A/N: Okay, for all of you not reading "The Well Groomed Mind" by Lady Khali or "Dark Phoenix" by SofiaDragon FOR SHAME! Okay, you're probably wondering why there's a rant about it, however they offer in looks into the wizarding world no one seems to wonder about. For all of those who dislike Dumble bashing I suggest you don't read it, however it does raise interests in why exactly did Harry have to go through what he did and his background. Let's just say a Slytherinish Potter with deep thinking is amazing. If you are... You know what I mean. Anyway, I'll be delving into changing Hogwarts for the better, I love Dumbledore but he was a manipulative lout in many ways. PS: I'm taking liberties by having the basilisk's whole body being in it's natural shape. It never decomposed fully. So yeah... That's all the spoiler you're getting. *smirk*
Disclaimer: Really, I seriously don't own this. It's a plot bunny... Not a plagiarism.
Same Warnings as before, but nothing really dangerous about this chapter.
Chapter 4
I had never understood why the Forbidden Forest never had wards up to prevent students from entering them and said so biweekly teacher meeting causing them all to stare at me gobsmacked.
"Excuse me?" Minerva said looking at me at across the table. I was seated near the end considering how my position as the newest and youngest teacher. I studied her over my glasses with a slight frown, was my question really that strange?
"I was wondering why there wasn't any wards up around the Forbidden Forest preventing students from entering it or at least notifying the headmaster or head of houses that a student or students entered." I say calmly. "I know one hopes that students would have better sense, but they can get into trouble if dared or are... Uninhibited? What's to stop them or to notify us of such an action?"
"There isn't," Professor Flitwick squeaked and I slowly blinked.
"I know, that's why I'm asking about it. Are we going to do anything about it?" I repeated. Snape was studying me from across the table his arms lost in the billows of his robe.
"I...Isn't the warning enough?" The new Transfiguration teacher asked. Snape and I both snort indelicately at his words and he looks at us in apprehension, eyes darting back and forth much like a corned mouse between two cats.
"Sir, what house were you in when you attended here?" I say politely trying to ease the tension and hide the annoyance in my voice. I can practically guess which house he's from and was completely unsurprised by his response.
"Hufflepuff," he says with a smile. I smile grimly and think, saw that coming even without my glasses on.
"Well in Gryffindor there is a long standing tradition that students try to sneak past the Whomping Willow and into the Shrieking Shack. Which leads me to beg the question, what other kind of stupid things do you think they're able to get themselves into without proper protection? There's only so many of us, and frankly, if I may be so blunt, far too few considering we have over nine hundred students relying on us." I rub my right arm remembering how the Basilisk's fang pierced it in my second year of schooling. "In my personal experience students run the habit of getting themselves in near death positions far to often." The whole table goes silent and the older professors who were around when I was in school notably pale except for Snape who exchanges a look of knowing with me.
"What would you suggest we do Professor Potter?" He asks quietly. I frown and think for a moment.
"Considering the number of teachers we have and how many students we have I would suggest hiring more teachers, which would lesson the work load, having thirty to fifty students a class is exhausting, or at least putting upperclassmen in positions over younger house members. I understand we have prefects and the head boy and girl, but it really isn't enough. Rules are meant to be broken in many a students' opinion, but the notification of when a rule is broken should probably be advanced. A charm on all badges to create a recording of any action that personally endangered the student wearing it or another student would help. Proper warding on all entrances and exits listing who is leaving and entering as well as a ward limiting access to unsavory areas without a teacher or teacher's expressed permission. Maybe a ward that prevents dangerous prank items from entering the school. And..." I pause and stew for a moment, "There should also be classes helping Muggleborn students integrate into the wizarding world, as well as classes meant to help students prepare for life as an adult wizard in the wizarding world." They stare at me and I shift a bit, uncomfortable with their fascinated study, as though I'm some strange and unusual being. "What?" I say discombobulated.
"Wherever in the world did all of that come from?" Neville says surprised. I scowl at him.
"You say that as though you don't think I have thoughts Neville," I growl and he merely laughs.
"You were always one to run into things headfirst Harry," he says and I scowl.
"I ran into things yes, but that was when I was considerably younger. With a young girl dependent on my every action I have had to properly consider all the actions that I do. My Meredith has a habit of doing dangerous things and I would like to prevent any mishaps she or any other student may get into. I can consider the worse case scenarios because, frankly, I have often been the one in them. I did have to kill a basilisk when I was twelve. The fact we have giant spiders in the Forbidden Forest as well as a herd of Centaurs that do NOT like humans coming in their territory should be a concern, no offense Firenze." The centaur gives me a nod of understanding, "I am sure there are plenty of other things and beings there that would enjoy snacking on a student. In truth, the same can be said about the lake, I would hate to explain to a parent that their child died because they decided to do a fright night that involved them sneaking out of their dorms late at night to go on a midnight walk through the Forbidden Forest or swimming in the lake. Imagine if they got into the greenhouses Neville, the ones holding the more unfriendly planets, and ended up injured because they mishandled something." A dark look crosses his face and he nods in understanding. Just thinking a student getting into a bed of mandrakes or any of the man-eaters can cause anyone to pale.
"I have to agree with you there Potter," Snape murmurs. "Your expertise on the field notwithstanding, you have listed several problems I too have had issues with." Several nods of reluctant agreement and I look at Minerva almost angrily.
"Then why haven't they ever been addressed?" I almost demand. "I hate to say it, but my years at Hogwarts does not cement that this is the most protected place in all the world."
"Now Harry," Minerva says, "You can't base your decisions on your childhood actions. They were a different and difficult time."
"For who were they difficult Minerva?" I dare her. "Who ended up saving the Philosopher's stone? Who defeated a basilisk? Who ended up nearly being bitten by a werewolf? Who faced down a dragon, merefolk, multiple hazards in an insane maze and was kidnapped using a portkey? Who ended up being tormented by a Ministry Official and still bears the scars? Who watched their Headmaster die? And who exactly fought a battle with the most evil wizard of our time? And just where did it happen?" I snarl. "I may have a colored opinion. However, I am also now on the other end, I am a concerned parent. I am in the position where I have guaranteed over two thousand people their son, daughter or children that they'll be safe and come to no harm. So explain to me, just why hasn't this been addressed?"
"Because of tradition," Nowlins answers me and I nearly growl with annoyance.
"That is the most foolish thing I have ever heard. I can understand not changing things because the governing board is a group of foolish imbeciles, but allowing such matters to continue because no one previously had such sense offends my sensibilities." I look Minerva in the eyes, "Please tell me that you'll at least consider my observations and mention them to the board for review and if they agree make the necessary happen." She nods and I sigh.
"Now what is this about Muggleborns having classes about the Wizarding World? Isn't history enough?" Another professor asks. I believe she's the Ancient Runes teacher but I don't care enough to find out at the moment.
"Not really. I don't know how you teach it Professor Nowlins but most muggleborns come to this school and leave this school with little knowledge on how to act in the wizarding world and their place. Just as there all sorts of different rules and actions one must consider when going to a new company due to it's culture, Muggleborns entering the wizarding world have the same challenges. However, there are no classes instructing them on how to properly interact or what they should expect. I didn't even know what age I had to be to vote or that it was influenced by my blood. I knew nothing of Gringotts' policies on insurance nor that as a Lord that I was required to do and act a certain way during certain times. I didn't even know I had access and possession of all the wizards I defeated during the wars and my work until I went to Gringotts one day and the Goblin asked when I would get around to picking up my new keys. There's so much I didn't know and I can almost guarantee you that unless they search it out themselves they won't know it and have it thrust upon them on inopportune times. I almost ended up married to a girl I consider a sister because of one silly comment." They call collectively wince. "There's the concern of Wizards handling the Muggle world since they're unfamiliar with it, however where is the concern for Muggleborns in the Wizarding world? Is this due to old ties to prejudice or is it from the offhand chance it's never factored into anyone's head?" The group sighs.
"You've brought up several important points Potter," Minerva muses. "I suggest we devote the next meeting to the Muggleborn issue, and I'll bring up the warding and protection topics during my meeting next week with the board. I am sure they'll appreciate your concerns and criticisms. Since the meeting has run over about ten minutes, I do believe we're done." Murmurs of agreement and scraping of seats moving back answer her question and we all rise to leave. I am the first to leave since I'm closest to the door and I crack my back a bit, tired from the early morning meeting. I see a few students up and excitedly moving around. It's the first weekend that third years and higher allowed to go to Hogsmeade. Many who have never gone or are in need of getting a certain item are up and trying to be the first ones out to avoid crowds. Internally groaning I head towards my office. I hope that I'll be able to get a little grading in before I have to head down to breakfast then to duty but it isn't meant to be.
"KRAAAAACK BOOM!" Reverberates through the whole school and I run towards the chaos. Really, being a professor is so much more exciting than being a student.
...o0O0o...
I stand next to the troublemakers and sneer at them menacingly while Potter berates them for their foolishness. I had barely left the meeting room before the explosion was heard and ended up arriving just after Potter to find a group of fifth year Gryffindors standing around a bag filled with the remnants of firecrackers and a boil potion. A few students have been sent to the hospital wing besides the a few of the plotters, which is something the leftover troublemakers envy, since Potter is currently lecturing them to the point of tears. He's even sterner than Minerva or I about such behaviors and the students look quite depressed over the fact they have run afoul with the hardest disciplinary in the school.
"Such actions are not permissible!" He snarls at them and they collectively flinch.
"But Professor Potter! We were just trying to get back at the Slytherins for hexing us and causing us to miss class. We were trying to be true Gryffindors!" One of the stupider imbeciles protest.
"But nothing! True Gryffindors are those who show bravery, courage and honor! There is no bravery, courage, OR honor in seeking vengeance. You are all sixteen years old! You should know better! An eye for an eye does not resolve any problem! If you truly wanted show bravery, courage, and honor you would have risen above such petty actions, informed a teacher and proved yourselves better than such childish ideas! I know we Gryffindors may act recklessly, but that does not mean we should act stupidly! You all lose ten points each for harboring dangerous and contraband materials, another five for plotting against the well being of another student, and another five for talking back to a teacher! You will all report to me Friday night for the first of a week of detentions, will not be allowed to Hogsmeade for the next two weeks, and are to write a three foot essay on how a Gryffindor properly exhibits the traits of bravery, courage, and honor without the use of childish and undisciplined behavior! Prove yourselves better through your studies! Prove yourselves better through your future jobs! Prove yourselves better by helping your enemy! Now go to the hospital wing the lot of you! Don't forget Friday!" They scurry off with yes sirs and a few tears. He cross his arms and sighs, annoyed. I watch him remove his glasses and pinch the bridge of his nose tiredly.
"That was the second most severe punishment I've heard about you serving out this year," I say with a chuckle and watch him roll his eyes in exasperation.
"I should hope so! They did a bad thing, but it isn't nearly as horrible as stripping one's cheating boyfriend, taking his wand away, and then suspending him in the air just above a nest of hungry, man-eating, magically enlarged Venus Fly traps." I snort at the picture, and look at him curiously.
"How do you know of this?" I say intrigued.
"I found to poor boy during one of my walks after dinner. I was heading to visit Neville with a gift of seeds I received from a colleague and spotted the thrashing. The poor chap had been silenced as well so he couldn't yell for help, he was just dangling there thrashing and trying to get free to no avail. The girl's been suspended and once she gets back she has lost all privileges for the rest of the year." He says rubbing his neck tiredly.
"Sounds like you stumble upon the wildest of things... A basilisk being one of them." I say humorously.
"Lord, don't remind me of the basilisk. I wonder what they ever did with the body." He groans.
"What do you mean? Didn't you harvest it?" I ask surprised. He looks at me shocked.
"What? Harvest it? Why would I do that? I was more focused on getting Ginny, Ron, Lockheart and I out of there. I was more occupied with the fact that I'd just killed something that was trying to become fully corporeal from a book. I thought Dumbledore sent someone to take care of it afterward." He says as we leave the hallway for the eating hall. My eyebrows go up in surprise.
"Pray tell how would they do that? You're the only one able to access it and know where it is correct?" I say back and he pauses then nods.
"I suppose you're right, you do have to speak Parseltongue to enter the chamber and get the secret entrance to open. Huh, I wonder if the body is still there? I mean there is stasis spells on the whole area." He mutters scratches his head. I freeze and stare at him.
"Stasis spells? As in there might be an entire untouched basilisk waiting to be dissected?" I say with reverence. He eyes me nervously as we enter the hall.
"Yeah?" He responds as we walk up to the table past the filling house tables.
"Harry Potter I will do whatever you want for the rest of my life if you take me down there and let me collect that snake," I say as we reach the table. "Pay anything for that snake."
"Snake?" Minerva asks surprised, Filius and Longbottom are both looking over with interest.
"The basilisk from my second year here," Potter responds seating himself after pulling out my seat. I cock an eyebrow at him and he blushes. "Sorry, habit, I do that for my daughter and her friends so often I do it on reflex." I sneer at him and seat myself, hiding that I enjoy being cared for.
"There actually was something?" Minerva says shocked. Potter blinks at her, surprised.
"You didn't think there wasn't did you?" He inquires. She blushes and nods hesitantly. With a sigh he stands again, removes his robes, unbuttons his long shirt and slips it off. I feel my blood pool in my groin at the sight of his toned and muscled body, ropes of muscles show through the thing wife beater, and I follow more than one scar that lead to interesting places under his pants. He shows us a circular scar at the top of his right arm and says, "That's from it's fang."
"You were bitten by a basilisk?" The new Care of Magical Creatures teacher nearly shrieks in surprise. He nods. "How are you even alive?" He scowls and tugs the shirt back on, and attempts to tuck it back in without removing the belt. He ends up having to remove it anyway and I fight my reaction to see if anything interesting will show when the pant's top loosens.
"Phoenix tears." Is his only response as he finishes righting his clothes and pulls the robes back on.
"Dear God..." The teacher murmurs, "Is... Is it still alive? Is it stillthere?"
"Alive, no. There? Yes, unless something ate it. However, I doubt that big of a snake is going to be dragged off and eaten, though maybe part of it has been in the past twenty years or so." He responds. The whole table is staring at him. Minerva blinks a few times and then focuses on me.
"Why are you talking about this with Harry, Severus?" She asks.
"Oh, he mentioned it then he mentioned that it's there under stasis spells. Can you even imagine how much potion material it must be?" I respond unable to hid the sheer joy and interest in my voice. The Care of Magical Creatures teacher chokes.
"If it's truly under stasis... Good Lord, what I sight it must be. Professor Potter would you allow me to accompany you if you go to see it with Professor Snape? It must be a fascinating sight! I would love to get a few pictures for my class, maybe a few parts of it that aren't needed in potions?"
"Well there's some shed skin down there... It's fairly large so I'm certain there'll be something of it you can take." He says slowly. The whole table blinks and focuses on the words 'fairly large.'
"How large exactly did you say it was?" Longbottom asks with trepidation. Potter winces in memory then obviously tries to figure out how large it is from memory.
"I'm not exactly positive, but I'd say about sixty or so feet long." With that the whole table erupts.
"Sixty feet?" "You're joking!" "Good God Harry!" "Where the bloody hell could it have been if it was sixty feet long?"
"It was in the Chamber of Secrets," Potter responds calmly. Everyone blinks and stares at him again. "Surely you know about what happened during my second year. All the students Petrified?" The table's older members nod but the younger ones merely stare shocked.
"Harry..." Minerva says slowly, "I do believe a foray to the chamber might be in the interest of all the teachers interested." He blinks at them then shrugs. Only two other look intrigued besides me unsurprisingly. Though it is rather surprising that one is Longbottom, but eh, what do I care?
"As long as you wear something you don't mind getting dirty and the bottom parts being jeans or pants and boots I don't mind you coming. It's a bit of a nasty ride down." The table nods and continues to stare at him causing him to look pointedly at them, "Aren't you going to eat?" They all turn to the plates then look at him again then start to eat mechanically. I shake my head and let it wander away with thoughts of harvesting a treasure trove of potion ingredients.
...o0O0o...
Later that night the Care of Magical Creatures Professor, Angeline Minefield, Headmistress McGonagall, Snape, and I meet outside Harry's private quarter's portrait. Harry steps out and I have to admire how muscular he is. His tight black shirt is over a pair of cargo pants neatly tucked into a pair of steel and dragon skin boots. He's exchanged his glasses for something that appears similar to goggles but are tinted, I can only guess they're useful to have and less likely to be lost than his regular ones.
"Hullo," I say cheerfully and he smiles.
"Hello Neville, Professors," he says cheerfully. He readjusts a work belt and I focus on it and see something rather surprising.
"Harry... Are you carrying a sword?" I ask slowly. He just nods.
"I don't know what else might be down there. After all it's the Chamber of Secrets, not Secret. Must be something else down there." Is his chipper response. I flinch.
"Dear God, I didn't even think that there might be more... I'm still wrapping my head around that there is one." The headmistress mutters and I have to stifle a chuckle.
"If we might get on with it..." Snape drawls and I have to stifle another response, one to hide. Lord, how does this man still unnerve me at this grown age? Harry merely smiles.
"Well, off to the second floor girl's bathroom we go!" He cheerfully announces.
"The Chamber is in a girl's bathroom?" Angeline says surprised.
"No the long chute to the Chamber is there." Harry says leading us down a flight of stairs.
"Chute?" The headmistress says with a bit of apprehension.
"You'll see." Harry says mysteriously. Oh Lord, I think, Harry is never mysterious, I'm going to end up regretting this. I wasn't wrong.
...o0O0o...
"Good God! You went down through that?" Snape says with a scowl. 'That' as he so aptly puts it, is the dark, and albeit nerve wracking, black opening to the Chamber.
"Yup," I say cheerfully. After opening the chamber with a calm hiss of 'open for me' while picturing a cobra seen recently, I had stood back allowing the others to peer in at it.
"How long did you say this chute was?" Minefield asks staring at the opening with abject horror.
"Didn't, I don't know how long it is." I respond honestly. They all glare at me.
"How long do you estimate it to be?" Neville asks pasty white. I pause and consider it.
"It took several minutes and it was almost straight for three-fourths of the ways... Maybe seventy feet?" I answer with as close an estimation as possible. It's probably wrong since I truly have no idea but they all look even worse at the idea of going down.
"How ever did you survive that?" Minerva asks appalled.
"Well our fall was cushioned." I admit. They all turn and look at me as one.
"Cushioned with what?" They say as a whole. I smile at them cheekily. As one they scrunch up their noses.
"It's going to be something nasty isn't it?" Neville asks bluntly. I smirk and they collectively shudder. I relent a bit though.
"Hey, I'll go down first this time if you want." I offer. "I'll transfigure what's at the bottom into cushions, pillows and mattresses. It's a bit like one of those thrill slides at the water park, so it won't be so bad, yeah?" They nod but Snape catches on what I said in the first sentence.
"What do you mean by 'I'll go down first this time,'" Snape inquires this time I sneer.
"Ron and I had the admittedly not admirable Lockheart go down first," I say.
"Wouldn't he be admirable for being the first down?" Minefield asks. I snort.
"Yeah, if he had gone down voluntarily. Not at wand point and being shoved physically in under duress." I say with a dark chuckle. "That should have taught him not to steal glory from someone else and to draw wands at children. However, that backfiring Obliviate worked well enough." I mutter darkly. They stare at me then at the hole. I smile. "It's safe, even that idiot survived it. Though I'll have to carrying you up afterward. The last time I went down I ended up carried back via phoenix." They blink at me and I laugh and sit down at the edge with a reckless grin. "See you at the bottom, I'll send a patronus to tell you when it's safe to go down." I push off and slide down. I hear the edge of surprised gasps and loud good lucks before I'm spat out and dumped into the pile bones and decaying fish parts. I grimace shake myself off, preform a quick cleaning spell, before transfiguring the whole mess into pillows. Shooting off a quick patronus letting them know it's safe I turn back to studying the left over skin. It really was a fascinating thing. I hear the first thump and turn to see a stoic Snape struggling to get out of the pile. I offer a hand which reluctantly takes and I drag him up and out. Next comes Professor McGonagall, Angelina and finally Neville.
"See," I say cheerfully, "that wasn't so bad!" They all, with exception of Snape who seems to be worshiping the discarded skin, look at me full of reproach and I can't help but laugh.