"We miss you, Hermione… we really do," Ron said. We were visiting the three in the hospital wing, and Ron was acting like he was on Hermione's grave.
Then again, so was I. But on Amber's grave. And there isn't much difference.
I stared at Amber like I'd never see her again. I began to notice all the details that she bore the instant she was attacked. The furrowed brow. The shocked, yet thoughtful gaze. The fact she was somehow gesturing towards her right hand.
"Ron… is there anything special about Amber's right hand?" Ron shook his head, and looked at Hermione's.
"No, but Hermione's… she's got a piece of paper!"
"Get it out. I think Amber wanted someone to notice." With difficulty, Ron complied. He unfurled it, and read it aloud.
Of all the fearsome beasts to roam our land, none is more deadly than the Basilisk, the king of serpents. Born from the egg of a chicken were it hatched under a toad, the Basilisk's doom-bringing nature is not limited to its highly venomous fangs, but it's killing stare, which cause all who meet its gaze to suffer instant death. Spiders flee before the Basilisk, for it is their mortal enemy, and the only thing that truly terrifies the Basilisk is the crow of a rooster, which is fatal to it.
"And Hermione's added one word: 'Pipes.' Harry, what?"
"Ron… the Monster of Slytherin. It's a Basilisk." Ron gasped.
All students are to return to their house dormitories at once. All teachers are to head to the staff room immediately.
"Right, you boys, come with me."
Madam Pomfrey was the first to arrive in the staff room. She took us, and hid us in the closet.
"Right, now what you are about to hear is not likely for student ears. But since you found out the Basilisk, you deserve to know."
I nodded. Madam Pomfrey nodded as well, and took her place, awaiting the staff.
The staff filed in one by one.
"What is it, Minerva?" Madam Pomfrey asked.
"It is our worst fear. A student has been taken by the monster, right into the Chamber itself…"
"Who? Which pupil?"
"…Ginny Weasley…"
Ron sagged next to me.
Not Ginny and Amber… Don't leave me alone, Fate…
"It looks to me as if the school is perilously close to closing for good. Unless someone is willing to go into the Chamber, slay the Monster and save Miss Weasley, there will be no more Hogwarts," Snape pointed out.
"Luckily, I have a hero. Not one, but two."
"Poppy, now is not the time for false hope."
"Professor McGonagall, I know that this perhaps isn't the greatest idea in the world…" I said, coming out of the closet, Ron following me. "But I am perfectly willing to go down there and face the Basilisk."
"Potter… Potter, what are you doing here?"
"I brought them here, Minerva. They had just figured out the fact that the Monster of Slytherin was a Basilisk, and I think they might know where the Chamber might be…"
"Yes I do, in fact, Madam Pomfrey."
"Goodness… well, I wouldn't feel right if I didn't send at least one teacher down there…"
Lockhart wandered into the room.
"So sorry, dozed off. What'd I miss?"
"A girl has been snatched by the monster, Gilderoy. Your moment has come at last."
"My… my moment?"
"Didn't you say that you knew all along where the Chamber was?" Professor Sprout asked. She winked at me.
He doesn't have a clue.
I nodded.
"Really? I… I don't remember that, Pomona…"
"And didn't you say you knew what the Monster was? None of my best Ravenclaws figured it out," Professor Flitwick added. He winked at me too.
He doesn't know this either.
I winked.
Darion did figure it out, Professor.
"Ah…"
"Well, surely you can mount an expedition to the Chamber. I'll send two helpers along with you, but of course, you won't need them."
Lockhart looked like a fish out of water. He opened his mouth, and closed it again.
"I'll be in my office. Send the two cannon fodder, I mean, helpers, along when it is convenient for you."
He left.
"Listen, Harry, Ron… Gilderoy may not be one of us, but he's the best you can hope for. I speak for my house, the House of Wisdom, when I say that whatever Darion, Amber and Hermione taught you will be of more use. Good luck," Professor Flitwick asked.
"For Darion… I will. Thank you for your kindness, Professor."
"Professor Lockhart!" I called, knocking on the door.
"Who is it?"
"It's your helpers."
"Ah… well… come on in."
Lockhart's room was being… packed away.
"Lockhart, what are you doing?"
"Urgent call. Unavoidable. Gotta go."
"You're running away? After all that stuff you've done in your books?"
"Books can be misleading."
"You wrote them?"
"My-dear-boy-do-use-your-common-sense! My books wouldn't have sold half as well if people didn't think I'd done all those things? No one wants to read about some Armenian bloke, even if he did save a village from werewolf attacks. And the witch who banished the Bandon Banshee had a hairy chin!"
"You're a fraud. You've been taking credit for what other wizards have done. For shallow reasons like appearance!" I was disgusted. Darion hoped to become an author. The mere fact that the only author Darion knew was a complete and utter disgrace to the art of penmanship made me gag.
"Is there anything you can do?" Ron asked, looking as disgusted as I felt.
"Yes. I'm rather gifted with Memory Charms. Otherwise those wizards would have gone blabbing, and I'd have never sold another book… And I'm afraid to say that I must do the same to you!" Lockhart raised his wand.
"Expelliarmus!" The wand was blasted from his hand, and landed in Ron's. Still in a fury, Ron snapped it clean in two.
"Boys… what good will it do? I don't know a thing!"
"Well, we do. Come along… cannon fodder."
Me, Ron and Lockhart entered Moaning Myrtle's disused bathroom.
Hic… hello boys… what do you want this time? Moaning Myrtle asked.
"To ask you how you died."
Ooh… it was dreadful. I died right here, in this very cubicle. Mm-hm. I was hiding because Olive Hornby was teasing me about my glasses. I came here for a good old fashioned cry, when suddenly, I heard a strange voice speaking in a strange tongue. I knew that it was a boy speaking, so I opened the door and told him to go away… and I died.
"Just like that?"
Well, there was the big pair of yellow eyes over there, by that sink.
I inspected the sink carefully. I spotted the mark of Slytherin almost immediately, leaping off a tap that had never worked. How had we never seen this before?
"Harry… what's the key?"
"OK, I'm going to put this easily… do you know why the symbol of Slytherin House is?" Darion asked.
"…Because snakes are cunning and easily escape from their crimes?"
"Because Salazar Slytherin was a Parselmouth. The ability is incredibly rare: the whole school's going to think you two are Slytherin's great-great-great grandchildren or something," Hermione pointed out.
"Parseltongue. The rarest of abilities: common only to Slytherin and his Heir." I screwed up my eyes, and touched the snake. It felt strangely alive.
"Open." Lockhart jumped. I spoke correctly. The sink split apart, and the one I was touching sank into the floor. A pipe was apparent.
Pipes.
"Lockhart. Down." Lockhart gulped, and jumped. We waited.
"It's really, really filthy down here."
We followed.
We stood up in the Chamber of Secrets. Kinda overhyped. It seemed to be some elaborate chamber/sewer hybrid, littered with rat bones. Not exactly what you'd think after hearing about Slytherin's secret Chamber.
"First sign of movement, close your eyes. The Basilisk can kill at a glance."
We marched. We saw little until a long snake skin. It caused Lockhart to faint.
"This is why he isn't in Gryffindor."
But Lockhart hadn't fainted! He leaped at Ron, and stole his wand. He pointed it between us.
"Well… I shall take it from here. I'll take some of this skin out of the chamber… tell them I was too late to save the girl… and you two tragically lost your minds at the sight of her mangled body… say goodbye to your memories… Obliviate!" A jet of light launched from the handle of Ron's wand, and hit Lockhart in the chest. He hit the cave roof, and caused a cave in. I was on one side. Ron was on the other.
"RON!"
"HARRY!"
"Listen, Ron… I'll go ahead. Ginny needs to be saved. Shift this rock. I'll be back…"
We understood my meaning perfectly.
"Just… come back, Harry."
Leaving Ron behind was not a good omen. I was left with nothing more than my own ingenuity to fight a serpent king and save my damsel in distress. Amber had once said that I was more than up to the task. I wish I had the accompanying good luck kiss.
I came up to what felt like one last line of defence. Another Parseltongue door. I opened it, shivering from head to toe.
For better or worse, I was at the Chamber of Secrets.
I ran to the far end, to the feet of a great statue of Salazar Slytherin. At the base was Ginny. Her eyes were closed, and her body was floppy. She hadn't been Petrified. I gently opened one eye. Ginny's brown eye stared unknowingly into the distance. It couldn't be… was she…
"She's not dead."
Amber. Of course. I ran up and hugged her.
"Thanks, Amber! Can you help me get her out of here?" I ran back to Ginny, and began to drag her. Amber followed, stepping deliberately. I put Ginny down, and looked at her.
"Amber? I thought you took care of Ginny? The Basilisk could come any second!"
"It won't come until it's called." The utter simplicity of those words stunned me. I looked at Amber. She was very normal. Her voice was unchanged. Her eyes were as hazel as normal. She only seemed to shimmer… shimmer?
"…You… of course… Amber's petrified… how did I not remember that… who are you… what are you doing with my wand?"
Amber smiled. It seemed the usual flirtatious smile she always gave me. But it was uncanny… Amber turned, and wrote three words in shimmering fiery letters.
TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE
Tom Riddle was inside Amber? I was shivering at the thought. Tom Riddle? I didn't trust his hide in Amber. But Amber waved her wand. The letters rearranged themselves.
I AM LORD VOLDEMORT
Lord Voldemort? She can't be…
"You see, Potter? It was a name I started to use in school, mostly to my most intimate friends. But I knew, one day, witches and wizards alike would one day fear to speak it, as I became the greatest sorcerer… or sorceress… in the world!" It was odd to hear Amber's innocent voice used to speak death threats.
"Albus Dumbledore is the greatest sorcerer in the world!"
"Dumbledore was driven from this castle by the mere memory of me!"
"Huh?"
"Darion Okima opened the Chamber of Secrets through my diary, until you wrestled it from his grasp. Ginny saw it, and at great personal risk, stole it. It took a while, but I coaxed her into attacking the girl she trusted most. It failed, and she retreated into her shell. But their souls still have one purpose… I shall take their power for my own!"
"Not if I have anything to say about it."
*CAW*
Both me and Riddle turned to the entrance. Soaring right through was Fawkes the phoenix.
"That. Is Dumbledore's bird." Fawkes dropped the Sorting Hat at my feet.
"And that… is the old Sorting Hat. Tell me, do they make you safe, Potter?" Riddle kissed me on the cheek.
"Any safer than that? Trust me, Potter… without Amber, you're doomed. A new age will begin. An age ruled by a lone person: me! But to finish you off, I have a little gift…" Riddle turned to the statue.
"Speak to me, Slytherin, the Great Leader of Hogwarts!" Slytherin opened his mouth, and his tongue wagged about. I recovered from Amber's bad luck kiss soon enough to have the brainwave that Amber just unleashed the Basilisk. I turned and ran.
I couldn't run forever. I tripped, and was right in front of the Basilisk. All was lost… until Fawkes perched on the Basilisk's head, and tore his eyes out.
"NO! Your bird may have blinded the Basilisk, but snakes don't hunt on sight alone! You're probably still flushing from Amber's kiss. Easy prey for a snake!"
He was right. The Basilisk probably had a million and one ways it could find and/or kill me. I put the Sorting Hat on, purely because there may be some help.
As the thought of help crossed my mind, I felt a weird sensation, and a silvery sword appeared from nowhere. I picked it up, and gave it an experimental twirl. It was perfectly balanced. I slashed wildly, not knowing how to attack. I got in a lucky shot, stabbing the sword through the roof of the Basilisk's mouth. As I did so, a piercing pain shot through my right arm. Blood seeped from the pair of us, as we lay there, slowly dying.
"Dumbledore's great defender? Pathetic. I shall get to Ronald Weasley, and he shall help me out of the Chamber. And then… my reign will begin."
I lay there, unthinking. Fawkes landed on my arm.
"Thanks… but I wasn't fast enough. Kill Riddle for me, will you?" I couldn't see Fawkes, but a liquid touched my arm. I looked at it.
"YES! Thanks, Fawkes! Phoenix tears have healing powers!"
"But I love it like this, Potter. Just you and me… and I am not caving in to Amber."
He raised my wand.
And suddenly froze. I turned around, looking for what happened. The Basilisk fang had flown across the room, and Ginny had it, stabbing into the diary that caused this mess.
"NO! HOW DID YOU GET UP?" Amber cried. The sound was agony on my ears. I never wanted Amber to wail again.
"There is one lesson you must learn, Riddle. You. Do. Not. Mess. With. Harry," Ginny taunted. She threw both the diary and the fang at Amber's feet, as she collapsed into a heap.
"Ginny… are you all right?" I asked, putting my arms around her.
"Wasn't before. Am… am now," she murmured, sobbing into my shoulder. I would've stayed there forever, nurturing Ginny, but another cough shook me out of the idea.
"Amber?" we both asked. Amber was, at last encounter, petrified, but she seemed unsupported by Riddle.
"Where is that crooked Five?" she asked.
"Five?"
"Voldemort? Where did he go?" We looked at each other. The disorient, and the fact Amber pronounced Voldemort without the 't' sound, was proof enough that Amber was genuine.
"He's gone. He won't bother us in that form. Just the real one laying low who knows where that can hurt you." Amber smiled at that.
One phoenix ride later, and we wound up outside Professor Dumbledore's office. I had Ginny in one hand, and Amber in another. We nodded, and walked in.
"Ginny!" Mrs Weasley cried. She ran out, and grabbed Ginny in a tight hug. Ginny returned it one-armedly, and Mrs Weasley stepped back with Ron and Lockhart.
"How did you save her?"
"I'd think we'd all like to know that…"
I told them. Ginny and Amber had my hands, giving me the strength to talk about the distressing events of the Chamber… all but one. I rewrote the tale as if Tom Riddle had formed his own entity, instead of possessing Amber. It was challenging, but I did it. Amber squeezed my hand.
Thank you, Harry.
Telepathy, Amber?
"Thank you for sharing, Harry… very well."
The chapter I have been anticipating. The Chamber of Secrets. So full... and only two sections to discuss... I'll discuss the two most important.
When Amber is disoriented, she curses 'Five'. Those who follow DeviantART would know why I hate Five. This reason is unlikely to fade away, due to it's impact in my everyday life. From now on, expect me to treat five like the new fourty-one. Ironic, since five was once a number I called lucky.
And, before you ask, Harry and Amber do not have a telepathic connection. Just uncanny reading faces.
Well, those are my two discussion points. Neither can live while the other survives, and exit stage left.