Chapter 32
A group of people admired the ghosts' cheese covered in green mold, as well as the gigantic tombstone-gray cake, and enjoyed the performance of the Headless Hunt.
Until Ron's teeth were chattering from the cold, complaining that he couldn't take it anymore, Harry still hadn't found a chance to speak with Camille.
"Let's go, let's go. I hope there's still some pudding left in the Great Hall at this time. I'm starving." Seeing Ron anxious to leave, and since everyone else had pretty much had their fun, they prepared to leave with him, heading toward the corridor lit with black candles.
Just as Harry was feeling disappointed, a sinister, low hissing voice suddenly rang in his ear.
"...Tear you... rip you... kill you..." It was that familiar voice again—the Basilisk!
Harry snapped back to attention and called out to the others. "Be careful! The Basilisk is coming! I heard the Basilisk's voice. Everyone, put on your glasses quickly!"
During this time, he'd been busy with Quidditch training and homework, hardly having any time to act together with Hermione and Ron, but the three of them all remembered the rule of safety first, 'Always wear glasses or carry them.
"The Basilisk?"
Jeffery and Camille exchanged a glance, waved their wands, and along with Cedric, who hadn't yet figured out the situation, all three suddenly had a pair of glasses on their faces.
"Uh..."
Cedric awkwardly adjusted the glasses that had suddenly appeared, though he had a belly full of questions, he didn't rush to ask them.
Harry's expression was grave as he said word by word "It said—it's starving—kill—it's time."
Hearing this, everyone's faces changed.
"We have to stop it!" Without much thought, Harry charged ahead first.
"Wait, Potter!" Jeffery tried to stop him, but Harry rushed too fast and was out of his reach in the blink of an eye.
"Heh!" A contemptuous sneer rang out, and Camille unhesitatingly waved his wand!
Thud thud— a strange sound echoed. The ground beneath Harry's feet suddenly twisted violently, and in the next moment, it enveloped him like soft waves, surging backward.
"What are you doing!" Harry glared at her angrily, trembling all over with rage.
"Reckless bunch. With us here, it's not yet time for you children to show off." Camille didn't mind Harry's rudeness. In an instant, she and Jeffery had already started running, dashing off before the others could react!
Beside them, Harry was restrained by the rock slab controlled by Camille, moving automatically as the two advanced.
"Hermione, go to the office immediately and inform the professors about the Basilisk. Keep your glasses fixed properly, stay vigilant on the way, and respond if you hear me!" Camille decisively issued orders, and in a flash, she and Jeffery were about to rush out of the passage.
"Yes—yes! I understand!" Hermione instinctively responded, but after reacting, she began to hesitate—almost immediately, she looked at Ron beside her.
Ron had just swallowed a mouthful of saliva, but upon meeting Hermione's gaze, his eyes immediately became resolute—Hermione instantly understood his meaning.
The three of them had dared to confront the thief stealing the Philosopher's Stone in their first year. How could a mere Basilisk scare them now? Since Harry had been taken away, they would naturally follow!
"Cedric, you go inform the professors about this. We can't leave Harry alone!" Hermione and Ron gave Cedric almost no time to react before the two immediately started running, trying to catch up with the group ahead!
"Wait—you—" Cedric futilely reached out to hold them back, but in the end, he was left alone.
"Tch!" He gritted his teeth and decisively turned to run toward Professor Lucian's office—they had just mentioned something about a Basilisk? Seeing that everyone, including him, was wearing glasses, yes, this response method—it must be the Basilisk.
But why could Harry hear the Basilisk's voice? Why did the others seem to know all about this? If Cedric hadn't also studied Professor Lucian's notes on dark creatures in advance, he would really be confused right now.
"How could such a dangerous creature be in the school?" Cedric sprinted desperately through the corridors, only regretting that his flying broom wasn't with him right now—next time, he would definitely keep his broom in a fixed spot for easy summoning anytime.
"This way!" Harry, who had calmed down, was carried by Jeffery leading them up the stairs and into the entrance hall.
The hall echoed with the laughter and cheers from the Halloween feast in the Great Hall; it was unlikely to hear any other sounds.
"Let me down! This way, I can't hear clearly."
Jeffery glanced at Camille, saw her nod, and then released Harry.
The two followed Harry at full speed up the marble staircase, to the second floor of the castle—third floor—Harry raced around the entire third floor, with Ron and Hermione's voices soon echoing behind him.
"Not following orders! Why did you come!" Jeffery saw the stumbling figures of Hermione and Ron, and his tone suddenly became stern.
This was the Basilisk! A creature even they weren't confident in subduing. Were these guys really that crazy?!
"We—" Hermione was just about to explain.
"Never mind—it's not the time to argue." Camille interrupted Hermione, gripped her wand tightly, and signaled Jeffery to advance with her.
"Jeffery, I'll be your eyes. Once the Basilisk is spotted, you restrain it!"
"I know."
Jeffery lowered his head to look at Camille's boots, his expression grave. His magic was stronger than Camille's; now wasn't the time to worry about her safety.
"Wait, can't we make some big noise to scare it away? Or attract the other professors—do we have to handle it ourselves?" Ron saw the two advancing without any hesitation, both admiring them and deeply worried, subconsciously suggesting.
"No, the Basilisk's eyes are too terrifyingly lethal. We can't let it run loose—the other professors coming would be the same. If caught off guard, they're highly likely to get hit, and the cost would be even greater than ours."
The two held their breath, advancing slowly in the darkness, gradually seeing a line of bloody writing.
[The Chamber has been opened. Beware, enemies of the Heir.]
Harry and the others quickly caught up with the two and also saw the bloody words on the wall. The three only felt the chill from underground resurfacing, freezing their bodies and blood with an even colder temperature!
At that moment, Professor Lucian's figure appeared from around the corner, striding over to the group in a few large steps.
"Professor!"
Seeing Professor Lucian appear, though Jeffery and Camille's expressions remained grave, their hearts immediately relaxed—with the professor here, even if the enemy was the Basilisk, they had nothing to fear!
"Hm." Professor Lucian responded, his expression not looking good.
He had clearly already told Dumbledore about the Basilisk—how could the incident still happen? But first, he needed to confirm whether the Basilisk was still here!
He knelt on one knee, tapping the ground with his wand.
"Tap————tap————"
Sound waves spread across the ground with the tapping, echoing continuously, gradually extending to the entire third floor, then the whole castle.
"..."
The professors on the first floor, enjoying the festive atmosphere, suddenly looked up, alertly gazing toward the third floor. At Hogwarts, who was crazy enough to use detection magic on such a large scale?
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