As soon as Harry saw Hermione, he ran over to her. She is naked and tied with her knees bent and her legs spread to make it easy to rape her. Harry quickly examined her and noted there is no blood or obvious superficial trauma, at her vagina or anus, nor other signs of trauma indicating she has been injured or raped. Harry gently shook her but she didn't respond. He tried to more forcefully wake her, and she eventually moaned. Harry then quickly untied Hermione and pulled her off the altar. Harry looked for a safe place to leave her and carried her over to the wall behind the alter. It was the best he could do. Hermione was still groggy and disoriented, but looked to be slowly waking up. Harry transfigured a couple blankets, cast warming charms, and placed her on a blanket, while wrapping others around her to keep her warm. It was cold and damp down here.
Harry then went to Darla and tried to wake her without any success.
At this point a boy appeared out of the shadows, "She won't wake." he said quietly. He was tall, black-haired, and strangely blurred around the edges. He was wearing Slytherin clothes but can't be from the school, as Harry would have recognized him.
Harry was concerned, as he didn't know this boy. He guardedly asked "Who are you? I know all the Slytherins, you haven't been a student here for the last 2 years."
With a calm uncaring detachment, "My name is Tom Riddle"
Harry not recognizing that name, started fishing for more information, "So, you are a first-gen?"
Angered by the question, "No, I am NOT! My mother was a Gaunt! She fell in love with the son of the town Squire. He wanted nothing to do with her, so she fed him a love potion, and the two ran off together. She was soon pregnant, and thinking he would not abandon his child, stopped feeding him the potion. It didn't work. As soon as the potion wore off, he left her and returned home."
Walking back and forth, Tom continued "She was lost in the muggle world, and birthed the child at one of their primitive hospitals. She died only telling the healers the child was named Tom Morvolo Riddle. When the nurses left me at the orphanage, that was all I was given. A name."
Harry thought for a second, and asked "So you were found and brought to Hogwarts at eleven?"
Riddle answered with an evident hunger. He wanted to tell his story. "Yes, I was ambitious and ended up in Slytherin, the greatest house. It was rough going, not realizing I wasn't a First-Gen, but a half-blood at the time, but I persevered. I explored, I learned. Eventually I found this chamber and discovered I was descended from Slytherin himself! However, I made a mistake and a student died."
Continuing nonchalantly, "I was able to pin the blame on that oaf Hagrid. I mean, was Headmaster Dippet going to listen to Tom Riddle, poor but brilliant, parentless but so brave, school prefect, model student…or big blundering Hagrid, in trouble every other week, trying to raise werewolf cubs under his bed, sneaking off to the Forbidden Forest to wrestle trolls. I'm ashamed to say, I was actually surprised how well the plan worked. I really expected someone to realize Hagrid could barely tie his shoelaces, much less open the chamber of secrets or be the Heir of Slytherin. It had taken me 5 years to unravel how to get in the chamber…who could possibly think Hagrid had the brains, or the power."
Tom continued with irritation, "Only the transfiguration teacher Dumbledore, thought Hagrid was innocent. He persuaded Dippet to keep Hagrid and train him as gamekeeper. Dumbledore also watched me, and I was unable to open the chamber again in my remaining few years. So, since I could not open the chamber as a student, I left a trap to do it for me later."
Harry asked curiously, "A trap?"
Riddle grinned at his own brilliance. He explained enthusiastically, "Yes, a memory. That diary over there. Little Darla poured her 11-year-old heart into me. She's been writing in me for months, and months, telling me all her pitiful worries and woes. How her brother is friends with the man of her dreams. How this shining Magus knight has a lady who he adores."
Waving his hand in Hermione's direction, Tom continued "I do believe she was referring to that cock-ring over there. How she never believed the famous, powerful, kind, good, great Harry Potter would ever think of her as a witch…his witch."
Tom with a melodramatic sigh, "It's very boring, having to listen to the silly little troubles of an eleven-year-old girl, but I was patient. I wrote back. I was sympathetic, and kind. Darla came to love me. 'No one's ever understood me like you, Tom. I'm so glad I've got this diary to confide in. It's like having a friend I can carry around in my pocket.' Riddle then laughed, a high, cold laugh that seemed too mature for the apparent 15-year-old boy. Continuing, Tom said, "If I say it myself, Harry, I've always been able to charm the people I needed. So, Darla poured her heart and soul into me, and her soul happened to be exactly what I wanted."
Getting caught up in his own story, Tom grandstanded, "I grew stronger on a diet of her deepest fears, darkest secrets, and naughtiest dreams. I grew powerful, far more than Ms. Diggory. Powerful to start feeding her a few of my secrets, to start pouring a little of my soul back into her. Until she did my bidding without even knowing. She opened the chamber, she wrote the messages on the wall, she set the Serpent of Slytherin on the mud-bloods, and that stupid cat."
Harry replied condescendingly, "You do know none of these were mud-bloods. They are first-gens given to us by Beloved Hekate herself to keep magic alive? A mud-blood is child of a witch who has lain with a muggle. Since she is risking birthing squibs, or muggles doing such a thing, it is an insult to Hekate herself. You are the only mud-blood of which I am aware." Harry than pauses, "No, I apologize, that's not fair as your mother was a squib. Of course, the only way she became a squib was because both her mother and father didn't lay with a first gen and revitalize their family magic. Something very short-sited and stupid."
Tom, was furious at the criticism and insults, "Do you know who I am boy? Look at you! You are still in that ridiculous Quidditch uniform! Did I interrupt an important game? Do you have any idea who you call a mud-blood?" He pulled out Darla's wand and wrote in the air TOM MORVOLO RIDDLE. Then he waved the wand once and the letters rearranged themselves into I AM LORD VOLDEMORT.
"You see?" he whispered. "It was a name I was already using at Hogwarts, to my intimate friends only, of course. You think I was going to use my filthy Muggle father's name? I, in whose veins runs the blood of Salazar Slytherin himself? A muggle name from a man who abandoned me even before I was born, because my mother was a witch? No Harry, I fashioned myself a new name. a name I knew wizards everywhere would one day speak in fear, as I became the greatest Magus in the world!"
Harry replied indifferently, "You really aren't, you know. There are three Magus currently active in this country alone, I judge you the weakest of the three. Both Dumbledore, and Lord Black are more than you."
Tom with an uncaring wave of his hand continued, "Both old men at the sunset of their lives with few years and no power left. I am more concerned with you. Why do you think I brought your whore down here? Yes, she has power and will make a lovely sacrifice as I spend myself in her." With a smirk at Harry, Tom continued, "Thanks for keeping her a virgin by the way. The ritual allows me to take much more of her core if I'm penetrating her for the first time. Anyway, to business Harry. Twice – in your past, and my future, we met. Twice I failed to kill you. How did you survive? The longer you talk, the longer you live."
Harry with a sneer on his face replied, heavy with contempt, "No one knows why you lost when you attacked me as an infant. Maybe I threw a dirty nappy in your face. Don't be a fool man, NO ONE is beaten by an infant! It was my First-Gen Mother, who bested you! There can be no other cause! As to last year. I didn't even know it was you. Dumbledore took you out. Fairly easily from what I could see."
Harry then exclaimed, "Before you make more grandiose statements about your legacy. Be aware, I am Harry Potter Black. I share the blood with the Potters descended from Gryffindor himself, and I share the blood of the Black. Magus knights going back three thousand years! We are battle Magus from the time of Rome's founding! You talk about purity? I talk about POWER and LEGACY!"
Riddle opened his mouth to rebut, but froze. Music was coming from somewhere. Riddle whirled around to stare down the chamber. The music was growing louder. It was eerie, unearthly, but uplifting at the same time. As it reached a crescendo, flames erupted at the top of the nearest pillar. A swan sized, red bird with a glittering golden tail like a peacock, and gleaming golden talons holding a tattered cloth object appeared from within a ball of flame. A second later the bird flew straight at Harry and dropped the object into his hands, then landed heavily on his left shoulder. It had a long sharp gold beak, and beady black eyes. Its gaze locked on Tom.
Tom looked closely at the bird, "That a phoenix. Dumbledore's phoenix?"
Harry said exclaiming, "So that's where I saw him. I wonder what he brought." And Harry unfolded the cloth.
Tom started laughing, "The sorting hat? What are you going to do, resort yourself? HAHAHAHa. Now, Harry, I'm going to teach you a little lesson. Let's match the powers of Lord Voldemort, Heir of Salazar Slytherin, against the famous Harry Potter, Scion of Gryffindor and Black, and whatever Dumbledore intended with that hat." Casting an amused glance over Fawkes and the hat before he walked away.
Tom went over to the statue, and intoned, "Speak to me, Slytherin, greatest of the Hogwarts Four." Slytherin's gigantic stone face was moving, the mouth opening, wider and wider, making a large black hole. A hole something could be seen slithering in its depths.
At this point the hat exclaimed, "It's a basilisk! Don't meet its eyes or you'll die!" Harry then ran over to the opposite side of the chamber from Hermione, while Fawkes took wing. He didn't want the snake to harm Hermione. Once over there he stood behind a column. Harry immediately summoned all wands he could see with as much power as he could muster. Tom was gloating while looking at the snake, and was surprised when Darla's wand was yanked from his hand. Hermione's wand came to him too. Harry immediately placed them in his dimensional store. Meanwhile, Fawkes started attacking the snake's eyes.
After losing the wand, Tom yelled, "Damn You! Kill him. Kill him now! Maybe I will kill your witch." And he turned toward Hermione.
Harry yelled, "NOOOOOO!" and while Fawkes was attacking the snakes' eyes, Harry made a run at Tom.
Tom without a wand saw Harry charging him with blood in his eye, and panicked. "Ignore the bird, stop him. STOP HIM!" Tom demanded. The snake being distracted by Tom, was soon blinded by Fawkes. Harry pulled a knife and lashed out with a rake across Tom's eyes, and went right through him. Tom laughed, relieved "You can't hurt me!"
"Well, without a wand, that means you can't hurt Hermione either!" Harry snarked, and then looked for the hat he had dropped. He saw it lying on the ground and quickly picked it up.
In an act of desperation, Harry put it on, "Anybody there? I am Harry Potter Black, scion of Gryffindor and fighting the Basilisk of Slytherin. I need help!" He felt a thud on top of his head, and took off the hat seeing a silver pommel sticking out. Harry pulled out the grip which was the pommel of a mithril broad sword. As Harry pulled the blade clear, the snake struck in his direction. Harry was able to ready the blade and point it at the snake, just as it struck.
As the snake struck, Harry thrust the sword forward, trying to keep it away. The blade went straight into the snake's mouth. He was lucky in that the blade went up through the roof of the mouth, into the brain, killing the snake quickly. The snake shook its head, trying to shake the sword free. In the process, a tooth caught in Harry's arm slashing and puncturing it deeply, before breaking off and leaving the tip behind. The snake was then able to pull free, knocking the sword out of Harry's hand, and a few feet away, quickly died.
Harry felt a searing pain in his right arm and yanked out the tooth which was lodged in his arm. Harry felt a burning spread throughout his body, and fell to the ground. He knew he was soon to be dead. Harry could hear footsteps and see a shadow move in front of him.
"You're dead Potter. Dead. Even Dumbledore's bird knows it." Riddle crowed, "Do you see what it's doing, Potter? It's crying."
At this point, Hermione had recovered enough to realize what was happening, and seeing Harry injured, yelled "Harry!" staggering over to him. She held Harry's head up "Harry give me a bezoar!"
Harry shook his head, "Basilisk venom, no cure, destroys nearly everything, bezoar…useless."
Harry eyes slipped in, and out of focus. Thick, pearly iridescent tears were trickling down from Fawkes eyes, rolling down his beak, and dropping on the stab wound.
"I'm going to sit here and watch you die, Harry Potter." Riddle said, gloating "Take your time. I'm not really in a hurry. So ends the famous Harry Potter. Alone in the Chamber of secrets, forsaken by friends, defeated by the Dark Lord he unwisely challenged. You'll join you dear mud-blood mother soon."
Harry mumbled, "First-gen you inbred cretin."
Hermione cried too, "Don't talk Harry, save your strength. Don't you leave me Harry, you promised me children! We were to have a family together!"
Tom continued his monologue, not listening, "Your mother bought you 12 years, but Lord Voldemort got you in the end, as you knew he must." Looking at Harry closely, "You are not dying…phoenix tears…I forgot."
At this point the diary dropped into Harry's lap, by Fawkes. Harry looked at it. Hermione looking at the book, "The fang! The venom in the fang! Poison the diary!" Harry then took the fang in his hand and plunged it into the diary. Black ink poured from the diary, like blood after hitting an artery, streaming over Harry's hands already red with the basilisk's blood.
At this point, Tom lets out a long, dreadful, piercing scream, "Nooo!" and started writhing and twisting. He continued to scream, and suddenly, he was gone. Meanwhile, Darla suddenly woke up and started groaning over where she was laying.
Harry had been slowly feeling better, when something changed. His magic let loose, and suddenly was a roaring tempest. Harry was worried about what he would do to Hermione, "Hermione I feel strange. Something is wrong with my magic. Hermione, get away, it could hurt you!"
Hermione was crying, and just grabbed ahold of Harry. She saw Harry fall unconscious and in desperation, forced her magic into Harry's to try and quiet his magic, halt the upheaval. Suddenly, Harry's magic joined with hers and dragged her magic into the maelstrom. Hermione felt the loss of control of her own magic. It had become wild and chaotic, almost strange. Hermione fell unconscious on top of Harry clutching onto him.
When Harry awoke, he felt strange. Different. His magic was moving more freely around his body, pounding in his veins. His core was much larger, much deeper, and his channels were completely open! He has undergone 2nd maturation! Harry then looked at Hermione who is lying on top of him. She was still bare, and look unharmed.
Wait, something was different! Hermione also looked more mature. Her breasts had grown from a sub A cup, to a small B cup with thicker more mature nipples. Her face looked more lady-like, more elegant and beautiful. Harry couldn't be sure with her lying on him, but she seemed a few inches taller, too. Looking down her body he noticed she also had more of a bubble butt, her arse was definitely more womanly...and sexy.
Harry sat up, cradling Hermione. Moving her seemed to wake her up, and she started stirring. Harry just sat with Hermione in his lap caressing her face and brushing her hair away from her face. Hermione finished waking up and saw Harry holding her. "Harry…what happened?" she asked.
Harry continued to caress her face, and hold his witch, "I'm guessing, but I think we both underwent our 2nd maturation. Look at yourself, your breasts are larger with more developed nipples, your arse is more womanly formed, and your face is more mature."
Hermione looked down at herself, a bit embarrassed by his clinical description of her naked body, and blushed. "I agree. My magic is freer, much deeper and stronger. You are also bigger and more muscular; your face is a bit more manly." Wanting a bit of payback for us unromantic clinical description of her tits, and feeling a bit bratty, she reached for his manhood and gave it a testing squeeze and stroke, saying with a smile, "I can't be sure without a more thorough exam, but I think things have grown down here for you, too."
Harry started to smile, "I'm not the only one due a thorough exam. I didn't exactly find you in a benign situation.
Hermione frowned in concern and nodded. She then thought about what Harry was going to do to her and blushed, "I would appreciate us getting back to our rooms before you examine me, since you found me bare and tied to the altar." With a sultry smile, "I wouldn't mind a thorough exam, to convince yourself no male has been where you haven't gone before, just not in this slimy wet dark hole, please." Harry with a smile, nodded his acceptance.
Hermione, after verifying she wasn't about to be immediately molested, but willing to admit to herself, she wouldn't use the safe words if he insisted, paused and looked around, "Where's Darla? Wasn't she here with us?"
Harry also looked around, "She was right there." he said pointing by the statue. "I don't know where she is. FAWKES!" Harry yelled.
After a few minutes, Fawkes reappeared. Harry looked at the phoenix, "Did you take Darla back?" Fawkes nodded his head happily, singing.
"The sorting hat too?" Again, a nod and more singing.
"Can you take us back?" Harry asked, and Fawkes took wing going over to the basilisk and landing on its head. Harry got up and said to Hermione, "Stay here, you don't have shoes…or clothes. That blood could be dangerous." Harry approached Fawkes and saw the sword lying there by the basilisk.
Harry looked at Fawkes and down at the sword, "Am I supposed to take the sword?" Fawkes nodded enthusiastically singing loudly.
Harry tried to clarify, "To return it to the hat?" and Fawkes shook his head negative.
Harry asked disbelievingly, "You don't mean for me to keep it?" To which, Fawkes nodded happily singing loudly again. Harry picked up the sword and was examining it while walking back to Hermione.
Hermione got a good look at the sword as Harry approached, gasped, "Harry, that could be Caledfwich! The Sword of the Lake! You know…EXCALIBUR! You really are from the Gryffindor line."
"It can't be." Harry answered in disbelief, :"Are you saying Gryffindor held Excalibur?"
"The legend is hazy on it being Excalibur." Hermione started explaining, "Many reliable texts said he held an ancient magical sword of fire. It's supposed to be a powerful magical sword." she said thinking. After a few seconds her eyes lit up and she suggested, "Feed your magic into it. It should be safe since Fawkes wants you to have it anyway."
Harry gripped the blade, and then pushed his magic into it, making the sword glow, and burst into fire. He pushed more and more magic into the sword and it became hotter and brighter. He felt an indescribable tingling in his magic as he held the sword. The many runes along the blade glowing electric blue.
Hermione was getting concerned. The amount of magic Harry was pumping into the sword was prodigious. "Harry stop!" Hermione yelled, "You don't want to break it!"
Harry stopped pushing magic into the blade, causing the fire to wink out, but leaving the blade mirror finished, its runes glowing with a blue light, and looking like new.
Harry stopped looking at the beautiful blade, and turned to Hermione. He then said with some disbelief, "Seriously Hermione, break It?"
Hermione blushed, "Well, we don't know, do we? The sword is old, and you are powerful, Harry."
Harry, nodded his acceptance of her argument, and then placed the blade in his dimensional storage. He looked down and saw the damaged book, now with a large hole through the middle of it. Thinking they may need this too; he also tossed that in his dimensional storage.
Harry now turned to Fawkes, "Can you take us back now?", and Fawkes nodded happily.
Harry grabbed Hermione to him, when her eyes, suddenly got big, and she yelled, "No, Wai-" And they are gone in a ball of fire.