From Hogwarts to Sturhaven

"Put me down!" Hermione screamed.

Fred and George were very obedient and shoved Hermione into the biggest and most comfortable chair in the common room, where Percy had been sitting. The two brothers pulled him up without hesitation.

"Bang!" Li Jordan playfully pulled open a shower of confetti, and golden confetti landed on Hermione's hair.

Fred or George somehow found a crown that looked like some kind of gold-leaf chocolate and placed it neatly on Hermione's messy hair.

The remaining Weasley made her a sword out of chocolate and knelt down on one knee before Hermione's throne, just like he was undergoing a coronation ceremony.

"Is what you're saying true?" Angelina asked. "Hermione killed the troll with a single spell?"

“Of course!” The Weasley who placed the crown on her head sounded quite aggrieved. “We overheard Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick discussing…”

“‘I can’t believe what I’m seeing, Felius,’” Weasley mimicked in a high-pitched voice, holding up the chocolate sword.

"Could there really be a giant monster in the underground classroom?" Weasley's voice was even shriller as he stood behind the chair.

“‘It really is there, but not in the basement, but in the hallway on the third floor.’” Weasley shoved the sticky chocolate sword into Hermione’s hand.

“Oh…it must be a mess there.” Weasley, mimicking Professor Flitwick, wore a regretful expression.

"It's worse than you can imagine. Our Miss Granger used some kind of spell she learned from who-knows-where to merge the troll into the corridor walls. When I saw that, I didn't know whether to be angry or surprised." Weasley, imitating Professor McGonagall, pushed up his non-existent air glasses.

"'Which Miss Granger?'" Weasley, imitating Professor Flitwick, aptly captured his surprise.

“‘It’s the one you’re thinking of right now. Luckily Albus arrived, otherwise I really wouldn’t know where to begin to restore that corridor.’” Weasley, imitating Professor McGonagall, concluded his speech.

"Wow!" Everyone in the Gryffindor common room gasped in unison. Hermione blushed with embarrassment, completely flustered.

"Now! Gryffindors!" the Weasley brothers shouted in unison in a solemn voice, "Let's give a round of applause to Miss Cannonball!"

"It's the Queen of the Know-It-All!" The two Weasleys disagreed, but they quickly agreed on the title of "Queen."

The Gryffindor common room erupted in a frenzy that lasted for a long time. Many people came up to ask Hermione what the troll looked like, some wanted to know what the spell Hermione used to plaster the troll on the wall was, but most people were laughing and talking loudly to celebrate this great moment.

Hermione was overwhelmed by the various questions and didn't know which one to answer first.

But Hermione soon had nothing to worry about. She heard someone whisper, "Professor McGonagall!"

The silence was like a plague, instantly infecting everyone still in the common room.

Professor McGonagall stood in her dark green robes as if she were standing in the shadows of her students' hearts. Faced with her serious and earnest expression, no one dared to speak loudly, not even the Weasley brothers.

Hermione felt Professor McGonagall's gaze sweep over her head several times, so she quickly took off the chocolate crown covered in gold leaf and then swiftly removed the small gold paper hanging from her hair.

“Keep the crown, Miss Granger,” Professor McGonagall said. “It’s Halloween Eve, and I won’t punish any of you, but remember to go to bed as soon as the lights are out, or else you’ll be in trouble.”

Professor McGonagall was explaining what to be careful about, but everyone understood without saying a word. They looked at each other, surprised that the usually serious Professor McGonagall would say something like that.

“We love you, Professor McGonagall!” one of the Weasley brothers shouted. Then, everyone saw the faint smile playing on Professor McGonagall’s lips.

“Keep it and tell your mother, Mr. Weasley,” Professor McGonagall said. “It’s a pity I’ve already written to her about you taking the toilet seat off the bathroom, otherwise I might have let you off the hook.”

"Oh no!" Amid the Weasley brothers' groans, Professor McGonagall turned and left the Gryffindor common room.

Chapter 48 Deducing the Murderer

Ever since the events of Halloween Eve spread, Hermione felt that the people around her had become friendlier. Even when she pointed out the Gryffindors' misbehavior, most people would just mutter, "He's just like Professor McGonagall."

The biggest changes were seen in Harry and Ron, who became extremely cautious, afraid of upsetting Hermione in any way, and ultimately ended up like the trolls.

So somehow, Hermione ended up with two little followers. At first, she felt a little uncomfortable, but later it turned into a strong sense of responsibility. She had to keep an eye on these two most troublesome first-year Gryffindor students and prevent the jewels in the Gryffindor hourglass from dwindling.

For Harry and Ron, this was also a good deal, as they could at least finish their homework in the Gryffindor common room instead of having to endure the stares of Slytherin students while referring to Ivy's work in the library.

That day, Hedwig sent Harry a note from Ivy, inviting them to a gathering at Hagrid's hut.

Harry and Ron, the two chicks, immediately looked at their mother. After a moment's hesitation, Hermione decided to go with them, as she needed to speak with Ivy.

After the shift in public opinion among her classmates over the past few days, Hermione felt that the theories Ivy had instilled in her on the Black Lake did have some merit. However, she remembered very clearly that it wasn't her who destroyed the trolls, but Ivy's elemental orbs. Moreover, she also remembered that Ivy had previously said he would train her.

After November, snow began to fall in the Scottish Highlands, and the weather became extremely cold. The mountains surrounding the castle were covered in a grey haze of ice and snow, and the lake was as cold and hard as quenched steel.

Hagrid's cottage was quite warm, and apart from a little bit of smoke from burning firewood, everything seemed very cozy.

When the three knocked on the wooden door of Hagrid's hut, Ivy opened it for them. Harry immediately saw his broom as soon as he entered; he hadn't seen it for days.

"Are you alright, Harry?" Hagrid appeared carrying a pot of strong tea and fetched cups for the three young wizards. "And this is Her Majesty the Cannon Queen?"

After Hagrid finished speaking, he burst into laughter. It seems that even Hagrid, who was far away from the castle, had learned about Hermione's nickname thanks to the Weasley twins' promotion.

"Let us hear the heroic deeds of the Cannon Queen herself!" Hagrid plopped down, looking at Hermione with expectant eyes.

Hermione was extremely embarrassed. Her face flushed as she looked at Ivy, stammering and unable to speak. On one hand, she wanted to tell everyone directly that it was all Ivy's doing; on the other hand, she felt she shouldn't tell anyone. What if the professors confiscated Ivy's Elemental Orb on the grounds that it was "too dangerous"? It must be a very valuable magical item, and she didn't want to cause Ivy any more trouble, especially since Ivy was still a Slytherin.

“I have a different observation about that,” Hermione said, trying to change the subject. “Remember the three-headed dog in the room at the end of the fourth-floor hallway? I think someone is trying to steal something from there.”

“Who? Cerberus? Only a madman would steal Cerberus!” Ron’s brain, barely bigger than a teaspoon, completely misunderstood Hermione’s statement.

“Idiot! Of course we’re not stealing Cerberus, we’re stealing what it’s guarding!” Hermione glared at Ron for interrupting, then kindly offered an explanation: “Cerberus is standing on a trapdoor, and it’s obviously guarding something.”

"No wonder Snape went after Cerberus! He wanted the treasure behind the door!" Harry suddenly exclaimed.

"What?" The barrage of information confused Hagrid. "How do you know about three-headed Fluffy? And what does this have to do with Snape?"

The three exchanged a glance, and then explained to Hagrid the duel that had taken place in the castle, and how Harry had seen Snape injured in the Potions classroom.

"Tsk tsk... You guys are way crazier than I imagined." Hagrid shook his head and clicked his tongue in amazement. He then glanced at Ivy, who was sitting upright to the side. He hadn't expected that this student, who also loved magical creatures, would have such a high level of magic, capable of freezing Peeves into an ice block!

“Wait, Hagrid. Didn’t you say three-headed Fluffy?” Harry realized the blind spot.

“Yes, it’s mine. I bought it from a Greek guy I met at the hotel last year. I lent it to Dumbledore to keep watch.” “What?” Harry asked eagerly.

"Alright, stop asking," Hagrid said gruffly. "That's top secret, understand?"

"But Snape wanted to steal it."

“Perhaps Quirrell was involved too,” Hermione calmly pointed out.

"That Defense Against the Dark Arts professor who always wraps himself in a garlic scarf?" Ron dismissed Hermione's theory as if he'd heard a joke. "Impossible! If he were truly skilled, he wouldn't just be reciting from the textbook in class."

“He’s the one who put the troll into the castle on Halloween Eve,” Hermione stated, providing her evidence. “What did he say when he barged into the party? Do you remember?”

"The troll is in the underground classroom?" Harry asked uncertainly.

“That’s right, but we actually encountered it in the third-floor hallway.” Hermione let slip the secret, since Ivy was with her at the time.

“‘朕’? You’re really starting to sound more and more like royalty,” Ron joked. (In English, “we” is used to refer to ourselves, but the Queen of England also uses “we” when referring to herself as the first person, similar to how ancient Chinese emperors referred to themselves as “朕”. Hermione’s nickname is “Cannon Queen,” so Ron has misunderstood.)

Hermione glared at Ron for interrupting her, then continued, "When the professors found me, Professor McGonagall came up the stairs from the bottom, while Snape and Quirrell came down from the top. So they are very likely accomplices."

“I’m telling you, you’re wrong!” Hagrid snapped. “I don’t know why that troll was on the third floor, but Snape and Quirrell would never want to kill a student! Now, all three of you listen to me—including you, Ivy!”

Although Ivy didn't say a word, Hagrid clearly hadn't forgotten his presence.

“Listen! You're meddling in things that don't concern you. That's dangerous. Forget about that big dog, forget about what it's guarding. This is a matter between Professor Dumbledore and Nicolas Flamel.”

“Aha! There’s another guy named Nicolas Flamel involved, isn’t there?” Harry exclaimed.

Hagrid was furious; he began to be angry with himself.

“Ivy!” Hermione noticed Ivy’s silence. “As an ancient wizard, you must have heard of Nicolas Flamel, right?”

Hagrid immediately cast a pleading look at Ivy.

Ivy took a sip of strong tea and clearly uttered a single word: "Philosopher's Stone."

Then Hagrid drove them back to the frozen wasteland.

Chapter 49 The Quidditch Cup is about to begin

Standing in the snow and wind of the Scottish Highlands, Ron exhaled a puff of white breath and pulled his robe tighter around himself: "Hagrid is so heartless, just leaving us like this in the freezing cold."

"What exactly is that Philosopher's Stone that Ivy just mentioned?" Harry asked curiously. "Why do Snape and Quirrell both want it?"

"Come on! Don't you guys even read books?" Hermione rolled her eyes. "Nicolas Flamel, you can also call him Nicholas Flamel. I didn't expect his name in the wizarding world to be different. Don't you remember this name, Harry?"

Harry's empty mind was as harmless as his eyes. Hermione looked at him and sighed, "Well, he's probably the most famous alchemist in the world. It's said that he created the Philosopher's Stone and achieved immortality through it."

"Immortality?" Ron exclaimed. "No wonder Snape and Quirrell wanted it!"

“Not only that, the Philosopher’s Stone can also turn lead into gold,” Hermione continued. “That is to say, Nicolas Flamel was a rich and long-lived old man. Nobody knows why he entrusted the Philosopher’s Stone to Dumbledore for safekeeping.”

“Oh, now even I’m tempted. You can never have too much gold.” Ron shrugged, a hint of longing in his eyes.

With a "bang," Hagrid pushed open the wooden door of the cabin.

“Hagrid!” Harry called out enthusiastically, “I knew you wouldn’t be so heartless!”

However, Hagrid just kept his lips tightly pressed together, afraid that he would reveal any more information. Then he threw a broom into Harry's arms; it was his Nimbus 2000.

After doing all this, Hagrid slammed the door shut again, and the splashing snowflakes even flew into Ron's mouth.

"Pah! See? Hagrid is just that heartless." Ron spat out the snow water in his mouth and said with a helpless expression.

"Thank you, Hagrid! Remember to come watch me play Quidditch!" Harry, holding his flying broomstick, extended an invitation to Hagrid, but only two hums came from the cabin, leaving everyone unsure of Hagrid's meaning.

“Don’t worry, he’ll definitely go, Harry.” Ron patted Harry on the shoulder reassuringly. “Since the Philosopher’s Stone is such an important thing, we should…”

“Tell the professor!” Hermione glared at Ron. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to. We can’t take the Philosopher’s Stone out, and you can forget about using it yourself!”

“Why not?” Ron asked, utterly bewildered. “I’m not trying to keep it for myself, it’s just a little gold, and Nicolas Flamel has more than he can use. Besides, we have the Queen of Cannons and the Ancient Wizards; we’ll definitely get the Philosopher’s Stone before Snape and Quirrell!”

“Whichever of them is after the Philosopher’s Stone, they certainly haven’t succeeded yet. As long as we inform the professor in advance, they can be on guard.” Hermione completely ignored Ron and simply stated her reasoning.