Shades of Black
Chapter 8
Chapter 8
Draco
had stayed for Christmas Holiday that year.
Over holiday two of what appeared to be but didn’t act like their fellow
Slytherins had asked them questions, too many questions, about the Heir and if
Harry or Draco knew anything about it.
Of course neither of them did but that didn’t stop them from
asking. After awhile they had run off,
saying something about needing to use the bathroom.
Since
the incident with the Dueling Club people had been eyeing Harry wearily, they
thought he was the Heir of Slytherin. Of
course Harry did nothing to allay their fears until one day when Dumbledore
called him to his office. The moment he
was inside he spoke, trying to defend himself.
“Professor,
I’m not the Heir of Slytherin. I haven’t
been doing this.” He said quickly.
“It’s
alright Harry, I know you’re not.” He said with a smile, “But everyone’s afraid
because you are Parselmouth.”
“I
saved that…Justin’s…life. I stopped that
snake from attacking him.” He said, stopping himself before he referred to him
as a Mudblood, which certainly wouldn’t have gone in his favor.
Dumbledore
nodded, “Yes, Harry, I understand.” He paused, “If the attacks continue we
might have to close down Hogwarts.” He paused, “There have been two more
attacks, Hermione Granger, Justin Fitch-Fletchley,
and the Gryffindor ghost.” He sighed and was about to continue when the door
opened.
Harry
recognized who it was immediately, Lucius walked inside, a half smile on his
face. Harry smiled at him, “Hello
Harry.” He said warmly then looked at Dumbledore, his smile growing a bit, “The
governors feel it’s time for you to step aside.” He said, taking out a piece of
parchment, “This is an Order of Suspension.” He said as Dumbledore took it,
“You’ll notice all twelve signatures are on it.
There have been two more attacks today, haven’t there?
quite appealing, “Let us hope your successor has better luck in preventing
anymore killings.” He said before walking out, giving Harry a smile.
Harry
looked at Dumbledore, “So what happens now sir?” He
asked respectfully.
“We
shall see Harry.” He said with a smile, “Go ahead back to your common room.”
Harry
smiled to himself and began the walk to the dungeons, <Open.> A low hiss came from within a blocked off bathroom.
He
scowled, “What the hell? Who else is a
Parselmouth?”
Veneficus
poked his head out of the collar of his robe; he had been hidden up his sleeve
all year, <Find out.> He
hissed.
Harry
nodded and crept into the bathroom. His
eyes grew wide as he saw a red haired girl slip into a tunnel hidden behind one
of the sinks, <I should go get Draco
before going down there after her.>
Veneficus
nodded and they quickly walked out, making their way to the dungeons where
Draco was waiting. On his way out he
failed to notice the message under the first one:
HER SKELETON WILL LIE
IN THE CHAMBER FOREVER
know where the Chamber is.”
Draco
raised an eyebrow, “Really? Let’s go.”
Harry
nodded then smiled, “I have an idea and it’ll get that git
Lockhart out of our way as well.”
Draco
smiled, “Do tell.”
It
wasn’t long before they had Lockhart at wandpoint and Harry had demanded that
the Chamber open. Draco went down first
so they could keep an eye on their idiot teacher.
sure he wasn’t going to be a threat at least that is until Harry came down.
“Ha!”
He shouted.
Draco
snorted, “You can’t even do a decent spell, what makes you think that we’re
afraid of you now?”
“My
specialty is Memory Charms.” He stated in a mater-of-fact tone, “Now I’ll have
to fix it so you can’t go blabbing my secret.
down here and you lost your minds.”
Harry
raised an eyebrow as he went to cast the spell.
His pendant began to glow and the Memory Charm he cast backfired,
hitting the caster instead. Draco
laughed as Lockhart looked around dumbly, obviously not remembering what was
going on. Harry chuckled and took his
wand.
“Remind
me to thank Lucius over and over again for the pendant.” Harry said to Draco,
“So…Should we just leave him here?”
Draco
chuckled, “Hmm, it would be more fun to bring him back.” He looked at Lockhart,
“I’ll stay with the idiot, you go ahead, see what’s going on.”
Harry
nodded and went forward, coming to a large door after awhile.
carved into the door before hissing, <Open.>
Parseltongue was becoming easier for him and he enjoyed the way it sounded.
Veneficus
hissed in his ear, <Careful.
haven’t come this far to get myself killed.
You sound like a mother.>
back.
Harry
rolled his eyes and the door opened. He
stepped through, head held high, looking forward to seeing who was behind
this. He certainly didn’t want the
school closed, maybe under new management and without many of the Mudbloods,
but other then that it was fine. Some
Mudbloods were needed so there wouldn’t be inbreeding but that was all.
foot of a giant statue resembling Salazar Slytherin.
beside her and there was the ethereal form of a 16 year old boy beside
her. Harry scowled slightly and the boy
looked up at him with a smile.
“You
must be Harry Potter.” He said, continuing to smile at him, “Ginny told me all
about you.”
Harry
returned the smile, “You know my name, might I ask
yours?”
Harry
made a short bow in return, “It’s a pleasure to meet you.
that I really don’t want the school to close.”
He
scowled, “They’re resorting to that again?” He sighed, “They should just be
more careful who they let in here.” He looked down at Ginny, “Then there are
the weak willed ones.”
Harry
chuckled, “I would think that all Weasleys are.” He said with a sigh.
Veneficus
took the opportunity to poke his head out.
Tom looked at him, “Beautiful snake.” He said with a smile.
“Yes,
he is.” Harry replied, stroking his head.
Veneficus
looked over at Tom, <He smells like
you.> He said, flicking his tongue out to taste the air.
Harry
scowled, <Really?>
Tom
looked over at the two of them, <I
do?> He hissed at the snake coiled around Harry’s arm.
He
blinked, “You’re a Parselmouth as well?”
“Of
course, how else could I have opened the Chamber?”
Harry
scowled, “I saw her open it, not you.”
“That’s
where it gets confusing, you see, I’ve been using her to get my life back.
making her do things for me, like talking to the basilisk.”
“
long have you been…gone?”
He
chuckled, “Thirteen years. You see,” He
paused, moving Ginny’s wand to form his name, Tom Marvolo
Riddle, “I have gone by another name as well.” He flicked the wand and the
words changed to form the words ‘I am Lord Voldemort’, “Do you see?”
Harry
blinked, “So…you’re the one…” He said, trailing off.
“That
would be me. Are you going to oppose me
like many others do?”
Harry
half smiled, “No, I don’t think so. I
have no reason to except for what I’ve been told by that fool, Dumbledore, and
a few other people.” He absently fingered his pendant, it had become a habit
when he was nervous, “I would rather this school be Mudblood free, except for
maybe some of the strongest but that’s only so there doesn’t end up being
inbreeding and so the lines don’t die out.”
Tom
nodded in complete understanding, “You’re intelligent Harry.”
“Thank
you. Are you going to let Ginny go?
hasn’t done anything to me.”
He
sighed, “I’m afraid I can’t do that. She
will die and I will live again.”
Harry
shook his head, “I’m sorry but I can’t let that happen.
school to close. If she dies it will.”
Tom
hissed lowly, <Come, destroy my
enemies.> He hissed, looking up at the statue, “I’m sorry Harry.”
Harry
sighed, “I’m sorry Tom.” He replied before hissing, <Sleep loyal basilisk. Sleep
until you’re called for again.>
The
huge snake that had begun to appear from the statue went back inside, hissing
softly, <Sleep…>
Tom’s
eyes grew wide, “No…” He looked shocked then scowled.
“Sorry
Tom, the basilisk will sleep. Now let
Ginny go.” Harry said, absently petting Veneficus.
“I
don’t understand?”
“Just
between me and you, I don’t either.” He said before casting one of the spells
Lucius had taught him on the journal, destroying it in a flash of light.
Tom
let out a cry of anger and pain, disappearing.
Harry closed his eyes for a moment then carefully picked up Ginny,
carrying her back to where Draco was waiting.
When he got there he promptly passed out, that spell had taken a lot out
of him.