On the second day after the exam, a rumor circulated among the students: the corridor on the fourth floor, which Headmaster Dumbledore had warned them not to enter at the start of the school year, was guarded by the Sorcerer's Stone. Every professor had set up traps to protect it.
But Professor Quirrell, who had just arrived that year, wanted to steal the Stone. It was Harry Potter and three other Gryffindor students who stopped him, and their four freshmen companions who ultimately protected the Sorcerer's Stone.
Interestingly, there was no mention of Solim in these rumors, no Evans, no Draco, and no Voldemort.
Who could have spread such rumors? Harry and the others were still lying in the school hospital, and Solim was not known to gossip. The only plausible person was Dumbledore—he was giving Harry a boost.
Dumbledore had firsthand experience with such situations: when danger arises, people naturally place their hopes on wizards with great strength and a strong reputation. Did Harry have great strength? Perhaps in the future, but at this point, he was just a young wizard, still developing. Dumbledore was simply building momentum for him.
At the end of the ordeal, Solim and Dumbledore had discussed the Sorcerer's Stone extensively. Among their conversation, Solim—also known as "880" Lim—made a request: it was fine to create momentum for Harry, as long as he and Draco were not involved. It didn't matter how many points Gryffindor received, but Slytherins should not be implicated.
Dumbledore did not respond immediately to Solim's request. In their eyes, these were minor issues, not worth discussing in detail. Eventually, Dumbledore agreed, promising that during the holidays, he would meet with Solim and Snape.
Harry remained in a coma, but Hermione and Ron were mostly fine, though shaken. As gossip spread, a crowd always formed around the two, eager for the truth. Hermione showed little interest, but Ron relished it, boasting about how they had navigated the traps set by the professors and protected the Stone from Quirrell. After repeated warnings from Dumbledore and Hermione's insistence, Ron finally refrained from mentioning Voldemort.
The final exams were over, and the last Quidditch match of the year had drawn almost all the students to the pitch—but Hermione did not attend. After the day's chaos, she lay in her bed in the school hospital, reviewing the events in her mind. She understood many things she hadn't before but still had questions.
Since it was the last Quidditch match and the castle was mostly empty, Hermione decided to seek clarification from Solim. She knew Solim would never attend the game. From her observations, he rarely appeared in the Slytherin common room except to sleep. During the day, he remained confined to his small classroom, except for class time, and at night, he brewed potions in a hidden room near the Slytherin common room. Hermione had carefully noted all this.
Sure enough, when she arrived at the small classroom, Solim, Draco, and Neville were all there.
"Hermione, I guessed you'd come to see me as soon as you were out of the hospital," Solim said, tossing her a cushion. "You came just in time. I'm explaining things to these two guys who aren't very sharp."
"Then let's move on," Solim continued. "Draco, didn't you wonder why the professors used traps that seemed inadequate to protect the Stone?"
Draco looked hesitant, but Hermione was intrigued. Solim's question went straight to the point.
"You mean, the obstacles set by Professors Sprout, Flitwick, and McGonagall?" Draco asked. "It doesn't make sense. They're trivial—any ordinary wizard could pass through them easily. Why would the professors think a mirror could stop Quirrell or—someone else?"
Draco didn't name Voldemort this time. The previous night, he had spoken it in agitation, but now that he had calmed down, he avoided saying the name casually. Voldemort's reputation was far too fearsome.
Solim nodded. "You're thinking along the right lines. To prevent Voldemort from getting the Stone, the Mirror of Erised alone would suffice. But that doesn't mean the other traps were pointless. They weren't meant to stop him."
Solim smiled knowingly. "You forgot about Harry Potter."
Draco hadn't fully grasped it yet, but Hermione quickly understood.
"You're saying the traps weren't for Voldemort, but for Harry?" she asked in disbelief. "But why? And how did the professors know Harry would go there?"
Solim explained patiently. "Harry's personality makes his actions very predictable. Think about it. When you set traps to protect something—especially something as important as the Sorcerer's Stone—the traps need to be powerful. But observe the traps carefully: they weren't lethal. Professor Flitwick even set up a broom for one obstacle. Ordinary agencies wouldn't be so careless. These were custom-designed for Harry."
Hermione thought through the challenges along the way. Harry excelled at flying, Ron at wizard chess, and she herself was brilliant at logic and spells. Realizing that their efforts had been anticipated, Hermione felt a mix of frustration and awe.
Solim continued, "As for why Dumbledore did this, it was to observe two things."
"Two things?" Hermione and Draco echoed.
"One, to confirm Voldemort's current situation and gauge when he might return." Hermione tensed, Draco paled further, and Neville, as usual, remained silent.
"And the second?" Hermione asked.
"The second is Harry's choice," Solim said.
"Harry's… choice?" Hermione repeated, confused.
"Think back to last night," Solim said. "Who else would have fought Quirrell—or someone more dangerous—so fiercely to protect the Stone? How many would rather risk death than surrender? Dumbledore wanted to see which Harry would show up: the coward who would kneel or the fighter who would resist."
"Obviously," Solim continued, "Dumbledore was extremely satisfied with Harry's choice."
Draco asked, still puzzled, "But Solim, what's the point?"
"You all know Harry's nickname, right? The 'Savior.' When Voldemort returns, Harry becomes a symbol against him. He can inspire people. Wizards are terrified of Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Harry gives them hope. With him, the wizarding world gains the will and confidence to resist."
Hermione's eyes widened as she processed this. Then she asked, "But why did you show up last night? And why were you holding a bucket of popcorn?"
Solim scratched his head, a sheepish smile on his face. "We went there just in case. I called Evans—it was part of his job—and I brought Draco and Neville along so they could observe. That's all."
Hermione raised an eyebrow. "And the popcorn?"
Solim leaned back, looking at the ceiling. "Well… conditions considered, I still wanted to enjoy the show."
Hermione shook her head but couldn't suppress a small smile. The truth was far more complex than she had imagined, but now, at least, the pieces were starting to fit together.
FOR MORE CHAPTERS
patreon.com/Johnybairstow