The Chamber of Secrets Through Another's Eyes

Chapter 21: The Heir Of Slytherin

Aura here about to narrate again. For the last time in this book. Well, the next chapter is, but it's my last two chapters.

Anyway, we all said bye to Ron, and then we went deeper into the Chamber.

"I don't think we should be seen," Tess suggested. "If the Heir of Slytherin is a Parselmouth then they can get the basilisk to do whatever they want."

"Good suggestion," Morana said.

We went through a door with snakes on it. Then we were in the Chamber. In the Chamber there were pillars that had carvings of snakes on them. And at the end of the Chamber was a tall statue of a man with a really long beard. It must have been Salazar Slytherin.

"Wow," I whispered.

"Psst," Morana said. "This way!" We all went behind the pillars, and went closer to the statue. In front of the statue, we noticed, was Ginny Weasley laying on the ground, Harry leaning over her, and a tall, dark haired boy looking at them. We could hear them speak now.

"I've waited a long time for this, Harry Potter," the dark haired boy said. "For the chance to see you. To speak to you."

"Look," Harry said impatiently, "I don't think you get it. We're in the Chamber of Secrets. We can talk later -"

"We're going to talk now," the boy said, smiling broadly, and putting the wand he was holding (Harry's, I think) in his pocket.

"How did Ginny get like this?" Harry asked slowly.

"Well," the boy spoke pleasantly, "that's an interesting question. And quite a long story. I suppose the real reason Ginny Weasley's like this is because she opened her heart and spilled all her secrets to an invisible stranger."

"What are you talking about?"

"The diary. My diary." The four of us all looked at each other. So this was Tom Riddle...

"Little Ginny's been writing in it for months and months," Tom continued, "telling me all her pitiful worries and woes - how her brothers tease her, how she had to come to school with secondhand robes and books, how" - Tom's eyes glinted - "how she didn't think famous, good, great Harry Potter would ever like her..."

'I know the feel, bro,' I thought.

"It's very boring, having to listen to the silly little troubles of an eleven-year-old girl," Tom kept speaking. "But I was patient. I wrote back. I was sympathetic, I was kind. Ginny simply loved me. No one's ever understood me like you, Tom... I'm so glad I've got this diary to confide in... It's like having a friend I can carry around in my pocket..." Tom laughed coldly and high. It made the hairs on my neck and arms stand up.

"If I say it myself, Harry, I've always been able to charm the people I needed. So Ginny poured out her soul to me, and her soul happened to be exactly what I wanted... I grew stronger and stronger on a diet of her deepest fears, her darkest secrets. I grew powerful, far more powerful than little Miss Weasley. Powerful enough to start feeding Miss Weasley a few of my own secrets, to start pouring a little of my soul back into her..."

"What d'you mean?" Harry asked.

"Haven't you guessed yet, Harry Potter?" Tom asked softly. "Ginny Weasley opened the Chamber of Secrets. She strangled the school roosters and daubed threatening messages on the walls. She set the Serpent of Slytherin on four Mudbloods, and the Squib's cat."

(For those of you who have not read the books and don't know what a Squib is I will explain. A Squib is the complete opposite of a Muggle-born. Whereas two Muggles have a magical child two magical people have a non-magical child. So, for example Argus Filch is a Squib. Got it? Okay, good.)