💎 WEEKLY POWER GOALS 💎
🔥 30→2ch | 60→5ch | 100→8ch | 200→15ch | 400→25ch
⏰ Resets Monday!
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
Anthony stood before the garlic portrait. Took a deep breath.
"Professor Quirrell?" he called. "Professor Quirrell, are you there? Listen, I'm really very sorry, but if you want to find someone to talk to..."
He stepped forward and knocked on the door. The sound echoed hollowly in the corridor. The garlic on the portrait slowly toppled over as the frame shook. Rolled twice in the painting. Stopped.
"Professor?" Anthony knocked again.
Suddenly, a loud flushing sound echoed in the corridor. Then a shrill sob.
"Oh, again! Can't a poor ghost get a moment's peace in her lavatory?" Myrtle flew out from the toilet. Angrily floated midair. Looked outside the door with swollen crying eyes. "Ah, it's you, Professor Anthony. I thought it was that big oaf again."
"Hello, Myrtle. What big oaf are you talking about?" Anthony asked.
"That Gryffindor oaf. Clumsy, can't do anything right, learns magic way slower than others," Myrtle said full of malice. Slowly floated down. "I'm curious why he's still at school. Everyone else graduated."
Anthony knew who she meant. "Hagrid?" Even though he knew Myrtle didn't really care who killed her, he didn't expect she didn't even know the name of the "murderer" the Ministry previously identified.
"Yes—I guess so, at least a similar name," Myrtle said. Mysteriously moved closer to Anthony. "You should be careful of him, Professor."
Anthony asked puzzled, "Why?"
"Oh, you didn't see, Professor Anthony. He was so scary, banging on your door, like he wanted to break right in," Myrtle said. "So I naturally came out to tell him to be quiet. His face when he saw me, Professor, I assure you, exactly like those students I catch wandering at night. Terribly ugly... He must be plotting something bad."
"Oh..."
Anthony couldn't help feeling sorry for Hagrid. Suddenly seeing a deceased classmate from years ago shouting at him probably wasn't a very pleasant experience.
"Do you know what he wanted from me?" Anthony asked.
Myrtle said without interest, "I think he mentioned drinking and bookshops or something. After finding you weren't there, he said he'd just go to a nearby pub for a quick drink. Then left." She discovered Anthony had no interest in badmouthing Hagrid. Couldn't help feeling somewhat disappointed.
"Ah, I see. Thank you," Anthony said.
Evening time, sunset painted the sky with fiery orange-red. Then melted into soft, ethereal pink. The Black Lake reflected evening glow from deep red to light purple. At the other end of the horizon, deep blue night curtain already rose. Under breeze carrying earthy fragrance, purple clouds lazily drifted past.
In the distance, soft hooting came from the Owlery. Intertwined with rustling sounds of Forbidden Forest leaves. Anthony finished the Welsh cheese Coco brought. Was leaning on the corridor railing resting. Suddenly saw Hagrid return drunkenly.
Recently was rare good weather. But for some reason, Hagrid wore a strange large robe. Awkwardly opened his hut door. In Fang's loud barking, slipped inside. Anthony remembered Myrtle said Hagrid came looking for him this afternoon. So took advantage of after-dinner rest time to knock on Hagrid's door.
"Who?" Hagrid's voice came muffled. Anthony suddenly realized all the hut's windows were closed. Curtains tightly drawn together. If he didn't already know what kind of person Hagrid was, he might really believe Myrtle's judgment about Hagrid's ill intentions.
"It's me, Henry," Anthony said.
"Oh, it's you," Hagrid said. Heavy footsteps came from behind the door. Then a series of teeth-aching friction sounds from rusty iron locks.
With a creak, the door was pulled open. Hagrid's beetle-black eyes showed through the door crack.
"You sure picked a time, didn't you?" Hagrid said. Burped. "Come in quick, come in." He poked his head out looking around behind Anthony. Then slammed the door shut.
The room was full of alcohol smell. The lit fireplace made this smell even stronger. The copper kettle for boiling water was upside down on the ground. A strange, tattered bag sat on the table. Hagrid's large robe draped over it. Anthony looked around puzzled. "What are you doing—wait, what's that on your face?"
"Oh, this," Hagrid said unconcerned. Glanced down at the checkered cloth hanging before his thick beard. "Protective mask."
"What do you need a mask for?"
Hagrid seemed somewhat uneasy. "Nothing," he said rubbing his hands. "You suddenly came looking for me. Must be something, right?"
"Actually not really," Anthony said. "I heard you were looking for me. Just came to see—I was at the library this afternoon—where did you drink?"
Hagrid said, "Hog's Head, right in Hogsmeade village... Oh, you haven't been yet..." Anthony told him he'd actually been once—if climbing out through the back kitchen counted—Hagrid was much happier. "Very good place, right? More chaotic than the Leaky Cauldron, but also livelier... burp, lots of good stuff too. We should go together next time, Henry."
"Of course, of course. Next time," Anthony said. His gaze still couldn't leave the robe and bag on the table. "So what exactly is that, Hagrid?"
"Oh, this is..."
"You didn't also buy something, did you?" Anthony said helplessly. "Did I mention to you? I once spent twenty Galleons on a hair-growth potion."
Hagrid looked somewhat proud. "No, of course not. I won this." He took away the robe. Held the bag's two corners. Gently shook—
Something black and spherical rolled out.
That thing's bumpy surface faintly showed lava-like orange-red light. As soon as it touched air, started crackling and exploding. While emitting a large cloud of black smoke. Fang jumped up startled. Pressed tightly against the wall. Barked loudly.
Now Anthony finally knew what the protective mask was for.
"Cough, cough cough... What is this, some new exploding product?"
"No," Hagrid said. Lovingly placed this ugly hard-shelled ball into the fireplace—the explosion sounds weakened. Became soft crackling. Just like sounds firewood makes—then solemnly announced, "This is a dragon egg, Henry."
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
Read up to (80+ ) advanced chapters on Patre\on
Visit us here: patreon.com/GoldenLong
Happy reading, everyone!