The five had discussed Rose's encounter with the basilisk, followed by her encounter with Lord Malfoy, all the way through dinner. Eventually, she had told them all to sod off and gone to sleep in the infirmary, leaving the remaining four to consider how to deal with their own beasts of Slytherin.

As they talked, they quickly came to the consensus that no, they did not want to go up against a twenty-meter long basilisk if they could avoid it. It was likely that they would need to open the path to the Chamber, this was true, but nothing at all said that they needed to go further than the entrance. Moreover, if any of them suggested such a plan to the professors, chances were good that they would be forcibly kept away from the battle.

No, the basilisk would be the Headmaster's worry.

"Or the Headmistress'," Chaser had replied.

"True, true," said Spellforged. "From how you describe her, she sounds quite similar to our Albus Dumbledores, though."

"Does she have a bunch of names?" asked Marigold.

Chaser's amusement carried over the link. "Headmistress Ariana Kendra Wulfric Brianna Dumbledore," he recited. When he heard the others laugh at the name, he found himself chuckling in turn. "Why?"

It was Seeker who answered him. "Ours is Headmaster Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore."

"Supreme Mugwump of the ICW," added Marigold.

"Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot," Spellforged chimed in.

"And Order of Merlin, First Class." finished Seeker.

Chaser couldn't help but laugh. "The more things change, the more they stay the same." he told them.

oOoOoOoOo

The three Headmasters (and one Headmistress) did not need much in the way of convincing before they agreed to deal with the basilisk. As it happened, each had already made the connection between Moaning Myrtle and Myrtle Warren, and that made the girl's bathroom a likely target for the Chamber's entrance.

The Headmistress had actually invoked her authority over the castle's ghosts to summon Myrtle to her office, where they had a chat. When Chaser asked about it later, the Headmistress said that "The girl just needed a good cry, apparently." From that day forward, Myrtle would always refer to Headmistress Dumbledore as 'Gran,' which amused the five to no end.

Myrtle, too, confirmed that a girl had been sneaking into the loo and hissing at a particular sink, revealing a staircase that closed behind her.

Lord Hillyer's role in convincing Dumbledore became clearer that week, when he was invited to join the professors in their trip to the Chamber. Apparently, Dumbledore had congratulated him on his selection as the architect of the new ICW Atrium, an award he had received in all five worlds. When they got into a talk about the intricacies of modern wizarding architecture, Dumbledore got the idea to ask about hidden spaces in old castles. Hillyer had chuckled and asked if they were referring to the Chamber of Secrets? After that, asking them to come in and look at maps was natural.

Rose wondered what had gone differently with her Hillyer. Maybe he had no Valentine's Day plans, and decided to visit the castle a day early. Maybe the other Hillyers had partners or spouses that hers lacked. Maybe hers was closer to Hermione's demeanor than the others, and could not wait to do that sort of research.

All good questions, Spellforged had replied.

oOoOoOoOo

Rose had spent the week listening as the others described their worlds' plans for dealing with the basilisk. Dumbledore, Hagrid, Flitwick, McGonagall, and Snape would all join Lord Hillyer in a trip down to the Chamber. Hillyer would be there to open the Chamber door, and - if necessary - to open the beast's hiding place. If Dumbledore and Flitwick could place her back into some form of magical sleep or stasis, then a team of handlers would be brought in to remove her from the school.

If not, then the professors would transfigure something that would secure the basilisk in place long enough for it to be killed. Hagrid was there with several roosters at the ready. Contrary to popular belief, the sound of a rooster's cry would not actually kill a basilisk dead. It did, however, cause severe disorientation - enough to halt an attack, for example. More importantly, it triggered a reflex in the basilisk that forced it to close its eyes - a useful defensive strategy.

Between Dumbledore and McGonagall, both of whom were some of the most respected Transfiguration Masters and Mistresses in recent memory, the task should be simple. The addition of Professor Knight in Chaser's world would help, as well, as she too held her mastery in the subject. There would be plenty of rubble to transfigure, if Hillyer's guess was correct (and Rose could confirm that it was).

Professor Lockhart graciously volunteered to stand watch in Myrtle's bathroom with Seeker, Spellforged, and Marigold respectively. If Hillyer were injured, only a parselmouth could open the entrance and allow the team to escape. Lockhart was there as the last line of defense, should the unthinkable happen.

All three Lockharts had the same line. "If your courage should fail, dear friends, ours will carry the day." Marigold remarked that if Snape's eyes had rolled any harder they would have left his skull and made their way down the corridor. Chaser, for his part, was thankful that he would be waiting with Professor Vector instead.

Just to be safe, the trip to the Chamber was planned for Friday afternoon, after the last class of the day. Students would be kept in their dormitories, and the elves would serve dinner in the common rooms. No one was told what would be happening, except for the Potters and the Professors. But everyone could feel the buildup of tension in the school, and when the lockdown was announced, that tension only grew.

Chaser had suggested that the elves offer a more playful menu, including some muggle favorites that had been suggested over the years. Not to be left out, Rose suggested some traditional wizarding treats as well. The result was a meal that featured pizza alongside pumpkin pasties, fish and chips served beside cauldron cakes, and so on.

As a measure designed to keep the students from worrying about the danger beneath the school, it worked. Even the Slytherins ended up enjoying the change of pace, though few would admit it. The elves later reported that they had served more pizza to the snakes than any other house, which amused the five.

oOoOoOoOo

That tension did not carry over into Rose's world, for the Headmaster had already announced that the kidnapped students had been rescued and the danger neutralized. The hundred points he awarded to Slytherin was met with grumbles from the rest of the great hall, as one might expect. What it also did was signal that Rose Potter had, somehow, had a hand in ending the threat.

At Rose's request, seconded by the family, Ginny's involvement in unleashing the basilisk was not mentioned openly. The fifty points earned by Gryffindor for her efforts at ending the threat (by fighting the diary's influence) were awarded in Dumbledore's office, so as to minimize Ginny's role. It was a validation she needed, though - and one that her mind healer, a woman named Madam Cornwall, recommended.

Rose was relieved that she was done with the Chamber for a while. The stress of knowing that the diary was still out there, waiting to attack, had been more draining on Rose than she liked to admit. She did not let her guard down, necessarily, for she was in Slytherin - it was simply not done. But she could relax a little bit.

Professor Lockhart's request that she stay behind after that Thursday's defense class was a surprise to her, though in hindsight it should not have been.

Daphne and Tracey waited out in the hallway, not expecting Rose to be very long. What could Lockhart possibly want with her?

"Miss Potter," he began. "The Headmaster has briefed me on your encounter with the basilisk, and might I say - beautifully done, my dear!" Lockhart actually clapped his hands together before bowing in her direction. In doing so, he missed her look of complete annoyance. "And to do it all with the legendary Blade of Slytherin, well. Miss Potter, the book just writes itself."

What.

"Ah yes," he continued, leaning against the front of his desk. "The Dance of the Snake and the Serpent's Blade." He looked at her, his eyes meeting hers. "Has quite a nice ring to it, doesn't it?"

"It's not a book I plan to write, Professor," said Rose, as she stood. She cursed at herself for sitting in the front row, that day, for she was only a few feet away from the professor.

"Ah, but Miss Potter," Lockhart continued, waving his wand. She heard the door lock behind her. "You must consider the public, don't you think? This is a tale for the ages, and it demands to be told." Rose found that she could not move from the spot, and renewed her cursing.

What's wrong? She heard Seeker ask.

Lockhart immobilized me, she replied. Without further comment, she felt the trickle of magic from the link, as Seeker reached out with their magic to somehow finite the hex.

"Now," Lockhart said, eyeing her. "Let's see how you did it." He aimed his wand at her, and she heard him cast a compulsion. The magic settled over her, and she felt the need to speak the truth. He chuckled at her reaction. "Veritaserum, it isn't, but for my purposes it will do."

"You've fucked up, Professor," Rose said, spitting the title in his face.

The compulsion's working, it seems, thought Chaser.

"Oh, I don't think so." Lockhart grinned at her. "This is not my first time, Miss Potter. Now, explain to me how you found the Chamber of Secrets."

Rose sneered at him. "An extradimensional version of myself discovered that Moaning Myrtle was the first recorded victim of Slytherin's basilisk under the control of Lord Voldemort, who killed her while he was a student in Slytherin house."

Lockhart stared at her. Then he cast the compulsion again. "Must not be working," he muttered.

Options? She sent to the link.

Well… began Spellforged.

I know, I know. Would if I could. Rose chuckled a bit at that thought. The compulsion forced her to be truthful, didn't it? If only I could reach my knife…

Lockhart saw her chuckle, and frowned. "It seems we will have to try this another time, Miss Potter. But don't worry, I know just how to make sure we have a fresh start." Again his wand came up. "Obliviate."

oOoOoOoOo

Rose found herself being helped up by Professor Lockhart. She was still gathering her thoughts as he chattered on about making sure she was alright. Her attention was not on him, though, but on the thoughts coming from the link.

Rose, he just tried to get the story of the basilisk and the chamber out of you. Spellforged's very slight goblin accent had slipped, such was his anger. Then he obliviated you.

She paused, thinking back over the past few minutes, and realized that she remembered them. Whatever Lockhart thought he had obliviated, the memory of this meeting wasn't it. Are you sure? I remember it.

No, came the voice of Marigold, and she too was seething with anger. We remember it.

I can't explain it, said Chaser. We felt the memory magic as it hit you. Then we saw your memories, what he was trying to take, almost like a recording.

I think you panicked, and your magic sent us a copy of the memory, said Spellforged. Then we sent it back.

"Feeling better, Miss Potter?" asked Lockhart, his hand on her elbow as she regained her balance.

"Oh," she said with her best feigned smile. "I think so." She looked up at the Professor. "Stupefy."

Her wand had been pointed at the Professor's legs, but the stunner was effective nonetheless. Lockhart crumpled to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut. Rose stood there, looking at him for a moment, her wand still pointed down at his now still form.

Rose, began Seeker, worriedly.

She sighed. "I know, I know." she muttered. With a quick charm, she unlocked the door to the classroom, allowing a very worried Daphne and Tracey to enter. What surprised her was that they had Snape with them as well.

"Miss Potter?" he asked, seeing Lockhart on the floor.

"Unless you need a rat for potions ingredients, Professor," said Rose with a grin, "This one will need to be given to the aurors."

oOoOoOoOo

The five were nervous about the next day's excursion to the Chamber. No one wanted to risk being alone with Professor Lockhart, not after Rose's encounter with the man. That they could withstand an obliviate charm unscathed was remarkable, and would bear further discussion later, but until they could control this new ability it was unwise to rely on it.

So, for Spellforged, the decision was a simple one - keep Lockhart from landing the charm in the first place.

Gilderoy Lockhart, meanwhile, had not forgotten Harry Spellforged's performance at the Dueling Club, with that fearsome Goblin blade of his. He wasn't going to give the ravenclaw a chance to defend himself. All he needed to do was obliviate the memory of his being in the restroom waiting for the professors. Then, when the group returned from the Chamber, a quick charm on each would add him to their memories of the battle.

There was no way he could remove all memory of the fight from the entire group. And, truthfully, who would believe a story where one person fought off a sixty-foot basilisk single-handed? Once the book came out, he would be seen as the leader of the hard-fought battle against Slytherin's beast - back up by the slightly altered accounts of the Headmaster and the others.

Maybe they'd give him another Order of Merlin?

He waited for Spellforged to turn away from the entrance, before raising his wand. He did not expect his memory charm to encounter a shield, however.

"Thank you, Professor," was the last thing Gilderoy Lockhart heard before he was stunned. Spellforged had wanted to wait for the spell, so that it would show up on the Professor's wand. Hermione and Luna had been watching from underneath the invisibility cloak, and were both glad that they had not been needed. Luna, for her part, was careful to step on Lockhart's wrist when she left, not wanting to be there when Madam Pomfrey arrived.

Seeker did the same as Spellforged had, except that it was Ron and Hermione waiting nearby under his cloak. Their presence (and their shield) was unnecessary, as Lockhart's obliviate actually missed Seeker's head by quite a few inches. It was enough evidence for the aurors, however, and the three were not going to give the Professor another shot. Lockhart quickly fell to three stunners.

Marigold's backup team was Ron and Neville. The five were delighted to hear that her shield had been powerful enough to reflect the obliviate back to its source. The two stunners were merely insurance. Neville's tripping jinx, on the other hand, was the undisputed winner of the encounter, for it pulled Lockhart's feet out from under him. The satisfying crack of the man's head against a sink had a musical quality to it, according to Marigold.

The fact that it happened seconds after a botched memory charm? That sort of damage was beyond Madam Pomfrey's skill, and so the Professor was sent to Saint Mungo's, where aurors would wait for him to wake up, if and when.

Chaser summed it up for the group. Couldn't happen to a nicer fraud, he mused. He wondered about his own Lockhart, and how he had essentially been scared straight. Seems like he made the right call, thought Chaser.

oOoOoOoOo

Once the battle was concluded, each Lord Hillyer invited them down to the Chamber. Only Spellforged accepted - Seeker and Chaser had an early morning the next day, as both planned to try and get a look at the Ravenclaw team's gameday practice, as it was their turn to play against Slytherin that weekend. Marigold, despite her annoyance with the man, wanted to go with Lockhart to the hospital wing and see just how badly she had wrecked the Professor.

It wasn't personal - she was genuinely curious. Spellforged joked that she would be a fine healer someday. She didn't deny it - they had all heard her as she worked on Ginny that horrible night at the Burrow. They knew she had a gift for the discipline.

The Chamber was much as Rose had described it, except that it seemed a lot cleaner. There was less rubble around as well, owing to the more organized effort against the basilisk. Spellforged actually whistled when he saw the creature, pinned down by great stone arches.

Just behind the basilisk's head, there was a thick steel spike attached to the ceiling by a chain. When the basilisk seemed likely to escape, Professor McGonagall had transfigured part of the ceiling into a dense steel blade, and then let gravity pull it directly into the beast. The team made short work of it after that.

Lord Hillyer remarked that it was shame to slay such a magnificent beast, even as he acknowledged the necessity. Spellforged found himself nodding in agreement.

The Goblin in him couldn't leave without asking about the disposition of the carcass. As the beast had been slain by a team of school staff, the proceeds would be given to the school. Spellforged suggested, and Dumbledore agreed, that a portion should be set aside for the basilisk's victims - the petrified students, now and in the 1940's, and the family of Myrtle Warren. Each would get a percentage of the revenue from the sale.

Hillyer remarked that the hide would be useful material for armor, as it would block most low level spells. Harry offered to send an owl to his father and inquire as to artisans who might be able to work with basilisk skin.

Professor McGonagall asked what Lord Hillyer would do with his share, seeing as he was not a staff member. He asked if the school had replaced its training brooms since the turn of the century - and when he got little more than chuckles at the idea, offered his share to do precisely that.

It was while the professors were talking about the new brooms that Spellforged saw it. The wall opposite the stone face of Salazar Slytherin had writing etched into its surface, near the ceiling of the Chamber. It was such that you could only really see it when you got close, but it was obvious once you had the right angle to see.

This must be parselscript, Spellforged thought, as the meaning of the symbols came to him. He had never read this language before, but his magic knew it and fed the translation to him as he read. Idly, he wondered if the Nation's experts could read parselscript. We'll have to see, he thought.

As the meaning of the engraving became clear, Spellforged found himself amazed. That such a secret had lain here for so long, undiscovered, was remarkable. Did Voldemort find this? He wondered. Unlikely.

He read the sentence again, and felt the magic pass over him. He realized, then, what had happened. It was the Fidelius, it had to be - and Harry now knew the secret.

/Grok'Nargh/, muttered Spellforged, invoking the Goblin's closest equivalent to Merlin. Lord Hillyer heard him, and walked over.

"Everything alright, Harry?" he asked. No one else had noticed them. Spellforged found that he was glad of that - this was not a secret he wanted revealed. Hillyer could read it, however, and Harry felt that he could trust the man. Saying nothing, he just pointed up at the engraving.

Hillyer's only reaction was a quiet "Jesus Christ."

Spellforged could understand the sentiment. If true, this answered questions that scholars had asked for centuries, even as it raised questions of its own. Questions such as how one maintained a Fidelius for centuries, or how one hides something like this from the entirety of Wizarding Britain. The Chamber of Secrets was more aptly named than anyone had realized, it seemed.

He read the secret again, and wondered what Rose would make of it. He couldn't even pass the thought along to the link, such was the power of the Fidelius. He'd just have to send Rose down here and tell her where to look.

When she learned that Salazar Slytherin's home is located on Gairsay Island, it would change everything.


A/N: Alas, poor Lockhart, we hardly knew ye, greedy bastard though you were. I couldn't let him go without sending at least one of him to Saint Mungo's, though - or two, rather, since Chaser's repentant Lockhart is working there now. Perhaps we'll see him sometime.

Rose's experience with Ginny and the diary, and again with Lockhart, will be the topic of much discussion for the group as they move forward. Rose, especially, does not like someone getting the drop on her twice in one week. That her experience revealed a new dimension to the link and forewarned her counterparts about the defense professor's intentions is secondary, in her mind - for the end result could have been far worse. Expect some training montages over the summer.

Gairsay Island is the home of Slytherin Manor in the excellent Dodging Prison and Stealing Witches, by LeadVonE. The Discord for that work has been invaluable to me in connecting with readers and writers alike, and in bouncing ideas back and forth. As delightful as it would be, NO - DP&SW is not a world to which this story will connect. (Though, now that you mention it...)

Thank you all for your reviews - I see them all, and cherish them, even if I don't reply immediately. Thank you especially to Gfish59 for their kind review, and for being this story's 500th follower.

Also, 500 followers. What?! Madness. Thank you all.

Feedback, as always, is welcome.