"In due course..." Crouch answered. "Now is not the time to cause unnecessary attention."
"As much as it pains me to say it, things need to settle first so when our comeback is at hand, it can be a devastation blow that will never be recovered from."
Finally the boat stopped in front of a chamber lined with black pillars of ancient greek design. Such was the gradual of the dark room, it made Crouch question how he'd managed to construct all of this in secret. But he supposed that if a chamber housing a basilisk could be made in Hogwarts without any witnesses, anything was possible.
Along the walls, carved out stone shelves held tome after tome of ancient text. Could this be Herpo the Foul's vault? and if so...
"Why only one defense?" Crouch questioned aloud. Herpo the Foul was certainly not hurting for magical power. Was he truly so confident in his first monster as to think he need not another defense?