The little snake gave Ron a face hug and then hid trembling in the back of Ron's shirt.

The cold, slippery sensation nearly drove Ron to the brink of collapse.

After Harry repeatedly assured that Hoare wouldn't harm her, she cautiously poked her head out.

The little snake introduced herself to Harry as Helena, saying she was sleeping soundly when someone woke her up.

Hoare had a suspicion in his heart; this Helena was probably the Basilisk. He just didn't know how she had shrunk or what was up with her eyes.

Hoare wanted to ask for clarification, but unfortunately, every time he got close, Helena would start trembling, even though she was the one who initially wanted to get close to him.

She could scare others but wouldn't allow herself to be scared. Hoare rolled his eyes at Helena disdainfully.

Helena almost teared up again.

"Harry, ask her where the door is," Hoare instructed Harry.

Harry and Helena hissed back and forth for a while, and Hoare and Ron couldn't understand a word. However, judging by Harry's changing expressions, it seemed he was hearing something incredible.

After a long exchange of hisses, Harry finally remembered that Hoare and Ron couldn't understand and quickly translated for them.

"She says the door here can be pushed open directly. It's the last room her master appeared in, and she's waiting here for her master to return."

Harry reached out and pushed a spot on the far right of the wall, which didn't look like a door at all; the entire wall seemed like a solid piece.

Thinking about how they had been hissing for so long only to find out the door was pushable, Harry and Hoare felt a bit embarrassed.

"How long has she been waiting here?" Hoare asked.

Harry was silent for a few seconds before saying softly, "A thousand years."

As expected, Hoare understood; Helena was indeed the Basilisk, just as he had suspected.

"A thousand years!" Ron shouted, and then he heard his voice echo throughout the room, causing him to quickly cover his mouth in fright.

Once the echo subsided, Ron quietly asked Harry, "A thousand years!? How can a snake live that long?"

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Then he heard a couple of hisses from the little snake on his neck.

Harry translated, "She says she's not just a snake; she's a Basilisk, very powerful."

After saying that, Harry asked, "What is a Basilisk?"

Ron's face turned pale.

Hoare explained the origin of the Basilisk to Harry, whose face turned even paler. "Then—her—eyes?" Harry pointed to his own eyes.

The little snake hissed twice more.

Harry's expression was quite interesting. After the hissing stopped, he said, "Helena says she's a mature Basilisk now and can control it herself."

Hoare raised an eyebrow, surprised that the Basilisk could understand human language.

Hoare turned around and tried to push the door, but it wouldn't budge.

He stepped aside, letting Harry try.

Harry pushed hard, but it still wouldn't open.

Hoare suddenly thought of something. Since Helena knew where the door was, why hadn't she gone in to find her master? Unless... she couldn't get in.

"Harry, ask Helena what the conditions are to open the door," Hoare said.

Harry and Helena exchanged a couple of hisses.

Ron grimaced, "Harry, can't you ask her to move somewhere else? My hair is standing on end."

Harry resumed translating, "Helena says only her master's bloodline can open it. And Ron, Helena says you're very comfortable, and she doesn't want to come down."

Ron's expression was about to crack; he was not comfortable at all!

Hoare frowned deeply upon hearing this.

No way, no way, the plot couldn't be that cliché, could it?

Could he really be the heir of Slytherin?

Having come this far, Hoare felt he had to go in and take a look, or he'd be letting himself down.

As the saying goes, "Leave no stone unturned," meaning you should take something from every place you visit.

Just like the snake skin earlier, Hoare had already packed it all into his storage bag while Harry and Ron weren't paying attention.

"Should I give it a try?" Hoare's tone was very hesitant.

"If it's not you, the Slytherin, then who else? Us two Gryffindors?" Ron rolled his eyes.

Hoare took out his wand and gently cut a small wound on his finger, then smeared the blood on the door.

Hoare, Harry, Ron, and Helena all stared at the blood-smeared stone door.

One minute... two minutes... five minutes...

Nothing happened.

Hoare awkwardly grinned at the two of them, "Looks like it's not me."

He casually raised his wand, "Harry, why don't you give it a try? Potter is a big family, after all."

Actually, it was because of the Voldemort inside Harry. Although he didn't know if Harry's blood would work, the Voldemort on his forehead certainly could.

If Harry's blood didn't work, Hoare planned to try his basic exorcism spell.

Using Voldemort to open their path forward wouldn't be a bad story to tell.

"Oh, okay." Harry was also curious.

Meanwhile, Ron was already frowning.

Harry's blood was also smeared on the door, and the three of them, plus the snake, continued to stare at the stone door.

One minute... two minutes... five minutes...

Nothing happened.

Harry and Hoare exchanged a glance, both scratching their heads. What now? They knew the way back, but it was too high to climb up, and they might slip and fall.

While the two were frowning and staring at the door, Ron couldn't help but speak up, "Hey! You let Harry try, why not let me?"

"Don't be silly," Hoare pushed Ron aside. If it didn't work for him, it wouldn't work for Ron, who was born at the same time.

"Ron, move aside, you're blocking the light," Harry pushed Ron away. He remembered that Weasleys had always been Gryffindors, so letting Ron try would be a waste of time and blood.

Ron glared at the two of them, puffing up in anger.

"Ouch!"

Hoare and Harry heard the sound and quickly turned around, seeing Ron clutching his shoulder with a pained expression.

"What happened!?" Hoare hurried over, pulling Ron's hand away from his shoulder. As soon as the hand was removed, blood started flowing out.

Hoare took out a healing potion and poured it on without hesitation, stopping the bleeding immediately and revealing the wound underneath, which was two round puncture marks.

Hoare's face darkened, and he handed Ron over to Harry, grabbing Helena by her neck and lifting her up.

With a cold laugh, he asked, "Do you know what a windmill is?"

Helena's emerald-like eyes showed confusion as she shook her head.

"You'll know now."

With that, Hoare began spinning his arm rapidly with Helena in hand.

When Hoare's arm got tired, he finally stopped.

By then, Helena was limp as a noodle, her tongue flicking as she hung from Hoare's arm.

Ron's wound had stopped bleeding, and Harry's hand was covered in blood.

Suddenly, Ron got excited, "Hey, since it's already bleeding, let's not waste it."

He grabbed Harry's hand and slapped it against the stone door.

"Boom."

The door opened...

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