Lohat was a clueless wizard, neither powerful nor possessing a multitude of formidable spells. His greatest expertise lay in the use of the Memory Charm.
If spells were to be ranked, his Memory Charm would undoubtedly be regarded as a master-level enchantment.
With this master-level spell, he had lived a life filled with envy from others. Had no accidents occurred, he would have continued to live in such enviable circumstances.
Unfortunately, he made a foolish decision this time, choosing to teach at Hogwarts, which embroiled him in a vicious conflict.
To make matters worse, he lacked the necessary power to navigate the situation. Had he been strong enough, he might have salvaged the situation, but without strength, venturing into the most perilous of places was destined to lead to tragedy.
What was most unfortunate was that his luck had already been exhausted. His Memory Charm had reached its maximum level, even his broken wand could still unleash it, only to be backfired by the wand. His fate was sealed the moment he cast the spell, as if it were predetermined.
Had his luck been better, he might have avoided falling into this trap.
Zhao Lun believed that, with this individual's flamboyant nature, even if he were to escape this danger, it was likely he would find himself in even more troublesome situations in the future, with the greatest possibility being the loss of his life.
Considering this, his outcome could be seen as fortunate. In future conflicts, many wizards would perish, while he, in a wizarding hospital, had the fortune of escaping the heart of the war, thus preserving his life.
Since he had fainted, Zhao Lun chose to no longer concern himself with him. Though this person was loathsome, he had never taken a life, and his outcome evoked no further thoughts of malice.
Ron made no objections to their decision, as he, too, was unarmed.
Zhao Lun and Potter proceeded cautiously yet resolutely.
With the basilisk deprived of its master and possessing limited intelligence, as long as they avoided alerting it, they would remain safe for the time being.
After searching for some time, with no sign of the basilisk, they felt secure enough to begin unloading their supplies.
"Cool!" Both of them marveled at the array of items that seemed to pour out from nowhere, enchanted by Zhao Lun's spell.
"Enough talking! Let's stick to the plan!" Zhao Lun ordered, then directed Potter and the newly arrived Ron to set up some traps on the ground.
The traps were sharp iron stakes, each about the height of a person, specifically designed to deal with the basilisk.
He didn't expect these traps to be overly effective, just enough to provide a brief delay.
The chamber was dark and vast, having been long unused, with dust thick upon the surfaces. The air was stale and polluted.
After setting up, enough time had passed for the air to clear slightly, and the torches around the room were lit, making movement easier.
They finally arrived at the statue of Slytherin, stopping to inspect it. This was suspected to be the location of treasure, and they were eager to explore.
"This place looks promising. Let's see if there's any treasure," Zhao Lun suggested.
"Treasure? Alright, we can take a look," Ron replied, his enthusiasm matching the others.
The three exchanged glances and nodded excitedly. They searched carefully, hoping to find treasures, but also keeping an eye out for the basilisk.
However, they found neither the basilisk nor any treasure.
They met each other's eyes, shaking their heads in disappointment.
"I believe the basilisk and the treasure are both here," Ron suggested.
"Or perhaps it's just the basilisk, and the treasure was taken already," Zhao Lun mused. "Someone might have been here before. Don't get your hopes up."
Ron, a bit disappointed, remarked, "If we could find a wand or something, at least we'd have one to use next term."
They didn't give up. Instead, they discovered several potential switches. Potter tested them with Parseltongue, checking for hidden passages.
Boom! The sound of a stone door opening echoed.
"Be careful!" The three of them, donning their glasses, quickly hid in the traps they'd prepared and waited silently.
Once the door fully opened, the surroundings remained eerily silent. Only when they confirmed there was no immediate danger did they cautiously advance.
The place seemed abandoned for a long time, dust swirling in the air as the door was opened, and it took some time for the dust to settle. The trio entered, only to immediately choke on the dust.
Boom! The laboratory ahead was illuminated by torches that were far more sophisticated than those outside. They lit up on their own without any need for kindling.
"Treasure room!" The three of them brightened, their excitement building as they began to search.
It was a small laboratory, filled with various experimental tools such as cauldrons. Shelves lined the walls, their surfaces covered in a thick layer of dust.
"Let's clean up!" Zhao Lun's bright magical aura swiftly dispelled the dust, leaving the room bathed in radiant light.
"Wow!"
"This place is impressive! I..."
The room was elegantly arranged, exuding an ancient charm, though the addition of snake sculptures made it more unsettling. These statues were highly detailed, with many snakes posed in lifelike stances, some coiled, others with their bodies raised in a striking posture, baring venomous fangs.
The presence of these sculptures gave the room a cold, menacing atmosphere.
Ron, about to compliment the décor, froze in place upon seeing the realistic snake statues. It felt as though his throat had closed up from fear.
Zhao Lun boldly approached the shelves, intending to peruse a few books, but alas, after so long, the books were in a state of decay. As soon as he touched one, it fell apart.
"What a shame," Ron lamented, clearly disappointed by the poor condition of the books.
Zhao Lun, undeterred, swiftly waved his arm. With a flick of his wrist, all the books vanished, leaving only empty shelves behind.
"Alan, what's this?" Ron asked.
"These books will be sorted and restored later. The knowledge they contain can be shared with you," Zhao Lun replied nonchalantly.
"Suit yourself," Ron shrugged, disinterested.
They had hoped to find treasure, but all that remained were useless scraps, sapping their interest in the place. As for the knowledge in the books, it hardly mattered.
Zhao Lun took everything he could, leaving the laboratory eerily empty.
The other two envied his abilities, but they knew these were unique tricks only Zhao Lun could perform—skills they could never learn.
Finally, the room was stripped bare, the shelves empty, and nothing of value remained.
"Alright, let's get started," Zhao Lun announced.
The group left the laboratory, sealed the chamber once more, and returned to the traps to begin their final summoning.
Potter amplified his voice with magic, hissing in Parseltongue.
"Come forth!"
"Come forth!"
"Come forth!"
The echoes of the serpent-like hiss reverberated through the chamber.
Boom! Finally, there was movement.
"It's here!"
A massive snake, as thick as a barrel, emerged. Its scales gleamed like metal, and the intricate patterns across its body were both terrifying and cold. Just one glance at it sent chills down their spines.
Despite wearing glasses, none of them dared study the snake closely. Ron, unarmed, turned pale and trembled uncontrollably at the sight of the enormous creature.
"Don't forget your glasses! Be careful! Hide and stay silent!" Zhao Lun instructed Ron, who had no weapon, directing him to take cover while he and Potter separated, ready to execute their plan.
The two took positions at different points, casting spells to target the snake's eyes.
Two spells shot out—one missed, while the other struck true.
Zhao Lun, with his sharp instincts and enhanced mind, hit the mark. Potter's spell glanced off the creature's scales, producing only a small spark with no damage. Meanwhile, Zhao Lun's spell struck the basilisk's eye, causing it to bleed profusely.
"Got it!" Both of them turned and bolted.
"SSSS!" The snake hissed in pain, thrashing its tail.
Boom! The walls of the chamber trembled as the massive snake, enraged, charged in pursuit of Potter, seemingly fixated on him.
Zhao Lun, halfway through his escape, paused and turned to watch. He observed as Potter expertly maneuvered through the obstacles they had set up.
The obstacles finally proved effective. Potter dodged nimbly between the iron spikes, while the basilisk collided with them. The cold, metallic scales clashed with the spikes, producing screeching sounds and sparks.
The basilisk, injured further, let out another painful hiss, undeterred by the consequences, and relentlessly pursued Potter.
Cling! The spikes were dislodged, slowing the creature down. Potter, undeterred, continued to evade, even managing to strike back with a spell from his wand.