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Instantly, the fountains and the floor around the sink began to shift, creating a rumbling echo through the virtual space. Tiles grinded and moved aside, revealing a dark, wide slide that spiraled downwards. Controlled by the soul, Harry entered the slide, which descended steeply beneath the structure of Hogwarts, plunging deep under the Great Lake.
The slide ended abruptly, and Harry stepped out into a vast, cavernous chamber far beneath the castle. The air was cool and damp, a stark contrast to the warm and bustling atmosphere of the school above. The chamber was dimly lit by a greenish glow emanating from moss-covered stones. Echoes of dripping water filled the expansive space, and the walls were lined with carvings of serpents, some with their mouths open as if in mid-hiss.
As Harry explored further, he noticed that the chamber stretched out in various directions, with columns that looked like twisted serpents rising from the ground. The ceiling was vaulted, supported by these serpent pillars, giving the entire space a feel of a subterranean temple. Farther in, he could see a large statue of what seemed to be Salazar Slytherin, with a menacing expression, standing dominantly at one end of the chamber.
"Bit of a grim decor, wouldn't you say?" Nigel chimed in, his tone light, trying to ease the heavy atmosphere of the virtual chamber.
The main consciousness, separated from the isolated one and the soul, chuckled quietly, a sound only Nigel could hear. "After all the things we've seen, I can say that Salazar really embraced the gothic aesthetic," Harry mused, his tone light despite the solemn atmosphere of the chamber.
Nigel couldn't help but add his own twist, "If only he had a flair for interior decorating as well. This place could use a few cozy armchairs and maybe a nice rug."
Walking towards the imposing statue of Salazar Slytherin, Harry called out in a clear voice, "Speak to me, Slytherin, greatest of the Hogwarts Four!" His words echoed off the cold stone walls, filling the chamber with a sense of anticipation.
The statue's base began to rumble and shift, revealing a hidden mechanism that slowly opened to expose another chamber behind it.
The newly revealed opening was far less gloomy than what had preceded it, presenting a stark contrast with an antiquated yet pristine appearance. It seemed either a spell was preserving its cleanliness, or the creature residing within was conscientious enough not to mar its surroundings. As Harry's virtual avatar, controlled by the soul, stepped forward, the air vibrated with the deep rumble of something stirring in the depths of the chamber.
Suddenly, from the shadows, a massive serpent began to slither toward Harry. It moved with a deliberate grace, its scales glistening under the sparse light, reflecting a mosaic of dark greens and blacks. The main consciousness gasped, recognizing the creature with both awe and fear, "A Basilisk!"
The chamber that housed the Basilisk was cavernous, with high vaulted ceilings supported by columns that resembled the coiled bodies of giant snakes. The walls were adorned with intricate frescoes depicting various scenes from the life of Salazar Slytherin, each image crafted with an attention to detail that spoke of deep reverence for the founder.
Nigel's voice broke the tense silence with a light jab, "Well, this is certainly an upgrade from the usual school pets. I suppose a toad just wouldn't do for old Salazar, eh?"
Harry, maintaining a cautious distance from the Basilisk, couldn't help but smirk at Nigel's comment. The atmosphere, though charged with the imminent danger of the serpent, felt less oppressive with Nigel's quips.
"Seems like Salazar was not one to settle for second best," Harry replied, his eyes never leaving the slow-moving Basilisk. The creature's eyes were a deep, mesmerizing yellow, and Harry was careful to avoid direct eye contact instinctively, although aware that the lethal power held within those gaze wouldn't affect him in this virtual existence.
The Basilisk paused a few feet away from Harry, its tongue flicking in and out as if tasting the air. The chamber echoed with the soft hissing sounds it made, adding a layer of eerie audio to the visual spectacle.
"Imagine the housekeeping spells you'd need to keep this place so tidy with a pet like that," Nigel joked, his tone lightening the mood slightly despite the gravity of their discovery.
Harry, while amused, was also intensely focused on the Basilisk. "It's impressive, alright. But let's not forget why we're here. We need to figure out how to control it without getting ourselves killed."
The soul within the isolated part of Harry's consciousness urged him forward, a whisper in his virtual ear suggesting, "Speak to it, command it. You have the blood of Slytherin; it will listen."
Taking a cautious step closer, Harry cleared his throat and spoke in Parseltongue, the words flowing more easily than he expected, "Halt and speak, creature of Slytherin. I command thee."
Slapping his face, Harry said, "Why is my isolated consciousness so cringe?"
Nigel burst into laughter. "I command thee! Feels like Shakespeare in a quarrel against Boudica! Maybe next time you can write sonnets for it."
Harry rolled his eyes, watching the giant serpent. He would have never guessed the monster the shadows mentioned was a Basilisk. "Luckily I didn't enter the chamber directly. It would be a fast yet rigid death."
Nigel snorted. "I'm sure it would be a solid death. Stone-cold, one might say."
Harry chuckled, knowing the seriousness of their discovery. "Right. So, we know there's a Basilisk down there, but we need a way to control it."
"Maybe it's not so much about control, but more about not getting eaten," Nigel quipped.
Harry considered this, his mind racing with the possibilities and dangers. "True. First thing's first, we need to figure out why it's here and what it's guarding. The diary mentioned it being bound to the heir of Slytherin, but why would Salazar leave such a dangerous creature here?"
Nigel chimed in, "Maybe he had a penchant for over-the-top security systems. Forget guard dogs, let's have a giant snake."
As Harry was talking to Nigel, the giant snake in the virtual room answered. All of this was created through the soul inside the diary's imagination, so the answers were framed by its understanding of the creature. Harry couldn't guarantee how the real creature would respond.
The Basilisk's voice was a deep, echoing hiss that resonated through the chamber. "Who dares disturb my slumber?" it demanded, its eyes narrowing as it gazed upon the virtual Harry.
Nigel remarked in Harry's mind, "Well, at least it didn't start with 'Fee-fi-fo-fum.'"
Harry gave a dry chuckle as he waited for his isolated consciousness to respond. Anything beyond this was just a simulation, and although Harry would watch how the creature might react, he knew he couldn't fully rely on these responses for the real encounter. In reality, Harry was the Serpent of the Crown, but he had kept this information from the isolated consciousness so the soul in the diary wouldn't learn it. To the soul, Harry appeared meek and alone, far from the leader he truly was.
As Harry continued the interaction, his isolated consciousness answered the Basilisk. "I am Harry Potter. I seek the power you guard," he said in Parseltongue, trying to sound authoritative.
The Basilisk regarded him for a moment before replying. "Harry Potter, you claim to seek power. What proof do you offer that you are worthy?"
Nigel's voice piped up in Harry's mind, "How about a polite 'please' and a cup of tea?"
"What proof do you require?" his isolated consciousness asked.
The Basilisk hissed, "Only those of Slytherin's true line can command me. Show me your lineage, or face my wrath."
Harry, aware that the isolated consciousness couldn't actually prove lineage, decided to end the simulation there. He stepped back from the virtual room, closing it down. "That's enough for now," he said, stretching his legs. "I need to find a way to prove I'm of Slytherin's line without getting too close to the real Basilisk."
Nigel, ever the source of commentary, remarked, "Quite the pickle, isn't it? Maybe you could ask the Sorting Hat for some ancestral documents?"
"Funny, Nigel," Harry replied with a smirk. "But it does give me an idea. The Sorting Hat did sort me into Slytherin. Maybe it knows something about proving lineage."
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