Daily News: The Prophet of Hogwarts

Chapter 24 One Night with Quirrell

Dumbledore wrote a note and handed it to Lane.

Ryan took it; it contained a notice about Ryan's decision to be placed in solitary confinement, and asked Professor Quirrell to arrange the details.

"I'm going to see Professor Quirrell. I hope everything goes well." He said goodbye to the two of them and left.

After watching Ryan leave to find Quirrell and put him in solitary confinement, Dumbledore said to Flitwick, "Felius, sometimes I really feel guilty and I have doubts about the Hogwarts education system."

"Is there really no problem with our education system?"

"Perhaps...no?" Flitwick's expression was a strange mix of sadness and surprise.

When the two returned to the dinner party, they told the other professors that an intruder had come to Hogwarts Castle looking for treasure.

This immediately made several professors involved in the protection of the Philosopher's Stone think that someone had infiltrated Hogwarts to obtain it.

Professor McGonagall asked worriedly, "Was Quirinus not here tonight because the intruders hurt him?"

These words drew the attention of the remaining two deans.

Dumbledore could only say, "Felius and I did not see Quirinus; he was probably occupied with other matters."

Professor Flitwick paid no heed, continuing to pour himself butterbeer as if he were discovering for the first time that the butterbeer brewed in the kitchen was surprisingly good beer.

As dinner ended, the students dispersed, and the professors returned to their offices.

Flitwick followed Dumbledore to the headmaster's office.

As soon as he entered, he became serious: "Dumbledore, you shouldn't have let Lane make contact with Quirinus."

Dumbledore said, "Shouldn't we have faith in our students?"

"Dumbledore, that night, the Man of Darkness lost all his power and was forced to cling to life," Flitwick said. "That's what you told everyone, but what is the Man of Darkness's condition now?"

"Felius, I should have known you'd figured it out. You knew it from the moment you called him 'Mysterious Man' in front of Ryan. You were worried that Voldemort might still sense people calling him by his first name, otherwise you would have."

Dumbledore said, "Don't worry, he really lost most of his power that night and couldn't sense anyone who called his name."

"To discover the truth from just a few clues—that's the true Ravenclaw ability," he exclaimed. "I think Lane will realize it soon too."

"So, it really is Voldemort?" Flitwick asked in a low voice.

"It's obvious, very obvious, that Quirinus is indeed an excellent student, but he doesn't have the ability to rob Gringotts, much less leave before me." Dumbledore's spectacles gleamed with the moonlight streaming through the window. "Especially within Hogwarts Castle, only one person possesses such an ability."

"So you shouldn't have let Ryan confront him!" Flitwick exclaimed, "Ryan's only in fifth grade!"

"It's just Voldemort. What Ryan faces is far more terrifying than a mere Voldemort." Dumbledore stared at Flitwick, his gaze sharp. "You should have guessed that."

Flitwick made a sound in his throat.

Dumbledore continued, "Furthermore, I do not believe that a Voldemort who is merely using another wizard's body to prolong his life can pose a threat to Lane. In particular, the forced use of Apparition within Hogwarts would inevitably cause irreversible damage to him and Quirinus, even if he is the heir of Slytherin."

"But Lane didn't know that Voldemort was the heir of Slytherin," Flitwick said.

.................

"All the evidence now points to Quirrell colluding with Voldemort, but Quirrell absolutely cannot escape before Dumbledore, even with Voldemort's guidance."

Ryan watched from across the corridor toward the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor's office.

Given that there was only one figure in the intelligence, he had reason to suspect that Quirinas Quirrell was now receiving the treatment of a protagonist in a novel—accompanied by an old man.

First, Voldemort had failed before.

Second, Voldemort is currently in a possessed state.

Third, Voldemort was one of the world's most powerful fighters at his peak.

All three main conditions have been met, so how can Voldemort not be considered an old man?

Next, by verifying Professor Quirrell's views on non-wizard magical creatures, we can find out who "he" was in Dumbledore's initial statement that "he wouldn't think of magical creatures."

If Professor Quirrell's view of magical creatures isn't one of indifference, then it would solidify that he is the "protagonist."

He stepped forward, securing his wand to his wrist for easy access, and then knocked on the door of the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor's office.

"Professor Quirrell, I am Lane Welsh. The headmaster sent me to put you in solitary confinement. This is the note he wrote."

A weak, stuttering voice came from inside the room, sounding as if it were about to breathe its last: "Why...why...why...come to find...me?"

"The principal said I skipped class without reason today, so he punished me by making me come to you for solitary confinement."

"No, no need... I... believe you, you must really... have something... that you can't leave. I... will talk to... the principal."

Ryan made a judgment in his mind: Quirrell's stuttering now was different from usual. His tone was weak and he was only holding on by a thread, which meant he had obviously suffered a serious injury.

He asked, "Professor, are you feeling unwell or somewhere? Would you like me to contact Professor Snape? He's the Potions Master."

Quirrell was silent for a moment, then, like a cat touched water, he immediately yelled at the top of his lungs, "Nothing's wrong, it's just a minor problem!"

He didn't even stutter when he said that.

Ryan, standing outside the door, was about to lose his composure. After identifying the suspect through various clues, Quirrell's current reaction was practically labeling him "Voldemort."

Voldemort really distrusted Professor Snape. Was it because they had fought each other before...?

Lane continued, "If it's not necessary to trouble Professor Snape, why don't I go in and see what's going on, and see if I can help? That way, it would make sense for you to exempt me from solitary confinement, wouldn't it?"

Before Quirrell could respond, he added, "Besides, as fellow Ravenclaw students, I should call you senior; we're all family."

After a moment of silence, Quirrell in the room began to cough violently.

As a good student and junior who cared about the professor's safety, Ryan didn't hesitate and immediately opened the office door and rushed in, shouting, "Professor, Professor, are you alright? I'll take you to the school hospital right away."

He rushed into the office and saw Quirrell's pale face in the dim light, his whole body trembling uncontrollably.

Quirrell was leaning back in a jewel-encrusted cashmere high-backed chair, his face contorted with fear.

Ryan couldn't tell whether Quirrell's fear stemmed from pain or from the fear of being punished by "Old Man Voldemort," and he suddenly felt a pang of sympathy for his own kind.

Regardless of stance, right or wrong, it's simply that as a wizard, I can't bear to see the lives, deaths, fortunes, and misfortunes of other wizards being manipulated.

Quirrell could see the expression on his face clearly.

A look of bewilderment appeared on Quirrell's pale face, and his eyes were somewhat unfocused.

Ryan took out a tranquilizer from his ring and handed it to Quirrell: "Although it has no therapeutic effect, this tranquilizer has some analgesic properties. I hope it can help the professor."

"Oh, oh, thank you... thank you..." Quirrell took the potion, hesitated for a moment, and then surprisingly drank it. "I think... we can... chat... as a form of... confinement."

"Of course, I'd be happy to, Professor."