Harry Potter: The Golden Viper

081 The Chamber of Secrets (Part-1)

Half an hour later, Riddle's figure had vanished, and the diary pages that contained his soul lay scattered on the ground like confetti, without a trace of magic. In the center of each page, there was a sharp hole, as if it had been dug out by a sharp dagger. The ink that once spelled his secrets had faded into nothingness.

Bryan's cage had also disappeared, and the Basilisk left by Slytherin was nowhere to be found. Only a faint smell of smoke and a few scales remained as evidence of its existence.

Dumbledore looked solemn, he strode over the steps of the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets, wearing a purple traveling cloak that fluttered behind him like a cape, and Harry followed him breathlessly, saying something anxiously. His glasses were foggy and his hair was messy from the damp air.

When he saw Bryan safe and sound at the foot of the Slytherin statue, Dumbledore's expression finally relaxed a bit, but his pace was still hurried.

"Ah, you came so fast, Headmaster Dumbledore, oh, of course, and Potter–"

Bryan withdrew his gaze from the sculpture and turned around with a light smile. His robes were spotless and his eyes were bright. He looked as if he had just returned from a pleasant stroll.

"I'm glad to see you're all right, Bryan," Dumbledore said kindly as he approached quickly. He seemed to want to say something else, but his eyes were drawn by the diary on the floor. He picked up the broken diary and looked at the shattered pages with his deep blue eyes from his long crooked nose.

"**Sigh**,"

Dumbledore said softly, "Needless to say, he could probably be called the best wizard in Hogwarts history. Oh, and you too, Bryan. In my long life, I've never seen anyone better than you two. Of course, I mean in terms of magical talent."

Harry seemed confused, he looked around, but didn't see anything else in the chamber besides them, or any memories that could take shape.

"Professor Watson, Voldemort and the Basilisk, where did they go, sir?" Bryan smiled regretfully and looked at Harry who was covered in dust. His face was pale and his clothes were torn from the Basilisk's attack. He had a bandage around his arm where he had been bitten by that basilisk.

"The Basilisk struggled very hard, I couldn't control it with the cage I conjured with magic. I had no choice but to turn it into ashes. As for the memory stored in that evil magical device, it seemed to want to save its servant. When I was dealing with the Basilisk, it jumped out from behind a pillar and tried to ambush me,"

Bryan shrugged and said casually, "I was a bit nervous and used a very powerful spell, so it also disappeared–"

Harry gasped. Professor Watson's explanation was reasonable, but he always felt something was wrong. That was Slytherin's legacy for his heir, a Basilisk that had created countless horror stories for a thousand years, and an evil magical artifact made by Voldemort himself. Why did it sound so easy to kill them in Professor Watson's mouth? Was he hiding something?

Hearing Bryan's words, Dumbledore raised his head from studying the diary. He shook his silver eyebrows and a strange light flashed in his blue eyes.

"Anyway, Bryan," Dumbledore put the diary in his pocket and smiled happily and sincerely.

"I want to thank you for fulfilling your duty as a professor while I was away from school for a few hours. I'm so glad you saved Ginny Weasley. Otherwise, I don't know how to explain to Arthur and Molly. You also protected Harry and his friends from the Basilisk and Voldemort. You lifted the shadow that hung over our heads this year–"

Dumbledore blew his nose heavily and sounded emotional. "If it weren't for you graduating from school already, I think a medal of special contribution would be the best reward for your brave and fearless behavior!"

Cough cough– Dumbledore's praise almost made Bryan blush. He pursed his lips and waved his hand modestly. Then he looked at Harry.

""You're too kind, Headmaster Dumbledore. In fact, if it weren't for Harry's quick wit and keen discovery of the entrance to this chamber, I think everything wouldn't be so easy!"

"Oh, of course it is–"

Dumbledore smiled at Harry who had red ears. "Just like last year when you saved the Philosopher's Stone from Voldemort's hands, your wisdom and courage made many wizards with fame and prestige including me feel ashamed. Harry, I think. I believe that if Lily and James were still alive, they would be proud of you"

Harry opened his mouth. At this moment, he still had many doubts in his heart. For example, why did Fawkes suddenly appear when he was fighting with the Basilisk? For example, what was the deal with the sword that he took out of the Sorting Hat and that Dumbledore had taken back? And also this diary. But Harry didn't ask any questions because Dumbledore's words were like a boulder blocking his chest making him breathless. The green fire in the chamber that matched his eyes covered him up making his tears hard to notice.

'Yeah if they were still alive'

Bryan moved his eyes away and continued to look at the huge black hole that appeared on the stone face. It was a dark and mysterious opening that seemed to lead to an unknown place. Dumbledore also tactfully walked a few steps forward and left Harry behind. He stood next to Bryan and looked at the hole along his gaze. His silver beard that could be tucked into his belt fluttered slightly and he said thoughtfully.

"What do you think is there, right, Bryan?"

"Something just feels wrong, Headmaster Dumbledore–"

Bryan didn't look at Dumbledore. His eyes flickered with an unreadable light. In fact, he didn't feel anything wrong from that dark hole. What made him curious about the black hole and determined to explore it was the memory he had recovered.

"The Basilisk, after listening to Voldemort's call, came out of there–"

Harry woke up from his sad silence and answered their question.

Dumbledore nodded indisputably. He looked down at Bryan with a probing gaze. After a while, he said calmly.

"This ancient castle hides countless fascinating secrets, Bryan. Even if I'm the headmaster of this school and have read the notes of the previous headmasters, I may not know as much about this castle as the Weasley twins. If you think it's necessary, I can go with you to see what's there."

Bryan bowed slightly and smiled gratefully. "I'm curious, Headmaster Dumbledore. Salazar Slytherin left a Basilisk in such a hidden chamber, just for the rumor that he wanted to get rid of the non-pureblood wizards in the school. This doesn't seem to be the breadth and vision of a wizard of his level."

A ray of light flashed across Dumbledore's half-moon glasses. "Rationally and reasonably judged, Bryan, since that's the case–"

Dumbledore seemed to have seen something but didn't choose to expose it. He raised his elder wand and swung it down neatly. Immediately, the whole chamber shook violently. Pebbles and dust fell like a fierce storm. Harry quickly covered his forehead with his hand to avoid something falling into his eyes.

He heard a loud rumbling sound as if the earth was splitting apart. Only a few seconds later, the shaking world returned to calm. Harry brushed off a layer of gray on his robe and looked forward quickly. With one glance, he was shocked! A staircase leading directly to the dark stone face appeared out of thin air in front of Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor Watson. The staircase was rough and dark, and it was two hundred feet high, like a pillar reaching the sky. It looked ancient and majestic, as if it had been there for centuries.

Harry was amazed. Turning a stone into a staircase shape was not difficult for him who had received two years of formal magic education but to create such a huge staircase Harry was sure that even if he was squeezed dry in a juicer he wouldn't be able to produce that much magic!

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