Harry Potter's : Fantastic Beasts Guide

"David, what exactly are we waiting for here?" Hermione asked, standing close to him. A thick mist swirled around them, and the sight of massive stone snakes coiled around the towering pillars sent a shiver down her spine.

"The little creature inside..." David murmured, scanning the area. He considered calling the Norwegian Ridgeback to help him reach the top—it was impossible to climb on his own.

Just as he moved, a small green snake slithered out of his pocket, gliding down his robe and onto the ground.

"What is that?" Hermione gasped, startled at the sight of the serpent. But seeing David remain calm, she slowly steadied herself.

"A little pet I found," David replied nonchalantly. He crouched down, switching to Parseltongue. "Can you wake up the stone serpents?"

The green snake flicked its tail and slithered toward the statue. Just as David was about to scoff at its sluggish pace, it suddenly accelerated, leaving behind a blur of green light. Within seconds, it was gone.

Moments later, the towering statue of Salazar Slytherin trembled. Small stones crumbled from its surface, plopping into the surrounding pool. Hermione stiffened.

"Don't be afraid," David reassured her, his eyes fixed on the statue's mouth. "This is exactly what I was hoping for."

From the statue's gaping maw, stone snakes of various sizes began to emerge, winding down in an eerie procession. Hermione instinctively grabbed David's sleeve, her grip tightening as the scene unfolded.

The giant stone serpents coiled around the pillars stirred with excitement at the movement of their brethren. They slithered down eagerly, their massive bodies rivaling the size of the basilisk that had once guarded the Chamber of Secrets.

"Go back," David commanded in Parseltongue.

The larger snakes hesitated, shaking their heads in mild protest before begrudgingly obeying. They rewrapped themselves around the pillars, reverting to lifeless statues.

"They listen to you so easily?" Hermione asked in astonishment. Then, with curiosity lighting her eyes, she added, "If I learned Parseltongue, would they listen to me too?"

"Possibly," David admitted with a chuckle. The real reason these stone snakes obeyed him was because of the little green snake. He turned to it and issued another silent command.

The green snake flicked its tongue, acknowledging his request.

"Alright then, I'll learn it!" Hermione declared confidently.

David smirked. "Harry has a notebook from Dumbledore. You might find something useful in there."

He climbed onto one of the giant stone serpents and reached out to pull Hermione up beside him. The basilisks slithered forward, following the familiar path toward the Forbidden Forest.

As they moved deeper into the forest, a warning rang out from ahead.

"Be careful! There's movement—lots of it!" Professor McGonagall's sharp voice carried through the trees.

David frowned. So, they knew about the tree monkey frogs as well?

The stone serpents continued their slow advance. As Professor McGonagall's silhouette became visible through the mist, David called out, "Professor, take it easy. It's just me."

McGonagall exhaled in relief, lowering her raised wand. Beside her stood Professor Flitwick and Bain, the centaur. Snape, it seemed, was still occupied elsewhere, likely dealing with the eight-eyed giant spiders.

"And these are?" McGonagall asked, staring at the swarm of stone serpents surrounding David and Hermione. She raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

"The legacy of Salazar Slytherin," David explained with a casual smile. "Last time I visited the Chamber of Secrets, he deemed me a worthy heir and gifted them to me."

McGonagall nodded thoughtfully. "Can others command them?"

"Probably not. They require approval," David said quickly, sensing her underlying intentions.

McGonagall pursed her lips. "I see…" She took a moment before changing the subject. "So, you've brought them to deal with the tree monkey frogs?"

"Yes. The forest has too many of them. Their aggression has increased, and without natural predators, they're becoming a problem."

McGonagall sighed. "Hagrid always has a knack for raising the most peculiar creatures." She turned to leave. "Alright, I'll leave this to you. We'll return to the castle."

She took a few steps before pausing and glancing back. "Miss Granger, are you not coming with us?"

Hermione froze in place, her face sinking. She hadn't even considered that she was technically breaking school rules by being here. She was caught.

"Hermione's helping me!" David interjected quickly. If McGonagall sent Hermione back and she got punished, then...

"Really?" McGonagall adjusted her glasses and studied them both before shrugging. "Then you'd best protect her."

She motioned for Flitwick to follow her back. As soon as they disappeared, Hermione let out a deep breath. "That was close."

"I didn't expect McGonagall to be here either," David admitted. "I thought they hadn't noticed the issue yet."

He turned to Bain. "Can you warn your kin? I wouldn't want them caught in the crossfire."

Bain nodded, pleased with the sight of the stone serpents. "I knew you'd find a solution." With that, he galloped away.

David turned to Hermione. "Let's go see the basilisk."

Hermione's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Yes!"

As they neared the cave of the eight-eyed giant spiders, a group of bold tree monkey frogs leaped from the treetops, attempting to attack them. But before they could land, the stone snakes lunged, snapping them up in their gray stone jaws.

Even the frogs that remained in the distance hesitated. It seemed they had recognized David as their natural predator.

With the threats taken care of, they finally reached the basilisk. It was eating, its meal consisting of a pile of raw meat that David had arranged for it.

Hermione hesitated. "It's... terrifying."

David laughed. "It's friendly. You can touch it."

After a deep breath, Hermione cautiously placed a hand on its thick scales. A chill ran through her fingers as the heat of the sun vanished against its cold body.

To her surprise, she thought to herself, This wouldn't be such a bad pet to have in the summer heat.

They spent some time watching the basilisk, even climbing onto its back, before a distant horn sounded.

"What's happening?" Hermione asked, gripping her wand.

"The centaurs must be ready," David said, listening as a second horn echoed through the trees. He turned to the stone snakes. "Go. Eliminate the ones that attacked us, but leave innocent creatures unharmed."

The stone snakes slithered into the shadows, silent assassins on their mission.

Within minutes, chaos erupted. Birds took flight, their cries filling the air. But soon, silence returned. The birds, realizing the stone serpents were their allies against the tree monkey frogs, settled back onto the branches.

As the stone snakes returned, each carrying a frog in its mouth, David knew their task was complete.

"Alright, let's head back," he said as the sun dipped toward the horizon.

Hermione glanced back at the stone snakes. "Are you sure they'll behave?"

"I gave them instructions to return once they're done."

"Then let's check on them tomorrow."

David agreed, and together, they made their way back to Hogwarts, leaving behind the darkening forest and the silent, watchful gaze of the basilisk.