Chapter 241 – Choice and the Acromantula
There was no godhood quota left.
Perhaps Slytherin hadn't known this when he left his legacy. Among the four founders, only the Hufflepuff line came from the Elder Council. Though the Slytherin family was powerful enough to rival the Council, it never actually joined. Naturally, then, Slytherin wouldn't have known about the limit on ascension.
According to Hufflepuff, the three remaining founders only learned about the status of gods after Ravenclaw's death, when they all reached the threshold of demigodhood. They each made their own choice from that point on.
Phineas closed the notes in his hand with a thoughtful sigh and glanced around the room lined with shelves and books.
Compared to the other founders' legacies, Slytherin's was surprisingly similar to Ravenclaw's—volumes of knowledge, meticulously preserved. On the surface, it felt like Ravenclaw's domain, but on closer reflection, it fit Slytherin's ideology as well.
After all, Slytherin believed in lineage and legacy. The strength of pure-blood families didn't come from blood alone, but from the accumulation of knowledge passed down. The books and magical lore that families preserved were their true source of power. In that light, a library like this made perfect sense.
But Phineas couldn't help feeling uneasy.
What was he going to do about the basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets? A young basilisk might've been easy to hide or smuggle out. But Basque, now fully grown, was massive—and impossible to move discreetly.
The books in this room could be stored safely in Puff's enchanted suitcase, but Basque certainly couldn't fit inside. Phineas's suitcase, modeled after Newt Scamander's, could house many magical creatures—but not something as large as a grown basilisk, fire dragon, or giant.
Still, he couldn't leave Basque here. According to the original timeline, the Chamber of Secrets incident would unfold next term. The attacks that followed Tom Riddle's possession of the diary were random, sometimes tragic. Luna Lovegood would arrive at Hogwarts next year—and Phineas wasn't about to let someone like her face that hidden danger.
If taking the basilisk wasn't possible, Phineas had another option: visiting the Malfoy family over the holiday and retrieving the diary from Lucius. That had been the plan all along. His defense of the Malfoy family on the Hogwarts Express at the start of term had already signaled their allegiance to the Black family. This holiday would finalize that arrangement—whether the Malfoys liked it or not.
Still, Phineas wasn't keen on handling the diary himself.
Unlike the other Horcruxes—which merely corrupted thoughts and emotions—this diary had its own awareness. It could absorb blood to grow stronger, use the Imperius Curse, and even take control of its holder. Its magic was far more insidious, possibly due to a flaw in Voldemort's creation process or the nature of the object itself.
Phineas, who had refused to touch other Horcruxes directly, certainly had no desire to interact with this one.
So his first priority remained: get Basque out of Hogwarts. If the basilisk was no longer a threat, the diary would be powerless. Then, like the Hufflepuff Cup he'd already delivered, the diary could be offered to Dumbledore later as part of their Horcrux-for-request agreement.
Still, another idea occurred to him—he could simply destroy the diary at Malfoy Manor. That would remove the danger entirely. Perhaps Dumbledore would want to examine it for clues, but then again… why should Dumbledore's curiosity matter?
Yes. Destroying it was simpler. That was the plan.
With the decision made, Phineas smiled and snapped his fingers. "Puff, take all the books."
The house-elf appeared instantly and began sorting the texts. Those in good condition went into the suitcase. Damaged ones were repaired. If any were beyond saving, Puff noted the titles to cross-reference with Phineas's own collection. Missing copies would be replaced.
Meanwhile, Phineas stepped out from behind the Slytherin statue. The moment Basque sensed him, the basilisk raised its head and hissed eagerly, "Foooood…"
Phineas sighed. Who would have guessed that Slytherin's ultimate weapon was such a glutton?
"Basque," Phineas asked, "is there only one way out of this chamber?"
The basilisk nodded. "Yesss. One tunnel. Behind the sssstatue."
Circling to the rear of the statue, Phineas found the hidden passageway—small, with enchantments woven into its walls. It was narrow enough for a human but clearly not meant for creatures like Basque. Still, among the books he had found the incantation to disable the ward. This was a backdoor left by Slytherin himself.
During Hogwarts's founding, Muggles still hunted wizards. The founders had built the school to shield magical children and prevent them from becoming Obscurials. But the castle was large and conspicuous. Even with enchantments like the Forgetting Charm, precautions were needed.
Each founder left protective measures:
Gryffindor deployed enchanted stone warriors at the main gate. In times of crisis, the Headmaster and Deputy Headmistress could awaken and command them.
Hufflepuff filled the Forbidden Forest with magical plants and bonded creatures—unicorns and others loyal to the castle—and maintained a loyal army of house-elves who could take to the battlefield if necessary.
Ravenclaw enchanted the castle's staircases to confuse intruders. Though the charm was later removed for practicality, Gryffindor insisted it remain in his tower, enjoying the unpredictable adventure it added to daily life.
Slytherin, meanwhile, raised two basilisks to guard the school and created a secret escape route. While one basilisk was eventually eaten by the founders (greed and all), the other remained to serve its intended purpose.
Slytherin's motives had long been misunderstood. He never sought to "purify" the school. In fact, he had respected Muggles deeply. The anti-Muggle prejudice came from later generations—not from him.
Stepping into the narrow tunnel, Phineas walked forward. It was pitch-dark but oddly clean—no mold, no insects. Soon, the passage opened into a massive underground chamber.
There were stacks of decaying food along the walls.
This had been a supply depot. A safe house in case Muggles surrounded the school. Phineas wondered why the founders hadn't just used Apparition to fetch supplies—but the purpose was clear nonetheless.
He had a destination in mind.
Slytherin's notes had mentioned that this tunnel emerged near the Forbidden Forest—close to the colony of Acromantulas that Hagrid raised.
Perfect.
Basilisks loved eating Acromantulas. And Basque was going to be very well fed.
As Phineas emerged from the passage, he looked back. The entrance was camouflaged perfectly, just like Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. No one would find it without knowing exactly where to look.
He hadn't visited the Acromantula colony before, but he understood spiders. They preferred dark, damp places. And judging by the shifting light and the growing scent of rot and moisture, he was getting close.
He raised his wand, preparing for trouble.
Acromantulas were intelligent, massive, and extremely dangerous. Their sensory hairs detected even the slightest vibrations. Their multi-faceted eyes gave them perfect vision—even in darkness. Unfortunately for them, those same eyes made them helpless against the basilisk's deadly gaze.
Their venom was corrosive enough to dissolve internal organs. After wrapping prey in silk, they drank the liquefied remains and tossed the husks outside their lair.
Terrifying predators. But only if you weren't ready.
Phineas was ready.
He cleared a small glade, sweeping his wand in wide arcs. He didn't want to fight swarms of Acromantulas in tight spaces.
Even as he worked, two Acromantulas silently followed him from the treetops.
Phineas suddenly turned and cast a Severing Charm. One spider dropped in two clean pieces.
Whistling, he pulled a compact case from his robe, enlarged it, and levitated the carcass inside.
That was the signal.
The forest around him came alive with rustling.
Dozens of Acromantulas emerged from the shadows—but they had lost their greatest advantage. Phineas had already destroyed the element of surprise.
And Basque was hungry.