Chapter 35: Headache
(Dumbledore's POV)
Dark days are coming. I can feel it.
The stone is gone. It had been stolen right under our noses. And I have no idea who had done it.
I thought, at first, that it was Quirinus. I had a feeling that Quirinus was interested in the stone. Some of his actions in Hogwarts lately were suspicious. Severus had warned me about his bizarre change as well. But I wouldn't accuse him of something a timid man should not have the courage to do so, without proof.
But then we suddenly found him dead, in a very peculiar situation.
The back of his head was terribly deformed as if something forced its way out of it. Then there were burning marks where his head met the floor surface. His head was also burned to a black form. It was a gruesome sight. I believe he had been dealt with by a bad case of exorcism. I've never seen something like it.
It was easy to conclude that Quirinus was possessed by Voldemort's wraith. He was gone for a sabbath for a year. It was no secret that Quirinus was highly fascinated by dark magic. And combined with his desire for power, he would be easily manipulated by Voldemort.
Severus also warned me about his dark mark going warm when he was near Quirinus. I should have taken Severus' advice to heart. Now Quirinus was dead, together with Voldemort's wraith.
It was good if Quirinus was the one who stole the stone. We would have found it in no time. But, it was not the case. We've searched all over his office and possession yet found nothing.
No doubt it was part of my fault that the stone's gone. Nicholas entrusted the stone to me, and I have failed. We couldn't trace the perpetrator(s) at all. They left no magical residue behind, and all the traps were intact. We don't have any clues.
The only thing we knew about the perpetrators so far was that they had inside access to Hogwarts. The fact that I did not feel any intrusion from the wards implied that they were already inside the castle or got in through the many of Hogwarts' secret tunnels not enclosed by the wards.
There are innumerable possibilities.
Such headache...
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(Severus' POV)
Dumbledore had gone senile. I have told him repeatedly that Quirrell's not someone to be trusted anymore. Especially after his damn sabbath. The man oozes death.
For someone so powerful, Dumbledore could be so naive. Believing in non-sensical things such as second chances for seemingly psychopathic murderers. It was hypocritical of me, as I was one. But believing Quirrell's not dangerous even after I told him my dark mark was pulsating when near the man was simply ridiculous.
That damn turban. What I would do to just rip it off. It was an oddity to the highest degree. Quirrell did not have it last year. Dumbledore should have been alarmed. But no, he decided to be all preaching on love and second chances, or whatnot. It was simply repulsive.
That damn stone was another complication. Why did some old men suddenly decide that Hogwarts was better to keep the stone? A stone that could generate power, glory, and immortality? Three things that could attract the darkest wizards/witches like moths to the flame.
And why did Dumbledore implicitly announce to the whole school its location? Anyone with half a brain would presume Dumbledore's purposely telling them to search for it.
Now, Quirrell's dead, and the stone's gone. Two events on the same evening. Highly possible to be related and perpetrated by the same person. Who by the looks of it, had access to Hogwarts. And was seemingly independent of Voldemort.
Now you're telling me that Dumbledore's not senile?
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