Now, this is what you call a game-changer.
When William heard the words "Philosopher's Stone," his mind went blank.
As a wizard who had started his journey with potion-making, William understood far better than most what the Philosopher's Stone represented in the world of potions.
It wasn't just the ultimate goal of alchemists but also the ultimate dream of potion masters.
To an alchemist, the Philosopher's Stone meant turning lead into gold. To potion masters, it meant the Elixir of Life; a potion that granted immortality.
A potion that made you live forever, with no side effects, no dark magic. Just immortality.
It was like hanging out with your friend, casually chatting on a street corner, when suddenly he drops a bomb. 'I can't stay here. My Dad's about to ascend to immortality and wants to take me along.'
Just as you're about to laugh it off, he pulls out a sword, chants a spell, and flies off into the sky.
William really wanted to believe Hagrid was exaggerating, but he knew better. Sure, Hagrid didn't have a dad ascending to immortality, but he did work for Albus Dumbledore, the greatest wizard of the age.
Hagrid, probably having bottled things up at the bar for too long, now spoke freely. After all, Dumbledore himself had said William would be the best professor they ever had.
"Honestly, the Philosopher's Stone isn't much. Just a small piece, wrapped in parchment," Hagrid said, gesturing with his fingers to indicate a size. After some thought, he halved the size he had shown.
"A tiny red gem. Dumbledore even had me set up some protective measures around it."
At that, Hagrid's expression darkened, as if he had remembered something unpleasant, and he fell silent.
William, who was hanging on every word, quickly pressed on. "And? What happened? Did someone break through the protections?"
It was inevitable that a defense would be breached. After all, you could only guard against thieves for so long.
"Yeah, someone I trusted tricked me. Thankfully, Harry caught him and stopped him just in time… Oh, you should know about Harry, right? The Harry. He's at Hogwarts now. You might even teach him. He's a great kid!"
Hagrid's face lit up when he mentioned Harry, his earlier gloom completely gone.
Harry?
What does Harry have to do with this? I care about the Philosopher's Stone! The Philosopher's Stone!
William was screaming internally but couldn't interrupt Hagrid, who was now enthusiastically talking about how wonderful Harry was. So, he had no choice but to nod along, feigning interest.
"You have no idea, Professor William. When I first held him, he was just a tiny little thing. So small! Dumbledore told me to bring him, so I did. And when I saw him again, he looked exactly like his father; except for his eyes. Those are his mother's. Just like hers, Professor."
William offered a sympathetic smile but suddenly froze.
Harry. Harry... That name sounded familiar.
If he remembered correctly, in the movies he had watched, wasn't the title something like Harry Potter?
Wait a second.
Something isn't right.
If his memory served him, the Dark Lord's resurrection happened during a tournament called the Triwizard Tournament, and at that time, Harry hadn't even graduated yet.
But based on Hagrid's ramblings, Harry had already completed a year at Hogwarts.
Hogwarts was a seven-year school, which meant that within five years, the Dark Lord would inevitably rise again.
Hiss--
William drew in a sharp breath. Why had I been so reckless? Wouldn't it have been better to just serve my time quietly in Azkaban for a year?
"Professor William?"
Hagrid's puzzled voice broke the silence.
The story had just reached its climax, and suddenly, the listener went silent?
"I'm just feeling a bit emotional. Why did things turn out this way?"
"Yeah, why indeed," Hagrid sighed along with him.
"Harry is such a good kid. How could his relatives treat him so horribly?"
"I wrote him a letter yesterday, hoping he'll enjoy the rock cakes I'm bringing. Who knows, by the time I return to my room, his reply might already be there."
Hagrid's tone softened as he spoke, though William couldn't see his expression.
"Professor William, could we take a slight detour? We'll pass by the hunting grounds and check if Harry has written back."
"Of course, no problem. I'd like to familiarize myself with the school buildings anyway. You know, I've never been to Hogwarts."
"Fantastic! No one knows this place better than I do; Well, maybe except for those two troublemakers, but I'm definitely the best guide in Hogwarts." Hagrid puffed up with pride as he strode forward.
***
Hogwarts' grand entrance was already in sight. Hagrid took a few steps ahead of William, walked to the door, and gently tapped it with his oddly-sized umbrella; an item William had been curious about but hadn't dared to ask. Then, Hagrid pulled a key from his pocket and hung it on a hook by the gate.
The door creaked open.
"Welcome to Hogwarts, Professor William," Hagrid said, tucking away the key and spreading his arms wide.
"An honor," William replied with a slight bow.
Hagrid smiled and led William down a narrow path.
"This way leads to the Forbidden Forest. After we pass the greenhouses, we'll reach the castle. My house is right next to the forest."
"The Forbidden Forest?"
"The school's forest. It's filled with magical creatures, but it's too dangerous for students, so we made it off-limits. Over time, it just became known as the Forbidden Forest."
Hagrid pointed to a patch of green in the distance, barely visible from where they stood, and explained to William.
"Actually, it was already called the Forbidden Forest when I took over the job there. That's what Fred and George Weasley told me. I'm always worried about keeping them out of the forest, and that's what they said to me."
Honestly, I suspect they just made that up to distract you.
William thought this to himself but held his tongue.
"See? That's my house over there. Next to it is my vegetable patch. My job is to watch over the Forbidden Forest, communicate with the magical creatures, and stop students from sneaking in."
William eyed the large plot of land Hagrid indicated, hesitating for a long time before deciding not to ask if Hagrid was running a farm at Hogwarts.
The patch was enormous.
"If you don't mind, come in for a cup of tea. My rock cakes aren't half bad."
William gladly accepted.
The moment Hagrid opened the door, William froze in place.
....
Announcement:
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