But do Tom and his followers really stand a chance?
"Strike while the iron is hot"—this has always been Glenn's modus operandi. She would never let such an opportunity slip through her fingers.
With Hermione's shout as the signal, followed by the detonation of pre-set alchemical explosives, the countdown to the destruction of Voldemort's diary and the Basilisk's demise had begun.
Surely, Hagrid must have noticed the commotion by now.
The ultimate weapon, meticulously prepared by the two young wizards for this very moment, was about to descend...
...
Look.
The wind is rising.
Rustling sounds began to echo above them, adding a peculiar accompaniment to the once silent Forbidden Forest, which had been filled only with the Basilisk's agonizing hisses. It sounded like a lament—or perhaps a requiem.
The wind grew stronger.
The shadows that had cloaked the area began to shrink, though they became more solid. Above, the clear night sky reappeared, revealing its pristine darkness, and the bright moonlight returned, casting its gentle, cool white glow over Glenn and Hermione. The young girl looked up in delight, while Glenn kept her eyes fixed on the Basilisk ahead.
The shadow had shrunk to a point where it could no longer conceal the Basilisk's massive form.
And as it drew closer, the once indistinct shadow began to reveal its true shape.
Glenn saw the shadow on the ground shift from an illusion to a tangible form—one she was quite familiar with.
It was a dragon.
To be precise, it was a fire dragon.
"Norbert! Bite it!"
Hermione cheered, pumping her little fists in excitement, as the fire dragon Norbert dove down from the sky at breakneck speed.
Norbert, like a streak of black lightning, tore through the dense canopy of the Forbidden Forest without the slightest hindrance. With a few agile rolls, it reached the Basilisk, which had yet to recover from its earlier ordeal.
Then, opening its jaws wide to reveal razor-sharp teeth, it bit down fiercely on the Basilisk's body.
"Boom!!!"
The impact of Norbert's dive sent the Basilisk flying, smashing through countless tree trunks along the way and carving a long, muddy trail mixed with snow and dirt across the white forest floor.
The chilling sound of sharp objects piercing through flesh echoed. Glenn knew it was the sound of Norbert's teeth breaking through the Basilisk's scaly defenses.
Determined to finish the job, Norbert followed Glenn's instructions, revealing its razor-sharp claws and plunging them into the Basilisk's soft flesh. Along with its venomous fangs, it anchored itself firmly to the Basilisk's side.
Wisps of black smoke rose from Norbert's nostrils, and then, with a terrifying roar, its fiery breath erupted from its mouth. A massive plume of flame concentrated and engulfed the spot where it had bitten the Basilisk.
A pungent smell filled the air—definitely not a pleasant aroma. It was the stench of the Basilisk's scales being scorched. Norbert was beginning to showcase its formidable combat prowess.
The Basilisk let out a blood-curdling scream, and Hagrid, riding on Norbert's back, screamed as well. Norbert seemed to find the person on its back a hindrance to its attack, so it gave a slight shake, tossing Hagrid to the ground.
Whether Norbert did this to avoid accidentally harming its clumsy owner is anyone's guess.
Fortunately, Hagrid's mole-skin coat was thick enough, and his high body fat percentage cushioned his fall. He rolled a few times on the ground, ending up covered in dirt but otherwise unharmed.
Before he could get up, Norbert's tail swiped him out of the battle zone between itself and the Basilisk.
Hagrid tumbled to a stop near Glenn and Hermione. Hermione quickly jumped off Glenn and, ignoring the dirt on Hagrid, helped their giant friend to his feet.
"Oh, thanks, and good evening, Glenn, Hermione." Standing up, Hagrid scratched his head with a sheepish grin, showing no trace of resentment for being tossed around by Norbert. His squinting eyes were filled with joy and excitement.
Hermione waved her wand, casting three blue-and-white beams of light. The cleaning spell removed all the snow, dirt, and dust from the trio.
"So, how does it feel to ride a fire dragon?" Hermione asked eagerly, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.
To be honest, no one in the wizarding world could resist the chance to ride a fire dragon.
"Ha-ha, it's amazing! It's been my dream!" Hagrid gave a thumbs-up, his grin practically reaching his ears. "And it's all thanks to you two—for giving me the chance to ride Norbert and to settle the score with the monster in the Chamber of Secrets and the heir of Slytherin!"
...
Time rewinds, scenes blur, and we return to several hours earlier.
At the edge of the Forbidden Forest, inside Hagrid's hut.
"You said you need my help?"
Hearing the knock on the door and Hermione's voice, Hagrid relaxed, lowering the shotgun he had been holding. He opened the wooden door and let the two youngsters in.
Since their last meeting, when Glenn had warned him about the Chamber of Secrets and the heir of Slytherin, Hagrid had been unusually cautious. For once, he had stayed away from alcohol and diligently completed the tasks Glenn had assigned him.
Hermione briefly (well, not so briefly) explained what they had discovered about the true nature of the monster in the Chamber of Secrets and shared their findings with Hagrid.
"So, in the end, we need your help."
Hermione also outlined the preliminary plan she and Glenn had devised on their way over: they would drive the Basilisk out of Hogwarts, and Hagrid and Norbert would finish it off.
"That's out of the question! Do you know how dangerous that is?!"
Hagrid nearly jumped out of his seat upon hearing their audacious plan.
"Letting two young wizards face that murderous creature alone?!"
"This is something that should—"
But before Hagrid could finish, Hermione, having anticipated his reaction, cut him off.
"By the way, Hagrid, we also want to teach you an Eastern sorcery technique."
"A technique that will help you bond better with Norbert. Although I've only scratched the surface of it and can't yet create spaces to house magical creatures or merge with them to gain their powers and physical traits, it's more than sufficient for the situation we're about to face."
"..."
"You mean..."
Hagrid's ears perked up, and he sat up straight, his attention successfully diverted.
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