Just as the crowd was about to completely spiral out of control, a clear and authoritative rebuke suddenly pierced through all the chaos.
"Everyone—quiet! Stop immediately!"
Professor McGonagall hurried down the corridor, wand in hand, and strode confidently between the crowd and the wall of blood-written letters.
The students, who had been in complete chaos, fell silent instantly. Their hurried steps came to an abrupt halt, and even their sobs were forced back down.
Filch was left only with heavy breathing.
Professor McGonagall didn't look at the glaring blood-red words on the wall, nor at the petrified Mrs. Norris; her gaze first steadily swept over each panicked face:
"Where are the Prefect?! Immediately lead your students out of this corridor. No looking back, no lingering, no whispering! Return to the common room as quickly as possible. No one is to step out without a professor's permission!"
The Prefect quickly regained their composure and began organizing the students' evacuation, their voices still trembling, but they were trying their best to maintain order.
After settling the students in, Professor McGonagall turned to look at the dark red text written by the castle itself on the wall, her brow furrowing deeply.
She showed no fear, only an extreme solemnity, and then quickly walked to Filch's side:
" Mr. Filch, please calm down. Mrs. Norris is merely petrified, not beyond redemption. Madam Pomfrey will do her best to find a solution."
Having said that, she raised her wand, aimed it at the eerie writing on the wall that was still faintly glowing, and said in a deep voice, " Incarcerous!"
A silver light swept across the wall, firmly sealing the line of blood-red characters and preventing it from spreading or changing.
Having done all this, Professor McGonagall looked again at the students who had begun an orderly evacuation, her tone becoming more serious:
"Don't panic, don't speculate, and certainly don't spread baseless rumors! The Hogwarts professors will handle any danger! Now, return to your houses immediately—that's an order!"
Her authority acted as a solid barrier, firmly preventing the castle from collapsing in panic.
In the evacuating crowd, Harry gripped Ron's arm tightly, his face as pale as paper.
The increasingly clear Parseltongue in his ears overlapped with the warnings on the wall, sending chills down his spine.
Back to the Headmaster's Office.
The silence was so oppressive it was almost suffocating.
"There's no point in guessing now. We have no evidence, no target, and we don't even know what methods the other side used."
Draco broke the silence, his expression regaining some of its usual calm.
He looked at Dumbledore and said, "We'll have to wait and see how things develop."
"The other party will definitely not stop at this one thing. Since he wants to escalate the situation, he will definitely take further action."
Hermione followed his train of thought.
If the other party takes action again, they will definitely leave new clues. No matter how well hidden they are, there will always be traces to follow.
Dumbledore rested his chin on his hand, gazing at the composed and astute young man before him, and slowly nodded:
"You're right, Draco. Being too eager to verify things makes it easier to fall into their trap."
"The castle will be much more dangerous than ever in the coming days." Dumbledore's gaze slowly swept over Draco, then gently landed on Hermione.
"You two must look after each other and stay in each other's sight. Miss Granger, your intellect will be our most crucial asset, and Draco..."
After a brief pause, Dumbledore continued:
"You know Tom Riddle's methods better than anyone else; you can sense the shadows we can't see."
"I understand," Draco replied casually.
He turned his head, glanced at Hermione who was still tense beside him, gently touched her wrist, and whispered:
"Don't worry, I'm here. I won't let you get involved in unnecessary danger."
Hermione looked at him and softly hummed in agreement. Her previously anxious heart inexplicably calmed down a bit.
Dumbledore picked up a lemon candy, slowly put it in his mouth, and as the sweetness spread, he whispered:
"Let's wait patiently. The next time we take action, the truth will surely come to light."
"That's all for tonight. Go back and get some rest. Remember—don't go anywhere alone, especially avoid the castle's secluded corridors."
Draco stood up and helped Hermione along.
He nodded slightly and said nothing more.
Hermione quickly stood up as well, and whispered, "Thank you, Professor."
Only now did her heart, which had been hanging in mid-air, finally settle slightly, but her mind was still filled with Chamber of Secrets, the Basilisk, the diary, and fragments of a soul...
Countless astonishing secrets are intertwined.
It made her dizzy.
The two turned around and followed him out of the Headmaster's Office.
The door closed silently behind me.
The corridor was empty.
The noise of the students had long since disappeared.
Only after completely leaving the area of Headmaster's Office did Hermione finally manage to ask in shock:
" Draco... what the headmaster said was all true? Harry has... a fragment of Voldemort's soul? The monster in the Chamber of Secrets is Basilisk? And that diary..."
She asked a series of questions.
The secret she heard that night was more terrifying than anything she had learned at Hogwarts over the past year.
Draco stopped and turned to look at her.
"Shh—" He gently raised his hand and pressed it to her lips, signaling her to be quiet.
He lowered his voice considerably, "Walls have ears; the castle is more dangerous than you think."
Hermione shut her mouth and nodded.
Draco slowly lowered his hand.
"Everything you want to know is true," he continued in a low voice. "I gave the diary to Dumbledore because it contained Voldemort's memories from his youth, capable of controlling people and opening the Chamber of Secrets —I thought that once I dealt with it, everything would be over."
"But now... the Chamber of Secrets is still open."
He gazed into the darkness at the far end of the corridor and said in a deep voice, "In other words, there might be another person, with something we don't know, working for Voldemort."
Hermione's heart skipped a beat. "Then... who could it be?"
Draco shook his head slightly, his gaze sweeping across the empty corridor. "I don't know. But we'll find out soon enough."
He naturally took Hermione's hand.
I led her towards the stairwell.
Until then, you must stay by my side.
"Don't go to the library alone, don't go to the girls' restroom alone, and don't go anywhere where there's no one around."
" The Basilisk's eyes."
It will petrify anyone who looks directly at it.
Hermione's heart skipped a beat at his serious tone, and she obediently followed him forward.
Hermione clutched Draco's sleeve, and as they walked, she finally couldn't suppress the questions surging in her heart:
" Draco... what exactly is the Chamber of Secrets? I still don't quite understand what you and the headmaster were talking about."
Draco stopped and looked around the empty corridor to make sure there was no one eavesdropping.
He then pulled her against the cold stone wall.
"This is a taboo subject at Hogwarts, and few dare to mention it."
He lowered his voice and spoke slowly.
"Fifty years ago, the Chamber of Secrets was opened once, exactly the same as now—bloody words appeared on the walls, students had one accident after another, and finally one person died."
Hermione's fingers clenched instantly. "D-someone's dead?"