Hermione felt the soft touch on her cheek, as if from one of her own kind, and heard the soothing purr in her ear. Her tearful despair was diluted by a wave of absurd warmth.
She hugged Lia, burying her face in the Cat-girl's warm neck, and let out a muffled sigh: "Oh, Merlin... how did I end up with a cat hair!"
This ridiculous accident eventually ended with Hermione spending a whole day in the Hospital Wing.
Madam Pomfrey had to use every trick in the book to make the cat fur and cat ears on her face and head completely disappear.
This failed adventure made Hermione completely sober up.
The threat of the Chamber of Secrets was far more lethal than she had imagined, and Lia's thrilling stealth mission in Snape's office made her even more fearful in hindsight.
After leaving the Hospital Wing, Hermione seemed like a different person.
She no longer participated in Harry and Ron's far-fetched guesses, but instead devoted all her time to the library.
She wanted to find the answer, using knowledge and logic to replace reckless action.
Lia became her little tail and exclusive book carrier.
The little Cat-girl walked with light steps, holding several large volumes in her hands, while her tail curled around a copy of "Hogwarts: A History" that was bigger than her head, following closely behind Hermione.
She would place the books on the table and then lie obediently by Hermione's side, her deep blue eyes scanning the surroundings alertly; not even the slightest rustle could escape her ears.
Hermione's fingers flew across the ancient pages, as lines of text were swallowed into her mind.
"The victims were only petrified... Colin, Justin, and Nick... they all saw the attacker through something... Colin's camera, Justin saw the ghost Nick, Nick is a ghost..."
She murmured to herself, her brain working at high speed.
"What kind of thing has a gaze that can kill, but when seen through a reflection, the effect is weakened?"
Lia tilted her head; she couldn't understand those complex words, but she could feel the aura of extreme focus radiating from Hermione.
Finally, on a certain page of a book from the Restricted Section titled "Most Dangerous Magical Creatures," Hermione's finger stopped.
It was a medieval-style engraving depicting a giant serpent with a feathered crest on its head.
"A Basilisk... the King of Serpents..." Hermione's voice trembled slightly, "Born from a toad's egg hatched by a rooster... its gaze can take a life instantly, but... but seeing it through a mirror or other reflection only results in deep petrification!"
Found it!
All the clues connected into a single line at this moment!
Harry can hear the voice because he is a Parselmouth! The monster is moving through the pipes! That's why only he can hear it!
Hermione excitedly tore off a piece of parchment and quickly wrote "Pipes" with her quill, then drew a heavy snake—a Basilisk—beside it.
She had to tell Harry and Ron about this discovery immediately. No, she needed more direct evidence.
Evidence that could prove it to Dumbledore, otherwise Dumbledore might not necessarily believe the word of a young Wizard.
She had to "see" it for herself.
That afternoon, Hermione left the common room alone. She told Harry and Ron she was going to the library to look something up, but she quietly brought along a small makeup mirror she had found in the girls' dormitory.
Lia sensed something was wrong.
Since morning, every nerve under her skin had been sounding an alarm. That familiar, hair-raising 'Danger Intuition' was stronger than ever before.
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