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Chapter 27 - What Happened Ten Years Ago?

To uncover Ravenclaw's secret, Helena standing before him was both the greatest obstacle—and the greatest key.

So Lewis decided to be direct.

"Lady Helena, please stop hiding things from me. I already know there's a secret within this statue."

His words immediately flustered the ghost.

"How do you—… no, you're mistaken. It's just an ordinary statue. There's no secret."

Seeing she still refused to admit it, Lewis sighed, raised his wand, and pointed it lightly at the statue.

"Identify."

Unfortunately, the magic concealed within the statue was far beyond Lewis's current level.

The spell failed.

But even a failed identification revealed something—

A faint blue magical glow flickered across the statue.

Proof that it was indeed a magical object.

"This is the magical response detected," Lewis said calmly.

Faced with undeniable evidence, Helena let out a long sigh.

"…Fine. You're right. The reason I can stay inside the statue is because of magic."

"But I wasn't lying either. The reason I can enter it… is because I am her daughter."

"Oh?" Lewis's curiosity was piqued. "And what do you mean by that?"

"This statue wasn't always like this."

Helena's voice turned soft, almost mournful.

"For nearly a thousand years after my mother's death, it simply stood here… a place for me to mourn her."

"But starting ten years ago… I began to hear it calling me."

"I asked other students—even other ghosts—but no one else could hear it."

"And only I could respond… and enter it."

"Wait."

Lewis suddenly interrupted.

"You said this started ten years ago?"

Again—

ten years.

Lewis felt something click.

Drowners had also appeared ten years ago.

Could the two be connected?

What exactly happened ten years ago?

He buried the thought for now and continued,

"What do you feel when you're inside the statue?"

"I…" Helena closed her eyes gently, as if savoring the memory. "I feel an overwhelming sense of longing."

"It's deep… warm… like a mother yearning for her child."

"I believe… it comes from my mother."

That explained everything.

No wonder she stayed inside so often.

Even a ghost needed warmth.

"Do you know where that power comes from?" Lewis asked.

"No." Helena shook her head, her expression lost. "It appeared almost overnight. I'm just a ghost… I have no way of understanding it."

"But I want to know. There may be something my mother left for me."

At that moment, Lewis made his decision.

He looked at her—and smiled warmly.

At the same time, he fully activated his charm aura.

"You seem like you need help," he said gently. "And I am a Ravenclaw. I take pride in my House."

"If the descendant of our founder needs assistance, I would gladly offer it."

"…You may be right. You are an excellent Ravenclaw—just the kind my mother would have chosen."

"But once… there was another boy like you."

Her expression darkened.

"He was just as brilliant. Just as charming. He tried to persuade me too…"

"And in the end—he deceived me."

Her face twisted with anger, even in its ghostly translucence.

Lewis knew exactly who she meant.

Tom Riddle.

But he feigned ignorance.

"May I ask his name? Which House was he from?"

His question carried subtle intent—drawing a line between himself and that person.

Helena seemed to soften.

She studied his face for a moment before continuing.

"…That name… cannot be spoken. No one dares to say it."

"But I can tell you this—his trophy is in the trophy room."

Lewis understood.

Fear of Voldemort still lingered deeply in the wizarding world—even among ghosts.

But the fact she was willing to speak at all meant she trusted him, at least a little.

So he pressed gently.

"But I've been honest with you. I haven't deceived you, have I?"

That was the difference.

Tom Riddle relied on lies and manipulation.

Lewis preferred truth—carefully framed.

"…You're right."

Helena hesitated, her expression wavering before finally settling.

"You are… different from him."

"…Very well. I will trust you."

Lewis could sense her emotions clearly—

Hope.

And fragile fear.

Like a wounded creature, afraid of being betrayed again.

He nodded reassuringly.

"Don't worry, Helena. I won't be like him."

"You are a student chosen by my mother. I believe you."

She gave a small nod.

"Then I will tell you my guess."

"I believe… unlocking the statue's secret requires something very important."

"It was my mother's most treasured possession… something generations of students have tried to force me to reveal."

Her voice became almost lyrical.

"No one can resist its allure."

"It is her diadem—containing all her knowledge and wisdom."

"But… it was stolen from me… by that person."

"I see."

Lewis immediately understood.

To uncover the statue's secret—

he needed Ravenclaw's diadem.

And he knew exactly where it was.

The Room of Requirement.

He had already been there on his second day.

If he wanted, he could retrieve it at any time.

But there was a problem.

The diadem was a Horcrux.

Covered in dangerous dark magic.

Destroying it wasn't impossible—

any magic-breaking weapon could theoretically do it.

Even without basilisk venom or the Sword of Gryffindor—

he had Micro Meteor.

Given enough time, he could grind even a divine artifact into dust.

But if the diadem was needed intact to unlock the statue's secret—

that changed everything.

That was far more complicated.

For now, he had no method to deal with it safely.

But that didn't matter.

He had insight.

With enough research—especially on soul-related magic—he could find a way.

Which meant—

the Restricted Section.

Lewis quickly formed a plan.

First step: find a way into the Restricted Section.

He turned back to Helena.

"Thank you. I have a direction now—but I'll need time to research further. Please wait for me."

"Of course, Mr. Green," Helena smiled faintly. "Time is something ghosts have in abundance."

With that, their discussion ended.

It was finally time to sleep.

Before he left, Helena suddenly spoke again:

"I remember… you're exploring the power of the mind."

"The human mind is fragile—and unpredictable. Reckless exploration can lead to irreversible consequences."

"I think you should wait until you're older."

"Thank you for the warning."

Lewis accepted her concern.

In truth, his exploration of psionics was grounded in both his innate insight and the framework of a psionic class.

Without that structure—

he wouldn't dare experiment on his own mind.

After parting with his new ally, Lewis returned to his dormitory—

and finally fell into deep sleep.

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