Gaunt ~ Book 2

Forty-five~Potter

a/n: Same reminder as usual, I'm combining J.K. Rowling's work with my own. Hope you enjoy!

Ink spurted out of the diary in torrents, streaming over Harry's hands, flooding the floor. Riddle was writhing and twisting, screaming and flailing and then —

He had gone. Harry's wand fell to the floor with a clatter and there was silence. Silence except for the steady drip drip of ink still oozing from the diary. Silence except for Marvolo's heavy breathing. 

Shaking all over, Harrypulled himself up. His head was spinning as though he'd just traveled miles by Floo Powder. Slowly, he gathered his wand and the Sorting Hat, and, with a huge tug, retrieved the glittering sword from the roof of the basilisk's mouth.

Then came a faint moan from the end of the Chamber. Ginny was stirring. As Harry hurried toward her, she sat up. Her bemused eyes traveled from the huge form of the dead basilisk, over Harry, in his blood-soaked robes, then to the diary in his hand. She drew a great shuddering gasp, and tears began to pour down her face.

"Harry — oh, Harry — I tried to tell you at b-breakfast, but I c-couldn't say it in front of Percy — it was me, Harry — but I — I s-swear I d-didn't mean to — R-Riddle made me, he t-took me over — and — how did you kill that — that thing? W-where's Riddle? The last thing I r-remember is him coming out of the diary —"

"It's all right," said Harry, holding up the diary, showing Ginny the fang hole, "Riddle's finished! Look! Him and the basilisk. C'mon Ginny, let's get out of here —"

"I'm going to be expelled!" Ginny wept as Harry helped her awkwardly to her feet. "I've looked forward to coming to Hogwarts ever since B-Bill came and n-now I'll have to leave and — w-what'll Mum and Dad say?"

"It's going to be fine, Ginny," Harry assured her. "It's not your fault."

Ginny stopped.

"Where's Marvolo?" she said. "I swear I saw him when I woke up."

A jet of red light hit Ginny, making her drop to the floor. Harry whirled around, wand raised, prepared for Riddle, but —

"Marvolo?" he said. "What are you doing? Did you just stun Ginny?"

There was something wrong with Marvolo. If it was darker or if Harry didn't have his glasses on, he would have sworn Marvolo was Riddle.

"When you were off getting all the glory," even Marvolo's voice was like Riddle's, "I had a little chat with my cousin. He enlightened me about a few topics concerning you."

"Whatever he told you, don't listen to him," pleaded Harry. "He was just leading you on."

Marvolo's laugh was like Riddle's, piercing through the air and sticking the hairs on Harry's neck on end.

"He told me you'd say that," he said, wand still raised. "He told me you'd deny it. Is that true Potter? Will you deny it?"

"Of course I will! You're my friend, not my enemy!"

Marvolo's smile only widened.

"Maybe you don't believe it yourself," he said, taking a step closer. "But I'll show you."

Before Harry could move, he was hit with an unknown spell. The Chamber swam before his eyes and vanished. Images began to show. He was watching Marvolo and Hermione pacing around a small table, considering Snape's riddle. There was Ron, sacrificing himself in McGonagall's giant chess set so that he, Harry, could pass. Then it was just Marvolo, catching the flying key. Marvolo was yelling at him to get the Sorcerer's Stone back to school. Marvolo was standing in front of him, speaking Parseltongue. Hermione, voting to keep a secret. Marvolo, telling Harry to run, keeping him alive for a little while longer.

The images stopped and Harry sank to his knees, still processing what had just happened.

"You see?" Marvolo said. "You see what I see? What the rest of us see?"

He crouched down and looked into Harry's eyes.

"Are you going to be heroic now, Potter? Are you going to stop me for good? Are you going to tell Ron, Hermione, and everyone else that I was killed by the basilisk down here to cover up what you did?"

"Marvolo . . ." Harry said. "I'm your friend . . . I would never do that to you. . . ."

"But you would if you had to, wouldn't you? If I was a threat?"

Marolo's voice was so quiet, so weak and tired, it took Harry a second to realize what he actually said.

"No," he said. "Stop this Marvolo, please."

Marvolo smiled sadly, "A little part of me wants to."

Harry smiled hopefully.

Marvolo's face darkened, "But that part's almost gone."

Harry was blasted back into a stone pillar. When he pushed himself up, he saw Marvolo, standing now, still pointing his wand at him. Ginny was at his feet, still stunned.

"It doesn't have to end this way, Marvolo!" Harry cried.

"Come on, Harry Potter," spat Marvolo. "Show that heroic side everyone loves." 

He advanced. Harry had nowhere to go. Behind him was a pillar and in front of him was Marvolo, wand in hand. Behind him, Harry could see the dead basilisk. That was it! He could use a basilisk fang to stop Marvolo! But he wasn't Riddle. He wasn't a diary you could stab to make things go away. He was a living, breathing, human being, and he was Harry's friend.

Just knock him out, Harry told himself. He took a deep breath and ran for it. Catching Marvolo off guard, Harry slammed into his chest, knocking him to the floor. He jumped up and tore toward the basilisk, picking up the Sorting Hat's sword as he went. 

"Going to stab me, are you?" Marvolo bellowed behind him. "Going to kill me?" 

Harry could hear him advancing, step-by-step, footsteps echoing through the Chamber.

"You've got nowhere to run, Potter," said Marvolo.

Harry did his best to block his words out, trying to cut out one of the basilisk's fangs.

"So dies the great Harry Potter," Marvolo had stopped, only a few feet away from Harry.

Harry successfully pulled out the fang.

"Goodbye, Harry," said Marvolo, his voice icy smooth. "Avada —"

Harry swung around, the basilisk fang sinking into Marvolo's stomach. Marvolo coughed, his wand falling to the floor, blood slipping out of his mouth. His hands went to the fang as he stumbled back. He tripped and fell onto his back.

Harry felt dread filling his system. Blood had already begun to pool when he fell to his knees next to his dying friend.

"I'm so sorry, Marvolo," he said, tears coming down his face. "I didn't mean to."

Harry's hands floated mindlessly to the basilisk fang and pulled it out, making Marvolo wince. The wound was bad, bloody and poisonous. Marvolo wasn't going to make it.

He was going to die.

The only thing Harry saw or heard as he cried was a bird's cry and a flash of red.