"All students must return to their house common rooms by six o'clock in the evening."
"Likewise, no student is allowed to leave the dormitory after that time."
"Every class will be accompanied by at least one teacher; no student is permitted to leave the common room, classroom, or dining hall without a teacher escort."
"All Quidditch practices and matches are postponed indefinitely."
"There will be no evening activities of any kind, and participation is strictly prohibited..."
Following the fourth attack, a series of notices were posted on the walls.
Professor Sprout, who was usually gentle, surprisingly issued these orders with strict seriousness, demanding full compliance.
Yet that still couldn't stop the flood of protest letters—and even Howlers—that poured into the school.
The Valentine's Eve attack stood apart from the previous ones. The first three victims had all been Muggle-born students or other non-human beings. Though the incidents were disturbing, they hadn't caused widespread panic among the wizarding families.
After all, there was the legend of the Chamber of Secrets: it was said the monster within wouldn't harm pure-blood or even half-blood young wizards.
But this time was different. The victims—Penelope Clearwater, a Muggle-born, and Percy Weasley, a member of the pure-blood Weasley family with generations of wizarding lineage—changed everything.
Though the Weasleys were sometimes called the "shame of pure-bloods," they were still undeniably an old wizarding family.
This shocking development sent waves of panic through many wizarding households.
Even with Dumbledore's high standing in the wizarding world, he couldn't stop parents from voicing their outrage.
More and more students were being withdrawn from Hogwarts. Their parents no longer believed the school was the safest place in the British Isles...
Susan Bones was taken home by her aunt. Blaise Zabini was picked up by his elegant mother. The Weasley parents, too, seemed ready to bring all their children home from Hogwarts...
It felt as if Hogwarts was on the verge of falling apart!
...
The castle was cloaked in a suffocating gloom.
Fear spread like never before. Even the warm sunlight outside seemed unable to pierce the castle's dark hallways. Most faces were filled with anxiety. Any burst of laughter that echoed through the corridors sounded jarring and out of place...
Students remained confined to classrooms, the Great Hall, and their house common rooms... Once classes ended or dinner was finished, they hurried away. Even the common rooms lacked their usual cheer and laughter.
The day after Percy and Penelope were attacked, Jon—claiming he had hurt his right hand—was escorted to the hospital wing by Professor Sprout.
Madam Pomfrey examined it carefully and determined it was just a fracture—nothing too serious. But to be safe, she suggested Jon stay overnight in the hospital wing.
That night, his absence sparked rumors among the students. Many thought he had also fallen victim to the monster of Slytherin.
Astoria Greengrass was so frightened she snuck out of the Slytherin common room and ran to the hospital wing that very night.
However, after only a few seconds inside the ward, she was promptly ushered out by Madam Pomfrey.
Before she left, Astoria told Jon that her mother was planning to come in the next few days to take her and her sister home.
After Madam Pomfrey had Hagrid escort her back to the Slytherin common room, Jon suddenly realized it was February 14th.
Percy and Penelope had probably planned a romantic rendezvous atop Ravenclaw Tower the night before, for Valentine's Day. Penelope must have been targeted by the Basilisk first during that rendezvous, and then the hallway attack occurred.
Luckily, both had only been petrified. If they had died, the consequences for the plot ahead would've been far worse.
...
A few hours after escorting Astoria back, Hagrid left the school as well.
It was said officials from the Ministry of Magic came and took him away—to Azkaban.
Professor Gilderoy Lockhart used the next Defense Against the Dark Arts class to publicly claim that Rubeus Hagrid was the true culprit behind the Chamber of Secrets incidents.
"Mark my words!" he declared confidently. "From what I know, the last time the Chamber was opened, Hagrid was the one responsible... I think it's the same this time. The culprit has already been caught, so there's no need for all these extreme safety measures!"
Unfortunately for him, it was no longer the start of term—few people were inclined to believe Lockhart anymore.
The fear still spread quickly throughout the school.
...
In such a situation, the person under the most scrutiny was undoubtedly the Headmaster of Hogwarts.
Two days after the attack on Percy and Penelope, early in the morning, two uninvited guests arrived in the Headmaster's office at the top of the castle.
Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts, was dressed in formal robes that day: a majestic deep green cloak embroidered with stars and moons. His face was solemn.
Standing before him was a middle-aged man, draped in a long black traveling cloak, with an elegant bearing and a cold yet satisfied smile. Beside him was another man in a mismatched pinstripe suit, looking quite eccentric.
"What exactly brings you here, Cornelius... and Lucius?" said Dumbledore. "I heard you took away my gamekeeper last night—sent him to Azkaban?"
Though his tone was polite, a faint anger lingered beneath his words.
"I'm terribly sorry, Dumbledore... but Hagrid's record doesn't do him any favors. The Ministry had to take action!" stammered Cornelius Fudge, the Minister for Magic.
"And there's more bad news!" said Mr. Malfoy lazily, pulling out a long scroll of parchment. "The Board of Governors has decided it's time for you to step down, Albus."
He paused, then added, "This is your dismissal order. You'll see all twelve governors have signed it."
"How many attacks have there been now? Two just the night before, right? At this rate, there won't be a single student left. We all know what a tragedy that would be for the school!"
"Wha—what are you saying, Lucius..." Fudge exclaimed in panic. "Dumbledore dismissed... no, we certainly don't want to—"
Lucius Malfoy ignored the Minister and locked eyes with Dumbledore.
"If the Board wishes me to step down, Lucius, then I shall do so," said Professor Dumbledore calmly.
His blue eyes, however, were distant—lost in thought.
"Excellent, Albus... Let's just hope your successor can put an end to these attacks once and for all," Malfoy replied with a satisfied smile.