Granger Danger

Twenty one

Harry and Ron visited Hermione hoping Hailey was there, but she wasn't. He found a letter in Hermione's hand and started reading it to Ron as they left. "What's that?" Ron asked.

"Ron, this is why Hermione was in the library the day she was attacked." Harry says. "Come on!"

The two left the infirmary as Harry started reading the letter. "Of the many fearsome beasts that roam our land, none is more deadly than the basilisk." Harry reads. "Capable of living for hundreds of years, instant death awaits any who meet this giant serpent's eye. Spider flee before it..." He looked at Ron. "Ron, 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?"

Harry realized that was a good question till he looked at the glass to see his and Ron's reflection. "Because no one didn't look it in the eye." He said as he looked at Ron. "Not directly at least."

"Where's Hailey when you need her?"
~~~
"Colin saw it through his camera. Justin... Justin must have seen the basilisk through Nearly Headless Nick. Nick got the full blast, but he's a ghost. He couldn't die again. And Hermione...had the mirror." He tells Ron. "I bet you anything she was using it to look around corners in case it came along."

"And Mrs. Norris?" Ron asked. "I'm pretty sure she didn't have a camera or a mirror, Harry."

Harry thought for a moment. "The water...there was water on the floor that night. She only saw the basilisk's reflection." Ron nodded as they walked over to the light causing Harry to read the spider part again. "Spiders flee before it." He read. "It all fits."

"But how's the basilisk been getting around?" Ron asked. "A dirty, great snake, someone would have seen it."

"Hermione's answered that too." Harry replies as he showed the paper with Hermione's hand writing. Pipes.

"Pipes? It's using the plumbing." Ron says.

"Remember what Aragog said about that girl 50 years ago?" Harry says. "She died in the bathroom. What if she never left?"

"Moaning Myrtle."

"All students are to return to their house dormitories at once." They heard Professor McGonagall. "All teachers to the second floor corridor immediately."

Harry and Ron didn't do as told.
~~~
The two listened as to the professor. A student was snatched causing Harry and Ron to share a look. When Lockhart left, the nurse had to ask. "Who was it that the monster has taken?"

"Hailey Granger."

Harry and Ron were shocked by this. When the professor's left, they saw the message. "Her skeleton will lie in the chamber forever." Ron read. "Hailey..." Ron said hurt that one of his closest friends may be dead.
~~~
Harry was in a panic thinking about Hailey being dead. When they went to Lockhart's office, they saw him packing. "Going somewhere?"

"Um...urgent call. I got to go."

"What about our friend?"

Harry couldn't believe what Lockhart wasn't going to help till Ron pointed his wand at the professor.
~~~
When Harry got into the Chambers, he found Hailey laying on the ground. "Hailey..." He said as he ran to her. He raised her up trying to wake her up. "Hailey. Oh, Hailey, please wake up. Don't be dead. Wake up, wake up." He says as his heart was shattering for this girl. "Please, wake up."

"She won't wake." Harry heard and turned to see Tom.

"Tom. Tom Riddle." Harry says. "What do you mean she won't wake? She's not..."

"She's still alive, but only just." Tom says.

"Are you a ghost?"

"A memory preserved in a diary for 50 years." Tom replies.

Harry touched Hailey's hand as he laid her back down. "She's cold as ice." He says. "Hailey, please don't be dead. Wake up."

Hailey wasn't moving as Harry stood up wanting his wand back. When Tom confessed that Hailey was the one who opened the chambers, but she was in a trance. Hailey had no control of what was happening. Harry was upset with this. Hailey was used to do Tom's dirty work. He was mad.
~~~
Harry limped over to Hailey to see she was very pale. He took her hand in his and opened the diary just to use the tooth to destroy the book. When Harry killed the basilisk and destroyed Tom's diary, he ran to Hailey. The blonde started to wake up and saw Harry. "I didn't mean too." She said crying. "I didn't once think the diary was Tom's till I was in this trance that I..."

"Hailey, you didn't do it." He tells her. "It's not your fault."

"Harry, you're hurt." She said as she said touching his arm.

"Don't worry." He said causing her to smile. "You need to get out of here."

They heard Fawkes and look to seem him flying over to them. They watched as Fawkes let a tear and healed the wound. Hailey smiled as she looked at Harry as he talked about the phoenix having healing powers. "It's alright, Hailey. It's over."

Hailey looked at Harry as he caressed her face. The two shared a look before leaning in. Hailey and Harry let their lips touch one another before they heard Fawkes and smiled. "Let's get out of here." Hailey said.

"Let's go."