Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, this all belongs to JK Rowling, Scholastic, Bloomsbury, Warner Bros etc.

Chapter 1 - RETURN FROM THE CHAMBER

Harry POV

As Dumbledore dismissed Ron, I could not help be drawn towards the Sword of Gryffindor that I placed with on his desk. Just as I was about to reach out towards the sword Dumbledore interrupted me, "First I want to thank you Harry, you must have shown me real loyalty down there in the chamber, nothing but that could have called Fawks to you".

I was momentarily taken back. Dumbledore must have seen my shock as he smiled at me with a twinkle in his eyes.

"And um second, I sense something is troubling you? Am I right Harry?"

I twitched a bit, then took a deep breath before saying,

"It's just...you see sir, I could not help but notice certain things...certain similarities between Tom Riddle and me".

Dumbledore then diverted his eyes slightly before looking back at me.

"I see. You can speak Parseltongue Harry, why? Because Lord Voldemort can speak Parseltongue. If I am not mistaken, he transferred some of his powers to you that night he gave you that scar."

I was shocked for a moment before I stuttered out the next few words.

"He-ee...transferred...powers to me?"

Dumbledore looked away again before taking a seat in his chair.

I could not help but notice the sad tone when he stated "Not intentionally yes…"

I then turned around to him and locked eyes on the sorting hat, and then it occurred to me.

"So the sorting hat was right? I should be in Slytherin!"

Dumbledore then slowly nodded.

"It is true Harry, you possess many of the qualities that Lord Voldemort prided himself on, determination, resourcefulness, and if I may say, a certain disregard for the rules".

I paled slightly at the revelation, but before I could voice my panicked thoughts out loud, Dumbledore asked me a question.

"Why then did the sorting hat place you in Gryffindor then?"

I then thought back to my first year when I begged the sorting hat to not be placed in Slytherin.

"Because...I asked it to?"

Dumbledore then snapped up immediately with a smile on his face.

"Exactly Harry! Exactly! Which makes you different from Voldemort! It is not our abilities that show who we really are, it is our choices, please remember this Harry should you ever doubt yourself".

I let out a sigh of relief and smiled at the thought, it made perfect sense when Dumbledore put it like that.

"Harry, if you want further proof, you may look at your sword".

My mind then drew a blank, I have a sword? Dumbledore then chuckled a bit as he raised the sword I stabbed the basilisk with and handed it towards me.

"This... is mine?"

"Yes Harry, take a closer look at your sword, be careful though".

I picked up the hand from Dumbledore's hands and tilted the sword slightly. I felt weirdly happier and more powerful when I touched the sword. I also felt at peace and calmed down significantly. Then I noticed across the flat end of the blade, carved into the shining blade was Godric Gryffindor.

"Godric Gryffindor…wait...then how can this be mine?"

I was still in disbelief when Dumbledore responded to my question.

"Usually, the sword is rumored to appear to those in a moment of need before it returns to where it is kept. However it can only appear to someone who clearly shares the ideals and human traits desired by Godric Gryffindor himself, so if you were anything less than the true embodiment of a Gryffindor, the sword would not appear for you".

I nodded, but was still confused and asked Dumbledore, "Surely I can not be the only one that this appeared to, how is this sword distinctively mine?"

Dumbledore then chuckled again.

"I was getting to that Harry".

I blushed a bit from embarrassment from interrupting the headmaster.

"I am sure Harry that you may feel some sort of connection to this sword?"

My eyes then widened.

"Yes sir, I feel strangely at peace and more confident, even now, holding the sword".

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled at this.

"Yes Harry, unlike before when I have called the sword to me, the sword disappeared straight after my need for it was completed, however, looking at the magical aura around it and you, it seems to have bonded to you, claiming you as its owner".

After that explanation by the Headmaster about some of my worries about Tom Riddle and the sword, followed shortly by the interruption of Lucius Malfoy, I managed to free Dobby from his psychotic and sadistic master. I was inspecting the sword whilst on my way back to the Gryffindor common room when I turned a corner and suddenly slammed into someone. I then dropped the sword and fell to the ground.

"Ughhh…" I mumbled as I tried to get up.

"Watch where you going Potter!"

I slowly got up as I looked down at a blonde haired girl in Slytherin on the floor. I bit back a retort, as I reminded myself of the lesson I just learned with Dumbledore, not everyone makes the same choices as that stupid git Malfoy. Not everyone is a bully in Slytherin or a death eater in the making.

I then offered my hand to help her up.

"Sorry about that, I wasn't looking at where I was going".

The girl on the floor had a look of surprise on her face for a moment before she went back to her cool and cold demeanor.

"Obviously, what were you doing Potter". She snapped at me whilst I helped her up.

"Oh, I was looking at…"

I turned around to pick up Gryffindor's sword when nothing was there. Wait what? Where on bloody earth did the sword go?

"Looking at what Potter? Your tattered and disgusting robes? Is that blood on your robes?"

I then momentarily realized how dirty I still was from fighting the Basilisk. I blushed slightly by how revolting I looked.

"Sorry...uh…?"

The girl raised an eyebrow.

"Daphne Greengrass".

"Right, Sorry Miss Greengrass, I just came back from the Chamber of Secr-"

Before I could finish, Daphne interrupted me with a look of shock on her face.

"You found the fabled Chamber of Secrets? Wait, that means you fought Slytherin's monster... and lived?"

I raised my hands in defense as I blushed even harder.

"Whoa, slow down, I had a lot of help, I did not do it alone. If it was not for Dumbledore's phoenix blinding the Basilisk I could not have dealt the killing blow".

I watched as Daphne stood there stunned. There then was a really awkward silence. It was really uncomfortable. After thirty seconds of staring at each other, I broke the silence.

"Well, I should get going Miss Green-".

Daphne cut me off again.

"Its Daphne, you may call me Daphne, Potter".

I was a bit startled by this, but I quickly regained my composure and gave her a grin.

"Please, you can call me Harry."

I reached my hand out, she grasped it and we shook hands.

I then proceeded to ask, "No offense, I am surprised that you are acting friendly somewhat and not pulling your wand out and hexing me to bits like most Slytherins".

Then I noticed it, even if it was a brief second, a tiny smile was on her face.

"It is the least I can do, to be polite to the person who killed the beast that petrified my friend".

She then let go of my hand and took a step back.

"Pott...I mean Harry, I best be going as well, it is almost curfew".

Daphne then strode past me and walked off towards the Slytherin dungeons.