Caleb Scamander sat up in the hospital bed rubbing his head. He didn't remember getting there. But that's how most people are when they wake up in the hospital. He felt better than before. He had slept stronger than before and suspected that it was due to Dreamless Sleep. The hospital wing was empty other than a Ravenclaw third year who slept nearby with a broken arm.
Caleb rubbed his eyes and sat up in bed. Suddenly there was a popping sound at his feet.
"You've been avoiding me, Harry,"
"Bloody hell, Lucifer," Caleb gasped clutching his chest.
"Surprised to see me?" Lucifer asked sitting down at the foot of the bed.
"I-" Caleb stopped, his eyes widening.
A slimy, whisper of a voile echoed through the room.
"Kill, Kill" It sang hungrily "I smell blood. Delicious blood. Snapping bones, Crunching, Munching, Kill, Kill, Kill,"
Lucifer also seemed to hear the voice and frowned.
"What the hell was that?" Caleb asked in horror.
"That was the Basilisk who lives in the school," Lucifer said as if discussing the news "rather pesky little snake,"
"It said it was going to kill!" Caleb said in a squeaky voice.
"Yes, yes," Lucifer said conjuring a glass of whiskey and taking a sip "I'm sure it will again,"
"You mean it's killed before?" Harry asked, staring at the amber drink.
"Yes," Lucifer said, handing the glass to the twelve year old.
Harry took a deep sip of the burning liquid and cringed before handing it back.
"Thanks," Harry mumbled after swallowing "needed that. Who did it kill?"
"A girl called Myrtle I believe," Lucifer replied, falling onto his back across the bed "I don't really know much about the situation though, not my jurisdiction."
"Because she's in heaven?"
"No," Lucifer pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and lit one "No I bet she's lurking around this school somewhere,"
"You mean she's still here?" Harry asked, horrified.
"Yes,"
"That's awful," Harry whispered.
"Yes well, that's how it goes," Lucifer said "people die, people leave, and the really fucked up ones stay,"
"What's wrong with her?" Harry asked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
"Harry do you know what ghosts are?" Lucifer asked, finishing his cigarette and sitting up.
Harry shook his head.
"Ghosts are fragments of people's souls doomed to walk the earth forever looking for the rest of it's being. They are reflections of the people they once were. Memories of their worst moments. They wander the world looking to correct the wrong that was done to them," Lucifer said, drinking again.
"That sounds awful," Harry said, softly "so they just relive their death over and over again?"
"They relive the last emotion they had when they were killed,"
"My god"
The room went silent for a moment as Harry fiddled with the bed sheet.
"This snake, basilisk, it's going to kill someone again?" Harry finally asked.
"If it can get out," Lucifer replied.
"Get out of where?" Harry asked, looking at the man.
"Harry I didn't come here to talk about snakes and ghost stories," Lucifer said, avoiding the question "you've been avoiding me,"
"I didn't mean to," Harry said "I've missed spending time with you, but life got in the way,"
Lucifer's eyes blazed with fire as he stood over Harry faster than a second.
"YOU WILL NOT SPEAK TO ME AS IF I AM IGNORANT," Lucifer yelled.
Harry flinched back and looked down.
"Yes, sir," he mumbled.
The fire died down in Lucifer's eyes and he sat at the edge of the bed sighing.
"I know what you have been up to," Lucifer said softly "but don't ever give me vague answers, Harry, i have been honest with you and I expect the same in return"
"Yes, sir," Harry said deathly quiet.
Lucifer gently placed his hand on Harry's cheek and sighed. Harry leaned into the touch and let out a small whimper.
"Harry have you been keeping the orb safe?" Lucifer asked, petting the auburn haired boys cheek.
"Ten thousand Galleons worth of safe," Harry replied without a beat "spells and curses, runes and a dragon all protect my vault at Gringotts, Plus the goblins like me-"
"They fear you," Lucifer corrected "Do not confuse the two"
"They fear me," Harry amended, the words feeling odd on his tongue "they won't let anything happen to it"
"Good," Lucifer said softly petting Harry's hair "but not good enough,"
"But-"
"Spells and curses can be broken, Harry" Lucifer said, pulling his hand back and standing.
Harry whimpered with the loss of contact and leaned forward as if trying to urge it to come back. Lucifer turned at the end of the bed and looked at Caleb Scamander with a frown.
"I want instant death for anyone who enters but you. I want instant retirement of the vault when you die. I want it locked up so tight even I can't enter and I want it to sit and rot that way for ever. No inspections l, no routine cleaning, the doors stay shut."
Harry nodded and bit his lip thinking of how the goblins could accomplish that.
"I don't care how they do it," Lucifer said with authority "just get it done,"
Harry nodded and looked at his hands surprised to find another red card in it.
"Your blood is too valuable to spill,"
Harry looked up to respond but found the room empty other than him and the sleeping Ravenclaw. He settled into an uneasy rest for the rest of the night.
