The Witcher: The Journey to Transcendence from Marvel...

Chapter 38 The Journey to the Secret Chamber

Dumbledore's actions can be described as swift and decisive.

He walked through the castle corridor and arrived at the girls' restroom on the second floor. The room was dimly lit, and a faint damp smell filled the air.

His gaze, sharp as a falcon's, scanned every inch of space, leaving no detail unnoticed. Soon, he spotted the Slytherin insignia under a water tap.

However, the challenge is how to open the hidden chamber.

Dumbledore is perhaps the only wizard in the history of magic who mastered Parseltongue through self-study without relying on bloodline.

However, his mastery of Parseltongue may be limited to understanding it, but he may not be able to speak it.

Despite several attempts, the entrance to the secret room remained tightly closed.

After observing for a while, Wes made a bold suggestion: use the Imperius Curse to control Tom and force him to open the secret room with Parseltongue.

This suggestion caused Dumbledore to fall into a brief moment of contemplation.

But soon he shook his head and rejected the proposal.

He had a deeper purpose in mind: he wanted to invite officials from the Ministry of Magic to witness the killing of the Basilisk, hoping to clear Hagrid's name in this way.

But Cornelius Fudge, the Minister for Magic, was known for his caution, or rather, his cowardice.

Dumbledore could easily foresee that once he learned that Voldemort had created Horcruxes and was gradually regaining his power, the minister would likely make some decisions that would displease everyone.

It's best not to let anyone else know that Voldemort is about to return, so as to avoid causing unnecessary panic.

Although Dumbledore was old, his mind was still very sharp and his thinking was quick.

He quickly found recording equipment and recorded Tom's Parseltongue voice.

With everything prepared, Dumbledore sat down at his desk and carefully wrote two letters, one for Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge and the other for Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Amelia Susan Bornes.

The letter details the discovery of the Basilisk at Hogwarts and the related murder case from decades earlier.

At this time, Fudge was almost always willing to grant Dumbledore's requests.

The two communicated frequently through letters, and they finally settled on a date, settling on a weekend two weeks later.

When the appointed weekend arrived, Cornelius Fudge, accompanied by a Ministry of Magic official and Amelia Susan Bornes, arrived at Hogwarts.

As soon as Fudge saw Dumbledore, he eagerly opened his arms and gave Dumbledore a big hug.

His face was beaming with smiles, a radiant smile that never stopped.

He acted extremely close to Dumbledore, holding his hand tightly, and didn't let go even when greeting Lucius.

As for Wes, he was too young and did not attract Fudge's attention.

Weiss didn't mind, and he was too lazy to deal with politicians like Fudge anyway.

Amelia appears to be a very serious person; her face is devoid of any extraneous expression.

According to Dumbledore, she was one of the few officials in the Ministry of Magic who actually got things done.

"Albus, you really scared me!" Fudge exaggeratedly clutched his chest, his voice trembling with exaggerated surprise. "How could such a terrifying creature as a basilisk appear at Hogwarts?"

"Fudge..." Dumbledore began.

"Call me Connelly, our relationship..."

Fudge quickly interrupted Dumbledore, a friendly smile spreading across his face.

"Okay, Connelly..."

Dumbledore patiently recounted the details of the Chamber of Secrets in Slytherin, the Basilisk, and the truth behind Hagrid's wrongful conviction.

"Hmm... I see..."

"Oh... Merlin's beard..."

Fudge seemed to be listening very attentively, occasionally letting out a sigh.

After listening, Fudge turned to his deputy, Umbridge: "Dolores, will resolving this improve my approval rating?"

Umbridge wore an overly sweet smile, as sticky as syrup. She was short, with a large mouth and slightly protruding eyes, giving her an incongruous appearance.

She was dressed in bright pink, from her hat to her hair clips, and her terrible appearance combined with the inappropriate outfit made her look like a mismatched pink toad.

She spoke in a sweet, girlish voice that made people feel uncomfortable.

"You've dealt with the basilisk and protected the students' safety. I think your office will be overflowing with commendations, Minister."

Umbridge's voice was full of flattery.

Ms. Burns glanced at Umbridge with disdain, then closed her eyes, clearly not wanting to see Umbridge's repulsive appearance any longer.

Fudge's face broke into a smile, a bright and genuine one.

"That's awesome!" Fudge exclaimed excitedly.

Fudge only cared about his approval rating and didn't care about the students' safety. As for Hagrid's innocence, he thought it was a waste of his time.

Not a single mistake, not a single poem, not a single post, not a single piece of content, not a single look!

Fortunately, there is Ms. Burns, who is known for her impartiality.

"If the Basilisk was responsible for the case back then, then it proves that Rubeus Hagrid was wronged, and the Ministry of Magic will clear Mr. Hagrid's name."

Ms. Burns' voice was firm and powerful.

"Yes, Burns is right," Fudge quickly agreed.

Fudge would be more than happy to do something that would allow him to keep his ministerial position and win Dumbledore's favor.

However, when he heard that he would have to go to the Chamber of Secrets to confront the Basilisk, the Minister of Magic backed down.

"Umbridge can represent me; she's my assistant."

Fudge did not hesitate to push the dangerous task onto his subordinates.

Umbridge's smile froze slightly, her fingers gripping her purse tightly, her knuckles turning white.

But she quickly adjusted her expression and once again revealed her signature sweet smile.

Umbridge is an ambitious person who is willing to seize any opportunity to climb the ladder, even if it means taking some risks.

Wes began to look at this woman with new respect.

Dumbledore simply wanted people from the Ministry of Magic to act as witnesses; it didn't matter who they were specifically.

After explaining some important points, Dumbledore led everyone to the washroom.

He took out his recording equipment and played the recording.

With a hissing sound,

The mechanism was activated, and the washbasin slowly moved away, revealing a passage leading downwards.

Dumbledore's wand emitted a soft glow, and without hesitation, he was the first to jump down.

Seeing this, Lucius followed suit and did the same.

Next was Umbridge, who, though a little nervous, bravely jumped.

Ms. Burns intended to be the last to leave, but Weiss held out his hand, indicating, "Ladies first."

Ms. Burns did not refuse Wes's gentlemanly gesture, and after nodding slightly, she jumped down as well.

The four of them made their way to the Chamber of Secrets in Slytherin without any obstacles.

(End of this chapter)