52 52. The Plan

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The violent green light escaped Snape's wand and struck the Basilisk right in the head. Almost instantly, in response, the Basilisk shrieked in pain and writhed on the wet floor, rolling and curling into itself.

Its pain-filled hisses echoed for a few seconds before subsiding moments later. Death had kissed the mighty being, and the Killing Curse had worked its magic. After all, nothing alive could ever face the curse and live to tell the tale, no matter what.

"You! Aaaargh!"

But the drama hadn't ended as Tom Riddle's loud shout followed the snake's subsiding cries. It came as a shock to even Happy, to see Tom Riddle's body tearing apart with deep gashes made of bright golden light.

"It worked?!" Happy looked down at the diary, and as expected, his blessed blood had made a hole through it. Each drop that fell on the papers created a sizzling sound and burned Tom Riddle even more.

"What have you done, Lestrange? I will remember this!"

Happy scoffed and squeezed his hand a bit to allow more blood to come out. "I don't care what you remember, you filth! Come at me whenever you want. I will be here to give you another dose of this!"

"Aaaaaarg! STOP!" Riddle screamed, and his entire body got covered with shining golden wounds.

Once he was entirely covered with it, without warning, he exploded entirely into thin white sparks as if they were his ashes. The destruction of the Horcrux also meant Voldomort's magic vanished.

"That was a bit too spectacular of an end for something so dark." Happy muttered, noticing that Tom Riddle's sparks looked golden.

"No!" Hermione abruptly woke up, wide-eyed. She seemed to continue her last shouts before falling into Voldemort's mental trap.

"Hermione!" Happy quickly helped her sit up as she lacked the strength. "How are you feeling? Do you remember everything?"

Hermione's eyes instantly turned teary, overwhelmed by regret. "I…I hurt Neville, Ginny, and the others…I did it, Happy…I didn't want to!"

"I know," Happy blurted out before settling, finally feeling relief. He, too, felt weak after using magic and losing some blood. "What matters is that you're safe. As for those petrified, they will be revived soon enough. The crisis has passed, and it's time to celebrate."

She tiredly leaned on his shoulder to balance her mind. "I didn't know the diary was so…"

"Well, that's dark magic for you. It takes advantage of your deepest insecurities. He talked about it, and honestly, you're dumb to feel that way. You're already the top student in our year among the four houses; there's nothing left for you to prove. As for your inferiority complex, that's something you did to yourself.

"I'm a pureblooded wizard, but does that stop the other purebloods from coming after me? In the end, this isn't a battle of blood and status but one of ideology. Darkness versus light, good versus evil."

Hermione raised her eyes and looked at his face while smiling softly, "Professor Happy, I never thought you were such a philosopher. Then do you stand on light's side?"

Happy looked at the snake's corpse and thought about his future. But, unfortunately, he couldn't predict anything with certainty because the butterfly had messed everything up.

"I didn't join Hogwarts to take sides, Hermione. I only want to live happily and eat all I want, but I suppose that won't be so easy to accomplish anymore." He replied after pondering a bit. "I would rather make my own path than imitate someone else's."

It was the first time Happy had to fight like that in the wizarding world. Where he had expected an easy seven years as a side character who just ate and walked with Harry Potter to see the story unfold, it turned out he was slowly becoming the main character of his own story.

'Mom, Dad, I really miss you right now." Happy felt homesick for the first time since his arrival in the new magical world. 'I hope you're happy, just like my name."

"Your hand!" Hermione exclaimed, noticing the deep, wide cut on Happy's palm.

"Oh, this? It will heal itself soon, Hermione." He finally stood up and helped her stand as well. "We should return to school and inform the teachers. Thankfully, Professor Snape will be able to vouch for us."

Hermione quickly looked sideways and saw Snape. She couldn't comprehend why the man she had considered the ultimate villain in her mind would come and help them. "Why?"

"Because he's a Professor—not the best of them, but a Professor indeed." Happy walked over to Harry and Snape as the two were busy pushing the Basilisk's body out of the way. Though Snape was already busy harvesting the venom in a big jar.

"Woof!" Koko flew over and sat down on Happy's right shoulder.

"Reee!" Fawkes also came and took his left shoulder. Both of them continued to make noises as if they were talking to each other.

"Hehe, are you a Disney Princess?" Hermione chuckled and watched the two pretty birds.

"Believe it or not, they did more than me in defeating that snake. Our Fawkes here blinded the snake, and Koko scared the heck out of it." Happy proudly boasted about the achievements of the two birds.

But in truth, they were all tired beyond doubt and just wanted to drop on their beds like a log. So they approached Harry and Snape.

But Happy had a better idea. "Dobby, come here!"

Pop!

"Master Lestrange." Dobby was happy with the outcome of the night. Harry was safe, and the Dark Lord was defeated once again. "What can Dobby do?"

"Please take Harry and Hermione to the Hospital Wing so Madam Pompfrey can look over them." He ordered.

"Wait, why aren't yo—"

Before Harry could say anything, Dobby quickly grabbed Harry's robes and Hermione's hand before apparating away with a resounding Pop!

Once done, Happy took out a jar from his expansion pouch and copied Snape to harvest the snake's poison for research purposes. It was the most poison out there, and there was no way he'd leave it behind. Heck, even the Basilisk's skin and meat were useful.

While working, Happy made some small but extremely meaningful talk with the man. "Professor, aren't you interested in how the Dark Lord was able to appear so powerfully and cause such harm?"

"Clearly, he didn't die," Snape answered. "Only his physical vessel was destroyed."

Happy smirked and shook his head. He pointed at the diary on the floor behind him, "But that diary was owned by Tom fifty years ago. If it was the Dark Lord's soul from that night, why did he look as young as fifty years ago?"

Snape paused abruptly and looked at the diary. Then, promptly, he placed the jar down and moved to pick up the diary and check it. There was a big hole in the middle of it now.

"He was connected to this?" Snape muttered, evaluating the object. "What we saw was not his soul?"

Happy finished filling his jar with venom and putting it away before walking closer to Snape. "It was his soul—one from fifty years ago."

Snape didn't take Happy's words lightly anymore since he was correct about the chamber and the snake. But he couldn't understand what was going on either.

"A soul cannot regress in age, Lestrange."

Happy only gave hints, never accepting the truth. "You are right, Professor. Then that would only mean one thing, the soul came from that time period itself."

"However, the Dark Lord lived for decades after. It can't be his soul, then." Snape said.

Happy shrugged and took the diary from the professor. It was going to be his souvenir as his first major battle. "You never know, Professor. Tom Riddle was a very 'foul' man, after all. Anyhow, thank you for helping me and Harry today. I don't know how we'd have stopped that snake if not for you. But, will you be alright for casting an unforgivable curse?"

Snape scoffed, returning to his usual demeanor. "That is not for you to worry about, Lestrange. Now move; we must return to the surface and report to the ministry."

However, Happy remained in his place as he had something else to talk about. "Have you decided, Professor? Which side to take, the light, the Dark Lord, or mine?"

"I take only my side, Lestrange. If you are convenient to me, you will serve the purpose until your usefulness runs out. That's how it all works, be it light or dark. The faster you learn that the less you will be used by others."

'Cryptic, but his words suggest he's on my side as long as the relationship is mutual. Good, I need to create a safety net for myself,' Happy decided and took another shot.

"Professor, if we are to do this, we must grow stronger as a unit." Happy interrupted him from walking away. "We can't fight him or his entire army. So I want to recruit someone, but without your expertise and advice, I can't do it, as you're the only person I know who knows that person well."

Snape interestedly glanced back. "Who?"

"Lucius Malfoy."

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