Sirius slowly approached the Basilisk. Its body was shuddering but aside from breathing, it didn't make any other move. He was too tired to maintain any fine control on his levitation charm. He waved the sword closer and grabbed it, just as he stepped up to the serpent's head. Its jaws were still open.

The dying Basilisk looked pitiful but he couldn't feel sorry for it. He hated it. He hated it more than perhaps he should, even for a creature that had tried to kill him. After all the Basilisk was mindless and hungry, acting only out of its nature. But to Sirius, in that moment, the beast represented everything he hated about his family and their obsession with Slytherin.

The Basilisk lifted its head and turned toward Sirius. He plunged the sword up into the roof of its mouth. The Basilisk's head fell back onto the floor, still and silent now in death.