"Harry Potter- Ravenclaw"Chapter 168: The Pipes of Hogwarts
"My camera!" Colin wailed, his heartbreak obvious.
Dumbledore lifted his wand and pointed it at the camera, intoning, "Reparo!"
But the Repairing Charm had no effect—the camera continued to smoke, filling the air with that unmistakable stench of burnt plastic.
A faintly mocking smile tugged at Snape's lips. "If Wyzett hadn't found you, the thing billowing smoke right now… would probably be you."
"I… I… He… He… Wyzett saved me!" Colin's face flushed scarlet as he stared wide-eyed at Wyzett.
Harry blinked, recognizing something oddly familiar in Colin's grateful gaze.
"Mischief managed!" Wyzett murmured, eyes lingering on The Marauder's Map, watching the serpent's location for a long moment before finally folding the map away.
"Headmaster Dumbledore, I don't think the serpent is roaming the castle itself… It's moving inside the walls."
"Otherwise, how else could it appear and vanish so suddenly? There's something inside those walls…"
"That would be the pipes," Dumbledore said quietly.
"Hiding in plain sight, then?" Wyzett gave a wry smile. "Pipes in the walls—perfectly normal, really."
"Not for wizards, it isn't." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled.
"True." Wyzett nodded, catching on. "According to Hogwarts: A History, before the eighteenth century, Hogwarts students… didn't need a sewage system."
"What do you mean, didn't need a sewage system?" Harry asked, puzzled.
"Heh… They managed with magic," Snape drawled, eyeing Harry with mock seriousness. "Or just pulled out the bundimun spines from their heads… gave them a good wipe and that was that."
"Ahem… That's the gist of it," Wyzett coughed gently. "The Hogwarts plumbing system wasn't built until after the eighteenth century."
"Wizards copied Muggle methods—installed pipes, built bathrooms, all that. After that, professors didn't need to teach 'toilet charms' in the very first lesson."
"Indeed, bundimun spines were sufficient," Snape said, staring at Harry. "I'd suggest someone visit the hospital wing, or he might not be able to grip a bundimun spine at all."
"Pipes… what does that mean, exactly?" Colin was still lost, peppering them with questions as they left the headmaster's office.
Harry stayed silent. The words "pipes" and "serpent" kept whirling in his head, a fleeting spark of understanding just out of reach.
He felt as if he were on the verge of a revelation—so close, but not quite there.
As they neared the Fat Lady's portrait, Colin spotted a figure in the distance and blurted, "Who's that over there?"
Harry looked up. "It's Professor McGonagall."
"Heh…" Draco let out a low, cold laugh.
"Professor McGonagall? Oh, we're doomed! This is the end!" Colin's voice trembled between fear and tears.
Seeing Colin safe, Professor McGonagall first let out a sigh of relief, then immediately schooled her features into a stern mask.
"The Fat Lady informed me she watched a Gryffindor sneak out before curfew."
"Yes, but it's nothing serious—I've already punished him," Snape said, his tone tinged with satisfaction. "Docked Gryffindor fifty points."
"I saw that," Professor McGonagall replied, her voice even graver. "And if it were up to me, I'd have done the same."
...
After bidding a miserable farewell to Colin, Harry was escorted to the hospital wing, while Draco was led back to his dormitory by Snape.
Watching Wyzett's retreating figure, Harry felt a sudden surge of determination.
He wanted to slip on his Invisibility Cloak, sneak into the Restricted Section, and find the book Dumbledore had recommended—to soak in every bit of magical knowledge it held.
But first, he had to get through a steaming cup of Skele-Gro.
He took a sip—and instantly felt his mouth catch fire, forcing him to spit the potion out in a splutter.
"I know it's dreadful!" Madam Pomfrey poured him another cup. "But if you want your bones healed by sunrise… I suggest you drink it."
Harry could only grit his teeth, fighting the burning in his throat as he forced down another mouthful of Skele-Gro.
Once his bones were mended, he planned to find Hermione and Ron and tell them everything that had happened tonight.
He wondered where they were—waiting in the common room, or perhaps still holed up in that abandoned bathroom?
He vaguely recalled that brewing the Polyjuice Potion was about to enter its next stage…
...
Wyzett followed Dumbledore and Snape to the scene of Colin's attack.
There were still no clues—not even when Dumbledore waved his wand, searching the pipes for evidence.
But Wyzett did notice something odd: clusters of spiders scuttling out the window.
Even the bitter wind outside couldn't stop the spiders from fleeing the castle.
He thought of stories about animals sensing earthquakes—how some creatures instinctively migrate before disaster strikes.
Maybe the spiders had sensed some terrible serpent, and that's why they were escaping Hogwarts now.
He made a quick note in his journal: "Spiders fleeing the castle," then followed Dumbledore away.
Dumbledore asked gently, "Wyzett, where do you think we should go next?"
"Now that we know about the pipes…" Wyzett mused. "Since we found nothing at Colin's attack, let's check the scene where Mrs. Norris was attacked."
Snape raised an eyebrow. "A pity you don't have any bundimun spines in your head."
...
At the site of Mrs. Norris's attack, the writing on the wall was as stark as ever.
Not only had the words endured, but even the puddle in the corner remained.
This year's rains had been especially heavy, flooding the abandoned bathroom across the corridor and sending water trickling out.
Professor McGonagall had already requested repairs—specialist wizards would be called in once the rainy season ended.
As Wyzett gazed at the abandoned bathroom, Dumbledore and Snape did the same, eyes drawn to the slow trickle of water.
Dumbledore led the way, casting a Lumos charm that lit his path like a lantern-bearing hunter, moving with calm confidence.
The abandoned bathroom was, naturally, in shambles—the floor slick with yellowish stains, the walls mottled with patches of grey-black mold.
The damp, musty air was tinged with the scent of fire and herbs.
"Someone's been… brewing potions here?"
Wyzett, Dumbledore, and Snape spoke almost in unison.
"Brewing potions in a place like this?" Snape surveyed the room, his eyes narrowing. "Are they trying to blow up the bathroom and let the potion seep into every corner of Hogwarts?"
Dumbledore only smiled, stepping to the door of a stall. He raised his wand as if testing for something, then gently pushed the door open…
🔥 Want to read the next 50+ chapters RIGHT NOW?
💎 Patreon members get instant access!
⚡ Limited-time offer currently running...
👉 [Join on - patreon.com/GoldenLong]