A Hogwarts Rose Year 2

Chapter 21

Disclaimer I don't own Harry Potter.

'Harry!' Ron called back. 'Lockhart's memory charm backfired! He hasn't got a clue who he is!'

I laughed it was about time, there was no way he'll still be considered a great wizard after we tell everyone about what a huge fraud he is and what he tried to do! Father is going to love this! Unfortunately that also means that Harry and I are own our own for this mission as it's cleary impossible for either of us to get to the other side.

'Great!' Harry replied. 'Are you alright?'

'Yeah I'm fine.'

'Ok, start to try and dig the rocks out enough so that we can come back through with Ginny.'

'Ok!' Then Harry and I continued walking.

'He seems to be awfully calm about this.' I murmured.

'Yeah, doing something helps to take his mind off just how serious this is.' That was when I stopped him, I could feel his nerves and I knew it wasn't just because we could be killed by a giant snake at any time.

'You're worried about the school aren't you?' I asked putting my hand on his shoulder. He nodded slowly.

'If the Basilisk isn't caught then they'll have to close the school, what am I supposed to do then? Hogwarts is my home!'

'I'm sure the teachers will do everything they can to keep Hogwarts from closing, but right now we need to focus on getting Ginny back and who knows we might be able to help get rid of this basilisk. After all you can speak parsletongue.'

'So can you.'

'I don't think the others believe that.' I replied, dropping my gaze.

'Who cares, you know and I know and that's what matters, besides they'll believe you eventually.' He smiled and we continued on.

Soon we came to what looked like a large round door with a lock that consisted of several snakes. Harry spoke to it in parsletongue and in a way I was thankful that it was such a rare gift because all of the parsletongue passwords were simply "open" which made it easy to gain access to such areas.

Once inside the strange chamber I was surprised to see how baron it was and how much water there was. The edges of the chamber were lined with giant statues of snake heads with their mouths open, revealing their sharp fangs and long forked tongues. There was a wide stone walkway that went towards the other end and stopped just before a large pond and a giant statue of Salazar Slytherin's face.

'Oh no.' Harry whispered. I gasped as I saw the unconscious body of Ginny lying on the wet ground and we ran over to her. 'Ginny!' He called. He dropped his wand and we kneeled beside her. 'Come on Ginny, please don't be dead! Wake up! Wake up!' He begged, but she didn't move. I felt her wrist for a pulse, Harry watched worried until he gave me a small nod that she was still alive.

'She won't wake.' We looked up terrified at a boy who looked like he would be in sixth year.

'You.' Harry realised. I glanced at him waiting for an explanation of who this other guy was, but I didn't receive it. 'Tom? Tom Riddle? What do you mean she won't wake?' He walked towards us briskly.

'She's not-'. I started.

'She's still alive, but only just.'

'A-are you a ghost?' Harry asked.

'A memory, preserved in a diary for fifty years.' He replied. Harry gently touched Ginny's hand.

'She's as cold as ice.' He murmured worried I watched confused as "Tom" picked up Harry's wand. 'Tom you've got to help us, there's a basilisk-'