Harry Potter and the Obscurus

Chapter 36 The Silver Sword Slays Demons

Having relinquished control of his body to Harry, Moran was visibly exhausted. The move he had just performed to break through the basilisk's dark magic defenses was no less difficult than a record-breaking feat by weightlifters in the Muggle world.

Fortunately, having lost its most powerful weapon, the Basilisk was unlikely to pose any fatal threat to Harry. Already in excruciating pain and still reeling from its blinded rage, the intense heat of the Grub's Flame erupted above its head like a deadly grim reaper.

The pain intensified, making the basilisk feel threatened with death. For the first time in hundreds of years, within this castle, it even considered fleeing.

"Hiss hiss hiss!" (Damn it! You deserve to die!)

The basilisk hissed and turned to plunge into the pool where the giant basilisk stone sculpture stood.

Seeing this, Mo Ran quickly spoke up to remind him:

"Hurry up and catch up with Harry, don't let it get away!"

"Gubraithian!" (Gubraithian Fire)

As Harry chanted the spell again, the Gubrai Fire, which had been hovering in the air, immediately chased after the direction the Basilisk had fled.

The originally emerald green pool turned a deep blue the moment the ancient immortal fire entered. Immediately afterward, small bubbles began to rise from the pool, and within just a few seconds, it showed signs of boiling.

Having stepped down to the "second line," Mo Ran carefully manipulated the black mist. In the time when he was not needed as the main attacker, his job was to keep an eye on everything for Harry.

Soon, the basilisk emerging from the other pool proved the necessity of Moran's caution. Its massive tail swept across the wall, crushing the stone platform where Harry stood. However, just as Harry dodged the basilisk's attack and prepared to retaliate, the cunning serpent had already retreated back into the water.

"No, Harry, this won't work. The pools and pipes in the Chamber of Secrets seem to be interconnected. We can't catch up with it like this!"

"I know, but apart from using the Ancient Flame, it's difficult for any other spells to effectively damage that giant serpent!"

The two, who realized the problem during the battle, almost simultaneously recalled the scene when Professor Dumbledore first demonstrated the Goblinsfire.

Unlike Harry, who had to recite the "Gubraithian" spell each time, he summoned the Gubraithian Flame simply by the flames blazing.

"Could it be that controlling magical flames is also an extremely difficult training program? Headmaster, you've really messed me up!"

Having similar thoughts pop into their minds, Harry and Moran changed their battle strategy again. As Harry's human form was gradually replaced by black mist, he suddenly spun around with a "snap" and disappeared into a tiny, indistinguishable dot. The next second, he, who had been standing on the platform between the giant serpent pillars, appeared on Slytherin's bald head.

Perfect Apparition!

Just like Harry had just broken through his limits and mastered the Wandless Silent Charm, Mo Ran also performed better than usual due to the intense battle.

At that moment, what he and Harry were thinking was to get themselves to the deepest part of the Chamber of Secrets. That way, even if there was no way back, the two of them wouldn't have to worry about dealing with the Basilisk who might attack from any time or place.

The purest sense of purpose made Harry and Moran abandon all distractions, and thus, they mastered the silky smooth and flawless "Elven Special Edition Apparition".

“Lumos Maxima!” (Ultimate fluorescent flash)

Harry, perched atop Slytherin's head, fired a beam of light into the nearest pool of water. He didn't expect the light to illuminate the entire deep green expanse clearly, but he was happy if it could help him detect a fleeting shadow before the basilisk attacked.

"The attack speed of the Gubrai Immortal Fire is too slow! When the basilisk comes over, I will try my best to control it with a binding spell. At that time, you need to aim at the basilisk's injured eye and deliver a fatal blow!"

Harry said to Moran while keeping his eyes glued to the pool.

"it is good!"

Mo Ran replied:

"However, that snake is very cunning; it can even sense my dark magic aura. If I fail in my first strike, you must be extremely careful to avoid its counterattack! After concentrating my Obscurial power, I will be unable to cooperate with you to perform Apparition for a short period of time!"

As they were talking, the basilisk, which had been lurking in the pools on either side of the Chamber of Secrets platform, quietly poked its head out. It crawled all the way back from the stone platform to the giant Slytherin statue, and before Harry could even say "It's here," its enormous snake head shot up several feet high, its gaping maw snapping at the intruder's location!

"Incarcerous!" (Immediately imprison them)

Harry shouted.

Two magical ropes, as thick as bowls, flew to the basilisk's head and tied it securely.

"Duro!" (Shape-shifting tablet)

The second spell Harry cast—the Strengthening Charm—was not aimed at the Basilisk; he was actually targeting the rope he had just created with magic.

Such a brilliant combination of spells immediately caught the basilisk off guard. The binding spell, which it could have easily broken with a few bites, was transformed into iron-hard shackles under the enhancement of the shapeshifting stone.

"Right now!"

As Harry called out to Obscurus, a torrent of black mist erupted from behind him. In the blink of an eye, Obscurus spun and condensed, transforming once more into a slender, pointed spear.

puff!

"Hiss hiss hiss!"

Mo Ran hit the target, but it was slightly off-target.

If this was the first time he had used this deadly move; or if the pillars and statues in the Chamber of Secrets hadn't been enchanted with a Transfiguration Charm, allowing Harry to better control the Basilisk, then perhaps the giant serpent wouldn't have sensed the deadly danger at the crucial moment, nor would it have broken free so quickly.

But... if only... unfortunately, there are no ifs.

"damn it!"

"hateful!"

Seeing the basilisk slither back into the pool, Harry and Moran, drenched in snake blood, cursed simultaneously. But before they could figure out where the basilisk had gone, the Seeker's keen eyesight helped him spot a student dressed in Hogwarts black robes at the farthest entrance to the Chamber of Secrets.

"Finally! I've found you!"

Harry shouted. Then, with Moran's help, his figure transformed into black mist, and with a snap, he traversed the quarter-mile-long secret chamber, arriving beside the "culprit."

Hermione?

Harry exclaimed in surprise, and even Mo Ran in the live stream was completely taken aback by what he was seeing.

“You are the heir of Slytherin… no…”

Harry's mind was completely in turmoil.

"What are you doing here? Don't you know it's dangerous here? And how did you even get in?"

Hermione, wearing a homemade miniature periscope, clutched her still-glowing wand in one hand and Harry's Sorting Hat, which he had left in the dormitory, in the other, and replied:

“When I had you try out the password in the women’s restroom, I memorized the pronunciation of Parseltongue, and then I… ah, I meant you forgot this. You told us before that it was a gift from Dumbledore’s bird, and since you didn’t have it with you, I brought it over for you.”

Harry was torn between being angry and amused, but when he ripped the somewhat comical periscope off Hermione's head and saw that the girl's eyes were brimming with tears, he suddenly realized that Hermione had just spoken those words with a sob in her voice.

"Um... I've already blinded the basilisk, so you don't need to wear it anymore. Also, this hat was probably just a joke between Fox and me; I don't think a hat could... Be careful!"

"what!"

Amid Hermione's scream, Harry and Hermione Apparated once again onto Slytherin's head. The next second after they disappeared, the massive snake tail lashed out at the spot where the two had just stood.

"vomit……"

Feeling as if she had been forced through a very tight rubber tube, Hermione's knees buckled. Just as she was about to collapse to the ground and gag, Harry caught her.

"Hermione, thank you for coming here, but if I may be so bold, you really can't help me in this situation, and you might even be a hindrance."

At this point, Harry pointed to the spot where the two had just been standing in the distance.

"Because my Apparition technique has only just begun to fully integrate, I dare not teleport you too far, otherwise you risk disintegrating. When the basilisk attacks us again, I will take you to the entrance of the secret chamber. You must leave without looking back, understand!"

Hermione gripped Harry's hand tightly, forcing herself to stand up. She didn't directly say "I can help you," but asked with a very firm tone:

"You must have tried the rooster's method, right? That's why the basilisk is deaf and blind now, isn't it?"

Harry really didn't want Hermione to stay in this dangerous place, so he casually replied:

"Hmm, I think it should be able to sense magic."

"No, no, Harry!"

Hermione quickly realized what detail Harry had missed, and she said:

“I learned when I was in Muggle elementary school that the most acute sense of a snake-like creature is its sense of smell. If you want to completely shut down its senses, you have to destroy the jugular organs located on either side of the midline of the palate at the top of its mouth and the base of its tongue inside its mouth. In other words… ouch!”

Something heavy fell on Hermione's head, nearly knocking her unconscious.

It turns out that when Harry Apparated her to escape the Basilisk, the little witch, in her panic, slipped the Sorting Hat onto her head. And in her attempt to help Harry's fearless courage, she not only accidentally brought the Sorting Hat with her, but also summoned the Sword of Gryffindor.

Seeing stars, Hermione grabbed the brim of her hat to see what had hit her, but instead pulled out a long, hard object.

The hilt of the gleaming silver sword is inlaid with a dazzling ruby ​​the size of an egg. Compared to the one in the movie, this Gryffindor sword is larger and more ornate.

Not only Hermione and Harry, but even Mo Ran, who was familiar with the movie plot, didn't expect the silver sword to appear in this way. He had just been regretting not reminding Harry to wear the Sorting Hat.

“Godric Gryffindor! Harry! This is the relic of our house’s founder—the Sword of Gryffindor!”

As Hermione spoke, she handed the sword to Harry.

Harry disliked History of Magic, but as a Gryffindor, he knew something about the Sword of Gryffindor. Combined with the image of Hermione with tears streaming down her face that he'd seen at the Chamber of Secrets entrance, Harry suddenly understood: how much determination and courage must Hermione have mustered to come here alone in the darkness, crying as she walked?

With a sharp "rip," Harry tore his upper garments to shreds. After wiping away most of the sweat and blood with the rag, he once again chanted a spell to himself like a wizard:

"Scourgify"

"I'm sorry, Hermione."

As Harry spoke, he tucked his wand back into his belt and took the sword Hermione offered him.

"I misspoke earlier. Your presence here has been a huge help. Now... leave the rest to me!"