They were standing at the end of a very long and faintly lit chamber. Countless pillars spiralled away into the non-visible ceiling covered in carvings of intertwining and coiling serpents, and the entire room seemed to shimmer a faint green

'Knows his aesthetic, doesn't he? Old Salazar,' muttered Y/N as he and Harry began moving forward, wands drawn.

There was no sign of… well, anything, as the two advanced further into the chamber. No snake, no Ginny, no one. Their footsteps echoed loudly, and Y/N had the eery feeling that they were being watched. Which wasn't helped by the fact that the eyes of the snakes seemed to be following him.

Finally, the two of them appeared in line with the last set of pillars and the chamber expanded into a large opening which supported a massive statue, so large it was almost completely out of view. It was of an old looking human, with a long beard that fell almost all the way to the floor. They barely broke past the statue's shoes. And lying on the floor between the two feet, facedown, was a figure with bright red hair.

'Ginny,' muttered Harry, and he went sprinting off towards her. Y/N jogged along following him but keeping his eyes peeled. Harry reached her and dropped to his knees, rolling her over and checking her over. 'Please don't be dead,' he was muttering, Y/N was about to start looking too when he saw something move and turned to face the figure walking slowly towards them.

'Who are you?' he yelled, Harry snapped up and span to face the figure too, his own wand drawn.

'She won't wake,' said the figure as he came into view. He was a tall boy, almost as tall as Y/N, with black hair and a rather pale face with very dark eyes, and he seemed to have an odd shimmer to him, almost as though he was a reflection. Y/N didn't recognise him, but apparently Harry did.

'Tom? Tom Riddle?' Harry asked.

Riddle nodded, staring directly at Harry.

'What do you mean 'Tom Riddle'?' asked Y/N. 'You were meant to be at school here fifty years ago weren't you?'

'And what do you mean she won't wake?' added Harry desperately, 'She's not-?'

'She's still alive,' Riddle responded, ignoring Y/N, 'But only just.'

'Answer my question,' snarled Y/N, stepping forward.

'I am a memory, preserved in a diary for fifty years,' Riddle responded, finally turning his eyes off Harry and onto Y/N and pointing near the statue's feet. Y/N glanced over his shoulder to see the now very familiar black diary. The feeling of dread was oddly vacant from it now however, Y/N closed his eyes and felt outwards. The feeling was still there… but where was it?

'You've got to help us, Tom!' called Harry, 'We've got to get her out of here. There's a basilisk, we don't know where it is but it could be here at any point,' Harry had dropped to his knees again and began fussing over Ginny, his wand abandoned.

Y/N's eyes shot open.

'You absolute bastard,' Y/N said, his fist clenching around his own wand.

'Figured it out have you, L/N? Much faster than Mr Potter here.'

'Harry, get up, where's your wand?' Y/N said, glancing backwards at Harry.

'It's right-' began Harry, but Y/N could already tell, from the way he'd stopped, where it was. His eyes went back to Riddle, who was now twirling it between his fingers.

'Oh, thanks Tom,' said Harry and he held out his hand for it, but Riddle did not move. He simply continued spinning the wand.

'Expelliarmus!' yelled Y/N, but the jet of red light soared straight through Riddle and collided with the wall behind him. 'Brilliant' he added angrily. Riddles smile widened.

'Listen,' said Harry, sounding exasperated. 'We've got to go! If the basilisk comes-'

'It won't come until it's called,' said Riddle calmly.

'And that would be your job, would it?' asked Y/N coldly.

'Y/N, what's gotten into you? Riddle stopped the monster before!' said Harry.

'I don't think he did Harry, or I think he didn't do it the way he said he did. Maybe you'd like to explain Riddle, I don't exactly know the full story.'

'It would be my pleasure,' said Riddle happily. 'I've waited a long time for this Harry Potter and yes, even to a degree with you, Y/N L/N. I was hoping you'd come running down here too. I've wanted to speak to you both for so long.'

'Look,' said Harry, sounding frustrated now. 'We're in the Chamber of Secrets, we can talk later-'

'We're going to talk now,' smiled Riddle, and he pocketed Harry's wand.

'Harry, as long as he's talking nothing's going to happen,' said Y/N. 'I want answers.'

'How did Ginny get like this?' asked Harry.

'Well, that's an interesting question,' said Riddle conversationally, 'And quite a long story. I suppose, the real reason Ginny Weasley is like this is because she opened her heart. And spilled all her secrets to an invisible stranger.'

'What are you talking about?' asked Harry.

'That damned book,' said Y/N, and Riddle nodded.

'My diary. Little Ginny has been writing in it for months, telling me all her pitiful worries and woes. How her brothers tease her, how Y/N has been looking out for her, having to come to school with second-hand clothes and books, how-' Riddles eyes flashed, '-she didn't think famous, good, great, Harry potter would ever like her.'

Riddle was staring at Harry, even when he'd mentioned Y/N's name he'd merely flicked his head in Y/N's direction. Y/N was instead taking the time to scan the room, attempting to figure out where the snake may come from.

'It's very boring, having to listen to the silly troubles of an eleven-year-old-girl,' continued Riddle, 'but I was patient, I wrote back. I was sympathetic, I was kind. Ginny loved me. 'No one's ever understood me like you, Tom. I'm so glad I've got this diary to confide in. It's like having a friend I can carry around in my pocket','And Riddle laughed, a horrible, high, cold laugh that chilled Y/N down to the bone. He wanted desperately to step-in, but he also wanted answers.

'If I say it myself, boys, I've always been able to charm the people I needed. So, Ginny poured out her soul to me, and her soul happened to be exactly what I wanted. I grew stronger and stronger on a diet of her deepest fears, her darkest secrets. I grew far more powerful than little Miss Weasley. Powerful enough to start feeding Miss Weasley a few of my secrets, to start pouring a little of my soul back into her.'

'It was you, you were the one who tried to attack me in the Entrance Hall. Not Voldemort!' yelled Y/N and Riddle laughed again.

'Only half right I'm afraid Y/N, but I will get to that,' said Riddle smugly. 'I have more of my story to tell.'

'What do you mean about putting your soul into her?' asked Harry.

'Haven't you guessed yet, Harry Potter? I think Mr L/N has. Ginny Weasley opened the Chamber of Secrets, she strangled the school roosters and wrote threatening messages on the walls. She set the Serpent of Slytherin on four Mudbloods and the Squib's cat.'

'No,' whispered Harry.

'NO!' yelled Y/N. 'You controlling her doesn't mean that she did it! Ginny is innocent, it's your fault!'

'Well, I must admit, she didn't exactly know what she was doing, at least not at first,' said Riddle gleefully. 'I wish you could have seen her new diary entries, far more interesting they became,' Riddle smiled at Harry's shocked expression and pushed on.

''Dear Tom, I think I'm losing my memory. There are rooster feathers all over my robes and I don't know how they got there'.'

''Dear Tom, I can't remember what I did the night of Halloween, but a cat was attacked and I've got paint down my front'.'

''Dear Tom, Percy keeps telling me I'm pale and I'm not myself, I think he suspects me, there was another attack today and I don't know where I was'.'

''Dear Tom, I spoke to Y/N today, I found him in the lake and he told me about an ability he has to sense enchantments. I showed him your diary. He told me you're evil, you aren't evil though are you Tom? You wouldn't be this nice if you were'.'

Y/N's fists were clenched, one at his side and the other around his wand. He knew that for some reason he couldn't hurt Riddle, but that didn't mean he didn't want to. Harry also seemed to be shaking with silent rage.

'It wasn't long after that however that stupid, little Ginny began to stop trusting her diary,' said Riddle, looking at Y/N. 'Your words stuck with her and eventually she thought it would be best to get rid of me. But that's where you came in Harry. You found it, and I couldn't have been more delighted. Of all the people who could have picked it up, it was you, the very person I was most anxious to meet.'

'And why did you want to meet me?' asked Harry through gritted teeth.

'You see, Ginny told me all about you Harry. Your whole fascinating history. She told me of you too Y/N, but I must admit my main curiosity is that special power you hold. I will get to that in a moment. First-' Riddle's eyes roamed over Harry's face and came to rest on the lightning shaped scar. 'I knew I must find out more about you Harry, talk to you, meet you if I could. So I decided to show you my famous capture of that great oaf Hagrid to earn your trust-'

'Hagrid's our friend,' growled Y/N.

'And you framed him!' yelled Harry. 'I thought you'd made a mistake, but-'

But Harry was cut off as Riddle laughed once again, that same, high, cold laugh.

'It was my word against Hagrid's. Well, you can imagine how it looked to old Armando Dippet. The word of Tom Riddle, poor but brilliant, parentless but so brave, school prefect, model student. Vs the word of big, blundering Hagrid, in trouble every other week for trying to smuggle werewolf cubs into the school or sneaking off to the Forbidden Forest to wrestle Trolls. But I admit, even I was surprised how well the plan worked. I thought someone would realise that Hagrid couldn't possibly be the Heir of Slytherin. It had taken me five whole years to find out everything I could about the Chamber and discover the secret entrance. As though Hagrid had the brains or power!'

Y/N's wand was letting out small sputters of sparks, but no one noticed, Harry and Y/N's eyes were glued to Riddle and he looked to be relishing in the attention.

'Only the Transfiguration teacher, Dumbledore, seemed to think Hagrid was innocent. He persuaded Dippet to keep Hagrid and train him as Gamekeeper. Dumbledore never seemed to trust me as much as the other teachers.'

'I bet Dumbledore saw right through you,' said Harry through gritted teeth.

'Had your number from the day you arrived at Hogwarts,' added Y/N.

'He certainly kept an annoyingly close watch on me after Hagrid was expelled,' said Riddle unconcernedly. 'I knew it wouldn't be safe to open the Chamber again whilst I was at school. But I was hardly going to waste those long years I'd spent looking for it. I decided to leave behind a diary, preserving my sixteen-year-old self in its pages so that one day I would be able to lead others in my footsteps, and finish Salazar Slytherin's noble work.'

'You haven't finished it!' said Harry triumphantly. 'No one's died this time. Not even the cat, in a few hours the Mandrake Draught will be ready and everyone who was petrified will be alright again.'

'Haven't I already told you,' said Riddle, 'that killing Mudbloods doesn't matter to me anymore? No no, for many months, my new target has been you, Harry.'

Harry's eyes were wide, and he looked from Riddle across to Y/N who held his gaze, they were both angry and confused but determined to hear why Tom Riddle had been putting all of Hogwarts through hell for a year. They didn't exactly have to wait long, as Riddle ploughed on.

'Imagine how angry I was when the next time my diary was opened. It was Ginny writing to me once again, not you. She had seen you both with the diary and had panicked. She'd been so sure that Y/N would take it off of Harry and turn it into his mother. Then what if the school found out about her secrets? Or you two did? So, the foolish brat went to your dormitory and stole it back. But I knew what I must do, I knew you were on the trail of Slytherin's heir and that you would both do anything to solve the mystery, particularly if a Miss Hermione Granger were to be attacked.'

A jet of red light soared through Riddle's chest and hit the wall at the back of the chamber again

'You went through her to get to me?' bellowed Y/N, and his voice rang through the empty chamber.

'Ginny had told me all about you two, I knew Harry would do anything for his friend. Especially if one was unconscious and the other seemed to be going mad with grief. Ginny told me about how you'd changed even in the few months since the attacks started. I knew the easiest way to get you down here. Would be to set you on a vendetta. And if I could bring you, I could bring Harry.'

'You'll pay for that,' said Y/N. Riddle simply laughed again and returned his gaze onto Harry, talking as though there had been no interruption.

'Ginny also told me about the whole school was buzzing because you could speak Parseltongue. Y/N almost caught her, and she almost told him everything, so I had to stop her. I almost killed Y/N there and then, but I realised that if I did so you'd lose the only hook left. He'd come and find me, you'd come and find him. If he was dead, well… that wouldn't work in my favour. So, I made her write her farewell on the wall and come and join me. I knew that after Miss Granger, Y/N would do anything to save Miss Weasley too. He'd promised to protect them after all,' he sneered at Y/N who let out a slow shaky breath.

'Fuck you,' he said, and he turned and wandered over to where Ginny lay.

'She fought y'know? She struggled and cried and became very boring. But there isn't much life left in her, she put too much into me. Enough that I can finally leave its pages at last. I've been waiting for you to appear since we arrived. I have many questions for you, Harry Potter.'

'Like what?' snapped Harry. Y/N's body was shaking less and less, his fists unclenching and instead tears began forming in his eyes. His anger left him, all at once. It flooded away. He just wanted to go home.

'Well,' said Riddle. 'How is it that you, a boy with no extraordinary magical talent, managed to defeat the greatest wizard of all time? How did you escape with nothing but a scar while Lord Voldemort's powers were destroyed?'

'Hardly the greatest wizard of all time if he couldn't catch two children, is he?' said Y/N, his voice shaking with suppressed sobs.

'Why do you care how I escaped?' asked Harry. 'Voldemort was after your time.'

'You remember when I said Y/N was half right? Voldemort is my past, present, and future.'

Tom Riddle drew out Harry's wand and began tracing words in the air.

Tom Marvolo Riddle

He waved the wand once and the letters began to rearrange themselves.

I am Lord Voldemort

'You see?' Voldemort whispered. 'It was a name I was already using at Hogwarts, to my most intimate friends only, of course. You think I was going to use my filthy Muggle father's name forever? I, in whose veins runs the blood of Salazar Slytherin himself through my mother's side? No, I fashioned myself a new name, a name I knew wizards everywhere would one day fear to speak, when I had become the greatest sorcerer in the world.'

Harry was stood frozen. Y/N could see him struggling trying to comprehend it all. Y/N wiped his eyes, got to his feet, and turned towards Riddle.

'I dunno,' he said calmly, looking Riddle in the eyes. 'Tom Riddle sounds like a fun name. A name for a half-blood. A half-blood wizard who proclaims the purity of blood. I think it matches the irony of the wizarding world well.'

For the first time in the entire time they'd been there, Riddle's smile had faded, he was now glaring at Y/N.

'What? Not a fan of it? How about Tommy boy? Or Riddly diddly?'

'How dare you-' snarled Tom.

'I thought you didn't like the name? Nothing wrong with me insulting it if you don't like it, is there? I can stop, we can always go to Voldy? Or big V?'

'Y/N, what are you doing?' asked Harry.

'What is there left to do Harry?' said Y/N. 'He's played me, injured my friends, and dragged me down here just to get to you, and not only did it put Hermione and Ginny in harm's way but now he's got you, right in front of him. What else am I meant to do?'

'You can roll over and die,' snarled Tom, 'The same way you were meant to all those years ago.'

'What's it got to do with you, Tommy boy?' said Y/N. 'Surely your future will be the same? Someone else will rise to stop you, memory or not. You died once to a one-year-old baby, can't be that great if Harry's already defeated you twice.'

'I am the greatest Wizard this world has even known!' shrieked Riddle.

'No you're not,' said Harry firmly. 'Sorry to disappoint you, but the greatest Wizard in the world is Albus Dumbledore. Everyone says so, even when you were strong, you didn't dare try to take over Hogwarts. Dumbledore saw through you when you were at school and he still frightens you now, wherever it is that you're hiding these days-'

'Inside of turbans and schoolgirls diaries apparently,' said Y/N. 'Not a good luck for 'the greatest wizard',' he placed air quotes around the last three words.

Riddle's face was contorted with rage.

'Dumbledore has been driven out of this school by the mere memory of me!' he yelled at them.

'He's not as gone as you might think,' Harry retorted. Y/N couldn't tell what he meant, but a moment later he heard it. A musical call was echoing around the chamber, and it was growing steadily louder.

'It's Fawkes!' yelled Y/N, the music swelled louder and louder. It seemed to be coming from everywhere and a moment later, a burst of flame appeared at the top of one of the nearby pillars and the phoenix soared out of it with a loud cry, it seemed to be holding a ragged bundle. The phoenix flew straight at Harry and dropped the bundle at his feet. Y/N felt a dull pulse in his head as it flew near him. Fawkes soared in a large circle over their heads and came to rest on Y/N's shoulder, staring straight at Riddle. 'It's so good to see you,' said Y/N and he felt the talons squeeze his shoulder.

'That's a phoenix,' said Riddle as he stared back at the bird, 'And that-' he said as his eyes turn towards the ragged bundle, 'that's the old school Sorting Hat.'

Y/N had known it too from the moment it had landed, he'd recognised the feeling of it. The hat lay completely motionless at Harry's feet. Riddle began to laugh.

'This is what Dumbledore sends his champions? A songbird, and an old hat! Do you feel brave boys? Do you feel safe now?'

Y/N and Harry both looked at each other, each knew that the other was thinking the same thing.

'They wouldn't be here if they couldn't help.'

They waited for Riddle's laughs to subside, finally as he trailed off. Y/N readied his wand.

'To business, boys,' said Riddle. 'Twice, in your past, in my future, I have failed to kill you. How did you survive? Tell me everything. The longer you talk, the longer you live.'

'Answer him quick Harry, we don't have time,' said Y/N and Harry nodded at him.

'No one knows why you lost your powers when you attacked me. Even I don't know, but I know why you couldn't kill me. Because my mother died to save me. My common, Muggleborn mother!' Harry spat, Y/N could see the anger in him and his own was beginning to return to him now, he was ready. 'And I've seen you, the real you. You're a wreck, you're barely alive,' added Harry.

Riddle's face twisted into a snarl and then he seemed to force an awful smile.

'So, your mother died to save you. Yes, that's a powerful counter charm, I see now, there is nothing special about you after all. I wondered you see. There are strange likenesses between us after all. And what of you Y/N, care to tell me anymore about this special power of yours?'

'Yeah sure,' spat Y/N. 'I can tell that you're just a shadow of a spell who's incapable of anything more than empty threats and pointless questions.'

Riddle shook his head and sighed before speaking.

'Anyway, I am going to teach you a little lesson. Let's match the powers of Lord Voldemort, heir of Salazar Slytherin against famous Harry Potter, the adopted boy Y/N L/N and the best weapons Dumbledore can give them.'

He glanced across the four of them before stepping away and looking up at the statue. He began to hiss and spit at it and Harry turned to look at Y/N.

'He's bringing the snake!'

'Thought so,' said Y/N, sprinting off up the chamber. 'Riddle is yours Harry. That snake is mine.'

Harry ran off into one of the nearby tunnels and Y/N continued running back up the way they'd come in, Fawkes swaying on his shoulder.

'Ready to end this once and for all, buddy?' he asked the bird which gave a low caw. He squeezed tight on the ring around his finger and Pippa sprang into action. 'Distract it, Pip,' he said as something heavy landed on the stone floor behind him. 'Keep its eyes off me.'

The chamber was filled with the sound of slithering, it getting steadily louder towards Y/N. He felt Fawkes claws dig once more into his shoulder before the bird took off. Y/N dived behind a pillar just in time as he felt something whiz past his head and collide with the roof above him. He span around the pillar, keeping his eyes anywhere but on the snakes face. He could see the poisonous green skin slithering towards him and hear the hissing and spitting.

Y/N heard the rush of air and moved just in time as the snake's mouth collided with where he had just been. He sprinted off, keeping his eyes fixed ahead hearing the hissing and spitting followed by a distant cry and an equally eery metallic one. He felt something splatter across his back and he span around. A long trail of blood had come spurting out of the basilisk and Y/N raised his eyes to the great head-

-to see that both eyes had been punctured by Fawkes.

'Brilliant Fawkes!' yelled Y/N, dashing forward.

'NO!' Riddle screamed. 'LEAVE THE BIRDS! KILL THE BOY THEN GET POTTER! YOU CAN STILL SMELL HIM! KILL HIM!'

The snake span and lunged at Y/N. Y/N dodged and pointed his wand at the snake.

'Diffindo!'

A slash formed in the hide of the snake but if it had felt it, it made no reaction as its head span around and snapped at him. He ducked as the jaws snapped together exactly where he had previously been and he rolled under the head. He hadn't however, been prepared for the tail.

It came swishing up and caught him straight in the chest, he felt the horribly familiar feeling of his ribs struggling with the blow but luckily this time, it did not break. He went soaring backwards and hit the floor hard, scrambling back to his feet as the snake raised its head.

'Diffindo!' he cried again and this time, he'd caught a soft spot. The roof of the basilisk's great mouth split open. Blood gushed from the wound along with a faint greenish substance as the snake spat and began slithering towards him.

'EXPELLIARMUS!' came a voice from next to him and Y/N's wand flew out of his hand, he glared at Riddle who was smiling. Y/N turned and ran back towards the statue. He'd have to get the snake far enough away from his wand so he could double back. But a moment later, Harry had appeared.

'Y/N!' he yelled, and he threw something red and silvery across to him. Y/N caught it and examined the sword that he'd just been passed.

'My wand landed somewhere over there,' said Y/N, gesturing towards where his wand had flown. Harry nodded and sprinted off. The snake turned its head towards him, but Y/N began slamming the point of the sword against the nearby wall, drawing its attention back onto him.

The snake lunged and Y/N just managed to duck out the way again, dragging the blade across the serpent but once again the hide resisted it. He knew what his target had to be, and he didn't like it.

'Come on then,' he snarled at the snake as it bore down on him. 'This one's for Hermione.' The snake lunged as Y/N ran at it and he thrust the sword upwards. It sank straight through the open wound in the top of the snakes mouth and burst out of the top of its skull. But as it did, Y/N felt something hot and sharp dig into his leg, he looked down to see one of the basilisk's fangs covered in its own blood and the odd green liquid sticking out of his thigh. He wrenched it out as the snake pulled away, hissing, and snarling before collapsing onto the floor, twitching slightly.

Y/N staggered and collapsed backwards, he didn't even feel himself hit the floor. His world was twisting, shapes fading and just becoming a swirl of colour, white hot pain was spreading up his leg, down his arms, through his chest. A figure appeared at the edge of his vision shouting something. Y/N threw the fang aside and tried to make out who was there.

Something red soared over him and he heard something clatter to the floor nearby and he felt something wrap tight around his finger before he lost feelings in his hand entirely.

'Y/N!' came Harry's voice from somewhere. 'Come on Y/N! You can't die on me.'

'Do me a favour,' said Y/N slowly 'Tell 'Mione that I died getting revenge for her. I think that'll make it easier.' His world grew darker as another figure appeared within vision.

'You're dead, Y/N L/N. Dead to my mere memory. And soon your friend shall follow. Even Dumbledore's bird knows it, can you see him, Harry? He's crying for your friend.'

'I'm going to sit here, and watch you die Y/N L/N, and then I will ensure that Harry Potter and Hermione Granger both suffer the same fate.' Y/N felt an anger bubbling in his stomach, or was that the poison? It was hard to tell anymore. Everything was becoming one blend of inky black, and the voices were becoming more and more distant…

And then it wasn't. Colour was coming back to the world, the laughing of Riddle was getting louder. He certainly hoped this wasn't the afterlife, he couldn't deal with hearing that laugh forever. But surely he wasn't dead? Death wouldn't mean he was still in the Chamber. Harry's face swam into view, his eyes widening. And Riddle's laughter slowed and stopped. He reached down to his leg to feel the wound, but there was no wound. Simply a faint wet patch.

'Get away from him, bird!' said Riddle sharply 'I said get away!' Riddle still had Harry's wand and was pointing it at Fawkes, there was a loud banging sound to rival Lockhart's backfire and Fawkes took to the sky again in a whirl of fire. Y/N staggered to his feet.

'Phoenix tears,' Y/N gasped. 'Healing properties. I owe you one, Fawkes.'

Riddle looked furious, but then his expression calmed.

'Fine,' he said simply, 'this is how it was meant to be anyway, just you two and me.' Y/N swept up the discarded basilisk fang, he wasn't sure what he was going to do with it, but he was going to try something. Riddle raised the wand and-

-something soared past Y/N's head and landed in front of Harry. All three of them turned to look at the black diary.

'Harry!' and Y/N threw the fang to him, Harry caught it, flipped open to the central pages, and plunged the fang straight into the heart of the diary. There was a long scream as Riddle keeled over in seeming agony, Harry's wand dropped to the floor and Y/N swept forward quickly and scooped it up. Ink spurted out of the diary like blood, covering the floor and Harry. Riddle fell to the ground, writhing in pain, and then suddenly. He was gone.

Harry and Y/N looked at each other and both let out a sigh as Y/N passed Harry his wand.

'We did it,' said Harry breathlessly.

'Barely,' added Y/N. 'Thought that was the end for a while there.'

'Same,' said Harry. 'Glad to see you're not. Well… y'know…'

'Dead?' supplied Y/N with a smirk.

'Yeah,' said Harry, smiling back.

'Not for lack of trying as you saw,' said Y/N turning his head towards the snake, 'but I'm glad I at least got that thing. That was payback for all the Muggleborns, even Myrtle. Do me a favour and find my wand would you?'

Harry nodded and muttered 'Lumos', moving off towards where Y/N had pointed earlier. Y/N moved forward and began wrenching the sword out of the roof of the snake's mouth. Harry returned over with Y/N's wand and scooped up the Sorting Hat, as he did, a faint moan came from over by the statue.

'Gin!' yelled Y/N running over to her as Ginny sat up and looked around the room, first from the basilisk to Harry covered in ink with the diary and then to Y/N covered in blood. She gasped and tears began falling down her face.

'Y/N! Harry! I tried to tell you at breakfast, but I couldn't do it in front of Percy, it was me-' she began, sobbing between almost every word, but Y/N pulled her up and wrapped her in a hug.

'It's okay Gin, none of it was you. Absolutely none. It was all Riddle, he's gone now. We destroyed it.'

'How did you-?' she asked, looking between the diary and the snake.

'I stabbed the snake,' said Y/N, holding up the sword. 'It bit me, Harry took one of its fangs and stabbed the book?'

'It bit you?' wailed Ginny. 'But- but-'

'I've been healed Gin, phoenix tears. I'm not going to die, we're all safe. Come on,' and with an arm around her Y/N steered her towards the passageway out with Harry walking along in front of them.

'I'm going to be expelled,' Ginny cried as they walked. 'I've looked forward to coming to Hogwarts ever since Bill came and now-'

'No you won't Ginny,' said Y/N. 'I won't let them expel you, not over this. This had nothing to do with you. You were just caught in the middle. I know exactly who did this.'

Ginny looked up at him and he gave her a reassuring smile, she tried her best to return it, but her face fell back again almost immediately after.

'You okay?' Harry asked him as they walked. 'Saw its tail hit you pretty good too.'

'Yeah,' said Y/N as Fawkes landed gently on his shoulder. 'Phoenix tears do more than just cure poison from your veins, Fawkes fixed me up as well as several weeks in the Hospital Wing would have done, well, better considering he saved my life.'

'I nearly got you killed,' breathed Ginny as tears continued streaming down her face.

'Go get Ron' Y/N said to Harry, Harry nodded and moved off and Y/N turned to face Ginny. 'Gin, I nearly got me killed. I've been hunting for that snake and Riddle ever since he started threatening Muggleborns. Once I knew he had you it was just one more person to protect. None of this is your fault. It's all his. And we've made him pay for it. No one's dead, no one's going to die. It's all over and next year, we can have a proper year at Hogwarts. And you'll be here with us.'

'How do you know?' asked Ginny weakly.

'Because my mother's the deputy Headmistress,' said Y/N simply, he gave Ginny another hug then placed his arm around her shoulder and began leading her back out of the tunnel. Her tears didn't stop, but her shoulder's had risen slightly higher.

A few moments later and they heard a sound of slowly shifting rock. The two sped up and rounded the corner to see Harry with his back to them helping clear a hole where a very pale faced red-haired boy could be seen on the other side.

'Ginny!' Ron yelled and he stuck his arm through to pull Ginny to the other side. 'I don't believe it, you're alive. What happened. How-?' but he was cut off as he saw Y/N's blood-spattered robes and the phoenix that followed him through a moment afterwards.

'He's Dumbledore's,' said Y/N as Harry pulled himself through. 'Came to help us.'

'And how come you've got a sword?' said Ron incredulously, looking at the blade in Y/N's hand.

'Killed the basilisk with it. Explain more once we're out of here,' said Y/N. 'Where's Lockhart?'

'Back there,' said Ron, gesturing a thumb up the tunnel whilst still looking highly confused. 'You're gonna love it,' he added, looking gleefully at Y/N.

Fawkes led the way up the corridor, his wings letting out a faint light they made their way up. Ginny, who had originally been walking with Ron, slowed her pace till she was in line with Y/N then wrapped an arm around his waist again, he placed his over her shoulders and she smiled at him.

Finally, they arrived at the mouth of the pipe, where Gilderoy sat, humming lightly to himself.

'Y/N was right,' said Ron, 'the wand backfired and he hit himself, he's lost his memory. Hasn't got a clue who he is, where he is or who we are. I just told him to come and wait here. He's a danger to himself.'

Lockhart beamed happily around at all of them, it was a very odd sight for Y/N who was used to glares.

'Hello!' he said brightly. 'Odd sort of place this, isn't it? Do you live here?'

'Nope,' said Y/N, striding forward and holding out his hand. 'Y/N L/N, pleasure to meet you.'

'Hello Y/N!' he said brightly. 'I wish I could tell you my name but well… haven't the foggiest.'

'May I suggest Tom?' said Y/N and Harry punched him.

'Have you thought about how we're getting back up this?' said Harry, looking up the pipe. Ron shook his head, but Fawkes fluttered down in front of them, hovering in the air.

'He looks like he wants you to grab hold,' said Ron, sounding unsure, 'But you're much too heavy for a bird to pull up there-'

'No we're not,' said Y/N, wrapping his hand around Ginny's tightly and grabbing Fawkes, 'we'll be fine.'

Harry and Ron looked unsure, but Harry grabbed Ron's hand, Ron held Ginny's and Harry, looking disgusted, grabbed Lockhart's with his other free hand, Lockhart joined in happily.

'Hold this for me, would you?' said Y/N, throwing the sword to Lockhart. Lockhart caught it and began examining it looking impressed, but a moment later his eyes widened, as did the rest of theirs as an odd lightness enveloped them. Y/N felt almost like a cloud, and Fawkes soared straight upwards into the pipe.

'Amazing! Amazing! This is just like magic!' came Lockhart's voice from below them.

'Oh poor innocent Lockhart, whatever will we do with you,' called Y/N and he heard Ginny giggling slightly. A moment later and they were landing on the floor of Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. Lockhart passed Y/N the sword back and the sink slid into place. Myrtle was staring at them, open mouthed.

'You're alive,' she said blankly.

'Brilliant, isn't it?' said Y/N brightly looking down at himself, still feeling oddly light.

'Oh… well… I'd just been thinking if you'd died. You'd have been welcome to share my toilet,' she said, blushing slightly.

'I shall definitely remember your kind offer for when death does take me, Myrtle,' said Y/N with a bow and they left the bathroom.

'What's got you in such high spirits?' asked Ron as they moved through the corridors following Fawkes.

'Snakes dead, Chambers closed, those who were petrified are coming back. Colossal mess up or not, an amazing thing was done today, Ronald. Live for it!' and Y/N did a little twirl, almost bringing Ginny with him.

'Just leave him to it' said Harry, smiling at Ron's awestruck face. 'We haven't seen this side of him for almost the entire year.'

They wound their way through the corridors and eventually arrived outside of Professor McGonagall's office.

Y/N stepped back and gestured Ron and Harry forward.

'It's your mum,' said Ron, raising his eyebrows at Y/N.

'And that is exactly why you're going first,' said Y/N as he opened the door and pushed the two boys inside.