Chapter 79 Hagrid is really unreliable
After leaving Snape's office, Aaron immediately headed towards the Forbidden Forest.
Without any surprise, Harry and Ron were there.
Hagrid was agitatedly watching the two of them in his hut; he had been so bothered these past few days that his ears had grown calluses.
"I'll emphasize it one more time, I did not reveal how to get past Fluffy."
"That's good then," Ron said with a carefree laugh, a slight weight lifted from his heart.
"Hagrid, keep this attitude.
No matter who asks, or by what method, don't reveal it."
"You don't need to tell me that," Hagrid rolled his eyes at Harry. "Besides me and Dumbledore, I haven't told anyone else, not even the Professors of the school."
"That might not be the case."
Aaron rushed over, staring at Hagrid with a serious expression.
Hagrid suddenly felt a little guilty; he didn't feel this way towards others, not even Dumbledore.
But Aaron was different; his conscience felt bad for this young Wizard, and not just once, especially with the magical creature he had always wanted to study following beside Aaron.
"Uh... is there something on my face?"
"No, but... did you really not reveal how to get past Fluffy?"
"No, I really didn't," Ron interjected. "Harry and I remind him several times a day, and to be safe, we don't even let him drink alcohol anymore."
Hagrid's expression darkened slightly, and he turned his head to glare at Ron. "You're mean."
"It's an extraordinary time!
Just bear with it for now. Once the Philosopher's Stone is completely safe, you can get thoroughly drunk."
"That's optimistic, but the situation is not optimistic."
"What do you mean?" Harry's heart suddenly sank, and the scar on his forehead burned like fire again.
This time it was more intense than ever before, making him grimace in pain.
"Do you feel it?" Aaron said meaningfully. "I need to tell you that Dumbledore has already left Hogwarts and won't be back until tomorrow afternoon at the earliest.
That means this is when the school's defenses are weakest. If you were You-Know-Who, what would you do?"
"Opportunity knocks but once." Harry tried his best to calm down. "You-Know-Who won't miss this chance; he could act at any time before Dumbledore returns.
By the way, Professor Snape is currently..."
"Professor Snape is perfectly fine in his office," Aaron said exasperatedly. "And you should be concerned about other things right now."
Harry nodded, looking at Hagrid with a heavy heart. "Hagrid, think carefully, did you really not tell anyone else how to get past Fluffy?"
"How many times do I have to say it? No means no."
"Alright! I hope my worries are unnecessary."
Aaron couldn't bear to watch anymore; it would be a miracle if asking questions in such a blunt way would be effective.
"Hagrid, after the Philosopher's Stone arrived at Hogwarts, did any strangers come to see you?"
When Harry and Ron heard this, their hearts immediately sank halfway.
They finally realized what they had overlooked.
They had been at the school for a long time before they learned of Nicolas Flamel's existence and that there was a Philosopher's Stone at the school.
And You-Know-Who had likely found a way to extract information from Hagrid after the Philosopher's Stonearrived at the school; he might have known how to get past Fluffy for a long time.
However, both of them still held a glimmer of hope, as they considered Hagrid to be very reliable.
"Well..." Hagrid hesitated slightly. "Not at the school, but sometimes when I go out for a drink, I inevitably run into some strangers."
"Hagrid, when you were drinking, did anyone ask you about Hogwarts?"
"It might have come up!" Hagrid said carelessly. "I often go to that pub to drink, and many people know who I am. Is there anything wrong with that?"
"Strangers, the emphasis is on strangers," Aaron reminded him. "Preferably those who are sneaky, have something to hide, and clearly don't look like good people."
"Hmm..." Hagrid frowned and thought for a while, then mused, "There was one person who was very heavily wrapped, even more so than Abey. I couldn't even see his face.
But he really was a good person; he kept telling the owner to bring me more drinks."
Aaron looked at Harry Potter with some sympathy, then placed the freshly prepared Potion in front of him. "Drink this first."
"What is this?"
"A sedative.
If Ron needs it, he can also gulp down a few mouthfuls.
At this moment, it won't do any harm to drink it."
Ron swallowed, waving his hand. "I, I don't need it."
Harry smiled bitterly, not refusing Aaron's kindness, and opened the bottle, drinking it all in one gulp.
He also felt he needed to calm down, or else he might be so angered by Hagrid that he would spit blood.
Aaron continued to ask, "And then? Did he just buy you drinks?"
"I don't remember what happened after that.
Oh, Norbert is what he lost to me," Hagrid said excitedly and proudly. "I always wanted a Dragon, and he just happened to have a Dragon egg."
"Yes!" Harry gritted his teeth. "Now that I think about it, such a coincidence was definitely premeditated."
"Harry, you can't think everyone is a bad person," Hagridpatted his shoulder and said patiently. "That person really wasn't a bad person; before he gave Norbert to me, he wanted to test if I had the ability to handle a Dragon, after all, a Dragon's destructive power is immense.
At that time, I told him that I could even handle Fluffy, so a Dragon was nothing."
Harry took a deep breath; under the influence of the sedative, his mood easily calmed down. "Was he very interested in Fluffy?"
"Of course! Even Wizards rarely get a chance to see a Cerberus.
At the time, I told him that the trick to dealing with beasts is knowing how to make them quiet.
For example, Fluffy! Give him some music and he'll fall asleep." After Hagrid finished speaking, his pupils suddenly constricted. "I shouldn't have told you."
"Yes! But you just had to tell a suspicious stranger, how amusing." Aaron rubbed his forehead exasperatedly. "I knew I couldn't count on you.
Also, I don't agree with your trick for dealing with beasts, because some beasts might not necessarily like music.
For example, Abey, if you let it choose between music and a chicken leg, it would choose the latter without hesitation."
"Let's not discuss this anymore," Harry suddenly stood up. "We need to act quickly and go find Professor McGonagall; only she can help us now."
Ron nodded and ran out with Harry.
But halfway through, he suddenly turned back. "Aaron, aren't you coming with us?"
"You two go ahead! I'll go to the trapdoor first.
Without evidence, it's debatable whether Professor McGonagall will believe you."
Ron paused for a moment, said nothing, and continued to rush with Harry.
After the two left, Aaron looked at Hagrid playfully. "I suppose you know where you went wrong, right?"
"I know," Hagrid lowered his head, looking dejected. "I'll go with you to find Professor McGonagall."
"No need," Aaron patted the Giant's broad shoulders. "I will convince Professor McGonagall, and as for you... you should have a way to notify Dumbledore, right?"
"Well..."
"It's fine if you don't.
He went to the Ministry of Magic in London and has probably been gone for a few hours. You're faster than an owl, so try to intercept him on his way back.
I, no, we all need the White Magic King to return as soon as possible, understand?"
"Understood," Hagrid nodded solemnly, then pulled out his umbrella from under the table.
A few minutes later, a roaring sound erupted outside the hut, and a red motorcycle soared into the sky.
Aaron watched Hagrid disappear into the clouds, sighed, and then walked towards the Castle.
His destination was the trapdoor; no matter when, this door was always the key point.
Compared to Harry and the others, he was much calmer and didn't think Lord Voldemort would act during the day; the dead of night was the best time for theft.
But a trump card can only be used once. To be safe, he had to see it with his own eyes to be at ease.
...Third-floor corridor.
Hermione was guarding here with a pile of books, pretending to be studying diligently, but her eyes occasionally darted upwards, afraid that someone might slip into the fourth-floor corridor when she wasn't paying attention.
"You're really making it obvious."
Aaron's voice suddenly sounded behind her, startling Hermione.
"How did you get here?"
"There was a slight accident. I think I need to go in and check."
"No need, right! No one has come today.
Besides, there's a Cerberus in there, it's very scary."
"Seeing is believing; guarding here might not be useful," Aaron said meaningfully, walking up the stairs on his own.
Hermione didn't have time to stop him and, as if by an impulse, followed behind him.
A few minutes later, the two arrived at a door.
"Alohomora!"
An Alohomora was cast, and the keyhole automatically opened.
Aaron took a deep breath and pushed open the door.
As soon as he walked in, he saw a black Cerberus, almost filling half the room, slowly opening its eyes.
"Oh my goodness! This is too fierce!
Much more powerful than what I saw in books."
"Roar!"
Abey let out an unyielding roar.
"Of course!" Aaron patted Abey's Dragon head. "You'll definitely grow even bigger than it someday."