Dumbledore entered the room first, with Snape following behind him.
He raised an eyebrow at the Three-Headed Dog gnawing on a rack of ribs.
"Hagrid shouldn't be coming to feed the dog at this hour, should he?"
Dumbledore chuckled.
"Perhaps the visitor just now was a dog lover?"
Snape ignored Dumbledore's joke.
The two approached the Three-Headed Dog.
Fluffy caught Dumbledore's scent among the newcomers and did not become defensive.
Both Dumbledore and Snape noticed the large and small burn marks covering the Three-Headed Dog.
Yet regardless of their severity, all of the burns were healing on their own.
The two frowned at the same time. The Three-Headed Dog possessed strong magical resistance; ordinary spells could barely affect it. As for normal fire, it likely could not even singe its fur.
"Dumbledore, this doesn't seem like something certain students could have done."
Snape spoke pointedly, intending to remind Dumbledore that Quirrell had been very strange, especially since the start of the term.
"Indeed. That fire appeared to have been quite powerful."
"Severus, examine Fluffy's injuries first and see whether it needs potion treatment."
For no apparent reason, Dumbledore thought of his old "friend." His Fiendfyre was the most terrifying; back then, that sea of blue flames had nearly swept through the entire city.
Seeing that Dumbledore had ignored his warning, the gloom on Snape's face deepened.
The old man held a great deal of information and always had plans of his own, yet he never revealed the full picture to anyone.
Just as Snape was about to approach the Three-Headed Dog and examine it—
Fluffy bared its teeth and gave a low growl, even shielding the ribs in front of it.
Snape's face darkened. This Three-Headed Dog was actually guarding its food. Who wanted to steal its meal?!
"Dumbledore, this