Chapter 88: Chapter 88: Tom Riddle's Plot

In the Faculty Room of Hogwarts, Professor Minerva McGonagall was managing the increasingly arduous task of organizing the students' departure from the school. With Headmaster Dumbledore's unexplained absence, as no one knew his whereabouts, day-to-day affairs of the castle fell on the responsible shoulders of McGonagall.

"Though the students are leaving, maintaining the security patrols within the castle walls is crucial. Professor Sprout and Filch, you'll be escorting the students to the station. Professors Flitwick, Snape, Forester, and myself will remain here to complete the castle search..."

Barely had she finished her directive when an unceremonious push swung open the staff room door. The room full of startled professors turned to see Harry Potter panting heavily in the doorway, a sight which resulted in Professor Snape's traditional scowl.

"What kind of insolence is this, Potter? Surely you should be busy packing your belongings, not here intruding on crucial faculty meetings!" Snape sneered.

Ignoring Snape's displeasure, a breathless Harry forced his troubling information out hastily, "Professor, Neville...Neville's disappeared!" The room descended into a chilling silence, but before any of the professors could gather their wits to reply, Harry, still gasping for breath, added, "And... we know where... the entrance to the...Chamber is!"

The sudden news saw a collective rise from all professors present. A gasp echoed through the room, their eyes widened in disbelief, all focused on Harry. McGonagall visibly shook at the enormity of what she'd just heard.

"You...you found the entrance?"

"Yes, it…it's in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom on the first floor! The monster residing in the Chamber is a Basilisk, it's using the pipes to travel throughout the castle without being seen!" Harry added somewhat colorfully.

The revelation had Sherlock reeling; so, just as he'd suspected, Dumbledore was right after all! He made a swift suggestion, "We should hasten the students' departure, ensuring they are safely aboard the train. Once the castle is devoid of pupils, we can commence the investigation of the Chamber!"

True to character, the shaken McGonagall swiftly regained control of her emotions and participated in Sherlock's plan. "Professor Sprout, Filch, find the prefects and prepare the students and the rest of the staff to head to the station. The train must not depart until we signal it. Flitwick, Snape, Forester, let's head for the bathroom. Quickly now!"

Moving as directed, the professors prudently set off on their mission. Harry and his friend Ron were allowed to accompany Sherlock and the other Hogwarts professors to the first-floor bathroom. Even though McGonagall initially hadn't agreed to their involvement, Harry's claim of speaking Parseltongue could prove to be an essential asset.

As they approached the notoriously haunted Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, their search for the Chamber of Secrets began earnestly. It didn't take long for Filius Flitwick to gather everyone's attention to an intriguing sight: a small snake, delicately carved into the side of a bronze tap above one of the sinks.

"I'm sure that this tap has never worked," moaned a forlorn Myrtle, navigating the bathroom with her typical spectral gloom.

Sherlock, intrigued by the snake carving, beckoned Harry towards the tap. "Harry, try communicating in Parseltongue with this snake."

Harry focused intently on the small snake; the flickering candlelight strangely made the otherwise lifeless carving seem alive. "Open," he hissed.

The snake responded to his command with a bright light and began to spin rapidly. To all witnesses' astonishment, the sink followed suit, gradually disappearing, revealing a passageway large enough for a person to descend into. The Chamber entrance lay bare before them!

Elation ran through each professor present. Harry and Ron joined them, celebrating the formidable milestone. But in the hearts of Sherlock and the others, a latent understanding remained: finding the entrance to the Chamber marked only the beginning; a challenging conflict awaited them.

"Let's equip ourselves with a rooster first. Its crowing is the best defense we have against the Basilisk," rumbled McGonagall, her calmness returning.

Sherlock and Filius sprung into action, making their way to the Hogwarts greenhouse to fetch a rooster. Dumbledore had thoughtfully supplied the school with roosters from outside Hogwarts, especially for their breeding, once the possibility of the Chamber's beast being a Basilisk surfaced.

With the rooster secured and all students confirmed to have left Hogwarts, the brave company prepared to venture into the eerie depths of the Chamber. Harry and Ron were told to remain outside the entrance, under McGonagall's watchful supervision, while the professors ventured inwards. Flitwick, a former duelling champion whose light stature would prove less of an obstacle in tight spaces, went first, with the rooster and Sherlock and Snape trailing closely behind.

Descending nearly a few miles underground, they finally emerged into a massive underground chamber. Professor Flitwick concluded, "It seems we are below the Black Lake," as the damp pitch-black walls stared back at them.

Simultaneously, all three professors voiced, "Illuminate," activating the Lumos charm, filling the gigantic Chamber with a daylight-like brilliance.

As they continued along an even more impressive tunnel, their footfalls reverberating against the wet terrain, the now nervous rooster in Flitwick's grip clucked and squawked nervously. Their exploration ended when they found a humongous shed snake skin blocking their path.

"Signs of the Basilisk," Snape murmured, "A thousand-year-old snakeskin, vital ingredient for high-value potions."

"Let's concentrate on the task at hand, Snape. We'll take care of the skin after we have sorted this out," Sherlock advised sternly, urging their progress.

They soon reached the end of the tunnel, where a solid wall, designed with two intertwined snakes, stood firm. Their eyes adorned with large, glowing emeralds. Sherlock frowned at the sight of the gigantic snakes and commented, "We should call for Harry."

However, Snape disagreed immediately, "There isn't any need. I remember the command Potter used to open the Chamber's entrance." Using the carefully mimicked hissy voice Harry had used earlier, Snape managed to make the snakes separate, and the stone wall responded by opening a path. Flitwick clapped his hands together in delight, joyfully exclaiming, "Impressive work, Severus!" while Sherlock admired Snape's command over foreign languages.

Their entry marked their arrival into the authentic Chamber of Secrets. A room about half the size of the Great Hall was now visible before them, its atmosphere bathed in a mysterious green glow from the illuminating spells. Immense stone serpentine figures atop columns that vanished into the darkness above supported the ceiling, flanking the statue of an old man with a straggly beard.

"Salazar Slytherin," Snape acknowledged, identifying the figure carved into the statue.

Apart from these structures, the Chamber seemed unusually empty. The trio did a detailed examination around the statue, revealing an inscription which read: "Slytherin's glory will echo within these castle walls forever! Even if his Chamber is no longer a secret."

Upon reading the message, the color drained from Flitwick's face, "He's gone! He's run off with Neville Longbottom!"

The scene saw similar distress from others, with Snape's face mirroring Flitwick's gloom. Sherlock, despite sharing the grim expression, seemed to have something else going on in his mind. However, after a thorough but fruitless search of the premises, they resolved to exit and return to the waiting McGonagall, Harry, and Ron.

McGonagall looked dazed and somewhat shocked as she heard of Salazar Slytherin's heir, the Basilisk, and the sorrowful fate of the missing Neville. "How will I convey this to the Longbottom family... His parents," she barely whispered, almost too grief-stricken to continue.

Sherlock and the others shared similar glum expressions, mirroring the sheer disbelief on Harry and Ron's faces. They had initially believed that, upon finding the Chamber, Hogwarts would no longer face the threat of closure, and Neville's safety would be assured. The reversal of expected outcomes took them by surprise.

However, managing to quickly regain control over her emotions, McGonagall took a deep breath and instructed Sherlock, "Take Harry and Ron to fetch their belongings in the common room, then escort them to the train."

The revelation that Neville had disappeared and that Tom Riddle'S diary was still at large left Sherlock perturbed, for it meant Dumbledore's plan had fallen short. As tricky as Tom had shown himself to be, this situation seemed more sinister. Regardless, the most logical step was to ensure all students were dispatched safely and thereafter execute a more comprehensive inspection of the castle.

Harry, Ron, and Sherlock made their way to the Gryffindor common room silently. None of them spoke a word, that is until an idea sparked in Harry's mind.

Running forward to catch up with Sherlock, he tugged at his arm. "Professor, do you think we can find Neville and the diary before we board the train and leave Hogwarts?" he asked apprehensively.

Both Sherlock and Ron stopped in surprise. However, realizing what Harry was hinting at, Ron quickly joined in, his eyes gleaming with hope. Sherlock, in resignation, spoke, "Unfortunately it seems very unlikely at this point in time. However, you should trust the professors to handle the castle's affairs. You must behave, board the train, and be patient to hear from us. Dumbledore will inform you when to return when all is back to normal."

Harry and Ron exchanged looks. Their eyes sparkled with an unknown excitement. Sherlock, observing their unexpectedly happy reaction, was puzzled by the jubilant response his reaction had ignited.

Before long, they arrived at the tower of the Gryffindor common room. Except for them, all other students had left Hogwarts, even the Fat Lady was absent, having left to tend to her own matters. Thus, Harry and Ron remained the only ones left.

As they stepped inside the Gryffindor common room, they found a boy lying on the sofa, so pale he barely seemed alive.

"Neville!" Harry and Ron yelled in union.

Equally visible on Sherlock was a thoughtful frown. He slowly drew out his wand as not only had Neville Longbottom reappeared, but a black-haired boy sat nonchalantly by the fireplace next to him.

"Professor, look... It…it's Tom Riddle!" gasped Harry, the revelation freezing the room as the entrance to the Gryffindor common room swung shut abruptly.

Sitting there, with a triumphant smile plastered across his face, indeed, was Tom Riddle.