Chapter Two

Halloween Continued

Headmaster's Office

Within the Headmaster's office were many magical instruments, spread all around the room. Some were slightly newer than others. Ones that Albus had added to… take care… of the young Potter boy, while a great many others were older, some far older, with a few having been there since the founders had created the school. One such instrument, a silver orb the size of a large marble which sat upon an aged bronze stand, was in fact older than the castle itself.

The orb, its name having been lost to history, was hidden behind a bookshelf, due to the current headmaster not knowing its purpose and covering it up to hide his ignorance.

The thick layer of dust that had accumulated atop it was suddenly scattered into the limited space around it as the orb hummed and whirred to life, spinning and turning rapidly. The nameless orb had slowly lifted off its base into the air, creating a small whirlwind of magic and dust, gradually emitting a light from the centre of it. This light grew brighter and brighter the faster the orb spun, eventually turning faster than anyone could have focused upon.

This was all happening when a surge of magical energy, released from several floors below the Head's tower, crashed though the office like a wave, toppling several silver instruments from the ornate desk before reaching through the bookshelf, making it rattle dangerously.

As the glow from the orb reached its peak, the magical wave connected to it, making it shatter into millions of pieces like fine sand, and causing the whirlwind to suddenly die down, the wind eventually coming to a stop. By the time the dust had finally started to settle, the voices of the previous Heads of the school had started to make themselves known.

They had mostly all been absent from the office during the magical wave and the resulting effects, except for a few of the older portraits that were half-hidden in the rafters, almost completely out of sight of Dumbledore. Their names lost to history, but one spoken everywhere as a deity.

While the other portraits had gone to watch the Goblet proceedings, this portrait had stayed behind, sensing that he would be needed right where he was. And he, for he was a he, had a feeling that his orb had now done what it was intended to do. The ancient wizard grinned from his spot on the walls, for he knew exactly what this meant.

His heir has surfaced.

Gryffindor Tower

Common Room

Up in the Gryffindor tower, the infamous red-haired menaces known as the Weasley twins had gotten a full "Harry's our Champion!" party into full swing. Yes, that was the actual name. The party had been going for a good half hour, as they had expected Harry to not be too far behind them in getting to the common room.

As the party raged on around them, Fred and George had slowed down in their revelry, slowly becoming concerned as Harry still didn't show after the first hour had passed. They looked at each other over the drinks table along the wall of the common room and exchanged worried glances. If the stories that Ron had been telling at home had any truth to them, then they would be right to be worried. They knew that the last Potter had come to regard this day as a curse.

In the almost-centre of the room, sitting opposite each other on the overstuffed armchairs were Neville and Ginny, each with a matching look of worry on their faces, but neither taking any notice of the other. They too, had realised that Harry should have been back before then, and their anxiety was slowly rising.

Ginny though, was also wondering if she was right with a hunch that she had, of a place where only he could have gotten into. She shivered for a moment, trying to push the thought away.

He wouldn't. She thought, bringing her knees up to her chest where she sat and wrapping her arms around her legs to comfort herself. Would he?

Unaware of her thoughts, Neville was becoming even more determined to wait up for his friend, no matter how long it took. He was also determined to tell Harry that he believed him, and that he'll stand with him. As he stared ahead at nothing, Neville wondered if he should finally go against his Gran and tell Harry about their connection. Not for the first time, he huffed a sigh, felling frustrated about his Gran forbidding him to inform Harry of what she viewed as 'family business'. Bullshit.

The longer the party kept going and waiting for Harry, the more subdued the room became, as they all began to wonder what was keeping their Champion.

About ten-thirty, Professor McGonagall came through the portrait hole, braced for an impact of noise from the wild celebration party she was sure was occurring inside. Instead, upon entering she discovered that while there was certainly a party planned, the evidence of such in the platters of food and butterbeers on most surfaces, the atmosphere was slowly becoming more like that of a hospital wait for a loved on having surgery.

"Mister Potter. With me please." She said to the quickly silenced room. When no one moved and she didn't see the bespectacled boy in front of her, she asked "Mister Longbottom, is Mister Potter in your dormitory?"

Neville, a bit fearful of being singled out by his Head of House, gulped and replied, "No Ma'am – er – Professor" taking a breath, he continued, "I haven't seen him since he was forced into the Tournament…Ma'am"

He quickly looked back down to his knees, completely missed the second of surprise come across McGonagall's face as a result of his words.

Turning to the common room at large, she asked, "Is this true? Has no one seen Mister Potter at all since the Feast?"

All she got back were a few nods at her words, and sad looks intermingled with worry and guilt at partying without knowing where their housemate was.

"Very well," stated McGonagall, burying her worry for now, "Off to bed with you lot, classes are tomorrow, and I know I have sixth years after breakfast. Goodnight, and please inform me if Mister Potter turns up. Thank you"

With that, she turned and left to make her way back to her quarters. She decided that if poor Harry hadn't turned up by dinner tomorrow, she'd be contacting Amelia Bones at the DMLE. Hopefully, he was safe for now.

"Where are you, Harry?" she whispered sadly to herself.

Back in the common room, the Weasley twins, Ginny and Neville had all come to a similar conclusion as the Professor, with the Twins suddenly wishing that they had asked for the Map back from Harry. Not that it would have helped them.

Late Halloween night

Chamber of Secrets

Harry Led Dobby to the inner doors to the Chamber, with Dobby clearing the rock fall with a snap of his fingers. The rocks and debris slowly raised into the air, melding together and all of it fusing to solid rock when it touched the ceiling of the tunnel. It was impressive magic that left Harry stunned and Dobby giggling over his Great Master Harry sir's funny look.

Coming up to the door decorated with emerald-eyed snakes, Harry hesitated. He was so not looking forward to opening the door, as he was sure the smell from the rotting carcass was going to be horrible. He remembered a summer when he was nine, a bird had been mauled by one of Mrs Figg's cats in the backyard of Number Four. It had laid there for about a week before his aunt had seen it and shrieked. She had demanded that Harry "get rid of it properly!", forcing him to dig a pit in the laneway behind the back fence with his hands. He had gone to carry the bird to its small grave but had gagged and nearly threw up from the smell of the poor thing.

He shuddered and physically shook to memory off, before turning to his companion.

"Know any good air-freshening charms Dobby?" he said with a slight smile, trying to not let on how nervous he was.

"Yes, Great Master Harry Sir! Once Master Harry Sir opens big snake door, Dobby cans be cleaning the air inside Secret Chamber!"

Well, that's a relief, Harry thought. Hopefully, it won't be for too long.

He turned to face the door, and took a breathe immediately after hissing open. They both felt the rush of air as it escaped around the heavy door, but all that hit their noses was the slight musky scent of mildew, and they could only hear a steady dripping of water from somewhere inside the Chamber.

Not quite believing what was happening, Harry and Dobby just stood in the doorway, stunned and confused.

"Uhh, Dobs? Any ideas?" he asked weakly, trying to puzzle together some logical reasoning. Looking up at his master, Dobby just shook his head slowly, ears flapping with each shake, then said "Maybe giant snake had too much magic to rot?"

Still standing in the entrance way, Harry paused to think. Perhaps Dobby was right, maybe the thousand years of magic inhabiting the school and the Chamber preserved the basilisk and prevented its decay. Or there were preservation charms on the Chamber, he mused.

Coming back from his thoughts, he felt Dobby tugging at his trousers and looked down at his friend.

"Master Harry Sir? What will you be doing with giant snake's body?" the little elf was asking.

"What do you mean Dobby? Are you saying that its carcass is mine now?" Harry was slightly stunned, and a little grossed out, not entirely sure why he owned it apparently, or what he was actually going to do with it.

"Yes Master Harry Sir! You slayed big beasty snake, so you's now owns it! You have…" Dobby looked to be thinking hard for a few seconds. "Right of Conquest! Yes Sir! Old bad master used Right of Conquest a lot sir! You decide what to do with your kill Sir!"

Dobby was looking up at him with such pride and adoration that it was making Harry feel uncomfortable. Also the reference to Malfoy Senior claiming kills this way too…

"Alright Dobby, thank you." Harry said, trying to not upset his friend. "I'll claim it when we get into the Chamber proper."

"Also Master Harry Sir?" Dobby waited for him to look down again. "Sir can sell it through the goblins if he wants to the can be fair with money with Master Harry Sir"

Harry looked at him confused, as he didn't understand why they would be fair with him, but shook it off, as they had been lingering in the entranceway for far too long and he was worried about the door closing on them.

"C'mon Dobs", he said as he started down the ladder into the Chamber itself.

They ventured slowly down the metal ladder, trying not to slip on the patches of moss growing here and there.

As Harry reached the bottom rung and stepped down onto the stone floor, he glanced around toward the other end of the Chamber. As both his feet hit the floor, he and Dobby were shocked as they were momentarily blinded by a brilliantly white light that seemed to fill the entire cavern. Just as Harry thought that he was never going to see again, the light slowly receded and dimmed completely.

"What the bloody hell was that?!" Harry gasped out, but looking at Dobby he saw that neither of them had any answers to what had happened.

As their eyesight came back in full again, both were drawn to a sight that had appeared in the front-centre of the stone hall. Gryffindors sword, embedded upright into an oddly rounded stone that was placed within a wide circle of what he could only say were runes.

Harry could hear Dobby gasping behind them. What the blazers was the sword doing here? Harry questioned. The rune circle was in the same spot on the floor that Ginny had lain at the end of his second year, and his instincts told him that it wasn't a coincidence.

Harry was slowly stepping closer to the circle as these questions were flying around in his head, not noticing that Dobby still hadn't moved from near the ladder.

Without his brain telling his feet to move, Harry was slowly shuffling forward, his gaze locked onto the sword that was in the stone.

He had travelled about half the length of the Chamber before Dobby, still standing at the bottom of the ladder, asked his master what he was doing. His query was ignored however, and the poor elf couldn't seem to move from his spot, so, tugging on his ears with anxiety he stayed put and waited to be able to assist his Great Master Harry Sir.

Harry was still moving forward, being pulled gently by an unseen force, almost as if the sword was summoning him. Then again, it probably was, mused the young wizard.

After the thought went through his head, Harry drew level with the rune circle. The pull to touch the sword was growing stronger the closer he got but harry was hesitant to pass the edges of the runes when he was uncertain about their intent and use, or even where they had come from.

Before long though, the pull grew too strong to push away, and so he stepped over with one foot. When nothing seemed to happen, and since he hadn't been thrown back, he walked up to the stone.

Standing next to the sword, he confirmed that it was actually the same Sword of Gryffindor that he pulled from the hat a couple years ago. The pull getting almost unbearably stronger, his hand was reaching out, almost touching the handle as another pulse of the same powerful magic from the Choosing flowed through him, causing him to hesitate once more, before he gathered his courage and wrapped his right hand fully around the hilt of the sword.

Once he was holding the sword fully with both hands, a voice echoed softly, seeming to come from both around the Chamber but also inside Harry's head, telling him to "Pull the sword, Embrace your Destiny"

Gripping the handle tightly and bracing one foot on the stone, Harry began to pull on the sword. He almost overbalanced, as it released quite easily from the rock, and he was expecting a lot more resistance.

No sooner had the tip of the sword left its hold, then a bright silver glow started to spread from Harry's hands to the top of the blade, shining and changing, melting from silver to a brilliant amber and gold. The name inscribed on the blade changed too, Godric Gryffindor's was gone and,

"Excalibur" Harry breathed out, looking numbly down at the engraving that ran the length of the blade.

Harry eventually realised that during this time the runes and the rock, pretty much all that had appeared during their (more likely his) entry into the Chamber had gone and all that was left was just him holding the sword.

He looked back towards the ladder where Dobby was still waiting, now kneeling with – if possible – even wider eyes than before. At that moment, Harry felt a wave of exhaustion hit him, causing him to groan and release one hand from the sword to grab his head, trying to somehow combat the headache that was forming fast.

Dobby popped in front of him when the groan left his mouth, worried about his Master Harry.

"Ugh, Dobby? Any chance you can get me a headache relief potion or a bed even?"

Dobby stopped staring and giggled slightly.

"Of course, Lord Master Harry Sir!" Wait a second, Lord? Harry thought, instantly adding to his confusion. "Dobby shall fetch you some now! I can gets through the wards now!" Snap! Offering Harry the potion that had appeared in his hand, Dobby then turned around and waved a hand in front of a section near the wall. A slightly larger copy of Harry's four poster bed from the dorms appeared, as well as his trunk at the foot of the bed, along with a pair of bedside tables and a small free standing wardrobe next to the wall.

Snapping his fingers once again, Harry felt all the sweat and grime from the last few hours get gently scrubbed off his skin and clothes.

Staggering to the bed and kicking off his shoes and trousers, Harry wished Dobby goodnight and absentmindedly said "Nox", extinguishing all the torches that had lit themselves when the two had entered.

Once Harry was under the covers, he was out like a light, the day's events catching him all at once. Dobby looked over his master, and the sword that he was still grasping on the covers of the bed and knew that while tomorrow would be a bit wild, the Great Lord Master Harry, Sir, was going to be fine.

November 1

Chamber of Secrets

Harry blinked slowly around the dark room, confused at where he was, and where he was asleep. Oh shite! He sat bolt upright, all the memories from yesterday flooding into his mind. Swinging his legs over the edge of the bed, Harry tried to bring his hands up to his face, but he was startled as he realised, he still held the sword in his right hand.

He finally released it, and the sword dropped onto the red and gold coverlet, seemingly dimming a little without Harry's touch.

Sighing and burying his face in his hands, Harry dreaded facing the results of everything that had happened yesterday. Between being chosen as the Fourth Champion, to somehow pulling Excalibur from a stone in the Chamber of Secrets, he knew that trouble was waiting for him. At least, he thought suddenly, I think it was yesterday.

"Lumos, tempus" he called out, without realising he hadn't raised his wand, just his hand. The torches re-lit, and the time and date appeared in smoke in front of him

5:03am November 1st, the spell read. Ah, so it is the next day, he thought. Okay, first things first…

"Dobby?" he called out, hoping the little elf could still get through the wards in the Chamber.

Crack. "Yes, Great Lord Master Harry Sir?" Dobby had appeared in front of Harry, with a beaming grin on his face and bouncing on the balls of his feet a little.

"Morning Dobs, it's just Harry, ok?" he was going to remind Dobby a lot, he realised. "Any chance you could get us some breakfast down here please?"

Nodding emphatically with his ears flapping, Dobby said "Oh yes Gre- Master Harry, Dobby can be's bringing big breakfast" Before Harry could tell him to get some food for himself, Dobby had cracked away again.

Seconds away, he appeared back at Harry's side with a silver platter covered with dishes containing a full English breakfast, and a full tea tray, all laid out on a small table that settled down a few steps away from Harry's bed, complete with a comfortable chair for Harry to sit.

As Harry moved to sit at the table, Dobby spoke up.

"This is being delivered for you's, Great Master Harry." He placed a rather thick and official-looking letter on top of the teacup.

"Oh, thanks Dobby. Any idea who it's from?" He was confused, he wasn't expecting a letter from anyone, and he hadn't sent anyone any mail. He had planned to write to Sirius that afternoon if he could.

"Its be's from Gringotts, Master Harry Sir!"

Huh? Harry was beyond confused now, as he'd never received any sort of correspondence from the Goblins of Gringotts.

"Master Harry Sir?" Dobby said to him nervously, "It be's from an account manager Sir, they uses the white parchments Sir. Old bad Master Malfoys used to get the sames letters Sir"

"Are you sure Dobby? Cause I don't think I have an account manager."

"Oh yes Master Harry Sir!" Dobby was nodding again. "I is sure, and I can take you's reply back!" He seemed very happy to help him even more.

"Okay Dobs," Harry sighed, getting frustrated at the information being kept from him, "I'll read it after breakfast" With that, he tucked in.

After polishing off a plate and a half of Dobby's delicious breakfast and sitting back with his second cup of tea, Harry opened the envelope and took out the letter.

Master Potter,

As your account manager, it disappoints me to have to contact you again regarding your inheritance, but needs must.

You are required to present yourself to Gringotts at your earliest convenience, especially in regard to your new status. What the?

Your debacle with the Goblet of Fire has made you eligible to obtain your title/s now, rather than at fifteen, when you could have become Lord Potter in the least.

Contained in this letter is a Portkey, as it seems that you have been unable to travel to the bank. Just touch your wand to the coin and say Gringotts.

You will be expected soon.

Snaptooth

Gringotts Account manager for Potter, et al.

Gringotts England, London Branch

Reaching the end of the letter, Harry was getting angry and confused. Evidently, he was supposed to have been receiving letters from his account manager, which he didn't even know about. It made him wonder what else was being kept hidden from him. And what was this business about the Goblet and the Lord Potter stuff? His confusion was high with all of this new information.

Turning to Dobby, Harry asked "Dobs, do you believe that they'll listen to my explanations? I've never received any mail from Gringotts before, and I don't want them angry with me for not replying"

Dobby had a thoughtful look on his face, before replying. "The goblins should be's tracking the letters, Master Harry Sir, maybe's yous can ask thems to see where they went or where they's is at now?"

Hoping that was true, Harry just shrugged and put the letter down. Looking further into the envelope, he fished out a gold Galleon, and assumed it was the Portkey.

Putting that too, on the table, Harry finally stood and went to get dressed from his trunk.

Looking at his clothing options, Harry felt embarrassed, as the only good clothes he had were the dress robes that Mrs Weasley had gotten him for this year, and not much else.

Making a mental note to buy more clothes while he was in the Alley, he pulled the robes on, hoping they would be sufficiently proper enough to meet with his account manager, and not to offend him.

Turning back to the elf, Harry asked "Dobby, do you know what time Gringotts opens?"

"Six am, Great Master Harry Sir," Harry sighed again, but ignored the title as he had more to worry about.

Realising something else, he asked the elf another question.

"Will the wards stop me from Portkeying out of the Chamber? And how will I get back? I really don't want to be seen in the school today."

"Oh don't worry Master Harry! The wardses stops above the Chamber Sir, they don't extend down here Sir, they is a dark spot in castle Sir! And yous can be's calling for Dobby to bring you back Master Harry Sir."

Well, Harry thought. That was convenient. It did make sense though, as the Chamber didn't show up on the Marauders Map, which was tied to the ward structure of the castle.

Finishing up getting dressed, Harry turned and his gaze was caught by the sword that laid innocently on top of the bed covers, like it wasn't the most legendary sword in England's history.

Harry decided to take it with him, perhaps the goblins knew why it had changed and, more importantly, why it had appeared for him at all.

Reaching out and grabbing the sword, he stood and did a final check that he had everything. His wand, robes, sword, check.

"Okay Dobby, I think I'm ready to go. I might call for you to bring me back if needed. I hope that's ok?"

Dobby looked like he had been given a present when Harry said that, jumping up and down slightly with his ears going wild.

"Oh thank you Lord Master Harry Sir! I wills be waiting for you's to call for Dobby, Sir" With that said, he hugged Harry's knees and stood back, disappearing with a snap.

"Alright," Harry said to himself, "time to face the music."

Holding the coin in his left hand, and his wand and sword in the right, he touched his wand to the coin saying "Gringotts", leaving the Chamber empty for a while.

A/N - I'm really sorry for the long wait. I've been writing this to distract myself from a relationship breakdown and family issues. Coercive control and abuse in relationships is a horrible thing to go through, and to all other's that have experienced the same, I hope you find peace and happiness soon. I'm currently in therapy for trauma, so if my updates seem sporadic, please bare with me. This is a passion project of mine, and I really hope to complete it one day. Hope you all enjoy either way, every review is really appreciated. Love you all