Chapter 18 The Heir of Slytherin

Harry is standing in a large chamber. There is a strange green light in the chamber. Harry can see many stone pillars. There are stone serpents climbing the stone pillars.

Harry is very scared. His heart is beating very fast. Where is the basilisk? Where is Jenny?

Harry moves forward down the chamber. His wand is ready in his hand. Against the back wall of the chamber there is an enormous staircase.

Harry looks up at the giant face of the statue. The face has a long beard. The stone beard almost touches the floor. Harry can see the giant stone feet of the statue.

And there, between the feet, Harry sees someone. They are lying face down. Harry can see bright red hair.

"Jenny!" yells Harry. He runs to her. "Jenny, please don't be dead. Don't be dead!"

He throws his wand to the ground and turns Jenny over. Her face is as white as marble and as cold. Her eyes are closed. She is not petrified.

Then she must be... "Jenny, please, wake up!" says Harry. He shakes her. She does not move.

"She won't wake up," says a quiet voice. Harry jumps with surprise. He looks up.

There is a tall building. It's huge! boy with black hair. There is something very strange about the boy. He is blurry.

But Harry recognizes him immediately. "Tom? Tom Riddle?" asks Harry. Tom nods his head up and down, yes. He continues looking at Harry.

"What do you mean she won't wake up?" Harry says. "Is she? Is she?"  

"She's still alive," says Riddle, "but only barely."

Harry looks closely at him. Tom Riddle was at Hogwarts 50 years ago, but the boy in front of him is not older than 16. "Are you a ghost?" Harry says.  

"No, I'm not a ghost."

"I'm a memory," says Riddle. "A memory preserved in a diary for 50 years." He points his finger towards one of the statue's toes. There, on the ground, is the diary Harry found in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.