When Hermione Granger is petrified by the Basilisk during their Second Year at Hogwarts, Matt Santini is forced to reflect on how he has become so divergent from the rest of his friends. He confronts the fact he's been so terribly wrong about his theories on who is behind the Chamber of Secrets being opened. Matt goes along with Harry Potter and Ron Weasley into the Chamber itself to confront the deadly snake and avenge Hermione.
Matt Santini stood in the Hospital Wing. His feet seemed to be stuck to the floor. He tried to move and inched forward.
"They were found near the library," said Professor McGonagall. "I don't suppose any of you can explain this? It was on the floor next to them…" She was holding up a small, circular mirror. Harry and Ron shook their heads, both staring at Hermione. Matt did not move, he only shook his head, imperceptibly almost.
"I will escort you back to Gryffindor Tower," said Professor McGonagall heavily. "I need to address the students in any case. Come along you three." Harry and Ron followed her glumly out, but Matt was rooted to the spot.
"Mr. Santini…" Professor McGonagall put a hand on her shoulder.
"I…can't…" Matt's voice was strained. Professor McGonagall gave a heavy sigh. "Very well. I expect you'll be as safe here as anywhere else. I shall come to collect you though once I escort Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley back to Gryffindor Tower."
Matt nodded and said nothing as they strode out of the room. Slowly he approached Hermione. She was still, her expression vacant and her normally lively brown eyes were muted and glassy. He finally drew up a chair and sat down.
"I'm…so sorry…" Matt's voice was mournful as he looked over his friend. His thoughts flashed back to earlier in the year.
Matt Santini stood in the corridor with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. He stepped forward towards them, as he had been at the feast.
"Hey, where've you guys been?" Matt whispered to Ron.
"The Deathday Party, remember?" Ron said.
"That was tonight?!" Matt said looking incredulously as his three friends.
"Of course it was!" Hermione whispered as Dumbledore pushed his way through the crowd, snapping at Filch who was screaming at Harry. Lockhart offered his office as a place to examine what everyone was staring at, his cat, Mrs. Norris, hanging from a torch bracket on the wall with bloody writing scrawled next to her.
The Quartet passed by the other houses as the group was led by Dumbledore to Lockhart's office. Cassidy, Matt's friend who had just started as a second-year student reached out to him, her hand brushing his arm.
'Everything ok?' she mouthed at him.
Matt gave a non-committal shrug as he followed dutifully along in the group's wake. He turned over in his head what 'Enemies of the Heir Beware' could possibly mean. Heir to what? There were not many direct heirs in the school to anything. There were plenty of families with only one child, Malfoy being one of them, but his parents were both still living. He would not be an official heir unless his father died before he came of age and left no will. There was only one person who immediately came to mind that fit, Harry.
Matt shook his head as they entered Lockhart's office. Matt remained quiet and stood behind Ron and Hermione, so as not to attract attention to himself. He technically was not part of the incident, but these were his friends. Dumbledore pronounced Mrs. Norris as not dead but petrified. Matt scratched his chin as Snape questioned them and then suggested Harry was not being truthful. Even Matt had to admit, the hated potions Professor had a point.
McGonagall and Snape had an argument over whether or not Harry had actually done anything wrong and Snape in true fashion tried to get both Harry and Matt suspended from the Quidditch team. Matt had argued with Oliver Wood heavily after Harry made the team last year, to at least let him show what he could do. Matt even cajoled Alicia Spinnet, Angelina Johnson, and Katie Bell to talk to Wood. The agreed, but only because Matt and Harry were clearly friends and not at all because of Matt's mother being an ambassador and had heavy ties to the Ministry.
After a long look from Dumbledore and assurances to Filch that Mrs. Norris could be restored, the Quartet were allowed to leave. Matt grinning as Lockhart had rubbed Snape the wrong way over who should be preparing Mandrake Restorative Draught.
They went, as quickly as they could without actually running. When they were a floor up from Lockhart's office, they turned into an empty classroom and closed the door quietly behind them. Harry squinted at his friends' darkened faces. "D'you think I should have told them about that voice I heard?"
"No," said Ron, without hesitation. "Hearing voices no one else can hear isn't a good sign, even in the Wizarding world."
"You were hearing voices?!" Matt whisper shouted.
"Yeah…" Harry admitted and told him how he had heard a voice no one else did, right before finding Mrs. Norris and mysterious writing.
"And you both were with him the entire time? And neither of you heard anything?" Matt questioned.
Hermione and Ron both shook their heads.
"You do believe me, don't you?"
"'Course I do," said Ron quickly. "But — you must admit it's weird…"
"You know we do, Harry. Don't we Matt?" Hermione piped up.
"Y-yeah…" Matt's voice hesitated, and Harry squinted at him further.
"I know it's weird," said Harry. "The whole thing's weird. What was that writing on the wall about? The Chamber Has Been Opened…What's that supposed to mean?"
"You know, it rings a sort of bell," said Ron slowly. "I think someone told me a story about a secret chamber at Hogwarts once… might've been Bill…"
"Oh, come on! A secret chamber? Ron how many times have your older brothers told you a story that turned out to be a fairy tale?" Matt questioned.
"Well…" Ron began.
"Exactly my point!" Matt said. "I know for a fact there are spells that can petrify. My grandpa was hit by one once. So was Cassidy's dad. Do you want to know what I think?"
"No…but go on anyway…not like anyone's going to stop you." Ron snarked back.
"I think some seventh year was in the Restricted Section, found the curse, learned to use it and nailed Mrs. Norris." Matt said as they slipped out of the classroom, heading back to their dorm before Snape could catch them.
"That does sound plausible…" Hermione said as they crept along.
"But we would have seen them!" Ron shot back.
"Not if they were wearing a cloak like Harry's. Might be why you were hearing voices, too. Someone could have been using Legillimency. You know, projecting into a person's mind. It'd be a great trick to throw a person off their trail." Matt replied as they got to the portrait of the Fat Lady.
"I was so wrong…" Matt said to the stone still Hermione. "I thought it was someone messing with Harry, or Harry messing with us…"
Between the all too convenient happenstances around Harry, Colin Creevey being annoying and ending up like Mrs. Norris, Justin Finch-Fletchley being petrified and found by Harry. Matt was utterly convinced that Harry was a secret blood-supremacist. He figured Hermione, by being virtue of being Harry's friend, was certainly safe from any attacks. Harry was even getting visits from a house elf. Matt was less than pleased with Dobby, as the Bludger that had broken Harry's arm had also broken Matt's ribs. He was thankful Hermione had rushed to their aid and dispelled the ball before it killed one or both of them.
Matt distanced himself from his friends as they learned about the Chamber from Professor Binns the ghost professor, and they concocted a hair brained scheme to use Polyjuice Potion to interrogate Malfoy. He had become so sure it was a futile misdirect that Matt had decided to not stay at Hogwarts for Christmas. The previous year he and Ron had stayed while Hermione went home. He chose to go home and let the three of them do their thing.
Upon his return, Matt had been appalled to learn what happened to Hermione.
"See?! What did I tell you? That whole Polyjuice Potion plot was a bad idea!" Matt said as he sat next to Hermione in the Hospital Wing.
"Oh, you don't have to make it worse!" cried Hermione, most of the fur had gone from her face, but cat ears sprouted from the top of her head still.
"I'm not trying to! All I'm saying is, Harry's getting a really bad rap around the school, and he's not doing himself any favors. This looks like a really good misdirect. He's gotten some older student to help him, someone like Wood or that Penelope Clearwater."
"You don't like Wood because he didn't want to put you on the team! And you don't like Percy or his girlfriend." Hermione pointed out.
"You just don't like the fact that I could be right!" Matt argued.
"No! You're wrong! And frankly, you don't have to come and see me if you think Harry could do this!" Hermione said and turned away with her nose in the air.
"Fine." Matt said looking away and stood to leave. He wanted to say more but stormed off as Madam Pomfrey was approaching with an angry look.
Matt was sick to his stomach, looking at Hermione. She could not hear him, at least, he did not think she could. At the minimum she could not respond to his remorse. Deep down, he knew that Harry could not have attacked her. Hermione could be annoying and bossy, hounding them over schoolwork and following the rules. Now, though, he would give anything to hear her remonstrate him for not doing his homework assignments.
Eventually, Professor McGonagall returned to fetch Matt. She was able to convince him he had leave Hermione's side and return to the dorms where it was safer. He numbly nodded and followed his head of house back to Gryffindor Tower.
There was a lot of commotion going on when he arrived back. Lots of his housemates were discussing who could be responsible. No one suspected Harry anymore, not even Matt. Slytherins were the main focus now. That would have been far too easy though. It felt almost like it should be a Gryffindor. Attacking repeatedly their own house to throw off suspicion. Harry was out, but as Matt turned things over in his head, no one seemed to stick.
As he climbed through the portrait, he caught sight of Harry and Ron standing up to go to their shared dorm. Matt followed immediately. He was unaware of their plan to sneak out to see Hagrid, but he needed to talk to them, alone preferably. As they slipped up to their beds Matt quietly followed. He gently closed the door behind him and cleared his throat.
"What? Gonna accuse Harry again, are you?" Ron snarled.
"No." Matt shook his head. "Harry's been through enough."
"I thought you didn't want anything to do with us anymore?" Harry fumed.
"I do…want something to do with you…" Matt said and looked at the floor. He seemed to shrink, he was taller and broader than Ron was and standing just inside the doorway, the American deflated. He looked much smaller now than ever. "I…was totally wrong…and now…Hermione's…Hermione's…"
"Go on, say it!" Shouted Ron. Harry watched Matt as he looked up at the two of them, just barely.
"Hermione's petrified!" Matt all but screamed and suddenly collapsed onto his knees. There was no holding back his emotions anymore. He cried, tears splashing down into his lap as he sat there. "This wasn't supposed to happen. She's your friend! She's supposed to be protected. She's supposed to be safe!" Matt sobbed.
"I can't stop it." Harry said. "I'm not in control here. Someone else is, we've got to find out who."
Matt continued to cry, letting out all the anger and sadness and grief that had been building since the beginning of the year. The truth was, without Harry, Ron, and most importantly, Hermione, Matt was utterly alone.
Cassidy would sit near him in classes they shared with Ravenclaw, but those were few. During meals, they always sat with their own houses and did not mingle. Matt might see his childhood friend once or twice a day, if that. They did not spend nearly as much time with her as they did with each other. He had been feeling the isolation when he failed to break his routine, often going to the library to study, only to have to find a cold corner away from Hermione and others. Harry and Ron refused to speak with him, once Hermione told them what happened in the Hospital Wing. Matt thought he could take it, but it turned out, he was wrong.
"I-I'm sorry…Harry…I'm sorry Ron." He sniffled. "I would tell Hermione…but…" Matt's head hung as his breathing finally came under control and the tears stopped flowing.
"It's ok…you're back now." Harry said kneeling beside Matt.
"Yeah c'mon, we've got to go see Hagrid!" Ron added and the two boys helped Matt stand.
"Thank you." Matt's voice was hoarse.
"Don't mention it." Harry replied.
"Yeah, really don't mention it. Don't want the others to think you've gone soft." Ron said and playfully punched Matt in the shoulder. Matt grinned at that and nodded.
Once Seamus, Dean, and Neville had come up and they all were in their beds, Matt, Harry, and Ron waited for the chatter to die down and the others to fall asleep. They crept down to Hagrid's cabin, covered by Harry's Invisibility Cloak. Harry and Ron filled Matt in about the diary Harry had found and that someone named Tom Riddle had turned Hagrid in for opening the Chamber of Secrets. They were just in time to see Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic, and Lucius Malfoy arrive with Dumbledore at the cabin. Dumbledore was suspended and Hagrid removed to Azkaban prison, but not before Hagrid tipped them off about following spiders.
After nearly being killed by Acromantula, Harry, Matt, and Ron had learned Hagrid was innocent in the opening of the Chamber of Secrets. Matt suspected that someone else was pulling the strings and did not like the fact that the diary had gone missing when their dorm was ransacked. Matt had assumed it was a prank by one of the older students, not that it was an attempt to cover up the theft of the diary. He expressed his theory that someone from Gryffindor was behind it, despite it looking like someone from Slytherin.
They were horrified to learn of Ginny going missing, a new bloody message about her body lying in the Chamber forever. They had to act. Matt wanting to avenge Hermione, even if, when she woke up, she would refuse his friendship. That was a sacrifice he was willing to make, and he knew it would be the price he had to pay for his hardheadedness. When they confronted Lockhart, Matt was furious at the professor's betrayal of trust. He even called Lockhart a bastard. Matt knew how enamored Hermione was with him, so he gave their most publicly recognized teacher a lot of leeway. It might have been the only thing he did right by Hermione that year.
After they discovered how to open the entrance to the Chamber, Matt had every intention of feeding Lockhart to the Basilisk. Even petrified, Hermione was saving the day. He had hoped, somehow, that Hermione heard his apology, even though Madam Pomfrey asserted that petrification was not like a coma.
When Lockhart attempted to erase their memories, Matt pushed Harry and Ron out of the way, ready to take the spell full on. He accepted that as punishment for the way he treated Hermione and the others. He was shocked when Harry and himself were on one side of a rockfall, Ron and Lockhart on the other. Lockhart had grabbed Ron's damaged wand, and the spell had backfired, cursing himself and erasing his own memory. Matt told Harry there might actually be Karma in the world.
The pair were surprised to learn of what had truly been happening all year. How Ginny had been writing in the diary. How Riddle had manipulated and possessed her. How happy he was to have used Ginny to fuel Matt's suspicions. Matt was beyond angry. He had been confiding in Ginny early in the school year, trying his best to make her feel welcome and as at home in Hogwarts as she was at her own home, The Burrow. Ginny never denied Matt's suspicions, but she always had acted strangely between hang outs. Acting sometimes as if she did not know what he was talking about.
Now it made sense, she had been possessed every time she had told Matt that his theories were holding water. That Harry could be the heir to Slytherin and was using Penelope Clearwater to gain access to much more advanced magic than he himself had. That Hermione was most assuredly safe from harm. "Ginny" had told him that just a day before Hermione was petrified.
"Go ahead! Kill Ginny!" Matt screamed at the apparition of Riddle. "It'll all be for nothing!" his voice boomed through the Chamber.
"Oh? How so? I'll be reborn and your little friend will be gone forever." Riddle laughed.
"Because, as soon as you are, I'm going to kill you!" Matt snarled.
"You? How can you, just as ordinary as Harry over there, kill me, the greatest wizard of all time?" Riddle questioned.
"Didn't you hear the first time? You're not the greatest wizard! Dumbledore is!" Matt reaffirmed.
Suddenly, a musical cry was echoing through the Chamber of Secrets. Fawkes the Phoenix had appeared, and carrying in its claws was the Sorting Hat. Harry and Riddle continued to taunt each other as Matt tried to wake Ginny, even throwing the diary away from her.
"Now, Harry, I'm going to teach you a little lesson. Let's match the powers of Lord Voldemort, Heir of Salazar Slytherin, against famous Harry Potter, his little American friend, and the best weapons Dumbledore can give him…" Riddle said as he cast an amused look over Fawkes who was perched on Harry's shoulder, Matt, and the Sorting Hat still at Harry's feet.
Riddle hissed something and Matt's head titled, not understanding the strange noises Riddle was making. It sounded like intentional hisses and spits, almost a language. Suddenly, the statue of Salazar Slytherin, which towered above Matt and Ginny began to move, its mouthing opening into a huge hole.
"Matt! Run!" Harry commanded as he backed away into the Chamber wall, his eyes screwed shut. Immediately, Matt rolled out of the way, his back to the statue as something large hit the stone floor. Matt closed his eyes and took off at a zigzag sprint, heading back the way he was sure he and Harry had come. With a musical cry, Fawkes took flight off Harry's shoulder and brushed by Matt. He felt the rush of the phoenix's wings as it soared at the mighty king of the serpents. He stumbled as Fawkes flew by and lost his balance in the blind run and fell to his stomach.
Matt pushed himself up as Riddle continued to hiss at the snake. He heard Harry running as well, while Fawkes and the serpent hissed and cried at one another. Matt did not get far as Harry too, had tripped and fallen, Matt tripping over him now. Both boys were down, and the Basilisk was rapidly approaching. There was loud noise and both Matt and Harry were thrown into the wall by something hard hitting them.
Matt kept his eyes shut, knowing it was too dangerous to open them. Then he felt Harry tapping his shoulder.
"It's safe!" Harry said.
Matt opened his eyes to the fierce battle between Fawkes and the Basilisk, the snake's bulbous eyes pierced and unable to harm anyone anymore. That was fine, in Matt's opinion the playing field just leveled.
With an angry shout he began to fire spells at the monstrous snake. However, they seemed to bounce off and ricochet harmlessly down the Chamber or impact into the walls. Harry meanwhile was trying to dodge the blinded snake as Riddle kept hissing at it loud as ever. Matt was sure he must be trying to get the creature to abandon its vendetta against Fawkes and go after Harry and himself. A moment later, a great swipe of the snake's tail shoveled the Sorting Hat into Harry's arms.
As Matt picked up a large broken piece of stonework and hurled it with all his might at the Basilisk, Harry jammed the hat onto his head. Matt shrugged, he knew Harry was unconventional, but it was nearly the only thing that made sense to do, at the same time. Matt turned back to hurl another piece of heavy stone at the serpent.
"C'mon Serpentor! Look over here! Can't you hear me, you great, deaf, piece of overcooked spaghetti?!" Matt snarled. The snake finally turned angrily towards Matt, as if it understood what he meant. His eyes widened as the snake turned on him, and he was forced to back pedal. "Oh shit! Harry!" Matt called to his friend.
Harry had whipped the Sorting Hat off of his head and was now holding a gleaming silver sword, studded with rubies. The snake hissed and blindly shot forward, forcing Matt to leap out of the way, smashing into Harry.
"Ow! Don't go after me!" Harry said as they both sprawled to the floor.
"Sorry! Where'd you get the sword?" Matt asked.
"I dunno. It came out of the hat." Harry replied. Matt gave him a look of confusion but shrugged. It was a magic hat, apparently you could pull something out of it after all.
"Watch out!" Harry yelled as the Basilisk lunged at them, forcing them apart on opposite sides.
"Throw me the sword!" Matt called out as the Basilisk whipped its head around trying to sink its sword-like fangs into one, or both of them. Harry tossed the weapon, it sailed through the air and Matt's hand brushed it, before it went flying away down the Chamber and into the pool at Slytherin's feet. "Shit!" Matt swore and took off at a dead sprint, leaping over sections of the Basilisk's body as it uncoiled to give chase.
Harry followed Matt on the opposite side, knowing the sword was their only chance. The two boys rushed to the pool and Matt dove headlong into it. He held his breath as his hands scrapped the bottom. He kept his eyes shut, never having been able to open them underwater. He clumsily felt around until his lungs were about to burst. Finally at the last possible second, he gripped the sword and broke the surface of the water.
"Here quick!" Harry called and Matt tossed it to his friend. Harry caught the blade as Matt hauled himself out of the water and began to slash wildly at the snake. Gashes appeared on the snake's hide, scales falling off it where Harry cut it. So, the animal could be hurt.
Matt gave Harry a nod and Harry silently threw him the sword. This time Matt caught it and knew what he had to do. He backed a few feet away, throwing some loose rocks and stones to distract the snake, making it think he was moving in a different direction. Harry was making good progress on it, there was blood everywhere but at the rate he was going, the snake would kill Harry before Harry would land a killing blow.
Matt flipped the sword and banged the flat of the blade on the ground. "Here here!" he called out, repeating the banging again. The Basilisk coiled itself as Matt drew its attention. Carefully he leveled the sword, the serpent shot forward, its head twisting to take Matt sideways in its mouth, Matt held tight to the sword.
There was loud hiss as the sword appeared out of the back of the Basilisk's head, drive entirely through it by Matt. He wrenched the sword as the snake shuddered and convulsed, with a scream, Matt drew the blade out, cleaving the head of the Basilisk down the middle. Matt gave Harry a sickly smile and then a pained expression.
"Ow." Matt backed away, one of the large fangs of the creature had broken off and embedded itself into his thigh. He felt himself grow nauseas as an incredible pain shot through his leg. He stumbled and collapsed against one of the pillars in the Chamber. He shivered as the poison flowed through his body. Using the last of his strength he yelled loudly as he yanked the fang out and tossed it aside.
"Matt!" Harry ran to his side as Fawkes landed. Matt's leg and robes were soaked with his own blood.
"I got him…" Matt said weakly and felt the room begin to spin. "But he got me too…" his voice was weakening.
"You're dead Matt Santini. Dead. Even Dumbledore's bird knows it. Pigheaded American. I'm going to watch you die, then I'll be reborn, and I will kill the great Harry Potter myself. You've lost!" Riddle said triumphantly.
"Bet me, buckwheat! Harry, the diary! Use the fang!" Matt said and coughed weakly as the room moved in and out of focus. Fawkes bent over his leg, large pearly tears forming in the phoenix's eyes.
Harry grabbed the book, tossed from Ginny's side, and smiled at Riddle.
"What are you doing? No! Stop it!" Riddle called as Harry opened the diary and drove the fang right into the heart of the book. Ink spurted out like a stabbed artery from the pages. Riddle screamed in agony as Harry closed the cover and drove the fang in a second time. Riddle writhed and twisted in agony, screaming in pain, and then he dissolved in a golden flash. Harry's wand which Riddle had stolen from him, rolled across the floor.
Matt shivered and gave Harry a thumbs up.
"Way to go, three for three." Matt said and coughed. "I shouldn't have doubted you. I should have been a better friend." Matt said painfully. "And Hermione…if I had been better to her, I could have protected her. Should have…"
"It's alright. C'mon Matt! You can fight this." Harry said. Ginny moaned and began to stir, sitting up and then rushing to Harry and Matt's side.
"It's over Harry. I lost. It's what I get for being a bad friend. Tell Hermione…"
"No, you tell her yourself!" Harry commanded.
"Tell Hermione…I lo…" Matt's vision went dark as he grew drowsy the rest of his sentence lost. Until a moment later when his vision came back into focus. The pain was leaving him and Matt looked down at his leg. The skin where the fang had pierced him was normal, the wound was gone. Fawkes had tears running down his plumage and Matt suddenly understood.
"What did you want me to tell Hermione?" Harry asked as he and Ginny helped Matt to his feet.
"I'll uh…I'll tell her myself…maybe someday. I mean if she wants to still be my friend…" Matt said as the three of them made their way back to the rockfall where Ron had made and opening.
"You definitely should." Harry said. "Whatever you wanted to tell her."
"Maybe you and Ron should go see her first? I'm not sure she'll want to see me, given where things were…" Matt said as they approached Ron.
A few moments later, Harry, Matt, Ginny, Ron, and Gilderoy were being flown out of the Chamber of Secrets by Fawkes. After some time spent explaining to Dumbledore and the Weasley family exactly what had happened, and how Ginny had been possessed by Tom Riddle's diary. The mystery of how it ended up back at Hogwarts after going missing for fifty years, was solved when Lucius Malfoy appeared along with Dobby the house elf. Harry learned from Dobby, and Dumbledore himself put it together, that Lucius held the diary all along and had slipped it to Ginny in hopes of discrediting Arthur's Muggleborn Protection Act in the Ministry.
As Matt and Harry walked down to the feast that was most definitely warranted Matt paused.
"Harry, we really did a hell of a thing tonight, and I'm not sure I'm ready…" he said hesitantly. He did not finish the thought. "I think I'm just gonna go back to the common room."
"Are you sure? I don't think she'll be mad." Harry said, knowing his friend was referring to Hermione.
"Yeah, no, I'm sure. You go ahead. I'll be fine." Matt moved off and waved to Harry as he headed for Gryffindor Tower. Matt mulled over his decisions the previous year, thinking about how everything went so horribly wrong. He needed to not be so stubborn in his views he realized. His bullheadedness nearly cost him all his friends. It may still cost him the most important one, even if he did not admit it at that moment.
He spoke the password and went to change into pajamas before sitting down by the fire to think. He needed to figure out what he would do when Hermione would inevitably reject his apology. He was almost certain of it. Had he been in her position, he would not take himself back as a friend. It was not worth the trouble. He was not worth the trouble.
Matt's stomach did a backflip when the portrait hole opened, and a mane of bushy brown hair appeared. He stood, bracing for the worst. As Hermione entered the common room.
"Matt! There you are." She said with a smile. "Why aren't you at the feast?" she asked, looking concerned as she spoke.
"I…uh…wasn't very hungry…" Matt said as his stomach rumbled. Hermione looked utterly unconvinced.
"Really?" she asked and moved over to the couch to plop down beside him.
"This wouldn't have anything to do with the last time we talked, would it?" Hermione asked as she turned to face him.
"Hermione…I was…wrong." Matt said slowly. "I shouldn't have doubted you and Harry."
"I know. And I also know you're sorry. You told me that before." Hermione said with a coy smile.
"Wh-what?! Bu-but they said…how?!" Matt stuttered as Hermione just grinned at him.
"You're forgiven!" Hermione said and launched herself into Matt and hugged him. It felt like the broken pieces that had been rattling around inside his heart and soul since she was petrified had been put back together again.
"Thank you." He whispered to her.
"You're welcome." Hermione whispered back. After a long moment she let go of Matt and smiled. "You know, Harry told me everything. About the Chamber, and the Basilisk and…" she paused, and it was her turn to look mournful. "I'm just glad you're alive and here." Hermione said, smiling again.
"Me too!" Matt replied with a smile.
"Now…let's go see about that feast!" Hermione stood and offered her hand to Matt. He took it in his and she clamped on, not letting go as they climbed out of the portrait hole and headed for the Great Hall.