Harry, hearing Snape's question, was instantly alert. He knew the Basilisk was hiding nearby, waiting to "stare" at someone.
"Professor, close your eyes! The Basilisk hasn't left!"
Snape, shocked, did as Harry did. They both strained their ears, listening.
They waited. Not a hiss, not a scrape of scales.
"Severus, what happened here?"
Harry's eyes snapped open. A man with silver hair... Dumbledore.
Harry saw his armguard's glow fade. The Basilisk was gone. He ran to Dumbledore, pulling him toward Colin.
"Professor! Is my brother petrified, like the cat? Can he be saved?!"
Dumbledore bent to examine Colin, but Snape cut him off with a cold sneer.
"You're getting senile, Dumbledore."
"This situation is obvious. Why do you need to 'judge'?"
He snatched the camera from Colin's hands and opened the back. A "Sssshh" of smoke hissed out.
He pulled out the film. It was corroded, unrecognizable.
"Obviously, Mr. Potter's fanatic follower saw the Basilisk's eyes... through the camera," Snape's face was ashen. "Now we have the first student victim."
"This boy was lucky... but the next victim—"
"Rest assured, Severus. I don't believe anyone is in mortal danger."
Dumbledore stood up. "After all, when a wizard dies, their magic returns to the world. Voldemort, in his spirit form, requires a great deal of magic."
"Harry, Voldemort has returned."
He looked at Harry. "The magic in this student's body... is completely gone."
"The Dark Lord is hunting underage wizards?" Snape frowned. "Don't forget, he corrupted an adult wizard, Quirrell."
"Wouldn't hunting adults be a faster way to get magic?"
Dumbledore was silent for a moment. "I don't know. But... besides Voldemort, I cannot think of anyone else who would do this."
Harry, hearing it was Voldemort, was consumed by rage, wanting to crush his knife hilt.
He looked at Dumbledore. "Professor, that worm just entered the pipes. It's not in the castle, the Chamber is sealed. It must still be in there!"
"Why not send the house-elves into the pipes to hunt it down?! This one will execute it on the spot!"
"I was thinking the same, Harry," Dumbledore smiled. "In fact, I sent them the moment I saw Severus's Patronus."
Harry was pleased. "Professor, you are truly wise!"
"Oh, Harry, I've just lived a bit longer than you."
The two praised each other, making Snape want to vomit.
Pop! Pop! Pop! Several house-elves appeared.
"S-sorry, Professor Dumbledore! We did not find the Basilisk in the pipes!"
"Oh! Please, Professor, punish me!"
The elves started wailing.
Dumbledore's face was grim. Harry was even more confused.
A massive snake... not in the castle, not in the pipes, not in the Chamber... Did it sprout wings and fly away?
He thought hard, but couldn't solve it. He turned and ran back toward the detention room.
"Harry, where are you going?" Dumbledore called.
"Professor! Did you forget 'Backyard Flower'?"
The one controlling the snake must be Draco. I just need to check if he left the classroom tonight.
Dumbledore told Snape to handle Colin, and hurried after Harry.
"I'm sorry, Harry. My initial plan was to have you watch Draco during detention, so he wouldn't have time to control the Basilisk."
"But I didn't expect Lockhart to insist on supervising him."
"Professor, you speak in riddles!" Harry snapped, annoyed. "If you had just told me, I'd have 'chopped' Lockhart and ensured Malfoy never left my sight!"
Dumbledore rubbed his temples and took another sip of his potion, thinking: I didn't tell you because I was afraid you would 'chop' Lockhart.
...
They arrived at the detention room. Harry put his hand near the floor, then kicked the door open.
Lockhart screamed.
"Professor Dumbledore? What are you doing here?" Lockhart frantically shoved a stack of lipstick-kissed letters into a drawer.
"Ah, a student was just attacked nearby. I'm checking if Harry and Draco are safe."
"Oh, is that—WAIT! A student was attacked?!"
Lockhart went pale, his knees knocking.
Harry stared at Draco. Draco met his gaze and smirked.
"Staring at me, Potter? Professor Lockhart and I haven't been anywhere."
"That's right! We've been right here!" Lockhart whimpered, drawing his wand. "That student... are they dead?"
"No, petrified." Dumbledore, seeing Harry was silent, clapped Lockhart on the shoulder. "Get some rest, Gilderoy. Tomorrow will be busy. You too, Draco."
Draco flinched at Dumbledore's gaze. "Yes, Professor."
Once outside, Dumbledore asked, "What did you see, Harry?"
Harry stamped his foot in frustration. "From what this one can tell... those two really didn't leave the room."
Colin was attacked a long way from here. Even if Draco had 'flying-fast legs' (飞毛腿, fēimáotuǐ), he couldn't have made the round trip so quickly without being out of breath.
Harry held up his left hand. Between two fingers was a single hair.
"When this one left, I placed this hair in the door crack. The hair is unbroken and unmoved. It proves those two 'bird-men' (鸟人, niǎo rén - 'idiots/scum') in the room never took a step out."
Dumbledore stared at the hair, momentarily stunned.
Harry, who always appears so fiery and impulsive... possessed such meticulous methods?
His recklessness is a disguise... his keenness is his true nature...
Dumbledore's eyes darkened. It seems Harry is intentionally hiding many things...
The White Wizard's mind was racing, as was Harry's.
He was stumped.
Where is that damned snake hiding? And if the bastard controlling it isn't Draco... who the hell is it?
He thought: All clues are cut off. I can only wait for the Polyjuice Potion. Only by sneaking into the Slytherin common room can I find the truth.
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