A/N: I am back and with a bang. How? You wont believe but today i am submitting four different chapters for four different stories and all are almost of different moods - action, drama, suspense, humour and well i think thats it.
Loads of thanks to the reviewers of last chapter - Linia and LilyPtterKool . Absence of my regular reviewers did dishearten me but presence of a new one encouraged me.
And guess, i have revised all the previous chapters. I was working hard. Notify me of the mistakes and i will fix them. Review as usual and encourage me - i will come up with a chapter faster. ;-)
Heir of Slytherin
This time Harry hissed 'Open'. The serpents parted as the wall cracked open, the halves slid smoothly out of sight, and Harry and Ayesha, shaking from head to foot, walked inside.
They were standing at the end of a very long, dimly lit chamber. Towering stone pillars entwined with more carved serpents rose to support a ceiling lost in darkness, casting long, black shadows through the odd, greenish gloom that filled the place.
They pulled out their wands and moved forward between the serpentine columns. Every careful footstep echoed loudly off the shadowy walls. Nagini was leading their way, to warn them of any movement or basilisk.
Then, as they drew level with the last pair of pillars, a statue high as the Chamber itself loomed into view, standing against the back wall. It was ancient and monkey-like, with a long, thin beard that fell almost to the bottom of the wizard's sweeping stone robes, where two enormous gray feet stood on the smooth Chamber floor. And between the feet, facedown lay a small, black-robed figure with flaming-red hair.
"Ginny!" Harry muttered, sprinting to her and dropping to his knees. "Ginny—don't be dead—please don't be dead—"
Ayesha also knelt beside Harry. "She is too pale and too cold," she said, checking Ginny's pulse.
"Ginny, please wake up," Harry muttered desperately, shaking her. Ginny's head lolled hopelessly from side to side.
"She won't wake up," said a soft voice.
Both, Ayesha and Harry jumped and spun around to the source of the voice. A tall, black-haired boy was leaning against the nearest pillar, watching. He was strangely blurred around the edges, as though they were looking at him through a misted window.
"Who are you?" Ayesha asked. She was sure she had not seen the boy in the school. "You are not a student here, are you?"
"A memory," the boy answered, "preserved in the diary for fifty years." He pointed to the diary lying at the feet of the statue.
Harry's blood ran cold when he saw the diary; it was the same he had seen in Ginny's hands and it belonged to one Tom Riddle, who according to Ayesha was Voldemort. That meant…
Ayesha hadn't seen the diary, but you need not be a mind-reader to read Harry's expression. Those horrific expressions meant only one thing – the boy standing before them was Tom Riddle.
"Very good, Riddle" Ayesha said, her hatred for the man overcoming her fear, "now tell us what have you done to Ginny."
If Riddle was stunned that the kids knew him, he did not show it. "Good, you know me, Malhotra. Surprised?" He added seeing the astonished faces. "Don't be. I know a lot about Harry Potter and his friends. Ginny told me a lot of things about her precious Potter and his four side-kicks. Writing in a diary might not be that innocent, after all."
"What. Have. You. Done. To. Ginny?" Harry asked through gritted teeth.
"Oh nothing," Riddle smiled. "In fact it's her who did everything; from opening the Chamber to writing the messages on the walls to set the monster on the mud-bloods. She fed too much into the diary, providing me enough strength to leave the pages at last. She will be dead soon."
DEAD?
No … That was not what Harry and Ayesha had come to face. They had come here to get her back … alive and kicking. But come to think of it, what chance they had against Voldemort, not to mention the fact that they knew nothing about what he had done to Ginny. Merlin save Ginny … and us as well …
"What should we do, 'Mione?" Ron yelled through the crack he had found in the wall.
In the 10 minutes Harry and Ayesha had left them, Ron had been able to move only few small rocks from the top, manually. Using magic was out of question; Severus was trapped beneath the rocks. Lockhart was of no help; he was lying unconscious because Ron had hit him and Hermione, as she had put, was useless due to her injury on her shoulder.
"I don't know, Ron," Hermione yelled back. "But we need to act fast. Professor is hurting badly." She added eyeing the Potions Master who was panting with the effort to himself conscious. A pool of blood which was enlarging by minutes was enough a testimony to the gravity of his injuries.
"I am trying 'Mione," Ron answered, "But it's not fast enough."
Hermione racked her brain to think of something that could help. Something clicked! "Ron, move out of way. I will try levitating some rocks so that you can pass through. Keep Lockhart out of the way as well."
Ron yelled back in answer and Hermione set to work. It was a difficult job. She had to keep in mind not to disturb the ones which could make others fall. Within few minutes, she was able to create a hole enough for Ron to pass through. Hermione handed him the spare wand of Lockhart with the help of which Ron levitated Lockhart through the hole.
"You can do with a bit of care," Hermione pointed to Ron who was making no effort in preventing Lockhart from bumping into rocks.
"I lost it," Ron answered, "when he tried to Obliviate all of us. Sorry that I don't care about him much."
Once Lockhart was landed (read dumped) safely on ground and some distance away from the wall, Ron examined the wall, while Hermione knelt beside Severus. She wiped away the blood from his forehead but, of course, that wasn't enough.
"We need to blast the wall," Ron said, "Know any spell, 'Mione?"
"No," Hermione shook her head, "And it will hit him."
"That I will take care of," Ron said, kneeling beside Hermione, "I will shield him, but we need a spell. Reckon we shall try something with my wand; it will blast, anyway."
"It's not a time to joke, Ron," Hermione chided. "Think something serious."
It was then they noticed Severus trying to attract their attention. "I … know … the … spell," he managed to say. "But … I … can't … do … it."
"I'll do it, Professor," Hermione said eagerly.
Severus waved his wand feebly, twice to show the wand movements to Hermione. "Reducto," Severus breathed.
Hermione tried it few times before she could do it. If the weak rise in Severus' eyebrows meant anything, it could only be surprise.
Hermione stood and moved towards the wall, while Ron sat in front of Severus. Ron gulped; not only did he hate the person in front of him but he was a bit scared of him as well and here he was, offering to help his Potions professor. Great! Merlin save Snape … and me when Snape would come to know of how I saved him…
"I became curious about Harry Potter and his little group," Riddle was saying, "two mud-bloods, one pure-blood, one blood-traitor and one half-blood. Interesting! The mud-blood girl is the most intelligent witch, the pure-blood speaks Parseltongue and the half-blood defeated the greatest sorcerer of all times. I wonder how." He stared pointedly at Harry and Ayesha.
"Keep wondering, Riddle," Ayesha hissed angrily, "because neither do we know nor do we intend to share even if we knew."
"And sorry to disappoint you and all that," Harry said, "but Voldemort is not the greatest sorcerer. You are not the greatest sorcerer, Voldemort."
For the second time, Riddle was outsmarted by these kids. Not only did they know him, but also what became of him.
Riddle narrowed his eyes at them. "You won't answer. Very well then. Let's see how you fight the powers of Heir of Slytherin, Harry."
Riddle turned and walked to the statue. He started hissing to it which Harry and Ayesha understood very well.
'Ssspeak to me the greatessst of the Foundersss'
They saw the mouth of the statue opening and heard something moving inside it. No prize for guessing – Basilisk. Harry quickly closed his eyes. Ayesha, on the other hand, had a sly smile on her face.
"Kill them," Riddle ordered the basilisk as it hit the stone floor.
"You will do no sssuch thing," Ayesha hissed calmly.
Riddle was baffled. Not only did he himself see the girl speaking Parseltongue but also the basilisk listening to her orders.
"Don't lisssten to her," Riddle seethed with anger, "jussst go kill them."
"I can't," the basilisk hissed, "Ssshe isss an Heir asss well. I am bound to her."
"NO!" Riddle yelled, his calm composure forgotten, "It can't be possible."
"It is, Riddle," Ayesha said smiling at him. "Clossse your eyesss and don't open them until I order you to," She hissed to the basilisk.
The basilisk followed the orders and closed its eyes and was lying in a curled up position at the feet of the statue.
Burning with anger, Riddle turned to Ayesha. "Let it be like this, then. A duel between us."
Harry moved to stand beside Ayesha. They did not know how were they supposed to win this duel with Riddle but they were willing to do anything to save Ginny.
"As you wish, Riddle," Harry said with a tone laced with bravery, something he wasn't exactly feeling at the moment.
Riddle sneered at them and raised his wand.
Hermione took a deep breath and glanced at Ron who nodded. Just as Hermione yelled 'Reducto!' Ron moved almost on top of Severus protecting him of the flying rocks. Thankfully, most of them went backwards, in opposite direction to them but shards of stones did come his way, penetrating his back.
Giving an encouraging grin to Hermione, he again bent down on Severus, whom Ron was sure was unconscious; no way was Professor Snape going to let Ron lie on himself.
Five tries and the whole wall collapsed. Hermione immediately moved to Ron's and Severus' side. Ron's back and Severus' leg was in a bad shape, very bad shape.
"Scourgify!" she whispered. The blood around them cleared. It was sure, Severus' leg was broken and that too badly. Blood was still flowing freely. Ron's back on the other hand had many small wounds on his back and blood was oozing out of them.
Not at all a pleasing site.
"We need help," Severus said quickly, panting from the effort. Taking his wand firmly in his hand and a deep breath, he muttered something. A second later a silver doe appeared out of nowhere and moved
towards Severus. Severus whispered something to it and as Hermione and Ron watched in awe, it disappeared.
"That was awesome," Ron said.
"What was that, Professor?" Hermione asked Severus. No answer. "Professor," Hermione turned to Severus but he was lying unconscious on the floor. Magic had cost his consciousness.
"Damn!" Ron muttered. "What now?"
"I-I don't know," Hermione stammered looking fearfully at the limp form of Professor Snape.
Just then flames erupted near them and both of them jumped, startled. What a relief it was to see Professor Dumbledore standing there with a smile on his face and a big, red bird on his shoulder.
"Professor!" Ron and Hermione exclaimed.
"Where are Harry and Ayesha?" he asked calmly.
Ron pointed to the direction they had gone in. Dumbledore nodded, glanced at limp form of Severus and started walking hurriedly towards the said direction.
"By the way, Hermione," Dumbledore said, "This is Fawkes," he pointed to the bird, "a phoenix."
With that he left, while the bird flew towards Ron and settled on his shoulder.
Ron stared at the bird and then at the fading figure of Dumbledore. "Er— he should have helped us."
"He did," Hermione squealed. "Fawkes will carry Professor Snape back to the infirmary."
"How?"
"Oh Ron," Hermione said exasperatedly, "Phoenix can carry immense loads."
Ron stared at the bird and then at Hermione. "You sure."
Hermione nodded. "Come on, Fawkes. Help us. Professor Snape is serious."
Fawkes glided down from Ron's shoulder. Carefully, as if it knew the seriousness of Snape's injuries, it gripped Snape's right shoulder. Flames and it was gone with Professor Snape.
"Wow!" Ron was staring in amazement at the spot previously occupied by Professor Snape.
Both Ron and Hermione were seated side by side. Hermione looked at Ron, who was trying hard to hide his pain she was sure he must be feeling.
"Thanks, Ron," she whispered.
"What for?" Ron asked.
"Protecting Professor Snape," she answered.
"Oh," Ron said, his face flushed, "that was nothing. After all he protected Ayesha. Never knew he could dive that well." He added grinning. After a moment of silence, he said, "That was a huge boulder he protected Ayesha from. Had he not dived in time, I don't even want to think what would have become of Ayesha." He shuddered.
"Everything will be alright, Ron," Hermione patted his shoulder. Both of them winced; Hermione from movement and Ron from impact. "Dumbledore has come."
A duel was going on with Riddle on one side and Ayesha and Harry on the other, both sporting various injuries. Most of the time, they were just jumping out of the spell's way. Clearly, they were losing it. They needed help … desperately.
And help did arrive.
In the form of Dumbledore.
Just when Riddle was about to use 'Crucio' on them, a shield protected them. All three heads snapped towards the caster – Albus Dumbledore. Standing serenely, with alert eyes and outstretched wand. He glanced at Ayesha and Harry, smiling at them, stared at Riddle sternly and looked at Ginny sadly.
"You!" Riddle spat.
"Me," Dumbledore answered, walking forward, "I can't say I am pleased to meet you, Tom."
Riddle stared at Dumbledore maliciously. Dumbledore stopped beside Harry and Ayesha.
"How come you are here, Tom?" Dumbledore asked.
"Through this diary," Harry said, holding the diary for Dumbledore to take.
Two things happened fast. Riddle flicked his wand and diary flew from Harry's hands towards Riddle but suddenly Ayesha lunged at the flying diary, catching it mid-way.
Riddle waved his wand to attack Dumbledore but Harry jumped in front of him, taking the curse. A gash appeared on his right cheek. That time was enough for Dumbledore to produce fire from his wand and burn the diary.
Harry and Ayesha turned in time to see Riddle yell 'No' and trying to lunge at them. Then suddenly he was writhing and twisting, screaming and flailing and then… gone. Ink had spurted out of the diary onto Dumbledore's robes.
"Is he gone?" Ayesha asked, looking back and forth between the diary and spot were Riddle stood moments ago.
"He is," Dumbledore answered kindly. Dumbledore flicked his wand and the blood on Harry's cheek and robes was gone. "It's a deep wound," Dumbledore said examining the wound, "but this will do for now." Another flick and blood flow stopped.
They heard a moan and turned around to see Ginny stirring. Ayesha hurried towards her. "Ginny!"
Harry knelt beside them. Ginny was shaking and sobbing.
"Harry – oh – I am s-so sorry. I-I tried telling – y-you, but … it was me – I did not want to – Riddle made me – I am so s-sorry," she sobbed again, "Where's Riddle?"
"It's alright, Miss Weasley," Dumbledore said kindly, "He is gone. Everything is under control."
Ginny was startled; she had not noticed Dumbledore till now. "So … I am going to be expelled, right?"
Dumbledore sighed. "No, Miss Weasley. But let's get out of here."
Ayesha and Harry helped Ginny stand up.
"Er--" Ayesha started, "What about this basilisk, Sir?"
Everyone looked at the curled serpent which had its head bent in its own coils.
Ginny whimpered as soon as she saw the snake. Harry gripped her shoulder and gave her a smile.
"Harry," Dumbledore said, "You and Miss. Weasley go ahead. You will find Ron and Hermione waiting for you. Go to infirmary straight away."
Harry nodded and led the way out for Ginny.
Ayesha looked at Dumbledore. "Shall we send the basilisk to the Forbidden Forest?"
"It will still be a danger," Dumbledore said, weighing options in his mind. "It can kill with its stare."
Suddenly Ayesha had an idea. She turned to the basilisk and hissed. "Er – whatsss your name, Basssilisssk?"
The basilisk raised its head and stared down at Ayesha. "I have never been named."
"H.m.m," Ayesha was thinking hard, "We will keep it Basssilisssk then. Okay. Now, do you mind if we magically clossse your eyesss, ssso that you can go live in the Forbidden Foressst?"
"Magic can be counter-acted," Basilisk said.
Ayesha looked back at Dumbledore. He had his eyes closed, but seemed to be thinking. "Er—Sir?"
"She is right," Dumbledore said, his eyes closed.
Ayesha was confused. "How … Sir … y-you--"
"I understand Parseltongue," Dumbledore smiled, "Where is Nagini, Ayesha?"
Till then Ayesha had forgotten about Nagini. "Nagini!" She called out. Nagini came slithering out of a corner and curled itself around Ayesha's neck.
"Missssss," Nagini hissed, "You called me?"
"Dumbledore asssked me to," Ayesha replied. "Sir?" it was weird talking to someone who had closed his eyes.
"Ask her to bite the Basilisk's eyes," Dumbledore said calmly, "and order the basilisk not to harm Nagini."
"But, Sir," Ayesha said, shocked and horrified, "that will be cruel."
"It won't be," Dumbledore said, "the venom will remove the curse that the basilisk's stare carries and she will be able to see without killing anyone."
Ayesha nodded sceptically and did as was asked. Basilisk hissed dangerously and painfully when Nagini bit it but did not harm it. A moment later, it calmed down and opened its eyes. Dumbledore also opened his eyes and stared calmly at the basilisk.
Placing the diary in his robes, Dumbledore led the way towards the exit of the Chamber, with Ayesha and Basilisk following. As soon as they reached the tunnel, Basilisk offered to take them upwards, so both of them climbed onto the snake and the Basilisk slithered upwards.
Ginny was still sobbing and Harry, who knew nothing about how to deal with crying girls, draped his arm around Ginny's shoulder. Together, they reached the tunnel.
"Ron! Hermione!" Harry cried seeing the condition of his friends. He rushed forward towards them. "Are you alright?"
Ron looked up to see Harry. "We are fine, mate. Where is Ginny? Is she alright?"
Ginny came forward and knelt down beside Ron, who hugged her. "Good, you are okay."
"What happened?" Hermione asked Harry. "Are you okay?" she asked eyeing the wound on Harry's cheek.
"It's nothing compared to your injuries. What happened to you, Ron? And-" Harry looked around, "- where is Snape?"
Hermione, who was in slightly better condition than Ron, relayed the events to Harry and Ginny. By the end of it, Ginny was sobbing harder while Harry was looking at both them with admiration.
Then, Harry narrated the events inside the chamber, leaving Ginny's role and diary out of it. He was not sure how to say that in front of Ginny.
"I must say," Ron said, "you were lucky Ayesha is Heir of Slytherin … otherwise…"
"How are we supposed to go?" Harry asked.
Hermione pointed to Fawkes, who had just emerged from the flames. "He took Professor Snape and now Lockhart. Let's go in pairs. Harry and Ron, you go first."
Harry helped Ron in getting up. Ron took hold of Fawkes' tail feathers and Fawkes took flight. "I never knew a bird so small can carry two of us." Hermione heard Harry say.
Harry and Ron landed on the bathroom floor and the bird took flight again.
Myrtle goggled at them.
"You're alive," she said blankly to Harry.
"There's no need to sound so disappointed," he said grimly, wiping flecks of blood and slime off his glasses.
A moment later Ginny and Hermione were by their side.
"Oh, well… Id just been thinking… if you had died, you'd have been welcome to share my toilet," said Myrtle, blushing silver.
"Urgh!" said Ron as they left the bathroom for the dark, deserted corridor outside. "Harry! I think Myrtle's grown fond of you! You've got competition, Ginny!"
Harry led all of them to the infirmary. Madam Pomfrey was standing by the fireplace when they came and she came bustling over to them. "What's the meaning of all this? What happened to Professor Snape, Lockhart and you all?"
Harry repeated what Hermione had told him. He was sure he will have a sore throat by the end of all this. Madam Pomfrey immediately set to work. First to be attended was Ron. Ron was lying face-down. A flick of wand and his back was robe-free, but the site was gory. His back was covered with various small wounds and one could see small white stones in the flesh. Blood was oozing out. Even Madam Pomfrey winced at the site.
After various wand movements, disgusting potions and some yellow coloured paste on Ron's back, it was Hermione's turn. She had broken a bone in her shoulder and lost loads of blood. She had a deep wound as well and Harry wasn't sure whether the scar will go or not. Soon she was in bed, covered in bandages.
Harry just needed a potion and same yellow coloured paste as Ron for his injuries while Ginny was given a potion to drink. As soon as they were finished, McGonagall came bursting inside the hospital followed by Mr. and Mrs. Weasley
Mr. and Mrs. Weasley immediately ran to their daughter and hugged her fiercely. They did the same to Harry but Ron and Hermione's injuries prevented them to mete out the same treatment to them.
Harry was sure McGonagall would ask them all about they had done and would not be happy as was evident from her face, but he was saved by the arrival of Dumbledore.
Dumbledore opened the door to infirmary and saw everyone whom he wanted to meet in there.
"Where is Professor Snape?" Ayesha asked the moment she entered the hospital wing.
"Transferred to St. Mungo's," Madam Pomfrey answered gravely, "His injuries were very serious aaann--" Madam Pomfrey stopped mid-way as her eyes landed on the huge snake slithering behind Ayesha. It was then she noticed another one curled around Ayesha's neck.
Everyone else followed Madam Pomfrey's line of sight and startled, fear evident in their eyes.
Ron chuckled. "Don't tell me, Ayesha, you plan to adopt that one?" He pointed to Basilisk.
"What?" Ayesha asked confused and turned around to find the Basilisk staring at her. "No! She will live in Forbidden Forest and her stare can not kill anymore. Want me to introduce her to you?" She asked moving towards Ron.
"I don't care you introduce me to her or not," Ron said, "but do introduce her to Malfoy."
Harry and Hermione laughed and even Dumbledore smiled but McGonagall's pursed lips showed she did not approve of the joke.
Mr. Weasley looked at the kids and then at his daughter. "You saved her! How did you do it?"
So, Harry started again. He told them everything, from the hearing voices, how Remus told them that it was a basilisk, how Dudley and Hermione found out that it was moving in pipes, how they guessed Moaning Myrtle as the victim, entrance to the chamber …
"Very well," Professor McGonagall prompted him as he paused, "so you found out where the entrance was—breaking a hundred school rules into pieces along the way, I might add—but how on earth did you all get out of there alive, Potter?"
Harry looked up at Dumbledore. He wasn't sure how to tell them about the next part without giving in about Ginny and her role.
Dumbledore took over from there. And Harry was relived beyond measure. Dumbledore would know what all to tell and what all not to. Dumbledore epitomised the whole adventure into few words. Mr. Weasley was shocked to hear that Ginny had been careless enough to write into an unknown diary, but on Dumbledore's interruption did not press the matters.
Soon, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley along with Ginny and McGonagall left the infirmary. Madam Pomfrey flooed to St. Mungo's leaving the four kids alone with Dumbledore.
"I see," Dumbledore said, "that two of us are still troubled." He was looking at Ayesha and Harry.
Harry started first. "How come I speak Parseltongue, Sir?"
"You can speak Parseltongue, Harry," said Dumbledore calmly, "because, I guess, Lord Voldemort transferred some of his own powers to you the night he gave you that scar. Not something he intended to do, I'm sure…"
"Voldemort put a bit of himself in me?" Harry said, thunderstruck.
"It certainly seems so."
"That's why Sorting Hat wanted to put me in Slytherin," Harry said, defeated.
"You too?" Ayesha said sadly. "It wanted to put me in Slytherin as well."
"But," it was Hermione who said this, "it put you in Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. It wanted to put me into Ravenclaw, but see where I am. It's our choices that matter. We are where we wanted ourselves to be."
"Hermione is right," Dumbledore said, smiling at Hermione, "It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities."
Ayesha and Harry smiled. They were certainly not bad.
"Rest all of you," Dumbledore smiled, "we will meet in the feast in the Great Hall." Dumbledore turned and walked towards the door when it was banged open and entered Lucious Malfoy, followed by … Dobby?
Dumbledore was quite a distance away so they could not hear what conversation they were having, but seeing the diary Dumbledore was holding in his hands made Dobby act strangely. He was pointing to the diary and then to Lucious.
"I think," Hermione said, "Lucious put that diary into Ginny's books. Remember we had met him in Diagon alley?"
Suddenly Harry got an idea and got up. He removed one of his socks. The conversation far away had ended and Lucious had stormed out of the infirmary. Harry ran to Dumbledore, took the diary from him and ran out.
"What was that about?" Ayesha asked.
"We will be having a free Dobby in some time," Ron grinned.
Too many good things happened the next week; Mandrakes were ready by then and Dudley was alive and kicking with them; the feast was held that night and Dumbledore announced that the exams had been cancelled much to the displeasure of Hermione; the Hufflepuffs had apologised for their behaviour and Lucious was sacked as a school governor.
"Ernie," Dudley asked the Hufflepuff when he came to apologise, "how were you petrified?"
That was still a mystery for all of them. Ernie grinned.
"I have a habit of walking with my head bowed," he told them, "My mom is always scolding me for that and guess that was what helped me that day. I saw the basilisk's eyes in my buttons and was petrified. My mom's never gonna complain again." he winked and walked away.
All in all, rest of the days in the school were happily spent and by the time, they boarded the train they were already making plans to spend the holidays.
Everyone waved each other as they separated at the station. Vernon and Petunia were to drop Ayesha at her house from where she would go to India. Before moving out of the car, she whispered to Dudley, "Tell them, everything."
Dudley nodded fearfully. They had survived two dangerous adventures in two years, but he wasn't sure Harry and he would survive his mother's wrath. Merlin save us…