27 The Chamber of Secrets

It is a cold night as the winds of November were blowing across the school. The whole school was deadly silent, and almost no student dared to roam the halls lest they become the next victim of the culprit that petrified a lot of students. Professors and the caretaker patrolled the school grounds, in search of the unknown perpetrator of these unfortunate events. The night was eerily silent, as the danger lurking inside the castle awaits for whatever that may come to its midst.

I was currently inside the Room of Requirement, attaching a pouch to my belt with a variety of potions inside. Healing, antidotes, and the likes. I already informed Logan on what I will do today. Even he was very excited about facing a basilisk, as he only encountered a few in his long life. But I only told him that I'll call him in case things will go very bad, and that made the wolf a bit disappointed.

He then took me outside the girl's bathroom where the entrance to the chamber is hidden. What surprised me is the sight of three people. One teacher, and two boys. The sink transformed into an entrance as soon as I went inside the bathroom, so I had my arrival known by them.

"Fred? What are you doing here?" Harry said.

"I'm here to slay the basilisk," I answered. There's no point in hiding the monster known as the basilisk. I saw the fraud professor paled at my revelation.

"W-well, if it's like that then I suppose I have to get out of here!-" He said as the two boys blocked him from escaping.

"You're our DADA teacher Professor. Surely, you know how to protect us from the monster. After all, you have your books as evidence of your feats, right?" I mocked him.

"It is MY sister that's down there! We can't just leave her alone!" Ron added. He was a Gryffindor through and through. Brave to save his sister even knowing the danger, and very foolish for attempting to face the monster with a broken wand.

The Professor said no more as I cast a banishing charm towards him and fell to the hole down the pipes. Harry and Ron looked a bit shocked, but I'm not having any of that right now. I have a snake I need to skin.

Before they jumped though, I talked first to them. I can't let Ron fight with a broken wand. That would just be detrimental.

"Ron, you should leave this to us. You have a broken wand, so you won't be able to fight the snake. Call the teachers instead and inform them of the entrance. We can get some help then if things go bad." I said. Ron looked quite unsure of that. After all, it was his sister that is in danger. But it also made sense to call the teachers since they have more chance of defeating the basilisk. Harry agreed with me too. Besides, we can search for Ginny together before the Basilisk reaches us.

Ron left quickly to find the teachers. Harry and I nodded at each other before h jumped to the hole. I kept my mental state in check before jumping tot he hole. I have a considerable amount of experience fighting different beasts and the basilisk will not be any different. It will only be difficult to fight the snake without looking at it.

After putting up and reinforcing my mental fields, I jumped into the hole and slid down the pipe. Leading me to the Corridor of secrets where Harry was facing Lockheart. I quickly stunned the man and bound him with ropes before he does anything else.

"You ready, Harry?" I asked him.

"Yeah." Even if the boy looked determined, I'm sure he was nervous as hell. Fighting the basilisk will be a very hard task, and defeating it will be more dangerous.

We walked until we saw the vault door that led to the Chamber of Secrets. The door was decorated with seven snakes, and a single snake that traced the round shape of the door. When Harry spoke some parselmouth language, the snake circled the door as the seven snakes move, unlocking it. What we saw was a very very and spooky sight of the Chamber. Statues of snakeheads stood at the side of the chamber, with water flooded the whole floor. At the far end of the room was the face of the famous Salazar Slytherin. What caught our attention was a girl playing on the wet floor. The whole place reeks of dark magic when I observed them with my Mage eyes, but the vilest thing was the Horcrux that laid beside the girl.

Harry and I approached Ginny. She was as cold as ice, and I can tell that she's becoming weaker as more time passes. Harry dropped his wand so I immediately returned it to him.

"Don't drop your wand idiot. We're inside the chamber, who knows when the basilisk will appear?" I scolded him as he took back his wand, embarrassed.

It was then that Tom decided to step out. Harry talked to the man and went on to dramatically reduce himself as Voldemort by writing in the air. He was very foolish and arrogant to do that. As soon as he did it, I cast a quick spell on him which only phased through, he was very angry at that. I forgot that he was only a memory for now, but will become more solid as h completed his ritual. It was then that the Basilisk decided to make its appearance. It looked more sinister than the movies. With numerous sharp teeth that contained venom in each one of them. He's even bigger than I might have looked more frightened if I didn't experience fighting dragons back in Bulgaria.

"Run!" I said as both Harry and I ran. We absolutely can not look at the eye of the basilisk. It would be over if we did that. Then, Fawkes decided to appear with the sorting hat in his talons. The Phoenix attacked both of the basilisk's eyes, totally blinding it. It was also when I called Logan that did he appear. He was in his giant wolf form and fought the Basilisk.

"Harry! Get the hat!" I shouted at him.

"Why?" He asked. He wondered what the hat has to do with everything.

"Just do it! We need to defeat this snake quickly or else Ginny will be in danger!" I shouted as Harry quickly approached the hat.

"Logan, let's go!" I called him. He and I decided to fight the giant snake head in. With our teamwork efficient in wearing it down, we quickly managed to beat down the king of snakes. It had numerous bite and claw marks from Logan, while I cast different spells to restrict its movements and damage it. I can't cast the Fulmen spell because Ginny will also be electrocuted. I decided to make Harry kill the snake with the sword so it can have the properties of the basilisk venom. They can use it to destroy Voldemort's Horcruxes.

Harry then returned, now with Gryffindor's sword in hand. I nodded at him as we both fought the basilisk. It was a very tough fight as its hide resisted every magic that I cast and the sword. It was then the Basilisk became very frustrated that it kept being whipped. It flailed its whole body while roaring, hitting all of us so hard we flew across the chamber. Harry flew near the place where Riddle and Ginny are, and me to one of the snake statues. I think I might have broken a few bones from that.

I cast my Fire Patronus, then willed it to attack the snake. The effect was very loud as a large explosion ensued, and knocked the Basilisk back. The whole place shook from the impact. I think the school might have even felt it.

"Harry! Now!" I said as Harry immediately stood up and jumped on the downed snake. He stabbed the sword through the snake's head. I immediately took Ginny, Harry, and the diary away with my telekinesis as the snake roared and flailed more because of the pain before finally dying.

We immediately took the diary and set it on the floor. I took a fang from the giant snake before Harry stabbed the diary with the sword. It spewed blood as dark as ink, destroying Voldemort's memory. I stabbed it my own with the snake fang as it kept bleeding. Eventually, Voldemort's memory shattered into millions of pieces.

I sat on the ground and made Ginny drink some of my potions. It can not fully heal her because it's just a form of first aid. She will need to go to Madam Pomfrey's hospital to recover.

"It's over now" I panted, still exhausted from the battle.

"Yeah... thank you, Fred. I couldn't have done it without you." Harry thanked me. Nah, you can manage on your own, Rowling already showed me that. It's just because of Cho I was forced to intervene. So I just nodded at him.

After recovering my breath, I stood up and went to the actual Chamber of Secrets. It was not this place, but the nest of the basilisk. Harry noticed what I was doing, so he followed me.

We reached Slytherin's mouth and saw there a gateway that was blocked by a stone engraved with a design of a hydra. A monster with multiple snakes as its head. Harry decided to speak parseltongue at that before the door opened.

What it revealed was supposed to be a big library, but the shelves were empty. No books, items, potions, anything. the last visitor must have already ransacked the whole place before leaving. The only thing that we saw was the huge portrait of Salazar Slytherin. A bald old man with a very long beard garbed in emerald green robes, with his famous locket hanging around his neck. It's not like the moving portraits inside the castle since it was made at the time of the founders when the moving portraits had not been invented yet.

"It's good nothing's here except that portrait over there," I said while pointing to the painting. Harry was relieved at that too. Who knows what this room contained, it was the Chamber of Secrets after all. Now that I think about it, this room is actually good as a private room for me. There will be a time when I can not use the Room only for myself, so I'll need another room to work on my projects.

Eventually, the Professors arrived with Ron and a floating Gilderoy and looked horrified at what they saw. A huge dead body of a basilisk, and a floating Ginny Weasley. Professor McGonagall quickly took Ginny away as she had the elves transfer Ginny to the hospital wing.

Snape has his eyes on me, observing. After a few moments, he turned his attention to the dead snake. Every part of the basilisk is useful for brewing potions, so it was like a treasure trove for a potion master like himself.

'I'm sorry Professor Snape, but that bloody viper is mine.' I thought.

"How irresponsible of you two! Do you know how deadly a basilisk is for a wizard? Much more for a student! You're lucky that your heads are still attached to your shoulders. I can deduct you a lot of points if not for the severance of the situation." Professor McGonagall said. But I can see that she was a bit proud even though worry and concern are more visible in her face.

The other Professors checked us if we suffered injuries. Basilisk venom is one of the most potent substances in the world, so they were obviously concerned.

"It seems the boys are fine, Minerva. I think we should let them sleep now. Ginny definitely needs more medical attention as she was almost dying." Professor Sprout spoke. Professor McGonagall agreed on that as the matter is for the adults to handle now. They already had enough when they found out that we faced a basilisk alone.

"Oh another thing, Professor. Harry and I claim the Basilisk by rights of conquest." I cheerfully added as I saw a frown in Snape's face. I am thinking of using the basilisk for a few things. I remember that there was a ritual written in one of the family's library book that requires a basilisk's eye. I don't remember what though.

"But I won't have anything to do with the snake, Fred," Harry said.

"Then, you can donate it to the school. I heard the body of the basilisk is useful for a lot of things." I replied as Harry quickly agreed on that. It seems it's more helpful for the school if they can brew advanced potions. The professors talked to us more to check if we're completely fine before finally allowing us to leave. But, I remember something so I turned to the teachers.

"What about Professor Lockheart? He almost attacked us back then, threatening to obliviate both of us." I asked. The man is still in a full body bind curse while suspended in the air.

"Mr. Lockheart will be asked to leave the school. Many complaints were submitted to the Ministry with regards to his published works. Add to the fact that a teacher threatened a student with a spell, the consequences for his actions will be very severe. We can not let a fraud teaching our students magic." Professor McGonagall explained. Then why hire him in the first place?

"We are only forced to hire him because he was the only applicant for the position. The others hesitated from applying because of the jinx of the DADA position. We also didn't know that Mr. Gilderoy was actually a fraud at the time." Professor Flitwick added.

After Ron checked Ginny, he was assured by the Professors that Ginny will be fine and will need rest. We then decided to go back to our respective dorm as the danger is now over. It was only then that the adrenaline rush ended and we felt very exhausted, even Ron. He ran around the castle just to find all the professors after all.

"That was... something," I said as I leaned on a wall and sat down. Harry and Ron did the same as we try and catch our breath.

"Good job back there, Ron. If the professors arrived late. I don't know what would happen to Ginny." Harry spoke.

"Thank you too, Harry... and Fred. If it weren't for you two, I could've lost my sister there." Ron thanked us. He actually felt very frightened when he found out that his sister was brought to the chamber. He never felt so fear in his life, and he wasn't even able to help her because of his broken wand. So he just followed our instructions and searched the teachers in hopes of saving his sister. He ran out of desperation, thinking that he will be too late if the teachers didn't make it to her.

We went quiet for a little while recovering when I noticed the sorting hat.

"You still have that? Where's the sword anyway?" I asked as I saw Harry show the sorting hat and pulled out Gryffindor's sword.

"Wow Harry. You got yourself a sword!" Ron was amazed. Every boy will find swords amazing, of course.

"I don't know how I got it, but it only appeared inside the hat," Harry said as he held the sword in his hand. The sword was made of goblin silver and the gems on its hilt glittered. The sword was beautifully made and was very sharp too. Considering it just slew a 100 feet long basilisk.

"It's not only a sword. It's Gryffindor's sword." I told them as I pointed at the name engraved on the flat part of the blade. Ron and Harry looked shocked as they read the owner's name.

"You should return the sorting hat now, Harry. It would only be safe in the Headmaster's office." As soon as I said that, Fawkes appeared in a burst of flames. Ron's jaw dropped as he saw the Phoenix. Hawkes screeched as Harry handed him the hat. The Phoenix left again in a burst of flames, leaving the three of us in awe. Phoenix teleportation looks flashy, that's why it's awesome. The sword also disappeared alongside the hat.

"I guess we won't need to then," Ron said while gazing at the spot where Fawkes left.

"It's late now. I guess I'll see you tomorrow." I said my goodbyes to the two before leaving them. I walked back into the dorm until I saw lights coming from the common room. It seems some people are awake at this hour. So I called Logan and went to my room without passing to the common room. It's very convenient to have the Grim as a familiar that can shadow travel that it's basically a cheat.

The next day happened like what Dumbledore used to say. What happened down the chamber was a secret. Naturally, the whole school knows it.

The explosion from our battle was felt like a mini earthquake and woke up a lot of students. Some even say they saw the Professors rush somewhere, with Ron leading them. And our battle with the Basilisk became the most popular topic in school. Who the hell fights a basilisk anyway? It was actually the ghosts who spread the stories as they were the ones left roaming the corridors when the teachers left for the chamber. They heard young Ron hastily running while telling them that Harry and I were down on the Chamber of Secrets to rescue Ginny and fight the Basilisk. I didn't actually save Ginny. I just felt so much hatred for the basilisk that I went there to kill it myself. Ghosts were a loose-lipped bunch, so they told the students what happened like babbling old fools. Of course, they're old fools but I didn't know they like gossips.

So Harry, Ron, and I were hailed as some sort of heroes. Mostly the younger years are the ones who looked up to us since they have seen us three battle inside the dueling club. I don't like the attention though, so I just went on my day with Luna and trained inside the Room. We also continued our tutoring sessions with the study group even if Hermione and Cho were still in the hospital. Then, we were grilled for answers by the rest of the group, except Luna and Daphne, but they are quite curious too. I just let Harry and Ron tell them what happened because I will never tell them that I decided to kill the basilisk out of revenge. When the story reached the part when we fought the basilisk, the whole group focused on Harry and me. Ron was not there so he listened to us too. However, I took over the conversation because I don't want Harry telling them about Logan. No one can know about Logan, at least not yet. Harry gave me a suspicious look at that though, but I didn't care. I just told them how I distracted the snake and knocked it back with a very huge spell before Harry stabbed it with a sword. I also omitted the fact that it was Gryffindor's sword, not a random sword just laying on the ground. They remembered the mini earthquake last night, so that must be the huge spell I was talking about. They feel amazed at that, imagining the fight inside their head as I recalled the events last night. That must have looked awesome for them, but it was frightening as hell for Harry who has to defeat a monster by the age of 12. I was faring quite well since I've already gained a lot of experience fighting huge and horrifying monsters. A combat with a Basilisk was new though. We were only lucky because Fawkes blinded the snake so we can battle it without shielding our eyes from the stare, and Logan was there to help us.