Emrys Riddle and the Chamber of Secrets (Book 2 of The Four Ribbons Series)

Chapter 13

Chapter 13

We Are All But Children

I was knocked aside by an invisible force and as I landed my wand went flying from grasp. " Speak to me, slytherin, greatest of the Hogwarts four. " Tom hissed out in parseltongue, and I noticed Harry back away before shutting his eyes. I had landed on my side, so I buried my head under my arm as the sound something large began to move from somewhere behind me. " Kill the boy." Tom ordered.

" Harry, Run." I screamed raising my head as I shut my eyes. I could hear the sound of the snake chasing Harry and Fawkes trying to distract the Basilisk. " No." I heard Tom yell from somewhere behind me. Harry's footsteps faded away as did any sound of the snake following him. I made the risk of opening my eyes and found that both Harry and the Snake were no where to be found. I pulled myself on to my feet and turned toward the younger version of my father. " After this is done, we are going to have a long discussion over you friendships." Tom said as I went over to check on Ginny. My eyes narrowed as I stood up before I walked to him. " Speaking of my friends.." I trailed off before, rearing back and hitting him as hard as I could in the face. He stumbled sideways as he grabbed his nose before standing up straight and glaring down at me.

" And your obedience." He added through tight lips.

" Yeah, and you can take that, and s-" I was cut off as Harry came back through a side tunnel a few feet away. He went to check on Ginny, just as the Basilisk shot out of the water. He went for the hat as some sort of sword appeared in it before climbing the large statue. The basilisk rose up to strike at him and Harry began to swing at it wildly, until the sword was knocked from his hand. The snake reared back as he tried to reach for it, and focusing the anger that I still had for the young man next to me, I used my power to move it closer to him. As the snake struck, Harry shoved the sword through the top of it's mouth and into it's brain. Harry climbed down as it fell to the ground a few feet away motionless.

He pulled the snake fang out of his arm as he knelt next to Ginny, and Fawkes landed next to him. " You were brilliant, Fawkes." She heard Harry tell the bird, and Tom walked toward them.

" Your dead, Harry Potter. Even Dumbledore's bird knows it. Do you see what he's doing, Potter, he's crying." For someone at the top of his class, my father was certainly an idiot at sixteen.

" I'm going to sit here, and watch you die, Harry Potter. Take your time, I'm in no hurry." A very big one. " So ends the famous Harry Potter, alone in the Chamber of Secrets. forsaken by his friends, defeated at last by the dark lord, he so unwisely challenged. You'll be back with your dear mudblood mother soon, Harry. She bought you twelve years of borrowed time, but Lord Voldemort got you again, as you knew he must."

Fawkes' tears landed on the wound caused by the Basilisk that was slowly killing him, and as I watched the wound began to close and disappear like it had never been there. Tom fired a spell at the Fawkes, and the bird took off. " Phoenix tears have healing properties." I muttered.

" It makes no difference." Said Tom." I prefer it this way, just you and me, Harry Potter." Tom raised Harry's wand, ready to end him, when Fawkes returned carrying the diary which he dropped in Harry's lap. Harry stabbed the diary with the basilisk fang, and as ink poured out of the diary, Tom began to scream and collapsed to the floor, where he then disappeared.

I looked toward Ginny and let out a breath when she sat up and Harry went to check on her, while I went to find my wand.

******

After we rejoined with Ron, and a very unaware Lockheart, Fawkes carried us back up to the surface. Myrtle greeted us as we appeared and we followed Fawkes back to McGonagall's office, where we found Mr. and Mrs. Weasley with Dumbledore and McGonagall. We all received hugs of thanks from Mrs. Weasley before we told them everything that had happened, I was quiet though and spent most of my time staring at my muck covered shoes and the stone floor under them, especially when Dumbledore explained who Tom Riddle was, and who he is today.

Dumbledore sent Ginny to the Hospital wing  and informed us that the Mandrake drought was being administered, while McGonagall went to the kitchens, leaving the three of us with Dumbledore. He awarded the three of us each 200 house points before turning to face Lockheart.  Ron explained what had happened to him down in the chamber, and Dumbledore instructed Ron to take him to the hospital wing. " Miss Riddle could you give a us a moment, please. Wait in the hall, if you would, there is something we need to discuss as well."

" Yes, sir." I whispered politely before stepping outside and closing the door behind me. I pressed my back against the wall next to the door with a sigh, before sliding to the floor as my legs gave out beneath me. I squeezed my eyes shut as everything that had happened that night, hit me all at once. The fear, anger, sadness, all of it, I was usually so good at hiding my emotions, but in that moment I was just a sacred little girl who wanted to go home.

I wanted my mum.