After a long hesitation, Kyle ultimately chose not to open the Slytherin statue to awaken the Basilisk. His reluctance wasn't out of fear that the Basilisk might kill him. Though the Basilisk—one of the deadliest Magical Creatures, able to kill with a single glance—was terrifying, it also had a peculiar and very pronounced weakness: it would flee in terror at the sound of a rooster's crow, a noise fatal to it.
It might sound absurd, but an ordinary rooster could indeed kill one of the wizarding world's most fearsome creatures.
Kyle had come well-prepared. Before this expedition, he had gone to Hogsmeade, where he ordered over a hundred roosters through the Owl Post Office, each one fortified with a potion to boost its vitality. The roosters were now cramped in his suitcase, full of energy and raucously crowing. Even a slight crack in the lid unleashed a deafening burst of clucks and crows that echoed furiously through the Chamber of Secrets.
In this silent, echoing chamber, the cacophony of a hundred roosters would be amplified tenfold. If Kyle were to release them all, the Basilisk wouldn't stand a chance. It would be lucky to survive even a second.
But Kyle didn't want to kill the Basilisk, nor did he want it reduced to a one-time treasure trove. What he needed was a way to make the creature obey him—something that was proving to be quite a challenge. Unlike Riddle, he had no connection to Slytherin, nor any inkling on how to control the Basilisk.
No, there has to be a way… I can't let that Voldemort brat keep it for himself, he thought, his eyes narrowing. He suddenly considered a particular ghost—Ravenclaw's Grey Lady, also known as Helena Ravenclaw. As the daughter of Rowena Ravenclaw, one of Hogwarts' Four Founders, she might know something.
Reluctantly stifling the urge to unleash the Basilisk, Kyle turned and exited the Chamber of Secrets, glancing back every few steps. Thankfully, with Voldemort currently preoccupied by his pursuit of the Philosopher's Stone, Kyle still had time to make his next move.
Once he'd left the Chamber, he mounted his broomstick and retraced his path to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. As he hopped off the broom, the sink that concealed the entrance smoothly slid back into place, sealing the passage.
The bathroom was quiet, and Myrtle hadn't returned yet. Not wanting to linger, Kyle quickly erased any traces of his presence and slipped out of the bathroom under a Disillusionment Charm.
The castle corridors were silent in the early hours, less eerie than the Chamber of Secrets but still shrouded in darkness. He gave a quick glance toward the library door but decided against detouring for any late-night book copying and instead headed straight back to his dormitory.
He'd barely taken a few steps when a piercing, spine-chilling scream shattered the silence.
Startled, and fresh out of the Chamber of Secrets, Kyle instinctively thought of the Basilisk. His hand jerked, and before he realized it, he'd accidentally opened the suitcase.
A torrent of roosters, energized and raring to go, exploded out of the suitcase, spilling like a feathery fountain into the corridor. Kyle, regaining his senses, snapped the suitcase shut, but it was too late—more than half the roosters had escaped.
Instantly, the hallway came alive. The eerie scream from the library mingled with the crowing of dozens of roosters, creating a symphony of chaos that echoed through the castle like a bizarre concert.
"By Merlin's beard! What are you doing in the library in the middle of the night instead of sleeping!" Kyle slapped his forehead, muttering a curse under his breath. A young wizard brazenly breaking school rules like that deserved to be docked a hundred points!
But before he could stew any longer, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from downstairs—it was Filch, holding a dim oil lamp as he approached quickly.
"Damn it!" Kyle cursed, frowning. He hadn't brought his Invisibility Cloak. While the Disillusionment Charm was effective, it still cast a faint shadow that would be revealed by the lamplight. Seeing Filch nearing the stairs, Kyle didn't hesitate; he turned and bolted up to the next floor.
He remembered a secret passage on the fourth floor, hidden behind a suit of armor, which led directly to the underground classroom corridor.
"Come out, I can see you!" Filch's irate voice rang out behind him, harsh even against the chorus of crowing roosters echoing through the corridors.
When Kyle reached the fourth floor, something bumped into him, though when he looked back, he saw nothing.
No one was around.
"Potter?" Kyle muttered, narrowing his eyes as he considered who the unfortunate soul in the library might have been. Just then, he felt a soft, silken touch brush his hand—a sensation he recognized instantly. It was the Cloak of Invisibility.
No way... Kyle quickened his pace. Soon, he spotted Snape up ahead, alongside Professor McGonagall, still in her nightdress. The incessant clamor of crowing had alerted every professor in the castle, and McGonagall and Snape were the first to respond.
Kyle pressed himself against the wall, holding his breath. Getting caught now would spell disaster.
"What's going on, Severus?" Professor McGonagall demanded.
"Someone apparently found Christmas a bit dull and decided to create some excitement," Snape replied coolly. "It's hilarious, really. Keeping everyone awake—whoever's responsible, I'll have them in detention for a hundred years!"
"Professors..." Filch's voice broke through as he finally reached them on the stairs. "There was someone in the library, in the Restricted Section. I found a broken oil lamp there!"
"Nighttime, in the restricted area, disturbing the entire castle… 200 points and a month of detention!" Professor McGonagall's eyes blazed with fury.
"Restricted area?" Snape sneered. "Then they can't have gone far. We'll catch them for sure."
"Leave the catching to Argus," McGonagall replied sharply. "Severus, first we have to handle the chaos here, or the students won't get a wink of sleep. Good heavens, how did they even get into the castle in the first place!"
Kyle's pulse quickened as the two professors drew closer, knowing the Disillusionment Charm wouldn't fool their sharp eyes. If they turned the corner, he'd be spotted instantly.
Taking a deep breath, he began stepping backward, inching quietly away from their voices. He glanced around frantically, his eyes lighting up as he spotted a slightly open door on his right. Without a second thought, he squeezed himself through the narrow gap and shut it softly behind him.
Almost simultaneously, McGonagall and Snape appeared in the corridor he had just vacated.
"Students these days are really out of control!" McGonagall huffed.
"Minerva, I suggest we go check the dormitories to see who's missing tonight," Snape said with a dark glint in his eyes.