John Constantine and The Overgrown Serpent

I Bloody Hate Snakes

Riddle growled.

"Your bird may have blinded the Basilisk-but it can still hear you!"

Harry realized this when he stepped back, the serpent zoning in on his every move before it charged.

"Split up!"
John called as he ducked, quickly running past the snake and back towards the main area, Harry on the other side.

As the snake struggled to turn, Harry decided to become reckless.

"John!"
He called over, gaining his attention.
"I'll lead it away!"

What?!

"Are you out of your mind?! Did you hit on the way down back there?!"

Harry shook his head, brushing past his half-insults as they met back up and continued to run, ignoring Tom's smirking glances.

"You need to help Ginny! Tom said the diary was killing her as it made him stronger!"
They slowed and watched as the snake made its way back towards them.
"You're so much better at magic than I am...league's better. If anyone can figure out how to stop Riddle-it's you. I will draw it away-"
"-Harry-"
"-No John! I have to do this!"
He grew antsy as it grew closer.
"Stay here, and don't make a sound."

"Harry!"

It was too late.

That stupid, reckless, brave ass kid took off without hesitation or a second glance.

Shit.

Hie eyes glanced between the even paler form of Ginny Weasley, Ron's sister, and Harry making his way down the walkway and leading the Basilisk into a pipeline system.

He wanted to do something-
He should've done something!

John looked back to the dying child.

Harry sacrificed himself for a chance for John to save Ginny....and he was given a job to do.

No longer wasting time he rushed back down to Ginny, checking what he could to identify the curse's source-his eyes launching to the diary she held dearly to her chest.

But that's just it, wasn't it?

It all came back to that damn book.

"'John', hm?"
His eye twitched.
"John what, exactly."

Riddle begun to walk around them in slow, analyzing circles, taking his time to examine him fully.

"Dear Ginny had mentioned Potter and his measly friends were commonly seen with a Slytherin boy. One on friendly terms as well...she didn't write down a name, but I assume that he must be you."

"Yeah?"
John snorted, patting down his uniform a bit.
"And what, prey tell, gave that away?"

Riddle scowled again.

"You have quite a tongue on you. Both slick and foul."

"Gee."
He made a point of not giving the other a lot of his attention.
"Thanks."

Carefully taking the diary from Ginny's arm, the dark magic that has been plaguing him for months finally had a cause.

A chill ran up his arms when it made contact.

"This...this is black magic."
He looked at the book closer with an experienced eye.
"One of the darkest kinds..."

He felt it leeching off of the child's life source.