17

17. The heir of Slytherin

Three days before our first exam – they were still taking place – Professor McGonagall told us that the Mandrakes were ready for cutting. So Madame Pomfrey would be able to revive those people who had been petrified. We knew that the mystery of the attacks would be solved but, nevertheless, we wanted to speak with Myrtle. I had been thinking about it often because I wondered in which form my father managed to petrify people without being seen. Luckily, we got the chance to go and see Myrtle the next day. It was difficult because every teacher would escort us to the next class but Lockhart – completely convinced that we were safe – let us leave alone. Carefully, we made our way in direction of Myrtle's bathroom.

"Potter, Weasley, Jackson!" an angry voice shouted suddenly, scaring us to death. "What do you think you're doing here?" When we turned around we saw a very angry Professor McGonagall. Brilliantly, Harry came up with the idea that we were trying to sneak into the hospital wing to see Hermione. Luckily, she let us leave so we had no other choice than going there. So when we sat next to Hermione's bed we realized something. Hermione had a piece of paper crumpled in her hand. It was a page torn out of an old book. It was something about a creature who killed people with direct eye contact. The people and Hermione had been petrified because they hadn't looked in its eyes directly. The creature moving around Hogwarts was a basilisk which moved in pipes.

"That's why no one else could hear it! I understand parseltongue!" Harry exclaimed excitedly.

"It's moving around in pipes." Ron said thoughtful. Suddenly, he grabbed my arm. "What if the Chamber of Secrets is where the first attack took place?! It would be in-"

"- in Myrtle's bathroom! Ron you're brilliant!" I whispered eagerly.

"We should go and see Professor McGonagall." So we made our way to the staff room to go and talk with her. Suddenly we heard her voice echoing through the corridors. "All students return to their house dormitories immediately. All teachers return to the staff room." We hid just in time before the first teachers turned around the corner. I could feel surprise and concern flooding the corridor from where they were standing now. "It has happened!" A very concerned Professor McGonagall said quietly. "A student has been taken into the Chamber of Secrets." We could hear Flitwick squeal, Sprout clapped her hands over her mouth and I could see Severus gripping the back of a chair very hard. His face was tense and emotionless. "Who?" He asked with clenched teeth, his knuckled turning white from his hard grip. Professor McGonagall looked at him worried. "Are you sure?" he asked again.

She turned white. "The heir of Slytherin has left another message. 'Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever'." Professor Flitwick's squeal was drowned out by the noise of the breaking chair Severus had thrown against the wall. The teachers were watching him surprised, forgetting the situation for a split second. "Who. Has. Been. Taken?" Severus asked furious, trying to keep control. His fists were clenched at either side and I had never seen him as tensed as now.

"Ginny Weasley." Professor McGonagall said slowly in a low voice and I could feel Ron slide down on the floor beside us. Severus however looked relieved. Then Lockhart burst in the room and due to his statements he had made about the Chamber the teachers asked him to go and safe Ginny. We were all shocked about Ginny's disappearing and what she had to do with all this that the three of us decided to go and tell him everything we knew. He tried to erase our minds but Harry took his wand before he got a chance. Then we went to Myrtle's bathroom where Harry managed to open a passage by using parseltongue. Now there was a whole in front of us, to dark to see anything. So we just jumped and suddenly I could feel myself sliding through the dark. My discomfort grew when I landed on the ground and came to a halt.

"Arya what's wrong? Do you feel something?" Harry asked pointing his lighting wand right in my face. Annoyed I pushed it away. "I hate being under earth. I need fresh air and natural light!" I stated and started walking into the darkness, my wand in front of me lighting my way. Suddenly, Lockhart fell down and didn't get up again. Then he launched at Ron quickly and grabbed his wand. He had a gleaming smile on his face as he said something which made me shiver. He shouted obliviate and the wand exploded like a small bomb. I was thrown backwards and hit hard against a rock. For a moment I blacked out. Then I could hear Harry screaming for Ron and I stumbled in his direction.

"Ron is on the other side of this rocks." He told me. We could hear Ron shout, telling us that they were okay. "I can move them away," I said pointing at the rocks in front of me. "I can use my magic."

"Go and find Ginny, I try to make your way out." Ron shouted. So we decided to search Ginny. The tunnel was long and we turned many times. I could feel Harry's discomfort. When we turned the last time we stood in front of a door, decorated with glittering snakes, their eyes made off emeralds.

"I think you need to talk parseltongue, Harry." I said staring at the snakes. Suddenly, I heard a hiss next to me and a shiver went through my whole body. Then the serpents parted and the wall cracked open. I looked at Harry who returned my look and together we stepped through. We reached into a huge chamber. Towering stone pillars entwined with more serpents rose to support the ceiling. Right when I had stepped through the door there was the feeling of dark magic flooding my body. I tensed and felt my heart beating even faster. Watching every corner of this place I send my magic over the place. I could feel one heartbeat at the other end of this chamber. Completely forgetting about Harry, I stepped forward. "Arya wait!" I heard Harry saying quietly but I didn't stop. After what seemed like an hour we stood in front of a giant stone face. Its neck sunk in water which flooded the floor in front of us. And in the water lay – faced down - a black-robed figure with flaming red hair.

"Ginny" I could hear Harry mutter before he sprinted towards her. He flung his wand aside and turned her around. I didn't hear what he was saying anymore because I was suddenly paralyzed by the strong feeling of darkness and evil.

"She won't wake." Said a soft voice. Harry and I whirled around and saw a dark-robed young man making his way to us. He was strangely blurred around the edges. His face was emotionless. He didn't look older than sixteen years. On his robe was the emblem of Slytherin.

"Tom Riddle." Harry whispered and the boy nodded. I still couldn't move or say anything but Riddle kept his gaze on Harry. He told her that Ginny wouldn't wake up.

"Are you a ghost?" He asked now and as an answer Riddle pointed to something lying next to Ginny, the diary. "I'm a memory. Preserved in a diary for fifty years." Then suddenly it was as if my brain and body had been turned on again.

"You used her! You used Ginny for your actions!" I stated stepping forward and for the first time Riddle turned his cold gaze in my direction. He only stared at me, then his emotionless mask vanished and he smiled coldly.

"Aryanna Leyanne Riddle." He whispered and I flinched when he said it. Looking at him darkly I spat: "I am Arya Jackson." I emphasized every word but he wasn't impressed at all. Grinning now he bent down and picked up Harry's wand, twirling it between his long fingers. I didn't know what to do. Turning my palm up I concentrated my magic to a flame. I let it grow a little whilst Riddle watched me closely, a slight smile on his lips. Then with a look of hatred I looked at him again. A second we were watching each other. Then, in a split moment, I stepped forwards and attacked Riddle by throwing the fire ball in his direction. It went right through him and he laughed coldly making Harry look up.

"Where's my wand? Arya have you seen-" He stopped in his sentence as he saw his wand in Riddle's hands.

"You're just like your mother after she changed her mind about me. But I must disappoint you, you cannot harm me." He stated coldly again. I couldn't hold myself back when he mentioned my mother. I got furious. "DON'T YOU DARE! YOU'RE A MONSTER RIDDLE!" I screamed now but he didn't react. "You killed her!" I spat coldly.

"Arya, come we need to get her out of here." Harry interfered standing between Ginny and Riddle. He was looking at his wand in Riddle's hands.

"Harry Potter, the boy who lives." He said matter of fact, staring at Harry. He, however, furrowed his eyebrows, looking at my father with hate. "You killed my parents!" Riddle seemed surprised for a second then he seemed to understand something. He turned his gaze back to me.

"You told him about me." I only continued staring at him coldly. "Well, I guess my daughter didn't tell you about the origin of my name, Harry. It was a name I was using in school for my friends. I didn't want to keep my filthy muggle father's name! So I fashioned myself a new name, a name I knew every witch and wizard would fear to speak one day, when I had become the greatest wizard of all times!"

I hated his appearance, his self-conviction, just everything about him! But before I could do something Harry spoke up. "You're not."

"Not what?" Riddle snapped angily.

"The greatest wizard of all times. You think you are but it's Albus Dumbledore. He's the greatest wizard of all times. Dumbledore saw through you when you were in school and he still frightens you, wherever you are." I couldn't suppress an evil grin now, feeling proud of my best friend. Riddle however wasn't pleased at all. I stepped next to Harry my wand and magic ready to be used if necessary.

"Dumbledore's been driving out of this castle by the mere memory of me!" He hissed.

"Albus Dumbledore is not gone as you think, Riddle." I spat his name with hate and his face distorted with rage. Before he could say anything Fawkes, Dumbledore's phoenix, appeared with the sorting hut in its claws. It landed right next to Harry. Riddle started laughing now.

"So that's what Dumbledore sends his two defenders: a bird and the sorting hut. Miserable!" None of us answered, whilst he continued laughing. I thought hardly now about Dumbledore's message. What does he want us to do?

"To business Harry," Riddle was still smiling. "Twice we have met and twice I failed to kill you. How did you survive? Tell me! The longer you talk, the longer you stay alive."

"You won't kill him!" I shouted and took a step forward. I had wanted to use my wand seeing as my magic didn't do anything to him but suddenly I was paralysed and couldn't move anymore. Riddle had used Harry's wand and stood now in front of me, grinning slightly. Then without paying me any more attention he turned to Harry again. I couldn't see his face but I felt his rage.

"My mother protected me. She wanted to die for me." I heard Harry.

"Oh yes, love. Dumbledore's secret weapon. Well, so I think there's nothing special about you after all. I wondered, you know…" I stopped listening to what he was saying and closed my eyes. I concentrated on my body which was paralyzed by my father's spell. I tried to free myself by using magic against it. It worked for my arms, I could move them again but suddenly I heard someone speaking parseltongue. A cold wave rushed through my body when I heard my younger father hissing.

"Let's match the powers of Lord Voldemort, heir of Salazar Slytherin, against famous Harry Potter, and the best weapons Dumbledore can give him!" I heard Riddle shout from somewhere behind me. Then, after a moment of silence, I felt something huge hit the floor of the Chamber and I heard a hiss again. It was louder now and I knew that it was the Basilisk. Riddle hissed again and I didn't need to understand parselmouth to know what he was commanding. I hoped Harry run fast! Then suddenly, someone touched my hair and I flinched back. I could feel evil right next to me. Riddle took a step forward so that I could see him. I watched him with hate.

"Now, your friend is busy so nobody will disturb us." He grinned ugly. "You know, Aryanna, I will come back. I will be back when young Ginny here dies. And then you will be at my side and together we'll gain control over this world. I will show you the feeling of real power! I will show you what you're capable of with your magic." He smiled now and his nose almost touched mine.

"I would rather die!" I spat angrily then I spit in his face. A hard strike made me fall on the floor and I could feel the spell lifting. I turned around but only saw black robes before the next strike threw me down again. Not giving him another possibility, I made a light ball of magic right in front of me light up so strong that he was blinded. Quickly, I stood up and run towards Ginny, kneeling next to her. Out of the corner of my eyes, I could see Riddle coming near. I could feel that Ginny was losing more and more energy. Riddle used her life to come back to life himself. Desperately, I connected her body with mine and let my energy flood into her. "Come on, Ginny! You need to wake up!" I shouted at the stiff girl in front of me, tears starting to blur my vision. I heard Riddle laugh next to me. "As I told you before, she won't wake up!" I turned around and saw Harry, fighting against the Basilisk. It was not really a fight, I mean the Basilisk attacked and Harry dodged. It was obvious, that sooner or later he wouldn't be able to run away any longer and I didn't know what I could do against such a monster. Desperately, I turned towards Riddle again and looked at him gulping.

"I beg you, take my life instead of hers!" I spoke quietly. Riddle raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Spare her life, she's innocent. I can give you even more energy. Please, let her live!" I begged, tears streaming down my face. Never had I felt so helpless before. Riddle stared at me for a long time, then he grinned. "No! You're way to valuable and important to me. That girl is useless for me and a bloodtraitor." With that he turned around and hissed something to the Basilisk. Suddenly, Fawkes appeared again, attacking its eyes. By the scream of the snake and Riddle I knew that the bird had managed to blind it completely. Suddenly, I saw Harry running towards the sorting hut which lay in the water. He pulled out a sort, the sort of Gryffindor and Riddle screamed again, raged now. I didn't see clearly but the Basilisk was attacking Harry again and again in its pain. I felt Harry losing his energy more and more. I closed my eyes and concentrated all my will power I had on my magic and Harry. I tried to give him my energy but it didn't work. I needed physical contact. In desperation I screamed out and stood up. Riddle turned to me and I raised one hand, palm faced toward the Basilisk. Then I closed my eyes again concentrating all my magic in the palm of my hand. I felt it pulsate and imagined how the magic would attack the snake. Then I released it in a flesh of electric power. The light blinded me but I kept my eyes open. Then, like a lightning strike, I felt it attacking the Basilisk. Suddenly, my legs gave away and I fell on the floor, horrified by the scene in front of me I watched it. The monster moved slightly from one side to another and seemed dazed. Slowly, it attacked Harry again and I screamed as the huge fangs were right above him. Then the Basilisk keeled over sideways and fell, twitching to the floor. Harry slide on the floor, his arm drenched with blood. I could see him wince in pain as he walked to us unsteady. Carefully, I took his arm and tried to heal the wound but it didn't work again.

"It's fine Arya." Harry told me but I shook my head. Before I could say something Fawkes and Riddle came. "You're dead Harry Potter!" Riddle said pleased. "Even Dumbledore's bird knows it. It's crying." Surprised, Harry and I looked up and he was right. Thick tears were trickling down the glossy feathers. Then he let it drop on Harry's wound. In a few seconds, it healed completely. I laughed whilst tears were still streaming down my face. "Ah yes. The healing tears of a Phoenix."

Riddle roared and raised Harry's wand. "So it's you and me again. I prefer it this way!" Before he could do anything Fawkes threw the Diary into Harry's lap and left again. Harry, however, opened the book and took the Basilisk's fang. "NO!" Riddle screamed but it was too late. Harry had plunged it deeply in the book. There was a long, dreadful, piercing scream as Riddle started to vanish. Ink was spilling out of the Diary. Then there was a moan from behind us and astonished we turned around. Ginny was moving and trying to get up. Quickly, we run in her direction and embraced her strongly.

"You're alive!" Harry shouted happily. Ginny, however, started crying and tried to explain herself.

"Shh, Ginny, it's okay. Nothing is your fault!" I tried to soothe her but she continued sobbing.

"Come, we need to get out of here!" Harry helped her getting up and together we walked all the way back to where we had left Ron and Lockhart.

"Ron we're back. Ginny is with us and fine." Harry shouted and Ron climbed through a small whole he had managed to make through the rocks. He hugged her tightly before he helped her through the whole. "Where's Lockhart?" Harry asked looking around. Ron's expression was half amused and half worried. "He's in a bad condition. I think the spell backfired so he doesn't remember anything. He doesn't even know who he is." At this he chuckled slightly as we followed Fawkes all the way back. Luckily, Fawkes was a Phoenix so he could fly us out of the pipe system. I felt weak and exhausted as we walked through the corridors, on our way to Professor McGonagall's office.