As the night deepened, Quirrell slipped away unnoticed, his clandestine mission shrouded in secrecy.
Meanwhile, Filch lurked in the shadows of the eighth floor, his mind consumed with visions of capturing Harry Potter red-handed. Snape tossed and turned in his dormitory, haunted by memories of Lily and the words left unspoken.
In stark contrast, Artel slumbered peacefully, his dreams filled with visions of a beautiful snake...
With the break of dawn, Quirrell's absence at breakfast went unnoticed, attributed to embarrassment after the events of the previous night. It wasn't until a Ravenclaw student reported Quirrell's absence from Defense Against the Dark Arts class that Dumbledore grew concerned.
Summoning Snape from his own class, Dumbledore's sudden departure sent ripples of speculation throughout the school. Excitement buzzed among the students as rumors swirled about the mysterious happenings at Hogwarts.
Hermione, ever critical of Snape, speculated gleefully about the potential exposure of his misdeeds. Harry, equally pleased by the prospect, relished the idea of Snape facing consequences for his actions.
As the students eagerly awaited news, the absence of the Hogwarts professors added to the atmosphere of intrigue. Artel and Hermione, sensing something amiss, exchanged worried glances.
Artel's mind raced with possibilities. Could Quirrell have successfully stolen the Philosopher's Stone from the Mirror of Erised?
He remembered his warning to Quirrell about the Stone's location, and now Dumbledore's use of the Mirror to entice Harry only heightened his concerns.
As the mystery deepened, Artel couldn't shake the feeling that Quirrell stumbled upon the Mirror of Erised hidden within the castle and made off with it.
"Interesting," Artel mused, relieved that the situation held no bearing on him. As for the Philosopher's Stone, Artel harbored no interest. With the immortality conferred by the ring of power, the Stone held no allure. Nicolas Flamel's longevity, borne from the Stone, only rendered him frail, akin to a delicate doll.
"Ravenclaw's little eagle informed Dumbledore of Professor Quirrell's absence, prompting Dumbledore to investigate and summon all the professors from their classes," Artel relayed.
The news shocked Harry. "Professor Quirrell is missing?" he exclaimed, aghast.
"It's Snape! It must be him! I saw Snape threatening Professor Quirrell on Christmas Eve..." Harry declared, turning to Ron for confirmation.
Ron hesitated, considering Harry's assertion. "But... Snape wouldn't dare... Dumbledore is still here. How could he..." Ron trailed off, uncertain.
"I'm sure of it! Snape tried to steal the Philosopher's Stone last night. When Professor Quirrell thwarted him, Snape killed him!" Harry asserted, convinced of his theory.
Though skeptical, Ron couldn't shake the plausibility of Harry's claims. After all, Snape had always struck him as dubious, while Quirrell appeared tragically vulnerable.
"Do you believe this?" Hermione asked Artel, her curiosity piqued by the exchange between Harry and Ron.
Artel chuckled at Harry's elaborate speculation. "Don't heed Harry's conjectures. Snape is a good man. The situation may not be as complex as Harry imagines. Perhaps Quirrell simply left of his own accord."
"Really?" Hermione regarded Artel with interest, sensing his composed demeanor held deeper insight.
As the young wizards fretted over the absence of their professors, Artel reassured them. "The professors will return shortly. Quirrell's departure, if indeed he's gone, won't disrupt Hogwarts. The Ministry of Magic will ensure Hogwarts's security."
Hermione found Artel's explanation reassuring, easing her anxiety. As predicted, within minutes, Professors McGonagall and Sprout reappeared, quelling the students' unease.
"Professor Quirrell has left Hogwarts due to unforeseen circumstances at home. Afternoon classes will proceed as scheduled, with Defence Against the Dark Arts being taught by Ms. Nagini," Professor McGonagall announced, eliciting cheers from the relieved students.
As anticipated, Defence Against the Dark Arts classes, once the least popular, would now become the highlight of the curriculum. Several senior students stood up and voiced their protests:
"Oh my God! That's not fair! We just finished Defence Against the Dark Arts yesterday!"
Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff students, who had classes in the morning, joined in the protest:
"That's right! We need to make up for the classes we missed this morning!"
Professor McGonagall, feeling somewhat helpless, placed her wand against her throat and spoke with authority:
"Quiet!"
"The house prefects are responsible for managing the students of their respective houses. I want to reiterate that the other classes at Hogwarts will continue as scheduled. Defence Against the Dark Arts will resume tomorrow, temporarily replaced by Ms. Nagini!"
With that, Professor McGonagall and Professor Sprout hurriedly exited the room.
Prefects began to restore order, while students continued discussing animatedly. However, the topic shifted from Hogwarts affairs to the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, Nagini.
"I hope Professor Quirrell doesn't return... Not because of the new professor, but because I can't stand the smell of garlic..."
"Yeah, Professor Quirrell let us pet a chameleon last class! I couldn't stand the smell of garlic whenever I got near him."
A group of students chatted.
"You don't seem happy," Artel observed.
Hermione turned to him, resting her arm on the table, and replied, "I... I actually don't like Professor Quirrell's scent or teaching style... And I'm not sure about Professor Nagini; she seems rather young."
"Oh," Artel mused.
Hermione had heard rumors about the rotating Defence Against the Dark Arts professors, some claiming the position was cursed as those who stayed longer than two years met unfortunate ends.
Upon hearing the news, many students left, including Harry and Ron, who decided to check on Hagrid. Hermione wasn't in the mood to study, so she grabbed Artel's hand, and they left the castle for a walk by the black lake, enjoying the pleasant weather.
Meanwhile, in Dumbledore's office, the mood was somber.
Snape clenched his fists, visibly struggling to contain his emotions.
"I've said it before: we shouldn't entertain frivolous plans. Now that we know Voldemort is inhabiting Quirrell's body, we should take direct action!" Snape urged, frustration evident in his voice.
Dumbledore remained silent, acknowledging his missteps.
He hadn't anticipated Quirrell finding the Philosopher's Stone in the Mirror of Erised, despite casting numerous spells to conceal the matter and creating a secret chamber.
"I've investigated; there are signs of damage to the secret chamber's mechanism. Though it was repaired later, I managed to uncover some details, especially regarding my potions... Both bottles were emptied," Snape reported, shooting a disdainful glance at the silent professors.
"Those simplistic measures couldn't deter someone with ill intentions. Quirrell took less than ten minutes to breach the deepest part of the chamber. Failing to find the Philosopher's Stone, he left discreetly without alerting anyone," Snape continued.
Professor McGonagall sighed and added, "Quirrell left in haste, not even bothering to tidy his office. It seems he stumbled upon the Stone's true location and, lacking time for contemplation, seized it from the Mirror of Erised directly."
Taking a deep breath, Professor McGonagall's voice trembled slightly as she continued, "The question before us now is... what if he, he, does return to life?"
.....
Want to read more exciting chapters, then join my P@treon right now and get access to 60+ premium chapters.
Free members get 2+ advanced chapters for free.
JOIN NOW
Link: pa#treon.com/KittyLovesMilk (Remove the #)