Remus' POV
It happened during my transformation- that freezing sensation again. I bristled in my werewolf form, and growled long and low. Vampires... I could sense them, and my physical being rejected them instinctively. I tried to keep still, but my body responded to the ice trying to get inside my veins. I accidentally threw myself against a tree snout-first. I howled in pain.
When the long night was over, I wanted to go to Raylynx right away. I could feel her life force flowing through me, so I knew that she was alive, but I also knew that she was in a precarious situation as a professor Hogwarts during this insane time.
Next to my bed was a small pile of newspapers, all bearing grim headlines:
HOGWARTS ATTACKS ON MUGGLE-BORNS GROWING – GOVERNORS CALL FOR DUMBLEDORE'S RESIGNATION
HOGWARTS LEGEND OF HEIR OF SLYTHERIN RUMORS GROWING AMIDST FEAR
INQUIRY AT THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC – ARTHUR WEASLEY'S BEWITCHED CAR
I tried to pull on my boots and make the journey to Hogwarts, but I couldn't quite pull myself together physically. Before I knew it, I fell asleep, exhausted and sore, on my bed.
Finally, I managed to open my eyes and take a shower. I hurriedly dressed into my clothing and wrapping my patched and frayed cloak around myself, I made my way to Hogwarts, praying that Raylynx was all right.
When I got to Hogwarts, McGonagall greeted me.
"Mr. Lupin," she said, and her face was grim. "I presume that you are here to see Raylynx."
"Yes, Professor," I said.
She nodded and began to lead me to the Hospital Wing.
"You cannot stay long," she warned me. "With the attacker still on the loose, security has become tighter than ever."
"It's true, then? The Daily Prophet is saying that there have been four attacks on Muggle-borns."
McGonagall nodded somberly.
"How is that possible?" I wondered. "And Dumbledore does not know who is behind these attackers."
"I believe he does, but he does not know how to stop them," McGonagall replied.
"Well, then it will only be a matter of time before Dumbledore puts a stop to these attacks," I said
But McGonagall was already shaking her head. "I'm afraid not, Remus. Dumbledore has been removed. He's no longer at the school."
"What?" I said, shocked.
"Be careful, Mr. Lupin," McGonagall warned me. "I hardly need to tell you this, but Hogwarts is not safe anymore."
With that grim statement, she closed the door of the Hospital Wing.
I turned around as Poppy bustled forward.
"She's down at the end," Poppy told me knowingly.
I nodded my thanks, and I approached the last bed when I suddenly realized that there was someone already besides her.
I hesitated, wondering if I had come to the right bed. But then I saw Raylynx's sleeping face, and I knew that I had.
The man stood up and looked over at me.
"Are you here to see Raylynx Kingsley?" he asked.
"Yes," I said quietly. "Is she all right?"
"Madam Pomfrey said that she's gotten past the worst of it now. She should be waking up any minute now."
"Thank Merlin," I said quietly. "Do you know what happened to her?"
The man shook his head. "No, my impression was that not even Madam Pomfrey herself knew. But she was freezing cold for a very long time. She's only just gotten some color back in her face again."
"I see," I said. Then, I paused. I didn't want to seem rude, but I had to ask, "Er- excuse me, who are you?"
"Oh, yes, forgive me for not introducing myself. I'm Jasper Riley. And you are?"
"Remus Lupin."
"Pleasure to meet you," he said, reaching his hand out.
We shook hands.
"Did you go to Hogwarts?" I asked curiously.
Jasper shook his head. "No, I met Raylynx through work. I used to work for the Ministry."
I nodded.
I saw Jasper's eyes trace the scars on my face. I shifted uncomfortably.
We waited for about ten minutes, ten very awkward minutes, before Raylynx finally came to.
She coughed, and then she slowly opened her eyes.
Jasper immediately leaned over and pressed his palm against her face. "Are you all right?" His voice was flooded with warmth and worry.
I blinked in surprise. He had introduced himself as Raylynx's friend, but I suddenly got the feeling that he was a lot more than that.
"Jasper?" Raylynx said, confused. "What are you doing here?"
"My uncle and I finally got out of the mountains. The first campsite we stopped at, we heard the news that Hogwarts has been plagued by attacks. I came straight here, but then I found you in the Hospital Wing. What happened, Raylynx? Were you attacked?"
She shook her head. "I'm all right. I just made a silly mistake."
"A mistake?"
"I thought I could find help, but I was wrong."
She reached up and traced a scar on the man's neck. "You're hurt?"
"It's nothing," he replied. "Raylynx, why didn't you tell me you were in danger? I would have come straight away."
"What about your research with your uncle? Did you manage to find what you were looking for?" Raylynx asked.
"Does it matter?" he replied. "I should have been here, by your side."
When he continued to look at her with eyes full of worry, she said softly, "I promise I'm all right."
I felt uncomfortable watching them, so I lowered my eyes to the ground.
But the movement caught Raylynx's attention. She looked over at me.
"Remus?" she said, sitting up.
"Yes?" I said, a bit meekly.
"I didn't realize you were here. You should have said something."
"I, er, I didn't want to interrupt," I said lamely.
"Oh, right. have you met Jasper?" she asked me. "He helped to create the Wolfsbane Potion."
"I'm a werewolf, you see," Jasper said. "I acted as a tester for the different trials of the potion."
My mouth fell open, as I was surprised at how easily he identified himself as a werewolf. I struggled to even say the word aloud.
"Remus and I were at Hogwarts together. He's my closest friend," Raylynx said, introducing me to Jasper.
Hearing this, Jasper smiled warmly at me.
"Jasper, do you think I can talk to Remus for just a moment? I'll come find you," Raylynx said.
"Oh, there's no need," I said hurriedly. "I just wanted to make sure you were all right."
"That's all right," Jasper replied. He kissed Raylynx on the forehead before walking out.
For some reason, I was blushing a little, and so was Raylynx. It was just strange to see her being intimate with someone who wasn't Sirius. I realized that despite the fact that I had always been the one to tell Raylynx to move on with her life, I now was feeling strangely protective of Sirius.
Raylynx looked down at her hands as she murmured, "I'm sorry I didn't introduce the two of you earlier. I meant to. But with everything happening at Hogwarts, I lost track of time."
"He seems lovely," I managed to say.
"Your lips... They're bruised," Raylynx noticed. "Did you hurt yourself last night?"
"It's nothing," I muttered. Wanting to switch subjects, I said, "What happened? I felt it again- that freezing in my blood."
"I went into the - The enchantr- " Raylynx coughed, and she sighed deeply, as though frustrated. Finally, she said vaguely, "Horrible things have been happening at the school, Remus."
"I know," I said solemnly. "The Daily Prophet reported that four Muggle-borns have been attacked now."
Raylynx's brow furrowed. "Four?" she said incredulously. "Colin and Justin and…"
She suddenly yanked the covers back and began to walk down the aisle.
"Raylynx?" I said, getting up from my seat to follow her.
Raylynx stopped dead in her tracks, and I peered over her shoulder to see what she was staring at. There were two figures, two young girls, who were obviously Petrified.
Raylynx covered her mouth and whispered, "Hermione…"
As I walked up next to Raylynx, she turned to face me and murmured, "She's one of Harry's friends."
"She's not dead," I assured her, soothing her by rubbing her back. "Only Petrified."
"Two students in one attack? The attacks are getting worse," Raylynx said, staring over at Penelope.
She looked up at me and said, "You and Jasper should leave. Hogwarts isn't safe anymore."
"What about you?" I asked.
"I have a duty to stay and protect the students," she replied, "And I have to figure out a way to sort out this mess."
"What can you do, Raylynx?" I asked. "If the legends are true, and there's some beast being controlled by Slytherin's heir, what can you do?"
"I don't know," she said honestly, "but I have to stay, even if it kills me. I know too much already, Remus."
"You know too much?" I repeated, confused. What does she mean by that?
Seeing Raylynx up and about, Poppy rushed out of her office.
"Raylynx, you must be careful! Your body temperature was so low-"
"I'm all right, thanks to you. Poppy, when did this happen?" Raylynx asked, stepping away from me and motioning to the two Petrified girls.
Poppy sighed and said, "This morning. Professor Snape found them beside the library."
"The library?"
"Yes."
"What did Professor Dumbledore say?" Raylynx asked.
"He didn't. He's not here," Poppy replied.
"What do you mean?"
"The governors have asked for his removal from the school. He's left the school."
"He just… left?" Raylynx said blankly.
"Yes. He had to, you understand. It was the school governors' orders. It's a big mistake, if you ask me," Poppy said, clicking her tongue, "but he had to leave. I'm sure he spoke with Professor McGonagall before he left, but he's no longer here. They took Hagrid away, too."
"Hagrid? They took away our gameskeeper?"
"Yes."
I could see Raylynx thinking hard, trying to make sense of it all.
"But, my girl, what were you doing outside in that freezing morning?" Poppy asked, suddenly admonishing Raylynx.
"I was trying to find answers," Raylynx admitted. "I thought I could find a way out of this mess if I just - " Raylynx stopped speaking suddenly again.
I looked at her curiously, wondering why she was having a hard time speaking freely. Was she hiding something from me?
"If you just…?" I prompted.
She shook her head. "Never mind."
Then, she said quietly, "Poppy, the school can't go on like this, can it?"
Madam Pomfrey looked at Raylynx and said softly, "No, I don't believe it can."
Even though I wasn't a student here anymore, my heart leapt into my throat at the thought of there being no more Hogwarts.
Raylynx was discharged by Poppy, with strict orders that she stay very warm and take a dose of Pepper-Up potion before sleeping.
We met with Jasper at the end of the Hospital Wing.
Raylynx turned to both of us and said, "I have to run and catch McGonagall. I'm going to try to resume classes today, if it's not too late. Both of you should leave immediately. But as you go, please…"
She paused, and the said ominously, "Watch where you're looking."
I looked at her curiously. Wrinkling my nose a little, I corrected her, "Don't you mean 'watch where you're going'?"
Raylynx hesitated again, thinking hard, and then she said, "I mean, keep your eyes down until you're out of the castle."
Raylynx's eyes traced over both Jasper's face and my face. She saw how exhausted we both were. I personally didn't understand how Jasper made it here before me despite the full moon.
"Go," Raylynx said gently. "Both of you."
"I'm not going anywhere without you," Jasper said, grasping her shoulders. "You're not safe here anymore."
"I'm safe," Raylynx promised. "I'm the safest one here."
Jasper stared long and hard at Raylynx.
She returned his gaze with a soft smile. "Please, trust me. Go."
He sighed, but finally acquiesced.
Raylynx waved good-bye to me.
As Jasper and I left, Jasper said to me in a quiet voice, "Forgive me if I'm prying. But are you also a werewolf?"
I paused, not wanting to answer. But finally, I nodded.
"Forgive the intrusion," Jasper repeated sincerely. "I only ask because when I first met Raylynx, she was working very hard to produce the Wolfsbane Potion. At first, I thought that she wanted to make a name for herself as a renowned alchemist. But it became very clear to me that she was doing it for personal reasons. When I asked her why, she said that it was for someone that she cared about very much who suffered from lycanthropy and that she wished she could give in a pain-free life to. If I'm not wrong, I believe that that friend was you."
I could not lift my eyes from the ground as I mumbled, "Oh…"
"She thinks very highly of you," Jasper said softly.
We had come to the front doors just outside the Great Hall.
"Please take care," Jasper said to me. "I don't know about you, but for me, this full moon wrecked a havoc on my body."
With a light bow, he left before me.
I stared after him, stunned once again by how easily he spoke about being a werewolf.
I peered out across the Hogwarts grounds before me, feeling nostalgic. I wondered where Harry was. I sighed, once again depressed at the thought of Hogwarts closing.
Raylynx's POV
Dumbledore was gone. And my plan with Merlin had failed. Confusingly, the Queen of Sirens had showed up, only to attempt to snatch me away from Merlin and have her way with me. Finally, a serpent sent by Pendragon had saved me, depositing me on those freezing snow-coated banks of the Great Lake. I couldn't understand what had happened, but one thing was clear: The Silencing Spell had not been lifted, and I was no nearing to opening the Chamber of Secrets myself.
I was incredibly frustrated, not knowing what else I could do. I continued teaching classes, escorting students, and going on shifts, but the fact that I knew what the monster was and couldn't do anything about it was suffocating me. And then, there was the question of how the monster could possibly get around the castle. It didn't make any sense.
I kept warning the staff and students to "watch their eyes," to the point where I became known as having lost my marbles yet again. I looked up everything I could learn about Parseltongue, but knowing about the language did not help me to speak it. Then, I tried to look up everything I could about basilisks, hoping to leave information around where McGonagall could find it. But to my surprise and irritation, the only book that spoke about basilisk had its one page ripped out. I stared down at the page, wondering who had gotten there before me, and whether that person was a friend or a foe.
There was one shimmer of hope. Professor McGonagall announced her good news, which was that, "Professor Sprout has informed me that the Mandrakes are ready for cutting at last. Tonight, we will be able to revive those people who have been Petrified. I need hardly remind you all that one of them may well be able to tell us who, or what, attacked them. I am hopeful that this dreadful year will end with our catching the culprit."
The hall burst into cheering. Sinistra turned and embraced me. I returned the hug, but I couldn't escape the knowledge that this did not solve our true problem. I scanned the students and professors in the hall. Who could possibly be the heir of Slytherin?
My eyes fell on Harry, the only one, who, apart from Voldemort himself, spoke Parseltongue. I frowned.
I taught my morning class, and the students were livelier than usual, knowing that the Restorative Draught was being made. Students began to bet whether the Petrified students would remember anything once they had woken up.
"It'll be Potter. That's what they'll say as soon as they wake up."
"It can't be him. Just look at him. He's so small."
"But he's a Parselmouth."
I was in the middle of teaching, saying, "If you take the tail end of that Rune and link it here, see how you create a new dimension- " when Professor McGonagall's voice echoed through the corridors.
I paused, and the students listened anxiously. "All students to return to their House dormitories at once. All teachers return to the staff room. Immediately, please. "
"Professor Kingsley! What's happened?"
The students broke out into a flurry of murmuring.
"Calm down, please," I said. "I'm not sure what's happened, but I need you all to head to your common rooms straight away."
I took off for the staff room, feeling quite anxious.
I entered into the staff room behind Snape.
"It has happened," McGonagall announced. "A student has been taken by the monster. Right into the Chamber itself."
Professor Flitwick gasped, and Professor Sprout clapped her hands over her mouth. In a tense voice, Snape asked, "How can you be sure?"
"The Heir of Slytherin," said Professor McGonagall, her face pale, "left another message. Right underneath the first one. `Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever. "'
"Who is it?" I asked weakly. "Which student?"
"Ginny Weasley," said Professor McGonagall.
My heart sank. Ginny… No, it can't be. I thought of Arthur and Molly. But then, I hesitated. She's a pureblood. Why did the Heir of Slytherin take her?
"We shall have to send all the students home tomorrow," said Professor McGonagall. "This is the end of Hogwarts. Dumbledore always said. . ."
The staffroom door banged open again. Lockhart came in, and he was beaming at us all. "So sorry - dozed off - what have I missed?"
I frowned, annoyed. All year, this man had only been useless and obnoxious.
Snape stepped forward. "Just the man," he said. "The very man. A girl has been snatched by the monster, Lockhart. Taken into the Chamber of Secrets itself. Your moment has come at last."
Lockhart blanched.
"That's right, Gilderoy," chipped in Professor Sprout. "Weren't you saying just last night that you've known all along where the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets is?"
"I - well, I -"sputtered Lockhart.
"Yes, didn't you tell me you were sure you knew what was inside it?" piped up Professor Flitwick.
"D-did I? I don't recall -"
"I certainly remember you saying you were sorry you hadn't had a crack at the monster before Hagrid was arrested," said Snape. "Didn't you say that the whole affair had been bungled, and that you should have been given a free rein from the first?"
I raised my eyebrow in mock surprise as I saw how effectively and quickly my colleagues ganged up on Lockhart. I must admit, I was rather impressed.
Lockhart stared around at his stony-faced colleagues. "I - I really never - you may have misunderstood -"
"We'll leave it to you, then, Gilderoy," said Professor McGonagall, and that was the nail in the coffin. "Tonight will be an excellent time to do it. We'll make sure everyone's out of your way. You'll be able to tackle the monster all by yourself. A free rein at last."
Lockhart gazed desperately around him. Finally, he murmured, "V-very well. I'll - I'll be in my office, getting- getting ready." And he left the room.
"Right," said Professor McGonagall, whose nostrils were flared, "that's got him out from under our feet. The Heads of Houses should go and inform their students what has happened. Tell them the Hogwarts Express will take them home first thing tomorrow. Will the rest of you please make sure no students have been left outside their dormitories?"
The teachers rose and left, one by one.
"Professor," I said, approaching McGonagall.
She looked up at me sadly.
"I will have to notify Molly and Arthur," she sighed. "Poor Ginny Weasley."
"Professor, is there no chance that we could save her?" I asked her.
"How can we? We don't know how to enter the Chamber," McGonagall said.
"If I told you that I – If I - " I felt my throat seize up again, and I sighed. "Yes, you're right."
McGonagall gave me a nod, and then she left to alert the Weasleys.
I made my way out into the hallway and into the corridor. I went and saw the words for myself: 'Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever.'
Then, I paused. I thought I heard Fawkes' low cry. But how was that possible? I was far below Dumbledore's office. I made my way up to Dumbledore's office nonetheless, as though in some kind-of trance.
When I approached his office, the gargoyle turned to accept me, and I stepped onto the rising staircase.
When the staircase stopped, the door opened. I walked through.
A figure standing at the window turned.
"Dumbledore," I breathed out. "You're back."
"Yes," he said. "It seems that the governors did wish for me to stay, after all, and that Mr. Malfoy had threatened them for their signatures to remove me."
"Have you heard?" I asked. "Ginny Weasley has been taken down to the Chamber of Secrets."
"Yes," he said somberly.
"Headmaster, I must admit to you that I intend to retrieve her from the Chamber," I said.
Dumbledore looked at me thoughtfully. Finally, he asked, "How?"
"I can't say, but I may destroy quite a bit of school property," I warned, thinking of blasting apart the sinks in the girls' bathroom to get to the entrance of the chamber.
Before Dumbledore could reply, the office door opened again and McGonagall entered the room, followed by Arthur and Molly Weasley, both of whom looked frantic.
"Raylynx!" Molly said, when she saw me.
I wrapped my arms around her. She patted my back and pulled back to look at me.
"Is it true?" she asked me breathlessly. "Is it really Ginny?"
I nodded. "I'm sorry, Molly," I said, as softly as I possibly could.
Molly began to weep, and Arthur gently took her away from me.
"She may yet still be alive, Molly," Dumbledore said.
I began to leave the office, when suddenly, Fawkes swooped in front of me, stopping me from leaving. Fawkes let out a soft cry. He swooped high and grabbed the Sorting Hat from the bookcase. Then, he turned and soared out of the office himself.
I blinked. What did Fawkes mean by that? Does he mean for me to stay here?
I looked back at Dumbledore, who was watching me with an inscrutable expression.
"I suggest that we all take a seat," Dumbledore said.
McGonagall pulled out her wand and conjured extra seats.
I walked up to Dumbledore's desk.
"What did that mean?" I asked.
"I cannot say. Fawkes has his own wisdom," Dumbledore replied.
"But you must suspect something," I pressed.
Dumbledore paused and then he said, "I suspect that someone has already gone down into the Chamber of Secrets."
"Other than the Heir of Slytherin?"
"Yes."
"But that…" Fear spread through my veins. "There's only one other Parselmouth who can open the Chamber. Harry."
"We must let him try his own strength," Dumbledore said quietly.
"Against the Heir of Slytherin and his beast?" I hissed angrily. "Are you mad?"
"Fawkes has gone to his aid," Dumbledore said. "If the situation was die, Fawkes would have demanded that I go myself."
"Dumbledore," I growled, frustrated.
Dumbledore cut me off and said, "You must have known, Raylynx. When even Merlin could not help you, you must have realized that this challenge is not one that we can overcome. You and I have faced the same obstacle from the beginning. We cannot speak Parseltongue. You risked your life to try to find a way into the Chambers by diving into the Black Lake, but you were refused. Yet, Harry, a twelve-year-old boy, has found himself entering the Chambers of Slytherin alone despite his lack of determination and lack of skill. Therefore, Harry is uniquely situated to confront this challenge. In fact, it is something that he must do for himself."
"He's twelve years old, Dumbledore!" I hissed. "He hasn't grown-"
"His skills with a wand will not determine the outcome, Raylynx. This is a test of courage."
"And if he dies?" I whispered fearfully.
Our entire conversation had been whispered, low and furious, and Molly's sudden shriek caught both Dumbledore and I by surprise.
"Ginny!"
I whirled around to see Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Lockhart standing in the doorway, covered in muck and slime and blood.
Molly leapt to her feet, and she and Arthur ran to their daughter and embraced them. McGonagall gasped and clutched at her chest.
Harry smiled, but his eyes flickered past them and looked towards Dumbledore. Fawkes came whooshing past Harry's ear and settled on Dumbledore's shoulder.
My eyes immediately fell to the sword that Harry was holding. It was the Sword of Gryffindor. I gasped quietly. I had just replaced the Sword back into the Stone in Merlin's cave on the Black Lake, so that it could be used again. Harry must have pulled it out of the Sorting Hat. I glanced back at Fawkes, wondering how he had known that the Sorting Hat was capable of producing the Sword again. Of course, I was unaware that Fawkes had been the one to hear the mermaids' song and alert Dumbledore to come and rescue me that morning.
"Harry," I murmured, my mind dizzy with relief. "Harry, are you all right?"
Harry started to nod, when Molly suddenly hugged both Harry and Ron tightly, exclaiming, "You saved her! You saved her! How did you do it?"
"I think we'd all like to know that," McGonagall said.
Harry walked over to Dumbldore's desk. I stepped aside, and I watched as Harry laid upon down the Sorting Hat, the ruby-encrusted sword, and what remained of Riddle's diary. When I saw the diary, I put my hand over my mouth as I gasped. It was the leather-bound journal I'd seen in my visions when I touched the tree. And the ink that was spattered all over the journal and over Harry's hand had the same texture, color, and scent as the ink that had covered Sehtzer's Runes on his body.
So, Dumbledore had been right: It had been Voldemort. This was undoubtedly Voldemort's work. The question was: How?
Harry started to tell us everything. He told us about hearing a disembodied voice slithering through the walls and understanding it because it was Parseltongue. He recited the story about how Hermione had finally realized that it was a basilisk in the pipes, and I realized that Hermione had taken the page from the book. Harry also informed us about how he and Ron followed the trail of spiders and found out about Aragog, which was altogether new information to me, and how that led them to guess that Moaning Myrtle had been the victim, and that the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets might be in her bathroom.
"Very well," Professor McGonagall prompted him as Harry paused from talking. "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 continued speaking, telling us about how Fawkes had arrived to save him and about how the Sorting Hat had given him the sword. At this point, he fell quiet. He glanced at the diary, and then at Ginny. He seemed incredibly reluctant to say what had happened, but then Dumbledore smiled faintly, and said, "What interests me most," said Dumbledore gently, "is how Lord Voldemort managed to enchant Ginny, when my sources tell me he is currently in hiding in the forests of Albania."
Dumbledore glanced over at me, and suddenly, I knew where he had gone when he had left the school. He had gone to Albania himself.
"What's that?" Arthur said, totally stunned. "You-Know-Who? Enchant Ginny? But Ginny's not ... Ginny hasn't been ... has she?"
"It was this diary," said Harry quickly, picking it up and showing it to us. "Riddle wrote it when he was sixteen . . . "
Of course. He left a remnant of himself in it and used it to control Ginny.
I breathed out softly. It's a Horcrux.
"How did you destroy it?" I asked Harry.
"I stabbed it with a basilisk fang," he answered.
Dumbledore took the diary from Harry and peered keenly down his long, crooked nose at its burnt and soggy pages. "Brilliant," he said softly. "Of course, he was probably the most brilliant student Hogwarts has ever seen."
Dumbledore looked over at me, and we both realized that we now had proof, proof that Voldemort had created Horcruxes, and multiple Horcruxes. The image of Slytherin's locket rose in the back of my head.
Dumbledore turned around to the Weasleys, who were looking utterly bewildered. "Very few people know that Lord Voldemort was once called Tom Riddle. I taught him myself, fifty years ago, at Hogwarts," Dumbledore explained. "He disappeared after leaving the school ... traveled far and wide ... sank so deeply into the Dark Arts, consorted with the very worst of our kind, underwent so many dangerous, magical transformations, that when he resurfaced as Lord Voldemort, he was barely recognizable. Hardly anyone connected Lord Voldemort with the clever, handsome boy who was once Head Boy here."
"But, Ginny," said Mrs. Weasley. "What's our Ginny got to do with - with - him?"
"His d-diary!" Ginny sobbed. "I've b-been writing in it, and he's been w-writing back all year -"
"Ginny!" said Mr. Weasley, flabbergasted. "Haven't I taught you anything. What have I always told you? Never trust anything that can think for itself if you can't see where it keeps its brain? Why didn't you show the diary to me, or your mother? A suspicious object like that, it was clearly full of Dark Magic- "
"I d-didn't know," sobbed Ginny. "I found it inside one of the books Mum got me. I th-thought someone had just left it in there and forgotten about it -"
I shook my head and said gently, "Mr. Weasley, older and wiser wizards have been hoodwinked by Lord Voldemort."
Dumbledore nodded and said in agreement, "Miss Weasley should go up to the hospital wing right away. This has been a terrible ordeal for her. There will be no punishment."
He strode over to the door and opened it. "Bed rest and perhaps a large, steaming mug of hot chocolate. I always find that cheers me up," he added, smiling kindly down at her. "You will find that Madam Pomfrey is still awake. She's just giving out Mandrake juice - I daresay the basilisk's victims will be waking up any moment."
"So Hermione's okay!" said Ron brightly.
"There has been no lasting harm done, Ginny," said Dumbledore.
Molly led Ginny out, and Arthur followed, still looking deeply shaken.
"You know, Minerva," Professor Dumbledore said thoughtfully to Professor McGonagall, "I think all this merits a good feast. Might I ask you to go and alert the kitchens?"
"Right," said Professor McGonagall crisply, also moving to the door. "I'll leave you to deal with Potter and Weasley, shall I?"
"Certainly," said Dumbledore.
She left, and Harry and Ron gazed uncertainly at Dumbledore, wondering if they were about to be punished. I knew from the twinkle in Dumbledore's eye that Dumbledore was sure to award them, but not before having his bit of fun.
"I seem to remember telling you both that I would have to expel you if you broke any more school rules, said Dumbledore.
Ron opened his mouth in horror.
"Which goes to show that the best of us must sometimes eat our words," Dumbledore went on, smiling. "You will both receive Special Awards for Services to the School and - let me see - yes, I think two hundred points apiece for Gryffindor."
Ron went bright pink, and I smiled.
"But one of us seems to be keeping mightily quiet about his part in this dangerous adventure," Dumbledore added. "Why so modest, Gilderoy?"
Lockhart was standing in a corner of the room, wearing his vague smile. When Dumbledore addressed him, Lockhart looked over his shoulder to see who he was talking to.
"Professor Dumbledore," Ron said quickly, "there was an accident down in the Chamber of Secrets. Professor Lockhart -"
"Am I a professor?" said Lockhart in mild surprise. "Goodness. I expect I was hopeless, was I?"
I stared at Lockhart in confusion.
"He tried to do a Memory Charm and the wand backfired," Ron explained quietly to Dumbledore.
"Dear me," said Dumbledore, shaking his head, his long silver mustache quivering. "Impaled upon your own sword, Gilderoy!"
"Sword?" said Lockhart dimly. "Haven't got a sword. That boy has, though." He pointed at Harry. "He'll lend you one."
Sword, I thought, and suddenly it occurred to me what I had to do.
"Would you mind taking Professor Lockhart up to the infirmary, too?" Dumbledore said to Ron. "I'd like a few more words with Harry…"
Dumbledore turned to me and said, "If you would also step outside briefly, Professor Kingsley."
I stood my ground, staring at Dumbledore. What was he going to tell the boy? When I wasn't around, would he make Harry sympathetic to his cause?
Dumbledore sighed. "Please, Professor Kingsley. I only wish to speak briefly with him."
Harry glanced up at me questioningly. I would have argued to stay, but I knew that there was something I had to do- and quickly, before the Chamber of Secrets closed once more.
I reluctantly nodded and left Dumbledore with Harry. As soon as I was out of Dumbledore's office, I quickly ran down to the Chamber's opening, which, thankfully, was still open. Fawkes must have flown them out, I thought. I slid all the way down and made my way into the huge main room of the chamber.
After my encounter with the serpent, I somehow already knew what I would find. Among the bones of the giant slayed basilisk lay a glimmering sword: Arondight, the Sword of Lancelot. Like the serpent, the basilisk was the appropriate messenger to return the sword to me. I picked up the sword and then climbed up the stairs to the top of the rock face overlooking the Chamber. Then, using both hands, I brought the sword down so that once again, it was in its rightful place, buried in the stone it came from. As I left, I gingerly removed a basilisk fang from its jaw. I quickly left the Chamber, and as I stepped out of its entrance, the sinks slowly slid back together again, closing the Chamber.
Cleaning my hands and stowing away the fang safely, I made my way back up to Dumbledore's office. Just as I turned the corner, I saw Lucius Malfoy approaching Dumbledore's office as well. His house elf followed after him, pitifully trying to run to keep up.
I quickened my pace and when Lucius attempted to enter, I stepped in front of the door, blocking his way.
Lucius sneered at me, his upper lip curling derisively as he recognized me. "Kingsley," he said condescendingly. "Step aside, girl."
"The Headmaster is otherwise preoccupied," I replied.
His eyes narrowed. "I am a school governor, and I have every right-"
"The other governors wrote to Dumbledore. They all seemed to mention that you threatened them-"
"How dare you," he growled, and he made a move to draw his wand from his snake walking stick.
I shoved my elbow against his arm, pinning his hand down and simultaneously reaching into my own robes for my wand.
"I wouldn't," I warned quietly.
"Out of my way!" he shouted, and with a rough shove, he pushed me aside and went up to Dumbledore's office.
I was at his heels when Lucius opened the door furiously.
Harry was standing on the other side of the door. He quickly stepped back as Lucius strode into the room, followed by Dobby.
"Good evening, Lucius," said Dumbledore pleasantly.
"So!" Lucius said to Dumbledore. "You've come back. The governors suspended you, but you still saw fit to return to Hogwarts."
"Well, you see, Lucius," said Dumbledore, smiling serenely, "the other eleven governors contacted me today. It was something like being caught in a hailstorm of owls, to tell the truth. They'd heard that Arthur Weasleys daughter had been killed and wanted me back here at once. They seemed to think I was the best man for the job after all. Very strange tales they told me, too ... Several of them seemed to think that you had threatened to curse their families if they didn't agree to suspend me in the first place."
Lucius's face went bloodless, and he narrowed his eyes into slits.
"So - have you stopped the attacks yet?" he challenged. "Have you caught the culprit?"
"We have," said Dumbledore, with a smile.
"Well?" said Mr. Malfoy sharply. "Who is it?"
"The same person as last time, Lucius," said Dumbledore. "But this time, Lord Voldemort was acting through somebody else. By means of this diary." He held up the small black book with the large hole through the center, watching Lucius closely.
"I see. . . " said Lucius slowly to Dumbledore.
"A clever plan," said Dumbledore in a level voice, still staring Lucius straight in the eye. "Because if Harry here and his friend Ron hadn't discovered this book, why - Ginny Weasley might have taken all the blame. No one would ever have been able to prove she hadn't acted of her own free will…"
Lucius fell silent, and his face was suddenly masklike.
"And imagine," Dumbledore went on, "what might have happened then... The Weasleys are one of our most prominent pure-blood families. Imagine the effect on Arthur Weasley and his Muggle Protection Act, if his own daughter was discovered attacking and -killing Muggle-borns… Very fortunate the diary was discovered, and Riddle's memories wiped from it. Who knows what the consequences might have been otherwise…"
"Very fortunate," Lucius said stiffly.
Harry suddenly spoke up. "Don't you want to know how Ginny got hold of that diary, Mr. Malfoy?"
"How should I know how the stupid little girl got hold of it?" Lucius spat.
"Because you gave it to her," said Harry. "In Flourish and Blotts. You picked up her old Transfiguration book and slipped the diary inside it, didn't you?"
My eyes widened. Of course, Lucius was Voldemort's greatest supporter. Voldemort must have entrusted this diary to him. Then, when Sola and Arthur successfully passed the Muggle Protection Act and began to raid his house, Malfoy was trying desperately to get rid of any items that might connect him to Voldemort. He must have ran into the Weasleys and slipped the diary to Ginny.
"Prove it," he hissed.
"Oh, no one will be able to do that," said Dumbledore, smiling at Harry. "Not now that Riddle has vanished from the book. On the other hand, I would advise you, Lucius, not to go giving out any more of Lord Voldemort's old school things. If any more of them find their way into innocent hands, I think Arthur Weasley, for one, will make sure they are traced back to you…"
I allowed myself a smirk.
Lucius saw the expression on my face, and his hand twitched towards his wand again. I glanced down at my cloak, to signal to him that I was always gripping my wand inside my cloak.
Lucius scowled, and then he turned away sharply. "We're going, Dobby!" he commanded to his house elf. He wrenched open the door and as the elf came hurrying up to him, and then kicked him right through it.
I winced as the poor creature squealed.
Harry turned to Dumbledore and said hurriedly, "Professor Dumbledore, can I give that diary back to Mr. Malfoy, please?"
"Certainly, Harry," said Dumbledore calmly.
Harry grabbed the diary and dashed out of the office.
"What is he doing?" I asked Dumbledore, staring after Harry.
Dumbledore smiled and said, "I believe Harry intends to free the elf. Though how the diary will help, I'm not certain."
"Why the house elf?" I asked. Then, it clicked. "The house elf knew about all of Lucius' doings. He must have realized that Harry was in danger and tried to stop him from coming to Hogwarts. The barrier at King's Cross and the rogue Bludger, it must have been him." That was why I couldn't detect traces of wand magic on the Bludger. It had been house elf magic.
Suddenly, we heard an enraged shout from below. "You've lost me my servant, boy!"
"Will Harry be all right?" I wondered.
"Oh yes, I believe the house elf is more than a match for the likes of Lucius Malfoy," Dumbledore said, with a bright twinkle in his eye.
Then, Dumbledore said to me, "I must thank you. Though I am unsure of how you achieved this, your replacing Gryffindor's Sword was essential to Harry's success down in the dungeons."
"I cannot take credit," I replied honestly. "I didn't know it was going to be happen."
"Nonetheless, you actions went a great way in protecting Harry," Dumbledore said.
I paused, and looked at the office door again, wondering where Harry had gone off to.
"I'm going to tell him today, Professor," I said. "I'm going to tell him that I'm his godmother."
Dumbledore suddenly sobered. "I would not do so, Professor Kingsley."
I looked up at Dumbledore and frowning deeply, I reminded him, "You promised. The condition upon which I returned to Hogwarts was that I could retain my role as Harry's guardian."
Dumbledore looked at me very seriously, and he said, "You are retaining your role as Harry's guardian. There is no need for you to tell him outright."
"Of course there is," I said, starting to become angry. "That's the whole point. I want to be close to Harry, and for him to rely on me. Without Lily, I would have been his mother figure, Headmaster. Do you truly believe that I am satisfied with being his teacher?"
"It is for your sake that I caution you," Dumbledore replied. "As you've seen from the past two years, Harry is not a normal boy. Protecting him is one thing, but to be emotionally invested in him is not wise, Professor Kingsley."
"Why?" I challenged. "Is it because Voldemort is still alive and hunting Harry? Do you think that Harry's chances of survival are so slim that it would be wise for me to ignore the boy?"
Dumbledore seemed to be struggling with whether or not to tell me something. Finally, he said, "Raylynx, please believe me when I say that it is for your sake that I ask you to restrain yourself around Harry. Voldemort has ventured deep into Dark Magic, deeper than any wizard before him, except, perhaps, Grindelwald, and we are not yet sure of what type of magic Voldemort has used to survive. You know that Voldemort commanded Quirrell to drink unicorn blood for him. In the same manner, Voldemort contaminates that which is pure to save himself."
So, Dumbledore doesn't believe that I know about the Horcruxes. But I do. He believes my ignorance is the reason why I must stay away from Harry, but he doesn't realize how much I'm already aware of.
I hesitated, and I finally decided to reveal some of what I knew, to persuade Dumbledore that I was ready to take proper guardianship over Harry. "That diary that manipulated Ginny and that Harry stabbed- Tom Riddle appeared from it. That's how Voldemort, in his form fifty years ago, opened the Chamber of Secrets, and manipulated Ginny Weasley."
Dumbledore gave me a slight nod, thinking hard as he tried to see where I was going with this.
"I know from my studies in wandlore that memories alone cannot be that powerful," I said quietly.
"No," Dumbledore agreed. "Memories cannot be that powerful alone. But what do you mean by this observation, Professor Kingsley?"
"I'm trying to show you that I know, Dumbledore," I said, stepping towards him. "I've seen that type of ink before. I know that the diary contained a piece of Voldemort's soul and that it was, in fact, a Horcrux."
Dumbledore's eyes flashed and he gazed hard at me as I finally revealed to Dumbledore my knowledge of Voldemort's Horcruxes.
"How long have you known?" Dumbledore asked me.
I didn't answer.
When I remained silent, Dumbledore sat down in his chair and he watched me carefully, waiting for me to speak again.
"Headmaster, you went to Albania. You must have seen for yourself the visions of the black tree," I said.
Dumbledore made no movement to either deny or acknowledge what I had just said.
"It's not just the diary," I continued. "I don't know how many more Horcruxes Voldemort made, but the visions suggest that there are more than one."
"The visions merely suggest, but you already know. How? From experience, perhaps?" Dumbledore said shrewdly, contemplating my words.
I flushed slightly, caught off guard. But I replied as steadfastly as I could, "We have evidence of one Horcrux before us. There may be others, and I already understand that the mission is to destroy all of the Horcruxes. Until all of the Horcruxes are gone, we cannot defeat Voldemort."
Dumbledore paused, and then he said tiredly, "Raylynx. I do not wish for you to come down this path. Leave the Horcruxes for myself and Harry. Please, let me help you avoid suffering and pain. You have already gone farther than I anticipated. This is enough."
"What I'm trying to show you, Dumbledore, is that I'm strong enough to protect Harry."
"It is not a matter of strength. It is a matter of history," Dumbledore said, and I could tell he was losing his patience with me.
I opened my mouth to argue again, but Dumbledore cut me off and said, "When Tom Riddle appeared from the diary and met Harry down in the dungeons, he was most interested in meeting Harry. Do you know what he said to Harry? He said 'strange likenesses'."
"Because they can both speak Parseltongue?" I wondered aloud.
"Think. Think about where that comes from, and how it came to be that Lily and James Potter's son can speak Parseltongue," Dumbledore said.
I lowered my eyes to Dumbledore's table as I said softly, "It came from Voldemort himself. It must have."
"Yes," Dumbledore said. "Harry's scar indicates his connection with Voldemort. Lord Voldemort, the last remaining ancestor of Salazar Slytherin, can speak Parseltongue and unless I'm much mistaken, he unwittingly transferred some of his own powers to you the night he gave you that scar."
I frowned. "He transferred his powers to Harry? How? That's impossible, unless-"
Dumbledore gazed at me with pitying eyes as he watched me slowly realize the answer to my own question.
"No," I whispered. "Dumbledore, it can't be."
"You said it yourself," Dumbledore said gently. "It's not just the diary. There are more Horcruxes."
"But I didn't mean- No, not Harry," I said, devastated.
I suddenly remembered what Vladimir Loran, the Albanian researcher who had been coerced into passing Ministry information about life prolongation to the Death Eater Augustus Rookwood, had told me when Jasper and I had ambushed him in Albania.
"I just discovered that a soul can become so unstable that it splits apart."
"But a soul can't disappear! It must go somewhere."
It must go somewhere…
Voldemort's soul split apart the night he tried to kill Harry, and a piece of his soul must have attached to the only living thing in the Potters' house: Harry himself.
I dropped to my knees, narrowly avoiding hitting my head on Dumbledore's desk.
Dumbledore bowed his head.
Outside, the entire school erupted into chairs as McGonagall announced that the culprit behind the Chamber of the Secrets had been caught, the school was going to remain open, the Petrified people had successfully healed, that Hagrid had been reinstated as gamekeeper, and as a school treat, there would be no end-of-year exams.
It felt like all of the celebration was happening on a distant star. All of the happiness in the world paled in comparison to my realization that Harry was a Horcrux.
