Harry Potter: The Golden Viper

079 Inside The Chamber

"What are you talking about, Harry!" Before Bryan could utter a word, Hermione shouted anxiously, "Get out of the way, Harry, Professor Watson can handle this Basilisk!" Her voice was shrill and panicked, as she watched the monstrous snake slithering closer to her friend.

Bryan touched his nose and smiled at Hermione. It seemed that he had shown some strength in front of this little witch and she was very confident in him. He felt a surge of pride and gratitude, mixed with a hint of amusement. He wondered what she would think of him if she knew his works as a 'freelancer'.

Hermione's reminder made Harry, who was moving around in a flamboyant manner, stunned. He looked at Bryan with wide eyes, as if he had just noticed him for the first time. Then he came to his senses and picked up the sword with a dazzling red gem the size of an egg on the hilt. It was a magnificent weapon, shining with an ancient and noble aura. He rolled and crawled out of the attack range of the Basilisk that had gone mad. The snake was hissing and snapping its fangs, trying to catch its prey.

"Huh–, Professor Watson, please save Ron and Ginny, they are still alive!" Harry pleaded, as he reached Hermione's side. He pointed at the two motionless figures lying on the floor, covered in blood and dirt. They looked pale and lifeless, but Harry refused to give up hope.

When he realized that the most powerful professor in the school besides Dumbledore was standing in front of him, Harry felt his strength being drained by magic and quickly left his body. He felt dizzy and weak, as if he had run a marathon. He had used too much of his energy to fight the Basilisk, and now he was paying the price. Just as he was about to fall down, Hermione caught him in time. She wrapped her arms around him and held him close, whispering words of comfort.

"Don't worry, Potter, no one will die here tonight–"

Bryan said calmly, as he scanned the chamber with his keen eyes. He saw that Ginny still had a faint life force in her body, pulsing weakly like a dying star. He also breathed a sigh of relief. He had arrived just in time to save her from the Basilisk's venom. He stared at the sword in Harry's hand and suddenly thought of a legendary magical item belonging to Godric Gryffindor. He paused for a moment and asked hesitantly,

"Potter, this sword is–"

"Fawkes brought me the Sorting Hat–" Harry gasped and said,

"I found this sword in the Sorting Hat. Huh, it must have been put there by Professor Dumbledore. It suddenly fell out and hit my head!"

He sounded confused and amazed by his own luck.

Bryan nodded knowingly, restoring the truth of the matter from Harry's inverted sentences. He understood that Dumbledore had sent his phoenix and his hat to help Harry in his time of need. He also recognized the sword as Gryffindor's legacy, a powerful artifact that could only be wielded by a true heir of the founder. Although he was very curious about this famous weapon, he also knew that now was not a good time to study it.

"Get away from there, Fawkes, don't get caught by my curse–"

Bryan warned, as he saw Dumbledore's phoenix still fighting with the Basilisk in mid-air. The bird was dodging and diving, avoiding the snake's gaze and bite.

However, after hearing Bryan's instructions, Fawkes showed great intelligence and cried out crisply. It seemed to understand Bryan's plan and trust his judgment. After a graceful drift in mid-air, leaving behind a colorful light and shadow, it flew straight to Ron who was lying on the ground and looked at the torn wound on his arm. It dropped a few tears on the injury, healing it instantly.

Clang!

The piercing scream sounded like an arrow leaving the bow. Harry and Hermione only saw Professor Watson waving his wand lightly. Then, several large pieces of broken stones on the ground turned into several metal spears as thick as oak trees in silence. The dark-colored spears cut through the cold air, creating a huge and indestructible cage that trapped the huge Basilisk inside!

Boom-bang!

The Basilisk slammed into the metal cage barrier frantically. Under its desperate struggle, the ground shook like an earthquake. Stones fell like raindrops, but they were all blocked by the white magic shield around Bryan. Not a speck of dust fell on them.

Staring at the Basilisk that seemed to be defiant and made a lot of noise, Bryan moved his eyebrows slightly. He circled his wrist again and a faint light flashed on the frame of the metal cage.

Bang!

This time, the Basilisk dared not hit the barrier so recklessly!

As soon as its hard scales touched the cage, the seemingly cold and dark spears would erupt into golden flames. This was fiendfyre, a cursed fire that had an extremely high temperature and could destroy almost anything, even magical objects and creatures. The Basilisk, could not withstand the fire for long and collapsed on the ground, gasping for breath. It curled up its massive body into a circle and remained motionless.

Is this what someone who could fight with Professor Dumbledore in fifth grade looks like now?! Harry stared at this scene dumbfoundedly. He couldn't believe that he had almost fought with his life against the Basilisk that was easily trapped by Professor Watson with the help of Dumbledore's phoenix.

"Ron!"

Hermione came out of her shock faster than Harry, who had mentally prepared herself for the worst. Seeing that the Basilisk was trapped, she couldn't restrain her anxiety anymore. She ran to Ron's side with tears flying. Her heart was pounding in her chest, as she feared for his life.

"Professor Watson, this bird is crying!" Hermione sobbed, "Is Ron already–" She couldn't finish her sentence, as she choked on her own words. She looked at Ron's pale and still face, hoping to see some sign of movement.

Harry's body swayed slightly and his face turned pale. He stared at Ron who had just been lying on the ground and whimpering softly. His lips trembled non-stop. He didn't want to believe that Ron was dead! He felt a surge of guilt and grief, as he blamed himself for dragging his friend into this mess.

"You two don't have to worry–"

Bryan walked over quickly. He turned Ron's pale face over and carefully examined the charred flesh on his arm that was smoking under the phoenix's tears. He could see that the wound was healing slowly, enough to save him from the Basilisk's venom.

"Fawkes is a phoenix, and phoenix tears have a very strong healing effect, but–" Bryan then turned his gaze to Ginny, whose chest was only faintly rising and falling. She looked like a broken doll, lying on the cold stone floor. Her eyes were closed and her hair was matted with blood.

"Miss Weasley's situation is probably worse. She urgently needs professional and effective treatment. You two better escort them to the school hospital and find Madam Pomfrey now." Bryan said firmly, as he made a decision. He knew that time was running out, and that he couldn't waste any more of it here.

After hearing that Ron and Ginny were still alive, Harry felt like he had been fished out of the water. He gasped heavily, as he felt a wave of relief wash over him. In just a few seconds, he sweated more than when he fought with the Basilisk. He felt exhausted and drained, but also hopeful and grateful.

Bryan conjured two stretchers and controlled Ron and Ginny's bodies to float up. Then he looked at Hermione, who still had tears in her eyes. "I'll stay here and watch this Basilisk. You two can go and inform Professor McGonagall about what happened here after you send Ginny and Ron to the school hospital. I think she will faint with worry when she finds out that four little wizards have disappeared from the school." He said calmly, as he gave them instructions.

"But–"

Hermione had no objection to Professor Watson's arrangement. She just remembered the pipe that might be several miles long when she came. "How do we get back, Professor? We can't go through that pipe!" She asked anxiously, as she wondered how they would escape from this dark and damp chamber.

Fawkes stood on Ron's chest and cried out, but Bryan shook his head at it.

"You don't have to bother, Fawkes. If you can, I hope you can go and inform Professor Dumbledore. I'm sorry, but I think his 'vacation time' has to be canceled!"

He said apologetically, as he asked the phoenix for another favor.

Fawkes tilted his head and looked at Bryan with his crystal-clear eyes like gems. After a moment, it nodded humanely and disappeared in the secret chamber in a burst of explosive fire. It left behind a trail of sparks and feathers, as it flew away to find Dumbledore.

"Well, it's your turn now–"

Bryan waved his wand at Harry and the others. In a sudden breeze, Harry found himself turning into a phantom shadow and flying quickly towards the entrance of the secret chamber without control. He felt a strange sensation of weightlessness and speed, as he zoomed through the air.

"Professor Watson–"

By the time Harry reacted, he had already appeared on the other side of the entrance to the secret chamber. He anxiously looked at Professor Watson who was quickly moving away from his sight and shouted,

"Watch out for Voldemort, he's in–"

He tried to warn him about the dark lord's presence in the chamber, but his voice was cut off by the distance.

Bryan breathed a sigh of relief, turned around and faced the Basilisk that was lying on the ground in a pile, barely alive. He smiled happily. It wasn't easy. After spending so much time and staying up so many nights, this Basilisk finally fell into his hands! He felt a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction, as he looked at his prize.

The Basilisk was an ancient creature that could generally live for hundreds of years, but this one in front of him had lived for more than a thousand years and still maintained such vigorous vitality. It seemed that Slytherin must have done many mysterious and complex modification experiments on it! Bryan wondered what secrets and powers it hid in its body.

Bryan walked to the front of the cage and looked at the Basilisk's bleeding eyes with dissatisfaction. He hoped that Kakus wouldn't pick faults and deduct his commission when he 'checked the goods'. He hoped that he could still sell it for a good price.

"It seems–"

Just as Bryan was about to change the size of this huge Basilisk, a young and polite voice came from behind the pillar behind him.

"You seem to like it very much, Professor Watson. I inherited this Basilisk from my great ancestor. If you don't mind, I can give it to you!"

The voice was smooth and charming, but also cold and sinister.

"Foolish–"

Bryan turned around with a smile without any surprise. He looked at Tom Riddle, who had black hair, tall stature, stood leaning against the stone pillar, and dressed like a student. "Once I kill you, this Basilisk will be mine too!"