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As Harry left the Slytherin common room and climbed the stairs towards the Great Hall, he noticed two girls approaching the door as well. Holding the door open for them, he gestured with a smile. "Ms. Weasley and Ms. Lovegood, please."
Ginny blushed as she stepped through. "Thank you, Mr. Potter."
Luna, with her dreamy expression, was more direct. "Thank you, Harry."
As they reached the table, the two girls sighed sadly. "Let's meet after the meal," Ginny suggested to her friend.
Luna nodded somberly.
Harry chuckled, "Why don't you sit together since you want to?"
Both girls looked at him in surprise, as if he'd suggested something outrageous like destroying Hogwarts to build a nightclub. The archaic traditions of Hogwarts didn't allow students from different houses to share tables, but Harry had often sat with friends from other houses. He had often ignored such conventions, eating with friends from different houses regularly.
"We can do that?" they asked in unison, their voices filled with curiosity.
Harry smiled. "Of course. There's no rule against it. Come on, I'll show you."
He led them to the Hufflepuff table, since he was from Slytherin, Ginny from Gryffindor, and Luna from Ravenclaw. Sitting at the Hufflepuff table would allow them to bring all four houses together. Finding Susan and Hannah, Harry sat next to them with Ginny on his side while Luna sat across from him next to Hannah.
"Hi, Susan, Hannah," Harry greeted as he sat down. "Mind if we join you?"
Susan smiled warmly. "Not at all, Harry. It's great to have some company."
Hannah nodded, looking curious. "Who are your friends?"
Harry introduced them. "This is Ginny Weasley from Gryffindor and Luna Lovegood from Ravenclaw. Ginny, Luna, this is Susan Bones and Hannah Abbott from Hufflepuff."
Ginny smiled shyly. "Nice to meet you both."
Luna, her usual dreamy self, added, "Hello. I like your hair, Hannah. It looks like sunlight."
Hannah blushed at the compliment. "Thank you, Luna."
As they settled in, the group started chatting. At first, the conversation was a bit awkward, but soon enough, they found common ground.
"So, how long have you two known each other?" Susan asked Ginny and Luna.
Ginny smiled, glancing at Luna. "Since we were little. Our families live near each other."
Luna nodded, her eyes distant. "Yes, we used to play in the woods and look for magical creatures."
Harry, intrigued, asked, "Magical creatures? Like what?"
Luna's face lit up. "Oh, many kinds! Thestrals, Nargles, and Wrackspurts. They're fascinating."
Harry frowned, "I know Thestrals, but what are Nargles and Wrackspurts?" he asked in his mind.
Nigel, uncharacteristically silent for a moment, finally responded, "Well, they are creatures of imagination."
Harry tilted his head in confusion, "You mean she is making them up?"
Nigel chuckled, "Well, she is making them alright."
Harry decided to dig a bit more. "Luna, what exactly are Nargles and Wrackspurts?" he asked, genuinely curious.
Luna's eyes sparkled. "Nargles are mischievous creatures that infest mistletoe, and Wrackspurts are invisible creatures that float into your ears and make your brain go fuzzy."
Harry nodded, intrigued by her vivid descriptions. "Interesting. I'll have to keep an eye out for them."
Susan and Hannah smiled at Luna's enthusiastic explanations, while Ginny just shook her head, used to her friend's unique worldview. As they ate, the conversation flowed naturally, covering various topics from classes to magical creatures.
After lunch, Harry decided to visit the Chamber of the Serpent's Will for more research on basilisks. The Elders' Council had many legendary members, and he reckoned some might provide insights into his troubles. Since everything he discussed with the Shadows remained between them, he felt free to reveal some things. Today, he wanted to ask if the Invisibility Cloak could hide him from the Basilisk's lethal gaze. He still didn't know what exactly killed people. Was it an invisible beam that passed through the wizard? The Thunderbird had mentioned that using reflective surfaces prevented instant death, suggesting an invisible beam was plausible, but Harry needed to confirm this before taking action.
One thing that baffled Harry when he first saw the Elder Council was the age of some of the shadows. By right, all the previous Serpent of the Crowns should have been in their teens, as the title was meant for students. After graduating, the title would be taken away from them, so how could there be old or middle-aged people among the shadows? Well, the room had the ability to upgrade the elders if the previous Serpents were willing. When a former Serpent of the Crown visited the school, the room would ask if they wanted to upgrade the shadow's knowledge, as older was wiser.
Harry walked into the Chamber of the Serpent's Will, pondering over the upcoming Duelling Club meeting. The task of organizing and leading it felt overwhelming, but he was determined to make it a success. As the shadows of the Elders' Council began to form around him, Harry felt a sense of anticipation. He had questions that needed answers.
"Good day, Elders," Harry greeted, his voice respectful but firm. "I have a few questions about Basilisks and how to protect myself from their lethal gaze. Is it true that using an Invisibility Cloak can hide me from its sight?"
One of the shadows, appearing older and more distinguished, stepped forward. "The Invisibility Cloak can indeed provide protection. It bends light around you, making you invisible to the naked eye, including the eyes of a Basilisk. However, be cautious. The cloak does not render you invulnerable. The Basilisk's gaze is deadly, and relying solely on the cloak is risky if you look at them instead. You just escape your gaze just in case."
Harry now knew that his cloak was different from other Invisibility Cloaks. His was linked to one of the three entities of creation according to Nigel. He was also reminded of this when he was leaving the room with the Mirror of Erised. At that time, Snape had used Homenum Revelio while Harry was under the cloak, and the spell couldn't even detect him. Harry knew other invisibility cloaks didn't have this function. Hearing what the elder said made him more assured. Since even regular invisibility cloaks could protect from the Basilisk's gaze, his should be even better. He then looked at the shadows and asked, "Has any of you entered the Chamber of Secrets before?"
The answer was unanimous, "No."
Harry sighed, feeling the weight of the unknown. "Alright, I guess I'll be the first then," he muttered. He looked up at the elders. "Do you have any advice for facing a Basilisk?"
One of the shadows stepped forward, its voice echoing with wisdom. "Avoid direct eye contact, use mirrors or reflective surfaces to view the creature indirectly. Be aware of its venom, and if you must confront it, ensure you have a method to heal or counteract its poison."
Harry nodded, absorbing the information. "Thank you. I'll make sure to prepare accordingly."
After dismissing the shadows, Harry's face turned into a frown. The soul in the Diary, Tom Marvolo Riddle, had entered the Chamber of Secrets. Harry had checked the school books and found out about this brilliant student. Although his whereabouts after he graduated were unknown, he was a star student of his time, and he was a Slytherin. He was liked by everyone, and his magical prowess was strong as well. By right, he should have been the Serpent of the Crown of his time, so at least a shadow in the room must have entered the Chamber of Secrets. Then, one of the Shadows was lying, which was impossible. According to the room's will, Shadows were enforced to speak only the truth.
"Could it be he wasn't Serpent?" he asked aloud, puzzling over the mystery.
Nigel's voice came smoothly, "An intriguing theory, Master Harry. If Riddle was not the Serpent of the Crown, it begs the question of who held the title during his time. Perhaps there's a hidden story waiting to be uncovered."
Harry nodded thoughtfully, considering Nigel's words. "Maybe he found a way to bypass the usual traditions. He was known for his cunning and ambition."
Nigel replied, "Indeed, Master Harry. Cunning and ambition are traits that often lead to unorthodox methods. It's quite possible he circumvented the established order to gain access to the Chamber."
Harry sighed, rubbing his temples. "This just keeps getting more complicated. I'll need to dig deeper into the school's history and find out more about his time here. There must be records or clues somewhere."
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