Ancient Wizards Return to Hogwarts...

Chapter 148 How could Weasley speak Parsley?

The distant voice echoed repeatedly in the secret chamber, gradually growing louder with the help of magic.

Rice knew that this was the magic he had left behind years ago being triggered.

According to his original design, as long as someone uses the Basilisk voice inside the castle, the spell on the castle walls will transmit the sound layer by layer downwards, all the way to the secret chamber. Then, under the effect of the amplification spell in the secret chamber, the sound will be gradually amplified until it awakens his own basilisk.

Subsequently, the basilisk will obey the commands of the basilisk user according to the orders it left behind.

Even after figuring out what had happened, Rice still found it utterly absurd: Didn't he know Slytherin had an heir? Did he really think that knowing Parsley made him an heir?

Who is using my name to swindle and deceive people?

Besides finding it absurd, Rice was also furious: because by design, this system could only be activated when Hogwarts faced a life-or-death crisis.

The person on the ground, since he knew that Parseltongue could awaken the Basilisk, must also know the conditions for awakening the Basilisk, but he still chose to summon the Basilisk in the peaceful state of Hogwarts!

This enraged Rice: this was no longer a prank; a basilisk was a creature that could kill you if you made direct eye contact with it!

He couldn't help but think of the lie the Gaunt family had fabricated. Could there really be some idiots planning to clean up the school?

As Rice was filled with shock and rage, rustling sounds came from the mouth of his statue. The gradually increasing sound in the air above the secret chamber was like an alarm clock, waking the sleeping basilisk.

Noticing the change in the statue, Rice abruptly waved his hand, and instantly, the echoing sounds in the secret chamber ceased. At the same time, the statue's half-open mouth closed again.

"Go back to sleep!" Only Rice's angry voice echoed in the secret room.

The basilisk was somewhat bewildered by being awakened. It didn't understand what was happening outside—two "masters" were giving it orders, one telling it to climb up, and the other telling it to go back to sleep.

Based on its own preferences, the basilisk would definitely prefer the second one. What's even better is that the master who issued the second command has higher authority, so it happily coiled up and prepared to turn around and go back to sleep.

Then it received another instruction.

"No, don't sleep yet, go upstairs and find the source of the sound!"

Basilisk: ...

Silently, it changed its movement and swam upwards along the network of pipes towards the castle—what could it do? Its master's orders were absolute; it didn't even have the right to complain.

A stream of magic shot over, attached itself to the basilisk, and followed it towards the place where the basilisk's voice came from.

The basilisk crawled through the dark, narrow pipes until it finally came to the spot directly below the voice. At this point, the basilisk and the person who had given it the command were separated only by a floor and a pipe.

Sensing that it had arrived at its destination, the basilisk began to hiss and roar, trying to figure out who was giving it orders.

I, the heir of Slytherin, command you to obey my orders.

Upon hearing the basilisk's voice, the people outside were clearly in a better mood, and they began to give the basilisk commands, ordering it to obey their orders.

I refuse.

The basilisk refused it decisively.

According to the basilisk's logic, since the first master has returned, the new master's authority has naturally been revoked.

【? 】

Are you kidding me?!

The voice outside turned astonished and angry: "Are you going to disobey the orders of the great Slytherin?"

The basilisk ignored it. Awakened from its slumber, it was a little hungry and decided to catch some rats in the pipe to fill its stomach. Don't underestimate the rats because they are small; they come in huge numbers, and eating more of them will provide enough calories to sustain its survival.

Despite Hogwarts' intricate underground system, the rat infestation wasn't severe, thanks in part to the basilisk Slytherin kept underground. Each time it awoke from its slumber, the underground rats suffered a devastating blow.

Seeing that the basilisk was ignoring it, the voice outside was clearly panicked. It began to change its rhetoric, trying to regain control of the basilisk, but the basilisk chose to focus on catching mice, only occasionally hissing to appease it.

It didn't understand. Decades ago, the basilisk could obey its commands, so why was it no longer obedient now? Was it because the little girl it possessed didn't have the blood of the great Slytherin?

It felt it had found the right answer.

While the basilisk was feigning agreement with the voice, Rice was rushing towards the ground at top speed. The magic he had left on the basilisk was a signal source that could help it locate itself.

Soon, he arrived nearby. Rice could feel that he was only a wall away from the magic attached to the basilisk, but the corridor he was in was empty, and there was not a single person in sight.

Where is that person?

Rice chose to directly question the basilisk.

【There】

The basilisk showed him the way.

Following the basilisk's directions, Rice hurried to the corner of the corridor, where he saw someone who was somewhat unexpected.

She was a little girl wearing an ill-fitting old robe and with fiery red hair. She had light skin, a slender build, and brown eyes. Her appearance was striking; despite her young age, it was clear she was a beauty in the making. In terms of looks, she was in no way inferior to Daphne, and perhaps even surpassed her, but the tired, haggard look on her face and the dark circles around her eyes marred her beauty.

Without needing to ask for a name or search his memory, Rice knew from the sight of the red hair that the little guy in front of him was a member of the Weasley family.

This generation of the Weasley family only has one girl. At the Sorting Ceremony, Rice learns her name is Ginny Fella.

"Ginny Molly Weasley, what are you doing here?" Rice asked, squinting. He had already noticed something unusual about the girl in front of him.

Faced with Rice's questioning, Ginny was visibly flustered. She hesitated for a moment before saying, "Just call me Ginny."

"Okay, Ginny Weasley, what are you doing here?" Rice was almost certain that this little girl was the one who spoke Parsley.

But this is so strange. Why would a Weasley use Parseltongue?

While Parsleyan can be learned, it's more about bloodline. If a wizard's ancestors didn't speak Parsleyan, then he's unlikely to learn it himself.

As far as Rice knew, the Weasleys did not understand Parsleyan a thousand years ago.

Perhaps it's because she has blood from other wizarding families? Or is it related to her "little secret"?

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Update delivered, second update will be a little later~

(End of this chapter)