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

XXIV

Archer and Harry ran up to Lockhart's classroom and bust into his office, just to see him packing everything up. "What are you doing?" Archer hissed, startling the teacher. "Uh, leaving." He said simply. "What about Draco?" Harry whispered. "What about him?" Lockhart said, looking back up at the twins. "You're supposed to go save him." Harry said, getting angry. Archer noticed the man was reaching for his wand, and she summoned it to her hand, without even drawing her own wand. Gilderoy looked up, shocked. "Yeah, no. Obliviate." Harry said, pointing his wand at the man. A bright light shone in the room, and Lockhart slumped down, falling into the floor. "How powerful did you make the spell?" Archer asked, looking at her twin. "He won't even remember who he is." Harry said smugly. Archer grinned devilishly. "Good. Let's go." The two ran off, Archer leading the way to the Chamber entrance.

When they got there, she hissed the password, Harry looking at her. "What a protective password." He said sarcastically. "I know right?" Archer said, then asked for stairs, and, like last time, stairs appeared. The twins walked down, Archer still leading the way. Harry wondered how she knew the way around, but didn't ask aloud. She led her twin through the tunnels until they got to the vault door, where she asked for it to open again. Slowly but surely, the door opened, revealing the hall with water and statues. The only thing out of place was there was a body at the end, right in front of the big statue of Salazar Slytherin.

Harry climbed down the small ladder, while Archer just hopped down. The two walked quickly to the end of the large hall, and Harry ran up upon seeing Draco on the floor. The two reached the blonde and they both saw that he was holding onto the diary. "When did he get the diary back?" Archer mumbled. "Draco! Draco, wake up!" Harry pleaded, shaking the boy. "He won't wake." A voice rang out. The twins looked to the side and a boy emerged from the shadows. "Tom?" Archer asked. "What do you mean he won't wake?" She asked, shifting to face him. "You know who he is?" Harry whispered. Archer nodded slightly, not looking away from the older boy.

"You see, as poor Dragon grows weaker, I grow stronger." Tom told them, walking around them. "How do you know that name?" Harry asked, standing up. "He told me, of course. How else would I know?" Tom said, smirking. "Tom, why are you doing this?" Archer asked quietly, standing up as well. "So I can get stronger, Ruby. Or should I say, Archer." Tom said, grinning. Archer narrowed her eyes, her throat feeling tight. "I don't want to hurt you, Tom. Please, stop this." She whispered out, her voice cracking. Harry looked at his sister and saw that she was fighting back tears. "Archer?" Harry asked her softly. Archer looked away, turning around. Harry noticed her wiping her eyes, and then he looked at Tom. "You. Why are you doing this? How did you do this?" As soon as those words left his mouth, Harry felt it click. "The diary. You, you were controlling Dragon through it, you were the one that made him write those messages, the one who opened the Chamber." He said, piecing it together.

Tom laughed, clapping slowly. "You really are bright." He said, his tone mocking. Harry narrowed his eyes as Tom turned to the massive statue. *Ssspeak to me Ssslytherin, greatessst of the four.* Tom hissed out, then Harry watched as the mouth of the statue opened. Archer turned around just in time to see a massive snake slide out. "Hello, Tom. Are you alright? Who are these children?" She asked, looking at the twins. Archer clutched her head slightly, gaining the attention of the others. "Archer? Are you okay?" Harry asked his twin, walking closer to her. "Yeah, I'm fine." She said. When she opened her eyes, her eye was back to being blue, and the eye that stayed the same had a slit again.

"Odd," Tom mumbled. "Oh well, I can't have you meddling with my plans. Queen, get rid of those two, please." Archer looked at Tom, Harry trying not to look at the snakes eyes. "Archer, please, I have no clue what to do! There is a Basilisk about to eat us, a madman between me and Dragon, please. . ." Harry trails off, tears streaming down his cheeks. Archer took a deep breath, shrinking down, once again becoming her animagus form. Queen looked shocked, making a noise of disbelief. "You are a baby! So small! Tom, I cannot harm a hatchling." She said, turning back to Tom. The teen whirled around and looked at Archer, who was now a small Basilisk. "You are an animagus?" He asked in disbelief. "Tom, I refuse to hurt the hatchling! Both her and the red-eyed boy. He and the hatchling radiate a magic similar to yours, are you certain you want me to deal with them?" Archer and Harry look at the Basilisk with shock, Archer turning back to her human state.

Tom sighed, but waved his hand, turning away again. Queen looked at the twins, guilt flooding through her. Archer thought for a moment, staring at the diary. If it were to be destroyed, which is what Dumbledore wants, Tom would be gone, along with a major part of their father's soul. But if it were secured. . . "Wait!" She called out. Tom turned to look at her, annoyance on his face. "What about a deal?" She proposed . Everyone looked at her, Harry with shock, Queen with confusion, and Tom with intrigue. "What deal are you proposing?" He asked, crossing his arms. "You let go of your hold on Dragon, and stop this madness, and, in turn, I keep you safe." Archer said, walking towards him. Tom smirked at the girl, his bright blue eyes twinkling. "And why would I need to be kept safe?" He queried. "I know what you are, who you are a part of, and so does Dumbledore. He knows what's going on, no doubt of it. He also wants us to destroy you." She said.

Tom's smirk vanished. Harry looked confused, wondering what his sister was talking about. "How?" He hissed softly. Archer walked closer to Tom, her face an inch away. "Don't you get it? What has your Basilisk told you? How have we managed to get down here? And how did I know your name the first time we met?" She asked the boy, her voice low and dangerous. Tom looked into her eyes, staring longer and longer at them, something in head mind swirled. "Do you remember a girl named Eden?" She whispered. Tom backed away, shocked. "You. . . You can't be. . ." He mumbled, looking between the twins. "So, you end this now, and I keep your Horcrux safe, dad." Archer said, not looking away from Tom. He looked at the floor, his mind running in circles. She knew Eden, she knows what his is, she knows. She knows. Tom looked back up at Archer, who hadn't moved her sight away from him. "Deal?" She asked, holding out a hand.

Harry looked between them, walking over to Draco, setting his head on his lap. Tom watched the young boy do this, and a pang rang through his heart. "Deal." He finally said, shaking Archer's hand. As soon as their hands touched, Draco woke up, colour flooding back into his face, and he breathed deeply. Harry gasped, bringing Draco into his arms. "What happened?" Draco asked, holding onto Harry. "It's okay, you're safe now." Harry breathed out, not letting go of the blonde. Archer walked over and grabbed the diary, closing it as she did. Tom vanished from view, and Queen slithered over. "Hatchling, you will be back, won't you?" She asked, touching Archer's shoulder with her nose. "Of course, Queen, both me and Harry will be back." Archer said, setting her forehead onto Queen's snout.

Draco looked at the two, awe rushing through him. Then he realized what happened. "Oh, Hades! I am so, so, so sorry for what I did, I didn't mean too, I swear!" He said, hugging Harry tightly. "It's alright, Dragon, it wasn't your fault, it's all over now." Harry whispered into his ear. Archer let Queen return to her chambers, the mouth of the statue closing behind her. She walked over to the two boys and sat down. "We could fix this place up, explore it, make it look like Slytherin never left." She said her thoughts out loud. Harry nodded excitedly at that idea. "That would be awesome!" Draco said, smiling brightly. "Alright, let's head back up." Harry said, standing. Draco followed suit, but Archer still sat, looking at the diary. "Archer? You alright mate?" Draco asked. Archer pulled out her wand and then copied the book. "What are you doing?" Harry questioned her, sitting down again. Silently summoning a large knife, she stabbed the copied diary, making a large hole in it. "Now we can go." She said, putting the real diary into her cloak pocket, setting the knife in one of the pools. The three walked out of the Chamber, Harry not letting go of Draco, and Archer leading them out.