Brothers *ABANDONED By Author*

Chapter 9

Secrets of the Chamber

"They know me to well." Harry whispered to Tom, as they sat in front of the Gryffindor fireplace.

They had made it back to the common room with barely any time to spare, but now they were trying to figure out how to get back out again. Hermione and Ron kept glancing up at Tom and Harry from across the room, as if they could tell Harry was up to something, but thankfully the room was empty except for the four of them. Neville, Fred, and George had gone to bed after Tom and Harry told them what happened in the Slytherin dungeon, and now it was nearing one in the morning, but the two spies were staying firmly planted in their seats.

"We can try going back up to the dorm and waiting them out." Tom whispered back.

Harry shook his head. "They know that trick to." Then Harry glanced around and grinned. "Come on. I have an idea." He said jumping up, and heading toward the stairs.

Tom got up and followed Harry back to the dorm room. When they got there, they were relieved to see that Dean and Seamus were sound asleep, but Neville was reading a Herbology book.

"Back already?" Neville asked, tearing his eyes away from the book's pages.

"Haven't left yet." Tom said.

"Ron and Hermione are still down there." Harry added, rolling his eyes. "But I have an idea. Dobby!" He called out softly.

"Mr. Harry Potter called for Dobby?" The little elf asked, popping into view with two of the Potter elves.

"Shhh." Harry said, pointing to Seamus and Dean's beds, and Dobby nodded in understanding. "Dobby, I know you can apparate in and out of Hogwarts yourself, but can you take people with you?"

Dobby nodded. "Yes sir. Do you need to go home before you head down to the Chamber sir?"

"No, just to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom on the first floor. Do you know the one I'm talking about?"

Dobby nodded. "Yes sir, and we can take you there if you want."

Harry grabbed his invisibility cloak and the map, checked both for unfriendly charms (thankfully there were none), and took one of the Potter elves' hand. Tom took one of Dobby's hands, and with one last look at a grinning Neville, they disapparated.

Minerva McGonagall had never been more nervous in her life as she watched the two dots labeled Harry Potter and Tom Riddle disappear from the Gryffindor boy's dorm, and reappear in the first floor girl's bathroom. In her heart she knew Harry was telling the truth about the basilisk being dead, but she was still nervous. If she could see for herself that all was fine, she would be more at ease, but she couldn't. She was sure that Albus was tracking her every move now. Minerva figured he was suspicious about her because earlier today she had observed Ron and Hermione's dots in the Headmaster's office. She couldn't risk Albus finding out about the boys' plans because of her.

Despite of Tom's past, Minerva knew he wouldn't let anything happen to Harry, and vise versa. She had watched them carefully when she first found out the truth. She knew what Death had said was true, but the fact still remained, Tom was Voldemort. However, the more she watched Harry and Tom interact, the more at ease she became around him. She knew Tom would never hurt anyone, much less Harry, and they would protect each other as well as everyone else. Minerva had, had a long talk with Moody, who had felt the same way she had, but they both quickly realized that Tom wasn't a threat anymore. Tonks, Sirius, Remus, and Severus were more excepting, but they too had, had small reservations, though not to the extent of hers and Moody's. They were all now fully confident that Tom was no longer a threat.