Chapter 26: Chapter 26: Golden Trio Adventure
The examination date is approaching, and Harry is filled with fear. He's worried about when Voldemort will suddenly appear and steal the magic stone. He's so preoccupied that he's having trouble concentrating on his studies.
"Harry, we should go to the Headmaster and other professors right away," Ron says, knowing what they saw and heard in the Forbidden Forest.
"I never believed a word that Slytherin said."
"They won't believe us," Harry shakes his head.
"Malfoy won't tell the mysterious man," Hermione whispers.
"You're actually talking to that Slytherin?" Ron can't believe it.
"He didn't lie to us about Norbert, did he?" Hermione says.
"That's just his strategy. Think about how happy his father would be if the mysterious man came back!"
Hermione has no response.
Harry buries his head in his book, as if he doesn't want to think about it anymore. His scars have been stinging since returning from the Forbidden Forest, and he can't sleep well at night. Neville even thinks he has exam phobia because he always wakes up screaming.
Finally, the exams arrive, and whether it's making a pineapple dance across a desk or turning a mouse into a snuff box, or reciting the procedure for a forgotten potion, it's difficult to fail Malfoy, who has already passed enough. And for courses that only require memorization, like the history of magic, it's even easier.
When Professor Binns' ghost asks them to put down their quills and roll up their parchment, everyone is relieved.
After the exam, the three friends meet up. Harry says his head is still aching, and Ron suggests going to Hagrid's cabin to relax.
"Well," Harry says, thinking of something, his face pale.
"There are no coincidences. I must find him now," he says, rushing the two towards Hagrid's hut.
Hagrid's words confirm Harry's suspicions, and Hermione and Ron's faces turn white.
"That man is either Snape or the mysterious man," Hermione says, her voice shaking.
"We have to find Headmaster Dumbledore quickly. Maybe the Centaur can testify for us," they run to the headmaster's office. But they touch their noses, having to run to the stone steps outside.
"We have to go ourselves," Harry says helplessly.
"Harry, Professor McGonagall said..." Ron tries to persuade, but is interrupted.
"I know, if we keep asking about these things, we'll be penalized or expelled for running around. But what then? If Voldemort really comes back and wins the House Cup, Hogwarts will be ruined and razed to the ground. Maybe we'll all die. If I stop him from failing today, maybe he'll die earlier," Harry looks a little crazy.
"You're right, Harry," Hermione nods.
"I'll come with you, Harry," Ron says.
"Me too," Hermione says quickly.
"I can't let you come with me," Harry shook his head quickly.
"What could be worse than death, Harry?" Hermione whispered.
She paused before continuing, "And Professor Flitwick secretly told me I got 112 points on his exam. With such a high score, they wouldn't want to kick me out."
"What about me?" Ron wailed.
Harry actually laughed at all three of them, easing the tense atmosphere slightly.
After dinner, they snuck away from the others and sat in the common room. No one cared about them, and of course, no one wanted to care about them.
When almost all the students had fallen asleep, Harry ran upstairs to get his cloak and returned to the lounge, but was caught by Neville who was still awake.
"You're going to break school rules again!" Neville said loudly.
"Petrificus Totalus!" Hermione pointed her wand directly at Neville.
"I'm sorry, Neville," she whispered before turning to the other two. "
We don't have time, and now Snape doesn't know where he's going, we have to hurry."
"Alright." The other two nodded.
Neville lay on the ground straight and stiff, looking like a plank.
In the middle of their escape, they avoided Peeves and Mrs. Norris, who was also scared by Neville Stone like figure.
Finally, they walked out of the corridor on the fourth floor - the door had already opened a little.
They heard the sound of the door being pushed open, and the large dog began to bark. They saw a harp on the ground. They knew they had to hurry.
Snape was in front of them.
Harry took out the flute given to him by Hagrid for Christmas and began to blow, producing untuned notes. Slowly, the barking of the large dog stopped - it shook for a while before falling to its knees and then collapsing to the ground, asleep.
Then Harry led the way, and the other two jumped down. They were relieved to find a pile of plants to cushion their fall, but they found that the long vines were tangled around their legs.
"Oh no!" the two boys screamed.
"Incendio," Hermione raised her wand and pointed it at the pile of plants to cast a spell. Blue bellflower-like flames sprayed from the wand. Within a few seconds, the two boys felt the vines withdrawing from the light and warmth as they loosened their entanglement.
The plants twisted and twitched, automatically loosening the tendrils wrapped around them, and Harry and Ron finally broke free.
"Hermione, you're amazing," Harry praised her, and Ron nodded next to him.
"Yeah, by the way, how did you know these things are afraid of fire?"
"It was discussed in class, didn't you pay attention?" Hermione said a little awkwardly.
However, there was more to it than what was discussed in class.
Similar words had appeared on the note Malfoy gave her: "The Devil's Snare is most afraid of fire."
There were only a few words on the paper, but the spells impressed Hermione more than the IQ lessons in class.
"Did he know we were going to steal the Philosopher's Stone at that time?" Hermione shuddered before thinking to herself, "This is just a coincidence, a coincidence."
However, she couldn't convince herself that it was just a coincidence.
Three of them descended the hill to the end of the corridor. In front of them was a brightly lit room with a high vaulted ceiling. Countless small birds with flapping wings fluttered around the room, looking like gems. There was a heavy wooden door opposite the room.
Harry easily grabbed a silver key and they continued walking, entering a second room.
It was dark before they entered, but the lights suddenly brightened when they walked in. They saw a huge chessboard with a large pile of chess pieces standing on it, much taller than themselves. To pass this door, they had to win a game of chess.
The three of them played as black, replacing knights, bishops, and castles. Ron was the best at chess, while Harry was a novice and Hermione was not particularly skilled despite her high IQ.
The game was peaceful until the White Queen knocked a knight to the floor and dragged it off the board. The three of them were shocked.
"Sacrifice is necessary, Harry. I have to be taken," Ron said after positioning Harry and Hermione for protection.
"Ron, wait!" Harry tried to dissuade him, but Ron had already stepped forward and the White Queen immediately attacked. She raised her stone arm and swung it down.
"Barriers!" Hermione suddenly raised her wand and pointed it at the White Queen.
Suddenly, the queen's quick arm slowed down, like it was in slow motion, unable to smash Ron.
"Harry, what are you still dazed about? I can't hold on for much longer," Hermione yelled quickly to Harry, who seemed stunned by the change.
Shaking all over, he moved three squares to the left. The White King took off his crown and threw it under Harry's feet. They won.
"Hermione, how did you do it?" Ron panted.
"Don't worry about it so much. Let's go quickly," Hermione said, unable to explain how she had done it.
"Yes, we don't have much time," Harry said hurriedly. The three of them rushed to the next corridor, bypassing a seriously injured monster, and came to a table with seven bottles on it.
Hermione quickly deduced the role of all the medicine in the bottles. Harry asked the two of them to report back and drank a bottle of medicine that would allow him to pass through black flames.
The biting cold helped him resist the black flames. He couldn't see anything, only black flames in front of him. Then he smoothly made it to the other side and entered the last room.
"No!" As soon as Harry entered, he saw a scene that made him dizzy. There was already a man in there – not Snape or even Voldemort. The man lifted a stone and Harry recognized him as Quirrell.
Quirrell seemed to notice him and turned his head. Harry heard him say, "Master, your physical strength has not recovered yet."
This was Quirrell's voice.
"It is enough for me to take action now. Give me the right to use the body," came a sharp voice.
Two voices in one body made Harry shake. Quirrell's scarf was loosened and Harry saw a face in the place where there should have been the back of Quirrell's head. Harry had never seen such a terrible face. The color of the face was deathly pale, with glowing red eyes and nostrils like snakes.
Suddenly, the face began laughing loudly. The laughter was crazy, mad, and other words that could describe the twisted expression on the already grotesque face.
His waving hands made Harry feel sick for a while and then he felt fear: "He's going to get the Philosopher Stone. He's the most feared "Voldemort". Am I going to die?" His thoughts started to wander and he expected a death spell to be shot at him at any moment.
He regretted not learning more defensive spells, but then remembered that the teacher of the black magic defense class was also Lord Voldemort. He thought about it, but he didn't usher in the expected death.
Voldemort's face slowly disappeared and Quirrell's face returned. Harry saw that Quirrell was shaking and sweating. He looked weak and Harry realized that he must have used up a lot of energy to reveal Voldemort's face.
He summoned the courage to look at Voldemort and saw that the stone on his hand was turning to powder and slipping from his palm to the ground.
"No!" Voldemort let out a hoarse, sharp wail as the dream seemed to break. His expression became more and more cruel as he looked at Harry.
Harry thought to himself: 'The Philosopher Stone must have destroyed itself for some reason. It's enough for me to die, even if I don't know why.'
He then fell into darkness, whether from fear or a spell. It's unclear what happened next.
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