A/n: Okay, Basilisk time! Also, this is now Cross Posted to AO3 so updates should be almost simultaneous.
*+ovo+*
The first hint for everyone but Harry and Voldemort that this longer memory sequence was going to be bad was the slide down the pipe into darkness only to land on a pile of bones. The fact that it was two second years and a hostile idiot playing at greatness did not help matters. Then the feint by Lockhart and attempted obliviate only to result in scrambling out of the way of the cave-in had everyone watching outraged on behalf of the two second years. Madam Bones snapped an order to pause the memory as the entire assembly turned to look at Harry.
"Would this be the reason why Mr. Lockhart is currently in the Janus Thickly long term care ward?" Amelia Bones asked archly with a hint of amusement. It had been easy to see that the damaged wand had backfired and that it was no fault of either young Gryffindor.
"Yes?" Harry offered sheepishly. He wasn't quite sure why he was embarrassed but he was.
"At least you thought to make the supposed adult go first," Severus snarked. He wasn't really upset at his brat's actions thus far beyond the idea of trying to face off against a Basilisk in the first place much less without any preparations or back up. He would express his displeasure over that idiocy later.
"Since you paused it I want to point out that this is when I learned Voldemort's birth name. I also thought I was just going to sneak in and grab Ginny before running, maybe speak to the snake so that it wouldn't try to bite us or something. I had no intention of actually fighting it unless I had to or thought that it might keep the school open," Harry pointed out quickly, hoping for a distraction. "This is also part of the lead up to him getting a body even if it took him another two years to actually get one."
"Is your reasoning about the school based on your submitted health report?" Madam Bones inquired carefully, the skin tight around her eyes. Harry's hesitation and eventual refusal to answer as he looked away from her told everyone that the answer was yes.
"Gringotts would like a copy of this health report if it covers both this incident and his reasoning," the goblin representative put in. The general murmur of agreement had Madam Bones resisting the urge to rub her temples.
"Be aware that until the Hogsmeade raid we had no real access to Mr. Potter as he was almost always universally protected and hidden by Dumbledore. Despite our own laws we simply couldn't get to him to check up on him or ensure that his situation was correctly handled. I also swear to you, here and now, on my magic and life, that had I known about his situation I would have taken him in myself rather than allowing it to continue. So mote it be," Madam Bones announced before lighting up her wand to prove her statement as truth. She then proceeded to hand out the copies of Harry's health history knowing it would cause an uproar.
What followed was an uproar that had Severus and Voldemort hastily casting silencing charms and privacy around Harry to prevent him from reacting poorly. They had shared the now nearly universal outrage but also knew that their imp tended to flinch away from perceived danger. As this outrage was on his behalf they saw no reason to trigger the very survival instincts that had been beaten into him by his relatives. The sight, if not the sound, still had Harry instinctively cringing against them and trying his hardest to become as small as possible without curling into a defensive ball. Intellectually he knew that they weren't necessarily angry at him but he was glad both of his new family had understood his reaction enough to cast those spells.
Severus eventually reached the point of stepping in. After a careful positioning of Harry tucked into Voldemort's side Severus stepped out of the spells, scowling something fierce and let off a cannon blast. Everyone turned to look only to meet his glare.
"If you are finished? I would think terrifying the same child you are so suddenly protective over was counter productive. Especially as we are reviewing some of the very memories in question," Severus pointed out scathingly. "Now, as my recently adopted son is being traumatized more by your outrage than the thought of watching himself fight a Basilisk might we move on? You may discuss anything to do with his mistreatment after we are finished reviewing the other relevant memories."
"Certain things need to be clarified first, such as his current treatment and whether he will be returned to these... monsters," the angry Veela representative spat, barely holding on to her human form. The smoke drifting slightly from her hands and the faint pattern of feathers ready to rise in an outraged ruff around her neck spoke further of her fury and her control of that emotion.
"I haven't left his side but for one morning since our capture during the Hogsmeade raid. At worst our treatment has been that of children being grounded to our room. Mostly we have been recovering from untreated medical issues and kept close to the Dark Lord to the point of platonically sharing his quarters. To prevent his return to those who have abused him we did not resist when our joint magic flared and initiated an adoption. By magic I am now his father and the Dark Lord has claimed us to his household as wards of the family. Shortly afterwards the healer arrived from Gringotts and determined that even had the adoption not occurred my son's guardianship was transferred to the Dark Lord on medical grounds," Severus explained coldly. "Keeping them separated harms both of them in mind, body, and magic. As a result as long as my son frequently visits the Dark Lord his sanity remains intact. This may change as treatment progresses but their lives are bound. Should one of them die the other would be better off dead alongside him. Even if we wanted to, which we do not, we can not afford to harm or mistreat him. Any other decisions must come after he has finished recovering from what has been his life."
"Let us at least see this battle against the Basilisk then we can judge if further action to protect this young one needs to be taken. Reparations can always be discussed after he is secure, healed, and able to defend his own," the goblin representative offered up. He was already going to be recommending warrior training for the teen wizard. One had to have a fighting spirit to survive and fight with such injuries!
"Before we proceed, be aware that the... issue of the Diary has been resolved," Voldemort informed them sternly. He had canceled the charms protecting Harry so that they could listen to Severus rip into everyone. It was something that Harry had needed to see for himself. He had needed to know that his new family would do more than just lock him away. Severus going to the mat for his formerly most hated student and currently new son was the best way that Voldemort could think of to help prove to him they were serious. The way that Harry had relaxed against him had proven that guess right.
"A Gringotts healer has confirmed this?" the goblin representative asked shrewdly.
"She has," Severus agreed solemnly. "The Dark Lord has also agreed to further corrective treatment for the related magical side effects as well as the fine for delving incorrectly into such magics. Treatment for all three of us and our various injuries is ongoing. I am nearing the end of my treatment and will help monitor the other two for the duration of theirs."
Severus failed to point out that due to the Horcruxes and the family adoption the medical monitoring would last the rest of their life. The Goblin, once he recognized the specifics of the Diary, would know the truth behind that statement. Unless someone else was familiar with Horcruxes no one else aside from the three affected wizards would understand the full implications.
The memory was soon restarted after everyone was seated again.
Everyone watched Harry recover from the cave-in and shout back and forth with Ron over what to do next. There was general fascination with the vault-like door to the Chamber of Secrets and open interest in the serpent themed decor of the main Chamber entry hall. The random muttering over the tunnels from various people though had Harry wondering what was so interesting about them.
When they got to the point of Harry rushing to Ginny's side and dropping his wand there was a mutter of anger from the goblins and dwarves. As warriors they recognized how stupid dropping your only weapon in a dangerous situation was. Although the recognition of "Tom" drew a great deal of interest. The following conversation and revelation of his identity as Voldemort caused a ripple of shock even with the Dark Lord's previous declaration at the conclave.
"So... why did you use a name you came up with at 16?" Harry snarked quietly as the memory moved on. He was ignored as his small family watched the memories in avid interest.
"He sent the bloody bird and the sorting hat?! Against a Basilisk?!" Severus hissed in low outrage. "Has that old goat always been insane?! Its a wonder you are still alive!"
"Just wait, it actually wasn't that stupid," Harry admitted with a grimace. He missed the long glance from the two Slytherins during the Diary's mocking of those same items.
The fight with the basilisk held everyone enthralled in horrified silence as they watched a 12 year old Harry fight for not only his life but that of young Ginny Weasley and the rest of Hogwarts. The entire room cried out in shock or flinched when the sword and fang sank home. They watched as he staggered over to Ginny only to find himself repeatedly stabbing the Horcrux Diary, to all appearances taking his final foe with him as he died. Fawkes' return and subsequent use of his healing tears relieved many as the memory finally ended.
"He needs training with the goblin blade he won during that encounter," were the first words spoken by the goblin representative, breaking the shocked silence.
"Professor Dumbledore took it away from me. He said it belonged to the school," Harry inform the goblins warily.
"Wrong. Under normal circumstances a goblin forged object is to be returned to the goblin nation and its goblin crafter after the death of the one it was made for or loaned to. It is one of the many issues we have with the wizardlings as they do not honor that law of our craft. Your use of it in defense of yourself and the remaining youngsters in the castle won you the right to wield it for your life time. Anyone taking it from you is a thief," the goblin corrected. "That blade and the magic that is a part of it picked you as its new wielder. You will have to be trained in its use. We will also need to register the loan so that you are not called a thief for winning it in combat and being chosen by the blade. There are very few goblin blades that have a call of need or call of honor spell on them and the magic's choice is always checked but also respected."
This commentary further dissolved into a general discussion of the memory and the fact that Harry had stopped such a dangerous threat. There were plans made by most of the representatives to at least see Harry trained in case of another such incident.
"You will be learning self preservation and appropriate aid choices if its the last thing I do," Severus hissed into his ear quietly as everyone else argued. "I refuse to find you dead over some similar foolishness. You will also be writing lines until the fact that your death is unacceptable has sunk into that thick Gryffindor skull of yours!"
"~We will be running drills once you are healed enough to try and keep you alive should you find yourself in another dangerous situation. You will also be wearing protective enchantments and emergency portkeys as well as tracking magics from now on. Loosing you is not an option,~" Voldemort hissed quietly. "~Your choice of the Magical Creatures class is now making far more sense.~"
Harry just ducked his head and kept close to them as discussion raged around the room. There would be no more hiding now. No more "Just Harry", no more normal wizard. His power, luck, and ability to adapt so that he survived impossible deadly situations had been officially noticed by people in power. He would never again have the option to fade into the background.
Harry could only hope that they wouldn't be as interested in the other memories as they had been for this set. Yet his heart told him it was in vain.
*+ovo+*
A/n: Next memory? Or should we listen to them argue over the Basilisk incident first?