"This is actually a good plan," Snape said coldly, his dark eyes narrowing. "But where exactly do we find another basilisk?"
David turned his gaze to Professor McGonagall, waiting for her response.
She remained silent for a moment before finally speaking. "There is already a basilisk in the school."
A flicker of surprise crossed Snape's face, but his sharp mind quickly pieced together the answer.
"Mrs. Norris?" he asked, his voice laced with skepticism.
McGonagall nodded slightly.
"So now our real problem is figuring out how to make that beast obey us," Snape remarked, turning his gaze toward Hagrid.
Hagrid raised his hands defensively. "Don' look at me like that! Yeh know I'd never control a creature like that."
Snape let out a quiet huff of disapproval before shifting his attention back to David.
"I have a way to control the basilisk," David said firmly.
"You?" McGonagall arched an eyebrow. "The basilisk is no ordinary magical creature. Even most adult wizards wouldn't dare approach it."
"I have… special methods," David explained. "It's not about strength. Harry and I have already encountered it, and Professor Dumbledore is aware of this."
McGonagall pursed her lips, studying David intently. "It seems there are quite a few things you and the headmaster have chosen to keep from me."
David wisely remained silent, lowering his head in a show of obedience.
The room fell into a thoughtful silence before McGonagall finally asked, "How certain are you about this?"
"One hundred percent," David said without hesitation.
Snape scoffed. "I hope you're not being arrogant and reckless, like Potter."
McGonagall's expression tightened. "Are you absolutely sure? This is not a trivial matter."
"Of course. I wouldn't risk my life if I wasn't," David replied earnestly.
McGonagall pondered for a moment before nodding. "Alright. When do you plan to go?"
"The sooner, the better. But I should go alone. If you come along, the basilisk might perceive a threat and refuse to listen."
McGonagall paced the office, considering his words.
"Or…" she suddenly paused and suggested, "we could simply eliminate the spiders."
Her words shifted the atmosphere in the room.
Snape's expression changed slightly. The idea of collecting rare potion ingredients from slain Acromantulas was appealing to him.
"Professor, killing them is not a long-term solution," David reasoned. "According to Dumbledore, the Acromantulas may just be the beginning. Other creatures could mutate as well. We need to find the root cause of these anomalies. Otherwise, we'll be forced to keep fighting an endless battle."
Hagrid nodded vigorously in agreement. The thought of exterminating the creatures of the Forbidden Forest visibly distressed him.
McGonagall considered David's words carefully, then finally agreed. "You're right."
Snape, looking slightly disappointed, remained silent.
"Professor, trust me. I'll be fine," David insisted. "No accidents will happen."
McGonagall hesitated, torn between her responsibilities as headmistress and her concern for David's safety.
"Let him go," Professor Flitwick interjected. "I have confidence in him. He's not as weak as you may think."
Having trained David personally, Flitwick was well aware of his capabilities. McGonagall remained deep in thought before finally nodding.
"Very well. What do you need from us?"
"A large blindfold to cover the basilisk's eyes," David said after a moment's thought.
With a flick of McGonagall's wand, a thick, oversized blindfold materialized on the desk. David inspected it and nodded in approval.
"Anything else?"
"Just make sure the students remain in their dormitories," David added as he carefully rolled up the blindfold.
"That will be taken care of," McGonagall assured him. "If anyone tries to leave, they will regret it."
David gave a firm nod. "Then I'll be going."
"Be careful, David," Hagrid said, his eyes slightly red.
"I will."
As David passed Snape, the Potions Master spoke in a hushed tone. "I hope you don't make any mistakes. I'd hate to have to retrieve your body from the Chamber of Secrets."
Before David could respond, Snape pressed something into his palm—a small transparent bottle containing a few drops of shimmering golden liquid.
"Felix Felicis. Drink a drop when you enter," Snape instructed coolly.
David's eyes widened. "Thank you, Professor."
Snape merely lifted his robe and walked away, as if the exchange had never happened.
David shook his head with a small smile before heading toward the girls' bathroom.
As soon as he entered, Myrtle floated toward him excitedly. "David! You haven't visited me in days! Where's Hermione?"
"She's not here," David replied, walking toward the sink. "I need to go to the Chamber."
Myrtle gasped. "Are you going to see that monster again?!"
"Yes," David said, locating the snake-engraved faucet. He took a deep breath and spoke in Parseltongue.
The sink shifted, revealing the entrance. Myrtle, though terrified, hovered nearby in curiosity.
"See you later, Myrtle."
With that, David slipped into the pipe, landing gracefully in the Chamber of Secrets. The massive stone doors loomed before him, entwined with carvings of serpents.
"Open," he hissed, and the doors creaked apart, revealing the familiar eerie green glow.
David stepped forward. "Speak to me, Slytherin—the greatest of Hogwarts' Founders."
A deep rumbling echoed through the chamber as the statue's mouth opened. The basilisk emerged, its scales scraping against the stone walls.
David held the blindfold ready, summoning an invisible beast to assist him. As the great serpent approached, David commanded it to stop. The beast swiftly wrapped the blindfold around the basilisk's eyes.
The snake hissed in discomfort but did not resist.
David let out a relieved breath and climbed onto its head. "Let's go."
The basilisk slithered through a hidden passage, emerging at the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
Suddenly, distant voices caught David's attention.
"George, hurry up! They're catching up!"
David's eyes widened. "What are they doing here?!"
"I don't know if Mum will be able to dig our bones out of Acromantula dung," Fred yelled as he sprinted.
"We should carve our names on them just in case!" George replied.
David sighed. "These two…"
As he and the basilisk approached, Fred and George's voices grew louder.
"What if David doesn't recognize our bones?" Fred joked.
"Then we'll leave him a note!"
"George, Fred, stop running! It's me!" David shouted.
But the twins, seeing the massive snake behind him, screamed in terror.
"GOD WILL KILL ME!"
David groaned. "I brought the basilisk to help!"
Fred and George halted abruptly, dropping David in shock.
"Wait… you WHAT?!"
David dusted himself off. "Let's get you two back before you cause any more trouble."
Fred grinned. "I knew we should've trusted you."
George nodded. "You're the only one crazy enough to do this."
David just shook his head, leading them forward, wondering how he always ended up responsible for these two troublemakers.