The Curse of Time (Harry Potter Fanfic)

The new victim turned out to be Colin. I felt very sorry for him because he was just going to visit Harry, who was suffering from his bones growing back.

Dumbledore summoned me to investigate this case more deeply and told me that Colin had taken a picture of the monster, but unfortunately, the camera hadn't survived.

I immediately headed to the restricted section of the library because that was the only place where I could find more information.

When I saw Colin's condition, I noticed that he wasn't turned to stone like Miss Norris, but he had a terrifying expression—the same as those who encounter a gorgon.

Moreover, considering that Salazar Slytherin was fond of snakes, the monster must have a connection to them. Since a gorgon's hair is made of snakes, my hypothesis may not be entirely wrong.

I know that, according to the writings, Salazar Slytherin's personality was quite extreme. It's possible that his ultimate goal was to eliminate those he deemed unworthy of benefiting from his teachings.

It's not that he outright refused Muggle-borns; on the contrary, he valued those who were cunning and capable of ensuring the wizarding world remained safe from exposure.

Many misunderstand this because numerous Dark wizards have come from Slytherin, and Phineas Nigellus Black, the only Slytherin headmaster, wasn't particularly well-liked.

The information I've gathered so far suggests that the creature can live a very long time, likely has a connection to snakes, can petrify someone without physical contact, and may even have the ability to kill without direct interaction.

I've been compiling a comprehensive list of magical creatures, but I still can't identify one that matches all these characteristics.

It is very frustrating not to find answers, especially when there aren't many creatures capable of causing harm without direct confrontation.

Wait a minute!

The gorgon turns its victims to stone by locking eyes with them, but there is another possibility. Miss Norris and Colin didn't actually look directly at the creature's eyes.

On Halloween night, there was water on the floor, and Miss Norris's gaze was directed downward. As for Colin, he must have heard a noise and, by reflex as a photographer, pointed his camera toward the creature. The camera, which was destroyed when we tried to examine it, likely absorbed the death intended for Colin.

While thinking, my hands moved quickly, searching for the book with the information I needed about the creature I now suspected was the monster in the Chamber of Secrets.

And finally, I found what I was looking for.

The infamous monster is a basilisk.

There is no doubt about the creature—it can only be the basilisk.

The problem is that it's impossible for a monster like that to roam the corridors freely. It's far too large to go unnoticed.

Every time I find an answer, a new question arises, but for now, I feel a bit calmer after finally identifying the monster.

I decided to go straight to Dumbledore to share my findings. As I left the forbidden section, I saw the trio waiting for someone.

"What are you doing?"

"We're just waiting for Madam Pince to fetch a book from the forbidden section to broaden our knowledge."

So, it seems they're planning to solve the Chamber of Secrets problem on their own.

"Be careful," I said, "because, as they say, curiosity kills the cat."

After I reported my findings to Dumbledore, he decided to prepare a new rule to prevent any further incidents.

When I returned to the common room afterward, Marie told me that a dueling club was about to take place.