Chương 19: 19 The Incident
After weeks of hearing nothing about his punishment, Harry had to sit through his detention with Gildory Lockhart of all people.
When he walked through the door he was greeted by Lockharts signature smile, "Ah, Harry welcome, why don't you take a seat next to me."
Harry saw the pile of letters on his table as well as the empty chair right next to him. He also saw Lucas sitting there, calmly looking up from the letters laying out in front of him.
"Yes sir." He eyed him strangly not understanding why he would be here. He knew Gildory was a joke, all nobles knew it. He assumed that someone as intelligent as Lucas would have realized this as well. Nonetheless, serving detention with Lockhart seemed far preferable to spending time with Filch.
Unfortunately for Lucas this also meant that he would not be able to get another pass to the forbidden library that night.
They signed the letters in silence until Lockhart eventually opened his mouth, both seemed to somehow have disregarded Lucas sitting with them "Harry, Harry, Harry, can you possibly imagine a better way to serve detention than helping me answer fan mail?"
"Not really," Harry replied, his tone lacking enthusiasm. Lucas simply rolled his eyes, having heard similar speeches from Lockhart several times before.
"Fame can be a fickle friend, Harry. Remember, celebrity is as celebrity does," Lockhart mused.
Afterwards, Harry seemed to be lost in thought, his gaze fixed on the ceiling as if he had heard something. Lucas felt a surge of curiosity and confusion. Oh, how he wished he could delve into Harry's mind. But the danger represented by Voldemort was far too great, and Lucas dared not risk exposing his own secrets.
"Sorry?" Lockhart interjected, looking at his fellow celebrity.
"That voice," Harry said, his tone somewhat distant. "Didn't you hear it?"
Lockhart's unease grew. "What voice are you talking about, Harry? I think you might be feeling a bit tired. And goodness me, look at the time! We've already been here for four hours. It's spooky how time flies when we're having fun."
"Spooky" Harry muttered, his mind still preoccupied.
After a while Harry walked out of the room, while Lucas stayed behind not wanting to be involved or suspected to be part of the opening of the Chamber of Secrets.
Meanwhile, the Boy Who Lived met up with Ron, Holly, and Hermione outside. They had been waiting to go together to the Great Hall for a meal. Hermione wanted to wait for Lucas, but she, along with Ron and Holly, was too concerned about Harry's strange behavior to wait any longer. Harry was muttering about hearing voices as he rushed down the empty corridors.
They halted shortly when they noticed a group of spiders scurrying away in fear. Their curiosity piqued, they continued on and came to a halt when they found puddles and the writing "The chamber of Secrets has been opened enemies of the heir ... beware" as well as the petrified cat, Mrs Norris.
Shortly afterwards all four stood before the students that used to eat in the great hall with the professors. How they all got here or why they were here now, a mystery.
Draco said his usual disrespectful remarks and Filch went mad when he saw his cat.
Dumbledore, with his calm demeanor, stepped forward to defuse the situation. His commanding presence hushed the crowd, and he ordered everyone except the four of them to return to their dormitories.
You could hear the prefects shouting "Ravenclaws follow me." "Gryffindors ..." "Hufflepuff ..." "Slytherin ...", as they led their students away.
Lucas in the mids of the chaos left the side of Lockhart, with whom he had come, and sneaked off towards his dormitory.
As the murmurs of the students subsided, Dumbledore began to address the event, questioning how such an incident could have occurred.
Snape, his voice tinged with suspicion, raised the concern of Harry's absence. "I, for one, do not recall seeing Potter at dinner," he voiced, his gaze narrowing.
"I am afraid that's my doing, you see Severus, Harry was helping me with some fan-mail, as well as Lucas." He glanced to his left, only to find an empty space where Lucas had been standing. "Ah, it seems he has already left."
Dumbledore's eyes narrowed, a dangerous glint flashed through them as he observed the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. And after the poor excuses of Harry and the rest he sagely stroked his beard and said "Innocent until proven guilty." Turning his attention to Filch, Dumbledore offered reassurance, assuring him that they had a solution to cure his petrified cat using the growing mandrakes under the care of Professor Sprout.
Having dismissed the four students, Dumbledore motioned for Snape to stay behind once the others had departed. The air in the room seemed to grow heavier as the headmaster and the Potions master remained, their thoughts and intentions known only to themselves. There was an unspoken understanding between them, a shared knowledge of why they were here.
"Nothing, except for one Miss Granger, no other students exhibited signs of Legilimency." Snape reported.
"Good." Dumbledore instructed, his gaze unwavering. "Look into Lockhart as well."
----
'The game is on' Lucas thought with a sense of determination as he jumped out of his bed. It was the morning the next day and as a Muggleborn he had to start being cautious. He wasn't delusional enough to think of himself invincible. The Basilisk's stare could still kill him, but for what did he train his magical vision all these years, if not for now. He would just close his eyes and rely on that to make his way around the castle.
With Dumbledore preoccupied by the Chamber of Secrets, Lucas felt a newfound freedom. It was an opportunity for him to expand his library even more.
After his training he found himself inside the great hall once again with a few Hufflepuffs sitting around him.
"What do you think about the Chamber of Secrets?"
"Who do you think is the heir?"
"Do you think something bad will happen?"
Anxious whispers filled the air as discussions revolved around the Chamber of Secrets. The Muggle-born students, in particular, engaged in animated conversations, sharing their fears and theories.
Hannah, with her natural affinity for gossip and speculation, eagerly leaped from one conversation to another, absorbing every tidbit of information like a dry sponge thrown into water. Amidst all that, Justin Finch-Fletchley leaned forward, his eyes reflecting a mix of fear and concern as he addressed Lucas. "Do you thing we should worry?"
Lucas looked up from his plate to his left, meeting Justin's gaze with a calm assurance. "I have faith that the professors have everything under control," he replied. Then, he paused for a moment before continuing, "Anyway, could you do something for me?"
With a mixture of curiosity and relief, Justin nodded, eager to assist. The only reason he had such good grades last year was Lucas helping him with his homework and clarifying any question he had. Lucas leaned closer, his voice barely above a whisper, and began "I saw a very peculiar book in the library that would help me tremendously in my studies, unfortunately I don't have enough time to read it myself. So could you read it for me and give me a summary afterwards?"
With a grateful smile, Justin nodded, recognizing the opportunity to repay Lucas. The countless hours that he saved him and the patience Lucas had shown him compelled him to agree. Now, it was his turn to return the favor.
"I'd be happy to help, Lucas," Justin replied earnestly. "You've always been there for me, so it's only fair that I assist you in your studies."
Lucas's eyes gleamed with appreciation as he handed Justin a small slip of parchment. "Here are the details about the book. It's called 'Magical Beasts and their Powers: Snakes.' It should be about the unique powers of magical snakes. I am especially interested in a snake called 'Ashwinder' and their unique connection with magical fire."
Justin carefully accepted the parchment, "Consider it done."
Lucas nodded "Thank you, Justin. Your help means a lot to me. Once you've read it, please meet me in the usual spot."
He focused back on the food in front of him only to be interupted by a pair of oversized eyes staring at him from the right. "Hannah, what on earth are you doing?"
A mischievous glint in her eyes, Hannah responded with a tinge of fascination, "Nothing, really. I just find it rather intriguing that you asked someone for help for once. Usually, you tend to venture off on your own, disappearing into an obscure corner of the castle, only to return at curfew."
"Well, I simply don't have enough time," Lucas responded, his tone reluctant.
Curiosity piqued, Hannah pressed further, her voice filled with genuine interest. "But what do you even do with all your time, Lucas?"
A sense of discomfort washed over Lucas, not particularly keen on discussing his personal life. Sensing the need to divert the conversation, he tapped into his Legilimency skills and started to subtly shift the subject to avoid further questions. "You know. Learn some, train some. Just the usual."
Hannah's expression morphed into one of bewilderment, clearly taken aback by Lucas's response. "What do you mean 'usual'? What about having fun? Don't you ever take a break or enjoy yourself?"
Quickly seizing the opportunity to shift the focus onto Hannah, Lucas redirected the conversation. "Well, what about you? What do you do in your free time?"
With a sudden rush of excitement, Hannah launched into a detailed account of her daily routine, describing various activities and hobbies that filled her days. However, as she concluded her narration, a perplexed expression washed over her face, as if a veil of confusion had settled over her thoughts. For a fleeting moment, she couldn't recall the topic of their previous conversation. "What did we talk about?"
Lucas looked at her with a baffled expression "We talked about the Chamber of Secrets. Are you ok?"
Attempting to shake off her momentary confusion, Hannah reassured herself with a dismissive wave. "Oh, yes, of course. Maybe I didn't get enough sleep last night."
Sensing that he should end the conversation, Lucas decided it was best to leave. "Well, I'll be on my way then. Perhaps a nap is precisely what you need. Take care, Hannah. Susan you too." he said as he rose from his seat and made his way out of the Great Hall.
Caught off guard by being called out, Susan's cheeks flushed crimson, her mouth still partially filled with food. She hastily swallowed and managed a shy smile as she waved goodbye to Lucas.
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