enchanted • draco malfoy

Year 2: Saving Ginny and Freeing Dobby

Felicity's POV

We sprinted down the narrow walkway and almost made it back to the entrance when Harry tripped. I slowed down instantly and ran back to him, dragging him up by his arm. "No offense, Harry," I panted, "but this isn't some cliché Muggle horror movie; get your arse up!" A shadow fell over us and I subconsciously held my breath as the Basilisk coiled to attack.

Suddenly, Fawkes' shrill cry echoed throughout the Chamber. The phoenix dove down onto the giant snake's head and I watched in morbid fascination as it pecked at and tore the Basilisk's eyes out before Riddle shouted. "No!" he yelled, seething, "Your bird may have blinded the Basilisk, but it can still hear you!"

The huge monster was writhing in pain and I nudged Harry's arm to get his attention before holding a finger up to my lips. I began backing away quietly as Harry followed my lead before we stepped on the same tile, causing it to almost inaudibly crack. The Basilisk heard, however, and it's head snapped over in our direction with a low hiss.

"Run?" Harry suggested mildly. "Run," I confirmed with a nod. Instead of following the path, we branched off into one of the tunnels that were scattered around the room. The snake lashed out, narrowly missing my head and crashing into a statue before rearing back to strike again. Harry pulled me into a yet another tunnel, but this one was a dead end. I swung my head around desperately, looking for a way out, when the Basilisk began advancing leisurely towards us. Harry and I held our breath and stood completely still before I poked his ribs and pointed at his shoe. There was a rock about the size of my fist by his foot, and he seemed to get the idea. He nodded and picked up the rock before throwing it in the opposite direction.

The snake whirled around and slithered off, chasing our rock. I took comfort in the fact that the tunnels were too narrow for the Basilisk to turn around in as I ran with Harry back to the Chamber. We both collapsed next to Ginny with looks of identical anxiousness on our face. "Yes, children," Riddle smirked, seeming unsurprised to see us, "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."

"Ginny-" Harry started, staring down at her face. He was interrupted by a small explosion as the Basilisk shot out of the water in the middle of the room. I gulped and stared at the creature, backing away slowly, but Harry's eyes were fixed on something behind me. I sent a silent prayer to whatever gods were listening that there weren't two Basilisks before turning around. Harry was looking at the Sorting Hat, which had been lying forgotten on the ground. He brushed past me and ran towards it before pulling a long, silver sword out from inside it. My eyebrows furrowed in confusion and my jaw was agape.

"Bloody freakin' hell," I muttered as Harry led the snake away from me and Ginny. I stood up, draping said redhead's arm around my shoulder and dragging her further away from the monster. Once we were far enough away from the threat, I turned back to see Harry plunging the sword into the roof of the Basilisk's mouth. It threw back its head and let out a long shriek of agony before it slumped to the floor, its huge body shaking the walls of the room.

My eyes flew back to Harry, who was pulling a long fang out of his arm. "Harry!" I shouted. I ran over to him and lead him back to where Ginny lay in the middle of the Chamber with Tom Riddle's diary. He was panting and holding his arm tightly, his pain obvious.

"Remarkable, isn't it?" Riddle mused as he strode over, "How quickly the venom penetrates the body... well, I'd guess you have little more than a minute to live. You'll be with your dear Mudblood mother soon, Harry." I stood up angrily, only inches away from the man who was enjoying the deaths of my friends for his life. "You cruel, selfish bastard-" I began, but Harry cut me off.