That same April Sunday night:
Harry finished the rest of the harvest, after the eggs he only really had some fleshy bit near the tail to remove before calling it a night.
He took the harvested material and deposited it back in his room along with a black box that he put on his table. He then went and took a shower in the Room of Requirement and came back to find Godric up and alert, stalking the giant black box.
The moment Harry entered the cat turned to him and gave a searching gaze. Harry sighed, "it's a long story Godric," the cat meowed and sat down, looking almost patient, waiting for said story. Harry sighed, "fine...but before you judge me, understand this...I couldn't just leave him."
Harry walked over to the box, Godric jumping onto the table and waiting for him. He opened the container and the cat looked inside, before it cried out in horror and jumped ten feet into the air, running to the other side of the room.
"Careful! You're going to wake him up!" Harry hissed as he looked down at the sleeping form of the pretty little snake in the box. He had no choice...he had to let it live but without someone to care for it, it would die there all on it's own. So he took it with him, taking care to use a ribbon to blindfold the snake.
"Meow!" Godric hissed, glaring at Harry and then the box.
Harry sighed and explained to the cat in detail what happened. By the end, the cat didn't look any happier, but nodded in understanding at the very least. Harry smiled back, glad to have a companion so smart like his cat, his mother really was something else for having such a clever familiar.
Harry then took out some milk which he got from the kitchen and some ground meat and placed them in the box. He didn't know what snakes ate, the books he found on basilisk said nothing of raising them, only about how dangerous they were.
He needed help, he had no doubt in his mind about that. But no one he knew would be qualified. Hagrid first came to mind, but that idiot couldn't keep a secret to save his life, and Harry was breaking the law here by letting the damn thing hatch.
He did have one other option though...and it was a long shot, risky move if nothing else. Newton Scamander...during Harry's research into basilisks, when he stumbled upon the man's book, he did some research on him as well. Apparently the guy had a hard on for magical beasts even more than Hagrid did. And he's broken the law plenty of times in order to make sure said beasts were well taken care off.
The man was perfect….only thing is he was a total stranger and one Harry couldn't trust. Maybe the man wouldn't run to the authorities, his previous run ins with the law proved that, but he certainly didn't have Harry's confidence.
So that meant Harry would have to be anonymous...and have a bait. Harry looked over at the corrected notes he had made on the basilisk's physiology and grinned, an idea going off in his head.
The next day:
It was Monday morning and Harry woke up early and checked on his new pet. To his surprise he found all the milk gone, but the meat left untouched. The snake was now curled up in one corner of the box, relaxed underneath the warming charm Harry had placed inside.
Harry refilled the snake's milk and removed the meat for some seeds, something Mixy assured him that snakes liked. Bloody amazing elf didn't even blink when Harry asked for some food that snakes liked. Simply amazing.
After that Harry completed his morning workout and went to the owlery to deliver copies of the corrected notes he had taken the days before, adding in an additional letter that read like so:
Dear Mr. Scamander,
Recently I have encountered a dangerous magical creature and managed to learn quite a few things about it that alters your book on magical beasts. I have attached underneath several pages of the adjusted areas.
If you wish for the rest of my corrected research, I will send you an invite no later than the for 10th of July, please be sure to be free on said day as I'm sure you will be very interested to learn what I have discovered.
I have attached proof of my claims inside. Be careful when handling it.
Yours,
Bethany Shaw
An alias, but a decent one. Harry attached the parcel to the leg of an owl and sent it off. Hopefully, Newton Scamander would be interested enough to come, alone.
There was of course a chance that he wouldn't bother reading it, a small chance he didn't care. He was a minor celebrity in his own right after all. The chance of his letter even getting through would be quite small.
Which was why Harry also sent the letter with a basilisk fang. If nothing, the dark protection ward every witch and wizard had on their mails would alert Scamander to it and gain the man's attention ...hopefully.
Harry then hurried back to classes, the first of which for the day, was DADA.
Harry sat at the last bench in the classroom, joined quickly by Delphi, Daphne and Tracey, the latter two who were still uncomfortable with the new ease that came between Delphi and Harry.
"Potter," Delphi nodded as she sat down next to Harry.
"Malfoy," Harry nodded back, "did the homework."
"No. You?"
"No. Five knuts says he forgets?"
"You're on," Delphi snorted, turning to her two friends who still looked unbelievably startled by the friendly terms the two of them were on. Delphi leaned towards Harry and began to whisper, "I want to show them both the Chamber."
Harry snapped to her with eyes focused, "you do that and you involve them..you sure you want to do that?"
"They deserve to know the truth...they are my friends, not my servants," Delphi whispered, "I won't hide my life from them."
Harry sighed, "fine...but I'll have you know, I cut apart the basilisk yesterday, only it's skeleton is left behind."
Delphi's eyes winded, "what, why did you do that?!" Her cry alerted others, but Daphne and Tracy understood enough to not try and eavesdrop.
"Potion ingredients," Harry shrugged, "and technically it's mine by right of conquest. Don't forget, I did kill the bloody thing."
Delphi took a moment to pull in her surprise before sighing, shaking her head, "fine...if you want, I could ask around for some of my contacts, put the word out that some basilisks parts are available."
"Do that and I'll get you a cut, but no one connected to your father."
"Agreed. If that man had his way my whole family would be nothing more than slavers."
"Hm," Harry shrugged, "fine, tonight. I'm coming with you."
"I don't need a babysitter," Delphi looked offended, but Harry got to know the girl well enough over the past few months to recognize a mocking tone when he heard it.
"I know, but I still need to finish collecting the bones and a few tools I left in there last night," Harry shrugged, "plus...trust me when I tell you it's always better to have an extra wand in hand when you're down there."
"Advice you don't follow."
"Please, if something was down there with me, I'm not the one in danger, after all," Harry leaned in and whispered, "I'm so amazing ain't I?"
"Fuck off Potter," Delphi hissed, just then Lockhart walked in, the two Slytherins pulling away from each other, nodding in understanding as they did.
"Now then Children! Today we shall be learning about Dust mites! The most common dark creature you all will probably encounter!" the man began with a cheery smile.
"Sir!" a lovesick Ravenclaw cried out, "you forgot to ask for the homework!"
"Ah, right you are Ms. Edecomb! Right you are! Now then, everyone pair up and read and practise the spells found on page 210 of my textbooks!"
Delphi rolled her eyes as she passed ten copper coins into Harry's outstretched hand.
That night:
"Is this a joke?" Daphne Greengrass turned to her close friend Delphi Malfoy and the annoyance named Harry Potter she had begrudgingly came to accept.
"No," Delphi replied, turning to Harry, "I'll open it up." Harry nodded, they had talked and agreed to keep Harry's parseltongue a secret, if they were to be allies then, while they didn't have to be each other's keepers, they agreed to at least respect the others wishes for secrecy.
"Open," Delphi hissed, the words startling both Daphne and Tracey, making the girls jump back in fright.
Once the passage was opened Harry and Delphi helped the girls down the hole with the feather-light charm and dropped down, closing the sink behind them as they did.
They got down to the bottom and Harry brought up the rear as Delphi showed her friends the door to the mythical chamber of Slytherin.
The iron vault door opened with many rusty squeaks, Harry warned them, "brace yourselves, you're going to see something scary."
"We're already in a cave surrounded by skeletons of dead animals, what can be scarier than that?" Daphne asked in disbelief. Delphi and Harry didn't reply as they hurried the girls inside. As they walked in, the first thing the girls noticed was the enormous statue of Slytherin before them. The second thing they noticed is the giant skeleton strung up in the middle of the main chamber.
"W-what in Merlin's beard is that?" Tracey asked in shock.
"Damn Potter, did you hire someone to do that?" Delphi whispered.
"No, did it myself," Harry shrugged.
"Nice clean cuts, can barely see any muscle left at all," Delphi replied, "the eyes?"
"Gone," he lied, "sliced them up."
"Shame...could have been useful," Delphi replied.
"Excuse me, but what is that?!" Daphne cried out, her mask of ice slowly vanishing as panic set in, "Delphi, please, tell me it's something Potter made for transfiguration."
"It's the skeleton of the basilisk he killed," she replied, snorting, "he ended up harvesting it for parts though, so this is all that's left."
"Y-you killed that thing?!" Tracey cried out.
"Yes," Harry replied.
"How?!" Daphne yelled.
"Rooster."
"Oh...is that a sword?" she pointed at the blade still embedded into the ground.
"Oh yeah, that's the sword of Gryffindor," Harry motioned over, "pulled it out of the Sorting Hat."
Tracey's jaw was hanging as Daphne rounded on Delphi with focused eyes and hissed, "tell us everything, now."
Three hours later:
The entrance to the chamber slid back into place, looking once more like a normal sink, Harry turned back to the girls who looked like they were still brimming with questions.
They had spent the last few hours helping Harry bring down the skeleton and taking it apart. They were more than willing to help, after all it wasn't every day one could take apart the corpse of a sixty foot legendary magical creature.
"So the Dark Lord's diary is what did all this?" Tracey asked in awe.
"Yes Tracy, it did," Delphi replied for what must have been the tenth time that night.
"Oh...you know, I never imagined a Dark Lord would have had a diary. That's like finding out dragons host tea parties every Sunday," Davis chukled.
"Potter," Daphne called out, looking as angry as she ever was, "what you did...was foolish. If you ever endanger my friend or anyone I care for like that again, you will answer to me, is that understood?"
Harry raised an eyebrow, "I took on a basilisk and survived Voldemort himself for five minutes. You really think you can take me Greengrass?"
"Trust me Potter, you haven't even begun to see what I can do. I am not an enemy you wish to make," Daphne looked up at him, though he towered over her, she still made it feel as if she was the one looking down at him.
In the end Harry just shrugged, "fine. But just so you know, she's the one you jumped in behind me, I asked her to get Dumbledore."
"And it it such a shame that Ms. Malfoy failed to do so," came a erier old voice that startled every single Slytherin there as they all turned slowly, seeing Dumbledore standing before them in his usual strange robes with a gentle smile on his face, "Mr. Potter, Ms. Greengrass, Ms. Davis, Ms. Malfoy, fine night for a stroll wouldn't you say?"
Harry immediately turned to make sure the entrance to the chamber was shut before he turned back to Dumbledore, wand drawn, "hello professor...how can we help?"
"Please Harry, put away your wand, I did not come here to fight," the man said gently, raising his hands in defense, "rather...I find myself having to thank you...both you and Ms. Malfoy have done a great service for the school but death with Slytherin's monster and the Chamber."
"It's been nearly three months, isn't it a little late for thank yous?" Delphi asked.
"Yes well, I have been quite busy you see," Dumbledore chuckled, "Madam Bones is something quite vicious when it comes to her niece. If the woman was back as a student she would have been an excellent Gryffindor."
"Yes, I'm sure," Harry snapped, "since you've said your piece, can we leave now sir?'
"The others, yes...but I wish to speak with you privately Mr. Potter, in my office if you will," he motioned to the bathroom door.
"Fine," Harry and Delphi shared a look of understanding as the girl pulled the others away, leaving Harry alone with the old man. He said nothing, simply walking behind the man as they made their way to the headmaster's office.
"May I ask you something Mr. Potter?" Dumbledore broke the silence.
"Depends on what you want to ask," Harry replied.
"The chamber...what exactly happened down there?"
"Why are you asking?"
"Whether I like it or not, the blame for this year lies solely on my inaction during these times of crisis. I just wish to know what it is I could have done to have made it...better."
Harry sighed, "nothing much….like you know Tom Riddle's spirit took control of Susan, opened the chamber and took her inside. He was trying to possess her, Delphi and I stopped him."
"And the monster?"
"That too."
"And how, may I ask, did that happen?"
"Rooster."
"Ah, I see...Mr. Potter, I request that from now on you refrain from going back down there into the chamber. While the immediate danger may have passed, I cannot say for certain it is still...a safe place to visit."
"The more people know that the monster's dead, the better it is," Harry replied, "Daphne and Tracy can now get the word out that Slytherin's monster is dead."
"That may be the case, but the fact is that many people still don't believe in what was truly down there...and for good reason. It serves no reason to scare children with such knowledge when soon enough it would have been forgotten all the same."
"You mean like what happened fifty years ago. When the truth never came out about the Chamber, allowing Riddle to strike again? You mean forgetting like that?"
"I admit...I would prefer if the people knew...but the panic, the danger, the sheer terror that would come from the revelation of such a thing it would be….far too much Harry. It would serve no purpose except to install fear into their hearts of people."
"So you propose to just leave everything as it is?"
"If you wish, I could accompany you down one of these days and remove the corpse of the snake if you wish. I'm sure-"
"-I'm going to stop you right there old man," Harry snorted, "the only way you're getting in that place is if you speak parseltongue and Malofy is not going to be opening it up for you anytime soon, do you understand?"
"I see….well then my warning still stands, do not go back into the chamber Mr. Potter," Dumbledore looked disappointed, a truly odd look on the man's face, "you are dismissed Mr. Potter, good day."
Harry looked annoyed at being ordered around, but kept his mouth shut, desperate to be away from the man more than anything else.
He went back to his room, and to his utter shock, found something placed before the entrance to his room. It was a package, Harry immediately cast charms to detect any dark spells on it, finding none he picked up, noting the card attached to the top.
'Your father left this in my possession before he passed.
I believe it's time I returned it to you.
Use it well'
Harry looked at the note in disbelief. His father? James Potter? How?
The paper covering the parcel practically vanished. Harry ripped it apart as a fountain of silk like material flowed out into his hands. It felt cold, Harry held it up in awe and looked it over.
He walked inside his room, waking Godric as he did. The cat looked at the cloth Harry held and meowed in disbelief.
"Godric...was this my father's?" Harry asked his cat. In response, the smart half bred nodded, looking almost nostalgic at the sight of the cloak.
Harry held it up, the dark silver material shimmered in his touch. Like a waterfall of silk, Harry wrapped it around himself and closed his eyes, thoughts who wrote the mysterious note went out of his head. He imagined, for a second that it was his father who wrapped the cloak around him...that he was smiling down at him, proud.
'Killed a basilisk did you? That's my boy!' Harry made up a voice, he swore it was a deeper tone of Ted Tonks' that he imagined, but it was the only voice of a father figure that he knew.
A tear ran down his cheek, the whisper vanishing away. He opened his eyes and cried out, "what the hell?!"
"Meow?" Godric blinked.
Harry looked down and found the bottom half of his body missing. He moved his hand, pulling out, it suddenly appeared again and Harry realised immediately just what this was.
"An invisibility cloak?" he asked his cat, earning a nod in return. Harry couldn't believe it, he didn't understand anything. Who had the cloak all this while? Why didn't they give it to him? What right did they have to keep it?
Were there more items like this? More artifacts of his parents that someone out there possessed? Like an idol, deemed important because it once belonged to the parents of the boy-who-lived?
Was the only way he would ever find out about them was if they felt pity for him and gave the items back? Was he really so...powerless?
Even after all he did, fighting and killing a basilisk, was his struggles just...pointless? He dropped the cloak and stared at it, and slowly deep within himself, he felt something stir.
Dumbledore wanted to avoid fear? Well fuck that, people should be afraid...of him. They should be afraid of him and if they had anything else that once belonged to his family, they should be scared to hold it with them for a second longer.
Harry opened his expanded bag and peaked inside, looking at the sliced up basilisks parts and grinned. He got an idea.
The next day:
It was breakfast time and nearly the whole school was in the Great Hall. Harry was, surprisingly, at the Slytherin table. He was eating a healthy plate of bacon, eggs, toast and juice, surrounded on all sides by Slytherins, most of whom glared at the boy.
Just then Delphi, her friends and Draco walked into the Great Hall, the girl, surprised by Harry's preceness, quickly walked over, dismissing the people sitting around Harry with a cold glare.
"What did Dumbledore want Potter?" Delphi asked as seh and the others sat down around Harry, effectively serving as a barricade between him and the rest of Slytherin house.
"Warned me against revisiting the Chamber, said it was too dangerous," Harry snorted, "also asked me not to tell anyone about the basilisk."
"Are you planning on listening?"
Harry didn't reply, looking over at the Teacher's table where finally Dumbledore had arrived. Harry smirked, "we're about to hear my answer right now Malfoy, I suggest you don't blink."
Everyone who heard him turned around in curiosity, never noticing Harry wave his wand underneath the table, chanting a release spell. There was a loud metallic snap causing everyone to look up as just behind the enchanted sky above their heads, a white structure suddenly came down.
"What the shit?!" someone cried out as a giant skull of a snake came swinging down, dropping down above the Teacher's table, looking to crush them, when exactly forty feet before impact, the skull was tugged upwards by the chains wrapped around it, causing the skull to swing across the Great Hall like a pendulum.
People were crying out in panic, dropping to the ground as the basilisk skull swung over their heads. Even Delphi flinched back in panic, ducking down, even though the nearest the skull ever got to someone's head was ten feet.
Out of everyone there, Harry was the only one who remained calm, simply sipping his drink, eating his food, acting like a giant basilisk skull wasn't swinging over everyone's head at that moment.
"Enough!" Dumbledore finally cried out, sending a spell out to mobilize the skull form swinging anymore, keeping it frozen in place. Harry was surprised, even though the bones of a basilisk were resistant to spells, Dumbledore must have been packing some real heat to be as skilled as he was.
Slowly, people began to realise that the situation had passed, now looking up to get a good look at the levitating skull with both awe and panic.
Harry wiped his mouth clean and cleared his throat, loud enough to gain the attention of every single person in the Hall. He looked around, gestured with a hand, "Witches and Wizards, may I present, the skull of the Slytherin's Monster. Don't worry, it's dead. Obviously," he then got up and walked away, turning around to give Dumbledore a single glance before exiting the Great Hall that was slowly beginning to fill with more and more chatter.
Harry was the first one at the Potions classroom, waiting patiently for everyone else. To his surprise, Professor Snape was the first to arrive. He looked at Harry, his eyes narrowed, Harry looked back.
"500 points each, for you and Ms. Malfoy, Mr. Potter. For saving the school from a clear and present danger while others were unwilling to even listen. And ten points from Slytherin for a poorly thought out prank," he said simply before walking past Harry and opening up the potions classroom and turning around, "are you coming in or staying outside?"
Harry smirked, walking in behind the man.
May:
"Pucko!"
Harry sighed, rubbing his nose in annoyance, "I'm starting to regret this."
Hermione snorted as she sat besides Harry, "well what did you expect? You scared everyone half to death with that stunt, of course they would act erratic."
Hermione and Harry were currently just finishing up the last transfiguration class of the year, and surrounding them, in tiny little cages, were large roosters, each owned by their fellow classmates.
Ever since that day in the Great Hall, the students had gotten into a panic. A large order for roosters had gone through, almost all the students now carried at least one on hand like Harry and his allies once did. And no matter how many times Harry tried to tell them there wasn't another basilisk around, they refused to listen to him.
No one noted how it was by not listening to him the first time around that they got into this situation in the first place. In the end, Harry had to deal with nearly the whole castle smelling like a wet bird, which he was beginning to hate.
It had gotten so bad he had to place a noise canceling charm in the box where he was raising his own baby basilisk, any random rooster crowing would spell certain death for his newest pet project if he didn't take every precaution.
The rest of the wizarding world didn't even seem to notice, when children wrote to their parents, they all dismissed it as a prank, every single one of them. There was a total of one article written about the skull, and that was in the gossip column.
The facts, as they knew it, were so. The Chamber was opened, several students were paralyzed, but none killed. The rumors of the basilisk were just that, rumors, and while no one dared point the finger at Harry, most just dismissed his warnings.
"Come on Granger," Harry sighed as he led Hermione out of class, the rest of their classmates following behind them, keeping well away from Harry. Ever since that day, no one dared approach him, the rumour of him killing the basilisk spread far and wide, only a few knew it wasn't just a rumor.
People feared him now, which was exactly what Harry wanted. If someone was still keeping secrets from him, like treasured family items, then they would think about not telling him.
"So Harry, plans for this summer?" Hermione asked excitedly.
Harry groaned, thinking once more of the promised meeting with Newton Scamander, "I do, meeting a man who's an expert on basilisks. He wrote a book on them, thought he would be interested in my input."
"Really?! Can I come?!" Hermione asked in an excited voice before deflating, "oh, sorry, my parents are planning on taking me to France this summer… Merlin's beard, now I'm feeling depressed."
Harry smirked, "don't worry, I'll interrogate him well enough for the both of us Granger, I'll tell you how it goes."
"Oh! I can write you some questions!" Hermione asked excitedly, "I'll prepare them right now!"
"Questions like what?" Harry asked.
"Well, I've always wondered, why is it that a basilisk has such dangerous eyes? Does it have something to do with the gorgons of Greece? The parallels are uncanny," the girl said scratching her chin, "and it's venom, if it's the most corrosive substance on the planet, does that make it's fangs, which contain said venom, the strongest substance on the planet?"
Harry's eyes winded, "these are some very good questions Granger...alright, do you want to come over to my room so that we can work on them? Maybe start some of these lessons for the exams."
Hermione looked surprised, "Harry...did you just..invite me over to study?"
"Is that a no?'
"No! I mean yes! I mean-I would love to! Come!"
Harry chuckled, shaking his head as he led Hermione to his room. He would admit the only reason she knew about it was because of the troll incident, but now...it was nice knowing someone was willing to spend so much time with him.
Hermione and Harry walked in, the girl spotted Godric on the bed and immediately gushed, "hello Godric! How are you today my fluffy organe friend?"
"Meow," the cat hissed, annoyed at having his nap interrupted. Harry used the girl's distraction to take the box which contained his pet basilisk and slip it under his table, pushing his freshly made mountain of laundry on top of it to hide the box out of sight.
"So, what do you want to learn first Harry? Potions? Charms?" Hermione asked as she sat on his bed, removing her book bag.
"No, I already learnt them," Harry explained with a dismissive wave, "what I need to do is revise DADA, I haven't even touched the subject all year."
"Harry..." Hermione sighed with a disapproving look.
"Don't' look at me like that Granger," Harry snorted, "I'm plenty good with a wand...but I do need to read Lockhart's awful trash so it might take a while. So why don't you work on those questions you had about basilisks while I do this?"
Hermione sighed, but nodded, "fine. I have a little bit more on potions I need to revise, so call me if you need any help."
Harry agreed and the two set about doing their own studies in silence.
Harry placed all of his DADA books on the table and began his work in reading, understanding and memorising the adventure stories Lockhart had written about.
Hours passed and Harry fully expected to find himself disliking every single sentence inside the poof's book. But to his great surprise, by the tenth chapter of the first book, he was so entranced by the story, adventure and spells used, he didn't even realise he was taking notes, comparing it to his own adventures.
While Lockhart's adventure may not hold a candle to Harry's, it was still fascinating to read. Harry soon began to take down methods of disposal, how to slay a werewolf, charm, lure and banish a Banshee.
Soon he began his second Lockhart book, this one going into detail about a tryst in Bulgaria with a hag. It was a fascinating read to be sure, but something stuck out to Harry, something odd.
The dates were wrong. When Lockhart was supposed to be in Bulgaria with the hag, his previous book explained he was in London tracking down a rogue werewolf. It was an oddity...but one that stuck to Harry's mind.
The first explanation was that it was a simple mistake, people were allowed to make mistakes. But as Harry grew more and more curious, he began to look into other book, finding more and more...changes.
The timeline of Lockhart's life was all wrong. The dates didn't match, none of them matched. A mistake repeated over and over again wasn't a mistake anymore...it was evidence. But evidence of what?
The answer was simple...fraud. Like he had been saying all year. Harry snorted, "figured."
"Hm? What's that Harry?" Hermione spoke up, Harry realising the girl had been there all along, quietly doing her work all this time.
"Take a look," Harry motioned in annoyance to the parchment and books he had on display before her, "tell me if you're thinking what I'm thinking."
Hermione came over, curiosity coming over her as she looked at the notes Harry had taken and with a minute, gasped in shock, "H-Harry, if this is true then-"
"Lockhart's a fraud," Harry sighed, leaning back on his chair, "like I've been saying all year."
"B-but that's impossible!" Hermione cried, pulling the parchment up and looking over it once more, "h-how can this happen?! Dumbledore would have known if he was a fake! All the professors would have checked on him!"
"Well, seems like they didn't," Harry replied with a snort.
"W-what should we do with this?" Hermione asked, turning to Harry slowly.
"I'm going to tell Professor Snape, have the fucking fraud kicked out," Harry replied with a shrug, "hand over the papers Granger."
"No!" Hermione cried out, in return, Harry raised an eyebrow, the girl blushed as she blurted out, "I-I mean...let me do it...I need to do it."
"Why?" Harry asked with curiosity that was only partly peaked out of social norms.
"Because...because if my education is being affected I demand a reason why!" Hermione cried out, "please Harry, just one chance! And then we can do it your way!"
Harry looked at the determined muggleborn and sighed, "fine, go ahead and have your moment, but if he isn't out by this time tomorrow then I'm going to Professor Snape. Got it?"
"I understand Harry. Thank you!" She took the paper, her bag and books and left his room in a hurry. Harry closed the door behind her and sighed into bed, looking forward to a nice rest.
The next day:
Harry woke up earlier than usual the next day, worked harder than normal and went back to his room to feed the abomination growing in a box under his table.
He then got ready for a normal day of school and went to the first period of the day: Potions. He found the class bearable, Draco Malfoy being less annoying than usual due to the good relationship Harry had with his sister.
By the end of the class Harry spotted Hermione packing up and leaving and walked over to her to greet her, "Granger."
"Harry!" Hermione smiled pleasantly, "how did you do the potions? Oh what am I asking, of course you did well. I'll give one thing to Malfoy, he knows how to brew a potion."
Harry shrugged, "true. So, did you do it?"
"Hm? Do what?" Hermione blinked in confusion.
"Did you ask Lockhart?" Harry prompted as the two walked to their next class.
"Professor Lockhart? What about him?"
Harry at this point was begging to get annoyed, "stop dancing around the subject Granger, did you confront Lockhart about being a fraud or not?"
Hermione stopped in her tracks and looked shocked, "w-what?! A fraud?! Harry what are you talking about!"
Harry noticed her gaining others attention so he grabbed her by the arm and pulled her aside into an empty broom cupboard, he then whispered, "Granger don't act stupid, last night I should you how Lockhart's a fake and you told me you wanted to confront him yourself."
Hermione blinked, "Harry...what are you talking about?"
"Don't you remember Granger?" Harry hissed, "last night..you came over to my room to study and while we did….Granger...what was the last thing you remember about yesterday?"
Hermione blinked, "well...I...after class we said goodbye to each other, you said you had to study and I…..I think I went to my room and slept."
Harry's mind made a sudden connection that sparked something violent in him. His eyes narrowed as he grew deathly silent.
"Harry...Harry are you okay?"
"Sorry Hermione I think I….I think all this basilisk nonsense is starting to affect my sleep and making things difficult to remember."
Hermione looked relieved, "oh, well maybe you should lie down? Get a note from Madam Pomfrey?"
"No….I can manage….come on, let's go to the next class, quickly."
That night:
Harry was hidden under the invisibility cloak standing outside Lockhart's office. It was already past curfew, but the boy-who-lived was patient. He was sure Hermione was visiting the man yesterday, he was sure of it. And yet, today it was like she didn't remember it at all.
A memory charm, it had to be. Harry read a lot on memory manipulations ince the Chamber incident on Valentine's and he didn't have a doubt in his mind that was the case.
But, he needed to be sure. So with a bottle of truth serum, nothing as powerful as Vetruseum but still enough to make someone more loose lipped, Harry planned to spike the man's tea. He would come over tomorrow morning for a 'talk' to pretend to offer an end to hostilities and when the man drinks the tea to celebrate, Harry would have his answers.
But just then, Harry heard someone cry out, though the cry seemed muffled. And it was coming from Lockhart's office. Harry's interest peaked no, the chance of blackmail material appealed to him, it was always safe to have more on hand so he opened the door and sneaked inside.
Now the sound was louder, along with the rythmic sound of a bedpost creaking. Sex, the smell of it was in the air and the sound was obvious. Harry smirked, the idea that Lockhart was sleeping with one of the professors was almost comical.
Was it McGonagall? Admitally she wasn't one of Harry's favorites at the moment, but even she didn't deserve that fate. Maybe he prefered men? Harry shivered at the idea of Snape ever degrading his standards to Lockhart.
However it seemed Harry didn't have to wait long as suddenly the door to Lockhart's private chamber opened up and to Harry's shock a girl wearing a school uniform was running out, tears in her eyes, her hair a mess and her clothes halfway removed.
"I don't want this professor!" she cried out, Harry recognized the girl as a seventh year Ravenclaw, black hair and dull brown eyes.
"But Bethany, I thought you said you loved me?" The handsome man ran out behind the girl, nearly naked save his boxers, behind which Harry could see a small tent forming.
"But I'm your student!" she cried out, panic settling over her features, "I-I need to go, I'm sorry I can't do this!"
Lockharts sighed before smiling, "that's unfortunate...but understandable," the girl looked shocked at the man's admittance as he slowly stepped back into his room and reached behind the door, "go Bethany...but know this...I still love you."
"Professor….I-"
"-Obliviate!" the man's spell hit her before the next words could come out. She dropped to the ground like a sack of potatoes and Lockhart dropped his smile, looking down with a snarl of disgust.
"Fucking whore," he spat as he summoned his robe and dressed the girl with a wave of his wand, "tease me all month, gave up screwing Smithson for this. Whatever," with a few more flicks of his wand the entire classroom came alive, Lockhart propped the Ravenclaw girl on the desk while he sat down behind his seat.
Slowly his look of annoyance went away as suddenly the girl was once more awake, wiping away the confusion in her eyes, "pro-professor?"
Lockhart looked up from a book he was holding upside down and smiled, "ah, you're awake Bethany, good! You dozed off, I wanted to wake you up, but you just looked so adorable I couldn't bring myself to do it."
"W-what time is it?!" the girl cried out, grabbing her wand to check, slowly panicking, "oh no! Professor Flitwick is going to have my hide!"
"Worry not Bethany," Lockhart smiled as he walked over with a slip of paper in hand, "here, this should save you from any trouble."
"T-thank you professor!" she jumped up grabbing the slip and hugging him tightly, "thank you so much I..." and slowly she blushed, "I promise to repay this favour...next time."
Lockhart nodded, "next time." And in a minute, the Ravenclaw was back outside and Lockhart was back in his room. And Harry, who was there to witness all of this, realised one thing. His plans had to change.
The next night:
There was a knock on Gilderoy Lockhart's door which made the man turn his focus away from answering the dozens upon dozens of his fan mail. He called out loud, "enter!"
And threw the door and walked in the second year Gryffindor Hermione Granger, much to Lockhart's surprise. He was sure the girl wasn't going to be snooping around here for much longer, his memory charm made sure of it, yet here she was, uniform and all with a book in hand.
Hermione smiled pleasantly, "good evening sir, I hope I'm not interrupting you."
"Oh not at all! I can alway make time for one of my many admirers!" Lockhart smiled, "who also happens to be a student of mine! Come, please, sit."
Hermione nodded as she did just that, sitting properly before the man with her book on her lap,"yes...sir, I was just wondering, did I come here yesterday?"
For a second, it felt like Lockhart's heart was going to jump out of his heart. "W-what?" he asked, "why do you ask?"
"Because in my diary I had written so," Hermione opened up her book and showed a circled entry into a fresh page which said: 'Confront Lockart at 8', "and I don't remember writing it."
"I-I don't think I can help you Ms. Granger," Lockhart replied as he immediately stood up and turned his back away from the girl, "a-are you thirsty Ms. Granger? I got this brilliant tea from Canada that I've been waiting to try with someone," he drew his wand and turned with a flourish, only to come face to face with the tip of another wand.
"Expelliarmus, stupefy," Hermione Granger moved faster than ever before, disarming and stunning her professor within seconds. Lockhart could do nothing as his wand flew into the air and in her hands and his body turned stiff as a plank.
"I have to say Lockhart, you really are something," Hermione Granger snorted as she snapped his wand in half with barely the slightest look of effort, tossing the pieces aside, "I figured you always were a fraud, but to obliviate a twelve year old in order to keep your secrets….but then again that isn't the worst you've done is it?"
Lockhart's eyes were locked straight ahead, he couldn't even widen his eye lids in order to show shock as the Hermione Granger before him slowly morphed, transforming into the face of the boy who Lockhart came to fear more than any other.
Harry transfigured the female uniform back to normal, running a hand through his mane of hair as he did, "so tell me, what was the game you played? Lure them in with attention from a celebrity? Chip away at their confidence, seduce them? Or you do just rape them and then remove all memory of such an event happening?"
Lockhart couldn't respond, he couldn't even make a sound, but he could hear the sound of his heart beat increase slowly, going faster and faster, fear in his veins.
"And I suppose when Granger confronted you last night you charmed her mind as well," Harry snorted as he picked up the pieces of Lockhart's wand and cast the repairing charm on it, fixing the wand half-way, leaving the middle still exposed, "knew I should have gone after her...but in my defense, I didn't think you were skilled enough to defeat a twelve year old girl. My bad, here," Harry placed the wand back in Lockhart's grip, holding it tight.
Harry then moved behind the man and whispered, the boy's voice was soft, but powerful, "did you know if you cast the repairing charm on a magical item, while the outside may seem fixed, the inside will still be broken? You're holding a ticking explosion Lockhart, you won't remember this bit, but know this….I hope you die. Imperio," Harry whispered and for the first time ever, the curse allowed Harry to take complete control over a human being.
"Cast the memory charm on yourself, remove all your memories" Harry ordered as he canceled his stunning spell.
Lockhart's arm moved robotically, Harry wasn't anywhere close to making it seem like a natural trance, but he didn't need to for this. He watched as Lockhart placed the tip of his wand against his temple and uttered the spell.
BOOM!
The wand exploded into a hundred shards, imbedding themselves into Lockhart's face and hand as the man flew into a wall, bleeding profusely. He was hit point blank with the spell, Harry didn't know if he was going to even live, but he didn't care.
He reached into his pocket and took out his recently obtained family heirloom. He wrapped it around himself and waited, the door to Lockhart's office exploded open, Filch was the first onto the scene.
While he checked on the man Harry sneaked out, heading back to his room.
The next day, the DADA professor wasn't seen at breakfast. By dinner time Delphi informed Harry that the man had been sent to St. Mungo's permanent spell damage ward, apparently Lockhart's wand had been faulty and when the man used it, they weren't even sure if he was going to make it.
McGonagall announced that the end of year DADA exam would be dismissed for everyone, with the exception of fifth and seventh years, who would be writing their exams at a later date.
And just like that, Harry had driven another professor out of Hogwarts. Two professors for two years, a new personal best. His only regret was that he couldn't allow Lockhart to experience some of the basilisk venom he had on hand, it would be the greatest pain he would ever experience, too bad it would have also made Harry the obvious culprit.
1st of July:
The Hogwarts Express pulled into King's Cross, Harry saw the platform fast approaching, ready to leave. His trunk was enlarged and by his side, the reason for which was Harry was storing his pet basilisk inside it, he had no other way to sneak the creature out.
"Potter," Harry turned around to see Delphi standing behind him, her own trunk in hand, "I believe these are yours," she reached into her robes and pulled out what looked to be a stack of letters, all with his name on the cover.
Harry took them and blinked in surprise, finding Hermione's handwriting on a few of them, "how did you get these?"
"A house elf," Delphi replied. Upon Harry's curious look she continued, "my house elf."
"What?"
Delphi sighed and explained how apparently her house elf had overheard her father's plans for the school year. Apparently Lucius knew about the diary...he was the one responsible for the diary getting into Harry's cauldron in the first place.
Harry didn't know what to say for that, he just nodded, accepting the letter and Delphi's apology. Apparently the elf had been making trouble for Harry all year in order to discourage him from coming back to school.
She told him how she found by accident a few days ago, dismissing the elf from her service the moment he confenced. Harry didn't really care though, but he did make a mental note to look up whoever this 'Dobby' was, whether he would thank him or kill him Harry had yet to decide.
When they finally got down on platform 9 ¾, Harry looked at the Malfoy family reunion from afar, waving Delphi off, but glaring holes into the back of Lucius Malfoy. The man seemed to have noticed as he turned to Harry and glared right back.
Voldemort's right hand man...Lucius Malfoy proved himself Harry's enemy this year, and while he may not want Lucius' head like he did Riddle's...the man was slowly becoming someone Harry grew to hate.
Harry didn't blame it all on Lucius of course, he was partly responsible as well. If he had just told someone, anyone about the damn diary when he first got it then this whole year could have been avoided...but Malfoy started this whole mess.
Either way, Harry could tell that this...this was just the beginning.
"Harry!" Andromeda called out as she and Ted approached him from behind, "Harry dear, are you alright?"
"Yeah….I am," Lucius and his family melted into the crowd, Harry then turned around and smiled at the two Tonks', "hello Andy, Teddy. How was your year?"
"You tell us," the man replied with a smile, "what's this we hear about you pranking the school with a fake basilisk skull?"
Harry snorted, "who said I did anything?"
"Oh I'm sure," Andy, "now come along Harry, it's time to go home." And with that, Harry put his second year behind him, looking forward once more to two months of holidays.
Two weeks later:
Harry was sitting at a local park bench, his entire facial structure morphed into that of a disguise he wore during his days living on the streets of London.
He looked now like a pretty young girl near the age of seventeen, blonde hair coming down till his lower back, tied up in a ponytail. He based the look upon what Delphi might look like when she grew up, and with a few items of clothing he nicked from Pinkie's wardrobes, his disguise was complete.
Three days ago he sent Newton Scamander a second letter, telling him where to meet and how he would look. He described himself as a brunette with bright green eyes, if Newton came alone, then Harry would reveal himself. If not..
He waited patiently, he held up a newspaper charmed to be invisible one side over. He kept looking around, searching for the legendary magizoologist, and exactly at 11 on the dot, a raggedy old man was seen making his way through the park.
He wore a long blue coat with a suitcase by his side. The man had glasses on a chain around his neck, a bowtie, suspenders, slacks and white shirt and blue slacks. The man looked nervous, as if the outside world was a danger to him, looking around desperately for someone.
"E-excuse me ma'am?" Newton approached Harry.
Harry lowered his newspaper and looked up, smiling, "can I help you sir?"
"O-oh, I'm sorry to disturb you, you just seemed like the person I was here to see. P-please, go back to your reading," the man apologized, noting Harry's hair.
Harry smiled back, "of course sir. But, if you don't mind me asking, you look a little troubled, do you need some help?"
"Oh no, no my dear, nothing like that, just waiting for an old friend is all," Newton waved Harry's offer, "please, let this old man not bother you anymore."
"Well...if you're sure," Harry smiled, pulling out a bottle of water, "here, you look parched sir."
Newt looked at the offered water in surprise, "that's awfully kind of you young lady, thank you," he smiled, sipping the water before handing it back, "you're very kind, what's your name miss?"
"Catherine," Harry smiled back, "please, think nothing of it, have a good day."
"And good day to you," Newton smiled, turning away and continuing his search. Harry waited until he was around the bend of the park before turning his hair brown and his eyes green, he dropped the newspaper and quickly went after the man.
Scamander was not by the park fountain, looking annoyed, checking his watch repeatedly. Harry poached him from behind with his wand drawn, pressing it against his back and whispering, "don't turn around Scamander."
Scamander flinched, becoming almost rigid, "M-Ms. Shaw?"
"Did you come alone?" Harry asked in his disguised feminine voice.
"Y-yes, no one else, just me, like you asked."
"I did my research on you Mr. Scamander...your wife's an American auror isn't she? Does she know you are here?"
"There are many things my wife and I agree to keep to ourselves...this is one of them. I promise you Ms. Shaw, I am here alone."
Harry sighed in relief, "good," he pulled his wand away and let the man turn around. Seeing Newton's eyes widened in shock made Harry smirk, "sorry for the theatrics, can't be too safe with the creature in question can we?"
"You were in disguise?" Newton asked, recognizing Harry's face from before, "h-how is this happening? A compulsion charm? Why am I telling you the truth so freely?"
"Minor truth serum, nothing as powerful as Veritasium, but it's up there," Harry replied, "don't worry, it should be wearing off right about now."
Newton's eyes winded, "the water?"
"Yes. Come with me, don't dally," Harry turned and motioned Scamander to follow. The stunned man did so, following Harry into a trail leading into the denser parts of the park where fewer people were about.
"C-can you please slow down, miss?" Newt asked, apnting, "not as spry as I used to be you know."
"Sorry, but we're here so it's fine," Harry motioned to a small enclave on the side of a small hill in the forest, it wasn't that deep, barely ten feet deep, but enough for Harry to keep the box where he was storing the baby basilisk.
"What's in the box?" Newt asked in awe as he practically flew past Harry, his curiosity for magical animals making his exhaustion vanish.
"I'm sure you can guess Mr. Scamander," Harry replied as he bent down and opened the lid, revealing the small snake inside. Since Harry found it so many months ago it had grown, now resting at two feet in length.
"I-is that-"
"-A basilisk, yes," Harry nodded as he bent down and picked up the sleeping snake. He had a bandana still wrapped around its eyes and one around its mouth, blinding the snake and keeping its mouth shut.
"What did you do to the poor thing?!" Newton cried out, sounding applause.
"It's a basilisk Mr. Scamander," Harry snorted, "it's eyes can kill on sight and it's venom is the most deadly thing on this planet. You really think it being free is a good thing?"
"If you keep its mouth bound how do you expect it to eat?!" The man cried out, his previous meek demeanor replaced now with a man with nerves of steel.
"I usually keep it unbound," Harry replied, "I thought since I was introducing it to you, it might be best to take every precaution I can."
"Where did you find it?" Newt asked, putting his briefcase aside and poaching the snake with caution.
"I trust you heard what happened in Hogwarts this year?"
"Yes I….do you mean to tell me that the prank which happened-"
"-Wasn't really a prank. Potter killed this thing's mother, but this survived. I found it and….I know I should have killed it, but I couldn't bring myself to do so. I'm hoping you would want to take it in?"
"M-me?"
"I've researched about your trips to study these types of creatures Mr. Scamander, I know that you would jump at such a chance to take it in...wouldn't you?" Harry asked.
Newton looked at the snake in Harry's hand resting peacefully, despite being blind and gagged, it was calm. And it was at that moment when Scamander realised one very important thing.
"I cannot," he replied.
"Why not?" Harry asked, afraid to lose the help of possibly the one man in the whole world who could help him.
"Because clearly, the basilisk considers you it's family. They way it remains calm, despite being blind, it speaks to the basilisk's trust in you. If I break such a bond then...I'm afraid it would turn hostile."
"So you can't get rid of it?!" Harry cried out in shock, "b-but what else can I do?! I can't raise a fucking basilisk! People will notice!"
"It's alright dear, I promise I would help and I intend to," the man replied calmly, placing his suitcase down and reaching into his jacket to pull out a thin wallet which hsi then unfolded, turning it inside out into a leather box filled with medical instruments.
"What do you plan on doing?" Harry asked with worry as Scamander took out a cotton swab covered with blue coloured substance.
"I need to test it's venom, to see how toxic it is," Newton turned to the snake's bind and narrowed his eyes, "it's barbaric what you did, binding it like that."
"If you have a better idea I'm all ears," Harry hissed back.
The man said nothing, pushing the cotton swab into the snake's mouth and moved it around. He removed it and found the blue on the cotton had turned a sickly green.
"What does that mean?" Harry asked.
"The poison isn't toxic yet. Maybe it can paralyze upon biting its victim, but not to the levels of it's legendary counterparts."
"And it's eyes?" Harry asked, "didn't want to test it with anything that could hurt it."
"The eyes aren't an issue," Scamander replied, putting his tools away, "the deathly stare of a basilisk is only active once the snake reaches maturity."
"And that is when?"
"Hm, five years, give or take. Don't worry, you would notice as the basilisk will start eating an irregularly massive amount of food in preparation for the change. It was a fascinating sight really," Newt took out the wand and with a flick, the binds on the snake's eyes and mouth vanished.
"What the hell?!" Harry cried out, dropping the snake on instaic. The moment it fell to the ground the basilisk hurried off, crawling into a crack in the clearing, wiggling it's way inside.
"Why did you drop it?"
"You just removed the bindings off!" Harry snapped back as they both approached the crack in which the snake crawled inside.
"I told you it was harmless did I not?" Scamander hissed as he pulled out a small hand held clicker which he then began pressing repeatedly, a sharp clicking sound ringing out into the forest.
"What's that for?" Harry asked, brushing aside stray blonde hairs that came across his face. It had been a long time since he's had this kind of hair, he remembered why he disliked it so.
"It's the call of a mother," Scamander whispered, "baby basilisk recognize it as their own." He tried for a minute, but in the end, the snake didn't even budge, "damn it. It must not recognize the sound. What happened to its mother?"
"Told you, dead," Harry replied, "should we just summon it out?"
"No, you do that and it will consider you an enemy," Scamander sighed, running a frail hand through his hair, "basilisks' are sensitive to magic, they can recognize when it's used on them and without their immunity to spells that is gained through years of growth, it can never defend itself."
"So...what now?"
"I'm thinking child, a moment," Scamander huffed, focusing his narrowed eyes on the hole in the wall, obviously trying to come up with a solution.
Harry rolled his eyes as he looked back at where the snake was hiding. It was scared, probably had no idea what the outside world was like. He could leave it here, come back in five years and kill it...but the idea of being indirectly responsible for a basilisk being released in the middle of a park where children frequented turned his stomach.
Every option he came up with involving abandonment, and every one of those options made him want to vomit. He would become so much like Tom Riddle is he did, uncaring, a monster. Harry had already killed it's mother...now...if Scamander couldn't take him, it was Harry's responsibility.
"It's okay," Harry hissed, startling Scamander so much the man jumped back in surprise. Harry ignored him as he continued to converse the snake in parseltongue, "I promise, we won't hurt you, come out."
And slowly, just behind the darkness of the whole, the baby basilisk peaked it's head out and hissed, "mother?"
"I….yes, I am, now come out little one," Harry extended his hand, the snake slithered out and into his arms, curling around and resting its head on Harry's knuckles.
"Y-you're a parselmouth?" Scamander asked in awe.
"Yes," Harry nodded slowly as for the first time he looked the snake in the eyes. He never realised, but the snake had the prettiest brown pools of honey. He didn't know what a basilisk's eyes are supposed to look like, but sure as hell didn't have any of the foreboding feeling of death he felt from its mother.
"I see...so that's why you were able to find the snake," Newton whispered to himself, "fascinating."
"Mr. Scamander...I'm aware that...you don't exactly approve of my handling of the snake. But that's just because I don't know any bloody thing about it….please...could you help me?" Harry asked the man.
The Magizoologist, for the first time since Harry met him, cracked a smile, "Ms. Shaw, it would be my absolute pleasure. Now come," Scamander replied as he laid down his suitcase and opened it up, revealing a flight of stairs running down to what looked like an expanded compartment, "let's get you settled in."
Harry followed Newtown down the flight of stairs. His guess that the suitcase was an expanded compartment as the bottom of the steps was a giant room filled with a magical manager of sorts.
"Over here, please," Scamander mentioned to a platform on the bottom that had a desk with several instruments and other machines layed around it, resembling a magical veterinarian.
Harry walked up to him, but his eyes were locked onto the sights around. Everywhere he looked there was another magical creature behind a glass of sorts, living in a natural habitat. Harry saw what looked like a giant kelp dragon living in a lake, a Thunderbird with red feathers in the middle of a desert and so many more Harry couldn't even begin to name them all.
"Ms. Shaw?" Scamander called out. Harry turned, the man wore gloves and had prepared a plushie cushion on his table, "the basilisk? Oh, and could you ask it not to bite me?"
Harry nodded, turning to the snake who was equally amazed by everything here, "listen little one, this man here is a friend. He will help us, make you better."
"Something wrong with me mother?" the snake hissed back.
"No, but just to be safe, we are going to check. Don't bite him," Harry wanted.
"Understood mother. I will not bite."
Harry smiled as he carefully put the snake on Scamander's table as the man drew his wand and began summoning magical tools to his side.
He took what looked like a magnifying glass with several knobs on the frame. He looked through the snake, turning and adjusting the knobs accordingly. After that he took a long metal rod with a hooked end, running it across the snake's body, much to the little thing's annoyance.
Harry was really amazed, he could tell the snake didn't like it, but it refused to act on that annoyance. Was it really so obedient to him that it refused to fight back, even if Scamander was hurting it?
For some reason, Harry felt proud. The little thing was so loyal...it might as well be a Hufflepuff.
Soon Scamander was done with his scans, the basilisk hissed in annoyance, but the moment the magizoologist placed a heated lamp on it's person, the snake curled up and began to sleep.
"Well?" Harry asked, "what can you tell me?"
"Well for one, your snake is female," Scamander replied as he removed his gloves and tossed them into a bin, "it also has one of the most powerful magic resistant scales I have ever seen. How old was her mother?"
"Well, ti was Slytherin's personal familiar so I assume it was a few hundred years old," Harry shrugged.
"I see...well then that would explain that...there is however an issue."
"And that is?" Harry asked with worry that even surprised him.
"It seems to have suffered some deformation in the egg," Scamander explained, gaining a dangerous dark look, "it must have not been carried to full term or been forced to hatch. The only reason it survived is because of just how powerful it is. For the next few months you and it cannot be separated, you will have to care for it everyday, here," Samander passed a green bottle with a snake head shaped stopper, "this potion will help. A drop a day in it's meal and it should battle any issues the basilisk has."
Harry picked the medicine up and sighed, guilt once again coming up due to the way he treated his...his pet. He killed so many of it's brother's and sisters with a thought...but this, it survived...it was now his duty to make sure it kept living.
"Thank you...Scamander, could you tell me exactly what basilisks eat? I discovered through trial and error that they can have milk and certain types of seeds like sunflower. Can you tell me anything else?"
"Of course," Scamander nodded, "at this age, the little thing can't have much. No meat, maybe wait a month or two before you begin. Continue on with the milk but avoid anything heavy, like cream. Basilisks also are very appreciative of alcohol, so you can try feed it some."
"I'm sorry, alcohol?" Harry blinked in surprise.
"The young have no control over their venom. Hence whatever it eats gets a little bit of its own venom secreted into it. It tastes horrible for the snake, that's why until it learns how to control it's venom secretion, it's best to give it less solid food. Alcohol neutralises the taste of the venom for the snake, hence why they like it."
"What about it getting drunk?"
Scander shrugged, "give it no-mag liquor, won't be an issue."
"No-mag?"
"Oh, pardon, it's the American equivalent of the term Muggle," Scamander chuckled, "my wife's influence, found myself picking up several of her terms. Now come, there is much more I have to teach you."
And with that Scander took Harry to the back of the room where there were wall to wall files and cabinets littered across the room. It reminded Harry a little of the library at Hogwarts, but only in size. If the library ever got half as messy as this, Ms. Pine would kill someone.
He walked through this mess with ease, knowing every single crook and corner as he reached behind three stacks of sheets and pulled out a dusty black file, "found it!"
He brought it over to a table in one corner, pushing off all the papers on the table aside, opening the file up.
"Ms. Shaw, do you have those corrected papers?" Scamander turned, "I admit, I'm very much curious about them."
Harry nodded as he reached into his jacket and pulled out a bundle of sheets, the papers he corrected from Newt's own notes.
He passed them over and Scamander spent the next ten minutes in silence reading them. Harry had gotten so bored at one point he picked up a random file off the ground and began reading it through.
It was apparently a study on a type of magical creature called an Obscurus. Harry didn't know what that was, but judging by the way the file was so worn out, he waggered this was a topic Scamander revisited over and over again.
He read up on the file, apparently it was a sort of magical phenomenon, one that happened to a magical child if they were taught to suppress their magic into themselves, thereby corrupting their core beyond measure, turning it...vile. Savage.
Scamander even had a list of Obscurus related incidents and the names of the magical children who made them. There were so many, Dorothy R., Fredrick W., Lucy H., Aurelius D. So many...Harry for a second wondered if he had continued to live with the Dursleys he too would have become an Obscurus. Just another name on the list.
"Ms. Shaw," Scander called out, gaining Harry's attention, "where exactly did you say you gained this information?"
"Secrets Mr. Scamander," Harry snorted.
"Well that may be, but I cannot accept these as facts until you tell me where you got it," Scamder pushed.
"Then don't believe it Mr. Scamander, because frankly, there is a lot about me you don't know. And I plan to keep it that way," Harry said in reply, "the amount of risk involved with raising a basilisk...if anyone ever found out..."
"Ms. Shaw, you can trust me," Scambder sighed, removing his glasses and letting it hang down his neck, "my wife and I share many things, but this will not be one of them. You are doing a fine thing taking care of the little basilisk young lady, I promise, I won't ever betray your trust willingly."
"And if someone slips you a truth potion like I did?" Harry raised an eyebrow.
"Then….I would be careful to accept an offered drink from strangers from now on," the man smiled.
Harry couldn't help smirk, shaking his head before singing, "fine...I'm trusting you Scamander, but understand if you ever cause anyone to even think I'm raising an XXXXX dark creature, I will make you regret it, yes?"
"Agreed."
"Good," Harry sighed and took out his wand and pretended to wave it around his head to hide his natural-born metamorphosing abilities. He changed, now resembling his default state, "my name is Harry Potter."
Scamander looked, his eyes narrowed in anger, "tell me Mr. Potter, did you have to kill it's mother?"
"It was either that or let it attack, kill and eat the students above Scamander," Harry replied without a second to worry, "it was serving Voldemort himself...I had no choice."
"Voldemort?" Scamander replied in surprise, "what does he have to do with this?"
Harry was in turn amazed, "I'm surprised you can even say his name, most can barely get it out without a stutter."
"Well yes, after living through two Dark Lords, one tends to not be so affected by fear mongering," Scamander said with a snort.
Harry raised an eyebrow, "two?"
"Grindelwald," Scamander replied, a look of confusion and despair running over his face, "nevermind that, you said something about Voldemort controlling the basilisk?"
"He was also a parselmouth," Harry shrugged, "the snake obeyed him without question. It was pure luck that no one died, only two students and a cat got paralyzed and a ghost...well, they can't really die now can they?"
"I see...well...I suppose there was no choice," Scamander sighed, "but how did a basilisk even come into Hogwarts?"
"Chamber of Secrets," Harry replied, "now enough interrogation, it's your turn to help me. You said I need to carry the basilisk with me at all times, but over the summer I have many other promises to keep not to mention classes in Hogwarts."
Newt scratched his chin and hummed for a moment before his eyes lit up. He snapped his fingers and once more rummaged through the mess that was his records room. "Ah-ha!" he called out as he pulled out a large leather locket from underneath a heap of paper.
"What's that?" Harry asked as he looked the locket over. It was circular, as big as his fist and embroidered on it was a bold 'N'.
"My first ever expanded container," Newt said proudly as he held it up, "I made it myself, kept all sorts of little things in there. Don't' need it too much now," he said, banishing all the dust on its surface, "but it would be perfect for you."
Harry received the locket and looked it over, opening the locket he looked inside and found a large circular room with a tray for food and even several sunlamps around. "Can I change the inside?"
"Of course! Here, let me show you," Scamander smiled as he began helping Harry customize the inside of the locket to what a basilisk would need in a habitat. By the end, Harry had a cozy little room filled with a maze for the snake's entertainment and cushion to sleep on.
Harry and Scamander then spent the rest of the day working together on ways to which best raise up the young basilisk. They bounded, if Harry was being honest. Harry was adamant on his duties, something Scamander both recognized and admired.
By the end Harry and Scamander were confident Harry could take care of his new pet with ease, Scamander even promised to assist Harry at any time of the day should the need arise, the man's love for magical creatures really was without limit.
With his impromptu education in all things basilisk done, Harry left with several files on rearing and caring for a basilisk. They went back to the examination table and the basilisk was exactly where they had left her.
"You know, you still haven't named her," Scamander said with a soft smile.
Harry snorted, "didn't think it mattered to be honest...any suggestion?"
"Piara?"
"No."
"Louina?"
"What era were you born in, Scamander?" Harry chuckled at the outdated name.
"The Nineteenth century," Scamander replied with a grin.
Harry blinked, "oh...right," he really had forgotten how long lived wizards usually were, "you look good for being nearly a hundred."
"Thank you Mr. Potter. But you know, you really should be the one to name her," the man motioned, "she is yours."
Harry pondered the suggestion, looking at the sleeping snake. It's blue and green scales shimmered in the dark, it's tiny crown named it Queen of the sperpants, but it's size and lack of horns made her out to be more like a princess than anything else.
That, plus it's almost constant state of rest, gave Harry and ideas, "Anastasia."
Scamander chuckled, "and you called me old fashioned."
"Annie for short," Harry smiled as just that moment, the little snake seemed to shake itself awake from her sleep, looking up at Harry with her doe eyes, "good morning Anastasia. How did you sleep?"
"Who is that mother?" the snake asked curiously.
"That is you...your name is Anastasia," Harry explained.
"What is a name?" the confused child asked.
"A name is...is...it is what we call someone. Everything has a name," Harry tried his best to explain.
"Do you have a name mother?"
"Yes...it's Harry, my name is Harry."
"Harry...then do I say Harry instead of mother?"
"Yes little one, call me Harry. And I will call you Anastasia or Annie for short."
"So I am Annie? And you are Harry?"
Harry nodded, "yes Annie, and this old man here," Harry pointed to Newt, who looked surprised at being in the conversation at all, "this is Scamander. He is a friend."
"Friend?"
"It means if you ever get in trouble, he will help," Harry explained again.
The snake in turn turned to Scamander and hissed, tilting its head to the side in curiosity. Newt slowly reached out with his bare hand, Annie looked down, hissed and then gently crawled around his palm, rubbing her head against his thumb, "friend."
Harry didn't know why, but his heart felt like it was going to explode out of his chest.
Compliments, give me compliments. That's all I want/need.