Chapter 8 – Determination Of A Snake
Vergil sighed, he was back at school, in the library, waiting for Hermione to show up. His visit to the Malfoys wasn't exactly the most productive one, but it got him a couple of clues as to what he was looking for.
~X~
It was late, during one of his last nights at the manor and her was beginning to lose hope. Lucius Malfoy was like a vault; he said a few more things about the victim, but aside from that he wouldn't reveal a single thing no matter how hard Vergil or Draco pestered him about the Heir of Slytherin or the attacks. Draco had fallen asleep a bit less than two hours ago, but Vergil still couldn't will himself into drinking the Dreamless sleep potion. He needed a glass of water, maybe that would calm him down a bit.
Getting up he carefully made his way down the hall, the walls, despite having some portraits and antique decorations, looked cold to Vergil. This place was a house, but he could hardly imagine calling it a home. It just didn't hold any warmth, the family was working like a clock, doing everything at the same time every day. Getting up, eating their meals, everything was so rigid.
Vergil entered the kitchen and suddenly stopped. He wasn't alone, looking to his right he saw Lucius Malfoy, observing his collection of different brands of alcohol. He probably hadn't decided which one he wanted, hence he didn't demand it from Dobby.
"Ah, Vergil," Lucius acknowledged him before pulling out a firewhiskey and a glass. "Can't fall asleep?" he poured his drink into the glass and looked at Vergil. "Would you like to try?"
Vergil shrugged. "Sure," he agreed, doubting it could be too bad.
Lucius smirked and poured half of another glass. "Sit; I believe you want some information."
At that Vergil's eye widened. "I do. But what's with the change of heart?" he sat down and Lucius joined him at the table.
Lucius took a sip of his drink and looked Vergil in the eye. "I believe it is in our best interests to form a good relationship. So, as a sign of good will on my part I will answer one question you have, as long as it is reasonable."
Vergil narrowed his eye slightly. A reasonable question? So identity of the Heir was out of question. "I'd like to know if the monster is a beast or a being," he smirked slightly.
Lucius nodded. "That much I can answer. It is a beast," he revealed with a smirk of his own.
For a moment Vergil felt as if he just got himself into something he was unaware of, something dangerous. Something that could cost someone their life.
~X~
Hermione saying his name brought him out of his thoughts and he turned around just in time to see her flinging her arms around his neck and pulling him into a hug. "Hey, Hermione," he muttered and after a short delay returned her hug.
"So?" she was obviously eager to hear if he found anything out.
Vergil sighed. "Not much. Aside from the fact that the student that was killed was a Ravenclaw and that it happened in the bathroom I only know that it's definitely a beast, so we aren't dealing with, I don't know, a devil or something similar," he motioned at the books on the table. "I figured I could just find a beast that petrifies in here," he explained and Hermione immediately went to the other side of the table and picked up a book.
"Let's do it then," her enthusiasm to finally find an answer was contagious and Vergil smiled as he picked up a book of his own.
~X~
They were at it for a few hours already, still, slowly but surely they were going through the books they got on magical beasts.
Hermione suddenly gasped, causing Vergil to look up from the book he was reading. "I found it, it's the Basilisk!"
Vergil's eye widened. "A giant serpent?" of course, it made sense. He stood up and went over to Hermione's side, he sat down to her right and leaned over to her book.
"Of the many fearsome beasts and monsters that roam our land, there is none more curious or more deadly than the Basilisk, known also as the King of Serpents. This snake, which may reach gigantic size and live many hundreds of years, is born from a chicken's egg, hatched beneath a toad. Its methods of killing are most wondrous, for aside from its deadly and venomous fangs, the Basilisk has a murderous stare, and all who are fixed with the beam of its eye shall suffer instant death. Spiders flee before the Basilisk, for it is their mortal enemy, and the Basilisk flees only from the crowing of the rooster, which is fatal to it," Hermione read and then immediately looked up towards Vergil. "This is it, it's the Basilisk!" she exclaimed, excited that they finally solved the problem. For once she didn't care if someone berated her for being loud in the library, the more people heard her the better.
Vergil grinned, patting her on the back in a sort of a congratulations kind of way. "That fits perfectly! If any monster would be connected to Slytherin it would be a giant serpent, no one was actually hurt, so it must have been an attack from a distance," he paused for a moment.
"And the voices Harry heard from the walls! It was the Basilisk so Harry is a parselmouth! I can't believe I haven't thought of that before!" Hermione revealed something Vergil was completely unaware of.
"Wait what?" he shook his head, that was the least important thing now. "But how come no one died?" he questioned.
Hermione pinched the bridge of her nose, her eyes were closed and brows furrowed a bit. "Of course. No one looked it directly in the eyes. Filch's cat saw its eyes in the water, probably, Colin saw it through his camera and Justin saw it though Nick," she guessed and it was the only explanation that fit.
"And Nick is already dead so it can't exactly work on him," Vergil added making Hermione nod.
"But it's a giant snake, how does it keep moving unnoticed?" it was a question on both of their minds.
Vergil leaned back into his chair. "The chamber remained hidden so it's probably underground. Through the pipes, I guess? But it must be a large snake, how does it even fit through them?"
Hermione nodded. "Either it can magically fit through small spaces or the pipes have some sort of extension charm placed on them. And that definitely fits the bathroom part as well," she quickly ripped the page off and wrote down pipes on it. "Come on, we need to get this to someone, professor McGonagall or maybe even professor Dumbledore," she quickly got up, clutching the piece of paper in her hand.
Vergil followed, but just as they left the library they ran into Gemma.
"It's a Basilisk, the monster that's been petrifying the students!" Hermione immediately told her before Gemma could even try to ask them what they were doing outside of their respective dormitories that late.
Gemma took a deep breath. "Come on, let's find a professor," she said. "I don't have a mirror or anything of that nature to keep us alive, though."
"I've got that covered," Vergil said and she looked him in the eye. He subtly motioned to his eye, signaling his devil powers and she nodded.
"How?" Hermione was clearly puzzled.
"Never mind that for now. Let's move," Gemma was quick to turn Hermione's attention away from Vergil and Vergil was more than grateful for that as he concentrated on spreading an invisible electric field all around them.
As they were climbing down from the second floor, courtesy of moving staircase messing with their route to McGonagall's office on the first floor Vergil felt the disturbance. "Close your eyes! NOW!"
Hermione and Gemma immediately closed their eyes and Vergil could feel their heart rates getting faster.
"Where is it?" Gemma asked, her voice trembling as she spoke.
"It stopped moving, it's too near, to our right, in the wall," Vergil replied, his eye closed. There had to be a way to do this. To move past the Basilisk and get to McGonagall.
"What now? Move?" Hermione was starting to panic.
"It might come out and attack us directly then," Vergil wasn't sure how high the chances of that were but he wasn't willing to risk Hermione and Gemma's safety.
Gemma snorted at that. "Same goes if we stay here," she countered and Vergil knew she was right.
Taking a deep breath and feeling the snake move he made a decision. "When I count to three keep going and get to McGonagall's office, open your eyes and run as quickly as you can," his voice was calm, a complete contrast to the fearful tones of the two females.
"Vergil?" Gemma wasn't sure what he was planning, but there was obvious concern in her voice. "You mean all three of us, right?"
That got Hermione's attention as well. "Of course he does, right?"
There was no time for counting; he felt the moving staircase start to shift, if only a bit and formed a layer of darkness on them. "I'll see you later," he shifted the darkness with enough force to get both Gemma and Hermione of the stairs. He opened his eye and ran up the stairs, ignoring Gemma and Hermione yelling for him to come back. "Devil Arms: Perun!" his blade appeared and he cut his left forearm, blood gushed out and Vergil narrowed his eye. "Come on you damn animal! You can't resist blood, can you?!" he yelled, and swung his left arm as quickly as he could, letting the blood splash onto the wall and floor. Surely it would follow his scent now.
And follow it did. Vergil could feel it tearing through the electric field he was using and there was no way he could fight a giant snake without seeing. "Can't believe I'm actually using it…" he muttered as darkness surrounded his head. "Solid State Darkness," he bit out as the darkness around his head hardened into sort of a mask covering his eyes from every angle. He could see through it, he was a darkness devil, but the Basilisk wouldn't be able to look him in the eyes. At least he hoped. It wasn't like he tried it before.
He heard a small thud, like something landed on the floor and turned around. There, without any colors but merely in a sort of a grey scale world, was a basilisk. Vergil had never seen a snake so big. Even when it was slithering across the floor, coming closer to him, it was probably about a meter tall and just as wide, if not slightly more. He was sure it could swallow him if it decided to and if he let it.
"Well, I asked for this," Vergil gripped the handle of his sword and leaned forward, ready to react to whatever the snake did.
~X~
Gemma stood as if petrified, looking up to the second floor. "That idiot," she cursed and saw Hermione was on the brink of tears.
"He- he just," her breathing became erratic, she was trembling and Gemma was sure Hermione was on the verge of a panic attack. "Vergil!" she yelled, calling his name desperately.
Gemma's heart ached for the girl next to her, she needed to take control of the situation. Gently she took hold of Hermione's wrist and forced a smile. "Believe in him, we need to tell professor McGonagall."
She may have said that, but she was worried. Half-devil or not, facing the Basilisk was pretty much a suicide. The least Gemma could do right now was make sure Vergil wasn't risking his life for nothing. And if her worries were warranted, well, they didn't have much time until the beast came after them.
~X~
The giant snake stood still and Vergil had no idea why. Maybe it was confused he wasn't dead yet, or it was searching for his eyes. Either way, it wasn't moving and he knew he had two options. Fight or flight, attack or run.
He'd be damned if he ran away. Grom didn't teach a coward how to fight.
Electricity circled around his left hand as Vergil pointed the palm towards the Basilisk. "Here goes," lightning struck the snake, making it hiss, but aside from that the attack was ineffective. But it did get the beast to move. It raised its head and opened its jaw, showing him the large fangs filled with venom not even a devil could resist. It lunged at him and Vergil jumped to the side, raising his sword and slicing the Basilisk across the scales.
His eye widened when he felt the resistance, Perun was cutting through the scales, but only on the surface level. As it was anything but the most vulnerable spots were useless to even try to attack.
Recovering from the slight shock he skidded across the floor and quickly rolled to his left, dodging another attack from a surprisingly fast snake.
'Eyes, I need to go after the eyes!' he realized, if he could gouge out the eyes this would be much easier and the biggest danger would be dealt with. Even if scales were too hard to pierce through Perun should still be enough to take out the eyes. He could try to go for the mouth, but Perun wasn't a long sword, he doubted he could do it without getting bitten along the way.
Vergil leaped forward, right at the snake and thrusted Perun towards the right eye. Blood dripped down the side of Basilisk's head and it jerked around, causing Vergil to hit the wall, but it still had both eyes. His aim was off and he stabbed Perun through the scales above the eye.
Vergil grunted, clutching at his chest. He felt like he got hit by a truck, and then a train right after it. A small trail of blood slid down his chin from the corner of his mouth. The Basilisk attacked again and Vergil just barely dodged. "Damn it," he groaned as he leaned against the wall, he had no chance of winning. No chance whatsoever. Charging as much lightning as he possibly could kept the snake at bay. It wasn't attacking, but he wasn't going to last much longer.
Lightning that surrounded him began slowly melting the armor he was standing next to and the door of an empty classroom cracked under heat. 'I just need to, take a breath, just for a bit,' he was quickly burning through all the power he had. If only he didn't have to keep the damn Solid State Darkness active as well it would have been easier.
Taking one last deep breath he lowered the strength of his lightning and saw that the Basilisk noticed it. It hissed and Vergil charged lightning through Perun. As soon as lightning around him vanished he charged at the snake, slashing through the right side of its face and through the eye. The Basilisk let out something like a screeching roar of pain and thrashed its body around. Hitting Vergil and sending him into the wall. Darkness around Vergil's eyes shattered and he coughed up blood.
Barely conscious he slowly opened his eye out of habit. The last thing he saw was a ghost flying between him and the Basilisk and the world faded to black.
~X~
Hermione couldn't sleep, not even for a moment. When she and Gemma told professor McGonagall what happened and what she and Vergil found out professor immediately took her to the Gryffindor common room as quickly as possible. If something had happened to Vergil she would have known by now, right? Right. Professor McGonagall would have told her by now.
Yet she just couldn't stop worrying.
She tried falling asleep but simply couldn't so she just came down and began pacing back and forth through the common room.
Harry and Ron were yet to wake up, though some of the older students were beginning to come down as well. She knew she couldn't wait any longer. She quickly made her way to professor McGonagall's office and knocked.
'He's fine,' she kept telling herself. She needed to believe that.
Professor McGonagall opened the door to her office and upon seeing Hermione her eyes showed regret.
'No, please, no,' she mentally pleaded, fearing the worst already.
"Miss Granger, Hermione… come in, have a seat," professor McGonagall made a glass of water appear in front of Hermione and sat down as well.
"Professor," Hermione hesitated, "Is Vergil alright?" she asked not sure she actually wanted to hear an answer.
"Mr. Leonidas has been petrified. Slytherin house ghost saved him from looking into the Basilisk's eyes," professor told her and Hermione felt her breath hitch at that.
Hermione felt tears burning in her eyes as she got up only to be stopped by professor McGonagall. "I, I need to see him!" professor pulled her into a comforting hug and Hermione sobbed. "It's my fault," she whispered, trying her best to stop crying.
"Hermione, it'll be fine," professor gently spoke to her, so gently she would question if it was really her stern professor McGonagall in any other normal situation. But it wasn't just any situation. "It's not your fault, it's the Basilisk and whoever is behind the attacks that we need to blame. Mr. Leonidas will be fine, as will everyone else," her words were soft, but confident.
"I want to see him," Hermione pleaded.
"Later. I am well-aware of how Mr. Malfoy and the rest of the Slytherin might react if you went right now," professor said directly.
Hermione sobbed, her feeling of guilt coming back in full strength. "They blame me and they should. Vergil wouldn't be there-"
"You are all still just children. In time you'll all understand Mr. Leonidas didn't get petrified because of you," professor McGonagall whispered before letting go of Hermione and handing her the glass of water. "Calm down and then we can go see him later, alright?"
Hermione nodded, there was nothing else she could do.
~X~
If Draco had no reason to hate mudblood before, especially Granger, well now he had it. He watched Vergil, sitting in his bed, his upper body hunched forward a bit. He was petrified and from what Gemma told them it was obvious who was to blame.
"Bloody Granger," he hissed under his breath, though it was still loud enough for Snape, who was net to him, to hear him.
A long unbearable silence filled the hospital wing as he, Gemma, Snape and Dumbledore all stood around Vergil's bed. Finally, Dumbledore sighed.
"A hundred points will be awarded to Slytherin for Mr. Leonidas' actions. He not only saved other students but made sure we have an upper hand now," Dumbledore decided.
Draco scoffed at that. "Points?! What good are those now?! Vergil is petrified because of that mudblood!"
"There is no need for such words, Mr. Malfoy," Dumbledore spoke up, so infuriatingly calm and acting like he knew everything.
"If he didn't care about her than he wouldn't be in this situation!" Draco yelled, throwing his arms up and stomping over to the window.
Gemma sighed. "Maybe, but I don't think he regrets it. Draco, it was Vergil's decision and I'm sure he wouldn't want anyone to blame Hermione for it. And if she's to blame then I am as well."
Draco was infuriated by that. "No you're not! She's the target!"
"Miss Farley has a point," Snape finally spoke up, though Draco could see the cold anger in the man's eyes. "What's done is done."
Draco couldn't believe what he was hearing. They all just didn't care. Snape seemed angry, sure, but he didn't sound angry. Gemma was defending a mudblood and Dumbledore didn't even try to pretend he cared. Yet there Vergil was, petrified with a strange bloody sword next to his body.
~X~
Vergil had been petrified around the end of January and it took till the end of May for the Mandrake restorative potion to be ready. Four months of half-consciousness, courtesy of Perun still being separated from his soul. Four months of hearing every single word but being unable to do anything. If his consciousness at the time wasn't just that of a Devil Arm Vergil would have gone mad. Instead all he had were vague memories of what happened around him.
When he finally regained his consciousness he saw he was in the hospital wing, still sitting in the same position the Basilisk petrified him in. Petrified, not killed. He'd have to thank Baron.
"Finally awake," and speaking of the ghost he was right there.
Vergil carefully moved, not sure if his body was ready. He winced when he felt slight pain at the sudden moves. "Hey," his throat was so hoarse it came out way to similar to Baron's own voice.
"That was reckless," Baron chastised him, not beating around the bush for even a moment.
"Thanks," he swallowed, trying to moisturize his throat at least a bit. "I owe you," he made a small pause again. "For that."
Baron sighed, it was clear to Vergil he didn't exactly want to chat with him. "Try not to do something so reckless again," they both knew Vergil would do something reckless again.
As Baron left Vergil realized he was the only one still in the bed. The potion must have had a somewhat delayed effect, maybe it was because of his blood. Or maybe because of the state he was petrified in. His ribs were probably cracked during his encounter with the Basilisk.
"Mr. Leonidas! Good, you're awake," Pomfrey was immediately by his side when she saw that he was awake. She brought a cup to his lips and he took it, drinking the potion inside of it. "Good, how are you feeling?"
Vergil cleared his throat, finally feeling like he got his voice back. "Stiff wouldn't be appropriate now, would it?" he grinned a bit.
Pomfrey chuckled and nodded. "Not exactly, but I'll let it slide this time. If you feel well enough you should go to the feast, we have to celebrate, Mr. Potter has slain the Basilisk."
Vergil's eye widened at that. Potter of all people did it? 'I'll be damned, how the hell did he manage to do it?' well, that hardly mattered, all that mattered was that the Basilisk was gone. He nodded and slowly stood up. "Got it," he felt a bit dizzy at fairly sudden move but he remained firmly on his feet. He took Perun and smiled.
"Professor Dumbledore said to leave it next to you," Pomfrey told him and Vergil knew he owed a 'thank you' to the old headmaster.
On his way to the Great Hall Vergil made Perun disappear and when he entered he was met with a fairly strange feast. First of all everyone was dressed like they were pulled out of bed for the feast. They probably were, now that he thought about it for a bit. Casually he walked over to the Slytherin table and before he even got a chance to say 'hi' he was met with sudden burst of happiness from his classmates.
"Vergil!" Draco jumped from his seat and actually hugged him. For a split second and not a moment longer, but hugged him nonetheless. "You're back!"
Vergil blinked a few times, confused by sudden outburst of emotions and the only response he could possibly come up with was: "Yeah."
He took a seat between Draco and Zabini, not really sure what else to do now that everyone in his year was completely focused on him.
"Vergil?"
His eye widened when he heard Gemma's voice and he turned around to see the first Slytherin student he met standing there. "Hey," he mumbled, standing up to approach her; he was happy that she wasn't flinching away from him.
"I'm sorry," Gemma muttered and pulled him into a hug, so tight Vergil thought she might actually break his bones. "I'm so sorry for everything," she was apologizing and Vergil returned the hug, realizing the apology was meant for her reaction to what he was.
He smiled, comfortable even though her arms were close to his neck. "Don't apologize. I get it," he whispered, as genuinely as he could, letting her know that it was fine. As long as she wanted it to be fine. "Are we alright now?"
Vergil felt her nod before she pulled away. "Come on. Hermione's waiting."
Vergil's smile widened and he ignored the exasperated sigh coming from Draco as he went over to the other side of the hall.
And Hermione cried as she hugged him. It wasn't as tight as with Gemma, but with her right arm wrapped directly around his neck it was more intimate. He took a deep breath, relaxing and properly hugging Hermione for the first time. He was awake.
He was back.
He looked at Hermione, felt the barely noticeable trembling of her body as she struggled not to cry.
"Vergil, I-" she began but he had already heard her say it was her fault too many times.
"Don't. It's not your fault," he pulled back a bit, just enough to look her in the eyes. "Hey, Hermione, I care about you, I don't regret this and I don't blame you; so please, don't blame yourself," gently he pulled her back into another hug.
Briefly his eye met with Snape's and only one thought came to his mind.
He was home.
Chamber of Secrets - finished
And with that we've completed the second book. I have to admit, this chapter was originally much different, talk with Lucius wasn't a flashback and I had a few extra scenes during Vergil's stay with Malfoys, including meeting Dobby. However, as I wrote them I figured those scenes, at least one of them for sure would be better suited for another time. Next up Prisoner of Azkaban. So, yeah, tell me what you thought of this chapter and the story so far.
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