Hunting The Basilisk

The group stood in the girls' bathroom. Dante turned to them, his silver eyes narrowing as he asked, "Why are you following me?"

Draco was the first to answer. "I want to see the basilisk. It's not every day you get to see a legendary creature."

Luna, standing beside Draco, smiled dreamily. "I'm curious too. Who knows? Maybe I'll discover an undiscovered magical beast."

Dante's gaze shifted to the Gryffindor trio. Harry and Hermione exchanged uneasy glances, while Ron shuffled his feet nervously. Finally, Hermione spoke up. "I'm curious to see the Chamber of Secrets. It's a piece of Hogwarts history."

Harry nodded, his voice steady despite his apprehension. "I've heard the creature's voice. It talks about killing. I want to see what kind of creature it is."

Ron, after a moment of silence, shrugged. "I don't want to miss the fun."

Before Ron could say more, Dante raised his wand and fired a stun spell, knocking Ron unconscious. Hermione and Harry gasped, their eyes wide with shock as Ron crumpled to the floor.

Dante's voice was cold and unyielding. "I only indulge those who seek knowledge and fulfill their curiosity. The rest are liabilities."

Hermione and Harry stared at Ron's unconscious form, their faces pale. Dante ignored their unease and continued. "The basilisk kills with its gaze. You can't go down there unprepared."

He pointed his wand at Draco's face, and with a flick, Draco's eyes transformed. The pupils expanded, covering the whites of his eyes completely. Draco blinked, looking dazed. "Why does everything look so… strange?"

Dante explained, his tone matter-of-fact. "I transfigured your eyes to resemble a rooster's. It will protect you from the basilisk's gaze. I'll change them back once we're done."

Luna stepped forward eagerly. "Me next!"

Dante obliged, transforming her eyes as well. Luna looked around, her expression one of wonder. "This is new. Fun, even."

Harry and Hermione exchanged nervous glances before stepping forward. Dante transfigured their eyes without a word. Harry and Hermione blinked, their vision now filled with strange colors.

Draco looked at Dante, his brow furrowed. "Why didn't you transfigure your eyes?"

Dante's lips curved into a faint smile. "The basilisk's gaze isn't strong enough to harm me. There's no need."

He turned to Harry. "You've heard the basilisk's voice. That means you're a Parselmouth. Imagine you're standing before a snake and say 'open.'"

Harry frowned, confused. "A Parselmouth?"

"Someone who can speak to snakes," Dante explained impatiently. "Just do it."

Harry closed his eyes, imagining a snake before him. He hissed, the sound foreign and unsettling to the others. The floor of the bathroom shifted, revealing a dark, gaping hole.

Dante peered into the abyss, his expression one of mild amusement. "As expected. Salazar always had a flair for theatrics."

Without hesitation, Dante jumped into the hole. The others gasped, their hearts pounding. Moments later, his voice echoed from below. "It's safe, but somewhat filthy. Jump in order."

Draco was the first to follow, his trust in his brother overriding his fear. Luna went next, her curiosity reaching the peak. Harry and Hermione hesitated but eventually jumped, Dante using magic to soften their landing.

At the bottom, the group found themselves surrounded by bones. Hermione shuddered, while Harry looked around nervously. Dante, unfazed, began walking. "Keep moving."

They followed him through the low-ceilinged cave, their footsteps echoing in the silence. Along the way, they found shreds of basilisk skin. Dante's eyes gleamed as he approached it. "This is excellent. It means the basilisk is over twenty meters long."

With a wave of his wand, the shredded skin vanished into a small pouch he pulled from his robe.

Draco stared at him. "Why did you take that?"

Dante didn't look back as he replied, "I need the material for my work. Father has been searching for basilisk skin for months without success. I came here to skin the basilisk."

The others exchanged uneasy glances. The monster that had terrified the school was nothing more than a resource to Dante.

Eventually, they reached a massive metal door adorned with serpentine carvings. Dante gestured to Harry. "Open it."

Harry hissed again, and the door creaked open, revealing a grand hall lined with snake statues. At the far end was a giant stone face, its mouth gaping wide.

Dante walked forward, his voice echoing in the chamber. "Salazar was unhinged and had a flair for theatrics that only Godric could match."

The others followed cautiously, their eyes darting around the eerie space. Dante stopped before the giant face and, without warning, blasted it with a powerful spell. The statue crumbled, revealing a deep hole. From within, the basilisk emerged, its massive body coiling as it hissed menacingly.

The four students stepped back, their fear palpable. Dante, however, smiled. "Around thirty meters. Better than I expected."

The basilisk lunged at Dante, its jaws wide. With a flick of his wand, Dante sent a stone statue flying into the basilisk's head, knocking it aside. The creature hissed in pain, its massive body thrashing.

Dante transfigured the tiles and broken stones into chains, binding the basilisk in place. It struggled, but the chains held firm.

"The basilisk skin is a natural armor against magic just like dragon scales, you can overpower it but it will damage the skin severely, we don't want to damage the skin," Dante said calmly, walking closer. He waved his wand, and a stone transformed into a giant sword. With a swift motion, the sword pierced the basilisk's head, ending its life.

Dante released the chains and stored the basilisk's body in his pouch. Turning to the others, he said simply, "We're done here."

Draco commented, his tone tinged with disappointment. "That was… anticlimactic. The basilisk didn't even put up a fight."

Dante shook his head at the comment. He walked over to Draco and pointed his wand at his brother's face. With a flick, Draco's eyes returned to normal. Dante repeated the process for Luna, Harry, and Hermione, who blinked and looked around, their vision restored.

Luna's expression was somber as she gazed at the spot where the basilisk had fallen. "It's so pitiful," she said softly. "It lived for a thousand years, alone in the dark, only to be killed in the end."

Dante glanced at her, his tone calm but matter-of-fact. "If it was lonely, then its death was a release from its torment. And its death won't be in vain. Its skin will be used to push magic forward."

Luna nodded, though her eyes still held a hint of sadness. Dante turned his attention to the rest of the group. Draco's face was a mix of pride and awe, clearly impressed by his brother's prowess. Luna remained thoughtful and sad, while Harry and Hermione looked at Dante with a mix of shock and nervousness. Hermione, in particular, seemed shaken. She had read about basilisks and knew how dangerous they were, especially one as ancient and massive as this. Yet Dante had dealt with it as if it were nothing.

Dante ignored their reactions and turned to the empty air. "I require Hogwarts' assistance," he said. A house-elf appeared with a soft pop, its large eyes wide with curiosity.

"Master calls?" the elf squeaked.

Dante ordered. "Take us back to the first-floor girls' bathroom."

The elf bowed and snapped its fingers. In an instant, the group found themselves back in the bathroom. Dante glanced at Harry and Hermione. "Wake the redheaded idiot before you leave," he said, his tone dismissive.

Draco followed Dante out of the bathroom, his chest puffed with pride. Luna lingered for a moment, turning to Harry. "Let Ron know I said goodbye," she said with a small smile before hurrying after the Malfoy brothers.

As Dante, Draco, and Luna made their way to the courtyard, they were met by a crowd of professors and students. Snape, Dumbledore, Flitwick, and McGonagall stood at the front, their expressions a mix of concern and curiosity. The students whispered among themselves, their eyes darting nervously between Dante and the professors.

Snape stepped forward, his black eyes narrowing. "Where have you been, Dante?" he demanded.

Dante met his gaze calmly. "I told you. I was going to kill the monster, and I did."

Murmurs rippled through the crowd. Snape raised an eyebrow. "That was rather quick. It hasn't even been an hour."

Dante's lips curved into a faint smile. He turned to the students nearby. "Step back," he ordered. The students obeyed without hesitation, creating a wide circle around him. Dante pulled out the pouch and, with a wave of his wand, summoned the lifeless body of the basilisk. The massive creature lay on the ground, its scales glinting in the sunlight.

Gasps and screams erupted from the students as they backed away in fear. Even the professors were visibly shocked. McGonagall clutched her chest, murmuring, "My god."

Dante stored the basilisk back in the pouch and addressed the crowd. "This was the monster responsible for the petrifications. It was a basilisk. The danger has been neutralized."

Dumbledore stepped forward, his blue eyes twinkling with a mix of worry and curiosity. "Well done, Mr. Malfoy. You've done the school a great service."

Dante nodded. "Now, you'll need to find the person who awakened or controlled it—assuming the message near the first attack is true." He paused, then added, "I finally have the basilisk skin I needed. I have work to do."

With that, Dante turned and walked away. Draco chuckled lightly, clearly enjoying the attention, while Luna remained deep in thought.

With Dante left, Dumbledore addressed the students, his voice calm and reassuring. "The danger of the monster has been removed. There is no need for fear anymore. 60 points to Slytherin for the courage and skill displayed by Dante."

As the professors dispersed, the students swarmed Draco and Luna, eager to hear what had happened. Draco was more than happy to share the tale of his brother's exploits, his voice filled with pride.