Hogwarts: From Luna's House to Godhood Through Intense Competition

On the table were not only a crucible, but also a stone mortar, herbal scale, herb-cutting knife, medicine cabinet, funnel, medicine bottles... everything was there.

“We’re going to set off some fireworks to celebrate!” Fred rolled up his sleeves. “If you think we’re doing something wrong, just point it out.”

Fred and George took out the herbs from the sack and began processing them, their movements swift and efficient.

Vizette suddenly spoke up: "Mimosa flowers? What are you planning to do with them? Make the fireworks turn a brilliant gold?"

Fred and George stopped at the same time. "Yes, but we've tried several methods, and the color isn't vibrant enough. Grinding it into powder is the best we can do."

Wizette recalled Snape saying, "You can add mimosa roots, in a ratio of one to twenty..."

"And two drops of valerian juice, which will stabilize the color of the mimosa flower and keep it golden without fading."

"So that's what we were missing: valerian juice!" George exclaimed. "We did think of using mimosa roots, but the mixture would turn a yellowish-brown color."

"That's the effect of valerian juice," Vizette laughed. "It keeps things stable and prevents them from becoming cloudy."

"I feel like this could create an absolutely awesome firework!" Fred clenched his fist. "Let's continue!"

-------------------------------------

“Quirinus, release your soul, release it completely!” Voldemort said sinisterly. “If you don’t want Dumbledore to find out, this spell cannot be cast by you.”

“But Master… that’s not what you said before!” Quirrell wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"Aren't you really afraid of being discovered? Quirinas, you seem quite audacious!"

"Master...are you sure you won't be discovered?"

"Once the troll is free, go and spread the word, tell everyone!" Voldemort said impatiently. "Hurry up! Release your soul!"

Quirrell shuddered, but ultimately closed his eyes in anguish. "Yes... Master!"

He stood stiffly like a marionette, his arm raised in a strange posture, pointing towards the giant imprisoned in the dungeon.

Voldemort's voice came from behind me, "Madness and Silence!"

The dark light entered the giant's head, causing it to tremble violently as if having an epileptic seizure, its roar deafening...

Chapter 56 Halloween Banquet

The auditorium is now more elaborately decorated.

Pumpkin lanterns floated in mid-air, and countless black bats fluttered in the air.

Swarms of black bats will also crawl into the pumpkin lanterns, and then fly up to the dome to circle back and forth.

Unlike the opening ceremony dinner, the Halloween dinner is more unrestrained and has fewer rules and regulations.

Dumbledore did not give a speech at the dinner party, but instead raised his glass and drank with his teachers, chatting and laughing.

Students can simply sit on the benches and begin to enjoy the carefully prepared food.

Ron and Harry arrived late, halfway through the banquet.

Both of them were drenched in sweat and looked sullen.

Seeing his younger brother sitting next to him, Percy asked curiously, "Ron, why are you so late?"

"And Fred and the others haven't arrived yet... You haven't done anything wrong, have you? You absolutely mustn't follow in Fred's footsteps!"

“We didn’t, we just went to look for someone…” Ron’s expression was very unnatural, and he looked embarrassed.

Neville ate the lamb chops in large mouthfuls, mumbling, "Harry, has Hermione been found?"

"Hermione's lost?" Percy frowned slightly. "What happened?"

Ron and Harry looked at each other in bewilderment, and it was only through Neville's help that the matter was clarified.

"So...you searched the castle for a long time but couldn't find anyone?" Percy frowned. "Did you try...the girls' restrooms?"

"Huh?" Harry and Ron were taken aback. "Hermione's in the girls' restroom?"

“I heard it from your classmate… that Miss Patil,” Percy said. “She said Hermione stayed in the girls’ washroom all afternoon crying, and nothing they did could comfort her.”

"Which girls' restroom?" Ron pressed. "On which floor?"

“At the other end of the marble staircase, there’s a secluded corridor,” Percy recalled. “I caught Fred and the others there a couple of days ago!”

As a Gryffindor prefect, he was able to know so many remote routes thanks to his "good" brothers Fred and George.

“Let’s go take a look!” Ron and Harry exchanged a glance. “Vizet is right…we should have a good talk with her.”

boom!

Just then, the auditorium doors were suddenly pushed open.

Quirrell burst in, panting heavily. He was in terrible condition; his face was deathly pale, and his robes were soaked with sweat.

"Troll! Troll!" he screamed in terror, running frantically to Dumbledore. "The troll is in the underground classroom...you should know that..."

Before he could finish speaking, his eyes rolled back and he collapsed to the ground.

The troll can stand up to twelve feet tall, has considerable resistance to magic, and is capricious, often launching attacks without provocation.

This magical creature possesses immense strength but extremely low intelligence, making it quite infamous in the magical world.

Even in exams and assignments, "Troll" is used as the lowest rating, meaning "Your grades are so bad that they are like the intelligence level of a troll."

Because of this, all the students entering Hogwarts knew about trolls and that these magical creatures were extremely dangerous, causing chaos in the Great Hall.

They pushed and shoved each other, shouting and running around, trying to escape.

"Quiet!"

A firework exploded in the sky above the auditorium, its dazzling light and deafening sound briefly silencing the students.

"Don't panic! There's still time." Dumbledore's voice, like a morning bell and evening drum, rang in the ears of every student.

He continued, "Prefects, take your students back to the common room."

"Go and see! Don't rush to show yourself." Dumbledore walked up to Snape and whispered his instructions.

"Hmm! Concealment!" Snape drew his wand and tapped his arm, his figure gradually turning transparent.

Upon hearing Dumbledore's instructions, the prefects sprang into action.

Percy shouted to the panicked Gryffindor students, "Follow me! Back to the common room right now! Come here quickly!"

Time was of the essence, so he quickly led the students back to the eighth floor.

While counting heads, he suddenly realized something was wrong. "Neville, Ron, and Harry? Where did they go?"

Neville shook his head helplessly, while Seamus spoke up, "They seemed to have walked back just now, and they looked like they were going to tell someone they were in danger..."

Percy sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Those two! They must have gone to find Hermione! I need to inform Professor McGonagall!"

On the way, he also ran into a Ravenclaw prefect. "Penelope? You're here to see someone too?"

Penelope nodded quickly, "Yes, Vizette is missing... He didn't show up at the Halloween party!"

……

Let's go back to about ten minutes ago.

The auditorium was now empty. Quirrell, who had been lying on the ground, groaned and struggled to his feet.

"Concealing one's form and hiding one's shadow!"

With the help of the Disappearance Charm, Quirrell, now invisible, immediately left the Great Hall and rushed down the marble staircase to the fourth-floor corridor.

The prefect's voice came from above, directing the students. Quirrell let out a soft breath and gripped his wand tightly in his hand.

A sliver of hope even flickered in his mind: if he could pass this test smoothly, perhaps he could fulfill Voldemort's orders tonight.

In this way, he could stay away from Hogwarts, and the days of living in fear would be over...

Quirrell tried to think this way, trying to comfort himself as much as possible.

"It's a pity... I didn't have the chance to teach Vizette what I've learned..."

He murmured something, then ran towards the door at the end of the corridor.

Whoosh!

A whooshing sound filled the air as a sharp silver light shot out.

"Armor Protection!" Quirrell revealed himself, his wand trembling rapidly, and a transparent shield appeared beside him.

He quickly launched a counterattack, thrusting his wand towards the direction of the silver light, "Thunder Explosion!"

A blinding orange-red flame burst from the tip of the wand, shooting straight towards the other end of the corridor.

Snape also revealed himself, and with a flick of his wand, he neutralized the Explosion Charm.

His tone was icy as he slowly and deliberately said, "Quirinus Quirrell, as a professor, what are you doing here instead of searching for trolls?"

As Snape approached, Quirrell looked terrified, backing away while stammering, "I...I'm just afraid someone will come here!"

"Headmaster Dumbledore told me that someone...someone has designs on the school's treasures. I felt that the trolls'...out-of-control behavior was suspicious, so I came to check it out!"

“A perfect explanation. What a fine professor.” Snape stood at the doorway. “I’m right here. You can leave now.”

"Why are you standing... standing there?" Quirrell, sweating profusely, questioned through gritted teeth, "Are you... the one with ill intentions?"

“An interesting statement.” Snape’s tone was even colder. “Perhaps I should go and find Dumbledore so you can tell him these things to his face.”