The Blame Pinned Squarely on Snape

Hermione told Harry and Ron that what Fluffy was guarding was the Philosopher's Stone. Both of them were shocked after learning what the Philosopher's Stone could do.

"No wonder Snape wants to steal it," Ron said knowingly. "Having that stone is like having endless wealth."

"And a long life," Harry added.

Hermione silently rolled her eyes. These two really never stopped pinning the blame on Professor Snape!

"Ahem! Now we know that what Fluffy is guarding is the Philosopher's Stone, and..." Hermione paused slightly here. "And someone wants to steal it."

"Correction—not someone. Snape," Ron said.

"We don't have one hundred percent proof that Professor Snape is the one trying to steal it. Almost everyone wants the Philosopher's Stone, don't they?"

"What more proof do we need?" Ron sneered. "He might as well have written his motive all over his face.

Besides, we saw him cast a Curse on Harry at the Quidditch match with our own eyes. Doesn't that prove something?"

Harry nodded as well. At present, Snape was the only suspect, and he always made things difficult for Harry. Who else could it be?

"Fine!" Hermione looked at the utterly convinced expressions on their faces and could only shake her head, pretending to concede. "If Snape wants to steal it, the first obstacle he has to get through is Fluffy.

And getting past a Three-headed Dog is very dangerous, so we need to keep an eye on Hagrid. If someone—no, if Snape tries to indirectly ask Hagrid about it, then..."

"Then it means he's about to make his move." Harry's eyes lit up. He suddenly felt that Hermione was more than just a bookworm; her analysis was razor-sharp too.

"That's right!

And that's not all. That thing is far too precious for Fluffy to be its only guard. Dumbledore must have set up other obstacles.

And Snape might even have been involved in them. Otherwise, there would be no way to explain how he knew about the Philosopher's Stone."

Ron was instantly amazed. "I always thought you only knew how to draw inferences during exams. I didn't expect you to have considered so much. It'd be such a waste if you didn't become an Auror after graduation."

Hermione's face showed a trace of embarrassment. This was all Aaron's analysis; she had merely explained it by copying his approach.

But now, all the "credit" seemed to have fallen onto her shoulders, which made her feel a little uncomfortable.

"Let's not talk about that for now.

In any case, the situation isn't as bad as we thought.

At least, nothing will happen to the Philosopher's Stone anytime soon."

"That's good!" Harry let out a sigh of relief. "Let me go over our current plan. First, keep a close eye on Snape."

"Got it!" Ron immediately agreed. "That's easy. We see him more than anyone else every day."

Hermione rolled her eyes, but she nodded too.

"Second, find a way to get Hagrid to tell us who else was involved in protecting the Philosopher's Stone.

If Snape wants to get it, he'll definitely need to find a way through the other obstacles. If we figure that out, we'll know how far he's gotten."

"Third, Hagrid again. We need to watch closely in case he tells anyone else how to get past Fluffy."

"Don't forget the fourth point," Hermione reminded them. "We need to prepare for our exams."

"Exams?" ×2.

Harry and Ron exchanged a glance, and their heads immediately felt twice as big.

Neither of them was a particularly good student. Exams were an unavoidable hurdle in their lives—and the hardest one to clear.

"Is that really necessary, Hermione?" Ron said awkwardly. "The holidays have only just ended. Exams are still hundreds of years away!"

"We still need to make a revision plan." Hermione's tone left no room for argument. "We've already wasted too much time on Nicolas Flamel.

If we don't cram the material from class now, we might not even pass the Final Exam."

"You won't pass?" Ron looked as though he had heard the greatest joke in the world. If they had not been in the library, he would definitely have burst out laughing.

Harry was trying hard not to laugh too. "Hermione, aside from Aaron, you're the least likely person at Hogwarts to fail.

You know everything. You don't need to revise at all."

"I don't need to revise?

Have you forgotten that Draco and I still have a bet?

If I lose, Aaron will have to owe someone a favor on behalf of his family.

Although I don't understand the Magic World as well as you two do, I know how important a bet made in a family's name is.

And unfortunately, Draco has been studying especially hard lately. Even Professor McGonagall, who isn't particularly fond of Slytherin, has praised him.

So, do you want to see Draco win?"

Harry and Ron immediately grew serious. Malfoy was the person they disliked most, bar none—not even Snape compared.

If Hermione really lost because of a momentary lapse and let him get smug, they would surely be miserable until the start of their second year.

And if they ever faced Malfoy again, they would be at an absolute disadvantage, because even Hermione, their "strongest," had lost.

At that thought, both their eyes filled with seriousness.

"Hermione, I think you make a lot of sense," Harry said. "Studying is the most important thing for students. We can't neglect it."

"I think so too," Ron said solemnly.

Hermione: ...

She had worked so hard to say all that, yet in the end, she was not as persuasive as a single Malfoy.

All she could do was blame herself for choosing the wrong friends.

As a top student, Hermione quickly made a revision plan for the two of them. She generously gave them her own notes and watched over their studies with great seriousness.

The teachers also assigned all kinds of homework, and "study hard and improve every day" became the norm for their free time, leaving the two poor students miserable.

But even as they weathered storms in the sea of learning, they still devoted most of their energy to keeping watch on Snape... and Hagrid.

A few weeks later, at the Gamekeeper's hut.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione came to visit Hagrid as usual. This was the eighth time they had visited him recently.

The first time they came, they bluntly told him that they knew what Fluffy was guarding was the Philosopher's Stone. Every time after that, they would "casually" bring up whether anyone had asked how to get past the Three-headed Dog.

But every time, Hagrid's answer made them feel reassured. "Other than me and Dumbledore, nobody knows how to get past Fluffy, and I definitely won't tell anyone else."

Snape had not shown any unusual behavior either. He always wore the same grim expression every day, and sometimes seemed especially irritable. Yet the more he acted that way, the more relieved Harry and Ron felt.

Because it meant the Philosopher's Stone was still safe, and Snape had not succeeded yet.

This time, they planned to ask a different question.

"Hagrid!" Harry hesitated for a while before asking, "We want to know what other traps are guarding the Philosopher's Stone besides Fluffy."

Hagrid's expression immediately turned serious. "Why are you so concerned about this?

Harry, I'm telling you seriously once again, this has nothing to do with you."

"So there really are other traps?" Hermione asked. "Spells, magic, that sort of thing?"

"I can't tell you that. It's highly confidential," Hagrid said with a frown. "Of course, I don't know either."

"Er..." Hermione pondered for a moment. "Then do you know who designed those traps?"

"That, I do know. It was..." Hagrid smiled proudly, then his expression became serious again. "You nearly tricked me again, Hermione.

It would be a real problem if I let that slip."

"But it wouldn't be that much of a problem, would it?" Harry pleaded. "Please, Hagrid, tell us!

We already know about the Philosopher's Stone, so one more detail won't matter."

"Don't try that on me, Harry." Hagrid smilingly pressed Harry down into his chair. "Ever since I accidentally let Nicolas Flamel slip, you lot have become more and more out of control."

"But someone is already trying to steal the Philosopher's Stone," Ron cut in. "We're sure it's Snape."

Hermione pursed her lips, wanting to say something but stopping herself.

She wanted to say, We're not sure, but no words came out.

"Snape?" Hagrid froze for a moment. "I know almost all Gryffindors dislike him, but that's no reason for you to suspect him.

And Snape is one of the people who designed those traps. He couldn't possibly steal that thing."

"That makes it worse." Harry's face darkened. "That would make it much easier for him to steal it.

Hagrid, does he really not know how to get past Fluffy?"

"I've said it over a dozen times. Other than me and Dumbledore, nobody knows," Hagrid said impatiently.

"Hagrid, you should still tell us!" Hermione pointed at Ron and Harry. "You don't think they'll give up that easily, do you?"

Hagrid looked at the two of them. Seeing the determination in their eyes, he let out a helpless sigh. "All right! But I have one small condition.

Aaron's pet cat, Abei. Help me borrow her."