"!"
Harry suddenly woke up with a start.
He sat up abruptly, gasping for breath.
Around him, the owner of that ethereal voice was nowhere to be seen.
Only everyone lay sprawled on the ground, silent as a graveyard.
It sent shivers down Harry's spine! A chill ran down his back!
What exactly had happened?
What evil entity had attacked them?
Could it be… Lord Voldemort again?
Outside the window, it was pitch black.
Yet there was no moonlight, only a pure blackness that seemed to subtly squirm.
It was as if the entire Hogwarts had entered the stomach of some unspeakable creature.
"Ron, Hermione!"
Harry called out urgently, slapping Ron twice.
Upon seeing that they were only unconscious—or rather, sound asleep—
Harry breathed a sigh of relief, feeling somewhat at ease.
At this moment, he suddenly noticed a note in Hermione's hand.
It seemed to have been hastily written before she fainted.
A quill lay dropped beside her.
Harry picked it up and read it, muttering, "Third-floor girls' lavatory, Chamber of Secrets, snake…?!"
The third-floor girls' lavatory is the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets?!
That lavatory with the crying Myrtle!
In an instant,
all the clues connected.
Fifty years ago, when Hagrid was falsely accused of opening the Chamber of Secrets,
it turned out that the student who died back then was Myrtle!
"Are you telling me to go to the Chamber of Secrets, Hermione?"
Harry pursed his lips, clutching the note tightly.
He didn't know why he was the only one who woke up.
Perhaps the title of "Savior" forced upon him had once again played its part.
But Harry still remembered how other students had ostracized and targeted him after he displayed Parseltongue.
Even when his parents died at Lord Voldemort's hands to protect him,
it could be twisted into another meaning!
To risk his own life to save these people—Harry unhesitatingly turned and headed towards the Chamber of Secrets!
Even if he was misunderstood, even if he was slandered,
he would never allow himself to flinch when confronting evil!
In Harry's emerald eyes, a light of determination and courage flickered.
His steps were hurried.
He didn't notice
a figure flash out from the shadows behind him.
"The 'little lion' has gone to the Chamber of Secrets, over."
Luna lowered her head and whispered into the communication stone in her hand.
It was a tool for short-distance communication.
Her blue eyes watched Harry disappear around the corner, completely unaware.
She thought:
Everything is within Ethan's plan.
Chamber of Secrets.
"Received, well done, Luna."
Ethan said into the communication stone, a smile curving his lips.
It was he who had Luna wake Harry.
How could a perfect curtain call not have a hero battling a demon king?
"Let a fierce battle with the Savior announce 'my' existence to the world."
"Tell them who planned this grand performance!"
Ethan muttered excitedly, his cobalt blue eyes sparkling.
[Hiss hiss….]
The original Basilisk slowly slid beside Ethan.
Following Ethan's command, it closed its eyes, lowered its head, and put on the thin white veil.
When it opened its eyes again,
those captivating orange-yellow pupils would no longer harm anyone.
Ethan nodded in satisfaction: "The Ergani skirt really has many uses…"
At this moment,
the manhole-shaped gate behind him opened with a clang.
He's here.
Ethan's eyes lit up.
He took out a bottle of Malfoy's special aging potion from his pocket and gulped it down.
"Phew!"
Ethan grimaced, inhaling deeply.
Like swallowing a ball of fire, a searing sensation slid into his abdomen.
Igniting his internal organs.
"Crack, crack."
Ethan saw his vision constantly rising.
His limbs stretched, and even his pants felt much tighter.
Ethan looked down at the puddle.
His heart skipped a beat—
Holy cow! I'm too damn handsome!
Ethan touched his face, hardly daring to believe how crazy the girls at school would get if he went out with this face!
"Ah, I'm truly a sinful man. Hehe~"
Ethan couldn't help but grin.
That handsome and dignified face immediately turned into that of a landlord's silly son.
"Creak—"
The sound of the gate opening echoed.
Ethan collected his thoughts and put a plain white mask with no decorations on his face.
He turned to look.
Sure enough,
he saw Harry's figure.
At this moment,
Harry should have known the Basilisk's characteristics.
He was squinting, one hand outstretched, fumbling forward as if his cerebellum wasn't fully developed.
Ethan:
Was he also like that back then?
Fortunately, the only "person" who saw it has already become a memorial painting.
"Cough."
Ethan lightly coughed, drawing the attention of the blind Harry.
Seeing Harry startle violently and immediately close his eyes tightly, he couldn't help but smile slightly.
When he spoke, his voice was as deep and elegant as mellow red wine:
"Harry Potter, open your eyes. I have been waiting for you for a long time."
Harry cautiously and slowly opened his eyes.
His heart was pounding.
He felt a subtle sense of familiarity in the voice but couldn't recall where he had heard it before.
He saw a tall figure standing amidst the argon-green mist between the stone pillars entwined with snake sculptures on both sides.
The stone pillars cast eerie shadows, reflecting on the man.
It was as if he had transformed into countless grotesques.
Or perhaps, he was the one who controlled countless grotesques.
The man watched Harry with that pure white mask.
It sent an inexplicable chill down Harry's spine, making his hair stand on end.
And beside this masked man, a colossal giant snake was flicking its tongue, grimly and obediently swaying.
Its pupils were covered with a layer of white veil, blocking the curse.
Harry swallowed, gathered his courage, and asked loudly, "You… you opened the Chamber of Secrets? Who exactly are you?!"
"Oh, please allow me to introduce myself, Mr. Harry Potter."
The masked man said in an elegant but somewhat exaggerated tone:
"My name is Mr. Lamp."
"You may call me—Mr. Lamp."
As he spoke,
he swept his hand from mid-air to his chest and bowed deeply.
As if he wasn't in the cold Chamber of Secrets, but standing on a stage under the spotlight of thousands.
…Pervert.
Harry cursed inwardly.
At the same time, he breathed a sigh of relief.
Thankfully, it wasn't Ethan.
Harry didn't know what kind of breakdown he would experience if he had mentally prepared himself, descended into the Chamber of Secrets, and then saw Ethan smiling and saying "surprise~" to him.
It's really good that it's not Ethan.
Sure enough, Ethan still has humanity in his heart.
Harry thought with relief.
At this moment,
Harry also remembered the name "Mr. Lamp."
Wasn't he the one who had brutally slaughtered a group of Dark Wizards in Knockturn Alley and made it to the front page of The Daily Prophet?!
The report described him as: [Extremely Dangerous].
If you encounter him, quickly Apparate and escape.
What?
You can't?
Then you can only pray that Merlin opens his eyes.
Why would this famous Mr. Lamp appear here?
And be the opener of the Slytherin Chamber of Secrets?
Harry felt utterly bewildered.
On the other side,
Ethan saw Harry's confused and wary, unfamiliar gaze, and it took him great effort to keep from laughing out loud on the spot.
He said gently, "Don't be nervous. I just want to destroy Hogwarts and take your life while I'm at it."
Harry:
"..."
Harry choked.
This familiar, utterly fatal way of speaking reminded him of an old acquaintance.
It must be an illusion…
"As long as I can destroy the renowned Hogwarts, and nail the Savior, who symbolizes the future, to a cross…",
Ethan walked leisurely.
The lines were prepared beforehand, but now, speaking them felt so smooth.
It seems I have great acting talent—Ethan turned gracefully, spread his arms, and declared loudly:
"In this way, my name, the name of Mr. Lamp, will surely resound throughout the world!"
His voice echoed and boomed in the empty Chamber of Secrets.
Harry's eyes widened in shock.
To do so much just to make a name for himself.
He's clearly more human than Lord Voldemort, yet even more extreme!!
"—I will never let you succeed!"
Harry gritted his teeth, his voice trembling as he spoke.
Hogwarts was his home, and his good friends were all here.
And Ethan.
Ethan, who trusted him, Ethan, who was as tolerant and kind as an elder!
Though his ideas were peculiar, he was the one who pulled him into the Enlightenment Society and gave him immense support and encouragement!
How could I let this madman destroy everything!
Harry's eyes blazed with fighting spirit.
Just then,
"Chirp—!"
A loud cry, accompanied by a flash of fire, appeared!
It was Headmaster Dumbledore's Phoenix!
It was carrying something and threw it onto Harry's head.
It tried to peck the Basilisk's eyes.
It pecked twice, but found it couldn't penetrate the seemingly thin white veil.
Instead, its beak hurt from pecking.
Phoenix:
?
No one said there was armor too.
Ethan looked at the flustered Harry and laughed, "Haha! Is the only help you get a broken hat? Don't be ridiculous!"
Hiss—what's with this feeling of satisfaction from saying villain lines?
On the other side,
Harry frantically tugged at the Sorting Hat, when suddenly, with a clang, something hard fell onto his head.
He took it down and looked.
It was a gleaming silver sword.
A large ruby was embedded in the hilt.
Harry held it, as if he had gained some kind of power.
Looking at Mr. Lamp in front of him, his eyes sharpened!
He suddenly roared and thrust the sword forward!
"Pfft!"
The blade penetrated the masked man's chest without resistance.
Only when warm blood splattered on Harry's face did he stunned come back to his senses.
…It was, it was that simple?
But if a person is killed, they will die, so this Mr. Lamp should also—"Heh."
A light chuckle escaped from above.
Harry looked up in a daze, meeting the smiling eyes behind the pure white mask.
The next second, the man suddenly raised his hand and grabbed his wrist!
"Counting the time, it's almost here."
Ethan muttered, a metallic taste rising in his throat.
His eyes, however, were fixed on mid-air!
Until a ghostly blue subtitle appeared!
[You have left an indelible shock on everyone with your artwork!]
[You have greatly spread the mystery of "Light"!]
["Breaking Out of the Shell" progress increased!]
["Breaking Out of the Shell" progress: 87% → 100%]
Click.
An invisible crisp sound.
Only to see the dazzling brilliance seep out from the pitch-black eggshell!
And then, it completely burst forth!!