Chapter 1654 - Ch: 31-34

Chapter 31: My Funny Valentine

Life returned to normal once Hermione was released from the hospital but fear was setting in to the castle. Despite the fact that nobody had been attacked since December, the longer they went without an attack, the more tense everyone became. Harry was walking through the library with Hermione when everything boiled over.

"How can you continue to defend that asshole," Harry heard a voice that he recognized as Ernie MacMillan say.

"Because he's so obviously NOT the culprit behind these attacks," Susan's voice responded, fiercely.

"You're blinded," Ernie spat back. "Whether it's just simply a crush or something more, I don't know but you need to wake the fuck up!"

"Have you spent any time with him?" Susan was almost screaming. "Or have you just let your fear lead you to misguided ideas over who could be behind this?"

"I don't need to know him. I wonder if the reason You-Know-Who targeted him as a child was because he was too powerful. He didn't want another Dark Lord to supplant him."

"That's ridiculous," Hannah's voice rang out.

"Is it?" Justin Finch-Fletchley asked. "I've read the stories about You-Know-Who. He rose slowly, gained allies and divided everyone else. You've seen the crowd that flocks to Potter. What's to stop him from becoming the next Dark Lord?"

"There's quite a few things," Harry couldn't take it anymore. He stepped out from behind the bookcase. "One: Voldemort was a bully and I hate bullies. Two: my best friend wouldn't allow me to go down that path. It would be a choice between her and that path. Let me tell you: there's no path I would not take that she could not walk with me. Three: Voldemort murdered my parents. I'd be spitting on their memory if I followed same path as the man who took them from me."

"That was a good speech," Justin stood up. "How many times have you rehearsed it? I'm out of here! Can't attack me if you're not near me."

Justin sped out of the library. Harry felt bad for how angrily he retorted and chased after him.

"Justin! Wait!" Harry sprinted after him.

"Until you guys get your heads out of your collective asses," Susan gathered her books. "Don't talk to me. You don't even know him and you're judging him."

She exited the library with Hermione right on her heels.

"I'm worried, Susan," Hermione said. "The stress of this, the rumors; they're getting to him. He tries to hide it but it hurts him. Makes him feel like he's back in primary school."

"We'll figure out who's behind this," Susan said. "But first we need to find Harry."

It didn't take long. Turning down the next corridor, they found Harry standing next to a petrified Justin, Nearly Headless Nick floating above him. Harry turned to them, his eyes wide.

"I didn't…" Harry tried to start.

"We know," Susan and Hermione said at the same time.

"We have to move," Hermione pulled Harry but he was stock still, staring at Justin.

"Caught you red-handed, eh Potter!" Ernie's pompous voice echoed across the chamber.

"Don't be daft, Ernie," Hannah spat back at him. "Look at his face! He's just as terrified as the rest of us."

Hannah split off from the group and stood next to Susan. Neville also elbowed his way through the crowd to stand with Harry.

"I know Harry. He's my dorm mate and my best mate. He cares for every. Single. One of you," everyone was gobsmacked as the normally shy Neville shouted all the doubters down. "I know we're all scared and we want to find out who is doing this but in times like this, I choose to stand with my friends. I choose to stand by Harry."

Harry noticed Ernie's outburst had drawn a crowd had gathered at the scene.

"So do we," Parvati and Lavender added.

"Us too," Greg said as the Slytherin Four stepped forward. "Potter has been nothing but kind to us and we refuse to let that kindness be unmet."

"Got your new Death Eaters then, eh Potter?" Ernie folded his arms and stared down the group assembled around Harry. "Burn in hell, the lot of you."

"That is enough, Mr. MacMillan," Professor Sprout arrived to break up the crowd. "10 points from Hufflepuff for your language."

"Mr. Potter," Sprout turned to him. "Did you see or hear anything?"

"N-n-n-no," Harry stammered out, he gave Hermione a look that she understood to say he was holding something back. "I didn't see anything. I just chased after Justin because I felt bad about yelling at him."

"Well as always, if you hear anything, let us know," Sprout said. "We'll get to the bottom of this. In the meantime, no more going places alone. Everyone is to have someone with them at all times, no matter the circumstance."

From there, the castle was a war of factions. One faction thought Harry was behind the attacks and was determined to catch him at it. Draco Malfoy was especially ruthless, taunting Harry at every opportunity while also openly wondering what Dumbledore was doing.

"We've had four attacks, we have a viable suspect," Draco drawled openly at breakfast. "Why isn't Dumbledore doing anything? Maybe it is time for a headmaster who will."

Another faction stood with Harry but that was considerably smaller, basically consisting of everyone that stood up for him in the hallway, Luna, Colin, Lee Jordan and Harry's Quidditch team. Then there were those who didn't fall into either category but were worried about not being the next victim. Even Ron was giving Harry an extremely wide berth while Ginny just looked dazed and confused. He didn't lay any suspicions at him but he also didn't make any effort to spend time with him or correct those who did suspect him.

Justin was given the restorative but still avoided Harry as much as he possibly could. Pomfrey told Harry that they had used the last of the first bottle which meant they'd need one of the reserve bottles.

Even with tension in the school, life still moved along and soon February arrived and with it, the match between Hufflepuff and Gryffindor. Harry flew out of the locker room to a chorus of boos with a spattering of cheers thrown in.

"Ready for our rematch," Cedric flew into position and gave Harry a roguish smile.

"Yea. Sure," Harry growled out. Even Quidditch didn't have the same pull it once did. "Let's get this over with."

Hooch released the balls and the game kicked off in earnest.

No way… Harry thought as it was too good to believe. Floating above the Hufflepuff goal was the Snitch. Knowing Cedric was behind him, Harry sped toward the goal.

"There goes Potter," Jordan added his commentary. "Unless he's going to attack the Hufflepuff keeper-

"-Jordan!" McGonagall would have smacked him if it was allowed.

"-then I think he's seen the Snitch."

True enough and minutes into the match, Harry caught the Snitch. Gryffindor won 180-10. The cup was theirs for the taking. Harry didn't think about that, however. Once their victory was announced, the Gryffindor cheers were drowned out by boos and a chant of "Potter sucks."

Harry didn't even celebrate with his teammates. He flew down, dropped the Snitch and entered the locker room. Angrily stripping off his kit and pads, Harry sat down heavily on the bench.

"Don't worry about them," Cedric's voice roused him from his misery. "Everyone is just scared and looking for someone to blame. It's not your fault."

"Then you believe me?" Harry looked into Cedric's eyes.

"Of course I believe you," Cedric said with his typical handsome smile. "Anyone who knows you knows you wouldn't do anything like this. In fact, my money is on you to solve this, just like you did last year."

"How do you…"

"Please," Cedric smiled at him. "There's something hidden in a forbidden corridor and we have a defense professor mysteriously disappear, followed by you and Hermione spending a night in the Wing? It wasn't hard to figure out. Plus, Hagrid is terrible at keeping secrets; half the school knew about the Stone.

"The school will come around," Cedric laid a comforting hand on Harry's shoulder. "Hold your head up and don't let them break you down. You're much better than that."

Feeling better, Harry greeted his teammates as they entered.

"I believe this is yours," Wood held the Snitch out to him. "You should keep that, you set a school record for the fastest catch."

"Really? I didn't even realize…"

"It'd be hard considering the reception you got," Katie said.

"Fuck em," George said. "We know you're not the Heir and soon, so will everyone else."

A week later, Harry was walking along the second floor with Hermione when a great commotion sounded from the bathroom that Harry recognized was the place where Mrs. Norris was murdered. Harry turned back to investigate when the door was flung into his face. Stumbling backward, Harry shook his head to clear the stars he was seeing. That was when he heard splashing. He gathered all his bravery and opened the door into the bathroom.

"Harry you don't want to go," Hermione started to say as Harry opened the door and stepped into the bathroom.

"In there," she finished to herself.

Inside he heard sorrow-filled wails.

"Can I help you?" Harry asked softly.

"Oh? Have you come to throw something else at me?" the ghost of a small girl floated out. Even for a ghost, she was pale with dark hair, big eyes and a permanent pout to her lips.

"Why would someone throw something at you?" Hermione asked before whispering to Harry. "This is Moaning Myrtle. She haunts this bathroom which is why nobody goes here unless they really have to. She's a little craz-"

"-I'm not crazy!" Myrtle shouted at Hermione. "I was just sitting in my toilet when somebody threw a book at me."

"Book?" Harry was mystified. "What book?"

"That one," she pointed to a stall. Harry walked over to find an old leather-bound book. "They probably were just doing it for fun; they all do. One day Olive Hornby…"

Harry lost track of her story as he read the book.

"Hermione," Harry pulled her over. "Look at the year printed on this book. It's from 50 years ago…"

"T. M. Riddle?" Hermione read on the first page. "Who is that?"

"Tom Riddle?" Myrtle said. "He was a nice boy, very cute but always seemed sort of… odd. He had friends but never seemed to care for them much."

"Maybe this book will offer some clues to the Chamber," Harry thought aloud.

"Maybe," Hermione said. "But we really need to move away from here."

"Sorry to intrude, Myrtle," Harry said softly. "And I am sorry that someone threw this at you."

"Ooh a nice one!" Myrtle was glowing. She floated up and pressed herself into Harry's shoulder which suddenly felt immersed in ice water. "It's been a while since a boy was nice to me."

"Another time, Myrtle," Hermione said with some annoyance as she pushed Harry out of the bathroom.

The next morning, Harry met Luna in the common room.

"Good Morning, Luna," Harry called out, bringing a smile to the blonde's face. "How are you this morning?"

"Free of wrackspurts," Luna said. "Driving away the Nargles."

Harry brought a package, wrapped in blue paper with a silver bow.

"Happy Birthday, Luna," Luna looked up in amazement.

"The plimpies told you?" She asked, making Harry smile.

"I asked your father and he told me," Harry handed her the package.

Luna tore open the paper and saw a collection of books from Dr. Seuss. Harry figured that since she loved all manner of mythical creatures, she would love his books. Luna hugged the books to her, thanking Harry profusely as she did.

The next morning, he saw her in the common room reading one of the books. Smiling, Harry headed down to breakfast with Hermione, as was routine. Harry stepped into the Great Hall only to freeze at what he saw: Pink. The entire hall was pink. At the end of it, in garish pink robes stood Gilderoy Lockhart.

"I figured with everything we needed a little distraction," Lockhart said with a smile. "What better distraction than love."

Lockhart looked at the females with expectant looks that made Harry wretch a little. Yet he looked at Fred and George who were positively brimming with excitement. Walking with Hermione, he sat down next to them.

"What have you done?" Harry asked with equal parts fear and excitement.

"Nothing," Fred said while trying too look innocent.

"Yet," George finished while nodding toward the table.

At that exact moment, two owls descended on Lockhart with pink envelopes. Lockhart gleefully opened the first one. That started a chain reaction as both the envelopes opened and started to scream at him. At this point, Harry was familiar with Howlers. Everyone who knew Mrs. Weasley's penchant for sending them. It was rumored she used them to ask Mr. Weasley to pick something up on his way home. Somehow the twins had color changed some.

"EVERYONE LOOK AT THE GREAT GILDEROY FRAUDHART. WON'T YOU NEVER BE MY VALENTINE? WHY DON'T YOU GO WASH YOUR HAIR AGAIN?"

"UGH AND THAT FASHION SENSE? "

"NOT AS BAD AS HIS TEETH. I DIDN'T THINK THEY NEEDED TO BE THAT BRIGHT.

"WELL SOMETHING WITH HIM OUGHT TO BE BRIGHT. IDIOT DOESN'T HAVE THE ENOUGH BRAINS TO LIGHT HIS WAND."

How Fred and George made a pair of Howlers to heckle in sequence, Harry never understood but that didn't stop his enjoyment of the prank. Lockhart pulled his wand to silence the Howlers, leading to them exploding in black sludge. Lockhart stood back up and his hair was black and greasy with black robes.

"Did we really need another Snape in the castle?" Harry asked.

"Two Snapes are better than one Lockhart," George admitted.

It would have been nice to say the rest of the day passed without incident but Harry was not that lucky. Lockhart had enlisted an army of cupids who marched through the halls delivering audible Valentines. Harry was headed toward Geneva when one cupid stopped him. Confirming he was the desired recipient started to recite.

Some might think he's the Heir

But I just love his hair

His eyes are so green

It makes me want scream

All I really want to choose

Is the boy who defeated You Know Who

Crimson faced, Harry thanked the creature and kept walking with Neville and Hermione giving him a hard time for the poem though Harry noticed Ginny Weasley in the corner looking a crestfallen at the reaction.

I really have to deal with that, sooner or later, Harry thought.

Later that night, as Harry was about to head up to bed Hermione stopped him. She was holding a card herself. On pink paper with white lettering, Harry read.

Courage

Bravery

Love

Each word was aligned differently with "Courage" on the left, "Bravery" below that in the center and "Love" at the bottom, aligned right.

Opening the card, he read her message: Thank you for showing what's most important in life.

"Happy Valentines Day, Harry," Hermione said softly as Harry hugged her.

"Happy Valentines Day, Hermione," Harry said. "I didn't make you a card so I hope this will do."

Leaning in, he kissed her on the cheek.

"Good night, Harry," Hermione blushed as she exited up the stairs.

"Good night, Hermione," Harry took the card and put it with his parent's letters.

Rolling over, Harry went to sleep with a smile for the first time in weeks.

Chapter 32: Revelations

February turned to March and the attacks had truly ceased, which made the student population truly edgy. Harry was meeting with their group, trying to investigate who might have been behind it last time.

"I talked to Auntie," Susan said. "She said that the Gaunts are all dead. The father, Marvolo, died some years ago. The son, Morfin, just recently died in Azkaban while the daughter, Merope, showed up dead a long time ago and they couldn't tell the cause."

"Why was Morfin in Azkaban?" Neville asked.

"He attacked a muggle family a while back. The muggle authorities found them dead in their dining parlor. They couldn't make sense of what happened to them but the Aurors caught up to Morfin. According to Auntie, he didn't even put up a fight. He just kept moaning about losing his family ring."

"So we have no real link to the Gaunt family and hence Slytherin," Harry wrapped up. "We have a creature that is petrifying students and when someone is petrified, they would never remember what happened.

"We have this diary," Harry held up the book, noticing it made his scar prickle when he did. "But there isn't anything written in it."

"So we're at a dead-end," Hermione growled in frustration.

"Yup," Hannah was exasperated.

"Anything new in Slytherin?" Harry asked the Four.

"Nothing," Daphne said. "It's quiet, even by Slytherin standards."

"Alright well as always, if you guys find anything, let the others know," Harry said.

Harry walked out of the room they were using to meet with the book in his hand. He headed up the stairs, heading toward the common room when he suddenly felt a substance dumped on his head. It was green, gooey and slimy and made Harry feel forever unclean.

"There you go, Heir," a Ravenclaw Harry never even met before said. "Now you're just as slimy as a snake. Fitting huh?"

Fuming, Harry ran up the stairs, threw open the portrait hole and stormed through the common room, not even saying hello to his housemates, Harry ran into his dorm, and dropped the diary on his bedside table, not noticing that it was mysteriously clean.

A quick shower later and Harry threw himself on his bed. Looking over, he spied the diary and felt a compulsion to pick it up.

Meanwhile, Hermione was worried sick about her best friend. She had seen him get the sludge dropped on him, followed by him speeding off. She was about to chase after him when Neville stepped up to the Ravenclaws.

"You think that was funny?" Neville advanced on the Ravenclaws who were leaning on each other in laughter.

"Well… yeah," the taller one, a blonde sixth year, said. "If he's going to go around attacking everyone, he should look the part of the slimy snake he is. Honestly, it's probably an improvement on that messy mop top, wouldn't you say, bushy?"

That last statement was said with them looking at Hermione.

"So you'd like me to do that to you?" Neville wasn't backing down. "How about I tar and feather you so you look like ravens? Next time you attack someone maliciously, you'll answer to me."

"Like I'd be afraid of any second year," the shorter Ravenclaw with short, dark hair ruffled Neville's hair condescendingly.

"Stupefy!" A flash of red erupted from Neville's wand and the first Ravenclaw dropped to the ground with a heavy thump. "Incarcerous, Moblicorpus."

The taller Ravenclaw was bound and raised off the ground. He floated there for a minute as Neville wound himself down.

"Remember what I said," Neville said. "I don't like bullies, especially bullies who prey on my best mate. Wake your friend and tell him the same."

Neville canceled the spells on the blonde Ravenclaw, making the boy fall hard to the floor. Neville stowed his wand, grabbed Hermione and walked away. They walked toward the common room.

"Pricks," Neville said. "I get being scared but to do that to anyone bar Lockhart is just cruel. That's even pushing it for Lockhart."

"Thank you for standing up for him," Hermione said as they entered through the portrait hole. "Harry needs as much help as he can get. Let's go see if he's okay."

"Give him some time," Neville held her back by the shoulder. "He needs to settle down on his own. If we disturb him now, he could snap."

"You think so?"

"You saw his reaction," Neville said. "He wasn't embarrassed or upset; he was furious. I've seen him mad before but I've never seen him furious, have you?"

"Once, when we met with Dumbledore last September," Hermione recalled.

"Could you calm him down? Reach him?"

"Barely but only after he calmed down a little."

"Exactly," Neville said. "He was unreachable that night. I tried to talk to him and he wouldn't engage, eventually snapping at me. By the next morning, he calmed down and I could chat with him.

"Give him some time to relax. He'll be back down and we can talk to him then."

Hermione didn't like it but she sat down in a chair where she could watch the stairs, to see Harry reemerge. But he never did. After an hour, she got tired of waiting. She thought he would be back down in the common room by now but he wasn't.

Having had enough, Hermione got up and went to the second-year boys dorm.

"Harry," she said as she knocked. "I'm coming in. I hope you're okay; that was a nasty prank they pulled on you."

Cautiously, she pushed the door open to see Harry sitting on his bed, nearly catatonic. Worried he had actually been petrified, she raced to him.

"Harry!" She shook him. After a second, he blinked and turned his head to her, shock evident on his face.

"Hermione," he said. "Hagrid was the one who was accused of opening the chamber the last time. They expelled him because of it."

"How do you know this?" Hermione saw he was holding a book in his hand.

"Tom Riddle," Harry said. "This is his diary. If you write in it, he writes back. I asked the diary about the Chamber I was somehow shown what happened. Tom turned Hagrid in for setting a creature loose that was purportedly behind it."

"But Dumbledore said he did not think they caught the true culprit, right?" Hermione reminded Harry. "Hagrid's a gentle soul. He wouldn't harm anyone."

"True but he does have a different idea of what everyone considers dangerous," Harry added. "We should probably talk with him and ask what creature it was he had that got him suspended and see if that creature could petrify people."

"Okay but first," Hermione picked up the diary. "I want you to get rid of this. A book that writes back feels… wrong. We should take it to McGonagall. Something about this feels wrong."

"It's just a book," Harry said, hugging the book close to him. "What harm can come from a book?"

"Look at you," Hermione gestured. "You've never done that with a book in the entire time I've met you. That's something that I usually do. Why did you even start to write in it?"

"I just felt compelled to, I guess," Harry looked down and felt the compulsion again to keep the book close, to write in it. "Okay, this might be more serious than I was willing to admit."

"First thing tomorrow, we take it to McGonagall," Hermione said, resolutely. "For now, let's go back to the common room. Your friends are worried about you."

For a while, Harry was able to relax in the common room. While some of the Gryffindors were still skittish around him, most of his yearmates were upbeat and looking forward to the warmer weather that spring would bring.

That night, Harry went up to the dorm, a little more relaxed until he opened the door to his dorm. His curtains were torn down, and his trunk ransacked. Everything he owned was strewn around and it didn't take long for Harry to realize what the person was after: the Diary was missing.

As Neville ran to get McGonagall, Harry tried to put everything back in order.

"Mr. Longbottom tells me your dorm was- sweet Merlin," she took in the devastation. "Did they take something?"

"Yes," Harry said. "They took a diary that belonged to someone named Tom Riddle. He was a student here 50 years ago. I wrote in it tonight and it wrote back."

"That diary wrote back?" McGonagall said. "And you didn't think to bring it to me?"

"Hermione advised me to do that," Harry said. "We were going to bring it to you tomorrow morning."

"But that means…" McGonagall started, horrified.

"That the only culprit could have been a Gryffindor," Harry finished, sadly.

They conducted a search of the tower but the diary did not turn up.

A few weeks went by and Harry was headed down for the game with Ravenclaw. As they had a commanding points lead, all Gryffindor basically had to do was play the match and the cup would be theirs. He was walking down toward the pitch with Hermione when he suddenly stopped her, keeping her from putting her foot down.

"Easy there," Harry said, pointing to a snake under her foot. It was a small Adder.

"~What are you doing out here?~" Harry hissed at the snake. "~You might get stepped on where you are sitting.~"

"~A Speaker?~" The snake hissed back. "~ I was looking for food.~"

"~There is plenty of food in there,~" Harry pointed toward the forest.

"~Thank you, Speaker,~" the Adder hissed and slithered off toward the grass. Harry smiled and turned his head. Staring at him in astonishment was Hermione and, much to Harry's displeasure, Snape.

"Was that Parseltongue?" Hermione asked.

"I guess it was," Harry said.

"That's what it was," Hermione said to nobody in particular. "I have to go check something in the library!"

She turned and ran toward the castle.

"Hermione!" Harry shouted, trying to make her stop. "You can't go anywhere alone; it's too dangerous."

"I will accompany her, Potter," Snape said, prompting Harry to give him a skeptical look. Though Snape had changed a little since the night Colin was attacked, Harry didn't quite trust the man. "I know you do not trust me so I will tell you this: your father saved my life once and I hence owe him a Life Debt. I will pay that debt by guaranteeing that I will not harm Miss Granger."

Reluctantly, Harry nodded, hoping Hermione would be okay. Suddenly the game felt very pointless. Even while he was getting his gear on, he just wished as much to fly out and make sure Hermione was okay. He couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was about to happen.

At that moment, Professor McGonagall entered the locker room.

"This game has been canceled," she said.

"Canceled?" Wood looked appalled.

"There's been another attack," McGonagall said and looked at Harry.

"The attack was near the library, wasn't it?" Harry stated more than asked, hoping to be wrong.

"Yes, Mr. Potter," she said sadly. "You'll want to come with me."

Without even changing out of his gear, Harry sprinted out of the locker room toward the Hospital Wing. Entering the ward, Harry spotted the sight that he was hoping to never see. There on the bed was his best friend, her curly locks standing on end, eyes widened in fright with her left hand extended. Her right hand was held firmly to her chest.

"Hermione…" Harry broke down beside her. I promised to keep you safe… I failed. Harry's thoughts raged through his mind, beating him up at every turn. He knew it wasn't his fault but guilt still riddled him.

"They were found just outside the library," McGonagall said. "They were found with a handheld mirror."

Wait… they? Harry thought. That was when he looked at the next bed that held the Potions master, a look of fright on his face as well.

"That's not all," McGonagall said. "Someone also went to Professor Snape's storeroom and destroyed the extra bottles of the restorative potion."

So there was no way to immediately restore them to health.

"We'll just have to order more Mandrakes," Harry said.

"That would take at least a week for them to arrive," McGonagall said. "Our Mandrakes would be ready by then. I know you hate seeing your friend like this but she will be fine.

"In the meantime, I must return you to Gryffindor tower," McGonagall said. "All the students are gathered there to hear the new rules."

From that moment, students were to remain within their year groups. After classes, students were to return to their common rooms. Special groups, including the D.A., were closed. Overall, nobody was happy.

After the attack, Harry was flooded with apologies, especially from Ernie and Justin.

"Susan was right," Ernie said. "We don't even know you and we cast aspersions on you as to your guilt."

"I know you wouldn't let anything happen to Hermione if you could manage it," Justin said. "You are also the reason the school purchased the mature Mandrakes, making it possible for them to cure us. Can you forgive us?"

"Maybe in time," Harry said in a monotone voice. "You weren't the only ones but hearing that you thought I was turning out like the man who murdered my parents really stung. I'll accept your apology but my forgiveness you'll have to earn."

This was true: whether it was Dumbledore lying to him, Snape antagonizing him, or these Hufflepuffs accusing him of attacking students, Harry wasn't apt to hand out forgiveness on a whim.

"If there's anything we can do to help," Ernie tried to lay a hand on Harry's shoulder but Harry stepped back. He wasn't in the mood to be touched at the moment. "Let us know."

"I will," Harry replied, devoid of emotion.

A pall was cast over the castle as more than one student worried about the school being closed. The only one who was smug was of course Draco Malfoy. Harnessing the mood, he increased his calls for Dumbledore to be removed, asking the students to write their parents and ask for a headmaster who could solve their current crisis.

That night, Harry lay in his bunk, unable to sleep. Listening to the sounds of his dormmates all sleeping soundly was irritating. Growling softly, Harry swung his feet out of the bed, dressed, swung his father's invisibility cloak on and marched onward. Before long he reached his destination.

Pushing on the door, Harry noticed there was no chime when entered the ward of the Hospital Wing. Sitting down next to Hermione, he pulled out the Lord of the Rings, flipped to the spot where he left off reading to her and started reading.

"Pippen looked out from the shelter of Gandalf's cloak. He wondered if he was awake or still sleeping," Harry recited. "Sounds familiar, eh Hermione?"

For hours and hours, he read and read. As he read, tears started to appear in the corners of his eyes. He wasn't sure if she could even hear him but it felt good, felt right. It was cathartic.

"'My blood runs chill' said Gimli but the others were silent," Harry's voice cracked as tears flowed freely. Undeterred he kept reading until he could no longer stave off sleep.

Every night that week, Harry would wait until everyone was asleep and then head to the Wing to continue reading to his best friend. He'd enter the ward, throw off his cloak, and start reading.

"'Tell me,' Pippin said, 'is there any hope? For Frodo I mean or at least mostly for Frodo.' Gandalf put his hand on Pippin's head. 'There was never much hope,' he answered. 'Just a fool's hope.'"

One night, he was heading toward the Wing when he looked out the window and saw a group of figures heading toward Hagrid's hut, a bobbing lantern cutting through the prevailing darkness.

Curious, Harry hurried to catch up. He caught the group just as they were knocking on Hagrid's door.

"Can I help you?" Hagrid opened the door a crack.

"Yes, Hagrid," Harry recognized Dumbledore's voice. "I'm afraid we have someone here who would like to talk to you."

Harry scurried into the hut as the door closed.

"Mr. Hagrid," a short, stout man holding a bowler hat spoke. "Terrible business that's been going on. We have to put a stop to it, you understand."

"Minister," Dumbledore began. "I believe, as I did 50 years ago, that Hagrid is not the one behind these attacks."

So that's Cornelius Fudge, Harry said inwardly. Amelia had spoken of him a few times but Harry didn't know what the man looked like.

"Unfortunately, Albus," Fudge said. "We have to be seen as doing something. Five attacks, a teacher this time. I'm afraid I've come to collect Mr. Hagrid."

"Not Azkaban," Hagrid paled. "Yer can't take me there!"

Without a trial? Harry raged silently.

"Until we can prove that the culprit is not you and that the culprit has been caught, yes. Please come quietly,"

At that moment, there was another knock at the door. Dumbledore waved his wand and standing there was Lucius Malfoy. The blonde stepped into the house, a judgmental stare affixed to his face.

"Get outta my house!" Hagrid spat at the man.

"Please," Lucius spoke with disdain. "I will not be in this -house did you call it- longer than I have to. I am here to speak to Professor Dumbledore."

Malfoy pulled a rolled-up piece of parchment out of his robes, handing it to the headmaster.

"The Board of Governors feel that, with these attacks, it is time for us to find a new headmaster," Malfoy said. "The board feels you've lost touch on this school and reality. Deputy Headmistress McGonagall shall be the interim headmistress while we conduct a thorough search for someone who can actually protect their students."

Harry, clapped his hands over his mouth, hoping they didn't hear his astonished gasp. Dumbledore seemed to bristle at this last statement about protecting students while his eyes moved to where Harry was standing.

"Now, now Lucius," Fudge tried to look congenial. "Do you really think that is necessary?"

"I'm afraid it is," Malfoy said stoically.

"If the board feels it necessary to remove me then I will go without a fight," Dumbledore then looked right to where Harry was standing. "But know that help will always come to Hogwarts for those who ask for it."

"Excellent," Malfoy said. "Now with that handled, it is my unfortunate responsibility to seal the headmaster's office until such a time as we have selected someone for the position."

Harry took his opportunity to slide out of the hut and marched, not realizing he was at the Hospital Wing. Arriving at Hermione's bedside, he flung the cloak off.

"Oh I wish you were here, Hermione," Harry said. "You always know what to do. I'm sure you'd have the solution for this. Now Dumbledore is gone, and Hagrid is in prison. I need your help, I really do."

Harry reached out and grabbed the hand pressed to her chest. That was when he heard the sound of paper crinkling. Examining Hermione's hand, he saw that there was something in it.

Harry worked the paper from her grasp. Spreading it out on the bedside table, he found a page of a book Hermione had ripped out. Quickly scanning it, Harry felt hopeful for the first time in a week.

"This is it!" Harry said, quietly. "Hermione, you've figured it out."

Taking the page, he moved out of the Wing and sped off toward McGonagall's office. He needed her and he needed to get in touch with Madam Bones.

Chapter 33: The Memory Remains

Harry sprinted toward McGonagall's office, skidding around every corridor until he reached her door. Hammering on the door, Harry was confronted with the irate visage of the Deputy Headmistress.

"Mr. Potter!" She scolded him. "You are supposed to be in your dormitory! What are you doing up! You know how dangerous it is to be out alone right now."

"Professor McGonagall," Harry wasn't in the mood to be admonished. "I have been visiting Hermione every night, using my cloak to not be seen. When I did just now, I discovered this."

Harry handed her the page Hermione tore out.

"The Basilisk, known as the King of all Snakes, is among the most dangerous of Magical Creatures," Harry read aloud. "Spiders run from it while the crow of a rooster is lethal. It can kill with a single look and its venom is lethal with no known antidote."

"This is it!" Harry said. "This is the creature who is behind the attacks."

"While a lot of this does fit, our roosters were all killed in September, Basilisks are rare, Mr. Potter," McGonagall tried to quell him before his story ran amok. "Someone would have seen it moving around."

"Hermione has figured that out too," Harry pointed the bottom of the page. "Pipes, she wrote. That's how it is moving around. She must have heard the Basilisk in the pipes on Halloween. I heard it talking but she heard it hissing. She never put it together until she heard me talking to a snake before the match.

"The culprit must have heard her talking and knew she figured it out," Harry said. "That's why the restorative was also destroyed.

"Oh no!" Harry gasped, suddenly. "How safe are the Mandrakes?"

"Only Professor Sprout can open the greenhouses," McGonagall said. "They are safe."

"We need to contact Madam Bones," Harry said. "Hagrid's been arrested and Dumbledore suspended. We'll need to give her to clear Hagrid's name."

"Alright," McGonagall was convinced. "I will reach out to her. One moment."

McGonagall walked to the first place, threw some powder to make the fire turn green. She stuck her head in and called out "Bones Manor."

"Yes, can you fetch Madam Bones? It's urgent," Harry heard McGonagall say before she pulled her head out.

"Minerva?" Harry started as Amelia Bones' head appeared in the flames. "What's so important you needed to speak to me at this time of night?"

"I assume Susan has kept you apprised of the Chamber business?" Amelia nodded. "Our most recent victim, Hermione Granger, has figured out what is behind it. We were hoping you could come. They've thrown Hagrid into Azkaban."

"Who?" Amelia asked with a tone that was both resigned and enraged.

"Cornelius Fudge," Harry said. "He, and I quote 'wanted to be seen as doing something.'"

"First time for everything," Amelia shook her head. "I will grab an Auror detachment and be up at the school tomorrow morning."

"Thank you, Amelia. We will see you tomorrow."

Amelia's head vanished from the flames and the fire turned back to its usual orange.

That night, Harry didn't sleep a wink. He kept replaying the moments from the night over in his head. Hagrid arrested and sent to prison- without a trial, no less- Dumbledore ousted and Hermione figuring out what was attacking the students. Above all, he wished he could talk about this with Hermione. She always quelled his inner doubts and got him to think things through. At long last, his alarm sounded and he bounced out of bed. It didn't matter the day, he still got up at the same time. Harry finished his routine and walked down the stairs to the common room. As a matter of habit, he still scanned the room for Hermione. Even a week later, he still expected his best friend to be waiting for him.

Has it really only been a week? Harry thought. This week felt like an entire month. He had reached out to Helen and Richard to update them and confirm that Hermione was going to be fine. He kept up on his classes, took the usual notes but he was living I real lead on what was doing this.

He threw the portrait open to move toward McGonagall's office only come face-to-face with the professor in question.

"Good morning, Mr. Potter," McGonagall greeted him. "I assumed you would already be up. Shall we go meet Madam Bones?"

"Let's do it," Harry said, a hard glint in his eyes.

McGonagall turned and led him down the hallway. Harry followed her down to the front door where Amelia was waiting with Tonks and an auror Harry never recognized.

"Mr. Potter," Amelia gave him a small smile. "You said you had evidence to the culprit behind these attacks? Behind me are Aurors Tonks and Dawlish."

Harry nodded at them and was about to show Amelia the page Hermione tore out when Luna rounded the corner at a dead run.

"Harry!" Luna skidded to a stop into Harry's side, clutching a stitch at her side. "Have you seen Ginny?"

"Luna?" Harry winced as she slammed into him. "Slow down, catch your breath. Tell me what happened."

"Ginny got up early, early even for her," Luna explained. "I was curious; she hasn't been herself for a while. She came around for a while this term but she hasn't been paying attention in classes, sleeps very little.

"I followed her down the stairs and she followed you out the portrait hole. I followed her but I lost sight of her on the second floor. That's when I sprinted, hoping to catch up and just ran into you."

"Luna," Harry looked her in the eye. "Was she carrying a small book?"

"You mean her diary?" Luna volunteered and Harry groaned.

Everything clicked together. Only a Gryffindor could have taken that diary back; the floral scent that he smelled on Halloween and Colin noticed the night he was attacked.

"She's behind it," Harry said, turning to Amelia. "But I would bet she isn't consciously doing it. There was book I came across that was a diary of Tom Riddle who was a student here the last time. When I had it, I felt compelled to write in it. After I did, it showed me a memory of Hagrid being expelled.

"Then there's this," Harry handed Amelia the page from the book. "Hermione figured out the creature that is behind the attacks. It all lines up."

Harry didn't want to broadcast his ability to talk to snakes so he kept that quiet.

"If the Basilisk kills with a look," Amelia pondered aloud. "Why has nobody been killed?"

"Because nobody has actually seen it directly," Harry said. "There was a puddle on the floor the night Mrs. Norris was attacked, Colin saw it through his camera, Cho through her compact mirror and Justin through Nick who-as a ghost- cannot die.

"And Miss Granger and was found holding a mirror when she and Professor Snape were attacked," McGonagall added.

Madam Bones pursed her lips in thought, stroking her chin with her hand.

"Alright I am sold," Bones said. "First, we have to find Miss Weasley. Any ideas?"

Harry then smacked his head and screamed "of course!"

Turning to Luna, he asked her "Can you take me to the point where you last saw her?"

Luna led them to the third floor landing. Harry looked around and finally spotted a portrait of a knight and donkey.

"Excuse me good sire," Harry spoke the portrait.

"What's this? A challenger?" The knight drew his sword only find it overly long, causing him to fall over backward.

"No, good knight," Harry said. "We are looking for a young girl and hope you might have seen her."

"The one with hair the color of a dragon's breath?" Harry nodded. "Indeed I did see her. She went down another level to the toilet of the sad wench's toilet."

"The sad wench?" Amelia asked, confusedly.

"Moaning Myrtle," Harry groaned. "That must be where the entrance to the Chamber is. Come on!"

Harry started to sprint down before two hands held him back.

"Mr. Potter," McGonagall got down on one knee to look him in the eye, just now noticing that she had to look up. He certainly is growing, she thought. "You have done well but as your guardian, I am afraid I can't let you accompany us any further. This is going to be very, very dangerous. I can't let you continue."

"But…" Harry wanted to see this through.

"Basilisks are dangerous creatures," Amelia said, tapping her badge twice. "I'm even calling for backup, once we know the location of the creature."

"What if you need a parselmouth to open the Chamber?" Harry asked. "I promise I won't get in the way but I think if I was Salazar Slytherin, that's what I would do."

McGonagall let out an exasperated sigh and rubbed her temples.

"Fine," she relented. "Any movement and you shut your eyes and you are to follow my every last order to the letter, am I clear?"

Harry nodded.

"Miss Lovegood," McGonagall turned to the small blonde. "Thank you for alerting us to Miss Weasley's absence. At this point, I must request you to return to your dormitory."

"Tippy," McGonagall called out and a house elf wearing a uniform with the Hogwarts logo on it appeared. "Can you please pass a message to Professors Flitwick and Sprout. Tell them to see that every student is safely ensconced within their common rooms until I say so. Pomona can pass the message to Slytherin while Filius can do the same for Gryffindors. The prefects shall be in charge."

"Yes, Deputy Headmistress," the elf bowed and then left.

"There's house elves here?" Harry wondered aloud.

"Of course," McGonagall said, as if it were obvious. "Who do you think cooks the meals, cleans common rooms, does your laundry?"

"I hadn't thought of that," Harry said in a small voice. "Are they bound to a person? Are they paid?"

"They are bound to the castle and they are paid in magic."

"Hmm… well are they free to leave if they want? Tippy seemed to speak rather well, better than Dobby."

"One of the last signs of abuse comes in speech patterns," Amelia said. "Dobby probably doesn't have much longer to live if his speech is…"

She broke off as she read the message smeared along the walls:

Her Skelton will Lie

In the Chamber forever

"Good lord," McGonagall gasped. Before she could react, Harry pushed past her, into the bathroom.

"Ah Harry," Myrtle floated out toward him. "Have you come to say hello? It's been too long, you know."

Like that, the last piece fell into place.

"Myrtle," Harry asked slowly, as the other adults entered the room behind him, the last being Tonks who seemed to have a little issue closing the door. "How did you die?"

"Oh it was awful," Myrtle said with excitement. "I was in this very bathroom, crying. Olive Hornby was so cruel. Next thing I know there's a male voice in the bathroom. I could tell by his shoes. He hissed something. I came out to tell him to get out and then… I died."

"Do you remember anything from that moment?" Amelia asked.

"Just a pair of big yellow eyes," Myrtle said and then pointed. "Coming from that direction."

"Thank you, Myrtle," Harry said as he moved toward the sinks. "Look at this!"

Carved into one of the faucets was one very ornate snake.

"I've never noticed that," Tonks said. "Then again, I didn't come in here unless I really had to and even then, it was a race to leave- no offense, Myrtle."

"That has to be it," Harry said. "Remember how Hermione said pipes?"

Looking at the faucet and believing it to be a snake, Harry hissed "~Open~."

"Dear lord," Dawlish freaked out. "He is a parselmouth!"

"And your point?" McGonagall gave him a scathing look to which he withered.

Harry headed toward the open grate, making to jump down before once again being held back by McGonagall.

"Tergio maxima," she cast and the walls cleaned themselves all the way down. "Follow me once we say it is clear. No sooner, you hear?"

Harry nodded and watched McGonagall drop through the pipe, shouting "clear" at the bottom. Amelia followed, then Dawlish and finally Tonks. Harry heard her shout clear and jumped in.

Shooting out of the tunnel, Harry was caught by McGonagall before he hit the ground. Harry could swear he heard something land beside him but disregarded it as he took in his surroundings. The walls were dark and dingy with a strong smell of excrement and mold with rodent skeletons littering the floor.

"Boy boss," Tonks wrinkled her nose in disgust before casting a charm on herself. A bubble appeared over her head. "You sure do give the best assignments. 'Come up to Hogwarts, we'll investigate a lead, it'll be fun.'"

"Enough Auror Tonks," Amelia admonished. "Be careful where you step. Wands out, everyone."

"Take these," McGonagall handed everyone a hand held mirror she conjured. "Peek around every corner with one of these first."

"I'll take the lead with Minerva, Harry you stay in the center," Amelia started barking orders. "Tonks, Dawlish flanking procedures. Everyone move now."

The group walked for a while before reaching a corner. McGonagall peeked around with her mirror before nodding to the others.

"Clear!" Amelia called out and Harry turned the corner to see a snake skin big enough to be belt for several Hagrids with plenty left over.

"That's an old skin," Harry said what everyone was thinking. "Just how huge is this snake?"

Bones crushed underneath his feet as he approached the skin. McGonagall and Amelia kept pace with him until they heard a quiet grunt, followed by a scream of pain. Turning, the three saw Gilderoy Lockhart remove an invisibility cloak, stepping by the now unconscious Tonks and Dawlish.

"Well what have we here," Lockhart said but his voice wasn't normal, it was high-pitched and squeaky.

"What's wrong with your voice?" McGonagall asked.

"Those fucking kids!" Lockhart screamed in rage. "All year they have been attacking me but I would not leave. No I knew this Chamber business would be good for, well, business."

"But you haven't done anything," Harry said.

"Oh I've done what I always do," Lockhart squeaked. "Listen and observe others as they chase a story. Then, I take their memories and share their stories. It's much better when it comes from someone who looks like me."

"So you really are a fraud," Harry said. "I thought you were incompetent but I didn't think you'd go this far."

"I was cunning enough to watch you, Potter," Lockhart tried to sound venomous but it's hard when you sound like a chipmunk. "I watched you and your friend, Granger. You think you're so clever but you never realized I was watching."

"Nothing left to do but to expose you, I guess," Harry spat as McGonagall and Amelia moved to flank.

"See that's where you're wrong," Lockhart said. "In a half hour, I will be telling everyone how you all lost your minds at the Basilisk- thank you for finding that detail out, by the way- and I stepped in. I vanquished the foe and rescued you all but I wasn't able to save the girl, nor will I be able to save your minds. See you again never, Boy Who Lived."

He raised his wand and shouted "Obliviate!" but what he didn't factor was the amount of damage his wand had taken this year. Suddenly, every chip and crack in the wood was essential as his overpowered memory charm blew his wand up in his hand, causing a feedback explosion. Harry looked up and saw cracks beginning to form on the walls.

Oh shit was all he could think as the ceiling started to cave in. Running backward, Harry dove as the walls crumbled in right where he was standing.

"Professor! Madam Bones!," Harry coughed through the debris. "Are you okay!?"

"We are fine," McGonagall said. "Madam Bones and I are both clear. Lockhart is in bad shape and so is Dawlish. Some of the debris hit him hard."

"What about Tonks?" Harry asked.

"She is unhurt," McGonagall replied. "Stay there. We have to sort through this and we will be able to make our way to you."

"How long will that take you?"

"At least a half hour, I would guess," McGonagall said.

"Ginny might not have that long," Harry said. "I will move onward and see if I can stall and keep her alive."

"Harry Potter!" McGonagall screamed. "You promised me you would do as I said."

"I can't just let her die," Harry shouted back. "I'm sorry. You can punish me if I survive this!"

Harry turned and sprinted away, ending at an enormous circular door. "~Open~" he hissed and before he knew it, he in the entrance of a huge chamber. Pillars made of emerald lined the walls, leading to a statue of Salazar Slytherin's head. At the base of it lay…

"Ginny!" Harry rushed toward her. He noticed the death grip she had on the book "Ginny, wake up!"

"She won't wake," a voice sounded behind Harry. Harry turned and saw a face he had only seen in a memory.

"Tom Riddle," Harry said. He pointed toward Ginny. "This must be your doing."

"Oh this is all Ginny," he smiled. "She filled my diary with stories of her pitiful life. 'Oh Tom, I get to meet Harry Potter,' 'Oh Tom, why is he already in love with that muggleborn?' 'Tom, how do I make my mother happy if I can't marry Harry?'

"It was all so droll… but informative," Tom gazed at Ginny like a predator waiting to consume its prey. "As she poured her soul into me, I poured my soul into her. Got her to do certain things. She could have done so well but she fought, my oh my how she fought.

"The plan was to have the mudbloods out of this place by February but she persevered," Tom smiled condescendingly at Ginny. "But for months, since we first spoke, in fact, my target has not been mudbloods or even blood traitors; my target has been you."

"Ginny told me all about you," Tom turned and gave Harry his full attention. "How is it possible that a baby was able to defeat the greatest Dark Lord of our times?"

"Why do you care?" Harry had a feeling he knew the answer to this but wanted desperately to be wrong. "Voldemort was after your time."

"Voldemort is my past, my present and, in a matter of minutes, my future," Riddle raised Ginny's wand, making Harry raise his in response. Riddle swiped it through the air spelling out 'Tom Marvolo Riddle.'

"So you are related to the Gaunt family and, by extension, Slytherin," Harry said.

"What an insightful little whelp you are, Potter," Riddle then swished his wand and the letters reformed to spell 'I am Lord Voldemort.'

"Neat trick," Harry said. "You must be a hit at parties."

"You'll soon learn what it means to be great and powerful," Tom sneered. "You are here, your classmate is losing her battle minute-by-minute. You have no help: you are alone."

"Help will be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it," Harry parroted Dumbledore's parting words back to him. At that moment, a burst of flame filled the room as Harry heard a majestic screech from a bird.

"Fawkes…" Harry stared at the bird as it flew through the chamber. He flew a few more circles before landing on Harry's shoulder. That was when Harry noticed he was holding the sorting hat.

"Tom Riddle," the hat spoke aloud. "Never has there been a student I wanted to kick out more. Such evil thoughts I sensed within you."

"A bird and a hat," Riddle scoffed. "That is what Hogwarts sends to help Harry Potter fight the Heir of Slytherin."

"~Speak to me Salazar, greatest of the founders,~" Harry heard Tom hiss. The statue's mouth opened and Harry saw something moving within. Harry turned and sprinted toward the back of the chamber, slamming his eyes shut as he did. He felt Fawkes leave his shoulder.

"Come back!" He pleaded the bird. The bird's departure made him feel very alone.

"Enough of that," the hat said. "Throw me on already."

What do I have to lose, Harry thought. It sounded crazy but then again, he was being hunted by a gargantuan snake: Harry was well past crazy. That was almost the last thought he had as a weight fell on his head as he put the hat on.

Whipping the hat off, Harry felt a longsword fall out. Harry looked at the handle, covered in gold and rubies. Guess it's time to go duel a snake, I guess. Harry turned to judge just where the snake was only to have it be on the opposite side of the pillar.

I'm dead, Harry thought. Hermione is going to kill me when she finds out I'm dead.

That would have been true, had the Basilisk still had eyes. Harry saw Fawkes flying away, blood on his talons. The snake sniffed the air with its tongue and brought its tail around to swipe at the bird. Fawkes took a glancing blow but continued to fly. Harry took that opportunity to run at the snake, thrusting the sword forward as he did. However, the blade simply glanced off the snakes armor-like skin. That tail of the snake lashed out again and Harry was thrown backward.

Alright, new plan. Harry tried to find a weakness of the snake. He conjured three blue flames. In his adrenalin fueled state, he never noticed that he failed to do the incantation. Shouting "Kamehamha," he shot them at the Basilisk. One glanced off the snakes hide, another burned into its eye socket but the third was the one that really did the damage.

Caught just as the snake opened its mouth to snap at Fawkes, the flame burned the roof of the snakes mouth, making the creature howl in rage.

"~No! No!~" Tom tried to rally the snake. "~Forget the bloody bird and attack the boy!~"

Once again the snake thrust its tongue out to smell the air, turning to find Harry. Letting out another long hiss, the snake charged at Harry. Nothing Fawkes did knocked it off course.

Harry furrowed his brow in concentration. Remembering some of his lessons with Flitwick, he did the water charm, followed by the ice charm. A little bit of transfiguration later and he was levitating an ice spear in front just as the snake struck. Harry pushed it forward into the snakes' open mouth, halting its pursuit. Next, Harry conjured two tables, destroyed them. Transfiguring the debris into stone spikes, Harry shot those at the snake.

By now, the snake was bleeding from its mouth but altogether undeterred. All I did was piss it off, Harry thought as exhaustion started to take him. Looking down to his left hand, he saw the sword.

"I was really hoping I wouldn't have to do this," Harry scolded himself. "Well then next time have a better plan then, Potter."

Just as the snake reared back to strike, Harry thrust the sword forward. With exceptional luck, Harry intercepted the snake and the sword thrust cleanly through the roof of the snake's mouth. The snake gave one final roar and then died. Harry removed the sword, only to find one small issue: a fang lodged in his arm.

His mind slowed to a crawl as he could feel the venom work its way through his system.

"Amazing isn't it?" Tom said from across the room. "How quickly the Basilisk venom works? I used to watch as it would bite creatures. I'd watch them writhe in agony before keeling over and dying. Even if the Basilisk wasn't hungry, I'd have her hunt in the forest. Too bad she won't be snacking on you, Potter. It won't be long now."

Slowly, Harry limped toward Tom and the now ghostly pale Ginny. He didn't know how long he had but he knew he had to finish the job. Stumbling to Ginny's side, he put a hand on hers, using it to prise the diary from her. Reaching for the sword, Harry found he couldn't lift it. Rolling over, Harry spasmed as the venom worked its way through him.

As he lay there dying, he pictured his best friend and wished at that very moment he could have seen her smile one last time. Moving his hand to his pocket, he grasped the needle and waited for death to take him, ignoring Tom's faint screams. That's when he noticed his vision clear. Blinking, he picked up his head and saw Fawkes crying tears into his wound.

"Of course," Tom's voice was clear once again. "Fucking Phoenix tears, they heal most ailments. No worries. Guess I just have to do this myself."

Tom raised Ginny's wand and pointed it at Harry. Harry scrambled, picked up the sword and thrust it through the center of the diary.

"What have you done!" Tom wailed as his essence faded further and further. Harry looked down and saw the wails now coming from the diary in question. Black sludge was poring out of it, onto the Chamber floor.

"Goodbye, Tom," Harry said as he looked over Ginny. He quickly tried to find her pulse and found it to be strengthening. As he did, he saw her eyes open.

(A/N: Sometimes a song title just fits and I couldn't be more overjoyed at how the Memory Remains applied to both Lockhart failing to remove their memories and Tom Riddle's memory remaining.

Chapter 34: Speak to Me/Breathe

"Harry!" Ginny gasped as she sat up. "It was me! I was the one attacking the students!"

"Ginny," Harry placed a hand on her shoulder to calm her. "I talked to Tom; I know he was controlling you. He also said you fought him along the way. He wanted to kill every First Gen Witch and Wizard by February. He seemed quite perturbed by how you fought him."

"But it was me," Ginny started to cry. "I wrote in the damn diary. Father always says not to talk with something that you can't see where it keeps its brain.

"I was so worried when I saw you had the book," Ginny said. "I thought Tom would tell you everything I told him."

"Speaking of that," Harry sat down next to her. "We need to talk: Ginny I don't know where this fascination and fixation on me comes from but it has to stop. I don't know who I'll end up dating-"

"-I do," Ginny interjected, sadly.

"-But I know that the girl I date will be strong, smart and will compliment me. And I have to say, no offense to this, but they probably won't look like my mother. I'm not Oedipus"

Ginny was wondering who Oedipus was as Harry continued to speak.

"I don't know you, Ginny," Harry kept his voice even.

"I'm sorry," Ginny openly wept. "Growing up, my mother would tell me stories before bedtime. Every night, it would be a different one and in every story, the hero was Harry Potter. 'Harry Potter fights a dragon,' 'Harry Potter destroys a Dementor,' and on they went. Ironically, in one of the stories Harry Potter saved me from a giant snake.

"My mother told me one day I would meet a prince and he would sweep me off my feet. That I should remain 'virtuous and true' until that day. She's… a bit much to take, honestly. There's a reason Bill is in Egypt and Charlie in Romania. I love her but sometimes there's a limit to how much I can take.

"Then last year, letters arrived from Ron," Ginny pulled out a set of crinkled letters. "'Harry's incredible! He befriends everyone, is the best in the school. I can see his training with Dumbledore is paying off. Only the Know-It-All, Granger, keeps up with him.' 'Harry Potter played his first Quidditch match today and I think he could start for England right now.'

"These are all letters from Ron," Ginny said. "They all mention you and how you're best friends."

"Ginny," Harry consoled. "I'm sure you've seen by now that these are all at least partly false, if not entirely. I have a passing acquaintance with Ron but he's nowhere near my best friend. He only talks Quidditch and Chess. I can't build a relationship based off that. I doubt he even knows what I do and don't like. Even Colin is a closer friend than Ron because Colin actually connects with me.

"As I said before, I don't know you. But maybe we could start over? We'll never be a couple but I would like to try to be friends."

"I think I'd like that," Ginny said.

Harry looked up as he spotted movement at the mouth of the chamber as Amelia and McGonagall sprinted into the chamber, wands drawn. Amelia checked the corners of the room while McGonagall bustled up to the kids, stopping briefly to gawk and the corpse of the Basilisk.

"Mr. Potter, Miss Weasley," she gasped out as she ran up. "Are you both okay?"

"Ginny is probably worse off than I am," Harry said as Amelia joined them. "She was being magically drained by that book there. As she did that, it made another man, Tom Riddle, become corporeal. How are the others?"

"Tonks is fine," Amelia updated Harry. "She is currently with Dawlish who will need to be sent to St. Mungo's. Dawlish took some debris to the head."

"And Lockhart?"

"His spell backfired on him," Amelia shook her head. "He has removed all memories, including his own name. How did you kill the basilisk?"

Harry gave them a quick recap of his conversation with Tom, him revealing that he was actually a younger version of Voldemort, Fawkes arriving with the Sorting Hat which gave Harry a sword.

"Wait, a sword?" McGonagall, finally noticing the one plunged through the diary. "Merlin, Potter! Do you know what sword that is?"

Harry shook his head.

"That's the Sword of Gryffindor," McGonagall said. "It's been lost for ages. I know the Goblins have been searching for it for some time. Quite impressive that you would find it."

"Find it?" The Sorting Hat piped up. "The sword is his. Just as Tom Riddle was the Heir of Slytherin, Harry Potter is the most direct descendant of the Gryffindor line with Mr. Longbottom the next closest candidate."

"Gryffindor? Me?" Harry had fought a giant snake and stabbed a diary to kill a man and this was what threw him.

"Yes," the hat said. "My how Godric would be proud of you too."

"Fighting this creature alone?" Amelia still gazed at the Basilisk. "I am impressed, Mr. Potter. Most Aurors would not have survived."

"Well one, I had no other choice," Harry replied. "Voldemort wanted to face me and hell or high water, he was going to have it face me. Second, I wasn't alone. If Fawkes didn't blind it, fighting it would have been impossible. If the Sorting Hat hadn't given me the sword, I wouldn't have been able to kill it."

"If you talked to Professor Flitwick," McGonagall interjected. "He would tell you that it doesn't matter who you are facing, it matters that you face them. You're never alone in your battles but you are the one who has to choose to fight. You have done well.

"But I'm still furious. You told me you'd stay out of harm's way. You were just the key to the door, you were never meant to walk through it."

"Well as I said, Tom wanted to face me above all others. I'm sorry for worrying you but I couldn't just stand by and allow someone to be killed."

"Much as I hate to admit it," McGonagall sighed. "I understand and probably would do the same. You're just as brash as James and as fiercely loyal as Lily; I should have known you'd be in the thick of the battle."

"Thank you, professor," Harry finally accepted.

"Let's head back to the others," Amelia said. "Dawlish will need to be transported, Madam Pomfrey will need to have a good look at the both of you. You know, Harry, just once I'd like to see you under normal circumstances."

"Good luck with that," came Harry's sardonic reply as they walked out of the chamber. "I don't think I do normal."

"Who wants to be normal?" said the pink-haired Tonks. "If you ask me, you could stand to be a little more like your favorite cousin."

Tonks pointed to herself with a rakish smile.

"Please don't encourage him," McGonagall groaned. "He gets into enough trouble as is. I don't want another generation of Marauders running around."

Wondering who or what the Marauders wore but was too tired to truly ponder it. Amelia conjured stretchers for both Lockhart and Dawlish and Fawkes landed on Harry's shoulder while Ginny carried the hat. They arrived back at the pipe they used to get down and looked up.

"Any suggestions?" Harry asked the adults. "Should we go ask someone to find Rapunzel and let down her hair?"

It was a stupid joke, Harry knew that but it make Fawkes chortle followed by Tonks snorting in humor. Before anyone knew what was happening, the group was doubled over, laughing at how ridiculous this whole thing was while the stress of their ordeal bled off.

"Okay," Amelia was the first to regain her exposure. She wiped off her monocle and turned to Harry. "Maybe ask for some steps?"

"~Stairs~" nothing happened. "~Steps~"

Still, nothing until Harry got frustrated and just said "~Up~" and Amelia was sucked up the pipe and deposited back in the bathroom. One by one Harry gave the command and everyone was transported up the pipe. When Ginny had called up that everyone was clear, Harry hissed on last time. A weird sensation went through Harry's body as if he was sucked through a hose that was also spinning him like a drier. As Harry shot out of the pipe, he caught the toe of his shoe on the floor, sending him skidding on the slick floor before crashing into the row of stalls.

"10 points for form but 3 for the landing," Tonks commented dryly. To add insult to injury, Fawkes just flew overhead and landed next to him, bumping Harry with his head. "I thought you were an athlete."

"Not meant for the Luge event, I guess," Harry groaned as he did a quick inventory of all his pieces and parts.

"Can't wait to see you travel by Floo then," Tonk chortled. Harry just shook his head, terrified of whatever Floo travel was supposed to be.

"Everyone here?" Amelia led the group up to the Wing. Pomfrey gave her usual greeting as she started running her scans on Ginny, Tonks moved to take Dawlish to St. Mungo's but had to step back as the doors to the ward were flung open and Dumbledore stepped in. Everything stopped at the look of pure rage on Dumbledore's face. Upon seeing Ginny and Harry safe in beds in the wing, his gaze softened. Before anyone could say anything, two heads of flaming red hair breezed past the headmaster.

"Ginny!" Mr. Weasley cried as he embraced his daughter. "When we heard the news, we feared the worst."

"So glad you are safe," Mrs. Weasley wrapped her arms around the both of them and the family enjoyed a group hug. Harry watched the reunion with a sad, small smile until Mrs. Weasley turned.

"You saved my daughter!" Mrs. Weasley howled with tears in her eyes. Oxygen became tough as she gave him a suffocating hug. "What a hero you were, saving my daughter. Oh, your parents would be so proud."

Harry locked eyes with Ginny who rolled her eyes as if to say "see? I told you so."

"If you don't mind," Dumbledore interrupted. "I would love to hear the story of what happened for myself."

Harry began his tale, talking first about the page he discovered in Hermione's hand which he brought to Professor McGonagall who in turn contacted Amelia Bones. That led into Luna telling them about Ginny going missing. Harry told Dumbledore of his using his Parselmouth ability to open the chamber.

"Really," Dumbledore interrupted for the first time. "Fascinating. Continue, Harry."

Harry continued the story talking about Lockhart revealing his true self to which he swore Dumbledore smiled a little. He moved on to entering the Chamber, meeting Tom Riddle and learning about the diary. He was just about to tell them about his fight with the Basilisk when the door to the Wing slammed open.

"Merlin's sake!" Pomfrey threw her hands up. "This is a hospital!"

In the doorway stood Lucius Malfoy.

"What are you doing here!?" Mr. Weasley shouted from the doorway.

"I seem to recall saying that you were suspended, Dumbledore," Malfoy ignored Weasley. Dumbledore stood from his chair and faced the blonde prick.

"When Miss Weasley here was taken," Dumbledore gestured to the girl. Harry noticed Malfoy's startle. You weren't expecting to find her, Harry thought with narrowed eyes. "Several of the governors contacted me and beseeched I return at once. A few of them even intimated that they felt pressured or even threatened should they not sign the edict to suspend me."

Harry felt a gentle tug on his elbow. He looked down and Dobby was there, bouncing on the balls of his feet. Apparently, he used the door opening to mask his appearance in the room. Dobby pointed to the diary and then to Malfoy. Cottoning on, Harry scrambled to grab the book.

"Well am I to assume the culprit has been caught?" Lucius' cool mask was back in place.

"The culprit was caught," Amelia interjected. "Luckily Mr. Potter here intervened before anyone lost their life."

"And who might the culprit have been?" Lucius prodded.

"That is a matter for the DMLE," Amelia said. "I cannot comment further."

"As head of the board of governors," Malfoy's pale cheeks took on a red hue.

"-Former head," Dumbledore interrupted. "After the board asked me to return, they voted to oust you. You have no jurisdiction nor reason to be here so I must ask you to leave."

"If you need," Harry threw the diary at him. "Perhaps you can write it in that. It was yours, wasn't it? You must have dropped it by accident when we met in Diagon."

Lucius dropped the diary without looking at it.

"You're a meddlesome child, Potter," Lucius' eyes tightened. "Your parents, your mother, in particular, didn't know when to stop and be quiet. Be a shame if you went the same way."

Harry wasn't even looking, he instead looked down and smiled. The diary never hit the floor; Dobby was holding the book open to see one of Harry's socks.

"Free!" Dobby squealed in joy. "Dobby caught master's book for him. Master has given Dobby a sock. Dobby is free!"

Lucius was enraged. Looking up to see Harry smiling from ear to ear. He snapped and started to reach for his wand. In his fixation on Harry, he forgot who else was in the room.

"Don't move another inch," Dumbledore stepped forward, his wand drawn. Harry couldn't see his eyes but he could feel the heat coming off him. McGonagall and Amelia stood as well, their wands drawn. "You are in my school and are threatening my student. Leave. Now."

Lucius spun on his heel and moved toward the door.

"Oh and the next time one of Lord Voldemort's effects finds its way into this school," Dumbledore growled. "I will hold you personally responsible."

"Good luck proving it," Lucius said. "Same goes for you Director Bones before you say anything."

Malfoy stormed out of the wing, allowing Harry to exhale before having the rest of his breath expelled by a small missile.

"Great Harry Potter has freed Dobby!" The small creature squealed. "Dobby is forever grateful."

"Well I am glad to help you, Dobby," Harry said. "I was hoping you could help me out. Potter Manor is going to be fixed before too long. I will need help to maintain it."

"The Great and Powerful Harry Potter wants Dobby?" Dobby's eyes grew wide.

"Yes," Harry said. "But not as a servant. I don't believe in slave labor. But I could use another friend. What would you want for pay."

"Dobby not wanting pay," Dobby said. "If Dobby is getting paid, he cannot receive master's magic. Tis part of the contract. But perhaps Dobby could be paid in clothes? Dobby has always wanted clothes."

"Well then, I know just what to do," Harry straightened up and called "Tippy."

The same elf he had seen earlier popped in.

"Tippy," Harry smiled as he knew what to do. "I had a set of robes that were shrunk earlier this year. Could you please grab it from my trunk for me?"

A moment later, the elf popped back with the robes in question.

"I thought these might fit you, should I ever free you," Harry said. Dobby snatched the robe and put it on. "Glad to see fits. Now Dobby: I want you to take some time and get healthy before you get to work, okay?"

"If you need anything," Amelia added. "Please go see Lucy at Bones Manor. She will help you."

"Thank you Madam Boneses," Dobby bowed and popped out.

"You really don't do normal," McGonagall said to Harry. "Do you, Mr. Potter?"

"What's the fun of that?" Harry asked with a smirk.

Harry finished the story with Fawkes arriving to help, culminating in using the sword to stab the Basilisk and, subsequently the diary. Once he was finished, he looked at Dumbledore.

"You knew I was in Hagrid's, didn't you?" Harry asked. "That's why you said what you did."

"Harry," Dumbledore smiled congenially. "An invisibility cloak does not make it impossible to hear you. Yes I knew you were there and I also knew you and Miss Granger were the ones most likely to solve this. I surmised that Tom Riddle AKA Voldemort was the one behind the attacks but I could not put the final pieces into the place. I didn't discover Tom being a Parselmouth until much later when he used it during a duel. I didn't even consider that it was a snake that he was using to attack students. Now that I think of it, it all seems rather obvious."

"But why am I a Parselmouth?" Harry asked. "I read my family grimoire and nobody in the Potter line has had that ability."

"There are two options," Dumbledore said. "One, it comes from your mother's side or two, on the night you survived Voldemort's attack, he transferred some of his power and abilities to you.

"Now, Harry, I do have one question for you," Dumbledore leaned forward. "About how big would you say that snake was?"

"I'd estimate about 23 meters long and maybe 2 meters high," Harry said.

"Fascinating," Dumbledore said. "By all rights, you can claim that kill. If you talk to the Goblins, they would probably be able to render it down to its usable parts. It would be worth a fair bit of profit. If you decide to do that, please just let Professor McGonagall know so we can let them in to do their work."

"Th-thank you, sir," Harry said, his eyes wide. "If it is indeed worth a lot, I would like to set up compensation for all those who were victims: Hermione, Colin, Professor Snape, Marietta, Justin and Ginny- oh and if Moaning Myrtle has any living family members, her too. I'd also like some to go to Tonks and Dawlish, especially since Auror Dawlish was severely hurt."

"Me?" Ginny said. "But I was the culprit, not a victim."

"You were as much a victim as the others, worse even," Harry said before looking at Ginny's parents. "Tom told me one thing while he was busy monologuing. He said that he wanted to kill all the First Gens in the school by January. He would have too except for there was one person fighting him: Ginny."

"Many before you have fallen under the sway of Lord Voldemort," Dumbledore added. "He could be charming when he wanted to. That you held him at bay for as long as you did says something."

"Thank you, headmaster," Mrs. Weasley said as Mr. Weasley nodded alongside her.

"Now as that is taken care of," Dumbledore stood again. "I have to go reopen my office and get settled. I leave you in the tender care of Madam Pomfrey."

"What's going to happen to me?" Ginny asked Madam Bones. "I killed a cat. I helped attack a number of students."

"As far as I am concerned," Madam Bones said. "The culprit was Tom Riddle and, seeing as Tom Riddle is dead, there is no one to prosecute. For everything you've done, I'll need you to complete a counseling course. If you complete that, we'll consider it time served. Unfortunate, as I'd love to try and get Lucius Malfoy on something-

"-Me too," Mr. Weasley said, bitterly.

"-But he is too close to the minister for anything to stick," Amelia said, angrily. "I would need to catch him red-handed."

"If I can help in any way, I will," Harry added. "At least we kicked his arrogant ass out of the school."

At the moment, the man in question apparated home, storming through the halls of his manor, shaking in rage. He drew his wand and conjured a bust in the form of Harry's head. With a feral scream, he reduced the bust to dust.

"I take it your trip didn't go as planned?" Lucius turned to see his wife leaning on the door frame.

"That jumped up little bastard!" Lucius shouted. "He cleared Dumbledore, solved the riddle of the Chamber, and cost me Dobby! The brat must pay!"

"Wait, you lost Dobby?" Narcissa was actually shocked.

"The brat tricked me into giving him clothes," Lucius spat. "I was so hoping to mount him on the wall like all the others."

In the main hall were a number of house-elf heads on plaques, mounted to the wall.

"He would have looked nice next to his parents."

"You're disgusting," Narcissa snarled.

"Didn't the black family home have something similar?"

"Yes but they all died of natural causes. They were our family members and we loved them. We didn't abuse them into insanity."

"Like a pureblood family would love such inferior creatures," Lucius scoffed.

"You forget yourself," Narcissa folded her arms under her bust. "The Black family has a longer history than the Malfoy one. I'll remind you that you're living off the Black fortune as the Malfoy one dried up years ago, thanks to your supporting the Dark Lord."

"Once he won, he would have rewarded me beyond anything I could have imagined," Lucius said.

"You're an idiot," Narcissa scoffed. "Like the Dark Lord was going to give anyone anything. What's worse is you've raised our son to be just like you."

"Our lord-"

"-Your lord," Narcissa retorted. "I am a proud daughter of the Black legacy. We bow to nobody, my crazy sister notwithstanding."

"-Will return one day. On that day, you will kneel and apologize. I am his right-hand man, his top lieutenant. He'll reward me beyond even your greatest dreams."

"That'll be the day." Narcissa rolled her eyes and walked away. If he's going to go down this path again, she thought then I need to start making my own contingencies. Start an escape fund and an escape plan. What I really need is someone to emerge as Lord Black.

Lucius stormed into his office and slammed his fists on the desk hard enough to crack the wood. That was when he noticed something on his desk: a thin folder holding sheets of an even thinner piece of parchment. Ah, Goyle finally came through. There was a note from Goyle about needing to hunt through muggle cabinets in multiple locations to find this, telling Lucius he owed him.

Petunia Dursley, née Evans. Married June 6, 1978 to Vernon Dursley. One child, Dudley, born June 23, 1980.

In it, it listed Vernon's occupation, and place of business, his contact information, and health records. Everything about Petunia Dursley was there on the pages, including, most importantly, her address: Number 4, Privet Drive, Surrey.

"Out-fucking-standing," Lucius smiled for the first time since he left Hogwarts. "You'll be mine soon enough, Harry Potter."

(A/N: I know some of you have been wanting me to kill Ginny but instead my plan all along has been to kill the fangirl and level the field so she can be given more dimensionality. All these characters belong to J.K. but that doesn't mean she did a great job with them, particularly Ginny. She did so very little with Ginny that the romance between Harry and her feels forced and falls flat. She could have just kept building the connection between Harry and Hermione into a relationship that has more emotional payoff but I guess that's why fan fiction is a thing.

My point is killing Ginny is easy. Fleshing her out into a more three-dimensional character is hard. You're also starting to see Dumbledore's redemption arc begin in earnest. In the books, Dumbledore only gets angry when his students are in danger. It happened when he saved Harry from the fake Moody and when Harry insinuated that the castle wasn't safe with Dumbledore leaving.

Thank you for all the comments. I've hit a little bit of writer's block which I am trying to write my way out of so the comments help with that. I'll try to keep two updates a week but at the very least, I'll be able to do one a week. I have most of fourth and fifth year planned out but third year is coming along slower.)