Catherine Potter ~Book 2~ Chamber of Secrets

Chapter 7

"I was so sure it was Malfoy!" Ron said. A loud boom came from the floor above.

"More work for me! Mopping all night, like I haven't got enough to do!" Filtch complained.

"Wonder what got his wand in a knot." Hermione said, slamming her book shut. A great flood of water burst through half of the corridor, Myrtle's moans echoed through the walls. The three ran in the flooded bathroom and saw Moaning Myrtle looking more distraught than she usually was.

"Who's that?" Myrtle asked. Hermione, Ron, and Harry went out of the shadows.

"Come to throw another book at me?" she said sobbing her eyes out. "Why would we throw something at you?" Harry asked.

"I don't know! Here I am minding my own business, and someone thinks it's funny to throw a book at me." she said. "But it can't hurt you. I mean, it'll just go right through you." Ron said reasonably. "Let's just go and throw books at Myrtle! Ten points if you can get it through her stomach! And 50 points if you get it through her head!" she shrieked, hitting Ron.

"Who threw it at you anyway?" Hermione asked. "I don't know. I was just sitting in the U-bend, thinking about death and it fell right on top of my head." she said, floating in her cubicle glaring at the washed out book.

Harry picked up the soggy shabby black covered book, nothing was written. "It's a diary. Belongs to Tom Marvolo Riddle," Harry said looking at the gold embossed name on the cover. "I know him! He won a special award for Special Services 50 years ago." Ron said. 6

"How'd you know that?" Hermione asked. "Polished his award about 50 times! I burped slugs all over it." Ron said resentfully. 1

"He never wrote in it." Harry said in disappointment as he flipped through the wet pages.

"Must've been Muggle-born to buy this in Vauxhall Road," Harry said.

"Do you remember what Catherine said? The Chamber was opened 50 years ago and this diary is 50 years old." Hermione said.

"Yeah?" Ron said uninterested.

"Wake up Ronald! We know the person who opened the Chamber was expelled 50 years ago! and Tom Riddle got a Special Award 50 years ago! What if he got the award for the capture of the Heir of Slytherin?" Hermione said excitingly.

"Great theory, Hermione, one problem: There's nothing written in it!" Harry said, flipping the pages in front of her face.

Hermione pulled out her wand, tapped it on the diary 3 times and said "Aparecium!" Nothing happened.

She grabbed a red eraser from her book bag and began rubbing it on January first, nothing happened. "Maybe we should show it to Catherine, she might know what to do." Harry said hopefully.

"I'm telling you! Riddle got this on Christmas and didn't even bother to fill it." Ron said. 1

Harry pocketed the diary and went looking for his sister. Harry saw her at the Viaduct, alone.

"Hi Harry, what brings you here?" she asked looking at the horizon. "We need your help. We found this diary and we think there's something hidden." he said showing her the black covered book.

Catherine went pale as she saw the book, her hands trembling when she took it. "Where did you find it?" she asked. "In Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. Do you know it?" he asked.

"No, I don't know anything about this." she said handing it to him.

"Hermione tried to reveal what's in it, she thought it was written in Invisible ink or something." he said."Good to know." she said avoiding Harry's eyes.

"Well, see you at Breakfast then." Harry said, walking away.

"Harry!" she cried out. "I'd try writing in it if I were you." she said, disappearing at the other end of the Viaduct.

Harry smiled and ran to the Gryffindor Common, apparently empty. He sat on the desk and grabbed his ink well and quill.

My name is Harry Potter

Hello, Harry Potter. My name is Tom Riddle. How did you come by my diary?

I found it. Do you know anything about the Chamber of Secrets?

Yes.

Can you tell me?

No. But I can show you. The pages began to flip and stopped halfway on June. A handsome dark haired boy about the age of sixteen, stood at the top of the staircase looking up at the Aurors, carrying a body bag with the hand hanging by the edge. "Tom!" a 50 year old younger Dumbledore called. 6

"Yes, Professor Dumbledore?" Tom asked.

"It is unwise for you to wander at this time of night, Tom." he said, looking at Tom like an X-ray. "I wondered if the rumours are true, Professor." he said.

"The rumours are true, Tom. Hogwarts is no longer safe." he said. "What if the culprit was captured?" he asked.

"Is there anything you'd like to tell me, Tom?" he asked with pure curiosity.

"No, Professor. Nothing at all." he said. Dumbledore nodded and went back to his office. Harry followed Tom Riddle, who was walking rapidly as if he was being chased. He opened the door, inside a tall man with a deep voice, talking to a creature encased in a wooden box; Hagrid. 2

"Hagrid! Monsters don't make good pets." Tom said, pulling out his wand.

"Aragog wouldn't kill no one! Never!" he said standing protectively in front of the box.

"Stand back Hagrid! The girl's parents are going here in the morning, the least Hogwarts can do is to make sure the thing that killed their daughter is slaughtered!" he said, "Arania Excumai!" the box flew open and a very large spider crawled out. 7

Harry felt like he was being pulled back as he was screaming for Hagrid, Harry slammed back into his chair and closed the diary.

~

"It was Hagrid!" Harry whispered to Ron and Hermione. 10

"He opened the Chamber of Secrets." he added. They always known Hagrid had a fondness for large and monstrous creatures. Like in their first years, he tried to raise a Norwegian Ridgeback Dragon and the giant three headed dog he named "Fluffy."

"Tom might have got the wrong person." Hermione said.

"We always knew Hagrid had been expelled, and the attacks must've stopped after Hagrid was kicked out. Otherwise Riddle may never gotten his award." Harry said.

"You and Catherine saw Hagrid at Knock turn alley, didn't you Harry?" Ron asked. "He was buying Flesh-Eating Slug Repellent." he said quickly.

"You think we should ask Hagrid?" Hermione asked.

"That'll be a cheerful visit. Hello Hagrid! Tell us, have you been setting anything mad and hairy loose in the castle lately?" he said sarcastically.

"Mad and hairy? You wouldn't be talking about me now, would you?" A large voice boomed from behind them.

"No!" the three said at once.

"What's that Hagrid?" Hermione asked eyeing the water can shape container in Hagrid's dust bin hands. "Oh! It's thee Flesh eatin' slug repellent! For the Mandrakes." he said walking to the Greenhouses. "Harry! I don't know who's done it! I just found it like it was!" said Neville running into them.

The four Gryffindors ran to the Boy's dormitories, everything was either ripped or destroyed, every single piece of Parchment ripped to pieces, the bed's duvet all crumpled up.

"Someone's been looking for something." Ron said, fixing Harry's robes. 5

"Whoever it was, they found it. Tom Riddle's diary is gone." Harry said tossing Lockhart's books back into its pile.

"Only a Gryffindor could have stolen it, nobody else knows our password." Ron said.

"I don't know about that. How about Catherine? She knows." Hermione said. 6

"Are you accusing my sister of stealing the diary?" Harry asked.

"I'm not accusing her of anything! She knows how to get in Gryffindor and Ravenclaw, who knows she might even know how to get in the Chamber." Hermione said. 8

"Pfft! Of course she can get in Ravenclaw! You just have to answer a riddle. As for our house she goes in with either Ginny or Neville. She wouldn't steal the diary! The moment she laid her eyes on it she already hated it." Harry said angrily. 1

"Why would she hate the diary?" Ron asked. "I don't know." he muttered.

"I think we should ask her." Hermione suggested. "

No. She already has a lot in her mind." Harry said.

"All right then. I'll just go to the Library, I think I just understood something!" Hermione said running out of the Common room. "Do you reckon she'll bombard Catherine with questions?" Ron asked nudging him. "I reckon not, around this hour Catherine's at her Common room." he said. 2

"Better get going then! The match, Harry," Ron said.

~

The Gryffindors had a last minute discussion about the tactics.

"We got this under control; we're stronger, quicker and smarter." Wood said.

"Yeah! And besides, they're dead scared if they go anywhere near Harry!" George chimed. "Well that too." Wood said.

Professor McGonagall half ran throughout the pitch, carrying a rolled up piece of Parchment. "This match is cancelled." she said.

Wood looked like he had been stunned. "You can't cancel Quidditch!" he said devastated. 7

"Hush Wood! All of you go to your Dormitories." McGonagall said addressing the packed stadium and the teams.

"Potter! I think you'd better come with me." McGonagall said. "You too Weasley!" she added.

Ron and Harry followed Professor McGonagall into the school, in the Hospital wing. "This will be a bit of a shock." she said.

A double attack at that, a 5th year girl in Ravenclaw known as Penelope Clearwater in bed petrified, next to a girl in Gryffindor with bushy brown hair and big brown eyes. "Hermione!" Ron groaned.

Catherine stood next to Hermione's bed, her pale face stained with tears. "Catherine found them near the Library. I don't suppose either of you can explain this? It was on the floor next to them?" McGonagall asked holding up a small circular mirror.

The three shook their heads, still staring at the glassy brown eyes of Hermione.

"I will escort you three back to your houses." she said. "I'll stay here for a while." Catherine said. "Very well then, I'll call Severus to come for you. Come on boys." she said escorting them to Gryffindor tower.

"All students will return to their House common rooms by six o'clock. No student is to leave the dormitories after that time. You will be escorted to each lesson by a teacher. All further Quidditch training and matches are to be postponed. No exceptions! It is likely that the school will be closed unless the culprit behind these attacks is caught. I would urge anyone who thinks they might know anything about them to come forward." she said in a distressed tone.

She climbed out of the port hole rather awkwardly, the Gryffindors began talking. "Haven't any of the teachers noticed that all the Slytherins are all safe? The Heir of Slytherin, why don't they chuck them all out!" Lee Jordon said. 7

The port hole opened, Catherine climbed in and asked for Percy. The Gryffindors looked at her with fear; she ignored the stares and walked to Percy, who looked just as pale as Ginny was. "Percy, I need to talk to you." she said. Percy looked up from the desk; he nodded and walked with her outside the port hole.

Once she was gone the whispers and accusations returned. "Isn't it a bit obvious that Catherine's the Heir? I mean she never liked Hermione and she was annoyed with Colin." a Gryffindor said. 4

"Then tell me, why would she attack Mrs. Norris? The bloody cat never did anything to her as well as Filtch, how about Justin? They were friends, she wouldn't do that! And the same goes with the Ravenclaw Prefect." George said.

"We've got to ask Hagrid, I can't believe it's him but if he set the monster loose last time he'll know how to get inside the Chamber." Harry whispered to Ron. "You know what McGonaggal said! We've got to stay in our tower." Ron said. 3

"I think it's time to get my dad's old cloak out again." 4

~

"Tell me. Why do I have to go with you?" Catherine asked crossing her arms. "We need your help! We can't do this with just us." Ron said.

Catherine rolled her eyes and went under the Invisibility cloak. The walk throughout the deserted corridors wasn't fun, they had been walking there for quite some time but due to the unusual activity it was horrifying.

A few seconds after they knocked on Hagrid's door, he came out with a crossbow aiming directly at them.

"What's that for?!" Catherine said, taking off the cloak.

"Oh. I thought it was- Never mind. Come in, just made a pot of tea." he said lowering his weapon. He took of a bronze coloured kettle of the stove and clumsily spilled tea and broke a tea cup. "Are you okay Hagrid?" Harry asked with deep concern.

"Did you hear about Hermione?" Ron asked.

"I heard about that alright." he said slamming a slab of fruitcake on a plate.

Hagrid dropped the plate and threw the Invisibility cloak under the three. "Evening Hagrid." Dumbledore said with a man in a pinstriped suit and greying hair; Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic. 6

"That's dad's boss!" Ron muttered, Catherine elbowed Ron in the ribs to keep him quiet. "Bad business, Hagrid; very bad business, four attacks on Muggle borns, the Ministry's got to act." Fudge said with a shake of his balding head.

"I would never! Dumbledore, you know I'd never!" Hagrid said looking at the Minister and Dumbledore.

"I want you to know, Cornelius, that Hagrid has my full confidence." he said to Cornelius Fudge. "Albus, Hagrid's record is against him. The Ministry's got to act!' he said frowning. "I'm afraid I have to take you, Hagrid." Hagrid went pale.

"Take me where? Not Azkaban Prison!" he said, trembling. 3

"Just for a short period of time, only, not a punishment, Hagrid, just a precaution; if someone else is caught, you will be let out with a full apology." Fudge said.

Dumbledore opened the door and Lucius Malfoy came in, a cold smile plastered on his face that made Fang growl. "What are you doing here? Get out of my house!" Hagrid half yelled. "Believe me, I take no pleasure at all in being inside your- You call this a house?" he said in distaste. "What exactly did you come here for, Lucius?" Dumbledore asked.

"The Governors feel it's time for you to step aside, this is an order of suspension you'll find all the needed signatures there." Lucius said handing Dumbledore a piece of rolled parchment tied with a scarlet ribbon.

"I can't believe this." Catherine said in a hushed tone, "They can't do this! Without Dumbledore all the Muggle borns will..." she added.

"Be gone." Harry finished.

"If anyone wanted to find answers, all they have to do is to follow the spiders, That'll do it! and oh, someone will need to feed Fang while I'm gone." Hagrid said into thin air.

Fudge stared at him with curiosity and patted fang as he closed the door of Hagrid's hut. "I'll be right back!" Catherine said throwing off the cloak.

"Where are you going?!" Harry and Ron asked. "I'm going to find...something! Just don't wait for me!" she said opening the door.

"Take this with you at least." Harry said giving her the silvery cloak.

"Follow the spiders!" she said throwing the cloak on herself and left.

"I don't like spiders." Ron said looking at the tiny trail of spiders, leading deeper into the Forbidden forest. Harry shushed him for the hundredth time for the past 7 minutes and continued to walk into the cold and creepy forest. The spiders led them into a small cave, spiders in all sizes either crawling on the ceiling or hidden beneath the rocks. 1

"Who's there?" a deep voice asked within the cave.

"We- We're friends of Hagrid, are you Aragog?" Harry asked looking at the creatures eight milky white eyes. "Yes. Hagrid never sent men here." it said.

"Hagrid's in trouble! They sent him to Azkaban; they think he opened the Chamber of secrets." Harry said.

"That was years ago! They made him leave Hogwarts, they believed i was the monster that dwells in that so-called Chamber." the spider said, 2

"I was not born in the castle! But in a pocket of a traveller; Hagrid is a good man, a good friend. When they knew about me, they blamed me for a death of a girl. Hagrid released me in the Forest, even visits once awhile. My family has grown all through the goodness of Hagrid's heart." Aragog said. 4

"You never attacked anyone?" Harry asked with his remaining courage.

"Never! I never harmed a human; the girl was discovered in a bathroom. I never saw from outside of my cupboard where I grew." he replied.

"Do you know what killed the girl? Whatever it is, it's back." Harry said.

"It is a creature that we spiders fear from all! Hence, we do not speak its name!' Aragog said with an angry click of its pincers.

"Harry!" Ron said, hoarsely.

Harry looked up and saw a pack of spiders spinning down to them from thin silky webs. "Thanks. We'll just go now.' Harry said pushing Ron outside.

"I think not. My sons and daughters do not harm Hagrid under my command, but I cannot deny them fresh meat wanders so willingly into our midst. Good bye, friend of Hagrid." Spiders crawled up from the dirt and went for them; a jet of fire emerged from behind them and warded them off.

"Catherine! where were you?!" Ron demanded.

"Get in the damn car!!!" she said casting spells to the Spiders. "Are you mad?! What were you thinking?!' Catherine said starting the engine. "Follow the spiders! If Hagrid comes out of Azkaban, I'm going to kill him!" Ron said locking the doors. "That's if we come out of here alive." Catherine said.

"Harry! ward them off!" she ordered.

"Arania Exumai!" Harry said pointing to a small group of spiders, sending them far off the forest.

"Is that all you know?" she asked. "Pretty much, yeah." he said. "Where's Hermione when you need her." she muttered. "Did I hear what I think I heard?" Ron said, slightly amused yet terrified.

"Shut up, Ronald." Catherine said rolling her eyes. 4

Catherine, Harry, and Ron visited Hermione at the Hospital wing, still petrified with the other 3 students.

"We miss you, Hermione." Catherine said replacing the withered daisies with blooming lilies. "I thought you two didn't get along?" said Ron. 1

"I know but I miss arguing with her, it isn't the same with you two.' She said. Harry held Hermione's cold and stone like hand, and realized she had been holding on to something. A ripped page of some book was stuck in her hand; Harry thought he might rip it trying to get it out of her stern grip. Catherine and Ron went closer as Harry read the paragraph.

Of the many fearsome beast and monsters that roam our land, there is none more curious or more deadly than the Basilisk, known also as the King of serpents. This snake, which may reach gigantic size and live for hundreds of years, is born from a chicken's egg, hatched beneath a toad. Its methods of killing are most wondrous, for aside from its deadly and venomous fangs, the basilisk has a murderous stare, and all who are fixed with the beam of its eye shall suffer instant death. Spiders flee before it for it is their mortal enemy, and the Basilisk flees only from the crowing of the rooster, which is fatal to it.

"This is the answer! The monster is a Basilisk- a serpent! That's why we can hear it Harry." Catherine said re-reading the paragraph over and over. "The basilisk can kill people by looking t them but no one's died yet!" Ron said.

"That's because nobody looked at it, not directly at least. Colin saw it through his camera, Justin... he saw it through nearly headless Nick but he's a ghost he can't die again. Hermione and that Ravenclaw girl were found with a mirror near them, Hermione must've found out that the monster is a Basilisk." Harry said. Catherine and Ron looked thoroughly impressed but was ruined by Ron's question,

"What about Mrs Norris? I'm pretty sure she didn't have a mirror or camera." He said. Catherine looked at Harry, who was struggling for an answer.

"The night we found the cat, the bathroom was flooded. Mrs Norris must've seen the snake's reflection." She said simply. "The crowing of the rooster is fatal to it... all of Hagrid's roosters were killed! The heir of Slytherin didn't want one near Hogwarts. Spiders flee before it! It all makes sense." Harry said with a big smile on his face.

"But a great dirty snake...someone must've noticed it wandering about." Ron said. "Looks like Hermione answered that as well." Catherine said pointing at the word in Hermione's small writing: Pipes. "Aragog said the girl was found in a bathroom. What if she's still there?" Catherine said, her green eyes sparkling with excitement. 3

"Moaning Myrtle."

"What do we do?" Ron said racing after the twins. "We'll tell McGonagall! It's nearly break." Catherine said glancing at her watch. A voice boomed throughout the corridor, magically amplified. It was Professor McGonagall.

All students are to return to their House Dormitories at once! All teachers return to the 2nd floor corridor immediately.

"Let's go!" Catherine said grabbing them by the arm. The teachers gathered in front of the corridor, several gasped with fear.

"As you can see, the Heir of Slytherin has done it again." McGonagall said weakly.

"So sorry, dosed off; what have I missed?" Lockhart asked. 4

"A girl has been snatched by the monster, your time has finally come, Lockhart." Snape said with a voice of poisoned honey.

"That's right. Didn't you just say the night before you know where the chamber is?" Professor Sprout said. Lockhart was lost for words and just stared at them. 4

"We'll leave it to you then, Gilderoy." McGonagall said. 5

"Very well, I'll be in my office...getting ready." He said walking back to his office.

"Who is it the monster has snatched, Minerva?" Madam Pomfrey asked.

"Ginny Weasley," She said shaking her head with sorrow.

Catherine went pale and looked at Ron who mouthed her sister's name. "You two got to Lockhart's office, I have to do something." She said. Just as Harry was about to protest, Catherine was gone. They barged into the lilac coloured office of Lockhart's, his trunk and belongings sorted in his bags. "Are you going somewhere?" Harry asked, uncertain of what he was doing.

"Urgent call, unavoidable," He muttered.

"What about my sister?!" Ron said angrily. "Most unfortunate, no one regrets more than I." he said locking his trunk. "You're the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher! You can't go now." said Harry. 4

"I must say, there was nothing in the job description..." he said piling his socks.

"You're running away! After all the stuff you've done in your books." Ron said. "Books can be misleading." He said delicately.

"You wrote them!" Harry said.

"My dear boy! Do you even use your common sense? My books wouldn't have sold as half as well if people think I'd done all those things." He said. "You're a fraud! Catherine was right about you, you've been taking credit for what other wizards have done." He said. "Is their something you can do?" Ron asked.

"Now that you mention it, I'm rather gifted with memory charms." Lockhart said reaching for his wand.

"Expelliarmus!" Catherine shouted grabbing Lockhart's wand from mid-air.

The three and Lockhart headed to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom and saw her in her usual cubicle.

"Hello, Harry. What do you want?" she asked. "We were just wondering how you died." He said.

She looked flattered at the question, "It was dreadful. It happened at this very cubicle, I was crying because Olive Hornby was teasing me about my glasses, I was crying. I heard someone come in, they said something in a sort of made up language, I realized it was a boy so I unlocked the door and told them to go away, and then I died." She said.

"How?" Emile asked. 2

"No idea. I just remember seeing a pair of great big yellow eyes, over there." She said in disgust. Catherine put Ron in charge of Lockhart and examined the sink; she called Harry over and saw a serpent engraved on the faucet. "Say something in Parseltongue!" Ron said.

The twins looked at each other and shrugged, "Open." They said together.

The sinks began to move apart revealing the entrance of the Chamber of Secrets. "Good job, kids. Well, there's no need for me to stay." Lockhart said inching away from them. Before he could run, Catherine grabbed the collar of his robes and pushed him down the entrance of the Chamber.

"Was that really necessary?" Harry asked.

"For my anger management it is." Catherine said. 2

"Rather very filthy down here." Lockhart said. Catherine, Harry and Ron slided down the dusty chamber and stood on the bones of dead animals. 1

"Charming place for the Heir," Catherine said. They illuminated their wands and walked throughout the Chamber, "Remember, if any sign of movement, close your eyes straight away." Harry said.

"Why's that?" Lockhart asked.

"Because if you don't, you'll die in the most gruesome way possible," Catherine said, "And that's without the help of the snake, mind you." She added. 3

Catherine turned pale and the fire in her eyes died down when they saw the skin of the Basilisk, Lockhart looked like he was going to vomit but only crashed on the stone floor.

"Heart of a lion, this one," Ron said, slightly kicking him. Lockhart sprang upward and grabbed Ron's spellotaped wand, "The adventure ends here, boys and girl. I'll tell them I was too late to save the girl, and how you three tragically lost your minds at the sight of her mangled body. Say goodbye to your memories. OBLIVIATE!" Lockhart flew backward and crashed on the ceiling making boulders drop, separating them.

"Ron! you all right?" Harry shouted.

"Yeah! Lockhart's spell backfired! Doesn't have a clue who he is!" he said.

"Where's Catherine?!" asked Harry.

"Harry! I found her ring! But no sign of her, maybe she went in the chamber." Ron said. "Just try to shift some of this rock! I'm going to look for her." he said walking deeper into the chamber.

The tunnel turned and turned, he saw a solid wall with a sort of vault like door which had two very alive looking stone snakes, "Open." this time he needn't to do it twice, it swung open. 1

Harry saw a little figure of a girl, her red hair framing her pale face, just lying there on the ground. "Ginny." said Harry holding her cold hand.

"Please be alive...don't be dead." Harry muttered.

"She won't wake." a voice said softly. A handsome, dark haired boy around the age of sixteen appeared beside the Gargoyle.

"T-Tom Riddle! What do you mean she won't wake? She isn't..." Harry's voice trailed off.

"She's not dead. But only just." he moved closer to them, not taking his eyes off Harry.

"Are you a ghost?" he asked.

"A memory, preserved in the diary for 50 years." he affirmed. "Have you seen my-" Harry saw his wand in Tom's hand, twirling it between his long fingers. "Give me back my wand, Tom." he said forcibly. "You won't need it." he said plainly.

"We've got to go! The Basilisk might come!" he said, helpless. "Won't come until it's called." a shadow said behind Tom.

It was Catherine, her eyes were no longer green but turned to an eerie shade of grey, her mouth curved into a twisted smile.

"Catherine, please. Help Ginny, she's your friend!" Harry said trying to carry the limp body of the unconscious little girl; Catherine just smirked and watched him.

"You should be proud of your sister, Harry. She's been a great help to me." Tom said looking at Catherine with fondness. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"Your little sister and that silly little blood traitor she calls a friend, they have opened the Chamber." Riddle said.

"No! They wouldn't!" Harry shouted.

"It was Catherine and Ginny that opened the Chamber, it was them who wrote the threatening letters on the wall, it was them who set the Basilisk on those Mudbloods." he said looking at Harry with pure hatred.

"You should be proud of your sister, Harry. Brilliant as she is, she was the first one to figure it all out. She was so terrified. 'Dear Tom, I found blood all over my robes. I keep forgetting what I've done over the past hours, I'm worried about Ginny. She says she's found rooster feathers scattered on her belongings. Dear Tom, I don't know what to do. I just want to disappear from all of this; I don't know what to do anymore. What can I say, Harry? They just practically poured their hearts to me. It was very boring to listen to them but I was sympathetic, I understood. Little Ginny's been worrying on how she had come to school with second hand robes and books and how that the famous Harry Potter might never like her. Dear Catherine has even greater troubles, on how her twin brother was always the 'perfect twin', that she was the unwanted twin." Tom Riddle said.

"You have no idea how emotionally unstable she was, very difficult for her to express her feelings especially to that dim-witted Draco Malfoy. She always felt unwanted ever since she found out about her true identity; she always talked about how you were the favourite twin. She always thought of going the easy way out." He said added, glowering at Harry. 7

Harry felt the chills down his spine as Riddle kept talking and laughing at the girl's misfortune.

"You have no idea on how persuasive I can be, Catherine and Ginny poured their hearts and soul to me and it was exactly what I needed. Catherine found out my plans and tried to get rid of me but little Ginny Weasley practically fought her to keep the diary. It took a very long time until that stupid little Ginny to stop trusting the diary, that's where you come along, You found the diary, and I couldn't have been more delighted." he said with relish.

"And why did you want to meet me?" asked Harry.

"Ginny told me a lot about you. I knew that I have to find you, meet you if could but then Catherine came along, things were less difficult all I needed was you. So I decided to show to you my famous capture of that miserable oaf Hagrid." he said with a grim smile.

"Hagrid's my friend! And you framed him, didn't you?" said Harry with pure rage. "It was my word against Hagrid's. Even I was surprised on how well the plan worked, It had taken me 5 whole years to find out everything could about the Chamber and discover the secrets within it. Only Dumbledore seemed to might have guessed, he never did seemed to like me as much as the others did." he said.

"I bet he saw right through you." Harry said through clenched teeth.

"He certainly kept an annoyingly close eye on me, I knew it wouldn't be safe to open the Chamber again so I left behind the diary, preserving my 16 year old self in its pages, so that one day I can be able to lead another in my footsteps, and finish Salazar Slytherin's noble work." he said.

"Well, you haven't finished it yet, Tom." a strong voice said. It was Catherine; her eyes were back to its normal vibrant shade of green.

She kneeled next to Harry facing Ginny's body, "Harry, I'm sorry I didn't tell you any sooner. I was so scared and-" Harry hugged her tightly and whispered to her, "I'm just happy that you're safe."

An eerie cackle escaped from Tom which caught the twins' attention. "What're you laughing 'bout Tom? No one's died this time; the Mandrake will be ready any minute now." Harry said.

"Haven't I told you, Potter? Killing Mudbloods doesn't matter to me anymore. For many months now, my new target has been you, both of you." he said with a sly grin.

"Not the first time someone's tried to kill us." Catherine said. "I was angry that Ginny was writing to me, not you, Ginny told Catherine of the diary and she began writing as well." he said shooting Catherine a glance. 4

"She saw you with the diary you see, she panicked. What if you found out how to work it? What if I repeated all of their secrets to you? Did you even know that Catherine was the one who was strangling the roosters? Did you even know that it was Ginny that stole back the diary? So, I made little Ginny write her own farewell on the wall and I summoned your dear sister as well to wait here. I've been waiting for this moment for you two, I have many questions for you, Potters." he finished.

"Like what Riddle?" Catherine spatted, glaring at him. "How is it that a pair of children with no extraordinary magical talent managed to defeat the greatest wizard of all time? Escaping with no more than a scar! While Lord Voldemort's powers were destroyed?" he said his eyes gleaming an odd shade of red. "

Voldemort was after your time, Riddle." Harry said slowly. "Voldemort is my past, present and future." Riddle said swishing the wand in mid-air. His name appeared in the air, the letters burning as if on fire with a wave of the wand the letters arranged themselves and burned even more: I AM LORD VOLDEMORT 8

"Surely you didn't think I was going to keep my filthy Muggle father's name? No. I fashioned name, a name that everyone would one day fear to speak of, when I have become the greatest sorcerer in the world!" Riddle said. 47

"Albus Dumbledore is the greatest sorcerer in the world!" the twins said together in pure hatred. 2

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

"Dumbledore will never truly be gone as long as those who remain are loyal to him!" Harry said. A loud screech echoed within the Chamber, a rather large bird with beautiful red and gold plumage; Fawkes.

The Phoenix dropped a ragged, worn out hat next to the twins. "So this is what Dumbledore sends his great defenders, a song bird and an old hat." Riddle said facing the statue of Salazar Slytherin.

The statue began to open, releasing the Basilisk.

"Parsletongue won't help you now, Potters! It only obeys me!" Riddle said. "Catherine! come on!" Harry said pulling her. Catherine closed her eyes and protected Ginny's unconscious body with her own, "I can't leave Ginny!" she yelled.

"She'll be all right! We have to run!" Harry yelled back. As if on cue, Fawkes flew back into the Chamber and it's sharp talons stabbed the Basilisk's great murderous eyes. "Your bird might have blinded the Basilisk but it can still hear you!" Riddle shouted. Catherine, still not moving an inch from Ginny, motioned Harry to run.

Catherine, on her knees next to her best friend, to her it was a great way to die. Catherine opened her eyes and saw the thing that she hated most; the Sorting hat, she looked around the Chamber and saw Harry running toward her.

"Where's the Basilisk?" she asked expecting the monster to pop up from nowhere.

"Haven't the foggiest. Can I see that?" Harry asked looking at the hat. 3

Harry had a look of confusion when he looked in the ragged hat, he reached in and appeared in his hand a Goblin made sword with Rubies encrusted on the handle.

Harry looked at Catherine with amazement and smiled, "Looks like we won't be dying today." he muttered. The Basilisk popped up from the pond and slithered its way to them, Harry and Catherine ran on top of the statue and both held the heavy sword.

"What do we do now?" he asked.

"We wing it." Catherine said with a wink.

The Basilisk lunged for them, "Now!" Harry shouted. The sword impaled the roof of the monster's mouth and slowly rolled back into death.

"Catherine..." Harry said tiringly, staring at her stomach; gasping for air, she pulled out the Basilisk's fang out of her stomach and threw it away, "Not exactly how I imagined it." she said with a weak smile. 1

"You're not going to die." Harry said, giving her hand a light squeeze.

"Silly what a little venom could do, I predict that you'll be with your filthy Muggle mother soon, Catherine. It's funny what a diary could do even in the hands of silly little girl." Riddle said glaring at the girls.

Catherine was now lying next to Ginny, screaming in pain, the sight of his sister dying right before his eyes made him even angrier at Riddle. Harry got up and fetched the Fang and the diary. 3

"No!" Riddle shouted, but it was too late. The diary had somehow died along with Riddle, Ginny's big brown eyes were open once again.

"Catherine!" she said in agony when she saw her friend lying on the cold stone floor, dying and helpless.

"Hey." she replied, smiling weakly.

"I'm so sorry...You were right from the beginning, Em. I should have listened." she said tears flooding her face. "I'm always right, babe." she said with a light laugh. "We still have time! We can get you to Madam Pomfrey and..." Harry stopped at the sight of Fawkes, landing next to Catherine.

"You were brilliant, Fawkes." she whispered. 2

The bird was looking at the wound and produced silvery teardrops. "Of course, Phoenix tears have healing powers!" Harry said in amazement.

"Okay, that's one problem down the drain. Any ideas on how we're getting out of here?" Catherine asked clutching her stomach in pain.

"Does it hurt?" Harry asked with genuine concern.

"I can manage." she muttered.

Harry ignored her statement and offered his arm, "There is one way we can get out." he said his green eyes fixed on Fawkes.

~

"We'll never have a quiet year in Hogwarts, will we?" Hermione said. "The bloody hell we won't! It'll be weird if we didn't." Catherine said feeding Hayley a Pumpkin pasty. "You'll write, won't you, Hermione?" Ginny asked.

"Of course! you Catherine?" Hermione said passing to her. "Everyday, until every drop of ink has gone." she said flicking crumbs at Harry. "Stop it, Em!" Harry said, shielding his face.

"Make me!" Catherine said sticking out her tongue.

"Wrong answer." Harry said attacking her with tickles.

"Stop it!" Catherine said between laughs. "I don't mean to interrupt this." a voice said. Harry stopped and looked up; it was Malfoy. "What do you want?" he snapped. "All Prefects to the Prefect's cabin." he announced avoiding Harry's glare. "I'll be back." Catherine said ruffling his brother's hair as she left their compartment. +

"Do you think they noticed?" asked Malfoy, closing the cabin door. 4

"I doubt it." Catherine said, cuddling next to Draco who had his arm draped around her shoulders.