The Hogwarts Emerald

Chapter 199 Anxious Harry Potter
From Austria, far away in the interior of Europe, to Hogwarts in the Scottish Highlands, even with two people on board, Phoenix Fawkes didn't take too much time. Compared to the door key to Austria, Ada still felt that Phoenix's way of traveling was more comfortable, at least she didn't feel dizzy.

Dumbledore did not take Ada directly back to Hogwarts, but instead brought Ada to the deserted Shrieking Shack. After Ada left, the Weasley twins never came to the shack again.

Looking at the familiar layout of the Screaming Shack, Ada finally felt like she was home. Although the shack did not belong to her, everything here was closely related to her and brought her a lot of happiness.

Fawkes the Phoenix landed on a bookshelf nearby and cleaned his feathers, while Dumbledore sat directly on the rocking chair in front of the window. This was originally Ada's exclusive seat, but it was forcibly occupied by the headmaster.

Ada, who had "lost" the rocking chair, could only sit on the sofa in grievance. Fortunately, the sofa was comfortable enough and gave her a lot of comfort. Ada looked at Dumbledore who closed his eyes and said, "You showed up here instead of going back to school directly. You can just say what you think."

In the past, Ada would not have asked this question. She would have waited for Dumbledore to speak first.

"No one knew that I left school to pick you up at Nurmengard. They thought I was going to a meeting at the Ministry of Magic." Dumbledore said as he rocked his rocking chair. "Albus Dumbledore is not in school. What a great opportunity!"

"You have a very thorough plan!" Ada said, "Aren't you afraid that he will see through your trick and choose not to do anything?"

"The Philosopher's Stone is not a life-saving straw for me. I can afford to delay." Dumbledore explained, "But he can't. Recently, several unicorns have been killed in the Forbidden Forest and their blood has been sucked. You should know what this means."

Unicorn is a holy magical animal. Its hair can be used to make magic wands, and its horn can detoxify. It is said that drinking from a wine glass made of its horn can make people healthy and protect them from diseases.

Although the unicorn is full of treasures, it is not easy to hurt it. The unicorn is only attracted to pure and kind virgins, and will fall asleep on the skirt of the girl, and then be plucked of its hair or its horn.

No matter the hair or the horn, no one wants to harm the life of a unicorn and take its blood. The blood of a unicorn can sustain life, but when your lips are stained with its blood, you will be cursed for the rest of your life.

No one wants to live a half-dead, cursed life, and no one with nowhere else to go would make this choice.

But Quirrell did so under the coercion of his master. Seizing the Philosopher's Stone was imminent. Even though he knew it was a trap set by Dumbledore, Quirrell jumped in without hesitation.

Dumbledore didn't want to drag the matter of the Philosopher's Stone any longer. If Quirrell left the school, it would be difficult to find him again. He couldn't keep on guard and force him to show up and solve the matter. That was why Dumbledore hid in the Shrieking Shack.

"Aren't you afraid that Harry might follow and something unexpected might happen?" Ada asked again, "Or are you absolutely confident in your plan?"

Dumbledore looked into Ada's eyes and said, "Haven't I already suffered the consequences of my overconfidence on you? Harry will be safe because he has the power to protect him. And I have also prepared another plan to ensure its implementation."

"The other plan you prepared is not about me, right?" Ada is very self-aware. "That's why you ended my exile at this time and let me come back, because everyone assumes that I have been expelled. I will not show up in school at this time, right?"

Dumbledore did not respond to Ada's sarcasm, but asked: "Don't you have anything to eat here? Or in your purse?"

"No, they all stayed in Nurmengard."

"Then go to the village and buy some!" said Dumbledore. "You won't bear to see a centenarian like me starve?"

Ada walked up to Dumbledore, stretched out her hand to him, and motioned Dumbledore to take out the money. However, Dumbledore looked at Ada with his blue eyes, showing no intention of taking out the money.

"Take the money! If you don't have any, you'll starve!"

Dumbledore just looked at Ada, but Ada was unmoved and stretched out her hand to ask for money with confidence. Dumbledore had no choice but to put a small purse in her hand.

Ida weighed the purse in her hand very socially, and only after hearing the sound of metal coins colliding did she put on her hood and left the Shrieking Shack. Dumbledore closed his eyes and lay back in the rocking chair. He was very satisfied now, and it seemed that he had made the right move to send Ida to Nurmengard.

However, I wonder if Dumbledore would still smile so contentedly when he knew that Grindelwald had changed Ada's opinion on the Dark Arts.

Leaving aside Dumbledore and Ada, let's focus our attention back on Harry Potter, because he is now as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.

The weather was a bit hot and humid today, and Harry sat in the classroom uneasily, not listening to a single word of what the professor was saying. It was as if a small animal was roaring in Harry's heart, making him upset, and the faintly painful scar on his forehead made him even more restless.

Ever since he witnessed Voldemort sucking the blood of a unicorn, the stinging pain on his forehead had been bothering him and keeping him awake all night. Harry felt that this was a warning to him, reminding him that Snape was about to take action.

A few days before the internal conflict, Ada had kindly reminded Ron about the dragon egg, so Harry and Hermione went to Hagrid to ask for clarification. The stranger who lost to the dragon egg had learned from Hagrid how to deal with the three-headed dog, which meant that Snape could safely pass the three-headed dog, and the Philosopher's Stone was no longer safe.

Fortunately, Dumbledore was always in school. Although he left for a short time, he would come back soon. But today Dumbledore left again and did not come back until lunch, which made Harry even more uneasy.

Dumbledore is not in school, and no one can stop Snape!

Although Harry Potter put all the blame on Snape and turned a blind eye to Snape's implicit protection, he still had some insight. At least he could see that Snape's ability was among the best in the school.

After finally making it to dinner, Dumbledore's seat in the hall was still empty, and the headmaster hadn't come back. Harry stared blankly at the empty chair, with the image of Snape holding the Philosopher's Stone and presenting it to Voldemort appearing in his mind.

After dinner, Harry, Ron and Hermione went to Professor McGonagall's office.

Hermione said directly: "Professor, when will Professor Dumbledore come back? We want to see him!"

"Why?" Professor McGonagall asked puzzledly.

"Because..." Hermione, who had just acted very bravely, did not continue speaking, but the anxious Harry spoke for her: "Because Snai...someone wants to steal the Philosopher's Stone, and only Professor Dumbledore can stop him!"

Professor McGonagall's book fell to the floor with a clatter. She said, "Dumbledore has gone to London and will not be back until tomorrow. I don't know who you got the Philosopher's Stone from, but don't worry, no one can steal it. It is well protected and will never be lost."

It must be said that Professor McGonagall's acting skills are not as good as Snape, the best actor, or even Quirrell. It is because the trio has just debuted and is still very green, otherwise they would have noticed Professor McGonagall's awkward acting.

This acting is comparable to Sha Wujing breaking the bowl.

After they left the office, Harry said, "Tonight, tonight Snape will go through the trapdoor. Dumbledore is not at school, and there is no one to stop him from stealing the Philosopher's Stone."

"But what can we do?" Hermione said helplessly, "Professor McGonagall doesn't believe us."

The three of them were just first-year students, they were powerless to fight against a professor, and they had no way to stop Snape from stealing the Philosopher's Stone.

"What if I get the Philosopher's Stone first?" Harry made a decision, a decision that sounded ridiculous.

Just because they are no match for Snape, does that mean they can definitely get through the protection of the Philosopher's Stone?
Yes, they can, because the protections are so perfunctory…

"Are you crazy? You can't do this!" Hermione said, "Think about Ada. She was expelled just because she wanted to hit her classmates. Do you want to be expelled too?"

"Ada won't be fired!" Ron said suddenly.

Ron's protection was very touching, but it was a pity that this concern came at the wrong time. The two people in front of him were not as close as he and Ada, and their focus was on the Philosopher's Stone.

"Fred and George have gone crazy. They block Professor McGonagall's door every day. Do you want us to become like that too?" Hermione continued.

Hermione felt sorry about Ada, but she could do nothing. The most important thing at the moment was to stop Harry. She couldn't bear to see her good friend become like Ada.

Hermione's reasons were very good, but Harry's reasons were more sufficient and impeccable. Harry began to present facts and reason, and Ron and Hermione were convinced by his words.

The three of them decided to protect the Philosopher's Stone together. Even if they were expelled, they would be together as three people, and no one would be left here alone.

In the office, Professor McGonagall, who had seen Harry and the other two off, sat in her chair rubbing her head. She felt that these three people were more difficult to deal with than Ada. As long as she spoke a little harshly, Ada would immediately behave herself.

Professor McGonagall sighed and bent down to pick up the books scattered on the ground. She would have to wait for the next wave of visitors. If nothing unexpected happened, the Weasley twins were already on their way to find her.

(End of this chapter)