She's always kind (Neville X Reader story)

Chapter 21

Suddenly, a low hissing noise sounded from within the walls, rumbling from the creature's movement. (Y/n) gritted her teeth and swung her arm, elbowing Tom in the gut, making him release her hair and drop the wand he was once holding. Wasting no time, the girl took off running, dragging Harry along with her. The large snake like creature had emerged from the mouth of the stone face carved into the wall. It was huge, about 30 feet long, and was on the hunt for the two Gryffindors. However, from up above, they heard a beautiful screech of a bird. Looking up, they spotted Fawkes swooping down towards them carrying something in his claws.

The large phoenix dropped the sorting hat into Harry's hands, "what's that for?" (Y/n) asked out of breath. Harry's eyes lit up "it's from Dumbledore!" but this didn't reassure the girl next to him at all "Harry, that's a hat that reads minds and puts them in a house!" she exclaimed. The raven haired boy looked at her panicked "good point" and with that, he threw the hat behind him and grabbed the girls hand to run. The Basalisk was gaining on them fast and the floor was drenched, making it extremely slippery. Harry's feet began to give way underneath him as he fell harshly to the ground, dropping his glasses.

(Y/n) saw this and quickly turned around to help her friend, "Don't look it in the eyes!" Harry shouted as he scrambled to find his glasses. The girl panicked and cover her eyes with her hands and stood helplessly. Suddenly she heard a screeching sound and a howl of pain, Fawkes had clawed out the basalisk's eyes, leaving it blinded. Harry managed to find his glasses and jumped to his feet, grabbing (Y/n) in the process. The pair ran down the laberinth of pipes, their footsteps splashing in the dirty water that filled the chamber.

They darted to the side and hid round a corner, "Shh, if we're quiet, the creature won't hear us, it's blinded so it can't see" (Y/n) whispered in a hushed tone. As expected, the large beast came slithering through the pipeline but went straight past them, allowing the duo to run back to the main chamber to rescue Ginny. (Y/n) knelt at Ginny's head and lifted it, stroking her hair slightly. "Yes potter, the process is nearly complete, in a few minutes, Ginny Weasley will be dead, and I will cease to be a memory. Lord Voldemort will be. Very. Much. Alive!" Tom spoke sinisterly.

Suddenly, the basilisk emerged violently from the floor, hissing and growling with rage. (Y/n) screamed in fright as she tried to shield Ginny from the monster. Harry however spotted the Sword of Godric Gryffindor inside the sorting hat and immediately grabbed it. "(Y/n)! Get up to higher ground!" Harry shouted as he pointed the weapon at the giant serpant. The small girl panicked as she darted her head, trying to think of where to go, in the end she dashed for the large face statue in the wall and began to climb. Harry was right on her heels, climbing for dear life as the Basilisk snapped and hissed at them.

Once at the top, (Y/n) was backed up against the wall as Harry swung the sword at the vicious beast, trying to slow it down. But the beast was too strong and thrashed its head about, knocking the sword out of his hands and landing on a high ledge. The girl saw this and dove for the sword before it fell to the floor below, it was heavy, heavier than she had expected. Half her body hung off the edge as she tried to haul the weapon back up. Meanwhile Harry was still trying to evade the monster, climbing to the ledge where his friend was. With one almighty pull, the small girl was able to those the sword to her friend who stabbed the basilisk through the roof of its mouth and it's nose.

The serpent let out a agonising screech of pain as it tumbled down to the ground, laying lifelessly in the water. (Y/n) let out a sigh, still terrified as to what just happened. She turned to her raven haired friend who was clutching his arm wincing. She gasped as she ran over to him, gently holding his arm to see where the Basalisk's fangs had penetrated the skin. It look disgustingly infected with his veins turning a slight green colour. Harry pulled his arm away and nodded his head in Ginny's direction, prompting her to grab his hand as they slid back down to the floor. Harry limped over to Ginny, in one hand was the sword of Gryffindor, in the other was a bloodied basilisk fang. Tom lifted his arm with (Y/n)'s wand in hand, pointing it at the ginger girl on the floor to which the girl screamed "Don't touch her!" And with that, she ran full pelt at the taller boy grabbing the arm in whic he held her wand.

Obviously, the boy was much stronger than the second year Gryffindor, easily getting out of her grasp and seizing her honey blonde locks once again, pulling back hard. She winced as her wand was pointed in her neck while Harry fell to his knees next to Ginny. "While the Basalisk may be dead, it's venom still flows through your veins, the minute it penetrates the skin, you will be dead in mere minutes. And to think, such power and bloodlust in the hands of one helpless girl" he sneered. Harry was unphased by this and slowly took the diary from the ginger's cold hand and opened it. "What are you doing?" Tom asked confused.

With the hand that held the Basalisk fang, he raised it in the air, "No! Stop!" Tom yelled, pushing (Y/n) to the floor harshly, but it was too late. Harry slammed his arm back down, stabbing the page violently, causing black ink to ooze out. As he did, Tom's body burst into cracks of light that seeped out, he held onto his stomach in shock and pain as he slowly started disintegrating. Harry turned to another page and stabbed that too before turning to the cover and plunged the fang into the leather, Tom Riddle was no more. Harry breathed heavily as he looked down at Ginny to see the colour returning to her face, replacing the once pale and clammy skin with a soft peach colour.

She sat up and stared at the Basalisk in horror before turning to Harry and his severe wound. "Are you alright?" She asked quietly with concern. Harry's breaths were quick and shallow, the venom was taking its toll on him. Just then, a screech was heard from up above and a flap of large wings. The Headmaster's phoenix had come to their aid as it landed next to (Y/n) who had since struggled to sit up, her cheek bloody from the contact with the cold floor and her arm cut from the broken statue in the wall. She crawled over to Harry and Ginny with Fawkes walking beside her. She stopped in front of Harry and smiled over at Ginny with relief that she was ok.

She gently grabbed Harry's infected arm and brought it towards the large bird, smiling knowingly. "What are you doing?" Ginny inquired. "Fawkes is a Phoenix, their tears contain great healing powers, like Tom said, the Basalisk's venom is fatal, but the tears of a phoenix can cure it." Just as she said this, teardrops fell from his beak and onto Harry's arm, seeping into the cut. As if by magic, the green veins slowly started to disappear and the wound started to close up. (Y/n) brought her hand up and gently stroked the magnificent bird's feathers to which it cooed with delight. Ginny crawled over to (Y/n) and hugged her tightly, whispering apologies into her ear.

Harry stood and walked over to where Tom once stood and picked up his wand and handed (Y/n) her's to which she thanked. The trio made their way back through the chamber pipes and back to where Ron and Lockhart were left, the sounds of their Ginger friend and brother from the other side made Ginny and (Y/n) grin. Once through the wall, Fawkes extended his wings and let all of the sit on his back, "Phoenixes are incredibly strong so this won't hurt him" the small girl reassured them all. Once airborne, (Y/n) heard Lockhart shout "Incredible! This is just like magic!" Once at the top, Ron hugged Ginny and (Y/n) tightly, grateful to see them safe at last.

Ron later explained that the dim professor's spell had backfired when he stole Ron's wand to use the memory wipe charm which resulted in the spell wiping Lockhart's memory instead. "I'm very glad to see you all safe and sound, I trust that Fawkes was beneficial help to you all." Came a voice from around the corner that belonged to Professor Dumbledore. "I think it is time for you all to step into my office, that is once Harry and (Y/n) are taken to the Hospital wing." He smiled genuinely as he ushered the students out of the bathroom to where Madam Pomfrey was waiting outside the door.