Floating in the air, Lynn turned her head and said seriously, without any expression on her face, "It's not your fault."
After saying that, she looked at Headmaster Dumbledore. "The method Lord Voldemort used to open the Chamber of Secrets has been found. He possessed Ginny and used her to open it."
Headmaster Dumbledore's pupils constricted sharply upon hearing Lynn's words. Possessing Ginny?
Thinking back to the state of Voldemort that Harry had told him about at the end of last year... he had an ominous suspicion.
"Based on my observations, the expressions and micro-expressions on Ginny's face at that time were completely different from her normal state, and the similarity to the Voldemort I saw on the back of Quirrell's head was over ninety percent."
"Therefore, I can confirm that Ginny was possessed by Voldemort."
Lynn recounted her analytical process expressionlessly, and the moment Headmaster Dumbledore's pupils constricted did not escape her eyes.
This reaction very likely proved that Headmaster Dumbledore knew or had thought of Voldemort's method of possession.
It seems I haven't read enough books, Lynn concluded to herself.
Ginny, held by Headmaster Dumbledore, tried to suppress her urge to cry and looked up at him, nodding.
"Sister Lynn is right. I was completely unconscious at the time, as if someone else was controlling my body."
"It was the same on Halloween night yesterday, and then Madam Norris was petrified."
"I'm sorry... Headmaster Dumbledore," Ginny's voice carried a hint of a sob. "I was too stupid, too cowardly. I harmed Madam Norris and caused Sister Lynn to get hurt. Please expel me; I shouldn't stay at Hogwarts anymore."
Headmaster Dumbledore continued to walk quickly, yet his speech remained extremely steady and gentle.
"Don't say that about yourself, Miss Weasley. You will not be punished."
"You must know that many Wizards much older and more experienced than you have been deceived by Voldemort."
"Like those Pure-blood families; their heads are certainly clever enough, yet weren't they also deceived into believing he was a Pure-blood?"
Headmaster Dumbledore winked at Ginny with a smile.
Floating, Lynn turned toward Ginny. "My injury is not your fault. It's because I haven't mastered my skills well enough and couldn't protect you while fighting the Basilisk. It was my stu—"
At this point, Lynn instinctively wanted to continue condemning herself, but then she remembered how Hermione had covered her mouth when she heard this before.
She stopped, but added another sentence: "It's my fault, not yours."
Be strict with oneself and lenient with others; if a problem arises, reflect on oneself first and find the cause within oneself regardless of the situation.
Do not look for excuses in others; this was a fundamental principle, as Lynn's mind firmly established.
"Alright, you are both good children. Neither of you is at fault in this matter."
"Miss Weasley is undoubtedly a victim, and Miss Lynn is undoubtedly a person brave enough to help her classmates. I think after you've recovered a bit, I will award you House points."
Headmaster Dumbledore looked at Lynn kindly, then turned his gaze forward again.
"Ah, it seems your friends are worried about you too."
Hearing this, Lynn struggled to tilt her head up and look forward. "Senior Maranhao, Senior Marietta, Senior Penelope, I'm so sorry for alarming you and making you come all this way."
"Silly girl, what are you saying?" Maranhao rushed forward to check Lynn's injuries, her words cutting off Lynn's politeness.
"You're hurt so badly." Marietta also ran forward, her brow furrowing in distress as she looked at Lynn's wounds.
Penelope reached out to help Lynn tidy her hair. "It must hurt terribly."
"It doesn't hurt," Lynn shook her head with a cold expression. "I'm used to it. Besides, it's because I haven't mastered my skills well enough that I got injured."
Penelope concernedly took Lynn's hand, just about to look up and ask Headmaster Dumbledore what had happened and why she was injured.
Harry and Ron came running from not far away, shouting as they ran.
"Headmaster Dumbledore, Hermione... Hermione has been petrified. She's in the Hospital Wing. Madam Pomfrey said the situation is a bit unusual and needs you to come over."
Hermione has been petrified.
Those words exploded one by one in Lynn's brain. Her heart tightened instantly; her eyes lost all light, and her face showed no change.
But Penelope felt the hand holding hers suddenly tighten.
---------------------------------
If you'd like to read the next 70 chapters in advance, you can support me on Patreon.
I regularly post chapter previews there, so you'll always be up-to-date and won't have to wait too long.
patreon.com/SolyuraMT
And if you enjoy the story, don't forget to give me a Power Stone. Your support really motivates me to continue translating!