Magical Studies at Hogwarts...

Chapter 58 Conversation

That sentence really frightened Harry; he wasn't this afraid even when facing Quirrell last semester.

Quirrell's threat was obvious, especially with Ike helping him at the time, but now nobody knows who the mastermind is.

It's normal for people to be subconsciously afraid when faced with the unknown.

Hermione, who was standing nearby, paused their conversation and remained silent for a while before speaking up, "Perhaps... Harry, that voice wasn't yours."

"Not me? Then who was it? Didn't you hear me!" Harry replied.

"I noticed Ike's expression was off earlier, and lately when I've run into him outside the library, I've always heard him making hissing sounds," Hermione said, frowning. "I think he might be able to hear it too."

"A hissing sound?" Harry paused, feeling a sense of familiarity with the sound, but he couldn't recall when he had heard it before. He was certain it had happened before he came to Hogwarts.

"Yes, that sounds kind of creepy. Maybe he's learning some language," Hermione nodded. "He's been acting a bit strange since the beginning of this semester, and he's even been going to the library less often."

"Maybe, but if you ask me, he's just a weirdo, don't worry about him too much," Ron interjected. "But Harry, you should still be careful lately."

"Of course, even if the voice wasn't talking about me, it was still related to me," Harry replied.

No sooner had they finished speaking than the three heard a bell toll. Hermione quickly said, "It's twelve o'clock, we'd better hurry back."

"That's right, so that Snape won't come looking for trouble with us again."

Harry, Harry, and the others hurried back to their Gryffindor dormitories to rest, while Ike, yawning and drinking chocolate milk, endured Fawkes lying on his head, staring blankly at the row of portraits of past headmasters on the opposite wall.

In the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor's office, Dumbledore assigned tasks to each professor and then led Ike to his own office.

As soon as he entered the room, he was presented with the classic combination of a pile of cockroaches and heated milk. He told Ike to wait a moment and then went into a small door, where he was doing something.

Ike drank half a glass before Dumbledore came out, carrying a thick book.

The book looked familiar to Ike; it was "The Method of Breeding Dangerous and Magical Creatures".

"It's a good book, isn't it, Mr. Stradwell?" Dumbledore placed the book on his desk and took a sip of his special chocolate milk.

"Very good." Ike understood, but his expression remained impassive; he simply nodded.

"I remember it was not long after the start of the semester when you took this book from the restricted section," Dumbledore said. "So I thought you must know something, perhaps you could clear up this old man's doubts?"

"Of course, but Professor, I don't know much either."

"That's already quite good, but before that, you have to listen to an old man's ramblings." Dumbledore pushed up his crescent-shaped glasses, thought for a moment, and then said, "Mr. Stradl, you saw that line of text too, right? Do you know... what the Chamber of Secrets is?"

Ike nodded: "I know."

"Legend has it that after Hogwarts was founded, Gryffindor and Slytherin quarreled due to differences in their philosophies, which ended with Slytherin leaving. However, before leaving, Slytherin left behind a secret room containing a monster. When the time is right, his successor will open the secret room, release the monster, and eliminate everyone in the school whom he deems unworthy to learn magic."

"Yes, it's a legend," Dumbledore said, "but it's clearly true."

"That certainly seems to be the case." Ike shrugged.

Dumbledore gently patted the book "How to Breed Dangerous Magical Creatures" on the table with his right hand, his eyes filled with a hint of scrutiny: "So, Mr. Stradl, have you guessed what that monster is?"

"Professor Dumbledore, you guessed it too, didn't you?" Ike countered. "It's not hard to guess."

"Among known magical creatures, whether naturally reproduced or bred by wizards, the vast majority do not have very long lifespans..."

"Assuming the monster in the locked room has been alive until now, it would have been almost a thousand years."

Acton paused, then continued, "Considering Slytherin's purpose, this monster must be extremely dangerous, and it couldn't possibly be a group, otherwise it wouldn't have waited until now to cause trouble..."

"Then the area is very small."

"Considering the symbolism of Slytherin, the answer is obvious..." Ike scratched his head, which was a little itchy from Fawkes's touch, and replied confidently, "The Basilisk! That's the only possibility!"

"Slap! Slap! Slap!"

Dumbledore clapped, and the headmasters behind him, who had been watching the show, also applauded.

"Excellent reasoning!" said Dumbledore. "Yes, Basilisk! I think so too."

Picking up "How to Breed Dangerous and Fantastic Creatures," Dumbledore casually flipped to the section on the basilisk and slowly said, "Put a male egg under a toad to hatch it, and you will get a great basilisk with extraordinary abilities..."

"...Its entire body is a dazzling green, and its fangs possess extraordinary venom. But its eyes are the most dangerous; any creature that looks directly into its yellow eyes will die instantly..."

Dumbledore sighed softly: "It's all clear now. Sir Nicholas was a ghost, already dead, so when he saw the basilisk's eyes he simply turned to stone, and Lady Norris saw it through Sir Nicholas's body. Everything makes sense."

"However, we don't know where the entrance to the secret room is, and figuring out how to solve it is a big problem."

Ike tilted his head: "Indeed, this is a troublesome matter."

"And I just heard the Basilisk's voice in the Scarlet Letter. It said I'm next!" Ike leaned forward, his eyes fixed on Dumbledore's. "Professor, I need protection!"

"Mr. Strayed, rest assured, Hogwarts will protect its students," Dumbledore said meaningfully. "Besides, you've made ample preparations; even without help from others, you can avoid danger, can't you?"

"I can't guarantee there won't be any problems," Ike shook his head. "The spyglass, the spider, learning snake language are all just precautions. I can only try to escape as much as possible..."

"Besides, what about the others? What about the other students?"

"Hogwarts will protect its students," Dumbledore repeated, refilling their milk glasses with a flick of his right hand. He took a sip before saying, "We will find the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets and deal with the basilisk, but there is one thing we need your help with, Mr. Strayed."

"What?" Ike paused for a moment, then asked.

"I've noticed you're getting along very well with Miss Granger from Gryffindor. Keep an eye on Harry, just like you did last term."

"I'm sorry," Ike shook his head, "I can't help you with this."

"Professor Dumbledore..."

"I am not Harry Potter's nanny!"

(End of this chapter)