Chapter 16: Forgiveness Comes in All Kinds of Ridiculousness

Words: 4,851

Recap: So busy in giving him space, I hadn't realized Severus went missing until it was too late. After a talk with our residence Shakespeare-loving squid, it's time for me and Lily do our signature snooping late night in our own school.

"Is this going to be a thing for us, breaking and entering our own school?" Lily turned from her guarding spot to glance at my crouched form as I easily picked the locked door.

The telling sound of the ancient lock being picked open had me smirk victoriously, "This is too easy. If the school only rely on their magic for security, I say it's asking for a break-in."

Lily flapped her mouth in shock before shaking her head, "There are just... so many things wrong with that logic that I don't know where to start."

"You know me Lils, just go with the flow, me."

The door creaked open and we tensed. Not knowing whether anyone, alive or dead, had heard it. Sensing no presence, we stared down at the set of stairs leading down toward a patch of darkness, too dark to know what awaits us below.

The stench certainly said otherwise. I could only conclude wizards had some sort of Smellproof Spell because there's no way they would have kept the stench of the dank sewage air otherwise from slipping through the sorry state of the wooden door. It was enough to make me question what the heroes in all those retro adventure games when they had a quest through the sewage of a medieval castle because I doubt those quests were worth any of this.

When we reached the last step of the stairs, however, it was... clean. Weird. I was sure Slughorn mentioned there was a lot of slime from the slug infestation, but there's barely any at the moment. The only few lefts were sticking at the high walls or ceiling. As if something had swiped them in a single sweep. I felt my hair rise on alert, wary of anything that might just pop out from the darkness.

"Never thought I'd be anything but thrilled to see a place cleaned up."

"It looks recent," Lily observed, "There's still a mark of slime stubbornly sticking on the wall–look!"

She pointed at a particular corner, the bricks there caved or shattered, revealing a giant rusted pipe behind the walls of the hidden dungeon. The most glaring thing about it was the giant hole on the side that broke outward from the pipe.

"What could cause this?"

Lily moved closer, her hand hovered over the edge of the hole, carefully not to touch. "I think the slime must have sped up the rusting on it, so when there's great pressure from the pipe, the water broke it through and swept most of the slugs and slimes away."

Part of me wanted to ask how slimes could speed up rust because science says that's a ball of crap, but then we're not dealing with science anyway.

"There's even a footprint here, around our size, no doubt about it, Sev was here."

I whistled, impressed. Lily could be really sharp at times. "So then Nancy Drew, what's our next move?"

She turned back to me, and arched an eyebrow, "Isn't that obvious?"

With a small amount of trepidation, we ventured to the depth of the pipes of plumbs in the search of the missing Slytherin of the shrouded mystery castle of Hogwarts.

And let me tell you that the pipes here are abnormally huge, enough that it feels like we're going into a cave where maybe a hydra or a dragon could make a nest in, hidden from the prying eyes of the school. I could see how Greg managed to crawl his way around and stalk Shakespeare.

Still, the tunnel of pipes reminds me more of a subway rail. My mind kept derailing to movie scenes of blinding light of an upcoming train from behind and head twitching to glance behind me to find nothing but my paranoia.

"This place is massive and goes all over the castle, how are we going to find Severus?"

"You don't happen to know any tracking spell, do you?"

"If it were that easy, don't you think the teachers would have found him by now?"

"Yeah, good point, but the pipes here are made like mazes. I hate mazes, don't have the best memory of them."

"Oh, come on Percy, how bad can it be?"

Hmm...around the fact it was Kronos-reviving-volcano-erupting-grade bad, I wanted to say but stayed silent.

Perhaps because I was too busy reminiscing, maybe my ADHD got me distracted, I don't know, but I wrong foot and I found myself sliding down the pipes with a yell and went through the craziest slide ride. My stomach dropped to different sides when I was positive I went sideways and even went through a loopy-loop (who even does that to a plumbing?)

The ride was over when the ground was pulled beneath me, and I was falling (yet again) toward the clean dark ground below me and the only thing in my mind was not today.

I pulled my center gravity and using my honed instinct I've trained, I swung myself until my feet were aimed down and I successfully landed without a tumble. Pumping down a fist with a quiet "yes" at my success.

But then a familiar screeched that was getting louder by the second. I looked up too late before a fifty-something pound landed squarely on me.

Lily groaned in obvious nausea, "Note to self, never ever go back to the sewer. Ever."

"Sound advice, but could you take note to get off me now?!"

She meeped, scrambling away in haste before helping me up, "Sorry Percy, you okay?"

"I've had worse. Now, where did the pipes landed us-" I left my jaw gawking at the sight before me. And no, it wasn't the large metal door that had snakes engraved to them to encompassed around it like a secret entrance, but the large pothole where said secret entrance that looked it was pulled out of the wall.

And judging by how it was offed, it wasn't from a natural cause.

"What happened here?"

"I think Sev just proved the Invulnerable Door Fallacy works on magic as well."

She frowned at the unfamiliar term, "Meaning?"

"No matter how secure or impenetrable a door is, the wall might not be so. I'm more curious on what type of spell he used to carve out the whole door."

"You know Severus, that kid honestly has the strangest idea in his head sometimes."

"It works out for our benefit so I'm not complaining. Now come on!"

We edged forward to the hole and gaped, not expecting the place we find. Our eyes swept through the room, white sheen wall, giant pillars, and white tiles encompassing the space's floor. On either side were rows of snake statues and at the end of the chamber was the carved face on the wall that managed to capture his I'm-better-than-you-peasants look through his eye.

"Where are we?" Lily voiced out her shock, "even knowing Hogwarts has a secret underground room, this is…"

"Yeah," I agreed absentmindedly, "Whoever made it had an obvious Snake Fetish."

"Snake... snake... that's it, Percy! Do you think this is some kind of secret room of Salazar Slytherin? This must be what Sev had talked about before."

"You mean the Chamber of Secret? The same legendary chamber that was supposed to keep something that could potentially kill the whole student body?"

Lily's wide eye had a different glint as her whole face turned shocking pale, "And Sev's alone with it."

"Di immortales," I cursed vehemently, "Next you'll say this where the Hogwarts Treasure is." Her face lit up like Apollo had personally given her enlightenment, and I turned ludicrously at her, "You're not serious."

"Maybe it's not here, but you know what else Slytherin could have hidden here?"

The same light seemed to dawn on me too, "The key to the Lost Treasure."

"Exactly! Sev must have thought the same thing, that must be why he went down all the way here."

If I found out that's true, I'm going to wring that brat's little neck for making us worry over a stupid key. "Okay, so we found the chamber then what do we do now? Sev is obviously nowhere."

"Maybe we can ask him?"

"Who?"

Lily pointed at the giant statue head of Salazar Slytherin on the wall, "Last time we had met with Gryffindor's Painting and Hufflepuff's Tree, maybe now we need to ask Slytherin's Bust?"

"Worth a try," I cleared my throat and let my voice echoed throughout the chamber, "We are here to seek the key for the Hogwart Treasure from the Great Salazar Slytherin!"

My redheaded friend rolled and exasperated eye at me, "Don't be ridiculous Percy, there's no way it would be that simple–"

She was cut off when the whole chamber trembled. Not enough to knock us down but enough for us to be wary. The sound of grinding stone made us realized it was coming from the statue, and we witnessed the old man's mouth opening, eyeballs rolling up front to show his pupil, and a crease was made between his eyes. The whole face became more life-like as the stone face showed an annoyed expression.

"Who here calls upon my name?" The statue, Salazar Slytherin, boomed. His loud voice combined with the echoes gave him an almost disembodied voice.

"It works?!" She couldn't help but said disbelievingly. My only response was a shrug. I didn't think it'd be that easy, but hey? If it works, it works.

We both looked back up at the large head of one of the founders. Lily had audibly gulped but took the first step forward, eyes never breaking contact. "Great Founder Slytherin, we come to ask of...of...of those who seek the key to the Treasure of Hogwarts"

"Seeking the key you say? An odd question to answer for." His eyes narrowed down at her, his mouth curled into a sneer, "Then again, what would I expect from Godric's children."

Her cheeks flushed and she glared up at the elder statue. She looked ready to give him a piece of her mind so I had to intervene between them, "Great Salazar, we came here for some answers because we suspect one of your children was here and was lost. We would like to find and make sure he's safe and bring him back."

"And what would you have me do if I have nothing to say to your inquiry? I have no obligation to answer to a child, much less from a duff' Puff."

Oh great, another one of those. "Well, I assume this is your proud Chamber of Secret, right? Not much of a secret if this "Puff" goes up and blows up how to find it to the entire student body, wouldn't it?" I challenged with my arm crossed, daring him.

The statue slit eyes' narrowed even further. I was sure he would love to have his wand and curse me on his own. But then a creepy smile crept up his lips. "That is a very Slytherin thinking of you, as expected of Helga's child, she got the most diverse kids in her lot." There was a hint of appreciation in his tone, maybe a bit of awe? Whichever it was, it was not an expression both of us had expected from him.

"You sound like you admired her."

"Admire? Bah, humbug, what would I have to admire that airhead? Despite our differences, I do have the highest respect for her keen eye. She saw potential from those who people deem as no worth, and while I don't agree with her silly peace-monger idea, as a group they have more achievements than individually like any other houses. The other houses tend to be more flashy about it."

"Fascinating as that is," Lily cut him off, getting straight to our objective, "You wouldn't mind answering our question now, would you?"

The stone grind and dust flies as the bust tilt its face in thought, "Ah, yes. Indeed, one of my children did come to this chamber. I thought my door was foolproof but he was a true Slytherin. He found a way to get what he wants, whatever it takes, and broke the rule with it. It's disappointing he's not my Heir, and a half-blood too. For shame."

"What did he want?"

"You've already known, Godric's child had said it, didn't she?"

"The key," I reaffirmed my answer.

"Exactly, so as my one of own, I graciously showed him where I had hidden it, but if he manages to retrieve it or die trying is entirely up to him."

Lily closed her mouth, smothering her high pitch gasped as she looked on the verge of tears. I was clenching my fist hard at the image of him alone, facing uncertain death. While I know he is capable despite his age, doesn't mean anyone should face them regardless.

"Take us to him."

Salazar looked unimpressed at me. My signature Death Glare isn't as potent in my twelve-year-old body, "Hmm, demanding, aren't you? Very well, swear on your magic that you say nothing of this chamber to anyone outside of this sacred place."

"You're putting us an Unbreakable Vow?!" Lily shrieked, sounding hysterical.

"For Lord's sake, calm down you foolish child! Of course not. For one, it's not possible since I'm not even alive. Second, you youngster don't have the knowledge to be the third party of fulfilling the requirement of an Unbreakable Vow. No, you'll be making the Sacred Oath. It's not unlike the Vow, but you can cast it alone and it'll only result in a jinx when broken."

"That... doesn't sound too bad."

"Can you say the same to the countless Dark Arts Teacher that left either cursed, mutilated, killed, or died in a horrific accident? Compared to the vow, jinxes are much more unpredictable, you never know what you could suffer with."

"How do you even know that? You're a statue at a secret underground chamber."

"I have my ways. Do we have an accord, children?"

We both exchanged a wordless conversation, we knew there was never a consideration otherwise. Lifting our wand, as one would before a duel, we spoke in unison.

"I, Percy Jackson–"

"I, Lily Evans–"

"–swear in my magic to never divulge the existence of the Chamber of Secret to anyone outside this chamber."

Blue lights emitted from the tip of our wands, swirling the wand, down our wands, and reaching eight to our hearts. There wasn't any pain or tingle that tells me if we've done the spell correctly.

Salazar's satisfied grin looked like a canary who got his prey, "I deem your oath worthy and accept so I'll allow you to find what you seek. Beware of the Serpent King and for whatever folly you'll face, is on your head alone."

After warning us, he opened his mouth wider than humanly possible, not like he was human anyway, giving his mouth an unnatural edge, his teeth shifted into bars you only thing was to lock something in...or keep something out.

I have no doubt it's the latter in this case.

Looking over at the dark tunnel ahead of us, I glanced at Lily and was surprised to find her not at all afraid. Her face set and determined, glaring up the same darkness as me as if daring it to try and scare her away. I wasn't ashamed to say she looked way cooler at that moment.

"Ready?" She asked me.

"As I'll ever be."

It took less than five steps in before a semblance of regret pricked at us.

Laying asleep within the dim darkness of the cell was the most ginormous snake I've ever seen and could have made into a giant's pet. The rise and fall of its breathing figure showed how very much alive this thing was.

"If it wakes up, do you think it'd get hungry? Because I hope we're not in the menu" I couldn't help blurt out. My attempt at breaking the tension just made it worse.

"Shutupshutupshutupshutup," she frantically hissed. Her hold on my wrist was so tight, I'm a bit worried she'd pull my hand off.

Then we heard it, "Percy, Lily, is that you?"

The fear washed away in exchange for our feet hasting toward the voice. We spotted Sev alright. As relief as we were to find him relatively harmless, being stuck underneath the tail of wildly dangerous monsters that could kill us with only a glare did not help ease the situation.

That didn't stop me from giving Sev my best judgemental and disappointed look, "I honestly don't know what I should ask first, The freaking chamber of secret or the deadly giant snake on top of you first?!"

"I'd like to ask the same, but I can't without regretting my life choices."

Our banter must have snapped whatever shock Lily was in because she almost yelled his name if I hadn't covered her mouth. "Sshh, must I remind you of the big damn snake we're not trying to wake!"

I waited for Lily to nod, but she mumbled something about my language, before letting her go, "What should we do? Can we pull him out?"

"That'd be great, I've been a little bit under the weather with not much to eat and drink, and my wand arm is kind of squished at the moment.'

"Shouldn't it be me that's supposed to find trouble, Severus?"

"Get me out and I'll take the hypocrite lecture after."

Well, even if he put it so nicely. It's not like it's a problem that we could easily solve by simply pushing the snake off. I knew all we needed was a simple solution no matter how unique the problem was, but nothing came to mind.

"You don't happen to have any idea, do you Sev?"

"None without risking in waking the fifty long foot worth of skin bag," he groused, not at all elated by his own ideas before he seemed to deflate. "It's...it's no use. I'm sorry guys but, but I'm afraid-"

"Don't you dare," Lily cut him off with a fierce glare, "Don't you dare give up on us Severus or I swear I'll break the Oath and make sure you get the help you need. I'll even cut this... fancy worm out for you but don't dare tell us your life is no use."

There wasn't enough light to see his face, but I would bet his eyes were wet from the dam holding his tears back, "But..but... the Basilisk..."

"Then you better try risking it because you either risk it or risk stuck as a snake cushion, what's it going to be?" I told him firmly.

Severus breathed out harshly, either grateful or exasperate at having such lovely friends, "Fine fine. First thing first, Percy, you're going to have to wake the Basilisk."

"Wow, wow, wow. I thought your plan was risking it awake, not making it!"

Sev waved his free hand like my worries aren't warranted, "Semantics. As I was saying before you rudely interrupted me. You need to lure the basilisk out and give it a wild goose chase without letting it escape outside through the pipes."

"And how will this brilliant plan of yours prevents me from being a snake chowder or as one of Medusa's statue?"

"Don't worry, I have a charm spell that would keep that beast away while the two of us wait outside its cage."

"Okay, I understand where you're going with this but why can't Lily do it? She's better at charms than me."

Sev had held back the urge to roll his eyes, "Obviously, because I like her better."

Oh, gee... way to make a guy feel great, Sev.

"Joking aside," That was a joke? "When it concerns suicidal danger you're the likeliest to survive out of the three of us so I'm banking on that disgusting luck of yours to get us outta here."

Well, when you put it that way.

"Alright, how are we going to do this?"

Three minutes later, I found myself about to do one of the Top Five on How-the-heck-Did-I-Survive List and had a 20K pound of death chasing after me. Normally, I would have asked myself 'Why me?' But at this point, it's easier to just roll with the punches.

How did I wake up the world's deadliest snake you might ask?

Let's just say I hope it had a hard time breathing with a stick up its nose. Literally.

I know, not my proudest moment. I'd have to improvise since Severus's plan involves using a wand and currently lost said wand in the snake I'm up against.

Yeah, barely starting and the plan is already botched to Hades.

One good thing that I was confident of was my evasion skill, and I figured the maze-like chamber could easily hide my presence and evading the Big Bad Snake out of his sight.

That was the sound of symphony Major Mistake No.2

By the three-and-a-half-minute time point, woe is me for considering going deeper through the chamber because you don't try to out-hide a natural predator of humankind. Not only could it smell me from a mile afar, but the Basilisk was actually stealthy enough to put a jump on me. It only took the unnatural giant shadow covering me to make me notice its presence.

Running was the only option I had; I couldn't go back and risk endangering Lily and Sev, nor could I fight with a sword while making sure not to meet its eye. I'm not prepared for that much risk. The only other way to get it off my back was with Sev's planning, but as I had mentioned before, I don't have my wand.

At this rate, I might be desperate enough to do a fake-death-bit if it could get the scaly thing to leave me alone, but thankfully I haven't reached that point before a solution smacked me on the face.

No, it literally smacked me. As in the flying pest—I mean automaton fairy—popped out of the watch and flew up front when I was running for my life. "Hey Boss, you look like you're in trouble, need some help?" Said the out of place cheery robot hitching a ride on my face.

"Kind of in the middle of something," I hissed as I made a sharp turn and narrowly avoid a hard lunge from the demonic snake.

"Yeah, I get that. Why do you think I'm here?"

"As a matter of fact, yes. Why are you here? I didn't remember calling you out of my watch."

"Emergency Buddy System. Lord Hermes had graciously provided Boss with a Pop-out helper in the case you are too busy in mortal peril to properly summon me."

"Then can you take care of that?" I jammed a thumb behind me so he knows what I'm dealing with.

Ivan only took one brief look behind me and just as cheerily answered, "Of course not, are you crazy Boss? I'm a helper, not a fighter."

This useless piece of tin bug.

Nevertheless, I am this close to faking my death (and most likely fail) until I told him, "Then help me get back my wand, it's the least your metal wings can do!"

I was expecting another whine or excuse, but surprisingly, Ivan gave me a quick salute and flew back, confronting the snake and giving no time for me to stop him. I mean, the fairy could be annoying but that doesn't mean I want him to be its personal curb ball.

Turns out, I had nothing to worry about. The snake began to trash within the confine of the pipes. I warily observed from the corner of a pipeline and was feeling a bit claustrophobic when the whole wall shook. It didn't cease even when Ivan was back, wet in snake boogers, my wand successfully retrieved from its snot.

"I got your wand Boss! Whatcha gonna do next?"

"The next step of the plan, but just in case if I die, make sure you kill Sev for me."

I waved my wand around, aiming at my throat, and whispered Sonos uva before taking a deep breath, I cried out the loudest chicken cluck I've ever made.

If you're confused at this turnabout, so was I. Severus explained the cry of a hen was fatal for the basilisk. How a cluck of what should have been its snack and life gives a plot twist by turning it into its natural-born enemy.

The reaction was more than I could hope. Clucking myself at it, brandishing it like a man whipping the lion back, no matter how silly I make myself out. But beating with a chicken cluck is definitely going to the Top 10 Weirdest-Shite-in-My-Life and that's an achievement.

The snake and I managed to get back at the chamber, my clucking had forced it back to hide within the dark damp of its cage before the mouth of Salazar Slytherin was closed, locking it up for good.

I felt safe enough to turn my back and walked up to Lily and Sev, both were waiting by the hole Sev had dug, looking up at me with a mixed expression.

"I don't know if I should laugh or be amazed by that surreal scene," Lily pursed in confliction.

Sev, on the other hand, didn't hide his own amusement, "You mean seeing Percy chicken-danced his way to scaring the Big Bad Basilisk?"

"That."

"Pok, pok, pok, pok, POK?!"

"What's that? Sorry, I don't speak chicken." The glee in Sev's face was wiped by the light punch and a hard glare from our fiery red-headed friend, "Fine, fine, Finite incantatem."

A tingle of magic wrapped around my throat before releasing it, "Testing, testing, 1, 2, 3, oh thanks Severus. I was worried since otherwise, I couldn't have said this: WHAT THE EVER LOVING NAME OF KRONOS WERE YOU THINKING?" My angry shout was enough to knock down Severus on thin air.

Wow, I didn't think I could be this mad without making an earthquake. I guess I'm too used to putting things in a jar. No surprise there.

"Percy!"

I ignored Lily and pointed accusingly at the black mess on the floor, "Had we found this degenerate greasy mess even later, you might have been dead by then without anyone ever finding you. Did you ever think that when you went down without so much as a note of where you were going? Did that big brain of yours ever thought of how we feel worrying our heads off?!"

Great gods, is this how Mom feels every time I went out in search of danger? She's a literal saint by this point.

"I know you're not an idiot Sev, so what ran through your head that led you to think any of this was a good idea?"

Sev didn't say anything, not at first anyway. He was biting his lips and couldn't look me in the eye, then pulled out his fisted hand, opening it to reveal a... jagged holed rectangular piece smaller than the palm of his hand. In fact, that might look like the head of a classic medieval key.

The dots connected before he had begun explaining, "That day, I didn't mean to hurt you...it was a prank they deserve but... I didn't think and you got hurt and look disappointed that I..." He licked his dry lips, breath heaving as he tried to reign in the tears at the edge of his eyes, "I hate not being your friend, and, and, I thought to find the key of the Lost Treasure would have made it up so... that is... I…"

He cursed when a lone tear managed to break and immediately started brushing it off with his dirty sleeve but that only gave his face as greasy as his hair. Both of us were looking dumbstruck at his crying, never had we seen Severus so...so... what's the word...argh! Emotionally vulnerable like this. Yes, that's the one.

And for the first time since I had grabbed the hand of a helpless kid from a house with a drunk abusive father, I saw Severus as the kid he was. It was easy to forget because of how mature he was and how easily I regarded him as someone equal.

It seemed way too late to realize my mental state took a bit of a nosedive alongside my age.

Lily glumped him into a crushing hug that Sev returned without a thought — another thing he rarely does — giving him the physical comfort he needed after being stranded for who-knows-how-many days. I doubted a Basilisk would have made a great bunkmate for him.

Still, I couldn't help but give him a gentle knock on the head for his over the top apology gift, "We never stop being friends, for someone so smart you could be stupid as you are dramatic, Sevvy."

"Don't call me that," he growled but there was none of his usual bite in his word.