After they had fully entered the chamber Harry's quick eye caught a peculiar formation to the right, on a raised sort of platform, behind which seemed to be a recess. He had noticed it because it contrasted so strangely with the uniformly white glare of all the surrounding surfaces. He quickly made his way across, and as he reached it, stepped back in alarm.
"Come here, quickly; are those skulls and skeletons?"
The Professor did not need a second invitation. Scattered about on the elevation were found four skulls, and the bones comprising the remains of four human beings. The skulls were first arranged side by side, and the Professor intently examined them.
"These are skulls of the Caucasian race, beyond a doubt. All are, apparently, well formed and normal. But what is this?"
In the side of one skull was a perforation, with the bone fractured on all sides of the orifice.
"Do you think it is a bullet wound?"
"It has that appearance. As there seems to be no corresponding hole in any other portion of the skull, we may be able to find the missile inside, if death was caused by that means."
Harry had noticed a rattling sound when the skull was put in place, and mentioned this. After some hesitation the course of the fractured opening was traced through, and embedded near the top and on the opposite side, was a large lead ball, or what had been, undoubtedly, spherically shaped before it entered and passed through the bones.
"This is evidence to me that these remains have been here a long time."
"Why; because it is in the form of a ball, and not a bullet?"