It had started as a joke. Ron had said that the best place to hold their secret defence meetings would be the Chamber of Secrets – “after all the only other person who can get in is You-Know-Who” – but which had been duly shot down by Hermione over the logistics of actually entering it without Umbridge knowing and a significant look at Ginny. However, as they couldn’t find another place, Harry had decided to re-enter the Chamber in order to assess if it was indeed suitable to hold the meetings of around thirty students.
The basilisk skeleton lying decaying before the statue, half in the pool of water in front of it and half resting on the stone floor beside which was the bloodstain from Harry’s arm, was the most obvious detraction from using the Chamber as was the inability to enter without being likely caught. The standing water on either side of the stone walkway was another hazard. Having decided that ‘no, the Chamber wouldn’t do’, his curiosity (and he could hear Hermione’s voice in him mind going ‘your curiosity will get you killed’) got the better of him. It was called the Chamber of Secrets, not Chamber of Secret. Surely there must be more than what he’d seen. Harry, without thinking, hissed the phrase he remembered Tom Riddle speaking to the statue, and climbed up and went into the mouth of Salazar Slytherin.
Once his eyes had adjusted to the darkness, and he remembered he was a wizard and Lumos existed, Harry could make out a large stone chamber with multiple doors off it. He opened each door in turn, finding a bedroom, study, library, and potions lab, before turning back to the entrance to the chamber, intent on leaving. But, his eyes were drawn to an innocent looking chest tucked away in the corner. Being Harry Potter, he opened it.
What Harry didn’t know was that the chest had been put under a Preservation Charm by Salazar Slytherin himself. Inside it contained a chicken egg being incubated by a toad. For those who are unaware, that is how a basilisk is hatched. Now, Harry did not mean to disturb the thousand year old charm nor cause the egg to hatch.
Harry was a Gryffindor and, when faced with a tiny baby basilisk staring up at him and attempting to hiss – but all that it came out as was the snake version of baby babble -, he found that he was not able to kill the little thing. He knew it was a bad decision but Harry, as Hermione would always remind him, was the king of bad decisions. So, he decided to pick the little thing up, put it in his pocket, and then realise that he couldn’t get back up the chute. Thankfully, he had told Ron and Hermione where he was going so they were stationed in Myrtle’s bathroom with a very long rope.
Harry kept the baby basilisk a secret from Ron and Hermione knowing that they wouldn’t approve. He could hear Hermione screaming ‘a basilisk? A BASILISK!!!’ in his head every time Harry looked at the baby. But the baby was so cute and innocent and the baby babble was getting clearer and clearer every day. After three days Harry could not put off naming the little baby and, having worked out from the pitch of the baby hissing what gender his new baby was, holed up in the library after class that day – much to the suspicion of Ron and Hermione – looking through books of names. Considering the baby basilisk had been hatched because of Salazar Slytherin, Harry narrowed it down to Spanish names – because he remembered reading in that summer before first year that Slytherin had come from the Iberian Peninsula. He came across the name Beatris which meant ‘traveller’, and considering the baby basilisk had travelled one-thousand years into the future from when the egg was laid, he felt it was a very good name. Plus it meant ‘blessed’ or ‘happy’ and Harry wanted that.
Little Beatris had spent those first few days in Harry’s trunk but, by four days old, she could be understood and Harry felt awful about keeping her locked up in the dark. So, he decided to pick the little thing up and stick her in one of the usually useless pockets of the robe and carry her around for the entire day – hopefully not being caught. She had started whining about being hungry the night before and Harry had no idea how to get anything which she could eat. But he didn’t want her to starve. He was contemplating this dilemma when he remembered Dobby.
“Great Master Harry Potter bes calling for Dobby.”
“Hi Dobby. How are you doing?”
“Dobby is being very good Master Harry Potter Sir. Dobby is having a lots of work still with Master Harry Potter Sirs Grangy leaving the hats. Does Master Harry Potter Sir bes needing Dobby?”
“Yes Dobby. Would you be able to get me food for a baby snake?”
“Baby snake Master Harry Potter Sir?”
“Yes Dobby. This is Beatris. I found her in the Chamber of Secrets and adopted her. She’s only four days old but I don’t know what to feed her.”
“Dobby bes getting what yous bes needing Master Harry Potter Sir. Master Harry Potter Sir is waiting here with Beatris and Dobby bes getting it.”
With the feeding problem sorted – Dobby had returned with a dead mouse which Beatris had pounced upon with vengeance, screaming food at the top of her little baby lungs – Harry now only had to sort the home issue. While he enjoyed carrying Beatris around, she was growing at quite a rate – she had already grown two inches in the two weeks she had been alive – at he did not know how to hide her that easily. And he would not hide her in his trunk as, the one day he had tried that after carrying her around, as soon as he put the lid down he could hear her crying for her daddy and, being the tender hearted person he was, he could not bare to hear that and so picked her back up. At night, she slept curled up in the opening of his pillowcase where she would not be squashed by him.
The thing is, Harry was the epitome of a Gryffindor and was useless at sneaking about, which was quite ironic considering all the sneaking about he had done over the previous four years. It was painfully obvious to most of Gryffindor House that Harry was hiding something. But Harry was always hiding something so they ignored it. Hermione and Ron could not ignore it. Whenever Harry was hiding something from them, something always went wrong as a result. They cornered him in the empty dorm (Neville, Dean, and Seamus were waiting outside but they had learnt that it was better to claim ignorance whenever there was a Golden Trio meeting going on than know what was happening) and, faced with Ron and Hermione’s upset faces, Harry caved.
He pulled Beatris out of his pocket, grinning at an astonished Ron and Hermione while cooing in Parseltongue at his beautiful, clever little girl.
Ron screamed.
(Neville, Dean, and Seamus decided to go back down to the common room and warn the other Gryffindor boys that the Golden Trio was plotting something so best avoid the dorms for a while.)
Ron kept screaming.
Ron only stopped screaming when Hermione silenced him. Harry was covering his baby’s earless head in order to protect her innocence.
“Isn’t she just the cutest?” Harry beamed at Ron and Hermione.
It was this statement that confirmed in Ron and Hermione’s mind that Harry wasn’t all there – thinking a baby basilisk cute! But faced with Harry’s puppy-dog eyes, they couldn’t disagree with him.
“Beatris, this is your Auntie Hermione and Uncle Ron.” Harry told his little girl who wove herself excitedly around his fingers, trying to reach her new family members but they kept moving backwards, causing her to pout and cry that they didn’t love her.
Harry glared at them.
“What have we done?” Ron asked indignantly.
“Beatris thinks you don’t love her because you kept moving away. And now she’s upset. You made her cry.” Harry, having said his piece, went back to cooing and soothing his basilisk daughter.
Hermione nudged Ron and indicated with her head purposefully towards the basilisk – towards Beatris, they might as well get used to calling the basilisk by the name Harry had called her. Ron nodded purposefully back, he wasn’t going to go first around a basilisk. Hermione sighed and stuck her hand out.
Beatris perked up immediately and near lunged for her Auntie Hermione’s hand, coiling around her wrist and shoving her head between Auntie Hermione’s fingers.
“Pets, pets, pets.” She kept chanting until her Daddy said something in that funny language he used and Auntie Hermione petted her, catching the itchy spot just right.
Uncle Ron yelped and she looked to see Auntie Hermione stamping on him but she forgave Auntie Hermione for hurting Uncle Ron because Uncle Ron started petting her. He was missing the itchy spot on her stomach so she wriggled until he got it and let out a happy hiss. Daddy gave her the best family. But she was now hungry. Daddy was the very best Daddy because he got the squeaky thing to bring her a mouse.
“That’s disgusting.” Ron grimaced as Harry got Dobby, who seemed resigned to bringing mice to his ‘Great Master Harry Potter Sir’, to dangle a dead mouse in front of the basil- Beatris’ head.
“It’s less sickening than watching you eat.” Harry said.
“Oi!”
“Harry’s right Ron. A baby basilisk eating a mouse has better table manners than you. You can’t keep her.”
Harry glared at her and resisted the urge to grab Beatris back, knowing he’d just cause her to throw up (he’d made that mistake before). Beatris was his baby, and Hermione could separate them from hi cold, dead hands.
“She’s a basilisk Harry, the deadliest snake breed there is. You remember second year.”
Harry crossed his arms and looked at her mulishly. As soon as Beatris finished eating and had un-dislocated her jaw, he grabbed her, rubbing her back to stop the hiccups she had gotten from eating her food too quickly. Honestly, the amount of times he had warned her and yet she was not listening to him.
“Of course I remember second year. It’s the reason I found Beatris. Anyway, I’ve been doing research.” Harry protested before being interrupted by Ron asking if he was ill or turning into Hermione, “Beatris won’t be able to kill anyone until she’s five. Her gaze from now till two only petrifies for a few hours. Anyway, basilisks have a second eyelid that keeps the gaze safe. Plus, they bond with one bloodline who are the only ones who can tell them to open the second eyelid. So she’s perfectly safe unless I say so.”
Hermione hated it when Harry was sensible and used logic as she couldn’t refute it. Combined with Harry’s puppy-dog eyes and, now she had properly swallowed the mouse, Beatris’ admittedly very cute unblinking expression. Hermione gave in.
“Fine.” She threw her hands in the air in exasperation, “You can keep her but I will not be responsible for what happens. And you’d better keep her out of sight of the teachers.”
“Contrary to popular opinion Hermione, I’m not an idiot. It’s what I’ve been trying to do for the last few weeks. She’s getting too big and curious to stay in my pocket and I can’t leave her in my trunk, she just cries when I do.”
“Wait, when did we decide to let Harry keep her?”
“Oh keep up Ron. Give me a few days and I’ll have a solution.”
With that, Hermione marched out of the dorm, pulling Ron with her. Harry let Beatris recoil herself around his arm and followed his friends downstairs.
Five days later, Hermione pulled the boys into the dorm causing Neville to jump up and run out, warning Dean and Seamus to avoid the dorm once again. It did feel like they were never allowed to be in there.
She thrust out a small, square box. Harry and Ron stared at it in confusion.
“Oh for Merlin’s sake. I took inspiration from Newt Scamander who has a self-made wizardspace suitcase. It was quite a fun challenge but I’ve done it. I’m not particularly happy with how it ended up, it’s quite rustic, but it’ll work for a while.”
Harry and Ron continued to stare in confusion. Hermione rolled her eyes in frustration.
“The box is far bigger on the inside than it looks. And inside is a temperature-controlled, light-regulated environment. From what I read, basilisks preferred warm, dark habitats without much greenery, normally living in caves or other such places.”
Harry opened the lid and peered inside. There was light emanating from somewhere, illuminating a landscape of rocks and water pools with a few patches of grasses. Harry pushed Beatris towards the box – where there was a handy rope for her to coil up and down. With an excited squeal, Beatris leapt for her new home.
“You can leave the lid off so she can get in and out when she wants and it’ll sit perfectly in the bottom of your robe pocket.”
“Thanks Hermione.” Harry launched himself at her to hug her tightly.
“You’re welcome Harry.”
Beatris happily settled in her box, which she tried to hug Auntie Hermione for but got a little over-excited and cut blood supply to her hand off and was then banned by Daddy from hugging anyone until she’d learnt to control her strength. Which just wasn’t fair. It wasn’t her fault she wanted to hug her family.
With Beatris in her box, the Golden Trio managed to keep her hidden from anyone else for a month. Beatris was lounging on Harry’s bed while he was brushing his teeth when Neville, Dean, and Seamus walked in discussing Snape’s recent evil essay. Seeing a snake on Harry’s bed they screamed (the rest of the house ignored the screaming from the fifth year boys dormitory for their own sanity). Harry came running out, toothbrush still in his mouth and protectively scooped Beatris up. Ron casually strolled out of the bathroom.
“I see you’ve met Beatris. Don’t bother trying to talk Harry out of keeping her. Trust me, if me and Hermione failed, you have no hope. You even get used to him hissing although I’m still not used to the mice.”
“Right.” Seamus drawled, not looking convinced but then he shrugged along with the other two.
The first lesson they’d learnt about rooming with Harry Potter was to ignore the unusual. Soon enough it’ll become normal. This was just another example of that. So, they collectively decided to ignore it and they’ll have a therapy session together later on to process it.
The good thing about having Beatris, who now had the run of the dorm, around was that mice and rats quickly learnt to avoid the dorm. She also greatly enjoyed curling around the barrier of the stove. When, on an icy December day just before the winter holidays, Neville had left a pair of (clean) socks pegged on the barrier, Beatris found her new favourite place to sleep, abandoning Harry’s pillow for the nice warm sock. Neville was not impressed when he went to pick his sock and found an annoyed Beatris whom he’d disturbed from her nap. Harry had tried to sacrifice one of his socks but Beatris insisted on staying in Neville’s as it was far softer than Harry’s was. Harry bought Neville a new pair of socks as an apology.
The twins were the next to find out about Beatris. They had snuck into the dorm to prank Ron’s bed a week after the winter holidays to celebrate their father’s complete recovery from Nagini’s bite. Unfortunately, Beatris was napping with her head hanging out of Neville’s ex-sock (she had grown again (a magical breed, basilisks didn’t slowly but continuously grow like normal snakes, but went through growth spurts like humans) and couldn’t fully fit into her claimed sock anymore) and got a little disgruntled at being disturbed from her beauty sleep – she had just had a nice, juicy, fat mouse and was slowly digesting it which was why she was in the dorm rather than the box with her Daddy.
Beatris really didn’t mean to scare her Daddy’s friends but they shouldn’t scare her. She really didn’t mean to scare them, honest. But humans were so twitchy. She sighed and manoeuvred her way down to the floor – which was freezing – and towards Daddy’s friends who turned and ran away. She followed them, moaning about being woken up and now freezing.
“HARRY!!!!”
Harry looked up from his homework. It was a rare night where he didn’t have a detention from Umbitch or a DA meeting, so he was catching up on his homework, much to Hermione’s delight.
“What?”
“Snake.”
“There’s a snake.”
“In your dorm.”
“It tried to bite us.”
“I think its following us.”
Harry sighed, Ron laughed, and Hermione shook her head. Ron held his hand out to Seamus who passed him three knuts, complaining that Ron had had an unfair advantage by being the twins’ brother.
Beatris was making her way down the stairs very carefully. They were terrifying for her who was used to being carried down them. But she had to get to Daddy to complain about his friends.
“SNAKE!!!!!!”
Wands were pointed in her direction and Harry lunged across the room, wand flying and reminding people why he was so good at Defence.
As soon as Beatris saw her Daddy she started complaining and demanding scratches and hugs as compensation for being woken up and having to move while digesting food. Daddy laughed which wasn’t nice of him and Beatris decided that, if Daddy wasn’t being kind to her she’d go to Auntie Hermione who was always willing to give her a good scratch. See if she talked to Daddy for the rest of the day if he was going to be like that.
“Right, so.” Harry scratched the back of his neck, trying to work out how to phrase it. “This is Beatris. She’s my baby. Technically, she might be a basilisk-“ he was interrupted by screams and wands drawn, “but she’s completely harmless. Well, mostly harmless. She can only petrify for a few hours at the moment and that’s only if she doesn’t use her second eyelid which she always has across.”
It wasn’t helping the chaos. Even for a Gryffindor used to Harry Potter’s weird life, this was a new high (or was it low?). Hermione sighed and tried to pass Beatris back to Harry but she gripped on tighter and hissed to which Harry’s face fell.
“Apparently she’s not talking to me because I laughed at her so she’s decided you’re the only nice family member she has. She ain’t going to let go for a while.”
Hermione sighed again (since when was that her main expression?) and gently wrapped Beatris tighter around her forearm. Then she summoned a piece of parchment and duplicated it many times until everyone in the common room – it being near 9 at night and, with Umbridge’s draconian laws, pretty much the entire house was squashed into the common room – had a copy.
“I have compiled a fact sheet on basilisks. Read it then complain to me if you have any. Until then, don’t try to complain about Beatris.”
Silence fell over the common room as, under the threat of Hermione’s glare and creative wand skills, the Gryffindors read over Hermione’s info-sheet (she had prepared it after the dorm had found out about Beatris knowing that, sooner or later, more people would find out about her and they wouldn’t be quelled as easily as Neville, Dean, and Seamus).
“Any questions?” She asked once the majority of the house had put the sheet down.
They all shook their head mutely. As per usual, Hermione’s information had been very thorough and very detailed and answered any possible question they had. In addition, they collectively chalked it up to the Harry Potter effect.
“Good.” Hermione nodded and turned back to her homework as if it were just another night in the Gryffindor common room. To be fair to her, it was pretty much just another night in the Gryffindor common room.
With the secret of Beatris out in Gryffindor, she was able to lounge around in front of the fire in the common room and soon wound her way into the hearts of the Gryffindors. Even those who hated snakes couldn’t disagree that Beatris had somehow managed to work out how to do an innocent, puppy-dog eyes, face. It was actually quite scary when people thought about it.
So they didn’t think about it. As with everything regarding Harry Potter, it was safer.
They collectively agreed to keep Beatris a secret, especially with Umbitch’s regime. It turns out that Beatris was a good bonding device for the Gryffindors who had never banded together so well. Even those who still didn’t believe Harry about Voldemort’s return rallied around Beatris. The teachers found it a little strange that the Gryffindors were suddenly rallying round each other but they put it down to Umbridge and decided that at least she was causing something good. If only they knew…
After Gryffindor, it was the DA that found out about Beatris. Umbridge had cracked down on ‘unauthorised pets’ and, instead of practicing, the DA were indulging in a ‘complain against Umbitch’ session, complete with hot drinks and snacks which Dobby had obligingly provided. A Ravenclaw was very upset that Umbitch had taken her guinea pig away from her.
“Shouldn’t you take Beatris out to Hagrid to keep her safe? If Umbitch finds her she’ll kill you.” Little second-year Dennis Creevey asked.
“Who’s Beatris? I thought you only had Hedwig.” Susan Bones asked.
“Oops.” Dennis said as the entire Gryffindor contingent turned to glare at him. His brother whacked him and Ginny threatened to hex him with her bat-bogey speciality.
Harry sighed and walked over to the coat corner, pulling Beatris’ box out of his pocket and opening it, coaxing Beatris out who honestly didn’t need much coaxing. She had been wanting Daddy hugs but he’d told her she was busy.
“This is Beatris.”
Cue the screaming, cue Hermione’s handing out the info leaflet, cue the DA filing it away under ‘Harry Potter: Do Not Question’. They were learning it seemed. The Ravenclaws joined Hermione in her study of basilisk behaviour – after all, there had been no confirmed sightings of basilisks for centuries and those there had been were always rather secretive. They couldn’t resist the chance to observe such a rare creature and gain knowledge while they were at it. The Hufflepuffs, once they got over their terror of a basilisk – well, of a snake in general (particularly Justin Finch-Fletchley who still remembered Harry and the cobra from second year) – supplied Beatris with warm, soft bedding and an obstacle course for her entertainment. The Gryffindors, not to be outdone, spoilt Beatris with scratches, hugs, and sources of warmth. It became mandatory that, at the start of a meeting, Harry would put Beatris in a warded corner of the Room of Requirement with that week’s offering to Beatris.
Once the DA had been discovered, the members still discreetly passed items to the Gryffindors for Beatris and the Gryffindors passed their discoveries about Beatris’ character to the Ravenclaws. When Umbitch would catch these black market exchanges, she was suspicious of why Hufflepuffs were passing cashmere bags lined with the softest wool to Gryffindors and became convinced they had a secret meaning. It drove her to distraction – an added benefit in the eyes of the student body.
The final showdown came the last week in April, two weeks after the twins had left. Umbitch had gotten so annoyed with the students ignoring her dictates, and the teachers aiding and abetting them, that she had called the entire body together for a spot check. One by one, each student’s pockets were summoned until empty. Any contraband found was dealt with most severely until most of the student body, including over half the Slytherins had earnt bloody detentions. It soon became apparent that Umbitch had saved the Golden Trio until last. With a demented, sadistic grin on her face, Umbitch turned to point her wand at Ron.
Ron’s pockets emptied. There was nothing incriminating in them, just a mess of sweets and spare parchment. Umbitch still gave him five detentions for having rubbish in his possession.
Hermione’s pockets emptied. She had a couple of hairbands and neatly folded parchment with random ideas on. She got five detentions for having muggle items and working outside lessons.
Next, Umbitch descended on Harry. The entire hall was staring at him, holding their breath. Even Snape was secretly rooting for Harry to overcome the pink toad.
Harry’s pockets emptied. The only thing he had in there was Beatris’ box. Umbitch stared at it. Harry stared at Umbitch. The hall stared at both.
“Well, Mr Potter, that is a detention for having a box, and another detention for not being prepared.”
Harry stared at her, not answering. The hall held its breath. Since when did Harry Potter not respond to Umbitch’s unfairness.
“And what is this box?”
Harry continued staring, daring Umbitch to act.
She bent down and picked the box up, lifting the lid and screamed. She fainted. The hall stayed silent, not knowing what had happened.
“Did Beatris…?” Hermione broke the silence.
Harry let out a massive snort, bending down to carefully pick the box up.
“No. Umbitch couldn’t take even seeing Beatris.”
Hermione put her hand into a pocket and pulled out a dead rat.
“Good girl Beatris.” She said, waving the rat over the box.
The hall stared at her. Those who knew withheld their sniggers. Those that didn’t know stared at them as well. Everyone wondered how Hermione had hidden a rat from Umbitch’s summoning.
Beatris lunged out, happily grabbing the offered rat. She wrapped herself around Harry’s arm.
“Mr Potter. What is that?” McGonagall broke the silence.
“A snake professor.” Ron answered for Harry who was too distracted praising Beatris to reply to McGonagall.
“I can see that it’s a snake Weasley. What I want to know is why Mr Potter has it.”
“Her, Professor. Her name is Beatris and she’s my niece. Harry accidentally hatched her before Christmas.” Hermione now answered for Harry.
“Of course he did.” McGonagall pinched the bridge of her nose in exasperation. Every year she was around a Potter she vowed to retire. Merlin forbid the current Potter procreated. Hogwarts would never survive.
“I believe the pertinent question, Minerva, is why nearly half the school doesn’t look surprised.” Snape said, eyes flicking over the students before landing back on Harry who was continuing to hiss at Beatris. It was terrifying hearing Parseltongue come from Potter’s mouth after having heard the Dark Lord speak at his snake.
“Because Harry really can’t keep a secret.” A Gryffindor said.
“Neither can Dennis.” A Ravenclaw DA member added, causing a rumble of laughter and Dennis’ ears going bright red.
“I don’t know why I even bother. He’s a Potter. Of course he attracts trouble.” McGonagall muttered. Sprout patted her consolingly on the back.
“He has the ‘may you live in interesting times’ curse on him still.” Hermione helpfully supplied. Harry turned to her in shock. Hermione shrugged. “I got curious in fourth year when everything seemed to always happen to you so I did some digging. Seems that one of your ancestors annoyed a Chinese wizard centuries ago so he cursed your family with that. It only appears every seventh generation.”
“Oh goodie, it’ll never stop.” Harry said dryly.
“Back to the snake in question. Why, exactly, Miss Granger, does Mr Potter have a snake and why has half the school kept the existence of such hidden?” Snape asked.
“Harry has a snake because he accidentally hatched Salazar Slytherin’s basilisk egg back in November. Unfortunately, Harry seems to have taught Beatris his puppy-dog eyes and they work. Ron and I found out first, then the rest of the fifth-year boys. Then the twins tried to prank Ron and ran across Beatris which caused the rest of Gryffindor to find out. Then Dennis accidentally let slip to the DA. I think that’s everyone.” Hermione reeled off, checking with Ron who nodded.
“And why did nobody come forward with the information that we have a dangerous basilisk on the loose?”
Hermione sighed. Then she summoned the information pamphlet and the collated research of her and the Ravenclaws which she duplicated and handed to the teachers.
“What is this Miss Granger?” McGonagall looked down at the sheaf of papers in her hand.
“Oh, this is wonderful.” Flitwick exclaimed, reading rapidly through his copy and showing why he was a Ravenclaw, “Simply wonderful. It is all your own work Miss Granger?”
“No professor. The Ravenclaw DA’s helped.”
“Wonderful. I think five points to each.”
“Filius!” McGonagall exclaimed, “We should not be encouraging this.”
“Read it Minerva. According to this, the basilisk truly is not dangerous to those who Mr Potter does not want her to be and she is not lethal at the moment.”
Snape read through the information and looked up at Hermione when he reached a certain point.
“Do we wish to know how you came to find out the timings of petrification?”
“Erm… Probably not sir.” Hermione blushed.
(They had measured the timings of petrification over the last few months by having Beatris petrify volunteers. Not something to be admitted to establishment.)
A groan from the floor brought the school’s attention back to Umbitch who was starting to come round.
“Permission to knock her out for a couple of hours Professor?” Harry asked McGonagall.
She looked torn between seeing the pink toad unconscious and using an illegal basilisk belonging to one of her students to do so.
Umbitch sat up, pointed a finger straight at Harry, and threatened to see him in Azkaban for life or to have him Kissed. Then she would see everyone in the room in Azkaban for aiding and abetting a terrorist.
“Permission granted Potter.”
Harry grinned and hissed at Beatris. Hermione motioned everyone away from Beatris’ eyeline to avoid any unplanned petrifications (they’d learnt that the hard way when they’d accidentally petrified half the common room one time).
Umbitch froze instantly, her mouth still open in diatribe.
“What are we going to do now?” Sprout asked McGonagall.
“Severus, if you would call the Ministry and inform them that Madam Umbridge was the recipient of Hogwarts justice after threatening to kill a student. Pomona, Filius, if you could lead your houses to their common rooms. Aurora, see the Slytherins there. Wilhelmina, the Gryffindors please.” McGonagall pulled herself together and started to issue the orders. “Potter, Granger, Weasley, stay behind.”
Hogwarts dispersed, those in the know waving cheerfully at Harry as they went, all chattering about how cool Beatris was to get rid of Umbitch.
“Yes Professor.” Harry said, still stroking Beatris who was shifting around to get comfortable after her prize.
“I think we can all agree that your basilisk is a school secret. Pending Albus’ permission, you may keep her with you but if there are any incidents then she will be dealt with.”
“Of course professor.” Harry smiled at her beatifically, leaving her to wonder exactly what he was planning next.
“Off with you. Do make sure you stay out of trouble on the way to your common room.”
“Trouble professor?”
Minerva was determined, she would see this Potter out but she would never teach another. Most of her white hairs were from Potter or his father, mostly this one. A basilisk?! What would he do next.
(What he would do next was mobilise the best members of the DA who were fourth year and up (he wanted it to be fifth year and up but Ginny hexed him so it was fourth year and up). Then, he wrote a nice note to Voldemort. The note worked and Voldemort brought all his Death Eaters to the Riddle Manor, supposedly to meet Harry in single combat. What actually happened was the DA en masse sent stunners into the apparating crowd. Those who avoided the stunners were petrified by Beatris. Those who didn’t avoid the stunners were bound, woken up, and petrified by Beatris. Voldemort was trussed up so tightly he resembled a mummy then Hermione and the Ravenclaws did a rather illegal ritual that they had found when asking the Room of Requirements for information. The ritual essentially removed Voldemort’s magic and bound it into a sphere. Voldemort, having a body that relied on magic to keep it constructed, exploded into a thousand stone pieces (luckily Luna had a quick draw on shielding charms). Next, they summoned the Aurors to the scene (having vacated it first) with Susan Bones using her knowledge of auror procedures to do so. While the Aurors were congregating on the scene, and then summoning half the Ministry in terror, the DA slipped into the Department of Mysteries (one of the Ravenclaw’s fathers worked there) to the Veil of Death and chucked Voldemort’s magic through it. Goodbye Voldemort. Of course, it didn’t stop the arrested Death Eaters from, mostly getting out, but they found the DA and Gryffindors who graduated in the next four years were more than capable of holding their own, especially when they set Beatris on them. It turned into a past-time. Beatris loved it.)