🐍Basilisk Venom💧

II ~ I'm Not Okay

~~~Harry's POV~~~

As Harry, Ron, Ginny and Lockhart followed the brightly glowing phoenix through the corridors of Hogwarts, none of them spoke much. They had just left the Chamber of Secrets, and none of them were in a very good mood. Ron had his arm around Ginny's shoulders, while Ginny rested her head on Ron's. Harry was taking the lead, and Lockhart strolled behind them, marvelling at every little thing. 

"Oh my god, that painting just moved!" Lockhart exclaimed, before jumping away in fear. 

"Oh shut up, Lockhart" Ron mumbled. Lockhart looked down at his feet sheepishly, and didn't speak again. 

After a while of walking, the phoenix stopped by a door that Harry recognised as Mcgonagall's office. Fawkes turned his head and looked at Harry with intelligent, black eyes, as if pleading him to open the door. Harry took a deep breath, and reached for the doorknob with his right hand. His shoulder had stopped hurting now, so it didn't bother him. 

Harry pushed the door open, and the group took in the scene in front of them. Mcgonagall's office was more like a sitting room rather than anything. It had a high ceiling, dark oak walls, and a shaggy, crimson carpet. On the right side of the room was a neatly organised desk with a comfortable leather chair behind it. A fire burned brightly in a fireplace located in the centre of the room. A group of adults sat on brown leather couches beside it, and as Harry, Ron, Ginny and Lockhart entered, they turned to look at them. Harry recognised the faces of Dumbledore, Mcgonagall, Severus, Mrs Weasley and Mr Weasley. Everyone in the room looked grim and sad. Mrs Weasley's face was red, puffy and tear stained from crying. Harry assumed that they had been talking about Ginny being locked in the Chamber.

"Oh Ginny!" Harry heard Mrs Weasley cry. She rushed up to them and embraced her daughter in a massive hug. Mrs Weasley brought Ginny back to the couch and both women started sobbing and hugging each other even more. Meanwhile, the rest of the group entered the room.

Mcgonagall looked bewildered, while Dumbledore was looking at them with a knowing look in his eyes. Harry wasn't paying much attention to them, though. He was trying to make eye contact with Severus. But the greasy haired man seemed to be avoiding his gaze on purpose. Harry gave up, and looked down at his feet wistfully. He felt his heart sink drastically with sadness. Ever since that Harry had revealed himself to be a Parsel-tongue, Severus seemed to be convinced that he was the Heir of Slytherin, and that he had petrified all those people. They used to be so close, like father and son. Harry missed the days where he and Severus would spent their afternoons together, joking around and enjoying each other's company. Sadly, those days were over. Harry had to fight back the tears threatening to roll down his cheek.

When will he realise that I didn't do it? Maybe when I tell him about this...

"How... What?? How did this happen?" Mcgonagall exclaimed, bringing Harry out of his stupor. He blinked, and looked up at the adults.

"I think we'd all like to know that." Dumbledore added. There was a twinkle in his eye as he said that.

Without hesitation, Harry placed the sorting hat, the sword, and Riddle's diary on Mcgonagall's desk, and launched into a long story.

Harry told them everything. About the spiders in the forbidden forest, to the giant Basilisk which was now dead under the school. Throughout the story, Harry felt a nauseating sickness well up inside of him. He felt dizzy and feverish. He didn't know why, perhaps from the shock of what had happened, so he just tried to ignore it. Once in a while, Ron joined in to add small details that Harry had forgotten. 

Once Harry had finished, his legs felt like jelly, and he had to lean on the wall to remain standing. Mrs Weasley and Ginny had stopped sobbing by now. There was silence in the room as everyone tried to take in what Harry had said. Severus looked into Harry's emerald green eyes for the first time in months, and gave him an apologetic look. Harry tried to smile at him, to tell him that he forgave him, but it was probably more of a grimace. His shoulder had started hurting like mad, and he quickly broke eye contact with Severus.

"That is a remarkable story, Harry. But are you alright? You're as pale as a ghost." The worry was clear in Mcgonagall's voice. At this, everyone in the room turned to look at Harry, who by now, felt even worse.

There was an audible gasp. "Harry, is that blood?" Harry couldn't tell who it was. His vision had started blurring and his ears were ringing. There were more voices, all mixed together, but they like they were speaking to him from far, far away.

Harry's eyes rolled to the back of his head, and he fell to the floor. His shoulder hurt like hell, sending spikes of pain across his whole body. Everything just hurt so much. Harry let out a groan of anguish, wishing all this would just end. His head was pounding, and he felt like he was going to throw up. Harry could barely tell what was going on anymore. He heard screams and shouts, then felt people's hands on him.

Throughout all of this, Harry could make out a man's voice, loud and clear, making the other noises seem like whispers. 

"Harry! HARRY!! HARRY!!!" It was the panicked voice of Severus, begging him to wake up. And with that, Harry felt the world spinning out of consciousness.