stjorthotic Chapter 165 is not the first time.
Chapter 165 is not the first time.
Chapter 165 Not the First Time
This question pinpointed the most bizarre crux of the matter, and the atmosphere in the office, which had just eased slightly, tensed up again.
Filch let out a heavy, nasal breath, his bloodshot eyes fixed on Harry, his lips moving silently as if countless venomous curses were forcibly choked in his throat.
He knew Mrs. Lorris could be saved, but that didn't dispel his hatred and suspicion—he didn't know how much longer Lorris would lie there like a stone! And only Potter was present when the incident happened!
Just then, Lin Qi calmly took over the conversation.
"A very pertinent question, Severus," he said calmly, "but in itself, it may not be an accusation but a clue."
His gaze, however, softened as he looked at Harry. "Harry, you just said there were writings on the wall at the scene?"
"The Chamber of Secrets!" Professor McGonagall blurted out before Harry could answer, her face pale and her voice heavy. "The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Beware of those who oppose the Heir."
"Exactly." Lynch nodded to Professor McGonagall. "The legendary Chamber of Secrets in Slytherin."
"I wouldn't say I'm entirely familiar with the legends surrounding it, but I've heard a bit about them. The most widespread story is that Salazar-Slytherin imprisoned a monster inside to purge those he deemed 'unworthy to learn magic.'"
His gaze returned to Harry.
"And the detail that Harry can hear sounds that others cannot confirm the existence of some hidden monster. The legend is probably true."
"As for why only Harry could hear that voice," Lynch stroked his chin thoughtfully, "this ability is not unprecedented in the history of magic. It is more likely a rare talent than a curse. Just as Merlin could talk to everything—Harry could sense that voice perhaps because he possessed some kind of ability to communicate with the monster in the Chamber of Secrets."
"In a way, this is even a good thing. It means that this monster is very likely a creature with a historical record. If it were something unheard of, and Harry just happened to be able to understand it—such a coincidence would be far too unlikely."
It can understand the language of monsters.
This explanation offered Harry no comfort whatsoever; instead, a strange chill ran down his spine.
"Maybe he's the one who released that monster!" Filch finally couldn't hold back and screamed, his voice distorted by suppressed anger, but it was far less menacing than before, more like a malicious complaint.
"Argus!" Professor McGonagall shouted, trying to stop him.
Lynch took a small step forward, his very presence acting as a wall, blocking Filch's view.
“Mr. Filch, please calm down,” Lynch’s voice remained steady. “Let’s put aside our emotions and examine the facts. You accuse Harry of releasing the monster from the Chamber of Secrets—then tell me, how could a twelve-year-old second-year student discover and open a Chamber of Secrets that had been hidden for a thousand years, a Chamber that even the headmasters and professors of Hogwarts had failed to find? And how did he control or persuade a legendary monster to precisely attack Mrs. Norris, rather than anyone else in the castle? And why choose such a night, a time when he himself was clearly out and about, easily spotted?”
Lynch's gaze swept over Snape and McGonagall, finally settling on Filch.
"We don't know the answers to these questions right now. But accusations lacking evidence, no matter how emotionally charged they may sound, won't help us find the truth. Instead, they might lead us astray and let the real person who opened the locked room go unpunished."
He paused for a moment.
"I assure you, Mr. Filch, Harry was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Once the Mandrake potion is ready, Professor Snape will be able to heal Mrs. Norris. It's the only sure solution at the moment."
He then scanned the room with a sharp gaze. "But what we really have to face is a more pressing question: Why was a secret chamber, which had been successfully hidden for a thousand years, opened at this time? Who opened it? And what was their purpose? These are the key questions."
Completely deflated by Lynch's reasoned rebuttal, Filch slumped back into his chair, letting out a painful groan: "My Lady Lorice—"
The mournful cry sounded particularly clear in the quiet office.
Lynch's calm and meticulous reasoning—about legends, about talent, about known creatures—weighed heavily on everyone's hearts.
If the legends are true, and if the monster is some kind of terrifying being documented in history, then it means that Hogwarts is facing an ancient and deadly threat with clear historical records.
Professor McGonagall's lips were pressed into a thin, pale line, and all the color drained from her face.
Her gaze shifted from the sobbing Filch to Lynch's all-seeing eyes, then to Snape's grim face. She realized the gravity of the situation was far beyond what was expected, and she had to make the professors present understand the terrible events they were about to face.
Her voice was dry and hoarse from the heavy memories, as if every word needed to be painstakingly dug out from the dusty past:
"Professor Lynch, your speculation—is very likely very close to that horrific truth." She paused, as if needing to muster the courage to say the next sentence.
"And this is not the first time that secret room has been opened."
These words struck like a thunderbolt in the office.
Snape turned sharply to her, and Lockhart's face showed genuine bewilderment.
Lynch's eyes flickered slightly as he looked at Professor McGonagall—he had known about the Basilisk's existence for a long time and had naturally begun gathering relevant intelligence in advance. The Ministry of Magic had already reached a conclusion on the turmoil fifty years ago—but he had no access to the records concerning the internal workings of Hogwarts.
Professor McGonagall seemed unwilling to elaborate further—perhaps she also felt it was inappropriate to discuss this past event in depth in Gilderoy Lockhart's office.
She took a deep breath, quickly regaining her usual sternness, and said to Harry:
"Mr. Potter, this is no longer your business. Return to Gryffindor Tower immediately."
Harry's heart sank.
leave?
Just when we were on the verge of uncovering the truth?
He felt a surge of intense disappointment and anxiety, as if the answer to a crucial puzzle had been snatched from his grasp. He longed to know what the voice was and what the locked room meant, but he sensed the final decision in Professor McGonagall's tone.
He had no choice but to obey.
"Tortz," Lynch called out.
House-elves appeared in response.
"Escort Mr. Potter safely back to the common room."
"Yes, sir."
Harry followed Thortz out of the office, his mind reeling with unspoken questions. The heavy wooden door closed behind him, completely separating him from the professors' somber mood and their whispers about the Chamber of Secrets and the "monster."
What remains are not answers, but more unsettling questions: What exactly is the locked room? Why could he hear it? Most importantly, when Professor McGonagall said it "wasn't the first time it was opened," what was she referring to?
These thoughts grew wildly in his mind.