Chapter 232: Hagrid

The next day.

Morning.

Dew still clung to the castle’s spires. The owlery already echoed with flapping wings as the mail delivery party swept across the courtyard, feathers still damp with glistening moisture.

The portraits in the corridor yawned and stretched. Young wizards emerged from behind tapestries, crunching through puddles on the floor with loud splashes.

They walked, laughed, and spread rumors.

“Did you hear? Justin’s detention was lifted because they defeated a werewolf in the Forbidden Forest!”

A Hufflepuff wearing a black-and-yellow scarf exclaimed excitedly. It was Ernie, a Hufflepuff of untold pure-blood lineage.

“Not just that! I heard there was a troll too!”

Oliver shouted loudly as well.

“And a dragon!”

Hannah, the new addition, joined the discussion with equal enthusiasm.

“And…”

Susan didn’t know what else to say—what could be more powerful or more evil than a dragon?

“And the mysterious—”

Her mind momentarily stalled; she nearly blurted it out. Hannah broke into a cold sweat and quickly clamped a hand over her mouth.

The circle of Hufflepuffs around them were impressed; everyone agreed Susan was the most prolific rumor-spreader among the young wizards.

“Alright, you’ve won the ‘Never Hungry’ Club’s Best Rumor Spreader Award—your final exam score gets ten extra points. Remember to collect them from your paper.”

Ernie said admiringly.

Justin and the others passing by couldn’t suppress their smiles.

Their detention had been lifted—an extremely rare occurrence. Though they hadn’t revealed anything about the fourth-floor room or the Forbidden Forest, Hogwarts Castle had undoubtedly become filled with new whispers.

The reason they hadn’t spread the news was simple: exams were coming. Even though they were thrilled, they all agreed to wait until after the exams to properly boast.

After all, no one wanted to be interrupted while memorizing the Goblin Rebellion by someone demanding a retelling of Professor Quirrell’s repeated betrayals.

Wizard Sean was preparing to visit the school infirmary to bring some potions for Professor Quirrell—these remedies would help sick wizards recover faster.

As for Harry, he seemed to be nearly recovered.

In the infirmary, Madam Pomfrey looked at the pile of expensive potions Wizard Sean brought, slightly surprised:

“Child, this is far too much… where on earth did you get these…?”

“Madam, I brewed them myself.”

Wizard Sean said.

“Hmm?”

Madam Pomfrey gave him a peculiar look.

A young wizard using a professor as a test subject was rather unexpected.

Professor Snape has inspected them. These potions are qualified.

Wizard Sean knew Madam Pomfrey had misunderstood and explained.

“Let me see them, child. All potions entering the infirmary must be confirmed safe.”

Madam Pomfrey examined the potions for a moment, then exclaimed in delight:

Qualified! Oh! Outstanding for you, child—oh—you’re Green, aren’t you?

Madam Pomfrey seemed to realize this belatedly, since most of her potions came from the dungeons, and lately, more potions had been arriving with the brewer’s name clearly marked: Green.

“Thank you so much—”

Madam Pomfrey clearly admired him; she didn’t even mention the usual limit on how long patients could stay.

So Wizard Sean naturally placed the potions on Professor Quirrell’s desk. The curse upon Quirrell was severe—more severe even than Voldemort’s damage to his life and soul.

This surprised Wizard Sean slightly; he planned to visit the Forbidden Forest later to ask Hagrid.

Hagrid knew a great deal about unicorns—he might know another way.

Professor Quirrell slept. Wizard Sean continued organizing his current plans: the Expert Alchemy title required only two more mid-rank alchemy creations; Transfiguration was less than one-fifteenth of the way to Master level…

Soon, another notebook floated out of Wizard Sean’s pocket. The notebook appeared blank—even the ink from a quill was invisible to others.

Only Wizard Sean could write, slowly, painstakingly, and gradually untangle more possibilities from fate’s grasp.

Suddenly, a loud commotion erupted in the infirmary. Hagrid squeezed himself through the door, sideways.

Every time Hagrid entered a room, he looked like a giant.

He sat beside Harry, glanced at him, and burst into tears.

“It’s—my—fault—I’m—such—an—idiot!”

He covered his face with his hands, weeping.

“I have to tell you—I told that villain how to get past Fluffy! I told him! He knew everything—everything except this—and I told him! You entered that room and nearly died—all because of a dragon egg! I’ll never drink again! I should be expelled and spend the rest of my life as a Muggle!”

Hagrid sobbed loudly. Madam Pomfrey, who should have thrown him out, merely cast a Silencing Charm on him, then helplessly went to tend to a young wizard who had just broken his leg.

“Wizard Sean—I saw Wizard Sean—I heard he faced Professor Quirrell himself—I must be imagining things because I wanted so badly to apologize to him—”

With Hagrid’s arrival, the infirmary seemed to transform.

Now he trembled with grief and remorse, great tears seeping into his beard.

“Hagrid, no matter what, Voldemort would have found a way to know. Please, cheer up—we kept the Philosopher’s Stone safe. It’s gone now; Voldemort can never use it again. Have a Chocolate Frog—I’ve got a whole pile…”

Harry looked helplessly at Wizard Sean again.

“We guarded the Forbidden Forest and drove Voldemort away, Hagrid. Much of that credit is yours.”

Wizard Sean said.

“Really…” Hagrid wiped his nose with the back of his hand. “That reminds me—I brought you all some gifts.

Dumbledore gave me a day off yesterday so I could gather them.”

What Hagrid pulled out looked like a beautifully bound leather book.

“I sent owls to my parents’ old classmates, asking for photos… I knew you didn’t have any of them… Do you like them?”

Harry couldn’t speak, but Hagrid understood completely.

“And yours, Wizard Sean—though this might get me expelled. But you have to come with me…”

As he spoke, he seemed to recall something else, and his eyes filled with even more tears.

Wizard Sean followed Hagrid to an unremarkable, locked tower.

Hagrid glanced around, then pulled out a key and opened the door:

“You have three minutes. Go take a look, Wizard Sean. I don’t know what’s written on it, but they say the feathers of the Augurey hold extraordinary magic…”

Wizard Sean immediately guessed what it was.

He entered the tower. Inside stood a book bound in black dragon leather, beside it a small silver inkwell with a long, faded feather quill inserted.

These were the Quill of Acceptance and the Book of Admittance—the only method Hogwarts used to select students.

Wizard Sean knew it would at least record the young wizard’s birthday; beyond that, he wasn’t sure.