Frodo and Harry were in a dark, dimly lit chamber. Stone pillars with snake heads supported a ceiling that was dark, casting off dark shadows and a greenish glow. Frodo pulled out his wand a tiny moment after Harry, following him down the path that lay between the serpentine columns. But with each careful step they took, their footstep echoed loudly off the walls. At last, they drew level with a pillars to meet a gigantic stone statue of a face that was serpentine and monkey, with a beard hanging low towards its feet. Between the feet were two black-robed figures: one with flaming red hair and the other brunette.
"Aria?" Frodo cried, rushing over to her. Her eyes were closed, she looked like marble and was cold. Frodo wanted to do something for her, but what? At least she wasn't petrified and was still breathing. "Aria, please wake up. Please…" Frodo couldn't do this again. "…please. Not you too. I can't lose you, too." He called again. "Aria."
"Aria woke wake, Frodo Baggins," said a livid voice. Frodo turned to see a tall, angelic figure stand before him. This figure had dark hair and certainly looked boyish. No. It was the figure he had seen in the memory fifty years ago.
How did he look so young?
"Mairon, it can't be you," Frodo was stunned.
"Oh, but it is." Mairon was confident in his steps.
By this time, Tom Riddle approached Harry Potter. Only then, Frodo felt a gasp of white light surround him, Aria and Mairon himself. They were trapped in this light, away from prying eyes.
"What did you do?" Frodo asked, shocked.
"Now we can talk in private, away from prying eyes." Mairon's gaze fell on Aria and a little black diary. "And this diary will make me stronger, as long as I have you two in here, in my grasp."
"How – how are you here?" Frodo asked. "How did Aria –" He could feel his strength weakening.
"Now that is a long tale, but first and foremost, I am a memory, preserved in a diary for fifty years." Mairon spun his tale. "At first, I didn't think anyone would claim me. But then, by mere chance or haste, it fell into the hands of your girlfriend Aria. You see, Aria started pouring her tales and adventures into my story, including how she helped you defeat me in the Chamber with the Philosopher's Stone.
"I learned everything there was to know about you and Aria. Until at last, I started pouring my soul back into her. I became stronger, while at the same time giving her breathing room. You see, eventually she set the basilisk on that dear sweet hobbit lass, who as chance would have it is also called Myrtle. And when she gave the diary away, threw it in the toilet, somehow it landed to you. The very hobbit I was most anxious to meet…" Mairon added, sinisterly, "In case you are wondering, we are locked in a time and space where I can tell you everything about yourself and your future self."
"What… AH!" Frodo felt another sharp pang in his heart.
Mairon didn't care. "But I was eager to learn about you, before I set Aria on that Halfling. So, in order to gain your trust, I showed you how Tom and me captured that oaf Hagrid to gain your trust."
"Hagrid's my friend, as he is Harry's!" Frodo hissed. "You two framed him. Why?"
"To keep an oath, one that was so close to being broken. Dumbledore thought he was innocent," Mairon lowered his voice.
"And I bet he didn't take it lightly," Frodo grinned in admiration.
"Well, he certainly kept a close eye on me and Tom. And yet the Chamber was sealed, until the time when Tom and me would finish what Salazar Slytherin begun," Mairon said with pride.
Frodo peered over at the diary. A bloody-inked fang entered the lighted area, landing in front of it. Frodo looked up again, but Mairon was distracted in his speech. Frodo did his best to show bravery, "Well, your work's not finished yet."
"No, you're right." Mairon looked at the thirteen-year-old hobbit boy once more. "My latest prey has been you. How do you think the greatest Maiar next to Melkor is when he is beaten by a mere Halfling, who destroyed a Ring of Power? How is it that you escaped when Sauron didn't?"
"Sauron was destroyed. I didn't…" Frodo asked, cowering a little. He looked up at the bubble ceiling, only to find the universe sweeping across it. His hand held the fang and the diary.
"Sauron is me," Mairon moved up and around the lighted portion of the room and damp floor. "And I am Sauron." He swept his hand along the wall, to reveal parts of his life, including how he forged the Rings of Power. Frodo understood when the memory reached his time in the Chamber and finding the Philosopher's Stone with Harry.
"No. It couldn't be you. Sauron," Frodo said, stunned.
"Yes, the shape-shifter that I am. There are ways for a Dark Lord of Middle-earth to be connected to the Heir of Slytherin. And while Tom Riddle sends the Basilisk in after your precious friend. I will have you and Aria…" Mairon was cut off a blown hole in the bubble.
Remembering for a split second what he was about to do, Frodo set the diary down and jabbed it's cover with the fang. Ink splattered from it, jetting out in a way that it flew all over the place. Frodo gazed up at Mairon, only to see him and the bubble they were in destroyed. A burst of light shown through, upon which Frodo jumped backwards on his rear, his strength returned fully, right next to Aria.
Mairon was gone, and the diary was still there, damaged and no longer useable by anyone. Frodo looked around. Harry and Ginny were talking, the Basilisk was dead, and Aria was awake and trembling. Fawkes cried out above their heads. Frodo turned to Aria, who looked like she had a huge confession to make.
"Frodo, I'm sorry. I should have told you… I was going to tell you at breakfast, but I couldn't – it was me, I set the basilisk on Myrtle Burrows, I wrote that second message, I avoided you due to the diary. I messed up." Aria looked at him, sincerely and truthfully. "It was just so hard keeping it quiet. This has to be the worst year for authors and authoresses."
Frodo chuckled. "It's all right. Mairon told me what I will be in the future, to him. I know I'm a Ring-bearer. I don't think that's what you wanted to hear."
"It is a shock," Aria said, near gasping. "Does this mean we're friends again?"
"I think we're even," Frodo added, "and yes, we're friends again." He looked back at Harry, as Fawkes leaned over on his arm and dripped tears on it. Frodo asked him and Ginny, "Are you two all right?"
"I'm better now," Ginny said.
"Phoenixes have healing powers." Harry told Fawkes, happily, "Thanks." He admitted to his three friends, "It's all right now. It's over. It's just a memory." He told them, "Now, let's get out of here."
"But I'm going to be expelled," Ginny whimpered.
"Me too." Aria said, directly to Frodo as they ran out of the Chamber, "The Authors and Authoresses will kill me when they find out you know who your future self will be. My friends – your friends – they'll…"
"Just come on," Frodo said, eager to leave the Chamber.
They had made it past the long, dark tunnel to find Ron and Sam left a sizeable gap to the Chamber entrance. And there Frodo and Harry were with Aria and Ginny. Ron and Sam explained that Lockhart and Sindri lost their memories, hardly remember who they were or where they had been.
"You know, I quite like rocky places." Sindri looked up at Sam, mesmerized, "And you are quite the hobbit, aren't you?"
"Mr. Frodo!" Sam asked, not liking the awkward state.
Frodo suggested, "Look, if Fawkes can handle all of us, we can make this in one trip. If he can't…"
"Look, why don't you, Sam, Aria and Sindri take the first trip. We'll go next," Harry suggested.
"I like that idea," Aria said.
"All right. Fawkes can go in and get the rest of you next," Frodo said, agreeing to the idea either way.
So Fawkes carried Sindri first, with Sam holding onto his leg, Frodo holding his leg next while carrying Aria. Frodo felt his hair whipping through him. Oh, how he missed riding a broom. It wasn't an easy trip and soon enough they were back in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. Once they were back in the bathroom, Fawkes dived in to grab the others. They all landed in a heap, with Fawkes flapping around in the air.
Myrtle squealed in delight: "You're alive."
"I think Myrtle likes you, Frodo," Aria announced, giggling slightly while Ginny was crying.
"You really are a fangirl, aren't you?" Frodo joked.
"Where are you taking us to now, Fawkes?" Harry asked. Just then, he and the others strode right to Professor McGonagall's office. Harry knocked and pushed open the door.
Thanks for reading. :) We're closer now to the end of the story…