The Christmas holiday quickly came to an end. The students took the train back to Hogwarts, and the previously quiet castle once again became lively.
After the holiday, the fear brought about by the attacks seemed to have eased quite a bit. Everyone was talking and laughing on the surface, unlike before the break when they were anxious and uneasy.
Perhaps, in their opinion, the professors had already solved the monster in the Chamber of Secrets during the holiday.
Anyway, that's what Lockhart said.
He was the first professor to leave the school, even leaving earlier than the students. He hurriedly left after the last Defense Against the Dark Arts Class, not even attending the final feast.
It's unknown what he experienced during the holiday or what rumors he might have heard. When he returned, he grandly announced that the Chamber of Secrets had been dealt with.
Kael inadvertently saw him talking to Professor McGonagall while waiting near the entrance hall.
"I believe there won't be any more trouble, Minerva."
Lockhart's voice was loud, "I believe the Chamber of Secrets will never open again this time, because I have found the true heir, but I've decided to give him a chance. If he is smart enough, he won't continue to cause trouble."
Many people heard his words, and some believed them while others didn't, but in any case, it provided some comfort.
Worth mentioning is that five minutes earlier, at the same spot, Lockhart said the same thing to Professor Flitwick...
And ten minutes before that, it was to Professor Sprout...
Kael was present each time.
No matter who he was talking to, Lockhart's words didn't change at all, as if they were lines he had memorized in advance.
Very soon, Professor McGonagall left. Lockhart stood there looking around, likely searching for the next target.
By sequence, he might be looking for Snape... but this task would be a bit challenging.
It's uncertain whether Snape would ignore him or patiently listen until the end...
Of course, there was also the possibility of using Langlock to silence him for a while, or Sectumsempra to silence him permanently.
All of these were possible.
Kael was quite keen to stay and watch, but at this moment, the person he was looking for arrived.
Cedric walked into the castle along the stone steps. Upon seeing Kael, he came over directly.
"I asked for you."
He handed a length of golden chain to Kael, and said, "None of the shops I know, including in Diagon Alley, have sold something with this sort of design."
"Not even anything similar?" Kael frowned and asked.
"No." Cedric thought about it and continued, "But I didn't ask at Knockturn Alley. My dad doesn't allow me to go there..."
"It's alright, this is already enough." Kael shook his head and said, "People in Knockturn Alley rarely tell the truth, it wouldn't work even if you went."
"You have a point..." Cedric and Kael walked into the Auditorium together. "I've been meaning to ask, what exactly is this thing?"
"I don't know either," Kael said. "I found it, and I feel it might be related to the recent attacks. That's why I asked for your help to find out what it is."
"You mean... the Chamber of Secrets?" Cedric paused his steps, perhaps realizing his voice was a bit loud, he quickly lowered his voice and asked, "Are you sure?"
"It's just a guess. It might just be a decorative piece on clothing."
"Can I see it again?"
"Of course," Kael glanced at the item in his hand, and casually handed it to Cedric again, "You hold onto it, but be careful not to get too close to the fireplace, otherwise it might revert back."
"Is it Transfiguration?" Cedric looked at Kael in surprise, having not noticed before.
The two sat down at the long dining table, and before long, the feast began.
Dumbledore, wearing a light blue robe, was chatting with Professor Trelawney, who taught Divination.
But speaking of Divination Class... Kael suddenly remembered that he hadn't attended a single Divination Class since the start of the term.
He heard from peers in his year that he was nearly becoming a teaching prop in Divination Class, and Professor Trelawney was not pleased, saying before the holiday,
"I regret to say if he doesn't attend Divination Class next term, he will leave us forever."
Because of this, Mikel and Ryan advised him to take the opportunity to attend a Divination Class.
Kael did intend to go, but unluckily, Divination and Ancient Runes clashed, and he had to give one up.
He definitely couldn't give up Ancient Runes, and without Riddle as a tutor, he could only ask Professor Babbling about Magic Text issues... and that was only once a week.
Since apart from class times, no one knew where Professor Babbling was, as her shadow was nowhere in the entire castle.
So Kael gave up on Divination Class and didn't attend.
It's likely that in the next half of the academic year, his name would probably become a "teaching prop" in Divination Class.
Next to Dumbledore was the serious-looking Professor McGonagall, and the exuberant Lockhart.
Lockhart looked particularly happy, even taking out a bottle of whiskey to enjoy a few drinks with the other professors.
Everyone refused. Professor McGonagall pursed her lips, seemingly displeased with his alcohol consumption at school. But since Dumbledore didn't interfere, she said nothing.
After the feast, a tipsy Lockhart stood up and repeated the words he had said to the professors before.
A burst of cheers erupted around him.
Lockhart also declared he would publish a new book about Hogwarts and the Chamber of Secrets, where all students would become protagonists.
The cheers grew even louder.
But a small group of students remained still, no longer believing anything Lockhart said, assuming he was ranting under the influence of alcohol.
Back in the Hufflepuff Common Room, some students, as per tradition, sat on the sofa to catch up on holiday homework.
Kael handed his homework to Mikel.
"Thanks." Mikel said happily, "I'm only five inches short on my Potion Class homework, and I just couldn't finish it!"
While he worked on his homework, Kael asked, "In the past while, have you noticed anyone in Slytherin acting oddly?"
Previously, Mikel had mentioned planning to gather information in the Slytherin Common Room. And he wasn't just speaking idly; he really went there.
More astonishingly, he succeeded, using the excuse that his face was stung by a Three-Tailed Bee to blend in with a group of Slytherin students who just finished a Care of Magical Creatures class, followed them into the common room, and secretly memorized the password.
However, for certain reasons, he was later discovered, and because of this, Snape deducted fifty points from Hufflepuff.