The Basilisk

"Ah? A happy ending for everyone—that's a good thing." The moment Kane finished speaking, Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked at him even more seriously.

"...All right, all right, let me guess. Besides Filch being petrified, was there something else? Like some words appearing on the wall?" Kane asked helplessly.

After Kane said that, Harry and the other two became even more serious. They quickly dragged Kane to their usual hideout. "How did you know?"

Hermione took a deep breath, as though considering whether she should say it. Although she had previously entertained plenty of unhealthy, tasteless, bizarre thoughts—such as Kane's interest-free Gringotts loan business or his Diagon Alley demolition scam—

She had only been maligning that disgusting Celestial Dragon in her head. Of course, the main point was the Celestial Dragon part, not Kane himself. She truly did not believe Kane would petrify Filch over a verbal dispute, much less that he was the Heir of Slytherin written about on the wall.

Although it made logical sense, it did not feel right emotionally.

At the very least, in Hermione's eyes, Kane was absurd beyond measure, but he truly was not a bad person.

The three of them were waiting for Kane to give them a definite answer. Had he petrified Filch when he went out last night?

Clearly, Kane did not disappoint them. He shook his head. "It wasn't me. I went to Dumbledore's Office last night to discuss something. Before Filch was petrified, his cat, Mrs Norris, was petrified first."

"Neville and I found Mrs Norris after she was petrified. It was also because of Mrs Norris that Filch misunderstood me, and I gave him a good scolding. That was all."

The three of them sighed in relief upon hearing Kane's answer. Now that made sense. Kane might dress