Chapter 141: Whistle

On the other side, hearing Hagrid’s roar, Silven did not hesitate—he turned and ran, warning, “Hagrid, the basilisk’s gaze can kill too!”

Shuowan ， Tashunshouchuaileyijiaozhengfalengdehali ， Shuliandichongchuchengbaodamen 。

It was strange—he had surprisingly extensive experience evading pursuit by large magical creatures inside Hogwarts Castle.

“What’s going on?” Silven asked as the three burst out of the castle. “Wasn’t this supposed to be Dumbledore’s game for you? Why are you outside?”

“What game… what are you talking about?” Harry stared at Silven, utterly confused by his words.

“The same kind of game as last year’s protection of the Philosopher’s Stone,” Silven said.

“This isn’t the time to talk about games,” Hermione said, equally baffled by Silven’s meaning.

At that moment, noise came again from behind.

The basilisk had emerged—it seemed determined to kill Silven first, while Hagrid clung to its tail and yanked it back with a powerful tug.

“I really…” Hearing the commotion behind him, Silven didn’t dare look back—he just kept running forward.

“Shouldn’t we go back and help Hagrid…” someone suddenly said.

“If you don’t want to die—and take Hagrid down with you—best drop that stupid idea right now,” Silven said bluntly.

He no longer cared to understand how this had happened; the most urgent thing now was to deal with the basilisk… or rather, Tom Riddle?

Forget it—whatever it was, it had clearly set its sights on him.

Silven could only hope Hagrid could hold the basilisk back; otherwise, he was dead.

Had he been wrong all along? Was the basilisk not Dumbledore’s trial for Harry?

“We should find other professors for help,” Hermione said as she ran. “Are there other exits from the castle?”

“Of course there are, but it’s unnecessary,” Silven said. “In handling magical creatures, Hagrid is far more reliable than Professor McGonagall—especially against a basilisk.”

Anyone who looks into the basilisk’s eyes dies.

Hagrid inherited the giant’s immense physical strength and resistance to magic, plus the enhanced effect of his troll wand, successfully negating the curse.

But Professor McGonagall is no half-giant, nor does she possess a wand that constantly refreshes the Shield Charm—if she sees the basilisk’s eyes, she might truly die.

By then, the group had reached Hagrid’s hut.

“We have to do something,” Hermione said anxiously, raising her wand to fire a red spark into the sky.

“Stop!” Silven shouted.

The Horcrux Codex appeared instantly above her wand, swallowing her warning spell whole.

“That thing is a basilisk—if anyone looks into its eyes, they die instantly.”

“What?” Hermione broke out in cold sweat, suddenly remembering Silven had said something similar inside the castle.

If Silven was right, her action had been incredibly foolish.

If someone curious glanced outside, they might directly meet the basilisk’s gaze.

“Silven, is that monster really a basilisk?”

“Yeah,” Silven said—he had no patience for Q&A right now, nodding dismissively.

He summoned the unicorn’s spirit and watched the distant commotion through its blue form.

Apparently having heard his earlier warning, Hagrid was struggling to drag the basilisk farther from the castle—by the direction, it seemed to be the Quidditch pitch.

But the basilisk kept struggling; even as Hagrid held its tail, its head kept turning toward them.

Such a grudge… Silven’s lip twitched.

He had no doubt that once the basilisk broke free, it would come for him first.

“What exactly did you do?” Silven couldn’t help asking.

“I…” Harry opened his mouth, staring at the blue unicorn, unsure where to begin.

But Silven wasn’t really waiting for an answer—he kept watching the distance, and when he saw Hagrid had dragged the basilisk far enough, he turned to Harry and Hermione at once: “Go back to the castle right now. Tell the professors the basilisk is out—have them seal every window immediately, especially the common rooms.”

“I’m going!” Hermione turned and sprinted back.

“What about you?” Harry took two steps, then turned back. “Aren’t you coming with us?”

“No,” Silven said. “I need to help Hagrid—he can’t handle the basilisk alone.”

The basilisk’s deadliest weapon isn’t just its gaze. Tom Riddle, consumed by hatred, wants revenge on me—if it calms down and focuses on Hagrid, the Shield Charm won’t stop its venomous fangs.

Silven needed a new ally, fast.

“I’ll help you,” Harry said without hesitation, turning back. “Hermione can handle the warning.”

Silven didn’t refuse—he immediately pushed open the door of the hut, and Harry followed, puzzled.

Inside, he saw Silven rummaging through drawers and chests.

“What are you looking for?”

“A stone whistle,” Silven said.

So Harry began searching blindly too.

“Aren’t we supposed to go help Hagrid?”

“This is helping Hagrid,” Silven said, opening a cabinet, hoping Hagrid hadn’t taken the whistle with him.

“Is this it?”

Harry’s voice came from behind. Silven turned quickly and saw him holding up a rough stone whistle.

“Yes—that’s it!” Silven’s eyes lit up. “Blow it hard—quick!”

…

Meanwhile, in the castle.

When the basilisk crashed into the wall, the professors had already been alerted. By the time they reached the entrance hall, they saw the massive hole in the wall—and the broken pipes inside.

“What on earth happened?” Professor McGonagall clutched her chest.

“What’s that?” Professor Snape suddenly noticed a glinting object among the rubble. He stepped closer and realized it was a scale—snake scale.

But the size…

Snape’s face turned instantly pale. “Impossible…”

At that moment, Hermione ran in from outside.

“Granger?” Professor McGonagall looked at her.

“Professor…” Hermione cried out loudly. “The monster from the Chamber has escaped! Silven says it’s a basilisk—seal every dorm window immediately!”

Her words exploded like a detonation charm among the professors—they all froze.

But they quickly recovered and raised their wands at once.

Windows sealed one by one; the castle grew darker.

At this point, Hermione briefly recounted how the basilisk had smashed through the wall and been dragged out by Hagrid.

“Thank goodness Hagrid was in the castle,” Professor McGonagall breathed in relief. If not for Hagrid, the half-giant blocking the basilisk’s gaze, those three students would be dead.

“Professor…” Hermione continued, voice trembling with tears. “And Ron… please, save him…”

“Mr. Weasley?” Professor McGonagall’s heart sank again. “Did the basilisk look at him?”

“He was… taken into the Chamber,” Hermione wept.

“You said Chamber—so the basilisk didn’t escape on its own?” Professor McGonagall had to interrupt. “But the Chamber’s entrance was sealed.”

“It was Lockhart—Lockhart and another person broke into the bathroom door…” Hermione said. “They opened the Chamber!”

…

(End of Chapter)