"Sean, you are the first person to be directly targeted by the basilisk and escape," Dumbledore said calmly. "Can you tell me how you managed to avoid its attack?"
As soon as Dumbledore spoke, Sean understood—his headmaster clearly had some doubts. While Dumbledore might not suspect Sean of having a direct connection with the basilisk, it was obvious that he was looking for answers.
Fortunately, Sean had already prepared a response.
He gently patted his shoulder, and right on cue, Kulkan poked its head out from under Sean's collar. It looked around the room, then glanced at Dumbledore with slightly pursed lips, but said nothing—just as they had agreed. With Harry seated nearby, Kulkan didn't dare speak aloud. After all, Harry could understand Parseltongue, and any slip-up might expose something best kept secret.
"Professor," Sean began, keeping his voice steady, "its name is Kulkan. It's a pet I purchased before coming to Hogwarts. When the basilisk appeared earlier, Kulkan showed signs of restlessness. Maybe because it's also a snake, it's more sensitive to the presence of other magical serpents."
He paused just long enough to sound natural, then added, "Earlier today, I was just about to return to the Slytherin common room when Kulkan suddenly became extremely agitated. That's what alerted me—and I ran."
By referring to Kulkan as "it" instead of "her," Sean kept his explanation impersonal, careful not to draw any unnecessary attention or suspicion from Dumbledore.
Dumbledore looked at Kulkan, clearly a little surprised, then gave a small nod. He turned to Sean and said gently, "This is a very beautiful snake. You have chosen your pet well."
With that, the matter on Sean's end was set aside.
Dumbledore's tone toward Slytherin remained as calm and composed as ever, though undeniably more distant. One only needed to observe his demeanor toward the Weasley twins and Ginny to realize that Dumbledore's care extended not only to Harry but deeply to Gryffindor House as well.
Though Snape was often considered the most biased of the four Heads, there was still one figure above him—who harbored his own quiet preferences.
"Mr. Weasley, Miss Weasley," Dumbledore said, his voice calm, "first, let me say how deeply I regret that your brother Ron was attacked. And second…"—his eyes shifted to Ginny—"…Miss Weasley, or Ginny, do you have anything you'd like to tell me, or tell us, regarding what happened to Ron?"
The moment Dumbledore finished speaking, Ginny, who had been quietly sobbing, suddenly broke down in tears again.
At that point, aside from the Weasley twins, everyone in the room began to feel something was wrong.
"Ginny, look at me. Look at me."
Dumbledore's voice was soft but firm, laced with a quiet magic of its own. Ginny slowly lifted her head, her sobs quieting as she met Dumbledore's gaze.
"T-Professor… will I be sent to Azkaban?" she asked in a broken whisper.
"Ginny," Dumbledore said gently, glancing briefly toward a deeply worried Professor McGonagall, "why would you think that?"
Turning toward McGonagall and then burying her face in her hands, Ginny wept again. "Because, Professor… I was the first one to open the Chamber of Secrets. I—I opened it. Everything that happened after that… it was because of me. I even hurt Ron. I hurt my brother…"
"I…"
She couldn't continue.
At this moment, everyone present was shocked by what Ginny had just said.
The Weasley twins, in particular, were tongue-tied and at a complete loss for words, no longer their usual lively and clever selves.
The Chamber of Secrets… was opened by Ginny?!
Sean, looking at the distraught Ginny who could no longer continue speaking, took a moment to think. Then he reached into the small bag enchanted by Aldrich with a Traceless Extension Charm and pulled out a vial of potion. He stepped toward Ginny.
"Ginny, drink this. It will help you calm down. You need to settle your mind and explain everything clearly. I'm not doing this just to help you—I just don't believe the Heir of Slytherin could possibly be a Weasley, or a Gryffindor. So drink it, and tell us the truth."
Naturally, these words were also meant for Dumbledore and the others present. When facing the headmaster, Sean was always extremely cautious, doing everything with utmost care.
Ginny took the potion from Sean, then looked at Professor McGonagall. Seeing the professor give a silent nod, she removed the cork and drank the potion.
Her face twisted slightly at the bitter taste, but she swallowed it down and wiped the corner of her mouth. Slowly, her trembling shoulders stilled, and the sobbing that had overtaken her earlier faded away. Her breathing steadied, and her eyes cleared.
Dumbledore watched the change in her with thoughtful eyes and couldn't help but remark, "As expected of Severus' most valued student—this sedative potion is of professional standard."
"Thank you, Professor Dumbledore, for the compliment," Sean replied calmly, nodding slightly with the poised grace of a true Slytherin.
Dumbledore gave a light blink, then turned his gaze back to Ginny.
"Now, Ginny," he said softly, "can you tell us, in detail, what exactly happened?"
Ginny sat up a little straighter, wiped her eyes one last time, and nodded.
"Of course, Professor," she said quietly.
Next, Ginny began explaining how she had found the old diary tucked into one of her books—how the diary had been able to answer her questions, solve her doubts about schoolwork and emotions, and always seemed so understanding and kind. She told Dumbledore and the others everything, right up to the first time—and the last—that she had opened the door to the Chamber of Secrets. After that, she said, she had passed out, and when she woke up, the diary was gone.
After hearing Ginny's account, Professor McGonagall couldn't help but cover her mouth with a hand, her expression one of shock and gentle reproach. "Oh, Ginny… we've said since first year—magical items with a will of their own must never be touched."
Ginny lowered her head, her voice filled with guilt. "I'm sorry, Professor… I really am. I was bewitched by Riddle. He was so considerate… and everything he said made sense. I thought of him as my best friend, and I trusted him completely. That's why I was deceived… I ended up hurting so many people—even my own brother."
Her voice trembled, and her eyes turned red again. But thanks to the effects of the sedative potion, her emotions stayed within a manageable range, and she didn't lose control.
At that moment, Sean's sharp eyes caught something subtle. When Ginny had mentioned the name "Riddle," the expressions on the faces of Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall, and Professor Flitwick had changed, if only slightly. A flicker of recognition and unease had crossed their faces—but it was quickly masked.
Sean broke the silence, his tone calm but pressing. "So… the diary with a will of its own is the true culprit behind the opening of the Chamber of Secrets. And since the diary is no longer in Ginny's possession, it must have fallen into someone else's hands. That's what led to the more recent attacks."
He looked around the room, meeting the professors' eyes one by one.
"So now there's an urgent question we need to answer—who has the diary now? And where is that person?"