Step by step, Louis approached the three-headed dog.
To such ferocious magical beasts, this kind of closing in was nothing short of provocation.
It was a dangerous act—any magical beast could lose control at a moment's notice and tear away a wizard's fragile life.
Yet as Louis drew closer, the Cerberus didn't grow enraged. Instead, it sniffed the air, its six eyes filled with confusion.
Louis kept walking, raising a hand as he whistled softly, soothing the hound's restless heart.
At last, Louis stood directly before it, looking up at its three massive heads. And instead of lunging at him, those heads bent down, crowding together as if trying to nuzzle against his palm.
Its savagery seemed to vanish completely in that instant. Instead, it looked almost like a huge, wronged puppy seeking comfort.
"Good boy. You're safe now. Sleep."
As Louis murmured the words, the phantom shadow of the Horse Talisman flashed faintly in his eyes before shattering away.
No one noticed the thin trails of blood that had been seeping from the Cerberus's ears slowly disappear.
In that moment, the beast dropped all vigilance. With a heavy thud, it lay down at Louis's feet and drifted into a peaceful sleep.
Just like that… it fell asleep?
The Great Hall, which moments ago had been filled with panic and noise, suddenly fell silent. Everyone clapped their hands over their mouths, as though afraid to wake the beast, staring in wonder at the sight before them.
Not only the students—the professors too were dumbstruck, unable to believe that the savage giant hound was now snoring away at Louis's feet.
"My God, he just… put a three-headed dog to sleep?"
"No wonder—he is the Heir of Merlin…"
Whispers rippled through the crowd.
On the surface, Louis wore a look of relief, but inside, he was delighted.
Especially seeing the stunned mix of fear and awe on the faces of students and professors alike—it felt as refreshing as drinking ice-cold cola in the summer.
This little stunt had been a huge success.
Louis really liked it.
He bent at the waist, bowing deeply to all sides, like a performer taking his leave after a show.
At first, silence hung over the hall—then someone began to clap. Soon, applause filled the entire hall.
> [You concealed the secret of the Cerberus losing control, making everyone believe you possess an unimaginable affinity with magical creatures.]
> [The impact will be far-reaching.]
> [You have deceived every wizard present—including legendary ones.]
> [You gained: Trick Points +10,000, Legendary Draw ×1.]
> [Current Trick Points: 104,000.]
Louis glanced at the system prompt, then let his gaze fall on the damp stain the Cerberus had left behind as it seeped into the floor and vanished.
…
The farce at the feast had ended, but its aftershocks had only just begun.
After the students were sent back to their dormitories, the professors gathered in the infirmary.
Professor Snape, injured, was being treated by Madam Pomfrey.
Because the Cerberus's fangs carried venom, Pomfrey had to reopen Snape's wounds for debridement before applying antidotes.
The process was agonizing—even Snape's pale face trembled from the pain.
After finishing the cleaning and bandaging, Madam Pomfrey left, and Dumbledore finally spoke.
"Severus, what exactly happened?"
"It was Quirrell." Pale-faced but certain, Snape pointed at him. "I saw him enter that room, and then the three-headed dog went mad and attacked me."
"Quirrell?" The other professors looked at one another in disbelief.
"Yes, him. I've suspected him for a long time. On Halloween, he released the troll just to get into that room, but I stopped him in time," Snape said firmly.
He glared at Quirrell, but the man only looked frightened—no hint of guilt, no sign of a scheme being exposed.
"Severus," Professor McGonagall interrupted, "Professor Quirrell was here in the Great Hall the entire time. He never left."
"What?" Snape blurted, shocked. "Impossible. I saw him with my own eyes going into that room!"
"But we were with him the whole time," said Professor Flitwick.
Not just him—Professor Sprout of Hufflepuff, and several other teachers, all confirmed Quirrell's presence.
On the outside, Quirrell wore a look of gratitude, but inside he was sneering.
Right now, Snape looked like a rabid dog, biting at random. If this continued, suspicion would fall on him rather than Quirrell!
Who would have thought that examiner would use such a method? He still didn't know how she had managed it.
It was just a pity the maddened Cerberus hadn't finished Snape off.
Quirrell let out a sigh. To others, it sounded like the helplessness of an innocent man being framed.
Snape, meanwhile, was lost in confusion. Why was everyone covering for Quirrell? He had seen him with his own eyes…
Wait. Could it have been Polyjuice Potion? Someone disguising themselves as Quirrell to deliberately draw his attention?
But who? Who would do this? And why?
Could Quirrell have an accomplice? Was that accomplice Voldemort's servant… or even Voldemort himself?
Snape sank deep into thought, while Dumbledore finally spoke again.
"Everyone, return for now. Let Severus rest." Dumbledore's voice was calm but firm.
The professors nodded and left one by one, until only Dumbledore and Snape remained.
At that moment, Snape raised his head.
"Something is wrong. That person… he may have agents inside the castle. Perhaps… even himself!" Snape declared with conviction.
"So, you are certain Quirrell is his follower," Dumbledore said slowly.
Their conversation flowed without barriers, as if Quirrell's entire performance to cast suspicion on Snape had no effect at all.
In truth, no matter how much dirt Quirrell tried to smear on Snape, Dumbledore would never doubt him. Snape had proven himself long ago.
"You're right. The Dark Mark may not have reacted, but I trust my instincts," Snape said gravely.
"Are you still able to walk, Severus?" Dumbledore asked.
"No problem," Snape nodded firmly.
"Then let us inspect the fourth-floor corridor," said Dumbledore. "With Fluffy's strength, he should not have been able to break through a wall. There should be clues there."
Snape nodded heavily.
And so, limping, Snape followed Dumbledore to the fourth-floor corridor.
The place was a wreck. Collapsed walls, broken stone statues—it was nearly reduced to rubble.
The Cerberus's charge had nearly torn the whole floor apart. Thankfully, the castle's structure was resilient.
Together, Dumbledore and Snape searched through the ruins. Then, suddenly, Dumbledore paused.
"What is this?"
---
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