Accompanied by Mrs Norris's piercing cries, all the young wizards gathered around.
Kael, cloaked by the Disillusionment Charm, stood at the back, quietly observing the unfolding events.
As in his memory, people found Filch and Harry on the third floor and treated him as the heir...
The professors arrived too, taking away the three of them, while the prefects began leading the students back to the common room.
After the crowd gradually dispersed, Kael awkwardly realized he seemed to have nowhere to go.
He certainly couldn't return to the dormitory, but it was only Halloween, and there were several months left until his original timeline. What was he supposed to do during this period? He couldn't wander around the castle forever.
Kael made his way up the stairs toward the eighth floor.
Moaning Myrtle was still in the washroom, and "he" would soon be there too, so he definitely couldn't return to the Chamber of Secret. He decided to take a look at the Room of Requirement.
It seemed to be the only place he could go now.
"I need a place to rest."
A door appeared in the middle of the corridor, and Kael opened it and stepped inside... In an instant, all his previous worries vanished.
The room was nothing short of magnificent.
The large four-poster bed was more than three times the size of those in the dormitory, soft and comfortable, making one reluctant to get up.
In front of the bed was an equally large desk, adorned with parchment, quill, and ink.
Further ahead were different rooms, a dining room... a washroom... a study... everything one might need.
Kael even spotted Crystal Wizard Chess, Exploding Snap cards, and various broomsticks in one room... though the broomsticks seemed a bit old in model, the best one being just a Cleansweep Five.
But this didn't matter, as who would play broomsticks in the room... at least Kael wouldn't.
The ceiling was like the auditorium's, enchanted with magic, yet different in that it was adjustable here.
If Kael wished, he could make it sunny all day, or lie in bed watching the stars, or sipping tea and reading amid the sound of rain...
Simply perfect.
As for the food problem, it was easily solved too, with the little elves in the kitchen able to deliver food anywhere.
After surveying the place, Kael suddenly felt that a few months seemed too short, and if possible, he even wanted to live here until graduation... then casually apply for a professor position and continue living here.
Though this seemed unlikely.
Having found a place to stay, Kael returned to the castle again and found Peeves on the sixth floor, holding a small brush and painting turtles on a suit of armor.
"That diary?" Peeves tilted his head and thought for a moment, "I threw it away... That thing was great to use, the little rascal screamed especially loud."
Kael's eye twitched, "Where did you throw it..."
"I don't know." Peeves said matter-of-factly.
"A crate of Dungbombs!"
Peeves still shook his head, "I really don't remember, who would care about something thrown away.
You can look for yourself; it might be on the third floor, or the fifth floor, or the seventh floor..."
All night long, Kael risked being discovered by the professors as he searched almost every floor.
As dawn broke, an empty-handed Kael returned to the Room of Requirement on the eighth floor.
The diary was lost, and no one knew where it was now.
Kael sat at the desk, recalling Peeves' last words.
"That red-haired brat got scared and tripped, Potter threatened to go find Bloody Baron, then I ran... that jerk."
Red hair and Potter... According to Peeves, the last person hit should be Ron, and the diary should have been taken by one of them.
Harry? Or Ron?
Kael got up and lay on the soft, large bed.
He had initially thought he was the heir, but now it seemed he was not.
Previously, the basilisk suddenly emerged from the washroom, probably just a coincidence.
He had summoned the basilisk in the Chamber of Secret before, meaning the statue's entrance had actually been opened at that time.
Only the Four Founders' sudden appearance made him forget this matter completely.
The basilisk must have followed him out after he left the Chamber of Secret.
Also, the things Riddle said.
Timid... cowardly... future servant...
Only Peter Pettigrew by Ron's side seemed to perfectly fit these descriptions.
Could it be him?
...
In the time that followed, Kael lived in the Room of Requirement.
The castle remained peaceful, everything as he remembered.
And so, time quickly rolled into November.
On the day of the first Quidditch match when Professor Charity Burbage was attacked, Kael departed from the Room of Requirement early and arrived at the Chamber of Secret.
Kael had initially thought he would have to wait until night, but before two hours had passed, he heard a rustling noise outside.
Kael hurriedly hid in a shadow by the main door.
The door was opened, and the ghost-like Riddle floated in, followed by a rat.
"Peter... you really should find a wand." Riddle said softly, "I truly don't understand; you mastered the Animagus, yet can't change back without a wand."
The rat paused, continuously bumping its head against the floor.
"No need to be nervous, Peter. I don't know what I'll be like in the future, but for now, I have no intention of blaming you." Riddle said, "You've done well, a very excellent follower."
He pointed at the diary, and the rat hurriedly climbed onto it.
The rat's fur dimmed somewhat, but Riddle's form became clearer.
"As a reward..." Riddle looked at his ever-clearer body, enamoredly opening his arms, "Close your eyes, Peter!"
The rat quickly lowered its head.
Riddle uttered a series of hissing sounds... summoning the basilisk,
"Go, cleanse the school, kill those Mudbloods!"
At that moment, Kael, under the cover of the Disillusionment Charm, quietly exited the Chamber of Secret.
The basilisk's movements were loud, and neither Riddle nor the rat noticed that there had just been an extra person in the Chamber of Secret.
Indeed, it was that rat who had gotten hold of the diary.
After returning to the castle, Kael did not linger, he went directly to the location of the second attack incident.
Also on the third floor.
Charity Burbage hadn't gone to watch the Quidditch match; he was holding a lawnmower, heading toward his office.
But as he walked, he suddenly heard a strange scraping sound, as if something huge was crawling on the ground.
The sound came from another corridor ahead.
Unaware, Professor Burbage sped up, wanting to check the situation.
...