The Chamber of Secrets shook under the ongoing battle. Dust and rubble filled the air as Rufus Scrimgeour, still in his towering lion form, clashed once more with the Basilisk, their struggle thundering through the ancient stone walls. Each time the serpent lunged, Rufus countered, his claws slashing against the creature’s impenetrable scales, his body dodging with speed belying his size. Yet despite his might, the Basilisk’s sheer strength was beginning to wear on him.
Near the entrance, Professor McGonagall stood as an unyielding shield for the group of students gathered behind her. Her stern face remained focused, eyes darting between the chaos of the battle and the children she was sworn to protect. Her wand moved in quick, precise motions, casting protective charms that shimmered in the dim light, keeping the debris and stray curses at bay.
Behind her, Professor Snape and Professor Flitwick were locked in their own fight, aiming their spells with relentless precision at the Basilisk, creating moments of weakness that Rufus could exploit. However, the creature was fast—its great coils twisting and thrashing in response to their attacks.
Suddenly, a piercing hiss echoed through the chamber, louder than before. The Basilisk, despite being partially blinded, had sensed the Aurors closing in on its flanks. With a mighty lash of its tail, it sent two nameless Aurors flying backward, their bodies crashing into the stone walls with bone-shattering force. The serpent then turned its fury back to Rufus, who barely avoided the sharp, venomous fangs aimed at his throat.
Professor Flitwick, standing to the side, looked up at the towering serpent, his eyes wide but determined. “We need to weaken it further!” he shouted to Snape, his voice strained as he deflected another wave of rubble with a flick of his wand.
Snape nodded curtly, his dark eyes narrowing as he muttered a spell under his breath. A wave of sickly green light shot from his wand, hitting the Basilisk square in its side. The serpent roared in pain, its movements slowing for a moment, but the spell was not enough to stop it. The creature’s magical resilience was proving formidable, and even the combined efforts of the professors and Aurors were barely enough to keep it contained.
Meanwhile, Gilderoy Lockhart’s cowardly retreat had left McGonagall with the sole responsibility of protecting the students. She had gathered them in the safest corner she could find, but the battle was encroaching fast.
"Stay close to me!" she commanded again, her voice firm. “Do not move unless I say so.”
As the serpent’s tail swept dangerously close, McGonagall cast a massive barrier, one that shimmered like molten glass and expanded to shield the students from harm. The force of the Basilisk’s tail slammed into her barrier with a deafening crash, but McGonagall held strong, her hands steady on her wand. She couldn’t let her focus waver for even a second. The lives of those children depended on her unwavering defense.
Suddenly, her sharp gaze caught movement—ron, had broken from the group in a moment of panic and was darting toward the entrance. Without hesitation, McGonagall raised her wand, conjuring a rope of light that wrapped around the child, pulling them back to safety just as a chunk of the ceiling crashed down where they had been moments before.
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“Stay where you are!” McGonagall’s voice was uncharacteristically harsh, but the fear in her eyes was clear. She couldn’t lose them—not like this.
Rufus, still locked in his titanic struggle with the Basilisk, could feel his energy waning. His Animagus form was strong, but the fight was dragging on too long, and the beast was showing no signs of fatigue. With every lunge and strike, Rufus knew he needed to end this soon or risk losing.
Suddenly, a flash of movement caught his eye—Professor Flitwick, small but quick, had darted closer to the Basilisk’s head. The tiny professor raised his wand, shouting a spell that sent jagged rocks flying into the creature’s face, distracting it just long enough for Rufus to pounce. The lion leaped, landing on the serpent’s back, his massive claws digging deep into its thick scales.
The Basilisk roared in fury, thrashing wildly as it tried to dislodge him, but Rufus held on. He sank his claws deeper, feeling the beast’s blood seep through its armored hide. He had it now—if he could just keep it pinned long enough, he might be able to—
But then, a sharp pain shot through his side.
The Basilisk had twisted just enough to sink one of its venomous fangs into Rufus’s flank, piercing through his thick hide. He roared in pain, feeling the venom start to course through his veins, his limbs growing sluggish.
“No!” McGonagall cried from the back of the chamber, her eyes widening in horror as she saw Rufus falter.
At that moment, a new figure appeared at the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets, moving with silent precision. It was Professor Snape, who had maneuvered his way into a position of advantage while the others were distracted supposed to distract the Basilisk. His black robes billowed behind him as he raised his wand, his sharp, dark eyes focused solely on the great serpent.
His dark eyes narrowed in determination as he moved quickly, casting a powerful binding spell. “Incarcerous!” he shouted, sending thick, enchanted chains shooting from his wand, which wrapped tightly around the Basilisk’s body.
McGonagall, determined not to let Rufus’s efforts go in vain, reinforced the binding spell, her face etched with grim determination. The magical chains glowed fiercely as they constricted the Basilisk, pinning it to the ground, but the beast still struggled, its hiss filling the chamber with defiant fury.
Despite the venom coursing through his veins, Rufus was not finished. With the last of his strength, he focused his will, his lion form shimmering briefly as he reverted to his human body. His breathing was labored, but his eyes burned with fierce determination. The venom weakened him, but his resolve remained unshaken.
Gripping his wand tightly, Rufus took a deep breath, and with a voice that echoed with power, he uttered a spell of his own creation—a spell that he had never used in battle until this moment.
“Bombada ultima!”
A tremendous surge of magic shot forth from his wand, far surpassing the power of Bombarda Ultima. A blinding, fiery light erupted from the tip, spiraling toward the Basilisk. The spell collided with the creature in an earth-shaking explosion, the blast so powerful that it sent shockwaves through the entire Chamber.
The Basilisk, already weakened and bound, could not withstand the force of the spell. Its body shuddered violently as the spell struck, tearing through its massive form. With a final, earsplitting hiss, the Basilisk collapsed, its body crumbling as cracks appeared along its scales, revealing the devastation within. In mere moments, the beast lay still, utterly defeated but not dead.