Chapter 53: 53: Fool

Professor Flitwick looked truly busy.

After briefly checking the progress of their spells, leaving behind a few notebooks, and adding a few points to their scores, he hurriedly left the classroom.

Sean's shorthand pen recorded every word the professor spoke

"The classroom left to wise little wizards is never chosen incorrectly. Children, you have performed exceptionally well!

But I must say, if you can make a feather dance, why not try it on that small table?

I do not encourage young wizards to learn difficult spells ahead of time, but for those with talent, I suggest they seize their gift and complete the interesting spells in *The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1* in advance—

The Summoning Charm and the Aguamenti spell are both extremely practical; I hope these notes will be of some help to you."

At the time, Professor Flitwick encouraged everyone warmly while inconspicuously winking at Sean.

"When you have barely mastered the spells required for first year, you will find that the mysteries of Non-verbal Spells await you—

Knowledge is never too much!"

He then strode quickly out of the practice room.

"Just like Miss Clewat, who finished all the spells for this academic year, so I encouraged her to boldly attempt Non-verbal Spells...

Oh, I must hurry, otherwise, there's no telling what Miss Clewat might set on fire this time...

Last time, I remember, last time, it was Professor Quirrell's turban..."

Sean was somewhat stunned upon hearing this.

Was the Ravenclaw Prefect really that brave?

"Alright, I have to tell you a secret."

While Sean was dazed, Hermione suddenly spoke up.

As Sean had expected, he and Justin sat down beside her.

The three of them huddled on the sofa, letting the twilight descend as the light from the magical lanterns flickered, creating a solemn and fantastical atmosphere.

"Do you remember what Headmaster Dumbledore said?" Hermione asked seriously.

"The banquet begins?"

"Those who do not wish to encounter accidents or a painful death, please do not enter the corridor on the right side of the fourth floor?"

Justin and Sean exchanged a look.

Both saw the astonishment in each other's eyes.

"Sean, that's not even what you're most concerned about?" Justin was quite surprised.

Sean thought seriously for a moment.

"I misspoke."

"You two!"

Hermione puffed out her cheeks and slapped the table.

Justin instantly lowered his head like a quail, and Sean's momentum inexplicably dwindled as well.

"Headmaster Dumbledore was right. Those who don't want to die a painful death shouldn't go in there..."

As Hermione spoke, her voice grew much lower.

Sean noticed Justin's body tense up.

"So, did you go in, Hermione? And then? Are you okay?"

"It wasn't that I wanted to break school rules, it was just that Harry..."

Both of their voices rose at once, but Hermione suddenly stopped halfway through.

"...Hermione, I don't care about school rules, and I don't care about Harry. I only care about one thing: are you okay?"

Justin paused; the words "painful death" made his voice tremble slightly.

Sean saw Hermione's eyes redden.

"I... I'm fine..." Hermione said blankly. "Actually, I almost died."

Justin stood up instantly. Sean heard his breathing accelerate.

"Harry Potter? Was it *that* Harry Potter? What on earth did he do?! Damn it, I have to go find him and get an explanation!"

Sean gently held back the agitated Justin. His rationality seemed to depart with Hermione's daze, only to return with Sean's gentle tug.

"Maybe we can listen to Hermione's explanation first. Harry won't disappear, right?" Sean persuaded him softly.

A flash of lightning streaked across the sky outside, followed shortly by the rumble of thunder. The weather in the Scottish Highlands was always unpredictable.

But having a small nook was enough to shut out the continuous rain.

"That Gryffindor coward! He can't do anything except get people into trouble!" Justin whispered angrily.

Under Hermione's explanation, the matter had become quite clear. In Justin's eyes, Harry, who brainlessly went to a duel, and Ron, who brainlessly attacked Peeves and caused everyone to panic, were not only useless but also harmful!

Meanwhile, Hermione, who was full of collective honor, tried to stop them from wandering at night, and even used spells to help them open the door, had been completely dragged into it!

If he had been there, he would have definitely knocked those two useless heads with a heavy boot!

Sean instinctively felt something was off, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it for a moment.

"It was a three-headed dog. Its teeth are enough to crush a skull, and its saliva is corrosive," Hermione recalled. Her initial fear and panic gradually subsided, and the drowsiness from last night's insomnia began to set in. "It must be guarding something... a trapdoor..."

She pondered, and before she knew it, she fell into a peaceful sleep. This caused Justin's anger to reach its peak. He silently covered Hermione with a blanket and prepared to walk out, expressionless.

Sean sighed; he didn't need to think to know what Justin was going to do.

"Headmaster Dumbledore wouldn't be unaware of what is in Hogwarts," Sean said softly. "Hermione said the three-headed dog is guarding something. I think that is exactly the Headmaster's plan. If the Headmaster allowed this to happen, it means it isn't dangerous. Remember, the three-headed dog didn't actually attack Hermione."

Justin stood there silently for a while.

"Sean, you are always so wise. But Mother said that if doing what is necessary makes you look like a fool, then let me be a fool!"

He eventually walked out.

"I don't know anything about the Headmaster's plan. I only know that Hermione almost died behind that door... If no one protests for her, is her suffering to be ignored for nothing?"

A distant flash of lightning illuminated Sean's profile.

*Well,* Sean thought once more, *it's good to have a Hufflepuff friend.*

The Headmaster might not care much about Justin's protest, but Hermione would. That was what mattered.

Sean didn't think the plot could be changed much; everything was within Headmaster Dumbledore's control—at least in the first Harry Potter book.

It was a pure fairy tale.

There was nothing to worry about, Sean thought.

Rather than focusing on that, his scholarship crisis was clearly much larger.

The three-headed dog wouldn't bite anyone to death, the Philosopher's Stone couldn't be stolen, and Voldemort's essence was just to serve as an experience farm.

But if he didn't get his scholarship, he truly wouldn't even have enough money to buy a quill or textbooks.

Compared to how long it would take for Voldemort to be driven away, Sean was more concerned with whether he could afford to stay in school.

"Professor Flitwick almost explicitly stated it... The Levitation Charm—at least at a proficient level, ideally reaching the stage of Non-verbal Spells; also, the Summoning Charm and Aguamenti need to be learned..."

Sean looked at the sleeping Hermione and silently moved the magical lantern away.

His most important goal was now very clear: grind proficiency, raise his spellcasting to a high standard, and then seek advice from Professor Flitwick regarding Defense Against the Dark Arts spells beyond the first-year curriculum.

Collect the final piece of the scholarship, and synthesize a 600-Galleon Super Gift Pack.

(End of Chapter)