Professor Quirrell is Good, Snape is Bad

Harry's eagerly anticipated Quidditch match began.

Ron and Hermione were even more nervous than he was—they were terrified something would go wrong again during this game.

Hermione hadn't even looked at the latest Daily Prophet, so she missed the headline that had, unusually, taken up three full main pages.

[Will Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration Be Broken? And the One Behind It All Is?!]

At the same time, the new issue of Transfiguration Today used its most prominent section to announce that transfiguration was about to undergo a revolutionary breakthrough—in the very next issue!

Just this teaser alone had every wizard who saw it on high alert. The deeper their expertise in transfiguration, the more they zeroed in on this, understanding just how monumental its significance was.

They'd already started pulling strings or using their influence to investigate ahead of time—Transfiguration Today was a rigorous academic journal; it wouldn't publish such claims without solid grounds.

As for the Daily Prophet? Sure, it was the Ministry of Magic's mouthpiece, often running poorly researched or even fabricated gossip, but when it came to a fundamental law like Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration, they absolutely knew where to draw the line.

In the end, all their inquiries led back to a single name—Dumbledore.

That name, carrying its strange magic, brought every probe to an abrupt halt. In response, they began eagerly anticipating just what bombshell the next Transfiguration Today would drop.

What they'd never guess, though, was that the one stirring all this up was still a first-year at Hogwarts.

Back at the school, the students had no sensitivity to any of this—most of their attention was on the upcoming Quidditch match.

To Harry's relief, Professor Dumbledore showed up this time, which put him at ease—with Dumbledore around, Professor Quirrell definitely wouldn't dare try anything on him.

Reassured, Harry, already brimming with fighting spirit, delivered a stunning performance—he caught the Golden Snitch in just three minutes, ending the freshly started match with a bullet-like dive.

The whole crowd chanted Harry's name. He glanced at Professor Quirrell, who was still cowering and timid as ever, seemingly unmoved by the brilliant game—hard to imagine this was the same person who'd cursed him before. What was his real goal?

Then, Harry felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Well done," Dumbledore said softly, loud enough only for Harry to hear. "I'm glad to see you haven't lost yourself to that mirror. It seems Damon was right—a good goal can lift a person up."

Harry nodded happily, scanning the field. In the distance, he saw Snape spit bitterly on the ground, and Damon waving at him from afar—at the others' request, Damon had come to watch the match again.

An hour later, Harry left the changing room alone to return his Nimbus 2000 to the broom shed.

He felt lighter than ever.

He'd finally done something truly worth being proud of—no one could ever say he was just a famous name again. And on top of that, he'd helped Damon win back those lost 150 points!

Even though Gryffindor's deficit was still far more than those 150 points, Harry felt deeply satisfied.

He'd never known the night air could taste so sweet.

But then, his heart sank—he saw Professor Snape sneaking toward the Forbidden Forest, clearly not wanting to be seen.

What was he up to?

Harry leaped back onto his Flying Broomstick, shot into the air, followed him, and finally landed silently on a tall beech tree, where he spotted Snape and—Professor Quirrell?!

"I—I don't know why you—you chose to meet here, Severus."

"Oh, I thought it best not to be public," Snape said, his voice icy. "After all, students shouldn't know about the Sorcerer's Stone."

"Have you figured out how to get past Hagrid's creature?"

"B—b—but, Severus, I—"

"You wouldn't want me as an enemy, Quirrell," Snape said, stepping closer.

"I—I don't kn—know what you—"

"You know exactly what I mean."

An owl screeched loudly, and Harry nearly fell out of the tree. Steadying himself, he caught Snape saying, "...your little secret tricks. I'll be waiting."

"B—but, I—I—I—"

"Good," Snape cut him off. "We'll talk again soon, once you've had time to think things over and decide whose side you're on."

Harry didn't know how he made it back to the common room—he was almost in a daze. Wasn't Professor Snape supposed to be innocent? Why was he threatening Professor Quirrell? Or were both of them after the Sorcerer's Stone?!

Hermione and Ron were still basking in the Quidditch victory, cheering when they saw Harry, but he had no mood for it.

"Forget that for now," Harry panted. "I've got something important to tell you!"

He glanced at Damon, who was reading the paper, and recounted what he'd overheard to the three of them.

"Merlin! So Professor Snape isn't innocent—he's the real culprit?"

"He really doesn't seem like a good guy! Lately, he's been giving Harry weird looks all the time. What if—back at the Quidditch match, it was Snape who cast the spell, and Professor Quirrell was protecting Harry!"

Hearing Ron's bold theory, Harry and Hermione nodded in agreement, but Damon wore a strange smile.

Snape framing Harry, and Professor Quirrell casting a protective spell on him?

That was too ridiculous.

"Damon, what are you laughing at? You must have been fooled by Professor Snape!"

Hermione noticed his smile and didn't understand. Harry and Ron turned their heads too.

Damon nodded and said:

"You're right. Snape threatened Professor Quirrell. Quirrell good, Professor Snape bad!"

The three of them felt something was off about Damon right then, but couldn't put their finger on it, and continued:

"We should warn Headmaster Dumbledore to keep a close watch on the Sorcerer's Stone."

"Don't worry, the adults will handle this better than we can." Damon stood up to take his leave. "I still have some matters to attend to. You go ahead."

Damon walked out of the hall and, seeing no one around, cast an Invisibility Spell on himself.

Then, he calmly made his way toward the room on the fourth-floor corridor.

He had already confirmed in advance that Dumbledore had left after watching the Quidditch match. Now, at Hogwarts, he could come and go as he pleased.