Elizabeth Lily Potter-Petrified

Chapter 11~~ Goodbye Colin, Hello Borken Nose

The tugging sensation feels somewhat familiar and I stumble towards the Gryffindor Common Room. The closer I get to the Fat Lady, the more the pulling in my chest tries to escape in the opposite direction. It gets harder and harder to walk, so I give in and follow it. Soon, my legs are walking of their own accord, taking me to Moaning Myrtles' bathroom. I frown, but shrug and carry on. 

"Ah, Miss Potter," A voice startles me and I force my legs to stop and see who it is.

"Professor Dumbledore!" I reply, my legs still itching to go to the bathroom.

"I assume you've just been kicked out of the hospital wing by Madame Pomfrey?"

"No, I decide not to disturb Harry."

"Ah, yes. I do hope he's doing fine?"

"Yes, absolutely fine, Madame Pomfrey fixed him in a jiffy! She wasn't too pleased with the situation, though."

"Where are you going, Miss Potter? The Common Room's that way."

"Ye, I was just going, um, to go to the, er, loo before I went!" I answer and hurry along another hallway, leaving Professor Dumbledore nodding knowingly behind. After minutes of twisting corridors and long hallways, and having to stop several times because of teachers, Filch or Prefects, I find myself in front of the big doors of the girls bathroom on the first floor.

"Finally, what took you so long? Tom's being impatient." Ginny exclaims as I push them open and slide in, closing them swiftly behind me.

"Ginny? I um I had a run-in with Dumbledore. And I'm fairly certain a Prefect in Ravenclaw saw me. Maybe not, though." I add hastily at Ginny's paling face. "Why are we here?"

"To open to Chamber!" Her voice shakes slightly and she rolls her eyes. I pick up the book, letting the soul nestle inside me for a minute before giving the diary to my best friend. She copies my actions and soon her face is a black hole of motion.

"Open," Ginny hisses. The sinks spread out into a circle and one drops into a metal grate, just like before. We look at each other and jump into the hole that has formulated in the ground. I go first. After five minutes of endless sliding, I land on the same pile of fish bones littered on the floor. I wait. Seconds later, Ginny lands at my feet. Without a word, we stand and follow the narrow, winding passageway to the large circular door, whispering the same words as last time. The metal snake slithers and the door swings wide open. Ginny and I clamber through and meet Tom, releasing the basilisk, which we lead out of the chamber, and into the bathroom, then a corridor and another until we find our victim.

"Take him. The one with the camera!" Tom echoes inside my head. One glance at Ginny, she heard the same.

Colin Creevey stands at the ends of the hallway, with his camera held against his eyes. The basilisk slips into the hallway, Ginny and I flanking its sides, and Colin whizzes around, his Muggle tools still covering his face.

"Cool!" He says, snapping his camera clicker, ultimately becoming petrified.

My mouth opens and a fountain of evil laugh pours out, from Merlin knows where. I grab Ginny's hand and interlace my fingers with hers, dragging her back to the Chamber of Secrets, the snake following close behind. It's all a blur as Tom Riddle congratulates us. We run and run, past the toilets and sinks in which Myrtle was floating in and out of. I stop. I feel my chest and self become lighter. I feel more emotions. I grab Ginny's hand. And run. Past Colin's still body. The only thing we can hear is our footsteps pattering on the cold, stone ground.

"Ooh, look! Little girls out of bed! I might just go and find the nearest teacher!" Peeves swoops through the wall, floating in front of us. I groan and Ginny looks panicked. A pair of footsteps hit the floor behind us. "That one sounds like McGonagall! You might want to run!"