Behind the chamber entrance, along the way after the serpent shed skin, part of the stone corridor had fallen and blocked the way forth. From one side, the savior of the wizard world nervously clenched his fists. The frail second year followed in silence. With the low luminosity and the loss of his wand the green eyes felt vulnerable, the same feeling he had at 'home' when he was stuck in the cupboard. Despite the odd situation and dread, the savior felt a weigh dropped from his shoulder at the sight of his friend from the other side.
Mouth wide opened, Ron starred at the levitating red head behind the green robe. That boy gulped down. Not at all reassured to have a deficient teacher on his side when the snake outcast was on the other side with his younger sister. The Defense Against the Dark Arts professor wasn't bothered at all, examining with great interest a gray rock. That man was in fact watching his deteriorated reflection on the dull and wet rock.
The small talk between the savior and his friend didn't interest the green robe. The rock barrier while blocking the way supported the cavern, removing them would make it crashed down. With his lower magic reserve, the orphan wasn't ready to burn every rocks blocking the way en the other that would fall because of the loss of support. He had to find a solution which wouldn't let it fall. With a wand waving, the cavern's debris morphed into the shape of a stone arch, supporting the corridor and opening the passage.
The green robe advanced without commenting on the strange state of Lockhart nor the red head sitting posture. Harry helped his friend getting up, the latter was trembling since the start of the snake wand motion. The savior let the red head leaned on his side while the lion student grabbed the teacher before they followed the trail to the exit. The two lion house exchanged furtive glances, whispering with their hands covering their mouth, worried about the girl health. The savior halted the broken wand from performing any spell toward the other student's back.
Even tired, the basilisk slayer didn't let his vigilance down as two invisible third eyes watched the front and the other 'comrade' in the group. Tendril of magic were ready to snap the red head wrist on fire as soon as magic flowed in the broken wand. Such a behavior for the house of the brave, thought the orphan. At the familiar sink bottom, the green robe forced a smile on his face. His emotions weren't coming back as fast as he wished.
The orphan analyzed the situation, the distance to travel, the dirty tunnel to climb, the unpleasing company and the gain he could get with the current headmaster. Wearing a full body feather-light charm and a single jump marking the ground with a centimeter deep feet print made the orphan exiting the sink well with the girl body trailing behind him with magical tendrils. Echoes of protest resonated behind the slimly tunnel.
Reaching the Great Hall, the green robe witnessed ministry security agents having a strong argument with the external workers, each accused the other group for the school failure. Wands were ready to protect their master for the potential fight. The ritual adept strolled through the verbal conflicts which stopped at the sight of the missing student floating behind him. Stopping in front of the blond wizard, bowing slightly.
" Good day, headmaster Malfoy. ", the orphan made the girl body drop slowly to the ground. The older wizard, remembering too well the previous exchange at the clothing shop, bowed back, in acceptance. The ministry security agents and outsiders had their wand ready, prepared to act at the first order should they apprehended the suspicious newcomer.
" By chance, I found the one opening the Chamber and save this first year, killing the beast, a basilisk. ", the newcomer pointed his wand to the red head, the Reviving Spell gave her conscious. A ministry agent held back a laughter. The experienced wizard didn't believe a word from the student. The newcomer was prepared for this kind of reaction and summoned hundreds of his favorite spell. With a wave of his wand as a decoy, the full Great Hall was filled with burning orbs, some almost touching the doubting wizard. As his demonstration bore fruit with the silence, the ritual adept stopped it, the flames faded away, leaving behind some burn marks on the previously laughing agent.
" Do I have to prove my point, headmaster ? ", the orphan stared at the man still shocked. A quick head shaking responded. The wizard was going to explain his current position when he was interrupted by the red head voice.
" Harry. It was me ! But I swear, I didn't mean to... Riddle made me. He wrote to me... took me over... I didn't even know whose diary it was. I found it inside my cauldron. The day we all went to Diagon Alley and... you are not Harry. ", the disoriented first year glanced around her. She blinked, several times before crying. She was going to be expelled, she thought. She spilled it all to the wrong people. She was done for it. At the diary mention the headmaster face darkened.
" While, I'm no longer the headmaster, as the head of the Bord of Governors, I want some more precise explanations Weasley. Did you open the Chamber of Secret ? Did you control the horror within to kill and attack the school students during this year ? How could you use a diary as a mere excuse for your crime, you hurt people, condemn some to prison and even kill an innocent student. Stop your tears, this joke's show is fake as day. Did you hear what she said, gentlemen, please, arrest this criminal until further notification. ", the school governor pointed the defenseless girl to the ministry agents. The blond wizard wasn't happy with this attack. He lost his hard obtained post and Dumbledore could come in this instant before any minutes. He had to get as much as possible, to make sure nothing linked him to the diary.
" Mister, Jones, your merit will be remembered. I will talk about it to the minister, a good friend of mine. You are this school's savior. ", turning toward the other student, the blond wizard smiled. Despite the turn of event, there was some good front.
A the precise moment Ginny was escorted by four ministry agents, blocking her front, back, right and left side, the wizard world savior and his friend entered the Great Hall. They were breathless after climbing back to the bathroom and searching for them. Seeing his sister taken away, the red head boy didn't think and charge at the ministry agent, screaming to them to let her go.
The security guards couldn't wave their wand as the leader of light flashed in existence. The holy fire from his bound familiar left place to the old wizard. The magical aura and pressure from him was freezing the people in the Great Hall. The orphan struggled to resist the pressure. The fight in the chamber had tired him. The student magical aura covered his body, the invisible pressure diminished. He could move, a bit restricted but fine otherwise, unlike the petrified ministry agent. The student witnessed the strength of the leader of light, there was still a gap between them.
" Gentlemen, governor Malfoy, student and mister Weasley please, calm yourself. I appreciate you good intention, you are just following the procedure, doing your duty. However, I, as the reinvested Hogwarts headmaster will take care of this case and I will personally report to our dear minister Mister Fudge. Thank you for your understanding. Mister Potter, Weasley and Jones, could you please follow me to my office. ", the old wizard clapped his hand, dissipating the pressure. The ministry agent let the students go, cold sweats pearled their back. They knew this man was powerful. He was a History hero, but years of hiding behind a desk diminished his public image. The wizards and witches in the Great Hall understood better how the school headmaster won duels against dark lords. They exited the castle, they had to report to the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.
Covered in muck and slime the lion student boy were silent when two heads of houses rejoined them in the office to listen to the other second year tale. The orphan felt the passive prob from the headmaster. There was nothing for him to read in his mind. As the green robe related how he saw Ginny opening the girl bathroom, following her into the chamber and falling unconscious, the old man magic targeted the other student to see possible details not mentioned. The diary role was just mention as the mediator which call the beast. The orphan only said he killed the creature with rooster he transfigured and destroy the cursed book with fire.
After his turn, Potter and Weasley boy confessed to the headmaster their trip to the forbidden forest to discover about the basilisk and their analysis of the chamber entrance. How they brought Lockhart who was a scam and failed to remove their memories thanks to Ron broken wand. Harry looked nervous before detailing about the diary. Taking her courage in hands, Ginny added her story part. She cried from time to time, seeking comfort in her brother presence. She didn't dare to look at anyone in the eyes, her sight glued to the office ground.
" Ingenious. Simply... ingenious. Of course, Tom Riddle was probably the most brilliant student Hogwarts has ever seen. I taught him myself fifty years ago. After he left, I would occasionally hear stories of his activities, dark rumors, but after a while, even the rumors stopped. When he finally resurfaced as LordVoldemort, most people had completely forgotten the clever Head Boy he'd once been. ", the headmaster stared at the lion house students. He had suspected possession, but the school ward didn't show him where such a curse object was, only that its presence existed in the school ground. His hand made a fast work of a candy packaging. The bitter citron crisped his mouth.
" Don't worry miss Weasley, possession by an artifact left by the previous dark lord won't be a reason to expel you. After all, like the petrified and poor Colin, are a victim of the circumstance. I think you've endured enough. I would suggest a bit of bed rest, however I hope Minerva, will you reunite Ginny with Arthur, Molly and Ron up to the hospital wing, right ? Please, my boys, Harry follow your friend, they need your support. You are as important to them as they are for you, my boy. ", the headmaster kept his grandpa expression during the full story. He had to stay a strong pillar in their mind.
" As for you my boy, I'm truly disappointed by your recklessness. You could have died. Why didn't you tell it to a professor, like you head of house here, isn't it Severus ? ", the grandpa face showed a saddened and worried expression. The potion master had probed into his student mind and stayed silent. The snake head of house was in the office corner, not moving a bit since he entered nor at the headmaster voice.
" I'm sorry headmaster, I have no excuse. I just wanted to help the school, one of my 'classmate', Hermione is also a muggle-born like me. She was the petrified, and because of the creature, I was imprisoned. We couldn't be safe in school as long as the beast was alive. At the moment, I wasn't in control of my action. I'm young and couldn't think of the best reaction like you, experienced wizard. Hopefully, Hermione had found the beast identity and its weakness. If not, I wouldn't be alive. We can't kill a basilisk with a sword, we are not in a fairytale after all. ", the orphan couldn't play with his face expression to show the fake emotions he wanted so he kept it expressionless, as a prison stigma.
" It pained me my boy, those harsh words I said for your actions. I have to because I care about you. You, like my other students are all, like a younger family member to my eyes. Your bright desire to help the other is honorable, but such a recklessness my boy. I know you want to do good, to prove yourself, please be more considerate. It would be a disaster for some, to loose you. How could your brother and you Mikhael mend your relationship if you died. I haven't the best relation with my own brother, but I know you should treasure it, believe my experience. Isn't Jacob, your last living family member ? ", the leader of light reprimanded the orphan for another ten minute before letting him go and recalling him to not share his little adventure, it could inspire other students in the bad way.
" Such a year. What to do, Severus ? ", the headmaster noticed the strange behavior from his potion teacher. The thin man with sallow skin, a large, hooked nose didn't react at his name mention, eyes lost in ice. The headmaster cursed. He should have share his worried about the student mind prison. As a master of Legilimency, the leader of light entered his teacher mind. Inside he saw a gate opening to an other place, further from the office room. The old wizard mental representation entered the gate. The experienced wizard found himself in a familiar ashes world. There he found his target, frozen. He had to act fast. Small fire would work. It didn't work before. The storm of fire was without this time. The headmaster didn't want to do it, there was no other choice. A Fiendfyre took form, unfreezing the potion teacher. The foreign magic was assaulted by gray ashes. The fire creature was being covered in a dust, slowly decreasing in size and strength.
The headmaster summoned all his strength to exit this dangerous place. His and the potion master mental representations were found in the 'safe' minscape of the snake head of house. The leader of light broke his mental contact, breathless. His feet were covered in a layer of frozen ashes. Magic, truly was a wonder. Nothing from the mind of wizard should have followed in the external world. The old wizard pondered the impossibility of a third time in this student mind. It grew stronger and adapted the previous encounter. He sighed, his beard weighed with the dark lord presence last year, this year diary and now this, he was too old for that.
The greasy hair teacher was drenched in cold sweat, his hair's end were still frozen.
Even tired, the green robe decided to come back in silence to the Chamber of Secret. As soon as he exited the meeting with the headmaster, he knew he had little time, he had to act fast. Ministry security agents wandered the corridor per habit, they knew this was their last day in this place. The sink was already closed, the young wizard had to wait for the patrolling group to move away before entering this passage again.
Disillusioned since the start, he felt his magical reserve reaching low. Hissing made the sink entrance close itself. The young wizard canceled all his magic, modified disillusionment, transfigured pebble in serpent, third eyes, revealing presence charm and before breathing in deep circle of in for five seconds in and expelled the air from his lung for seven seconds. The road didn't change, the magical construct was still in place, holding the cavern roof in place. The breathing exercise didn't help him to recover magic, it made it easier for him to concentrate. Potter left before to the hospital wing and wouldn't probably come to in this place in any moment of his own will, but the old wizard wasn't like that.
If he didn't act fast, Potter could come back with the headmaster for clue of the true event. The basilisk corpse was worth a lot even damaged and it was a proof of his accomplishment. The orphan passed by the shed skin which could also fetch some Galleons but not enough for this school yearly tuition fee. A transfigured rock into a brown snake obeyed the command and open the chamber entrance. The proud row of snake statue was no more. The explosion from his fire spell didn't protect them near the founder own statue.
There laid the basilisk carcass. Burn marks scorched its damaged skin and frost bite from the inside prevent the blood from flooding. Pure magic assault was strong in the majority of case, but the creature magical resistance made it less effective. The green robe learned from this fight. He would use transfiguration more in his future fight. Heavy objects thrown at sound speed like a gun bullet would damage better than his fire sphere for magical resistant target. If he did that, it would have been less taxing and the killing faster, less damaging too. He wouldn't have need to break it so much, a bullet in the brain would have been just perfect.
Conjuration was harder than transfiguration. One needed a good grasp on the thing he wanted to summon from nothing instead of altering the form of an existing object. Still, conjuration was limited by the Five Principal Exceptions to Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration. One couldn't conjure food, the conjured thing wouldn't last forever and the wizard laws set legal limitations on what one was and wasn't allowed to conjure.
Gathering his magic from his heart, the young wizard controlled it to extend in multitude of tendrils and exit his body. The mass of invisible wires of magic melted into a desire form. A giant butcher knife was conjured. It could have been bigger with the wizard full reserve, but the result was correct for the current use. The cleaver was larger than half the beast width and the rectangular-bladed hatchet sliced its neck without effort. The blade moved at a speed which allowed it to slice skin, flesh, muscles and bones alike. Even damaged, the body of such a big specimen was worth a lot. The ritual adept used his telekinesis to levitate the headless body and gather its blood in conjured jars. The orphan stopped a bit to rest. His head was spinning a bit.
Gritting his teeth, the green robe used a dark variant of the potato peeling spell to remove the basilisk hide. The skin wasn't easy to separate. The orphan head was hammering his skull with his heart pulsations. His limit was close. Halfway, the green robe stop using magic and continued with his hand and the giant knife to peel it away. Most part were damaged and the last more than the first as he was too tired to keep focus. His mental state was affecting his body more than he accepted.
All the processed skin couldn't be turned into jacket of other big clothes, a good part was too damaged. Still, the clothes made from this beast would be high level. It was unique for a basilisk to survive this long, its strength and magical resistance far surpass other creatures the wizard met in the forbidden forest. With such an armor or suit, he would gain a new layer of magical protection. The more magical resistant a creature was, the more the processed skin could channel magic into the hide. That gain could save his life in magical confrontation if he was hit by a curse. Despite the damage done to the basilisk skin, the orphan didn't regret it, survival first, gain came in second.
The basilisk head faced the young wizard tidying the skin in pile next to the jars filled with blood.
The young wizard stopped for a while, floating in a sitting position. The ambient magic in the Chamber wasn't as foul as he expected. His body absorbed this place magic at a lower speed than the prison polluted energy. The headache decreased in intensity. It was bearable for a small usage. The beast slayer stopped his recovery and started again his work on the creature remnant, using magic only for precise task like venom manipulation. That substance was extremely powerful, it could kill a person within a little more than a minute at best, making the person drowsy and blurry-visioned before they died. The green robe didn't want to risk to enter in direct contact with it.
Hundred kilos of flesh and muscle looked appealing to the ritual adept. Such a fresh meat wasn't at the level the house elves prepared for his meal. Part of his mind told him to keep it for a later time when he would find the most efficient way to use it, it was rare, it would fetch a good price, it would be useful for ritual, it reek of magic traces, it smelled delicious. Taking a bite wouldn't affect the quantity as the body was meters long, he thought.
Chew of the raw meat gave satisfaction. The more the ritual adept consumed, the more he wanted. Wild snake tasted a bit like elastic mix of fish and chicken while this creature didn't taste anything like he knew. The strongest aroma it gave was the taste of earth with a delicate perfume of cold mineral. Before he knew it, the green robe was tearing apart the muscles and flesh apart to stuff it in his mouth, only gobbing each portion. He couldn't stop himself. He was hungry. It was tasty. He wanted more. There was. He ate. It continued.
Teeth struggled, a stronger impact broke the skeleton. It cut part of his inner cheek. Blood added another savor to the meal. The marrow wasn't sough, bones weren't spared. One hand broke the concrete. It was the end. Nothing remained. The ritual adept finally felt full. The strange feeling of beatitude from a good meal wasn't hiding the wizard other feeling of dread from his action. He should have died with such an amount consumed at one time.
Shrinking all the blood container, the skin pile and the beast head, the green robe exited the chamber. He did what he came to do and even more.
The day later, the headmaster summoned all students in the Great Hall at morning breakfast. The old wizard announced the end of the Chamber Event, saying that the creature danger was no more and the girl captured was safe. The ministry agent would return to their normal duty and leave the school. The gamekeeper would rejoin them back, the time to exit the wizard prison. The last new was the mature mandrake needed some weeks before the cure of the petrified victims could start.
Many were happy with the school situation, not Draco. That student was more than happy with the previous situation. As the son of the temporary headmaster, he had hidden privileges that he was losing now. The ministry security agents who were in his father pocket were also leaving him alone to fend himself against the still to big population of muggle-born and blood traitor. True, Draco had two body guard, but they weren't the brightest nor the strongest. Number could only protect him for a time, but the opposition who suffered from his action under his father new position were numerous. A quick glance across his house table was enough to make him jumped toward the raven table. There, was his potential shield sitting next to the mad first year.
The orphan was perturbed to his last experience and barely noticed how his presence in the story resolution was left out. He remembered how the meeting with the headmaster resulted in a saying about his security and event secrecy. The leader of light could speak of event where he wasn't even present and offer a version that was convenient for his goal. Should the student disclose the 'true' end of the Chamber of Secret, most would just think he was bragging and the headmaster would find a way to alienate the orphan for his greediness, glory seeking as many had thought of Potter being the heir.
A spoon full of sweetness divert the green robe attention from his personal concern. The bright smile sooth the orphan heart. If that blond head knew what he did, what would be her reaction, he pondered. Would she show fear, disgust, anger, the second year didn't notice the second spoon coming coming his way. Pudding wasn't his favorite dessert, but it watered his eyes.
School ended in days time. The petrified students were revived without problem. The school caretaker thanks the headmaster for his cat, Mrs Norris, return. Justin Fitch-Fletchley promised his Hufflepuff comrade he would complain to the Bord of Governors for his dangerous state. He couldn't believe why he wasn't un-petrified earlier, his family was rich enough to buy mature mandrake as soon as he was indisposed. Where they even alerted, they were muggles and had no contact to the wizard world except for his monthly letters.
Unlike the outrageous Hufflepuff house, the bird house cheered a lot for the cure of one of their prefect, Penelope Clearwater. Their thirst for new knowledge disregarded the negative impact of the event, they had so many questions for the girl. At the lion table, one red head prefect glanced at the girl every minute until she smiled at him. Reassured, he noted how his own younger brother gulped down the end of year banquet without any manner. Next to him was the boy who lived, speaking a bit with the now healthy last year top student. He knew she could do great thing, like him, respecting the rules.
The orphan appreciated the silver and green color in the Great Hall when its noises stopped. The heavy entrance was pushed away. Loud cheers and applauses from the red and gold table replaced the silence. It reached its highest as the boy who lived jumped to embrace the giant man, the missing gamekeeper. Draco squeezed a potato, if his father was still the headmaster, this oaf wouldn't set feet in the school. The blond second year explained how the giant was crazy and dangerous. Not only it raised a dragon in a wood cabin, it also let him, a first year student at that time, roam the forbidden forest alone with Potter and a coward dog. Only luck saved his life. Only thanks to Dumbledore influence, the gamekeeper kept his job.
At the end of banquet, the headmaster announced that all the exams have been canceled. Students tossed their hats in the air. It didn't bother the orphan, the next news did. To the surprise of everyone, the old wizard awarded last minute house point, like the previous year. Each petrified victim received a hundred points each. The headmaster didn't count him, since his case was different. All house except the snake one, rose up by a good amount. Another two hundred points were added to the lion house for discovering, defending themselves and stopping the scam teacher of the Defense Against the Dark Arts, for their bravery. Such a way, to boost the boy who live confidence and trust in the school leader, thought the orphan.
Despite losing the Quidditch match against the snake, the lion house had now an equal amount of point. The scheme repeated itself. The house cup still had no real benefit, but now it lost it integrity as it clearly depended on the mood of an old geezer. Ten points were given for brewing an advance potion of newt level by a nameless group of second year lion. Draco cursed loudly, it wasn't fair that the Potter and Weasley weren't expelled after entering their house common room, but now they got points for that especial feat.
The Great Hall changed color, in the same manner as the previous year.
What a great display, analyzed the orphan. Beforehand, gaining the attention and good side of everyone with the exam canceling. Then the first step, give point to the petrified victims. This first step made him look just, fair and caring. The magic pressure the leader of light engulfed the Great Hall was subtle, with a taint of cheering and warmth. It would make a favorable impression, the crowd was prepared to accept his second step.
For an entire year, he let an incompetent teacher scammed the students, so they would accept that he gave point for those who stopped Lockhart. Creating a common enemy, making a sense of unity, the old wizard knew his job well. The final touch was the show of pro-efficiency, if you could do better than your year level, you get recompense. Why should they object, he didn't mention what the group use the potion for nor what kind of potion it was.
With the orphan house reputation, no students would believe their side of the story. It would seem like a 'bad looser' excuse. The already existing house rivalry served its purpose. Maybe, the orphan should have chose the raven way at his sorting. If he did, he wouldn't have a connection to the child of the man who had the minister ear. The orphan played a bit with the five Galleons he got for today protection, maybe he should raise it in the future.