After extracting one minute of Filch's memories, Tris dodged Mrs. Norris as she pounced at him and leaned against the wall, his entire body merging into its shadow.
But instead of entering the wooden door behind him, he sped through the shadows toward the first floor.
Dumbledore really should have been away from Hogwarts at this hour, but he would probably return soon. Tris had to make the most of this limited window.
Tris had reason to suspect that, as headmaster, Dumbledore knew almost everything that happened in the school. That was why he could always arrange his plans so calmly and keep everything under control.
And the only time he had slipped up and suffered a Horcrux's backlash had been outside the school.
So while Dumbledore was around, Tris dared not try many of his more outrageous little tricks. Tonight was his only chance.
With magic helping him along, Tris reached Moaning Myrtle's Washroom on the second floor in just a few breaths.
Moaning Myrtle was nowhere in sight. Whether she had gone into the drains or off to play in the Black Lake, Tris had no time to care. Facing the sink that never produced water, he quickly said in Parseltongue, "Open!"
With a creaking sound, the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets opened at his command.
First step complete!
Tris sensed his surroundings with his primordial spirit and detected no other soul fluctuations. He did not doubt that Dumbledore or the school's other professors possessed extraordinary concealment spells that could completely fool his senses.
But primordial spirit perception differed from the wizarding system and should fall outside the scope of their precautions.
Perhaps Dumbledore could evade this kind of detection too, but only if he knew Tris had such an ability. That was clearly impossible.
*So, no