Following Them into the Forbidden Forest

The two climbed onto the broom. Luo Bin steered it into the air and, under cover of darkness, flew silently over the path, past Hagrid's Hut, and just above the treetops before circling slowly over the Forbidden Forest.

The trees were so dense that it took several minutes to catch a conversation as faint as mosquitoes buzzing.

Luo Bin guided the broom lightly downward and landed on a high branch.

Then they climbed down the trunk to a lower branch where they could make out what the people below were saying.

In the clearing beneath them, mottled shadows fell across Snape's face and the other man's. The other man stammered when he spoke, and his body twisted this way and that like a toy sunflower.

It was Quirrell!

"The Forbidden Forest is too... too dark, Severus. N-next time, c-could we... meet somewhere else?"

Every syllable trembled three times over. Harry guessed Quirrell was terrified but didn't dare defy the villainous Snape.

"Hagrid guards the Hunting Grounds, and too many students live in the castle. They shouldn't know the Philosopher's Stone exists," Snape said coldly.

"Um... all right!"

"Have you worked out how to get past that three-headed dog?" Snape stepped forward and pressed him.

Startled, Quirrell leaned back on instinct and fell with a thud. He landed in the mud and struck the back of his head.

Snape pulled out a handkerchief and covered his nose and mouth. Luo Bin and Harry were wondering why when the reek of rotting flesh suddenly rushed into their nostrils.

It smelled like a stray dog that had been run over and dumped in a filthy ditch, its body swollen from soaking in the water, its insides crawling with maggots and hundreds of flies swarming around it. The stench went straight to their heads and refused to fade.

"Se... Severus, I... I haven't found Fluffy's weakness yet. Ow... that hurts!"

Quirrell clumsily got to his feet, adjusting his turban with a pained expression.

"If we fought for real, how many minutes would you last against me? Quirrell, you're useless. You'd better—"

An Owl on a branch across from them suddenly screeched. Its piercing, mournful cry left Luo Bin and Harry unable to hear for several seconds.

By the time their hearing cleared, they caught only Snape saying, "Use every trick you have. I'll be waiting!"

"Se... Severus, w-we're colleagues. You... you can't treat me like this!"

"Quite. Once you've decided which side you ought to serve, I'll come find you for a proper talk!"

With that, Snape pulled his cloak over his head, turned, and strode away. Quirrell stood motionless as a statue until the Owl across from them screeched again. Then he walked off, trembling.

"Luo Bin, you heard him too. Snape threatened Professor Quirrell into finding a way to deal with Fluffy. Oh, poor Professor Quirrell," Harry whispered on their way back to the castle.

"Harry, we couldn't hear what Snape said while the Owl was screeching. Maybe things aren't what you think. Maybe Quirrell is the one up to no good, and Professor Snape is trying to stop him."

So much for clearing up the misunderstanding. That old bat made everything he said sound suspicious.

If Luo Bin hadn't known what happened later, he would have thought Snape was a villain too.

"Luo Bin, I really don't agree with you..."

Harry went on at length, but it all went in one of Luo Bin's ears and out the other. He knew most of what Harry was saying was wrong!

"Harry! Harry, where did you go? Hermione and I looked everywhere for you. You know, Draco got beaten up badly. His eye's still black, and Professor McGonagall even... Luo Bin? You came back with Harry?"

Ron's expression swung from excitement to anger. A theater troupe could use someone who changed faces that fast.

"Harry, I'd like to tell Hermione and Ron about that matter. Do you want to join us?"

"I can't. There's a gathering in the Slytherin Common Room. I'm on the team, and I caught the Golden Snitch. There's no getting out of it!"

Having given them an excuse they couldn't argue with, Luo Bin turned toward the Slytherin Common Room.

The next day, the trio seemed to have reached a consensus: defend Quirrell and watch Snape's every move!

Whenever anyone mocked Quirrell for being timid, stammering, spineless, or not bathing, Hermione would step forward and scold them loudly. The three took turns following Snape, and whenever he caught them, they pulled out little notebooks and claimed they had Potions questions for him.

As Luo Bin walked through the castle carrying a thick stack of textbooks and homework, he occasionally ran into the three skulking about. Each reacted differently to seeing him.

Hermione tugged at his sleeve to ask about spells or the finer points of Transfiguration. Harry's eyelashes fluttered as he excitedly described the great thing he was doing, then sincerely invited Luo Bin to join them. Ron, meanwhile, was like a red-eyed Fire Dragon: the moment Luo Bin came near his territory, he breathed fire—or rather, sour remarks.

This went on for quite some time. Things changed only on the last day of the Easter holiday, when Hagrid came to the library looking for books.

That afternoon was bright and clear. Cottony clouds drifted slowly across the blue sky, and a breeze blew through the window, cool and scented with grass. Summer was on its way.

At the end of the library's third aisle, Hagrid, still dressed in winter clothes, bent over the shelves looking for books. He moved slowly and kept glancing behind him, afraid his enormous frame would knock over a bookcase.

"Where is it? Where on earth is it? A Guide to Dragon Care, where are you?" he muttered, his beard trembling.

"Third bookcase from the left, middle shelf, seventh book from the right!"

A slightly deep voice drifted over. Hagrid followed the directions without thinking and, to his surprise, found it.

"Thank you, thank you so much! I've been looking for this book for... Luo Bin? What are you doing here?"

Hagrid abruptly hid his hands behind his back, his eyes darting away guiltily.

"This is the Hogwarts library, and I'm a student here. It's perfectly normal for me to be here. What about you? Why are you here?"

"Just... looking for a few books to pass the time. You... you know how boring it gets watching the Hunting Grounds alone!" Hagrid stammered.

"Oh, Hagrid, it really is you! I told Hermione I heard your voice, but she didn't believe me!"

With Luo Bin in front of him and Harry behind him, there was no hiding the books!

"Dragon Breeding for Pleasure and Profit... From Dragon Egg to Inferno. These are all about Fire Dragons. Hagrid, what are you planning to do?"

Harry's instincts told him there was more to this, and he stepped forward to question Hagrid.

"N-nothing! I just... want to learn about them. Yes, that's it!"

"Oh, Hagrid, did you have a drinking wager with someone at the Hog's Head a few days ago?" Luo Bin cut in.

Hagrid's eyes went wide. "How did you kn— Wait, even the mice in the castle know I like going to Hogsmeade for a drink!"

"I heard from a hunter delivering firewood that a half-giant in moleskin had a drinking wager with someone in a hood and won an... mmph!"

"Shh! The law banning Fire Dragon breeding was passed in 1709. Luo Bin, you don't want to see me thrown out of Hogwarts, do you? Come find me at the Hunting Grounds later, and make sure no students or professors see you!"

With that, Hagrid took his hand off Luo Bin's mouth, gathered up his books, and hurried away.