Chapter 19: Freeze Frame
===January 3 1993===
Harry and Hermione walk into the McGonagall's office after their return trip on the express.
"Welcome back, you two." McGonagall says. "I trust you had a good winter break?"
"It was very good." Harry says. "How were things here?"
"Everything went well." McGonagall says. "With a little subterfuge we were able to have the aurors search the entire school without those that stayed behind knowing it."
"Good, the last thing we wanted to do was ruin anyone's break." Hermione says.
"I'm assuming there were no signs of the perpetrator of the chamber?" Harry asks.
"That's correct." McGonagall says.
"It was worth a try." Harry says.
"Any luck finding any adult mandrakes or some of the draught made up?" Hermione asks.
"Unfortunately, no." McGonagall says. "It seems like every last drop of draught has vanished, along with any mandrakes more mature than ours."
"What about ours?" Harry asks, his concern for his fellow students obvious.
"We moved our mandrakes to a secure greenhouse. Only Professor Sprout and her chosen assistants can access them. A couple of the castle ghosts have volunteered to watch the greenhouse to be extra safe. So we will eventually be able to make the draught."
"That's good to hear." Harry says as he breathes a sigh of relief. "I'll feel a lot better once everyone is restored."
"Aye, Mister Potter, I think we all will."
===May 8 1993===
Thankfully enough everything had been quiet since Christmas break. It seemed like everything had gone back to normal. Harry and Hermione knew better, so they have spent every weekday sitting in the Room of Requirement. They have configured identical to the library they found as long as Hermioneis the one that creates the room they have access to all the books that belonged to Rowena Ravenclaw. Meaning they had access to the majority of the books, without having to worry about being interrupted. They spend the time reading through every book on magical creatures they could find.
Harry closes the book he had been reading and looks at his watch. Seeing as he still has a couple more hours before he has to get to the Quidditch pitch for the game against Hufflepuff. He gets up and puts the book back where he found it.
Harry is just about to grab the next book when Hermione calls out. "Harry! I think I found it!"
Harry quickly goes to her side and looks at the book she's reading. "Basilisk?"
Hermione nods and reads. "A giant serpent that hatches from a chicken egg when a toad sits on it. Their stare is fatal if seen directly, but will petrify if seen indirectly."
"How do we kill it?"
"It says here that the crow of a rooster will kill a basilisk." Hermione says then gasps. "Weren't there rumors of the roosters being found strangled?"
"Whoever is controlling the basilisk must have killed the roosters to stop them from killing it." Harry says.
"Exactly."
"How does a huge snake like that move around the castle?" Harry asks.
"It has to be in the plumbing, it runs all through the castle." Hermione says.
"I bet one of the bathrooms hides the entrance to the Chamber." Harry says.
"But there's so many, it feels like we're missing something." Hermione admits.
"We'll take this information to McGonagall, maybe she'll know what we're missing." Harry says.
Hermione nods. "We have time before your game?"
Harry looks at his watch. "If we hurry."
"We'll be as quick as possible, but we're not taking chances." Hermione says as she pulls out her hand mirror.
Harry smiles, he knows why she has the mirror and it's not because she's worried about her looks. The small mirror fits into the magical world we'll enough that it's safe to carry as a reminder of home. "Want me to lead?" He asks, reaching for the mirror.
Hermione shakes her head. "You stay behind me, and swear you'll run if I get petrified."
"Hermione…" Harry starts to argue.
"Look, the basilisk obviously responds to parseltongue, your ability to speak it is invaluable. If you don't swear to run if I get petrified, I will stun you, leave a note and go on my own." Hermione says in a tone that offers no compromise.
Harry sighs and nods. "I swear on my magic if you get petrified I will run away." He feels his magic acknowledge the oath.
Hermione leads the way carefully down the halls. Walking backwards, using the mirror. Harry follows her, his eyes on her feet. As they walk Harry hears the basilisk, "stalk, hunt, kill."
His heart pounds in his chest, making it so he can't talk for a second. Finally he speaks. "We need to turn around, it's near." Hermione doesn't respond and Harry realizes they aren't moving "Mione?" He asks, the fear obvious in his voice. When she doesn't respond, his heart pounds, he reaches forward to touch her when he feels a pair of small hands grab him and the hallway vanishes.
The next thing Harry knows he's in a dimly lit room. He slowly examines his surroundings, one wall of the room a bookcase full of leather bound tomes. In front of the bookcase a pair of leather chairs sit angled towards each other. A small round table sits between the chairs, a decanter full of a dark liquid sits on the table.
Harry carefully turns, he sees a pair of windows in the next wall. Dark curtains block most of the light that they would supply. To his other side the wall holds a door. He turns to the final wall and sees a fireplace, a log burning inside of it. A small humanoid stands near the fireplace. It has large ears and appears to be wearing a dirty pillowcase.
Harry is staring at the diminutive creature when it speaks. "You're the Great Harry Potter, and I has rescued you."