"I know that even if the basilisk is pinned down, it is still beyond Harry and Ron's ability to deal with it."
"Using magic has negligible effect on the basilisk."
"Therefore, we used Bombarda to knock down the stone pillars on top of the basilisk, and then used these stone pillars to effectively damage the basilisk."
"The basilisk was struck by the stone pillar and remained motionless. I was too far away to tell whether it was dead or alive. Fortunately, Harry and the others weren't too stupid and didn't go near the basilisk."
"The matter should have ended here, and Harry and Ron had already said they were leaving."
"Unexpectedly, Lockhart had been pretending to be unconscious all along, and took advantage of their momentary lapse in guard to use a Memory Charm on them."
"By the time I realized it, it was too late."
Argus sensed that Dumbledore wanted to ask something, but refrained from speaking because Professor McGonagall was present.
So he explained it in advance.
"If Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall don't believe me, they can examine Lockhart's wand."
"Lockhart was about to leave after casting the Memory Charm on the two of them when the basilisk was not dead, but was knocked unconscious and bitten by the basilisk."
"And what happened next is something you can probably guess, and Fawkes can vouch for me."
Argus's words were nine parts truth and one part falsehood, except for the slight alteration in the truth of Lockhart's death and the fact that Harry and Argus were subjected to the Memory Charm.
Everything else is basically true.
He glanced at his tattered wizard robes, his meaning clear.
He had tried his best, but his actual skills weren't enough, so you can't blame him.
Dumbledore remained silent for a long time.
He found no flaws in Argus's words.
Even if it were another professor, they might not have been able to do it as well as him.
"How are Harry and the others?"
Professor McGonagall's words were completely unwavering, but Dumbledore had known her for many years.
It was immediately clear that Professor McGonagall was very unhappy with his actions!
However, because Argus was present and he had interacted with her, she did not express it directly.
He sighed.
"The situation is not good; Lockhart's Memory Charm may have damaged their brains."
"Snape is at St. Mungo's with them, working with the doctors to find a way to treat them."
"I'll go with you to take a look, and we'll be back before dawn." Professor McGonagall was worried about Harry and Ron, and looked at them.
"Take Mr. Grindelwald with you; he needs to be checked too."
Dumbledore didn't say much, and used Fawkes to take the two professors to St. Mungo's Hospital.
As soon as Argus opened his eyes, he saw Harry and Ron on the hospital bed.
The two had woken up from their coma, but the emptiness and confusion in their eyes seemed strange.
Holy crap, is Harry really going to turn into an idiot?!
This is really going to be hilarious!
Argus turned his head and saw Snape standing next to him with a long face.
That's understandable.
We agreed that I'd risk my life for you, and you'd protect Harry.
As a result, he became an idiot in the blink of an eye!
Just playing around!
Argus, the mastermind behind it all, had no qualms about it.
All he had promised Dumbledore was to protect Harry's life, not to keep him from getting hurt.
As for Harry... he didn't owe him anything, so why should he be his babysitter?
Just because he has a third eye on his forehead?
"Mr. Grindelwald, you should go and get checked out by the doctors at St. Mungo's Hospital first."
Dumbledore's voice snapped Argus out of his reverie.
Professor McGonagall patted him on the shoulder reassuringly: "Don't be sad, Argus, it's not your fault."
"You've done a great job."
"Is this related to Mr. Grindelwald?" Snape cast a dangerous glance at Argus.
Professor McGonagall immediately stepped in front of Argus.
"I'll explain this to you later, Headmaster Dumbledore and I will."
After several doctors took Argus for a check-up, Professor McGonagall gestured to Dumbledore to dismiss the doctors and nurses.
Only after the three of them, along with Harry and Ron, two semi-paralyzed wizards, were left in the ward did they retrieve Lockhart's body from the Undetectable Extension Charm.
"I had already examined Professor Gilderoy Lockhart's body before I came here."
"Consistent with Mr. Grindelwald's account, he was once subjected to an Expelliarmus, and the fatal wound was a puncture wound to the chest, as well as venom in his body."
"I also brought his wand back. If we need to use Prior Incantato to check, we need to prepare in advance."
Back in the cave, Argus had already retrieved the wand and cloak he had sold to Lockhart
Professor McGonagall now only has Lockhart's wand.
"What... exactly happened?!" Snape's face was frighteningly grim as he spoke, each word distinct and deliberate.
His eyes were fixed on Dumbledore.
Dumbledore sighed and briefly recounted what Argus had told him in the headmaster's office.
Upon hearing this, Snape's expression grew even colder.
"Send two second-year wizards, along with a mediocre one, to deal with the basilisk!"
"And another second-year wizard was assigned to protect him."
"The headmaster is really thorough in his work!"
Dumbledore knew he was in the wrong and had nothing to say about Snape's sarcastic remarks.
Professor McGonagall stepped in to ease the tension: "What we should be thinking about now is how to cure Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley."
"Regarding the secret room, Auror will probably find out tonight."
"We need to think of countermeasures in advance."
The room fell silent.
Snape stepped forward and carefully examined Lockhart's body.
But Argus did it cleanly, leaving no evidence.
The only thing used on Lockhart from beginning to end was the Expelliarmus.
After the inspection, he stood up.
Snape asked, "Has the heir to the Chamber of Secrets in Slytherin been found?"
"And what about Mr. Arthur Weasley and Mrs. Weasley? How should we talk to them?"
Silence, still silence.
Dumbledore had also been troubled by this problem for a long time.
The Weasleys were his staunch supporters, and yet this happened right under his nose.
It was all because of his own mistake!
How was he supposed to explain this?!
Even if Arthur and Mrs. Weasley don't say anything, they'll definitely have their opinions.
Similarly, the Slytherin heirs also need an explanation.
What's the point of finding the monster but not the people?
Who knows if he'll come up with a few more terrifying magical creatures in the future?
Won't something still happen at Hogwarts then?
After a long while, Dumbledore finally spoke in a tired voice.
"Let me think about these two things carefully."
"Wait, I need to go see some old friends and see if they have any ideas on how to handle Harry and Ron's situation."
"Mr. Grindelwald, let him have a thorough check-up at St. Mungo's Hospital."
"We already have two students with problems; we can't have a third."
…
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