The screams in the Great Hall sounded almost at the same time.
Some people stood up suddenly, knocking over the chairs behind them, while others subconsciously shrank under the table.
Several knocked over goblets rolled across the table, and Pumpkin Juice dripped down the edge of the table. Great Hall, which had been quiet just now, became a mess in the blink of an eye.
"What happened?"
"Someone attacked the school?"
"Isn't it Troll who ran out again?!"
Ron Hearing this sentence, his face changed slightly, and he couldn't help but glance in the direction of the sound.
"Why does everyone think of Troll every time something happens?"
"Weasley, is now the time to talk about this?"
Draco glared at him, put his hand into his robe pocket, and held the wand.
Ron was about to explain when another dull sound came from outside the door, which immediately blocked the second half of his sentence.
Harry did not participate in the argument between the two.
He has stood up from his seat and is looking at the entrance of the Great Hall.
Before the fluctuation of magic power had completely dissipated, a new impact came.
"Everyone stay at the Great Hall!"
A stern voice suddenly overwhelmed the surrounding discussions.
Madam Hooch had left High Table and walked quickly towards the entrance. She held her wand in her hand and glanced at several students who were about to run out.
"No one is allowed to leave without permission! This is not Quidditch Match, let alone a fun place for you to watch!"
Several students stopped in their tracks when she stared at them and quickly stepped back.
Madam Hooch stood by the door and motioned to the students crowded in the corridor to disperse.
"Don't gather at the door, go inside. Stay away from the windows and follow the instructions!"
She did not leave, but stayed at the entrance, looking warily at the corridor outside.
Harry looked at the wand in her hand, and slowly retracted the foot she originally stepped out.
Before the loud noise came, four professors had been sitting in the small conference hall in Headmaster's Office for a while.
They are preparing to arrange the last few details before Quirrell arrives.
The event record is spread out on the table, and the restrictions Magic arranged by Flitwick have also been hidden throughout the room.
McGonagall glanced at the time, then looked at Dumbledore.
"Quirrell should have received the invitation."
"House-elf confirmed that it was delivered to him personally." Flitwick replied, "He did not refuse at the time."
"Just because he didn't refuse doesn't mean he is willing to come."
Snape's voice came from the other side. He sat up straight and glanced at the records on the table, without even a hint of a smile on his lips.
"Especially when he already knows that someone has discovered Unicorn."
Dumbledore was just about to speak when a roar suddenly came from the distance.
The window frame trembled suddenly, and the water in the tea cup sloshed.
McGonagall stood up immediately. Flitwick stretched out his hand for the wand, but before he could steady it, a second loud noise followed.
This time, even the portrait outside the door was awakened.
"Someone is using attack Magic in the castle!"
McGonagall's face darkened.
Snape had already walked to the door, his black robe sweeping across the back of the chair as he moved.
Dumbledore didn't look at the empty seat again.
"Minerva, Filius, come with me. Severus, together."
Several people quickly left the room.
In the corridor, the people in the portraits were asking each other what happened.
Another vibration came from under the feet. Dumbledore heard the direction of the sound and quickly accelerated his steps.
Quirrell did not accept the invitation, but something like this suddenly happened in the castle.
When they arrived at the Entrance Hall, a pair of armor hit the stone wall and scattered into twisted pieces of iron on the ground.
Behind the flying dust, Quirrell stood by the steps, slowly retracting his wand.
Flitwick's footsteps stopped for a moment.
"Professor Quirrell?"
He looked at the cracked floor tiles and then at the other person, with unconcealable surprise in his voice.
"Did you do all this?"
Quirrell turned his head, his eyes passing over the faces of the four people in turn.
The man who used to have hunched shoulders and stuttered his words now stood up straight. The hand holding the wand was steady, and there was even a little smile on his face.
"Good evening, everyone."
McGonagall Raise your wand immediately.
"Quirrell, put your wand down."
"Professor Minerva." Quirrell laughed softly, "You still like to order others so much."
As the last word fell, his wand waved suddenly.
A black cursed light crossed the steps and went straight to Flitwick!
The little professor's reaction was surprisingly quick.
With a slight flick of the wand, the protection unfolded in front of him. The black light that hit him exploded, and the aftermath rolled up the corners of his robe.
McGonagall then raised his hand, and several pieces of gravel rose from the ground, quickly stretched in mid-air, and turned into stone ropes to wrap around Quirrell's ankles.
At the same time, Snape's Charms attacked from the side and accurately hit his right hand holding the staff.
Quirrell retreated suddenly, swung his staff to break the stone rope, and turned sideways to avoid a cursed light.
Another Charms then passed over his shoulder and tore his clothes.
The smile on his face finally faded a little.
Flitwick has stood firm and moved the wand one after another.
Several rays of cursed light approached from different angles, sealing the gap that Quirrell had just given up.
Quirrell had to retreat again.
A ray of black light shattered the stone carvings beside the steps. Before the fragments hit the ground, they were turned into ropes that bound him again by McGonagall.
As soon as he burned the rope, Snape's attack came before him again.
"That's enough, Quirrell."
Dumbledore's voice suddenly came from the front.
Several professors tacitly adjusted their positions to give him some frontal space.
Quirrell also looked at the approaching figure, breathing a little heavier than before.
"Dumbledore, you are finally here."
"I originally thought we could sit down and talk."
Dumbledore looked at him, with no anger in his tone. But the blue eyes behind Half-moon Spectacles made Quirrell tighten his grip on the wand.
"Talk about it?" Quirrell twitched his lips, "You have even prepared the cage, what else do you need to talk about?"
"Put down the wand and you still have a chance to explain."
"It's too late."
Quirrell suddenly raised his hand, and this time, the black light from the tip of the staff was more intense than before.
Dumbledore raised his wand, and the oncoming attack stopped in front of him, and was immediately suppressed by a bright light.
The roar echoed in the Entrance Hall.
Quirrell's heels scraped against the floor tiles, and he slid backwards. He barely managed to steady himself until he hit the steps.
Before he could even take a breath, the metal fragments scattered around him had already taken off, twisted into slender rings, and closed in on him.
Quirrell swung his staff violently, exploding two of them, and squeezed out of the gap that had not yet been tightened.
McGonagall has sealed the side passage, and Flitwick's spell has fallen again.
Snape is always paying attention to his staff, and every time he takes action, he is forced to give up the position he just found.
After just a few confrontations, Quirrell was forced back to the center of the Entrance Hall.
He no longer tried to take those Charms head-on, but kept changing positions through the stone carvings and steps.
Several unavoidable attacks were directed towards the wall, and the falling stones became a barrier for the next spell cast.
A heavy light stand fell from a high place and was held up by Flitwick in time.
Just as Quirrell was about to take the opportunity to pass through the gap next to him, Dumbledore's wand had already turned around, forcing him to stop again.
He does hide a lot of skills.
But it was absolutely impossible for him to remain calm in front of the four professors.
In the Great Hall, Madam Hooch has put up protection in front of the entrance.
Every time there was a loud noise from outside, the light curtain in mid-air would shake slightly.
The students no longer cared about dinner, grabbed their wands and squeezed away from the door.
Ron stood next to Harry and swallowed.
"Harry, what is going on outside?"
Professor McGonagall's voice suddenly came from outside the door, and was immediately covered by a new roar. Harry could hear it clearly, and his face gradually became serious.
"Someone is fighting the professors."
Draco looked at him immediately.
"Who could it be?"
Harry almost immediately thought of the purple headscarf.
At this moment, a cursed light illuminated the steps outside the door, and through the door that had not yet been completely closed, he briefly saw a familiar face.
It was really Quirrell. Harry's heart suddenly sank.
He originally thought that after the professors took over the matter, it would be easily controlled, or Quirrell would simply look for an opportunity to leave.
But Quirrell actually did it openly and openly in the castle.
Harry looked at the black magic surging outside the window, and the corners of his mouth twitched slightly.
Not...
That's Dumbledore! The greatest white wizard of our time!
Where did he get the confidence to face four professors at the same time?
Harry suddenly frowned, something seemed wrong.
It is impossible for Quirrell to know the strength of Dumbledore, let alone McGonagall, Snape and Professor Flitwick.
Why...
"Harry, is there anything we can do?"
Ron looked at the lower class students huddled together and lowered his voice.
Harry looked at the wand in his hand, and then looked at Madam Hooch who was guarding the door.
Those Charmss outside that were shaking when they hit the stone wall are enough to prove that there is no place for them there at all.
"Stay here first, don't let the professors distract us from taking care of us."
"Perhaps, we can also help Madam Hooch."
Draco had no objection and had already walked towards the few students who were still looking at the door.
"Don't crowd in here, please step back!"
Ron also quickly followed.
He pushed the crooked long table back to its original position, blocking the gap on the side where people were constantly squeezing forward, and then beckoned a few students to walk along the central aisle.
Harry stayed beside them and straightened the fallen chairs one by one.
A boy tripped over a table leg and almost fell, but he caught him in time.
The boy clutched Harry's sleeve tightly and did not let go immediately until he stood firm.
"It's okay, go inside." Harry patted his shoulder, "The professors are all outside."
Only then did the boy let go of his hand and looked up at him, with still frightened panic in his eyes.
"Thank you, Harry Potter. You are truly worthy of being the Chosen One."
Harry was slightly startled.
Then he smiled.
Quirrell in the Entrance Hall, there is not much room left to return.
Snape's Charms brushed against his wrist, leaving a slender trail of blood.
The stone rope conjured by McGonagall sealed the side, while Flitwick kept staring at his footsteps, and even the direction leading to Moving Staircases was forced back by a cursed light.
Dumbledore raised the wand again.
Quirrell's breathing stopped and he turned sideways suddenly.
The golden light passed over his shoulder, cutting off an entire section of the armrest behind him, and his last bit of luck completely disappeared.
If he stayed any longer, he might even have the chance to raise his wand taken away.
Quirrell suddenly raised his hand.
This time, the tip of the stick did not point at any professor, but at the side of the Entrance Hall, the stone pillar that was already full of cracks.
Snape's expression suddenly changed.
"Watch out!"
The black light hit the stone pillar, and the cracks accumulated on the surface opened instantly.
Boom--!
Large rocks collapsed from above and hit the ground covered in dust.
The vault lost its support and then made a muffled sound, and several pieces of broken stone flew in the direction leading to the Great Hall.
McGonagall immediately turned around and waved his staff to block the flying gravel.
Flitwick followed closely, and a guard crossed the rear passage, stopping the broken pillar from hitting the stone wall.
Dumbledore's wand has also been raised.
The crumbling vault stopped in mid-air, and the cracked stones slowly moved away, revealing the figure below that was almost swallowed up by the dust.
Quirrell rushed out at this moment.
Snape immediately walked around the broken pillar, and a cursed light had already chased behind him.
Quirrell staggered out of the way, but half of the corner of his robe was firmly nailed to the stone wall.
He didn't stop, suddenly tore off the fabric of his clothes, and threw a Charms with his backhand in the direction of the pursuer.
Snape waved his staff to block it, and the aftermath lifted up the iron pieces on the ground, making a series of harsh collision sounds.
When he looked up again, Quirrell had already passed Entrance Hall and rushed into the dusk outside.
The dust was still falling slowly. McGonagall looked at the empty exit with a very ugly expression on his face.
"He went to Outer Courtyard!"
Flitwick quickly swept around and checked the protection leading to the Great Hall again.
No students ran out.
Dumbledore put down the wand, and the suspended stone fell steadily to the ground, temporarily supporting the broken column.
He looked in the direction where Quirrell disappeared and wasted no time.
"Minerva, Filius, come with me."
McGonagall and Flitwick immediately followed. Snape was about to take a step, but Dumbledore turned to look at him.
"Severus, I'll leave it to you in the castle."
Snape stopped.
"Ensure the safety of students and notify other professors to strengthen protection. Quirrell's office also needs to be inspected."
The black-haired professor glanced outside, his face still gloomy, but he did not argue.
"Understood."
Several figures passed through Outer Courtyard and soon disappeared into the night outside the castle.
After waiting for a while, the movement outside finally stopped.
Ron had just lifted up the last chair when he heard the surroundings suddenly quietened down. He held the back of the chair and looked towards the entrance.
"It's over?"
Harry didn't answer, he had a vague guess.
Quirrell can't possibly not know that he has no chance of winning. If that's the case, why would he take the initiative and even make such a big fuss?
Unless, he never planned to win from the beginning.
Harry's eyes narrowed slightly. This battle itself may not be his purpose at all.
What he really wants is to force the professors to take action and focus everyone's attention on this conflict.
As for the rest of the place...
When Draco came over, he saw him looking at the door in a daze.
"Potter."
Harry Turned back, the girl's eyes first fell on the wand in his hand, and then she looked back into his eyes.
"You're not going to do anything dangerous by yourself again, are you?"
Ron Hearing this, he immediately turned his head.
Both of them looked at him, and neither of them looked away first.
Harry was startled for a moment, then shook his head.
"No. We will act together."
Draco snorted lightly, "That's pretty much it."
"Then let's go." Ron pointed not far away, "Someone fell down over there just now. Let's go over and take a look."
Harry nodded, and just as he was about to follow, there was a burst of footsteps in the corridor.
A black robe appeared first at the Great Hall door.
Snape crossed the entrance, his eyes quickly swept across the Great Hall, and finally fell on the three people still standing in the aisle.
His wand was still in his hand, the hem of his robe was stained with dust, and his face showed no trace of his usual indifference to the students.
"Potter, Weasley, Malfoy."
The footsteps of the three people stopped at the same time.
Snape walked up to them and glanced at the three of them one by one with cold eyes.
"I wish you could tell me what you are doing here."
To be honest, the fact that this book has achieved such success already feels like a dream to the author.
I am really, really grateful to every reader for their love and support! Because of this, the author is a little overwhelmed, even hesitant and cautious, for fear of living up to everyone's expectations.
However, please rest assured that the author will definitely try his best to write the following story well.
Finally, if you like this book, I also ask all readers to give it a five-star rating~
Thanks again everyone for the gifts!
Kowtow!!!