"Reached a consensus?" Snape's voice sounded as if someone had grabbed him by the throat.
"To be precise, an 'academic exploration under strict supervision,'" Lin Du said solemnly. "And honestly, do you think I'd be bored enough to go after a cat? If I really wanted to do something, I'd at least choose a more challenging target."
Snape looked as though he had swallowed an entire bottle of Fainting Fancies. He looked Lin Du up and down, then finally squeezed out through clenched teeth, "You got lucky. But remember, there won't be a next time!"
With that, he spun around sharply, his black robes billowing like a startled bat as he hurried away.
"Wait, Snape." Lin Du suddenly called after him.
Snape turned around impatiently.
"What you said just now..." Lin Du deliberately drew out the words, his expression becoming exceptionally sincere. "You weren't... concerned about me, were you? If so, I'm truly touched..."
Snape's face twisted at once, as though he had just seen Neville Longbottom turn into a Potions Master.
He took half a step back, his lips trembling. "Have... have you had your brain trampled by a troll?"
"It's just that I suddenly felt," Lin Du continued in that unnervingly gentle tone, "that beneath your fierce exterior, there's actually a warm heart..."
"Enough!" Snape leaped back as if scalded. "I suggest you go to Madam Pomfrey immediately and have your brain examined!"
With that, he practically fled in disgrace, his black robes whipping up a small whirlwind through the corridor.
Lin Du watched the black figure fleeing in panic and thoughtfully stroked his chin. "Looks like Dumbledore was right. He really does care about others, though his way of showing it is rather distinctive."
"Pfft—"
Chao Feng finally could not hold back any longer and burst out laughing on his shoulder. "That fake act you put on just now nearly made me throw up! Did you see Snape's face? I bet he'll have nightmares tonight!"
Lin Du lightly flicked a feather on his shoulder, a mischievous smile curling across his lips. "Isn't it fun to tease our serious Potions Master once in a while?"
While Lin Du happily walked through the castle corridors, relishing the comical image of Snape fleeing in embarrassment, the atmosphere in Gryffindor Tower was completely different.
The fire crackled in the Common Room, casting the shadows of three people onto the walls, where they swayed unsteadily with the flames.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione were squeezed together on a sofa in the farthest corner, their voices lowered to near whispers.
"This can't be..." Ron repeated for the third time, unconsciously tugging at the fringe of the sofa.
"I always thought the Chamber of Secrets was just a legend, as ridiculous as... as saying Peeves was actually a kind little elf."
Harry rubbed his still-aching ribs, and the scene from Halloween night rose before his eyes again. "If it's true, then it's too dangerous. We have to tell Professor McGonagall, or... tell Headmaster Dumbledore directly."
"Tell them what?" Hermione shot back immediately, hurried but still composed.
"Tell them that based on voices in the walls, an old book, and an unsolved case that even the adults couldn't figure out, we've decided that a monster from legend has awakened? Think about last term—without solid proof, would the professors believe the 'theories' of a few second-year students? They'd only tell us to stop meddling."
Her words were like a bucket of cold water, plunging Harry and Ron into silence.
The fire gave another uneasy flicker.
In that silence, a detail they had overlooked suddenly struck Harry.
"Wait..." Harry's voice trembled with disbelief. "Don't you think it's too much of a coincidence? Professor Lin Du... he showed up so promptly that night, as if... he had been waiting nearby all along."
"What do you mean?" Hermione abruptly looked up, her eyes sharp.
"We never told anyone about the Basilisk," Harry said, his voice nearly inaudible. "But he acted like he already knew. And those spells he used—I've never seen any other professor use magic like that."
Ron suddenly leaned forward excitedly. "Merlin's beard! Did you see the spells he used? Those definitely weren't anything we learned from Standard Spells! I'd bet every Chocolate Frog Card I own that it was Dark Magic!"
"Don't be ridiculous!"
Hermione angrily slapped Hogwarts: A History onto the table. "Professor Lin Du is a Gryffindor! And if there really were something wrong with him, why would Dumbledore allow him to teach?"
"Oh, come on," Ron said dismissively. "Didn't Professor Quirrell seem perfectly normal too? And what happened? He had the Dark Lord stuck to the back of his head!"
Harry thoughtfully rubbed the scar on his forehead. "And did you notice? When the professors saw the Chamber of Secrets, he was especially... calm. Like he had known about all of this already."
"That's absurd!" Hermione was so angry that her hair seemed to puff up even more.
"Just because he's knowledgeable and incredibly powerful, you suspect him of being Slytherin's heir? Then why don't you suspect Professor McGonagall of being an Animagus? Oh, wait, she actually is..."
She waved a hand irritably. "But that's not the point!"
"Anything is possible," Harry said softly, his green eyes shimmering with unease in the firelight. "Just like we never could have guessed what was hidden beneath Quirrell's turban."
Hermione jumped to her feet, clutching the book to her chest. "By your logic, Hogwarts might as well be a Death Eater den! What next, are you going to suspect Professor Sprout of growing Venomous Tentacula in the greenhouses?"
Ron muttered stubbornly, "But Professor Sprout does grow Venomous Tentacula..."
"That's exactly the problem!" Hermione turned to face them, lowering her voice, though her tone remained urgent. "We need to uncover the truth before the next attack happens. If Professor Lin Du really is involved, then mentioning the Basilisk may have been meant to mislead us. Don't forget, Dumbledore said that would require extremely advanced Dark Magic."
Harry nodded thoughtfully. "Then what should we do?"
"We need solid evidence," Hermione said firmly, her gaze sweeping over Harry and Ron.
"But until then, safety comes first. We need to warn everyone—especially the younger students—not to go anywhere alone, to stay alert at all times, and to watch for anything unusual."
"So what exactly should we do?" Ron pressed, unconsciously leaning forward.
Hermione took a deep breath, her thoughts becoming clearer. "First, we need to search the library for every reliable record about the Chamber of Secrets and find out where the legend came from. Second—"
She lowered her voice. "Keep an eye on Professor Lin Du's movements, especially those moments when he 'just happens' to appear or mysteriously disappears. Finally, and most importantly, watch everything around us—the walls, the pipes, even the drains. Any clue could become crucial evidence."
She picked up the book and turned to leave, but paused beside the fire and looked back at the two boys with a stern glare. "—But before we find anything substantial, I suggest you keep your wild imaginations under control!"
The fire suddenly spat a spark, throwing the three young faces into shifting light and shadow.
Before you continue