A Taste of Magic

Chapter 26: 26th Course - Strange Consequences

"I don't like this," Hagrid said, his voice low. "I don't like this one bit."

"I do not either Hagrid but unfortunately, we need his help," Dumbledore said patiently. "And I did not force him to come. He came willingly, and that matters for a lot."

"I don't like this much either," Flitwick said, reaching up high to pat Hagrid's hand. "But between the four of-," he smiled at Fawkes' warble, "five of us, we will keep him safe."

"Alright then," Hagrid sighed. He hefted his immense crossbow. "Let's go Huntin'."

The four men, the boy, and the phoenix, entered the girls' lavatory. After asking Myrtle to recount her experience, which the ghost did so with ghoulish glee, they looked around the bathroom. Flitwick found a sink with the tiny snake engraved on the side. After some attempts, Harry managed to speak parseltongue and the sink slid aside with a heavy grating noise, revealing a large yawning abyss into the depths of the castle.

Fawkes flew down first and returned, humming sprightly. Hagrid went down first, sliding down a long damp tunnel and landed on his feet. He looked about the gloom, brightened when Fawkes came down and the phoenix emanated a warm light. "Clear!" he shouted, his voice echoing up the slide.

Remus came down next, landing lightly on his feet and his wand at the ready. Flitwick slid down too and was at ease in the dark tunnel, his eyes peering about and his wand moving. Dumbledore came down with Harry, standing in front of the boy protectively. A sweep of his wand cleared them of grime and muck from the slide and they set off down the tunnel.

It was dark beyond the limits of Fawkes' light and some lights summoned by the professors. The walls were carved from stone and shaped well though unpolished and rough. The floor was littered with small debris and mounds of dust and dirt and rock. The atmosphere was dismal and cloying, almost as if the tunnel was trying to swallow them.

"This has only been recently come to use," Flitwick said. "There is debris and accumulation on the ground but there is a path recently cleared. The air is still but not stale. We must be deep into the foundations of Hogwarts itself."

"How can you tell?" Harry asked, grateful that someone was talking and taking the edge off of the situation.

"I've spent many a time in tunnels," Flitwick said knowingly. "Family business."

The tunnel bent and when Hagrid turned the corner, he shouted and knelt and pulled the trigger in one motion. A heavy twang broke the air as the crossbow fired and there was a very loud and meaty thwack as the bolt struck home.

"Hagrid close your eyes!" Remus shouted and pulled hard on the giant man's back, trying to pull him back into cover. When no sound could be heard after Hagrid pulled back, Remus peeked out cautiously.

"What do you see?" Dumbledore asked, voice remarkably calm.

"Uh, I think it's dead," Remus said softly.

"Already? Well shot Hagrid," Flitwick said.

Remus smiled. "I'm not saying it wasn't a good shot, but I think it was already dead." They cautiously went around the corner and they gaped at the very large and very dead basilisk that laid there. They eyes were glazed over in death and the giant fang-filled maw was parted open; the tongue lolled out limply. The body of the basilisk was twisted all down its length.