Daphne was a lot more supportive of my… relations with the Carrow twins than I was expecting. If anything it seemed to relieve her. Which was odd and I didn’t understand.

However, she and Tracey kept a closer eye on me for the following days. I had, quite literally, been taken from right beside them. But on the first Sunday back I decided now was as good of a time as any to head into the Chamber of Secrets…

Actually a good time would be when I knew enough spells to blow up the entirety of the Chamber, but… meh.

Awkwardly I entered the girls bathroom on the second floor in the middle of the night. No way in hell was I going to be seen going there in the middle of the day.

I found the circle of sinks that stood in the center of the bathroom, eventually finding the carved snake on the underside of one of the faucets.

I guess having the way into the Chamber being in the women's bathroom made some sense in this world, as there were no doubt more female parselmouths over the centuries then male, but… really? No where else could suffice? Like a tree in the Forbidden Forest having a little snake design? Or one of the many rock outcroppings? Or you know, the Slytherin Common Room?

“Open,” I hissed at the snake.

A grinding noise rumbled through the previously silent bathroom. I think Moaning Myrtle would have been a decent companion at the moment. This was terrifying.

The sink disappeared to show a slick tunnel straight down. I stared at the dark hole.

“Close.”

I watched the hole close, then sunk down to my haunches.

“This is a really bad idea,” I said to myself.

The silence answered me, which I was actually thankful for as I would have shit myself if someone talked back.

“Think about it Reigis. What else could I do? Go to Dumbledore? He seems pretty jolly. But also wasn’t his whole thing that he wanted the Resurrection Stone to see his sister? What if he wanted the whole set? The cloak should be with James, unless he gave it so someone else because he won’t be having children. Also what if he just says no and sections off the area because of the possible danger?”

I groaned still squating down and rubbed my face.

“Alright, whatever.”

I stood again.

“Open.”

Once again the hole down opened.

“Stairs?”

No stairs showed up.

“Fuck you.”

I jumped down the hole.

It took me a while to make it down, I hadn’t practiced yet so I just used my arms and legs to create more friction. I still landed in a heap on the ground below, a few rat skeletons crunching beneath my buckling legs.

“Lumos,” I said as soon as I got my feet underneath me.

A dank and dirty cave lit up around me, rat skeletons, did the basalisk eat them or did they just fall down the pipe and starve to death? Either way I saw the second doorway, a circle of intertwining metal snakes.

I frowned, looking at the circular entrance, then to the pipe that led up into the girls bathroom.

Well, there had to be another entrance somewhere, one where, you know, people could walk. This one was obviously designed specifically for the snake. The second floor bathroom was in the center of the school, and would be easily accessed should there be a danger in the school and the guardian be needed.

At least thats what my desperate mind was hoping. Because if instead it was there so if needed the snake could go around slaughtering people then I might as well stick my wand in my mouth and say Bombarda.

Stepping up to the next door I told it to open too and now I could see the large room of the Chamber of Secrets.

Oh cool statues, wowzers, a mean looking bald dude.

If this and a snake were all that this chamber held I’d eat my cauldron. Stupid Harry, never once going back down to look? Really? I bet if he showed Cho Chang the dead Basilisk in his fifth year he would have made her forget all about Diggory. Probably would have gotten his dick wet too.

Alright, Reigis, stop being weird.

I visualized the Rooster Summoning Charm in my mind over and over until the words were on the tip of my tongue then I spoke.

“Open.”

The big ass statue head in the middle didn’t open.

“Really? You’re ego is that fucking big? Okay asshat. Speak to me Greatest of Hogwarts Four.”

The mouth began to slowly grind open and I rolled my eyes before closing them tightly and holding my wand out. Then I began to speak.

“I mean you no harm, I am of Slytherin’s line. I mean you no harm, I am of Slytherins line.”

Over and over again I said it.

“I get it I get it! Slytherin’s big terrible monster wont kill you jeez!”

Jeez?

I could feel the slithering of the basilisk through the ground. The rough sound grating through my bones.

“I bit young I see.”

“Thank you almighty queen of snakes-”

“What are you doing?” the feminine but deep voice asked.

“Um, bowing?” I answered, my waist bent over.

“Are you not a Slytherin? Or as your lot are known now, a Gaunt? Show respect, but do not bow to me.”

“Uh, okay,” I said awkwardly

“I can’t speak that odd tongue.”

“Uh, okay.”

“So what did you say?”

“I said Uh, okay.”

“Oh. Well then… moving on, why have you awoken me?”

“Um, can I get your word that you wont kill me? I know what happened to the last Parseltongue that saw you.”

“Oh that brat. Hmm. Well… I don’t want to kill you,” The giant snake that I still hadn’t looked at said conversationally.

“Okay goodbye, where is the closest exit?”

“Off to the right, I can see you took my entranceway.”

“Yeah I didn't know about it, just the one in the bathroom. Thank you.”

“... Sure. Goodbye Heir of Slytherin.”

I suppressed the shudder those words gave me and, well, awkwardly walked off to the right, my arms outstretched and eyes closed.

“Other right.”

Oh. I turned and went to my left, her right. Or at least I hoped I turned correctly.

“Thanks… whats your name by the-”

I hit my face against cool scales and fell down on my ass.

“You know you can open your eyes right?”

“Hmmmmm I don’t know about that. Sorry for bumping into you.”

“Its okay…”

I tried to move again, but my hands caught on her scales again and I ran my hands down them as I tried to walk around her.

“Sigh, okay okay, I promise that I won’t kill you at least without giving you a warning first.”

“Can’t you just say, I’m not gonna kill you?”

“Salazar was very direct in my orders. I will kill any that are of harm to this school, even his own descendants.”

“Well why didn’t you say that?! I’m not planning on hurting anyone.”

“You didn’t ask.”

I wasn’t going to continue arguing with the big snake lady.

I stood there, hands on her scales, and decided that she was very interesting to touch. I ran my hands up and down her sides. The scales were both tough and smooth, and when I ran my hands opposite the grain of the scales it was a close thing to not cut myself.

“Are you… petting me?”

“Uh, I guess? I just thought your scales felt cool.”

“... It feels good. Continue.”

With my eyes still closed I stood there, stroking the scales of the Basilisk.

“What’s your name?” I asked.

“Contrice Oracle Bellatrix Renee Allison.”

“Contrice Ora-... your name is COBRA?”

“Indeed, quite fitting is it not.”

“Imma call you Allie.”

“Hmm. I prefer Bella.”

“Bella is already taken by one of the professors sorry. Also it's kind of funny that you only have one S in your name.”

“... Okay Speaker, what do you want?”

Damn, I was actually starting to enjoy myself.

“You know how you killed that one kid. Tom Marvolo Riddle?”

“Yes. He was quite the little demon boy.”

“Agreed, well, did you happen to take a ring from him?”

“I did, would you like to see it?”

“Yeah.”

“Give me a moment.”

I felt the giant snake slither away, the scales running along my open palm pleasingly. I thought I heard to slither back into the hole it had come from, but I didn’t know exactly where I was at the moment. In only a few seconds Allie reappeared, softly gliding across my outstretched hand. A soft tink echoed out.

“Open your eyes.”

“No.”

But even as I said so I felt like I should.

“You are safe from my gaze.”

“Tom wasn’t,” I said, even as my eyes slowly began to open.

“I intentionally killed that brat. He messed with black magic, and wanted me to kill those that I was meant to- What are you doing?”

My eyes were fully open now, but I didn’t look at the beautiful snake looking at me dubiously from above. Nor did I look at the room, or anything else. Only one thing had my attention.

A ring was on the ground. Rather simple, with a silvery band and large black stone, but it was beautiful. It looked perfect. It would look perfect on me. I should wear it. Put it on. Put it on.

I grabbed the ring, inspecting the familiar insignia of the Deathly Hallows. Good if I put it on then I was one third of the way to becoming Master of Death. I should PUT IT ON.

I slipped the ring on my finger, and a chill ran up my spine as my mind was my own again.

Ah, who do we have here? A descendant of my family I see. Good I’d rather not be in some mudbloods body. Now lets see, Reigis? A nice name, better than Tom. I’ll be taking it along with everything else you have.

Black veins creeped up my arm, and my fingers spasmed like they were trying to play an invisible piano.

A powerful magical force invaded my body, my mind, my magic. Tom Marvolo Riddle was here, and he was trying to take me over.

—

There are 10 advanced chapters on pat reon. Co m / ironowl

 

Thank you for reading!

 

Leave a comment or review or whatever homie <3