Chapter 153 Hogwarts Murder? Poor Ginny
"I'm not entirely sure, seeing as his brain isn't usually all that functional," Dylan shrugged.
Professor McGonagall's eyelid twitched: "The part about Lockhart wanting to kill someone isn't confirmed yet."
Dylan nodded: "Yes, perhaps he's just trying to spread rumors."
He couldn't recall Lockhart having any specific connection to young Tom, nor did he remember Lockhart ever broadcasting news of a murder at Hogwarts. This turn of events was somewhat unexpected.
"Lockhart is quite a good test subject. I hope this fellow doesn't cause some trouble and end up destroying himself. It would be hard for me to find another test subject with some power, but not too much."
Dylan stood up: "I think we should end our tutoring for today, Professor. You should go ask Professor Flitwick about his intentions first."
Professor McGonagall frowned: "His attitude is already clear in the letter; he wants me to be vigilant. No one can confirm yet that Lockhart spread this news."
Dylan nodded: "Right, so why not be wary of Lockhart first? Perhaps we could put him under surveillance."
Professor McGonagall also stood up: "I think I'll go talk to Flitwick first."
Just as Dylan was about to bid farewell and start making his own preparations, a dark shadow suddenly swept past the window with a whooshing sound.
Bang!
A scarlet Howler slammed directly into the closed window, squeezed through the crack, and spun wildly inside the room, continuously emitting Professor Flitwick's screams.
"McGonagall! Big trouble! Hurry and meet up!"
The scarlet letter's mouth opened wide, its voice so sharp it seemed to pierce through walls, rattling the spellbooks on the shelves.
"Remember to bring Dylan! Snape wants him to come along. I think he means not to let Dylan return to the dorm alone. Alright, alright, I'll stop talking—just hurry!"
As the words fell, the Howler, which didn't need Professor McGonagall to open it to scream, finally stopped its chaotic movements and gently floated down onto the desk, still.
Professor McGonagall's face changed slightly: "Something happened?!"
Dylan's lips twitched slightly as he listened to the Howler's contents.
"So, Professor, what now...?"
"Go! To the staff room!"
Professor McGonagall swiftly walked out of her office door.
Dylan quickly followed.
When the two arrived at the staff room, many people were gathered there, and the atmosphere was grim—almost all the teachers were present.
Professor Snape, in his black robes—not the ones Dylan gave him; they looked neither new nor old, likely his usual attire—stood by the wall, his face dark, as if isolated from everyone else.
As Dylan entered, Professor Snape's gaze swept over him coldly.
Dylan had only been apart from Professor Snape for a short while. Now, meeting again, he nodded to Professor Snape.
Meanwhile, Professor Sprout sat in a chair, anxiously tugging at the corner of her robe, her brows practically twisted into a knot.
Professor Flitwick, small in stature, was pacing back and forth rapidly, muttering to himself, occasionally raising a hand to wipe away non-existent sweat from his forehead.
The other professors also looked up as the Deputy Headmistress entered.
"McGonagall! You're finally here!"
Professor Flitwick stopped pacing and quickly waved Professor McGonagall over.
"What's the situation?"
"A student! The Heir of Slytherin has taken her! And brought her to the Chamber of Secrets!"
"How did you get this information?"
Professor McGonagall's brows furrowed as she looked at him.
"The Heir left another message there! I saw it when I passed by!"
Professor Flitwick tried to keep his voice down, but it trembled slightly.
"It said—her skeleton will remain in the Chamber forever!"
"What?! Whose skeleton?!" Professor McGonagall stared at Flitwick.
"It's Weasley... the little girl named Ginny." Madam Hooch gripped the back of a chair, leaning against it, somewhat limp.
"What?!" Professor McGonagall's eyes widened, her brows almost standing on end. "That Heir actually dared to abduct my student?!"
Thinking of the adorable little Weasley girl, Dylan keenly noticed that Professor McGonagall even clenched her fists.
"It seems the situation is very critical now. We must suspend exams and send all students home tomorrow!"
Professor McGonagall took a deep breath, and the wrinkles around her eyes deepened significantly.
Dylan blinked.
It seemed his early preparations wouldn't be possible. Tonight, Harry and his friends would probably start their actions.
"The main thing is Lockhart. What is this guy trying to do now? Spreading information about a murder at school, was he perhaps bribed by old Malfoy?"
Dylan pondered silently.
While Lockhart's existence was negligible, even if he wanted to cause trouble, his abilities wouldn't make much of a splash.
However, the saying "the meticulous plotting of villains is no match for the spontaneous whim of a fool" wasn't false either.
Even if many of Lockhart's actions wouldn't be taken seriously by Dylan, there was no guarantee that this guy wouldn't suddenly come up with some bizarre new idea.
"Perhaps Hogwarts really should be closed. Dumbledore used to say—"
Professor McGonagall sighed. Before she could finish speaking, the staff room door behind her was violently pushed open again.
Bang!
Lockhart's figure appeared, a smarmy grin on his face that made one want to slap him.
"Oh! Hey, friends, gathered here, are we? I hope I haven't missed a good show?"
Hearing his frivolous tone, Dylan's eye twitched slightly, and an unnameable anger welled up within him.
He gripped the wand in his sleeve, resisting the urge to raise his hand and cast an Avada Kedavra on the guy.
However, his gaze swept over Professor Snape by the wall. As Lockhart's flashy clothes brushed against his robes, Dylan noticed Professor Snape's hand muscles tighten.
Dylan silently averted his gaze, saying nothing.
The atmosphere in the entire staff room was chilling, and everyone's eyes were fixed on Lockhart at the doorway.
Professor Flitwick and Professor McGonagall narrowed their eyes, staring intently at him.
However, before anyone else could speak, Professor Snape moved away from the wall, straightened up, his gaze menacing, a faint curve on his lips.
"Look, our savior, who will solve our troubles, has arrived."
Professor Snape stepped forward, came up to Lockhart, and stood sideways, blocking Professor McGonagall and Dylan.
"What?" Lockhart paused.
"I know you're very anxious, but don't worry, we'll leave the matter of rescuing the abducted student from the Chamber of Secrets to you."
"What??" Lockhart's eyes widened.
"Gryffindor—though I don't particularly like those students—but a student being abducted will also affect Slytherin's reputation—"
What? Slytherin has a reputation?
Dylan squinted at him.
Professor Snape tilted his head, his gaze falling slightly, meeting Dylan's eyes.
Dylan averted his gaze again.
"So, I'll trouble you to go to the Chamber of Secrets and rescue that student. Haven't you always wanted an opportunity to display your prowess and show off your glorious moment? This is the perfect time."
Professor Snape's voice was low and commanding.
Dylan thought to himself.
A perfect time to watch a fool squirm, perhaps?
Lockhart was frozen in place, not squirming.
He even seemed to be petrified by a Basilisk, his whole body tense, standing motionless, his smile stiff, looking somewhat like Nearly Headless Nick after being petrified.
"Yes, at dinner yesterday, I even heard you say you knew the location of the Chamber of Secrets—you've got this completely in hand!" Professor Sprout interjected.
"Oh, that's right, I remember now, you said you were absolutely confident you could deal with the monster in the Chamber. This is all up to you," Professor Flitwick looked askance at Lockhart.
"The attacks are still happening. Hagrid isn't the Heir who opened the Chamber. Lockhart, didn't you say you regretted not being able to duel the monster controlled by Hagrid? Now's your chance."
Professor McGonagall stared intently at Lockhart, as if trying to find any clue on his face.
However, Lockhart was utterly bewildered, his lips trembling, words squeezed out: "I, did I say those things? I don't seem to remember..."
"I remember very clearly, Gilderoy, Master of Magic," Professor Snape's scathing tone cut through. "The school is in chaos right now. If Dumbledore had let you handle these matters earlier, you would have done beautifully—heh."
Professor McGonagall also nodded: "In that case, as Deputy Headmistress, I now, on behalf of Dumbledore, assign you this task. Tonight, you must enter the Chamber of Secrets alone, rescue Ginny Weasley, and ideally, eliminate the monster as well."
"This time, you finally got your wish, Lockhart. I'm truly happy for you," Professor Snape said with a fake smile.
Lockhart lightly gripped the wall, his movements no longer as graceful as when he arrived. He looked around at the teachers.
However, everyone simply looked at him with admiration—their eyes full of trust.
Lockhart desperately wished someone would offer to take this task off his hands, but the outcome left him disappointed.
After a moment of silence, Lockhart walked towards the door with somewhat unsteady steps: "I—I'd be happy to take on this task—after all, I, I certainly have the ability—hahaha, wait for me, I'll just go to my office to make some preparations, and I'll be right back."
Opening the staff room door, Lockhart darted out in a flash.
His movements were much faster than when he opened the door.
"The troublesome fellow is finally off our hands."
Professor McGonagall turned around.
—She had no intention of entrusting Ginny's rescue to that unreliable fellow.
Waiting for Lockhart to rescue Ginny?
Ginny's bones would probably have turned to dust by then!
"Immediately! All professors, move out! Patrol and ensure not a single student lingers in the corridors!"
Professor McGonagall began giving orders.
"Every Head of House, go tell your students that the Hogwarts Express will take them home tomorrow morning!"
"This time, regardless of whether the Chamber of Secrets issue can be resolved, no more students can suffer any accidents!"
The professors in the staff room also rose.
Regardless, as Hogwarts professors, facing the current situation, even if they were somewhat apprehensive, the beleaguered Hogwarts could only be maintained by their presence!
"Dylan, come with me. I'll take you back to the dorm." Professor McGonagall took Dylan's hand.
Dylan didn't let go, but nodded, his gaze subtly shifting towards the corner of the wall.
Harry and Ron were startled.
Seeing Dylan and Professor McGonagall leave together, they finally breathed a sigh of relief.
When the last professor closed the staff room door and left, the room fell silent.
The candlelight on the wall flickered faintly.
In the dim corner of the room, two heads slowly appeared.
"Harry, I feel like Dylan saw us?" Ron whispered.
"Impossible. This is the Invisibility Cloak. Not even the professors can see us!" Harry shook his head.
"I think we should move quickly. That wretched fellow actually abducted my sister!" Ron stepped out.
Harry nodded, holding the Invisibility Cloak in his hand, not putting it away immediately.
"Let's go. Whether Lockhart is the waste Dylan says he is or not, since he's going to the Chamber, we should tell him what we know!"
Meanwhile, Dylan, led by Professor McGonagall, was escorted back to the Gryffindor common room. Students encountered along the way were also sent back to their dorms.
Standing at the common room entrance, Professor McGonagall explained the situation to everyone, immediately causing an uproar.
Especially upon learning that Ginny was the one attacked, the Weasley boys were frantic.
However, Professor McGonagall could only offer them brief comfort, then changed the Fat Lady's portrait password.
Dylan slowly walked towards his dormitory. The Weasley twins pushed through the crowd, squeezing towards him.
"Hey, Dylan! Will Ginny be okay? Can your divination predict anything?" Fred's face showed anxiety.
"Please, don't tell us bad news!" George whimpered.
Dylan: "...So should I say it or not?"
Fred followed Dylan into the latter's dorm, quickly saying: "Don't listen to his nonsense! Dylan, you can tell us whatever you divined!"
George also nodded repeatedly: "Right, right, that's what I meant too."
Dylan rolled his eyes: "Don't worry, the professors will try to rescue Ginny tonight. I think she should be fine."
Receiving the affirmative answer, the twins inexplicably relaxed—even though they couldn't verify whether Dylan's words were true or false.
"Alright, the professors are sending us home tomorrow. Look on the bright side, at least you don't have to take exams."
Dylan patted the shoulder of the closest Weasley.
—Sometimes he couldn't quite tell Fred and George apart.
"Oh, man, I'd rather take the exams!"
.....
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