Chapter 163: Discussion
The Basilisk paused slightly, silent for a moment before responding to Xiao Deng.
"Yes."
"Then doesn't that mean Slytherin wants to be resurrected?"
"No, you have misunderstood him."
"He is a great Wizard."
"When he raised me back then, I was untamable, which gave him quite a headache."
"It was he who split off some Soul fragments to suppress my wild nature."
"Coincidentally, I actually developed my own sentience by relying on his suppression."
"If not for him, I would still be a beast that would do anything just to eat."
"I might have died a long time ago."
Xiao Deng nodded slightly, which made Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall very anxious.
What is this kid nodding about, and what is he frowning about?
What on earth did he say to the Basilisk? I didn't even see him open his mouth!
"Do you only obey the commands of a Parseltongue?"
"Yes and no."
"What do you mean?"
"On one hand, I will not go against the words of Salazar."
"So I listen to Parseltongue."
"On the other hand, only a Parseltongue can communicate with me."
"You are an anomaly, the only one in a thousand years who can communicate telepathically without Parseltongue."
"The last aspect concerns the Soul fragments of Salazar."
"Although Salazar has no descendants, Parseltongue has an inextricable connection with him."
"So it is effectively a state of semi-control; if the other party were to force control, I would be powerless."
"After all, my sentience appeared relying on the Soul of Salazar."
Xiao Deng lowered his head and pondered for a moment.
"If I find a Parseltongue, can you establish a connection with him?"
"Yes."
Xiao Deng nodded.
"Good."
"Tomorrow, I will bring food and that Parseltongue over."
Hearing there would be food, the Basilisk drooled again.
"Hey, hey, hey!"
"Pull yourself together, can you show some dignity?"
"What do you know? Try being hungry for over a thousand years!"
Xiao Deng rubbed his forehead; this Basilisk was such a foodie!
"Then I'll come tomorrow."
After saying this, Xiao Deng slowly landed on the ground, and the Basilisk slowly retreated back into the mouth of the statue.
As soon as Xiao Deng landed on the ground, Professor McGonagall stepped forward and grabbed him.
"How is it? You're not hurt, are you?"
Xiao Deng shook his head.
"No."
"Let's head out first and talk as we go."
Dumbledore glanced at the large mouth, then followed Xiao Deng out of the Chamber of Secrets.
...
Headmasters Office.
When the three of them walked into the office:
"So, you mean that a few days ago, Lockhart really opened the Chamber of Secrets?"
Xiao Deng nodded.
"The case from decades ago also has the truth now."
"It's just that this truth cannot be brought into the light."
"At least, I think the Ministry of Magic will not admit it."
Dumbledore nodded and slowly sat down.
"You are right!"
"This is just something only we know."
Professor McGonagall pondered for a moment before looking at Xiao Deng.
"As for what you said just now about bringing a Parseltongue over, where will you get a Parseltongue?"
Xiao Deng lowered his head and secretly glanced at Professor McGonagall.
"Professor McGonagall, it's all my fault."
"I've been too busy lately, and there are many handover matters with Headmaster Dumbledore."
"I haven't had time to communicate with you about many of the young Wizards' matters."
Looking at the aggrieved-looking Xiao Deng, Professor McGonagall's inexplicable anger flared up again.
Her gaze towards Dumbledore became unfriendly once again.
Dumbledore took the initiative.
"Didn't Xiao Deng say he had a candidate?"
"Let's hear Xiao Deng's candidate first."
Professor McGonagall did not pursue the matter for now.
"Go ahead, what's going on?"
Seeing that diverting the trouble didn't succeed, Xiao Deng couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.
"Don't you guys know?"
"Harry can speak Parseltongue."
Snape's gaze shot over instantly.
Even Dumbledore was stunned.
"How could Harry speak Parseltongue? He isn't a Slytherin!"
Xiao Deng took out some melon seeds.
"Crunch!"
"Is that important?"
"What's important is that Harry can communicate with the Basilisk."
"And it's possible to control the Basilisk."
"In this way, the hidden danger can at least be kept within a certain range."
Snape's eyes flickered; he wanted to say something but held back.
But Professor McGonagall looked at Dumbledore immediately.
"Albus, do you think so too?"
"Then who will guarantee Harry's safety?"
Dumbledore slowly took a lemon sherbet out of his drawer.
He looked up at Xiao Deng.
"Do you want one?"
"Yes!"
A smile appeared on Dumbledore's face, and Xiao Deng stepped forward to take it.
"If you eat it, help me keep an extra eye on Harry."
"Then I don't want it."
Dumbledore stuffed the lemon sherbet into Xiao Deng's mouth.
"You've already eaten it, so you have to take it whether you want to or not."
The smile on Dumbledore's face had just formed when a cold greeting came from not far away.
"Albus, are you ordering around my little Wizard from Gryffindor right in front of me?"
"And giving him an extremely dangerous task!"
Xiao Deng immediately got into character, looking pitifully at Professor McGonagall.
"Professor McGonagall, I, I'm fine."
"It doesn't matter if I suffer a little grievance, as long as I can complete the mission."
"Anyway, I'm just one person, an orphan with nothing to hold me back."
"What if..."
Professor McGonagall's stern voice interrupted Xiao Deng.
"What nonsense are you talking about!"
"There are no 'what ifs'!"
Then she looked at Dumbledore.
"Albus, you need to come up with a solution!"
Dumbledore covered his face and rubbed it; even Xiao Deng found it hard to keep a straight face.
No, Professor, are you always this self-righteous when you make demands?
How has Dumbledore put up with you all these years?
Sometimes, Dumbledore feels quite aggrieved too.
But feeling aggrieved is one thing; it doesn't stop Xiao Deng from wanting to laugh.
Dumbledore raised his head and looked at Professor McGonagall, glancing at Snape without leaving a trace.
"Everyone, calm down first!"
"The main thing is that we have no other way to deal with this Basilisk right now."
"But fortunately, the Basilisk has no intention of harming Hogwarts."
"If there is a chance to communicate and utilize it, there is still room for maneuver."
"I think we can let Harry try."
"We will go together, and since Xiao Deng can also communicate with the Basilisk, it will be a double guarantee."
"If it can be controlled, that is naturally the best result."
"If the Dark Lord controls it, the consequences might be even more severe than they were decades ago."
"After all, everyone understands his goals and the danger he poses."
By now, Professor McGonagall had slowly calmed down.
Just as Dumbledore said, there is no better solution than this right now.
She looked at Xiao Deng, who was standing to the side, silent and with his head lowered, and couldn't help but sigh.
We have to wrong our Gryffindor child again by having him take on the risk.
Dumbledore breathed a sigh of relief as he saw Snape didn't speak up.
Xiao Deng saw that the three of them had no more objections, so he spoke up.
"If the three Professors have no other objections, I will go back to rest first."
"I will talk to Harry about this tonight, and we will meet at the entrance of the Chamber of Secrets tomorrow."
Chapter 164: Taking Harry to See the Basilisk
The next morning.
Fortunately, there were no classes today, and Harry wanted to see what this Basilisk looked like.
After all, it was a Basilisk connected to Lord Voldemort, and he himself had deep ties to Lord Voldemort.
Xiao Deng said the Basilisk could communicate, and Harry had a head full of questions.
The seven of them stood at the entrance of the second-floor bathroom, staring at each other.
Xiao Deng chuckled.
"Bringing Ron and Malfoy along is just a precaution."
Snape glanced at the cowardly-looking Ron.
"I can understand bringing Malfoy."
"Is Weasley here to act as atmosphere decoration?"
"Severus!"
No sooner had Snape finished speaking than he drew the ire of Professor McGonagall.
"You are a Professor, watch your tongue!"
Xiao Deng waved his hand.
"Oh, don't talk about that for now."
"Protecting one is the same as protecting three."
"In case Harry doesn't work out, there's still Malfoy."
"If both of them don't work out, there's still Ron!"
Professor McGonagall was still hesitant and looked at Dumbledore.
Dumbledore looked at Xiao Deng; his arrangement was indeed a precaution.
It added some risks, but considering the Basilisk had no hostile intent, the risk was under control.
"Xiao Deng has a point; it's all protection, it doesn't make much difference."
"Since we're all here, let's go."
Seeing that Dumbledore had made the decision, the two didn't say anything more.
The group entered the bathroom together, and the space felt much smaller.
This time Harry spoke, and that authentic Parseltongue seemed to come from his very bones.
Xiao Deng couldn't help but look at Dumbledore.
There really is a gap compared to what is learned later!
Dumbledore's mouth twitched; he naturally knew what Xiao Deng meant.
He had heard himself speak Parseltongue with his own ears and seen himself open the passage.
The brat must be mocking his accent in his heart right now.
The faucet changed shape before everyone's eyes.
Malfoy's eyes widened; even he had always thought that story was just an unverified legend.
He couldn't help but look at Snape, but Snape was watching Harry, who was opening the door.
Although it wasn't his first time here, and he was sure there was no danger inside, Dumbledore was still the first to enter.
The young Wizards went in second, and Professor McGonagall and Snape walked at the back.
Looking at the glorious underground passage and the carvings, Malfoy couldn't help but feel excited.
He looked around with his head tilted back like a Muggle.
This was the glory of Slytherin!
"Is this the heritage of Slytherin?"
"It's so magnificent!"
Dumbledore glanced at Malfoy.
It was no wonder the child was amazed; even he had felt some emotion when he first came in.
Malfoy secretly glanced at Snape; the Professor really could keep his cool.
He lived up to being the Potion Great Master that even his father respected!
Ron was also looking around.
"It's all stone everywhere. What does the Basilisk usually eat?"
Xiao Deng replied: "That's why it's been hungry for so long. I called you here to feed it."
Ron's mouth immediately twisted into the shape of a charging port.
"Xiao Deng, don't scare me!"
When Ron saw that wall, he was completely stunned.
He felt like he wasn't afraid of spiders anymore; he could switch to snakes instead.
"Thud!"
"Ouch!"
Malfoy wasn't watching where he was going and suddenly bumped into the back of Ron's head.
Malfoy clutched his nose.
"Weasley!"
"Do you know how to walk? Do you know how to walk?"
"Did your poor dad drop his urn?"
"Do you have to stop so suddenly?"
Professor McGonagall glanced at Snape, who tilted his head back, pretending not to see.
Ron was initially dazed, clutching the back of his head, but when he turned around, he started firing back.
"Do you know how to look where you're going?"
"Is your Death Eater dad hanging on the wall that you're holding your head so high?"
Dumbledore looked at Professor McGonagall, who lowered her head to look at the floor tiles, feeling a bit guilty.
Malfoy and Ron turned their heads simultaneously and said in unison:
"Xiao Deng, Harry, you two judge this!"
Xiao Deng was eating melon seeds and spread his hands.
"I don't have parents."
Harry pursed his lips and didn't speak, the meaning was very clear.
He didn't have parents either.
Snape and Professor McGonagall looked at Dumbledore together.
Dumbledore poked the wall with his wand, pretending not to notice them.
Harry grabbed their hands and pulled them to the side.
"You two argue here, I'll open the door first."
Professor McGonagall poked Xiao Deng.
"Xiao Deng, um... do you have any more melon seeds? Give me some."
Xiao Deng chuckled and handed a handful to Professor McGonagall.
"Did your poor dad drop his urn?"
"Is your Death Eater dad hanging on the wall?"
"Your dad is a dead poor ghost!"
"Your dad is a Death Eater!"
...
[Parseltongue.]
Harry spoke in Parseltongue again, and the wall slowly opened.
The moment the door opened, Malfoy and Ron tacitly stopped and followed closely behind Harry.
Xiao Deng also followed in lazily.
Xiao Deng looked sloppy and unreliable, but the moment he entered, his Divine Sense was fully spread out.
The Basilisk seemed to sense Xiao Deng's aura, and half its head poked out of the hole.
"Little Wizard, you're here!"
Xiao Deng's body slowly rose, once again reaching the level of the Basilisk's head.
"I brought a few people today, you don't mind, do you?"
"It's fine, as long as they are from Hogwarts, it doesn't matter."
"Little Wizard, you..."
Xiao Deng knew what it wanted to say, and with a wave of his hand, two tons of chickens, ducks, fish, and geese filled the Giant's mouth.
They were all alive, jumping and bouncing around inside.
Even though the Basilisk had its eyes closed, Xiao Deng could feel its eyes lighting up.
The cave was instantly filled with chaos, and some of the ones that could fly were scared and flew out of the cave.
Ron watched the commotion above in shock.
"He really is here to feed the snake!"
The Basilisk crunched one after another.
"Thank you so much!"
"It's been a thousand years, I've never eaten so well."
The Basilisk instantly rushed out to take care of the ones that ran out.
The three Professors watched in terror, shielding the young Wizards behind them, their hands gripping their wands sweating.
They were terrified that once the Basilisk was satisfied, it would eat them too.
After the Basilisk circled around and found nothing left, it seemed still unsatisfied.
But it returned to the Giant's mouth.
"You don't seem satisfied?"
"Well, there was really a bit too little."
"I've been hungry for a thousand years, you know!"
"Look at my size, I'm at least fifty feet long."
Xiao Deng spread his hands.
"There's nothing I can do, I didn't know your appetite."
"Let's get to business first, I'll bring you more next time, okay?"
"Fine, no problem, Little Wizard, your reputation is better than the last Parseltongue."
"I trust you!"
The Basilisk slowly poked its head out and followed Xiao Deng to the ground.
The three Professors instinctively took a step back, shielding the three boys even tighter.
"Wait here for me, they might be scared of you."
"How can that be? Salazar said I was very cute."
Chapter 165: None Are Qualified
Xiao Deng slowly arrived in front of the three Professors.
Professor McGonagall asked immediately:
"Xiao Deng, how is your communication with it going?"
Xiao Deng beckoned to Harry.
"The communication is going well enough."
"Today is just to let it come over and recognize people."
Dumbledore pondered for a moment and called out to Xiao Deng.
"I think it is necessary to let it know some things."
Xiao Deng turned around to look at Dumbledore, feeling interested.
"What things?"
Dumbledore cleared his throat.
"Salazar Slytherin was not entirely without descendants back then."
"It has been here for over a thousand years, so it might not be very clear about this."
"The Dark Lord is one of his lineages."
Professor McGonagall pressed down on Dumbledore's arm.
"If we say it like this, will the Basilisk refuse to listen to our explanation?"
Dumbledore sighed.
"Originally, I didn't want to say it either."
"But it has been waiting here for over a thousand years, and I think it deserves to know some truth."
These words made Professor McGonagall silent as well. Everyone felt that the Basilisk was terrifying, but that was a thousand years of waiting.
Such a long and lonely time deserved respect. Even if it truly had to die, it should be allowed to know the truth.
The three Professors reached a consensus to tell the Basilisk the truth.
In case the Basilisk really got angry and started killing, they would use their last bit of strength to protect them and get them out.
Xiao Deng could protect everyone by himself, but there was no need for him to say it out loud.
Xiao Deng walked slowly in front of the Basilisk.
"Snake King, there is something we all feel you need to know."
"What thing?"
"Salazar Slytherin did have descendants."
"The Parseltongue who tricked you into going out last time was one."
"However, this is the only one we know of at the moment."
"Whether he has other descendants or branches is hard to check after a thousand years."
"You should consider whether you still want to change the heir."
"Even if you don't change, I will still give you the food I promised."
"You can rest assured about this!"
The Basilisk was silent for a moment, then shook its head.
"Thank you very much for the feeding."
"I thank you on behalf of Salazar for not letting me starve here."
Xiao Deng's mouth twitched, and he did not respond. What kind of quirks had this Basilisk developed from being alone—oh, from being a snake alone?
"Although Salazar told me to listen to the Parseltongue, he violated the basic principles."
"Everything is premised on not harming Hogwarts."
"Therefore, if he has evil intentions, then he is not worth it."
"I believe Salazar will not blame me for making this decision."
"His original intention in leaving me behind was to protect Hogwarts."
"Would listening to him not be contrary to that original intention?"
Xiao Deng nodded. This snake—oh no, this Basilisk—was still quite reasonable.
Xiao Deng beckoned to Harry and the other two.
The three, including Dumbledore, looked at each other and then at the young Wizards.
"You go ahead."
"Since Xiao Deng asked you to go over, there shouldn't be any danger."
Ron tugged at Harry's clothes, his mouth wide open.
Harry was also a bit hesitant; after all, it was such a huge snake.
Malfoy had only taken two steps before he realized the two of them were motionless.
He wanted to persuade them, but held back.
When had Xiao Deng ever set them up? Why not trust Xiao Deng?
Malfoy didn't quite understand, but he trusted him. From the moment he acknowledged Xiao Deng as a friend, he had trusted him.
At the same time, he also had a little selfishness; if Harry didn't come over, he would become the rightful heir.
He walked generously to Xiao Deng's side, and seeing the Basilisk didn't move, his heart settled down.
The look in Xiao Deng's eyes when he looked at Malfoy was full of gratification.
Courage is not something everyone can possess.
The Malfoy family is not too bad either.
Seeing that Malfoy had no problems, Harry and Ron finally hesitated their way to Xiao Deng's side.
"Snake King, you can take a look. Among these three, is there anyone suitable?"
"Let them say something in Parseltongue."
Xiao Deng just remembered that Parseltongue was the way to communicate with the Basilisk.
He had no trouble communicating with the Basilisk himself, so he almost forgot about this.
Malfoy shook his head. Although he was a Slytherin, he did not know Parseltongue.
Ron didn't know it either; he shook his head like a rattle-drum.
Harry looked at the Basilisk and spoke:
"Hello?"
"I heard from Xiao Deng that you are called the Snake King?"
The Basilisk's tail suddenly flicked.
"Wow!"
"There is actually someone who knows Parseltongue!"
"However, little Wizard."
"The Bloodline in you is too thin."
"Even if I recognize you as the heir, you won't be able to hold the position steady."
"The last Parseltongue was much stronger than you."
"If he wanted to seize control, it would be effortless."
Harry looked at Xiao Deng and spoke again:
"Then is there no way for me?"
The Basilisk nodded.
"Yes."
"Parseltongue is something carried in the Bloodline."
"If you have it, you have it; if you don't, you don't."
"However, in a few decades, I guess the whole world won't be able to find a Parseltongue."
"Bloodlines only get thinner and thinner."
"Unless another person like Salazar appears."
The Basilisk didn't even mention Ron; he didn't meet the requirements at all.
The Basilisk twisted its body.
"However, you have a crisis."
Xiao Deng heard this sentence and looked up at the Basilisk.
The Basilisk continued:
"There is something in your Soul that is familiar to me."
"It is very similar to the Soul of the last Parseltongue."
"How did he drop a fragment of his Soul into your Soul?"
Harry answered honestly:
"He wanted to kill me. I heard that my mother cast a spell, so he didn't succeed."
"But I only know about this matter now."
The Basilisk pondered for a moment.
"If it is ancient Magic, it is possible that it protected you."
"This Soul fragment of yours..."
The Basilisk pointed towards Xiao Deng's direction.
"It is a bit like a Horcrux."
Xiao Deng was stunned. For so long, he had never had any suspicions about Harry in this regard.
Immediately, his brows furrowed.
"If the Souls are entangled, this is quite troublesome."
Xiao Deng didn't act rashly either.
"After all, one slip-up and the consequences of the Soul having problems would be unimaginable."
The Basilisk nodded.
"Yes."
"We need to find a compromise."
"None of the three are suitable, let them go back."
Xiao Deng looked at the Basilisk and asked:
"Are you not considering even one of them?"
"If the last Parseltongue comes again, you will have to obey him."
"He has already killed quite a few people."
"Are you really willing to watch yourself become his blade?"
"To violate Salazar's orders and last wishes?"
The Basilisk's mood was a bit depressed.
"I can't help it either!"
"This is no longer an order; this is a rule!"
"A rule established by Salazar back then!"
"I have no way to change it."
Xiao Deng walked towards the Basilisk and touched its cold skin.
This action scared the three Professors not far away.
"Is there no other way?"
The Basilisk was silent for a moment, flicked its tongue, and sensed the crowd.
"There is one, actually."
"It is very difficult!"
Chapter 166: Fifty Percent
Xiao Deng immediately asked:
"Regardless of whether it's difficult or not, just say it."
"Do it first, and if we can't, that's not our problem."
The Basilisk twisted its body. Xiao Deng felt as if he could sense the Basilisk's strange gaze, even though its eyes were closed.
"Are you from Gryffindor?"
"That reckless energy is practically spraying on my tongue."
Xiao Deng's expression froze. Was he actually being roasted by a snake?
"Hurry up and say it. If you don't, I won't bring you any more food!"
"Eh?"
"Didn't you already agree to it properly?"
"Why are you acting like a woman, going back on your word?"
Seeing Xiao Deng thwarted, the Basilisk happily circled in place.
"Calm down, calm down."
"I haven't had any contact with people for too long, I got excited."
"Ahem!"
"Hiss hiss~"
The Basilisk pretended to clear its throat.
Professor McGonagall looked at Dumbledore.
"Why do I feel like it's clearing its throat?"
Dumbledore looked at Professor McGonagall in surprise.
"You understand Parseltongue?"
Professor McGonagall shook her head.
"I don't, but it's very similar to how you usually clear your throat."
Dumbledore:...
The Basilisk slowly lowered its head.
"There is indeed a way, but it only exists in legends. I'm still not sure if this method was made up."
"I don't need to say much about what kind of person Salazar Slytherin was."
"A legendary Wizard!"
"Naturally, his Mental Energy and Soul strength were stronger than most Wizards."
"The method is to replace Salazar's Soul."
"Change the host for the reason and intellect I rely on to survive."
"But while this method sounds simple, doing it is a different matter."
"Not to mention whether a little Wizard can grind away Salazar's Soul strength."
"Just maintaining my intellect so it doesn't go berserk is an extremely mentally draining task."
"If the other party is too hard and crashes into me, my consciousness will shatter and I'll become an idiot."
"Then my behavior will just turn into a scourge causing trouble everywhere."
"If the other party is too soft and fails to attack for a long time, in case I get hit by the backlash of my own consciousness and Salazar's Soul, I'll become an idiot at best, or lose my life at worst."
"One mind, four tasks."
"First, you must protect my intellect."
"Second, you must grind away Salazar's Soul."
"Third, you must plant your own Soul mark."
"Fourth, you must simultaneously sign a magic contract. This is the way to control me."
"If even one part goes wrong, it will cause irreversible consequences."
The more Xiao Deng listened, the more familiar it sounded.
Is this really a legendary method?
Why does it sound so much like refining?
Isn't this a required skill for people in the Cultivation world?
In the Cultivation world, whether a treasure can be refined isn't certain, but everyone definitely knows how to refine things.
Xiao Deng laughed, the corners of his mouth gradually curling up, and finally, he laughed out loud.
"Hahahaha!"
The trio was also startled by Xiao Deng.
"Xiao Deng, what's wrong with you?"
Xiao Deng waved his hand, indicating he was fine.
"I can do this."
"What?"
"You can do it?"
"I can communicate with you without knowing Parseltongue, so what if I know a few other things?"
The Basilisk's tone faltered; Xiao Deng seemed to see a trace of speechlessness on its face.
"Xiao Deng, sometimes you're quite narcissistic."
Xiao Deng pretended not to hear that.
"Then let me ask you, do you dare to bet?"
"Bet that I can successfully replace Salazar's Soul."
"If you don't bet, you'll definitely live a few more days."
"But you might be controlled by that Parseltongue to kill people in the future."
"There are only two situations."
"He wins, you become a pet, living in guilt for the rest of your life."
"Salazar's mission will be cut off."
"He loses, you are killed by someone."
"Salazar's mission will still be cut off."
"But if you bet and fail, you'll just meet Salazar sooner."
"If you succeed, you get rid of that control, keep living, and continue to follow the mission Salazar gave you: protect Hogwarts."
"I won't force you, think about it yourself."
"Everything I said before was a joke. Before you harm Hogwarts, I will deliver food on time."
"But if you are controlled and harm Hogwarts, our agreement will be void."
"Whether we live or die will be up to fate, and our own abilities!"
The Basilisk stared blankly at Xiao Deng; it felt like it had returned to a thousand years ago.
Salazar seemed to have said the same thing.
"My time is running out. Remember to carry out the mission I gave you: guard Hogwarts."
"The future is no longer in my control. If you intend to harm Hogwarts, our connection and kindness end here."
Tears couldn't help but flow from the Basilisk's eyes.
So similar, too similar!
Although Professor McGonagall couldn't understand, she was also saddened by the tragic atmosphere.
"What on earth did Xiao Deng say to the Basilisk?"
"Even a cold-blooded animal like the Basilisk can be this sad."
Snape spoke with an expressionless face:
"Probably... love."
Dumbledore took a look at Snape.
"Severus, I have a different opinion. I think it's probably a bond."
Ron tugged at Malfoy, and Malfoy asked with a look of disgust:
"What are you doing?"
"Malfoy, do you think Salazar Slytherin could also be a Death Eater?"
"What? That's a figure from a thousand years ago!"
"Not to mention my father, who is a school governor, the Dark Lord wasn't even born yet!"
"How could he have the chance to become a Death Eater?"
"So, Malfoy, you admit your father is a Death Eater?"
Malfoy:??? Did this poor guy suddenly get smart after seeing the Basilisk today?
"I admit your banana, you poor guy!"
"You just admitted it, little Death Eater!"
"You poor guy!"
"Your dad is a Death Eater!"
"Your dad is an old poor guy!"
...
Harry stood to the side, pretending not to know them.
Just as the two were arguing, the Basilisk swept its tail and raised its head.
"How much confidence do you have?"
Xiao Deng spread his hands.
"Fifty percent."
The Basilisk was a little surprised.
"That high?"
"I thought you would say thirty percent, when in reality it's only ten percent."
Xiao Deng took out two large basins of chicken legs.
"Do you eat cooked ones?"
"Eat! I'm not picky."
Why is this guy a bit like Ron?
Ron's eyes lit up when he saw the chicken legs.
"Wait, count me in for the meal."
Xiao Deng wasn't surprised by Ron's reaction.
The Basilisk flicked its tongue in appreciation.
"We'll eat this basin, you eat that one."
The Basilisk opened its mouth wide, but was stopped by Xiao Deng.
"Eat slowly, I didn't bring much."
The Basilisk felt a bit aggrieved, and could only flick its tongue to eat one chicken leg at a time.
"I didn't ask you just now, you only have a fifty percent chance of success, what about the other fifty percent?"
Xiao Deng threw away the chicken bones with his back hand.
"I think you should have more trust in me."
"I never fool my friends."
"With me, there is no such thing as that fifty percent."
Chapter 167 Transferring Control
The Basilisk was taken aback, then burst into laughter.
"Hiss, hiss~"
"You really are a Gryffindor!"
"Fine! I believe you!"
"Even if I die, it won't be a loss; at least I got to eat something before dying."
"What do you need me to do?"
Xiao Deng cleared a spot and sat down cross-legged.
"You must protect your consciousness, but you also need to hold on."
"If you give up and fall into depravity, no one will be able to save you."
The Basilisk flicked its tail and lay completely flat on the ground.
"Got it, got it."
"Just like that old man, nagging!"
Xiao Deng slowly closed his eyes and adjusted his state to its peak within a few minutes.
"I'm starting."
"Come on!"
Xiao Deng's surging Divine Sense swept over the entire Chamber of Secrets.
The Divine Sense enveloped the entire Basilisk and slowly invaded its brain.
"Relax, don't resist."
Xiao Deng's Divine Sense split into four strands; one protected the Basilisk's entire body.
One wrapped around the Basilisk's consciousness, and the third went to grind away at Salazar's Soul.
The last strand generated a new Divine Sense mark.
This process was smoother than Xiao Deng had imagined.
Even though the other party was Slytherin, his understanding of refining was still superficial.
The mark existing in the Basilisk's consciousness was easily erased.
Xiao Deng also re-imprinted his own Divine Sense onto the Basilisk's Soul.
In this way, the Basilisk became his pet.
Xiao Deng slowly opened his eyes and stood up from the ground.
"Feel it."
The Basilisk was somewhat shocked, feeling a trace of connection with Xiao Deng.
This connection was more solid and stable than the one it had with Salazar.
But at the same time, that sense of being unable to betray was even more obvious.
"What kind of divine method is this?"
"My perception is even clearer!"
"I can clearly feel that the object I am attached to has changed to you."
"Are you really just a young Wizard?"
"This is just too incredible!"
Xiao Deng reached out and signaled it to calm down.
"I'll go talk to them about the situation; you go play by yourself for now."
Afterward, Xiao Deng came before Dumbledore and the three Professors.
Xiao Deng walked over, and Malfoy, Harry, and Ron followed.
"Professor, are you ready?"
"There will be a lot of information."
Professor McGonagall patted Xiao Deng on the shoulder.
"Go ahead and speak; what haven't we seen before?"
Xiao Deng curled the corner of his mouth.
"Alright."
"Then I will say it."
"Strictly speaking, none of the three of them qualify as the heir."
"One is Slytherin, but cannot speak Parseltongue."
"One can speak Parseltongue, but the Bloodline is too diluted to control the Basilisk at all."
"If he tried to control it, the control would just be snatched away directly by the Dark Lord when facing him."
"And there is another one; forget it, it is not worth mentioning, none of them qualify."
"However, after my repeated questioning and explaining the pros and cons to the Basilisk, I obtained one piece of news."
"The control of the Basilisk can be transferred."
"I asked it before, and it confirmed that it is a Horcrux."
"Its consciousness is attached to the Soul of Salazar Slytherin."
"But the control over it can be transferred."
"It told me that as long as this piece of Soul is replaced, the control will be transferred."
"In the future, even if the Dark Lord comes again, he will not be able to influence the Basilisk."
"And what I just did was attempt to replace the Soul of Salazar Slytherin."
Professor McGonagall exclaimed: "That is reckless!"
"Why didn't you tell us just now!"
"What if something had happened to you?"
"How would I face..."
Professor McGonagall stopped halfway through her sentence.
Xiao Deng looked at Professor McGonagall with a faint smile.
"Professor McGonagall, I am an orphan."
"You don't need to answer to anyone."
Professor McGonagall's mouth twitched; she wanted to speak, she wanted to comfort him, but she couldn't open her mouth.
This child's life was simply too bitter.
If she hadn't brought him back, he might still be a noble child.
Why would he need to bear this kind of risk!
Professor Dumbledore gently patted Professor McGonagall's back to comfort her, then looked at Xiao Deng and asked:
"Then what should we do now?"
Xiao Deng shook his head.
"No need to do anything."
"Although they cannot be the heir, I am already the master of the Basilisk."
"Just send it food regularly; after all, it has been hungry for a thousand years."
Dumbledore stared at Xiao Deng with wide eyes.
"You mean to say that a problem that couldn't be solved even when deaths occurred decades ago, you have solved?"
Professor McGonagall echoed:
"You mean to say the hidden danger that has existed at Hogwarts for decades is gone?"
Even Snape was somewhat agitated.
"You mean you have controlled the Basilisk of Slytherin and the Chamber of Secrets."
"Just by being a Gryffindor?"
Xiao Deng looked at the trio beside him who didn't know what to say and shrugged.
"Unified response: Yes, that's right!"
Professor McGonagall tugged at Dumbledore's Wizard robes.
"This is just too incredible!"
"This is a huge contribution to Hogwarts!"
Dumbledore knew how excited Professor McGonagall was, and he was excited too.
But he still had to pour this bucket of cold water.
"Xiao Deng!"
"I think it is necessary for you to know some things."
"You are a hero!"
"You have done a lot for Hogwarts."
"Especially having solved such a difficult problem."
"But I have no way to publicly praise you, reward you, or give you glory."
Professor McGonagall exclaimed: "Albus!"
But Dumbledore did not pay attention to Professor McGonagall.
"The Chamber of Secrets, the Basilisk, and the Dark Lord are themselves taboos in the Wizarding World."
"There is no way to bring this matter out into the open."
"If brought out, not only would no one believe it, but people would also attack you."
"Such consequences would not be good for you."
Hearing Dumbledore's explanation, Professor McGonagall also fell silent.
This is reality; the Ministry of Magic is indeed a major hurdle that is difficult to overcome.
Xiao Deng is undoubtedly a hero, having indirectly stopped the Dark Lord's plan.
But the hero has no name!
Xiao Deng waved his hand, looking relaxed.
"Those are all empty names; it's enough that we can live well."
"Whether I am a hero or not is not my concern."
"If I had really died here just now, no one would remember me anyway."
Everyone at the scene felt as if their mouths were blocked, unable to say a word.
If Lockhart had even a fraction of Xiao Deng's realization, he wouldn't be so irresponsible.
"There are still some things regarding the Basilisk."
"Are you coming with me or going back first? But I don't know how long it will take."
At this point, who would go back?
Xiao Deng had done so much, contributed so much, and taken such great risks; would they still be human if they went back now?
Dumbledore stepped forward.
"We're not going back; we will follow you, take a look, and broaden our horizons."
The others nodded repeatedly.
Only then did Xiao Deng turn back to look at the Basilisk resting behind.
"You said, Salazar Slytherin has a gift for the latecomer?"
Chapter 168: Slytherin's Gift
The Basilisk nodded and turned back to face the Giant face statue.
The Basilisk gathered its strength for a moment, then suddenly opened its eyes, firing a beam of green light straight into the Giant's eyes.
Xiao Deng felt that this was not the light he usually saw.
At least, it wasn't the kind of light used for Petrification.
The eyes of the Giant statue also lit up, projecting light onto the floor in front of it.
A serpentine totem suddenly illuminated.
Immediately, the floor slowly unfolded downwards, forming a passageway.
"Follow me."
The Basilisk darted inside in a flash, and Xiao Deng followed it in.
Worried about her student, Professor McGonagall took a step forward, being the first to follow Xiao Deng.
Next were the three little troublemakers, followed by Dumbledore and Snape.
The group swarmed into the underground area.
Although it was underground, a soft light source was constantly emanating from an unknown place.
This allowed everyone to clearly see this underground area.
Ron scratched the back of his head.
"This looks a bit like Headmaster Dumbledore's office."
Everyone had this feeling; could it be that the office hadn't changed in thousands of years?
That would be too legendary!
"The gift Salazar left for you is on the table; take a look."
Xiao Deng slowly approached the main seat of this office.
The moment Xiao Deng sat down, he had the illusion that he had already become the Headmaster of Hogwarts.
On the table sat an exquisite, ancient-looking wooden box.
It was impossible to tell what material it was made of, but it had remained intact for a thousand years.
The box alone was already very valuable.
Not far away, Snape was staring fixedly at the box, as if he had guessed something.
However, Xiao Deng had no intention of paying attention to him for the moment; he would open the box first.
Xiao Deng reached out and opened the box; there was no sound.
Even the metal hinges had no rust, opening smoothly.
Inside was a piece of parchment, and Xiao Deng raised an eyebrow.
He sold parchment in his shop, but compared to this one, his was inferior.
The only good thing about his was that it was cheap and cost-effective.
But as the saying goes, the only drawback to good things is that they are expensive.
Just the cost of producing this parchment would absolutely be an astronomical figure.
It was written entirely in Old English, which Xiao Deng didn't quite understand.
"Headmaster, what is this?"
Dumbledore leaned in to take a look; the more he looked, the closer he got, and the closer he got, the deeper his brow furrowed.
"This is incredible!"
"Xiao Deng, this is incredible!"
"This is actually the original version of the deed to Hogwarts!"
"It is also the only deed that possesses a magical contract!"
Ron tugged at Malfoy.
"What's the use of this deed?"
Malfoy did not mock Ron this time.
"With the deed, the status and ownership of Hogwarts are determined based on factual evidence."
"Currently, all administrative documents for Hogwarts are issued by the Ministry of Magic."
"However, these are empty papers without any magical effect."
"The Ministry of Magic can change them at will!"
"And the status, legitimacy, and land usage rights of Hogwarts are all decisions made by the Ministry of Magic based on historical remnants."
Ron glanced at Harry, feeling a bit of a headache.
"I don't understand."
Malfoy sneered: "What a fool, as expected!"
But he still continued to explain to Ron.
"It means that Hogwarts itself, including all the Professors and Wizards, is under the control of others."
"Whatever the Ministry of Magic says goes."
"It's just that..."
Malfoy glanced at Dumbledore when he said this.
"It's just that Hogwarts is massive, and many Wizards have graduated from here."
"Although Headmaster Dumbledore..."
The word "terrible" ultimately didn't come out of his mouth.
"However, the Ministry of Magic is still very wary of Hogwarts."
Dumbledore looked at Xiao Deng and said seriously:
"Listen, Xiao Deng!"
"According to the description here, the land occupied by Hogwarts is far more than what it is now."
"It likely extends much further outward."
"It might even include the Ministry of Magic."
"Just as Malfoy said, once this deed appears, the structure of the Wizarding World will change immediately."
Xiao Deng could tell there was a hidden meaning in Dumbledore's words.
"What do you want me to do?"
Dumbledore smiled.
"You are still so smart!"
"You can accept this deed, but you must not let the news spread."
"If you do, it will provoke dissatisfaction from the Ministry of Magic and could very likely lead to civil unrest."
"If the Dark Lord were to make a comeback at this time, it would be a painful blow to any side."
"Great chaos will ensue!"
"It won't just be the Ministry of Magic; it will turn into a melee between the Wizarding World and the Wizarding World, the Muggle world and the Muggle world, and the Wizarding World and the Muggle world."
Xiao Deng didn't speak, staring at the deed before him.
Mysterious magic was flowing on the deed.
Xiao Deng had felt it when he came in.
It was a kind of longing!
The deed longed for his approval, longed for him to sign it, and longed to return to its master's side.
Xiao Deng had a feeling that this deed wasn't something just anyone could possess.
Only an acknowledged heir could leave a mark on the deed.
Otherwise, not only would the Basilisk not acknowledge them, but the deed itself wouldn't either.
This was a deeper level of rules, not his area of expertise, so Xiao Deng didn't delve into it.
"Fine!"
Xiao Deng's deep voice came.
"I won't spread the news."
"But, I must sign this."
Only then did a smile appear on Dumbledore's face.
"What is yours cannot be taken by others."
"I'm afraid I probably couldn't destroy this deed either."
"The power on this, I... cannot understand!"
Xiao Deng looked at Dumbledore in surprise; the Headmaster, who was always known for being knowledgeable and omnipotent, actually said he couldn't understand it.
Xiao Deng picked up the quill beside it; the quill hadn't even dried out after a thousand years.
Xiao Deng directly signed his magical signature.
Subsequently, the deed emitted a golden light.
Xiao Deng could perceive that the deed was excited, it was joyful, it had welcomed a new master.
A sense of control also burst forth from his body.
He closed his eyes to feel it carefully, then suddenly opened his eyes, looking at Dumbledore in shock.
"It's this big!"
He finally understood Dumbledore's concern.
Once the deed was made public, a melee would likely be the least of the consequences.
Once people feel that their things are out of control and lose their sense of security, one really cannot fathom what they might do.
Hogwarts was the main building, so it would become the target of concentrated fire.
Then there would only be endless trouble, it would really affect his woo...
Uh, no, it would really affect his studying at Hogwarts!
Just at this moment, the entire Hogwarts began to shake.
Professor McGonagall was alarmed:
"Could it be an earthquake?"
Dumbledore shook his head.
"This is the Wizarding World, not the Muggle world; there is no record of earthquakes in the history of Hogwarts."
Could it be that Xiao Deng caused it?
Dumbledore looked back at Xiao Deng, but didn't see anything.
"Professors, you should go back and comfort the young Wizards first."
"This is not an earthquake; I will go out later and explain it to you."
The Professors knew this wasn't the time for idle chat, so they were about to walk out.
"Wait, I'll send you off!"
Xiao Deng waved his hand, and everyone disappeared from the Chamber of Secrets.
Chapter 169: Incarnation, Master of Hogwarts
The moment Xiao Deng signed that deed, he felt the aura of Hogwarts.
And he was the Master of Hogwarts!
Xiao Deng had guessed before that Hogwarts was likely no simple Castle.
And now it was confirmed: Hogwarts was alive!
To put it in terms that the cultivation masters here could understand, Hogwarts has an Artifact Spirit.
Because the outer realms were frequently damaged and destroyed, only the main building still possessed the ability to actively absorb magic.
However, over a thousand years, the Legacy was broken generation after generation; by the time of Headmaster Dumbledore, many functions had already ceased to operate.
When Xiao Deng signed that deed, he received information transmitted from the will of Hogwarts.
"Master, give it to me quickly!"
"Give me magic quickly!"
"I'm starving! I'm starving!"
With Xiao Deng's Soul Transformation strength, supporting a Hogwarts was far too simple.
The tremor just now was the disturbance caused by Xiao Deng feeding it too much magic all at once.
After sending everyone away, Xiao Deng slowly mastered the amount to transmit.
Hogwarts, which had previously felt somewhat gloomy, instantly became much brighter.
"Ah, Master, that's great!"
"As long as Master keeps feeding us for a week, our control over the outer perimeter will also be recovered."
Xiao Deng nodded; he didn't have to use it, but he couldn't be without control.
As long as it wasn't public, it wouldn't count as breaking his promise to Dumbledore.
"Master, be a bit more generous!"
"Feeding us bit by bit, it's not satisfying at all."
Xiao Deng glanced at the Basilisk; was it a coincidence that these two things had the same temperament?
They could definitely share a table with Ron.
"If I give you too much and you shake again, the little Wizards of Hogwarts will think the enemy is attacking."
"Why is the new Master so stingy? Snake King, are you full?"
The Basilisk shook its head like a rattle-drum.
"You can communicate with it?"
"Of course, as long as it's within the Hogwarts deed, theoretically I can communicate with anyone anywhere."
"It's just that as the main building, it's not appropriate for me to speak."
Xiao Deng sighed deeply; had these past few years driven these two things crazy?
They were both way too hyperactive upon appearing!
"Let's wait until things stabilize; now isn't the right time."
The two species said in unison:
"Fine!"
"Who would have thought that even with a new Master, we'd still have to go hungry."
Xiao Deng's face darkened.
"Can you two not let me hear you when you're whispering behind my back? I haven't left yet!"
Hogwarts transmitted a thought:
"If we don't let you hear us, how will you know what we need?"
Xiao Deng was speechless.
"Alright, alright."
"The magic I've transmitted to you now should be enough for you to use."
"Wait a week, and once you've regained control of all the Domain and stabilized, I'll irrigate you with a large amount."
"Master, you said it yourself, you can't go back on your word."
"I always keep my word."
The Basilisk nodded; that was true, he said he'd bring it food, and he did, he didn't trick the snake.
"I'm heading out first; if I don't go out now, everything is going to be in complete chaos."
Xiao Deng flashed and disappeared from the spot.
Under Dumbledore's coordination, the little Wizards and other Professors had already stabilized.
However, there were still emotional Professors who came out to ask:
"Headmaster Dumbledore, what just happened?"
"I've been at Hogwarts for so many years and have never seen a situation like this."
Dumbledore reached out his hands to gesture for calm.
"Everyone, I am truly sorry."
"Professor Snape caused some damage while creating a new Potion."
"Everyone, there is no need to panic!"
"I will take Severus to fix it together."
"There are no more safety issues now, everyone please return."
"Minerva, I'll leave the rest to you."
Professor McGonagall secretly rolled her eyes at Dumbledore.
He only let her do the work when things needed doing!
"Come find me in my office after you've arranged for the students and staff."
Snape glanced at Dumbledore and also began to get busy.
Actually, Snape wasn't tired; just standing there was enough to chase the little Wizards back quickly.
When Dumbledore rushed back to his office, Xiao Deng was already waiting there.
"You've already handled that snake?"
Xiao Deng nodded.
"How did we disappear just now? What exactly is going on?"
Xiao Deng took out some melon seeds and got into a comfortable position.
"I'll explain this all at once when they arrive."
"The problem is quite big."
"I originally thought it was just a problem with the Dark Lord, but I didn't expect the water here to be deeper than I imagined."
Guiding Professors and little Wizards back to classrooms or the Dormitory was something that was done often.
For the Professors, it was still quite easy.
Soon, Professor McGonagall and Snape arrived at Dumbledore's office.
"Where are Harry and the others?"
Professor McGonagall was a bit confused.
"Are they still needed? I let them go back first."
Xiao Deng slowly stood up.
"Of course they are needed."
Without waiting for Professor McGonagall to speak, Xiao Deng waved his right hand.
Harry, Ron, and Malfoy appeared in Dumbledore's office.
At this, even Dumbledore stared at Xiao Deng with wide eyes.
"Xiao Deng, how did you do that?"
The moment Xiao Deng slowly sat down, a stool appeared next to each of the Professors and little Wizards.
"Sit down and let's talk."
"This is also what I am about to explain."
"I want to announce something."
"The emergence of this matter will affect Headmaster Dumbledore and all the school governors."
Several people looked at each other, not knowing what Xiao Deng meant.
"Remember the deed from earlier?"
"Headmaster Dumbledore only recognized that it was a deed with magical power."
"But there is more to it than that."
"Have you never doubted this Castle, Hogwarts?"
"Its origin?"
Everyone shook their heads.
"Why would a Castle have magic?"
Everyone shook their heads again.
"Then let me tell you why."
"Hogwarts is alive!"
"It is a Castle with self-awareness and thoughts."
"Headmaster Dumbledore, haven't you realized why some people can't enter the office without the password?"
"Who exactly is it that recognizes the password?"
"It is actually Hogwarts itself!"
"I signed the deed, and I now have a connection with Hogwarts."
"Do you know why there was such a big tremor earlier?"
"Because I gave some magic to Hogwarts, and it was very happy."
The three Professors' pupils shrank.
"It's not that such claims haven't existed for a thousand years, but no one has ever truly believed that Hogwarts has life."
Professor McGonagall continued, her mouth trembling:
"Most people just think that's why Hogwarts appears magical."
"It makes sense for it to sit firmly as the head of magic schools."
Several people nodded; this common saying was very familiar.
Xiao Deng cracked melon seeds and said:
"I have established a connection with Hogwarts."
"I have become the Master of Hogwarts."
"In other words, those documents you signed—the school governors, the shares, the rules..."
"Have become invalid pieces of paper to me."
Chapter 170: Discovering Peter Pettigrew
Xiao Deng looked at Dumbledore with a smile.
"Dear Headmaster Dumbledore!"
"Hehehe!"
"In the future, it will become you working for me."
Dumbledore's face darkened; he didn't really want to engage with him.
Professor McGonagall looked at Xiao Deng with a face full of pride.
This was the student she had brought back herself!
Snape's face was rather foul.
This brat actually had such a fortuitous encounter; would he still be able to make him brew Potion for him in the future?
Dumbledore wouldn't fire him, but this brat might not make things easy for him!
At this moment, Malfoy suddenly spoke up:
"You called me over—are you trying to make me a lobbyist for my father?"
Everyone else fell silent upon hearing Malfoy's words, and Xiao Deng looked at Malfoy.
"Yes, and no!"
"Your father is obsessed with power and schemes, and it will be hard to change him in the short term."
"So, you need to go and constantly influence him."
"Although I don't know if it will work."
Malfoy immediately picked up where Xiao Deng left off.
"It won't work."
"I know best what kind of person he is."
"I also know very clearly what kind of ideological education and dissemination I have received."
"I have some habits that I can't change for the time being; for him to change things he has held onto for a lifetime…"
"It's difficult!"
"That's not even as effective as you giving him a beating to make him clear-headed."
Ron looked at Malfoy in disbelief.
"You are truly filial!"
"That is your Death Eater father!"
Malfoy rolled his eyes at Ron.
"Your poor father isn't much better."
"Hasn't he been working on Xiao Deng's turf his whole life?"
After finishing, he looked at Xiao Deng and continued:
"Precisely because he is my father, I know clearly where his point of approval lies."
"Assessing the situation is what he is good at; likewise, you can also utilize this."
Dumbledore laughed out loud from the side.
"If the Malfoy Family has you, it will not decline."
Malfoy sighed softly.
"Everything is a double-edged sword; finding weaknesses, being fast, accurate, and ruthless to strike at the vital point."
"All of these were taught to me by Xiao Deng."
Xiao Deng threw away the melon seed shells in his hand.
"This is also the second point I want to make."
"For the time being, let's keep it a secret."
"This aspect will still affect the entanglement of interests between various pure-blood Families and nobles."
"If it's not handled well, there will be chaos again!"
"Unless…"
Professor McGonagall stared at Xiao Deng, fearing he would do something dangerous again.
"Unless what?"
Xiao Deng glanced at Professor McGonagall and smiled:
"Unless we can kill the chicken to warn the monkeys!"
"And it must be in public!"
Snape scoffed.
"Too naive."
"Who would be willing to come out and be that chicken?"
"Every Family can analyze the pros and cons."
"No, there is one person who would!"
Snape looked in the direction of the voice and saw a pair of beautiful eyes.
Harry pointed at the scar on his forehead.
"He might be a suitable candidate."
Dumbledore sighed.
"The Dark Lord is an extremely arrogant and proud person."
"He really might do such a thing."
"But he should be very weak right now."
"Thinking about it, he probably won't come out."
Xiao Deng was just about to say something, but his brows furrowed.
"Ron."
Ron had only been energetic when arguing with Malfoy; now he was about to fall asleep.
His head kept nodding, and it looked like it was about to hit Malfoy's shoulder.
What surprised Xiao Deng, however, was that Malfoy didn't dodge.
Following Xiao Deng's call, Ron immediately woke up.
"What? What? Are we having a midnight snack?"
Everyone else showed knowing smiles, and the atmosphere in the office relaxed quite a bit.
"Eat, eat, eat, all you know is eating; were you a starving ghost in your past life?"
Ron turned his head and retorted:
"If you don't eat, you'll die!"
"Alright, alright, you two stop arguing for now!"
Xiao Deng interrupted them and looked at Ron.
"I have something to ask you."
"Where is your Scabbers?"
Ron was a bit confused, but he still took Scabbers out of his Wizard robe pocket.
"It was sleeping in my pocket, what's wrong?"
Xiao Deng did not answer Ron's question but turned to look at Professor McGonagall.
"Professor McGonagall, how many Animagi are registered with the Ministry of Magic?"
Professor McGonagall answered without hesitation: "Seven."
The corners of Xiao Deng's mouth curled up.
"There shouldn't be a rat with missing hair and a severed finger in the records, right?"
Professor McGonagall was shocked.
"Are you saying this rat is…"
Before Professor McGonagall could finish, Ron denied it.
"Impossible!"
"How could Scabbers be an Animagus?"
"This used to be my brother's, and then it was given to me."
Xiao Deng slowly stood up.
"Ron, have you ever seen a rat that can live for over a decade?"
"Go ask at a pet shop; how many such rats have they encountered since they opened?"
Scabbers was being held in Ron's hand, and the Professors did not make any rash moves, fearing they might hurt Ron.
Just as Professor McGonagall was considering whether to transform into an Animagus, the situation occurred.
Scabbers, who had been sleeping in Ron's hand, suddenly opened its eyes and bolted.
Before the others could react, Scabbers had already reached the door, wanting to find a gap to hide in.
Xiao Deng let out a cold snort.
Catching you before didn't take any effort, and it won't be any trouble now either.
Scabbers felt a burst of magic suddenly appear in the air, an irresistible magic.
It carried it, slowly rising, and in its terrified eyes, it returned before everyone.
"Master, Master, you used this bit of magic; pay it back to me double later!"
Xiao Deng's face darkened; magic can even be used to extort!
Ignoring it, he looked at Professor McGonagall.
Professor McGonagall did not hesitate and acted immediately.
A spell hit Scabbers, and its size immediately changed, continuously enlarging.
Eventually, a dirty-looking man sat on the floor, his two large front teeth extremely prominent.
Snape frowned, while Dumbledore stood up with a start.
"Peter Pettigrew!"
"You are actually still alive!"
Xiao Deng looked at Dumbledore in confusion, but Dumbledore was looking at Harry.
As clever as Dumbledore was, what was there not to understand upon seeing Peter Pettigrew?
All of this was betrayal, all of this was a trap, all of this was framing!
Dumbledore slowly returned to his desk and pulled open a drawer.
But it was completely empty inside.
Dumbledore was stunned and also fell silent.
Suddenly, a hand reached out in front of Dumbledore.
On the hand sat a lemon sherbet!
Dumbledore turned to look and saw a cheeky little Wizard watching him from the side.
Dumbledore took the lemon sherbet and popped it into his mouth.
A large palm patted Xiao Deng's shoulder firmly.
Afterwards, he looked at Peter Pettigrew.
After a good while, Dumbledore spoke:
"Don't think that you'll be fine just by not speaking."
"Are you going to speak yourself, or should I help you speak?"
"Here with me, you still have the right and the opportunity to choose."
Chapter 171: Learning the Truth
Peter Pettigrew looked at Dumbledore with a fawning expression.
"Headmaster Dumbledore, hello there. It's been a long time. You still remember me!"
"I am honored!"
Dumbledore sneered:
"Faking your death to escape, and receiving the Order of Merlin, First Class."
"I certainly wouldn't dare forget such a great achievement."
"But..." Dumbledore paused and continued:
"Because of you, many people have died."
"You were the one who exposed the Potter couple's whereabouts, weren't you?"
"And then you framed Sirius!"
"Cutting off your own finger and disappearing—a truly brilliant plan."
"I know that Sirius was framed."
"But I have no evidence."
"Your appearance has finally given me clues to the things I couldn't figure out."
Peter Pettigrew placed his hands on his chest, looking exactly like a real rat.
"Respected Headmaster Dumbledore, I don't know what you are talking about."
"However, with your strength and prestige, wouldn't it be easy to protect Sirius?"
"I thought..."
Dumbledore interrupted Peter Pettigrew.
"You thought I would make an exception and protect Sirius?"
At this, even Xiao Deng shook his head.
This rat still did not understand Dumbledore.
Putting aside his own status as the Master of Hogwarts, Dumbledore's strength was firmly in the top three of the Wizarding World.
He had spent his whole life restricting himself with rules.
If he were to truly break the rules and shatter his inner constraints, there would be practically no one who could contend with him.
Without constraints, he would be no different from the Dark Lord in his own eyes.
Peter Pettigrew was stunned, then turned to see Harry.
"Oh, Harry, long time no see."
"The last time I saw you was, well, the last time."
"Your parents and I were the closest of friends."
Having overheard some fragments of the conversation, Snape had also figured out a few things.
Although there were still some doubts about other matters, one thing was very clear.
Lily's death had a lot to do with Peter Pettigrew.
"Oh~"
"Vile Wormtail, I didn't think I would see you here."
Peter Pettigrew turned around and looked at Snape carefully.
"So it's Sniv... Snape!"
Seeing Snape's gloomy eyes, Peter Pettigrew changed his words on the spot.
"It's been years, how are you?"
Snape pulled out his wand.
"Whether I am well or not, Mr. Wormtail, you will know once you take a Spell from me."
At this moment, Dumbledore's voice rang out in the office.
"Severus!"
Professor McGonagall's hand also rested on Snape's shoulder.
"We still have many things to ask him."
Snape was silent for a moment, then slowly put away his wand.
He turned around with a dramatic motion, his robes swirling up like a bat.
Snape left Dumbledore's office.
Dumbledore watched Snape leave and nodded slightly, then looked at Peter Pettigrew.
"If you tell the whole truth, I can consider giving you a way out."
Peter Pettigrew shrank his neck and said:
"I was just too afraid of his retaliation."
"I didn't dare to come back as long as I hadn't heard news of his death."
"You know the weight of the First Class, if he really isn't dead, I'll be the first one he retaliates against."
Dumbledore smiled, a smile that left Peter Pettigrew feeling somewhat confused.
"You followed James and the others not because your magical talent was inferior."
"But more because..."
"You are not capable of shouldering great responsibilities!"
"And you cannot read the situation!"
"Snape!"
Dumbledore called out, and Snape entered from outside the office.
He was holding a basin that looked familiar to Xiao Deng, who immediately knew what Snape was going to do.
With a wave of his hand, Peter Pettigrew flipped 360 degrees and landed on the floor.
Snape stepped on his shoulder and washed Peter Pettigrew's face directly.
"Cough, cough!"
A large amount of veritaserum was poured in, and Peter Pettigrew coughed, his face turning red.
Dumbledore asked many questions, and Peter Pettigrew answered them one by one.
But as Peter Pettigrew said more in his answers, Dumbledore frowned more and more.
The more truth they heard, the more silent the office became.
Dumbledore looked at Peter Pettigrew, a flash of pity in his eyes.
This person had never made a right choice in his entire life.
In his relationships with friends, he chose betrayal and dared not face anyone.
While at school, he chose to go out and met the Dark Lord.
He was chosen as the Secret-Keeper for the Potter family, but he chose to betray them.
To escape, he left behind a finger; the only remains his mother received was a finger.
Awarded the Order of Merlin, First Class by the Wizarding World, he had to hide everywhere to avoid being hunted by the Dark Lord's followers.
He swayed back and forth, and every time he gambled on his choices, it made his situation more difficult.
Peter Pettigrew wailed on the ground.
"Dumbledore, Headmaster!"
"What could I do?"
"You don't know his weapons, his methods are beyond your imagination..."
"I was just so scared!"
"I didn't have the right to resist; he would have killed me."
Xiao Deng stood up and walked to Peter Pettigrew.
"I don't quite understand this fear you speak of."
"And I don't quite understand the terror of the Dark Lord you speak of."
"But from what I hear, you should be a Gryffindor."
"A cowardly Gryffindor who makes bold choices every time?"
"Are you truly brave or falsely clever?"
"Every decision you make is wrong, yet you never doubt your choices."
"This kind of arrogance is a bit like Slytherin, Professor Snape."
Snape snorted coldly and ignored Xiao Deng.
"Just saying you were too scared, the Dark Lord was too terrifying."
"There is no need to find so many excuses."
"Even without the Dark Lord, when faced with issues, you would still choose to betray your friends."
"Fear is not a universal excuse."
The others fell into deep thought; what Xiao Deng said made sense.
Only Harry stared fixedly at Peter Pettigrew.
Dumbledore walked over and patted Harry on the shoulder.
"Child, the dead cannot come back to life."
"We still need to move forward."
"As for Sirius, I will find a way to get him out."
Xiao Deng was speechless. Old Dumbledore, why are you so bound by rules?
Now the entire Wizarding World is under his control.
At worst, he could just go to Azkaban and bring Sirius out.
Why does this old guy feel so spineless?
Hasn't this old guy gotten used to the fact that times have changed!
Not to mention the Wizarding World, he could even influence the Muggle world.
The prerequisite was that Hogwarts be repaired and regain control of the land outside.
Professor McGonagall stood up.
"Then how do we deal with him now?"
Dumbledore looked at Xiao Deng.
"Is there any way to find a place to lock him up first?"
"The Ministry of Magic might not acknowledge this matter, and I need time to consider a strategy."
"Before that, we need to keep him locked up."
Xiao Deng snapped his fingers.
"No problem!"