Chapter 166: Chapter 166: "The Rogue Bludger"
The morning of the Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Slytherin dawned bright and crisp, the anticipation in the air almost palpable. If you asked any student about the incident at Halloween, they would likely respond with a confused, "What incident?" Nothing mattered to them in the face of such an exciting matchup.
As Harry made his way to the Quidditch pitch, he couldn't help but feel a mix of curiosity and excitement for what was to come. He knew that Dobby would act today to 'save Charles', but the changes in this timeline made the specifics uncertain. Mainly because Charles was a Chaser and not a Seeker like Harry from the books.
The stands were packed as the Gryffindor and Slytherin teams took to the field. Harry's eyes were drawn to Charles, looking determined in his Chaser's robes, and then to little Ginny Weasley, her face set with concentration as she mounted her broom. On the Slytherin side, Draco Malfoy's blonde hair gleamed in the sunlight, his new Nimbus 2001 held proudly.
As Madam Hooch blew her whistle, the players shot into the air. Harry watched intently, waiting for any sign of Dobby's interference. It didn't take long.
Barely five minutes into the game, a Bludger suddenly changed course mid-air, homing in on Charles with unnatural precision. Charles dodged it skillfully, but the Bludger kept coming back, ignoring all other players.
"That's not right," Cedric muttered next to Harry. "Bludgers aren't supposed to focus on one player like that."
Harry nodded, "The Bludger has gone rogue, it seems. I don't know what the rules are regarding rogue Bludgers. It looks like my little brother isn't going to get a chance to perform in this game. Poor boy. It's as if some higher being doesn't want him to excel in Quidditch."
Roger agreed, "I know. Your brother seems cursed to not have a good Quidditch match. I'm also confused about the Bludger rule. Let's see what Madam Hooch does."
With that, the crowd watched as Charles was forced to spend more time evading the rogue Bludger than participating in the game. The Gryffindor team was essentially down a Chaser, putting them at a significant disadvantage. Madam Hooch checked the Bludger once for any problems but, seeing nothing wrong, let the play resume.
So Charles still had to continue dodging the Bludger throughout the game. The Weasley twins tried to help by beating the Bludger away from him, but seeing it wasn't working and the other Chasers needed their help, Charles told them to go and leave him alone.
Despite this, the match remained surprisingly close. Ginny proved to be an excellent Seeker, her small size and quick reflexes allowing her to outmaneuver Draco several times. The other Gryffindor Chasers, Angelina and Alicia, stepped up their game, compensating for Charles's forced absence. The game was neck and neck, with each goal the Slytherin side scored, the Gryffindor side launching a counterattack and equalizing.
This was quite different from the books since in the original timeline, with their superior brooms, the Slytherin side was dominating in a one-sided manner. Here, with their usual teams and less skill, the Slytherin Chasers were not that strong.
As the game progressed, the crowd's cheers became increasingly punctuated with gasps of concern every time the Bludger nearly struck Charles. Harry could see Lily Potter in the teacher's stands, her face a mask of worry as she watched her son narrowly escape injury time and time again.
Just as it seemed Charles might make it through the game unscathed, disaster struck. The Bludger caught him off guard, striking his arm with a sickening crack. Charles, clearly in pain, lost his grip on his broom and began to fall.
A collective gasp rose from the crowd, but before anyone else could react, Lily Potter was on her feet, wand out. With a swift incantation, she slowed Charles's descent, gently lowering him to the ground. But the danger wasn't over – the Bludger, seemingly intent on finishing the job, hurtled towards the fallen Chaser.
Lily's eyes flashed with maternal fury. She stepped onto the field, her wand a blur as she cast a powerful Shield Charm, deflecting the Bludger mere inches from Charles's chest. With another flick of her wand, she immobilized the rogue ball, ending its reign of terror.
That was very dangerous. Harry didn't know what Dobby was thinking, letting the Bludger have a go at Charles like that. It could have seriously injured Charles and caused him a lot of pain. In the Muggle world, such an impact could have been fatal. Harry was thankful he didn't have Dobby trying to save his life.
The crowd erupted in a mix of cheers for Lily's quick action and concerned murmurs for Charles's condition. But the game wasn't over yet.
High above the drama unfolding on the ground, Draco Malfoy had spotted the Snitch. Ginny, momentarily distracted by Charles's fall, was a split second too late in noticing. The superior speed of Draco's Nimbus 2001 gave him the edge he needed. With a triumphant grin, he closed his fingers around the tiny golden ball, securing the victory for Slytherin.
As the Slytherin stands erupted in cheers, Harry made his way down to the field. He had no particular reason to go to the field, but he was glad he did.
As Harry reached the field, pushing through the crowd of concerned students and faculty, he arrived just in time to see Lockhart, his golden hair gleaming in the sunlight, approach the injured Charles Potter.
"Not to worry, I can fix that arm in a jiffy!" Lockhart announced, brandishing his wand with a flourish.
"No!" several voices shouted in unison. Harry noticed Oliver Wood, the Gryffindor team captain, looking particularly alarmed. Even Lily Potter, who was by her son's side, tried to intervene.
"Professor Lockhart, I really think we should wait for Madam Pomfrey," Lily said, her voice tight with concern.
But Lockhart, ever confident in his abilities, ignored the protests. "Nonsense! I've done this countless times. Stand back, everyone!"
Before anyone could stop him, Lockhart twirled his wand and uttered a spell. There was a strange squelching sound, and Charles let out a yelp of surprise rather than pain.
Harry watched with a smile as Charles lifted his arm. Instead of being broken, it now appeared to be made of rubber, flopping uselessly at his side. It looked very amusing, and Harry had another idea for a prank he could use on Sirius.
"Ah," said Lockhart, looking slightly abashed. "Yes, well, that can sometimes happen. The point is, the bones are no longer broken."
"Broken?" Lily Potter's voice was dangerously quiet. "There are no bones left!"
In a flash of maternal fury, Lily's hand connected with Lockhart's cheek in a resounding slap. The impact sent the flamboyant professor stumbling backward, his perfect smile finally faltering as he landed unceremoniously on the grass.
Harry struggled to maintain his composure, fighting back the laughter that threatened to burst forth. The sight of the pompous Lockhart sprawled on the ground, his carefully coiffed hair in disarray, was almost too much to bear.
Lily, ignoring Lockhart completely now, gently helped Charles to his feet. "Come on, sweetheart. We need to get you to Madam Pomfrey right away."
As Lily guided her son off the field, his boneless arm swinging like a rubber glove, Charles's friends hurried after them. Ron and Hermione's faces were a mix of concern and disbelief as they followed the Potters towards the castle.
With the excitement over, the crowd began to disperse. Students and teachers alike filed out of the stadium, their conversations a buzz of speculation about the rogue Bludger, Slytherin's victory, and Lockhart's disastrous attempt at healing. The Gryffindor side was also very sad. Some complained about Charles, but seeing that he was hurt, most had to reluctantly hold their tongues.
Harry solemnly made his way back to the castle. He was not in a solemn mood about what had happened on the Quidditch pitch, but about what was to come next. If Harry remembered correctly, in the books there was an attack by the basilisk tonight. This meant Harry was going to have a long night following the heir and ensuring that nothing went wrong. Just like in the books, he hoped the victim would be luckily petrified and not killed. With this weighty thought on his mind, Harry prepared himself for the challenges that lay ahead.
Chapter 167: Chapter 167: "The Basilisk Strikes"
As night fell over Hogwarts, Harry donned his invisibility cloak and focused on the tracking spell he had placed on Evelyn Rosier. Knowing an attack was imminent, he needed to follow her to ensure no one got killed. His heart raced with a mix of anticipation and dread as he followed the magical signature through the castle's corridors.
Harry's mind was a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts. He was going against his principles by allowing the attacks to take place instead of putting an end to everything from the start. By putting his fellow Hogwarts students' lives at risk just to cause trouble for Dumbledore and reduce his influence in the wizarding world, wasn't he acting no differently than Dumbledore with his "greater good" philosophy?
Moreover, Harry had received Gryffindor's inheritance of knight training and battle spells specifically to protect the school from Slytherin's basilisk once it went rogue. Yet here he was, letting the attacks happen instead of saving the school. He was becoming more like a politician and a hypocrite, a realization that sat uneasily with him.
As these thoughts swirled in his mind, Harry approached the location where he sensed Rosier through his tracking spell. He stood in the corridor, unable to see her, but certain he was in the right place.
His enhanced hearing picked up the unsettling mutterings of the basilisk, its sibilant hisses echoing through the walls. Occasionally, Evelyn's voice would cut through, commanding the snake in Parseltongue. "Go left... Now right... Be silent..."
Harry realized they were moving through the pipe network hidden inside the walls. He followed their voices and the tracking spell, his steps careful and measured.
For hours, Harry trailed the invisible pair. Although he had yet to catch a glimpse of the basilisk, he was prepared for its deadly stare. During the holidays, he had acquired a rare pair of glasses designed to deflect the snake's fatal gaze, ensuring its deadly glares would be useless against him. The glasses sat comfortably on his nose, a reassuring weight.
As the night deepened, Harry heard approaching footsteps. Soon, a student came into view - Colin Creevey, the enthusiastic first-year Gryffindor, walking alone in the corridor. Harry's guilt deepened as he recalled from the books that Colin was to be the first human victim of the heir. Colin, skipping happily, had no idea of the danger he was in.
"Can't believe it! The Prophet bought my Quidditch photos!" Colin muttered excitedly to himself, practically bouncing with joy. "Wait till everyone hears about this!"
Seeing the happy Colin, Harry's mind raced. This was different from the canon - Colin should have been visiting the injured Charles, as in the books. This deviation meant that events might not unfold as expected, potentially leading to more dangerous outcomes.
Harry considered intervening but quickly realized it was too late to stop this now. Fighting the basilisk inside the school would endanger Colin and other students, while confronting the heir might lead to their escape and a more dangerous rampage. His identity could be exposed, complicating matters further.
After careful consideration, Harry decided to let the attack proceed for now. He silently vowed that Colin wouldn't remain petrified for long - he'd ensure the boy's recovery as soon as possible. He planned to end the Chamber saga quickly and procure mature mandrakes from overseas, rather than waiting for the school's crop to mature as Dumbledore had done in the books.
As Harry contemplated his next moves, the situation in the corridor suddenly changed. A section of the wall began to move, and the massive head of the basilisk emerged, its scales gleaming in the dim light. The sight of the enormous serpent left Harry momentarily stunned. He could hardly fathom how long its body must be, coiled within the castle walls.
Harry realized that the basilisk would be a formidable opponent. Its size and magical immunity meant that defeating it would require all of his strength and skill. He would need to use his knight's sword, and the ideal battleground would be the Chamber itself. Harry marveled at how his counterpart in the books had managed to defeat this monster and survive.
The snake's gaze fixed on the oblivious Colin, who continued to walk away, lost in his happy thoughts.
Then, Harry heard Evelyn's voice, cold and controlled, hiss out a command: "Kill him."
Colin, hearing the strange noise, began to turn around. Harry realized things were diverging from the books - Colin wasn't instinctively raising his camera to diffuse the basilisk's killing gaze. If this continued, Colin would die. Harry knew he had to act.
Swiftly, he pointed his wand at the unsuspecting boy and cast a Confundus charm, compelling Colin to use his camera.
As if in slow motion, Harry watched Colin raise the camera to his eye just as he completed his turn. There was a brilliant flash as Colin took the photo, illuminating the corridor for a split second. When the light faded, Colin stood frozen, petrified but alive.
To Harry's surprise, he sensed a hint of relief from the basilisk. In its deranged eyes, he saw a flicker of intelligence. Harry wondered if the snake would have tried to save Colin even without his intervention. Perhaps when Colin saw the basilisk, it would have waited for him to take a photo before attacking. Harry couldn't be certain, but he wanted to believe that a Hogwarts founder wouldn't create a monster intent on killing students.
From behind the huge basilisk, the heir emerged. Harry could tell Rosier was completely under possession, unaware of her actions, much like a sleepwalker.
The heir, or rather the young Tom Riddle, seemed satisfied with the outcome and retreated. He commanded the basilisk to follow, and the massive creature slid back into the concealed opening, which sealed shut behind them.
Harry approached the petrified Colin, guilt weighing heavily on him. He performed a quick diagnostic spell and was relieved to find nothing wrong beyond the petrification. He cast a spell in the corridor to subconsciously attract any nearby students, ensuring Colin would be found quickly, then left the scene.
The night's events had taught Harry a valuable lesson. He realized he had been subconsciously manipulating events to suit his needs, much like the very people he criticized. This path was leading him to become more like a politician and a hypocrite, traits he despised in others. He decided to take some time to reflect on his actions and create a set of personal rules to prevent himself from continuing down this questionable path.
As Harry made his way back to Ravenclaw Tower, a renewed sense of purpose filled him. He was determined to stay true to his principles moving forward, even if it meant facing greater challenges. The path ahead might be more difficult, but Harry knew that with careful planning, rigorous training, and an unwavering moral compass, he could navigate the obstacles successfully.
He realized that the easy path of manipulation and deceit was not the legacy he wanted to leave. With these thoughts, Harry drifted off to sleep, ready to face whatever tomorrow might bring with renewed determination and a clear conscience.
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