They were now standing at the end of a long room, a chamber if you will. It was dimly lit with candles surrounding the edge of the room, illuminating the carved serpents that curled around the walls; casting shadows that twisted as the lighting flickered.
The twins looked at each other and took out their wands, looking out for any signs of movement. They made sure to keep their eyes on the ground, searching for shadows that indicated the arrival of the giant snake.
"GINNY!" shouted Harry, letting go of her hand and running towards the pale figure on the floor.
"HARRY WAIT!"
Ginny lay weakly below a huge statue, red hair covering her little face.
"Ginny!" Harry muttered, sprinting to her and kneeling. "Ginny — don't be dead — please don't be dead —" He flung his wand aside, grabbed Ginny's shoulders, and turned her over. Her face was white as marble, and as cold, yet her eyes were closed, so she wasn't Petrified.
But then she must be —
"She's not dead." said a soft voice. "But she will not wake."
Alex whipped around, covering Harry, wand in hand as she came face-to-face with a dark haired Hogwarts student.
Tom Riddle.
Alexandra looked into the man's eyes.
The boy from Dumbledore's picture, her mind screamed. Run.
She would have fled the scene immediately if it wasn't for the forced confidence of Felix Felicis and the knowledge that Harry would most likely die along with Ginny if she left.
That was a crime she was not willing to commit.
"Tom — Tom Riddle?"
Riddle nodded, his gaze burning intensely on the children. Alex tightened her grip.
"What d'you mean, she won't wake?" Harry said desperately. "She's not— she's not — ?"
"She's still alive," said Riddle. "But only just."
Tom Riddle was a student fifty years ago. By all means he should not have been here. He should be recovering from the disaster with Quirrell last yea-
Harry stood up from behind her, drawing a deep breath and asking, "Are you a ghost?"
Riddle shook his head, letting out a charming laugh. "No, I am a memory, preserved for fifty years." He pointed towards the book that was opened, laying beside the statue of Salazar Slytherin.
"You've got to help me, Tom," Harry said, raising Ginny's head again.
He didn't know.
"Harry, Harry, we've got to got, we've got t-" she whispered.
"And leave Ginny? Not a chance." Harry growled.
"Now now, no need to panic," said the silky voice, who was idly turning Harry's wand between his long fingers.
Harry whipped his head around.
"Thanks," said Harry, stretching out his hand for it.
Riddle just smiled eerily.
"Give him the wand back." ordered Alex, sweat trickling down the back of her neck.
"Listen," said Harry urgently, his knees sagging with Ginny's deadweight. "We've got to go! If the basilisk comes -"
"It won't come until it is called," said Riddle calmly.
"Accio wand." commanded Alex, wrenching the wand from his pale hands. "What use does a memory have for a wand?"
Riddle scowled, tilting his head and stepped closer to the duo. Alex instinctively took a step back, nearly tripping over Ginny.
"I've waited a long time for this, Potters," said Riddle. "For the chance to see you. To speak to you."
"I'm sure we're not that interesting," quipped Alex, "So, how about you let us on our way, and we'll be out of here with Ginny, without any trouble?"
"Look," said Harry, losing patience, "I don't think you get it. We're in the Chamber of Secrets. We can talk later —"
"We're going to talk now," said Riddle, smiling broadly.
Her heart was pounding and the chamber suddenly felt very, very cramped. She looked at Harry, who was beginning to realise they were in danger.
"Why is Ginny like this?" he asked, clutching his wand bravely, unconsciously positioning himself for a duel.
"Well, that's an interesting question," said Riddle pleasantly. "And quite a long story. I suppose the real reason Ginny Weasley's like this is because she opened her heart and spilled all her secrets to an invisible stranger."
"What are you talking about?" said Harry.
Was that Ginny's diary?
"YOUR DIARY!" gasped Harry.
"No, that's Ginny's" Alex corrected. "How'd you get that?" she asked the Slytherin 'memory'.
"The diary," said Riddle. "My diary." He looked at Alex when he said that. "Little Ginny's been writing in it for months and months, telling me all her pitiful worries and woes — how her brothers tease her, how she had to come to school with secondhand robes and books, how" — Riddle's eyes glinted — "how she didn't think famous, good, great Harry Potter would ever like her. . . "
Harry blushed and Alexandra's eyes widened. Riddle continued with a sinister smile, a shadow of hunger crossed his eyes.
"It's very boring, having to listen to the silly little troubles of an eleven year-old girl," he went on. "But I was patient. I wrote back. I was sympathetic, I was kind. Ginny simply 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. . . ."
He laughed, a high, snobbish laugh, that Alex often used herself to dismiss people. It didn't quite sound right on him.
"How dare you!" she snarled, "She's eleven!"
"And a fool," he remarked. "You know, even if I say it myself, I've always been known as a charmer and..."
Alex looked at Ginny, who was looking weaker by each passing moment. She tried to shake her shoulders, she even tried a 'rennervate', blocking Riddle's mocking boasts out.
"...I grew stronger and stronger on a diet of her deepest fears, her darkest secrets. I grew powerful, 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 . . ."
Harry looked like the world had turned upside down. "So you mean to say that-"
"Isn't it obvious? Ginny Weasley has been strangling roosters and writing threats on the walls. She set the basilisk on four mudbloods and that stupid Squibs cat."
"No." Alex breathed.
"Yes," he confirmed. "Of course, she didn't know what she was doing at first. It was very amusing. I wish you could have seen her new diary entries . . . far more interesting, they became. . . . 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 on the night of Halloween, but a cat was attacked and I've got paint all 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. Tom, what am I going to do? I think I'm going mad. . . . I think I'm the one attacking everyone, Tom!"
Alex felt red hot with rage. Oh how she wanted to punch that stupid smirk off his face.
"Of course, then she got suspicious and that's when you came in! Oh Harry, it was lovely having you find me, and the first time you wrote, I could hardly believe it!"
"Save this shite for someone who cares," spat Alex, "Just tell us how to get Ginny back."
"You're lucky I'm in a good mood," he smiled, "Your sister is rather... impudent."
"And why did you want to meet me?" Harry cut in, before Alex could curse him unsuccessfully.
"Well, you see, Ginny told me all about you, Harry," said Riddle. "Your whole fascinating history." His eyes roved over the lightning scar on Harry's forehead, and their expression grew hungrier. "I knew I must find out more about you, talk to you, meet you if I could. So I decided to show you my famous capture of that great oaf, Hagrid, to gain your trust —"
"LIAR!" Alex shouted, wriggling out of Harry's grasp, "I KNOW WHO YOU ARE-"
Riddle flicked a careless hand and suddenly Alex was simply opening and closing her mouth soundlessly.
"There, that's better," he commentated, shaking his head. "Banshees look better when they don't shriek."
"Hagrid's my friend," said Harry, his voice now shaking. "And you framed him, didn't you? I thought you made a mistake, but —"
Riddle laughed again, eyes narrowing. "It was ridiculously easy, on one hand, Dippet had the prefect, golden boy. And on the other hand; Hagrid, stupid, blundering Hagrid. Who was in trouble every other week..."
Alex concentrated on breaking the sound barrier, screaming silently until she felt her throat raw. She bent down, touching Ginny's forehead, she was barely breathing and her pulse was low, if they didn't get out soon-
"-Only the Transfiguration teacher, Dumbledore, seemed to think Hagrid was innocent. He persuaded Dippet to keep Hagrid and train him as gamekeeper. Yes, I think Dumbledore might have guessed. . . .Dumbledore never seemed to like me as much as the other teachers did. . . ."
Dumbledore was a teacher when Riddle was in school? Of course he was.
"I bet Dumbledore saw right through you," said Harry, his teeth gritted. Alex reached up and patted him on the arm as Riddle continued his monologue.
She mouthed 'Voldemort' and Harry nodded faintly, Riddle catching the subtle motion.
"Ah, I'd forgotten how peaceful it had gotten, you may speak little wench."
"You won't get away with this again," she said hoarsely rubbing her throat.
"Well," said Harry "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 all right again —"
"Haven't I already told you, that killing Mudbloods doesn't matter to me anymore? For many months now, my new target has been — you." He paused, "I made Ginny write her own farewell and made her come down here. She struggled even more that you, little wench. But there isn't much life left in her. . . . She put too much into the diary, into me. Enough to let me leave its pages at last. . . . I have been waiting for you to appear since we arrived here. I knew you'd come. I have many questions for you, Harry Potter."
Somehow, Harry's wand had reappeared in his hand and he turned around drawing letters in the air.
TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE
He then flicked the wand and the letters rearranged themselves.
I AM LORD VOLDEMORT
Alex yawned, "Was that supposed to surprise us?" Harry nodded his head. "Bit obvious wouldn't you say?"
He was smiling but a vein in his temple throbbed, "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? I, keep the name of a foul, common Muggle, who abandoned me even before I was born, just because he found out his wife was a witch? No, Harry — 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!"
He shot the twins a dirty look, stepping closer to Harry, till they were nearly nose-to-nose.
"Twice — in your past, in my future — we have met. And twice I failed to kill you. How did you survive? Tell me everything. The longer you talk," he added softly, "the longer you stay alive."
He was slowly materialising, his blurry outline clearing and his transparency fading. She kicked Harry and he started talking.
"No one knows why you lost your powers when you attacked me," said Harry sharply. "I don't know myself. But I know why you couldn't kill me. Because my mother died to save me. My common Muggle-born mother,"
Alex flinched.
"A counter-curse? Ha! I knew there was nothing special about you boy. I wondered, you see. Because there are strange likenesses between us, Harry Potter. We're both Half-blooded orphans, parselmouths and Salazar, we even look alike."
Alex looked between the two disbelievingly and was shocked to find it true. The only difference, the biggest one really, was their eyes. Harry's were green and full of life, whereas Riddle's were dark and hollow, like a dementor's.
She'd never noticed the similarities before, but once she had, it was impossible to shake.
"It was merely a lucky chance that saved you from me. That's all I wanted to know."
Was Voldemort nervous?
"Now, Harry, I'm going to teach you a little lesson. Let's match the powers of Lord Voldemort, Heir of Salazar Slytherin, against famous Harry Potter."
Alex waited for the curse, the flash of green that was the symbol of death.
But it never came.
"Speak to me, Slytherin, greatest of the Hogwarts Four."
He was going to summon the basilisk.
Alex quietly dug her hands in the pockets of her robes and pressed the pen/dagger into Harry's hand. Muttering a quick 'revelio'.
The stone wall behind them slid open and a loud thump was heard. Alex kept her eyes firmly planted on the floor.
"Kill him."
The basilisk was moving towards them and Alex heard Harry running blindly, eyes shut. She heard a loud thump and she knew he'd hit a wall.
Maybe it was a bad idea giving him a knife.
The snake went after Harry, hearing the noise.
Riddle was laughing.
"...HEY OVER HERE!"
Did she have a death wish?
She pointed her wand at the approaching figure and shouted, "OBSCURO!"
The snake hissed loudly, thrashing its huge body and Alex knew the spell worked. She lifted her eyes off the floor and turned towards Harry, who had nearly knocked himself out from the impact of his fall.
She ran towards him.
"NO YOU FOOL!" shouted Riddle, pointing Harry's wand at the blindfold and removing it. "STOP FLAILING! SMELL THE BOY! KILL THE BOY!"
How did Harry's wand work so well for him?
"EVANESCO!" shouted Alex, flicking her wand at Harry, effectively making him disappear.
Thank Merlin, I didn't know if the spell would work-
The basilisk looked around confused.
"SMELL HIM! SMELL HIM!"
Alex magnified her voice and started screeching, drowning out Riddle's voice as she tried to summon Harry's wand once more. Now, two wands in hand she pointed one at Riddle.
"INCARCEROUS! DIFFINDO!"
Alex bound him tightly with ropes and before he could react, threw a cutting spell at his now slowly appearing arm. He screamed, as blood spurted everywhere.
"SILENCIO!" she yelled and his cries muffled.
She felt a cool liquid hit her ankle and she turned around, realising that while she had been trying to eliminate Riddle, the basilisk had found its mark.
Her vanishing spell flickered and gave up, revealing Harry with a fang in his arm, bloody dagger a few metres away.
The basilisk loomed over the boy, while Harry kept his eyes firmly shut. Then, the creature slumped and fell with a thud, as Harry weakly crawled out of the way.
The dagger was bloody.
And not with Harry's blood.
Voldemort's eyes gleamed as he made his way up to standing. She could heard echoing footsteps and then a dark shadow moved beside her. He'd rid himself of the bindings but was clutching a bloodied arm. Alex couldn't help but feel proud, she'd made Voldemort scream.
"You're dead, Harry Potter and I'm going to sit here and watch you die. Take your time. I'm in no hurry."
He turned to Alex, stepping closer to her until they were nearly touching. She could feel his breath on her skin.
"As for you little wench, I'll make arrangements. Your meddling nearly won, but you must remember, you will neverbe a match for me." He paused, "I'm sure my Death Eaters will have a nice time with you. They do seem to enjoy routine bouts of disobedience, a pretty face, a struggle, yes that will do nicely for you."
A shiver ran down her spine as he laughed viciously at Harry, who was looking weaker by the second.
"So ends the famous Harry Potter," said Riddle's distant voice. "Alone in the Chamber of Secrets, forsaken by his friends, defeated at last by the Dark Lord he so unwisely challenged. You'll be back with your dear Mudblood mother soon, Harry. . . .
"If I'm dying," Harry whispered softly, "You're dying with me."
He opened his robes to reveal Ginny's- no Voldemort's diary. With a little yell, he unlodged the fang in his arm, letting more blood spill, and plunged it anticlimactically into the diary.
Riddle screamed, lunging at the book as Harry whimpered weakly as he felt more blood leave his body. The wound was starting to turn black, which meant the poison was starting to spread. Ink spurted out of the diary in torrents, streaming over Harry's hands, flooding the floor. Riddle was writhing and twisting, screaming and flailing and then —
He was gone. As if he never existed.
"HARRY!" shouted Alex as she raced to his side, being careful not to slip into the inky, bloody mixture that painted the floor crimson.
She deftly took the bezoar out of her pocket and pressed it down his throat.
Please, please work.
Harry choked, as the bezoar got stuck down his airway, but managed to swallow, eyes shutting slowly.
"NO!" shouted a fierce voice.
Ginny had woken up and was shivering in the dampness, as she feebly tried to crawl towards the Potters.
"GINNY!" shouted Alex, as she cradled Harry's head in her lap, "NO, NO, NO, DON'T CLOSE YOUR EYES!"
"Alex — oh, Alex — I'm so sorry- so sorry- I wanted to tell you over Christmas-but I- I couldn't- It was me- I was the one strangling the- Alex, I'm sorry!"
"I know, Gin, I know," she said, bloody hands shaking as she checked for Harry's pulse.
Ginny coughed weakly and sat down, looking at all the blood. She fainted, falling to the floor with a thump.
"Shit," she cursed as she looked for her wand through the mess, "Shit, shit, shit." Her limbs suddenly felt too heavy and she could feel the exhaustion setting in.
She couldn't slip, not now.
But Ron knows to get the Professors.
He can't speak Parseltongue, he won't manage to get them past the sink, another voice countered.
They would die here. What a sad way to go.
Alex took a shaky breath and whispered a 'Rennervate' at Ginny.
She'd get the three of them out of the chamber. Dead or alive.