At three in the morning, Nagini, lying in bed, suddenly stirred.
Curling her legs together and wrapping her arms around herself, she silently transformed into a black-brown viper.
Slithering from the bed to the floor, Nagini glanced upward before squeezing through the gap in the window onto the corridor's other side.
Hogwarts lay quiet in the late night hours.
The ghosts and paintings all slumbered deeply, and Nagini crawled along the wall's edge, relieved not to encounter the fabled Gryffindor lion that prowled nightly.
Following the stairs, Nagini reached the second floor.
Myrtle was likely at rest, as she often hid in the broken toilet. Silently climbing the sink, Nagini uncovered the Slytherin serpent emblem behind a faucet.
"The master's words were true... But how did he come to know of this 'five-nine-three'?" Nagini wondered, her horror palpable upon finding the serpent-shaped mark. Not even Dumbledore was aware of it!
"Could Voldemort have informed Saruman?" Nagini speculated, unable to fathom another explanation. But would Voldemort disclose such information to Saruman?
This was the basilisk—the legacy of Slytherin!
Unable to dwell further on the matter, Nagini straightened slightly and uttered in Parseltongue towards the faucet:
"Open...open..."
A peculiar sound echoed in the bathroom.
Glancing back, Nagini found Myrtle undisturbed, still fast asleep.
Hmm!
The sink's mechanism clicked, and the central pillar rose under its influence, revealing the passage to the secret room below.
Nagini regained her composure and cast a shielding spell at the entrance before venturing in.
Aware that direct eye contact with the Basilisk meant certain death, Nagini transformed into a snake, relying on her sense of smell to navigate.
Reaching the depths of the secret room, Nagini encountered a giant snake slough, still fresh. This indicated that the Basilisk had recently shed its skin—a troubling sign, suggesting it hadn't entered hibernation. Nagini proceeded cautiously, knowing hunger could make the creature aggressive.
Arriving at the innermost chamber, Nagini reverted to her human form and opened her eyes.
Before her stood the imposing stone statue of Slytherin. She sensed the Basilisk lurking within its depths. Addressing it in Parseltongue, she implored, "Come forth, Slytherin's Basilisk... I require your assistance..."
Unaware of the Basilisk's name due to Artel's oversight, Nagini pressed on.
A faint slithering emanated from behind the statue. Prepared for danger, Nagini shut her eyes and grasped her wand, ready to defend herself.
"Who are you..." the Basilisk's voice echoed, tinged with both curiosity and hunger.
"I am a descendant of Salazar Slytherin..." Nagini began, but before she could finish, the Basilisk interjected, growling, "You lie!"
Closing in, the Basilisk fixed its gaze on Nagini, its fangs bared menacingly.
"You lack Salazar's blood! I can sense it..." the Basilisk accused, leaving Nagini flustered. Once, Voldemort's soul had permeated her, but after Artel's intervention, the Dark Lord's aura had vanished completely.
"I'm not finished yet..."
Recalling the master's command, Nagini gathered her courage.
"I'm a friend of Salazar Slytherin's descendant, and he sent me to awaken you... He was here fifty years ago, his name was... Tom, Tom Riddle."
Nagini spoke swiftly, and the basilisk's gaping maw closed once more.
Its tail fluttered, producing a sharp noise in the secluded chamber, as it replied somewhat begrudgingly:
"I remember that lad... Yes, he's Salazar's kin... For the sake of your Parseltongue, tell me, what did he instruct me to do? To open the chamber and purge those unworthy of magic?"
Nagini exhaled deeply, shutting her eyes and shaking her head.
"It's not like that. Tom wants you to venture out from the chamber and slither through the pipes... You're forbidden from harming students, but you're permitted to confront ghosts..."
"Ghosts?"
The basilisk prowled around, its tail thudding against the ground with increasing intensity.
"Why target ghosts? They're inedible!"
Sensing the basilisk's agitation, Nagini sought to calm it, reassuring, "I'll provide sustenance for you... You can consume beef, can't you? I'm sorry, but Tom's instructions are clear... The situation at Hogwarts is dire now. Tom can't return; Gryffindor's head is the master..."
"Gryffindor! Gryffindor again! Salazar detests Gryffindor the most! He's always been at odds with Salazar!"
The basilisk snorted twice, its gaze fixed greedily on Nagini, saliva dribbling from its mouth... But at Nagini's mention of preparing beef, it restrained itself.
This woman is substantial...
Not worth dulling the fangs over.
Moreover, the Tom Riddle she spoke of...
The basilisk recollected. It had been released fifty years ago, but alas, the lad was too feeble at the time. Though clever, he ultimately had to confine himself once more.
At that time, the Seer foretold that it would be liberated again to fulfill Salazar's grand design.
"Very well, I'll heed your words... I'm famished... I'll venture out tomorrow, refraining from aggression... But if someone happens upon me accidentally... Hiss..."
The basilisk slithered back into the statue, leaving Nagini to exhale in relief. Opening her eyes, she surveyed the chamber before departing.
Reflecting on the recent encounter, Nagini couldn't help but admire her quick thinking.
Thankfully, she had shifted her narrative temporarily, claiming allegiance to Voldemort, and it was fortuitous that she learned Voldemort's true name from Dumbledore...
"Tomorrow, the basilisk will make its move... I must remind Artel to exercise caution..."
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