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.
Chapter 168: Chapter 168: "Setting the Stage"
The next morning, a somber atmosphere enveloped Hogwarts as Professors Flitwick and McGonagall gathered the students to make an announcement. The Great Hall buzzed with whispers and nervous energy, the air thick with anticipation.
Professor McGonagall cleared her throat, silencing the room. "Students, we regret to inform you that there has been another attack. Colin Creevey, a first-year Gryffindor, was found petrified last night."
Gasps and murmurs rippled through the crowd. Rumors of an attack had circulated the previous night, and this confirmation sent fear shooting through the student body. The relative calm that had settled since the Halloween incident shattered instantly.
Professor Flitwick stepped forward, his voice steady despite his small stature. "We want to assure you that we are investigating this matter thoroughly. In the meantime, we urge all students to exercise extreme caution. No one is to wander the corridors alone, especially after curfew."
As the professors finished their announcement, the hall erupted into frantic discussions. Harry, maintaining his composure, reassured his friends that nothing would go wrong. Most of Harry's friends came from wizarding families, and the knowledge that the heir traditionally targeted muggle-borns provided them with a small measure of relief.
Throughout the day, Harry noticed a marked change in the school's atmosphere. Fear had taken hold, and with it came some interesting developments. A thriving black market in protective charms sprang up overnight.
"Get your genuine protective amulets here!" Fred Weasley's voice rang out in the common room. "Ward off evil spirits and pesky petrification!"
George chimed in, "Don't forget our special monster repellent! Guaranteed to keep you safe or your money back!"
Harry shook his head, amused despite the gravity of the situation. He spotted Neville clutching a handful of amulets, his eyes darting nervously around the room.
"Neville," Harry approached him gently, "you know those probably won't help, right?"
Neville nodded sheepishly. "I know, but... it makes me feel better. After last year's adventure with you, Harry, I thought I was done being scared, but this... this is different."
Harry patted his shoulder reassuringly. "Just stick with your friends, okay? Safety in numbers. Most people doing these kinds of hidden attacks are afraid of groups."
Neville thanked Harry and ran off to join a group of second years heading to class.
As the day progressed, Harry couldn't help but notice the absence of the Golden Trio. Charles had healed his missing bones from Lockhart's mishap, which took only a night's rest thanks to Madam Pomfrey's potions, and resumed his secret adventures with his two friends. Harry wasn't bothered by their activities; he had other concerns.
Now that he had decided to end things before another attack, Harry needed to ensure he could confront the heir and the snake without endangering other students. After formulating a rough plan, he set to work enacting it.
That evening, as Harry helped Professor Flitwick in his office, the diminutive professor turned to him with a serious expression. "Harry, there won't be a training session today. I'm needed elsewhere. The professors all have a meeting tonight."
Harry seized the opportunity. "Is this about the Chamber of Secrets and the attack, Professor?"
Flitwick nodded gravely. "Yes. The attack has all of us baffled. The petrification is very odd, and we don't know what caused it."
"Yes," Harry mused, carefully choosing his words. "And from what I've heard, the first-year student wasn't directly attacked. It's as if he looked at whatever monster is kept in the Chamber, and it petrified him without contact. It's very strange."
Flitwick looked surprised. "Things spread quickly in this school, don't they? Yes, Mr. Creevey seems to have gotten a good look at the monster. Keep this between us, but the boy apparently took a picture of it. Unfortunately, his camera didn't survive, so we couldn't learn anything from it."
Harry pressed on, "Professor, I heard the Chamber was opened once before, and a student died. Can you tell me any information you know about that?"
Flitwick raised an eyebrow. "It looks like you're investigating the Chamber, Harry. You've gathered information quickly."
"I have to, Professor," Harry explained earnestly. "Many people I care about are in this school right now. I don't want them to face any danger. Can you tell me about the previous attack?"
Flitwick sighed. "Okay, I will tell you. Yes, the Chamber was opened a few decades ago. At that time, one girl died. However, that's all I know."
Harry leaned in, his voice low. "Was that girl killed without any direct contact, Professor?"
"I don't know," Flitwick admitted. "Maybe Professor Dumbledore does. Is the information important?"
Harry nodded solemnly. "Yes. If the girl was killed without any contact, I can roughly guess what Slytherin's monster is, and if my guess is correct, it doesn't bode well for the castle or its occupants."
Flitwick's eyes widened. "That bad? Tell me your analysis."
Harry took a deep breath. "Well, you know that Slytherin is synonymous with snakes. This leads me to believe that the monster housed in Slytherin's Chamber of Secrets is most likely a snake. And as you know, Professor, most snakes kill their prey with poisonous bites or by crushing them. But there are exceptions, and the most prominent and feared of these is the basilisk."
"Basilisk?" Flitwick exclaimed. "But basilisks kill with their stare."
"Exactly," Harry confirmed. "And that's what I suspect killed the girl years ago. Now, however, some lucky coincidences might have saved the recent victims. Mrs. Norris, for instance, might have seen the basilisk's reflection in water."
Flitwick's face paled. "And Mr. Creevey looked at the monster through his camera lens. A very plausible theory, Harry. You're right; if true, the situation is dire indeed. I must inform the Headmaster of this analysis immediately."
With that, Professor Flitwick hurried out of the classroom, leaving Harry alone with his thoughts. He watched the professor go with a solemn expression, knowing that this was just the first step in his plan. By alerting the professors to the possibility of a basilisk, Harry hoped they might suspend the school and send the children to a safe place for a thorough search of the castle. That would give him the opportunity he needed to confront the snake without endangering anyone else.
As he left the classroom, Harry's mind was already racing with the next steps of his plan. The stakes were high, but he was determined to end this threat once and for all, all while ensuring nothing went wrong and innocent students were not put in danger. With renewed determination, Harry headed back to his dormitory, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead in his quest to protect Hogwarts and its inhabitants.
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