Hogwarts: Dumbledore reigned over the wizarding world.

Chapter 112 Harry Ron: We don't seem to be of much use?

Hermione opened her mouth, but before she could answer, Harry rattled off the information he had just received: "...Snape, he betrayed Vaughn and Dumbledore's trust. I heard it with my own ears. It was him who plotted to transfer Vaughn, Dumbledore, and Professor McGonagall to the Ministry of Magic, creating an opportunity for Quirrell to steal the Philosopher's Stone."

Ron chimed in, "Hmph, I've always said Old Bat isn't a good guy. You didn't believe me a few months ago, but now you know, right?"

"Alright, Ron, there's no point in saying that now."

Harry rubbed his forehead; for some reason, the scar started to hurt again. He endured the discomfort and looked at Hermione: "Quirok will probably make his move soon. What should we do now?"

He hoped that his smartest friend could come up with some ideas.

But Hermione seemed not to hear, remaining completely dazed.

"Hermione?"

"Oh..." Hermione finally responded, indicating she was listening. She thought for a moment and asked, "Are you sure Snape threatened Quirrell?"

"Of course, I heard it with my own ears, is there a problem?"

"...No, I was just thinking, before Ferrenser told us that Quirrell was the Man of Mystic, why did Snape still dare to threaten him?"

"What's so strange about that?" Ron said nonchalantly. "Prophecies are usually rhetorically crafted, full of mysticism and shrouded in mystery. Ferrenzer also said that the mysterious man is in a bad situation. Perhaps Quirrell obtained a dark magic item containing his remnant soul, which is why the prophecy considers him one with it."

He makes a lot of sense. Of the three, he is the only one who comes from the magical world and knows the most about all kinds of magical legends and stories.

Hermione didn't argue, saying, "That's actually good news. At least until dawn, we don't have to worry about Quirrell stealing the Philosopher's Stone."

"Huh? Why?" Harry asked, bewildered.

"This shows that Quirrell and Snape are not on the same page. Snape doesn't know the true situation of the Man of the Void, and Quirrell is hiding things from him. This is a clear sign of distrust. How could Quirrell immediately believe and act on the plans of someone he doesn't trust?"

Hermione shrugged. "I think Quirrell will definitely try to find out if Dumbledore has really left Hogwarts, but whatever his method is, whether he asks or probes, he can only wait until daytime, unless he is willing to take the same risks as last year."

what--

Hearing her say that, Harry and Ron felt their anxiety immediately ease.

Quirrell certainly won't take the same risks as last year, otherwise he wouldn't have remained in seclusion for several months.

Harry slammed his fist in excitement: "That means we still have a few hours."

"What can you do in a few hours?" Ron's mood had improved, but he wasn't as optimistic as he thought. "Sigh, that treacherous old bat destroyed the Floo Network. Otherwise, we could have used it to send a message to the Ministry of Magic."

"Can't we use an owl?"

"Don't joke around, Harry. By the time the owl delivers the letter, it will be too late."

Nothing worked, nothing worked, and Harry grew increasingly agitated. He chewed on his nails for a moment, then said fiercely, "If we can't think of anything else, then we'll do it ourselves! Quirrell wants the Philosopher's Stone, right? We'll take it from him!"

Looking at Harry, Ron's eyes widened in admiration for his wild imagination: "Are you crazy?"

"What else can we do? Are we just going to wait for hours, or even a whole day, watching Quirrell confirm Dumbledore's absence, then casually pick up the Philosopher's Stone and cure Voldemort?"

"No, that's impossible... that's too dangerous..."

Ron said in a panic, looking at Hermione, hoping that his usually calm and rational friend could help him persuade Harry.

But Hermione simply kept her head down, lost in her own thoughts.

Phoenix Tears, Resurrection...

Why did Vaughn ask Fruit Tea to give him these things? And exactly three bottles?

Thinking about it further, this wasn't the first time Vaughn had given her strange items. He had previously given her some potions that could prevent poison or fire, as well as a tape recorder that recorded unicorn language.

It was as if... he had foreseen something.

Hermione was well aware that Vaughn had a poor talent for divination. The astronomy professor had commented on their papers more than once, regretfully and euphemistically saying that the two of them lacked spirituality in divination.

So, if it wasn't a prophecy, does it mean that Vaughn knew this day would come? That he knew she might be in danger one day, and for some reason, he couldn't be there to explain, which is why he sent her this gift?

Let's expand on this further... Were Vaughn, Dumbledore, and Professor McGonagall really transferred away by Snape using his so-called connections within the Ministry of Magic?

She knew that Vaughn had complained more than once that Snape was a "nerd" who had been a Potions Master for more than ten years but hadn't even earned a Level 3 Merlin Medal, and was not as good as a lousy writer.

That lousy author is Gilderoy Lockhart. Two months ago, he lavishly praised the Werewolf Affairs Committee in the newspaper, saying that Vaughn had done what he had always wanted to do, and promoted his book, "Wandering with Werewolves."

Vaughn was very unhappy about this and told her that he would convene the Order of Merlin and Wizengamo to re-examine Lockhart's 3rd Class medal when he had time.

That was the first time Hermione had ever seen Vaughn dislike someone so much.

"Snape had no connection to the Ministry of Magic. He deceived Quirrell. Vaughn and Dumbledore left voluntarily. So their purpose..."

The girl meticulously analyzed all the suspicious points and clues, arriving at a conclusion that chilled her to the bone and left her bewildered: "...Are they trying to lure Quirrell into stealing the Philosopher's Stone?"

Hermione was in a state of confusion. Of course she believed Vaughn and Dumbledore, but why did they do this?

In her opinion, Dumbledore could have easily captured Quirrell, or even Voldemort, so why did he go through all that trouble?

Just then, a commotion broke out around her, and Hermione snapped back to reality to hear Harry and Ron arguing.

"Don't you understand, Ron? If Quirrell gets the Philosopher's Stone, Voldemort will return..."

"Don't call that person by their name, Harry!"

"Why can't we call out?" Harry's face flushed red. "Yes, he's terrifying, everyone's scared, and I'm scared too. Tonight in the Forbidden Forest, when I found out that my fate was intertwined with his, I was too frightened to speak. But... but will fear and running away solve the problem? If we let Quirrell steal the Philosopher's Stone because we're scared, will Voldemort let us go when he comes back?"

"Ron, you grew up in the wizarding world. You know better than us how insane he was and how much harm he caused to wizards. Remember? The deaths of my parents, my loved ones, and Neville's parents going insane—it was all because of him!"

"It's not a question of danger anymore. Once Voldemort returns, where will we be safe? Would you rather kneel at his feet and kiss his robes?"

"I can't do it! No matter how scared I am, I won't!"

These words left Ron speechless and his face flushed red.

He grew up listening to the legends of Voldemort, which included not only the powerful Dark Lord but also the ruthless Death Eaters under his command. He even knew that his mother's two older brothers, Gideon and Fabian, had died fighting the Death Eaters.

Hermione also looked at Harry, amazed that he could speak so clearly and logically.

However, it was still too reckless.

In the past, she would not have agreed to such a crazy thing as trying to steal the Philosopher's Stone from Quirrell. The three of them were just first-year students. How could they possibly stand up to an adult wizard?

but……

"I agree with Harry; we can't let Quirrell get the Philosopher's Stone!"

Hermione, you…

Hermione ignored their surprised expressions and reached into her handbag to touch the three bottles of Phoenix Tears inside.

The reason she suddenly agreed was not because of them, but because it suddenly occurred to her...

Perhaps Vaughn and Dumbledore deliberately left so that Harry and Quirrell could clash?

At least, she believed Vaughn wouldn't harm her!

Ron looked at Harry, then at Hermione, and sighed, "I always thought that if I ever died, it would be Fred and George who killed me. I never imagined that what they hadn't even finished would be beaten to it by you guys!"

Having just vented his anger and his righteous indignation subsided, Harry realized his attitude was inappropriate and awkwardly said, "Ron, I understand your fear, you don't have to..."

"No!"

Ron interrupted him, "We're friends. How could I watch you two go and die like idiots? No matter what difficulties we face, we should face them together!"

"Ron..."

"Harry..."

The two called out to each other with deep emotion, almost to the point of tears.

Looking around, Hermione suddenly felt a little superfluous...

……

Harry suggested they should head to the fourth floor immediately and get the Philosopher's Stone before Quirrell.

But Hermione did not agree this time.

"Dumbledore redesigned the mechanism, and the information you overheard confirms this. Cerberus is no longer here, and we know absolutely nothing about the mechanism now. If we rush in, no one knows what will happen."

"So what should we do?"

"Of course, we'll have Quirrell scout ahead for us." Hermione said confidently, regaining command. "Go back and rest first. During the day, keep an eye on Quirrell. He'll definitely try to find out if Dumbledore has left. When he decides to make his move, we'll follow him."

"How are we supposed to monitor them? Wear an invisibility cloak all day?" Ron asked, habitually finding fault.

Hermione rolled her eyes at him: "I'll ask Fruit Tea for help, and of course, it would be even better if Ronald's fat rat could behave."

Ron protested, "It's not a fat rat, its name is Scabbers, and I'm warning you, you'd better not bring fruit tea to the Gryffindor Tower!"

"snort!"

Ultimately, amidst their bickering and arguing, Harry reluctantly agreed to Hermione's suggestion—Ron was too unreliable, and he could only trust Hermione.

Back in his dorm room, Ron, who had seemed terrified earlier, started snoring as soon as his head hit the pillow.

Brave Harry, however, tossed and turned, unable to sleep, his mind racing with thoughts of why the centaurs called him and Voldemort twins of destiny, and what the specific proverb was.

I wonder what the mechanism Dumbledore used to protect the Philosopher's Stone would look like.

He finally managed to fall asleep just before dawn, but then, as if he had only closed his eyes for a moment, he was woken up again by Ron.

When he woke up, the sun was already up, and Ron said, full of energy, that he had worried all night.

Looking dejected and sporting dark circles under his eyes, Harry didn't want to talk.

He was somewhat annoyed that he always suffered from insomnia whenever something happened, and even more worried that his current state might hinder their operation today.

Fortunately, Hermione, who was waiting for them in the common room, gave him a bottle of euphoria.

"I knew you'd have trouble sleeping. This is what Vaughn gave me before, and it works great."

The effect is indeed fantastic.

After drinking it, Harry immediately beamed with joy, all his worries vanished, and he didn't even want to care about Quirrell anymore. All he wanted was to go boating on the Black Lake, take a walk in the Forbidden Forest, and enjoy the beauty of the world.

Ron and Hermione had to drag him to Madam Pomfrey, who scolded them and forced Harry to drink several bottles of potions through his mouth to suppress the effects of the euphoric potion.

On the way to the dining hall after leaving the school hospital, Harry was still shaken: "The terrible effects of the potion, and the smell of Madam Pomfrey's potion, were even worse than Quirrell's garlic scarf!"

Hermione didn't want to make that kind of analogy: "What have you been thinking about all night?"

"Too many..." Harry sighed. "Did they ask Fruit Tea for help? We have to keep an eye on him the whole day. Once he's sure Dumbledore is gone, he'll definitely start making his move."

Fruit Tea was willing to help, and Hermione only contributed two packets of dried fish.

However, it was of little use, because as soon as the trio entered the restaurant, they discovered that the entire school knew that Dumbledore had left.

"Vaughn Weasley and Dumbledore are meeting with Ilvermorny's representative at the Ministry of Magic late at night! Merlin, late at night?"

"Maybe that means the time difference hasn't been adjusted?"

"What's Iphamonie? A magic school? Good heavens, I always thought Hogwarts was the only school in the world!"

"Idiot, do you think the world you're talking about only includes England, Scotland, and Ireland?"

Everyone was engrossed in discussing the freshly printed Daily Prophet, and the trio noticed that Professor Quirrell was also reading the newspaper.

The pages that had already been turned over now featured their front-page headlines, showing Vaughn and Dumbledore smiling broadly, posing with a middle-aged man.

For some reason, I always felt that the middle-aged man had darker dark circles under his eyes than Harry, and his smile looked very bitter.

"Wolfsbane Potion and the Werewolf Affairs Committee are now attracting worldwide attention. Mr. Josiah Potter, representing Ilfamoni, highly praises Mr. Vaughn Weasley, believing that his two initiatives have profoundly influenced the magical landscape worldwide, especially in North America."

"The werewolf problem has always been a serious threat to the North American wizarding world. A large part of the tension between North American wizards and Muggles is due to the werewolf infestation. Now, I see hope for a resolution to this problem," Josiah Potter commented.

"It is understood that the North American wizarding world is currently in turmoil. In that land, the once infamous Salem anti-witch movement has been revived. The Magical Congress has had to use harsh measures to strengthen their determination to protect the Act of Secrecy, but this has also led to a large number of Muggle-born wizards standing on the opposite side."

"The shadow of war seems to be looming over North America."

"At this very moment, Ilfamoni has sent a representative to invite Mr. Vaughn Weasley to visit him for academic purposes during the summer vacation. It seems that he hopes to use the werewolf issue as a breakthrough to peacefully resolve the dispute and end the war. This is the most significant international invitation since Mr. Vaughn Weasley established the Werewolf Affairs Committee."

The trio rushed to the Gryffindor table, borrowed newspapers from their classmates, and published a detailed front-page report on the meeting.

"Hey Harry, this guy also has the last name Potter!" Ron said, pointing to Josiah Potter's name with surprise.

Harry didn't care much; he was more interested in "Evermony".

Like most Muggle-born young wizards, this was the first time he had ever learned that there were other magical societies and magic schools in the world.

Such questions are usually Hermione's moment to shine, and this time was no exception. She explained to her two friends, "Evermorny is a magic school in America. It is said that its founder longed for Hogwarts when she was young, but for various reasons she was unable to enroll. After being stranded in North America, she eventually created Evermorny based on the Hogwarts model."

"I heard there are four houses there too, and even the Sorting Ceremony is very similar to Hogwarts."

Listening to her explanation, Ron asked in bewilderment, "Where did you learn all these secrets?"

Hermione raised her neck like a swan: "The American edition of 'A History of Magic,' Ronald, that huge book was our main textbook for grades 1, 2, and 3. I think if you hadn't been playing all the time and had flipped through it more often, you could have found these 'secrets' too!"

"you……"

"Alright, you two," Harry stopped them, giving them a wink to look towards the professors' table. "Quirok has finished his meal and looks like he's about to leave."

The two looked over and saw that Quirrell had indeed put away his newspaper, pushed aside his plate, and was talking to Professor Flitwick, who was sitting next to him.

Ron lowered his voice, wary, and asked, "Could Professor Flitwick be one of his accomplices?"

"Suspicious!" Hermione rolled her eyes at him, looked for a moment, then suddenly got up and walked towards the professor's seat.

Harry and Ron were startled. They wanted to stop her, but were afraid of making a commotion and attracting more attention, so they could only watch nervously as Hermione ran to the professors' table.

In the noisy restaurant, only her sweet voice could be faintly heard:

"Professor Quirrell, Professor Flitwick, I'm not very familiar with the 'Salem anti-witch movement' mentioned in the newspapers. Could you please...?"

"Merlin, has she gone mad? What is she trying to do?"

Ron suddenly understood what Ferrenze meant by the ostrich mentality yesterday. Now, he just wanted to shove his face into a plate so he wouldn't have to see the foolish Hermione get hit by the Dark Wizard's Killing Curse.

Of course, it never happened.

Hermione exchanged a few words with Quirrell and Flitwick, then bowed and returned unharmed.

Looking at the trembling Harry and Ron, she snorted: "Quirok will probably make his move during lunch break. Keep an eye out, and we'll hide nearby and follow him in."

Harry stammered, "How...how did you know?"

"Some conversational skills, Harry. I'll pretend I don't know anything about the Salem Anti-Witchcraft Movement and ask Quirrell and Professor Flitwick to explain. This historical event was caused by a variety of factors, and it can't be explained in just a few words. Therefore, I request to ask them separately in private."

"This is in line with my usual way of seeking knowledge, and Professor Flitwick immediately agreed, but Quirrell said he needed to take a lunch break and asked me to come to his office later."

At this point, the girl said smugly, "See, he determined his timing so easily—I don't believe he'd be in the mood for a nap knowing Dumbledore wasn't at school!"

Harry and Ron were dumbfounded, and suddenly felt that Hermione was incredibly intelligent, brave, and great at this moment!

At least neither of them could think of such a way to test her, nor could they do what she did, smiling and calmly in front of Quirrell.

The two looked at each other, speechless, and inexplicably felt as if they were of little use.

……

Ministry of Magic, Division of International Magical Exchange and Cooperation.

In the spacious drawing room, Vaughn and Dumbledore were having lunch with Ilvermorny's representative. Mr. Potter, sporting heavy dark circles under his eyes, listlessly stirred the "British cuisine" on his plate with his spoon, forcing himself to speak with great enthusiasm:

"...I have a deep connection with England. Did you two notice my surname? That's right, I share the same family as your famous Harry Potter, Lynfred of Stinchcomb. He is our common ancestor. It wasn't until about 300 years ago that our branch separated from England and crossed the ocean to America."

"Life in the New World is not good. North America is full of Puritans and Purgers. The former are extreme Muggles brainwashed by religion, and the latter are the descendants of despicable wizard hunters. In order to fight against their persecution, my great-great-great-grandfather, Mr. Abraham Potter, became one of the first twelve Aurors of the Magical Congress..."

"Those were 12 great and respectable men who protected wizards from harm in that hellish land. They fought their entire lives, but only two of them enjoyed their later years in peace; the rest perished in the brutal war… that hateful war!"

Josiah Potter wiped his eyes emotionally, then looked at Dumbledore expectantly: "I heard Harry Potter has enrolled. I wonder if I'll have the honor of visiting him at Hogwarts? He's the only one left in the main line; how pitiful!"

Dumbledore smiled and politely declined, saying, "Harry is just an ordinary child, Potter..."

"Call me Josiah, dear Dumbledore!"

"Okay, Josiah, like I said, Harry is not an adult yet. The title of 'savior' is just a term of endearment used by everyone. In reality, he is just an ordinary little wizard who can't help you at all, and it's impossible for him to affect the important matters."

"If you are truly sincere in inviting Vaughn, I suggest you consider Vaughn's opinion more carefully, instead of always trying to please a useless old man like me!"

Josiah Potter glanced at Vaughn after hearing Dumbledore's rather blunt words.

In the analysis of Iphamoni and some departments of the Magical Congress, they did not believe that the wolfsbane potion was developed by a 12-year-old child.

Not to mention that the 12-year-old was also a political strategist, even defeating Cornelius Fudge, who had been in politics for many years.

It is widely believed that Vaughn Weasley was actually Dumbledore's mouthpiece, a puppet that allowed the White Lord to remain behind the scenes and vie for power!

That's why Ilfamoni deliberately chose Josiah Potter when selecting a representative—everyone knows that Harry Potter is Dumbledore's darling.

Even though Dumbledore made it clear at that moment, Josiah only thought that the other party was deliberately avoiding suspicion.

As a seasoned politician, he naturally wouldn't show any unusual reaction. Instead, he continued Dumbledore's words, smiling as he said to Vaughn, "I'm sorry, Mr. Weasley, I didn't mean to ignore your opinion. As I told your country's journalists, I have a great admiration for you and sincerely invite you to raise any opinions you may have. We will certainly give them our full consideration!"

Ha, diplomatic language, all bureaucratic jargon!

Vaughn gave a half-smile, saying that his so-called "all-out consideration" was basically just empty talk; take it with a grain of salt, and anyone who takes it seriously is a fool.

So he didn't want to waste any more words and politely replied, "I have no objection, nor do I think there's anything to discuss. Mr. Josiah Potter, let's end lunch here. I suggest you learn more about the English magical world recently, and first confirm who invented the wolfsbane potion and who founded the Werewolf Affairs Committee."

"If you still don't grasp the main point at our next meeting, then I regret to inform you that I have no chance with Iphamoni!"

After saying this, he got up and left, and Dumbledore followed him with a smile. Also leaving with him were high-ranking officials from the Department of International Magical Exchange and Cooperation of the Ministry of Magic.

In the blink of an eye, only Josiah Porter remained in the huge drawing room, his expression one of astonishment, unable to maintain his elegant demeanor any longer.

Stepping out of the drawing room, Dumbledore flicked his fingers, casting a spell around him and Vaughn to ensure their conversation would not be leaked:

"Don't be sad, darling. People always have some prejudice against age, subconsciously questioning the young while blindly believing in the old."

"I'm not upset," Vaughn said calmly. "I was just using him as an excuse anyway. I don't care what he thinks. Even if we talk about real things later, the power is still in my hands—they need me, not the other way around!"

Dumbledore nodded and said nothing more; Vaughn had always maintained a good attitude.

He then turned to the real issue: "The news published in the Daily Prophet should have already spread throughout Hogwarts. When do you think Quirinus will make his move?"

"Lunch break!" Vaughn said confidently.

Dumbledore laughed heartily: "Just as I thought. So, child, what is your reason?"

"What else could it be? Quirrell is already a nervous wreck. Voldemort is like a giant leech, sucking his life out of him. In his current state, he has no ability to make any more mistakes. Even if he's desperate, he has to be as cautious as possible, because he only has this one chance left!"

As he listened, Dumbledore's smile gradually faded, and he sighed.

He still couldn't get over Quirrell's downfall, and this trial, whether successful or not, marked the end of his former student's life.

Although this is the fate that those who help the demon king do evil deserve, it is still inevitable for an old person to feel sad when their child is outlived.

He didn't say much after that, just wandered around the Ministry of Magic, and Vaughn silently accompanied him.

Until one moment, the two suddenly felt a connection—

The door to the trial space was opened.

The long-prepared puzzles and challenges are about to welcome their first batch of "guests"!

……

On a hot summer afternoon, the air is so stuffy that it makes you want to drowsily sleep.

Wearing invisibility cloaks and hiding at the entrance to the fourth-floor checkpoint, Harry, Ron, and Hermione had to dilute a bottle of euphoria with water, sharing a cup among themselves, just to barely fight off their drowsiness.

Harry's condition was more serious, after all, he hadn't rested well, and the boring wait made his eyelids feel like they were weighed down with lead.

In a state between dreaming and waking, a violent shaking suddenly woke him up.

Harry opened his bloodshot eyes and saw Ron pushing him with his lips tightly pursed, but his gaze was fixed on the Invisibility Cloak. He followed his gaze and saw Quirrell, wearing a hooded black robe and looking haggard, walking hurriedly towards him.

He was very alert, and would sometimes suddenly stop and turn around to make sure no one was following him.

However, his anxiety still affected his judgment. When he reached the door of the entrance room where the three-headed dog was originally kept, he was only 3-5 centimeters away from the trio hiding there.

The three of them had to cover their mouths tightly to avoid coughing, sneezing or other unexpected situations.

They watched silently as Quirrell opened the door and went inside. They immediately stood up, ignoring the soreness and numbness in their legs from sitting for so long, and stumbled after him, wearing invisibility cloaks.

Before entering, Harry had almost no knowledge or concept of the mechanisms protecting the Philosopher's Stone.

In the past, he only knew that the first level was Hagrid's three-headed dog. Now, Dumbledore has canceled the three-headed dog level and all the mechanisms have been redone. The seemingly small room contains a great deal of unknowns.

On the way here, he, Ron, and Hermione had discussed the function of the mechanism.

Ron believed that inside were some ancient iron or bronze golems, incredibly strong and invulnerable to weapons, which were the tools that wizards used to fight Muggles hundreds of years ago.

Hermione thought there might be "intellectual challenges" inside, designed to test the intruder's intelligence.

Harry doesn't know who's right.

Just as they followed Quirrell, pushed open the door, and felt as if they had stepped into empty space, plummeting downwards, Harry suddenly realized that they were all wrong.

"Ugh—"

Harry, who had been falling for an unknown amount of time and whose mind had been blank for an unknown amount of time, felt solid beneath his feet again, and everything before him had changed.

Before him lay an enormous, dazzlingly luxurious hall.

He stood alone in the hall like a tiny ant; Hermione, Ron, and Quirrell, who had come in earlier, were all nowhere to be seen.

Only a stone tablet stood silently before him, towering as if it could pierce through the endless dome.

A faint light shimmered on the stone tablet. Harry impatiently wiped his glasses, looked closely, and discovered that the glowing part had several lines of text engraved on it:

"Welcome to the Trial Space!"

Please follow these rules:

"First, magic is not allowed here."

(End of this chapter)