I have to try. This is a simple one-shot... well, you saw the summary. Probably.
Please please please tell me if I screwed something up with lore or characters or anything because Pinterest and the movies only scratches the surface and I need to get the books but I'm impatient, so, appreciated :)
Enjoy!
Awake.
Ginny panted, chest heaving, eyes glancing in ever direction as she struggled to make sense of her surroundings. She felt like she'd just eaten a box of Weasley's Waking Warts- chocolate, of course, designed for the eight years to get through their studies with. Focus. The dim light had blinded her for a moment- or had it been longer?- so she cracked her eyelids open again. There was an arched stone ceiling above her, and to her right and left, intricate carvings of snakes and serpents. Fear ran like ice through her veins at the sight.
What happened?
Flashes- blood on the walls, staining her hands, a strange language feeling heavy and thick on her tongue, rasping deep in her throat- snakes- the old girls' lavatory-
A white hexagon, raising itself high in the air as a strange, chilling power ran through her hands.
Ginny gasped, cold, wet air hitting her lungs.
A black journal, terror and confusion, but before that, trust.
A name. Tom Marvolo Riddle.
Lord Voldemort.
Ginny squeezed her eyes shut, suddenly aware of a ringing in her ears. She sat, slowly, head spinning, and struggled to focus on the present.
I was possessed by Lord Voldemort.
A strange, terrifying certainty weighed heavy in her gut. But before Ginny could process anything else, such as why in Merlin's Order she would be in the plumbing of the school- she forced aside more flashing memories- she became aware of a noise, just barely audible. As she concentrated, shoving aside the adrenaline rampaging through her, everything seemed to come into focus.
Including ragged breathing behind her.
She whipped around, half-expecting to see Voldemort himself; only to find Harry Potter, kneeling next to her. Relief surged through her veins, quickly replaced by worry. She could still feel the evil lord's presence on her, in her, tinging her thoughts and emotions. What if he thinks I'm the one who did all this?
"Ginny." She twitched at the way he spoke her name. Quiet, soft even, but undeniably urgent.
"Harry, it was me." Might as well come clean. Like he'll believe me anyway. "But I swear I didn't mean to! Riddle made-" Her fear and doubt seemed to fade along with the last vestiges of his presence as adrenaline surged through her once more. "Harry, you're hurt."
Ginny's eyes were glued to his arm. He clapped a hand over the bloody gash in his robes, glancing up at her with those fervent green eyes of his. Only in this light they almost looked gray. Sweat and grime coated his face, sticking his hair to his forehead and coating his robes. Water pooled around their feet, along with- Ginny's eyes widened- a pool of dark, sticky liquid.
No.
Her gaze traveled slowly, almost afraid of what it might be coming from. Thank Merlin, it avoided Harry himself, instead stemming from a bloody- was that a fang?- still lodged deep into the binding of Riddle's book.
Fear raced through her at the sight of it, but she forced her body to calm. He's gone. Somehow Ginny didn't quite believe that. But Harry's more important right now.
This all came in a moment. The next her eyes were back up, because Harry was speaking; voice husky and dry, eyes glazed, body hunched. Had he been like this moments prior, and had she not noticed? Or…
Is he getting worse?
"Don't worry about me, Ginny." He gritted his teeth, pressing his hand tighter against the wound with a wince. "You need to get yourself out." Her gaze followed his to a large, circular door of sorts, made of heavy bronze, at least thirty yards from them. "Follow the… Chamber and you'll- find Ron."
He's definitely getting worse. And Ron? Was her brother down here too? Were they stuck? Was he hurt? A strange, song-like cry echoed above them, interrupting her chain of thoughts. A bird- a beautiful bird, standing in stark contrast with the grays around it, flapping its flame-colored wings to soar gracefully around the cavern. It looped around- Great Merlin, that was a gigantic snake- and landed next to Harry, deep brown eyes shining with a strange intelligence. Its thin, rounded beak clacked as it ticked its head in his direction.
"You were brilliant, Fawkes." Harry grimaced, nose scrunching as if every word was a pain. "I just…" He glanced down at his arm, grief tinging his resolute tone. "I wasn't fast enough."
He… he thinks…
He was poisoned. Suddenly it all clicked into place and Ginny was thrown back, finding herself watching a scene play out; through Voldemort's eyes instead of her own.
Harry drives a thin sword straight through the skull of the massive serpent, evoking a burst of anger from the dark lord. Satisfaction surges through his bones as he watches Harry pull a fang out of his arm.
He's done it.
Harry climbs down from the statue, limbs dragging, barely able to keep his head up. Eventually he can no longer carry even the small weight of Godric Gryffindor's enchanted sword, and it clatters to the ground. Harry himself follows soon after, crawling with the last of his strength to a body.
Her body.
Harry rubs her motionless, cold hand with his bloodied one, swallowing painfully. A strange mixture of emotions swirls in his eyes. But all Voldemort feels is sick triumph.
"Remarkable, isn't it? His voice rumbles through his chest, silky yet undeniably menacing. "How quickly Basilisk venom penetrates the body. I'd guess you have only a minute to live." He chuckles, the sound making the cavern seem even darker. "You'll be joining your Mudblood mother soon."
Ginny jumped back into reality, panting, one hand across her chest. He's gonna die.
Once again, the lingering tremors vanished as Harry struggled to look up at her. "Gin… you OK?"
Ginny surprised herself by laughing. "Am I OK? Seriously?" Fear turned her voice hard and brash. "You're the one moments from death!"
Harry shook his head, groaning as if the motion caused him pain. His hands hit the floor, no longer bothering to staunch the thin flow of blood. "Worth… it." He swallowed thickly. "Saved… you, and-" Ginny winced as a rattling cough tore at his chest. "Stopped… Riddle…"
"Harry? Harry?!" Ginny's hands wavered helplessly over his scrunched form, hating the way his halted breaths scraped in her ears. His eyes, blearily meeting hers, were almost black. He panted, seeming to draw into himself for a moment. Her body froze; she knew instinctively what was coming next.
It was only when he collapsed that she finally managed to move, lunging forward so that his head hit her lap instead of the floor. "Harry Potter!" She shrieked, on the verge of hysteria. He was practically writhing in her grip, pushing desperately against her arms as if he couldn't get enough air- but even that was feeble. His strength was fading quickly, that she could tell. Another cough tore from his chest, finally spurring her into action.
"Bird!" She yelled, beckoning the- what was it… pheonix- to her side, even as Harry's pushing grew less and less. "Go get help! Get Dumbledore! Or McGonagall!"
A cocked, angular face met hers, but the pheonix didn't move. "Go!" She begged, hardly noticing the tears dripping down her face as Harry pulled to the side suddenly and vomited, splattering acid against the hard, cold tile. "Please!"
The bird stepped closer. Then again. When she met it's strangely wide eyes, everything seemed to still- even Harry, who in his barely coherent state seemed to recognize something important was happening. "What?" She asked, softly now. "You're- Fawkes? Right? Can…" She shifted slightly, releasing her hold on the quietly twitching teen. "Can you help him?"
A nod. Ginny thought at first that had been her imagination, but the bird stepped forward, wings folded primly at its sides. It stood directly over Harry's arm and cocked its feathered head again, standing there for a long moment.
"Fawkes-"
Drip. Ginny froze, the harsh words still on her tongue. A soft sizzling sound rose from Harry's pale arm and he seemed to relax just a little, swallowing hard and collapsing against her. Drip. Drip.
Was the bird crying? Ginny watched in amazement, gulping back tears as the wound in his arm seemed to close before her eyes. "Woah… phoenix tears… they must have some sort of healing power!" She turned a little to thank the strange bird, only to hear a pained moan beneath her. Her brown eyes shot back to the limp form she was holding, stiffening when she realized his face hadn't smoothed in the slightest. His thick brows were still furrowed, glasses broken and sliding off his sweaty face. His lips were almost the color of his skin, pressed into a thin line and pulled back on the corners. Everything felt tense- as she watched he groaned again, pushing his head into the crook of her arm. A strange tingle ran up it.
"What- what's wrong? Why isn't he- why is he not getting better?! You healed him… right?" She'd done stranger things than talk to a bird this year.
As if in response, Fawkes stepped forward, claws clacking against the stone-cold tile. His beak tapped the place where a bloody gash had been moments before, then traced a line up Harry's arm, then in, resting over his chest.
"Oh." Anyone with basic anatomy lessons from Snape knew there was a vein that ran straight from the arm to the heart. "Oh."
He's not healed. Not yet. The poison had already spread.
Harry jolted suddenly, sending Fawkes squawking away. Eyes still shut tight, he flipped onto his stomach and retched, bringing up nothing but a thin stream of bile as Ginny patted his back helplessly. I have to do something. He can't fight the poison on his own, obviously. Long moments passed, the horrid sound of his coughing and retching filling the chamber, until at last the boy collapsed back against her, head lolling to one side, shaking desperately. Pity seized Ginny's heart at the state he was in. Odds are he just saved my life.
"Fawkes." She beckoned the bird back, keeping her other hand lodged firmly on his arm. "I need you to cry again." An idea was starting to form.
Harry finally quieted, after several long moments. Is that good or bad? Ginny wasn't sure. He seemed asleep, facial muscles still pinched tight, hands clenched into fists. Dread spread from her gut through the ready of her body. So not good. Unconscious. "Cry into his mouth. I'm gonna try to get him to swallow it."
The bird squawked, ruffling its feathers at Ginny as if in question. "Just try it. Please? I- I don't know what else-"
Clacking on tile stopped her as the bird came close again, tipping its elegant head to one side. Down came the shimmering liquid, falling onto Harry's tongue with a barely-audible hiss. After a moment, Ginny gently pushed his jaw closed, stroking his throat like one would a kneazle with a furball. For a long moment nothing happened.
Then he gasped, body going rigid against hers. One of his hands planted firmly against her thigh, the other against the wet tile, as his back arched uncomfortably. A strange sort of inhuman scream built up in the back of his throat, filling the chamber as Ginny watched, frozen. His eyes were squeezed shut tight, every line on his face highlighted by the dim light of the cavern. Shivers ran down her spine at the sight- a moment later, she burst into action. Panic overcame shock. "Fawkes!" She grabbed at Harry's arms, trying to pull him back in. He was stiff, arms locked tight as if something was pulling itself out of him. "What's- happening-" An arm hit her face as the boy began thrashing, cold, wet, thick cloth hitting her face as he collapsed. "Help!"
The phoenix watched on.
Footsteps sounded down the corridor as a new person entered- a shock of red hair quieted her fears. "Ron! Come help me! He'll choke or something!"
Her elder brother wordlessly pulled Harry's rigid form off her, face screwed up against the onslaught of screams. He sprawled himself across the thrashing teen, motioning to Ginny to do the same. She gritted back tears that threatened to blur her vision, sprawling her body across the Harry, pinning his arms down. This forced her to look straight at his face- he whipped his head from side to side, the rest of his body immobilized. "When- did- he start- working out?!" Ron gasped as a stray kick almost sent him flying.
Ginny sent him a glare.
"Sorry."
Harry jerked one last time under them, letting out a strangled growl, before falling still. His eyes slid shut, muscles slackening. It happened so fast Ginny almost flew off him, instead scrambling to one side and sitting on her knees. Her hands flew awkwardly through the space above the boy's chest as she watched him. Eventually, she managed to get her breathing under control, and Harry was still quiet. "Is he…?"
Is he OK or did I just make him worse?
"What the bloody hell just happened?!" Ron shouted, breaking her reverie.
"I don't know!" Ginny shot back, not caring to read the lines of his face and see the fear flashing through it. "I woke up here and he pulled a big tooth out of his arm and then he collapsed, and the phoenix-" She cut off with a squeak as Ron barreled her over, suddenly on top of her and feeling her all over before she felt his arms wrap around her back and squeeze tight. She let out a wordless gasp. "Ron-"
"What happened to you?!" He shouted far too loud into her left ear. His shock of orange hair was buried into her shoulder. Her hip ached from the impact with the stone floor.
"I- I'm OK, Ron!"
"What. Happened. To. You?!"
Ginny sighed; tears filled her eyes as she finally caught on to the strain in his tone. "How… how long was I…?"
"You were missing, Ginny. For two weeks." Ron's arms tightened around her waist- was he crying? "I thought-"
"Don't finish that." Ginerva finally managed to move, winding her arms through his and enjoying his protective embrace for a moment. Then she pushed away. "I'm fine- I'll explain everything, later. Promise." She sighed at his doubtful glance. "Harry is way more important right now!"
Ron jolted. "Right. What happened to him?"
Running her hand across his newly healed arm, Ginny watched Harry's face for any sign of movement. At least he's still breathing, she noted, watching his chest rise and fall in even rhythm. "He was poisoned."
"By what?"
She pointed behind her, feeling a sort of grim satisfaction as she watched her brother's face morph into a mask of fear and awe. "That's… that's a basilisk. Harry-" Ron jumped to his feet. "Harry got bit?!"
"Yeah- well- sort of." Ginny shivered, remembering the cold satisfaction from not-her memories. "He… killed it. But it left one of its fangs in his arm."
"He's… how long has it been since he got bit?"
It's not a bite. Ginny shoved the prude remark down. "Maybe five minutes? I… I'm not sure."
"Bloody hell." Ron leapt into action, pulling Ginny roughly to her feet and gathering Harry in a limp pile of limbs. "Get his legs."
"What-" Ginny stumbled as Harry's robe caught her across the face. She fumbled, managing to get her arms under his hanging legs. He was heavy, limp, and entirely unresponsive- she didn't have time to process anything before Ron was pulling them both down the tunnel. "Ron- hang on! What-" She tripped over a stray stone and almost brought them all down. "-is going on?!"
"He doesn't have long. Hell, he shouldn't even be alive now! He-" His brown eyes betrayed deep worry. "Just come on."
Ginny wordlessly rushed after Ron, heaving Harry's legs up so they didn't brush the floor. Merlin's Beard, Ron's strong. Or maybe just panicking.
"Ron! Ron, wait!"
"Talk and walk, Ginny!"
"Fine!" She panted, shoving Harry through the cylindrical chamber entrance and climbing through after him. "Fawkes is a phoenix and phoenixes have healing powers in their tears!"
"Stronger than basilisk poison?" Ron pulled a sharp left, swinging Ginny and Harry with him. She almost lost her grip, digging her fingers into Harry's shins. "I- I don't know! I don't even know if swallowing phoenix tears is safe-"
"Let's just get him to Humphrey." Ron groaned, screeching to a halt so fast Ginny ran into the back of him. Harry was scrunched up uncomfortably between them, and she backed up; he hadn't even responded to that.
"How are we supposed to get through there?" Ginny tipped her chin towards a small, ragged space where rock had been cleared.
"And even worse, how are we gonna get 'im up?" Ron shook his head. "You pull, I'll push." He set Harry's upper half down on a stray rock and squeezed through the small space- Ginny realized there was more debris scattered throughout the room. What the-
"Come on! Pass him to me!" The pass ended up being more of a drag, Ginny struggling to keep her balance and kick any loose rocks out of the way, wrapping her arms around Harry's chest. As soon as his head was poking through Ron's hands appeared, grabbing the shoulders of Harry's robes and pulling him the rest of the way through. Ginny winced at the scrapes he'd have on his back, then flung herself through. "Can't you do some sort of magic to get him up?" Ginny asked.
"Yeah- Hermione's been helping me with one. Now listen to me. I can't get up there, and someone has to stay with the Professor here anyway." Where'd he come from? Ron's urgent voice and tone kept her attention from straying. "As soon as you're up there, go find McGonagall or Dumbledore or Humphrey- hell, even Snape- and get. Help. OK?" Ginny swallowed, bobbing her head. She'd never seen this side to her brother before… intense, completely serious, fear overshadowed by protection. "Good. Now I can't use my wand, stupid dratted thing, but-" He pulled a wand out from the folds of his robes. "Professor over there switched with me on accident. Here."
"Wait!" Ginny shrank back as he lifted his arm. "Test it first!"
"Huh?"
"Olivander's shop? You almost destroyed the whole thing with the wrong wand?"
"Ah. Right." Ron turned away, aiming the wand at a small pebble behind them. "Engorgio!"
Rumble.
Within moments, a massive boulder had filled the space, forcing Ron to stumble back. "Woah!"
"Ok, so be gentle with us! Please!" Ron nodded, gulping and raising his wand. "Maybe-"
"Just do it!" Ron glanced at Harry's still form, steeling himself. "Ok, Ginny, you first."
She spread her feet wide, nodding at Ron. "Wingardium Leviosa."
He actually said it right. Ginny found herself on the verge of laughter (probably hysteria) as she shot upwards.
"Woah!" Ron squeaked, waving his wand down- only that sent his younger sister hurtling towards the hard bones beneath them. Another flick and she was spinning- "Ron! Stop- moving!" He froze obediently, leaving her slowly rotating about five feet above the ground. Ginny took a deep breath, shoving away her dizziness. "Now slowly."
This time she rose straight up, gaze traveling to a familiar white marble dodecagon above her. Fear thrilled through her stomach as memories flashed before her eyes. Stop.
In no time at all, she was at the top, rising past the ancient bathroom grates and over the top of the sinks. A slightly shrill voice met her ears, from the hallway at the entrance to the bathroom. "It's right there, Albus. You don't have to go inside the lavatory! Just look, for heaven's sake!"
"Mrs. McGonagall!" Ginny caught on to the ledge of the sink and pulled herself over, catching Harry a moment later. He collapsed into her as soon as the spell released him and they went tumbling down to the slick bathroom floor. She winced as pain exploded in her already sore hip. "Mrs. McGonagall!"
"Oh, dear! There's a student in trouble again! Oh, I told the girls to stay out of that bathroom!" The urgent pattering of feet assured Ginny that the Professor was approaching; she wrapped her arms around Harry's chest and pulled him closer. The warmth was a bit of assurance for her, although she could feel him shaking even in his unconscious state. Or was that her?
Probably both of us. Muttering filled her ears as McGonagall turned the corner, ducking to avoid a low-hanging rafter attempting to catch her witch's hat. "Between Moaning Myrtle and the Chamber they should know by now- Ginerva Weasley!" Her sharp green eyes took in the sight with a frightening speed. "Where on earth have you two been?!"
"The chamber." Ginny responded, shoving their shared panic away in favor of getting her brother's friend help as fast as possible. "He saved my life, but he was stabbed with a basilisk fang. Fawkes bought us some time, but we have to get him to Humphrey."
"Oh, that won't do." Came a new voice- gravelly and ancient. Professor Dumbledore. Ginny felt a little more secure now. "Basilisk venom, you say? He needs Severus' assistance."
Nevermind comfort. Ginny subconsciously tightened her hold on Harry's arms. Seeing the action, Dumbledore stepped forward, crossing his arms across his long, gray robes. "He needs a special kind of treatment now, Ginerva. It's the only way to save him. Trust me on this, please."
A long moment passed before she loosened her hold on the boy, letting his limp body slip gently to the damp floor. Dumbledore gathered him up instantly in his arms, gray folds draping over the boy's face as he called softly to McGonagall. "Fetch Snape and meet me in the alchemy room."
Once she was gone, Dumbledore produced his long, twisting wand from his robes and whispered a spell, sending Harry floating into the air. His head lolled to one side, mouth slightly open, and Ginny glanced away at the unnatural sight. As the pair walked away, she couldn't help but wonder if she was allowed to follow them. A pair of tiny footsteps following Dumbledore informed the wizard that she had indeed gone after them.
"Is there something else, Ginerva Weasley?"
She paused, pointing back toward the massive floating ring of bathroom sinks. "My brother is still down there sir, Ron? With Professor Lockhart too. They're stuck."
Dumbledore nodded. "I will send Minerva- now, that's Professor McGonagall to you- to fetch them when we have assured Harry Potter's safety."
"Will he be alright, Professor?" Ginny rushed to his side as they hurried down the ancient arched hallways. "When he collapsed…"
"Given that he has not already succumbed to the poison as he should have, I do believe Snape will be able to cure him. He is the chosen one, after all. He must not die yet." Dumbledore replied matter-of-factly.
Yet?
"You said my bird, Fawkes, helped you?" The ancient wizard cleared his throat softly.
"Yes, sir. He healed Harry's wound."
"But his tears merely heal surface wounds, if I am not mistaken." A wink glinted in the dim light. "Which I, as Headmaster, rarely am."
"I got him to cry into Harry's mouth, sir." Ginny swallowed, suddenly nervous. Could it be that she had done something wrong? What if that was only going to make him worse? "I hope that was-"
"That was a very intelligent thing to do, given the situation, my dear." Dumbledore instantly quieted her fears, flicking his wand as they turned the corner. "I presume the… unothordox… treatment worked?"
"I think so, sir." Ginny pushed out, jogging to keep pace with the wizard's long strides. "I was scared it made him worse at first, but now he seems alright."
"Although Harry does have a considerable amount of recovery ahead of him, I do think your quick thinking saved his life in the Chamber, Ginerva. And for that, I thank you." Before Ginny could reply, brimming with pride at the Headmaster's praise, he continued. "Fawkes!"
At his call, the Phoenix swooped in from a hidden skylight mere meters away, squawking and coming to a graceful rest on the Wizard's sloped shoulder. "Did you know you could combat poison, old friend?" A shake of the head-feathers indicated that no, the elegant bird had not known of that particular use for its powers. Dumbledore chuckled, glancing down at the small girl. "Only a first year and you already have surpassed the knowledge of a thousand-year old bird. And a Headmaster!"
Ginny chuckled at the youthful expression on the Headmaster's wrinkled face, unable to keep herself from relaxing in the assurance that Albus Dumbledore, the man who knew everything, wasn't worried. "I- I really didn't mean to learn anything, sir! It just sort of-" she flung her hands out, almost catching the one in her teacher's long, gray beard. "-happened!"
A hint of the joy left Dumbledore's face, replaced by something deeper. "Ah, yes." He replied, voice husky with sentiment. "That is something you will find happens quite often here at Hogwarts- especially to your group of friends." But before Ginny could question his strange words, the intent, not-quite carefree gaze was back. "Now, Ginny, do tell me how you managed to free yourself from the Dark Lord's enslavement!"
"Well, sir, it started about three months ago…"
—
Whaddya think? Not bad for my first try, or did it suck? Again, I'd love some constructive criticism or even just a "ok" from you guys :) still working on my other fandoms too if you're interested. Sorry for the late update! Again, life sucks sometimes :/
God bless! -Grace