Chapter 65. Still a Troll
"Alright."
Hagrid finally finished tending to Fluffy's wound. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and only then had time to say to Adrian Wesson, "'Course, there's still the chance someone broke in. I told Dumbledore about it this morning. He just told me not to worry and to take good care of Fluffy."
"Is there anything I can help with?" Adrian asked when he saw that Hagrid had finished treating Fluffy.
"'Course," Hagrid nodded, then patted one of Fluffy's heads. "Music helps him feel better. Come on then, Adrian—can yeh sing?"
"?"
And so, the two of them howled away like banshees in the cramped room.
In fact, someone had once described Adrian's singing as a cat whose tail had been stepped on.
Thank goodness, Fluffy didn't seem picky about music and soon drifted off to sleep.
"That was really something, Professor Wesson."
"You too, Hagrid."
Time passed day by day, and Fluffy was soon lively again.
His injury didn't cause any further stir.
Besides that, Harry officially joined the Gryffindor Quidditch team and received a broomstick from Professor McGonagall. He began practising three times a week.
As for Adrian Wesson, in addition to teaching and tending his plants each week, he added one more task: frequenting the Hogwarts library.
In truth, Adrian had never stopped exploring knowledge.
Just as he had once said:
The most important thing for a wizard is to keep learning!
Ever since he learned that the Philosopher's Stone held a certain attraction for the Tree of Wisdom, he had been searching the Hogwarts library for material on alchemy and the Stone, hoping to find a lead.
Alchemy was a very mysterious magical craft, widely used to create all manner of magical products—potions, devices, even living creatures. The most famous of these, of course, was the Philosopher's Stone.
Adrian had once taken the alchemy course at Hogwarts. Unfortunately, it was extremely difficult. At the time, he had learned only some theory.
However, after searching the library for quite a while, he found very little on alchemy and the Stone beyond the course set texts.
He had no choice but to set his sights on the Restricted Section.
Of course, as a professor, Adrian no longer needed to obtain permission to enter the Restricted Section as he had when he was a student.
So long as he didn't anger Madam Pince, he could wander there as much as he liked.
For a while, Adrian spent nearly all his spare time on alchemical research.
The eve of Hallowe'en.
In fact, Adrian had nearly forgotten that Hallowe'en was approaching.
It wasn't until Madam Pince put a grimacing carved pumpkin on the desk by the library doors that Adrian realised Hallowe'en was the next day.
That afternoon, when he arrived at the Great Hall, he found Professor McGonagall directing the professors as they decorated.
Seeing Adrian, Professor McGonagall hurried over. "Ah, Professor Wesson, you're just in time. We need another pair of hands… We must be quick! I want everything ready before the feast."
"Happy to help."
Adrian's task was to help Hagrid turn a huge pile of pumpkins in the corners into jack-o'-lanterns.
Hagrid was using a massive cleaver to shave off the excess. Unfortunately, his movements were too rough, and he accidentally split one pumpkin clean in half.
Adrian used magic to set Hagrid's pumpkins to rights.
First he scooped out the pulp and seeds, then he traced a grimacing face across the rind with his wand, and finally he put a candle inside. Very simple.
In only a few minutes, Adrian had finished a whole heap of jack-o'-lanterns.
After setting all the lanterns on the tables—
"Whew," Hagrid wiped his brow. "I'm no good at fiddly work."
"If you'd be willing to use magic…" Adrian flicked his wand and poured Hagrid a glass of water. "None of this would be a problem."
"No, no, no…" Hagrid waved his hands at once. "I can't use magic—yeh know that, don't yeh?"
Seeing how flustered Hagrid was, Adrian shrugged and didn't press.
He did know. Hagrid might say he didn't use magic, but who knew what he did in private?
Adrian remembered the pink umbrella he carried—the wand hidden in the handle.
Clearly, in this respect, Hagrid wasn't as honest as he looked.
When all the preparations for the feast were finally finished, Professor McGonagall breathed a sigh of relief, and even her expression softened a little.
She looked around and nodded in satisfaction.
The Great Hall was transformed: countless floating jack-o'-lanterns hung from the enchanted ceiling; orange light poured through the carved faces onto the floor; a great cloud of bats and ghosts drifted in slow circles overhead, letting out eerie laughter from time to time.
The ghosts loved Hallowe'en as well.
Adrian saw Nearly Headless Nick tirelessly fussing with his head.
"Thank you, everyone," Professor McGonagall said. "If there's nothing else, please take your seats. The students will be here any minute."
At the High Table, Adrian kept sifting through the original course of events.
He remembered that Quirrell was supposed to release a troll tonight and then take advantage of the chaos to try to steal the Philosopher's Stone.
"Professor Wesson?"
Professor Flitwick's voice drew Adrian out of his thoughts.
He looked up to see the elderly Charms Master eyeing him in puzzlement.
"What is it?" Professor Flitwick asked with concern. "What were you thinking about? You looked miles away."
"No, nothing," Adrian came back to himself, managed a small smile, and said, "I was thinking about Professor Quirrell… Oh, it must be difficult to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts. I've heard his lessons haven't been going too well lately."
Professor Flitwick nodded in agreement. "Ah, Professor Quirrell… Indeed, I've heard a few things from the students. Still, he seems to have some new ideas lately. Just the other day, he actually brought in a troll and said he'd show it to the upper-years in class. Can you imagine? A troll! In a classroom!"
"…"
Adrian fell silent for a moment. It seemed Quirrell did have a particular fondness for trolls.
"Doesn't sound very safe," Adrian shrugged.
"But it's a promising change," Professor Flitwick said with a pleased smile. "Students won't like a professor who only drones from the textbook. I rather approve of Quirrell's approach."
So Adrian understood: the story hadn't changed entirely—Quirrell had still made ready a troll.
Even so, it was bound to be wasted effort.
Releasing a troll to sow chaos—how foolish.
Once the troll was loose, everyone's attention would focus on Quirrell, Dumbledore included.
After all, Quirrell was the one who had brought it in.
Could Quirrell really slip past Dumbledore's eyes?
Certainly not.
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