Into the Chamber
Irwin attempted to go visit Anne the next day in the Hospital Wing with Anthony.
“I’m sorry boys,” said Madam Pomfrey, “I cannot allow any visitors.”
“It’s ok Irwin, she’ll be fine!” Anthony reassured him.
The Ravenclaws spent the whole Easter holidays studying, they were trying to distract themselves from how much they missed Anne.
In early June about a week before the start of exams Irwin sat down next to Harry and Ron during breakfast, he noticed that they looked as if they hadn’t slept properly.
“Hi guys!”
“Hey,” said Harry, “we went to visit Aragog last night!”
“I told you months ago it couldn’t be him, he cant petrify people.”
“Yeah I know, all we know if that Aragog was scared of whatever it was.”
“Also,” added Ron, “we think that the monster might have killed Myrtle.”
“Really?” asked Irwin interested.
“Wait a second….” Irwin thought for a moment his brain whirring. “You guys remember months ago when we were researching creatures?”
“Of course!” said Harry and Ron.
“Well we cut it down to about five monsters, the ones who could petrify at sight, Irwin was trying to keep his voice down and stay calm, it was all making sense! “Hermione and Anne ran off to the library when you heard a voice Harry and then they were petrified. Harry can speak parseltongue maybe the reason you could hear is that it’s a snake?”
Harry and Ron nodded eagerly encouraging Irwin to go on.
“Spiders flee before it…” Irwin muttered. “It’s a basilisk!”
“Are you sure?” asked Harry.
“I know my creatures. It can petrify, you would be able to hear it Harry and spiders are scared of it.”
“Ok,” said Ron uncertainly, “so what do we do now?”
“We meet in Myrtle's bathroom tonight!” announced Harry, “we’ll come to get you from your Common Room at eight o’clock tonight,” he said looking at Irwin
“You’re right, she might know something!” agreed Irwin.
‘You don’t think….” Started Ron.
“That she knows where the chamber opens? Yeah!” answered Harry.
They all went rushing off to class. Professor Flitwick told them that exams would start in a week and that the petrified students should be coming back soon because the mandrakes were ready.
It was all going well until lunchtime when they were all sent back to their Common Rooms, the monster had taken a student down to the chamber.
Irwin sat in the Common Room wondering what to do, he knew that him Harry and Ron were going to talk to Myrtle that night but Ginny might be dead by then.
There was nothing to do, they were going to have to go into the chamber, but how to deal with a Basilisk?
Irwin spent several hours researching methods, using Anne’s favorite saying, ‘when in doubt check a book’
“Where are you going Irwin?” asked Julian when he was halfway out the door at eight o’clock.
“To go find Professor Flitwick,” Irwin lied.
“Ok then.”
He went out the Common Room and looked around.
“Over here!” whispered Harry under the cloak.
“Come on then, let's go!” said Harry as Irwin slipped under the cloak joining Harry and Ron.
They walked carefully along the hallways until they reached Myrtle's bathroom and they removed the cloak.
“Hiya Myrtle!” called Harry when they entered the bathroom.
“Hello Harry,” she grumbled.
“I wondered if we could ask you about when you died?”
Myrtle looked ecstatic. “I was crying in the bathroom when I heard a voice, it was a man’s voice, and this was a girls bathroom” she began eagerly.
“I opened the door to tell him to ‘go away!’ when I say a pair of large yellow eyes from over by that sink,” she said pointing towards the sinks, “and then I died” she finished simply.
“Thanks, Myrtle that’s great!” said Harry as they went over to investigate the sinks.
“It’s this one,” said Irwin pointing towards a sink with a tiny snake engraved on it.
Harry made a strange hissing noise and the chamber opened.
“Recte,” muttered Irwin, “who’s going first?”
“I’ll go,” said Harry as he pulled himself up onto the sink. Harry slid down the tunnel and disappeared from sight.
“It's alright!” he called loudly, “you two can come down now!”
Ron went next which only left Irwin.
“Myrtle,” he said looking at the ghost, “if we don’t come back in two hours, go tell the teachers where we’ve gone and tell them it’s a Basilisk.”
Myrtle nodded enthusiastically.
“Recte, here goes,” said Irwin jumping into the tunnel.
It was like a long slippery slide that took him underneath the school.
“You alright?” asked Harry helping Irwin off the floor.
“Yeah,” Irwin muttered brushing off the worst of the slime from his robes.
The floor was covered in what looked like millions of dead rat skeletons.
“Come on then,” said Harry gesturing down the dark passage which was lit with torches.
Harry, Ron, and Irwin worked their way down the corridor. At one point they passed a huge snakeskin at least fifty feet long.
“If that’s its skin,” mumbled Ron, “how big is the snake?”
They eventually reached the end of the passage where there was a large wall were there was two huge snakes engraved.
“Go on Harry,” Ron whispered nervously, “give it a go.”
Harry made another strange hissing noise and the wall slid aside and they were looking into a huge chamber.
“Wands out!” whispered Harry.
The three boys took out their wands and started into the huge chamber. The chamber was full of water and there were large pillars at least three stories high.
Where was Ginny? Was she even still alive?
Irwin then noticed a huge larger than life statue of Salazar Slytherin at the feet of which was a young girl in black robes and streaming red hair.
“Ginny!” screamed Ron running over to his little sister quickly followed by Harry and Irwin.
“Wake up Gin, please!” said Ron desperately trying to shake his little sister.
“She won’t wake,” said a soft voice that Irwin vaguely recognized.
There was a handsome young man who was about sixteen standing near them. He was looking slightly blurred but Irwin couldn’t mistake him anywhere.
“Tom?” asked Irwin
“Hello Irwin, I was wondering when you’d show up,” he chuckled lightly. “And who are your young friends.”
“She's not dead is she?” asked Ron his voice shaking.
“No she's not dead,” said Riddle, “yet.”
Irwin took a closer look at Riddle, he should be in his mid-sixties but then again here he was not looking a day older than sixteen.
“You're not a ghost, ghosts are more transparent,” said Irwin uncertainly.
“Very well-reasoned Scamander! I am not a ghost, I am a memory preserved in a diary for fifty years.”
“Look,” said Harry urgently trying to lift Ginny, “I don’t know who this bloke is but we’ve got to get Ginny out of here there’s a bloody Basilisk.”
Irwin, Harry and Ron started to head for the door with Ginny when they noticed that Tom had Ginny’s wand.
“Come on Tom,” said Irwin nervously. “We’ve to get away from the Basilisk!”
“It wont come until its called.”
“What?” murmured Ron.
Riddle was now blocking the doorway holding Ginny’s wand.
“So,” Riddle smirked, “you’re Harry Potter? I have waited a long time for this!”
“How do you know who I am?”
“Ginny told me about you, she never stops going on about you” Riddle smirked again.
“We need to get out of here,” muttered Irwin trying to push his way past Tom.
“Why?” asked Tom simply.
There was definitely something funny going on here, what the hell was going on?
“What’s going on, how did my sister get like this?” asked Ron.
“I suppose its because Ginny Weasley opened her heart and spilled all her secrets to the only person who would listen”
“What?”
“The diary!” said Riddle and Irwin simultaneously.
“Well done Scamander! Yes, she told all her deepest darkest secrets to her diary, about her brothers teasing her, not having any friends over than one who seemed, in my opinion, to be completely batty.”
Irwin scowled at Tom’s opinion of Luna.
“Her favorite topic of conversation was a certain Harry Potter, good kind brave, she really loves you you know” Riddle smirked again.
“It's very annoying to have to talk to an eleven-year-old girl, but I was patient and I listened to her troubles. I have always been quite a charming person and have always been good at getting what I want. I got exactly what I wanted from Ginny” said Riddle looking over at the limp form of the girl in Ron’s arms “her soul! I grew powerful, more powerful than little Miss Ginny Weasley, eventually, I was powerful enough to start giving her back some of my soul.”
“What are you talking about?” asked Harry who was by this point deeply confused.
“Isn’t it obvious?” Riddle laughed. “It was Ginny the whole time, Ginny opened the Chamber of Secrets, she wrote the messages on the wall, she petrified the mudbloods and that squibs cat!”
Tom continued talking, it seemed as if he had been wanting to get all this off of his chest for a very long time.
“After a very long time she stopped trusting me and she tried to get of the diary, only to be found by you,” he looked over at Irwin.
“But it was your friend I was more interested in, more particularly your friend's twin brother!”
“Why are you so obsessed with Harry?” asked Irwin
Riddle seemed to ignore this question however, “I can't believe that idiot Dumbledore is still headmaster!”
“I bet he saw right through you” muttered Harry.
“Yes, yes he did. It wasn’t safe to finish my mission then with Dumbledore watching me so I left a memory preserved in my diary.”
“Well its too late, no one died and the Mandrakes draught is nearly finished!” said Harry with triumph.
“Ah but Harry, I don’t care about killing mudbloods anymore, my aim for the last few months has been killing you!”
Harry Ron and Irwin stared at him in shock.
“Ginny had told me about you speaking parseltongue and I knew you’d do anything to save a friend so I had Ginny write a message on the wall and come down here to die. I've been waiting for you to show up ever since.”
“I knew you’d come, Harry Potter, I have so many questions for you!” he said his eyes wide in excitement.”
“What do you mean?” asked Irwin nervously.
“How is that you destroyed the most extraordinary wizard the world has ever known as an infant? How did you escape with nothing but that tiny scar when Lord Voldemort lost all his powers?”
“What are you talking about?” asked Harry flabbergasted, “Voldemort was after your time!”
“Ah yes, but that’s where your wrong Harry,” Riddle continued “for you see Voldemort is my past, present, and future”
Tom pulled out Ginny’s wand and letters appeared
TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE
Riddle waved his wand and the letters rearranged themselves.
I AM LORD VOLDEMORT
“I started using my new name at school, I couldn’t use my filthy muggle father's name when I became the greatest sorcerer in the world!”
“You’re not” muttered Harry with a voice full of hatred.
“Not what?” laughed Riddle softly.
“You’re not the greatest sorcerer in the world. Albus Dumbledore is the greatest sorcerer in the world!” Harry shouted. “Even when you were powerful even you were scared of him, that’s why you never tried to take over the school!”
Riddle's smile had been replaced by a scowl.
“Dumbledore’s been driven out of this school by the mere memory of me!”
“No, he hasn’t!”
Harry and Tom stopped their argument however as loud music filled the chamber.
The bright red bird with the beautiful golden tail came soaring into the room and dropped a patched brown object by Irwin’s feet before settling onto Harry’s shoulder.
“Is this what your headmaster has to send his defenders?” cackled Riddle, “a songbird and an old hat!”
“But to business why did you survive?”
“I don’t know,” said Harry abruptly.
Riddle scowled at him.
“What I do know though is that I live because my muggle-born mother died to protect me.”
“So there is nothing special about you” muttered Riddle with some relief. “Have you noticed how similar we are Harry? Half-bloods, orphans, parslemouths, we even look somewhat alike!”
Irwin and Ron had been getting completely ignored until the point when he finally finished.
“And now, it is time to test the great Harry Potter and his friends against the great Salazar Slytherin!”
Riddle started making strange hissing noises. Irwin knew what was coming, and so did Harry!
“Expeliarmus!” yelled Harry, Ginny’s wand came flying out of Riddles hand.
A great giant snake came slithering out of Salazar Slytherin's mouth, it was at least fifty feet long.
Irwin shut his eyes and pointed his wand in the direction of the snake. “Obscurus!” yelled Irwin.
Irwin opened his eyes and saw that the spell had worked, the Basilisk was now blindfolded and could no longer see.
“Well done Irwin!” called Harry.
As Harry spoke the snake bit through Harry's arm leaving a great fang in his arm.
“Ahhhh” Harry screamed out in pain.
Irwin realized the hat must be here for some reason so he brought the hat over to where Harry was laying. Harry pulled something large and silvery out of the hat, Ron was too busy looking after Ginny.
“Take it” Harry struggled as he passed the sword to Irwin, “get the snake!”
“Recte” Irwin murmured charging at the Basilisk plunging the sword deep into him.
Riddle looked as though he was about to scream. “No matter,” said Riddle composing himself, “Harry Potter is dying whilst I am more alive by the minute” gloated Riddle.
“Look” he chuckled as Fawkes cried into Harry's arm, “even Dumbledore’s bird is mourning for you.”
Harry's arm magically healed however, he pulled the Basilisk fang out of his arm and stabbed the diary that was lying on the floor next to him.
“Nooooo!!!” screamed Riddle in agony.
The diary was almost as if it was bleeding but instead of blood, it was bleeding jet black ink.
Then all of a sudden Riddle was gone and Ginny was awake.
“Ron?” she called weakly.
“Hi Gin!” he laughed with relief.
“The Chamber of Secrets, Riddle, the Muggleborns” cried Ginny hysterically, “they’ll probably expel me!”
“You’ll be fine Ginny,” reassured Harry helping Ron with Ginny.
Irwin followed still carrying the sword with the shining rubies and picking up the sorting hat.
They all flew back up the tunnel holding on tightly to Fawkes, the wind whipping through Irwin's red hair. They soon arrived in Myrtle's bathroom.
“Oh you’re alive,” said Myrtle.
“You seem disappointed,” laughed Irwin.
“Yes well, not everyone’s nice to me, I was going to ask you to share my toilet!”
“Um ok…..” muttered Ron trying not to laugh as they left the bathroom supporting Ginny.
They all followed Fawkes up to Dumbledore’s office where Irwin knocked firmly.
“Enter!” called Dumbledore.
There was silence for a moment as the group covered in blood water and slime stood in the doorway.
“Ginny!!” screamed Mrs. Weasley rushing to hug her daughter followed by her husband.
“You saved her! You saved her but how?” said Mrs. Weasley hugging Harry and Ron.
So Harry, Ron, and Irwin slowly explained about the Basilisk and the Diary and Riddle and Fawkes arriving at the last moment to rescue them.
“What I would like to know is how Lord Voldemort could possess Ginny when I believe he is Albania,” asked Dumbledore.
“You Know Who? My Ginny possessed? What are you talking about?” stammered Mr. Weasley holding his only daughter close.
“The diary” stammered Ginny, “he was in the diary”
“How ingenious” muttered Dumbledore, “most people don’t know that Voldemort used to be Tom Riddle.”
“Ginny! I’ve told you a hundred times! Never trust something if you can’t see where it keeps its brain!” shouted Mr. Weasley.
“I’m sorry Daddy” cried Ginny, “I didn’t know, it was with my schoolbooks!”
“I think Miss Weasley should be taken to the hospital wing, no punishment, this is not her fault,” said Dumbledore smiling kindly, “bed rest and hot chocolate I think.”
“Madam Pomfrey should still be awake” he added, “she is giving out the Mandrake potion as we speak.”
“Hermione!” called Harry.
“Anne!” whispered Irwin.
“Your friends will be fine, don’t worry boys!”
Mrs. Weasley Ginny and a flabbergasted Mr. Weasley headed off to the Hospital Wing
“Minerva, why don’t you and the house elves organize a celebratory feast?”
“I'll leave you to deal with these three then,” she said leaving the office.
Here we go, Irwin knew they should have gone to a teacher in the first place and now they were probably going to get expelled or something.
“I am going to award you all Special Awards for Services to the School, and two hundred points apiece for your respective houses.”
The boys looked at each other in shock two hundred points each!
“Mr. Weasley, if you wouldn’t mind writing to Azkaban, I think we would quite like our gamekeeper back.”
Ron nodded and left the room.
“Mr. Scamander, you were very brave tonight, it took a Gryffindor to pull that sword out of the hat, but it was a Ravenclaw who had the bravery and determination to kill the Basilisk.”
Irwin took a closer look at the sword he had placed on the desk and saw it had Godric Gryffindor engraved on it.
“Bravery is very important, never forget that Irwin, now why don’t you go get cleaned up for the feast, your other friends will want to know what happened from a first-hand account and I need to have a few more words with Harry”
“Of course sir,” said Irwin leaving the room.