I don't own Harry Potter.

Chapter Twenty

The next two weeks were a complete blur to Harry. After his talked with Sirius, Harry's grades rose to what they were before the incident with the basilisk. He really didn't care about his grades right now because in a few days time Ginny will be taken into the Chamber of Secrets.

He told McGonagall what happened the first time. At first, she refused to let Harry go down there. Then she realized that Harry was the only one who could save the school. She knew she should have known better. This was Harry Potter after all.

She wished that she could go to Miss Weasley and take the diary from her but she didn't know how the girl would react to it. His soul was in the poor girl's body according to Harry. She didn't know whether Miss Weasley would be violent or not.

She didn't know who to feel sorrier for.

While McGonagall was thinking of ways to help Harry, Harry was in his dorm preparing for his upcoming adventure. He wasn't sure if he would if he should bring Ron and Lockhart with him. He KNEW that he couldn't bring Hermione. She wouldn't last a minute if Riddle knew who she was.

He knew that he had to act as normally as possible. But that was nearly impossible when he felt like he was going to be attacked from all sides. He spent most of his time in the Room of Requirements working on his sword play with a dummy. He swore that they were getting harder and harder to defeat. He knew that the workouts were getting longer each day. But then again, he was growing more frustrated each day.

Instead of going to Ron or Hermione to talk to, he found himself searching for Luna. She was truly wise beyond her years, even at twelve. One she actually followed him to the Room of Requirements and to his surprise; it looked like a Muggle physicist office.

"I like watching Muggle movies. When I was little Mum would always take me to town to watch them. So far, I like 'The Little Mermaid' the best. Though, it is a bit historically inaccurate. Arial looked nothing like she did in the film." Harry had no clue what she was talking about just nodded his head and sat on the red leather couch. Luna was in the chair.

"But I have a feeling that you have a lot on your mind. I know that your friends are worried about you. Is there something that you want to tell me?" Her dreamy look seemed to burrow into his own eyes.

"Do you ever feel like something bad is going to happen but you can't do anything about it?"

"Sometimes. Like when Mum died. I had a strong feeling that something was going to happen to her. Why do you ask? And why not ask Ron or Hermione? They are your best friends."

"Yeah, they are. Though, sometimes it's easier to talk to someone you aren't as close to. You are my friend Lu; never forget that. Ginny is going be hurt soon."

"I feel it too. But you know it in a different way. I don't know how though. There's something different about your aura. It's older than it should be."

"Er..."

"I won't tell anyone. Anyway, who would believe me? Seeing auras is a very rare gift. Even rarer than the one Hermione has."

Harry decided to ignore that comment about Hermione for now. Auras seemed to be more fascinating. She was about to ask her about them when he heard an announcement that all students were to return to their Common Rooms.

'It's too early. Ginny isn't supposed to be taken for another three days!' Harry thought as he and Luna ran back to their Tower. Harry was confused as to how this could have happened. He had everything down on the right dates that it was supposed to happen. He bought a calendar for crying out loud.

It was mere minutes later when McGonagall came in and told them what happened. Ginny was lured into the Chamber of Secrets. She looked at Harry before she left the Common Room. He noticed that she was trying very hard not to cry in front of her cubs. Harry went after her without any protest from the other students.

"Professor, Ginny is still alive as far as I know. I will save her no matter what. It might be a little harder than the last time but I will do it. But I need you to answer a few questions." She nodded. "Is Lockhart still in the castle?"

She shook her head. "He left on some urgent mission ten minutes ago. And thank Merlin for that. He was nothing more than a pretty-boy. Even when he was a student, he didn't do much."

"Will anyone stop me from going into the Chamber?"

"No. I will tell everyone that we are closing the school. That should keep everyone away. And Harry..." She paused for a moment. "Good luck."

Harry went back to the Common Room and found his friends. They were in the corner trying to comfort Ron, as he was closet to Ginny.

"She's still alive Ron," Harry said when he approached them.

"How can you be so sure? There's a Basilisk down there with her."

"Because I have faith in her will to live. Ginny, as far as I can tell, is very strong and a very powerful witch. It'll take more than a snake to take her down. But right now we have to save her."

"How are we going to do that?" asked Hermione. "We don't even know where the entrance to the Chamber is."

"But we do know. Think about it. The girl who died fifty years ago was killed in the bathroom. The diary told me that much. What if she never left the bathroom? What if it was Myrtle?"

"You can't be serious about that. Why didn't you say anything sooner?" asked Neville.

"I wasn't sure if I could tell. McGonagall just gave me permission." Harry hoped that they believed him. Fortunately, they did.

"Well what are we waiting for? Let's get going."

"Wait! You're not coming 'Mi." Harry stood to make his point.

"Why not?" Hermione also stood though she was a good three centimeters shorter.

"You wouldn't last two minutes in the Chamber of Secrets."

"What do you mean by that?" She had an angry glint in her eyes.

Neville interrupted the discussion. "Hermione, you are a Muggle-Born. Harry is right. You need to stay here. Besides, someone needs to stay and comfort the twins. They may have picked on her, but they do love her."

"Fine, I'll stay. Though, I don't like this one bit. And I have every right to go on the next adventure whether it's safe for me or not, is that understood?" The three boys and Luna nodded.

"We all can't go. Ron and Luna you're with me. Neville, I want you to guard Hermione to make sure that she keeps her promise." Hermione was a little taken back by that comment because Harry knew her so well. Harry gave her a hug before they left and whispered in her ear. "I'll be fine 'Mi, I promise. Contact my dad. He deserves to know." He handed her the mirror and told her how to work it.

As they were promised, they didn't run into anyone. Harry was worried tha they would run into Flitch how would be looking for who took Ginny.

He had Luna stand outside to be 'lookout'. Truthfully, he just didn't want her to know that he was a Parselmouth, though she probably already knew about it.

"Luna, I think you should stay in here. Ron and I will go into the Chamber. Try to block the entrance so if the Basilisk tries to escape it won't be able to. Make sure that we can get out though. If you hear anything, close your eyes or look into a mirror." Luna nodded and began to use her Ravenclaw knowledge that he knew she had.

The boys jumped into the pipe and slide down it. Harry did a quick Scourgify on the two of them and they cast lumos. They went a bet further when Harry came up with an idea. He just had to convince Ron to go along with it.

"I need your wand."

"What? Why can't you use your own?"

"I need him to think that I'm unarmed."

"Who?" Ron was confused.

"Tom Riddle. I can feel him. I can feel the evil of this place. It's so strong that it's nearly choking me. Ginny is alive but she is very weak. But I need your wand. She doesn't have hers." Ron reluctantly handed over his wand. Harry took a deep breath. "You should stay here. If I'm not back in an hour, go back and tell Luna. Then get professor McGonagall."

"Stay safe Harry. Hermione would kill me if you died." Ron was trying to joke but his heart wasn't in it. "Seriously though, good luck and don't get killed."

"You too, mate." Harry turned to leave wishing that he could take Ron the rest of the way, but it was too dangerous if he went without a wand. He hissed at the snake carvings and entered the large chamber. It was show time.

"Ginny!" he raced toward and dropped Ron's wand. "Ginny, wake up please. Ginny, please be alright." He shook her but he knew that she wouldn't wake until the diary was destroyed.

"She won't wake."

Tom Riddle, a.k.a. Lord Voldemort, was standing right in front of him holding a wand that had the unicorn tail hair nearly poking out. Strangely enough, Harry wasn't afraid.

"Let her go, Tom." Harry glare would have killed if the... thing... in front of him were alive.

"So, you know who I am. Bravo, Harry, you are an intelligent one." His cold voice was mocking him. "But no, I won't be letting Ginny go. I wait far too long for this."

"Your time was a long time ago. This is Ginny's time. She deserves to live; not a parasite like you. Yes, I know exactly who you are. You are dirt, a murderer. You are Voldemort and a weak version at that. I suppose Ginny told you all about me. She told you how I beat you. She told you that I survived. And you know what; I will continue to survive because I refuse to fall to the likes of you. You don't scare me. You will never scare me."

"Are you done? I am strong. I am the strongest wizard to have ever passed through Hogwarts. And look at your precious Dumbledore. He was removed by the mere memory of me," Tom snarled.

"You are not the strongest. There are students going through Hogwarts right now that are stronger than you are. My Mum and Dad bested you three times before they fell. I bested you when I was just a baby because my mother loved me. Yet you don't understand what love is, do you?

"I will remain loyal to Hogwarts. Dumbledore or no Dumbledore, I won't let it fall and I won't let you take Ginny's life." Just then, Harry heard phoenix song. So he came because he was loyal to the school, not because he was loyal to Dumbledore. He would never be loyal to him. Fawkes dropped the Sorting Hat at Harry's feet.

"Enough! Let's see just how strong you are." He turned and called for the Basilisk. Harry immediately closed his eyes.

"Fawkes, blind him." The Basilisk was quickly blinded. While Fawkes was busy with the king of snakes, Harry was pulling a rather beautiful sword out of the Sorting Hat. Harry did wonder why he didn't get to keep the sword the first time but that wasn't important at the moment. Luckily, the sword didn't land on Harry's head this time. The sword of Gryffindor was in his left hand while his wand was in his right. Harry shot some spells at it be they were all reflected off as though it were dragon's hide.

He heard Riddle tell the snake to kill him. Then Harry got another idea.

"Why do you listen to him? He isn't even alive." Harry hissed at the snake.

"Master Slytherin told me to wait for the heir. I do as Master wishes me too."

"Yet he has blood of a Muggle in him. Slytherin's heir was to be a pure wizard, one who was untainted. You lived a love life in these Chambers. You served no master for too long to start now. We humans call you the king of serpents. You should live up to that title."

"You are right young speaker. I shall serve myself even though I can no longer see."

The snake was about to leave when Harry shot one last spell the snake's eyes. The powerful stunner killed the Basilisk as its head exploded. Harry and Ginny were both covered in snake brains. Harry was completely grossed by that.

"I didn't mean to kill it." Then Fawkes dropped the diary in front of Harry. Harry quickly put his wand in his pocket and stabbed the diary with the sword. Riddle was gone and Ginny was once again awake.

All was well in Hogwarts for another year.

A/N This not done yet. Harry still has to have his yearly talk with Dumbledore. Plus, I have a few other things planned.