Chapter 146: The Truth
"If you go, you will have an accident!"
Ron hugged Harry tightly, confused by Harry's confidence. Was Harry really Slytherin's successor? Did that mean the basilisk wouldn't attack him?
"I'll be fine...I..."
"Dizzy!"
Harry didn't finish his words. Neville's voice came from the side as he pointed his wand at Harry and cast the latest spell he had learned last week.
Harry was hit by the curse and passed out immediately.
"It's... okay," Ron looked at Neville, then at the unconscious Harry, and shrugged. "It's better to be in a coma than to be eaten by a basilisk..."
Neville put away his wand, glancing at the others innocently. "I think so too... We should put Harry on the bed and talk to Prefect Percy about it. If Harry is a Parseltongue and he can hear the basilisk, then Artel is right."
The group worked together to move Harry to his bed and cover him up. Then, Ron and Neville went to find Percy.
After listening to Ron, Percy was surprised to learn that Harry was a Parseltongue. He was also considering how to handle the situation. Percy, who usually enjoyed figuring out how to gain more power, understood that the professors didn't want this information to become public.
"You go back first, Ron. Don't tell anyone about Harry being a Parseltongue. And don't mention the basilisk. I'll inform Professor McGonagall about it. You should go back to sleep," Percy instructed.
Ron and Neville left, and Percy returned to the prefect's dormitory. As for telling Professor McGonagall, that could wait until tomorrow. With basilisks wandering around, only a fool would run out at night.
The next morning, a shrill scream woke the little wizards still sleeping in Gryffindor.
They quickly dressed and rushed to the door of the lounge.
Two ghosts were floating in the air, their forms motionless and expressions stiff. They were a dismal shade of gray, clearly victims of the same malevolent magic that had attacked the Bloody Baron the previous day.
"Headless Nick... and Mrs. Maris..."
"They've been attacked too... how terrifying!"
"What should we do?"
The young wizards retreated back into the lounge, their faces pale with fear. Percy instructed them to stay put for the time being, then hurried off alone to Professor McGonagall's office.
In addition to informing Professor McGonagall about the morning's events, Percy relayed what Ron had told him the previous night.
Professor McGonagall's expression darkened further as she listened.
She didn't say much, merely instructing Percy to return to the lounge and keep an eye on the students. Then, she headed to Dumbledore's office.
Feeling dejected by the lack of praise from Professor McGonagall, Percy nonetheless returned to the lounge, maintaining order until the professors arrived.
Soon, Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall arrived together.
After examining the two ghosts, Dumbledore cast a quick glance at the young wizards who were watching the scene unfold. Not spotting Harry among them, he walked into the Gryffindor lounge and made his way to Harry's dormitory.
"Harry... what's happened to him?"
Entering the bedroom, Dumbledore found Harry still asleep and addressed Ron, who was beside him.
"Well... he..."
Ron hesitated, then recounted the events of the previous night to Dumbledore.
"You did well... although the method was not ideal. Of course, it takes courage to use magic to prevent your friends from taking unnecessary risks," Dumbledore said, casting an approving glance at Neville. With a gentle wave of his hand, he roused Harry from his slumber.
"I have to stop it!"
The moment Harry woke up, he leapt out of bed, ready for action. But when he saw Dumbledore and the young wizards watching him, he froze.
"Headmaster Dumbledore..."
"Harry."
Dumbledore's face bore a kind smile. He motioned for Harry to sit, then approached him and asked gently:
"I believe you have something to tell me..."
Harry knew that Dumbledore must have learned about Parseltongue and the Basilisk. He glanced at Ron, feeling a surge of irritation, but then nodded and said:
"I... I can communicate with snakes... It's an ability I've had since before I came to Hogwarts."
Thinking of the big snake he saw at the zoo before school started, Harry hesitated and said:
"Ron told me I'm a Parseltongue... Since yesterday morning, I've been hearing this very evil voice..."
"He kept saying he was hungry, needed blood, needed to kill..."
"I didn't know what it was at first, but after hearing Hermione's story about the Chamber of Secrets, I thought it might be a basilisk. Especially after finding out I'm a Parseltongue, I became more certain."
Now that it had been discovered, Harry decided to tell everything.
Dumbledore listened silently, and at the end, he nodded, reached out, touched Harry's head, and said:
"You've done a great job, Harry... Without you, we might have been kept in the dark... It looks like the Chamber of Secrets has really been opened... There's a good chance the monster is a basilisk, yes... almost certain now, long-lived, predators of spiders. Harry heard its voice..."
"It was Artel who discovered the basilisk first!"
A determined voice sounded from the crowd; it was Hermione.
Her face was serious, and seeing Dumbledore looking at her, Hermione stepped out of the crowd.
"Yesterday at noon, Artel said he thought someone had opened the Chamber of Secrets and released the basilisk, but no one believed him! Professor McGonagall even said the Chamber of Secrets was a legend!"
Professor McGonagall looked a little embarrassed but not angry.
"Later, Artel told me that Professor McGonagall was probably afraid of causing panic among the students, so he didn't press the issue. He told me that if it really was a basilisk, it could only be hiding in the pipes of the castle!"
"So Artel discovered this first!"
Hermione wasn't trying to take credit from Artel; she looked at Dumbledore firmly and said:
"Because Professor McGonagall said the Chamber of Secrets was a legend, everyone didn't believe it... that's okay, but some people said Artel was talking nonsense for attention! Artel was only trying to protect everyone!"
Hermione turned her head and looked at Lavender, who was hiding behind the crowd with an upset expression. She said loudly:
"Lavender! I want you to apologize to Artel in the Great Hall! Apologize for your stupidity and ignorance!"
At this point, Professor McGonagall had learned what happened last night from Percy's whispered explanation. She sighed softly and told Lavender to step forward.
"Lavender... You shouldn't maliciously slander Artel before the facts are clear. You were wrong, and you need to apologize not only to Artel but also to Hermione. Can you accept that?"
Lavender didn't speak; she clenched her fist and bit her lip.
"I... I understand... I will apologize to you!"
Lavender finished speaking and ran out crying.
Hermione let go of the wand around her waist. She looked at Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore, bowed slightly, and said:
"I'm sorry, Professor McGonagall, Headmaster Dumbledore, I didn't mean to offend you. I apologize for my impulsiveness just now..."
"It's okay…"
Professor McGonagall didn't mind. She knew that Hermione was only standing up for Artel, not against her and Dumbledore.
"Alright, if that's the case... Minerva, go and inform the other professors to keep all the students in the common rooms. I think... we need to find out where the Chamber of Secrets is."
....
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