Howl's figure twisted sharply, appearing again at the snake's escape point. Looking into the pipe, the black flames swirling in his hand couldn't help but stop.
This… wouldn't this blow up the entire Hogwarts…
Thinking, he picked up the tail that had just been cut off. Green scales covered it, and vital energy flowed within the flesh. The entire tail was still constantly moving.
It wouldn't be long before this tail would return to its original size.
Thinking, he turned his head to look at Harry and Hermione.
"Are you alright?"
Harry finally recovered. He nodded: "Uncle Howl, I'm fine, it's just Hermione just now…"
As he spoke, he looked at Hermione with concern.
Hermione patted her chest. The starlight that had suddenly erupted from her just now looked quite captivating.
Thinking, Hermione also quickly checked herself.
Then, her gaze focused on a badge pinned to the clothes inside her robe, on her chest.
A clover badge, still gently emitting specks of starlight outwards.
"This is…"
Hermione suddenly remembered.
Last year, after the Troll incident, when they went to the Hospital Wing, it was a gift Mr. Jones gave her when he left.
"Last year, Quirrell was also in the Hospital Wing, so just in case, I gave it to you," Howl nodded, a hint of surprise in his eyes as well.
A year ago, because he was worried about Quirrell playing tricks on the children, he left a contingency plan.
He hadn't expected it to be useful here.
"Thank you, Mr. Jones," Hermione thanked him repeatedly. She couldn't imagine what would have happened without this item.
Howl nodded, walked over, and picked up the clover badge that was faintly sputtering starlight. This alchemical item was a very typical defensive artifact.
"What happened just now that caused the badge to react? Did it bite you? Or something else…" Howl asked.
"No, that big snake hadn't attacked yet," Hermione was also a bit confused.
Howl heard this and nodded slightly, already knowing the answer.
"Perhaps it had already launched its attack," he explained casually.
"Petrification? Like Medusa?" Harry immediately thought of what had happened to Madam Norris.
The legend of petrification and snakes became widely known because of Medusa.
"Hmm," Howl nodded slightly, confirming Harry's words, and then handed the badge to Hermione: "This is a one-time use item. From now on, it will only be a decoration."
"Thank you," Hermione quickly took it, looking at the badge very happily. It had helped her save her life.
"Uncle Howl, that big snake, it said its Master forced it to do this, the Heir of Slytherin!!" Harry quickly said.
Howl nodded: "Alright, both of you, return to the common room first, immediately!"
After speaking, he glanced at the portraits around him, whose expressions were inexplicably dazed, then the air churned, and his figure disappeared.
...
...
On the spiral staircase, Howl walked without stopping, standing outside the tapestry.
"Is this alright?" he said.
Inside the office, Dumbledore's troubled and helpless voice sounded:
"Alright… I admit that the door downstairs can indeed be a bit inconvenient at times, especially when the password changes frequently… Please come in."
Howl walked in. Dumbledore had a cup of honey water next to him, and at the bottom, there was still a lot of unmelted honey…
"Why not just eat the honey directly," Howl said, then placed the severed tail on his desk.
At this moment, it was already as thick as a human forearm, and the magic, which could be large or small, covering it was gradually dissipating.
"What is this?!" Dumbledore frowned, already sensing the rich magical properties within it. This was not an ordinary snake tail.
"Basilisk?!" Howl said: "It attacked Harry and Granger from a distance, but it was blocked by my alchemical amulet."
The Basilisk is a magical creature from Greek mythology, said to be the king of all snakes, capable of killing with a glance.
"Basilisk… As far as I know, they've been extinct for many years…" Dumbledore looked at the severed tail. He didn't doubt Howl's statement about the attack, but…
"Basilisk?" Dumbledore looked at Howl.
"According to records, the Basilisk is a kind of 'man-made Basilisk' cultivated by the Ancient Greece Wizard, Herpo the Foul."
Howl raised his eyebrows: "Alright, that's also possible. First, get the children back to the common room, and then start the investigation. Oh, I suggest you completely seal off Hogwarts to prevent this fellow from escaping from some corner you don't know about."
Dumbledore picked up the elder wand: "Excellent suggestion."
As he spoke, he waved his wand, and a silver Phoenix appeared, flying downstairs. Then he waved his wand again towards the window, and transparent shield detection spells quickly enveloped the entire Castle.
"Oh, a Phoenix… A magical creature Patronus is said to be very rare," Howl said with some admiration.
As he spoke, he suddenly reacted, "Why use a Phoenix, Fawkes—"
Fawkes was not there… The gilded perch was empty.
Meeting Dumbledore's gaze, Howl smiled awkwardly:
"Ah… The Chamber of Secrets, this man-made Basilisk—the Basilisk, escaped through the pipes at that time! Yes, so how about we start the investigation from the pipes…"
"I actually don't object…" Dumbledore said a seemingly disjointed sentence, then his expression became serious.
"Let's go, first deal with the Basilisk, and then catch the fellow behind it."
At this moment, inside the Castle, the portraits quickly urged the children to return to their common rooms. On the first and second floors, Professors and staff were everywhere, urging the Little Wizards to quickly return to their common rooms and not wander around anymore.
As Howl and Dumbledore walked down, they happened to encounter several Little Wizards.
"Principal, Professor, it's Harry! Harry Potter is the Heir of Slytherin!" someone quickly said.
"Professor, quickly go and arrest him!"
Dumbledore and Howl exchanged glances. Dumbledore looked sternly at the children.
"Gentlemen, you must know that what you are doing now is a very serious accusation! I think, as mature Wizards, we must be responsible for our words and actions!"
"He's a Parseltongue, sir!"
Dumbledore chuckled, and suddenly a ferocious, terrifying hiss came from his mouth.
The Little Wizards heard this sound and immediately felt their hair stand on end, their faces filled with horror.
"Parseltongue, I can speak it too," Dumbledore said with a smile.
"Alright, you should return to your common room now, for your safety," Dumbledore said. This time, his words carried some strange magic, making them more convincing.
Watching the children leave, Dumbledore's expression darkened.
"How did they know Harry was a Parseltongue?"
Howl pondered slightly: "It must be that someone witnessed the scene just now."
Dumbledore took out a scale. It was taken from the severed tail just now and had returned to its original palm-sized shape.
He raised his elder wand.
"Shrinking Charm—"
"Trace Tracking—"
-------------------------------
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