Hogwarts' Golden Glory

Kane gave the two men direct instructions.

Next, we'll meet Quirrell.

These two are just a burden if they stay here.

Kane wasn't afraid of encountering Voldemort. After all, he had Harry as his trump card.

I just don't know why they also kidnapped Draco.

"You're just staying here anyway, so you might as well try to contact the professors."

"Then be careful."

Without waiting for a response, Kane tilted his head back and drank the medicine.

"It's time to go, Potter."

Harry took a deep breath, the cool sensation of the potion sliding down his throat into his stomach.

They stepped directly through the black flames without feeling anything and smoothly arrived on the other side.

When his vision returned, Harry saw—

"Professor Quirrell?"

The man standing before the Mirror of Eris turned around, his face no longer showing the fear he once had.

His skin was an unhealthy grayish-white, but his expression was unusually calm, even carrying a kind of eerie pleasure.

And at his feet...

"Draco," Kane called out, hoping for a response.

"Don't worry, he's not dead." Quirrell's voice was strangely smooth. "I was just wondering if you'd come, Potter."

His gaze swept over Potter's scars, and his lips twitched slightly.

Harry's fingers stealthily touched his wand: "So it really was you... but why?"

"Why?" Quirrell suddenly burst into laughter.

"Yeah, why me? I've been wondering why they chose me too."

Quirrell is in a very bad state right now.

"This year has been incredibly tough for me. I had to avoid being discovered, constantly watch out for those two Weasley boys messing with me! And I had to be extra careful in class to prevent the Malfoy boys from beating up the teachers! Do you know how I got through that year?"

Quirrell pointed at Kane and placed all his dissatisfaction on Kane.

Kane's eyes widened.

Me? When did I ever assault a teacher?

You're wary of me? You'd be better off wary of Simo giving you an explosion during class!

"What about Snape?"

Harry raised his question because his suspicions about Snape had never been dispelled throughout the year.

"Snape?" Quirrell's smile vanished instantly.

It was like talking about one's enemy: "Yeah, he really was like a perfect villain, wasn't he? That gloomy big bat..."

Kane moved slowly, forming an angle with Harry: "That shows you're a good actor, Professor. You even fooled Dumbledore."

A smug glint flashed in Quirrell's eyes: "This year hasn't been easy. Pretending to be threatened by Snape..."

He suddenly started mimicking his old stutter, "No-no-don't kill me, Professor Snape!"

She then regained her normal voice, adding, "I'll also pretend to faint when they release the trolls on Halloween."

Harry's brain struggled to process this information: "So, that Quidditch match..."

"I want to throw you off, Potter." Quirrell's wand twirled gently.

"It's a pity your mud-blooded friend bumped into me. What's even more hateful is—"

His face suddenly contorted. "Snape was casting a counter-spell to protect you! That's why the mission the Dark Lord entrusted to me failed! Otherwise, I would have killed you already!"

Hearing Quirrell's admission, Harry was still somewhat surprised. "Kane was right, Snape really was... saving me?"

But thinking about how Snape protected him in the Forbidden Forest this semester...

Everything seems to make sense now.

Quirrell watched Harry's shocked expression as if he were watching a play: "Irony, isn't it? He clearly hates you, yet..."

Suddenly, his expression turned pained, and another voice came from the back of his head: "Enough...take the magic stone..."

Harry then noticed that Quirrell's purple headscarf was unusually bulging, as if it were hiding something.

Kane's silver ring suddenly flashed violently: "Voldemort."

As if responding to the name.

Quirrell's headscarf came undone automatically, revealing the nightmarish face on the back of his head.

Snake-like pale skin, scarlet eyes, and a flat face without a nose.

"Harry Potter..." the mouth moved, "We meet again."

He never imagined that Voldemort was actually on Quirrell's head!

But this doesn't make sense! Quirrell came to their rescue last time in the Forbidden Forest too!

Harry clutched his throbbing scar, his back soaked with cold sweat: "But... in the Forbidden Forest... I clearly saw Quirrell..."

"Ah, that imposter."

Voldemort suddenly flew into a rage, and Quirrell's body convulsed violently. "A rat that somehow got in here has ruined my crown!"

Quirrell's left hand scratched his face uncontrollably, leaving bloody marks. "If I find out who it is..."

Harry then realized that the Professor Quirrell he had been seeing was not the real Professor Quirrell.

So who exactly is he?

Meanwhile, Kane, the person in question, was plotting how to snatch Draco back from Voldemort.

Unfortunately, Voldemort seemed to have discovered Kane's plan at this point.

"You're very clever, Kane! Lucius's son."

Voldemort said admiringly, "Actually, I really admire you, because I see a reflection of myself in you."

Harry looked shocked.

Does Kane resemble Voldemort?

Voldemort continued, "I'm sure you can see it too—Dumbledore's hypocritical face. He's always been preventing anyone stronger than him from appearing, like me!"

"So I was constantly targeted by him at school."

"I believe you feel the same way, child. Dumbledore would never tolerate your existence. So join me, child."

Harry, having heard Voldemort's intentions, also shouted loudly from the side.

"Don't believe him, Kane! He's lying to you! Even Headmaster Dumbledore wouldn't do that."

Voldemort found Harry's appearance quite annoying.

They cast a spell directly on Harry.

Harry's mouth was tightly shut.

I can only make a few "uh-uh" sounds with my throat.

"My child, I can make you stronger, stronger than Dumbledore, stronger than me, and even grant you immortality!"

Voldemort was still patiently guiding her from the side; it was clear he was very patient.

"I'm not interested in these things."

Kane's voice was calm, which surprised Voldemort.

Voldemort was clearly angry, because in his view this meant Kane was rejecting him.

After all, no wizard can resist the temptation of power and immortality!

"That's an unpleasant answer."

"Then let's make a deal! I know that in the final challenge set by that professor of magic history, you were the condition for retrieving the stone..."

Quirrell, or rather Voldemort, pointed to the Mirror of Erised, "Only you can retrieve the Philosopher's Stone!"

Harry was shocked. He had no idea how important Kane was in the protection of the Philosopher's Stone!