At the top of Sen Castle.
"BOOM!"
Sharp dragon claws carrying tremendous force struck the tower like cannonballs, instantly sending earth and stone flying as walls and floors cracked in massive chunks.
"ROAR!"
Scorching breath poured down, burning the massive stones charcoal black, even carbonizing their surfaces. The air itself distorted, filled with heat sufficient to char human skin.
"Huff... huff... huff..."
Quirrell rolled down the stone steps like a broken doll, crashing into the wall with a sickening thud, dizzy and disoriented. He was charred all over, his turban burned away, revealing the ugly, noseless face beneath.
Dragon fire makes everyone equal. No matter how high and mighty Voldemort once was, he too was now burned bald. His skin peeled off in patches as Voldemort screamed in agony, cursing Quirrell's incompetence.
You worthless thing! Useless! Can't do anything right! How can I trust you with the power you so desperately want?"
Even at this point, Voldemort didn't forget to manipulate him. Poor Quirrell could barely speak coherently, trembling all over like a fool. He didn't understand how things had turned out this way.
He'd successfully learned Fluffy's weakness, and the journey here had gone exactly as planned, incredibly smoothly. No matter how much that annoying Snape suspected him, what good would it do? By the time he caught him, he would have already successfully obtained the Philosopher's Stone and helped his great master resurrect.
Then he would become supreme, second only to one, above ten thousand! It should have been like this.
Until he encountered a painted door. No, it should be said even earlier, from when he first started dealing with that sinister boy...
"Gah!"
A sharp pain in his brain nerves brought Quirrell back to his senses.
Go find the antidote! You're going to die from poison, fool!
Only then did Quirrell dully realize that the wounds the dragon had clawed on his body were rapidly swelling, turning an ugly green. Norwegian Ridgeback teeth and claws were poisonous. And his current feverish, delirious state was partly due to being poisoned senseless.
Quirrell stumbled to his feet, supporting himself against the wall. He could hear the dragon's low growling from the tower above, and the building beneath his feet trembled like an earthquake with the dragon's movements.
But if he ran, where could he go... When would this torment end?
Just then, Quirrell suddenly saw a platform he'd never seen or reached before, protruding from the wall below the outer side of the tower. Out of some intuition about this ancient castle's designer, Quirrell desperately lunged over. He managed to roll onto the platform below just before dragon flames sprayed toward him.
"Bang!"
Quirrell fell heavily to the ground like a sack of potatoes. Looking up, what met his eyes was another painted door. Instinctively, Quirrell realized this was the castle's exit. A door on the building's outer perimeter that you could actually reach directly by flying up from outside, completely bypassing the endless road of torment.
"Haha, haha... hahahaha!"
Quirrell laughed like a madman, shoulders shaking, veins bulging like earthworms. Damn it. He would definitely slice that designer into a thousand pieces. Torture him with the Cruciatus Curse every moment. Quirrell's eyes were like they'd been dipped in poison as he stepped forward.
The next second, he collapsed with a thud. The toxins erupted.
"No... no!"
Quirrell screamed in terror, desperately crawling toward the door. He'd come this far... how could he just die in front of the exit?! He would definitely become a vengeful spirit, wandering here day and night, unable to find peace.
But at this point, where could he find an antidote...
Text suddenly appeared:
Congratulations! Brave challenger, you have reached the final obstacle!
Quirrell stared with growing dread.
I believe most challengers reaching this point have been severely poisoned.
But don't worry! Thoughtful me has specially prepared an antidote to help you through this crisis.
Listen to the question:
Before you are two stones
One is a bezoar taken from a goat's stomach that can cure most toxins
The other is a literal "dung stone."
Use your experience to eat the correct one!
P.S. If you've reached here without being poisoned, congratulations... you can take the 13-Galleon bezoar home!
Quirrell looked at the two nearly identical dark brown stones behind the text. Finally, he couldn't hold back and shed two lines of tears.
Damn, damn, damn! With his vision and consciousness so blurred, how could he possibly distinguish which was the real "bezoar"?! Had the designer lost his mind?! What kind of childhood trauma could have conceived such an epic nightmare?!
Wait! Fool! What are you doing?! Put that thing down and let me identify it. No, AHHHHH!
One bezoar, tormenting two "people." You could say the cost-effectiveness was extremely high.
Within just five minutes of experiencing all of life's flavors... sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, and nauseating... Quirrell felt he had achieved enlightenment. He wiped his mouth and got up with a surprisingly peaceful mindset.
He smoothly pushed open the painted door before him. He could get the Philosopher's Stone soon.
Now, no matter what appeared behind the door, he wouldn't be surprised anymore. Quirrell thought this way, his round face faintly radiating golden light, though it might have been reflected dragon flames.
Quirrell entered the door, leaving the Sen Castle that should go down in history, and entered the final room. Someone was already there... not Harry, not even Dumbledore.
It was Ethan Vincent. That terrifying figure Quirrell had been thinking about day and night stood before an ornate mirror.
Hearing movement, he slowly turned around.
"Congratulations, Professor Quirrell."
Ethan curved a smile. His cobalt-blue eyes gazed at him cleanly and purely, full of warmth.
"It seems you've passed the obstacles I designed. How did it feel? Wasn't the final bezoar the finishing touch?"
Buzz.
Quirrell felt like he couldn't hear anything anymore. All enlightenment, all peace... everything instantly vaporized. In his mind, only one word remained...
"Avada Kedavra!"
Bang! A dazzling green light shot from Quirrell's wand tip, more powerful than any magic he'd cast before. No technique, all emotion.
"Whoosh!"
This deadly curse was deflected aside by Ethan's prepared portal.
"You seem very excited. Was it that fun? I'm almost embarrassed!"
"Avada Kedavra! Avada Kedavra! Avada Kedavra!"
Green light after green light shot out. Quirrell's face was hideously terrifying, eyes bloodshot, pupils protruding from rage! I'll slice you into mincemeat!
Ethan frowned slightly, murmuring softly: "A bit noisy."
Ethan's wand tip waved gently. Quirrell was lifted as if by an invisible giant hand! He crashed into the wall with a bang, bounced back, rolled twice on the ground, and lay twitching.
Quiet now.
"Phew," Ethan sighed in relief, smiling brilliantly, "That's more polite."
Ethan walked over and kicked Quirrell over so he was face up. Looking down at the disgusting noseless monster, he said with feigned surprise: "Voldemort? Haven't seen you for over ten years... you've really declined, haven't you?"
Ethan couldn't understand what Voldemort was hissing. Probably greeting him.
Ethan thought for a moment, waved his wand, and transfigured scattered stones into rope, tightly binding Quirrell.
"Actually, I should cut out your tongue so you can't cast spells anymore..."
As Quirrell whimpered in terror, Ethan mused softly: "But our protagonist will arrive soon, so let's avoid unpleasant scenes. After all, the first book is a fairy tale!"
Ethan smiled, bending down to search for eyes on the noseless monster's bloody face... unsuccessfully. So he gave up.
He directly pulled out the leather bag containing all his paintings, saying excitedly: "Before I trade you in for rewards, let's discuss great and magical art!"
"Mmph, mmph... mmmph!"
Tortured screams echoed in the unknown restricted chamber.
In the Gryffindor dormitory.
"Ah!"
Harry jolted awake from his nightmare. He shot up, gasping heavily, his forehead covered in cold sweat.
He'd dreamed of that green light again!