Just as Harry finished speaking, white mist rapidly descended from the sky, materializing into Professor McGonagall's familiar figure.
"Good heavens! Harry, Ron, Hermione, what are you doing here?" Professor McGonagall stared at the gathered group in complete bewilderment.
She had assumed only Dudley had violated school regulations, but apparently their entire Gryffindor contingent had decided to throw an impromptu party in the depths of the Forbidden Forest.
"Professor McGonagall," Hermione called out softly, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Never mind that now. Who was that dark wizard? Where has he gone?" Professor McGonagall's sharp gaze swept the surrounding area, her wand trained in multiple directions as she searched for the mysterious attacker who had been dueling Dudley in midair.
Compared to confronting dark wizards, students breaking curfew seemed rather insignificant.
"He's dead, completely incinerated!" Harry declared before Dudley could respond.
"Dead?" Professor McGonagall's eyebrows shot upward.
"Exactly. That was Professor Quirrell. Voldemort had possessed him and came hunting for us. Dudley made sure Firenze got us to safety first while he stayed behind to face Quirrell alone."
Harry's words tumbled out rapidly. "We saw a ghostly spirit escape from Quirrell's body. That must have been Voldemort fleeing. After Quirrell collapsed, he tried to kill me with the Killing Curse, but this magnificent golden bird appeared and absorbed the spell. Then Quirrell just... crumbled to dust."
Professor McGonagall's face went ashen, one hand clutching her chest as she struggled to process this revelation.
"Are you absolutely certain?" she managed to ask.
She had anticipated dealing with some random dark wizard who'd stumbled into Hogwarts territory. The reality that their own Defense professor had been harboring the Dark Lord's soul was beyond anything she'd imagined possible.
"It's completely true, Professor!" Ron nodded so enthusiastically his head might have fallen off.
"That's exactly what happened," Hermione confirmed, though her voice carried reluctance.
Firenze remained diplomatically silent, neither confirming nor denying the account, but his subtle nod essentially validated Harry's version of events.
Dudley observed this protective display without comment. He appreciated Harry's attempt to shield him, but such deceptions rarely succeeded against experienced wizards. Professor McGonagall could easily detect magical residue and reconstruct the true sequence of events.
Besides, they weren't the only witnesses. The reborn phoenix had observed everything that transpired.
Rather than interrogate them further, Professor McGonagall hurried to examine the small phoenix, confirming Harry's account. Fawkes had indeed sacrificed himself to absorb the Killing Curse.
"What in Merlin's name happened here..." Professor McGonagall's usually pristine appearance was disheveled, her thoughts clearly scrambled.
She turned toward Dudley, expecting a comprehensive explanation. Initially she'd been too focused on immediate dangers to fully process the situation, but now the implications were staggering.
An eleven-year-old first-year student had somehow managed extended combat against Quirrell while the man hosted Voldemort's soul. Professor McGonagall honestly wasn't sure she could guarantee victory against such an opponent.
Yet Dudley had not only survivedbut alsot forced his enemies into retreat. During their escape, he'd maintained such relentless pressure that Voldemort had been compelled to abandon Quirrell entirely.
The entire scenario seemed impossible.
"This situation is rather complex to explain properly. I'd prefer to discuss it with Professor Dumbledore present. I'm sure you understand why," Dudley said diplomatically.
"Of course." McGonagall studied him intently but refrained from pressing further. Any matter involving Voldemort and professorial betrayal demanded the headmaster's immediate attention.
Given the current circumstances, Dumbledore clearly possessed priorknowledge; otherwise,e Fawkes couldn't have appeared so conveniently. Considering Dudley's appointment as school Interrogator, which she'd previously found baffling, perhaps Dumbledore's unconventional decisions contained deeper wisdom.
Her gaze drifted to Norbert, who stood quietly behind Dudley. The Norwegian Ridgeback's presence raised additional questions, but since Dudley had successfully tamed the creature, she assumed it represented another of Dumbledore's contingency plans.
Wind rushed overhead as another figure crashed nearby. Snape materialized in a swirl of black robes, looking distinctly rattled.
His attention immediately focused on Dudley and the others. Only after confirming Harry's safety did he visibly relax, though his expression still conveyed obvious distaste for the boy. The internal contradiction was almost comical.
"Professor McGonagall, what exactly transpired here?" Snape demanded.
"I'm equally curious. Malfoy came running with urgent news..." Professor McGonagall began, then hesitated, realizing Dudley and his friends probably knew nothing about the Philosopher's Stone.
Snape stepped forward without preamble. "I've examined the restricted area on the third floor. The Philosopher's Stone is gone."
"What!" Professor McGonagall's face went deadly pale.
If Voldemort had successfully claimed the Stone, wouldn't the wizarding world plunge back into its darkest era?
More figures descended from above as additional professors arrived onthe scene..
"What happened down here? I witnessed someone riding a dragon in aerial combat against a dark wizard. I... good heavens, why are Dudley and the others involved again..." Professor Flitwick landed with obvious bewilderment upon spotting the students.
Several more Hogwarts faculty members appeared in rapid succession, having rushed over the moment they detected the disturbance.
"What's the situation?" "What was that battle about?" "Have dark wizards infiltrated our grounds?"
"Professors, perhaps we should return to the castle before continuing this discussion. There are many questions that only Professor Dumbledore can properly address," Dudley announced, rising to his feet.
Every adult gaze immediately converged on him. Without anyone speaking aloud, their expressions conveyed a single sentiment: why is it always you four?
Since Dudley, Harry, Ron, and Hermione had arrived at Hogwarts, major incidents seemed to revolve around these particular students with disturbing regularity.
"Honestly, professors, I'd also like to understand why we keep getting targeted," Ron said with genuine frustration.
All he wanted was a normal first-year experience. Why did that seem impossible to achieve?