The Other Castellan

Imposters

Chapter 24: Imposters

Lucas stared at the snake, to whom the eyes belonged. It must've been about forty or fifty feet, if not more. Its scales were a vivid, poisonous green, and it looked much firmer than an average snake's. Around its neck, there was a pattern of white spikes.

Lucas wondered how the snake got around without being noticed. It was too large to hide. Unless it lived in the Chamber?

The snake peered at him curiously. "What are you?" it asked.

"What are you?" Lucas retorted.

The snake stared at him. "You're a Parselmouth. Maybe an introduction is in order? My name is Lyra."

"Lyra," Lucas repeated. "Like the password to the Chamber."

"Yeah." Lyra sounded amused, if that was possible. "He always had such high regard for me, unlike Godric. Godric was terrified of me. Rowena thought I might hurt someone, accidentally or not, but Helga thought I was adorable."

Lucas's lips twitched. "Gryffindor was scared of you? What happened to the brave and chivalrous?"

"Draco?"

Lucas turned around. "Cedric?" he asked, recognizing him. "What are you doing here?"

"I was going to ask if you would be up to some flying on the weekend," Cedric explained. "Then I heard the hissing. Wait." Cedric looked at Lyra. "How are we still alive?"

Lucas frowned. "What do you mean?"

Cedric gawked at him. "That's a Basilisk!"

"What?" Lucas's head swivelled between Lyra and Cedric. "No. No, that's not a Basilisk. There's no way that's a Basilisk. Basilisks are supposed to be small and-"

"-cute?" Cedric guessed.

"What? No! Why would you- Basilisks are poisonous and breathe fire. Why would they be cute?"

"I don't know," Cedric said slowly, "but what you're describing sounds like the Basilisks from Greek Mythology, and those don't exist." He sighed. "Although I wouldn't be surprised if they did," he muttered.

"Why would you say that?" Lucas asked, furrowing his brows.

Cedric shook his head. "You wouldn't believe me."

"Try me," Lucas retorted. "You might just be surprised."

"I... see things," Cedric finally said. "Things that no one else does. Once, I was outside with the twins, and I saw a cyclops. I tried to tell them, but they thought I was joking. No one ever believes me."

Lucas bit his lip. Could Cedric be a demigod? But, Cedric was in his fourth year. He was fifteen. There was no way he would have survived this long and not have known that he was a demigod. Besides, this close to the Ancient Lands? There was no way an ignorant demigod could survive.

"He doesn't have the scent that you have," Lyra inputted helpfully. "He seems normal. Tell him. He could help."

Both Lucas and Cedric jumped. They had forgotten she was there.

"What?" Lucas asked. "I shouldn't-"

"You're a Parselmouth?" Cedric interrupted.

Lucas froze. Oh, Styx. What was he supposed to say? Everyone started looking at Potter negatively because he was a Parselmouth. Lucas was only half-kidding when he said that everyone might begin hunting him down.