Harry Potter and all characters, etc. belong to J. K. Rowling, not me.
Dumbledore Answers Harry - Chapter 22 - Investigating What Happened
After McGonagall had summoned Madam Pomfrey to deal with the latest victims, she looked at the three `almost witnesses.' "Miss Granger, Weasley, and Lovegood," she said, "I'm afraid that according to the new school rules, you'll all have to be questioned under veritaserum."
"What?!" said Ginny, looking offended.
"I understand," said Hermione, who was still silently crying, "Two students have been injured. I'll do anything to help Harry and find out what attacked him."
"You may have seen or heard something and not have realized it," said the professor, "but that potion has a way of getting every detail out of someone, even if they think it's insignificant."
"Alright," said Ginny.
"That's fine, Professor McGonagall," said Luna, "But none of us saw the double-headed dingbat."
"What?" asked McGonagall until she saw Ginny shake her head with a slight smile. "Anyway, I'll escort you to the headmaster's office and then I'll collect the other heads of house to witness the questioning."
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Twenty minutes later, they were all in the headmaster's office, and Hermione had just been given a few drops of veritaserum. She had an unusually peaceful expression on her face.
"Please state your name," said Professor Dumbledore while Professor Flitwick took notes.
"Hermione Jean Granger."
"Earlier today, you were in the library with Harry Potter when he suddenly decided to leave. Why did he do that?"
"He said that he heard a voice that wanted to kill."
"Did you hear anything, Miss Granger?"
"No."
Albus continued to question Hermione on every detail of what had happened. Eventually they got to the point where, "Harry said, `Whatever did this is still around! Take care of Colin!' He ran around a corner and disappeared from my sight. A moment later, he was arguing with Peeves."
"Did you hear anything beside Harry and Peeves?"
Her eyebrows came closer together as she concentrated. "I heard some sort of, I don't know what. It was sort of like wind blowing. I don't know what it was."
Professor Dumbledore appeared deep in thought for a moment. "Miss Granger, will you be kind enough to provide your memory of the incident for us to view in my Pensieve?"
"Of course, Professor."
A few minutes later, Ginny, Luna, Hermione, Dumbledore, and the four heads of houses were inside the memory of that hallway, listening as closely as Hermione's recollection would allow them. The aged headmaster yet again appeared deep in thought as he listened intently. Hermione, who was now nearly completely over the affects of veritaserum, was listening as well, trying to ignore the sounds of Harry and Peeves.
"I believe that it sounds like a snake of some sort," said Dumbledore pensively. "Voldemort is a Parselmouth. I wonder if Harry is as well. It would make him more of an equal. It would explain how he could hear the voice when no one else could."
"But Poppy didn't find any bite marks on any of the victims, nor any trace of venom inside their blood," said Minerva.
"There are magical creatures that can harm others without touching them," said Hermione as she closed her eyes in thought. "I remember reading about something like that in a book on magical creatures. Excuse me. I need to go back to the library."
Before anyone could say anything, the brunette had practically run out the door. With a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye, the headmaster calmly said, "Why yes, Miss Granger. You are dismissed. Good day."
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Half an hour later, Hermione was sitting alone at a table in the library, reading a book about rare magical creatures, when she found the page on basilisks. She was about to tear the page out of the book when Professor Dumbledore, accompanied by McGonagall, Luna, and Ginny, approached her.
"Miss Granger, are you about to ruin a library book?" asked McGonagall sternly.
Hermione's face went scarlet as she buried her face in her hands. "Er, um, I…"
"First you run out of the headmaster's office without being dismissed, and now this? I'm afraid I'll have to take ten points from Gryffindor for your behavior."
Dumbledore spoke next. "In the future, Miss Granger, I'm sure Madam Pince would appreciate it if you'd use the duplication spell." He then pointed his wand at the page she'd been about to tear and (for teaching purposes) said the incantation. An exact copy of that page appeared on the table next to the book.
"Er, thanks, and I'm sorry for running off like that."
"Perfectly understandable," said the wizened old man. "Am I to assume that this page contains the key to the mystery we've been investigating." She nodded as he picked up the page he'd created. "A basilisk?" he mumbled to himself in surprise. "Why didn't I think of it all those years ago?" His face paled as he thought about the implications. "We've been lucky that only a cat died. There's no way to defend against a foul creature such as this. We may have to close the school."
"And send the children home," agreed the deputy headmistress.
"Can't we just seal off the entrance?" asked Hermione.
"Entrance?" asked Minerva.
"Isn't it obvious? It went into that toilet, but was gone when you looked in there."
"It would make sense," said Albus. "That is where Myrtle died fifty-one years ago."
"But it could be going through the pipes to different parts of the castle," said Ginny, "even if we seal that particular door."
"I seriously doubt we could seal the door so that Voldemort couldn't get in."
"Voldemort's the heir of Slytherin, then?" asked Hermione.
"Yes, but he hasn't set foot in the castle for over thirty-five years. That's what's strange about it."
"Couldn't he simply possess somebody like he did Quirrel?" asked Ginny.
"Certainly," said Dumbledore, "Especially if they were a willing vessel."
"Like Theodore Nott," said Ginny venomously.
"Now, now, Miss Weasley. Everyone in this school is innocent until proven guilty. Although we will keep a closer eye on him. He certainly acts like a Death Eater." Dumbledore sighed. "I remember the good-old-days when Death Eater students at least pretended they weren't. Tom Riddle himself presented the image of an upright member of society. But alas, those were much more clever people. It seems that this new generation would probably like to have the Dark Mark tattooed on their foreheads the way they openly celebrate Voldemort's victories, and openly express disappointment over his defeats."
"In other words," said Ginny, "They're idiots who make sure they're always at the top of everybody's suspect lists."
"Exactly, Miss Weasley."
"While I agree with those observations," said McGonagall, "Perhaps we could return to the discussion of what we should do about the basilisk."
"Perhaps we should investigate the entrance to the chamber and determine our options."
"Good idea," said Hermione, "Let's go." Both professors looked at her like she'd grown a second head.
"While we are suitably impressed with your analytical abilities, and grateful for your input, it is our responsibility to keep all students, yourself included, safe. I don't believe your parents would be very happy with me if they knew I'd willingly taken you to the entrance of a basilisk's lair. In fact, I believe that it would be a good idea to confine all students to their common rooms until we decide what to do. Minerva, will you see to that while I look around Myrtle's loo to find the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets."
Once the teachers had left and the kids were leaving the library, Luna commented, "I guess that a basilisk makes more sense in this situation than a double-headed dingbat. They don't kill cats."
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