Secrets Only Trouble Knows - George Weasley

46 - Goodbye, Year Four

"Ready?" Harry asked the rest of us. We all shrugged. Was there another a choice? "Alright. Come on."

He brushed past me, beginning to lead the way. Ron, Lockhart, and I went after him, setting off down the tunnel as our footsteps splashed from the wet floor.

"And remember... any sign of movement, close your eyes right away," I reminded everyone as we inched into the darkness.

For a good stretch of time after that, the four of us walked. And walked. And walked. As we did so, the tunnel was so quiet that the only sound heard was that of our ragged breathing, fast-beating hearts, and the occasional drops of water that pattered against the stone floor as they fell from the ceiling.

It wasn't until a crunching noise came from underneath Ron's shoe that we heard any other kind of noise in the tunnel with us, and all of us instantly wished we'd never heard it in the first place so we didn't have to know what it meant. When we'd pointed our wandlight down at the ground for the first time tonight, trying to see what Ron had stepped on, we saw lots of different animal remains and skeletons scattered all over the place. What Ron crushed happened to be a rat's skull. Each one of us shuddered at the sight.

"My word," Lockhart gasped, face twisting up into disgust as he eyed the floor. "I have never been in such a filthy place before—"

"Stop talking." Ron, Harry, and I chimed at the same time, not interested in hearing Lockhart complain any longer.

Trying very hard not to imagine what Ginny might look like if we found her down here, and ignoring the fact that we were walking all around dead animal remains, we pushed onward.

Just as Harry lead us around a dark bend in the tunnel, Ron suddenly grabbed onto mine and Harry's shoulders.

"There's— there's something up there—" he said hoarsely, pointing vaguely in front of us.

We all froze and stared off into the distance. I could just barely see the faint outline of something that looked huge and curved, lying right across the tunnel, yet whatever it was wasn't moving at all. Lockhart immediately pressed his hands over his eyes, afraid it was the basilisk.

"Maybe it's asleep," Harry whispered. He then very slowly creeped forward, wand held up high, with his eyes narrowed as much as they could be without being fully closed.

As he got closer to the large figure, the light from his wand glossed over a gigantic, vibrant emerald green snake skin. It was laid curled up and empty across the floor before us.

"Fucking hell..." I breathed, mouth wide open as I stared in shock at it. This proved just how undoubtedly massive the basilisk must be in all of its glory.

"Blimey," Ron said weakly, equally as amazed.

There was a sudden movement behind us and, as we turned, we saw it was Lockhart collapsing onto the floor, his knees having gave out from fright.

"Heart of a lion, this one..." I mumbled, rolling my eyes.

"Oh, get up," Ron began sharply, pointing his wand at Lockhart, "Honestly—"

However, before Ron could finish his sentence, Lockhart bolted upright, dived at Ron, and knocked him harshly to the ground. Harry and I jumped forward but our efforts hadn't come quick enough. Lockhart had already straightened himself, Ron's wand now held in his hand as he pointed it at us. There was a sickening smile on his face.

"The adventure ends here, you little brats." he announced slowly. He pushed back some of his hair that was falling into his eyes (no longer being held up by his hairspray) with as much dignity as he could muster. "I think I'll take a bit of this skin back up to the school, tell them I was too late to save the girl—"