Chapter 211: Think Deeper
The proficiency of the Weird Wizard's Chess and the Planning Map continued to increase, but growing even faster was the [Squirrel Biscuit].
Every time he gazed at the rising proficiency of the Squirrel Biscuit, Sean would drift into a brief daze.
However, these moments of distraction were fleeting, as he was quickly pulled back by the massive volume of orders flooding into Weasley & Green's Wizard Wheezes. Fortunately, he had been practicing the crafting of Weird Wizard's Chess lately; otherwise, Gurt-kun would likely be sending him Howlers every day demanding stock.
The popularity of the Weird Wizard's Chess wasn't limited to Hogwarts. Wizards who couldn't get their hands on the sold-out Transfiguration Biscuits simply took home something else—like the chess sets. To their surprise, it only took two minutes to become obsessed with the game.
"A Knight fell in love with a Queen? That's normal."
"A Bishop burned his own pawn as a heretic? Interesting."
"A reckless Rook can uncontrollably step forward an extra square? Plausible."
"But what do you mean a Knight got drunk and spent the night stabbing our King to death because he was cheating with the enemy Queen?!"
Wizards were naturally drawn to such absurd objects; there was a reason Dungbombs had remained a bestseller for so long. Their inventor, Alberic Grunnion, was even featured on a Chocolate Frog card, standing alongside figures like Master Nicolas Flamel.
Sean had let his imagination run wild when creating the chess set, and its eccentricity had truly exceeded expectations. As a result, the strategic depth of the game had increased significantly. It also retained the original proficiency setting—the more familiar a wizard was with their pieces, the better they could control them. These elements of "nurturing," strategy, and sheer absurdity had catapulted the game to the top of British wizarding entertainment.
The unauthorized promise from the Weasley-kun brothers—that new characters would be released every month—further extended the game's lifespan. Sean might have been more amused by this if they weren't constantly wailing and begging him to design a new piece every four weeks.
Weasley & Green's Wizard Wheezes was raking in gold. The Weasley-kun brothers used their profits to buy new books and alchemical tools, and even sent a significant amount back home. Although Mrs. Weasley hadn't spent a single Knut of it, she was so grateful that she insisted the twins bring Sean to the Burrow no matter what.
Sean had been curious about the flying car and was ready to agree, but he caught himself. "I need to ask the Professor first."
The twins didn't understand why, but they left happily, counting their Galleons. Before departing, they said mysteriously:
"Our business has made it so not a single regular Wizard's Chess set has sold in a month—" Fred-kun tossed up a standard chess box.
"We paid the patent fees, but they still tried to play dirty. But guess what—" George-kun caught the box.
"They were hit by a mysterious curse and turned into a pile of elephants or something. The Ministry still hasn't found out who did it."
The two looked at Sean in unison. "Great Green! Partnering with you was the best decision the Weasleys ever made!"
They gave a mock bow and vanished in a blur, leaving a slightly confused Sean behind.
Another week passed.
Sean's proficiency with the Weird Wizard's Chess had reached [Expert]. During this time, the most discussed topic in the Room of Hope was Professor Quirrell.
"We absolutely cannot let him steal the Philosopher's Stone. And we need to figure out why he wants it in the first place," Justin said, as he always did, opening the discussion.
"Turning lead into gold? But Professor Quirrell is the Muggle Studies professor. A brilliant Ravenclaw like him shouldn't be that desperate for money," Hermione frowned.
"Oh, come off it, Hermione. You can never have too many Galleons... Look at Fred-kun and George-kun. When they aren't training, they're finding ways to do business. Rumor has it they have a warehouse full of gold..." Ron mumbled, looking at his old books and worn robes with a sense of melancholy.
"Or... immortality," Justin whispered. Honestly, he hadn't imagined the wizarding world possessed such magical creations.
While they were deep in thought, Sean touched the Squirrel Biscuit in his hand. The crackling of the fireplace pulled his mind back to the Headmaster's office.
"H-his talent... it should r-receive attention... he n-needs this scholarship, needs to be s-seen, if only once. Therefore, I r-recommend him for..."
Was the "Green" that Professor Quirrell spoke of truly just a wizard named Green? That recommendation letter sat at the bottom of Sean's trunk; he couldn't help but think about it.
"Sean... why do you think Professor Quirrell wants to steal the Stone?" Justin turned to ask. Seeking Sean's input was always a good move when they were stuck.
But this time, Sean remained silent for a long while. Justin, seeing him deep in thought, didn't press further. Instead, he and Hermione began discussing Quirrell's past.
"He was once a gifted and learned Ravenclaw. As for why he turned out like this, they say he encountered vampires," Hermione said, clutching a notebook filled with research.
"Yeah—otherwise you can't explain the stuttering and that horrible smell of garlic," Ron added with a shudder.
So... what kind of person was Professor Quirrell, really?
Headmaster Dumbledore's words to Harry were: "Quirrell is full of hatred, greed, and ambition, sharing his soul with Voldemort... it would be agony for him to touch someone marked with something so good..."
But back at the Leaky Cauldron, Professor Quirrell had shaken Harry's hand. Did that mean he wasn't completely lost back then? A single wrong choice leading to a permanent tragedy.
Sean placed the Squirrel Biscuit alongside his diary pendant. The wind blew his notebook open, revealing his clear handwriting:
[Quirinus Quirrell. In Rowling's thoughts—Quirinus is a lesser-known Roman god, often associated with war, though Quirrell isn't as mild as he seems. 'Quirrell' is very close to 'Squirrel'—small, cute, and harmless—and also to 'quiver,' echoing the character's innate nervousness.]
Transfiguration Biscuits only allow a wizard to retain their will if they possess the same Animagus form. Sean didn't know if he could accurately guess the Professor's form, but trying was better than doing nothing.
Because of a single recommendation letter, he had been thinking deeply. If the trapped Professor Quirrell had one more chance to choose, what would the ending be?
Sean didn't know. The only thing he understood was: a meager Squirrel Biscuit only lasts three minutes. Aside from allowing a squirrel to run into the Headmaster's office to confess everything and beg for help, it was utterly useless.
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