Chapter 18: Serious exploration
“Give mother and Edgar my love, please?”
“Will do.”
From the side, a few feet away, Rick watched Amelia bid farewell to her older brother Robert, who was boarding a carriage bound for Hogsmeade Station. The exchange was brief, but telling. Rick, always sharp with reading subtext, picked up on two unspoken truths: one, Amelia would be staying at Hogwarts for the holidays once again; and two, there was a tension in her family dynamic, particularly with her father.
He already knew that Edgar, her eldest brother, had graduated before Rick ever set foot in Hogwarts, and Amelia rarely spoke of her home life. Watching her now, standing tall and composed despite the visible weight on her shoulders, Rick felt a quiet ache for her. She should be surrounded by warmth and celebration, not left behind in cold stone corridors.
And yet, selfishly, he was also relieved. Amelia's presence meant he wouldn’t be alone this holiday. Last year, she had made the holidays at Hogwarts not just bearable, but memorable. Her companionship had turned empty halls into adventures and silence into laughter. Still, he said nothing aloud. Commenting on it felt intrusive, and he knew better than to poke at wounds that hadn’t been offered for tending.
Lily and Marlene had left just minutes earlier, and, as expected, Lily had once again enlisted Amelia to keep an eye on Rick while he was flying. Though he chuckled at her persistence, the weight in his chest hadn't lifted. The grey lull that followed their departure had already begun to settle over him, but he knew from experience that spending time with Amelia would change that. It always did. Her steady presence, her wry humor, and her unspoken understanding had a way of pulling him out of his darker thoughts. Even now, just anticipating her company, he could feel the first hints of brightness beginning to return.
“What do you want to do?” she asked him when she got closer after her brother’s carriage became out of sight.
“With the Slytherins absent, I was hoping to map the dungeons. That and... Hm... check gender restricted areas I couldn’t map before.” he said after a moment of hesitation. Amelia raised one eyebrow in curiosity but said nothing. It was enough for Rick to explain further.
“I can’t really map the girls bathrooms while the whole school is present and I can’t always ask Lily and Marlene to do it.”
Amelia conceded that Rick had a valid point, and together they descended into the dungeons with curiosity buzzing between them. What began as casual exploration quickly turned into a full blown adventure. Tucked away behind a rusted, long forgotten gate, they discovered a crumbling chamber littered with ancient books, faded tapestries, and portraits whose subjects groaned in irritation at being disturbed.
The room, judging by the ghostly iconography and motifs, had once been used by the infamous Headless Hunt, a merry band of ghosts who had all met their end via beheading. The macabre decor and odd traces of spectral revelry made the space both fascinating and unsettling.
Their discoveries didn’t end there. While continuing their map making efforts, Rick ventured into one of the girls' bathrooms and encountered a ghost with a knack for melodrama. Moaning Myrtle, as she introduced herself between exaggerated sobs, proved more talkative than helpful, but Rick and Amelia’s patience paid off. Despite the whining and wails, their politeness earned them a strangely illuminating conversation.
Amelia recognized the ghost’s identity immediately. Myrtle Warren, a Ravenclaw who, according to the tales passed down from her parents, had been tragically killed by the creature from the Chamber of Secrets. The legend of the Chamber, a mythical room built by Salazar Slytherin to house a monster meant to purge the school of Muggle born students, sparked a fire in Rick’s imagination. The idea of a hidden lair, lost for centuries, crafted by one of Hogwarts’ founders was too enticing to ignore. It wasn’t just a legend to him anymore. It was a challenge waiting to be solved.
He had examined every corner of the bathroom with meticulous precision and initially found nothing out of place, until his eyes landed on a subtle carving of a small snake etched into the side of one of the sinks. Intrigued, he reached out to touch it, and the moment his fingers brushed against the stone, he yanked his hand back as though he’d been burned. A strange, almost electric tingle had jolted through his palm, coupled with the faintest whisper of sound, like distant hissing, echoing in his ears.
“What is it?” Amelia asked.
“When I touched the snake I… I’m not sure. It felt like… something hissing?”
“You felt something hissing?” the Hufflepuff repeated putting an emphasis on the verbs
“Yes.”
“...”
“It’s not the first time!” he said when she gave him a deadpan stare, clearly indicating that she didn’t believe him. “When I went to buy a wand at Ollivanders I could tell how the wands felt when I touched them. The same with Owls and Morrigan.”
“And you felt the carving… hiss?” she asked again for confirmation which she got from a nod. “Salazar Slytherin was known to be a parselmouth.”
“I’ve read that in Hogwarts: A History but what does that entailed?”
“That he could talk to snakes by hissing. It’s a very very rare magical language called parseltongue.”
“... Are you thinking what I am thinking?”
“That it’s perhaps the entrance to the legendary Chamber of Secrets? Considering Myrtle’s story… yes. Why would it be in the girls bathroom though?”
“Because of the plumbing. The whole castle had been upgraded in the 18th century to add plumbing. Maybe one of Slytherin’s descendants hid it at the time?”
“That’s… possible.”
“Do we warn the professors about it?”
Amelia considered it carefully before nodding in agreement. Whatever the mystery of the bathroom was, it could wait. Rick, as always, had caught the glimmer of something intriguing elsewhere: a subtle inconsistency that set his curiosity ablaze. He gestured for her to follow and led her to a series of darkened torches spaced along the dungeon walls, seemingly ordinary, yet suspiciously synchronized in their behavior.
When Amelia asked what puzzle he was referring to, Rick pointed to the unlit torches with the kind of certainty she had learned to take seriously. Something about their placement and the way they extinguished after being lit sparked a familiar thrill in both of them. This wasn't just idle wandering. It was the start of another adventure.
“When you were looking inside the Headless Hunt’s room I lit both of the torches near the entrances and they unlit after a set amount of time. That makes no sense unless there is a puzzle behind it.”
Remembering how Rick’s last instinct about a puzzle had led them to a hidden viaduct chamber and rewarded her with a finely crafted wand handle, not to mention an exclusive, breathtaking view of the Black Lake, Amelia didn’t hesitate to follow his lead. When Rick got that certain spark in his eye, it usually meant something strange, clever, or downright magical was about to happen.
“Alright, what do you think we should do?”
“Well… There are the two torches near the Headless Hunt but there is also this one over there.” He pointed out to the unlit torch a dozen feet away from the girls bathroom. “I guess the puzzle is to light them all at the same time, since they unlit after a few seconds.”
“I’ll take the two, you take this one?”
Rick nodded and watched Amelia disappear around the corner, vanishing into the shadowed corridor with the confidence of someone who’d done this kind of thing before. A minute ticked by, then another, the silence stretching into anticipation until her voice rang out clearly in the stone hallway.
"Three... two... one!" On cue, Rick raised his wand and cast, “Incendio!”
The torch flared to life with a satisfying whoosh, flames dancing along its surface. He scanned the surrounding walls, half expecting gears to grind or stones to shift, but nothing so dramatic occurred. And yet, the torch remained lit. It didn’t sputter out like the others had before. A grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. That subtle difference was all the confirmation he needed: the puzzle had been solved.
“FOUND IT!”
Turning sharply on his heel, Rick sprinted toward Amelia’s last known position, his heart pounding with anticipation. As he rounded the corner, he found her standing in front of what appeared to be nothing more than a decorative stone arch, perfectly symmetrical and blending seamlessly into the wall. It was only upon closer inspection that he noticed the faint outline of a door etched into the stone, so well camouflaged that it could easily be overlooked. Amelia took a cautious step forward, and as she did, the stone door rumbled softly and slid open sideways, revealing a darkened corridor beyond. Exchanging a quick look, Rick stepped in behind her, the air immediately cooler and laced with the scent of dust and age.
“Reparo.” he said, pointing his wand at the debris of a mural on the left wall while Amelia was looking at the door. It depicted a snake.
When he turned back and rejoined Amelia, she was lowering her wand with a frown, her attempt at the Unlocking Charm on the snake adorned door had failed. Rick eyed the serpentine carvings thoughtfully, a flicker of instinct tugging at the edge of his mind. Acting on a hunch, he stepped forward and placed his palm flat against the stone. The moment his skin touched the cold surface, a familiar shiver rippled up his arm. There it was again, a distinct hiss, almost too faint to hear, curling through the air like smoke through a keyhole. It wasn’t just in his ears; he could feel it resonating through the magic itself, ancient and coiled like a serpent waiting to strike.
“It’s the same as the bathroom.” he told her. “Now, I’m almost certain you need to say something in parseltongue to open it.”
With their path forward sealed and no alternate route to investigate, they turned back, retracing their steps in thoughtful silence. As they entered the wider dungeon corridor, Rick abruptly slowed his pace, his eyes narrowing in interest. Up ahead, in the dim light, stood Snape, motionless before a section of bare stone wall. For a heartbeat, it seemed nothing was out of the ordinary, until the wall shuddered softly and split open, revealing a hidden passageway. Without so much as a glance behind him, Snape stepped smoothly through the opening, and the wall closed once more with a quiet hiss, erasing all trace of his presence.
“So that’s where the Slytherin common room is.”
“Maybe not. Maybe it’s another secret room.”
“Lily said he wasn’t interested in exploring the castle and that it was a waste of time, so probably not.” Rick explained. “Now, I’m of a mind to-”
“No.” Amelia interjected on the spot.
“You don’t even know what-”
“You were going to say you were of the mind to hear him say the password to his common room so you could explore it.”
“...Huh… you can read minds. That’s neat.” he said with a huff which made her laugh.
“No, I cannot. I just know you enough and yes there is magic allowing you to do that. It’s called Legilimency.”
“... Are you sure you’re not reading my mind?” he persisted with an unamused face.
“Yes.” she answered with a smirk.
“Is there a way to block that magic?”
“Block? Not learn it?”
“I wouldn’t like someone to read my thoughts so I would not learn how to read others’. Stopping people from reading mine however is a necessity. I mean, that’s private, you know?”
“I do. And the Ministry agrees with you, that’s why Legilimency is… It’s not illegal but not well regarded.”
“Not illegal? That’s like-”
“I know but it’s part of what is called the mind arts. It’s very very difficult to learn and very few are good at it. Legilimency at least. Occlumency on the other hand is easier and mandatory for members of a noble or ancient house.”
“That’s the name of the magic blocking legilimencers?”
“Legiliments and yes.”
Rick nodded in understanding but he was still determined to map the Slytherin common room. “I’m still doing it though. I’ll do the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff common room too.”
“Good luck with that.” Amelia said amusedly.
“You let me in the Hufflepuff common room and I’m letting you in the Gryffindor’s.”
“Or I could map my common room for you and you can ask Professor Flitwick to map the Ravenclaws.”
“And Slytherin?”
“...”
“Come on! Don’t tell me you’re not curious about it?!”
She paused, visibly torn between curiosity and caution, but ultimately nodded her agreement. The opportunity to explore another house’s common room, especially one as secretive as Slytherin's, was too rare to pass up. With their shared mission rekindled, the pair resumed their exploration of Hogwarts’ lower levels, wandering past centuries old suits of armor and echoing torchlit halls until the scent of roasted meat and fresh bread drew them toward the Great Hall. When they entered, the vast room was unusually quiet, occupied only by Professors McGonagall, Flitwick, and Dumbledore.
Exchanging a glance that said, “Here goes nothing,” Rick and Amelia made their way with purpose toward the teachers’ table.
“Miss Bones, Mister Wald. I see you’ve decided to stay in the castle for the Winter Break.”
“We did, Headmaster.” Amelia answered politely.
“It’s the perfect opportunity to explore it.” Rick added.
“Indeed. No classes and very few students.” Dumbledore agreed.
“Make sure it doesn’t take all of your time. I remember you have some homework, at least in transfiguration.” remarked McGonagall.
“Come on, Minerva. With how studious they are, I’m sure their homework is already done. Especially Mister Wald who’s already learning sixth year charms and knows a few third year ones from what I heard.”
Professor Flitwick’s tone was laced with good natured amusement, clearly alluding to Rick’s surprisingly effective spellwork during his infamous drunken rampage, including that notably well cast shield charm. Rick's cheeks flushed a deep crimson as he lowered his gaze to the floor, the weight of embarrassment settling on his shoulders. Then, drawing a slow breath, he lifted his head to meet his Head of House’s eyes, steeling himself for whatever good humored jibe might come next.
“I’m never going to live it down, am I?”
““““No.””””
The three adults had answered and began to laugh but so did Amelia.
“You’re supposed to be on my side!”
“Excuse me, but the tale of you hanging on a spinning chandelier shooting spells all around and terrorising your whole house is just too amusing.” the redhead replied stoically.
“Upper years are still checking the content of my cups in the common room!”
“I have to say that it was quite the dueling display, Mister Wald. Have you thought about dueling?” Filius inquired.
“I didn’t. I don’t really like conflict, Professor. I’m more of an adventurer.”
“Ah, yes, your map project. How is it going?”
“It’s going well, Professor. In fact we mapped all the accessible areas in the dungeons this morning and discovered some secret ones.”
“Secret areas? Now I’m curious. I know of the Headless Hunt gathering room but nothing more.” Dumbledore intervened.
“We did find it but more importantly, we believed we had found the entrance to the Chamber of secrets.”
The Professors exchanged amused glances before bursting into warm, good natured laughter at Amelia’s earnest declaration. It was the kind of shared mirth that only seasoned educators could have, equal parts entertained and impressed by their students’ boundless curiosity.
“Ha! The fabled Chamber of Secrets. I honestly doubt you did but I’d be glad to hear about your adventures.” remarked Fillius.
“You probably found a closed area of the castle. It is doubtful two young promising students like you could find it when Aurors didn’t.” Minerva said.
“A tragic affair. Poor Miss Warren.” added Dumbledore.
“Professor, when I touched the door I felt its magic hiss.”
Minerva’s complexion drained of all color as the implications hit her like a rogue bludger. Dumbledore’s previously somber expression hardened, the sorrow in his eyes replaced by the glint of razor sharp intellect now fully engaged. His demeanor shifted, no longer that of a kindly old headmaster, but of the strategist who had once defeated Grindelwald.
“You felt it hiss, you say?”
“From what Garrick said, Mister Wald has a gift in sensing the intent in magic. He was able to determine what most of the wands he tried felt at the contact of his hand.”
“Not a common gift but not that rare either, Minerva.” commented Filius.
“No but he certified that Mister Wald’s gift was the most developed he has ever seen.”
“Interesting.” Dumbledore remarked while looking at Rick.
“I think that to open the doors one needs to be a parselmouth.”
Dumbledore sat in contemplative silence, his fingers steepled and eyes distant, the weight of ancient knowledge clearly working behind his placid expression. After a few tense moments, something in his gaze sharpened, resolution forming like crystal behind blue eyes. He gave a small, almost imperceptible nod, the kind he reserved for decisions made quietly but with unshakable certainty.
“This is worrying. While it could be nothing, it could indeed be something more serious. Would you mind showing us the way after lunch?”
“Not at all, Headmaster.” Amelia answered.
“Ways actually. We also found a door and… well, you’ll see.”
“Have you found anything else? Something less serious? I’m always intrigued by the many secrets Hogwarts holds.”
Amelia leaned forward slightly, her eyes bright with excitement. “We did. A whole secret area dedicated to werewolves, with big tapestries covering the walls,” she said, gesturing animatedly as she recalled the discovery. “It was like stumbling into a hidden chapter of Hogwarts' history.”
“When you use Lumos on them they tell a very interesting werewolf related story.”
“I can’t wait to discover it.”
Amelia and Rick made their way to the Hufflepuff table, settling in for a hearty meal amidst the quiet hum of the near empty Great Hall. Neither of them mentioned the looming topic of Slytherin; the morning’s discoveries were too heavy for lunch conversation. Instead, their chatter drifted to lighter things, plans to explore the other house common rooms, humorous speculation on Ravenclaw password riddles, and, of course, Quidditch. Amelia, her tone half playful and half serious, challenged Rick to be her training partner over the break. Rick, never one to back down from a good natured dare and secretly excited at the prospect, agreed without hesitation, grinning around a mouthful of roasted potatoes.
Once dessert had been finished, they led the Professors down into the dungeons, their voices animated with excitement as they recounted every detail of their morning’s exploration. Amelia took the lead in narrating their findings, her tone shifting between enthusiasm and gravitas as she guided them through corridors and explained the sequence of discoveries.
When they reached the girls’ bathroom, Rick silently gestured toward the subtle snake carving on the sink, allowing the image to speak for itself. Dumbledore stepped forward, his expression thoughtful as he leaned over the porcelain. With slow precision, he drew his wand and swept it through the air above the carving, murmuring incantations too ancient and quiet to be understood. Once the spellwork was complete, he leaned back, stroking his beard in that unmistakable way of his, pensive, intrigued, and more serious than before.
“Hm…”
“Albus?”
“Yes?” he replied, turning around to his Deputy Headmistress.
“Is it…”
“The entrance of the Chamber of Secrets? I do not know, however Mister Wald is right. There is parsel magic at work here.”
“Parsel- The dangerous kind?”
“Oh no, Minerva. It’s inoffensive. It’s just a locking charm in truth. One just needs to speak the password in parseltongue to open the passage.”
“A password in parseltongue? Isn’t it a bit convoluted, sir? I mean… as far as he knew, Salazar Slytherin and his children were the only parselmouths in existence. Since he left the Chamber for a descendant, wouldn’t speaking parselmouth be the password in itself?” Rick theorized.
“Hm…” Dumbledore thought about it for a moment then began to hiss to everyone’s surprise.
“Albus!” exclaimed an horrified McGonagall
After a dozen seconds of patient hissing, a deep, echoing clunk reverberated through the tiled walls like a drumbeat in the still air. The sinks trembled, then began to groan and shift, grinding mechanically out of alignment in a slow, sweeping spiral. Stone and porcelain slid to the sides, revealing a massive circular shaft in the center of the bathroom floor. The hole yawned wide and ominous, swallowing light as it descended. Its depth was impossible to gauge, only thick, impenetrable darkness loomed below, broken faintly by the occasional drip of unseen water echoing up from the abyss.
“Ah! It took me a few tries but I got it.”
“I didn’t know you were a parselmouth, Albus.” Fillius commented.
“Oh, I’m not. I learned a few words during my travels in my youth.” he said amusedly, looking at the Charm Professor. “I was in India when I met a tribe of parselmouth that were using their gift for healing magic. Quite powerful it was. I stayed among them for a few weeks and I learned a few words by simply listening. Most notably the word ‘open’. It was quite a fascinating experience. Why, I remember a-”
“Albus, perhaps you could tell us your story in a more opportune time and place?” Minerva interjected.
“Of course, of course. Now here we go,” Dumbledore said with a lighthearted grin, adjusting his robes with the same casual flair one might use before hopping onto a broomstick. He was just about to leap into the abyss like a child on a playground slide when Rick’s voice called out to him, laced with urgency.
“Sir!”
“Yes?” the older man replied with a foot in the air.
“You… may want to have a rooster at the ready. Just in case.”
“A rooster?” Amelia asked. She finally caught her bearings after seeing Dumbledore, leader of the light speaking parseltongue and the opening of possibly the Chamber of Secrets.
“From Myrtle’s story and what is known of Salazar Slytherin, I’m pretty sure what’s down there is a basilisk if it is the Chamber of Secrets.”
“That would make sense.” Dumbledore said, humming in contemplation.
“Albus! A basilisk? Under the school? You can’t think-” cut in McGonagall.
“Miss Warren died after looking something into the eyes. It fits a basilisk's dreadful ability.”
“But the other students! They were merely petrified!”
“Ah! I have the perfect answer to that. During one of my conversations with Newt years ago, I learned that only direct eye contact with a basilisk kills. A simple reflection, like in a mirror, only petrifies the victim.”
“Still-.”
Not listening anymore, Dumbledore jumped feet first and let himself slide down into the darkness with the enthusiasm of a man discovering buried treasure. McGonagall quickly followed, her expression stern but her wand steady, while Flitwick gave a resigned little shrug and dove in after them, wand at the ready and a flicker of excitement in his eyes. All three disappeared one after another into the yawning abyss below.
Rick and Amelia stood at the edge of the pit, peering down as the echoes of their teachers’ passage faded into silence. A tense beat passed. Then Rick stepped forward, clearly preparing to follow. Without hesitation, Amelia reached out and grabbed his shoulder, stopping him in his tracks with a firm grip.
“Nuh-huh. You’re not going.”
“Of course I am! Amelia, it’s THE Chamber of Secrets! And there is a Basilisk! A Basilisk! It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity!” Rick had stars in his eyes when he said that. Unfortunately for him Amelia was firm.
“No.”
“But-”
“No.”
“Th-”
“No. And that’s final!”
Rick lowered his head in theatrical surrender and turned around to leave the bathroom, a smugly victorious Amelia trailing behind with her arms crossed in self satisfaction. Just then, Myrtle floated back in through the far wall, moaning about something or other, but it was the perfect distraction Rick had been waiting for. His eyes lit up with mischief, and before Amelia could even register the shift in his demeanor, he spun on his heel and hurled himself headfirst into the opening, sliding belly down into the abyss with a whoop of laughter echoing behind him.
Amelia stood frozen for a beat, her brain stuttering between disbelief and fury, then let out a string of eloquent profanities that would’ve made a sailor blush. With a final, frustrated growl, she leapt after him, robes flaring, wand in hand, and fire in her eyes.
After a two minute slide that twisted and dipped like the world’s most nauseating rollercoaster, Rick finally slowed his descent with a shouted "Aresto Momentum!" The charm, which he had wisely learned in case he ever took a nosedive during Quidditch, cushioned his fall just enough to prevent him from planting his face in a suspiciously green and disturbingly slimy puddle of goo. Wincing at the near miss and the foul smell, he scrambled out of the way just in time to hear the echoing slide of Amelia fast approaching.
Without hesitating, Rick cast the slowing charm again just as she emerged into view. Amelia's descent eased into a much softer landing, but the look she gave him as she rose, sodden robes and all, was the kind of glare that could peel wallpaper. Rick, ever the optimist, extended his hand to help her up, his sheepish grin doing little to dampen the murder in her eyes.
“What were you thinking?!”
Both students turned around sharply at the familiar clipped tone, their eyes widening as they found themselves face to face with none other than Professor McGonagall. Her robes billowed slightly from her brisk approach, and her expression was the very definition of unimpressed, lips drawn in a tight line and brow arched with formidable disapproval.
“I’m pretty sure they didn’t, Minerva.” Fillius commented.
“Well?” the head of the lion insisted.
“Eeeh… ‘Gryffindor Forward’?” Rick tried, his voice faltering under the combined weight of the unimpressed stares from both the stern cat animagus and the skeptical half-goblin. Dumbledore, of course, found the attempt amusing enough to chuckle softly behind his beard. Amelia, however, didn’t bother with subtlety, she rolled her eyes with theatrical flourish and gave Rick a light but pointed cuff to the back of his head.
“Ow! Okay, okay,” he muttered, rubbing the spot with exaggerated drama. “I mean... I... huh... Map? I wanted to complete my map?”
The excuse came out weak and uncertain, doing little to mollify his Head of House’s piercing glare. Sensing the need for a strategic pivot, Rick added hastily, “To my defense, we were not forbidden to go down.”
“Gryffindor indeed.” said Dumbledore, still amused.
“Miss Bones is not.” remarked Minerva.
“No but she’s a Hufflepuff, Professor. Loyal to the death and she’s kind of my nanny during the holidays. She’s to make sure I don’t hurt myself by doing something stupid.”
“Unfortunately.” The redhead sighed.
“You do not seem particularly successful, Miss Bones.”
“To be fair, ma’am…” Amelia said, gesturing loosely toward Rick from head to toe who responded with an exaggeratedly innocent grin, wide, toothy, and absolutely unconvincing. The grin might have fooled a portrait or two, but it did nothing for those present, all of whom saw right through it.
“Fair point.”
“I’m not hurt though.”
“Since sending you back up is impossible, you will stay here until-”
“It’s safer by your side, Professor. Who knows what’s lurking around here. Besides a thousand years old basilisk I mean.”
McGonagall gave him an unimpressed glare, the kind that could curdle milk and silence an entire classroom. Rick, unfazed and clearly leaning into the mischief, responded with a cheeky grin and batted his eyelashes with exaggerated innocence, as if charm alone could erase the gravity of what he'd done. It did not work. At all.
“Everything is going to be fine, Minerva. I’m sure Miss Bones and Mister Wald know when to stay back and protect themselves by closing their eyes.”
For a few seconds McGonagall held her stare upon her two students then relented. She didn’t say anything and the group walked forward. Rick didn’t miss on mapping the area or at least tried.
“That’s weird, the mapping spell is not working.” he shared his thoughts aloud.
“The Chamber must be unplottable.” Fillius answered.
Minerva had something to say too. “That would explain why no one ever found it before.”
“But I can map Hogwarts which is unplottable too.”
“That’s… curious indeed.”
Dumbledore raised his wand and murmured a stabilizing charm, the tip glowing faintly as he directed magic into the cracked stone. The foundation of the tunnel shivered under the influence, shifting slightly as loose stones knit themselves back into place, reinforcing the path ahead. He moved with practiced ease, his tone calm but alert as he explained the tunnel’s age and magical architecture. Not much farther along, the group’s progress came to a slow halt before a tall, narrow door intricately carved with entwined serpents. The carvings shimmered faintly in the torchlight, their scaled bodies coiling around each other in an endless loop, eyes set with emerald stones that glinted like watchful sentinels.
“It looks like the other door we found,” he warned.
“Miss Bones, Mister Wald-”
“We’re staying here, Headmaster.” replied Amelia with a nodding Rick next to her.
Albus hissed again and the door opened. Gone was the grandfatherly expression on his face and instead a very determined one had taken place. He wasn’t the only one, Filius and Minerva were ready to battle, their wands on the verge of moving. Meanwhile, Rick and Amelia backtracked a bit and hid behind a big boulder, sitting down next to each other. They waited in silence a few minutes until Dumbledore called out for Rick. He looked at Amelia quizzically but got no answer.
They both got to their feet and entered the actual Chamber. They met Dumbledore right next to the door and he led them down a sculpted tunnel made of stone serpents. Thirty feet down they arrived at a wide round area surrounded by more snake statues but bigger and by water. The most eye catching thing was the huge sculpted head of who Rick believed to be Salazar Slytherin himself. On the side Minerva and Fillius were using unknown spells all around to discover something while Albus invited Rick to follow him further. He understood why when he got close to the giant head. A dozen feet away he recoiled and moved backward, tripping on his own feet and landing on his ass. Even on the ground he didn’t stop moving back.
“It’s here. The basilisk is here. In the statue. I could feel the magic from over there. It makes my skin crawl.” he said with seriousness and disgust.
He had felt cold as if ice was poured on his skin while something buried under it all over his body. Amelia pulled him up to his feet and dragged him back outside the chamber after Dumbledore gave her a silent signal. Back behind the boulder, she put a comforting arm around him when she noticed his mind was lost and his body shaking. Unconsciously Rick melted into the one arm hug to feel her warmth. Amelia may have not understood what he had felt but it was obvious to her that it hadn't been a pleasant feeling if minutes after being away from the source of his discomfort he was still feeling the effects.
The stillness of the chamber was shattered by a thunderous explosion that echoed like a magical detonation through the serpentine walls. A few seconds later, the unmistakable cry of a rooster pierced the tension, sharp, triumphant, and oddly symbolic.
Then came a sound so bone deep it seemed to reverberate through the stone itself: a shrieking hiss that twisted into a scream, followed by a tremendous crash, as though something enormous had fallen lifeless to the floor. Silence returned like a held breath released.
A few tense minutes passed in uneasy quiet before the soft shuffle of footsteps signaled Professor Flitwick’s approach, his small figure emerging from the shadows to beckon them forward.
“What about the Basilisk’s eyes?” the Hufflepuff inquired.
“Useless now that’s it dead.” Rick replied with a hint of satisfaction in his voice.
When they came back to the chamber, the two students’ eyes nearly popped out of their orbits. The Basilisk was sixty feet long at first glance and was so large he could easily swallow them whole in one bite. Rick was relieved to not feel the disgusting magic anymore.
“So that’s what the king of snakes looks like.” remarked Amelia.
“Queen.” Rick corrected.
“What?”
“It’s female. Male have a tuft of plume on their head.” Turning to Dumbledore who was looking around he couldn’t help but ask the question he had in mind.
“What now, sir?”
“Now? The school is safer.”
“Well, yes but I mean-”
“What about the basilisk, hm?”
“Yes. Will you sell its parts? I’m sure Madam Hooch would appreciate new brooms for her class.”
“Despite how good an idea it is, that would be difficult. Basilisk ingredients may be very rare and pricey, they are very controlled by the Ministry. It’s not impossible but it would be unwise to advertise it.”
“You think the one who opened the Chamber thirty years ago would be displeased at the news?”
“I’m afraid so. That is why I’m counting on you and Miss Bones to keep what happened here and your findings a secret.”
“Of course, Professor.” Amelia replied while Rick nodded in agreement.
“Your discovery will not be unrewarded however. A hundred points for Hufflepuff and Gryffindor for helping in protecting Hogwarts and its students. You will also both receive a Special Award for Services to the School for… What for? What could we say that will not reveal-”
“You don’t have to say what for, actually. Hence why the ‘Special’ in the name of the award. It wouldn’t be the first time.” Minerva interjected.
“Perfect,” he said.
Rick had hoped for a moment to get a bit of money his way but when he thought about the Heir of Slytherin coming after him for finding the Chamber and leading to the death of the basilisk he quickly gave up on it. Looking around he noticed something peculiar.
“For a Chamber of Secrets there is a severe lack of secrets. Perhaps behind the lair of the basilisk?” he said aloud more to himself than anything.
Dumbledore chuckled while Fillius sighed.
“There is indeed a hidden room there. Salazar’s study. Unfortunately everything is empty. Either he left nothing or one of his descendants took everything.” the Headmaster said.
“That leaves how to get out of here.”
Albus smiled knowingly at Rick’s words.
“Fawkes!”
He called out, his voice echoing with quiet command, and a brilliant flash of red and golden flame burst into existence. From the heart of the fire emerged a phoenix, majestic and radiant, its feathers glowing like embers, trailing sparks in its wake. The bird let out a haunting, melodic trill as it circled once before descending gracefully to land on Dumbledore’s extended forearm with the ease of a practiced bond.
Minerva wasted no time. She reached out, grabbing Amelia firmly by the elbow and gesturing for Rick to come closer.
"Hold on," she instructed briskly, her hand already clutching a fold of the Headmaster’s deep purple robe.
Rick obeyed without question, pressing one hand to the fabric while Amelia did the same.
The phoenix let out another resonant cry, and in a sudden, blinding surge of flame, they vanished. The world twisted and folded for a brief, breathless moment. When the fire receded, the familiar high ceilings and warm hues of Hogwarts’ Headmaster’s office greeted them. Rick barely had time to register the transition before the comforting weight of the castle's ancient magic settled around him like a well worn cloak.
“Now, I think we all have enough adventure for one day, despite how short it was. We’ll investigate the other door you found another day.” said Albus.
“Don’t forget, the entrance needs to be closed, sir.” Rick reminded him.
“Ah, yes. It wouldn’t do for it to be left open. Now, go on, it’s quite a nice day outside, why not take a bit of fresh air?”
Rick and Amelia nodded and took their leave, their footsteps echoing faintly as they exited the office, the door closing behind them with a soft click. Albus moved slowly around his desk, the gravity of the day hanging in the folds of his robes as he lowered himself into his high backed chair. With a flick of his fingers, he summoned a house-elf, who popped into the room with a tray of steaming tea before vanishing again in the blink of an eye.
Dumbledore poured himself a cup, the gentle clink of china momentarily breaking the silence. Professors Flitwick and McGonagall settled into the chairs opposite him, their postures heavy with unspoken thoughts, the firelight casting flickering shadows across their tired but thoughtful expressions.
“I still can’t believe, such a vile creature was under Hogwarts all along.”
“I dread what we will find behind that door next time.” said Flitwick.
Dumbledore chose to not comment, his eyes twinkling with quiet satisfaction as he cradled his teacup in both hands. The gentle clink of porcelain and the faint aroma of bergamot filled the room, grounding him in a moment of calm. Despite the chaos of the day, from secret chambers and ancient beasts to incorrigible students, he found solace in this simple ritual, savoring the warmth of the tea and the knowledge that, for now, Hogwarts was just a little bit safer. It was, all things considered, a rather good day.