In Albania, the ragged remainder of the original soul of Tom Riddle continued to suffer from the friend fire spell and no creature could house the spirit for more than two days before it burned up in a fever. Not paying attention to the environment around it, the deer currently housing Tom Riddle walked across a meadow in the early morning, not aware of the dragon overhead. The ancient Grecian Pyre Dragon dropped silently and smashed into the buck, shattering the spine and skull of the prey completely. The dragon began to feast when it detected the dark spirit trying to slip into its mouth along with the meat, fur and bones of the deer.
Dragon flame erupted from the mouth of the dragon and the beast played with the fire and the burning spirit for some time, wrapping Tom in flames that rolled him around the sky for almost five minutes before turning him into a final bit of ash that blew away on the wind. Then the dragon returned to its meal.
BREAK ++***++ SCENE
A thousand miles away, in the castle known as Hogwarts and hidden in Scotland, the soul piece of young Tom Riddle inside the diary felt a change in the magic that created him and wondered, 'What just happened?'
For the last three nights, Tom had ventured out and spent 'time' with Ernie, a supercilious pureblood boy convinced that he was better than the others because of his blood line. McMillian had been raised properly to remain circumspect about announcing his superiority to everyone. Now, something had changed and he began to examine himself and his situation.
'Something died…some piece of me died…I am the eldest now,' the diary's inhabitant realized. 'I am in charge! At last!'
It was the middle of night, and Diary Tom Riddle felt that he must escape his container immediately. If there wasn't a piece of Tom Riddle 'in the world', seeking a new form, all the containers would fade away in a few hours!
The boy he was working through now didn't have enough magical core to possess. He did use Ernie's magic to reach out to the other pieces and was dismayed by his discoveries. The smallest piece of his soul was asleep/dead under tonnes of hardened manure (if it 'woke up', he would be trapped there forever). The diadem was dead somewhere here in Hogwarts, the cup was locked away in darkness deep under the earth, the locket was above ground but still lost in darkness somewhere, and the ring was surrounded by vipers.
Ejecting himself from the young wizard, the boy collapsed on the floor of the entry hall, and the dark soul of Tom Riddle left the diary behind as it flew up the staircase to the second floor where it entered the girl's loo. There it fought with the ghost of Myrtle Warren for a few moments and then dived through the tiniest crack in the sink to float down into the Chamber of Secrets.
SCENE ++***++ BREAK
When Harry and friends arrived at the Great Hall for breakfast the next morning, they found several Aurors standing guard at the door. They also saw DMLE Director Amelia Bones and a lovely woman, who Neville identified as 'Mrs. Narcissa Malfoy', arguing with Headmaster Dumbledore as the wizard kept trying to lay hands on a black book that lay on the floor.
"But I must study the artefact," he declared.
"The Unspeakables will study it," Bones replied.
"At Hogwarts, such items are mine to examine."
And how many dark items do you have hidden in your office?" asked Mrs. Malfoy. "Director Bones, perhaps you should search the headmaster's office."
"What is your connection to this matter again?" headmaster asked the woman with a great deal of cheek in his tone.
[That's it! That book!] Iggy declared in Harry's mind. [Let me tell Hogwarts.]
Harry took Iggy's announcement seriously and pulled Luna back from approaching the book where it lay on the floor near the Hufflepuff table. He directed everyone along the far side of the Gryffindor table, grabbing Hermione's arm and pulling her away when she wanted to listen to the argument. Granger protested, "I want to hear…"
"We can hear them fine from over here," Harry replied. "They are only going to get louder!"
"How is the boy?" asked Mrs. Malfoy.
"He is going to be fine and there's no need for concern," Dumbledore replied.
Turning toward an Auror trainee who resembled her sister Andromeda, Narcissa asked, "Auror Tonks, are you capable of casting a corporeal Patronus yet?"
"Yes ma'am. My Patronus is a large Shetland sheep dog."
"Has anyone taught you how to send a message with it?"
"No ma'am."
"Shame. The instruction at Hogwarts is lacking for certain," Narcissa replied. "Here, let me show you."
The Malfoy witch used her wand to cast her Patronus, a niffler, and she demonstrated to her niece how to send a message saying, "Mrs. Alice McMillian. Come to Hogwarts! Ernie has been possessed by a dark object and is in the infirmary. Headmaster Dumbledore feels you do not need to be notified."
Before the Patronus could fly away, Headmaster Albus Dumbledore used his wand to cast a dark spell that grabbed and dispersed the witch's Patronus.
"I do not think it is necessary to inform the parents of this minor event," Albus said as Narcissa and Amelia berated his actions. No one but Harry Potter noticed that the young woman with pink hair slipped out the door of the Great Hall and the boy saw the bright light reflected again from the entrance hall.
[I can't find Hogwarts! She's asleep or locked up somewhere!] shouted Iggy.
About five minutes later, a harried couple ran into the Great Hall, both of them with their wands drawn and charging forward. The man shouted, "Where is my son?"
"Ah, Edgar, there's nothing to worry about," Dumbledore replied.
Harry noticed that the same Auror appeared beside the woman and she turned to follow the young witch out of the Great Hall.
"What the blazes is going on this school you say is the safest place in Britain, Dumbledore?" asked Mr. McMillian, aware that his wife had left the room so he was determined to keep the headmaster distracted. As the Great Hall filled up with the students, the Hufflepuffs confirmed that it was Ernie who was in the infirmary this morning.
"He was found on the floor…over there," a Hufflepuff prefect said as she motioned toward where the black book lay.
Several wizards in concealing blue robes appeared inside the Great Hall and surrounded the black book before they levitated it into a bag that nullified the magic it spread about the room. As soon as the bag was closed, the Great Hall felt lighter.
Breakfast continued as the Unspeakables disappeared, the Aurors slipped away, and Director Bones and Mr. McMillian argued with the headmaster. Harry realized that Iggy kept trying to find Hogwarts. Mrs. Malfoy walked to the Slytherin table and spoke privately to her son for several minutes and the boy nodded his head as he understood his mother's instructions. She reached out her hand and caressed his cheek for just one moment before turning and making her way from the school.
As soon as they left the Great Hall, Luna stepped between Neille and Harry to ask, "Who has the perfume bottle with the Breathe of Magic?"
"I do," Neville replied.
Luna smiled and said, "Retrieve it from your trunk and we'll visit Ernie at the infirmary before class."
"He keeps it in his pocket," Harry corrected Luna who merely smiled.
"Hmmm… maybe I'm not the only one who can see the future sometimes," she said.
"Common sense, Luna. It is just using some common sense," Neville explained. "Harry makes me use my common sense."
The whole Gryffindor tribe hurried to the infirmary where Madam Pomphrey hesitated to allow them to enter until Luna popped the stopper from the Breathe of Magic. The perfume filled the air quickly and the mediwitch allowed them in without any hesitation as house elves began to appear around the infirmary as well. On a bed lay an exhausted-looking Ernie with his worried mother sitting beside the bed in an uncomfortable chair.
Luna took the bottle and dipped a singled drop onto one finger. Then she transferred the drop to Ernie's lips and wiped the residue across his eye lids. The affects were immediate as his colour improved and he opened his eyes. When Ernie saw his mother, he reached for her and the witch took him in a tight embrace that left Neville, Luna, and Harry envious.
The Gryffindor students made their way to their classes without much conversation. Luna assured everyone that 'Mr. McMillian' would be fine now. The bottle of Breathe of Life slipped from Luna's hand into Neville's hand and finally into a deep pocket of Harry's robes.
++***++ SCENE BREAK
Ron Weasley had missed the entire episode because he overslept and no one in Gryffindor shared the details of the story with him. The next morning, the Daily Prophet did not mention anything about Hogwarts though the paper did report that Lucius Malfoy had vanished before Aurors could arrive at Malfoy Manor and arrest him for having some mysterious dark artefact. The wizard vanished from Magical Britain and his wife was declared regent of the Malfoy estate until her son reached his majority.
There were several days of complaints from Ron about Draco Malfoy being 'rich' but the other students politely ignored him, his older brother Percy spoke sharply with him three times and the complaints ceased.
SCENE BREAK ++***++
In history class one afternoon, Harry and Iggy had a long talk while everyone else slept as the professor's monotone voice acted as a sleep aid.
[I want…can you lighten up on the headaches for people who can't see me?]
[You want to offer relief to your enemies without gaining any concessions?] asked Iggy, working from his point-of-view formed during the dark ages following the collapse of the Roman Empire.
[I don't want to be the dark lord of headaches for idiots. They can't see me to plot against me – that's enough after months of pain. I read a book about 'conditioning' and they have learned by now that to think about causing trouble for Harry Potter is to wish for blinding headaches. They don't think about me now. Dumblemore has not attempted to look for me this entire school year.]
[That hasn't ended his plots and plans,] insisted Iggy. [Hogwarts has vanished and I can't find her. None of the elves hear her and the friendly portraits can't see her anywhere.]
Shrugging, Harry agreed that the Dumblemore would never cease his manipulations and plans but so long as he left Harry alone, the man didn't need to suffer headaches every day. Iggy did alter his magic somewhat and for the first time in months, Severus Snape returned to the Great Hall to eat but he still refused to enter any classroom with students. Dumbledore and McGonagall both managed to have headache free days though none of them could see Harry Potter among the other Gryffindor students.
Dumbledore assumed the boy remained close friends with Ron Weasley though the boys were merely dormmates now and only occasionally played wizard's chess.
SCENE BREAK ++***++
The lack of headaches did lead to an interesting conversation between the headmaster and the school's professors in late November. As was normal, they gathered to discuss the performance of the different years and some students who required revision or who should be recognized for outstanding performance. Professor Flitwick, Pretzel and Sprout did not mention Harry Potter or Neville Longbottom in any of their discussions – both students were exemplary with their classroom performance and they understood from the prefects that both boys worked the firsties in their house and helped their studies.
"I am loathed to mention this…" Dumbledore paused for dramatic affect but then continued, "I fear the Potter boy is going dark. A light wizard would not hide from our sight here at Hogwarts."
Severus Snape rose and ran from the room, turning over two empty chairs in his determination to exit the room before another person could speak the boy's name. Minerva McGonagall snapped the muggle pencil in her hand hearing the name and instantly shaded her eyes. Dumbledore sat with his eyes closed, his mind shields ready to deal with any sudden headache.
The only sound that came from any of the professors was a snicker that grew into laughter from Pomana Sprout. The others hid smiles on their faces and waited while Sprout recovered herself only to laugh aloud once again when she caught the looks on Dumbledore and McGonagall's faces.
"I hardly classify this as a laughing matter, Pomana," Dumbledore said in a deep serious tone. "The boy is going dark and his power will rival He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named…"
"Balderdash! The boy will never be as dark as you are, Dumbledore!" Flitwick fussed.
"How dare you call the headmaster 'dark'!" interrupted Minerva.
"Minerva, you've been smelling Dumbledore's farts for so many years, you think they are perfume!" Professor Sprout called from her chair.
Flitwick asked, "Why does it make Harry Potter dark if certain professors cannot see him?"
Dumbledore sat back and asked, "Do you mean that you see him? How many… which of you see him?"
This time Professor Pretzel replied, "Except for you, Professor McGonagall and the Potions Master who hides inside his brewing chamber, all the professors see and interact freely with the Potter boy. He is very friendly and an excellent student. Yes, the Potter boy is a credit to Gryffindor."
Each time someone said 'Potter', Dumbledore and McGonagall winced though their heads didn't hurt.
"But why can't I see him then?" asked the headmaster.
Flitwick smiled, a dangerous thing to see on the face of a goblin – especially one who was a renowned duelling champion across Europe – Flitwick referred to his smile as his 'Death Time Face'. He explained, "Headmaster, it was you who explained this mysterious power just before Mr. Potter returned to Magical Britain last fall to begin his years at Hogwarts."
"I did?" the headmaster asked, again mystified by the direction of the conversation.
Professor Sprout smiled and picked up the explanation, "You touted the protections that Lily Potter cast to protect her son as the reason he was 'hidden' for ten years among the muggles. These protections would not allow anyone with ill-intent from finding the child."
Flitwick continued, "Obviously magic judges Snape as having nothing but ill-intentions toward Mr. Potter."
He slowly moved his gaze from McGonagall to Dumbledore and said, "And magic – Lily's protective magic for her child – must judge you both to have ill intentions toward him."
"No!" protested McGonagall. "James and Lily were among my favourite students in all the years I have taught."
"And what did you ever do for their baby?" asked Sprout. "You never forced any visit while he was growing to check on him. You never did anything for him…"
"I got his broom last year and put him on the Quidditch team," McGonagall argued.
"And the galleons came from the boy's own account," Flitwick replied. "There was no generosity on your part and the only thing you thought about was winning the cup."
"How do you know about Mr. Potter's accounts?" asked Dumbledore, displeased for anyone to know anything about any vault in Gringotts.
Flitwick's grin grew wider, if possible, his teeth gleaming in the room's light, "Mr. Potter's new guardian, Lady Augusta Longbottom, has been in extensive correspondence with Gringotts and she sent me a letter asking several pointed questions. There are many questions the goblins wish to ask you the next time you visit Gringotts, Headmaster Dumbledore."
"But I am…" Dumbledore tried to recover.
"And you cannot turn Lily Potter's protection into something dark now that it focuses attention on you as one of the persons in magical Britain who wish the boy ill," Sprout said.
Minerva fled the conference room and hid in her chambers for the rest of the day, still appearing at the staff table during dinner but speaking to no one and never changing the expression on her face from the sour, puckered expression she favoured.
Albus Dumbledore maintained his pleasant face before the students and did try to look over the Gryffindor table for blank spot that might be the seat where the Potter boy sat but his gaze could not focus on the table enough to see any group of students. He was thwarted from this effort. No one knew he had successfully confined the annoying Hogwarts spirit to her chamber with the ward stones underneath the castle. In a few years – fifty or so – she would be able to free herself. Besides, no one knew to look for her.
Underneath Hogwarts, in the Chamber of Secrets, the soul piece of Tom Riddle without a great deal of experience or knowledge of magic – he was only sixteen years and spent the last fifty years locked inside a diary without any interaction with anyone. Now in the chamber, he gathered his magic and began trying to awaken the basilisk again.
SCENE BREAK ++***++
There were wild rumours around the school about a magical elixir hidden among the possessions of the girls in Hufflepuff. The elves helped spread the story in Ravenclaw and in Gryffindor. A couple ambitious Slytherins investigated the story and were chastised by their house members when they were run out of the Hufflepuff dormitory by ghosts and the poltergeist.
Ernie McMillian remained silent on any questions about his possession and then miraculous recovery. His mother and father had expressed their thanks to Lady Longbottom who would pass the information along to Neville, Harry and Luna at Christmas.
SCENE BREAK ++***++
With the revelation of the Breathe of Magic at Hogwarts, Harry and Neville were visited by the head elf while they were alone in their dormitory room. With an oath to keep the secret from anyone, Harry revealed the existence of the Lady Evans Rose as the source of the Breathe of Magic. While the elf cried with happiness to hear this news, she was told about the requirement secrecy concerning the location of the rose – she immediately agreed for all Hogwarts elves – and schedule that each elf (seventy-three) could visit the rose once a week for five minutes and enjoy the scent of the rose. Horsey, the elf, popped away to speak to the head elf at Longbottom Manor. That week, everyone in the castle noticed that the elves stood taller, and the creatures hummed or sang pleasant songs while they worked, making everyone feel cheerful.
Harry whispered to Neville, "I think we need to root a couple more rose bushes at Christmas vacation. We can get Luna to come over and use her magic to start one. There might be some nice differences in your roses."
"Are you sure?"
Harry grinned and mimicked the elf speech saying, "Mr. Greenplants be making great Breathe of Magic for all elves and wizards."
SCENE BREAK ++***++
Narcissa Malfoy reached out to her sister, Andromeda and after almost twenty years of separation, rebuilt their relationship. In the privacy of her mind, she planned the discussion with Draco that would reveal what had happened at his school and the disappearance of his father. After three weeks passed, she was able to change the wards and she excluded every person bearing the dark mark and anyone sympathetic to them. She and Draco would move into a smaller, unplottable house at Christmas while the house elves plotted hundreds of ways to trap, damage and kill any wizard or witch who invaded Malfoy Manor.
SCENE BREAK ++***++
Yule Tide Attack
In the Chamber of Secrets, the large piece of Tom Riddle's soul had finally grown strong enough to slip through the defences around the basilisk to poke and prod the creature awake. The basilisk hissed and rolled about in the den where it slept – the beast did not have a soul or magical core so it could not be possessed nor could it see the 'ghost' that woke it up. Pushing against the stone doors, the basilisk triggered Salazar Slytherin's fail safe that allowed his pet to make her way of the den if it had to escape. In the chamber's main hall, the basilisk again failed to pay attention to Tom who had not learned to speak while a mist of something less than alive. And because he could not possess the basilisk, he could not communicate with it – created by magic by a toad sitting on a chicken's egg, the basilisk did not have soul or a magical core.
Angry and hungry, the basilisk could not exit the chamber through the loo – that door had no fail safes to allow it entrance into Hogwarts without a master controlling it. Roaring in frustration, the basilisk turned toward another exit that led into the Forbidden Forest. Gliding over and around stones and boulders, the creature went hunting – the spiders in the Forbidden Forest made excellent prey.
Leaving behind an equally frustrated and angry Tom Riddle, the basilisk sped through the forest in the darkness of night but found that the clutter of spiders where she had fed for the last fifty years was abandoned. There were some fragments of the exoskeletons of a few of the smallest spiders but there was nothing here to eat.
Screaming in frustration, the basilisk expanded its search for prey but the amount of noise and the loud sounds it made had warned every creature of any size as to the presence of a large, angry predator. Deer fled and centaurs withdrew into their caves that were sealed with boulders and magic, while the unicorns ran across the small meadows and vanished into another world where the basilisk could not follow.
From the Chamber of Secrets, Tom Riddle slowly followed the basilisk out the tunnel into the Forbidden Forest. Perhaps he could find a host to possess. In the darkness of the night, the basilisk moved through the forest and disturbed the sleep of birds and a few nests of squirrels and rats that it did petrify and eat. But these nibbles did nothing for the hunger that ruled the beast. As the first light of dawn crept over the forest, the basilisk rose above the trees to survey the area.
There in the distance sat Hogwarts – home to several hundred wizards and witches who were as defenceless against the petrifying glare of the basilisk as any creature in the forest. Dropping down, the monster began its hunt for a large meal in the castle. It would kill everything that moved and then eat, sleep and eat again until there were only bones left in the castle.
Seeing the destination of the basilisk's new hunt, the spirit of Tom Riddle followed. If there were any survivors of the coming attack, Riddle would possess someone. He thought, 'Sprout or McGonagall might have a core large enough to support me for a time.'
BREAK ++***+++ SCENE
The night before, as they left the Great Hall following the leaving feast, Luna reached out her hand to grab Harry's sleeve and direct him toward the front door of Hogwarts. The other Gryffindor students hurried off to the library or to the common room to study, pack, and say farewell for the holiday beginning tomorrow morning. After breakfast, they would leave for the winter holiday (a.k.a. Christmas Holiday). Unwilling to leave the hall without Harry, Neville Longbottom followed though he remained silent.
At the door, Luna said, "Do you remember that you have to save Hogwarts before Christmas?"
"I remember," Harry replied, checking that his wand was in the wrist holder as always.
Grinning, Luna said, "Well tonight you're going to do just that by pouring the Breathe of Magic perfume across the stoop – across the first step from the castle out into the world. That will protect the doors tomorrow morning."
"The whole bottle?" asked the young wizard, just a bit reluctant to empty out the bottle.
We're going home tomorrow, Harry," Neville said as he pulled the perfume bottle from his pocket and handing it to Harry. "We can make more during the holiday."
Looking at the blonde-haired boy, Luna asked, "You're carrying the perfume today? You boys hide things very well."
[Ask Luna what the danger is,] prompted Iggy.
"Luna, can you see what the danger is going to be tomorrow? Do we need the protection as we leave the castle in the morning? Or will something try to break into the castle tonight?"
The girl pointed at the door and instructed Harry, "Pour the Breathe of Life across the threshold, the step… the stoop! Do it!"
Neville handed over the bottle and opening one side the of the door, Harry walked to the end of the large stone steps and began to drizzle the perfume on the stone. He was worried that the bottle did not contain enough to cover the whole step but it did – magic spread the Breathe of Life over the whole of the entrance.
With the empty bottle and stopper back in place, Harry slid it into a pocket of his robes, while Neville kept watch outside the castle. The two boys stepped back inside and Luna pushed the giant door shut as if it weighed nothing.
She smiled at the two Gryffindors before saying, "I can't see what is coming in the morning. Magic doesn't want me to be petrified with fear all night so she's hidden that from me. But I know we'll be safe now with the perfume protecting us. And tell Iggy, he needs to look in the wardroom when we return in January."
Then Luna skipped away, leaving Harry and Neville to follow after, talking about making more perfume. They noticed a few house elves heading for the front door.
Iggy said, [That seer will drive me to drink!]
Harry didn't respond so Iggy continued, [The elves will sit and smell the Breathe of Life the whole of the night and make the protections around the doors even stronger.]
Returning to the dormitory, both boys made the rounds of talking with all their friends and acquaintances in Gryffindor. The Weasleys were remaining in the castle for the holiday and Percy assured Harry and Neville that they would celebrate a happy Christmas here.
"I don't know how to celebrate Yule," Harry confessed to his friend.
Throwing a grin in Harry's direction, Neville replied, "We'll have a good time at the manor. Gran does Yule and Christmas."
++***++ SCENE BREAK
The students and staff at Hogwarts were gathered in the Great Hall for breakfast – there was excitement among the children because this morning they would take the Hogwarts Express back to London to begin the winter holiday. The staff would enjoy almost two full weeks with only a handful of students in the castle – McGonagall was displeased that all the Weasleys were remaining and feared a prank rampage by the twins.
The first sign that something unusual had occurred was the absence of the post owls this morning. No one received their copy of the daily Prophet or any mail. With Dumbledore absent (sleeping late this morning), no one could open the owl windows in the walls.
Outside the castle, Rubeus Hagrid and his dog Fang heard a loud noise coming from the Forbidden Forest and went outdoors to investigate. The occasional roar of some angry beast made Fang slink back inside the hut and hide while Hagrid swallowed hard but drew out his huge crossbow and arrows. He headed for the castle but the beast – some giant snake had burst through the last trees – would reach the front door before he could get there.
The first sign the inhabitants of the castle had that they were under attack came when a roar of some kind was heard from outside. It was an angry animal and the children and staff members froze for a moment.
[Run! Hide!] shouted Iggy but Harry quickly glanced around and instructed everyone to crawl under the tables. A few students panicked and ran from the hall but when there was a great thud against the front door, those children returned to the Great Hall to climb under the tables with their classmates.
A second great thud was heard as the beast beat on the front door. But the basilisk was distracted from its hunt by something irritating and beginning to burn its skin, the same something that smelled terrible. The beast gave up on breaking through the door and climbed the side of the castle, seeking entry through a window.
Inside great hall, the students screamed as a snake-like shadow crawled over the windows and a large snake's head banged against the ancient glass. House elves appeared and cast spells on the windows to reinforce the glass and Harry shouted, "Help the elves protect the windows! Help the elves!"
Professors did point their wands toward the windows as did several of the older students along with Harry and Neville, casting protection spells and shields. With the owl windows sealed, there was no egress for the basilisk and it howled in frustration. Then the basilisk came under bombardment by the post owls waiting to enter the Great Hall and the owl chalk seemed to irritate the hide of the beast more than usual. Fawkes burst into flame above the basilisk and began to swoop down, searching for an opportunity to blind the creature.
Inside the Great Hall, Harry asked, [Iggy, what can we do to help?]
When the entity didn't reply, Harry asked more urgently, [Iggy? Are you there? Are you okay?]
[I'm scared Heir Peverell. Salazar's beast is uncontrollable when it was hungry.]
Inspired by this bit of news, Harry shouted, "Elf! Throw a cow at the basilisk and lead it away from the castle."
One of the house elves did pop to the kitchens for a large side of beef and plop it down on the front step while another elf doused the beef with a bucket of blood. Smelling the blood and seeing the carcass, the basilisk dropped from the side of the castle and slithered back toward the entrance of castle. Grabbing the carcass, the basilisk turned to hide in the forest and escape from the smell that protected the castle.
But in its hurry to return to the protection of the deep woods, the basilisk passed too close to Hagrid's hut and the excitement of the morning meant the roosters began to crow over and over again. Throwing the side of beef away, the basilisk withered in pain with each note of the crow of the cockerels. The beast smashed trees and shrubbery. Hagrid's large arrows pierced the usually impenetrable hide–the Breathe of Magic had begun to break down the basilisk' magic.
Only fifteen minutes after it began its attack on Hogwarts, the beast lay dead at the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
In the Great Hall, elves popped into the room with calming draughts, Professor Flitwick and several seventh-year students cautiously went to the door and stepped outside. The wonderful smell of the Breathe of Life emboldened the professor and students who stepped out and found Hagrid standing over the carcass of a giant basilisk.
"Who's got a camera?" Flitwick shouted. It took about ten more minutes for Colin Creevy to come out (with Harry Potter and Neville Longbottom standing on either side of him) and start snapping pictures of the beast.
A Patronus went out from Professor Flitwick and soon Aurors began popping into the area. Inside the Great Hall, Madam Pomphrey handed out calming potions. Finally, after things were quiet, the headmaster arrived. He immediately doubted the story but Director Bones who held onto Susan and Hannah nodded her head toward the front door where a large number of students had gathered to watch the proceedings on the grounds.
Once he saw the carcass of the basilisk, Dumbledore turned pale and had to sit on a nearby wall for a moment. Glancing upwards, he gasped suddenly as he could see the trail where the basilisk had climbed up the side of the castle, seeking entrance when the doors were protected. Now looking back toward the carcass, he announced, "The beast came out of the forest seeking to attack the castle. There must be a shortage of food this winter and it wanted to feed on the children. But Hogwarts protected them!"
Noticing a reporter and photographer from the Daily Prophet had finally arrived, Dumbledore announced, "Hogwarts lays claim to the carcass! The valuable potion ingredients, hide and venom will bring in millions of galleons for Hogwarts's coffers."
But before the photographer got many photos the morning sunlight spread across the basilisk carcass and everywhere the creature had touched the Breathe of Magic perfume, the skin melted away and the internal organs and muscles also faded away in the morning light. The disintegration continued and in less than ten minutes, the 30-metre length vanished and blew away.
Frustrated to be denied this fortune, the headmaster returned to the castle as the children filed out of the castle headed for the Hogwarts Express. In the hubbub and noise, the headmaster did not notice the departure of Harry Potter with Neville Longbottom.
++***++ BREAK SCENE
Note to Everyone: Just to clear up any confusion, Harry's fire spell is purposely called 'Friend Fire'. It is cast from his wand with a silent command that only he and Iggy can hear. He considers it a 'friend' because is it there to defend him or others around him.
The powerful 'Fiend Fire' is another spell entirely. When Harry asked Iggy for a spell to fight back, he wanted something with fire; go back to Chapter 3 for more info. Harry wanted to destroy any enemy completely with a spell that was easy to cast and burn for a long time. (Remember Harry's spell cast on the spirit of Tom Riddle drove the spirit through the entire clutter of spiders in the Forbidden Forest, killing all the spiders with fire and poisoned juice, then across the whole of Europe to eventually attempt to hide inside a fire-breathing dragon. Stupid wizard…)
Harry's spell casts a white fire that does not assume shapes or an entity-like intelligence in its attack. 'Friend Fire' will appear in third year frequently to deal with the you-know-what's.