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Corvus	By : LadyFreak Category: Harry Potter AU/AR > General Views: 23963 -:- Recommendations : 3 -:- Currently Reading : 7
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor to I make any money from this story. These characters are JKR's, I just play with them.

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Disclaimer: I don't, and never will, own Harry Potter. All plots and characters belong to J.K. Rowling and company.

::Parseltongue::

:/:Telapathic Parseltongue:/:

/mind-to-mind with Huginn/

'thoughts'

"Normal Speech"

A/N: Thank you to all who are sticking with the story! I know i don't reply so much anymore, but i do read each and every review (the good, the bad and the ugly! lol)

(40) Into the Chamber

Corvus was surprised Potter was actually right. Well, as far as he could tell anyway.

Soon as it was open, he was pulled away and watched as Lockhart was pushed down. Next was Weasley, followed by Corvus, and finally the Boy-Hero himself. Miss Chang was apparently playing lookout.

After landing in a rather sloppy heap, they made their way slowly through the tunnels. The other three cringing at the animal bones crunching under their feet.

Corvus was proud of himself for not drooling at the sight of the shed Basilisk skin he passed. He would definitely have to come back for it.

They were walking in relative peace and quiet when suddenly, the unthinkable happened.

The three students learned where the stories in Lockhart's books really came from.

"Don't worry boys," he told them. "I'll make sure your story is known. I will tell everyone how you three lost your minds at the sight of the poor mangled bodies of the two girls. How I tried to save them and failed, only just escaping with my life."(1)

The man would have succeeded too... if he hadn't been using Weasley's broken wand to try to do the obliviations. Instead the spell backfired and left Lockhart babbling and wondering if the tunnel was their home...

Unfortunately the backlash also caused rocks to fall in the tunnel, separating Corvus from the other two boys.

"Seriously!" He yelled disbelieving as he stared at the pile of rocks. How did he get into this mess!? "You morons kidnap me to open these bloody doors and now I have to go play hero? You better damn well start working on moving these rocks!"

Thought tempted to begin moving the rocks himself and make the boys risk their own lives, Corvus remembered his friend waiting for him. A vision of lifeless brown eyes flashed through his mind and his breath hitched.

No, he had no time.

Having no other choice, he continued forward, stepping up to another door that needed the password. This one was heavy metal with two snakes running along the outer edges. As he hissed, the snakes ran around the edge, meeting to the right side of the door.

With a loud creak, the door opened outward.

()

Corvus ran forward when he saw the two girls laying still on the ground. Morag was simply unconscious, so he cast enervate and helped her get to her feet. He sent her out to the tunnel he had come from, telling her to stay by the pile of rocks. He then moved on to check Weasley. He could not get her to stir for anything.

"She won't wake," came a voice from behind him.

Corvus looked up to see a boy around 16 standing calmly looking at him. The odd thing was, it seemed like the boy wasn't entirely solid. He had a glowing edge to him and was even semi-transparent.

"What do you mean she won't she wake? She's not dead," he replied. He needed to get the boy talking to see what he should do.

"She's still alive, but only just."

Okay, so the other boy wasn't very forthcoming with information. He decided another tactic. "Who are you? Are you a ghost?" he asked, seemingly innocently.

"Not a ghost. I am a memory. Stored in a diary these last 50 years. I am Tom Riddle."

Tom Riddle... why did that name... The other Heir of Slytherin. But wasn't Voldemort known as the Heir?... But the book was an artifact of Voldemort. That means that this is...

He touched the Diary in Ginny's hand and shuddered as he felt the dark magic emanating from the object. This can't be good.

:/:Massster that item is dark. I can feel it flowing. My venom has been known to destroy many things... perhaps... :/:

/I can feel it too. Don't do anything Véurr. I want you safe./

:/:Release me Massster. This I can handle.:/:

Time for us to play dumb hero, he thought to himself. /I will release you soon./

"Tom, you have to help me get her out of here. There's a basilisk-"

"It won't come until called." Véurr hissed in anger at the great Ancient One being called 'It'.

"Well, good. Then come on, we have to go. We have to save her!" he yelled in a panicked voice.

"I'm afraid I can't do that. You see, as poor Ginny grows weaker, I grow stronger," the slowly solidifying form said.

"So she will die, but you will live?"

"Yes, I'm afraid so. However, I think it will be a release for the poor girl. You see, she's been writing to me for months. She poured her soul out to me telling me her deepest fears, her darkest secrets. As Ginny poured her soul into me, I became strong enough in doing the same."

"So she opened the Chamber then?"

"Yes. It was Ginny who put the messages on the walls, who killed the roosters. Ginny who set the Basilisk free to attack the mudbloods."He paused and looked at Corvus appraisingly. "But enough talk. I was expecting to see another down here. The Boy-Who-Lived. It was he who I was looking for. He who I wanted to... speak with."

Noticing the change in Riddle, Corvus decided to stop playing stupid. He snorted at phrase the boy used. He was sure the form didn't want to simply 'speak with' Potter.

"Speak with? Sure. Why would you talk with an idiot like that?"

"I wanted to know how he could have defeated the most powerful wizard ever to live."

Corvus lifted an eyebrow, "Merlin? Well, I hate to break it to you, but Potter did not defeat Merlin."

The figure's eyes flashed red. "Voldemort you foolish child."

"But... Voldemort was after your time," Corvus said, wanting to be sure of his suspicions that Tom Riddle and the Dark Lord were one in the same.

The figure smirked imperiously. "You are wrong. Voldemort is my past- present- and future."

Corvus watched in alarm as the near corporeal form picked up Ginny Weasley's wand and traced his name in the air. 'Tom Marvolo Riddle'. Then he waved the wand and the letters rearranged. 'I am Lord Voldemort.'

"Have to say, I kind of saw that coming," said Corvus, nonchalantly, again breaking out of his 'stupid school boy persona'. "Seriously though, an anagram?"

"My goal was to rid the world of muggles and mudbloods. Surely you didn't think I would keep my filthy muggle father's name? No, I fashioned myself a new name, a name I knew wizards everywhere would one day fear to speak, when I became the greatest sorcerer in the world."

Corvus let out a snort, but tried to hide it with a coughing fit. This boy sure had a large ego in his time.

Apparently pre-Voldemort did not like being laughed at. The boy turned to the statue and chanted, ::Speak to me, Slytherin, greatest of Hogwarts' four!::

A rumbling sound echoed through the chamber. While Riddle was distracted, Corvus released Véurr and she slid over to Weasley and the Diary. He used his foot to open the book before turning his attention back to the bigger - no pun intended - problem.

There was now a large cavern open and Corvus could hear a loud hissing echoing from within. ::Kill... Tear... Hunger... Salazar:: The last word sounded like a plea.

As the loud hissing got closer, Corvus turned away and closed his eyes. He could see the shadow of a large snake on the wall.

::Kill him::

::No!:: Corvus hissed, shocking Riddle. ::Shasa:: he said softly. ::This is not what your Salazar wanted for you!::

::Help... no... Salazar... Kill::

::Kill him I said!:: Voldemort hissed again. Then he screamed. Corvus had a moment to glance at Véurr to see his familiar pumping venom into the book.

::It is not what you want Shasa. What do you want? What do you need?::

::Kill... me... help... me...::

::I am another heir of Slytherin, Great One. I will help you if you wish it.::

::NOO!:: Riddle yelled in anger ::My Mission. My great plan. You won't- AAAGGHHH::

Corvus watched as the phantom of Tom Riddle disappeared. He glanced at his familiar who was releasing the book and collapsing.

An old, tired voice was hissing through the chamber. ::Release me, heir... Please::

Corvus nodded, a tear falling down his cheek. He put his hands to the floor of the chamber and begged the magic of Hogwarts with all he had. Suddenly the words came to him. "Ego sum heres Ravenclaw. Peto auxilio Hogwarts. Ego postule Ravenclaw telum. Adjuva me Hogwarts. Adjuva me!" (I am heir of Ravenclaw. I request the help of Hogwarts. I request the Ravenclaw weapon. Help me Hogwarts. Help me!)

Following instinct he stuck his hand in the air and was shocked to feel a weight fall into it.

The great Basilisk was still struggling for control. It would switch between hissing to kill, begging for help, and asking for Salazar.

Acting on impulse, Corvus called to his familiar and asked her to search the tunnel that Shasa had come out of. While she was gone, he checked on Weasley and cast a light sleeping charm over her.

It only took a couple of minutes for Vé to return. ::You were right Massster:: she hissed.

That was all he needed. Corvus picked up his familiar and ran quickly through the tunnel, following her directions to the portrait he now knew was there.

A portrait of a dark haired man with dark eyes sat looking at him. It tried to speak, but no sound came out. Corvus sent a finite at it. When that didn't work, he did it in parseltongue.

Though the portrait looked relieved, he was still wary. "Who are you? Why are you here?" he asked angrily.

A loud hiss came echoing through the tunnel he had just come from, so he spoke quickly. "I am Corvus Lestrange, once Harry Potter. Heir to Ravenclaw and second heir to Slytherin. Unfairly disowned heir of Gryffindor. I come to ask you, Lord Slytherin about Shasa. He has begged for death. He is ill in the mind. It is the year 1993 currently."

::My Shasa:: he hissed.

Corvus moved out of the way and stood in an alcove. The large snake slid through and stopped before the portrait. ::Salazar?::

::I can speak now, dear Shasa. I am so sorry for leaving you. Is it true? Do you wish for release?::

::I do. Please.::

::You shall rest with me, dear friend, forevermore:: the dark man said with a sad smile, a tear falling down his cheek.

"Heir of Ravenclaw, step forth."

Corvus did so, cautiously, keeping his eyes on the serpent. "Yes, Lord Slytherin?"

"Why did you not just kill him?"

"He asked for death, but was begging for you. I sent my own familiar to find if there was a portrait here. I do not wish to harm him and I believed a last moment with you would benefit him."

"You are strange to be talking so wistfully about a large dangerous serpent, young Ravenclaw."

::I can say I understand how you feel, Lord Slytherin:: Corvus hissed, holding Véurr up so the man could see. He smiled as dark eyebrows rose high into the man's hairline.

::Ah, a secondary heir and a speaker. A beautiful familiar as well.::

::Thank you, Lord Slytherin:: Véurr hissed.

::I wish to fulfill the desires of your familiar, but do not wish to cause pain.:: Corvus said.

::I see you have the bow of Ravenclaw. You need to shoot Shasa through the top of his head with any arrow. It will be quick and hurt for a moment only.::

Corvus looked shocked, forgetting about the weight that had fallen into his hand. He lifted his arm up and gazed at the beautiful weapon before him. The bow was made from a wood that was almost black with veins of bronze spread throughout. At the middle of the bow was a deep blue stone engraved with the crest of Ravenclaw. The arrow case was made of the same wood and the arrows inside as well. The metal tips of the bows seemed to glow with an ethereal light. Some tips were small while others seemed to be as large as his hand. He guessed a large one would be used for his current task.

He nodded at the portrait and they made a plan to fulfill the wishes of an Ancient One.

()

Corvus stepped out of the tunnel and climbed above it. Shasa exited not long after him. He did not look up at the young Ravenclaw, but hissed ::I'm ready::

Before he could lose his courage, Corvus shot the arrow quickly through the serpent's head. He heard a quiet, ::Thank you:: before all was silent again.

Véurr wrapped around him comfortingly as he climbed from his spot. He removed the arrow and returned through the tunnel to the portrait.

Salazar looked sadly at Corvus, ::I thank you, young Ravenclaw, for saving my familiar from suffering:: he stated as he pointed to a coiled serpent resting on table in his portrait.

Corvus nodded stiffly. ::I would hope one would respect my own as much in the future.::

::He is yours now. I do not want one to use or destroy his memory. Please care for him as you would your own. Feel free to return when you wish it.::

Corvus nodded again. He felt a light nudge on his hand from Veurr and realized he still held the killing arrow. He lifted it before his eyes. He knew the basilisk blood has been absorbed by the metal tip. He glanced at Salazar who was studying him closely.

The young Ravenclaw held the arrow lightly in both hands, outstretched before him. He bowed from his waist for a few seconds before straightening up again. Then he placed the arrow above the frame that held Salazar and Shasa. He placed the tip of his wand against the metal frame and cast a welding charm on it, watching as the frame's top edge wrapped around the arrow. When the process was complete, the arrow looked as if it had always been a part of the frame.

With another nod, he left the founder and his familiar in peace and headed out of the Chamber. He ran a hand along the head of the large serpent in farewell before stepping towards the still recovering Weasley girl. She was still under his sleeping spell, so he took it off and lifted her in his arms to leave.

As he walked, he could feel the girl begin to stir and panic. He stopped walking and spoke soothingly to her, "Shh, Miss Weasley. It is Corvus Lestrange who holds you now. I know you don't know me, but you are safe now. Riddle is gone, as is the serpent."

He felt her relax into his arms and continued walking.

Arriving at the stones, he met up with Morag who took the petite Gryffindor in her own arms. Once free of the weight, he returned to move the stones, fuming as he saw no difference from when he left it.

"Did you fools even try to move these stones?" he hissed angrily at the boys on the other side. Not only did They look as if nothing had been shifted, but it was too quiet on the other side of the pile.

"What happened?" came the Weasley boy's voice.

"Answer me!"

"They're heavy," Potter whined.

"You stupid son of a skrewt!" Corvus yelled. "What if Miss Weasley had been gravely injured? Then what? We need to get the hell out of here and you are busy worrying about something being too heavy. Are you wizards or not!?"

A lot of grumbling on the other side, but no movement. Corvus continued moving the stones on his own. Once he realized he was getting close, he helped Morag put the girl down and had his friend stand aside to protect him from spells. It was a good thing too, because soon as he got through, a red spell shot at him.

Morag cast her own and the resulting thump was quite satisfying, even if it wasn't Corvus' doing.

He picked up the Weasley girl again and had Morag walk behind him. He walked through to find Potter laying unconscious on the floor beside an equally unconscious Lockhart. He enervated the professor before doing the same to the young Gryffindor.

When Potter's eyes finally cleared, Corvus hissed at the boy, "Cast a spell again and you chance hitting the girl."

"Give me my sister!" Weasley yelled as he moved to grab his sister.

"No. Don't want you to hurt yourself carrying something so heavy," Corvus sneered at him as he continued walking. He looked at the red head in his arms and smirked, "Not that you are heavy, Miss Weasley, but you are heavier than that rubble." The girl gave a snort in reply, a small spark of amusement briefly overtaking the fear in her eyes.

Once he got to the tunnel they originated from, Corvus reopened the door. He looked at the tunnel, wondering how to get up, when he thought for a moment. Would Salazar be sliding down?

::Stairs:: he hissed, enjoying the reaction he got from the idiot duo.

He allowed Potter, Weasley and Lockhart to go first, followed by himself and Morag.

When they got to the top of the stairs, Weasley and Potter tried going to the Headmaster's office, but Corvus immediately shot that idea down.

"Seriously Weasel. You don't watch your family all year and now instead of getting her medical attention, you want to run to the old man instead."

That changed Weasley's mind and he followed Morag and Corvus to the infirmary, while Potter ran to the Headmaster's office.

(1) Anything in bold in the story text is from the screen version of HP CoS.
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Corvus