Chapter 54 The Fourth Attack and Conspiracy

Dumbledore didn't even have time to trim his beard before he hurried to the hospital ward.

A few minutes ago, he saw Professor McGonagall's patronus, a silver tabby cat.

"Minerva, Filius, how are you?"

From a distance, he saw McGonagall, who was worried, and Flitwick, who was also very worried, standing at the door. Flitwick was only about half the height of McGonagall. Lockhart was also joining in the fun, and he simply couldn't leave the focus for a second.

"Same as before, petrified." McGonagall saw Dumbledore coming, and immediately felt like she had seen the backbone.

The person who was attacked was Penelope Creval, a Ravenclaw student, a good student with excellent character and academic performance. He was also the head of Ravenclaw.

"Percy Weasley found her in an empty classroom on the fourth floor this morning." McGonagall said.

Dumbledore immediately walked into the hospital ward, and several other professors hurriedly followed in. Madam Pomfrey was bending over and taking something out of Penelope's hand.

- A small mirror.

Dumbledore immediately guessed how Penelope escaped from the basilisk.

But he didn't know about this attack.

After discovering that the portrait in the castle was Dumbledore's spy, Cyrus naturally refused to repeat the same mistake. He no longer let the basilisk move in the corridor, but let it stay in the pipe all the time, and only let it out at the moment of attack. And Cyrus himself hid better.

"This is the fourth attack, Albus, and three students have been hurt." McGonagall was worried, "I'm afraid this matter can't be suppressed. What does the board of directors say?"

"No response yet." Dumbledore shook his head. He thought the board of directors might intend to close Hogwarts, but in fact it didn't. Maybe there hasn't been a real murder yet, or maybe someone thinks it's not the right time?

"That's great, but we have to find the murderer."

"We will find it, Minerva." Dumbledore whispered. There was almost no expression on his face, making it difficult to see his true thoughts.

"Yes, I will find it! As long as I do it myself!" Lockhart jumped out at the right time and showed his signature smile.

McGonagall immediately showed a disgusted expression.

To be honest, if it was any other time, even if she didn't like Lockhart, she would never be so rude. But now the situation is so serious, Lockhart still thinks this is a joke, which is annoying.

After all, he is still the same Gilderoy Lockhart.

He is still the Lockhart who "reappeared" to reform the Death Eaters in the war years in order to attract attention, and launched his name into the air to create panic!

"If I remember correctly, you seem to have been annoyed that the heir had been driven away by you two weeks ago?" Snape appeared behind Lockhart at some point and sneered.

Then, regardless of Lockhart's reaction, he came directly to Dumbledore and whispered, "Ginny Weasley didn't go anywhere this morning. She stayed with Pott and the others. But - there is something I must tell you -"

His voice became even lower. In the end, he hardly spoke, but looked directly at Dumbledore.

'Ginny Weasley lost something? '

This information immediately made Dumbledore's mind clearer.

Before, when he noticed that Ginny was problematic, he asked Snape to pay more attention to her. Now it seems that Voldemort may have noticed this surveillance, so he took the initiative to leave Ginny Weasley and control other young wizards instead.

And the lost thing - must be the Horcrux left by Voldemort!

'You left too many loopholes, Tom. '

Dumbledore couldn't help thinking.

But the question is, what exactly is the lost thing.

Snape just shook his head. Legilimency was not an omniscient spell. Ginny and the others' memories had been modified by Cyrus, and they could not remember what they had lost. Snape naturally could not know the answer.

Now it seems that the other party is still very cautious.

Dumbledore held the mirror taken from Penelope and groaned.

Fifty years ago, Tom Riddle took Myrtle's life without hesitation - in fact, it was an accident - and now, from Mrs. Norris to Penelope, no life died in the hands of that monster.

The accumulated water in the bathroom, the camera, the ghost and the mirror...

Everything seemed to be just a coincidence, but he knew that there could not be such a coincidence in this world. The only possibility is that Tom did not want anyone to die.

Dumbledore naturally would not think that Tom Riddle was repentant and had a compassionate heart. The only explanation is that he did not want the school to be closed. Dumbledore could understand that he did not want the school to be closed fifty years ago. But now, what is he craving for?

What is it about this school that attracts him?

Dumbledore thought for a moment and got the answer.

- Harry Potter!

That's right!

If there is anything that interests Tom Riddle, it's probably only Harry Potter!

When he - the Horcrux, used some method to learn from Ginny Weasley that Harry Potter had killed the mysterious man.

The soul in the Horcrux, who knew nothing about this, would definitely want to know what magic a baby had that could defeat Lord Voldemort?

He would find that child.

This thought flashed through Dumbledore's mind. And as he thought about it, he became more and more certain that this would happen.

Since the first attack, the other party has been blaming Harry for the suspicion of the attacker. On Halloween night, Harry, who happened to not attend the dinner, encountered the first attack; the second person attacked was Colin Creevey, who took many embarrassing photos of Harry; the third person was Justin, who was caught by Filch.

All the evidence pointed to Harry. Tom Riddle must have wanted Harry to get into trouble and try to guide him to take the initiative to investigate the Chamber of Secrets and the Heir.

Only in this way can they finally meet alone.

And this is exactly what Dumbledore wanted.

'He knows what I want. '

Dumbledore quickly realized that this was a game. Tom Riddle threatened me with the lives of his students, and wanted to exclude me as a threat and fight against the little boy.

If I guessed correctly, I would have to leave Hogwarts soon because of something.

But Dumbledore was not too worried.

Tom thought he could win because his opponent was just a second-year wizard.

But Dumbledore thought he underestimated Harry.