The first class of the morning was Potions with Professor Snape.
Still half-asleep, Harry felt someone shaking him awake.
"Come on, Harry. Time to get up."
It was Seamus's voice.
"We've got Old Bat's class today. You don't want to be on the receiving end of his venom, do you?"
That was Ron.
Harry rubbed his eyes.
"Old Bat?"
"Oh, Snape," Ron explained matter-of-factly. "Fred and George say that with those long black robes, he looks just like a giant bat."
Harry couldn't help laughing.
The Gryffindors were gathered around the breakfast table in the Great Hall.
Ron leaned toward Harry and lowered his voice.
"So... how did patrol in the Forbidden Forest go last night?"
"It wasn't too bad."
Harry shrugged as he spread a generous helping of baked beans over a slice of toast. He added a sausage, several strips of bacon, and began assembling a sandwich.
"The forest really is dangerous... but I ended up making a new friend. After lunch, I'll take you all to meet her."
"A new friend?"
Ron immediately perked up.
"'Her'? Is she a centaur?"
Harry smiled mysteriously.
"No. She's a unicorn."
"That's amazing..."
Hermione leaned closer, her curiosity instantly piqued.
"How did you meet her? I mean... according to the books, unicorns usually only approach women with exceptionally pure hearts. I never imagined they'd befriend boys as well."
Harry answered honestly.
"A Dark Wizard attacked her. I happened to come across them, managed to save her, and that's how we met."
Neville, who had been quietly listening, suddenly asked,
"And... how did you defeat the Dark Wizard?"
Harry took a bite of his sandwich.
The slightly tangy baked beans, combined with the savory sausage and the smoky bacon, finally began to satisfy his empty stomach.
Then he answered casually,
"I used a minor offensive spell. Nothing too serious."
What else was I supposed to say?
The moment Hermione heard the words "a minor offensive spell," she immediately became suspicious.
She lowered her voice.
"Harry... what exactly do you mean by that?"
Her face paled.
"Oh no... you didn't... did you?"
She couldn't even finish the question.
Then she sighed.
"Alright... I suppose in a life-or-death situation, I can understand resorting to that kind of magic... But... nobody saw you, did they?"
"No."
As Harry answered, he suddenly remembered Fang.
Oh no.
The night before, after leaving the Forbidden Forest with Hagrid, he had completely forgotten to bring Fang back. The poor boarhound was still unconscious from the Stunning Spell.
I hope he's alright...
Thinking about it, Harry placed scrambled eggs on another slice of toast, added more bacon, another sausage, a slice of tomato, and a piece of cheese, making himself another sandwich.
Hermione changed the subject, though she still looked thoughtful.
"Even so... why would a Dark Wizard attack a unicorn? They're sacred, noble creatures. No matter the reason, harming a unicorn is an unforgivable crime."
"For unicorn blood."
Harry's reply was simple.
"A centaur named Firenze explained it to me. That Dark Wizard is using unicorn blood to prolong a life that should already have ended. He's buying time until he can obtain the Philosopher's Stone and fully restore his life and magical power."
"I see..."
Hermione lowered her eyes and thought for a few moments.
Then she looked back up.
"Then another question comes to mind. The Philosopher's Stone is hidden somewhere inside Hogwarts. Who would dare steal it right under Professor Dumbledore's nose?"
Harry finished his sandwich in just a few bites before answering.
"There's someone who's spent years hiding, waiting for the chance to return. Right now, he's little more than a shadow of his former self. There's only one way for him to regain the power he once possessed."
He looked at his friends.
"Can you guess who it is?"
"Who?"
Ron raised his goblet of pumpkin juice.
Hermione's eyes widened.
"Voldemort?!"
She almost whispered the name.
The instant Ron heard it, he dropped his goblet.
It slammed onto the table.
Fortunately, the thick glass didn't break, and since it was nearly empty, only a few drops spilled.
Seamus inhaled sharply.
Neville turned deathly pale.
Among the five friends, only Hermione and Harry remained completely unfazed by the name.
Hermione because she still knew very little about Voldemort.
Harry because he simply no longer saw any reason to fear him.
"That's impossible!"
Ron jumped to his feet so abruptly that nearly everyone in the Great Hall looked their way.
Realizing he had attracted attention, he quickly sat back down and lowered his voice.
"It doesn't make sense! Dumbledore is here at Hogwarts. Why would Voldemort dare make a move?"
Hermione folded her arms.
"And what if Dumbledore isn't here?"
She stared directly at Ron.
"The Headmaster isn't always in the castle. If he has to leave, that would be the perfect opportunity for Voldemort to act. We have to warn Professor Dumbledore!"
Harry answered absentmindedly.
"You don't need to worry. Hagrid already went to tell him last night."
In truth, Harry's mind was occupied by only two things.
Finding the Philosopher's Stone.
And finding a way to remove the curse that still lingered in Poppy's wound.
Since Harry seemed so calm, Hermione gradually relaxed as well.
After all...
If Dumbledore already knew about the situation, he would undoubtedly take the necessary precautions.
Surely no one expected a group of first-year students to protect the Philosopher's Stone.
Potions class proceeded exactly as usual, beneath Professor Snape's relentless stream of biting sarcasm.
This time, even Hermione wasn't spared.
Distracted by everything she'd learned that morning, she accidentally added half an ounce too much bat liver.
After Harry successfully brewed a flawless Swelling Solution, Snape wore an expression of obvious reluctance as he awarded a single point to Gryffindor.
Moments later...
Neville managed to boil his cauldron completely dry.
As a result...
Five points were deducted from Gryffindor.
The Gryffindors barely reacted.
They were already used to it.
After all, Snape deducting points from Gryffindor had practically become a tradition.
Even so...
Slytherin still occupied last place in the House Cup standings.
Why?
Because Snape himself had previously deducted one hundred and fifty points from his own House.
When class ended, Harry asked Ron, Hermione, Neville, and Seamus to wait outside.
He still had several Blood-Replenishing Potions that he'd bought in Diagon Alley.
But honestly...
Store-bought potions could never compare to those personally brewed by Severus Snape.
If they were for anyone else, the ordinary potions would have been good enough.
But Poppy was an old friend.
Harry would gladly endure every ounce of Snape's razor-sharp sarcasm if it meant giving her the very best potion available.
Naturally, Snape noticed that Harry remained behind after the other students had left.
A slow, mocking smile spread across his lips.
"Is there something else, Potter?"
His voice was as smooth and venomous as ever.
"Or has the great Boy Who Lived found himself troubled by one of adolescence's little inconveniences... and decided to seek advice from his poor, miserable old professor?"
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