Basilisk Eyes

Chapter 147: Pyro-osteomancy

Harry held his breath and listened as Septima gasped behind him. They seemed to be in a tunnel that opened up to a wider space. The cool air of the tunnel was penetrated by shutes of colder air coming from a larger space ahead of them. There was a light bright enough for him to see it, but he couldn't pinpoint the source.

At least it wasn't too bright.

He could hear water trickling and the echo reverberated throughout the space giving it dimension. After the hours they had spent in narrow tunnels, this wide space was cavernous. Harry shivered from more than the chill in the air; he felt exposed. Little Friend tightened his coils on Harry's arm.

He slid his foot forward on the dirt floor and noticed that the texture of the floor was changing, too. It felt smooth and polished underneath a covering of grit. He gently tapped his cane against it and even though it was a very soft tap, it reverberated through the space. It sounded more like a great hall than a cave.

"Shush!" Healer Jordan hissed at him and Harry bit back an apology. He was tempted to ask Nio what they were seeing as the little snake loosened his coils on Harry's wrist to move, his head swaying to peer around Healer Jordan.

"There is chaos magic here," Nio whispered.

Harry grabbed Healer Jordan's arm to get her attention, then used his rudimentary signing skills that Gemma and Peter had taught him to tell her, crudely, what Nio had said.

She responded "I understand" under his hand then pulled him behind her and took a step back. Septima pulled on his shoulder stepping back.

"Cloak," Healer Jordan hissed against his ear. He pulled it out of his pocket and held it out to her and she pulled it around the three of them. They huddled together while Harry wondered what they saw.

"Homenum revelio," Healer Jordan muttered as she poked her wand through the opening of the cloak. She then muttered some other spells. He recognized the privacy spell that they used often in the Center After a moment, she let out a sigh and Harry could feel Septima relaxing next to her.

"Harry, it's obvious that someone has been living down here... but they don't appear to be here at the moment. I've managed to conceal the three of us from their detection charms. They must not have expected anyone to be able to find this place. We're very lucky, but we need to be quiet and keep out of sight. Can you ask Nio what he knows about this area, please?"

Harry brought the snake close to his face and asked him quietly to tell him what he knew.

"This is the place where the Adelphi have encountered the malodorous legwalkers who have been placing the ancient bones that I found when we were in your den, in the tunnels underneath. But the legwalkers are not here now. They were here recently... their smell lingers."

"Adelphi?"

"It is a large group of serpents, all of the same lineage."

Harry passed Nio's information on as quietly and quickly as he could to Healer Jordan and Septima.

"Nio, can we get to the bones that you mention?" Harry asked. "And how can we stop their magic?"

"Yes, we can gather them. You and your chaos sticks will have to figure out how to stop their magic. But there are many placed in tiny crevices linked to your nest. Let me summon the Adelphi to help... it's the only way we can do this quickly, before the leg walkers return."

"Where do you think they are? Is there a place where we can hide?"

"Put me on the ground; I'll find a spot for you to shelter while I summon the Adelphi. I think they are close by."