F&L: Chapter 68

I once again found myself out after curfew under the cover of my Concealment Cloak, trying to shadow Lockhart and follow him back to the meetings he was very clearly having with potential thralls. My hope was that I could try and discern who exactly he already had under his thrall and hopefully figure out a way to use the Mind Arts to undo whatever mental whammy he had put on them before it was too late. First, though, I needed to know exactly who was already deep enough under his thrall that they would take priority, and who could wait until later. To do that triage, I needed to be able to follow Lockhart to the meetings he was having and see for myself.

It was just before midnight when he once again finally emerged from his Office in the Hogwarts Turis Magnus. Once more, he headed for the loo, and I followed him in, waiting for him to finish his business in the stall before following him out. I had to suppress a wince at the stench emanating from the stall. It was clear that he'd overindulged in the Brussels Sprouts at dinner tonight. However, interestingly, when Lockhart exited the stall, he flicked his wand in a trio of wavy lines before incanting 'Distruo Oderatus'. A wave of Periwinkle mist sprayed out from the tip of his wand and obliterated the odor, leaving the faint scent of fresh-cut flowers.

Lockhart smirked before putting his wand away and heading out. As I followed him out of the Loo, I had to wonder if that was a spell that he had invented himself. If it was, he apparently was good enough with charms of the normal variety to do that. I had thought he was just average with regular spellwork. That was what everyone kept saying. Of course, I knew he was damn good with the Mind Arts, and probably had a knack for Dark Arts too, but to be able to invent your own spell spoke of a facility with charms that hadn't been documented. Between the Mind Arts, Dark Arts, and this newly-revealed Charms Proficiency, it was looking very much like the sort of skill setup that would have gotten Lockhart scouted by the Unspeakables.

As I made my way out of the Hogwarts Turis Magnus, following Lockhart, I idly wondered why he didn't just go into a career in the Department of Mysteries with skills like that. The Unspeakables would have loved to have someone with the Skill Setup Lockhart clearly had this time around. Of course, then I dismissed the idea entirely. The Unspeakables were the very essence of a behind-the-scenes organization. Lockhart may be more competent than he was the first time around, but he still had the same self-aggrandizing and fame-seeking tendencies that he had in the version of events I had read about in books back in my Old Life. He never would have agreed to join that sort of organization, even if the pay were good.

As I followed Lockhart, I entered the main castle complex and made my way through the main part of the Castle, I found myself heading up a flight of stairs to the third floor, following Lockhart. It wasn't until we had just entered the Armor Gallery that he stopped for a moment, frowning. Had he somehow managed to sense my mind? I immediately clamped down on my mental state with Occlumency and tried to hide. I managed to flatten myself against the wall between two suits of armor, the first being a full suit of Cuirasser Armor from the English Civil War Period, and the Second was a Churburg-style Plate Harness from the fourteenth century. I made myself as small as possible and redoubled my efforts on Occlumency, going still enough that I even began holding my breath.

Lockhart, for his part, frowned, casting the Hominem Revelio Charm to no effect thanks to my Concealment Cloak's nature rebuffing the magic. Lockhart frowned at that, and for a few moments, it looked like he was going to continue trying to pin me down. However, after a moment or two, he simply shrugged, checking his pocketwatch and frowning, before continuing on his way. I didn't exhale until he was almost to the end of the gallery, slowly breathing out and then in again. For a few moments, I calmed myself after the near-miss, but I had to keep moving. Lockhart had reached the entrance to the main Third Floor Corridor and was about to leave. I stepped out of hiding and made to follow after him as he exited the Armor Gallery, but suddenly found myself stumbling as if I had been rammed into from behind.

I was knocked to the floor, limbs tangling with other limbs as I went down in a flurry of flailing body parts and cloth. I managed to extricate myself after a few moments and doff my Family Concealment Cloak, finding Harry doing the same with his Invisibility Cloak a few paces away. Of course, this would have happened. Why wouldn't the Boy Who Lived begin doing his own investigation? After all, the Chamber opening affected him almost as much as it had affected me. We were both suspected of being the Heir of Slytherin by the general student body, after all, even if it was a preposterous suggestion.

"Blaise?" Questioned Harry.

"Yeah, Mate. It's me." I nodded.

"What are you doing here?" Queried Harry.

"I was shadowing Lockhart. Why? What are you doing here?" I asked in return.

"I'm trying to pin down what's been going on with the Basilisk. Lavender Brown, one of Parvati's friends, didn't make it back to the Girls' Dorm after going to the Divination Club Meeting after Dinner. I was hoping she hadn't run into the Basilisk." Answered Harry.

"And did she?" I questioned.

"Unfortunately. I found her petrified near the Divination Staircase and managed to bring her back to the Hospital Wing using Levicorpus. I went back to my patrol after." Answered Harry.

"I see." I sighed.

Lavender Brown wasn't important to things. I didn't remember her being so, at least. However, if it wasn't just Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw Students, but students from one of the main plot-important houses that were being petrified, it seemed like the Basilisk was upping the ante here. Granted, Luna was important enough to the plot that I hesitated to analyse things that way, but she wasn't so important that I couldn't afford to do so. At least, she wasn't in the books I had read. Maybe she would have been if I had the opportunity to read the Fifth Book before being transported into Blaise's Body, but I'd only just finished Goblet of Fire when I had been sent here.

"Hey, Mate. You good there? You seem lost in thought." Interrupted Harry, drawing me out of my thoughts.

"Sorry, what was the question?" I queried.

"I was just asking what the deal with Lockhart was?" Asked Harry.

"Lockhart is a Master of the Mind Arts and a lot more competent than he lets on with Charms, too. I also suspect him of having some capability with the Dark Arts and of using his powers to turn his NEWT-Level Girls Dueling Club into Thralls." I intoned.

As I said that, I managed to get the words out, skirting the boundaries of the Fates' prohibition thanks to vague language, couching things in suspicions, and the fact that Harry was doing his own investigation. However, just when I thought I had gotten away with it. My nose began to drip. I frowned, wiping away the runny dribble, only for my hand to come up with blood smeared on it. I winced as a pain in my head flared up that I associated with overuse of the Sight. Clearly, the Fates were not amused at my skirting their prohibitions like this, but they had decided to let me off with a warning. Harry, though, didn't seem to take said warning in the same spirit I was taking it.

"Mate, you're bleeding." Frowned Harry.

"It's nothing. I sprained my Sight in my investigation. I'll have to take it easy with divination for a couple of days, that's all." I waved off.

"Still, we'd best get you to Madame Pomfrey's. Come on." Insisted Harry.

"Sure, on the way, you can tell me what you've figured out about the Basilisk." I nodded.

It turned out that what Harry knew about the Basilisk wasn't a whole lot. Sure, he'd done the research into what Basilisks were and what they could do, but he wasn't any closer to figuring out where the Chamber of Secrets was, nor had he been able to pin down the Basilisk so far. When I mentioned that he was lucky that was the case, Harry frowned, not understanding. In a typical display of Gryffindorish Bravado, Harry seemed to think that he could take the Basilisk himself if he had to. Granted, this was Harry Potter, the Chosen One, even if he tended to dislike the whole Chosen One Ouvre, but still.

"What do you mean? You don't think I can beat it?" Questioned Harry.

"Hate to say it, Mate, but no. Not as you are now and not alone." I refuted.

"Why? How do you know?" Queried Harry.

"Because I ran into the Basilisk and only just managed to escape." I informed.

"When was this?" Asked Harry.

"Last time I tried following Lockhart. By the way, it's able to use its Pit Organs to sense heat through my Concealment Cloak. It was the only way that it would have been able to figure out where I was underneath it. I have potions that nullify my scent and spells to dampen sound. You know this. It had to be the Pit Organs." I warned.

"Good to know." Frowned Harry.

"You might want to invest in something to dampen heat signatures. I'm not sure a potion like that exists, but if it doesn't, let me know and I'll see if I can't figure one out." I offered.

"Right. Anything else?" Questioned Harry.

"We might want to start looking into patterns in where the victims of the Basilisk were found." I remarked.

"How do you mean?" Queried Harry.

"Well, think about it. The Basilisk has to be lairing somewhere, right? And why go through the whole castle to find victims if you can just attack close to your lair and still manage to take out whatever quota the Heir of Slytherin set for you? That has to be your preference. It stands to reason that the area of the Castle where the most victims are found would be the area closest to the Basilisk's Lair. Find the pattern, search the area, and we'll find the Chamber." I hedged.

"Not necessarily. It could be under orders to avoid attacks close to the chamber." Frowned Harry.

"Do you have a better plan that doesn't involve searching the entire castle from top to bottom?" I asked.

"No, I don't." Admitted Harry.

"Then we can at least try it. If it doesn't pan out, it doesn't pan out." I shrugged.

"Good enough." Agreed Harry.

"It still doesn't help me with Lockhart, but I figure that having to worry less about one thing will help me be able to concentrate on another." I sighed.

"When you confront Lockhart, let me know, Mate. I'll come with you. If he's as dangerous as you say, you'll need the help." Insisted.

"Right, and you do the same for me when you find the Chamber. What are friends for if not this?" I grinned.

"Will do, Mate." Beamed Harry.

Fortunately, we made it to the Hospital Wing without further incident. I had long since lost track of Lockhart, of course, but Harry and I now had plans and could coordinate. That was a step in the right direction, at least. Regardless, Madame Pomfrey hit me with a Nosebleed Healing Spell, handed me a Blood Replenishment Potion, and sent me back to the Slytherin Dorms. Meanwhile, she told Harry to head back to Gryffindor Tower. Of course, knowing Harry, he wasn't going to do that, but I think Madame Pomfrey already realized that, because she just sighed and shook her head at the entire situation.

For my part, I made my way back to the Dungeons, managing to avoid further run-ins or ambushes along the way, and entered the Slytherin Common Room using the Password, which today was a quote by Thomas Becket, Lord High Chancellor of King Henry the Second, Catholic Saint, and interestingly enough, a Secret Wizard. How he got to be canonized with that under his belt is one of life's many great ironies. It wasn't for me to ponder on at the moment, though. I was in need of a shower, a change of clothes, and a bed. I had a busy stretch of days ahead of me, after all.

"Those who tread among serpents, and along a tortuous path, must use the cunning of the serpent." I quoted, giving the password.

The door to the Slytherin Common Room was revealed as the password was said, masonry folding away to reveal the entrance. Interestingly enough, Daphne and Millie were still awake in the Common Room and reading as I entered. They looked up from their books as I did so, nodding at me. I nodded back and noted the titles of the books they were currently perusing. Yon Flaske of Wysdom by Doctor John Dee and Sur Les Substances Essentielles by Master Nicholas Flamel. Both were Alchemical Treatises, and both involved the basics. I had no idea that they had an interest in Alchemy.

"Interesting choice of reading." I mused.

"Is there something wrong with these books?" Questioned Daphne, arching an eyebrow.

"Not at all. I just had no clue you two were interested in Alchemy." I responded.

"Why wouldn't we be?" Queried Millie.

"Indeed. You've made it clear how useful it is, after all." Nodded Daphne.

"It certainly can be that. It's also fascinating." I affirmed.

"It's complicated, is what it is." Huffed Millie.

"Do you need help?" I asked.

"I think we'll be fine." Demurred Daphne.

"Yeah, we should figure some stuff out on our own." Confirmed Millie.

"Well, if you get stuck, let me know. I'm willing to help you out." I offered.

"We will." Agreed Daphne.

"I think we can handle it, though." Added Millie.

And with that, the pair went back to their books, and I headed for the showers. Once I was clean and had changed into sleepwear, I downed my Bluemoon Grass Elixir and headed to bed. With a sprained Third Eye, there was no way that I would be getting any visions of anything in my dreams tonight, Doom or otherwise, and I slept like a baby accordingly. When I woke up, I felt the ache in my Mind from my strained Sight had lessened slightly. It looked like it was going to be at least three or four days before it went away entirely. It didn't much matter, though. By the time I needed to use it again, I would have had time to work on other things. For now, though, I had Rituals to get together and a lot of training to do.

Hopefully, by the time that the Christmas Holidays rolled around, I would be ready to deal with either Lockhart and the Basilisk, one after the other, when I returned to Hogwarts in January. . .

XXXX

AN: All right, so here we have the next chapter. This chapter represents a significant step in solving the twin plots of the Alternate Chamber of Secrets. Blaise and Harry are now coordinating and have plans in place to deal with the issues involving the Basilisk and Chamber. Once that is taken care of, they can deal with Lockhart without the constant distractions of the Basilisk and Chamber. This is likely going to happen after the Christmas Holidays, though. Around the same time that the Bluemoon Grass Elixir, after so much time being drunk, will finally have reached critical mass and allow Blaise to begin working with things out of the Azarinth Healer's Treatise.

At any rate, the next chapter will include a hell of a lot of rituals, as it covers from the Twenty-Fourth of November all the way to the Ninth of December. This includes the Ritual of Nanna-Suen's Wisdom. Afterward, there will be one last timeskippy chapter to the Christmas Holidays, and then Blaise will be back home for Saturnalia.

Stay tuned. . .