Tom naturally noticed the person chasing him, but he had no time to deal with it.
If they wanted to follow, then let them.
At worst, he would just have to face several professors at once—perhaps even Dumbledore.
Tom was very clear about that.
With the Basilisk under his control, he could always retreat if things turned against him.
As for why he chose to return…
He could have ignored everything—released the Basilisk into the Forbidden Forest and hidden himself within Hogwarts, waiting patiently for the right moment.
He had considered that option.
But in the end, he abandoned it.
Because he wanted to face Dumbledore.
If he chose to retreat now—if he showed fear when confronted by two young wizards who had already found the Chamber of Secrets—then that fear would become a permanent flaw in his heart.
It would place him beneath Dumbledore… and beneath Harry.
And that was something Tom would never accept.
In this world, where willpower shaped reality, he refused to acknowledge anyone as superior to himself.
If he could not escape, then so be it.
That would be fate.
But no one would ever say that he had failed to resist.
At the same time, Harry and Hermione had reached the end of the underground passage.
Under the glow of the floating Lumos orb, they could clearly see what lay around them—
A massive, discarded snakeskin.
It stretched for dozens of meters, coiled across the ground like the remains of some ancient creature.
Neither of them knew it belonged to a Basilisk.
But that didn't stop their imagination.
A monstrous, enormous, grotesque creature…
Just the thought of it was enough to send a chill down Hermione's spine.
A sudden wave of unease filled her chest.
More than her own safety, she feared for Harry.
She reached out and tugged on his sleeve, lowering her voice.
"How about we go back now, Harry?"
"Why? We're already here."
"Didn't you see that?" Hermione whispered urgently. "Something tens of meters long is waiting ahead. Harry, let's leave and tell the professors."
Her eyes were filled with worry—almost pleading.
Harry opened his mouth, met her gaze… then instinctively looked away.
After a long pause, he spoke.
"Just a little further… just a little."
"If we see it, we'll leave immediately. Okay, Hermione?"
He turned back to her, his expression serious.
Hermione stared into his eyes for a long moment before finally nodding.
"Okay. But you have to promise—if we encounter that monster, we leave immediately, go back up, inform the professors, and then come back together."
Harry nodded.
If they truly encountered whatever lurked ahead, escaping would be their only option.
Seeing him agree, Hermione's tension eased slightly.
If she could, she would have dragged him out of here already.
But she knew… he wouldn't leave.
They guided the glowing orb forward as they walked deeper into the corridor.
The further they went, the more snakeskins they saw.
Some were enormous—stretching dozens of meters.
Others were smaller, only a few meters long.
The larger ones looked newer, while the smaller ones were aged, worn by time.
They continued forward until they finally stopped in front of a massive stone door.
Hermione's urge to turn back surged again.
She glanced at Harry.
He hesitated.
If he were alone, he would have gone in without a second thought.
But Hermione was with him.
And that made him pause.
Hermione saw it—the hesitation in his eyes—and a flicker of relief rose in her chest.
She was just about to speak—
"We'll open it, take a quick look, and then leave. Okay, Hermione?"
Her words caught in her throat.
After a brief silence, she nodded.
No matter how uneasy she felt, she was ready to follow him.
It was only a short distance… nothing would happen.
Right?
Even as she tried to reassure herself, unease lingered.
She reached for the necklace around her neck.
A smooth metal pendant hung from it, engraved with a large cross.
Its surface faintly reflected their surroundings.
It wasn't magical—just something her father had insisted she carry for protection.
She had told him many times it had no magical properties.
But in this dark, oppressive place…
She still held onto it, seeking even the smallest sense of comfort.
Harry took a deep breath and stepped forward.
Placing both hands against the door, he pushed.
Nothing happened.
The door didn't budge.
Hermione's anxiety spiked as Harry frowned.
He pushed again, harder.
Still nothing.
The door remained completely unmoved, as if sealed shut forever.
Harry's expression stiffened.
For a moment, he didn't know what to do.
Then Hermione spoke.
"Harry… you're doing it wrong."
He turned to her instinctively.
"What?"
"You're opening it the wrong way."
She repeated it patiently.
"Think about how we got in before. Wasn't it your… strange language? The one that opened the passage?"
Harry blinked.
"Hermione… you mean—"
"Yes. Say it again."
She stepped back slightly, watching him closely.
"That language."
Harry turned toward the massive door again.
He took a deep breath.
Then, recalling the strange sound he had made in the bathroom—
"Open."
...
📢 Author's Note
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