Harry Potter - {1} Memories

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A crimson bird the size of a swan had appeared, piping it's weird music into the vaulted ceiling. It had a glittering golden tail as long as a peacocks and gleaming gold and talons, which were gripping a ragged bundle.

A second later, the bird was flying straight at harry. It dropped the ragged thing it was carrying at his feet, then landed heavily on his shoulder. As it folded it's great wings, Harry looked up and I saw it had a long, sharp golden beak and a beady black eye. The bird stopped singing. It sat still and warm next to Harry's cheek, gazing steadily at riddle.

"That's a phoenix..." Said Riddle.

"Fawkes?" Asked Harry.

"You know him?" I asked.

"He's dumbledore's." Said Harry.

"And that..... That's the old School sorting hat." Said Riddle.

So it was. Patched, frayed, and dirty, the hat lay motionless at Harry's feet. I bent down to take a closer look. Riddle began to laugh again. He laughed so hard that the dark chamber ring with it, as though ten Riddles were laughing at once.

"This is what Dumbledore sends his defender! A songbird and an old hat! Do you feel brave, Harry potter? Do you feel safe now?" Asked Riddle.

Not in the slightest. I knew that Phoenix's had healing tears which might come in handy. But if we stare right at the basilisk I don't think healing tears will help. As for the hat no idea how that was going to help us. Once again Dumbledore has failed to help us. Or at least failed to give us some instructions. We stood listening to Riddle laugh waiting for him to be done.

"Are you quite finished?" I asked.

"To business, harry. Twice.. in your past, in my future... we have met. And twice I failed to kill you. How did you survive? Tell me everything the longer you talk, the longer you stay alive." Said Riddle.

"That's all you had to say. I can talk all day. Talk your ear off if that's what you want." I said.

"Your brave, little Hufflepuff. There are no plants to help you down here. You may have a wand but you probably don't know any spells." Said Riddle.

"I know a lot actually. Maybe not more then you....yet." I said.

"Ha! Cocky, I like it. You remind me of someone. Someone very dear to me." Said Riddle.

He got lost in thought. For a moment he looked sad.... Normal.

"I thought you couldn't love with that cold heart of yours." I said.

"She's firey and smart just like you. I wouldn't be surprised if your related." Said Riddle.

Harry stood there watching this interaction.

"No one knows why you lost your powers when you attacked me. I don't know myself. But I know why you couldn't kill me. Because my mother died to save me. Died to save the both of us. My common muggle-born mother, she stopped you from killing me. And I've seen the real you, I saw you last year. Your a wreck. You're barely alive. That's where all your power got you. You're in hiding. You're ugly, your foul..." Said Harry.

I could see all the suppressed rage bubbling up inside of him. Riddles face contorted. Then he forced it into an awful smile.

"So. Your mother died to save you. Yes, that's a powerful counter charm. I can see now... There's nothing special about you, after all. I wondered, you see. There are strange likenesses between us, after all. Even you must have noticed. Both half-bloods, orphans, raised by muggles. Probably the only three Parselmouths to come to Hogwarts since the great Slytherin himself. We even look something alike.... But after all, it was merely a lucky chance that saved you from me. That's all I wanted to know." Said Riddle.

We stood, tense, waiting. Something alike he said. It's kinda true. We did look like him. At least Harry did.

"Now, harry, I'm going to teach you a little lesson. Let's match the powers of Lord voldemort, heir of Salazar slytherin, against famous Harry potter, and the best weapons Dumbledore can give him." Said Riddle.

He cast an amused eye over Fawkes and the sorting hat, then walked away. I turned following him with my wand. I didn't know what I would do but I knew I had to do something. Riddle opened his mouth wide and hissed.... But I understood what he was saying.

"Speak to me, slytherin, greatest of the Hogwarts four." Said Riddle.

I looked up at the Statue. Slytherin's gigantic Stone face was moving. Horror struck, I saw his mouth opening, wider and wider, to make a huge black hole. And something was stirring inside the statue's mouth. Something was slithering up from its depths.

Harry backed away until he hit the dark chamber wall behind me. He shut his eyes tight and Fawkes flew off. Circling overhead watching. I backed up also closing my eyes, listening.

Something huge hit the stone floor of the chamber. I felt it shudder.... I knew what was happening, the giant serpent uncoiling itself from slytherin's mouth. Then I heard riddles voice.

"Kill him." Said Riddle.

I opened my eyes and raised my wand. At Riddle not the snake. He seemed amused at my actions. The basilisk was moving around me and towards Harry. Harry took off running blindly, his hands out stretched, feeling his way. Riddle was laughing. Harry tripped. He fell hard onto the stone. I turned watching the serpent get closer and closer to him.

The Phoenix came weaving through the pillars. Distracting the basilisk. I turned back to Riddle.

"You have nowhere to go." I said.

"I know all about you Hallie. Ginny spoke about you. Shy, soft, sweet, smart and most of all a Hufflepuff. You don't have the power to even touch me. Both of you will be dead." Said Riddle.

"You're wrong. Because you can't feel it. I wonder if you have any more lasting power of your own. I can feel it, it courses through my veins. The power that I have. I don't know how to control it sometimes. But I know it can defeat you. In this form or another." I said.

"Sit down girl. Maybe if you're lucky, you won't remember this tomorrow." Said Riddle.

"I've got my memories back. Something you didn't know, I guess. I remember every single detail of my life. It was painful, and long. I remember the night you killed my mother." I said.

Then Fawkes dived. I saw his shadow. His long golden beak sank out of sight and a sudden shower of dark blood splattered the floor. The snake's tail thrashed, narrowly missing harry, and before Harry could shut his eyes it turned. Harry looks straight into his face and saw his eyes, thankfully both it's great yellow eyes had been punctured by the phoenix. Blood was streaming to the floor and stink was spitting an agony.

"No! Leave the bird! Leave the bird! The boy is behind you! You can still smell him! Kill him!" Yelled Riddle.

"Leave my brother be. Your fight is with me now." I said.

I heard the clink of a sword behind me. I turned briefly to see Harry holding a glimmering silver sword that appeared inside the hat. It's handle glittering with rubies.

"Wait leave the bird! The boy is behind you! Sniff... Smell him!" Yelled Riddle.

I turned and through a curse in his direction. It hit him and he stumbled backwards.

"I said leave him be. Your fight is with me." I said.