"Tilly, go to Professors McGonagall, Flitwick, Snape and Dumbledore. Tell them I believe the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets is inside Moaning Myrtle's bathroom and I am en route with the assumed perpetrator – "
"What?!" Lockhart squawked.
Shiva ignored him and kept going. "Tell them I believe the instrument of attack to be a basilisk and require immediate assistance. Got that?"
"Yes, Mistress Shedy," Tilly said bobbing her head. "Tilly will be telling the Professors immediately." She popped out of the room with a snap. Shiva nodded and turned to the others gesturing towards the door out.
Lockhart tried protesting again but found himself tossed out the door by a flip of a wand. The three others followed along behind him as the stumbling staff members started walking towards the ghost's bathroom and the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets.
As they got to the bathroom, Harry grabbed Shiva's arm. "Shiva, I should go first."
"Like hell, kid. Not happening," she said snorting.
"I'm the only one with glasses. I'm the one who talks to snakes. If I go first and it's there I have a far better chance of surviving than anyone else here," he said staring at her. "You know I'm right, Shiva."
She worked her mouth for a few moments before scowling. "Sometimes I really hate that you can use logic, you know that? You open the door and take a quick peek. That's it. Nothing else. You see anything besides Myrtle and you slam that door closed, got it?" Harry nodded and Shiva let out an explosive sigh. "Fine, everyone step back. Lockhart, stay where I can see you." She motioned to Harry and made sure she could cover both the door and Lockhart.
Harry took a deep breath and cracked the door to Myrtle's haunt. He opened it just a sliver, enough to take a short scan of the room beyond. It was empty. Letting out his breath Harry pushed the door open completely and waved the others forward.
As they trooped into the room, Myrtle floated out of her stall. "Hello, Harry. Hello, Neville. Come to visit with me?"
"Actually, Myrtle we need to ask you a question," Harry said taking the lead. Daphne looked ready to jump down the ghost's throat but Neville gave her a slight shake of his head and she backed down.
"Really? Me? How can I help you?"
"Well…please don't freak out Myrtle because this is really important," the ghost nodded at Harry's plea, "we need to know if you remember how you died."
Myrtle just shrugged. "It wasn't exciting. I was crying because Olive had said something mean. There was a noise – a boy had come in and started talking and hissing. I got angry at him because this is a girl's room so I opened the door to yell at him. Next thing I know I'm staring into these giant yellow eyes and then I'm dead. Nothing fun like Nick."
"Merlin," Shiva breathed out, "it really is a bloody basilisk."
"Do you remember where the eyes you saw were, Myrtle?" Harry asked.
Myrtle shrugged again and pointed towards the sinks. "Over there. Are you going looking for whatever killed me?" Harry and the others nodded. Lockhart squeaked. "If you die, you can share my bathroom, Harry. You too, Neville," Myrtle said bashfully. Harry and Neville both tried to ignore the fact that a ghost apparently had a crush on them.
Harry walked over to the sinks and started looking on, under and around them with Daphne coming over to help. Shiva stayed watching Lockhart.
"You know I really don't know why I'm here…" Lockhart started. "I mean, sure I may have lied a bit on some of my books but kidnapping and attempted murder? Me? Really?"
"Yup," Shiva replied simply.
"I'm really only good at one spell you know. I'm a genius with memory charms. I'm not very good at anything else. I simply don't have the necessary skill set to kill someone even if I ever had the motivation. What would be the point, Babs?" He held his arms out to his side. "Why would I bother trying to kill anyone? All I want is fame and fortune. I have both. I have witches lining up to sleep with me. Why would I risk any of that to try and kill some students?"
"Search me." Shiva glared at him. "And are you really going to keep using that horrible name that I hate while I am half convinced you're a wannabe murderer and have a wand trained on you?" Lockhart paled again as the implications sank in.
"Potter!" Daphne exclaimed. She pointed towards a section of one of the sinks. "Look, a snake motif. This must be it!"
Harry shifted around to look at the spot she was pointing at to see a tiny snake etched onto the side of the faucet. "Worth a shot. Everyone ready?" Three answering nods later Harry turned back to the sink. "Open." He said to the snake motif. Nothing happened.
"That was English, Harry," Neville said. "Try parseltongue."
"It's not exactly easy to do on command you know," Harry grumbled irritably.
"Well you don't exactly practice it," Neville rolled his eyes. "Try imagining it's real before you say anything again."
Harry sighed and turned back to the little imprint. He tried to imagine the thing waving its head at him and shifting its body. After a moment Harry felt something click in his head and he whispered, ~Open.~ This time the snake responded. It coiled into a circle around the faucet and the entire sink structure sunk into the floor exposing a dark tunnel leading underground.
"Well…" Shiva said dumbfounded. "That's new."
"Let's go. Tracey's down there," Daphne looked ready to jump down before Harry grabbed her and pulled her back from the edge.
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