§"Talking in Parseltongue"§
§Spells in Parseltongue§
System UI
"Powerful beings talking"
"Normal conversation"
Thinking deeply
"Non-English conversation"
September 14, 1977
POV: Antares Hecate
The Gryffindor common room was its usual chaotic self. The
fire crackled in the hearth, casting warm flickers across the stone walls, and
students lounged on mismatched chairs or sprawled on the thick, worn rugs. The
air smelled faintly of butterbeer and parchment.
"Come on, Potter, it hasn't even been a month, and
you're already trying to traumatize the first-years," I said, crossing my
arms and leveling James Potter with a disapproving glare.
Potter, ever the confident troublemaker, shrugged
dramatically. "Hey! That's not true. It's just a harmless prank. So what
if they turn pink for a week? They'll laugh about it when they're older. It's
all in good fun!"
Sirius Black, sprawled across an armchair with his boots
resting on the table (again), jumped to his best mate's defense. "James is
right, Antares. It's not going to give them trauma—it's school! Besides,
they'll laugh it off. And if they don't, well, it's not serious... because I'm
Sirius."
I groaned, running a hand down my face. "Black, how
many times do I have to tell you that joke isn't funny? Get some new material.
And don't come running to me or Remus when you two get caught, like
always."
"Hey!" Sirius sat up indignantly, knocking over a
quill. "We don't get caught. We're experts, Antares—true artists of
escape! And why won't you call us by our first names? It's Sirius, not Black.
We've known each other for six years! Six years, Antares! We've shared a bloody
room!"
I smirked, thoroughly enjoying his frustration. The truth? I
only called him "Black" because it drove him mad. As for Potter?
Well, calling him "James" would be far too friendly for such an
asshole using his 'Pranks' as cover to bully people. Not to mention the way he
thought stalking Lily Evans was a viable way to win her heart. Honestly, the
guy was one failed love potion away from a restraining order.
"Antares," a softer voice interjected. Remus
Lupin, perched on a nearby sofa with a book in hand, spoke up. "How was
your summer? I heard your elder brother gave up the lordship. That must have
been... an adjustment?"
I liked Remus. I just didn't understand why someone as smart
and decent as him hung around with Potter. Sirius, I got—family pressure could
drive anyone to seek an escape. But Remus? A mystery.
"It was... fine," I said, waving a hand.
"Lots of dull parties I had to attend as the new heir. Mostly skipped
them, though. But enough about me—what about you? Anything fun? Maybe found
yourself a cute girl?" I added with a teasing grin, nudging his shoulder.
Predictably, Remus turned bright red. "N-no. No cute
girls," he stammered. "Just a normal summer. I mostly read about
magical creatures and their weaknesses." His blush faded as he began
animatedly describing the books he'd read, eyes lighting up. Definitely a nerd.
I laughed. "That's good, Remus. Well, I'm off to class.
See you later." I gave him a friendly wave and a nod to Potter and Black
before heading out of the room.
---
The corridors of Hogwarts were quiet, save for the faint hum
of magic that seemed to linger in the air. As I walked, I heard muffled voices
coming from one of the empty classrooms. I smirked, thinking it was probably
some fifth-years sneaking in for a bit of "fun." Time to give them a
good scare.
I approached the door and knocked loudly. "Oi! Break it
up in there!"
But instead of the embarrassed scrambling I expected, there
was a sudden, blinding flash of light. The world seemed to freeze, the torches
along the walls flickering in midair.
"What the—?" I muttered, pushing the door open
cautiously.
Inside, the room was bathed in an unnatural glow, and
standing in the center was... a figure. A childlike figure with mismatched eyes
and an unsettling grin.
"Welcome to the game, young one!" the
figure chirped. "I'm Tet, the God of Games. I've decided your world
needs a little excitement, so I've started a Game here. Yay! It's going to be
so much fun!"
I stared, utterly baffled. "What the hell are you
talking about? What game?"
Tet's grin widened. "Oh, it's simple: don't
die."
And with that, the figure vanished in a "pop."
Before I could even process what had just happened, a
strange ding echoed in the room. Words appeared in front of me, floating in the
air like a magical parchment.
---
WELCOME TO THE GAME, YOUNG WIZARD.
MAIN MENU: SKILLS AND PERKS
Antares Hecate
95% Wizard / 5% ???
Level 21
SKILLS:
Transfiguration: 26
Potions: 31
Defence Against the Dark Arts: 36
Charms: 23
Herbology: 17
Astronomy: 32
Care of Magical Creatures: 44
Divination: 0 (requires perk Seer)
Arithmancy: 30
Ancient Runes: 24
Dark arts: 0
PERKS: Locked (unlock at level 50)
---
"What the hell is this?!" I shouted, but there was
no response.
Suddenly, pain exploded through my body, and the world went
dark.
---
September 17, 1977
Waking up in the hospital wing is never fun, especially
after whatever the hell just happened.
The room was quiet except for the soft rustling of curtains
and the occasional clink of potions bottles from Madam Pomfrey's office. The
air carried that unmistakable medicinal tang—peppermint, dittany, and something
sharp that made my nose twitch. The pale morning sunlight filtered through the
tall windows, casting long shadows across the rows of neatly made beds. The
sheets beneath me were stiff and scratchy, the pillows too firm to be
comfortable.
"Ah, Mr. Hecate. You're awake."
I turned my head, groaning slightly at the stiffness in my
neck, to see Madam Pomfrey bustling toward me. Her apron was as pristine as
ever, though there was a worry line etched deep between her brows. She carried
a tray of potions with her, the various hues glowing faintly in the dim light.
"How are you feeling?" she asked, setting the tray
down on the bedside table with a soft clatter.
"Like I've been trampled by a herd of
Hippogriffs," I mumbled, attempting to sit up. My muscles protested, and I
winced.
"Lie back," she said firmly, pushing me back onto
the bed with surprising strength for someone her size. "You've been out
for nearly two days, and I'll not have you undoing all my hard work. Now, tell
me exactly what happened."
Her tone left no room for argument, but my mind scrambled to
come up with a version of events that didn't include a self-proclaimed God of
Games.
"I... don't really know," I started, glancing at
the ceiling as if it held the answers. "I was walking down the corridor
near the Charms classroom, and I heard some noises coming from one of the empty
rooms. It sounded strange, like voices that weren't really there."
Madam Pomfrey's frown deepened, but she didn't interrupt.
"I thought it was just some students messing around, so
I opened the door to check. That's when—" I paused, trying to phrase it
without sounding insane. "That's when there was this... blinding light.
Like nothing I'd ever seen before. It hurt to look at, and the next thing I
know, everything went dark."
Her lips pressed into a thin line as she studied me, her
eyes sharp. "You didn't see anyone? No students, no creatures?"
I shook my head, wincing at the motion. "No. The room
was empty."
"Empty," she repeated, almost to herself, as she
placed the back of her hand against my forehead. Satisfied, she straightened
and began scribbling something on a piece of parchment at the foot of my bed.
I glanced around, trying to ground myself in the normalcy of
the hospital wing. The faint hum of the castle's magic was still there, but
something felt off. The air seemed heavier, the shadows a little darker than
they should have been. It wasn't enough to set off alarms, but it gnawed at the
edges of my mind.
Madam Pomfrey snapped me out of my thoughts. "Well, you
seem stable now, but I'll be keeping you here for the rest of the day for
observation. You'll take these potions—no arguments—and if you feel anything
strange, you're to call me immediately. Understood?"
"Yes, Madam Pomfrey," I said dutifully, though my
mind was far from the potions she placed on the bedside table.
As she walked back to her office, I let out a slow breath.
The menu I'd seen two days ago flashed briefly in my mind. Was it real? Or had
I imagined the whole thing?
I glanced at my hands, flexing my fingers as if expecting
something to happen. When nothing did, I leaned back against the stiff pillows,
staring at the ceiling.
Whatever was going on, I wasn't getting answers lying here. As
I lay back on the uncomfortable hospital bed, staring at the ceiling, I thought
back to the menu I'd seen when all this started. I had no idea what it was or
why it had appeared, but if this game was real, then ignoring it wasn't an
option.
Think menu.
I focused, willing the skills and perks page to appear
again. Instead, something new popped into my mind—a Quest.
---
Quest!
Find a safe room
to practice your spells and abilities from the game.
Optional
Objectives:
1. Find the
Chamber of Secrets.
2. Find the Room
of Requirement.
Rewards:
50 Galleons
3 Skill Points
Optional Rewards:
Natural Perk
Natural Perk
---
My eyes widened as I reread the text in my mind. This was
new. And it wasn't just an arbitrary challenge; the rewards included something
called "Natural Perks," which, as far as I could guess, might let me
bypass the level 50 requirement to unlock my locked perks. That alone made this
worth pursuing.
Of course, there was the small matter of no one knowing
where either of these rooms were—or if the Chamber of Secrets even existed.
"Welp," I mut tered to myself, throwing off the covers,
"guess it's time to hit the library."
---
The Hogwarts library was a haven of quiet, its towering
bookshelves packed tightly with volumes of every shape and size. The faint
smell of old parchment and dust filled the air, and the dim lighting gave the
room a cozy, mysterious atmosphere. I made my way past students quietly poring
over their homework until I reached the front desk, where Madam Pince stood,
stern as ever, her sharp eyes scanning the room for any signs of book abuse.
I cleared my throat. "Excuse me, Madam Pince?"
She looked up, her gaze immediately suspicious. "Yes?"
"I'm looking for books about the Chamber of Secrets," I said
as casually as I could manage.
Her expression soured instantly, and she straightened her
spine. "The Chamber of Secrets does not exist," she said curtly, her tone
making it clear she thought the matter was closed.
"But—"
"No buts, Mr. Hecate. The Chamber of Secrets is a silly myth
invented to scare first-years. There's no evidence to support its existence,
and I'll not have students wasting time chasing fantasies."
I wasn't about to give up that easily. "But doesn't it
strike you as odd," I began, leaning on the desk slightly, "that the other
three Founders all have rooms associated with them? Gryffindor has the Tower,
Ravenclaw has the Library Annex, and Hufflepuff has the Kitchens. Why wouldn't
Slytherin have a space of his own?"
Madam Pince's eyes narrowed.
"Look," I continued, holding up my hands in a placating
gesture, "I'm not saying I believe in the monster or anything. That's obviously
ridiculous. But the idea that Slytherin, of all people, wouldn't leave behind
something as a mark of his legacy? I don't buy it. Even if the Chamber doesn't
exist, there might be clues in the books about his work or his life."
She hesitated, her lips pressing into a thin line. After a
long pause, she finally sighed. "Fine. If you're serious about this nonsense,
you'll want to look in the section on Hogwarts' history. Third row from the
back, middle shelf. And don't you dare damage the books."
I grinned. "Thank you, Madam Pince. You're the best."
She muttered something under her breath that sounded
suspiciously like "insufferable," but I ignored it and headed off toward the
indicated section.
---
The bookshelves loomed overhead as I scanned the spines for
anything useful. Titles like The Founders' Legacy and Secrets of Hogwarts
caught my eye, and I pulled them down into a growing stack. The atmosphere was
quieter here, away from the main study areas, and the faint hum of magic seemed
to resonate in the walls.
I flipped open the first book, skimming through passages
about the Founders, the castle's construction, and early students. If there
were clues to either the Chamber or the Room of Requirement, they had to be
here somewhere.
After reading for a few hours everything I learned was
leading to this one book the problem is that someone has it. The book does have
its own spot clearly marked now I just need to find them after hyping myself up
for a long search made me feel embarrassed when not even 2 minutes I found the
student who had the book when looking at him something from my menu popped up
Name: Regulus Black
Level: 15
Age: 14
Reputation: 0 [none he does not know you]
I know Black has a younger brother, but unlike the rest of
his family, he doesn't make a splash in any way that's so possible. Honestly,
for a moment I thought Potter somehow de-aged Black in the few hours since I've
seen them.
He didn't look up from his table even if he did hear my loud
footsteps in the ghost town of a library, and I had no plan to interact with…
he had the book I needed…
I fucking thought my luck was one of my few good stats, yet
it keeps forcing me to interact with fucking people.
Or I bet that bat did this on purpose.
"Excuse me."
The younger boy let out a tired sigh as his gaze slowly rose
up from the book, he didn't make eye contact, and instead, his gaze fell on a
loosened tie, "Let's get this on with."
My face scrunched up in confusion, "What are you on
about?"
"You're not… what do you want?" He caught himself.
I flicked my fingers towards the book resting on the table,
"May I borrow that?"
His eyes narrowed with a strange gleam in them, sadly in my
time in Hogwarts I've seen that look directed at me a numerous amount of times
by two Blacks, one is usually followed by pain and the other is followed by a
prank of some sort.
"Why do you want it?"
A fucking book, he's asking me why I want a fucking book,
"I want to wipe my arse with it." I sniped.
His passive stare was almost impressive, "I was here
first, so wait your turn." He waved me off, and I swear to any gods that
are listening I'm about to launch someone out of a window if I get waved off
one more time.
"Listen hear you twerp-"
"You know I may just check out this book," He gave
me a sly smile.
My eyes peered into his and I could feel them twitch at the
amused gleam in his, I was forced to take a calming breath as I sat down on the
adjacent seat to his.
"I need it for a project for Binns' class."
Persuasion Check Failed
He pulled out his wand the tip of his lit with fire,
"You want to tell me the truth."
I gave myself a blank stare, "You're going to set fire
to it because I'm not telling you why I want it, it a book, I just want to read
it."
"I would've believed it if you didn't get so defensive
about it in the first place."
"You would risk getting in this much shit for what…
you're insane."
He almost smirked, "I'm
a Black."
My options, well I had no
options here really, the bint would be on his side no matter what, and the
snakes had a unity that no other house did, even former members of the house
showed solidarity even still. And what could I do, beat up the twerp for a book,
what kind of angry fucking loser would that paint me as.
Even still frustration
welled up in me but I let out a steady breath, "I'm looking for something
in Hogwarts, and it's considered a legend by today's standards," I
motioned to the book, "hence."
"What are you looking
for?" He questioned with genuine interest.
"Curiosity killed the
cat."
This time he smirked and the
uncanny mirror of Sirius was shattered, my dormmate never looked so unnerving,
"And satisfaction brought it back."
My fingers wrapped against
the table and the boy just leaned back with the book on his lap waiting for me
to go on, I don't know how much time passed but eventually, I opened my mouth.
"The Chamber of
Secrets."
I expected him to scoff or
even laugh out loud but instead, he looked intrigued, "Why would a
Gryffindor be looking for the Chamber of Secrets?"
Taking a pause, I chew on my
words, "Call it morbid curiosity,"
He shrugs his shoulders and
lets out a huff, "Do you know what? I don't care why you want to find it,
but I will say you won't," Before I could reply he cut me off, "Not
on your own at least." I don't like where this is going.
"You want to
help?" He nods and waits for my answer, "Why would I need it?"
He rolled his eyes and for
the time since I've met him, he acted like his brother, "What chances does
a Gryffindor have finding the chamber?"
First time for everything
because I felt the need to defend my house, "Better chances than a
Slytherin apparently, seriously how does it feel as a house to lose the last of
your founder's residences?"
He opened his mouth to
retort but he raised a hand and clenched it closed alongside his mouth, taking
a calming breath, showing more restraint than the other two of his family I
know, "I feel like we're both better than this, or at the very least I
am." He mumbled the last part under his breath, "The both of us are
better off working together and could find it."
"You know I could just
take that book away from you." I flexed my wand hand for nothing as he
wasn't the slightest worried.
"Then why didn't you?
Why not act like a brash lion and take what you want, typical of your
house?"
I tried to formulate an
answer but for the life of nothing came forward. Maybe I'm trying to convince
myself that I am that much of a bastard and just take what I want.
"If we work together, I
have a condition."
"I figured."
I raised an eyebrow,
"You may not like it."
He shrugged his shoulders,
"As is the way of my life."
"When we find the
Chamber,"
"if"
I continued as if he didn't
put doubt in my plan "when we find it we keep it to ourselves"
"Why should I do that" he questioned
with a neutral tone
"Look, I need a safe
place to train, and not to be an asshole, but I don't really know you. You
could ruin the whole point of me finding it. Now, as for why you should keep it
to yourself—one, it's the Chamber of Secrets. It's old and probably has a lot
of illegal stuff that would be raided if anyone found out. Two, for that same
reason, it's ancient, so there's probably lost magic in there that only the two
of us would know about in the entire world. Good enough for you? If so, I'm
going to need you to swear an oath of secrecy—with the condition that if I tell
you, it's okay, you can share it." I explained, laying out why he needed
to keep it to himself.
The tension in the air
between Regulus Black and me hung heavy, the dim library lighting casting long
shadows over our faces. I wasn't thrilled about the situation, but with the
book I needed practically held hostage by Sirius' quieter, sharper younger brother,
my options were limited.
Regulus didn't speak
immediately, his calculating eyes studying me like I was some kind of puzzle.
He still held the book on his lap, fingers lightly tapping the cover, as though
he were testing my resolve.
Finally, he raised a brow.
"So, you want me to swear an oath of secrecy about something that hasn't even
been found yet?"
I leaned back in the chair
across from him, crossing my arms. "If we're doing this, I need guarantees.
You're a Slytherin, you get it. A deal without terms isn't a deal at all."
He smirked faintly, the
expression unnervingly reminiscent of his older brother but somehow sharper,
colder. "Fair enough. Let me get this straight: if we find the Chamber—and
that's still a big if—you want to use it as your personal training grounds and
keep it hidden from everyone else, including, presumably, your Gryffindor
pals?"
I nodded. "Pretty much.
Think about it. It's the Chamber of Secrets. If we make it public knowledge,
it'll be swarmed by professors, Aurors, and Ministry officials. Everything
inside—artifacts, history, even potential magical discoveries—would be picked apart
and locked away. You'd lose access to all of it, too."
Regulus tilted his head,
considering my words. "And you think there's something worthwhile in there?"
"I do," I said firmly. "If
it's real, it's Slytherin's legacy. The man was a genius—and, let's face it,
paranoid. Whatever he left behind isn't going to be mundane."
His lips twitched into a
ghost of a smile. "You make a decent argument, Hecate. Still, you want me to
take an oath. What's to stop you from breaking your side of the deal first?"
I rolled my eyes. "I'll
swear the same oath. Neither of us reveals anything about the Chamber or its
contents unless we both agree."
Regulus leaned back in his
chair, tapping a finger against his chin as he mulled it over. "And what if you
find something dangerous in there? Something too powerful to be kept secret?"
"Then we handle it," I
replied, though I wasn't entirely sure how I'd back up that confidence if it
came to it. "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. For now, do we have a
deal?"
He stared at me for a long
moment, his piercing gray eyes betraying just a hint of curiosity and
amusement. Then, slowly, he extended a hand across the table. "Fine. But don't
think I'll let you have all the fun in there. If we find something valuable, I
expect my share."
I shook his hand, feeling
the weight of the agreement settle between us. "Done. Now, about that oath…"
Regulus pulled out his wand,
the tip glowing faintly. I followed suit, and together we performed a simple
magical oath of secrecy, binding us both to the terms we'd agreed on. The glow
of the spell lingered briefly in the air before fading, sealing our pact.
"Right," I said, standing
up. "Now, give me the book."
He smirked, handing it over
without a fight. "Don't mess it up, Hecate. If you're as reckless as my
brother, this will be a short partnership."
"Don't worry," I replied,
clutching the book tightly. "I'm nothing like your brother."
As I turned to leave, I
glanced back at him one last time. Regulus was already pulling another book
toward him, his expression calm and composed. Whatever I'd gotten myself into,
I had a feeling this wouldn't be the last of our unlikely alliance.
And now, with the book in
hand, the real hunt for the Chamber of Secrets could begin.
I sat hunched over in a
quiet corner of the Gryffindor common room, the book Regulus begrudgingly
handed over now spread across my lap. The pages were old and brittle, the ink
faded in places, but it was clear that whoever wrote it was meticulous.
The chapter on Slytherin's
legacy was dense, littered with cryptic references and half-completed theories.
Still, after nearly an hour of scanning, one passage stood out:
"The chamber is said to
lie in the depths of Hogwarts, beneath the castle's oldest sections, accessible
only to those deemed worthy by Slytherin's standards. It is believed to be tied
to the castle's original plumbing system, which was modernized in the late
1700s."
"Plumbing system?" I
muttered to myself, flipping the page. The next few paragraphs theorized about
its location but kept coming back to one conclusion: somewhere in the dungeons
or possibly beneath the bathrooms installed during the renovations.
I leaned back, a sense of
determination creeping over me. If this was accurate, then Regulus and I might
have a real shot at finding it.
---
The halls of Hogwarts were
alive with noise as I made my way to Transfiguration, students laughing and
talking as they bustled to their respective classes. I weaved through groups of
Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws, barely avoiding a collision with a tiny first-year
carrying an armful of books.
The Transfiguration
classroom was already half-full when I arrived. At the front, Professor
McGonagall stood with her signature stern expression, her robes pristine as
always. James Potter and Sirius Black sat near the middle, chatting animatedly
with Marlene McKinnon, while Remus Lupin flipped through his notes beside them.
I found a seat near the
back, preferring to stay out of their line of sight for now. A few other
Gryffindors were scattered around the room, including a shy girl named Edwin
Thatcher and a confident guy named Cassandra Fawley, who always seemed to have
a knowing smile.
McGonagall clapped her
hands, drawing the class to attention. "Today, we'll be continuing our study of
human-to-object Transfiguration. Can anyone remind us of the core principle
involved in this spell?"
Lily Evans raised her hand
instantly. "It's the concentration of intent and visualization, Professor.
Without a clear image of the desired object, the spell can backfire."
"Correct, Miss Evans,"
McGonagall said with a nod.
The lesson progressed
smoothly, with McGonagall demonstrating the spell before letting us attempt it
ourselves. My attempts to transfigure a quill into a candlestick were
decent—though the candlestick was a bit lopsided—but it was enough to avoid any
unwanted attention.
---
After class, I made my way
toward the library to meet Regulus. He was waiting in the same spot as before,
his posture relaxed but his eyes sharp.
"Find anything?" he asked as
I slid into the seat across from him.
"Yeah," I said, pulling the
book from my bag. "The chamber is supposedly tied to the school's old plumbing
system. It's probably somewhere in the dungeons or beneath one of the
bathrooms."
Regulus smirked faintly,
clearly impressed. "Good. I've been doing some digging of my own, and guess
what? The chamber isn't just a myth. It's been opened before."
I raised an eyebrow. "What?
When?"
"1943," he replied, lowering
his voice. "A student died—a girl named Myrtle Warren. She's the ghost that
haunts the second-floor girls' bathroom."
I blinked. "Myrtle? You mean
Moaning Myrtle?"
He nodded. "If anyone knows
what happened, it's her. We need to talk to her."
---
The second-floor girls'
bathroom was as eerie as I remembered it, with cracked tiles and dripping
faucets that never seemed to stop. The faint sound of sobbing echoed through
the room as we stepped inside, the ghostly figure of Myrtle Warren floating
near one of the sinks.
"Who's there?" she wailed,
spinning around. Her glasses were askew, and her expression was one of
exaggerated misery. "Can't you leave me alone?"
I stepped forward
cautiously. "Myrtle, we're not here to bother you. We just want to ask you some
questions."
Her translucent eyes
narrowed. "Questions? About what?"
Regulus stepped in, his
voice calm and steady. "About the night you died. We think it might be
connected to something we're trying to find."
Her expression softened
slightly, and she floated closer. "You mean… how I died no one has ever asked
me before"
My heart skipped a beat for
the poor girl. "What happened?"
Myrtle sighed dramatically,
floating down until she was level with us. "I was sitting in that stall"—she
pointed to the farthest one—"crying because Olive Hornby made fun of my glasses
again. Then I heard someone come in. I opened the door to yell at them, but…"
Her voice faltered, and her
ghostly form shivered. "I saw these big yellow eyes. And then… nothing."
Regulus frowned. "Yellow
eyes? That sounds like…"
"A basilisk," I finished, my
stomach twisting.
Myrtle nodded solemnly. "I
didn't even have a chance to scream. And then I woke up like this."
Regulus and I exchanged a
glance, the weight of the discovery settling over us. If the Chamber of Secrets
had truly been opened before, and it housed a basilisk, then finding it wasn't
just about curiosity anymore—it was about survival.
The dim, eerie glow of the
flickering torches along the bathroom walls cast long shadows across the
cracked tiles as I scanned the room. The air was damp, heavy with the faint
metallic scent of rusted pipes and stagnant water. The sound of the ever-dripping
faucets echoed softly, amplifying the stillness around us.
My eyes caught something
unusual—a small snake etched into the metal of one of the sinks in the row at
the center of the room. It was subtle, almost easy to miss, but once I saw it,
the symbol seemed to pulse with a strange energy, as though it were waiting for
me to notice.
I approached cautiously, the
feeling of something otherworldly creeping up my spine. The air around the sink
felt charged, like static before a storm. As I reached out to touch the
carving, a familiar ding sounded, and the Game interface appeared in front of
me once more.
---
Quest!
Find a safe room to practice your spells and abilities
from the game.
Complete!
Rewards Earned:
50 Galleons
3 Skill Points
Optional Rewards:
Natural Perk: Parseltongue (Earned)
Natural Perk: Parallel Thought (Lost)
Added Stat:
Parselmagic: 0
Perk Unlocked:
Parseltongue: Whoever said snakes don't have thoughts
was so far off—they can talk! User can now communicate with any creature that
appears snake-like and can command all snakes, minus their King.
I blinked at the
notification. Parseltongue? I thought. The weight of what that meant hit me
like a brick, but there was no time to process it fully. I called out to
Regulus, who was still by the door, scanning the room with a curious but
cautious expression.
"Over here, Regulus! I found
something!" I said, my voice echoing slightly in the empty space.
The fourth-year made his way
over, his steps quick but careful. His usual air of calculated composure was
tinged with curiosity as he approached. "What is it?"
I hesitated, taking a deep
breath. "Okay, listen. What I'm about to show you stays between us, got it? For
your own good."
Before he could respond, I
focused on the snake engraving and said, almost instinctively, "§Open§"
The words felt foreign on my
tongue, as though they weren't entirely my own, but the effect was immediate.
The snake etching glowed faintly, and with a deep groan, the sink began to
shift. The porcelain split apart, revealing a dark, spiraling tunnel beneath.
"What!" Regulus whispered
harshly, stepping back in shock. "You're a Parseltongue?"
I shrugged, trying to feign
nonchalance, though my heart was pounding. "I guess so."
Regulus stared at me, his
eyes wide with a mix of awe and disbelief. "You guess so? Antares, do you know
what this means? Only one wizard in history has been known for this ability,
and he was a big deal!"
I swallowed hard, trying to
downplay the significance. "Well, my family did marry into the Slytherin line a
long time ago. A female member, I think, but no one in my family has shown this
ability before… until now."
Regulus paused, processing
that. His excitement dimmed slightly as he nodded. "That makes sense. My family
has Slytherin blood too, but it hasn't manifested like this. Not yet, anyway."
The subtle pride in his
voice was unmistakable, but he quickly masked it with his usual composed
demeanor.
"Well," I said, gesturing to
the tunnel, "I guess we know where to start looking now. Ready to see if this
really is the Chamber of Secrets?"
Regulus glanced at the dark
hole, his face unreadable for a moment before he smirked. "Let's find out…"
"§Stairs§" I hissed in Parseltongue, the word rolling off my
tongue with an eerie ease. Immediately, the smooth, spiraling tunnel beneath
the sink began to shift, stone steps emerging one after another, forming a
steep staircase leading down.
Regulus let out an impressed
whistle as he peered down. "Good call. Honestly, I probably wouldn't have
thought to try that."
I laughed, though it came
out more awkward than I intended. "Yeah, well, I figured sliding down might not
be the best option if we're trying to get back up later."
The two of us descended
cautiously, the sound of our footsteps echoing off the stone walls. The air
grew colder with each step, carrying a faint metallic tang mixed with the damp
scent of earth. The dim light from the open entrance above barely reached us
now.
When we finally reached the
bottom, the tunnel opened up into a massive, shadowed chamber. The oppressive
silence pressed down on us like a physical weight. Pulling out my wand, I
raised it high and cast, "Lumos."
The light flared to life at
the tip of my wand, illuminating the vast room around us. The sight stole my
breath for a moment. The chamber was cavernous, its vaulted ceiling
disappearing into darkness. The floor was uneven, strewn with rubble and debris
from centuries of decay. But what truly caught my attention—and sent a shiver
down my spine—was the enormous, shed snakeskin coiled near the far end of the
chamber.
It was massive, easily
dwarfing anything I had ever seen or read about. The pale, translucent skin
glimmered faintly in the light, its scales ghostly and unnerving.
"That's… that's like twice
the size of the largest known basilisk," I said, my voice shaking slightly as I
glanced at Regulus.
He nodded, his face pale but
his eyes alight with a mix of awe and unease. "If that thing's still alive
somewhere…" He trailed off, leaving the ominous thought unspoken.
We both stayed still for a
moment, as though even the slightest sound might awaken something lurking in
the shadows. Then, with a deep breath, I shook off the unease and gestured
toward the rest of the chamber. "Come on. Let's look around. There's bound to
be something else here."
We began to explore, moving
carefully around the space. The floor was littered with an unsettling mix of
objects. Bones—animal and human—were scattered across the chamber, some gnawed
and splintered, others intact and eerily pristine. I crouched to examine one, a
human femur, my stomach twisting at the thought of how long it had been here.
Regulus, meanwhile, had
wandered toward a pile of glinting objects near the chamber's edge. "There's
gold here," he called out, his voice tinged with surprise. "A lot of it."
I joined him, the light from
my wand catching on the dull gleam of coins, goblets, and ornate trinkets. The
pile was enormous, a veritable hoard that looked like it had been stolen or
accumulated over centuries. Some of the items were rusted and worn, while
others appeared almost untouched by time.
"This isn't just gold," I
said, picking up a small, intricately carved dagger that looked more ceremonial
than practical. The blade was encrusted with emeralds, and its hilt bore runes
I couldn't immediately recognize. "This is treasure. Ancient treasure."
Regulus nodded, sifting
through the pile. "Makes sense. If Slytherin built this chamber, he probably
used it to stash more than just his monster."
As we continued searching,
my light fell upon a cracked, faded mural carved into the wall near the
basilisk's shed skin. The artwork depicted a great serpent coiled around a
tall, hooded figure holding a wand. Beneath the figure, strange runes were
etched into the stone, their meaning just out of reach.
"I think we're getting
close," I muttered, my eyes lingering on the runes. "There's got to be another
door or passage somewhere."
"Agreed," Regulus said, his
tone sharper now as he straightened. "But we need to be careful. Whatever's
down here… it wasn't meant to be found easily."
We shared a look, an
unspoken agreement passing between us. If one of us runs the other does too
As we continued searching
the chamber, Regulus suddenly called out from across the room. "Hey! Over
here—I think I found something!"
I hurried over, my wand's
light bobbing as I crossed the uneven floor. He stood near an ornately carved
archway set into the far wall, partially hidden behind a pile of fallen stones.
The design was intricate, with serpentine patterns twisting along the edges and
runes etched into the stone.
"This has to be it," he
said, his voice tinged with excitement.
We pushed open the heavy
stone door together, the air beyond rushing out, cold and stale. The room was
enormous, the columns lining the space carved into the shapes of towering
serpents, their heads raised as if to strike. At the far end, the imposing statue
of Salazar Slytherin loomed, his stone features severe and unyielding. The damp
air felt almost alive, and the faint echoes of our footsteps made it feel as
though we were not alone.
We stepped further into the
chamber, our wands illuminating piles of debris, scattered bones, and ancient
relics. I shuddered at the sight of a massive basilisk skin coiled along one
corner, a chilling reminder of what once lived here. As we explored, I suddenly
froze as a voice echoed faintly in my mind.
"§Someone is here. Who is
it? Food… or speaker?§"
I whipped around, my breath
catching in my throat. "Regulus," I whispered urgently, "did you hear that
voice?"
He frowned at me, confusion
written all over his face. "What voice? What are you talking about?"
I cursed under my breath,
realizing what it meant. Only Parseltongue could hear it.
"§Speaker… not food. Not
food.§"
The voice sounded closer
now, and I instinctively responded. "§Speaker. Not food.§"
Regulus's eyes widened as he
watched me speak. "You're speaking Parseltongue again," he hissed. "Whatever it
is, you better make sure it knows I'm not lunch."
I held up a hand to silence
him, tension coiling in my chest as I heard the voice again.
"§You are a speaker… but not
the master.§"
The words sent a chill
through me. Then, from the shadows, a massive serpent slithered into view, its
scales gleaming like wet emeralds. It raised its head high, its yellow eyes
gleaming as they scanned the room.
"Close your eyes!" I hissed
at Regulus, panic lacing my voice. "Now!"
He obeyed instantly,
squeezing his eyes shut as he pressed himself against one of the columns. "You
couldn't have warned me sooner?" he whispered harshly.
"§Who are you?§" the serpent demanded, its voice reverberating in my
skull. "§You are not my master. Why do you speak his tongue?§"
My heart pounded, but I
forced myself to respond, grasping at straws. "§I… I have his blood. I am a
descendant of Slytherin.§"
The serpent hissed, its
massive head lowering slightly to regard me more closely. "§His blood…
diluted. Weak. You are no master.§"
I swallowed hard, trying to
stay calm. "§Even so, I carry enough to be recognized as a speaker. That is
why I am here.§"
The serpent seemed to
consider my words, its tongue flicking out as it tasted the air. "§A
trace, perhaps. It is faint. But enough to protect you.§"
It lowered its head
slightly, but I kept my eyes shut tightly, unwilling to take any chances. "§What
do you want, Speaker?§"
"§We need a safe place to
train. This chamber is perfect for that. We mean no harm.§"
The serpent's voice turned
cold. "§You tread on masters ground. This chamber is not a plaything.§"
"§We know,§" I replied quickly. "§That's why we're here. To grow
stronger, to learn. Like the master intended this room for after all it's what
your master wanted it to be used for§"
The serpent's tone shifted,
softer now, almost curious. "§You speak as though you understand his
will. Very well, Speaker. You may remain. But you must respect this place, or I
will end you, blood or not.§"
I felt a flicker of relief,
though the serpent wasn't done.
"§You may open your eyes. I
have lowered my second eyelids. It is they, not I, that bring death.§"
I hesitated, my pulse
racing, but after a moment, I cracked one eye open and then the other. The
serpent's massive form filled my vision, but I felt no immediate threat.
"§What is your name?§" I asked cautiously.
The serpent tilted its head
slightly, a glimmer of curiosity in its golden eyes. "§Name? Only the
first master called me by such a thing. It has been many lifetimes since I was
addressed so… Itzaphal.§"
"§Itzaphal,§" I repeated, committing it to memory.
"Is it… done?" Regulus
whispered, his voice tight with anxiety, his eyes still firmly shut.
"It's safe now," I said,
stepping closer to him and placing a hand on his shoulder. "You can open your
eyes."
He did so hesitantly, his
gaze flicking to the massive snake before us. "Bloody hell," he muttered under
his breath.
Itzaphal regarded us both
for a moment before retreating back into the shadows. "§Do not squander
this chance, Speaker. Or I will not show mercy again.§"
Before she left I was concentrating
on her body
before the same screen that popped up for Regulus popped
up for her
Itzaphal
Level ???
Age 3173
Relationship 20/100
(Nice like first master wish he
doesn't leave me like him)
As she disappeared, the
oppressive tension in the room seemed to lessen. Regulus exhaled a shaky breath
and turned to me. "You've got some explaining to do. But… I guess we found what
we came for."
I nodded, though my mind was
racing. The chamber was ours now, but the danger was far from over who knows
what Tet will throw my way.
Secret Quest complete!!
Survive the queen of snakes
Rewards
-5 levels (10 skill points
added)
-10 levels into Parselmagic
Spell variant unlocked – Serpensortia (now whenever you use this spell you
will have the option summoning magical
snakes depending on your summoning level when maxed even a basilisk will answer
to your call and
obey your orders)
(Optional Quest Failed)
Kill the basilisk
Rewards
-50 levels (100 perk points)
-200'000 Galleons
Perk – (king of the snakes)
lost
(Optional Quest succeeded)
Befriend the basilisk
Rewards
Heir Slytherin
(They said the line died out but the truth was they
simply forgot the test)
500 Galleons
Perk – Friend of the Queen
(Parselmagic can now reach
level 200 every 2 levels pass 100 increases
the power of
spells by 1% up to 50%)
"Well let's actually do what
we came to this room for train" I say to Regulus after comprehending the quest he
simply nodded.
The chamber stretched vast
and silent around us, its eerie stillness broken only by the hiss of spells and
the faint hum of magic. Regulus and I stood across from each other, dummies
conjured between us with a flick of my wand.
The first spell fired was a
Stupefy. My wand crackled as a bright red bolt of energy burst forth, striking
the dummy with a dull thud and sending it sprawling backward. Regulus responded
with Expelliarmus. The blue light from his wand zipped past the dummies,
dissipating into the air when it missed.
"Sloppy," I called, stepping
forward to cast again. "Petrificus Totalus!"
A sharp burst of white light
enveloped the dummy, locking its limbs in place with a rigid snap. Regulus
smirked, raising his wand.
"Finite Incantatem."
The counter-spell glimmered
faintly green as it hit the dummy, freeing it instantly. The hours dragged on
as we fired spell after spell, taking turns as both attacker and defender.
---
The chamber's floor,
littered with conjured debris and scorch marks, mirrored our mounting fatigue.
I raised my wand again, casting Protego as Regulus launched Rictusempra. The
pale silver light collided with the shield, rippling like water before dissipating
into harmless sparks.
"Your shields are holding,"
he commented, his voice strained as he flicked his wand toward the dummy. "But
they won't hold against Bombarda. Watch this."
With a sharp motion, Regulus
cast Bombarda. The spell erupted from his wand in a burst of fiery orange
light, slamming into the dummy with a deafening crack. The construct shattered,
bits of stone and wood skittering across the floor.
I winced, throwing up an arm
to shield my face. "Alright, alright, maybe we don't destroy the training
equipment!"
"Your turn, then," Regulus
said, leaning on his wand with a smirk.
I raised my wand, summoning
a new dummy with a quick flick. "Confringo!"
The dummy exploded in a
bright burst of fire and smoke. The chamber walls groaned as the shockwave
echoed back to us.
---
The more spells we cast, the
more exhaustion seeped into our bodies. Regulus's movements slowed, his precise
wand work becoming sloppier with each attack. I wasn't much better. My aim
wavered, and more than once, I cast Expelliarmus at the wrong target, sending
debris flying instead of striking the dummy.
Lumos lit the area dimly as
the chamber grew darker, the faint glow of our spells casting long, distorted
shadows on the walls. I wiped sweat from my forehead, my hand trembling from
the strain of holding my wand.
"Last round," I muttered,
watching as Regulus nodded wearily.
I fired Stupefy one last
time. The red bolt of light connected with a dummy, sending it collapsing onto
its side with a soft groan. Regulus retaliated with Rictusempra, the shimmering
silver light sparking harmlessly against my hastily conjured Protego.
"Call it a day?" he asked,
lowering his wand.
I nodded, the weight of
exhaustion pulling at my every limb. "Yeah, before we collapse. We'll pick it
up tomorrow."
Regulus conjured a chair
with a flick of his wand, slumping into it with a heavy sigh. I dropped to the
floor, leaning against a pillar as the adrenaline of spell-casting faded into
bone-deep weariness.
The silence returned to the
chamber, but this time, it was comforting. Just the steady sound of our
breathing filled the room as the day's effort caught up with us.
I pushed myself off the
pillar, my wand heavy in my hand as I surveyed the destruction we'd caused.
Scorch marks marred the floor, shattered dummy fragments littered the chamber,
and bits of dust and debris hung in the air like a stubborn fog.
Regulus tilted his head
back, watching me through half-lidded eyes as I raised my wand. "You sure
you've got the energy for that?" he murmured.
"Just watch," I muttered
back, taking a deep breath.
I pointed my wand at the
nearest pile of rubble. "Scourgify."
A ripple of white light
spread outward, clearing away dust and grime in its path. The blackened scorch
marks faded, and the chamber's smooth, cold floor reappeared beneath. With
another flick, I summoned the fragments of dummies into a neat pile.
"Reparo."
The shards quivered before
snapping back together, each dummy returning to its original form as if they'd
never been destroyed. The air cleared as the last of the debris vanished, the
chamber gleaming like the moment we had first stepped into it.
I lowered my wand, panting
slightly, and turned to Regulus. "Good as new."
He let out a low whistle,
dragging himself to his feet. "You know, for a Gryffindor, you're oddly
meticulous. If you keep that up, I might start expecting this every time we
train."
I shot him a tired smirk.
"Don't push your luck."
Author's Note:
Hey there! Thanks so much for taking the time to read the first chapter. I really hope you enjoyed it and that it gave you a taste of what's to come. This story is something I've been super excited to write, and your thoughts mean the world to me.
If you have a moment, I'd love to hear your feedback—whether it's about the plot, characters, or even just a favorite moment. Reviews really help me make improvement and keep me motivated, so don't be shy!
Looking forward to hearing what you think. See you in the next chapter!
Also this is copied and pasted from word so if anything looks like its missing it's on webnovel end so just leave a chapter comment right above so I can put in.
— God-loves-reading or should it be God-loves-writing