The Snake Twins || Book Two: The Chamber of Secrets

XXI

The days went slowly, and the twins hardly got to see their friends, the other teachers and headmaster had forbid them from leave Eden's classroom boundaries. The two sat by the blue fire in their common room, an unsaid hatred ringing out from them. Archer looked at the window and saw that the sky was dark, then she stood up. "Where are you going?" Harry asked, looking up at her from the fire. "On a walk, care to join me?" She replied. Her twin nodded and they set out into the Castle halls.

While they walked, they heard voices coming from up ahead. The two took out their Cloak and put it on, creeping up to the voices. Upon closer inspection, they saw the teachers walking towards someplace, McGonagall leading them. Archer and Harry looked at each other, then followed closely behind. The teachers soon stopped at a wall, and the twins crept forward to see better. Then they saw it, clear as day.

His skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever.

The teachers were mumbling between each other, and Harry had a sinking feeling in his stomach. "Who was taken, Minerva?" One teacher asked. "I'm afraid that the Monster had taken Draco Malfoy. . ." She said. Harry almost cried out of it weren't for Archer covering his mouth. "Well, I propose that someone go into the Chamber of Secrets and rescue Mr. Malfoy, slay the Monster and the school will be safe!" Lockhart said, glancing at the writing. "That is a wonderful idea, Gilderoy. How will you slay the beast?" McGonagall said slyly.

The twins watched as Lockhart's face turned white, and his smile vanished. "Like how I slayed every beast I come across, of course! I will do it tomorrow." He said, trying not to stutter. The other teachers nodded, and then walked off, talking about the antidote to the petrification that Sprout was making for the students. Archer led Harry back to the classroom quietly, taking off the Cloak as the door shut. As Archer started to the common room, she heard a small thud. Turning around, she saw Harry on his knees, his hands on his head. "Har? You okay?" She asked slowly. What he did next shattered her heart. Harry let out a gut wrenching scream, and his magic swirled around, dark and crackling. The tables around the twins shook violently as Harry screamed. Eden came bolting down into the classroom, her eyes wide and alert. She spotted the twins, Harry on the ground, and Archer standing frozen as the dark mist swirled around her.

Eden ran forward, but was knocked back by her son's magic, it crackling even more. "Harry!" She called out. Harry stopped screaming, but his magic was still violently visible. Sobs racked his body, and Archer felt helpless. She knew, somehow, that if she moved, her brother's magic would not like it and toss her away, just as it had done to Eden. Taking a deep breath, Archer lifted a foot and took a step forward, and, immediately, Harry's magic parted to let her through to him. She ran forward and hugged her twin, trying her best to soothe him.

Eden watched the two, as it was all she could do, and Harry clung to his sister with a death-like grip. "Shh, I'm here. I'm here." Archer whispered in his ear, petting his hair. Eden watched in awe as Harry's magic stopped flowing around them and was still, just hanging there. Slowly, she stood up and walked to her children, crouching down next to them. "What happened?" She asked slowly. Archer lifted her head, her ruby eyes seemed lost and cold. "We found out that Draco was taken into the Chamber. . ." She whispered. Harry kept crying, holding on to his sister for dear life.

Eden reached out to touch her son, but her daughter's sharp voice stopped her. "Don't touch him, his magic will go crazy again." She said softly. Eden took her hand back and just watched the two, wondering how Archer knew that. Then she knew how, the Muggles. She felt rage build up, but one look at her children made it all crash back down. Archer was looking at her mum with tears in her eyes. "Don't do anything you might regret. We got you back, so don't make us loose you again."

After a while, Harry had fallen asleep, tear streaks on his pale cheeks. Archer lifted him up, bridal style, and carried him to his bed. Eden stayed in the classroom, sitting on her desk. Archer walked back down, wiping her cheeks. "Gilderoy is being forced to go save Draco, but I don't trust that man with a single cell in my body. He'll be going down to the Chamber tomorrow night." Archer explained, taking a seat at one of the desks. Eden shook her head. "I don't trust him either." She mumbled. Archer cast a quick Tempus, and stretched out. "I'm heading to bed. . ." She whispered. "Sleep tight, wee one." Eden responded.

Archer walked into the bedroom, and noticed that Harry was sitting up in bed. Taking off her cloak, she walked over and set it on Harry's shoulders. "What's on your mind?" She whispered softly. "What if we never get Dragon back. . ." Harry whispered back, his voice quivering slightly. Archer wrapped her arms around her brother, squeezing softly. "We'll get him back, even if that means we need to kill that peacock to do so." She told him. Harry smiled softly at his sister's words. The two sat like that for a while, Archer holding her brother, and Harry curled up in her embrace, the blue glow of the fire making them look ethereal.

"Sing me a song, please. . ." Harry whispered, curling up into her arms even more. "What song? Our normal one?" Archer asked, pulling her twin onto her lap. "No, a new one. Please?" He said, looking up at her eyes, which looked purple in the light. Archer nods, thinking for a moment. Then, she took a deep breath.

"Infinite cloud, please let me out. You know I need to see.
Infinite cloud, please stop the rain that's falling on my face.
Infinite cloud, please go away today. It's been too long.
Infinite cloud, I've embraced you for now. Please don't let me down."

Archer looked down at Harry, who fast asleep. She smiled softly and laid him down, pulling his comforter up on him. Taking her cloak and hanging it up, Archer walked over to the fire and sat down, staring right into the flame. Taking another deep breath, she closed her eyes and started to sing again.

"Hey, hey, it's okay. Everybody feels kinda weird some days.
Hey, hey, it's okay. Everybody feels kinda weird.
I should get up out of bed, I should probably drink some water.
I should, I should, I should, but I know that I'm not gonna do the things statistically that make me feel better.
Get outside and out my mind, I know I'll feel better."

The fire was died down, a soft, gentle blue haze filled the room. It looked emptier without everyone else there. Archer stood up, changing into her pajamas. She climbed into her bed, staring at the ceiling. She sat like that for a while, just staring. When she mumbled a Tempus, she saw it was almost one-thirty in the morning. Sighing, Archer sat up, rubbing her eyes and looking around the room. Sliding out of her bed, her bare feet hit the stone tiles, chills running up her body.

Archer walked over to the fireplace again, sitting down. When she sat down, she heard whimpering coming from Harry's bed. Archer stood back up and walked over to his bed, and she saw that her brother's eyebrows were furrowed and his lip was quivering slightly. A wave of pain flooded through her as she saw Harry having a nightmare. It reminded her of when they lived with Muggles; he was too scared to cry out, even while he was asleep. He would never admit it to their mum, but he was still scared, they both were. Removing the covers from the spot next to him, Archer slid into the comfortable bed and Harry immediately grasped onto her for support, just like he had done when he was younger; when they were both younger.

Archer put an arm protectively around her brother, bringing him closer to her. Harry's whimpering slowly stopped, and his breath was even again. Soon, Archer was asleep as well.

A/N: I know that the songs I use for these books aren't from the '90's, but who cares. I will be working back and forth from this book and Little Emperess, so you guys have best of both worlds. Anyways, Happy Reading!