46. Cursed With Knowledge

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"Happy?!" Harry looked back, his face filled with horror. "Call the Professors!"

Happy nodded and left with utmost urgency. He ran through the hallways, keeping Koko tucked tightly between his chest and sweater. His mind was occupied by a flurry of thoughts since everything that could go wrong had gone wrong.

'Where is the bloody diary then?' He wondered. 'Is going in there the only way to deal with this mess? But can I even rely on Harry's plot armor anymore? He doesn't even know he can speak parseltongue.'

In no time, he arrived at McGonagall's office and barged in with haste. "Professor! Ginny Weasley... We found her petrified in the second-floor girl's bathroom!"

"What?!" The old witch rose to her feet and strode out of the room. She rushed to the Headmaster's office first to call the old man with her. "Mr. Lestrange, please go and inform Professor Snape and Professor Sprout to report there as well!"

"Understood." Happy turned around and sprinted again, but he failed to notice water on the floor.

Bam!

He slipped and fell on his butt, drenching his robes. He could hear a strange hiss coming closer to him, nearly feeling like the voice of someone.

Happy quickly rose to his feet and closed his eyes, "Koko, do it!"

Koko was shaking in fear already, but he still poked his head out of Happy's sweater and roared like there was no tomorrow.

"COOK-A-DOODLE-DOO!"

Happy didn't open his eyes and walked in the direction he intended to. Along the way, he heard the sound that filled his heart with delight.

"Rwaaaa… Hisss!"

The painful groans of the snake made itself aware as the sound slowly disappeared. The snake had run away; that was clearly the case.

"Yes!" Happy roared. "Cook-a-doodle-do you damn snake! Rot in those shitty pipes! Eat maggots and rats! Run, boy... wait, was the basilisk a boy or a girl?"

"COOK-A-DOODLE-DOO!"

"COOK-A-DOODLE-DOO!"

"COOK-A-DOODLE-DOOOOO…!"

Happy quickly patted Koko's head softly, calming the scared goose down. "Shushh... it's alright, Koko. The monster is gone now. You saved us."

Koko tiredly let out a gasp from his beak and rested inside Happy's sweater, making Happy's tummy appear bulging as he ran towards the two other professors' rooms.

....

Happy burst into Professor Snape's dimly lit lab, breathless. Snape's piercing gaze met the boy's, ready to scold him.

Gasping for air, Happy urgently interrupted, "Professor! Ginny Weasley was petrified! It happened in the girls' bathroom! Professor McGonagall called for you!"

Snape's expression shifted from skepticism to concern, and without a word, he strode past Happy and hurriedly left the lab.

Happy then went to Professor Sprout's office and shouted the same things as before, short and concise.

Together, they rushed out of the classroom.

Soon, everyone gathered in the bathroom. Madam Pompfrey had also arrived and picked Ginny up to bring her to the Hospital Wing. Though, other than the school healer and the petrified girl, none left.

"What were you doing in the second-floor bathroom?" Professor Dumbledore asked Happy.

"I was following Harry." Happy swiftly threw the 'boy who lived' under the bus, for he was destined to always live with Dumbledore's extra care for him.

"Why were you here, Harry?" Dumbledore asked him.

Harry stayed seated on the floor and answered with concern-filled stutters. "I was... I was following the voice. It was in the walls, Professor—I heard strange hisses and groans. It was evil, I could feel it, and I followed it here."

"Were you dream walking, Mister Potter?" Snape mockingly asked. "Why is it that every time something like this occurs, you're the first to be there? Coincidences do not happen more than once."

"Mister Lestrange was here too," Professor McGonagall reminded them. "Both of you are always nearby when there is trouble."

Bam!

Heads turned, and to everyone's amusement and annoyance, Happy wasn't even looking or hearing them. Instead, he was busy kicking open each of the bathroom stalls.

"What are you looking for, Happy?" Dumbledore softly asked as he had no doubt about Happy's character anymore.

Bam!

"Her!" Finally, Happy kicked open the fourth bathroom stall, and there was the petrified ghost of Moaning Myrtle, frozen with a shocked face full of terror.

'Poor her—she fell for the Basilisk's gaze again.' Happy couldn't help but feel bad for her.

Boom!

"Professor! Come quick!" The bathroom door suddenly shoved open, and Professor Flitwick appeared horrified. "Another kid has been petrified! It's Draco Malfoy this time!"

Eyes widened, and hearts sank for many. Professor Snape was the first to rush out and head to the infirmary. He had been asked by Narcissa to care for Draco if needed, so he had to see it for himself.

Meanwhile, Happy sat on a closed toilet seat beside Moaning Myrtle's petrified ghost. Nothing happening made sense to him. Draco Malfoy getting petrified was friendly fire. Why would Voldemort go after him?

'Three targets in one night. With Draco petrified, Dumbledore can't escape anymore,' Happy realized and glanced at Harry. 'It seems I have to tell him directly now before things get out of hand.'

"Both of you, return to your dorms. From now on, no one is allowed outside their dorms after dinner," Dumbledore announced and walked away. Even the old man looked tired, as he knew Lucius was going to bring in a storm soon.

Happy and Harry stayed seated there for a few minutes. While Harry was only looking at the ground where Ginny's body was, Happy was looking at the complex of water basins in the middle of the washroom, knowing very well it was the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets.

'No, not right now. I'm neither prepared nor equipped. I need to learn at least one powerful battle spell from Snape this Sunday, even if I have to cry for it.'

"How are we going to tell Ron?" Harry asked.

"They will tell him before we even reach there," Happy replied, walking over to Harry to help him stand up. "Let's go. It's dangerous here."

....

As the night grew darker, Happy and Harry sat in the Gryffindor common room, their minds burdened with the weight of the recent events.

The common room was unusually quiet, with many of their fellow Gryffindors absent. So the two went to their room, and as expected, Ron was not there.

Happy and Harry decided not to sleep that night while waiting for Ron to return. So both of them talked about things while Happy gently stroked Koko's feathers, comforting the tired goose perched on his lap.

"When I got the letter." Harry Potter began after lying down on the bed and putting his glasses on the side. "I was so excited. I thought this was my chance—this is it! But who would have known the magical world would be like this? It's certainly better than Dursleys, but not by a lot."

Happy sighed and rested down too. "Honestly, I came to the school just to eat good meals and live in a cheerful environment. Things are going sideways now, but I don't regret it one bit—this is like a second life for me, away from the gloom."

'And the smell of medicines.' Happy added silently.

"Good night, Happy." Harry closed his eyes. "Let's hope this ends soon."

'It won't.' Happy, sadly, knew too much.

Eventually, he also closed his eyes and fell asleep. Ron never returned that night, understandably so.

…

As the morning dawned, Harry awakened from his slumber. The events of the previous night lingered vividly in his mind.

"Where did he go?"

Happy was nowhere to be found, but he discovered a note beneath his glasses. 'Come to the Library with Hermione. Do not bring Ron. He'd be too emotionally unstable to remain calm.'

There were no jokes on the paper that Happy usually pulled, so Harry felt quite serious about the matter. Without wasting any time, he freshened up, changed his clothes, and set off to find Hermione. She was in the common room with others, as the entire house was abuzz with discussions about the attack on Ginny.

He quickly whispered to Hermione about the note and left with her towards the library.

"Harry, what's happening?" Hermione inquired with concern as they walked. "Why did Happy ask us to meet without Ron?"

Harry shook his head, his own confusion mirroring Hermione's. "I don't know. But knowing that he's rarely this serious, we should listen to him."

They entered the library and began their search for Happy. Hermione's keen eyes scanned the area, her gaze finally landing on a secluded corner where a familiar figure sat, engrossed in a book. It was Happy, his usually cheerful demeanor overshadowed by a deep sense of focus.

"Happy, what's the matter?" Hermione voiced, seeing him sitting with a thick book.

"Both of you, come and take a look at this."

Harry and Hermione followed Happy's lead and looked where his finger pointed at the paper, only to speak it together.

"Basilisk?!"

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Special thanks to *phong thanh nguyen* *andy cohen* *Martin Bosley*