Hogwarts: A Chinese-Style Professor

Chapter 53 The Secret of the Washroom
"Professor, are you the heir to Slytherin?"

When Cedric asked the same question, Levi's expression showed a hint of helplessness.

"Of course not—where did you all hear this from?"

“I heard about the Basilisk from Hermione and the others,” Cedric said hesitantly. “Professor, is this a difficult matter?”

Why did the basilisk attack people a second time? Even you and Dumbledore couldn't handle it?

"Hmm—" Li Wei's tone became somewhat unpredictable.

He was a little unsure how to talk to this honest student.

Actually, the matter has been resolved. The current situation is about the tacit understanding between us adults.
This seems a bit too damaging to the image and is not good for the healthy physical and mental development of children.

After thinking it over, Li Wei came up with a compromise.

"Regarding the Chamber of Secrets, Dumbledore and I have made some progress, but there are still some things that need to be confirmed. Don't worry, there won't be any more attacks."

As for Professor Bubbaji, who was attacked, she was fortunate enough to only be petrified. Snape would be able to concoct an antidote to save her when the mandrake matured.

He knew what Cedric cared about: the students' safety.

When the basilisk attacks again, it will be the time when he is petrified and guides Harry to kill the basilisk. All problems will be solved then.

"Is that so? That's great!"

Cedric vaguely sensed something from Levi's subtle attitude, but his main goal was to prevent any more casualties in the locked-room mystery; everything else was secondary.

Seeing that things had gone so smoothly, he immediately relaxed.

Cedric suddenly remembered the story Hermione had told him about "The Hairy Heart of the Wizard," which had startled him when he first heard it.

But now it seems that Professor Levi is clearly a very humane wizard, just not good at expressing his emotions. How could the kind of thing described in the story happen?
He and Hermione were overthinking it; it was just a fairy tale.

I wonder how Cedric and Hermione would view the story if they knew that the Invisibility Cloak in Harry's possession was one of the Three Deathly Hallows from the story "The Legend of the Three Brothers".
"Professor, I'll be going now."

Cedric got the answer he wanted and stopped hoping to learn more from Levi. He prepared to inform Hermione and the others as soon as possible, but Levi kept him there.

"Have you prepared the compound decoction yet?"

Cedric was startled, then turned his head and said with a wry smile:

"I didn't expect I couldn't hide it from you. How did you find out?"

"The abandoned girls' restroom on the second floor is a place that is rarely used. The spot you and Hermione chose is pretty good."

Even so, didn't you still find out?
How would the professor know about this? Did he go into the girls' restroom?

"Your expression makes it seem like you suspect I went into the girls' restroom in private."

Cedric: "."

"Yes, I did go there during my nighttime stroll. There's a secret in the second-floor restroom that I don't think you've discovered yet."

"What is it?"

Cedric never entered the girls' restroom; he mostly stayed near the entrance to cover for Hermione, so he didn't know what Levi was talking about.

"I'm not telling you, go find it yourselves in the girls' restroom."

Cedric pursed his lips and then asked again:

"Professor, aren't you going to punish us with detention?"

"Why are you being punished? Because you secretly concocted powerful potions, violating at least ten school rules?"

Li Wei smiled and waved, signaling Cedric to go stand aside.

“As long as you don’t hurt others, I actually encourage you to break the rules.”

Cedric opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he left without saying a word. He wasn't an inflexible person.

Since the professor said he wouldn't mind, there seems to be no need for me to go out of my way to get points deducted.

Also, did the professor just say 'you'?
Does he want us to find out the secret of the abandoned washroom?

By the time Cedric found Harry Ron, it seemed a little too late—he had been waiting for some time at the entrance to the castle leading to the underground level, and sure enough, the two of them were there.

They have returned with the information, but have found nothing except that Malfoy truly knew nothing about the secret chamber.

They still have no clue as to who the true heir is.

But Cedric's news truly inspired them and completely changed their mindset.

"No more attacks? Great! Then why should we bother with this heir issue?"

Ron cheered, no longer feeling the frustration of the failed operation.

"Where's Hermione? I have something I want to talk to her about."

"Is there something you absolutely need to tell her that you can't tell us?"

Ron's expression turned wary again.

“Uh—I think she’ll tell you too—I heard something from the professor—why don’t we find her first? We can tell her all at once then.”

The three of them went to the second-floor bathroom and called Hermione out from outside the door—since their drug effects had worn off, Hermione's transformation should also end.

But Hermione just stayed in her toilet stall and refused to come out.

"Hermione, what are you doing? Come out here right now, Cedric said he heard some important news from the professor."

"No—leave me alone, all of you! Let me have some peace and quiet!"

The three people outside the washroom exchanged glances, and Ron rushed in first!

He kept knocking on the bathroom door and asked:

Hey! What happened? Tell us and we'll help you!

"Go away!"

Hermione screamed, her voice sounding utterly devastated.

Cedric still didn't enter the washroom, but simply called out from the doorway:
"Hermione, listen! We will never leave you here alone, so if anything happens, you should tell us as soon as possible so we can come up with a solution sooner."

Hermione's crying gradually stopped.

"clatter--"

As the door lock slid open, her figure was partially revealed.

The first thing that catches everyone's eye is two long, pointed ears—followed by Hermione's face covered in black cat fur and her eyes that have turned yellow.

"It's a cat hair!" she cried out in anguish. "Mi-Mirison must have a cat! But this soup—this potion isn't for animal transformations!"

"Hahahahahaha!"

The ghostly voice of Myrtle kept ringing behind Hermione, which made her even more emotionally distraught.

It took Harry and Ron a long time to persuade Hermione to leave the bathroom.

Cedric quickly pulled out his wand, modified his wizard robes, and put them on Hermione—the oversized robes covered her tail and ears, leaving only her cat face visible.

“Don’t worry, Hermione, let’s go find Professor Levi, he’ll definitely be able to solve your problem.”

(End of this chapter)