Even Ron didn't argue this time. Professor Murphy was unlike any other professor; he never deducted points, and he never dampened the students' curiosity in his class. Instead, he encouraged them to take risks.
He even actively covered for their mistakes.
He never stood above them, lecturing from a professor's lofty perspective. No matter how foolish the error, he'd tell them, "Oh, that's a very innovative approach. Let's see what happens next."
He seemed less like a professor and more like a friend.
If it were him, even if they really did steal the Philosopher's Stone, he might plead on their behalf.
"Why don't we just tell Professor Murphy?" Ron suggested. "He might believe us. And it seems he has a grudge against Snape."
Stealing the Philosopher's Stone was too risky. If Professor Murphy really believed them, he might stop Snape.
The proposal was immediately agreed upon by the young wizards, even Tom thought it was worth a try.
He too was curious about Professor Murphy's views on the Philosopher's Stone.
...
The first week of school, practical class.
The progress on the Weasley twins' enhanced fairy gold coins was promising.
To reduce costs, they used a gold foil with a one-millimeter diameter as the "coin." After performing the Greedy Whisper ceremony, they found it could still achieve long-distance communication.
However, the gold foil was so small that the sound emitted was barely audible. Additionally, the foil was fragile – even the vibrations from communication could tear it. They then encapsulated the foil in a copper plate and added a "Loud Voice" spell, which solved the problem.
But "Loud Voice" was a temporary spell, hard to permanently attach to an item. Now, they were researching how to permanently enchant items through ceremony – a process Professor Murphy aptly named "Enchantment."
Professor Murphy appreciated the twins' problem-solving skills and intellect. If the enchantment issue was resolved, it wouldn't just be about a magical telephone; the magical world might see an influx of enchanted items, their value immeasurable.
To support the twins' magical research, Professor Murphy invested a thousand gold Garons to purchase various experimental materials and equipment. He also restructured several less productive groups, integrating them into the twins' team for management and experimental tasks.
Besides the twins, the Autumn Zhang group was also making progress.
After a month of practice during the winter break, they were nearing the threshold of communing with ancestral spirits.
The highly talented Autumn Zhang could already summon an unformed soul, but couldn't yet shape it as desired.
In their polyjuice potion research, they seemed to have developed a new potion. However, they hadn't reported its effects to Professor Murphy, stating it required further validation.
After the practical class, Harry and the others approached Professor Murphy.
"Professor, there's something you might need to know."
Half an hour later, after hearing their story, Professor Murphy nodded. "I'm surprised you know about what's behind the corridor. You suspect Snape is after the Philosopher's Stone?"
"Yes, Professor. You don't disbelieve us, do you?"
Professor Murphy didn't deny it outright. "Why do you suspect Snape?"
Harry mentioned what he saw on Halloween night and Snape's injury from the big dog.
Professor Murphy nodded, "Sounds suspicious. What do you think Snape wants with the Philosopher's Stone?"
Ron said, "The Philosopher's Stone brings wealth and immortality. It's not surprising anyone would want it."
Professor Murphy was noncommittal. "The Stone can turn metal into gold, but with Snape's abilities, there are many ways to acquire gold – if he didn't care about the law. The risk seems too great for just wealth."
Tom understood. "You mean, his aim with the Philosopher's Stone is the Elixir of Life."
"I mean, a rational wizard would seek the Stone for the Elixir of Life. Only the Elixir gives the Stone irreplaceable value."
Harry suggested, "Then Snape must be after the Elixir."
Professor Murphy further questioned, "Why would Snape want the Elixir? He's only in his thirties. Isn't it too early to worry about aging? And seeking immortality isn't illegal. If Snape wanted to research the Elixir, he might find it simpler to consult Dumbledore or Nicolas Flamel."
Tom grasped Professor Murphy's point. "So, a wizard seeking the Stone secretly must want it for something other than the Elixir..."
"Professor, I read that the Elixir can also be used to reshape the body. Is that true?"
Professor Murphy nodded. "Yes. But both the Elixir and the body reshaping formula aren't easy to obtain."
Harry and Hermione pondered, but Tom thought deeper.
Both Voldemort and his own resurrection required these two things. But where to obtain the formulas?
"Professor, do you think Snape knows these formulas?" Tom asked.
"Possibly. Snape is highly skilled in potion-making."
"But you defeated him in the potion duel," Harry said.
"My understanding of potion-making is very different from Snape's. Winning the duel doesn't mean I know more potions than him. At least, I don't know these two formulas."
"Alright, young wizards, I think your worries are likely unfounded. Even if Snape knows the formulas, who does he want to resurrect?"
...
"I think Professor Murphy is right," Hermione said. "We can't find a reason for Snape needing the Philosopher's Stone."
"But that's just Professor Murphy's guess. Maybe Snape really is just greedy," Harry said, though he barely believed it himself.
"As much as I hate to say it, Harry, your suspicion of Snape might just be because you hate him," Hermione said. "Just like he hates you."
Harry fell silent.
"Maybe we should just ask Snape directly," Tom suggested.
"What?" Ron was stunned. "What will you ask him? Hey, Professor Snape, I suspect you're planning to steal the Philosopher's Stone, but I have no evidence. Can you give me a clue?"
"No, I'll just discuss the Elixir of Life with him," Tom said. "You know, he doesn't exactly despise me. Maybe he'll satisfy my curiosity."
He at least wanted to find out if Snape had the formulas.
Tom ignored a recent task posted by the diary, guessing it was about the formulas. It didn't matter; his goal was resurrection, and whatever the diary said wouldn't change what he needed to do.
___________________
(Support with power stones, comments or reviews)
If you guys enjoy this story, In support me on Patreon and get access to +200 advance Chapters
Read Ahead
Patreon.com/INNIT