"We have something important to report to Professor McGonagall. You'd better let us out, Percy!" Ron had never shown much respect towards his older brother.
Or rather, among all his siblings, Percy was the one he disliked the most because of his usual pompous attitude.
Although Percy was clearly displeased by Ron's tone, he didn't say much and merely replied flatly,
"Professor McGonagall isn't in her office right now. The Professors are all occupied with urgent matters. Whatever it is can wait until tomorrow morning."
Percy wasn't the only prefect guarding Hogwarts, and none of them intended to let Harry and Ron leave. Clearly, Professor McGonagall had given strict orders before departing.
Left with no other choice, Harry and Ron could only return to their dormitory and wait until the following morning to report everything to the Professors.
Meanwhile, several of Hogwarts' main Professors had gathered inside Dumbledore's Headmaster's Office.
"Minerva, you'll arrange the students' escort home tomorrow morning. Anyone who wishes to remain in the castle may do so, otherwise they can leave on the train."
Dumbledore calmly assigned the next day's duties as though they were disbanding forever.
The Professors still wore expressions of disbelief.
None of them had ever imagined that Hogwarts—a magical school that had existed for nearly a thousand years and survived the chaos brought by two generations of Dark Lords—would actually close down now!
Especially under the leadership of Dumbledore, the man widely regarded as the greatest Headmaster in Hogwarts history.
The entire situation felt absurd beyond belief.
Professor Sprout sniffled softly, her eyes slightly red as she asked,
"Has it really become this hopeless?"
Professor McGonagall's normally stern face now carried an unmistakable loneliness. She remained silent, clearly struggling to accept the reality herself.
Professor Flitwick continuously shook his head and sighed. Even Snape, who always wore a cold expression, looked unusually pale and grim, his brows tightly furrowed as though wondering whether Dumbledore truly had no solution left.
Seeing their expressions, Dumbledore unexpectedly chuckled softly and reassured them.
"Don't look as though we're saying our final farewells. It's only a temporary closure. Once the castle's safety is guaranteed, normal classes will resume."
Leaning back in his chair, he addressed the Professors again.
"Go and prepare for tonight's patrols. Let's make sure nothing happens on Hogwarts' final night. Perhaps we may even make an unexpected discovery before the closure and catch the culprit."
The four Heads of House left Dumbledore's office, but Sherlock deliberately stayed behind.
He stared at Dumbledore, who sat silently lost in thought behind his desk, and asked,
"You're leaving Hogwarts tonight?"
Dumbledore lightly tapped his fingers against the desk.
"This is a rare opportunity for him, but not the only one, so we must provide him with enough reassurance." As he spoke, his eyes drifted towards a letter lying on the desk. "Besides, there is indeed something I must deal with tomorrow."
Sherlock vaguely caught sight of the sender's name on the letter:
"Nicolas Flamel."
"And what if things don't unfold according to your expectations?" Sherlock asked. "What if Tom doesn't appear in the end?"
Dumbledore smiled faintly.
"Then we wait until Hogwarts closes and conduct a large-scale search. We continue searching until the Basilisk is found."
"But your reputation..."
"Oh, do you really think I care about such things, Sherlock?" Dumbledore blinked and replied indifferently. "If my reputation could be exchanged for something tangible, I would agree without hesitation. Those intangible opinions mean nothing to me."
Sherlock helplessly stood up, preparing to leave.
He felt Dumbledore's plan certainly had a chance of succeeding, but the possibility of failure was equally high. Still, he kept those thoughts to himself.
Before Sherlock could leave the office, Dumbledore suddenly spoke again.
"No matter what happens, you must protect Harry. And don't forget the things I prepared for you."
With his back still facing him, Sherlock raised a hand to show he understood before leaving the Headmaster's Office.
...
On Hogwarts' final night, almost none of the students slept well.
Harry and Ron were no exception. The two of them tossed and turned until the latter half of the night before finally drifting into a light sleep. When they woke again, the sky outside was already beginning to brighten.
As they climbed out of bed and prepared to wash up, they suddenly realised Neville's bed was empty.
"Where's Neville?" Harry asked curiously.
Dean and Seamus, who shared the dormitory, both shook their heads. Neither of them knew where Neville had gone.
Harry immediately sensed that something was wrong. He and Ron hurried out of the Common Room; by now, there were no prefects left blocking students from leaving.
They failed to find Professor McGonagall in her office, but instead encountered the Gryffindor ghost, Nearly Headless Nick, drifting through the corridor looking deeply dejected.
Upon seeing him, Harry hurriedly asked,
"Have you seen where Professor McGonagall is, Nick?"
"Professor McGonagall?" Nick sighed heavily. "Ah... I just saw the Professors gathering in the Staff Room."
"Thanks, Nick!"
Just as Harry and Ron turned to head towards the Staff Room, Harry suddenly heard Nick muttering to himself behind them.
"...Even when Myrtle died fifty years ago, things didn't reach this point... Hogwarts is actually going to close..."
Harry abruptly stopped in his tracks.
He stood there frozen while Ron looked at him in confusion.
"What is it? Come on, let's find the Professor!"
Harry's eyes widened more and more, excitement almost overflowing from them.
Instead of answering Ron, he suddenly spun around and looked back at Nick.
"You just said Myrtle died fifty years ago?!"
Nick still looked miserable over Hogwarts' closure as he replied sadly,
"Yes. Fifty years ago, when the Chamber of Secrets was rumoured to have been opened before, Myrtle died in that bathroom on the first floor. Hogwarts wasn't even closed back then. I never expected that now... ah."
Harry practically leapt into the air with excitement.
"I've figured it out! I know where the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets is!"
Ron still looked utterly bewildered, unable to understand why Harry had suddenly become so excited.
"The person killed by the monster fifty years ago was Myrtle! She died in that first-floor bathroom, and even after becoming a ghost she stayed there! And bathrooms are connected to the pipes!"
Harry grabbed Ron and sprinted towards the Staff Room while rapidly explaining everything.
"So that bathroom is very likely the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets! We have to tell the professors immediately!"