Coincidences Really Weren't Coincidences

"Pure-blood!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the stone door slowly opened.

Harry and Ron stared incredulously at Hermione as she read the secret. "How did you know? Slytherin shouldn't be telling anyone their secrets."

"Of course I guessed it," Hermione said excitedly. "I thought of about ten that could match the Slytherin syllables, but I didn't expect to succeed on the first try. It seems we're quite lucky."

The three of them passed through the stone door and entered a long, narrow Dungeon.

This was their first time entering the Slytherin common room, where the walls and ceiling were made of stone, and green-glowing chandeliers hung from the ceiling.

A fire crackled and popped inside the fireplace, illuminating the figures of several Slytherin nearby.

"So this is Slytherin's common room!" Ron said with a hint of disdain. "It's cold, dark, and has an eerie green glow. It feels Gryffindor."

"That's normal. Slytherin represents the element of water, Gryffindor represents the element of fire."

Their styles are naturally incompatible.

"Never mind that for now, we still have forty minutes, we need to find Aaron quickly," Harry said anxiously. "Does anyone know where his dormitory is?"

Hermione and Ron exchanged glances, thinking that Harry was being a little too hasty.

Getting into Slytherin's common room was already a stroke of luck; expecting to find Aaron's dormitory directly was clearly not an attempt to make things difficult for the two Gryffindor.

"Okay!" Harry realized, his face also showing some embarrassment. "We need to find someone to ask."

Ron walked straight up to a girl. "Excuse me, I forgot where Gaius's dorm is. Can you help me?"

"You mean senior Aaron Gaius?" The female student blushed slightly. "I really want to help you, but the male and female dormitories are separate."

If you're going to see him, could you please ask him if he's satisfied with the Christmas present I gave him?

By the way, my name is...

Before the girl could finish speaking, Ron left looking disappointed.

"Can't you use your brain?" Hermione said speechlessly. "If she asked a girl for the location of the boys' dorms and then told her, that would be abnormal."

"It's not like we gained nothing at all!" Ron sat awkwardly on the sofa. "At least it proves that Aaron's influence in Slytherin is no less than Harry's in Gryffindor."

Harry's lips twitched. This didn't seem quite right!

Most of his fame came from Voldemort, which he himself found inexplicable and even felt unworthy of, but Aaron's reputation stemmed from his own personal charisma.

"Should I ask another man?"

"No." Hermione disagreed with this method, pondering, "Draco and Aaron have a good relationship, and Crabbe and Goyle are Draco's followers."

Everyone else can be unaware of Aaron's dormitory, but these three cannot be unaware.

"So we're just going to wait here?" Harry glanced at his watch. "We only have less than 43 minutes left."

Just when the three were at their wits' end, a figure appeared before them.

Looking up, they saw the Slytherin Prefect watching them with a meaningful look and a faint smile on their faces.

The three of them felt a sudden jolt in their hearts, and their breathing became unsteady. Could it be that they had been exposed?

This inevitably caused them concern. Firstly, Niall was High-level Mage, so it was possible that he could see the problem.

Secondly, this is Hermione's first time preparing Polyjuice Potion, and it seems to be successful so far. However, the efficacy cannot be perfect, and there will be some discrepancies with the description in the book.

However, as Niall spoke, the three of them gradually calmed down.

"I can tell you're both troubled."

Hermione's eyes lit up, and she said in Malfoy's tone, "Yes, there's something I want to discuss with Aaron, but I don't know how to put it."

Can you tell me about it?

As the Prefect, my responsibility is to regulate student behavior, but it's also acceptable for me to help students solve some minor problems.

"Then take us to Aaron's dorm!" Harry blurted out, but then saw the puzzled look on Niall's face and immediately added, "What I mean is that our boss needs a little push."

"Is it really necessary?" Niall looked at Draco. "Given your relationship with him, what could possibly be causing you any trouble?"

"Um..." Hermione hesitated for a moment, "Quidditch."

Niall suddenly realized that he also knew that Slytherin's victory in the Quidditch Match was largely due to Aaron's tactics.

But this tactic will definitely be used again next time. If you want to ensure the results, you still have to ask for his opinion. I guess Draco is hesitant because he can't bring himself to do it!

"I'll take you there. It's a matter of Slytherin's honor, so there's no room for hesitation."

As Niall spoke, he took the lead. The three of them exchanged glances and quickly suppressed their smiles.

Arriving at a wooden door, Niall knocked on it.

Upon hearing the sound, Aaron quickly put the half-finished Magic Array into his pocket, and covered up the clue wall and the makeshift chicken coop before opening the door.

"Prefect, Draco, is there something you need?"

"It's like this, Draco..."

"There's something I want to talk to you about," Hermione interrupted Niall immediately. Their time was limited, and asking about Quidditch tactics would be a complete waste.

Harry and Ron, however, had a hint of regret in their eyes. If they had been able to figure out Aaron's tactics beforehand, the next championship would have been a sure thing.

Aaron raised an eyebrow and let them in.

However, Niall didn't linger. He could only do this much; if he interfered further with Slytherin Quidditch Team's affairs, Flint would be unhappy.

"Speak! What do you want from me?" Aaron asked, sitting in a chair. "The three of you actually came together."

"I just wanted to ask you about the Secret Chamber of Secrets," Hermione said hesitantly. "Many people are saying you're the Heir of Slytherin."

"The wind has changed so quickly, shouldn't it be Harry Potter?"

"You know your reputation in Slytherin, and we are more inclined to believe that you are the rightful heir."

"Heh!" Aaron chuckled dismissively. "But I'm clearly not. You should know that. I've been investigating this matter ever since Halloween."

Hermione paused for a moment, then turned to look at Harry and Ron, feeling both relieved and somewhat at a loss.

This was completely different from what they had imagined. Aaron was not the mastermind, nor was Draco Malfoy.

Harry couldn't accept it. If both of them were ruled out, then he would be the only suspect left at Hogwarts.

"Is it really not you? Then why do you always end up at crime scenes?"

"Goyle, the way you're asking questions now is just like Harry's, so I don't see any reason for me to answer you!"

"Don't take it to heart, Aaron," Hermione said immediately. "Goyle actually really wants you to be the heir, so that Slytherin House's safety can be guaranteed."

"Damn!" Aaron curled his lip. "Gaius and Slytherin's affair dates back more than a thousand years, but I can say with certainty that I have no Slytherin blood at all."

"That's... such a shame," Ron said sheepishly. "Slytherin are Saint Mage, after all!"

"It's not like our family hasn't produced any Holy Magus before, it's nothing special," Aaron said nonchalantly. His family's Secret Chamber chamber had at least seven or eight Holy Magus in their lifetimes.

Was he proud? Was he arrogant?

Ron opened his mouth, somewhat speechless. In some respects, the Hidden Family did indeed have a stronger foundation than these Pure-blood families.

Harry kept giving Hermione meaningful glances, who was still in shock.

It's good that Aaron isn't the Heir of Slytherin, but they can't have come all this way for nothing!

With Draco Malfoy's identity, many questions can be answered, and Aaron certainly has clues about the Secret Chamber, which cannot be overlooked.

Hermione snapped out of her daze and looked at Aaron with some guilt. "Um... actually, I also want to know why you always seem to be at the crime scene."

Don't tell me it's a coincidence! That kind of excuse might fool Harry Potter.

Harry:...

That sounds strange, but it does fit Malfoy's character.

"Go ahead!" Aaron picked up Abei from the table and said proudly, "You all know its identity. My Dragon Cub is special. It can sense killing intent to a certain extent."

It could sense every time the creature in the Secret Chamber was about to attack the students, so... you understand.

Hermione and Ron both involuntarily looked at Harry, their eyes flashing with complex emotions—blame, but mostly sympathy.

What kind of situation is this?

Those incidents were indeed not coincidences, but Aaron was definitely not Heir of Slytherin.

Harry understood, and was so embarrassed he could have dug a Hogwarts out of the ground with his feet; if there were a crack in the ground, he would have wanted to crawl right in.

Just as he was thinking this, his cheek twitched involuntarily, because there really was a neat slit in the floor, as if it had been tailor-made for him.

Harry quickly looked away from the crack.

"Aaron, have you found out who the real culprit is?" Hermione asked tentatively. "Or do you have any other clues?"

Aaron thought for a moment, then nodded seriously.

"You found it?" Harry slapped his thigh excitedly. If Ron hadn't bumped his arm, he probably would have jumped up.

"You're getting a little too excited, Goyle."

"I only have some clues; I'm still a long way from finding Heir of Slytherin," Aaron said with a faint smile, feeling a sense of accomplishment.

Hogwarts searched for the Secret Chamber for decades without finding it, but he discovered real clues and even learned the identity of the monster Secret Chamber.