Harry Potter and the Wandless Magic

Chapter One: Venom and Tears

The ancient basilisk lay dead a dozen feet away and the last remnants of Tom Riddle's solidified memory had been blown apart. Once again, the school was saved from Voldemort. Ginny would be safe from the dark magic in Riddle's Diary.

If only I wasn't dying, Harry thought.

Harry dropped to his knees, his vision blurry as the basilisk venom slowly made its way through his veins. He had no idea how long he had left but his senses began to fade away. Hermione would know. She always knew. Although she would probably be crying if she saw him like this.

"Harry?" Ginny sounded so far away. "Harry it wasn't my fault. Riddle made me. Harry? Oh Harry!"

"Get to Ron," he managed to say.

Pain unlike anything he had ever known spiked in his scar. It felt like his head was being split open.

"You fool!" A cold voice shouted somewhere in his mind. "You've killed us both!"

The internal voice screamed in agony and Harry's own scream mimicked the voice as it tore through the silence of the Chamber. Deep within him, pain exploded in his chest. It felt like someone had reached inside him and peeled away his heart and stuffed fire in its place. He heard Ginny scream in terror but could do nothing but writhe on the floor.

Someone cool and soothing touched his head. It must have been wet because he felt it sliding down his face. It mingled with a black tar-like substance oozing out of his scar.

"Harry let me help you," Ginny said as she pulled him up to his knees.

The pain was suddenly gone, replaced by a strange numbness around his scar. Harry had no more time to ponder this as he pitched forward and the world went black.

Whispers slowly guided him back from the blissful oblivion of sleep. For the first time in a long time, he had not dreamt at all. He cracked his eyes open and was surprised to find that he could see perfectly.

Hermione sat beside his bed, reading from their Transfiguration textbook. Her hand held his gently and he could tell she had been crying recently. When had she woken up? Why was she crying? Did Ginny die?

"Who died?" he asked.

Hermione jumped. "Harry! You're awake. Professors, come quick."

Dumbledore and McGonagall stepped into view and halted at the foot of his bed.

"How are you feeling, Harry?"

"Sore."

"Well, that's to be expected," Madam Pomfrey said as she waved her wand several times over Harry's body.

"How's Ginny?" he asked.

"She fine and back at her dorm. She feels terrible about all this so go easy on her when you see her."

"Well, I wasn't going to yell at her or anything. She made a mistake."

"Indeed. A mistake made by many who have been hoodwinked by Voldemort. Anything new, Poppy?" Dumbledore asked.

"No, just the same," the Healer replied, giving Harry an odd look.

"The same as what?" Harry snapped.

"Harry," Hermone scolded. "I know you've been hurt but be respectful."

"I'm not hurt. I'm just not being told something. Again." His eyes locked with Dumbledore's.

"You have my most sincere apologies about what has happened this year, Harry. A 12-year-old boy shouldn't have to bear the burden of facing a basilisk of all things."