บท 34: 34: I Confess
"So what you mean is, Snape wanted to take whatever the three-headed dog was guarding, and then got bitten?"
"Yep, judging by the size, it was probably the three-headed dog. But it didn't go deep enough—maybe because his pants were too thick?"
"Uh... or it could've been some sort of protection," Neville added.
"Oh... is that so?" Harry looked a bit embarrassed.
"But I remember Professor Kasenhis also mentioned he knocked that three-headed dog out. Maybe that trapdoor was just a coincidence?" Hermione frowned.
"Maybe Professor Kasenhis is one of the guardians of whatever is down there, and he was checking on it?" Neville suggested.
"...Why don't we just go ask Professor Kasenhis directly? What do you all think?"
...
"This is why you came to see me?"
Kasenhis poured tea for the four young wizards in front of him.
Because last time it was green tea, and it really was a bit bitter.
"Yes! Snape definitely has a problem!" Harry said earnestly.
"Relax, he doesn't have a problem. And, uh, a bit of respect—Professor Snape, if you're going to refer to him."
"Alright, Professor Snape absolutely has a problem."
"..."
"...Just because of that wound? I can explain. The mechanisms guarding that thing are a series of traps, set up by several professors, including me, Snape, Professor McGonagall, and others. At that time, Snape and I were adjusting one of the mechanisms we designed together, and he accidentally got bitten by the three-headed dog."
"And not because of some conspiracy theory you've come up with."
The four kids fell silent, but Harry quickly seized on a new lead. "Then, Professor, what about the protective enchantments on the Quidditch balls and our brooms that were erased—who did that?"
"I know—I have a hunch, but I can't say. Because if that person finds out you're investigating him, he would really kill someone."
"He? So it's a man. And Professor Kasenhis, you've already said it's not Snape... That narrows it down a lot; there aren't many suspects!"
Hermione quipped after sipping her tea.
"This whole thing is because Dumbledore, in all his wisdom, decided it was a good idea. Honestly, I've always disagreed with these absurd schemes... In any case... Forget it, Dumbledore, ugh..."
"It's Dumbledore!" ×4
"Uh... what? No, where did you even get that idea?" Kasenhis looked at them with a bewildered expression.
"Oh, okay, then," they muttered.
"What I'm saying is, it's not Dumbledore. I'm just mad at Dumbledore for letting a dark wizard run loose in Hogwarts and doing nothing about it, so I was venting."
"As for the actual dark wizard, honestly, instead of letting you investigate blindly, I might as well just tell you so you can keep your distance," Kasenhis said.
But he knew full well that telling these audacious Gryffindor kids to steer clear of a dark wizard was pointless. They'd only become more determined to investigate recklessly.
Still, given that their esteemed Headmaster Dumbledore had already decreed, "Justice will triumph over evil," and that "Voldemort must be defeated by Harry," it was inevitable Harry would confront Quirrell—or Voldemort. So, Kasenhis decided to drop a small hint, a precautionary measure.
At least it might prevent them from running out of leads and resorting to asking Quirrell directly like, "Professor Quirrell, is there a dark wizard at Hogwarts? Do you know who it is?"
That would be ridiculous.
Damn prophecies, what nonsense.
"Quirinus Quirrell," he said plainly.
"Professor Quirrell? The guy who stammers through every lecture and reeks of garlic?" Ron was the first to object.
"Uh-huh, I'm afraid it's him," Kasenhis replied with a shrug.
"But... Professor Quirrell is, well, like that?" Hermione frowned. "Professor, are you sure you're not just making this up to throw us off?"
"Do bad guys have 'bad guy' written on their faces? Just like me—if I didn't tell you, would you know that I have to eat four little wizards every day to maintain my youthful appearance?" Kasen said, almost looking like a mastermind villain of a children's story.
Ron's mouth was agape and Neville shuddered.
"…Alright, I know that joke was terrible," Kasenhis admitted, rubbing the back of his head.
"Pfft~ Bahaha, actually, it was kind of funny, Professor. Coming from you, it's just funny," Harry said, his mouth twitching to suppress his laugh while Hermione exhaled the breath she didn't know she was holding.
"Heh~ Forget the joke," Kasenhis replied with a wave of his hand. "You just need to know that Quirrell isn't a good person. Stay far away from him, got it?"
"But… I still don't get it. Professor Quirrell, the way he is, what bad things could he even do?" Ron asked, frowning.
"Oh, plenty! For example, remember the troll that got into the castle during the Halloween feast? Guess who let it in?" Kasenhis raised an eyebrow.
"Bloody Hell! That was Quirrell?"
"Uh-huh. Now that I've told you this, I'm asking you to promise me one thing. Right now, Dumbledore is handling the situation. There's no need for you first-year kids to get involved. So, I'm begging you—when you're not in class, stay as far away from Quirrell as possible!" Kasenhis implored earnestly.
"But… I still don't get it," Ron said, staring at the dark oak ceiling. "Anyone at Hogwarts seems more likely than Quirrell—even Filch, that old codger. At least with him, I can feel the murderous intent in his voice when he talks to me."
"If you want specifics, ask your brothers—the Weasley twins. Ask them what Quirrell was like before and what he's like now. See if they know why someone who was once a proactive and upstanding wizard turned into the… peculiar person he is today." Kasenhis suggested, giving them a potential lead.
"We will, Professor," Neville said with determination.
"You might, or at least I hope you will," Kasenhis sighed.
...
After seeing the four kids off, Kasenhis sat on his sofa for a while, finishing the remaining tea in the pot. Then he got up and left his office, heading straight to the Headmaster's office.
"Lemon sherbet," he said.
The two stone gargoyles outside the office shifted aside, revealing the entrance. Inside, Dumbledore had already prepared two cups of green tea.
Dumbledore, knowing Kasenhis didn't like sweet things, refrained from making his usual sugary red tea.
"Thanks for being considerate of my preferences," Kasenhis said, taking a sip of the tea.
"You're welcome. So, what brings you here?" Dumbledore asked.
"It's about Harry and his friends. They figured out there's a dark wizard inside Hogwarts. After coming to me for answers, I decided to tell them the truth in hopes of stopping them from doing something reckless that might backfire," Kasenhis explained.
"You told them the truth?"
"I spilled the beans about Quirrell," Kasenhis confessed bluntly.
__________
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