Chapter Nine: The Snake and the Diary:
Harry sat in the chair before the headmaster's desk not daring to swing his legs. The headmaster looked grave as did McGonagall, Snape, Flitwick and Sprout. Moody was standing by him as was Remus and the tale he had told had to be grave as the heads of houses where here! He hoped he was not in trouble, after all being a Parseltongue was not evil, just different! Surely they did not think he was the heir of Slytherin? But then he was sorted into Gryffindor because he asked to be sorted there. Maybe he was the heir and maybe he was and he did not know it?
"How long have you been hearing this snake?" Snape asked.
"Um the first was last night." Harry said. "I know it was Parseltongue 'cause uncle Moody taught me how to tell the difference between it and English."
"Very smart, very good." Dumbledore said. "That means I am afraid we know what the monster is, a basilisk and the heir of Slytherin has returned."
"I-I am not the heir am I?" Harry asked in a small voice.
"No, you are not, however I wonder, yes there is one person, or should I say ghost that can help us."
"She only cries when anyone tries to talk to her." Snape said.
"You know this how?" McGonagall said and Snape muttered something that sounded like marauders. "Good point then how do we know she knows anything?"
"Harry could you ask Miss Granger to try and get Moaning Myrtle to talk to her?"
"Yes sir." Harry said looking puzzled, "sir?"
"Yes Harry?" Dumbledore asked.
"Um how can she help us?"
"Well it all starts fifty years ago when the chamber of secrets was first opened, one student died and that was Myrtle."
"The attacks stopped, and did not start up until this year, first Mrs. Norris and we just sent little Collin Creevy to the hospital wing petrified."
"Then we must find the chamber and kill the snake!" Harry said.
"I wish it were that easy Harry." Dumbledore said heavily. "But alas it is not, we still have to find the one who opened the chamber."
"No Mr. Potter it is not Mr. Malfoy, he is smart but not that smart." Snape said and Harry knew that Snape had used Legilimens on him. "Not all bad witches and wizards come from Slytherin."
"I know sir." Harry said. "Uncle Al is a Slytherin and a good man sir."
"Well Harry you managed to do what I hoped you would not." Remus said trying to sound stern but failing. "You managed to get all the heads of houses together to talk about you."
"At least I was not bad unlike what you did in school, did you not have detention for half a year for what you, my dad, Sirius and Peter did to the great hall?" Harry said innocently. "The streamers and multi colored cream?"
"I never told you about that!" Remus said appalled.
"No Uncle Al did." Harry said. "I would never be that bad, it is not nice to make extra work for the house elves."
Snape stared at Harry, this boy had a caring heart, he did not do the outlandish pranks his father had because he did not wish to make more work for the house elves? Oh he knew Harry did a prank here and there but nothing too bad and he had not got caught as of yet. He was turning out very much like his mother and it pained and made Snape happy at the same time. Harry was small for his age too, his father had been bigger and that was due to his mother's genes, he seemed to eat everything in sight but did not seem to grow that much and was really a sweet young boy though Severus Snape would never say that even under pain of death.
After Harry spoke to the headmaster things seemed to go back to normal for a week at least. Then there was another attack, this time all of Hagrid's roosters ended up dead and this only confirmed that this indeed was a basilisk. The weather got worse as winter came, the castle was so cold students and staff huddled around the fires to study or grade papers. Students could not go out alone and the prefects were busy making sure the rules were followed. Draco Malfoy acted as if he owned the school and one day Harry had had enough. Draco was talking to his friends or rather bragging to them about how the mudbloods were going to be forced to leave the school. Harry had been walking to class with Ron and he rounded on Draco, he was not going to hit him or curse him, no he was too smart for that.
"You know what Draco?" Harry said, "how would you like it if it were one of your mates that was up in the hospital wing dying?"
"Well they are not." Draco said smugly. "Because my friends are all pureblood."
"What if the monster was after pureblood instead of others?" Harry said glaring at Draco. "Ever thought of that?"
"What is going on here? Came the voice of Snape behind Harry.
"I was just talking to Mr. Malfoy sir." Harry said.
"Go to class, all of you." Snape said.
Harry did not need to be told twice as he did not wish to loose points. He glared at Draco as he passed him and headed to class. What he did not know was his words had shook up the Malfoy heir, though Draco dared not show it. He was a pureblood noble and as such he did not show such emotions. Everyone was on edge in the school and Lockhart was of no help whatsoever. Harry tolerated him but only because he was a professor, he knew he was a fraud and hated his classes with him. He never dared show it and did the best he could in them and took out his frustrations regarding him with Ron in the common room. Here he spoke with Ron, Hermione and Neville about the basilisk.
"Did you find anything in the library about them?" Harry asked Hermione.
"Well the only things that a basilisk fears is the crow of a rooster, a Phoenix and for some reason goblin made steel. It cannot be control by any but a Parseltongue." She said.
"Then there has to be another in the school." Neville said. "I mean during the attacks Harry is always with one of us and he has not spoke any language than English."
"I know so it is not him and though Malfoy is a git he is not the heir." Ron said.
"So who could it be?" Hermione asked puzzled.
They did not see the pale look on Ginny's face or see her drop what she was holding. Harry went back to his essay from his potions class. This was easier this year than last, the school now used magical typewriters that had spell check, grammar check and had silencing charms on them so that kept the rooms where they were used quietly. Instead of parchment clean white paper was used and instead of inches pages were assigned. Harry had two pages to do for Snape on potions and he started on the essay wishing he could just relax instead of doing this. Finally done Harry put his work in his school folder, than into his school bag.
It was a week before Christmas break would began when a student was taken into the chamber. When Ron found out who it was while walking back to the common room he turned to Harry who was with him and knew what he had to do. They saw Lockhart and knew, just knew he could get them to the chamber. Hermione had spoken to Myrtle and found out that the entrance was in the second floor girls toilet. Harry knew Lockhart was a simple and vain man and he used his skills of persuasion to convince Lockhart to take them to the girls toilet. They went in and Harry went to the second sink where he saw the snake on the side of the faucet.
"Open" Harry said in Parseltongue and the sink moved away to reveal a slimy dark tunnel, Harry pointed his wand at Lockhart. "After you sir."
"What me?" Lockhart said. "I am not going down there!"
"Well you can or I can tell the whole school what a fraud you are and how you took people's memories and claimed you did all those things!" Harry said.
"Yea and that is not nice, you make all this money and they get nothing." Ron said.
"Boys, boys please!" Lockhart said.
"Fine, you can stay here, bet the headmaster will love to know what you are." Harry said.
"Fine, you win." Lockhart said.
"Wand first, don't want you to try anything funny." Harry said taking Lockhart's wand and putting it into his satchel. "Now go."
Lockhart did and Ron followed after him and Harry was next. He found himself falling down what amounted to a slippery slide. He could see other pipes heading off here and there as he fell and finally after a time he came out the other end and landed on a pile of ancient bones. He stood up carefully and dusted off his robes and saw Lockhart standing by the wall looking for all the world confounded. Harry saw Ron standing waiting and in his hand was his wand broken.
"What happened to him?" Harry asked.
"Well when I got here I fell on my wand." Ron said. "It cracked and he went for it, tried to do a memory charm and it kinda backfired."
"How bad?" Harry asked.
"He doesn't remember a thing, look you better go on ahead, I think I better watch this git, see that he doesn't harm himself." Ron said.
"Here, use his wand." Harry said pulling out Lockhart's wand from his satchel. "I will be back with Ginny."
Harry set off down the tunnel that lead hopefully to the chamber. He paused for a moment when he saw what he thought was a snake but was just a snakeskin but a snakeskin so large it was nearly forty feet long. Harry knew he was on the right track as he saw animal skeletons all along the way. Finally he came to a large circular seal and read what was on the seal out loud. With wand out he watched as the seal opened and he entered the chamber. He saw at once it was roughly the same size as the great hall with a large statue of a Salazar standing twenty feet high. At it's feet was Ginny and standing by her was a boy that Harry knew had something to do with this. He walked up and checked to see Ginny was still breathing and then looked at the boy.
"Who are you?" Harry asked him.
"Tom Marvolo Riddle." The hansom young man with black hair and dark eyes said. "You are Harry Potter."
"Yes I am, Ginny told you about me." Harry said and he saw a book by Ginny and he picked it up.
"You are too late." Tom said circling Harry and Ginny.
"I doubt that Tom Riddle." Harry said in Parseltongue.
"A Gryffindor that speaks the tongue of snakes, impressive, there is much about you young Potter, you must be very powerful to have defeated Lord Voldemort." Tom said standing and looking up. "Basilisk come I seek your help now." He said.
"You are a simulacrum." Harry said still holding the diary. "You are lord Voldemort!"
"Oh smart boy, very smart." Tom said a red glint in his eyes. "Too bad I must kill you."
"No, only one who is leaving today is you." Harry said.
"That is what you think, poor little Ginny she put so much of herself into me, she shared her deepest thoughts and desires." Tom said and at a slithering behind Harry, "ah my pet arrives."
Harry knew not to turn and look, he knew if he did he would die. He heard a loud sweet singing and looked up to see Fawkes flying into the room with a bundle she dropped at Harry's feet. She went for the basilisk and peaked out it's eyes. Tom screamed in rage and Harry grabbed the sorting hat and without thinking put it on. At once he felt something hard hit the top of his head and he took the hat off and pulled out a sword with golden hit with rubies in it. He jumped out of the way of the snake as it tried to bite him and with incredible reflexes he jumped out of the way and struck up through the roof of the snake's mouth. The snake writhed in agony and fell to the ground dead. Harry turned with bloodied sword in one hand, wand in the other and glared at Tom Riddle aka Voldemort or his simulacrum.
"You know I would say it has been nice but really it has not." Harry said. "I am going to have to kill you or destroy you as you are not really alive."
"You cannot you insolent little brat!" Tom snarled.
"Oh shut up." Harry snapped shoving the sword through the diary.
At once Tom screamed and began to fade and the diary began to bleed ink. Then Riddle was gone and Ginny was waking up. She saw Harry and burst into tears and Harry took her in his arms and soothed her like the big brother he was. He picked up the hat and followed Fawkes out of the chamber and back to where Ron and Lockhart were waiting. One good thing about a Phoenix is they are very strong birds and as such she could take the four back up the tunnel and into the bathroom with ease. Harry and Ron helped Ginny up to the headmaster's office with Lockhart following like a good puppy. They entered the office and both Mr. and Mrs. Weasley jumped up and ran to Ginny.
"We heard what happened," Mrs. Weasley said hugging her daughter. "You were taken into the chamber."
"I-It was Tom Riddle." Ginny said crying which was a rare thing for her. "H-he t-trapped me."
"He was using her through this." Harry said holding up the diary. "It's not her fault, she did not know Tom Riddle is Voldemort."
"Ginny what have I told you! Don't trust things without brains!" Mr. Weasley said somewhat appalled.
"I am sorry daddy." Ginny said. "I s-suppose I will be expelled?"
"No, stronger witches and wizards than you have been fooled by less." Dumbledore said.
Later that evening Mrs. Weasley was back at home resting comfortably when Moody knocked at her back door. She opened the door and let him in and saw he had a small elf with him clad in a ragged pillowcase. Quickly Moody told her that Harry had tricked Lucius Malfoy into freeing his elf by putting one of his socks on the diary, he had removed it and thrown it and Dobby caught it. That had made him free and as Harry had several elves he knew the Weasleys could use Dobby.
"We cannot, I mean this, this is too much!" Mrs. Weasley said.
"Well he knew ye would say that but he said ye have do' much for him an' so he wanted to repay you." Moody said.
"Dobby is free but Dobby will work hard for the friends of Harry Potter!" Dobby said.
"Harry is a good boy." Mr. Weasley said walking in catching the last part of the conversation. "He is safe right?"
"Mister Moody used truth serum on Dobby and he knows Dobby is good elf!" Dobby said.
"Very well you can work here." Mrs. Weasley said then added. "Is Ginny going to be okay, I mean after what happened?"
"Should be fine." Moody said having come back in from the backyard. "She is a strong lass, she will bounce back, she has her brothers and friends to help her."
"I hope so, I wish we could pin that diary on Lucius." Mr. Weasley said.
"Oh I intend on have a chat with Mr. Malfoy and I think I will do so now." Moody said a grim smile on his face. "Oh and by the way your gnomes speak only in swearwords, thought you should know."
With that he bowed, wrapped his cloak about himself and left the house. At the edge of the wards he Apparated out and ended up outside the Hogshead inn. He knew Lucius Malfoy would be here as he was too scared to face his wife. Moody knew that Narcissa had a temper and being a Black, well Lucius was a dead man that was for sure. Still Moody did not care as he walked into the inn and saw his target sitting ordering a drink. Moody walked up to Mr. Malfoy and stuck his wand at the other man's neck.
"Let's go now." Moody said.
"You have no authority over me." Lucius said.
"Well since my wand is in your neck I do, no' move boy." Moody hissed.
Lucius got up and threw down money to pay for his drink and he downed it before he walked out with Moody. He drew the hood of his cloak over his head as the weather had turned bitterly cold. Moody lead him through the village and to the shrieking shack, a place he had access to as he had taken charge of Remus Lupin to protect the werewolf from persecution. He drug Lucius into the shack when Lucius refused to enter and closed the door dragging his captive into a room. He forced the cloak and outer robes off of Lucius throwing them with his cane onto a ripped up couch, lit a fire in the fireplace with his wand and summoned a chair and had the Malfoy head over his knee.
"You cannot get away with this!" Lucius hissed realizing what was going to happen.
"You know the problem with ye Malfoy is yer father spoilt ye a bit too much. Mayhap it was due t' the death of yer mother soon after ye was born but I am gonna teach ye that it is no' nice t' plant dark objects on innocent little girls." Moody said drawing up a ruler.
"You cannot prove it!" Lucius hissed, the hiss ending in a gasp at the first hit. "You will pay for this!"
"Aye ye think so?" Moody said setting into his work. "I know what ye did and I am no' going t' allow it to go unpunished boy. What if that had been your child that was nearly killed? Think on that boy."
Moody continued to beat the rear of Lucius Malfoy. Moody was used to this kind of work, he had to do this to Harry and Remus a few times as Harry needed as he was a growing boy and as such did get into trouble and to Remus as his parents had spoiled him a bit much and he tested his bounds with the old Auror. Finally when Moody knew Lucius had taken as much as he could he let the Malfoy head up and glared at him with both eyes.
"Ye were wicked and cruel Malfoy." Moody said. "Ye can change fer the better if ye want t', though it takes courage an' I do no' think you have any."
"I am free to go?" Lucius snarled.
"Ye are, an' this is between ye and me, this time only." Moody said. "I got me eye on ye, do such a thing again and it's a whip next time on yer bare back."
Lucius grabbed his cloak and drew it on and grabbed his cane. He still had his wife to face, could the day get any worse? He knew he had to behave or he would get worse and he did indeed think on what he had done and he was lucky to have not been thrown into Azkaban for what he did. Still his rear hurt and he hated Moody for what he had done even if he was in the right…
I know a very long chapter, I got a bet carried away here and just kept going. Now this is different how Harry took out the Basilisk, being raised by Moody he would know not to hand his wand over. Tom was toast the instant Harry walked into the chamber. As for what Moody did to Malfoy, he deserved it and needed it badly! What he did to Ginny was uncalled for and he deserved to be punished for and Moody had every right to do what he did to him.