Hogwarts: Undercover Death Eater Replaces the Dark Lord

"Look at it from my perspective," Fudge said, looking helpless, fiddling with his hat. "I'm under a lot of pressure too. I have to do something."

"If it turns out it wasn't Hagrid, he'd come back... I wouldn't say a word. But I had to take him away. Shouldn't I do my duty?"

"Take me away?" Hagrid asked, his huge body trembling so much that the chair shook. "Where are you taking me?"

"It was a short time," said Fudge, but he didn't meet Hagrid's eyes guiltily. "It's not a punishment, just a precaution. If we catch someone else, you'll be released with a full apology..."

"Not Azkaban?" Hagrid asked in a hoarse, low voice.

An unnatural look flashed across Fudge's eyes, and he wanted to make some excuses, but Snape finally couldn't help it.

"Fudge, before you take Hagrid away, I need his help with something." Snape said coldly.

"Oh, of course, Severus." Fudge deliberately pretended to be generous, "But I hope you can move quickly, after all, my time is also very valuable..."

Snape didn't even bother to answer Fudge, but walked straight to Hagrid.

"Come out with me." He whispered without giving any reason.

Hagrid rose shakily from his chair and followed Snape out of the shed.

In order to avoid getting into any other trouble, Lycos hid behind the wall at the door of the shed and did not let Fudge notice him until Hagrid followed Snape out, and then he went with them to the vegetable garden next to the shed.

"Oh, Lekos, why are you here too?" Hagrid wiped his wet eyes and said embarrassedly.

"Listen, Hagrid, we need some roosters." Lycos didn't have time to comfort Hagrid and said straight to the point, "If we get the roosters, we might be able to deal with the attack quickly and clear your name..."

"If there's still time, you might not even be in Azkaban by the time this is over!"

"Are you... seriously?" Hagrid opened his mouth, his words hesitating. "It only takes a few roosters to find the monster in Slytherin's Chamber of Secrets?"

"Don't worry about that. You just need to find us a rooster." Lycos shook his head. "It has to be one that crows. The louder the better!"

Although Hagrid didn't understand what the common rooster could be used for, he didn't ask too much. With the mentality of trying everything, he took Lex and Snape to a farm surrounded by wooden stakes.

However, when they arrived at the farm, they only found bloodstains on the ground...

"Where's my... my chicken?" Hagrid was horrified. "Who killed my chicken?!"

Lycos jumped up from the wooden stake and looked at the scene inside the enclosed farm.

Roosters died miserably one after another, lying scattered all over the farm, their feathers scattered everywhere and their blood all over the ground.

However, the chicken's body was intact, and it seemed that the person who killed the chicken did not intend to steal the chicken.

Apparently, Riddle had already been here.

……

Chapter 163 All forgotten

"What's going on?" Snape asked coldly.

"I... I don't know. They were fine last night." Hagrid cried in disbelief, holding his head and crying, "Who could be so cruel to secretly kill my rooster?"

Lycos's expression became completely gloomy.

"Then it must have been done this morning." His tone was very serious. "We can't rely on luck anymore. I'm afraid everything that happened today was premeditated."

"I see." Snape said expressionlessly.

But his knuckles, clenched so tightly that they turned white, betrayed his nervousness.

"I guess he won't give up. There will be other actions next." Lycos said, "Professor, what are you going to do next?"

He looked at Snape's expression and vaguely guessed what the Potions Professor was planning.

"Let's go." Snape's voice was very low, as if squeezed out from between his teeth, "Take me to the Chamber of Secrets."

Lycos sighed and nodded slowly.

The two said goodbye to Hagrid who was about to be taken away by Fudge and returned to Hogwarts Castle.

However, when they returned to the castle, they found that even though the young wizards had been ordered back to their respective common rooms, the entire Hogwarts was still in chaos.

The little wizards who stayed in various places in the castle and had not yet returned to the common room were running towards the common room in panic; many ghosts were running around in a panic...

The armor and statues in the corridor were scattered all over the floor, and the walls were covered with marks of spells.

At this moment, Lycos saw a wizard with golden hair, dressed like a colorful peacock, sneaking into the main tower and trying to sneak down to the second floor along the marble stairs.

Snape grabbed him and asked coldly:

"Tell me, what happened here?!"

When Lockhart was caught by Snape, he instantly became extremely guilty and looked around.

"Um, ahem... a few goblins suddenly appeared in the castle just now, and Professor Flitwick just led them away," Lockhart said. "And several dragons flew over from the other side of the bridge south of the castle..."

"Professor Sprout, oh yes, and Professor Kettleburn, they went to deal with those dragons."

Snape's eyes were fixed on Lockhart.

"What are you talking about? How could goblins get into the castle?" he asked coldly. "Do you think the protective magic at Hogwarts is just for show?"

Although goblins and house-elves Apparate differently from wizards, the anti-Apparition system within Hogwarts cannot prevent their teleportation.

However, they cannot just come in whenever they want.

Otherwise, when those dark wizards want to cause trouble, can't they just let their house-elves apparate with them and enter and leave Hogwarts at will?

As a magic school with a history of thousands of years, it is obviously impossible for Hogwarts to be easily exploited.

The castle is equipped with various protective magics. When fluctuations in the space within the range are detected, they will automatically detect and launch a devastating attack on those uninvited guests.

As for the house-elves working at Hogwarts, they can Apparate at will because they have permission approved by the headmaster and are immune to protective magical attacks.

The same is true of Dobby being able to come and go from Hogwarts at will.

Because Lucius Malfoy is a governor of Hogwarts, his house-elves are not repelled by protective spells...

"I... everything I said is true!" Lockhart explained hurriedly, "Those goblins really did Apparate in. If you don't believe me, ask the other professors!"

"Lucius, that spineless man!" Snape quickly figured out the key to the situation and angrily let go of Lockhart. "I should have known that he obviously wouldn't die for Hogwarts."

Lycos also suddenly realized that the goblins' capture of Lucius Malfoy had this purpose: he could use his status as a school director to obtain the whitelist of Hogwarts' protective magic.

This is the key to how those goblins were able to sneak into Hogwarts Castle.

"So, as the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, why didn't you join the other professors in protecting Hogwarts?" After figuring this out, Snape glanced coldly at Lockhart. "Aren't you known as an expert in Defense Against the Dark Arts?"

"I, I just... You must have misunderstood, Severus." Lockhart stared at Snape's stern face in amazement and stammered, "I just..."

He thought for a long time, and suddenly his eyes lit up, as if he had thought of a good excuse.

"Oh, by the way, I'm actually going to wipe out the root of the problem!" Lockhart said righteously. After making up this lie, he no longer stuttered. "I've found the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets. I can get rid of the monster that attacked the students at any time!"

"Professor Snape, you should understand..."

He walked forward and patted Snape's shoulder, but Snape patted him aside in disgust.

"Professor Kettleburn said there are several Hebridean black dragons out there, and Professor Flitwick is dealing with several very powerful goblins," Lockhart continued shamelessly.

"Hogwarts is in crisis and facing a serious external threat; but don't forget, there's a monster in the Chamber of Secrets waiting inside the castle!"

"I can't let Hogwarts fall into internal and external troubles, so I have no choice but to take the risk and kill that terrible monster myself..."

Lockhart became more and more passionate as he spoke, as if he even believed it himself. Snape's mouth twitched as he listened.

"Good, very good." Snape's eyes were filled with murderous intent as he stared at Lockhart coldly. "Since you've found the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets, why not take me there... I want to see with my own eyes how the famous Professor Lockhart is going to get rid of that monster."

"Ah, hahahaha..." Lockhart laughed awkwardly and immediately changed the subject, "I can get rid of it by myself... Professor Snape, you don't have to go with me. It's a waste of resources for the two of us to deal with a monster!"

"Think about it. There are three Hebridean black dragons out there. Professor Sprout and Professor Kettleburn alone might have a hard time dealing with them. Professor Flitwick is also facing four goblins. I think you'd better go help him, too."

"Don't worry, leave the monster in the secret room to me. I won't let you down!"

Lockhart assured, patting his chest.

Snape's expression grew darker and darker.

If the information Lockhart provided was correct, those goblins and the Hebridean Black Dragon were indeed not something the professors could easily deal with.

The best way now is to activate Hogwarts' defense system, such as the "Piertotum Locomotor" that Professor McGonagall has always wanted to use.

But those defenses are only available to the principal and vice principal...

Dumbledore was now entangled with the rebellious goblins, and Professor McGonagall was confronting Fudge in Hagrid's shed.

Snape pursed his lips and turned his gaze to Lycos.

"Hayden, keep an eye on him for me. I know you can do it," he said solemnly. "I'll inform the vice principal about what's going on here, then go take care of those black dragons first... and when I come back, I'll deal with the big guy in the secret room."

After saying this, and waiting for Lycos to nod in response, Snape quickly turned around and left the castle, ready to complete his work as a professor.

However, Lycos still felt anxious.

"Lex, you see, you're my most proud student..." Lockhart tried to get closer to Lecos, smiling ingratiatingly, "I need to go back to my office and sort out some things... What do you think?"

"No problem." Lycos agreed so readily that even Lockhart was a little surprised.

Then Lockhart laughed.

"I knew you were still my most promising student!" He placed his hand on Lycos's shoulder affectionately. "You're the best performer among all of us, and the only one who enjoys taking my class!"

Lycos shrugged and shook Lockhart's hand away imperceptibly.

In fact, he was only able to agree to Lockhart returning to his office because it was not safe outside.

The professors were all led away for various reasons, and Riddle could not miss such an opportunity. He could bring the basilisk out of the pipe at any time and attack again and again.

If Lycos wanted to ensure his safety, he had to find a room without pipes...but the Slytherin common room was too far away, too dark and too dangerous.

In comparison, Lockhart's office was a nice place.

Although the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor's office is located on the third floor of the castle, it can be reached through the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom on the second floor - and this classroom is very close to the lobby on the first floor of the main tower. You only need to climb the marble stairs in front of the hall and turn a corner in the corridor to reach it.

In other words, as long as Lycos and the others go around the corridor on the second floor as quickly as possible and enter the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, they can be temporarily safe.

"You go ahead and walk faster," said Lycos.

"I understand, I understand!" Lockhart said happily, not knowing that Lecos regarded him as a scout.

Lecos followed Lockhart all the way, keeping his eyes on the ground, hiding all his sight behind Lockhart, not daring to raise his eyes at all, for fear that a pair of yellow snake eyes would appear in front of him.

Fortunately, except for an armored iron spear that suddenly fell and almost hit Lycos, the two did not encounter any danger along the way.