Chapter 50 Chapter 50
Late that night, only Evan remained in the common room.
He looked at the diary in front of him and realized that he could not continue distrusting everyone or he would not get anywhere. Although there had been no further attacks, his issue with the Chamber of Secrets was not yet over.
Perhaps he should give it to Dumbledore!
He should be able to recognize this as a Horcrux and know exactly how to deal with it.
Before Evan could decide what to do, he saw Harry enter.
"Evan, why haven't you gone to bed yet?" said Harry, surprised.
"I should ask you the same," said Evan.
"I can't sleep because I'm thinking about things related to Hagrid. He is undoubtedly innocent, but I have to go confirm it." Harry looked at Evan with expectant eyes, "You believe that too, don't you?"
"Yes!" nodded Evan.
"Then let's go!" whispered Harry.
"Go where?"
Harry took Evan's hand and said, "I was going to go alone, but I didn't expect to see you."
Evan felt like crying because he knew he should have gone to bed.
He didn't want to sneak out of the castle to find out what he already knew, but Harry didn't give him a chance to refuse; he pulled him out of the Gryffindor common room.
Before they left, they saw Hermione standing beside them, looking at them with a serious expression.
"Hermione!" said Harry, surprised.
"Don't look at me like that, Harry. Did you think I would let you go alone?" said Hermione. "I said we needed to talk to Hagrid, but I don't think he has done it, though he must know something."
"Well, since everyone is coming," said Harry as he covered them with the cloak.
The castle that night was exceptionally gloomy as they walked through the empty corridors.
It was clear that Harry had wandered the castle at night countless times as he guided Evan and Hermione to the castle's exit.
The three hurried to Hagrid's house, reached his door, and took off the cloak. A few seconds later, they knocked on the door; Hagrid opened it abruptly, and the dog barked loudly behind him.
"Oh, it's you!" said Hagrid as he looked at them. "Why are you three coming so late?"
"We have something to ask you," said Harry as he entered the cabin, but hesitated, "Can you tell us about...?"
"About what?" asked Hagrid as he took a teapot and served each a large glass of boiling water. "Can't it wait until tomorrow? You three should quickly go back to bed now; it can't be so important that you have to sneak out of the castle."
"But, Hagrid..."
"We would like to ask you about the Chamber of Secrets," said Evan.
"The Chamber of Secrets?" said Hagrid as he accidentally knocked over a teapot, causing it to fall to the ground.
"Hagrid, you know someone was attacked by a monster about fifty years ago," Harry said quickly.
"What do you want to ask?" Hagrid asked as his face paled and he started sweating.
"Fifty years ago, when the chamber was opened, you were expelled from school for something," Hermione said as she pulled out the newspaper. "Hagrid, we don't doubt you, but do you know anything?"
"I don't know anything!" Hagrid shouted, looking restless and almost causing the teapot to extinguish the fire.
Harry and Hermione found this suspicious.
"We need your help, Hagrid! When the Chamber was last opened, the monster..."
"No, Aragog didn't attack anyone," said Hagrid.
"Who is Aragog?" Harry asked hurriedly.
"He's an Acromantula, a traveler gave him to me when he was just an egg. He was terrified when the chamber was opened, he just told me he was an ancient creature that all spiders feared," Hagrid said as he wiped away tears with a large handkerchief.
"An ancient creature, what could it be?"
"I don't know, although I asked countless times, Aragog never told me. And after a Ravenclaw girl was murdered, the one who must not be named blamed Aragog for everything."
"Hagrid, don't you mean Voldemort?" said Harry, rising to his feet, looking pale.
Hagrid appeared visibly agitated, as if he had just woken from his thoughts.
"I'm sorry, it's not something you should know," said Hagrid regretfully, "you should go back to bed immediately, don't ask any more questions, I won't tell you anything."
They were then escorted out by Hagrid, Harry and Hermione whispering as they walked.
"Hagrid said Voldemort blamed his spider for everything, but I think it must have been Voldemort who opened the Chamber of Secrets fifty years ago and killed Myrtle, so then Hagrid was wrongly accused," said Harry angrily, "I knew it wasn't him, but who opened it this time, it can't be Voldemort, can it?"
Suddenly, Harry remembered what happened last year, Voldemort infiltrated the school to steal the Philosopher's Stone, but thanks to him and his friends, they stopped Voldemort.
"I don't know," said Hermione with a trembling voice, shaking her head, "maybe, like last year, Voldemort infiltrated someone's mind. Do you remember the curse that was on Ron? It must have been him who did it."
"Where could he be hiding and what creature lurks in the Chamber of Secrets?" said Harry.
"Hagrid said it was an ancient creature that spiders fear, I feel like I've seen similar creatures somewhere," said Hermione trying to recall, then she turned to Evan and asked, "Evan, do you know anything?"
"That's simple, the creature hiding in the Chamber of Secrets is a basilisk serpent, the mortal enemy of spiders," Evan said.
Evan had decided to hand over the diary to Dumbledore, it was time to put an end to it.
As for the person Tom Riddle was controlling, whoever it was, as long as there was no Horcrux, they should return to normal sooner or later.