Click! Click! Click!
The slender basilisk expanded rapidly, pressing cracks into the rooftop floor and making a shattering sound. Kaecilius watched in astonishment as the basilisk grew to an immense size.
"Kaecilius, close your eyes quickly and do as I say. Open your eyes when I tell you to," Lockhart reminded.
Kaecilius, trusting Lockhart, closed his eyes despite his confusion.
With Kaecilius's eyes shut, Lockhart breathed a sigh of relief. He waved his wand, returning the contact lenses from the basilisk to his hands. He then closed his eyes and began communicating with the basilisk through their contract.
He wasn't foolish; the Dormammu follower's methods were clearly sophisticated. The presence of technological weapons indicated deeper complications.
Controlling the basilisk through the contract, Lockhart directed it to attack.
Roar!
The basilisk hissed with excitement, relishing its normal size. It turned its head slightly, spotting the machine not far away.
Roar!
The basilisk roared again, swinging its massive tail and striking the infrasonic weapon.
Snap!
Boom!
In an instant, the infrasonic machine shattered into pieces under the force of the basilisk's tail.
The black-robed man's expression soured. Today's sorcerers were more unpredictable than expected. Not only did they fight in close combat, but they also acted as summoners.
Reflecting on the information provided by Dormammu, the black-robed man compared it to his previous impressions of sorcerers. The corners of his mouth twitched. He had thought melee magicians were outrageous enough, but today's sorcerers bypassed traditional magic to summon beasts directly.
Resolving to speed up the sacrifice, he ignored the basilisk's presence.
The basilisk, following Lockhart's orders, slithered closer and swung its tail at the black-robed man. A defensive shield with black ripples appeared, absorbing the impact with a loud noise but showing no damage.
Roar!
Dissatisfied with the failed attack, the basilisk hissed and opened its mouth, exposing sharp fangs that began to drip venom.
Sizzle!
The venom, highly toxic and capable of destroying even Voldemort's Horcrux, dripped onto the ground, eroding the sacrificial magic array lines.
Unable to bear it any longer, the black-robed man watched in horror as the venom eroded the magic array and realized the potential danger if it touched him. He kept his prayer going but tried to avoid the venom.
Then, he saw a pair of huge yellow eyes.
Darkness followed, and he lost consciousness.
Through the basilisk's vision, Lockhart saw the petrified black-robed man. He smiled and waved his wand, returning the contact lens to the basilisk's eyes.
"Kaecilius, you can open your eyes," Lockhart said.
Kaecilius slowly opened his eyes, having heard several hisses and suspecting the giant snake was Lockhart's doing. He had wanted to see what was happening but trusted Lockhart enough to keep his eyes shut.
Upon opening his eyes, he saw the rooftop floor covered in cracks. Nearby, a pile of debris littered the ground. The basilisk was wrapped around a defensive shield, squeezing it hard.
Lockhart's voice came again, "Kaecilius, let's go. The enemy has been contained by the snake."
Lockhart walked toward the basilisk, with Kaecilius following closely. As he walked, Kaecilius observed the giant snake's dark green scales and strange lines, realizing its immense magical resistance.
He couldn't help but wonder how Lockhart had tamed such a creature.
As he was about to ask, a loud noise from the basilisk squeezing the defensive shield reached their ears. Finally, with a loud bang, the shield shattered completely.
Lockhart called the basilisk away, and it slithered up to him, revealing the seven unconscious sorcerers and the petrified black-robed man.
Kaecilius looked thoughtfully at the basilisk, then snorted in frustration at the sight of the unconscious sorcerers.
Lockhart, noticing Kaecilius's expression, waved his wand with interest.
"Augumenti!"
Instantly, water droplets appeared and poured onto the faces of the seven sorcerers, waking them up.
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