Chapter 44 Hagrid's Curiosity about Abe
After listening to Aaron's analysis, Hermione fell silent.
She knew Aaron was right, but didn't that mean they couldn't do anything?
"But if what you say is true, then we can only wait?"
"Not exactly. You can choose not to participate and simply react to whatever comes your way."
Noticing Hermione's displeased look, Aaron shrugged, "Alright! No more jokes. All you can do right now is look for evidence."
"It would be best to confirm who this mastermind is. Once you have solid evidence, all problems will be solved."
Hermione frowned slightly, "That's not easy at all."
"No, in fact, it's not as difficult as you think."
"Because you know someone wants to steal the Philosopher's Stone, you know where the Philosopher's Stone is, and you know what guards that place."
"In other words, you have a certain advantage."
Hermione's eyes lit up with understanding, and the worry on her face dissipated somewhat. "Right, if this person wants to steal the Philosopher's Stone, then he must get past Cerberus."
"Which means... Hagrid!"
Snap!
Aaron snapped his fingers. "Looks like you know what to do."
"Hmm! As long as Hagrid hasn't revealed how to get past Cerberus, then the Philosopher's Stone is still safe."
"Once he reveals it, that means the mastermind has already begun to act," Hermione nodded with certainty.
"Exactly, Hermione, you're smarter than I thought."
Hermione smiled shyly, a blush appearing on her face. After a moment of hesitation, she made a decision.
"Aaron, I want to ask you to help us, can you?"
"Me?" A strange look crossed Aaron's face. "It's not that I can't, but Harry and the others probably wouldn't agree to me, someone who is very close to Snape, joining your plan."
"Then we'll keep it from them for now," Hermione said. "You are wiser than all of us. With your help, we'd have a much easier time."
"Please."
"Alright!" Aaron smiled wryly and shook his head. "I'm really not very good at refusing requests from pretty girls."
"Hehe!" Hermione chuckled bashfully, then picked up the book. "Then I'll go find Harry and the others. They've been looking for Nicolas Flamel for so long, it's time their wish came true."
"Wait!" Aaron suddenly called out to her. "I still think I should tell you some of my conjectures."
"Since someone is interested in the Philosopher's Stone, he must be an insider. This is an important clue."
"In other words, the other party is not just some ordinary student, understand?"
Hermione suddenly froze, a hint of gravity appearing on her pretty face. "You mean there's an inside man?"
"I didn't say that, but it's certainly a possibility."
"So, besides Hagrid and Dumbledore, it's best not to trust anyone, especially the Professors of the school."
"If you happen to walk into a trap, it would be tragic."
"Got it!" Hermione said, then picked up the book and left down the aisle.
"This should count as a warning to them, right?" Aaronstroked Abey in his arms, then placed the Dragon Species Compendium on the table, continuing to teach it to identify its own kind.
When he turned to the Norwegian Ridgeback, he suddenly noticed a shadow on the desk.
Looking up, he saw the Giant Hagrid smiling at them, his thick beard trembling.
"Hagrid, it's rare to see you in the Library!"
"Let me guess, are you looking for books about pets? Is that little darling in the Forbidden Forest being mischievous again?"
"How could that be? They're all very well-behaved."
"Then what are you doing in the Library?"
"I'm just looking around!" Hagrid stammered, but Aaronkeenly noticed that his gaze kept drifting to his Dragon Species Compendium.
"You want this compendium?" Aaron asked meaningfully.
"How could I?" Hagrid laughed awkwardly. "Alright! I do want to see it."
"The things recorded in your book are very detailed – habits, diet, hatching guide, and so on. It's more detailed than any other book in the Library."
"So, could I..."
"This..."
Before Aaron could speak, Abey jumped directly onto the compendium, pressing its white paws on it and shaking its head vigorously.
"This... I'm afraid not."
"As you can see, our Abey is very possessive."
"If it doesn't agree to give it to you, there's nothing I can do."
"Alright!" Hagrid nodded with some regret. "Then when will you be finished with it?"
"As far as I know, there's a time limit for borrowing books from the Library."
"If you finish it, be sure to tell me immediately."
"Or, I can go have a word with Madam Pince now, and when you're done, she can reserve this book for me."
Hearing this, Abey, who had only shown displeasure before, began to bare its fangs. It angrily closed the compendium and squatted on top of it, its entire body covering it.
Hagrid:... "Aaron, I can see it's reluctant, but this is school property after all."
"Mrow!"
Abey let out an angry purr that didn't belong to a cat. The sound was very low, but Hagrid and Aaron, who were very close, both heard it.
"This is..." Hagrid's eyes lit up, and he stared at the tightly wrapped 'white cat' in front of him, his gaze filled with infinite interest.
"Damn it! Exposed?" Aaron cursed inwardly, immediately pressing down on Abey's dragon head, then holding it in his arms and covering its dragon mouth so it couldn't make any sound.
It was uncomfortable, but Abey also knew it had just made a mistake and obediently cooperated with its owner.
"Aaron, your cat seems a little different!" Hagrid looked at him meaningfully, his two huge hands slowly moving towards Abey as he spoke.
His movements were very slow, as if he was afraid of startling the little creature.
"What do you want?" Aaron said with an unfriendly expression. Hagrid's current appearance was like a child trafficker trying to abduct a child, and Aaron couldn't help but be wary.
Hagrid reluctantly withdrew his hands, a polite but awkward smile on his face.
"I'm just curious, yes, curious." Hagrid said, "My knowledge of animals is among the best in the entire Magical World, but such a special... cat, I've never seen before."
At this point, Hagrid suddenly paused and cautiously looked around. "Aaron, is it possible that Abey isn't a cat at all?"
"I'm quite sure that sound just now could not have been made by any breed of cat."
"I don't know what you're talking about?"
"Abey is just an ordinary white cat, and it's been with me since it was born."
"I understand, I understand!" Hagrid lowered his voice and said meaningfully, "Is there a possibility that Abey looks like a cat on the outside, but is actually another species?"
"Actually, I mean a rare breed among cats."
"You know, taking care of such a rare breed requires great care, and if you need help, I would be honor..."
"You don't need to worry about that!" Aaron interrupted him. He spoke so nicely, but in reality, he was just coveting my Saint Dragon's body.
"Haha! I was just saying." Hagrid laughed heartily, then remembered his main business, "Aaron, when will you be finished with this compendium?"
"I don't know."
"This book was sent by my uncle; it's not school property, so you can forget about it."
"This..." Hagrid was stunned; he had never expected that.
"Then when you're finished, can you lend it to me for a few days?"
"I have an urgent need."
Aaron looked at the honest Giant with amusement. "When did you become so interested in dragons?"
"I've always been particularly interested in dragons." Hagrid's eyes darted away as he explained, "There are many magic creatures in the Forbidden Forest, but no dragons."
"To be honest, I've always wanted to raise a dragon, but I don't have the means, and the Ministry of Magic wouldn't allow it."
"So, I can only get a simple understanding by reading books, just to satisfy my wish a little."
"Is that so?"
"I don't know when I'll finish it, but I can promise you that once I do, I'll lend it to you." Aaron said, subconsciously hugging Abey tighter, then picked up the compendium from the table and left down the corridor.
Hagrid squinted, watching Aaron's retreating back, and murmured, "That's definitely not a cat, but what species is it? Or is it a magic creature that has never appeared before?"
"I'm so curious! I need to find a way to borrow it and take a look."