Sorry for the delay, guys. It's getting busier here. Term's almost ending and exams are coming closer. I'm in the library and it's past my dinner time. :( I wish I had a cookie.

Chapter 7

Term passed quite fast and soon it was Christmas. Galen and Eldarion were staying back. They had several tasks to do, and Hogwarts was the best place to begin. The Weasleys were also staying in Hogwarts, parents and older brothers included, as it was much safer than their home.

One day just as the holidays started, Galen and Ginny lingered behind in the Potions classroom after their Occlumency session with Snape. Galen had brought several wrapped packages with him and he dropped them on the teacher's desk.

"What are these?" Snape asked.

"I was hoping you could take these presents for amme, adar and Aunt Delia. I bought some of the local garments from Hogsmeade," Galen replied. He had carefully chosen his presents with Ginny's help, or rather he had allowed Ginny to buy, and the redhead sniggered next to him recalling how hopeless he had been.

Galen narrowed his eyes at her playfully. He was glad that Ginny had warmed up to Snape, despite it appearing a rather daunting task at first. But after seeing the usually dour man's tenderness towards her boyfriend, she had lost most of her inhibitions. After that, it didn't take long, not after she accidentally saw his memory of recognizing Harry with his new family, and promptly picked him up. He had always pitied the treatment of his onetime best friend's forgotten son.

And for Galen, his Uncle Severus was as good as a blend between family, mentor and friend.

"About that," Snape said with a sigh, and Galen took that as a bad sign. "I am afraid I wont be able to visit the Lady Delia this year."

Galen raised an eyebrow, but refrained from saying anything. He waited for the older man to continue.

"The Dark Lord knows most of the Order will be staying in Hogwarts. He wants me to be here and give detailed reports of what happens."

"She wont be pleased," Galen said.

Snape sighed again. "We are at war."

"She'll be most displeased," Galen said, shaking his head. "I would hate to be you."

Snape leaned back and rubbed his temples. "How can I make up?"

"You can't," Galen shook his head again. "Your best bet would be to appeal to her merciful side, which if I might add, does not exist." He got up and gave his hand to an amused Ginny, and sighed, "I have lost an uncle," making her giggle.

As they left, Galen shook his head more seriously. "Poor Uncle Severus, always doing something or other, if not for Dumbledore, then for Voldemort." He stopped when Ginny shuddered at the name. "Oh get over it, Gin, it is just a name."

"Not for me," she whispered, and Galen was surprised by her suddenly haunted voice.

He instantly took hold of her shoulder and said, "Tell me what bothers you."

Ginny shook her head violently. "No, forget it." She pulled herself out of his grasp and rushed towards the Common Room.

But Galen was quicker with his Elvish reflexes. He crossed her path and grabbed her again. Pulling her closer, he whispered, "Don't tell, if you don't want to. But stay with me. Let me help you as you have helped me."

Ginny looked at him teary-eyed, and buried her head in his shoulder. Holding her tightly, Galen rocked them both gently, humming a melody his mother would sing to him and Eldarion, as they slept. It was a soothing strain, filled with love and hope, and Ginny felt it.

"That was wonderful. I didn't know you could sing," she said with a sigh.

"Eldarion got the ability to read the stars, I got the voice and music," he said tenderly, stroking her long hair "I'm glad you like it. I could sing for you all day, if you'd like." He said sincerely, and Ginny laughed melodiously, touching his cheek.

"You're so sweet," she said. "I would like to hear you sing properly."

So Galen went to his dorm to bring a harp, while Ginny waited for him. The Common Room was empty save for the two of them, as most people had either left for vacation or were playing Quidditch out in the rare winter sun.

When Galen came down, he raised an eyebrow at Ginny, who suddenly latched herself to him. She was crying. Putting his harp aside, Galen led her to a sofa, and sat down with Ginny on his lap. For several minutes, he didn't say anything, simply rubbing her shoulder and stroking her hair. Then when her sobbing subsided somewhat, he leaned forward and kissed her forehead, and then her eyes.

When she moaned, he reached lower to her lips and hungrily drank from them. After a few minutes, he tore his lips apart, she lunged forward and grabbed it again. It was as if their souls were in contact, and had found contentment.

"Tell me now," he said quietly, refusing to let go of his hold. Ginny was sitting on his lap, her back against his chest, and her head just below his neck. His arms were around her, and hers were clinging tightly to his.

Ginny stayed silent for a minute, but then she spoke, "In my first year, I found a diary in my belongings. It made me do things." She tilted her head up suddenly, as if daring Galen to ridicule her statement.

But Galen nodded. "My adar told me a tale of a ring… it corrupted the wearer. It held the thoughts of a Dar Lord."

Ginny drew a sharp breath. "The diary belonged to You Know Who, only when he was younger. Tom Riddle was his name. I spoke to him. I was lonely. I was sad." She waited for a few moments, before saying very quietly, "He listened. And wrote back. In time, Tom became my best friend."

Galen stroked her arm, wanting to share her painful memory with as much closeness as he could manage. "Not anymore," he whispered firmly. "I am your best friend now. And you are mine."

Ginny rolled her head slightly, and kissed Galen's neck. "You are." She kissed again. "But then Tom made me do things. I lost hours of my memory, and would wake up next to dead roosters, with blood all over me. Then the attacks started, and students were petrified. I knew I was behind it."

"No," Galen said hotly. "Not you! Tom Riddle was! Voldemort! Not you!" He tightened his grip around her, almost afraid that she would leave him.

But instead, Ginny tightened her own grip. She didn't say anything else.

"How did it stop?" Galen asked.

"It didn't," Ginny said sorrowfully. "I threw the diary in an abandoned toilet, and that was the end of the attacks. But Tom still has a hold over me. He can still make me… he can still talk to me… he still talks to me in my dreams, urging me to go back to him. I almost did, when I thought… you and Anthea… But I was afraid of what Tom would do to you."

Galen moved suddenly, his arm leaving Ginny, and she started crying. "I knew it! You hate me now!" She dropped to the ground and crouched, crying woefully.

Galen sighed, picking up his harp. He struck a chord, and Ginny raised her head in surprise. Galen plucked another note, and then his fingers started moving with amazing dexterity, creating a melody unlike any that the girl had heard before.

Then he started singing. Not in English, or any other language made by mortals, but in the High Tongue of the Forgotten Folk, and Ginny listened in tremendous awe. She was amazed.

But that wasn't the end of it. Suddenly, there was a flash of lightning and Morwen the Phoenix appeared. Galen smiled as the songbird joined in with rhythmic trills.

Ginny listened in wonder as both Galen and the phoenix poured their soul into their music, and through her ears it entered her heart. She smiled.

When Galen finally ended and set his harp aside, Ginny slowly approached him and took him in an embrace. It was a tender act full of emotion, and Galen held her once again, savoring the closeness despite having held her for nearly two hours earlier. It wasn't enough.

"For my personal minstrel," she said, smiling coyly, as she reached for his lips.

---------

Galen waited. He held a black diary in his hands, ripped at the corners, and nail marks on its cover. A dark aura emanated out from it, and he was glad he thought of wearing gloves. He didn't have to wait too long, as a dark figure approached him in the dark hours preceding twilight.

Eldarion grimaced. The aura from the diary would be visible to any Elf, and despite them being only half an Elf, they could still perceive it clearly. It was brimming with malevolent intent.

"Where did you get that?"

"In a girl's toilet," Galen responded dryly. "And that is where we are headed."

Eldarion raised an eyebrow at his brother, who didn't elaborate further. Shrugging, he followed Galen to the toilet. They stopped at a broken sink, and Galen hissed. Eldarion was aware of his brother's ability to speak to snakes. It had first been taken as a common thing for wizards but Snape had mentioned it was a rare ability, best kept a secret.

The sink opened, revealing a large tunnel. Eldarion sighed as his brother jumped in. He drew his wand out, and waving it, transformed it to a magical bow of blue light. It was the weapon of his choice.

"What manner of creature resides in this cavern?" Eldarion asked.

"One that can petrify man, beast and ghost, and who knows what else. Ginny has no memory of what happened here, but it still haunts her. Whatever evil it is, we must end it."

"Then we go to face an unknown monster with little heed for safety, and without informing anyone?" Eldarion asked grimly.

Galen frowned. "Yes. Anything wrong?"

"No, just checking," Eldarion said with an eager smile that shone in his face. "Amme will be most displeased."

"But adar will be proud," Galen muttered under his breath.

"Only if we survive."

Then they stopped talking. Looking around, they found themselves in a huge stone chamber with pillars and bookshelves all around. On the wall facing them was a giant face of a grim looking man.

"Salazar Slytherin," Eldarion stated. "They have several statues and portraits of him in the Slytherin Common Room."

"So this is the Chamber of Secrets," Galen said with awe, and then his eyes widened. They weren't alone. They had been followed.

"C-Chamber of Secrets," a girl's voice quivered in fear, and Galen groaned.

"Ginny! What are you doing here?" he pointed his wand at the girl, while muttering, "Lumos."

Ginny Weasley's red hair came into sight, followed by the rest of her. But that wasn't all. Behind her were Anthea and Ron.

"No, no, no," Eldarion muttered. "We are not having a party here."

"Oh, shush you," Galen frowned at his brother. He reached forward and took Ginny's hand. "Why are you here?"

"Ron and Anthea were in the Common Room when you left. Anthea came to get me. They thought you were getting into some trouble like last time," Ginny explained hurriedly.

"What do you mean 'last time'?" Galen asked, flummoxed. Then he turned to his sister and Ron. "And why were you two in the Common Room so late? And alone?"

Eldarion muttered. "This is neither the time, nor the place. Ginny, do you have any recollection of what creature we are about to face?"

Realization dawned on Ginny, and her eyes fell on the diary in Galen's hand, and she staggered backwards. "No. Please don't."

"What? What is going on?" Ron asked suddenly.

Galen looked at Ron, then at Anthea, and then turned to Ginny. He shook his head, and then turned to Eldarion. "We can't do this tonight. Not with so many people around. It's too dangerous."

"Oh, and you think you can do something dangerous that we can't?" Anthea demanded angrily. "You think I'll let you put yourself in such danger, you dunderhead. Ron," she turned to the confused redhead, who was staring from Anthea to Galen in bemusement, "You are to make sure this idiot doesn't leave his dorm alone at night! Ever!"

Galen stifled an exasperated groan, and turned to his brother for help. Eldarion, however, was staring at Ginny. Her eyes had gone vacant and she was moving almost like a zombie. Galen stared at her in horror as she walked towards the stone face of Slytherin. He rushed to stop her, but Ginny ran ahead.

In a rasp voice, unlike her own, Ginny hissed and only Galen among those present could understand her words.

"Speak to me, Slytherin, Greatest of the Hogwarts Four!" As she spoke, a deep rumbling noise occurred and the very stone in the Founder's portrait started to swirl.

"Out of the way," barked Eldarion, pulling Anthea and Ron with him.

"What about Ginny?" Ron asked in dismay, just as Anthea asked, "What about Harry?"

"Galen will keep Ginny safe," Eldarion said urgently, dragging the two as best as he could. "Galen! Whatever it is, keep it distracted! Do not attack until I return! Do not! And destroy that damn diary!"

But Galen wasn't paying attention to his brother. His attention was fixed on Ginny, trying to get her back to her senses, and on the loud banging noises coming from within the cavernous opening in the wall.

With a feeling of impending doom, he pulled Ginny to him and rolled aside. Before anything else, he waved his wand, and a shining blue sword came in place. Galen plunged that sword through the diary, ripping a hole in the middle. Crimson liquid flowed from the hole, and Ginny began screaming in agony.

"No! Not Galen! Please, Tom! I'll do anything! Not Galen! Not Galen!"

Galen held her tightly, whispering, "I'm with you… I'm with you."

Then his attention was drawn to the stone opening. It was a Basilisk. A monster of myths, more venomous than any other reptile, and with the sight of death.

"But the sight cannot affect a Parselmouth," Galen whispered to himself, and stood up in front of the beast. "Better I face this alone!" But to his dismay, Ginny's senses had cleared, and she wouldn't let Galen face the monster alone.

"Not alone," she whispered, and when Galen looked at her with incredulity, she hissed, "I'm a Parselmouth too."

Galen opened his mouth to argue, but just then the great serpent lunged forward. He pushed Ginny to one side, and jumped out of danger, slashing his sword. But it didn't connect. Then he heard Ginny yell, "Stupefy!" and the spell ricocheted from the serpent's thick scales.

"No! Magic wont work on its scale. Aim for its face."

Just then he heard Eldarion's footsteps and paled. With all his focus, he thought, 'Morwen! I need you!'

The phoenix appeared in a flash of lightning, distracting the serpent from the others in the room, swooping directly to its eyes. At the very same instant, an arrow whizzed from the darkness where Galen supposed Eldarion was standing, aimed immaculately.

The Basilisk was blinded.

"Reducto!" Ginny yelled at the serpent's face, merely stunning it with the impact of the exploding hex. As the serpent staggered in confusion, Galen ran forward unheeding, straight to the serpent's path, and with a clean sweep of his sword, struck it deep within its mouth. Then he jumped back, before any of the venom could touch him.

He landed on his knees as the head of the serpent fell mere feet in front of him, twitching and fidgeting, until it became still and motionless.

"You fool," Eldarion barked after several moments of absolute silence. "I told you to wait for me."

"It was a Basilisk and you are not a Parselmouth," Galen retorted, turning to Ginny, who walked to him and gave him a tight slap. Then she kissed him.

As Galen looked at his brother in confusion, Ginny started yelling at him, "Of all the stupid and insane things to do, Galenel Greenstar, you had to do the worst! Did you even stop to think what you might be facing? Did you even think of what would happen to me if… if something had happened to you? You stupid, senseless, daft git!"

Galen reached forward and silenced her with yet another kiss. "You look adorable when you're angry."

"Adorable, huh?" Ginny asked in a dangerous voice. "I will show you how adorable I…" she trailed off when several footsteps came from the entrance, and several people came in sight - the Headmaster, several professors, the adult Weasleys, and to Galen and Eldarion's utter terror…

"Amme!"

"Aunt Delia!"

"Boys," acknowledged an ash-blond woman with a smirk. She was standing next to a dark haired woman with a threaded tiara on her head. The dark haired woman was trembling with what appeared to be fear and fury combined.

"Uh oh," Galen muttered, turning to his brother, who stared back blankly. Both turned from their mother to where her gaze was fixed - the dead Basilisk, and then back to her. Then they ran.

"Petrificus Totalus!" Snape yelled twice, knocking both boys to the ground. "You insufferable little brats," he bellowed, "You will stay here and face the consequences of your thoughtless deeds." Snape's words started a flurry of action and verbal outbursts.

"Of all the things I've seen in all my years of Hogwarts," McGonagall was screaming. "To have two of my students come running to me in the middle of the night with a hardly believable tale and then to come here and… I am so disappointed."

"Now, Minerva," Lily Potter said. "Lets hear what they have to say for themselves first."

"Ginevra Molly Weasley!" her mother screamed. "Have you lost the capacity to think! What were you doing here and… Oh my!" she saw the snake for the first time and her heart rate nearly doubled. "You better have a good explanation for this, young lady!"

By then Galen and Eldarion had been revived. Both had tuned out the rest of the crowd and were focusing on their mother. Lady Amaryllis had paled and was still trembling. Her lips quivered and she looked to be on the verge of collapsing.

Galen rushed to her and gave her a hug. "We're safe, amme. We're safe." He allowed her to kiss his head before parting. Then she did the same for Eldarion.

"Now," she said finally. "Explain."

Galen gulped. He turned to Eldarion, and then to Ginny. In silence, Galen conveyed to his girlfriend that he could face dozens of Basilisk without any fear, but an angry mother was beyond him. He begged for help.

"Greetings, Lady Amaryllis," Ginny said politely. "I'm Ginny Weasley. Galen has told me a lot about you."

Amaryllis raised an eyebrow contemplatively and then smiled. "Has he? I would love to talk to you more, my dear, but right now even you cannot save my sons. Galen!"

"Please Mr. Greenstar," Dumbledore said calmly. "We would all like to know what happened here tonight."

While Galen had been in the center of everyone's attention, Eldarion had pulled out. He returned with the torn diary and handed it to Dumbledore.

The Headmaster gaped at the diary, and then at Eldarion. "Great Merlin!" he cursed loudly, and all the staff of Hogwarts stared at him, the first time they had seen the Headmaster lose his calm. He wasn't the only one. The Lady Delia, a Half Elven herself, recoiled from the diary as if it were the very embodiment of evil. Even destroyed, it wasn't at all difficult for the trained eye to perceive the evil it once held.

"Where did you find this?" Dumbledore asked Eldarion.

"Ginny found it in the girl's toilet," Eldarion responded. "She showed it to my brother, who instantly sensed something wrong. The diary wrote back."

"Why didn't you bring it to a teacher?" McGonagall asked sharply.

Both Galen and Eldarion shrugged, not meeting Snape's eyes.

"Stop!" Amaryllis called out loudly. She still seemed to be in a state of disarray, but her voice held all the majesty of her stature. "These three have been through a terrible ordeal. Let them rest. Let them be fed. We shall hear from them tomorrow." Turning to her sons, she said in a low yet firm whisper, "We will hear from you tomorrow. Eru forbid, if you should disappear again…"

"Of all the rotten luck," Galen muttered as he retreated hastily from the chamber, making no effort to keep his voice down. "To have to face amme without adar."

"I heard that."