Snakes and Anagrams (Part Two)

It seemed like forever before the tired group made their way to the caved-in section of tunnel. There was now a large hole opening in the center. Shiva was standing in the center finishing an inscription of a rune Harry recognized as Stability. It flashed as she finished it and she turned back. "Neville, come on. I'm done. Let's go!"

"Good timing," Harry said with a soft chuckle. Shiva twisted so fast he thought she would fall over. Her mouth dropped and Harry just lifted his arm from under Tracey's side and waved tiredly at his friend. "We won."

"Harry!" Shiva lunged forward and wrapped him in a hug that rivaled one of Hermione's. He hugged her back laughing as Fawkes chortled from his shoulder. Shiva heard that and pulled back in astonishment. "Is that a baby phoenix? Daphne, Tracey are you two alright? What are you three covered in? Is that the Sorting Hat? Is that a sword?!"

"In order, Professor Babbling," Daphne said, "yes, it is a baby phoenix. Fawkes to be precise. I am okay though bruised over quite a lot of my body with several small cuts in addition. Tracey is physically more okay than me but spiritually/emotionally less okay...Her lifeforce was being sucked out but we stopped it so now's she's just weak, but she should get a full examination as soon as possible. We are covered in an absolutely horrendous mix of sludge, dirt, grime, blood and ink. Yes, it is the Sorting Hat. And yes that is a sword. Godric Gryffindor's sword actually."

"I…whatever goddess you seduced Harry I don't think she has anything to do with logic…" Shiva managed to get out after trying to process that. "Are you okay?"

"Just tired, Shiva. The short version is that nothing we were doing worked, Fawkes came to help bringing along the Sorting Hat but got killed and reborn during the fight. The Hat gave me the Sword which I used to kill the basilisk. The ink is from an enchanted diary made by Voldemort – when he was a teenager still going by Tom Marvolo Riddle – that was possessing Tracey. I stabbed the diary with the sword, killing Memorymort and spraying the three of us with what passed for its blood. That about covers it."

Neville laughed. "Man, Harry, you really have some of the worst good luck I've ever heard of!"

"You can say that again, Nev. Can we go now? I'd really like to sit down for a few minutes," Harry pleaded. Shiva just nodded numbly.

"Neville, switch with Harry. Harry, let me help you," Harry handed Tracey's left side over to Neville who supported the girl while Harry leaned against Shiva for support as the group slowly started to trudge back towards the slide up to the castle.

"So where's Lockhart?" Harry asked. As they left the makeshift tunnel under the cave-in though Harry's question was answered. The 'Professor' was bound in ropes with a bandage around his groin and staring off into space with a happy grin on his face.

"Lockhart's quite out of it. His spell was powerful enough to hit all of us at once and that full force blasted right into him." Shiva flicked her wand and the man floated ahead of them. "He doesn't even remember his own name. I'm actually not entirely sure he remembers how to speak at all…we only bound him up because he kept wandering off down the tunnel and I got…rather annoyed with him."

"Ah. Well if it makes you feel better, I cursed out Memorymort while I was annoyed with him."

"And you called him a pathetic leech. Don't forget that. That was funny," Daphne chimed in.

"Man I miss all the fun," Neville complained.

"You can kill the next iteration of Voldemort, okay, Nev?"

"Okay. Now you can't complain when I get him before you do, Harry."

Tracey looked between the three of them, shaking her head. "You people are all insane."

The group stopped at the bottom of the section of tunnel leading back up to Hogwarts proper. Shiva was about to try transfiguring little steps when Daphne snorted. Everyone looked over at her and she shrugged. "Do you really think Salazar Slytherin would simply jump into a dank hole? Especially with no easy way back out?"

Harry laughed and got her meaning while Neville, Tracey and Shiva just squinted at Daphne with furrowed brows. Harry turned to the tunnel and breathed out, {Stairs.} Nothing happened. {Steps.} A dull thump resounded as a staircase extended out from the floor of the tunnel spiraling away into the darkness. Harry raised his eyebrows at Daphne.

"Much better. That is far more appropriate," the girl responded with an entertaining regal huff.

Shiva shook her head in exasperation. "Haha very funny. Up we go people. Harry, you and me first so you can open the door up top too." Lockhart floated along ahead of them as the small group of battered students and teachers limped their way up the stairs. When they reached the top Lockhart made a quiet mewl of protest as he bumped into the sealed doorway out before Shiva moved him back. "Whoops," she deadpanned. Harry couldn't blame her for being rough on the man. Besides…better for her to take her ire out on Flophart than on him.

~Open.~ The sink and trapdoor slid open at Harry's command.

Walking back up into Myrtle's bathroom Harry and Shiva were immediately swamped by Dumbledore, McGonagall, Flitwick and Pomfrey. Snape hung back until Daphne, Neville and Tracey climbed out then he swooped down on his own students.

"My boy, what happened to you?" Dumbledore asked immediately with his mouth set in a frown. Harry glared at the man but didn't reply. Dumbledore cast a swift glance at the others and stared at the Sorting Hat still perched on Daphne's head. "Flopsy?"

"Give them room, Albus," McGonagall said pushing her superior back slightly and waving Pomfrey forward.

"Babbling, injuries?" the Healer asked cutting straight to the point.

"Potter and Greengrass have multiple cuts and abrasions as well as exhaustion likely both magical and physical," Shiva reported in a tired but calm voice. "Davis has been spiritually drained but the process was halted partway through. She's coherent and without obvious physical injuries but also exhausted. Longbottom has minor abrasions. Lockhart had a major groin injury as well as abrasions on his left arm. He is experiencing extreme trauma from a backfired memory charm. I have no idea if he can even speak anymore." Pomfrey began uttering several charms under her breath with wand directed at Tracey.

"What did you do to my students, woman?" Snape said checking over Daphne and Tracey. His last word was uttered almost like a curse as it was directed at Shiva. Nearly everyone in the small bathroom bristled at that. Daphne, Neville, and Harry all stood up straighter and glared at the man.

"She helped us to rescue my best friend, Sir," Daphne said, her mouth set in a thin line. "She saved the three of us from being hit by an obliviate powerful enough to render Lockhart functionally deceased. She did not hesitate a moment to proceed into a long lost section of the castle expecting to confront a thousand year old basilisk simply because a student was in danger. Please do not deride her character in front of me, Professor. Professor Babbling deserves a great amount of respect."

Harry's eyes widened as he witnessed something he never expected to see: Snape glanced between Daphne and Shiva and his scowl noticeably lessened before nodding at the older woman in a show of respect.

"Perhaps we should take this discussion to the infirmary?" Flitwick said stepping forward from where he had been examining Lockhart.

"Yes, I think that might be best," Dumbledore said softly as he gazed sorrowfully at the assembled students. As he turned back from Harry he froze midstep, cocked his head and then his jaw dropped open. "Fawkes?"