Author's Note
This is just to address a couple of issues raised by a particular review. They asked why the children weren't evacuated to Hogsmeade. There's two reasons for that.
Firstly, I don't see how that would make them any safer than being locked up in their dorms that are magically sealed and guarded by Professors. Secondly, evacuating the entire school would bring this all to the attention of the Ministry.
Can you honestly say that Cornelius Fudge wouldn't screw things up and attempt to take over the school by appointing an incompetent lackey to run Hogwarts?
On Apollo bringing the roof of the Chamber down upon the basilisk, I have to question the intelligence of the person that asked. The Chamber is right beneath the school. Destroying the roof would have weakened the foundations of the castle and would in all likelihood have caused part of the castle to collapse.
Finally, as to why a rooster wasn't brought, they were all killed remember. What's more, they have magic. They could simply have transfigured something into a rooster. Don't forget however that they hypothesized that the basilisk was magically protected from the crow of a rooster and so Apollo made an alternate plan to deal with it that worked.
On that note, I just realised something. So I apologize for having missed it. Apollo killed the basilisk by stabbing it through the eye. That's fine, because the reach of the sword ensures that it reaches the brain.
However, he then used the sword to destroy the diary. The sword that wasn't impregnated with venom. So to fill that plot hole, let's just say for arguments sake that because a basilisk's stare kills, it's eye tissue contains it's potent venom as well. It's a magic world okay so let's just accept that logic.
A flash went off then. Cuffe and the photographer entered the Chamber proper, looking utterly and completely gobsmacked. As he walked slowly towards us, his photographer was wildly taking pictures of everything.
I had stood as they entered, so they unfortunately managed to get a picture of me holding the bloodstained sword with the dead basilisk in the background.
Bill had helped Ginny to her feet by then. She still looked pale. In Bill's hand, I saw the remnants of the diary. We traded a look. This would all have to be discussed in length between us.
Fortunately, before Cuffe could question us, a commotion was heard in the passageway. Multiple footsteps headed briskly our way. My wand appeared in my hand immediately.
A few moments later, I relaxed as we saw who it was. I only recognised a few of them, but it was around twenty Aurors and they were led by Amelia Bones, the Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and Alastair Moody, Chief Auror.
Gasps rang out as the Aurors took in both the Chamber itself and the remnants of the fight, of which the corpse of the basilisk took a macabre pride of place.
While most of them spread out to catalogue what happened and to gawk as well no doubt, Amelia Bones and Alastair Moody headed towards us. It's Moody that got the first words out however.
" Just what the blazes is going on here Headmaster?! " I sighed internally. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Cuffe surreptitiously glance in our direction.
" As you can no doubt tell, Chief Auror, this is Salazar Slytherin's fabled Chamber of Secrets. The story actually begins on Halloween so please bear with me. "
" Mr Filch, the Caretaker, his cat was found petrified that night, hanging from a wall bracket. On the wall besides her was written a message, ' The Chamber of Secrets has been opened enemies of the Heir beware. ' That's when things went downhill. "
" Over the course of the following months, the Heir struck again. This time, students were attacked .They were found petrified in various parts of the castle. Petrification that can only be reversed by the Mandrake Draught. "
" Fortunately, once I became Headmaster, I've been involved in negotiations to procure mature mandrakes from overseas as there is actually none to be found in our hemisphere. But I digress, earlier today, after dinner, I went to my office to retrieve Barnabas Cuffe and his photographer. He was here to interview the Professors about the curriculum changes. "
" As we left my office however, Professor McGonagall made a school wide announcement. The children were to stay in their dorms and the staff rushed to her location. "
" It's there we learnt that Ginny Weasley had been taken into the Chamber. I immediately took action seeing as there was no time to waste. "
" I sent most of the staff to go guard the students in their dorms and I told Professor McGonagall to alert the DMLE. Bill and I rushed to the bathroom above. "
" When this whole nasty business began,I started investigating the Chamber. It's when I was researching the previous opening, fifty years ago that I read about the girl who died. A girl who I later realised, never actually left the bathroom. "
" After speaking with the ghost of Myrtle Warren, she confirmed it. Just before she died, she remembered seeing ' a great big pair of yellow eyes over by the sink. ' That confirmed a number of things for me. "
" You see, Bill and I have also been researching what kind of magic could be behind the petrifications. Unfortunately, we didn't discover anything definitive. The only magic that can do it is very dark and it leaves traces. "
" There was no trace of any dark magic near the sites of the attacks. Besides, one of the victims was a ghost. The petrification magic would have no effect on a ghost. "
" That led to the conclusion that it was some type of creature. The only two creatures capable of such are basilisks and gorgons. "
" Gorgons have only ever existed in one place however and they're carefully guarded and accounted for. The fact that a basilisk is a snake and Salazar Slytherin was a Parselmouth made us suspect it. "
" It is capable of living for centuries after all. This all took time to figure out however. Now before you ask, it was decided by Professor Dumbledore when he was still Headmaster, that we would deal with things internally. "
" When I was appointed, the Board of Governors, under Lucius Malfoy, decided on the same thing. Besides, without knowing where the entrance was and with nothing but conjecture, I couldn't prove any of this. "
" It's only in the last hour that everything has come to a head. " They looked more and more incredulous as I spoke. Amelia Bones looked furious on top of it.
I can't say I blame her. Not only was her only family, Susan, in danger, the powers that be at Hogwarts, tried to cover this all up.
After a moment to digest it all, they prompted me to continue. I hesitated however. They both frowned at me. So I walked closer. Moody tensed but didn't otherwise react.
So I whispered to the two of them. " In the end, it was a cursed diary that belonged to You-Know-Who, that was behind this. I didn't understand the magic but it was incredibly dark. Bill seemed to recognise it, if his horror was anything to go by. "
" I suggest you keep the origins of the diary to yourselves, lest we create a panic. Take it to the Unspeakables. I'm sure they'll know exactly what it was. "
They looked shocked and in the case of Director Bones, horrified by what I said. I motion Bill forward and he reluctantly hands over the diary. Moody is the one who takes it, his eye whirring wildly.
" Ginny needs to go to the Hospital Wing so I'll take her and Bill up. " I raise my voice further and call Barnabas Cuffe and his photographer.
After making sure we're all touching, I twist on the spot and reappear with the four of them, right in the centre of the Hospital Wing.
Healer Tonks, gasps, immediately rising from the chair she was sitting on. I leave Bill to explain things to the medical staff while I disable the protections on the door.
I lead Cuffe and his cohort towards Professor McGonagall's office then. Surprisingly, neither of them talks. Whether it's because they're overwhelmed or not, I have no idea.
Before we reach her office, I send my Patronus to warn her. Thus, before I even knock, the door hastily opens. It's Mr Weasley. He, Mrs Weasley, my mother and Professor McGonagall are in the office.
I wait until our two guests floo back to the Daily Prophet offices before I speak. I tell them everything that happened. Naturally, they're all horrified. I don't hold much back.
During my retelling, my mother holds my hand tightly. When I finish, the Weasleys rush towards the Hospital Wing. I call a few elves then. One to bring tea and sandwiches and the rest to retrieve the Aurors.
I use a Scourgify to clean my robes and my hands. Not long after, the tea and sandwiches arrive. Just a moment after that, an elf pops in with Amelia Bones.
While we have our refreshments, she tells me that the Aurors are all leaving and she's sent Moody directly to the Department of Mysteries.
He's to hand the diary over to the Head Unspeakable personally. She spends the next couple of minutes clarifying certain points but eventually she leaves.
She does not look happy. Not that I blame her. Still, this will actually work in my favour. Both Albus Dumbledore and Lucius Malfoy will no doubt be under intense scrutiny over their poor handling of things.
The Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge is under the influence of both men and would no doubt try to protect them. Not that it matters.
By tomorrow morning, all of Magical Britain will know what happened and more importantly, who to blame. Dumbledore will get the worse of it I think.
He's had fifty years to uncover all of this and got nowhere. It's especially damning because all the evidence was in plain sight. It's ridiculous that nobody ever thought to question the ghost of Myrtle Warren.
I sigh. Professor McGonagall, bless her, pours the three of us a measure of whiskey. I send my Patronus to go and tell all the staff that the danger has passed.
I look towards Professor McGonagall and then groan. " It's not even Christmas yet and these past few months feel like it has gone on forever. " The two of us share a genuine laugh then.
The first of many perhaps, now that the danger has passed. My mother looks relieved. After talking for a few more minutes, I leave the two of them and I make my way to my office.
When I get to the Guardian, I see Bill waiting for me. My shoulders slump slightly. Based on the grim look on his face, this won't be an enjoyable conversation.
The Guardian spreads its wings at my approach and once we're on it, the stairs ascend. When we enter, I see the fireplace in my office is lit.
I flick my wand and a bottle of port and two glasses are summoned from a cabinet. I take my seat behind my desk and Bill sits before me. I pour generously and hand him his glass.
To my surprise, he gulps all his down and screws his face up a bit. Then he pours more. " Bill " I prompt. He sighs, running a hand through his hair.
" Apollo, that diary, I recognise that magic. I'd come across it a few times in the tombs in Egypt. It's called a Horcrux. Through means of a ritual, a witch or wizard tears a part of their soul off from the whole and places it within an object. "
" Once the ritual is complete, the vessel becomes nearly indestructible and so long as it's intact, the maker is in essence, immortal. "
Silence reigns in my office for a minute as the blood drains from my face and I gaze at him in horror once his meaning dawns on me. I gulp down my port as he did before me, then I pour another measure.
The portraits of the former Headmasters are silent as well. There's horror and disgust on their faces as well.
I get up and start pacing. " The shade in the diary was that of a teenage boy. I find it hard to believe that You-Know-Who would have been satisfied with his teenage self's foray into immortality. "
" We know he's still alive, Ron told me after all, but this tells us how. Still, there's much we don't know. How Ginny came into possession of that diary for one. "
" Obviously, this isn't something we can go to the Ministry with. It's incredibly corrupt, not to mention all the supposedly reformed Death Eaters that work there. No. "
I turn to look at Bill then. " We've been given an opportunity. We now know his real name. All that's needed is for someone to investigate Tom Riddle. "
" To be honest, thinking on this, I have no doubt that Professor Dumbledore would know who You-Know-Who actually is. Yet the information was never made public. "
" Bill, I know your parents are on the fence about him at the moment, but it's best that we don't tell them. Not yet. We need to plan what we're going to do with information and how we're going to stop him. "
" He will be back one day. Of that I have no doubt. We need to be ready and we need to ensure that this time, he stays dead. Now, I'm going to need you to tell me everything you know about Horcruxes. "
So he does. It's vile and horrifying, but not entirely surprising. Wizards have been looking for ways to cheat death since time immemorial.
Unfortunately, You-Know-Who is an average wizard. As if things weren't hard enough, not only is he frightfully powerful, but now he's also apparently immortal.
Long after Bill has left, I lay awake in my bed thinking ' just how are we meant to deal with this situation. '