Back with a new chapter,
I would like to thank all that reviewed the last chapter, I know a few wanted to read this one seeing it has the Basilisk and so as thanks, here it is
Hope everyone likes and as always I don't own Harry Potter
She never did get the time to visit the Basilisk the next day – or the day after it seemed, for some reason everyone had wanted her attention for one thing or another and the task was put aside until it eventually moved the back of her head and stayed there.
But now that she had some free time and thankfully to as she had quite enough of needy people and threatened to hex the next person who asked her insipid questions to essays that should have been as easy as if first years doing them. Her lessons - all of them had been going smoothly, she had caught up to date on all coursework and even the weeks ahead, she had told Ron that she wasn't going to be helping him write out his entire Potion essay much to his pity and so had left him sulking, Harry was fine and so she found herself with a free day in which she had all to herself.
As it was Harry had Quidditch and so had taken the red-head along who was still in the middle of a tantrum and so to avoid any arguments in which he most likely would end up hurt, he had offered him to go and watch as he readily agreed and so with a goodbye to her, they left the common room leaving her sitting by the fire. Crooks had found his way down the stairs and had trotted over to her paying no mind to anyone that tried to stroke him as he padded over to her and brushed along the side of her body.
She glanced down on seeing his bottle brush tail and frowned. It seemed that the fat cat had found a new playmate – or thing as more and more in recent times she had noted, he seemed to slink of somewhere. Just where she had no idea and it wasn't like he was going – or able to tell her and so she bent over and scooped him up, he meowed at her before placing his large paws on her shoulder and purred as she ran her hand over his body before settling back against the back of the sofa and back to staring at the fire.
"Just tell me that you haven't been sniffing round Mrs Norris? Because that is a problem even I won't be able to help you with." She turned to look at him as his large eyes found hers, his golden gaze burning through her as she chuckled and kissed his nose.
"Not that you wouldn't have gorgeous kittens as I know you would. But really, would you like to be stuck with someone like that for the rest of your life?" His answer was to stare at her like she was crazy as she nodded.
"Good – because I doubt even someone as pretty as you could have made up for her half of the gene pool – which is a pity as you are a catch." His rubbed his head against her shoulder as she ran her hand along his body again.
"You deserve the best but unfortunately the choices are rather limited, and I hear the aside from Norris the only cat around is that Ravenclaw one which - to be honest let's face it there all a bunch of snobs in that place – thinking there above us just because a hat deems them slightly brighter than that of other traits… laughable really."
She mused idly reaching up and rubbing behind his ears; the purring she got in response told her that he thought the same which made her smile. Soon he squirmed in her grip which she took as her cue to let him down as he sauntered over to the portrait door and as it opened he hopped out disappearing into the stair well and off on his travels. She watched him go staring at the door long after he went.
"Hmm… seems I'm not the only one with secrets" She mused before staring at the clock. She decided to get a move on and so went to change into clothing more suitable for what she was preparing next. She knew it was time to go see the Basilisk and so didn't want to ruin her semi decent – what she had on now clothes and so went to get a pair of jeans that wouldn't be missed nor would get her questions that she didn't want to answer.
Changing into a faded pair of loose fitted jeans and a cotton shirt she buttoned up her jacket and made her way back down the stairs. She made her way past the few kids hanging around thanking that it was a nice day outside and that the majority where outside, the less around the better and didn't look back as she made her way out onto the cold, cool corridor of the stairwell.
She silently moved down the stairs getting lower and lower until at last she came to the hallway that held the second floor bathroom… and the chamber, stopping at the end she looked around to make sure no one would come down or was lingering near as she moved, finally standing outside the door she eyed the fading sign before pushing on the door slightly before sliding inside.
She gazed around the messy room – the windows still as dank and grimy as ever, letting in little light as it shone through in single beams and lit the room with the barest of sun as the scattered remains of the potion they had back last year still littered the floor. Finally her gaze fell upon the circular row of sinks at the other end – the chipped and dirt covered porcelain sinks that housed the chamber underneath, still to this day, unknown to the rest of the school save for two and the headmaster.
She moved silently, dodging the broken glass until she came to a stop in front of the unusable sinks and gave it another once over before deciding to just get it over with. Any lingering and she ran the risk of greeting Myrtle, the ghost who would have no problem nosing in to her business and seeing as it had something to do with the way of her death – she also might have no issue going to alert someone.
Especially if she knew what still lurked beneath.
Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes and focused before a small hissing sound left her lips as she spoke to the empty room. A few seconds later, the familiar sound of the sinks working as they moved too slowly reveal the large tunnel underneath – she watched as the large row of sinks slid back into place and she was left with a gaping hole in the floor. She moved over to the blackness that led to the room below and looked down into the blackness.
Eventually she decided to venture down and so tucking her wand into the back of her jeans – she didn't know why she brought it seeing as she knew the snake wouldn't attack, but something – a deep-rooted niggling at the back of her mind wouldn't let her leave without it – on making sure that it was safe she bent down and lowered her legs over the side before letting out the breath she held one more time before disappearing down.
She grimaced on coming to the bottom and having to balance to keep from falling over as she tripped on a loose animal bone. Glancing around she pulled a face before quickly turning and making her way along the darkened path she soon came to the place where the rocks had fallen blocking off the rest of the way as she frowned at the blockade in her way, musing over her predicament she withdrew her wand.
Silencing the area with the strongest silencing charm she could think off – she turned back to the barrage of rocks and hoped that it was enough for what she going to do next. It occurred to her that the first cause of the rock slide in the first place was because of Lockhart, the Obliviate that he did had ricocheted off the rock surface and the noise had reverberated dislodging the stones overhead and had resulted in the standing problem she had now.
So and it was a very big so. It was her hope that when she enacted her next spell – it would cause noise countered with the first spell leaving her with nothing but a path. She faced the large rocks and prayed her logic would work, it was not every day she doubted her abilities but it was not every day she faced a stone block as she pointed it at the boulders and muttered.
"Bombarda, Maxima"
She had to dodge the bits of stone that exploded on impact. The shards that flew at her were as sharp as glass and so had to duck to avoid being skewered as they went off in all directions. She looked up after a few seconds to see the rocks blowing up as they collided with the walls and for a horrible moment, she had thought her musings failed as the walls shook a little. She eyed the walls surrounding her with careful inspection if she had to make a run back in the other direction.
But thankfully they didn't – they shook a little with the force but the noise cancelling charm had appeared to have done the trick. Not so much as a few had dropped from above the rest had been absorbed and so wasn't a proven danger as she stood. Looking over she were pleased to find a narrow and very small gap that had been blasted into the rock path as she looked. Her smile turned into a little frown as she realized that she would have to crawl.
Sighing she placed her wand back in her pocket before going as close as she could on foot before getting to her knees and shifting a few loose pieces out of the way and shimmied her way through, muttering darkly under her breath as she pushed her way to the other side.
Finally she came out to the end and stood, brushing off the dirt and gifting the small tunnel a dark look to match her words as she carried on now undeterred. Eventually she came to the door that guarded the chamber as she climbed the small ladder and came face to face with the snakes that doubled as the locks. She eyed the metal inanimate creatures – thinking them like Addie as the words slipped from her mouth like water and stood still as they wriggled to life and the repeated sound of the door unlocking could be heard around the small area.
Finally the door opened to let her in as she made her way inside. Once there the lights that had been unused for over a year sprung to life once more as one by one they burst into life lightning the way and to the end, lighting the large pool of water and the overhead statue of the man who had created the chambers. She climbed down the ladder and slowly started her path up the middle of the large room now that she was one her own and without the urgency of saving a life – she felt she could fully explore the place and made her way around before to the other end.
She gazed around the silent room. The place really was massive, and with it being as quite as it was, the water being as still as it was. It did make for an ominous place… a creepy back set to some horror film in which only a few had dared to brave as the effect it had left you feeling shaken.
No wonder Voldemort liked this place so much. And if it wasn't for the fact that it belonged to the house of her rivals she would have felt the need to bring in some decorations – preferably some gold and red, a little comfort in a place so chilling. But as it was she couldn't even if it was someone she found bigoted and narrow-minded for everything he stood for, he made this place to how he liked it… it was his design and she would be as so rude as to change that as she looked to the large stone face.
Last time she had been here. Three people could speak to this thing, but as it was only two had – her and Riddle. Apparently it seemed Harry couldn't for some reason as only the heir could, but she had later pondered on that and had figured it was only a ploy by the Slytherin to get Harry rattled more making him lose focus on the matter at hand. She wasn't Slytherin yet she could still talk to it, hell she wasn't even the heir but still managed to save his life by communicating with the creature.
She had wondered if the other boy often took people's words to heart – good or bad, if that was so then he really needed to re-think his priorities as it just might come back in a nasty way some time in later life as she stared at the mouth that had been closed.
Riddle had called the snake – brought it out from its slumber – could she possibly do the same thing having already acknowledged she had nothing to do with the snake house founder? She eyed the stone face more closely before deciding that she had nothing to lose if she didn't try, it wasn't like she didn't have a good enough chance after all, the snake had said that it wanted her to visit and so assumed that she did have what it took to wake it if it hadn't of said that to her.
Standing firmly in the center she concentrated solely on the face. And the snake that lay in dormant sleep behind it – she wasn't in no way going to call the snake house the greatest of the four and so quickly had to think of something else to try to rouse it from its sleep. In the end, and with some careful deliberation, the only thing she could think of as she faced the stone stature and spoke as once more the hissing that fell so faintly from her lips but rang out in the large and echoic chamber.
'… Hello?'
She cursed herself as soon as the words came out and mentally hit herself for being so lame. At least with Riddle he made a grand show of bringing it out and not just a pleasant greeting, she frowned, looking at the floor and lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice the mouth slowly opening as something stirred inside. As the Basilisk woke to the sound of her voice it stretched as it uncoiled and made its way to the person that called for him.
Seeing movement at the side had her looking only to find the mouth open and the every growing sound of what she knew to be the large creature awakening. She smiled to herself for a moment before seeing in the darkness the outline of its head and had to shut her eyes immediately as soon as it made its appearance. The Basilisk moved from the lair it had rested in and out into the open as its massive body slithered from the mouth and into the water.
She could hear the small waves that it had caused as it got closer to her, the stone grated together as the mouth shut once it had fully emerged and was now in front of her as the large eyes that were so deadly, peered down at her. It sniffed the air and the one who had come to see it as it remembered the scent and something inside flickered as it brought forth memories of the last time people had been there.
She had been one of them. It was the second, and she had come to visit just like she said.
'…You came'
She jumped little on hearing the voice that she hadn't heard for nigh on nearly a year and smiled still with her eyes closed as it curled around her,
'I said that I would and I am not one to break a promise. I am just sorry it has taken so long' It got closer as it bent down to her body a little closer still sniffing the air as he spoke again.
That does not matter to me how long it has been… you came that is all that I care about.' She allowed herself to smile as he gazed down on his new friend. He saw that her eyes were shut and felt sadness at this – he wanted her to be able to see him in all his form not just hear his sounds of voice. But it could not be, the memory of the one before dared not look at him and even the very first master he had could not gaze at him when he hatched from his egg.
Knowing that she was nicer than the ones previous made him all the more upset that she had to keep her eyes averted and so moved his head around so that it was near her body, she did jump on feeling something large and solid hit the side of her and on reaching out – tried very hard not to startle at the very real something she connected with as a rumble told her it was the snake and so very gently ran her hand over his head.
This is what he had missed. He closed his eyes relishing the touch that he hadn't had in more than a thousand years. The last one didn't bother to show any form of affection. Only malice and anger as he sent him to terrorize and in spite of what people had been told to believe about snakes –they liked attention just as much as other creatures did, it may not have been a lot but they still liked it, and he dared anyone who lived in a place like this for longer than anyone combined, not to crave the contact of another living being when given the opportunity, and wasn't terrified of his presence.
He had been alone for so long. But now he was alone no longer.
He lifted his head a little breaking the contact as he peered down at her once more. As much as he liked the company already, he knew there must have been a reason – there always was and so spoke.
'Is there any particular reason you have come by my new friend. Or have you really come to visit?'
She smiled a little more falsely this time and hoped that he couldn't sense the slight twinge on hearing him say the words. Now that he had guessed there was an agenda for her coming down it made her feel bad, it may not have been to order him to go out and do her bidding like the others had but it still wasn't just for whimsy or 'because she wanted to' she did… but also to ask him.
So looking back to him – as best she could with her eyes closed, she decided that instead of just outright asking what it was she needed to know. She would take the time to get to know him a little. He hadn't spoken or seen anyone in over a year and even thought she liked being alone for longer then what most considered healthy, there was a limit and whereas she could go and seek others out not that she would, the point was she could talk to them.
Him being down here wasn't by choice and it wasn't as if he could chat with what he ate and so lifting her hand again. She heard him shuffle a bit before leaning back into the touch as she smiled wider.
'Perhaps all I wanted was to get to know the guardian of the school a little more hmm?' she laughed a little at the Crooks like imitation of what sounded like a purr as it rubbed along her hand,
'I mean who else gets such an opportunity'
She edged away a little as he watched her with hawk like eyes as she turned around finally managing to open her eyes and look around. Finally spotting a rock like perch she moved and settled herself down hearing the large reptile move after her as she closed her eyes once more and settled the best she could whilst blind as she faced him again.
I would be happy to share all about my life with you, new friend' She tilted her head a little before replying. 'My name is Hermione'
A hiss rang out as his forked tongue flickered slightly testing the name which made her laugh again hearing it spoke in such a way that a year ago, she most likely would have passed out at if heard on a silent corridor
'…Hermione… it suits you' she smiled and nodded her had feeling a little stupid as her eyes remain closed. 'Do you have a name?'
The silence overtakes the chamber as he gazes at her; she bites her lip waiting and wondering if she said something wrong. Eventually he speaks.
'I do'
More silence comes between them as she sits and waits… feeling foolish. Soon the quiet stretches for longer than what she likes and so with a small tilt of her head, asks.
'Do I get to know?'
She heard the sound of the large body slide along the floor as it drew itself up a little before replying.
'…Nidhogg'
Immediately her thoughts went to Mythology – Norse to be precise. And the large fabled creature that dwelt near the tree of the world, the Yggdrasil, using it to gnaw and chew on. She idly wondered how it was Salazar had come to know about such a name but figured that it was only a myth after all – and that it had predated the times of the founders, so it would have been likely that he had read upon it somewhere.
Even if it was from a Muggle folklore
She imagined the snake rearing up proudly and had to agree that it was indeed an impressive name and so fitted the snake perfectly, she smiled and replied.
'A perfect name for a perfect friend'
It hissed again. He had never been called a friend before. Pet yes – creature of destruction certainly, but never friend. He lowered his body so that he was near his new friend once more and curled around the stone rock she had sat on – placing his large head and settled on the floor next to her, she may not have been able to see him but he could let her know he was there and stuck out his tongue as it flickered near her head.
She jerked a little on feeling a slight whip of something but stayed still as he spoke. Thank you… Hermione'
They spoke for ages. She sat and listened to all about his life – how he came to be at the school. What Salazar was like back when the school was in its infant years – when he brought him to the school – what they talked about which she was sad to learn wasn't much – and everything since then. Well not everything as the snake had over nine hundred, nearing a thousand years on her but they had time.
Somewhere in the back of her mind a small voice was telling her she had been in the chamber for hours and as they talked it only got more persistent, plus she was tired of having to keep her eyes closed and so with a deep reluctance knew she had to leave. But before she did, it occurred to her that she had yet to reveal the reason about why she was down here and so looking in the direction of what she hoped was the large snake, she spoke.
'As much as I would like to stay, I really must be getting back'
This stopped the Basilisk in his tracks as he looked down to her and his mood turned sullen. He didn't want her to leave. After going for so long without company she was the only one that had cared for him. But knew that she was right as much as he didn't want to admit it
He shuffled closer so she could place her hand on his head as very slowly he lifted it so that they touched. She rested her hand on top and very slowly ran her hand down as she tipped her head a little.
'I am sorry, but I will come back.'
'More friends' she nodded noting the slight longing in his voice and curled her fingers around the soft plume that covered the top of his head. 'Yes - and they will be worried if I don't go back'
He hissed a little but nodded. Her hand came to a halt as she bit her lip readying herself to ask the next question.
'….Before I do leave – there is one question I would like to ask?'
He lifted his head to acknowledge her and to give her permission as she slowly ran her hand back across his head hoping to soothe him before she left.
'Something happened recently, something a little disturbing to say the least and I can't help but think it stems to a slight doubt I have' turning to face her more he stared at her slightly frowning face and his own concern rose… was his new friend hurt?
And as much as I would like to think Riddle gone, his presence can still be very effective and so I was wondering, should the opportunity come forth again. Would you once more attack those thought unworthy to be here?'
She let the assumption linger as he looked at her, he didn't know what she was getting at. Wasn't this the same girl who wanted him to stop all the attacks last year? Wasn't she the one who told him he had a choice… tilting his head, he hissed.
'I don't understand… do you wish for me to attack more?'
She stopped her stroking and shook her head fervently. 'Oh no, god no'
'Then I do not get what you are saying.'
'I mean would you willingly go against what I have asked you, would you go and attack those as you have been commanded once more. I don't want you to… I just have to be sure you won't' she deliberated on saying the next part but as he might still not get what she was grasping at it had to be said.
'No one knows that you are alive. Everyone up above thinks that you have been slain' he reared back a little more confused than ever,
'Why?'
'Because my friend Harry, the one that' she never got to finish as a loud hiss cut her off. 'Yes – the one that tried to kill me'
She nodded hesitantly on hearing the sharpness in his voice and knew she had to tread carefully, 'Yes him… well he had to inform the headmaster about what exactly was down here and he asked if you had been subdued in a way and if I hadn't of said yes, than a lot of people would have known we had lied – and most likely would have tried to come down here.'
He hissed again making her nod
'We have kept that a secret to this day – but I need to know that you won't go and prove me wrong.'
Finally he got her as he looked down on her small figure. She was asking if he was a threat to the school. He knew he was but only because he had been controlled before, now that he had been freed he no longer had to follow orders. Besides the only one that could ask him and get him to comply was the one in front of him but she already knew this from last year
'You have no reason to fear, my thoughts no longer are clouded by the last one.'
She knew he meant Riddle and so smiled, relieved that she didn't have to worry and that he hadn't taken offense and tried to eat her as she was still pretty much a blind mouse.
'You have no idea how good it is to hear you say that'
She spent a few more minutes with him before deciding that she had to leave. She promised that she would visit him as often as possible but knew that it would be hard, finally with one more stroke of his long body, she bade him goodbye and sent him back to sleep as he slowly turned and made his way back to his lair, back through the mouth as she waited for him to go before slowly opening her eyes.
She found herself standing in an empty chamber once more and sighed. Her first visit had gone better than she thought and with the promise in mind for the next trip, she turned and quickly made her way back to the surface hoping against hope that it hadn't been as long as it felt and that no one would have noticed her absence. She crawled back through the small tunnel before hurrying to the large pipe.
Shaking her head she gripped the edges and started to climb the metal tube. When he created the underground room he clearly hadn't thought to make an escape route as she slipped slightly before pulling herself up, it took a while but eventually she got there and with one last effort – heaved herself over the side and sprawled out onto the bathroom floor.
"Where did you come from?"
She turned from her spot on the floor to find herself staring up at the transparent face of Myrtle. The ghost had been shocked to find the large tunnel open once more and had half a mind to go and tell the headmaster, but she was curious as to see who it was that had opened the chamber again and waited – both feeling slight excitement to see who she could get into trouble and fear that it was a repeat of last year.
Finally she heard grumbles and sounds that had her looking as Hermione pulled herself up and out as she lay on the floor, she eyed the other girl with large eyes as the sink returned to its normal state and covered the hole once more leaving it looking as normal as any other abandoned bathroom.
"Where do you think?"
The ghost looked to the sinks fearfully before back to the younger girl. "Why did you open it again?"
She heard the apprehension in her voice and knew that it was dragging up memories of her death. Any other day she would have sympathized with her but figured that it she really was that scared of what lay down there then why on earth and that included the afterlife – did she stay in the place that she had been killed. It baffled her and so wasn't going to pity the irritating girl.
"My business" She replied tersely as Myrtle sniffed. "I could go tell Dumbledore you know, could inform him that someone has opened the chamber once more… don't think he would take to kindly to someone letting that thing out once more"
Her words angered the living girl and she pushed herself up on to her elbows to glare more heatedly at the ghost. "That thing is a Basilisk, a living – breathing – feeling Basilisk. One that was under the control of a bloodthirsty unfeeling, lunatic… just as much as victim as you"
She narrowed her eyes at the dismissive snort the spectacled girl let out and got to her feet. "Here's what's going to happen. You are going to float around like nothing is wrong. Certainly not going to open that annoying mouth of yours – not to tell Dumbledore about me being here… not to spread rumors and cause panic – you're going to act like everything is fine… which it is… got that"
The ghost girl eyed her silently and with slight suspicion. She knew that she was serious – having proven that the year before and knew that she also wouldn't make idle threats without backing them up, it made her shiver a little as the way she held and spoke reminded her of the first reason the chamber of doom, as she called it – had been opened.
She desperately wanted to know why she was down there… but also knew the risk wasn't worth it and so with great reluctance. Nodded her compliance much to Hermione's amusement as she smirked a little
"Very good"
She didn't reply merely looked at her with some disdain before turning and disappearing. She rolled her eyes at the whiny dramatics before turning and making for the door, looking out once more before taking her leave. She spelled the door shut and started back up the hall and the upper levels back to the tower as she glanced at the clock on the fourth floor and winced.
If the time was right then she had been down there for more than hours. Far longer than she expected and as much as she liked to keep them fooled with the guise of going to the library, if they needed her then they would go in and see and if they had then they would have found her normal hideout empty.
As she reached the seventh floor and the tower that led to the common room – she had also missed the beginnings of dinner as well as she hurried inside after hastily giving the password, ignoring the looks she got and hurried to change out of her very dirty clothes. She only hoped that every one of importance had gone down and not come back. That way she could feign being in the dorms most of the day, and no one would be any the wiser.
She pushed on the door and looked around. Breathing out in relief when it was empty and so made her way to her bed, she grabbed the clothes she wore before and made for the smaller room as a shower was next on her list. As the water gushed down over her body she allowed her mind to return to the conversation and the promise that he had given her, that her fears had now been put to rest and so now longer did she have to avoid the dam boy who seemed to cover every part of the school and his stupid camera.
She smiled to herself thinking back to what she had learnt about her new friend, and all he had shared with her and more the next time she went back. The place on a whole was eerie – it was cold, it was dank and it reeked of nothing but then the hard-edged bitterness Salazar was famed for.
But she could look past that – brave the iciness of the desolate cavern in favor of her new friend. He fascinated her, and with the knowledge of his name – it made the fact that he was her secret all the more real. Only she knew about him… well, her Harry and Ginny. But she was confident that as long as she played it well and made sure that she gave nothing away, all would be fine as they wouldn't breathe a word about him and the less that knew the better.
Changing she made her way back to her bed and slipped on her shoes. She would go visit her Mother as she made her way back down the stairs and back out the door, even if she want there – most likely being in the hall she knew Patches would be around and so wouldn't hesitate to feed her, she strolled along the silent hallway feeling pleased with all she had accomplished that day.
Maybe she would award herself a secret well-kept with cake.
