Everyday Life of a Top Student at Hogwarts

Chapter 307 The Lock of Authority and the Journey Home

Chapter 307 The Lock of Authority and the Journey Home

Before leaving, Karen's attention remained glued to the snakeskin diary and the distinctive scrolls. The treasure trove of knowledge was right before her, and the temptation was far too strong for a Ravenclaw.

"Teacher, can I try again?" Karen pleaded, his eyes burning. "Just once. Maybe—maybe it doesn't need to be too complicated Parseltongue, just some kind of resonance?" He was unwilling to leave like this, and at least wanted to confirm how these access locks responded.

Professor Castor glanced at him, seemingly understanding his feelings, and nodded after a moment's thought: "You can try. But be extremely careful; do not use powerful magical impacts or attempt to force your way through. Stop immediately if anything goes wrong."

"I understand." Karen took a deep breath, walked to the experimental table, and once again focused the "Eye of Truth" on the thick snakeskin journal. The dormant rune sequences slowly flowed in her field of vision, emitting a faint and unique frequency fluctuation.

He recalled the serpentine frequency transmitted by light when the entrance was opened, and tried to mimic its rhythm, emitting a series of low, hoarse hissing sounds. Magic flowed in with his voice, attempting to resonate with the runes on the surface of the log.

A faint light flashed across the surface of the log, and the runes lit up briefly before quickly dimming and returning to normal. There was no sign of activation, nor was any defense mechanism triggered.

Karen frowned and tried a few more simple Parseltongue words he had learned from Harry, words with unclear meanings, such as "open," "show," and "knowledge."

The result remained the same. The log and the reel remained unresponsive, as if they were just sleeping stones.

Somewhat unwilling to give up, he turned his attention to a specimen cabinet next to him marked with a special serpentine symbol. The door of this cabinet also shimmered with a similar authentication magical aura. He concentrated and repeated the specific frequency of the serpentine language he had used to open the entrance earlier, this time with even greater precision.

The runes on the cabinet door lit up for a little longer and even vibrated slightly, but eventually went silent and failed to open.

"Looks like it won't work." Karen stopped trying, somewhat dejected, and shook his head. "These most important items might not require universal Parseltongue, but rather specific, complex command codes, or—" He paused, then thought of a more fundamental possibility, "or perhaps my imitation is ultimately missing the most crucial element. Parseltongue is a symbol of Slytherin blood, and these access locks might authenticate not just the frequency of the voice, but something deeper—the unique qualities of blood and soul. My imitation can fool the entrance mechanism, but it can't pass these more sophisticated and demanding internal authentications."

This sense of powerlessness left him somewhat frustrated. He had entered the treasure mountain, only to find that he didn't have the key to open the most precious treasure chest.

Professor Castor calmly accepted the result. "That's normal, Karen. It would be suspicious if Salazar Slytherin's core knowledge could be so easily acquired. Blood magic is an ancient and powerful force, especially one left behind by a wizard of his caliber." He walked to the cabinet door that had malfunctioned after a slight tremor and examined it. "Your attempt wasn't entirely fruitless. At least we confirmed that these protective mechanisms are still functioning and responding to the correct key. The fact that they haven't failed due to age is important information in itself. Next time, we can be better prepared, or look for other methods."

He patted Karen on the shoulder. "Remember, knowledge is there; it doesn't disappear. Patience and preparation are equally important qualities as talent. Today's discoveries have far exceeded expectations."

Karen nodded; the professor's words calmed him down. Yes, they had succeeded. They had located Salazar Slytherin's secret laboratory, confirmed its nature and value, and found a way to re-enter. Gaining the core knowledge was only a matter of time.

"I understand, teacher. Thank you."

"Let's go." Castor turned and walked towards the wall they had entered through. It now looked like an ordinary stone wall inlaid with glowing crystals, but both of them knew that the exit was there.

Karen took one last look at the laboratory, then followed Professor Castor toward the wall.

Just like when they entered, passing through the wall felt like passing through a thin film of cool water. A slight feeling of suffocation and dampness returned instantly, and the icy lake water enveloped them once more. The two quickly recast the Bubble Head Charm, adjusting their breathing underwater.

They turned around. On the rock wall behind them, the magically formed oval archway with its shimmering silver edges still stood, revealing the interior of a dry laboratory, creating an eerie contrast with the surrounding black lake.

Professor Castor carefully observed the state of the archway, then gestured to Karen. Karen understood, swam closer, and, recalling the serpentine frequency that had opened the entrance, cautiously hissed at the archway.

As he spoke, the light and shadow within the archway began to rotate and accelerate, then quickly contracted and disappeared. The rock walls returned to their original state, leaving only the ancient rock patterns, as if everything that had just happened was merely an illusion.

But Karen knew it wasn't. He tried again to speak the same snake-like frequency into the rock face.

The miracle occurred again. The magical flow within the rock wall was once again drawn in and converged, and the portal shimmering with serpentine patterns and runes slowly reappeared and stabilized.

"Very good." Professor Castor's telepathic message once again entered Karen's mind, carrying a hint of satisfaction. "The entrance is not a one-time use item. This means we do indeed possess a private laboratory that once belonged to Salazar Slytherin, which can be accessed repeatedly. This exploration has been a complete success."

The immense sense of accomplishment and excitement washed away the slight frustration from before. Karen nodded vigorously.

Without further delay, the two turned and swam towards the faint light above. The return journey was still eerily silent; the aquatic creatures that had been frightened or suppressed by the powerful magical fluctuations had not yet returned.

As the two men emerged from the Black Lake, dripping wet, Wesley, Fabian, and Ernesto, who were waiting behind the rocks, jumped up almost simultaneously, their faces filled with tension and questions.

"Merlin! You're finally out!" Wesley called out in a low voice. "We're almost over time! Did everything go smoothly?"

What's down there?

Fabian had already taken out dry towels and thermal packs: "Dry yourselves off first, warm yourselves up! Were you in any danger?"

Ernesto didn't speak, but his eyes were full of inquiry as he stared intently at Karen and Professor Castor.

Karen took the towel, wiped the water from her face, and looked at Professor Castor. Castor nodded slightly, indicating that he could explain briefly.

"We found it." Karen's voice trembled slightly with excitement and cold, but was unusually clear. "A place. Salazar Slytherin's—a laboratory. We went in, and, I've tried, we can go in again."

"The three roommates' eyes widened instantly, they gasped, and their faces showed extreme shock."