Harry shivered. It was cold in the castle, let alone underground. Looking up one of the pipes, he quickly concluded that he stood no chance at all of getting out on his own. Yes, he could probably manipulate the stone to form some sort of handle to climb up. No, he did not yet have the power or skills to do so the hundreds, maybe thousands of times required to climb back up.

The strange noise behind him that made him shiver became stronger. He slowly stepped into the Chamber itself, his wand out. He would not be taken by surprise, and he would not go down without a fight. He wouldn't!

Slowly the mouth of a large statue opened and Harry could only stand frozen to the floor as the body of an immense snake slithered unto the Chamber floor.

"Oh dear sweet Merlin," he felt weak with dread, "a Basilisk…"

That year, their teacher had allowed them to do a fun project about legendary creatures, both magical and muggle. It had been thoroughly enjoyable, and the resulting projects had been displayed throughout the school.

"I'm going to die," Harry trembled, "I'm going to die…"

sssssssssss

The three witches and two wizards sprinted through the corridors, the two children at their heels. When they reached the bathroom, Severus checked it for charms, dangerous creatures and curses. Entering, they all saw the opened entrance into the Chamber.

"Harry?"

"Harry, can you hear us?"

"Harry!"

No response.

"We have to go in," Severus said, his face ashen.

Dumbledore nodded. "I see no alternative."

"We're going in," Severus sat in the tube and pushed off. The witches followed, and finally the Headmaster.

Dudley and Hermione shared a look, and then jumped in as well.

It was dirty at the bottom, like Harry had said. Severus shoved some bones around with the toe of his boot.

"Harry?"

Strange hissing sounds came from a room at the end of the cave and the group entered.

"Oh no…" Minerva whispered in agony as she saw the huge serpent, it's back turned to them. There was no doubt in her mind that beyond the horrid monster, they would find Harry's mangled form – if they didn't end up torn into pieces themselves.

Suddenly a small voice came.

"It's okay, Uncle Severus, I told her to close her eyes."

The Potions Master stepped forward. "Harry…"

"She's a snake so I can talk to her," Harry said in a small, awed voice, "she says she will obey me because I can speak."

"Alright…" Severus swallowed thickly, while Dudley and Hermione huddled together clutching Dumbledore's robes, "Tell her to keep her eyes closed at all times, Harry, so she doesn't accidentally kill anyone."

"I told her that already, and she promised," Harry reported, "She's not…not like the other snakes I talked to, Uncle Severus….I'm scared."

"I know you are, Harry, and you are being very brave," Severus encouraged, "tell her that she can't stay here, in a school full of children, and that we will need to relocate her."

"But where?" Harry asked in a high, terrified voice.

Severus thought furiously.

"Tell her I will move her to an island all of her own where she can hunt all she likes, if she promises never to attack humans, and allow me to get some of her venom and bits of skin she loses."

Harry looked incredulous. "I am trying to keep a Basilisk from attacking us, and you are thinking about Potions ingredients?"

Seeing the glares aimed at him by his aunts, promising much pain at a later time, Severus blushed a little. "Sorry, Harry. Aunt Min, could you please transfigure a very large crate?"

Minerva cast some spells to cut down one of the statues and then transfigured it into a solid box. Dumbledore cast some charms on it so that the Basilisk could breathe in it. Then Harry asked it to enter the box for transportation. It didn't seem happy, but obliged.

"She hated it here," Harry said, "stone and pipes and no fresh air."

As soon as the Basilisk was safely locked in, and every ward imaginable cast on the box, Harry threw himself into Aunt Poppy's arms and cried. "I was so frightened," he sobbed, "Myrtle threw me down and then the snake came…"

"Shhhhh, Harry, sshhhh, everything's alright now, we have you," the nurse soothed, "are you hurt, love?"

"I hurt my knee when I fell down but the Basilisk didn't hurt me," Harry sniffed, "I want to go home."

Severus lifted him in his arms and Harry curled against him like a toddler, too shocked by the events of the day to remember his eleven-year-old dignity.

"We need to find a way up," he said.

Dumbledore nodded. "Fawkes?"

With a cry, the Phoenix appeared. "Severus, you go first with Harry and Dudley, then Poppy and Irma will follow with Hermione. Minerva and myself will go up through one of the pipes since we need to levitate the basilisk cage."

Fawkes cried his understanding and landed first Severus, Dudley and Harry on the bathroom floor, and then returned for the other three.

They made their way to the infirmary to take care of Harry's knee while waiting for Headmistress and Deputy to arrive with their cargo.

Poppy examined the swollen knee and frowned, but quickly fixed it.

"Looked worse than it actually was," she said, "it's fixed now. Stay on the bed for a while longer, Harry."

A while later, Professor McGonagall and the Headmaster arrived, apparently greatly at odds with one another.

"Albus, I simply must object. You cannot let that fool teach here."

"No one else applied."

"Honestly, we are better off not having the class at all than to let HIM teach it! All they would learn is to SMILE at their attackers."

The infirmary crew stared at the two. "Erm…Albus? You didn't actually hire Lockhart, did you?"

The Headmaster feigned not to hear, but the Transfiguration professor's glare told them enough.

"NO! That fraud!"

Severus pulled up his upper lip in disdain. He had read one of Lockhart's books once. He was quite convinced that the heroics described in it were actually performed by an acquaintance of his. The poor man was now in a hospital, trying to recover his memory from a rather severe Oblivation.

"Never mind that now," Dumbledore hastily changed the topic, "the Basilisk has been confined to an empty room until we can find transport and a safe location."

"I just Floo'ed Master Rimini and the Institutio. It is an old institution and hence, has some wealth. It has agreed to buy a suitable island for the creature in return for valuable potions ingredients. If Harry can speak with it and seal the deal, so to speak, it can live out the rest of its life in a nice remote environment – instead of dungeons and pipes, Harry."

The boy smiled. "I'll tell her so, Uncle Severus."

"Furthermore," Severus sneered, "I will not consent to my ward being taught, to use the term loosely, by someone as obviously incompetent and a fraud as Gilderoy Lockhart. There are many capable Defense Masters, if not in England than abroad. I shall give you a list."

Minerva nodded in approval. "Now, Albus, what do we do with the Chamber of Secrets? Who knows what kind of traps still lie there!"

"The entrance can only be opened by a Parselmouth," Irma noted, "if there is no exit from the castle in that Chamber, Harry can simply close up the entrance again and we let those traps lie."

"Do we know that there is no other entrance to the castle from it?" Severus asked, "we shall have to go back and investigate."

"I can ask the Basilisk," Harry offered a simple solution. All heads turned to him.

"And a child shall lead them," Severus quoted as he rolled his eyes, "brilliant thought, Harry. Although if the Basilisk doesn't know the answer, we shall have to go back down there again."

sssssssssss

There was, it turned out, one other exit from the castle down in the Chamber, and it didn't lead to the outside. It ended near the Headmaster's office – a hidden trap door underneath the Gargoyle, that also kept watch over it. Snape gave the old man a suspicious glare, but Dumbledore insisted he had never noticed and knew nothing of it.

The Institution sent some Magical Creature experts to pick up the Basilisk, and Harry assured her she would be well handled. He sent deadly glares at the handlers, courtesy of his Uncle Severus, that promised much, much pain should anything happen to the 'poor creature' as he called it.

"It's a BASILISK, Harry!" Dudley protested, "it will be fine!"

"Well what if they just dump her in the ocean or something!" Harry fussed over the large box.

"Harry, trust me. They will bring it safely to the island. Don't forget she is now worth a fortune in willingly given potions ingredients – an unending source of venom and scales. Why would the Institutio deliberately pass over the opportunity of a life time?" Severus pointed out calmly.

Under the Slytherin arguments Harry finally relented.

"Now, you've seen Hogwarts, we should be getting back. Petunia is going to beat me fiercely with that frying pan of hers for allowing her boys to be endangered, no doubt," Severus glanced at his aunts.

They shook their heads, pale now that the shock of the day set in, and all rushed to hug Harry, who squirmed and whimpered under the assault.

"Mmmph…mfine….lemmego…Sevvvvvmmmmpfffff!"

Unfortunately for him, Dumbledore had taken Severus aside.

"Again I do not ask for your forgiveness," the old man said quietly, "but allow me…to say how proud I am of you for growing into such a capable young man despite my follies, and that I look forward to working with you. Even if it does mean having my decisions negated."

Severus nodded. "I shall sent you a list of Defense candidates soon. Is it true the position is cursed?"

The Headmaster nodded. "Tom did that, when I turned him down for the job," he sighed, "None of the professors since then have remained longer than a year. Poor Quirrell had taught a few months before, when one of his predecessors quit inconveniently early, and then he took a Sabbatical, returning this year. I had hoped…that a one year break would satisfy the curse and we could trade off teachers, but apparently it doesn't work that way."

"I shall convince the Board to dedicate some funds to try and break the curse," Severus promised, "and I will create a system that allows for continuity in the curriculum even with different teachers each year. The only thing that does need work is the hiring of qualified people for the job."

"Are we…are we alright, then?" Suddenly the Headmaster was nothing more than an old, tired man who had been forced to face up to the mistakes of a lifetime, and Severus found himself feeling sympathetic towards him.

"It will be difficult, but I believe we can with effort develop a workable relationship," he acceded, trying to give as much as he could without overstepping his own needs, "I am willing to try."

The old wizard's eyes grew slightly moist.

sssssssssss

Petunia's anger was much deflated by the evidence of her own eyes that all three boys were unharmed – Severus didn't protest to being called a boy, considering it part of his punishment for not looking after them better – and after ranting a bit she hugged them fiercely, telling Severus it was in no way his fault and assuring Harry she wasn't angry with him either; it wasn't like he had chosen to be practically pushed down the hole by Myrtle. She praised Dudley and Hermione for being sensible and getting help, and then she turned her full attention to the small witch, who was hiding behind the Head of Gryffindor's skirts during the rant.

"Now, Miss, I do not believe we have been properly introduced, though my son has told us much about you. I am Petunia Dursley, Dudley's mother and Harry's aunt."

Hermione stepped forward, remembering her manners. "Hermione Granger, Ma'am, how do you do?"

"Well, thank you. You sleep in Harry's room for the holiday, let me help you with your luggage. Tonight we have a bit of a festive dinner in your honour."

Hermione blushed. Dudley and Harry had warned her of Petunia's tendency to express her affection through cooking.

The next few days were quiet and entertaining for everyone. The three witches had returned to Hogwarts and would not be back until New Year's Eve. Severus rested and found Hermione delightful to talk to – once he had deflated her faith in books a little by pointing out that people can lie, and therefore can also write down those lies. The young witch was exceptionally intelligent and capable, understanding concepts that Severus had trouble explaining to grown wizards. They spent quite some time discussing some book or article or another.

Hermione had a passion for Charms and Potions, though she did well in all classes. By the time the year drew to a close, Severus tentatively made her an offer.

"You are too young now," he said, "but after your OWLS you can officially enter an apprenticeship, even if you still have two years of school before taking NEWTS. What is not widely known, however, is that a Master and Apprentice can engage in a preliminary contract before then. In ancient times this contract could be compared to an engagement of sorts, stating that the Master intended to take on the child as an apprentice if the child proved talented enough. If you, and of course your parents are agreeable, I would enter such a contract with you – it would mean I would send you extra work to do on top of your schoolwork, and you would spend a few weeks during the holidays with me to study, but in return I would guarantee you an apprenticeship and thereby your Mastery."

"Only if I'm qualified," the girl said anxiously, "what if I'm not good enough?"

"Miss Granger, I have no doubt you are talented. My only concern is that this scheme will most likely result in you breaking my record for youngest person to gain their Mastery."

"I think it's brilliant," Harry said, "Obviously Mi is a genius, and so are you, Uncle Severus, so if you would work together when Mi's graduated I think there won't be a potion you can't make."

The others laughed when both Hermione AND Severus blushed at the praise, and Severus promised Hermione he'd contact her parents.

sssssssssss

"It's cold," Dudley shivered.

"Of course it is, it's winter, darling," Petunia cheerfully pulled up Dudley's Hufflepuff scarf a bit higher, "but you all insisted on going to Diagon Alley."

"We need proper fireworks," Dudley muttered, "and Mi wants to visit the bookstore…again!"

"Oh stop whining, Dud," Harry said good-naturedly, "there's nothing wrong with books."

"Right you are, Harry," Uncle Vernon said, clapping his nephew on the shoulder, "We were very pleased with your grades this term, boys, and if a few extra books will help you keep that up, I will be pleased to purchase them for you."

Deciding to brave the bookstore first, they entered, only to find a small crowd in the place.

"What is going on?"

Blonde, wavy hair and a white smile. Severus groaned.

"….now, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry even asked me, nay, begged me to teach their Defense Against The Dark Arts class, but I had to turn them down – couldn't leave my devoted readers!"

"Who is that weirdo, Uncle Severus?" Harry whispered.

"Language, Harry. That is Gilderoy Lockhart, the man Professor Dumbledore wanted to hire until we dissuaded him of the notion."

"HARRY POTTER!" the prissy man had spotted the Boy-Who-Lived, and Harry found himself being dragged to the middle of the room despite his struggle and protests.

"Harry Potter! Now, Mr Potter didn't know when he walked in here today…"

"…that someone would attempt to manhandle and kidnap him," a snarling voice said, and a wand was aiming between Lockhart's eyes, "unhand that child immediately. What are you thinking, dragging him from his family to satisfy your own perverse quest for attention?"

Harry breathed in relief as he was released and fled back to Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia, who kept all three children protectively close. Harry surreptiously checked his arm. Stupid git! Five red fingerprints were still visible and would likely bruise. He smirked and settled down against Uncle Vernon's safe bulk. He would enjoy seeing Uncle Severus tear the git apart.

"My dear man, I only intended to bring the boy into the limelight – teach him some PR, perhaps."

"Harry Potter is the number one target for Death Eaters still at large! Don't you think there is a reason he is not in the limelight, and his guardians aren't handling his PR the way you think it should be? Did you wish to make him a target? An eleven year old boy?"

Lockhart blustered a bit, and reporters were eagerly jotting down notes.

"That you are an incompetent fraud is your own business, and that of the people ignorant enough to read your books," Snape continued, "but that you would endanger a child to further your own reputation is beyond low, Lockhart. It is despicable."

"But Sir!" Lockhart was growing annoyed now, "I understand your jealousy of my fame, but to accuse me of such horrendous things…"

Severus let out a short laugh. "Don't be ridiculous, Lockhart. I don't need any fame associated with you. If you would bother actually travelling further than England, which you obviously haven't, you would know that I have a fame all of my own. When I make the potion that will help my poor Obliviated friend recover his memories, you will be exposed for the fraud you are. Honestly, even the timeline in your books is off. Or should I believe you were busy fighting the Yeti while you were simultaneously freeing captive children from a Hag on the other side of the world? No – you did not turn down Hogwarts, Hogwarts turned down YOUR application for lack of qualifications!"

Severus turned around and motioned the rest of his party to go about their business in the bookstore. Reporters were now swarming Lockhart, and from the sweat on the man's forehead, the questions they asked weren't the ones the scheming wizard was willing to answer.