raised by dementor

chapter 36

When Harry awoke he was back in the chamber, the battle that had taken place only hours before seemed almost like a distant memory. The pain had gone as soon as it had appeared and the figure attacking him was gone, however something stirred and the moment he picked himself up off the cold chamber floor it spoke.
"Hello Harry Potter," it greeted in a soft feminine voice, Harry looked around and saw the basilisk by the now destroyed bust of Slytherin, it did not want to face him as one look into its eyes would most likely kill Harry Potter. The great snake did not want that
"You saved me," Harry stated remembering the snake exploding from its sanctuary, killing Lockhart who had proved somewhat brave during his final moments. Harry doubted the man had intended to help him, he probably came hoping Harry would save him but he ended up doing something much different and even though Harry knew he was a fraud he felt some kind of respect for the man.
"I did, I sensed you pain and that was something else behind your human aroma, something that I have never seen before. So Harry Potter what are you?" The Basilisk asked gently and Harry feeling gratitude to the thing that saved his life answered
"I'm part Dementor," that however was the only explanation he could give because he did not know what else he was, the Basilisk decided that this was good enough.
"I see, you showed great strength against the monster, great strength indeed. You managed to fight even though it was causing you pain, you managed to overcome fear and for that I commend you," it announced softly as it slid slightly closer to Harry but its head was set firmly away from Harry.
"What was that thing?" Harry demanded suddenly remembering the figure's charred flesh and burning green eyes that did not seem fully human,
"The monster, something that has been corrupted fully and entirely by desire and hate, once it was a good person hoping to change the world and then four words changed their life forever, a battle seen to be good and evil occurred and the monster was disfigured, became something it never thought possible and only one person still knew they existed, you would do well to fear the monster for it has powers that even I can only guess at," The Basilisk explained slowly and Harry could sense the snake's voice was layered with both contempt and anger.
"It was controlling you through Ginny Weasley,"Harry realised, he had absorbed a fragment of the soul of Tom Riddle and the moment that happened he gained the fragment's power. He became the heir of Slytherin, that was ironic in a lot of ways.
"Yes but when you came to save your friends the monster lost all power over me, I realised soon after you arrived and I think I enacted revenge in a very direct way," The Basilisk almost chuckled in a sadistic way as it revelled in victory over this "monster"
"What happened to my friends?" Harry asked suddenly remembering Draco, Crabbe and Goyle laid out as offerings, he did not see them now.
"They are safe, they were placed in a deep sleep by the monster and if not for your arrival they would have been devoured, they are currently outside the inner sanctum and will awaken very shortly but first we have time to talk," The great snake soothed gently knowing Harry was getting distressed over the disappearance of his friends,
"Talk about what?" Harry asked suddenly and if the Basilisk opened its mouth slowly in what resembled a smile, then almost in a comforting way it spoke again
"You carried round your mother's journal, it is in your pocket now unless I am mistaken," it hissed and Harry looked shocked, it was true he had indeed carried it round with him since he found it, he was paranoid that someone would find or steal it so had kept it in his inside pocket. He reached for it as to confirm to the basilisk it was true,
"I have, I don't suppose you can translate..." he began awkwardly not knowing if the only thing could help him would indeed do so
"I can, and I will . I never met your mother, I was hibernating and yet I sensed her, she was wise and powerful and the monster would have found an enemy in her if they had ever met, They did not and she died before she had the chance," The Basilisk sounded almost remorseful but Harry was only half listening, he instead opened the book to the page he suspected was in Parseltongue and showed it to the great Snake.
"It is an earlier entry, most likely when she was still as school but anyway it reads like this...
Something happened, it's been around two weeks since I met Aragog and he has helped in so many ways. However I'm suddenly feeling more alert and aware, I seem to know when people are coming my way and what their intending to do. I managed to avoid Potter's gang at least ten times this week alone and I didn't even see them until I was well out the way, it is almost like I've gained another sense. Maybe Aragog knows more but I'll have to wait a while before seeing him again, his children still want to eat me. I suppose I'll have to wait and see until I can find a good moment, I think I should tell Sev about this, I know people think he's going dark but I hope he can help. I've always trusted him and maybe he knows more about this than me.
It was a short entry but it revealed a lot, Snape may have information about all this and also it was proof his mother was like him. Like he took on Dementor characteristics when he met Lucy she took on the senses of a spider when she met Aragog. However once the Great Snake had finished reading it looked at Harry for a few long seconds
"Interesting, very interesting. It is time for me to go back to sleep, I have caused enough harm these past few months and I will release all those who looked into me once I am asleep. I am sorry Harry for hurting your friends," it began .
"It wasn't your fault..." Harry began but the snake growled and cut him off
"In some ways it was, I should have resisted more but regardless it is time for me to sleep, a long sleep I think it will be. It was a pleasure meeting you Harry Potter and I hope our paths cross again,"
it told him and before Harry could protest it slithered away and the giant bust of Slytherin pulled itself back together in an instant, it was like it had never been damaged at all.
One Week Later
"So you destroyed most of the castle, attacked a few hundred students, went into the chamber, fought a monster that isn't the monster of the chamber and then woke up before speaking to a giant snake. You had one hell of a day," Cho commented as Harry finished explaining the events the girls missed. They had just been released from the hospital wing and all were once again in the second floor bathroom and surprisingly their potion had remained intact when Harry had smashed into the bathroom and torn the chamber entrance open.
"You were asleep through it all," Draco commented dryly, the moment the basilisk went back to sleep the victims had woken up, the explanation as Harry understood it was when a person saw the reflection of the basilisk's eyes they were connected to it. So when it let go they had woken up and but when someone looked into its eyes directly they were killed so didn't wake up; this was mostly guess work but Harry was in no hurry to speak to it again. He had only just managed to escape being a suspect.
The teachers thought the giant swarm thing was the monster in the chamber and had been preparing to go after it when Harry flew up with his friends and a very dead Lockhart. He told them he had killed it and for some reason they accepted this without question and hadn't bothered to check, instead they rebuilt the entrance and gave him an award for services to the school.
"So were you," Luna pointed out and Draco suddenly went a bit quiet. However they were not here to argue, they were here to finally take the animagi potion.
"We are sure that's not poison right?" Draco asked suddenly
"Our one no, your potion yes," Cho remarked annoyed that he was back to making comments while he was happy she was there to respond to his usual comments. So the status quo had largely returned to normal
"Don't worry I put enough Cyanide in to kill eight men," Hermione smiled handing one of the six vials she had to each member of the group. They had all put a drop of blood in, it was personal to them and was one of the less disgusting items they could have put in
"Everyone got checked for AIDS right?" Draco wondered and was met by six pairs of angry eyes
"Something you want to tell us Draco?" Luna wondered knowing how that particularly disease could be passed around, everyone but Draco cracked up at this.
"Ok one three," Hermione began grabbing her vial, then she counted slowly.
"One,"
"Two,"
"While your knowledge on numbers is impressive could we hurry up?" Draco commented before he was punched by Cho.
"Three," the moment she said the word the group downed their vials, and waited. Then Harry's vision flickered and suddenly he felt smaller, no he was smaller and for some reason his eyes seemed wider.
Anyone else feel like their smaller Draco's voice asked, well at least Harry knew the mental connections Cho theorised were true.
Great give her the Nobel prize but could someone tell me why I'm on all fours Draco responded to Harry's thoughts quickly
Perhaps because you're a fox? Cho suggested connecting herself to what could only be described as mental WIFI
Harry with all your mental power you compare a magical connection to WIFI, something you get free in Muggle coffee shops, could you perhaps find a better analogy.
It seemed Draco reading your thoughts was a downside to being an animagus
Anyone big enough to eat Draco? Harry wondered mentally as he looked around, then he saw Crabbe and Goyle, Crabbe had become a black bear and Goyle was a brown one,
We'll give it a shot, Crabbe confirmed nodding at Goyle with his snout
Remember use your front canine teeth to really get the flesh off, Luna interrupted, she had become a snow wolf. Cho flapped into view as a Swan and did give Luna a worried look, she was a bird and Luna was a bigger and hopefully not hungry predator. Harry examined himself, he was a raven it seemed and he was relived the bird commanded some respect, though he was smaller than the two bears which he hoped would not get hungry.
I see how much trust you have in us! Goyle announced with mock hurt
You just threatened to eat me! Draco pointed out but received no answer. Instead a hare hopped around the room
Hermione? Cho inquired
No some hare just wandered in to a bathroom which happened to be involved in animal transformations Draco commented before Hermione even had a chance to answer.
Roast Fox for sale, Cho responded
It is me by the way Hermione confirmed, she was a hare, quick agile and someone who could outpace and outsmart Draco.
Hey! Draco protested,
If your exposed to our thoughts trust me our thoughts on you are never anything other than let's murder him! Cho warned him. Draco's thoughts pretty much told the group he denied this.
True Harry agreed
Yep Luna joined in
Definitely Hermione confessed
Agreed Goyle announced.
Of course! Crabbe finished.