Hermione walked toward Morin's office.
The third floor was quiet. Only the Defense Against the Dark Arts offices were here-Quirrell's and Morin's-set far apart, almost at opposite ends. Perhaps Professor Morin didn't like the smell of garlic either.
Garlic...
Hermione slowed.
A thought surfaced.
What if Quirrell wasn't afraid of vampires at all? What if it was an act? What if the garlic wasn't to repel something-but to conceal another smell?
A very specific one.
She suppressed the thought and continued. Reaching Morin's office, she knocked. After hearing "Come in," she entered.
"You're early," Morin said, motioning her over. "I thought I'd be waiting longer. Come take a look at this mirror I borrowed from the Headmaster."
"What is it?" Hermione asked, walking closer.
The mirror was enormous, nearly reaching the ceiling. Its frame was ornate and golden, supported by two clawed feet. An inscription ran across the top:
Erised stra ehru leit ube cafru tait on wohsi.
"This is-" Morin began.
Another knock interrupted him.
"Come in," Morin said. "Harry's here too."
"Professor... Morin?" Harry stepped inside, stumbling slightly when he noticed Hermione.
"Come here," Morin said, gesturing. "Look at this. It's the Mirror of Erised."
Hermione looked into the mirror.
A beautiful woman stared back.
She looked just like Hermione-only older. Smooth golden hair. No buck teeth. A fitted dress outlining a flawless figure.
She was stunning.
Hermione froze.
Was this the future?
How could it be?
Her teeth were crooked. Her hair was always a mess.
A trace of disappointment surfaced.
Then the image shifted.
Morin appeared in the mirror, still young and handsome, handing her a stack of certificates.
O.W.L.s.
N.E.W.T.s.
Every grade marked with a bold, unmistakable "O."
Then a letter.
An appointment.
Minister of Magic.
Hermione stood stunned as the images continued to change.
Morin watched her, puzzled.
Her face was turning red at a visible rate.
What was she seeing?
The Mirror of Erised showed one's deepest desire.
If Hermione hadn't just begun learning Occlumency from him, Morin would have checked directly.
Harry's reaction, at least, was predictable.
He saw his family.
His expression was overwhelmed.
"Alright," Morin said, clapping his hands and covering the mirror with a cloth. "That's enough. This mirror shows what you want most. But it isn't my gift to you."
He shook his head lightly.
"It's borrowed. And it isn't real."
He pulled out two wands and handed one to Harry and one to Hermione.
"Be careful. They have many functions. And here's the manual."
Each of them received a thick book, nearly two inches wide.
"Don't tell anyone yet."
Harry stared at the weight in his hands.
This is a manual?
After that, Harry left.
Morin kept Hermione behind, saying he had one more gift.
"I think you saw something in the mirror..." Morin began.
Hermione's face turned red again.
Morin: "..."
What did you see?
He had a guess.
He also knew better than to confirm it.
Changing the subject was a skill.
"Yes, that was you as an adult," Morin said with a laugh. "My gift is to help you become that version of yourself."
"It's simple," he continued. "We'll fix your teeth. As for the hair-we'll leave it. It looks... quite nice."
Hermione looked up, startled. "Really?"
"I've told you before-you're a beautiful girl, Hermione. Just a few minor flaws," Morin said calmly. "Fixing your teeth will change the shape of your face. Even without me, your parents would have done it eventually."
"They haven't yet because you're still young. Doing it now could cause problems."
He paused.
"But magic can handle it easily."
"Do you want this gift?"
"Yes!" Hermione nodded immediately.
She rarely cared about appearances. Her focus had always been on studying.
But she was still a girl.
And she had just seen that future.
The Christmas Feast.
A hundred roast turkeys.
Mountains of potatoes.
Platters of sausages.
Bowls of buttered peas.
Thick gravy.
The feast was even grander than the opening banquet.
What surprised Harry most wasn't the food.
It was Hermione.
When he'd seen her earlier in Morin's office, she'd looked the same as always.
Now-
Her buck teeth were gone.
Her golden hair was neat.
She looked different.
She looked beautiful.
"I didn't know Hermione could look like that," Ron said, staring with a drumstick in each hand.
"That's not just dressing up," Harry said, shaking his head. "Eat."
He was eager to return and test his new wand.
Pretty girls didn't interest him.
His goal was study.
And revenge.
In the mirror, he had seen his family.
He had also seen Morin.
And himself defeating Voldemort.
Becoming a hero.
Under Morin's influence, Harry had begun to understand something important.
His title as "Savior" was mostly luck.
He wanted control over his own fate.
Morin's lectures had made that clear.
Hermione, meanwhile, was uncomfortable.
Girls noticed attention.
She was used to being noticed for her intelligence.
Not her appearance.
Still, she was happy.
Especially when a certain image surfaced in her mind.
Her face flushed again.
She avoided looking in that direction.
I have to work harder, she thought.
I need to become even better.
The professors were in good spirits as well.
Even McGonagall was laughing.
Only Snape was absent.
Hermione's suspicion toward Snape remained.
But Quirrell had joined the list.
"Quirrell?" Harry frowned. "You think he could use that kind of magic and get past the three-headed dog?"
He found it hard to believe.
Quirrell was afraid of trolls.
Afraid of snowballs.
He was faking illness to avoid a duel.
That man?
He'd be dog food.
"What if it's an act?" Hermione whispered. "What if the garlic hides a smell? And what if he really was injured and couldn't move?"
She continued quickly. "His office is on the third floor. Only Defense offices are there. He could move around unnoticed."
"If that's true, then Professor Morin-" Ron started.
Harry and Hermione glared at him simultaneously.
"What?" Ron protested.
"Professor Morin would never," they said together.
Harry frowned.
"If that's the case, Quirrell is suspicious. And in a week, he has to duel Wodrin. If he loses, he leaves Hogwarts."
"So he'll act before then," Hermione said, eyes bright. "And if he wins, that's suspicious too. Someone strong enough to win a duel wouldn't be bullied by trolls or snowballs."
"So he's suspicious either way?" Ron asked.
"Unless he does nothing and loses," Hermione nodded. "I need to make potions."
She looked at them. "You choose. Who are you following-Snape or Quirrell?"
Harry and Ron exchanged a glance.
"Quirrell."
"You have the cloak," Hermione said. "Be careful. I don't want Gryffindor losing points."
"What about you?"
"I'm making an Invisibility Potion."
"Do you have the ingredients?"
"No," she said confidently. "But Professor Morin will."
Ron muttered, "You're sure he'll lend them to you?"
"Of course," Hermione replied without hesitation.
"Professor Morin's a good person, Ron," Harry said. "You should try talking to him."
"No thanks," Ron said, shaking his head.
Harry didn't press further.
Hermione went straight to Morin's office.
"Invisibility Potion?" Morin looked up from his test paper. He was drafting an exam for second-years-five years in the future.
He looked at her.
"What are you planning?"
"I have suspects," Hermione said. "I want to watch them and see if they slip up."
"Just invisibility?" Morin asked. "What about smell? Sound?"
"...There's a way to hide those too?" Hermione's eyes lit up.
"Haha," Morin smiled. "...No."
Hermione: "..."
"To be precise," Morin continued, "not for you. For me, or other wizards, invisibility, silence, and scent-masking are simple."
"But you don't have enough magic yet."
He shook his head.
"With the modified wand, you could. But you haven't mastered non-verbal casting."
He paused.
"Still-there's always a way."
Find 50+ Advance chapters
And for More Fan fiction
👇
👇
[Support link: pat reon.com/RioRaRyu]
--------------------More Bonus Chapters!!!!
Every 300 power stones = 1 Bonus Chapter