Reading the books- Marauders era

The Heir Of Slytherin

A/N: First of all, apologies for the late update. I had been on a writing slump for most of the time, so, yeah. Sorry.

This chapter has some cringey scenes in the middle, so, you can take it as a warning.

Most of all, thank you for being patient and understanding with me. I will try to complete and update the next chapter within December and start the next year with the Prisoner of Azkaban.

Enjoy reading!
                                           **********
"The Heir Of Slytherin."

He was standing at the end of a very long, dimly lit chamber. Towering stone pillars entwined with more carved serpents rose to support a ceiling lost in darkness, casting long, black shadows through the odd, greenish gloom that filled the place.

His heart beating very fast, Harry stood listening to the chill silence. Could the basilisk be lurking in a shadowy corner, behind a pillar? And where was Ginny?

He pulled out his wand and moved forward between the serpentine columns. Every careful footstep echoed loudly off the shadowy walls. He kept his eyes narrowed, ready to clamp them shut at the smallest sign of movement. The hollow eye sockets of the stone snakes seemed to be following him. More than once, with a jolt of the stomach, he thought he saw one stir.

"Creepy..." Ted whispered.

Then, as he drew level with the last pair of pillars, a statue high as the Chamber itself loomed into view, standing against the back wall.

Harry had to crane his neck to look up into the giant face above: It was ancient and monkeyish, with a long, thin beard that fell almost to the bottom of the wizard's sweeping stone robes, where two enormous gray feet stood on the smooth Chamber floor. And between the feet, facedown, lay two familiar figures: Hermione and Ginny.

Remus smirked smugly.

"Hermione isn't fighting the basilisk." Lily pointed out, smirking too.

"It doesn't matter," Remus told her. "Harry found her in the chamber, that means half of my prediction was right. "

"It also means that you have to distribute half of the stack of your chocolates among all of us." James chimed in.

"Hermione! Ginny!" Harry muttered, sprinting to Hermione and dropping to his knees. "What - how -"

To his immense relief, Hermione stirred and groaned.

"Shut up, Harry." She mumbled in a sleepy voice. "Let me sleep just a while longer."

"Colour me surprised," Tristan gasped. "She couldn't be serious."

Sirius rolled his eyes. Of course Hermione wouldn't be serious. Was that a joke? That's for you to find out.

"W- what?" Harry sputtered, gaping at Hermione. "Sleep? Now? We can die any moment - Ginny - Ginny!" Harry cried, moving over to her. "Don't be dead - please don't be dead -" He flung his wand aside, grabbed Ginny's shoulders, and turned her over. Her face was white as marble, and as cold, yet her eyes were closed, so she wasn't Petrified. But then she must be -

"Ginny, please wake up," Harry muttered desperately, shaking her. Ginny's head lolled hopelessly from side to side.

Harry desperately went back to Hermione. If anyone could save Ginny, Hermione would. She would know what had happened to Ginny and would treat her. Yes.

"Let her sleep, boy." Regulus said. "The girl is exhausted from researching too much; let her rest for a while."

"Hermione," He shook his sister. He saw her brows furrow in concentration. "Wake up, please. Ginny -- Ginny isn't waking up. Help me, please."