Outside Hagrid's cabin…
Harry, Ron, and I exit the cabin and glance to our left at the window, to see the spiders scurrying out the window, down the side of the house, towards the Forbidden Forest.
"Come on." Harry said, smiling.
"What?" Ron asked, fearfully.
"You heard what Hagrid said: 'Follow the spiders'." Harry said.
"They're heading into the Dark Forest!" Ron said, worried.
I walked towards the forest, carrying Hagrid's lantern with Harry behind me; Ron reluctantly followed.
"Why spiders? Why couldn't it be 'follow the butterflies'?" Ron asked.
"Because butterflies would work if it was 'My Little Pony:Friendship is Magic'." I said, clutching the strap of my sling bag.
Forbidden Forest…
Harry, Ron, and I walk through the forest, following the spiders. Just off the path, there's a large rumbling sound. Harry, Ron, and I stop.
"There's something moving over there. Listen. It sounds like something big." Harry said.
"Big?" Ron asked, as headlights switched on, revealing the Weasleys' Ford Anglia. "Harry! Jared! Harry, Jared, it's our car! It must have been here all the time. And look, the forest has turned it wild."
The headlights switch off.
"Come on, we don't want to lose the trail." Harry said.
We continue on.
"Harry, Jared, I don't like this. Harry, Jared, I don't like this at all." Ron said, looking between Harry and I.
"Quiet!" I said, and we followed the spiders to a tunnel underneath a tree root.
"Can we go back now?" Ron asked.
"Not yet. Come on." I said, happily.
We follow the spiders into the tunnel; as we go, a slightly bigger spider descends behind us. The tunnel leads to a massive clearing; above us, numerous spiders, bigger than the ones we're following, watch silently. The spiders lead Harry, Ron, and I to a foreboding mound. The sound of branches breaking is heard.
"Who is it?" Aragog asked.
"Don't panic." Harry said, slightly nervous but keeping calm.
"Hagrid? Is that you?" Aragog asked, and Ron turned toward the mound again.
"We're friends of Hagrid's." Harry said, while slowly, Aragog emerges from the mound to meet with his visitors. "And you... you're... you're Aragog, aren't you?"
"Yes. Hagrid has never sent men into our hollow before." Aragog said.
"He's in trouble. Up at the school there have been attacks." Harry said, as Ron nervously looked around at numerous spiders scuttling around. "They think it's Hagrid. They think he opened the Chamber of Secrets, like before."
"That's a lie! Hagrid never opened the Chamber of Secrets." Aragog said.
"Then you're not the monster?" Harry asked.
"No. The monster was born in the castle. I came to Hagrid from a distant land, in the pocket of a traveler."
"Harry…" Ron said, whispering nervously while tugging on Harry's sleeve. "Jared…"
"Shut up." I said, glancing at Ron.
"But if you're not the monster, then what did kill that girl fifty years ago?" Harry asked, looking at Aragog.
"We do not speak of it. It is an ancient creature we spiders fear above all others." Aragog said.
"But have you seen it?"
"I never saw any part of the castle but the box in which Hagrid kept me." Aragog said, and Ron looks up fearfully. "The girl was discovered in a bathroom." Ron looks at Aragog. "When I was accused, Hagrid brought me here."
"Harry…" Ron said, tugging on Harry's sleeve again. "Jared…"
"What?" Harry asked, finally giving Ron his attention with some annoyance.
Ron whimpers and points upwards; Harry and I look up to see what Ron is trying to tell us. Numerous spiders are descending from a massive hive high above towards Harry, Ron, and I.
"Well…" Harry said, glancing at Aragog. "…thank you. We'll just... go."
"Go?" Aragog asked, while Ron nods fearfully. "I think not." More spiders emerge from around him. "My sons and daughters do not harm Hagrid on my command. But I cannot deny them fresh meat when it wanders so willingly into our midst." As hundreds more spiders appear from the trees. "Goodbye, friend of Hagrid."
"Can we panic now?" Ron asked, glancing at Harry and I in terror.
A big spider lands right next to us; Ron points his wand at it in fear.
"Yes." I said, swinging the lantern at it, then at another spider before throwing the lantern to the ground. "We can."
Harry took out his wand before he, Ron, and I stand back to back as the spiders surround us.
"Know any spells?" Ron asked.
"One, but it's not powerful enough for all of them." Harry said.
"Where's Hermione when you need her?" Ron asked.
The spiders inch closer to us. At that moment, the sound of a car engine is heard; Harry, Ron, and I look in the direction of the noise to see the Ford Anglia drive into Aragog's nest, towards us; we back away towards Aragog as the car comes to a stop, then opens its doors for us.
"Let's go!" Harry said, worried.
Ford Anglia…
We run for the car; a pair of spiders come in for the attack; Ron whimpers as he gets in on the driver's side, closing the door on a spider's leg, but manages to pull itself free; Harry points his wand at the other spider as he reaches the passenger's door.
I turned myself intangible and phased myself through to be at the back of the car, before making myself tangible again.
"Arania Exumai!" Harry yelled, as a beam emits from his wand, blasting the spider away. Harry gets in the car and closes the door, one spider lands on top of the car, while another lands on the hood. "Go!"
Ron puts the car in reverse, and it backs away as fast as it can, as we go under a tree root, the spider on the roof falls off onto its back. The car then goes flying backwards over a hill.
"Whoa!" Harry, Ron, and I said, at the same time.
The car lands on the forest floor, the spider on the hood falls off; the car then comes to a stop.
"Glad we're out of there." Ron said, gripping the steering wheel, then turns to face Harry and I.
Suddenly, the spider that fell off the car sticks its head through the window; Harry jumps as the spider goes for Ron, putting its pincers around his neck; taking his hands off the steering wheel, Ron tries to get the spider off, squirming and screaming. Harry calmly reaches into his jacket and pulls out his wand, and points it at his frightened friend. Ron, his eyes and nostrils wide with terror, moves to the left, giving Harry a clear shot at the spider trying to eat him.
"Arania Exumai!" Harry said, angrily.
A beam of white light emits from Harry's wand, blasting the spider off Ron and away from the car.
"Thanks for that." Ron said, glancing out the window and turning to Harry again.
"Don't mention it." Harry said, putting his wand back in his jacket.
"Crap." I said, looking out the windshield as a twitching sound is heard and squints; the spiders appear at the top of the hill, and begin moving towards the car; seeing the spiders, Ron whimpers. "Get us the fuck out of here. Now!"
Ron puts the car in reverse.
"Come on! Come on, move faster!" Harry yelled.
Harry, Ron, and I scream as the redhead makes a sharp turn.
"Come on, go!" Harry said, angrily.
Ron puts the car in drive, and steps on the gas; as we drive through the forest, the spiders pursue the car, moving almost as fast as cheetahs.
"Ron, get us the hell in the air!" I yelled, crossing my arms.
"The flying gear's jammed!" Ron said, pushing the gear.
The spiders gather at a tree branch up ahead, intent on intercepting the Ford Anglia.
"Come on. Pull!" Harry said, terrified.
"I'm trying!" Ron said, worried.
As we drive into the pack of spiders, knocking them aside, the car takes to the air, with one spider managing to grab hold of the car before falling to the ground.
Outside Hagrid's cabin…
Flying over the trees, the car descends and lands a few feet from Hagrid's house before coming to a complete stop in front of the house; Harry opens his car door and lets Fang out.
"'Follow the spiders'." Ron said, evidently furious that Hagrid had to put us in such danger. "'Follow the spiders'! If Hagrid ever gets out of Azkaban, I'll kill him." The Ford Anglia backs up as Fang reenters Hagrid's house, then drives past Harry, Ron, and I, and back into the forest again. "I mean, what was the point of sending us in there? What have we found out?"
"We know one thing: Hagrid never opened the Chamber of Secrets; he was innocent." Harry said.
Hospital Wing…
It is now the next day, where Harry, Ron, and I are visiting Hermione again; Harry takes the old dried up flowers out of the vase next to Hermione's bed, puts in some new white flowers, then sits on the bed.
"Wish you were here, Hermione. We need you. Now more than ever." Harry said, sadly.
Hermione just lays there with her glossy facial expression as Ron sighs sadly. Harry rubs Hermione's left hand; feeling something in it, he looks down and removes his hand to discover a crumpled up piece of paper, a library book page, which he carefully removes and straightens out.
"What's that?" Ron asked, glancing at the page.
"Ron, Jared, this is why Hermione was in the library the day she was attacked." Harry said, examining the page.
"Finally!" I said, excitedly. "Took you long enough to notice."
"Of course you wanted me to find it." Harry said, glancing at the page and then back at Ron and I as he got up. "Come on!"
Hogwarts…
Harry, Ron, and I walk through the corridor.
"'Of the many fearsome beasts that roam our land, none is more deadly than the Basilisk. Capable of living for hundreds of years, instant death awaits any who meet this giant serpent's eye. Spiders flee before it…'" Harry said, reading from the page, before looking up at Ron and I. "Ron, Jared, this is it. The monster in the Chamber of Secrets is a Basilisk. That's why I can hear it speak. It's a snake."
"But if it kills by looking people in the eye, why is it no one's dead?" Ron asked, processing the information we just read.
"It's because no one looked at it directly in the eye." I said, looking at the window.
We walk along as we go over how each of the victims were petrified.
"Jared's right. Colin saw it through his camera. Justin... Justin must've seen the Basilisk through Nearly Headless Nick. Nick got the full blast of it, but he's a ghost. He couldn't die again. And Hermione... had the mirror. I bet you anything she was using it to look around corners in case it came along." Harry said, his eyes widening.
"And Mrs. Norris? I'm pretty sure she didn't have a camera or a mirror, Harry." Ron said, sadly.
"It was the water." I said, thinking about how Mrs. Norris got petrified. "There was water on the floor that night. The cat only saw the Basilisk's reflection."
Ron nods.
Harry takes another look at the page, then walks to a nearby torch to more easily read the page, running his finger along it as he reads it, "'Spiders flee before it'. It all fits."
"But how's the Basilisk been getting around? A dirty great snake, someone would've seen it." Ron said.
"Hermione's answered that, too." Harry said, as he, Ron, and I glance at the bottom of the page where the word 'Pipes' is written.
"Pipes? It's using the plumbing!" Ron said, worried.
"Remember what Aragog said about that girl fifty years ago, she died in a bathroom? What if she never left?" Harry asked.
"Moaning Myrtle." Ron said, at a loss for words.
Harry nods.
"All students are to return to their house dormitories at once." Professor McGonagall said, on the speakers. Ron glances at Harry and I in surprise, wondering what could be going on now. "All teachers to the second floor corridor immediately."
Harry, Ron, and I hurry to the second floor corridor. In the section where the bloody message is, Professors McGonagall, Snape, Flitwick, Madam Pomfrey, and Filch run up to the wall, where Professor McGonagall directs their attention to a newly written message.
"As you can see, the Heir of Slytherin has left another message." Professor McGonagall said, and Harry, Ron, and I walk into the corridor behind them. "Our worst fear has been realized, a student has been taken by the monster, into the Chamber itself." She sadly looks at the others. "The students must be sent home. I'm afraid this is the end of Hogwarts."
"So sorry." Lockhart said, happily walking up to the group. "Dozed off." He grins at Snape and McGonagall. "What have I missed?"
"A girl has been snatched by the monster, Lockhart. Your moment has come at last." Snape said.
"My... moment?" Lockhart asked, slightly stunned.
"Weren't you saying just last night you've known all along where the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets is?" Snape asked.
Lockhart looks bewildered.
"That's settled. We'll leave you to deal with the monster, Gilderoy. Your skills, after all, are legend." Professor McGonagall said.
"Very well. I'll just be in my office, getting, uh... getting ready." Lockhart said, turning and walks away.
Filch watches Lockhart, then glances at Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall.
"Who is it that the monster's taken, Minerva?" Madam Pomfrey asked.
"Ginny Weasley. " Professor McGonagall said, glancing at Madam Pomfrey.
Harry and Ron straighten up in shock; I grabbed the grasp of my sling bag.
"Jared, you knew Ginny would be taken." Ron said, quavering slightly.
"Would you rather it be Hermione?" I asked, looking down at the floor.
"That's not what I'm saying."
Professor McGonagall sadly walks away, along with the other staff; a second later, Snape follows them, revealing the newly written message, which reads 'Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever'.
"'Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever'." Ron said, reads the message with dread in his voice. Harry and I look at Ron as we're becoming all the more devastated by his sister's abduction. "Ginny…"
Harry, Ron, and I race into the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom and up the stairs to Lockhart's office.
"Lockhart may be useless, but he's going to try to get into the Chamber. At least we can tell him what we know!" Lockhart yelled, opening the door to the office and stepping inside.
Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom…
"Professor, we have some information for you." Harry said, while Lockhart stuffs some clothes into his trunk, which he closes as he turns toward them; Ron scowls at him. "Are you going somewhere?"
"Um... well, yes. Urgent call. Unavoidable. Uh, got to go." Lockhart said.
"What about my sister?!" Ron exclaimed, outraged.
"Uh, well, um... As to that, most unfortunate. No one regrets more than I."
"You're the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. You can't go now!" Ron said, in disbelief.
"Well, I must say, when I took the job, there was nothing in the job description about…" Lockhart said, as he stuffs his things in his handbag then moves around his desk.
"You're running away? After all that stuff you did in your books?!" Harry exclaimed, blocking Lockhart's path.
"Books can be misleading."
"You fucking wrote them!" I said, angrily. "You had Ron's mom and Hermione Granger believe them! And that's going way too far in my eyes!"
"Jared does have a point." Harry said, scoffing. "You gained their trust and you broke it by writing them."
"My dear boys, do use your common sense! My books wouldn't have sold half as well if people didn't think I'd done all those things!" Lockhart said, placing his bag on his desk.
"You're a fraud. You've just been taking credit for what other wizards have done!" Harry yelled, staring at Lockhart.
"Is there anything you can do?" Ron asked, as Lockhart directs his attention to him.
"Yes. Now you mention it. I'm rather gifted with memory charms. Otherwise, you see, all those wizards would've gone blabbing, and I'd never have sold another book." Lockhart said, as Harry, Ron, and I look at each other as Lockhart walks toward his suitcase. "In fact, uh... I'm uh…"
Ron nods at Harry, and they both reach into their robes to pull out their wands. I changed into my ghost form and electricity came out of my body.
"…going to have to do the same to you." Lockhart said, sadly.
Lockhart collects his wand from the suitcase, but Harry and Ron already have their wands pointed at him as electrical shocks are coming out of my body.
"Don't even think about it." I said, pointing downward, gesturing for Lockhart to drop his wand; Lockhart reluctantly does so. "I can shock you to death if I wanted to. And you'll have no way of coming back to life."
Girls' bathroom…
Moaning Myrtle is floating around crying as Harry, Ron, Lockhart, and I enter.
"Oh? Who's there?" Myrtle asked, seeing Harry, she smiles warmly at him. "Oh, hello, Harry. What do you want?"
"To ask you how you died." Harry said.
"Oh…" Myrtle said, smiling slightly before her smile fades. "...it was dreadful. It happened right here in this very cubicle. I'd hidden because Olive Hornby was teasing me about my glasses. I was crying, and then... I heard somebody come in."
"Who was it, Myrtle?" Harry asked.
"I don't know." Myrtle said, choked up. "I was distraught!" She floats towards the four of us. "But they said something funny, a kind of made-up language, and I realized it was a boy speaking, so I unlocked the door to tell him to go away, and... I died."
"Just like that? How?"
"I just remember seeing a pair of great big yellow eyes, over there, by that sink." Myrtle said, pointing at the circle of sinks in the center of the bathroom.
As Myrtle floats off to the stalls, Harry steps forward to examine the sinks. Reaching up to the circular stone above the sinks, he moves his hand downward to the sink in front of him; he turns the tap, but no water comes out. At that second, something else catches his eye; looking more closely at the tap, he sees a snake carved on it.
"This is it." Harry said, taking a step back. "This is it, Ron, Jared. I think this is the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets."
Lockhart glances at the sink in surprise.
"You need to say something, Harry." I said, changing from my ghost form back into human. "Say something in Parseltongue."
"Open up." Harry said, after a few seconds.
The circular stone above the sinks rises, then all the sinks begin to move outwards. Harry, Ron, Lockhart, and I back away slowly as the sinks move; the sink with the snake carved on its tap descends into the floor, then a grating slides over it. Lockhart steps towards the opening that the sinks concealed and looks down into a very wide black hole.
"Excellent, Harry." Lockhart said, inhaling, then turning to Harry with a grin. "Ah, good work. Well, then, I'll just be, uh... there's no need for me to stay."
Lockhart tries to run, but Harry, Ron, and I grab hold of him.
"Oh, yes there is!" Harry yelled, and with all our might, we pushed Lockhart backwards toward the passage before the two wizards drew their wands with an electrical shock coming out of my body. "You first."
"Now, boys, what good will it do?" Lockhart asked.
"It's better if you go down first as a drop test." I said, as more electricity came out of my body.
"Um, but... obviously, yes." Lockhart said, nervously turning around and gripping the sinks as he looked down into the passage before glancing over his shoulder at the three of us again. "Sure you don't want to test it first?"
"Oh, for Pete's sake." I said, annoyed, I pushed Lockhart down, sending him into the passage, screaming as he disappears into the darkness.
A second later, a crash is heard as Harry, Ron, and I walk up to the opening.
"It's really quite filthy down here." Lockhart said, sadly.
"All right." Harry said, turning to Ron and I. "Let's go."
Ron nods in agreement.
"Right." I said, smirking.
"Oh, Harry?" Myrtle asked, and the three of us looked up at her. "If you die down there, you're welcome to share my toilet."
Myrtle giggles; making Ron uneasy.
"Uh... thanks, Myrtle." Harry said, smiling at Myrtle, then turns to the opening, and jumps into it.
Ron immediately jumps in after Harry, I immediately jumped in after Ron.
Basilisk's feeding area…
Harry, Ron, and I scream as we go down a slide, which leads to a small pit filled with animal bones.
"At least it wasn't another trash chute." I said, looking around the Basilisk's feeding area.
Lockhart brushes the dirt off his robes when we land. We immediately get to our feet and I watch the wizards point their wands at him as an electrical shock comes out of my body.
"Ugh." Ron said, glancing at the muck around us.
"Now, remember: any sign of movement, close your eyes straight away." Harry said, stepping on the bones.
"Right." I said, while Harry turned and went into the passageway behind him.
"Go on." Ron said.
"It's too late to go back now." I said, as Lockhart reluctantly follows Harry into the passage with Ron and I right behind him.
"This way." Harry said, coming to another passageway to the right, he beckons Ron, Lockhart, and I to follow him.
The four of us walk into a cavern-like room with a massive and lengthy snakeskin on the floor.
"What's this?" Ron asked, as Harry walks along the snakeskin.
"It looks like a... snake." Lockhart said, feeling nervous.
"It's snakeskin." I said, examining the snakeskin. "Not a big fan of snakes."
"Bloody hell." Ron said, and Lockhart faints, most likely from fear. Whatever shed this must be sixty feet long. Or more." He spoke sarcastically as Harry turned his attention to Lockhart. "Heart of a lion, this one."
"The adventure ends here, boys." Lockhart said, grabbing Ron's wand and getting to his feet while breathing with a wicked smile on his face and pointing the wand at Harry. "But don't fret. The world will know our story. How I was too late to save the girl…" He points the wand at Ron and I. "…how you three tragically lost your minds at the sight of her mangled body. So…" Lockhart points the wand at Harry again. "...you first, Mr. Potter. Say good-bye to your memories." He waves the wand wildly as he shouts. "Obliviate!"
The wand emits green light, causing Lockhart to fly backwards, slam into the wall, then fall to the floor. A couple seconds later, a rumbling begins, then rocks begin to fall from the ceiling; Harry takes cover as huge rocks go flying over him while Ron and I backs up against the wall as the rocks form a massive pile.
"Harry!" Ron yelled, coughing from the dust produced by the rocks. Harry pulls his robe free from one of the rocks. "Harry!"
"Ron! Jared! Ron, Jared, are you okay?" Harry asked, running to an opening in the big pile of rocks separating him from Ron and I.
"I'm fine!" Ron said, excitedly.
"Same." I said, happily. "I'm also okay, Harry."
"Hello. Who are you two?" Lockhart asked, groaning and sitting up.
"Um... Ron Weasley." Ron said, sadly.
"Jared Shay." I said, frowning.
"Really? And, uh... who-who am I?" Lockhart asked.
Ron realizes Lockhart has erased his own memory by accident, he turns toward Harry again, "Lockhart's memory charm backfired! He hasn't got a clue who he is!"
"It's an odd sort of place this is, isn't it?" Lockhart asked, picking up a small rock as Harry watched through the opening.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." I said, letting out a sigh.
"Do you live here?" Lockhart asked, tossing the rock in his hand then glanced at Ron and I.
"No." Ron said, taking the rock from Lockhart.
"Really?" Lockhart asked.
"I hate to do this." I said, walking up to Lockhart, shocking him, to knock him out. "But you've been a pain in our asses lately."
Harry winks slightly.
"What do we do now?" Ron asked, glancing at Harry through the opening again.
"You and Jared wait here, and try and shift some of this rock so we can get back through. I'll go on and find Ginny." Harry said.
"Okay." Ron said, as Harry turns and climbs down from the pile of rocks.
"Right. Good luck." I said, and I clutched the strap of my sling bag.
(Open POV)
Harry draws his wand as he steps onto the floor again and walks forward. Up ahead, he sees a circular door with seven snake-shaped locks on it, and steps towards it.
"Hesha- Hassah." Harry said, speaking Parseltongue. 'Open'.
An eighth snake slithers out from the door's mechanical hinge, and slithers along the door's edge, causing the other seven snakes to retract one by one. As the snake slithers back into the hinge, the door slowly opens. Harry steps forward; on the other side is the Chamber of Secrets.
Chamber of Secrets…
Harry cautiously steps through the door, into the Chamber, towards the ladder in the doorway.
As the door slowly closes behind him, Harry climbs down the ladder and walks down the corridor. Looking ahead, he sees Ginny lying motionless at the end of the Chamber. She is clutching Tom Riddle's diary.
"Ginny." Harry said, running to Ginny, dropping his wand and gets on his knees. "Ginny. No, Ginny. Please don't be dead. Wake up. Wake up! Please wake up."
Suddenly, Tom Riddle walks out of a nearby doorway.
"She won't wake." Riddle said.
Harry recognizes his voice and turns toward him. Riddle walks to him.
"Tom? Tom Riddle? What do you mean she won't wake? She's not...?" Harry asked.
"She's still alive, but only just." Riddle said.
"Are you a ghost?"
"A memory, preserved in a diary for fifty years."
"She's as cold as ice." Harry said, reaching out and touching Ginny. "Ginny, please don't be dead. Wake up." While Harry's not looking, Riddle bends down and picks up Harry's wand from where he left it. "You've got to help me, Tom. There's a Basilisk."
"It won't come until it's called." Riddle said.
"Give me my wand, Tom." Harry said, looking up to see Riddle holding his wand and standing up.
"You won't be needing it." Riddle said.
"Listen, we've got to go. We've got to save her!" Harry said, worried.
"I'm afraid I can't do that, Harry. You see, as poor Ginny grows weaker, I grow stronger." Riddle said, while Harry looks at him, confused. "Yes, Harry. It was Ginny Weasley who opened the Chamber of Secrets."
Ginny is shown standing in front of the sink in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom as it opens.
"No. She couldn't. She wouldn't." Harry said, sadly.
"It was Ginny who set the Basilisk on the Mudbloods and Filch's cat, Ginny who wrote the threatening messages on the walls." Riddle said.
Ginny is shown using her blood-covered fingers to write on the wall.
"But why?" Harry asked.
"Because I told her to. You'll find I can be very persuasive. Not that she knew what she was doing. She was, shall we say, in a kind of trance." Riddle said, as Ginny is shown running into a stall and throwing the diary into the toilet. "Still, the power of the diary began to scare her. And she tried to dispose of it in the girls' bathroom. And then, who should find it but you? The very person I was most anxious to meet."
"And why did you want to meet me?" Harry asked, standing in front of the Slytherin statue.
"I knew I had to talk to you, meet you if I could. So I decided to show you my capture of that brainless oaf Hagrid to gain your trust."
"Hagrid's my friend! And you framed him, didn't you?"
"It was my word against Hagrid's. Only Dumbledore seemed to think he was innocent."
"I'll bet Dumbledore saw right through you." Harry said, smirking at Riddle.
"He certainly kept an annoyingly close watch on me after that." Riddle said, and he walks around Harry as he spoke. "I knew it wouldn't be safe to open the Chamber again while I was still at school, so I decided to leave behind a diary, preserving my sixteen-year-old self in its pages, so that one day, I would be able to lead another, to finish Salazar Slytherin's noble work."
"Well, you haven't finished it this time. In a few hours, the Mandrake draught will be ready. And everyone who was Petrified will be all right again."
"Haven't I told you?" Riddle asked, smiling maliciously. "Killing Mudbloods doesn't matter to me anymore. For many months now, my new target has been you." Harry looks at him in surprise. "How is it that a baby with no extraordinary magical talent was able to defeat the greatest wizard of all time? How did you escape…" Riddle pushes Harry's hair aside with his wand to see his scar. "…with nothing but a scar while Lord Voldemort's powers were destroyed?"
"Why do you care how I escaped? Voldemort was after your time." Harry said.
"Voldemort is…" Riddle said, smiling wickedly. "…my past, present, and future."
Riddle turns toward the statue and uses Harry's wand to write his full name in flaming letters; after writing the 'E', he flicks the wand, and the letters rearrange themselves to say 'I AM LORD VOLDEMORT'.
"You." Harry said, as the letters fade and Riddle turns to face him. "You're the Heir of Slytherin." Riddle stares evilly at Harry. "You're Voldemort."
"Surely, you didn't think I was going to keep my filthy Muggle father's name? No. I fashioned myself a new name, a name I knew wizards everywhere would one day fear to speak when I became the greatest sorcerer in the world!" Riddle said, angrily.
"Albus Dumbledore is the greatest sorcerer in the world!" Harry yelled.
"Dumbledore's been driven out of this castle by the mere memory of me!"
"He'll never be gone! Not as long as those who remain are loyal to him!" Harry said, and he and Riddle glare at each other; a musical sound is heard nearby; Harry and Riddle look down the corridor to see Fawkes flying towards them, carrying something. "Fawkes?"
Fawkes drops a bundled-up object into Harry's hands as he flies over and around them, then back down the corridor; Harry unrolls the object, which turns out to be the Sorting Hat.
"So this is what Dumbledore sends his great defender: A songbird and an old hat." Riddle said, backing away from Harry as he continues examining the Sorting Hat, then walks toward the Slytherin statue and extends his left hand. "Shearhas- Samnathas- Sélithaeine. 'Speak to me, Slytherin, greatest of the Hogwarts four'."
Behind Riddle, Harry looks up and turns towards the statue. Harry turns to face the statue of Salazar Slytherin as a rumbling begins; Riddle turns around to face him as the statue's mouth starts to open.
"Let's match the power of Lord Voldemort, Heir of Salazar Slytherin, against the famous Harry Potter." Riddle said.
Harry gulps and turns toward the statue again as he hears an ominous snarling that appears to be coming from inside the statue and hyperventilates; Riddle turns to face the statue's mouth as the Basilisk shrieks 'Hungry!' from within the statue. The stone slab concealing the statue's mouth stops descending; a split second afterwards, the Basilisk emerges from the darkness and starts to come into the light, growling menacingly. Harry throws the Sorting Hat onto the floor in front of Ginny and races back towards the door to the Chamber as the Basilisk's head comes out of the statue's mouth and its snake-like body lowers into the surrounding water; Riddle, immune to the Basilisk's lethal gaze, watches the creature.
"Sethae- He- This! 'Kill him!' Riddle said, while he turns his attention to the fleeing Harry as the Basilisk's body curves to its right behind it. "Parseltongue won't save you now, Potter." The Basilisk's tail drops into the water behind him. "It only obeys me!"
The Basilisk slithers after Harry with a ferocious growl. Harry races down the corridor as fast as he can while the Basilisk is in hot pursuit; unfortunately, Harry loses his footing on the slippery floor and trips, allowing the Basilisk to catch up with him. His glasses clatter to the floor in front of him; he immediately puts them back on before realizing the Basilisk is right above him and covers his head with his hands. Just as the Basilisk is about to attack Harry, Fawkes emits his cry, getting their attention. Fawkes swoops down, going directly for the Basilisk, and attacks the colossal snake, pecking at it, with Harry observing their fight by watching their shadows on the wall.
"NO! Your bird may have blinded the Basilisk, but it can still hear you." Riddle said.
Harry turns around to see that the Basilisk's yellow eyes are bloody. The Basilisk thrashes around furiously as Fawkes flies off; Harry gets to his feet, and steps backwards, stepping into something slimy, causing a splattering sound; Harry looks down to see what he stepped in. At the same time, the Basilisk stops thrashing about and blindly glares at Harry, who looks up again and makes a run for a passageway to his right. The Basilisk lunges at Harry, nearly getting him. Harry, breathing heavily, runs as fast as he can, into a tunnel just to his left as the Basilisk lunges at him again, smashing through a stalactite. Harry runs through the tunnel, looking back to see if the Basilisk is still behind him; he turns left into an alcove, only to find his path blocked by a grate. He struggles to move it, but turns around upon hearing the Basilisk coming into the tunnel. He steps back against the grate, as the Basilisk comes to his position. The Basilisk hisses at him and approaches him with its mouth open. Harry picks up a rock at his feet and throws it; the sound of the rock distracts the Basilisk, who slithers off into another passageway. Harry races back into the Chamber where Riddle and Ginny are.
"Yes, Potter. The process is nearly complete." Riddle said, as Harry puts his hand on Ginny's hand again. "In a few minutes, Ginny Weasley will be dead, and I will cease to be a memory." Harry looks up at him. "Lord Voldemort will return... very... much... alive."
"Ginny…" Harry said, glancing at Ginny again.
The Basilisk bursts out of the water surrounding the Slytherin statue and thrashes about; Harry turns toward the Sorting Hat, where a sword magically appears. Harry, without hesitation, grabs the sword and holds it up defensively as the Basilisk slithers toward him. Harry races for the statue and begins to climb it; the Basilisk blindly follows Harry's movements, using its tongue to track his location and lifts its body off the floor. The Basilisk uses its tongue again to find Harry's current position directly in front of it; Harry swings the sword at the Basilisk; it lunges directly at him, he dodges, and it smashes right into the statue. Harry climbs higher as the Basilisk lunges at him again, missing again; Harry climbs onto the top of the statue's head, the Basilisk lunges at Harry repeatedly as he swings the sword wildly at the creature. Eventually, the Basilisk sends Harry rolling down the side of the statue, causing him to lose the sword.
"No." Harry said, seeing the sword about to slide off the top of the statue's head.
Harry hurries to retrieve the sword; the Basilisk lunges right at Harry once more. Harry stops the sword just in time, and rams it right through the Basilisk's upper jaw. The Basilisk bellows in pain until Harry pulls the sword out. Harry screams in pain as one of the Basilisk's venomous fangs just fell into his arm; he pulls the fang out, unfortunately, the venom is already in his bloodstream. The Basilisk thrashes around, roaring and bellowing in pain, collapsing under its weight, and falls backwards to the floor, dead, splashing water everywhere; Riddle stares at the Basilisk's corpse in disbelief. Harry limps past the Basilisk's corpse, and, dropping the sword and falling to his knees, he crawls towards Ginny once more as Riddle walks toward them.
"Remarkable, isn't it? How quickly the venom of the Basilisk penetrates the body. I guess you have little more than a minute to live. You'll be with your dear Mudblood mother soon, Harry." Riddle said, and Harry extends his left hand to Ginny's again. "Funny... the damage a silly little book can do... especially in the hands of a silly little girl." Harry looks to the diary in Ginny's arm and carefully pulls it out, placing it on the floor between her and the Basilisk fang. "What are you doing?" Harry picks up the Basilisk fang and holds it up while staring at Riddle, who immediately realizes what Harry is about to do. "STOP. NO!"
Harry stabs one of the diary's pages with the fang as Riddle steps forward to try and stop him; Riddle's body crumbles and gives a discharge of yellow light; ink starts to ooze from the diary, Riddle recoils and growls with rage; Harry pries the fang out. Riddle attempts to attack, but Harry stabs the other page, crippling Riddle, and causing him to crumble further; Harry closes the diary and stabs the cover with the Basilisk fang; Riddle screams in agony and explodes into yellow particles; shortly after Riddle's demise, Ginny awakens, hyperventilating, and sits up.
"Ginny." Harry said, sadly.
"Harry, it was me." Ginny said, turning to face Harry. "But, I swear, I didn't mean to... Riddle made me. And…" She notices Harry's injury. "Harry... you're hurt."
"Don't worry." Harry said, covering his wound. "Ginny, you need to get yourself out. Follow the Chamber, and you'll find Ron and Jared." Fawkes emits his song again; Harry and Ginny both look down the corridor to see him flying towards them; he swoops around the Basilisk's body, and lands in between them, then steps over to Harry. "You were brilliant, Fawkes. I just wasn't quick enough." Fawkes emits a soft grunt, then lowers his head to Harry's wound, and cries on it; the wound miraculously disappears; Ginny stares in amazement. "Of course!" He lifts his healed arm. "Phoenix tears have healing powers." Fawkes grunts affirmatively as Harry glances at him. "Thanks." Harry looks at Ginny. "It's all right, Ginny. It's over. It's just a memory."
Fawkes then flies Lockhart, Ron, Harry, and Ginny out of the Chamber of Secrets. Jared used his ghost powers to fly out of the Chamber of Secrets.
"Amazing! This is just like magic!" Lockhart cheered.
Fawkes carries Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Lockhart and Jared flies up towards the opening of a cave as the moon can be seen above them.
(Jared's POV)
Dumbledore's office…
Harry, Ron, and I stand before Professor Dumbledore, with Fawkes on his perch, and the sword and Sorting Hat resting on the desk.
"You both realize, of course, that in the past few hours, you have broken, perhaps, a dozen school rules." Professor Dumbledore said.
"Yes, sir." Harry and Ron said, at the same time.
"And there is sufficient evidence to have you both expelled."
"Yes, sir." Harry and Ron said, at the same time.
"Therefore, it is only fitting…" Professor Dumbledore said, while Harry and Ron look up. "…that you both receive special awards for services to the school."
Harry and Ron look at each other with smiles, then back at Dumbledore again.
"Thanks, sir." Ron said, happily.
Professor Dumbledore and I smiled at the boys.
"Ron, Professor Dumbledore and I wrote these together." I said, handing some papers to Ron. "Have Errol deliver these papers to Azkaban. We need Hagrid back."
Professor Dumbledore turns to Harry as Ron leaves the room, "Harry...first, I want to thank you, Harry. You must've shown me real loyalty down in the Chamber. Nothing but that could've called Fawkes to you. And, second... I sense something is troubling you. Am I right, Harry?"
"You see, sir. I couldn't help but notice certain things... certain... certain similarities between... Tom Riddle and me." Harry said, sadly.
"I see. Well, you can speak Parseltongue, Harry. Why? Because, Lord Voldemort can speak Parseltongue. If I'm not mistaken, Harry, he transferred some of his powers to you the night he gave you that scar." Professor Dumbledore said.
"Voldemort transferred some of his powers... to me?" Harry asked, amazed.
"Uh-huh. Not intentionally. But yes."
"So, the Sorting Hat was right; I should be in Slytherin."
"It's true, Harry. You possess many of the qualities that Voldemort himself prizes: Determination, resourcefulness, and if I may so, a certain disregard for the rules. Why then, did the Sorting Hat place you in Gryffindor?"
"Because I asked it to." Harry said, glancing at the Sorting Hat.
"Exactly, Harry, exactly. Which makes you different from Voldemort. It is not our abilities that show what we truly are, it is our choices. If you want proof why you belong in Gryffindor, then I suggest you look more closely…" Professor Dumbledore said, picking up the sword. "…at this." Harry takes the sword by the blade with his left hand, and its hilt with his right. "Be careful."
Harry examines the sword and sees the name 'Godric Gryffindor' on the Basilisk venom-coated blade, "Godric Gryffindor."
"Ah. It would take a true Gryffindor to pull that out of the hat." Professor Dumbledore said, happily.
"Harry, the reason why Professor Dumbledore assigned me to look after you, Ron, and Hermione. It's because we believe in you. We believe in you three doing great things in years to come." I said, smiling. "Back home for me, you three are called the Golden Trio."
Harry looks at Dumbledore and I. The door to the office opens, Dumbledore and I glance past Harry, who turns around; Lucius Malfoy steps into the office, standing behind him is Dobby.
"Dobby! So this is your master. The family you serve is the Malfoys. " Harry said.
"Mm-hmm." Dobby said, nervously looking at Harry.
Dobby fearfully glances up at Lucius.
"I'll deal with you later." Lucius said, through clenched teeth.
Dobby cowers and whimpers; Lucius pulls out his walking stick and walks toward Dumbledore's desk, followed by Dobby; as he walks up the steps, he coldly uses the stick to push Harry aside.
"Out of my way, Potter. So... it's true. You have returned." Lucius said.
"When the governors learned that Arthur Weasley's daughter was taken into the Chamber, they saw fit to summon me back." Professor Dumbledore said.
"And on top of that, they decided to call me, the future President of Earth, to Hogwarts. To take charge in case something happened to Professor Dumbledore here." I said, clutching the strap of my sling bag. "Which is highly unlikely, as I can't run this amazing school."
"Ridiculous!" Lucius said, angrily.
"Curiously, Lucius, several of them were under the impression that you would curse their families if they did not agree to suspend me in the first place." Professor Dumbledore said, looking at Lucius.
"How dare you!"
"I beg your pardon?"
"My sole concern has always been, and will always be, the welfare of this school and, of course, its students." Lucius said, glancing at Harry and then turned back to Dumbledore and I. "The culprit has been identified, I presume."
"Yup." I said, looking down at the floor.
"And? Who was it?"
"It was Tom Riddle…" I said, looking up at Lucius. Or as you know him, Lord Voldemort."
"Ah." Lucius said, sadly.
"Only this time he chose to act through somebody else by means of this." Professor Dumbledore said, holding up Riddle's diary.
"I see."
"Mmm." Dobby said, pulling on Harry's sleeve and he looks straight at the diary. "Mm-mmm."
Dobby looks at Lucius.
"Fortunately, our young Mr. Potter discovered it. One hopes that no more of Voldemort's old school things should find their way into innocent hands. The consequences for the one responsible would be... severe." Professor Dumbledore said.
"Well…" Lucius said, as he turned to face Harry. "…let us hope Mr. Potter will always be around... to save the day…"
"Don't worry. I will be." Harry said.
"Dumbledore. Shay." Lucius said, nodding to Dumbledore and I. "Come, Dobby, we're leaving."
Lucius kicks Dobby down the stairs. As he gets back to his feet, he canes him with his walking stick before hurrying him out the door. Harry and I watched this sight with pity.
"Sir…" Harry said, turning to Dumbledore and placing the sword back on the desk. "I would if I could have that." He indicated the diary. Harry catches up to Lucius right outside of Dumbledore's office. "Mr. Malfoy! Mr. Malfoy!" Lucius turns to face him. "I have something of yours."
Harry hands Lucius the diary.
"Mine? I don't know what you're talking about." Lucius said.
"I think you do, sir. I think you slipped the diary into Ginny Weasley's cauldron that day at Diagon Alley." Harry said, frowning.
"You do, do you?" Lucius asked, passing the diary to Dobby as he leans into Harry. "Why don't you... prove it?" Harry says nothing. "Come, Dobby."
Lucius begins walking away again.
"Open it." Harry said, whispering to Dobby.
Dobby opens up Riddle's diary, revealing a sock inside.
"Dobby!" Lucius yelled.
"Master has given Dobby a sock." Dobby said.
"What? I didn't give you a…" Lucius said, stopping and turning around.
"Master has presented Dobby with clothes. Dobby is free!" Dobby cheered.
Harry lifts up a trouser leg to reveal his bare ankle.
"You lost me my SERVANT!" Lucius said, angrily.
Lucius pulls his wand out of his walking stick and begins walking threateningly towards Harry.
"You shall not harm Harry Potter!" Dobby said, with his hand out.
"Avada…" Lucius said.
Dobby hits Lucius with a spell and sends him flying across the hallway. He folds his arms and glares angrily at Lucius.
"Your parents were meddlesome fools too." Lucius said, getting to his feet. He points at Harry. "You mark my words, Potter... one day soon you are going to meet the same sticky end!"
Lucius leaves.
"Harry Potter freed Dobby! How can Dobby ever repay him?" Dobby asked.
"Just promise me something." Harry said.
"Anything, sir."
"Never try to save my life again."
Dobby gazes up at Harry with an admiring smile.
Great Hall…
It is the end of year feast; Nearly Headless Nick, now revitalized, floats along the row between the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables.
"Welcome back, Sir Nicholas!" A female student said, excitedly.
"Thank you." Nearly Headless Nick said.
"Good evening, Sir Nicholas." Another female student said.
"Good evening."
"Good to see you, Sir Nicholas." A male student said.
"Thank you." Nearly Headless Nick said, glancing at another pair of students. "Hello." He reached the doors to the Great Hall, he passes Filch, who is just happy to have Mrs. Norris back, and Hermione walks in as he turns toward her. "Hermione! Welcome back."
"Thanks, Sir Nicholas." Hermione said.
Nearly Headless Nick floats away as Hermione turns her attention to the Gryffindor table.
Neville glances at the Great Hall entrance then looks at Harry, Ron, Ginny, and I sitting across from him.
"Harry, it's Hermione." Neville said.
Harry, Ron, and I turn to look at the doorway to see Hermione standing there and the three of us greet her with beaming smiles as Ginny also turns to see her; Hermione, overjoyed to see her three best friends again, runs to us. Harry, Ron, and I get up to greet her; she runs right up to Harry and they embrace for a few seconds. Hermione then ran up to me and we embraced for a few seconds. The brunette is just about to hug Ron as well before suddenly stepping back.
Ron briefly smiles at Hermione with what looks like a loving look on his face.
"Uh, uh…" Ron said, chuckling and clears his throat before he and Hermione shake hands. "We-welcome back, Hermione."
"It's good to be back. Congratulations. I can't believe you solved it." Hermione said, happily.
"Well, we had loads of help from you." Harry said, while Ron and I smiled and nodded at Hermione as Harry glanced at us. "We couldn't have done it without you."
"Thanks. Jared, thanks for leaving me a notebook."
"You mean the one that summarized what you needed to look out for?" I asked, clutching the strap of my sling bag. "Before you were petrified."
"Yes. I had trouble looking where I needed to. Did things play out how you remembered it?" Hermione asked, looking at me.
"It did. Thank goodness. Otherwise, things would have gone a lot worse."
Professor McGonagall taps her glass, "Could I have your attention, please?"
Harry, Ron, Hermione, and I immediately sit down.
"Before we begin the feast, let us have a round of applause for Professor Sprout, Madame Pomfrey, whose Mandrake juice has been so successfully administered to all who had been Petrified." Professor Dumbledore said, standing up. Everyone except Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and a few Slytherins applaud them. "Also, in light of the recent events, as a school treat, all exams have been canceled."
Everyone except Hermione applauds.
"Oh, no." Hermione said, silently whispering.
Dumbledore sits down and smiles at Professor McGonagall. The doors to the Great Hall open, and Hagrid walks in.
"Sorry I'm late." Hagrid said, and Harry, Ron, Hermione, and I look at him in amazement; even Neville is amazed to see Hagrid back. "The owl that delivered my release papers got all lost and confused. Some ruddy bird called Errol." Ron's eyes widen in surprise as he and Hermione glance at Dumbledore while Harry and I focus on Hagrid; Dumbledore smiles and nods at Ron; we then turn toward Hagrid again; he walks right up to the Gryffindor table as Harry, Ron, Hermione, and I all shift to face him. "And I'd just like to say that if it hadn't been for you, Harry... and Ron... and Hermione… and Jared… of course... I would, uh... I'd still be you-know-where, so I'd... I'd just like to say thanks."
Hagrid chuckles.
"There's no Hogwarts without you, Hagrid." Harry said, glances at Ron and I, who smiles, then stands up.
Hagrid chuckles; he and Harry embrace as Ron, Hermione, and I watch with smiles on our faces. Dumbledore stands up and begins to applaud; Professor McGonagall does the same. Hagrid looks at them as Harry joins in the applause, leading Ron, Hermione, and I, and eventually everyone in the Hall, to join in as well. Crabbe is about to get up and applaud when Malfoy stops him; Seamus puts his fingers in his mouth and whistles while Dean cheers 'Yay!'. Behind Harry, Colin snaps a picture; Ron glances at Hermione, who has a joyful tear rolling down her face. Hagrid happily wipes a tear from his own eye and glances at Dumbledore. As the other staff continue applauding, Hagrid spins around and holds his arms out happily; Harry nods. I showed a bittersweet smile, knowing things are going to get darker in the future.
(Open POV)
Flourish and Botts…
A new book by Gilderoy Lockhart titled 'Who Am I?' is shown in the window of Flourish and Blotts; on its cover is Lockhart wearing a straitjacket and a sling on his right arm and mumbling.