[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-hogwarts-learning-panel":3,"chapter-hogwarts-learning-panel-hogwarts-learning-panel-chapter-229":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Hogwarts Learning Panel",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2250467,4210,"Chapter 229: Dumbledore","hogwarts-learning-panel-chapter-229",229,"\u003Cp>The trial behind the trapdoor was not difficult for En.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Luwei could react, En transformed a wooden board into a flute, and soon the three-headed dog fell into slumber.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind Luwei was a bottomless pit; En was just about to descend when he heard sounds coming from behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“En…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He heard a whisper—it was Hemin and Harry; they must have followed after seeing the plan’s signal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were now visibly shaken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What are you doing here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hemin asked, trembling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What else could you be doing? Hemin, think—what’s behind the trapdoor? The three-headed dog is down—do you think En did that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harry always reacted quickly in panic, but his reactions seemed too swift.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Headmaster Dumbledore is gone… Professor Qiluo has gone to steal the Philosopher’s Stone…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hemin murmured to herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luwei had just been awake, meaning Professor Qiluo had descended some time ago—En had no idea how far they’d progressed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had to move fast—faster than ever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“See you later.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>En paid them no further attention and stepped into the bottomless pit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cold, damp air rushed past his ears as he fell, fell, fell—then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud. With a strange, muffled thump, En landed on something soft.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He lit his wand with flame, and the Devil’s Snare recoiled from the light and warmth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as soon as he extinguished the flame and rose from the Devil’s Snare, two figures thudded down behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Devil’s Snare extended snake-like tendrils and wrapped around the two.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t move!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hemin commanded,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I know what this is—it’s Devil’s Snare!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How delightful, Hemin—we’ve finally learned its name.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harry said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We need fire, but we have no matches…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hemin said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you mad? Are you even a wizard?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harry shouted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, right!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hemin said, drawing her wand and waving it while muttering an incantation; blue bellflower-like flames sprouted from its tip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did the two notice En’s calm eyes—he stood not far from them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well done.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They heard En say, then hurried after him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the end of the corridor was a brightly lit room with a high arched ceiling; at the far end stood a silver door. Countless birds, glittering like gems, flew about—remarkably, each bore different colors, and up close, they looked like keys transformed into birds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harry and Hemin followed En to the door; before they could react, En swiftly raised his wand:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Impedimenta! (Full of obstacles!)”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Accio Key! (Fly to me, key!)”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With just two simple spells, En seized the key and opened the door, leaving Hemin and Harry bewildered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hemin, how did En find the right key so fast?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harry asked quietly as they walked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The door is silver—maybe we need the silver key. But no one could move that quickly…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hemin whispered in explanation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beyond the door lay a massive chessboard; the pieces towered above them, seemingly carved from black stone or similar material. Across the room, facing them, stood white pieces. Harry and Hemin trembled—those towering white pieces had no facial features.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do we do now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harry whispered to En.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having faced danger without harm so far, Harry’s fear of the towering pieces vanished at En’s presence; he regarded them with mild curiosity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We have to play chess…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hemin’s face twisted with tension and panic,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But Ron isn’t here—he’s the best chess player among us.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The chessboard spanned dozens of meters, a giant’s game; En stood there, dwarfed by comparison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Professor McGonagall’s chessboard was meant as a test of skill—but En had no time to play.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His Transfiguration was clearly insufficient against so many pieces, yet he had learned more than just that…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Reducto! (Shatter into pieces!)”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A blinding flash tore through the air—the white piece representing the king exploded on the spot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【You practiced the Shatter Spell at expert level—proficiency +50】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What he learned in the dungeon wasn’t just stirring cauldrons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He opened his panel:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Shadow Cut: Expert (2000\u002F9000)】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Shatter Spell: Expert (100\u002F9000)】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Impedimenta: Expert (1000\u002F9000)】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Expert level meant silent and instantaneous casting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing their king destroyed, the white pieces bowed and stepped aside, clearing a path straight to a door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>En stepped through without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We were supposed to play chess, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hemin said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Maybe.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harry hurried after him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the floor lay a giant, unconscious—it seemed only stunned, snoring like a sleeper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>En stepped around it and faced seven bottles of potion—Professor Sineipu’s riddle. En had forgotten the answer, but he could solve it on the spot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only problem: only one person could pass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind the final door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Professor Qiluo had entered a state no one could fathom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A professor not yet fully fallen—did Harry still have any special advantage over him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one could tell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>En heard the sound of owls returning outside the castle—dawn was near.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Professor McGonagall or Professor Taila would arrive soon; Headmaster Dumbledore’s return was also imminent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A little more time—just a little delay—and everything might change.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As En pondered,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hemin had solved the riddle:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She reread the note several times, paced before the bottles, muttered to herself, pointing at one or another. Finally, she clapped her hands in delight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I know—the smallest bottle lets us pass through the black flames to retrieve the Philosopher’s Stone. But there’s only enough for one person to drink.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hemin frowned again,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not even a full sip.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harry’s throat moved—he was about to volunteer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then a paper airplane flew out of the wall, landing in En’s hand and unfolding to reveal just a few words:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【I’ll be back soon, child】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harry and Hemin had no idea who sent it—only En fully exhaled in relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll buy some time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>En drank the potion and stepped out of the flames.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To Harry and Hemin, those words meant only one thing:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the professors arrived, to prevent Professor Qiluo from claiming the Philosopher’s Stone, En would face the Dark Lord’s servant alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the final room, only low murmurs echoed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master, forgive your incompetent servant! I failed to kill the unicorn—my magic is too weak, my will too frail… Please… please give me another chance—I won’t disappoint you again…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>En saw Professor Qiluo circling the mirror, endlessly berating and pleading with himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Give me another chance…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Professor Qiluo repeated the phrase, then turned when he sensed something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His bloodshot eyes stretched to their limit, pupils contracting and trembling uncontrollably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His lips, bitten pale by his teeth, parted slightly but produced no sound—only his Adam’s apple rolled uselessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before anyone could react, Professor Quirrell swiftly shoved a biscuit into his mouth, and his robed figure instantly transformed into a trembling squirrel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The squirrel scurried to Wizard Sean’s side, then froze in place, motionless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Until a notebook and a feather pen floated out from Wizard Sean’s person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Y-you came here... You shouldn’t have come... The Dark Lord will kill you... Go, go quickly...】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wizard Sean stared at the words on the notebook, and countless thoughts surged through his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Animal Party series of transfigurations could be sustained; the instant Professor Quirrell chose to transform into a squirrel, he seamlessly extended the transformation to at least half an hour.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wizard Sean’s bag contained countless squirrel-transformation biscuits—all crafted during his practice sessions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And what about you, Professor?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wizard Sean lowered his gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Oh... oh... He’ll torment me, just like when I failed to steal the Philosopher’s Stone from Gringotts—he was furious. He punished me... But this has nothing to do with you... Go, Mr. Green, please go...】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The squirrel even squeaked in desperation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wizard Sean suddenly heard what sounded like a faint step behind him; he trembled slightly—he knew who had arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did you obtain the Philosopher’s Stone?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wizard Sean asked again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【The Philosopher’s Stone... I never wanted to use it, yet it came to me anyway. I saw my reflection in the mirror reaching for it... I made an excuse... I didn’t dare look again...】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The room fell into a silence lasting over ten seconds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【The Philosopher’s Stone will inevitably be taken... He will return... Of course he will return. He will leave me, and this hollow shell, this soul riddled with wounds... Mr. Green, I refuse to deceive you anymore—I refuse to deceive myself. I am already dead.】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wizard Sean silently watched the squirrel that had been Professor Quirrell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【You gave me a choice. Only then did I realize how beautiful hope can be... Now, I still have a choice... In the end, everyone always has one final choice...】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wizard Sean understood what the professor meant: the equality of life lies in the fact that, at all times, there is always a path to death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve done well enough, Headmaster Dumbledore...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wizard Sean turned his head—and there, indeed, stood an old wizard with a long, white beard. Behind him trailed several young wizards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Jia Siting, Hemin, Harry, Luo En...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ordeal was over. The instant Voldemort, after completing his transformation, saw Headmaster Dumbledore, he abandoned Professor Quirrell and fled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He passed through Harry’s body, instantly knocking him unconscious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Headmaster Dumbledore cast a wondrous spell upon Professor Quirrell, murmuring as he did so:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“An uncorrupted soul... His soul remains intact. He has never taken an innocent life. How rare...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Headmaster Dumbledore looked from Professor Quirrell to Wizard Sean and the others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It seems you all did quite well while I was away?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This made Hemin and Jia Jia Siting, still harboring resentment, blush slightly. Luo En, supporting Harry and drenched in sweat, straightened his chest upon hearing these words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The weakened Professor Quirrell revealed everything—his words nearly left the young wizards speechless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Voldemort had been living on the back of Professor Quirrell’s head?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the news that Professor Quirrell had chosen death—as one who, like Harry, had defeated the Dark Lord—filled everyone with profound respect for this seemingly timid man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon after.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harry and Professor Quirrell were both taken to the hospital wing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the corridor, the young wizards—who had slept only ten hours over two days—walked in silence, returning quietly to Hope Cottage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Jia Jia Siting suddenly began clapping, celebrating on behalf of everyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes, it was Headmaster Dumbledore who had driven away Voldemort—but during his absence, it was they who guarded the Forbidden Forest, breached the trapdoor, and thwarted Voldemort’s resurrection plan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the Headmaster said, they had done well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Guys, we did it!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luo En, Hemin, and Nawei looked at him, then at Wizard Sean, their faces filled with boundless joy and satisfaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, they would go to sleep properly, then visit Harry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Wizard Sean, he needed to visit another brave professor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before falling unconscious, Professor Quirrell declined Headmaster Dumbledore’s offer to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could no longer bear to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts in Hogwarts Castle... But his body was extremely weak; due to the curse and Voldemort’s destruction of his life and soul, even to regain his former strength would take years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unless he had a special potion—but all of Professor Quirrell’s gold coins had been spent under Voldemort’s orders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So who could offer a position to this frail professor?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Niao ends this chapter here. More updates tonight—readers can read again tomorrow morning.\u003C\u002Fp>",1847,"2026-06-19T10:00:41.888Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","1c9eafe1a726dafe122d7266efc1532cbfe00eebec5ebb2460f2b9512aafaccd","hogwarts-learning-panel-chapter-230","hogwarts-learning-panel-chapter-228",526,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fhogwarts-learning-panel-cover.jpg"]