As soon as they were all back in the corridor – the phoenix having helpfully flown them all back up the pipe – Lockhart tried to bolt.

"Oh, no you don't," Ginny hissed, grabbing hold of his sleeve. "You are not going to try to pull something on me when I just found out you attacked my best friend. You're coming with us, got it?" Lockhart whimpered something unintelligible and allowed the fiery redhead to drag him down the corridor, Harry chuckling to himself as he followed. Ron walked at his side, not saying anything as he kept his gaze to the floor. Harry honestly had no idea what to say to his roommate, so their silent journey was rather awkward.

After a few minutes' walk, the phoenix stopped in front of a stone gargoyle. The bird chirped, and the gargoyle sprang to life, leaping aside to expose a spiral staircase. Speechless, the group followed the bird onto the staircase, which began to move as soon as they had all climbed on, gently winding them higher and higher until the steps stopped at a simple wooden door, a knocker shaped like a phoenix hanging in the middle.

"Should we knock?" Ginny wondered in a whisper.

"S'pose so," Harry replied with a shrug. He reached over her shoulder and tapped the knocker against the door three times before it swung in of its own accord.

"Oh my goodness…Ginny…Harry…Ron!"

It was Mrs. Weasley who had cried out, but Mr. Weasley, Sirius, Lily, Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape, and Draco all leapt to their feet at the group's entrance. They'd been seated in comfortable-looking chairs in front of an elegant desk, behind which sat Professor Dumbledore. The phoenix gracefully arced over their heads to land on a simple perch behind the desk, and Harry realized with a start that this particular bird was the headmaster's pet.

Dumbledore's office was a sweeping, circular room full of all sorts of interesting knick-knacks. A number of silver instruments Harry didn't recognize sat on a small table, whirring and puffing quietly. A magnificently carved fireplace played host to a crackling fire, and Harry was sure Hermione would've fainted at the sheer number of books marching smartly across the many bookcases covering a large portion of the wall space. Directly behind the headmaster's desk were portraits of past headmasters and headmistresses of Hogwarts – many appeared to be asleep, but a second look confirmed that they were faking, clearly much more interested in the goings-on inside the office than in taking a nap. The thick rug covering most of the stone floor felt luxuriously soft even under his trainers. Harry decided that he very much liked this room, even if his reasons for being there might end in serious trouble.

"Harry, what the hell is going on?" Sirius demanded. Harry could understand his godfather's question – he and Ginny were covered in water, slime, and blood, Ginny was still carrying the heavily stained sword, and they had in their company their least favorite professor and a boy who until then everyone presumed dead. To say it was a strange scenario was a massive understatement.

"Erm…well, it's kind of a long story," Harry admitted as the foursome moved forward to join the group.

"We have plenty of time," Dumbledore assured them.

"Well…alright, then." Harry promptly launched into the story from the beginning, aided occasionally by Ginny and Draco when he felt they could better explain portions of the tale. They went through everything – their discovery of Colin and subsequent investigations, their encounters with the diary, Hermione's notes and everything associated with them, Moaning Myrtle, and every detail of their trip into the Chamber of Secrets. Mrs. Weasley got progressively paler as the children recounted their fight with the basilisk, and although they purposely left out Ginny's being stabbed, she was still breathing heavily and needed several minutes to compose herself once they'd finished.

"Why'd I have to miss out on all the fun?" Draco muttered just loud enough for his friends to hear.

"Trust me, Drake, you didn't want to be there," Harry replied. "What are you doing here, anyway?"

"You took too long," the blonde said simply. "I was sick of waiting around so I made Professor Snape bring me up here, since I was pretty sure this was where you'd end up eventually." Harry and Ginny both laughed.

"What happens now, Professor?" Harry asked Dumbledore.

"Whatever do you mean?"

"Well…" he gestured towards Lockhart and Ron, neither of whom had yet spoken.

"I would be interested in hearing anything they have to add, of course," Dumbledore said. "Gilderoy, why don't you go first? I'll admit I'm very much intrigued."

"I…I don't have anything to say!" Lockhart nearly shouted almost immediately, looking very much frightened.

"Are you sure about that?" Harry asked, narrowing his eyes at the man. "Because even though we don't know your 'deep dark secret', I'm almost positive Hermione does – correction, she definitely does, considering what you did to her for it – and I'm sure she'll have quite a lot to say about it when she wakes up and finds out who's responsible." Lockhart started shaking like mad.

"I'm a fraud!" he finally yelled out. "I didn't actually do any of the stuff I wrote about – the only thing I'm good at is Memory Charms. I'm sure you can figure out the rest!"

"So you just took credit for a bunch of other people's work after you'd wiped their memories to ensure they wouldn't remember doing it?" Ginny reiterated. "You're even worse than I thought."

"Ginny!" Mrs. Weasley scolded, appalled that her daughter would speak so brazenly to a professor, but Ginny silenced her mother with a look.

"You won't have to think that for long, Miss Weasley," Lockhart replied, whipping out his wand. "Like I said, I'm excellent at Memory Charms. One little word and none of you will remember this little exchange…"

"Expelliarmus!" Draco shouted. Lockhart's wand shot out of his hand straight towards the Slytherin, and Professor McGonagall took advantage of the blonde professor's disorientation to bind him from head to foot.

"There will be none of that," she said sharply as she finished her work with a Silencing Charm. "You've just admitted to not only attacking one of the most well-known students in Hogwarts, but also permanently ruining several prominent people's lives before stealing credit for their hard work. I think an insider's guide to Azkaban might be a prudent subject for your precious next book." Lockhart could do no more than cower under her fierce glare.

"And what about you, Mr. Weasley?" Dumbledore asked gently. Ron looked up fearfully, his blue eyes clouded with tears.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered. "For everything."

"Mr. Weasley, do not be so hard on yourself," Dumbledore said. "Any fully qualified witch or wizard would have been no less vulnerable in your situation. Let the consequences of your actions be a lesson to you in the future."

"Yes, sir," Ron mumbled.

"I do have one question, however – do you happen to know who gave you the diary?"

"No, sir," Ron replied just as quietly. "The first I saw of it was when I found it in my trunk the first night back."

"I see." This was the first time Dumbledore seemed disappointed with Ron's answer. "We'll just have to keep investigating, then." He paused to survey the group. "Minerva, might I suggest you take Mr. Weasley here to the hospital wing? He's been through quite a lot this evening and I'm sure Poppy will have just what he needs. Arthur and Molly are, of course, welcome to join you."

"Of course." With a curt nod to the headmaster, Professor McGonagall led the three Weasleys from the office.

"Severus, if you could please take Gilderoy down to the staff room – Dobby the house-elf can watch over him there – and then send an owl to the Ministry. I'm sure they'll be very interested in what he has to say."

"Gladly," Snape said. He sneered at Lockhart and guided the bound man from the room.

"Now…Miss Weasley, might I see that sword?" Dumbledore asked. Ginny nodded, a tad perplexed, and handed over the item.

"This is indeed a weapon of no parallel," Dumbledore said as he examined the blade. "Tonight's battle was truly one of Slytherin and Gryffindor."

"Sir?"

"See for yourself." He held the blade close to the candlelight and gestured towards something. Just below the hilt was engraved a name: Godric Gryffindor.

"Wow…" Ginny breathed. "This was actually Gryffindor's sword?"

"Indeed," Dumbledore replied with a small smile. "Consider it an honor, Miss Weasley – only a true Gryffindor could have pulled this particular object from the Sorting Hat."

"Speaking of…" Harry muttered, "Why the Sorting Hat? And is that your bird?"

"Hmm…well, I suppose I don't really know how to answer your first question, Harry," Dumbledore replied. "It just seemed like the right thing to do – and judging by what happened, I'd say I was right. As for your second question, yes, this is Fawkes."

"He's beautiful," Ginny said, repeating her earlier assessment of the bird. Fawkes chirped a few notes and flew to sit gracefully on her knee, where she stroked his feathers fondly.

"Indeed he is," Dumbledore agreed. "Cross your fingers that you never have to see him on a burning day – he's exactly the opposite of beautiful then." Fawkes squawked indignantly, but Dumbledore just shrugged.

"You know it's true, my friend."

"So what now?" Draco asked once he and the others had finished admiring the sword.

"What do you mean, 'what now'?" Lily asked incredulously. "Don't you three think you've gotten into more than enough trouble for one school year? First there was the trip down the trapdoor last year, now this year you're chasing giant snakes and fighting Voldemort with a sword…Merlin, are you ever going to just be normal kids?"

"Nope," Harry and Draco said simultaneously, grinning at each other. "Sorry, Mum."

"Lil, what did you expect?" Sirius said, letting out an amused snort. "They're both blood relatives of Marauders, after all."

"I suppose you're right," Lily replied as she rolled her eyes. "It would make my life quite a bit easier if they weren't, though."

"But not nearly as much fun, right?" Draco countered with a smirk.

"Don't you give me that, young man," Lily scolded, swatting his arm playfully. "I'm surprised I haven't gone prematurely gray, with all that you lot get up to!" They all laughed at that.

"In spite of the fact that you did indeed break nearly a hundred school rules into pieces this year, I can't deny the courage and loyalty behind your actions," Dumbledore said. "I have no doubt that you saved Mr. Weasley's life tonight, and you preemptively saved countless others by killing the basilisk and destroying the diary. I plan to look further into the matter of the diary – the part of your story about it sucking energy from Mr. Weasley's soul is particularly distressing – and I'm sure you'll all be happy to hear that the Mandrake Restorative will be ready very soon. You will each receive one hundred points for your respective houses, as well as Special Awards for Services to the School."

"What about Hermione?" Harry asked. "We couldn't have done any of this without her help."

"Yes, I do believe that Miss Granger's help, while indirect, was vital," Dumbledore agreed. "She will also receive points and an award, although I will wait to grant them formally until I can do it in person."

"I think she'd appreciate that," Ginny concurred, "although she'll just be happy it's all over." Dumbledore nodded.

"I think it's time you three trot off to bed," he said. "It's been quite an eventful evening and I'm sure you could do with the rest – not to mention a shower," he added with a chuckle towards Harry and Ginny. They quickly agreed.

"Thank you, Professor," they chorused. The children bid Sirius and Lily goodnight as well and were just about to leave when a voice spoke:

Three join four when six are gone
And the Chosen One teams with his closest
To bring down darkness immortal.
The legend in her sacred vault
Unlocks magic within the stone.
Bronze and black together in friendship,
Silver and gold given freely
In the name of the enemy's ignorance.
Learn who your friends really are
To break a blood chain forged at birth:
Not all is as it appears –
Look to the safe for the answers.
Blades and bonds join wands and words.
Ghosts will be your cloak
As Hogwarts herself joins the chase.
Let strengths be your guide,
Let differences unite you,
And evil will meet its end.

The room's occupants could do nothing more but stare in shock at the now motionless Sorting Hat.

Thus concludes part 2 - the story continues in part 3, 'I Smell a Rat'.

A/N: And so we've reached the end of part 2 - I'd really love to know what you thought of this chapter, as I wrote this prophecy ages ago & am really excited about where it's going to take us! Very curious to hear your guesses...

Thank you, as always, for the follows/faves/reviews! I know I've been spitting out chapters like crazy this week, & I'm glad you all keep reading!

As always, JKR owns all things Potter, I just play. Chapter 1 of part 3, 'I Smell a Rat,' is written & going up in just a few minutes - hope to see you there! Please R&R, & enjoy! :)