Dead People Breed Fear More Easily

Faced with Dumbledore's probing gaze, Harry quickly said:

"Ron was taken away by Filch before the dinner began."

"Immediately pinpoint his location."

Dumbledore looked at William, seemingly asking Amap question using a smart voice assistant.

William took a Hogwarts Map out of his ring.

Lockhart leaned closer, but William subtly shielded his eyes, refusing to let him see.

It was covered with students' names and various secret passages, completely different from what he sold at school. How could he show it to Lockhart?

"He's still in Filch's office." William glanced at the map. "Alone."

"Professor McGonagall, could you please bring Mr. Weasley here? I need to ask him some questions."

Professor McGonagall nodded and left the Hospital Wing.

"Madam Pomfrey, could you please get me some medicine? I think Mr. Filch will wake up soon, and I believe he needs to replenish his strength," Dumbledore continued to instruct.

Madam Pomfrey turned and walked toward a room.

"Harry, haven't you had dinner yet?" Dumbledore concern. "How about some fruit tarts?"

Harry wanted to say he had no appetite, but his stomach started growling.

Dumbledore waved his wand, and a fruit pie and a cup of hot milk appeared on a table not far away.

Well... I am indeed a bit hungry, Harry will reluctantly eat something.

Harry is now just waiting for Filch to come to his senses, clear his name, and then prove Lockhart and Snape, who doubted him, wrong.

There was no attack, that's all. We can't wrong an honest person!

Harry had never been so eager to hear Filch speak.

Snape walked over to Filch.

William stepped forward as well, "Principal, if you don't mind..."

"Of course." Dumbledore turned slightly to the side.

Snape snorted and made way for William.

William did not examine Filch's wounds, even though he had already done so when he found Filch.

He collected the blood clots that had formed on Filch's body into a test tube, intending to study them when he got back.

Filch had a fatal wound in his chest, but the bleeding unexpectedly stopped... a special substance helped stop the bleeding.

Most importantly, all those blood clots had petrified... This characteristic is extremely rare.

As a Potions Master, William needs to go back and investigate to determine what substance caused it.

Snape clearly thought the same thing, and he acted even faster William.

People who are "homebodies" are terrifying, whether they're deadbeat couch potatoes or tech geeks.

Footsteps sounded in the distance.

Ron was brought by Professor McGonagall; he was filthy and reeked of mud.

"What happened, Headmaster?" Ron asked, looking somewhat fearful and confused.

"Ron, what happened to you?" Dumbledore asked gently, his eyes fixed on him.

"I fell into the Black Lake."

How did you end up in the Black Lake?

"Last year William and his friends caught a Merpeople, and I want to catch one too, to give to Harry as a Halloween present," Ron explained quickly.

These words sent a warm current through Harry's body, from the outside in, making him so excited he almost cried out...

Sure enough, Ron was his best buddy!

Harry suddenly felt that even the pure milk in his mouth didn't seem so pure anymore.

He took a bite of the fruit pie and sighed softly.

For some reason, the two hadn't whispered sweet nothings in the same bed for a long time, and Harry felt tonight was a good opportunity.

Ron, unaware that Harry planned to spend the night with him, continued, "I stepped on the mud, slipped, and fell into the Black Lake."

Then I returned to the castle and was captured by Filch.

He said I had dirtied the floor and told me to go to his office, so I went with him.

"And then, why did Mr. Filch leave the office?" Dumbledore asked.

"There's a really bad smell coming from outside. He said it was Peeves's prank, grabbed a broom and rushed out, leaving me in the office... By the way, what happened to Mr. Filch?"

"He was attacked."

"Who attacked?" Ron's face turned pale.

No one answered him.

Professor Snape gave Ron a malicious glance and asked, "You've been in Filch's office for so long, and he hasn't come back yet, so you're not going to leave?"

I don't believe all Weasley are that honest.

"I was asleep!" Ron said, annoyed.

Professor McGonagall said seriously, "When I arrived, Mr. Weasley was indeed asleep at his desk."

"You don't suspect me, do you?" Ron growled. "Why did I attack Filch? Just because I was in his office when he got into trouble?!"

Just then, a cough came from the hospital bed.

Filch finally woke up.

Madam Pomfrey quickly forced him to drink the Potions.

Filch drank the Potions like a puppet.

"Filch, who attacked you?" Lockhart asked enthusiastically as he leaned closer.

Filch looked blank, as if he was thinking about how to... speak.

"Who is it, Argus?" Dumbledore asked again.

Filch stiffly straightened his upper body, his head turning mechanically, like a zombie.

His gaze swept over Ron, paused only briefly, and then abruptly turned to... Harry!

Filch's lips moved slightly, the sound seeming to be forced out from his throat.

"Harry Potter!"

Filch's deep voice echoed in the candlelit room.

Everyone remained silent.

Harry was so shocked that he sprayed out the milk.

Caught red-handed and identified by the victim... for a moment, Harry almost believed it too.

"Could it be that I have schizophrenia, and it's a second personality that caused this?!"

If William knew what Harry was thinking, he would probably scoff.

"Child, don't claim to be mentally ill every time something happens. That excuse doesn't work in the Wizarding World."

Headmaster's Office

Dumbledore sat down in the chair, his flowing silver hair and beard Winky in the candlelight.

He touched the tips of his two long, slender fingers together, rested his chin on them, and gazed at the ceiling through his half-moon shaped glasses, as if lost in thought.

William sat opposite him, also deep in thought, but he almost fell asleep as he pondered.

William shook his head and asked:

"Professor, didn't you guess the monster in the Chamber of Secrets was Basilisk?"

Dumbledore nodded.

"I killed the Basilisk last semester, so are there other monsters in the Chamber of Secrets?" William asked doubtfully.

Dumbledore's expression was extremely grave.

"William, the Basilisk has never been important. Slytherin has left that room for nearly a thousand years, and the Basilisk has never attacked any students on its own initiative."

I don't want to say it's harmless, but I must point out, does it really matter whether there's Basilisk or Chamber of Secrets?

The danger never came from the Basilisk, but from humans!

William nodded convincingly, pondered for a moment, and said, "What's your take on tonight's events? Who's lying?"

"What do you think?" Dumbledore countered.

Ron's explanation was reasonable, but Filch and Harry found it strange.

"That's right." Dumbledore. "Harry was where he shouldn't have been, Filch identified someone he shouldn't have."

"Filch is behaving very strangely. Could he be under Imperius Curse?"

Dumbledore shook his head. "It's not the Imperius Curse... I can't say for sure right now, but I've seen similar things before and need to investigate."

William nodded slightly.

Dumbledore seasoned and shrewd man who has seen it all.

"Professor, there's still something I don't understand, and I need your clarification."

"The other side left a message that the Chamber of Secrets had been opened, clearly to spread fear and tell us... the attack has begun, the game has begun."

So,

Why didn't he kill Filch?

dead,

It's not about comparing living people.

Does it make people more prone to fear?

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