Aristotle believed that probability also includes the improbable.
It is chance, that mischievously bold demon,
that works tirelessly, that soon fights with us …
That's what Lynar said.
And Schopenhauer, for his part, apostrophises that even the most obvious coincidence is only causing what is necessary through the backdoor.
But how much probability does it take to be presented with so many opulent coincidences strung together so suddenly?
Those candles in the frosted glass bowls above the toilet cabins burn steadily and yet never go out.
I know that because I've been sitting here for ages. Leaning against the wall of the girls' restroom on the second floor, late at night, when anyone else is fast asleep.
I don't even notice the smell of 18th century sewage pipes anymore, nor the cold floor beneath me. Not how draughty it is in here, not how every movement echoes.
No, my thoughts circle high above feelings and the perceptions of my senses.
It's too many coincidences.
A basilisk that whispers to me and can move within the very pipe system in the castle that was of great interest to Corvinus Gaunt.
A Slytherin with the same surname as the man who presumably passed on my middle name – and not only that. If Parsel is hereditary, then the ability my mother possessed, which I possess, also runs in the family.
And after the disappearance of two people, Corvinus managed, with the help of flimsy justifications, to take care of the basins lined up here in a circle?
One of which doesn't work?
In its tap, a snake is engraved.
I had to sit down once I saw it.
Because how can that be a coincidence?
I keep staring through the dull windows into the night, and I can't believe that no one else has discovered any of this in centuries. That no one knew of the entrance for so many years …
Who sat here before me?
The whole Gaunt family?
How did they know about it?
How was the knowledge of Salazar Slytherin's fabled Chamber of Secrets passed on? Since when? The founding of Hogwarts?
I could open it. I'm sure I could. I'd be able to, right here, right now. The infamous catacombs could open up before me, I'm only a few steps away.
And yet it would be unwise to let curiosity and hunger for sensation guide me.
First I must know who I am. How far back the Gaunts go, and whether I have the slightest chance of controlling this ancient, hungry serpent.
There is no way around Nott and his family's possession. If any documented bloodlines and inherited family trees exist anywhere in the world, it's there.
"We're late!" Nott whispers as he's squeezing through the portal.
"Relax, it's the last day of school, just look forward to the holidays," Mulciber advises. He lightly follows Nott into the Room of Requirement and, as usual, demonstrates amazing peace of mind as he glances around the apparently empty castle wing. "See, it's all good – no one's here yet, in fact we're the first ones."
"I just can't have Tom knowing we weren't on –"
"Time?" I cut him off, not even turning around. "Well, I do know. Foolish of you not to suspect anyone behind the shadows."
"Behind the pillars?" Nott sighs. "Oh sure …"
As he strolls around the corner, Mulciber giggles. "I really wouldn't have thought you're already there …"
"Thank you for mentioning the obvious," I reply, massaging my temples in annoyance. "It would've never occurred to us …"
Mulciber and Nott gulp as they look into all the sneering, amused and pitying faces around them. Quietly they try to sneak to the back of the room, but no way …
"Nott," I call.
He had so badly wished to not be on my radar anymore.
"Y-yes?"
"Do you notice something?"
He clears his throat. "Well … what should I notice?"
"Let me reframe then," I sigh. "Do you notice someone?"
He lets his gaze wander through the rows and then quickly nods. "Yeah, your – I mean, sorry … a Ravenclaw is here." His look of guilt makes me just gesture for him to continue impatiently instead of cursing him out. "Well, and there are also … two Hufflepuffs – Elliott's friend with another friend."
Leonora, of course, couldn't hold her breath. The fact that she only ended up with one other person in tow, however, is basically a miracle in itself.
"And a Gryffindor!"
Some Slytherins pout by these words voiced by the very candidate, and I also give Rouvenia a clear sideways glance – because we're only in the presence of the huge third year entirely thanks to her. The two of them have an undeniable connection to magical creatures, even if the petite Rouvenia couldn't be more opposite to her bring-along.
"Thank you, Hagrid," I eventually say, "we couldn't have missed you …"
Harper beside him can't hide her grin and whispers, "And not many can say that about themselves, Rubeus."
"No, but everyone here was on time." Looking back at Nott and Mulciber, I raise my brows. "Except for you. So do come here, the last will be first."
They don't even venture a protest at this point, and the group is only too happy to make space for them.
Nott is as uncomfortable as it gets. "So, what are we practising?"
"You'd know if you hadn't been late," Rouvenia purrs, promptly following the two. "Don't worry, we have guests, I'll be gentle …"
Mulciber pokes the troubled Nott in the side at this promise and nods in merry naivity.
"Don't get too excited," Elliott chortles.
"We're intensifying shock spells," I reveal to our latest additions.
"But we've already had those in class with Merrythought," Mulciber claims.
"Then show us what you've learned." Rouvenia winks. "With Nott."
Nott gets ready ever so reluctantly when Mulciber already raises his wand.
"Stupor!" he shouts, and instead of Nott slumping to the ground, all we have before us is Nott with a paralysed hand.
"The movement," Harper takes heart by approaching Mulciber while Rouvenia is still laughing. "You go from 12 o'clock to 9 o'clock, and from there to 3 o'clock."
Nott takes another deep breath before Mulciber tries again.
This time, after all, he is paralysed from the waist down.
"Now in a more fluid motion, then it should work," Harper says.
"So again?" Mulciber asks while Nott, lying on the ground, is clearly struggling with his fate.
"Yes, go ahead," I say with the last bit of patience in me. "He's supposed to be resuscitated afterwards …"
"Oh, I see," Mulciber rejoices. "Good. Stupor!"
This time Nott simply freezes. Mulciber nods all satisfied with his work, then asks, "And what was the spell to undo it again?"
I groan, having long since proceeded to massage my neck, but Rouvenia doesn't miss the chance to finally cast a spell of her own.
"Enervate!"
Nott blinks a few times before he's rising again. He's startled, but he's fine.
"How do you feel?" she asks him.
"Alright." He seems surprised himself. "Much better than after the last exercise …"
"Wonderful – you saw it," Elliott exclaims, clapping his hands. "Find a partner and practise by yourselves!"
"So this is your little club?" Harper quietly asks as she saunters over to me. "Really nice …"
"Will you show Avery your Patronus?" I ask. "He's ready, I think."
"Why don't you show him yours?"
"No. You convey the necessary happiness much better. He won't get there with me standing right behind him."
"And what's it all for?" she finally wants to know, watching the others.
"I don't know yet."
"This needs a name," she says.
"You know me – I'm not creative. And Rouvenia's suggestions all sound tacky."
"I heard that!" she shouts, promptly thundering a curse at me.
"Protego!" I fight it off and shrug my shoulders. "You know they sound awful!"
She just rolls her eyes and then turns her full attention back to Hagrid's revival.
"For a name, it must be clear what the purpose of this organisation is," Harper whispers, mischief gleaming in her eyes. "Let me guess, Tom … world domination?"
"Britain's enough for now," I retort, earning a nonchalant side-poke in return.
"You prefer to spend the holidays with Nott rather than me?" Less than two hours later, she's putting her hands on her hips in utmost indignation. "When were you going to tell me that you were fraternising after your little chat at the lake?"
Her unfounded jealousy is almost flattering and I couldn't care less about the surrounding students on the platform right now. They're watching us. But we're standing far enough away not to be overheard, and whether anyone now feels even more confirmed in their suspicions about us than they already do because I'm so close to her, I don't give a damn.
Also I can't help but grin after I put my arms around her shoulders, imitating her upset facial expression to her great displeasure.
"Tom, stop it!" she hisses. "My family was so happy to see you again! And you tell me here at Hogsmeade station at the very last moment possible that you're not coming? How could you?"
"You didn't let me finish my sentence."
She instantly tilts her head and frowns.
"Silence is golden, darling. You might want to hold back your dismay for a second so I can give you –"
"What? Say it!"
I can't take her seriously. "I'll catch up with you, Harper, I'll be in Brimington by tomorrow. I promise."
"You catch up," she repeats, perplexed. "Why?"
"There's something I have to do."
She nods several times to encourage me to keep talking, but I just shake my head.
"Why are you so bloody secretive all the time?" she scolds me. "Do you intend to talk to the snake from the walls all alone in the castle?"
I shake my head yet again to dismiss this as insane. "What are you talking about Harper, please don't be ridiculous. Me going with Nott to see his family was the truth."
"What do you want from his family? You want something …"
"I always want something," I confirm, winking.
"And what do you want from me?"
"For you to get on the Hogwarts express, excuse me to your parents and save all your warmth for the attic so I won't freeze at night once I'm with you again."
She tries to suppress her touched smile, but she doesn't succeed. She never succeeds.
"All right," she merely grumbles as a farewell and turns around, of course she assumes that I won't allow any further intimacy while others are watching.
But I don't want to let her go like this.
"Harp?"
She's quite startled as I catch up her few steps.
"Take care," I say, breathing a kiss on her forehead.
Her face turns slightly pink, but her smile is like a ray of light.
I watch her until she boards the train, and yet my mind is already wandering to ancient bloodlines and their archives.
It's about time to investigate a couple of things …