Chapter 313: The Discovery in the Chamber
Chapter 313: The Discovery in the Chamber
Although Harry and Ron kept quiet about Hermione's hospitalization, her absence was soon noticed by several Gryffindors who were used to her chatter as she urged Ron and Harry to do their homework in the common room.
At first, Ron tried to deny knowing anything, but the Weasley siblings knew their little brother (or, in Ron's case, older brother)
too well, and with a few words, they got him to spill the beans.
...
"So, Hermione is in the hospital wing?"
"Oh..." Ron groaned, covering his face. He shouldn't have said anything.
"Is it another attack?" Percy jumped up from the sofa. "Stay here, I'll go inform a professor!" He made to rush out the door.
Harry and Ron quickly stopped him.
"It's not an attack, it has nothing to do with the Chamber!" Harry said hastily.
"Not an attack?" Percy eyed Harry and Ron, who were huddled together, warily.
"Really, it's not!"
"I promise!"
After much persuasion, Percy finally sat back down.
Fred and George looked at the anxious Ron with amusement but said nothing. They exchanged a quick glance, communicating something silently.
...
On the third morning of the holidays, as Kyle was leaving after visiting Hermione, he ran into Fred and George, who were sneaking around.
"What are you two doing here?" Kyle asked.
"We... we have a cold!" Fred blurted out.
"Yeah, we're here for some Pepper-Up Potion," George coughed theatrically.
Kyle raised an eyebrow.
With their rosy cheeks, they looked anything but sick. Most likely, they had heard about Hermione's hospitalization and were here to snoop around.
"What about you, Kyle? Who are you visiting in the hospital wing?" Fred asked.
"Oh, I'm also here for some Pepper-Up Potion," Kyle replied loudly, holding up a small bottle filled with red potion.
Hermione clearly didn't want others to know about her transformation into a cat.
Pretending ignorance was probably the best way to keep them from prying further.
"What a coincidence!" George laughed. "The weather's been chilly lately, take care of yourselves."
"Yeah, you too," Kyle replied.
After an awkward chat, they each went their separate ways.
When Fred and George entered the hospital wing, Madam Pomfrey had already drawn a privacy curtain around Hermione's bed, so they saw nothing.
Back in the castle, Kyle had intended to visit the library.
However, as he approached the entrance hall, he spotted Peeves the Poltergeist chasing Myrtle Warren around the castle with a bunch of balloons.
Ever since the Bloody Baron had been attacked, Peeves had become completely unruly, spending his days chasing ghosts and students alike. It was only in front of professors that he would behave even a little.
And Myrtle was one of his favorite targets.
Kyle couldn't understand why Myrtle was afraid of Peeves' balloons; they never actually hit her anyway.
But this was an opportunity.
After they flew off, Kyle immediately changed direction and headed for the empty bathroom.
Using Parseltongue to open the pipe, he climbed in, already familiar with the route, and made his way to the end of the passage.
Kyle carefully scanned his surroundings.
The good news was that there was no one else here besides him, so he didn't have to worry about being ambushed.
However, below the Slytherin statue, there were a few scattered snake skins and an obvious drag mark.
There was also some moist slime on the floor, similar to what a Fierob Moth Caterpillar would leave behind, but much larger.
Seeing the drag mark and the snake skins, Kyle knew that the Serpent of Slytherin had definitely been released.
But who could it be... Kyle stood still, carefully recalling all the recent events...
The chamber was eerily silent, with the carved serpent eyes and the Slytherin statue seeming to stare at Kyle.
But he paid no heed to these details as he paced back and forth, deep in thought.
Prior to this, he had asked Moaning Myrtle several times if she had seen anyone else enter the bathroom, and she had always said no.
However, Myrtle might not have been completely reliable since she didn't stay in the bathroom cubicle at all times.
But why hadn't the traps he set up been triggered? Was there another entrance...or had the person who released the serpent entered through a different means?
"Creak..."
A sound different from the echoes of his footsteps suddenly reverberated through the chamber.
Kyle was startled out of his thoughts, immediately pointing his wand towards the direction of the door, but soon he realized that the sound was coming from beneath his feet.
Kyle lifted his foot and noticed that he had accidentally stepped on a piece of snake skin while pacing.
"Gave me a fright," Kyle exhaled in relief.
But as he bent down to pick up the snake skin, he noticed something else beneath it.
A golden chain...
Kyle quickly picked it up.
The chain was less than two inches long, composed of several tiny golden snakes intertwined together, and both ends showed signs of being forcefully torn, indicating that it had been ripped from something whole.
"Did the person holding the diary leave this behind?"
Seeing the tiny snakes, Kyle immediately thought of Slytherin.
After all, they loved their serpentine motifs, be it on their clothing or accessories. Any item bearing a serpentine design found at Hogwarts undoubtedly belonged to a Slytherin.
But... as Kyle examined the broken chain more closely, he noticed something peculiar.
The tiny serpentine clasps were intricately crafted, with each scale clearly visible, making them look almost alive. It was obvious that this was no cheap trinket.
Could Slytherin...be wealthy?
Draco Malfoy?
Kyle's mind immediately jumped to Harry's long-time rival.
But he quickly shook his head in dismissal.
No... On Halloween, Malfoy had been in the Great Hall for the feast, so he wouldn't have had the opportunity to release the serpent to attack Filch.
Moreover, Lucius Malfoy probably wouldn't involve his son in such matters.
But if not him, then who...
Kyle fiddled with the chain, and a few other names came to mind: Millicent Bulstrode, Daphne Greengrass, Pansy Parkinson... or Crabbe, Goyle?
(End of Chapter)
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