The wheelchair-bound warrior is speedrunning Hogwarts.

Author's note: Actually, Vera decided to act ahead of schedule because Voldemort mentioned Hermione.

Chapter 129 If you keep being arrogant, you'll lose your wife.

The three arrived at the dormitory, where Vera briefly recounted how they had just been attacked by Quirrell at the edge of the Forbidden Forest, how Professor McGonagall had arrived in time, and how Dumbledore had learned of the incident.

The details of her actively guiding Professor McGonagall to that area were omitted, and it was simply said to be a coincidence.

"...The Imperius Curse?!" Hermione gasped, her face instantly turning as pale as Vera's.

Seeing that Harley still looked a little confused, she quickly explained, "That's one of the three Unforgivable Curses, Harley. The scar on your forehead... was caused by another Unforgivable Curse."

Although Hermione's tone became quite tactful towards the end, Harley still understood.

Her face changed almost instantly; she jumped to her feet, her voice trembling with anger, "Quirok! How could he! How dare he! I'm going to find him—"

"Harley! Calm down!" Hermione pulled her back just in time, even though her own hands were trembling slightly.

"Professor Dumbledore already knows, and he'll handle it. Going to Quirrell now will only cause trouble, and it could even be dangerous!"

Hermione used almost all her strength to hug her and explained things to her word by word.

“That’s right,” Vera gently grasped Harley’s clenched fist, her hands now ice-cold. “The headmaster promised to resolve all of this, so we’re being a little more cautious now.”

Harley's chest heaved violently, her eyes filled with resentment.

But in the end, she slowly sat down, grasped Vera's hand tightly in return, and choked back tears with fear in her voice: "If... if Professor McGonagall hadn't made it..."

“She’s here.” Vera squeezed her hand back, trying to transfer some warmth to her. “I’m fine.”

Harley didn't say anything; she just held Vera's hand tightly, as if afraid she would suddenly disappear.

Hermione frowned, pacing back and forth in the room. "No matter what, this is insane! A professor using an Unforgivable Curse on a student..."

“Professor McGonagall said they would handle it,” Vera repeated softly, trying to ease the tension. “All we can do now is follow their instructions and be more careful.”

Harley jerked her head up: "Careful? That's not enough! Vera, he's got his eye on you! We can't go on alone anymore, not ever!"

She stood up and said in an unquestionable tone, "From today onwards, we must go everywhere together! To class, to meals, to the library... even to shower and sleep!"

Her cheeks flushed slightly, but her eyes showed no sign of wavering. "We must look after each other until...that madman is caught!"

Hermione stopped and nodded seriously: "Harley is right, this is not the time for jokes."

Vera blinked a few times, and seeing their tense expressions, her heart skipped a beat.

Strange, did you feel guilty for comforting the child?

“Okay,” she sighed in resignation, “but you must promise me that you will never provoke him.”

If you encounter any suspicious situation, notify the professor immediately, or... at least the three of us need to be together to act.

“No problem!” Harley was the first to reply.

“I agree.” Hermione nodded.

Vera secretly breathed a sigh of relief and was about to turn her wheelchair when Harley anxiously stopped her: "Where are you going this time!"

She paused for a moment, then turned to look at her with a hint of helplessness: "I'm going to take a shower."

Harry's face flushed red instantly. She quickly let go of his hand and stammered, "Oh, oh! Okay, then... then Hermione and I will wait for you outside!"

Vera found it somewhat amusing to see the two of them so nervous, as if she herself was about to be attacked in the bathroom.

"Don't worry," she reassured softly, "it's in the dorm room, it's very safe."

No matter how depraved Voldemort was, he couldn't break through the restrictions and enter the girls' dormitory.

As the sound of running water filled the bathroom, Vera stood up and let the hot water wash over her.

Instead of Quirrell and Voldemort, who had temporarily fled, she was now thinking about something else equally important—Dumbledore.

She and Dumbledore had only had one brief encounter before, at the university hospital, and things had been peaceful.

But this time... from beginning to end, Dumbledore never asked Quirrell why he chose to attack her.

It's not about victim-blaming, but every event has a cause.

She guessed that Dumbledore probably knew about the existence of the little dragon, after all, Hagrid's previous behavior had been too obvious.

But Dumbledore didn't ask, and that in itself was an attitude.

Perhaps he had already realized that she was not entirely passive in this matter, but he did not raise any questions.

Is it because she is close to Harley that she was able to gain this little bit of trust?

However, he said he didn't expect things to develop this way... Is that true?

She couldn't guess.

Vera closed her eyes, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the star bracelet Harley had given her on her wrist. The warm metallic touch calmed her chaotic thoughts a little.

"Vera? Are you alright?" Harley's voice came through the door, filled with obvious anxiety.

“I’m fine, I’ll be right out,” Vera called out, quickening her pace.

She quickly turned off the tap, dried herself off, and looked at herself in the mirror.

Her long, silver-gray hair clung damply to her neck, and the warm moisture brought some color back to her pale cheeks.

In any case, Quirrell has been completely exposed, and it will be difficult for him to return to Hogwarts now to take the opportunity to harm Harry or Hermione.

This is the result she wanted.

She didn't care what others thought.

As for the end-of-term test about the Philosopher's Stone... well, she'll be with Harley anyway.

When Vera finally changed her clothes and pushed her wheelchair out, Harry and Hermione were indeed still guarding the door, like two guardian deities.

"All done washing?" Harley immediately stepped forward, scrutinizing her closely, as if to make sure every single strand of her hair was intact.

"Hmm." Vera nodded, somewhat amused, and even went so far as to lift a corner of her nightgown to reveal her fair waist and abdomen, just to put their minds at ease. "Do you need me to check?"

Harley's face instantly turned as red as a ripe tomato, even her ears turned crimson.

She hurriedly looked away and stammered, "No, no need! I'm just glad you're alright!"

Hermione couldn't help but chuckle and shook her head: "Harley, you're too nervous, but it's always good to be cautious."

She stepped forward, naturally took the towel from Vera's hand, and helped her dry her still dripping hair. "Use the spell, quickly, so she doesn't catch a cold."

“Okay.” Vera nodded obediently.

That night, the atmosphere in the dormitory was unusually different.

Not long after the curfew began, Particle heard Harley tossing and turning across the street.

“Harley,” Vera whispered to her, “go to sleep.”

Harry quietly got up, grabbed her pillow, and walked barefoot onto the carpet to Vera's bedside.

Under the moonlight, her green eyes were filled with lingering fear and stubborn worry.

“I can’t sleep,” she whispered, her voice pleading. “Vera, can I…sleep here?”

Vera looked at the little savior standing by the bed, who looked exceptionally thin and uneasy, and her heart softened. She moved to the inside of the bed and lifted a corner of the blanket.

"Tonight only," she said softly.

Although she seems to have said this once before.

Harley's eyes lit up instantly, and she quickly slipped inside, carefully lying down beside her, trying not to touch her legs.

The bed was spacious enough for the two eleven-year-old girls, but the warmth and faint scent of soap emanating from Harley were still undeniable.

She lay stiffly for a while, and only when she felt Harley's breathing gradually become steady and long did her tense nerves slowly relax.

Just when she thought Harley was asleep, she felt a warm hand quietly reach out and gently grasp her hand placed at her side, its fingers firmly wedging into hers.

Vera was slightly taken aback, but did not break free.

“I will protect you, Vera.” Harley’s voice was heavy with sleepiness, muffled yet unusually firm, like a solemn vow. “I promise.”

Vera felt as if something had gently bumped into her heart, and a bittersweet feeling spread through her.

She was silent for a moment, then finally took Harley's hand and whispered, "Mmm."

The moonlight streamed gently through the window. Knox had returned sometime earlier, lightly leaping onto the foot of the bed and curling up at their feet, emitting soft, contented snores.

At this moment, all the conspiracies, dangers, and schemes seemed to temporarily fade away.

Vera closed her eyes, feeling the warmth of the other person beside her and the strength emanating from their clasped hands, and felt a long-lost sense of security.

Perhaps, relying on others occasionally isn't so bad.

……

The next morning in the Great Hall, looking at the young wizards who were completely unaware of the current situation, Dumbledore slowly stood up.

"Good morning, everyone. I apologize for disturbing your breakfast on such a beautiful morning, but I must announce an urgent notice."

His voice, carried clearly through the magic, echoed in every corner of the Great Hall: "Our Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Quirinus Quirrell, will be leaving Hogwarts for medical treatment due to health reasons."

During this period, the Defense Against the Dark Arts course will be temporarily taught by other professors.

A buzz of discussion instantly filled the auditorium as students whispered among themselves, their faces filled with surprise and curiosity.

"Physical reasons?" Harley leaned closer and whispered a disgruntled complaint to Vera, "That's a really vague reason."

As soon as she finished speaking, Dumbledore's gaze inadvertently swept over the Gryffindor table, lingering on their location for an extremely brief moment.

It was so fast it was almost an illusion, but Vera felt the weight of that gaze.

She silently squeezed Harley's hand: "It's okay, this is fine."

In any case, Hogwarts is an operating school that caters to students and parents.

If news broke at this time that "a professor used an unforgivable curse on a student," parents would probably rush into the school to pick up their children immediately, and the Ministry of Magic's investigation would cause the school a huge headache.

Using health reasons as an excuse, the problem with Quirrell was temporarily resolved while maintaining the stability of the school, which is indeed the safest approach at present.

"Quiet," Dumbledore's gentle voice rang out again. "With finals approaching, I hope everyone can focus their energy on their studies."

During this period, the school will organize professors and Mr. Filch to increase patrols throughout the school.

To ensure you have a pleasant summer vacation, please abide by the school rules… Now, enjoy your meal.

"So... Quirrell just disappeared like that? The headmaster isn't going to pursue this?" Harley gripped the spoon tightly, her face remaining tense.

Vera gently stirred the oatmeal in her bowl, her eyes lowered: "At least he left Hogwarts, which is a good thing for us."

“Yes, Harley,” Hermione whispered, “and this might lower Quirrell’s guard; he hasn’t been caught yet.”

She looked up at Harry, who was still sulking. "Don't be like that, Harry. You don't want Hogwarts to close down because of Quirrell, do you?"

Harley was stunned. She turned to look at Vera, hesitated for a long time, and then turned her head away and whispered, "I just feel sorry for you."

How could she not hate her best friend who was targeted by a bad guy like Quirrell and almost fell victim to his scheme?

“Yes, I know.” Vera unconsciously smiled and gently stroked her hand. “Thank you, Harry.”

For some reason, even though the temperature on the back of her hand was warm, Harley's cheeks turned even redder.

She lowered her head, poking at the sausage on her plate with her fork, and muttered softly, "What's there to thank me for..."

Hermione looked at the two of them, sighed silently, and pushed the jam jar on the table: "Eat up, we still have Transfiguration class later. Professor McGonagall won't lower her standards for us just because of what happened yesterday."

Breakfast ended quietly in a somewhat somber but subtly tense atmosphere.

In the following days, Hogwarts seemed to have truly returned to its usual tranquility, though there was a subtle tension in the air.

Professors could be seen patrolling the corridors from time to time, and Filch became even more suspicious, scrutinizing every move of the students.

Vera, on the other hand, truly felt the strength of Harley and Hermione's "close protection".

They were practically inseparable, always together wherever they went.

Harley even insisted on squeezing into Vera's bed every night, despite Vera's repeated assurances that she was really fine and that the bed was indeed a bit cramped for two people.

"This is a strategic necessity!" Harley would always say emphatically, then lie down with her pillow in her arms and fall asleep quickly, as if being with Vera gave her a great sense of security.

Knox seemed to tacitly approve of this, often curling up at Harley's feet or next to her pillow.

As for Hermione, she discovered the two of them sleeping together on the first morning.

But when Harley asked her if she wanted to take turns sleeping with Vera, she refused.