The wheelchair-bound warrior is speedrunning Hogwarts.

Vera raised an eyebrow, but didn't press the matter further. Instead, she said, "Then I'll trouble you to prepare some decorating materials for us."

Hagrid visibly relaxed and immediately agreed enthusiastically: "No problem! I'll go tomorrow... um, I'll go now."

Seeing Vera and Harley's questioning looks, Hagrid added somewhat awkwardly, "It gets dark early these days, so it's safer to go early. You two—"

“We’ll wait for you here,” Vera calmly replied, “and we’ll look after the house for you.”

Hagrid hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded: "Alright, but don't wander off! And don't go into the Forbidden Forest. I'll be back soon."

He hurriedly put on a thick coat, picked up an axe and a basket, and, holding Ya Ya's hand, strode towards the forbidden forest.

Harley watched Hagrid's figure disappear into the shadows of the trees and couldn't help but mutter to herself, "He's been acting vague lately... like he's hiding something from us."

Vera pushed her wheelchair to the window, her gaze thoughtfully sweeping over every corner of the cabin: "Perhaps they're busy with some secret project."

Her gaze eventually settled on a large wooden chest beside the fireplace—from which a faint warmth emanated.

Harley followed her gaze and stood up curiously: "What's that?"

Before Vera could stop her, Harley had already strode over to the box and was examining the wooden crate with great interest.

"I don't think I've seen this box before," she said thoughtfully.

Even so, Harley knew that her owner wasn't home and that she couldn't just open anything in the house, so she just squatted there and looked around curiously.

Vera pushed her wheelchair closer and whispered, "Harley, don't touch Hagrid's things."

Harley stuck out her tongue and withdrew her hand: "I was just curious...this box seems to be getting hot."

Vera nodded: "It must have been enchanted with a heat-preserving spell; it probably contains something that needs to be kept at a constant temperature."

As the two were talking, a dark shadow suddenly flashed past the window—

Harley whirled around, looking warily out the window: "Who's there?"

Vera immediately became alert, her magic circuits activated instantly, and her perception was amplified to the extreme.

She could clearly sense something moving outside the window, and... it carried a chilling magical aura.

"Harley, watch out!" Vera warned in a low voice, while quickly drawing her wand.

Harley immediately drew her wand, and the two stood side by side, watching the window warily.

After a while, heavy footsteps sounded outside the door.

"Kids, you're in luck today!" Hagrid's voice came from outside the door. He then pushed the door open, carrying a basket of fresh holly and mistletoe.

“I found a large patch of holly bushes, and…” Hagrid’s voice trailed off. Seeing Harley and Vera’s tense expressions, he immediately became alert. “What happened?”

Harley breathed a sigh of relief when she saw him return, put down her wand, and said, "We just saw someone outside the window!"

Hagrid's expression immediately turned serious. He put down his basket, strode to the window, and peered outside: "What kind of dark figure is that?"

“I didn’t see clearly,” Vera said softly, “but it felt…not very friendly.”

Hagrid's beard twitched, and his expression turned serious. He picked up the crossbow bolts leaning against the wall and said, "I'm going to check the Forbidden Forest. You all should hurry back to the castle."

Before Harley could say anything more, Vera gently tugged at her sleeve: "Okay, let's go back now."

They left Hagrid's hut.

"It gets dark early these days, so try not to linger outside for too long," he cautioned. "Especially near the Forbidden Forest, stay away from there!"

"Hagrid!" Harley couldn't help but step forward. "Has the guy who hurt the unicorn last time been caught?"

Hagrid's beard twitched, his eyes gleaming: "Anyway... be careful."

Chapter 111 Kicking Quirrell in the Back of the Head

After saying goodbye to Hagrid, Harley pushed Vera into the castle.

Torches had been lit in the corridor, their warm light dispelling the winter chill.

"What do you think was that outside the window just now?" Harley asked in a low voice. "Could it have been that guy who stole the herbs before?"

Vera shook her head: "I can't be sure, Harley, you—"

She looked up at Harley, and upon seeing the eager expression on her face, she almost immediately grabbed her hand: "You don't want to run off to the Forbidden Forest, do you?"

Harley blinked, a hint of embarrassment at being caught red-handed flashing across her face: "I... I just thought we should get to the bottom of this."

“No,” Vera frowned and insisted, “The Forbidden Forest is too dangerous, especially at night. Besides, Hagrid said he would handle it.”

Harley pouted, her green eyes filled with resentment: "But Hagrid is all alone in the Forbidden Forest, I really can't let him go—"

“Hagrid knows the Forbidden Forest a hundred times better than you,” Vera interrupted her. “Besides, he has Tooth with him. Even if we went, we’d only be the ones holding him back.”

Harley bit her lip, clearly still struggling.

"Don't do anything foolish, promise me, okay?" Vera sighed, gently taking her hand and speaking softly.

Harley stared at her for a few seconds, then finally sighed, "Okay, I promise you."

Why can't she do anything about Vera?

Vera then released her hand with satisfaction and gently patted her arm: "Good girl."

Next, they took the decorating materials Hagrid had given them and went straight back to their dormitory to start decorating.

Harley climbed up and down enthusiastically, trying to hang the holly and mistletoe even higher.

Vera strung pine cones and dried cranberries into a wreath, then used a levitation spell to hand it to her.

"Does this look good?" Harley stood on the chair and hung the last of the mistletoe on the door frame.

Vera looked up and smiled, "It's beautiful. Hermione will be very surprised when she sees it."

When Hermione was mentioned, Harley's expression turned somewhat disappointed: "I really wish she could stay for the holidays..."

“She’ll be back soon,” Vera reassured her. “And we can write to her and tell her how we decorated the dorm room.”

Harry nodded and jumped off the chair: "Oh, right, we still need to prepare Christmas presents! Have you thought about what to give them?"

Vera smiled mysteriously: "It's a secret."

“Tell me~” Harley leaned closer, trying to coax him.

But Vera has found a way to control her.

She reached out and pushed the person's face away, avoiding eye contact: "No, it won't be a surprise if I tell you."

Harley pouted: "Fine... then I won't tell you what I've prepared!"

What kind of child is speaking?

Vera couldn't help but chuckle, then looking at Harley's puffed-up little face, she belatedly realized... that they were still children.

The two tidied up for a while until their stomachs started growling, and then they realized it was time to have dinner.

The auditorium was decorated especially lavishly during the Christmas holidays.

Twelve towering Christmas trees were arranged along the long table, and the ceiling was enchanted, with snowflakes falling from time to time, only to disappear before reaching the ground.

Harley pushed Vera to the Gryffindor table, where quite a few people were already sitting.

"You're finally here!" Ron's mouth was stuffed with food. "If you hadn't come soon, the pudding would have been eaten up."

"Oh no! That won't do!" Harley immediately sat down and started frantically grabbing her favorite foods.

Vera smiled without saying a word, slowly serving herself some grilled vegetables and steaks.

After dinner, the students left the auditorium in twos and threes.

Harley was about to go back to the common room with Vera, but Ron stopped her; several of them were planning to go play on the lawn outside the castle.

"I'm a little tired today." Vera shook her head gently, declining Ron's invitation. "You guys have fun, I want to go back and rest first."

Harley hesitated for a moment: "Should I take you home?"

“No need,” Vera smiled and pushed her wheelchair forward. “You guys have fun.”

Back in her quiet dorm room, Vera locked the door and gazed at the dark outline of the Forbidden Forest in the distance.

As expected, the castle gave her another warning—black mist seeped from the castle walls, meandering towards the Forbidden Forest as if it were alive.

Looking at the faint black mist, Vera suddenly realized something.

If Quirrell is still in the Forbidden Forest, then she can pinpoint his exact location using the clues given by Hogwarts, right?

She had just asked Harley to promise she wouldn't go to the Forbidden Forest, and then she herself was preparing to go...

If Harley finds out, who knows how angry she'll get!

For some reason, Vera actually wanted to see that scene.

“Knox,” she called softly.

The silver-grey cat emerged from the shadows and nimbly leaped onto her lap.

“Keep an eye on Harley for me,” Vera said, stroking the cat’s soft fur. “Don’t let her find out I’m not here before I get back.”

Knox tilted his head to look at her, his amber eyes sparkling in the moonlight, and gave a soft "meow" in response.

Vera was relieved. She took out her wand and suddenly remembered the instructions Hermione had given her and Harley before leaving earlier that day. She couldn't help but smile.

It's a pity that the clever and quick-witted Hermione didn't realize that she sometimes loved these adventures even more than Harley.

She waved her wand, and as blue light flowed beneath her skin, a magical phantom materialized almost instantly.

Vera stood up and took a few steps. After her body quickly adjusted, she turned to look at the window next to her, where the cold wind was blowing.

Two minutes later.

She carefully climbed out the window, the night wind brushing against her cheeks, carrying the cold scent of pine needles and snow. She looked down at the dark ground and subconsciously swallowed.

The Gryffindor Tower is quite tall.

However, at this point, taking a straight line is indeed the most time-efficient way.

"Source Reshaping," she murmured, as magic flowed through her body, comprehensively enhancing her balance and agility.

She had tried it at the Room of Requirement during this time, and the Cerberus's jumping ability and mobility were amazing.

Furthermore, this power is suited to a minor like her; if she were to exert her full strength, moving more than ten meters at a time would be no problem.

She gripped the window frame tightly, her gaze quickly sweeping across the various buildings of the castle, and a route suitable for her current situation began to form in her mind.

Then, she let go of her hands and jumped straight down!

With the help of the three-headed dog, her jumping ability far exceeded that of ordinary people. She landed lightly and steadily on the roof directly below the tower, making almost no sound.

Vera straightened up, feeling the cool night breeze on her face, her long hair fluttering freely in the wind.

Looking down at her unaffected legs, she couldn't help but smile. She casually put on and fastened the invisibility cloak, then moved swiftly along the edge of the roof, like a nimble cat.

Although there was a famous saying in her past life, "CT scans never involve looking up," she still chose to wear an invisibility tunic for safety reasons.

While I was running, the night wind blew in mercilessly... it was a bit cold.

The agility and stamina granted by the Cerberus allowed Vera to leap and tumble effortlessly between the various buildings of the castle, as if walking on flat ground.

Soon, she arrived at the edge of the forbidden forest.

It was darker and quieter than I had imagined. Moonlight was fragmented by the dense canopy of trees, dappling the damp ground of the forbidden forest.

The black mist, like a living ribbon, meandered through the dark forest, guiding the way.

Vera held her breath, her fingers gripping her wand tightly beneath her invisibility cloak, and stepped into the Forbidden Forest.

Her field of vision narrowed rapidly after entering the forest, and soon, without any lighting tools, she could only see within five steps in front of her by the moonlight.

She squinted and tried to discern the details for a while, but when she almost stepped on a dead branch that made a creaking sound, she finally had no choice but to activate her visual circuitry.

In an instant, everything around me became clear—

The outlines of trees, the undulations of the ground, and even the faint magical fluctuations in the distance are all clearly visible thanks to the enhanced visual circuitry.

After adjusting to the daytime-like atmosphere for a while, she set off in the direction where the black mist was spreading.

Vera carefully navigated the tangled roots and drooping branches, proceeding with extreme caution with every step.

Soon, she felt the magical fluctuations in the air growing stronger, mixed with that intense, familiar, and unsettling chilling aura.

She narrowed her eyes; it seemed Voldemort and Quirrell were not far ahead.

She took a few more steps forward, then suddenly stopped—footsteps were approaching.

Vera immediately held her breath and hid her body behind the thick tree trunk.