Magic of the All Hallows Eve

Nev's speculations

A/N: Thanks for your support till here guys! ONE POINT FOUR K READS! Thanks a lot!

He went to the Hospital Wing and sat there, trying to get a hold of himself. If he couldn't kill that Basilisk, then what should he do? He touched Hermione's hand, so soft to touch yet as cold as stone. There was a paper clutched inside. He removed it carefully, somehow feeling he would damage her delicate frame if he applied force, and saw that torn page.

Goodness! She had indeed beaten him this once! And it was so unlike her to 'sabotage a book' yet still so Hermione to show the proof if it meant breaking rules for that. He let out a weird sound in between a laughter and a cry (oh wait, I don't cry!, he thought) and even saw her solution to the basilisk's movements too — Pipes.

If only she knew that this time he just couldn't go and slay that monster. Why were people so complicated anyways?

Weird. Batty old wizards were very weird.

He sneaked off to Dumbledore's office and patiently told Dumbledore everything he knew of the incident so far, waiting for his reaction.

"And you say you couldn't conjure a rooster yourself?", he asked him.

"Uh, no sir. That trick in the GSAs was just animation charms instead of actual transfigured or conjured live animals", he said bashfully.

"And suffice to say, that won't work with a real basilisk in tow, which, frankly, two of the most powerful beings on Earth are refusing to kill", Dumbledore said, his eyebrows crunched in concentration.

"Maybe we need the help of some other person skilled in such an art. The author, I might add, of the very book you found the puzzle out from", he said with a small smile.

Harry was awed. "You know Mr. Newton Scamander?! Well, of course you do, but, like personally?"

Dumbledore chuckled. "Yes indeed. We've gone on quite a few adventures ourselves in the past. Wonderful yet challenging ones"

"Harry, you shouldn't bother yourself with such a giant task. Don't think that I don't have faith in you to even slay the basilisk's head", Dumbledore paled a little at the vision Death had shown him, "but this matter is much more complicated than that now, I'm afraid. So please, let Newt handle this on his own. I'd know if you try to interfere"

Suffice to say, Newt did manage to do the job, although at first awfully reluctant of feeding a book of Dark Magic to the 'poor girl', but it worked. Tom Riddle's ever strengthening soul inside the chamber was whipped off, and strangely, one Ginny Weasley was found controlling the basilisk in lieu of Riddle.

Ron was scandalised when he heard the tale, while Neville was more scared than anything at the mention of the basilisk.

That evening found him on top of the Astronomy tower on a clear night along with Neville, both lost in their own thoughts, while Neville suddenly remembered something and recounted it to Harry,

"You know, that day you sat in the Hospital Wing for hours on end? Well, Malfoy was talking to a bunch of Slytherin blokes near the Potions class, so I snuck off a bit and heard him talk about how his father was 'convincing' the Board of Governors to remove Dumbledore from being Headmaster due to 'incompetency in handling the situation' or something"

"That would've just led to more attacks and even less protection. I mean, if Dumbledore wasn't here, he wouldn't've contacted Mr. Scamander —"

"Who wouldn't have tamed that basilisk", Neville continued.

"Who would still be possessed by Riddle", Harry added.

"Who would then return to life after sucking it all from Ron's sister"