The Three-Headed Dog Was Such a Traitor

Five people pressed themselves against the door, holding their breath as they listened for any sounds outside.

Filch's footsteps drew closer and closer, accompanied by Mrs. Norris's meows.

"Damned brats, I know you're in there!" Filch cursed outside the door, yanking hard on the handle.

The door didn't budge.

When he couldn't open it, Filch assumed nobody was inside and walked away, grumbling.

The footsteps gradually faded into the distance, and only then did the five of them breathe a sigh of relief.

"Thank goodness, he's gone." Harry wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"We should hurry back to the dormitory," Hermione whispered.

Just then, Neville spoke up in a trembling voice:

"Guys, look behind you."

The four of them slowly turned around, instantly frozen in place.

A gigantic Three-headed dog was glaring at them viciously. Each head was as big as a barrel, and six eyes gleamed in the darkness.

Sharp teeth showed inside its mouths, and drool dripped steadily onto the floor.

"Ahhhhh!"

Everyone except Charlie let out earth-shaking screams.

Charlie stared wide-eyed, his mind in turmoil.

Which bastard had said Dumbledore wouldn't leave anything dangerous inside the castle?!

Faced with this situation, Charlie instinctively pulled out his Wand.

"Flaming Bear!"

A blazing fire flared up in front of him, forming a wall of flames.

Charlie didn't attack the Three-headed dog directly. He was afraid of provoking the beast and only wanted to hold it back with the fire.

Charlie meant to shield the others, but when he turned around—

Damn it, where had they gone?

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville had all bolted, leaving not even a trace behind.

"Bloody hell, what a bunch of deadweights!" Charlie couldn't help swearing.

Just as Charlie was about to run too, he noticed that although the Three-headed dog looked vicious, it hadn't moved an inch.

Did this thing not bite people?

A bold idea popped into Charlie's head.

"Billy!" he called softly.

With a pop, Billy appeared in front of Charlie.

"Mr. White, what does Billy need to do for you?"

Ever since Charlie had given Billy a Galleon half a month ago, the House-elf had really started appearing whenever Charlie called.

In fact, every morning when Charlie woke up, a piping-hot breakfast was waiting by his bed.

"Get me a piece of meat. Fresh, please." Charlie lowered his voice.

Billy vanished at once, then returned in less than ten seconds carrying a huge slab of beef.

Charlie took the beef and cautiously approached the Three-headed dog.

"Come on, big doggy. Here, boy."

He had no idea whether dogs in another world responded to that, but whatever—he'd give it a try.

The two heads on the sides instantly changed their tune, drooling all over the floor.

Only the middle head managed to keep up its fierce expression, but its wildly wagging tail gave it away.

Charlie couldn't help laughing.

"See? Got you under control."

"I knew old Dumbledore could be counted on."

[His Majesty bribed the treasure vault's guard and behaved outrageously. Tyrant Points +1]

Meanwhile, Harry and the others ran a long way before stopping. Only then did they realize someone was missing.

"Where's Charlie?" Harry asked, panting.

"Oh no, we left him behind!" Ron's face turned deathly pale.

Hermione wanted to go alert a teacher. "We should find Professor McGonagall right away!"

Ron curled his lip. "By the time a teacher gets here, Charlie will probably be nothing but bones."

Harry clenched his fists, guilt shining in his eyes. "We left Charlie behind. We have to go back and save him!"

With that, he ran back.

Hermione reached out as if to say something, but the words died on her lips.

She gritted her teeth and followed Harry.

She didn't lecture him this time. Her friend's safety mattered more than the rules.

Ron and Neville exchanged a glance. Though they were scared stiff, they followed too.

"Merlin, please let Charlie still be alive," Neville said shakily.

The four of them returned to the door and crept forward cautiously.

Strange chewing noises came from inside, loud crunches that rang out clearly.

Harry's face turned deathly pale, and he froze in place. "It's over. Charlie..."

Ron covered his mouth, his eyes full of terror. "Oh, no. Charlie's gone quiet. That dog's the only one left, chewing on his..."

"Don't say that!"

Hermione was terrified too, but she was more level-headed.

She wouldn't jump to conclusions before seeing the truth.

With a trembling hand, she carefully pushed the door open a crack and peeked inside.

The next second, all four of them froze.

The gigantic Three-headed dog was lying comfortably on the floor, all three heads buried in a huge slab of beef as it happily chewed away.

And Charlie?

He was sitting next to the Three-headed dog, leisurely stroking its middle head.

"Good dog, San Shao. Such a good dog."

Charlie sounded so gentle, as if he were praising his own pet.

The two side heads saw this and leaned over to rub against Charlie's arm, as though begging for attention.

Charlie chuckled and patted the other two heads.

"Good boy. You're all good boys."

Harry's eyes widened. He could hardly believe what he was seeing.

"Charlie! You're okay!"

He was so excited he almost rushed inside, but Ron grabbed him.

The dog wasn't attacking Charlie, but there was no telling what it might do to the four of them.

Charlie heard them and looked back at the four. He was honestly relieved to see them return.

It meant those guys hadn't really abandoned him after all. They still had a conscience.

The Three-headed dog noticed the four people at the door too, but only glanced at them before going back to its meat.

After all, Hagrid's instructions were to guard the Trapdoor beneath it. As long as the young Wizards didn't come in, everything was fine.

Hermione breathed a sigh of relief, but a new question immediately came to mind.

"Charlie, where did you get that piece of meat?"

"Magic," Charlie replied carelessly.

Ron's eyes lit up.

"Charlie, you can conjure food!"

Hermione wasn't so easy to fool. Frowning, she said:

"No, that's not right. Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration clearly states that food can't be created out of nothing through Transfiguration."

Charlie was at a loss. Little girls who knew so much weren't cute at all.

"All right, you're the expert."

"One of the castle's House-elves brought it."

"But more importantly, don't you think there's something else we should be paying attention to?"

He pointed beneath the Three-headed dog.

"For example, the Trapdoor under San Shao's butt."

Hermione was very interested in the House-elf Charlie had mentioned, but the Three-headed dog was obviously more important.

Everyone followed his pointing finger and saw that the Three-headed dog was lying on top of a wooden Trapdoor.

Harry blinked.

"What could be down there?"

"Who knows?" Charlie stroked his chin, a flicker of curiosity in his eyes.

"But since Dumbledore went to all this trouble to have San Shao guard it, there must be something good down there."

At that moment, the Three-headed dog seemed to understand what they were saying. It quickly gobbled down the rest of the beef.

It burped with satisfaction, then straightened up. All three heads stared straight ahead, as though it hadn't just been eating.

"San Shao." Charlie patted its hind leg.

"Move aside for a bit, would you? I want to take a look downstairs."

The Three-headed dog acted as if it hadn't heard him and stayed put.

"Don't pretend. I know you can understand me," Charlie continued, trying to persuade it.

"Just one look. I'll be right back."

The Three-headed dog still ignored him.

Charlie gritted his teeth and pulled out his Wand.

"Want me to hit you with a Stupefy?"

At that, the Three-headed dog finally reacted. It slowly turned its middle head and looked at Charlie disdainfully.

With a Three-headed dog's resistance, even a grown Wizard's spells would have a hard time knocking it out.

The atmosphere turned awkward in an instant.

Charlie gave an embarrassed cough and quietly put his Wand away.

"Just kidding. Just kidding."

Just you wait. Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west!

Harry and the others covered their mouths, stifling their laughter. They didn't dare laugh aloud.

Charlie couldn't beat the Three-headed dog, but he could still beat them.

Unable to stand Charlie's pestering any longer, the Three-headed dog simply lay down on the Trapdoor and buried its head as if pretending to sleep.

"Oh, screw you!"

"You don't know the meaning of gratitude. You really are a San Shao!"

Charlie was so angry his teeth were grinding. He kicked the Three-headed dog and turned to leave.

On the way back to the dormitory, Hermione started her nonstop lecturing again.

"I told you from the start that we shouldn't have gone wandering around at night!" she said indignantly as they walked.

"That almost got us killed, and even worse, we almost got expelled!"

Ron muttered under his breath behind them.

"Does she really not know which consequence is worse?"

Charlie and Harry heard him and couldn't help laughing.

"All right, little Professor McGonagall, enough already," Charlie said with a grin.

"My ears are about to grow calluses."

Hermione glanced back at the four boys who clearly had no conscience, but the nickname little Professor McGonagall made her secretly happy.

Professor McGonagall was her idol, and she had always held herself to Professor McGonagall's standards.

Suppressing a little smugness, Hermione lifted her chin and walked on.

"Hmph! You heartless lot have no idea how important your studies are!"