Once Alexander appeared, he closed his briefcase with a soft click and waved his wand again.
The translucent barrier slowly faded away.
He looked around to make sure there were no runaway chickens.
Then turned toward Harry.
"We can go now."
Harry looked at Alexander with a million questions, but didn't ask.
He let out a couple of deep breaths to calm himself down.
"Okay," Harry said weakly.
"Come on," Alexander said. "Let's get out of here."
As they walked, Harry asked a question.
"Protego Maxima… Fianto Duri… Repello Inimicum… can I learn these spells?"
Alexander laughed.
"Once you master Protego, then Protego Duo. I can teach you, Protego Maxima. For the other two. We can talk about it later."
As the two boys walked through the Chamber of Secrets.
The chamber was strangely quiet now.
No basilisk.
No, Tom Riddle.
Only the sound of their footsteps and the distant sound of dripping water.
They climbed up the long stone staircase leading toward the entrance.
As they stepped through—
They suddenly froze.
Up ahead—
Ron and Hermione were standing near the tunnel entrance.
They were protecting Cho.
Gilderoy Lockhart was standing in front of them, holding Ron's wand.
"Obliviate!" Lockhart shouted.
The wand lights up—
Then immediately backfired.
The magic exploded backward and struck Lockhart directly in the face.
BOOM.
Lockhart collapsed onto the floor.
Alexander blinked.
Then burst out laughing.
He was not expecting Lockhart to get hit by his own Obliviate, just like the canon.
Alexander actually wanted Lockhart to get sent to Azkaban.
Then bribe his way to get enchanted photos of Lockhart getting tortured by Dementors.
Harry stared for a second, and he started laughing too.
Ron looked confused.
"What's so funny?!"
Alexander wiped tears from his eyes.
"Nothing, but what happened here?"
Hermione crossed her arms.
"Professor Lockhart woke up."
She pointed at Ron.
"Stole Ron's wand while we were watching your fight with the basilisk."
Alexander tilted his head.
"Oh? What basilisk?"
Ron, Hermione, and Harry all stared at him.
"…What?" Ron said.
Alexander folded his arms calmly.
"We, as a group," he said slowly, "took down the magical artifact."
He pointed at the unconscious Lockhart.
"Professor Lockhart found the magical artifact that attacked students in the past. Professor Lockhart was eager to write another book. He used the magical artifact to attack students. We discovered him, and he tried to wipe out our memories. He used Ron's wand, and the spell backfired."
He smiled at them.
"There was never a basilisk."
"Professor Lockhart, after all, kept claiming that he knew where the Chamber of Secrets was."
They all stared at him with eyes wide open. They couldn't believe what he had just said.
Hermione was the first to recover, and she immediately understood.
Her expression became serious.
"Yes," she said firmly.
"You're right, Alex. There was no basilisk. Only Professor Lockhart and the magical artifact."
Ron looked between them.
"…What?"
Harry opened his mouth.
Then closed it again.
Alexander calmly walked over to Cho, who was unconscious on the ground.
Even with Lockhart pointing his wand at them. Hermione still held onto Cho and protected her.
"Thanks for watching her."
Hermione nodded.
Alexander carefully lifted Cho into his arms.
Then he turned toward the tunnel exit.
"Let's go."
Alexander waved his wand and made stone steps.
They walked slowly up the stone steps out of the pipe and back into Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.
The sky outside the castle windows was beginning to glow faintly.
Dawn was arriving.
Alexander looked at the three of them.
"Go to Professor Dumbledore's office right away."
Harry nodded immediately.
"Okay."
"I'll be there soon," Alexander added.
The trio ran off down the corridor.
Alexander began walking in the opposite direction toward the Hospital Wing, carefully carrying Cho.
He watched her sleeping face. A million thoughts were going through his brain as he walked.
Soon, he reached the Hospital Wing.
Madam Pomfrey looked up immediately.
Her eyes widened when she saw Alexander covered in dust and dirt.
"Mr. Chen—"
She stopped mid-sentence when she noticed Cho in his arms.
"Oh my—"
Alexander gently laid Cho down on one of the hospital beds.
"Can you check her?"
Madam Pomfrey immediately began examining her.
After a few moments, she nodded.
"She's fine."
Alexander held her hand.
"She will wake up later," Madam Pomfrey continued. "And should recover completely in a few days."
Alexander let out a small breath of relief.
"Thank you."
Then Madam Pomfrey crossed her arms.
"Now, tell me what happened?"
Alexander stood up, ignoring her question.
Kissed Cho on her forehead and let go of her hand.
He turned toward Madam Pomfrey.
"Thank you, Madam Pomfrey!"
She narrowed her eyes.
"Mr. Chen—"
Alexander started to walk to the door.
"You can ask Headmaster Dumbledore later!"
He continued to walk and turned around at the door.
"Please take good care of her!"
Then he left before she could stop him.
Alexander walked through the quiet corridors toward the Headmaster's Office.
The castle was still waking up.
Sunlight slowly began shining through the windows.
He sighed softly.
Everything went pretty smoothly besides...
His expression darkened slightly.
I just didn't expect Tom to bring Cho into the Chamber.
Alexander rubbed his temples.
Sigh…
That was a miscalculation.
He looked down at his hands.
I should never have let Cho get dragged into that.
For a moment, he stood quietly in the hallway.
He clenched his fist.
I'll try harder next time. I will not get Cho involved again!
He looked out the window toward the rising sun.
Because there will always be a next time at Hogwarts.
Alexander continued walking, lost in his thoughts.
Somehow, he arrived at the entrance of the Headmaster's Office.
There was no stone gargoyle guarding it. The staircase was already open.
Alexander walked up the staircase.
Moments later, he walked into the circular office.
Inside, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were already there.
They were talking with Headmaster Dumbledore.
The old headmaster looked up as Alexander entered.
His blue eyes twinkled slightly.