Ivy Potter, Year Two | Raised By The Malfoys

Chapter Twenty Five: Blocked

          As we walked into the darkness, we came across a wide room. In it was what looked like a snake laying in the whole area. I squeezed Ron's hand and walked ahead with my brother to examine it. It was a snakeskin that was about 60 feet or longer. Professor Lockhart fainted next to Ron and Ron sarcastically said he has the heart of a lion. Suddenly, the professor stole Ron's wand and attempted to erase my brother's and my memories. The Forgetfulness Charm backfired with Ron's damaged wand and sent the professor flying into the ceiling. I looked at Ron with panic as part of the ceiling caved in.

          "Ron!" Harry and I yelled.

          He told us he was ok but the professor erased all his memories. Ron knocked him out and told us that he was going to try to clear a path so we could escape. Reluctantly, with our path blocked, Harry took my hand and we went further into the chamber. We came across a large circular door with snakes pointing out of it. The door was shut and Harry and I knew what to do. 

          Together we whispered, "Open."

          A snake began to circle the door frame and the snakes pointing outwards retracted in. When the snake made its full circle, the door opened to us. There was a platform leading to a statue of Salazar Slytherin's head halfway emerged in the water. The water was around the whole platform like a large pond. Along the edge in the water were snakes coming out and facing the platform. We walked further in and the water splashed under our feet. A body was at the end of the walkway.

          "Ginny!" I screamed.

          Harry and I ran to her. She was laying on her back and in her arm was the diary. Harry and I dropped our wands and kneeled to her side. We begged her to wake up and to not die. From the corner of my eye, a student emerged on our left from the shadows.

         "She won't wake," he said.

          "Who are you? You're in Slytherin?" I asked and noticed his robes.

          "Tom?" Harry asked.

          "Are you a ghost? Tom Riddle was from 1943. You can't possibly be him," I said softly.

          Admittedly, he was quite charming and handsome. Nothing like Draco. Tom Riddle was much taller than us and he had a masculine jawline. His hair was wavy and dark and his eyes were mysterious. He talked like a snake charmer.

          He approached us briskly, "I'm a memory. My sixteen year old self was preserved in a diary for fifty years."

          I watched him smile at me and he picked up our wands while Harry touched Ginny's hand. He said she was as cold as ice and it felt like Tom was observing me for letting him take our wands. 

           "Tom, we need to leave. There's a basilisk," Harry warned and finally looked up.

          "It won't come until it's called," he replied with a slight head tilt.

          "Give me my wand, Tom," Harry demanded.

          "You won't be needing it," he said.

          I stood up with my brother and Tom explained that while Ginny grew weaker, he would grow stronger. With her death, he would return. He kept his eyes locked on mine the whole time. He told us how Ginny was the one who opened the chamber and wrote the messages on the walls. She was in a trance and explained that he could be very persuasive as he reached out to touch my hair. He pulled on the ends and said that he wanted to meet me.

          "You have been the one I have been the most anxious to meet," he said.

          "Me? Not Harry?" I asked.

          "I was able to show Harry my memories about Rubeus Hagrid to gain his trust. But you. I knew I had to talk to you; meet you if I could," he whispered.

          "Hagrid is my friend. Release my sister," Harry threatened.

          Tom smiled at me and offered me his hand. I took it.