Professor Binns finished his story, and the classroom fell silent.
Everyone was digesting Professor Binns's story. Compared with the actual history, they were more willing to believe the bizarre, outlandish legend he had told.
Many of them hoped Professor Binns would go on.
But the old ghost was clearly getting annoyed.
"The whole thing is utter nonsense!" he said. "If such a chamber really existed, successive headmasters would have found it and cleared it out long ago."
"Only simple-minded people would be frightened by it."
Hermione raised her fair arm high and asked a question.
"Sir-you just mentioned the 'horror within' the Chamber of Secrets. What did you mean?"
"People believe it is some sort of monster that only the Heir of Slytherin can control," Professor Binns said in his dry, thin voice.
It's a basilisk, Su Er thought silently. After all, with the advantage of foreknowledge, he knew this better than anyone.
But Professor Binns clearly had no desire to continue.
"I'm telling you, that thing does not exist. There is no Chamber of Secrets, and there is no monster."
Another young wizard raised a hand.
"But, sir-if only the Heir of Slytherin can open the Chamber of Secrets, then perhaps nobody else can find it at all, can they?"
"Nonsense!" Professor Binns said irritably. "Since so many headmasters have failed to find the thing-"
"But, Professor," a young witch said shrilly, "perhaps you have to use dark magic-"
"The fact that successive headmasters did not use dark magic does not mean they couldn't!" Professor Binns said impatiently. "Even someone like Dumbledore-"
"Perhaps only someone connected to Slytherin can-"
"Enough!" Professor Binns's tone was stern, his expression irritated. Su Er could even see flames in his eyes. "This is only a legend! It does not exist at all! I