Chapter 71: Heir of Slytherin

The previously calm and orderly classroom, filled with both Gryffindor and Slytherin students, erupted into disarray the moment the sibilant words left Harry's lips, his ability to speak in Parseltongue signalling a warning to those present.

"Parselmouth!"

"Potter's a Parselmouth!"

"He must be the one who opened the Chamber of Secrets!"

"No wonder Draco was attacked! It was Potter's revenge!"

Even among the disbelieving Gryffindors, those not of Muggle upbringing cast peculiar, uneasy glances toward Harry.

Seamus Finnigan, one of Harry's dorm mates muttered in low tones. "No wonder you left so suddenly from the Great Hall that night. So it was you who opened the Chamber!"

A bewildered Harry confronted the unexpected blizzard of finger-pointing, completely lost as to why he was the sudden target of everyone's suspicion.

"What... What are you on about?"

Next to him, Ron wore a deeply troubled expression; though, the fact that fear or suspicion was absent in his gaze offered some small solace.

"Silence!" cut in Professor Sherlock, who, with his frosty command, managed to reinstate a semblance of quiet in the classroom. It was as if he had restored a noisy marketplace to the calm stillness of a library.

However, one brave Slytherin dared to stand up to him. "But Professor, Potter being a Parselmouth proves that he's the one who opened the Chamber, he's the heir of Slytherin!"

Sherlock Forester, a man whose intimate knowledge of magical creatures and talents was well-recognized throughout Hogwarts, knew the implications and historical significance associated with being a Parselmouth.

Most Parselmouths had been known to follow the path of dark magic. Salazar Slytherin, one of the key founders of Hogwarts, had himself been a Parselmouth. This trait was usually inherited, leading to the prevalent presumption that any Parselmouth found within the castle could potentially be a descendant of Slytherin's line.

"Salazar Slytherin was not the first Parselmouth, Mr. Nott, nor is the talent unique to his lineage," Sherlock retorted, "These blanket accusations you are making would be laughed out of the Wizengamot, let alone pass under the scrutiny of Dumbledore, the Chief Warlock himself, should the case be referred to him."

"But every Parselmouth is a prime suspect as a descendant of Slytherin! I think, at least, Potter should be kept under watch as a precaution!" the recalcitrant Slytherin persisted.

Sherlock's tone, expectedly, dropped to chilled depths.

"If you make an accusation, you must have concrete proof to back it. If you can produce such evidence, I would be glad to accompany Potter personally to the offices of the Aurors at the Ministry of Magic. However, without any substantive proof, there's no ground to curtail Harry's personal freedom simply because he has shown the ability to converse with snakes!"

His icy gaze swept over the classroom, silencing any potential murmurs or further comments.

"I don't see any Headmaster of Hogwarts among us, how dare you try to act as judge and jury? After this class, I'll relay the details of this incident to Dumbledore. While he makes his decisions on how to handle this situation, I expect every one of you to sit down quietly and continue the lesson!"

The respect that their Defense Against the Dark Arts professor had amassed over the past Semester ensured that silence fell once more. But while they complied outwardly, it was clear that the students were unable to concentrate for the remainder of the class.

After the lesson, while Sherlock was preparing to take his leave, Harry approached him, carrying the cage housing the Runespoor.

"Thank you for defending me, Professor."

Professor Forester, in response, simply waved his hand dismissively.

"It's my job to ensure a healthy learning environment for my students."

Harry nodded absentmindedly before cutting to the question that had been eating him up,

"Professor, what exactly is a Parselmouth?"

"A Parselmouth, Harry, is a term used in the wizarding world to describe someone who can speak Parseltongue. Parseltongue is a rare and somewhat mysterious ability that allows a person to communicate with snakes, a language that most wizards and witches can't understand or speak. The term comes from 'Parseltongue,' which is the hissing, serpentine language of snakes. It's said to be a gift or trait that's passed down through bloodlines, usually appearing in families with a strong connection to Serpent-related magic."

Harry, however, was still befuddled. "But what does that have to do with being suspected as Slytherin's heir?"

He paused, as if considering how much detail to share, then continued, "Parselmouths were historically associated with the dark arts, largely because of the infamous dark wizard, Salazar Slytherin. Slytherin was known for his affinity with snakes, and the ability to speak Parseltongue was one of the markers of his heritage. Slytherin's secret Chamber was opened by his supposed 'heir' and now you happened to show proficiency in Parseltongue. Surely, you can understand why people might react the way they did?"

"However, it's important to note that not all Parselmouths are evil, and the ability itself is not inherently dark, nor does it prove you have any connection to Slytherin. It's just a rare and unusual skill that can be used for good or ill, like any other magical ability."

As he mulled over Sherlock's explanation, Harry was filled with disbelief. How could his simple interaction with a snake possibly warrant such a witch hunt?

Observing his profound dismay, Sherlock gave him an encouraging pat on the shoulder. "I think you're getting the worst of their fears and frustrations because of the recent incidents. We, the professors, are adults, Harry. We would never jump to baseless conclusions just because you have an ability to speak Parseltongue."

Sherlock lowered his voice, softening his stern tone. "I believe that you have nothing to do with the Chamber, its opening and the monster, Harry. I believe you can prove that to everyone."

At this, a faint smile found its way to Harry's troubled face. "Thank you for your trust in me, Professor."

Once he felt the conversation had ended, Sherlock resumed his typically nonchalant demeanor. "Alright, enough chit-chat. Time to move along, I have a first-year class that needs attending to. You kids are enough to give someone a headache."

He made his way out of the classroom, still carrying the cage with the Runespoor. The snake carefully watched the exchange between Sherlock and Harry, bidding the young wizard farewell with a soft, "Goodbye... young wizard."

Suppressing the urge to respond in Parseltongue, Harry simply raised a hand in farewell.

Once they were left alone, Ron turned to his friend with worry etching his face. "Looks like school life's gonna get tough on you, mate."

"I didn't ask for any of this," responded Harry in a quiet voice. "How was I supposed to know that talking to a snake would cause such an uproar."

Ron gave him a teasing look. "Harry, mate, you should look into your family tree, remember how close the sorting hat was to tossing you into Slytherin house?"

Irritated by the suggestion, Harry shot back at his friend. "And why's that? You think that I might be responsible for opening the Chamber?"

"I'm just saying you might be his great-great-great-grandson. Not all Slytherin descendants turn out to be evil. Some, like you, might turn out to be quite the opposite."

As they continued their quiet conversation, they realized that their usually vocal third member, Hermione, had been surprisingly silent. Seeing her deep in thought, Ron couldn't help but ask, "What's got you so quiet, Hermione?"

Hermione's thoughtful expression didn't waver as she spoke. "The prophecy...Professor Sherlock said that he believes Harry had nothing to do with the Chamber of Secrets. Do you think that was his genuine opinion?"

"Absolutely!" Harry replied, confident in the sincerity of their professor.

Hermione's sharp eyes focused on Harry. She asked skeptically, "So if we interpret that inversely, you indeed have some connection to the opening of the Chamber?"

There was a moment of stunned pause before Harry flustered in response, "Don't spout such nonsense! We experimented with this already, remember? For very likely events, Professor Sherlock's words don't hold up. So the opposite interpretation isn't necessarily true. I thought you two of all people would never suspect me!"

Ron chuckled lightly. "Well, when you put it like that, it does make sense."

"Not funny," Harry grumbled, considering the day's events. "Imagine if Professor Sherlock told me 'Good luck' before leaving. With his 'curse', it could have ensured I wouldn't even be able to get through the day, especially now that everyone thinks I'm some kind of evil mastermind."