The next morning at breakfast, Jon was busy spreading a thick layer of jam onto his sausage.
At the head table, Professor Minerva McGonagall, currently serving as acting headmistress, suddenly stood up.
"I have a few announcements to make," she called out loudly, then quickly added, "And yes, they're good news!"
The students at breakfast looked around at each other, puzzled. With the fear from the monster in the Chamber still fresh, none of them could imagine what kind of good news might be coming.
"Our headmaster, Professor Albus Dumbledore, has returned!" Professor McGonagall announced with a smile. "He has defeated the monster from Slytherin!"
There was a brief pause—then the Great Hall exploded in cheers and applause.
"Long live Professor Dumbledore!" the Weasley twins shouted joyfully.
"I knew it! That Slytherin monster was no match for Professor Dumbledore!" said Ernie Macmillan, looking quite self-satisfied.
"Hannah and Susan... they should be coming back soon, right?" Eloise Midgen said softly.
"Quidditch!" Oliver Wood yelled excitedly. "Does this mean Quidditch matches are back on?"
"That's right, Wood!" McGonagall nodded. "So I suggest all House Quidditch teams get back to training right away. In one week, it'll be Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw versus Slytherin!"
"By the way, where's Harry? Has anyone seen him?" asked Dean Thomas, a second-year Gryffindor. "He hasn't been back to the dorm since last night…"
"Mr. Potter played a crucial role in defeating the Slytherin monster," McGonagall said proudly. "He truly showed the courage of a Gryffindor. He did sustain a few minor injuries during the battle, but he's being treated by Madam Pomfrey now."
The Gryffindor students erupted in cheers once more.
All except Wood, who sat frowning, visibly worried… likely wondering whether Harry would recover in time for the upcoming match against Hufflepuff.
...
Jon Hart listened quietly to Professor McGonagall's speech.
Neither the Basilisk's defeat nor Dumbledore's return came as a surprise to him.
After he lured Ginny Weasley into a trap, she must have believed the diary was hidden in the Hufflepuff common room. She probably tried to sneak in to retrieve it and prevent her secret from being exposed.
While the Hufflepuff common room might look unguarded, it was actually watched over by House-elves. Their magic was quite powerful—not something a first-year girl could overcome. Jon had also taken the chance, while grabbing a snack from the kitchens, to "accidentally" mention to Crain that the school was facing some trouble, and subtly "hinted" at being cautious of strange individuals around the castle.
Once Ginny Weasley was captured, the clues Jon had quietly left behind would have made it easy for the professors to uncover the truth behind the Chamber.
To students, the Basilisk was terrifying—but to well-prepared adult wizards, it wasn't an especially difficult opponent... especially considering the Hogwarts staff were hardly ordinary wizards.
However, one key detail stood out from McGonagall's announcement—she kept referring to the defeat of "Slytherin's monster," but never once mentioned "Slytherin's heir."
Which meant… "Tom Riddle's diary" likely hadn't been destroyed yet.
So, the question now was: who had the diary?
One thing was certain—it wasn't Ginny Weasley.
Could it be, like in the original timeline, in Harry Potter's hands?
But then, who attacked Percy and Penelope?
It seemed unlikely that Harry Potter was responsible.
He doubted that Voldemort could control the so-called Chosen One in broad daylight to open the Chamber and launch attacks.
Still, with the Basilisk gone and Dumbledore back... no matter who held the diary, Tom Riddle wouldn't be able to do much anymore. And with Dumbledore's skill in Legilimency, he must already know about the diary. Finding it should just be a matter of time.
McGonagall continued with updates to school policies:
The curfew and club bans had been lifted.
She also urged everyone to write letters to the students who had left school, asking them to return and resume their studies.
The rule requiring teachers to accompany students to classes and meals had also been removed.
...
Two wizards arrived at the gates of Hogwarts.
One was a tall, burly giant. The other, a thin elderly man.
"Dumbledore… Professor…" Rubeus Hagrid wiped his eyes, crying like an 800-pound child. "So the Slytherin monster was…"
"A Basilisk," Dumbledore answered calmly with a faint smile. "Its gaze can kill. It's the natural enemy of spiders. You see, spiders have eyes all over their bodies, and they can't close them… That's why your friend didn't even dare speak its name."
"So… the heir… was actually Tom… I always thought he was my best friend back when I was a student…" Hagrid sobbed. "Harry… how's Harry?"
"Just a few minor injuries," Dumbledore replied, still smiling. "You know, these old bones of mine are getting weaker. I couldn't even hold my wand steady during the fight…"
"Luckily, Harry was there. At the most critical moment, he pulled a sword from the Sorting Hat and delivered the final blow!"
Dumbledore's words trailed off. A flash of blue light glinted off his half-moon glasses as he turned to look at an unexpected guest.
"Good morning, Lucius."
"Morning," Lucius Malfoy said coldly, eyes fixed on Dumbledore. "So you've returned, Dumbledore… The board suspended you, yet you decided to come back on your own."
"Oh, it's like this, Lucius," Dumbledore replied, still smiling serenely. "Yesterday afternoon, the other eleven board members got in touch with me… Owl after owl came flying in—it was quite a hassle. They told me something odd: some of them seem to think you threatened them. Said if they didn't vote to suspend me, they'd be making enemies of the entire Malfoy family."
"And the attacks?" Lucius asked sharply. "Have you taken care of them?"
"Of course," Dumbledore said with a wave of his hand. "It was the same person as last time, Lucius. Voldemort used his diary to summon a Basilisk. We've destroyed it."
"Hmph!" Lucius snorted, frowning, then turned and walked away.