Chapter 34

With the Mandrake plants now fully mature, all the petrified students were restored to normal. Cyrus had attempted to reverse the petrification herself, only to discover that her abilities could only undo the specific spells she had cast. Headmaster Dumbledore gathered the entire school in the Great Hall; Minister for Magic Fudge and reporters like Rita were also in attendance. He announced that the crisis of the Chamber of Secrets had been resolved. He informed everyone that fifty years ago, a student had utilized a conspiracy to frame Hagrid, and that this same individual had used a Dark Magic artifact to bewitch and control an innocent student, compelling them to open the Chamber once again and harm others. Cyrus stepped onto the podium and summoned Herpo, who had taken the form of an earring. The massive Basilisk instantly occupied most of the Great Hall, leaving the crowd both astonished and terrified. Herpo’s enormous body coiled around Cyrus, her tongue flickering out from time to time as her yellow, slitted eyes surveyed the room.