Harry Potter - {1} Memories

65

"Ron! Ginny's okay! I've got her!" Yelled Harry.

I heard Ron make the strangled cheer, and we turned the next bend to see his eager face staring through the sizable Gap he had managed to make in the rock fall. He thrusted his arm through the gap in the to pull her through first.

"Ginny!" Yelled Ron.

She went forward and started to get through the hole. Harry took the sword back from her.

"You're alive! I don't believe it! What happened? How.... what.... where did that bird come from?" Asked Ron.

Fawkes had flew in after Ginny. Harry helped me through, then he squeezed in after me.

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

"How come you've got a sword?" Asked Ron.

Harry lifted the sword in his hand.

"I'll explain when we get out of here." Said Harry.

Ginny had now began crying harder then ever in my shoulder.

"But..." Said Ron.

"Later." I said.

"Where's Lockhart?" Asked Harry.

"Back there, he's in a bad way. Come and see." Said Ron.

Led by Fawkes, who's wide Scarlet wings admitted a soft Golden Glow in the darkness, they walked all the way back to the mouth of the pipe. Gilderoy Lockhart was sitting there, humming placidly to himself.

"His memory is gone, the memory charm backfired. Hit him instead of us. Hasn't got a clue who he is, or where he is, or who we are. I told him to come and wait here. He's a danger to himself." Said Ron.

"Great, he's more stupid then before." I said.

I leaned against the wall. My vision getting blurry.

"Hallie, we need to get you to the hospital wing. You could have a concussion." Said Ginny.

Lockhart peered good-naturally up at them.

"Hello, odd sort of place, this, isn't it? Do you live here?" Asked Lockhart.

"No." Said Ron.

Harry bent down to look up the long, dark pipe.

"Have you thought how we're going to get back up this?" Asked Harry.

But Ron shook his head. I remember reading that phoenixes can hold a lot more than they weigh.

"Fawkes." I said.

Fawkes the Phoenix had swooped past Harry and was now fluttering in front of him, his beady eyes bright in the dark. He was waving his long golden tail feathers. Harry looked uncertainly at him.

"He looks like you want to grab hold..... But you're much too heavy for bird pull up there." Said Ron.

Ron's face was confused and was looking at the bird like it lost its mind.

"Fawkes, isn't an ordinary bird. We've got to hold on to each other. Ginny, grab Ron's hand. Professor Lockhart..." Said Harry.

"He means you." Said Ron to Lockhart.

"Grab Ginny's other hand. Hallie you grab mine and Ron will hold yours. I'll hold onto Fawkes." Said Harry.

I pushed myself off the wall and almost fell into Ron. But he managed to steady me and grabbed my hand. Harry tucked the sword and the sorting hat into his belt. I grabbed hold of the back of Harry's robes, and Harry reached out and took hold of Fawkes strangely hot tail feathers. I could feel them radiating heat from where I was.