Shawn did not immediately use the password to summon the basilisk, which had yet to appear. Instead, he paced around, examining the Chamber of Secrets. Aside from the snake statues and the vast, empty vaulted ceiling, there was little else here.
In truth, this was all a cover, because he was starting to feel embarrassed again.
After all, the password Tom had given him was far too cringeworthy.
Having other people kneel before him and loudly swear their loyalty was one kind of over-the-top theatrics. Personally shouting a ridiculously grandiose, bootlicking password was an entirely different experience.
After hesitating for a while, he returned to the statue and held his breath, his toes practically curling hard enough to carve out an entire Hogwarts. Just before he suffocated himself, he finally shouted in Parseltongue.
"Hiss-hah-ssah~ hiss~ hiss-hah-ssah-hiss! (Salazar Slytherin is the greatest wizard!)"
Rumble!
As the password Shawn shouted rang out, something happened.
The enormous stone statue suddenly lit up with a hazy green glow, which swept over Shawn like a ripple. Then the statue's huge mouth opened like a gate.
Before Shawn could even react, the green light vanished.
Cold sweat beaded on his forehead. He really had no experience exploring secret chambers! If that had been an offensive spell, he would probably have paid dearly for it.
He waited quietly for over ten seconds before a rustling, slithering sound came from beyond the gate.
Having learned his lesson, Shawn quickly turned his head aside, lowered his eyelids slightly, and gripped his wand.
High overhead, the Yinglong Patronus also swooped down, ready to fight at any moment.
Then came the sound of something enormous entering the water.
Shawn suddenly felt his body stiffen, but the sensation vanished immediately. His Patronus, which had already developed a measure of awareness, also relayed