Daphne scanned the area but to no avail. John's expression turned into a frown as he glanced towards Pansy, who suddenly burst into a maniacal laugh, her face twisted with madness. Her voice dropped to a sinister tone, "John Wick, use all your knowledge, try it." With unexpected strength, Pansy threw off the two people restraining her, pulled out a bottle from her pocket, and drank its contents.
"Petrificus Totalus!" John acted swiftly, casting the spell. Pansy was struck by the curse, rendering her immobile as she collapsed. However, it was too late; she had already consumed half of the potion. John approached to examine her; Pansy's eyes, wide with fear, were fixed on him. Immobilized, black veins began to emerge on her neck and cheeks, and within those eyes, it seemed as though other, darker eyes lurked.
"She's under a curse, the Imperius Curse," John realized. Pansy was being controlled, a sensation all too familiar to him, having been subjected to the Imperius Curse himself in his first year. Malfoy, witnessing such an event for the first time, looked at John, panic-stricken, "What do we do now? Will Pansy die?"
"Calm down, we need to get her to the school hospital immediately," John instructed, his tone stern as he calmed Malfoy. He administered an antidote to Pansy with a grave expression. John couldn't think of anyone other than Riddle capable of wielding the Imperius Curse to manipulate Pansy. "No, Ginny mentioned she was controlled unintentionally. How could he use the Imperius Curse?" The more John pondered, the more he sensed that the situation was spiraling out of control. They rushed Pansy to the school hospital.
At the hospital, Madam Pomfrey took over Pansy's emergency treatment. Malfoy, bewildered, was sent outside, where Daphne sat, her head bowed in worry. A cold fury ignited within John, "Riddle, this is a declaration of war." Previously, Riddle had not harmed his own, but manipulating Pansy right before his eyes was a direct provocation.
"I need to find that diary." An idea struck John as Pansy lay in the hospital. Returning to the Slytherin common room, he released Tom, his Beagle Harrier, and had him sniff Pansy's pillow. "Go find the diary," he commanded. Tom set off through Hogwarts, his short legs working diligently, with John following closely. It was a sight Hogwarts had never seen before—a dog leading the search, followed by John. Malfoy was tasked with intercepting Harry, as John was determined not to let Voldemort escape this time.
Eventually, their search led them to the trophy room. Tom halted, signaling the diary's presence. The room's interior was largely unchanged, and there, beneath Tom Riddle's medal, lay the diary with its aged cover. "Looks like we've found you, Riddle," John muttered, picking up the diary, his face stern and cold.
In the Room of Requirement, John opened the diary to find a message waiting: "I've been waiting for you a long time, John Wick." The provocations were deliberate. John, on high alert, aimed his wand at the diary, conjuring two silver chains. "You're caught now, Riddle," he declared coldly.
The written words vanished, replaced by another message, "Caught? No, no, no, you are mistaken." The diary's tone was unsettlingly calm, "I've been waiting for you. You should know me through that Weasley girl." The ease in the diary's response only heightened John's vigilance. He stared down at the diary, which now seemed to emanate a more potent aura. "Wick, you've proven yourself to be exceptionally intelligent, whether it was dealing with the basilisk or finding me," the words in the diary praised. "However, you're still a step behind. The Chamber of Secrets has already been opened." John's heart skipped a beat upon reading this. He quickly connected the dots. "The Chamber of Secrets requires Parseltongue to open, and you're currently in my possession," he retorted.
"Who said there's only one Parseltongue?" The handwriting in the diary morphed into a sinister red, as if mocking him. "Now, see what you can do."
The blood-red text sent a chill down John's spine. He suddenly remembered another Parseltongue. "Harry." In a swift motion, John cast a Binding Charm on the diary, entwining it with two silver chains to ensure it remained sealed. He dashed out of the Room of Requirement, speeding towards the second floor. Upon reaching the girls' bathroom, his fears were confirmed—the Chamber of Secrets was open.
"Damn it!" John cursed under his breath. He shouted at the diary, "What have you done?"
"It was merely a nudge. The boy is overshadowed by your brilliance and yearns to prove himself a hero," Voldemort's voice dripped with irony. He found it hard to believe that such a savior could ever defeat him.
With a grim expression, John cast a supersensory spell on the passage, allowing him to perceive the situation within. As he prepared to descend, Draco Malfoy approached, having missed Harry.
"John, what's happening?" Draco inquired.
Without delving into details, John secured the diary once more and handed it to Draco. "Find Professor Snape immediately. Make sure no one touches this diary," he instructed before leaping into the dark passage.
Draco hesitated, peering into the gloom. "I'll find Snape," he decided, rallying his friends Goyle and Crabbe to follow him.
John, meanwhile, experienced the sensation of free fall before activating his flying boots to land safely. He found himself at the entrance of another passage. "Where did Harry go?" he wondered aloud.
The door to the Chamber of Secrets stood ajar. Inside, John was greeted by a long, dimly lit chamber supported by stone pillars adorned with serpentine carvings. A green, eerie mist filled the air, casting long, sinister shadows.
"Harry, where are you?" John called out, his voice echoing through the silence.
Armed with the Felicity Elixir, John felt a surge of clarity and confidence. The chamber housed a towering statue of Salazar Slytherin, its mouth open to reveal a dark passage.
"Riddle, what's your endgame?" John mused, trusting his instincts to guide him through the passage. The walls bore the marks of centuries, leading him to a surprising revelation—the Chamber of Secrets was connected to the Forbidden Forest. This explained how the Basilisk could survive undetected for nearly a thousand years. In the wild expanse of the Forbidden Forest, John pursued a trail marked by crushed bones and debris. It was here he found Harry, who seemed to have regained some of his strength. Nearby, a basilisk, blinded in one eye, slithered menacingly. Despite its injury, the creature was relentless, and Harry, cautious and wary, dared not make a move against it.
"This cannot go on," John thought, aware of the myriad dangers that lurked in the depths of the Forbidden Forest. With a swift motion, he drew his wand and cast the Shattering Curse. A ball of white light surged from his wand, striking the basilisk with force. The creature let out a thunderous roar of agony, and in its convulsions, Harry was thrown aside.
Without hesitation, John unsheathed his sword. His eyes transformed, taking on the vertical pupils characteristic of dragons, and he whispered an ancient incantation, "I am a fire dragon." The blade burst into flames, and the boots on his feet sprouted wings, propelling him into the air. He descended like a meteor, driving the flaming sword into the basilisk's remaining eye. As he twisted the blade, flames infiltrated the creature's skull, causing it to thrash in torment.
John continued his assault, conjuring chains through Transfiguration to bind the basilisk tightly. He pressed his wand directly against the creature's head and unleashed another Shattering Curse at point-blank range. The impact was devastating, slamming the basilisk's head against the ground. Seizing the moment, John aimed to deliver the final blow, but the basilisk, in a desperate attempt to survive, rolled over, forcing John to withdraw his sword.
He leaped back, narrowly escaping the basilisk's reach, and muttered under his breath about the inadequacy of his weapon. "The basilisk's resistance to magic is formidable. I can't defeat it with my current level of magic unless I resort to Fiendfyre." But the thought of using such dark magic, especially in Harry's presence, made him hesitate.
Caught in his dilemma, John's attention was suddenly drawn by a whistling sound. A bright light descended from the sky, landing not far from where he stood. As he approached, the identity of the object took him by surprise. "The Sword of Gryffindor?" he exclaimed, recognizing the legendary blade.
_________
If you are tired of reading I also have this converted to an audio novel on my youtube
https://www.youtube.com/@NovelAudioForge/featured
Direct Link to playlist
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_Hg-qsW4rM&list=PLKskshYG-OcPTR4-Nw7IWFEBZm07D8pBV&ab_channel=NovelAudioForge