After another set of classes, Victor went in search of his sister. In the Ravenclaw tower, he was told she had been seen in the library.
Barely stepping over the threshold, Victor spotted Adele: she was excitedly whispering something to Luna over a stack of old books. He started toward them, but Hermione blocked his path. Without a word, she gripped his sleeve with a death grip and literally hauled him deep into the library, away from Madam Pince's prying eyes, into a narrow labyrinth between the bookshelves.
Finding himself pinned against shelves smelling of old leather and dust, Victor smiled and looked at her with the most tender, soulful gaze he could muster.
— Hermion-y... — he purred, demonstratively loosening his tie. — Now, I'm not sure if we're at that stage of our relationship yet, but if you insist... — He let his cloak slide slightly off his shoulders and closed his eyes. — Just, I beg you, be gentle. It's my first time.
Hermione flushed so brightly her face matched the color of the Gryffindor emblem. She recoiled in horror.
— You... what kind of nonsense are you talking?! — she hissed, looking around desperately to see if anyone was listening. — Can you for once in your life act like a normal adult?!
— No, I can't, — Victor smiled, adjusting his clothes. — I'm a child.
— Fine, — Hermione shook her head, shaking off her embarrassment, and lowered her voice to a whisper. — Someone opened the Chamber of Secrets. And we are trying to find out who is behind it. Do you know anything about it?
Victor leaned lazily against the shelving and shook his head.
— If you're hinting that it's someone from Slytherin, then I haven't noticed anything suspicious among them.
— Are you sure? — Hermione narrowed her eyes. — What about Malfoy? Haven't you noticed anything strange about him lately?
— Ha-ha-ha, — Victor laughed. — Of all the candidates for the Heir of Slytherin, I would suspect Draco the least. Understand, he's too stupid for it. To open the Chamber, you need brains.
Hermione frowned stubbornly:
— Even so, he's our second suspect.
— Second? — Victor raised an eyebrow intrigued. — And who is the first?
Hermione hesitated, her eyes darting across the spines of the books, and she suddenly turned away.
— It doesn't matter. Just... general guesses.
— Wait a second, — Victor squinted, a knowing smirk spreading across his face. — Are you lot suspecting me?
— It's all Ron! — Hermione blurted out, turning sharply back to him. — Harry and I don't think so, but...
— But?
— Well, judge for yourself! They call you the King of Snakes, you can be frighteningly cruel and absolutely reckless. And about the Chamber of Secrets... Last year you were constantly disappearing to who-knows-where, and no one could find you. Victor, tell me honestly — did you find the Chamber of Secrets?
Victor held a dramatic pause, looking her straight in the eye.
— Yes, Hermione. I found the Chamber of Secrets, — he said it so seriously that the girl's pupils dilated and her breath hitched. But a second later, he nonchalantly added: — Except it wasn't Salazar Slytherin's room, but Rowena Ravenclaw's.
— Rowena... Ravenclaw's? — Hermione blinked, confused. — What are you talking about?
— The Room of Requirement. An amazing place that becomes whatever you need. That's where I spent my time last year.
Hermione nodded slowly, believing him. After all, Victor didn't particularly like to lie.
— Fine. Then you could help us with Malfoy.
— Oh, an interrogation? — Victor's eyes flashed predatorily; he became instantly animated. — I can do that easily. I just finished a treatise on torture the other day. It's got everything: from the sophisticated tortures of Ancient China to the developments of modern intelligence agencies. You know, the KGB had some truly stunning options — hellish agony, but zero marks on the body. We could try a few techniques on Draco.
— What?! No! No torture! And anyway, why are you reading such horrific things?!
Victor shrugged.
— I don't know, broadening my horizons. It's quite an informative read.
Hermione shook her head.
— We already have a plan. But I'm missing a few rare ingredients for a complex potion.
— So, no torture? — He sighed disappointedly. — Fine, what are you missing for your potion?
Finishing his talk with Hermione, Victor headed to the table where the girls were sitting. He approached silently from behind and impulsively hugged his sister's shoulders.
— What are we working on? — he asked.
— Brushing up on Potions, — Luna replied. She smiled at him, swinging her legs amusingly.
— Professor Snape is too demanding of me! — Adele grumbled resentfully, burying her nose in a book.
Luna nodded vigorously, confirming her words:
— Oh yes, all he does is compare. — She suddenly froze and made a serious face, trying to copy Snape's icy tone: — "Miss Moss, your brother brewed this potion in thirty minutes... Moss, your brother answered this question... Moss, your brother..."
Adele swiftly covered her friend's mouth with her palm.
— Enough! He gets it already.
Victor laughed heartily, while Adele only puffed out her cheeks further:
— You think it's funny, but because of your success, he's just terrorizing me!
Victor gently stroked her head, running his fingers through her hair.
— Listen, Adele. Professor Snape is a magnificent master, even if he is a complicated person. He is completely unable to praise or support students with normal words. He's putting pressure on you not because of me, but because he sees potential in you. This is his way of making you study even harder.
— Do you really think so? — Adele looked at her brother hopefully.
Victor nodded confidently.
— Of course. He told me so himself. — Victor sighed tiredly. — He found out about our party. Though, that was to be expected: we were returning to the dorms too loudly. Especially George — he managed to go in and wake up all the first-years. That guy shouldn't drink; he gets too bold.
Victor pulled out a chair and sat down next to his sister.
— Alright then, come on, big brother will help you.
In the evening, returning to the dungeons, Victor found Daphne in his room. She was sitting at his desk, thoughtfully sorting through a stack of papers.
— Daph-dear? Did something happen? — he threw his cloak on the bed and looked at her inquiringly.
— I have some information that might interest you.
— Oh, I'm all ears.
— Basically, my mother did some digging, and I stumbled upon a very curious guy.
Victor squinted intrigued.
— And who is he?
— William Brown.
— William... — Victor thought for a moment and nodded. — I noticed him. That boy has some spine.
— You remembered his name? — She was surprised, then shook her head. — Anyway, that doesn't matter right now. Here's some food for thought: William is the son of Mary Brown, née Moody. She's a first cousin of that very same Alastor Moody. She's lived in Switzerland her whole life, but they say William has idolized his uncle since childhood and trained under his supervision, dreaming of becoming a legendary Auror just like him. And then, a week before the school year started, "Mad-Eye" himself personally pulled strings to have Brown transferred from Durmstrang to Hogwarts.
Victor slowly sat on the edge of the desk.
— Do you think he's connected to the opening of the Chamber?
— I don't know. It's all strange: a sudden transfer to Hogwarts right now... Why the urgency?
— And what do you suggest? Do you want me to put George on him as a "tail"? That would be a perfect punishment for his recent failure in Transfiguration.
— That's not necessary, — Daphne smiled faintly. — Recently, Brown himself asked to join our faction. That will make the task much easier.
— He wants in? Well then. I like him: fearless, and you can tell by his build that he doesn't neglect physical exercise. If he had come last year, we might have been friends. I used to like keeping in shape too... until I realized my magic makes my body stronger on its own.
— Speaking of magic, — Daphne added. — I found out he is incredibly strong for his age.
— Then we'll definitely get along... — Victor suddenly froze. A memory of the first day in the Great Hall surfaced, and that strange impulse he had felt while looking at Brown. He had dismissed it as his defiant gaze then, but now he wondered: what if his intuition had been working? In every characteristic, William seemed like an ideal friend for him, as if someone had specifically handpicked him. — You said... Moody's nephew?
— Yes. Is something wrong?
Victor smiled and shook his head.
— No, just some thoughts that are worth checking. And I think I even know who can help me with that, but that's for later. Now to more important things: is everything ready for tomorrow's game?
— Yes. The fan gear — hats, whistles, gloves, and posters — is already in our hall. The banners were hung this evening.
— Splendid. Tomorrow we must show Hogwarts what the power of the Slytherin fan base looks like! Let Gryffindor go deaf from our chants.
Daphne nodded, heading for the exit, but turned back at the door:
— Still, what should I do about Brown?
— Accept him, — Victor replied easily. — We're not going to turn down such a valuable asset. It will be interesting to see what Mad-Eye himself has taught him.