Hogwarts: From Selling White Peppers to Becoming a God

Chapter 278 The Cat Professor Who Was Out of the Circumstances

Professor McGonagall was startled awake by a series of urgent knocks on the door.

"Professor McGonagall, Professor McGonagall..."

She reached for the wand on the bedside table. "Who?"

"It's me, Professor McGonagall. Professor Snape sent me to inform you that something urgent has happened!"

It's Filch.

McGonagall got up, puzzled, quickly put on a robe and her glasses, and opened the door, somewhat displeased. "Mr. Filch, do you know what time it is?"

"I'm sorry, Professor McGonagall, but Professor Snape said it's an emergency."

"What happened, Filch?"

"The fourth-floor corridor... Professor Snape said the fourth-floor corridor was breached, and two students were taken away. I didn't quite catch the details, but he's waiting for you there now."

Fourth floor corridor!

Professor McGonagall snapped to attention. Dumbledore had just left when this incident occurred in the fourth-floor corridor!

"You said two students were taken away, by whom?"

"I don't know, Professor. I still need to wake Professor Flitwick and Professor Sprout... oh, and that big oaf Hagrid... alas, my poor legs..."

Professor McGonagall tensed up immediately. Two students had been taken away? Who was taken away? By whom?

She hurriedly put on a small cap and walked quickly toward the fourth-floor corridor.

Along the way, images of Harry and several other young wizards kept popping into her mind. She had a premonition that today's events were probably related to Harry Potter.

Sure enough, upon arriving at the location, he saw two little wizards huddled in a corner like quails. As expected, they were Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.

"What are you two doing here?" Professor McGonagall demanded sternly. "Where is Professor Snape?"

"Professor, Harry, Harry and Tom have been taken away by Professor Quirrell..." Hermione burst into tears as soon as she saw her. "Professor Quirrell is the one who wants the Philosopher's Stone. He seems to have controlled Tom, and then they took Harry away, and... and the Philosopher's Stone..."

"What?!" Professor McGonagall was shocked. The amount of information in that sentence was so great that it brought a huge shock to the old lady.

What does this have to do with anything?

Why do you know about the Philosopher's Stone?

And why does Quirrell want to take the Philosopher's Stone?

Why did he take Harry away?

What's wrong with Tom?

And the Philosopher's Stone is lost?!

The whole world is following the plot, but Professor Cat is still completely oblivious.

"The Philosopher's Stone is gone," Snape emerged from behind a door at the end of the corridor. "I just checked the traps; most of them have been destroyed. But that's not the most important thing. Professor McGonagall, do you have a way to contact Dumbledore? Quirrell has kidnapped Harry, and that Lucas too; they're in grave danger!"

In fact, he had already communicated with Dumbledore through his Patronus after waking up.

However, he had to consider the worst-case scenario. If Voldemort really did come back to life, he might have to consider continuing to lie low. If he went to inform Dumbledore himself, he might expose his good-guy identity to the Hogwarts professors, which could leave a loophole. It would be more reasonable for Professor McGonagall to inform him.

Moreover, he did not receive a reply from Dumbledore.

"What exactly happened, Severus?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"A bunch of arrogant brats thought they could stop the mysterious man's plan, so they rushed into the trap ahead of time, and they actually got the Philosopher's Stone... Since Dumbledore wasn't here today, I was worried about the safety of the trap, so I came to check it myself and caught them red-handed. But I didn't expect Quirrell to be hiding in the shadows all along. He caught me off guard, knocked me unconscious, and took Harry, Lucas, and the Philosopher's Stone away."

"Quirkrumah must be Voldemort's henchman, Professor McGonagall. Now we must..."

Before he could finish speaking, Filch came hobbling up, panting, "Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape..."

He finally reached them, gasping for breath as he leaned on his knees. "Auror, Auror's here! He told everyone to get three brooms..."

"Three brooms?" Professor McGonagall was baffled; the events of the evening had left her confused.

"The captured little wizard has been found, along with the Quirrell Church, the professor..."

……

Almost all the professors involved in designing the trap, as well as Hagrid, Hermione, Ron, and even Cho Chang, were awakened and led by the Aurors to the Three Broomsticks.

Halfway there, they tried to inquire about the situation, but the Auror leading the way looked very serious and just told them to hurry on their way. "All the school board members, the Minister of Magic, the Auror's Office Director, and the Watchman Commander... half of the Ministry's high-ranking officials are waiting for us."

Professor McGonagall was quite nervous about Auror's words, but fortunately, Auror's next words had a reassuring effect: "Dumbledore is here too."

With Dumbledore around, things are fine; there shouldn't be any major problems.

But what exactly happened?

……

Three Broom Tavern

When Professor McGonagall and his group arrived, the place had already been cleared out. Several wizards dressed in Watchers' uniforms were guarding the outside of the tavern, but they opened the door for them when they saw them coming.

The tavern was packed with people.

Indeed, as the Auror had said, Minister for Magic Barty Crouch, Chief of Staff of the Auror Office Rahim Selwyn, Commander of the Watchmen Winston Robinson, and all twelve members of the Board of Governors were present—almost all the most powerful people in the Ministry of Magic were gathered here.

Professor McGonagall spotted the white-haired old man at the far end of the crowd immediately. "Dumbledore! What happened?"

"Minerva," Dumbledore said, his deep blue eyes looking at her through his glasses, "one of our students appears to be dead."

The student died?

Professor McGonagall did not notice Dumbledore's strange choice of words.

She pushed her way in, and people quickly made way for her.

At the innermost part of the crowd, a circle three or four meters in diameter was set up, with two tables placed together and a boy lying on them.

Lucas Tom Brettson.

His face was pale, one arm looked as if it had been twisted and torn off, and there was a huge wound in his abdomen from which blood slowly seeped out, as if it had already drained away.

"Oh my God." Professor McGonagall covered her mouth, unable to contain her sorrow. "What... what happened?"

It's so tragic. The injuries on this child's body are unimaginable; one can only imagine the torment he has endured.

"Tom!" Hermione and Ron squeezed in, staring in shock at the corpse on the table, speechless for a moment.

"Ugh..." Hermione ran out suddenly, fear and indescribable emotions felt like a hand gripping her stomach, making her feel nauseous for a moment.

Ron, his face ashen, was led out by an Auror. "They're just children! Who let them in!"

"Harry, where's Harry?!" Ron suddenly exclaimed. "Where's Harry? Is he alright?"

He tried to squeeze back into the crowd, but a hand stopped him. "Harry's alright. He hasn't woken up yet. The Aurors are breaking the curse on him."

Ron turned around and saw Professor Murphy looking at him wearily. "When he wakes up later, comfort him. Tell him it wasn't his fault."

(End of this chapter)