Hurrying out of the Gryffindor Tower, Hermione prayed in her heart that Lynn was alright.
"She just forgot to let me know she's safe, she just forgot to let me know she's safe..." Hermione kept chanting to herself, her feet rushing through the corridor and into the main part of Hogwarts Castle.
As soon as she entered the main Castle, the motionless moving stairs caught her attention.
Unable to help herself, Hermione walked forward and stared at the motionless stairs in disbelief.
She had never heard of Hogwarts' moving stairs ever coming to a halt.
Drip. A drop of warm liquid fell onto Hermione's face. She reached up to wipe it, and looking down at her fingertip, she saw a startling smear of blood-red.
"No, no, no, please don't let it be."
Hermione looked up. Ron's little sister, Ginny, was supporting another person and flying rapidly upward with her.
And the person she was supporting was Lynn. Hermione's eyesight was quite good, so she saw at a glance Lynn's unnaturally drooping right arm and her bleeding right leg.
"Damn it." Hermione raised her hand and slapped her forehead hard. It was all because of her. If it weren't for sending her back, Lynn certainly wouldn't have been injured!
There was no time to think about anything else. Hermione bolted upstairs. Just as she was about to reach the corridor where Lynn and the Basilisk had fought earlier, a rustling sound caught her attention.
It was too close; it was too late to run now. Stopping abruptly, Lynn's words quickly flashed through Hermione's mind.
Indirectly looking into the eyes of a Basilisk would cause petrification. After Lynn revealed that the monster in the Chamber of Secrets was a Basilisk, Hermione had actually spent her free time looking up books to understand this creature.
Direct eye contact with a Basilisk would result in death; conversely, indirect eye contact would only cause petrification.
Hermione took a deep breath, the image of the bleeding Lynn slowly ascending just now flashing before her eyes.
She had to see her again. With trembling hands, Hermione pulled a small mirror from her pocket.
I'm sorry, Lynn... it seems I won't be able to see you or hug you the moment you're injured.
Hermione slowly opened the small mirror and turned it toward the corridor ahead.
A pair of large yellow eyes instantly entered her sight. Her body gradually stiffened, and her consciousness and body felt as if they were being severed.
Hermione's consciousness remained clear, but her body had already turned into a stone statue.
The Basilisk, slithering over quickly, flicked its tongue at the petrified Hermione and then slithered past her without a care.
It had no intention of inflicting further harm.
At the same time, Harry and Ron walked out of their Dormitory into the Gryffindor Common Room with their newly finished homework.
The two boys stared at the empty common room for a moment. "Hermione isn't back yet?"
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