Tap, tap, tap.
In the pitch-black passage, the only source of light was the faint glow from the wand in Draco's hand.
It was the Wand-Lighting Charm, a simple spell every young wizard could master...
After passing through the wall, Hermione, both nervous and curious, clutched Draco's robe tightly with one hand while still tossing out question after question.
"So this is Slytherin's Chamber of Secrets? Is this where the Basilisk came from? Is it dangerous in here?"
At that moment, Hermione was like an overly curious child, filled with questions the entire way.
But she did not seem to need Draco's answers.
Because she would find the answers herself...
"So that's it. This passage was built later."
"The air isn't as bad as I imagined. Is that because someone cleans it regularly? The House-elves, maybe?"
As Hermione asked and answered her own questions, Draco and Hermione gradually arrived before a door that had already been opened.
And behind that door was an extremely spacious chamber.
If one looked carefully, traces of the battle from back then could still be seen. It seemed they had been deliberately preserved...
It had to be said.
This scene reminded Draco of how dangerous it had been at the time.
The Basilisk with the Deathly Eyes.
And the Dark Lord's Horcrux.
It could be said that it was from this place onward that Draco truly drew Voldemort's attention...
Seeing Draco fall somewhat silent, Hermione seemed to understand something. She looked at the relief wall before them, the one carved with human figures.
"This is where you fought the Dark Lord's Horcrux?"
"That's right. It was also here that Norberta and the Basilisk had a proper fight."
"I see. So that was when everything began to be exposed."
After withdrawing her gaze, Hermione finally looked around.
More precisely, she began looking for the true purpose of their visit tonight.
"I don't see Snape. Did something go wrong?"
"No... He must be here. Otherwise, there's no way to explain the clue he left just now."
"Could it be..."
"Careful. Take out your wand, Hermione!"
"Huh?!"
At that moment, a powerful surge of magic suddenly came from the depths of the darkness.
Then, in the next second, the sound of air being torn apart rang through the chamber.
Along with a single spell.
"Sectumsempra!"
...
That familiar dark magic, paired with that cold voice.
Draco and Hermione recognized the attacker's identity at once.
And precisely because they recognized him, their expressions were filled with shock and confusion.
Although they froze for an instant, Draco's reaction was not slow at all.
The moment the invisible blade was about to reach them, Draco released the same dark magic and easily resolved the crisis.
"...Sectumsempra!"
The same spell, cast by two different wizards.
Boom!
Before the burst of air could engulf them, Hermione immediately used magic to block it.
Their coordination could only be described as seamless.
However, compared with praising Hermione, Draco was far more concerned about the reason behind the attacker's actions.
Why attack them?
"Why...?"
As Draco's voice fell, the wizard who stepped out from the darkness was none other than the one draped in black robes.
Severus Snape!!