Mysterious Wandering Man

As these words fell from Glenn's lips, the entire hall fell silent.

As Glenn's words fell, the hall fell silent.

Sometimes, we have no choice but to admit that some people are simply born geniuses.

Sometimes, we have to admit that some people are simply born geniuses.

A simple question, stripped of any embellishment, was enough to shift everyone's attention.

A simple question, stripped of any embellishment, was enough to shift everyone's attention.

"Of course not, Mr. Howard." Professor McGonagall smiled unexpectedly at this moment.

"Of course not, Mr. Howard," Professor McGonagall said, smiling against all odds at that moment.

As it turned out, when a person was in a state of extreme rage, they really couldn't help but laugh.

As it turned out, when someone was furious enough, they really couldn't help but laugh.

"Hogwarts has always made student safety its top priority. Let alone arranging a troll for the Sorting Ceremony—even if you were about to graduate, we would never arrange a dangerous troll as your final exam!"

"Hogwarts has always put student safety first. Let alone putting a troll in the Sorting Ceremony, even if you were about to graduate, we would never arrange a dangerous troll as your final exam!"

"What if I actively requested it?"

"And what if I asked for it?"

"Absolutely not." Professor McGonagall said firmly.

"Absolutely not," Professor McGonagall said firmly.

"Really?"

"Really?"

"Absolutely!"

"Absolutely!"

"Then that settles it."

"Then that's right."

Hearing this, Professor McGonagall frowned.

Hearing this, Professor McGonagall frowned.

"Settles what?"

"Right about what?"

"Since we're not allowed to fight a troll, why did you put one in the underground classroom?"

"Since we're not allowed to fight a troll, why did you put one in the Underground Classroom?"

Faced with this sudden, nonsensical question, Professor McGonagall, still in her angry state, was stunned.

Faced with this sudden, absurd question, Professor McGonagall, still in her anger, was stunned.

She wanted to answer that it was an unforeseen incident.

She wanted to answer that it was an accident.

But if she wanted to answer that simple and straightforward question, it would inevitably lead to more complex ones, such as: Since the school doesn't allow students to face trolls, how did a troll suddenly appear inside Hogwarts? Not to mention downstairs...

But if she tried to answer that simple, straightforward question, it would inevitably lead to more complicated ones—like, if the school didn't allow students to face trolls, how did a troll suddenly appear inside Hogwarts? And especially downstairs...

Seeing that the stern professor had regained her composure due to this thought-provoking question, Glenn didn't press further. Instead, he shifted to explaining what had happened in the underground classroom before the troll arrived.

Seeing that the stern professor had calmed down thanks to this question that required thought, Glenn didn't press further. Instead, he shifted to explaining what had happened in the Underground Classroom before the troll arrived.

"...You weren't at the feast this evening, but studying here instead?"

"...You weren't at the feast this evening, but studying here instead?"

"Mm, I originally planned to attend the feast, but as I was studying, I lost track of time."

"Yeah, I originally planned to go to the feast, but as I was studying, I lost track of time."

As a student who respected his teachers, Glenn generally didn't lie to professors—because that wasn't effective.

As a student who respected his teachers, Glenn generally didn't lie to professors—because it wasn't effective.

Rather than fabricating lies, it was more effective to present the truth in a different way, selectively.

Rather than fabricating lies, it was more effective to present the facts in a different way, selectively.

"So, Miss Granger, you chose to come alone and challenge the troll after hearing the news, in order to save others?" Professor McGonagall said thoughtfully.

"So, Miss Granger, you heard about the troll and chose to come alone to challenge it in order to save others?" Professor McGonagall said thoughtfully.

This answer was something she had pieced together herself after hearing Glenn's response—highly credible.

This answer, pieced together by her after hearing Glenn's response, was highly credible.

"Ah? Uh, yes." Hermione lifted her head and nodded blankly.

"Ah? Uh, yes," Hermione said, lifting her head and nodding dazedly.

Professor McGonagall's face remained stern, but she no longer looked as angry as before.

Professor McGonagall's face remained stern, but she wasn't as angry as before.

After asking Harry and Ron a few more questions, she believed she had fully understood what had happened.

After asking Harry and Ron a few more questions, she believed she had fully understood what had happened.

"Alright, for this, Gryffindor will lose five points, as punishment for not seeking a professor's help in an emergency..."

"Alright, for this, Gryffindor will lose five points, as a penalty for not seeking a professor's help in an emergency..."

Hearing this, Harry and Ron exchanged a glance, seeing helplessness in each other's eyes.

Hearing this, Harry and Ron exchanged a glance, seeing helplessness in each other's eyes.

But then, Professor McGonagall's tone shifted, and a faint, barely noticeable smile crept onto her lips.

But then, Professor McGonagall's tone shifted, and a faint smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.

"But I must say, you're lucky. Not many first-year students can take on a fully grown troll. Each of you has earned five points for Gryffindor."

"But I must say, you were lucky. Not many first-year students could take on a fully grown troll. Each of you has earned five points for Gryffindor."

Nothing was more Gryffindor than standing up for your friends.

Nothing was more Gryffindor than standing up for friends.

The sudden praise made Harry blush, especially since he felt he didn't deserve the points—defeating the troll had nothing to do with them.

The sudden praise made Harry blush, especially since he felt he didn't deserve the points—defeating the troll had nothing to do with them.

But Professor McGonagall quickly withdrew her smile and issued them a dismissal.

But Professor McGonagall quickly dropped her smile and issued them a dismissal.

"If you're not injured at all, you'd better head back to Gryffindor Tower. The students are all enjoying the Halloween feast in their common rooms."

"If you're not injured at all, you'd best head back to Gryffindor Tower. The students are all enjoying the Halloween Feast in their common rooms."

"And Mr. Howard, you may leave as well. I'll inform Professor Dumbledore of this matter..."

"And Mr. Howard, you may go as well. I will inform Professor Dumbledore of this matter..."

"Wait, Professor McGonagall, I have a few things I'd like to ask my student." At that moment, Professor Snape suddenly spoke.

"Wait, Professor McGonagall, I have a few things to ask one of my students," Professor Snape suddenly said at that moment.

His dark eyes shifted away from Harry and landed on Glenn.

His dark eyes shifted from Harry to Glenn.

"Could you tell me about the process of defeating the troll?"

"Could you tell me about the process of defeating the troll?"

After this question was asked, even Professor Quirrell stopped his quiet sobbing and turned his gaze over.

After this question was asked, even Professor Quirrell stopped his quiet sobbing and turned his gaze over.

"That's not hard." Glenn nodded and pulled out his wand from his sleeve.

"That's not hard," Glenn said, nodding as he pulled his wand from his sleeve.

Since it wasn't school property, there was nothing to be cautious about.

Since it wasn't school property, there was nothing to be cautious about.

"Wingardium Leviosa"

"Wingardium Leviosa"

The next moment, this levitation charm caused the club in the troll's hand to float in the air.

The next moment, the spell that made objects levitate caused the club in the troll's hand to float in the air.

And this time, it didn't lift the troll along with it—because the troll had fallen into a deep sleep and could no longer hold it tightly.

And this time, it didn't lift the troll along with it—because the troll had fallen into a deep sleep and could no longer hold it tightly.

"No, impossible. If it were just that, the tr-troll wouldn't have sustained injuries of this degree." Though a bit stammering, Professor Quirrell blurted it out almost instinctively.

"No, impossible. If it was just that, the t-troll wouldn't have sustained injuries of this degree," Professor Quirrell blurted out, despite stammering.

As a former top graduate of Hogwarts and now the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, he had an extraordinary understanding of dangerous magical creatures like trolls.

As a former top graduate of Hogwarts and now the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, he had an extraordinary understanding of dangerous magical creatures like trolls.

With just a single glance, Quirrell judged that even if the levitation charm were immediately canceled and the large club fell straight down, it would hardly cause significant damage to the troll's thick, tough body.

With just a glance, Quirrell judged that even if the Levitation Charm were canceled on the spot and the large club fell straight down, it wouldn't cause much damage to the troll's thick, tough hide.

But soon, he regretted saying that.

But soon, he regretted saying that.

"Stunned into silence!"

An explosion-like bang erupted from the underground classroom, and the originally drowsy Troll fell into an even deeper slumber.

Professor Quirrell's eyes went wide.

"What's wrong? What happened?" Before anyone could be seen, a shrill voice rang out from outside the classroom.

Professor Flitwick, the Charms instructor, came running in with his wand in hand, drenched in sweat.

"I heard the Troll smashing things upstairs just now—how's the situation now..."

After Professor McGonagall filled him in, Flitwick wasn't angry. On the contrary, his eyes lit up.

Even with Professor Quirrell trying to dissuade him, he stubbornly insisted that Glen demonstrate once more.

"Brilliant coordination! That's it! Two simple spells linked together, always producing remarkable results!"

His proud tone was as if he were telling the other professors: This is what I taught!

"For your outstanding performance, Glen, I've decided to award Gryffindor five points!" Flitwick said cheerfully.

Meanwhile, Professor Snape, standing to the side, swept a sharp glance at Harry by the door—a gaze as piercing as a blade.

"Since doing nothing at all can earn points, I suppose giving a few more to the main contributor wouldn't be excessive. Slytherin gains fifteen points!"

To this, Professor McGonagall, Head of Gryffindor, said nothing.

In her view, it was only fair—and besides, the students being unharmed was already the best outcome.

"Oh..." Professor Quirrell looked at the dying Troll and let out a muffled whimper, his words too slurred for anyone to understand.

Back in the Slytherin common room, the students were chatting and enjoying the Halloween Feast they hadn't been able to finish earlier.

Upon hearing that Slytherin had gained more points, Blaise stared incredulously at Glen Howard, who had just sat down beside him.

"Twenty points?! You said this morning you were just going for a stroll—where exactly did you go?!"