Chapter 35: 4-2

“...Ha—Harry...?”

“Maria! Maria, you’re safe. Thank goodness... I was so worried...”

“Harry! Where have you been? What were you doing?!”

“I... I overslept. Then the whole team came bursting back into the Common Room, and they started checking if I was the ‘real’ Harry or not... and then that announcement came, saying you and Ron were missing... I didn't know what was going on!”

Stopping Ron before he could descend upon Harry—who didn’t yet know about Ginny and Hermione—I asked Seamus, Dean, and Neville if we could have the dormitory to ourselves. Once they agreed and left, I cast Muffliato. Pressing a hand against my pounding heart, I forced my voice out.

“First... there are two victims this time. Ginny and Hermione.”

“No...”

“And Hermione was clutching this.”

Ron handed Harry the clue that Hermione had risked her life to leave behind.

“A Basilisk... that’s why the roosters were killed... and why Myrtle... that means—this is it!”

“The monster in the Chamber is a Basilisk.”

Harry’s face lit up for a moment, but it quickly faded, replaced by the same terrified expression he had been wearing for months.

“...Maria. I... I need to tell you something.”

“...Right. I understand. Ron, could you give us a moment?”

“Why? The victims are my best friend and my sister! I’ve got every right to be here!”

“You’re absolutely right. And I will explain everything to you later. I swear. But for now, please.”

“Ron.”

Ron looked back and forth between Harry and me. “You’d better tell me,” he muttered, before reluctantly dragging himself out of the room.

Thank you, Ron. I’ll tell you everything... once this is all over.

“Harry.”

I sat on the edge of Harry’s bed and took his hand. He was pale, his eyelashes trembling. His hand was freezing—I could only imagine how much tension he was holding inside.

“I’m going to believe you. I promise. So, just let it out.”

“...Thanks, Maria.”

Bit by bit, Harry began to talk.

He told me about the strange voice he had been hearing ever since his detention with Lockhart. How a victim appeared every time he heard it. How no one else could hear it. And how every single victim was someone he knew...

“Ron said that hearing voices no one else can hear is a bad sign, even in the wizarding world... I—I thought I was going mad.”

“Harry...”

“‘I’ll kill you... time to rip...’ It’s a horrible voice, and only I can hear it. I started to think that maybe... maybe I was the one doing these things.”

“Harry, that’s not it.”

I looked him straight in the eyes as his face contorted with fear.

“Harry, you must see it now. The voice you heard was the Basilisk. You weren’t being controlled by it. You were simply hearing it as it moved through the pipes.”

“......But why?”

Harry’s eyes were wide with bewilderment.

“Why can I understand what a Basilisk is saying?”

“Why? Because...”

Because you’re a Parselmouth... Ah!

In that moment, I finally realized my mistake.

—Harry doesn't know he's a Parselmouth!

That’s right. Until Hagrid showed up, we had never let the Dursleys suspect a shred of magic. On Dudley’s birthday, we had stayed home quietly. We were just happy to have the house to ourselves—which meant this Harry never went to the zoo! He never talked to that boa constrictor!

And since I had prevented the incident at the Duelling Club, Harry still had no idea he could speak to snakes.

“Harry, Harry, listen to me. And please, believe what I’m about to say.”

“I will. I believe you.”

He answered so instantly that I actually lost my train of thought.

“...I haven’t even said it yet. It’s going to sound unbelievable.”

“I don’t care. Even if you told me I was the Dark Lord himself, I’d believe you. Maria, you don't lie to me. Well... you do, sometimes, but never to hurt me. Your lies always have a reason. So, I’ll believe your words, even the lies.”

“————”

Looking into Harry’s clear, honest eyes, the words caught in my throat. This kind of unconditional, defenseless trust... it felt so good it almost hurt. It was almost ticklish.

“Maria, it’s okay. Don’t be scared. Tell me.”

Harry reached out and wrapped his hands around mine, mimicking what I had done for him.

Ah—I’m so glad Maria has Harry.

“Harry... you can talk to snakes.”

“...Right.”

“It’s an incredibly rare ability, even among wizards. The only known ones are Salazar Slytherin, his descendants, and—Voldemort.”

“Voldemort...”

“If people knew you could talk to snakes—it's called being a Parselmouth—they would immediately suspect you of being the Heir of Slytherin.”

“...I see.”

“Harry.”

I pulled my younger brother into a hug as he looked down, his eyes shadowed. I wondered if he felt this way, too.

“You’re thinking about a lot of things right now, aren't you? Why you’re a Parselmouth, if you’re related to Slytherin... what you are to Voldemort. It’s a lot to take in. But you don’t have to rush. We’ll figure it out slowly. You don’t have to carry it all at once. You’re still just you. And if... if it ever becomes too much...”

I patted his back in a steady, rhythmic motion.

“Then I’ll take care of it. Even if I have to use the Dark Arts.”

My dear Harry. My only Harry. My one and only brother.

For your sake—I would throw myself away.

“...Ha, haha. You’re as extreme as ever, Maria.”

Harry sniffled and gave a bright, clear laugh.

“Harry, we need your ‘voice’ to open the Chamber of Secrets. Will you help me?”

“—Of course!”