While Wentworth and Dumbledore were in the Headmaster's office at Hogwarts, discussing how to uncover the person secretly under Voldemort's control, the students of Hogwarts were being escorted, one by one, back to their respective common rooms under the supervision of professors and prefects.
Hermione and Ron walked side by side, still deep in conversation about everything that had happened that day. Hermione wore a puzzled expression as she said:
"This is all just so strange, don't you think?"
Ron, clearly not following her train of thought, gave her a blank look and replied:
"What is? What's so strange?"
Hermione frowned slightly, trying to organize her thoughts as she explained:
"The attack on Cassandra—I just can't shake the feeling that something isn't right. According to Professor McGonagall's story about the Chamber of Secrets, the creature sealed within it was left there by Salazar Slytherin, meant to purge the school of students he believed unworthy of learning magic."
She paused for a moment before continuing, her voice quieter:
"That creature should be targeting people like me—so-called Muggle-borns… Merlin, what a horrid term."
"But today, it attacked Cassandra! And Cassandra is in Slytherin. The Sorting Hat clearly believed she fit Slytherin's values. So why would the monster in the Chamber target her?"
Hermione's brow furrowed deeper, the contradiction gnawing at her. Ron, however, had no answer. When he didn't respond, Hermione turned to look at him, her eyes searching his face.
Ron simply shrugged and replied nonchalantly:
"Who knows? Maybe the stories about the Chamber are wrong. Or maybe the snake-thing forgot what it was supposed to do after all these years. You can't expect a beast to have that much brainpower, can you?"
He tried a joke—one colder than the dungeons of Slytherin—but Hermione remained deep in thought, clearly unconvinced.
Just then, they heard someone calling their names from behind.
"Hermione Granger? Ron Weasley?"
They turned and saw a girl standing behind them. She had silvery eyes, long, dark-gold hair, and wore Ravenclaw robes. She looked at them with a gaze that was somehow both dreamy and piercing.
Sharing a confused glance, Hermione's eyes suddenly lit up with recognition as she ventured:
"You're… Luna Lovegood?"
The girl nodded.
"That's right. I was wondering if I could borrow a few minutes of your time?"
Ron blinked and turned to Hermione, clearly still lost.
"Who is she?"
Hermione quickly explained:
"She's a first-year in Ravenclaw—Luna Lovegood. She's friends with your sister Ginny. Most people call her Loony—"
She cut herself off abruptly, realizing too late what she'd said. But Luna didn't seem offended.
"Loony Lovegood. It's fine. I know what they call me," she said with an airy smile.
Hermione gave a sheepish smile in return and glanced around. The corridor was now empty—everyone else had gone. Curiosity getting the better of her, she asked:
"Luna, what did you want to talk to us about?"
Luna nodded again.
"I originally went to check on Ginny. She's not been looking well lately, so I brought her a potion I made myself. While I was with her, she asked me to find you. But then, well… everything happened."
Hermione's expression darkened.
"Yes… I was just telling Ron—I can't understand why the creature attacked Cassandra. She's in Slytherin, after all!"
But Luna responded calmly, as if the answer were obvious:
"It's not that hard to understand. If the creature left behind by Slytherin attacked a Slytherin student, then there's only one explanation—someone is using or controlling the creature."
Hermione's eyes widened in shock.
"You mean the heir of Slytherin—the one from the legend—not only opened the Chamber, but can control the thing inside it? They can send it after anyone they want?"
Luna nodded, her tone still matter-of-fact.
"Exactly. Perhaps Salazar Slytherin created the Chamber and the monster inside it to wait—for his heir to one day return to Hogwarts. When that time came, his heir would be able to use the creature to purge the school and rebuild Hogwarts in accordance with Slytherin's ideals."
She paused, then shook her head.
"But sadly, this so-called heir doesn't seem to be following Slytherin's commands. Instead, they're using the creature for their own purposes—and that's why a Slytherin was attacked."
Hermione looked horrified.
"Oh no… that's terrifying. If that's true, then no one at Hogwarts is safe!"
"What do they want? Why would they do this?"
Luna merely shrugged, her voice distant.
"I don't know. Maybe only the heir of Slytherin knows what they're truly after."
Hermione couldn't help but mutter:
"To control the creature Salazar Slytherin left behind… that person must be a powerful wizard."
But Luna shook her head immediately, clearly disagreeing.
"No. Quite the opposite, actually. I believe the heir is either still very young and inexperienced—or they're physically weakened in some way right now."
Hermione frowned.
"Why do you say that?"
Luna explained calmly:
"Because so far, the creature has only attacked when it could isolate a single, unprotected student. It hasn't gone after groups. And it hasn't dared to touch any professors."
"That tells us something. The heir isn't confident they can eliminate more than one Hogwarts student at a time without being noticed. Which means they're either not very strong yet—or they're sick or injured, and too weak to act openly."
It had to be said—while both Hermione and Luna were seen as brilliant in their own ways, Hermione's brilliance came through hard work and relentless study. Luna, eccentric as she might seem, was clever in a more instinctive and insightful way.
And even though it wouldn't be fully realized until later in the original story—when Harry found himself repeatedly guided by her wisdom—the truth was, from the very beginning, Luna had demonstrated a sharp intellect that often surpassed her peers.
After all, Luna was a Ravenclaw.
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