Harry Potter: Lethal Injection

Chapter 3: Deranged Divinity (Part 3)

This must be Ra. Harry thought, awed by the sheer scale of the beast, not to mention the fact that it had apparently defeated all three of the creatures they had just fought. That's what the snake-monster called it.

"Do you think it's any relation to the Egyptian god, Ra?" Venom asked.

It'd be a bit too much of a coincidence for it to be an Egyptian eagle-creature called Ra and unrelated to the Egyptian eagle-god called Ra, don't you think?

"Coincidences do exist, you know. But yes, I take your point."

You know, Venom? Harry thought, in a philosophical tone. Looking at this enormous skeleton that was once a mighty being has made me realise something.

"What's that, Harry?" Venom was intrigued to hear his host's epiphany.

I really fucking hope there's a way out through here or We are SO fucked. Venom burst out laughing.

"Couldn't have put it better myself, Harry. While We're here though, do you want to take a look at that book?"

What book? Harry took a moment to take in their surroundings, the room was enormous, almost as large as the chambers of the three monsters they had just faced, but much shorter than those rooms had been. The carvings were also far more intricate, many of them featuring Ra or the robed figures that must have been his priests and inlaid with gold or glittering stones that Harry could only assume were precious gems. The ceiling was supported by four sturdy columns, these carved to resemble enormous lotus flowers, and the far end of the chamber was dominated by an enormous altar set at the top of an impressive set of steps.

The altar was made of pure gold, and the steps it sat upon glittered with the black sheen of obsidian, making the entire structure almost glow in the faint light of the torches. Atop the altar sat, unmistakably, a book, but a book unlike any Harry had ever seen before. It was constructed of a strange silvery metal, somewhere between silver and platinum, yet indescribably distinct from either of those: it was unlike any substance Harry had ever before seen. The book was also enormous, almost half-a-foot thick, and covered in the intricate carvings and symbols Harry had seen covering the walls of the entire underground structure. It also glowed faintly, a dim golden radiance that seemed to beckon Harry closer and whisper promises of power into his very soul.

"That book." Venom clarified unnecessarily. "The one that might as well have a sign saying 'I'm important as fuck, this is why it was worth going through all that dangerous shit.'"

Don't you think it's a little too... convenient? Harry asked cautiously, the events of the previous chambers had made him extremely suspicious of anything as seemingly inviting as this book.

"Look, if it's going to try and eat us, or something, it's going to do it eventually. Might as well go pick it up, that way We know when it'll happen." Venom sounded extremely tired throughout this explanation, although his voice then perked up. "And if not it probably has a bunch of awesome ancient magic in it!"

Ancient magic We almost certainly won't be able to read. Harry pointed out.

"I'm sure there's a translation spell or something, now let's go pick up the damn book already!"

Alright, but, if We die, I'm blaming you. Harry consciously echoed the symbiote's own words from the scorpion-beast's chamber.

"Duly noted." Venom returned with a grin, parroting Harry's own words. With that, the pair bounded up the steps and, pausing only to ready themselves for whatever fresh horror awaited them, picked up the book. For a moment nothing happened. Then, with a mighty scraping sound of stone upon stone, a passageway opened before them in the formerly solid wall. The pair stared at the new opening with great suspicion, "Now that is definitely too convenient." They said after a moment's silent contemplation.