As Andrew and Louis watched Marigold sprinting her way towards the Chamber of Secrets, they exchanged concerned looks.

 “What if something happens to her down there?” Andrew was panicking.

 “Let’s go tell Professor McGonagall, she’ll know what to do,” Louis suggested.

* * *

 When Andrew and Louis arrived at the Headmistress’s office, the professors were huddled up around Professor McGonagall’s desk, murmuring worriedly, until Professor Slughorn spotted them.

 “Mr Laird, Mr Weasley, you’re not supposed to be in here now,” he said. “Please go back to your common rooms.”

 “Sir, Marigold, I mean - Miss Lupin-Black is going to the chamber,” Andrew spat out.

 The professors were aghast.

 “What?!”

 “We tried to stop her, sir,” Louis added. “She didn’t listen.”

 Professor McGonagall turned pale as she recalled a similar incident that happened nearly thirty years ago - a young Gryffindor, upon hearing of another student in danger, heading down to the chamber, nearly risking their own life….

 “Minerva,” Professor Longbottom gently tapped on her.

 The fear was apparent on all the professors’ faces until Professor Greengrass finally opened her mouth.

 “Well, what are we waiting for?” she said. “We better send someone down there.”

 “But who?” Professor Flitwick asked. “If Harry was here, he should be the one to go - he is James’s father and the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, after all - and he probably knows how to enter the chamber, but he’s not here at the moment.”

 The professors exchanged panicked looks.

 Meanwhile, Marigold arrived at the girls’ lavatory on the second floor, where there was the sink tap, which was engraved with snakes. Luckily, Myrtle was away; she seemed to be lurking around in the Prefects’ bathroom.

 Marigold tried her best to recall the time she heard Harry showing her, James, Albus and Lily how Parseltongue sounded as she closed her eyes, concentrating, and imitated the hissing sound.

 As the sinks slid away from each other, it revealed a giant, deep hole that seemed to lead to nowhere.

 Marigold felt her knees wobble as she looked down; she wanted to back away, but she immediately thought of James, and what could happen without anyone to help him.

 Marigold closed her eyes shut, her heart pounding in her chest, and jumped without thinking twice.

 Marigold screamed as she slid down and down across the slippery slope until she landed on the ground with a huge thump.

 As Marigold stood up, rubbing her back, her eyes moved to something strange and huge that looked a lot like reptile skin, which made her shudder.

 Marigold walked away from it, disgusted, and made her way over until she saw what looked like a manhole cover engraved with snakes; once again, she closed her eyes and let out a hiss.

 The snakes slid back one by one, and the entrance opened.

 Marigold reached into her robes and pulled out her wand as she slowly stepped in. From a distance, Marigold could hear someone crying for help, and someone else cackling; she felt her heart sink, which was quickly replaced by determination.

 ‘Regardless of what it is, I will face it. I must save James.’

 Marigold stood up tall, pointing her wand in front of her and marched forward bravely. It was the difference between being dragged into the arena to face a battle to death, and walking into the arena with her head held high.

 As she drew closer to the cries, Marigold waved her wand, focusing with all her might on her happiest memory - a few months ago, in the previous school year, when Gryffindor won the Quidditch Cup, when she and James smiled at each other and basking in the glory.

 “Expecto Patronum!”

 Marigold saw a shining silver lioness, instead of a wild rabbit, fly out of her wand, much to her surprise.

 James, who was tied to a rope by the neck, watched as the lioness ran midair; he felt much more relieved, knowing that Marigold was there to save him, that he was going to be alright.

 But suddenly, James froze, remembering that his Patronus was a lion, which meant….

 “Goldie!” James called tearfully. “Help me!”

 “Don’t worry,” Marigold reassured him. “You’re safe now. I’ll get you out of here.”

 “That’s not happening,” someone scoffed.

 Marigold turned annoyedly, to see a silver-haired girl smirking, whom she immediately recognised.

 “You did this, Delphini, didn’t you?” Marigold demanded, glaring at her.

 “She didn’t, miss,” the house-elf next to Delphini squeaked. “I did.”

 “You?” Marigold frowned, confused. “How did you get into Hogwarts?”

 “Side-Along Apparition, miss,” the house-elf replied.

 Marigold’s normally sweet face turned threatening, her blue eyes shooting daggers at him.

 “Miss, please forgive me!” the house-elf started sniffling. “I had no choice! My mistress told me to….”

 “How dare you defy me!” Delphini shrieked.

 Marigold’s expression softened a little.

 “Alright, say no more,” she said to the elf, before turning to face Delphini.

 “You,” she said, uncharacteristically menacingly. “Release James at once.”

 “Why should I?” Delphini scoffed, before pointing at James angrily. “He’s the son of the evilest sorcerer, Harry Potter!”

 Marigold felt a rush of anger.

 “Harry Potter is the greatest sorcerer in the world!”

 “Harry Potter is the reason why my parents are dead!” Delphini yelled shrilly.

 “No!” Marigold shouted. “They did that to themselves. Because they were vile and cruel! Like you!”

 Delphini turned pale, visibly taken aback.

 “What did you just say?!”

 “Remember what they did to those innocent people!” Marigold choked thinking of all the innocent victims whose lives were ruined or even taken away by Lord Voldemort. “Remember what they did to the wizarding world! And look what you’re doing to the wizarding world now!”

 “Mudbloods are ruining our world!” Delphini shrieked. “They’re ruining the order!”

 “Blood status doesn’t matter!” Marigold teared up, the faces of David and Remus vivid in her mind. “We’re all magical! Even if they don’t have a drop of magical blood, it doesn’t mean they’re any less of a wizard than us!”

 Just then, a squawk came from a distance. It was from Fawkes, who came soaring into the chamber, carrying the Sorting Hat in his talons.

 “You better back off, unless you want me to kill you along with Potter’s spawn. A perfect - happy - ending.” Delphini smirked.

 “Take me instead,” Marigold stated confidently, her eyes blazing. “Just leave James alone.”

 A brilliant silver sword embedded with rubies appeared from the Sorting Hat.

 Marigold didn’t have time to bask in the fact that she had just summoned the Sword of Gryffindor; without thinking twice, she grabbed it.

 As Delphini stood there dumbstruck, Marigold cut the knot of the rope that was hanging James by the neck. James was free.

 Delphini looked like she was about to explode with fury.

 “You!” she screeched. “You ruined everything!”

 Delphini whipped out her wand, pointing it towards Marigold.

 “CRUCIO!”

 Marigold screamed; it felt like her skin was being pierced by a thousand knives. James and the house-elf were trembling in fear.

 “Goldie!” James shouted, panicking, then turned to Delphini. “Stop! You’re hurting her!”

 Fawkes angrily flew in front of Delphini as he pecked at her from every angle. Delphini was relentless; she continued torturing Marigold, cackling loudly.

 At last, Fawkes managed to peck Delphini right in the eye, which made her drop her wand next to Marigold, who was lying unconscious on the ground.

 James ran over to her, tears streaming down his face

 “Goldie,” he stroked her cheek. “Goldie, wake up!”

 Marigold remained stiff and unresponsive.

 “Goldie, wake up, please!”

 It was no use. James leaned against her cold body, crying.

 Fawkes squawked again as he soared over to them; he scooped up Marigold’s body with his talons. James grabbed her by the ankles just in time as Fawkes soared into the air, carrying both of them.