Like a forum thread's original poster, Hermione noticed that the conversation had gone off topic again and promptly steered it back.
"Professor, is there any connection between Voldemort's Parseltongue and Harry's Parseltongue?
"Or could it be..."
At this point, Hermione suddenly shut her mouth and glanced at Harry.
Everyone present realized what Hermione had been about to say.
Harry went pale again. He dared not imagine it.
In the year or so since he had entered the wizarding world, everyone had said his parents were heroes who had fought Voldemort's forces, which was why Voldemort had hunted them down.
And the reason he had survived the Avada Kedavra curse was that his mother had protected him with an ancient form of magic at the very end.
But now it seemed there might be more to it.
Was it because Voldemort and I both spoke Parseltongue, so I posed a threat to him?
So I was the one who got my parents killed?
Seeing Harry's expression keep changing and his body shaking uncontrollably, Ron and Hermione stepped forward to comfort him.
Even Fang, who had been gnawing on a bone nearby all this time, noticed that something was wrong with the atmosphere in the room and shrank farther into the corner with his bone in his mouth.
Hagrid was at a loss too. "Douglas!"
Douglas waved a hand at him and said quietly, "It's all right!"
Then he stepped forward and gently ruffled Harry's hair.
"Want to know the answer?"
Then he said to Ron and Hermione:
"You two should head back to school first. Don't tell anyone about what happened today, or you'll cause trouble for Harry."
Hearing Douglas's words, Ron and Hermione patted Harry on the shoulder.
Then they said goodbye to Hagrid and Douglas in turn and left