Chapter 87 I Don't Want This Hot Potato
"Of course." Lord Voldemort looked at the red gem in Aaron's hand through the mirror, his voice full of temptation, "Give it to me, and I can give you everything you desire."
"Heh heh!" Aaron chuckled disdainfully, "I'm very sorry, but it seems there's nothing I desire.
Or rather, what I desire is something you cannot give."
"Hahahaha!" Lord Voldemort burst into laughter, "As expected of a Slytherin, just like my past self, full of ambition."
"Stop with the nonsense. Ambition is something everyone possesses; it's just a matter of scale." Aaron toyed with the Philosopher's Stone, "Honestly, I don't really want to give this to you."
"You will give it to me." Lord Voldemort said with an air of composure, "Didn't you just say it? You would pledge allegiance to me and become the third Dark Lord.
While this might be a lie you fabricated to deceive me, it can absolutely become true.
You possess the noblest and most ancient bloodline in the Magical World, making you fully qualified to be my successor. I will cultivate you with all my might."
"You're making me waver a bit." Aaron smiled apologetically, not minding Harry's anxious expression, "But to ask for my allegiance with just this condition seems a bit insufficient!"
"I advise you not to be ungrateful." Professor Quirrell said fiercely, "It is your immense honor that Lord Voldemortwould even consider you."
"Shut up, it's not your place to speak." Lord Voldemort said in a hoarse voice, and Quirrell immediately shut his mouth guiltily, his face filled with terror.
"Do you understand the consequences of refusing my invitation?"
"I understand perfectly."
After a few seconds of silence, Lord Voldemort's hideous face gained a hint more of a smile, "Indeed, you are very much like my past self, and you certainly have the capital to refuse my invitation.
I have studied the four hidden families, and the results are astonishing, even inconceivable.
Since the beginning of the age of magic, no, perhaps even earlier, your families have existed.
Even Pure-blood families have their periods of glory and decline, but your families seem to have always developed steadily, to the point where even the grand wars that swept across the entire Magical World for thousands of years could not touch you.
Yet, these few families, who hardly ever concern themselves with the affairs of the Magical World, possess immense privileges, and not a single person has ever questioned it; it seems as though your enjoyment of these powers is taken for granted."
"That's because we never abuse these privileges." Aaron said earnestly, "Never."
"Hmph! Save that nonsense for others." Lord Voldemortsneered, "I'll figure out what I need to know eventually, but for now, give me the Philosopher's Stone."
"Didn't I say? I don't want to give it to you." Aaron said meaningfully, then turned to Harry, placing the Philosopher's Stone into Harry Potter's hand right in front of Lord Voldemort.
"This... why?" Harry held the Philosopher's Stone, utterly bewildered, "Dumbledore chose you; he hoped you would protect the Philosopher's Stone."
"But I choose you.
Harry Potter, you are braver than I am, and you are also the one who least wants Lord Voldemort to get the Philosopher's Stone.
As for me, I am good at self-preservation; between my life and the Philosopher's Stone, I would not hesitate to choose the former." Aaron said seriously, giving Harry no chance to refuse.
Dumbledore placing the Philosopher's Stone on him was nothing more than an extra layer of insurance for Harry Potter.
As the heir of a hidden family, how could he not have some means of self-preservation?
Moreover, if Lord Voldemort were to injure Aaron, he would inevitably go up against a powerful Wizarding family, which would be all benefit and no harm for Dumbledore.
However, he would never have imagined that Aaron would, with a flick of his wrist, place the Philosopher's Stone, the biggest magnet for trouble, into Harry Potter's hands.
He didn't want this hot potato; why keep it for winter instead of getting rid of it early?
"Aaron, you've lost a shortcut to instant success." Lord Voldemort said with great regret, then looked at Harry Potter in the mirror, "If you don't want to end up like your parents, give me the Philosopher's Stone."
"You wish." Harry staggered back a few steps. Only when Lord Voldemort's gaze was fixed on him did he realize how difficult it was to converse with Lord Voldemort on equal terms, as Aaron had.
"Just like your parents, they were as brave as you.
They preferred death to surrender, but they still died.
Give me the Philosopher's Stone, and I promise not to kill you, and I can even bring your parents back from the dead.
Harry, don't let your mother die in vain for you."
Harry hesitated for a moment, then suddenly rushed towards the stairs.
"Catch him!" Lord Voldemort shouted.
Professor Quirrell immediately extended his right hand, but as he prepared to cast a spell, a curse struck his arm, interrupting his magic.
"Run! You must run with all your might." Aaron shouted, "I'll buy you a little time, but no more than ten seconds."
Harry was moved to tears, looked back once, and then rushed out of the room without hesitation.
"Do you think he can escape?" Lord Voldemort asked coldly, "You should know how long these obstacles are."
"Who knows?" Aaron spread his hands, then saw Quirrellpull out his wand, immediately becoming vigilant, "I think you shouldn't be wasting time on me right now."
"He can't escape.
First, I'll deal with you, then I'll kill Harry Potter, and then I'll give the Philosopher's Stone to my master.
There's plenty of time."
"Leave him alive; just teach him a slight lesson." Lord Voldemort reminded, "If he dies, we'll have no small amount of trouble. Confronting that family right now is not good for us."
"As you command, my master."
"Wait, wait, wait!" Aaron said hurriedly, "I never fight a battle I'm not sure of. You should still have time to chase Harrynow."
"What do you mean?" Lord Voldemort leaned forward, moving his face to the front of Quirrell's head, "You'd better explain clearly, or it won't just be a slight lesson."
"Actually, before I came, I had Abey inform Hagrid. By now, he should have arrived."
"That Giant?" Lord Voldemort sneered dismissively, "Unless Dumbledore has rushed back from London, I fear no one at Hogwarts."
"Of course, with your abilities, you can escape unharmed even if you encounter a Professor.
But that's under normal circumstances. Your current state isn't exactly great, is it?
Completely controlling Quirrell's body consumes your almost depleted life force. How much longer can you maintain it?"
"Dealing with a Giant is enough."
"That's true, but Hagrid is smarter than anyone when he needs to be. He wouldn't foolishly stay put and wait for the Dark Lord to come out and kill him.
With his help, running away with Harry Potter doesn't seem that difficult, does it?"
Lord Voldemort froze for a moment, then quickly cast a spell on Aaron's forehead.
A flash of emerald green light, and Aaron rolled his eyes, collapsing to the ground cooperatively.
Lord Voldemort quickly moved his face to the back of Quirrell's head, "Quick, chase him! Harry Potter must not escape."
"Yes, my master."
Quirrell immediately rushed towards the stairs.
After he left, Aaron, who was lying on the ground, quickly opened his eyes, a faint smile playing on his lips.
He had finally managed to fool him, but the real show was just beginning.
He rubbed his forehead and took out a brooch from his clothes, which was already covered in dense cracks.
This disposable magic protective item was clearly unusable.
"Dark Lord, a grand title, but a rather petty mind." Aaronlooked at the brooch with a hint of heartache. A tool that could resist the Killing Curse was used up just like that; he really was quite reluctant.
Lord Voldemort hadn't used the Killing Curse just now; it wouldn't even cause any harm.
However, that spell would cause him to have continuous nightmares for the next month, with Lord Voldemort's terrifying and hideous face as the main character of the nightmares.
It was conceivable that after the effect of this spell wore off, Lord Voldemort would more or less become his psychological shadow.
The next time they met, he would subconsciously feel fear, and with fear, conquering a person would be much easier.
After putting away the brooch, Aaron unhurriedly walked out of the room.
At the same time, Hermione also returned to the Wizard's chess board and briefly explained the situation to Ron.
Just as the two were hesitating whether to wait here for Aaron and Harry to return or to go back the way they came, a white figure suddenly darted in from the entrance.
"Abey." Hermione exclaimed in surprise.
"Not just it, but the two of us too."
Professor McGonagall walked in, saying, with Professor Snape, whose face was ashen, following behind her.
Both Professors looked a bit disheveled than usual, presumably because they had been forcibly woken from their sleep.
"Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape, why are you here?" Hermione was excited but also a little nervous, as they had already been caught once for being out after hours, but this time seemed even more serious, likely meeting the threshold for expulsion.
"Mr. Gaius had Abey send us a message, saying that Professor Quirrell was going to steal the Philosopher's Stoneand asked us to come to the trapdoor no matter what." Professor McGonagall explained exasperatedly, "But I really didn't expect you to be so bold. Forcing your way through the trapdoor is one thing, but you actually made it this far."
"It's all because you didn't believe us." Ron said indignantly.
In his opinion, if Professor McGonagall had believed them, they would never have taken such a big risk to do something like this.
"How could I believe you?
You said Professor Snape would steal the Philosopher's Stone, but he's standing right here, perfectly fine!"
Hearing this, Snape's face grew even darker, "Professor McGonagall, I may have been a bit strict with Gryffindor in the past, but I never expected to be met with such baseless suspicion. It's truly disheartening!"