Power and Persecution [1] || Harry Potter x OC x Draco Malfoy

58. A Hat and A Bird

DISCLAIMER 

I do not own Harry Potter ... but if I did the whole thing with Lockhart in St Mungos would have been put in the films cause it was such a good tie to the earlier books and movies

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Harry didn't have time to dwell on just how long Bel might be gone for.

The tunnel leading down to the bottom of the entrance was akin to a slide, the two boys screaming at the top of their lungs all the way down, unsure of where they would wind up.

It didn't take long for them to come crashing onto the floor, both Harry and Ron laying eyes on Lockhart and holding their wands up in his direction, not forgetting about the whole 'memory charms' business.

"Ugh", Harry heard Ron say from beside him.

Underneath their shoes was hundreds of small bones mixed in with brown sewage water.

Harry didn't take much notice of the smell considering all three of them were now covered in dirt and muck.

They fit in perfectly with their environment at this point.

"Now remember, any sign of movement, close your eyes straight away", Harry reminded his friend and professor before turning around to head through a large tunnel.

"Go on", Ron instructed from behind him as Harry lifted himself up onto the dirty stone.

The sounds of Lockhart and then Ron following him echoed throughout the tunnel as Harry continued onwards, trying to keep a sense of direction in such a maze.

"Where's Bel got to?" Lockhart asked as they walked around a corner.

"She's gone to find a competent professor", Harry snapped back, shutting up the useless moron they were with.

It didn't take long for them to reach a cave-like room. Stone spikes hanging from the ceiling, and most noticeably, a gigantic mass of discarded snakeskin trailed along the floor.

"What's this?" Ron asked as he pushed Lockhart into the room.

"It looks like a ... snake", Lockhart said as his voice started to show his true fear.

"It's a snakeskin", Harry finally answered correctly as he brushed his hand all the way along the integument.

"Bloody hell. Whatever shed this must be 60 feet long. Or more", Ron exclaimed as he remained frozen in place beside Lockhart at the other end of the room.

As Harry leant down by the head of the skin, he heard a loud thumping sound behind him.

"Heart of a lion, this one", Ron muttered as the two boys laid eyes on Lockhart who had passed out, now lying unconscious on the grimy floor.

However, Lockhart certainly wasn't unconscious.

The man jumped up, grabbing Ron's wand out of his hand, standing up as he pointed it between the two boys.

"The adventure ends here, boys, but don't fret. The world will know our story. How I was too late to save the girl, how you two tragically lost your minds at the sight of her mangled body", Lockhart spoke in a rather eery tone.

Harry now did agree with both Bel and Ron.

Sending Bel away was indeed stupid.

One memory charm was all it would take for them to fail in saving Ginny and their school.

And that fate now rested in the hands of a man who was not only capable of doing so but was perfectly content with it.

"So ... You first, Mr Potter. Say goodbye to your memories", Lockhart continued as he pointed Ron's wand across the room.