THE LIGHTNING LORD

Chapter 50 : The monsters in the chamber P1

He was standing at the end of a very long and dimly lit chamber. Giant statues of snakes were on both sides, just like he had seen in that memory. The ceiling was lost in the darkness and there was an odd greenish glow to the entire place. Ancient lighting charms and torches illuminated a large statue two hundred meters from his position and he could see from so far away that Ginny Weasley was lying down in front of it. He slowly walked towards her, idly looking around for the Basilisk. He reached the girl, bent down as shook her "Wealsey, wake up" he said.

"She won't wake" said a soft voice.

Harry immediately stood up and took his duelling stance in record time. His eyes narrowed when he saw a tall black haired boy leaning against a stone pillar. The edges of his body seemed to be blurred, but he was quite clear. And he was also holding a wand.

"Who are you?" asked Harry quietly, still not having moved from his stance.

"I'm Tom Riddle" said the boy. Harry narrowed his eyes. "Tom Riddle? The same Tom Riddle who went to Hogwarts fifty years ago? The one that got Hagrid expelled?" he asked.

"The very same" answered Tom.

"What are you?" asked Harry, relaxing, but still keeping his wand tight in his hand.

"A memory" said Riddle quietly, "preserved in a diary for fifty years."

Harry turned and saw a small back diary near the foot of the statue. Just as he had suspected, memories started coming to his mind, but he used Occlumency to lock them away for now. He could view them later. Now was not the time to get distracted.

"You're lying. Memories are not interactive" said Harry in the same, low voice.

"Quite" said Riddle amused. "This diary is something much more."

Both of them stared at each other for several seconds, waiting for the other to speak. Harry knew this Riddle was no ordinary individual. Who was he?

"I've waited a long time to meet you, Hadrian Potter" said Riddle. "So long."

"Good to know" replied Harry, still not taking his eyes away from Riddle. He could sense there was something fishy here; something very familiar, yet very evil.

"How did Weasley get this diary?" Harry asked.

"Well, that's an interesting question" said Riddle pleasantly. "And quite a long story. I suppose the real reason Ginny Weasley's like this is because she opened her heart and spilled all her secrets to an invisible stranger."

"Elaborate" said Harry quietly.

"My diary Harry; little Ginny has been writing in it for months, telling me about all her problems - how her brothers tease her, how she had to come to school with second-hand robes and books, how - " Riddle's eyes gleamed as he continued "how she didn't think the famous, handsome Hadrian Potter would ever like her."

All the time he spoke, Riddle's eyes never left Harry's face. There was an almost hungry look in them. "It was quite boring to listen to the problems of an eleven-year-old girl. But I was patient" said Riddle. "I wrote back and sympathised with her. Ginny simply loved me! It's so easy to manipulate people when they think you're the good one isn't it?" he said and laughed. It was a high, cold laugh that didn't suit him. Harry just raised one eyebrow at this.

"She poured all of her secrets into me" said Riddle. "She poured out her soul to me, and that was exactly what I needed. I slowly grew stronger, far stronger than young Miss Weasley. Powerful enough to start feeding some of my secrets back into her."

"She doesn't even know that she was the one that opened the chamber, does she?" asked Harry.

"Of course not, but she suspected of course. You should have read some of her recent diary entries. They were far more entertaining. "Dear Tom, I think I'm losing my mind! I have rooster feathers and blood all over my uniform! I don't know what's happening to me. I think I'm going mad Tom! Maybe I'm the one behind these attacks!" said Riddle in a mocking girlish tone.