Chapter Seventeen: Cell Division and Riddle Solving

Gohan stood, gasping with horror as the monster chuckled. "Hello, Gohan. I've really missed you."

Riddle smiled unpleasantly, completely unaware of the difference in his inferius from the stereotypical inferius. "Cell?" Riddle said lazily.

The creature bowed. "Yes, my Lord?"

"Kill the mudblood."

The monster grinned evilly, returning his gaze to Gohan. "With pleasure, my Lord." Cell charged Gohan with remarkable speed and kneed him in the gut. Gohan's body shot toward the other end of the chamber from the blow, crashing into a pillar and reducing it to rubble. Cell sped toward his target.

"Hey!" Riddle cried angrily. "Don't destroy the chamber!" But his cries fell on deaf ears as Cell commenced to attack Gohan, intending to kill him before he could ascend Super Saiyan. The floor quaked from the attacks.

"Heh," Harry smirked as he stroked the phoenix's soft feathers. "Too bad. Looks like you're gonna have to lie in the bed you just made…even if it kills all of us in the process."

Riddle rounded on Harry. "What do you mean?"

"Do you know why Gohan defeated Cell last time? It was because Cell tried to destroy the world."

Riddle gasped loudly. "What?"

Harry glared at him. "That's right. If Cell wins, we all die."

"You're lying," Riddle said passionately, but he knew Harry wasn't. "I-I can control it. I brought it back as a servant, an inferius-"

"Yeah, keep telling yourself that. At least you'll die happy-and ignorant! "

"I'm not going to die…I…can't-"

Harry scoffed. "Dr. Gero couldn't even control the androids, and he created them. The androids even turned on him and killed him. The only hope we have now is for Gohan to beat him again."

The phoenix on his shoulder stopped his song. Riddle snorted derisively as he glared at them.

"So, this is what Dumbledore sends his great defenders…a songbird and an old hat. Do you feel safe now, Harry Potter?"

Harry calmly allowed him to laugh.

Cell cackled. "Is that the best you can do, boy?"

Gohan crawled through the rubble and slowly rose, panting heavily.

Cell frowned. "What's the matter, boy? Unable to tap that potential energy your father always bragged about? You're gonna die today, Gohan. You'll be with dear Goku really soon!"

Cell had said the wrong thing. Mentioning his father's death brought Gohan's raw emotions to the front of his mind, giving him sufficient ammunition. Gohan's ki increased rapidly as he crossed the threshold of Super Saiyan Two.

Cell cringed in horror. "No! How could you? That's impossible!"

"You just can't stop talking, can you?" Ascended Gohan said sternly.

"Dumbledore," Piccolo said urgently. "We have to get down there! I can sense Cell!"

Vegeta growled in frustration. "How can this be possible? Didn't Gohan destroy Cell?"

The castle walls shook. "I am afraid that some wizards have the ability to make inferi. I'm afraid, however, that this exceeds my knowledge. I have never known an inferius to have the ability to recall its former life force."

Piccolo balled his fists. "Please, sir. I can't lose Gohan. There must be a way to get to him!"

The castle walls shook.

Dumbledore nodded sympathetically. "If there is any way to get to the Chamber of Secrets, I'd suggest you look around the girl's bathroom on the first floor. Minerva?"

Professor McGonagall stepped forward. "Sir?"

"Kindly escort these gentlemen to the door of the girl's lavatory on the first floor."

"Kill him!" Riddle's voice hissed throughout the chamber. The basilisk moved its powerful body toward Harry. Harry ran blindly with his hands outstretched. Voldemort cackled.

The chamber shook.

Harry tripped; he could feel it as it approached. Suddenly, he heard a disturbance above him. He was knocked violently against a wall as he heard a mingle of squawking and angry hissing. He ventured a look. The snake was swerving dangerously between the columns. Fawkes, the phoenix, dove into the king serpent's face and punctured its eyes.

Riddle bellowed. "NO! LEAVE THE BIRD! KILL THE BOY!"

Cell had fled the main chamber through some piping, Gohan giving chase from behind.

"COWARD!" Gohan shouted. "FIGHT ME!" Cell responded with a ki blast. Gohan narrowly avoided it. The explosion lit up the piping and rapidly engulfed both child and monster.

Harry jammed the Sorting Hat on his head. Help, please. Please, help me. Something solid dropped from the hat, hitting Harry on the head. Harry removed the hat and withdrew the item. It was a sword.

The serpent lunged; Harry dodged, hitting the chamber wall.

The monster lunged again. Harry lunged with the sword.

Cell cackled madly as Gohan pursued. The insect's eyes darted toward two insignificant power levels. He smiled sinisterly. "Gohan, friends of yours?"

Gohan gasped. Ron and Lockhart came into view. "No! Leave them alone!"

Grinning wickedly, Cell charged the two. With a look of complete terror, Ron slowly lifted Gohan's wand. A warmth flooded Ron's body; his expression of fear became replaced by a righteous indignation. Ron raised the wand and brought it down with purpose. Cell slowed in amazed awe at what he sensed as the golden beam bore down on his position.

What? Goku? That's impossible! The beam struck Cell squarely in the chest, knocking him past Gohan into another off tunnel nearby. Taking no chances, Cell shot down the tunnel with Gohan in hot pursuit.

Piccolo and Vegeta gasped and shot each other looks. They had both felt Goku's Ki coming from beneath their feet. "Kakarot? What's going on down there?"

Piccolo eyed the Transfiguration professor with desperation. "Please hurry."

The Deputy Headmistress opened the door of the girl's bathroom and received a shock. There was a hole in the middle of the floor. Piccolo and Vegeta nodded in agreement. Vegeta shot down the hole; Piccolo followed. Each warrior landed with a soft thud.

"Piccolo!" Ron's voice called from the darkness.

"Ron!" Piccolo approached Ron and Lockhart. He had almost reached him when he felt it. Son Goku? Piccolo stared at the wand Ron held. Shaking it off, he asked,"Are you alright? Where are Gohan…and Harry?"

Ron pointed toward the rubble pile. Vegeta stepped forward. "Shield them, Namek." Piccolo barely had the energy shield up when Vegeta blasted the tunnel clear.

Piccolo pointed at Ron and Lockhart. "Stay here!" Ron nodded.

Lockhart pointed at Piccolo. "That man's green," he said.

Piccolo blushed. Ron rewarded Lockhart by kicking him on the shin.

"Ow!"

"Git."

"They've separated," Piccolo observed. "Gohan and Cell is heading toward the surface. Harry and several other Ki are down that tunnel."

Vegeta nodded. "I'll take care of Gohan and Cell. You handle the kids down here."

Ron whimpered fearfully, clutching Gohan's wand near. The wand emitted reassuring warmth.

Piccolo nodded at Vegeta and flew down the tunnel toward Harry. Vegeta flew straight up the pipe he had just descended.

"What?" Professor McGonagall said as Vegeta reappeared through the bathroom door. "What is it?"

Vegeta stopped in front of her. "Gather everyone fit to fight into the courtyard. You may have to defend your castle."

"From what?" She demanded.

"From Cell." Vegeta said as he shot down the corridor and toward the forbidden forest.

Cell shot out into the open sky, chuckling triumphantly. Completely unguarded, Cell received a hard blow to the back of his neck, sending him sailing toward the lake. In his place shone a fully-grown golden fighter wearing a proud, defiant scowl.

Gohan gasped. "Vegeta!"

"Don't just stand there, boy! Get Cell!"

"Attention!" Dumbledore's voice resounded through the halls. "All students report to the Great Hall for emergency lockdown procedure. All prefects, headships, and teachers report to the courtyard with their wands immediately."

The floor shook.

"Albus, can we actually fight Cell?"

"We're going to try, Minerva."

Harry collapsed beside Ginny, panting heavily. He had killed the basilisk, shoving the ruby-encrusted sword through the roof of the massive serpent's mouth, but he had been pierced by one of the beast's large fangs. He was still holding the fang he had wrenched from his bleeding arm.

A soft cry and a pattering of feet landing nearby caused Harry to shift his head. "Fawkes…you were fantastic…" he said weakly. The phoenix laid his head on Harry's arm where the wound was.

"You are dead, Harry Potter," Riddle's voice said in a haunting tone. "Dead. Even Dumbledore's bird knows it. Can you see it? It's crying. But before you die, I must ask you something…"

Cell was laughing maniacally as he looked at Gohan. "I can beat you, boy. It's only too easy. See, you've always had a soft spot for the weak." He chuckled evilly as he looked toward the castle.

"Huh?"

A ki blast shot toward the school.

Dumbledore gathered the teachers, headships, and prefects. "We are officially under attack. We need to defend Hogwarts. Mr. Filch, after we have left the gate, secure the castle. Prefects, Professor Sprout, and Madam Pomfrey, you will remain in the court yard. You will be our last line of defense should the castle be breached."

Dumbledore headed toward the gate.

"Professor, who are we fighting?" The head girl asked shakily.

Dumbledore didn't answer.

The Hogwarts students sat fearfully beneath the school tables. Suddenly, a bright light filled the Hall's stained windows. The students shrieked fearfully as some glass shattered from the pressure. The orb stopped three meters from the castle's exterior. The students looked up as a gold figure deflected the orb away.

Whispers filled the hall as students pointed at the boy who seemed to be on fire with golden flames.

"Hey, wasn't he at the Cell games?" Somebody whispered.

A tall insect creature appeared in view, kicking the golden fighter through the window. The Gold Fighter struck the teacher's table, which exploded from the force.

Some students shrieked as they recognized the figure. "It's Cell!" The entire student body screamed as one.

Another gold fighter appeared and tried to attack, but the monster swatted him away easily. He laughed loudly. "Get out here, Gohan! I know that little love tap didn't hurt you! You'd better come out! I'd hate for anything to happen to the children!" He cackled loudly as he charged another orb.

Suddenly a golden shooting star shot from the room and slammed into the beast's face; the force of the blow shattered all of the remaining glass in the hall. The ground shook as the creature hit outside. The gold fighter disappeared from view as he chased his target.

A minute of silence filled the room. Then, "Did…did he just say Gohan?"

Dean looked out of the window. "Get him, Gohan!" He said quietly. "You can beat him!"

Riddle narrowed his eyes. "That girl mudblood friend of yours…my basilisk ran into a problem when it tried to dispose of her. For some reason, the direct gaze of my serpent did little more than petrify her. Do you know how she managed to survive such deadly magic, Harry Potter?"

Harry stared stupidly. "What?"

"No matter…no matter. I don't require your assistance to find out-" he stopped, staring at the phoenix. "Get away, bird. I said, get away!" Bang. Fawkes flew away as Riddle pointed Harry's wand. "I forgot. Phoenix tears…healing powers. But no matter, it's just you and me, Potter." He raised the wand.

Suddenly, Fawkes reappeared by Harry, nudging the diary with his beak. For a moment, both Harry and Riddle stared at it. Harry grabbed the diary and, taking the basilisk fang, plunged it straight into the center of the diary.

A long, piercing scream filled the chamber.

"Harry!" A low, clear voice called out from the dark tunnel. A small gust of wind blew gently as the speaker flew toward him.

"Piccolo?"

Cell picked himself from the ground. He shot into the air, glaring at the half-Saiyan. He looked around for a strategy. He saw a cluster of people hurrying around the castle. Cell grinned as he charged them. "Fools!" he cackled as he approached.

"Oh, no! I'll never catch him!" Gohan said as he propelled himself after Cell.

Cell grinned as the tallest and oldest of the group pointed a stick. A powerful golden jet of light struck Cell in the chest, knocking him two meters back.

Completely surprised, he shouted. "What?" Then the others aimed their sticks and shouted. Cell blocked the attacks and shut his eyes from the glare of the spells. The attacks suddenly stopped. Then, he heard it.

"Ka…Me…" Cell opened his eyes to see Gohan in front of him.

"How?"

"…Ha…Me…"

Cell shook as he raised his hands defensively. "NOOOOOO!"

"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Gohan shouted he released the energy. The energy hit its mark, completely incinerating its target.

"Harry! Oh Harry…I'm so sorry!" Ginny sobbed. "I tried to tell you earlier, b-but I couldn't…not in front of Percy. I did it! I opened the Chamber of Secrets…but I didn't mean to! Riddle…he made me! How …how did you kill it? Where's Riddle? Last thing I remember, he was coming out of the diary…" she broke into fresh hysterical sobs.

Harry held up the diary. "Don't worry. Riddle's finished. Come on. Let's get out of here, Ginny."

"I'm going to be expelled," She wailed as Harry unsuccessfully attempted to help her to her feet. "I've been looking forward to coming to school since…forever…and…what will Mum and Dad say?" He tried to help her again, but to no avail.

Piccolo approached her cautiously, pulling out a small round object. "Here. I believe you will recognize this."

Ginny stared at him before looking at his offering. She gasped. "It's one of those beans!" Thanking Piccolo shyly, she took it from him and chewed it. When it took effect, she stood. "Wait! Where's Gohan?"

Piccolo answered. "Well, he was fighting Cell, but the fight's over."

Ginny shrieked, causing Piccolo to wince painfully. "CELL?"

Harry blanched. "Who…who…"

Piccolo smirked proudly. "Who do you think won?"

Harry frowned at Piccolo. Then he jumped and punched the air happily. "Yes!" He hugged Ginny and spun her around. He let go quickly; they both blushed.

"Ron! Ginny's okay! We've got her." Ron almost bowled Ginny over as he embraced her fiercely. Ginny sobbed in her brother's arms.

Just then, Gohan flew down the pipe. Upon seeing his friends, he jumped into the air and kicked happily."Yipee! We won! We won!"After jumping up and down several times, he flung himself at Ron and Ginny, hugging them and causing them to twirl in circles.

Ron pulled away, laughing. "You're such a child, Gohan. Oh, here's your wand. It's one weird stick. Weird but wicked." Piccolo watched, frowning thoughtfully, as the stick changed hands.

Gohan laughed goofily. Harry grinned.

"Hey!" a rough voice shouted down the pipe. "What's going on down there? I don't have time for games, Namek! Get everyone up here!"

Piccolo cleared his throat. "Perhaps we should go up. Who's going with whom?"

Harry nodded. "Piccolo, you take Ginny. Gohan, you take Ron and the sword. I'll take Lockhart by phoenix."

Lockhart looked around at everyone. "Excellent. So, who am I going with?

Piccolo raised a brow.

Ron shrugged. "Lockhart got hit by his own memory modifying charm. He can't remember who he is."

Piccolo snorted. "I see. That figures. Poetic justice, huh?"

Everyone laughed loudly, even Lockhart; although admittedly, he didn't even know why he was laughing.

Mrs. Weasley shrieked. "Ginny!" She and her husband threw themselves at their daughter. The unlikely group of Saiyans, Namek, and Hogwartians filed into the middle of the office.

Mrs. Weasley tackled the three boys. "You saved her! You saved her! How did you do it?"

Gohan rubbed the back of his neck. "Actually, I didn't. I just fought Cell." Vegeta rolled his eyes.

Dumbledore chuckled. "Indeed, Mr. Son. It would seem that you saved the world a second time-"

"Naw…just the school." Harry and Ron laughed.

Dumbledore's eyes sparkled. "Yes. Firstly, you saved the school, but we all know that the world would have his next target. So you did, in effect, save the world."

Gohan shrugged. "Whatever. But I didn't save Ginny."

Harry nudged him. "You saved her several times. You gave her sensu beans when she was weak. Your information helped us multiple times-"

"I didn't tell anyone that Ginny needed help, and I should have. I should have told someone when I first suspected the diary. I should have-"

Dumbledore held up a hand. "The important thing is that everyone is safe. Now, tell us a story…"