Malfoy answered quickly, his tone carrying a trace of complaint.
"Yes. But my father only told me to avoid going anywhere alone whenever possible. He also said Professor Snape would keep an eye on me. And he mentioned that the Board of Governors is already discussing this matter. Apparently they've had quite a few complaints about Dumbledore for a long time now… Hmph."
Daphne's voice was much calmer.
"I've also written to my mother. She said she has already reported the situation to both the Ministry of Magic and the Board of Governors in hopes of increasing pressure on the school."
When Dumbledore was mentioned, the cold indifference in their voices was nearly identical.
For most ancient pure-blood families, it was genuinely difficult for them to feel much affection toward the greatest wizard of the age.
In their eyes, Dumbledore had always been too "harsh" toward pure-blood families.
Lucien had spoken with Dumbledore about related matters several times before, and he knew that Dumbledore was not intentionally favoring Muggle-borns or suppressing pure-bloods. What Dumbledore pursued was a broader sense of "fairness."
The so-called "targeting of pure-bloods" was likely nothing more than the result of pure-blood families monopolizing too many resources and privileges over the course of many years.
Once those entrenched interests were disrupted, the people benefiting from them would naturally grow dissatisfied and resentful toward Dumbledore, the one driving those changes.
If one thought about it carefully, if Dumbledore truly intended to mistreat pure-bloods, then Slytherin would never have won the House Cup six years in a row.
Dumbledore, huh…
Tom within the diary had split his soul at the age of fifteen or sixteen, meaning his memories were also frozen at that point in time.
During his student years, filled with ambition and darkness, the person who had left the deepest impression on him was most likely Dumbledore, who had still been a professor back then.
It was Dumbledore who had brought Tom to Hogwarts.
It was Dumbledore who had used magic to force Tom to apologize to the other children at the orphanage.
And it was Dumbledore who had always remained wary of him…
A youthful temperament, an inherently twisted nature, combined with deep hatred toward Dumbledore…
Tom would definitely want revenge against Dumbledore.
But he would never choose direct confrontation unless he wanted to be beaten back into nothingness the moment he regained a body.
Hmm…
Using the Basilisk to create further killings within the school and destroy Dumbledore's reputation as Headmaster?
But there was one critical prerequisite.
Dumbledore could not remain at Hogwarts.
Otherwise, with Dumbledore's abilities, suppressing a mere Basilisk would be effortless.
Lucien's thoughts rapidly turned.
Both Malfoy and Daphne had mentioned their parents' attitudes, which meant the other pure-blood families dissatisfied with Dumbledore were likely thinking along similar lines.
They would inevitably apply pressure through the Board of Governors or directly through the Ministry of Magic.
And Dumbledore, unfortunately for himself, was the sort of person who habitually bound himself within the framework of rules.
He respected Hogwarts' governing structure and would also take the Ministry's opinions into consideration.
When pressure from all sides converged, much of his attention would inevitably be consumed. It might even force him to temporarily leave the school.
That would be Tom's ideal opportunity to act.
Would Dumbledore ask him to watch over things again, just like last year?
Lucien mused that if it really came to that, he should probably request some form of "payment" from Dumbledore.
For example, permission to observe the magical core of Hogwarts Castle.
Or perhaps he could borrow some emotional energy from the students, since his current accumulation was still far from reaching the minimum requirement needed to refine the Philosopher's Stone.
"Alright, don't be too nervous. Here, keep these with you at all times."
Lucien took out several pairs of glasses in different styles.
Malfoy and Daphne exchanged puzzled glances, clearly confused as to why Lucien had suddenly produced these seemingly ordinary glasses.
"Lucien, these are…?"
"In critical moments, they can block your vision and prevent you from seeing things you shouldn't."
Lucien gave only a brief explanation before calling Harry and the others over and handing each of them a pair.
"Oh, and if you really can't get used to wearing framed glasses, there are invisible ones as well…"
As he spoke, he took out an exquisite rectangular case. Inside, thin contact lenses were neatly arranged.
These lenses were alchemical tools Lucien had crafted using Thestral tail hair as the primary material. Their function was singular and extremely specific: to blur and block anything directly connected to "death."
If someone directly encountered the Basilisk's deadly gaze, the lenses would automatically create a protective barrier.
To everyone else, the lenses appeared completely transparent and colorless.
But to Lucien, who had witnessed death before, they looked like pitch-black sunglasses.
"Also, if you're truly worried, you can carry a rooster with you at all times. Of course, that's assuming you don't mind the inconvenience."
"A rooster?"
The students looked at one another in confusion, unable to understand the meaning behind such a sudden suggestion.
Lucien did not elaborate further. Instead, he clapped his hands lightly, drawing everyone's attention back toward him.
"Alright, let's begin today's lesson. We'll be practicing how to deal with attacks from magical creatures."
With a casual wave of his wand, more than a dozen winding snakes instantly appeared across the classroom floor.
"Ah—!"
Hermione and Daphne immediately let out startled shrieks, both instinctively moving behind Lucien.
Harry and the others were not much better off. Their faces had noticeably paled as they stared nervously at the snakes.
"Malfoy, isn't your House emblem a snake? Are you actually scared?"
Ron did not miss the opportunity to mock him.
Provoked by the comment, Malfoy immediately forced himself to straighten up and replied stiffly,
"Don't come crying to me for help when a snake swallows you whole!"
Harry turned toward Lucien and could not help asking,
"Why snakes of all things?"
Lucien smiled faintly.
"Consider it advanced 'desensitization training.'"
Still confused, everyone tried using the Charms they had learned to repel or control the snakes.
However, for some reason, an unusually large number of snakes began slithering toward Harry.
Harry frantically waved his wand, nearly panicking, but he was still being surrounded.
In desperation, he blurted out,
"Go away!"
Harry himself did not notice that his voice had become hoarse and low, no longer sounding like human speech, but instead like a series of eerie hissing noises.
In an instant, the entire Room of Requirement fell silent.
Everyone froze, all eyes turning toward Harry, filled with disbelief and shock.
"Parseltongue?!"
Malfoy was the first to cry out, his expression toward Harry incredibly complicated, carrying shock, suspicion, and even a trace of fear.
Harry himself was completely bewildered.
He looked around and realized that aside from Lucien, whose expression remained perfectly calm, everyone else looked as though they had just witnessed something terrifying.
"Parseltongue? What's that?"
"You mean I was just talking to snakes? Can't all wizards do that? I talked to a boa constrictor at the zoo before, and it even told me it had never been to Brazil… Back then, I didn't even know the magical world existed, or that I was a wizard."
It was Hermione, the resident know-it-all, who stepped forward to explain.
"Talking to snakes… Parseltongue is extremely rare among wizards, Harry. Especially natural Parselmouths. I don't think you deliberately learned Parseltongue, did you?"
Harry shook his head blankly.
How could he possibly have intentionally learned the language of snakes? That was crossing species entirely.
Hermione took a deep breath before continuing.
"According to legend, the founder of Slytherin and creator of the Chamber of Secrets, Salazar Slytherin himself, was a famous Parselmouth."
Harry felt as though he had been struck by lightning, completely frozen in place.
He suddenly remembered the Sorting Ceremony during his first year, when the Sorting Hat had repeatedly insisted that he was perfectly suited for Slytherin. Only after his desperate refusal had he ultimately been placed in Gryffindor.
Could it be…
Malfoy seemed to have connected the pieces as well. He quickly glanced at Lucien before looking back at Harry, who was surrounded by snakes yet completely unharmed.
Swallowing hard, Malfoy spoke in a slightly trembling voice.
"Potter… y-you're not actually the Heir of the Chamber of Secrets, are you?"
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