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Upon arrival in London, John met me, but I urged him to take me to Grimmauld first. John didn't mind. It seems that the Knights saw in me a completely adult and accomplished person. Maybe the fact that I briefly told about what happened at school worked. John was outraged, but I assured him that despite the mortal danger, the great wizard Dumbledore kept everything "Under Control." I myself didn't think so, but what prevents me from assuring people otherwise? To the logical questions: "Why go there? What do you need at Grimmauld Place? Can you tell us?" I promised to tell them, but a little later.

John took my school things home with him, but my bag, as always, I slung over my shoulder. As soon as I got to Grimmauld 12, Kreacher, grumbling about the "unexpected visit of a strange wizard," organized tea with buns. However, tea drinking was held at a small table opposite the portrait of Walburga. I told her all the events, including some strange things. Now I'm sitting, waiting for her opinion.

"Maximilian, how often do you mention your House?"

"Um ... It's hard to say. Rarely enough. Quidditch matches, ten points to Gryffindor, in general, something like this."

Walburga nodded at my answer.

"Did you know about the basilisk? How long?"

"With my friend, two weeks after the first incident, we had quite a coherent theory that it was a basilisk."

"Have you ever thought that it would be nice to defeat it, kill it, disassemble into ingredients? Anything like that, or that you need to solve this problem?"

Then I thought.

"Certainly. There were such thoughts, Lady Walburga. I even bought a bag with an invisible extension so that I can put big things in it. But these were just thoughts. The bag will come in handy anyway, just ... It would be nice ... And why didn't I go there after the victory?"

Lost in thought, I scratched my head.

"I even have tools, albeit not professional, but not bad ..."

"Maximilian, pay attention here."

"Huh? Yes."

"When you suddenly decided to do ... What you did?"

"Oh, completely unexpected! I suddenly thought that the school could be closed, no one is doing anything, and I, as a Gryffindor boy, must help Potter deal with this issue."

Hearing my own words, I was stunned.

"So, how often do you use House names as a characteristic of personality?"

"Never ..."

"You could have entered the Chamber of Secrets by yourself, without the help of the parselmouth?"

Then I was silent for a couple of seconds.

"There are at least a few options that could be tried."

"Have you invented them now?"

"No, it was a long time ago, and not that I came up with it, it's just ... Well, they are logical."

"Interesting, isn't it, nephew?" Walburga looked at me with a kind of malicious smile.

"I agree, interesting."

"Also, why did you drag Lockhart with you? Tied up and thrown. Judging by your story, he can't do anything at all."

"I don't know myself… Potter and the Weasley dragged him, but I didn't care."

"How often in your thoughts did you cheer yourself up and justify the act by "Gryffindorship"?"

"Very ..." I frowned.

"Congratulations, nephew, you became a victim of a light Confundus."

"Yes?" I looked at the portrait in amazement. "But… I have used Confundus several times and have been exposed to it myself. The effect is completely different."

"Let me explain to you a few points not written in the textbooks. Confundus is an extremely versatile spell. Suppose the wizard knows or guesses about your thoughts, ideas, dreams. In that case, he can impose Confundus in such a way that you change priorities for a while. You yourself, voluntarily and consciously, will do what the wizard needs. But, how you do this will depend on you."

Walburga once again took a cigarette holder from her drawn table and lit a cigarette.

"An example: You've gone to Diagon Alley for an exclusive new enchantment textbook. This is what you need, but you only have one Galleon in your pocket. You walk past Cafe Fortescue. You know perfectly well that there is great ice cream, and you really want a portion. However, you have exactly the money for the textbook. Then your eyes were caught by the Legiliment that superficially counted your thoughts. At that moment, you were thinking exactly about Galleon, ice cream, the price of a textbook, and a textbook. Your knowledge of Occlumency did not help because the Legiliment did not delve into your thoughts but just superficially looked at what you are thinking about without it. Now, knowing some of the initial data, the Legiliment has imposed a weak Confundus on you with the "correct" wording. As a result, you changed your priorities and bought a textbook on enchantments not in Flourish but from a dealer. Old edition, but acceptable, money saved, ice cream bought."

"It sounds like nothing horrible."

"Yes, but you are an obedient child in the family, and you were strictly ordered to buy a new textbook. You wanted to do so, and all these thoughts were just options that you thought about, but you would never do that."

"I think I understand. But who needs it at all? It's a school! Potter had no idea what to do or where to run, who was attacking, what kind of beast... he knew nothing! And in your example ... There are other ways to get a couple of sickels, from asking relatives to stealing and instant work."

"Here is the flip side of this spell. The person exposed to it completely ignores the consequences and, if there are no other indications, chooses the fastest and optimal path based on his own thoughts and ideas."

"I see ... It turns out that someone imposed Confundus on me with a desire to help Potter deal with the problem, and judging by my actions, to save him even at the cost of my life."

"At the cost of life?" Walburga suddenly became stern.

"When I attacked the basilisk, by the way, I attacked very recklessly, the phantom Tom threw several Avada at me. One would even have stabbed me in the back if I hadn't covered myself with something."

"Something? Something?!" Walburga flared up, throwing aside the mouthpiece, standing up in her painted chair, but exhaling sharply, sat back down, starting to calm down.

I just waited, and a minute later, she spoke again.

"I don't need your secrets, but did you knew you could defend yourself against Avada?"

"I supposed."

"Supposed, huh ..."