https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-191-First-Entry-into-the-Chamber/12538307/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-193-Good-Deeds-without-Leaving-a-Name/12538309/
Chapter 192: Chaos in the Castle
Chapter 192: Chaos in the Castle
After much hesitation, Kyle ultimately decided not to awaken the Basilisk through the Slytherin statue.
It wasn't because he feared the Basilisk would kill him.
While the magical creature, with its deadly stare, was formidable and unreasonable in strength, its weakness was equally apparent.
The mere crow of a rooster would send it scurrying away in panic, as that sound was fatal to it.
The notion that ordinary roosters could slay one of the most dangerous magical beasts may sound like a joke, but it was indeed a fact.
Kyle had come prepared this time. Beforehand, he had made a trip to Hogsmeade and, through the Owl Post Office, purchased over a hundred roosters, feeding each one an energizing potion.
At this moment, those energetic roosters were having a party in their box, and the slightest opening revealed the chaotic and loud crowing within.
In the Chamber of Secrets, where even footsteps could be infinitely amplified, the sound of a hundred roosters would be tenfold.
If they were all released, it wouldn't just be deadly for the Basilisk; it would be a miracle if it survived for even a second.
However, Kyle didn't want a dead snake... or, to put it another way, he didn't want to turn the Basilisk into a disposable treasure chest if there were other options.
The only problem now was how to get the Basilisk to listen to him, and that was a bit tricky.
After all, he wasn't Riddle, nor did he have any connection to Slytherin; he had no idea how to control the beast.
"No, I need to think of something... I can't let that good-for-nothing, Voldemort, have it so easy."
Kyle narrowed his eyes as he thought of a particular ghost—the Grey Lady of Ravenclaw, Helena Ravenclaw.
As one of the four founders of Hogwarts and the daughter of Rowena Ravenclaw, she might know something useful...
Kyle forced himself to rein in his urge to unleash chaos on the Basilisk and left the Chamber of Secrets, glancing back repeatedly as he walked.
Fortunately, Voldemort was currently obsessed with the Philosopher's Stone, so Kyle still had time.
After leaving the Chamber, Kyle mounted his Nimbus 2000 and flew back to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.
As soon as he dismounted from his broomstick, the basin that concealed the pipe slid back to its original position.
The bathroom was quiet, and Moaning Myrtle hadn't returned yet.
Without wasting any time, Kyle cleaned up traces of his presence, such as footprints, and left the place under the Disillusionment Charm.
The corridors at dawn were as quiet as the Chamber of Secrets, though slightly less eerie. Kyle glanced at the library door, shook his head, and decided not to go book-hunting. Instead, he headed straight back to his dormitory.
However, before he could take more than a few steps, a piercing, bone-chilling scream suddenly shattered the surrounding silence.
Having just come from the Chamber of Secrets, Kyle instinctively thought of the Basilisk, and his hand trembled as he accidentally opened the box he was holding.
"Flap... Flap..."
The roosters, energized by the potions, poured out like a fountain.
Although Kyle quickly closed the box, it was too late. Over a hundred roosters had escaped, nearly half of them.
Instantly, the corridor came to life.
Screams from the library and the crowing of roosters created a chaotic symphony.
"Merlin's beard, what are you doing causing a ruckus in the library in the middle of the night!"
Kyle slapped his forehead, cursing inwardly.
It was Filch, holding a dim oil lamp and hurrying in their direction.
"Damn it!"
Kyle frowned. He hadn't brought his Invisibility Cloak this time, and while the Disillusionment Charm was useful, it cast a shadow that would give him away if the lamp's light fell on it.
As Filch approached the stairs, Kyle didn't hesitate and turned to sprint upstairs.
He recalled a secret passage behind a suit of armor on the fourth floor that led directly to the corridor of the underground classrooms.
"Come out, I saw you!"
Behind him, Filch's angry voice, mixed with the chaotic crowing, was exceptionally grating.
As Kyle ran to the fourth floor, he was inexplicably bumped by something. He turned back but saw nothing...
There wasn't a soul in sight.
"Potter?"
Kyle frowned, guessing the identity of the unfortunate person in the library earlier.
For a brief moment, he had felt a smooth, watery sensation on his hand.
It was a sensation Kyle knew all too well—the feeling of an invisibility cloak.
"What a coincidence..." Kyle muttered as he quickened his pace. Soon, he spotted Snape and Professor McGonagall in her pajamas not far away.
Due to the earlier incident, the castle now resonated with the loud crowing, rousing all the professors.
Professor McGonagall and Snape were merely the first to arrive.
Kyle pressed himself tightly against the wall, not daring to move. He absolutely must not be discovered, or he would surely face dire consequences!
"What's going on, Severus?" Professor McGonagall asked.
"Perhaps someone found the holidays too dull and wanted to create some excitement..." Snape replied coldly. "Keeping everyone awake all night, how amusing. Whoever it is, I will deduct a hundred points!"
"Professors..."
At that moment, Filch also arrived, calling out as he climbed the stairs, "Earlier, someone was in the library, in the restricted section! I found a broken oil lamp there!"
"Night wandering, venturing into the restricted section, and causing chaos to wake everyone up... Deduct two hundred points and a month's worth of detention!" Professor McGonagall was clearly exasperated.
"The restricted section?" Snape sneered. "Then they can't have gone far. We'll definitely catch them!"
"Leave the capturing to Argus," Professor McGonagall suggested.
"Before that, Minerva, we ought to deal with the current predicament, or the students won't get a wink of sleep tonight," Snape said, frowning. "How on earth did they get into the castle!"
Kyle noticed their voices drawing closer, and he was certain that his Disillusionment Charm wouldn't fool the two professors. If they turned the corner, they would immediately spot him.
He took a deep breath and began to back away, step by step, striving to make no sound.
There was a slightly open door to his right, and Kyle's eyes lit up. He didn't hesitate to sidle through it.
Almost simultaneously, Professor McGonagall and Snape appeared in the corridor where he had just been.
"These students nowadays are getting more and more outrageous!"
"I agree, Minerva. We should check the dormitories to see who's missing tonight!" Snape said.
...
(End of Chapter)
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