The Yellow Eyes of Fear
At breakfast that morning, I finally figured out what was happening. It just hit me suddenly while I was drinking my pumpkin juice. I knew what my sub-conscious had been trying to tell me all along. The monster that had been released from the chamber of secrets was a basilisk. That would explain why only Harry (being a Parselmouth) could understand and hear it, and why no one had been killed- yet.
I leapt from the table, causing Harry and Ron to simply roll their eyes at each other. They were quite used to my sudden departures from the dinner table by this point. If my hunch was right, then I would find all of the information that I needed at the library.
Entering the library, I saw another student, apparently studying. Upon taking a closer look, I realized that it was Percy Weasley's girlfriend. I should probably warn her about the basilisk, I thought grudgingly, even though I personally thought that she was wrong for Percy.. When I reached it, I handed her the mirror that I had borrowed from Ginny the day before.
She looked puzzled. "Hermione?" she asked in confusion. "What's this for?" she asked, staring at the mirror as if it were something she had never seen."Isn't that Ginny's mirror?" Thinking back, I don't really blame for being puzzled that I was speaking to her. I hadn't really been the kindest person in the world to her ever since I had found out that she and Percy were dating (blame it on pure, green-eyed jealousy).
"Use it to look around corners," I replied, realizing that I sounded rather crazy. "The thing that's been petrifying students can't kill you if it only sees you through the mirror."
Not waiting for her reply, I hurried off into the "Magical Animals" section of the library. Finally I found what I was looking for. The book in which I found my answers was old and covered with something that looked like ink and blood, but I was able to read enough to understand what I had to do.
Racing out of the library, I barely remembered to hold the mirror around the corner. Unfortunately, this didn't work. The only thing I remembered about the basilisk was these huge yellow eyes glaring angrily at me. I was conscious of a slow, freezing feeling, starting at my toes and working its way up to the top of my head. I know it's absurd, but the last thing I remember is thinking about Percy, and that he would probably end up marrying Penelope. Then there was just a freezing, icy, black, emptiness.