Chapter 181: Chapter 181: "Aftermath and Departure"
With the basilisk defeated and his objective complete, Harry knew he had to act quickly to conceal the evidence of the battle. He couldn't risk anyone, especially Dumbledore, discovering what had truly transpired in the Chamber of Secrets. Even though everyone was already aware of his magical prowess and dueling strength, Harry was determined to keep his Knight training and physical abilities a secret. This could serve as a second persona, potentially useful during covert operations.
He reached into his robes and pulled out an expandable trunk, a special item he had acquired for just such an occasion. With practiced efficiency, he began the gruesome task of harvesting the basilisk's valuable parts.
First, he carefully extracted the enormous fangs, each one as long as his forearm. The venom sacs came next, handled with extreme caution and stored in unbreakable vials. The eyes, despite their deadly power now nullified in death, were removed and preserved. Harry meticulously skinned the great serpent, knowing the hide alone was worth a fortune for its magical resistance properties. Some of these parts, he noted, were crucial ingredients for the Animagus Ritual he planned to attempt.
As he worked, Harry couldn't help but marvel at the creature. Its size was truly staggering, and the quality of its parts spoke to its ancient and powerful nature. He harvested everything of value: blood, organs, bones, and even the meat, all of which he knew were highly sought after in various magical circles.
The harvesting process took over an hour of tiring work even with the help of magic. Once complete, Harry turned his attention to repairing the damage caused by the battle.
"Reparo Maxima," Harry intoned, his wand sweeping in wide arcs. The shattered stone knitted itself back together, cracks sealed, and dust settled. He paid close attention to detail, ensuring that even the smallest signs of the battle were erased.
The process was time-consuming and draining, but since Harry had not used much magic during the fight, he had plenty to spare. He repaired the gouges in the floor left by the basilisk's thrashing, smoothed out the marks left by his sword, and cleaned the blood splashed on the floor from both his injuries and those he had inflicted on the basilisk.
Satisfied with his work in the main chamber, Harry turned his attention to the basilisk's lair. This was the only place he hadn't searched in the chamber, and he was hopeful of finding something valuable inside. He approached the entrance cautiously, unsure of what he might find. To his surprise, the lair was empty save for an enormous pile of shed basilisk skin.
Harry's eyes widened at the sight. Basilisk skin was incredibly rare and valuable, perfect for crafting magic-resistant battle suits. He had been unable to find any in the outside world, no matter how much money he offered. Now he had enough to last him many lifetimes.
"Curious," Harry muttered, examining the pile. It seemed the basilisk had been shedding its skin in one place for a very long time.
As he investigated further, Harry discovered an intricate network of wards surrounding the lair. Upon closer inspection, he realized it was a magical hibernation mechanism, designed to keep the basilisk in a state of suspended animation. The Basilisk would only wake up when the Heir calls for its help.
"Ingenious," Harry whispered, tracing the runes with his fingers. "This must be how it survived for so long without food."
The mechanism explained much: how the basilisk had lived for thousands of years, why it was always ravenous upon waking, and how it continued to grow despite long periods of inactivity. The magic sustained the creature, allowing it to shed its skin and grow even while dormant.
Harry spent some time studying the wards, fascinated by their complexity and power. He made mental notes, knowing this kind of magic could be invaluable in the future.
With the lair explored, Harry began to search for any hidden rooms or secret chambers that Salazar Slytherin might have left behind. Despite his thorough investigation, he found nothing. If there were any such secrets, they were hidden beyond his current ability to detect.
Satisfied that he had done all he could, Harry made one final sweep of the Chamber. He collected the shed basilisk skin, adding it to his already substantial haul in the expandable trunk. With everything cleaned, repaired, and harvested, the Chamber looked as if no battle had ever taken place.
Harry made his way back to the entrance, the Sword of Gryffindor still in hand and the expandable trunk tucked safely in his robes.
With a final hiss in Parseltongue, Harry sealed the Chamber behind him. He didn't know what would happen when Dumbledore went after the Basilisk, but he hoped nothing would leak about his actions. The best-case scenario was that Dumbledore wouldn't know the secret phrase to open the basilisk's lair, and that way, no one would know what had happened in the chamber about an hour ago. Anyway, Harry didn't have much to worry about; he had cleaned up the place to the best of his ability, and at worst, he would be suspected by Dumbledore. There would be no proof of what happened to the basilisk.
Exhausted but satisfied, Harry finally returned to his dormitory. As he collapsed into bed, his mind was already racing with plans for the Animagus ritual he was going to perform during the holidays. He couldn't wait to discover his rare Animagus form of a magical creature.
As sleep claimed him, Harry's last thought was of Dumbledore, who would arrive the next day to face a basilisk that was no longer there. The old wizard would find only an empty, pristine chamber, with no hint of a thousand-year-old basilisk. Imagining that gave Harry a small smile and some sweet dreams.
The next day, the Great Hall buzzed with nervous energy as students gathered for breakfast on what was to be their last morning at Hogwarts before the abrupt holiday. Harry, despite his exhaustion from the previous night's events and only a few hours of sleep, maintained a facade of normalcy as he sat with his friends at the Ravenclaw table.
Suddenly, Dumbledore rose from his seat, his presence immediately commanding silence. "Students, I have some important news," he began, his voice carrying across the hall. "I am pleased to announce that the Heir of Slytherin has been apprehended and the threat to our school neutralized. Miss Evelyn Rosier is safe and recovering well."
A collective sigh of relief rippled through the hall, followed by excited murmurs.
"Furthermore," Dumbledore continued, his eyes twinkling as they found Harry, "I would like to recognize Mr. Hadrian Potter for his exceptional bravery and quick thinking. His actions, along with those of Auror Sirius Black, were instrumental in resolving this crisis. Therefore, it is my pleasure to award Mr. Potter with a Special Award for Services to the School."
Applause erupted as Harry, feigning surprise, made his way to the front to accept the award. As he returned to his seat, he was bombarded with questions and congratulations from his friends.
"Harry, that's amazing!" Cedric exclaimed, clapping him on the back.
"How did you do it?" Roger asked eagerly.
Harry offered a modest smile. "I just happened to be in the right place at the right time," he said evasively. "Sirius did most of the work, really."
As the excitement died down and students began to prepare for departure, Harry scanned the hall for Sirius but couldn't spot him. Curious about what had transpired after he left Dumbledore's office the previous night, Harry made his way outside to the Hogwarts Express.
He found Sirius overseeing the students' boarding, looking tired but satisfied. When Sirius spotted Harry, he pulled him aside with a grin.
"Quite a night, eh?" Sirius said, his voice low. "Bet you're wondering what happened with Malfoy."
Harry nodded, and Sirius continued, "Well, since Dobby interrupted him before he could fully cast the Killing Curse, we couldn't make attempted murder charges stick. But," he added, "Dumbledore came up with an... alternative solution."
"What kind of solution?" Harry asked, intrigued.
"Let's just say Lucius Malfoy's vault at Gringotts is considerably lighter this morning," Sirius chuckled. "Dumbledore negotiated a hefty 'compensation' package for the Potters. Between that and grandfather calling in all the old loans and canceling business deals, the Malfoys are practically penniless now."
Harry couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction at this news. This cut away a lot of the financial resources of the Death Eaters. They wouldn't hold that much influence in the Ministry of Magic anymore.
As the final call for boarding sounded, Harry bid farewell to Sirius and joined his friends on the train. The journey back to London was filled with excited chatter about the recent events and speculation about what the next term might bring.
Harry, however, remained quiet for much of the journey. He was tired and caught up on sleep during the trip. Everyone, knowing he was up late the previous night saving Miss Rosier and taking on the Heir of Slytherin, let him rest undisturbed.
As the Hogwarts Express pulled into Platform 9¾, students began to disembark. Harry took a deep breath, gathered his things, and stepped off the train. He had become a knight last night, and now he was eager to explore his new abilities.
In the chaos of the previous evening, he hadn't had time to fully assess what he had gained from his transformation. Harry's mind raced with anticipation, wondering about the extent of his enhanced strength, speed, and senses. He was particularly curious about how his newfound knight abilities would interact with his magical powers.
On top of that, he couldn't wait to begin the Animagus ritual, hoping to unlock a rare magical creature form. As he made his way through the crowded platform, Harry felt a surge of excitement for the upcoming holidays.
Chapter 182: Chapter 182: "Holidays and New Strengths"
With a soft crack, Harry appeared in the entrance hall of Black Castle. The familiar sight of the grand staircase and the portraits of his Black ancestors lining the walls greeted him.
"Master Harry," Mira said, her large eyes shining with pride, "Master Arcturus and Master Sirius are waiting for you in the study."
Harry nodded and made his way. As he approached the study, muffled voices engaged in intense discussion reached his ears. It seemed Sirius was recounting the events of the previous night to Arcturus.
Knocking softly, Harry entered to find Arcturus seated behind his massive oak desk, with Sirius pacing back and forth. Both men looked up as he entered, their faces a mixture of concern and relief.
"Harry!" Arcturus exclaimed, gesturing for him to take a seat. "Sirius has been filling me in on the events at Hogwarts. It seems you've had quite an adventure."
Harry settled into one of the plush armchairs, feeling the weight of the past few days settle on his shoulders. "That's one way to put it," he said with a wry smile.
Arcturus leaned forward, his eyes sharp despite his advanced age. "So, Voldemort's real name was Tom Riddle. I had heard about him. A charming and smart young lad during his years at Hogwarts who suddenly went missing. I had assumed he had left the wizarding world for better opportunities since he was a muggle-born. Now it looks like he was a squib born from the line of Gaunts. To think all the blood supremacists have been following a half-blood to cause chaos and death in the wizarding world. Many old families have been destroyed and some to near extinction by the actions of that crazy dark lord."
Sirius, who had stopped pacing, chimed in, "It looks like Dumbledore knew his real identity for a long time. Why didn't he expose him? That would have made a dent in Voldemort's followers."
Arcturus shook his head, his expression clouded. "No idea. No one knows what goes on in his mind. Over the years, he has done things that make no sense. Let's forget it. So, one more Horcrux down. I didn't think he would leave one with the Malfoy brat. The boy will be in so much trouble when Voldemort comes back and learns what happened to it. Two Horcruxes down and who knows how many more to go."
Harry, seeing an opportunity to broach the subject of Horcruxes, spoke up, "Actually, it's three down. I stumbled upon another one at Hogwarts when looking for its secrets. It was in a room known to Hogwarts elves as the Come and Go Room."
Sirius's eyes widened in surprise. "Good job, Harry. Come and Go Room? I thought I had explored all the secret places in the school. It looks like we missed some."
Encouraged by their interest, Harry continued, "I also have another idea where another one could be."
Arcturus leaned forward, intrigued. "Go on."
"With Bellatrix," Harry explained. "Since Malfoy had one, I'm sure Bellatrix, whom Voldemort trusted a lot, would have one too. I just have no idea where she could have hidden it."
Harry had been wrestling with how to access the Hufflepuff cup Horcrux in the Lestrange vault. Having failed to come up with a solution, he couldn't help but seek Arcturus's advice.
Sirius nodded thoughtfully. "Good guess. However, unless we can read the mind of Bellatrix, we have no way of finding the hiding place."
Harry pressed on, "I have narrowed down the search to some places, but the most likely place I think would be Gringotts. The most secure bank in Wizarding Britain should have one of them. Just don't know how to confirm or go about searching for the Horcrux in Gringotts. Have any ideas, Grandfather?"
Arcturus stroked his beard, considering the question. "Goblins don't trust wizards, and vice versa, so I have no way of getting into Bellatrix's or the Lestrange's vault. We will have to wait for her to come out of Azkaban to think of some way, or else wait for the natural death of the Lestranges and her, and then do some tricks to buy the Horcrux from her unsuspecting inheritor."
Harry sighed, feeling a mix of frustration and disappointment. "So nothing can be done. It looks like we might have to think of some other ways to kill Voldemort seeing that destroying all the Horcruxes is not possible. Maybe we could trap him and imprison him until he dies a natural death. I will have to refer to the Black Library. Grandfather, I might need your help."
The old man, despite his age, was still very much able to help Harry. With the help of a proper diet and treatment from Cordelia and Emma, the old man could function normally just like Dumbledore despite his age.
After some more chit-chat, Sirius left for his home. With Sirius away, Arcturus turned towards Harry, his eyes gleaming with curiosity. "What did you do with the basilisk, Harry? There's no way you left that hissing trove of treasure for Dumbledore to deal with."
Harry grinned, impressed by his grandfather's perceptiveness. "You're right, Grandfather. After Sirius left Hogwarts, I went to the chamber again to deal with the basilisk. It was a tough fight, but I won in the end. I have the basilisk harvested and stored in a trunk. Can you help me deal with the less important materials?"
Arcturus nodded, a glint of pride in his eyes. "Since you killed the snake, you have full rights on how to deal with it by law. However, we will have to handle things discreetly. We're talking about rare magical materials that cost a lot of galleons. The amount of galleons will make even wizards like Dumbledore jealous."
Harry considered this for a moment. "I leave it to you, Grandfather. You have the contacts. I just want the basilisk skin for some robes and a few things for the animagus ritual. I don't need much money, so maybe sell the meat and the fangs and store the rest."
Arcturus smiled approvingly. "Good thinking. Also, using materials from a thousand-year-old basilisk, you will have a very good chance of awakening a magical animagus. I want to see this in person."
Harry's eyes lit up with excitement. "Sure. I will need your help to prepare for the ritual. I can't wait to gain a magical animagus form."
They decided to hide these things from Sirius for now. The missing basilisk might create some suspicions and mayhem, and Sirius not knowing what happened to it would ensure he didn't accidentally show some clues. Sirius could be told later after things cooled down.
Later, Harry went outside to the castle grounds. He was eager to test out his gains from the previous night. After that refreshing nap on the train, he was wide awake and excited to experiment with his new abilities as a knight.
Harry started with a simple test of strength. He approached a large boulder that he'd previously struggled to budge. With a deep breath, he placed his hands on the cool surface and pushed. To his astonishment, the boulder moved with surprising ease. He estimated that his strength had increased at least fivefold as written in Gryffindor's notes.
Next, he tested his speed. Harry sprinted across the grounds, covering distances in times that would make Olympic athletes envious. His reflexes were put to the test when he asked Mira to throw various objects at him. Harry found he could catch or dodge them with an ease that bordered on precognition.
To gauge his improved stamina, Harry embarked on a grueling workout routine that would have exhausted him within minutes before. Now, he found he could maintain intense physical activity for extended periods without tiring.
His eyesight had also dramatically improved. Harry could now discern details at distances that were previously impossible, and his night vision had become almost cat-like in its acuity.
Curious about how his knighthood affected his magic, Harry began casting spells. He immediately noticed that magic flowed more smoothly through his body, and casting even complex spells felt more natural and quicker. His magical reserves seemed to have expanded as well, allowing him to cast more powerful spells without fatigue.
Despite these impressive gains, Harry found he couldn't access his seed of life that he had just awoken or manipulate life energy directly. It seemed that advancing to the rank of Great Knight would be necessary before he could harness those abilities in combat.
As the sun began to set, casting long shadows across the castle grounds, Harry resolved to continue his training. He was not satisfied with merely becoming a knight; even reaching the level of Sky Knight didn't seem enough. Harry was determined to push the boundaries of what was possible in this life, his ambition driving him to seek heights of power and ability that few had ever achieved.
With the basilisk defeated, his knighthood achieved, and the animagus ritual on the horizon, Harry felt less anxious about the future war. He knew he was on the path to becoming a force to be reckoned with in the wizarding world. The challenges ahead no longer seemed insurmountable, but rather obstacles to be overcome. With renewed determination, Harry made his way back to the castle, ready to face whatever challenges the future might hold, confident in his growing abilities and the support of his family.
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