Marlene Queens, the professor on duty on the train, is also the alchemy professor who single-handedly cleared the entire collapsed mountain.
Herman couldn't help but glance at her a few more times, secretly memorizing her face.
A wizard who can make a mountain disappear with a flick of his wrist is someone he should be wary of.
However, she doesn't seem to be mentioned in the original work. It seems that, like the other professors who didn't appear on screen, she was just a background character in the original story.
Herman glanced in Marlene's direction again; she still didn't look up, her fingertips lightly tracing the edges of the pages, as if calculating the components of some complex formula.
"Finally, we have a new face." Dumbledore raised his voice deliberately and gestured to the person sitting at the end of the table.
A middle-aged woman with short blond hair stood up as Dumbledore spoke.
" Charity - Professor Burbage, she will be taking over Professor Quirrell's work in Muggle Studies. Let's welcome her."
As Dumbledore spoke, a sparse clapping broke out at the long tables of the Four Houses. Clearly, most students were not interested in Muggle Studies.
Dumbledore continued, "For some reason, the Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor resigned at the end of last semester, so Professor Quirrell will be taking over the position. Although Professor Quirrell previously taught Dark Magic Defence Class Muggle Studies, he has unique insights into both Magical Theory and practice, and I believe you will learn a great deal from his course."
As Dumbledore spoke, Quirrell stood up. His blond hair gleamed softly in the candlelight, and his handsome, gentle face exuded a refined, scholarly air.
He smiled slightly at the students, a smile devoid of the timidity and stuttering found in the original story. Herman stared at Quirrell's composed and elegant face; he looked to her like a normal, somewhat bookish professor.
So, who exactly did Voldemort possess?
Or rather, did this installment follow the original story at all?
Surely Hagrid's trip to retrieve the Philosopher's Stone must have happened, since I actually ran into Hagrid.
However, there has been no report in the Daily Prophet about a possible invasion of Gringotts.
If Voldemort is indeed hiding somewhere in this school, then his chosen henchmen are likely far more concealed than Quirrell, or perhaps haven't infiltrated yet.
Herman frowned and tapped his fingertips unconsciously twice on the table.
Draco was standing next to him, noticed his absent-mindedness and gently poked the back of his hand with her fork. "What are you thinking about? The professor has already finished his presentation and you're still spacing out."
"Thinking about when to start dinner. Do all the old folks talk this long?" Herman casually made up a story.
Draco rolled her eyes at him disdainfully. "Look at you, so pathetic. Here, have some candy."
As she spoke, she took out a handful of candy from her purse and handed it to Herman. Herman looked at the candy in his hand and suddenly remembered that he hadn't eaten the Bertie Bott's Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans he had received on the train, so he took them out as well and put them together. "I have some too, do you want some?"
At this point, Dumbledore cleared his throat, his tone becoming slightly more formal than before. "Unlike previous years, I've decided to give you all a heads-up before we begin dinner."
He paused for a moment, and the atmosphere in the Great Hall subsided slightly, with the students who had been whispering to each other falling silent.
"First," Dumbledore held up a long, thin finger, " the Forbidden Forest is off-limits, as always. This is probably nothing new to you upperclassmen, but for the new students, please remember that not all creatures in the Forbidden Forest are as docile and friendly as some professors' pets."
As he spoke, he glanced in the direction of Hagrid and Kettleburn, who were whispering and plotting something. When Hagrid saw Dumbledore looking at him, Hagrid quickly grinned and looked completely innocent.
Herman overheard Draco, "Who would go to the Forbidden Forest for no reason? It's dark and cold."
Herman nodded in agreement. It wasn't the darkness and coldness that bothered him; the real danger lay within: Hagrid's free-roaming Acromantula, Voldemort possibly hunting unicorns, and various other unmentioned Fantastic Beasts.
Add to that the Vampire who appeared on the train, and the fact that some people heard wolf howls. If these guys really wanted to infiltrate Hogwarts, the Forbidden Forest would be their best base and entry point.
"Secondly," Dumbledore didn't pause for long, "The corridor on the right-hand side of the third floor will be closed to students starting this year. There are some facilities nearby that need maintenance, and security issues haven't been fully resolved. Please do not approach that area."
Herman's eyelids twitched. The third-floor corridor—exactly the same story as in the original book. The Philosopher's Stone really was hidden there? Then Voldemort must have his eye on it too.
He glanced subconsciously at Quirrell on the professor's table. Quirrell was sipping a glass of red wine, his demeanor composed and showing no signs of anything amiss.
He glanced at Dumbledore again; the old headmaster's face was as calm as a deep pool, showing no ripples whatsoever.
"One last thing." Dumbledore's voice suddenly deepened, and the candlelight in the Great Hall seemed to dim for a moment as well.
"Those of you who disembarked from the Hogwarts Express tonight probably remember some unexpected situations that occurred on the way. Although I have dealt with them, you still need to remain vigilant for the foreseeable future. If you find any pale-faced, bloodless, sharp-tongued, or excessively long-fingered individuals in or near the castle, do not attempt to handle them yourself, nor approach them out of curiosity. Report them to any professor immediately."
As he spoke, his gaze slowly swept across the entire Great Hall, from Gryffindor to Hufflepuff, from Ravenclaw to Slytherin, pausing for a moment at each one.
"But please rest assured, students, Hogwarts will always be your safest sanctuary." Dumbledore smiled slightly, a smile like a ray of sunshine piercing through the clouds. "But that's on the condition that you trust it and abide by those old rules that may seem a bit tedious. Alright, that's enough for now. I'm getting old, and if I keep going, even I'll probably get annoyed. Let's eat now!"
Dumbledore clapped his hands.
Suddenly, a faint light appeared on the empty plates on the table, and layers of food emerged from the bottom of the plates.
Roast chicken, steak, Yorkshire pudding, roasted potatoes, cream soup, honey-glazed ham, vegetable pie, buttered bread, pudding drizzled with syrup, piles of Pumpkin Pasty, stacks of sizzling sausages... the dishes kept growing and piling up, and in the blink of an eye, the entire long table was covered.
Silver plates reflected a warm glow in the candlelight, and the air was filled with the rich aroma of gravy and dessert. Fine snowflakes began to fall again from the clouds above, turning into starlight before reaching the students' heads.
Herman picked up his fork but didn't eat immediately. A bunch of questions were weighing on his mind, and he didn't have much of an appetite for the time being.