Chamber of Secrets Mystery

"Argus!"

Headmaster Dumbledore had arrived at the scene with a group of professors following him. He quickly took Mrs Norris down.

"Come with me, Filch," he said to Argus Filch. "You too, Mr Potter, Mr Weasley, and Miss Granger. Mr Su-Fuli, what about you? Where are you going?"

"I'll just tag along," Su Yu said directly, then turned to the girls. "All right, my lovely girls. Take Slytherin back to the common room and wait for me. I'm going to have a look. I'll be back soon."

Sister Fa glanced at him without saying anything, then took Sister Ka and Daphne away. Daphne looked back at Su Yu as she left, and Su Yu nodded at her.

Lockhart stepped forward, looking especially eager to help. "My office is closest, Headmaster—just upstairs—please, make yourselves at home—"

The silent crowd of students quickly parted on their own to let them through. Lockhart followed excitedly behind Dumbledore, striding along with misplaced confidence, while Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape hurried after them as well.

When they entered Lockhart's gloomy office, Harry saw several curly-haired Lockharts in the paintings scrambling to get out of the crowd's way. The real Lockhart lit the candles on his desk, then stepped back to one side.

Dumbledore laid Mrs Norris on the smooth tabletop and began examining her. Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat heavily in chairs beside the candlesticks, while Su Yu continued reclining in the chair he had used that day. The three of them watched Dumbledore, exchanging anxious looks from time to time.

Headmaster Dumbledore's long, crooked nose was only a foot from Mrs Norris's fur. He studied her carefully through his half-moon spectacles, his long fingers gently prodding her. Professor McGonagall bent over beside him, squinting as she looked closely. Professor Snape stood behind them, partly obscured and barely visible, with a strange expression on his face, as though he were trying hard not to laugh aloud. Lockhart moved around among them, occasionally offering his own opinions on the matter.

"A spell must have killed her—possibly the Transfiguration Torture Curse. I've seen it used many times. It's a pity I wasn't there just now, otherwise I know a counter-curse that could have saved her—"

Lockhart's remarks were repeatedly interrupted by Filch's dull, anguished sobbing. Filch had collapsed into a chair beside the table, burying his face in his hands, unable to look at Mrs Norris. Though Harry hated Filch, he still felt a little sorry for him. Of course, he felt even sorrier for himself, because if Headmaster Dumbledore believed Filch's nonsense, he would definitely be expelled.

Headmaster Dumbledore muttered strange words under his breath as he lightly tapped Mrs Norris with his wand, but nothing happened. He continued examining her as though spellbound.

"...I remember something similar happening at Wagadou in Africa," Lockhart said. "It was a series of attacks as well. I wrote all about it in my autobiography. I can provide some evidence to help you get to the bottom of this."

Then Lockhart seemed to suddenly remember something. He hurriedly made Su Yu a cup of hot tea, brought it over, and reminded him to drink it while it was hot. The whole performance nearly left Headmaster Dumbledore speechless—the old man looked at Lockhart, then at Su Yu, and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly. He said nothing.

A long time passed.

At last, Headmaster Dumbledore straightened up.

"She isn't dead, Argus," he said softly. At those words, Lockhart, who had been counting the murders he had prevented, abruptly stopped.

"Not dead?" Filch asked in astonishment, peering at Mrs Norris through his fingers. "Then why is she completely stiff and motionless, cold all over?"

"She has been Petrified," Dumbledore said. "But as for how she ended up like this, I cannot say..."

"Ask him!" Filch shrieked, turning his dirty, tear-streaked face toward Harry.

"A second-year student could not possibly have done this," Dumbledore said firmly. "It would require very advanced Dark magic—"

"He did it, he did it!" Filch sputtered furiously, his plump face turning purple. "You saw what he wrote on the wall! He found out—in my office—he knows I'm a—I'm a—" A dreadful expression shifted across Filch's face. "He knows I'm a Squib!" he finally blurted out.

"I never touched Mrs Norris!" Harry protested loudly, feeling deeply uncomfortable as he realized everyone was looking at him, including the Lockharts on the walls. "And I don't even know what a Squib is."

Hermione explained what a Squib was to Harry—she had been too busy talking to Su Yu that day and had forgotten to explain it to Harry afterward.

Then Filch began arguing with Harry again. Professor Snape chimed in from time to time, kicking Harry while he was down. He claimed Harry was not telling the truth and should not be allowed to remain on the Quidditch team, and that some of his privileges should be revoked.

Professor McGonagall kept defending Harry from the side. In the end, it was Headmaster Dumbledore's firm declaration—"Unless proven guilty, he remains innocent"—that settled the matter for the night.

Professor Snape looked exceptionally angry, and so did Filch. His cat had been Petrified, and he wanted Harry to pay the price!

Headmaster Dumbledore told Filch that once Professor Sprout's Mandrakes matured, they could brew an antidote, and Mrs Norris would recover then.

"I'll do it," Lockhart cut in. "I must have done it a hundred times. I could brew a restorative draught in my sleep."

"Excuse me," Professor Snape said coldly, "but I believe I am the master of potion-making at this school."

Another awkward silence followed. Su Yu almost laughed out loud—Professor Snape had come tonight to tear into everyone and everything. Professor McGonagall, Harry, Ron, and Lockhart had all been targets. Su Yu silently cheered Professor Snape on.

"You may leave," Headmaster Dumbledore told Harry, Ron, and Hermione, while also glancing at Su Yu. Su Yu spread his hands, watched the three of them hurry out as fast as they could, then followed.

At the turn of the stairs, Su Yu hugged Hermione again. Her hair brushed against his chin, soft and fluffy like cotton candy scattered by the wind. He watched them return to the Gryffindor common room before leaving.

Su Yu turned and returned to the Slytherin common room as well.

When Su Yu entered the Slytherin common room, he found a ball just like last year's. Deep green ribbons and silver stars hung from the ceiling. The fireplace blazed three times brighter than usual, and the long tables were covered with Pumpkin Pasties, roasted chestnuts, and hot butterbeer. Small groups gathered together—some dancing, some chatting, some playing cards at tables in the corners. Blaise leaned against the wall with a glass of red wine, talking to a third-year girl, his smile both flirtatious and punchable.

No matter what, Su Yu was not drinking again this time! He rubbed his stomach. He was still hungry—he had not eaten anything at the ghosts' party. When he reached Daphne and the others, he found that the three girls had saved plenty of food for him. They had put several pieces of toast, roast beef, and mashed potatoes on small plates, covered them with foil to keep them warm, and even prepared a whole pizza cut into neat slices, with a cup of cola beside it.

Su Yu sat down, picked up a fork, and began eating. The Nine-Tailed Fox jumped out of his arms and squatted on the table, using her little paws to paw at the roast beef Daphne had saved for Su Yu. Daphne smacked her paw, and she pulled it back. Once Daphne turned away, she stretched it out again, until Daphne brought out her favorite cheesecake. Then she pounced on it excitedly.

When Su Yu woke up the next day, he realized Sister Fa had tricked him again last night. He had wondered why the bread had such a strong fermented smell—he had thought it was the sourdough bread Daphne had brought him from the kitchen, so he drank a cup of water. But what happened? He had drunk alcohol! He could overlook them putting alcohol in the bread, but what kind of water had no water in it, only alcohol? Because of that, he did not even know what Sister Fa had done to him last night!

Twice! Two whole years! Su Yu lay in bed, staring at the ceiling with an expression of utter confusion: Who am I? Where am I? What did I go through? Sister Fa slept soundly beside him. If Su Yu's limbs had not been restrained at that moment...

Boys had to protect themselves when they were out and about. Su Yu silently wrote himself a new motto.

During this period, the school talked about little besides Mrs Norris's attack.

Filch often passed through the place where she had been attacked, as though he believed the culprit would return. It kept the incident fresh in everyone's minds.

Harry saw him scrubbing furiously at the message on the wall, but it had no effect. The words remained as conspicuous as ever. He scrubbed them with a brush, tapped them with his wand, and sprayed them with all kinds of cleaning agents, but the writing did not budge, as though it were mocking him. When Filch was not guarding the scene, he began sneaking through the corridors, catching students who did not believe him and trying to lock them up on charges like "breathing too loudly" or "looking too happy."

Crabbe and Goyle got caught once. Filch claimed they were walking too loudly and had shaken dust from the wall, so they were going to detention. Crabbe and Goyle looked blankly at each other, unable to understand what they had done wrong, but obediently followed Filch anyway—after all, they did not care about detention.

On Wednesday in the library, Su Yu held the Nine-Tailed Fox in his arms and stroked her fur. She lay across his lap with her chin resting on his arm, her tail swaying back and forth, her eyes half-closed as she hummed comfortably.

Su Yu had already given up. Professor Binns had assigned every student a three-foot essay on "The Medieval European Wizards' Conference." Damn History of Magic! Ron had already written two feet of it! Su Yu had not written a single word yet!

Daphne had actually finished hers long ago. What she was writing now was Su Yu's, but she did not tell him. She simply wanted to see the furious look on his face. Her expression remained calm, the corners of her lips slightly raised as if she were enjoying some secret amusement.

Hermione, Harry, and Ron were also in the library, but they were looking for books on the history of Hogwarts. Unfortunately, all the books on the subject had already been borrowed out. Other people wanted to know about the Chamber of Secrets too.

Then the bell rang. Su Yu and the others had another class with Gryffindor today—Professor Binns's History of Magic.

Today was as boring as usual. Professor Binns opened his notebook and began reading his notes. His voice was like a vacuum cleaner, low and droning, making everyone in the classroom drowsy. They only woke intermittently to copy down a name or date before falling asleep again. Su Yu had already fallen asleep. He did not want to write down a single word.

Professor Binns lectured for half an hour, and then something that had never happened before occurred—Hermione raised her hand.

Professor Binns snapped out of his dull discussion of the 1289 Wizarding Statute, looked up, and showed an expression of surprise.

"Hmm?"

"Professor, could you tell us about the Chamber of Secrets?" Hermione asked in a clear voice.

In an instant, every student who had not been fully awake lifted their heads to look over. Even model students Theodore and Daphne gave Hermione surprised looks.

Only Su Yu was still asleep.

"My subject is the history of magic," Professor Binns wheezed in his dull voice. "I teach facts, Miss Granger, not myths and legends." He cleared his throat, making a sound like chalk snapping, then continued, "In September of that year, Sardinia—"

He stopped. Hermione was waving her hand again.

"Miss Granger?"

"But sir, aren't legends always based on facts?" Hermione looked Professor Binns straight in the eyes.

Professor Binns stared at her in great surprise. Harry was certain no student, living or dead, had ever dared interrupt him like that before.

"Well," Professor Binns said slowly, "yes, I suppose one could say that." He studied Hermione intently, as though he had never properly looked at a student before. "However, the legend you mentioned is exceedingly sensational, even absurd..."

At that moment, every student in the classroom listened closely to every word Professor Binns said.

"Oh, very well," he said slowly. "Let me think... the secret little room..."

After class, Daphne explained it to Su Yu while smoothing down the hair that had stuck up from his nap.

Hogwarts had four founders: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Slytherin had opposed admitting Muggle-born students, and after falling out with the others, he left. Legend said that before leaving, he secretly built a Chamber of Secrets in the castle that only his true heir could open. Once opened, it would release the monster inside and purge everyone he considered unworthy of learning magic—namely, Muggle-borns.

But it was all nonsense! The school had searched many times. There was no Chamber of Secrets, no monster. It was just a story made up to scare cowards.

To be honest, Su Yu was not interested in that history. It did not matter whether anyone was right or wrong; voicing his opinion would change nothing. Right now, he only wanted to find that diary.