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Tom Riddle looked around fascinated. So this was the Chamber of Secrets... interesting. Architecturally not quite the crème de la crème but still spooky enough. Of course not for him, but most everybody else, who altogether – himself excluded of course - wouldn't have the opportunity to enter this place.

Or maybe they did? Thoughtful Tom contemplated the many tunnels which branched out from the spacious room. Maybe one of those ended in an easier to open entry or exit.

But all that was, at least at the moment, not that interesting at all. Tom directed his gaze onto the big statue at the other end of the room. According to the sadly fragmented recordings he had found inside the study of Salazar Slytherin – near the Slytherin common room – the nest of Slytherins monster was behind the statue.

The documents had spoken of a basilisk that could only be freed by speaking a given phrase in parseltounge. He had been a bit bewildered that the founder had written down only one word with which it was possible to imprison the basilisk again, before - strangely - the documentation stopped abruptly.

There had been no information at all as to why Slytherin had created that being, but Tom just assumed that history was not that wrong about this and that the beast existed so that he, the descendant of the great Salazar Slytherin, was able to use that being to obliterate those disgusting mudbloods.

Still he was questioning a bit the fact, that the password to imprison the basilisk again was in parseltounge too, after all it was part of the snake-family, but maybe the sounds had to be formed by human vocal chords, or the speaker had to carry Salazars blood, or something like that.

Either way he should get to know the animal first.

With sure, steady steps he walked towards the statue. Pausing in front of it he directed his gaze towards one of the snake-statues and concentrated on it. After he was sure to have entered 'parseltounge-speaking-mode', he hissed loud, precisely the by Slytherin specified sentence: “Speak to me Slytherin, greatest of the Hogwarts Four.”

And with an loud and heavy sounding creaking rumble the stony jaw slid slowly downwards.

A long time nothing but a dark opening was to be seen. And Tom took the liberty to lighten it up with a lumos to be able to see better. Then suddenly a strange screech could be heard, as if something not-snake had learned parseltounge.

A bit confused Tom blinked and from one moment to the other an animal was seen in the mouth-opening of the statue.

Tom had expected a snake, as a the books inside the library had described it... but what awaited him was something VERY different.

It looked more like rooster than anything else. The body had the typical light-coloured plumage of that kind of animal and even on its head it head the characteristical red cockscomb. Tom blinked again. Only the animals facial part was an odd mix between the shape of a rooster, toady-green and scales similar to a snake.

Not to forget the strange crowing in parseltounge.

Another blink. Then Tom watched shocked as the beast tried to climb out of the opening. It was gigantic. Surely taller than three metres (approx. 10ft) and seemed not to be able to understand normal parseltounge. And suddenly the Slytherin-student realized why the animal had been imprisoned. It seemed to be quite immortal – it was ultimately still alive after all this time -, judging by its insane look very bloodthirsty and – much more important – not able to communicate at all. – In short: uncontrollable.

Definitely a new definition of 'monster'.

Hurriedly he ordered the statue (or maybe it was more that failure of a basilisk) ”Silence”. A command that, while reading Slytherins documents, had felt quite rude, but at that moment most understandable after all. As loud as before the mouth rattled close, successfully trapping the beast again.

Quickly he turned to the halls exit.

His last words, before he left the room, “I'll just pretend I didn't see anything.” echoed quietly through the chamber.