Harry Potter's : Fantastic Beasts Guide

The forest was eerily silent in the aftermath of the chaos. The basilisk and the eight-eyed giant spider had stirred such terror that every creature had fled, leaving only the rustling of wind through the leaves. David took a deep breath, the tension settling now that the worst seemed to be over.

As they approached the enormous basilisk, Fred and George's curiosity got the better of them. Their usual mischievous grins widened as they eagerly ran their hands over its smooth, scaled body.

"David, how did you do it?" Fred asked, marveling at the serpent's obedience.

"First of all, you need to be a Parselmouth," David replied with a smirk.

"And if you're not?" George inquired.

"Then... you can go and learn," David said nonchalantly, climbing back onto the basilisk's back. "Now hurry up and get on. We still need to deal with the eight-eyed giant spider. If we don't get back soon and Professor McGonagall finds out, you two will be in serious trouble."

Fred and George exchanged a look of horror. When it came to punishment, sometimes Professor McGonagall was even scarier than Dumbledore. Without hesitation, they scrambled onto the basilisk's back, momentarily forgetting their curiosity about Parseltongue.

Upon reaching the cave of the eight-eyed giant spider, David commanded the basilisk to remain still at the entrance, watching over the spiders inside. The reaction was immediate—despite their glowing red eyes, the spiders cowered, shrinking back into the shadows, piling on top of one another in fear.

With the plan set, David handed the Marauder's Map back to Fred and George, and together they made their way back to the castle.

Just as they approached the Gryffindor common room entrance, Fred hesitated. "Do you think Professor McGonagall is inside?" he asked nervously.

"There's a good chance she is," David admitted, placing a reassuring hand on Fred's shoulder. "After all, I did make sure to emphasize how dangerous things were. She wouldn't take any risks."

Fred and George sighed in unison. "We're doomed. Mum's definitely going to hear about this," George groaned. "David, I've made up my mind—I'd rather take my chances with the giant spider. Just let it eat me now."

"Great idea. But if you wait any longer, your punishment will only get worse," David teased before reciting the password. The Fat Lady huffed in annoyance but swung open, allowing them inside.

The common room was dimly lit, the fireplace casting flickering shadows across the walls. The eerie atmosphere made it feel like they had stepped onto the set of a ghost story.

"David, is that you?" a voice called from near the fireplace.

A tall, thin figure stood up, and even before he could see her face clearly, David knew exactly who it was. No one else carried themselves with such composed authority while clutching a small, impeccably organized handbag.

"Yes, Professor," David answered, stepping closer.

"Where are the others?" she asked, scanning behind him.

"I sent them back to their dormitories," she replied crisply. "I made it very clear that no one was to come downstairs. Now, tell me about the situation in the forest."

"The basilisk is standing guard over the cave. There shouldn't be any further danger for now."

McGonagall nodded, looking satisfied. "Good. Professor Snape will begin studying the remains of the eight-eyed giant spider tomorrow. I suspect he'll reach some conclusions fairly quickly."

"That's the best outcome," David agreed. He knew potion masters had their own methods of analyzing magical components—sometimes even better than magizoologists. Even Newt Scamander himself occasionally sought their expertise.

Before their conversation could continue, McGonagall's gaze shifted toward the staircase, her eyes narrowing. The temperature in the room seemed to drop instantly.

"And where exactly do you two think you're going?" she asked in a dangerously calm tone.

Fred and George had been creeping down the stairs, attempting to blend into the shadows. Now caught, they froze in place. Fred let out a nervous chuckle. "Oh, Professor! What a coincidence. We, uh, heard voices and just wanted to check things out. Fancy meeting you here, David!"

George nodded rapidly. "Yeah! We were just coming down for a chat—didn't expect to find you back so soon!"

McGonagall wasn't fooled for a second. "Percy informed me that you were absent all afternoon," she said icily. "Would you care to explain yourselves?"

The twins deflated immediately, shooting pleading looks at David.

"Professor—" David began, intending to help, but McGonagall silenced him with a sharp glare. "Not another word."

David gave his friends an apologetic smile as McGonagall ordered him upstairs. Fred and George tried to follow suit, but McGonagall's voice rang out once more.

"You two stay with me."

Their shoulders slumped in defeat as they trudged toward her, their fate sealed.

As David made his way up to his dormitory, he cast one last glance back at them, clasped his hands together in mock prayer, and hurried away before their "doom" could spread to him.

When he reached the dormitory door, he heard excited murmuring from inside. Clearly, no one had gone to sleep yet.

"Do you think the centaurs were killed?" Ron's voice carried through the room.

"Probably not," Harry responded after a pause. "Some of them are friends with Hagrid."

"But they tried to resist. If we don't do something, they might rebel again in the future!" Seamus added with great seriousness, as though planning a battle strategy.

David raised an eyebrow as he entered the room. The moment they saw him, the conversation cut off abruptly, the silence almost comical.

"Harry?" David asked, amused.

Harry, who had been hiding under his blanket, peeked out with wide eyes. "David! It's you!"

"Who else would it be?" David chuckled, closing the door behind him.

"We thought you were Professor McGonagall," Ron admitted sheepishly. "She said we weren't allowed to talk."

"Well, she's back in her office now, so you can relax," David reassured them.

Instantly, their energy returned, and they crowded around him, eager for news.

"What did the professors do about the centaurs?" Ron asked, leaning in.

"Centaurs?" David blinked in confusion. "Why would they do anything?"

"Hermione said there was a problem with them," Ron insisted. "She was being all mysterious, but I overheard her mention 'centaurs'—so obviously, they're planning a rebellion!"

David sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Ron, that's how rumors start. No, they're not rebelling. Let me tell you what really happened..."

After explaining the events of the night, he warned them to stay away from the forest. By the end of his tale, their excitement had significantly diminished.

Soon after, everyone climbed into their beds—except for Harry, who still looked concerned.

"David, is it safe to leave the basilisk in the forest?" he asked quietly.

"Don't worry. I covered its eyes, and thanks to you, it's obedient now." David grinned.

Harry smiled sheepishly. "I didn't actually do much."

"You helped more than you think. Now get some sleep—we still have class tomorrow."

With that, the room fell into silence, and soon, they drifted off into peaceful slumber, unaware of the surprises the next day would bring.