章 77: 077 Entering the Chamber of Secrets
Hermione dragged Bryan along the dark and dusty corridor on the third floor of Hogwarts Castle. She was in a hurry to show him the girls' bathroom at the end of the hall. "This is it, professor-" she said breathlessly.
Bryan remembered the stories he had heard from his female classmates when he was a student at Hogwarts. They said the bathroom was haunted by a ghost named Moaning Myrtle, who wore glasses and had died there. Myrtle was very possessive of the bathroom and would scream at anyone who tried to use it. She would also splash them with freezing water from the sinks and toilets, making them wet and miserable. That's why most students avoided that bathroom as much as possible. They didn't want to deal with the angry ghost while they were doing their personal business.
Bryan cautiously approached the rickety wooden door that led to the dimly-lit bathroom. He wrinkled his nose at the musty smell of dampness and decay. From one of the stalls, a thin stream of filthy water seeped across the cracked stone floor. Bryan guessed that this was the secret entrance to the fabled Chamber of Secrets, hidden somewhere in this room by the infamous Salazar Slytherin. He wondered why Slytherin had chosen a girls' bathroom as the location for his mysterious chamber. It seemed like a strange and whimsical choice for the cunning and ambitious founder of Slytherin house. Then it occurred to him that maybe this bathroom was not always for girls. Perhaps it was Slytherin's own private lavatory when he built the chamber centuries ago. The school staff must have changed its purpose over time to accommodate the female students.
"Here you come again! And with a Hogwarts professor this time too!" Myrtle's shrill voice rang out as she caught sight of Bryan and Hermione entering her haunted domain. The pearly-white ghost girl was perched atop one of the cubicle doors, happily humming an off-key song to herself. But upon noticing a professor had walked in, Myrtle's demeanor quickly changed to one of panic and she anxiously floated down from her cubicle and nearer to the floor, as if trying to make herself less noticeable.
Bryan peered with curiosity at the ghostly figure - he had only ever heard vague rumors about Moaning Myrtle during his school days and hadn't actually met her until now. As he looked her up and down, Bryan noted her thick, coke-bottle glasses and generally undesirable, gloomy appearance. After satisfying his curiosity about the infamous bathroom ghost, Bryan's gaze was soon drawn to the large, grimy pipe situated conspicuously in front of the row of sinks, which did not seem to fit with the rest of the bathroom decor.
"Myrtle, are Harry and Ron still down there in the chamber?" Hermione asked the ghost witch anxiously, her voice echoing slightly off the cold tile walls.
"Obviously they are," Myrtle responded in a wispy tone, her beady eyes peering out through the thick lenses of her glasses. Perhaps sensing the authority of a Hogwarts professor, Myrtle seemed reluctant to act too bold or presumptuous in Bryan's presence. She eyed the handsome wizard professor surreptitiously as she added with a hint of relish, "But don't worry too much, I'm sure your friends will be coming back up soon. In the meantime, I've been busying myself picking out toilets for them to arrive in!"
Bryan decided it was time to directly confront the ghostly witch and gain some answers. He patted Hermione gently on the shoulder, signaling for her to relax and letting her know he would handle this. Turning back to Myrtle, Bryan continued speaking politely but with an unmistakable firmness and authority in his even tone: "I have a question for you Miss Myrtle, which I very much hope you can provide an honest answer to - if I am not mistaken, the three attacks that happened earlier this school year were actually carried out by Ginny Weasley while she was controlled by outside forces. As you have been, ahem, 'living' in this bathroom for quite some time, surely you must have witnessed Ginny opening the Chamber of Secrets with your own ghostly eyes...am I correct?"
"You've known all along, haven't you Myrtle!" Hermione suddenly shouted angrily at the ghost in realization, her voice echoing sharply off the cold tile walls. Though Myrtle's wispy form emitted only a fuzzy silver glow, Hermione could still sense the sinister, self-satisfied look hinted at in the specter's eyes. "Everyone has been exhausting themselves trying to solve this mystery and identify the person who opened the Chamber," Hermione continued heatedly, "Myrtle, Harry, Ron and I have even been forced to spend countless hours brewing Polyjuice Potion in this dreary bathroom for over a month, exposed to the cold dampness! And yet it seems you've been secretly watching us struggle and enjoying a laugh at our expense this whole time!"
Hermione's heated words seemed to touch a nerve, and Myrtle's ghostly form swelled up in rage like an inflated balloon. She began floating toward Hermione rapidly as if wanting to get right in the young witch's face and give her an angry retort. But when Myrtle had halved the ten-foot distance between herself and where Bryan and Hermione stood side-by-side, the ghost found her path suddenly blocked by a swirling vortex of magical energy that Bryan quickly summoned. The size of a full moon, the mystical vortex glowed and pulsated with an eerie intertwining of silver and black hues. Myrtle halted abruptly, gazing into the cold darkness at the center of the vortex where a creeping black hole seemed to emanate the very breath of death itself. Having already experienced the chill of mortality once before in her time, Myrtle's ghostly instincts now took over and she recoiled in fear from the frightening magical display. The edges of her pearly spectral form appeared to blur and distort under the heavy waves of foreboding energy radiating from Bryan's spell.
"Aaahh!" Myrtle let out an earsplitting shriek, her glowing figure flickering rapidly as she turned and made a panicked beeline for the nearest toilet stall. With a loud splash, the ghost dove straight into the toilet bowl and disappeared from view, seeming to seek shelter from Bryan's terrifying magic.
"Professor Watson, you should not have let her off so easy like that!" Hermione said in a scolding tone, her kind heart showing concern even for the cruel ghost who had caused so much harm. Of course, the young witch did not yet fully understand exactly what such a dark display of magic could mean for a ghostly entity like Myrtle.
"There is little point in wasting time quarrelling with a spirit at the moment, Miss Granger," Bryan replied calmly as he dismissed the swirling vortex with a wave of his hand. He then turned and strode purposefully over to the large drainage pipe situated at the center of the bathroom floor. The pipe was pitch-black and exuded an unpleasant sewage odor from its dark depths. As Bryan peered down into the foreboding tunnel, his eyes took on an inquisitive glint. With his magical senses, he could perceive that the intricate enchantments that maintained the existence of this hidden passageway were linked directly into the vast, ancient magical foundations that supported the entire castle structure.
Bryan knew that magic, when taken to an advanced enough level, began to deal extensively with complex rules and systems rather than just raw power alone. To safely disable or unlock spells of such potency without destabilizing the entire structure required adhering to the specific 'rule set' put in place by the original caster - in this case, the notoriously brilliant Salazar Slytherin himself. Simply overpowering one's way through by force could have disastrous consequences. Indeed, Bryan realized that without Harry Potter's rare gift of Parseltongue to open the Chamber entrance, even he would be forced to completely uproot the entirety of Hogwarts castle itself if he wished to breach Slytherin's magic by brute magical strength alone!
"Do you think we should enter the Chamber, Professor?" Hermione asked nervously, peering down the dark, slimy pipe with uncertainty. "Won't it be dangerous down there with the basilisk lurking about?" Although her concerns were quite valid, Bryan recognized that the young witch's anxiety was also partly a result of her traumatic experiences with the Heir of Slytherin. As a Muggle-born, facing the legendary Chamber built specifically by one of Hogwarts' founders to purge the school of those with 'impure' blood like herself, it was only natural for poor Hermione to feel frightened.
"There is no need for concern, Miss Granger," Bryan gently reassured her with a calm smile. "No harm will come to you as long as I am here." Hermione still looked anxious but managed a small, grateful nod. Bryan decided exploring the ancient magical ruins left by medieval wizards could be quite thrilling indeed. The complex enchantments Slytherin had used just on the Chamber entrance alone provided valuable insights into rule-based environment magic that even Bryan had scarcely encountered before. But now was not the time for academic curiosity - there were still students' lives at stake down below.
Turning his attention back to the ominous pipe, Bryan considered their options. Simply sliding down the dark, slime-coated tunnel did not seem particularly wise or sanitary. After a brief moment of contemplation, Bryan formulated an idea and turned toward the nervous young witch beside him. "Please excuse any discomfort this may cause, Miss Granger," he stated politely before reaching out a steady hand to gently grasp Hermione's shoulder.
"Whatever do you mean, Profess- oh!" Hermione cut off with a startled yelp as Bryan swiftly enacted his spell. With his free left hand, he deftly flicked his wand in an upward motion, manipulating the fabric of his loosely hanging professor's robes to unwrap and swirl upward enveloping them both. Hermione's eyes widened in shock as her body was abruptly wrapped in the robe's silky folds. An icy sensation washed over her and the bathroom scene around them faded away into inky darkness. Gasping, Hermione glanced down to see even her own body had disappeared entirely! In its place she now appeared to be little more than a softly glowing, amorphous black shadow.
"P-professor, what is this magic you've used on us?" Hermione cried out in her alarm, though she was relieved to find she could still vocalize in her bizarre new form. Her voice seemed to echo strangely as if traveling through water.
"All shall be explained another time," Bryan answered, his calm voice somehow resonating directly into Hermione's mind. "But now haste is required, Miss Granger."
Without further delay, Bryan, likewise transformed into a wispy shadow, propelled himself and Hermione into the gaping tunnel opening. The two streaked swiftly down the clammy stone pipe, Bryan using magic to keep them centered as it twisted and turned at steep angles, plunging them ever deeper below the castle. As they flew down the main drain, smaller pipes occasionally branched off in all directions but Bryan adeptly guided them along the correct path. The already cold air grew even more frigid and damp the further they descended. Their rate of speed was extremely rapid, and before long Bryan sensed they were deep beneath the lake itself. Using his shadow vision he could just make out the rocky lakebed far below them through the labyrinth of drainage tunnels. But their destination still awaited...the fabled Chamber of Secrets.
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章 78: 078 See You At Last
"Professor, you can fly?!"
Hermione's voice was full of disbelief and awe as she followed Bryan through the seemingly endless pipe. She had just experienced the most bizarre sensation of becoming a phantom and passing through solid walls, and now she was witnessing another miracle of magic.
She had always thought that flying was impossible without alchemy tool like broomstick or a carpet, but Professor Watson had just proved her wrong. He had lifted them both into the air with a flick of his wand and soared through the dark tunnel like a bird. They flew for about two minutes, dodging the twists and turns of the pipe, before they finally landed in a dark stone tunnel. Hermione felt her feet touch the ground and her body regain its solidity. She was still dizzy and nauseous from the phantom state, but she couldn't help exclaiming.
In the little witch's mind, flying by magic alone was something that only the most powerful and legendary wizards could do. She had read about it in books, but she had never seen it in person. She wondered how Professor Watson had learned such a skill, and what other secrets he was hiding.
"Hehe, obviously–"
Bryan glanced at the shattered rat skull under his feet, exhaled, and said in a relaxed tone.
He seemed unfazed by the feat he had just performed, as if it was nothing more than a simple trick. He looked around the tunnel with a curious eye, searching for clues and signs of danger. Hermione followed his gaze and felt a shiver run down her spine.
The tunnel was dimly lit by the faint glow of Professor Watson's wand tip, but she could see enough to make her skin crawl. The floor of the tunnel was littered with bones of small animals, some still with bits of flesh and fur attached to them. The walls were damp and moldy, covered with slime and moss. The air was thick with a foul smell of rotting meat and stagnant water. The tunnel looked like a tomb, or worse, a lair. She tried hard to restrain herself from screaming, but fear made her tremble and weak. She could only stand by pulling Watson's robe, hoping that he would protect her from whatever horrors lurked in the dark.
For Bryan, however, the bones on the ground were nothing more than ordinary. He had seen worse things in his life, things that would make most people lose their sanity. He had explored many magical ruins in his quest for knowledge and adventure, and he had encountered many dangers and mysteries along the way. He was not afraid of death, nor of the unknown. He was only curious and excited by the challenge.
"Let's go, Miss Granger, we don't have much time to waste–"
Bryan's tone was calm and confident. He let the little witch pull his wizard robe and walked steadily along the tunnel. He held his wand in front of him, ready to cast any spell that might be needed. He knew that they were getting closer to their destination, and to their enemy.
The air was getting hotter and drier as they walked deeper into the tunnel. The tunnel was old and not well sealed, and water dripped from the cracks in the ceiling. Hermione flinched every time a drop of muddy water landed on her face or neck. She hated this place more than anything. She didn't dare to think about Ginny's fate, or Harry and Ron's whereabouts. She only hoped that they were safe and alive.
"Professor Watson, that is."
Just after a dark bend in the tunnel, a huge silhouette suddenly appeared in front of them. It looked like a giant snake coiled on the ground, blocking their way. Hermione screamed in terror, thinking that it was the Basilisk they were looking for. But before she could express her panic completely, Bryan reacted faster than her. He raised his wand arm and drew a swift arc in the air. The wand tip that emitted fluorescent light burst into a violent fire!
Boom!
The sound was deafening, like a thunderclap in a storm. A huge ball of fire erupted from Bryan's wand tip and flew towards the silhouette with incredible speed. It hit it with a loud bang and exploded into a thick golden tornado that spun around wildly. The tornado swept over the space ahead with a devastating force, burning everything in its path to ashes. Wherever the fire passed, the puddles on the ground evaporated instantly, creating clouds of steam that filled the air. The bones sleeping in the puddles turned into dust that scattered in the wind. The mud and moss attached to the wall cracked and peeled off under the intense heat.
In the dark, Hermione felt like she was standing in front of a volcano that was about to erupt. She stared blankly at a golden sun rising from the rolling lava! She felt an unbearable heat on her face and body, as if she was being roasted alive. She covered her eyes with her hands, trying to shield them from the blinding light. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. Professor Watson had just unleashed a firestorm that could destroy a small village!
Gurgle!
The surging heat wave forced Hermione to swallow saliva to moisten her dry throat. She stared blankly at Professor Watson's side face that was reddened by the firelight. His fluffy curly hair was flying in the wind, giving him a wild and fierce look.
Suddenly Hermione couldn't tell who was more terrifying between the Basilisk and Professor Watson. It wasn't until half a minute later that Bryan lowered his wand and dispelled the magic fire. He led Hermione past the smoking ground that burned his feet and came to the huge silhouette.
The snake skin that was about thirty feet long had been charred all over. It was covered with golden fire clusters that crumbled into dust as soon as they touched it. It was the remains of the Basilisk's shed skin, a sign that it had grown bigger and stronger over the years.
"Huh professor,"
Hermione gasped, giving her judgment.
"Is this the snake skin shed by that Basilisk?"
"Hmm–"
Bryan nodded. After roughly estimating the size of the Basilisk, he didn't say anything else and walked straight ahead.
He knew that the real Basilisk was still ahead of them, waiting for them in its nest. He was not afraid of it, nor of its deadly gaze. He had a plan to deal with it, and he was confident in his abilities.
Hermione stayed in place for a few seconds before she came back to her senses. She ran after Professor Watson and grabbed his fluttering wizard robe again. She followed him step by step, wondering what he was going to do next.
The two walked along the tunnel through one bend after another. Every nerve was twitching, every sense was alert. Hermione finally understood why Professor Watson's maze in Defense Against The Dark Arts practice class looked like that. It was a reflection of his own experiences and personality, full of challenges and surprises.
"Keep your eyes on the ground and don't look up–"
Bryan whispered this warning as he led Hermione through the dark and damp tunnel. He could feel the cold sweat on his forehead and the tension in his muscles.
After about ten minutes of walking, Bryan suddenly stopped at a corner. He sensed a surge of magic fluctuations and heard faint rumbling noises coming from ahead.
He raised his wand in front of him, pointing it at the darkness. His purple eyes spun slowly like millstones, scanning for any signs of danger or traps. He had a feeling that they were not alone in this place.
A minute later, after passing through the last corner, Bryan and Hermione faced a solid wall with two stone snake statues with green eyes on both sides. The snakes seemed to stare at them with malice and contempt. They were the guardians of the Chamber of Secrets, the hidden lair of Salazar Slytherin, one of the four founders of Hogwarts. At this time, there was a violent tremor on the ground. In the cold air, there was a faint sound of pleasant chirping and rocks colliding. It seemed that there was a fierce fight going on in the room with faint light ahead.
"Take out your wand, Miss Granger. We're almost there."
Reminded by Professor Watson, Hermione realized that she hadn't taken out her wand as a wizard in such a dangerous situation. She felt ashamed and embarrassed. She quickly apologized in a low voice,
"I'm sorry, Professor Watson. I didn't pay attention–" She hurriedly pulled out her wand from the pocket of her wizard robe.
It had been three months since he returned to Hogwarts after Christmas. Although there were some twists and turns, anyway, Bryan finally stood in the Chamber of Secrets that had been legendary for a thousand years!
This was a long, dimly lit room. On both sides of the room, there were many stone pillars carved with entwined snakes standing side by side. They supported the ceiling that melted into the darkness above, casting long and eerie shadows on the whole room that was filled with green and mysterious mist.
At the end of the room, there was a statue as high as the room itself. It was Salazar Slytherin in his old age. Probably because he had been conducting dangerous magical experiments on himself for years, the handsome Slytherin in his youth looked more like a weak old monkey.
Ginny lay at the foot of the statue without a sound. She looked pale and lifeless, as if all her energy had been drained by something sinister. Ron was lying a few steps away from Ginny. He had a large stone on his back and bite marks on his arm. His wizard robe was torn and stained with blood. His face was twisted with pain and fear. Bryan, who led Hermione in, also noticed that Ron's wand seemed to be broken in two again. He wondered how he managed to survive this long without a proper wand.
When they entered the chamber, Harry was dodging the stones swept down by the tail of the Basilisk in the air. He held a sword with an ancient style in his hand and stuffed a pudding-filled hat in his pocket. The sword was shining with silver light, contrasting with the dark green scales of the Basilisk.
"He still has a card up his sleeve, Dumbledore–"
Bryan recognized at a glance that the colorful bird flying in the air and pecking at the Basilisk's ferocious and horrible head was Dumbledore's office's phoenix named Fawkes. He had seen it before when he visited Dumbledore's office for several 'matters'. He knew that phoenixes were loyal and powerful creatures that could heal wounds with their tears. He glanced at the shadow behind a stone pillar. He was in a good mood.
"Ron and Ginny, professor, please help Harry!"
The huge body of the Basilisk, which glowed with green and gorgeous metallic luster, blocked their way to the Weasley siblings. This made Hermione unable to rush over to check Ron and Ginny's condition. At the same time, Harry's situation also made Hermione very anxious. She cried out in tears and begged Professor Watson to help.
Hermione's call finally made Harry, who was dizzy by the stones, notice the new visitors in the chamber. He dodged the Basilisk's iron tail with a neat roll and shouted anxiously,
"Professor Watson, I'll hold off this Basilisk. You hurry up and take Ron and Ginny to the hospital. Ron was bitten by the basilisk's venomous fang!"
"This kid"
Bryan had a tickmark on his forehead and showed a helpless expression.
"Did he hit his head with a stone!"
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