The next day, the atmosphere in the Transfiguration classroom was far less focused than usual.
Professor McGonagall stood at the front of the room explaining the day's lesson, but it was clear that very few students were paying attention.
The events of the previous night had spread through the entire castle. Everywhere students whispered about the message on the wall and Filch's petrified cat.
Finally one of the students raised a hand.
"Professor," the student asked, unable to hold back any longer, "what exactly is the Chamber of Secrets?"
The question immediately caught the attention of the whole class.
Another student leaned forward eagerly. "And what does it mean that it's been opened?"
"Who wrote the message?" someone else asked.
"And who's the heir?" another voice added.
The room quickly filled with overlapping questions. The students' curiosity had completely overwhelmed the lesson. Whenever Hogwarts had a mystery attached to it, the students became far more interested than in any normal class.
Professor McGonagall watched them for a moment with a tight expression.
"Very well," she said. "It seems none of you will be able to concentrate until this matter is addressed."
The classroom fell silent immediately.
"The legend of the Chamber of Secrets," she continued, "goes back to the very founding of Hogwarts."
She walked slowly across the front of the classroom as she spoke.
"You all know that Hogwarts was founded over a thousand years ago by four of the greatest witches and wizards of their age: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin."
"For many years the founders worked together in harmony," McGonagall said. "But eventually a disagreement grew between Slytherin and the other three."
She paused briefly.
"Slytherin believed that Hogwarts should admit only students from pure magical families. He did not trust those with Muggle parents."
Several students shifted uneasily.
"The other founders disagreed with him strongly," she continued. "The argument grew worse until Slytherin left the school."
"According to the legend, before leaving Hogwarts, Slytherin built a secret chamber somewhere inside the castle. A hidden place that only his true heir would be able to open."
The students leaned forward.
"What's inside the chamber?" someone asked.
McGonagall's voice became quieter.
"Some say it's a monster."
The word seemed to settle heavily over the classroom.
"The legend says that the heir of Slytherin would one day return to the school, open the chamber, and release the monster inside to purge Hogwarts of those Slytherin believed were unworthy of studying magic."
Several students looked alarmed.
"But these are only stories," McGonagall added firmly. "The Castle has been searched many times. No evidence has ever been found that it actually exists."
Hermione raised her hand immediately.
"But Professor, if it's only a legend, what petrified Mrs. Norris?"
McGonagall looked at her seriously.
"That," she said, "is something the staff is currently investigating."
Then she straightened slightly and picked up her wand again.
"And now," she said firmly, "we will return to Transfiguration."
***
That night in the Gryffindor common room,
Harry sat with Ron and Hermione near the fire place.
Hermione leaned forward slightly. "So, Harry… you said you heard a voice before you found Mrs. Norris?"
Harry nodded. "Yes."
"What kind of voice?" she asked. "What did it say?"
Harry frowned as he tried to remember it clearly. "It sounded… strange. Angry. It kept saying something about killing. About ripping and tearing."
Ron looked uneasy. "And you followed it?"
"Yes," Harry replied. "I heard it moving through the walls. I thought someone was in trouble, so I followed it until I reached that corridor."
Hermione's brow furrowed as she thought about it.
"But what kind of creature could petrify something like that?" Ron asked, glancing around the common room as if the monster might suddenly appear.
Harry shook his head. "I don't know."
"But Professor McGonagall said the legend is over a thousand years old. If the creature inside the chamber is real, then it must be some kind of magical creature that can live for a very long time." said Hermione.
Ron shifted uncomfortably.
"You don't think the Chamber of Secrets was actually opened and someone let that creature out… do you?"
Harry looked toward the fire.
"I think someone did," he said quietly.
For a moment none of them spoke.
Then Ron broke the silence.
"Then it must be Victor," Ron said.
Harry looked at him. "What?"
"Victor Malfoy," Ron continued. "He must be the heir of Slytherin."
"Ron, how many times do I have to say this?" Hermione said sharply. "You can't just accuse Victor every time something bad happens. What has he actually done?"
Ron crossed his arms stubbornly.
"This time I have proof."
Hermione raised an eyebrow.
"Oh really?"
"Yes," Ron said firmly. "Victor comes from the Malfoy family. Everyone knows that family hates Muggle-borns. And Slytherins always talk about pure-blood wizards being superior. "
"If anyone in this school would be the heir of Slytherin, it would be him."
Hermione shook her head immediately.
"Then you're going to be disappointed," she said firmly. "Because Victor definitely doesn't hate Muggles."
Ron frowned. "How would you know that?"
"He visited my house during the summer," she said. "He talked to my parents, had dinner with us, and stayed for hours. Do you really think someone who hates Muggles would bother doing that?"
Ron opened his mouth to reply but stopped.
"I can tell when someone is pretending to be polite," she said. "Victor wasn't pretending."
For once, Ron didn't have an answer ready.
Hermione looked at him, clearly annoyed, then stood up from the chair.
"If you're just going to keep accusing him without proof, I'm not listening to this," she said. With that, she turned and walked up the staircase toward the girls' dormitory.
Ron watched her leave, then leaned closer to Harry.
"Harry," he said in a lower voice, "we should check if Victor really is the heir of Slytherin."
Harry frowned. "Ron… I don't think it's a good idea to start doubting our friends."
He still remembered the first year clearly — the fight beneath the castle and Victor helping them when they faced Voldemort.
Ron, however, looked stubborn.
"No," he said firmly. "This time we check. Trust me, Harry. Malfoys can't be trusted."
*****
A/N : 🔥 On Patreon, the story has already been updated up to Chapter 84🔥
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