Bond stared at the outstretched hand. He did not take it.
"A pity." Dumbledore said. "But I suppose it cannot be helped." Bond lunged forward, intent on throwing Dumbledore to the ground. The Headmaster stepped back. He twisted his hand upward. Bond felt an intense force against him. He let out a cry as he was thrown backward, slamming into the door behind him. He tumbled, down the spiral staircase head over feet and slammed to a stop at the bottom of the stairs.
He was still seeing stars as Dumbledore slowly walked down the steps towards him.
"Do not think me some feeble old man." He said softly. "I daresay I very may well be the most dangerous opponent you have ever faced."
The Headmaster slowly stepped down the stairs towards him as Bond desperately tried to open the door behind him and flee. Before he could manage it, however, Dumbledore waved his wand.
"Her Majesty's loyal dog." He said, and Bond turned into a Corgi. He yipped angrily, baring his teeth as Dumbledore bent over and picked up the animal in his arms. Bond tried to bite him, but his new jaws were half developed, as if he were a puppy that had not properly grown into his adult teeth. Dumbledore chuckled.
"There is nothing you can do to me now, Mr. Bond." He said, as he gripped the dog in his hands with a firm grip. Bond struggled, trying to free himself, as the door opened before them and he was carried out into the hallway.
It was the later in the night. No one was patrolling the corridors as Dumbledore swept his cloak and stepped down the hall.
"I control this castle, Mr. Bond." He said softly. "No man alive knows more of its secrets, or its history. In very few cases… I made them myself."
They came to a stop outside a door.
"Has your daughter ever told you of the Chamber of Secrets, Mr. Bond?" He asked. "I suspect she may have… she adores history. But as I'm sure you know very well, Mr. Bond… History is simply a tool to control the masses."
The door opened. They stepped inside.
Bond wrinkled his nose. His extra sensitive dog nose was agitated.
"The story goes that a thousand years ago, Salazar Slytherin created a Chamber that housed a great monster that he would set against the enemies of this school." Dumbledore said calmly. "It is not true. It is I who did that."
He raised his hand and let out a sharp, hissing noise in his mouth. Bond watched, aghast, as the chamber door slid open.
"In recent years the Monster has not had much to entertain itself with… all of the children of my political enemies have been dealt with by it over the years, destroying any family lineages that could oppose me. I suppose you will make an entertaining challenge for it, Mr. Bond."
He hung Bond's little Corgi body over the hole in the floor. Bond struggled limply, trying to free himself.
"Good-bye, Mr. Bond." Dumbledore said. "It was a pleasure to know you."
His hand slipped slightly. Bond did not fall.
"Oh yes." Dumbledore said. "One final thing… Please do not worry about your daughter. I have every intention of turning her into a fine witch."
He let go. Bond let out a yelp as he descended into the chamber. Dumbledore smiled to himself as he turned, humming gently, as he exited the bathroom.
…
"I like Delacour… I like Krum… but I don't like Diggory." Ron said glumly, as they sat down at the breakfast table that morning.
"You should, he's our Champion." Hermione said, annoyed.
"Yeah, but he's such a prat."
"He's done nothing to you. You're just jealous."
"Of what?"
Hermione was about to open her mouth to argue, but she suddenly felt a strong desire to stand up.
"Hermione?"
"Forgot something." She said idly, not bothering to explain herself further, as she turned and walked away. Harry was telling her that she had forgotten her bag, but she paid it no mind.
Come to me.
It was Tom, she was sure that it was. Ever since he had been taken from her she had felt a strange pull towards it. She couldn't explain it, but she could sense where it lay hidden. Somewhere, in the castle…
She found herself standing in front of a Gargoyle statue and speaking. The statue stepped aside and she clambered up. She came to a large wooden door and opened it without knocking.
There was no one here.
She stepped forward, to the desk, and popped it open. There, laying in the desk, was-"
"Hello."
Tom sprung up beside her.
"Tom!"
She smiled, in spite of herself, and went to touch him, but she passed through him. Tom was already shaking his head.
"Hermione, your Father is in grave danger."
Hermione stiffened.
"W-what?"
"He has been taken into the Chamber of Secrets." Tom said, his voice grave. "If he lives still, he will not for much longer."
"Well.. then we have to tell someone!" Hermione blathered, her eyes wide. "Dumbledore… or a teacher…"
"That won't be necessary, Miss Bond."
Hermione let out a gasp as she backed into the bookshelf behind her. An entire cascade of books fell down on top of her and she fell.
"Ah, forgive me." The voice said calmly. "It is Miss Granger, isn't it? Forgive me… I was just speaking to your father."
The books slowly began to raise themselves up around her and placed them back on the bookshelf. She lay there, still dazed, as a pair of feet began to approach her.
"I see that Tom still asserts a certain amount of control over you." Dumbledore said, as he came to a stop. He loomed over her like a giant. Hermione felt a sense of dread. She had never realized how tall he was. "You must have become very intimate with him indeed to still feel so drawn to him after being separated for so long…"
Tom stepped between them, his eyes narrowed.
"Dumbledore." He said, his voice cold.
"Ah, Tom." Dumbledore said pleasantly. "Still trying to ruin my plans, I see."
"Even death cannot stop me."
"Not yet." Dumbledore said, his voice cold. "There are far worse things than death, Tom… I have told you this ever since you were young. And I must confess… even long after you became a man." He smiled, rather grimly. "You were such a disappointment."
Tom glared at him.
"I don't know what you're planning, Headmaster, but the next generation will put a stop to it." He said. "Your vision for the future will not come to pass."
"Who is going to stop me, Tom?" Dumbledore asked. "I teach the youth who will one day control all of Great Britian. It will not be long until my values spread across the entire world… Magic and Muggles will mix, and there is nothing you can do to stop it."
Tom glowered.
"It has been fifty years since we last spoke about this." He said. "And yet you have still not accomplished your plan."
"Changing the world takes time, Tom." Dumbledore said politely. "You cannot rush these things… I intend for there to be no room for error." He raised his hand. "Now step away from the girl."
Tom raised his own hand in retaliation. Dumbledore smiled.
"Even at the height of your power you were no match for me, Tom." He whispered. "You intend to duel me as you are now?"
"I must try." Tom said, his voice heavily. "There isn't enough time for me to try everything else."
Time… Hermione glanced down at the gold chain at her neck. She reached for it and began to wind it backwards. Dumbledore's eyes widened.
"NO!"
Hermione closed her eyes as she begun to spun wildly. Dumbledore's spell barely missed her, slamming into the book shelf behind her. Both she and Tom Riddle were both gone.
Without a word Dumbledore turned and strode towards the door, slamming it behind him.
…
It was hours before. Hermione found herself running along the school hallway, breathing hard.
"You must hurry." Tom stressed, his voice becoming stronger in her head now that his diary was tucked under her arm.
"You think I don't know that?" Hermione demanded, as she threw open the door to the Chamber of Secrets. She went for the bathroom sink, ignoring Moaning Myrtle's furious demands to know why she had come, and at Tom's instructions let out an audible hiss.
The sink slid open. Hermione stared down at it, her expression grim. Before she could decide what she wanted to do, the bathroom door flew open.
Dumbledore strode in. He raised his hand, and Hermione had no choice but to jump. The sink slid shut behind her as she slid down into the Chamber, Tom under her arm.
He appeared beside her the instant she came to a stop.
"There." He said quietly. A tiny corgi was shivering uncontrollably at the foot of the slide. Hermione approached it cautiously.
"Father?" She asked timidly. The Corgi looked up at her apprehensively as she stood over it, awkwardly mulling over what she must do.
"Give me your wand." Tom instructed. "You're not advanced enough to transfigure him back."
Hermione reluctantly handed it over and he waved her wand. Instantly her father was lying in the pool of dirty water at her feet, blinking wildly.
"Barking mad." He said. Hermione gave him an incredulous stare.
"Barking?" She repeated. "Really?" Tom, however, was smiling.
"Your Father's sense of humor is second to none." He said. Hermione gave him a dark glare as Bond shakily got to his feet.
"Where are we?" He asked. "How did you find me here? What-"
"There is no time." Tom interjected. "Dumbledore will be coming in a few moments. We must proceed further into the chamber. There are several different exits that-"
"I think not."
Dumbledore's booming voice revebertaed around them. They looked around, horrified.
"You forget, Tom, that the Basilisk is of my creation." Dumbledore's voice said. "If you believe it will not touch you just because you are with them…. Think again."
"A basilisk?" Hermione squeaked. "That creature that can…?"
"There is no hope of escape." Dumbledore said. "I will have the teaching staff monitor each of the exits to the Chamber and prevent you from escaping. Even if you manage to slay the Basilisk, I assure you that… ah, the teachers here will by more than willing to apprehend you. With lethal force, I might add."
"They wouldn't do that." Hermione squeaked. "They wouldn't!"
"They would." Tom told her, grimly. "To teach here you must surrender all of your memories to Dumbledore… he rewrites your entire personality as he sees fit. It is why most of the teachers here as so blindly loyal to him."
"Ah, Tom, you have it all figured out." Dumbledore said jovially. "I regret that it must end this way… especially for you, Miss Granger. Perhaps if you were to come back now, I would allow you to join me… after a memory charm, that is."
Hermione gripped her father's arm. "Never!"
"I thought not." Dumbledore said heavily. "Well, should you live I intend to bring you back alive. But James, I'm afraid, has outlived his usefulness to me and has proven himself to be quite the nuisance. I deeply regret losing two such promising candidates for my New World, but I suppose it cannot be helped. For The Greater Good… we must all make sacrifices."
His voice echoed around the chamber long after he was gone. Hermione clutched her Father's arm rather tightly.
"What are we going to do?" She asked timidly.
"You're going to stay here until I kill that basilisk."
"But you can't!" Hermione said, her eyes wide. "It's one of the most dangerous creatures in the world! Even just looking at it can-"
"I suppose I'll just have to not look at it." Bond said, his voice heavy. Hermione stared at him wide eyed as he stepped further into the Chamber, where the Basilisk awaited.
…