Chapter 122: The Basilisk's Demise
Fifteen minutes later, led by Harry and the others, all the professors, including the incompetent Lockhart, gathered in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom on the third floor.
"This really is the entrance to the basilisk's lair!"
Snape picked up a palm-sized snake scale from the edge of the large pipe and frowned.
McGonagall drew her wand and said firmly:
"Since we've confirmed this is the entrance, we should go down and deal with the basilisk. We can't let it continue to harm the students."
"I... I think we shouldn't all go down. Someone should stay here. Maybe I—"
Lockhart stammered as he looked at the seemingly bottomless pipe.
But before he could finish, Snape coldly interrupted him.
"Nonsense, Lockhart. Now's the perfect time to showcase your brilliance. You'll go down first."
"Yes, we'd love to see you handle the basilisk alone. You can even write a new book about it. How wonderful."
Even Professor Sprout, the usually kind-hearted head of Hufflepuff, couldn't resist a sarcastic smile.
"I... I..."
Sweat dripped down Lockhart's face.
Professor Flitwick, head of Ravenclaw, chimed in:
"Lockhart, didn't you tell me yesterday that if you encountered the basilisk alone, you could defeat it with a single spell?"
"Did I say that? I don't remember..."
Lockhart tried to play dumb, but Snape wasn't having it.
"I remember you saying that we've made a mess of things and that you should've handled it from the start. Now's your chance to prove it."
"Since that's the case, Lockhart, we'll leave it to you. Go down and deal with the basilisk. We'll wait here for your good news."
McGonagall had the final say.
Lockhart, seeing all the professors staring at him, swallowed hard and replied:
"Alright then. I'll go to my office and prepare some things."
There was no way he was going down to fight the basilisk. He planned to grab his things and flee, then come up with an excuse later.
Unfortunately, Snape saw through his plan. Before Lockhart could turn to leave, Snape shoved him hard, sending him tumbling into the pipe.
"You're so powerful. What do you need to prepare? Just go down."
"Ahhh!!!"
Lockhart's terrified scream echoed as he slid down the pipe, much to the professors' amusement.
"George, you can fly. Go to Hagrid and fetch some roosters.
Harry, come with me."
After hearing Lockhart land safely at the bottom of the pipe, Snape turned to George and gave him instructions. Then, with Harry in tow, he transformed into a shadow and flew down the pipe.
According to Ginny, there was another door inside that required Harry's Parseltongue to open.
Since they had already confirmed that the monster in the Chamber was a basilisk, McGonagall had asked Hagrid to buy roosters and place them throughout Hogwarts.
Hagrid had already purchased quite a few, so George was sent to fetch them to deal with the basilisk.
The basilisk's only weakness was the crowing of a rooster. With the roosters' help, killing the basilisk would be much easier.
"You three, go back to the common room. We'll discuss everything after the basilisk is dealt with."
McGonagall dismissed Ginny, Hermione, and Ron, then jumped into the pipe with the other professors.
George nodded at the trio, spread his wings, and flew from the third floor to the entrance hall. Amid the gasps of the students being gathered by the prefects, he flew out of the castle.
"Hagrid, we've found the basilisk. Where are the roosters? The professors need them!"
George landed at the door of Hagrid's hut and called out to him as he was preparing chicken feed.
Hagrid immediately rushed into the hut, nearly kicking his massive dog, Fang, in his haste.
"They're all in this box."
Moments later, Hagrid brought out a box containing over a hundred roosters.
The box Hagrid held had been enchanted with the Undetectable Extension Charm. It could easily hold a thousand roosters, let alone a hundred.
This wasn't Hagrid's doing—the Ministry of Magic had provided the box.
Although the Ministry had temporarily suspended Dumbledore due to Lucius Malfoy's influence, they still cared about the students' safety. Knowing the monster was a basilisk, they had approved the use of the box to store the roosters.
"With this many, the basilisk is in for a treat."
George couldn't help but feel a pang of pity for the basilisk.
Even a thousand-year-old basilisk would be terrified by this many roosters. It might have been better off dying by Harry's sword, as in the original story.
Carrying the box, George flew back to the third floor of the castle.
However, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny hadn't returned to the common room as instructed. They were still standing anxiously by the pipe entrance.
Typical Gryffindors.
"I'm going down. Don't worry, it should be over soon."
With the box of roosters in hand, George waved to the trio and jumped into the pipe, sliding down to the bottom.
The pipe led to a tunnel. After walking for a while and passing a massive shed basilisk skin, George finally caught up with Snape and the others.
"Here are the roosters Hagrid prepared."
George handed the box to Snape, who glanced inside and said to Harry:
"Potter, begin."
"George, once Harry opens the door, take him and stay far back. Don't look this way."
McGonagall warned George, clearly concerned.
Harry muttered under his breath:
"I'm a year older than George and a grade above him."
"But you're not as talented. Get on with it, you idiot. This isn't the time for jealousy."
Snape, standing next to Harry, didn't hold back.
"I'm not jealous!"
Harry retorted angrily but obediently turned to the stone serpents carved into the wall and hissed in Parseltongue:
"Open!"
The emerald eyes of the stone serpents glowed with green magic, and the wall split apart, revealing a dimly lit chamber.
The chamber was unusually vast, with a ceiling at least three stories high. It was filled with towering pillars adorned with serpent carvings.
At the far end stood a massive stone statue of a wizard—Salazar Slytherin, one of Hogwarts' four founders.
"George, take him and stay back!"
As soon as the wall opened, Snape pulled Harry behind him and ordered George.
(End of Chapter)