Harry looked up at the basilisk and found himself swallowing in a similar manner.
"We have met once before, but you won't remember because for you it hasn't happened yet", he began nervously.
The snake merely nodded and waited for the boy to continue.
"I was born in a different time, one in the future and we met then", he explained.
"A time where you were not my master", the basilisk guessed.
Harry nodded. "And I was forced to attack you?" it questioned further, opening its eyes once more, a look of deep sadness marring its features.
"Yes", Harry confirmed quietly looking down towards the floor.
"Was I killed?".
Harry could only nod.
"I am pleased you survived my child, and even more pleased that we met like this", it hissed genuinely.
Harry looked up in confusion to see the snake staring back at him with something akin to affection and respect.
"But I killed you", he pointed out.
"Only so you could live, which would not have happened had the bird not helped, you killed me as I almost killed you".
Harry nodded. "I do not wish to know what happened my child, I can see the memories are unpleasant, but you carry some of myself in you and that makes you my youngling, something I never thought I could have", it continued fondly.
"Are you a female?", Harry asked, surprised that the thought had yet to cross his mind.
The snake growled gently again.
"I am an egg carrier, but the first men hurt me so I could not birth anymore of my kind", it explained sadly. "But here you are, though not of my kin, you are of me in a different way", she added happily.
Harry's eyebrows rose at the seemingly affectionate nature of the creature and smiled softly at its maternal desires.
"Do you have a name?", he asked.
"My first master named me Sura", she answered somewhat dreamily. "But it has been many centuries since it has been spoken", she added sadly.
"Sura", Harry whispered. "I like it", he declared.
The snake seemed to stand more tall and proud as it once more looked down on the boy.
"And what of you youngling, what name were you given by your carrier?".
"My mother named me Harry".
The basilisk seemed to snort and shook its head.
"Harry is no name for a snake child, so I shall just call you youngling".
Harry chuckled and shook his head. "What is it you would like me to add to the room?", he asked.
"My first master made me a circle of fire, that is all I wish for". Harry nodded and climbed into the large mouth of the statue from which the snake had emerged. He frowned as he lit his wand noting that the room had become very dusty. He shook his head and waved his wand to dispel the dust, noticing that there was a tunnel at the far end of the cavernous room.
"Sura, what is through that tunnel?".
"That is where my first and second master would study", the snake explained as she slithered her way back into the room.
"Not the third?", Harry asked, clearly surprised that Tom would not have found the place.
The snake shook its head.
"My third master never came in here, he found the small library outside and worked in there".
Harry almost laughed at the thought of Voldemort missing a clearly significant part of the chamber. "I will light your fire for you and then have a look", he decided aloud.
The basilisk simply nodded happily and coiled itself up tightly and looked at the boy, waiting for him to proceed. Harry made his way to the entrance of the tunnel and waved his wand, conjuring a bright ring of fire that circled itself around the creature who sight contently before sinking deeper within itself.
When he was sure that the creature was comfortable he turned away from her and made his way into the tunnel to see what the rest of the chamber held. The conjured flames lit the tunnel for the first few feet but he soon found himself needing to light his wand once more and dispatch of several centuries worth of dust as he went.
The tunnel was much shorter than he had anticipated and it was only after a moment of walking he could see a wall in the very distance. It was not the wall however that had him pausing mid stride but the portrait that adorned it.
The man cut quite the imposing figure in statue form but looking on him in finer detail, there was no comparison. The eyes shone with a deep intelligence and seemed to stare into the teen's very soul. The bright emerald of the younger of two met the jade of the older and they simply stared at one another for a few moments before the painting broke the silence.
"So Shevah did manage to find himself a wife", Slytherin stated simply.
Harry frowned in confusion and shook his head.
"Excuse me?", he asked dumbly.
"Is he your father or perhaps your grandfather?", the portrait continued a little irritably. Harry shook his head in denial as he realised what the man was implying.
"Neither, we are not related as far as I know".
The man in the portrait frowned and looked closer at the boy before shaking his head.
"You look like my family and you clearly possess the talent to get past Sura", he returned.
Harry could admit that there was quite a resemblance between the two and the fact that he was a parselmouth only added to the similarities. Nonetheless he held up his hands in a placating manner before speaking again.
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