“Next morning, Snape arrived early in the Slug Club common room to issue a notice to all the Slug Club wizards.”
"Starting from today, all students must return to the common room of their own houses before six o'clock in the evening."
No student is allowed to leave the dormitory after this time.
A teacher will escort the students to and from each class.
No student is allowed to use the restroom without the accompaniment of a teacher.
All Quidditch practices and matches have been postponed, and no activities will be held in the evening."
When Snape escorted the Slug Club wizards to the Great Hall for dinner, George approached and asked:
"Headmaster, hasn't the Basilisk been found yet?"
"No, all the castle's plumbing has been searched, but only some remnants of scales from the Basilisk were found, and the secret room where it was hiding has not been discovered."
Snape replied:
"Dumbledore has been temporarily suspended from the board of directors due to this incident, and after going to the Ministry of Magic in London last night, he was left there."
The school may be closed for a period of time until we find the Basilisk and the true Heir of the Secret Chamber.
So you're prepared, if there are any learning issues during the school closure, come find me in the Spiderwick Alley."
After the school closure, all teachers and students will be required to leave the premises, and Aurors from the Ministry of Magic will be dispatched to lockdown the school for a comprehensive search until the Basilisk is found and killed. Only then can classes resume.
But even Dumbledore can't find the location of the secret chamber, and he doesn't think the Ministry's Aurors will be able to.
So the duration of the school closure may not be short.
As the most outstanding and gifted wizard in Slytherin, George doesn't want him to be delayed in his studies because of such an incident.
"Thank you, Headmaster."
George nodded, and a glint of determination flashed across his eyes.
Dumbledore was left in London last night, which also means that he can go to the Restricted Section of the library to study dark magic.
After breakfast in the Great Hall, Harry and the trio found George again.
"I've decided, I will tell Dumbledore about being able to hear the Basilisk's voice and the diary, perhaps then we can catch it."
After a night of reflection, Harry made a choice. He decided not to keep the secret from Dumbledore and the professors anymore.
But George shook his head:
"I learned from the Headmaster this morning that Dumbledore has been temporarily suspended and is being held in the Ministry of Magic in London. He's not expected to return anytime soon."
"Now it's really complicated, with Dumbledore not at school, there are probably daily attack incidents happening!"
Ron was immediately shocked upon hearing this, and Harry and Hermione also furrowed their brows.
With Dumbledore, the cornerstone of the school, away, their hearts immediately started racing with worry. George, sensing the tension, changed the subject:
"We'll think hard over these few days; maybe we can come up with some clues."
"I'm going to visit Hagrid later, since it's been confirmed that the monster in the Chamber isn't a giant spider, his charges from back then shouldn't be affected."
"Okay, we'll go too."
Hermione immediately shot up her hand with a "scoot," leaving Harry and Ron with a look of surprise on their faces.
Rarely does Hermione act this eager.
So after breakfast, George and Harry went to visit Hagrid.
Today is Sunday, and they all have no classes to attend.
They learned from Hagrid that the Ministry officials had come to inform him earlier that the punishment of being banned from using a wand had been canceled.
They said that Dumbledore, although temporarily suspended, had provided evidence proving that the monster in the Chamber was not an eight-eyed giant spider but a Basilisk.
As a result, the Ministry of Magic canceled the previous judgment of Hagrid as a murderer and restored his right to use a wand again.
With this good news, Harry's three hearts finally calmed down a bit.
By the time they returned from Hagrid's place, it was almost noon. George found an excuse to leave the trio and went to the Restricted Section of the library after getting a note from Lohar.
And this time, he didn't feel like he was being watched.
"Charm, Incendio, Impervius, and Veritaserum, I'm here!"
Then he started picking up the black magic books that he used to be afraid of and copying them down one by one.
To expect to memorize and understand those obscure and difficult black magic spells in one afternoon is unrealistic.
He can start by copying them down, and then study them later.
Soon, he was busy copying down those black magic spells until 5:30 in the afternoon. He finally borrowed a normal magic book and leisurely left the library.
And for the following few days, he did not go back to the Restricted Section of the library.
Just one time is enough, copying more would arouse suspicion. Moreover, he had already found all the spells he needed in just half a day, so the next step was to gradually study and practice them.
Summer summer quietly comes, the castle's sky and the surrounding lake surface are both turned into a light blue with a purple glow, blooming flowers in the greenhouse as large as cabbages.
But the atmosphere in the castle grows increasingly tense.
Dumbledore's departure brought about a fear that had never been felt before. It was spreading rapidly, making every face in the school appear anxious and uneasy. Every loud laughter in the corridors sounded irritating and bizarre, and it was soon suppressed.
It was another Saturday, and George was secretly practicing black magic in a secluded spot in the Forbidden Forest.
"Indeed, it's not that simple!"
By noon, he sighed and left the Forbidden Forest and walked towards the castle.
Whether it's the Infernal Fire Curse or the Three Unforgivable Curses, they are all very advanced black magic spells, and he would be extremely inefficient in learning them by himself.
But he couldn't possibly consult with any of the professors at the school, including Snape.
"Perhaps, I need a skilled person in this area!"
At this moment, George suddenly remembered Voldemort's soul inside the diary.
The soul of Voldemort in the diary is a fragmented one from when he was sixteen years old.
Although Voldemort at the age of sixteen probably doesn't have as much knowledge as Voldemort himself, George thinks that he should already know quite a few black magic spells by now.
Teaching him, a beginner, should be more than enough.
He didn't think about it before because at that time, his strength was too weak to try to take the diary, and it would be too dangerous to be discovered by Dumbledore, and he might even be controlled by Voldemort's soul.
But things are different now, Dumbledore is still in the Ministry of Magic in London and can't return, he has enough time to plan to take back the diary.
And with his current strength, especially after learning the light spells to control darkness and curses, it would be extremely difficult for Voldemort's fragmented soul to influence him.
As he walked along, George's mind gradually formed a new plan.
He was not a stubborn person, he had a plan, but he also knew the importance of flexibility.
As his strength continued to grow, many plans had to be changed according to the changes in his power in order to more efficiently enhance his own strength.
