Chapter Forty Three
The Note
Harry and the rest of his friends were meeting in the ROR that night to see if they could figure out what the note that Hermoine had clutched in her hand read. They unfolded it, and looked it over. What they found was a copied page from a book, and some notes on what it all meant.
Page 356 of the Book of Weird and Fascinating Beasts of the World
"The beast that can Petrify with just his look can be defeated without looking at him by chopping off his head. To get at him without looking at him, use a mirror so as not to look into his eyes. This beast is very intelligent, and thought to be loyal to the one who raised it. It can grow to be over 50 feet long, and has the body of a snake."
The group was stunned at this passage, and even more stunned when they found that there was a note on the bottom of the paragraph stating that the book seemed to have the parts that said what the beast was blacked out or magically removed for some reason. Hermoine's notes were a bit more organized than that, and she had pretty much figured out what it was. She had a small note on the bottom under what could be described as different ways to stop from being petrified or killed. "Looks like the thing snuck up on her. That's the only way that she could have been caught by it. But from what it says here, it couldn't have brought her to the Hospital Wing, whoever released the thing, probably didn't know who it was, or had a change of heart after it happened, so they brought her to the Hospital Wing where she was found. Now let's see what she says that the creature is." They looked over her meticulous notes, and found that they were right with their first assumption. "Damn, it's a Basilisk that we're facing. Not only are their eyes deadly, but also their bite is poisonous. We need to be careful if we ever go after it. What do you think we should do Harry?" Draco was the one who was being the one who was talking about this in the open.
"I think that we should tell Dumbledore what we found, and let him take care of it. Maybe if there is anything that can be done, he would know. We should also talk to Hagrid about the different ways to take them out, and where we might find them in the school. I think that it is in the Chamber of Secret's, but where is it. Do either of you four know?" Harry was looking at Draco, Pansy, Crabbe and Goyle with interest for if anyone either knew or could find out, it is them.
"There are rumors about where it is, but they are only rumors Harry. Some say that the entrance is in a remote out of the way place in the castle. The only thing that is concrete is that the Chamber is underneath the castle in the catacombs deep in the earth. The where abouts of the entrance are known only to a few people. All of them are either dead, or not on our side." Draco was looking worried, but he knew that what he was talking about was not passed on to everyone in the Slytherin house. The only ones that knew of it were Voldemort, and the one who opened it. He wasn't even sure if Dumbledore knew about where the entrance was.
"Ok thank you Draco. Is there anything else that anyone has either heard, or found out?" Harry was looking around the group of friends, and they all shook their heads. "Ok then I think that we should call it a night. We will be talking to both Professor Dumbledore and to Hagrid tomorrow." They all went their own ways after that and had restful nights sleep. When they woke up in the morning, they all went up to the headmasters office to speak to him. When they knocked on his door, they were surprised to find that he was in there with Professor McGonagall having tea.
"Excuse me Professor's, I hope that we aren't disturbing you during your morning ritual. We have some important news about what is happening with the students. Hermoine's note was very descriptive about what we are facing. It is a basilisk, and it is in the Chamber of Secrets somewhere. We know that the Chamber is under the castle in the catacombs some place, but we don't know where the entrance is. All we know is that there is only one person in the world that knows where it is, and they aren't on our side. It is the heir that has been opening the chamber up." The students were a bit agitated, and they were looking to the headmaster for guidance.
"I'm sorry that I can't help you with that. I wouldn't help even if I could. You aren't to be worrying yourselves about this. We will take care of it. The students and Mrs. Norris will be back to normal in a few weeks when the potion is made, then we will try to take care of this by then. Thank you for your information. It is really helpful." The students were dismissed with this, and they made their way down to Hagrid's cabin.