𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐥𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 | √

⎡22⎦

The next week Harry was talking about some diary he and Ron found in the bathroom. Apparently someone threw the book at Myrtle and she got mad.

"It was Hagrid. Hagrid opened the Chanter of Secrets fifty years ago." Harry said.

"It can't be Hagrid. It just can't be." Hermione replied.

"We don't even know this Tom Riddle. He sounds like a dirty, rotten snitch to me." I said.

"The monster had killed somebody, Hazel. What would any of us have done?" Harry asked.

"Look. Hagrid's our friend. Why don't we just go and ask him about it?" Hermione asked.

"That'll be a cheerful visit! 'Hello, Hagrid! Tell us, have you been setting anything mad and hairy loose in the castle lately?'" Ron replied

"Mad and hairy?" said a voice behind us. "You wouldn't be talking about me now, would ya?"

"No!" We all exclaimed.

"W- what's that you've got, Hagrid?" Harry asked.

"Oh, It's a- Flesh-Eatin' Slug Repellent. For the Mandrakes, ya know. Now, accordin' to Professor Sprout, they've still got a bit o' growing up to do. But, once their acne's cleared up, we'll be able to chop 'em up and stew 'em, and then we'll get those people down at the hospital un-Petrified. In the meantime, though, you four had best be lookin' after yourselves. All right?"

"Hmm," We replied. Suddenly Neville ran up to us.

"Hello, Neville!" Hagrid exclaimed cheerfully.

"Harry- I don't know who did it, but you'd better come! Come on!" Neville exclaimed. They all ran off towards the castle.

I sighed and said goodbye to Hagrid then went to the common room. When I reached it there was a little enchanted paper bird in front of my face. I grabbed the bird and unfolded it. It looked like someone ripped it out of the book. (A/N: REMEBER DIAGON ALLEY?!) I read the paper. Basilisk. It said:

"Of the many fearsome beasts and monsters that roam our land, there is none more curious or more deadly than the Basilisk, known also as the King of Serpents. This snake, which may reach gigantic size, and live many hundreds of years, is born from a chicken's egg, hatched beneath a toad. Its methods of killing are most wondrous, for aside from its deadly and venomous fangs, the Basilisk has a murderous stare, and all who are fixed with the beam of its eye shall suffer instant death. Spiders flee before the Basilisk, for it is their mortal enemy, and the Basilisk flees only from the crowing of the rooster, which is fatal to it.".

On the bottom of the paper, it had handwriting I recognized but couldn't grasp. It said. Pipes. I bit my lip. This was it! This was the creature in the Chamber of Secrets! It must travel through pipes! And people haven't died because they saw a reflection! I have to show it to Hermione tomorrow. I ran into my room and fell asleep. The earlier you go to sleep the faster tomorrow will come.

. . .

Later the next night I ran from the dungeons to the Gryffindor Tower without any interruptions. I leaned against the wall panting heavily as I tried to regain my breath.

"Oh my!" The Fat Lady exclaimed.

"Um... I think... Wattlebird?" 

She huffed and let me in.

"I'm sorry you have to do this again like last year." I said as I climbed through the portrait hole. Hermione was in the common room nose in a book like usual. I quickly grabbed her hand and dragged her out trying not to make a big fuss about it. I pulled her to the Library and into a quiet corner. I handed her the paper and she opened it up. Her eyes darted across the paper as she came into realization.

"Where did find this?" she asked me.

"Well, I was walking back to my dorm in the Slytherin Common room when this came up to me as an enchanted bird."

"Well, this is exactly what we needed." She pointed at the writing that said pipes. "Heir of Slytherin it must be some sort of snake. The Basilisk must travel through pipes! That why we have the plumbing problems!" 

"Yes, and no one has died yet because they saw a reflection! Collin saw it through his camera, Justin saw it through Nearly Headless Nick and Nick got the full blast but he's already dead. He can't die again. And then... Mrs. Norris saw it through the flooded water!" I exclaimed as the pieces formed together. Hermione rummaged through her pocket and pulled out a mirror.

"Hermione. I didn't think you were the kind of girl that brought a mirror with her." I said looking at the mirror.

"I don't I found this in the girls bathroom and picked it up. Let's go!"

We walked around corners with Hermione ahead. I grabbed a sword from a nearby armor statue to look in the reflection. Suddenly Hermione gasped and froze in her spot.

"Hermione?" I whispered. She didn't say anything or move.  She was frozen. My mind was racing and adrenalin was coursing throughout my body. I gripped the sword tighter and looked into its reflection. I saw a pair of eyes. I gasped just before everything went dark.