My brother and I entered the chamber. Albus had insisted on following behind us silently. He was like an annoying dependent leech. We seemed to be the last to enter as Tir sealed the door shut as soon as we did. Rob looked over at us eagerly. “So what did Cadmael send you this morning?” Everyone’s eyes were on us.
My brother looked over at me to confirm the choice we were making. I shook my head and pulled it out of the bag I had brought. It was a silver cube with rune patterns all over it. Sulli’s eyes were sparkling as she looked at it. I pulled out my wand. “He hasn’t named it yet since he doesn’t want to sell it, but it traps sounds to be stored.” Edde looked confused. “So it will just play a recording of Parseltongue?” Ailean shook his head no. “Even if it was just a recording of Parseltongue it wouldn’t work. Cadmael hasn’t figured out why, but for the moment a recording of the language doesn’t produce the actual effect of speaking the language.” Cena cracked up laughing. “Of course, it wouldn’t.”
Rob looked us over. “Then how does this cube help us?” I sighed. “The reason Cadmael isn’t putting this on the market is because whatever sealed sound is inside you can borrow to speak it.” All of them looked shocked. Some smiling some unnerved. Sulli stepping forward to grab it from my hands. “So anyone cane speak Parseltongue!” I shook my head no and moved it away from her. Ailean sighing. “Didn’t I just say that wouldn’t work with Parseltongue.” Li narrowed his eyes. “The person using the sound has to understand what is being said.”
We both nodded. Albus smiling widely. “Well then, there’s no point in trying to open the chamber since no one understands Parseltongue.” Tir smiled at his remark. “Actually, that’s not true. You may not be able to speak Parseltongue but with enough study a talented individual can learn to understand a few words even if they cannot reproduce it.” Albus looked shocked but the two of us scrunched our faces up annoyed. Serpens smiling at us. “Wasn’t Cadmael one of the people who aided Dumbledore with said studies?” Ailean glared at him but said nothing.
Cena breaking the tension by cracking up laughing. “You two can use it. Can’t you?” My brother shook his head. “No, only Hyo-Eun.” They all turned to look at me. I grit my teeth together. “Cadmael taught me three words. One of which is within the sound of this box.” Emily looked at me shocked. “Why would he teach you something so dangerous?” My shoulders slumped as I brought out the feeling of sadness. “He thought if we got into trouble and needed a place to hide it could be used in an emergency.” Ailean continuing. “Before we arrived he was sent unknown threats about us.”
Sounds of shock filled the room. As well as, sounds of interest. I sighed. “If I use the sound understanding that one word would allow it work. Hopefully, that would be enough to open the chamber.” Rob clapped his hands. “Well, what are you waiting for then. Show us how it works.”
Louis put his hand up. “Wait. Before you do. Does everyone here agree with opening it.” They all nodded their heads and looked at Albus. He seemed the most conflicted but nodded his head slowly. I took my wand and circled it over the top of the box. The sounds of shifting metal could be heard as the box revealed a glowing pale blue light. My wand drawing it from the center into my throat. I walked over to the sink and through the group of students. “#$%^abna@#$%^&*(.”
Everyone watched as the sink slowly unfolded itself and a dark pool of water was revealed. The four heads of this group looked over it. Tir sighing. “It’s completely flooded.” Albus smirked. “Obviously. A horcrux was destroyed in there, remember? It is probable completely filled with the remnants of dark magic.” Everyone turned to look at him. That’s why it didn’t bother him if it worked. It was unusable in his mind. My wand pulled the light from my throat back to the box so it could close up. I handed it to my brother.
Sulli took out some viles from the bag she brought and squatted down next to the opening. Tir followed and the two began to take samples. We all waited for a few moments before they spoke up. Sulli first. “There is remnants of dark arts but nothing as strong as a horcrux. If it effected us it would be over time.” Tir nodded his head. “Anyone who went in there should be fine for a bit.”
All of them turned to look at my brother. He was the only one who could naturally breathe underwater. I shook my head no. “Absolutely not.” Albus shook his head in agreement. “You can’t send someone down there with no support.” Ugh, idiot. Freaking, idiot. He needed to stop talking. Rob turned to look at me. “Then Hyo-Eun can go with him. They may need the Parseltongue box anyways and only she can use it.” I rolled my eyes at him. “I can’t breathe underwater.”
Edde smiled. “I can use the bubble head charm.” Of course, he could. Araminta spoke up. “This doesn’t sound like a good idea.” Isolda nodding her head after her. “It’s too dangerous.” Rob sighed. “We have only one more day till we leave for Durmstrung. We don’t have the time.” He glanced over all of us. “We all showed up tonight. That means we all were planning on saying yes, right?” They all nodded slowly.
Ailean sighed. “Fine. I’ll go.” I looked at him shocked. “Absolutely not.” He started to walk forward towards the steps covered by water. “Someone has too. If Cadmael thought we would be fine I have to trust in him.” We watched him slowly walk down the steps. Gills appearing on his neck as he went. I quickly turned to Edde. “Hurry up. I can’t leave him alone down there!” He smiled and nodded his head. Ignoring the looks and comments I rushed in after him.
He was chilling at the bottom of the stairs with a smile on his face. “Idiots all of them. Rushing for this.” I looked at him wearily. “Ailean.” He swum over to me. “What, we needed them to open this?” I pinched his cheek. “But now you look pathetic.” He shook his head no. “No, I made us more mysterious.” I could only sigh as I pulled his hand. “Let’s just get this over with.” He was the one who could actually see in the dark.
We swum through the tunnels, trying our best to remember the layout and what was where. Finally, we arrived at closed doors. My brother smiled at me as I spoke the magic words. No box was needed. When they opened we saw the real chamber. The snake heads and carved face of Merlin in full view. We also felt the complete spike in dark magic. We were lucky for being who we are. The two of us swimming towards the drowned basilisk corpse. Our wands crying for us. Our heads bowed to it.
Ailean put his hand on my shoulder. “We can help it find peace later.” I shook my head in agreement. “I know but it still hurts. What was done to this boy.” He nodded his head but it didn’t matter. Just as I would never understand what it was to be something else, he would never understand the connection I had to snakes and their own connections to nature itself. “I promise you, boy. I will help you find peace.”
He pulled me towards the Merlin head. We peaked our head inside. It was an even darker pitch and felt like emptiness and cold water. I quickly pulled him out. “It’s time we return. We’ve been down here too long.” Ailean nodded his head in agreement. Both of us quickly swimming back to the stairs.
I ran up first. It was important I fell forward at the top and coughed up water. The bubble popped. Ailean pulled himself up after me. Everyone rushing around us worried or curious. Li pulled me up into his arms. A stupid smirk on his face. Faolan was holding Ailean on the floor. My brother always seemed to be able to work fast.
Rob looked down at us. “Well?” I glared at him. “There’s a bunch of tunnels. All of them filled with floating bones. The closer you get to the chamber the more corrupted the water is. We couldn’t even enter the room.” Sulli pushed her way through to me. She pulled out a piece of parchment. “Hurry and let us map out what you saw.” I sighed. Sulli was so damn pushy and inconsiderate. I nodded my head and she set to work. Pale blue light streamed from Ailean’s and mine’s head. A rough sketch of the area appeared.
Edde smiled. “You guys did better than we thought.” Emily pulled out a blanket from somewhere and wrapped the two of us in it. “Here, it must be cold.” We nodded our heads. Avis leaned down to hold out two pieces of candies. “Pembrooke’s warmth candies. Brought them just in case.” We smiled at her and took the candies. After we sucked on them we were instantly filled with warmth. It was like sitting by a comfortable fireplace. Pembrooke was a really talented baker.
Albus nervously walked over. “Are you okay?” I nodded my head. “Yea. But there’s still something dark down there.” He looked over at everyone worried. “Can we get rid of it?” Rob shook his head. “Of course. That’s what we are here for isn’t it?” Everyone slowly nodded their heads.
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