Driving Quirrell Away Is Everyone's Wish

"No one wants to break that record!" Ron retorted loudly.

Harry looked equally ashamed.

Seeing this, George said with a grin, "But I have some good news for you now. The matter of you losing points is already old news. Everyone is concerned about something else now."

"What is it?" Harry asked curiously.

"It's a secret!" Fred said.

"But I'm guessing Andy and Miss Granger already know," George added.

Harry and Ron immediately turned to look at them.

"That's right, we've known for ages!" Hermione said proudly. Not only did she know, she even knew who had designed the plan.

Ron looked utterly baffled. "What happened?"

"Don't ask around," Fred said, throwing an arm around Ron's shoulders.

"Although lots of people know this secret, we won't tell it to anyone who doesn't," George said.

"Enjoy your dinner!"

Fred and George patted Harry and Ron, waved at Andy, then swaggered away.

"What secret is it?"

Ron looked irritated. It was as if the whole world knew except him and Harry.

What had they missed? Harry turned to Andy and asked, "Can't you really tell us?"

"It's not that I can't."

Andy gave them a mischievous smile. "People who know the secret can discuss it with each other, but we won't tell those who don't know."

Harry and Ron: "..."

Harry bit into a sausage. Usually delicious, it now tasted completely bland.

That feeling of everyone knowing except you was absolutely awful.

He would bet he wouldn't sleep tonight.

Ron refused to accept it. He got up and walked over to Michael Corner, raising an eyebrow as he asked, "Michael, do you know about that thing?"

Michael nodded. "You mean that thing? Of course I know. I've already agreed to it."

"What did you agree to?" Ron pressed impatiently.

"You don't know?"

Michael gave Ron a wary look, then waved him off impatiently. "If you don't know, stop asking around."

Ron: "..."

Ron was unwilling to give up. He asked several more people he knew, but received pretty much the same answers.

Those who didn't know were as curious as he was, while those who knew refused to tell him what the secret was.

After making the rounds, Ron returned and sat down with a dejected expression.

Andy and Hermione exchanged smiles. This feeling was rather interesting.

Although no secrecy charm had been set, everyone seemed to have an unspoken understanding. No one would tell the secret to those who didn't know.

That was so Hogwarts!

Yet there was no such thing as a truly airtight wall. In just one night, the news that "Slytherin intended to drive Professor Quirrell away" spread through all of Hogwarts at the speed of a Nimbus 2000.

By the next morning, the Little Wizards had begun openly discussing the news.

As for what Slytherin had done, the Little Wizards had only four words to say: well done indeed!

No one at Hogwarts liked Professor Quirrell.

Many Little Wizards were excited. Although the whole matter had been spearheaded by Slytherin, it was the result of the joint efforts of all the Little Wizards.

Perhaps Gryffindor held different opinions, but no one cared what they thought.

Because if the plan succeeded, Professor Quirrell would become the first professor in Hogwarts's thousand-year history to be driven away by the student body.

They would make history! By the time Andy and Hermione arrived at the Great Hall, fresh news had come from the Slytherin side—their letters of complaint had already been sent.

Cheers immediately broke out in the Great Hall.

Andy glanced toward the Slytherin table. Malfoy was talking proudly to the people around him.

Judging by his animated expression, it was obvious just how pleased with himself he was.

"Andy, let's go!" Hermione tugged at Andy.

"Mm!" Andy nodded.

Ravenclaw was in an uproar as well. Everyone hoped Professor Quirrell could leave Hogwarts, especially the study-loving little eagles.

"If we succeed, this will be an event worthy of being recorded in school history."

"This is a victory for all of us!"

"We'll definitely succeed."

"I'm taking Divination Class this year. Professor Trelawney predicted that someone would leave Hogwarts this year. I think she must have been predicting Professor Quirrell."

The little eagles discussed the matter heatedly. Andy had just been about to ask the Third Year student taking Divination Class exactly how Professor Trelawney had made that prediction...

When another Fifth Year said, "Don't believe her. Professor Trelawney predicts every year that someone will die at Hogwarts, but it has never come true."

Andy: "..."

A fraud? That couldn't be possible, could it?

Professor Trelawney's ancestors had all been masters of prophecy, and Andy had read quite a few books on the subject.

It was just that prophecy required talent, and Andy's talent in that area was currently zero.

"Andy, do you think the professors know about this yet?" Hermione looked a little flustered.

The Little Witch feared three things most in life: first, not getting full marks on an exam; second, being criticized by a professor; and third, being expelled from school.

Although Malfoy had started this whole affair, Andy was the one who had devised the plan.

If Malfoy got caught, Hermione did not believe he would keep the secret and refuse to betray Andy to the death.

"They probably don't know yet?"

Andy guessed, "After all, no one would tell the professors about this, and professors aren't omnipotent. They can't possibly know the future. Especially since the plan only started yesterday."

After thinking for a moment, Andy added, "But I think... Professor Dumbledore probably already knows."

"What do we do, then?" Hermione panicked a little. She began recalling the books she had read before, imagining what excuse she should use to defend Andy if he were caught.

Amused, Andy ruffled the Little Witch's hair. "Don't waste your energy. We're not doing anything bad. So what if someone finds out?"

"I just didn't want to draw attention, so I handed it over to Malfoy to handle."

Hermione slapped Andy's hand away and shot him an annoyed look. "Don't touch my hair. It's messy enough already."

Andy's calmness quickly reassured Hermione, but the Little Witch immediately raised another question. "But... what if Professor Dumbledore doesn't agree?"

"How could he not agree? This is a petition from all the students. Even the headmaster can't go against every student, can he?"

Andy spread his hands. "If Dumbledore really insists on having his way, then I'll have Malfoy lead the students in a strike!"