blogombal Chapter 77 Ron's Relentless Pursuit of Death in the Secret Chamber
Chapter 77 Ron's Relentless Pursuit of Death in the Secret Chamber
Chapter 78 Ron's Relentless Pursuit of Death in the Secret Chamber
Picking up where we left off, the house-elf suddenly appeared in the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, claiming that Dumbledore urgently needed Harry's attention.
Upon hearing this, Lockhart's heart pounded like a drum, and he hurriedly called out, "Wait a minute, little one, it's class time now."
"I will not allow my students to skip class—not even if Professor Dumbledore himself is there!"
He spoke righteous and righteous words, but in his heart he was plotting something else entirely. He feared that if he let Harry go, without the savior to highlight him, even if a champion was chosen, his extraordinary teaching abilities would not be apparent.
The house-elf remained unmoved and said, "But Professor Dumbledore wants to see Mr. Harry Potter. He says it's very important."
Harry was startled, thinking to himself: The professor is usually a very disciplined person, but today he is ignoring my studies. Could it be that he has found some clues about the Chamber of Secrets?
He suppressed his murderous intent and said to the house-elf, "In that case, you will lead the way for me."
The elf nodded in agreement, then turned to Snape and said, "Mr. Severus Snape, please come along too."
Snape sneered. "Ha! He's the one who sent me to be Lockhart's helper, and now that I'm here, he wants me to go find him again?"
"What exactly does he want to do?"
The elf glanced at Snape and, seeing his grim expression, cautiously said, "Professor Dumbledore said it's confidential..."
"Ha, what isn't a secret in his eyes?" Snape tossed his robes and said impatiently, "Lead the way."
Harry knew that Draco possessed dark magic items and was extremely vicious and dangerous, so he, Ron, and Hermione immediately leaned down and whispered in his ear.
"Elder sister and brother, I am leaving now and do not know when I will return. You two must remember that if Draco provokes you, do not argue with him. Wait until I return to reason with him."
Ron and Hermione nodded in agreement. Harry bowed to them and headed out of the classroom.
Watching Harry and Snape walk away with the house-elf, Lockhart felt like a headless fly, inwardly groaning.
Even my assistant has left!
With all the famous and provocative individuals gone, what's left of this dueling club?
Draco breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Harry was far away. He ripped off his robe and threw it on the ground, then rolled up his sleeves and shouted arrogantly:
"That scarred guy ran away, now who's going to stand against me? Are you all Gryffindor chickens out?"
Lockhart's eyes lit up when he saw Malfoy's two arms, which looked like they were made of steel. "The Malfoy brand is pretty good too!"
No matter what, he is one of the Twenty-Eight Holy Clans, and a direct blood relative at that. If we change the title of the new book to "The Man Behind the Malfoy Family," it will definitely be a bestseller!
He quickly moved to Draco's side, leaned down and whispered in his ear, "Not bad, Mr. Malfoy, I have high hopes for you. However, your attire is a bit too inappropriate for wizarding etiquette..."
Draco tilted his head and snorted, "There's no need for etiquette when dealing with that brainless scarred guy."
He doesn't deserve it!
Ron, who was in the audience, heard Draco's arrogant insults to Harry and saw Lockhart acting like a fence-sitter. His anger flared up and burned him so badly that he could no longer remember Harry's words of advice.
No sooner said than done! With a "whoosh," Ron angrily threw his robe into the air and leaped onto the stage.
His strange eyes widened, his red hair stood on end, and he gripped his wand tightly as if it were a dragon spitting its tongue, staring intently at Draco.
"I challenge you to a duel!"
"I'd like to see if the muscles you built with potions are truly pure!"
"Ah, Mr. Weasley is willing to fight!" Rohart exclaimed happily. "Very well, now raise your wands to your chests like swords, and when I count to three, I will cast a spell to disarm them."
"Now listen to my command, one—"
"Grinning widely!"
"To rip out one's intestines!"
The two attacks came simultaneously, with absolutely perfect timing. However, the incantations they recited differed in strength and softness, one like a needle hidden in cotton, the other like a vajra pestle.
Draco grinned maliciously, and a streak of blood-red light shot out from the tip of his staff.
We'll leave aside the duel between Ron and Draco for now, and focus on Harry and Snape, who followed the house-elf straight to the second floor of the castle.
Throughout the journey, the two remained silent. One had a somber expression, while the other's eyes shone with cold light. The surrounding air was as frigid as the coldest days of winter, chilling the little sprite to the bone and making her spine tingle.
He hesitated for a long time, then, wanting to lighten the mood, cautiously asked, "Mr. Harry Potter, why are you carrying a knife?"
Harry laughed heartily, "Of course we must guard against those treacherous villains!"
"Speaking of ulterior motives..." Snape drawled, speaking slowly and deliberately, "A while ago, some herbs went missing from my private storage cabinet, while a bag of gallons inexplicably appeared in my office."
"Mr. Potter, do you have any clues?"
Harry, without looking at him, said, "Professor, that's a strange question. How would I know about your bolt and key?"
"There are no signs of magical damage on my lock; it looks more like... a Muggle lockpicking technique."
Snape pressed on, practically glued to Harry's face, "Our generous, scarred gentleman, has nothing to say about this?"
"Or is your understanding of Gryffindor courage simply limited to breaking the law and committing crimes?"
"Ha! If that's the case, then Professor's ambition as a Slytherin must be to make all the men in the world bow down at your feet."
"Harry James Potter!" Snape gritted his teeth. "I'll say it one last time! There's nothing between me and James Potter!"
"And what about the guardian deity of the doe? Tell me!"
Snape stared wide-eyed, his cheeks twitching, veins bulging on his forehead, as if he wanted nothing more than to fight Harry.
Just as tensions were about to rise, the house-elf suddenly banged its head against the wall, howling, "It's all my fault! It's all my fault!"
"I misspoke and made both gentlemen unhappy! It's all my fault..."
Seeing that the elf had almost smashed his brains out, Harry and Snape snorted and fell silent.
The group walked silently for a moment, and when they arrived at the washroom, they saw that Dumbledore had been waiting for a long time, with McGonagall, Flitwick, and Sprout standing solemnly behind him.
Dumbledore greeted the two with a smile, saying, "Good afternoon, Harry, Severus."
Harry bowed to the professors and asked suspiciously, "Why are all of you gathered here? Did you all forget to bring toilet paper?"
Flitwick waved his wand and laughed, "Of course not, Harry, we're wizards, the Cleansing Charm is much more effective."
McGonagall and Sprout remained outwardly calm, but were both inwardly shocked.
So, Philius never used paper in his entire life?
Both of them were internally criticizing it, but Dumbledore had no interest in getting involved. He shook his head and said, "The house-elves have found traces of the Chamber of Secrets. The serpent sign you mentioned is in this women's restroom."
Harry spat and said, "Ha! What a despicable scoundrel Salazar is, building that secret room in the women's restroom."
"Oh, Harry, you know, Hogwarts has been renovated countless times over thousands of years. Perhaps only the oldest ghosts know what this women's bathroom used to look like."
"As for this century, it was abandoned fifty years ago."
Harry asked in surprise, "How did it all go to waste?"
"Because the Chamber of Secrets was opened fifty years ago," Dumbledore said in a deep voice. "A female student named Myrtle died at that time."
Hearing that the Chamber of Secrets had been opened, Harry was shocked. "Has the culprit been caught?"
"...No, I wasn't the headmaster back then, just a Transfiguration professor." Dumbledore, unwilling to elaborate, went into the washroom first. "Come on, Harry, let's deal with the immediate problem."
Once inside, the house-elf led everyone to the circular washbasin and pointed to a faucet with a snake-shaped relief, saying:
"The serpent sign that Mr. Harry Potter mentioned is right here, and it seems to be under a reverse spell, capable of blocking all magical means."
"Harry, please give it a try," Dumbledore said earnestly. "Use Parsley."
Harry did as instructed, carefully examining the faucet from all angles. After a moment's thought, he shouted in his Parseltongue, "Open!"
This shout was so powerful it startled even ghosts and gods. A rumbling sound filled the air, and all the washbasins retreated in unison, revealing a dark passageway.
Strange phenomena suddenly occurred in the women's restroom. Harry immediately drew his knife and cane, recited a spell, and summoned a wall of earth to cover it.
The professors held their breath and used all their best skills to be on guard.
Dumbledore waved his wand lightly, and an armor spell protected everyone; Snape quickly took out potions from his robe and poured several bottles of potions into their stomachs; Flitwick teleported and disappeared into the shadows, waiting for his chance; Sprout's sleeves were covered with vines, baring their fangs and claws like a ferocious beast.
Seeing that the secret chamber was real, McGonagall pursed her lips into a thin line and said, "I'll scout ahead."
Having said that, she leaped into the air, transforming into a tiger-striped cat, and darted into the cave entrance. Sprout, without delay, used the vines to slowly descend along the cave wall.
Dumbledore intended to instruct Harry to keep watch on the ground, but before he could even speak, Harry had already leaped into the deep hole.
Dumbledore sighed and quickly called Snape and Flitwick down with him.
The underground passage was dozens of feet deep, pitch black and devoid of sunlight. When the group finally stepped onto solid ground, their feet made a cracking sound.
Looking down, all I could see at the bottom of the cave was a ghastly white mess, piled high with bones.
McGonagall was horrified and cried out, "What kind of bone is this?!"
Harry picked up a few pieces to examine and laughed, "Professor, don't be afraid. They're just the bones of some hairy beasts, mountain animals, not human bones."
Hearing this, McGonagall breathed a sigh of relief.
But then his expression turned strange again. How did Harry know that wasn't a human bone? He couldn't have seen it before, could he?
The old woman was pondering this when she suddenly heard Flitwick scream, "Merlin's staff! What is that?"
Everyone looked closely and saw a huge snake skin hanging upside down in the air in front of the cave.
From afar, it resembles a broken ridge stretching across the cave; up close, it looks like a snow wall hanging upside down on the cave wall. From beginning to end, it is about fifty feet long, and a stench wafts through the air, like a colossal beast from ancient times.
Dumbledore stared at the sloughed snake for a long time, then suddenly said, "This is a basilisk."
Readers, have heard that this serpent monster transcends the Three Realms and is not bound by the Five Elements. It is not a naturally born demon, but a demonic seed that reverses Yin and Yang, created by the Greek black wizard Herpo.
It must be when Sirius is in the sky, and a rooster lays an egg. Then a toad must hold it down, and a warm place must be found to incubate it for a hundred days before this wretched creature can be born.
"The basilisk has bright yellow eyes, and anyone who looks into it dies instantly," Dumbledore said softly. "Even indirect contact will turn you to stone."
"If I remember correctly, there was a puddle of water on the ground where Mrs. Lorris was petrified."
Flitwick exclaimed, "Oh! Myrtle! I spoke with her, and she said that before she died, she only saw two small lamps emitting a yellow glow!"
Harry suddenly realized, "Damn it! No wonder I heard that guy talking inside the wall. So it must be that basilisk crawling in the pipe!"
It was a perfect understanding. Everyone now knew the origin of the monster, and all their doubts were easily resolved.
The group chattered on and on, parting the snake's molt and moving forward. They came upon another round door, upon which were carved six snakes, their eyes flashing with a dazzling green light that made one's vision blur.
Harry stepped forward and, in his Parsleyan voice, ordered the door to be opened. The stone snakes turned and slithered at the sound.
Suddenly, a muffled "thud" was heard, and the round door opened by itself, revealing a very large and magnificent hall inside.
If the blood-man Baro were to see this secret chamber built by his mentor, he would surely compose a poem:
Blue bricks form the walls of the palace, and mermaid oil lamps emit red flames.
The central passageway is three zhang wide, with flowing water surging on both sides.
The snake's head on the water's surface seemed to leap into the air, baring its fangs and claws with a menacing aura.
At the end, a stone-carved face appeared—it was Salazar, the master of the secret chamber.
Harry took in the entire secret chamber, which was vast and boundless, with fish swimming in the pools on both sides. The scarred man was overjoyed and secretly exclaimed that it was a blessed land!
He looked up and examined the massive stone face of Salazar closely. He saw that the whiskers were like halberds flashing, and the gaping maw was menacing, revealing a stone door inside.
Harry went straight ahead and recited the Parseltongue again. There were a few buzzing sounds, and the stone door opened, revealing a dark opening that led to an unknown destination.
"It seems the basilisk usually hides here."
Dumbledore stood beside Harry, took his wand and flicked out beams of light, which all drifted toward the sewer pipes of the Chamber of Secrets.
Harry watched with curiosity. "What is the professor doing?"
"I have marked these entrances and exits. Once the basilisk passes through and triggers the spell, it will be burned to death by Fiendfire."
Harry nodded and said, "I'll find those channels to talk to the basilisk and figure out where the serpent is."
"Sophistry..."
Dumbledore murmured to himself, then sighed, "Harry, I think you should prepare for the worst."
"Voldemort might be back."
"Don't forget that your Parsley voice talent comes from Voldemort..."
Harry, leaning on his knife, sneered, "If that scoundrel dares to come, I'll make sure his soul is shattered!"
"He harmed my parents, stole my secret chamber—I'll settle all my old and new scores with him!"
"Wait a minute, Potter," Snape said coldly. "What do you mean by your Chamber of Secrets?"
"Ha! If I hadn't cleared the way, would you have been able to get in?"
"Yes, the heir to the Chamber of Secrets is a Gryffindor, and I think Mr. Salazar would have no objection to that!"
Harry clasped his hands in a fist and bowed several times, then shouted, "Old Master Salazar said beforehand that whoever opens the secret chamber is the heir!"
"I possess a fragment of Voldemort's soul; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call me half a Slytherin. How could my position be illegitimate!"
Snape chuckled at these words. "Your stance is quite flexible, Mr. Chimera!"
Having said that, he tossed his robe aside and went outside the secret chamber.
Dumbledore shook his head and chuckled. "Harry, please don't blame Severus. He hasn't been in a good mood since I sent him to help Lockhart."
"Oh, speaking of which, Harry, shouldn't you be going back to class?"
Harry was startled and said, "Professor, you are absolutely right. I'll be going now."
He and Snape returned to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, one after the other.
Before even entering, I heard a series of shouts from inside.
"Is that all you've got, Malfoy...?"
"Shut up, Weasley! Want more trouble?"
Harry was startled, thinking to himself: How could my brother be compared to that Draco!
He rushed in, only to find magic clashing and fists flying across the dueling arena. Upon closer inspection, he saw Ron's face was bruised and swollen beyond recognition, his entire body covered in wounds.
"Harry!"
Hermione cried out and lunged at Harry, grabbing his robes and yelling.
"You should try to persuade Ron. He doesn't want us to get involved, but he's absolutely unwilling to admit defeat."
"And another thing! Draco is acting strangely. He used magic that's only for fourth-year students, and it was even from the forbidden section..."
Before she could finish speaking, Harry had already rushed onto the stage, grabbed Ron's arm, and cried out in anguish, "Brother!"
When Ron saw Harry, his pride immediately vanished.
He was already completely exhausted, clinging to life only by clinging to hope. Now, seeing his brother return, he felt weak all over and could no longer hold on. His vision went black, and he collapsed softly into Harry's arms.
"I'm sorry, Harry... I should have, I should have listened to you..."
"Malfoy... knows dark magic... you must be careful..."
Ron's face was ashen, and he exhaled more air than he inhaled. His words were faint, broken, and indistinct.
Seeing this, Harry felt a surge of malice, murderous intent, and a chilling aura welling up within him. He wished he could conjure up the power of magic to create heaven and earth.
"Harry, my boy... never get entangled with that harlot, or you'll end up like me..."
"Everything...everything depends on your second brother's return..."
Recalling past events, Harry drew his sword, the white light so dazzling that Draco couldn't open his eyes.
Upon seeing Harry's狰狞 (zhengning, meaning ferocious or hideous) face and smelling the overwhelming malevolent aura, Draco's heart trembled, and he quickly puffed up his good skin.
"Come on, Scarface!"
Ron, by standing up for Harry, ended up badly injured; Harry's return was like a knife to the heart. This scene is memorable, like Wu Song's journey to Tokyo. Only Wu Song died, while Ron still clung to life. To find out what happens next, stay tuned for the next installment.
(End of this chapter)