A pearly patch of tears was shining all around the wound – except that there was no wound.

'Get away, bird,' said Riddle's voice suddenly. 'Get away from him. I said, get away!'

Harry raised his head. Riddle was pointing Harry's wand at Fawkes; there was a bang like a gun and Fawkes took flight again in a whirl of gold and scarlet.  Fawke looked over to Amelia and shed a few tears on her arm before flying off.

'Phoenix tears ...' said Riddle quietly, staring at Harry's arm. 'Of course ... healing powers ... I forgot ...'

He looked into Harry's face. 'But it makes no difference. In fact, I prefer it this way. Just you and me, Harry Potter ... you and me ...'

I'm right here! Amelia wanted to yell, but that would put Harry in danger. Slowly, Amelia got to her feet, her arm fully healed, and pulled out her wand pointing it at Riddle, who was too busy with Harry to notice her.

He raised the wand.

Then, in a rush of wings, Fawkes soared back overhead and something fell into Harry's lap – the diary.

For a split second, both Harry and Riddle, wand still raised, stared at it. Then, without thinking, without considering, as though he had meant to do it all along, Harry seized the Basilisk fang on the floor next to him and plunged it straight into the heart of the book.

There was a long, dreadful, piercing scream. Ink spurted out of the diary in torrents, streaming over Harry's hands, flooding the floor. Riddle was writhing and twisting, screaming and flailing and then ...

He had gone. A white flash of light made its way through the air where Riddle had stood. Amelia had cast her spell too late, but it didn't matter. They had won. Harry's wand fell to the floor with a clatter and there was silence. Silence except for the steady drip drip of ink still oozing from the diary. The Basilisk venom had burned a sizzling hole right through it.

Shaking all over, Harry pulled himself up. His head was spinning as though he'd just travelled miles by Floo powder. Slowly, he gathered together his wand and the Sorting Hat, and, with a huge tug, retrieved the glittering sword from the roof of the Basilisk's mouth.

Amelia ran over to Harry and wrapped her arms around him in a hug. 'We did it,' she chuckled. 'We won,' 

Then came a faint moan from the end of the Chamber. Ginny was stirring. As Harry and Amelia hurried towards her, she sat up. Her bemused eyes travelled from the huge form of the dead Basilisk, over Harry, in his blood-soaked robes, then to the diary in his hand. She drew a great, shuddering gasp and tears began to pour down her face. Amelia got down on the floor and wrapped Ginny in a hug.

'Harry – oh, Harry – I tried to tell you at b-breakfast, but I c-couldn't say it in front of Percy. It was me, Harry – but I – I