"Harry, so we just have to stand here? Blindfolded?"
"Yes, Professor. And when I give the signal, you can cover your ears, too."
"Right, got it."
Hearing Lockhart's expectant voice, Ron let out a hollow laugh. "Merlin's beard, how is this possible? A professor skipping his own class to go on a treasure hunt!"
It was true. They were currently in the sewers of Hogwarts, in the middle of Defence Against the Dark Arts class—the other students were having a self-study session in the classroom, from which, for some reason, cheers could be heard.
Harry nodded in satisfaction. "Right now, the heir will be in class or somewhere, so there'll be nothing to interfere with the hungry Basilisk."
Harry thought to himself, *Isn't it pitiful? A Basilisk that probably hasn't had a proper meal in over a thousand years, all for Slytherin's grand plan.*
Worse, the first thing it did after waking up after a millennium was to attack students. No matter who the Heir of Slytherin was, they were clearly a rotten bastard.
*And the Basilisk probably doesn't even know it's fated to become a pile of bones in a few days.* Harry shuddered.
In that sense, it was undoubtedly better for both himself and the Basilisk if he took over as its guardian.
Harry spoke quietly so Lockhart couldn't hear. "We're going to lure the Basilisk now."
With that, he took a pouch of powder from his pocket. Curious about its contents, Hermione asked, "Harry, what's that powder?"
"This? It's a magical seasoning. Aisen made it. It creates an incredibly strong scent in any food."
"…Why would he make something like that?"
"He said it was a byproduct of his alchemy research, but I'm not sure how he made it."
Harry then opened the glass vial and sprinkled the powder onto the cloak of Lockhart, who was standing in front of them.
Instantly, an incredibly intense aroma filled the air.
Seeing this, Hermione's jaw dropped. "Harry, don't tell me the reason you needed Professor Lockhart was…!"
"We needed someone to draw the Basilisk's attention. For something like this, it's best to get help from a proven expert, isn't it?"
Even as he said he'd brought Lockhart to the brink of death, Harry felt no remorse whatsoever.
He had already heard the truth about Lockhart from Aisen—how he had stolen others' achievements and their memories with magic.
If Lockhart had merely been an incompetent and vain professor, Harry would never have even thought of using the Imperius Curse on him.
Lockhart asked, "Hmm, Harry? Do I smell something spicy? Is something happening?"
Without a change in his expression, Harry answered calmly, "Don't worry, Professor. It must be a sign that the treasure is about to appear. It was written in the documents."
It was, in fact, written in a book. *'The Basilisk has a sensitive sense of smell and shows deep interest in strong odors.'*
Lockhart nodded, relieved.
Ron watched this with admiration. "Harry, you have an incredible talent for pranks. If Fred and George saw this, I'm sure they'd be desperate to recruit you!"
Hermione seemed to question whether this could be classified as a mere 'prank,' but since, according to her own usual praise for Lockhart, this shouldn't be dangerous for him, she couldn't bring herself to say anything.
After a moment, Ron asked, "Harry, what if the Basilisk doesn't come even after we lure it?"
Harry grinned. "Then, I'll have to call it myself. Like this. Professor Lockhart, could you cover your ears for a moment?"
"Ah, is it that time already! As it says in my book, timing is always the most important thing in these sorts of matters. It was just the same when I was preparing to voyage with vampires…"
"Professor, we can hear that story later, so please cover your ears."
"Hm? What was that? I can't hear you well with my ears covered! Anyway, whether it's persuasion or compromise, the most important thing in any endeavor is getting the timing right. It's the most crucial thing for gaining fame…"
Lockhart had his ears covered so well that he didn't hear a word Harry said and just kept talking.
Ron covered his ears with a fed-up expression, while Hermione listened to Lockhart's story with sparkling eyes.
Harry sighed at the sight and opened his mouth. "Alright, I'm going to start calling it."
He closed his eyes and strongly imagined the face of a snake before him.
A triangular head, a slender forked tongue, cold scales.
Imagining the snake right in front of him, Harry spoke.
*[Basilisk, prey is here.]*
Syllables that sounded like language to Harry's ears, but to others, like an ominous hissing.
Even Ron, his closest friend, flinched at the sound.
Regardless, Harry continued.
*[Snake, starved for so long, come hither. Come and eat your prey.]*
If the Heir of Slytherin had been present, this would have been impossible, but right now, the unknown heir was likely in class.
That meant no one was controlling the Basilisk. For now, it could act on its own free will.
And in most cases, a starving beast would never pass up prey that gave off such a strong scent.
How long did they wait?
A considerable amount of time passed even after Harry, using an amplifying charm, made the serpent's tongue echo throughout the pipes.
Just as Harry himself was starting to lose faith in his plan and Lockhart was beginning to tentatively lower his hands from his ears, they heard it.
A sound.
*-Sssssslither. Sssssslither.*
*-Hiiissssss, Hiiisssssss.*
The sound of something enormous sliding across metal.
And a chilling sound that made every single hair on their bodies stand on end just from hearing it.
The three of them, excluding the ear-covered Lockhart, quickly drew their wands from their pockets.
The snake was coming.
*-Sssaaaiess, ssssss, hiiissssen.*
To others, it was just the terrifying sound of a snake, but to Harry's ears, it sounded entirely different.
*[Sscent of human. And a more intense sscent. I will tear you to piecess. Rip you apart. And sswallow you whole.]*
Harry swallowed hard, feeling the thick killing intent in its voice.
In the end, no matter how he phrased it, what he had to do now was persuade an ancient monster.
*Reality is always different from the plan,* he thought, feeling beads of sweat form on his back as a smile played on his lips.
*[Basilisk, before you eat, how about we have a little chat?]*
Intrigued by the sight of Harry speaking the serpent tongue with his eyes closed, the Basilisk paused and spoke.
*[A Parselmouth. Parselmouths are a delicacy sometimes. Eating a human who speaks the same tongue gives a sense of betrayal, like eating one's own kind.]*
Harry thought for a moment, then asked, *[You say you've starved for a thousand years, but have you ever even eaten a human?]*
For a moment, the Basilisk couldn't answer.
Harry continued, *[Have you eaten anything at all since you were born?]*
The Basilisk answered in a voice that seemed a little smaller. *[I have eaten many rats. They come into the sewers often.]*
*[Good heavens, how can you live on just rats with a body that big? Didn't Slytherin and his heir give you any food?]*
The Basilisk flared up in anger. *[Do not insult my Master and the Heir! …Though they did not provide food.]*
It added the last part in a small voice.
Harry said, *[Basilisk, come with me instead. I'll let you eat foods you've never tasted in your life. Just, not humans.]*
The Basilisk seemed confused for a moment, but then it shook its head and replied, *[I'd rather rip you to pieces, kill you, and eat you! Then this terrible hunger will finally be gone!]*
*[Are you serious? You'd eat us, who made you such a kind offer?]*
*[If you are truly kind, then become sustenance in my mouth!]*
Harry shook his head at the Basilisk's assertion.
Even in the face of the great serpent's threat, Harry was unshaken. This confidence, of course, came from the fact that he had not come here without a plan.
*[Calm down, friend. If you try to bite us now, you'll get hurt badly too. That wouldn't be good for you, would it?]*
Although its physical structure prevented it from snorting, the Basilisk replied in a scoffing tone. *[I would get hurt fighting you? Absurd. I will swallow you whole.]*
Harry sighed. *[Well then, I guess there's no choice. Let's settle this between two XXXXX-class creatures.]*
Harry shouted to Hermione and Ron, "Guys, get down and don't open your eyes, no matter what!"
Then, after casting the Muffliato Charm on the prone, blindfolded forms of Lockhart, Ron, and Hermione, Harry pulled an item from his pocket.
Its size was impossibly large to have come from a pocket. It was a birdcage. Needless to say, inside the cage was the white owl, Hedwig.
The Basilisk saw this and sneered. *[Well, now. To present me with a bird to eat when I'm so hungry. How very thoughtful of you.]*
Harry retorted, *[If you can eat her, then by all means, enjoy.]*
*-Grrrrrrrowl!*
Spreading her white wings, Hedwig flew up from the cage and transformed into the form of a white dragon.
The Basilisk blinked at the sight. *[…A dragon? Why?]*
It was a question that contained a great deal of confusion. Naturally, Harry had no intention of answering it.
Harry stretched out his hand and said, "Hedwig! Go!"
*-Krrrrrra!*
The first Kaiju battle had begun.
No matter how long the Basilisk had lived, it was a creature that had spent most of its life in the Chamber of Secrets at Hogwarts. It had certainly never experienced a confrontation with a dragon.
The Basilisk glared at the dragon with its most powerful weapon, its eyes, but soon realized that the dragon did not die.
As a dragon with powerful magic resistance, the Basilisk's petrifying gaze was not fully effective.
Nevertheless, the Basilisk was not discouraged. It still had its ultimate weapon, a potent venom!
*Kieek!*
To describe the scene in writing, it was a desperate struggle. After a tear-jerking effort, the Basilisk, its scales covered in all sorts of wounds, barely managed to climb onto Hedwig's leg.
Somehow dodging the dragon's flames, it finally reached the leg and sank its fangs in, cheering.
It was its victory!
*-Kieeeeeek!*
Hedwig screamed as if in agony from the venom. Seeing this, the Basilisk trembled with the thrill of its impending victory. It had been the most terrifying battle in its thousand-year life.
That is, until Harry started fumbling for something in his pocket.
*[…Parselmouth, what is that?]*
*[Phoenix tears.]*
*[…And why do you have those?]*
*[My master keeps a phoenix as a familiar.]*
For the first time in a thousand years, the Basilisk lamented. *Oh, Slytherin! Is this truly what you call a life?!*
*-Kwaaaaaaa!*
Perfectly healed, Hedwig roared.
The second Kaiju battle, its outcome already decided, had begun.
***
"Anyway, after some persuasion, the Basilisk agreed to become our ally!"
Seeing Harry with a battered Basilisk wrapped around him like a boa constrictor, Ron and Hermione could only blink.
***