Looking at that empty corridor, Penelope drew her wand, her knuckles turning white around the handle.
The castle hadn't been particularly safe recently. Combined with not knowing who'd sent that letter, she maintained extremely high vigilance about tonight's meeting.
And now the door had been pushed open with no one visible outside, which only heightened her alert state.
Her right hand gripped her wand whilst Penelope's other hand felt behind her, confirming the window's exact location.
If danger truly appeared, she'd first use her most practised Stunning Spell to delay, then use her left hand to cast a silent, wandless Reducto to shatter the window and jump outside.
The enormous sound of the breaking window would definitely alert other professors. She believed that whatever caused the danger wouldn't dare follow her out the window, and she could use a Cushioning Charm to land safely.
This was the escape plan she'd devised the moment she'd arrived at this classroom.
But after Penelope stayed highly alert for several long moments, there was still no movement at the door, leaving her momentarily confused.
Could it be that the school's door, due to age and disrepair, had made a strange sound and opened by itself?
But Hogwarts rooms were self-repairing. Aside from cracks appearing from magical damage, there shouldn't be other problems.
Just as Penelope was considering this, a head suddenly appeared at the doorway, startling her badly.
"Stupefy—Harry?"
Halfway through the Stunning Spell incantation, Penelope recognised the identity of that head and quickly stopped the second half of the spell.
Harry, who'd nearly been hit by the spell, also ducked his head back in fright. Seeing Penelope hadn't released the spell, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Looking at the head floating in mid-air, Penelope's expression became somewhat strange.
Although she could roughly guess that Harry's body was hidden under an invisibility cloak, which caused this situation, even so, a disembodied head floating in the darkness was rather unsettling.
Shaking her head and setting this small matter aside, Penelope asked with some curiosity, "What are you doing here?"
Then she suddenly thought of something, her eyes lighting up.
"Could it be that you sent that letter?"
"What letter?" Harry's eyes showed confusion. Seeing Harry's genuine bewilderment, the light in Penelope's eyes slowly faded.
"Nothing."
Hearing Penelope's reply, Harry didn't think much of it and prepared to share the information with this senior.
But just as Harry opened his mouth, a cold sensation drifted past him.
At the same time, Penelope across from him suddenly tensed, calling out softly, "Get away, Harry!"
Then, in Harry's confused gaze, she pointed her wand at the space above Harry's head, her expression deadly serious.
In her line of sight, a ghost with blood-red eyes and clawed hands was appearing above Harry, gradually solidifying.
Looking at that ghost's appearance, Penelope's palm slowly grew damp with sweat. She'd seen records of this kind of ghost in books and was clear about their true identity.
Spectre—Hogwarts spectres weren't all locked in the water dungeon, were they?
How had this thing escaped?
Watching the girl across from him with such a vigilant expression, the corner of Sir Podmore's mouth slowly curved up in amusement.
He understood that this student was so on edge because of his species.
But seeing such a capable young witch, he couldn't help wanting to have a bit of fun.
With this thought, Sir Podmore reached out, planning to remove his head to greet this young lady properly.
But before he could act, Harry below stepped forward anxiously to explain:
"It's all right, Senior! This Sir Podmore is someone Professor Kahn knows. He won't hurt us."
"Could you—put down your wand first?"
Looking at the red glow about to shoot from the senior's wand tip, cold sweat broke out on Harry's forehead.
He'd seen this senior knock out a dark wizard with one Stunning Spell, and Sir Podmore seemed very powerful too.
Two people were about to arrive to perform some ritual—if these two started fighting first, it would be disastrous.
Hearing Harry's words, Penelope hesitated briefly, then slowly lowered her wand. Sir Podmore across from her also released his head, looking somewhat disappointed at the lost opportunity for mischief.
Seeing the two no longer confronting each other, Harry breathed a sigh of relief, then shared all the information he'd just gathered with Senior Penelope.
Including Lockhart's strange behaviour, the ritual the two had discussed, and what Dobby had said earlier—that a guest from its master's house had already infiltrated Hogwarts.
Finally, Harry said softly, "I'm going to notify Professor Kahn."
"I think what Lockhart wants to do now definitely isn't to have a friendly chat with you."
"They seem to be performing some ritual, and the ritual material is very likely your life, Senior."
Not notifying the professor earlier had mainly been because they didn't know what Lockhart intended to do, but now seeing their target was actually the senior, that so-called ritual probably wasn't anything good.
"Notify the professor?" Penelope hesitated briefly, then nodded gently. "All right."
If Professor Kahn could come, she'd have more confidence in getting clues about her mother from that person.
After all, the interrogation scene with Professor Kahn still remained vivid in her mind.
Harry looked down at his hand. A silver-white mark slowly lit up.
But two minutes later, that familiar silver-white arc of light still hadn't appeared beside them.
Was this mark broken?
Just as Harry puzzled over this, Dobby beside him suddenly pricked up its ears, as if hearing distant footsteps.
The next second, it tugged at Harry's sleeve urgently, then pointed toward the door.
After a moment's confusion, Harry understood Dobby's meaning. After listening carefully, he pulled the invisibility cloak over his head and looked at Penelope in front of him, saying softly, "Senior, remember to control your emotions—don't show them at all."
"Although I don't know why the professor hasn't arrived yet, once the professor receives our signal, he'll definitely rush over to help."
The next second, Harry pulled the invisibility cloak down over himself, and his figure vanished completely. Sir Podmore nearby also gradually faded, merging into the wall beside them.
"A performance..."
Taking a deep breath, Penelope calmed her emotions as much as possible, looked toward the door, her eyes holding only measured anticipation.
She was genuinely expectant. After all, whether or not it was a trap, that person had written her mother's name in the letter, which meant they truly knew things about her mother.
Tap Tap Tap...
Two sets of footsteps grew louder, slowly echoing in the corridor.
But just as the footsteps were about to reach them, Harry under the invisibility cloak suddenly froze, then frowned deeply.
In his ears, a hoarse voice suddenly hissed, "Smells good... so good... but must first complete the heir's task, hiss... smells so good... task... smells good..."
Hearing the struggle evident in that voice, Harry's expression stiffened.
If he wasn't mistaken, this voice should be coming from that basilisk lurking in the castle.
But why did this voice sound like it had developed a split personality?
Could that basilisk have gone completely mad?