章 79: 079 Inside The Chamber
"What are you talking about, Harry!" Before Bryan could utter a word, Hermione shouted anxiously, "Get out of the way, Harry, Professor Watson can handle this Basilisk!" Her voice was shrill and panicked, as she watched the monstrous snake slithering closer to her friend.
Bryan touched his nose and smiled at Hermione. It seemed that he had shown some strength in front of this little witch and she was very confident in him. He felt a surge of pride and gratitude, mixed with a hint of amusement. He wondered what she would think of him if she knew his works as a 'freelancer'.
Hermione's reminder made Harry, who was moving around in a flamboyant manner, stunned. He looked at Bryan with wide eyes, as if he had just noticed him for the first time. Then he came to his senses and picked up the sword with a dazzling red gem the size of an egg on the hilt. It was a magnificent weapon, shining with an ancient and noble aura. He rolled and crawled out of the attack range of the Basilisk that had gone mad. The snake was hissing and snapping its fangs, trying to catch its prey.
"Huh–, Professor Watson, please save Ron and Ginny, they are still alive!" Harry pleaded, as he reached Hermione's side. He pointed at the two motionless figures lying on the floor, covered in blood and dirt. They looked pale and lifeless, but Harry refused to give up hope.
When he realized that the most powerful professor in the school besides Dumbledore was standing in front of him, Harry felt his strength being drained by magic and quickly left his body. He felt dizzy and weak, as if he had run a marathon. He had used too much of his energy to fight the Basilisk, and now he was paying the price. Just as he was about to fall down, Hermione caught him in time. She wrapped her arms around him and held him close, whispering words of comfort.
"Don't worry, Potter, no one will die here tonight–"
Bryan said calmly, as he scanned the chamber with his keen eyes. He saw that Ginny still had a faint life force in her body, pulsing weakly like a dying star. He also breathed a sigh of relief. He had arrived just in time to save her from the Basilisk's venom. He stared at the sword in Harry's hand and suddenly thought of a legendary magical item belonging to Godric Gryffindor. He paused for a moment and asked hesitantly,
"Potter, this sword is–"
"Fawkes brought me the Sorting Hat–" Harry gasped and said,
"I found this sword in the Sorting Hat. Huh, it must have been put there by Professor Dumbledore. It suddenly fell out and hit my head!"
He sounded confused and amazed by his own luck.
Bryan nodded knowingly, restoring the truth of the matter from Harry's inverted sentences. He understood that Dumbledore had sent his phoenix and his hat to help Harry in his time of need. He also recognized the sword as Gryffindor's legacy, a powerful artifact that could only be wielded by a true heir of the founder. Although he was very curious about this famous weapon, he also knew that now was not a good time to study it.
"Get away from there, Fawkes, don't get caught by my curse–"
Bryan warned, as he saw Dumbledore's phoenix still fighting with the Basilisk in mid-air. The bird was dodging and diving, avoiding the snake's gaze and bite.
However, after hearing Bryan's instructions, Fawkes showed great intelligence and cried out crisply. It seemed to understand Bryan's plan and trust his judgment. After a graceful drift in mid-air, leaving behind a colorful light and shadow, it flew straight to Ron who was lying on the ground and looked at the torn wound on his arm. It dropped a few tears on the injury, healing it instantly.
Clang!
The piercing scream sounded like an arrow leaving the bow. Harry and Hermione only saw Professor Watson waving his wand lightly. Then, several large pieces of broken stones on the ground turned into several metal spears as thick as oak trees in silence. The dark-colored spears cut through the cold air, creating a huge and indestructible cage that trapped the huge Basilisk inside!
Boom-bang!
The Basilisk slammed into the metal cage barrier frantically. Under its desperate struggle, the ground shook like an earthquake. Stones fell like raindrops, but they were all blocked by the white magic shield around Bryan. Not a speck of dust fell on them.
Staring at the Basilisk that seemed to be defiant and made a lot of noise, Bryan moved his eyebrows slightly. He circled his wrist again and a faint light flashed on the frame of the metal cage.
Bang!
This time, the Basilisk dared not hit the barrier so recklessly!
As soon as its hard scales touched the cage, the seemingly cold and dark spears would erupt into golden flames. This was fiendfyre, a cursed fire that had an extremely high temperature and could destroy almost anything, even magical objects and creatures. The Basilisk, could not withstand the fire for long and collapsed on the ground, gasping for breath. It curled up its massive body into a circle and remained motionless.
Is this what someone who could fight with Professor Dumbledore in fifth grade looks like now?! Harry stared at this scene dumbfoundedly. He couldn't believe that he had almost fought with his life against the Basilisk that was easily trapped by Professor Watson with the help of Dumbledore's phoenix.
"Ron!"
Hermione came out of her shock faster than Harry, who had mentally prepared herself for the worst. Seeing that the Basilisk was trapped, she couldn't restrain her anxiety anymore. She ran to Ron's side with tears flying. Her heart was pounding in her chest, as she feared for his life.
"Professor Watson, this bird is crying!" Hermione sobbed, "Is Ron already–" She couldn't finish her sentence, as she choked on her own words. She looked at Ron's pale and still face, hoping to see some sign of movement.
Harry's body swayed slightly and his face turned pale. He stared at Ron who had just been lying on the ground and whimpering softly. His lips trembled non-stop. He didn't want to believe that Ron was dead! He felt a surge of guilt and grief, as he blamed himself for dragging his friend into this mess.
"You two don't have to worry–"
Bryan walked over quickly. He turned Ron's pale face over and carefully examined the charred flesh on his arm that was smoking under the phoenix's tears. He could see that the wound was healing slowly, enough to save him from the Basilisk's venom.
"Fawkes is a phoenix, and phoenix tears have a very strong healing effect, but–" Bryan then turned his gaze to Ginny, whose chest was only faintly rising and falling. She looked like a broken doll, lying on the cold stone floor. Her eyes were closed and her hair was matted with blood.
"Miss Weasley's situation is probably worse. She urgently needs professional and effective treatment. You two better escort them to the school hospital and find Madam Pomfrey now." Bryan said firmly, as he made a decision. He knew that time was running out, and that he couldn't waste any more of it here.
After hearing that Ron and Ginny were still alive, Harry felt like he had been fished out of the water. He gasped heavily, as he felt a wave of relief wash over him. In just a few seconds, he sweated more than when he fought with the Basilisk. He felt exhausted and drained, but also hopeful and grateful.
Bryan conjured two stretchers and controlled Ron and Ginny's bodies to float up. Then he looked at Hermione, who still had tears in her eyes. "I'll stay here and watch this Basilisk. You two can go and inform Professor McGonagall about what happened here after you send Ginny and Ron to the school hospital. I think she will faint with worry when she finds out that four little wizards have disappeared from the school." He said calmly, as he gave them instructions.
"But–"
Hermione had no objection to Professor Watson's arrangement. She just remembered the pipe that might be several miles long when she came. "How do we get back, Professor? We can't go through that pipe!" She asked anxiously, as she wondered how they would escape from this dark and damp chamber.
Fawkes stood on Ron's chest and cried out, but Bryan shook his head at it.
"You don't have to bother, Fawkes. If you can, I hope you can go and inform Professor Dumbledore. I'm sorry, but I think his 'vacation time' has to be canceled!"
He said apologetically, as he asked the phoenix for another favor.
Fawkes tilted his head and looked at Bryan with his crystal-clear eyes like gems. After a moment, it nodded humanely and disappeared in the secret chamber in a burst of explosive fire. It left behind a trail of sparks and feathers, as it flew away to find Dumbledore.
"Well, it's your turn now–"
Bryan waved his wand at Harry and the others. In a sudden breeze, Harry found himself turning into a phantom shadow and flying quickly towards the entrance of the secret chamber without control. He felt a strange sensation of weightlessness and speed, as he zoomed through the air.
"Professor Watson–"
By the time Harry reacted, he had already appeared on the other side of the entrance to the secret chamber. He anxiously looked at Professor Watson who was quickly moving away from his sight and shouted,
"Watch out for Voldemort, he's in–"
He tried to warn him about the dark lord's presence in the chamber, but his voice was cut off by the distance.
Bryan breathed a sigh of relief, turned around and faced the Basilisk that was lying on the ground in a pile, barely alive. He smiled happily. It wasn't easy. After spending so much time and staying up so many nights, this Basilisk finally fell into his hands! He felt a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction, as he looked at his prize.
The Basilisk was an ancient creature that could generally live for hundreds of years, but this one in front of him had lived for more than a thousand years and still maintained such vigorous vitality. It seemed that Slytherin must have done many mysterious and complex modification experiments on it! Bryan wondered what secrets and powers it hid in its body.
Bryan walked to the front of the cage and looked at the Basilisk's bleeding eyes with dissatisfaction. He hoped that Kakus wouldn't pick faults and deduct his commission when he 'checked the goods'. He hoped that he could still sell it for a good price.
"It seems–"
Just as Bryan was about to change the size of this huge Basilisk, a young and polite voice came from behind the pillar behind him.
"You seem to like it very much, Professor Watson. I inherited this Basilisk from my great ancestor. If you don't mind, I can give it to you!"
The voice was smooth and charming, but also cold and sinister.
"Foolish–"
Bryan turned around with a smile without any surprise. He looked at Tom Riddle, who had black hair, tall stature, stood leaning against the stone pillar, and dressed like a student. "Once I kill you, this Basilisk will be mine too!"
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章 80: 080 Hocruxes
The secret chamber, once a place of dark rituals and hidden secrets, was now overflowing with a dazzling green light that cast eerie shadows on the walls. The cold air was filled with a suffocating pressure that weighed heavily on the lungs of the intruders. The Basilisk in the cage, a basilisk that could kill with a single glance, seemed to regain some courage after the initial shock of the intrusion. It slightly raised its head, relying on its keen magic sense to capture the direction of its great master's descendant, who had summoned it from its slumber. The green snake constantly spit out and contracted, exposing its uneasiness and curiosity, but it did not dare to act rashly, for standing in front of it, a few steps away from the source of the huge magic power that filled the chamber, was another wizard who radiated an aura of danger and authority.
Bryan and Tom Riddle looked at each other, their eyes locked in a silent duel. They were both the kind of wizards who could see through many things by sensing, who could perceive the subtle fluctuations of magic and emotion in their surroundings. Although they did not speak, they had already glimpsed each other's strengths and weaknesses.
"You don't have to be like this, Professor Watson, we are friends not enemies, aren't we?"
Finally, it was Riddle who spoke first, breaking the tense silence. He had not fully resurrected yet and was undoubtedly in a disadvantageous position in the confrontation with Bryan. He showed a restrained smile, a gentle and polite voice as if Bryan was really his teacher,
"I heard from Harry Potter some of your past and what happened after you returned to Hogwarts this time, Professor Watson. Without a doubt, you are not the kind of common, mediocre mediocrity that infests this school. We are all the kind of unique elites in the eyes of the great Salazar Slytherin, the heirs of his legacy and vision. And now, Hogwarts and even the wizarding world are occupied by hypocrites and a bunch of fools who only whitewash the peace, who deny the true nature of magic and its potential. The world urgently needs change, and only we can do it."
"Voldemort–"
Bryan interrupted Riddle's speech, he tilted his head slightly, looking straight at the core of this hocrux with a penetrating gaze that seemed to pierce through the illusion. The wand spun at his fingertips with ease and grace, Bryan said lazily,
"How many times do you think I have faced your hocrux?"
Riddle stopped talking, he showed astonishment, his eyes flickered with calculations that quickly turned into a red light that only hungry wolves would show when hunting their prey. His wrinkled nostrils made his handsome face look fierce and ugly, as if his mask of charm and charisma had slipped for a moment.
"What do you mean!"
Riddle seemed to have given up on pretending, he glared at Bryan viciously and asked in a demanding tone,
"Hocrux. What is that thing? You mean you have faced my original body before? Then you should know that Voldemort is the greatest wizard in history! His power is something that those fools can't imagine even if they rack their brains! He is beyond your comprehension!"
Bryan pursed his lips slightly, he saw more things from the illusory figure of this boy in front of him than he had expected. Not evil magic to the extreme, nor heart-pounding magic power that could rival his own. But soul. Soul shining with color! This was really a wonderful thing!
Bryan still remembered the soul fragment that was completely soaked in endless lust and darkness when he destroyed the crown that year. That was something that could not be communicated at all. It would only lure people to give up their lives with tempting magic that promised power and glory.
"–Bryan Watson. You have dealt with Dumbledore. You should know that he is a narrow-minded villain. He is wary of all talented young people and wants to destroy their talents. He fears anyone who could challenge his authority or expose his secrets. I can assure you that Dumbledore will deal with you one day. Oh no. He has already done it. Hasn't he?"
Riddle continued his attempt to persuade Bryan to join him, but his voice betrayed his frustration and impatience.
Bryan's increasingly oppressive gaze made Riddle feel like he had a fishbone stuck in his throat. He flipped his lips and said quickly,
"The professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts. Was it Dumbledore who persuaded you to do this? Everyone knows that this course has been cursed by the Dark Lord himself. He wants to kill you with this. Take me out of here. Watson. When I recover all my magic power. I can help you deal with Dumbledore together!"
Riddle tried to appeal to Bryan's self-interest and resentment towards Dumbledore, hoping to find a common ground with him.
Bryan had never dealt with Voldemort who had become the Dark Lord. But Tom Riddle in front of him was indeed very good at finding gaps and being cunning. He knew how to manipulate people and use their emotions against them. He was a master of lies and deception.
But Bryan was not fooled by his words. He knew that Riddle was only using him as a tool to escape his 'prison' and regain his body.
"It seems that this diary is the first hocrux you made. Right?"
Bryan said softly a sentence that made Riddle speechless. He seemed to realize that no matter what he said, this new rising star of Slytherin House was not going to spare him.
"–Emotions come from the soul," Bryan said, his voice calm and steady. "And hocruxs are evil magic that will strip away reason and emotion from the soul first. Turning people into madmen controlled by desire."
Dada
When Bryan stepped forward, the purple in his eyes began to fade at a speed visible to the naked eye. Under the influence of his thick magic power that could make fire dragons tremble, the air around Bryan twisted like the space on a scorching hot tar road in summer.
The huge and empty secret chamber suddenly made a rumbling sound, as if it sensed the impending doom of its master. The Basilisk in the cage, a basilisk that could kill with a single glance, made a fearful hiss. It hid its snake head in its coiled body, as if it wanted to escape from the sight of Bryan. It seemed to have seen Tom Riddle's end.
Salazar Slytherin's sculpture standing level with the ceiling silently watched Bryan Watson and Tom Riddle at his feet. The founder of Slytherin House had a proud and stern expression on his face, as if he was judging the two wizards. What would he think of their actions and choices? Would he approve of Riddle's ambition? Would he respect Bryan's courage to stand up against him? Would he see them as worthy successors or as traitors to his legacy?
"I saw from your soul the emotions that normal people would have. Riddle. Fear. Hatred. Loneliness. Oh. And many other interesting little emotions."
"Wait. Wait a minute–"
Riddle's pale face was emitting a faint silver mist that was pushed back into his illusory body bit by bit. He couldn't move and he struggled to squeeze out a voice from his teeth.
"You crave power. Don't you? We are all the same kind of people. Slytherin left more than one secret in this castle. Professor Watson. I am willing to share with you the ancient magic he left behind that has great power. As long as you– Ugh!"
Riddle was speechless as Bryan approached him with a blank face. He felt a surge of terror as he saw the young professor's body glow faintly. Riddle had been restless ever since he discovered that Bryan knew of his existence and wanted to reclaim his body as soon as he could. Now he saw Bryan slowly raising his hand, reaching for Riddle's forehead with his fingertips.
Ugh! Bryan ignored Riddle's painful whimper, his fingertips, palms, arms and even his whole body bit by bit into Riddle's body, as if he was absorbing his essence and magic. The diary in Riddle's pocket flew out by itself and floated in mid-air, though there was no wind, but the pages in the diary rustled like they were blown by a strong wind, a wisp of black smoke came out of the pages, in the empty secret chamber, such a scene was eerie and strange!
A brilliant light flashed in front of Bryan's eyes, and when he came to his senses, his body had appeared in a strange space.
This space was like the outer universe, vast and boundless, but devoid of any stars or planets. The silent space was filled with tangible and sharp gray hurricanes, each of these air currents that dyed the space gray contained evil and powerful magic power, presumably, it was Voldemort's protection magic applied to the diary and the hocrux itself.
Huh. Boom boom!
The fluorescence attached to Bryan's body suddenly flourished, forming an oval magic barrier around him, protecting him from the hostile environment. Endless hurricanes hit the slightly reddish barrier with force and fury, but they could not break through it. The magic power of opposite nature counteracted each other and exploded with flashes that made Bryan feel like he was standing in a raging fire!
Bryan looked around, and soon sensed something strange in a space to his right front.
There seemed to be the core of the whole gray world, a ball of light shining with black and white that radiated ominous magic power to all sides. It was the hocrux, the fragment of Riddle's soul that he had hidden in the diary. It was the source of his immortality and his weakness.
"Ah, I found you–" Bryan smiled slightly, he took out a glass bottle from his chest, leisurely tidied up his collar, and walked slowly towards the ball of light.
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