The Seers' Truth: A Broken Beginning

Chapter 21

Chained and Charmed

<<<===>>>

At Lunch, Harry was half listening to Hermione's thoughts about Samara's book: A copy of which Hermione now had in her possession, but actually, Harry's thoughts were more with Samara herself. He didn't like the thought of her going to visit Slytherin House alone, well with Beatrice, but that was essentially alone. Why Beatrice didn't talk her out of it instead of consenting to go with her was a mystery to Harry. Why didn't Samara visit Ravenclaw instead? She certainly wasn't one of those disgusting Slytherins. So why was she there? Harry watched Samara lean close to Crabbe and he moved to let her sit by Malfoy for lunch. Harry's stomach tightened.

"Are you listening to me?" asked Hermione.

"Oh, sorry. What did you say?"

"I said, Harry, now we can also get moving on that prediction," said Hermione. "Now that you're done with Quidditch practice. Do you want to know what I found out this morning about the Book or the prediction?"

"Huh?"

"Harry what's--"

Harry's eyes were glued to Malfoy who was now standing with a possessive arm around Samara. He clenched his teeth looking for Edward. Didn't Edward promise to keep an eye on her over there? Lunch wasn't even over and Edward was no where in sight.

"Harry, it was Samara's choice, to go to Slytherin."

"Uhg--" said Ron turning away. "Does that snake have to slobber all over her in public?"

"Looks like she's letting him," said Ginny.

"It's really not our business," added Hermione. "Let's just go."

Harry's hands had balled into fists. He glared at Malfoy who smirked back.

"Harry," Hermione repeated. "Let's go."

After they left the Great Hall, Harry still couldn't seem to get Samara out of his mind. "I just worry about her over there," said Harry.

"Why didn't you kiss her first, then," said Hermione. "Maybe she wouldn't have went."

"No, Hermione, it's not like that. She's just a friend."

"I can't stand it!" exclaimed Ginny. "Harry's got another sister. This boy should have had about six sisters, like I have six brothers, just so he'd have somewhere to spend all his brotherly love."

Hermione started to laugh.

"How about those Cannons?" Harry asked Ron. "They were--"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Can't you boys ever think of anything but Quidditch? Shall we go and look at Samara's book? She left Lisa Turpin's copy for me. It didn't make me sick at all. I had to stun it three times before I could open it safely, but the nausea was gone."

"Great," said Harry. Turning to Ron, he asked, "Did you finally finish your Defense paper?"

"No. I still have today and tomorrow."

"Ron!" said Hermione shocked. "Why do you always wait until the last minute?" She stopped and looked narrowly at Harry. "I don't think you want to look at Samara's book."

"I don't," he said. They were working their way up toward the Gryffindor Tower and had just reached the corridor outside of Myrtle's bathroom. There was water all over the floor and more pouring out of the doorway. "I wonder what her problem is now," said Harry. "She hasn't flooded the bathroom for ages."

"Well, I guess I can look at the book myself," said Hermione in a long-suffering sort of way.

"Great," said Harry. "Ron and I can pass a Quaffle around for a while."

Suddenly Peeves burst out of Myrtle's bathroom. "Pimple face! Pimple face! Who little Hornby liked to chase. All because that naughty brat, Spied on Tom her Prefect prat, Saw him in his underwear, Stayed to see his -"

"PEEVES!" yelled McGonagall as she came into the hall to intercept him.

"On my way, Your Ladyship Men-Gone-Gal." He sank into the floor and below they could hear him continuing to sing.

Professor McGonagall looked at the quartet of students, turned on her heel and went back the way she had come. The students hid their smiles behind their hands.

"He always seems to hit right where it hurts, doesn't he?" said Harry. "I doubt if there have been any men around McGonagall for a long time."

"Except Dumbledore," said Ron.

"You two are as bad as Peeves," said Hermione.

Suddenly an older ghost that they didn't know flew out of Myrtle's bathroom. Myrtle was right behind her, pelting her with her fists although it didn't do any harm. They were screaming obscenities at one another at the top of their lungs--if they had had lungs.

"Who was that?" Asked Ron.

"Donno." Harry shrugged. "New ghost?"

"Well she was too old to be a student, and I don't think any of the teachers died," said Hermione.

"She didn't look like the teacher sort," said Harry. "But why would she haunt Hogwarts if she didn't die here?"

"Who cares?" said Ron. "Time for us to hit the Quidditch pitch, Harry."

"You practiced Quidditch already this morning," complained Hermione. "What about Samara's book?"

"But you want us to get good enough to beat Slytherin, don't you?" countered Harry. "Anyway, it's Saturday. Looking at Samara's book is way too much like homework."

"But she needs us to help her," said Hermione. "What kind of friends are you?"

"Oh, all right," Harry agreed. "Lead on."

===

In the girl's dorm, they clustered around the book. "Stupefy!" said Hermione. The Book groaned, but continued to growl. They hit the book with two more Stupefy spells before the book was still.

"Okay," Harry said to Ron. "I'll take off the charm. You take off the chains."

"According to Padma and Lisa, we have about 20 minutes before it awakens and tries to bite off a thumb," said Hermione.

"Alright," said Harry. "What page was the green stain on? Do you know Ginny?"

"I'm not sure. About the middle of the book. I think I could find it."

Ginny picked up the book and began leafing through it. "Right about here," she said. "Oh--"

Her face went completely white and Harry was afraid that she might faint again. "What is it?" he asked.

She handed him the book.

He took it and before he could wonder that he wasn't sick, or his that scar was only throbbing what was now normally, he saw the title: The Incubation of Basilisks by Salazar Slytherin.

He turned the page to find Methods to Shorten the Incubation Period of Basilisks, then

Imprinting of Basilisks followed by

The Care and Feeding of Baby Basilisks: The Critical First Thirty Days and

Training Your Basilisk to Attack on Cue and Only On Cue.

Twenty-seven pages altogether were devoted to Basilisks in the book. "Well, it sure freaks me out," said Harry. "I guess if you are training a Basilisk to Attack on Cue, that's pretty strong evidence for Dark Magic."

"Harry," said Hermione. "I seriously doubt that Samara even knows what a basilisk is."

Harry leafed through the pages: Unit One was the Laws of Magic. It began with Elementals and discussed how each of them could be used as a source of power and how to wield the power. There was a section on wandless magic and how to control it as well as who first performed various curses and how they were perfected throughout the ages.

Another unit included the detriments and contributions of dozens of dark creatures including vampires, werewolves, grindylows, goblins, orcs, ogres, and a whole list that Harry didn't even recognize.

The section on Historical Uses of Potions was way over his head, beginning with potions that were several pages long and extremely complicated. None of them were for healing, unless you counted the several potions that were to provide "eternal life" as healing, and those all needed a Philosopher's Stone.

The Transfiguration in this book was also beyond him. It was interlaced with the charms that could be used to keep a person or magical creature from fighting the transformation itself. Examples were included of how transfiguration played an important part in various wars and transforming someone or something while in the midst of Apparition.

The Charms section itself didn't look too bad, but the appendix listed such things as the uses for Muggle blood, Squib blood, Mud-blood, mixed-blood and pure-blood. "I can't believe that Dumbledore is allowing anyone to use this as a text," muttered Harry. "He can't know--"

"I wondered that too," said Hermione.

Ginny, biting her lip, sat of the edge of the bed. "When I looked at Samara's book," she said slowly, "I felt like some of this was familiar."

"What!" Ron was looking at her in horror.

"Just a few things," Ginny qualified her answer. "I've done that before you know." She addressed Harry and Hermione. "I told Ron sometimes I know how to do something that I've never learned. It's like a deja vu. I think--I know--it has to be from Tom."

"So, do you think Tom read this book?" asked Hermione.

"I don't know," Ginny sighed. "There are gaps where the medi-witches at St. Mungo's removed memories, but I think Tom knew some of these spells, and if he knew them at sixteen, he certainly knows them now--as--as an adult."

Ron said, "Well, this has to have something to do with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Otherwise, why would Harry's scar hurt him and why would he get so sick with that other book? The question is: do you think this has anything to do with the prediction?"

"I don't see how this has anything to do with the prediction or the Sorting Hat," said Harry

"Let's see," said Ginny. "Salazar Slytherin was an expert on the basilisks and there is that line in the prediction about the Phoenix and the Snake which we weren't sure about. Is there anything in here that will help us with that line?"

"Ginny, I think we should just go with your feelings on this," said Harry.

"Let's see the line of the prediction again," said Ron.

"Honestly," said Hermione, "don't you know it by now?" She began reciting:

+

At the height of the Dark Lord's Power

A Babe will lay him low.

Yet he will arise through his flower

Essences of friend, father and foe.

~

For within have snake and phoenix warred

But Phoenix must surely rule

For this bird rises again and again

And Eating Death is the fuel.

~

Will he Riddle the past with pain

Or Riddle the future with glory?

Six lives or deaths hang in time by three

Brave children who'll mend the story.

~

Yet there will come to Hogwart's school

A year from Hufflepuff's loss

A housemate to thwart the rule of him

Unnamed and ne'er count the cost.

~

Fate put Gryffindor bravery in one heart

And Ravenclaw brains in one head

And Slytherin cunning, ambition and guile

Yet Hufflepuff's love is his dread.

~

The hat's confusion will mark you as true

Though tears may make you swoon

Your choices are hard. Your choices are few.

'Ware of losing your childhood soon.

~

Eat Death and be Dead. Eat life and live on.

Don't sacrifice children or truth.

Bring rue to your heart or rue to your hand

Or savor Old Love for a youth.

~

The moment of truth will come in a flash

The night sky will glow with gloom

A friend's flight--A friend's mad dash

May halt the moment of doom."

+

"Now that's magic," said Ron.

"What?"

"That you can remember all that," said Ron.

"Oh Ron--" said Hermione.

"This is the strangest list of potion ingredients I've ever seen," interrupted Ginny. "This isn't just hard--it's impossible."

She began to read:

Basilisks are hermaphrodites, thus only one Basilisk is necessary to obtain fertile basilisk eggs, however, basilisk eggs are rendered infertile by magic. Do not use your wand or wandless magic in the close proximity of the ballistic eggs."

Ginny started reading the list of ingredients, "Along with old staples such as spider legs and beetle eyes, the recipe asked for:

~A DEAD TOAD, aged 3 days under oak leaves.

~LIVE TOADS equal to the number of basilisk eggs

~2 liters of ROOSTER'S BLOOD drained before sunrise on the last day of the full moon.

Roosters* must be killed by strangulation and may not have any cuts on them other than the cut made to collect the blood. The blood may be frozen until needed, but must be thawed to room temperature before adding to the potion."

Ginny stopped reading.

"Go on, Ginny," said Ron.

"I strangled roosters," said Ginny softly.

"What?" asked Hermione.

"In first year," said Ginny. "I strangled roosters, but there was blood on my night robe and I never understood why--"

"Oh Ginny," whispered Hermione.

"It doesn't matter," said Ron. "There were no eggs--Right Harry? There were no eggs."

"No," said Harry slowly. "I don't think so. I ran all over that chamber. There were no eggs. I would have seen them."

"Are you sure?" asked Ginny.

"I didn't see any," said Harry, taking the book from Ginny, and handing it immediately to Hermione. Even though this one wasn't physically making him sick, he was still hesitant to touch it.

"Go ahead, Hermione, read," said Ron. "I don't think anyone could really make this potion. It's too hard."

"Save the rooster feathers to make a nest after--wait," said Hermione. "I'm skipping that part. The next ingredient is dragon blood--

~7 drops of fresh, WARM DRAGON BLOOD, procured from a first time nesting mother.

The blood must be free and untouched of any magical influence except the dragon herself; therefore it must be collected without using any stunning or sleeping spells. However, the dragon may be killed (not with any magical means, i.e. No magical swords) before collecting the blood."

"Wow!" said Harry, "Just collecting the dragon blood is a feat!"

"I believe you can buy it," said Ginny blandly. "It's terribly expensive, but it is only 7 drops."

They all turned to look at her. "And you know this how?" asked Ron.

She hesitated, obviously trying to remember where she heard that.

"Maybe you read it somewhere," suggested Hermione.

"Maybe," said Ginny, obviously not convinced.

"~30 ml (6 teaspoons) of WEREWOLF BLOOD, collected from the SAME werewolf on three consecutive full moons. (10 ml each moon). Blood may NOT be contaminated with wolfsbane potion or any magic stunning spells."

"Might not be impossible if you were friends with the werewolf," said Ron. "It doesn't say exactly when on the full moon. Perhaps the werewolf could get the blood himself before he was completely under the transformation. You don't think Lupin--"

"No!" interrupted Harry. "At least, not if he knew what it was for--"

They all seemed to consider this a moment before Hermione continued reading:

~30 ml (6 teaspoons) of GOBLIN BLOOD collected one hour before sunrise.

~30 ml (6 teaspoons) of GNOME BLOOD collected at mid-night.

~30 ml (6 teaspoons) of GIANT BLOOD collected one hour after dusk.

Note: All blood except for unicorn and werewolf may be obtained by a vampire's natural means without compromising the potion."

"Well, it wouldn't be impossible for a vampire, would it?" said Ron.

"Yeah, but--" Harry hesitated.

"What is it, Harry?" asked Hermione.

"I just wouldn't want to think of meeting up with a giant-vampire, that's all."

They all shuddered.

"Oh, this is just too disgusting," said Ginny. "It looks like the entire potion is either blood or venom."

"Watch out! Stupefy!" cried Harry. He stunned the book twice more and it lay still once again. Being hesitant to take the book, even though it seemed not to bother him without the stains of whatever died in it, he stood and read over Hermione's shoulder.

"I've got it," said Ron, picking up the book, and continuing to read:

~30 ml of venom from King Cobra

~30 ml of venom from Saw Scaled viper

~30 ml of venom from the Black Mamba

PUT ALL ABOVE INGREDIENTS IN A COLD CAULDRON

AND MIX COUNTERCLOCKWISE 10 TIMES WITH A YEW WAND."

"Did you know Voldemort's wand is yew?" asked Harry.

"It's not that rare," said Ginny. "So is Samara's and Edward's, I think. He either said yew or ash. But so is Neville's."

"Neville's?" said Hermione. "Neville's is yew? I never knew that."

Harry took the book cautiously and continued reading:

Add two uncracked whole dragon's eggs. (May NOT be from the same nesting mother as above)"

"Well, we know that isn't impossible," grinned Ron at Harry. Thinking, however briefly, of flying above the Hungarian Horntail last year and stealing one of the eggs made Harry smile. Harry continued reading.

"And light a small fire under the cauldron," Harry paused. "Some things about controlling the heat," he muttered and then continued reading:

In a separate cauldron combine:

~2 liters of Muggle blood."

"I wouldn't like to think how some purebloods would get that," commented Hermione.

~1 cup of finely shredded Devil's snare

~1 cup of finely shredded Rue

Bring to a rolling boil.

~*~

Add the eyes, hearts, fangs and skins of the following snakes:

~1 King Cobra

~1 Saw Scaled Viper

~1 The Black Mamba

~*~

Bring to a boil again and add the first of the following:

Live Snakes, head first, to the boiling potion."

"Ugh," said Ginny. "These snakes are boiled alive!"

"So are lobsters," said Hermione.

Ginny shuddered.

"If you need a break, Ginny" said Harry gently. "It's ok. Ron, Hermione and I will continue--OW! STUPEFY! STUPEFY! STUPEFY!

"Didn't anyone see that thing wake up?" asked Harry, nursing his bitten hand.

"No. Sorry." Ginny reached out to see the puncture marks where the book had bitten his hand between the thumb and fore finger. Angry red lines were already beginning to run up this hand where the poison was traveling. At one time, holding Harry Potter's hand would have set Ginny's heart aflutter, but that was before the Chamber of Secrets--before Tom--before everything--

"You'd better go see Madam Pomfrey," said Ginny matter-of-factly.

"No, it's alright," said Hermione.

"Easy for you to say," said Harry, who was starting to shake.

"Here." Hermione handed him a potion. "Drink this," she said. "It's from Madam Pomfrey." Hermione then opened an earthenware container and took out a handful of purple paste. She slapped it on Harry's hand, which was already swelled to twice its normal size.

"Are you sure, Hermione?" said Harry as he drank the potion and grimaced. "That's my wand hand."

"It's also your 'snitch' hand," said Ron.

"Madam Pomfrey said she's already treated all of the Ravenclaws who took Binns' class for bites, so she's given some of the antidote to all of them. Lisa just assumed the worst and said take the antidote with the book." Hermione paused. "Do you want to continue?"

Harry nodded.

Hermione took the book. "Just sit and listen," she suggested to Ron, Harry and Ginny. She continued reading where Harry left off:

Any seven (7) of the following snakes, added live to the boiling potion.

Once the snakes are dead, simmer for One hour over low heat.

No stunning spell may be used on the snake; however an anti-poison/anti-venom spell may be used on the wizard.

Dragon hide gloves are an asset.

A lid may be briefly put on the cauldron between the addition of each snake, but only until the snake is dead."

"Wait," said Harry. "Stun the book. How long have we been working on my hand? Did anyone look at the time?"

"No," said Ginny. "You're probably right. Stupify! Stupefy! Stupefy!"

"It's just the list of snakes, now," said Hermione. "They are from all over the world. You're right Ginny. This potion is almost impossible."

~Rattlesnake

~Water moccasin

~Copperhead

~Okinawa Habu

~Jararaca

~Wutu

~Jumping Viper

~Wagler's pit viper

~Egyptian or African cobra, or asp

~The Green Mamba

~Boomslang

~Inland Taipan

~Taipan

~Death Adder

~*~

Remove the first cauldron from heat.

Immediately stir in

~400 grams chopped skin of Basilisk"

Hermione stopped reading. "All of these ingredients are difficult, but how on earth would someone get their hands on a Basilisk skin? They are pretty rare. I can't even imagine them being sold in Knockturn Alley."

"Oh, you can get most anything in Knockturn Alley," Ginny stated in an off hand sort of way.

The others looked at her.

"Ginny," said Ron. "I really hate when you do that."

She shrugged.

Harry reached out and took her hand in his. "Everyone was scared of me when I spoke parseltongue, too," he said. "But if Voldemort gives you something you can use, I say use it."

"Tom," Ginny said softly. "It was Tom, not Voldemort. Anyway, there was a basilisk skin on the floor in the chamber," said Ginny. "Do you remember, Harry?"

He nodded; green eyes meeting brown ones in a shared understanding that no one else in the room could touch. Harry and Ginny shared a closeness that sometimes Ginny had trouble defining. She didn't think it was love. Her pre-Hogwarts crush on Harry was just that, a little girl's crush.

After the Chamber of Secrets, she had tried to think Harry as her knight in shining armor. She wanted someone to save her, not just from the cold stone floor of the chamber, but from the coldness that now surrounded her heart. Unfortunately, when she closed her eyes and imagined 'her knight' she didn't see Harry's face.

Then after the Tri-Wizard Tournament, she got a glimpse of the true Harry Potter. He wasn't the brave, all-powerful Gryffindor that the world knew. When she saw him crying in her mother's arms, just like Ron had, just like she had, she realized that she was in love with an image that did not exist. Remarkably, once she was over her infatuation, she found Harry to be very easy to talk to, and they shared something that no one else understood. Their brushes with death--with Tom Riddle

"What else is on the list?" Ron asked.

Hermione continued:

One chopped dead toad. Remove the oak leaves first.

Add 2 liters of unicorn blood (May be collected voluntarily from a unicorn at several different times or may be obtained by killing the said unicorn) Unicorn blood must be aged at least 4 months before use in the brewing of the potion. Unicorn blood must be stored in a crystal bowl at room temperature."

"Unicorn blood!" said Harry. "Didn't Hagrid say anyone who drank unicorn blood had a cursed life, even though it could heal and keep someone alive?"

"It doesn't look like anyone's drinking this," said Hermione. "I think it is poured over the eggs, and if the unicorn gave the blood willingly, would it still be cursed?"

No one knew.

Hermione continued reading:

When both potions are cool, pour cauldron one (red liquid), slowly into cauldron 2 (silvery liquid).

Do not stir. The result should turn iridescent white.

Using Dragon hide gloves and silver tongs, immerse a basilisk egg in the potion.

Immediately put the egg in a toad's mouth. The toad will struggle and try to spit out the egg. Stitch the toad's mouth closed with dragon hide thread.

Immerse the entire toad in the potion and put the toad on a nest of rooster feathers within a crystal bowl.

Repeat with each toad. Fill the bowl with the remainder of the potion, being careful not to cover the toads nostrils.

The toads will now be paralyzed and will sit quietly for the required four year incubation period (1460 Days). The incubation time must be in total darkness."

"Poor toads," muttered Harry.

"Stop," said Ginny. "I think it's time to spell the book again."

"Okay," agreed Hermione, just to be safe, and then they continued reading:

Neither the toads, nor the eggs, need nourishment except for the potion in which they sit, however they must be sprinkled with fresh rooster blood at least once during the first year of the incubation period.

However, if you have more than one basilisk egg, a wizard must be present at the hatching because the first basilisk hatched will eat the other toads and basilisk eggs. The basilisk must eat the toad that hatched it within five minutes of hatching or it will die. Feeding this, now live and animated delicacy to the baby basilisk will foster a stronger imprint. See: Imprinting your Ballistic: The critical first 30 Days."

"This is after the potion," said Hermione. "But it is kind of interesting:

To keep your baby Basilisks from eating each other's toads have on hand a fresh supply of live lizards or other reptiles. However, the live lizards will be more appealing to the hatchlings than the Original Toad. The toad must be eaten first, before the Basilisks are allowed to eat the lizards or the basilisk will not obtain his powerful eyes. If the toad seems sluggish or unappealing to the Baby Basilisk, you may Ennervate it."

"Oh, yeah," said Ron sarcastically. "I've always found that feeding basilisks lizards makes interesting reading."

"This is the part I meant," said Hermione, continuing:

You should not use an anti-venom spell on yourself at this stage. The basilisk venom is relatively harmless (expect some joint pain and muscle tremors, seizures, nausea, vomiting, paralysis, dizziness or hallucinations)."

"You call that interesting?" said Harry. "That's like calling seizures and hallucinations harmless!"

Hermione shrugged, "I just meant I never would have thought there would be a time in a Basilisk's life when its venom was not highly deadly. Should I continue?" she asked. "How's your hand?"

"Hurts like hell, but the swelling has stopped. How long until I can close my fingers again?"

"Lisa said Madam Pomfrey told her it would be about three weeks, but she nearly had her thumb bitten off."

"Three weeks!" shouted Harry. "I have a Quidditch game in two weeks! It better be all right before that! How will I catch the snitch?"

"I don't know," said Hermione. "Do you want to go talk to Madam Pomfrey?"

"No," Harry said reluctantly. "It won't matter now. Keep reading."

"When the basilisks bite a wizard and do not kill him, they are imprinted to him. The more bites your body can stand, the better imprinted your basilisk will be."

"Can you just see Salazar Slytherin testing this out?" asked Ron. "I mean, he must have had a theory before he let them bite him."

"Maybe it was just an accident," suggested Ginny.

"I guess it could have been," said Ron

After a moment, Hermione continued reading:

"Basilisks are born with their eyes closed."

"Just like puppies," said Ron.

"Not really," deadpanned Harry.

Ginny was starting to look a little white and strained.

Hermione continued undaunted:

"Their eyes do not open until they are approximately six months old and because basilisks are nocturnal creatures that shun the light, basilisks can be taught to only open their eyes on cue, to attack, thus making their wizard handler safer.

A basilisk's primary source of information is not sight. It is smell/taste, followed by hearing. A basilisk is only 3 to 5 centimeters long at hatching and grows to approximately one meter by the time it is one year old. Thereafter, growth occurs at 0.5 to 1 meter per year until death."

"Are you saying the ballistic that killed Myrtle was--" Harry held his hands at about a 3 foot spread, "this big?"

"If it was Tom's," said Hermione, "it wouldn't have had much time to grow. A year, maybe two, to find the chamber. Another year to gather these potion ingredients and then what does the potion say? It reduces the nine year incubation period to four years, right?"

"Yes," said Ginny.

"I don't think it could have been in the chamber for a thousand years, do you?" asked Hermione.

"No," said Ginny simply, and Hermione continued:

Basilisks thrive in a magical environment and you need no longer shield them from magic."

"AH! STUPEFY! STUPEFY! STUPEFY!" cried Hermione. She picked up the stunned book again.

"This goes on to talk a lot about the baby basilisks," said Hermione. "I think we're past where the stain is in Samara's book. We can look at this in a nice quiet book that won't try to bite us."

"Yeah, right," said Harry sourly. "It just makes one of us puke his guts out."

"It's got to be getting near suppertime," said Ron. "I'm hungry. What about you guys?"

"Ron," said Hermione. "After looking at this book, how can you even think about food? I'm not really hungry."

"Well, let's put the book away for a while," said Harry. "I've had about all I can take right now, and I think Ginny has too."

Hermione put the chain and charms back on it.

"Do your think we gained anything from this session?" Asked Harry.

"We learned that Salazar Slytherin was more of a weird git than He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named," said Ron.

The little group chuckled.

"Do you think anyone made this potion since Salazar Slytherin?" Asked Hermione.

"Like Voldemort?" said Harry.

Ron cringed.

"I don't know if Tom made the potion," said Ginny, "But I think he read this book."

"How would you know that?" Asked Harry.

Ginny gave Harry a long-suffering sigh. "Harry," she said. "I know everything about Tom. I know he had a stuffed bunny at the Muggle orphanage that the other kids teased him about. They called him brat boy and devil child. The stinking Muggles beat him and locked him in the basement of the orphanage. I know his favorite teachers here at Hogwarts: Binns and someone called Doogle who taught Defense."

"Binns!" interrupted Harry. "You're kidding!"

"I know his favorite color, his favorite food, and even which wizard cards he never got in his chocolate frogs," continued Ginny.

"He collected wizard cards?" said Ron. "I didn't know they made them way back--"

Ginny gave Ron a look that caused him to shut up.

"The basilisk," said Ginny, "was imprinted to Tom. The first time--the first time I called it, I remember allowing Tom--it was the first time I allowed Tom to completely take over my body because it needed to sense Tom, not me. It was--confused--by my smell or sound and needed Tom to calm it. I--" She shuddered.

"You don't have to tell us," Harry said. "If you don't want to."

"Thanks, but," Ginny hesitated. "I think I do have to tell you, since I'm the only one that knows.

"I remember something Tom told me--or rather told that thing--when--when--" Ginny took a deep breath. "He said--made me say," Ginny suddenly made several hissing noises and explained, "It means: You're the best because you killed the rest."

"Devoured," said Harry. "Devoured the rest and made them part of your power. It--the word--doesn't translate well." Harry felt like he was talking in a dream. Surely this wasn't Ginny he was hearing.

"I didn't remember--until this year--and then -just certain--words--sounds--" Her voice caught on a sob.

"It's not like I'm a parselmouth. Just these words--his words." She started to weep in earnest, and Ron started towards her, but Harry got there first. "Why?" she murmured. "Why is he back in my head? Something is different."

Harry just held her and smoothed her hair. "I know," he murmured. He didn't know what to say. How could he comfort her when he felt no comfort himself?

She hissed twice more: the sound for "open" and the sound for "kill/devour/eat/death."

"I always remembered the sounds in my head," she said. "I knew what they meant, but I couldn't reproduce them without Tom. Why do I know how to do that now? I don't want to know how to open the Chamber of Secrets."

"I think it's just the flashbacks," said Ron. "At St Mungo's, they didn't know what form they would take. Now we know. They'll pass. All the medi-witches and wizards said they would pass."

Finally Ginny stopped crying. "I'm sorry guys. I'm worrying you, but you don't know how good if feels to be able to tell someone. During my first year, you don't know how many times I wanted someone to talk to. Every time I thought of that first time I called the basilisk, I kept thinking--if I were a real Gryffindor, I would have just kept control and let it kill me, and then everyone else would be safe. But I didn't. I was such a coward. I'm sorry."

"No, you weren't," said Hermione. "You tried. You were only eleven. You didn't do anything wrong."

"Then later," said Ginny. "I could never wrest the control back completely--never--"

"And now?" whispered Harry.

"He's always there," said Ginny. "He's locked in that little corner of me. Sometimes he scares me, but sometimes he's so--so--" Ginny blew out her breath and shook her head. "Never mind. I can't explain it."

"Does he hurt you?" asked Harry softly, his hand gripping Ginny's as if he could somehow protect her.

"No," said Ginny the ghost of a smile on her lips. "Not usually. Not anymore. I know he's capable of hurting me, but mostly--" she broke off the beginnings of a blush coloring her ears and she looked away from Harry's searching eyes.

"He's not capable of hurting you now, Ginny," said Ron. "Not with the diary destroyed."

"He's still--" she paused, biting her lip, as if searching for the right word. "Strong," she said at last.

A cold and heavy silence descended over the room.

"Uummm. Want to play Exploding Snap?" asked Ginny brightly, trying to bring the room back to some semblance of normalcy.

"No." Harry replied. "I don't think I can hold the cards."

"Oh right."

Harry had never in his life felt such an uncomfortable silence with these, his best friends. He knew what Ginny was talking about when she said 'Tom was strong.' That's how he felt Voldemort through his scar too. Strong. Frightening. What was most frightening was that Harry felt his own connection to Voldemort in his blood. It was like they were connected like family--no, he wouldn't use that word. Not family. Is that why Ginny blushed, he wondered. Did she feel that unnatural closeness too, and was ashamed of it--

===

Hermione put the book down on top of her copy of the Daily Profit on her desk. "Hey Ron," she asked suddenly. "Have you and Ginny heard anything about Hogwarts' tuition going up?"

"I hope not," said Ron. "Mum and Dad are having a hard enough time sending us here now. Why?"

"Some of the Ravenclaws in my Arithmancy class were talking about it. Apparently the school is having financial troubles, first of all because a lot of students didn't come back this year. Some of the main financial supporters, are pulling their funding or at least splitting it with another charitable organization."

"Who?"

"According to the Ravenclaws, Malfoy is one. Goyle. Avery."

"Slytherins!" spat Ron.

"Well, a lot of the old wizarding families are Slytherins, but actually Avery is Ravenclaw."

"Lauren Avery is in Slytherin," Ginny contradicted. "She's in my Advanced Defense."

"But Marshall Avery, her father, was a Ravenclaw," said Hermione, "and his family is the one with the money. "

"So where's the money going then?" asked Ron.

Hermione shrugged.

"Some humanitarian groups called 'Earth Relief and Blessed Relief,'" said Hermione.

"Never heard of them," said Ron. "Is it time for supper yet?"

"I guess so," said Harry. "We'll be a little early."

"I'll see you in the Great Hall," said Ginny, as she headed into the bathroom to wash her face.

"Go ahead down to supper," suggested Hermione to Ron and Harry. "We'll be down shortly."

Once in the corridor outside the girls' room, Harry looked at Ron. "We have to go back to the Chamber of Secrets," he said. "As soon as this heals a little--" He held up his swollen hand.

"Why?" croaked Ron.

"We have to be sure--" said Harry. "I didn't search the chamber. I was too worried about Tom and the basilisk, and then I just wanted to get Ginny and get out of there. If there were eggs, this is the third year since Ginny strangled the roosters--and--I'd rather smash the eggs than deal with live basilisks. We can take broomsticks to get back out."

Ron licked his dry lips, and nodded.

"It shouldn't be too bad," said Harry. "It's just an empty chamber. After all, Tom's not going to be there this time."

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