Chapter 681: Joy and Sanctuary - (1)

"Let's use Bubble-Head Charms, Legilimency, and Levitation Rune Circuits in sequence. It might be a few kilometers journey. I've never tried this method, but it should work..." Harry said uncertainly, "It was Hermione's idea."

As he spoke, a translucent ghost with a pearly white hue curiously observed him.

"I never thought something like this would happen," Lavender said happily, looking as if Christmas had arrived early.

"Believe me, I never thought I'd be leading a group of people here," Harry said through clenched teeth, and Lavender burst into giggles, twirling happily in the air. Members of the Frontline Lookout Club stared wide-eyed at the scene.

"I swear, even when Peeves was being paraded around the castle by Fred and George with a fan, she wasn't this happy," Ron whispered to Neville, "Or maybe when she found cat hair all over Hermione's face—"

Hermione shot him a sharp look.

"I didn't realize you and Lavender were so close," Luna unexpectedly remarked, her tone tinged with envy.

Ron widened his eyes.

"Alright, you lot!" Harry said, "Let's get moving— I'm not sure if Professor Hagrid informed the other professors. If we get caught..." he trailed off anxiously, irritated by their lack of vigilance amidst their giggles and laughter.

Lavender's laughter was somewhat grating, but there was no other option; he could only pretend not to hear, considering this was an abandoned girls' lavatory, Lavender's territory. He could only urge them on with silent glances.

The students finally got serious, each casting spells and incantations on themselves in turn. Soon, Harry regretted it— with twenty or thirty people crammed into a lavatory, it became a cacophony of voices. Especially with some overly excited students floating in mid-air, gesticulating wildly and shouting, the scene was both comical and chaotic.

Dean was in the midst of casting the Bubble-Head Charm on himself when a foot descended from above.

"Ouch! Who stepped on my head?"

"Oh, sorry, didn't mean to, I couldn't control it!" Seamus chuckled, unable to contain himself, then, feigning innocence, said, "Excuse me, pull me down—" Before he could finish, he let out a scream as Dean retaliated by grabbing his ankle and hurling him forcefully out.

Seamus crashed into the wall like a bird without wings.

"Nice shot," Quidditch player Katie Bell remarked.

Dean adjusted his collar. "Thanks, always felt I had a knack for Quidditch."

"I feel like I can't breathe... sneaking into the girls' loo, my dad would send me a howler for this, tarnishing the Macmillan family name— I shouldn't have come," Ernie grumbled.

"Then why don't you leave? That way, we can free up two spots!" Ginny raised an eyebrow.

"I warn you, don't you dare comment on my size—" Ernie puffed up his chubby arm and growled softly.

"Then shut your fat mouth and stop being snide," Ginny retorted unapologetically.

Ron stood beside Ginny, encased in a bubble-like enclosure, his face swollen. "You wanna fight?" Ron grumbled hoarsely. Ernie didn't back down, taking a step forward; they were about the same height, but Ernie was bulkier.

Harry hurried over.

"Don't fight," he forcefully separated Ron and Ernie, "Ernie, Justin is looking for you, he's not very proficient with the Levitation Charm." It wasn't until Ernie walked away that Harry focused his attention on Ron. "You too, Ron—" He was about to give a warning when he noticed Ron's eyes, now twice their normal size under the effect of the Sleeping Charm, making him look like an angry goldfish or a toad.

"Hurry up," Harry stifled a laugh as he left.

"Thanks," Ginny said to Ron, who nonchalantly waved her off. Ginny chuckled as she stared at his face. "Oh my— I have to go find Luna, wonder what she looks like—"

As Harry returned to his original spot, Hermione raised her hand. "Harry, I think we should add the 'Waterproofing Charm' too." Harry imagined the damp underground pipes and immediately agreed.

Finally, after ten minutes, all preparations were done, and Harry cleared his throat.

"Professor Harp—"

"Vice Principal," Mafalda said, "He's the Vice Principal now. I've always wanted to interview him—or Professor McGonagall about the school's plans, but never got the chance."

"Thank you for revealing the latest plans of 'The Enigma'," Harry couldn't help but raise his voice, "but please, quiet. Now, where was I? Oh yes, thank you, Hermione—Professor Harp has made extensive alterations to the Chamber, the previous entrance required Parseltongue, but now there's a second method."

He raised his arm, and several runic symbols danced to form a glowing key. Then, with a flicker under their feet, a dazzling light emerged from the tap above the sink, and the entire basin sank, revealing a large water pipe in the ground.

Everyone marveled.

"So you all entered the Chamber through here and killed the serpent?" Parvati Patil asked in astonishment, her long braids swinging as she moved between Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

"Yeah," Harry said.

"Can we learn this set of runic sequences?" Anthony Goldstein asked eagerly, "So we don't have to rely on you to open the door every time."

"Sure," Harry nodded, "that's also the professor's intention. Ron—you go first and lead the way, I'll stay at the back."

Ron took a deep breath and stood at the edge of the large water pipe. Lavender Brown floated curiously across from him, hovering in mid-air and staring straight at Ron's face.

"I still remember the scene when you first jumped down," she said wistfully, "You were shorter than me then, now you're a head taller."

"It's not just the height that's changed," Ron retorted, then jumped down. However, due to the effect of the runic circuit on his body, he almost disappeared in slow motion before everyone's eyes. Several heads eagerly leaned over the edge to look down into the darkness below.

After a few seconds, Ron's muffled voice came up.

"Oh—no danger, just a bit dark, I used the Lumos Charm—wow! I feel like a drilling rat, I mean—this feeling is amazing, with just a little effort, I can glide out far, like gliding—"

Everyone exchanged looks. Harry shrugged and said, "You heard him, you can consider this as the first project in the Chamber Playground."

One by one, the club members descended. Luna waved to Harry before she went down. "Thanks, we really need some fun now." Harry didn't say anything. When there were only him and Lavender left in the abandoned girls' bathroom, he said quietly:

"Of course, we need fun, but we also need a sanctuary in times of war." He glanced up at a corner of the bathroom ceiling, "You must think the same way, Professor Harp?"

...