[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-starting-at-hogwarts-logging-into-elden-ring":3,"chapter-starting-at-hogwarts-logging-into-elden-ring-starting-at-hogwarts-logging-into-elden-ring-chapter-85":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Starting at Hogwarts, Logging into Elden Ring",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1496259,1944,"Chapter 85: On the Basilisk and the Chamber of Secrets: The Protagonist’s Loud “Secret Plot”","starting-at-hogwarts-logging-into-elden-ring-chapter-85",85,"\u003Cp>The next morning, a new notice appeared on the Hogwarts bulletin board — announcing that Mrs. Norris had been attacked the night before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the end of the notice, it reminded everyone that the culprit had not yet been found, and all students should take extra precautions for their safety.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Great Hall, at the Gryffindor table, Harry and the others were deep in discussion about what had happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I did hear a voice last night,\" Harry insisted to Ron.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yeah, maybe, but none of us heard it,\" Ron replied, swallowing a mouthful of bread.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You think I should tell Professor Dumbledore about it?\" Harry asked hesitantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione frowned. \"Oh, please. Hearing mysterious voices is a bad sign even in the Muggle world — let alone here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And don't you find it strange? You heard that voice, and then Mrs. Norris got attacked.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur, sitting nearby, nodded. It was rather odd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The creature had spent all night shouting about killing, yet in the end, it only managed to petrify a cat and slither back home. Truly a very peculiar basilisk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three discussed for quite some time but failed to reach any conclusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione noticed how calm Arthur looked and suspected he already knew the truth — he just didn't want to say it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So when Harry and Ron weren't around, she quietly asked him about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Arthur didn't tell her either. He only smiled and said she'd find out soon enough — because he was planning to move the basilisk into the \"Zen Garden.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why? Well… just because it was big.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boys liked big things, after all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And besides, this was probably the only basilisk in the world that had lived for nearly a thousand years — and quite possibly the only one that had been holed up indoors for just as long.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ever since Salazar Slytherin had brought it to Hogwarts, it had remained guarding the Chamber, awaiting someone who could speak Parseltongue to summon it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The last person to summon it was Tom Riddle, fifty years ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back then, Riddle used the basilisk to petrify a girl — and then ignored it ever since.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That girl's name was Myrtle… the one later known as Moaning Myrtle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many believed Myrtle was killed by the basilisk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur, however, thought differently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He suspected that the basilisk had only petrified her. After all, Myrtle had been wearing glasses — meaning her eye contact with the basilisk was indirect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only direct eye contact was fatal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mrs. Norris, too, had only seen the basilisk's reflection in the water on the floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The real killer of Myrtle, Arthur reasoned, was Voldemort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To create a Horcrux, one had to use the Killing Curse — Avada Kedavra — and, at the same time, a secret ritual that split the soul. The split fragment would then be sealed inside a chosen object.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Voldemort's first Horcrux had been his diary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he must have killed someone while still a student.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur guessed that Voldemort had recently learned about Horcruxes, stumbled upon Slytherin's Chamber, and summoned the basilisk — only for Myrtle to witness it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was petrified in the process, and Voldemort decided to go all the way, using her death to forge his first Horcrux.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, he framed Hagrid for the murder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the time, Hagrid had just gotten hold of a young Acromantula — Aragog, the very one Arthur had slain last term.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though Aragog had still been small back then, its venom could already kill a person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the school found out Hagrid had been keeping such a creature, they expelled him and snapped his wand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For reference, he was only in his third year at the time — a fourteen-year-old raising a deadly spider. Truly, a half-giant with a hard life and a harder skull.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In short, Arthur thought the basilisk wasn't such a bad sort after all — so he decided to make it his pet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, what malice could a thousand-year-old shut-in snake possibly harbor?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It only followed Parseltongue commands, nothing more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That day in Transfiguration class, the students were practicing turning animals into goblets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Professor McGonagall demonstrated first, then had everyone try it themselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The students used the animals she'd provided — except for Ron, who brought his pet rat, Scabbers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or rather, Peter Pettigrew, the Animagus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Which meant Ron's task was harder than everyone else's — he wasn't just turning a small animal, but a person into a goblet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just then, a loud bang echoed behind Harry and Ron.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone turned to see that Seamus's white mouse had turned black — and wasn't moving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The air reeked faintly of burnt feathers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sight startled Ron so much that the goblet he had been working on twitched and turned back into Scabbers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the back row, Arthur couldn't help laughing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he remembered right, Harry and Seamus were dormmates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wondered — did Seamus also experiment with magic in the dorms?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If so, that dorm must be living in daily chaos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, Hermione, whose Transfiguration skill was already advanced, found the class rather boring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She raised her hand. \"Professor, could you tell us about the Chamber of Secrets?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had any other student asked, McGonagall might have told them to focus on their work.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this was Hermione — her star pupil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And ever since finding out that Arthur had become Snape's apprentice, McGonagall had been paying extra attention to Hermione.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, Hogwarts only had so many gifted students — she wasn't about to let another professor poach hers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So she nodded kindly. \"Very well, then. I'll tell you a little.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"As you all know, more than a thousand years ago, four great founders built Hogwarts: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three of them got along quite well — but the last did not.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(Slytherin: Slander! Outright slander!)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Slytherin believed Hogwarts should be more selective — that magical education should be limited to pure-blood wizards. The others disagreed. In the end, he left the school.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione, growing impatient, asked, \"But what about the Chamber of Secrets?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>McGonagall nodded and continued, \"According to legend, before leaving, Slytherin built a hidden chamber within the castle — the 'Chamber of Secrets.' He sealed it, awaiting his true heir.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only his heir could open it, and when opened, a terrible monster would purge the school of those deemed unworthy to study magic.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You mean — Muggle-borns?\" Hermione added.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>McGonagall nodded. \"Exactly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur had his own thoughts on that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slytherin had disagreed with the others but hadn't fought them — that showed he still had affection for his friends and the school.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Would he really want to destroy what he'd built?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were Muggle-born wizards born every year — what was the point of killing a few at Hogwarts?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, Slytherin merely wanted to uphold pure-blood prestige, not commit genocide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Chamber was likely just a secret room for teaching Dark Arts to his students.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he left, he sealed it up — perhaps as a legacy for future generations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The idea that his heir would release a monster to slaughter Muggle-borns? Utter nonsense — Voldemort's nonsense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Slytherin truly wanted that, couldn't he have trained his heir elsewhere?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Would a founder of Hogwarts really think a single basilisk could wipe out all Muggle-borns?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ridiculous!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A second-year armed with a phoenix managed to kill one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even without a phoenix, a few roosters would do — basilisk lore was clear that a rooster's crow could kill it instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then a thought struck Arthur:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Slytherin had left a legacy in the castle… could the other three founders have done the same?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He made a mental note to investigate later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he came back to his senses, McGonagall was already wrapping up her story.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Of course, the staff have searched many times but never found the Chamber.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What about the monster?\" Hermione pressed, still wondering what had attacked Filch's cat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm not sure,\" said McGonagall. \"But it's said only the true heir can control it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that, Ron instinctively turned to look at Draco.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Draco, not knowing why, looked back with his usual sneer — which, naturally, made Ron certain Draco was either the heir or knew who was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"All right, enough idle talk,\" McGonagall said briskly. \"Whatever the creature is, stay alert. Safety first.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Slytherins, of course, didn't care.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They believed the monster would never harm them — if anything, it would help rid the school of Mudbloods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>McGonagall finished, \"While there may be a monster roaming the castle, that's the teachers' problem. Your problem is your homework. I expect a ten-inch essay on Transfiguration by Monday.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her casual remark instantly shifted the students' focus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Groans erupted across the room. The Chamber was forgotten in an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed — if there were more homework, who would have time to worry about monsters?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well… almost no one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harry, as the one involved, still couldn't let it go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nor could Hermione, who was naturally curious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After class, Harry pulled Ron and Hermione aside to discuss it again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(After all, what's a best friend for if not to scheme together?)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you think the Chamber's real?\" Harry asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Of course,\" said Hermione. \"Didn't you see how anxious the professors were today?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(\"Except Lockhart,\" she added silently.)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If it's real, and it's been opened before… doesn't that mean Slytherin's heir is back?\" said Harry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm more curious about who that heir actually is,\" Hermione muttered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The monster hadn't been found, and now there was talk of an heir — things were getting messy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Think about it,\" Ron said confidently. \"Who always says Muggle-borns are filth?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You mean… Malfoy?\" Harry and Hermione said together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Of course!\" Ron recounted the way Draco had sneered at him in class and laid out his \"analysis\" — which, impressively, convinced Harry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But we have no proof,\" Hermione cautioned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Crabbe and Goyle must know. Maybe we can trick it out of them,\" said Ron.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They're not that dumb. But… maybe there's another way. It'd break about fifty school rules and it's very dangerous.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione explained her plan — and after exchanging a glance, Harry and Ron both nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few tables away, Arthur and Ranni watched them whispering — loudly — about their \"secret\" rule-breaking scheme.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ranni tilted her head. \"How long have they been like this?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur shrugged. \"Since last term. Must be a protagonist thing — movie logic.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ranni didn't quite get it, but decided to look up some movies later to see if he was right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Visit my patreon for more chapters\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Advance 30+ Chapters Available\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>patreon.com\u002FWhiteDevil7554\u003C\u002Fp>",1765,"2026-06-06T04:19:46.381Z",1,"novelbin.me","5d24fcfbf1f3ebfb9e95a578aea2a881ae1c0e8af6c17f56b5148a15269ba7df","starting-at-hogwarts-logging-into-elden-ring-chapter-86","starting-at-hogwarts-logging-into-elden-ring-chapter-84",281,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fstarting-at-hogwarts-logging-into-elden-ring-cover.jpg"]