"It was Snape," Hermione explained to the group. "Kevin and I both saw it. He was chanting a jinx at your broomstick, muttering to himself, and staring intently at you."
"Yes, I saw it very clearly through the Omnioculars," Kevin Goldsmith replied, a dreamy look of recollection on his face.
"Harry's broom didn't return to normal until I set a fire to Snape's robes."
"How did you do that? You attacked a teacher... and got away with it?" Harry was utterly astonished. He and Ron looked at Hermione with sheer admiration. She had accomplished what they had always wanted to do but never dared.
"Let's not dwell on the details." Hermione looked a little uncomfortable and shot Kevin a fierce glare.
They were currently huddled in a corner of the Gryffindor common room.
Although Hermione's first reaction had been to report the incident to a professor, the others felt that accusations from students would likely be dismissed without hard evidence. Otherwise, surely Snape would have been sacked long ago.
"Why would Snape do something like that?" Ron asked, then immediately realized it was a stupid question. "He probably just wanted Harry dead. No other reason needed."
"Perhaps Hogwarts requires an evil Potions Master to be considered a proper school of magic, just as it requires a ghost to teach History of Magic," Kevin analyzed earnestly. "It adds to the classic atmosphere."
"Someone released that troll on Halloween," Kevin continued. "It seems like Quirrell did it, given he is the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor and supposedly manages trolls. But that doesn't make sense logically. Why would Professor Quirrell teach us how to defend against trolls, only to immediately release one into the dungeons?"
Harry and Ron exchanged glances. In the end, Harry decided to be honest with his friend.
"Professor Quirrell is innocent. I've discovered some of Snape's secrets," he told Kevin. "On Halloween, he tried to get past that forbidden corridor on the third floor—the one with the giant three-headed dog. It bit him. We believe he was trying to steal what the dog is guarding."
"What is it guarding?"
"We aren't certain yet, but we managed to get Hagrid to slip up. The object is related to Nicolas Flamel."
A wise decision,Kevin thought. Targets like the half-giant, whose Challenge Rating is clearly too high for combat, are best dealt with using Speech and Negotiation skills.
"Then the main objective is clear: investigate Nicolas Flamel," Kevin said confidently. "Hermione, tell us about his life."
"I'm sorry, I don't know. He's not in any of the books I've read," Hermione admitted. Then, feigning a gentle tone, she added, "Harry, Ron, I strongly suggest you look up this name in the library."
"Right, we'll head off in a bit. Harry and I are going to play a game of Exploding Snap first."
"So the Chocolate Frog cards we collected can actually be used for battles?" Kevin asked, quite curious. "Teach me sometime."
"No, Ron, we have to go now," the girl insisted. Her tone grew frosty, and her expression darkened dangerously. Harry and Ron wisely took off running.
Seeing Hermione's furious expression, Kevin began to suspect that she might have multiclassed into a Barbarian for some mysterious reason. As a battle-hardened sorcerer, Kevin wisely decided not to confront an enraged Hermione. Instead, he opted for a tactical retreat from the common room.
"I'm going to the library to investigate now," Kevin said, immediately standing up to leave.
However, when Kevin reached the portrait hole, it slammed shut.
An ominous premonition washed over him. An eerie aura surged from behind, pressing against his skin—a sensation akin to discovering you are being stalked by a serial killer, only worse.
Then Hermione's mouth opened and closed. Kevin wasn't entirely sure what she said; he had clearly failed his Willpower Save.
"Harry was about to break his neck..." (Actually, he didn't; Kevin had cast Mage Armor on him.)
"I had to run across the pitch..."
"Do you know what it feels like when the November wind blows through your robes?"
"...struggling to climb up the stands, wand in teeth, while dodging a leaping troll..."
"I almost didn't make it back..."
He seemed to see a raging Banshee howling before him, shaking the very walls. Darkness churned, and as he lifted the veil of the future, he saw only annihilation.
After an unknown amount of time, Kevin's consciousness returned to his body. Hermione was gone, and Hannah Abbott was looking at him with concern.
"Did I come at a bad time?" Hannah wondered.
"No, you've come at just the right time." Kevin felt like he'd been granted a second lease on life. "Did you see Hermione just now?"
"She was just leaving when I came in."
"How did she look?"
"Her face was flushed, but she seemed to be in a good mood. What happened between you two?" Hannah pressed.
"It's alright. She just calmly and kindly critiqued me for casting the wrong spell, on the wrong person, at the wrong time, in the wrong place. Of course, although my process was ridiculously flawed, the result was still optimal."
"Friendly?" Hannah glanced around. The corner of the common room looked like a parking lot destroyed by a tornado.
"Very kind people. Those glass tumblers shattered voluntarily out of shame. I have deeply realized my mistake." But would I dare do it again next time?Kevin added in his mind. Absolutely.
"Please don't treat other girls like that again, okay?"
"Okay." Kevin looked up and studied the ancient tapestry hanging on the wall as if it held the secrets of the universe.
"Look me in the eyes!" Hannah said, dissatisfied.
When Kevin actually lowered his head and stared intently at her, she turned her head away in a fluster.
"Good."
Kevin felt a sense of accomplishment. Negotiation successful; results verified.