Several cookies that looked freshly baked, still steaming, sat on the plate. Their edges were golden brown, their centers golden yellow, and they were sprinkled with tiny, star-like sugar crystals.
He set the plate on the table and pushed it toward Hermione. "Have one first, Miss Granger. You've talked too much. Your throat needs a rest."
Hermione looked at the plate of cookies, hesitated, then picked one up and took a bite. It was crisp, crumbling into bits in her mouth. The flavors of butter and sugar spread across her tongue, mixed with a faint fragrance she could not tell was vanilla or cinnamon. She chewed twice, swallowed, and took a sip from her teacup.
"I don't know which possibility is right. But we can't pin everything on Hagrid just because he raised a giant spider. Nor can we ignore the danger those spiders may pose just because Hagrid might be innocent. The truth is often not simply black or white. It may be gray. There are many shades of gray."
He paused, looking at Hermione, then at Harry. Harry was still staring at the layer of condensation he had wiped from the cup. It had already formed again, leaving the glass covered in a thin, pale mist.
"The most important thing for you now isn't determining who the culprit is. It's finding the true entrance to the Chamber of Secrets, and finding what's inside. Whether it's a Basilisk, a spider, or something else. Only by finding it can you prove Hagrid is innocent and prove that you aren't the heir." Lockhart's voice was quiet, but every word was clear.
Hermione took out a fresh piece of parchment from her pocket, spread it over the table, and wrote several lines with her quill. Her handwriting was neat, every letter evenly