[A/N. In case you didn't read the last chapter, or the authors note on it I
wanted to remind you again that the following events are those made up by
Lockhart. After all, as he says in the Chamber of Secrets, the books were
misleading, so of course his latest book, "BRUSH WITH A BASILISK" is going
to be misleading too.]
Chapter twelve: My actions down in the chamber.
I took a deep breath as I walked down a tunnel. It was wet and cold, and I tried to remember a spell a friend had taught me a few years back about making a small fire come out of your wand, but I didn't want to alert the creature within the chamber. Behind me I could hear Harry and Ron trying to work out how to get out of the tight bonds they were in. I had both their wands in my hands.
"We can't let him go down there." Harry was saying. "He doesn't know what he's going to face."
"Let him." Ron replied with a snort. "He thinks he knows everything, so let him."
I couldn't hear Harry's reply since I was already too far down the tunnel. At the end of the tunnel I saw a female form slumped on the floor, clearly unconscious. Ginny! I broke into a run, and knelt beside her. "Ginny, are you all right?" I asked. "It's Professor Lockhart, and I've come to take you back up to the school. I should think I'll get an Order of Merlin second class for this at least, maybe even first class. I'll be on the front of every paper and every magazine in our world."
"Professor Lockhart?" A voice asked from the shadows. A young man stepped forward, and he was wearing a Hogwarts uniform although it looked as though it were fairly old fashioned. "What are you doing here?"
"What are you doing here?" I countered. "I happen to be a Professor of this school. And not just any professor- I've got an Order of Merlin third class, I'm an honoury member of the Dark force defence league and I won Witch Weeklies smile of the year five times running."
The young man raised an eyebrow, and then shrugged. "Where's Potter?"
"Harry?" I asked surprised. "I tied Harry and Ron up so they couldn't get down here. They thought they could come and rescue Ginny and slay the basilisk. Tell me- where is the basilisk anyway? I want to kill it and get back up to the school."
"Tied up?" The young man asked thoughtfully. "I was so sure it would be Harry who came down here. I was looking forward to meeting him."
"You were?" I was shocked. "I don't know why there's all this fuss about the kid. So he's the boy who lived, so what? I've got an Order of Merlin-"
"Yes, yes, you told me." The young man interrupted rolling his eyes.
"Who are you anyway? I pride myself on my memory and I don't seem to recall you coming to any of my classes. Unless of course you think you're such an expert in the dark arts you don't need to attend classes." The thought made me frown. "I might have to fail you in that case."
"My name's Tom Riddle. Tom Marvolo Riddle to be exact." The young man said slowly. "I'm a memory. A memory preserved in a diary for fifty years."
I was confused. "What a boring way to spend fifty years." I commented, and he laughed, a harsh laugh.
"Little Ginny's been writing to in it for months and months, telling me all her pitiful worries and woes: how her brothers tease her, how she had to come to school with second hand robes and books, how she didn't think the famous, good, great Harry Potter would ever like her." Tom explained with a strange look on his face.
"Oh for heaven's sake," I exploded. "Another fan of Harry Potter. All he did was kill the dark lord. If I had of been given the chance I would have been able to do exactly the same you know."
"Really?" Tom looked interested. "You think so?"
"I know so." I said confidently.
"You haven't worked it out yet have you?" Tom asked with a grin. "Voldemort is my past, present and future. I am Lord Voldemort, and it was through the diary Ginny has been writing in that the chamber was opened and the students petrified- I made her do it."
I laughed. "My good fellow," I said. "I hate to be the one to tell you this, but I think perhaps you're a little delusional. Hagrid opened the chamber, and Hagrid is in Azkaban."
"Well how do you explain the latest attack- Ginny being brought down here then?" Tom asked, beginning to sound angry.
"I have no idea how little girls work. Maybe she thought it would be fun to explore down here." I replied. "Now I hate to be rude, but I've got to slay this basilisk thing and get back up to the school. Do you know where it is?"
"It won't come until it's called." Tom replied.
"Oh." I said. Then I raised my voice. "HEY! BASILISK! COME HERE!"
Tom started to laugh. "You really are ridiculous. The basilisk only comes to people who speak parseltongue."
It dawned on me then. "Like Harry?"
"Like Potter, yes." Tom replied.
"Which is why you wanted to see him." I surmised.
"Not exactly." Tom said, moving closer to me and glancing down at Ginny. "I've been wanting to meet Potter for a long time. I want to know how it is that a baby with no extraordinary magical talent managed to defeat the greatest wizard of all time?"
"The greatest?" I asked, puffing my chest up slowly. "Are you honestly suggesting that Voldemort was the greatest? Did he have an Order of Merlin? Did he get a spot on the Dark Force Defence League? Did he win Witch Weeklies smile of the year award?"
Tom snorted. "You think that makes a good wizard?" He asked me.
"I do." I replied, my grasp tightening on one of the wands hidden under my robes (I always wear bright purple ones when I think I might be photographed after another triumph).
"A good wizard, is one who is powerful. One who can command others to follow him. One whose mere name strikes fear into the hearts of everyone." Tom said.
"Right." I said, pretending to agree. "You're a great wizard and all that."
"I want Potter." Tom said. "I want to match the powers of Lord Voldemort, Heir of Salazar Slytherin, against the famous Harry Potter."
"Understandable." I admitted. "He needs teaching a lesson sometimes. He was so bloody determined to be the one to come down here and get the glory for it, but that wasn't going to happen. Would you believe ever since I began teaching here he has been trying to prove himself better than me? It was really beginning to get a bit tiring."
Tom looked as though he didn't know what to say.
"Unfortunately," I added. "I can't allow that at the moment since I've got some work to do down here. Maybe at a later date we can arrange for a duel between you and Harry? I started a duelling club a little while back but something happened which stopped it, so perhaps this could start it. Although there are to be disarming spells only."
Tom laughed, and it was a high pitched laugh, one that actually made shivers go down my spine. "You don't get it do you?" He asked me. "I don't want to duel with him- I want to kill him!"
"Well.." I said surprised. "I think that could be going a bit far don't you? I mean, yes he can be a prima donna and all, but killing him?"
"Could you honestly be any bloody thicker? I told you I was Lord Voldemort and I want to finally kill my enemy!" Tom yelled.
"I heard you." I said mildly. "But as a Professor of this school, I cannot allow this."
"And you think you're going to stop me?" Tom asked, an evil look crossing his face.
I sighed and pulled out the wand. "Sorry, but there isn't time for that at the moment. I want to get back up to the school and out of here."
Tom smiled then, and moved even closer to me. "Haven't you noticed something?" He asked.
"You mean other than the fact that your hair is completely and utterly out of date?" I asked.
"As Ginny grows weaker I grow stronger. Soon she will be dead, and I will be alive." Tom said with a laugh.
I glanced down at the Weasley girl and realised it was true- she did appear to be growing even weaker than she was before.
Tom turned then and hissed something, and all of a sudden there was a slithering noise and then the great snake appeared. I hurriedly closed my eyes- remembering what the boys had said before about how its eyes could kill and blindly pointed my wand. "Avada Kedavra!" I yelled pointing blindly.
"You bloody git." Tom snapped and I opened my eyes slightly. Instead of getting the snake I had simply blasted a huge hole in the wall. "Don't bother trying to get out of this one Lockhart- the snake will kill you, and I will kill Potter."
I hesitated and decided that my best defence was to run away. The snake would chase me then and give me time to work out what to do. (As those of you who have read my books would know this isn't exactly the first time that I have been in such a precarious position). I could hear the snake sliding after me as I ran. What to do? What to do? If only I had paid more attention in class when we had heard about the basilisk but that was so many years before how could they actually expect one to remember it? And then I stopped suddenly and pointed my wand over my head something coming to me. "Imperio!" I yelled pointing my wand at the snake. It seemed to try to resist my curse, but it couldn't and I made it turn and go back towards where Tom Riddle was standing. He tried to speak to it in what I could only assume was parseltongue, but it was under my complete control and it didn't listen to a word Tom said. He turned and ran away, but the snake raced after him and a moment later I heard a scream- the snake had caught him. "Avada Kedavra!" I cried again, and then the snake was gone and everything was silent in the chamber.
Ginny groaned and then sat up. "I feel so strange. Like I was in a big dream." She told me.
"You were." I lied. And then I helped her to her feet and we went back through the chamber to where Harry and Ron were still tied.
"Ginny!" Ron cried with delight. "You're all right."
"Thanks to Professor Lockhart." Ginny said, smiling at me in a way which was not exactly unusual to a heartthrob like myself.
I performed the spell to untie the boys and we made our way back up to the school. Harry was strangely silent- I assumed he was jealous because I had been the one to solve the whole thing, not him, but he'd get his credit when I finally told my story- after all he did motivate me to go down to the chamber, and he did discover where the chamber was before I had the chance to go searching for it. Of course I would have found it the moment I went looking for it, but that's another story.
Dumbledore was delighted to see us and he listened to my story silently. "Well, well Gilderoy, you surprise me." He said. "I would never have thought you'd be capable of this."
"Haven't you read my books?" I asked. "I'll make sure to give you a signed set before I leave."
"Leave?" Dumbledore asked.
I glanced around. Ron and Ginny were sitting very close to each other and Harry was standing looking around the room thoughtfully. "Yes, I have to admit Headmaster that this was not exactly in my job description and to be honest I don't know that I want to teach in a school where things like this have happened. Of course I know it will be a great loss to the school and everyone will be in mourning for me, and it will be very hard for you to accept my resignation-"
"I accept your resignation." Dumbledore said softly and quickly.
"Well..." I managed. "I suppose perhaps I should go and finish getting my things in order whilst you counsel Ginny and Ron..perhaps Harry could help me so I could have a word with him?"
Dumbledore looked as though he was going to protest, as did Harry, but then he nodded slowly. "Fine. Make it quick though please Gilderoy since I'd like to have a word with Harry soon."
"As you wish." Dumbledore said and Harry and I left the room.
Harry wasn't looking too pleased about being out of the room alone with me, but I had a few parting words for him before he left. "Listen Harry," I began. "I know you and I haven't exactly gotten along, and I understand the reason why. Being the boy who lives isn't exactly the sort of thing one wants to grow up with, and to be honest I think it's more of something you've got to grow into than anything. And grow into it you will, so long as you don't try to be too eager. I am aware that me being here was competition for you-"
"Professor Lockhart-" Harry tried to interrupt me but I held my hand up to stop him.
"and that you were constantly anxious to prove you were the better wizard- the one who was more famous, but really Harry what do you expect? You are a twelve-year-old boy and I am a lot older. You've read my books, you know what I've done and been through. Trying to take over in the chamber was nothing short of silly- you could have been killed for god's sake. Before I leave I am going to Dumbledore so he knows the true story and hopefully he will keep a keen eye on you in the future to make sure you don't go round doing anything stupid like you have been since my arrival. And one last piece of advice Harry: let the fame come to you rather than going looking for it. Nobody likes a show off- let alone one who is nothing more than a child." I finished.
Later on, when I was packing ready to leave the school I hoped my words had gotten through to him, but I didn't think they would have. Harry Potter had shown himself to be someone who craved the fame and attention of the boy who lived, and my only hope now was that he didn't get himself into any danger. Although I was sure that without me being at the school things might be a bit different, as he wouldn't feel as though he was inferior and had to compete with someone anymore.
In conclusion you've just read my "BRUSH WITH THE BASILISK" and I hope you enjoyed another one of my interesting adventures. It never fails to amaze me how adventures manage to follow me wherever I go. I am off on a well- earned vacation now and hopefully no adventure will befall me there.
[A/N. This is the last "proper" chapter, but I thought I better make a few things clear since I stuffed up and have the feeling that somehow I managed to delete my authors note at the start which explained that this story evolved from my other one "Starring Severus Snape" in which Lockhart turned up again with parts of his memory coming back. Mediwizards were able to finally restore his memory again, and he decided it was only fair for him to write another story of his many "adventures" this time dealing with the basilisk and the chamber of secrets. The following, and final, chapter is something of a joke, but in my mind is something which Lockhart would do.]
Chapter twelve: My actions down in the chamber.
I took a deep breath as I walked down a tunnel. It was wet and cold, and I tried to remember a spell a friend had taught me a few years back about making a small fire come out of your wand, but I didn't want to alert the creature within the chamber. Behind me I could hear Harry and Ron trying to work out how to get out of the tight bonds they were in. I had both their wands in my hands.
"We can't let him go down there." Harry was saying. "He doesn't know what he's going to face."
"Let him." Ron replied with a snort. "He thinks he knows everything, so let him."
I couldn't hear Harry's reply since I was already too far down the tunnel. At the end of the tunnel I saw a female form slumped on the floor, clearly unconscious. Ginny! I broke into a run, and knelt beside her. "Ginny, are you all right?" I asked. "It's Professor Lockhart, and I've come to take you back up to the school. I should think I'll get an Order of Merlin second class for this at least, maybe even first class. I'll be on the front of every paper and every magazine in our world."
"Professor Lockhart?" A voice asked from the shadows. A young man stepped forward, and he was wearing a Hogwarts uniform although it looked as though it were fairly old fashioned. "What are you doing here?"
"What are you doing here?" I countered. "I happen to be a Professor of this school. And not just any professor- I've got an Order of Merlin third class, I'm an honoury member of the Dark force defence league and I won Witch Weeklies smile of the year five times running."
The young man raised an eyebrow, and then shrugged. "Where's Potter?"
"Harry?" I asked surprised. "I tied Harry and Ron up so they couldn't get down here. They thought they could come and rescue Ginny and slay the basilisk. Tell me- where is the basilisk anyway? I want to kill it and get back up to the school."
"Tied up?" The young man asked thoughtfully. "I was so sure it would be Harry who came down here. I was looking forward to meeting him."
"You were?" I was shocked. "I don't know why there's all this fuss about the kid. So he's the boy who lived, so what? I've got an Order of Merlin-"
"Yes, yes, you told me." The young man interrupted rolling his eyes.
"Who are you anyway? I pride myself on my memory and I don't seem to recall you coming to any of my classes. Unless of course you think you're such an expert in the dark arts you don't need to attend classes." The thought made me frown. "I might have to fail you in that case."
"My name's Tom Riddle. Tom Marvolo Riddle to be exact." The young man said slowly. "I'm a memory. A memory preserved in a diary for fifty years."
I was confused. "What a boring way to spend fifty years." I commented, and he laughed, a harsh laugh.
"Little Ginny's been writing to in it for months and months, telling me all her pitiful worries and woes: how her brothers tease her, how she had to come to school with second hand robes and books, how she didn't think the famous, good, great Harry Potter would ever like her." Tom explained with a strange look on his face.
"Oh for heaven's sake," I exploded. "Another fan of Harry Potter. All he did was kill the dark lord. If I had of been given the chance I would have been able to do exactly the same you know."
"Really?" Tom looked interested. "You think so?"
"I know so." I said confidently.
"You haven't worked it out yet have you?" Tom asked with a grin. "Voldemort is my past, present and future. I am Lord Voldemort, and it was through the diary Ginny has been writing in that the chamber was opened and the students petrified- I made her do it."
I laughed. "My good fellow," I said. "I hate to be the one to tell you this, but I think perhaps you're a little delusional. Hagrid opened the chamber, and Hagrid is in Azkaban."
"Well how do you explain the latest attack- Ginny being brought down here then?" Tom asked, beginning to sound angry.
"I have no idea how little girls work. Maybe she thought it would be fun to explore down here." I replied. "Now I hate to be rude, but I've got to slay this basilisk thing and get back up to the school. Do you know where it is?"
"It won't come until it's called." Tom replied.
"Oh." I said. Then I raised my voice. "HEY! BASILISK! COME HERE!"
Tom started to laugh. "You really are ridiculous. The basilisk only comes to people who speak parseltongue."
It dawned on me then. "Like Harry?"
"Like Potter, yes." Tom replied.
"Which is why you wanted to see him." I surmised.
"Not exactly." Tom said, moving closer to me and glancing down at Ginny. "I've been wanting to meet Potter for a long time. I want to know how it is that a baby with no extraordinary magical talent managed to defeat the greatest wizard of all time?"
"The greatest?" I asked, puffing my chest up slowly. "Are you honestly suggesting that Voldemort was the greatest? Did he have an Order of Merlin? Did he get a spot on the Dark Force Defence League? Did he win Witch Weeklies smile of the year award?"
Tom snorted. "You think that makes a good wizard?" He asked me.
"I do." I replied, my grasp tightening on one of the wands hidden under my robes (I always wear bright purple ones when I think I might be photographed after another triumph).
"A good wizard, is one who is powerful. One who can command others to follow him. One whose mere name strikes fear into the hearts of everyone." Tom said.
"Right." I said, pretending to agree. "You're a great wizard and all that."
"I want Potter." Tom said. "I want to match the powers of Lord Voldemort, Heir of Salazar Slytherin, against the famous Harry Potter."
"Understandable." I admitted. "He needs teaching a lesson sometimes. He was so bloody determined to be the one to come down here and get the glory for it, but that wasn't going to happen. Would you believe ever since I began teaching here he has been trying to prove himself better than me? It was really beginning to get a bit tiring."
Tom looked as though he didn't know what to say.
"Unfortunately," I added. "I can't allow that at the moment since I've got some work to do down here. Maybe at a later date we can arrange for a duel between you and Harry? I started a duelling club a little while back but something happened which stopped it, so perhaps this could start it. Although there are to be disarming spells only."
Tom laughed, and it was a high pitched laugh, one that actually made shivers go down my spine. "You don't get it do you?" He asked me. "I don't want to duel with him- I want to kill him!"
"Well.." I said surprised. "I think that could be going a bit far don't you? I mean, yes he can be a prima donna and all, but killing him?"
"Could you honestly be any bloody thicker? I told you I was Lord Voldemort and I want to finally kill my enemy!" Tom yelled.
"I heard you." I said mildly. "But as a Professor of this school, I cannot allow this."
"And you think you're going to stop me?" Tom asked, an evil look crossing his face.
I sighed and pulled out the wand. "Sorry, but there isn't time for that at the moment. I want to get back up to the school and out of here."
Tom smiled then, and moved even closer to me. "Haven't you noticed something?" He asked.
"You mean other than the fact that your hair is completely and utterly out of date?" I asked.
"As Ginny grows weaker I grow stronger. Soon she will be dead, and I will be alive." Tom said with a laugh.
I glanced down at the Weasley girl and realised it was true- she did appear to be growing even weaker than she was before.
Tom turned then and hissed something, and all of a sudden there was a slithering noise and then the great snake appeared. I hurriedly closed my eyes- remembering what the boys had said before about how its eyes could kill and blindly pointed my wand. "Avada Kedavra!" I yelled pointing blindly.
"You bloody git." Tom snapped and I opened my eyes slightly. Instead of getting the snake I had simply blasted a huge hole in the wall. "Don't bother trying to get out of this one Lockhart- the snake will kill you, and I will kill Potter."
I hesitated and decided that my best defence was to run away. The snake would chase me then and give me time to work out what to do. (As those of you who have read my books would know this isn't exactly the first time that I have been in such a precarious position). I could hear the snake sliding after me as I ran. What to do? What to do? If only I had paid more attention in class when we had heard about the basilisk but that was so many years before how could they actually expect one to remember it? And then I stopped suddenly and pointed my wand over my head something coming to me. "Imperio!" I yelled pointing my wand at the snake. It seemed to try to resist my curse, but it couldn't and I made it turn and go back towards where Tom Riddle was standing. He tried to speak to it in what I could only assume was parseltongue, but it was under my complete control and it didn't listen to a word Tom said. He turned and ran away, but the snake raced after him and a moment later I heard a scream- the snake had caught him. "Avada Kedavra!" I cried again, and then the snake was gone and everything was silent in the chamber.
Ginny groaned and then sat up. "I feel so strange. Like I was in a big dream." She told me.
"You were." I lied. And then I helped her to her feet and we went back through the chamber to where Harry and Ron were still tied.
"Ginny!" Ron cried with delight. "You're all right."
"Thanks to Professor Lockhart." Ginny said, smiling at me in a way which was not exactly unusual to a heartthrob like myself.
I performed the spell to untie the boys and we made our way back up to the school. Harry was strangely silent- I assumed he was jealous because I had been the one to solve the whole thing, not him, but he'd get his credit when I finally told my story- after all he did motivate me to go down to the chamber, and he did discover where the chamber was before I had the chance to go searching for it. Of course I would have found it the moment I went looking for it, but that's another story.
Dumbledore was delighted to see us and he listened to my story silently. "Well, well Gilderoy, you surprise me." He said. "I would never have thought you'd be capable of this."
"Haven't you read my books?" I asked. "I'll make sure to give you a signed set before I leave."
"Leave?" Dumbledore asked.
I glanced around. Ron and Ginny were sitting very close to each other and Harry was standing looking around the room thoughtfully. "Yes, I have to admit Headmaster that this was not exactly in my job description and to be honest I don't know that I want to teach in a school where things like this have happened. Of course I know it will be a great loss to the school and everyone will be in mourning for me, and it will be very hard for you to accept my resignation-"
"I accept your resignation." Dumbledore said softly and quickly.
"Well..." I managed. "I suppose perhaps I should go and finish getting my things in order whilst you counsel Ginny and Ron..perhaps Harry could help me so I could have a word with him?"
Dumbledore looked as though he was going to protest, as did Harry, but then he nodded slowly. "Fine. Make it quick though please Gilderoy since I'd like to have a word with Harry soon."
"As you wish." Dumbledore said and Harry and I left the room.
Harry wasn't looking too pleased about being out of the room alone with me, but I had a few parting words for him before he left. "Listen Harry," I began. "I know you and I haven't exactly gotten along, and I understand the reason why. Being the boy who lives isn't exactly the sort of thing one wants to grow up with, and to be honest I think it's more of something you've got to grow into than anything. And grow into it you will, so long as you don't try to be too eager. I am aware that me being here was competition for you-"
"Professor Lockhart-" Harry tried to interrupt me but I held my hand up to stop him.
"and that you were constantly anxious to prove you were the better wizard- the one who was more famous, but really Harry what do you expect? You are a twelve-year-old boy and I am a lot older. You've read my books, you know what I've done and been through. Trying to take over in the chamber was nothing short of silly- you could have been killed for god's sake. Before I leave I am going to Dumbledore so he knows the true story and hopefully he will keep a keen eye on you in the future to make sure you don't go round doing anything stupid like you have been since my arrival. And one last piece of advice Harry: let the fame come to you rather than going looking for it. Nobody likes a show off- let alone one who is nothing more than a child." I finished.
Later on, when I was packing ready to leave the school I hoped my words had gotten through to him, but I didn't think they would have. Harry Potter had shown himself to be someone who craved the fame and attention of the boy who lived, and my only hope now was that he didn't get himself into any danger. Although I was sure that without me being at the school things might be a bit different, as he wouldn't feel as though he was inferior and had to compete with someone anymore.
In conclusion you've just read my "BRUSH WITH THE BASILISK" and I hope you enjoyed another one of my interesting adventures. It never fails to amaze me how adventures manage to follow me wherever I go. I am off on a well- earned vacation now and hopefully no adventure will befall me there.
[A/N. This is the last "proper" chapter, but I thought I better make a few things clear since I stuffed up and have the feeling that somehow I managed to delete my authors note at the start which explained that this story evolved from my other one "Starring Severus Snape" in which Lockhart turned up again with parts of his memory coming back. Mediwizards were able to finally restore his memory again, and he decided it was only fair for him to write another story of his many "adventures" this time dealing with the basilisk and the chamber of secrets. The following, and final, chapter is something of a joke, but in my mind is something which Lockhart would do.]