The Twin Who Loved (Harry Potter Fanfic)

Chapter 20 - Chamber of Secrets

        Tom Riddle shouted angrily,

"Fools! Think you're safe? Your bird may have blinded the basilisk, but it can still hear you!"

Harry and I turned to see the blinded basilisk as Fawkes started flying away. My twin and I quickly stood, trying to carefully back away from the serpent that was shaking its head around in pain. But as we took a few steps, the basilisk heard and immediately turned and stared in our direction. I froze, holding onto my brother's hand tightly before we both fled down a tunnel as fast as we could. The basilisk only just missed us with its strike. It was impossible to be silent as we ran through the water. I let out a scream when the basilisk struck and only just missed us once more. Stumbling down a small tunnel with rats and only small puddles of water, Harry and I looked back to see if the serpent was following us before turning down what we thought could be an exit. Only this small tunnel ended with bars that we couldn't move. Suddenly, I heard the serpent's growl and whipped around, along with my brother, to see its shadow before it came into view. Frozen with fear, Harry pushed me behind him, backing us up against the bars and covering my mouth with his hand as the basilisk slowly slid toward us. I tried so hard not to cry as the basilisk came only inches away from our faces until Harry tossed a rock away from us. Hearing the clatter, the basilisk stopped to listen and then slithered out of the alcove to continue along the tunnels in search of us. Once the giant snake was out of sight, Harry and I ran back toward the main chamber and over to Ginny, who looked frighteningly pale. Tom looked almost solid as he taunted,

"Yes, Potters. The process is nearly complete. In a few minutes, Ginny Weasley will be dead. And I will cease to be a memory. Lord Voldemort will return. Very... much... alive."

I glared at the older boy as Harry pleaded,

"Ginny..."

All of a sudden, the basilisk shot its head out of the water by Slytherin's statue, roaring. I stared up at it in complete fear, having no idea how we could do anything without our wands when Harry suddenly went over to the Sorting Hat and pulled out a sword! Harry held the sword toward the great snake and quickly turned to send me a glance that told me to stay put before he sprinted over to the statue of Salazar. As the basilisk started to follow after my brother, my twin started climbing Slytherin's statue. I could only watch while Harry swung the sword at the basilisk before continuing to climb until he finally got to the top. Covering my mouth to stop my gasps and screams of worry, I watched as Harry was knocked back and lost his grip on the sword.

"No..." I whispered until Harry quickly gripped the sword once again and drove it straight through the roof of the serpent's mouth before it could attack him again. The basilisk screeched in pain, thrashing madly after the sword was pulled away before it finally fell to the floor and lay still. With a proud grin, I looked over to see Tom seething with anger. As Harry came toward us, I stood to give him a hug until I noticed he was walking weakly, as though he was in pain.

"Harry?"

My brother dropped the sword and fell in front of me, holding what looked like a fang from the basilisk. "Harry, what's wrong?" I pleaded as my twin crawled toward where I was now kneeling next to Ginny.

"Remarkable, isn't it?" Tom spoke, "How quickly the venom of the basilisk penetrates the body? If you have any final words, Potters, you'd best speak them now. I'd guess you have little more than a minute to live."

I wrapped my arms around Harry as the two of us glared up at Tom Riddle, who looked just about real now. "So ends the famous Harry and Ella Potter. On their knees in the Chamber of Secrets. Defeated at last by the Dark Lord, they so unwisely challenged. You'll be back with your dear Mudblood mother soon, Harry... Then Ella will be next."