Chapter 178: "Harry vs The King of Serpents"

Harry, now back in the depths of the Chamber of Secrets, swiftly changed into his battle robes and unsheathed his sword. The cool, damp air of the ancient chamber filled his lungs as he steeled himself for the impending confrontation. The weight of the danger he was going into pressed heavily upon him as he made his way towards the hall housing Slytherin's statue, preparing to face the legendary basilisk.

Suddenly, an unexpected event unfolded. The air resonated with the melodious sound of phoenix song, and to Harry's astonishment, Dumbledore's phoenix, Fawkes, appeared seemingly out of nowhere. The majestic bird soared towards Harry, the Sorting Hat clutched firmly in its talons.

Confusion etched itself across Harry's face. How had anyone known about his plan to confront the basilisk? And why was Fawkes here? He hadn't shown any particular loyalty to Dumbledore that would warrant the phoenix's assistance. The bird's arrival was both mysterious and unwelcome, as it raised the possibility that Dumbledore might discover his secret mission.

Sensing Harry's doubts, the Sorting Hat spoke up in its gravelly voice. "I knew you were going after the basilisk, Mr. Potter. The castle informed me, and I thought you might need some help. Fawkes was kind enough to give me a lift."

Harry's brow furrowed as he processed this information. "So Hogwarts is sentient? Thanks for confirming my doubts. While I appreciate your thought, Sorting Hat, your actions may have leaked my secret adventure to the Headmaster. That's the last thing I wanted to happen."

The Sorting Hat was quick to reassure him. "Don't worry, Mr. Potter. Fawkes has promised to keep our meeting a secret." As if to confirm this, Fawkes let out a melodious trill and nodded its head.

"As for the castle being sentient," the Hat continued, "I'm not entirely sure. It can't communicate like I can, but there have been instances where the castle has reacted or sent messages in some form. It leads me to believe that Hogwarts is at least semi-sentient. Perhaps it's a result of the vast amount of magic surrounding and being used within the castle. It may have given birth to a form of consciousness."

Harry nodded, absorbing this new information. Just as he was about to inquire how the Sorting Hat intended to assist him in battling the basilisk, his attention was drawn to a glint of silver emerging from within the hat. With a mixture of excitement and urgency, he reached in and pulled out a magnificent sword, its blade gleaming in the dim light of the chamber.

"The Sword of Gryffindor," the Sorting Hat announced proudly. "It presents itself to a true Gryffindor in times of need. I hope it will be of great help in your upcoming battle."

Harry's confusion was evident as he examined the sword. "But I'm a Ravenclaw. I thought the Sword of Gryffindor only chose brave Gryffindors."

The Hat chuckled, a sound reminiscent of rustling parchment. "Perhaps in house affiliation, but you are also the inheritor of Gryffindor and possess the traits of a true Gryffindor in your heart. Everything that happens in the castle is known to me, including the inheritance you've gained. The sword recognizes both your lineage and your courage."

Harry sighed, realizing the implications. It seemed that none of his actions over the past few years at Hogwarts had been hidden from the Sorting Hat, or perhaps from Hogwarts itself, which then informed the Hat. Unable to guard against this level of monitoring, Harry decided to try his best to ignore this unsettling information for now.

Thanking the Hat, Harry gripped the sword firmly, immediately noting its perfect balance. It was superior even to the sword he had received from his Gryffindor inheritance. With a twinge of nostalgia, Harry realized his beloved inherited sword was about to lose its position as his primary weapon.

"I'll take it from here, Mr. Hat," Harry said with determination. "I promised to handle the basilisk if it went rogue when I accepted Gryffindor's inheritance. I intend to keep that promise."

The Hat's tone turned solemn. "It's for the best. Put that poor creature out of its misery. The Heir of Slytherin's actions have driven it mad. It's no longer the noble guardian it once was. An accident led to it breaking the rules set by Salazar, and since then, the poor creature has not been itself."

This revelation confirmed Harry's suspicions about the cause of the basilisk's descent into madness and its attacks on Hogwarts students. He theorized that when Tom Riddle first opened the chamber, Moaning Myrtle might have accidentally seen him emerging with the basilisk. Afraid of discovery, Riddle likely commanded the basilisk to kill the intruder. The basilisk, obeying the order of the Heir, killed the girl with its deadly stare. However, in doing so, it broke one of the fundamental rules set by its master, Salazar Slytherin. Whether through some magical failsafe or the psychological impact of betraying its master, the basilisk had been driven to madness, becoming a senseless creature.

As Fawkes and the Sorting Hat departed in a burst of flame, Harry steeled himself for the battle ahead. He carefully stowed away his inherited sword and began practicing swings with the Sword of Gryffindor as he made his way to the basilisk's lair.

Upon reaching the hall with the statue, Harry approached the towering effigy of Salazar Slytherin, its stone face looming ominously in the dim light. Taking a deep breath, he spoke in Parseltongue, his voice echoing through the chamber: "Speak to me, Slytherin, greatest of the Hogwarts Four."

The statue's mouth began to open, revealing a dark tunnel within. Harry's heart pounded as he waited for the basilisk to emerge. The massive serpent slithered out, its movements erratic and aggressive. Its scales gleamed in the dim light, and its enormous body seemed to fill the entire chamber. Thanks to his special glasses, Harry could look directly at the basilisk without fear of its petrifying gaze.

Before engaging in combat, and noticing the King of Snakes' initial inaction, Harry attempted to reason with it. He spoke again in Parseltongue, his voice reverberating in the cavernous chamber. "Great serpent of Slytherin, hear me. The Heir who commanded you is gone. You no longer need to obey those destructive orders. You can return to your slumber until the school truly needs your protection."

Seeing no response from the basilisk, which merely stared at him with crazed eyes, Harry continued, "Let me help you. We can find a way to heal your mind."

Finally, the basilisk responded, but not with meaningful words. Instead, it let out a series of incoherent hisses, its speech jumbled and nonsensical. "Blood... must obey... kill... protect... Slytherin's will... pain... so much pain..." It was clear that the creature's mind was far too gone to be reasoned with.

Realizing that diplomacy had failed, Harry reached for his prepared roosters, hoping to end the battle before it truly began. He still couldn't fathom why the crow of a rooster was lethal to such a massive and powerful creature as the basilisk before him.

However, things did not go according to plan. As soon as Harry produced the roosters, he felt a surge of ancient magic. The birds in his hand suddenly burst into flames, turning to ash almost instantly. Harry barely managed to throw them away in time to avoid being burned himself.

"Clever, Slytherin," Harry muttered, realizing the founder had safeguarded against his pet's known weakness. "You really did think of everything, didn't you?"

With this realization, Harry knew a fight to death was unavoidable. With a deep breath, Harry readied himself for the challenge ahead, knowing that his years of knight training and preparation were about to be put to the ultimate test.