Lockhart stood in the smoke and dust, leaving only a vague, indistinct silhouette.
Everyone heard him speaking in a strange tone.
The sound wasn't human; it was more like a snake hissing and flicking its tongue.
Soon, someone recognized the strange language and shouted it out in the crowd.
"Parseltongue! He speaks with Parseltongue!"
This one sentence caused an uproar among the crowd, with discussions rising and falling.
"Could Lockhart be the Heir of Slytherin?"
"Don't talk nonsense, he's from the nerdy academy!"
The students who hadn't yet left the Great Hall all looked towards Lockhart.
Amidst the students' chattering discussion, the smoke and dust gradually dissipated.
The hole in the wall was exposed to everyone's view.
"Don't look at the hole in the wall!" Silan shouted a warning.
He guessed that Lockhart had probably deliberately created such a commotion to attract everyone's attention before letting the Basilisk all in one fell swoop.
By using this method of attracting attention to focus everyone's gaze on a single point, and then releasing the Basilisk, it can cause widespread destruction.
Among the noisy students, some didn't hear what Silan said and were still craning their necks to look at the wall, oblivious to their own danger.
Some people were chattering. "What did he say?"
"I didn't hear clearly, it sounded like they told us to look at the wall."
Hermione turned and glared at the two fools, then threw out a few Parchment and used Transfiguration to turn them into several thick wooden planks.
The wooden planks were placed in front of the students, blocking their view.
Upon hearing Silan's reminder, the professors all subconsciously looked away.
Tom, now in Lockhart's body, stared intently at Silan with a venomous and hateful gaze, wishing he could tear his mouth apart.
The emotions surging within him were turbulent, almost engulfing him.
The shock and anger mingled within him transformed into a raging fire and a deadly poison, burning his heart and making him grit his teeth.
It's him again!
Why did he ruin my plans again?!
Tom gripped his wand tightly, gritting his teeth as he stared intently at Silan in the distance.
How did he know he shouldn't look into the Basilisk's eyes?
Did he know beforehand that it was Basilisk?
Impossible! If he knew beforehand, why didn't he tell Dumbledore?
Or does he have other abilities?
Prophecy? Divination?
Countless complex thoughts flashed through Tom's mind in that instant, but none of them were convincing enough.
This was something he couldn't understand at all.
Why does this guy seem to have seen through my plan and know everything?
I do not understand!
Forget it, now it's up to me and the Basilisk to fight them together, let's just kill them all.
The advantage is in my hands!
Shaking his head, Tom stopped thinking about it and used his Parseltongue to control the Basilisk to quickly crawl out of the pipe.
He waved his wand and used Levitation Charm to move the rubble that had been thrown out of the wall into the air, scattering it all around.
When those pebbles fell to the ground, they all turned into mirrors in the blink of an eye.
A huge mirror was laid out on the floor, leaving almost no room to step.
Curious and impatient, Lee Jordan ignored Silan's warnings and Hermione's protection, and peered out through the crack in the wooden planks.
"What's going on outside, Lee Jordan?"
Some students dared not look outside, but were so curious about what was happening that they asked eagerly.
"Don't rush, don't rush, let me see."
Lee Jordan pressed himself against the crack, his eyes wide, straining to glean information from the outside.
To be honest, with his curiosity and courage, it's a shame he doesn't join the Survey Corps...
As expected of Gryffindor.
"Lockhart seems to have summoned a giant snake. The gap is too small; I can only see its lower body."
"Strange, the professors don't seem to dare look at that snake."
"Lockhart turned stones into mirrors and laid them on the ground. What is he trying to do?"
Lee Jordan's commentary spirit ignited as he explained the situation outside to the students around him.
The other students also found it a bit strange.
What is the use of a mirror?
"They've already used the Killing Curse, why are they using a mirror now?"
"Does Lockhart need to get ready?"
A curious and eager student pushed past Lee Jordan and peered out with wide eyes.
Tom commanded in Parseltongue.
"Attack!"
The Basilisk coiled its body, then suddenly leaped up, its enormous, terrifying eyes fixed on the mirror on the ground.
At that moment, all the mirrors on the ground reflected the Basilisk's image and its terrifying eyes.
The mirrors on the ground resembled bright, silvery scales. After reflecting the Basilisk's eyes, they made it look as if a multi-eyed monster had opened its eyes, appearing incredibly bizarre.
Silan had to admit that Lockhart, or rather Tom Riddle, had an excellent understanding and application of the Basilisk's abilities.
By reflecting the Basilisk's eyes in a mirror, Basilisk power can be maximized.
If the mirror is broken, the more fragments there are, the more dangerous it becomes, as you might suddenly see the Basilisk's eyes.
While it wouldn't necessarily mean death, being petrified in battle is almost synonymous with losing one's life.
"Don't look in the mirror!"
"Avoid the Basilisk's eyes!"
After being reminded repeatedly, Silan waved her wand and used Transfiguration to turn the Parchment into a black cloth, covering the mirror beside her.
This earned him another vicious glare from Tom, whose anger towards him had reached its peak.
Just who is this guy?
How could a second-grade student know so much about Basilisk?
This is unreasonable!
Upon hearing Silan's reminder, all three professors immediately looked away.
Although they were professors and Silan was a student, they trusted his judgment without hesitation.
After all, ever since Sheeran reminded Snape, Silan had predicted Lockhart's actions several times and managed to escape danger on several occasions.
If it weren't for his reminder, there would probably have been heavy casualties by now.
Upon hearing Silan utter the word "Basilisk," the professors' expressions changed drastically, and they looked at each other in disbelief.
Basilisk.
Created by the Herpo the Foul, this Magical Creatures will kill anyone who looks directly into the eyes of the Basilisk, and will petrify even if seen indirectly.
This is the monster from Chamber of Secrets?!
A problem that had troubled them for a long time was finally solved.
Snape and Professor Flitwick immediately waved their wands, conjuring many black cloths that covered the mirrors on the ground.
Professor Sprout, on the other hand, scattered a handful of seeds.
The seeds fell to the ground and quickly transformed into writhing vines, covering the mirror on the ground.
Snape glanced at Silan with some surprise.
How did Prewett know it was Basilisk, and how did he come to know so much about Basilisk abilities?
This is not part of the first or second grade curriculum.
Just as Snape was pondering this, a scream suddenly came from behind him.
The student who squeezed past Lee Jordan to look out accidentally saw his eyes in the mirror and froze.
He was unlucky; he happened to see a mirror that wasn't covered up.
"Fools! Didn't Prewett warn you?"
"I know without a doubt it must be Gryffindor idiot. If it's Slytherin, I'll expel him!" Snape cursed through gritted teeth, but he didn't have time to check on the students.
The Basilisk fell from the sky with a dull thud.
"Attack!" Tom said coldly.