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Jo?o W. Cangussu, Raymond A. DeCarlo, Aditya P. Mathur, "Using Sensitivity Analysis to Validate a State Variable Model of the Software Test Process," IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering, vol. 29, no. 5, pp. 430-443, May, 2003.
@article{ 10.1109/TSE.2003.1199072,
author = {Jo?o W. Cangussu and Raymond A. DeCarlo and Aditya P. Mathur},
title = {Using Sensitivity Analysis to Validate a State Variable Model of the Software Test Process},
journal ={IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering},
volume = {29},
number = {5},
issn = {0098-5589},
year = {2003},
pages = {430-443},
doi = {http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TSE.2003.1199072},
publisher = {IEEE Computer Society},
address = {Los Alamitos, CA, USA},
RefWorks Procite/RefMan/Endnote
JO - IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering
TI - Using Sensitivity Analysis to Validate a State Variable Model of the Software Test Process
A1 - Jo?o W. Cangussu,
A1 - Raymond A. DeCarlo,
A1 - Aditya P. Mathur,
KW - Software process
KW - feedback control
KW - sensitivity analysis
KW - modeling
KW - software test process
KW - state model.
JA - IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering
Abstract—We report on the sensitivity analysis of a state variable model (Model S) proposed earlier. Model S captures the dominant behavior of the system test phase of the software test process. Sensitivity analysis is a mathematical methodology to compute changes in the system behavior due to changes in system parameters or variables. This is particularly important when parameters are calibrated using noisy or small data sets. Nevertheless, by mathematically quantifying the effects of parameter variations on the behavior of the model, and thereby the STP, one can easily and quickly evaluate the effect of such variations on the process performance without having to perform extensive simulations. In all cases studied, Model S behaved according to empirical observations which serves to validate the model. It is also shown that sensitivity analysis can suggest structural improvements in a model when the model does not behave as expected.
[1] J.W. Cangussu, R.A. DeCarlo, and A.P. Mathur, "A Formal Model for the Software Test Process," IEEE Trans. Software Eng., vol. 28, pp. 782-796, Aug. 2002.
[2] J.W. Cangussu, R.A. DeCarlo, and A.P. Mathur, "A Formal Model for the Software Test Process," Technical Report SERC-TR-176-P, Purdue Univ. -SERC, Mar. 2001.
[3] J.W. Cangussu, R.A. DeCarlo, and A.P. Mathur, "A State Variable Model for the Software Test Process," Proc. 13th Int'l Conf. Software&Systems Eng. and Their Applications (ICSSEA), Dec. 2000.
[4] D.G. Luenberger, Introduction to Dynamic Systems: Theory, models and applications. John Wiley&Sons, 1979.
[5] R.A. DeCarlo, Linear Systems: A State Variable Approach with Numerical Implementation. New York: Prentice-Hall, 1989.
[6] J.W. Cangussu, "A Mathematical Foundation for Software Process Control," PhD thesis, Purdue Univ., Apr. 2002.
[7] Encyclopedia of Software Engineering, J.J. Marciniak, ed. vol. 2, pp. 1359-1376, Wiley Interscience, 1994.
[8] Encyclopedia of Software Engineering, J.J. Marciniak, ed. vol. 2, pp. 1409-1433, 1994.
[9] J.W. Cangussu, R.A. DeCarlo, and A.P. Mathur, "A State Model for the Software Test Process with Automated Parameter Identification," Proc. 2001 IEEE Systems, Man, and Cybernetics Conf. (SMC 2001), pp. 706-711, Oct. 2001.
[10] J. W. Brewer, "Kronecker Products and Matrix Calculus in System Theory," IEEE Trans. Circuits and Systems, vol. 25, pp. 772-781, Sept. 1978.
[11] Sensitivity Analysis, A. Saltelli, K. Chan, and E. M. Scott, eds. Chichester, N.Y.: John Wiley&Sons, 2000.
[12] B.W. Boehm et al., Software Cost Estimation with COCOMO II, Prentice-Hall, Upper Saddle River, N.J., 2000.
[13] F.P. Brooks Jr., The Mythical Man-Month (20th Anniversary Edition).Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley, 1995.
[14] J.W. Cangussu, R.A. DeCarlo, and A.P. Mathur, "Feedback Control of the Software Test Process through Measurements of Software Reliability," Proc. 12th Int'l Symp. Software Reliability Eng., Nov. 2001.
[15] S. Biffl, "Using Inspection Data for Defect Estimation," IEEE Software, vol. 17, pp. 36-43, Nov./Dec. 2000.
[16] C. Wohlin and P. Runeson, "Defect Content Estimations from Review Data," Proc. 1998 Int'l Conf. Software Eng., pp. 400-409, 1998.
[17] G. Fulford, P. Forrester, and A. Jone, Modeling with Differential and Difference Equations. Cambridge Univ. Press, 1997.
[18] B. Boehm, Software Engineering Economics, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, N.J., 1981, pp. 533-535.
[19] S.R. Lay, Convex Sets and their Applications. New York: John Wiley&Sons Inc., 1982.
[20] L. Ljung, System Identification: Theory for the User. Prentice Hall, 1987.
[21] G. Cugola and C. Ghezzi, "Software Processes: A Retrospective and a Path to the Future," Software Process Improvement and Practice. 1999.
[22] W.A. Florac and A.D. Carleton, Measuring the Software Process: Statistical Process Control for Software Process Improvement, Addison-Wesley, Reading, Mass., 1999.
[23] T. Abdel-Hamid and S.E. Madnick, Software Project Dynamics: An Integrated Approach. Prentice Hall, 1991.
[24] G.A. Hansen, "Simulating Software Development Processes," Computer, vol. 29, no. 1, pp. 73–77, Jan. 1996.
[25] D.J. Wheeler and D.S. Chambers, Understanding Statistical Process Control. SPC Press, 1992.
[26] J.W. Brewer, "Matrix Calculus and the Sensitivity Analysis of Linear Dynamic Systems," IEEE Trans. Automatic Control, vol. 23, pp. 748-751, Aug. 1978.
[27] T.H. McCabe, "A Complexity Measure," IEEE Trans. Software Eng., vol. 2, no. 6, pp. 308-320, 1976.
[28] B. Boehm, "Safe and Simple Software Cost Analysis," IEEE Software, vol. 17, pp. 14-17, Sept./Oct. 2000.
[29] C.L. Lawson and R.J. Hanson, Solving Least Squares Problems. Soc. for Industrial and Applied Math. (SIAM), 1995.
[30] G.C. Goodwin, S.F. Graebe, and M.E. Salgado, Control System Design. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 2001.
[31] W. Gander, J.H. Masaryk, and J. Hrebicek, Solving Problems in Scientific Computing Using Maple and MATLAB. Springer-Verlag, 1997.


text:
Search for any place in the USA:
Cost of Living,
As of 2014, Plainfield (zip 07063)'s population is 14,606 people. Since 2000, it has had a population growth of 26.94 percent.
The median home cost in Plainfield (zip 07063) is $130,400. Home appreciation the last year has been 4.70 percent.
Compared to the rest of the country, Plainfield (zip 07063)'s cost of living is 4.10% Higher than the U.S. average.
Plainfield (zip 07063) public schools spend $19,223 per student. The average school expenditure in the U.S. is $12,435. There are about 10.3 students per teacher in Plainfield (zip 07063).
The unemployment rate in Plainfield (zip 07063) is 8.50 percent(U.S. avg. is 6.30%). Recent job growth is Positive. Plainfield (zip 07063) jobs have Increased by 0.46 percent.
Ranked #2 Best and Worst Airports to make a Connection ListRanked #2 America's Best and Worst Cities for Crime (Large Metro Areas)Ranked #2 Sleepless Cities 2011Ranked #2 Sperlings Skincare Wrinkle RankingRanked #3 The Most Single CitiesSee More Rankings Click Here
Average Commute time is 27 minutes. The National Average is 25 minutes.
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Proud Neighborhood: A community of beautiful... (read more)Have an opinion about Plainfield? Leave a commentTo See All SperlingViews for Plainfield Click Here

subset: commoncrawl


text:
U.S. government insiders said a Syrian purchase of Russian-built Yakhont antiship cruise missiles came under Israeli attack off of Syria's coast on July 5, the New York Times reported on Saturday.
Israeli aircraft bombed the missile shipment, the sources said, citing intelligence data. However, Middle East intelligence insiders told the London Times that Israeli Dolphin-class submarines were responsible for the hit, the Jerusalem Post reported on Sunday.
Separately, Obama insiders said efforts to equip Syrian opposition forces for combat might not have an effect for months on the country's civil war, now in its third year, the New York Times reported on Sunday. Senior Obama legal experts have warned that providing aid for Syrian rebels could breach international codes and prompt a backlash from Syrian President Bashar Assad's government, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday.
Syrian state media said Assad's forces had uncovered a cache of "toxic chemical weapons inside a terrorists' den in the area surrounding al-Manashir roundabout in Joubar," the Xinhua News Agency reported on Monday.


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Can Smoking Marijuana Actually Lower Your IQ?
October 09, 2012
Many teenagers assume smoking weed is harmless because of all the myths floating around saying it's safe. What few people know is that the age you start using marijuana actually makes a difference. Read More »39 Comments
FACT: Driving After Using Marijuana Is Dangerous
July 11, 2012
According to a recent driving study, as many as 1 in 5 teen drivers say they drove under the influence of marijuana. Read More »26 Comments
Being a Team Player Can Influence Drug and Alcohol Use
June 20, 2012
Middle and high school teens have many choices when it comes to extracurricular activities. Some will choose a team sport like basketball, volleyball, football, or softball, while others may choose more individual-type sports like track, golf, tennis, or swimming. Read More »1 Comment
Spice: "If You Use It, You're Experimenting on Yourself"
April 19, 2012
Ask NIDA scientist Marilyn A. Huestis, Ph.D., what she wants to tell young people about the synthetic (manmade) marijuana called Spice, and she responds with passion. In a recent interview with SBB, Dr. Read More »44 Comments
Learning About Drugs From the Inside
April 05, 2012
My name is Sharlett, and I'm from Washington State. Recently, I completed an internship for NIDA in Washington, DC. Read More »4 Comments


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"maybe if i drink another coffee, i will feel better"
"maybe if i buy myself a new sweater, i will feel better"
"maybe if i get so drunk i can't see, i will feel better"
"maybe if i sleep for fourteen hours, i will feel better"
"maybe if I eat this I will feel better"
Apparently people talk shit about me at the pub.
They say 'm awkward and all laugh.
My bf is there and ordered food, so he couldn't leave.
Meanwhile, the person talking shit about me is my ex, the one who inspired me to drink heavily and take sleeping pills so I wouldn't be awake with my thoughts, the same guy that caused so much pain into me I hurt myself physically…and now I'm getting referred to a psychiatrist cause my anxiety has grown.
So thank you douchebag. Your whole life and career is you making fun of people, that's not a life I want to live or be associated with. I'm glad you're moving 10 hours away so I don't have to deal with this high school bullshit anymore.
It's not the end of what I'll have to deal with, apparently people in the media in town were there and laughing along at my expense. I just need to be the better person.
I've been living life. Work and my relationship have consumed me, which is good. I'm starting to meet new people in town and things are feeling like home. I'm happy.
Man, that could be endless…but right now, exactly at that moment I'd like to take my boyfriend down the Oregon Coast and I'd love to visit Southeast Asia if I had the time.
Day 160: do you go by live, laugh, love
Eh, makes sense, but my mantra has been 'Live in the present' lately.
Day 161: why is it so much easier being a child, than an adult
An endless list…career, money, bills, relationships, etc.
Day 162: highs and lows of this month
High: I have been dating an amazing guy I can't even describe how amazing it is
Lows: Most likely something to do with work.
I was called 'Sloppy Seconds' today. As much as I expected this at some point, it does kind of bother me.
Day 153: do you think the hardest thing is sometimes the easiest thing
Day 154: a moment you felt most satisfied in your life
It's a long story, it has to do with the tattoo I got.
Day 155: what is one achievement you are proud of
Getting my first real job in my career field.
Day 156: what is a TV show you enjoy the most
Guilty Pleasure: I enjoy reality TV and travel shows.
Day 157: do you like to give or receive
Both! ;)
Day 158: would you give up all of your presents one Christmas time to help others from other countries
Perhaps, depends on how I can help kids
Day 159: what is one thing you love about photography
It captivates emotion.


text:
Greetings, fellow Kagikko! If you have somehow gotten to this page, then chances are that you already have a basic idea of what this project is about, but allow me to explain a little further.
On July 21, 2013, Key will celebrate its 15th anniversary since its foundation in 1998. This event will no doubt be well-celebrated by Key and its fans in Japan… but what about fans abroad? In hopes of being able to express our appreciation of Key as non-Japanese fans, as well as to show Key that they have a fan base outside of Japan, some of us at Doki, Fluffy, the Air TL team, and Amaterasu Translations decided that we will send Key a fan letter on its 15th anniversary.
The Key 15th Anniversary Letter Project is the result of this simple wish. Throughout the next year, we wish to collect as many fan messages and illustrations addressed to Key as possible, and would like to compile these together into a letter in English, before translating the letter and select messages into Japanese, and sending the letter and illustration collection to Key on its 15th anniversary. In order to achieve this, we would like to invite other fans of Key to submit messages and illustrations, and help us to create this letter.
Some of you may remember that there was a previous attempt, the Key 10th Anniversary Letter Project, back in 2009. If you made a message or illustration (or cosplay) submission for the project, please be assured that all submissions have been saved, and will be included as part of this project.
As discussions are still under way, we have not yet determined how we will collect the submissions. Please stay tuned for updates on the website and join us at #email@example.com. We will announce the submission method and other details at a later date.


text:
Bibendum Wine sale starts today and runs until the 14th February. They are to offer over 250 wines with 50% off the original price. For theRead More
You know you pay a premium. Each of London's top department stores have excellent wine departments where the ambiance, the quality and the expertise warrant spendingRead More
The first entry is Château Lafite-Rothschild crowned with a stunning photo of the famous building reflected in a lake. The next two pages are covered byRead More
How quickly our glorious Autumn has slid into Winter. Early this year are the snows, the ice, the school closures and the postmen ditching their shortsRead More
To me rather an odd combination of partners but the Discover the Origin promotion unites the wines of Burgundy and the Douro Valley, Parma ham andRead More
What I have to ask is what exactly DID I do during the ARSE 2 tasting/picnic? I served the wine, unveiled the hidden wines to theRead More
To be honest a dish comprising goats cheese and baked apple would lead one to select a white wine – a South African Chenin Blanc, aRead More
The 24th Loire Valley Wine Trade Fair/Salon des Vins de Loire ran over three days (1st – 3rd February 2010) last week. In addition to theRead More
What is it with Grenache/Carignan/Syrah blends? Those deep savoury edged, black fruit wonders that make my heart quiver. And why is those from the South ofRead More
Alsace has 51 officially designated grand cru plots, it's only a little region but all seem to agree that 51 is a rather large number. WhicheverRead More
© 2004-2014 Spittoon.biz All Rights Reserved


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Stock Market & Financial Investment News
News Breaks
December 3, 2012
NYSE market internals summary
Volume is very light for this time of day. Breadth is mixed with issues bearish while volume and new highs to new lows are bullish. Advancing Issues: 1360 / Declining Issues: 1411 -- for a ratio of 1.0 to 1. Advancing Volume: 59,298,000 / Declining Volume: 43,082,000 -- for a ratio of 1.4 to 1. New 52-Week Highs: 138 / New 52-Week Lows: 19.
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text:
How to Eat a Piece of Pie or Cheesecake
This is how to eat a piece of pie and/or cheesecake. If you like pie and/or cheesecake, READ THIS!
1Get a piece of your chosen pie/cake.Ad
2Get a fork/spoon.
3Hold the fork/spoon in your hand.
4Run the fork/spoon down a small part of the pie/cake.
5Put the cut piece on your fork/spoon.
6Place the end of the fork/spoon in your mouth.
7Close your lips and take the fork/spoon out of your mouth.
8Make your teeth go up and down inside you mouth, but before biting down, place the food between the top and bottom rows of teeth.
9Swallow the food inside your mouth.
10Repeat steps 4-9 until all of pie/cake is inside your digestive system.Ad
Are you an expert on motorcycles?
If so, share what you know about how to turn right on a motorcycle.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
We are a bit smarter today because of you.
- You may also do this with cake, but it can't have a filling, for that is for more experienced people.
- The icing on cake may cause you to mess up so I recommend using these steps for icing on cake:
- Separate the icing from the top or side of the cake
- After finishing piece of cake, do the same steps, but with the icing
- If done improperly you may impale the back of your throat. To avoid this, try not put too much of the fork inside your mouth.
Article Info
Categories: Appreciation of Food
Recent edits by: Rosejuice, BaBaBaBlackSheep, Jordan
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 5,452 times.


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Begin New Search
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Sid Fisher
member for 5 years, 7 months, 1 day
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23 Memorials Added
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Terrie Roese
Duncan Hume
You are welcome. I saw this grave site on my first go-around, but it has no identification on it, so I had to meet with the caretaker so he could show me which one was his. Someone is watching this grave, however, there were flowers in a milk bottle when I took the picture. They were past their prime, so I moved them out of the way for the picture. I am sorry there is no stone to show your college classmates--although I am a little puzzled why you would want to do that. It is a beautiful, well-maintained cemetery, so I am sure he resting peacefully.
Added by
Terrie Roese
on May 23, 2014 9:08 PM
Judy H
Ethelyn Parkinson update
I phoned and Ethelyn is indeed at Fort Howard. I supplied Jeannie with the correct plot and cemetery and filled her in on the information I found.
Hopefully you will be able to get a photo soon!
Added by
Judy H
on Dec 20, 2013 8:11 AM
Judy H
Ethelyn Parkinson
I found an obit and that says she is buried at Fort Howard. I will contact them in the morning to confirm and get burial location. I don't have the actual obit, just information that was told to me over the phone.
If you want to email me, I can fill you in on what else I found.
Added by
Judy H
on Dec 19, 2013 5:35 PM
Jeannie Brown
RE: Ethelyn Parkinson Gravesite
I wanted to let you know that I found Ethelyn...She went by the name "Betts". Her memorial # is 84210388.
Added by
Jeannie Brown
on Nov 20, 2013 4:41 PM
Diane Reich
Harry Ong
According to the index for cypress lawn cemetery Harry Ong is buried in Garden/Building: Lotus, Row 1, Grave 8. See index below
Added by
Diane Reich
on Oct 15, 2013 11:05 AM
Jeannie Brown
RE: Ethelyn Parkinson Gravesite
Hi Sid, I originally had her at Fort Howard and
in July I received a correction from another person who said she couldnt locate her there, but she found a notation that she had a headstone at another cemetery from a reading done in 1992.She then stated that from online cemetery transcripts she may be at Nicolet Memorial Garden in Bldg D of their mausoleum,and that she shared a headstone with a Louise Anderson. Since I'm in Ca, and she is back there, I just went ahead and changed it. All of Ethelyn's family is at Fort Howard, so I'm inclined to think she's there after all. If you are able to verify this, please let me know! Best regards,
Added by
Jeannie Brown
on Sep 17, 2013 3:52 PM
Dean Jantzen
RE: Aaron Josephs Photo
I uploaded the photo again. I took it with my iPhone. Sometimes the pictures end up sideways but this was the first one that was upside down.
Added by
Dean Jantzen
on Sep 12, 2013 4:26 PM
Colleen Parkinson
Hi, Sid:
I have not found that information yet. I hope you will follow up with Kathy, as she is the best source for those kinds of details. Let me know if you don't hear from her.
Your other possibility is to phone the cemetery and ask for Ethelyn's record again and tell them she is laid to rest in the mausoleum.
Please keep in touch with me on this.
Best Wishes,
Added by
Colleen Parkinson
on Sep 05, 2013 9:45 PM
Colleen Parkinson
RE: Ethelyn Parkinson Gravesite
Hello Again, Sid:
Jim Parkinson emailed me today with some info. Ethelyn rests in the mausoleum at Nicolet. I think the person you spoke with at the cemetery did not look through the mausoleum records.
Let me know if this helps.
Best Wishes,
Colleen Parkinson
Added by
Colleen Parkinson
on Sep 05, 2013 1:01 PM
Colleen Parkinson
RE: Ethelyn Parkinson Gravesite
Hello, Sid:
I am surprised at your discovery. I do not have any further information about Ethelyn's gravesite other than Nicolet. I so wish I knew more about Ethelyn! However, there is one other family member who may have additional information, and that is Kathy Parkinson. Please email her at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Please let me know what you find so I can update and correct her record!
Best Wishes,
Colleen Parkinson
Added by
Colleen Parkinson
on Sep 03, 2013 5:06 PM
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The Compelling Story Technique
Once you have grown accustomed to the Behavioral Answering Technique, you can expand your answers by turning your examples into compelling stories. Instead of merely providing an example that suits the question, weave the example into a compelling story with personality, flair and interest. Captivate your audience by providing the details and nuances that bring your story to life.
Consider yourself the author of a piece of fiction. As you put your plot into words, you must give life and meaning to the characters and surroundings. Provide the same in telling your compelling stories. Build the framework and background for the story. Add the elements of interest and intrigue. Give the plot twists. And show how our hero (you) saved the day in the end.
We all have compelling stories in our past. We tell them to our friends, our family, our loved ones. We laugh. We cry. And our hearts yearn for more. Yet we sometimes lose these stories over time, or bury them in our long-term memory bank, only to dredge them up at reunion time.
The key to retaining these compelling stories for your interviewing is to write them down. Go over the questions and bring to mind the stories you can weave to provide your example in living color. And as another compelling story occurs to you or as you find yourself in the telling of another interesting tale, ask yourself if the story will provide potential substance in your interviewing. If so, write it down.
After a period of time, you will have a collection of compelling stories to guide you through your interviews. As you become proficient in angling these stories to fit your needs, you will find yourself steering to these stories to illustrate your points.
One example of a compelling story was told to me by a recent grad, who answered my question about her organization skills by telling me how she planned and organized the alumni dinner during homecoming weekend, including full details of the management of twenty different student volunteers and coordination with six different campus departments. The event was a resounding success, but there were several challenges which she needed to overcome. And each of these challenges provided a compelling story of its own, as she was able to show her ability to plan, organize, and develop a team toward eventual success. In the end, she received a personal letter of recommendation from the President of the university, which she presented to me as validation of her extraordinary efforts.
Another compelling story was given to me by a current student in reference to a question about his lower than expected grade point average. He related to me the amount of work which he had put in to finance his college education, averaging thirty hours per week and occasionally putting in as much as fifty hours per week. He was eventually promoted to department manager, even though the employer knew he would be leaving after completing his degree. He recounted the story of the meeting with the employer in which he tried to back away from the management responsibilities, asking that one of the other department employees be promoted. The employer called in the four other workers in the department, who each personally asked that he take on the job as their manager. This student successfully shifted the focus from his lower than expected grades to his outstanding performance on the job by the use of a compelling story.
How do you know if your story is connecting with the interviewer? By eye contact. This is where the interviewer will show their interest. If you are not connecting with your story, decrease the amount of detail and drive home your point quickly. Depending on the personality type of the interviewer, you may need to adjust the length of the story, yet compelling stories work with all personality types. With the extreme driver or analytical personality types, you will need to keep the details to a minimum, while quickly making your point. Usually two or three shorter stories are better than one long story. At the other extreme, for feeling personality types, you will perform better with a longer story and more details. How do you detect the difference in personality types? By continuously striving to stay personally connected with the interviewer. If this connection appears to be lost or fading during the telling of a compelling story, shorten the story and come to your point quickly. On the other hand, if you have a captive audience who is hanging on your every word, provide all the necessary details.
The key to using compelling stories is that stories are remembered. Stories are what make you human. Stories are what put a face on you in the mind of the interviewer. And stories are what they will come back to when you are being sold to others internally. When that time comes, you have given your interviewer ammo for helping others to see why you should go on to the next step in the hiring process. Or be offered the job.
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text:
Contract talks between Chicago Public School leaders and Chicago Teachers Union represetnatives took a turn for the worse Friday afternoon.
The day started on a positive note with union leaders saying talks were getting better.
On Friday afternoon, the mood was much worse.
On Friday afternoon, CTU president Karen Lewis seemed anything but pleased with their current talks, saying they had gotten very intense. It's a drastic turnaround from her own positive outlook Friday morning to news crews.
School board president David Vitale sat in on negotiations Thursday, which is usually a good sign a deal is close to being done.
However, both sides are still split on issues like salary and job security and are expected to talk through the weekend if necessary.
Local religious leaders are pleading with teachers and the school board to get this deal done.
"The school year is a safety time. Children don't get shot in school," Pfleger said, "strike cannot be an option for our children."
Vitale agrees, saying families need to be a factor in the strike discussion.
As part of the CPS contingency plan called Children First, 60 churches will open their doors until 2 p.m. each day for students -- that's in addition to the 144 schools being opened for a half day.
Parents can now enroll for those programs through the CPS website.
The CTU blasted that plan: "It sounds like a train wreck. It calls for parents to drop off their children at holding centers for a half day of babysitting staffed by strangers, suits from Central Office and preachers. Most of these people have zero experience working with schoolchildren or large groups of teens.
On Friday afternoon, CPS CEO Jean Claude Brizard sent a letter to Lewis asking her, if the teachers do strike on Monday not to picket at those 144 schools "so kids don't have to cross picket lines to get the food and safe shelter they may need."
If negotiations fail and teachers do walk out on Monday, it will be the first teachers' strike in a quarter century in Chicago. It would affect more than 400,000 public school students.


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Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Fla. 32603
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Fla. 32603
Research Assistant in Child Psychiatry, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Fla. 32603
1966-67, American Psychiatric Association
Theoretically, children with both school phobia and bisexual conflict show separation-individuation difficulty. The authors, impressed in clinical work with the frequent coexistence of school refusal and sex-role problems, surveyed 21 cases of children with school phobia in order to test statistically the association between the two symptoms. Distinct patterns were found to be related to sex, age, socioeconomic status, and certain other demographic and symptomatic features.
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Clearwire: Almost home
November 20 shareholder vote final step; first Clearwire market to take customers in December
Industry News
Briefing Room
For more coverage of Sprint and Clearwires WiMAX plans, see Telephonys Xohm topic page
Clearwire and Sprint are just steps away from finalizing their WiMAX venture, Clearwire Chief Executive Officer Ben Wolff said today, requiring only a shareholder vote next week and the final okay from vendors before the combined company can begin turning up new networks and map out its deployment plans for the coming year.
Last week the FCC voted to approve the merger of Sprints WiMAX assets with Clearwire, making it the last regulatory hurdle standing in front of the venture. Navigating successfully through all of the necessary regulatory approvals in less than six months since first announcing the definitive agreement in May is a tremendous milestone for us, Wolff said on Clearwires third-quarter earnings call today. Were making progress on all closing steps as expeditiously as possible as we continue to work at closing the transaction by the end of the year.
While Clearwire still isnt revealing the details of its WiMAX rollout planWolff said that will come after the Sprint deal closesthe company did name specific progress in two of its markets. Clearwires trial in Portlandits first planned market launchis now hosting 200 friendly users. In December, Clearwire will begin to allow commercial customers on the network, but unlike Sprint, Clearwire wont be launching any commercial networks this year. Portland will commercially launch in the beginning of 2009, followed by Las Vegas, Atlanta and Grand Rapids, Mich. Sprint has already launched Xohm commercially in Baltimore and has promised to bring Washington, D.C., and Chicago online by the end of the year.Clearwire also confirmed that it has converted its first fixed broadband wireless network using Motorolas proprietary NextNet technology to a WiMAX network supporting full mobility. In October, Motorola built a WiMAX overlay in Bellingham, Wash. Clearwire officials said that project was more for planning and engineering purposes rather than commercial migration, but the Bellingham transition will serve as the template for converting to WiMAX the dozens of US markets in which Clearwire already has NextNet gear. Clearwire currently has 14 million points of presence (POPs) in the NextNet footprint, and the four WiMAX markets under construction cover an additional 6 million.
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The Simms Vapor Wading Boot is a new lightweight, fast & minimal wading boot with a synthetic leather/textile & scratch rubber upper. The Simms Vapor Wading Boot also offers a new lightweight Vapor Tread platform/4.0 mm. Vibram Megagrip rubber out-sole for an engineered balance of fast hiking and wading performance. The interior is partially lined with neoprene for wading warmth, cushioning, and easy on/off.
The Simms Vapor Wading Boot comes in whole sizes 7-14, weighs approx. 51.2 oz. (size 10), and has an EEE width.
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Facebook's Head Of Consumer And Mobile Marketing Jumps Ship For Twitter
Twitter has hired Facebook's consumer and mobile marketing head Kate Jhaveri, who will take on the role of senior director of consumer marketing.
During her time at Facebook, Jhaveri took the marketing lead on the company's platform and credits products, and its preferred marketing developers program.
Perhaps most notably, she launched the marketing campaign for the recent debut of Facebook Home.
Jhaveri starts work at Twitter tomorrow, and will report to the blue bird's head of marketing and communications Gabriel Stricker.
She seems suitably excited for the gig:
Hello @twitter! I'm excited to be joining the #consumermarketing flock! #letthefunbegin
— kate jhaveri (@taneyhill) August 30, 2013
Check out our Twitter Hires coverage for more news on new notable Twitter employees.
- Why Now Is the Time for Your Brand to Start Posting Video on Twitter
- HootSuite Acquires Social Analytics Leader UberVU
- Lenders Are Mining Your Social Media Profiles To Help Determine Your Credit Score
- Analysts Downgrade Twitter Stock, While CEO Costolo Has No Idea How Many Users Opt Out Of Ads


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Just returned from the Blockbuster shareholder meeting downtown, where a most curious thing happened: CEO Jim Keyes, whose company has spent the better part of a month slapping down so-called "dissident shareholder" Greg Meyer, announced that after a "colorful proxy fight," Meyer has been added t ... More >>
Gird your loins: The conspiracy theorists -- by which I mean the truth-tellers, of course -- are coming to town. Beginning a week from tomorrow, the Adolphus Hotel will host JFK Lancer's November in Dallas 2008 confab, scheduled to run for three days to coincide with the 45th anniversary of John Ken ... More >>
The Grand Prairie AirHogs are willing to do whatever it takes to make you a fan. And that includes win.
Will Ferrell's umpteenth sports comedy is only half bad. His half.
Lame psych thriller another low point for Mr. Costner
We spent the better part of Tuesday trying to find a copy of Vincent Bugliosi's book-exercise equipment Reclaiming History: The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy, which has gotten more press in recent days than Monica Goodling and the man or woman who won American Idol. (Shhh, don't tell me ... More >>
Kevin Costner doesn't make friends. He makes movies, dang it.
In The Rookie, a middle-aged man throws heat but leaves us cold
Golf is the latest sport victimized by sexual mythologising in Tin Cup


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- Presenter
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- Richard Hammond
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From suppliers including: Amazon, BBC Shop
Episode 3 of 3
Duration: 1 hour
Richard Hammond Richard Hammond concludes his look at miracles in the natural world by discovering some incredible animal super-powers. Creatures that can create slime as strong as steel, survive massive extremes of temperature or even turn invisible. Animal super-powers that have inspired scientists and engineers to create brand new human inventions that could change the way we live.
He discovers how the husky's paw can help American footballers; how a strange eel-like creature with a skull but no skeleton might be the next best thing to a spider; how the kingfisher could revolutionise air-sea rescue; and how the cuttlefish has enabled a military tank to pretend it's a small family saloon.
See all previous episodes from Richard Hammond's Miracles of Nature
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America Recycles Day, Saturday November 16th 9am-6pm $7.00 per person
National America Recycles Day is November 15th but Discovery Center will be celebrating on Saturday November 16th. Visit with community representatives who specialize in recycling, spend some time in our Build-A-Car area and try to create something new from recycled materials.
Thank you to our sponsor: City of Springfield Environmental Services


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Preserving and Sharing the Gifts of Native Knowledge and Culture
The shaping of the Coachella Valley has many historic chapters. The Cahuilla people contribute volumes of historic knowledge about these precious lands, their Native culture, and Tribal influences on life today in Palm Springs and the surrounding region. Their story – or, more accurately, their centuries of stories – enrich the lives of Coachella Valley residents and visitors every day and form a living archive of Tribal history.
Preservation of these stories is critical. Making them accessible – together with Tribal artifacts and the unique signatures of the Agua Caliente Band's way of life – is the primary role of Agua Caliente Cultural Museum. To fulfill its mission more fully, the Museum's Board of Directors has launched a $65 million capital campaign to fund construction of a 110,000 sq. ft. Museum facility in the heart of Palm Springs.
The new facility will make it possible to:
Capturing a New Day
An elegant contemporary echo of traditional Cahuilla culture – basketry, pottery, and architecture – distinguishes the new Agua Caliente Cultural Museum, designed by Jones & Jones Architects & Landscape Architects. This firm includes Johnpaul Jones (Cherokee/Choctaw), who was lead designer for the National Museum of the American Indian of the Smithsonian Institution. A complement to its desert surroundings, the Museum will draw travelers to the heart of the Coachella Valley and provide a congenial environment for guests and residents who come again and again.
"Through You, My Ancient People, I Am"
This message will greet visitors to the new Agua Caliente Cultural Museum and set the stage for the dramatic story of a culture that has struggled, persevered, and transformed. The many facets of this message that will emerge through the permanent exhibition are based on five central themes – land, knowledge, struggle, adaptation, and identity.
The new Museum includes:
The new Agua Caliente Cultural Museum will be a vital destination for tourists. It will make the City of Palm Springs and surrounding region proud of so distinguished a heritage, and will teach the important lessons that have come down through the ages.
For additional information about this project, please contact Executive Director Michael Hammond, Ph.D. at 760.833.8166 or email@example.com. To inquire about the capital campaign, contact Steve Sharp, Director of Development, at 760.833.8167 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
|© Agua Caliente Cultural Museum. All rights reserved.


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Baylor > Army ROTC > About the Bear Battalion > FAQs
Take a look at over 20 different career fields that you can choose from as an Army officer.
Get to know the ranks and insignia that Soldiers wear on their uniforms.
Find out more about becoming an officer in the U.S. Army in the answers below, with links to more detailed descriptions on this site.
What is the process to become an officer?
There are four paths to becoming an officer:
Army Reserve Officers� Training Corps (ROTC) lets undergraduate and graduate students enroll in elective leadership and military courses at colleges and universities in addition to their required courses.
Direct Commission provides leaders in professional fields such as law, medicine and religion the opportunity to become an Army Commissioned Officer.
Officer Candidate School (OCS) allows college graduates to gain the knowledge and skills necessary to be commissioned as an Army officer through classroom instruction and training exercises.
U.S. Military Academy at West Point, one of our country�s premier colleges, immerses cadets in military customs and traditions while working toward a college degree.
What�s the difference between being Active Duty and the Army Reserve?
Active Duty is similar to working at a full-time civilian job. The Army Reserve is more like a part-time job that enables you to keep your civilian career while you continue to train near home and serve your country.
Can I be an officer and still live where I want?
Yes. If you are an officer in the Army Reserve, you can commit to your country while you continue your civilian career at home. However, you should expect to spend one weekend a month in training and attend a two-week Field Training Exercise (FTX) once a year.
How long does it take to become an officer?
If you choose to become an officer through the Army Reserve Officers� Training Corps (ROTC) or the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, you will become an officer after completing four years of college. Through Officer Candidate School (OCS), you are commissioned as an Army second lieutenant upon completion of the 12-week course. If you join through direct commission, you are automatically an officer when you enter the Army.
What is the salary like?
Army officer salaries are competitive with those of mid to senior level corporate executives. When you factor in the savings from Army housing, food allowance, tax advantages and health care, you come out ahead.
What are the chances that I will be deployed?
It depends on the Army branch you choose and the unit to which you are assigned. However, Army missions and challenges are always changing, so there�s no way to know in advance which specialties and units are needed where. All officers in the Army or Army Reserve component face the possibility of deployment at some point during their careers.


text: Murchison Falls, also known as Kabarega Falls, is a waterfall on the Nile. It breaks the Victoria Nile, which flows across northern Uganda from Lake Victoria to Lake Kyoga and then to the north end of Lake Albert in the western branch of the East African Rift. At the top of Murchison Falls, the Nile forces its way through a gap in the rocks, only 7 metres (23 ft) wide, and tumbles 43 metres (141 ft), then flows westward into Lake Albert. The outlet of Lake Victoria sends around 300 cubic metres per second (11,000 ft³/s) of water over the falls, squeezed into a gorge less than ten metres (30 ft) wide. Sir Samuel Baker named them after Sir Roderick Murchison, president of the Royal Geographical Society. The falls lend their name to the surrounding Murchison Falls National Park.


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House refuses to appoint conferees on farm bill
WASHINGTON -- Three Upper Midwest senators have been named conferees on the farm bill. But the House Republican leadership's refusal to appoint conferees and a plan for the House to vote on a big cut to the food stamp program means prospects for the bill passing this year have dimmed.
Are you a newspaper subscriber but you don't have a Digital Access account yet? https://secure.forumcomm.com/?publisher_ID=40&event=subscriber/lookup.
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Shots rang out when an argument spilled into the streets outside a Gresham bar early Sunday morning.
Witnesses at Andrew's Watering Hole Sports Bar and Grill on Southeast Stark Street told police that a verbal argument between two groups of men started inside the bar.
It spilled outside, where the two groups opened fire on each other. Accounts from witnesses varied from anywhere between five and 12 shots being fired. Some of the bullets hit the exterior of the bar.
Gresham police were dispatched to the area at 12:30 a.m. after getting reports of the gunshots. They arrived within one minute of the call, but the two groups of men had already fled the area.
No one is believed to have been injured a result of the gun battle.
Police do not have the names of any of the suspects. They described them as being Hispanic and in their 20s. The East Metro Gang Enforcement Team is investigating because police said the suspects are in gangs.
Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call 503-618-2719.
Copyright 2013 KPTV-KPDX Broadcasting Corporation. All rights reserved.


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Categories > Books > Harry Potter > Reading Chamber of Secrets at Hogwarts
Chapter Seventeen: The Heir of Slytherin2 Reviews
Reading Chapter Seventeen: The Heir of Slytherin
He was standing at the end of a very long, dimly lit chamber. Towering stone pillars entwined with more carved serpents rose to support a ceiling lost in darkness, casting long, black shadows through the odd, greenish gloom that filled the place. His heart beating very fast, Harry stood listening to the chill silence. Could the basilisk be lurking in a shadowy corner, behind a pillar? And where was Ginny?
"It could but wasn't, and she was in the middle of the Chamber," Harry said, his voice rough.
He pulled out his wand and moved forward between the serpentine columns. Every careful footstep echoed loudly off the shadowy walls. He kept his eyes narrowed, ready to clamp them shut at the smallest sign of movement. The hollow eye sockets of the stone snakes seemed to be following him. More than once, with a jolt of the stomach, he thought he saw one stir.
"You know Harry that level of paranoia really isn't good," Fred tried to joke to cover up how shaken he was, but no one laughed.
Then, as he drew level with the last pair of pillars, a statue high as the Chamber itself loomed into view, standing against the back wall.
Harry had to crane his neck to look up into the giant face above: It was ancient and monkeyish, with a long, thin beard that fell almost to the bottom of the wizard's sweeping stone robes,
"Slytherin definitely wasn't the handsome one out of the Founders," Harry said and there were a few weak chuckles, though Luna full out laughed, either not grasping the seriousness of the situation or choosing to ignore it.
where two enormous gray feet stood on the smooth Chamber floor. And between the feet, facedown, lay a small, black-robed figure with flaming-red hair.
At this point, Mrs. Weasley couldn't contain herself any longer and, with a choked sob, sprang out of her seat and went to go stand by her daughter.
"Ginny!" Harry muttered, sprinting to her and dropping to his knees. "Ginny - don't be dead - please don't be dead -" He flung his wand aside, grabbed Ginny's shoulders, and turned her over. Her face was white as marble, and as cold, yet her eyes were closed, so she wasn't Petrified. But then she must be...
"You have no idea how scared I was…" Harry said softly. "I thought that you were…" he swallowed, unable to say the word.
"Ginny, please wake up," Harry muttered desperately, shaking her. Ginny's head lolled hopelessly from side to side.
"Great description," Ginny tried to joke but the tremor in her voice ruined the light tone she was aiming for.
"She won't wake," said a soft voice.
"What?" Remus said, looking over at Harry. "Who else was there?"
"You'll see." Harry responded shortly.
Harry jumped and spun around on his knees.
A tall, black-haired boy was leaning against the nearest pillar, watching. He was strangely blurred around the edges, as though Harry were looking at him through a misted window. But there was no mistaking him.
"Tom - Tom Riddle?"
"Riddle? But Tom Riddle hasn't existed for almost fifty years…" Remus trailed off.
Riddle nodded, not taking his eyes off Harry's face.
"What d'you mean, she won't wake?" Harry said desperately. "She's not - she's not -?"
"There's someone from fifty years ago, that is slightly blurred, standing over the top of you and your first question is to make sure that I am alive," Ginny said shaking her head.
"Of course it was," Harry said, softly yet indignantly. "I always look out for the people I love." The blush on his face as he words dawned could only be matched by the one on Ginny's.
"She's still alive," said Riddle. "But only just."
Harry stared at him. Tom Riddle had been at Hogwarts fifty years ago, yet here he stood, a weird, misty light shining about him, not a day older than sixteen.
"That's impossible." Remus said, frowning as he tried to understand.
"Are you a ghost?" Harry said uncertainly.
"A memory," said Riddle quietly. "Preserved in a diary for fifty years."
"Impossible." Remus repeated. "A memory couldn't do anything that it didn't do at the time it was created. Only a personality charm could impart an actual response, but even then, actions couldn't be taken without a predetermined activation." He ran a hand through his hair. "The only other option…" He looked sharply up at Dumbledore, who fixed him with a gaze that clearly said 'We will talk afterwards'.
He pointed toward the floor near the statue's giant toes. Lying open there was the little black diary Harry had found in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. For a second, Harry wondered how it had got there - but there were more pressing matters to deal with.
"Like getting you out of there."
"You've got to help me, Tom," Harry said, raising Ginny's head again. "We've got to get her out of here. There's a basilisk... I don't know where it is, but it could be along any moment... Please, help me."
"Somehow I don't think he will." Neville said, his face ashen.
Riddle didn't move. Harry, sweating, managed to hoist Ginny half off the floor, and bent to pick up his wand again.
"But you threw it aside," Hermione moaned.
But his wand had gone.
"Did you see -?"
He looked up. Riddle was still watching him - twirling Harry's wand between his long fingers.
"And now you are defenseless and at his mercy," Remus said in a low tone, mentally wincing as he thought about how Lily would have reacted to this...he definitely would have been deaf for weeks.
"Thanks," said Harry, stretching out his hand for it.
A smile curled the corners of Riddle's mouth. He continued to stare at Harry, twirling the wand idly.
"Listen," said Harry urgently, his knees sagging with Ginny's dead weight. "We've got to go! If the basilisk comes--"
"It won't come until it is called," said Riddle calmly.
"What does that mean?" George piped up.
Harry lowered Ginny back onto the floor, unable to hold her up any longer.
"What d'you mean?" he said. "Look, give me my wand, I might need it--"
Riddle's smile broadened.
"It was weird seeing him smile, especially later, knowing that…" Harry trailed off but Remus nodded in understanding.
"You won't be needing it," he said.
Harry stared at him.
"What d'you mean, I won't be -?"
"I've waited a long time for this, Harry Potter," said Riddle. "For the chance to see you. To speak to you."
"Why though? Why would he want to speak to you?" Fred frowned. Except for his parents, Ron, and Ginny of course, no one in his family really knew what happened down in the Chamber.
"Look," said Harry, losing patience, "I don't think you get it. We're in the Chamber of Secrets. We can talk later--"
"We're going to talk now," said Riddle, still smiling broadly, and he pocketed Harry's wand.
Harry stared at him. There was something very funny going on here ...
"Gee, you think?" Ron said sarcastically, earning him several glares from around the room. "Oh come on! How come when one of the twin's joke, its all right, but when I do it…" he began to rant under his breath.
"How did Ginny get like this?" he asked slowly.
"Well, that's an interesting question," said Riddle pleasantly. "And quite a long story. I suppose the real reason Ginny Weasley's like this is because she opened her heart and spilled all her secrets to an invisible stranger."
"An invisible stranger…" Remus mused, then he suddenly snapped his fingers. "The diary! It was you who tried to get rid of it!"
"What are you talking about?" said Harry.
"The diary," said Riddle. `My diary. Little Ginny's been writing in it for months and months, telling me all her pitiful worries and woes - how her brothers tease her, how she had to come to school with secondhand robes and books, how -" Riddle's eyes glinted "- how she didn't think famous, good, great Harry Potter would ever like her..."
"That's not true you know," Harry told her softly. "I do like you, quite a lot in fact." Ginny blushed deeply at his words.
All the time he spoke, Riddle's eyes never left Harry's face. There was an almost hungry look in them.
"It's very boring, having to listen to the silly little troubles of an eleven-year-old girl," he went on. "But I was patient. I wrote back. I was sympathetic, I was kind. Ginny simply loved me. No one's ever understood me like you, Tom... I'm so glad I've got this diary to confide in... It's like having a friend I can carry around in my pocket ..."
Riddle laughed, a high, cold laugh that didn't suit him.
Harry, Ginny, and Remus, all having heard that same laugh, shivered.
It made the hairs stand up on the back of Harry's neck.
"If I say it myself, Harry, I've always been able to charm the people I needed.
"Yes," Dumbledore sighed regretfully. "He was always good at getting people to believe what he wanted them to."
So Ginny poured out her soul to me, and her soul happened to be exactly what I wanted... I grew stronger and stronger on a diet of her deepest fears, her darkest secrets. I grew powerful, far more powerful than little Miss Weasley. Powerful enough to start feeding Miss Weasley a few of my secrets, to start pouring a little of my soul back into her..."
"Not a memory," Remus breathed. "It was a –"
"Perhaps that would be a conversation best saved until after this book Mr. Lupin," Dumbledore said, gently but firmly and Remus nodded absently, his mind racing.
"What d'you mean?" said Harry, whose mouth had gone very dry.
"Haven't you guessed yet, Harry Potter?" said Riddle softly. "Ginny Weasley opened the Chamber of Secrets. She strangled the school roosters and daubed threatening messages on the walls. She set the Serpent of Slytherin on four Mudbloods, and the Squib's cat."
"No you didn't." Harry said. When Ginny said nothing he pulled away and looked at her. "It wasn't you Ginny. It might have been your body, but it was Riddle's soul and his mind. You did nothing. It was all him."
Ginny bit her lower lip for a moment before sighing. "You're right but still…"
"No buts." Harry said firmly. "Repeat after me: It wasn't me."
"It wasn't me." Ginny repeated dutifully, though in a whisper.
"Good." Harry said, putting his arm around her shoulders.
"No," Harry whispered.
"Yes," said Riddle, calmly. "Of course, she didn't know what she was doing at first. It was very amusing. I wish you could have seen her new diary entries... far more interesting, they became... Dear Tom," he recited, watching Harry's horrified face, `I think I'm losing my memory. There are rooster feathers all over my robes and 1 don't know how they got there. Dear Tom, l can't remember what I did on the night of Halloween, but a cat was attacked and I've got paint all down my front. Dear Tom, Percy keeps telling me I'm pale and I'm not myself. I think he suspects me... There was another attack today and I don't know where I was. Tom, what am I going to do? I think I'm going mad... I think I'm the one attacking everyone, Tom!"
Ginny shivered. Merlin, she had been so stupid then…she wasn't even quick enough to realize that she was the one attacking everyone! A firm squeeze on her shoulders reminded her that that was in the past.
Harry's fists were clenched, the nails digging deep into his palms.
"It took a very long time for stupid little Ginny to stop trusting her diary," said Riddle. "But she finally became suspicious and tried to dispose of it. And that's where you came in, Harry. You found it, and I couldn't have been more delighted. Of all the people who could have picked it up, it was you, the very person I was most anxious to meet..."
"But why?" Neville spoke up. "I mean, why should he care about some twelve year old? It's not like he was connected to Harry in anyway."
"And why did you want to meet me?" said Harry. Anger was coursing through him, and it was an effort to keep his voice steady.
"Well, you see, Ginny told me all about you, Harry," said Riddle. "Your whole fascinating history." His eyes roved over the lightning scar on Harry's forehead, and their expression grew hungrier. "I knew I must find out more about you, talk to you, meet you if I could. So I decided to show you my famous capture of that great oaf, Hagrid,
"Hagrid is not an oaf!" The children burst out and Hagrid smiled down at them gratefully.
to gain your trust--"
"Hagrid's my friend," said Harry, his voice now shaking. "And you framed him, didn't you? I thought you made a mistake, but--"
Riddle laughed his high laugh again.
"It was my word against Hagrid's, Harry. Well, you can imagine how it looked to old Armando Dippet. On the one hand, Tom Riddle, poor but brilliant, parentless but so brave, school prefect, model student... on the other hand, big, blundering Hagrid, in trouble every other week, trying to raise werewolf cubs under his bed,
Remus just shook his head and chuckled slightly. If these books were foreshadowing, then they were doing a good job about making everyone fear werewolves even more.
sneaking off to the Forbidden Forest to wrestle trolls... but I admit, even I was surprised how well the plan worked. I thought someone must realize that Hagrid couldn't possibly be the Heir of Slytherin. It had taken me five whole years to find out everything I could about the Chamber of Secrets and discover the secret entrance... as though Hagrid had the brains, or the power!
"And the fact that he was in Gryffindor and not in Slytherin," Harry added. "Honestly, how anyone could have believed that still amazes me." Fudge shifted uncomfortably at the indirect accusation.
"Only the Transfiguration teacher, Dumbledore, seemed to think Hagrid was innocent. He persuaded Dippet to keep Hagrid and train him as gamekeeper. Yes, I think Dumbledore might have guessed... Dumbledore never seemed to like me as much as the other teachers did ..."
"Did you know about him then sir?" Harry asked the old wizard.
"Did I know what he was to become?" Dumbledore asked and Harry nodded. He shook his head. "No, I did not know what his future held exactly, but I had my suspicions. Dare I say it, he has gone far past what I thought him capable of."
"I bet Dumbledore saw right through you," said Harry, his teeth gritted.
"Well, he certainly kept an annoyingly close watch on me after Hagrid was expelled," said Riddle carelessly. "I knew it wouldn't be safe to open the Chamber again while I was still at school. But I wasn't going to waste those long years I'd spent searching for it. I decided to leave behind a diary, preserving my sixteen-year-old self in its pages,
"Through some very dark and dangerous magic," Remus said under his breath.
so that one day, with luck, I would be able to lead another in my footsteps, and finish Salazar Slytherin's noble work."
"Well, you haven't finished it," said Harry triumphantly. "No one's died this time, not even the cat. In a few hours the Mandrake Draught will be ready and everyone who was Petrified will be all right again--"
"For some reason, I don't think that he cares so much about killing people anymore." Hermione said in a disgusted tone.
"Haven't I already told you," said Riddle quietly, "that killing Mudbloods doesn't matter to me anymore? For many months now, my new target has been - you."
Harry stared at him.
"Really no reaction? No surprising comments or exclamations?" George pressed.
Harry shook his head.
"Well that's disappointing," Fred sighed heavily.
"Imagine how angry I was when the next time my diary was opened, it was Ginny who was writing to me, not you. She saw you with the diary, you see, and panicked. What if you found out how to work it, and I repeated all her secrets to you? What if, even worse, I told you who'd been strangling roosters? So the foolish little brat
There was a loud exclamation of "Oi!", composed of mostly Weasleys, though Harry, Neville, and Hermione voiced their opinions quite loudly as well.
waited until your dormitory was deserted and stole it back. But I knew what I must do. It was clear to me that you were on the trail of Slytherin's heir. From everything Ginny had told me about you, I knew you would go to any lengths to solve the mystery –
"Curiosity killed the cat," Hermione said and Harry gave her a small grin.
"But Hermione, I thought you liked cats!" He teased lightly.
particularly if one of your best friends was attacked. And Ginny had told me the whole school was buzzing because you could speak Parseltongue ...
"So I made Ginny write her own farewell on the wall and come down here to wait. She struggled and cried and became very boring. But there isn't much life left in her...
"What?" Mrs. Weasley whispered, her hands fluttering about her daughter, as though checking to make sure that she was really there.
She put too much into the diary, into me. Enough to let me leave its pages at last... I have been waiting for you to appear since we arrived here. I knew you'd come. I have many questions for you, Harry Potter."
"I agree with Neville," Luna said suddenly. "Why would this man be so curious to talk to someone from his future?"
"Like what?" Harry spat, fists still clenched.
"Well," said Riddle, smiling pleasantly, "how is it that you - a skinny boy with no extraordinary magical talent
"Well, he's right about the skinny part," Ron commented and Harry mock glared at him.
"Skinny specky git," the twins sang as loudly (and as off key) as possible.
- managed to defeat the greatest wizard of all time? How did you escape with nothing but a scar, while Lord Voldemort's powers were destroyed?"
There was an odd red gleam in his hungry eyes now.
Harry shivered. "That was so weird. It was like his eyes kept switching colors. From red to black and back again."
"Why do you care how I escaped?" said Harry slowly. "Voldemort was after your time..."
"Voldemort," said Riddle softly, "is my past, present, and future, Harry Potter..."
He pulled Harry's wand from his pocket and began to trace it through the air, writing three shimmering words:
Then he waved the wand once, and the letters of his name rearranged themselves:
"It's an anagram?" Hermione said curiously. "He kept his old name instead of completely giving himself a new one? But why?"
"But to most people 'Mione," Harry said. "It was a whole new name. And I doubt that he looked like little Tom Riddle by the time Voldemort rose to power."
"True I suppose," she agreed.
"You see?" he whispered. "It was a name I was already using at Hogwarts, to my most intimate friends only, of course. You think I was going to use my filthy Muggle father's name forever?
"Wait a minute." Fred interrupted. "Are you telling me that You-Know-Who –"
"Who hates Muggles and anyone not Pureblood –"
"Is a half-blood? How in –"
"Merlin's name does that work?" George finished.
Harry shrugged. "Beats me. I never really got around to asking him that," he said dryly.
I, in whose veins runs the blood of Salazar Slytherin himself, through my mother's side? I, keep the name of a foul, common Muggle, who abandoned me even before I was born, just because he found out his wife was a witch?
"Actually, that's probably why he hated Muggles so much," Hermione mused. "It's never good for Muggles to suddenly learn about magic, especially if the person they married is a witch or wizard. It could be that his father leaving was better than any alternative."
Too true. Snape thought bitterly as he thought about his own father.
No, Harry - I fashioned myself a new name, a name I knew wizards everywhere would one day fear to speak, when I had become the greatest sorcerer in the world!"
"But you're not." Harry said stubbornly. "Albus Dumbledore is the greatest sorcerer in the world." There were nods of approval all around.
Harry's brain seemed to have jammed. He stared numbly at Riddle, at the orphaned boy who had grown up to murder Harry's own parents, and so many others... At last he forced himself to speak.
"You're not," he said, his quiet voice full of hatred.
"Not what?" snapped Riddle.
"Not the greatest sorcerer in the world," said Harry, breathing fast. "Sorry to disappoint you and all that, but the greatest wizard in the world is Albus Dumbledore. Everyone says so. Even when you were strong, you didn't dare try and take over at Hogwarts. Dumbledore saw through you when you were at school and he still frightens you now, wherever you're hiding these days--"
"Well said Harry!" The twins echoed and Dumbledore nodded appreciatively, his blue eyes twinkling.
The smile had gone from Riddle's face, to be replaced by a very ugly look.
"Dumbledore's been driven out of this castle by the mere memory of me!" he hissed.
"He's not as gone as you might think!" Harry retorted. He was speaking at random, wanting to scare Riddle, wishing rather than believing it to be true.
Riddle opened his mouth, but froze.
Music was coming from somewhere. Riddle whirled around to stare down the empty Chamber. The music was growing louder. It was eerie, spine-tingling, unearthly; it lifted the hair on Harry's scalp and made his heart feel as though it was swelling to twice its normal size. Then, as the music reached such a pitch that Harry felt it vibrating inside his own ribs, flames erupted at the top of the nearest pillar.
A crimson bird the size of a swan had appeared, piping its weird music to the vaulted ceiling. It had a glittering golden tail as long as a peacock's and gleaming golden talons, which were gripping a ragged bundle.
"Fawkes." Remus breathed, feeling somewhat comforted that Harry had at least one powerful ally in the fight that was sure to come. He just hoped it would be enough.
A second later, the bird was flying straight at Harry. It dropped the ragged thing it was carrying at his feet, then landed heavily on his shoulder. As it folded its great wings, Harry looked up and saw it had a long, sharp golden beak and a beady black eye.
The bird stopped singing. It sat still and warm next to Harry's cheek, gazing steadily at Riddle.
"That's a phoenix." said Riddle, staring shrewdly back at it.
"Brilliant observation." Harry snapped.
"Er mate? You're talking to a book." Ron pointed out and Harry blushed while Ginny chuckled.
"Think its funny do you?" He mock glared at her but she just smiled up at him.
"Yes I do." She simply said, laughing again and Harry found himself thinking that she had a beautiful laugh.
"Fawkes?" Harry breathed, and he felt the bird's golden claws squeeze his shoulder gently.
"And that -" said Riddle, now eyeing the ragged thing that Fawkes had dropped, "that's the old school Sorting Hat--"
So it was. Patched, frayed, and dirty, the hat lay motionless at Harry's feet.
Riddle began to laugh again. He laughed so hard that the dark chamber rang with it, as though ten Riddles were laughing at once.
"This is what Dumbledore sends his defender! A songbird and an old hat! Do you feel brave, Harry Potter? Do you feel safe now?"
"He does have a point though," Neville said somewhat shyly. "I mean, how's the hat going to help you? The Phoenix yes, but a hat?"
"You'd be surprised to find out what that hat can do," Harry replied mysteriously.
Harry didn't answer. He might not see what use Fawkes or the Sorting Hat were, but he was no longer alone, and he waited for Riddle to stop laughing with his courage mounting.
"To business, Harry," said Riddle, still smiling broadly. "Twice - in your past, in my future - we have met. And twice I failed to kill you. How did you survive? Tell me everything. The longer you talk," he added softly, "the longer you stay alive."
Snuffles made a noise between a whimper and a growl, as though he couldn't decide whether to be angry at the book or scared for Harry.
Harry was thinking fast, weighing his chances. Riddle had the wand. He, Harry, had Fawkes and the Sorting Hat, neither of which would be much good in a duel. It looked bad, all right... but the longer Riddle stood there, the more life was dwindling out of Ginny... and in the meantime, Harry noticed suddenly, Riddle's outline was becoming clearer, more solid... If it had to be a fight between him and Riddle, better sooner than later.
"No one knows why you lost your powers when you attacked me," said Harry abruptly. "I don't know myself. But I know why you couldn't kill me. Because my mother died to save me. My common Muggle-born mother," he added,
Now two growls erupted from Snuffles and Remus. "Lily was anything but common," he said lowly, speaking the words that Snuffles couldn't. "She was the brightest and kindest witch you could ever hope to meet." Snape found himself half nodding in agreement with Lupin, before he caught himself.
shaking with suppressed rage. "She stopped you killing me. And I've seen the real you, I saw you last year. You're a wreck. You're barely alive. That's where all your power got you. You're in hiding. You're ugly, you're foul--"
Riddle's face contorted. Then he forced it into an awful smile. "So. Your mother died to save you. Yes, that's a powerful countercharm. I can see now... there is nothing special about you, after all. I wondered, you see. There are strange likenesses between us, after all. Even you must have noticed. Both half-bloods, orphans, raised by Muggles. Probably the only two Parselmouths to come to Hogwarts since the great Slytherin himself We even look something alike...
"There is nothing similar between Harry and you!" Ron spat out.
"Ron? Talking to a book remember?" George laughed as Ron reddened. Harry meanwhile, said nothing. After the dreams and feelings he'd been having all year, he found less comfort in Ron's words than he normally would have.
but after all, it was merely a lucky chance that saved you from me. That's all I wanted to know."
Harry stood, tense, waiting for Riddle to raise his wand. But Riddle's twisted smile was widening again.
"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, and the best weapons Dumbledore can give him..."
He cast an amused eye over Fawkes and the Sorting Hat, then walked away. Harry, fear spreading up his numb legs, watched Riddle stop between the high pillars and look up into the stone face of Slytherin, high above him in the half-darkness. Riddle opened his mouth wide and hissed - but Harry understood what he was saying ...
"Is he calling the basilisk?" Remus asked fearfully.
"Speak to me, Slytherin, greatest of the Hogwarts Four."
Harry wheeled around to look up at the statue, Fawkes swaying on his shoulder.
Slytherin's gigantic stone face was moving. Horrorstruck, Harry saw his mouth opening, wider and wider, to make a huge black hole.
And something was stirring inside the statue's mouth. Something was slithering up from its depths.
Harry backed away until he hit the dark Chamber wall, and as he shut his eyes tight he felt Fawkes' wing sweep his cheek as he took flight. Harry wanted to shout, "Don't leave me!" but what chance did a phoenix have against the king of serpents?
"Quite a good one actually," Harry said lightly.
Something huge hit the stone floor of the Chamber. Harry felt it shudder - he knew what was happening, he could sense it, could almost see the giant serpent uncoiling itself from Slytherin's mouth. Then he heard Riddle's hissing voice:
"Kill him."
The basilisk was moving toward Harry; he could hear its heavy body slithering heavily across the dusty floor. Eyes still tightly shut, Harry began to run blindly sideways, his hands outstretched, feeling his way - Voldemort was laughing.
Harry tripped. He fell hard onto the stone and tasted blood the serpent was barely feet from him, he could hear it coming.
There was a loud, explosive spitting sound right above him, and then something heavy hit Harry so hard that he was smashed into the wall. Waiting for fangs to sink through his body he heard more mad hissing, something thrashing wildly off the pillars.
"What is it?" Hermione asked fearfully.
"Relax Hermione, its fine," Harry tried to reassure her.
He couldn't help it - he opened his eyes wide enough to squint at what was going on.
The enormous serpent, bright, poisonous green, thick as an oak trunk, had raised itself high in the air and its great blunt head was weaving drunkenly between the pillars. As Harry trembled, ready to close his eyes if it turned, he saw what had distracted the snake.
Fawkes was soaring around its head, and the basilisk was snapping furiously at him with fangs long and thin as sabers Fawkes dived. His long golden beak sank out of sight and a sudden shower of dark blood spattered the floor. The snake's tail thrashed, narrowly missing Harry, and before Harry could shut his eyes, it turned - Harry looked straight into its face and saw that its eyes, both its great, bulbous yellow eyes, had been punctured by the phoenix; blood was streaming to the floor, and the snake was spitting in agony.
"Now you can look at it," Remus breathed. "Now you can fight it."
"Are you actually encouraging me to fight a giant snake?" Harry asked in confusion.
"Well I've come to the conclusion that whatever idiotic things and choices you've made, nothing can be done about them now." SNuffles whimpered at that.
"None of my choices have been idiotic!"
"How about not well planned out?" Remus suggested innocently and Harry opened his mouth to argue before realizing that in a way, Remus did have a slight point.
"NO!" Harry heard Riddle screaming. "LEAVE THE BIRD! LEAVE THE BIRD! THE BOY IS BEHIND YOU. YOU CAN STILL SMELL HIM. KILL HIM!"
The blinded serpent swayed, confused, still deadly. Fawkes was circling its head, piping his eerie song, jabbing here and there at its scaly nose as the blood poured from its ruined eyes.
"Help me, help me," Harry muttered wildly, "someone - anyone..."
The snake's tail whipped across the floor again. Harry ducked. Something soft hit his face.
The basilisk had swept the Sorting Hat into Harry's arms. Harry seized it. It was all he had left, his only chance - he rammed it onto his head and threw himself flat onto the floor as the basilisk's tail swung over him again.
Help me - help me - Harry thought, his eyes screwed tight under the hat. Please help me .
There was no answering voice. Instead, the hat contracted, as though an invisible hand was squeezing it very tightly.
Something very hard and heavy thudded onto the top of Harry's head, almost knocking him out. Stars winking in front of his eyes, he grabbed the top of the hat to pull it off and felt something long and hard beneath it.
A gleaming silver sword had appeared inside the hat, its handle glittering with rubies the size of eggs.
"The sword of Gryffindor!" Remus exclaimed. "Since its Goblin made, it should be able to pierce the basilisk's skin!"
Harry was on his feet, ready. The basilisk's head was falling, its body coiling around, hitting pillars as it twisted to face him. He could see the vast, bloody eye sockets, see the mouth stretching wide, wide enough to swallow him whole, lined with fangs long as his sword, thin, glittering, venomous—
"Too descriptive," Ginny mumbled.
It lunged blindly - Harry dodged and it hit the Chamber wall. It lunged again, and its forked tongue lashed Harry's side.
"Too close," Hermione said, gripping the nearest thing, in this case, Remus' arm, rather hard as her fear increased. Harry felt slight sympathy for the man. He knew how strong Hermione's death grip was when she was scared.
He raised the sword in both his hands--
The basilisk lunged again, and this time its aim was true - Harry threw his whole weight behind the sword and drove it to the hilt into the roof of the serpent's mouth--
But as warm blood drenched Harry's arms, he felt a searing pain just above his elbow. One long, poisonous fang was sinking deeper and deeper into his arm
"No!" Hermione half whimpered, half yelled. Snuffles practically jumped into Harry's lap, and Harry stroked his fur absently. The twins, Ron, McGonagall and a few of the other teachers were paper white as they stared at him.
and it splintered as the basilisk keeled over sideways and fell, twitching, to the floor.
Harry slid down the wall. He gripped the fang that was spreading poison through his body and wrenched it out of his arm. But he knew it was too late. White-hot pain was spreading slowly and steadily from the wound. Even as he dropped the fang and watched his own blood soaking his robes, his vision went foggy.
"Basilisk venom is one of the fastest acting poisons in the world," Remus whispered. "If you don't get professional help in a few minutes…" he trailed off with that happy thought.
The Chamber was dissolving in a whirl of dull color.
A patch of scarlet swam past, and Harry heard a soft clatter of claws beside him.
"Fawkes," said Harry thickly. "You were fantastic, Fawkes..."
He felt the bird lay its beautiful head on the spot where the serpent's fang had pierced him.
He could hear echoing footsteps and then a dark shadow moved in front of him.
"You're dead, Harry Potter," said Riddle's voice above him. "Dead. Even Dumbledore's bird knows it. Do you see what he's doing, Potter? He's crying."
"Crying…Phoenix tears!" Remus exclaimed and people were looking at him like he'd gone mad. "Don't you see? Dumbledore said it himself a few chapters back, Phoenix tears have healing powers! Fawkes is healing Harry!"
Harry blinked. Fawke's head slid in and out of focus. Thick, pearly tears were trickling down the glossy feathers.
"I'm going to sit here and watch you die, Harry Potter. Take your time. I'm in no hurry."
Harry felt drowsy. Everything around him seemed to be spinning.
"So ends the famous Harry Potter," said Riddle's distant voice. "Alone in the Chamber of Secrets, forsaken by his friends, defeated at last by the Dark Lord he so unwisely challenged. You'll be back with your dear Mudblood mother
Sharp growls punctured the eerie silence that had fallen.
soon, Harry... She bought you twelve years of borrowed time... but Lord Voldemort got you in the end, as you knew he must..."
If this is dying, thought Harry, it's not so bad.*]
[* Even the pain was leaving him...
But was this dying? Instead of going black, the Chamber seemed to be coming back into focus. Harry gave his head a little shake and there was Fawkes, still resting his head on Harry's arm. A pearly patch of tears was shining all around the wound - except that there was no wound.
"Thank goodness," Ginny sighed in relief, moving just a bit closer into Harry's chest when he made no move to stop her.
"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.
"Phoenix tears..." said Riddle quietly, staring at Harry's arm. "Of course... healing powers... I forgot..."
"Not so smart now are you Riddle?" George taunted and Fred shook his head.
"Honestly Forge, Ron talking to books I can understand, but I always had high hopes for you…"
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..."
He raised the wand ...
Then, in a rush of wings, Fawkes had 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,
"That seems to be how most of your plans work," Luna commented.
"You have no idea," Hermione said after loosening her grip on Remus' arm, who winced slightly.
"Hey my plans work out fine thank you very much!"
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—
"The basilisk venom…it destroys dark magic…of course," Remus muttered unintelligibly.
He had gone. 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 traveled 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.
Then came a faint moan from the end of the Chamber. Ginny was stirring. As Harry hurried toward her, she sat up. Her bemused eyes traveled from the huge form of the dead basilisk, over Harry, in his blood-soaked robes, then to the diary in his hand.
"For a moment, I thought I was dreaming," she told him. "You looked slightly ridiculous and I couldn't believe that you were actually there, that you actually came for me…"
"Always." Harry said, looking right into her eyes and blushing as red as her hair when he realized what he was doing.
Hermione, Fred, George, and even Mrs. Weasley all exchanged knowing glances while Ron was frowning slightly.
She drew a great, shuddering gasp and tears began to pour down her face.
"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 s-swear I d-didn't mean to - R-Riddle made me, he t-took me over - and - how did you kill that - that thing? W-where's Riddle? The last thing I r-remember is him coming out of the diary--"
"You missed quite the show," Harry informed her and she rolled her eyes.
"After hearing it, I think I'm almost glad I did."
"It's all right," said Harry, holding up the diary, and showing Ginny the fang hole, "Riddle's finished. Look! Him and the basilisk. C'mon, Ginny, let's get out of here--"
"I'm going to be expelled!" Ginny wept as Harry helped her awkwardly to her feet. "I've looked forward to coming to Hogwarts ever since B-Bill came and n-now I'll have to leave and - w-what'll Mum and Dad say?"
Fawkes was waiting for them, hovering in the Chamber entrance. Harry urged Ginny forward; they stepped over the motionless coils of the dead basilisk, through the echoing gloom, and back into the tunnel. Harry heard the stone doors close behind them with a soft hiss.
"And they are going to stay closed." He said firmly.
After a few minutes' progress up the dark tunnel, a distant sound of slowly shifting rock reached Harry's ears.
"Did you manage to make a large gap?" Hermione asked Ron.
"A fair sized hole," he shrugged.
"Ron!" Harry yelled, speeding up. "Ginny's okay! I've got her!"
He heard Ron give a strangled cheer, and they turned the next bend to see his eager face staring through the sizable gap he had managed to make in the rock fall.
"Ginny!" Ron thrust an arm through the gap in the rock to pull her through first. "You're alive! I don't believe it! What happened?" How - what - where did that bird come from?"
"Well, Harry killed a giant snake, stabbed a diary, and the bird suddenly appeared." Fred answered.
Fawkes had swooped through the gap after Ginny.
"He's Dumbledore's," said Harry, squeezing through himself.
"How come you've got a sword?" said Ron, gaping at the glittering weapon in Harry's hand.
"Because he's awesome like that," George said, rolling his eyes.
"I'll explain when we get out of here," said Harry with a sideways glance at Ginny, who was crying harder than ever.
"Later," Harry said shortly. He didn't think it was a good idea to tell Ron yet who'd been opening the Chamber, not in front of Ginny, anyway. "Where's Lockhart?"
"Back there," said Ron, still looking puzzled but jerking his head up the tunnel toward the pipe. "He's in a bad way. Come and see."
Led by Fawkes, whose wide scarlet wings emitted a soft golden glow in the darkness, they walked all the way back to the mouth of the pipe. Gilderoy Lockhart was sitting there, humming placidly to himself.
"His memory's gone," said Ron. "The Memory Charm backfired. Hit him instead of us. Hasn't got a clue who he is, or where he is, or who we are. I told him to come and wait here. He's a danger to himself."
"Well better than to the rest of the population," McGonagall snorted.
"Did Minnie just insult a Professor?" Remus whispered to Snuffles who looked just as shocked.
Lockhart peered good-naturedly up at them all.
"Hello," he said. "Odd sort of place, this, isn't it? Do you live here?"
"Huh, he's even thicker when he doesn't have his memory," Neville mused and Harry laughed.
"No," said Ron, raising his eyebrows at Harry.
Harry bent down and looked up the long, dark pipe.
"Have you thought how we're going to get back up this?" he said to Ron.
Ron shook his head, but Fawkes the phoenix had swooped past Harry and was now fluttering in front of him, his beady eyes bright in the dark. He was waving his long golden tail feathers. Harry looked uncertainly at him.
"He looks like he wants you to grab hold..." said Ron, looking perplexed. "But you're much too heavy for a bird to pull up there--"
"Fawkes," said Harry, "isn't an ordinary bird." He turned quickly to the others. "We've got to hold on to each other. Ginny, grab Ron's hand. Professor Lockhart--"
"He means you," said Ron sharply to Lockhart.
"You hold Ginny's other hand--"
Harry tucked the sword and the Sorting Hat into his belt, Ron took hold of the back of Harry's robes, and Harry reached out and took hold of Fawkes's strangely hot tail feathers.
"Sir, I have a question," Remus turned to Dumbledore. "When you told Harry about all of Fawkes' abilities, did you know that he would be using them later in the year?"
Dumbledore shrugged, though his eyes were twinkling like mad.
An extraordinary lightness seemed to spread through his whole body and the next second, in a rush of wings, they were flying upward through the pipe. Harry could hear Lockhart dangling below him, saying, "Amazing! Amazing! This is just like magic!" The chill air was whipping through Harry's hair, and before he'd stopped enjoying the ride,
"Of course you would," Ginny said fondly.
it was over - all four of them were hitting the wet floor of Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, and as Lockhart straightened his hat, the sink that hid the pipe was sliding back into place.
"Evidently not much changed," Remus stated, shaking his head in wonder.
Myrtle goggled at them.
"You're alive," she said blankly to Harry.
"Don't sound so disappointed," Fred joked.
"There's no need to sound so disappointed," he said grimly,
"Hey I think like Harry!"
wiping flecks of blood and slime off his glasses.
"Charming." Hermione told him, her nose slightly wrinkled.
"Oh, well... I'd just been thinking... if you had died, you'd have been welcome to share my toilet," said Myrtle, blushing silver.
Fred and George spluttered. "Did she just?"
"I think she did!"
"You've got competition Ginny!"
"Urgh!" said Ron as they left the bathroom for the dark, deserted corridor outside. "Harry! I think Myrtle's grown fond of you! You've got competition, Ginny!"
"Oh great, why'd I have to be the one to think like Ronnikins?" George moaned.
But tears were still flooding silently down Ginny's face.
"Where now?" said Ron, with an anxious look at Ginny. Harry pointed.
Fawkes was leading the way, glowing gold along the corridor. They strode after him, and moments later, found themselves outside Professor McGonagall's office.
Harry knocked and pushed the door open.
"Something tells me you gave everyone a heart attack," Remus said with a slight smile.
"You try seeing your pupils covered in blood and slime and we shall see how you fare Mr. Lupin!" McGonagall retorted.
"You saw us covered in slime and blood a fair few times," he pointed out genially.
"Yes, but there also wasn't a monster on the loose in the castle at the time!"
"Fair point," he conceded.
Amelia cleared her throat. "That was the end of the chapter, and there is only one left. Minister, would you care to read?" Between her tone and stern gaze, Fudge really had no choice but to take the book from her.
And on a completely unrelated note, this story has gotten over 1000 views! 1003 to be exact, but who's counting?


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