Chapter 306

The corridor was dark and dim.

Wizard Sean’s appearance wasn’t much better.

His robe had been torn by shards of stone, and dust from falling debris clung to his clothes.

Under the moonlight, only the Sword of Gryffindor glowed with silver light, its blade still streaked with traces of blood.

His expression was also weary.

Master-level material transfiguration wasn’t difficult for him, but in combat, he needed to shorten his casting time as much as possible and enhance the spell’s effect.

He had just used terrain transformation multiple times in quick succession—each one ten meters in diameter and two meters deep.

He was nearly on par with ancient wizards renowned for dueling skill.

Not to mention the soul transfiguration he’d maintained continuously—the owl and the tree-ghoul appeared perfectly in sync with Wizard Sean, but in truth, they drained him of immense energy to control.

The cost of ending the battle in ten minutes was a rapid depletion of his stamina.

Now, he was dusty and disheveled (mostly from climbing pipes while carrying the sword).

Fortunately, the outcome didn’t deviate much from his plan—the basilisk had been lulled to sleep by physical and magical means.

He held the basilisk fang, his footsteps making faint sounds in the corridor.

He soon reached the headmaster’s office door.

There, Harry, Hermione, and Ron stared at him without blinking.

“Wizard Sean is…”

Harry had never seen Wizard Sean look so “disheveled”—not even last year, when facing the professor’s trials, he had handled everything with ease.

Now his robe was torn, and dust clung to his hair.

That sword—the Sword of Gryffindor—was stained with green blood.

“Did he succeed, or fail?”

Ron’s own voice trembled.

The cause and outcome were no longer vague shadows.

They clearly understood what the young wizard had faced.

The books said it was a fifteen-meter-long basilisk—just lying there, it could randomly frighten two young wizards into unconsciousness.

“Wizard Sean!”

Hermione had already run forward.

Leaving Harry and Ron to stare at each other, clueless, before hurrying after her.

“Good evening, Hermione, Harry, Ron.”

Wizard Sean quietly sheathed the Sword of Gryffindor; it seemed to be absorbing the basilisk’s blood and venom, so he hadn’t put it in the scabbard yet, leaving it exposed for observation.

“Good evening… no, I’m not fine at all!”

Hermione scanned him anxiously, as if checking whether he was missing limbs, and after a long moment, she let out a long breath.

“Wizard Sean, you…”

Harry’s words caught in his throat; he paused before asking,

“The basilisk—I mean, was it the basilisk? Is it dead?”

Wizard Sean shook his head.

“You really thought you could handle the basilisk alone! Good heavens!”

Hermione gasped, then quickly covered her mouth.

“Hogwarts has a basilisk… it’s not dead… Hogwarts has a basilisk… it’s not dead—”

Ron repeated his words dazedly.

He swallowed hard, watching the surroundings with caution—the moonlit walls, the empty corridor.

As if a giant basilisk would suddenly surge out and swallow them whole, bones and all.

Wizard Sean barely noticed their reactions; he was too exhausted. After putting away the Sword of Gryffindor, he needed rest.

Harry, Hermione, and Ron were all sharp observers; sensing the dullness in the young wizard’s eyes, they swallowed their questions and watched him walk into the headmaster’s office.

“Wizard Sean… why were you carrying the Sword of Gryffindor?”

Ron suddenly spoke—the green blood on the Sword of Gryffindor was too obvious.

Still… facing the basilisk and landing at least one blow—Ron now firmly believed Wizard Sean, the Ravenclaw, could draw the Sword of Gryffindor.

“…The basilisk’s skin is covered in scales that deflect spells.”

Hermione pulled out the book from the library and read aloud.

The three fell silent for a moment.

Harry took the book and read every word carefully:

【Parseltongue can induce the basilisk into deep sleep, halting its growth and placing it in a state resembling death…】

“We have to do something.”

Harry suddenly said,

“I don’t know where the basilisk came from, but I’m certain someone is using it to cause trouble—that’s why Wizard Sean risked himself to deal with it.

Now he’s failed, and we still don’t know who it is. Remember? Professor Quirrell was once corrupted by Voldemort…”

“You mean Lockhart?”

Ron suddenly understood—no wonder the man was such a fool; it was likely a special disguise.

No wonder Wizard Sean said nothing.

Because Voldemort’s follower had appeared again at Hogwarts!

“T-then we…”

Hermione hesitated,

“We have to tell the headmaster.”

“Don’t be silly, Hermione.”

Ron said weakly,

“It’s better to tell Snape—remember? When Quirrell attacked Harry, it was Snape who kept watch on him.”

Hermione fell silent; terrifying thoughts flashed through her mind.

Meanwhile, inside the headmaster’s office.

The dirty, crumpled Sorting Hat stirred slightly under the moonlight—it was lifted.

Wizard Sean studied it, trying to find an angle to slip the Sword of Gryffindor inside.

“No, no, not something that can be done right now—stay away from me, young wizard.”

A faint, urgent voice echoed in Wizard Sean’s mind.

Wizard Sean fell silent.

He had assumed the Sorting Hat and the Sword of Gryffindor were one and the same—after all, both were Gryffindor’s legacies.

Was he supposed to steal the Sword of Gryffindor?

“You did well, child. Just place it on the desk.”

At that moment, a kind, gentle voice spoke. Wizard Sean turned and saw Dumbledore’s white, gleaming beard in the moonlight.

“I must say, you’ve broken over a hundred school rules—”

Wizard Sean didn’t react immediately.

Basilisk, Chamber of Secrets, Voldemort…

His mind was crowded with critical information, and he’d forgotten he was still a student at Hogwarts.

“Oh, how delightful—you solved the mystery alone and bravely fought that serpent in the middle of the night, yet now you’re troubled by rules…”

Dumbledore laughed until his beard trembled.

“You don’t need to explain anything to me, child. I’ve always believed you walk a unique path.

But forgive an old man’s curiosity.

What benefit is there in pushing yourself to defeat such a dangerous basilisk?”

Dumbledore asked gently.

He seemed to be asking more than just that.

“I know the basilisk has awakened. Before tragedy strikes, I must do what I can.”

Wizard Sean’s voice remained calm.

At Hogwarts, little could be hidden from Headmaster Dumbledore.