HP:The Phoenix Reborn

Chapter 7: The Secrets of the Chamber

The chamber's magic pulsed like a living thing.

Ancient runes glowed faintly along the stone walls, their meaning lost to time. Scrolls, tomes, and enchanted weapons lay untouched, sealed away for centuries.

Harry exhaled slowly. This wasn't just a hidden room. This was Salazar Slytherin's personal vault—a forgotten relic of Hogwarts' past.

What else has been buried here?

He stepped forward, his boots echoing against the cold stone. His fingers traced over the surface of an obsidian pedestal, where a single silver dagger lay.

The blade hummed with power.

Harry lifted it carefully, his magic reacting immediately. A surge of knowledge hit him, memories not his own flashing through his mind—

Spells long forgotten. Duels fought in candlelit chambers. The whispers of an empire built in the shadows.

This was Slytherin's dagger.

A weapon, but more than that. A key.

Harry clenched it in his fist.

"A serpent who walks among lions," he had told the chamber. And now? Now the serpent had found his first real weapon.

The Whispering Shadows

He spent the next few nights studying.

The scrolls were filled with forgotten magic—wards older than Hogwarts itself, dueling techniques that had been lost in history, even spells designed for pure magical combat.

And the best part?

None of them were Dark Arts.

They were raw power—neutral, untouched by ideology.

Exactly the kind of magic Harry needed.

By the time he emerged from the chamber, dawn was breaking. The air felt lighter, as if the castle itself was waking up with him.

And as he walked back toward Gryffindor Tower, his thoughts were interrupted by a slow clap.

He stopped.

Leaning casually against the wall, watching him with open amusement, was Tom Riddle.

"You've been busy," Riddle murmured.

Harry didn't react. "So have you."

Riddle smirked. "Oh, you have no idea."

They stood there, neither willing to look away.

Riddle's dark eyes flickered toward the dagger at Harry's hip. "Interesting choice of weapon. I assume it has a story?"

Harry smirked. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

Riddle chuckled. "I would, actually. But more than that—" He stepped forward, tilting his head. "I'd like to know why you really came to Hogwarts."

Harry's grip on his wand tightened.

Riddle's smirk widened.

"Because let's be honest, Peverell," he whispered, his voice smooth as silk. "You don't belong here."

The air between them was thick with unspoken truths.

Then, without another word, Riddle turned and walked away.

Harry watched him go, his mind racing.

Riddle was getting suspicious.

And that meant Harry had to move faster.

——

Harry didn't wait.

The next day, he expanded his army.

The Marauders were already skilled, but they weren't enough. He needed more fighters, people who would be willing to stand against Riddle when the time came.

He started with Marlene McKinnon.

She was still recovering from Rosier's attack, but her anger burned like wildfire. When Harry found her in the Gryffindor common room, staring at the fireplace with clenched fists, he sat beside her without a word.

After a long silence, she spoke.

"Tell me how to fight."

Harry turned to her. "Are you sure?"

She met his gaze. "I don't want to be a victim again."

Harry exhaled, then nodded. "Meet me in the Room of Requirement tonight."

Marlene McKinnon had just become his first new recruit.

The Hidden Army

It didn't stop with Marlene.

Within a week, Lily Evans joined them—her curiosity and natural talent making her a powerful addition.

Then came Dorcas Meadowes, fierce and unshakable.

Even Frank and Alice Longbottom, still just students but already showing signs of the warriors they would become.

In the shadows of Hogwarts, beneath the castle's ancient stone walls, Harry was building something new.

An army.

A resistance before the war had even begun.

And Riddle?

Riddle knew.

But instead of attacking, he was watching.

Waiting.

Because if there was one thing Riddle had always been good at, it was playing the long game.

And Harry?

Harry was about to change the rules.

Chapter 19: The First Strike

It happened in the dead of night.

A scream echoed through the castle.

Harry was already awake when it happened. He grabbed his wand and ran, his heart pounding.

By the time he reached the corridor outside the Astronomy Tower, the scene was set.

A student—Gryffindor, fourth year—lay on the ground, blood pooling beneath them.

Above them stood Evan Rosier and Mulciber.

And behind them?

Tom Riddle.

He wasn't smiling. He wasn't amused.

He was bored.

"This is getting tiresome," Riddle said smoothly.

Harry clenched his jaw. "Then stop."

Riddle sighed. "But where's the fun in that?"

Harry stepped forward, his magic flaring. "You want a fight, Riddle?" His voice was deadly quiet. "Fine. Let's settle this. Just you and me."

Rosier and Mulciber shifted nervously. They knew what happened the last time they had faced Harry.

But Riddle?

Riddle just smiled.

"A tempting offer," he murmured. "But not yet."

Harry's eyes narrowed.

Riddle leaned closer, his voice dropping to a whisper.

"Not until you're ready."

Then, with a flick of his wand, he and his followers disappeared.

Harry stood there, furious.

Because he knew exactly what had just happened.

Riddle was waiting for him.

Challenging him.

Testing him.

And that meant one thing.

Riddle saw him as a threat.

And for the first time in history, the Heir of Slytherin had an enemy he couldn't predict.

——

Later that night, the Marauders met in the Room of Requirement.

Harry stood before them, his green eyes burning.

"It's time," he said simply.

James nodded. "We're with you."

Sirius grinned. "Hell yeah, we are."

Remus exhaled. "This is bigger than Hogwarts now."

Harry held out his wand. "Then let's make it official."

Slowly, one by one, the others joined him, their wands raised.

Together, they spoke the words that would bind them to this fight.

"We vow to stand together. To protect each other. To fight against the darkness before it can rise."

A pulse of magic filled the room, sealing the Unbreakable Pact.

The war had officially begun.

And this time?

Harry wasn't fighting alone.

Author's Note:

Harry has gathered his own army. Riddle is watching him, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. But Harry isn't waiting anymore.

Should Harry take the fight directly to Riddle? Or should he continue building his forces?

Let me know what you think! More coming soon.