THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS
“ The basilisk kills people by looking at them. But no one’ s died— because no one looked it straight in the eye. Colin saw it through his camera. The basilisk burned up all the film inside it, but Colin just got Petrified. Justin... Justin must’ ve seen the basilisk through Nearly Headless Nick! Nick got the full blast of it, but he couldn’ t die again... and Hermione and that Ravenclaw prefect were found with a mirror next to them. Hermione had just realized the monster was a basilisk. I bet you anything she warned the first person she met to look around corners with a mirror first! And that girl pulled out her mirror— and—” Ron’ s jaw had dropped.“ And Mrs. Norris?” he whispered eagerly. Harry thought hard, picturing the scene on the night of Halloween.“ The water...” he said slowly.“ The flood from Moaning Myrtle’ s bathroom. I bet you Mrs. Norris only saw the reflection....” He scanned the page in his hand eagerly. The more he looked at it, the more it made sense.
“... The crowing of the rooster... is fatal to it!” he read aloud.“ Hagrid’ s roosters were killed! The Heir of Slytherin didn’ t want one anywhere near the castle once the Chamber was opened! Spiders flee before it! It all fits!”
“ But how’ s the basilisk been getting around the place?” said Ron.“ A giant snake... Someone would’ ve seen...”
Harry, however, pointed at the word Hermione had scribbled at the foot of the page.
“ Pipes,” he said.“ Pipes... Ron, it’ s been using the plumbing. I’ ve been hearing that voice inside the walls....”
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