Sirius the Black
Chapter Five
The next day at breakfast, Ginny sat and ate with Harry, Ron, and Hermione again. Harry seemed to finish eating before the others so he excused himself and instead of walking out the doors, he headed the other direction toward the staff table.
They noticed he stopped in front of the headmaster and had a conversation. Then he turned and came back to sit again with his friends. After sitting, he turned to Ginny and asked a question.
"Right after dinner tonight, can you accompany me to Professor Dumbledore's office?"
"Uh… sure, Harry."
"Great! We'll eat dinner and wait for Dumbledore to finish then go when he's headed that direction."
"Why are you and Ginny going to the Headmaster's office after dinner tonight?" asked Hermione.
"Because I need to use his pensieve to show Ginny a memory that I think she needs to see."
"Can I see this memory too?" Hermione asked.
"Sure, but not tonight. It will have to be another time. Tonight it needs to be just Ginny and me."
Hermione frowned.
"Sorry, but this is to help Ginny."
Harry suddenly looked up past Hermione's bushy hair and recognized Sirius' owl, Artemis, headed his way. He was surprised when Artemis had two letters. One was marked for him and the other for Ginny. Harry removed both letters and handed Ginny hers as Artemis flew back out the way he came.
"Who's this from?" she asked.
"Evidently, my godfather sent us both a letter."
"Why would he be sending me one?"
"I don't know. I guess you'll have to read it."
Ginny opened the letter and began to read.
Miss Ginny Weasley,
I realize that you don't know me. We've only met once after all. I just wanted to let you know that I highly approve of my godson's new endeavors to help someone when he sees a need. I'm sure he made you aware that I was now privy to what happened in the Chamber of Secrets and what you went through that year. Rest assured, I am very impressed with your strength of character after going through such an ordeal at such a young age.
In short, while I am certain you have no doubt about Harry's intentions to help and support you in any way he can, I wish to let you know that I too am here to help if my services are ever needed. I'm sure your parents support you while other family members do as well, and that's great.
Just know that my godson and I are a packaged deal so you get two supporters for the price of one.
Best Wishes,
Sirius Black
"Wow! That was very nice of him," Ginny said to Harry.
"Sirius Black is a very cool godfather," Harry replied.
"Do you want to know what he said?" she asked.
Harry shook his head no. "He told me what he sent you in my letter from him so I already know. He just didn't want to send you a note without including one for me even if it was just to say hello. He didn't really need to send me anything. I just saw him yesterday."
"So, what memory are you showing me tonight?" Ginny asked.
"I think you know which one."
Her eyes got a little bigger. "Won't that give me more nightmares?"
"I don't think so. Currently, you don't know what actually happened when I joined you in the Chamber. You weren't awake for that. Your mind is filling in the blanks with imagination when you're dreaming about it. By showing what actually happened, I'm hoping it will help solve that problem. Even if it doesn't, you will get to see what you missed tonight and know all the details. You'll be able to see how it all worked out in the end, rather than just waking up at the end."
"I guess I'll have to trust you on this," she said nervously.
Harry's generous smile back at her nearly made her melt in front of him.
While Harry was working his magic at school, I had a meeting with Bonecrusher. When I described what all Harry did in the Chamber and how he killed that giant basilisk at the mere age of twelve, Bonecrusher insisted that he bring a team of goblins to Hogwarts to render the thing. I was going to ask and that was the reason I went to Gringotts in the first place, but it turned out my question wasn't needed.
I got approval from Albus to show up after dinner on Friday with the goblins. They could then work all night and, if needed, through the weekend down in the Chamber. I then owled Harry to inform him that his special skills would be needed to get everyone down there.
He of course decided to use the event as a teaching experience.
When I showed up on Friday with a large contingent of twenty goblins, I could tell most of the students were looking worried. Albus was waiting there to greet us and so was Harry. Standing behind him was Hermione and Ron, an older Ravenclaw girl, along with two other young boys, a Gryffindor and a Hufflepuff. The Gryffindor looked to be on the short side. Remus, Snape and Minerva were waiting over to the side.
Harry introduced the two boys as Colin Creevey and Justin Finch-Fletchley. The older girl, Penelope Clearwater, was a seventh year.
Ginny was there but she wasn't standing behind Harry. No she was right beside him as close as she could get. Harry had his arm around her shoulders while she was turned slightly toward him with her hands holding onto his robe. She looked worried.
After the introductions were finished, Bonecrusher walked up to Harry and Ginny.
"Harry, I insist that you share the memory with me as soon as you can get to Gringotts. I'm very anxious to see that fight."
"I'll do that, Bonecrusher," Harry told him smiling.
Bonecrusher then turned to Ginny.
"Miss Weasley, isn't it?" he asked.
"Yes," she answered timidly.
"Any relation to Bill Weasley?" he asked.
"Bill's my oldest brother," she said with a faint smile as she stood a little taller.
"Splendid! We are very pleased with Bill at Gringotts. If you don't mind me saying, I noticed you are hanging onto my client. You see, I'm the Potter family's account manager. I just wanted to congratulate you for picking such a worthy protector. You are apparently smart like your brother. Given what Harry has accomplished already, you could not have picked a better one."
Bonecrusher turned and went back to stand in front of his group of goblins.
Ginny just looked up at Harry in wonder. Harry was shaking his head at Bonecrusher's words.
Sirius came up next and spoke in person to Ginny along with Harry. He gave Harry a hug and went back to join the goblins.
"Shall we?" asked Albus. "I believe Mr. Potter knows the way. Lead on Harry," he said gesturing with his hand.
"Follow me, please," Harry told them.
Harry removed his arm from Ginny's shoulders and held her hand instead as they started walking. With one look to her he set off down the hall. She went with him as Hermione came up beside her and grabbed her other hand.
Everyone else just followed. Then when we came to one of the girls' loos and stopped, everyone was wondering what was up. Hermione seemed to know what the problem was.
"I can check, Harry," Hermione told him and started to enter the bathroom.
"Wait," Albus said. "Let's have Minerva check instead. She has a bit more authority in case someone is using this loo."
Hermione nodded as Minerva went into the loo and came back out about 30 seconds later.
"All clear except for Myrtle," she told everyone.
Harry started to walk in but the goblins were holding back thinking a girl was in there. He stopped when he saw their hesitation and turned toward them.
"Moaning Myrtle is a ghost who haunts this loo. She was killed here by the basilisk around fifty years ago. Come on. The entry is in here."
After they all piled into the bathroom, Myrtle flew up to Harry and floated a foot away from him.
"Did you come back to visit with me, Harry?" she asked very flirty like.
"Sorry, Myrtle. Not today. We are all going down to see the dead basilisk and the goblins are here to render it down into useable parts. You're welcome to join us."
"No thanks, Harry. I'll wait here." She then flew over to her cubicle and stopped. "Remember if you die down there, Harry, you are still welcome to share my toilet."
"You are very sweet to offer, Myrtle, but I doubt there is anything dangerous left down there."
"Bye, Harry," she told him sweetly and then made a splash in her toilet.
"Somebody has an admirer," I piped up.
Harry ignored me and took a step toward the sinks. Then in Parseltongue he commanded them to open. A few of the adults shivered at the sound of the snake language.
The sinks moved out of the way and then a gaping hole was seen in the middle of them.
"I made Professor Lockhart go first and then Ron and I followed," Harry said gesturing at the hole.
"You just jumped down there not knowing what awaited you?" asked Minerva incredulously.
"No. Like I said, I shoved Professor Lockhart down first. He was still talking after he stopped so we joined him."
"And you just slid through all that muck and grime?" Minerva asked.
"That was the only way we could think of to get down there," Harry answered.
"Why don't you try asking for stairs this time, Mr. Potter?" one of the goblins suggested.
"Thanks! I'll try that and see if it works."
Harry asked for stairs in Parseltongue and low and behold stairs appeared. They were a little steep and grimy looking but nonetheless an easier and cleaner way down.
Albus stepped up to the stairs. "Allow me," he told everyone before casting a massive cleaning charm that made the stairs lose all the dirt and grime, probably all the way down too. "Now it should be safer," he said turning back around.
Harry led the way again with Ginny by his side and Albus following right behind them. Hermione dropped back to walk beside Ron due to it being too narrow for three people side by side. Everyone else followed after them.
When they reached the bottom, Albus stepped up again and cleaned up the floor that was littered with bones and was a little damp. After he cleaned he also dried the floor with another flick of his wand. The ones in the back never even knew how dirty it was before.
As they entered the cave, Albus cast a lighting charm up on the ceiling and then another further down. It provided all the light we would need.
When we came up on some older snake skin that appeared to be about 20 feet long, the goblins immediately went to work folding it into a trunk they expanded. Once it was in, they shrunk the trunk and stored it away. Everyone was impressed with how fast they worked.
Next, we came up on a cave-in with a small hole just big enough for a kid. Harry explained why and what all happened.
After he was done, Albus cast a spell that put all the rock back where it belonged. The goblins helped by forming braces from some steel they brought with them that had been shrunken down. The steel braces helped stabilize and shore up the rock overhead to hold it in place better. When they were done, and it didn't take them long, there was a nice steel archway to walk under.
Finally, we came upon another door. Harry told it in Parseltongue to open. I watched as two stone snakes moved in a circle around the circumference of the door before it unlocked and the door opened. It was dark behind the door so we couldn't see much yet.
"This is the Chamber of Secrets," Harry told everyone, gesturing to the doorway. "Lights should come on once you enter. Go on ahead of me. Ginny and I will follow shortly."
I looked at Harry and saw that Ginny was holding onto Harry with her face buried in his chest. We all shuffled past them with Ron and Hermione giving them the longest look. The other students were a little hesitant but with the goblins right behind them, they moved on through the door.
I hung back just inside the door in case Ginny needed more help than Harry could give her. I needn't have worried though as Harry said something to her and they came on through.
"I'm very proud of you for facing your fears, Ginny," I heard my godson say.
"I am too," I said as I went past them to stand by Albus.
"Harry!" Hermione said loudly. "You did not explain this well enough. How could you play down the size of this thing? It's monstrous!"
"Uh …sorry?" Harry asked.
Ginny giggled.
Hermione huffed and turned around to watch more of the goblins working on the remains of the basilisk.
Harry, with Ginny still attached, walked over to Albus and me where we were looking around in wonder at all the columns that at the top were decorated with snakes, the motifs on the floor, etc.
"The basilisk came out of Slytherin's mouth when Tom called for it," Harry told us. "I've always wondered what else might be behind there. It has to be a good sized room in order for the basilisk to fit."
"Do you know how to open it, Harry?" I asked.
"I can try."
I watched and listened as Harry hissed several times without any luck. Then I saw Ginny stand on her tiptoes and whisper something in Harry's ear. Harry looked surprised for a second but then turned back to the face of Salazar Slytherin and hissed again.
This time, not only the mouth opened but the entire face opened out showing stairs at the base of it that went up and into a room above.
"Why don't you guys wait here and let Albus and I check this out first?" I told them. "We'll let you know if it's safe or not."
Harry nodded so Albus and I headed up the stairs. While we were walking, Albus conjured a big rooster. He placed the bird at the top of the stairs before he climbed all the way up. As the rooster walked forward a little, Albus hit it with a spell that caused the rooster to crow loudly like it was sunrise on the farm.
We listened to see if we heard any noise but there was none. We went ahead and entered the room at the top of the stairs as the rooster walked around on its own, exploring the place. There wasn't much to see. It was basically just a very large room for the basilisk to stay in. I suppose with the statue closed it could not get out until it was let out, unless of course the mouth moved without magic. Perhaps that's how it worked for that big snake.
The room was big enough to do a lot of things with it. I suppose Albus had the same idea because after he vanished the rooster he did some large cleaning charms to clean the place up.
We went back down the stairs to let everyone know what we found. Some ventured up to take a look but there really wasn't much to see besides a big room. Nevertheless, Harry took Ginny around to see it all. He made sure she knew that they saw all of it and there was nothing else there that could hurt anyone now that the basilisk was dead.
We discovered that the water that was in the chamber was coming from the Black Lake. Albus and I found where the water was getting in so he fixed that up with a strong Reparo, then vanished and dried all the water off the floor.
Soon, there wasn't much left to look at besides watching the goblins render the basilisk so most of the ones that came down with us went back up to carry on with their evening. Albus went up and put a ward on the chamber entrance in the loo, plus another ward on the door to the loo to prevent anyone else coming in. He also put a sign on the door to the loo stating it was out of order.
He planned to have the elves give it a good cleaning then leave the chamber entrance open so more can be done with it in the future. Perhaps a Chamber of Secrets tour for the students interested and visitors to start with.
Ginny was starting to feel a little better about things. She noticed her nightmares had slacked off. Harry sharing his memory with her, listening to her talk about her nightmares, and then the trip to the Chamber really helped. Plus, she was tired of being a helpless female. She did not think of herself that way, at least not until she was possessed and Harry saved her life.
She had also become very close to Harry who had reciprocated. Harry knew that Ginny was a strong person and he was anxious for her to get back to her regular self so she could move on with her life.
