M-chan: Thanks for the reviews!! Now, on with the story.
"..."- Talking
::...::- Parseltongue
Chapter 8: The proposal
"Then what?"
Tom walked forward and fell onto one knee, capturing her left hand. "Marry me."
It was a statement that held no grounds for argument. Lily stared, wide-eyed at the boy who was over 50 years older than her. Or was is a 16 year old boy that merely felt as though he had been living, alone, in an endless silence for 50 years?
"What?!"
Tom stood up, still holding her hand. "Marry me. You're smart and you'll grow up to become an attractive young woman, I'm sure. You're the only person who's ever yelled at me like that."
"Marry you? I'm only 12! You're 16! Heck, you're older!! You are, or will be, Voldemort, the Dark Lord!!! Why would I want to marry you?! If I did, Ginny would die!!!"
"So? She's a boring child. You are far more interesting."
Lily back away, only to bump against one of the pillars. Tom followed and placed his hands on either side of her head. "Why do you want me to marry you?"
Tom sighed. "I don't want to kill you. You are, as I've already said, smart and attractive at... 12, is it? And why is it that you don't seem to want to marry me?"
"You're joking, right? You're Lord Vol—"
His lips crushed hers in mid-sentence. It was her second kiss, her first being with Draco last year. Tom's fingers buried themselves into her hair, pulling hard on the strands. The other hand pulled her against him, pinning her arms. She stiffened as he did so. Tom forced his tongue into Lily's mouth as Lily thrashed against him.
Then, music filled the chamber. Tom pulled away from Lily and turned his head. They both saw a phoenix, the size of a swan, flying straight for them, carrying something ragged. Tom stepped away from Lily, wand pulled out. He watched as the phoenix landed on the girl's shoulder after dropping the ragged thing into her hands.
"A phoenix... and the school's old Sorting Hat..."
"Fawkes..." A gentle squeeze on her shoulder was given in reassurance and reply. She turned to Tom. "I came here to fight you, not to marry you."
"More's the pity... I don't want to kill you, but that doesn't mean that I won't. Prepare to die Lilth." Tom turned to the statue. ::Speak to me, Slytherin, greatest of the Hogwarts Four.::
Lily's eyes widened as the statue's mouth opened, creating a huge black hole, and something was stirring from within. Something was slithering up from its depths.
The Basilisk...
Lily backed away, bumping into the wall. She closed her eyes as the thing hit the stone floor. She could almost see the giant serpent uncoil, just as Shadow did. Feathers brushed her cheek and the weight on her shoulder lessened; Fawkes had taken flight.
"Don't... Fawkes..."
"Lily my offer still stands, you need but to take it. Become my wife, become the Dark Lady."
"No! I'd have to be unconscious, dead or have completely lost my mind the day I marry you!!"
Tom didn't reply immediately, considering what she said. When he finally spoke, it was in Parseltongue. ::The girl, kill her!::
Lily swallowed and began running blindly, one hand touching the wall. She could hear the serpent slither towards her and she fell over her own feet. She would die soon, the serpent had nearly reached her prone form.
Lily heard hissing and spitting, expecting the blow that never came. Lily opened one eyes and looked back. Luckily, the Basilisk wasn't facing her. Fawkes was flying around its head, and then dived out of sight. The floor and, unfortunately, Lily were showered in dark blood. Lily didn't have a chance to look away or close her eyes when the Basilisk turned. She gaped: the eyes had been punctured; blood streaming down and the snake was spitting in agony.
::Leave the bird! The girl is behind you; you can still smell her! Kill her!!::
Lily crawled away, still facing the Basilisk. Her leg brushed the Sorting Hat. She grabbed it and shoved it onto her head. This was her last chance. "Come on, help me... help me..."
The hat contracted and something heavy thudded onto the top of her head. Blinking stars out from in front of her eyes, she grabbed the hat to pull it off and felt something beneath it. A sword, its handle glittering with egg-sized rubies, had appeared inside the hat.
"Great. I ask for help and I get this! I don't even know how to use a sword!! Umm..."
Lily stood up and held the sword hilt with two hands. The Basilisk's head reared and dove at Lily, impaling itself. Blood dripped onto Lily's arms and she felt something imbed itself in her arm. The Basilisk fell to one side and Lily saw what the thing was: the Basilisk's fang.
She walked, stumbling, to Ginny but ended up leaning against a pillar near the girl. She pulled out the fang but the poison was already spreading through her. She slipped down, onto the floor, and glared up at Tom.
"Satisfied?"
He shook his head. "We could have been great, ruling the world together. Now you're dying."
"I told you I wasn't interested."
"I suppose this is goodbye." Tom knelt down and kissed her. This one was far gentler than the first and Lily wondered if she should have accepted his proposal. He pulled back and stood up. "Goodbye Lily."
There was a cry from Fawkes and he dropped the journal into Lily's lap. Lily and Tom stared at it. Lily grabbing the Basilisk fang, setting the journal down in front of her, and raised it. She looked up at the boy.
"Goodbye Tom."
The fang pierced the journal and ink flowed from it like blood. Tom doubled over in pain and Lily struck it again and again, until the boy disappeared in a shower of light. Lily sighed and turned her head to the girl, who was waking up.
"Lily, I'm so sorry! It wasn't my fault though, Tom made m—"
"I know Ginny, it's alright. Go on, leave the Chamber and go to Dumbledore."
"But—"
Fawkes landed in Lily lap. "I'll follow soon enough. Just tired."
"Lily—"
"GO!"
Ginny hesitated but left. Lily sighed as Fawkes rested his head on the wound. "What do you think Fawkes?" Breathing was becoming harder and everything was going in and out of focus. "Death... This is what it feels like... I'm going to sleep Fawkes." As her eyes closed, she felt warm liquid drop onto her wound, but she was tired and slipped into darkness.
M-chan: Has anyone seen Train and Itachi?? They left me alone again... =sniff=