Disclaimer is in chapter 1.

The Final exams were canceled, something that didn't bother Xander so much on one level, but did leave him wondering how in the hell the school could work out where people were in a given grade if they did that. Hermione, in between bouts of sulking, explained to him that the yearly scores didn't actually have any impact on their grades.

In actuality only the OWLs and NEWTs counted, and those were tested in their fifth and seventh years. The regular class scores existed merely to allow professors to gage who needed more attention in preparation for those two events.

He filed that away as interesting, especially when he learned that OWL and NEWT exams were standardized at the ICW level.

The remainder of the school year degenerated into a series of practical reviews while they were in class, and hanging out with friends while outside of class.

Two days after they had finished harvesting the Basilisk components, however, Xander and the others realized something shocking.

In the Great Hall the students were eating supper when Dumbledore rose up and gave a little speech about the Chamber, and the heroics of those who had gone down to save Ginevra, but as he was finishing his speech he paused and looked to his right briefly at an empty seat.

"Alas," he said, "No luck has been had in the search for our Defense Professor, Professor Gilderoy Lockhart. We can only hope that he is once more out saving lives and doing good in the world.

A series of snorts and outright laughter echoed through the hall, but Xander Harris was sitting bolt upright with wide eyes. A quick glance around told him that Harry and Ron were doing the same, though Wednesday had already gone back to eating.

Xander looked at the Gryffindors, and they stared back at him, and the same thought blasted through their heads.

We left Lockhart in the Chamber!

"Should we go after him?" Ron asked when they got together after.

"After him where?" Xander asked, "He wasn't there when we went down after the Basilisk."

"Where could he go?" Harry blurted.

"I wandered a bit, there are tunnels ALL through that place, probably going for miles." Xander admitted. "He could be anywhere."

"We can't just leave him down there." Harry groaned, "Damn that prat. He's torturing us even while he's gone."

Xander sighed, "I guess we'd better tell Dumbledore."

They went to the headmaster's office and were mildly surprised when the Gargoyle jumped aside as they approached. The group had to duck aside when Arthur, Molly, and Ginny Weasely came down.

"I'm very disappointed in you, Ginny," Arthur scolded his daughter, "How many times have I told you to be careful of intelligent magical items when you can't tell where they're holding their minds?"

"I'm sorry Dad." Ginny said miserably.

"Gin!" Ron blurted, "I didn't know you were out, are you ok?"

"I'm fine." She said, sneaking a glance at Harry, then looking straight at him. "Thank you for saving me, Harry."

"Wasn't just me, Gin. Ron, Xander, and Wednesday were right there with me." Harry told her with a friendly smile.

"Well, thank you anyway." She said, then looked at the other two, "And thanks."

"You're my sister, course I was gonna go." Ron mumbled.

Xander just shrugged, "No problem. I had my own reasons for going down."

"Well whatever they were, we can't thank you all enough." Molly said, gushing. "You helped save our Ginny."

Xander just shrugged a little, not knowing how to respond.

"Are you going to see the Headmaster?" Arthur asked.

"Uh... yeah."

"Well go on up, but you'd better hurry," Molly advised, "I think he's meeting with Lucius Malfoy later."

"Ok, thanks." Harry said, hurrying up with the other two following.

Albus stared at them, his eye twinkle dancing as bright as ever.

"So, to be clear," He said, "You broke both of Professor's Lockhart's arms and left him to wander through the catacombs under Hogwarts?"

Harry grimaced, "Well..."

"He had it coming." Ron blurted, "The git was going to Obliviate us!"

"Harry," Dumbledore sighed, "I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to open the entrance for us so we can locate our missing professor."

Harry nodded.

The headmaster chuckled, "it's just as well, I believe that Severus wanted to go down and see what he could recover from the Basilisk."

The three student's eyes bulged and they looked at each other for a moment.

"Uh... Of course, Sir." Harry blurted, swallowing hard.

Dumbledore looked between them for a moment, then leaned back, "In the meantime, Harry why don't you stay. I believe that the meeting with Lucius would be very... educational for you. You two may go."

"Thank you, Sir." Xander and Ron said together, practically bolting for the door.

Once outside then paused, looking at each other.

"Blimey! Snape is going to skin *us* when he sees that you already got the Basilisk!"

"I just hope we can get out of school before it comes to that," Xander said, shaking his head. "Maybe we can convince him that Lockhart got to it first?"

Ron grinned, "I'd love to see the ponce run when Snape found him.

The remaining days passed without incident, as Dumbledore had decided to get Harry to open the chamber and leave it open over the holidays so the teachers could examine the forgotten section of the school while they searched for Lockhart. Xander sort of hoped that the idiot didn't get himself killed, but really what was he thinking running off when the slide was the way in?

He and Wednesday sat together on the train as it pulled away from Hogsmeade, heading back toward London, and Xander had to admit it had been an interesting year. He had learned a ton of stuff, granted most of it hadn't been from his teachers but what the hell, they'd had some good times, an adventure or two, and things had worked out.

Not too shabby.

He was getting along, more or less, with his house... minor speedbumps like helping Harry in the chamber aside. He had some good friends, and he knew that Hermione and Wednesday weren't going to turn on him for sure. Harry was an ok sort, and even Ron was starting to seem like a decent guy.

He did have some things on his mind, though. Some worries, some dark concerns.

First, what was he going to do to his Uncle, cause there HAD to be some retaliation there. He had an idea, but wasn't sure if it was over the top or not.

Second, though, was bothering him deeply.

Something Arthur Weasley had said to Ginny was preying on his mind.

Don't trust magical objects that show intelligence when you can't see where they hold their brain.

Xander looked down at the book that had been so important to him over the past two years and glared at it. Finally he sighed and opened it to one of the interactive sections, then pulled out his fountain pen.

With careful, neat lettering, Xander wrote in the section.

Who are you?