Harry Potter and the Legend of the Twelve

The Revenge of Lord Voldemort

When Harry and the others hit the passage at the end of the pipe, they ran towards the Chamber of Secrets. They were long gone when Carly slid out of the pipe and began to follow them, her wand lit so she could see in the dark passage. James, Rose, and Danny were close behind her, but Carly was moving as fast as she could.

As Harry ran down the passage that he had hoped to never see again, he tried to focus on rescuing Albus. It was impossible not to think of what could happen. He knew he couldn't lose Albus. He couldn't go on if he lost him. The words, 'the vessel of his return,' kept running through his mind.

When Harry and the other five adults reached the Chamber of Secrets, the door was open.

"It didn't stay open last time," said Harry. "I had to open it and go after Ginny."

"Harry," Hermione warned. "It could be a trap."

"What do we do?" asked Ron.

"We spring it," said Ginny. She had forced the tears to stop, but the fear was etched on her face. "I'm getting him back no matter what."

Harry pulled Ginny into a hug. "We'll save him," said Harry. "Albus is strong, he'll fight him."

Ginny just nodded, she couldn't speak.

"I'm in first," said Harry. He cautiously entered the Chamber, the others entering behind him. "Spread out," Harry whispered. Ginny, Hermione, Ron, Neville, and Sirius spread out and slowly started to move down the chamber. They could see Albus standing, back towards them, at the end of the chamber in front of the statue of Salazar Slytherin.

Harry could see Ginny start to take a step as if she was going to run to him, but Harry held up a hand, and she nodded to him reluctantly. They moved slowly, expecting an attack at any moment. Harry wasn't sure exactly what to do.

Was Voldemort in the Chamber with Albus? Was Albus supposed to bring him back somehow? Was someone else waiting to perform a spell like Pettigrew did in the graveyard all those years ago? Could it already be too late?

When Carly came through the entrance to the Chamber, she immediately saw Albus at the far end of the Chamber. She started to run towards him, unconscious of Harry and the others spread out across the Chamber.

Sirius and Neville, who were about fifteen feet apart, lunged towards Carly to try to stop her, but it was too late, she was by them. "Al!" Carly called desperately. "Al! Al!"

"Wait, Carly, no," called Harry, but it was too late.

Harry looked back toward the entrance to see James, Danny, and Rose emerging from the entrance to the chamber.

"I'm sorry, Dad. I couldn't stop her," said James as he, Danny, and Rose ran to where the adults stood. "She did what Uncle Ron did to get in."

"Stay here you three," Harry ordered, as he and the rest of the adults continued cautiously towards Albus and Carly.

Carly had stopped about ten feet from Albus. "Al," she said softly with tears in her eyes. "Talk to me, Al."

"I'm sorry," said a cold, high-pitched voice as Albus turned around. "Albus can't come out and play right now, but I can." The evil smile on Albus's face made him look like a different person. The cold, high-pitched voice was coming from Albus's mouth.

Harry stared for a moment in horror. He knew that voice. Harry last heard it twenty years ago. The only thing more terrible than hearing that voice again, was hearing it come from his son.

"Run, Carly," yelled Harry, as the six of them started running toward her. "Get away from him. It's not Al!"

Carly continued to stare at Albus. "Al?" said Carly in shocked, terrified voice. She was rooted in place, too scared to move.