Chapter 14 – Deadly Confrontation's: Part Two
"What do you think would have happened if we hadn't come in when we did?" asked a wide eyed Blaise.
"God only knows, but I'm sure I wouldn't have even managed to put a scratch on him," said Harry, rolling his eyes.
"Yeah right …. From my point of view you would have blown him apart in an instant."
"And why do you think that?" asked Harry, amused.
"Well because I saw you and trust me, the look in your eyes was enough to send anyone turn around and run away with their tails between their legs. When I saw you, it didn't even register in my head that, that was you in front of the headmaster. It was more like some powerful, dangerous wizard was going to assassinate our esteemed headmaster. Even Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall were shaken and Weasley almost wet his pants!"
"So what do you see me as now?" Harry asked dryly.
"An insane wizard with too much power who can off Dumbledore with his eyes closed."
Harry laughed, "Yeah well if you notice Dumbledore wasn't fazed at all by my little outburst. Trust me if he wanted to stop me he would have done it in an instant."
"Then why didn't he stop you or was it because he couldn't stop you."
"Blaise!" said Harry exasperatedly. "He didn't stop me because he wanted me to stop myself … or he was waiting for me to completely loose control or …. I think he didn't want to raise his wand against me," said Harry, looking thoughtful. "Yeah that's it! He didn't want to raise his wand against me! He had just told all these things he did to me and he didn't want to look even worse than he already was in my eyes!"
"What are you talking about Harry! And what are these things Dumbledore did to you!"
"Private things between me at the head which I can't tell you," Harry said immediately.
"And why not," huffed Blaise "You think I'll tell everyone?"
"No I don't think you will, I don't want to tell you because it's extremely personal, if you understand what that means."
"Then I'll keep pestering you until you tell me what it is. I can't imagine what Dumbledore must have done to make you loose control, like the way you did."
"If you keep pestering me I'll just memory charm you," said Harry, changing into his pajamas.
"You'll what!" cried Blaise.
"I'll what?" said Harry pretending to be confused. Why did he have to blurt that out!
"Since when do you know how to memory charm a person?" he demanded.
"When did I say I know how to memory charm a person?" said Harry, though not very convincingly.
"Don't pretend you didn't say it or else…." Blaise threatened.
"I don't know what you're talking about… honest!"
"No! I heard you and you clearly said you'll memory charm me if I don't shut up."
"I didn't"
"You did"
"I'm telling you I didn't!"
"And I'm telling you, you did and don't say you didn't again!"
Harry groaned knowing Blaise wouldn't let it go, "Alright I said it…. But I was only joking!"
"Oh no you weren't you let that slip and you're horrible at lying to me when you say something you're not supposed too!"
Harry winced.
"You do know how to cast a memory charm!" cried Blaise.
"Will you stop yelling!" hissed Harry. "Yes I know how to cast a memory charm now shut up and go to sleep."
"I'm not going to stop until you tell me when did you learn how to cast a memory charm and whom did you practice on!"
Harry rubbed his forehead tiredly, Blaise was so persistent sometimes!
"It…. You didn't practice on me did you?" asked Blaise suddenly, looking a little scared.
"If I did then you wouldn't remember, which would mean I did learn how to cast it properly," said Harry slyly, deciding to play with Blaise for a bit.
"Now Harry, you're joking aren't you…. I mean too many memory charms can damage a persons mind….. you really didn't practice on me did you?" he asked Harry nervously, tapping his head, as if trying to see if there was something wrong with his brain.
"Maybe I did cast it on you about twenty times or so," Harry said frowning, "I really don't remember ….."
"HARRY!"
"Relax Blaise, I didn't practice on you," Harry said chuckling. "But I can if you'd let me," he added hopefully.
"No way in hell!" yelled Blaise.
"Awww, damn, you'd make a wonderful scapegoat," said Harry, mock disappointed.
"Very funny Harry, very funny," said Blaise, laughing weakly. "So whom did you practice on anyway?"
"Wouldn't you like to know?"
"Oh come on! You won't tell me what you and Dumbledore talked about, you won't tell me where this secret hideout of yours is, you won't tell me whom did you use for target practice….. You won't tell me anything!"
"And why would I tell you everything?"
"Cause I'm you're best friend," said Blaise, pouting.
"Will you stop pouting like a stupid girl!" said Harry laughing. "Alright, you ask me one question and I'll answer you truthfully."
"Just one?" said Blaise, disappointed.
"Just one. No more, no less."
"Hmmm one question only," muttering Blaise frowning wondering what he should ask. It had to be good or it would be a waste of a question. Should he ask him about what happened with Dumbledore or why does he practice so much or whom does he practice on or what was so cool about his wand that he wouldn't let him touch it.
Slowly minutes passed by and different questions kept flooding his head.
"Will you hurry up! I want to sleep!" said Harry irritably.
"What! It's not my fault you're such a secretive person!"
Harry groaned, "Well just pick a question and ask already!"
"Fine, fine, here's my question. Where do you vanish sometimes during the night and why do you vanish and on whom did you practice you're memory charms and what did you discuss with the headmaster?" he finished with a grin.
Harry raised an eyebrow but didn't comment.
"Where do I vanish during the nights? I go to a place I found in the castle to practice my elemental ability and various different spells, read books and other various things. It's like my personal study room and you just wasted a question on asking me something you could have figured out on your own…. very Slytherin of you Blaise," Harry said sarcastically.
"You didn't answer the full question!" spluttered Blaise. "There was more to it!"
"Those were different questions. I answered the first and now its time for me to sleep."
"Not fair! I'm sleepy… I wasn't thinking!"
"Not my fault, you should have waited until tomorrow before interrogating me."
"Argh! At least tell me whom did you practice on!"
Harry sighed loudly, "Take a wild guess."
"Err…. Filch?" Blaise said uncertainly.
"Congrats! You win a million galleons for giving the right answer. Now go to sleep and collect your reward tomorrow!"
"You practiced on Filch! Are you crazy! What if you were caught!" said a shell shocked Blaise.
"Blaise!" groaned Harry covering his head with the pillow, "It's almost midnight and I have to deal with the whole school pouncing on me tomorrow!"
"Did it work?" asked Blaise eagerly, ignoring what Harry said.
"Yes, Zabini it worked, now stop acting like a stupid Gryffindor and Go. To. Sleep!"
"Ouch, that cut me real deep Harry, real deep," Blaise said holding his chest and falling back dramatically.
"I should have chosen Crabbe or Goyle as a room mate. At least they never talk," Harry said glaring at Blaise who was playing dead, half his body hanging over his bed. Suddenly he shot up and jumped towards Harry.
"You stay away from me!" cried Harry holding his pillow instead of his wand, "I don't want you to exhibit your animalist tendencies when you're this close to me."
"Shuddap Harry, I just want details," he said rolling his eyes.
"Will you leave me alone if I tell you," Harry said desperately.
Blaise nodded solemnly.
"Okay, at first I practiced on nothing, just reading the theory behind it and casting the charm in the air. Then one night when I was coming back to the common room, hours after curfew, when Filch caught me, I panicked and cast the first charm that came to my head and it was the memory charm. Imagine my surprise when it worked exactly how it should have and Filch forgot what he was doing for the past ten minutes. I meant for him to forget seeing me but he lost his memory of what happened for the past ten minutes. I didn't modify his memories or anything, I just ran after that. No point in staying back and letting him catch me again. After that day I tried memory charming him and modifying his memories and they worked like a charm."
"Wow…. Talk about luck. You're damn lucky you didn't fry his brain not that it's a bad idea," said Blaise, shaking his head in wonder. "No matter how hard you try to stay out of trouble, trouble always finds you."
Harry snorted, "Truer words ever never spoken my friend," he said seriously. A second later they both burst out laughing and another few minutes later Blaise was fast asleep, half his body hanging from the bed.
Harry stared at the still form of Blaise.
"What the hell!"
-x-x-x-x-x-x-
The next few days were extremely tense for Harry. The entire school had heard of the attack on Weasley twins and was convinced that Harry was the heir of Slytherin. Just when everybody was beginning to relax two purebloods were attacked and that was enough to send everyone into panic, including the Slytherin's. Malfoy was the only one unconcerned. According to him blood traitors are as bad as mudblood's so they deserved what they got, but that didn't reassure most of the Slytherin's at all.
But it wasn't the fate of the Weasley twins that concerned them; it was the fate of nearly headless nick. What sort of power could harm one that was already dead, they asked each other fearfully.
Surprisingly Harry's stand off with Dumbledore was not known by any other house apart from the Gryffindor's, who were all eyeing Harry wearily. Apparently Dumbledore had visited them before they could leave their common room in the morning and had warned them against talking about it; it was a matter between the headmaster and Harry and wasn't meant to be public knowledge. But that didn't stop them from trying to curse him every time they saw him. Ron, Hermione and Lillian hadn't confronted him yet and he was extremely glad they hadn't because he was sure that if Weasley opened his mouth in front of him, the red head would be spending a long time in the hospital wing.
Soon things got so bad that Harry found himself roaming the corridors under his invisibility cloak, even during the day. He was tired of the way everybody panicked when the saw him, tired of the hisses and the stares he received everywhere he went.
But what vexed him the most was Lockhart. The man had made up his mind that Harry was attacking students for attention. Every class Harry attended, he had to endure Lockhart's speeches on how to gain fame and win the approval of the crowd. Harry was ready to kill the man but Blaise somehow always managed to calm him down. If it weren't for Blaise the defense professor would have been dead ages ago.
Right now the Slytherin's had been to yet another defense class. One in which Lockhart had tried to convince Harry to howl like a wolf, to demonstrate his famed werewolf story but changed his mind when he saw the look on Harry's face.
"Once this year is over I am going to kill that bastard," Harry said with venom in his voice.
"Now, now Harry, I know Lockhart gets to you, but you don't need to go to Azkaban just because he pisses you off," said Blaise.
"He doesn't piss me off, he makes me want to rip his guts out and then stuff them down his throat!"
Blaise winced, "That's just sick," he said. "How on earth do you come up with these things?"
Harry shrugged, "I have a very vivid imagination and that reminds me, I need your help."
"You need my help!" said Blaise incredulously.
"Yeah, I need you to do a spell on me and I need you to do it with immense accuracy."
"What spell?" Blaise asked suspiciously.
"Nothing dangerous if done right," Harry replied nonchalantly.
"If done right?" Blaise said confused, "What in Merlin's name do you want me to do, Harry?"
"Follow me and I'll tell you," said Harry.
Harry led Blaise to an abandoned section of the castle on the sixth floor. Blaise followed Harry quietly, getting more and more confused as to where Harry was leading him.
"Where are we going Harry?"
"My private study."
"You mean the one where you disappear to during the night!" Blaise said a little excitement in his voice.
"That's the one," Harry said dryly and they continued to walk silently.
"How far is this place Harry?"
"Just a little further," replied Harry.
"Where are we anyway?" asked Blaise.
"Other end of the castle. Its been abandoned for years."
"We're here," he said stopping in front of a statue of a mermaid.
"Erm… Harry, I hate to point it out but you're staring at a mermaid, a beautiful one too," he said staring at the statue. To his immense shock and surprise, the statue giggled and said, "Why thank you young man!"
Blaise yelled and backed away and tripped and fell head first into the suit of armor behind him.
Slowly Blaise stood up rubbing his head, gawking at the statue and at Harry in shock.
Harry just looked amused. "Now watch and don't laugh," he said with a note of warning in his voice.
"Don't laugh?" he said, still in shock.
"Yes, don't laugh," Harry said and stood in front of the statue. He then leaned in and lightly kissed the mermaid on the lip.
The mermaid giggled again, "I think I'm in love," she said, looking love stuck.
"Shut up and move," Harry muttered, blushing, not looking at Blaise.
"As you wish my love," she said dramatically and she hopped aside using her tail, revealing an entrance.
"Get in," Harry said looking at Blaise who was watching Harry with his mouth open.
"You… kiss… statue….mermaid…"
"Just get in Blaise," Harry said exasperatedly, pushing him inside. Just as they entered the mermaid jumped back to her place leaving them facing a door. Blaise moved forward to open the door but withdrew his hand immediately. The handle was scalding hot!
"You shouldn't have touched that – there are loads of charms stuffed in that door. Only I can open it," said Harry reaching forward and opening the door. "Welcome to my hide out," he said with a light grin.
For the second time in minutes Blaise's mouth dropped open in shock and awe. The room was huge and was covered in all the house colors. There was a bed in one corner similar to the one in their dorm. In the centre of the room there was a round table covered with papers and books and some weird Muggle quills. In another corner there was a book shelf completely filled with books. There was a small gold trunk under the bed which had Harry's name inscribed on it and in another corner was a pile of galleons. The wall opposite Harry's bed had a huge painting of the Hogwarts crest with a huge window under it with an owl cage hanging next to it.
Harry watched Blaise walk around the room and make his way to the window which overlooked the forbidden forest.
"This is the other end of the castle. All our classes are held in the section that overlooks the Quidditch ground. This part of the castle is practically abandoned," said Harry suddenly startling Blaise.
"Why is it abandoned," Blaise asked curiously.
"The castle is huge," Harry said shrugging, "We barely use half the castle for our purposes. There are a number of secret passages and secret rooms scattered around the castle."
"And pray, please tell me how did you discover this room," Blaise said sniggering.
"I told you not to laugh!" Harry said, annoyed. "It was by accident actually. I tripped on the armor outside and fell on the mermaid. Imagine my shock when she giggles and shows me the entrance to this room."
"So you accidentally kissed a statue of a mermaid? Sounds suspicious," said Blaise with a grin.
"Might I remind you, you are in my domain right now, I could curse you till you won't recognize yourself and then we'll see who has the last laugh," said Harry irritably, though his face was red with embarrassment.
"Okay, okay, relax!" said Blaise hastily. "So what's the deal with the bed?"
"I've spent a lot of nights in this room. It has a bathroom and a store room of sorts."
Blaise looked around; he hadn't spotted any other doors. "Where is it? I see only this room with a window that's all."
Giving a superior smirk Harry walked towards the wall near his bed and walked straight through it. Blaise could only gape in shock at the spot where Harry vanished. Suddenly Harry's head popped out of the wall, "Come on in," he said cheerfully, enjoying the look on Blaise.
Hesitantly Blaise walked in and found himself in a room covered with ice and water. There were puddles of water on the floor and a number of ice pieces sticking out of the walls and huge blocks of ice slowly melting on the floor. There were a number of scorch marks on the wall too.
"This is where I practice. I cast an unbreakable charm on the walls, so I can keep blasting them with different curses and nothing will happen at all," Harry explained.
Beside the door through which they had entered there was another. "That's the door to the bathroom," said Harry.
Nodding Blaise walked in dazed by the place Harry called his private study. Whatever thoughts that were running through his head vanished the moment he stepped into Harry's so called bathroom.
It wasn't like he had just walked into a bathroom, it was like he had just walked into a mini swimming pool, one that was gold and surrounded by a number of taps, each having a different color.
"Bloody hell Harry, what is this place!" he said in wonder.
"I think it belonged to one of the founders, must have been Gryffindor considering the entrance or it's a room where all four met and discussed stuff, considering the coloring of the room.
"Do any of the professors know about this place?"
"No, I asked Ariel outside and she said no one has spoken to her in centuries."
"Ariel! That mermaids got a name!" asked Blaise incredulously.
"Yeah, I was surprised too but then she promised not to let anyone enter except for me if I called her by her name," said Harry. "Anyway come out, I brought you here for a reason, not to admire the bathroom."
"Who wouldn't admire this place," Blaise muttered under his breath.
Once they were back inside, Harry waved his wand and conjured two comfortable chairs.
"Wow when did you learn that!" he said impressed.
"Ages ago," said Harry, not elaborating.
"So how come you decided to bring me to your hidey hole? After all, I've been begging you for ages and you always refused."
"I need you to perform an eye correction charm on me. It's not very complicated and you should be able to do it," said Harry.
"What!"
"An eye sight correction charm Blaise. Honestly haven't you ever heard of it?"
"Nope"
Harry sighed, "Read this," he said picking a piece of paper from the table and passing it to Blaise. "I can't do it on my own and someone else need to cast the charm else it won't work."
"Pupula Corrigo?" he asked.
"Yep, you have to aim exactly between my eyes and say the words clearly else you'll damage my eyes and don't remove your wand until I say so."
Blaise looked nervous, "Why can't madam Pomfrey do it?"
"Cause it's not legal," Harry said bluntly.
"Not legal?" asked Blaise raising his eyebrow.
"According to the ministry this is a dark spell," Harry said with a snort.
"And it's not?"
"No it's not, I would have known if it was a dark spell."
"And how would you know that?"
"It comes under one of the many things I can't tell you about."
"Alright then," he said with a sigh and then his eyes lit up mischievously, "Lean back and get ready to have better eyes, for Blaise has a mission to do!" he said dramatically.
Harry looked surprised and irritated at the same time, if that were possible.
"What?"
"I expected you to protest and say you wouldn't do it."
"I was going to but then I realized you would have convinced me somehow if I said no, so there was no point in refusing."
"Nice to know you're using your brain for once," Harry said smirking.
"You better wipe that smirk off you're face, the fate of your eyes are in my hands right now," said Blaise playfully.
"Just do it, and remember…. Don't remove your wand until the light from the wand is completely absorbed by my eyes, get it?" said Harry looking slightly worried.
"Don't worry, I'll do it right. Now lean back," he said rolling his eyes.
Taking a deep breath he leant back and looked straight ahead.
Blaise read the notes Harry had given him once more before carefully placing his wand in between Harry's eyes and said the spell. Slowly a violet light wiggled out of his wand and entered Harry's eyes making him wince in pain. The violet thread like light kept coming out of Blaise's wand for a whole minute. Once they stopped coming out Harry's eyes began to glow and Blaise didn't remove his wand in fear of damaging Harry's eyes.
Another minute later Harry's eye color came back to normal and he stared at Blaise impassively.
"You alright Harry?" asked Blaise, slightly worried that the spell went wrong. "Harry? You okay?"
Slowly Harry's lips curled into a grin and Blaise realized Harry was playing with him.
"Bastard! I thought I did something wrong!" he shouted.
Harry started laughing hard, "I can't believe it, I can see even better without those blasted spectacles!" he said delightedly.
"So it worked?"
"Of course it worked! I can see you can't I?"
"You can see me clearly?"
"I can see you better than I could with my spectacles."
"Now that's done with, what are you going to tell everybody else?"
"I'll tell them I got contact lenses," Harry said grinning widely.
"Contact lenses?"
"It's a Muggle thing, instead of specs you get a small plastic like thing which fits perfectly into your eyes. They're like smaller version of specs but those which can't be seen."
"Muggles come up with the weirdest things," said Blaise shaking his head.
"You'll be surprised at the things they come up with," Harry said dryly, imagining how pureblood wizards would react to televisions, computers and other electronics. "Well come on lets get going, it's almost dinner time."
"What's this Harry?" asked Blaise, picking piece of paper with random lines on it, nothing making any sense at all.
"What?"
"This," he said, handing the paper to Harry.
Glancing at it Harry realized it was the map to the Potter ancestral house. He had been trying to figure out how to read it but had no such luck so far.
"It's a map. I've been trying to figure out how to read it but haven't had any luck so far."
"A map to what?" asked Blaise.
"To a house."
"Who's house?"
"Can you read it?" Harry asked him, ignoring his question.
Blaise took it and examined it. "It's nothing but lines and dots," he said looking at the paper from every angle, waving it around in hopes that it would reveal something.
Harry sighed, disappointed. He was about to take it back, when Blaise yelled in excitement.
"What! What happened?" Harry asked urgently.
"Look! Hold it over the candle," he said excitedly.
Harry did as Blaise said and to his immense surprise a sentence materialized at the corner.
The key lies in La Gioconda, one of my greatest works – L.D.V
Harry and Blaise exchanged perplexed looks.
"What the hell!"
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
"Otter…. P…ter… Ha…y …. Harry…. HARRY!"
Harry woke up with a jerk, "wozgoinon…" he mumbled sleepily.
"Mr. Potter this is a class room, not your dormitory," said an outraged transfiguration teacher.
"Mmmm…. abracadabra," Harry muttered, waving his hand over his head, pushing the person near him away.
"Well I never! … Aguamenti!"
A wave of water hit Harry's face jerking him back into awareness of his surroundings. "What the …," he began but his voice died out when he saw Professor McGonagall standing in front of him, looking absolutely livid.
"Oh crap," muttered Harry under his breath, he had fallen asleep in McGonagall's class and everybody knew that was suicide.
"Transfigure this pillow into a goblet Mr. Potter," she said, her voice crisp.
Harry blinked, pillow to goblet? That was child's play. What was the professor thinking?
"Mr. Potter!"
"Oh, yeah," he said, ignoring the glare the professor the sending him.
He waved his wand lazily and the pillow changed to a silver goblet with the Slytherin crest on it.
McGonagall spluttered when she saw him transfigure the pillow into a flawless silver goblet on his first try. In all her years she had never seen anybody so gifted when it came to transfiguration. Just when she was about to award him 50 points Harry had to open his mouth.
"That good enough Professor?" he said sweetly.
McGonagall's lips thinned which was never a good sign. "Detention Potter," she said icily.
"Detention for what!" he cried indignantly, all sleep forgotten.
"For sleeping in class and talking back to a teacher."
"But I transfigured the bloody pillow didn't I?" he said furiously.
McGonagall's expression was stormy…. she felt like strangling Harry but knew that wasn't an option. So instead she decided to change tactics. "Your detention will be at eight with Professor Lockhart, I'm sure he'd adjust his time to have you over," she said smiling and went back to her chair feeling immensely pleased.
"Lo- Lockhart!" spluttered Harry, "No professor, you can't," he began desperately.
"Mr. Potter, practice your transfiguration or I will be forced to take points."
"Take points but not Lockhart professor," he said pleadingly.
McGonagall just raised an eyebrow, "My decision is final Potter," she said and turned her back on him.
Harry's eyes darkened in anger, he was about to give a sarcastic remark when he felt someone pulling him down. It was Malfoy. "Sit down before the hag decides to take points," he said quietly, glaring at the professor.
If Harry was surprised by Malfoy's support he didn't show it. He glanced at Blaise and they communicated silently each knowing what the other was thinking. Malfoy was changing, why they had no clue.
As soon as class ended Harry stormed out, ignoring the calls of the professor. He was closely followed by Blaise and Malfoy.
"What on earth is her problem with me!" he burst as soon as they were a respectable distance from the transfiguration class room.
"Forget her and worry about the Quidditch match Harry," said Malfoy. "We play the Ravenclaw's in another hour. We need our seeker to be in top form or Flint will be hopping mad."
"Oh yeah, that guy has a nasty temper," said Harry shuddering.
"Yeah, I don't think we've had one practice session without him screaming himself hoarse or punching a player," said Draco.
"I don't care about him yelling, but if he ever touches me I'll separate that part of his body and hand to him on a platter with Gryffindor's crest on it."
Draco looked at him incredulously. "You can actually do that!"
"He can and he will," said Blaise.
"Did you get a reply from your dad yet Blaise?" asked Harry, swiftly changing topics.
"About the thing you asked me to ask him about?"
"Yeah."
"Not yet, he's extremely busy but he sent a letter saying he'll do his best and maybe you'll get a reply by the end of the month," said Blaise.
"Hope it doesn't take too long," Harry said sighing.
An hour later two teams walked onto the field to tumultuous applause. Madam Hooch released the bludger's and the snitch and made Flint and the Ravenclaw captain Roger Davis shake hands or rather crush each others hands from Harry's point of view.
Harry was just mounting his broom, ready to launch when professor McGonagall came half marching, half running across the pitch, carrying an enormous purple megaphone.
"This match has been cancelled," professor McGonagall called through the megaphone, addressing the packed stadium. There were Boos and shouts and the entire Slytherin team looked devastated.
The whole team flew towards McGonagall, "Professor this is the final! You can't just cancel the match!" said a furious Flint.
McGonagall just ignored him and continued yelling through the megaphone, "All students are to make their way to the house common room, where the heads of houses will give them further information. As quickly as you can please!"
"What about the match!" shouted Flint. Harry knew this was a mistake, obviously there had been an attack else there was no reason for the match to be cancelled.
"I assure you Flint, there's a good reason for the match being cancelled. Now head back to your common room before I deduct points," she said sternly. "Mr. Weasley, Ms. Austin," she called through the crowd.
That instant Harry knew who had been attacked. Quietly he flew back to the castle before people started blaming him again. When every Slytherin had gathered in the common room professor Snape came to the common room and announced that there had been a double attack. Granger and a Ravenclaw prefect, Penelope Clearwater had been attacked in the library.
They were to be back in their common rooms before six o' clock in the evening. They were to be escorted to each lesson by a teacher and they weren't even allowed to go to the bathroom alone.
Harry fumed silently in his place. He wouldn't be able to go to his study in the evenings without the risk of getting caught. Though that didn't mean he wouldn't try.
"Mr. Potter," called Snape startling Harry.
"Yes professor?"
"I am to accompany you to Professor Lockhart's office at eight o' clock. Be ready five minutes prior and I will come and collect you," he said and twirled and left Harry gaping, his robes billowing behind him as he left the common room.
"I can't believe I still have detention after all that happened today," he muttered to himself.
True to his word, Snape was waiting for Harry at the entrance of the common room at five minutes to eight. Harry followed Snape to Lockhart's office silently, knowing he was in for the worst detention ever, all thanks to a stupid cat. Both professor and student never realized that a small red head girl who had a small black diary clutched tightly in her hand was following them.
"Make sure he brings you back before ten Potter," said Snape, before turning around and vanishing in the darkness.
Gritting his teeth Harry knocked on the door which flew open right away.
"Ah, here's my young apprentice!" he said jovially. "Come in, Harry, come in."
Shining brightly on the walls by the light of many candles were countless framed photographs of Lockhart. He had even signed a few of them. Another large pile lay on his desk.
"You can address the envelopes!" Lockhart told Harry, as though this was a huge treat. "This first one's to Gladys Gudgeon, bless her - huge fan of mine -"
The minutes snailed by and Harry let Lockhart's voice wash over him, occasionally saying, "Mmmm" and "Right" and "Yeah." Now and then he caught a phrase like, "Fame's a fickle friend, Harry," or "Celebrity is as celebrity does, remember that."
The candles burned lower and lower, making the light dance over the many moving faces of Lockhart watching him. Harry moved his aching hand over what felt like the thousandth envelope, writing out Veronica Smethley's address. It must be nearly time to leave, Harry thought miserably, please let it be nearly time… And then he heard something - something quite apart from the spitting of the dying candles and Lockhart's prattle about his fans.
It was the voice be heard when Mrs. Norris was attacked, the same ice cold venomous voice.
"Come ... come to me... look at me….. Let me rip you... Let me tear you... Let me kill you . . . ."
Harry jumped up, wand in his hand.
"Good gracious Harry! What is the matter!
"That voice did you hear it!"
"What voice?" asked Lockhart looking puzzled.
"That – that voice that said – didn't you hear it?"
Lockhart was looking at Harry in high astonishment. "Now Harry, what are you talking about? You must have been getting a little drowsy? Great Scott! It's almost ten! We've been working hard haven't we Harry," he said, flashing his brilliantly white teeth.
"Yeah, sure professor," Harry said distractedly, he was straining his ears to hear that voice again. Why could he hear the voice and Lockhart couldn't? Did he have better hearing or was Lockhart just pretending not to hear it?
"Well let us go before professor Snape gets worried shall we?" he said and literally dragged Harry out.
Harry followed Lockhart silently, trying to figure out what the voice was or rather who was it? The last time he had heard it a cat was attacked. Whatever it was, Harry was sure it was ready to attack someone. He held his wand tightly in his hand, his eyes darting around to spot anything out of place. Lockhart was babbling something about learning how to charm the ladies but Harry didn't listen to a word he was saying, he just kept his ears open just in case he heard that voice again.
They were on the second floor when Harry felt his wand vibrate and then a harsh voice filled his head.
"Evil approaches!"
"What!" yelled Harry, looking around wildly.
"Are you alright Harry?" asked Lockhart, looking absolutely bewildered.
"Hide!" Harry told him roughly.
"The witch is possessed!"
"What the hell are you talking about? There's no one here!" Harry hissed under his breath. He carefully scanned the area but didn't stop anybody around.
"Are you trying to impress me Harry?" said Lockhart suddenly, smiling brightly. "I must tell you it's not a good attempt."
"Impress you!" Harry said incredulously, "Have you lost your mind!"
"Now come along Harry, I shall give you tips later but now we must get going!" he said.
"Shut the hell up, whatever has been attacking the students is close, so if you value your life don't move and don't talk! Get it!"
Lockhart looked terrified, "Shouldn't we run!" he squeaked.
"That makes us target practice."
"B-but…"
"Silencio"
Lockhart looked outraged and terrified and was trying to break the spell with his wand. In the end he gave up knowing it was no use and hid himself behind a suit of armor. Harry just ignored him and lit his wand and carefully checked his surroundings. It was then he realized he was near the second floor girl's bathroom, the one where the cat was attacked.
"EVIL APPROACHES!" a voice thundered in his head.
Harry stiffened and suddenly he spotted something moving near the entrance of the bathroom.
"Stop! Whoever you are!" he yelled, his wand light falling on a person with long red hair.
"Evil possesses the witch" his wand whispered to him.
Slowly the figure turned around and surveyed Harry tilting her head to the left slightly, her face void of emotion.
"Ginevra!" said Harry, his eyes widening in disbelief.
"Harry Potter," she whispered in a voice that wasn't quite her own. "I had hoped we would have met under different circumstances."
Harry narrowed his eyes surveying the girl, his eyes lingering on the small book she held tightly in one hand. "Who are you?" he demanded.
"I'm Ginevra Weasley, Slytherin first year. Have you forgotten?" she said.
"Don't give me that crap; I know she's being possessed by you… whoever you are."
Ginny smiled a twisted sort of smile, which looked oddly placed on the eleven year olds face. She simply raised her wand and whispered, "Avada Kedavra."
Harry froze, but before he could even think about reacting, the deadly green light flashed past him missing him by mere inches.
He heard a thud and slowly turned his head.
Gilderoy Lockhart's body was lying crumpled in a heap on the cold stone floor. His eyes wide open, blank and expressionless, he was dead.
Harry mind went numb. Before he could fully comprehend what had just happened, Ginny spoke again, in that cold voice of hers.
"Weren't you going to stop me Harry," said Ginny, her lips curling into a cruel smile.
Harry was afraid; whoever was possessing Ginny was dangerous. Trying to compose himself and put the image of a dead Lockhart out of his mind, he turned around and faced Ginny.
"Well now that you failed to kill me, mind telling me who you are?" said Harry coolly, his face blank and his heart in turmoil.
"I didn't fail to kill you Potter, I merely disposed the trash first and now it's you're turn. And as for who am I, you'll find out soon enough" said Ginny, sneering. "But first I have a few questions to ask you."
"And why would you want to ask me questions?" said Harry not moving, his wand at the ready.
"I have been wanting to meet you ever since little Ginevra told me all about the defeat of lord Voldemort at your hands," she said, her eyes flashing red for an instant.
"So are some admiring fan of mine? That you want to meet me because I defeated Voldemort? Do you want my autograph?" asked Harry, knowing he must be infuriating the person possessing Ginny.
"Insolent fool, I want to know how did you… a one year old baby manage to defeat the greatest wizard in the history of the wizarding world!"
"And why would I tell you that?"
"Because if you do, I might consider letting you live."
"And what makes you think that you're going to kill me," said Harry scoffing.
Ginny snarled and fired a disarming hex which Harry casually deflected.
"So you have some skill boy, but you will not be able to match the power of lord Voldemort!"
"You're Voldemort? You're possessing Ginny like you did with Quirrell last year?" he said, his heart racing.
Ginny looked confused. "I was here last year? Interesting….. Perhaps you could tell me more…" said Ginny curiously.
Harry was stumped, what was going on? Had Voldemort lost his memory?
"You don't remember me kicking your arse last year?" Harry said smirking.
Ginny looked furious, "What are you talking about?"
"Are you really Voldemort?" asked Harry.
"Of course I am!" hissed Voldemort/Ginny. "I am Lord Voldemort, heir of Slytherin, preserved in a diary for fifty years whose purpose is to kill all the muggleborns and blood traitors in this castle! And you can add yourself to the list!"
"If you preserved yourself in a diary for fifty years then how come you're still around?" asked Harry. He was trying to waste time in hopes of any teacher or Dumbledore coming and catching this monster.
Ginny smiled. "I am a genius, you wouldn't understand anything I told you," Voldemort/Ginny hissed.
"Try me, Mr. Evil genius," said Harry.
"Enough talk, if you won't tell me how you defeated me then it is time for you to meet your end."
Harry tensed, waiting for him to make the first move.
"Come to me the greatest of Hogwarts four!"
As soon as he said those words in parseltongue, Harry heard something move in the bathroom and had a great sense of forbidding. Suddenly he saw two big round yellow eyes glaring at him but nothing happened.
Ginny/Voldemort was furious, "Why are you not dead!"
"Should I be dead?"
Her eyes widened in fury, "You are a parselmouth!"
"Expelliarmus!" shouted Harry but Voldemort deflected it.
Voldemort/Ginny's face contorted in fury, "Crucio!"
Harry conjured a block of ice which blocked the incoming curse. Without wasting a second he sent a stunner and another disarming hex back which was easily blocked by the young dark lord. He didn't want to hurt Ginny, he had to find a way to UN-possess her.
"Elemental!" hissed Ginny, a note of fear in her voice.
Harry smirked, "You should know that you don't stand a chance against me."
"Avada Kedavra!"
Harry conjured another block of ice which blocked the killing curse. Raising his hands he sent a spike made of ice followed by another huge block of ice which was sure to pulverize anyone in its path. But Voldemort was no slouch either. He blasted the ice pieces to oblivion and made a slashing gesture with Ginny's wand sending a swirling purple vortex towards Harry.
Not fazed in the slightest Harry erected a shield and sent a powerful cutting hex back.
"Not afraid to harm the girl are you," snarled Ginny as she failed to block the curse completely, drawing blood from her arm.
"She means nothing to me and you shouldn't let your guard down," he said, realizing it was futile to hold back in fear of hurting Ginny. It was either her or him and he chose himself over her.
"Lumos Solarium!" shouted Harry blinding the dark lord. "moenia muto funiculus!" the moment he said those words the entire wall began to shimmer and ropes started springing out and tied themselves around Ginny firmly, effectively stopping all her moments.
The light slowly died out revealing a very angry dark lord in an eleven year old girl's body and a smug looking Harry Potter.
"For a dark lord in training, I'm surprised all you use are unforgivable's instead of something more… creative," Harry commented.
"Let me go!" she snarled, spit flying from her mouth.
Harry sighed in relief, "Now how do I get Dumbledore down here?"
"No you won't!" hissed Ginny/Voldemort, "Kill the boy, greatest of Hogwarts four!"
Harry looked confused, but soon it changed to horror when something huge came streaking out of the bathroom. It was an abnormally huge and as it got closer Harry saw it. It was an acid green serpent with huge round yellow eyes and was heading straight towards Harry.
Harry dived into a corner just as the snake zipped past him. It covered almost the entire length of the corridor and smashed into the wall in front of it demolishing the entire wall and disappearing in the debris.
Shakily Harry came out of his little hiding place. He looked around and saw Lockhart's body lying in one corner of the corridor; the snake must have run over it. Ginny's body was nowhere to be seen. How on earth could a 60 foot snake just vanish he wondered.
"This is what you will get for standing against me Potter," said a male voice.
Spinning around, Harry saw a translucent boy standing behind him. Ginny was lying beside him with the diary still in her hand. "So that was how Voldemort looked fifty years ago. Have to destroy that diary," he thought, "It must be the source of his power."
But before he could summon the diary, the ceiling broke and the snake came hurtling towards him. Harry lunged to his left missing the snake's fangs by inches, but he wasn't that lucky. The snake's tail came whipping through the air and smashed into him as it broke through the floor, leaving a gaping hole.
Harry went flying and smashed into a suit of armor. Groaning he some how managed to get back to his feet. His back was aching horribly and when he touched his sides he felt something sticking out. He looked to his side and saw a piece of metal jutting out of his abdomen. Blood was beginning to soak through his clothes.
"Shit," Harry cursed weakly looking away.
He could hear the boy's laughter ringing in his head. "You see Potter; you can never match the strength of Lord Voldemort."
Hate bubbling inside him, Harry pocketed his wand.
"Giving up Harry?" said Voldemort junior with sadistic glee.
"No, now you're going to wish you never angered an elemental." The next time that snake showed up, he was going to turn it into an ice statue. On cue the huge snake came slithering towards him from the hole it had made previously in the wall.
Harry raised his hands, the fury evident in his eyes. Just as the snake came barreling towards him, fangs barred, freezing cold water erupted from Harry's hands which could freeze anything in their path.
For 10 seconds there was nothing but water and fog to be seen in the fateful corridor.
Once the air cleared, there was one Harry Potter standing inches away from a half frozen snake, its fangs still showing and tail still moving. "Say goodbye to your pet serpent Voldemort," said Harry grimly drawing his wand.
"Diffindo!" Harry shouted.
"NOOOO!" shrieked Voldemort in fury as the snake shattered, sending huge junks of ice in various directions. "You'll pay Potter!" screamed Voldemort. "Confringo!" he shouted.
Harry threw a piece of the snake in the path of the incoming curse which exploded with the force of a bomb.
"Eradico pectus," shouted Harry, but to his shock the curse just passed through the boy.
"You can't harm me Potter! And I will kill you! Avada Kedavra!"
Harry dived aside as the green curse came hurtling towards him. "Destructo," Harry shouted again, but the curse passed through Voldemort like he weren't there and blew up the entire wall behind him covering the body of Gilderoy Lockhart.
Voldemort laughed again, an insane bone chilling laugh. "You best give up Potter, you can't beat me!" he screamed.
"Where the hell are the professors!" Harry wondered. "How could anyone not have heard this," he thought as he dodged another killing curse followed by a black curse, which he identified as the nightmare curse. "How do I kill him!" he thought furiously and then he spotted the black diary, still in the hands of Ginny Weasley.
Harry jumped out of his hiding place and faced Voldemort.
"Given up Potter!" he asked, an insane look in his translucent eyes.
"Goodbye Voldemort junior, time for you to go to hell," Harry yelled and summoned the diary to him. At the same time he sent a frozen fang lying next to him at the diary with a wave of his hand.
Voldemort looked at him in horror. But before he could react the fang pierced the diary.
There was along, dreadful, piercing scream and ink spurted out of the diary in torrents in mid air, flooding the floor. Voldemort was writhing and twisting, screaming and flailing and then - then he was gone.
The diary fell to the floor with a thump. The venom from the snake's fang had burned a sizzling hole through it.
There was silence except for the steady drip of Harry blood falling from the piece of metal stuck in him. There were huge pieces of ice everywhere and parts of the wall and ceiling were still falling apart.
Ignoring his aching side, Harry made his way to Ginny. She looked fine except that she was covered in dust and ice pieces and her face was cut in several places, apart from that she seemed to be alright.
He turned to his side and looked at the piece of metal stuck in his abdomen and wondered what to do. Whether to leave it as it were or pull it out of his body.
He made a rash decision and yanked the metal out. The pain he felt on removing it was terrible. Blood started pouring out faster than ever and his world started spinning and everything turned blurry. He could hear footsteps in the distance. As the footsteps got closer, he felt as if his head was going to be cleaved in two.
He heard a gasp and could vaguely hear someone calling his name. Blinking rapidly he could make out the outline of two or was it four people standing in front of him. He tried fighting the impulse to go to sleep but was failing miserably.
"Took you long enough to get here," he said feebly.
He felt someone kneel down next to him. Desperately trying to stay awake, Harry saw that it was Dumbledore who just began waving his wand over him and Harry then let the darkness engulf him.