Chapter Thirteen – Into the Chamber
In the hospital wing of Hogwarts, Harry watched the argument between his best friend and Madam Pomfrey with a mixture of amusement and concern. It had been a day since Daphne had been brought here injured, and she had no intention of staying a second longer, something she made no secret of. But Madam was equally vehement in her refusal.
"For the last time, Miss Greengrass," the healer said as she stood beside Daphne's bed, her hands on her hips, looking sternly at her patient. "The spells and potions have indeed worked well, but you will have to stay here for at least one more night."
Madam Pomfrey's words were actually an understatement, Harry thought. There was no sign of Daphne's serious injuries from the day before, or rather what the bandages would have suggested. Flawless, pale skin was where deep wounds had recently gaped, not a scar left. Just then, the last remaining wound, a small scratch behind Daphne's right ear, closed and the ring on her finger became a tiny bit brighter, not enough to be seen in the bright sunlight streaming in through the windows, but Harry had held Daphne's hand hour after hour and witnessed every one of these small changes. In the darkest hour of the night, he had even cut his hand and covered the ring with his blood to aid Daphne's healing.
"But I feel fine," Daphne said. "I think I'll lose my mind if I stay in this bed any longer."
"Don't exaggerate. A day in bed never hurt anyone. You stay here, it's for your own good." Madam Pomfrey turned and walked away as if that was the last word. Over her shoulder, she said, "And Professor Dumbledore would like a word with you later."
Daphne clicked her tongue but said nothing. Instead she looked at him. "Haaaarryyyyyy," she said in an overly sweet voice so unusual for her that Harry had to laugh.
"Don't say another word. I'm already on it."
Daphne grinned at him and Harry grinned back. They still had an appointment with a certain bathroom on the second floor, and a healer's wishes had to take a back seat to the secrets it held. He rose from his seat and slid the privacy screen in front of Daphne's bed. Then he pulled his Invisibility Cloak from his bag. Daphne jumped out of bed, flinching only briefly as her bare feet touched the cold stone floor. She gave him an expectant look.
"Oh," Harry noticed. "Of course."
He turned his head, flushed, to allow Daphne to dress. Her old clothes were tattered on a chair by the bed, but the house elves at Hogwarts had been kind enough to bring her a new school uniform.
"You can turn around now," Daphne finally said.
And so Harry did. Daphne was now sitting on the side of the bed, putting on the dragon hide boots he had given her for Christmas. They were the only item of clothing that was still intact. When she was finished, Daphne stood up. She wiped her black hair from her face and gave him a mischievous smile.
"Ready, Sir Harry?"
"No, but let's go anyway."
With that, he pulled the Invisibility Cloak over Daphne and she became invisible. For a moment he heard Daphne muttering a spell, then there was complete silence. It was as if Daphne had vanished from the face of the earth. Harry took a deep breath and walked past the privacy screen into the rest of the hospital wing. He heard no footsteps, but he knew that Daphne was following him. With as innocent a look on his face as he could muster, he crossed the room, waved goodbye to Madam Pomfrey, who was filling a cupboard with potion bottles, and finally stepped out into the corridor.
There, Daphne gave him a quick touch on the arm to let him know she was still with him. Harry nodded imperceptibly at her. His heart was beating fast but steady in his chest. Goose bumps formed on his arms in anticipation of what they were about to do. Then Harry suddenly heard the sound of footsteps approaching from ahead. He froze and fumbled for his wand, but the person rounding the corner the next moment was Ron. His friend stopped in surprise.
"Harry!" he called, panting as if he had been running. "There you are!"
"What's wrong?"
"Have you seen Ginny anywhere? She hasn't slept in her bed and hasn't been seen since yesterday. We're all looking for her now."
Harry's stomach clenched. "No, I don't know anything," he lied. "I was with Daphne all night, remember?"
Disappointment spread across Ron's face, along with deep concern. "Oh, okay, I thought maybe... Well, will you look for her?"
"Of course I will –" Daphne poked him in the arm from the side. "Well, I'll let you know when I see her. I'm sorry, but there's something I have to do."
With that, he said goodbye to Ron and hurried down the corridor, while Ron ran in the opposite direction. He felt guilty about lying to his friend like that, but what could he have said? Daphne and I think Ginny is possessed by an evil spirit or something and has opened the Chamber of Secrets. We're on our way to a girls' bathroom where the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets might be. If we find her there, we'll rescue her, don't worry. Be careful and say hello to Hermione if you see her.
The words sounded as stupid in his head as they probably were. And yet that was exactly what they were going to do. They were going to unravel the secrets of the Chamber and save Ginny. They would do what all the adults had failed to do. Surely that would excuse a little lying…
Finally, the two friends reached the second floor corridor, where the message from Halloween was still glowing on the wall. At least there was no more of Daphne's blood on the floor, although Harry imagined that some spots were a little darker than others.
Get a grip, he reminded himself. Concentrate on the present. The cat will get what's coming to her.
Harry pushed open the door to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom and stepped inside. It was the gloomiest, most depressing bathroom he had ever seen. The windows under the ceiling were small and dirty, letting in only dull sunlight. The paint was peeling off the scratched wooden doors of the stalls, and many a door hung askew on its hinges. Beneath a huge, cracked, and stained mirror stretched a row of broken sinks, and in front of the mirror hovered the ghost of a girl, pressing a pimple on her chin.
The ghost girl paused as Harry entered and eyed him suspiciously. "This is a girls' bathroom," she said, "and you're not a girl."
Daphne took the moment to remove the Invisibility Cloak. "That's true, but I am a girl. Hello, Myrtle."
Myrtle narrowed her eyes. "And who are you?"
"My name is Daphne."
"And I'm Harry," Harry introduced himself. "And we'd like to ask you something, Myrtle."
"And what would that be?"
"How did you die?" said Harry and Daphne at the same time.
Suddenly Myrtle's whole appearance changed. She looked as if no one had ever asked her such a flattering question before. "Ooooh, that was dreadful," she said with relish. "I remember it so well. I'd hidden because Olive Hornby was teasing me about my glasses. In the stall at the back. The door was locked and I was crying and then I heard someone come in. They said something funny. It must have been another language."
Harry and Daphne looked at each other. Parseltongue!
"Anyway, what really got me was that it was a boy speaking," Myrtle continued. "So I unlocked the door to tell him to use his own toilet, and then..." Myrtle swelled importantly, her face shining. "– then I died."
"How?" asked Harry.
"I have no idea," Myrtle said in hushed tones. "All I remember is seeing a pair of great, big, yellow eyes. My whole body sort of seized up and then I floated away..." She looked at them dreamily. "And then I came back. I was determined –"
"Where?" Daphne interrupted impatiently. "Where did you see it?"
Myrtle snapped, offended. "Hey, at least let me finish if you're going to burst into my toilet like that. What I was about to say is –"
"We don't have time for this," Harry said. "You need to tell us where you saw those eyes. Right now!"
"You two really have no manners," Myrtle said, pointing to one of the broken sinks. "Somewhere over there. Now leave me alone, you ruffians!"
With that, the ghost girl whirled around, soared high into the air, turned, and plunged headlong into a toilet bowl, where she disappeared. Left behind were Harry and Daphne, who simultaneously rushed to the sink Myrtle had pointed to. They began to examine it, every inch of it, inside and out, including the pipes underneath. And then Harry saw it: there was a tiny snake scratched into the side of one of the copper taps.
"Here," he said.
Daphne stepped up beside him and ran her fingers over the snake. "This must be it."
Harry felt the magic within him and, following an inner prompt, said in Parseltongue, "Open."
The tap lit up brightly and began to turn – and the next second, the sink began to move. It sank completely into the wall, revealing the end of a large pipe, wide enough for a person to walk through comfortably, except that it went down at an angle. So it was more like sliding than walking.
Harry and Daphne looked at each other. "Ready?" asked Daphne.
"Sure. How about you?"
"It could be dangerous, couldn't it?"
"We knew that before," Harry said with a smile. "And together we can get through any danger, Daph."
Daphne returned his smile. It suited her, Harry thought, especially as he knew she was only giving it to him. "You're a true friend," she said, "and a complete madman to boot."
"And that's why I'm going ahead." Before Daphne could protest, Harry climbed into the tube and slid down.
It was as if he was hurtling down an endless, slimy, dark slide. He saw pipes branching off in all directions, but none as big as his own. It grew darker and darker until the last glimmer of light was gone. Pitch-black darkness surrounded him as he slid deeper and deeper, into depths that lay far beneath the dungeons, depths that were probably older than Hogwarts itself.
Stunned, Daphne looked after Harry. What was that idiot thinking, climbing into the pipe like that! They had no idea what awaited them there! And of course his chivalry forced him to go first.
Daphne cursed softly. She would have liked to change into her crow form to follow him, but a glance into the darkness of the pipe made her think otherwise. She would see nothing, and where she couldn't see, she couldn't fly without breaking her wings. It was no use. She too climbed into the pipe and slid down, like Harry before her.
What followed was one of the worst and most disgusting experiences of Daphne's life. The pipe she was sliding through was slimy. An unpleasant smell, which Daphne didn't know exactly what it was, rose to her nostrils and she kept bumping into the walls of the pipe.
Harry was somewhere in front of her. She couldn't see him, but she could hear him, because he, too, kept bumping into the walls. Then suddenly he let out a surprised cry. Before Daphne could react, the pipe suddenly bent and flattened out. With a wet thud, she rolled out and landed on a damp, hard floor.
"We must be miles under the school," Harry's voice rang out beside her. It echoed through the darkness. "Lumos!"
Harry's wand lit up, illuminating their surroundings. Not that there was much to see. They were in a stone tunnel, high enough to stand in. It was quiet as a mouse around them, as if they were in a tomb. And the thought was not so strange, for the whole floor of the tunnel was littered with small animal bones and skulls. It wasn't just a tomb, it was a graveyard.
"Nice here," Daphne muttered as she sat up. She flashed her wand as well. "The tunnel only goes one way."
Harry nodded and together they began to move. Their footsteps clapped loudly on the wet ground. It was so dark in the tunnel that they could only see a few yards ahead, despite their powerful light spells. In the light of their wands, their shadows looked like giants rising above them, ready to grab and devour them.
Eventually the tunnel widened and they entered a cave. In the light of their wands, they could see the outline of something huge and round in the middle of the cave. But it did not appear to be moving. Daphne gripped her wand tighter.
Carefully, one step at a time, they moved forward, wands raised, ready to fight. The light flickered across a huge snake skin, vividly poisonous green, lying curled and empty on the ground. Daphne's heartbeat quickened. There was only one snake that could grow that large.
"Basilisk," she whispered.
"Keep your eyes down," Harry said.
Daphne's eyes widened for a moment as the full significance of this revelation sank in, then she hastily lowered them. A basilisk! A bloody basilisk! It fit perfectly, but it also held a whole new set of dangers. They had to be extremely careful. One false move could mean instant death. Goose bumps ran down Daphne's body. Today they would make history, that much was certain.
They walked slowly past the huge snakeskin. The tunnel wound in endless twists and turns, and the tension in Daphne's body grew. She wished the tunnel would end.
Finally, as they slipped around another bend, they saw a wall in front of them with two entwined snakes carved into it. Their eyes were large, sparkling emeralds that reminded Daphne a little of Harry's, though not as beautiful.
Harry walked past her to the snakes. He cleared his throat and began to hiss in Parseltongue again, and again Daphne's hair stood on end. The power of magic in his words was as palpable as the shimmering air over a fire.
And as before in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, the magic of his words did not fail to work. The snakes parted and a crack opened in the wall. Smoothly, the two halves of the wall slid aside to reveal a dark passage. Harry and Daphne shared a last glance. They nodded to each other and stepped inside together.
Through the darkness they entered a long chamber lit by a greenish twilight. Mighty stone pillars rose at the sides, also carved with serpents. But the ceiling and walls of the Chamber of Secrets were hidden in the darkness. Perhaps the basilisk too? Eyes narrowed to slits, Daphne listened into the cold silence.
"Let's keep moving," Harry said quietly. His voice echoed off the walls.
Gripping their wands tightly, they moved between the serpentine columns. They listened for any sound and watched for any movement so they could close their eyes immediately. But nothing moved, and the only sound Daphne heard in the deathly silence was the beating of her own heart. The stuffy air weighed heavily on her tongue. It tasted of rot and decay. She fought back the urge to swallow.
Then they stepped between the last pair of pillars. In front of them, on the far wall, stood a statue as tall as the chamber itself. It was the statue of a wizard with a long, thin beard that fell almost to the hem of his billowing stone robes. Two enormous grey feet stood on the cold floor of the chamber, and between them a little girl with a fearsome smile and flaming red hair. For perhaps the first time in her life, an icy shiver ran down Daphne's spine.
"Oh, what a surprise," Ginny Weasley said, but her voice sounded no more like an eleven-year-old than it had the day before. Her voice was cold, arrogant, evil. "But it is a pleasant surprise."
Daphne and Harry immediately pointed their wands at her. "You're not Ginny," Harry said. "Then who are you?"
"I've longed to meet you for a long time," Weasley said, not answering Harry's question or even signalling that she had heard him. "Especially you, Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived. And you too, Daphne Greengrass. You caused poor Ginny so much pain. She was so jealous of you. Night after night, day after day, she confided in me all her pitiful sorrows and heartaches. How her brothers teased her, how she had to come to school in second-hand robes and books, and how" – the girl's eyes glinted – "she didn't think the famous, good, great Harry Potter would ever like her. All he ever did was spend time with that pretty Slytherin girl. Oh, Tom, what does she have that I don't? Why can't Harry look at me like that? It was pathetic."
"Are you a demon?" asked Daphne.
"A demon?" the girl laughed. It was a high, cold laugh that made Daphne's hair stand on end. "Oh no, I'm not a demon. You might say I'm... a memory. Preserved in a diary for fifty years." It was only then that Daphne noticed a small black book lying on the floor between the statue's feet.
Beside her, Harry groaned in pain. Her eyes leapt to him. He was holding his hand to his scar and looking at Weasley with a look of horror on his face. Daphne was struck with an icy feeling.
"Who are you?" hissed Harry.
"You made a mistake coming here, Harry Potter," Weasley said. "I would have liked to ask you many more questions, but the time has not yet come. And now it never will... but some sacrifices must be made, and in the course of my immortal life I shall surely find the answers to these questions, even without you. You shall see from your graves the triumphant return of Lord Voldemort, the most powerful wizard in history. For today I will be your death... The King of Snakes will devour you."
Harry and Daphne reacted instinctively. Two bolts of lightning shot out of their wands and struck the self-styled Voldemort in the chest. He didn't even try to fight back. Even as his stunned body hit the ground and thick ropes were tied around him, there was a smile of victory on his face. His eyes glowed red.
The King of Snakes will devour you.
A long, horrible squeal sounded as if from the pit of hell. Horrified, Daphne watched as the mouth of the giant statue above them opened wider and wider, revealing a huge black hole. And something was moving inside the stone mouth. Something was slithering up from the depths. A hiss ripped through the air, full of magic and the power of a thousand-year-old creature hungry for prey.
Daphne squeezed her eyes shut and cried, "Harry, run!"
"I won't leave you."
A warm sensation flooded Daphne's heart. But she shouted at him, "I can see with my eyes closed, but you can't. Run!"
"But –"
"Run! Please!"
Harry started to run, even though everything in him was against it. But what lay ahead was a battle he could not win. His only chance was to get help. He had to get help and then – he stopped, suddenly paralysed.
Something huge hit the stone floor and made it shake. Harry knew what was happening, he could feel it, he could almost see the basilisk wriggling out of Slytherin's mouth. Behind him, Daphne let out a long sigh and then – flaps! Flaps like he had heard dozens of times before.
Harry forced himself to take a step forward. Never before had a movement taken so much effort. Behind him he heard the basilisk slide its heavy body across the ground and he heard the determined cry of a crow coming to meet it.
Daphne screamed and lunged at the basilisk, claws, and beak first, her eyes squeezed shut. But she was not blind. She could see, not colours and shapes, but the giant snake's glowing aura, as unmistakable as a flash of lightning in the night.
The basilisk reacted faster than Daphne had thought possible. Before she could even get close to its eyes, it jerked its head sideways. Daphne shot past it, spun sharply in the air, and lunged for its head again. But this time the basilisk lunged at her. Long, sabre-thin fangs flashed, but Daphne rolled sideways and the teeth missed her by a feather's breadth. Quickly, Daphne slid up to a safe distance. A hit from those teeth would mean certain death.
Her eyes fell on Harry's aura as it approached the portal through which they had entered the chamber. But the basilisk had to see him too. It slithered towards Harry, emitting an angry, hungry hiss that filled Daphne with icy dread.
She had to do something!
She dove head first, straight for the back of the basilisk's head. With all her might, she slammed her claws into the cold flesh and slashed with her beak. Her beak hurt afterwards, but the basilisk didn't seem to notice. She might as well have been trying to tear down Hogswart's walls with a toothpick. Again and again Daphne struck with her beak, but to no avail. She let out a scream, poured all her anger, fear, and bloodlust into it, and stabbed again into her enemy's flesh.
A jolt went through the basilisk. Its head spun around, then something heavy hit Daphne so hard that she was thrown against the nearest wall. The impact knocked the air out of her lungs. She collapsed to the floor. The basilisk rose above her. In a moment, its venomous fangs would pierce her body if it did not crush her first.
She had thought she could hold on a little longer. What a humiliating end.
The exit of the chamber was now very close, but the sounds behind him made Harry freeze. There was the battle cry of a crow, the hiss of a basilisk, the thud of a small body against hard stone. Terror flooded over him, raw and hot rather than cold, terror that set his limbs on fire and burned every thought from his mind except one: Daphne was going to die!
Harry whirled around. He spread his arms and screamed, he screamed louder than he had ever screamed before, he screamed as if his life depended on it. He screamed because he had to do something, because nothing would ever be worse than not doing it. He screamed so loudly that his heart trembled like a bird in a cage trying to escape before the flames consumed it. He screamed his terror to the world – and something inside him responded.
It started slowly, like the first sparks of a bonfire, but it quickly grew stronger, louder, hotter. Harry didn't even try to stop it. He screamed, and this time it was a scream of ecstasy and determination, and like a firebrand his scream swept away everything, all the earthly bonds that had held him captive, all his fears, doubts, worries, replaced by magic in its purest form, springing from the innermost part of himself, his soul. His soul, which at that moment knew only one goal.
Daphne, I'm coming!
The world went white at the thought. Harry squeezed his eyes shut as a sudden, piercing flood of light burst across his vision. It seemed to fill his head, blinding him, drowning him. He was blind and yet he saw. Not light and dark, not in the sense that one sees with the eyes, but he saw something, undoubtedly. Huge and shining. And cold. And next to it he saw something else, much, much smaller, but just as radiant, and not cold, but warm.
All the conversations with Daphne had not prepared Harry for this moment when he saw magical auras for the first time, for he never doubted for a second that what he saw were the auras of the basilisk and his best friend. He just knew it, just like he knew he had to move his arms, up and down and up and down. Only they were no longer arms... Where there had been skin and hair, Harry felt feathers, where there had been feet, he felt claws, and instead of a mouth and a nose, he felt a beak on his face.
Before Harry fully realised what had happened, he shot through the air, straight at the basilisk's glowing aura. He flew, he knew, not because he could fly, but because he had to. Because Daphne would die if he did not.
His claws dug into hard, cold flesh. With all his might, he pecked at the basilisk with his beak, and although he was only a small bird, he managed to irritate the monster. The basilisk hissed angrily and whirled around, but Harry quickly soared into the air and escaped its clutches.
His closed crow-eyes looked towards the wall. But where Daphne had been a moment ago, there was now lifeless darkness. Harry's gut tightened – as he suddenly heard a scream coming from above him.
"Caw, caw, caw!" It was a cry he had heard many times before, but this time he understood it. "Harry, you did it!"
Daphne flew over him. Relief washed over Harry. She was alive. They were both alive and both flying.
"Caw, caw!" he shouted back, "I told you so."
A golden light illuminated Daphne's aura as she sped towards him. Their wings brushed and they both laughed.
"Oh Harry, this is one of the greatest moments of my life!"
"Don't we have to defeat that monster down there first?"
Below them, the basilisk raged, its aura full of ugly fury. It straightened up and tried to snap at them, but they flew too high. However, there was no escape for them either. The basilisk blocked the exit with its massive body.
"What do you want to do?" asked Daphne.
"We have to gouge out its eyes," Harry said. "They are its most dangerous weapon."
"I've already tried that. It's too fast, I couldn't get close enough."
"You're not alone now. Together we can do it." Harry flew a wide arc to gain momentum. "I'll distract it, then you can strike."
"Harry, wait –"
But there was no stopping Harry. He lunged headlong and roared as loud as his little crow's throat would allow, "Hey, you ugly beast! Yeah, I'm talking to you! Catch me if you can!"
The basilisk hissed. Its dark yellow eyes locked on Harry, and there was nothing but pure hatred in them. The basilisk opened its mouth and tried to snap at him, but Harry was too quick. He shot past the giant snake like a snitch past a careless Seeker. Before his Quidditch ban, he had been used to dodging bludgers on his broom; this was no challenge for him. Especially as he was much, much smaller and flying was so much more wonderful.
"You're too slow," Harry shouted, laughing out loud. "Slow, slow, slow. I've never seen a snake as slow as you."
The basilisk hissed and venom dripped from its mouth. Some of it fell to the floor of the chamber where it burned into the stone. Harry turned and flew back towards the basilisk, which snapped at him with its mouth and swung its tail at him. But Harry did a somersault, as playfully as he had done nothing else all his life, diving under the tail strike and making an abrupt turn, just a fraction of a second before the basilisk's jaws closed around him. But the snake only bit the empty air.
Again Harry laughed. Even as the basilisk opened its mouth again, Harry flew around its head, landed on its scaly nose and struck with all his might. The basilisk roared angrily and threw its head back to get rid of him, but Harry's claws held him in place. Again and again he slashed at the basilisk's nose, and it grew more and more furious. It roared, it wriggled, it flailed its tail, but nothing could shake Harry off, even though his beak rattled and his feathers were ruffled.
Then, out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw a movement. A bolt of black lightning flashed past him, a beak flashed and a deafening roar shook the chamber.
"Now you!" Daphne shouted at him as she rose back into the air.
Harry freed himself from the basilisk's nose and rose into the air, but not too high. He made a sharp turn and shot back down. For a moment, he saw the bloody pulp that Daphne's beak had left in the basilisk's right eye, then his beak bored into the other. It felt like crushing a grape, and it was just as easy. A shower of dark blood poured down on Harry like a warm rain, but only a few drops hit him as he quickly slid up again before the basilisk could strike again.
The basilisk hissed in horrible agony as blood poured from its ruined eyes. But it was still alive, and as long as it was, it was a danger to them, to Hogwarts and its inhabitants. They could not let it escape.
"We have to kill it," he shouted to Daphne as they were reunited high above the monster.
"How?" asked Daphne.
Harry's brain raced. Poking out vulnerable eyes in a happy moment was one thing, but what could two little crows do to kill a basilisk? They might have annoyed it when they pecked at it, but they couldn't have seriously injured it. But... his gaze fell on Ginny's stunned and bound body, still lying at the foot of the huge statue. The demon, Voldemort, or whatever was controlling her was also controlling the basilisk. The spell had to be broken. But Ginny could not be harmed.
The diary!
Harry's eyes fell on the dark book lying even closer to the statue. The possessed Ginny had said she was a memory, kept in a diary for fifty years. ... Did that mean they could break the spell if they destroyed the diary? It was worth a try, and they didn't have many other options.
"We must destroy the diary," he shouted to Daphne.
Daphne followed his gaze. For a moment her feathered face looked pensive, then she nodded. "It might work. But the only way to destroy it..." Her eyes fell on the raging basilisk below.
Harry's feathers ruffled with excitement. They had to be suicidal to even think about it, and yet he found himself grinning, or the closest thing to a grin a crow could do.
"Do you think you can do it?" asked Daphne.
"Of course, I was born to fly."
"Not to be modest, though."
"What can I say? Modesty is for fools."
Daphne laughed, her cawing echoing through the chamber. Her amber eyes sparkled as she gave him a look that Harry could only interpret as pride. "I'll distract him this time," she crowed, "I'll see you at its wake, Sir Harry."
With that, Daphne whirled through the air and plunged headlong, just as Harry had done moments before.
But he didn't watch her for long. Even before Daphne's beak hit the basilisk, he was already moving towards the statue. The stale air of the chamber rushed through his feathers as he flew towards it as fast as he could. The dark walls and greenish twilight passed him by, blurred, out of focus, at the edge of his vision. His eyes knew only one target, as did his claws, which closed unerringly around the diary on the floor as he reached it.
Immediately, Harry rose into the air again, and it felt as if an anchor had been wrapped around his legs. The book was heavy, much heavier than an ordinary crow could have carried. But Harry was no ordinary crow. He clenched his beak and forced himself into the air with all his might. He would never let a bloody book bring him to his knees, even though his claws were tingling strangely. He flew back towards the basilisk, slower than he would have liked, but determined and with an iron will.
Daphne continued to circle the giant snake's head, screaming obscene insults and stabbing its scaly nose from time to time, while dark blood still dripped from its ruined eyes onto the ground.
Now came the hardest part.
"Hey, you ugly beast, I'm back!"
The basilisk turned towards him with its huge, bloody eye sockets, its nostrils flaring furiously and, most menacingly of all, its mouth wide open, wide enough to swallow a dozen crows at once, let alone a single one, with teeth as long as swords, gleaming and venomous. And it was that mouth that Harry was aiming at.
Harry screamed, Daphne shot into the air, the basilisk roared. It shot forward, straight at Harry, and Harry shot at it. The basilisk's mouth opened in front of him, and at that moment Harry threw back his head and wings.
The moment seemed to freeze. Everything moved in slow motion. Harry's claws shot forward, taking the cursed diary with them. He let go of it as the basilisk's jaws closed around him. He completed his somersault, spun in the air, and flew away as fast as he could, ignoring the sudden burning in his right wing.
Behind him, a long, terrible, bloodcurdling scream rang out, piercing Harry to the core. He turned to see a black mist enveloping the basilisk's head. A dark liquid ran down its fangs, leaving scorched flesh wherever it landed. The basilisk roared in agony. Its massive body began to sway. It toppled to the side and hit the ground with a thunderous thud, twitching uncontrollably. As the black mist cleared, Harry saw that one half of its head had been blown off and the other had been burnt to the bone. The giant snake would not live long and would spend the last moments of its life in terrible pain.
Harry let out a scream of joy, and Daphne joined in above him ... when suddenly a sharp pain shot through him. He looked down at his right wing. Blood shone between the black feathers, his own blood.
The world started to spin around Harry. He just managed to reach the ground where his body turned back. A sudden heaviness crushed him, as if the world itself was trying to smother him, but worst of all was the icy pain that radiated from the wound in his wing... arm. He watched as his blood soaked the cloak, then his vision clouded.
The chamber blurred into a swirl of dark colours. A pitch-black blur floated past, and Harry heard the sound of claws hitting the stone floor. The next moment, Daphne's familiar face bent over him, and if he needed any more proof of how bad things were, it was in her expression. Normally the epitome of poise and confidence, Daphne looked at him in panic, tears gleaming in her golden eyes.
"Harry! Harry!" she cried, "please get up! We won! Get up! Please get up! Please, please get up!"
He wanted so much to raise his hand, but he had no strength left. Darkness came over him.
"Harry! Harry! Please get up! We won! Get up! Please get up! Please, please get up!" Daphne shook Harry, but he didn't move. His eyes were closed, his breathing faint and his body growing colder under her hands.
"No," Daphne hissed, suddenly furious. "You can't die! You can't!" She had to do something. It couldn't end like this! He couldn't just die. He couldn't. They were so close!
Daphne's fingers closed around the black wood of her wand. She pointed it at the dying basilisk. If she was going to save Harry, she needed its power. Her hand trembled and she despised herself for it, but the following spell passed effortlessly from her lips. If it hadn't, if she had hesitated even a little, if she hadn't put her heart into it, it would have meant Harry's death, and she would never let that happen. All her desperation, all her fear, all her will to save Harry, she poured into the spell.
"Crucio."
The basilisk roared. Its body twitched, trying to rise, but the wounds Harry had inflicted on it were too severe. Its skin cracked, not just on its head, but all over its long body. Dark, hissing blood poured from every pore of his body, burning his flesh, and Daphne felt a wonderful warmth fill her body, more overwhelming than anything she had ever felt in her experiments and rituals. It was the life power of the basilisk, a being so infinitely more powerful than worms and rats. It felt glorious, and she felt herself becoming quite dizzy. But it was not she who needed this power.
She looked at Harry, who was lying on the floor of the chamber below her. His breathing was shallow and his skin had turned snow-white, a stark contrast to his pitch-black hair. She had to hurry. But how? How could she give him the strength he needed to survive? She couldn't lower her wand arm or the spell would fade. She had no knife, no blade, no tool with which to hurt herself.
There was only one way.
Daphne bit her lips and her teeth cut deep. Warm blood oozed out. Immediately, Daphne bent down and pressed her lips to Harry's mouth. His lips were cold and made her insides freeze, but she didn't stop until her blood found its way into Harry's mouth. She forced him to swallow. Then she bit her now-healed lips again and repeated the process.
Again and again she forced Harry to take in her blood and with it the life power of the basilisk that coursed through Daphne's body like liquid fire. It set her insides ablaze. Never before had she felt so powerful, so terrible, so sublime. And never had she felt so desperate. Hot tears trickled down her cheeks.
Please. Please. Please.
Daphne was giving away so much of the basilisk's life power, keeping none for herself and even giving her own to Harry, that she herself was growing weaker and weaker. Her wand arm, still connected to the basilisk by a glowing red beam, shook more and more violently.
One last time, Daphne pressed her lips to Harry's. She felt a warm sensation under her fingers before she fell forward. She could still feel herself hitting Harry's chest, then she felt nothing at all.
When Harry awoke he felt more rested than he had ever felt in his life, as if he had slept for hours. He felt wonderful, except for an iron, bloody taste in his mouth. He must have bitten his tongue. He swallowed. Then he tried to open his eyes, but bright light blinded him. He blinked and slowly his eyes adjusted to the light, although it didn't really need adjusting. It was still the greenish twilight that dominated the chamber, only it seemed clearer and brighter than before, giving the air a glorious glow.
Something tickled Harry's nose and he lowered his eyes. Silky black hair, as black as the darkest night, lay on his chest and it belonged to his best friend. She seemed unconscious.
Harry touched Daphne's face and in that one moment he was suddenly aware of her, entirely aware of her in a way he had never been aware of anything before. He could feel the texture of her skin beneath his hand and felt the abrupt compulsion to lay his fingers over her chest to feel the beating of her heart beneath. It was slow but steady. He could feel the surge of blood in her veins, the fear, the worry, and the pain that filled her unconscious.
It took Harry a frozen, endless moment to separate the beating of his own heart, the rush of blood in his own ears, from hers. They were beating together, perfectly in time. Even as he realised it, his own heartbeat began to quicken and so did hers, bringing a flush of heat to his face, one answered in her own unconscious expression.
Daphne's scent, the sweet scent of pine needles with a hint of lemongrass, curled around him, flowing through him like something alive. The shape of her eyebrows, her cheeks, her mouth. In that single moment, he saw in her the promise of blossoming beauty, the strength she craved, the courage and reckless resourcefulness that matched his own and flamed in her unbridled and true.
A smile played on Harry's lips, then he heard a low moan from the back of the chamber. He glanced over the dead, shriveled, almost charred body of the basilisk to the huge statue of Salazar Slytherin at whose feet Ginny had awoken. The ropes fell from her before crumbling to dust. She sat up and moved her head.
Harry rose from the floor and put one arm under Daphne's back and the other in the crook of her knees to carry her. She was surprisingly light. Still, she did not stir.
He stepped towards Ginny, who seemed to be slow to realise where she was and what had happened. Her confused gaze shifted from the huge form of the dead basilisk to Harry, who was holding Daphne in his arms. She groaned loudly, shaking, tears streaming down her face.
"Harry – oh, Harry ... I ... I wanted to tell you, but I... I c-couldn't. It was me, Harry – but I s-swear I didn't mean to – T-Tom made me do it and – how did you kill that – that thing? W-where's Tom? The last thing I remember is him getting into my head and –"
"It's all right, Ginny," Harry said. "It's over."
"I'm going to be expelled," Ginny wept. "I've looked forward to coming to Hogwarts ever since B-Bill came and n-now I'll have to leave and – w-what'll Mum and Dad say?"
"I'm sure you won't be expelled," Harry tried to reassure the girl. "I mean, look what Daph and I did, and we're still here."
A pained look crossed Ginny's face, but she said nothing more. She wiped the tears from her face and got to her feet.
"Let's go," Harry said. "It's a long way back."
With that they began to move. Past the dead basilisk that seemed to haunt them with its empty eyeballs, through the echoing darkness and back into the tunnel. Harry heard the stone gates slam shut behind them with a soft hiss.
Harry managed to hold his wand in one hand at Daphne's side, creating a golden light that illuminated the path ahead of them. They finally reached the mouth of the pipe that had led them down into the depths.
"How do we get back up?" asked Ginny.
"How did you do it before?"
"I... can't remember."
Harry shrugged. "Then I'll have to take care of it."
He couldn't say why, but he knew he could. Just like he knew he could breathe or fly. He pointed his wand at Ginny and from one moment to the next, without the need for a spell, she began to levitate. Ginny cried out in surprise and waved her arms.
Then Harry pointed his wand at himself and he too began to levitate. He did it effortlessly, as if a magical fire was burning inside him, giving him unprecedented power.
A moment later, they were hurtling upwards through the pipe. The cool air tugged at Harry's robes and whipped through his hair.
"Oh Harry, you're amazing," Ginny exclaimed, looking at him dreamily.
But Harry paid no attention to her, for at that moment something moved in his arms. As he looked down, warm amber eyes looked back at him. Without taking her eyes off him, Daphne reached out a hand and touched his chest, fingers pressed close to feel the beating of his heart.
"You're alive," she said.
"I'm alive," Harry said.
Daphne sighed softly and closed her eyes again, but a small smile played around her lips. "Good."
Before Harry could reply, they reached the end of the pipe and landed feather-light on the wet floor of Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. Behind them, the sink that hid the pipe slid back into place as if nothing had happened. As if the last few hours had never happened. Well, their exhausted forms proved otherwise.
Daphne moved into Harry's arms and said, "Please put me down."
Harry did so, but put his arm around her waist to support her as she was still wobbly on her feet. The last two days must have taken a lot out of her. He too felt the exhaustion returning, as if the fire of the miraculous power that had allowed them to return to the surface had been extinguished. They had to get out of here.
He looked at Ginny. "Can you keep going?"
The younger girl nodded, not meeting his gaze. "Don't worry about me."
The three of them began to move. They walked through deserted corridors. Most of the students were probably in class, but fortunately not all. As they turned the next corner, two Ravenclaw students came towards them. They stopped when they saw them.
"Hey, what are you doing?" one of them shouted. "What's wrong with you?"
Harry breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Please get Madam Pomfrey. We need her help."
A short time later, Harry and Daphne found themselves in the hospital wing they had escaped from that morning. They sat side by side on one of the beds, their legs dangling. Ginny was in a bed a little further away, having been magically put to sleep by Madam Pomfrey so that she could recover from her ordeal.
Harry had his hand on Daphne's and she had her head on his shoulder as they enjoyed the calm after the storm. The storm, admittedly, of their own making. It was the first quiet moment for them in what felt like an eternity.
"Wow," Daphne whispered next to him.
"Wow," Harry agreed.
"Do you remember what happened?" Daphne's cheeks turned slightly pink. That was uncharacteristic of her.
"Just that the basilisk hurt me," Harry said. "You held me. You were crying... and then it went dark. The next thing I remember, I woke up and you were unconscious. What –"
At that moment, there were loud noises outside the door of the hospital wing, footsteps and voices that made them both jump.
"I told you –" Madam Pomfrey's voice rang out.
"It is all right, Poppy." That was Professor Dumbledore's voice. "They are just worried about their friends and their sister."
The next moment the door was pushed open and Ron, Hermione, Percy, and the twins burst in. Their eyes fell on Harry and Daphne and then on the sleeping Ginny. The Weasleys immediately rushed to her bed, Ron giving them a grateful look. Hermione, on the other hand, ran to Harry and threw herself around his neck.
Hermione hugged him tightly, so tightly that for a moment Harry feared he would not be able to breathe. His face was buried in bushy brown hair. He felt Daphne release her hand from his and slide further to his side. A sudden feeling of emptiness washed over him.
When Hermione finally broke away from him, she was beaming all over, tears of joy glistening in her eyes. "Oh Harry, what are you doing?" she said sniffling. "I was so worried when we heard..." She shook her head. "It doesn't matter. The important thing is that you're well." She looked at Daphne and smiled. "Both of you. And you saved Ginny."
"Guess we're not such bad people after all, are we?" said Harry. He couldn't help pointing.
Hermione playfully punched him in the shoulder, still beaming. Tears ran down her cheeks. "No, really..."
"Thank you," Ron's voice rang out as he joined them. The other Weasleys followed, having made sure Ginny was all right. "Thank you both for saving my sister."
"Our sister," George added.
Fred nodded. "We'll never forget it."
"Neither will I," Percy said, coughing. "Thank you both."
Harry nodded at them, while Daphne remained silent. But out of the corner of his eye he saw her straighten up at the words and squeeze her shoulders. Chin raised proudly, she looked almost regal and pleased with herself at that moment. Harry smirked.
"Enough!" shouted Madam Pomfrey in an imperious voice, coming over to them and eyeing them all sternly. "The patients must rest."
It wasn't lost on Harry that she was giving Daphne and him her sternest look. It would probably be a while before they were on the Healer's good side again.
Now Dumbledore, who had been standing by the door, joined them. "I will see you out. But after that, I'm afraid I'm going to have to take up some of Harry and Daphne's time. Not to worry, Poppy, not too long."
Madam Pomfrey snorted. "I hope so too," she said before moving away with quick steps and leaning over Ginny's bed without giving them another look.
Dumbledore led the others out into the corridor, where Harry could hear low murmurs for some time.
Daphne leaned towards him. "It's better if we don't say anything about your injury."
Harry looked at her. He was beginning to imagine what Daphne must have done to save him, and if his guess was right, then they really shouldn't tell Dumbledore. They would have enough bludgers to dodge in their upcoming conversation with the Headmaster.
Gratefully, he squeezed Daphne's hand. "I won't say anything."
A moment later, Dumbledore returned to them. He conjured up a magnificent golden upholstered chair and sat down opposite them. "Poppy is a little upset with you, as I am sure you have noticed. I think it would be wiser if you stopped making secret trips for the time being, because let me give you some well-intentioned advice." Conspiratorially, he leaned over and said quietly, "Never mess with the person who decides on your pain relief potions when you're injured."
Harry grinned and Dumbledore chuckled quietly before continuing. "I may not be your healer, but I do have a bone to pick with you. Imagine my surprise when I went to talk to Daphne this morning and she had disappeared without a trace. And there was no sign of you either, Harry."
"Our actions were not without reason," Daphne said.
"Oh, I have no doubt of that. After all, you returned with the missing Miss Weasley only a few hours later, and from no less a place than the Chamber of Secrets, if I am to believe one of my former pupils." Professor Dumbledore looked at them over the rim of his half-moon-shaped glasses. "Are her words true?"
Harry opened his mouth, but Daphne beat him to it. "They are true," she said.
Dumbledore nodded slowly. "I think it's time we talked about some things. Would you like to start?"
"What do you want to know?" asked Harry.
"Whatever you think is the right place to start."
Harry and Daphne exchanged looks. Harry felt he could read Daphne's plan in her eyes and a tingle ran through his body. Daphne subtly squeezed his hand.
He turned to Dumbledore and said, "Well, yesterday was Valentine's Day and I received a musical message…"
"I've heard of that," Dumbledore said with an amused twinkle in his eye. "A very poetic one at that, but please go on."
Harry pursed his lips. It bothered him that even Dumbledore had heard about it.
"I'd better continue," Daphne said. "Because the next events concern me. When I went looking for Ginny Weasley afterwards –"
"Why were you looking for Miss Weasley?" asked Dumbledore.
Daphne hesitated for a moment before continuing. "Because I thought she had sent Harry the message. I wanted to talk to her because I don't think Harry was happy about it."
You were right about that, Harry thought. Nobody knows me like you do, Daph.
As if Daphne had guessed his thoughts, she squeezed his hand gently again as she continued. "When I found her, she was talking to someone she called Tom. But there was nobody with her. And then something strange happened..." Dumbledore's gaze commanded her to continue. "Suddenly her voice sounded different, colder. When she left, I followed her to the bathroom on the second floor. There I heard a hiss."
"Was that the moment you were attacked?" asked Dumbledore.
"Yes. The next thing I remember was waking up here in the hospital wing and looking into Harry's eyes."
"Do you know what attacked you?"
"I'm afraid I don't," Daphne said curtly.
Dumbledore gave her a long look before nodding slowly. "Please continue."
"Then I'll take over again," Harry said. "After Daphne told me what happened, I realised it must have something to do with the Chamber of Secrets. Because that hissing sound Daphne heard, that must have been Parseltongue."
"What makes you so sure?"
"Because I can speak it. I can talk to snakes."
If Dumbledore was surprised by his words, he didn't show it. Instead, he asked, "How long have you known this?"
"Since last term, when I read that not all wizards can," Harry lied as he concentrated on strengthening his Occlumency shields. He didn't think Dumbledore would try to get into his mind, but you can't be too careful. "The first time I talked to a snake was the summer before our first year, at the zoo… So where was I?"
"That we suspected Weasley had something to do with the Chamber," Daphne said.
"Right. So Daphne and I decided to go back to the bathroom the next day and see if we could find out anything."
"Why didn't you tell anyone what you suspected?" asked Dumbledore.
"We didn't even know if we were right," Daphne said.
"Given what happened afterwards, it looks like you were."
Harry nodded. "In the bathroom we found a snake carved into the sink. I used Parseltongue to open the entrance and we slid down a long pipe into a tunnel far beneath the castle. The tunnel led to the Chamber of Secrets and there we met Ginny."
"But it wasn't really Miss Weasley, was it?" asked Dumbledore.
"Yes, not really. It was her, her body, but she was possessed by... We don't know if it's true, but the creature said it was Voldemort."
Dumbledore leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes. There was a moment's silence.
"Are you all right, Professor?" asked Daphne.
Dumbledore nodded and opened his eyes again. "Yes, indeed, there are many things we need to talk about. But before we do, please continue, Harry. I'm sure the story is far from over."
A shiver ran down Harry's spine as he thought of what had happened after that. Had it really all happened in a single day?
"Ginny, Voldemort, he tried to kill us," he continued. " He unleashed the monster of Slytherin, a basilisk, before we could stun him. We ran, but soon realised we couldn't escape. And then..." He exchanged glances with Daphne.
"Then we completed our Animagus transformation," she finished his sentence. "The moment we had no choice, we began to fly, not because we wanted to, but because we had to. Because otherwise we would have died."
Dumbledore leaned forward. "What animals did you turn into?"
"Crows," Daphne said.
"Both of you?"
"Yes. We are both crows."
A warm feeling gripped Harry at her words and he squeezed her hand, which Daphne returned. Her face was calm, but he could see the hint of a smile around her lips, and there was a soft glow in her golden irises.
Dumbledore stroked his long white beard. "'Astonishing. Truly astonishing. But how could two crows defeat a basilisk?"
"As crows, we could see the basilisk's aura, so we could keep our eyes closed," Harry said. "We poked its eyes out with our beaks, and then I had an idea. Before the basilisk attacked us, Ginny, well, I mean Voldemort, said he was a memory trapped in a diary. And the diary was beside her."
For a moment, Dumbledore's eyes flashed at Harry's words, but their Headmaster told him to continue.
"So I took the book in my claws and threw it down the basilisk's throat. It bit it and there was a terrible scream, followed by a black mist that enveloped the basilisk's head. It killed it." Harry took a deep breath and continued. "After that, Ginny woke up, she was back to normal, and we returned. You know the rest."
"Thank you, Harry," Dumbledore said after a moment's pause. "That was very illuminating indeed."
"In what way?" asked Daphne. "What conclusions do you draw?"
"Was it really Voldemort who possessed Ginny?" asked Harry.
Dumbledore looked out the window where day was slowly giving way to evening. The last rays of the sun reflected off his half-moon glasses, tinting his grandfatherly face a deep orange. "From what you have just told me, I'm afraid it was indeed Lord Voldemort you faced down there. Part of him, at least."
"'Part of him'?" asked Harry.
Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully and turned back to them. "I think it is time I told you the truth, the truth I have uncovered so far." Harry and Daphne leaned forward expectantly. Daphne's fingernails dug into Harry's skin. "As you know, Lord Voldemort tried to kill you on Halloween twelve years ago, Harry, but he failed. His own death curse fell upon him and a time of darkness and terror came to an end. The wizarding world rejoiced. But" – Dumbledore raised his index finger – "what many did not know, or chose not to know, was that Voldemort lived on, weakened, not much more than a ghost, but he lived. And ever since, he had lurked in secret, waiting for an opportunity to return and restore his dark regime. Until less than a year ago. For I have set a trap for him. Do you remember the mirror in my office that you looked into before Christmas?"
And how Harry remembered it. The image of his parents before they were swept away by... an evil, serpentine face, accompanied by a hideous laugh. His eyes widened with understanding. "Voldemort is trapped in there," he whispered.
Disgust slipped across Daphne's face, followed by horror as she seemed to realise what she had seen in the mirror. Harry squeezed her hand. Once, twice, three times, until Daphne returned his pressure. They both turned back to Dumbledore.
"You captured Voldemort in the mirror? But then what was that in the Chamber?" asked Daphne.
"Lord Voldemort too, just a different part of him," Dumbledore said. "You see, ever since I caught him in the mirror, I have been engaged in a battle with him. A battle of wills and minds to extract from him his secrets, the most important of which is how he survived Halloween twelve years ago. It is a gruelling battle with many defeats and few hard-fought victories."
"That's why you often look so tired and old," Harry said.
Dumbledore smiled weakly at him. "There is no sword as sharp as the honesty of youth. But yes, you are right, Harry, this battle has taken a lot out of me, but it has been worth it, I hope. For I have learned something important."
Harry and Daphne were now hanging on their Headmaster's every word. "What, what did you learn?" asked Harry.
"I have learned that Lord Voldemort has created anchors that bind him to life. As long as these anchors remain, he cannot die."
"Anchors?" asked Daphne sceptically.
"Vessels in which he has locked part of his soul, protected by powerful magic, indestructible by conventional means. One of the few means of destroying them, I learned today, seems to be basilisk venom."
Understanding came over Harry. "And the diary was such a vessel."
"Obviously," Dumbledore said. "It is fitting that Miss Weasley spoke to a Tom, for that was Lord Voldemort's name before he became what he is today. A boy named Tom Riddle."
"Wow," Daphne muttered.
"Wow," Harry agreed. So they had really fought Voldemort, even if it was only a part of him. Hot pride and a sense of satisfaction spread through him. He had destroyed a part of the murderer of his parents.
"Impressive indeed," Dumbledore said, nodding. "You have done a great deed today, Harry, Daphne, but I must ask you to do an even greater one."
"What?" asked Harry.
"You must tell no one what I have just told you, nor what happened in the chamber. I am already searching for the remaining soul vessels of Lord Voldemort, and stories like this might startle the wrong people. We must prevent that at all costs, so that we can destroy Voldemort once and for all."
"I'm sorry," Daphne said coolly. "Perhaps I misunderstood you, but did you just say that we can't tell anyone what we've done?"
"You heard me correctly, Daphne," Dumbledore said.
Harry felt Daphne's hand tighten in his and resentment rose in him too.
"We killed a bloody basilisk," Daphne hissed. "The world should know what we've done."
Dumbledore bowed his head slightly. "I'm sorry. I'm incredibly proud of you both, but no one can know about this. It is too dangerous."
Daphne snorted. "We risked our lives down there for that damn school and this is the thanks we get? A pat on the back and that's it?"
"Did you really do it to protect the school?" asked Dumbledore calmly.
"What?"
Dumbledore sighed. "A certain vanity is all too human. It, or to put it more mildly, the desire for admiration and recognition, is perhaps the most universal drive of human action. But don't be deceived, Daphne. Vanity is also a faithless servant. It makes its master so much smaller than it pretends to make them larger."
"I stand corrected," Daphne said. "'Besides a pat on the back, we get empty words."
"It's better if you leave now, Professor," Harry said coolly. "Daphne and I are tired and need to rest."
"You certainly do," Dumbledore said, rising. With a wave of his wand, his golden chair disappeared into the air. "I know I am asking a great deal of you, but please know that I am deeply grateful for what you have done and discovered today. You have severely weakened Voldemort and brought us another important step closer to defeating him, and you have saved young Miss Weasley from a terrible fate. I doubt most adult wizards, let alone children of your age, could have done the same. You have earned my respect and gratitude today."
Daphne clicked her tongue and Harry nodded his chin curtly, saying nothing in return. Dumbledore nodded and turned away, "Get some rest. Good night, Harry, Daphne."
As the door closed behind him, Daphne shook her head wildly, her dishevelled black hair falling into her face. "I should have known," she said.
Harry felt the same disappointment as Daphne, but he didn't think it would do any good to dwell on it too much. "We still did the right thing," he said. "We did great things today, Daph, and at least we both know it."
Daphne laughed mirthlessly. "The right thing? What's that supposed to be? No matter how we amuse ourselves, live out our days, and die, that's all there is to the world. Right and wrong, good and evil – it's all the same. At the end of days, no one will praise us, and no one will punish us. But for the world to condemn us for what we did in the Great Hall and then deny us the reward for what we do today... I can't bear to see such injustice. It disgusts me. It makes me sick just to think about it." She turned to him, her golden eyes sparkling in the twilight. "We deserve better. You deserve better."
Harry smiled at his best friend, his companion through danger and pain. He stroked her palm gently. "Weren't you the one who said the world wasn't a fair place? We can try to change that, but I don't think –"
Sudden noises outside the door of the hospital wing interrupted Harry in what he was about to say. There were two loud voices, one of them Ron's. "Mum, Ginny's still sleeping. Let her rest."
"I still want to see her. And I want to thank them," another voice said. It took Harry a moment to recognise it as the voice of Mrs Weasley, Ron's mother, who had shown him how to get to Platform Nine and Three-Quarters.
The door opened and Mrs Weasley walked in. Her eyes fell on Harry and Daphne and she hurried to them as quickly as she could. "You brave, brave children," she cried, "you saved her! You saved my little Ginny!"
With that, she hugged Harry so tightly that Hermione's hug from earlier seemed almost tender. Harry wouldn't have been surprised to hear his bones crack, but he returned Mrs Weasley's hug with a smile on his lips.
"You don't have to thank us," he said.
"Oh yes, I do!" Mrs Weasley pulled away from Harry, blinking away a few tears. "I'll never forget this, Harry. Never." She looked at Daphne. "And you helped him! You brave, brave girl."
With that, Mrs Weasley hugged Daphne as well. Daphne let out a surprised cry before Mrs Weasley's arms closed around her, hugging her as tightly as they had Harry before.
Harry stifled a laugh as he watched in amusement. Daphne looked over Mrs Weasley's shoulder at him. Their eyes met. It was as if they could read each other's minds.
There's your appreciation, Harry thought amusedly.
Daphne's face was hard. That's not enough...