A/N: and here i am again with another chapter with the help form HowInMadeHowie. He helped me once again to improve my first draft of this chapter, as it was rather ruth at first.
To the Guest reviewer who did write all the small nitpickings, which it did read by the way, i ask you to try and write a story without any logical faults. IF someone wants to know what i mean, PM me.
EDIT: To be clear, i am glad for honest critism if it is a well meant one and also includes some tips to better myself. But just pointing at mistakes and telling me to include this or that character right now will be read, but otherwise ignored. This edit was caused by another guest who asked me if those comments were honest issues or just bashing. If it would be honest issues, like i pointet out at the beginning of this edit, i would not have a problem to allow it to be postet. I hope this answer is satisfactory.
Thanks to you readers once again for liking this story so far. Have fun and be safe
Saturday afternoon found Susan walking through the corridors of Hogwarts towards the library, with a small note clenched up in her hand. In that note, Harry had told her that she should come to the unused classroom near to the library, where he would explain some things to her. She only carried it with her to be safe so that she would find the correct unused classroom that should be near to the library.
She had noticed that at the beginning of this school year Harry moved a bit differently, as if he had consciously walked like the other students in Hogwarts. Sometimes his hands moved like they had a mind of their own when they reacted in the greenhouses when the Venomous Tentacula wanted to grab him. In the busy class that was herbology, only she had noticed that Harry sometimes grabbed the vine even without looking at it, even protecting Hermione and Ron if it sneaked up on them.
When she arrived at the designated classroom, she looked around if she was followed before opening it and walking inside. She had just a small shock before she closed the door completely, when she saw that Hermione and Daphne were standing in the room. "Hello Hermione, Daphne. I hope you are not in trouble with Harry as you had hinted that he hides something. Where is he anyway?" Susan looked around in the classroom, being sure that Harry should already be here. She then heard the door opening and closing, with the ruffle of a cloak being taken off. Turning around, she saw that Harry placed a silver cloak on the table next to the door before waving his hand over the door, locking it. Susan was surprised that Harry could do wandless magic, as she had seen how the magic wavered over the door. What Susan did not know was that the spell on the door was a privacy charm Yen taught him.
Susan decided to ask Harry why he had come into the room after her and why she had not seen him outside before. Harry patiently explained to Susan so she would understand. "I do not like for anyone to listen at the door while I try to answer your questions, Susan. And if you want to point out that we also would need a privacy charm, I already applied it on the door. And you did not see me because I was wearing my invisibility cloak. As you have guessed already, I was raised differently. Before I tell you more, what do you know about Witchers?" Harry took his glasses off, his back still turned towards the girls.
Susan was a bit taken aback but told Harry that her aunt had told her that Witchers were warriors from old times, battling monsters for money to keep humans safe. Mostly hired by magical families and ministries. This way, Witchers would be kept a secret from the muggles, even if their legends flowed into their society a bit. She even had recognized Letho to be one, not just by him carrying his swords on his back. After Susan had told him everything she knew, she asked Harry why he had asked her that.
Harry turned around with his eyes closed. "You asked me earlier this week why I looked paler than usual. Well, the reason was that I had broken two ribs while I was fighting a basilisk." At the small laugh from Susan, he tilted his head, his eyes still closed.
Susan was looking at Harry like he had just told a joke. "If you want to pull my leg, please think of something more believable. A basilisk in Hogwarts? If such a monster really existed, we all would be dead. Now, tell me the truth." Susan's laugh died down as she crossed her arms over her chest. She saw Harry's lips beginning to form a small grin.
Harry opened his eyes, having removed his contacts that hid his cat-like eyes that every Witcher had after the grinned at the shocked look on Susan's face. "Oh, but that was the truth, Susan. I underwent the ritual last summer after we had recognized that Voldemort was still out there. And with we, I mean the people I grew up with in Kear Mohen, the home of the Witchers from the Wulf School." Harry watched the surprised face from Susan, who was standing still with her arms still crossed over her chest.
Susan turned towards the other two girls, asking them if they had known this already. Hermione explained that she had put the hints together after Mrs. Norris was attacked, as they had walked through the entrance hall when Harry reacted to something only he could hear and she noticed his speed when he ran off was too fast to be normal. Susan listened intently, but her face did not betray any ill feelings she would have for Harry being a Witcher. After the explanation from Hermione had finished, Susan turned back to Harry and told him to continue.
Harry did just that, beginning from his entry to the Chamber of Secrets under the school. He also described the basilisk that had lived under the school. "This basilisk was the monster from the Chamber of Secrets, placed there by Salazar Slytherin before he left the other founders. As to why Letho or Geralt could not go down there and fight it in my stead, the only chance you had to fight it is when you are a Parselmouth. Everyone else would be killed or petrified as soon as you looked in its eyes. And even if the Witchers are trained to fight with their eyes closed, our reaction would not be fast enough to evade something we only hear coming at us from somewhere. And as both the adult Witchers did not have any experience fighting such an ancient basilisk, we needed every advantage we had. Professor Dumbledore tried his best to find another way, but I was the only logical fighter we had. I received armor and a silver sword to fight, both things strong enough to ensure my survival. But there is also something more, but to tell you about this, you should visit me in Kear Mohen with your aunt. She should ask you soon to accompany her to my home, as according to the letter I had received at the beginning of this week she will be invited to ask Geralt and Yen about how they had that information she would have received today." Harry looked at Susan again, trying to read her expression to see any kind of sign that she did not believe him.
Susan was thinking about the knowledge she had just received. But one thing was bothering her, and she did not sit on this question too long. "Harry, how do you know that my aunt is meeting someone today? Did your foster parents tell you about it? If so, they really do trust you. And if you allow me this last question, did you volunteer for the fight against the basilisk because you wanted to protect us or because you wanted fame?" Susan looked at the young Witcher standing before her, while he answered that all he did was kill a monster that could have wiped out the school if released, it was not for fame or anything like that.
Harry shook his head and denied that he did it for fame. "It is true that we Witchers kill monsters for the money, but we do not want the attention that comes with our work. Even when the old stories are telling us that even kings were calling for Witchers if there was a monster problem, normally the Witcher had worked with the ruler already in the past. And that was the only reason they were known for the monster they had slain. For my part I do not want any more fame that I already have for something that i did not do in the first place and Professor Dumbledore respects my wish and told me that he will reward me accordingly." Harry shrugged as he had no choice but to accept said reward.
While Harry wanted to explain more about his involvement and of how he knew that her aunt had a meeting with someone who would give her aunt information that she would need, he noticed that Susan's face was blushing when he scratched the back of his head when he was thinking about how he should explain everything he was cleared to do. Callie also noticed that Susan's heartbeat was elevated when she looked over his body that was under his casual clothes. Callie surmised that her puberty started a bit early, and her hormones were now getting a bit in a frenzy. Callie did not look forward to sitting with Harry as he got The Talk.
Susan meanwhile got another question, as she remembered some stories about Witchers, as they could not use any kind of magic except the signs they use in battle. Harry then explained that this was back in the old times, as the old Witchers trained mostly in sword techniques and potion making, so when they finally get to spells, they found enough proficiency with their technique as if they would be interested in using magic. "But my foster mother, Yennefer of Vengerberg, and Professor Merigold thought that I should learn magic at a young age before coming to Hogwarts. You know, I was brought to them when my real parents were killed by Voldemort's attack, so they already knew about Hogwarts from Professor Dumbledore. And yes, this is also news to Hermione and Daphne, as you can see when you turn to them now." Susan turned around to see the surprised faces from the other two girls in the room.
Hermione asked Harry why he never had told them this, to which Harry shrugged his shoulders as they never had asked. Hermione pouted at Harry while Daphne was now standing with her arms crossed over her chest. "And just for keeping this part of your past to yourself Harry, I would suggest you also invite me and Hermione over next summer to visit you in Kear Mohen. We had only seen it in winter after all." Daphne walked over to Harry to push her finger on his chest to get her point across. Harry began to laugh out loud and told them that this should not be a problem, he would ask Yen afterwards.
As Susan did not have any more questions for Harry and told him that she was looking forward to coming to Kear Mohen, she wished them a good day before leaving the classroom. But as she wanted to open the door, Harry held her back and waved his hand over it again. "Sorry Susan, but as long as this spell was on it no one could have opened it, even Professor Dumbledore would have some problems to dispel this charm. That was the only reason why I told you all those things in the first place. Speaking of which, I am sure that I do not have to tell you, but please keep what we have talked about a secret from the other students. If you need to talk about it with someone, please go to the headmaster, Professor McGonagall or Professor Merigold, as those Professors know what I have done." Harry had dispelled the charm on the door and stepped back, so Susan could leave the classroom with a small look back at him. After the door had closed again, Harry turned around to see Daphne and Hermione still sitting on their old chairs.
Daphne was the first to voice her thoughts out. "I have to say, she took all that rather well. Even if you showed her your eyes, I was sure that she would say that you had used some spell to mask your real color. Now, what are we going to do now? What if she tells Hannah even when you told her to keep it a secret?" Daphne's worry was well founded, but Harry dismissed this almost immediately.
"If she was really telling someone everything she heard about someone, the whole school would have heard that I had broken ribs without being out training or playing Quidditch. So, I think she can be trusted. Besides that, I asked her to keep it quiet in the note I had sent her with the invite to this room and she came alone." Harry had put his lenses back and put his glasses back on. Callie informed him that according to the cameras she had access to, Susan was walking to the library and had taken a book out of it, so she would have a believable alibi. Harry smiled and thanked his partner, as he relayed this small information to the other two before he opened the door again so they also could leave this room.
In Bones Manor located in Derbyshire, Amelia was going through the folder she had gotten today in her own home. She had told Kingsley that he should tell anybody looking for her that she was taking her well-earned day off today. While reading the contents of this folder, she was thinking on how this organization could get all this information without being detected by the security forces in the Ministry. Even if she had to admit that those forces were badly trained at best, mostly witches and wizards that could not make the Auror program due to poor marks in their NEWT's. It was this moment where she thought of Mrs. Smith and how it fit when she arrived and when it began with the anonymous letters up to today. "But that cannot be, she is a witch or else she would not have gotten that post right in Fudge's office. And as far I know this man today was a muggle, maybe a parent of a student in Hogwarts or another wizarding school. But if they really would be working together, this organization is greater than I had anticipated." She heard a small clack on her window and looked up to see an owl from the Ministry.
Letting out a sigh, as it seemed that even when she wanted to take a day off, her employer still demanded her attention. Thanking the owl for her services with a small treat, she opened the letter and was surprised that it was from Kingsley, asking for permission to go to Hogwarts with her, as she was asked to escort a detachment of goblins on monday morning. How this came to be in the first place was something Amelia was wondering about.
Walking over to her bookshelf, she grabbed an old book about laws in the wizarding community and opened it. Finding what she was looking for, she read about how goblins needed to be accompanied by an Auror if a certain number of them in the group would go somewhere. Normally that would be over 10 goblins at once, and the only time she could think that the goblins traveled in such a big group was when there was a monster to be rendered. Thinking about what it could be, as almost every dragon in the country was in a safe place, she remembered what Susan had written to her last year. Could it be linked to the attacks in Hogwarts? She wrote a note to her subordinate and sent it with her own owl that they would talk about their assignments for that day. She then sealed the folder she had read and prepared herself for this Monday.
Closing the book that was still laid on the desk, she placed it back on the shelf where she kept it and asked her house elf to prepare something to eat for them. She smiled at the small creature bowing to her and did what it was told. Thinking back at the meeting she had, she thought about something that was nagging at her mind. Somehow she had the feeling that this Mr. Chief the young Aurors and her niece were telling about and she had met when she arrested Lockhart, had also something to do with this organization. Maybe this was something she could use in the upcoming Wizengamot session against Lucius and Fudge.
The next monday morning after she had eaten breakfast, she Flooed over to the Ministry and was walking with purpose. She soon arrived in her office, where Kingsley was already waiting with Rufus Scrimgeour. "Gentleman, nice for you to wait in my office. To the matter at hand, Rufus you will stand in for me while Kingsley and myself are going with the goblins. Also, I want to keep it a secret what we are doing Rufus, so if anyone asks where we are tell them that we are investigating a rumor about a crime in Hogsmeade. I will think of something if anyone is still asking me about it when I return. Kingsley, with me." After making the order of business clear, Amelia and Kingsley did leave the Ministry to go to Gringotts and meet with the goblins.
In Kear Mohen, Yen was talking with Keira about some herbs used in potions, when an owl from Gringotts landed next to her on the table. Taking the letter, she was informed that the goblins were going to Hogwarts to render the basilisk and then would the correct amount of gold after selling all the parts. Yen wrote her thanks in another letter and gave the owl her response with a small treat. Keira looked at Yen and asked why she would not go herself, some things from the basilisk could be useful.
Yen shook her head at her friend, dismissing her concern politely. "Keira, I know the goblins better than you do. They will invite me later this week with something like an inventory of what they had gotten from the carcass, and then I can choose what I want to keep for myself, or in this situation in Harry's name since he killed it in the first place. Then the goblins will tell me what the rest is worth, and we will place the payout in Harry's vault. So, I do not have to go visit Hogwarts right now, as Harry is still safe." Keira accepted the explanation and both women continued their discussion about the herbs.
At Hogwarts, Dumbledore waited in his office for the goblins and the Auror escort team that would be led to him by Hagrid from the gates where they would arrive after using a portkey. They had decided on this approach because all the leaders of the goblin nation refused to use the Floo since it was invented.
Next to him sat Triss, who hoped that all the students would be eating breakfast right now and not looking outside. She looked over to the projector where Cortana was projecting herself to give them an update when John would take the guests over from Hagrid when they arrived at the entrance hall. She did wonder how the Aurors would react seeing the Spartan in his full armor. He would need it when they walked towards the Chamber of Secrets, as Cortana would need to playback the recording from Harry back at the entrance. Soon Cortana told them that John sees the group walking up to the castle and also informed the headmaster that Callie reports all students inside the Great Hall. Dumbledore thanked Cortana and was standing up from his chair to meet their guests in the entrance hall.
Amelia was walking behind Hagrid when she noticed a suit of armor standing outside the entrance. But it was different from the other suits of armor she knew that were standing around in the castle. When they got closer, she saw the numbers stenciled on its chest and then recognized the man. This had to be the Master Chief Wulf, as Susan had described him looking like that sometimes. As they got closer, the entrance to the castle opened and she was greeted to the sight of Dumbledore as the doors opened to the entrance hall and where he stood next to Professor Merigold. Amelia steeled her expression to hide her surprise seeing the Chief in his armor.
"Good morning Headmaster. I have talked with the goblins before we arrived here and they told me that they were hired by someone to render a monster. If you could now lead us to the place where this carcase is lying so they could begin with their work. Afterwards, I would like to talk with you about something while Auror Shacklebolt accompanies the goblins back to Gringotts."
Dumbledore's blue eyes twinkled as he smiled at the greeting, assuring Amelia that they would have time to talk about what she wanted to know afterwards and walked through the entrance and up the stairs. The whole progression then walked down the hallway, with the Chief in the lead, so the others could see that he had his weapons on his back. The leader of the goblins asked if this really was necessary, he could understand the Aurors as this was part of the treaty their nation had signed with the wizarding community. Amelia also wondered why John had those on him right now, and expected an explanation later when she would talk with Dumbledore.
Dumbledore looked to the goblin, minding his position so it would not be seen as he tried to insult them. "Ah you see Mr. Gronuk, the slayer of this monster, wants this matter to be kept as discreet as possible. And please excuse me with this phrase, but as you were not here as a student you do not know how good the rumor mill is in this castle. As soon as someone sees or even hears us at present, the students would connect some dots and maybe even find the truth by accident. So to prevent that, Chief over there makes sure that at least the path is secure first. If you don't mind me asking, how do you want to transport the carcass back to Gringotts?" That was also a question that Triss was thinking for herself. She had seen how big the snake was and wondered how they would transport this much material around without being seen.
The goblin grinned, happy that even after all this time the goblin nation still has some secrets before the wizarding community. "You will see in time, Headmaster. Now let's see this basilisk that was slain." They had arrived at the door to the bathroom where the entrance to the Chamber was hidden. Gronuk heard Dumbledore chuckle while Triss' eyes did shine with friendly glee.
"Mr. Gronuk, it sounds like you do not believe that the monster down there was not that big of a challenge. What would you say about a small wager then? Let's say a 1 galleon for each foot where it's bigger than you guessed? Of course, to be legit you must tell us how big you think it is now." Triss stood next to John, who looked down at the faucet with the snake on it. The goblin leader let out a laugh, shaking his head.
"You must have misunderstood me, but I know that a basilisk is a formidable foe that should not be underestimated. I also know from the order of our chief that it was allegedly put down there by Salazar Slytherin himself, so it had to be at least over 900 years old and accordingly large at that. But I think it was getting to the end of his own lifespan and was already half dead either way, and if it would have been put under stasis until reawaken it should not be even big enough to bother a normal warrior, much less a Witcher. That was what I was referring to, I do not sell the slayer from the basilisk too low, believe me. Now, let's get moving on, time is gold as I like to say." Gronuk hefted his tools that he was carrying back in its place and waited for John to open the door.
Triss was smiling, wondering what kind of face the goblin would make when he saw that the basilisk was at its peak when Harry was fighting it. She had also thought that it either had to be too old in the first place, but yesterday she had another theory forming in her mind. What when it was the case that Slytherin had already a grown basilisk ready and put it into stasis when he left the other founding members? If that would be the case, then it would explain why the monster was this strong in the first place. But she was sure that the goblin could analyze the basilisk with greater accuracy than she could. Triss then wished them a good day as she must return to the Great Hall to eat breakfast herself and then prepare for her classes in the afternoon.
They could hear a hissing from the place where John was, as the sink moved out of the way and showed the pipe that led downwards. Amelia had to admit that she was still surprised that this castle had so many secrets after all this time the wizarding community was sending their children to be educated here. Even the most elite curse breakers and rune experts could not find everything that was seemingly hidden right under their noses. But first she had another question for John. "I did not know that you can speak parseltongue Mr. Chief."
John turned to stand at the opening so the goblins walked down the stairs that had formed in the pipe and looked at Amelia. "I don't Madam Bones, but I also accompanied the person who killed the basilisk and recorded what he said in that language. After a test we had found out that it worked as good as if spoken from him directly and decided to use it for today. This way the possibility for him to be discovered is minimized." After they were the last ones still standing in the bathroom Amelia thanked him for this information and also walked down the stairs.
Soon they walked through the cave towards the entrance that separated the Chamber from the rest of the cavern under the school. Looking at it, Amelia noticed the snake around it looking at them. But as soon as the hissing from John was played again, they retreated into the frame and the entrance opened before them. The goblins and Kingsley walked in and looked around, with Amelia right behind them, her wand drawn as a security measure.
"Ragnock's bloody axe! That was not what we were told by our chief who sent us here, we thought that it was just a small hatchling or an old husk, but this basilisk looks like it was in its prime. Whoever killed it, should be an honorable warrior in our nation. Men, let's go to work." Gronuk walked over to the dead reptile and pulled out his tools.
Amelia turned around walked over to talk to the armored soldier, obviously with a question on her mind. "Chief, if I combine all the hints I got over the last half year, for example that there were at least two Witchers in this school and that Harry Potter is a parselmouth according to my niece's letters; I can conclude that Harry Potter has something to do with this. As the chief of security you should know what happens if a student is involved." Amelia could almost feel how John was smiling under his helmet.
John was grinning under his helmet, knowing full well how the next words from him would leave her with only one thought. "Ask Geralt of Rivia in Kear Mohen if you want to know why Harry Potter was involved." John was impressed that she was able to hide her shock when she heard that name and place.
Amelia turned away from the armored man and watched the goblins break down the massive monster down to pieces. In her mind she was wondering if this was the same name she heard spoken to her on Saturday.