"So that's how it is... Well, I just hope you find something useful." Irma nodded, indicating her approval.
Shortly after bidding farewell to Irma, the three of them arrived at the historical section of the library.
In reality, the historical section had a clear classification system. Each bookshelf was labeled with specific years and dates. However, when it came to events from over a thousand years ago, records were scarce.
"Maybe we should focus on books related to Slytherin and anything connected to the Chamber of Secrets," Nolan suggested. "For example… Has something like this happened before? Were there any peculiar incidents tied to the Chamber in the past?"
His proposal was more structured, outlining clear research directions. But as he looked at the overwhelming number of books before them, he couldn't help but feel a headache coming on.
There was no shortcut to this. If they wanted to uncover what happened all those years ago, they had to start from the very beginning.
"This is so frustrating…" Astoria sighed softly. The sheer number of books and the faint scent of ink lingering in the air were already making her drowsy.
"Let's split up. I'll search the sections with the oldest records." Hermione, always efficient, took immediate action. To her, reading through stacks of books wasn't an issue—only a matter of time.
Astoria, at first, tried to read earnestly, but it wasn't long before her small head began to droop. She would force her eyes open, only for sleepiness to wash over her again and again, like relentless waves lulling her into slumber.
Eventually, she succumbed to exhaustion, her breathing soft and steady as she drifted into sleep.
Nolan noticed her drowsiness but chose not to wake her. He never intended to drag the young witch into the depths of this mystery.
As time passed, the night sky gradually faded, replaced by the soft golden glow of dawn. Sunlight seeped through the library windows, illuminating the towering bookshelves.
The light was a subtle reminder—they had been reading all night. It was time to leave and attend their classes.
Just as Hermione was beginning to despair, flipping through yet another book, her eyes suddenly widened in shock.
On the page before her was an illustration of a monstrous serpent. Its eyes glowed with an eerie light, so lifelike that it seemed as though it could leap from the pages at any moment.
Reading further, Hermione's expression turned grave.
The text described a creature whose gaze could turn people to stone. Even indirect eye contact—such as seeing its reflection in a mirror—could trigger petrification.
This thing was terrifying.
Her mind raced back to the recent petrification cases. Several students had already fallen victim to this mysterious affliction.
Could it be that they had inadvertently made eye contact with this creature?
Hermione wasted no time. She rushed over to Nolan, flipping the book open before him.
"Which do you think is more likely—that the recent petrifications were caused by a spell, or that this serpent is responsible?"
Despite her usual confidence, Hermione hesitated, uncertain about her own conclusions.
Nolan pondered for a moment before speaking with measured seriousness. "If it really is this serpent, then where has it been hiding all this time?"
"Besides, you told me that aside from Harry being present at the scene, there's no concrete evidence linking these cases together."
His words cut straight to the heart of the issue. At this point, all they had were speculations. Without solid proof, they couldn't draw definitive conclusions.
And if it turned out that a giant serpent was behind the petrifications…
Then the suspicion surrounding Harry would only grow worse.
Hermione fell into a long silence.
"Well… At least we know the petrification isn't permanent. The cure only requires certain plants to be properly cultivated."
"I think… I should tell Harry and the others about this."
"After all, the one who currently possesses the diary is Harry. This might serve as a wake-up call for him."
She glanced at Nolan uncertainly, gauging his reaction. This discovery had only been made thanks to Nolan's guidance. If he objected to sharing the information, she would have to reconsider.
"Of course," Nolan agreed without hesitation.
He wasn't petty about things like this.
Besides, the whole situation was odd. It felt as if someone was deliberately guiding Harry, leading him down a particular path.
After all…
The diary's appearance was suspicious. Why had it ended up in Harry's hands in the first place?
That was an intriguing mystery in itself.
With these thoughts in mind, Nolan watched as Hermione hurried off before turning his attention to the still-sleeping Astoria.
He crouched beside her and gently tapped her shoulder. "Astoria, we need to leave now."
His voice was soft, careful not to startle the sleeping girl.
"Huh?" Astoria blinked, rubbing one eye groggily before looking up at Nolan in a daze.
Then, as if recalling something, her eyes snapped open in alarm. "I… I fell asleep?"
"I'm so sorry, Nolan! I didn't mean to doze off—I really wanted to help you find useful information!"
She was completely flustered, unable to meet his gaze, feeling utterly ashamed of herself.
"It's fine. Hermione already found what we needed," Nolan reassured her in a calm tone. "For now, you should go get some rest. The sun's already up, and we need to head to class."
He had no idea how much his composed demeanor was stirring waves in Astoria's heart.
Oh no… He's so gentle and considerate…
Her face flushed red as she nodded meekly, following Nolan out of the library.
To Nolan, spending the night reading books wasn't a big deal. It didn't affect him much. After returning, he prepared himself a cup of tea and some snacks, enjoying a quiet moment of solitude while contemplating the unfolding events.
Then, the bat hanging by his window brought him some unexpected news.
"Harry's room was broken into. Everything was turned upside down—even his blanket was ripped open, with stuffing scattered everywhere."
"The most important thing is… The diary he's always kept close is missing. He's been searching for it non-stop."
Nolan's hand, poised to pour more tea, froze mid-motion.
Just as he was about to send the bat back to gather more information, another piece of news made his expression turn grim.
"Hermione… She's been petrified too. She's in the hospital wing now."
For a moment, Nolan sat completely still, his body tense.
Only hours ago, he had parted ways with Hermione, who had been full of energy, eager to warn Harry.
Now, she lay in the hospital wing, turned to stone.