"One second, Daphne." Harry pulled over his pack before popping the top and grabbing the rune case Shiva had gotten him last Christmas. "Neville, Daphne, here. Sorry, Shiva I only have two extras," he said with a shrug. "These are Concussors, Reductors, and Blastors. They work basically just like the spells they're named after but you just have to channel a bit of magic into it to activate it instead of going through a wand motion. The rune pattern directs the spell so make sure it's facing away from you and your fingers aren't covering it. That hurts. A lot."
Daphne frowned at him. "I can fire a reducto with my wand, Potter."
"Yeah, I can too but this is faster and you can use it in your off-hand while using a wand in your main hand if you want. As long as you don't use it continuously for five minutes or so it shouldn't disintegrate or crumble on you."
"Should we wait for the reinforcements?" Neville asked.
Both Shiva and Daphne shook their heads. "If Davis is down there already every second we wait could be worse for her. There's nothing I can say to make any of you stay up here?" Lockhart raised his hand before she snorted at him and he closed his mouth. The rest just shook their heads. Shiva sighed but nodded. "Very well. Lockhart, you first. I'll follow. Then Harry, Neville and Daphne you bring up the rear."
"I really don't think this is a good – " Lockhart said before Shiva flicked her wand and he soared into the tunnel shrieking like a teenage girl.
"You know I'm starting to think maybe he really isn't the controller," Shiva said with a sigh. "Be careful everyone. If he isn't, Merlin knows just who is actually down there controlling the bloody snake. Keep on your toes, keep your mirrors out, and be ready to shut your eyes if you see scales." She stepped up to the edge and muttered, "Merlin help me and Goddess watch over these kids and their idiot of a Professor." She stepped over the side and slid into the tunnel.
Harry quickly jumped in after her. He heard Neville and Daphne follow him down and then there was a grinding noise reverberating down the tunnel along with what little light filtered through disappearing. Harry flew out the end of the tunnel skidding along on the dirt and mud before stopping near a small pile of bones against the wall. The lower section was lit up by Shiva's wand and he rolled out of the way as Neville and Daphne flew out on his heels.
"Tunnel closed as I jumped in," Daphne said getting to her feet and brushing her robes off. "Looks like the reinforcements aren't going to make it." Shiva swore and Neville turned a bit green before squaring his shoulders.
Harry just shrugged. "Well, I fought Voldemort alone last year. I'm already doing better so far."
XXX
"That," Neville said his eyes wide, "is a very large piece of skin." He was pointing at a discarded molt which had presumably been left by the basilisk. It looked to be about 30-40 feet long.
Harry shrugged. "This thing was Salazar Slytherin's pet. It's over a thousand years old. Of course it's going to be big, Nev."
Daphne stared at Harry and shook her head. "How the bloody hell are you so calm about this?"
"Well, when you've fought a man with a face poking out of the back of his skull a big snake isn't quite as bad." Harry paused and sighed. "Also, I'm not calm – I'm terrified. I've just had a lot of practice with hiding some of my emotions." His eyes narrowed and a small storm of fury played over his features. "And this thing hurt Hermione. I'm going to kill it."
"Right...Remind me not to piss you off," Daphne muttered edging away from him slightly.
The small group walked a little further down the tunnel before Harry stopped and turned to Shiva. "Shiva? Can you transfigure a rooster? It would make this a lot less dangerous…"
Shiva rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Seriously? I can't transfigure glasses why would you think I can transfigure a rooster?"
"You could at least try," Daphne snarked. "You are a teacher."
"A Runes teacher," Shiva muttered. "Fine, it can't hurt to attempt it I suppose. You know even if I get manage to get a rooster it's not very likely to do much of anything beyond scare the thing? Transfigured animals aren't actual animals. A transfigured rooster won't have whatever properties allow real roosters to hurt the basilisk."
"It's a thousand year old snake," Harry replied dryly. "Any advantage is a good advantage."
Shiva crouched down aimed at a large rock in the tunnel about the size of a chicken and started muttering enchantments and flicked her wand at it. After a few seconds the rock, with a bit of a pop turned into a craggy rooster-like shape that gave a croak before flopping over onto the ground and not moving.
"I told you I suck at transfiguration," Shiva grumbled.
.
.
.
🎉The novel is available in PDF with more than 400 chapters, visit us in our Ko-Fi store🎉
🎉ko-fi.com/gokublack444🎉