The Wizarding World has a sparse population, and every young wizard is considered an extremely precious bloodline. Traditional wizard families place great importance on protecting their children.
However, most people cannot constantly guard their children.
Noble families in the Wizarding World often provide their children with a dedicated House-elf. These powerful and loyal little Goblins, who are attached to Wizarding families, can continuously look after young wizards 24 hours a day, ensuring their safety.
In contrast, such creatures do not exist in ordinary Wizarding families.
Thus, gradually, traditional Wizarding families began to develop generational "trackers," magical items made from Alchemy combined with magic patterns.
These wondrous items could constantly monitor one's whereabouts and condition.
They come in various forms; some are hidden within accessories, while others are integrated into everyday items, making them both practical and discreet.
The exquisite music box in Mr. and Mrs. Brown's living room was one such magical item.
It couldn't play music, but the plaster figurines inside often spun continuously.
Upon closer inspection, you would find that the feet of these plaster figurines were not empty but cleverly marked with text such as "Home," "Herb Garden," "Central Avenue," and "On the Village Road."
These texts were carefully set location markers, and if anyone in the family was in danger, the figurines in the music box would subtly change, issuing a warning signal to others.
The day after Thomas and his companion arrived at the Brown's house, Anne collected their hair, mixed the strands with specially made magical plaster, and created two lifelike miniature statues of little boys.
Anne placed them in the music box.
Soon, the "boys" also began to spin in the box.
Normally, they always closely followed one of the "old people" in the box.
When Anne let Thomas and the others go out on their own, she kept a close eye on the music box in the living room. Only after they safely reached Central Avenue did she relax and go to the dining room to start preparing lunch.
Not long after, a child's cry came from the living room.
Anne rushed out to check, only to find the two little boy sculptures standing in one spot crying loudly. Beneath their feet was a red word—Missing. Anne's heart instantly sank to the bottom.
How could this be?
She went to the nearby herb garden and called Anthony.
The two first ran to Central Avenue, where crowds surged, lively yet very peaceful, with no accidents. They asked several familiar shopkeepers, but no one remembered seeing two children, as too many children had come today.
Two young wizards were missing.
This caused a huge uproar in Hogsmeade Village.
Such an event had not occurred in the peaceful and serene Hogsmeade Village since the Goblin rebellion was thwarted.
The time since the young wizards went missing is still very short. As a village with a long history, there are still many undiscovered Ancient Magic ruins nearby. Most people believe the two young wizards might have been trapped in some Ancient Magic ruin due to their playfulness.
Fearing panic among the students, this matter was quietly circulated only among adult wizards.
Villagers put down their work and joined the search for the Brown family's children.
Professor McGonagall frowned and gave the password: "Cockroach Clusters."
The enormous stone gargoyle leaped aside, revealing a hidden door.
Entering the door, and walking up a spiral staircase to the very top, Dumbledore was sitting behind a massive desk.
The caretaker Pringle was standing in front of his desk, and the portraits on the surrounding walls were eagerly speaking about something, but the sound was too chaotic for Professor McGonagall to hear clearly.
Dumbledore noticed Professor McGonagall entering and gestured for the portraits to pause: "Everyone, please be quiet for a moment."
He turned to Professor McGonagall and smiled: "Minerva, is something the matter?"
Professor McGonagall nodded to him and Pringle, then explained her purpose.
"young wizards are missing in Hogsmeade Village, Principal. Shouldn't we recall all the students to Hogwarts?" Her serious voice was filled with worry; they had to ensure the safety of all students.
A glint of light flashed in the deep eyes behind Dumbledore's half-moon spectacles: "Appollyon and the portraits were just telling me that there are intruders at Hogwarts."
"What?" Professor McGonagall exclaimed in surprise: "I'll immediately have the Prefects take all the students back to their dormitories!" With that, she immediately turned to leave.
"Oh, Minerva, don't rush. I think the mysterious intruders might be related to what you're saying." Dumbledore stopped her.
Professor McGonagall paused: "Are you saying those two young wizards entered Hogwarts?" She immediately dismissed this guess: "That's impossible!"
"Minerva, you must know that Hogwarts still holds many secrets we haven't yet discovered." Dumbledore confirmed her speculation.
"Then where are they now? These young wizards are too bold!"
"I think they entered a Chamber of Secrets. I've already asked the Principals to notify all the portraits; they will come back and tell us as soon as they see them."
Unlike ordinary wizards, who are forbidden from using Apparition at Hogwarts, the powerful portraits of past Principals can freely travel between their designated frames, helping the current Principal observe every corner of the school without being detected, ensuring everything proceeds in an orderly fashion.
Thomas and his companion were still struggling up the long staircase.
The Basilisk had shrunk itself into a small snake, head and tail connected, hanging on Thomas's left hand like a bracelet.
However, both of Thomas's and Severus's hands were clutching thick stacks of books, which were simply too heavy.
When they finally climbed to the very top of the stone steps, they pushed open a trapdoor above and walked out.
Thomas surveyed his surroundings. This was an abandoned restroom, its facilities long dilapidated, appearing unusually eerie and desolate.
At this moment, Thomas faintly heard a very chilling sound of a woman crying... Thomas had a bad premonition: Oh no! This place, it couldn't be the girls' restroom, could it?!