human again / hp.

Chapter 37

The castle felt more suffocating with every passing day. The once-vibrant corridors of Hogwarts were now draped in an uneasy silence, broken only by the whispers of suspicion and fear. The attacks had reached a new height—Hermione Granger, of all people, had been petrified. She was one of the cleverest witches I had ever met, and it felt as though the very heart of the school had been ripped out. The Gryffindor common room was subdued, everyone too frightened or too tired to even engage in idle chatter.

I wasn't just frightened. I was furious.

The name Malfoy held power within these walls, but it was becoming increasingly clear that power didn't always come with safety. Draco had grown bolder in his support for the Heir of Slytherin. He didn't know who they were, but he believed in them—believed in their cause. He was thrilled, even giddy, at the idea of a world without Muggle-borns. Every time he spoke about it, I felt the distance between us grow wider.

I couldn't stand by anymore.

That night, I slipped out of the common room and made my way to the library, careful to avoid Filch and any patrolling professors. My father had always told us that knowledge was power, and now, for the first time, I truly understood what he meant. If I was going to do anything to stop this madness, I needed to know exactly what we were up against.

I had stumbled upon the answer almost by accident. My fingers were brushing along the spines of the books in the Restricted Section when my hand froze on one titled Magical Beasts and Where to Find Them. It was a familiar title—I had skimmed it briefly in the past—but something compelled me to pull it out. As I flipped through the pages, one particular entry caught my eye.

"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, and its venom has no equal..."

My breath hitched as the pieces began to fall into place. A serpent. The symbol of Slytherin. A creature that killed with its gaze—except, no one had actually died. Only petrified.

"Because no one looked it in the eye. Not directly, at least."

The realization hit me like a thunderclap. That's why they hadn't died. The victims must have seen the Basilisk indirectly—through water, mirrors, or reflections. It explained everything. The puddle near the first victim. The ghost, Nearly Headless Nick, who couldn't die again. Hermione, petrified while clutching a mirror in her hand.

I sat back, the book trembling in my hands. I felt a mixture of triumph and dread. I had uncovered the truth, but what was I supposed to do with it?

Draco would never listen to me. He didn't want the attacks to stop; he wanted them to escalate. And the thought of telling my father? That wasn't even an option. I had been raised to believe in the purity of blood, in the superiority of our family's lineage. But now I saw it for what it was—poison.

I had to tell someone.

When I returned to the Gryffindor common room, my heart was pounding. Most of the house was already asleep, the fire in the hearth reduced to glowing embers. I crept up to my dormitory, retrieved a quill and parchment from my desk, and sat cross-legged on my bed.

There were only two people I trusted with this information. Two people who, despite my reluctance and my father's orders, had proven themselves to be far more capable and trustworthy than I had given them credit for: Harry Potter and Ron Weasley.

Dear Harry and Ron,

I know I'm probably the last person you expected—or wanted—to hear from, but I need you to read this carefully. I've learned something important about what's been happening at Hogwarts, and I can't keep it to myself any longer.

The creature behind the attacks is a Basilisk. It's a giant serpent, one of the most dangerous magical creatures in existence. Its gaze is deadly—it can kill instantly. But the victims haven't died because they didn't look it directly in the eye. They saw it through reflections, water, or other indirect means. That's why they've only been petrified.

This also explains why spiders are fleeing. Basilisks are their natural enemies. The clues have been there all along, but no one has put them together until now.

I'm telling you this because I know you're not going to sit by and let this continue. You're braver than that, and honestly, braver than me. I've been too scared to speak up before now, and I can't pretend that I don't feel guilty about it. But I'm trying to make things right now, even if it's only in this small way.

I don't know who the Heir of Slytherin is, but Draco believes in them. He supports what they're doing. I don't. I won't. But I can't openly go against him or my family. If my father knew I was writing to you, he'd be furious. Please don't tell anyone where this information came from.

If you need more help, I'll try to find a way. For now, I hope this helps you stop what's happening.

Be careful. The Basilisk is deadly, and whoever is controlling it is dangerous, too.

Celeste Malfoy

I folded the parchment carefully and sealed it with a charm that would make it look like an ordinary blank piece of paper to anyone else. Then, I tucked it into my pocket and prepared to give it to Harry or Ron in secret tomorrow.

As I lay back on my bed, staring up at the canopy, I felt a strange mix of emotions. Fear for what might happen if anyone found out. Guilt for not acting sooner. But also, for the first time in weeks, a small glimmer of hope.

I didn't know if I could make up for the mistakes I'd made, but I was going to try. And maybe, just maybe, I could help stop this nightmare before it got any worse.