The Quidditch match Harry had been eagerly awaiting began.
Ron and Hermione were even more nervous than he was—they were terrified that another accident would happen during this match.
Hermione had not even looked at the latest issue of the Daily Prophet, so she had missed the headline that had unusually taken up three major pages.
Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration to Be Broken? The Person Who Achieved It Is Actually?!
Meanwhile, the latest issue of Transfiguration Today had also used its most prominent section to introduce the revolutionary changes Transfiguration was about to undergo—in the next issue!
It was merely a preview, yet every wizard who saw the report was instantly alert. The deeper they were involved in the field of Transfiguration, the more closely they followed it, understanding just how significant it was.
They had even begun calling in favors and using their influence to investigate the matter in advance. Transfiguration Today was a rigorous academic journal; it would never publish such claims without cause.
As for the Daily Prophet? Though it was the Ministry of Magic's mouthpiece and often published entertainment gossip with poorly researched or even fabricated information, when it came to a fundamental theorem like Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration, it certainly knew what mattered.
In the end, every investigation led to the same name—Dumbledore.
That name, with its strange power, brought all probing to an abrupt halt. Instead, they began eagerly anticipating what earth-shattering bombshell the next issue of Transfiguration Today would reveal.
They likely never could have imagined that the person behind all this was still a first-year student at a magic school.
The students at Hogwarts, however, had no sensitivity whatsoever to any of this. Nearly all their attention was focused on the upcoming Quidditch match.
To Harry's delight, Professor Dumbledore had come this time as well, which made him feel immensely relieved. With Dumbledore present, Professor Quirrell surely would not dare attack him again.
Reassured, Harry, already bursting with fighting spirit, delivered an astonishing performance. In only three minutes, he caught the Golden Snitch, ending the Quidditch match shortly after it had begun with a bullet dive.
The entire stadium cheered Harry's name. Harry looked toward Professor Quirrell and found him just as timid and shrinking as before, seemingly completely unmoved by the spectacular match. It was hard to imagine that someone like him had been casting spells at Harry before. What exactly was his goal?
Then Harry felt a hand rest on his shoulder.
"Good job," Dumbledore said softly, so softly that only Harry could hear him. "I'm glad to see you haven't lost yourself in your life because of that mirror. It seems Damon was right—having a good goal can help people strive forward."
Harry nodded happily. He scanned the field and saw Snape spit angrily onto the ground in the distance, while Damon waved at him from afar. At their request, Damon had come to watch the match again.
An hour later, Harry left the locker room alone to return his Nimbus 2000 to the broom shed.
He was happier than he had ever been.
At last, he had done something truly worth being proud of. No one would ever again say he only had a famous name—and he had helped Damon win back those lost 150 points!
Even though Gryffindor was now behind by far more than 150 points, Harry still felt deeply satisfied.
He had never found the night air as sweet as it was now.
But then his heart quickly sank. He saw Professor Snape sneaking straight toward the Forbidden Forest, clearly not wanting anyone else to see him.
What was he doing?
Harry decisively jumped back onto his Flying Broomstick and shot into the air, following him all the way. At last, he quietly landed in a towering beech tree and spotted Snape and—Professor Quirrell?!
"I... I don't know why you... you chose to meet here, Severus."
"Oh, I think this matter should not be made public," Snape said coldly. "After all, students should not know about the Sorcerer's Stone."
"Have you figured out how to subdue Hagrid's monster?"
"B-but, Severus, I..."
"You don't want me as your enemy, do you, Quirrell?" Snape said, stepping closer to him.
"I... I don't kn-know what you..."
"You know exactly what I mean."
An Owl hooted loudly. Harry nearly fell from the tree, but steadied himself just in time to hear Snape say, "...your little secret trick. I'll be waiting."
"B-but I d-d-don't..."
"Very well." Snape cut him off. "Before long, once you have had time to think it through and decided whom you will be loyal to, we will speak again."
Harry did not know how he made it back to the common room. He was almost out of his mind. Hadn't they said Professor Snape was innocent? Why was he threatening Professor Quirrell? Or did both of them want the Sorcerer's Stone?!
Hermione and Ron were still immersed in the joy of Gryffindor's Quidditch victory. They cheered happily when they saw Harry, but he was in no mood for it.
"Forget that for now," Harry said breathlessly. "I have something important to tell you!"
He looked at Damon, who was reading the newspaper, and told the three of them what he had overheard.
"Oh my God! So Professor Snape isn't innocent after all? He's the real culprit?"
"He really doesn't seem like a good person! Lately, the way he's looked at Harry has been strange. Could it be... Snape was the one who cast the spell on Harry during that Quidditch match, while Professor Quirrell was protecting Harry!"
Hearing Ron's bold hypothesis, both Harry and Hermione found it highly plausible, but an odd smile appeared on Damon's face.
Snape had been trying to harm Harry, while Professor Quirrell had been casting a spell to protect him?
Wasn't that too ridiculous?
"Damon, what are you laughing at? Professor Snape must have deceived you!"
Hermione noticed his smile and could not understand it. Harry and Ron turned toward him when they heard her words.
Damon nodded.
"You're right. Snape threatened Professor Quirrell. Quirrell good, Professor Snape bad!"
The three of them felt that Damon was being somewhat strange at this moment, but they could not put their finger on why. They continued.
"We should warn Headmaster Dumbledore and have him guard the Sorcerer's Stone carefully."
"Don't worry. The adults will definitely handle this better than we can." Damon rose to take his leave. "I have something to do. You all carry on."
Damon walked out of the hall and, once he was sure no one was around, directly cast an Invisibility Spell on himself.
Then he calmly headed toward the room in the Third Floor Corridor.
He had already confirmed that Dumbledore had left after watching the Quidditch match. Now, he could move freely throughout Hogwarts.
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