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"Now then, what to do, what to do…?"

Of course, Herwald had no intentions of simply sealing the chamber up and calling it a day. There was a wealth of magical and historical information waiting for him down there, secrets which had remained hidden for generations, since before the founding of the Clock Tower even, only a FOOL would leave such a treasure horde behind.

The only problem was that Dumbledore was no fool, and Herwald had no doubt the old twinkler was even now making plans to cordon off the area and plunder the secrets of Salazar for the 'Greater Good', a concept that quite frankly turned the Einzbern's stomach.

'I'm the one who found the damned thing,' he muttered in a rare moment of childish petulance, he was, after all, only human 'I'M the one who risked his neck fighting the blasted serpent and Riddle's memory. This Chamber is mine by right of conquest; I'd sooner burn it to the ground before I let anyone else learn its secrets.'

"If I may; Master?" Mordred spoke up, Herwald turning to look at his Servant, who was standing dutifully to the side "I may not be a magus, but if memory serves, you used the Ring of Kay to open the door, did you not?"

"I did." Herwald admitted, quirking a brow at the question "Truth be told I could have simply ordered it to open in Parseltongue, but I was in a hurry and I'm afraid I haven't had time to practice."

"You were concerned for Miss Weasley's safety, it is only natural you would seek a more expeditious route." Mordred assured the youth, holding up an armoured finger as she spoke "But that is not the main issue, did you reveal to Headmaster Dumbledore that you used the Ring to open the Chamber?"

"Of course not." Herwald countered, shuddering at the very idea of doing something so inherently stupid or amateurish as to give away one of his secrets to the twinkle-eyed old man "I hardly want him confiscating the ring."

"Then the answer is simplicity in and of itself." Mordred opined, her tone calm, though even with the enchantments concealing her true voice, Herwald could tell the Servant was amused "Should he ask you to open the chamber again, all you need do is speak in Parseltongue, but NOT the words to open the portal."

Herwald blinked, looking thunderstruck by the revelation, only to laugh aloud, shaking his head in amazement even as he eyed his new Servant in approval. Indeed, Dumbledore could certainly order him to open the chamber, as Headmaster he had the right to go wherever he damn well pleased within the walls of Hogwarts using any means necessary to do so. However, only a Parseltongue could open the chamber, and since Herwald was the only known person to receive Salazar's gift, albeit in an unexpected manner, the old twinkler would have no way to prove the Einzbern wasn't actually insulting him in snake-tongue instead of opening the tunnel.

'Hermione was right; most Magi don't have the logic to fill a thimble.' He muttered, releasing a self-mocking chuckle as he shook his head "There's still the matter of my gaining access, though. Dumbledore is sharper than he looks, he'll have wards placed all over this floor by the end of the day, ruse or no ruse."

"There's always the Forest entrance." Mordred reminded him, though even she looked troubled "It will take some time for them to retrieve the Half-Giant Groundskeeper, it should be a simple matter to hide the entrance using magic."

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6873874/21/