Chapter 121: Opening the Chamber
"Got it!"
After returning from the girls' dormitory, George didn't immediately go back to his own dorm. Instead, he flew his broomstick far away from the castle.
He pushed the broomstick to its maximum speed, landing in a nearby Muggle city. Disguised as a Muggle, he wandered through several bars, changing his appearance and clothing multiple times before finally returning to Hogwarts.
By the time he returned to his normal size and pajamas and lay back down in the Slytherin dormitory, it was already 4 AM.
After lifting the Sleeping Charms on his three roommates, he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.
The next morning, everything seemed normal. Aside from Ginny herself, no one noticed that he had sneaked into the girls' dormitory and taken Voldemort's diary.
Under normal circumstances, no one would have discovered that he had stolen the diary the previous night. But he had to account for Dumbledore.
If Ginny confessed, Dumbledore would undoubtedly investigate who had taken the diary.
That's why George had taken such a convoluted route the night before, going through so much trouble.
Now, he could only hope that Dumbledore wouldn't use a Time-Turner. If he did, all of George's efforts would likely be for nothing.
He thought it was unlikely. When Hagrid and Sirius had been framed in the past, no Time-Turner had been used, suggesting it wasn't that easy.
Besides, Time-Turners could only go back five hours. Going further was dangerous.
Even if he were discovered, it wouldn't be a big deal. At most, Dumbledore would keep a closer eye on him.
What had he done? He hadn't killed anyone or committed any heinous acts. He was just curious about the diary.
He could always claim that Voldemort had manipulated him or something.
In any case, given Dumbledore's character, he wouldn't secretly eliminate George just for stealing the diary.
So, George wasn't overly worried about being exposed.
But not being exposed would certainly be better for him.
His studies at Hogwarts would proceed more smoothly.
Friday morning's double Potions class went as usual. After lunch in the Great Hall, George was pulled into the third-floor girls' bathroom—Moaning Myrtle's bathroom—by Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny.
"Why are we here?"
George pretended to be confused.
Harry took a deep breath and said:
"George, Ginny told us something. We might know where the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets is."
"George, I didn't want to lie to you, but I was scared. But you're right. If you make a mistake, you shouldn't run away. You should face it. Actually..."
Ginny stepped forward and recounted her story.
"So, you want Harry to try using Parseltongue to open the Chamber's entrance?"
George feigned shock before asking.
Hermione nodded:
"Yes. If Harry can really use Parseltongue to open the Chamber, we'll immediately notify the professors and let them deal with the basilisk inside.
That way, no one else will get hurt, Dumbledore can return, and the school won't have to close because of the basilisk."
"Let's try it, then. If we don't, the professors probably won't believe us anyway."
After a moment of thought, George agreed to Harry's plan.
After all, even if the entrance was opened, the basilisk wouldn't escape. There was still another door further inside.
This way, the professors could handle the basilisk, and George wouldn't have to worry about it anymore.
It was safe and reliable.
Plus, he'd get to see a battle between top-tier wizards and the basilisk, which would undoubtedly be beneficial for his magical studies.
The thought was thrilling!
Following Ginny's instructions, Harry walked over to a sink with a small snake engraved on the tap and said:
"Open!"
Nothing happened.
"Harry, you have to say it in Parseltongue—the hissing sound, not regular English."
Ron nervously reminded him.
George positioned himself protectively in front of Ginny and Hermione:
"If anything dangerous happens, hold onto me."
In truth, he knew there was no danger, but he had to play the part. Otherwise, it would seem suspicious.
The performance had to be convincing.
Harry and Ron had brought George along not only because they trusted him but also because they valued his strength. If something went wrong, he could protect them.
George was the only student who had escaped the basilisk, and he had even saved Hermione in the process. Naturally, this made Harry and the others feel safer.
"Okay, we're not afraid of that thing!"
Ginny and Hermione each grabbed a corner of George's robe, trembling slightly but nodding bravely.
Both girls were Gryffindors, and while they were scared, they were also courageous. As they held onto George's robe, they quietly drew their wands.
If the basilisk appeared, they didn't plan to rely entirely on George. They had their own spells and could help out.
In fact, Ginny knew there was another door inside, so the basilisk couldn't escape. She had told Harry and the others, but they were still nervous.
This was the Chamber of Secrets, created by Salazar Slytherin, one of the four legendary founders of Hogwarts. Inside was the basilisk, a creature that could kill with a single glance.
"Open!"
Harry closed his eyes, focused, and spoke again.
This time, instead of English, he spoke in Parseltongue—a series of hissing sounds.
Instantly, the snake-engraved tap emitted a bright light and began to spin rapidly.
Then, the sink moved, slowly disappearing to reveal a large pipe leading deep underground—wide enough for an adult to slide through.
"I'll stay here and guard the entrance. You go notify the professors!"
Seeing the entrance to the Chamber, George immediately drew his wand and pointed it at the opening, adopting a defensive stance.
"Don't worry, I can fly. Even if the basilisk comes out, it won't catch me."
Harry and the others exchanged glances but didn't hesitate. They sprinted off as fast as their short legs could carry them, heading to the professors' offices.
"If Voldemort knew, he'd be furious."
As Harry and the others left, George thought about the diary in his Requip space and chuckled to himself.
The sixteen-year-old Voldemort had worked so hard to gain Ginny's trust, gradually controlling her actions.
In a little over a month, he could have taken over her body and resurrected himself.
Now, George had completely ruined his plans, and the basilisk—Voldemort's trump card—would soon be surrounded and killed by the professors.
(End of Chapter)