At present, many things had yet to be revealed. For instance, Harry had not yet discovered the truth about how Voldemort framed Hagrid all those years ago, nor had he uncovered the connection between the Malfoy family and the diary. Naturally, without these pieces, he couldn't yet assemble the full picture.
But Sean wasn't particularly worried about that—or more accurately, he didn't care.
Originally, Sean had planned to wait patiently, letting Harry uncover the truth on his own, and then follow him when he opened the Chamber of Secrets. That way, he could deal with the basilisk and the diary all at once. But now, it seemed Miles hated him so deeply that he couldn't wait—he had already made an attempt on Sean's life. Though the first try had failed, who could guarantee there wouldn't be a second or third?
So, by the time Dumbledore concluded his questioning, Sean had already made up his mind: he was going to take the initiative. Of course, before that, he intended to obtain Lockhart's Oblivion Charm. Although his method might be a little rough… it was an emergency. There was no time for politeness.
Sean had a plan—just as Harry had a plan of his own.
In fact, Harry and his two companions had just finished brewing the Polyjuice Potion that very night, and had already acquired hairs from Goyle, Crabbe, and Pansy. Their plan was to sneak into Slytherin and gather information. But the unexpected encounter with the basilisk had changed everything, and now only Harry remained. Still, despite what had happened, Harry hadn't abandoned his goal. He was determined to continue with the plan and infiltrate Slytherin alone.
Soon after, the two Heads of House—Snape and McGonagall—each took their students and escorted them back to their respective common rooms.
The common rooms of the four major houses could be considered the safest places in all of Hogwarts. They were protected by layers of enchantments, and there were no pipes that would allow the basilisk to pass through. As long as you stayed in the common room, your safety was guaranteed.
Sean returned to the Slytherin common room and immediately noticed a strange atmosphere.
But after thinking about it for a moment, he understood why. Everyone had been chasing after the so-called Heir of Slytherin, but now that same Heir had ordered the basilisk to attack a fellow Slytherin. If what the Heir claimed in their messages was true, that only true Slytherins should be spared, then what did that mean about Sean?
But Sean was first in his year, a member of the Slytherin Brotherhood Reserve at a young age, and had even published a paper in The Golden Crucible. If someone like that wasn't "qualified" to be a Slytherin, then what did that say about the rest of them?
If the Heir of Slytherin truly judged worthiness by bloodline alone, then plenty of students had even less "pure" heritage than Sean. Their own Head of House, Professor Snape, was a half-blood. Would the Heir say he wasn't qualified to be a Slytherin either?
The attack on Sean had actually weakened the Heir's standing in the eyes of many Slytherin students—a result that Miles likely hadn't anticipated.
"Sean, what exactly happened with that attack? What did Dumbledore and the Headmaster say?"
As Blaise asked his question, several heads turned toward Sean, eyes filled with curiosity and concern. Everyone wanted to know what Snape and Dumbledore had concluded. Among them was Miles, calmly watching the conversation unfold, wearing an expression that suggested none of this had anything to do with him.
Glancing at Miles from the corner of his eye, Sean could see that Miles was just as eager to know what Dumbledore and Snape had said. Though he possessed the diary, Voldemort himself had always feared Dumbledore—so what right did Miles have to disregard the Headmaster's thoughts and authority?
Sean's mind spun quickly, and within moments, he had a plan. He leaned slightly toward Blaise and said in a voice just low enough for Miles to hear, "Professor Dumbledore has already located the general area of the Chamber of Secrets. It won't be long before he pinpoints the exact location and personally goes to deal with the basilisk. Once that happens, the Heir of Slytherin won't be able to hide anymore."
Sean, who had been watching Miles closely, caught the fleeting flicker of fear that passed across Miles's face. That reaction told him everything. His bluff had landed. Clearly, Miles had been rattled. There was no way he'd dare to summon the basilisk again—at least not in the immediate future.
Which was exactly what Sean needed: a stretch of time, however brief, to make his final preparations.
Harry sat alone at the Gryffindor table, quietly finishing his meal. During that time, Colin Creevey had hesitated more than once, clearly wanting to say something—but every time he met Harry's expression, his courage failed him.
For that, Harry was honestly grateful. He didn't have the patience to humor anyone at the moment. Ever since Hermione and Ron had been petrified by the basilisk, he'd been stuck in a state somewhere between extremely irritable and barely holding it together. He'd tried to calm himself down more than once, but nothing seemed to work.
He even considered asking Sean for a couple of bottles of the sedative potion. He had seen the effect it had on Ginny in Dumbledore's office—it worked so well that it amazed him.
Speaking of Ginny, thinking of her gave Harry a rare sliver of comfort.
Dumbledore hadn't blamed Ginny. He'd recognized that she, too, was a victim. Professor McGonagall had agreed. She'd always liked Ginny for her quiet, obedient nature. Even the old bat—Snape—while clearly displeased that Ginny wasn't punished, hadn't voiced any real objection to Dumbledore's decision. That kind of leniency, in Snape's case, was practically a blessing… unless, of course, it involved Sean.
And speaking of Sean—Harry really wanted to talk to him.
Whenever Harry found himself stuck, overwhelmed, or just lost, Sean always had a way of showing him the path forward. More than just a friend, Sean had become something like a mentor to him. Harry had learned so much from him—things that had truly helped.
After finishing his meal, Harry stood up and made his way out of the Great Hall. His plan for the day was clear: he would use the Polyjuice Potion to sneak into Slytherin and get close to Malfoy. Maybe, just maybe, he'd find the truth that had been eluding them for so long.
But just as he passed by the Hufflepuff table, something caught his ear—two students, sitting with their backs to him, happened to mention his name.
"I told you long ago—the Heir of Slytherin has to be Harry Potter. He's always the first to show up at every attack scene. There's no way that's just coincidence. And don't forget, we all saw him talking to that snake. Who else could it be if not him?
But I never imagined he'd go so far as to attack his own friends. That's just cruel.
Sean Bulstrode was lucky to get away—but honestly, he was foolish too. If he had any sense, he would've distanced himself from Harry right away. It's such a shame about Ron and Hermione... betrayed and nearly killed by someone they trusted. It's tragic—and honestly, stupid!"