The midnight feast.
"About what," I said with a smile; he had just basically kidnapped me.
"When did you learn it was a basilisk?" Snape said and looked at me.
"you're not going to like that answer," I said sheepishly
"Try me", Snape snarled.
"After that duelling club night when we found out Harry is a Parselmouth", I stated or lied through my teeth.
"that long, and you never said anything?" Snape roared at me.
"Hey, I wasn't hundred per cent sure till like a few days ago", I huffed. "hell, most of the teachers believed there was no chamber in the first place or that Hagrid somehow did it", I shook my head.
Snape calmed down, "how did you know Fawkes would go to Harry." asked Snape.
"met Fawkes in Dumbledore's office, then again when I was practising my bird summoning song. Dumbledore wouldn't leave Harry with nothing to fight against the dark lord," I said
"don't be so sure of that", Snape muttered. I just waited silently for the next question.
"why were you studying the basilisk before you figured out there was one in the school," Snape said.
I rolled my eyes, "I told Dumbledore when he questioned me about Rodney. I was studying sound after the first lesson with the mandrakes at the beginning of the school year. But most creatures that have magical effects related to their sounds are extremely dangerous. Apart from the rooster."
"Mister Carter, I think you're lying", Snape said solemnly.
"I could be, or you could trust me and my motives are aligned with yours," I said seriously. We stared at each other in the eye in silence for a while; the atmosphere grew tense. I left my occlumency down; if he wanted, he could use legilimency to search my mind.
"Okay, you can go", Snape said. "We'll talk over the summer", he said.
I stood up and rummaged in my satchel, pulling out one of the jars of basilisk venom. Placing on Snape's desk "Venom of the Basilisk", I said and left. The joy on Snape's face when I gave it to him was wonderful.
--
Returning to the common room, I saw people were up and about in their pyjamas. "Eddie," Tim called out as he saw me.
I waved. "There's going to be a feast; the beast in the chamber has been killed. I'm going for a shower" There was a cheer from most of the Slytherins as I walked down the hall to the bathrooms.
Fifteen minutes later, I was freshly washed and dressed in relaxing clothes, smelling a lot less like the sweaters. Walking back out, I saw only a few people left in the common room: Grant, Tim, Daphne, and Tracy. I smiled at the group, "Everybody else, head to the great hall?" I asked
"Yeah, Professor Snape came in after you and explained what happened," Grant said. "The rest headed to celebrate."
"Good, the petrified should be waking any minute, too," I smiled. It was finally over. "let's get some food." I rubbed my hands together as we headed out of the common room.
"Why did you go help Harry," asked Daphne.
"Because I thought he would need it." I smiled. "Maybe he didn't and I'm just arrogant."
"well, at least you came back alive", Tim said. "I woke up and noticed you weren't in bed or in the common room."
"then he woke me up", grant sighed. "Then we got Professor Snape."
"you ratted me out?" I asked, feigning shock.
"Oh, come off it, we were worried", Tim said, punching me in the shoulder.
"ow", I rubbed my shoulder. "well, I'm alive and well, just a few scrapes and bruises where I had to dodge the snake."
We arrived at the great hall to see a happy celebration going on. People were still in their PJs and laughing and eating some good food. People saw me enter and cheered and applauded.
I sat with my friends and talked and ate for the next few hours till I saw something strange. Professor Flitwick was floating in on a piano that passed over everyone's heads and landed near the professor's table.
"you guys up for it," I asked my bandmates. We all figured what Filiwick bringing in a piano was about.
"absolutely", Grant smiled.
"yes!!" shouted Tim.
"Happy too," said Tina.
We huddled up and discussed what we would play.
"I would like to request a song from Acrane Rhythms", Professor Flitwick announced from the podium. The four of us bounded out of our seats and got to the stage to cheer the school.
"Thank you, professor. This party needs some music," I said as I got to the mic, putting on the guitar. "This is a song we have been working on." I smiled. "It's called Could Have Been Me."
•Could Have Been Me by the struts•
Grant and Tina started clapping a rhythm as I strummed softly on Starlight. and started to sing as Tim started to play the drum.
♫Don't wanna live as an untold story
Rather go out in a blaze of glory
I can't hear you, I don't fear you!
I'll live now 'cause the bad die last
Dodging bullets with your broken past
I can't hear you, I don't fear you now♫
The night sky shifted as the four house animals formed in the stars and started to come alive.
♫Wrapped in your regret
What a waste of blood and sweat
Oh oh oh♫
As the chorus started, the house animals leapt from the sky and landed behind us. made of shimmering spell light with bright points of stars.
♫♪I wanna taste love and pain
Wanna feel pride and shame
I don't wanna take my time
Don't wanna waste one line
I wanna live better days
Never look back and say
Could have been me
It could have been me
Yeah♪♫
As the chorus came to the end, the animals jumped onto their respective tables and made their way down them looking at the students.
♫Don't wanna live as an unsung melody
I'd rather listen to the silence telling me
I can't hear you, I won't fear you
Don't wanna wake up on a Monday morning
The thought of work is getting my skin crawling
I can't fear you, I don't hear you now♫
♫Wrapped in your regret
What a waste of blood and sweat
Oh oh oh♫
As the second chorus started, another animal jumped from the sky, a winged boar. But I didn't summon this projection. The boar landed on the professor's table and sat and stared at the schoolchildren.
♫♪I wanna taste love and pain
Wanna feel pride and shame
I don't wanna take my time
Don't wanna waste one line
I wanna live better days
Never look back and say
Could have been me
It could have been me
Yeah♪♫
The House animals let out Cries of triumph from the ends of their table.
"Everybody!" I yelled out, and Tina led the school to sing the chorus.
♫Hey
♪(I wanna taste love and pain
Wanna feel pride and shame
Don't wanna take my time)♪
No
♪(Don't wanna waste one line)♪
Hey, hey
♪(Wanna live better days)♪
Just better
♪(Never look back and say)♪
Could have been me
It could have been me
It could have been me
It could have been me♫
The boar took flight, flying around the great hall; golden light fell from it onto the heads of the Hogwarts students.
♫I wanna taste love and pain
Wanna feel pride and shame
I don't wanna take my time
Don't wanna waste one line
I wanna live better days
Never look back and say
Could have been me
It could have been me
It could have been me
It could have been me♫
As the song ended, the animals flew up into the sky and returned to being stars in the sky.
"bravo", Flitwick cheered over the crowd's cheering.