Youngblood / (2) Harry Potter x House of the Dragon crossover

23. Her Skeleton Will Lie Forever

Cookie Monster / Vaera Targaryen out now!

 "Follow the spiders". "Follow the spiders"! If Hagrid ever gets out of Azkaban, I'll kill him. I mean, what was the point of sending us in there? What have we found out?" Ron shouted.

"We know one thing: Hagrid never opened the Chamber of Secrets; he was innocent."

"Wish you were here, Hermione. We need you. Now more than ever." Harry whispered. Hermione just laid there with her glossy facial expression as Ron sighed sadly, he missed her too. Harry rubbed Hermione's left hand; feeling something in it, he looked down and removes his hand to discover a crumpled up piece of paper, a library book page, which he carefully removed and straightens out.

"What's that?" Vaera questioned as Harry examined the page.

"Vaera, Ron, this is why Hermione was in the library the day she was attacked." Harry realized. He jumped up. "Come on!" they headed off, "Of the many fearsome beasts that roam our land, none is more deadly than the Basilisk. Capable of living for hundreds of years, instant death awaits any who meet this giant serpent's eye. Spiders flee before it..." harry read off. "Ron, this is it. The monster in the Chamber of Secrets is a Basilisk. That's why I can hear it speak. It's a snake."

"A snake." Vaera repeated. 

"But if it kills by looking people in the eye, why is it no one's dead?" Ron countered. Harry thought that through.

"Because no one did look it in the eye. Not directly, at least." Harry declared.

"What do you mean?" Vaera countered. 

 "Colin saw it through his camera. Justin... Justin must've seen the Basilisk through Nearly Headless Nick. Nick got the full blast of it, but he's a ghost. He couldn't die again. And Hermione... had the mirror. I bet you anything she was using it to look around corners in case it came along."

"And Mrs. Norris? I'm pretty sure she didn't have a camera or a mirror, Harry." Ron countered.

"No, but she did his reflection." Vaera recalled. "The water..." Vaera recalled "There was water on the floor that night. She only saw the Basilisk's reflection."

" Spiders flee before it. It all fits." Harry added. 

"But how's the Basilisk been getting around? A dirty great snake, someone would've seen it." Ron countered.

" Hermione's answered that, too." Harry pointed to the bottom of the page, pipes was written.

"Pipes? It's using the plumbing!"

"How big of a snake could it be if it's- Davina has a pet snake, did she bring out the- no she has looked her in the eyes, never mind, Davina didnt harbor an evil snake for the past few moons." Vaera corrected. 

" Remember what Aragog said about that girl fifty years ago, she died in a bathroom? What if she never left?" Harry declared.

"Moaning Myrtle."

" All students are to return to their house dormitories at once. " Minerva declared over the speaker. "All teachers to the second floor corridor immediately."

"Whats on the second floor?" Davina questioned. 

"Go to your chambers for once, Ms Davina." Severus begged. Severus moved to leave but Davina followed him. "Do I have to charm you into doing as you are told?"

"Possibly, come on!" Davina instructed. 

"Chambers." Severus growled. "Now."

"Fine." Davina grumbled marching off reluctantly. 

Harry, Vaera and Ron hurry to the second floor corridor. In the section where the bloody message is, Professors McGonagall, severus, Flitwick, Madam Pomfrey, and Filch run up to the wall, where Professor McGonagall directs their attention to a newly written message.

"As you can see, the Heir of Slytherin has left another message. Our worst fear has been realized, a student has been taken by the monster, into the Chamber itself." Minerva told the group "The students must be sent home. I'm afraid this is the end of Hogwarts."

"So sorry. Dozed off. What have I missed?" Lockhart questioned strutting up. "A girl has been snatched by the monster, Lockhart. Your moment has come at last." Severus informed him.

"My... moment?" Lockhart countered, stunned.

"Weren't you saying just last night you've known all along where the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets is?" Severus recalled, Lockhart's face held a bit of bewilderment.

"That's settled. We'll leave you to deal with the monster, Gilderoy. Your skills, after all, are legend." Minerva agreed. Lockhart smiled widely.

" Very well. I'll just be in my office, getting, uh... getting ready. " Lockhart ran off.

"Who is it that the monster's taken, Minerva?" Pomfrey questioned.

"Helaena Targaryen."

"We have to tell Aemond." Harry whispered. 

"Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever."