A large cloud, dark and ominous, floated over and covered the sky, obscuring the bright moon that had been shining down on the Hogwarts campus. A sudden gust of wind blew on the spacious lawn, making the grass sway and rustle. The Hogwarts castle on the cliff was brightly lit, but the flickering candles in the windows seemed to convey a sense of panic and anxiety that pervaded the school.
Bryan escorted the three distraught young wizards back to the Gryffindor common room, his face grave and solemn. Harry seemed to sense that he would take some action next, and he felt a surge of guilt and regret. Standing in front of the portrait of the Fat Lady, who looked at them with concern, he asked Professor Watson if he could do something to help.
"It's all because of me–"
Harry didn't dare to look into Ron's eyes, which were red and swollen from crying. He lowered his head and said sadly,
"If I had been more alert, not so easily trusting that notebook, maybe Ginny wouldn't have been taken into that chamber, Hagrid wouldn't have been taken away by the Ministry of Magic, and Lucius Malfoy wouldn't have found a chance to drive away Dumbledore!"
"It's not your fault, Harry–"
Hermione patted Harry's back with a gentle voice, trying to comfort him.
"Many wizards with more experience than you couldn't resist the temptation of the You-Know-Who. We didn't notice that the diary was hiding evil intentions."
She looked at Bryan with a hopeful expression, wondering if he had any clues or plans.
"Hogwarts can't afford to lose another young wizard, Potter–"
Bryan's memory hidden in the dormitory had told him some key information, but it didn't mention the specific location of the chamber. He looked at Harry who was depressed, and smiled with a hint of meaning.
"The snake monster in the chamber is not something that an ungraduated young wizard can easily deal with. If you accidentally encounter it, remember not to look at it–"
He winked at Harry, implying that he knew something more.
On the way back to his office, Bryan met Professor McGonagall outside the hospital wing on the fourth floor. She was furious, scolding a few older Hufflepuff girls who had been caught sneaking out of their dormitory. Seeing Bryan coming from afar, Professor McGonagall stopped scolding, and let Filch escort them back to their dormitory with a stern warning.
"These students!" Professor McGonagall's face was pale, and she clenched her lips and spat out word by word. "They actually sneaked out to find Gilderoy, hoping he could help them deal with that heir. It's ridiculous that even Albus can't do anything about it–" She sighed and shook her head, as if she had lost faith in those students.
"It can only be said that Professor Lockhart's books do have a decent charm."
Bryan shrugged and said, then he saw Professor McGonagall take out a lace handkerchief and gently wipe her eyes behind her square glasses. She said with a nasal voice,
"–Before Fudge came here, he told me that tomorrow the head of Auror Office Rufus Scrimgeour will bring people to occupy the castle and thoroughly investigate Hogwarts and the students and staff in the school. I really hope that the person who did all this secretly can feel ashamed of their actions and take responsibility for them. I don't know how to explain to Arthur and Molly that Hogwarts couldn't protect their daughter!"
By the time Bryan comforted Professor McGonagall's mood and collected his panoramic telescopes placed in the school corridor back to his office, it was already past ten o'clock at night.
Only half of the images on the monitoring wall in the office were still working. From Gryffindor dormitory to the third floor of the school, all plunged into darkness.
"The third floor?" With just this point, Bryan confirmed this key information. He sat cross-legged on the ground, spread out those panoramic telescopes that were damaged by freezing curses in front of him, and began to repair one by one. The magic corridor inside them was severely damaged. Bryan took a while to complete this task.
Huh– When time came to eleven o'clock, Bryan stood up and took out his wand and pointed it at the panoramic telescope on the ground. Under the traction of magic, hundreds of thousands of golden sand-like light gradually gathered into a series of frozen images in mid-air. The remaining information in the images made Bryan squint his eyes.
Sure enough, apart from Ginny Weasley, there was no one else in the picture!
Bryan watched Ginny holding a black diary walk out from behind the portrait of the Fat Lady by herself. She showed a deep and gloomy smile at the position where Bryan placed his panoramic telescope on the ceiling of the corridor. Then she suddenly waved her wand. The original smooth picture suddenly shook violently and then went completely black. Bryan felt a chill in his heart. He knew that Ginny had been possessed by the diary, and that she was going to the chamber of secrets.
Ginny's last appearance was on the third floor. She stood at the corner of the third floor staircase and destroyed Bryan's panoramic telescopes as before. Her final destination was unknown. Bryan wondered what was there on the third floor that could lead to the chamber. Could it be that Slytherin's chamber was located there? He had to find out as soon as possible.
Knock knock knock!
Just as Bryan's thoughts fell into a brief trance for a moment, his office door suddenly banged loudly. Judging from the frequency and urgency, the visitor's mood should be very anxious.
The door was not opened yet, but Bryan had already sensed who the visitor was from the magic perspective. He couldn't help but look a little surprised.
"Miss Granger?"
Bryan moved his finger and the office door opened by itself with a click. Hermione, who was almost leaning on the door, stumbled in. She looked pale and exhausted, but her eyes were shining with determination.
"Can you explain why, at this moment of silence, you violated the school rules and Professor McGonagall's orders and came to my office in the middle of the night?"
"Professor Watson!" If it were normal, Hermione might have been trembling and apologizing when a professor spoke to her with such a displeased attitude, but now, she completely ignored Professor Watson's frowning brows and ran directly to Bryan's front in three steps and two steps. She restrained herself from pulling Bryan's sleeve with the only remaining reason, but her tone was still extremely urgent.
"Professor, we found the location of the chamber!"
Bryan suddenly frowned. He looked at the young witch seriously, and judged in an instant that Hermione was not lying. This is really a strange thing. He had clearly sent them back to the Gryffindor common room. Could it be that these stubborn little guys ran out to search the castle again?
"Tell me in detail about your findings, Miss Granger!"
Now is not the time to worry about irrelevant things. Bryan steadied his mind and asked directly.
"Huh, it's like this, Professor Watson!"
Hermione gasped heavily, but now she had no time to ask Professor Watson for a cup of water. She licked her dry lips and said with a hoarse but fast tone.
"It was Harry. We three didn't go back to our dormitory to sleep after returning to the common room, but discussed You-Know-Who's diary in the common room. At first, we talked about some meaningless things, but later, Harry suddenly thought of something very important!"
"What is it?"
Looking at Hermione who suddenly widened her amber eyes, Bryan quickly asked.
"–Before, when Harry was communicating with that diary, he accidentally heard the diary say that fifty years ago, the student who died from the snake attack died in a bathroom!" Hermione said excitedly.
"Go on, Miss Granger!" Bryan's brows moved slightly. His tone revealed obvious excitement. The so-called 'protagonist' is really a magical species. All kinds of opportunities are being stuffed into their hands!
"The bathroom on the third floor!"
Hermione said decisively. "There has always been a ghost in that bathroom. We call her 'Moaning Myrtle'. She is the student who died fifty years ago. We got clues from her. Harry opened the entrance to the chamber. He and Ron went ahead to save Ginny. Huh, Harry asked me to come and tell you this!"
Bryan's shoulders relaxed again. He took a long breath and finally smiled.
"Let's go, Miss Granger." He said warmly. "Let's bring that poor little girl back!" He grabbed his cloak and wand, and gestured Hermione to follow him.
He hoped they were not too late.
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