Capítulo 38: Chapter 38: Suspicious Coincidence
Maybe it was because Justin was still alive or possibly because the students had unwavering faith in Dumbledore, but the day following the unforgettable Halloween, the atmosphere of Hogwarts settled into an unusual calm.
There were, of course, whispers and conjectures regarding the strange attack during dinner, especially at the Hufflepuff table. The infamous name of the Chamber began to gradually resurface in the numerous enthusiastic discussions as the curious minds of the students ventured into the clues that were hastily wiped off the castle walls.
Some brave or possibly foolish students dared to broach the subject of the Chamber of Secrets during their Defense Against the Dark Arts class, taught by Professor Sherlock Forester.
"This isn't a topic for our discussion today," Professor Sherlock Forester suggested abruptly, striking the blackboard with his wand to regain the attention of his class. "If the chamber truly piques your curiosity, I'd advise you to take your questions to Professor Binns in your next History of Magic class. He's been here for longer than I can remember; he's far more entrenched in the history of Hogwarts than I am."
With those words acting as an ending note, he continued, "The rest of you with an interest in the Chamber of Secrets can pursue that knowledge on your own time. Now, let's steer our focus back to the current topic of importance - how to ace your Defense Against the Dark Arts O.W.L"
"Be sure to remember and understand the three most dangerous characteristics of a Werewolf. In the previous two classes, our focus fell on what spells to use in a scenario where one needs to escape the pursuit of a Werewolf rapidly..."
The attack on the young student and the rumor of the Chamber reopening had not affected Sherlock's life at Hogwarts significantly. His study hours in the library had increased, but that was only because he was aware that the events were deviating from the path they should've taken.
The power to alter the course intentionally was not in his hand. The most he could do was focus on improving his magical abilities, striving to meet the standards of the former owner's prowess by the end of the term, such that he could hopefully be prepared for whatever danger he might find himself in.
While Sherlock was busy imparting wisdom to the fifth-year students, Hermione had taken his advice about inquiring about the Chamber, seeking answers from Professor Binns during their second-year History of Magic lecture. The old and stubborn Binns, however, dismissed all talk about the Chamber as mere myths. Regardless of his stance, the students felt differently.
The recent attack on Justin and the stark message left by the assailant claiming the Chamber had been opened, seemed a clear sign to them that an unwelcome purge was about to start in Hogwarts; one that would eradicate those considered unworthy to study magic.
After the class, Harry, Ron, and Hermione huddled together exchanging their theories.
"The heir must definitely be from Slytherin House, but who?" Ron stated with an air of certainty, answering his own question. "It has to be Malfoy! After Justin's attack, he didn't even try to hide his delight. His family has always believed in their nonsense pure-blood supremacy, and I say there's a high chance that he is a direct descendant of Slytherin."
As Hermione mulled over Ron's declaration, she found it possible if they considered the limited set of clues and their own biases. Harry, however, was not as easily swayed by Ron's hypothesis.
He was too engrossed in a nostalgic recollection: the last day of their Defense Against the Dark Arts class before the fateful Halloween night. He distinctly remembered seeing Justin in conversation with Professor Forester when he had gone to submit his assignment.
Both Ron and Hermione noticed Harry's thoughtful silence. Hermione inquired cautiously, "What's on your mind, Harry? Is there something you're not telling us?"
Harry was torn about whether to share his doubts. He feared falsely accusing Sherlock could ruin the Professor's reputation. He couldn't bring himself to believe that his respected Professor Forester could possibly be the heir of Slytherin, especially considering Ron's parents were such good friends of his.
However, he also couldn't shake off the nagging thought that Professor Forester wishing Justin a Happy Halloween and then Justin being attacked the very next day might have been more than mere coincidence.
Ron noticed Harry's hesitation. "What? Are you the heir?" His strong response showing a tinge of annoyance, "Just spit it out, not like we can't keep a secret, we even kept quiet about the strange voices you claimed to hear."
Hearing this, Harry finally gave in and shared his suspicions. Ron was left gaping after Harry had imparted his thoughts. "Are you seriously implying that Professor Forester might be the actual attacker? Have you completely lost it?"
Hermione also gave Harry a confused look.
"Harry, it's obviously just a coincidence. Why are you making connections where there aren't any? Professor Forester merely wished Justin a fun Halloween, just like any other professor would have done. We can't suspect him based on such flimsy reasoning."
Ron, making his point, said, "Besides, Forester's a half-blood himself." Both Harry and Hermione turned to look at him with confusion. Without waiting for their questioning, Ron clarified,
"George told me."
"Just after term began, Fred and George had a run-in with Professor Forester where he confiscated some of their stuff after catching them sneaking out. Following the incident, they wrote to our brother, Charlie, asking about the Professor's reputation during his time as a student at Hogwarts. They were curious if he was a man of his word."
"Charlie was never of the same year or house as the Professor, but Professor Forester was quite popular even then and apparently had such an influx of love letters that they could have filled a cauldron!"
Discussing such details, Ron seemed a little envious. An impatient Hermione quickly redirected the conversation, "Who cares how many love letters Professor Forester might have received back in the day. We get it he was immensely popular among the female students, not like that's a surprise seeing as he's still as popular now."
"Well anyways, Charlie also mentioned that Forester is a half-blood, a fact known to almost everyone in school. His mother, who was a witch, fell ill and died when he was only a child, and his father is a Duke in the muggle world," Ron concluded his monologue.
Hermione and Harry shared a look, both understanding what it implied to have a father who was a Duke in the muggle society of England.
"Forester is the son of a Duke!"
"And yet, there are no Dukes who bear the surname Forester, at least I don't recall any."
They didn't waste time pondering on this anomaly, because the social status of a muggle Duke didn't hold much importance to them. What mattered was that the revelation that Professor Forester was a half-blood considerably diminished the possibility of him being a culprit.
"I never really suspected Professor Forester to begin with," Harry confessed, "it's just that the coincidence seemed too suspicious to ignore."
Ron and Hermione, however, disagreed. They were more inclined towards confirming their growing suspicions of Malfoy. They continued their discussion on schemes to prove Malfoy as the true heir of Slytherin. It was only after a considerable amount of time that Hermione suggested a rather risky plan.
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