Harry took off his fedora and took a small back inside it. The boy who lived opened the sack and took out a black sphere that was the size of a golf ball. His brows furrowed in confusion, looked, "What are these?"
"These little bombs suck the heat out of a twenty feet radius. You can later use them as normal bombs since they release the heat, so you could technically use them twice. I'm also giving you these as well…"
Harry gave him another two sacks and continued, "Same premise, the bombs in the white sack release a flashbang that would blind the Basilisk temporarily. Its eyes are pretty sensitive. And another is filled with a sonic pulse that should theoretically disorient the basilisk's senses."
Neville looked awed at what he had witnessed, "How in Merlin's name did you get all of this?"
"I made them. I told you I was prepared for this…"
"You made them?"
The boy honestly looked flabbergasted for some reason. Harry didn't really understand why. These weren't really all that difficult to make. Well, the goggles were, and Harry was proud of those. The rest were just single-use items filled with magic that were just released. Sucking out the heat was kinda tricky, but overall, Harry made them on a lazy afternoon after he decided to include Daphne. They were ways for her to fight.
Harry suppressed the wave of sadness he felt when he thought of his friend and went back to talking to Neville, who looked like his whole world was flipped upside down.
"Don't get distracted. You're the one who asked to come, and this place is very dangerous."
"I know. How am I supposed to fight something as big as this," he gestured to the giant snake skin, "It's massive."
"I told you, blind it, disorient it, then try to hit the back of its mouth or its eyes. Oh, and if you're trouble, try to think of your loyalty to Dumbledore."
It was kind of a long shot. But Dumbledore wouldn't really leave the castle without someone keeping an eye on his little prophecy child. Fawkes was probably making sure the boy wouldn't kill himself or something and that meant that the mythical creature was observing them.
"Dumbledore? What does he have to do with this? He's been suspended…"
"Yeah, he did. But someone like him doesn't really go away as long as people loyal to him remain in the castle. Do you honestly think he would hang you out to dry?"
The boy looked conflicted but nodded. He looked like he wanted to say something but then the floor started to shake.
As the ground trembled beneath them, Harry could see Neville's eyes widen with apprehension. The distant rumbling grew louder and more intense, causing the torches on the chamber walls to flicker and sway. It was as if the very earth itself was responding to some unseen force, sending shockwaves through the air. Harry and Neville exchanged a worried glance before focusing their attention back on each other.
"Remember, Neville. Follow the plan. If it doesn't work, Dumbledore is your best bet."
Before he could continue, the ground gave another violent shake, causing them to stumble. A deafening roar echoed through the chamber, reverberating off the stone walls. The source of the sound became apparent as an enormous figure slithered into view for a fraction of a second, before disappearing quickly into a tunnel that Harry could swear wasn't there before.
Yeah, it was a lot bigger than the empty skin they had seen previously. The Basilisk didn't seem to want to attack them directly but probably wanted to hunt them down. Harry remembered seeing glimpses of a yellow glow that made his glasses heat up slightly. At least the goggles seemed to be working fine. However, the king of serpents did not reveal his face to them immediately.
Was this how the Basilisk hunted? Did it use its body to throw people around, and crush them to death, while sneaking around trying to find glimpses of eye contact it could use to kill or petrify people?
It was far smarter than Harry thought it would be. Still, they were still in tunnels, even if it was somewhat of a maze, the environment was in their favour. Harry closed his eyes and focused on his Arcane Hearing. He could feel it, the Basilisk. It was a mix between a feral song and a predator that was ready to ambush its prey.
It was getting closer, and Harry grinned slightly before throwing a flashbang and sonic attack at the tunnel that was opening next to him. The creature screeched in pain and the ground started to shake once more.
Harry felt himself falling towards a wall which literally turned into another tunnel that he fell through. When he got up with a start, he couldn't feel the location of the Basilisk, he closed his eyes to focus, only to be interrupted by some slow clapping.
Tom Riddle stood in front of him, next to what seemed to be a small table, "Well done. You found the Undercroft and thus, the legendary Chamber of Secrets."
"It wasn't that hard, to be honest," the younger wizard replied dryly.
"Because I made sure it wasn't…"
"I see you've brought a pet of your own. I'm afraid I don't think it will last much against mine."
Harry shrugged, "Who knows? Worse odds have been overcome before, so why not now? After all, Neville Longbottom has a history of achieving the impossible."
The smile on Riddle's face somehow grew, "Perhaps. I don't know what you hoped to achieve, bringing him of all people. He's not nearly as impressive as he sounds. Trust me, I should know."
He looked to his right and Harry followed his gaze, only to freeze at the sight of an unconscious familiar girl, "Hermione Granger. So that's who your second host was."
"Yes, she was a delight, that one, nowhere near Luna, of course, but it could have been worse. Not a bad mind, but not tempered with a single shred of wisdom. I guess I expected more, but she was just so ordinary. I have to say that I had no idea you two knew each other. I guess it made everything all that sweeter. She was especially heartbroken after you unmasked her in the middle of the common room. She never guessed it, of course, but I could see your fingerprint all over it, especially with your little speech before. If we weren't enemies, I would shake your hand at the trouble you caused Dumbledore."
"Trouble that you finished off. Your choices of petrifications were very telling. But you shouldn't have gone after Daphne. You made it personal."
The older boy snorted, "Harry, this was personal the moment you separated me from Luna. An eye for an eye. I believe that's the saying."
The Potter scion gave him a blank look, and the heir of Slytherin motioned towards the table. Harry noticed that there was a chess set on it and a clock, "Do you mind joining me for a game? I have to say that I am interested to see how it concludes, even if your chances are dim."
Harry sat down, giving him an intense stare, "A five-minute game?"
"If you think you can manage it…"
"Pawn to E4…"
This was going to be interesting indeed.
.....
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