Aunt Mor is still as scary as ever.
Hearing Mor's last words, the two looked back at the enormous statue that was impossible to ignore inside the Chamber of Secrets.
Salazar Slytherin, founder of Hogwarts and the man who had built the Chamber of Secrets where they were now, as well as the one supposedly responsible for leaving a monster there to attack students who weren't pure-bloods.
A well-known dark wizard.
Harry and Percy looked at each other for a moment without saying anything, but...
It really didn't seem that strange. After all, their Aunt Mor was...
The two felt a dangerous gaze on them and froze. They looked back toward their aunt, who was watching them as if she could see through every single one of their thoughts.
"What are you thinking?" she asked with that dangerous air surrounding her.
"Absolutely nothing," the brothers answered at the same time.
Mor narrowed her eyes.
"Well, ignoring the fact that one of the founders of Hogwarts is your teacher, Auntie, if he really was your teacher, you have to admit that raising something like that and leaving it under a school doesn't exactly make him look very good," Percy said, trying to change the subject.
Harry nodded.
"Only someone truly evil and dark would raise something like that," Percy added. "A dark soul who enjoys hurting others, maybe even some degenerate who loves watching children get devoured," he said with complete confidence.
Harry nodded again, although he didn't add much more.
Mor continued staring at them without changing her expression.
"Evil, dark, and degenerate, huh?" Mor said as a small smile began forming on her lips.
Harry and Percy nodded.
"Completely," Percy added.
Mor narrowed her eyes.
Harry, seeing his aunt's smile, immediately felt that something was wrong, although Percy didn't seem to notice and continued.
"I'm just saying, Auntie, you probably shouldn't tell people you were his student. It'd ruin your reputation," he said while shaking his head. "I mean..." he quickly added. "Obviously someone like that shouldn't have been the teacher of our beautiful aunt."
Harry immediately followed his brother's lead, feeling that for some reason it would be the safest thing to do right now.
"Such a kind woman."
"Affectionate."
"Understanding."
"Not terrifying at all."
Mor watched them, but her smile felt truly dangerous, even more than before.
"Are you finished?"
Percy smiled confidently.
"Yes."
Meanwhile, Harry swallowed and, for some reason, took another step back, ready to escape the moment he got the chance. He felt like his aunt was acting a little strange, and he had a bad feeling about this.
Mor looked back toward the basilisk.
She remained silent for a few seconds.
"Then we have a problem," she said slowly.
Harry frowned, feeling his bad feeling continue to grow.
"What?" he asked.
Mor pointed toward the basilisk.
"It's just that... my teacher didn't raise that basilisk."
Harry blinked.
"Then... who did?" Harry asked, although for some reason he really didn't want to hear the answer right now.
Meanwhile, Percy had a confused expression.
Mor once again gave them a sweet smile and then looked at her two nephews.
"Me," she said directly.
The place fell into a deathly silence again.
Percy immediately stopped smiling, while Harry, who seemed to have already guessed it, turned around to escape before his brother could, but a movement of Mor's hand quickly caught him with magic, preventing him from moving.
Meanwhile, Percy looked at Mor, then at the basilisk, and then back at Mor.
And one last time at the basilisk.
"You raised the giant, poisonous, murderous monster that just tried to eat us?" Percy asked, all his confidence gone.
"Yes."
Percy closed his mouth, falling completely silent with a resigned expression, unlike his brother, who remained completely still, unable to move, but already feeling defeated.
What a great way to try to save himself from punishment, Harry thought as he let out a sigh, feeling like his brother's stupidity had rubbed off on him way too much again.
Mor smiled sweetly at them.
"What was that you were saying about someone evil, dark, and degenerate?"
Percy swallowed.
"Well, I... technically didn't say anything," Harry tried to defend himself.
"Traitor," Percy immediately said to his brother.
Just as both of them were waiting for their dear aunt to begin their punishment, the sound of hurried footsteps approached in their direction.
"Well, I suppose this isn't the time to continue with this, although I hope you know your mother will hear about what you did this school year," Mor said with a dangerous smile toward the two of them, making it clear that their punishment was only being temporarily postponed.
Then she turned around and moved her hand toward the basilisk.
The floor beneath it began turning into shadows, which quickly started swallowing the basilisk until it completely disappeared.
"I hope you behave yourselves for the rest of your classes, or I'll really make you feel what it's like to be inside a basilisk's stomach," Mor threatened, giving them a truly dangerous look that showed she wasn't lying.
Then she simply turned around and gestured toward Lia.
Both of them disappeared with a snap.
Percy and Harry, seeing their aunt leave without giving them the family punishment, couldn't help letting out a grateful sigh.
Whoever was coming toward them would from now on be their permanent savior and their idol.
Then, when both of them turned around to see who was coming toward them, they saw the face they least expected to arrive and save them.
Snape.
And then they realized that maybe that gratitude didn't necessarily have to go to the first person who arrived.