It's obvious from William's tone that he's quite disgruntled. After all, for Hogwarts students, how could the occasionally stern but usually smiling headmaster have any malicious intent?
No matter how you look at it, it's the Minister of Magic who is fearmongering, even judging others by himself—Michael and Ian both agree quite a lot with William's viewpoint.
"If framing doesn't work, he comes up with another scheme. Even if this Minister really is dead, I feel someone must have used his words to try to frame Headmaster Dumbledore." Ian indignantly criticized the actions of Minister of Magic Fudge, not caring at all what Cornelius Fudge encountered after he left the basement.
"Exactly!"
William strongly agreed with Ian's statement.
Everyone knew that even though his family once worked for the Saints, he was trying hard to get closer to the new generation of Saints, yet he remained a loyal Albus Dumbledore fan.
You could see it from those several pairs of underpants printed with Albus Dumbledore's face.
"Someone died at school, and Rebecca didn't even write to tell me about it. Was it those folks who often mocked me for going to Slytherin College to find Rebecca?"
Michael's angle of concern for the deceased was indeed unique. It was understandable that he hadn't heard any news since the professors at the school essentially blocked information about Quirrell's death.
When Snape rushed into the hall, there were quite a few little wizards staying at school, but none dared eavesdrop on Snape and several professors' conversations like Ian did.
Even though people from the Ministry of Magic later came to the school in force, Cornelius Fudge was stonewalled and wouldn't possibly let others broadcast his embarrassment widely.
Perhaps a small group of people had a better grasp of information, like those pure-blood families. They even heard about Ian's battle with Voldemort, though they naturally wouldn't promote such things at school.
Even the big-mouthed students from those pure-blood families were warned and reminded by their families. After all, matters involving Voldemort could cause a significant panic, which most people were quite aware of.
"No."
William responded to Michael's question, but he didn't continue speaking and instead turned to look at Ian, who vaguely sensed something and raised his head.
"I just heard a little, heard a little." Ian was hesitant while glancing at the nearby Michael, torn about whether or not to tell him that during the holidays he saw Little Black Sister and a little white boy out on a night stroll, so of course Rebecca didn't have time to write Michael any letters.
First-year little wizards, after all.
It could only be said that the children in the Wizarding World might also mature early. They might not know more intimate matters, but things like dating still happen among a small group of the "young" crowd.
"Who is it?"
Michael was clueless in every sense of being kept in the dark.
He truly was in the dark.
"It's Professor Quirrell. You might not know him because we're not yet of age to attend Muggle Studies Class." Ian finally managed to somewhat clear up the less sensitive part of the mystery for his roommate.
"You really knew who died!"
William exclaimed in a startled manner.
"I also know this Professor Quirrell. We even threw snowballs at him once, remember?" Michael's memory was sharp; this was something that happened just before Christmas.
"Yes, yes, the unlucky professor. He truly was a bit too unlucky." William glanced at the dormitory door and then lowered his voice again, "My dad said before Professor Quirrell died, not only was he used as a sacrifice, but someone also made a Soul Artifact with him right in the school."
"There might not be anyone dead more tragically than this professor in the world..." William's voice carried a hint of emotion that made Ian throw him a few surprised glances.
"What's a Soul Artifact?"
Michael's clueless expression was exactly how a normal little wizard should look. You know, knowledge of Soul Artifacts is dangerous, and many adult wizards might never have heard of such a term.
"I think it's a container to hold souls? I also heard my dad say it like that. He didn't explain much and scolded me for not asking more."
William's response had a bit of uncertainty in it.
He looked at Ian.
"Maybe Ian can tell us what a Soul Artifact is?"
The two little wizards looked at Ian with eyes full of curiosity.
"It's right that your dad didn't tell you!" Ian finally realized that William's family did have a real parental love. What normal parents would tell their kids about such horrific stuff?
"If your dad won't tell you, then, as your godfather, I certainly can't tell you either. Anyway, Soul Artifacts are very scary." Ian did sometimes understand boundaries.
"You might not know either, do you?"
Michael applied reverse psychology with exaggerated skepticism.
"Heh heh." Ian obviously wasn't falling for it. He just snorted softly and looked at William, "Is your dad also a Ministry of Magic officer responsible for dealing with Professor Quirrell's body?"
Truth be told.
William really did know a lot of things.
"No."
William shook his head.
"Hmm?"
Ian hadn't expected such an answer, "Even the newspaper hasn't reported this kind of news recently. The Ministry of Magic must have a high level of confidentiality regarding Professor Quirrell's cause of death, right?"