I'M ALIVE! Also, warning. There will be a serious time jump in the next chapter because of the Jolly Roger ending up at Hogwarts. However, there will be flashbacks and such so you know what happens. TA

Chapter 9-The Chamber

Hogwarts, three days after Valentine's Day

"I can't believe they arrested Hagrid, and with no proof," Hermione said as they all sat in the library.

"I spoke to Father about it, apparently it was decided that Hagrid had caused the incident fifty years ago as well," Draco said looking up from his book. "It makes sense with the pressure from parents and the press that Fudge and the board of governors had to do something, so they arrested the same culprit as before."

"True, but I doubt the attacks would simply stop," Neville said. He was re-writing his charms essay with Henry.

"Doesn't truly matter so long as the pressure reduces, Father says Fudge is a pathetic weakling, this is what they do."

"Well, we can't let them just put Hagrid in Azkaban and let him stay there, even if the attacks stop," Hermione stated.

"Well, let's look at the facts," Harry suggested. "Fact one, the Chamber was opened fifty years ago. Fact two, the attacks stopped when a girl was murdered. Fact three, Hagrid was blamed for the attacks when the school was threatened with closing. Fact four, this year the Chamber was opened once again. Fact five, Hagrid was not in the school during any of the current attacks. What do those facts tell us?"

"Fact one tells us the last one to open the Chamber was either a student or staff member during the year of the attacks," Henry said.

"Facts two and three show a person of high intelligence and who was able to frame Hagrid. We know Hagrid was framed due to fact five," Hermione said.

"Fact four tells us that the perpetrator may have returned this year, leaving out those whose attendance is longer than that, or their own progeny has appeared here, which leads to suspicion of new staff and students," Draco said. "However, let's not forget the fact that the creature Chamber is said to only be controlled by the heir of Slytherin."

"So the professor that is suspicious are Lockhart. While any first year is suspect," Hermione said.

"If you look over the school recording of events, here in the library, between this year and the year fifty years ago, we may see a pattern," Harry suggested. He'd asked Sal and the Baron about the Chamber, and they both told him to think it through.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked.

"This year, all the roosters were killed, but the hens were left unharmed. The same thing occurred fifty years ago. Granted this time it happened in September while fifty years ago it happened closer to January; the two similar events happened prior to the attacks," Harry said.

"Are you suggesting the deaths of the roosters and the attacks are related?" Henry asked.

"Wasn't it just a fox?" Hermione added.

"Well, it did seem odd to me that only the roosters died," Neville said thinking back. "I remember running into Hagrid while he was carrying one and he said it was lucky only the roosters were being killed... He also said it was strange too, because usually foxes go for the hens, and they always eat from the bodies, but that wasn't happening."

"Exactly, the groundskeeper back then also wrote about the odd behavior in the foxes," Harry said. "I suspect that the one opening the Chamber is killing the roosters for some reason."

"Why, what is the point?" Hermione asked before sitting up straight. She left the table in a sudden move and disappeared between the shelves.

"What was that about?" Neville asked in shock. The three other boys just shook their heads. Hermione came back with three large tomes stacked on top of each other.

"These are bestiaries," she stated lowering the books onto the table. "If there is a creature that exists and is connected to roosters, or their blood, or death, then it'll be in one of these."

The boys looked at each other for a moment before pairing up and taking one of the books, Hermione took the third for herself. They began their search.

It took them three days to find the right page. Henry, while a Ravenclaw, hated research. He was flipping through the pages with his head propped up on his elbow when he saw. it.

"Ah, I think I found it," he said after blinking a few times. He sat up straight and turned the book to face the others. "A basilisk. They have a stare that can kill if seen directly and the crow of a rooster is lethal to it. Not to mention that Slytherin himself was said to be a parselmouth, so it would makes sense his creature was a giant snake that lived for centuries."

"True, but now the question is, what do we do about it?" Neville said. "I mean, whoever is opening the chamber is just going to continue doing so until they're stopped."

"Not to mention we don't even know where the chamber is," Hermione pointed out.

"How is it even getting around? The thing must be massive by this point, someone should've witnessed an attack by now," Neville near squeaked.

"The pipes, I mean, they'd have to me huge but it is a possibility," Draco said.

"...If the creature is using the plumbing, than we can reason that the Chamber of Secretes would have to be connected to the pipes, and quite possibly underground," Harry said.

"So, how does that help?" Neville asked.

"Wait, the records said that the only victim to die was a girl in the bathroom," Hermione said.

"I take it you are about to make a point?" Draco said. Hermione gave him a half hearted glare, the two were becoming more friendly with each other.

"Perhaps I can find out what happened..." Hermione said before leaving. The boys watched her go.

"What do you think that was about?" Neville asked.

"I've no idea, but she seemed to think she can find out what happened to the girl," Draco said.

"How is she going to do that? It was fifty years ago," Henry replied. Harry shrugged.

"Perhaps she'll ask a ghost," was all he had to say.

Hook's ship, Neverland

The motley crew of the Jolly Roger stood near the helm of the ship. Bell was no longer wearing her blue dress; instead she wore a white blouse under a cerulean blue vest with brown shorts and a matching jacket with black tights and boots. Snow and Charming had even changed to more leather based outfits. Emma and Bae were the only ones wearing jeans and cotton anymore.

"So, what is this plan of yours?" Regina asked Rumple. The Dark One was sat on the railing yet again. He giggled, and Emma still found it creepy as all hell.

"Well dearies, we have no beans and that normally would be a problem," started the sorceror. "However, we are heading to a land of magic, and the people we are looking for are our blood. So that is how we'll get to them."

"That's your answer, blood magic?" Snow asked. She sound incredulous.

"It's the best way of creating a portal here," was his reply.

"It makes sense, the majority of us are related to Henry and... my brother, it'll be the most stable portal we can make," Bae said in a slow manner. It was obvious he was still uncomfortable dealing with magic.

"It's true, the more stable the portal the safer it'll be to travel through, not to mention more accurate," Regina said. "Don't worry, Rumplestilskin and I can handle the dark magic, you can stay as pure as snow."

Rumple giggled at the sarcastic pun while Snow frowned.

"Alright, what do we have to do?" Charming asked trying to divert his wife and her step-mother from a quarrel.

"Those of us who're related by blood will have to add some of our blood to this mixture," Belle said holding out a bowl. "Once we have, Rumple and... Regina will do the rest."

"Well, no time like the present," Emma said before grabbing Hook's cutlass and slicing her palm over the bowl.

Emma saw Belle standing at the helm of the ship alone as Rumple and Regina began the ritual. Emma walked over and nodded at Belle when the beauty saw her and smiled.

"You ok?" Emma asked. This was the step-grandmother of her son, and the mother of his uncle. Belle looked at her.

"Not really, but I'll manage. Thank-you," Belle said.

"Can I ask you something..." This was going to be awkward.

"About Rumple and I?" Belle smiled.

"Yeah, I guess it is about that whole thing...Why did you go with him, I mean, I get that it was for your people... But why marry him? Why-do that?"

"Back home, one of the most precious things a woman had was her virtue. Magic runs on precious things, that's how it maintains the balance of... Being," Belle began. She was choosing her words carefully. "When I went with him, I was the price because I was precious to my father and our people. However, Gaston, my betrothed was the nephew of King George. He was angry that the marriage was broken off to save my people from the ogres... Anyway, my father's land was neutral, not a kingdom but resting on the borders of two lands, so King George decided to invade my father's land and take it by force."

"Who, sounds like a horrible guy."

Belle nodded; "He is. Anyway, when I found out that King George was invading my people's land in revenge for my saving them I begged Rumple to make another deal with me to end King George's tyranny... By that time I knew he wasn't cruel and I rather liked him. Anyway, he told me about magic's price. My virtue, my hand in marriage was the only precious thing I had left. I had no qualms in giving it to him if it meant saving my people again."

"weren't you terrified? Of him?"

"You mean of him, or of laying in his bed? I'd stopped fearing him as a person long before our second deal. As for our wedding night... As I said, I rather liked him by that point, and I didn't dread my first night with Rumple as much as I had dreaded my nuptials with Gaston."

"Why were you dreading Gaston, I mean, you were engaged to him."

"It wasn't my choice," Belle said looking at Emma oddly for a moment. "My father's lands hold many precious resources and are quite profitable; however, since they reside on the borders between to kingdoms, they have remained neutral so long as the next leader of the lands is a male. As the only child of my father, I stood to inherit the land, and King George took the opportunity to gain the lands through marriage."

"I still don't get it. Gaston was your fiancée. You must have loved him."

"… I already told you, I had no choice. Father made the match, it was my duty to honour it. I didn't choose Gaston, he was chosen for me. I was meant only to sit at his side and give him heirs. That is how marriages work for nobles. Gaston was cold, shallow and a pig. He didn't believe I should learn anything beyond the feminine arts and child care. To be honest he thought my only saving grace was my beauty."

"wait, so you were going to marry this guy, although you didn't want to?" Emma asked astonished. She couldn't believe this woman, who stood up to the Dark One, would have been so meek. Belle gave a small sigh.

"It was my duty. I was to marry whoever my father chose and be his wife. My feelings and preferences mattered naught. They hardly ever do in our cases. What the men want is all that is important in such affairs. I wasn't even allowed an opinion. Your parents were lucky, Emma. If Snow White had not been on the run, if her father had not died, a marriage would have been arranged for her as well. I believe your father was actually betrothed already, in an arranged match, when he met your mother. Regina too was married off in a pre-arranged wedding."

"That is harsh," was all Emma could say. Belle smiled.

"Yes, but when you're raised to it, you can't help but go along. I didn't like Gaston, but I would've married him because it was my duty. I was fortunate that my duty changed with the Ogre war. Rumple is very different from the men I could've been given to, and to the man I had been given to."

"Was it... Painful?"

"Was your first time with a man painful?" Belle asked straightforwardly. "Why do you all think that the scales make him so different? He is just a man. a powerful, ancient one, yes, but still a man. It hurt no more than my nanny had told me it would. Actually, with his magic, it probably hurt less."

"Sorry."

"Don't be, you at least have asked. It is a bit hard sometimes, knowing everyone has these very questions in their heads, wanting to ask them but holding their tongues. It's a bit relieving to have someone finally ask."

"...I gave Henry up," Emma said suddenly. "I didn't think I could be a mother to him. I didn't think I was good enough... I know it's not like what happened to you but..."

"I know, whether willing or not. I don't think having your child taken from you is ever anything but agony," Belle said. Her eyes were misting. "I ached for my boy everyday, I felt his loss, the pain of him being stolen away every day. I think, if anything could break me, it was that. Now, we're finding him, but his life, his childhood, I wasn't there for any of it. His first steps, first words, first bit of magic, was all with someone else... Some how I think that knowledge hurts worse than losing him."

"Yeah, I think so too."

The two stood in silence as the ritual was begun behind them. A crimson portal whirled into being beneath the ship and slowly they sank. Belle and Emma looked at each other and gave the other a small smile. One only they seemed to understand. Perhaps Snow would have shared it too, but she was too busy looking to the future than the past.