Disclaimer: Harry Potter is the wonderful creation of the equally wonderful J.K Rowling…now, I am sure I'm wonderful too, but since I am not Lockhart, I can't claim Harry Potter as my creation…
"Speech" "Other Language" 'Thoughts' Parseltongue
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Chapter 11 – Serpentine Whispers
If any Hufflepuff first year would chance being in the second floor corridor on this night, they would have certainly screamed when they saw what looked like a greasy haired vampire striding their way, a victorious and yet weary look in his eye.
Assuming they didn't run as fast as they could, they would have seen the figure of Serverus Snape pass by, robes billowing behind him, followed closely by a Harry Potter, who, even if his face did not betray it, had millions of thoughts running through his mind.
Finally, the duo approached a stone gargoyle.
"Fire Mints." All but growled Snape.
The stone gargoyle jumped aside, revealing a spiral staircase.
"Go in Potter, I will inform the headmaster of your arrival, try not to break anything while you are in there."
'Right…whatever you say you arse-bandit…I'll just wait for the balmy old man to come over…whatever he was doing at this time…'
Harry moved swiftly up the staircase and silently opened the oak door, entering the headmaster's circular office. He glanced into the dark night sky outside the window, staring for a few seconds at the pale full moon.
A sound from his left captured his attention, and he turned to look at Fawkes, regarding him oddly from his golden perch.
"Hello Fawkes." Said Harry smiling, moving closer and raising a hand to stroke the phoenix.
The bird then trilled, the phoenix song echoing around the room. Harry pulled back as he felt something unknown, very deep within him clench in pain.
He examined the area around him, his eyes scanning the portraits who feigned, rather unsuccessfully, a deep sleep. Finally, he saw the sorting hat lying on a nearby shelf. He picked it up and placed it on his head.
'Hello Albion' he called in his mind
'I was wondering when you would come speak to me Mr Potter…I must commend you on the mind shields you have erected…Even I cannot pass them beyond what you allow, something that I considered impossible until now.'
'The same old Albion as ever I see' answered Harry, thinking wistfully about the same hat that had given him much crucial advice about the founder's personal effects and possible horxruxes.
'You still haven't told me about that.'
'Oh, let's say a little hatty told me…'
'I certainly don't remember telling you.'
'Ah…but you see, it was not in this reality. Now, before I go on, please remember that you are bound to all magical heirs to never reveal what they tell you.'
'You are no heir Mr Potter…I scan everyone when I sort them, and believe me, while you have some powerful blood in you, you do not descend from any of the four.'
'By blood, perhaps not, but I suggest you scan my aura.'
Soon, the hat did just that.
'By Merlin…Slytherin! I sense most dark magic being responsible for making you a magical heir Mr Potter…perhaps you would care to explain?' Said the hat with an edge of steel in its voice.
'Perhaps seeing is better…' said Harry, allowing the hat entry into his mind.
He soon felt the Hat search through his memories, moving rapidly through his life.
'Very…interesting Mr Potter.'
'I trust you understand that you are bound not to reveal any of this information?'
'Your secrets are safe. Though I must warn you that not all is as it seems…I suggest you look into your self and into your magic.'
Just as the hat said those words, Harry heard the door opening, and Professor Dumbledore, followed by McGonagall and Snape, entered the room.
"Greetings Professors." Said Harry politely, while placing the Hat back on the self. He looked at their faces. Dumbledore looked almost weary, the twinkle in his eyes missing. McGonagall's jaw was set, but Harry could sense a mixture of nervousness and concern pouring off her. Snape displayed no emotion, but beneath his mask, there was a hint of apprehension.
"Mr Potter." Said the elderly Headmaster, sitting down on his chair. "You do know why you are here I suppose?"
"I'm afraid I don't Headmaster."
"What were you doing outside at this time Potter?" snarled Snape.
"Walking."
"Walking Mr Potter.? Why were you outside your dormitory at this time? In fact, where have you been all evening?" Asked Dumbledore, whilst his gaze examined Harry like an x-ray machine.
"As I told you headmaster, I was walking. As for the time, I was not aware that we had to return to our dormitories earlier than planned…If you made an announcement, I'm afraid it did not reach me."
"And where were you?" asked McGonnagal
"Walking."
"You've already told us that Potter! Why were you 'walking' when everyone else was attending the feast? And everybody left the feast, only to find your handiwork on Filch's cat! And the writing on that wall! Thought you might play a prank like your irresponsible father Potter?" said Snape
"I'm afraid I have no clue what you are talking about Professor."
"Do you claim that you have no knowledge of the events that occurred tonight?" asked McGonagall.
"As I have already told you, I was walking. I don't know anything."
"Mr Filch's cat was found petrified…by dark magic nonetheless...and the message you saw was written in blood on the wall. Why were you over there Mr Potter?" asked the Headmaster.
"All the water in the area and a message written in blood are not easy to miss. I was wondering why the school was suddenly empty, so I looked around."
"You still haven't explained to us why you were 'walking' instead of going to the feast." said the potions master
Harry sank back in his chair. His face suddenly showed lines of weariness that were not normal for a 12-year old child. Then, with a slight tremor in his voice, he answered.
"Do you know the significance of this day Professor?"
"Yes, it's Halloween Potter, but I don't see how…" started Snape
"The significance for me." Cut in Harry. "Do you remember the events that took place 11 years ago?"
"The death of your Parents." Replied McGonagall, her look turning solemn.
Most people knew of that. Barely a week after the defeat of the Dark Lord, the world was stunned by the brutal murder of the Potters. The public never learnt who was responsible, but the outcry from the murder, along with the thirst for revenge after Voldemort's fall, resulted in one of the greatest dark wizard hunts of the century. Crouch was in the middle of this, and had it not been for his son's and wife's mysterious deaths a month later, he would have been Minister.
"You expect us to believe that Potter? You were off mourning your parent's death?" said Snape.
"I couldn't bear going to that feast today. For me it marks the death of the only people who ever truly loved me, as well as a beginning of 10 years of living amongst people who wanted to 'beat' my freakiness out of me, 10 years of living in the cupboard under the stairs, 10 years of absolute Hell!"said Harry, his voice rising and his words laced with anger, while at the same time he looked directly into the Headmaster's eyes, giving him a look that plainly said 'And it's all your fault'.
Harry almost relished the guilt and sadness that was visible in the Headmaster's deep blue eyes. Snape however took no notice this silent interaction and started talking.
"It seems that Potter is not telling us the whole story. I am loath to believe the reasons he gives…he is just like his father, playing horrible pranks for his amusement…I think we need some severe punishment…perhaps a removal from the Quidditch team…"
"We will not remove him from the Quidditch team!" rose McGonagall to Harry's defence. "Albus!" she called, turning towards the headmaster.
"Innocent until proven guilty Serverus." Said the Headmaster, while his contemplative and sorrowful gaze examined Harry.
"But Headmaster!" started Snape, but was soon cut by a voice behind him.
"Mr Potter is not responsible for the attack Professor Snape."
Everyone turned towards the voice, their gazes meeting the sorting hat.
"I can guarantee it. I have looked into his mind headmaster, and though he has the power to do this magic, he is innocent."
Harry felt a wave of relief at the hat supporting him, even though he expected it. After all, he was a magical heir, and they were fighting on the same side! Or at least, against the person who wanted to capture Hogwarts.
Gazing back at the Headmaster, Harry caught a brief glimpse of a relieved face, before Dumbledore said:
"As you can see Serverus, young Mr Potter here is not related to the attack. However Harry, I must express my concern about the path you are taking. Dark Magic is by its nature addictive and…"
"Headmaster." Cut in Harry. "I understand that the power channelled through ones body by the dark arts tends to…cloud the connection between will and the magical core, there are ways to secure that connection so that it is not affected, and I have taken my measures."
It was true after all. Early on in his earlier world, Harry had made sure to connect his mind to his core in a way that would allow him to always be in control, rather than lose the power of his will like other dark wizards. Just as his core was transferred into the new world, so was this connection.
"Very well Mr Potter." Said the Headmaster "I think that you should be going now, I am certain your friends await you most anxiously."
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Hogwarts was filled with whispers for the next two weeks, and Harry noticed many glances thrown his way, as well as many of the younger students running off when they saw him.
Naturally, the Shades and most of the Gryffindors stood firmly beside him when people started spreading the rumour that he was the Heir of Slytherin. Harry tried to dispel these rumours, even though a part of him liked the fear in other people's eyes, but, no matter how good he was at persuasion, many people still believed that he was behind the attack.
For second and first-year Gryffindors however, being somehow related to Harry's group meant attention and popularity, which meant that the Shades soon acquired an outer core of lower-year Gryffindors that would often be with them.
His friends put him through the Inquisition to find out where he was, but Harry just kept on repeating to them that he had something personal to take care of, until they gave up frustrated.
One good thing that resulted from the attack was that the Shades training time increased. Harry happily gave them all a rather different and more complete version of the legend that was the Chamber of Secrets than the one Hermione managed to worm out of Professor Binns four days after the incident.
"I'm telling you mate, it's Malfoy. You should have seen him when he saw the message, he was jumping with glee, saying how all the mudbloods would die!" Said Ron as the Shades were leaving the Room of Requirement on the night of the 5th of November.
"I doubt that Malfoy has any Slytherin blood in him…I'd bet that, if you looked back far enough, you'd find that his family is Hufflepuffs or something." Answered Harry.
"I'm sure he knows something though." Said Neville "He certainly knew about the chamber legend, and his father was involved with You-Know-Who…"
"Trust me…he is not behind the attack, nor knows who is…and NO Hermione, we are not going to use polyjuice to sneak in the Slytherin dorms" said Harry, cutting off Hermione, whose mouth had opened.
The girl had tried, since morning, to convince her comrades to use polyjuice and spy on Malfoy, but Harry had stopped them, saying it was unnecessary.
"Well then, since you seem know so much, who is it?" She said, stung.
"Voldemort." He answered, sending shivers down the spines of the Gryffindors around him.
"But You-Know-Who…"
"Call him Voldemort Ron." Cut in Harry.
"I can't do that!"
"Honestly Ron!" said Ginny "Harry, V..Vo.Voldemort is gone, so how is he orchestrating the attacks?"
"He is not as gone as you might hope…as for how… I think I have some ideas…but I'm not sure yet."
"Why don't you share them with us Harry?" pouted Ginny.
Harry sighed. "Voldemort fears death, probably more than anything else. I mean, his name means flight from death for Merlin's sake!"
"Yes...that makes sense, but what does that have to do with the attacks?"
"To stop death, he sought immortality in dark soul magic. He split his own soul into pieces, putting each shard in an object, creating what is known as a Hoxcrux, and Hermione, you won't find anything about these in the library, it is banned magic."
"So by splitting his soul…he managed to become...immortal?" said Neville, a hint of fear in his voice.
"As long as the Hoxcruxes remain intact, yes. Now, as to the attacks, I think that one of the Hoxcruxes is here, in Hogwarts, possessing one of the students to do its bidding."
"Are you sure Harry? I mean, it sounds interesting, but how can you be so sure?"
"I just know Hermione, you'll have to trust me on this."
"But…" started the bushy-haired girl.
"If Harry says he's sure, then he has a reason. You'll have to trust him like the rest of us Hermione." said Ginny, with a fire in her eyes.
Hermione had nothing to answer with, and simply accepted the situation as she followed the others back to the Gryffindor tower.
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It was the first Quidditch match of the Season, Gryffindor vs Slytherin, and Harry was more than ready to completely embarrass Mafloy.
The Quiddich match was being discussed by everyone, mainly due to it being the climax of the unofficial war between Gryffindor and Slytherin that had already sent various students in the hospital wing.
After gobbling down the last pieces of bacon on his plate, he got up to head towards the changing rooms, whilst receiving encouraging pats on the back by the Shades, and fearful glances by many students.
"Sow dos Slydeins wat u got mte" said Ron, happily munching on an apple pie while Hermione and Ginny through the red-head disgusted looks.
"Harry, I've placed bet that you'll either get the snitch in under 15 minutes or Malfoy will end up in the Hospital wing, so you know what to do, right?" said Ginny.
"For you Gin, I'll make sure both happen." answered Harry chuckling, and sprinted off to get ready for the game.
After going through Captain Wood's pep talk which involved a large board with illustrations, the Gryffindor team came out to the roaring crowd in the Quidditch pitch.
Under Hooch's inspection, the two team Captains, Wood and Flint, shook hands, though it looked more like they were trying to break each other's hand.
With the blow of a whistle, the two teams were in the air.
Malfoy started tailing Harry, who scanned the nearby area and immediately went into a steep dive, Malfoy following.
The attention of the Crowds was immediately focused on the two seekers, while many followed their line of sight, trying to see the snitch and missing Gryffindor's first goal..
Harry was at his Nimbus's maximum speed, but Malfoy's superior broomstick easily kept up with him, and closed the distance between the two.
Then, a few meters above the ground, Harry stopped his dive and veered off to the left. Malfoy, having no such luck or skill, crashed into the ground. When he stood up, his robes were torn and his nose bleeding heavily.
The blonde boy got back on his broom, and flew up to Harry, vengeance in his eyes.
Still, as the match progressed, Mafloy ended up crashing into the ground and the stands another five times, while also colliding with two of his team-mates who were about to score.
Finally, 12 minutes after the game started, both boys saw the Snitch on the other side of the pitch, by one of the Slytherin beaters.
They sped towards it, Harry in the lead but Malfoy closing the distance right on his tail.
The beater saw Harry coming towards the Snitch, and sent a bludger right towards him. The crowds gasped as Harry seemingly went for a head-on collision with the bludger, but at the last moment the boy rolled on under his broom with one hand before jumping on from the other side. The bludger passed over him by mere inches, hitting Malfoy directly in the face.
The Slytherin didn't have time to understand what happened before a crunch was heard as his skull cracked and he fell to the ground, leaving Harry alone to catch the snitch and end the match 180-40 for Gryffindor.
Harry landed amidst a jubilant Gryffindor crowd, who had forgotten all about the Chamber and celebrated their victory.
He was soon engulfed in a mass hug by all the Shades and his team, as the students started getting out of the stadium. Before leaving, they saw a crowd congregating around the fallen Malfoy.
As Lockhart approached the scene, Harry grinned.
"Let me handle it!" said the smiling professor, "I've handled head wounds for ages!"
He waved his wand over the unconscious boy, and the Slytherins glared at him as Malfoy's head was turned into a strange glob, with blond hair sprouting out at odd angles.
Harry fell into hysterical laughter.
"Well Gin" he said, pulling the girl into a one-armed hug "It looks like you won your bet…in the best way possible if I may say so."
"It's only natural." said Ginny smiling "I bet on you, so how could I lose?"
"You couldn't!" answered Harry, as the two were carried by the wave of Gryffindors for a party in their tower.
Soon, the common room was turned into a dance stage, with Butterbeer smuggled in from Hogsmeade, courtesy of Fred and George.
Soon, the Shades were in a corner of their own, and even Hermione had opted to join in the fun instead of doing homework, though all of them were over a year ahead of their classmates under Harry's tutelage.
It wasn't long before the party got louder, with Firewhisky going around amongst the upper years, while Harry and Ginny were dancing merrily on one of the tables, to the claps of most of the first and second years who had congregated around them.
Night-time came along, and the Gryffindors still weren't tired, even though they had gone outside in the evening for an impromptu Quidditch match. Then, they returned to the dorms for the night, where they continued their celebration, even though it was, by now, significantly toned down.
Suddenly, the portrait of the Fat Lady swung open and McGonagall entered the room, wearing a stony expression.
The Gryffindors frantically tried to erase any evidence of Firewhisky and other illegal materials, but their head of house paid no heed to them.
"There has been another attack" she said, her voice shaking "Owen Miller from Hufflepuff was found petrified in the fifth floor. Everyone, please remain in your dorms." And with those words, she left the room, in which a sudden blanket of silence had fallen.
Ginny fell down into the sofa beside Harry, while everyone around them was in a sombre mood.
"Now what?" she asked, looking at him.
Harry gazed into her brown eyes for a moment before glancing around at his friends, who all regarded him with a mixture of anxiety, concern and hope.
"Now." He said "We prepare for the worst."
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It was as if a blanket of dread had fallen over Hogwarts. The attack on Filch's cat had created whispers and rumours, but it was just a cat, and most people thought of it as a nasty prank. Now however, when one of their fellow classmates was lying petrified in the hospital wing, the atmosphere was one of fear.
Most of the Gryffindors insisted that the Slytherins were behind the attack, and the latter looked cheerful, as the attack seemed to have bolstered their confidence after their defeat.
The number of students that thought Harry was the heir had fallen significantly, though many times he would talk to people only to have them insist on their blood-purity.
Meanwhile, Harry and his friends spent a lot of time talking about what exactly the Monster of Slytherin could be. Then, Neville mentioned hearing odd voices before the first attack.
"Did the voices sound like…hissing?" asked Harry
"Well…I don't remember all that well, but I suppose that it could be…you think it might be some sort of snake?"
"That would make sense…Slytherin was a parselmouth, his monster is a snake only he can control…" said Ginny.
"But to petrify students? What could do that?" asked Hermione.
"A Basilisk." answered Harry.
"A what?" came from Ron.
"Basilisks…but there hasn't been one for over a thousand years…and they kill with their sight, not petrify…" said Hermione.
"Yes, but if their sight was reflected of something…like the water on the second floor corridor or that suit or armour near the place where that Hufflepuff was…" said Harry.
"It might be…but if it really is a Basilisk we're…"
"Toast." said Neville, finishing Hermione's sentence.
"How would we defeat one?" asked Ron.
"Well…a rooster's call is known to kill them…" started Hermione.
"And Hagrid said that someone has been killing his roosters!" said Ginny.
"More evidence to support my conclusion then…it's a good thing we are in the seventh floor…the Monster probably lives in the dungeons…so we're probably safer up there…" said Harry.
"But what are we going to do?" asked Ron.
"Well…we should carry mirrors to make sure we can see in corners without dying…and I've brewed some basilisk anti-venom…"
"What? That is impossible! The recipe has been lost!" said Hermione.
"Well, you should know by now that impossible does not apply to Harry" said Ginny.
Harry handed his four companions small bottles of a pitch-black substance, attached to chains. "Wear these at all times" he said "If you're bitten, apply some of it over the wound…and get to the Hospital wing as soon as possible, for it uses your magic to counter the venom, and you'll get tired very fast."
It was several weeks after the Quidditch match when a large brown owl came to Harry's table while he was having breakfast, dropping an envelope with the seal of the Ministry of Magic in front of him.
Harry, still munching on a treacle tart, picked it up and read it.
Dear Mr Potter.
The Ministry of Magic would like to inform you that it is reconsidering the incarceration of Mr Sirius Orion Black, your legal godfather. Under the emergency measures undertaken by the Head of the Department of Law Enforcement, Bartemius Crouch, during the war against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, your Godfather was imprisoned without a trial, on what an official committee appointed by the Minister of Magic has labelled as "circumstantial and insufficient evidence". Based on the findings of the committee, the Minister has ordered that Mr Black be removed from Azkaban and be placed in a temporary Ministry holding cell, pending an official trial to be held on March 17th. As Mr Black's godson and heir, you have the right to schedule a meeting with him through the Ministry.
The Ministry of Magic wishes you a pleasant day,
Silvia Flatwood, Committee of Wizarding Justice.
"What is it mate?" asked Ron beside him.
"It's from the Ministry, about my Godfather."
"Godfather?" asked Ginny.
Harry launched into a brief explanation of how his parents were betrayed, how Sirius was blamed, his own suspicions and how he was trying to get him out with the help of the Goblin in charge of the Black Estate.
"Well…I guess I am going to visit him…I'll have to arrange with Dumbledore about it."
"No chance we can come?" asked Neville.
"No…I think only relatives can…sorry Nev." said Harry.
"McGonagall is going around collecting names for people staying over Christmas…who's going to?" asked Hermione, changing the subject.
"Well…It depends on you guys…because I'm definitely not going back to the Dursleys…so I might go over to the Burrow with you Ginny…if you and Ron are going home…"
"No such luck mate…we're staying…plus, I want to get to the bottom of all this chamber stuff." said Ron.
"I'm staying too." added Neville. "Gran said something about seeing my great-uncle."
"Well, if everyone else is staying, then I guess I'll put my name on the list too…though Mum wouldn't be too happy about it." said Hermione.
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Harry eventually managed to gain a permission to leave school grounds to visit Sirius. So, on the morning of the 13th of December, the raven hared boy visited the Ministry once more.
After having his wand checked at the entrance, he proceeded via the lifts to the 2nd level. He went across the main Hall and into the Auror Headquarters. He glanced into the cubicles where wizards could be seen moving around, some frantic, others calmly sipping some tea.
Finally, he came to a door which said "Committee of Wizarding Justice." He entered it and came into a lobby where a secretary was sitting behind a mahogany desk. She was a grey-haired old lady, with a kind face.
"May I help you?" she asked.
"Yes. I'd like to meet with my Godfather, Sirius Black if it is possible."
"Ah. You would be Mr Potter then?"
"Alright then. Please wait here for a moment." She said, getting up and walking into a side room. Ten minutes later, she returned and handed him a strange looking stone with runes on it.
"Take this stone to the holding cells in Level One. Give it to the Warden to see the prisoner. You will be required to undergo an Identity and Weapons check, as well as leaving all personal effects with the Warden."
"Thank You." Said Harry.
After the warden, a greying old man whose character reminded Harry of Mad-Eye moody, finished scanning Harry with a number of strange devices, he passed in front of a series of cell doors and down several flights of stairs before arriving at one labelled: 'High Security Hearing Room No 5.'
"You have 30 minutes." Said one of the Guards that came with him.
Harry entered the room, the cell door closing heavily behind him. Sitting in a table in front of him was a man with a mass of filthy, matted hair that hung to his elbows. He had waxy skin, stretched tightly over the bones of his face. His yellow teeth were bared in an almost feral grin. His eyes were shining, and they were fixed on Harry.
"Hello Sirius." Whispered Harry, his hear filling with emotion.
"Harry." Came out the man's hoarse voice.
"How are you?"
"I have seen better days." He said, attempting a laugh which turned into a cough.
"I know that you are innocent Padfoot." said Harry.
"You do?" answered the marauder, looking at Harry with hope in his eyes.
"Peter was the secret-keeper…and he killed the muggles didn't he?"
"Little Peter…managed to pull one over us all…I'd kill the traitorous rat if I got my hands on him…I'm sorry Harry."
"There's nothing to be sorry about Sirius."
"No…I...It was my idea to make Peter the secret keeper…I thought it was the perfect plan…Voldemort would go after me, James and Lily would be safe…turns out this plan handed them straight into the Death Eater's clutches…it's as if I killed them." Said Sirius, his head sagging.
"It isn't your fault…no-one knew this could possibly happen…"
"I've made so many mistakes…I could have saved your parents…and I could have saved you from the Dursleys…Dumbledore told me what they have done…I should have been there…"
"You have spoken to Dumbledore?" asked Harry, visibly surprised.
"Yes. He came by a few days ago…but he didn't tell me too much about you…speak to me about your life Harry. You're a Gryffindor right?"
"Yes…and a seeker in the team too…the youngest in a century."
"Taking after James eh? How did you get in? First-years don't go to tryouts."
The next half hour passed with Harry detailing his getting on the team, his matches until now, how he fought Voldemort/Quirrel and the Lestranges, even some of the pranks he played, and the match of Slytherin vs Gryffindor that ended up with Malfoy in the Hospital wing. He refrained from mentioning the Chamber of Secrets opening, not wanting to make his godfather worry any more than he already was, for the man had already expressed his fear and pride for him.
"You certainly lead an interesting life Harry…reminds me of the marauders…" said Sirius, whose face had now lifted, the lines in it disappearing, making him look much younger.
"Your time is up." Sounded a metallic voice in the room.
"Goodbye Harry. Thank you for visiting me."
"Don't worry Sirius…we'll get you out of here, even if it means I have to break you out. Be safe." Said Harry, exiting the room and heading back towards the exit.
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In the next few days, a blizzard begun, soon covering the entire school in snow. Herbology classes were cancelled, and Christmas decorations started being placed around the school. On the morning of the 17th, a notice was posted in the great hall, detailing a duelling club to be held at 8 a.m in the Great Hall. Harry could hear many exited whispers saying that they would be there.
The classes of the day passed by fairly quickly, and as 8 a.m came by, the Great Hall was filled to the brim with students of all ages.
"Who do you think will be teaching us." asked Neville.
"With our luck, I'd say it's Lockhart, the most incompetent teacher in Hogwarts, and Snape, the one that hates us most." answered Harry.
True to his words, it was not long before those two came out into the hall. After Lockhart made a mockery of himself, everyone divided up in pairs and duelled.
Apart from the Shades, everyone performed abysmally. Then Harry spoke up
"How about a practice duel? Me against Professor Snape?" he said with an innocent voice.
Lockhart was about to express his disagreement, when Snape moved in.
"Certainly…the class should see what happens to those whose head gets too big for their shoulders."
Harry and Snape moved to opposite ends of the Duelling corridor, Lockhart started counting.
"3...2"
"Your father could never take me on unless he had five people with him Potter…he was a coward, just like you…he deserved his end.."
Something in Harry snapped, and a beast rose in him
"1!"
Harry, without quite comprehending his own actions, pointed his wand at Snape and shouted.
"AVAD…" He stopped mid-spell, a rational voice coming to the surface, stopping him from casting the killing curse. As he struggled to regain control, he felt a disarming spell knock him back and his wand travelled to Snape.
"As I said Potter…you are worthle.." Snape was cut in the middle as Harry waved his hand, and a tremendous wave of energy hit the man, knocking him back until he hit the wall and slumped to the floor. Harry's wand then flew back to his hand.
Snape stood up, glaring at Harry, who smiled in return. "I don't think so Snape."
"Stupefy!" shouted the Potions master, but Harry just waved his wand and the spell dissipated.
"Incarcerous! Stupefy!" continued the Slytherin head of House, but Harry just reflected them back to him. Then, he concentrated and became invisible.
Snape looked around him, a murderous expression on his face. Suddenly, his clothes turned red, he sprouted a long beard worthy of Dumbledore and was hoisted up in the air by a Levicorpus spell.
Harry reappeared beside him as the man struggled and shouted, the spectators hearing nothing due to a well-placed silencing charm by Harry.
Finally, Snape fell to the ground, unconscious.
"I believe I win." Said Harry, before descending back into the crowd to his friends, who were laughing furiously.
Snape was revived, and returned to his original condition, but he stalked off angrily to his dungeons, and a lost professor Lockhart dismissed the club. Harry sent his friends to the Gryffindor dormitories while he visited the kitchens for a late night snack. After eating, he left, going up to the stairs, thinking about the club.
He had almost killed Snape. Granted, it would not have been a loss, but to do it in front of all those witnesses…it just wasn't him. It was almost as if he had lost control, and someone else was acting at the time.
Harry moved furiously through the hallways in the empty castle, still deep in thought. Suddenly, he turned down a hallway, only to come face to face with two large yellow eyes on top of a large serpentine head. Instinctively, he drew his magic around him, trying to counter the foreign magic that sought to end his life.
He had little success in holding it back, so he drew out his entire adult magical core to counteract the lethal basilisk magic. A bright yellow sphere clashed with his own, pulsing metallic grey core. Still, he felt his magic losing, retreating slowly. He then tried to draw out his second core, the one that came from the new world he was in, but found it oddly unresponsive.
Finally, with great difficulty, he drew it out, placing it by his original core. It was pitch black and wild. He tried controlling it to stop the Basilisk, but the magic seemingly had a will of its own, lashing out aggressively towards the source of the attack. As his magic attacked the Basilisk, Harry felt his consciousness disappearing.
The last thing Harry Potter noticed before falling into silent darkness was the light reflected off the Christmas decorations as his magic turned the Hallway into a blazing inferno.
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Hehehe…next chapter, Harry's funeral!...just kidding.
Reviews are most welcome…as always…but if you must say how bad I am, please offer suggestions on how I can improve.