The matter of the Basilisk had been handled promptly, so apart from Dana and Harry, no other young wizards were aware of what had transpired.
Still, the young lions of Gryffindor definitely noticed something odd about Harry Potter—he had actually taken the initiative to sit next to Dana Emrys.
"Dana, today's apple pie is really good. Don't you want some?"
"No, Harry. I'm not used to eating sweets during dinner, and I've had enough. It's time to head back to the dormitory and study."
"Oh, I see."
Harry felt terrible. It was already bad enough that he had suspected Dana earlier in the day. Now he realized he didn't even know his good friend's eating habits.
He returned to the Gryffindor common room, looking thoroughly dejected. Ron came over immediately.
"Harry, why are you suddenly so close to Emrys?"
Harry scratched his head and whispered, "I'll tell you, but can you promise not to tell anyone else?"
"Of course! Don't you trust me?"
"Well… here's what happened. A few days ago, I heard a strange sound… I suspected Dana had come into contact with some Dark Wizard, so I followed him using my Invisibility Cloak…
"…What I saw was a very, very big snake. Professor McGonagall said it was a Basilisk—" (Ron made a comically frightened face) "—and I think the sound I heard was the Basilisk muttering to itself as it slithered through the pipes…
"…Later, I found Professor McGonagall, and as we rushed to that corridor, Snape suddenly showed up and followed us…
"…Dana killed the Basilisk without hesitation, and I realized I'd misjudged him. So now, I just feel really guilty."
"That's what happened."
Ron blinked. "You said you could understand what the Basilisk was saying?"
"Yes, I could sort of understand it. Before I came to Hogwarts, I even talked to a python at the zoo."
"Wow! That's so cool!"
Suddenly, a head popped out from behind their sofa—it was Hermione.
"I can't believe you didn't notice the Basilisk's master," she said. "The Basilisk may be dead, but its master is still out there!"
"Hermione! You were eavesdropping?" Ron said, clearly annoyed.
"It's important information! And you didn't think to tell me?" Hermione shot back. "What if Lord Voldemort steals the Philosopher's Stone?"
"What does the Philosopher's Stone have to do with Dana?" Ron asked, confused.
Hermione cleared her throat. "I'm just stating facts. I don't have any prejudice against Dana. But Harry—you said you heard the Basilisk say its master needed Dana's help?"
"Yes."
"And you didn't go looking for Snape, but he appeared and followed you voluntarily?"
"…Yes."
Hermione spread her hands. "I didn't think Snape was involved in trying to steal the Philosopher's Stone before. But after hearing your story, his suspicion level has gone way up."
"I told you so!" Ron said triumphantly.
Hermione glared at him, and he immediately shut up.
"We don't know who the Basilisk's master is," Hermione continued. "But combining this incident with Snape's suspicious past behavior, I think he's a very likely candidate."
"But Dana killed the Basilisk!" Harry argued.
Hermione looked at Harry, her tone sharp. "And what did Dana say to you when the Basilisk appeared?"
"He told me to run and get a professor."
"Exactly. Could it be that he realized the Basilisk had been discovered by you—and had no choice but to kill it to cover up the truth?"
Ron slapped his thigh. "That makes sense! Harry, that could be true!"
Hermione kept going. "Hagrid accidentally revealed Fluffy's weakness, and we guessed that the person who gave him the dragon egg was Snape. That means the Philosopher's Stone isn't safe. But as long as Dumbledore is still at Hogwarts, Snape can't act openly.
"However, if he uses Dana to distract Dumbledore, he could sneak down the fourth-floor corridor and steal the Philosopher's Stone!"
Ron gasped. "Then the Philosopher's Stone is in serious danger! We need to keep an eye on Snape!"
Harry shook his head. He couldn't believe Dana was involved. Dana's shout of "Hurry up!" during the attack was full of sincerity—he had genuinely been afraid Harry would be hurt.
When Professor McGonagall later explained the horrors of the Basilisk, Harry broke into a cold sweat. If Dana hadn't warned him, he might've died on the spot.
Harry mulled over Hermione's deductions, but something didn't sit right with him. He finally spoke up.
"Hermione, if Snape needed Dana's help, couldn't he just find any young wizard to deliver a message? Why go to the trouble of using the Basilisk?"
Hermione: …
The girl's face turned beet red. She quickly turned away and buried herself in her homework.
"Ah! Let's stop talking about this. I still have loads of homework to do!"
Even though she would one day become the Minister of Magic, she was still only twelve years old—and clearly not yet immune to embarrassment.
Ron chuckled silently. He rarely saw Hermione stumped like that. He gave Harry a discreet thumbs-up.
Harry stroked his chin. He didn't feel much satisfaction in out-reasoning Hermione. Instead, he frowned in concern.
"No matter what, Fluffy's weakness really has been exposed. If Dumbledore isn't around, the Philosopher's Stone might be in danger."
Ron nodded. "So what do we do?"
Harry thought for a moment. "We need to find Dumbledore!"
Meanwhile, in the Chamber of Secrets, Lord Voldemort waited quietly.
One day. Two days. Three days…
He estimated that the Basilisk was likely in trouble. Even if it hadn't located Dana, it would've returned to the Chamber by now to rest.
But three days had passed without a trace.
It must've been discovered by Dumbledore.
Another useless pawn.
Why couldn't he ever rely on anyone?
Lord Voldemort knew he couldn't go on like this. In his current state—neither alive nor dead—he was incredibly weak. Without absorbing life force, he would gradually fade away. Eventually, he wouldn't even be able to move.
And this was the Basilisk's lair—not a single mouse to be found, not even an insect.
If that happened, he could only wait for some "fated person" to deliver themselves to him.
But this was the Chamber of Secrets. No one was likely to enter for another hundred years. After all, he was the only known descendant of Salazar Slytherin in all of Britain.
The mounting pressure forced Voldemort to regain some of his sharpness. A realization suddenly struck him.
Quirrell had already obtained the method for dealing with Fluffy—the three-headed dog guarding the Stone—by trading a dragon egg with Hagrid. The solution? Music.
That meant he only needed to possess any student to bypass Fluffy!
He must have been out of his mind. Why had he been so determined to find Dana Emrys?
That child was far too talented—and likely under Dumbledore's close surveillance.
Dumbledore probably discovered the Basilisk because of Dana.
Voldemort floated angrily in circles, filled with regret. Then, determined, he drifted through the pipes toward the Slytherin common room.
There, at least, he would find the descendants of Death Eaters—students much easier to manipulate and possess than the others.
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