MIRROR OF ERISED

67. The Hunt - 3

PREVIOUSLY IN - MIRROR OF ERISED

The group enters the Chamber.

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They hear the basilisk slither out of its hiding hole. Lily's grip tightened around James' waist.

BOLD = Harry speaking in Parseltongue; Italics = Harley speaking; Bold and Italics = The Basilisk

"Can you talk to me?" asked Harry in Parseltongue. "Yes, I can. What do you want?" asked the huge snake. "Can you stop giving the gaze that kills people? I don't want myself or my family members to die." Said Harry. "Yes, speaker. Now, you can open your eyes." Said the giant beast. Harry opened his eyes to first see the floor. He then slowly made his way up and was staring at the snake's eyes and didn't find any harm.

"Harry, what's going on?" asked a nervous James. The basilisk understood that they were the boy's family and didn't bring in its killer gaze. "Dad, you can open your eyes. The basilisk does not have its killer gaze anymore." said Harry. Everyone then realized that the giant snake could stop giving that gaze if a speaker asks it to.

Snape was the first one to open his eyes. He used the technique that Harry had used and found him staring at a snake that was at least 60 – 75 feet long. Severus too assured everyone that they could open their eyes and soon, everyone had their eyes open. Lily and Minerva nearly fainted when they saw the length. Before they could say anything, "Do you have a name?" asked Harry. "Yes I do. You can call me Sally. What is your name?" he asked. "Harry. Please call me Harry." Harry answered. She nodded.

"What is it that you want me to tell her?" asked Harry. "Can you ask her to bite into this diary, Harry? It's one of the many horcruxes that the Dark Lord had created." Said Lucius and handed the diary to Harry. The boy took it from his friend's father and explained everything he was told about Voldemort and the making of the Horcruxes. In the end, he asked whether she could destroy the diary by piercing it with one of her fangs. Sally nodded and asked him to place it on the floor as far as possible from himself and his family. Harry nodded. He gave Harley to his father and went to keep it on the floor by the Basilisk's mid-section.

He went back to where his parents were standing and they pulled him close. The snake did its job and nodded to Harry. Dumbledore, Severus and Harry went to the destroyed diary. They cleaned the venom and ink off of it and took it back. "Thank you, Sally." Said Harry with a smile. The giant snake bowed to the boy. "Harry, you said there were more horcruxes created by Voldemort. I can give you a few of my fangs so that you can destroy them."

Harry nodded and translated the same to the teachers. They nodded and got a few fresh ones. They thanked the snake and went back upstairs. Harry had instructed her to not venture out of the area as it can be quite dangerous to the others, to which she agreed.

They were quite happy that they were able to get rid of two of the horcruxes that the Wizarding World's nemesis had seen in the past two decades.