What If? Year 1

Chapter 43

When I open my eyes, I am not in the odd long hallway, but in Myrtle's bathroom.
"Oh my," Myrtle squeaks, "another soul for the bathroom."
"I'm not dead," I tell her, "I've got to find one of the teachers." I walk out of the bathroom, searching for anyone. Suddenly I heard two very familiar voices.
"Oh, Jamie.. I should have know after not getting any letters that something was wrong," Mum sobs, "Oh, god.. my little girl!" Dad has his arm around her, and the skin around his eyes was red and blotchy.
"We're going to find her, Lils," he tries to comfort her, "She's a tough cookie, my love.. she going to be okay. She has to be okay."
"MUM!" I scream, hoping that I could be loud enough, "DAD!" They both continue walking, so I follow them.
"Maybe we could try to find the map," Dad says, "Filch took it from us seventh year, but this is an emergency." Lily shakes her head.
"The C-chamber of S-secrets won't be on the m-map."
"Let's talk to Dumbledore." The get to the door of Dumbledore's office. I follow them up to Dumbledore's office. Mum looks so broken, and Dad looks defeated. These emotions were not common to my parents.
"Mr. and Mrs. Potter," Dumbledore says, "come in." McGonagall was also there with an inconsolable Mrs. Weasley.
"As you know," he continues, "Your daughters have been taken. I am not sure how.. if they will found." Mrs. Weasley sobs and Mum covers her face.
"I am not going to rest until I find them," Dad exclaims, "I'll get Sirius and Remus on it too."
"James," McGonagall says, "No one besides the heir even knows where the chamber is. I'm sorry, but-.." I stare at all of them and notice that Dumbledore is starting at me.
"I will search the castle till I find it."
"Hogwarts will close before you do."
"Minerva, James," Dumbledore scolds, "this is not the time to bicker. I want you both to cast Lumos with your wand."
"Albus, what?" McGonagall asks.
"Trust me, I think we might get some answers." He winks at me.
"Lumos!" Dad and McGonagall say.
"Just touch the tips of their wands," Dumbledore encourages. I reach out and touch the light on my Dad's wand. A shock goes up to my arm and the light goes out.
"Now Minerva's." I follow instructions. He lays out a quill and some parchment.
"Where is the Chamber?" I reach out and pick up the quill. I write out;
Myrtle's Bathroom
"Are you and Miss Weasley okay?" Mum gasps and holds onto Dad.
Danger. I start to feel dizzy.
"Light your wands everyone!" I tap the tips of each wand and start to write.
Harry's with us. Fighting Tom Riddle's ghost. Ginny unconscious.
"Miss Potter, can you get us into the chamber?"
I do not think so. Parseltongue.
"Fawks, go find them." The lovely phoenix that I just saw flies out the window.
Harry needs help
"Go help your brother, Miss Potter."
"Be careful!" Mum calls.
"Make us proud, Golds."

My eyes snap open back in the chamber. Harry is fighting a big snake on top of the stone head. Riddle is focused on the fight before him.
How do I kill him? Maybe the diary? I crawl to Ginny who is still breathing. The diary was drenched in water, and I have nothing to stab it with.
Harry lets out a scream and pulls out a fang from his arm. It falls right in front of me. Harry stabs the snake through the head.
"No!" Riddle screams. Harry falls into the water. I watch as Riddle circles him.
"No matter," he says, "Basilisk venom is already coursing through your reins. You will be dead and your sister will be next."
"No," I say, stabbing the fang into one of the pages. Riddle's body starts to light up like a Christmas tree.
"You," he snarls, "Stop that!" I stab the cover, and Riddle is stuck in place. Black ink is soaking into my skin and clothes. I stab the back and the figure explodes. I scream as Harry falls onto his back.
"Harry!" I say, throwing the diary and fang. I kneel down besides my brother and Fawks lands besides me.
"You both were bloody brilliant," Harry says, "I just wasn't fast enough."
"Oh, Harry... that looks really bad," I cry. Fawks begins to cry too. I suddenly remember something. I grab Harry's arm and set it under the phoenix.
"Phoenix tears heal everything," I whisper, as Harry's arm heals in front of me.
"Thanks Fawks," he says, before turning to me, "and you.. I told you to be careful." He hits my arm.
"I'm not the one that just got bitten by a venomous snake!"
"You... touché. But I was so worried when you didn't come back to the common room. Don't do that again." Shuffling behind me makes me spin around. Ginny was sitting up, looking terrified.
"Hey, Ginny?" I say, moving towards her slowly. Her eyes widen when they land on mine.
"I-i.. Goldie. I'm the monster, you must hate me! Oh, Merlin. I'm so s-." I cut her off with a hug. She melts into my arms.
"You are not a monster," I tell her, "And I definitely don't hate you." Quiet sobs ripple through Ginny and she burrows her head into my shoulder.
"He's gone now. You're safe." I look at Harry, who is just standing awkwardly.
"Why don't we get out of here?" Ginny nods and get up. I get up and go grab the diary. Ginny eyes it, cautiously.
"Goldie... stabbed it," Harry explains. He is carrying the sword and the sorting hat. We walk for a while, before reaching a large pile of boulders.
"Ron? Are you still there?" Harry asks.
"Yes... are they?"
"We're here, Ron," Ginny calls out. I could hear the sign escape his lip.
"How are we going to get past?"
"We could blow them up."
"No, no," I say, "we will not be doing that. Ron, make sure your away from them."
"Okay!"
"Wingardium leviosa!" The rocks float down to the sides. Ron runs to Ginny and picks her up in a hug.
"Oh, thank Merlin," he says, kissing her cheek. Ginny looks up to where the entrance was.
"We're leaving? So soon?" A voice startles me from the shadows. Lockhart was sitting by the rocks, his hair a total mess. I send Harry a look.
"Tell you later. First we have to tackle this first." He points to the large drop. Fawks grabs Ginny and flies her up.
"Guess that answers that." Fawks comes back down and picks up Lockhart.
"This is like magic!" I stare at Ron and Harry.
"What did you do?"
"He tried to us my wand to wipe out minds," Ron explains, "And now he.. well." Fawks grabs Ron. Harry looks at me for a moment before,
"You do need to be more careful."
"We both do, so shove off!" Harry laughs. Fawks comes back and grabs both of us.
"Mum and Dad are here," I tell him.
"I thought they might be." Fawks sets us in Myrtle's bathroom. Ron and Ginny both were waiting for us, and Lockhart was wondering.
"So where should be go now?" Ginny asks. No one spoke as we walk, but we end up at McGonagall's office. I brace myself against Harry as he knocks on the door.