"No! No!" Tom yelled at seeing the Basilisk dead."Bloody hell, this hurts!" Harry growled as an intensely painful feeling crept up his arm from the puncture that the smaller fang had left. With some effort, Harry stood up and staggered multiple steps forward."You may have slain the Basilisk, Harry Potter, but it's a pyrrhic victory at best!" Tom cackled at seeing the injury on Harry's arm. The Second Year still struggled forward looking the shade in the eyes defiantly. "How does it feel, I wonder, to have the most potent venom in the world coursing through your veins?""Shut…up…." Harry panted as his steps grew shaky and his vision began to blur."Ah yes, a moment of silence for the soon to be departed, how apropos Harry." Tom chuckled humorlessly."I…said…shut…UP!" Harry roared as he swung his prototype sword downward. He couldn't feel his right arm anymore, so he could only lash out with his left, the prototype sword in hand. The dull blade slammed down onto the black book on the floor between Ginny and Tom."Argh!" Tom screamed as a line appeared on his almost corporeal body. "What did you do?! What is that sword?!" He snarled as he raised the wand in his hand."Sod off!" Harry growled out as he stabbed the tip of his sword into the book."Nooo!" Tom howled as a gaping hole appeared in his torso, the shade losing any form of solidity as the wand fell from its incorporeal hands. Harry collapsed onto his knees and forced himself to raise his left arm again. "Stop!" Tom demanded as he held out his hands towards Harry."Don't you ever touch her again!" Harry spat at the wispy shade as he slammed the tip of his prototype sword down on the book again. He felt a strange amount of resistance at first before his prototype pierced the book entirely. The shade exploded into wisps of blackness that dispersed near instantly. What happened next shocked even Harry's venom muddled mind. His prototype sword fell apart in his hand, not into pieces, but into inert sand-like bits of metal. The entire sword practically turned into dust while he was holding it. Nothing was left as Harry collapsed to the ground."What the…?" Harry tried to speak but collapsed and started to black out. A sudden flapping was heard vaguely through his fuzzy senses before something fell onto his wound. Harry couldn't describe what happened next, one moment he was in absolute agony, the next he felt as if there was cool water running through his veins. Several moments later, or was it minutes? Harry couldn't even begin to tell, but he felt much better than he did before he collapsed. Sitting up heavily Harry looked over and saw the Phoenix standing beside him. The majestic bird cocked its head slightly and Harry vaguely recalled reading about this."Phoenix Tears, right…." Harry breathed out as he gently stroked the bird's head. "Thanks for the save." He thanked the Phoenix kindly and the bird seemed to puff up slightly at the thanks. "I couldn't have a bit more for research purposes could I?" He joked and the Phoenix trilled out a, slightly less beautiful, note. "I'll take that as a no then." Looking over the Sword of Gryffindor, Harry admired the legendary blade. Even with the blood and black ichor on it, the blade was still amazing. "Hey, Sorting Hat, what should I do with this?""As the one who drew it from the Hat, you may hold onto it for as long as you need." The Sorting Hat replied."What if someone takes it?" Harry questioned. He'd love to look over the sword and try to learn what he could from it. It would only help his own attempts to create his Artifact Sword."Until someone truly 'Claims' the Sword; it will always be able to return to my care." The Sorting Hat informed the Second Year."So only a direct descendant of Gryffindor or Erdunn?" Harry asked and the Hat seemed to perk up."Correct, Mr. Potter, I am surprised you know that." The Sorting Hat acknowledged."I met a Dwarf a few months ago." Harry shrugged before he grinned. "I think I'll hold onto it for a short time.""As you will." The Sorting Hat gave its equivalent to a shrug. Harry hurriedly pulled out his Invisibility Cloak and wrapped the sword of Gryffindor in it, rendering the legendary blade invisible. He tucked the invisible sword into the inside of his robe, the large inner pocket on the left side actually holding almost half the length of the blade. Just keeping his left arm pressed against his side slightly would prevent the sword from falling."What's going on?" Ginny spoke up from behind him a moment later and Harry turned to face her."I fixed the problem." Harry replied to the confused red head. Suddenly there were voices coming from further back the way Harry had entered the Chamber. Almost faster than Harry could process Aurors came pouring into the Chamber of Secrets. Amelia Bones and Dumbledore both among them and both zeroing in on the two kids."What's happened here?" Amelia asked gently, though with undertones of urgency. Dumbledore looked between Harry and Ginny, as if trying to discern if either of them needed immediate help."I'm sorry!" Ginny wailed suddenly. "It was Tom! He made me do things! I couldn't control myself and I started blacking out and…and…." By this point the redhead was bawling and incomprehensible.The next few minutes were a whirlwind of activity for Harry. He told Amelia and Dumbledore what had happened, minus the part about the Sword of Gryffindor. After all the Phoenix and the Sorting Hat had disappeared without Harry even noticing at some point; so why even hint that he had the legendary blade before he could try and study it a bit. It wasn't until his least favorite Professor loudly spoke up that Harry fully focused back on the here and now."Don't touch the Basilisk! It's property of Hogwarts!" Snape yelled at a group of Aurors that had been examining the beast's carcass. Even from a distance Harry could see the look of delight that Snape had on his face at what was most assuredly a bevy of incredibly rare Potions ingredients.
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