A magical journey that begins at Hogwarts

"I was planning to go back to my dorm to sleep, and I happened to find the stairs covered in water stains, so I came over to take a look." Aaron looked at the three of them meaningfully. "You guys are really something. Instead of going to the Halloween party, you pull this kind of prank. Filch will be very angry if he finds out."

“This is not a prank,” Ron said anxiously.

"Is that so?" Aaron raised an eyebrow, then looked at the blood-red words on the wall, "The door to the secret chamber has been opened. Enemies of the successor, beware."

Tsk tsk tsk! It smells bloody, and these words were written not long ago.

When I arrived, only you were here. Who else could it be but you?

“But it really isn’t us,” Harry said. “We just arrived.”

"Alright, no need to explain, it's just one sentence, isn't it?"

This prank was a bit malicious, but it's nothing compared to driving a car to school.

Aaron didn't think Harry and the others would be so bored as to write in blood, but this was, after all, a place where that unknown and dangerous creature had stayed.

Add to that the blood-stained words on the wall and the water stains on the floor, and it might just be the so-called primary crime scene.

If you want to completely absolve yourself of responsibility, you can only put yourself in the shoes of an ordinary passerby and then pretend to be completely oblivious.

Harry and Ron looked at each other, as if they could both see a huge pot on each other's backs.

"what..."

Hermione suddenly screamed and pointed at the torch holder on the wall, "What's that?"

The other three all looked over. A black cat was hanging on a support, its whole body stiff, as if it had been petrified.

But the reality is far more serious than that, because the petrification curse only renders the victim unable to move, but all their senses still function.

But its eyes remained motionless, as if it were truly dead, and in a way that left its eyes wide open in death.

“Mrs. Lorris, Filch’s most cherished cat.” Aaron swallowed hard and carefully reached out to check its breath. “It’s not breathing, but its condition is strange. We can’t be sure if it’s really dead.”

After saying that, Aaron looked at the three of them with a surprised expression, "You didn't do this too, did you?"

The three immediately shook their heads. Although they disliked Filch, they wouldn't take their anger out on a cat, especially not with such vicious methods.

"I don't think it was you who did it."

"This effect, even more perverse than the petrification spell, is something wizards our age can't achieve," Aaron said, already having some guesses in his mind.

This is most likely the work of that unknown dangerous creature. The words on the wall may not have been made by it, because Abe suspects that it is not human, but Mrs. Lorice's petrification is definitely related to it.

Thinking of this, Aaron frowned. The situation might be more complicated than he had imagined. There might be someone in Hogwarts cooperating with this creature.

"Aaron, what are you thinking about?" Hermione asked.

“I think I need to get out of here as soon as possible,” Aaron said bluntly. “I advise you to leave too. Staying at the crime scene is not a wise choice. You’ll usually be treated as a suspect.”

“Shouldn’t we try to save her?” Harry looked at Mrs. Lorris with some reluctance, his voice slightly trembling.

Aaron gave him a deep look, then gave him a meaningful smile. "Goodbye."

“I think we should listen to him,” Ron said.

Harry nodded, but before he could act, a low commotion and a cacophony of footsteps rose from both sides of the corridor.

Aaron watched the increasingly dense crowd ahead, cursed inwardly, and quickly retreated.

"Why are you back again?"

"You know perfectly well what I'm asking." Aaron rolled his eyes at Ron. "The dinner is over. I shouldn't have wasted my time here."

“Yeah!” Hermione shrugged, a shrug tinged with pity. “Too late.”

"We were a step too late, but the situation isn't too bad."

"Compared to you, my suspicion level is still very low," Aaron said meaningfully.

Before long, both ends of the corridor were packed with students.

They looked at the four people in the center and Mrs. Lorris, who was hanging upside down on the torch stand, and tacitly stopped the cheerful noise that had just ended the banquet.

"This scene reminds me of Halloween Eve last year," Aaron said speechlessly.

Colin, who was in the crowd, saw this scene and instinctively picked up his camera, but before he could take a picture, Percy quietly pressed the shutter.

"Aaron, what are you doing here?" Draco looked at the other three with a surprised expression, somewhat incredulous.

"Hey, hey, hey! Don't overthink it."

You forgot what I just said about going back to the dorm to sleep early. I only arrived a few minutes earlier than you guys.

The situation I see is similar to yours, except I'm not there.

Draco looked enlightened upon hearing this.

He first gave Aaron an awkward but polite smile to express his apology, and then looked at the Slytherin prefect and said, "What Aaron said is true. I can testify to it, and many others can testify to it."

“I didn’t say I didn’t believe him,” the Slytherin prefect said, then beckoned to Aaron. “Gaius, I don’t think you’re in a good position to stand with them right now.”

"The prefect is wise." Aaron gave a thumbs up and walked into the students without any hesitation.

"Neller, what you're doing isn't quite right!" Percy said, somewhat displeased.

“We have witnesses,” Neller said dismissively. “You know my character. I have never shown favoritism to any Slytherin, but I will also never let any Slytherin suffer.”

"The class leader is domineering."

"Come on, I've never seen you flatter me like this before," Naylor said speechlessly. "From last year until now, the most you've ever done when you see me is nod."

"Things change!" Aaron said with a grin.

Harry and the others stared dumbfounded at this scene. Aaron was trying to absolve himself of responsibility. Wasn't that a bit too childish?

The three exchanged glances and then, in unison, focused their attention on Percy.

Percy shook his head, looking quite troubled, indicating that he couldn't help.

While class leaders do have certain rights, they cannot abuse their power for personal gain without cause.

Moreover, with so many people watching, unless Harry has witnesses or a sufficient alibi, he can only proceed officially.

But the fact that none of the three of them attended tonight's banquet was already a clue, not to mention that they were at the crime scene at this time. Few people would believe it was just a coincidence.

“Enemies of the Heirs, beware.” Draco looked at the blood-written words on the wall, then, as if struck by a thought, slowly turned his gaze to Hermione. “I reckon you’re next, Hermione Granger.”

I advise you to be careful; after all, he's a Muggle-born wizard.

Hermione frowned. She had a feeling that Draco knew something, but their current situation didn't allow her to find out.

"What do you mean?" Aaron asked, puzzled.

"You do not know?"

"Should I know?"

Draco chuckled awkwardly, but then, considering the special nature of the reclusive family, he understood.

"The Chamber of Secrets is a legend at Hogwarts. I've heard my dad talk about it before, and the professors should know about it too."

At that moment, the system's voice suddenly rang in Aaron's mind, and his expression turned strange.

But before he could figure out what was going on, the administrator, Filch, squeezed through the crowd.

“Potter, what are you doing…” Filch stopped mid-sentence, staring in horror at Mrs. Lorris hanging there, and staggered back a few steps.

“Mrs. Lorris,” Filch’s lips trembled slightly as he glared at Harry and asked, “you killed my cat.”

“No, it wasn’t me, it wasn’t me,” Harry said nervously.

“I’m going to kill you.” Filch grabbed Harry by the collar and yelled, “I’m going to kill you.”

"Argus!"

Dumbledore arrived at the scene just in time, followed by a group of professors from the House of Olympia, and the students spontaneously made way for him.

Filch also let go of his hand, but just looked at his cat with a wronged expression.

Dumbledore was startled when he saw the blood-written words on the wall, but he quickly regained his composure.

"Everyone, please return to your dorm in an orderly manner, everyone except... the three of you."

Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger.

"Wait, Mr. Gaius, you stay here too."

Aaron was taken aback. "Professor, I must have misheard you. Are you sure you want to keep me here?"

"determine."

“But I have nothing to do with this; it was just a coincidence,” Aaron said dejectedly. “I have witnesses. I just left the Great Hall a few minutes early. Even if I wanted to do this, I wouldn’t have had the time.”

“I know, and I have no doubt about you, Mr. Gaius.”

“Don’t worry, Aaron,” Professor Snape stepped forward. “Headmaster Dumbledore just wants to know what you saw. It’s nothing serious. Just tell the truth.”

Chapter 155 Suspicion has been temporarily ruled out.

Lockhart's office.

In the bright candlelight, Dumbledore placed Mrs. Lorris on the desk and began to examine her carefully.

“It must have been a curse that killed it,” Lockhart said dramatically from the side. “A transfiguration torture curse. I remember something very similar happening before.”

Unfortunately, I wasn't there at the time. I happened to know the method to break the curse, and I could have saved it.

"Can you be quiet for a while?" Aaron looked at Lockhart speechlessly, wanting to say that he was like a clown, but he held back.

“Mr. Gaius,” Lockhart’s voice was slightly lower than before, “is detailed in my autobiography.”

"Can you save Mrs. Lorris?" Aaron asked meaningfully.

“Um… this…” Lockhart stammered, looking at Filch who was choking with sobs, and felt inexplicably guilty. “I’m sorry, my spell probably can’t save the dead.”

"Then please be quiet for a while, Professor, and at least don't interfere with the work of the professionals."

“It’s not dead, Argus,” Dumbledore said, looking up. “Lady Norris has been petrified, but I don’t know exactly how.”

“Ask him, he did it.” Filch looked at Harry Potter angrily, sobbing uncontrollably, “You all saw what he wrote on the wall, he knew I was a Squib.”

"A Squib?" Aaron was stunned for a moment, somewhat incredulous. "A wizard who can't use magic, it must have been quite an achievement for you to have stayed at Hogwarts for decades!"

“Mr. Gaius,” Dumbledore said solemnly, “Argus has been doing his duty for decades, and I dare say no one loves this castle more than him.”