Caro transformed back into her human form and shouted down that there was a room…and suddenly there was a shriek…
A tiny sparrow zoomed out of the mouth followed by a large black cloud…
Harry was pushed behind Sirius and Remus with Hermione and Ron; the two men took up a defensive position – wands out as the sparrow fled the black mist…
Harry could see that the others were scattering, hiding behind pillars and raising their wands…
Bill yelled something at Bertie that Harry couldn't hear over an ominous rumble coming from the statue…but the two of them raised their wands and began casting something white in the direction of the black cloud…
The cloud took shape into a snake and abandoned its chase of the sparrow; it dived for the two wizard threatening it…
Harry's heart pounded fast in chest.
Dumbledore moved, his wand weaving sharply in the air as he cast the same spell to the rear of the cloud…
But it wasn't going to be enough…
"Stop!" Harry's voice hissed out.
And the black cloudy snake disappeared just before it hit Bill and Bertie, leaving an eerie silence in its wake.
Harry could hear Hermione's ragged breathing and he took her hand as he turned to check she was alright. She nodded at his questioning look and they both turned to Ron who gave a shaky nod and clapped Harry's shoulder.
"Well done, mate!" Ron said. "What was that thing?"
"A guardian spirit." Remus explained. "Obviously deactivated by parseltongue."
"Yes, obviously." Sirius said, rolling his eyes, but he grinned at Harry. "Good thinking, Harry."
Harry decided he wasn't going to tell anyone that it had been pure instinct.
"Yes, well done, my boy!" Dumbledore beamed at him. "I haven't had this much fun in years!"
Minerva shot him a 'I can't believe you said that' look.
Caro transformed back. She barely looked out of breath or startled. "I triggered the spirit when I couldn't respond to a snake ornament up there but I think that was the only thing there." She looked at Bertie. "Try again?"
Bertie nodded.
Everyone moved back to their defensive positions as Caro flew back up in her sparrow form once more. There was a brief silence and then she called out it was all clear. Harry watched as ladders were pulled out of Bill's satchel and ropes to tie them securely in place. They were floated up to Caro to anchor and Bill headed up first, followed immediately by Bertie and Dumbledore.
"Are we…are we going up?" Hermione stared at the ladders with foreboding.
Harry remembered that she hated heights and squeezed her hand gently. "I don't think so. I don't think we're needed anymore."
"What about if they need you for another one of those spirit things?" Ron asked bluntly.
Harry shook his head. "I think that was it."
Sirius cleared his throat. "I think Harry's right. We should head upstairs. If they need you for parseltongue again we can come back."
Minerva nodded sharply. "I'll send a patronus if we need you." She smiled warmly at Harry. "You did very well, Harry."
"Thanks." Harry was relieved as they set back off, leaving the basilisk and the Chamber behind. Sirius sent a ball of light through the tunnel to lead the way and Hermione chattered on about the spell that he had used; Ron rolled his eyes at her in exasperated fondness.
The climb back up was arduous and they were all breathing heavily by the time they got to the bathroom.
"You're back!" Myrtle warbled in greeting.
Harry didn't immediately have the breath to reply; he waved at her.
"The redheaded girl was carried out this time." Myrtle informed him. "Her mother was not pleased! My mother wouldn't have been pleased either."
"We'd best go see Ginny." Harry said to Ron and Hermione.
"You're leaving me already?!" Myrtle complained.
"We'll come back and see you when school starts," Harry said, "I promise."
"Me too, Myrtle." Hermione said.
Myrtle gave a huff and jumped in a toilet, water splashing on the floor.
Sirius laughed. "Somehow I think she wanted Harry to herself, Hermione."
Harry shot him a look as Ron and Hermione joined Sirius in chuckling.
Remus steered them towards the door. "Let's get to the infirmary."
They trooped through the school with Remus and Sirius telling stories of events in various corridors. Harry and Ron listened eagerly, sniggering as Hermione's expression morphed from one of interest to horror at the rule-breaking.
"You can't encourage Harry and Ron to do that!" She exclaimed as another tale ended (with a boy called Mulciber dressed in a fetching purple thong dancing down the corridor they were walking through). "Do you know how many school rules you broke?"
"Five, six if you consider Mulciber was out of school uniform and it was essentially our fault." Remus answered absently.
Sirius stared at his friend for a moment and burst out laughing. "Only you, Moony."
"And we can't really say anything, Hermione," Harry pointed out, amusement colouring his tone, "how many rules did we break rescuing Buckbeak and Sirius?"
"Or saving Ginny in the Chamber?" Ron agreed.
"That was different!" Hermione protested. Her chin went up and her lips took on a stubborn set that Harry knew all too well. "Besides, when we saved Sirius we had the Headmaster's permission so technically we didn't break any rules, and you did have Lockhart with you when you went after Ginny so…"
Sirius and Remus broke out laughing again. Hermione looked at them askance and Harry just shook his head at her when she turned to him for support.
They all sobered up though as the doors of the infirmary came into sight. Harry felt his gut twist. He seemed to spend an inordinate amount of time in the infirmary and he had never liked the place. He followed Remus inside and immediately spotted Molly sat by a bed in the corner; Ginny was tucked up and looked fast asleep.
Molly waved them over. "She was hysterical when she came to – she wanted to go back. Poppy gave her a sleeping potion. Poppy said she was suffering from shock. I've left a message with Arthur's secretary. Hopefully, he'll be able to get here once his meeting is finished." She stroked Ginny's cheek gently. "She was so determined to come. We thought we were doing the right thing."
"You couldn't have known how she would react for certain, Molly." Remus said soothingly. "Nobody really does know how they'll face the site of a traumatic event until they're there."
"I freaked out too." Harry confessed, hoping to make Molly feel a bit better about allowing Ginny to go along.
"Me too." Ron admitted, shifting closer to his Mum.
"And me three." Sirius said gently. "And I only saw Harry's memory of what happened."
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