AN: Some plot this Chapter, and some Answers next. Also, I made a small, minuscule mistake in the last chapter regarding Rose, but have since fixed that.
I have vastly underestimated Hagrid. Both in his understanding, and of love for all creatures. I know that it's common knowledge that he loves animals, but I half expected him not to care as much about the lesser magical creatures in favor of the beasts. That was not the case, as he spent the next three hours telling me about damn near every single creature, both magical and mundane thanks to another question from me, that lived within the immediate area and the neighboring woods. Thankfully though, I managed to find out what I wanted.
I was honestly wondering if I should have just asked one of the house elves, but I figured that building up a good relationship with Hagrid would be better in the long run. As I made my way back to the castle, one rooster safely stored away in my [Pocket Space], I hurried so that I wouldn't miss dinner. I needed to be properly fed for the amount of stupid shit that I would be doing tonight.
When I managed to arrive in the Great Hall dinner was just starting, students walking in and casually chatting. I didn't see Rose but did spot Daphne wave me down.
"So, where were you?" She asked as I took the seat next to her, looking annoyed. Ah, she was probably looking for me earlier, and since I was out of the castle most likely spent the last few hours scouring it fruitlessly.
"I had a couple of questions for a member of the staff, and then I needed to complete a small task. Why, did you miss me that much?" I spoke, allowing a small smirk to form.
"Wha-Of course not! Where did you get that idea? No, I was..." Daphne didn't get the chance to finish though because there was suddenly a large commotion coming from Hufflepuff's Table.
"You fucking bastard! What the hell do you take me for, some slut that spreads her legs for anyone that asks? We are done you self-centered, arrogant piece of shit! God, I should have listened Hestia when she warned me against dating you." One of the older years' yells after slapping one of her housemates across the face and storming out of the Hall. I simply stared as I wasn't expecting to see one of my other Targets so soon, sure that she had already graduated.
For a moment, the whole Hall was silent as everyone started at either the red-faced idiot or the retreating figure of one Nymphadora Tonks. Then the moment broke, and everyone started speaking while Professor Sprout rushed after her student. It wasn't hard to find out what exactly happened. The guy, named Elias Thrung, had been dating Tonks since just before the school year, and the fool decided that about two weeks was enough time to try and test his luck. In the Great Hall. Surrounded by his House.
It gets better though as the dumbass then accused her of sleeping with members of every house for a price, and then said that if she wasn't willing to do it for free, he would just pay for the experience. I have no idea how he managed to make it to Seventh Year and I didn't care enough to find out, more interested in how I could use this golden opportunity, without fucking it up.
The rest of dinner went without incident, with Rose not showing up and gossip and rumors flying about. Hermione showed up at some point, a complicated expression on her face as she didn't say a word the entire time, much to my confusion and the thankfulness of everyone around her. The girl in question was already in a much different situation than she was in Canon, and not just because of the different house. Unlike when she was in Gryffindor and only really made friends with Ron and Harry, here she seemed to have become friends with Padma and Lisa and made a few acquaintances in Hufflepuff and Gryffindor. She usually hangs out with them when not bothering me, meaning that she was actually gaining some social skills, however slowly.
Eventually dinner ended and I made my way to my dorm room, planning to get a small nap in before my late-night adventure.
A few Hours after dinner saw me standing in front of our common room door, Silenced and Invisible, with a Wand made of Yew held in my hand. Curfew had passed a while ago, leaving me plenty of time to mentally prepare myself for the Insane task I was about to complete. If it works, I will have gained a powerful ally and some much-needed Credits. If not, well the worst thing is I die and end this little adventure of mine. It took some time to get to the Second-Floor girls' restroom, with having to avoid any prefects patrolling as well as the caretaker and his cat. Eventually though, just before midnight I walked into the haunted bathroom, which thankfully for me was void of any angsty ghost.
Making my way to the sinks it only took me a minute to find the correct one and utilize a skill I received from Tom that I had yet to try.
"~ Open ~"
A soft hiss passed my lips, my tongue elongating and twisting in ways I wasn't sure how to explain. The sink shifted, revealing a pipe that led down into the bowels of the castle. Casting a quick spell that stops filth from sticking on me, I leaped into the abyss.
The ride was long and filled with twists and turns, covered in slime and muck from years of disuse, with me eventually emerging only to land on a pile of bones. I quickly stand, wasting no time in leaving the mass grave of animal corpses and make my way through the tunnel, noting that there is no shed skin on the way. Eventually though, I arrive at the Entrance to the Chamber proper, a solid wall with two carved serpents. A quick repeat had the snake's part, and the wall split in two.
The Chamber was a sight to behold, tall pillars carved with depictions of snakes holding up a ceiling lost in darkness, great pools of water on either side of the path glowing faintly a murky green, and at the end of the Chamber, a statue of a man as tall as the Chamber, face set high above.
I knew what I was doing was reckless, that I didn't need to rush this, that I still had other options at the moment. But I was still going to do this regardless, to gain the strength I needed, to ensure that my enemy could not use it against me, or even just plain fear I had set myself on this path and I was not going to back out. I wasn't going to be defenseless either, as I knew that a rooster's crow was, in fact, lethal to Basilisks. From research Tom had done, he found out that when Herpo first created these beasts, he chose to give them a conceptual weakness, an Achilles heel that while fatal by itself, made his monster damn near immune to almost all other means of harm. Its scales would stop almost all magic and would take weapons of Legend to even scratch. The only weak points were its eyes and mouth, both places that if not careful would lead to death If one attempted to attack.
One other thing that I was banking on was that a Basilisk was created to be Loyal to Parselmouths, obeying all orders given by the one they first hear until the time that their current master dies, resetting its loyalty. As Voldemort has been killed, his body destroyed, I was hoping that was enough to reset its loyalty, making it so that I could gain control over the beast. If not, well I had brought the Rooster for a reason.
So, hand ready to grab the bird I brought from my [Pocket Space] I spoke the password, summoning the Snake to me.
"~ Speak to me, Slytherin, Greatest of the Hogwarts Four! ~"
Immediately the mouth of Salazar's statue opened, and from the depths, I could hear a faint whisper.
"~ So ... Hungry. Must ... Feed. Master ... has come ... to feed? ~"
The Basilisk revealed itself to me, coiling out if the statue with its eyes closed shut, hissing in a course voice that only I could understand. Sweat formed on my brow, my throat dry, as I stared at the King of Serpents, over sixty feet in length, that slowly encircled me.
"~ Yes. I am your new Master. I have come to claim you and after, I shall direct you towards food for you to hunt. ~" I say, trying to keep my voice steady as I address the Monster in front of me.
There is silence as the Serpent judges my words, moving its head to face me. Eventually, it bowed to me, and I could feel myself relax.
"~ New ... Master. Feed ... Me. So ... so ... Hungry. ~"
I thanked the fact that for as different as this world was, this was still something that aligned with what Voldemort knew. Allowing myself a smile, I pulled something that had been waiting in my inventory since I arrived. A Silver Chocker with a gleaming Emerald was suddenly in my hand, and with but a thought grew to the desired size.
"~ Very well. First, allow me to place this choker around your head. Doing so will bind you further to me and allow me to enhance you and make it so that you may never Hunger again. ~"
Without a moment's hesitation it accepted and allowed me to place the choker around its neck. In an instant the choker snaps into place, locking in my claim of Slytherins Monster. A notification at the corner of my vision alerted me to the fact that the Binding will be completed in 72 Hours, as the serpent had no desire to resist.
"~ Now then, follow me to your prey ~"
Using Tom's knowledge of the Chamber, I led the King of Serpents out a hidden entrance to the Forbidden Forrest, a large ravine accessible from the caves before the Chamber. Hitching a ride atop my new mount, I led it out into the outside world, stopping in a clearing near the hole.
"~ In that direction you shall find a colony of Acromantula residing within the depths of the forest. Only emerge from the Chamber when necessary to feed yourself and remain hidden from all. I shall return to the Chamber in seven days. Now go and feast, Mighty Beast. ~"
"~ Yes ... Prey ... so ... close. Rip ... Tear ... FEAST! ~"
And they were off, silently slithering into the dark, hidden by the shadows and towering trees.
Raising my wand, I used one of the unique abilities that Voldemort had created, the ability to freely fly without support. Rising above the ground I slowly levitated in the direction of the castle, careful to use spells and such to conceal my presence and make myself invisible as I floated to Ravenclaw's Tower. Reaching the room, I approached the only opened window, one that I had made sure would remain as such when I left.
Going inside, I collapsed in my bed, and allowed myself to instantly fall asleep, exhausted from a mix of all the spells I had cast and the stress of dealing with a monster capable of killing me with a look.