Not only Harry, Ron, and Hermione, but even Tonks, who had been peering closely at the Basilisk's head, jumped in surprise.
Hodge pointed at the creature's tail. He had noticed it twitch slightly earlier, but after losing its magical properties so abruptly, the Basilisk was still a bit dazed. As they spoke, it finally regained its senses, its massive head suddenly rearing high.
"Stupefy!" Harry reacted instantly, firing a red spell that struck the Basilisk. It merely shook its head, its thick tail sweeping a pile of rubble aside. Hermione leapt out of the way.
The fight erupted once more, this time with Harry, Ron, and Hermione joining in. Fortunately, it was more startling than dangerous—the Basilisk had lost its deadly petrifying gaze, and its scales, eroded by Hodge's ancient magic, had grown brittle. Even the centuries of memories in its mind had been largely destroyed in the process. Gradually, Harry grew bolder, experimenting with various spells. At a critical moment, when the Basilisk rolled toward Ron, Harry, in a panic, shouted a command in Parseltongue to stop it—and, astonishingly, it worked.
But they had no idea what to do with the creature next.
Harry glanced at Hodge, who waved a hand dismissively. Having gotten what he wanted, Hodge sat back contentedly, watching Harry and the others shout and exclaim in excitement.
"Let's leave it to Dumbledore," Harry said.
"How do we get back up?" Ron asked, his voice tinged with dread. "We're not climbing all the way, are we? Please, no. I'll have nightmares."
"I've got this!" Tonks stepped forward confidently. "I can send a message with my Patronus. Alastor taught me how." She winked at the group, then summoned her Patronus—a silvery hare. Hodge, Harry, and the others tilted their heads back, watching as the hare hopped a few times in midair, rising higher and higher until it vanished into the dark ceiling above.
Not long after, Dumbledore appeared.
He wore a moon-white pajama set beneath a purple robe edged with gold, striding in from the far end of the Chamber. Behind him came the melodious, song-like trill of a bird—Fawkes, his phoenix. It soared over Dumbledore's head, circling the Basilisk a few times as if checking for threats before perching lightly on a stone pillar.
Hodge looked up at Fawkes, feeling it seemed much older than it had half a year ago.
Dumbledore's gaze swept over the group, a faint, amused smile crossing his face when he noticed a rooster scurrying around the toes of the massive Salazar Slytherin statue at the room's far end. Finally, his eyes settled on the Basilisk, which had coiled into a circle with Harry at its center. Harry looked helpless, and the Basilisk, which had been glaring up at Fawkes with its chin raised, lowered its head to peer down at the top of Dumbledore's head as he approached.
"What's this?" Dumbledore asked, studying the Basilisk's eyes before glancing at its dull, ashen scales.
"Hodge subdued it," Harry explained. "He made it so its eyes can't harm anyone anymore. But that burn mark… that was us." He noticed Dumbledore's gaze linger on a blackened scorch mark and added quickly.
"Well… and then there was a bit of an accident…" Harry scratched his head awkwardly.
"Remarkable, and very brave," Dumbledore said softly, "all of you." At that moment, the Basilisk opened its massive jaws, revealing two gaps where its fangs should have been. Harry quickly intervened, hissing in Parseltongue to stop it. The Basilisk lowered its flattened head onto its coiled body, its lantern-like gray eyes flickering toward Harry.
"Parseltongue?" Dumbledore asked with keen interest. "Fascinating."
Harry wondered if Dumbledore had noticed the absence of the Basilisk's fangs. Perhaps he assumed a creature so ancient losing a tooth or two over time wasn't unusual? While Dumbledore turned away, Harry subtly signaled to Ron and Hermione, who quickly hid the fang they'd wrapped in a robe behind their backs. Catching Hodge's eye, they gave him an embarrassed grin.
"Fawkes," Dumbledore called to the phoenix perched on the pillar, "fetch Cornelius Fudge. He's at the camp near the school greenhouses." Fawkes let out a trill and vanished in a burst of flame. Dumbledore beckoned Hodge and Tonks closer.
"Are you all alright?"
They nodded. "Sorry for disturbing you so late, Professor Dumbledore," Tonks said, a touch formal.
"Oh," Dumbledore chuckled, "you're not the only ones who can't sleep tonight. Your Patronus was impressive, Nymphadora. Did Alastor or Kingsley teach you that?"
"Alastor," Tonks replied.
Hodge shot her a look and muttered, "The diary."
Tonks froze, realizing she'd forgotten—Hodge had taken the diary and never given it back! A slim black notebook appeared in front of her. "This is it," she said, shooting Hodge a quick glare before handing the diary to Dumbledore.
Dumbledore observed the exchange with a knowing look.
But when he saw the diary, his expression sharpened. He lowered his head, examining the small hole pierced by the Basilisk's fang, then stared at the cover, lost in thought.
"Hodge says this is a key clue about the person who opened the Chamber," Tonks explained. "It seems to hold someone's thoughts, capable of controlling people."
"This was his grave mistake, leaving the diary right under our noses," Dumbledore said softly. "He wouldn't dare do so now."
"Who?" Tonks asked, curious.
"Voldemort," Dumbledore replied.
Tonks shivered.
"Fifty years ago, at Hogwarts, I taught him myself," Dumbledore continued. "After leaving school, he vanished… traveling the world, leaving footprints in every corner… sinking deeper into the mire of Dark Magic, consorting with the wizarding world's most vile. Through many dangerous magical transformations, he reemerged as Voldemort, unrecognizable to most. Hardly anyone connects him to the clever, handsome boy who was once Head Boy here." He opened the diary to a page and pointed to a faded name. "Tom Riddle."
Hodge spoke up. "Professor Dumbledore? There's something I'd like to discuss with you—some issues I've encountered with magic… memory spells, and other things. I've run into some trouble and was hoping we could find a time to sort it out."
Dumbledore smiled. "I thought I might be the one to suggest it. Of course, Hodge. It's part of a headmaster's duties."
A burst of flame appeared, just as when Fawkes had vanished. The phoenix returned, bringing someone with it.
It was Fudge, clutching Fawkes' leg, looking furious.
"What's going on, Dumbledore?"
————
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