Author's Note: Big fight. Enjoy.
Warning! Violence and Character Death.
Come in Closer
"He's disappeared from the map," said Tonks as she walked next to Moody, who was levitating the large crate from the headmaster's office in front of him. Severus and Nicholas were in front of her with Sirius and Harry behind, speaking in hushed voices that she couldn't make out.
"We're just about there," said Remus, unnecessarily from the front of the line where he was walking with Bill and Rock. The two curse breakers quickly cast several detection spells at the entrance to Myrtle's bathroom before nodding simultaneously. The eleven of them crowded into the bathroom, to the initial delight of Moaning Myrtle, who popped out of one of the stalls.
"Oh, have you all come to see me? I've been dreadfully lonely this year. The only one who comes to visit is that rude little boy. He won't even talk to me," she sniffed.
Severus saw Albus was about to try and politely explain to the ghost why they couldn't stay to chat, so he took matters into his own hands and banished Myrtle to the empty Hufflepuff common room until the end of the night. When he saw everyone staring, as well as Sirius and Harry grinning at him, he scowled.
"We do not have the time, correct?"
"Yes sir," said Harry. "You're absolutely right."
Sirius did a poor job of muffling his snickers as Harry located the sink with the snake shaped faucet and hissed at it to open. The entrance to the Chamber of Secrets appeared as the sink sank into the floor.
"Fascinating," muttered Nicholas.
Bill checked for curses, though they weren't expecting anything that hadn't existed in Harry's original universe. When he confirmed the lack of any dangerous magic he nodded at the rest of the group.
"I will go first," stated Albus, who threw his beard over his shoulder and jumped. Harry wasn't sure, but he thought he heard a quiet, "Whee!" from Albus. He shook his head, and without warning jumped into the entrance after the old headmaster.
"Harry!" shouted Sirius in surprise before he also jumped. Rock followed and in quick succession, each remaining witch and wizard slid down into the Chamber of Secrets. Moody was last. He pushed the crate into the entrance and with a quick glance around with his magical eye and a frown, jumped in himself.
At the bottom of the tunnel, Sirius jumped out of the way of the crate as it flew out of the entrance. Severus, who had been standing next to him, much to the potions master's displeasure, caught the large box in midair and sneered at Sirius.
"It's weightless, Black. It won't hurt you."
Sirius glared back but didn't respond.
As Moody emerged, the group immediately cast silencing charms on themselves and carefully made their way to the final obstacle to the Chamber of Secrets and the awaiting memory of Tom Riddle and the basilisk. They passed by the extremely large skin the basilisk had shed at some point in the past. Tonks stumbled slightly, unable to take her eyes off it. Kingsley gulped as he remembered watching Harry's first encounter with the basilisk in the pensieve and turned to look at the boy who was leading them forward. He was walking confidently towards the doors that would lead them to one of the most dangerous creatures on Earth.
Harry once again hissed in parseltongue for the doors to open. They entered the Chamber and spread out according to plan, searching for Neville or any sign of Riddle, the diary or the basilisk.
"Where is he?" asked Moody, his magical eye spinning at a blinding speed.
No one answered him and the retired auror disillusioned the crate he had been in possession of since before apparating to Hogwarts with a slight huff. The chamber wasn't as large as Harry remembered it. The others, familiar with its appearance from pensieve memories, gazed worriedly at the opening they knew the basilisk would emerge from and waited.
"Riddle!" shouted Harry.
"Merlin, Potter. Are you trying to get us killed?" asked Snape, who was clutching his wand so tightly his hand was shaking. He subsided at a look from Nicholas.
From out of the shadows of the basilisk's tunnel appeared Neville Longbottom. Albus was the first to speak.
"Mister Longbottom?" he queried hopefully.
"I'm afraid not, Dumbledore. Though it was quite easy to give your former student, the other child of The Prophesy, my diary." The voice of Neville Longbottom answered, but it was obvious from the words and the tone that Tom Riddle was possessing the first year Gryffindor. Everyone pointed their wands at Riddle, who hopped down from the lip of the tunnel so that he was standing directly across from Albus and Harry. The rest of the group were scattered around in a semi-circle, surrounding the possessed first year.
Riddle walked carefully towards Harry. As he entered the light created by several lumos spells, Harry could see the slight red glow in Neville's eyes and knew the chances of rescuing his friend were poor. Something about the diary was very different from the first time around.
"Harry Potter," said Riddle in a curious tone. Harry's scar throbbed in pain as he clamped down his occlumency shields. "You are quite young to be traipsing around in the bowels of Hogwarts, even accompanied by the great Albus Dumbledore."
Harry said nothing. He could see Tonks and Kingsley slowly circling around Riddle. Albus obviously noticed it as well and attempted to distract Riddle.
"Tom, how did you manage to take over the body of one of my students?"
Riddle's gaze didn't leave Harry. "Dumbledore, don't be a fool. I know perfectly well you were aware of my diary. All that was needed was a slight compulsion charm keyed to young Longbottom and I was able to, with some assistance from Lucius, post the diary to the boy. Simple, really."
Without warning, Riddle pulled out Neville's wand and, with a quick flick of his wrist Kingsley and Tonks were rendered motionless. He still hadn't looked away from Harry's face.
"You have a very interesting group here Harry Potter. A metamorph, a famous alchemist, a goblin," for the first time since he had jumped down from the basilisk's tunnel, Riddle's eyes shifted and he glanced at Severus briefly. "A Death Eater. I wonder, how did you manage to convince all of these people to follow an eleven year old boy into my ancestor's secret Chamber?"
"How did you manage to possess Neville so quickly?" countered Harry, attempting to stall.
"Ah!" Riddle's eyes flashed and he seemed to lean towards Harry. "An excellent question, Harry. After I failed to obtain the Philosopher's Stone last year, I felt an urgency to secure a body that had been missing during my years of exile. Lucius was kind enough to take me in and after I gained enough strength I managed to instill my essence into this diary." Riddle held up the diary they had been searching for with a smirk.
Everyone but Snape and the petrified Kingsley and Tonks recoiled in horror to varying degrees with the realization that Voldemort had been able to recombine two splintered pieces of his soul successfully.
"I see from the expressions on your faces you understand what I have done." Neville's face twisted into an unnatural sneer and Harry's stomach tightened in realization that his friend was probably lost to them.
"Tom," said Albus. "You can not win. We have destroyed the rest of your horcruxes."
Minerva's eyes widened in shock at the bold lie. Riddle noticed and spoke. "By the look on your deputy's face, I believe you may not be telling me the whole truth, Dumbledore. It wouldn't be the first time, would it?" He turned his red eyes to Severus. The potions master didn't change his expression, but the little bit of color in his face drained away, leaving him even more pale than usual. "Severus, it's time for you to choose your side."
"I chose my side years ago, my Lord," said Severus out of habit. He made no move toward his former master. Riddle's lips curled into a look of rage.
"So be it. You will die with the rest of these mudbloods and blood traitors. I am Lord Voldemort!" Neville's childish voice seemed to disappear and Tom Riddle's voice broke through and echoed along the walls of the Chamber of Secrets. He began to hiss, and even though no one but Harry could understand it, they all knew he was calling the basilisk to him.
"Now!" shouted Harry and the rest of them flew into action.
Albus and Minerva quickly transfigured several stones and rat skeletons into metal sheets which Remus and Sirius banished towards the entrance of the basilisk's tunnel, attempting to block it long enough to defeat or delay Riddle. Moody surrounded himself and the crate with a crackling blue shield which would block anything short of the unforgivables as long as he was maintaining it and opened the crate, revealing three sleeping roosters. Bill attempted to summon the diary, knowing his chances of success were low. Riddle didn't even bat an eye as he vanished the diary with a snarl.
"The diary is nothing more than an empty book, now. This body has completely absorbed me. And such wonderful, powerful magic the boy had. It made the transition so much easier," hissed Riddle, who sent several blasting curses towards the transfigured slabs of metal, creating a hole big enough for a person, but not a basilisk, to get through. Nicholas Flamel, who was chanting an extremely long incantation with his eyes closed, caught his attention. Riddle narrowed his eyes and after casting a shield to block several curses sent at him by Albus and Minerva, quickly hissed out, "Avada Kadavera!"
Harry, who had covered himself in his invisibility cloak and been doing his best to protect the others from Riddle's attacks, summoned a large rock into the path of the curse which was immediately transfigured into steel shield by Minerva. The curse struck the shield with a ringing 'gong' sound so loud that it made everyone, including Riddle, wince. Harry noted the sounds of a cave in from the entrance chamber in the back of his mind as dust and other small particles drifted down from the cavernous ceiling. Harry removed the cloak, now covered in dust and thus visible, and stuffed it into his pocket.
Minerva saw Albus was concentrating on countering the petrification spell on Tonks and Kingsley and observed that Riddle was preparing to cast another killing curse at Nicholas. She glanced around herself quickly and levitated several dozen pieces of debris, transfiguring them into spikes, which she banished at Riddle. The small form of Neville Longbottom spun quickly towards her and pulled up a shield that reversed the transfiguration and pushed them back at the transfiguration professor at twice the speed she had banished them. Harry watched with half his attention as he sent spell after spell at Riddle, who batted each one back with ease, sometimes sending an accompanying curse.
Minerva cast the strongest shield she could, but some of the debris pierced it and struck her torso and arms while the rest had enough energy to push her back several feet until she fell to her back. The shield collapsed and the rest of the debris flew over her head and into the wall behind her, making sharp cracking noises. She slowly rose, obviously in pain, but still breathing.
Albus and Remus, frantically working to release Tonks and Kingsley from the unknown petrification spell cast at them, looked up just as Riddle noticed what they were doing and sent a barrage of magic at both of them. Albus quickly dove out of the way, but Remus was struck by several of the spells and screamed in agony as one of his legs was severed and his robes burst into flame, immediately melting onto his skin.
Sirius and Bill, who had watched in horror as their friend burned alive, quickly doused him in water from their wands. Bill encased him in a short term stasis spell so that he wouldn't bleed to death or die from shock and turned back to Riddle, who had once again focused on breaking down the barrier that was preventing the basilisk from joining the fight. He cast several spells, but they were blocked without noticeable effort by Riddle. A curse breaker focused more on defensive magic, and in a fit of desperation as he watched the possessed body of Neville Longbottom dodge, deflect and block spells from Minerva, Severus and a now enraged Sirius, Bill sent a bat bogey hex at Riddle. It was deflected.
Nicholas, who was finishing up his complicated spell, spoke the last few words of the incantation and, with a surprisingly quick movement, brought his wand arm down and pointed it directly at Riddle. Harry ended his defense of the ancient alchemist and waited to see what the spell would do. A wave of bright orange magic moved forward, radiating heat so strongly that the others could feel their hair singeing. Riddle glared at the ancient wizard and crouched as low as he could, muttering something none of them could hear.
A black bubble expanded in an instant, encasing Riddle. When Nicholas' spell passed over it, the others gaped in shock at the undamaged shield that disappeared as quickly as it had formed, revealing a smirking Riddle.
"That was interesting, Flamel. I wish you would join me. I don't feel that many could teach me new magic, but your experience is invaluable."
Nicholas refused to respond verbally and began sending spell after spell at Riddle, who had sent another set of blasting curses at the barrier to the basilisk's tunnel while the others paused in their attack to see the result of Nicholas' spell, opening it almost to the point that Harry thought the huge snake could slither through.
Albus felt he had almost broken the unknown spell that had been placed on Tonks and Kingsley when Riddle apparently noticed the same thing and turned his attention to the headmaster.
"Dumbledore! Afraid you don't have enough magic to fight me, yourself?"
Albus ignored him, intent on his task. He knew that if they were still petrified when the basilisk appeared, they would surely die from its deadly gaze if they were unable to close their eyes. Riddle scoffed loudly and waved his wand several times until the tip began to glow. Harryand Nicholas both cast confringo at the same moment, while Severus practically screamed, "Sectumsempra!" Riddle dodged Severus' curse, glaring at his former follower, and wandlessly summoned some of the larger pieces of debris to absorb the twin blasting curses.
With one final turn of Riddles arm, a burst of tightly controlled fiendfyre erupted towards Tonks and Kingsley. Harry tore into action, reaching them seconds before the fiendfyre, ducking spells sent by Bill and Albus as they tried to distract Riddle. He knew he would only be able to save one, and with Tonks being slightly closer, Harry grabbed her and pulled the petrified witch out of harms way as he dove to the side. He looked away as Kingsley was consumed by the fiendfyre, which then moved towards the transfigured barrier at the tunnel's entrance and liquified it.
Riddle hissed again, calling for the basilisk. This time, Harry heard the response.
"Massster," it hissed at Riddle as if awaiting orders.
"Kill them," commanded Riddle in parseltongue, still dodging and blocking curses from every direction. "Kill them all!"
"Moody!" shouted Harry, trying not to retch at the smell of burning flesh. "It's coming!"
Moody nodded once and placed all three roosters under the imperious curse. His shield collapsed with the old auror unable to maintain it along with the three imperious curses. All three roosters began to crow loudly, over and over.
Harry could hear the basilisk hissing unintelligibly as it writhed in pain just inside the entrance of the tunnel. Suddenly a feeling somewhat similar to a ghost floating through him caused Harry to shiver and he couldn't hear anything at all. He felt the hissing voice of Voldemort in his mind as his scar burned against his occlumency shields.
"You brought roosters. Amazing foresight. Most wizards lack commonsense as much as muggles lack magic."
Harry wondered to himself why the basilisk wasn't dead as he watched with dread as its snout appeared in the tunnel entrance.
"I can see how you might be confused," whispered Voldemort in his mind. "Any normal basilisk, if you can call a basilisk normal, would immediately succumb to three roosters crowing in unison. But this is the basilisk of Salazar Slytherin and it is over one thousand years old. It would take more than a momentary exposure to the crow of a rooster to kill it. A blanketed silencing charm is simple to cast and almost impossible to cancel without the consent of the caster."
Harry tried to break the mental connection with Voldemort. His efforts were met with cold laughter devoid of humor.
"Join me, Harry. I've seen your power and I know you are from the future. Your occlumency is strong, but no one is a match for Lord Voldemort. We can use your knowledge and our shared power to mold the world to our vision."
Harry didn't dignify the expected offer with a response other than clamping down on his own mind as hard as he could and focusing as strongly as he could on the memories of his children being born in his original universe. The sense of joy it brought him, as well as the horrible ache of their absence, helped push Voldemort from his mind in a similar manner to the events of his fifth year in the Ministry atrium.
While the mental battle between Riddle and Harry was being waged, the others in the Chamber were doing their best to avoid the deadly one-eyed gaze of the basilisk, sending the occasional ineffective spell at it. Moody had abandoned the roosters, which stopped their silent crowing as the imperious curse was lifted from them, and weaved his way towards Riddle with his wand raised.
Unable to speak due to the silencing charm, Albus hysterically motioned for the others not to cast any spells at Riddle or Harry, fearful of what would happen to Harry if either was struck by a curse while mentally connected. Rock was sprinting toward the basilisk, a large broadsword being held in both his hands. No one saw Harry clench his eyes and fists but they all felt the swell of magic that swept through the room and threw everyone, including Riddle and Harry, to the ground.
Sound rushed back, but before the roosters could be forced to crow once more, Riddle sent a powerful diffindo that slashed all three into nothing more than piles of bloody flesh and feathers and renewed his defense.
The basilisk lunged out of the tunnel. Rock, who was waiting under the lip of the entrance, struck hurriedly, impaling the snake with the sword in its relatively unprotected underside at the same moment that Albus called for Fawkes, who appeared directly above the basilisk's head in a flash of pure white fire. The phoenix screeched, swooping towards the basilisk's remaining eye. The huge serpent shook and weaved from side to side, attempting to avoid the enraged phoenix, and unintentionally slammed its tail into the goblin that had stabbed it, sending Rock flying almost twenty feet until he crashed into the ground in a heap.
Harry and Sirius, who had come to his godson's aid as soon as Riddle had been expelled from his mind, had managed to break Tonks from the petrification spell. The three faced Riddle while Bill, Albus, Minerva, Severus and Nicholas stood directly across from them. The eight of them, and Riddle, paused for several seconds to watch the battle between Fawkes and the basilisk. A now unpetrified Tonks was the first to tear her eyes away as the phoenix finally latched onto the snake's face and began clawing at its eye. She glanced at Riddle and smiled grimly at his expression as she began casting various hexes and curses. Severus followed her lead and began sending verbal and non-verbal spells that none of them had ever heard before. Nothing landed on target and Severus screamed in frustrated rage.
"No!" shouted Riddle in fury as the basilisk swung its huge head aimlessly. He began shooting spells at the swan-like bird that had crippled it, but it was too late. The basilisk was now completely blind. Albus and Sirius took aim at Riddle and conjured magical ropes and chains respectively, but Riddle merely batted them away in a rage. Moody sent killing curses, one after the other, but they were dodged or deflected by transfigured debris. Fawkes dodged the spells cast by Riddle and flashed over to Remus, where Minerva and Bill had begun to attempt to stabilize the injured defense professor. Confident their friend would be helped as much as possible, Albus, Harry and Nicholas began to banish the blades given to them by Rock directly at the open mouth of the basilisk. Getting the hint, Severus, Moody and Tonks did the same and the basilisk hissed in agony for several seconds as it was struck by more than two dozen swords, daggers and spears before slumping to the ground.
"It is finished, Tom," said Albus, pointing his wand at Riddle.
The enraged face of Neville Longbottom looked back at him, causing him to hesitate for a fraction of a second.
"Hardly, Dumbledore. I will see you, all of you, again soon." With a final sweeping glance, Riddle, in Neville's body, grasped something in his pocket and vanished with the tell-tale 'whoosh' of a portkey.
I await your furious reviews. :)
