Hogwarts Study Panel

Chapter 121: Moving Forward

Fourth floor corridor.

A blurry figure was moving rapidly, almost imperceptible to the naked eye.

After hearing what Parvati Petil said, Sheen probably knew that the plot had not changed.

He had just come out of the auditorium when he heard the noise there and saw Professor Quirrell.

This convinced him that Tom would have a hard time going on a killing spree, unless he wanted to be turned into Tom 2.0 by Dumbledore.

Next, all he needs to do is make sure Hermione is safe.

It won't be difficult.

Unless Tom's brain grows into a troll's body, even if he can't defeat the troll, Sheehan is enough to escape with Hermione, since Potter didn't lock the door this time.

But what Sheen didn't expect was that more than one person was following behind him.

The entrance to the washroom on the fourth floor.

A stench assaulted Sheen's nostrils; it was the smell of stinky socks mixed with the odor of a public toilet that had never been cleaned.

Then he heard—a low murmur and the sound of huge feet dragging on the ground.

At the end of a passage on the left, a colossal creature was moving toward him.

Sheen concealed himself, intending to find Hermione at least first.

Unexpectedly, at that moment, the enormous monster slowly walked into a patch of moonlight.

The sight was terrifying. It was twelve feet tall, with dull, gray skin like granite, and its enormous, clumsy body resembled a huge pile of pebbles, topped with a small head the size of a cocoa bean.

Its short legs were as thick as tree stumps, and below them were flat, rough, calloused feet. The stench emanating from its body was nauseating. It held a thick wooden stick in its hand, which dragged on the ground because of its long arms.

The giant stopped by a door and peered inside.

To make matters worse, at that moment, the door began to shake slightly, as if someone inside was trying to open it.

But the sound of the door opening stopped quickly, because the troll, the foul-smelling troll, had crawled into the room.

Sheen moved almost in sync with the troll, and with the help of the Disillusionment Charm and the Silence Charm, he followed the troll into the bathroom without any trouble.

The washroom was completely empty, seemingly devoid of anything.

But inside the cubicle, Hermione covered her mouth tightly.

"A troll! A troll! A monster with a danger level of xxxx! Little wizards wouldn't even have a chance to fight back against it! They'd be too scared to cast spells!"

The voice was raging through Hermione's mind, and what was worse, she had been crying there for so long that she had no strength left.

In addition, she is quite frightened now, and probably can't even recite a simple levitation spell.

Hermione huddled in the cubicle, looking as if she might faint at any moment.

Outside the cubicle.

Sheehan heard faint, suppressed breathing, and through the half-open doorway of the cubicle, he saw Hermione's deathly pale face.

Her eyes were dim, her lips trembled, and she tried to stand up but had no strength.

Sheen's eyes flickered, and he sighed. With no more worries, he simply entered the cubicle, and the illusion spell receded from his body like a receding tide.

His usually calm face showed a slight change in expression. The troll had appeared ahead of schedule, making it pointless to wait for Potter and the others to arrive.

……

in the corridor.

Among the young wizards who were rushing towards their respective dormitories, Neville and Justin, who were going against the flow, seemed quite strange.

The troll is twelve feet tall, weighs over a ton, has thick skin, and is immune to most magical attacks...

These were the words that Professor Quirrell repeatedly emphasized in his stammering voice during Defense Against the Dark Arts class; he even called on a few young wizards to answer questions.

The trolls were just as terrifying to the young wizards as the dragons.

Therefore, most of the young wizards heading to their respective dormitories were pale-faced, wishing they had more legs to run faster.

"Do you think we'll die if the trolls find us?" a young wizard asked his companion, trembling.

"Otherwise what? Do you think you're Sheen? Taking on giants one-on-one, defeating werewolves with your bare hands, and even stealing dragon eggs right in front of a fire dragon..."

The young wizard made a joke with a pale face, but the atmosphere didn't liven up at all.

Justin and Neville were already having some difficulty breathing.

Justin, in particular, was shivering slightly as he came out of the warm kitchen without even having had time to put on a robe.

"Actually... Sheen, it's not like that..."

Neville wanted to say something, but his words only made the atmosphere more tense.

After realizing that Sheen and Hermione were no match for the troll, they ran even faster.

A bolt of lightning flashed, followed by a deafening roar of thunder.

The sounds of the wind, the rain, and the pounding of his heart transformed into a gentle female voice in Justin's mind:

"You are about to enter the fiercely competitive adult world, my child. You must become indestructible."

I know that justice is a difficult path, and if you ever reach a point where you must choose your life, my son Justin, remember, what you need is not a magic wand, but courage.

When does a person become unstoppable?

Justin realized it was when he heard the greatest voice of his life—his mother's call.

Inside the Hope Hut.

The yellowed envelope still remained in the expensive suitcase, which Mrs. Finley had chosen with great effort to pack her longing.

The yellowed envelope was still swaying slightly in the wind, and Mrs. Finley's handwriting was still clearly visible:

Dear Justin:
In the meaning of life, we are all miracles. Just as the future is not necessarily more important than the present, how can a broken future look directly at a warrior's present? Yet I love you, my child, I love you, that's all.

—Liliana, who will never be disappointed in you.

……

hall.

Snape looked at the noisy young wizards, his sinister gaze sweeping across the surroundings.

No, no, still no...

With everyone's attention diverted, Snape easily noticed Quirrell's disappearance.

His gaze was more somber than ever before, especially after he exchanged a glance with the equally alarmed Professor McGonagall.

He's not here... He's disappeared...

Snape's mind was in complete disarray. Looking at Dumbledore, who was staring in a certain direction, his anger surged fiercely.
"What are you waiting for, Albus! We have to find him! Damn it! Find him!"

“Severus, are you talking about Harry? He just went out, oh, he'll be alright…”

Dumbledore's words startled Snape, who then gave Dumbledore a cold stare.

Yes, in the eyes of this century's greatest white wizard, who could compare to Harry Potter?
It was precisely because he knew this, and knew that Harry was definitely under Dumbledore's control, that he didn't notice Harry who had just left immediately.

What about the others? What about the other wizards?

Ha... are they all expendable... pawns to be sacrificed?

What lies at the end of the castle stairs?
Quirrell, or the Mysterious Man?

The Dark Lord has returned once more, and his plan to prove his potential as a savior involves him playing a role in the shadows...

He had nothing left to offer this filthy world, and was content to cocoon himself at the entrance of the dilapidated Spider Lane.

But there are always things that are far more important than anything else.

Snape walked out of the Great Hall with a cold expression.

(End of this chapter)