Return to the Chamber of Secrets

After Dumbledore's latest revelations, Harry remained quite depressed. He was both terrified and upset by the prophecy. Sure, he had known since that cursed day when he first entered the wizarding world that psychopaths were after him. But he thought he was safe in the castle. And since Dumbledore had explained about the Horcruxes, he saw a light at the end of the tunnel. Dumbledore was going to find and destroy those 5 objects and he would be safe again. He could leave the wizarding world and would go beg his parents to forgive him.

He would return to school, find his friends, work hard, have a lot of fun, and in the end, he would take over his uncle's factory and live a peaceful life away from all these horrors. Giving up magic would be like tearing a piece of his soul, but since the incident with Malfoy, it scared him. Harry hadn't talked to Severus Snape, but occlumency hadn't helped at all. The evil that was gnawing at him seemed to ignore his protections. It was as if it was situated behind them. Inside him. The only thing that had seemed to calm it was the Quidditch sessions. Except he couldn't continue anymore.

But it didn't matter. In any case, the prophecy had destroyed that hope. It was up to him to kill Voldemort or die trying. And the last few times, he had only managed to get out of it thanks to a huge stroke of luck. As powerful as prophetic magic might be, Harry was afraid he wouldn't come out on top in his next confrontation. And he wasn't sure he wanted to completely. He didn't want to kill any more than he wanted to be killed. How to live a normal life after that? Why did it have to fall on him? He was just a 13-year-old child. An orphan too. Why was fate so relentless with him like that? Hadn't he received his share? Sometimes he just wanted to scream for hours. And he couldn't talk to anyone about it.

The arrival of the weekend didn't help. He had finished his homework a long time ago and was now idle, having nothing else to do but brood over his thoughts. He wandered aimlessly in the park and came across Hagrid digging his vegetable garden, who warmly invited him into his hut.

Harry accepted, filled with guilt for not having visited him earlier. It was his best decision of the week. The company of the half-giant lifted his spirits. That was the good thing about Hagrid. He accepted you as you were and didn't try to know more than what you were willing to tell him. Unlike Nott and more exceptionally Zabini, who tried through various tricky questions to find out what was bothering him.

But he could not completely dismiss his worries and after a while he asked:

Hagrid, if you had to hide a very precious object, where would it be?

That is not difficult. At Gringotts of course. It's the safest place in England. Except for Hogwarts of course.

Eureka! thought Harry. As soon as he could, he took leave of the half-giant and rushed into the headmaster's office. Once he arrived in front of the gargoyle, he realized that the password had changed since the last time. However, after a few minutes, the gargoyle moved on its own, and Harry climbed the stairs four at a time to reach the office where Dumbledore was waiting for him.

What do I owe the pleasure of this pleasant visit?

Harry caught his breath. I think I know where the Horcruxes are.

Dumbledore got up from his seat and waved his wand several times. Harry heard the gargoyle below close tightly and felt magic cover the room.

Just some precaution against prying ears. Tell me everything. Asked the old man.

He must have hidden at least one Horcrux in the Chamber of Secrets. It is the safest place that exists, it is highly symbolic, and it has a particular connection with him.

To Harry's surprise, Dumbledore looked disappointed.

This is precisely the subject I wanted to address during our next lesson. I had come to the same conclusion after your story last year. This led me to spend a large part of the sunny months searching this dark room. Without success, I'm afraid.

But that's not possible. There has to be one.

Before going further in this conversation, it seems appropriate to me to show you another of my memories.

With a grave expression, Dumbledore headed to his cabinet from which he took out his Pensieve. Once it was well placed on the desk, he invited Harry to enter it. At first, Harry felt that something hadn't gone well. He was back in the headmaster's office. But looking more closely, he noticed that the Dumbledore facing him seemed much younger. Then Voldemort passed through him. At least what he thought was Voldemort. He no longer had the attractive features of the young Tom Riddle but not yet the reptilian features he had seen on the horrible creature that had died in the cauldron. He then silently witnessed what must have been the last meeting between Dumbledore and Voldemort before the war began.

Once the interview was over, Harry was pulled out of the Pensieve. The first thing he asked was:

He really wanted to become a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher? with obvious disbelief. He couldn't imagine Voldemort taking care of children.

At the time, I didn't believe it either, but now I think he really meant it. I hadn't mentioned it until now, but at the end of his seventh year, he asked to become a professor at Hogwarts. Even though I didn't have proof at the time, I was convinced he was responsible for the unfortunate incident in the Chamber of Secrets. Shuddering at what he might do to students if he returned to a position of power, I violently opposed his appointment. This, as you know, led him to work for Borgin and Burkes and to get his hands on his first relics of the founders. I've always wondered what would have happened if I hadn't intervened. Dippet adored Tom. Without my intervention, he would have gladly accepted his request. Many students would have suffered, but this job might have absorbed him enough to steer him away from his other projects. Perhaps he would have developed enough attachment to his situation at Hogwarts to limit his actions to a legal framework. Maybe he would have even mellowed over time. In any case, by a strange coincidence, since that interview, I haven't been able to keep a Defense Against the Dark Arts professor for more than a year. The only exception being Lockhart, who was lucky enough to be recruited just after the cemetery incident.

In any case, he couldn't have been worse than Snape.

Professor Snape, Harry. And without wanting to minimize his wrongs against you, I think the comparison is more insulting than funny.

I'm not so sure. Why do you keep him as a teacher when you know he's not... well, not suited for the position? And why does he stay, when he obviously hates teaching? It's not like he doesn't have a choice. He made me spend half the summer cleaning his rotten house and all his damn awards.

Your second question partly answers the first. How could I dismiss one of the best potion makers in Europe? Not to mention all his talents in various magic often forgotten by most people, like Occlumency. Contrary to what you concluded too quickly, I do not acknowledge that he is unsuited for the position. He is certainly extremely harsh with the students, especially with the Gryffindors and some Hufflepuffs. But he does a remarkable job as the head of Slytherin House and supervisor for the N.E.W.T.s. Much better than his predecessor, you can believe me. Not to mention that in case of trouble, he will be a valuable asset for the defense of the castle. As for the reason why he does not seek a position that suits him better, I fear that is a questionorderprivate that does not concern you.

Harry took the last sentence for what it was. An invitation to change the subject.

Why did you show me this memory? I mean it's interesting, but how will it help us find his Horcruxes before Black or another fanatic finds them?

In your opinion, why did he come that day?

You said it, right? To become a teacher against the forces of evil?

As I told young Voldemort, he must have known there was no chance I would give him the position. I think he mainly wanted an opportunity to enter the castle without it being suspicious.

Do you think he took the opportunity to hide one of his Horcruxes in the castle?

Or to remove one. I think the journal was initially hidden in the Chamber of Secrets. After he graduated and his first application for the teaching position was rejected, he had nowhere to go. In fact, I think he slept on the street in the days following his graduation. It would not have been reasonable to take the journal with him during his wandering. The risk was too great of losing it, having it stolen, or worse, being caught with what even the most incompetent Ministry employee would recognize as an advanced dark magic object.I think he left it in the only safe place he knew at the time. However, he must have thought afterward that the chamber was too safe for the journal. In the unlikely event that he disappeared, no innocent victim would ever come within its reach. I believe, like you, that it is very likely he wanted to hide a Horcrux in the castle. However, even if it’s a bit presumptuous on my part, I think that outside the chamber there is no place in Hogwarts that escapes my surveillance. And my visit this summer convinced me a little more that he would never have stored a Horcrux there permanently.

You yourself said that because of the prophecy, you cannotYou are a professional translator. Directly translate this text into English, without adding anything.could not find the Horcruxes. As soon as Harry uttered this sentence, he regretted it.

Strictly speaking, the prophecy implies that I could not destroy the Horcruxes. But a priori nothing prevents me from finding them as long as I intend to entrust you with the task of neutralizing them. However, you are right. It is possible that prophetic magic has misled me. Not to mention that the chamber may have hiding places accessible only to Parselmouths. I think it’s unlikely, but if your instinct tells you that a Horcrux is there, then it’s probably worth searching the chamber one last time with you.

Harry shuddered upon hearing that. It was the response he had expected when he made that stupid remark. He really had no desire to return to that sinister place. In retrospect, it hadn't been so horrible. Especially in comparison to what had happened in the cemetery. But at night in his bed, he still trembled remembering the terror he had felt at the time.

When he had entered the office, he had naively believed that the headmaster would never involve one of his students in a hunt for Horcruxes. That he would go alone to face the danger to bring back the Horcruxes for him to destroy under his supervision. But obviously, it couldn't be that simple. If he caught the one who had made that cursed prophecy that had ruined his life...

Understanding his discomfort, Dumbledore added.

I would understand if you need time to (...)

No, the sooner it's done the better it will be. And besides, I don't want to spend the coming days worrying.

Following this response, Dumbledore gave him a smile. Then together they walked out into the corridors, almost entirely empty this weekend. The older students had gone to enjoy a trip to Hogsmeade while the younger ones relaxed in the park during what would likely be one of the last sunny days of the year.

On the way, Dumbledore indicated to him:

It's very brave of you. Your parents would be proud of you. And I'm sure your aunt and uncle would be too.

I am not courageous at all. I am just terrified.

Courage does not lie in the absence of fear but in overcoming it to do what is right.

If I had the choice, I would never impose this on myself.

Oh, but you have a choice. Nothing forces you to invest so much in what could have remained my personal quest.

When I tried to flee, the prophecy did not let me.

It is not the prophecy that chose to attack your loved ones but Voldemort. Never forget that whatever the circumstances, we are responsible for our choices and their consequences. You chose to confront him to protect your loved ones.

Whatever you say, I feel like a pig forced to walk to the slaughterhouse.

They arrived in front of the sink that concealed the entrance to the chamber. With a gesture, Dumbledore invited him to request the opening of the access, then, with surprising agility for his age, Dumbledore jumped into the tunnel. Harry followed shortly after. Upon landing, he noticed that the rat skeletons had been advantageously replaced by a foam mattress and that torches magically kept alight illuminated the place. These simple changes were enough to transform the area and make it much less frightening. Harry began to relax. He followed Dumbledore untilThe enormous door engraved with two serpents that Harry opened again. Once inside, he immediately noticed that the vast hall, once empty, where the statue of Salazar Slytherin stood, now contained a huge serpent.

Without a shred of shame, Harry began to flee, leaving the old man to his fate. But something stopped him. Turning around, he realized that Dumbledore had used his magic on him to prevent him from escaping. The latter gave him a displeased look and explained:

He is dead, you have nothing to fear.

At these words, Harry relaxed and timidly approached the remains of the monster. He noticed that its eyes had been removed and that incisions had been made along its body, probably to retrieve organs from inside.

What is this thing?

It is a basilisk, also known as the king of serpents. Looking it directly in the eyes leads to death, and its venom is the most lethal of all known in the animal kingdom. It is also the only poison capable of destroying a Horcrux.

It seems that he is the infamous monster that Slytherin had hidden in his Chamber of Secrets. He had probably been enchanted to obey the orders of Salazar Slytherin's descendants.

Harry quickly withdrew his hand from the hook he was examining. Now that he was no longer afraid of it, he found it fascinating. Almost beautiful even.

Fortunately, Tom did not call on him. I would never have been able to face that monster. I didn't even know such a thing existed. You are truly an extraordinary wizard. Harry declared, full of admiration for what the wizard had accomplished. And he wasn't just thinking about having defeated that monster but about everything he had figured out about Voldemort and all the exploits he had accomplished in his long life.

In fact, it is Hagrid who deserves your admiration. Before this summer, I knew no more than you about the existence of basilisks. Otherwise, I would have immediately understood that only an indirect gaze from a basilisk could have caused these petrifications. It was he who determined from the remains found at the entrance of the chamber, particularly a large shed skin, that the monster must be a basilisk.

Harry immediately imagines Hagrid trying to offer a teddy bear to the giant snake and smiles at the thought.

I had a lot of trouble convincing Hagrid that it would be far too dangerous to keep this animal in a school. But he eventually agreed to help me defeat the monster after I pointed out to him that I would be unable to undo the spells that forced the beast to obey Voldemort.

Stop reading my thoughts.

I don't need it. And from now on, I would be quite incapable of it. Your occlumency shields are astounding for a child of your age. In fact, even for an adult wizard, they would be exceptional.

Harry blushed.

It's nothing extraordinary. It's only thanks to Snape.

In order to dispel his discomfort, Harry began to walk around the room and the surrounding corridors while Dumbledore launched into a litany of unknown magical formulas that were supposed to reveal its secrets. After two hours he returned to his starting point, disheartened. The room was definitely empty. He was about to lose hope when he noticed a detail on the immense statue in the hall.

The mouth is open. There is a coin inside.

Yes. She was enchanted to open only if asked in Parseltongue. That is where the basilisk lived in the absence of its master.

Harry suddenly wondered:

How did you manage to open it And how did you manage to access the room while I wasn't there.

I used Serpensortia to summon a snake then cast a spell called impero on it to force it to obey any order I would give it. I just had to ask it to say "open up" at every obstacle I encountered.

You are truly a genius. I would never have thought of it.

Once again your praises touch me, but I must confess not to deserve them. It was Severus who found this trick. Besides, the spell Serpensortia is one of his inventions. In fact, you will understand over time that "genius" is the name given to those who take credit for the work of others. Or who cheat in one way or another. The only way men can accomplish exceptional things is by working together. You told me earlier that your shields were nothing exceptional because they were the work of Professor Snape. I disagree. It is you and you alone who convinced Professor Snape to help you and who managed to work with him despite his difficult nature towards you. This demonstrates an incredible ability to cooperate and recognize one's own limits. The only qualities that real "geniuses" possess.

Are you kidding? Okay, you didn't figure out on your own how to get into the room or how to defeat the monster. But you have accomplished so many extraordinary things in your life. You defeated Grindelwald and ended the Second World War!

Dumbledore looked at his wand sadly for a few seconds. He seemed lost in his past, and Harry decided to give him the time he needed. Finally, he continued:

This is what many journalists filled with prejudices about the superiority of wizards have written. But the truth is that I would never have been able to defeat Gellert. Worse, it is because of some of my mistakes that he became so powerful. He could only be defeated thanks to the meticulous execution of a plan of which I was only one of the cogs. A major cog but not enough for me to claim the authorship of this feat. But the plan went awry and I found myself being the only survivor of our group.

Many members of this group of resistors were ordinary Muggles. One of them sacrificed himself to give me the opening that allowed me to disarm Grindelwald by surprise. But even so, I had a hard time defeating her. Once the battle was over, no one wanted to hear the story of the countless people who had sacrificed their lives for peace to return.

He wanted the story of the superhuman hero who now watched over their sleep. And seeing what this new glory allowed me to do to fight the many injustices of the wizarding world, I stopped correcting them. But recent events have made me wonder if I was wrong. Whatever people think, I am only a man and I make many mistakes. Besides, Tom is one of them. I thought it was enough to isolate him so that he would no longer be a threat. It only cut him off from any chance to amend and live an honorable life. He turned out to be the exception that proves the rule. He is a true genius capable of changing the world through his ingenuity alone.

After this speech, Harry and Dumbledore entered the mouth of the statue. But quickly, Harry had to admit that the chamber contained nothing. However, he did not regret coming. Facing his fear had done him good.

oOoOoOo

Author's note: the trick to enter the Chamber of Secrets is not mine but from the fanfic.Les Fugitifs d'Azkaban .