Antonius wondered why I was examining the walls.

"You look like you're trying to read the rocks,"he said.

I found I couldn't seem to explain what I was doing. The enchantment was somehow stronger in here.

After some exploring of this small group of caves, we found the passage to the entrance. We sat down near it, but daren't look out of it, in case the Basilisk was about.

Antonius thought about using a Vanishing Spell to get rid of all the dirt I was covered in, and I managed to put my hair up into a somewhat untidy, but tidier-than-before bun.

Then I had an idea,"you could apparate us out of here, do you think?"

"Silas apparated outside the cave,"Antonius said,"when he left the caves, he went outside to disapparate. So I don't think you can apparate from inside this cave."

"We could go outside quickly,"I suggested,"with our eyes closed. If we hear the Basilisk coming, we can quickly run back into the cave."

"I'll try inside here first,"Antonius said,"how are you at apparating?"

"I can't,"I said,"but I can hold onto you."

It didn't work.

"Oh, I've just remembered this,"I said, showing Antonius the bracelet on my arm,"it's to stop me from apparating. I forgot about it."

Antonius attempted to remove it with numerous spells, but it was no use.

"I can't apparate with you with this,"Antonius said,"and you can't apparate. I don't know how to remove it."

I didn't know how either.

"You could apparate yourself,"I suggested,"try to get help."

"That's too much risk,"Antonius said,"I don't want to leave you here alone."

"So you believe me, then?"I asked,"you believe me about the ritual?"

"I don't know, Catherine,"Antonius answered, sounding frustrated,"I don't know what to believe."

"We need an escape plan, just in case,"I said,"the entrance is right there! What if we run outside looking at the ground, or with our eyes closed? The Basilisk might not be out there right now, we could make a dash for it!"

Eventually Antonius agreed to this. We crept outside, looking at the ground, and listening intently for any sounds that might be the Basilisk. At first, it went well, we managed to venture quite far away from the cave. However, there weren't any sign of the standing stones, and it didn't seem to be the place Max and I had discovered at the other end of the tunnel. I didn't dare to look around properly, in case I met the fatal stare of the creature we were trying to avoid.

Then I heard it.

"I sssmellll ssssupper!"

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"Antonius, we need to get back to the cave,"I whispered, grabbing his arm.

There was a swishing, swooshing sound coming from the trees ahead of us, along with the rapid cracking of twigs and snapping of branches. We turned around and faced the opposite way. I glimpsed the entrance of the cave in the distance ahead of us, and we ran straight for it! We dived in through the entrance, and ran into the deeper caves beyond.

I was sure we were only just in time, by a few seconds. The Basilisk almost got us! It was a good thing the snake potion I drank yesterday hadn't worn off. I sank down onto the ground, trying to catch my breath. Then I heard the voice of the Basilisk again. It was from a distance, and it echoed eerily into the cave.

"Go away!"I yelled at it,"leave us alone!"

"Who are you?"the Basilisk asked,"who are you that ssspeaksss to me?"

"I speak to you!"I called, remembering there was a chance I could win it's allegiance,"what can I do, to earn your trust?"

"It iss eassssily done,"the Basilisk replied,"tell the boy who iss with you to come outssside. Tell him, it iss sssafe."

"Will it be safe, though?"I asked,"you won't eat him, will you?"

"In order for me to trussst you, you mussst trussst me,"the Basilisk replied.

It was too great a risk. I've been tricked by a snake before. I knew the most likely scenario was that the Basilisk was just looking for a quick snack.

"I won't do that,"I responded.

"Then I shallll not let you passss, I shallll not let you essscape!"the Basilisk answered.

I decided to ignore it after that.

"We're you speaking to the Basilisk?"Antonius asked.

"I was trying to win its allegiance,"I explained,"but it's too difficult. We'll just have to stay in here. It said it's going to eat us, if we go outside."

The time passed slowly as we tried to plan what to do in case Silas did try to sacrifice one of us...

I was just saying,"where are we going to get food?"when Silas entered the caves.

By then, it was about 3 in the afternoon. He called to Antonius, then went off. He had given Antonius some bread and soup. I looked at the food suspiciously, I didn't want to trust anything being given by Silas, but I was too hungry to resist it.

I ate all mine, before Antonius had even started his. I watched him stirring a spoon around and around in his soup, and was about to ask him something, but I forgot what I was going to say. I yawned, instead, and lay my head on his shoulder. I closed my eyes...

...when I opened them, I was greeted by a golden daylight... evening light... the light of the setting sun...

I tried to move, but I felt cold metal against my wrists, hard stone beneath me. I was looking up through the skylight in the ceiling of the sacrificial chamber.

"Alohomora!"that was Antonius' voice.

I pulled my arms free, and saw him standing beside me.

"Catherine, go!"he whispered,"run!"

"What's happening?"I whispered back.

"I managed to distract him, but we don't have time,"Antonius whispered, dragging me out of the sacrificial chamber.

We reached the opening of the cave.

"Run!"Antonius said,"run with your eyes closed!"

"Are you coming with me?"I asked.

"Go!"Antonius ordered, shoving me beyond the entrance of the cave.

I closed my eyes and ran. I couldn't hear the Basilisk. I kept on running with my arms outstretched, so that if I ran into something, I would feel it in front of me first. I kept running into trees and bushes, falling down things and stepping into mud and water. As I ran, I couldn't hear Antonius behind me.

I stopped running, and thought about looking backwards towards the cave, but decided against it. I started running again.

Silas was more powerful than Antonius, if he has caught him...

It was sunset! How was it already sunset? I must have fallen asleep... Silas must have tried to sacrifice me! Antonius helped me escape - but - that would mean... Silas would have to sacrifice Antonius instead.

But it would take about five hours for him to die, and in that time, it was still possible to rescue him. If I could find a way to get back to Hogwarts, tell people what was happening, or just to get help anywhere, I could still save him!

But I also knew Silas will have accounted for this, as soon as he discovered my absence. He'd initiate the ritual, then come straight after me and try to stop me.

Then I thought I heard a voice in the distance. A voice calling my name.

"CATHERINE!"

Just as the voice grew closer, I started to recognise it; but then I heard another voice, that sent chills down my spine.

"There she isss!"

I screamed a warning as loud as I could,"BASILISK! THERE'S A BASILISK!"

I heard a great swishing noise coming from right behind me, and I knew the giant snake was rushing up to me!