Hagrid Lockhart and Harry looked around the crusty bathroom for an hour before Lockhart sighed loudly.
"Oh, dear," He said with a big wave of his arms "guess you were wrong, Harry."
Even Hagrid could tell the man was hiding relief. Hagrid had insisted they bring the dolt of a teacher if Harry refused to allow Dumbledore to join them. Harry had relented after ten minutes of arguing back and forth in the hallway and realized the teachers were getting up from their meal in the room next to them. Now Harry was looking closely at every floor tile in the bathroom insistent that Ginny was still there even if he had no proof. Hagrid stood by the sinks trying to look around the edges of the mirrors when his large fingers brushed over something sticking out of the bottom of a faucet. The insanely large man kneeled down and looked closer at a small carving of a snake etched into the metal.
"Harry?" He asked, unsure of what he was thinking.
"Hm?" Harry asked, crawling on his hands and knees staring intently at the grout of the floor tiles.
"Harry!" Hagrid said louder.
Harry stood up and rushed over to look under the sink where Hagrid was staring.
"What is that?" Lockhart asked from behind them.
"Looks like a snake," Harry whispered.
"Not just any snake," Hagrid replied, anxiety flooding his voice "Tha' is a basilisk,"
Harry narrowed his eyes and reached out to touch the shining creature.
"Potter, you can talk snake right?" Hagrid asked suddenly.
"Yeah," Harry said softly "Do you want me to?"
"Worth a shot," Hagrid said gruffly "Slytherin made the chamber and 'e could talk snake"
Lockhart whimpered behind them before stepping towards the exit.
"Perhaps someone should get Dumbledore," he whispered "Not to worry, I'll go"
"Stop!" Harry said loudly "You're not leaving until you find Ron-'s sister."
Hagrid nodded behind Harry.
"He can go firs'" Hagrid agreed, watching Lockhart intently.
"Syaaaa-siaaathhss" Harry whispered to the snake.
Hagrid felt cold listening to the child speak such a dark and ancient language but kept himself from shivering. He just got Harry back and he wasn't intent on losing him again. A large crack sounded from the floor beneath them and Hagrid jumped back from the sink holding an arm across Harry's chest. Harry watched in shock as the sinks cracked apart, shifting loudly stone against stone, as they separated. Dust crushed off the shifting pedestals and filled the air. Harry stepped forward and looked down a long dark abyss below him.
"Alrigh, Lockhar'" Hagrid said turning "you go-"
Harry turned to see that Lockhart had already turned and fled from the bathroom. He looked up at Hagrid with an open mouth before closing it with a click of the teeth. His jaw set in new responsibility. Hagrid frowned looking over the young boy. He was skinny and small, his skin was too pale and his eyes had shadows under them. Hagrid noted that he was bigger and taller than he was when they first met, but he still knew that this wasn't a mission for a child.
Harry stepped forward onto the metal grate, a step before him was empty air.
"Come on," Harry said, his foot moving forward over the darkness.
Hagrid grabbed Harry's arm and pulled him back off the edge.
"No, Harry." Hagrid said sternly.
"But, Ginny-"
"If she's down there, it's already too late," Hagrid answered, truthfully "She's been missin' for weeks"
Harry swallowed hard and looked up at the half-giant.
"But if I found her," Harry stopped mid-sentence.
"Ron would forgive you, I know,"
"If you know then let me go," Harry yelled, ripping his arm from the man's grip.
"I can't let you do that, Harry."
"Why? Why do you care? No one's cared about me doing this stuff before, why start now?"
"Because you are important! You are a kid!" Hagrid yelled back "You are a little boy and little boy's do not get sent to their death to face monsters alone!"
"You did!" Harry yelled before covering his mouth.
"What?" Hagrid asked.
"Tom Riddle said that when you were my age you went looking for the monster in the chamber of secrets too," Harry said quietly.
"Where did you hear that name?"Hagrid asked.
"Well! It's true isn't it?" Harry shot back.
"Yes, it's true and it was foolish. I never should 'ave done it an' I'm glad I never got as far as this." Hagrid sighed heavily "I though' I could tame it, but there are some beasts you jus' can't help, Harry."
Harry sighed and nodded.
Three hours later Harry watched as Auror's pulled Ginny Weasley from the hole in the floor. She was pale, her hair vibrant around her grey face. She was skinny and frail like she'd been starved to death. Her lips were chapped. Her eyes had dark circles under them. Harry watched as they gently placed her on a stretcher on the floor. He let out a gasp when he saw her chest rise and fall.
"I don't understand," Harry said to no one in particular. "She should be dead,"
"Should be," a doctor said nearby, waving his wand over her.
"How is she still alive?" Harry asked, in shock. "She should've starved to death by now"
"It's amazing how long the body can survive without food as long as it have water," The doctor replied.
Harry didn't say anything but silently agreed thinking back on the two weeks he spent in the shed earlier that year. He watched as the medics floated her out of the room on a stretcher, Hagrid and Snape standing at his side. Harry reached in his pocket without thinking about it and opened a bottle of pills. He downed three dry as Ginny's hand fell off the board. Snape looked intently at the bottle in the boy's hand and frowned.
"What are those pills?" He asked suddenly, hoping Harry would be in so much shock that he'd answer with the name.
Harry however put the bottle back in his pocket, stood straighter and started to walk away.
"Arry wait shouldn' you talk to someone?" Hagrid asked worried.
"No, I'm okay," Harry responded with a smile "I think I'll just go study."
Snape frowned as he watched Harry walk away. The boy was not reacting like a regular child would when facing this magnitude of trauma. He watched as Harry reached in his pocket and pulled out another bottle, the boy swallowed more pills as he turned the corner and out of sight. Snape turned to face Hagrid with a scowl.
"Do you know this therapist Harry is seeing?"
"Harry sees a therapist?"
Snape held himself back from rolling his eyes and swept out of the dank bathroom, his robes flying behind him. He heard some aurors talking about the size of the basilisk they had slaughtered in the chamber, but ignored it. He passed by a different group putting a black diary with a fang sticking out of it in an evidence bag. He didn't bother looking at the other teachers who were crying in relief as they heard the Weasley girl was technically still alive.
