Chapter 24: Chamber of Secrets

The next day was tight with apprehension. The Mandrakes were finally ready to be stewed to make the potion that would wake the Petrified others up. I was interested to find that the culprit waited until after the potion was administered to strike.

The first to wake up with a loud "MEOW!" was Mrs. Norris. Filch was crying with happiness and mirth as he was finally reunited with his precious kitty. Then, one by one, the others awakened.

"Trunks!" I shrieked and threw my arms around him.

"Angel," he murmured, still trying to find his sight. "Angel, I can't see!"
"It'll come back soon, crazy boyo," I chided him through tears. "The next time I hear that you've done something stupid like that again, I'll surely give you the pounding of your life!" I shouted at him and punched him in his weak arm. He rubbed it and laughed weakly.

"Yeah, well, did you like the Valentine I got Harry to send you?" he asked with a furtive grin.
"You got Harry to send it to me?!" I asked, laughing as Harry blushed when Hermione threw her arms around him and Ron.

"Come on, guys," I said, standing up. "Let's get to the common room." They nodded in agreement and we made our way toward the Griffindor Tower, followed by Draco and Susan. Jupiter was conspicuously absent.

"Come on, guys," I said seriously. "I think it's time we squashed a gutless worm." Hermione nodded and the others followed me curiously, wanting to know exactly where the Chamber of Secrets was.

"Will all students please report to your dormitories at once. All teachers meet in the staff room. Immediately, please." Professor McGonagall's voice rang over the school.

"Not another attack!" Hermione said, throwing her head back.

"Nope," I said grimly. "Come on, it's time." The others followed as I led the way to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.
"Why, pray tell, are we going into a girls' bathroom?" Trunks asked as we went inside.

"Because the Chamber of Secrets is right here," I pointed to the non-working tap. "And Myrtle was the girl who died from the basilisk long ago."

"Hey, Angel, one question: Why didn't you tell us before?" Susan asked as we walked up to the non-working tap.

"Knowing the future is a dangerous thing, Susan," I told her, "A very dangerous thing indeed. Harry, do you want to do honors?" I pointed to the sink.

"What do I do?" he asked, inspecting it.

"Talk to the snake there," I told him, "Imagine it is a snake and tell it to open up."

"What on Earth are you children doing in here?" I heard a voice and turned to face Professor McGonagall, who was flanked by Snape and Lockhart.
"Saving this school," I told her, "Go on, Harry, talk to it."

"Talk to what?" McGonagall asked, exasperated. "You children need to get back to your dormitories, don't play hero thinking you can just-"
"Professor, I know what I'm doing," I told her. "Harry, there's a snake of the pipe there, tell it to open up!" He looked around, then finally found it, for he spoke the next moment in hisses and spits, Parseltongue.

"Angel, is all this really necessary?" McGonagall asked.

"Yeah, it's necessary," I told her. "I need to save Jupiter and this school, so if you'll excuse me, I'll-"

"No, I will not excuse you," she said heatedly.

"Hey, Lockhart!" Draco called out. "Why don't you go on down first? After all, you said you could beat it if you ever saw it!" Lockhart suddenly looked feeble and untrusting as McGonagall and Snape glared at him.

"We'll wait for you up here," McGonagall said to me.

"You finally see it my way?" I asked slyly.

"No, just want to see what all his talk has for him," she whispered as Lockhart slid down the pipe. I laughed and nodded. The others all slid down the pipe and I followed, floating slightly above it.

"Well, Lockhart, this is what you get for lying to millions," I said, laughing a little at him.

"Yes, Angel, but can you keep it a secret?" asked a voice that was behind me. I resisted the urge to turn about and face whoever it was, thinking it might be the basilisk.

It seems it was, because Trunks, Ron, Tom, Harry, Hermione, and Draco shut their eyes faster than even I could have caught.

The others stared at the creature, wide-eyed in fright.

"Don't look into its eyes, guys!" I cried out with my eyes shut tightly. I felt out the basilisk's ki and felt two more weak ones toward the back of the cavernous pit. One I recognized as Jupiter was declining faster and faster, while the other was gaining strength.

"Follow me, guys!" The snake followed us slowly as we made our way toward the other kis. It curled around a pipe just as we made our way into a brightly-lit room. I opened my eyes just a crack then opened them wider. I glanced back at the snake with shrewd eyes and saw that it was asleep.

"Greetings," I heard a smooth voice that reminded me of the Android 17's in the Trunks special back home. I gave a gravelly sort of laugh at the memory as I glanced around. Jupiter was on the floor, white with her eyes shut, alive but only just.

"Hello, Tom Riddle," I said in way of greeting.

"Well, well, if it isn't the famous Angel Galis," he said with a wide smirk.

"Yeah, and you're Voldemort," I smirked at him.

"Oh, but I'm much more than just Voldemort," he grinned evilly and suddenly split in two. A small, 12-year-old version of Dirken appeared and I growled low in my throat.

"You can't escape me, Angel, not ever," Dirken smirked at me. My growls grew louder. Trunks stood beside me, as did Tom, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Draco.

"Where's Lockhart," I asked out of the corner of my mouth.

"He looked into the basilisk's eyes," Hermione answered, choking back sobs. "So did Susan. We're all that's left. Us and Jupiter." I looked over to her and nodded some moral support before turning back to Dirken and Voldemort.

"That's him, isn't he?" Tom asked, his eyebrows drawn into a frown so angry it was hard to tell that he was that carefree boy I'd known all summer.

"Yeah. That's him," I answered. "And that's Dirken."

"He's got pink skin," Draco observed, his wand in his hand, ready to strike whenever he was told or to defend himself.

"And you betrayed your father," Dirken batted his eyelashes at the blond boy who had gone through so much. Jupiter was on the ground, losing energy fast.

"We've got to get her outta here," I nodded to Jupiter.

"Enough talk," Dirken yelled, "You're mine!" He pulled out his wand and pointed it to my throat before anyone else could react. "You've escaped me far too many times, Angel." His slitted eyes flashed in the light of the cavern and his forked tongue licked his lips. His entire focus was on me.

Which meant he didn't anticipate anyone to dare attack him.

Ron, get around behind him. Trunks, grab Riddle and Tom, you help him hold him down. On my mark, Ron, hit Dirken in the side of his neck. Ready? I asked in our heads.

Ready when you are, Angel. Ron answered, edging behind the pink-skinned brute.

Ready. Tom and Trunks answered in unison, moving closer to Riddle.

NOW! I screamed and with a smooth movement, my plan was put into action. Dirken crumpled to the floor from Ron's knife-like attack and Riddle was held to the ground by Trunks and Tom.

Dirken regained his consciousness and everyone backed up, ready for the next attack.

"What was it?" I asked myself, panic-stricken. Music, strange, spine-tingling music began to play as I racked my brains for the answer to my question.

"What's wrong, Angel?" Hermione asked quietly as I put two fingers to my forehead, trying to recall that most vital of information.

"I forgot how Harry defeated him in the book!" I hissed, gesturing to Riddle. Both him and the eleven-year-old Dirken had a lively, sly smile on their lips. Out of absolutely no where, Fawkes the phoenix appeared, carrying the school Sorting Hat.

"Now I remember!" I yelled, "Tom, get Riddle's diary! Quickly!" He rushed over to pick up the tiny, black book, but Dirken got to it before he did.

"I don't think so," Dirken smiled evilly at the visibly shaking boy. "Such a shame you had to become what you are."
"What do you mean by that?" Tom growled angrily, trying to snatch the diary from Dirken's hands.

"Oh, you mean Angel hasn't told you yet?" he asked sweetly, dancing around with the diary just out of Tom's reach.

"Told me what?!" Tom shouted, leaping into the air to reach the diary.

"Oh, I'm going to enjoy this," Dirken said with a hint of bemusement in his tone.

"Don't you dare!" I shouted at him, "Tom, don't listen to Dirken, you can change who you used to be!"

"Who was I, then?" Tom asked back, still trying to get the diary out of Dirken's hands.

"You were Lord Voldemort," Dirken said, his sneer evident. Tom stopped his attempts and glared at Dirken.

"That's not true!"

"You don't believe me? Why do you think you look so much like him?" He gestured to Riddle. "Why do you have his first name?"
"It's not true!" Tom shouted, "I would never hurt people like that beast did!"

"Oh, but you did," Dirken said, thoroughly amused by this.

"Tom, don't listen to Dirken! You're not Riddle! You're not Voldemort! You were given a second chance, Tom!" I heard someone shout out. I turned around and saw Susan running into the room, holding a gleaming sword with beautiful yellow topaz stones embedded in the hilt.

"Thought you were dead," I smirked at her.

"Nah, can't kill a Hufflepuff that easily," she grinned at me, "Here, that phoenix gave me the Sorting Hat and look what I pulled out of it!"

"The sword of Helga Hufflepuff!" I smiled in delight, "Here, Draco, pull out whatever Slytherin gave yer House." I tossed him the Hat and he pulled out a sword with beautiful emeralds glittering from its hilt.

"Harry, catch!" Draco threw him the Hat and I watched as Harry withdrew Godric Griffindor's sword.

"Thanks, Fawkes," I waved at the bird as he headed away. "Now, let's get this party started." I knelt to my favored fighting stance, back-to-back with Trunks. Hermione, Ron, and Tom stood with their wands faced outward and we grinned.

"Now who's laughing, Dirken?" I asked him with a smirk as he dropped the diary in surprise.

"Nagini, attack!" Riddle shouted to the basilisk. I shouted out as the others closed their eyes as well. I felt out the kis and shot up into the air.

"Trunks, help me!" I shouted, "Shoot out its eyes!" We flew up and I held up my arm, feeling out my slithering opponent's right eye. I brought my hands together and shouted my attack. "Kame...ha...me....ha!" I shouted and threw the blinding yellow ki into the monster's right eye. Trunks did the same to its left and I opened my eyes confidently as Riddle looked up at me in fury.

"Kill them!" he shouted. "KILL THEM! Smell them out!" Trunks and I separated, flying around the Chamber as the snake tried again and again to get us, failing all along.

"Get the ones on the ground!" Dirken shouted as well. The snake did a sort of about face and headed for the others. Some went one way, others in another, confusing the snake.

The huge snake had other plans. It bent its head, sniffing out one of our number, and dived.
"SUSAN!" I shouted, "SUSAN!" Susan Bones' hand was punctured and she lay on the floor, out cold.

"Susan!" Draco shouted as well. Then he called the snake something inappropriate for young ears (In other words, I refuse to type it) and launched himself forward, wielding the Sword of Slytherin as if it were his last chance. He cut the snake up into little bits, and I doubted I'd ever see him more angry than just then.

"Now it's your turn," I growled at Riddle and Dirken. I pulled Helga Hufflepuff's sword from Susan's weak, dying hands and drove it deep into the black diary, which had been abandoned in all our haste to get rid of the snake.

I watched in grim satisfaction as Dirken and Riddle dissolved, leaving not even a memory of themselves behind.

"Susan!" I shrieked as I knelt to her side, "Susan, are you okay?! Trunks, check Jupiter, quickly!" I shook Susan faster. Fawkes swooped down and began to cry.

Unlike the tears in the book that the phoenix had cried, Susan's wound did not heal. Susan Bones, age twelve, one of the few unnamed Animagus of the time and a second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, was dead.

I'd never seen Draco so completely miserable as I picked her up. I turned to see how Jupiter was doing and saw that she too was dead. We were too late.

Too late.

"We were too late," I whispered under my breath, tears falling down my face. I jumped up and punched the wall to my right, giving it a nasty hole. "I hate this! We were too late! When we needed time the most, it abandoned us!" I growled and let my anger out on the wall again. Draco walked over to me and pulled me roughly away from the wall.
"It wasn't your fault! Quit acting like it was!" Tears were running down his tanned face as he looked at his cousin. Princess Jupiter, the one who had won his faith and his friendship, was dead. "It wasn't anyone's fault except Dirken and Voldemort's. And when we do get to pound their faces in, I'll be right there with you guys." He clapped a hand on my back. "Now isn't the time to be mad with yourself. It's the time to say goodbye to those lost and get on with our lives." He looked at Jupiter and sighed.

For just one moment, he reminded me of Gohan. Valiant, brave, lost, and hard-working, not for a cause, but for those he loved. And for once in his life, he did have someone he'd loved as a friend. Then he reminded me of myself. For just one split second, he was a scared, lost little boy who only needed a friend.

"You're right," I said, smiling gently. "Come on. This is going to take a lot of explaining." I knelt down and picked up Susan. Trunks took Jupiter into his hands and we walked back through to the shaft to get us all back up.

Lockhart was also dead, taken down by the snake. I rose out of the chute and into Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. As promised, both McGonagall and Snape were waiting for us. I doubt Snape had been expecting us to resurface with three dead, five if you included Tom Riddle and Dirken's memory shadows.

"Get the headmaster, Serverus, quickly!" McGonagall ordered him as I rose out of the pipe, carrying Susan. "Oh, dear, Bones! Wake up, Bones, please!"

"She won't, Professor," I growled heavily, "Neither she, Jupiter, or Lockhart will ever open their eyes again. I need to go get the others." I knelt to the ground and put Susan down gently, the Sword of Hufflepuff still hanging from my waist. "She pulled this out of the Sorting Hat. I think Professor Dumbledore will like it back."

I leaped down the pipe again, lifting above Trunks, who was carrying Jupiter up the pipe. I picked up Lockhart and carried him up before helping the others up, Draco holding the Sword of Slytherin in his hands and Harry the Sword of Griffindor. I sighed as I carried up the tattered, bloody remains of Riddle's diary up the pipe, and then closed it, sealing the Chamber of its Dark magic forever more.

"Oh, Angel," Ginny rushed into the room, "Are you all right? Where's Susan? And Ju- AHH!" She screamed as soon as she saw the three of them, all dead, on the bathroom floor. "What happened? Why are you all covered in blood and ink and slime?"
"Long story," I muttered as Snape returned with Dumbledore.

"I was afraid of such," he sighed heavily as he surveyed Susan and Jupiter with sad eyes. "Are the rest of you all right?"

"Physically," I answered wearily.

"Yeah," Draco said, his blond hair spattered to his head with the blood from the basilisk.

"Come along," Dumbledore said heavily, "Bring those three with you." He sighed deeply as I knelt to pick up Susan, the Hufflepuff sword still clipped to my belt.

We tromped into his office, where we explained everything. Even Tom finding out his true heritage, which he was taking quite well for what I though he might.

"Well, this has been an interesting year, that is for certain," Dumbledore sighed. "And we will all miss Princess Jupiter, Susan Bones, and Gilderoy Lockhart." The rest of us nodded solemnly.

"Draco, you might want to go ask Madam Pomfrey to clean up that cut," I pointed to a large gash in his arm he'd gotten while fighting the basilisk.

"It's nothing compared to what Jupiter and Susan got out of it," he said darkly, looking at his cousin and our Hufflepuff friend.

"Yeah, but like you said, we gotta move on," I told him. Ginny had already been released back outside by my request. "At least most of us are still okay. Susan died for what she believed in: loyalty to her friends and punishment to enemies. Jupiter died doing what she knew was right: Being brave and keeping us away from the basilisk and Riddle and Dirken. Lockhart...well, he, um..."
"He died for his foolish behavior in what he knew was wrong and a lie," Dumbledore said firmly, "But he also died bravely, standing in the face of his danger." I nodded with a smile.

"And they didn't die in vain, Draco," Tom put in, "We'll fight and defeat Dirken and Voldemort when the time comes. Until then, we live on."

"As friends," Trunks added.

"And as equals," Ron offered.

"And as a team," I smiled as the others breathed the first real sigh of relief we'd released in hours.

"I think that a feast is in order," Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his eyes, "Minerva, if you'll be so kind as to inform the kitchens?"
"Of course, Headmaster," she answered and did a sort of about face and left the room. The minute she left the room, however, Lucius Malfoy crashed into it.

"Dad!" Draco gasped.

"Lucius, what a surprise," Dumbledore said pleasantly. Dobby was at his feet, trying to get his shoes polished. I giggled at his disheveled hair and received a nasty sort of glare that I simply smirked at.

"Have you caught the attack yet?" he sneered, "Who was the culprit?"

"The same person as last time, Lucius, and they were acting through this diary," Dumbledore held it up and I laughed again.

"Might want to keep those sort of things away from your son now, Mr. Malfoy," I grinned at him then frowned suddenly. "It's already gotten your niece killed. Do you want to lose your son too?" Malfoy seemed taken aback by my bold words.

"Angel, perhaps it's not wise to contradict Mr. Malfoy at this point," Dumbledore said, obviously mirthful at this change of events.

"Nah, we've met before," I grinned at him. "How did you enjoy my Lilac Petals, Mr. Malfoy?" He seemed quite uncomfortable about the whole thing. "Perhaps you'd like this back, Mr. Malfoy?" I asked him, a sock on top of the book as I handed him Riddle's useless diary. He took it and threw it away, and Dobby caught it. (I got the sock off my foot, all right?)

"You haven't seen the last of me, brat," he snarled, "Elf, come!" He snarled at Dobby and began to make his way outside. "Elf!"

"Master gave Dobby a sock," Dobby said, in utter surprise.
"What?!" Malfoy shouted.

"Got a sock," Dobby said softly, "Master threw it and Dobby caught it and...Dobby is free." Malfoy looked incredulously at the sock in Dobby's hand, then looked furiously at me. He stomped off down the escalator-like stairwell and the entire room exploded in laughter.

"Impeccable, Angel, I think I've never seen Lucius so angry!" Dumbledore chortled mirthfully.

"I've never seen my dad so mad!" Draco said, his tanned cheeks red with laughter.

"Let's get down to the feast, now, children," Dumbledore said, standing up. Susan, Jupiter, and Lockhart had already been carried out to a hearse, which was standing outside.

"Farewell, Harry Potter and Angel Galis, and thank you!" Dobby shouted happily, and with a loud crack, he disappeared for the last time I think I'd ever see him again.

I don't think I'd ever seen such a magnificent feast. I don't know what the best part was, to tell the truth. Whether it was the fact that everyone was in their pajamas (we had gone to our rooms to change really quick) and that the party lasted all night long, or that McGonagall had said that exams had been completely cancelled, or that our two hundred points a piece had secured the House Cup for the second year running.

I think that my favorite part of the whole night, however, was the fifteen minutes of absolute silence for Princess Jupiter, Susan Bones, and Gilderoy Lockhart. Everyone was sad that anyone had to lose their life, even if it was for a just cause. Hagrid came in and was congratulating us again and again, and Ernie and Justin were both apologizing profusely to Harry for suspecting him.

All in all, it was a good night for us all.

The last of the term past us by quickly and all too soon we were back on board the Hogwarts Express.

"Another year, another term, another life," I sighed as I sank into the plush seats of the train. "Why can't we ever get a break?"

"We're on one, Angel," Trunks said.

"Yeah, right," Harry said with a squeaky, sarcastic voice, "If we're on break, then I'm a dancing house-elf." I giggled at this and nodded my agreement.

"At least you guys are have each other," Draco said quietly. I looked up sharply, but my features softened.

"Don't worry, Draco, you'll be all right. And Jupiter wouldn't want you to be sad because she's gone," I placed a friendly hand on his back. "No worries, brother. Just know we're safe. Hai?" Draco smiled weakly and nodded.

"Hai, Angel."
The rest of the ride was silent until we pulled into the station. I waved to Draco, Hermione, Ginny, Ron, and their brothers, sighing. We were the only ones left of our once-large group. Draco Malfoy, one who once was evil, but now is not. Hermione Granger, the once-lonely, straight-A student who only needed a friend. The Weasleys, all of them, poor, but brilliant, each in their own way. Trunks, Tom, Harry, and I. Three of us held the jewel-wood wands, two had escaped the Avada Kedavra, all of us cousins. But I had a sinking feeling, as we met with a scowling Vernon Dursley to go back to the house on Privet Drive, that the next year was going to be our hardest yet. And I wasn't talking about the classes.

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