"What should I do, John?" Malfoy asked, his voice tinged with confusion, a stark departure from the teachings he had received at home. He stood in the corridor, noticeably without the presence of Goyle and Crabbe.
"As I've already told you," John replied lightly.
Malfoy looked up, noticing the badge on John's chest glowing softly. "Do you mean I should join you?" he inquired.
"No," John responded, shaking his head calmly. "You're not ready yet, Draco. Strive to become stronger, to earn my respect."
Malfoy hadn't anticipated such an immediate rejection. In the past, he might have reacted with anger, but now, it only fueled his determination to improve.
John patted him on the shoulder, offering a smile. "The only reason Harry surpasses you is his unwavering determination."
"I understand. When I've achieved that, I hope you'll personally bestow the badge upon me," Malfoy said, nodding with newfound resolve.
John smiled, gently touching the badge on his chest. "I call it the Star Club, and one day, you'll be among its members," he said, his voice carrying a promise. The Star Club, much like Dumbledore's Order of the Phoenix, was a gathering of individuals John deemed talented and worthy. Malfoy wasn't there yet, but it seemed only a matter of time.
Feeling his heart race with excitement, Malfoy attempted to mimic John's bow, a gesture of respect and aspiration.
...
In the school hospital, John was visiting Harry, who had been injured by a rogue Bludger during a Quidditch match. He suspected there was more to the incident than met the eye.
"John," Hermione greeted him as he approached. "Thanks to you, Harry's still alive. That Bludger could have been fatal."
John waved off the gratitude. "I was merely helping a friend. It wasn't as dire as all that."
Approaching Harry's bedside, John asked, "How are you feeling?"
"Terrible, especially the taste," Harry grimaced, referring to the Bone Spirit potion he had been forced to drink for his recovery. The potion, a concoction dating back to one of Harry's ancestors, was known for its unpleasant taste and the pain it induced during the bone regrowth process.
John, trying to lighten the mood, mentioned the potion's connection to Harry's family, which only made Harry more skeptical of his lineage.
Turning the conversation to more serious matters, John voiced his concerns about the Bludger attack possibly being linked to the heir of Slytherin. "It's not good news," he murmured.
Ron immediately blamed Malfoy, but John dismissed the accusation, knowing Malfoy lacked the skill to curse the Bludger and had been under his watchful eye.
Despite their suspicions, the trio agreed to focus on gathering evidence, particularly through the creation of a Polyjuice Potion.
After leaving a badge under Harry's pillow, John departed, leaving the trio to ponder the true identity of the heir and the dangers that lay ahead.
...
That night, back in the dormitory, John found Tom engrossed in monitoring the Marauder's Map, a task John had assigned to him. Their goal was to keep an eye out for anyone heading towards the girls' bathroom, a location of interest in their investigation.
Tom, more focused than ever, suddenly alerted John. "Someone's appeared," he exclaimed.
John leapt up, ready to investigate, his determination to uncover the truth unwavering. John consulted the Marauder's Map, his eyes scanning the intricate layout until they landed on the label for the girls' bathrooms. The name "Ginny" caught his attention, freezing him in place. The notion that a member of the staunchly Gryffindor Weasley family could be involved with the Chamber of Secrets was baffling. It was as if Gryffindor itself had unearthed a Slytherin heir, though, in a twist of fate, Gryffindor had indeed found one before. John's brow furrowed in concern. Ginny Weasley's involvement complicated matters. The Weasleys were known for their unwavering defiance against Voldemort, making this discovery all the more perplexing.
Determined to unravel this mystery, John cast a Disillusionment Charm on himself and ventured out. He moved swiftly through the corridors, his eyes never leaving the Marauder's Map as he tracked Ginny's movements until she vanished, indicating her entry into the Chamber of Secrets. "The Chamber of Secrets has been opened," he muttered to himself, quickening his pace towards the bathroom.
Upon arrival, he found the bathroom deserted. "Has she already entered?" he wondered aloud, refusing to leave any stone unturned. He meticulously examined the room, his attention eventually drawn to a faucet marked with a serpent, the emblem of Slytherin. "Could this be it?" he pondered, stepping back to cast the Unlocking Charm. "Alohomora!" he exclaimed, but the faucet remained unresponsive. After several attempts, John realized the spell required was beyond his current knowledge. Concerns about Ginny's whereabouts, the potential emergence of the basilisk, and the safety of the students clouded his mind.
Choosing to wait near the bathroom rather than inside, John feared the sudden appearance of the basilisk could prove fatal. During his vigil, he researched the basilisk, discovering it was a magical beast bred by Herpo the Foul, a dark wizard of ancient times. If this basilisk was the same creature, it could be nearly a thousand years old, a testament to its deadly legacy.
John also kept a close watch on Harry Potter, puzzled by the attacks on him if Ginny was indeed the heir. The badge he had given Harry would alert him to any magical disturbances, a precaution that soon proved its worth. When Dobby's name appeared on the Marauder's Map, John was momentarily distracted until Ginny's name reemerged, signaling her exit from the Chamber.
Reapplying the Disillusionment Charm, John approached the bathroom once more, the sound of slithering echoing in the corridor. Hesitant to use any spells that might inadvertently harm Ginny, he opted for a subtler approach. Closing his eyes, he tapped his wand on the ground, sending out a wave of magic that allowed him to 'see' the situation within. Ginny stood by the faucet, uttering strange sounds as a hidden passage revealed itself, leading to a vast space below.
"Slytherin's Chamber of Secrets," John realized, just as Ginny exited and the passage began to close. Sensing the basilisk's departure, he seized the moment to follow her into the chamber, using his Disillusionment Charm for cover.
As he descended, his night vision allowed him to survey the area below. Upon landing, he activated his flying boots to cushion his fall, sending out a burst of magic that illuminated a passage stretching out into the darkness. "Could this be connected to the sewer system?" John wondered, his mind racing with the implications of his discovery and the urgent need to protect the students of Hogwarts from the lurking danger within. John felt the ground tremble beneath his feet, a sure sign that the basilisk was on the move. He stood at a crossroads of sorts, with one path possibly leading to the Slytherin chamber and the other in the direction of the basilisk. After a moment of indecision, he chose to pursue the basilisk, understanding the gravity of the situation and the potential danger it posed.
As he ventured further, John finally caught sight of the basilisk. "You didn't come looking for me. You really haven't been paying attention," he muttered under his breath, half-jokingly. He wondered if Ginny's concerns about her relationship with her brother and Harry had distracted him from the more immediate threat.
The basilisk slithered into a pipe, and without a second thought, John followed. He saw an opportunity when the basilisk turned away from him. Without hesitation, he extended his hand and cast a powerful spell, "Bones in pieces! (Reducto)." His level 4 mana, combined with a level 4 shattering spell, unleashed a force powerful enough to rival that of an Auror. The spell struck the basilisk's scales, causing some of the magic to ricochet and blast a large hole in the wall.
John braced himself, wand in his left hand and sword in his right, sensing that something was amiss with the basilisk. As it turned to face him, he noticed with a shock that one of its eyes was missing, likely a result of the spell he had just cast. The sight of John seemed to enrage the basilisk further, and it charged at him with a ferocious roar.
John's quick decision to follow the basilisk had led him to this perilous moment. With the creature now bearing down on him, missing an eye but no less deadly, he knew he had to rely on his wits and magical prowess to survive this encounter. The tension in the air was palpable as John prepared to face the basilisk's wrath head-on.
_________
If you are tired of reading I also have this converted to an audio novel on my youtube
https://www.youtube.com/@NovelAudioForge/featured
Direct Link to playlist
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_Hg-qsW4rM&list=PLKskshYG-OcPTR4-Nw7IWFEBZm07D8pBV&ab_channel=NovelAudioForge