When they finally made their way out of the dungeons, the first light of dawn was already glimmering outside the windows. The group headed straight to Professor McGonagall. Adele and Harry briefly reported that they had found the Chamber of Secrets and rescued Ginny, deliberately omitting the details about Tom Riddle and the diary.
McGonagall, however, didn't press them for details—for her, the most important thing was that all the children had returned alive. She immediately summoned the professors.
— Severus, take Professor Flitwick and go down. Inspect the Chamber. Mr. Moss might still be there, — she instructed, wrapping herself in her traveling cloak.
— My brother isn't there, — Adele spoke up calmly, adjusting her collar. — He's sleeping somewhere.
— You saw him? Where is he?! — Snape's heavy, piercing gaze snapped to her instantly.
Adele merely gave an indifferent shrug.
— I don't know. All I know is that he's sleeping right now.
She decided not to mention that this information had been given to her by her brother's clone.
— Miss Moss, are you absolutely certain your brother is safe? — McGonagall asked, still doubtful.
— Yes. I'm certain.
— Nevertheless, we must go down and check everything. Be extremely careful, — she said, looking at Snape.
The Head of Slytherin gave a short nod and, after casting one last suspicious glance at Adele, strode swiftly out of the office.
— Wait here. I must contact the Headmaster immediately, — McGonagall left them alone and hurried to the fireplace.
Harry went over to Ron, who was still paler than a ghost, and tried to bring him to his senses. Ginny sat in the corner, lost in heavy thoughts, jumping at every rustle. Meanwhile, Adele approached Luna, who was busily arranging her findings on a table.
— Why did you lie? — Luna asked quietly, not looking up from the scales.
— Lie? — Adele looked at her friend in surprise. — What are you talking about?
Luna raised her head and tilted it slightly to the side, staring intently into Adele's eyes.
— About Victor. He was with us. I saw him in the cavern.
Adele frowned. Only the clone had been in the cavern, and she was sure Luna couldn't have noticed him—she herself only found out when he chose to reveal himself. Was her friend really that much more observant than her?
— When exactly did you see him?
Luna thought for a moment, biting her lip.
— Victor was making faces at that strange boy and giving him bunny ears.
Adele's frown deepened as she listened. The clone had clearly been amusing himself while Tom was stalling for time.
— Are you sure you didn't imagine it? You're always seeing nonsense.
Luna pouted indignantly.
— It's not nonsense; they are magical entities. And Victor believes me, for your information!
Adele rolled her eyes, but a seed of doubt took root in her soul. The fact that Luna saw a hidden clone while Adele—his own sister—hadn't noticed a thing was more than strange. Could Luna really see things that she couldn't?
Dumbledore, having received the urgent news from McGonagall, returned to the castle immediately. He could well imagine how Harry and Ron ended up in the Chamber of Secrets—after all, they had been looking for it all year. And though the Headmaster hadn't harbored much faith in their success, considering even he couldn't find the entrance, the presence of Victor's sister there truly intrigued him. Albus decided to question Victor about it personally. Telling McGonagall to gather everyone involved in his office, he headed to his quarters.
— Headmaster! — Snape caught up to him with a swift, gliding step.
— Severus. What did you find in the Chamber of Secrets?
— We found nothing suspicious aside from Lockhart's body, — the Dean replied coldly. — He did indeed blow himself up, just as the students claim. Using the Weasley boy's broken wand.
Dumbledore shook his head tiredly. Lockhart had been forced upon the school by the Ministry of Magic; he would never have invited that peacock himself. Now he had to somehow explain to the Minister how the public's favorite had died while attempting to kill a student.
— Professor, where is Victor? I've looked for him everywhere, — a trace of undisguised concern flickered in Snape's voice.
— Severus, believe me, he is fine. I would sooner believe that Hogwarts would suddenly vanish from the face of the earth than that something would happen to Victor. In fact, if the school did vanish, he's the first person I'd suspect.
Snape frowned, following the Headmaster into the office in silence. Once inside, Dumbledore immediately noticed ingredients scattered across the desk, and a pleased smile played on his lips. The book Victor had brought described an ancient ritual to subjugate a basilisk. They had been missing only the key ingredient—the serpent's blood. Judging by the state of the table, Victor had managed to obtain the missing part.
— Still, can you tell me where he is? I need to speak with him, — Snape persisted.
Dumbledore sighed, genuinely curious how the boy had managed to snag a hook in the perennially cold and detached Severus. Mentally focusing on his connection to the castle, the Headmaster slowly turned his gaze toward the door of his private chambers.
Following his gaze, Snape frowned and headed there resolutely. Throwing the door open, he froze: before him was an incredible sight—Victor was sleeping peacefully right in the Headmaster's bed.
— Well, there is our missing person, — Dumbledore said softly, standing behind Snape's shoulder. — Shall we wake him?
Looking at Victor, Snape went through a whole storm of emotions—from rage to a strange relief. Seeing how peacefully his student was breathing, he finally calmed down.
— As you wish. I don't care, — Snape grumbled, trying to regain his usual indifferent facade. — I'm going to Filius; we need to finish the inspection of the caves.
When the Head of Slytherin left the office, Dumbledore's smile grew even wider.
— Tsundere.
Dumbledore gave a noticeable start when the calm voice sounded right next to him.
— Victor, don't do that anymore. I am too old; my heart might not take it, — he pressed a palm to his chest, looking at Victor. The boy who, a second ago, had been sleeping serenely in the bed was now standing beside him as if nothing had happened. — And what is a "tsundere"?
— It's from Japanese culture, — Victor explained, tying the red blindfold over his eyes with a practiced motion. — It's what they call people who hide their true feelings behind a mask of rudeness or indifference. They're prickly on the outside, but soft and caring on the inside.
— Yes... that is a strikingly accurate description of Severus, — Dumbledore smiled faintly.
Victor stretched, working out his stiff shoulders, and headed for a chair. As soon as he sat down, a cup of steaming coffee materialized on the table before him. With a satisfied smile, he picked it up and took the first sip.
Watching this scene, Dumbledore felt his eye begin to twitch.
— You do remember, Victor, that this is still my office?
Victor merely smirked in response, not looking up from his coffee.
— You said it yourself—you're an old man with a weak heart. Who knows, maybe this office will be mine very soon? I need to get used to the environment in advance.
Dumbledore shook his head regretfully and sat opposite him, leaning forward.
— Where is the basilisk?
— Basilisk? What basilisk? I have no idea what you're talking about, — he replied innocently.
The Headmaster's eyebrow twitched.
— Victor, a basilisk is not a stray puppy. You cannot simply claim it for yourself.
— Yes, I can, — Victor frowned, his voice turning serious for a moment. — Last year you forbade me from taking Fluffy. This year you're coming after the basilisk. What's next? Taking my soul? By the way, about Fluffy—where is he? Sold to the Koreans? Does Hagrid know his pet has been eaten yet?
— Haaah... — Dumbledore sighed heavily, realizing that arguing was useless. — Fine. Но be extremely careful. If the Ministry of Magic finds out you've harbored such a dangerous creature, they'll send you straight to Azkaban. And even I won't be able to help.
Victor merely gave a dismissive snort.
— Don't worry. When I decide to show my basilisk to the world, no one will dare touch me. Not the Ministry, and not your Order of the Phoenix.
Dumbledore just smiled softly.
— Still dreaming of surpassing me in power? Well, perhaps in a few decades you might manage to defeat me, — he paused, his eyes twinkling mischievously. — When I'm finally old and can't even lift a wand.
— Ha! Funny. Very funny, — Victor activated the Sharingan right under the blindfold.
The office suddenly grew unnaturally cold. Such a powerful mental pressure began to emanate from Victor that the fragile silver instruments on the shelves trembled, and the candle flames bowed toward their wicks.
— I won't need that much time to deal with you. Two years at most, and I don't even want to know if you'll be able to lift your wand then. Ha-ha-ha!
Dumbledore ignored the double entendre and looked at him with genuine curiosity, sensing how the magic around the boy had changed.
— Are these your new eyes? Let me see what you suffered so much for.
The pressure vanished instantly, and a wide, almost childlike smile bloomed on Victor's face.
— Of course! But be careful: these eyes are a treasure. God himself or Merlin—whoever is the boss for you wizards—would be drooling at the sight of them. Even the kindest saint would try to slit my throat for such a gift. The whole world will bow before me just for a chance to look at them once. Death itself...
— So, are you going to show them or not? — Dumbledore interrupted ruthlessly.
Victor pouted, all his grandiosity crumbling to dust.
— Fine, fine. What an uncultured man. Why so rude? This is the Sharingan; even I have to show it respect, — he grumbled under his breath, slowly untying the knots at the back of his head.
But just as he was ready to drop the blindfold, a rumble sounded outside the door—the staircase leading to the office had begun to move.
— Oopa... Another time. You have guests, — Victor instantly snapped the blindfold back on while Dumbledore's eye twitched, and he went back to sipping his coffee as if nothing had happened.
Dumbledore shook his head and turned his gaze toward the entrants.
Harry, Ron, Ginny, Adele, and Luna walked hesitantly into the office. An oppressive silence fell over the room; it seemed even time had stopped along with the frozen hands of the grandfather clock.