章 82: 082 The Chamber of Secrets (Part-2)

Dumbledore and Bryan finally reached a consensus, after a brief but intense debate. They were ready to go into the huge hole in Slytherin's face to explore the secrets hidden behind the stone wall, but for Harry's stay, the two had a little disagreement.

Dumbledore seemed to think that what was guarded by a snake monster by one of the great founders of the four houses, Salazar Slytherin, would not be a simple thing. There might be unimaginable dangers in the hole, lurking in the dark and waiting for intruders. Harry was just an underage little wizard, and he did not have the ability to cope with unknown dangers. He should stay behind and wait for their return.

"No one is born to be able to face everything calmly, Headmaster Dumbledore," Bryan looked at Harry who was a little dejected, and said with a deep meaning, "If you want young people to grow up as soon as possible, you have to give them more opportunities to practice–"

In the end, Headmaster Dumbledore still followed Bryan's reasonable suggestion. He knew that Harry had a curious and adventurous spirit, and that he had already faced many perils in his short life. He also knew that Harry had a special connection with Slytherin, through the Parseltongue he inherited from Voldemort. Perhaps he could discover something that they could not.

"You have to promise me,"

Dumbledore looked at Harry solemnly and said, "If we encounter danger , I and Professor Watson will give you the instruction to run away, you have to follow our orders"

"I promise, Headmaster Dumbledore!"

Harry nodded eagerly. Dumbledore's words hurt Harry's self-esteem a bit, but when he thought that he could go on an unknown adventure with two powerful wizards, Harry's mood was as light as flying. He also did not believe that with Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor Watson standing in front of him, there was any danger that could harm his life.

"Even ten Voldemorts can't do it!"

As Dumbledore and Bryan stepped on the stairs, Harry secretly grinned and thought so. Although it must be very late now, although he had experienced a legendary battle tonight, Harry's spirit was still extremely excited. He felt a rush of adrenaline in his veins, and a spark of curiosity in his eyes. However, his excitement only lasted until the moment he stepped into the hole.

The passage of the hole was not as winding and long as they had imagined. It was just that the bones of various animals piled up on the ground were more than twice as many as the stone tunnel after they came down from the pipe. When they stepped on it, they could clearly hear the sound of various weathered bones breaking into slag. It was like walking on a carpet of death. The smell of decay and blood filled their nostrils, making them nauseous.

As they ventured deeper , the air became thick with the scent of blood. They saw bones scattered on the floor, some still bearing the grisly remains of fur and flesh. Among them were mouse skulls stained with dried blood and heaps of severed spider legs. Harry wondered what monstrous creature had feasted on these prey, and if it was still lurking in the shadows.

"Ah–"

For some reason, Dumbledore let out a heavy sigh. However, facing Bryan's probing gaze, he just shook his head and didn't say much. Harry sensed that there was something Dumbledore was not telling them, something that made him sad.

The three of them passed a corner and followed a road cleared by the snake monster's swimming trajectory for about half a mile. Then, the scene in the tunnel gradually changed. A golden torch every thirty feet apart was placed on the walls of the tunnel on both sides. The stable heat emitted by them dried up the damp stone walls and made the ground dry.

The air became fresh, there were no bones on the ground, and even dust and cobwebs were not visible. Harry even felt that this place was comparable to the corridors in the castle maintained by Filch.

"Tsk tsk–"

Bryan stood in front of a torch and stared at the swaying flame. He praised sincerely, "Extravagant Slytherin ah"

Finally out of the sea of bones, Harry breathed a sigh of relief. Then he heard Professor Watson's awe-inspiring praise. He looked at Dumbledore and hoped to get an explanation.

"This eternal fire is very precious, because it will never go out–" Dumbledore looked at those unclear number of torches with appreciative eyes and said gently.

"It takes a lot of magic power to make this ancient fire. As far as I know, no one can make such a number of eternal flames at once."

Harry gasped and figured out the value of these bronze torches. But at the same time, he was a little unhappy because he heard some compliments for Slytherin from Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor Watson.

"Perhaps Gryffindor would be better–" Harry muttered softly.

The fire dyed Dumbledore's silver eyebrows and beard red, giving him a warm and gentle appearance. He heard Harry's dissatisfied complaint and chuckled softly. He extinguished his wand's glow and stood in front of everyone, leading the way with confidence.

The tunnel became more and more spacious, as if it was welcoming them to the heart of the mystery. At the end of sight was a stable bright light, beckoning them to come closer. Bryan's expression was solemn. He clenched his wand tightly and followed quickly, alert for any signs of danger.

As they approached gradually, the deepest secret hidden in this underground chamber finally unveiled its mysterious veil! This was a huge cave with an area of about three or four Quidditch fields. It was like a hidden world under the castle, full of wonders and secrets. At the top of the cave that was more than three hundred feet high, there were many rough and huge circular stone pillars protruding from between the stalactites that were densely packed. Those stone pillars arranged in a certain order were similar in color to Hogwarts Castle. They seemed to be the load-bearing pillars that support the whole castle!

"Too crazy."

The air was filled with wind howling, echoing in the vast space. The mysterious voice was like history singing the years, telling them the stories of the past.

Bryan looked around the huge cave walls, admiring the craftsmanship and magic of Slytherin. Every distance there was an Ancient Fire torch, burning with a golden flame that never faded. He uttered a shocked whisper. Those torches that emitted constant light illuminated the whole cave as bright as daylight. At the same time, the strong magic field radiated by them also resisted all positioning spells, making this place impossible to find by anyone else.

"It's hard to imagine how powerful Slytherin himself was, that he could be so extravagant. No wonder that snake monster could survive for a thousand years. In such a rich magic environment, I'm afraid any creature can have a life span of thirty or fifty years longer than the original."

Harry, who lacked a substantive understanding of the difficulty of making Ancient Fire, could not appreciate Professor Watson's shock. But the desolation and magnificence that permeated the cave full of strange-shaped stone cones and stalactites still made him speechless. He felt like he had entered a fairy tale world, where anything could happen.

"Yes, great Slytherin–"

Dumbledore was also surprised by the scene in front of him, and he also made a similar feeling. "But what I'm more curious about is, what is Salazar Slytherin's purpose for building this chamber."

Bryan retracted his gaze and nodded. He turned around and looked at Harry who was fascinated by the ghostly scenery. He warned,

"Now it seems that the secret hidden in this chamber of secrets will be shocking. Potter, remember to stay alert."

Harry nodded hesitantly, but his curious eyes still wandered around. He looked at the deep gullies on the undulating ground, stared at the black stone cones that looked like giant teeth, and suddenly, Harry's expression froze. He widened his eyes and looked in a certain direction. And when he confirmed what he saw, Harry's face turned pale and shouted,

"Headmaster Dumbledore, Professor Watson, there's someone there!"

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章 83: 083 The Chamber of Secrets (Part-3)

As he approached the figure, Harry felt a surge of heat in his cheeks, ashamed of his excessive nervousness. He realized that what he had seen before was not a living person, but just a lifelike statue that seemed to breathe and blink.

This was the statue of Salazar Slytherin, one of the four founders of Hogwarts. But unlike the huge, old, and lifeless one in the Chamber of Secrets, this sculpture depicted Salazar Slytherin in his youth, when he was still a powerful and ambitious wizard.

He sat on a stone throne below him, leaning his back on the ornate chair, resting his elbows on the armrests and slightly raising his chin, his eyes full of scrutiny and authority, and a hint of displeasure between his sharp eyebrows. His long black hair fell over his shoulders, framing his pale and handsome face.

The statue's eyes were replaced by black gems that sparkled in the dim light. The fiery gaze made the sculpture seem alive and aware. No matter which angle you looked at it from, it seemed like Salazar Slytherin himself was staring at you, judging your worthiness and purity.

Even Harry had to admit that the finely carved statue, which showed every strand of hair and every wrinkle of cloth clearly, proved that Slytherin's appearance was indeed very outstanding. He wore exquisite wizarding robes that matched the colors of his house: green and silver. His extraordinary temperament could be called peerless and intimidating.

But no matter what, Slytherin had vanished in the torrent of time, and even if this statue was more realistic than any painting or photograph, it was just a piece of stone that bore his likeness.

After expressing their respect to the founder of Hogwarts with a slight bow, Bryan and Dumbledore quickly bypassed the statue and stepped behind it to a stone door that was far more magnificent than the castle gate. The door was carved with intricate patterns and symbols that Harry could not recognize. It looked ancient and mysterious, as if guarding a great secret.

"It seems that this is Slytherin's final legacy left in the school–"

Bryan looked up at the pitted surface of the stone door, trying to see where the top of the door was, but when his neck was sore, he couldn't achieve his attempt.

The door was so tall that it almost touched the ceiling of the cave. It seemed impossible to open by any ordinary means. Dumbledore, who had seen ups and downs in his long life, was more interested in what was hidden behind the door. He walked quickly to the front of the stone door, and his long and old hand touched the stone wall gently, as if trying to sense something through a special magic perspective. But this stone door left by Slytherin himself isolated everything. Even Dumbledore, such a powerful and wise wizard, couldn't sense anything behind the door before it opened.

"Do you think Tom Riddle came here back then?"

Bryan stepped back a few steps. Since Dumbledore couldn't break through, he didn't need to make futile attempts.

"Yes, I think so, Bryan–"

Dumbledore moved a few steps and looked at a brown spot on the stone wall with his deep blue eyes attentively. He said calmly, "Obviously, he couldn't open this door either."

"But isn't this the chamber that Slytherin left for his heirs? Since he can open the Chamber of Secrets"

Harry couldn't help but speak out without wanting to disturb Dumbledore and Professor Watson's research. Although he thought this stone door was very spectacular, it didn't bring him as much shock as being in this cave.

"Yes, this is indeed very strange–"

For some reason, Dumbledore looked a bit worried. He seemed to have a bad feeling about what they might find inside.

At this time, Harry had another discovery. He saw that there seemed to be a line of words carved on the stone wall on the right side of the stone door. They were written in an old-fashioned script that Harry could barely read. So he reminded them again.

"Only those with pure blood can open the door!"

Bryan read this sentence softly and then sneered. "It looks like Slytherin's style indeed."

He shook his head in disgust. He didn't like the Slytherin's prejudice and arrogance towards those who were not pure-blooded wizards.

"I don't think it's that simple, Bryan. If you don't believe me, we can try it." Dumbledore's eyes flickered with curiosity and determination. He rolled up his sleeves and exposed his left arm.

"Headmaster Dumbledore!"

Harry immediately understood what Dumbledore was going to do. He hurriedly walked up to him and also exposed his arm.

"You can use mine!"

"Oh, thank you–" Dumbledore smiled kindly. "But according to Slytherin's words, I think among the three of us here, only I meet the requirements."

A silver light flashed in the air, like a blade cutting through the darkness. Dumbledore's arm spurted out a dark red blood that looked almost black in contrast with his pale skin. The rough stone door was immediately covered with dark red blood beads that seeped into the cracks and crevices of the wall. Under the influence of mysterious magic, these blood beads did not fall to the ground but quickly rolled towards the thin crack in the center of the stone door, as if they were drawn by a magnet.

Huh!

After swallowing Dumbledore's blood, a light blue smoke sprayed out from the thin crack, creating a misty halo around the door. It looked like a sign of recognition or rejection, but then it fell into silence again, leaving no trace of any change.

Harry felt a surge of disappointment and frustration. He had expected the door to open with a loud bang or a bright flash, revealing the secrets that Slytherin had hidden for centuries. But nothing happened. The door remained closed and silent, as if mocking their efforts. But Dumbledore and Bryan looked calm and composed, as if they had anticipated this outcome.

"Why do you think this is the result, Headmaster Dumbledore?"

Bryan asked with an expression that suggested he had an answer in his mind. He was not surprised by the failure, but rather curious about the reason behind it.

"It can only be guessed–" Dumbledore glanced at Harry and chose his words carefully. He did not want to reveal too much to the young boy who had already seen and suffered too much.

"Slytherin's idea of pure blood may be different from ours. He probably meant his own descendants."

"But Voldemort failed!"

Harry remembered what Tom Riddle told him in the Chamber of Secrets. Voldemort was Slytherin's descendant, a true heir who could speak Parseltongue and command the Basilisk.

Harry immediately said. "The diary told me that Voldemort was Slytherin's descendant. But he oh!"

Harry realized that Tom Riddle had also said to him that Slytherin's bloodline in his body was passed on to him by his mother, Merope Gaunt, who was a descendant of Slytherin through the female line. His father, Tom Riddle Sr., was a Muggle who had abandoned his mother when he found out she was a witch.

The three people in front of the stone door fell into a long silence. Harry couldn't accept that Dumbledore and Professor Watson had no way to deal with this stone door. Because it meant that this rare 'adventure' experience was declared a failure. They had come all this way, risking their lives and breaking countless rules, only to find a dead end. Unless they could find Voldemort's cousins or something, which seemed highly unlikely.

Harry knew that Dumbledore and Professor Watson were discussing some terrible secrets, but he couldn't catch a word of their conversation. They spoke in a low and fast voice, as if they were afraid of being overheard. Harry strained his ears, but all he heard was a jumble of unfamiliar words and terms.

Bryan rubbed his hair annoyedly and looked at Dumbledore.

"Do you think it's possible?"

He asked with a serious tone, as if he was afraid of the answer. "It's hard to say, Bryan,"

Dumbledore replied with a grave expression. He obviously understood Bryan's vague question. He frowned and answered. "But I think there is only a theoretical possibility, because whether it is physically or mentally, he is unlikely to-"

He stopped abruptly and turned his head to stare deeply at the statue of Slytherin sitting there. He sighed deeply, as if he was carrying a heavy burden on his shoulders.

"I sincerely hope that there will never be a day when we have to face the situation where we have to open this stone door. But if that situation really happens, oh, that might be the most troublesome thing I have encountered in my life–"

He did not finish his sentence, but Harry could sense the dread and worry in his voice. He wondered what kind of situation would force them to open this door, and what kind of horror would await them behind it.

Many troubles were ended this night, and many troubles buried the roots of disaster, which would explode one day in the future.

Harry did not know it yet, but he would soon find out that this night was only the beginning of a series of events that would change his life forever. He was ordered by Dumbledore to go to the hospital wing for Madame Pomfrey's examination. Even though he repeatedly emphasized that he had not suffered any serious injuries, Dumbledore still insisted on his opinion.

"–I know you have a lot of doubts in your heart, Harry, but now is not a good time to chat. After you have had enough rest, you can come to my office and talk to me."

He said gently, as he escorted Harry out of the cave and back to Hogwarts.

"But the board!" Harry stood in the hall and looked at Dumbledore with surprise. He remembered that Lucius Malfoy and the other board members had tried to sack Dumbledore earlier that night, accusing him of incompetence and negligence.

"You have solved the trouble?!"

"Oh, of course–" Dumbledore looked at Harry gently and smiled lightly. He seemed to be in a good mood, despite the failure at the stone door.

"I had been alerted to Lucius Malfoy's scheme a long time ago. I imagine he will be furious when he learns that I am still the headmaster of Hogwarts tomorrow morning. He will probably storm into my office for a heated argument–"

He chuckled softly, as if he was looking forward to it.

Harry ran up the stairs all the way. He seemed not so resistant to going to the Hospital Wing. Because he suddenly remembered that Ron and Hermione were also in the Hospital Wing. He couldn't wait to share with them what happened tonight.

"I'm sorry, Bryan. I know you need to rest now–"

Dumbledore gave Bryan an apologetic look. He was aware of how much energy and magic Bryan had spent in their journey, and how weary he must be feeling.

"But would you mind having a chat with me, an old man who doesn't need much sleep?"

He asked politely, as he led Bryan to his office. Bryan felt a cold shiver run down his spine. He had a bad feeling that the real trouble was yet to come.

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