Suspect

"It seems you've made some new friends!"

Albert walked past Hermione and said softly.

Hermione suddenly looked up at Albert's departing figure, her expression complex.

"What's wrong?" Ron asked, following Hermione's gaze.

"It's nothing." Hermione shook her head and looked away. At that moment, she suddenly remembered the Prophecy Albert had given her.

Before Winter Comes, you will no longer be alone.

The Prophecy came true! I did indeed find a good friend.

"Do you think Anderson can really make Prophecy?"

"Why would you think that?" Harry asked, puzzled. To be honest, Harry knew practically nothing about Prophecy or anything like that.

"Last time, he told me that I would make good friends before winter came." Hermione hesitated for a moment, but finally spoke under the questioning gazes of the two.

Harry and Ron looked at each other, both noticing the confusion and bewilderment in each other's eyes; neither of them understood Hermione's meaning.

Perhaps it was a coincidence? And could this even be considered Prophecy? At least, Harry and Ron both thought it Prophecy n't.

Both of them thought that Prophecy must be something very lofty and profound.

"I don't know." Ron hesitated for a moment, then said to Hermione, "I don't think he can Prophecy the future. It's said that there are very few wizards who can predict the future, but Fred and George think Anderson Prophecy. You know, they're good friends."

"I've heard about this before. Many students think Albert was just saying it offhand." Harry recalled what he had heard and said to his two companions, "People think Anderson likes to say things that are ambiguous to achieve the effect of Prophecy."

Hermione thought Harry wasn't wrong.

Of course, Harry couldn't be sure whether Albert would actually make Prophecy.

"Harry, do you remember what Anderson told you?" Ron suddenly remembered something and looked at Harry, saying, "That warning."

"What warning?" Harry was completely confused and didn't understand what Ron was saying at all.

"Regarding the Quidditch warning, didn't he say you should be extra careful and not get yourself into a situation you can't get out of?" Ron reminded him.

"Oh, that!" Harry remembered; there really was such a thing. "But was that Prophecy? I don't think so. Didn't Wood say that the Slytherin students might... make it impossible for me to play in the tournament?"

"They have no idea how well you play Quidditch, but Albert seems to be convinced you'll play well." Hermione thought for a moment and then suddenly said, "He seemed to have said that Gryffindor Team's chances of winning the Quidditch Cup this year would be quite bumpy."

"Hermione, don't listen to his nonsense." Ron didn't want to dwell on this matter at all, thinking that Anderson was just talking nonsense, so why did Hermione believe him?

"Did Albert really say that?"

Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out beside Harry.

"What?"

"Did Albert really say there would be obstacles to winning the Quidditch Cup?" Angelina asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I think I mentioned it."

"Harry, you need to be careful." Angelina looked at Harry and said seriously, "Since Albert said you need to be careful, it means that any trouble you might encounter could happen to you."

Actually, Angelina didn't believe in Prophecy, but Fred and George always said that Albert's words were very accurate, and the three of them believed that what Albert said was very likely to come true, so she felt that it wouldn't hurt to believe a little bit.

Harry stared at Angelina's retreating figure, even more confused. Could he really predict the future? "Oh, right, there's something," Ron suddenly remembered something and whispered to his two friends, "The other day, I overheard Fred and George talking about Snape's lameness."

"Snape is lame?" Harry was very interested in this; Snape's misfortunes were his source of amusement.

"They said Albert said on Halloween Eve that Snape would have bad luck and get bloodshed," Ron shrugged. "And the next day they found out Snape had been bitten by a dog."

"Snape got bitten by a dog?" Harry asked excitedly. "How did he get bitten by a dog?"

"What are you holding, Potter?"

A cold voice rang out from not far away. When Harry turned his head, he saw Snape limping towards them, looking rather unwell. Clearly, he had just heard Harry say that Snape had been bitten by a dog.

"It's Quidditch Through the Ages." Harry showed the book to Snape.

"The books in the library must not be soiled," Snape said coldly, pointing to the cookie crumbs on the paper. "Gryffindor loses five points."

"Was his leg really bitten by a dog?"

Harry was very unhappy that Snape was making excuses to deduct Gryffindor's points, but he was more curious about how Snape had been bitten by a dog.

"Where did that dog come from at school?" Harry asked, even more puzzled. "Could it be Fang?"

"I don't know. But he looked like he was in a lot of pain, which is great," Ron said gleefully. Actually, he didn't care what happened; Snape's unfortunate appearance after being bitten by a dog was enough to bring him a day's worth of amusement.

"Don't forget, there's a big dog in the Fourth Floor Forbidden Area Corridor," Hermione reminded her. She hadn't forgotten that big dog; she'd been terrified by it back then.

"I see, I understand now," Harry jumped up, noticing the surprised looks he was attracting, and quickly lowered his voice, "Remember when the Troll broke into the school on Halloween Eve?"

Ron paused for a moment, seemingly recalling what had happened a few days ago.

Harry continued, "We saw Snape heading towards the Third Floor all by himself. I bet my Flying Broom that Snape let that Troll into the castle to Troll the professors and then..."

"You mean, Snape tried to get past that three-headed dog. When we saw Snape, he was heading towards the Fourth Floor Forbidden Area, trying to steal the thing the dog was guarding?" Ron said, suddenly realizing.

"No—he wouldn't," Hermione said, not believing Harry and Ron's judgment. "I know Snape is indeed unlikable, but that doesn't mean he's stupid, and I don't think Snape could steal something that Dumbledore keeps under his nose."

"To be honest, Hermione, you always think all teachers are... saints." Ron had absolutely no liking for Snape.

"No, that has nothing to do with this," Hermione said helplessly, noticing the expression on Ron's face. "Please, Ron, use your brain and think carefully. Why would Dumbledore dare to leave things at Hogwarts School? Wouldn't the headmaster have considered this issue and taken no precautions?"