106 Quirrell's Adventure

As a Hogwarts professor with a covetous eye on the Philosopher's Stone, Quirrell often kept a close watch on Filch's patrol routes, plotting his moves carefully.

During this time, when Gryffindor students were prone to nighttime wanderings, Filch and his cat typically prowled the seventh and eighth floors of the castle.

Quirrell's main concern was Snape, who also frequented nighttime strolls. On last year's Christmas Eve, Quirrell's attempt to access the fourth floor had coincided with Snape's presence. In addition to receiving a reprimand from Snape, Quirrell had inadvertently stumbled upon Harry wearing the coveted invisibility cloak. Envious, Quirrell had harbored a secret desire to possess the cloak, but opportunities had been scarce.

Unable to risk entering Harry's dormitory or attempting to conceal the cloak near the Gryffindor common room entrance without arousing suspicion, Quirrell found himself contemplating his options as he made his way to the fourth floor.

The corridor was deserted, enveloped in silence.

Quirrell approached the locked wooden door at the end of the corridor, withdrawing his wand to cast an advanced unlocking spell.

With a sharp "clap," the lock shattered, allowing Quirrell to gently push the door open.

Inside, Fluffy, the three-headed dog, lay slumbering peacefully. The creak of the door stirred his ears, prompting his three noses to twitch and his eyelids to flutter.

It seemed Fluffy had caught wind of Quirrell's presence.

With a silent prayer, Quirrell retrieved a music box from his pocket, carefully winding its mainspring before opening it.

The cheerful melody of "Ring the Bell, Merry Christmas" filled the air. Fluffy's ears perked up, a contented expression crossing his face as his heavy eyelids drooped, succumbing to the drowsy lullaby.

"Sure enough! Saruman... Saruman is really..." Quirrell's voice trailed off, his attempts to articulate his awe and fear falling short in the face of Saruman's unfathomable knowledge.

After a moment to collect himself, Quirrell placed the music box beside Fluffy. With determination he uncovered the entrance below.

Armed with knowledge about the other professors' trap setups, Quirrell felt a surge of confidence as he prepared to bypass Fluffy and seize the Philosopher's Stone.

With a burst of adrenaline, he leaped through the trapdoor. Orienting himself easily within the familiar surroundings, Quirrell landed on a cushion of soft vegetation, recognizing it as the Devil's Web cultivated by Professor Sprout.

His wand emitted a brilliant glow, causing the Devil's Web to writhe and twist away from the light, gently lowering him to the ground.

Advancing through the stone corridor, the steady drip of water echoed around him. After a few minutes, Quirrell emerged into a brightly illuminated chamber filled with the harsh clatter of metal on metal.

His eyes narrowed at the sight of hundreds of winged keys, a creation courtesy of Flitwick.

"Flitwick's little invention," Quirrell sneered. With a deft flick of his wand, a brilliant flash of light erupted, and he expertly summoned one of the flying keys, forcefully drawing it towards him.

The keys in the room whirled about frenziedly, attempting to assail Quirrell. However, lacking eyes and relying on senses beyond sight to detect threats, they rendered Quirrell's invisibility potion useless against their onslaught.

A sudden burst of light swept through the room, freezing the magical keys in mid-air as their enchanting energies were drained.

Lowering his wand, Quirrell swiftly grabbed the specific key required to unlock the door, effortlessly disarming the concealed traps. As he exited, the keys resumed their suspended animation, returning to their original state.

"Stupid Flitwick," Quirrell grumbled under his breath, frustrated by the thwarted magical defenses as he stepped into the dimly lit corridor and proceeded to the next room.

Upon his entrance, torches flared to life, illuminating a vast chessboard sprawled across the floor.

"Minerva McGonagall's Transfiguration," Quirrell muttered, recognizing the enchantments. With careful steps, he traversed the chessboard's edge, casting a spell on himself before confidently striding off the board.

"It appears a tad too simple," Quirrell pondered as he left the chessboard room, attributing the ease to either the lingering effects of the invisibility potion or a spell imparted by his master.

Approaching the door behind White, Quirrell effortlessly unlocked it and ventured into the next room.

Inside, he confronted a creature of colossal proportions, dwarfing even the one he had unleashed on Halloween. The air was thick with tension as Quirrell assessed the challenge that lay before him.

.....

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